I'd love to know more. Too bad there's no equivalent of Radio-Locator that covers that area. MWList is OK, but not knowing the area I have little idea what's "a local" and what's DX. We'll all learn together I guess. The receiver's audio started glithcing for me last night after midnight EDT. Got it on now to see what's there in the daytime.
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gr8oldies, to me, a "local" is a station that, at minimum, is in my local market area. It should have a rock-solid clear signal (with no noise audible even on quiet passages with the volume cranked up), even on a $5-or-less pocket radio with a half-inch ferrite antenna, sitting near a plasma TV in a steel-and-concrete room lit by CFLs, etc. Bonus points if it overloads a crystal set that has no antenna connected. 
Even though KNX has a solid signal on a GE Superradio or a portable aided by a SAT, I don't consider it a local, on the grounds that where I live isn't part of the city of Los Angeles, to which KNX is licensed.
Even though KNX has a solid signal on a GE Superradio or a portable aided by a SAT, I don't consider it a local, on the grounds that where I live isn't part of the city of Los Angeles, to which KNX is licensed.
Continental Europe is roughly the size of the United States (and I use the term 'roughly' very roughly). So a station from Moscow heard in Spain would be not too dissimilar to hearing a station from Maine or Nova Scotia in California.
Hearing Germany from the Netherlands would be like you hearing a station in Las Vegas or Phoenix. Or maybe even Bakersfield -- Germany is right next door to the Netherlands. Hearing Ireland from the Netherlands would be like you hearing a station in Salt Lake City or Redding. Except with more sea water in the path.
I don't really have a way to know for sure what would be receivable on a cheap portable at the Univ. of Twente. Just going with the signal trength.
gr8oldies, to me, a "local" is a station that, at minimum, is in my local market area. It should have a rock-solid clear signal (with no noise audible even on quiet passages with the volume cranked up), even on a $5-or-less pocket radio with a half-inch ferrite antenna, sitting near a plasma TV in a steel-and-concrete room lit by CFLs, etc. Bonus points if it overloads a crystal set that has no antenna connected.
Even though KNX has a solid signal on a GE Superradio or a portable aided by a SAT, I don't consider it a local, on the grounds that where I live isn't part of the city of Los Angeles, to which KNX is licensed.
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Enshede (where the receiver is) is on the Netherlands/German border. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enschede
On balance, ground conductivity in Europe isn't all that much different than North America. Conductivity generally is good in level areas with deep, rich soil. Not good in mountains, tundra, or areas with thin, rocky soil. Exceptions exist, of course. Here's a link with a "ground conductivity atlas" that illustrates http://hamwaves.com/antennas/gnd-sigma/vlf_mf_ground_conductivity_atlas.pdf.
The stations which operate with more than the 50kw limit imposed here tend to get out well, as you would expect. But nothing that I would describe as "exceptional". Most of my experience is in Central London. There during daytime, you DO hear moderately strong stations from Holland and Belgium. Weaker signals from France, and at least one very weak daytime signal from Germany. You DON'T hear stations from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or the North of England.
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I heard AFRS on 2 different frequencies today (their late afternoon) weakly, but this apparently is full time NPR. The website only mentions 104.1, but I got it AM (I should be taking better notes because I don't remember where) http://www.nprberlin.de/
Interesting.
When we spent a few days with friends from Milwaukee in Bonn in 2001, AFRS and BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Services), were both available. BFBS was all that our hosts listened to...in their home and in their cars. Same for all the other ex-pats we met. IIRC, there were two BFBS stations (both on FM). One was news and information. The other was pop music 24/7. The music station is what the Americans were listening to. And same also for the Brits, and apparently the natives around Bonn and Cologne as well!
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I've played with the receiver for the past two evenings, and impressed. European Longwave is a treat since there is nothing on that band here in the mid-south of the US except for the occasional aviation beacon. BTW, you want catch RTE Radio 1 on 252KHz before the end of October when RTE plans to shut it down. Also the BBC Radio 4 relayer on 198KHz is strong but is on borrowed time due to the transmitter's use of very rare tubes. Article from 2011... http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/oct/09/bbc-radio4-long-wave-goodbye
Interesting article. BBC R. 4 is also on MW. As previously mentioned it's on 720khz in Central London at 750 watts, where it provides a better signal than 198 on Longwave. 198 wasn't all that bad....just far more subject to noise than the local on 720. As for 252, that was the home of a pop music station from Ireland, which had a signal nearly as good in London as R. 4 on 198....as long as you were in a noise-free zone. Anyway, the 252 pop music station eventually closed, the frequency was dark for a while, and finally RTE took over.
I was surprised at all the blaster-strength longwave signals day and night there. If "valves" are almost gone, I'd expect more than just the BBC will be leaving the air soon
Apparently people listen....or at least they used to. Last time I rented a car in the UK, it had MW/LW/FM. Also the time we stayed at our sister-in-law's parents home in Manchester, we slept in what was her room as a teenager....and the room she still uses when she returns home. There on the nightstand was her radio that includes the LW band. Whether anyone listens or not, there are still a large number of receivers equipped with longwave.
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It's really interesting that there's still music on high powered AM stations-even current and recent music. What's even more interesting is that they are all simulcast on FM and DAB. Either there still is an audience for these stations in areas that can't get the FMs/DABs/web/cable versions or somebody's wasting a lot of watts
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rbrucecarter5
Guest
820 kHz is blank at night on it - I have been trying for WBAP but so far nothing intelligible.
I’ve been slowly building a list of heard stations in Excel®, and I must say, it is refreshing to find so much variety. Also, some of the lower power MW stations cover a lot of distance, but a megawatt is much better. Ha.
If you think about it, compared to the United States, there are relatively few medium wave stations in Europe, and many of them are government run and financed through taxes. The United Kingdom is an exception.
Because state run broadcasters receive “free” money (I know, they have budgets), within limits, they can program to whomever they wish. Plus, it is a lot less expensive to run music programs than original programming.
With the antenna being used, I’m not surprised I have been unable to hear even one station from North America. Late night or just before Euro sunrise is the best time?
If you think about it, compared to the United States, there are relatively few medium wave stations in Europe, and many of them are government run and financed through taxes. The United Kingdom is an exception.
Because state run broadcasters receive “free” money (I know, they have budgets), within limits, they can program to whomever they wish. Plus, it is a lot less expensive to run music programs than original programming.
With the antenna being used, I’m not surprised I have been unable to hear even one station from North America. Late night or just before Euro sunrise is the best time?
I haven't heard a peep from North America, either. And I've been trying for the "easy"ones. CFTR/WRKO,WCBS, WBBR, etc. And yes, I think you're absolutely right regarding the best time to listen. Bear in mind that the receiver is located at a latitude farther north than most of the U.S. Which is a good thing for DXing in Winter.
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