WFME -94.7FM Transmitter

[pjc1961]

From central Westchester County, NY (~25 miles north of Empire), 94.7 is much better than 105.9.

105.9 is significantly worse than the "full" NYC FMs; 94.7 is slightly to somewhat worse than the full FMs.

Depending on location of a tuner, 94.7 occasionally needs a little antenna adjustment to get clean reception.
105.9 will almost never lock on HD (I've rarely heard 105.9 HD2).

[Scott Fybush]

My experience is similar at my cousin's place in Rockland (near the Airmont Thruway exit). 105.9 is there, but dirty; 94.7 is cleaner. No HD lock from there, ever, on 105.9; the full Bs lock sometimes, but not consistently.

[ai4i]

How does 'QXR compare with WNYE, 2KW from 4TS?

[badjef]

My experience is similar at my cousin's place in Rockland (near the Airmont Thruway exit). 105.9 is there, but dirty; 94.7 is cleaner. No HD lock from there, ever, on 105.9; the full Bs lock sometimes, but not consistently.

As I read you, the Full Bs are the HD equivalent to a "dirty" lock as the digital signal strength is similar as the 105.9 analogue power makes sense since they are both approximately 600w.

OK, that gives me something to go on as I have been unable to sample New York HD from the car for comparison purposes, maybe soon.

One of the things I always liked about Empire signals was the fact that each had the equivalent signal, but the reception of each of those signals was so different.

My test signal was always WPLJ and 96.3. They seemed to always have the cleaner signal from Empire, and furthest reach, except in Belmar, of course.

When WPAT was on 1WTC, they were the cleanest in New Jersey, overall, and over water. The couple of miles south made a difference and maybe therein lies the real world example for 94.7, although the move to Empire would be sacrificing a lot of power.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[luperm]

Actually, where I am in Northern Westchester, WFME gets in a little better than the NYC stations.  Probably has to do with the terrain. HD is hit or miss until you get to Mt. Kisco (except WQXR which reqiures you to get down to around White Plains).

[edarmsttrong]

Rumor has it, that there is no more room on the Master FM combiner at Empire.  Maybe when a new combiner is built in several years, there may be, but for now there's no vacancy.  The only way there would be, is if WPAT-FM moves back to 1WTC, as it sucked up one of the last ports on the combiner.  The focus right now at Empire is on building a full power backup FM antenna, to replace the Alford, in the old CBS TV aperture on the broadcast tower.  The odds of WFME moving there, in the near future, are slim to none.

[badjef]

Rumor has it, that there is no more room on the Master FM combiner at Empire.  Maybe when a new combiner is built in several years, there may be, but for now there's no vacancy.  The only way there would be, is if WPAT-FM moves back to 1WTC, as it sucked up one of the last ports on the combiner.  The focus right now at Empire is on building a full power backup FM antenna, to replace the Alford, in the old CBS TV aperture on the broadcast tower.  The odds of WFME moving there, in the near future, are slim to none.

When the combiner was designed, built and installed years ago, there were provisions for expansion to, theoretically, accommodate all 25 NYC stations, which would assume 94.7, of course. These would all feed Alford - 2-bay antenna, which resemble rings on the outside perimeter of the mooring mast, above and below the 102 floor Observation deck windows.

A lot of work has been done since and Scott Fybush does an excellent job in detailing the changes with visits from time to time, and I don't think he gets enough credit for those trips.

Personally, I think some of the most under recognized workers following 9/11/01 were the ones who built, accommodated, and then rebuilt signals from Empire, and the work still continues.

P.s. None of us has really touched on 4TS or 1WTC, since I think there is renewed interest in making that a real location, now that it is topped out.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[d21ofnj]

I guess you all forgot about WJLK 94.3 Asbury Park.  I'm picking them up fine in Montclair State U. 

[badjef]

I guess you all forgot about WJLK 94.3 Asbury Park.  I'm picking them up fine in Montclair State U. 

Nope. 'JLK does not come into play for the same reason 106.3 and 107.1 don't come into play for their adjacents.

But it is interesting that the FCC's spacing requirements don't take into account the Raritan Bay. 
... or Eastpoint.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[ansky212]

I guess you all forgot about WJLK 94.3 Asbury Park.  I'm picking them up fine in Montclair State U. 

Yeah I was wondering about them too.  I get the station fine in West Orange.