Nick Langan
@w2njl
Writer, Radio World. Creator of the RadioLand app. Villanova professor, Philly sports
What have you been checking out most lately? Our Radio World most viewed stories included the induction of four Cornhusker State voices into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, and a wonderful tour by Mark Persons of WSM(AM)'s Nashville transmitter site.
Last week, we featured stories on WLNC's return to the airwaves after its AM broadcast tower collapsed, Dan Slentz's guide to building an LPFM radio station and the latest commentary from John Caracciolo. It's our Radio World most viewed stories for the week ending July 31.
This week, meteorologist Allan Nosoff shared his insight on radio signals and wildfire smoke; we brought you Jerry Del Colliano's commentary on license forfeitures, and profiled an effort to save WBT(AM)'s transmitter site. It's our Radio World most viewed stories of the week.
I'm guessing if you were working the 2-meter amateur bands in the eastern or central U.S. today, you cleaned up. MUF for E-Skip was above 162 MHz for a long stretch. I've run out of superlatives for this season! I doubt we're done! My RabbitEars.Info FM autologger from South Jersey for today.
This week, our most viewed stories included a close call with wildfire for the Camp Jackson tower that contains critical broadcast equipment for stations in and around Pueblo, Colo. There was also optimism from the National Association of Broadcasters on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
I think nearly everyone would agree this has been a great E-skip season. Today had a bunch of activity into FM, a big-time opening, including some signals from Kentucky, which is pretty uncommon for me in South Jersey. Here's what my autologger got via RDS decodes.
At SMPTEDC's Bits by the Bay in Chesapeake Beach, Md., a cross-generational panel discusses the future of media engineers. "Our decisions right now will influence those who come after us." "The one thing that will exist 100 years from now is content creation."
Great to be at SMPTE’s Bits by the Bay, where later today I’ll present Radio World’s takeaways from the 2026 NAB Show. Strange but true: It marks the first time I’ve ever stepped foot in Calvert County, Md.
This morning, 92.9 W225DC, a 250-watt translator in Peoria, Ill., for WVBP(AM), received via E-Skip here in New Jersey. Very nice day of early season skip action!
Day two of the Society of Broadcast Engineers Ennes Workshops at the NAB Show are underway. Steve Shultis of @wnyc.org is presenting with Claudia Haase of Securepoint on protecting an important asset at your transmitter sites — your humans!
The meetup with Joe and @jeffgeerling.com is definitely my 2026 NAB Show highlight!
It is always a cool feeling to see your byline in print, here for the NAB Show Daily. Looking forward to covering a session later today moderated by @agomezfcc.bsky.social.
Really excited about this for David, who gets to go out as a Villanova senior finally at the NCAA Tournament after tirelessly broadcasting men's and women's games. As the RadioLand app shows, it's time for the 89.1 WXVU(FM) signal to shine! 😀
The weight from the snow here in the Pine Barrens has my precious APS-13 antenna, which never had a problem with its chimney mount in more than 20 years, hanging perilously. 😱
A packed ballroom of college students, faculty and advisors await the IBS Media awards to be revealed.
At the IBS college radio conference, from Villanova’s WXVU, Dr. Carol Weingarten, the inaugural director of the station’s partnership with Villanova Nursing and WXV&U Health Director, sophomore, Mitch Dalesio, present how they use credit-bearing independent studies for college station activities.
Our IBS 2026 keynote speaker is Helen Little of WLTW in New York. She was the 1st African-Amercian female radio operations director. She was PD of New York's WWPR. But she opted to host middays at WLTW. "You have to find out what motivates you," she said. For Helen, it's the fun of it all.
Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems President Chris Thomas shared a couple minutes with me at IBS 2026. IBS visitors will best know him as emcee of the show's award ceremonies. There are around 850 students in attendance. Helen Little of WLTW(FM) will be Saturday's keynote speaker. #IBSNYC26
Mindy draws some oohs-and-aahs from the students in attendance as she describes notable tower sites across North America. She is explaining the visual differences in FM, AM and TV broadcast antennas and is quizzing her subjects. Mindy points out Dallas-Ft. Worth's Cedar Hill tower farm here.
New to #IBSNY2026 are its engineering-focused sessions. Love to see it! They're led by Bud Williamson and Andy Gladding of SBE's Chapter 15. Right now, Mindy Hoffman, engineer with Audacy and advisor for 90.3 WVPH(FM) at Rutgers is talking about troubleshooting station technical issues.
Our first session offers a roundtable for faculty. It includes Jodi Vale of of Five Towns College, Carol Weingarten of Villanova University and Al Levine of Nassau Community College. How do you stay authentic? The impact of AI in schools is the first topic for discussion. #IBSNY2026
Another November E-Skip opening! FM into South Florida this morning from New Jersey.
Tomorrow at 11 a.m E.T., I'll be a guest on the World Radio TV Handbook's "Radio Unplugged" series, talking all things long-distance FM listening and more. 📻 I invite you to sign up and check it out! events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a4dbec...
Really great eastern U.S. DX day, July 21. It started out with 92.9 WGTZ, 95.5 WXMG, 99.7 WRKZ and 105.9 WNKN from Ohio via tropo in the 8 a.m. hour, an opening that was probably going better before I found it — got in late from our vacation road trip!
Drove across Alabama today with my brother and mom to meet @spann.bsky.social at his Florence book signing. The best meteorologist in the biz!
One of my favorite tropo paths is northwest over the Appalachian mountains. It's uncommon but happens typically in the early fall here in NJ. There was a very nice swath this morning, however, to Ontario, western Pennsylvania and upstate New York.
The E-Skip season was in a bit of a slump. I saw the "worst season in 45 years" annual declaration made this week — it's a rite of passage. But an excellent bounce back today with 14 states heard on my autologger midday. Hopefully more with SDR recordings! rabbitears.info/tvdx/fm_one_...