WROL 950 FM translator 100.3 FM

FM translator W262CV on 100.3 FM greatly expands the AM listening audience of WROL 950 Class D AM. WROL’s 5kW day signal from Rumney Marsh Reservation in Saugus is greatly attenuated to 90 watts at night to protect stations including:

  • WIBX Utica, NY
  • WKDN King of Prussia, PA
  • CKNB New Brunswick, Canada

This means WROL night coverage is weak in Boston and even core North Shore communities that are well within WROL day coverage.

FM translators for AM: AM Revitalization FM translators for AM stations attempt to provide the AM daytime coverage 24 hours a day via 250 watt or less transmissions in the FM broadcast band. Having an FM signal can be a boon for station advertising revenue–provided the FM coverage is not disrupted by unexpected factors such as illegal broadcasters. The Feb. 2017 R&O extended the 60 dBu (1 mV/m) FM translator contour to the greater of the AM 2 mV/m contour or 25 mile radius.

WROL W262CV 100.3 specifications

  • 45 watts
  • 42 21 46.35012 N 071 05 08.18621W (WGS84) Near the MIT Kendall MBTA stop, on the Marriott Hotel on Broadway (next to Microsoft NERD building).
  • height above ground: 90 meters

WROL FM translator interference: the 100.3 pirates changed frequency, but WROL 100.3 faces severe challenges from, and presents new challenges to other licensed stations. Listeners to these existing stations may object to the new WROL 100.3 translator.

Co-channel

50 kW WHEB is the primary limitation to coverage, particularly in the northeastern parts of Boston. However, one can merely switch to WROL 950 AM in northeast exurbs of Boston as per W262CV Exhibit 3 interference study.

Licensed co-channel interferers include:

  • WKIT Bangor, ME
  • WHEB Portsmouth, NH 50 kW station that interfered with Dorchester 100.3 pirate, sometimes overriding pirate down to at least Chinatown area.
  • W262CL Brattleboro, VT
  • WKKB Middletown, RI
  • WFFG Warrensburg, NY
  • W262AS Bridgehampton, NY

Adjacent channel

For most listeners, co-channel WHEB is more limiting than first adjacent WBRS.

  • WBRS 100.1 Brandeis Univ., Waltham (25 watts)