One of the sources in my reading list is Radio Reader: Essays in the Cultural History of Radio edited by Hilmes & Loviglio (Routledge, 2002) and I recommend it as a useful and insightful survey of significant radio history from its early commercial take-over to its digital future.
One essay "Radio By and For the Public: the Death and Resurrection of Low-Power Radio" by Paul Riismandel is especially relevant to my focus on the history of WRIR.
From my reading so far it is my understanding that LPFM licenses are no longer available and are not likley to be in the near future - is this correct? Riismandel tells us that "religious groups received about half of all the LPFM construction permits" even though religious programming abounds on US airways. Is there a list of how the other permits were distributed?
Though opponents to LPFM claimed concern that it might interfere with high-power channels, this absurdity can be easily contradicted with an attempt to listen to Richmond radio stations. The corporate channels come screaming through loud and "clear" making WRIR sometimes difficult to detect amidst the corporate cacaphony.
And here's an LPFM technical question: I live in Stratford Hills, near Pony Pasture and I can receive WRIR quite easily in my car but in my home, even my new "Super Radio" is difficult to tune to its LPFM signal - why is this? Is there any way I can improve my reception in my home?
2 comments:
There is active legislation to reopen a filing window for low power FM, and remove some of the things holding it back (re: interference claims, which have been found to be not an issue.) The House bill is HR 2802, and the Senate is S 1675. Together, they're the Local Community Radio Act. If you want more info, email me at john@prometheusradio.org.
I'm sorry if that sounds spammy. You came up in a Google Alert, and I thought I'd address the question.As for the reasons why tuning in might be hard, it appears that WRIR is a 42 watt station. LPFMs can be a maximum of 100 watts, which, on average, goes 3 to 5 miles. At less than have that, you're probably topping out at maybe 2.5 miles.
John answered your first question just as I would have. As for your second, I've found that sometimes my oldest, seemingly crappiest little boombox or clock radio can get WRIR better than a fancier system (I live in Manchester).
Also, and I know this sounds weird, but try dipping the top of your antennae in gatorade or lemon juice - the electrolytes help to pick up signals (I'm not fooling).
One other thing is weather. Generally on low cloud cover and really foggy-type days, the reception is worse. Chris Maxwell once explained this to me, but In can't remember why.
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