Whenever the question “What is the difference between AM and FM radio” is asked, most people think that FM is used for broadcasting music and AM is mainly used for chatting.
The above explanation is correct to a certain extent, but it is not enough to clearly differentiate between these two types. So, the first question that arises is, what do AM and FM mean? And what exactly is AM and FM?
Well, both AM and FM method work on the same principle, but the way they transmit the signal is slightly different. Let’s take a look at a few things to help you differentiate and understand each type of radio. First, we will talk about AM FM definition.
What is AM Radio?
AM uses different types of waves in radio technology, including longwave, mediumwave, and shortwave. AM is a combination of two words Amplitude Modulation, which means that the amplitude of the carrier wave changes according to the input signal, for example, an audio signal.
AM Waves Pitch controls the amplitude of radio waves—the louder the sound, the greater the amplitude of the wave. Broadcast With this mode, the frequency or number of waves transmitted per second does not change.
This type of wave travels long distances with the power of the transmitter. If the signal is weak, the receiver only hears a static sound.
The SSB, which is a special form of AM, hits the atmospheric ion zone 75-250 miles above Earth. After that, it returns to earth.
What is FM Radio?
FM (frequency modulation), Which means the frequency of the carrier wave is changed according to the amplitude of the modulating signal.
FM typically operates in the full power, low power, translator and booster stations in the 88 – 108 MHz band.
Because FM waves can change frequencies, they can create a stereo sound effect after being decoded by a radio.
In this FM technology, interference from ambient noise is eliminated, resulting in better sound transmission. So often every time you switch between radios, instead of hearing stable sounds with only AM, FM will alternate between different frequencies and produce more accurate sounds and smoother channel transitions. FM waves cannot be reflected well by the ionosphere, so they cannot travel very far. So, for good frequency modulation broadcasting, the station is placed at the highest point or high mast, , so as to extend the coverage.