Best and worst sounding stations in the Flint/Tri Cities area

[Tyler]

FLINT

The best: WDZZ FM
The worst: WFBE FM

SAG/BAY/MIDLAND

The best: WCEN-FM
The worst: WHNN-FM

[hb2]

FLINT

The best: WDZZ FM
The worst: WFBE FM

SAG/BAY/MIDLAND

The best: WCEN-FM
The worst: WHNN-FM

I concur with WFBE sounding the worst. It is analog only FM that to me sounds compressed like an HD-2 subchannel. Especially on UofM programming.

I guess I haven't noticed anything bad with WHNN's sound but don't listen to it enough to tell. I do listen to W244EN the Bridge 96.7 translator for WLCO and it too has some noticeable compression.

But not mentioned, I think WFBE and WHNN are both far beaten in poor quality audio by WHSR of strong tower radio. Nothing against religious broadcasters, but I think this station takes the cake for the poorest sounding audio. It is very heavily compressed and not full sounding, I think a very low bitrate livestream might be comparable to the quality outputted.

Other than that WSNL sometimes has an STL (or sometimes a TTL issue, Transmitter to Translator Link) issue and the audio randomly drops out on either just the translator or both signals simultaneously.

I did scroll by WSAM 1400 the other day and the AM sounded pretty good actually.

WWCK 1570/ 107.3 has been just an open carrier for days now (hard to tell if they even have it powered up still) but no new silent STA as of yet... the A.C. format was pretty good actually, wished they'd just keep it going. Or sell it to someone who'd actually put something (meaningful) on it. The AM was sounding much better now than before it shut down for 11 months.

[fairbankshockeypuck]

1250 WJMK Me-TV FM oldies /99.3 translator don't sound too bad. The 5K AM daytime signal gets out well, and the FM translator gets well west and north of Saginaw, based out of Bridgeport.

107.1 WTLZ along with 97.3 Joe FM could use a little more "punch"

102.5 and 96.1 have the loudest and big bass sound and strong signals

98.5 UPS impresses me with their big coverage area

1400 WSAM for AM sounds pretty good with good daytime signal, but virtually disappears at night, except when atmopsheric conditions limit the skywave.

100.9 sports radio out of Pinconning/studios in Midland does pretty well. In my old truck radio was tough during early morning winter hours clashing with 100.9 out of Big Rapids

600 WSNL not even close to the old WTAC in its hey day

[hb2]

98.5 UPS impresses me with their big coverage area

Forgot about WUPS. The one FM station that covers virtually all of the northern half of lower Michigan with varying yet decent amount of signal. I have recieved them during a tropo event as far south as Holly/Springfield Twp area on I-75 last year, normally the southeastern fringe area where the signal begins/ends is (traveling on I-475) near Beecher or Mt. Morris at the bend north of Flint where the road goes from North/South to East/West. Bird miles that is approx. 98 miles away, below the theoretical radio horizon. Admitted in this mentioned area there aren't any 1st adjacent or HD radio signals nearby so the signal could be deciphered farther away than if there were interference sources nearby. Gets pretty clear by Birch Run going up 75.

This is as I would say, FM done right. Good sound, and massive (omnidirectional) coverage area from a strategic central location in Michigan. A station you aren't going to drive through the full signal area in 1-2 hours if passing through. Per the Radio- locator map it gives local grade coverage to 6 entire counties and 16 more counties get partial local grade coverage in the region. WCEN has a more directionalized signal with a weak null toward Grand Rapids so they are not as economical as WUPS even though both are 100kW.
Link to the coverage map:
https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?c ... service=FM

[fairbankshockeypuck]

UPS out of Harrison with xmitter I believe and studios? in Houghton Lake use various top of hour ID's to include Saginaw too
With Tiger baseball, when thunderstorms hit and mess with WSGW on AM, I will crank uo WQBX 104. 9 out of Alma.
But I am very disappointed in the audio quality..QBX sounds over modulated and SGW muddy and over modulated at times.
Their Red Wing broadcasts on 790 even worse in quality....many times low volume...
I am told am1250/99.3 use internet streaming((maybe many use instead of satellite feed))to broadcast over the airwaves

[bmw]

102.5 and 96.1 have the loudest and big bass sound and strong signals

Both are EXTREMELY over-processed. 96.1 at least has a very "clean" sound but holy hell they need to back down those processing knobs a bit. 102.5 and will always be hopeless in this regard.

[Tyler]

102.5 and 96.1 have the loudest and big bass sound and strong signals

Both are EXTREMELY over-processed. 96.1 at least has a very "clean" sound but holy hell they need to back down those processing knobs a bit. 102.5 and will always be hopeless in this regard.

BMW, Is it just me or does WIOG sound very muddy? Has for quite a while.

[djb]

I've noticed as of late on WIOG that highs (perhaps 12k and above) sound completely squashed; especially when there's no other bands to process (such as during dry voice). Was hearing it in cymbals as well, during 'breakdowns' of songs.

HF Limiting/De-esssing adjustment needed?
Perhaps TX tube nearing EOL?
Stereo Pilot off a bit? (This used to occur 20 years ago from time to time).

To me, HNN sounds loud - but clean(er) than WIOG.

[teetoppz28]

102.5 and 96.1 have the loudest and big bass sound and strong signals

Both are EXTREMELY over-processed. 96.1 at least has a very "clean" sound but holy hell they need to back down those processing knobs a bit. 102.5 and will always be hopeless in this regard.

Agreed with 96.1... My wife LOVES to stream that station for Christmas music on the iHeart app... it's even worse there than OTA!

[craigrussell100]

This is such a objective topic. Wish the OP would elaborate on what they mean by "Best and Worst" sounding stations. Sound Quality? Signal? Programming? Music? Personalities? Promotions? News/Sports?

One could cover each one of those topics, or all of them with this blanket statement. Some have taken the "sound quality" angle, or signal strength discussion.

[Tyler]

This is such a objective topic. Wish the OP would elaborate on what they mean by "Best and Worst" sounding stations. Sound Quality? Signal? Programming? Music? Personalities? Promotions? News/Sports?

One could cover each one of those topics, or all of them with this blanket statement. Some have taken the "sound quality" angle, or signal strength discussion.

You have bigger problems if you don't get what I meant. 7 other people understood the assignment. If you live like this online I bet you are real fun at a party, was always a fan of your airwork. Because of this post you have made me re evaluate that. My opinion of you has quickly changed

[fairbankshockeypuck]

790 WSGW-Saginaw/104.9 WQBX Alma/the Detroit Tiger broadcasts quality....SGW is low volume, muddy and distorts at times... 104.9 is over-modulated...the engineers must not listen to their product...Funny that 790 local and syndicated is fine and 104.9 when play music is good too...