94.9 WHOM at 48,000 watts calls itself America's Superstation, with the largest FM coverage area in the USA. How far could an actual 100,000 watt FM signal at 6,288 feet could go under normal conditions. Tropo would give it some crazy coverage across the US and Canada, and e-skip, maybe Europe? Anyway just curious about how impressive the normal coverage would be.
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Mount Washington signal question
- Thread starter OldSchoolCool
- Start date
The FCC database shows that WHOM radiates 20.5 kW per polarization from a radiation center 3,408 feet above average terrain. The FCC's "Curves" propagation software shows that their 50 µV/m, 50/50 field contour for those conditions is about 106 miles away.
If they increased their radiated power to 100 kW per polarization (other things the same), that contour would be about 125 miles away.
These distances are just an average. Actual fields at all distances will be highly dependent on terrain elevations along the propagation path to each receiver, the height of the receive antenna, and atmospheric conditions.
If they increased their radiated power to 100 kW per polarization (other things the same), that contour would be about 125 miles away.
These distances are just an average. Actual fields at all distances will be highly dependent on terrain elevations along the propagation path to each receiver, the height of the receive antenna, and atmospheric conditions.
Speaking of the former WOOD-FM (now WSRW), at 265,000 watts, they're not even the strongest station in their own cluster! Sister station WBCT is 320,000 watts!
What about 103.3 KVYB in Santa Barbara, in the large FM coverage category? This is them from 211 miles SE with a PL-606. How do the other stations compare?
Speaking of large FM coverage (maybe R F could answer this one)...
What facility would an FM station need to have, so that without tropo or e-skip, you're just starting to hear static under the signal on a cheap pocket radio...
at a distance where an AM station on 540 kHz, running 50 kW (or 2000 kW), with 512 mV/m @ 1km for 1 kW antenna efficiency, over 30 mS/m ground (yeah 5000 mS/m would be nice, but the population density of saltwater is quite low), in the lowest noise area possible outside a screen room, with the best receiver & antenna possible, would have faded down to where a QRSS CW signal is detectable, but too faint to identify? And what would the field intensity of the AM signal be?
BTW I'm thinking, for the AM, a bandwidth and noise level like what allowed 1 uW to go 1650 miles on 10 meters in 1970
Oh, and what is the typical efficiency, in mV/m @ 1 km for 1 kW, of various FM (and TV) transmitting antennas, like 4-bay, 8-bay, 12-bay, 16-bay, 24-bay (if any exist)? And theoretically (because in reality they'd be super tall & impractical) what configurations would an AM antenna need to have to match the FM? For example does an AM tower with four 180º segments equal a 4-bay FM antenna? Or is there a different rule for conversion? And is there a rule for figuring out radiation efficiency based on number of AM tower sections or FM bays? (And, as a side note, what's the correct term for referring to equivalent power at a particular bearing from a directional AM station, relative to its non-directional RMS using its own antenna system, if it's not "ERP"?)
Speaking of large FM coverage (maybe R F could answer this one)...
What facility would an FM station need to have, so that without tropo or e-skip, you're just starting to hear static under the signal on a cheap pocket radio...
at a distance where an AM station on 540 kHz, running 50 kW (or 2000 kW), with 512 mV/m @ 1km for 1 kW antenna efficiency, over 30 mS/m ground (yeah 5000 mS/m would be nice, but the population density of saltwater is quite low), in the lowest noise area possible outside a screen room, with the best receiver & antenna possible, would have faded down to where a QRSS CW signal is detectable, but too faint to identify? And what would the field intensity of the AM signal be?
BTW I'm thinking, for the AM, a bandwidth and noise level like what allowed 1 uW to go 1650 miles on 10 meters in 1970
Oh, and what is the typical efficiency, in mV/m @ 1 km for 1 kW, of various FM (and TV) transmitting antennas, like 4-bay, 8-bay, 12-bay, 16-bay, 24-bay (if any exist)? And theoretically (because in reality they'd be super tall & impractical) what configurations would an AM antenna need to have to match the FM? For example does an AM tower with four 180º segments equal a 4-bay FM antenna? Or is there a different rule for conversion? And is there a rule for figuring out radiation efficiency based on number of AM tower sections or FM bays? (And, as a side note, what's the correct term for referring to equivalent power at a particular bearing from a directional AM station, relative to its non-directional RMS using its own antenna system, if it's not "ERP"?)
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WHOM hits five states (NH, ME, VT, MA, NY) and two provinces (Que. and Ont.). However, Montreal and Sunderland, Vermont now have stations at 95.1, making it harder to hear WHOM in those areas. To get it in Ontario, you may have to have a very good radio that blocks out CBF-FM. And you'd have to be right near the borders of Quebec and New York, around Cornwall, to hear it.
I briefly lived in the Schenectady area and I could get both WHOM and WEZF Burlington in my apartment on a good radio. At one time, they both ran the same syndicated format overnight so they'd be playing the exact same songs. Schenectady is nearly 100 miles from Burlington and 125 miles from Mount Washington.
It is interesting to hear their client list. They regularly have sponsors in places like Portsmouth and Keene NH, more than 100 miles from Mount Washington. But how does WHOM stack up to 103.3 WVYB Santa Barbara? How does it compare with some of those 100,000 watt stations in Denver or those 50-70,000 watt stations in Colorado Springs and Pueblo? Some of them are 2200 feet above average terrain. But that puts them 9000 feet above sea level! I'm sure they can all be heard well over 100+ miles away in the flat lower terrain of Eastern Colorado.
I briefly lived in the Schenectady area and I could get both WHOM and WEZF Burlington in my apartment on a good radio. At one time, they both ran the same syndicated format overnight so they'd be playing the exact same songs. Schenectady is nearly 100 miles from Burlington and 125 miles from Mount Washington.
It is interesting to hear their client list. They regularly have sponsors in places like Portsmouth and Keene NH, more than 100 miles from Mount Washington. But how does WHOM stack up to 103.3 WVYB Santa Barbara? How does it compare with some of those 100,000 watt stations in Denver or those 50-70,000 watt stations in Colorado Springs and Pueblo? Some of them are 2200 feet above average terrain. But that puts them 9000 feet above sea level! I'm sure they can all be heard well over 100+ miles away in the flat lower terrain of Eastern Colorado.
Buddy of mine had a home on Long Island's north shore. I believe the radio was a McIntosh. And he had a rotating aerial on the roof.
The setup was very, very good. For example, the rotating antenna separated the close-spaced 94.3's completely (Yale, Asbury Park and Danbury).
The DX session seemed to be of the non-tropo sort. Boston's WODS was nice and clear at 103.3, with Long Island's own oldies WBZO on 103.1 behind the null.
94.9 provided, of course, WHOM. My buddy explained, 'Yeah. They always come in. They're pretty high up there.'
240 miles away, and WHOM was a DXing 'pest', lol. They are probably heard regularly in upstate/Adirondack New York as well as on Long Island. There can't be too many other stations with that distinction.
The old WPTR 1540, maybe.
The setup was very, very good. For example, the rotating antenna separated the close-spaced 94.3's completely (Yale, Asbury Park and Danbury).
The DX session seemed to be of the non-tropo sort. Boston's WODS was nice and clear at 103.3, with Long Island's own oldies WBZO on 103.1 behind the null.
94.9 provided, of course, WHOM. My buddy explained, 'Yeah. They always come in. They're pretty high up there.'
240 miles away, and WHOM was a DXing 'pest', lol. They are probably heard regularly in upstate/Adirondack New York as well as on Long Island. There can't be too many other stations with that distinction.
The old WPTR 1540, maybe.
WPST was never in HD
WHOM has ads for Portsmouth because I believe technically its Portland market station. And yes, it is remarkable to catch the same station driving from Boston to Montreal.
Mt Washington is a pretty amazing site. I remember as a kid just outside boston catching WMTW TV 8 at times while they were still up there analog. Also WPKQ (which is a much lower power than WHOM) makes it down to the 95/128 belt in Massachusetts.
Mt Washington is a pretty amazing site. I remember as a kid just outside boston catching WMTW TV 8 at times while they were still up there analog. Also WPKQ (which is a much lower power than WHOM) makes it down to the 95/128 belt in Massachusetts.
Old 1986 database show WHOM at 48,000 watts ERP horizontal only at 3,760 'HAAT.
They are now 48,000 watts ERP h/v.
They have a couple auxiliary facilities licensed up there running around 20 kw ERP.
Still a grandfathered super power station.
They are now 48,000 watts ERP h/v.
They have a couple auxiliary facilities licensed up there running around 20 kw ERP.
Still a grandfathered super power station.
They are probably heard regularly in upstate/Adirondack New York
Agree. We have a camp in the central Adks (elev +/- 1625') and this is one of the strongest signals we receive on FM.
The old WPTR 1540,maybe.
Yes, again! As a kid in the 60's we used to go on Sunday picnics in Wells, NY and I was able to pick up a good and loud 'PTR 1540 on my li'l 13 transistor AM radio, but only if I sat the radio on the rear fender/roof post of my dad's '58 BelAir sedan. But I was still able to blast out all the other kid's radios at the time! Ahh, memories
Agree. We have a camp in the central Adks (elev +/- 1625') and this is one of the strongest signals we receive on FM.
The old WPTR 1540,maybe.
Yes, again! As a kid in the 60's we used to go on Sunday picnics in Wells, NY and I was able to pick up a good and loud 'PTR 1540 on my li'l 13 transistor AM radio, but only if I sat the radio on the rear fender/roof post of my dad's '58 BelAir sedan. But I was still able to blast out all the other kid's radios at the time! Ahh, memories
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Way back in '79 visited a family friend in Plattsburg. From the time we left town on a day trip, WHOM was on the radio.
I remember stopping at Lake Placid NY, Stowe VT, and Ft Ticonderoga.
I remember stopping at Lake Placid NY, Stowe VT, and Ft Ticonderoga.
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