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1540 ZNS Nassau Temporarily Off The Air

G

Gregg

According to the ZNS website, the clear channel station in the Bahamas is off the air due to thieves stealing the copper wires around the transmitter site. The webiste says ZNS programming is being heard on an FM station, Power 104.5.

http://www.znsbahamas.com/#clip=fli/122359-ZNSLIVE

I've heard stories about thieves taking the expensive copper wires from the fields around AM radio transmitters in the past, although on an island nation as small as the Bahamas, where are they going to sell the stuff?

In the Southeast you might be able to pick up KXEL Waterloo Iowa, the other 50,000 watt station that shares 1540 with ZNS. 1540 WDCD Albany NY is also 50,000 watts full-time but so directional away from both Iowa and the Bahamas that it probably won't be helped much while ZNS repairs its transmitter site. Having worked at 1540 in Albany briefly, I know KXEL can be heard within 30 or so miles south and west of Albany many nights.

I believe KXEL is directional away from the Bahamas so it will be interesting to see if anyone in the Southeast picks it up.



Gregg
[email protected]
 
Thanks for the info. 810 Freeport relays 1540 overnights, so I'll see what they are up to as well.

It's extremely rare to hear anything BUT ZNS in south FL. I caught 1540 Albany in the 1970s as WPTR, and unID but likely CHIN Toronto in the late 80s w/ "Broadcast News" report. Never heard KXEL here, although they dominate up north!

There *is* a Cuban or two on 1540 as well, but not strong.

cd
 
ZNS always was one of those interesting 'foreign' stations on the AM dial. By 'foreign' I mean they utilized the far more casual approach to announcing, almost a Short Wave philosophy, vis-a-vis the hyped and processed and 'can't-stick-a-pin-in-the-talkup' agendas that were pervasive at least as far back as the late Sixties even at A/C stations. One could almost see the guy on the air in the ZNS studio (a grass hut, of course), with his finger in his ear for resonance, and playing records on a phonograph.

Even in the days of their old non-directional signal, though, ZNS was never that much of a powerhouse in the Florida places such as Clearwater-New Port Richey or in North-Central Florida near Leesburg. With their 'newer' directional pattern, they're almost non-existent and wouldn't be noticed except for the mellow, insistent tint of the programming -- almost like background music. I did pick up KXEL last visit, though (October 2009).

Some sunset catches of stations from the northeast definitely would be worth a try. WNWR Philadelphis sends a lot of it that way. Newport RI could be a water-path catch despite their wattage. WREJ Richmond could be a lock. WTXY in NC (near Myrtle Beach) is low-powered but near the ocean.

Wishing you folks good DX with your quest! Could be an interesting frequency in Central and South Florida while the station re-habs.
 
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