RadioBanter - View Single Post - WABC re-creates the past next Monday

June 8th 04, 12:24 AM

(Scott Dorsey) wrote in message ...
Rose___ wrote:

I don't suppose this means you can get this show over the web...I'm
going to have trouble pulling this in from 120 miles away, as I'll be
away....

Why? WABC is clear channel. Comes in very well here in Virginia, also
comes in well up in Boston. Occasionally subject to interference from
one of the Cuban stations but generally an easy catch on your car radio
on most of the east coast at night.
--scott

Clear channel stations have a 'gap' in coverage at night. I was in
Atlantic City, NJ a few weeks ago and noticed NYC stations come in
lousy at night. The same stations come in much better in, say,
Baltimore, which is further away.

Here's why: An AM station at night has a 'ground wave' signal. This
is the strong local signal you get near the antenna source. There is
also the distant-reception 'skywave' signal. This is from the signal
bouncing off the upper atmosphere and coming back down to the ground.

There is a doughnut-shaped gap in between these 2. The skywave signal
has to go into the upper atmosphere and bounce down. Even at the most
severe angle possible, the skywave signal doesn't come into play until
you are a certain distance from the antenna source (not enough of an
expert to know what this distance is, but you get the idea).

So, from where the ground-wave local signal fades out, to where the
skywave signal first shows up, is the gap, with poor reception of the
station's signal. Clearly Atlantic City, NJ, is in the gap for NYC
clear channels.

I live in Columbia, SC, and can barely get WBT (Charlotte, 70 miles
away) at night. Go around 100 miles or so further south and it comes
in pretty well (when I lived in south Florida I used to get it
regularly). Same principle in action.

Of course other posters have pointed out that this show was broadcast
during the day, so this is irrelevant (but interesting info, IMHO).