We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???  (Read 1714 times)

Offline ThaDood

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1209
  • Likely, not where you are.
    • View Profile
    • Extreme Part #15!
    • Email
Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???
« on: August 26, 2022, 1750 UTC »
https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/guest-commentaries/turn-off-the-stereo-and-see-what-happens
 FM mono??? This tells you how tech has changed over the years. 30-some years ago, if you wanted FM mono, you reached over to a switch and flicked-off the STEREO mode. Today, since most, if not all, FM analog tuners, made today just don´t have that option. So, they have to suggest that at the transmitter end? Uh-huh... Don´t you see the irony here?  Damn... I still remember the excitement when Panaxis, then Ramsey FM-10, TX´s, featured FM stereo at the milliwatt level. Even Part #15 FM TX´s, that broadcast less than 100ft TX, in FM stereo. What would be a better article is to tell folks, whom want a MONO feature on an FM radio, is to tell them how to install a switch to GND-out the 19kHz pilot carrier. Instant mono, problem solved...
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline Ed H

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2022, 1613 UTC »
Interesting. With digital quality (whatever that is..) everywhere, no-one knows much about the analogue world, except perhaps for a few vinyl enthusiasts. I recently restored a Fisher receiver, and had to learn about how the FM stereo circuitry operated, to understand what was really going on in the alignment of the MPX decoder, and its correct operation. This being mid 60's equipment (of quality), the selector allowed for Mono, MPX permanently active and an automatic mode driven by a detector for the 19kHz pilot. Nicely implemented, and very effective in practice.

Offline Pigmeat

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 6684
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2022, 2353 UTC »
All of the early Walkman's had an FM stereo/mono switch. My main in house Technics receiver, late 70's model, most certainly had the stereo/mono option by just turning a knob. A lot of FM stations that carried some non-music programming didn't use the stereo generator when transmitting that stuff, if you had expensive balanced speakers, listening to the broadcast through them was a low-fi waste when the station was tx'ing in mono. You switched your receiver over to mono, to get full sound.

BTW, all quality receivers and amps had tubes, solid state stuff sounded like crap. You had to make sure you turned them off or you could fry your tubes. I knew guys who had to drive home at morning break because they left them on in the hurry to get out the door to get to work.

Offline skeezix

  • Global Moderator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5545
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • What does 'RNO stand for?
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2022, 0254 UTC »
My Yamaha & Pioneer receivers have stereo/mono. I do like having that option.

My Part 15 xmtr came with a stereo chip, but I replaced it with a mono chip to eek out a slight increase of distance. I usually listen to it on a tube FM receiver, which is mono anyway, or I'm mowing the lawn listening and with the mower noise, stereo isn't all that important. But, at the edge of the property, stereo vs mono does make somewhat of a difference (granted, while mowing that's only 10-15 minutes anyway).

Minneapolis, MN

Offline Pigmeat

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 6684
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Off the Stereo and See What Happens? Radio World???
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2022, 1411 UTC »
Now that I've thought about it, I had people telling me to turn off the stereo quite a bit when I was younger.  ;)

Offline ThaDood

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1209
  • Likely, not where you are.
    • View Profile
    • Extreme Part #15!
    • Email
https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/readers-forum/your-feedback-on-fm-stereo-vs-fm-mono
Huh... Well, I didn´t think that this was going to be such a big issue. I still say, have STEREO / MONO switching done at the receiver end, and let the listener decide.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

 

HFUnderground Mug
HFUnderground Mug
by MitchellTimeDesigns