FM Stations that get out waaaay too well.

[tomservo]

WSRV 97.1 Gainesville, GA in Lake City, FL

In the days before Birmingham scored a class A on 97.3, 97.1 was a fairly regular catch on the east side of town, especially in the summer. I think it was oldies back then? Even after the co-channel came on the air, 97.1 was not a stranger on the east side; when their urban format debuted several years ago a lot of folks at my then place of employment had them tuned in on their boomboxes.

On another note, the B'ham are HAD a station with great coverage back in the day. The 102.5 licensed to Jasper/Tuscaloosa was once on a very tall tower (2,062 above ground, not HAAT, I think) and it used to be pretty reliable in Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Meridian etc... I got the station in clean stereo in Greenville, AL, 123 miles south. Not bad considering the mild hills of middle Alabama. That's not possible anymore since 102.5 relocated to Red Mountain in B'ham, lower height.

 

[jmeans]

The Las Vegas FM stations on Mount Potosi, 8600 feet above sea level (88.9 KNPR, 92.3 KOMP, 93.1 KPLV, 97.1 KXPT, 104.3 KCYE, 107.5 KXTE) have tremendous reach up and down I-15 in both directions. It's not uncommon to hear them clearly beyond Barstow, 120 miles or so to the south, and north to the Arizona border, more than 100 miles away - and it's pretty amazing to hear the Potosi FMs keep coming in loud and clear going south on I-15 while the terrain rips the Black Mountain FMs (94.1, 95.5, 96.3, 98.5, 100.5, 101.9, 103.5, 106.5) to shreds before you even hit the California border.

Scott, you can actually start picking up certain Las Vegas FMs along I-15 on Black Ridge between Cedar City and St. George, UT. Although St. George is in a valley, KXTE always came in okay in the area. I used to listen to Howard Stern on whatever it was called in the 90s (was it KFBI?) around that area. Never strong, but you could listen to it in the car around much of the city; particularly the north end. They all die through the Virgin River Canyon, but it's all Las Vegas FMs when you pop out to the east of Littlefield, AZ. So, Vegas FMs really get out there.

Another set of FMs that do amazingly well are the class Cs from Salt Lake City. They actually pop in through the San Rafael Swell along I-70 in central UT (about 170 mi from their tx sites) and around Richfield and Cove Fort, UT. They're in and out, but they make the trip (not counting the translators, either).

The class A signal at 98.3 from Price (KARB) also comes in well along I-70 and that's a good 50 miles with 7 kw at -104' AAT. Some translators from Price also make it that far, but only when you have very favorable terrain. That area is gorgeous with sandstone canyons and a stop at the Eagle Canyon viewpoint will result in a fine view and an FM dial filled with signals - all of which are from more than 50 miles away (Price, Richfield, Moab, Green River, Salt Lake City and even Grand Junction, CO)!

The Salt Lake FMs also make their way east to about Little America, WY; north beyond Malad, ID and west out to near Wells, NV without help. More than 120 miles in every direction thanks to being perched up on the Oquirrh Mountains at about 9000' above sea level. Not too shabby.

Back in the mid 90's when I used to live in Vegas, I took a trip to Palm Springs with a friend and I remember picking up 107.5 KXTE (then classic rock KFBI) just like a local in Palm Springs, and almost half way to San Bernardino before it faded out into a spanish station (probably due to the signal of KFBI being blocked from the mountains). It came in clear as a bell again as soon as we got out of the mountains into Hesperia, along with 97.1 KXPT and 93.1 KPLV (then Big Oldies, or KQOL.. don't remember, but it was oldies). Not sure about the line of sight distance but that's a heck of a good coverage area!

 

[evolve991]

103.7 WXCY Havre de Grace MD reaches far beyond its projected area and overspills onto other frequencies such as 103.1 WRNR. XCY's tower sits high above the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. If you're in downtown Havre de Grace it shows up all OVER the dial. 93.1 WPOC Baltimore is another strong frequency. Both of these are Country stations,which seem to get away with more than Rock stations.

 

[BRNout]

103.7 WXCY Havre de Grace MD reaches far beyond its projected area and overspills onto other frequencies such as 103.1 WRNR. XCY's tower sits high above the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. If you're in downtown Havre de Grace it shows up all OVER the dial. 93.1 WPOC Baltimore is another strong frequency. Both of these are Country stations,which seem to get away with more than Rock stations.

What sort of radio do you have evolve? Often times, a radio with poor selectivity will have "ghosts" of a high-powered local signal pop up all over the dial. It's not necessarily the fault of the station.

I know that WXCY has 37000 watts, which isn't the most powerful station ever. But it's enough to overload a radio with a lousy tuner if you're sitting right by its transmitter. It's range, while very good, isn't as large as some others - I know I would pick it up very weakly from my former location on a south-facing hill in northern Chester County, PA. But it was not always there, so I never considered WXCY to be a powerhouse.

Baltimore's WPOC never impressed me as being the most powerful of that market's stations. The ones that seemed to get out there the best are WLZL 99.1, followed by WIYY 97.9 and WERQ 92.3. Those three would be the stations that got the fartherst into PA, yet also seemed to do best into VA as well. All transmit with more juice than WPOC.

 

[radioman148]

103.7 WXCY Havre de Grace MD reaches far beyond its projected area and overspills onto other frequencies such as 103.1 WRNR. XCY's tower sits high above the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. If you're in downtown Havre de Grace it shows up all OVER the dial. 93.1 WPOC Baltimore is another strong frequency. Both of these are Country stations,which seem to get away with more than Rock stations.

What sort of radio do you have evolve? Often times, a radio with poor selectivity will have "ghosts" of a high-powered local signal pop up all over the dial. It's not necessarily the fault of the station.

I know that WXCY has 37000 watts, which isn't the most powerful station ever. But it's enough to overload a radio with a lousy tuner if you're sitting right by its transmitter. It's range, while very good, isn't as large as some others - I know I would pick it up very weakly from my former location on a south-facing hill in northern Chester County, PA. But it was not always there, so I never considered WXCY to be a powerhouse.

Baltimore's WPOC never impressed me as being the most powerful of that market's stations. The ones that seemed to get out there the best are WLZL 99.1, followed by WIYY 97.9 and WERQ 92.3. Those three would be the stations that got the fartherst into PA, yet also seemed to do best into VA as well. All transmit with more juice than WPOC.

Back in the 80s & 90s KRTH used to come into the Palm Springs, Ca area very well with some interference
from the surrounding mountains. However as you drove east towards the desert & Arizona their signal would actually get stronger. I know they run power & transmit from a high elevation, but that's still good coverage for an FM.

 

[BRNout]

Back in the 80s & 90s KRTH used to come into the Palm Springs, Ca area very well with some interference
from the surrounding mountains. However as you drove east towards the desert & Arizona their signal would actually get stronger. I know they run power & transmit from a high elevation, but that's still good coverage for an FM.

In about 1996, I was able to listen to KRTH in my motel in La Jolla on my Walkman - along with KBIG and a couple of others. I probably still could, because when I was there last year KRTH still came in pretty well into parts of San Diego. KBIG was even better. Combine that with their eastward signal penetration and you have some pretty impressive signals from Mt. Wilson.

 

[radioman148]

Back in the 80s & 90s KRTH used to come into the Palm Springs, Ca area very well with some interference
from the surrounding mountains. However as you drove east towards the desert & Arizona their signal would actually get stronger. I know they run power & transmit from a high elevation, but that's still good coverage for an FM.

In about 1996, I was able to listen to KRTH in my motel in La Jolla on my Walkman - along with KBIG and a couple of others. I probably still could, because when I was there last year KRTH still came in pretty well into parts of San Diego. KBIG was even better. Combine that with their eastward signal penetration and you have some pretty impressive signals from Mt. Wilson.

Yes--I also picked up KRTH in San Diego several times. They have a big signal.

 

[vibe]

I'd like to "nominate" WEEI 103.7 broadcasting in Southern RI w/ a sports and sports/talk format. Station sems to go well beyond the radio locator maps, have received it in NW CT, the berkshires, and mid Cape. Has 37000 watts and a short sitck. What I like is that the station comes in well in the hollows of NE and Central CT.

 

[charlestondxman]

That WEEI station has a huge signal. The Atlanta stations at 97.1 and 106.7 have huge signals, some of the best in the Southeast. I received 106.7 all the way to Thomson (about 30 miles from Augusta on I-20), while 97.1 can routinely be heard in Greenville, SC.

106.7 can also be heard most of the way down to Macon, and before a translator signed on 97.1 in the Columbia area, they came in many nights in that area. 97.1 even comes in sometimes on warm summer mornings around the Charleston area, right next to the local 96.9 (nearly 250 miles).

Another one is New Jersey 101.5's station at 97.3 in Millville (soon becoming sports). That station covers all of South Jersey out to about Exit 6 or 7 on the Turnpike, a large part of Delaware (especially around the Dover area), and during the summer, it comes in on I-95 NE of Baltimore.

It seemed strange hearing traffic reports for the New York bridge on that part of I-95.

 

[crainbebo]

BRNout, when did you go to NW Oregon and SW Washington. It has to be before 1993 because 98.9 KWJZ was KEZX back then.

-crainbebo

 

[BRNout]

Actually, it was in mid 1993 if memory serves.

 

[stormy01]

I was hearing a number of San Diego and Los Angeles FM stations consistently in Colonia Guerrero, Baja California, Mexico (about 150 miles south of San Diego) in the early 1990's...the most memorable has to be 103.3 from Santa Barbara - so about 300 miles...

 

[DanielBoone]

I can get 105.7 KOZZ from Reno on Hwy 99 clear from Ripon on north. Along the I-5 thru Tracy, Lathrop and Stockton is blastin' too. On occasion, I can get it in Merced if you hit the right spot. If the selectivity is good on your car stereo,you won't be getting the interference from 105.5 The River from Copperopolis (Angels Camp)
I make sure I have my Pioneer with me. I made a special box just for that purpose when driving thru those areas. ;D
I LOVE IT!!!!!! ;D

 

[radioman148]

I was hearing a number of San Diego and Los Angeles FM stations consistently in Colonia Guerrero, Baja California, Mexico (about 150 miles south of San Diego) in the early 1990's...the most memorable has to be 103.3 from Santa Barbara - so about 300 miles...

That Santa Barbara station has one of the largest footprints of any FM.

 

[upstate29651]

I think it's hilarious when stations in the NE are even being considered for this topic (save WHOM & those atop Mt. Mansfield in Vermont).

G

 

[radioman148]

I think it's hilarious when stations in the NE are even being considered for this topic (save WHOM & those atop Mt. Mansfield in Vermont).

G

Agreed--WHOM is unusual.

 

[kenrayc]

Here in Fresno their only one Los Angeles station that comes in From time to time mostly at night, even though KJFX is at 95.7 my directional antenna is 90 degrees from their transmitter site , KLOS 95.5, I know others were mentioned KRTH, KCBS, and KROQ, but there's no other stations operating on 95.5 in Central or Southern CA the nearest one is in Northern Ca, 200 miles North, and I have heard them in San Diego which is about 400 miles from Fresno.

 

[radioman148]

Here in Fresno their only one Los Angeles station that comes in From time to time mostly at night, even though KJFX is at 95.7 my directional antenna is 90 degrees from their transmitter site , KLOS 95.5, I know others were mentioned KRTH, KCBS, and KROQ, but there's no other stations operating on 95.5 in Central or Southern CA the nearest one is in Northern Ca, 200 miles North, and I have heard them in San Diego which is about 400 miles from Fresno.

That's good coverage.

 

[BobSmolarek]

I'd like to nominate WSJO 104.9 Egg Harbor City NJ. This guy just gets out better than you'd think it would. Here in High Bridge NJ it's always there. I know of some DX'ers around Buffalo that get it from time to time. Another powerhouse, WALK 97.5 Long Island, really gets out. I agree the 103.7 from Rhode Island covers a lot too.

 

[MR5229]

105.7 KOZZ also makes it all the way to the bay area. On I-80 once you get past Vallejo, 105.7 booms in and becomes the only 105.7 that I could hear (it wipes out the 105.7 from San Jose). KOZZ can be heard in Pleasant Hill too, if parked in the right area.