Fw: MetroWest signal strengths (from V-soft Web site)

[Dan Strassberg]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Strassberg" <dan.strassberg@att.net>
To: "Boston Radio Interest" <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.BostonRadio.org>
Cc: "Scott Fybush" <scott@fybush.com>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 4:59 PM
Subject: MetroWest signal strengths (from V-soft Web site)


I originally sent this in HTML because it's a table and, with Outlook
Express, the only way I know of to get it into a nonproportional font so the
columns line up is to use HTML. Before I sent the message, I did view the
content in a text editor, and I believe that it would have been readable as
plaintext. I see, however, that, as I feared, Garrett had blocked the HTML.
But I also see that the message is pretty readable in the proportional font.
For those who like REAL columns, copy the message text to the clipboard
(assuming that you are using Windows--I know that doesn't include Garrett)
and then paste the text into Notepad or a similar text editor.

- Except where labeled dBu, all figures are in mV/m.
- The FCC considers AM signals of 5 mV/m or
more to be city-grade.
- A 10 mV/m AM signal is pretty strong.

01701 (Framingham)    01760 (Natick)
FM    WAAF    3.49        2.18
                    (70 dBu)  (66.8 dBu)
Day   WEEI   17.65       56.36
       WRKO   10.39       11.25
D&N   WBZ     5.84        8.18

Night WEEI    2.50        6.14
      WRKO    1.73        2.08
      WCRN    1.97        1.51
        WBIX    2.09       41.79
      WAMG    2.11       58.05

One obvious point is that although Famingham and Natick are adjacent to each
other, the signal strengths, which I believe are calculated at the
population centroid of each ZIP code, differ greatly, especially for WBIX
and WAMG. The WAMG/WBIX (night) site is pretty much due south of downtown
Framingham. The night patterns of WAMG and WBIX don't do much to the north
(or south). Natick, on the other hand, is both north and substantially east
of the site. Even though the distance from the site to Natick is greater
than the distance from the site to Framingham, you can see the dramatic
effect of azimuth on these narrow (in the case of WAMG) and relatively
natrrow (WBIX) patterns.

I included WBZ for comparison. It is the AM signal that IS the standard of
comparison in this market. Note that the WBZ's signal is not overwhelming in
Natick or Framingham.

I've also included WAAF. I believe these figures are for the old Paxton
site. I am surprised that WWWF does not deliver a 70 dBu city-grade signal
to Natick from Paxton. It may well do so from W Boyleston.

--
Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net
eFax 707-215-6367