• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Who has the biggest FM signal in GA?

A

Art Sutton

Guest
Several have asked following my post about the largest AM signal in Georgia...who has the largest FM coverage area. The 60 dBu is the protected contour for FM stations and in Georgia, WSRV at 97.1, Gainesville, GA is king covering 22,962 sq kilometers. 2nd place honors go to WYAY, 106.7 Gainesville at 22,315 sq kilometers and third place goes to WEKL, 105.7 Augusta at 19,069 sq kilomters. While WEKL is licensed to a Georgia city, it's transmitter site is actually in South Carolina. Most of the other 100KW stations in Georgia such as WSB, WALR, etc. come in from 15,000 to 19,000 sq km.

As far as the immediate Southeast is concerned, WMIT in Black Mountain, NC takes top honors at 26,591 sq kilometers from its transmitter atop Mount Mitchell, the highest spot east of the Mississippi River. Next is WIVK in Knoxville with 26,177 sq kilometers. WKSF 99.9 Asheville comes in third with 25,781. sq km...WESC Greenville, SC is close behind in 4th place at 25,722 sq km. All these stations enjoy very high mountain top sites.
 
How about WVRK Columbus at 102.9? It's currently at 463m HAAT. It's on the WRBL/WTVM tower in Cusseta, though not at the top.
 
RadioDoogie said:
At a power of 300kw, does FM100 in Memphis, TN have the greatest power strength (not signal) in the USA?
Click to expand...

I think WBCT-FM in Grand Rapids has more than 300kw. If I remember correctly, it's 316kw.
 
316kW!! Holy crap. That's the power limit on a high band V television station.
 
who has the biggest signal?? y does this post sound like a creepy middle school conversaton.


;D
 
Inside your head said:
who has the biggest signal?? y does this post sound like a creepy middle school conversaton.


;D
Click to expand...

If we're talking about total coverage in the nation...I'd say either WSLQ Roanoke, VA (they're pumping 150kW off of a TALL mountain...I picked them up daily 90 miles away like a local) or one of the NPR stations in LA run 105kW at about 3000'

In Georgia, I'd say WSRV in Gainesville or WZAT in Savannah. Some of the Atlanta or Savannah sticks might give them a run for their money...

Radio-X
 
caller10 said:
I thought Q100 has a "bigger, more powerful, clearer signal". :D
Click to expand...

They do now that they're on 99.7 FM. Best signal they've ever had.

WSRV plans to downgrade a signal class when they move closer to metro Atlanta. After that I'd consider WYAY to have the best signal in GA, since the other Class Cs on opposite ends of the state lose half their signal to the neighbor state.
 
livingfruitvirus said:
WSRV plans to downgrade a signal class when they move closer to metro Atlanta. After that I'd consider WYAY to have the best signal in GA, since the other Class Cs on opposite ends of the state lose half their signal to the neighbor state.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that WSRV was considering moving--details?

I mean, they have pretty good coverage as is.

Speaking of moving, does anyone know:
1) When WPUP will finally move to Arcade/Pendergrass?
2) When WREK will up their power to 100kW?
3) When WWOF will light up in Lithia Springs?
4) When WISK will light up in Lawrenceville?
5) When that Sandy Springs station (don't remember the calls) will go on?
 
I think the PUP move was turned down, unless they amended it and refiled successfully.

Last I heard, and it's 3rd party, Cox reconsidered and nixed the SRV downgrade idea.
 
94.1 fm as WGST-FM in the 50's was licensed for 340,000 watts. Not sure if they ever were at that power. WNCI Columbus is now at 175,000 watts, they are were licensed for 360,000 watts. Incidently I saw their new digital transmitter......serial number 000001
 
ssnake said:
How about WVRK Columbus at 102.9? It's currently at 463m HAAT. It's on the WRBL/WTVM tower in Cusseta, though not at the top.
Click to expand...
WVRK comes in at 22,429.9 sq km

WSLQ does beat out WMIT with 28411.7 sq km

I checked WMC. 20718.4 sq km.

WZAT 19,980 sq km
 
Something I have never understood is the horizontal vs. verticle part of the FM signal. Since we were talking about WMC here is the info according to radio-locator.com:

Horizontal Effective Radiated Power 290,000 Watts
Vertical Effective Radiated Power 96,000 Watts
Height above Avg. Terrain 277 meters (909 feet)
Height above Ground Level 287 meters (942 feet)
Height above Sea Level 362 meters (1188 feet)
Antenna Pattern Non-Directional

How does the difference in vertical and horizontal ERP affect the signal?
 
jabba17 said:
Speaking of moving, does anyone know:
2) When WREK will up their power to 100kW?
Click to expand...

WREK has the new 25kW Harris HT\HD+ transmitter on air, with HD Radio for the main channel. So, right now we would be technically capable of running more than 100kW ERP with our current antenna. Our minor change app is currently blocked by a tiny MX issue, but we will be filing an amendment to cover that.

We're still looking for an antenna system and, if necessary, tower, that can best fill the envelope. It will probably take a couple of years.
 
Although the signal is South Carolina, Augusta licsened powerhouse 104.3 WBBQ covers a huge area. Can be heard as far as Conyers, GA, (this side of Augusta) and as far as Florence, SC on the other side. Amazing coverage! To bad it's not the awesome TOP 40 station it used to be and even as an AC, they are waaaaayyyyy lighter than most typical AC's.
 
Art Sutton said:
ssnake said:
How about WVRK Columbus at 102.9? It's currently at 463m HAAT. It's on the WRBL/WTVM tower in Cusseta, though not at the top.
Click to expand...
WVRK comes in at 22,429.9 sq km

WSLQ does beat out WMIT with 28411.7 sq km

I checked WMC. 20718.4 sq km.

WZAT 19,980 sq km
Click to expand...

WZAT (All the hits Z-102) in Savannah is quite powerful (I see now they flipped and changed the name earlier in March). I was shocked I could pick up the signal in Statesboro in my hotel room with no static when I was there in December. Of course (stating the obvious), the signal was powerful in Savannah during my trips there too.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom