FM Radio Station That Can Be Heard From The Most States/Provinces

[jeffandnicole]

All of Delaware's commercial FM radio stations in the Wilmington area can be heard in 4 states: DE, NJ, PA & MD.  93.7 has an especially long reach...even in Trenton NJ I can get a signal.

The Univ of Del. radio station (91.3) almost reaches my house, but based on that it should easily reach 4 states as well.

[Sctvhound]

Charleston's FM stations mostly just reach the state of South Carolina, but any type of tropo helps bring them in a very long way. The big stations in Charleston (92.5, 95.1, 96.9, 101.7) can be regularly heard 75-100 miles away, which might catch some of the Savannah, GA area normally.

Tropo is very big in this area. During the summer, I can get stations regularly from SC, NC, GA, and FL. My range is usually West Palm Beach (Miami rarely) to Cape Hatteras.

Less often I have gotten stations from Tampa and once I got WAFX from Suffolk, VA on 106.9.

Greenville-Spartanburg's FM powerhouses can be heard in at least 4 states. SC, NC, GA, and TN. WFBC on 93.7, WSPA on 98.9, WESC on 92.5, and a couple others have huge ranges. WSPA probably has the best range. It can be heard well in the Columbia area, as far as the northeast Atlanta suburbs, and I've also heard it NE of Charlotte along 85.

[ftballfan]

The Radio-Locator fringe coverage area for WUPS includes at least parts of 39 counties (Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Iosco, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Tuscola, Wexford).

Back on topic, most of the full-power Chicago FMs can be heard in IL, IN, MI, and WI (four states)

[Flint1979]

The Radio-Locator fringe coverage area for WUPS includes at least parts of 39 counties (Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Iosco, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Tuscola, Wexford).

Back on topic, most of the full-power Chicago FMs can be heard in IL, IN, MI, and WI (four states)

WUPS is 100,000 watts with a transmitter just south of Houghton Lake. I've listened to that station in Mackinac County before too.

[Flint1979]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

[hbelkins]

WSGS-FM in Hazard used to declare, "from the Bluegrass to the Big Sandy." I have no doubt it can be heard in WV, VA, and TN, and wouldn't be surprised if it can't be picked up in OH and NC as well.

[Life in Paradise]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

[bandit957]

WSGS-FM in Hazard used to declare, "from the Bluegrass to the Big Sandy." I have no doubt it can be heard in WV, VA, and TN, and wouldn't be surprised if it can't be picked up in OH and NC as well.

When I lived in Highland Heights, there were several times when I picked them up, but just barely.

[Flint1979]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

It's grandfathered in. It was granted it's power before the FCC set the maximum of 100,000 watts.

[Life in Paradise]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

It's grandfathered in. It was granted it's power before the FCC set the maximum of 100,000 watts.

I guess if one didn't want to have children, they could work there!

[ftballfan]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

It's grandfathered in. It was granted it's power before the FCC set the maximum of 100,000 watts.

I guess if one didn't want to have children, they could work there!

WBCT (as WJEF-FM) was originally even more powerful (500,000 watts!).

There are several other FMs that still run more than 100,000 watts:
99.7 WMC Memphis, TN (300,000 watts) [originally 515,000 watts]
105.7 WSRW Grand Rapids, MI (265,000 watts)
99.1 WSLQ Roanoke, VA (200,000 watts)
104.3 WOMC Detroit, MI (190,000 watts)
90.7 KPFK Los Angeles, CA (110,000 watts)
103.3 KRUZ Santa Barbara, CA (105,000 watts)
I might be missing a few

[Flint1979]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

It's grandfathered in. It was granted it's power before the FCC set the maximum of 100,000 watts.

I guess if one didn't want to have children, they could work there!

WBCT (as WJEF-FM) was originally even more powerful (500,000 watts!).

There are several other FMs that still run more than 100,000 watts:
99.7 WMC Memphis, TN (300,000 watts) [originally 515,000 watts]
105.7 WSRW Grand Rapids, MI (265,000 watts)
99.1 WSLQ Roanoke, VA (200,000 watts)
104.3 WOMC Detroit, MI (190,000 watts)
90.7 KPFK Los Angeles, CA (110,000 watts)
103.3 KRUZ Santa Barbara, CA (105,000 watts)
I might be missing a few

I was shocked when I was pulling WOMC out of Detroit in all the way up in Tawas. I thought did they just say WOMC? That's Detroit how in the hell is that station coming in up here?

[rickmastfan67]

I've picked up CBLA-FM 99.1 (CBC Radio 1) just outside of Erie, PA before.
https://radio-locator.com/info/CBLA-FM

Even farther when it used to be 740 AM.  Could on good days pull it in in the Pittsburgh area during the night.

[MikeTheActuary]

WHYN-FM, broadcasting from atop Mount Tom just north of Springfield, MA claims at least fringe (and maybe, just barely, "distant") coverage in 6 states: NY, VT, NH, MA, RI, and CT: https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WHYN&service=FM

WAMC-FM operates at higher power (100kW EIRP) from atop Massachusetts' highest mountain, Mt. Greylock: https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WAMC&service=FM   While it has a greater coverage area, it's just a bit too far west to claim coverage into Rhode Island.

[golden eagle]

WQUT Johnson City, TN reaches six states:

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WQUT&service=FM

[golden eagle]

WBCT on 93.7 in Grand Rapids which I mentioned earlier is 320,000 watts. Now 93.7 is also used as a Hip Hop and R&B station in Flint which is WRCL. Much of WRCL's signal though is overridden with WBCT's distant to fringe range. I count 35 Michigan counties and 8 Indiana counties that WBCT is received in. WBCT's transmitter is located along M-179 several miles east of US-131. WRCL doesn't even have local coverage to either Flint or Saginaw. But if you were to look on radio-locator.com you'd see that western Saginaw County and parts of Gratiot, Shiawassee and Midland counties are in WRCL's distant to fringe range and so are WBCT's on the same frequency. WBCT is the 320,000 watt blow torch and WRCL has 3,500 watts of power and trust me it does not come in the best in Saginaw or Flint which is where their market is.

How did WBCT get 320,000 watts?  My understanding from my radio broadcast days is that the maximum is 100k, and with a few exceptions, those stations are either south of the Ohio River or West of the Mississippi.

It's grandfathered in. It was granted it's power before the FCC set the maximum of 100,000 watts.

I guess if one didn't want to have children, they could work there!

WBCT (as WJEF-FM) was originally even more powerful (500,000 watts!).

There are several other FMs that still run more than 100,000 watts:
99.7 WMC Memphis, TN (300,000 watts) [originally 515,000 watts]
105.7 WSRW Grand Rapids, MI (265,000 watts)
99.1 WSLQ Roanoke, VA (200,000 watts)
104.3 WOMC Detroit, MI (190,000 watts)
90.7 KPFK Los Angeles, CA (110,000 watts)
103.3 KRUZ Santa Barbara, CA (105,000 watts)
I might be missing a few

WNCI Columbus, OH has 175,000.

[bandit957]

I heard WQUT on trips to that area. I always thought they were a strange station, although they were one of the top stations in the area.

[The Nature Boy]

I was listening to WPKQ out of North Conway, NH this morning and they mentioned that their studios were in Portland, ME.

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WPKQ&service=FM

Portland is firmly in the Distant range and almost in the Fringe side. This has to hold a record of studio farthest away from the transmitter. It's entirely possible that someone who works at the station can't actually listen to the station where they work.

[Life in Paradise]

I was listening to WPKQ out of North Conway, NH this morning and they mentioned that their studios were in Portland, ME.

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WPKQ&service=FM

Portland is firmly in the Distant range and almost in the Fringe side. This has to hold a record of studio farthest away from the transmitter. It's entirely possible that someone who works at the station can't actually listen to the station where they work.

Doing a little research, it appears that WPKQ has one of the largest coverage areas in North America due to its tower on Mount Washington.  They basically cover all of New Hampshire and western Maine and into Quebec.  It is amazing what you can do with a blowtorch planted on top of a mountain with only 22,500 watts.

[ErmineNotyours]

I was listening to WPKQ out of North Conway, NH this morning and they mentioned that their studios were in Portland, ME.

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WPKQ&service=FM

Portland is firmly in the Distant range and almost in the Fringe side. This has to hold a record of studio farthest away from the transmitter. It's entirely possible that someone who works at the station can't actually listen to the station where they work.

104.9 Eatonville as KFNK was consolidated into Clear Channel (iheart) and had its studios north of Downtown Seattle, firmly in the fringe range.  Iheart divested that and other rimshots when they got several CBS stations when that company left the business.

-- Fixed URL. -rmf67

[The Nature Boy]

I was listening to WPKQ out of North Conway, NH this morning and they mentioned that their studios were in Portland, ME.

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WPKQ&service=FM

Portland is firmly in the Distant range and almost in the Fringe side. This has to hold a record of studio farthest away from the transmitter. It's entirely possible that someone who works at the station can't actually listen to the station where they work.

Doing a little research, it appears that WPKQ has one of the largest coverage areas in North America due to its tower on Mount Washington.  They basically cover all of New Hampshire and western Maine and into Quebec.  It is amazing what you can do with a blowtorch planted on top of a mountain with only 22,500 watts.

I know very little about FM radio transmissions but I wonder if they're limited in wattage because of the possibility of interfering with Boston radio signals.

[golden eagle]

I was listening to WPKQ out of North Conway, NH this morning and they mentioned that their studios were in Portland, ME.

https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WPKQ&service=FM

Portland is firmly in the Distant range and almost in the Fringe side. This has to hold a record of studio farthest away from the transmitter. It's entirely possible that someone who works at the station can't actually listen to the station where they work.

Doing a little research, it appears that WPKQ has one of the largest coverage areas in North America due to its tower on Mount Washington.  They basically cover all of New Hampshire and western Maine and into Quebec.  It is amazing what you can do with a blowtorch planted on top of a mountain with only 22,500 watts.

I know very little about FM radio transmissions but I wonder if they're limited in wattage because of the possibility of interfering with Boston radio signals.

It could be. Also, FMs in the northeast and parts of the Midwest have a 50,000-watt maximum.

[CapeCodder]

There are two 100Kw FM's in New England:

#1 WBLM 102.9 Portland. It's a MASSIVE blowtorch that can be heard in many parts of New England from central Maine-west to eastern Vermont and south to the MA-NH border. I could get it in Rangeley, ME.

#2 WGBH 89.7 Boston. While not a *true* 100Kw FM, its signal gets out way too well from its Blue Hill Tx site. I can receive it here on Cape Cod.

Honorable Mention: WCRQ 102.9 Dennysville. Up until 2013, it was a 100Kw signal. It has had its ERP lowered to 51Kw.

[Dirt Roads]

99.1 WSLQ Roanoke, VA (200,000 watts)

WSLQ was the favorite in Blacksburg in the early 1980's and has been the quintessential 80's radio station ever since.  I've been to get them as far away as Winston-Salem, Beckley and Bristol at various times.  It wouldn't surprise me if you could pick this up at Breaks Interstate, and if so you get five states: VA/WV/NC/TN/KY.

[Sctvhound]

WSLQ is a MONSTER of a signal. I live in Charleston, SC and I get them regularly. At least 3-4 times a year. That's close to 300 miles. The other stations on Poor Mountain at 100kw (WSLC 94.9 and WVTF 89.1) are also like that. Huge signals.