I Can See for Miles and Miles

I have a secret that no one knows--I love AM radio. I love scrolling across the dial and picking up various strains of music, talk, and the curiously musical noise between the stations (note: this doesn't work with newer digital tuners--you need an old analog radio).

I love that small niche programs that wouldn't make it on FM radio (too expensive, too little bandwidth) can find a happy home on AM.

I love that you can hear various foreign language programs and foreign language music--makes me feel like I'm less in Michigan and more a part of the world. Usually, I can pick up something in French from Canada and something in Arabic from some local station.

I love that I can get radio signals from Chicago (WBBM AM 780) and NYC (WCBS AM 880) from my upstairs bedroom. Want to know the traffic and weather in Manhattan or how long it takes to reach the loop from the inbound Kennedy? Just give me a call.

I love that electronics in my car affect the AM signal--my turn signals make a steady tone that plays in time with the blinker and my brakes cause this amazing swooshing noise.

AM radio is the neglected part of the radio spectrum, but I highly recommend it. There are so many treasures to be heard!