Radio ION

The station antenna is based in I'On Square. Since by definition this is a low-powered community radio station operating under FCC rules part 15 we cannot exceed a power level of one tenth of a watt. The publicly licensed Charleston radio stations run 5000 watts: 50,000 times the power of our station.

The useful range of the signal is deemed to be a 1 mile radius from I'On Square. Here are some tips help you receive a clear station signal within the listening area.

The easy, fast way to hear a clear ION Radio signal is to listen on your car radio. Listeners have reported good reception up to a mile from the station on I'On Square. There have been reports of the signal being readable at much greater distances during the day, sometimes extending over the new bridge into Charleston.

Boom-boxes with extendable antennas appear to be ok as well. Clock radios and small handheld radios will probably only be useful in the immediate area of the station. Some older radios will not tune above 1600 KHZ.

Your best location for your radio inside your home, may be in a room closest to I'On Square...less 'stuff' for the signal to have to work through inside your home.

Here are the actual test results from inside a home (frame house with siding) at the corner of North Shelmore and Hospitality (beside the Creek Club parking lot), to give you an idea of the signal differences with in-home location and equipment...adjusting the location of the antenna, and/or the direction of the radio helps fine-tune the signal.

Boom Box with antenna:

rooms furthest away from I'On Square: signal fair to good, readable with background static
rooms closest to I'On Square: signal good to very good, all day listening strength

Clock radio:

rooms furthest away from I'On Square: signal poor but legible
rooms closest to I'On Square: signal poor to fair, too much static to listen to comfortably

Other factors affecting the signal, particularly at night

In a room, cell phones, fluorescent lights and power supplies (like for a laptop) can also create localized static.

Static from a variety of sources and interference from other radio stations at night, are more of a problem with am radio than fm radio. Power lines, automobile engines, traffic lights and lightening during thunderstorms are just a few additional sources of static noise.

Reception of other stations on 1640 KHZ at night is is generally only a problem at outside limits of the listening range, although you may notice a some background noise in your signal at night as a result.