does this ''lock'' onto fm stations ? I would like to use this on my morning public transit (bus) commute.
Will this radio lock on to the station while moving rapidly?
( i ask because other small portables loose the signal at speed)
Thank you.

Question

Computerhobbyist · Accepted Answer

Hello. Welcome to the Best Buy community. Thank you for your question. Yes. Rest assured Sony SRF-M37W FM/AM/WB Walkman | SKU: 8692471 locks onto FM stereo stations on the morning bus ride commute to work. The speed at which the bus is moving is not the sole determining factor affecting broadcast FM stereo reception quality on Sony SRF-M37W Walkman. Local/DX Sensitivity Switch on Sony SRF-M37W Walkman must be must be set to “DX” position to receive FM stereo broadcasts. Change Sony SRF-M37W Walkman’s FM/WB Sensitivity Switch from DX to Local if FM/WB program is received with excessive static. Headphone cord should be extended for best FM reception. AM Band reception is improved upon by rotating pocket radio horizontally until clear reception is obtained. Moving Sony SRF-M37WWalkman closer to window on the bus and away from electronic devices emitting harmful RF interference improves AM/FM reception. Accurate, clear and drift-free reception for Sony SRF-M37WWalkman depends on multitude of factors. Factors affecting reception include time of day reception is being sought, principles of radio wave propagation, distance from station’s transmitter to Sony SRF-M37WWalkman, altitude of broadcast tower, broadcast antenna polarization patterns, type of material office building or home is made of, signal strength station emits, location of Sony SRF-M37WAM/FM Walkman within home, seasonal conditions, atmospheric storms, types of structures in neighborhood such as tall buildings, rolling hills, mountains, quality of radio receiver and built-in antennas. FM signals are broadcast at higher altitude than AM radio signals. FM Band interference is caused from multipath reflections of radio waves off tall buildings or nearby mountains in neighborhood. AM stations reduce power at night or perform maintenance operations on transmitter adversely affect reception on 530-1710 kHz Medium Wave Band. Reception area of FM signals range between 40-100 miles. Under rare atmospheric conditions, referred to as Tropospheric Ducting, FM signal sky wave coverage over land or bodies of water during warm summer months extend outward up to 190-500 mile radius from station(s) broadcast transmitter during daytime hours. Tropospheric Ducting forecasts are rated on weakest signal to strongest signal geographical coverage area 0-10 index scale. Hilly or mountainous terrain work to defeat expanded Tropospheric Ducting FM radio wave propagation across U.S. for vast majority of FM Band listeners. Transmission of AM broadcasts is longer than FM broadcasts. Clear Channel AM Band broadcasts offer longest range transmissions day or night. In daytime, AM radio broadcasts via ground wave transmission reach listeners within several hundred mile radius. At night, AM signals traveling via sky wave journey perhaps hundreds or even thousands of miles away from intended radio market. DX reception of remote AM stations is possible on Sony SRF-M37WWalkman after sunset because of AM broadcaster’s ability to bounce signals off outer reaches of earth’s atmosphere to Sony SRF-M37WWalkman receivers outside of intended radio market. Reception area of FM signals range between forty to one hundred miles. FM signal coverage is shorter than AM because FM signals travel in straight lines and have reduced interaction with earth’s ionosphere. FM mono reception offers better sound quality compared to AM counterpart. FM mono signals are susceptible to less interference than AM broadcasts. FM stereo broadcasts provide high-fidelity sound to target radio audience and shortest reception range in specific market on 87.5-108 MHz Band. Sony SRF-M37W Walkman offers the following features: FM, AM, Channel 1-7 Weather Band Reception (NOAA Weather Band reception comprises: Channel 1-162.400 MHz, Channel 2-162.425 MHz, Channel 3-162.450 MHz, Channel 4 162.475 MHz, Channel 5-162.500 MHz, Channel 6-162.525 MHz and Channel 7-162.550 MHz), FM Band Stereo Decoder Circuit, FM Band Stereo Reception, FM Band Monaural Reception, FM (Frequency Modulation) Band Frequency Range: 87.5-108 MHz, AM (Amplitude Modulation) Band Frequency Range: 530-1710 kHz, FM Band Channel Step Tuning: 0.1 MHz (Fixed), AM Band Channel Step Tuning: 10 kHz (Default), NOAA WB Channel Step Tuning: 1 Channel (Fixed) and Phase Locked Loop (PLL) Synthesized 3-Band Tuner. Weather Band Channels are transmitted on VHF (Very High Frequency) FM Band on seven different reserved upper tier spectrum frequencies. NOAA WB Channel reception area is approximately 40 miles from weather station’s transmitter to Sony SRF-M37W Walkman’s location. There are more than 1000 WB stations across U.S. that air local weather forecasts, marine forecasts, coastal weather forecasts, tide information, rip currents, recreational beach forecasts and emergency tornado, tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane, torrential rain or natural disaster weather events to the public on low power F.C.C. licensed 100-1000 Watt transmitters. WB is compatible with government weather forecasting services in United States (NOAA Weather Radio), U.S. Adjacent Coastal Waters, Canada (Weatheradio Canada), Bermuda (Bermuda Radio), Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and American Pacific Islands including American Samoa. Not everyone will be able to receive all 7 WB Channels depending on geographic location. An examination of various sources of radio interference is important subject pertaining to Sony SRF-M37WWalkman’s day-to-day performance. Most sources of radio interference come from entertainment devices within home emitting radio frequency waves. Radio frequency interference is caused by phenomenon occurring outside home, in immediate surrounding area of home, deteriorating atmospheric conditions, electromagnetic solar activities i.e. solar flares, solar storms, solar winds, sunspot activity and/or interference from adjacent frequencies on AM/FM bands. Listeners experience interference from nearby electronic equipment in homes from such items as computers, cordless telephones, microwave ovens, cellular telephones, televisions, stereos, compact disc players, electric power tools and everyday household appliances such as vacuum cleaner. RF interference is caused by operational electrical motors, lighting equipment, metal objects, broadcasting radio and TV equipment, close by ham radio operators or nearby power lines outside home. A competing station adjacent to station being listened to bleeds into tuned station to degrade reception opportunities as well. Sony SRF-M37WWalkman’s AM Band Tuner receives the following station frequencies in New York City Metropolitan Area: 570, 620, 660, 710, 770, 820, 880, 930, 970, 1010, 1050, 1130, 1190, 1280, 1330, 1380, 1430, 1480, 1560, 1600, 1660 kHz. Sony SRF-M37WWalkman’s FM Band Stereo Tuner receives the following station frequencies in New York City Metropolitan Area: 88.3, 88.9, 89.1, 89.5, 89.9, 90.7, 91.1, 91.5, 92.3, 93.1, 93.5, 93.9, 94.7, 95.5, 96.3, 96.7, 97.1, 97.9, 98.3, 98.7, 99.5, 100.3, 100.7, 101.1, 101.9, 102.7, 103.5, 104.3, 105.1, 105.9, 106.7, 107.5 MHz. Your receivable AM/FM stereo stations vary by geographic destination and/or local radio market. Sony SRF-M37WWalkman receives the following classes of AM/FM stations in United States as licensed by F.C.C.: For AM Band: Class A: 10,000 Watts-50,000 Watts Broadcast Transmissions Power, Class B: 250 Watts-50,000 Watts Broadcast Transmissions Power, Class C: 250 Watts-1,000 Watts Broadcast Transmissions Power and Class D: 250 Watts-50,000 Watts Broadcast Transmissions Power. For FM Band: Class A: 6,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 328 ft., Class B1: 25,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height: 328 ft., Class B: 50,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 492 ft., Class C3: 25,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 328 ft., Class C2: 50,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 492 ft., Class C1: 100,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 981 ft., Class C0: 100,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 1476 ft. and Class C: 100,000 Watts Maximum Broadcast Transmissions Power-Maximum Antenna Height 1969 ft. Receivable AM/FM stations are categorized as commercial or non-commercial. Low-powered college radio stations located on FM Band in NY offer as few as 11 Watts of transmission power. High-powered college radio broadcasts offer up to 46,000 Watts of transmission power on FM dial. Sony SRF-M37WWalkman receives unlicensed (Part 15 F.C.C. Rules) FM stations such as those broadcast at small college, local gym or multiple unit dwelling. Sony SRF-M37WAM/FM Stereo Walkman receives AM/FM stations in U.S., Canada, Mexico and overseas when located in those radio markets. Good Luck.
Computerhobbyist NY Reviews is participating in the Best Buy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program providing a means for Computerhobbyist NY to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the Best Buy website.

BlackSunShine14 · Answer

Yes it locks and stays no matter what you do

Mila · Answer

yes

Chawa · Answer

Yes it does lock even with high speed and speed bumps. I use it for the AM, Spanish stations mostly for my mom since I drive her to dr apps. and I've never lost the radio station.

PaulR · Answer

It has digital tuning, so it does a good job at locking into stations. It rejects other stations much better than the Sony analog tuner radio. I have not tried it on a bus, however.

GEarnieA · Answer

Yes. This unit holds up pretty well in transit. My wife listens to it on the light rail and bus. It can get a little sketchy at times, depending on the location and, for FM, tall buildings blocking the line of site FM signal.

Answered by GEarnieA 11 years ago

computerguy · Answer

Yes

Linkd2npr · Answer

Because it has a digital tuner, it should do well on your commute. I'd suggest you take advantage of Best Buy's return policy and try it out.

Ggirl · Answer

Yes, it gets AM and FM stations as well as the weather station, and comes in on public transit systems, especially next to the window.

PD6464 · Answer

It does lock on to a station-I've never used while
moving rapidly-but I can't see it being a problem

SonyListens · Answer

Signal reception would depend on your location, it is still possible to lose the signal if the portable player isn't receiving sufficient signal over the air.

“does this ''lock'' onto fm stations ? I would like to use this on my morning public transit (bus) commute. Will this radio lock on to the station while moving rapidly? ( i ask because other small portables loose the signal at speed) Thank you.”

1-10 of 11 Answers