XERF 1570

[SomeRadioGuy]

Normally, I post my DX logs in the "post your dx" thread here but since XERF is such a talked about station over the history of radio, I thought I'd share what it sounds like here in SE Wyoming. Its listenable most nights and often enough, it sounds darn near like a local.

Here's some audio. Fast forward to 3 minutes for the station legal id at top of the hour. Recorded Sat Apr 4th at 859pm MT.
XERF 1570 Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua,MX 0259UTC Sun Apr 5, 2026.MP3 g

 

[davideduardo]

Normally, I post my DX logs in the "post your dx" thread here but since XERF is such a talked about station over the history of radio, I thought I'd share what it sounds like here in SE Wyoming. Its listenable most nights and often enough, it sounds darn near like a local.

Here's some audio. Fast forward to 3 minutes for the station legal id at top of the hour. Recorded Sat Apr 4th at 859pm MT.
XERF 1570 Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua,MX 0259UTC Sun Apr 5, 2026.MP3 g

Has XERF moved? It is licensed to Cd. Acuńa, Coahuila in México. Juárez is over 600 miles away

 

[Mediafrog+]

Has XERF moved? It is licensed to Cd. Acuńa, Coahuila in México. Juárez is over 600 miles away

XERF is still where it has always been.

The 2026 WRTH has 100kw as the station’s power, but reports over the past few years suggest it is running much less than that…some have it at 30kw or less.

Clean and decent reception here in Houston some 325 miles from Ciudad Acuńa, but no way XERF is running 100kw.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Has XERF moved? It is licensed to Cd. Acuńa, Coahuila in México. Juárez is over 600 miles away

Sometimes I get the city names wrong when trying to pull it from memory

 

[Mediafrog+]

Clean and decent reception here in Houston some 625 miles from Ciudad Acuńa, but no way XERF is running 100kw.

Why did a moderator change my original “325 miles” to 625? I know I typed 325 originally as I double checked with distancefromto.net. Please don’t change factual information.

 

[IM42A]

One thing I was struck by, is that the announcer referred to the "Republica Mexicana". Is that a common turn of phrase in Mexico? You will run across it on very old Mexican coins, but the far more common name is "Estados Unidos Mexicanos".

 

[davideduardo]

One thing I was struck by, is that the announcer referred to the "Republica Mexicana". Is that a common turn of phrase in Mexico? You will run across it on very old Mexican coins, but the far more common name is "Estados Unidos Mexicanos".

Google AI says: "Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, conocidos comúnmente como la República Mexicana o México, son un país soberano de América del Norte con una estructura federal. Su capital es la Ciudad de México y su territorio se divide en 32 entidades federativas (31 estados libres y soberanos y la Ciudad de México)"

That says that the United Mexican States is commonly referred to as the República Mexicana or just México.

 

[IM42A]

Google AI says: "Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, conocidos comúnmente como la República Mexicana o México, son un país soberano de América del Norte con una estructura federal. Su capital es la Ciudad de México y su territorio se divide en 32 entidades federativas (31 estados libres y soberanos y la Ciudad de México)"

That says that the United Mexican States is commonly referred to as the República Mexicana or just México.

Okay, got it. I hadn't been exposed to enough discussion of the matter to be aware of that.

Amazingly, as basic as my Spanish is, I was able to read every word of that without a translator, and understood what it said.

 

[cc333]

Amazingly, as basic as my Spanish is, I was able to read every word of that without a translator, and understood what it said.

Your Spanish is better than mine, although I can understand most of it with a quick translation of a couple words I didn't recognize):

The United Mexican States, commonly known as the Mexican Republic, is a sovereign country of North America with a federal structure. The capital is Mexico City and its territory is divided into 32 federal entities (31 free and sovereign states and Mexico City).

I don't normally read Spanish (AI-constructed or otherwise), so I'm quite out of practice, and it took quite awhile for me to figure it out. My translation thus is probably very inexact, but I think it's adequately understandable.

c

 

[IM42A]

Your Spanish is better than mine, although I can understand most of it with a quick translation of a couple words I didn't recognize):

I don't normally read Spanish (AI-constructed or otherwise), so I'm quite out of practice, and it took quite awhile for me to figure it out. My translation thus is probably very inexact, but I think it's adequately understandable.

c

Your translation is fine (@davideduardo, can you confirm?). The Spanish in that passage wasn't especially difficult.

 

[amos1001]

i know this is totally off topic, but if you'll indulge me.
i went to costa rica a few years ago, and while there i decided i'd try to order in a restaurant without asking for any help (or an english menu)
i picked an easy spot. a fast food chicken restaurant. pollo campero. i went up to the counter, looked at the menu board and...
in my best espanol (terrible espanol) i said... por favor, senora. numero dos. fritas, coca lite. and proudly patted myself on the back.
then, the senora said something in spanish. i thought maybe she didn't understand, so i said POR FAVOR, SENORA. NUMERO DOS. FRITAS. COCA LITE. again she's speaking to me in spanish. this time louder and faster. i had no idea what to say or what to do.
a local resident in line behind me whispers in english "she's asking to go, or to eat here?" oh well, i almost did it without help.

 

[davideduardo]

i picked an easy spot. a fast food chicken restaurant. pollo campero.

Sidebar: that is the best fried chicken in the world. It originated in Guatemala, and is just fantástico.

i went up to the counter, looked at the menu board and...
in my best espanol (terrible espanol) i said... por favor, senora. numero dos. fritas, coca lite. and proudly patted myself on the back.

"Fries" are not called "fritas". That is an anglicsm. They are usually called "papitas" or "little potatoes. But they likely got you. Extra points for trying.

But "coca" depeniding on the tone, is "cocaine". "Una coca lite" or "una coca" with "una" does distinguish the drink from the illegal stuff. Otherwise, you will get a bill for $50 or so for your "coke".

Remember, another language is not just the same words in that language as usage defines meaning.

Best example: in English, "I am of Celtic descendancy". In Spanish, "soy de ascendencia celta". One is moving up, the other is moving down over history.

then, the senora said something in spanish. i thought maybe she didn't understand, so i said POR FAVOR, SENORA. NUMERO DOS. FRITAS. COCA LITE. again she's speaking to me in spanish. this time louder and faster. i had no idea what to say or what to do.
a local resident in line behind me whispers in english "she's asking to go, or to eat here?" oh well, i almost did it without help.

And you win congratulations for trying. Generally, Spanish speakers value the effort by a "gringo" to speak even a bit of their language. On the other hand, those from Paris are offended that you have not taken the time to master French before wandering into their country. I find that speaking Spanish or my horrible Italian is acceptable, while using English gets frowns or even snarls!

That is a good story. I'll bet anyone who heard you smiled.... not because you did not say it perfectly but because your wanted to try!

 

[IM42A]

On the other hand, those from Paris are offended that you have not taken the time to master French before wandering into their country.

Being able to speak even basic French (as I do) goes a long way in Paris. I was able to converse in everything relevant to what a tourist would need or encounter, and my trip went totally smoothly. I encountered no rudeness whatsoever, quite the contrary, the people were friendly and helpful. And don't forget the "bonjour" when you enter a place of business. They don't like it when people don't do that.

 

[Mark Roberts]

And you win congratulations for trying. Generally, Spanish speakers value the effort by a "gringo" to speak even a bit of their language. On the other hand, those from Paris are offended that you have not taken the time to master French before wandering into their country. I find that speaking Spanish or my horrible Italian is acceptable, while using English gets frowns or even snarls!

Regarding Paris…that hasn’t been my experience at all, and I’ve been there multiple times. Yes, I speak French at the B1 or B2 level (these levels are an EU standard), which means I still make some mistakes. But approaching situations with an open, flexible attitude goes a long way, in Paris and elsewhere. Also keep in mind that Paris is like New York as a busy cultural and business center and, Lord knows, New Yorkers can be quite rude in the wrong circumstances. I’ve never encountered that kind of rudeness in Paris. It’s even better in the rest of France…Toulouse, Nîmes, Lyon, Strasbourg, Clermont-Ferrand have all been good experiences for me.

@IM42A is right: saying “bonjour” (and exiting with “bonne journée” or “bonne soirée”) goes a long way. Also, I’ve found that most of the French under the age of 40 or so speak pretty good English. So they don’t have some of the hangups older generations may have had and understand that learning a second language is challenging. Where I’ve run into flat-out rudeness is in Germany and Switzerland. Funny, because my appearance resembles the German side of my family more than the Anglo-Saxon side. But even there, things depend on circumstances…I was in Germany last year and it was delightful. Zürich, on the other hand…not so much.

And DAB+ is way better than HD ever will be!

 

[Mediafrog+]

i picked an easy spot. a fast food chicken restaurant. pollo campero.

Sidebar: that is the best fried chicken in the world. It originated in Guatemala, and is just fantástico.

Pollo Campero has a number of locations here in Houston, and my wife and I really enjoy the food. We split a four piece fried chicken meal, with plantains and campero rice as the sides, along with flan for dessert.😋

Not sure how many U.S. markets Pollo Campero is in, but no shortage of customers when we are there.

While most of their customers order in Spanish, they have no problems with English.

 

[amos1001]

Sidebar: that is the best fried chicken in the world. It originated in Guatemala, and is just fantástico.

"Fries" are not called "fritas". That is an anglicsm. They are usually called "papitas" or "little potatoes. But they likely got you. Extra points for trying.

But "coca" depeniding on the tone, is "cocaine". "Una coca lite" or "una coca" with "una" does distinguish the drink from the illegal stuff. Otherwise, you will get a bill for $50 or so for your "coke".

That is a good story. I'll bet anyone who heard you smiled.... not because you did not say it perfectly but because your wanted to try!

Thanks for those kind words.
i'm sure that I had heard the words used, even though not all at the same time. I MIGHT have even said "una coca lite," I'm not sure. Nobody offered me drugs haha.
I THOUGHT I had heard fritas for fres, not sure where I got that
I did learn to say pura vida! You know how important that phrase is to a tico. My pronunciation sucks but they love it

 

[amos1001]

Not sure how many U.S. markets Pollo Campero is in, but no shortage of customers when we are there.

While most of their customers order in Spanish, they have no problems with English.

I'm pretty sure they hadn't entered the USA when I was in Costa Rica. I had never heard of them, anyway.
I've found that most places I've been somebody can speak English, especially younger people. I could have probably ordered in English, but that wasn't the point

 

[amos1001]

And you win congratulations for trying. Generally, Spanish speakers value the effort by a "gringo" to speak even a bit of their language.

I've found that to be true everywhere, not just Spanish speaking areas!! The only Portuguese thing I can say is Obrigado, but it was appreciated in Angola! (Never been to Brazil or Portugal... yet). And I'll toss in a Ja Genau in Germany. Guten Morgen! Ein doner kebap, bitte. danke!
And in France I'm glad to toss in a bonjour or merci. speaking of France... Do you know why you can't get a good two-egg omelet in Paris?
Because one egg is...un oeuf!

 

[radiofan2023]

I THOUGHT I had heard fritas for fres, not sure where I got that

You might be thinking of papas fritas.

 

[davideduardo]

Thanks for those kind words.
i'm sure that I had heard the words used, even though not all at the same time. I MIGHT have even said "una coca lite," I'm not sure. Nobody offered me drugs haha.
I THOUGHT I had heard fritas for fres, not sure where I got that
I did learn to say pura vida! You know how important that phrase is to a tico. My pronunciation sucks but they love it

My favorite is the McDonald’s menu in Argentina. They have their own Big Mac which has a slice of avocado instead of onion. Avocado in Argentina is “palta” so they all it McPalta, a mix of Scottish and Argentine variants of Spanish.