The situation when your favorite song is playing on the air, but an unfamiliar call sign or city is displayed on the radio display, is familiar to many motorists. The question “new radio, which city” often arises among those who have just moved, gone on a long trip, or replaced their car head unit. Radio waves do not respect administrative boundaries as strictly as we think, and a signal from a neighboring metropolis can interrupt local broadcasting.
Understanding the principles of radio propagation helps not only satisfy curiosity, but also optimize sound quality in the salon. Drivers often mistakenly believe that if the radio picks up “New Radio” from another city, then this is always good. However, in practice, this can lead to constant interference, hissing and interruption of the signal when leaving the zone of reliable reception.
In this article, we will look at how to technically identify the source of a signal, what factors affect radio reception, and why it is sometimes better to manually switch to a less powerful but stable transmitter. We will consider frequency ranges, terrain features and settings of modern automotive equipment.
Broadcasting geography and coverage areas
The radio station “New Radio” (New Radio of Russia) broadcasts on frequencies in the VHF (FM) range, covering a significant part of the country. However, the concept of “which city” in the context of radio broadcasting is relative. The signal is broadcast through a network of repeaters, and your receiver picks up exactly the transmitter that is currently the most powerful at a given point.
The coverage area directly depends on the transmitter power and the antenna installation height. In large cities, such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, the density of transmitters is high, and the broadcasting city is clearly defined. In border zones or on routes between regional centers the situation is different. Here radio signal can “walk”, capturing the air frequencies of neighboring settlements.
⚠️ Attention: In border regions (for example, Kaliningrad region, Karelia, Far East) a station from a neighboring state may broadcast on the same frequency. Always check call signs if you hear an unfamiliar advertisement or broadcast language.
There are several ways to determine which city is broadcasting the signal at your current location. The easiest way is to look at the RDS information on the display of the radio, if it is supported. The name of the city or the regional location of the station is often indicated there. If the display simply shows frequency, you will have to use external data sources.
Hills, high-rise buildings and even dense forests can create “dead zones” or, conversely, unexpected zones of refraction, where a signal from a distant city will be heard better than from a nearby regional center.
Technical aspects: frequencies and transmitters
To accurately determine the source of the signal, you need to understand at what frequency you are listening to the broadcast. “New Radio” broadcasts on different frequencies in different cities. For example, in Moscow it is 104.2 FM, in St. Petersburg - 105.3 FM, and in Yekaterinburg - 100.9 FM. Knowing the exact frequency, you can check official coverage maps.
Modern head units (GU) often have a function RDS (Radio Data System). This technology allows digital information to be transmitted along with the audio signal: station name, program type and, what is important for us, region or city code. If your radio supports RDS, it can automatically search for alternative frequencies (AF) of the same station when the signal deteriorates.
Let's consider the main parameters affecting reception:
- 📡 Transmitter power: The higher the power (measured in kW), the further the wave travels.
- 🏔️ Antenna height: New Radio transmitters are often located on television towers or high-rise buildings, which expands the horizon.
- 🚗 Car antenna quality: an active antenna with an amplifier will pick up a weak signal from a distant city, a passive one - only a powerful local one.
Sometimes it happens that two neighboring radio stations operate on the same or very close frequency. This is called interference. In border areas you can hear a “mess” of two broadcasts. In this case, the question “which city” becomes meaningless, since you are in a frequency conflict zone.
Use online services like FMscan or telecom operator coverage maps to see where the tower of the radio station you need is physically located relative to your route.
How to Determine the Broadcast City: Practical Methods
If you are in an unfamiliar area and want to find out whose broadcast your “New Radio” is picking up, there are proven algorithms of action. The first and most reliable way is to use specialized online maps and frequency directories. Simply enter your current frequency (eg 101.5) and approximate location to get a list of all transmitters within a 100 km radius.
The second method is content grid analysis. Regional inserts, advertising of local car dealerships, announcements of city events or local news will immediately identify the city of broadcasting. The federal network of New Radio is the same, but the regional blocks (especially in the morning and evening hours) are very different.
The third way is technical. If you have a smartphone with GPS and an RF scanner app (or just internet access), you can compare signal quality. When moving towards the intended city, monitor the signal strength (RSSI). If the signal increases, you are moving towards the source.
Below is a table with examples of broadcast frequencies in large cities with a population of over a million, so you can get your bearings:
| City | Frequency (FM) | Transmitter power (kW) | Tower location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow | 104.2 | 5.0 | Ostankino Tower |
| Saint Petersburg | 105.3 | 4.0 | Telecentre |
| Novosibirsk | 102.9 | 2.0 | Gor. center |
| Ekaterinburg | 100.9 | 1.5 | TV tower |
| Kazan | 103.6 | 1.0 | Gorky Park |
It is worth noting that the data in the table may change depending on technical work or equipment modernization. It is always better to check the latest information on the official website of the radio station.
Reception problems on the road and their solutions
A common problem when listening to “New Radio” on a long journey is the loss of signal when moving away from a large city. The driver hears a noise, and then the radio automatically switches to another frequency of the same station, but from a different city. Sometimes this transition does not occur correctly, and instead of music you only hear crackling sounds.
To minimize discomfort, it is necessary to properly configure the head unit. In the radio menu, find the function Regional (Regional) or Local (Local). If the "Local" function is turned on, the radio will ignore weak signals from distant cities, focusing only on powerful transmitters in the immediate vicinity.
If you want to listen specifically to a specific city (for example, you are listening to important news from the capital), disable the search function for alternative frequencies (AF Off). This will force the radio to stick to the selected frequency until the last minute, even if the signal is weak.
☑️ Setting up the radio for the track
Problems may also arise due to a malfunction of the antenna amplifier. If you notice that “New Radio” has stopped receiving where it used to receive excellent reception, check the power supply to the active antenna. There should be an option in the radio menu Antenna Power or Boost, which supplies 12V to the antenna wire.
⚠️ Attention: When installing a new radio, people often forget to connect the blue wire (Remote) to the antenna amplifier. Without this wire, the antenna does not work, and you will only catch the most powerful transmitters in the immediate vicinity.
Setting up a car tuner
Correct tuner settings are the key to high-quality sound. Many drivers have been driving for years with factory settings that are not optimized for Russian realities and long distances between cities. For New Radio, which often uses dynamic sound processing, sensitivity parameters are important.
Enter the engineering menu or radio settings of your GU. Find the parameter Seek Sensitivity (Search sensitivity). For a city, it is better to set it to “High” in order to catch all repeaters. For the route, to avoid constant switching and noise, it is better to select “Mid” or “Low”.
Another important parameter is Stereo/Mono. At the edge of the reception area, the stereo signal may disintegrate, causing strong hiss. Some advanced radios allow you to force Mono mode on for the FM band. The sound will become less voluminous, but the noise will disappear, and the speech of DJs will become intelligible.
Sequence of actions to reset radio settings (if the tuner does not work correctly):
Menu -> Settings -> System -> Factory Reset -> Radio SettingsAfter reset, run the function Auto Store (Auto-save) so that the radio will re-scan the airwaves and save the current frequencies for your current location.
The secret of quality reception
The quality of reception often depends not on the radio, but on the coaxial cable. If you have changed the antenna or head unit, make sure that you use a cable with a copper core and high-quality shielding. Cheap braided aluminum dramatically reduces the signal level at frequencies above 100 MHz.
Influence of relief and urban development
Do not forget that the answer to the question “which city receives radio” is often dictated by physics. In dense urban areas (street canyons), the signal is reflected from buildings, creating multipath propagation. This can lead to the fact that in one part of the district one can catch “New Radio” from the center, and two blocks later - from the suburbs.
In mountainous areas the situation is even more interesting. The signal may not travel directly, but bend around obstacles or be reflected from mountain slopes. In such conditions, stations from cities that are hundreds of kilometers away in a straight line, but have direct radio visibility, are often picked up.
If you are traveling in a high ground vehicle or, conversely, in a low sports car, the difference in reception may be noticeable. An antenna located on the roof works more efficiently than one built into the glass. In tunnels and on overpasses, the New Radio signal inevitably disappears, and it doesn’t matter what city is nearby.
The stability of the reception of “New Radio” depends on the line of sight to the transmitting tower. Any obstacle between you and the tower reduces the signal quality, even if the city is only 10 km away.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does New Radio sometimes show the wrong city name?
This occurs due to the nature of RDS data transmission. The transmitter may broadcast a static region code that is not updated when switching to a repeater in a neighboring city, or the radio may not decode information correctly when the signal is weak.
Is it possible to listen to New Radio via the Internet if there is no coverage in the city?
Yes, this is the optimal solution. The radio station's mobile application or aggregators like Yandex.Music allow you to listen to live broadcasts anywhere in the world where there is 3G/4G Internet, regardless of the presence of physical transmitters.
How often is the list of radio station frequencies updated?
Frequencies change rarely, usually when equipment is upgraded or new frequencies are licensed. However, transmitter power and location may change more frequently, affecting the coverage map.
Does window tinting affect radio reception?
Yes, if the antenna is built into the glass (and not active on the roof). Metallic tinting creates the effect of a Faraday cage and can significantly weaken the FM signal, which is why the radio will only pick up the most powerful stations from the nearest major cities.