FM broadcasting
VHF Radio waves do not travel far beyond the visual horizon, so reception distances for FM stations are usually limited to 30–40 miles (50–65 km) They can also be blocked by hills or buildings.
WXDU
Getting an FM station on the air is no trivial task: among other things, WDUK would need a large amount of funding, University support, an FCC license, and a place to put the transmitter. The decision on where to put the transmitter was pivotal. Due to nearby stations of 88.5 and 88.9, a new station on 88.7 would not be able to operate at a very high power level. If the transmitter were put on campus, it could operate at a couple of hundred watts of power, and could reach almost a hundred square miles. If the transmitter were put at a location in the Duke Forest in Hillsborough, NC, it could operate at over one thousand watts, and could reach over three hundred square miles. The latter option would be a gamble, however, as studies showed that reception on campus could turn out to be marginal.