NHPR Reception Guide
Receiving NHPR
NHPR strives to serve all of New Hampshire with its mix of state programs, such as The Exchange, and The Front Porch as well as national programs, such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Car Talk, and A Prairie Home Companion.
Through a network of full-power FM radio stations and lower-power FM translator stations, NHPR serves more than 150,000 listeners each week. Despite our best efforts, however, there are pockets of New Hampshire where our signal is weak. New Hampshire's mountainous geography, a lack of available frequencies, and competition from other radio stations all impact NHPR's ability to deliver programming to your radio.
 Common Reception Problems
NHPR broadcasts exclusively on the FM band. FM stands for frequency modulation, and utilizes frequencies between 88 and 108 MHz. FM radio offers reception that is superior to AM, which often features static and signal fading. With FM radio, signals are broadcast via line of sight. That is, the radio waves travel in straight lines, much like a flood light illuminating the darkness. Among the most common maladies:
Multipath
When NHPR's signal reaches your radio via multiple paths, it causes multipath distortion. This can occur whether you are close to our transmitters, or at a great distance. Radio waves that reflect off objects such as buildings, mountains, or automobiles can distort what you hear. You will hear the direct signal, and a reflected signal a split-second later. Your "s" will sound like "shh." It may also sound like a wooden stick being run against a picket fence.
 Weather-related
One phenomenon that you may notice is when you receive interference from another station on one of our frequencies, or when that station takes NHPR's place on the dial. This is usually a weather related problem and is caused by a Temperature Inversion in the atmosphere in the New England region. It is only a temporary problem and should last from a few minutes to an hour, so stay tuned.
Weak Signal
The distance between your radio and NHPR's transmitter can greatly effect what you hear. The further the distance, the greater the opportunity for interference. A weak signal is represented by static, hiss, or intermittent fading. Try switching your radio from stereo to mono to improve the signal.
 Maintenance
On occasion, NHPR will need to turn its transmitting equipment off or down in order to conduct routine maintenance. Every effort is made to do this during "off hours" and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
Improving Your Reception
If you are picking us up directly off the air and have a noisy signal, try these suggestions.
1. If you have a portable radio, move it to a different location in the room, or re-orient the antenna near a window. Metal structures inside of walls can reflect and cancel out FM signals in the area of your radio's antenna. Keep the antenna in the clear for best results.
2. Move the radio's power cord around to straighten out its length toward the plug on the wall. Several manufacturers use the power cord as the antenna, so it helps to keep the cord away from surrounding metal  objects if possible. This is particularly helpful with bedside clock radios.
3. If you have an outside directional antenna, re-orient it toward the station for maximum received signal strength. You may discover that the strongest signal does not come from Concord. This could be due to terrain or large objects near you in the path from our transmitter to your receiving location. Orient your antenna for maximum signal strength on your receiver. Adjust for maximum reading on the receiver's signal strength meter, or LED display if there is one, or adjust for loudest signal. Also, check the feed line and all connections from the antenna to the radio to make sure they are all good. Losses in signal strength can occur with dirty or corroded connections that produce noise or static in your radio.
4. If you have a wire dipole antenna (a flat, T-shaped wire) attached to the antenna terminals on the rear of your receiver, check to see that it's fully extended. Next, try changing the orientation of the antenna, it should be broadside to the station you are trying to receive for the most effective performance. If it is vertical, change it to horizontal. If it is horizontal, try vertical.
 External Antennas
The antenna is where the radio receives the FM radio waves. Properly utilizing an antenna can greatly improve your reception.
Dipole antenna
A flat, t-shaped wire that attaches to terminals on the back of your receiver. If often comes with high-end, component AM/FM Stereo Receivers. Dipole antennas are inexpensive and are sold by a variety of retailers.
Amplified antenna
Receives a weak radio signal and boosts it for your receiver,strengthening reception. These are more expensive than dipole antennas. It should be noted that, in the presence of a stronger FM signal, the reception can be degraded. Amplified antennas can be found at a variety of retailers.
Directional antenna
Similar to old-fashion television antennas that are connected to your radio with coaxial cable. Directional antennas can be found at a variety of retailers.
Cable Television Reception
Many cable television companies distribute FM radio stations via their cables. Contact your cable company for more information. If you receive NHPR via cable television, and experience poor reception, contact your cable company. If you find that NHPR is fuzzy or noisy on the dial, check other stations. If they sound OK, call your cable provider and report it. This could indicate problems with the cable TV's headend receiver or antenna system.
 Listen Online
NHPR's programming is simulcast on the internet. In addition to the live programming, you can access NHPR's audio archives, including feature stories, The Exchange, and The Front Porch. If you live in an area where we have a marginal signal, the internet can be a great source of NHPR programming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I listen to NHPR?
There are full-power radio stations and lower-power translator stations across New Hampshire that deliver NHPR's programming to your radio. The station or frequency you should tune to depends on where you live.
In Manchester, Concord, and most of Central New Hampshire, tune to WEVO 89.1 FM; in Keene and southwest New Hampshire, tune to WEVN 90.7 FM; in Hanover, Lebanon and the Upper Valley, tune to WEVH 91.3 FM; in Gorham, Berlin and the North Country, tune to WEVC 107.1 FM; in Jackson, Conway, and the Mount Washington Valley, tune to WEVJ 99.5 FM; and Nashua and southern New Hampshire tune to WEVS 88.3 FM.
You can also receive NHPR in Nashua at 90.3 FM, Dover at 104.3 FM, Littleton at 91.3 FM, Portsmouth at 103.9 FM and Colebrook at 105.9 FM.
Why is the signal so weak in my city or town?
While NHPR would love to add a full-powered station everywhere its signal is weak, the decision of where and when we add a station is not entirely within our control. The FCC strictly regulates where a radio station can be built, how powerfully it can broadcast, and where it will be located on the dial. Additionally, the span of radio signals reserved for non-commercial stations is limited to a small percentage of the radio dial.
Because we are located in a very crowded corner of the country, it is difficult to find available non-commercial frequencies, and commercial frequencies are very expensive to acquire. NHPR has searched continuously for available frequencies throughout New Hampshire, as well as in Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts. However, we've always run the risk of interfering with other non-commercial broadcasters already broadcasting. The FCC won't allow us to cause interference with another station. Additionally, international treaties prevent us from interfering with Canadian stations
I can hear NHPR in my car, but not on the clock radio next to my bed. Why?
Generally speaking, radios in your automobile are better receivers of radio signals than those in your house. Typically, clock radios use the power cord as an antenna. They might also have a flexible, whip antenna built into the radio. The location of the power cord, or whip antenna, will affect your reception. If you've recently moved your radio, this can affect reception. Try repositioning the radio and/or power cord.
I can receive another public radio station, but not NHPR. Why?
Because radio waves do not stop at state lines, you might be able to hear another public radio station more clearly than you will NHPR. If you are located closer to another station's transmitter than to one of NHPR's, you will receive their signal better.
Passport to Public Radio
A printable list of public radio stations throughout the United States, so you can catch your favorite NPR programs wherever you go.
Click here to download (PDF, 744K)
When I tune in to NHPR, I can hear another radio station instead. What's causing this?
This is usually caused by a temperature inversion in the atmosphere. It occurs when there is an odd collision of weather and atmospheric conditions, causing radio waves to act strangely. It is temporary, lasting from a few minutes to an hour. The problem should correct itself soon, so please stay tuned.
I keep hearing drop-outs or other interruptions in your programming. What's the cause?
NHPR works hard to maintain its network of transmitters, translators and satellite downlinks. Occasionally, problems pop up and we do our best to address them as quickly as possible.
Common problems include transmitter outages, when no signal is received and you only receive static when you tune to NHPR. Another common problem is loss of programming, when you tune to NHPR only to hear silence. Another frequent problem is interference. With the onslaught of wireless communication devices, such as cellular phones, pagers, wi-fi networks and two-way radios, we have experienced an increase in interference-related problems. This manifests itself by brief chirps, whistles or drop-outs. The problem can last from a few seconds to several minutes.
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