[MrFixr55]

Hi Vlad,

I heard that and yes, the 2 tubes are radically different.  I can't quite remember but I think that someone had the same situation with a 6A8 vs a 6K8, again 2 very different tubes and the 6A8 somehow worked, at least for Broadcast Band.  I whipped out the ol' RCA Receiving Tube Manual and scratched my head.  I can see similar tubes work where one is optimized for shortwave, such as the difference between 1LA6 from the Zenith "Universal" (6G001) vs 1LC6 from the Zenith "Transoceanic" (8G005), but the other tube?  Somehow, when I looked at the others, I could see in a twisted way how they worked.

True, regarding Shortwave, everything is drying up except for a few religious and special interest stations.  However, we have many AM stations here in the New York Metro Area, almost all being news / talk or sports, religious or foreign language.  Shortwave service to the US from developed countries and institutions, such as Britain, France, Germany, the Vatican, etc. have shifted to the internet, and their shortwave signals are beamed to the developing world.  I think that maybe even the 80, 40 and 20 meter ham bands are drying up because the previous generation is drying up.  Heck, my generation is drying up!

I think that there are several factors at work here:

• First off, the FM broadcast band offers superior fidelity and freedom from noise.
  
• Secondly, the noise from all the EMI out there (CFL and LED lighting, WiFi, Smart homes, remotely read power meters, switching power supplies, and electric vehicles.  There is a lot of talk about Auto manufacturers, especially Tesla and possibly Ford, dropping AM from factory installed radios.  (I remember that in the 50s and 60s, some Euro cars came equipped with at least one shortwave band on their radios, in addition to AM broadcast.  I think that even Long Wave was popular in Europe.  You would know better if you grew up there.)
  
• Thirdly, I think that subscription radio (Sirius XM, Etc.) MusicChoice on cable, etc. is cutting into the need for AM.
  
• Fourthly, the amount of time spent on podcasts, social media, computer and iPhone screens, etc.  A bad source for news.
  
• Finally, I think that so many consume their music from their iPhones.
  

As a kid and later as an adult field engineer, on late fall nights, I used to like to "AM DX" either with my AA5 Emerson or the car radio (especially the ones in the late 80s, early 90s Dodge Caravans) and was amazed to pick up CKLW in Windsor, WLS from Chicago as well as stations from Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, etc. I even picked up a non-clear channel station from Tennessee. But that's how "skip" works.

I would think that there are about 5 clear-channel high power and about 7-10 other relatively strong AM stations that I can receive in the car if on the local highways where there are no power lines, trucks with GPS and telemetry, etc.  In the house, it is VERY different.