I noticed that the (daytime) AM reception is really bad in eastern Suffolk. The strongest AM station there is 1450 WENJ from Atlantic City, NJ over 100 miles away! That 1450 probably covers more of Long Island than New Jersey. The New York City AMs barely come in. Why is the reception so bad?
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AM Reception on Eastern Long Island
- Thread starter nd2023
- Start date
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reggie
Guest
I havent seen that measure before..can you elaborate? Thanks in advance.wgliradio said:
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GreatCalloftheNE
Guest
This is from the FCC website....
"A higher ground conductivity indicates better AM propagation characteristics. The ground conductivity in the U.S. ranges between 0.5 and 30 millimhos per meter. The conductivity of seawater is 5,000 millimhos per meter, resulting in the best propagation of AM signals."
That signal from New Jersey hitting the Eastern South Shore of Long Island has almost zero loss of strength from its source since it's traveling over the open waters of the Atlantic.
"A higher ground conductivity indicates better AM propagation characteristics. The ground conductivity in the U.S. ranges between 0.5 and 30 millimhos per meter. The conductivity of seawater is 5,000 millimhos per meter, resulting in the best propagation of AM signals."
That signal from New Jersey hitting the Eastern South Shore of Long Island has almost zero loss of strength from its source since it's traveling over the open waters of the Atlantic.
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chuckydoll
Guest
Nick said:
Ground conductivity. Long Island is a 100-mile sandbar.
Anyone who listens to AM radio on the East End listens to the big New York signals, 660, 710, 770 or 880. This was true in the Golden Age and it is true now. Arbitron surveys for the Hamptons prove this.
Ironically the 2 strongest AMs in that area are from New Haven, WELI-960 and WAVZ-1300. Both are nondirectional during the day and aim the main lobe SE at night. Long Island Sound helps enhance their groundwave.
I grew up near Sag Harbor and still have family in that area. I was fortunate to hear WAVZ in its 60's and 70's heyday. Until the mid-70's I wasn't even aware that WAVZ only ran 1 kw day and night -- that's how loud it sounded.
WRIV-1390 from Riverhead is the only local AM remaining in the East End. It runs 1 kw nondirectional during the day but goes down to flea power at night.
Atlantic City is a non-factor -- most AM stations from AC are on graveyard channels.
"A higher ground conductivity indicates better AM propagation characteristics. The ground conductivity in the U.S. ranges between 0.5 and 30 millimhos per meter. The conductivity of seawater is 5,000 millimhos per meter, resulting in the best propagation of AM signals."
Forgive my ignorance, but could someone please explain to me what this means? How is ground conductivity calculated? Is there a map which shows this sort of data?
A little off topic, but you mention the conductivity of oceans. I recall visiting Nags Head N.C. back in the summer of 1983 being able to pick up WNBC. It was also possible to pick up WOR, WABC and (I believe) WCBS, but their signals were weaker.
Forgive my ignorance, but could someone please explain to me what this means? How is ground conductivity calculated? Is there a map which shows this sort of data?
A little off topic, but you mention the conductivity of oceans. I recall visiting Nags Head N.C. back in the summer of 1983 being able to pick up WNBC. It was also possible to pick up WOR, WABC and (I believe) WCBS, but their signals were weaker.
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GreatCalloftheNE
Guest
Long Island has the worse ground conductivity in the US for AM transmission !
I used to listen to WICC in the 60s in Ronkonkoma, but their 'sound' was boring compared to the WABC/WMCA energy back then;
also on AM<,I used to love WKBW from Buffalo, it would come in great at night;
same with CKLW from Detroit area, I'd hear the Velvelettes doing "Needle In a Haystack" on the (Windsor/Ontario I think it was.) station,and think I was totally groovin...
also on AM<,I used to love WKBW from Buffalo, it would come in great at night;
same with CKLW from Detroit area, I'd hear the Velvelettes doing "Needle In a Haystack" on the (Windsor/Ontario I think it was.) station,and think I was totally groovin...
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larnov
Guest
I remember also getting WICC throughout all of the eastern half of Suffolk (Port Jeff Sta to the east end!) also at night listening to out of state stations
from the Mid-West and the East Coast stations. (Mostly listening to Baseball and Hockey in the winter)
from the Mid-West and the East Coast stations. (Mostly listening to Baseball and Hockey in the winter)
chuckydoll said:
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