best bang for your buck

[bobdavcav]

What stations are regularly strong in your area despite being quite a ways from the transmitter? The one that really takes the cake for me is 102.9 KYNW/Centralia, WA at my aunt and uncle's cabin on Camano Island, at a distance of 89.4 miles. On the G8, the signal is in mono until you put the antenna up then it pops up into stereo. The same thing happens to the north from Vancouver BC, you'd never guess based on those signals that they're 80 miles away, guess salt water has everything to do with it.

 

[ftballfan]

For me, there are a few that routinely come in at Manistee, MI despite being 100+ miles away:
92.5 WFDX Atlanta, MI
93.1 WIMK Iron Mountain, MI
93.3 WLDB Milwaukee, WI
93.5 WGEE New London, WI
95.7 WRIT Milwaukee, WI
96.5 WKLH Milwaukee, WI
97.1 WGLQ Escanaba, MI
99.1 WMYX Milwaukee, WI
100.7 WKKV Racine, WI
100.7 WOBE Crystal Falls, MI
101.5 WJNR Iron Mountain, MI
102.5 WCMM Gulliver, MI
102.9 WHQG Milwaukee, WI
103.7 WXSS Wauwatosa, WI
104.7 WYKX Escanaba, MI
105.3 WRLO Antigo, WI
106.1 WMIL Waukesha, WI
107.7 WVCY Milwaukee, WI
107.9 WBCV Wausau, WI

 

[CTListener]

At my location in Central Connecticut, WGBH-FM Boston is usually audible at 89.7, the only Boston signal that makes the trip without assistance from tropo.

 

[gar hi]

Here in Tampa, it's 102.5 "The Bone"

Their transmitter is about 45 miles away from my location and it comes in virtually as good as the Tampa locals.

 

[jim-satx]

In northwest San Antonio, the furthest signal that's strong and consistently in is 103.1 KHHL "ESPN Deportes," which is 69 miles away in Karnes City.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

In Houston, KHJK 103.7 is a lucrative rim-shot for Air-1, in spite of it being closer to Beaumont than to Houston. Even from my far West Houston location, they are a strong local at about 80 miles away.
When I drive in and out of the area, most full Class C FMs that don't run HD are good for about 130 miles, with spotty reception out to about 175. If they run HD, they are pretty much gone at 90 miles.

One of the best powerhouses I've heard is WGCO Savannah. When I first installed narrow ceramic filters in my car radio, they were strong and reliable on the drive from Deland to Dayton, FL. That had to be close to 200 miles. They are 100kW and 1000 feet, which is half the height of the full class C stations here, but had one of the most reliable signals I have ever heard at 200 miles.

 

[bobdavcav]

I was a little reluctant to mention these because of the tower height they're at, but I'm thinking now that they deserve a mention. Here at home, CKKQ/Victoria, BC is always in stereo despite being nearly 80 miles. On the other side of the state, KPQ-FM/Wenachee, WA has a great signal that can be heard from the Cascades all the way out to somewhere near Spokane. I've never actually gotten a distance measurement on them before though.

 

[cyberdad]

I'll give it to WMYX, 99.1 from Milwaukee. Not surprising that they're the strongest Milwaukee signal here, given that their stick is on the southwest edge of town. But still they manage to sound almost as strong as the Chicago full powered FM. Honorable mention to Wisconsin Public Radio WHAD in Delafield....a suburb west of Milwaukee. 72kw results in a decent signal here on 90.7.

 

[radioman148]

I'll also say WMYX. At my location in the near north Chicago suburbs 99.1 out of Milwaukee has always had a very good signal. In the early 70s when they were WNUW running the Drake Hit Parade format, I had a button set for them on my car radio. They had a very good signal as far south as the Kennedy expressway towards downtown Chicago.

 

[Carltheradioguy]

For me in Southeastern Connecticut WGBH from Boston comes in quite well for so far. WCIB out of Falmouth MA is also a almost daily catch. I also get a lot of Long Island stations which are 50+ miles away. Hmmmmmm I'm trying to think of others, WFCR amherst, WAAF,