AM 1140 heard in Phoenix this morning

[KeithE4]

I was tuning around while driving into work at about 6:30 AM MST and heard a faint English-language station that played Contemporary Christian music, was heavy on the farm reports, mentioned "foothills" and "community radio" several times, but did not give any call letters.

Doing a google search for "1140 footills community radio" returned a station in Calgary, Alberta. I'm guessing that this is the station since they gave the temperature as "-5 degrees." It's not cold enough yet for that to be Farenheit, so it must be a Canadian station. Also, their website (even they don't mention the call letters!) says that they are an "inspirational radio" station, although they are commercial.

They gave a report of farm prices at 6:42 AM, as their website indicates.

The call letters that come up in the searches are CHRB and CFXL. In any case, this is a rarity as Canadian stations don't normally make it into Arizona. Any ideas? It sounds like it's the Calgary station to me. Normally, KNWQ Palm Springs CA is what I hear in early-morning, if anything.

 

[jd]

You're right, it's just "AM 1140" on the website. But it appears to be CHRB, formerly CFXL, which apparently moved from 1280 around 1996...still listed on FCC records. Their temperature reading didn't quite match the official readings for both 6 and 7 AM MST at Calgary, which was 19.4F or -7C, but close enough I guess. Even with 50,000 watts, good catch (at around 1,200 miles)!

 

[w9wi]

I was tuning around while driving into work at about 6:30 AM MST and heard a faint English-language station that played Contemporary Christian music, was heavy on the farm reports, mentioned "foothills" and "community radio" several times, but did not give any call letters.

Doing a google search for "1140 footills community radio" returned a station in Calgary, Alberta. I'm guessing that this is the station since they gave the temperature as "-5 degrees." It's not cold enough yet for that to be Farenheit, so it must be a Canadian station. Also, their website (even they don't mention the call letters!) says that they are an "inspirational radio" station, although they are commercial.

They gave a report of farm prices at 6:42 AM, as their website indicates.

The call letters that come up in the searches are CHRB and CFXL. In any case, this is a rarity as Canadian stations don't normally make it into Arizona. Any ideas? It sounds like it's the Calgary station to me. Normally, KNWQ Palm Springs CA is what I hear in early-morning, if anything.

CHRB, technically in High River, Alberta. (about 20 miles south of Calgary) Moved from 1280 when CFXL-1140 Calgary moved to 103.1 FM. 50,000 watts daytime, 46,000 watts at night. Seems to occasionally blast in pretty much everywhere -- I've heard them with an excellent signal here in the Nashville area.

Be careful about using the FCC database as a reference for foreign stations. Canadian (and Mexican) stations are only in the FCC DB so the Commission knows not to authorize anything in the States that would interfere with Canadian reception. Since changes in call letters don't affect the ability of a station to receive (or cause) interference, either the Canadians aren't bothering to report call changes, or when they do, the FCC is ignoring them. On AM, Canada will often continue to notify the FCC of stations that have actually been deleted years before. Presumably they want to maintain priority if they decide to reactivate the frequency, as sometimes happens.

You can download the Canadian database from http://spectrum.ic.gc.ca/engineering/engdoc/baserad.zip. This file will unzip to a collection of .DBF files, which can be opened in most versions of Microsoft Excel. (and probably Access, if you have it) Now, if you read the Canadian database, don't take their listings of *U.S.* stations too seriously, for the same reason!

 

[mimo]

CFXL actually moved to 96.9 and to0k on the calls of CKIS back in 1996. Then CHRB moved from 1280 to 1140. They moved the transmitter from Calgary to High River. I don't know if they have the same pattern or not. The CFXL calls were licensed to a station at 100.9 from suburban Okotoks/High River when the station went on air in 2003. 103.1 originally was CKO fm, but went off the air in 1988. In 2002 the frequency was reactivated for a station with the calls CIQX and recently changed on air name to XL 103, but keeping the CIQX calls.

So there's the history lesson and some clarification. It was CHRB that you heard, a very nice catch indeed.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

I suspect 1140 in High River/Alberta doesnt use it's night power/pattern all the time

 

[w9wi]

CFXL actually moved to 96.9 and to0k on the calls of CKIS back in 1996. Then CHRB moved from 1280 to 1140. They moved the transmitter from Calgary to High River. I don't know if they have the same pattern or not. The CFXL calls were licensed to a station at 100.9 from suburban Okotoks/High River when the station went on air in 2003. 103.1 originally was CKO fm, but went off the air in 1988. In 2002 the frequency was reactivated for a station with the calls CIQX and recently changed on air name to XL 103, but keeping the CIQX calls.

It looks like there have been some recent call changes in the Calgary area.

Now that you mention it, I remember there being CIQX on 103.1, but right now the I-C database definitely shows the calls CFXL on 103.1 Calgary. The 100.9 station is listed as CKUV-FM.

Of course, the FM calls are irrelevant(grin), AM 1140 is a pretty decent catch from Arizona.

I suspect 1140 in High River/Alberta doesnt use it's night power/pattern all the time

I wasn't going to be the one to say it

 

[BIGSTICK]

Came in to Atlanta as well. Pretty strong too.

 

[BRNout]

CHRB, technically in High River, Alberta. (about 20 miles south of Calgary) Moved from 1280 when CFXL-1140 Calgary moved to 103.1 FM. 50,000 watts daytime, 46,000 watts at night. Seems to occasionally blast in pretty much everywhere -- I've heard them with an excellent signal here in the Nashville area.

That's interesting because WRVA tends to be the dominant signal on 1140 here in the Chicago area. I've not yet been able to ID CHRB here as it's probably just an indistinguishable part of the background noise.

So, CHRB would have had to bounce over me to get to you down in Nashville. But stranger things have happened. And, you're in the null for WRVA, aren't you?

 

[w9wi]

That's interesting because WRVA tends to be the dominant signal on 1140 here in the Chicago area. I've not yet been able to ID CHRB here as it's probably just an indistinguishable part of the background noise.

It's only present on certain nights, but when it's there it's plenty loud & you won't have any trouble hearing it in Chicago.

See "radioguybroadcasting"'s post - you can never know for certain if you aren't there but I suspect he's right...

And, you're in the null for WRVA, aren't you?

Yep.

_________________________________________________

The 960 station in Calgary also blasts in once in awhile. They're all sports. Keep an ear on that frequency as well.

 

[KeithE4]

The 960 station in Calgary also blasts in once in awhile. They're all sports. Keep an ear on that frequency as well.

Unfortunately, we have a local here in Phoenix on 960. Looking at its pattern on Radio-Locator, it could (in theory at least) make it down this way once in a great while if it wasn't for KKNT.

 

[schmave]

Who does WRVA protect? It used to blast so strong into Ohio at night that I figured it could be heard anywhere.

 

[BRNout]

Not sure who they protect, but their lobes are toward the northwest and southeast and nulls southwest and northeast. I've heard them in the northeastern US, but not well. On the other hand, they usually come in pretty well here in the upper Midwest so I'd be surprised to hear the Calgary station here on a regular basis. Well enough that I sometimes check out Michael Savage's show on WRVA because they tape delay it pretty late into the evening. It's pretty strong here; some nights it's as strong as WHAS.

But, rest assured that I'll be doing a little more checking to see if I can find CHRB. That would be a pretty distant catch here.

 

[w9wi]

Who does WRVA protect? It used to blast so strong into Ohio at night that I figured it could be heard anywhere.

I presume by "...you're in the null for WRVA..." he meant the null in *CHRB's* pattern to protect WRVA. Somewhat to my surprise, WRVA *is* directional but it certainly favors Ohio (and Calgary!) and is pretty close to full blast in my direction.

 

[mimo]

WRVA was quite consistent at nights in southeast Iowa when I lived there. CHRB was a once in a while catch. I don't get them in Ottawa due to a local (cjrc) at 1150, which is supposed to go off the air come March. IF they ever switch off the 1150 AM and then I'll see if I do get WRVA here.

 

[jd]

Who does WRVA protect? It used to blast so strong into Ohio at night that I figured it could be heard anywhere.

WRVA's pattern protects XEMR Monterrey. Both are regarded as Class A stations, and both are directional. That's somewhat unusual for former "Clear Channel" (Class I-A) stations; other exceptions include WWL New Orleans and WBZ Boston. But in this case the frequency was designated as a shared U.S./Mexico clear channel, and XEMR's pattern is somewhat similar to that of WRVA. That addresses the co-channel sky-wave interference issue, but WRVA's pattern also affords adjacent-channel protection to WBBR 1130 New York.

 

[crainbebo]

WRVA was quite consistent at nights in southeast Iowa when I lived there. CHRB was a once in a while catch. I don't get them in Ottawa due to a local (cjrc) at 1150, which is supposed to go off the air come March. IF they ever switch off the 1150 AM and then I'll see if I do get WRVA here.

Then, when CJRC signs off, then it will be CKOC at night for you, mimo.

 

[KeithE4]

So there's the history lesson and some clarification. It was CHRB that you heard, a very nice catch indeed.

Picked them up again this morning while driving in. Much stronger signal than last week, before fading at about 6:50, and it had a definite mention of Calgary (car dealer commercial, community announcement), as well as mentioning some Canadian sports award nominee.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

WRVA on 1140 blasts into Central Indiana every night, sometimes as early as 4 PM, and as late as 10 AM,,, When I lived near Knoxville TN it blasted in like local there too, and everywhere in between, but this was in the early 90s before the dial was clogged,,,, I dont think any amount of nulling could make WRVA disappear in Indiana, its stronger than semi locals like WHAS and WLW, and I know that you can hear it all the way into MID Missouri At least,, or at least you could 10-15 yrs ago... Stangely enough i can hardly ever get WOWO 1190 anymore, and it used to be a flame thrower here day and night, Its only 100 miles away, and I think it used to play Oldies,,, Long Long ago.

 

[mimo]

WRVA on 1140 blasts into Central Indiana every night, sometimes as early as 4 PM, and as late as 10 AM,,, When I lived near Knoxville TN it blasted in like local there too, and everywhere in between, but this was in the early 90s before the dial was clogged,,,, I dont think any amount of nulling could make WRVA disappear in Indiana, its stronger than semi locals like WHAS and WLW, and I know that you can hear it all the way into MID Missouri At least,, or at least you could 10-15 yrs ago... Stangely enough i can hardly ever get WOWO 1190 anymore, and it used to be a flame thrower here day and night, Its only 100 miles away, and I think it used to play Oldies,,, Long Long ago.

You can blame the forced power decrease on that. They were sold to (I believe) inner city broadcasting, if not them it was to the same company that owned WLIB in New York. They applied (and were granted permission) to lower WOWO's power at night so they could raise WLIB. I remember the last few years at their old power, WOWO bo0med into southeast Iowa every night.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Who does WRVA protect? It used to blast so strong into Ohio at night that I figured it could be heard anywhere.

WRVA's pattern protects XEMR Monterrey. Both are regarded as Class A stations, and both are directional. That's somewhat unusual for former "Clear Channel" (Class I-A) stations; other exceptions include WWL New Orleans and WBZ Boston. But in this case the frequency was designated as a shared U.S./Mexico clear channel, and XEMR's pattern is somewhat similar to that of WRVA. That addresses the co-channel sky-wave interference issue, but WRVA's pattern also affords adjacent-channel protection to WBBR 1130 New York.

I learned something new today...I always figured that WWVA protected 50KW Tulsa,OK on 1170, which also has a deep null in the direction of WWVA. Hadn't considered what might be lurking across the border.