We were listening to the radio as we entered the Holland Tunnel (Jersey-bound), and after a few moments we experienced the expected plunge into static, then nothingness. Just for kicks, I hit “seek” on the radio and watched as it scanned up through the spectrum, hit the upper limit, then started again from the bottom. To our amazement, it stopped–on 88.7 FM.
While we sat in the slow-moving tunnel traffic, we listened to the slow electronica music. Three or four songs came and went, but never any station identification. I wondered if we were somehow picking up someone’s CD player–you know, the kind that you install in the trunk, that broadcasts your CD on FM so you can listen through your car’s radio without having to connect any wires–but it didn’t seem likely. We were in the left lane, and the cars in the right weren’t traveling at the same pace. I put some distance between myself and the car ahead, maybe 75 feet, then did the same with the car behind me by speeding up. The reception never wavered; it was perfect.
After we emerged from the tunnel, we got some static occasionally. Another station came in and out. Then, as we moved over to get on the Turnpike, it went out completely and never returned.
I didn’t think those car CD players had great range–I didn’t think they had any range outside of your car. But could they transmit in a tunnel 75 feet or more? Or is there some crazy amateur trance Holland Tunnel radio station that goes long stretches without DJ intervention?