Expriment

[chrisalcorn]

Took an average Sony walkman out to Jacobson Park for some real world reception tests. Found a shelter that was high and proceeded to try my luck. Every blank space on the dial was occupied by a mix of 92.9 and 98.1 so heres what I could get perfectly....92.9, 94.5, 96.9, 98.1, 103.9, 106.3. These are what I could get good reception of.... 92.1, 100.1, 104.5 and 107.9. These were non existent on the walkman....91.3, 91.7,94.9, 95.3, 96.1, 99.1, 102.5 and 103.3. Just wondering if this is what everyone encounters with an average radio???

 

[radiorob2.0]

Considering from Jacobson Park you could throw a rock at 92.9 and 98.1's transmitting antenna I'm not surprised at the overload. Then again, Lexington was always bad about intermod issues. Plus it depends on the Sony Walkman as Sony is weird about their FM radios. I've had Sony's with amazing FM performance while more often the FM sections are easily overloaded.

 

[jb_ky]

Oh? Interesting... I'll have to try that.

In my corolla, 94.5, 98.1 and 92.1 will have some static in South Lexington or if any large truck is behind me. The antenna is in the window itself and took it to the dealership and was told it's normal for stations not to travel well. I picked up the big powerful FM's in Campton where I am from just fine before.

 

[KYradioJake]

These were non existent on the walkman....91.3, 91.7,94.9, 95.3, 96.1, 99.1, 102.5 and 103.3. Just wondering if this is what everyone encounters with an average radio???

No surprise to me that you couldn't get 102.5 or 95.3. Those two stations have probably the absolute worst signals of any station in the metro. They transmit from that tiny little cell tower down by Brannon Crossing and they're almost impossible to pick up on Walkmans or any other cheap, low-sensitivity radio beyond 10 miles or so. I live off of Russell Cave Road in rural north Lexington and 102.5 is a complete MESS in northern Fayette. It disgusts me because a Full Service FM radio station SHOULD be able to be picked up CLEAR from anywhere under at least 15 miles...even Class A's. I wish they would (or could) move 102.5 to a different tower. Maybe they wouldn't have such bad reception issues.

 

[radiorob2.0]

These were non existent on the walkman....91.3, 91.7,94.9, 95.3, 96.1, 99.1, 102.5 and 103.3. Just wondering if this is what everyone encounters with an average radio???

No surprise to me that you couldn't get 102.5 or 95.3. Those two stations have probably the absolute worst signals of any station in the metro. They transmit from that tiny little cell tower down by Brannon Crossing and they're almost impossible to pick up on Walkmans or any other cheap, low-sensitivity radio beyond 10 miles or so. I live off of Russell Cave Road in rural north Lexington and 102.5 is a complete MESS in northern Fayette. It disgusts me because a Full Service FM radio station SHOULD be able to be picked up CLEAR from anywhere under at least 15 miles...even Class A's. I wish they would (or could) move 102.5 to a different tower. Maybe they wouldn't have such bad reception issues.

Being that 102.5 is a class A licensed to Nicholasville and there is a 102.3 in Cynthiana the options are limited.

 

[KR4BD]

FWIW, I live about 2 or 3 miles NW of 102.5 (in the Stonewall area) and find that 102.5 is the biggest nuisance on the FM dial at my house on Walkmans and my cheap clock radio. It is "all over the dial"! Surprisingly, 93.5 and 107.1 are NOT a major problem, and they are on the same Brannon Crossing tower. Quality tuners, however, CAN filter out 102.5, but not the "cheapies".

 

[chrisalcorn]

I concur on 102.5. I tried the same experiment at Meijers off Nicholasville road and all I could get mostly was 102.5. I knew I had to try a different area for a somewhat accurate trial of reception. the whole purpose of my experiment was to see how these stations that "claim" they serve Lexington actually have good enough signal to do so. Im surprised that how poorly some of these come in even in the service area. I thought Cincinnati was bad for intermod but Lexington is nearly as bad. Ive found Louisville to be not nearly as bad. In fact a lot of Lexingtons weaker stations can easily be heard in their metro area other than the ones who have something on the same frequency such as 103.9. 102.5, 107.9, 103.3, and a couple others do well until you can actually see the buildings down there.

 

[radiorob2.0]

I concur on 102.5. I tried the same experiment at Meijers off Nicholasville road and all I could get mostly was 102.5. I knew I had to try a different area for a somewhat accurate trial of reception. the whole purpose of my experiment was to see how these stations that "claim" they serve Lexington actually have good enough signal to do so. Im surprised that how poorly some of these come in even in the service area. I thought Cincinnati was bad for intermod but Lexington is nearly as bad. Ive found Louisville to be not nearly as bad. In fact a lot of Lexingtons weaker stations can easily be heard in their metro area other than the ones who have something on the same frequency such as 103.9. 102.5, 107.9, 103.3, and a couple others do well until you can actually see the buildings down there.

If you're using the same Sony walkman then the results aren't surprising. However a car radio will receive those stations since those tuners have better selectivity and sensitivity.

 

[greg.hahn]

FWIW, I live about 2 or 3 miles NW of 102.5 (in the Stonewall area) and find that 102.5 is the biggest nuisance on the FM dial at my house on Walkmans and my cheap clock radio. It is "all over the dial"! Surprisingly, 93.5 and 107.1 are NOT a major problem, and they are on the same Brannon Crossing tower. Quality tuners, however, CAN filter out 102.5, but not the "cheapies".

At two or three miles from a class A FM you should not be experiencing reception of them "all over the dial". I'm strongly suspecting spurious emissions from what you describe.

 

[KYradioJake]

FWIW, I live about 2 or 3 miles NW of 102.5 (in the Stonewall area) and find that 102.5 is the biggest nuisance on the FM dial at my house on Walkmans and my cheap clock radio. It is "all over the dial"! Surprisingly, 93.5 and 107.1 are NOT a major problem, and they are on the same Brannon Crossing tower. Quality tuners, however, CAN filter out 102.5, but not the "cheapies".

At two or three miles from a class A FM you should not be experiencing reception of them "all over the dial". I'm strongly suspecting spurious emissions from what you describe.

I highly doubt that, considering they can't even make it into northern Fayette with a solid signal (even on a car stereo).

 

[KR4BD]

At two or three miles from a class A FM you should not be experiencing reception of them "all over the dial". I'm strongly suspecting spurious emissions from what you describe.

I once thought the same thing, but on my better FM radios, 102.5 is only found on 102.5 and not saturating the entire band. It is odd, I think, that the other two Class As on that tower (on 95.3, 107.1 and formerally 99.1, too) do not bother my "cheap radios" like 102.5. I do suspect their modulation might be just a "tad" on the HOT side, however....

 

[BobOnTheJob]

At two or three miles from a class A FM you should not be experiencing reception of them "all over the dial". I'm strongly suspecting spurious emissions from what you describe.

I do suspect their modulation might be just a "tad" on the HOT side, however....

I know that you're not suggesting that modulation is an issue in this case, but it amazes me how often "overmodulation" gets blamed for a station taking up several channels. For the record, if a station actually modulated heavily enough to take up just 2 channels each way, their audio would be unintelligible. It would take something like 500% modulation to do this. In addition to being of no benefit to the offender, I've yet to see a transmitter rated much beyond 133% modulation capacity.