What's the least powerfull FM you can pickup

[Mark W.]

I was playing around with my TX-9100 and new J pole antenna (still not mounted on the roof yet) and pulled in a College station at Corbin College 12.5 miles as the crow flies. But the station is only 135 watts! I have buddies who have twice that in their dump truck CB's!

Corbin College sits at the base of a pretty good hill it has to go at least 200-300 feet above the transmitting antenna. And the place is on the opisite side of the hill from me.

Anyway this got me wondering if anyone else has bagged such a low power station? Without being in it's parking lot.

 

[Deadear]

Sounds good Mark , glad you are enjoying your new toy !! How far are you from Salem ?

 

[jpdylon]

KPRI has a 65 watt station 102.1 about 2 miles from me that I can pull in with my sherwood S3000IV with rabbit ears. Gets kinda crappy at times with a small hill in my way.

 

[Deadear]

So how far away is Salem ?

 

[Mark W.]

Deadear, The closest Salem comes to Silverton is I believe 11 miles. but town center to town center would be closer to 14 miles.

We are to the NE of Salem. We were here first though! LOL Inc. in 1848 Nice little town I basically been here my whole life born here. Will most likely die here.

 

[Deadear]

Thanks Mark , my daughter lives in Salem , just wondered how far away you were , next time I go down there for a visit we should have a coffee !! Gary .

 

[Mark W.]

That would be totally cool if you come down before April let me know and I'll make sure. Starting in April (depending on weather) I go back to work 8-12 hours a day driving a dump truck so I'm hard to find. I would enjoy a cup of coffee.

 

[Brian]

I still thought CB radios were limited to 5 watts. Guess I'm in the dark ages.

 

[Mark W.]

No Brian your not in the dark ages but then the speed limit is 55 right! It refered to as a Linear amp some guys run up to 1KW but most that are mobil are under 200 watts.

We you just gotta be heard.

If you want to hear what I'm talking about grab a decent CB and go to a higher spot and pop on channel 11 in the afternoon. I'm in Salem Oregon and I listen to jerks in Alabama Mississippi and all manner of points east.

 

[Whitehall]

There's a high school station about 3 miles away at 135 watts. For real listening, KKUP is 200 watts and 15 miles away.

With my new antenna rotator, I was hoping I could get another classical station in Carmel but it's only 1700 watts and 52 miles away while KDFC is about the same distance but 33 kW.

The good news is I can get KPIG!

 

[fotno]

When I worked at the local AM station, some of the CB guys would drive by the station and key their mics just so they could walk on our 5000 watt signal. I've heard some pretty interesting things broadcast that way.

 

[Mark W.]

Not to high jack my own thread but personally as a dump truck driver who has had 7 tons of asphalt dropped on his cab because of chatter on the CB. And driving a truck with no AM/FM. If I ever win the big lottery I'm going to hire a couple of smelly guys with broken noses give them a radio direction finder and some airplane tickets and have them go jump up and down on a few guys running skip on channel 11. JUST cause I can. from about 11:00am until about 4pm the skip is so bad that I either have to turn my set way down or off. And since we use the CB to communicate with other trucks and the plant all the extra noise causes a safety hazard. Like when I heard someone tell me to backup while I was under the asphalt silo and the operator hit the dump button (he was actually at fault he should have been looking at the truck when he opened the gate)

Ever have 7 tons of 350+ degree asphalt on your head it's a bit scarry