Longtime MapPoint/Virtual Earth gurus SpatialPoint released a radio coverage application the other day to help you find a station in your area broadcasting the Superbowl making it easy to tune in to hear how the Giants do against the Pats wherever you live. I've seen a bunch of RF coverage applications using Virtual Earth technology in the past (National Public Radio has a really nice one) but what stands out here is SpatialPoint's use of SQL Server 2008. Using SQL makes it much easier to do things like query for all of the stations along a long route so that as you drive out of one coverage area you know what station to tune next. You could calculate this on your own given the route geometry, but asking SQL to do this is much easier and architecturally cleaner. Check out the cool tune-list generated by the application for a trip from Seattle to Chicago:

You can tune in station KJR-AM (950) broadcasting out of SEATTLE immediately. Coverage should last for about 40.11 miles. Depart on I-5 Express Ln (South) (2.26 mi)

1 Turn LEFT onto Ramp (0.18 mi)

2 Turn LEFT (North-East) onto Cherry St, then immediately turn RIGHT (South) onto 6th Ave (0.21 mi)

3 Keep LEFT onto Ramp (0.43 mi)

4 Keep LEFT to stay on Ramp (0.05 mi)

5 Take Ramp (LEFT) onto I-90 (479.24 mi)

You will lose station KJR-AM (950) broadcasting out of SEATTLE at about mile 40.11.

You can tune in station KWIQ-AM (1020) broadcasting out of MOSES LAKE NORTH at about mile 166.22. Coverage should last for about 27.90 miles.

You will lose station KWIQ-AM (1020) broadcasting out of MOSES LAKE NORTH at about mile 194.11.

. . .

Of course, displaying the RF coverage shapes in Virtual Earth from SQL server is a breeze:

Technorati tags: Superbowl, SpatialPoint, RF Coverage

Click here to view the full post.