USB AM Radio Tuner
 

GOAL: Deploy a preconfigged Raspberry Pi in another city to broadcast one AM radio station (personal use only - follow sports teams) to myself in another city.

I have looked, but found nothing so I thought I'd ask here before I move to plan B.

I am looking for an USB AM Radio tuner that works on Linux from the CLI only. Does such a beast exist?

Plan B would be a digital tuner with audio out into an usb audio input. I have this working already, but I'm trying to reduce the size & amount of equipment required for the deployment.

Thanks!

Bob

Unless you mean a AM stereo or what they call now HD radio then I doubt they make an AM radio in usb.

I'd be more inclined to get a cheap am radio and use it's output to the sound card.

I have no streaming AM radios in aussie land....but am thinking plan C?

google your sport for free radio and listen to it without any need of radio jacks?

eg

http://www.freebaseballradio.com/

http://freefootballradio.com/

heck if I can google that so quickly maybe I should have used tv search term?

good luck

Radio (digital tuner or not) is perfectly analog. AM radio is also subject to electrical noise, throws out many harmonics (regulated by your local unfriendly ITU affiliate). I would go

In distant location: radio --> sound file. You need audio --> sound chip, imho.
in rasberry pi sound file(s) --> email
at home: play sound file.

Thanks for all the replies!

I didn't think there were any usb AM radios out there that fit my requirements, but it was worth asking :)

I am moving to Plan B. I did a lot of research on small high quality AM receivers/tuners keeping in mind the low budget factor. I read nothing but good things about the Sony SRF-M37W Walkman in regards to AM reception quality. It's digital(important so I don't need to constantly ask someone to re-tune), small, and runs off 1 AAA battery. I found a slightly used one on Amazon for less than 20USD including shipping. I should be able to sneak that by my accounting department (aka Wife).

Since the Raspberry PI has 2 onboard USB ports, this is perfect. I will use 1 USB for the sound card (required for audio in port). I will use the other usb port to power the Sony Walkman. I did a little googling about USB power output, dusted off my Ohm's law handbook, did a little math, and sketched out a small circuit that will provide 1.5 volts (same as 1 AAA battery). I was able to get all the components for the circuit at a local Radio Shack on my lunch hour yesterday :) I plan on constructing the simple circuit this weekend, and will wait patiently for the walkman to arrive. Upon arrival I will hard wire the circuit to the walkman batt. terminals. Trying to keep this as simple and self contained as possible.

If it all works as planned the whole thing will run off an old micro usb phone charger, and an ethernet cable :)

I'll post another update with some pictures when I have it all finished!

The PI itself is running ARMedSlack aka Slackware ARM! Just thought I needed to mention the Linux element here so the admins don't reject all this as not at all Linux related :)

It looks like the "Griffin Technology RadioShark AM / FM Desktop Radio with Time-Shift Recording" will do what you want.
It also has a CLI that works on linux:
http://www.productivity.org/projects/shark/

Thanks for the RadioShark tip. This is great!