Post your latest DX

[CADXER]

Yes I reported hearing WAKE about one week ago. The question is what transmitter they are using now? Are they on from the old WLTH nighttime site for which they have a CP, or did they re-activate their old site in Valparaiso in order not to lose their license since their STA was expiring in mid-July.

In other local radio news AM 1490 switched their WPNA calls to WEUR.

 

[ZantennaG1]

E-skip alert: I just confirmed 92.5 KKAL from California ("Krush 92.5") here in Cheyenne, WY. I got a song match to their website, as well as RDS confirmation.

One thing I am unsure of: If Alice Cooper is on 99.7 FM, who could be running his show in SO Cal?

 

[cyberdad]

WJYM's signal goes forever a 1kW.

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Interesting pattern. Looks like WJYM is protecting WGN and CFMZ. And if memory serves, there's a 730 in Lansing, Michigan that's also protected. That null protecting WGN appears to be straight inline with the Ohio Turnpike, which would explain why 730 isn't much of an issue until you get quite close to the Toledo/Maumee city limits.

 

[cyberdad]

Yes I reported hearing WAKE about one week ago. The question is what transmitter they are using now? Are they on from the old WLTH nighttime site for which they have a CP, or did they re-activate their old site in Valparaiso in order not to lose their license since their STA was expiring in mid-July.

In other local radio news AM 1490 switched their WPNA calls to WEUR.

Same format?

At my location during daytime, WGEZ from Beloit is top dog on 1490. The Oak Park 1490 is usually audible underneath, but at the moment I'm dealing with a moderate noise issue on 1490 that I'm trying to resolve. It's a problem that only presents itself in the daytime.

 

[gr8oldies]

Interesting pattern. Looks like WJYM is protecting WGN and CFMZ. And if memory serves, there's a 730 in Lansing, Michigan that's also protected. That null protecting WGN appears to be straight inline with the Ohio Turnpike, which would explain why 730 isn't much of an issue until you get quite close to the Toledo/Maumee city limits.

That would be correct and also Lansing, and seemingly WPIT, Pittsburgh. There are no 710s in the region to protect from that direction.
I remember driving across US 30 toward Canton. I scanned past WJYM a time or two, which wasn't all-Swaggart all-the-time but still fire and brimstone preaching. Probably a little past Mansfield I checked again and there was more fire and brimstone preaching, from WPIT (this was the late 70s.

My Dad listened to WJYM when it was country WMGS. That 1kW makes it to the I-275 beltway north of Cincinnati, and past Indianapolis to the Edinburgh SDR.

 

[gr8oldies]

Last night, on the Edinburgh IN SDR on 540, I heard what appeared to be 3 stations carrying Brother Stair. The only Stair affiliate I knew of was WWCS, Canonsburg, PA. The sound was like you get with 3 stations carrying Fox News, ESPN, or whatever, or 20 Radio Rebeldes on 780 or 1180. Normally I've not heard Canonsburg on that receiver or at home. It apparently was WWCS, alone, verified by a non-echoey ID, and more than likely on day facilities. I checked a couple of other SDRs, and here was Brother Stair shouting in triplicate under a Catholic station. Someone else gave me a recording from closer, and today I checked the Pittsburgh SDR and still echoing, even today. On Edinburgh tonight, a couple of sports stations dominate, but waaay, waaaay in the background one can hear the shouting and echoing and it's creepy

 

[CADXER]

It appeared to be same format (Polish language programming). At least that is what I heard when I listened.

 

[tvnut]

More on DX from my NJ hotel room just across the river from Wilmington, Del. Of the Chicago clears, only WBBM 780 is in at night. There's horrendous hotel-created interference around 700-720, as well as around 870-900 (can't even get WCBS 880) so I'll have to check the others out from the car. Nice hotel, though.

 

[cyberdad]

More on DX from my NJ hotel room just across the river from Wilmington, Del. Of the Chicago clears, only WBBM 780 is in at night. There's horrendous hotel-created interference around 700-720, as well as around 870-900 (can't even get WCBS 880) so I'll have to check the others out from the car. Nice hotel, though.

Back when I was traveling in my work. (1979-2012), I'd unscientifically guestimate that DXing the AM band was possible in about two-thirds of hotels rooms. At least if you located your radio near the window. Nowadays, I'd put it at somewhere between one-third and 40%. Your best bet? Try to get a room on a top (or upper) floor. Away from elevators, ice machine, HVAC equipment, etc.

I'll revisit this starting 9/2 when my youngest son and I take a road trip consisting of a night in northwest Wisconsin followed by four nights in western and central Ontario. I'm especially interested in finding out what turns up north of Lake Superior. Natually, I'll report anything I encounter that I feel might be of interest to you guys.

 

[crainbebo]

E-skip alert: I just confirmed 92.5 KKAL from California ("Krush 92.5") here in Cheyenne, WY. I got a song match to their website, as well as RDS confirmation.

One thing I am unsure of: If Alice Cooper is on 99.7 FM, who could be running his show in SO Cal?

KIOO Porterville CA?

 

[ZantennaG1]

KIOO Porterville CA?

Thank you.

 

[tvnut]

More from the NJ hotel outpost, just across the bridge from Delaware, and the roads nearby:

Of the Chicago clears, WGN, WBBM and WLS are clear in the car – with a hint of WOR bleedover on WGN. WSCR can only be hinted at under the Cuban brigade at 670. And only WBBM comes in in the hotel (third floor). WMVP was making itself known as well, and with the directional signal at least sounded louder than the others. I could not measure signal strength.

There's a good mix of clears and 50-kW regionals here, the latter rare to nonexistent in Chicago, including 680 WCBM Baltimore (just down the road), 730 CKAC Montreal, 1050 WEPN New York (the old WHN), 1090 WBAL Baltimore and 1130 WBBR New York.

Locals included 740 WJFP Chester (just across the river) mixing with CFZM, 800 WTMR Camden, 950 WKDN Philadelphia, 990 WNTP Philadelphia, 1010 WINS New York, 1150 WDEL Wilmington and 1590 WPWA Chester in Spanish.

As for the clears, the dial was much like it is in the Chicago area: WSM, WFAN, WLW, WOR, WSB, WJR, WABC, WGY, WHAS, WWL, WCBS, KDKA, WBZ, KYW, WTIC (a regular in Chicago on 1080 before WNWI moved in), WWVA and WHAM. There was a ton of hotel interference above 1180.

 

[ente]

This morning, it was interesting to hear what can be received at ~39,000 ft. On the flight from New Orleans to New York, these stations tripped the scan button:
near Brewton, AL: 97.3 WGEX Bainbridge, GA- Power 97.3
107.1 WGMY Tallahassee, FL - Kiss FM
near Columbus, GA: 97.5 WCOS Columbia, SC - South Carolina's Country Station, over 200 miles away
near Macon, GA: 91.3 WLTR Columbia, SC - South Carolina Public Radio
88.1 WRJA Sumter, SC - SC Public Radio
near Pageland, SC: 97.9 WNBB Bayboro, NC - 97.9 The Bear, classic country
near Raleigh, NC: 106.5 WSFL New Bern, NC - classic rock
89.9 WRVS Elizabeth City, NC - urban contemporary
near Roanoke Rapids, NC: 88.7 WFOS Chesapeake, VA - Time Machine Radio
near Cape May, NJ: 95.1 WAYV Atlantic City, NJ - South Jersey's #1 Hit Music Station

Very nice that JetBlue has free wifi so I could look these up.

 

[cyberdad]

This morning, it was interesting to hear what can be received at ~39,000 ft. On the flight from New Orleans to New York, these stations tripped the scan button:
near Brewton, AL: 97.3 WGEX Bainbridge, GA- Power 97.3
107.1 WGMY Tallahassee, FL - Kiss FM
near Columbus, GA: 97.5 WCOS Columbia, SC - South Carolina's Country Station, over 200 miles away
near Macon, GA: 91.3 WLTR Columbia, SC - South Carolina Public Radio
88.1 WRJA Sumter, SC - SC Public Radio
near Pageland, SC: 97.9 WNBB Bayboro, NC - 97.9 The Bear, classic country
near Raleigh, NC: 106.5 WSFL New Bern, NC - classic rock
89.9 WRVS Elizabeth City, NC - urban contemporary
near Roanoke Rapids, NC: 88.7 WFOS Chesapeake, VA - Time Machine Radio
near Cape May, NJ: 95.1 WAYV Atlantic City, NJ - South Jersey's #1 Hit Music Station

Very nice that JetBlue has free wifi so I could look these up.

I'll preface this by reiterating, as posted previously, that several pilot friends of mine, have been unanimous in telling me that operating small radio receivers on a plane is not a concern to them.

That said, I've certsinly done it. And what you described sounds fairly typicial. The flip side is that very often you won't hear a local signal until you're right on top of it. Such as coming in for a landing. The best DX is usually west of the Rockies. Big signals on less crowded channels. Example: K-Earth, with their big stick atop Mt. Wilson, all the way from LAX to Utah and maybe even beyond.

I used to think transatlantic flights would be good for FM DX. Actually, at least for me, not so much. The polar flight from Chicago to London is mostly over water and sparsely populated land. On top of that, The UK and Ireland have n abundance of lower powered signals. The bottom line is that the entire band is blank for the majority of the eight hour flight.

 

[cyberdad]

As alluded to yesterday (8/24), conditions on AM seem to be beginning to show signs of improvement. Especially on the lower end of the band. This morning before sunrise locally (northwest suburban Chicago), wasn't quite as good as yesterday, but still markedly improved over any time during recent weeks. A few examples....

540: CBK on top of WAUK, CBK has actually for the most part been missing during the past several weeks.
660. 710, 1010: The return of these big signals from New York City. All thee also pretty much missing of late.
790: WSGW with what sounded like sports talk underneath. Female host. My best guess is WMC, which fits, but I have no idea.
800: WVAL on top of another country music signal. (WSVS?....I wasn't able to ID whatever it was).

 

[tvnut]

1010 is close to impossible for me in the southwest Chicago suburbs thanks to WMVP bleedover with its directional blowtorch. Does WINS have a clear edge over CFRB? During the old WCFL Monday silent period, CFRB seemed stronger more often than not.

 

[cyberdad]

1010 is close to impossible for me in the southwest Chicago suburbs thanks to WMVP bleedover with its directional blowtorch. Does WINS have a clear edge over CFRB? During the old WCFL Monday silent period, CFRB seemed stronger more often than not.

I would say that in my own experience, CFRB has an edge when it comes to being a catch for Chicago area DXers. Not all that clear cut. Because WINS definitely shows up from time to time, although CFRB is probably more common. Off the top of my head it's maybe 60-40 odds of CFRB being either alone or on top of WINS (as opposed to WINS being alone or on top of CFRB).

As posted previously, I have a road trip coming up commencing late next week, which takes me on the Trans-Canada highway north of Lake Superior. Jncluding an overnight stop in Kapuskasing, Ontario. 1010 is one of the frequencies I'm anxious to check out. I'm expecting CFRB to be dominant. But what about WINS, CBR (Calgary 50kw), and/or anything else? Stay tuned!

 

[ZantennaG1]

Snagged 1290 KMMM Pratt, Kansas (about 300 miles) with local weather forecast, call-letters, and some country music. Their 500 watt night signal was weak, but overpowering anything else on the frequency, including my semi-local KOWB. Radio was my Midland ER210 with it's internal antenna facing NW/SE, and no additional help.

I'm hoping to grab at least one more major E-skip opening, but as we switch seasons, I've started paying more attention to the AM band again, which is how I got tonight's catch.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Snagged 1290 KMMM Pratt, Kansas (about 300 miles) with local weather forecast, call-letters, and some country music. Their 500 watt night signal was weak, but overpowering anything else on the frequency, including my semi-local KOWB. Radio was my Midland ER210 with it's internal antenna facing NW/SE, and no additional help.

I'm hoping to grab at least one more major E-skip opening, but as we switch seasons, I've started paying more attention to the AM band again, which is how I got tonight's catch.

Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me, @ZantennaG1 ...... im on KMMM too lol

 

[MarioMania]

I'm just decidrf yo go on SDR's

I'm on the Boca Raton, FL SDR on 740 to see if Zoomer wil be there

Nope, I think Cuben. But playing Engish Music like AC..How can I check AM in Cuba?