AM nighttime scan from Pharr, Texas 9/9-12, 2016

[jim-satx]

Here are the results of an AM band scan I did over a couple of nights while in Pharr, TX. The city of Pharr is in far south Texas, about 10 miles from the Mexico border. All loggings were made on a CC Skywave radio at night with one noted exception. I’ve marked as “local” any station I received that was within about 25 miles of Pharr.

The results are not a whole lot different from what I hear nightly in San Antonio. Of course the Mexico stations were often stronger, and I logged two that I'd never heard before - 760 XEZZ and 840 XEXXX.

530 CMBQ (R. Enciclopedia) Havana
540 XEWA Monterrey
550 KTSA San Antonio
560 KLVI Beaumont; UNID EE news talk (KWTO?)
570 KLIF Dallas; UNID SS music (XEBJB?)
580 WIBW Topeka; XEAV Tlaquepaque
590 XEFD Rio Bravo (local)
600 XEMN Monterrey; UNID EE talk (KTBB?)
610 KILT Houston; KCSP Kansas City
620 XEGH Reynosa; XENK Mexico City
630 XEFB Monterrey; KSLR San Antonio
640 XENQ Tulcacingo; UNID EE sports (not KWPN)
650 WSM Nashville
660 XEEY Aguascalientes; XEFZ Monterrey
670 WSCR Chicago; UNID SS talk
680 KKYX San Antonio; KFEQ St. Joseph (underneath)
690 XERG Monterrey; XEN Mexico City
700 KSEV Tomball
710 KURV Edinburg (local)
720 WGN Chicago; XEDE Saltillo
730 XEHB Hidalgo del Parral
740 KTRH Houston; UNID SS talk (XEQN?)
750 WSB Atlanta; UNID SS talk
760 XEZZ Guadalajara; XEABC La Paz
770 KAAM Garland; KKOB Albuquerque
780 WBBM Chicago; UNID dance pop w/FM ID (XEWGR?)
790 XERC Mexico City
800 splatter from XERI
810 XERI Reynosa (local)
820 WBAP Ft. Worth
830 XEITE Mexico City; UNID EE talk
840 XEXXX Tamazula; (no sign of local KVJY, which is not daytime-only)
850 KOA Denver
860 KKOW Pittsburg; KSFA Nacogdoches (surprised at no KONO)
870 WWL New Orleans
880 KRVN Lexington; KHAC Tse Bonito; KJOZ Conroe
890 WLS Chicago; KVOZ Del Mar Hills
900 XEW Mexico City; splatter from KRIO
910 KRIO McAllen (local)
920 splatter from KRIO; UNID SS music
930 splatter from XERKS
940 XERKS Reynosa (local)
950 KPRC Houston; splatter from XERKS
960 WERC Birmingham
970 XEO Matamoros; XERFR Mexico City
980 WYFN Nashville; XEFQ Cananea
990 graveyard
1000 XEOY Mexico City
1010 XEPA Puebla
1020 KCKN Roswell
1030 XEQR Mexico City
1040 XESAG Salamanca; XEBBB Zapopan
1050 XEG Monterrey
1060 XERDO Valle Hermosa
1070 XESP Tlaquepaque; light IBOC hash from KRLD
1080 KRLD Dallas
1090 UNID EE sports talk; heavy IBOC hash from KRLD
1100 KDRY Alamo Heights; UNID SS music (XETGO?)
1110 XEOQ Rio Bravo (local)
1120 KTXW Manor
1130 KWKH Shreveport; UNID SS music (XEYZ?)
1140 XEMR San Nicolás
1150 WJBO Baton Rouge
1160 KRDY San Antonio; KSL Salt Lake City
1170 XERT Reynosa (local); KFAQ Tulsa (weak in null)
1180 KGOL Humble; splatter from XERT
1190 UNID SS sports talk
1200 WOAI San Antonio; splatter from KUBR
1210 KUBR San Juan (local)
1220 XEB Mexico City; splatter form KUBR
1230 graveyard
1240 KSOX Raymondville (local)
1250 UNID SS talk (XEDK?); UNID SS music (XESJ?); splatter from KSOX
1260 graveyard
1270 KFLC Benbrook; XERPL León
1280 XEAW Monterrey; splatter from KRGE
1290 KRGE Weslaco (local)
1300 XEP Ciudad Juárez; KVET Austin
1310 XEAM Matamoros
1320 KXYZ Houston
1330 KCKM Monahans; KTON Cameron
1340 XEMT Matamoros; UNID EE talk
1350 KCOR San Antonio; UNID SS talk (XEZD?)
1360 UNID EE news talk w/female anchor (KKTX?); UNID SS music
1370 XEPJ Guadalajara
1380 splatter from XEOR
1390 XEOR Reynosa (local)
1400 UNID SS music (XESH?); splatter from XEOR
1410 XEBS Mexico City
1420 XEEW Matamoros
1430 XEWD Ciudad Miguel Alemán
1440 XEEST Mexico City
1450 graveyard
1460 KBRZ Missouri City (sunrise)
1470 XEAI Mexico City
1480 UNID romantic SS music (XEZJ?); UNID SS news talk w/female anchor (XETKR?)
1490 XEMS Matamoros
1500 XEDF Mexico City
1510 WLAC Nashville; UNID SS talk (XEQI?)
1520 KOKC Oklahoma City
1530 KGBT Harlingen (local)
1540 KEDA San Antonio
1550 WPFC Baton Rouge
1560 KGOW Belluaire
1570 XERF Ciudad Acuña
1580 KIRT Mission (local)
1590 UNID SS music (two stations)
1600 Texas Tech Red Raiders game (KOGT?)
1610 Caribbean Beacon (very weak)
1620 (forgot to check this frequency!)
1630 KRND Fox Farm; very weak UNID EE talk (KKGM?)
1640 KZLS Enid; WTNI Biloxi
1650 XEARZ Mexico City
1660 KRZI Waco
1670 WPLA Dry Branch
1680 KRJO Monroe
1690 KDMT Arvada
1700 KVNS Brownsville

 

[purpledevil]

Jim, help an idiot out. What is an "SS"? I might be able to help you ID a few of them if I could figure that out right now. Some reason, the brain just isn't unlocking the code...

Edit to add: UNID @ 920 likely is KYST Ciudad Tejas, from just south of Houston. It's a mixture of Spanish language talk, news, and music. It's what we used to call a true to its name, old fashioned "full service" station, only this one is spoken in Spanish. Interesting note for DXers, they aren't scared to throw in some Michael Jackson, Chris Isaac, or Rick Astley from time to time, either. You'll know KYST as soon as you hear it, they even procured a TOH tone at some point in its illustrious lifetime.

http://fccdata.org/?facid=&call=Kyst&ccode=1&city=&state=&country=US&arn=&party=&party_type=LICEN

 

[jim-satx]

Jim, help an idiot out. What is an "SS"? I might be able to help you ID a few of them if I could figure that out right now. Some reason, the brain just isn't unlocking the code...

Edit to add: UNID @ 920 likely is KYST Ciudad Tejas, from just south of Houston. It's a mixture of Spanish language talk, news, and music. It's what we used to call a true to its name, old fashioned "full service" station, only this one is spoken in Spanish. Interesting note for DXers, they aren't scared to throw in some Michael Jackson, Chris Isaac, or Rick Astley from time to time, either. You'll know KYST as soon as you hear it, they even procured a TOH tone at some point in its illustrious lifetime.

http://fccdata.org/?facid=&call=Kyst&ccode=1&city=&state=&country=US&arn=&party=&party_type=LICEN

Hey, Purpledevil. I'm using ham radio abbreviations - SS for Spanish and EE for English. (Not a ham myself, though.)

Thanks for the tip on KYST. I've caught the station from S.A. and even heard it airing preaching on occasion. Its eclectic playlist reminds me of Mexico music stations that play American pop/rock - much wider playlists than most commercial U.S. music stations.

 

[purpledevil]

Thanks for the tip on KYST. I've caught the station from S.A. and even heard it airing preaching on occasion. Its eclectic playlist reminds me of Mexico music stations that play American pop/rock - much wider playlists than most commercial U.S. music stations.

My pleasure, Jim. The ol' girl down at the dike is quite the little gem. Currently the longest continuously (and locally) owned mom & pop on the dial in the Houston MSA.

Let me peruse my logs and see what I come up with for you on those UNIDs. Like SA, we pick up several Mexican stations here in Houston, on a nightly basis.

 

[crainbebo]

Oddly enough, you didn't log XEEP-1060 or XEWK-1190. Those are commonly heard in Au conditions here in Washington state!

 

[purpledevil]

Ok. 570, I'm no help. Monterrey aims away from both of us, and my only log @ 570 is KLIF Fort Worth.

I have KLVI blasting right at me from Beaumont, but I suspect your 560 English talk was actually sports talk 560 WQAM in Miami. That Gulf really makes those signals sing across them, and I suspect if KLVI weren't right next door to us, we'd have a shot at hearing QAM here in Houston, too. It certainly wouldn't be the first Floridian I've caught and logged.

600 could very well be KTBB Tyler, Texas. I believe it uses a moniker of "97-5 KTBB" now, since Paul Gleiser's purchase and move of the sole Rusk FM station nearly into Tyler last year. I've got it logged, but the valley may be a stretch.

UNID @ 1130 stumps me. I would've said "La Nuestra" KTMR Converse, but it's off at night. I've only got the obvious KWKH Shreveport in the book.

You caught KGOL at sunset, didn't you? That 50kW drops all the way down to a paltry 3kW at night, and it barely makes it out of Humble. Barely. There are actually places in Deerbrook Mall's parking lot in Humble, that you can completely null out KGOL's night signal. I'd be floored to hear you received that one in the middle of the night, down in the valley.

1250 UNID Spanish talk is likely Sabinas. Never logged here, but my widow has family down there and I recall it being a religious talk and sermon station, when we'd go visit.

1360, you picked up KKTX but no KSIX @ 1230? Fascinating. It's the only talker that I'm aware of. The music was most likely from Piedras Negras, XEIK. Another one that finds its way to the dial in Sabinas.

On 1480, what kind of romantic music are we talking about here? Something mirroring the "Recuerdo" format that Univision once used? The only 1480 I know of from down there is "La Poderosa" XEXU from even further down into Coahuila, Monclova to be exact, but that's quite a haul to reach the valley with only 1 kilowatt at night.

1590, oh how I wish this were a year ago, Jim. It would've been Radio Disney you heard on one of them, if it's who I think it might be. KMIC Houston, Spanish language religious (mostly music) from just down the street of my humble abode. The other Spanish language music station is likely XEACH Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. I actually logged that impossibility here in Houston, while KMIC was off in the switch from Radio Disney to Radio Aleluya. Yep, over KDAE down in Corpus or KGAS up in Carthage, both of which are far closer to me and our local 1590.

How'd you forget 1620, lol. That's WTAW, Jim! Probably not so way down in the valley, and at night to boot.

Nothing from KGBC Galveston Island @ 1540, Jim? I'm surprised. It's nearly sitting in the water. I'd have thought it would reach down into south Texas at night. Interesting to find out the Jalapeño brings tears to the eyes of anyone wishing to catch a glimpse of Galveston's one and only KGBC.

great scan Jim, and thanks for posting it.

 

[schmave]

How well were KILT and KTRH coming in down there? I imagine KTRH would absolutely barrel into that area (although I've wondered if the solid groundwave across the Gulf would create cancellation along the coastal areas). KILT surprised me a bit. Not surprised that KBME doesn't make it there; they throw a nasty null to the southwest at night.
It did throw me off to see Texas City referred to as "Ciudad Tejas."

 

[Smittian]

How well were KILT and KTRH coming in down there? I imagine KTRH would absolutely barrel into that area (although I've wondered if the solid groundwave across the Gulf would create cancellation along the coastal areas). KILT surprised me a bit. Not surprised that KBME doesn't make it there; they throw a nasty null to the southwest at night.
It did throw me off to see Texas City referred to as "Ciudad Tejas."

I live in that area, but much closer to the water. KTRH is almost like a local. KILT comes in decent, no KBME. KGOW, KPRC and KIKK are heard faintly. Also KLVI is very clear

 

[cyberdad]

Oddly enough, you didn't log XEEP-1060 or XEWK-1190. Those are commonly heard in Au conditions here in Washington state!

I was thinking the same thing about XEEP. I've heard them from time to time here in the Chicago area. And they're a fairly easy catch in Florida, especially on the Gulf Coast. I was also a little surprised you were getting WGN and not KSAH on 720.

 

[purpledevil]

I was thinking the same thing about XEEP. I've heard them from time to time here in the Chicago area. And they're a fairly easy catch in Florida, especially on the Gulf Coast. I was also a little surprised you were getting WGN and not KSAH on 720.

I must've been drunk earlier. KLIF Fort Worth, good Lord.

Anyway, I'm not that surprised that KSAH was MIA in McAllen/Pharr at night. 720 doesn't have a lot of success penetrating much further south than around Pleasanton after dark. Daytime, you can hear it clear over here in Houston, but nighttime is a far different story.

 

[jim-satx]

Thanks, everyone. Here are some notes in response to the comments.

1060 was dominated by XERDO in Valle Hermosa, about 40 miles from Pharr, which is why I didn’t hear XEEP. I’m surprised as well that I didn’t hear XEWK on 1190. The SS sports talk has me stumped. It might’ve just been a sports segment on a talk or music station. Maybe XETOT in Tampico?

KGOL was actually heard around 10 p.m., surprisingly. I did the scans only at the hotel, and from 7 a.m. to some time after sunset, there was terrible RFI each day; it would start like clockwork at 7 a.m.

1230 was the typical graveyard jumble. I might have heard KSIX if I’d listened longer.

The romantic music on 1480 was similar to the classic Mexican romance music that 1300 XEP in Cd. Juárez plays.

I may have heard WTAW on 1620. There’s just nothing in my notes for that frequency. I probably glossed over them at the time and thought something was already listed there.

KEDA was all I was hearing on 1540. I didn’t stay there too long, so KGBC might’ve come up if I’d listened longer.

KTRH did have a fairly strong signal, but I was able to null it enough to hear that weak SS talk station. KILT had a moderate signal, but it and KCSP took turns dominating.

 

[Smittian]

Thanks, everyone. Here are some notes in response to the comments.

1060 was dominated by XERDO in Valle Hermosa, about 40 miles from Pharr, which is why I didn’t hear XEEP. I’m surprised as well that I didn’t hear XEWK on 1190. The SS sports talk has me stumped. It might’ve just been a sports segment on a talk or music station. Maybe XETOT in Tampico?

KGOL was actually heard around 10 p.m., surprisingly. I did the scans only at the hotel, and from 7 a.m. to some time after sunset, there was terrible RFI each day; it would start like clockwork at 7 a.m.

1230 was the typical graveyard jumble. I might have heard KSIX if I’d listened longer.

The romantic music on 1480 was similar to the classic Mexican romance music that 1300 XEP in Cd. Juárez plays.

I may have heard WTAW on 1620. There’s just nothing in my notes for that frequency. I probably glossed over them at the time and thought something was already listed there.

KEDA was all I was hearing on 1540. I didn’t stay there too long, so KGBC might’ve come up if I’d listened longer.

KTRH did have a fairly strong signal, but I was able to null it enough to hear that weak SS talk station. KILT had a moderate signal, but it and KCSP took turns dominating.

I get WTAW quite a bit down here in RGV. I sometimes listen to Aggie Baseball on 1620. I also get KSIX, but I'm close to the coast, which makes it easier

 

[Sammi Brie]

1590, oh how I wish this were a year ago, Jim. It would've been Radio Disney you heard on one of them, if it's who I think it might be. KMIC Houston, Spanish language religious (mostly music) from just down the street of my humble abode. The other Spanish language music station is likely XEACH Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. I actually logged that impossibility here in Houston, while KMIC was off in the switch from Radio Disney to Radio Aleluya. Yep, over KDAE down in Corpus or KGAS up in Carthage, both of which are far closer to me and our local 1590.

XEACH, Ah---ACH-oo!

I'm afraid XEACH hasn't been on 1590 in a long time. Like, the 1990s. (It's on 770 now.)

And even if it were, it's been a while since Radio Fórmula owned any musically formatted stations.

You probably had something else.

 

[wildthangjim]

780 WBBM Chicago; UNID dance pop w/FM ID (XEWGR?)

This SS pop station was on top of 780 here in West Houston at 5:30 Tuesday morning (9/20), IDing as an FM. The ID was in a fade but believe it was XEWGR. I wonder if they're on day power, as MWList shows them at 10kw day/250w night.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

XEWGR shows up as a 1260 in Monclova, Coahuila. I get a faint 780 SS in Houston daytime that I think is XESFT. They are 5 kW, and it nulls in the right direction. They do have a nighttime power of 1 kW - I wonder if that is what you are getting?

 

[purpledevil]

XEACH, Ah---ACH-oo!

I'm afraid XEACH hasn't been on 1590 in a long time. Like, the 1990s. (It's on 770 now.)

And even if it were, it's been a while since Radio Fórmula owned any musically formatted stations.

You probably had something else.

Hmm...the plot thickens for me then. It is rare for KMIC to be off the air, and as I said earlier the towers are within a couple of blocks from my QTH, so catching anything else on 1590 is normally an effort in futility. When it was off for those 10 days in January of last year, I had Spanish language music ever so faintly coming up through the floor. Knowing that there isn't another Spanish language broadcast at 1590 kilocycles (and at that point KMIC had been RD for over 15 years), I naturally assumed I had heard the impossible. Alas, my bubble is now broken.

I sure do wonder who I was hearing now. No way to hear it again having KMIC as my neighbor, and fully operational.

 

[wildthangjim]

XEWGR shows up as a 1260 in Monclova, Coahuila. I get a faint 780 SS in Houston daytime that I think is XESFT. They are 5 kW, and it nulls in the right direction. They do have a nighttime power of 1 kW - I wonder if that is what you are getting?

MWList says XEWGR is on 780 now

http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=3&kHz=780

Also see #52 on this list:

http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default...a/infraestructurasradiodifusionam31-03-16.pdf

XESFT is a possibility, about the same distance as XEWGR and close to the coast. The IFT list shows their license expired last November, so they may no longer be on the air. Have you ID'ed them recently?

 

[jim-satx]

Hmm...the plot thickens for me then. It is rare for KMIC to be off the air, and as I said earlier the towers are within a couple of blocks from my QTH, so catching anything else on 1590 is normally an effort in futility. When it was off for those 10 days in January of last year, I had Spanish language music ever so faintly coming up through the floor. Knowing that there isn't another Spanish language broadcast at 1590 kilocycles (and at that point KMIC had been RD for over 15 years), I naturally assumed I had heard the impossible. Alas, my bubble is now broken.

I sure do wonder who I was hearing now. No way to hear it again having KMIC as my neighbor, and fully operational.

If it wasn't KDAE, maybe it was XEVOZ in Mexico City?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

XESFT is a possibility, about the same distance as XEWGR and close to the coast. The IFT list shows their license expired last November, so they may no longer be on the air. Have you ID'ed them recently?

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=xewgr&x=8&y=6&sr=Y&s=C

I don't speak foreign - any foreign (so I can't be accused of discriminating), so I can't ID them.

 

[wildthangjim]

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=xewgr&x=8&y=6&sr=Y&s=C

I don't speak foreign - any foreign (so I can't be accused of discriminating), so I can't ID them.

OK, no worries. I'll be up early again tomorrow, so will check.