A FEW RECENT DX CATCHES ON AM

[stormy01]

This morning I heard WAKE 1500 from Valparaiso, IN before 6:00 a.m. This frequency is usually a jumble of KSTP, WTWP, WLQV, etc. WPJX Zion was not on the air yet. Sometimes one can hear stations one hasn't heard for years, but it takes patience, sometimes lots of it!

 

[radioman148]

This morning I heard WAKE 1500 from Valparaiso, IN before 6:00 a.m. This frequency is usually a jumble of KSTP, WTWP, WLQV, etc. WPJX Zion was not on the air yet. Sometimes one can hear stations one hasn't heard for years, but it takes patience, sometimes lots of it!

Patience is a virtue when Dxing. And isn't it amazing how often the station fades just as you're trying to get the calls or city? At least these days we have the internet to help us identify stations in some situations.

 

[stormy01]

Last night I heard KPRM 870 Park Rapids, MN - broadcasting a Twins game - and coming in quite nicely in the null of WWL. I don't recall exactly what time but it was well after sunset here, like 9:00 p.m. or later - they had to be on their omnidirectional day power of 25kW - at night they are 1kW aimed N/NW away from WWL, of course. KPRM was coming in almost as well as WCCO. By the way, KPRM has applied with the FCC for 40kW daytime, so if they are granted that power, that will make them more of a DX target.

 

[ddsparxx]

Location: 40 miles NW of Chicago.

710 CJRN Niagara Falls, Ontario - about 4:20 a.m.
860 WMRI Marion, Indiana - right before local sunset around 7:30 p.m.
1050 WTKA Ann Arbor, Michigan around 4:25 a.m.
1180 KOFI Kalispell, Montana around 4:30 a.m.

I've heard KOFI a couple of times at night in southwest central Oregon.

 

[radioman148]

Last night I heard KPRM 870 Park Rapids, MN - broadcasting a Twins game - and coming in quite nicely in the null of WWL. I don't recall exactly what time but it was well after sunset here, like 9:00 p.m. or later - they had to be on their omnidirectional day power of 25kW - at night they are 1kW aimed N/NW away from WWL, of course. KPRM was coming in almost as well as WCCO. By the way, KPRM has applied with the FCC for 40kW daytime, so if they are granted that power, that will make them more of a DX target.

Depending on the time of year certain stations can be much better DX targets at particular times.
I'll have to give that one a try.

 

[Icangelp]

I remember WNOE from the early sixties, when it was Top 40 and 10kw days, 5 kw nights.

 

[stormy01]

Depending on the time of year certain stations can be much better DX targets at particular times.
I'll have to give that one a try.

It's been written about in professional journals like IEEE, textbooks on radio communication and several DX clubs online or their printed publications. Shorter daylight hours in the late fall, winter and early spring (more available nighttime hours) are known to enhance AM BCB reception since the ionosphere is reflecting Medium Wave and lower frequency Short Wave signals as opposed to attenuating/absorbing skywave signals, as are the vernal and autumnal equinoxes (approximately the third week of March and September each year, respectively)

I would start looking for KPRM sometime before 8:15 p.m., that is the average sunset for the month of July in Park Rapids, MN. As the month progresses, the sunset comes earlier each day so if the station is supposed to sign off at 8:15 p.m. it may be mostly daylight at the transmitter site at the beginning of the month, but by the end of the month it may be nearly completely dark there, since the daylight is shorter by about a minute per day. That means if the desired station is west of your receiving location, theoretically at least, the signal is more likely to cover the path between your location and the stations location. In the FCC database for the AM station you're interested in, you'll find the sunrise/sunset times for the stations location. Some stations have to also operate "critical hours", meaning may they operate with a directional array and/or reduced power up to 2 hours before sunset (and also up to 2 hours after sunrise), making those kinds of stations tougher to DX. I'm not discouraging anyone from trying for those stations! KPRM does not have critical hours operation, just a daytime and nighttime power.

 

[radioman148]

I remember WNOE from the early sixties, when it was Top 40 and 10kw days, 5 kw nights.

WNOE is a perfect example of good seasonal skip. In the 60s it was 50KW days and 5KW nights.
I used to pick them up very well in the fall between late October & late January from around Chicago sunset
for about 45 minutes until they powered down to 5KW. I used to be able to null KYW and WNOE would come in very well during that time period at that time of year. At no other time of the year was I successful trying to capture WNOE in northern Illinois.

 

[stormy01]

I remember WNOE from the early sixties, when it was Top 40 and 10kw days, 5 kw nights.

WNOE is a perfect example of good seasonal skip. In the 60s it was 50KW days and 5KW nights.
I used to pick them up very well in the fall between late October & late January from around Chicago sunset
for about 45 minutes until they powered down to 5KW. I used to be able to null KYW and WNOE would come in very well during that time period at that time of year. At no other time of the year was I successful trying to capture WNOE in northern Illinois.

WLNO (former WNOE) is still 50kW-D, 5kW-N. A few months ago (around March) I heard WLNO 1060 in the time frame 4:30-5:00 a.m. in the morning when KYW was fading out due to their local sunrise approaching and before WHFB Benton Harbor, MI signed on. So WLNO must have been on night power, and its signal is strongest NW/SE for the night pattern.

 

[BRNout]

I've heard KOFI a couple of times at night in southwest central Oregon.

Just heard them last night at 10 pm local from Ogden, UT - despite KSL's mighty IBOC buzz-jammer. A few notable/interesting evening/night time catches during my 1/2 cross-country excursion:

From Kimball, NE (about 60 mi E of Cheyenne, WY):

540 CBK Regina/Watrous, SK (despite a nearby daytimer in Pine Bluffs, WY)
580 WIBW Topeka, KS (5 kw)
640 KFI Los Angeles
670 WSCR Chicago
680 KFEQ St. Joseph, MO
720 WGN Chicago (strong)
780 WBBM Chicago
850 KOA Denver (easy from there, day or night - got KOA during the day as far E as Kearney, NE)
860 CJBC Toronto (farthest catch of the night at 1250 miles.....and it came in well)
880 KRVN Lexington, NE
890 WLS Chicago (amazingly, the strongest of the big Chicago signals - clear despite KRVN!)
960 CFAC Calgary, AB
980 KMBZ Kansas City, MO (5 kw)
1070 KNX Los Angeles (loud and clear)

Amazing to get WLS as well as I did some 900 miles away, usually they're the weakest of the big Chicago stations.

Now in UT, at night I can hear the likes of KBOI (day and night), KTNN, KOFI, KNX, KGO, KNBR, KFI, KOA, KOMO, KOKC and KSTP well at night. Also heard 980 KFWB from LA last night with it's 5 kw signal, and 690/1090 from Tijuana (both strong). Could not lock in XEROK 800 last night - that station seems very inconsistent. Some nights it comes in well, others not at all. Also, nothing from Chicago (as usual).

Also, who's the regional Mexican at 1030? They're knocking off the normally dominant KTWO at night out here.

 

[ddsparxx]

You may have heard KJDJ San Luis Obispo, CA though the 2008 AM Log book says the format is Spanish-Religion, or a Mexican station. (I hardly know Spanish language).

 

[radioman148]

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.

 

[BRNout]

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.

 

[radioman148]

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.

WLS used to also have a big signal in the south, but that's been greatly reduced by all the Cuban interference.

 

[schmave]

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.

 

[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?

 

[cyberdad]

KFEQ in Utah would surprise me. They do a pretty good job of protecting KNBR....which I think would own the channel in the Rockies and all points west.

 

[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

 

[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?

 

[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