Posted on 05/23/2023 9:13:50 AM PDT by conservative98
DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.
CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.
“We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Farley wrote on Twitter. “For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.
The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.
Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM’s historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
That is pretty outrageous. A software patch is keeping you from using the circuits you already own.
I finally have my FT-991A up on FT8 using an end-fed half-wave on 20m. Next on deck is the Xiegu G-19 with Digirig interface. Still working on a decent outdoor antenna to cover 10m to 80m. The MFJ-993BRT remote tuner will be part of that solution. Lots of t-storms for the next week, so not an ideal time to be hanging antennas.
The FT-991A is going to be a base only rig. The G-90 will go mobile for POTA/SOTA/VOTA and Field Day activities. FT8 at home. Most likely phone for the G-90 in the field. It appears FLDIGI is a good package for keyboard to keyboard digital modes. WSJT-X for FT8 (paired with gridtracker). Waiting on my LotW cert to set up that account.
#37 Try listening to WKRP : )
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