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Philly Frequencies

I never understood why Philly stations and NYC stations have to be on the same frequency specifically 100.3 and 101.1? They interfer majorly. Couldn't they just move 100.3 to 100.5 or 100.1 FM and 101.1 to 100.9 or 101.3? That would free up so much interference for them yes they gotta worry about NJ 101.5 or WLEV or WODE but it'd make more sense than having it get all messy with NYC stations.
 
I notice that most of the FM radio frequencies in L.A. pretty much work the same way. Of course, you can't get 102.7 KIIS-FM in New York from 3,000 miles away, so...
 
XCountry285 said:
I never understood why Philly stations and NYC stations have to be on the same frequency specifically 100.3 and 101.1? They interfer majorly. Couldn't they just move 100.3 to 100.5 or 100.1 FM and 101.1 to 100.9 or 101.3? That would free up so much interference for them yes they gotta worry about NJ 101.5 or WLEV or WODE but it'd make more sense than having it get all messy with NYC stations.

The aforementioned frequency allocations in this regional area are what are referred to today as short spaced. A move by any of the existing allocations mentioned would only produce unacceptable levels of adjacent channel interference, and would most definitely not be entertained by all parties involved.

The early 101.1 & 100.3 allocations mentioned were grandfathered in before FM radio went through industry wide power increases. Most FM antenna sticks were mounted on accompanying AM stations, and didn't have the reach they do today. So the regional signal conflict was not readily apparent early on.

Plus we can note that sensitivity on FM radios was not what it is today.

101.1 Philadelphia also was an exception to allocations attached to a sister AM station. Even more prominent is that 101.1 Philadelphia began life as a frequency allocation in central Pennsylvania. Not long after that Dave Kurtz, one of the original owners was asked by the FCC if he would mind moving it to Philadelphia because of co-channel and/or adjacent channel interference at the original COL. Of coarse the prospect of moving to 101.1 Philadelphia was like hitting the jackpot at the time, and he agreed enthusiastically. However the move to Philadelphia preceded most Philadelphia FM's moving to the Roxborough antenna farm. So 101.1 landed on an existing antenna behind Ridge Pike with a relatively low HAAT.

100.3 Philadelphia is actually licensed to Media Pa., (originally the FM allocation to WXUR AM Media Pa.) although after many years of FCC wrangling their antenna is now on the Roxborough Antenna farm.

The 100.3 and 101.1 allocations in New York and Philadelphia generally had to agree to accept mutual measures of interference in order to increase power to what are the current levels.
 
Sam Lit said:
100.3 Philadelphia is actually licensed to Media Pa., (originally the FM allocation to WXUR AM Media Pa.) although after many years of FCC wrangling their antenna is now on the Roxborough Antenna farm.

I remember when Y-100 was broadcasting out of Delaware County and not from Roxborough, you'd lose it as you drove past the antenna farm on the Schuylkill Expressway. I wouldn't be happy when I'd lose The Barsky Show driving to work.
 
Also, both stations on 101.1 have no problem pulling massive ratings in their respective markets for some time now.

Though, the same argument can't be made for the stations on 100.3. One dominates and the other flounders. But I wonder how much of that is signal and how much is programming.
 
aindik said:
Also, both stations on 101.1 have no problem pulling massive ratings in their respective markets for some time now.

Though, the same argument can't be made for the stations on 100.3. One dominates and the other flounders. But I wonder how much of that is signal and how much is programming.

How were the ratings for Y-100 when say Barsky was on mornings or even Preston & Steve? Didn't P&S even beat Howard on WYSP once? Was that on WMMR or Y-100?
 
According to this WMMR press release (it says March 3 but I'm not sure what year - it was whenever P&S signed a contract that extended them through 12/31/2010) they beat Stern in Adults 18-34 in "his last book in Philadelphia," which would have been the book that ended in December of 2005. That was after they started at WMMR in May of 2005. According to that release, before they beat him, it hadn't been done in 15 years (which means they didn't do it while at Y-100).
 
Speaking of Philly Frequencies. Should Phily have 94.9 FM? Also, should 99.5 WJBR from Wilmington DE move to Attenna Farm in Roxboro?

Also, 97.5 WPEN should it be on 97.3 FM?
103.9 WPPZ should it be on 103.7 FM?
and 107.9 WRNB should it be on 107.7 FM?
 
e-dawg said:
Speaking of Philly Frequencies. Should Phily have 94.9 FM? Also, should 99.5 WJBR from Wilmington DE move to Attenna Farm in Roxboro?

Also, 97.5 WPEN should it be on 97.3 FM?
103.9 WPPZ should it be on 103.7 FM?
and 107.9 WRNB should it be on 107.7 FM?

What would be the "perfectly spaced," "perfect world" Philly FM dial, starting with the first big station:

(87.7 WPVI-TV), 88.5, 89.3 (nearest class-B is Wash DC), 90.1, 90.9, 91.7, 92.5, 93.3, 94.1, 94.9 (nearest one is Harrisburg), 95.7, 96.5, 97.3 (Millville/Harrisburg), 98.1, 98.9, 99.7 (LBI), 100.5 (nearest one is in Norfolk), 101.3 (Lancaster), 102.1, 102.9, 103.7 (Atlantic City/Havre de Grace), 104.5, 105.3, 106.1, 106.9, 107.7 (originally Bridgeton).

WJBR can't move to Roxborough because it would be short-spaced to WUSL.
 
Obviously this issue only really effects central Jersey, but like the cross interference of stations it's interesting the towns share similar characteristics; some are clearly Philly suburbs others NY. Some people say there is not such thing as central Jersey...but I digress. Obviously both being major city markets with a key focus, they don't really care about 50 miles out.

What's interesting to note is in this new *cough*horrific*cough* HD era the problem is certainly worse than it's ever been. Driving quite a bit between NY and Philly I can attest to that myself.
 
If they were to move their antenna north, WJBR would have the same short space problems with WBAI in NYC as WBEB has with WCBS-FM. Other co-channel stations in the area that are tightly spaced are WBYN 107.5 in Boyertown with WBLS in NYC. Likewise, WLEV 100.7 in Allentown is short-spaced with WHUD in Peekskill, NY, just north of NYC.

Moving 103.9 to 103.7 would also cause problems because of WNNJ in Newton, NJ.
 
Rene' is correct. But let me add that any movement would also interfere with those same cochannels here at the shore, WZXL 100.7 in Wildwood and WMGM 103.7 Atlantic City..which is ALREADY having issues, not with Newton, but with WXCY 103.7 Harve de Grace MD, especially in summer.
 
Sam Lit said:
WJBR is not short spaced with WUSL. Nor is their any scenario in which that would or could occur.

Class-B to a class-B, the FCC says you need 45 miles between one station and a third adjacent (98.9 + 0.6=99.5). Unless WJBR is an early 60s station, in which case the laws of physics magically don't apply.
 
ccuphl said:
Sam Lit said:
WJBR is not short spaced with WUSL. Nor is their any scenario in which that would or could occur.

Class-B to a class-B, the FCC says you need 45 miles between one station and a third adjacent (98.9 + 0.6=99.5). Unless WJBR is an early 60s station, in which case the laws of physics magically don't apply.

New legislation recently abolished 3rd adjacent protection.
 
thataveragejoe said:
Obviously this issue only really effects central Jersey, but like the cross interference of stations it's interesting the towns share similar characteristics; some are clearly Philly suburbs others NY. Some people say there is not such thing as central Jersey...but I digress. Obviously both being major city markets with a key focus, they don't really care about 50 miles out.

What's interesting to note is in this new *cough*horrific*cough* HD era the problem is certainly worse than it's ever been. Driving quite a bit between NY and Philly I can attest to that myself.

WBEB Philadelphia usually drowns out WCBS-FM New York in North Brunswick, NJ, which is part of the New York DMA.

As much as Philly and NYC FMs clash over Central NJ, if the present allocations were changed, NJ could probably never have a class B FM anywhere in the state. NJ 101.5 could not exist as we know it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think 101.5 is the only class B FM in NJ. :)
 
WPST Trenton
WENJ Millville
WPEN-FM Burlington
WPAT Patterson

All Class B stations according to radio-locator.

Also, the aforementioned WHTZ, one of the two subjects of this thread, is a class B licensed to Newark, NJ.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think 101.5 is the only class B FM in NJ. :)

There's at least a dozen Class B FM stations licensed to New Jersey:

93.1 WPAT-FM/Paterson
94.5 WPST/Trenton
95.1 WAYV/Atlantic City
96.9 WFPG-FM/Atlantic City
97.3 WENJ-FM/Millville
97.5 WPEN-FM/Burlington
99.1 WAWZ/Zarephath
100.3 WHTZ/Newark
100.7 WZXL/Wildwood
101.5 WKXW/Trenton
103.3 WPRB/Princeton
103.7 WMGM/Atlantic City
 
Also Class B's

94.7 WFME Newark
106.9 WKDN Camden

107.7 WSNJ-FM was also a Class B but was downgraded to Class A when it moved to 107.9
 
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