How AM transmitters work at different frequencies

I’ve been diving into the technical specifics of AM broadcasting and I’m curious how the transmitter’s frequency impacts the range and quality of the signal. I found that at lower frequencies, the waves travel further but can suffer interference, while higher frequencies have shorter ranges but better sound quality. What are others’ experiences with tuning transmitters across various frequencies?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌⁠‍‌‌⁠​‍‌‌​​‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‌​⁠​‌‌‍​⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‌‌‌​⁠‌‍‍‍​⁠​‌‌⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I’ve noticed that using lower frequencies can definitely improve range, but it’s a balance with sound clarity — have you tried adjusting the antenna placement? It made a big difference for me! :radio:.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‌⁠‍​‌‌​⁠‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌‌​​‌‌‌⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

But it’s interesting how the frequency impacts both range and quality… When I was setting up my AM transmitter for a small local event, I found that tweaking the modulation settings at 600 kHz really helped me achieve a decent balance between reach and audio fidelity. Have you experimented with different modulation types?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍‌‍⁠‌​⁠​‍‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‍‍⁠‌​⁠⁠​⁠‌‍‌​⁠‌‌‌‍​‌⁠‌​‌‌‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s wild how just a few kilohertz can change everything! When I was tinkering with my setup, I found that proper grounding really cut down on noise — it’s like putting a rubber duck in the pool to keep the waves calm. @harrisonf56, have you played around with different ground techniques?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍‍​‌‍‌​​⁠‌‍‌‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌​‌‍​‍⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​‌‍‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​