AM Bandscan Thurs 9/10/15 Fort Frances, ON (International Falls, MN)

[cyberdad]

On the road again. Here's what turned up in a relatively noise-free hotel on the Canadian side of the border. SRF-37 Walkman. One of the more weird bandscans in that the lower portion of the band was pretty much blocked out by apparent auroral conditions. Upper portion of the band was more open. Anyone else ever experience this?

540: No CBK, which normally booms here.
560: WEBC....very weak. Groundwave

 

[cyberdad]

For some reason, I was unable to complete the post. Perhaps Frank can get me back up and running. Sorry.

 

[cyberdad]

Until the posting problem gets resolved, I'll try this in small doses, which seems to enable me to evade the shut-down police. So moving right along...

600: KSJB...fair-good, groundwave
610: KDAL...similar to WEBC. Weak.
790: KFGO...weak
820: WBAP...fair(no WCCO on 830)
890: WLS...weak
1000: WMVP...weak
1070: WTSO....good. Mild surprise.

I'll quit here. A few more mild surprises to come!

 

[cyberdad]

Part 2...(or 3). This is a little ridiculous, and I apologize.

Anyhow, forgot 1040, WHO in the last post. poor-fair.

And now....

1110: KFAN fair-good
1120: KMOX poor-fair
1160: WYLL fair. Wasn't expecting this.
1200: WRTO mixing with WOAI. A battle of two weak signals
1230: International Falls local
1290; WIRL fair. A little surprising
1310: WIBA good
1380: WBEL fair. Can't hear it 40 miles away at home on night pattern, but here it was in Canada
1390: WGRB fair. Didn't expect this one, although I used to hear it quite often in northern Wisconsin. At least until WRIG moved over from 1400.
1410: WIZM fair-good
1420: Good signal with talk show. Probably KTOE
1460: KXNO fair
1470: WMBD weak
1540: KXEL very good

I'll finish this off tomorrow with results of a quick morning scan in the rental car.....which began just after my obligatory Tim Horton's stop.

 

[radioman148]

Not surprised that WYLL would be heard up there. They send all their night power to the north.

 

[cyberdad]

Not surprised that WYLL would be heard up there. They send all their night power to the north.

I thought I might be a little too far west for WYLL, but apparently not. The bigger surprise for me was the Wisconsin stations. I wasn't so much surprised to hear them as I was to hear how strong and alone they were. I guess we owe owe that to auroral conditions. And, after all, they were aimed north. No Milwaukee, however.

I also heard....and forgot to include...a strong signal on 1300 with a canned talk show. Unfortunately, I never caught an ID. My first thought was WOOD, but actually I think it was more probably KGLO (Mason City IA 5kw), which has a history of being a frequent northwoods visitor.

 

[radioman148]

No Milwaukee is surprising, but the auroral conditions I guess kept WTMJ out and 1130 was Minneapolis.
As always, thanks for the report.

 

[cyberdad]

No Milwaukee is surprising, but the auroral conditions I guess kept WTMJ out and 1130 was Minneapolis.
As always, thanks for the report.

Pefect segue for what follows. Read on....

Here's what turned up after sunrise first few miles (kilometers) on my way out of town through the noise-free northwoods on near-deserted Ontario 71. Toyota Corolla rental car with good radio. Me with Tim Horton's honey cruller commencing at 8am.

540:CBK. Weak, but steady. Hadn't heard it the night before, but this was out in the open with a better radio.
560: WEBC weak. Ditto 610 KDAL and 710 WDSM....all from Duluth/Superior
600: KSJB fair-weak
620: Looking for WTMJ. Didn't hear it
640: Drove by the old CFOB site on the west end of town. Both towers still standing, although CFOB/640 (1kw) is long gone. Channel was empty.
650: The Minnesota Iron Range station. I forget the current calls. Fair
680: CJOB good. Strongest AM signal with the exception of the local on 1230. Probably skywave involved
740: Fargo fair-weak
790: KFGO weak
830: WCCO finally shows up. Weak
850: Duluth very weak
880: CKLQ fair
920: CFRY very weak
990: CBW weak. This is a usually little too far east to hear them during the daytime. So like CJOB, CKLQ and CFRY skywave at work here
1130: Minneapolis. I was in the hotel room with the SRF-37 earlier on 1130, when this one powered up and came blasting in from out of nowhere. Very good signal. By the time I got into the car, it was rather weak, but still listenable.
1290: "The Fox" from Winnipeg with sports talk and a fair-good signal.
1500: KSTP weak, but stronger than 'CCO.
1540: KXEL good

 

[Icangelp]

Thanks for this one, cyberdad.

My grandson was a camper, and now will be a councilor, at a camp near International Falls. We pick him up every year, but I've never been able to do any (serious) DX while up there.

 

[cyberdad]

Thanks for this one, cyberdad.

My grandson was a camper, and now will be a councilor, at a camp near International Falls. We pick him up every year, but I've never been able to do any (serious) DX while up there.

Gorgeous country up there. Both sides of the border. DX is good too. Lots of open wilderness with no noise sources and few local signals....AM & FM both. Bring your radio next time for sure!

 

[mimo]

I used to always be able to hear CBW in Fort Frances during the day on my little Realistic AM pocket radio during the day, it was weak but it was there. CJOB was there too, slightly stronger, but the old CKY 580 was the best signal outside of the Fort Frances, International Falls stations. CFOB was a great station in the 80's.

 

[boombox4]

Thanks for the bandscan. Never been to that part of the US and Canada. :-( I hear it's a great area, just watch out for the mosquitos.

 

[cyberdad]

Thanks for the bandscan. Never been to that part of the US and Canada. :-( I hear it's a great area, just watch out for the mosquitos.

I'm sure you're right about the mosquitoes, but driving up Ontario 71 between Fort Frances and Kenora, I've encountered Deer, Moose, Foxes, and even a couple of bears! Not on this trip, however. Back on topic, Mimo, you're right about CKY/580...a station I really miss when I'm in that part of the world. The now-defunct CKRC/630 from Winnipeg also was do-able in and around Fort Frances/International Falls.

 

[mimo]

With both CKY and CKRC being gone, a huge part of my childhood has disappeared. CKY was playing in the delivery room when I was born and it was the station my parents, aunts cousins and I all grew up on. My mum's mum was also a CKY listener for decades. On my Dad's side of the family his parents were CKRC listeners when they went country in the 60's. I have fond memories of both stations, so sad to know that 580 and 630 are nothing but silence now.

 

[cyberdad]

With both CKY and CKRC being gone, a huge part of my childhood has disappeared. CKY was playing in the delivery room when I was born and it was the station my parents, aunts cousins and I all grew up on. My mum's mum was also a CKY listener for decades. On my Dad's side of the family his parents were CKRC listeners when they went country in the 60's. I have fond memories of both stations, so sad to know that 580 and 630 are nothing but silence now.

Hard to top that one, mimo! But CKY was also a small part of my youth and early days as a DX-er. When I was about 14, I wrote away for a QSL card and got back not only that, but a CKY top 40 (or whatever) survey. CKY in the early 60s was pretty much a regular in the Chicago area. Fast forward 30 or 40-odd years, and it was still my one of my favorites on biz trips to Northern Minnesota and Winnipeg.....especially with Guess Who lead singer Burton Cummings doing afternoon drive. A serious record collector and great story teller. He brought in music from his own collecton to play on the air, and on top of that he was very adept at reading commercials, weather forecasts, etc.

 

[mimo]

Hard to top that one, mimo! But CKY was also a small part of my youth and early days as a DX-er. When I was about 14, I wrote away for a QSL card and got back not only that, but a CKY top 40 (or whatever) survey. CKY in the early 60s was pretty much a regular in the Chicago area. Fast forward 30 or 40-odd years, and it was still my one of my favorites on biz trips to Northern Minnesota and Winnipeg.....especially with Guess Who lead singer Burton Cummings doing afternoon drive. A serious record collector and great story teller. He brought in music from his own collecton to play on the air, and on top of that he was very adept at reading commercials, weather forecasts, etc.

Burton was a CKY listener himself back when he was getting started in the music industry, he also listened to CKRC, as they were a rock and roll station at the time. When he was offered the opportunity to be on air, he jumped at the chance to be on the station that made him want to be a musician. I don't know if you've ever heard Randy Bachman's show on CBC Radio 1. He's also an excellent story teller and really knows his music, and not just the mainstream stuff either. I guess since both of them played with some of the biggest acts in music history, the first hand stories mean more to us as music fans. His show airs on Saturday nights from 7-9. Since CBW comes in well enough where you live, check it out.

 

[boombox4]

Randy Bachman's "Vinyl Tap" is a great show. I hear it on CBR and sometimes CBU. Rare occasions I also hear it on CBK, but the last several years for some reason, CBK just doesn't come into the PNW as well as it used to.

 

[cyberdad]

Thanks for the tip, guys. I've never heard Randy Bachman's show, but it sounds very similar to what Burton was doing on CKY. I'll have to check out the show on CBW or perhaps online. And indeed, CBW does have a very good nighttime signal here. Not tonight, however. Cubs game on ESPN.