[BC] WTOP Coverage

[R J Carpenter]

The answer to Donna's question about WTOP coverage is that they are
"The WTOP Radio Network".  They now have 4 frequencies trying to cover
the area.

Jim Farley, one of their honchos, got some kind of award a few years
ago. In his acceptance he is quoted as saying that it's really hard to
get good numbers with "three crappy signals".  They didn't yet have
the Leesburg translator.

WTOP 1500 covers DC pretty well and the eastern and SE suburbs; poorly
in the rich W and NW Virginia suburbs.  Remember they are something of
a "station of record". Their content has weight "on the hill".  One
Congressman was heard berating his staff "Why did I hear this first on
WTOP? Why didn't you tell me?"

WXTR 820 Fredreick, MD, is a fairly recent-comer to the frequency.
Thus their interference-free contour at night must be pretty bad.
They are ND-D 4.3 kW but only 430 W at night with a null toward
northernmost Virginia.

WTOP-FM Warrenton is 40-some miles from central DC and about 30 miles
from Leesburg. . Lots of national movers and shakers have their
estates between Warrenton and Leesburg.  WXTR is over 20 miles from
Leesburg so it won't be heard at night or winter drive-time.

W282BA 104.3 100W with a null to the NNE is their new Leesburg
translator. There's a cochannel to WTOP-FM on 107.7 in Gettysburg, PA
(50 miles from Leesburg) which is probably one reason for the
translator at Leesburg

That still leaves something of a gap during the winter along I-270
which is a 25-mile linear parking lot from Frederick to Rockville
during drive time.

WTOP/Bonneville really needs to buy WFRE(FM) 7.9kW at 1164 ft HAAT
Frederick, but I'd guess the price would curl your teeth. They could
then ditch WXTR and the Leesburg translator.

And now WTOP runs their internet Federal News Radio on WFED 1050 1 KW
ND-D SIlver Spring, MD.  Its 43 W at night does surprisingly well, but
it's only 43 W.