It has only been a week but I cannot help but wonder if Digital Media will continue to repeat WGNY into the Poughkeepsie market on 95.7. Poughkeepsie is within WGNY‘s-FM 60db contour. However, such a move is not without precedent WAMK, Kingston has a translator on 102.1 targeting Poughkeepsie; and slightly more distant WDST, Woodstock used to have a translator on 106.3, both to fill in supposed gaps in city grade coverage in Poughkeepsie.
Recently I was down by the river in Poughkeepsie, directly across from the tower farm where W239BL 95.7 is located. While down there 95.7 had a slightly stronger signal, its modulation was terrible when compared to 98.9 WGNY-FM. It sounded tinny, as if it was simply repeating the AM station, without any processing. Moving to higher ground the difference in signal strength was negligible. At my home in Hyde Park WGNY-FM was actually stronger.
I e-mailed Bud Williamson, owner of Digital Media inquiring as to weather he could return a much better oldies station, WVOS-FM to 95.7. He said he is working on several possibilities for 95.7; but it is unlikely WVOS will be back on 95.7. Although I can understand that the market may not support two oldies stations, and a small translator would be at a disadvantage against a full power station, this is very disappointing. Furthermore, having two frequencies broadcasting the same program is such a waste of spectrum space. In fact, if 95.7 were shut down, WVOS-FM at 95.9 would put a weak signal into the Poughkeepsie area, receivable on a good radio.
Recently I was down by the river in Poughkeepsie, directly across from the tower farm where W239BL 95.7 is located. While down there 95.7 had a slightly stronger signal, its modulation was terrible when compared to 98.9 WGNY-FM. It sounded tinny, as if it was simply repeating the AM station, without any processing. Moving to higher ground the difference in signal strength was negligible. At my home in Hyde Park WGNY-FM was actually stronger.
I e-mailed Bud Williamson, owner of Digital Media inquiring as to weather he could return a much better oldies station, WVOS-FM to 95.7. He said he is working on several possibilities for 95.7; but it is unlikely WVOS will be back on 95.7. Although I can understand that the market may not support two oldies stations, and a small translator would be at a disadvantage against a full power station, this is very disappointing. Furthermore, having two frequencies broadcasting the same program is such a waste of spectrum space. In fact, if 95.7 were shut down, WVOS-FM at 95.9 would put a weak signal into the Poughkeepsie area, receivable on a good radio.
