Photo by Brock Wegner on Unsplash
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis Dura, who shares the following two articles that may be of interest to readers:
The first, from Radio World, highlights a new broadband AM antenna system designed for the upper end of the mediumwave band. The compact design promises easier installation, lower infrastructure requirements, and could offer broadcasters a practical solution where traditional AM tower installations are impractical or prohibitively expensive:
https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/products/new-antenna-for-upper-am-band-nears-readiness
Dennis also points to a recent Westwood One analysis examining the listening habits of Tesla drivers. Despite Tesla’s increasingly streaming-focused infotainment systems, the data suggests AM/FM radio remains the dominant source of ad-supported in-car audio among Tesla owners:
https://www.westwoodone.com/blog/2026/06/29/reach-future-tesla-buyers-on-am-fm-radio-the-medium-tesla-drivers-listen-to-most/
I think that Andy’s comment is correct. It doesn’t look like anything innovative. Also, the price is extortionate!
I’ve built plenty of shortened MW verticals over the years, and their performance – whilst never stellar – is usually somewhat better than predicted. A 50ft antenna is luxury – I often have to contend with a 10 or 12m limit!
Hi Chris. I’m glad someone agrees with me. My 50ft vertical is a telescopic fibreglass ‘whip’ from Spiderbeam and it has no guys. At full stretch even a gentle breeze can get it doing a worrying shimmy, so it rarely goes up so high. Under normal conditions it sits at 40 ft but I always lower it to about 25 ft overnight or if we are going away. Being an old MW pirate from the 70’s, 160m and ground-wave AM has always fascinated me!
That AM tower looks like an entirely conventional inductively-loaded design. Looking closely at the drawings, the section below the inductor seems to be insulated from the support mast so, depending on where and how the feed is applied, it could be acting as either an elevated base-loaded radiator or a centre-loaded one, also depending on whether the bottom of the lower mast is grounded or insulated. My own vertical (for the Amateur 160m band) is 50 feet tall with inductive loading about 2/3 of the way up and fed at ground level against (a rather poor) earth. I’m tempted to say there’s nothing unusual about this antenna at all, but without seeing the finer detail I’d better shut up.