Best signal in Cincinnati

[Cincinnati Kid]

WCKY has had a huge signal for years on their different frequencies.

Back in the 1930s, when Red Barber was the Reds announcer, during the daytime (back when their transmitter was in Covington), their signal was so strong into Pittsburgh that the Pirates were complaining about the Reds being on that station.

To my knowledge, when Red Barber was doing the Reds on radio, most of the games were aired on WSAI-1360. On weekends, WLW would air them. Both stations were owned by Crosley Broadcasting at that time.

 

[schmave]

Except for Brother Stair and his ilk who buy the skywave coverage, WCKY has a pretty lousy signal in southwest Ohio at night. Even as close in as Middletown, there is skywave/groundwave cancellation that makes it unlistenable.

Ouch. The curse of high dial position strikes again, and closer than I would have figured! Conversely, you have to get well north of Lima and Columbus to hear any cancellation on WLW.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Except for Brother Stair and his ilk who buy the skywave coverage, WCKY has a pretty lousy signal in southwest Ohio at night. Even as close in as Middletown, there is skywave/groundwave cancellation that makes it unlistenable.

I second that. Even back in the mid 60's, it was marginal in Hamilton at night, even though the directional pattern should have boosted it that way.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

There are places in the Cincinnati suburbs at night where the WCKY signal was known to fade similar to if you were listening to the station hundreds of miles away. I know in the first couple of seasons that WCKY had the Reds games, there was a columnist with the Cincinnati Enquirer who supported a move for a local FM outlet to join the network so a good signal could be received in the immediate area.