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Magic spot on 680

Q

Questor

If any of you travel between Sacramento and San Jose as I frequently do, are you by any chance aware of this magic spot along 680?

It's on 680 going North at the top of the Sunol Grade.  It's right at the Sheridan Road exit.  I actually discovered some Sacramento stations I like within that vicinity.  (When I start to drive into Livermore I lose some of that signal until I'm back around Manteca, a town that incidentally means "lard."  What's in a name?)

I found some of the 92.x and 93.x stations that way by accident as well as The Hawk 104.1.  And that worked before the days of online streaming.  Yes, I like the proactive search model of the Internet; I also like spontaneously bumping into something new (off the road.)

So if you're ever up there, now you know.  It's not an official Rest Area, yet it's really amazing how so many Sacramento radio station signals come across so clear there on that side road between Sheridan and Andrade.  It's also intriguing to see all those ants below on 680 before I become one myself.
 
Anyone who listens to San Jose Sharks hockey on San Jose's 98.5 K-Fox (KUFX) while driving north on 680 knows that 98 Rock jumps right in the moment you hit the top of the Sunol Grade.

Surprised about 104.1 The Hawk, though. That sucker is like a local EVERYWHERE in the Tri-Valley.
 
The title of this thread led me to believe that Nostalgia was coming to KNBR ;D
Other magic spots are that I can listen to KNX 1070 and XTRA 1090 in Roseville for real news and sports from the Southland. (at night of course) In fact 1090 comes in clearer than KNBR sometimes.
 
Yeah, it's funny that I get KNX like a local at night on a clock-radio in Amador County. Even clearer than KSTE. But now that you mention, Sunol is a great spot, but I've pulled in KRXQ and KWOD clear as day all the way past Santa Nella on the 5.
 
My magic spot is where I live at which is near I-5 and Eight Mile Road in Stockton. With my GE Superadio, I can pick up many stations from Sacramento to The Bay Area to Fresno to even Reno and that is on the FM Dial. On 104.5, if I point the antenna west I pick up KFOG, if I point it East, I can pick up KDOT. I can also pick up (depending on where I point the radios antenna): on 93.7 both KQJK-Sacramento AND KSKS-Fresno, on 93.9 KBBU-Modesto and KFMF-Chico, on 95.7 KBWF-San Francisco and KALF-Redding, and on 103.7 KKSF-San Francisco and KRZR-Fresno. And before 1995, I used to pick up LIVE 105 KITS-San Francisco before KRVR-105.5 Copperopolis-Modesto signed on. Now between KNCI-105.1 and KRVR-105.5, I can't pick up KITS anymore. Also for the life of me, no matter where I point the antenna, I can't pick up KMEL-106.1. Just KCFA! KCFA's signal is really strong. Hard to belive that at one time I used to pick up KMEL when it was AOR The Camel years ago!
 
Madmansam said:
My magic spot is where I live at which is near I-5 and Eight Mile Road in Stockton. With my GE Superadio, I can pick up many stations from Sacramento to The Bay Area to Fresno to even Reno and that is on the FM Dial. On 104.5, if I point the antenna west I pick up KFOG, if I point it East, I can pick up KDOT.
Click to expand...

That's funny. I remember once driving on a road, (I think Highway 4 between San Joaquin and Calaveras County) that I picked up 2 different stations on the same frequency depending on the direction of the curve. When I really got into one song, the other station would come on with another one I liked. This kept on for about 15 - 20 minutes.

At times like those, I wish we could legalize human cloning so I could enjoy both at the same time. Or have one half of me on an assignment and the other on leisure.
 
Highway 4 @ the top of Willow Pass is a good spot for receiving many signals (Bay Area and Central Valley). However some of the SF station boosters based on Mt. Diablo (namely 94.9 KYLD) and some other stations are not aimed towards Bay Point, Pittsburg, or Antioch (the Tri-Delta cities). As a result, those particular SF stations don't get into those areas very well. KYLD's signal gets torn up by 95.1 KHOP in those areas. Looking at the coverage maps for the SF transmitters, they would put a great signal into those cities (if the Bay Area was all flat). It would seem that those stations are allowed to aim a booster towards that area, yet don't for unknown reasons.
 
Madmansam said:
My magic spot is where I live at which is near I-5 and Eight Mile Road in Stockton. With my GE Superadio, I can pick up many stations from Sacramento to The Bay Area to Fresno to even Reno and that is on the FM Dial. On 104.5, if I point the antenna west I pick up KFOG, if I point it East, I can pick up KDOT. I can also pick up (depending on where I point the radios antenna): on 93.7 both KQJK-Sacramento AND KSKS-Fresno, on 93.9 KBBU-Modesto and KFMF-Chico, on 95.7 KBWF-San Francisco and KALF-Redding, and on 103.7 KKSF-San Francisco and KRZR-Fresno. And before 1995, I used to pick up LIVE 105 KITS-San Francisco before KRVR-105.5 Copperopolis-Modesto signed on. Now between KNCI-105.1 and KRVR-105.5, I can't pick up KITS anymore. Also for the life of me, no matter where I point the antenna, I can't pick up KMEL-106.1. Just KCFA! KCFA's signal is really strong. Hard to belive that at one time I used to pick up KMEL when it was AOR The Camel years ago!
Click to expand...


What about 95.7 KJFX (The Fox) if your getting KRZR, and what about KABX 97.5 or is KWIN interferring with it.
 
kenrayc said:
Madmansam said:
My magic spot is where I live at which is near I-5 and Eight Mile Road in Stockton. With my GE Superadio, I can pick up many stations from Sacramento to The Bay Area to Fresno to even Reno and that is on the FM Dial. On 104.5, if I point the antenna west I pick up KFOG, if I point it East, I can pick up KDOT. I can also pick up (depending on where I point the radios antenna): on 93.7 both KQJK-Sacramento AND KSKS-Fresno, on 93.9 KBBU-Modesto and KFMF-Chico, on 95.7 KBWF-San Francisco and KALF-Redding, and on 103.7 KKSF-San Francisco and KRZR-Fresno. And before 1995, I used to pick up LIVE 105 KITS-San Francisco before KRVR-105.5 Copperopolis-Modesto signed on. Now between KNCI-105.1 and KRVR-105.5, I can't pick up KITS anymore. Also for the life of me, no matter where I point the antenna, I can't pick up KMEL-106.1. Just KCFA! KCFA's signal is really strong. Hard to belive that at one time I used to pick up KMEL when it was AOR The Camel years ago!
Click to expand...


What about 95.7 KJFX (The Fox) if your getting KRZR, and what about KABX 97.5 or is KWIN interferring with it.
Click to expand...
Never picked up KJFX. KBWF is a bit strong plus I get interference from a Family Stations Repeater from adjacent 95.5. As for KABX, The only time I have ever heard that station was on a couple occasions when KWIN's signal was off (mostly from those powerful storms. KWIN is so strong, I get interference from them on both 97.5 AND 97.9.
 
Madmansam said:
kenrayc said:
Madmansam said:
My magic spot is where I live at which is near I-5 and Eight Mile Road in Stockton. With my GE Superadio, I can pick up many stations from Sacramento to The Bay Area to Fresno to even Reno and that is on the FM Dial. On 104.5, if I point the antenna west I pick up KFOG, if I point it East, I can pick up KDOT. I can also pick up (depending on where I point the radios antenna): on 93.7 both KQJK-Sacramento AND KSKS-Fresno, on 93.9 KBBU-Modesto and KFMF-Chico, on 95.7 KBWF-San Francisco and KALF-Redding, and on 103.7 KKSF-San Francisco and KRZR-Fresno. And before 1995, I used to pick up LIVE 105 KITS-San Francisco before KRVR-105.5 Copperopolis-Modesto signed on. Now between KNCI-105.1 and KRVR-105.5, I can't pick up KITS anymore. Also for the life of me, no matter where I point the antenna, I can't pick up KMEL-106.1. Just KCFA! KCFA's signal is really strong. Hard to belive that at one time I used to pick up KMEL when it was AOR The Camel years ago!
Click to expand...


What about 95.7 KJFX (The Fox) if your getting KRZR, and what about KABX 97.5 or is KWIN interferring with it.
Click to expand...
Never picked up KJFX. KBWF is a bit strong plus I get interference from a Family Stations Repeater from adjacent 95.5. As for KABX, The only time I have ever heard that station was on a couple occasions when KWIN's signal was off (mostly from those powerful storms. KWIN is so strong, I get interference from them on both 97.5 AND 97.9.
Click to expand...


Does KWIN have HD, Before KRZR added HD I was able to get KDJK 103.9 with very little interference most of the time on my Radioshack directional antenna with a Yamaha tuner, and when KFRR was of the air KKHK came in. I do get the other FOX 98.5 from Bakersfield and on good nights KLOS 95.5, I don't think 95.7 The FOX has added HD yet.
Modesto and Stockton I can get KATM 103.3 and KWNN 98.3. I have heard Sunny102.3 from time to time. KABX, KUBB, and KHTN from Merced are like locals, do on occasions get 92.5 The BEAR the Active Rock for Merced.One night I heard a station on 100.7 Called The Thunder I think it came from Chico.
 
kenrayc said:
One night I heard a station on 100.7 Called The Thunder I think it came from Chico.
Click to expand...

Yes, with transmitter high atop a hill near Paskenta (west of Corning), that was KTHU
you heard at 100.7 (formerly KCEZ)...

A "magic" spot I heard was in Paradise, east of Chico, in a duplex off Elliot Road.
My friend Bob, who is blind, had a TV/FM roof antenna in his living room, and rotated
it to receive signals from the Bay Area, Modesto, and elsewhere south of Paradise/Chico...

I still 'member receiving KUIC on my car radio in Lassen Park one sunny 2001 day. I didn't
think it had enough legs to go that far north, even at 8,000 feet ASL...

I will hafta try that 680 spot, as well as the I-5/Eight-Mile Rd area, when I'm not busy
locating an AM station that has a baseball game on...
--jay
 
I was in Paradise recently and I can see that's a good place for reception. I was able to receive the Sacramento FM stations in Paradise on a crappy CD/Radio walkman (in stereo). The stations I was able to receive were the ones that transmit from the Valley floor like 102.5 KSFM, 96.1 KYMX, etc. The stations with transmitters in the Sierra Foothills (101.9, 92.1, 101.1 etc.) I could not receive. It was interesting how I was able to null out 103.5 KHSL and instead pull in 103.5 KBMB from Sacramento which was interesting because the transmitter isn't too far from Paradise. If I had a chance to, I would have attempted to receive San Francisco stations using my car radio. I'm not sure if reception would be in stereo from Paradise, but on a side note, I was in Redding several years ago and in a parking lot I was able to pull in 99.7 KFRC (formerly) from the car radio, in stereo. I knew it was KFRC because I tuned in to 610 KFRC (when they were simulcasting), it was the same song playing on both.
 
I'm not sure if receiving 99.7 KFRC in Redding was a fluke or not. I don't know if 99.7 can be received in Redding with a stable signal (365 days a year).
 
MR5229 said:
I'm not sure if receiving 99.7 KFRC in Redding was a fluke or not. I don't know if 99.7 can be received in Redding with a stable signal (365 days a year).
Click to expand...

A few years ago, I couldn't pull any SFO stations in Redding very well,
and my car radio is quite the DX-friendly receiver ('03 Honda Civic).
I will find out Saturday afternoon when I traverse the area, since
most of the Redding FMs are now dull, especially on weekends...

Hafta see if a few Sacramento stations can still be heard in Redding;
seems in the last several years, the FM dial has become cluttered in the
North State, thanks to translators/repeaters and a few new stations...

Not a fluke: on Highway 89 near Mt. Shasta City, just south of the I-5
interchange, 125-kw KIOI (101.3) came in loud and clear. Came in great in
Lassen Park, too. Happened several times over the years, weather not a factor...

Funny - you can't hear KIOI well in some parts of the Bay Area, yet you
can hear the station at a few "magic spots" over 250 miles north of SFO!
--jay
 
MR5229 said:
I was able to receive the Sacramento FM stations in Paradise on a crappy CD/Radio walkman (in stereo). The stations I was able to receive were the ones that transmit from the Valley floor like 102.5 KSFM, 96.1 KYMX, etc. The stations with transmitters in the Sierra Foothills (101.9, 92.1, 101.1 etc.) I could not receive. It was interesting how I was able to null out 103.5 KHSL and instead pull in 103.5 KBMB from Sacramento which was interesting because the transmitter isn't too far from Paradise.
Click to expand...

I'm always amazed how clear the Sac stations are in South Lake Tahoe. 96.9 & 107.9 sound as strong as the Reno stations. 98.5 also sounds decent, but the valley floor sticks come in strongest, at only 500' HAAT! 103.5 seems to have one of the best Class A signals in the area.

My cool find was recieving 100.5 KZZO on Hwy 17 on the way to Santa Cruz. Thats around 120 miles line of sight. Also 106.5 (former KWOD), just south of Anderson on I-5 (140 mi.), where the highway is slightly elevated above the valley floor.
 
I've had the same experience receiving a Sacramento FM station on Highway 17. North of Lexington Reservoir, I'm able to receive 102.5 KSFM from Sacramento with a strong signal. It's pretty much because of geography (a mountain shadow) that I can't receive 102.5 KDON (Salinas) within that area. I've never tried to tune in other Sacramento stations in that area on Highway 17. There was also an anomaly before where with that same CD/Radio, I was able to receive KSFM in central San Jose, which really surprised me because for one, KDON should be booming in within that area that I was at in central San Jose. However those 2 stations tear each other up (signal-wise) through some parts of the Bay Area while some areas will only have one station coming in. (ex. in the Oakland Hills, KDON is the only signal, while KSFM is the only signal in the Diablo Valley).
 
MR5229 said:
I'm not sure if receiving 99.7 KFRC in Redding was a fluke or not. I don't know if 99.7 can be received in Redding with a stable signal (365 days a year).
Click to expand...
I've heard that Going up I-5 north of Redding into Shasta Lake you can hear some Mount Wilson FMs from LA briefly, Around that spot I was able to pick up KATM and 104.1 The Hawk from there
 
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