Nick said:
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How far do your local FM stations go?
- Thread starter Signal
- Start date
Thanks.
Gar fla http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WERO - WERO Washington, NC. I worked there in the 70s. Big signal. Was WITN-FM. Also, South of Border is still on I-95. - Bill
radioman148 said:
About a year or so after I moved down to Florida and visited my parents up north in Jersey right outside of Philly, it was after Howard Stern was fired from WNBC.
Before I moved and on a couple previous visits up north, I liked to listen to him on WNBC and then when he was fired, he only could be heard on WXRK 92.3 'K Rock' during the time before he was later picked by WYSP in Philadelphia.
There was still the antenna on the roof that faced New York that I had coming into my room for the New York TV stations, so what I did that time I was visiting was connect the 300 Ohm wire to the antenna terminal of my old stereo system that was still in my room.
92.3 K Rock came in pretty good, at least listenable all day, but there was still some spill over from 92.5 in Philly and sometimes it would get a little messed up from airplane scatter by the jets landing and taking off over at PHL a few miles away.
Without the antenna on the roof, 92.3 could only be heard when there was tropo.
The first fall and winter I was down here in Florida (84-85) I could sometimes listen to Howard Stern on WNBC when it got dark.
How radio has changed since then.
gar fla said:
I used to do the same thing from Chicago to listen to a Milwaukee station on FM. I put a large at the time (in the 70s) FM antenna on the roof in order to hear a Milwaukee station that I enjoyed.
radioman148 said:
For whatever reason, 104.3 still seems to have the best Chicago signal to the north and probably still is receivable in downtown Milwaukee. It sure does fine in the Racine area.
I think that Dave may need a more selective car stereo because the various scenarios for Chicago and Milwaukee FMs that he lists are under-representing their respective ranges. For example, most Milwaukee FMs are easily picked up down to about IL 120 or the boundary of Waukegan/Libertyville/Old Mill Creek/North Chicago. Prior to the advent of HD on FM, Milwaukee FMs could be listened to in the car down to the Lake-Cook County line. Now, that's pretty tough - though I used to get many of the Milwaukee FMs very weakly from home when I lived in Buffalo Grove (just north of the county line).
As noted, 99.1 and 100.7 go farther than that. 100.7 used to go well into Cook County until that Bible blaster somehow bribed someone to permit a translator on the same frequency.
As for the Chicago FMs, most make it up past Racine and die out somewhere around South Milwaukee. WDRV 97.1 is indeed an exception, as it's nulled to the north to allow for sister WWDV 96.9 licensed to Zion (with tx in Pleasant Prairie, WI). WWDV allows the Drive's signal to be heard pretty well in most of the Milwaukee area, though it doesn't go very far into Cook County as you go south.
Headed east, I would lose the Chicago FMs just before South Bend, IN and just past Benton Harbor, MI headed northward along the east side of Lake Michigan. As you go west (along I-88 or I-80) reception of Chicago FMs vary depending on which station you're listening to. This is because of all of the various first adjacents that have been permitted to exist in this area. For example, WLS-FM weakens west of DeKalb and a very difficult catch near and past the I-39/I-88 interchange because of the presence of first adjacent WDKB at 94.9. WDKB seems to have a very sloppy signal that is more prone to slopping over into adjacent channels than most other FMs I encounter. Perhaps they have old equipment? Other Chicago FMs are still quite viable in this area, however.
All in all, the big Chicago FMs seem to get out between 60 and 80 miles in most directions. Milwaukee FMs get out about 60 miles.
WMYX comes in very well for me all the way south to the Kennedy expressway. Going east I heard most of the Chicago FMs to at least Galien, Mi. Didn't get a chance to go much farther east than that. Quite a few years ago then WYEN could be easily heard well west of De Kalb. Don't know if WYLL-FM still makes it out that way.
The Raleigh-Durham market stations vary in their coverage. The terrain here varies from moderately hilly in the western and northwestern parts of the market to somewhat flatter to the east and southeast.
Arguably the most impressive signal in the market is Wake Forest-licensed WRVA-FM 100.7, a chass C at 100,000 watts from a 1,600+ stick on the market's eastern side. To the north, it reaches to just inside the I-495 Capital Beltway, and is an easy catch along much of the North Carolina coast. It's pretty strong to the west as well.
Class C stations WRAL 101.5 and WQDR-FM 94.7 (both 96kW from 1,800+feet on the same tower) are heard well outside the market. To the southeast, they go almost to Wilmington (but get interference from 1st adjacents there), are pretty common catches on Interstate 64 between Richmond and Newport News. Going north, WRAL-FM does okay until Fredericksburg's co-channel WBQB begins to cut in. To the west, WQDR meets some interference from Eden's WPTI 94.5, but can be heard along I-85 in Salisbury. Both stations get a city grade signal into Fayetteville, NC.
Two other Raleigh 100,000 watters, class C WCPE 89.7 at 1,200 feet and, to a lesser extent, class C-0 WBBB 96.1 at ~900 feet, cover the market and points beyond as well.
Durham-licensed WDCG 105.1 used to have an impressive class C signal with 100,000 watts from a 1,200-foot tower in a hilly southwestern corner of the market. The station was receivable from Grandfather Mountain to the west to the central and southern beaches. Their signal is still respectable, though downgraded to a class C1 with 78,000 watts from the old WLFL tower in Apex, south of Raleigh. Burlington move-in 93.9 (now WKSL) originally broadcast from an adjacent tower, but also moved to Apex, though retaining its 100,000 watt signal, which is still very strong.
NPR affiliate WUNC-FM 91.5 broadcasts from out here as well, but from a 1,360-foot tower atop Terrel's Mountain, giving them quite a monster signal. They, too, can be heard on Grandfather Mountain.
Move ins WQOK 97.5 and WRDU 106.1 FM have recently had their powers cut back to move closer in, which has limited their reach.
Fuquay-Varina's C-3 WNNL 103.9, with 7,900 watts from 500 feet or so is somewhat weak to the northwest, while the monaural signal of Holly Springs' WCMC 99.9 a C-2 with 26,500 watts at nearly 700 feet is pretty solid.
Durham class C-3 WFXC 107.1 (8,000 watts at 500 feet) and Raleigh class A WKIX-FM 102.9 (1,700 watts also at 500 feet) both cover the principal market but begin to fade about 30 miles in any direction.
The worst FM signals in the market are Duke University's WXDU 88.7 FM (2,150 watts ar 250 feet), which is often unlistenable in parts of city-of-license Durham, and Zebulon-licensed WVRD, which broadcast on the crowded local frequency of 90.5 FM with 1,200 watts at 209 feet, which is scratchy in Raleigh but a vast improvement over their original facilities, where they were nearly non-existant 15-20 miles from their antenna.
Arguably the most impressive signal in the market is Wake Forest-licensed WRVA-FM 100.7, a chass C at 100,000 watts from a 1,600+ stick on the market's eastern side. To the north, it reaches to just inside the I-495 Capital Beltway, and is an easy catch along much of the North Carolina coast. It's pretty strong to the west as well.
Class C stations WRAL 101.5 and WQDR-FM 94.7 (both 96kW from 1,800+feet on the same tower) are heard well outside the market. To the southeast, they go almost to Wilmington (but get interference from 1st adjacents there), are pretty common catches on Interstate 64 between Richmond and Newport News. Going north, WRAL-FM does okay until Fredericksburg's co-channel WBQB begins to cut in. To the west, WQDR meets some interference from Eden's WPTI 94.5, but can be heard along I-85 in Salisbury. Both stations get a city grade signal into Fayetteville, NC.
Two other Raleigh 100,000 watters, class C WCPE 89.7 at 1,200 feet and, to a lesser extent, class C-0 WBBB 96.1 at ~900 feet, cover the market and points beyond as well.
Durham-licensed WDCG 105.1 used to have an impressive class C signal with 100,000 watts from a 1,200-foot tower in a hilly southwestern corner of the market. The station was receivable from Grandfather Mountain to the west to the central and southern beaches. Their signal is still respectable, though downgraded to a class C1 with 78,000 watts from the old WLFL tower in Apex, south of Raleigh. Burlington move-in 93.9 (now WKSL) originally broadcast from an adjacent tower, but also moved to Apex, though retaining its 100,000 watt signal, which is still very strong.
NPR affiliate WUNC-FM 91.5 broadcasts from out here as well, but from a 1,360-foot tower atop Terrel's Mountain, giving them quite a monster signal. They, too, can be heard on Grandfather Mountain.
Move ins WQOK 97.5 and WRDU 106.1 FM have recently had their powers cut back to move closer in, which has limited their reach.
Fuquay-Varina's C-3 WNNL 103.9, with 7,900 watts from 500 feet or so is somewhat weak to the northwest, while the monaural signal of Holly Springs' WCMC 99.9 a C-2 with 26,500 watts at nearly 700 feet is pretty solid.
Durham class C-3 WFXC 107.1 (8,000 watts at 500 feet) and Raleigh class A WKIX-FM 102.9 (1,700 watts also at 500 feet) both cover the principal market but begin to fade about 30 miles in any direction.
The worst FM signals in the market are Duke University's WXDU 88.7 FM (2,150 watts ar 250 feet), which is often unlistenable in parts of city-of-license Durham, and Zebulon-licensed WVRD, which broadcast on the crowded local frequency of 90.5 FM with 1,200 watts at 209 feet, which is scratchy in Raleigh but a vast improvement over their original facilities, where they were nearly non-existant 15-20 miles from their antenna.
radioman148 said:
Yes, WMYX has a very good signal into northern IL. They are strong enough at my house that I can usually get them in HD on my little Insignia. Same is true of V-100 (100.7), which is - if anything - even stronger. BUT, V-100 is plagued by that stupid co-channel translator with the religious wacknuts from Indiana that takes over at Lake-Cook. 99.1 has a better range into Cook County thanks to less competition.
BRNout said:
Yes WMYX has a clear frequency.
BobOnTheJob said:
WTTS 92.3 Bloomington was good to well north of Lafayette - about Rensselaer, in fact - when I used to make the drive between Chicago and Bloomington in the '70s and '80s. That's about 120 miles from the Trafalgar tower. I'd be surprised if any other Indiana FM has that kind of coverage.
Here in Schenectady, NY I can get WKBE-FM Warrensburg fairly well (I've gotten it down in Columbia County before without tropo)
Out of all the Albany signals, I believe WQSH, WQBJ, WMHT-FM and WAMC are the best (although both WQBJ and WAMC rimshot the market, the former from western Montgomery County and the other from Mt Greylock in Massachusetts), also when I lived in Newburgh, NY I remember getting 105.7 (then WBZZ) from my apartment...
I remember WYJB would always get lost in Ulster County due to WPLJ, and WFLY doesn't get very far due to a lower HAAT (lost that around Kingston I believe)... WPYX and WGNA get far to the south (although now there are translators on 106.5 and 107.7 in the Hudson Valley so those are harder to get there too)
Out of all the Albany signals, I believe WQSH, WQBJ, WMHT-FM and WAMC are the best (although both WQBJ and WAMC rimshot the market, the former from western Montgomery County and the other from Mt Greylock in Massachusetts), also when I lived in Newburgh, NY I remember getting 105.7 (then WBZZ) from my apartment...
I remember WYJB would always get lost in Ulster County due to WPLJ, and WFLY doesn't get very far due to a lower HAAT (lost that around Kingston I believe)... WPYX and WGNA get far to the south (although now there are translators on 106.5 and 107.7 in the Hudson Valley so those are harder to get there too)
danikayser84 said:
I've picked up WEQX from Manchester, VT quite strongly in much of the Capital District - particularly well from the southern and western sides of the metro where the terrain favors signals that come in from the east and northeast. Also have gotten a weak signal from WZRT from Rutland in that same area. But 'EQX seems to be the king, coming in well from that area all the way east to roughly Peterborough, NH.
Most of our local FMs in Seattle make it to the Pacific Ocean beaches, around Ocean Shores/Pacific Beach area, even KNHC 89.5 at times, but fighting with Tillamook, OR. Toward the east...
90.9 Tacoma/92.5/94.1/96.5/97.3/97.7 Oakville/98.9/102.5/106.1 make it over the mountains to the Indian John Hill rest area (about 2140 feet, 56 mi for most, and over 100 for 97.7). At 2500 feet over the Kittitas Valley (Manastash Ridge) 94.1, 97.3, 97.7 KOMO Oakville, 98.9 and 106.1 have been heard. In Yakima, 97.3 KIRO is common, 97.7 Oakville is like a local at times, and 106.1 KBKS can be pulled out at times, same with KZFN in Moscow, ID. However, KWCQ 93.5 Condon moved to 106.1, so it will be a tougher channel, leaving 93.5 with a Spanish religious station, KWDR in Royal City, WA. I have also pulled in KING, KPLZ, I think KZOK and KNBQ 102.9 Centralia from Yakima.
-crainbebo
90.9 Tacoma/92.5/94.1/96.5/97.3/97.7 Oakville/98.9/102.5/106.1 make it over the mountains to the Indian John Hill rest area (about 2140 feet, 56 mi for most, and over 100 for 97.7). At 2500 feet over the Kittitas Valley (Manastash Ridge) 94.1, 97.3, 97.7 KOMO Oakville, 98.9 and 106.1 have been heard. In Yakima, 97.3 KIRO is common, 97.7 Oakville is like a local at times, and 106.1 KBKS can be pulled out at times, same with KZFN in Moscow, ID. However, KWCQ 93.5 Condon moved to 106.1, so it will be a tougher channel, leaving 93.5 with a Spanish religious station, KWDR in Royal City, WA. I have also pulled in KING, KPLZ, I think KZOK and KNBQ 102.9 Centralia from Yakima.
-crainbebo
crainbebo said:
About how far is it to the ocean by air?
In my area, the FM stations in the DC area does't reach out as far as the bigger Class C; they're being described as class B. Most of these stations reach out just past Interstate 81 to the west, just past Fredericksburg, VA to the south, to the east, near the MD/DE border, and just into PA to the north. They're 50 kW/492 feet or so, or equivalent lower power and higher height.
Yeah, the biggest class Cs in our area are easily listenable 80-100 miles away by any stretch. An example of this is WCOS, 97.5 from Columbia, 100kw at about 975 feet above average terrain. They put out a huge signal. It can be heard clear in Aiken, about 60 miles away, and frequently puts out a very good signal as far north as the southern Charlotte suburbs.
About two-thirds the time, the signal comes in throughout the Charleston area. It is also very listenable in areas just W of Florence, and during good DX, can often be heard past Savannah and in the Myrtle Beach area.
The ones around Charleston put out probably half their signal over water, but they still can be heard with a good radio as far S as the Savannah area.
WGNI in Wilmington, 100kw at almost 1000 feet above HAAT, puts their transmitter S of Wilmington in order to cover that entire area, plus it has frequent listeners in Myrtle Beach, over 50 miles from their transmitter. Until IBOC was turned on 102.5 in Charleston, it used to have listeners as far S as Georgetown, over 80 miles away.
About two-thirds the time, the signal comes in throughout the Charleston area. It is also very listenable in areas just W of Florence, and during good DX, can often be heard past Savannah and in the Myrtle Beach area.
The ones around Charleston put out probably half their signal over water, but they still can be heard with a good radio as far S as the Savannah area.
WGNI in Wilmington, 100kw at almost 1000 feet above HAAT, puts their transmitter S of Wilmington in order to cover that entire area, plus it has frequent listeners in Myrtle Beach, over 50 miles from their transmitter. Until IBOC was turned on 102.5 in Charleston, it used to have listeners as far S as Georgetown, over 80 miles away.
WCOS does have an impressive signal and it's a good station. Living in the Raleigh-Durham market, I have to remind myself to tune in 97.5 FM when driving through South Carolina, since I instinctively skip over that frequency here (hip hop-formatted WQOK 97.5, plus HD hash canceling out the whole 97 MHz).
WGNI's another great signal. Even with a significant part of their coverage over water, "102.7- GNI" is often listenable here in most of Durham. The Curtis stations at 102.5 (WPLW) and 102.9 (WKIX-FM) don't do HD (nor do any of their stations for that matter), so 102.7 is still mostly clear here (though WPLW's antenna in northwestern Durham does block it out a bit there and 102.7 in Appamattox--WJJS interferes frequently).
WGNI's another great signal. Even with a significant part of their coverage over water, "102.7- GNI" is often listenable here in most of Durham. The Curtis stations at 102.5 (WPLW) and 102.9 (WKIX-FM) don't do HD (nor do any of their stations for that matter), so 102.7 is still mostly clear here (though WPLW's antenna in northwestern Durham does block it out a bit there and 102.7 in Appamattox--WJJS interferes frequently).
Most of the big Atlanta FM's travel 60-80 miles with no problem. Even the smaller signals are good for at least 50 miles.
The thing about the Atlanta market is that there are only about 7-8 Class C FM's actually licensed to the city. Most of our FM's are move ins, so even though they have big signals, they may travel much further from the city in one direction, while barely covering the metro in another direction.
The thing about the Atlanta market is that there are only about 7-8 Class C FM's actually licensed to the city. Most of our FM's are move ins, so even though they have big signals, they may travel much further from the city in one direction, while barely covering the metro in another direction.
crainbebo said:
That's a pretty good haul.
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