AM Frequency of the Week: 580

[cyberdad]

It's been a while, so let's go ahead and try another one.... What are you guys hearing lately on 580?

Here 40 miles northwest of Chicago daytime it's a reliable WILL from Champaign, IL (or is it Urbana?). Anyway, it's about 130 miles south of me with a fair signal.

At night, 580 is a little unusual from the standpoint that most of what I used to hear there is now gone. CKY from Winnipeg was the most frequent visitor, but still only a semi-regular at best. (And a great top-40 station, as well). I also would occasionally hear two other Canadian stations. CKAP from Kapuskasing, ON and CKPR from Thunder Bay, ON. Both on the north shore of Lake Superior. Today, 580 at night is usually a mess. WILL powers down and disappears completely. Once in a great while WKTY from La Crosse, WI breaks through. Supposedly 740 watts, but they used to be known for "football power" (5kw) during local sporting events. So it may be that they occasionally "forget" to power down. Either way, I'm in a null.

 

[davideduardo]

Here at La Quinta, CA (Just 25 miles SE of Palm Springs), it is a detectable KMJ by day and mostly KMJ at night. A number of the Mexican stations that seemed to interfere in the past appear to be among those that moved to FM, so the band is clearer.

 

[radioman148]

In the near north Chicago suburbs my reception is about the same as Cyberdad. I hear WILL pretty well during the day, but at night it's clutter & I'm not sure what's there. Used to also hear CKY sometimes at night in the past. When I was in Hawaii 6 or 7 years ago KMJ was audible almost every night.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I disagree with radio-locator on this one. Daytime - It is an extremely weak XEMA daytime Houston. I cannot get even a trace of KJKJ.

 

[davideduardo]

I disagree with radio-locator on this one. Daytime - It is an extremely weak XEMA daytime Houston. I cannot get even a trace of KJKJ.

Is XEMA still on the air? It was slated to finish its transition period for the move to FM this year.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Is XEMA still on the air? It was slated to finish its transition period for the move to FM this year.

I haven't listened to 580 in a couple of weeks. Familiar Spanish language format like it has been for years. But very weak in between KLIF and KLBJ. When I moved back 7 years ago, it was stronger that it is now. There was some sort of change a couple of years ago and they got much weaker. I will check again to see if there is a change. Unless ---- is it possible that XEHP is what I am getting now - if XEMU is off the air for good? I can probably try to null the Spanish language station to get the direction.

I really need to get better at Spanish so I can ID these things ----

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I think I may have answered the XEMU question - their web site says 580 AM and 103.7 FM. Unless they haven't updated it.

 

[davideduardo]

I think I may have answered the XEMU question - their web site says 580 AM and 103.7 FM. Unless they haven't updated it.

All the AM stations in Mexico that are moving to FM have a grace period when they will simulcast, but at the end the AM frequency is turned in and the country will license no new AMs except for "indigenous regions". 75% of all Mexican AMs will go silent.

 

[davideduardo]

I think I may have answered the XEMU question - their web site says 580 AM and 103.7 FM. Unless they haven't updated it.

Just checked the IFT (Their equivalent of the FCC) list of AM stations as of the end of April, and XEMU no longer has a license for 580 AM. It is only licensed for XHEMU FM.

 

[gr8oldies]

In East Tennessee, it's WYHM, Rockwood. Sunset and some nights, WCHS, Charleston WV

 

[Sammi Brie]

Just checked the IFT (Their equivalent of the FCC) list of AM stations as of the end of April, and XEMU no longer has a license for 580 AM. It is only licensed for XHEMU FM.

Almost certainly what will happen is that they will apply for 580 again as it is in the Licitación IFT-4. I don't know why they're still using it. In May/June 2015 a special update to the IFT tables was made just to remove XEMU.

Though a search did bring up new XHEMU FM coords so that'll get sent off to the databases that receive my Mexican FM finds.

 

[davideduardo]

Almost certainly what will happen is that they will apply for 580 again as it is in the Licitación IFT-4. I don't know why they're still using it. In May/June 2015 a special update to the IFT tables was made just to remove XEMU.

Though a search did bring up new XHEMU FM coords so that'll get sent off to the databases that receive my Mexican FM finds.

But IFT-4 would only allow 250 watts (daytime) in Piedras Negras.

 

[jim-satx]

XEMU must still be in the grace period. Here in San Antonio, the station still comes in like a local during the day and sometimes even run ads for San Antonio-based events.

At night XEMU dominates, but underneath I can occasionally hear a weak WIBW in Topeka, KS. Also, aiming more east/west, I can usually hear a weak XEFI in Chihuahua and less often a very weak KJMJ in Alexandria, LA.

Sometimes XEMU can be nulled a bit and I'll hear a weak XEAV "Canal 58" in Tlaquepaque. That station plays a mix of current and (mostly) classic English-language pop.

 

[gar hi]

Daytime - nothing

Nighttime - KMJ Fresno Strong and steady most of the time, however it sometimes has those brief periods of fading but never to the point where it's not audible.


A couple years ago, I never imagined I'd be some place where I'd be hearing California stations as good steady regulars at night, much less in Hawaii.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

XEMU must still be in the grace period. Here in San Antonio, the station still comes in like a local during the day and sometimes even run ads for San Antonio-based events.

After David's input - I was wondering if I was imagining things. XEMU still there - weak - daytime Houston. If they are getting advertising revenue from San Antonio, I don't see how they can get that revenue if they go to FM only.

 

[joebtsflk1]

In southern Colorado (Cañon City), daytime it's a weak KUBC Montrose CO struggling to get east of the Continental Divide. Wet conditions help their cause. That and a 590 KCSJ Pueblo that has minimal adjacent channel splatter.

 

[davideduardo]

After David's input - I was wondering if I was imagining things. XEMU still there - weak - daytime Houston. If they are getting advertising revenue from San Antonio, I don't see how they can get that revenue if they go to FM only.

Stations in a number of near-border markets run ads for businesses in various US non-border cities. It's not because anyone listens that far away; it is because many people in Mexico come to the US for shopping or specialty services that they have heard about on local radio.

When I owned stations in Ecuador, we always had several clients in Miami on our most upscale station... for the same reason.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Stations in a number of near-border markets run ads for businesses in various US non-border cities. It's not because anyone listens that far away; it is because many people in Mexico come to the US for shopping or specialty services that they have heard about on local radio.

When I owned stations in Ecuador, we always had several clients in Miami on our most upscale station... for the same reason.

Interesting - when I was in Big Bend, I saw advertisements on billboards for businesses in Midland - hundreds of miles away - for the same reason. No use buying time on KCRS, though. It was long gone down there.

 

[davideduardo]

Interesting - when I was in Big Bend, I saw advertisements on billboards for businesses in Midland - hundreds of miles away - for the same reason. No use buying time on KCRS, though. It was long gone down there.

No different than Las Vegas casinos and hotels advertising on LA stations or Atlantic City hotels using Philly media to promote. Just businesses that depend on an out of town customer base trying to reach consumers where they live.

 

[HGR1290]

Daytime a weak WGAC from Augusta, GA. Nights is WGAC with a mixture under it, including WCHS, WILL, WIBW, WDBO etc

North Of Atlanta GA