What are some areas of America with either very little FM radio coverage or no FM radio coverage?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 12:02:21 PM
What are some areas of America with either very little FM radio coverage or no FM radio coverage?
There's a radio quiet zone near Green Bank, WV, because of the observatory there. Even without the NRAO, it's such a remote, rural area, that FM radio reception would be very spotty.
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
The central segment of the Sierra Nevada Mountains south of Lake Tahoe to Lake Isabella.
I seem to remember not being able to access any radio stations at all when I was driving to a trailhead in the Sangre de Cristo mountains down by Westcliffe, Colorado. Similarly when I was in Lake City, Colorado.
Chris
Wasn't this covered here? https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28014.0
Quote from: Big John on June 03, 2021, 04:18:20 PM
Wasn't this covered here? https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28014.0
I'm forgetful.
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
Quote from: hbelkins on June 03, 2021, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
How do people live there?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on June 03, 2021, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
How do people live there?
The same way they have for centuries.
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2021, 10:59:10 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on June 03, 2021, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
How do people live there?
The same way they have for centuries.
Especially during the pandemic zoom era.
I always had the impression that K-92 got into the Green Bank dead zone somehow.
Quote from: bandit957 on June 04, 2021, 12:13:52 AM
I always had the impression that K-92 got into the Green Bank dead zone somehow.
Indeed. I have caught WXLK in ridgetop areas north of Marlinton on several occasions.
Ok that makes sense, HB, I figured deep WV is SOL either way. I was thinking in July I might return back to PA via US 219 the whole way from US 460. I don't think not having cell service is a problem, but it does allow me to plan to bring offline music, etc.
Quote from: bandit957 on June 04, 2021, 12:13:52 AM
I always had the impression that K-92 got into the Green Bank dead zone somehow.
Nah, the closest it gets is Leavenworth.
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2021, 10:59:10 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on June 03, 2021, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
How do people live there?
The same way they have for centuries.
I have a step brother that lives on the outskirts of the area, and if you have home internet, you simply have a wired network at your home. Cable TV would be the same, wired in rather than over the air. There really aren't any television markets that would get a regular signal in. Roanoke is the largest regular market, and that is too far away. There are a couple of smaller towns with PBS stations that probably have their antenna configured to not send a signal towards that area.
Quote from: Life in Paradise on June 04, 2021, 04:07:34 PM
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2021, 10:59:10 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on June 03, 2021, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
Yes, but even if they weren't, that area is so remote that there likely wouldn't be any cell coverage anyway.
After my recent excursion into the mountains of southwestern WV, I've come to the determination that a cell phone is about the most worthless invention one can possess there.
Even home wi-fi is restricted within a certain distance of the NRAO.
How do people live there?
The same way they have for centuries.
I have a step brother that lives on the outskirts of the area, and if you have home internet, you simply have a wired network at your home. Cable TV would be the same, wired in rather than over the air. There really aren't any television markets that would get a regular signal in. Roanoke is the largest regular market, and that is too far away. There are a couple of smaller towns with PBS stations that probably have their antenna configured to not send a signal towards that area.
I think Harrisonburg is closer than Roanoke, isn't it? I know Harrisonburg has some network OTA affiliates, but not sure if they have all four.
i would think satellite TV would be available in that area, wouldn't it?
I remember reading a story about wired internet for home service in Green Bank. I'm sure there is a way for phones, tablets, etc. to connect to a wired network, but it's probably an expensive piece of hardware if such exists.
Any frequency ending in an even number (valid in Europe, but not in the USA). Otherwise, I don't know because this statment by the OP:
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 12:02:21 PM
What are some areas of America with either very little FM radio coverage or no FM radio coverage?
... and therefore any relative dead zones in my area (i.e. those in which I can only receive public radios and little else) are out of the scope of this thread.
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 04, 2021, 02:00:43 PM
Quote from: bandit957 on June 04, 2021, 12:13:52 AM
I always had the impression that K-92 got into the Green Bank dead zone somehow.
Nah, the closest it gets is Leavenworth.
That would be KS 92, not WXLK :sombrero:.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PMHow do people live there?
Some people choose to live there for that exact reason. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/town-for-wi-fi-refugees)
Quote from: jmd41280 on June 05, 2021, 09:48:44 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PMHow do people live there?
Some people choose to live there for that exact reason. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/town-for-wi-fi-refugees)
The Amish should move there.
Wonder if Google can track your location here?😁
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 05, 2021, 10:20:39 AM
Quote from: jmd41280 on June 05, 2021, 09:48:44 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 03, 2021, 10:32:02 PMHow do people live there?
Some people choose to live there for that exact reason. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/town-for-wi-fi-refugees)
The Amish should move there.
It's not the type land they're looking for (flatter and more arable). It's a bit too mountainous and hilly.
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on June 05, 2021, 08:32:29 AM
That would be KS 92, not WXLK :sombrero:.
How's the weather over in Storkslapper? :spin:
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 03, 2021, 03:29:27 PM
Dumb and naive question about the radio zone around Green Bank...are cell phones impacted?
There are plenty of places where there is little or NO cell phone coverage (including within a 20-mile (32 km) radius of the Green Bank Observatory), and other places where cell phone coverage is very poor, and a very few places with great cell phone coverage.
National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Radio_Quiet_Zone) (Wikipedia)
National Radio Quiet Zone (https://greenbankobservatory.org/about/national-radio-quiet-zone/) (Green Bank Observatory Web site)
Quote from: sbeaver44 on June 04, 2021, 09:35:25 AM
Ok that makes sense, HB, I figured deep WV is SOL either way. I was thinking in July I might return back to PA via US 219 the whole way from US 460. I don't think not having cell service is a problem, but it does allow me to plan to bring offline music, etc.
I went Sunday to check out the renovated Dingess Tunnel. Lost cell service shortly after turning off US 52 onto WV 65 at Delbarton. Didn't get service back until I was practically in Wayne on WV 152.
I wasn't in the Quiet Zone but reporting Verizon had no service for me in Welch.
Also, the BEST service I had all trip (including downtown Cincy) was somehow perfect LTE 5 bars in Burkes Garden valley. I stopped at the art gift shop/post office and they commented that Verizon has a tower.
Quote from: hbelkins
i would think satellite TV would be available in that area, wouldn't it?
Satellite TV is available anywhere you have a clear view of the southern sky, the signals fall on the whole country, regardless of radio quiet zones or whatever.
Weirdly the federal government assigns every county to one and only one local set of channels for satellites. IIRC, Pocahontas County gets Roanoke-Lynchburg channels. Cable is under a different set of rules and often cable has a mix of channels from each direction in places like that. An antenna would get you zero.
As to the OP's original question, if you go to the FCC's webpages for FM, you can project the reception map for any station. With bankruptcies, there are plenty of places in central Appalachia beyond FM's reach.
Quote from: SP Cook on July 30, 2021, 01:13:39 PM
Weirdly the federal government assigns every county to one and only one local set of channels for satellites. IIRC, Pocahontas County gets Roanoke-Lynchburg channels. Cable is under a different set of rules and often cable has a mix of channels from each direction in places like that. An antenna would get you zero.
And only one network affiliate. All of southeastern Kentucky either gets Lexington or Charleston-Huntington stations on satellite. I don't know if any of the counties get Knoxville, but it's possible. WYMT-TV has made several attempts to get on DirecTV and Dish Network, but without success, even with the high-powered clout of Congressman Hal "He Didn't Name The Road After Himself" Rogers. So I get WKYT out of Lexington but not WYMT. I also, curiously, get a Channel 67 Ion Television station and an Ion cable feed.
Frankfort cable TV, on the other hand, carries both Lexington and Louisville broadcast affiliates.
My brother in Owen County, smack in the middle of the Golden Triangle, is in the Cincinnati market for Dish, not Lexington or Louisville. But with an external antenna, my brother can get the broadcast channels from both cities.
Quote from: hbelkins
i would think satellite TV would be available in that area, wouldn't it?
Quote from: SP Cook on July 30, 2021, 01:13:39 PM
Satellite TV is available anywhere you have a clear view of the southern sky, the signals fall on the whole country, regardless of radio quiet zones or whatever.
Indeed, but the geosynchronous position of the private satellites themselves are intended to not interfere with the National Radio Quiet Zone. In addition to Dish Network (Echostar) and DirecTV (now AT&T), you've got other services like the railroads and cellular phone services competing for satellite radio transmission space (and bandwidth). In one case, Lightsquared (now Ligado) caused problems with GPS satellites by having too strong of signals in the uplinks to their satellites. All of this can get terribly complicated. Thank goodness that modern railroad (ergo, positive train control) is not required in the Alleghenies of West Virginia (except for the former C&O mainline, which is quite a distance south of Green Bank).
Quote from: hbelkins on July 30, 2021, 03:56:12 PM
All of southeastern Kentucky either gets Lexington or Charleston-Huntington stations on satellite. I don't know if any of the counties get Knoxville, but it's possible.
https://tbh.lerctr.org/~ekb/TVMarkets/Maps/kentucky.gif