Who has the strongest FM signal(s) in New England?

[KML0224]

That may be because their transmitter is in Peabody, MA, which is near Exit 46 of I-95, north of Boston.

 

[JustinT]

I know it is not New England, but I have always been impressed with these:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=WBCT&service=FM

Does 'Hom beat these?

WBCT 93.7 does have a great signal. On a day with decent weather, I can pull them in from 115 miles away from their transmitter site, on the opposite side of Lake Michigan.

However, I can pick up WHOM much more frequently here in Massachusetts - 140 miles from the TX site. I'm pretty sure 'HOM is the winner all around.

 

[Channel Surf]

Maybe it was tropo, but I once received a weak signal of 106.5 FM of Brewer, ME (Bangor market) here in New Britain, CT. This had to be around 1990 or so. It would be impossible now because WBMW-FM 106.5 of Ledyard, CT (New London/Groton market) signed on not too long after that.

Although I haven't lived there in 20 years, Old Orchard Beach, ME, while lousy for UHF television (in my case), was rather good for FM and VHF television. I used to get a faint signal of Boston channels 4 and 5 at least twice a week. While stations like 92.1 of Sanford were spotty, WTOS-FM 105.1 from Skowhegan, ME wasn't too bad. I used to have a tough time getting 107.5 from Lewiston. They were WBLM-FM at that time.

I actually used to regularly receive 106.5-WPYX, Albany NY, when I lived 25 miles northwest of Portland, Me back in the early 80s, with my Yagii roof top FM antenna. As soon as 106.3-WDCS, Portland, would sign off, WPYX was clearly audible.
I also received a good signal from WPYX on a car radio, when I visited Westerly, R.I. back in 1982. Obviously, with nearby WBMW, that would now be impossible. Also, I imagine that the god-squad on the former WMEX-106.5 would eliminate WPYX from being received in Maine, these days....

 

[IdentityProgramming]

WHOM probably has the strongest overall signal in New England. Not to get off-topic, but word has it that the call letters WBLM in the early 70's once stood for:
"WE Believe in the Legalization of Marijuana" WBLM.

Just something I heard. Interesting if accurate. I know they used to be called "The Blimp" for many years.

Gary Begin/Consultant
Identity Programming
Jackson, TN
www.garybegin.com

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Not to get off-topic, but word has it that the call letters WBLM in the early 70's once stood for:
"WE Believe in the Legalization of Marijuana" WBLM.

Just something I heard. Interesting if accurate. I know they used to be called "The Blimp" for many years.

WBLM wasn't on the air in the very early '70s. It came on the air in 1973 (at 107.5 FM), and it was "The Blimp" (or "The Rock'n'Roll Blimp") pretty much right off the bat.

According to Wikipedia (which we know is far from the most reliable information source); "The call letters were chosen partly because they can stand for 'Bates Lewiston Maine' - some of the founders had attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine".

 

[Pugsley]

WHOM is the Strongest FM signal in New England

WVOM is the Strongest FM signal in Maine, followed very closely by WHCF.

 

[mgpt6]

WAMC Albany , picked up in Newton Ma in the car before ZBC went on the air that day.

 

[NHRadio]

Does WBLM still refer to Lewiston/Auburn as LA? I remember that as far back as the late 70's when I was at summer camp.

Not to get off-topic, but word has it that the call letters WBLM in the early 70's once stood for:
"WE Believe in the Legalization of Marijuana" WBLM.

Just something I heard. Interesting if accurate. I know they used to be called "The Blimp" for many years.

WBLM wasn't on the air in the very early '70s. It came on the air in 1973 (at 107.5 FM), and it was "The Blimp" (or "The Rock'n'Roll Blimp") pretty much right off the bat.

According to Wikipedia (which we know is far from the most reliable information source); "The call letters were chosen partly because they can stand for 'Bates Lewiston Maine' - some of the founders had attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine".

 

[dexterman]

I would say 96.3 they just switched from News to sports. Get it very clear up here in Dexter and all the way north of Bangor also.

 

[Mainedude2007]

I would say 96.3 they just switched from News to sports. Get it very clear up here in Dexter and all the way north of Bangor also.

agreed, but the signal on 96.3 was better before they moved the transmitter...alot of the bangor/northern maine class C's have killer signals because they are in the Class C zone with 25,000 watt plus signals (most are more than that), I've gotten Q96 from Presque Isle as far south as Waterville and WCRQ 102.9 battling it out with WBLM around Bar Harbor/MDI

 

[vibe]

Being a sports fan/junkie (and having a crappy AM radio in the car), I'd like to give an "honorable mention" to 103.7 WEEI FM- The station was pretty good out in NW Conn (Litchfield, Torrington) last weekend and was even listenable in Cannan CT. Certainly not tthe strongest station but one that gets out quite a bit to the west. I certainly wouldn't listen to music on that freq but the format is talk so it worked for me. Had to be at least 90 mi from the transmitter.
And there were many hollows out there, particularly on Rt 7 from Cannan to Kent where you might get 1-2 FM stations on a GOOD car radio on seek. And those are "hit or miss".

 

[masscarnage99]

I would have to say WHEB 100.3 puts a good punch all the way up into Maine as far as around Freeport and have gotten them as far west as Townsend, MA on a stock car radio and south down 495 to round route 2. Also been able to hear them on the south shore round Plymouth near the water most times I have been down that way.

 

[WBIMDJ]

Rock 101 WGIR-FM Manchester puts out a great signal over most of the Boston metro area. I've gotten it south of Boston pretty good in Weymouth, MA, especially considering it's about 70 mi or so from the transmitter.

 

[audiomusiclover]

I have lived in both NH and in Virginia where WSLQ broadcasts.
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=WSLQ&service=FM

Even though WSLQ is a screamer and sends a signal down into central NC at times, there is just no comparing it to WHOM. I recall how WHOM had a great 360 degree monster signal in almost all directions. WSLQ is great too but it tends to get blocked to the north & west by the Appalachian Mountains. Many mountains are higher than that relatively high transmitter so there is still signal blockage when broadcasting over the mtns.

BTW, I have always heard WHOM runs at 50KW. Is that 50KW ERP? If not, how does that translate into ERP as it is almost 6000 ft above the distant terrain. It would seem that is much higher than 100kw erp equivalent.

 

[JustinT]

BTW, I have always heard WHOM runs at 50KW. Is that 50KW ERP? If not, how does that translate into ERP as it is almost 6000 ft above the distant terrain. It would seem that is much higher than 100kw erp equivalent.

It's a grandfathered Class C, technically running 48kW. Due to the transmitter location, I'd heard at one point that the ERP would come out to something like 350kW, but that might be far off.

 

[Ozman]

hey guys,
I am wondering how the hell I am getting WBCN 104.1 in clear mono (maybe stereo) in Saint Johnsbury VT 1 mile south of coles corner. I also get jamn 94.5 a bit staticky and 1035 from albany faintly. my setup is the terk fm 50 pro.
any Ideas how i might be getting these stations?

 

[NHRadio]

Without a high gain roof antenna there's little to no hope. Maybe you could try their stream.

hey guys,
I am wondering how the hell I am getting WBCN 104.1 in clear mono (maybe stereo) in Saint Johnsbury VT 1 mile south of coles corner. I also get jamn 94.5 a bit staticky and 1035 from albany faintly. my setup is the terk fm 50 pro.
any Ideas how i might be getting these stations?

 

[Ozman]

nh radio, I am getting these stations pretty good thats what I don't get ???
maybe its the sangean hdr radio tuner I got

Without a high gain roof antenna there's little to no hope. Maybe you could try their stream.

hey guys,
I am wondering how the hell I am getting WBCN 104.1 in clear mono (maybe stereo) in Saint Johnsbury VT 1 mile south of coles corner. I also get jamn 94.5 a bit staticky and 1035 from albany faintly. my setup is the terk fm 50 pro.
any Ideas how i might be getting these stations?

 

[Gadon]

Jamie, I think this should be on a seperate thread. This one is talking about powerful signals in New England like WHOM, WEZF, WPKQ, WBLM, WAAF, etc etc.. If you want to get WBCN in St. Jay, I say go for the stream. It's no fun as trying to hear the signal over the air, yet it is clear !! I'm not sure what your elevation is in St. Jay, though the higher you are the better ! Danville is a great place to live, and the elevation will work wonders for your tuner. BCN' at one time was fairly easy to tune-in from East Burke before there was any local FM's up there and docket 80-90 stations on the air. If I see you next weekend at LSC, I'll play you the tape. I had an FM yagi type antenna hooked into a Marantz receiver with a pre-digital dial. Even got WHJY Providence up there before WFTN-FM signed on Yowwwzah !!

 

[Gadon]

"the higher you are the better ".. Just for clarifaction purposes.. That's 'higher' as in geographic elevation..