Atlantic City's ESPN FM radio station WENJ in Wilmington

[MikefromDelaware]

I was scanning the FM dial yesterday and came across 97.3 ESPN radio, next to WPEN-FM 97.5. I finally found out what station it was, WENJ 97.3 Atlantic City. Some good skip going on as their signal is way more than the typical 60 miles for FM. As it turned out, 97.5 WPEN-FM/AM simulcast was airing a local Philly show so the other station stood out as being different as they aired an ESPN feed. WENJ's signal came in better than Philly's WPEN-FM. For those without a digital tuner, I could easily see someone locking in on 97.3 thinking they had WPEN-FM, at least until whatever in the isosphere changes back where an Atlantic City station wouldn't come in.

This is the first time I've noticed 97.3 pulling in a strong signal into Wilmington, however, 90.9 usually WHYY-FM gets cut out sometimes in Wilmington by WETA from Washington DC. Maybe someday WHYY-FM will do like WRTI did and put a translator here to eliminate that problem. Well, we know that won't happen as Wilmington isn't that important to WHYY for their COL TV operation (channel 12) so their attitude would only be worse for their Philly COL FM station.

 

[jhguthlac]

Where I live, bordering the Newark city limit along White Clay Creek, my location favors DC and Baltimore. Whereas you get skip from Atlantic City, I will have locals drowned out by Baltimore's WIYY and DC's WPGC.

 

[qtpieislit]

WENJ-FM 97.3 MHz
Millville, New Jersey

 

[MikefromDelaware]

Sam, ESPN Radio's website listed the wrong COL for WENJ. My guess is, from ESPN's point of view, Millville is part of the Atlantic City market so WENJ serves Atlantic City, but is not the COL.

Thanks for the correct info.

 

[ccuphl]

Sam, ESPN Radio's website listed the wrong COL for WENJ. My guess is, from ESPN's point of view, Millville is part of the Atlantic City market so WENJ serves Atlantic City, but is not the COL.

Thanks for the correct info.

When you're looking at a list of affiliates from across the country, WENJ-FM is ESPN Radio's Atlantic City affiliate.

WENJ-FM covers about 85% of Delaware and gets into eastern Maryland with no problem.

 

[qtpieislit]

This signal would really be a monster if they kicked the tower height up to 1100 ft.


Effective Radiated Power 50,000 Watts
Height above Avg. Terrain 142 meters (466 feet)
Height above Ground Level 144 meters (472 feet)
Height above Sea Level 151 meters (495 feet)

 

[JerseyShor]

I was scanning the FM dial yesterday and came across 97.3 ESPN radio, next to WPEN-FM 97.5. I finally found out what station it was, WENJ 97.3 Atlantic City. Some good skip going on as their signal is way more than the typical 60 miles for FM.

Actually, it is only 51 miles from WENJ's tower to Wilmington, DE.

See: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bi...rmat=&dx=3&radius=60&freq=97.3&sort=freq&sid=

See also: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WENJ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

 

[MikefromDelaware]

In any case, that map shows that Wilmington is in the fringe range of the signal which is why it doesn't normally come in very well. Probably with 97.5 (WPEN-FM) being closer with a stronger signal doesn't help and probably covers over some of 97.3's signal. I can't say I've ever heard that other 97.3 from Glen Mills PA, which is far closer (about 12 miles from Wilmington), but must be a low powered school or college station.

 

[DonTheTrucker]

A while back, I picked this station up most of the way back from Georgetown until getting home in Wilmington. Some spots in Wilmington, you'll get WRVV trying to take the frequency, but that ESPN station signal is pretty strong throughout most of Delaware it seems.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

I've noticed it more often lately. I guess, because I check out WPEN-FM 97.5 sports talk from Philly, where as I didn't listen to music on that station prior so wasn't scanning around 97.3 either.

It will be interesting to see in future 12+ books for Wilmington if either 97.3 or 97.5 do well in Wilmington for sports talk over WIP, WPEN-AM, or WWTX AM 1290 the Ticket.