WRGY - Rangeley, Maine

[bturner]

Since they don't stream although they have a website and hope to, I understand WRGY is a bit over a year old and really trying to be a nice little community station.

Anybody out there that has taken a listen or knows of the station and would share their knowledge?

Thanks.

 

[rjoc]

I had a chance to listen to them last summer when visiting friends camping in the area. Not a bad sounding station., mostly automated oldies. They have a storefront studio right on Main Street, but when I walked by there during the early afternoon there was nobody around. I believe they transmit from the top of nearby Saddleback Mountain at the ski area. Their signal was OK, considering the terrain, but I lost them before I got halfway to Farmington. Worth checking out if you are in the area.

 

[DougD]

I didn't know this station existed. I wonder where the advertising dollars come from that keep it going --- although Rangeley is a ski community and also has a bustling summer tourist season, it's in a very rural, and very hilly, area.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Very cute creative website.

http://www.wrgy.org/

Check out the stories (including audio)

 

[rjoc]

I didn't know this station existed. I wonder where the advertising dollars come from that keep it going --- although Rangeley is a ski community and also has a bustling summer tourist season, it's in a very rural, and very hilly, area.

It's a non-commercial "Public/community" station so relies on underwriting and donations. I presume there are enough contributors to keep it going for now. I wish them well. They are pretty much the only station in town. As I recall, the only other stations that put in a decent signal are WTOS 105.1 from nearby Sugarloaf Mountain, and WHOM 94.9. There are NO AM stations within 50 miles of Rangeley. Farmington's WKTJ 99.3 doesn't make it up there due to mountains, and terrain.

 

[Mainedude2007]

They have a storefront studio right on Main Street, but when I walked by there during the early afternoon there was nobody around. I believe they transmit from the top of nearby Saddleback Mountain at the ski area. Their signal was OK, considering the terrain, but I lost them before I got halfway to Farmington. Worth checking out if you are in the area.

They broadcast from Saddleback, at only 50 watts or so (to make up for the high transmitter location). I believe they throw most of their signal to the west (Got them on Rt. 16 almost to the NH/Maine state line a couple months back) due to an unbuilt, now non-existent station somewhere around Madison/Skowhegan on a nearby frequency.

 

[DougD]

I just looked at the website. Neat!! What they offer sounds quite similar to what WERU in Blue Hill broadcasts.

IMHO, there's a crying need for more of this kind of radio in northern New England, especially in communities like Rangeley that are reached by a very limited number of radio signals. Such stations can also be significant catalysts toward bringing the citizens of these little towns closer together.

BTW: In addition to WTOS and WHOM, the CBC and Radio-Canada signals from Sherbrooke can be heard clearly in the Rangeley-Oquossoc area, at least in certain spots.

P.S., also IMHO: In hindsight, WKTJ never should have gotten rid of its AM side. The station was on 1380 and to my knowledge wasn't interfering with any other signal. It could have gone 24/7, boosted its AM signal to 5 KW (directional/night), and used the FM for semi-separate or entirely separate programming. The whole enterprise would have had a much better reach into Franklin and Somerset Counties.