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WNAM 1280 DX Test Before Signing Off For Good

SomeRadioGuy

SomeRadioGuy

The Courtesy Program Committee (CPC) of the National Radio Club (NRC) and the International Radio Club of America (IRCA) announces a special DX Test for distant listeners for radio station WNAM on 1280 kHz in Neenah-Menasha,WI. The test is scheduled for Tuesday, December 30th and Wednesday, December 31st starting at Midnight local Central Standard Time through 5:05 AM Central Standard Time (This equates to 0600 to 1105 UTC on 30 December and 31 December).

This test is scheduled to run for 2 minutes after ABC News at the top-of-the-hour each hour from Midnight to 5am local Central time. ABC News runs from :00-:03 after the hour. The DX Test will run from :03-:05 after the hour, each hour of the window.

These test transmissions are being broadcast in conjunction with the final days of broadcast of WNAM. WNAM is scheduled to cease broadcast operations at 11:59 PM Central Time on December 31st. These test transmissions are a way to honor the history of WNAM in its service to the community as well as provide an opportunity for DXers to hear WNAM one last time - or possibly the first time!

The test will consist of an assortment of classic station jingles, sweep tones, voice IDs, morse code and other sounds.

WNAM will be operating at their daytime power/pattern for the duration of the test events.

In addition, listeners/DXers are invited to tune in WNAM’s special 3-hour farewell broadcast on Wednesday, December 31, starting at 9:00 PM Central Standard Time. This will include a “recreation” of the station’s glory years as “Blue 128” complete with airchecks from previous on-air staff.

RECEPTION REPORTS & QSL REQUESTS

All reception reports will be verified through the station directly with a special QSL that was developed for the occasion. Reception reports along with MP3 recordings or .MP4 video recordings of your reception should be emailed to:

[email protected]. Please be sure to use the subject line: "WNAM 1280 DX TEST RECEPTION REPORT."

The following are recommendations are in effect in order to expedite processing and receive a QSL verifying your report:

  • Reports via email only - this is required. An MP3 file attachment of your reception (best reception) or an MP4 video clip are preferred. While written descriptions will be considered along with the recording, they may not suffice alone for verification.
  • Reports must be submitted within 30 days of the test.
  • The report must include your name, location, and return email address, clearly grouped together at the top of the verification request.
  • Please also include a description of your receiver, antenna, and any interference noted.
  • If you use a remote SDR to receive the test, you must clearly indicate that in your verification request. We will only accept one such report per DX'er. You cannot log the test on multiple remote SDRs and request multiple verifications.
The IRCA/NRC CPC would like to thank the owners and staff of WNAM}, Steve Edwards and CPC member Loyd Van Horn for helping to arrange the test.

Good luck to all DXers!
 
It will be very, very hard here with KIT at 7.5 miles away from me. But I will try for them.
 
Would love if the tests could be recorded and accessed somewhere online. I am pretty sure I won't hear it in San Diego. At the very least, would love to have the final 3-hour broadcast available somewhere after the fact.
 
powers said:
Would love if the tests could be recorded and accessed somewhere online. I am pretty sure I won't hear it in San Diego. At the very least, would love to have the final 3-hour broadcast available somewhere after the fact.
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I'm sure some reports will be posted online with snippets of audio but the whole point of the tests is to listen for them over the air at home or on an SDR.. posting them online allows people to cheat and send in reports for something they didnt hear...... which has happened.
 
Location: North DFW, Texas Receiver: Sangean ATS-909X barefoot.

December 29th, at 23:58 CST, I heard a station playing "Up On the Roof", fair signal on top of channel, then faded out completely. A short while later, December 30th at 00:12 CST, the station surfaced again playing "You've Got A Friend", which I matched to WNAM's web stream. I did not hear any of the :03 - :05 test sounds, although I tried again at 01:03 CST. 1280 khz was mostly XEAW Monterrey with KPRV Okla. popping in once with ID "Hometown Radio KPRV". No sign of WODT New Orleans which, in the past, owned 1280 at my location.
 
MarioMania said:
I have the Rudolph, Wisconsin SDR on to hear it

I'm like too far from Vallejo, CA to hear it
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I'm going to try using some local SDRs and maybe also my own radio, if I can find a spot in the house with reception that doesn't stink. Who knows, maybe conditions will be exceptionally good.

It doesn't help that 1280 is a noisy graveyard frequency.

c
 
Nothing noted again on the SDR in Bridgeport WA where I heard WBZ last night. Fox Sports (either KWSX or KZNS) and KIT dominate.
 
crainbebo said:
Nothing noted again on the SDR in Bridgeport WA where I heard WBZ last night. Fox Sports (either KWSX or KZNS) and KIT dominate.
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Same here.

I did tune into the Rudolph, WI SDR and around :03 heard some Morse code, which was most certainly WNAM.

If I'm up, I might try again in about a half hour. Maybe conditions have changed?

c
 
I heard a beep on 1280 at 11:06pm

I'm on the KB9GO Rudolph, WI KiwiSDR at that time

I'm west from Appleton

What's WNAM day pattern? Can it reach Green Bay in the Daytime?
 
Kenosha, WI- So I tried for the WNAM test @ Midnight 12/31. WNAM is a pretty regular catch here @ 112 miles, sometimes dominating 1280; in fact, there are times that I can hear it faintly in the daytime, particularly since WBIG has been on STA. Last night, however, wasn't one of those times. WGBF Evansville, IN was particularly strong, and a turn of the radio brought in CFMB Montreal. I did hear a sweep tone under WGBF, but that was about it.

I really thought WNAM on day power would be killing it here, but not so much.

RIP to a unique station.

BTW, CFMB has been a regular early afternoon skip catch here. Pretty much any afternoon after 3:00-ish, it's there.
 
TXPH97 said:
Location: North DFW, Texas Receiver: Sangean ATS-909X barefoot.

December 29th, at 23:58 CST, I heard a station playing "Up On the Roof", fair signal on top of channel, then faded out completely. A short while later, December 30th at 00:12 CST, the station surfaced again playing "You've Got A Friend", which I matched to WNAM's web stream. I did not hear any of the :03 - :05 test sounds, although I tried again at 01:03 CST. 1280 khz was mostly XEAW Monterrey with KPRV Okla. popping in once with ID "Hometown Radio KPRV". No sign of WODT New Orleans which, in the past, owned 1280 at my location.
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Well not so fast... After further research, it appears that both WNAM and KPRV-AM use “America’s Best Music” syndicated service for Adult Standards. That being the case, my matching to WNAM’s web stream of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got A Friend” is not proof of hearing the station, since I did not hear any of the :03-:05 specific tones, etc. I did hear KPRV with ID, so it is more likely to be the source of the songs heard also.
 
Since I didn't hear them on the Bridgeport WA SDR (which is a hotrod), nor on the western Montana receiver, I didn't bother locally. Nothing would have made it through KIT, 1KW at 7.5 miles east. I have heard KFRN Long Beach in nulling them tightly. I have much better luck with 1280khz in other locations, even Ellensburg, where KQLL Henderson could overpower KIT at sunset.
 
TXPH97 said:
Well not so fast... After further research, it appears that both WNAM and KPRV-AM use “America’s Best Music” syndicated service for Adult Standards. That being the case, my matching to WNAM’s web stream of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got A Friend” is not proof of hearing the station, since I did not hear any of the :03-:05 specific tones, etc. I did hear KPRV with ID, so it is more likely to be the source of the songs heard also.
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Well, that's unfortunate. I listened 12:00-12:15 and 1:00-1:15 but never heard any of the swoops, Morse, etc. I did hear snippets of a song //WNAM's stream, but I guess that's not helpful then. I haven't logged KPRV either, but never heard any clear announcements.
 
I planned on tuning in at 0055 EST but of course the batteries in my radio were dead. Got everything squared away and tuned in at 0105. Nothing listenable except a beep approx every second. I have no idea what the beep is but it's there tonight as well. George Noori did fade way up and totally listenable at 0106 but then he slid back down into the muck about 30 seconds later.
 


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