FM reception in the southeast part of the US

[bmw]

It seems whenever I check out the dx tropo forecast, the southeast often looks something like this:



So what is reception like down there, particularly along the Gulf coast? Can stations from Texas be heard in Florida? Or any of the other 5 states that border the Gulf? Is the FM band often a mess?

[ChrisWL1980]

Someone posted a YouTube composite of various FM stations that could be picked up in the Tampa Bay area circa 1970. In that composite are a few from New Orleans.
Can't speak on what it's like today with a much more crowded FM dial, but on paper it's possible.

[Deleted User 15924]

Although I'm no expert on the matter, signals over the water are going to go further.
I'll give you a good example. I can get into ham radio repeaters in Oregon Ohio better than I can in Monroe.
Although Monroe is only a third of the distance, Oregon is a clear shot over Lake Erie.

[SolarMax]

Tropo propagation is usually made possible by temperature inversions. Given the usual summertime weather and climate over the Gulf of Mexico and along the U.S. gulf coast, it's not surprising that there will frequently be favorable conditions along the fronts in that area. Similar conditions can be found at certain times of the year along the Atlantic seaboard as well (although much of that in spring/summer is sporadic-E)..
And yes, signals always will travel nicely over open water without pesky buildings and trees and terrain in the way. I've driven in mid day along the NC Outer Banks listening to WCBS 880AM.

[k8jd]

Listening to AM DX off the coast is more likely easier due to the lack of ground based, unintentional radiation interference from appliances and power infrastructure. I don't think MW signals get any tropo enhancement like VHF and UHF.

[ftballfan]

When I spent a month in Babson Park, FL this past March, I was able to consistently pick up Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Orlando, and would occasionally pick up stations from as far away as Key West, the Redneck Riviera, far southern Georgia, and Dothan, AL

[edj]

Biloxi was always a sweet spot for AM reception, even during the day.

[ChrisWL1980]

I've heard Jacksonville's 690 WAPE was widely listened to in the Carolinas back in the day. Yes, that's AM, but it still shows the power of that salt water. Not to mention directional signals heavily favoring the fish that live in said salt water.

[syntheticexctasy]

I only have experience in South Florida, where most of the miami stations carry across alligator alley almost to the Naples area and vice versa. The two metros are roughly 125mi apart.

[k8jd]

Something to consider ;
South Florida and the Gulf coast is pertty flat land with no hills or mountain ranges to block the line of sight!
When I was in the mid Fl Keys I could hear many steady FM signals from Miami (90 miles) and even a rare few Tampa/St Pete (200 Mi) stations intermittantly. I was just using my Telsun portable 880 with the 3 ft whip antenna.

[TC Talks]

I picked up WLW in downtown Plymouth back in the 90's.

[k8jd]

I picked up WLW in downtown Plymouth back in the 90's.

AM (WLW) and FM have totally different kinds of propagation beyond the normal service areas.

AM radio (Medium wavelandth) can travel long distances via skywave where the signal hits the ionosphere hundreds of miles up and is bent back to Earth far from the transmitter. This happens at night when the "D" layer of the ionosphere , (that absorbs lower frequency RF) disappears.
FM radio (VHF) is normally hearable just beyond optical line-of-sight , but can hit tropospheric ducting caused by temperature inversions, Often hundreds of miles from the transmitter. RARELY it can be helped ;by the lower "E" layer of the ionosphere to maybe a thousand miles. (this is very rare).
Hearing Cincinnati in Lower michigan happens every night ! My best AMBC reception was hearing KFI in Los Angeles one night in Detroit.

[TC Talks]

I meant WWL, at 830am.

WLW isn't an extraordinary catch.

[Colonel Flagg]

What we learn from TC's posts above... don't post on the buzzboard after spending all day with "Mary Jane" and Glenlivet.