New coverage maps at Radio-Locator

[charlestondxman]

Radio-Locator.com has updated their coverage maps over the past week or two. Now you can check what US and Canadian radio stations come in at any location, as you can pinpoint latitude and longitude.

They also have new coverage maps using Google Maps, which is big for AM stations because now you can see where these signals go on water path.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

I and no doubt others noted some graphics changes a few days ago, Charleston. Uh-oh. Sigh. What next ?

Looks like some flower child suggested a new campaign that looked like a line of designer bubble gum flavors.

Has anyone else here had problems with the old site? What was so busted that needed fixing? SR-L seemed pretty accurate to me.
And it was entertaining, too :- )

Hey -- I love the site and have enjoyed it all along. But if the visions of some graduate student from John Nagy University supersede any actual radio/DX/engineering priorities and interests, go back to the Old Coke -- quickly.

 

[fordranger797]

I like the new maps, it makes it easier to view a specific location! Having said that, nothing beats the television maps that you get off tvfool...

 

[cyberdad]

On balance, I like them. The new color scheme will perhaps take a little getting used to. But the Google Maps and the location pinpointing add more functionality. As has been pointed out, they certainly help depicting coverage via saltwater paths. You can also click to see the old version of the map. (At least for now, I would presume)

 

[gar hi]

I liked the old ones better.

 

[JimH]

I and no doubt others noted some graphics changes a few days ago, Charleston. Uh-oh. Sigh. What next ?

Looks like some flower child suggested a new campaign that looked like a line of designer bubble gum flavors.

Has anyone else here had problems with the old site? What was so busted that needed fixing? SR-L seemed pretty accurate to me.
And it was entertaining, too :- )

Hey -- I love the site and have enjoyed it all along. But if the visions of some graduate student from John Nagy University supersede any actual radio/DX/engineering priorities and interests, go back to the Old Coke -- quickly.

My thoughts EXACTLY on those new maps. You took the words right out of my mouth, so nothing more I can say.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

I probably was a bit hasty, Jim, about my reaction. Even though at first it looks like the page should come with free 3-D glasses, the terrain depictions and the zoom aids should make up for a lot of the initial impreciseness or discomfort.

Like Cyberdad says, it'll take some getting used to, but what the heck.

 

[crainbebo]

Somewhat satisfied, but will be more satisfied when Radio Locator FINALLY updates the Canadian listings. They still show CKEG-1570 Nanaimo BC as on the air; same with CKXM-1200 Victoria and CKBD-600 Vancouver. All have been off the air for YEARS NOW!!
I use Topazdesigns for Canadian logs.

-crainbebo

 

[K.M. Richards]

Somewhat satisfied, but will be more satisfied when Radio Locator FINALLY updates the Canadian listings. They still show CKEG-1570 Nanaimo BC as on the air; same with CKXM-1200 Victoria and CKBD-600 Vancouver. All have been off the air for YEARS NOW!!

Perhaps they do not receive updates to the CRTC database as often as they do the FCC's?

 

[JimH]

Right you are, Steve.....and you said the magic word that changed my whole thoughts on those new maps....the word being ZOOM. With that zoom feature, the maps are now much easier to deal with and interpet.

 

[ChocoMingo]

Do they still have the limited searches?

 

[mimo]

Perhaps they do not receive updates to the CRTC database as often as they do the FCC's?

The allocations are still there, even if the station is silent. In case someone decides to open up a new station on the former frequencies. Montreal has had 690 reactivated twice, 940 for a second time by late November, 850 and 600 are supposed to come on in the next year or so....all using the former facilities of the original stations. Those allocations are still in the FCC files as stations to protect.

 

[gar hi]

I've always enjoyed Radio Locator but what they should change is the distance on some of their coverage maps.

In many instances, I've picked up stations well beyond the 'fringe' in the daytime.

A good example is WZAB. Here's their daytime coverage map.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WZAB-AM&h=D

I've heard it well north of their fringe, even in Daytona Beach.

 

[MarioMania]

Do they still have the limited searches?

I hope they throw that out of the window

 

[K.M. Richards]

I've always enjoyed Radio Locator but what they should change is the distance on some of their coverage maps.

In many instances, I've picked up stations well beyond the 'fringe' in the daytime.

Their maps are approximations anyway and are based on predicted signal contours calculated from the FCC records on file.

In other words, they don't matter in the real world and they won't be changing anytime soon.

 

[frankberry]

The maps do not take into account the affect of the towers on side-mounted transmitting antennas.
For that reason alone, the coverage maps for non-directional FM stations are not at all accurate.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

If they started taking side mounting into account for the coverage maps, the FCC might start cracking down on it. Not sure any nondirectional station wants that to happen.

M-3 is inaccurate in many areas, so AM coverage areas are inaccurate. Also, the 2.5 mV/m nighttime contour is outside the usable listening area of most stations. Only DXers would listen to these.

 

[ChocoMingo]

If they started taking side mounting into account for the coverage maps, the FCC might start cracking down on it. Not sure any nondirectional station wants that to happen.

M-3 is inaccurate in many areas, so AM coverage areas are inaccurate. Also, the 2.5 mV/m nighttime contour is outside the usable listening area of most stations. Only DXers would listen to these.

Yeah! So does having unlimited searches! Plz R-L have Unlimited searches.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Plz R-L have Unlimited searches.

They do ... for paid subscribers. Those subscribers are paying the bills to keep the site online.

Give unlimited searches to non-paying site users and the site will eventually go dark because no one paid the bills.

I would say TANSTAAFL, except that Radio-Locator has managed to keep some amount of free access, which they really aren't obligated to provide.

 

[gr8oldies]

Everybody wants everything free. The issue with the Canadian stations has been explained numerous times. R-L only has the Canadian data that Industry Canada notifies the FCC about. That's why off the air stations that are still "notified" are still there, and 93.9 in Windsor is still listed as CKLW-FM, even though it hasn't been since the mid 1990s.