A FEW RECENT DX CATCHES ON AM

[radioman148]

And yes, WLS seems to do a LOT better 900 miles west than it does even 750 miles east.

I've been able to catch a surprising strong signal from WLS, on several occasions, in Halifax, Nova Scotia (usually at local dawn). As I type, I'm hearing nothing @ 890 on the dial, from my location here in eastern Ontario...

BG

Has this happened recently?

Probably within the last 5 years or so. We've lived in Halifax for about 3 years and have been back in Ontario for nearly 2 1/2 years now.

BG

Can you get WLS late at night where you are now?

 

[mimo]

And yes, WLS seems to do a LOT better 900 miles west than it does even 750 miles east.

I've been able to catch a surprising strong signal from WLS, on several occasions, in Halifax, Nova Scotia (usually at local dawn). As I type, I'm hearing nothing @ 890 on the dial, from my location here in eastern Ontario...

BG

Has this happened recently?

Probably within the last 5 years or so. We've lived in Halifax for about 3 years and have been back in Ontario for nearly 2 1/2 years now.

BG

Can you get WLS late at night where you are now?

I'm in Eastern Ontario, and WLS comes in every night here with an excellent signal. WLS comes in great all over Ontario with the exception of the city of Hamilton where it has to deal with CHML splatter.

 

[radioman148]

Thanks for the report Mimo.

 

[Tincap]

And yes, WLS seems to do a LOT better 900 miles west than it does even 750 miles east.

I've been able to catch a surprising strong signal from WLS, on several occasions, in Halifax, Nova Scotia (usually at local dawn). As I type, I'm hearing nothing @ 890 on the dial, from my location here in eastern Ontario...

BG

Has this happened recently?

Probably within the last 5 years or so. We've lived in Halifax for about 3 years and have been back in Ontario for nearly 2 1/2 years now.

BG

Can you get WLS late at night where you are now?

I'm in Eastern Ontario, and WLS comes in every night here with an excellent signal. WLS comes in great all over Ontario with the exception of the city of Hamilton where it has to deal with CHML splatter.

That's correct, usually WLS has a pretty strong signal here in eastern Ontario, although not early last evening for some reason.

However I was (pleasently) surprised in getting WLS in Halifax. I wasn't able to do much DXing from there (Unfortunately!...as the eletrical interference was always horrible), WLS being my furtherest 'western' catch from that location.

Here in eastern Ontario I've picked up stations to the west such as, WWL, WHO, WCCO, KMOX, KBAP (which I've also picked up in Vancouver BC) and CBW (under CKGM Montreal) over the years.

BG

 

[crainbebo]

I've gotten KSTP, WBBM, WCKY and KVNS in Bothell, WA.

-crainbebo

 

[stormy01]

I'm not shocked that you heard WLS so well in Nebraska. They seem to travel west better than any other direction these days. I'm a bit surprised at KGO since they null in that direction.

KGO does null eastward, yet it's a dependable catch here in Utah at night. It's weak to be sure, but audible. KCBS and KFWB are less dependable here, but are caught pretty regularly. And yes, WLS seems to do a LOT better 900 miles west than it does even 750 miles east.

Well if KGO doesn't throw *too* deep a null in your direction, I guess it's not a huge surprise. I always got the impression the eastern null was strong given how massive their northern and southern lobes are. Any idea of that ERP?
As the previous poster said, WLS really suffers in the South because of all the Latin American interference. Of all the nice things about living in this part of the country, DXing is not one of them (at least as far as hearing the stations I'm used to). It's far better even as close as Dallas.

KGO has an ERP of 254kW in its main lobe, according to the formula found here: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=149350.0

Take the maximum field of the DA array, or at any azimuth, divide it by the reference efficiency, and square it:

2
(DA mV/m @ 1 km / Ref. mV/m @ 1 km) = ERP in kW.

 

[radioman148]

And yes, WLS seems to do a LOT better 900 miles west than it does even 750 miles east.

I've been able to catch a surprising strong signal from WLS, on several occasions, in Halifax, Nova Scotia (usually at local dawn). As I type, I'm hearing nothing @ 890 on the dial, from my location here in eastern Ontario...

BG

Has this happened recently?

Probably within the last 5 years or so. We've lived in Halifax for about 3 years and have been back in Ontario for nearly 2 1/2 years now.

BG

Can you get WLS late at night where you are now?

I'm in Eastern Ontario, and WLS comes in every night here with an excellent signal. WLS comes in great all over Ontario with the exception of the city of Hamilton where it has to deal with CHML splatter.

That's correct, usually WLS has a pretty strong signal here in eastern Ontario, although not early last evening for some reason.

However I was (pleasently) surprised in getting WLS in Halifax. I wasn't able to do much DXing from there (Unfortunately!...as the eletrical interference was always horrible), WLS being my furtherest 'western' catch from that location.

Here in eastern Ontario I've picked up stations to the west such as, WWL, WHO, WCCO, KMOX, KBAP (which I've also picked up in Vancouver BC) and CBW (under CKGM Montreal) over the years.

BG

It seems that WLS still does well in most directions except the south because of Cuban interference.
In the 60s thru the 80s WLS was the easiest catch of all the Chicago clears.
I used to easily hear them in California on a nightly basis and once heard them in Hawaii.

 

[vibe]

From a camping cabin in Sandusky OH (1/2 way bet Cleve. and Toledo) last night on a Bose wave radio I got WWL (about 1000 mi), I think I caught the Dallas 1080 (no ID but numerous references/ads to the Dallas area. No sign of closer Hartford's WTIC. NYC's clears were much stronger than the Chi clears/ although considerably further away.
NO sign of WHO on 1040 or Minniestota's 830 whatsoever.

 

[radioman148]

From a camping cabin in Sandusky OH (1/2 way bet Cleve. and Toledo) last night on a Bose wave radio I got WWL (about 1000 mi), I think I caught the Dallas 1080 (no ID but numerous references/ads to the Dallas area. No sign of closer Hartford's WTIC. NYC's clears were much stronger than the Chi clears/ although considerably further away.
NO sign of WHO on 1040 or Minniestota's 830 whatsoever.

It appears that you were in a better skip zone for the east coast stations than midwest ones.
A few years back I was in central Pa and I heard the Chicago clears perfectly at night while getting a very weak read on the NYC & Philly stations.

 

[BRNout]

When I was near Reno I could hear KGO during the day on a car radio, but it was significantly weaker than KNBR which is ND.
I wonder if BRNout can hear KCBS in Utah?

KGO is audible in Salt Lake pretty much every night - KCBS is much more difficult. There's a local on 730 from the Ogden area which splatters all over 740 and complicates reception. However, the answer is yes - I have heard it weakly in Salt Lake but it's not there every night. However, if you're away from the Wasatch Front megalopolis, KCBS is faint but there most of the time. Dxing from nearby Evanston, WY (80 mi NE of Salt Lake) revealed a weak KCBS fading in and out.

From that spot, I was also able to get a good signal from WGN every night and a weak but audible one from WBBM each night. WSCR was fighting it out with KBOI and others and would lose that fight by about 10 pm each night. As for WLS? Well, they are a great big zero from the southwestern corner of WY. And it's not KDXU that knocks them out - it's a strong Mexican signal. However, even when that one is faded, there is no WLS. They are the weakling of the Chicago 50 kw NDs at that distance (about 1300 miles).

One other oddity from Evanston: I could hear Radio Reloj on 790 early each evening! At least the tones from it. Also, faint RR tones were audible one night on 890 as well. That's over 2000 miles distant!!

As for 680, yes KNBR owns that frequency from the Rockies westward. Their signal is strong and dependable - and even dominates in Colorado. That's why the station from Missouri was so interesting to hear in western NE. Later in the evening, you get KNBR there too.

 

[radioman148]

When I was near Reno I could hear KGO during the day on a car radio, but it was significantly weaker than KNBR which is ND.
I wonder if BRNout can hear KCBS in Utah?

KGO is audible in Salt Lake pretty much every night - KCBS is much more difficult. There's a local on 730 from the Ogden area which splatters all over 740 and complicates reception. However, the answer is yes - I have heard it weakly in Salt Lake but it's not there every night. However, if you're away from the Wasatch Front megalopolis, KCBS is faint but there most of the time. Dxing from nearby Evanston, WY (80 mi NE of Salt Lake) revealed a weak KCBS fading in and out.

From that spot, I was also able to get a good signal from WGN every night and a weak but audible one from WBBM each night. WSCR was fighting it out with KBOI and others and would lose that fight by about 10 pm each night. As for WLS? Well, they are a great big zero from the southwestern corner of WY. And it's not KDXU that knocks them out - it's a strong Mexican signal. However, even when that one is faded, there is no WLS. They are the weakling of the Chicago 50 kw NDs at that distance (about 1300 miles).

One other oddity from Evanston: I could hear Radio Reloj on 790 early each evening! At least the tones from it. Also, faint RR tones were audible one night on 890 as well. That's over 2000 miles distant!!

As for 680, yes KNBR owns that frequency from the Rockies westward. Their signal is strong and dependable - and even dominates in Colorado. That's why the station from Missouri was so interesting to hear in western NE. Later in the evening, you get KNBR there too.

I'm a bit surprised that you get WSCR at all out there. Besides KBOI there's a Colorado station on 670.
I'm also surprised that KDWN doesn't knock out WGN.
Thanks for the DX reports and please keep em coming.

 

[schmave]

When I was near Reno I could hear KGO during the day on a car radio, but it was significantly weaker than KNBR which is ND.
I wonder if BRNout can hear KCBS in Utah?

KGO is audible in Salt Lake pretty much every night - KCBS is much more difficult. There's a local on 730 from the Ogden area which splatters all over 740 and complicates reception. However, the answer is yes - I have heard it weakly in Salt Lake but it's not there every night. However, if you're away from the Wasatch Front megalopolis, KCBS is faint but there most of the time. Dxing from nearby Evanston, WY (80 mi NE of Salt Lake) revealed a weak KCBS fading in and out.

From that spot, I was also able to get a good signal from WGN every night and a weak but audible one from WBBM each night. WSCR was fighting it out with KBOI and others and would lose that fight by about 10 pm each night. As for WLS? Well, they are a great big zero from the southwestern corner of WY. And it's not KDXU that knocks them out - it's a strong Mexican signal. However, even when that one is faded, there is no WLS. They are the weakling of the Chicago 50 kw NDs at that distance (about 1300 miles).

One other oddity from Evanston: I could hear Radio Reloj on 790 early each evening! At least the tones from it. Also, faint RR tones were audible one night on 890 as well. That's over 2000 miles distant!!

As for 680, yes KNBR owns that frequency from the Rockies westward. Their signal is strong and dependable - and even dominates in Colorado. That's why the station from Missouri was so interesting to hear in western NE. Later in the evening, you get KNBR there too.

I'm a bit surprised that you get WSCR at all out there. Besides KBOI there's a Colorado station on 670.
I'm also surprised that KDWN doesn't knock out WGN.
Thanks for the DX reports and please keep em coming.

KDWN throws a pretty deep null at Chicago, IIRC. Can't speak to how deep from personal experience; that's just from the patterns I've seen.
Adding to the earlier post from Sandusky, usually Chicago and New York stations come in at equal strength most nights in Columbus. All come in well, but WFAN and WSCR brought up the rear, especially in the old days when the Cuban knocked out then-WMAQ many a night. I don't remember that being a problem since 2001 or so.
The only NY station I don't remember hearing much was WINS, though it occasionally appeared and in fairness, I cared far more about hearing the Chicago stations. I developed quite a dislike for WOR because it tended to clobber WGN when I was trying to listen to the Cubs. So I won't really cry the next time I hear WOR covered by WLW's awful hash.

 

[cyberdad]

That's correct, usually WLS has a pretty strong signal here in eastern Ontario

BG

I'm in eastern Ontario quite a bit....Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Brockville and a few other places. WLS usually kicks butt every night in all of 'em. Even now when the signal isn't quite what it used to be. Splatter from WCBS can be a bit of a problem. CHML is is basically a non-factor. Actually most of the Chicago 50kw signals do rather well in eastern Ontario. As did 1160 on the old (weaker) nighttime pattern, and even 1690 before the channel got more crowded.

 

[radioman148]

That's correct, usually WLS has a pretty strong signal here in eastern Ontario

BG

I'm in eastern Ontario quite a bit....Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Brockville and a few other places. WLS usually kicks butt every night in all of 'em. Even now when the signal isn't quite what it used to be. Splatter from WCBS can be a bit of a problem. CHML is is basically a non-factor. Actually most of the Chicago 50kw signals do rather well in eastern Ontario. As did 1160 on the old (weaker) nighttime pattern, and even 1690 before the channel got more crowded.

I'm a bit surprised you got 1690 so well in eastern Canada.

 

[mimo]

Believe it or not, it can be a pest here in eastern Ontario certain times of night. I enjoy listening to CJLO 1690 out of Montreal, since I happen to like more unusua/experimentall forms of music. WRLL/WVON can sometimes knock them right off the dial here. Although with interference from Maryland, and Toronto, we can have as many as 4 station fighting it out on 1690, and the one from Chicagoland puts up a really go0d fight sometimes.

 

[radioman148]

I guess you never know about the skip on the X band as 1690 in Chicago can hardly be heard in the northern suburbs at night.

 

[BRNout]

I'm a bit surprised that you get WSCR at all out there. Besides KBOI there's a Colorado station on 670.
I'm also surprised that KDWN doesn't knock out WGN.
Thanks for the DX reports and please keep em coming.

WSCR was weak and fighting it out with KBOI in the SW corner of WY. Have yet to id anything from CO on 670. The three CO stations that I've gotten at night so far in WY are KNUS 760 denver, KOA 850 Denver, and KNZZ 1100 Grand Junction. Evanston is an interesting listening post because, aside from a local on 1240, the dial is pretty open. And, you're just east of the imposing Wasatch Mountains.

If you don't think that mountains impact AM skywave at night, think again. From the Wasatch Front area (SLC, Ogden, Provo), 670 is generally KBOI (in some places, during the day too), 720 is KDWN, and 780 is KRNO. KNUS is a rarity until you're east of the mountains and even KOA isn't as solid as you may think thanks to the blanket coverage of a local on 860. Not one Chicago AM is audible on a regular basis west of the Wasatch Range; yet three are picked up every night (and WGN well) on the east side of it - less than 75 air miles away.

 

[radioman148]

I'm a bit surprised that you get WSCR at all out there. Besides KBOI there's a Colorado station on 670.
I'm also surprised that KDWN doesn't knock out WGN.
Thanks for the DX reports and please keep em coming.

WSCR was weak and fighting it out with KBOI in the SW corner of WY. Have yet to id anything from CO on 670. The three CO stations that I've gotten at night so far in WY are KNUS 760 denver, KOA 850 Denver, and KNZZ 1100 Grand Junction. Evanston is an interesting listening post because, aside from a local on 1240, the dial is pretty open. And, you're just east of the imposing Wasatch Mountains.

If you don't think that mountains impact AM skywave at night, think again. From the Wasatch Front area (SLC, Ogden, Provo), 670 is generally KBOI (in some places, during the day too), 720 is KDWN, and 780 is KRNO. KNUS is a rarity until you're east of the mountains and even KOA isn't as solid as you may think thanks to the blanket coverage of a local on 860. Not one Chicago AM is audible on a regular basis west of the Wasatch Range; yet three are picked up every night (and WGN well) on the east side of it - less than 75 air miles away.

I know you are right about the mountains from the times I spent in California.
Any more luck hearing WLS? I'm a bit surprised that you can't get it at all when the other Chicago stations are coming in.

 

[cyberdad]

I guess you never know about the skip on the X band as 1690 in Chicago can hardly be heard in the northern suburbs at night.

Oh yeah. In addition to eastern Ontario, 1690 was...and even still is....stronger than the Chicago northern suburbs in places like Kansas City, Memphis, Dayton, etc.

The one that surprised me was WJJD/WSCR on the old nighttime pattern off the Des Plaines tower. Very listenable in southern Ontario as long as you were far enough away from CKOC's "line of fire".

CKOC is a surprise in and of itself. Most of the 50kw nighttime juice goes north and northeast....and they subsequently put a fine nighttime signal into the eastern reaches of the Toronto metro. Yet they still are on top of the 1150 channel more often than not in northern Illinois.

 

[radioman148]

I guess you never know about the skip on the X band as 1690 in Chicago can hardly be heard in the northern suburbs at night.

Oh yeah. In addition to eastern Ontario, 1690 was...and even still is....stronger than the Chicago northern suburbs in places like Kansas City, Memphis, Dayton, etc.

The one that surprised me was WJJD/WSCR on the old nighttime pattern off the Des Plaines tower. Very listenable in southern Ontario as long as you were far enough away from CKOC's "line of fire".

CKOC is a surprise in and of itself. Most of the 50kw nighttime juice goes north and northeast....and they subsequently put a fine nighttime signal into the eastern reaches of the Toronto metro. Yet they still are on top of the 1150 channel more often than not in northern Illinois.

Many years ago before 1160 got crowded I heard WJJD in New York City.