[AMRadio] Fw: Is AM a special case, or is it "just another mode"?

[Rob Atkinson]

Probably every ham with a passion for some facet of the hobby, DX
chasing, QRP, CW, meteor scatter...etc. has a special feeling for his
particular niche.

To devalue or deny an AMer's freedom to have a special place in his
heart for AM, its place in radio history, its rich operating culture
and legacy and oral history, the extensive knowledge both wide and
deep for radiotelephone transmission and reception that is a matter of
record in the literature of the hobby, and promoting it as such, is
unreasonable and petty.  Why is AM impoverished in this way?  I am not
aware of any other ham activity being denigrated by some of its own
adherents as nothing exceptional, just another ham avocational
occupation, and am left to speculate on the agenda, whatever it may
be, of the promoters of a seemingly post-modern view of AM.

Well, whatever that agenda is, regardless of how well intentioned it
may be, I don't buy it and I make no apology for my view of AM as
having a special and valued place in ham radio, as I continue to
explore its rich array of opportunities to learn, build, repair and
modify.    In fact, to think of AM purely as an operating mode of
transmission, one would have to be oblivious to everything else that
goes with having a satisfying practice of AM operation:  learning how
to accomplish superior AM transmission and reception, audio
processing, metal shop techniques and building, trouble shooting,
tools and test equipment, and methods of modulation to name a few.

Do other operating modes of transmission and reception have any of
this?  They could to some extent, but tragically, most do not.  The
exceptions are the extremely esoteric modes for which enthusiasts must
homebrew most of their equipment because there's nothing available
commercially.  You'd think CW would be an enormous pool of hams
operating vintage and homebrew equipment, since it is the most basic
of all transmitting modes, but sadly, CW has for the most part lapsed
into technical dormancy since most of its operators, even veteran hams
with technical knowledge, have been seduced by modern plastic radios,
which most are unable to repair and maintain.   A recent issue of the
FISTS newsletter bemoaned this in an article by a ham who had brought
a vintage CW station to the airwaves and who was disheartened to find
no one to work, save hams running modern black box rigs.   Oh they
could go on about their transceiver's _performance_ but were mute
about _how it works_.

If this is where AM goes if "we must adapt to the 21st century," I
want no part of it.   The rich knowledge base if you will and pool of
vacuum tube equipment operators, restorers and builders exists in AM
mainly because that technology continues to provide an excellent way
of transmitting AM with power, across a wide range of frequencies and
load impedances.
If the alternative is just another analog voice mode to communicate
with, I'll take 20th Century AM and promote that thank you very much.
Perhaps those who claim AM is unexceptional, have had a limited and
inadequate AM experience.   If so, I invite you to devote more time
and energy to it before passing judgment on it.

73

Rob
K5UJ