Amplitude modulation (AM) is the simplest and one of the earliest technologies for broadcasting radio programs. The baseband signal is merely multiplied by the wanted carrier frequency. A receiver can be implemented just as easily: An envelope modulator requires only a bandpass, a detector diode and a smoothing lowpass filter.
The frequency range that is used consists of long, medium and short wavelengths. It is exposed to highly fluctuating propagation conditions. In this frequency range, the waves are affected by the ionosphere. The extent to which they are reflected depends on the time of day, season and the relative number of sunspots.