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Brattleboro/Keene radio question

KML0224

KML0224

When visiting Brattleboro, VT on Friday I tuned in WTSA-FM 96.7 and something sounded different. Were they carrying some guy's show via satellite? It sure sounded like it. This was around 11:30 AM as I was coming into the north end. A song they were playing abruptly ended early and they threw to whoever this was. I thought this station prided itself as a community radio station? Hmmmm!

In the meantime, I tuned over to WKNE-FM 103.7 of Keene, NH. While their signal on my Panasonic AM/FM/CD Personal Stereo ("Walkman") was OK for the most part, it made me think of something: Is their signal directional? I know there's a broadcaster using 103.7 FM from Mount Washington, NH and WEEI-FM 103.7 of Westerly/Providence, RI can't be too much further away. I started getting interference from the Rhode Island station at roughly Northampton, MA along I-91 later that afternoon. My guess is they send a directional signal towards Brattleboro, since it seems to be the only other decent sized town nearby besides Keene itself?
 
I don't think WKNE is directional. WPKQ 103.7 off of Mt. Washington is directional towards Keene. The last time I hiked Mt. Monadanock, I recall hearing WEEI-FM 103.7 in the parking there. WKNE has a great signal that goes very deep into Windham, Bennington, Windsor, and Rutland counties. It even gets into eastern New York as well.. Less interference heading west..
 
KML-224 said:
When visiting Brattleboro, VT on Friday I tuned in WTSA-FM 96.7 and something sounded different. Were they carrying some guy's show via satellite? It sure sounded like it. This was around 11:30 AM as I was coming into the north end. A song they were playing abruptly ended early and they threw to whoever this was. I thought this station prided itself as a community radio station? Hmmmm!
Click to expand...

The regular midday guy was filling in for our news director last week who was on vacation. We ran programming 10-3 from our satellite provider (which normally we use only nights and weekends). We do try to be local as much as possible with the small staff we have.
 
Thank you Banjomax! Don't hate me for having on WKNE-FM for most of my visit to Brattleboro on Friday. Normally, I'll park my "Walkman" on WTSA-FM! I just get turned off when I hear something which is obviously fed via satellite and/or is voice tracked. Here in the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown, CT radio market, we get the God-awful Ryan Seacrest show mid days on WKSS-FM 95.7 (CHR/Top 40), the Billy Bush Show weekday evenings on WTIC-FM 96.5 (Hot AC) and Ed McMann voice tracking weekday afternoons on WHCN-FM 105.9 (who also runs one version of the John Tesh radio show on weeknights). I want local! Ugh!
 
I would have to have to say that WTSA 96.7 is very "community minded", more so than anybody in that particular market. (KNE, KVT etc.)

I drive through on my way to Massachusetts several times a week, the two guys on in the morning, are very local, and for a home town, "po-dunk" (don't misconstrue as a negative!) Mom and Pop station, they are quite entertaining...they are always talking about what is going on in town, or what some local notable is up to...
I do know that their News guy is much beloved in that area...I also like the mix of music they play...
 
Well anyways, when I'm in Brattleboro's north end, I know I'm not gonna pick up too much. I only receive two strong local AM stations on 1450 and 1490. The strongest FMs are 92.7, 96.7 and 103.7. Walking north on US Route 5 towards the I-91 overpass, I get a weak signal of WAQY-FM 102.1 (Rock 102) from Springfield, MA.

Maybe one of you guys can help me here: When at the front end of the Hannaford shopping plaza, I see a big hill looming over from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River. Any idea what the name of that hill is? Has anybody tried their FM reception while atop said hill?
 
Thanks. Maybe I should check to see how you get to it from NH Route 9? I think I took a picture of that hill on Friday, come to think of it. Just to get this back to radio, are their any transmitters up there? I couldn't see anything from the Hannford's parking lot on US Route 5/VT Route 9.
 
KML-224 said:
Thanks. Maybe I should check to see how you get to it from NH Route 9? I think I took a picture of that hill on Friday, come to think of it. Just to get this back to radio, are their any transmitters up there? I couldn't see anything from the Hannford's parking lot on US Route 5/VT Route 9.
Click to expand...

Take your first right after the bridge on 9 (at the liquor store/post office), and follow that road straight out. The road itself dead-ends after a short bit, but a trail continues along the river/base of the mtn, eventually leading to the area of Wal-Mart on Route 119. There are trails leading up from that one. Beware the rattlesnakes.

As far as transmitters up there: no. The tower at the top is/was, I believe, an antenna belonging to the local cable co. (Comcast).
 
The Cable company ( Comcast ) has abandoned the antenna, leaving it in the hands of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development ( DRED, get it? ). Brattleboro police and fire have antennas there. O)ther users are probable hampered by a lack of back up power at the site.
 
I often wondered where WTSA-FM has their trandsmitter? They've overloaded a cheap Walkman I used a few years ago. That same Walkman had the weather band on it. The station at the time mentioned Ames Hill as the NOAA Weather Radio's site. I can't remember the frequency. Moving on, what about Radio Free Brattleboro or whomever is at the end of the dial these days? I used to get a spotty signal in the north end.
 
WTSA FM's transmitter is on Pleasant Valley road, near the town's reservoir. Meanwhile, WVEW-LP, licensed at 107.7, has their antenna on a downtown building
 
OK. I remember receiving that station (WVEW-LP) in the north end of Brattleboro. It was in stereo most of the time, with the reception being spotty. I had read in the Brattleboro Reformer about how Radio Free Brattleboro was busted by the FCC and shut down, or something to that effect.

As frequently as I visit this town, I've only been north of it twice:

Putney - Exit 4 - October 1990 - Dinner at the Putney Inn after entering the state at Pownal on US Route 7 towards Bennington then east on Vermont Route 9 with a stop in Wilmington. Continued east to Brattleboro and then north up I-91.

White River Junction - Exit 11 - June 1992 - Was with a group going to a charity bingo function, at a VFW post, if I'm not mistaken. I still remember walking over the Connecticut River into New Hampshire.

As for radio, I do know I had a GE "Walkman" with a 3-band graphic EQ with me on the first trip. Sadly, I can't remember any of the stations I received at that time. ::)
 
Unless the AM was crap on the Panasonic AM/FM/CD "Walkman" I used, are 1450 and 1490 the only AM stations licensed to Brattleboro? I know if I tilt my "Walkman" and put the volume at the maximum level, I can get a weak WGY-AM 810, WBZ-AM 1030 and WTIC-AM 1080, with WTIC being slightly better since it's a straight shop up the Connecticut River valley. Come to think of it, I think I also picked up a faint station on 1010 AM. Claremont, NH perhaps?
 
yep, 1450 and 1490 are the only licensed AM stations in Brattleboro. In fact, we just put up a new tower for AM 1450, ESPN Radio, the Ticket.

You should also be able to pick up 1520 ( daytime) from Greenfield Mass, and 640 out of Westfield Mass
 
1010 AM is WCNL-AM in Newport, NH. Last I knew they were a 10KW daytimer owned by Koor Communications. (I think they might shoot out like 24W at night, but can't be sure.)
 
seeming we are on the subject of Walkman's, I am looking for one when I ride my bike and hike and skiing... can any of you suggest any for the best blockage sideband interference?
my sangean, panasonic and sony Walkman's have worked well. I need to invest in a new Walkman
 
Time to help me with the local stations again! (LOL) I made a return visit to Windham County's largest population center today. I was glad to see WTSA-FM sounding local again. The "Walkman" stayed on 96.7 until about 2 PM. Then I started to check out the rest of the dial. Questions:

88.1 WMCH Norwich, VT (so-so signal)
88.9 W??? (poor signal)
89.5 W??? (so-so signal) New Hampshire Public Radio (?)
90.7 W??? (poor signal)
91.9 W??? (poor signal)
92.7 WKVT BRATTLEBORO (local)
93.5 W??? (so-so signal) Sports
93.9 WRSY Turner's Falls, MA (poor signal)
94.5 W??? (local) Vermont Public Radio
95.3 W??? (so-so signal) Country
96.7 WTSA BRATTLEBORO (local)
97.7 WSNI MA? (local) Sunny 97.7
98.7 W??? (local) Country
99.9 W??? (poor signal) [Heard Taylor Swift at one point]
100.3 WHEB Portsmouth, NH (poor signal)
100.7 W??? (poor signal) VT's Best Rock 101.5 The Fox
101.1 WGIR Manchester, NH (poor signal)
101.5 W??? Marlboro, VT (so-so signal) 93.9 The River
101.9 W??? Keene, NH (poor signal) 101.9 K-Rock
102.1 WAQY Springfield, MA (poor signal) Rock 102
102.7 WEQX (poor signal) Alternative
103.7 WKNE Keene, NH (local) 103.7-KNE FM
104.9 W??? (so-so signal) Hot Country 104.9
106.1 W??? (poor signal) Q 106
107.1 W??? (poor signal) 107.1 The Wolf
107.7 WVEW BRATTLEBORO (local) [low-power]

Time didn't permit me to check the AM side today.
 
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