AM Frequency of the Week: 680

[cyberdad]

Okay guys, we continue up the dial this week. Next stop on our tour of the former I-B channels is 680. What have you been hearing there lately?

Here in the far northwest Chicago burbs, it's all slop and iboc hiss from WSCR 670. The blowtorch in my backyard. Or more correctly my middle son's backyard. He's only about 3 miles from their stick!

At night, even with the iboc shut off, or when WSCR experiences some down time, there's still not much. Most likely to surface, but still not all that common, is what I call the "little blowtorch", WCTT from Corbin, KY. Always amazes me that on a channel with so many big signals, it's one of the little ones that most often makes the hop to my location. With less than a kilowatt. I've also heard WPTF and CFTR, but not very often. "Back in the day", KNBR would sometimes sneak in, but I haven't heard them around here for many years.

 

[purpledevil]

The one & only 68 KKYX San Antonio. The country giant, from 180 miles west of Houston. Covers the biggest chunk of Texas with its 50kW by day, a bit less so with its 10kW at night.

 

[jim-satx]

It's local KKYX day and night here. On my better radios, if nighttime propagation conditions are very good and I orient the antenna just right, I can get a tiny partial null and hear a very weak KFEQ in St. Joseph, MO, playing traditional Christian music (or at least they were last time I heard them - it's been a while).

 

[radioman148]

In the near north Chicago burbs It's nothing but slop from WMAQ....er I mean WSCR (LOL). At night pretty much the same. In recent years I haven't heard much. KFEQ sneaks in once in awhile. In the past WPTF was what I heard most often. I used to hear KNBR from time to time a long time ago, but the last time I heard it was right before local sunrise in the fall about 5 or 6 years ago.

 

[HGR1290]

I get WCNN days from North of ATlanta. At night--No WCNN, but I do hear WPTF and WCIT frequently.

 

[W7PAT]

Nothing during the day...KNBR at night.

 

[gar hi]

Daytime - nothing but a little splatter from KPUA

Nighttime - KNBR usually a good signal and steady too

 

[gr8oldies]

East Tennessee: A weak WCTT or occasionally WCNN drifts in on a winter day. Night, especially sunset, WPTF and WCTT. I got CFTR once, and suspected it was still on day pattern

 

[mimo]

In Ottawa, it's CFTR very weak in the day (only the best radios will get it) and CKGM splatter. At night, it's a rock solid CFTR.

 

[cyberdad]

In Ottawa, it's CFTR very weak in the day (only the best radios will get it) and CKGM splatter. At night, it's a rock solid CFTR.

CFTR makes it all the way to Detroit in daytime....barely. It's the only Canadian station that's audible anywhere daytime along side an also audible adjacent Chicago station. WSCR also makes it to Windsor daytime...barely. So Detroit/Windsor is where you need to be to be to experience these two side by side (on a really good radio).

 

[charlestondxman]

680 here is mostly splatter from WOKV during the daytime in Charleston. WPTF comes in sometimes, especially during the winter. WPTF usually comes in very well at night, except if WCNN forgets to change pattern, when they mix in. I also hear WCNN well during sunrise/sunset.

 

[mimo]

CFTR makes it all the way to Detroit in daytime....barely. It's the only Canadian station that's audible anywhere daytime along side an also audible adjacent Chicago station. WSCR also makes it to Windsor daytime...barely. So Detroit/Windsor is where you need to be to be to experience these two side by side (on a really good radio).

I had that experience on my old car radio. WSCR right next to CFTR. When travelling back and forth from Toronto to the midwest, Windsor/Detroit would be where I'd switch from Toronto stations to Chicago if driving during the day.

 

[schmave]

Around Columbus, Ohio, it's nothing daytime and at night, either WPTF from Raleigh or WCTT from Corbin, Ky. Both are quite weak if they make it here but WPTF pops up more often than not through the mush or — depending on the night — IBOC hash from WSCR.
I remember KKYX well from when I lived in Houston. I generally do not listen to country music but I got 680 one night surfing around the dial in Friendswood, Texas, with a pretty good signal. As well as it was coming in, I wouldn't be surprised if KKYX was heard considerably farther east along the Gulf Coast.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Going way back, in the Daytime, it was CHLO St. Thomas, ON. After CHLO moved to 1570, and until CHFI/CFTR Toronto upgraded further, it was WDBC Escanaba, MI by nulling out CHFI/CFTR, and CHFI/CFTR by nulling out WDBC. WPTF, WCTT, KNBR, and others were heard at Night, until CFTR upgraded to the point that it was regularly heard. Then WNZK signed on at 680 at Night, and that Groundwave was usually heard at Night.

 

[crainbebo]

680 here is usually a faint threshold of KOMW Omak, WA daytime. They have an Adult Standards format.
Critical hours usually bring in KBRD Lacey, WA (Nostalgia) plus KKGR East Helena, MT (Oldies), mixing with KOMW.
Nights is always KNBR SF (Sports). However, CJOB Winnipeg makes appearances from time to time (News/Talk). Once or twice I've also heard KKYX San Antonio (Classic Country). Several years ago I almost confirmed CHFA Edmonton (La Premiere Chaine), but they have gone FM now.

On my wish list, I would like to hear CFTR Toronto, WPTF Raleigh, and let's face it, someday, can I just DX KBRW Barrow for once? It's rarely heard even on WA/OR coast DXpeditions.

 

[tomservo]

Daytime is nothing here in Baldwin County, maybe some slop from WQNO in New Orleans on 690 if the bandwidth is wide enough.

At night it's usually WMFS Memphis, with WCNN audible underneath. They usually fight it out all night but WMFS is often the clearer of the two.

 

[Prescott Joe]

From Prescott, Arizona there is a fair signal from KNBR, San Francisco,
when orienting my Sony Boombox NW/SE. When I moved it North/South,
KNBR completely faded out and was replaced by a spanish language station.
I didn't find anything in mexico on 680 but did find stations in Nicaragua,
El Salvador and Honduras. Each country had one station on 680.
The station(s) was very weak, fading in and out.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

From Prescott, Arizona there is a fair signal from KNBR, San Francisco,

Report from 1973, Red River, NM, KNBR. I have also heard it - rarely - Lubbock, TX in the mid 00's. Takes a bit of nulling and atmospherics to override closer 680s.

 

[cyberdad]

Daytime is nothing here in Baldwin County, maybe some slop from WQNO in New Orleans on 690 if the bandwidth is wide enough.

At night it's usually WMFS Memphis, with WCNN audible underneath. They usually fight it out all night but WMFS is often the clearer of the two.

Where are you in Baldwin County? We usually spend a week (and sometimes more) every year on the beach at a place right next door to the Florabama (on the Florida side). Usually...same as you...I get WCNN mixing with Memphis. Yet more often than not for me, WCNN is the stronger of the two, but it does vary. Farther west, in and around New Orleans, it's typically all Memphis if you can null WQNO/WTIX (or whatever it is).

 

[tomservo]

Where are you in Baldwin County? We usually spend a week (and sometimes more) every year on the beach at a place right next door to the Florabama (on the Florida side). Usually...same as you...I get WCNN mixing with Memphis. Yet more often than not for me, WCNN is the stronger of the two, but it does vary. Farther west, in and around New Orleans, it's typically all Memphis if you can null WQNO/WTIX (or whatever it is).

I'm in Foley, 'bout 14 miles north of Gulf Shores. We've talked before on the old Radio whateveritwascalled website. My user name was "Zach" if I remember correctly.