WBZ & WRKO signal in Springfield

[Aaron Read]

WBZ's signal in Springfield is fair to poor daytime, and even though the
signal strength is better at night, it's mostly unlistenable due to 
fading, cancellation and now KDKA's sidebands.
(snip)
WRKO's signal is very poor daytime and usually almost non-existent at night.
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When I first moved out to Rochester from Boston two years ago, I was 
driving back and forth along the Thruway & Masspike at least two or 
three times a month for 7-8 months, so I had ample opportunity to sample 
Boston-area signals.  Especially WRKO, WEEI and WTIC (AM), the latter 
isn't Boston, of course, but it IS the Red Sox affiliate.  :)  And I'd 
usually try WBZ just to see if I could get the HD signal for the heck of it.

I have a pretty good AM receiver in my car, and in my experience WRKO & 
WEEI are audible by day pretty far west...even past Springfield (by not 
by much) but the quality isn't very good.  An hour or two before sunset 
it rapidly gets poorer as skywave creeps in, and once they switch to 
night pattern, you can't get WRKO or WEEI in Framingham, much less all 
the way the heck out in Springfield.

I found WBZ to be a remarkably solid signal throughout the Masspike and 
all the way out to Rochester (and probably beyond).  Yes, as you're 
driving along you can and will often hit patches where it fades out. 
And getting the HD signal is usually not possible past Worcester (if 
that far)...although here in Geneva, NY after dark I can usually get the 
HD light blinking and call letters to appear for WBZ.  Sometimes it'll 
blend to digital for a second or two then slip back.

FWIW, WTIC has lousy reception by comparison.  By day it was usually not 
receivable past the NY/Mass border, and at night the skywave/groundwave 
zone was huge...to the point where you can't get clear skywave reception 
until you get out almost to Rochester proper.

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Aaron Read                  |  Finger Lakes Public Radio
friedbagels@gmail.com       |  General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP)
Geneva, NY 14456            |  www.weos.org / www.whws.fm