FM and TV DXing in the Smoky Mountains - Clingman's Dome

[RMarino]

I just took a "DXpedition" to Clingman's Dome (just 50 miles away for me) and thought I'd share my results with everybody. For those who don't know, Clingman's Dome is the second highest point east of the Mississippi River, 6,643 feet above sea level. I brought with me my Sony Walkman and my 1986 vintage Sony Watchman.

Here's what I received during my two hour stay there. First the FM stations. I tried to note the actual city of license when possible:

92.3 WDEF Chattanooga
92.5 WESC Greenville, SC
92.7 WIJV Harriman, TN
92.7 ?? Talk show about computers
92.9 WZGC Atlanta
93.1 WMYU Karns, TN
93.3 WTPT Forest City, NC
93.5 WAXM Big Stone Gap, VA
93.5 WKZX Lenior City, TN
93.7 WFBC Greenville, SC
93.9 WMEV Marion, VA
93.9 ?? Baseball game (maybe WAYA Spring City, TN?)
94.1 WMXK Morristown, TN
94.1 WSTR Atlanta
94.3 WJTT Red Bank, TN
94.3 WNFZ Oak Ridge, TN
94.5 WMUU Greenville, SC
94.7 WGSQ Cookeville, TN
94.7 ?? Classical music (probably WFQS translator from Bryson City, NC)
94.9 WAEZ Greeneville, TN
94.9 WUBL Atlanta
95.1 ?? Someone playing '80s hits. Didn't stay for an ID.
95.3 WYFC Clinton, TN
95.5 WBTS Atlanta
95.7 WQJK Marryville, TN
95.7 WAYB Graysville, TN
95.9 WRZK Colonial Heights, TN
96.1 WKLS Atlanta
96.3 WJBZ Seymour, TN
96.5 WDOD Chattanooga
96.7 ?? Country (maybe WMYL Halls, TN)
96.9 WRSA Holly Pond, AL (almost 200 miles!)
96.9 WXBQ Kingsport, TN
97.1 WSRV Gainsville, GA
97.3 WUUS South Pittsburg, TN
97.5 WJXB Knoxville, TN
98.1 WLND Signal Mountain, TN
98.1 WHZT Seneca, SC
98.3 ?? Religious
98.5 WSB-FM Atlanta
98.5 WTFM Tri-Cities, TN/VA
98.7 WOKI Oliver Springs, TN
98.9 WSPA Greenville, TN
99.1 WNML Loudon, TN
99.3 WNRX Jefferson City, TN
99.7 WWWQ Atlanta
99.9 WKSF Old Fort, NC
100.3 WNOX Oak Ridge, TN
100.5 WSSL Grat Court, SC
100.7 WUSY Cleveland, TN
100.7 ?? CHR (heard Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" and some pop-rock song)
101.1 WROQ Anderson, SC
101.1 ?? Heard 2 religious stations (one maybe LP station WIAM Knoxville)
101.3 WECO Wartburg, TN
101.5 WQUT Tri-Cities, TN/VA
101.7 WJSQ Athens, TN
102.1 WWST Sevierville, TN
102.3 WGOW Soddy-Daisy, TN
102.5 WOWF Crossville, TN
102.5 ?? an informercial
102.7 ?? sounded like adult standards music
102.9 WMJE Clarkesville, GA
103.1 WLLJ Etowah, TN
103.3 WVEE Atlanta
103.5 WIMZ Knoxville
103.7 ?? new & classic rock (maybe WPUP Royston, GA?)
103.9 WPPL Blue Ridge, GA
104.1 WRBN Clayton, GA
104.5 WKHT Knoxville
104.5 WHLC Highlands, NC
104.7 WFSH Atlanta
105.3 WFIV Farragut, TN
105.5 WSEV Gatlinburg, TN
105.9 ?? Rock (heard Hendrix "Purple Haze", maybe WTMT Weaverville, NC)
106.1 ?? Country music (maybe WNGC Toccoa, GA)
106.3 WPFT Pigeon Forge, TN
106.5 WSKZ Chattanooga
106.7 WYAY Atlanta
106.9 WMIT Black Mountain, NC
107.1 WTSH Rome, GA
107.3 WJMZ Anderson, SC
107.5 WJZZ Atlanta
107.7 WIVK Knoxville
107.9 WOGT East Ridge, TN

I didn't spend much time in the non-commercial part of the band, but I did note that I receive WUTC 88.1 Chattanooga, WOEZ 88.3 Maynardville, TN, 91.1 WKCS Knoxville, 91.9 WUOT Knoxville.

Now for the TV signals I received:

2 WETP PBS Knoxville
3 WRCB NBC Chattanooga
4 WYFF NBC Greenville, SC
5 WCYB NBC Bristol, VA
6 WATE ABC Knoxville
8 WVLT CBS Knoxville
9 ?? ABC ??
10 WBIR NBC Knoxville
11 WJHL CBS Johnson CIty, TN (heavy interference by another UNID station)
12 WDEF CBS Chattanooga
13 WLOS ABC Asheville, NC
19 WKPT ABC Kingsport, TN
33 WUNF UNC-TV Asheville, NC
43 WTNZ FOX Knoxville
45 WTCI PBS Chattanooga
58 WUNG UNC-TV Concord, NC
61 WDSI FOX Chattanooga

I also received two other FOX affiliates above 61, two other PBS stations on UHF, and a few more that I could not identify.

If anyone can identify any of these UNIDs for me, it would greatly be appreciated!

 

[quadraphonic]

The ABC on channel 9....was it WSOC Charlotte?

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I'd be interested in any AM reception from there, particularly during daylight hours. I know many prefer FM and all that goes with it, but AM should give some farther range.

 

[RMarino]

The Channel 9 could be Charlotte, if no one comes up with another ABC, I'll assume that's what it was. I did receive other NC TV signals (namely the UNC-TV stations)

I tried AM, but with so many syndicated shows, I could never get an ID unless I waited for the TOH. There was nothing out of the ordinary though. I noticed a trace of WSM 650 Nashville, and a trace of WSB 750 Atlanta. The only AM signal that stoped on "seek" on the car radio at Clingman's Dome was AM 1590 WBHN Bryson City, NC. Height doesn't really matter on AM anyway.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I tried AM, but with so many syndicated shows, I could never get an ID unless I waited for the TOH. There was nothing out of the ordinary though. I noticed a trace of WSM 650 Nashville, and a trace of WSB 750 Atlanta. The only AM signal that stoped on "seek" on the car radio at Clingman's Dome was AM 1590 WBHN Bryson City, NC. Height doesn't really matter on AM anyway.

Thanks for the report. Those syndicated shows really do clog the AM airwaves and make so many stations sound alike. Then, you have to go quickly through the dial on the hour or half-hour to try and get an I.D. or even just a local commercial to try and see what town it is. I thought you might have a chance to get some more distant AM stations up there, but perhaps more by chance in just going frequency-by-frequency instead of using "seek". I read that in the 1930's, balloonists who went aloft thousands of feet during the day would log the AM stations that they would receive. I remember one was far above Illinois and heard WLW in Cincinnati. Back then, those men reached what were record altitudes for the time. You mentioning Bryson City, North Carolina reminded me of the time two other guys and I camped in the National Park near there and also spent several hours walking around that town one evening while he got a new generator put on the car we were traveling in. While we were doing that, I saw one of the more stranger things I've ever seen, but that's another story and not really related to radio.

 

[mpepin]

ABC on Channel probably is WTVC Chattanooga. Wonder why you didn't see WSPA Ch.7 Spartanburgh or any of the Charlotte UHF's besides Ch. 58.

 

[RMarino]

I would have spent more time on AM if I had more time and/or anything interesting was going on. AM reception at that location is really no different there than it is in Gatlinburg (at 3,000 feet elevation.) The only difference is (because it's a few miles south of Gatlinburg) that the Knoxville AM signals are weaker and the North Georgia and Carolina signals are a bit clearer. Clingman's Dome is only about 10 air miles from Bryson City, so it's no surprise that WBHN is strongest there. AM signals are much more interesting over water than over mountains.

You're right about the channel 9. It had to have been WTVC Chattanooga. I don't know how I missed that one. I didn't see anything on channel 7. Maybe WSPA is a bit weaker than the Greenville stations.

As for other Charlotte UHFs, they may have been there. Like I said I had a few UNID UHFs. I didn't have time to wait for them all to break for an ID. This is the one time where those annoying ID bugs in the corner of the screen are actually helpful!

 

[mpepin]

Sounds like you were probably on a south-western facing side of the mountain. Can't imagine not being able to get Charlotte, Spartanburgh, etc. at 6,000 plus feet on the TN - NC border.

 

[fortmill]

I bet the ABC9 signal was a translator for WLOS Asheville---I know they have a translator on 9 somewhere in that area. WYFF, WSPA, and WLOS all have numerous VHF translators in the area, though most could have been drown out by the other Vs you recieved at such a high elevation. UNC-TV also has numerous UHF translators in the area, which may account for a few of high band PBS channels you recieved, including the one you identified as WUNG/58. Also, WHNS/21 has a few UHF translators in the 60s in the area ( I know there is a high-powered one on 66 from Sylva) which may account for the unidentified FOX stations. Also Fox 61 from Chattanooga is a possibility. Overall, I'm surprised by how few UHF channels you recieved---I would think WHNS would come in like gangbusters, as well as WYCW, WNTV---plus Charlotte's WCNC, WJZY, WMYT.....all of these are very high powered stations not that far away...

 

[gr8oldies]

Great report! You'd actually have some pretty crappy ground conductivity for AM reception there, height really isn't going to help.

 

[chuckydoll]

Adding to the Clingman's Dome bandscan

FM dial:

93.1 -- "93 Point 1" (80's hits), Karns/Knoxville
93.3 -- "New Rock 93.3", Forest City NC/Greenville SC/Spartanburg SC
93.9 -- WAYA, Spring City TN; on Braves network
94.3 -- "Power 94" (R&B), Red Bank/Chattanooga
94.3 -- "94.3 The X" (modern rock), Oak Ridge/Knoxville
94.9 -- "Electric 94.9" (pop), Greeneville/Johnson City/Bristol/Kingsport
94.9 -- "The Bull" (country), Atlanta; Braves co-flagship
95.5 -- "95.5 The Beat" (R&B/hip-hop), Athens/Atlanta
95.9 -- Colonial Heights/Kingsport
96.7 -- "Merle FM" (old-style country), WMYL, Halls/Knoxville
96.9 -- "Lite 96.9" (AC), Huntsville/Decatur AL
96.9 -- WXBQ (country), Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City
97.1 -- "The River" (classic rock), Gainesville/Atlanta
97.3 -- South Pittsburg/Chattanooga
98.1 -- Signal Mountain/Chattanooga
98.5 -- Kingsport/Bristol/Johnson City
98.7 -- "Earl 98.7" (Jack-format rock), Oak Springs/Knoxville
98.9 -- "Magic 98.9" (AC), Spartanburg/Greenville SC
99.7 -- "All the Hits Q100" (pop); moved from 100.5 earlier this year
99.9 -- "Kiss Country", Asheville NC
100.3 -- "WNOX NewsTalk 100", Oak Ridge/Knoxville
100.5 -- "Whistle 100" (country), Greenville/Spartanburg
100.7 -- "US 101 Country", Cleveland/Chattanooga
101.1 -- "Rock 101", Anderson/Greenville/Spartanburg
101.5 -- Johnson City/Bristol/Kingsport
102.1 -- "Star 102.1" (pop), Sevierville/Knoxville
102.3 -- "The Talk Monster", Soddy-Daisy/Chattanooga; famous call letters
104.7 -- "The Fish" (Christian pop), Athens/Atlanta
105.5 -- "Mixx 105.5" (hot AC), Gatlinburg/Knoxville
106.7 -- "KZ 106" (classic rock), Chattanooga
106.7 -- "True Oldies", Gainesville/Atlanta; flipped from country 2 months ago
107.3 -- "107.3 Jamz" (R&B), Anderson/Greenville/Spartanburg
107.5 -- "Smooth Jazz 107.5", Roswell/Atlanta
107.9 -- East Ridge/Chattanooga

TV dial:

2 -- ETPtv, Sneedville TN (PBS for Kingsport/Bristol/Johnson City)
9 -- NewsChannel 9/WTVC, Chattanooga (more likely) or
9 -- WSOC-TV/Eyewitness News, Charlotte
58 -- UNC-TV, WUNG, Concord/Charlotte

 

[RMarino]

Hmm.. chuckydoll are you trying to say that those are the stations you have received from there? Or are you adding slogans/formats to a few of the call letters that I listed? I didn't bother listing the slogans/formats mainly because I figured those who were interested would be able to look them up. Most are recognizable anyway. By the way 98.7 WOKI Oliver Springs, TN is not "Earl" anymore. It's "True Oldies Channel."

Sounds like you were probably on a south-western facing side of the mountain. Can't imagine not being able to get Charlotte, Spartanburgh, etc. at 6,000 plus feet on the TN - NC border.

You may not be familiar with Clingman's Dome but it is on "no" side of a mountain. It is the very top, the highest point you can reach in the Smokies (except for Black Mountain in North Carolina.) I had a complete 360 degree open view. As for why I didn't receive more Charlotte signals, it could be because they were covered up by closer signals. I tried hard to even get 95.7 WXRC Hickory, NC but I just couldn't null out WQJK Maryville, TN. Just like WSOC/9 would lose in a battle for the much closer WTVC/9 in Chattanooga. Or maybe Charlotte signals are covered by Black Mountain. I hadn't thought of that until just now.

WHNS/21 has a few UHF translators in the 60s in the area ( I know there is a high-powered one on 66 from Sylva) which may account for the unidentified FOX stations. Also Fox 61 from Chattanooga is a possibility. Overall, I'm surprised by how few UHF channels you recieved---I would think WHNS would come in like gangbusters, as well as WYCW, WNTV---plus Charlotte's WCNC, WJZY, WMYT.....all of these are very high powered stations not that far away...

Thanks for the info, I was really stumped about the FOX signals above 61. WHNS/21 may indeed have been one of my UNIDS. I'll make another trip up there sometime before the analog TV signals disappear and I'll spend more time on the UHF channels.

By the way, do any of you have a guess as to what may have been the 95.1 I heard while up there? I didn't spend time on it because I assumed it was Kiss 95.1 in Charlotte doing some '80s weekend or something. But when I got home to look at their playlist, I saw that it definately wasn't them. Kiss is much more younger-leaning than I thought. No other format on radio-locator seems to fit. The signal was fairly strong too. This is the one I'm most stumped about.

 

[wxman76]

Throwing out an idea....

The 95.1 might have been (95SX) WSSX Charleston, SC

They do a retro lunch each weekday, but I am not sure if they do occasional retro weekends.

They have a great 100kw signal at about 1,000 ft. However, one would think that Kiss 95.1 Charlotte would be the dominant signal at Clingsman Dome.

 

[chuckydoll]

... with a history lesson on the side

I didn't bother listing the slogans/formats mainly because I figured those who were interested would be able to look them up.

Listeners go by name of station, not call letters. That's how the industry has been since the 1970s.

You asked if 93.9 carried baseball. I found out it does thanks to the Atlanta Braves website. In the interest of fairness I added that 94.9 from Atlanta is the Braves' co-flagship.

The reference to True Oldies on 106.7 is very relevant -- it was one of the ex-ABC stations that replaced a longtime format thanks to red ink at Citadel Broadcasting.

For the record, "Tri-Cities" is a television DMA and is not considered a community of license.

 

[dx1ng]

By the way, do any of you have a guess as to what may have been the 95.1 I heard while up there? I didn't spend time on it because I assumed it was Kiss 95.1 in Charlotte doing some '80s weekend or something. But when I got home to look at their playlist, I saw that it definately wasn't them. Kiss is much more younger-leaning than I thought. No other format on radio-locator seems to fit. The signal was fairly strong too. This is the one I'm most stumped about.

I think a good possibility would be WACF from Young Harris, Ga, "The Best Mix in the Stix", right on the Tennessee state line. http://www.951.fm/ It's pretty low power, but a very high tower... it might have even been line of sight.

 

[radiorob2.0]

During a 1998 visit I tried AM atop the "Dome" using a GE Superadio II. AM opened up from lack of natural shielding (read rocks). Highlights during the day include WHAS, WLW and WVLK Lexington. FM highlights going up the to the Dome and Newfound Gap included WQDR Raleigh and WJXA Nashville.

A few peaks over atop of Waterock Knob, NC (6,292 feet above sea level) is a nice DX point. I found my notes from 2001, the receiver was a Radio Shack (Sangean) DX-390. I also included signal strength (1-10) for some stations:
(Keep in mind I'm trying to read my notes which made sense at the time so understand there might be some errors)
88.3 GA Public Radio
88.5 WEPC
90.9 WRAF
91.3 WCQS
91.7 GA Public Radio (Athens)
91.9 Knoxville
92.3 Chattanooga (10)
92.5 Greenville (8)
92.9 Atlanta (10)
93.1 Knoxville
93.3 "The Planet" (10)
93.7 Greenville (7)
93.9 Chattanooga (7)
94.1 Atlanta
94.3 Knoxville (Oak Ridge) (7)
94.5 WMUU Greenville (10)
94.9 Greenville, TN (6)/Atlanta (6)
95.1 Charlotte
95.3 NPR
95.5 Atlanta (10)
95.7 Maryville/Chattanooga
95.9 Tri Cities, TN/VA
96.1 Charlotte (8)/Atlanta (7)
96.3 Augusta, GA
96.5 WDOD Chattanooga/WZLS Asheville
96.7 WNCL
96.9 WXBQ Bristol
97.1 Gainesville, GA
97.5 Knoxville
97.7 WSPA Asheville translator
97.9 WDGG (?)
98.5 Kingsport/Atlanta
98.7 WSMJ
98.9 WSPA Spartanburgh
99.1 WNOX
99.3 Tri Cities, TN/VA
99.5 Augusta, GA
99.7 Atlanta
99.9 Asheville
100.3 WOKI Oak Ridge
100.5 WSSL Greenville
100.7 US 101 Chattanooga
100.9 WRAF
101.1 WROQ Greenville
101.3 Ducktown
101.5 Atlanta/Johnson City, TN (Both 7)
101.9 Hispanic/Charlotte
102.1 Knoxville
102.5 Hendersonville
102.9 Cleveland, TN
103.3 Atlanta
103.5 Knoxville
103.7 WSOC Charlotte
104.1 Atlanta/Franklin(?)
104.3 WBBQ Augusta
104.5 Highland, NC
104.7 Athens, GA
105.5 WKVL
105.7 WZNY Augusta
106.1 WNGC
106.5 WJDT
107.3 Anderson, SC
107.7 Knoxville
107.9 Charlotte

YMMV

 

[RMarino]

Re: ... with a history lesson on the side

I didn't bother listing the slogans/formats mainly because I figured those who were interested would be able to look them up.

Listeners go by name of station, not call letters. That's how the industry has been since the 1970s.

You asked if 93.9 carried baseball. I found out it does thanks to the Atlanta Braves website. In the interest of fairness I added that 94.9 from Atlanta is the Braves' co-flagship.

The reference to True Oldies on 106.7 is very relevant -- it was one of the ex-ABC stations that replaced a longtime format thanks to red ink at Citadel Broadcasting.

For the record, "Tri-Cities" is a television DMA and is not considered a community of license.

Shhesh.. there's always one critic in the bunch. I could have listed all of the slogans and correct city of licenses, but I didn't want to add two more hours the the four hours it took me to research, compile, and type that list. And I never "asked" if 93.9 carried baseball. I know 93.9 WAYA Spring City, TN is a Braves affiliate. So is 106.3 WPFT Pigeon Forge, TN. But 106.3 was not carrying a game that day, so I was assuming that the Braves network was not airing anything at the time. And I'm fully aware that "Tri-Cities" is not a city of license. Did you not fully read my post when I said I will put the "city of license" when possible? I should have known there would be a perfectionist in the group here ready to criticize.

By the way, do any of you have a guess as to what may have been the 95.1 I heard while up there? I didn't spend time on it because I assumed it was Kiss 95.1 in Charlotte doing some '80s weekend or something. But when I got home to look at their playlist, I saw that it definately wasn't them. Kiss is much more younger-leaning than I thought. No other format on radio-locator seems to fit. The signal was fairly strong too. This is the one I'm most stumped about.

I think a good possibility would be WACF from Young Harris, Ga, "The Best Mix in the Stix", right on the Tennessee state line. http://www.951.fm/ It's pretty low power, but a very high tower... it might have even been line of sight.

Thank you! Radio-locator has them listed as "country", but their website brands themselves as classic hits. That must the the station I heard.

Thanks to everyone else who helped too.

 

[vchimpanzee]

The Channel 9 could be Charlotte, if no one comes up with another ABC, I'll assume that's what it was. I did receive other NC TV signals (namely the UNC-TV stations)

I tried AM, but with so many syndicated shows, I could never get an ID unless I waited for the TOH. There was nothing out of the ordinary though. I noticed a trace of WSM 650 Nashville, and a trace of WSB 750 Atlanta. The only AM signal that stoped on "seek" on the car radio at Clingman's Dome was AM 1590 WBHN Bryson City, NC. Height doesn't really matter on AM anyway.

The last time my parents brought a portable TV to the mountains, I did pick up WSOC-TV. I also remember that one time we stayed in a motel that didn't have cable and WBTV was as clear as if it was local.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Throwing out an idea....

The 95.1 might have been (95SX) WSSX Charleston, SC

They do a retro lunch each weekday, but I am not sure if they do occasional retro weekends.

They have a great 100kw signal at about 1,000 ft. However, one would think that Kiss 95.1 Charlotte would be the dominant signal at Clingsman Dome.

I've heard 80s music on Kiss on weekends, and I do remember hearing this station in the mountains.

 

[vchimpanzee]

RMarino said TriCities when listing the location of 95.9--that's WRZK, a rock station which plays alternative, metal, classic--just about everything--and it sounds almost local in my motel room.