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AM Frequency of the week: 1380:

cyberdad

cyberdad

Crystal Lake, IL.....

Day: Until a few months ago 1380 at my location was a fair signal from 5kw WBEL from Beloit, WI. About 45 miles west-northwest of me. But now they've vanished, I don't know whether they've gone dark or if they're running very reduced power on some sort of STA. WBEL still shows up (at least as of a week or so ago) in R-L and other directories that I use. But the website only lists WBEL's two FM translators. Their sister station in Beloit, WGEZ, on 1490, also appears to be off. So I really don't know what's up, other than the fact that 1380 around here is now blank during the daytime.

Night: I've never heard WBEL here at night. 5KW is/was night power, but very directional to the north. WKJG from Fort Wayne, IN is most likely to rise to the top with ESPN sports. Also aimed mostly north into Michigan, but tilted slightly to the northwest. Signal around here...when they're in...is usually fair at best.

Sunrise: Another mystery. I keep hearing a Spanish language station. Talk. Seemingly religious. My best guess is KRCM from Shenandoah, TX (near Houston). Presumably on 22kw day pattern. But I haven't been able to positively ID it. The signal is subject to frequent fades, which seem to be guaranteed just in time for TOH ID.

RETRO: When I first began DXing as a teenager, KWK from St. Louis owned 1380 here. Down through the years, the St. Louis 1380 gradually became increasingly rare, and it's been quite a while since I've heard it. I also have heard KOTA (Rapid City SD) and (what was then) KUDL (Kansas City) with day power before sunset on occasion. But it's been a long time for either.
 
In the near north Chicago suburbs I used to hear a very weak WBEL during the day on a good radio. At night I have heard WKJG. As Cyberdad mentioned KWK St Louis used to be easy to hear at night, but I rarely hear St Louis anymore on this frequency.
 
WBEL is an interesting case. They filed an STA for non-directional 500W operation, 24/7, in April. I would think WBEL in its current state would make it to you at night, at least fighting with WKJG.

WBEL cited a problem with the configuration of its new transmitter as the reason for its STA. But I would expect something like that to be resolved far more quickly than 4 months, unless the COVID outbreak has stopped/slowed their supplier from operating, or their contract engineer from installing the new gear.
 
Chicago near the lakeshore:

This is one of the more difficult frequencies for me. During the daytime I don't hear much, except I occasionally get a weak WKJG in Fort Wayne. The only time I've gotten WBEL is when I'm driving around to my northwest.

Nighttime is also pretty hard. Probably the most likely is KXFN in St Louis. At some point I've heard KHWK in Winona, MN. Also one time I heard WKJV in Asheville NC, with a pretty decent signal. Since I've also heard their sister station WKJW 1010 well after sunset, I'm thinking maybe both stations occasionally use daytime or critical hours power well after sunset.
 
West Central Georgia:

Days: Weak signal from WAOK Atlanta GA 25000/4200 Urban Talk

Nights: Most common visitor (surprisingly) is WPYR Baton Rouge LA 5000/62 EWTN Catholic Radio - must be on day power, signal is directional towards Georgia
Would expect to hear WAOK at night given directional signal at night in my direction

Dawn/Dusk: Have heard WKJV (King James Version) Asheville NC 25000/1000 Religious/Southern Gospel
Also WELE Ormond Beach FL 5000/2500 Bethune-Cookman University Talk - "The Cat"
 
East Tennessee: (Knoxville/Sevierville): Days-A tossup between WYSH, Clinton TN and WKJV, Black Mountain NC, particularly in Sevierville

Reception of WAOK before sunset
Night---A hodgepodge including WAOK, WKJV (when on day power at night) and others.

Retro/other: West Central Ohio. In the 70s, it was top 40 WMEE (before that and now again WKJG) by day. WMEE changed pattern at night, sending its power mostly north (one of their night DJ's parents were able to listen in Wisconsin). Nighttime I would mostly get leftover WMEE, WAOK and Tampa's WLCY. I remember getting WBEL at least once. I vaguely remember WYNK, Baton Rouge coming in just after our sunset and before their sunset.
 
Out here near the Sacramento Valley, it's KTKZ, a Salem station. 5kw day and night from two different sites. (I used to be the Chief there)
dave



cyberdad said:
Crystal Lake, IL.....

Day: Until a few months ago 1380 at my location was a fair signal from 5kw WBEL from Beloit, WI. About 45 miles west-northwest of me. But now they've vanished, I don't know whether they've gone dark or if they're running very reduced power on some sort of STA. WBEL still shows up (at least as of a week or so ago) in R-L and other directories that I use. But the website only lists WBEL's two FM translators. Their sister station in Beloit, WGEZ, on 1490, also appears to be off. So I really don't know what's up, other than the fact that 1380 around here is now blank during the daytime.

Night: I've never heard WBEL here at night. 5KW is/was night power, but very directional to the north. WKJG from Fort Wayne, IN is most likely to rise to the top with ESPN sports. Also aimed mostly north into Michigan, but tilted slightly to the northwest. Signal around here...when they're in...is usually fair at best.

Sunrise: Another mystery. I keep hearing a Spanish language station. Talk. Seemingly religious. My best guess is KRCM from Shenandoah, TX (near Houston). Presumably on 22kw day pattern. But I haven't been able to positively ID it. The signal is subject to frequent fades, which seem to be guaranteed just in time for TOH ID.

RETRO: When I first began DXing as a teenager, KWK from St. Louis owned 1380 here. Down through the years, the St. Louis 1380 gradually became increasingly rare, and it's been quite a while since I've heard it. I also have heard KOTA (Rapid City SD) and (what was then) KUDL (Kansas City) with day power before sunset on occasion. But it's been a long time for either.
Click to expand...
 
PTBoardOp94 said:
WBEL is an interesting case. They filed an STA for non-directional 500W operation, 24/7, in April. I would think WBEL in its current state would make it to you at night, at least fighting with WKJG.

WBEL cited a problem with the configuration of its new transmitter as the reason for its STA. But I would expect something like that to be resolved far more quickly than 4 months, unless the COVID outbreak has stopped/slowed their supplier from operating, or their contract engineer from installing the new gear.
Click to expand...

Well, this unravels at least part of the mystery. Thanks for the info!

WBEL should be able to make it here during daytime with 500 watts ND. The signal should be at least audible, if not comfortably listenable. But, as I said yesterday, I'm not hearing it on any of my radios. Maybe they're either running at less than 500 watts or using a longwire and/or some other type of inefficient antenna setup. 500 watts ND at night? I almost certainly would never hear them. Nearby WROK (18 miles south of Beloit) on 1440 at night has been 500 watts ND at night for as long as I can remember....at least 55 years. The only time I've ever heard them at night has been during auroral conditions. Otherwise they're lost in the slop.
 
Here in Wood Dale, IL in the near NW suburb of Chicago:

Daytime: normally weak WBEL, but missing lately as others noted above
Nightime: nothing really stands out at night. KXFN St. Louis most likely catch

DX/RETRO: Not the most productive frequency for me. Besides WBEL and KXFN catches include WQHK (Ft. Wayne, IN), WAOK (Atlanta, GA), WFCL (Clintonville, Wi), KOTA (Rapid City, SD), CKLC (Kingston, ON)
 
CADXER said:
DX/RETRO: Not the most productive frequency for me. Besides WBEL and KXFN catches include WQHK (Ft. Wayne, IN), WAOK (Atlanta, GA), WFCL (Clintonville, Wi), KOTA (Rapid City, SD), CKLC (Kingston, ON)
Click to expand...

The Kingston 1380 is long gone, but CKPC in Brantford, ON (about an hour east of Toronto) is still going with 25kw day and night. Directional, but not all that unfavorable to the Chicago area

I was hearing occasional moments of country music on 1380 last week when I was checking out the channel for this week's frequency of the week. I suspected CKPC, but the signal was very sporadic and I couldn't ID it.
 
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