FM Reception Report - Bedford Park, IL - 2/23 to 2/25/2009

[KML0224]

Hello to you all. While making my first-ever visit to Chicago this week, I stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, on the Bedford Park side of South Cicero Avenue, close to Chicago-Midway Airport. Here's what my Panasonic AM/FM/CD "Walkman" could pick up on the FM band:

88.5-WHPK [WEAK] (?)
88.9-W??? [VERY WEAK] (?)
89.3-WKKC [WEAK STEREO] Kennedy Kern College (?)
89.7-W??? [WEAK STEREO] (Religion)
90.1-W??? [STRONG] (Religion)
91.5-WBEZ Chicago [STRONG] chicagopublicradio.org mentioned
91.9-W??? [VERY WEAK] (Religion)
92.3-WPWX Hammond, IN/Chicago [STRONG] (Urban Contemporary) Power 92
93.1-W??? [STRONG] 93XRT (Classic Rock)
93.5-W??? [STRONG] (Spanish)
93.9-WLIT [STRONG] (AC)
94.7-WLS [STRONG] (Oldies)
95.5-WNUA [WEAK STEREO] (Smooth Jazz)
96.3-WBBM Chicago [STRONG] (Urban Contemporary) B96 (?)
96.7-WSSR Joliet [WEAK STEREO] (AC) Carried John Tesh Radio show
97.1-WDRV [STRONG] (Rock) 97.1 The Drive
97.5-W??? [WEAK] (Religion)
97.9-WLUP Chicago [STRONG] (Rock) 97.9 The Loop
98.3-WCCQ [WEAK] (Country)
98.7-W??? [STRONG] (Classical)
99.5-W??? [STRONG] (Country) US 99.5
99.9-W??? [WEAK STEREO] (Dance)
100.3-W??? [STRONG] (AC) Chicago's 100.3
100.7-W??? [WEAK STEREO] (Religion)
101.1-W??? [STRONG] (Modern Rock) Q 101.1
101.9-W??? [STRONG] (AC) New Mix 101.9
102.3-WYCA [WEAK STEREO] (Religion)
102.7-WVAZ Oak Park/Chicago [STRONG] (Adult Urban) V103
103.1-W??? [WEAK] Religion
103.5-W??? [STRONG] (Urban Contemporary) 103.5 KISS-FM
104.3-WJMK Chicago [STRONG] (Classic Hits) 104.3 JACK-FM
105.1-W??? [STRONG] (Spanish)
105.9-W??? [STRONG] (AC) Fresh 105.9
106.3-W??? [STRONG] (Adult Urban) Soul 106.3 soul1063radio.com
106.7-W??? [WEAK] (Spanish)
107.1-W??? [WEAK] (AC) Z 107 Northwest Indiana mentioned
107.5-WGCI Chicago [STRONG] (Adult Urban)
107.9-WLEY Aurora/Chicago [STRONG] (Spanish) La Ley

I ended up listening to 104.3 JACK-FM when in the Loop downtown. Just like my attempts with WJMN-FM 94.5 of Boston (HIP HOP/R&B), all reception of POWER 92 was gone once there, due to overload from closer transmitters.

 

[radioman148]

I'm surprised that 106.7 was so weak. They run 50K and transmit from not that far from your location.

 

[BRNout]

Yes, 106.7 WPPN is 50 kw - but it also transmits from Arlington Heights; about 40 air miles away from Bedford Park. I am surprised that the station on 103.1 was identified as religion - the one around here is WVIV, which used to be La Calle but I think now is Romantica. It simulcasts with 93.5. Perhaps the 103.1 you got near Midway was from over in Indiana?

Interestingly enough, I am about 4 miles from the Arlington Heights stick which hosts WPPN, WVIV and 92.7 WCPT. Of those three, it's WVIV that seems most prone to overloading my receiver - even though it's WPPN that is blasting 50 kw. WVIV is only 6 kw! Perhaps it's the way that the transmitter is being maintained.

There are a few simulcast arrangements around here. First off, Soul 106.3 is a simulcast between WSRB Lansing (stick south of Chicago) and WYRB Genoa (stick way west, 2/3 of the way to Rockford). The liberal talk format (with dance at night) on 92.5 WCPY DeKalb (west), 92.7 WCPT Arlington Heights (north) and 99.9 WCPQ Park Forest (city and south) is a trimulcast that used to be the variety format known as "Nine FM." 97.1 WDRV Chicago simulcasts it's AAA/classic rock format with 96.9 WWDV Zion (way north). And, there's the Spanish simulcast of 93.5/103.1. Just a point of geeky interest for the next time you're trying to ID stations in this area.

One last quick note: neither B96.3 nor Kiss 103.5 are urban contemporary. That's the format of Power 92.3 and WGCI 107.5. 96.3 and 103.5 both CHRs.

 

[radioman148]

Yes, 106.7 WPPN is 50 kw - but it also transmits from Arlington Heights; about 40 air miles away from Bedford Park. I am surprised that the station on 103.1 was identified as religion - the one around here is WVIV, which used to be La Calle but I think now is Romantica. It simulcasts with 93.5. Perhaps the 103.1 you got near Midway was from over in Indiana?

Interestingly enough, I am about 4 miles from the Arlington Heights stick which hosts WPPN, WVIV and 92.7 WCPT. Of those three, it's WVIV that seems most prone to overloading my receiver - even though it's WPPN that is blasting 50 kw. WVIV is only 6 kw! Perhaps it's the way that the transmitter is being maintained.

There are a few simulcast arrangements around here. First off, Soul 106.3 is a simulcast between WSRB Lansing (stick south of Chicago) and WYRB Genoa (stick way west, 2/3 of the way to Rockford). The liberal talk format (with dance at night) on 92.5 WCPY DeKalb (west), 92.7 WCPT Arlington Heights (north) and 99.9 WCPQ Park Forest (city and south) is a trimulcast that used to be the variety format known as "Nine FM." 97.1 WDRV Chicago simulcasts it's AAA/classic rock format with 96.9 WWDV Zion (way north). And, there's the Spanish simulcast of 93.5/103.1. Just a point of geeky interest for the next time you're trying to ID stations in this area.

One last quick note: neither B96.3 nor Kiss 103.5 are urban contemporary. That's the format of Power 92.3 and WGCI 107.5. 96.3 and 103.5 both CHRs.

I didn't realize that WPPN transmits from the Arlington Heights stick. Didn't they used to transmit from around Elk Grove?

 

[KML0224]

There are a few simulcast arrangements around here. First off, Soul 106.3 is a simulcast between WSRB Lansing (stick south of Chicago) and WYRB Genoa (stick way west, 2/3 of the way to Rockford). The liberal talk format (with dance at night) on 92.5 WCPY DeKalb (west), 92.7 WCPT Arlington Heights (north) and 99.9 WCPQ Park Forest (city and south) is a trimulcast that used to be the variety format known as "Nine FM." 97.1 WDRV Chicago simulcasts it's AAA/classic rock format with 96.9 WWDV Zion (way north). And, there's the Spanish simulcast of 93.5/103.1. Just a point of geeky interest for the next time you're trying to ID stations in this area.

One last quick note: neither B96.3 nor Kiss 103.5 are urban contemporary. That's the format of Power 92.3 and WGCI 107.5. 96.3 and 103.5 both CHRs.

Thanks for the tips! Again, this was my first-ever visit to Chicago and the state of Illinois. I was using a Panasonic AM/FM/CD Personal Stereo, model #SL-CT579V. It's at least two or three years old. I bought it at my workplace. As you might have guessed, we don't sell that model anymore. These signals were received on the third floor of the Fairfield Inn and Suites, in the Midway hotel complex on South Cicero Avenue (IL Route 50), roughly half a mile south of the airport.

As for the AM band, I really didn't bother. I sometimes get the majors like WBBM-AM 780 at night here in greater Hartford. I was already told about the local using 1080 AM, thereby preventing any reception of WTIC-AM 1080.

 

[radioman148]

There are a few simulcast arrangements around here. First off, Soul 106.3 is a simulcast between WSRB Lansing (stick south of Chicago) and WYRB Genoa (stick way west, 2/3 of the way to Rockford). The liberal talk format (with dance at night) on 92.5 WCPY DeKalb (west), 92.7 WCPT Arlington Heights (north) and 99.9 WCPQ Park Forest (city and south) is a trimulcast that used to be the variety format known as "Nine FM." 97.1 WDRV Chicago simulcasts it's AAA/classic rock format with 96.9 WWDV Zion (way north). And, there's the Spanish simulcast of 93.5/103.1. Just a point of geeky interest for the next time you're trying to ID stations in this area.

One last quick note: neither B96.3 nor Kiss 103.5 are urban contemporary. That's the format of Power 92.3 and WGCI 107.5. 96.3 and 103.5 both CHRs.

Thanks for the tips! Again, this was my first-ever visit to Chicago and the state of Illinois. I was using a Panasonic AM/FM/CD Personal Stereo, model #SL-CT579V. It's at least two or three years old. I bought it at my workplace. As you might have guessed, we don't sell that model anymore. These signals were received on the third floor of the Fairfield Inn and Suites, in the Midway hotel complex on South Cicero Avenue (IL Route 50), roughly half a mile south of the airport.

As for the AM band, I really didn't bother. I sometimes get the majors like WBBM-AM 780 at night here in greater Hartford. I was already told about the local using 1080 AM, thereby preventing any reception of WTIC-AM 1080.

Can you ever get WLS in Hartford? I know there's a station in Massachusetts at night on 890.

 

[KML0224]

WLS-AM 890 has popped in a couple of times, but it is quite rare. I get interference from both WCBS-AM 880 of New York City and WLAT-AM 910 of New Britain/Hartford (a 5,000 watt local). WMVP-AM 1000 seems to be the most stable, followed by WBBM-AM 780.

 

[radioman148]

WLS-AM 890 has popped in a couple of times, but it is quite rare. I get interference from both WCBS-AM 880 of New York City and WLAT-AM 910 of New Britain/Hartford (a 5,000 watt local). WMVP-AM 1000 seems to be the most stable, followed by WBBM-AM 780.

Do you ever get WSCR 670 AM?

Thanks!

 

[KML0224]

Yes, I've got them a couple of times as well. I couldn't remember their call letters! It's tough to pull them in with WFAN-AM 660 of New York City being next door on the dial. Despite living in central Connecticut, WFAN-AM 660 and WCBS-AM 880 come in quite well here, even during the day (their towers are by the waters of Long Island Sound, in the High Island section of the Bronx, perhaps the closest part of NYC to Connecticut).

 

[radioman148]

Yes, I've got them a couple of times as well. I couldn't remember their call letters! It's tough to pull them in with WFAN-AM 660 of New York City being next door on the dial. Despite living in central Connecticut, WFAN-AM 660 and WCBS-AM 880 come in quite well here, even during the day (their towers are by the waters of Long Island Sound, in the High Island section of the Bronx, perhaps the closest part of NYC to Connecticut).

I drove through Connecticut about 10 years ago & remember very well how strong WFAN & WCBS were in realtion to WABC.
Do you get the Boston 50Ks during the day in Ct?

 

[KML0224]

I only get a marginal signal of WBZ-AM 1030 of Boston here. Much of that signal has to travel over land, as opposed to WFAN and WCBS, where half of the signal's trip is over the salt water of Long Island Sound. WOR-AM 710 and WABC-AM 770 of New York City are fairly weak since their transmitters are in New Jersey. WINS-AM 1010 and WEPN-AM 1050 aren't too good here in the daytime. At night, both stations dart in and out. WINS-AM battles back and forth with CFRB-AM 1010 of Toronto.

 

[BRNout]

I'm in the interesting situation of being a former New Englander (NH, MA, CT) who now lives near Chicago. So, I've played the AM dial in both directions. Used to get WLS weakly at night in my former hometown west of Nashua, NH - but not in Nashua thanks to a local on 900. WBBM would fight with an oldies station from Charlottetown, PEI - though that one may now be off the air. You can pick up WMVP pretty reliably up there (it's directional toward the east). WGN was always a tough catch from NH.

When in CT during the day, I could get WBZ about as far SW as Waterbury and in and out to Danbury. WRKO would be weaker, though still audible to at least Hartford. Technically the signal reached as far as Bristol - though you'd need to be stationary in a good spot to listen to it. The big New York signals all came in better in most of CT (except the NE corner) than Boston ones. And yes, WABC seems the weakest of the big 4 - probably because their stick is in Lodi, NJ while (as KML noted) WFAN and WCBS transmit from the western edge of Long Island Sound. Still gets in to most of CT though.

About 1080, you're right! It's a station that broadcasts Polish programming and it's supposed to power down at night - though sometimes they don't. Perhaps in SW Chicago you would get their nighttime signal strongly too, though here north of town it's weak. I can tell you that when they are not on, it's KRLD that tends to dominate 1080. Have only gotten a trace of WTIC once so far. On the other hand, WLS (the weakest 50 kw signal here) thankfully does not broadcast in IBOC so you can null it out and hear WCBS. That's not possible here for WABC, WFAN, WINS or WOR. Have gotten them all pretty well when up in Green Bay, WI - but never here. WBZ is receivable here, sometimes quite well - when WHO Des Moines isn't too strong. When it is, WHO's IBOC hash interferes somewhat.

From the Chicago area at night, you can usually get KOA Denver, WBAP Dallas/Ft. Worth, WGY Schenectady, KYW Philly, WPHT Philly (ironic because it's weak in its own market), WRVA Richmond, WSB Atlanta, WWL New Orleans, KAAY Little Rock....well you get the picture. Pretty good spot to dx if you're away from the suburban sticks of the local 50 kw flamethrowers.

 

[radioman148]

I'm in the interesting situation of being a former New Englander (NH, MA, CT) who now lives near Chicago. So, I've played the AM dial in both directions. Used to get WLS weakly at night in my former hometown west of Nashua, NH - but not in Nashua thanks to a local on 900. WBBM would fight with an oldies station from Charlottetown, PEI - though that one may now be off the air. You can pick up WMVP pretty reliably up there (it's directional toward the east). WGN was always a tough catch from NH.

When in CT during the day, I could get WBZ about as far SW as Waterbury and in and out to Danbury. WRKO would be weaker, though still audible to at least Hartford. Technically the signal reached as far as Bristol - though you'd need to be stationary in a good spot to listen to it. The big New York signals all came in better in most of CT (except the NE corner) than Boston ones. And yes, WABC seems the weakest of the big 4 - probably because their stick is in Lodi, NJ while (as KML noted) WFAN and WCBS transmit from the western edge of Long Island Sound. Still gets in to most of CT though.

About 1080, you're right! It's a station that broadcasts Polish programming and it's supposed to power down at night - though sometimes they don't. Perhaps in SW Chicago you would get their nighttime signal strongly too, though here north of town it's weak. I can tell you that when they are not on, it's KRLD that tends to dominate 1080. Have only gotten a trace of WTIC once so far. On the other hand, WLS (the weakest 50 kw signal here) thankfully does not broadcast in IBOC so you can null it out and hear WCBS. That's not possible here for WABC, WFAN, WINS or WOR. Have gotten them all pretty well when up in Green Bay, WI - but never here. WBZ is receivable here, sometimes quite well - when WHO Des Moines isn't too strong. When it is, WHO's IBOC hash interferes somewhat.

From the Chicago area at night, you can usually get KOA Denver, WBAP Dallas/Ft. Worth, WGY Schenectady, KYW Philly, WPHT Philly (ironic because it's weak in its own market), WRVA Richmond, WSB Atlanta, WWL New Orleans, KAAY Little Rock....well you get the picture. Pretty good spot to dx if you're away from the suburban sticks of the local 50 kw flamethrowers.

With IBOC on WBBM, WGN, & WSCR, it's very tough to get WFAN, WOR, & WABC. I used to get WABC very well before the IBOC days. WCBS still comes in the best of the NY stations--always did. WBZ has always done well here & in fact is the only Boston station I've ever heard in the Chicago area. I can sometimes hear WBBR over WISN at night.
I'm a bit surprised you get WINS even in Green Bay. Even though I've heard it, CFRB usually comes over it.

 

[BRNout]

With IBOC on WBBM, WGN, & WSCR, it's very tough to get WFAN, WOR, & WABC. I used to get WABC very well before the IBOC days. WCBS still comes in the best of the NY stations--always did. WBZ has always done well here & in fact is the only Boston station I've ever heard in the Chicago area. I can sometimes hear WBBR over WISN at night.
I'm a bit surprised you get WINS even in Green Bay. Even though I've heard it, CFRB usually comes over it.

To be fair, I didn't get WINS that well from Green Bay and it did fight with CFRB. All of the other New Yorkers came in - some quite well. WABC was almost like a local for much of the evening. Interesting that you sometimes hear WBBR over WISN at night because I barely pick up WISN after dark (it's strong during the day) and WBBR often overpowers it at night. There's another signal on 1130 that covers it too - and I haven't taken the time to ID it.

It takes some serious nulling to pull WABC out of WBBM's hash and it's only possible once in a while. You can't really listen to it, but you can hear that it exists in the hash. I recall traveling here before WBBM went with nighttime IBOC and you could listen to WABC back then. I know I did when I stayed in Burr Ridge, SW of Chicago. These days, it's a lot easier for me to null WLS than WBBM and when I do and tune 880, I get a decent signal from WCBS - by far the best New Yorker here.

You'll never get another Boston AM anywhere west of New England at night. All of the other 50 kw stations in that market are directional toward the east or northeast. Only WBZ beams a signal inland. If you're in Maine or Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, you get several Boston AMs at night. But, even in western MA, it's tough to get much more than WBZ. The only other AM station from New England that you might get in the Chicago area (if the local on 1080 is off) is WTIC. But KRLD seems stronger here. I have gotten WTIC in eastern Indiana though.

 

[radioman148]

With IBOC on WBBM, WGN, & WSCR, it's very tough to get WFAN, WOR, & WABC. I used to get WABC very well before the IBOC days. WCBS still comes in the best of the NY stations--always did. WBZ has always done well here & in fact is the only Boston station I've ever heard in the Chicago area. I can sometimes hear WBBR over WISN at night.
I'm a bit surprised you get WINS even in Green Bay. Even though I've heard it, CFRB usually comes over it.

To be fair, I didn't get WINS that well from Green Bay and it did fight with CFRB. All of the other New Yorkers came in - some quite well. WABC was almost like a local for much of the evening. Interesting that you sometimes hear WBBR over WISN at night because I barely pick up WISN after dark (it's strong during the day) and WBBR often overpowers it at night. There's another signal on 1130 that covers it too - and I haven't taken the time to ID it.

It takes some serious nulling to pull WABC out of WBBM's hash and it's only possible once in a while. You can't really listen to it, but you can hear that it exists in the hash. I recall traveling here before WBBM went with nighttime IBOC and you could listen to WABC back then. I know I did when I stayed in Burr Ridge, SW of Chicago. These days, it's a lot easier for me to null WLS than WBBM and when I do and tune 880, I get a decent signal from WCBS - by far the best New Yorker here.

You'll never get another Boston AM anywhere west of New England at night. All of the other 50 kw stations in that market are directional toward the east or northeast. Only WBZ beams a signal inland. If you're in Maine or Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, you get several Boston AMs at night. But, even in western MA, it's tough to get much more than WBZ. The only other AM station from New England that you might get in the Chicago area (if the local on 1080 is off) is WTIC. But KRLD seems stronger here. I have gotten WTIC in eastern Indiana though.

WABC used to come in very well before WBBM IBOC. Now I don't even try. I have heard WTIC in the past, but not in a long time.

 

[KML0224]

WTIC-AM 1080 runs that IBOC crap here, too. During the day, there's no chance to receive a weak signal on either 1060 or 1100 AM.

 

[radioman148]

WTIC-AM 1080 runs that IBOC crap here, too. During the day, there's no chance to receive a weak signal on either 1060 or 1100 AM.

Yeah I hate IBOC, but I'm a DXer and nobody cares about us anymore.