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AM DXing from Bermuda
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This was covered, possibly a year ago, possibly on another board.
I remember being there and listening to DAYTIME: WCAU 1210 Philly, WABC, WCBS, WNBC NYC. At night: KYW, WBT, WSM. Critical hours: WOND, WMID Atlantic City, stations from Virginia Beach/Tidewater area and Carolinas. This was in 1971, using an off the shelf, unmolested Panasonic AM/Cassette portable. At that time, I remember only one local AM station, ZFB, I think at 1230 Kc.
I was 15, an Explorer Scout, on a trip, sleeping on the beach in a tent. At the headhouse, there was a massive Hallicrafters rig with two longwire antennae forming an X, and a small A/B box to choose the antenna. I never got to play with it, as I was told the transmitter needed a British license. I did have my US license, Novice and Third Class w/ Broadcast Endorsement. And CB, KCS-4937. They, wisely, were just trying to discourage me!
I remember being there and listening to DAYTIME: WCAU 1210 Philly, WABC, WCBS, WNBC NYC. At night: KYW, WBT, WSM. Critical hours: WOND, WMID Atlantic City, stations from Virginia Beach/Tidewater area and Carolinas. This was in 1971, using an off the shelf, unmolested Panasonic AM/Cassette portable. At that time, I remember only one local AM station, ZFB, I think at 1230 Kc.
I was 15, an Explorer Scout, on a trip, sleeping on the beach in a tent. At the headhouse, there was a massive Hallicrafters rig with two longwire antennae forming an X, and a small A/B box to choose the antenna. I never got to play with it, as I was told the transmitter needed a British license. I did have my US license, Novice and Third Class w/ Broadcast Endorsement. And CB, KCS-4937. They, wisely, were just trying to discourage me!
J
justplaythehits
Guest
We used to get calls from cab drivers in Bermuda back when I jocked at WWVA in the 70s.
I would think it is wide open to signals in all directions.
Alan Furst
Round Rock Tx
http://alanfurst.wordpress.com/
I would think it is wide open to signals in all directions.
Alan Furst
Round Rock Tx
http://alanfurst.wordpress.com/
amfmsw said:
No; they were actually correct.
Bermuda (VP9) is one of the British possessions that does its own licensing for hams. CEPT does not apply; one has to apply locally to get on the air. Most US guys will be licensed just to stick a VP9/ in front of their US call.
While I have not been to Bermuda, I went through the same process in the Caymans. There, one gets his own swanky Cayman call (I was ZF2PB).
DE
I've heard Bermuda twice in my life on FM in Indiana. ZBN 89.1 in the 1980s. I believe they
were 1 KW.
were 1 KW.
M
mobley
Guest
I've been curious about this for a long time. Someone told me a long time ago that the old WTGR in Myrtle Beach (now silent, 1KW @ 1520) put a reliable daytime signal into Bermuda. Don't know if it's true. It would make sense that the 50KW NY stations would put an audible daytime signal into Bermuda, since they do put a daytime signal into the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Bermuda would be a couple of hundred miles further over salt water. There is an old air check of Alan Freed on 1010 WINS from the 1950's where he's sending dedications out to listeners in Bermuda. Kind of odd in that WINS night signal was never good to the south.
I have tried many times to pull in AM stations from Bermuda on the Outer Banks of NC, with no luck whatsoever. Best daytime long distance catch for me would be WQAM and WIOD, Miami in the Pine Knolls Shore area of Coastal NC. Also have heard 570 Cuba in Fort Fisher NC.
I have tried many times to pull in AM stations from Bermuda on the Outer Banks of NC, with no luck whatsoever. Best daytime long distance catch for me would be WQAM and WIOD, Miami in the Pine Knolls Shore area of Coastal NC. Also have heard 570 Cuba in Fort Fisher NC.
Word from former WGLI jock Roger Alan Wade was that 'GLI, from the south shore of Long Island, had a few Bermuda listeners in the late 60's -- day and night.
When WGLI was on the air, their 1290 signal was generally directional 24/7 toward Bermuda anyway. And with ZBM1 being close on 1235 kHz, a few dial twisters in Pembroke must've come across them.
The back lobe of WGLI, incidentally, was heard quite well in Stamford CT and even on the Tappan Zee Bridge night and day.
And another aside: WTGR Myrtle Beach once made it to Long Island's south shore when local WTHE was off one day. WTGR was a fun listen, perhaps because it was a real anomaly.
When WGLI was on the air, their 1290 signal was generally directional 24/7 toward Bermuda anyway. And with ZBM1 being close on 1235 kHz, a few dial twisters in Pembroke must've come across them.
The back lobe of WGLI, incidentally, was heard quite well in Stamford CT and even on the Tappan Zee Bridge night and day.
And another aside: WTGR Myrtle Beach once made it to Long Island's south shore when local WTHE was off one day. WTGR was a fun listen, perhaps because it was a real anomaly.
I have a Bermuda story too. I used to work at WPTR 1540 in Albany, NY. One day, I was doing a Saturday PM shift, and I got this phone call from a woman all excited. Why? Cause she was from Schenectady and always listened to WPTR. Seems she was on her honeymoon in Bermuda. She brought a radio (tuned to 1540, natch!) with her. So Saturday she turned it on and there was top 40 hits. She said it floored her when she heard the WPTR jingle loud and clear, and just had to call me!!!
WPTR was nulled to the South, but put a big lobe out over the Atlantic to the Southeast. We would often get reports of regular listeners from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, even soldiers in Greenland! Once we were heard in Cincinnati! Never could figure that one. Only thing about the Bermuda reception, I'd have thought that the Bahamas station would dominate out there. I think it was ZNS? Anyway, this woman said we were coming in loud and clear.
WPTR was nulled to the South, but put a big lobe out over the Atlantic to the Southeast. We would often get reports of regular listeners from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, even soldiers in Greenland! Once we were heard in Cincinnati! Never could figure that one. Only thing about the Bermuda reception, I'd have thought that the Bahamas station would dominate out there. I think it was ZNS? Anyway, this woman said we were coming in loud and clear.
Phillies Fan said:
I don't know when your receeption was relative to ZNS, but it was directional towards the south and southeast to cover the outer islands. 810 was used to cover Freeport and the few islands to the north.
I have tried many times to pull in AM stations from Bermuda on the Outer Banks of NC, with no luck whatsoever. Best daytime long distance catch for me would be WQAM and WIOD, Miami in the Pine Knolls Shore area of Coastal NC. Also have heard 570 Cuba in Fort Fisher NC.
[/quote]
You mean the Pine Knoll Shores area, just west of Atlantic Beach, NC? (Where the aquarium is, and several surf shops/oceanfront hotels, etc.) I've been thru there several times, though not in about 3 years. So you picked up WIOD (610, news/talk) and WQAM (560, sports) daytime signals from Miami, in Pine Knoll Shores before? WOW! I'm oftentimes fortunate to pick up signals on AM from almost a thousand miles away at NIGHT! ;D
[/quote]
You mean the Pine Knoll Shores area, just west of Atlantic Beach, NC? (Where the aquarium is, and several surf shops/oceanfront hotels, etc.) I've been thru there several times, though not in about 3 years. So you picked up WIOD (610, news/talk) and WQAM (560, sports) daytime signals from Miami, in Pine Knoll Shores before? WOW! I'm oftentimes fortunate to pick up signals on AM from almost a thousand miles away at NIGHT! ;D
Has anyone who has DXed in Bermuda report on reception of US stations other than those on the east coast?
Can you receive any midwest stations, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati-etc, or stations west of the Mississippi there?
Can you receive any midwest stations, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati-etc, or stations west of the Mississippi there?
radioman148 said:
Well, it's not Bermuda, but I have picked up WBBM and WSCR (both Chicago) when in Puerto Rico. At night, of course. That's actually farther than Bermuda.
I just wonder if you'd have any luck with AM signals from Europe or N. Africa when in Bermuda.....or longwave stations. Bermuda is quite a ways out in the ocean, yet still as far from Europe as the Maine coast. But it is a straight shot with much less interference.
Wish I was on my way there right now to test that theory!
when did ou pick up wscr and wbbm in puerto rico.
in recent years when i've been down there there has been so much latin america interference that i've been unsuccessful.
in recent years when i've been down there there has been so much latin america interference that i've been unsuccessful.
Actually, it was in 2006. However, it does not seem to be a normal occurrence because that's the only time that I was able to do it. Some nights, you can get WCBS from New York or WFAN, but again this is sporadic. Mainland US stations seem to be pretty hit and miss there.
A few hundred miles to the south, in Venezuela, I was not able to get any US stations (aside from a weak WWV on SW) - but I did get a station from the US Virgin Islands, 1620 WDHP. Not bad for a 1000 watter. And, it was the only AM station in English. That was just a few months ago.
A few hundred miles to the south, in Venezuela, I was not able to get any US stations (aside from a weak WWV on SW) - but I did get a station from the US Virgin Islands, 1620 WDHP. Not bad for a 1000 watter. And, it was the only AM station in English. That was just a few months ago.
Thanks for the update. Years ago it used to be easy to receive those stations in central america & puerto rico--60s-70s & early 80s.
However there are so many stations now in in the caribbean I've found it next to impossible to pick up the 50Kw Chicago stations down there.
In the 70s WLS used to come in great at night in southern Mexico. Now it's hard to get it or any of the other Chicago 50kw in southern Florida.
However there are so many stations now in in the caribbean I've found it next to impossible to pick up the 50Kw Chicago stations down there.
In the 70s WLS used to come in great at night in southern Mexico. Now it's hard to get it or any of the other Chicago 50kw in southern Florida.
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