I haven't lived in Buffalo since I was very young around the time dinosaurs still roamed the earth. Here is a simple question. Which station has the better signal WGR or WBEN? I'm leaving out my personal old favorite WWKB since I get the feeling the directional pattern does a lot to hamper the signal. WBEN and WGR are both non directional day and directional at night if I'm not mistaken. Who has the best day signal and who has the best night signal?
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Who has the Better AM signal coverage WGR or WBEN?
- Thread starter Mike Sheridan
- Start date
Unquestionably WBEN. It's full market coverage, day and night. They are directional at night, but it's not an extreme pattern. They don't get out as far to the south, but they have much better nighttime coverage in the most populated areas.
The WGR is directional, and their night pattern pulls in so tight E/W that coverage is spotty in SE and SW of the city. There are places where it's unlistenable in West Seneca, East Aurora, Orchard Park, etc. That sucks for Sabres listeners.
The WGR is directional, and their night pattern pulls in so tight E/W that coverage is spotty in SE and SW of the city. There are places where it's unlistenable in West Seneca, East Aurora, Orchard Park, etc. That sucks for Sabres listeners.
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I looked at the coverage maps and I see what you mean. Better to have actual feedback from someone who know, so thanks!
I wonder if WGR would consider going 1KW non directional at night? It might be an improvement. They were at one time (a very long time ago I believe).
I wonder if WGR would consider going 1KW non directional at night? It might be an improvement. They were at one time (a very long time ago I believe).
Generally the old 5 kw day 1 kw night regionals that went 5 kw directional had to keep protection close to the 1 kw level on the critical radials. So going back to 1 kw non-directional would have no gain on the suppressed radials towards. So all the reduction would do is significantly reduce the field strength in the urban areas where the 5 kw is important to overcome interference.
Even though they a 5KW non-DA during the day? According to Scott Fybush WGR has changed the tower they use for the daytime 5KW non-DA several times. Just wondering.
Directionals are fine but new population seems to develop in the nulls.
I think it's more likely that the ground system and towers need work out on Big Tree Rd. They share the towers with WWKB, and I suspect that they don't get the level of care that they would have 20 years ago. And Entercom is one of the better operators these days.
IIRC about 8 years ago WGR changed it's non-d tower from #6 (the freestanding tower) to tower #5. Both Big Tree Road and Grand Island's WBEN were built at the same time, but the advantage goes to WBEN since it's surrounded by the Niagara River...and the ground system is in better shape.
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Days would not change. But the night signal with 1 kw would have been designed to give the minimum equivalent of 1 kw in the sharpest null, and greater amounts everywhere else.
Wow I just realized both sites are coming up on 75 years old. The above ground transmission lines to the towers at Big Tree Road were buried sometime in the 1970's. I don't know about the WBEN site.
I recall in the '90's WGR having a great night signal in the Washington DC area at night. I can still hear WWKB where I live in North Carolina at night but it's not as strong as it once was.
Yes, Big Tree Road and Bush Road on Grand Island were lit up within a month of one another in the fall of 1941. KB also marks 90 years on the air this year, first broadcasting at 826 kHz from the basement of the Churchill Tabernacle at 1430 Main St. in 1926. WBEN's transmission lines are still above ground.
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For all intents and purposes, Buffalo has two AM radio stations: 550 and 930. You could pull the plug on 970, 1080, 1120, 1230, 1270, 1300, 1330, 1340, 1440 and 1520 and it wouldn't matter to most people. Ten years from now, 550 and 930 could probably sign off without much concern. The companies and small businesses that own AM radio stations are probably their final owners. Some of the small, local AM stations are making money, but what buyer in his right mind is going to pay 6,5 or 4 times cash flow for a dying entity? Might as well buy a typewriter franchise. The big companies can't sell their AM's for what they think they're worth, and very few buyers are interested in small town AM's. Unless real estate is part of the deal and they can be bought for the land, there's not much upside. Operating or listening to an AM radio station may become a cult hobby.
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