AM Frequency of the Week: 630

[cyberdad]

BBC Three Counties Radio in Luton on 630 travels a very long way, despite only being 200 watts, and aimed at Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire it's audible across a fair bit of southern and central England due to the clear channel.

I'm about 80 miles away and it's weak but perfectly audible in daylight. After dark it gets drowned out by 621 (Belgium) and 639 (Spain), although a better receiver than mine might be able to split it off.

Eventually 630 will probably close as the FM coverage of 3 counties is also good. It's the local service for much of the northern half of the London commuter belt, and my station of choice when driving down the M1 to London, which I do semi-regularly.

I remember that 630 very clearly. The day signal was fair, but very reliable and listenable at my usual London Hotel (Grosvenor Square Marriott). At night it was gone, for the reasons you stated. I'm also familiar with the Three Counties intended service area. My reps who worked for me were in Berkhamstead, which I believe is not far from where you are. I used to make the trip up there from Euston station at least once every time I visited. Sometimes more. Trains ran every hour, and the journey took a little over a half hour. Lovely place, and I always looked forward to it. One of those reps, who lives in Tring, is still a Facebook friend, so I'm in regular contact with him.

 

[radioman148]

From down here in Perth Western Australia, day and night it's 6AL ABC Local Radio in Albany WA, 5kw from 200 miles away. There's another ABC Local Radio in Townsville (way on the opposite side of Australia) which I've never been able to ID, although I've heard a bit of echo with Albany at times when all the LR's are simulcasting. I've also heard the 50kw RRI-1 Indonesia and occasionally the Chinese CNR-2 synchros. Up in northern WA, you can hear Vietnam mixing with the Indonesian and the Aussies at times, but have never heard it here.

I've tried repeatedly to catch Madagascar in the pre-sunrise hours but no luck yet.

Jim,

Have you ever heard any MW DX from the US in Australia? I realize that in Perth that is probably impossible.
I'm wondering if perhaps in your trips to the east coast of Australia if you've ever heard anything from North America?

 

[wildthangjim]

Jim,

Have you ever heard any MW DX from the US in Australia? I realize that in Perth that is probably impossible.
I'm wondering if perhaps in your trips to the east coast of Australia if you've ever heard anything from North America?

I have not heard the US from here. My focus has been on Asia/Middle East/Africa because it's exotic (!) and because I can catch them after the rest of Australia is in daylight. I tried when I was in Queensland a couple of years ago, heard a couple of Pacific islanders but nothing from the US.

I'm in an ultralight DX Yahoo group, and in the last few months one of the DXers on the Oregon coast caught a WA station, which is apparently an ultralight distance record.

 

[radioman148]

Interesting. Thanks Jim.

 

[crainbebo]

Why have I not posted here yet?

630 in the day is usually a very weak KCIS Edmonds, WA (Religion).
Nights is a mix of KFXD Boise (Fox Sports) and CHED Edmonton AB (News/Talk) usually. Sometimes KWRO Coquille, OR (News/Talk) usually around sunset.
Other catches include KHOW Denver (News/Talk), KPLY Reno (Sports) and a one-time catch of CFCO Chatham, ON on a REALLY good DX evening (3/22/14) well under the other co-channels, but heard with a playlist match. KTRW Opportunity, WA has also been heard, but it is rare.

Would like to hear
KTKK Sandy, UT
KIDD Monterey, CA (should be easier during Au thanks to their classical format)
KJNO Juneau, AK (I've heard KINY-800 before, this should come in on a really good session)
WREY St. Paul, MN (If I have another "CFCO-Conditions" night, I wonder if this can be heard deep in the jumble with their ranchera. 2.5KW)

 

[billmich]

As I recall, the old CFCO Night Pattern was a slightly dogleg three tower pattern, but the radiation to the West and Northwest was much less. There was a single shallow null off the back of the array, and two off the sides, maximum close to North. The key to the upgrade was the old KDWB 630 Minneapolis going to Class D for a while, and the 630 in Winnipeg moving to FM.

Thank you sir,

I knew about the Twin cities being the key. I grew up on far east side suburb of Detroit (Grosse pointe ) and CFCO would come in day and night solid (the night just sounded a little more 'distant' although still crystal clear - if you know what I mean).

I was basically right across lake St. Clair from Chatham

 

[cyberdad]

Thank you sir,

I grew up on far east side suburb of Detroit (Grosse pointe ) and CFCO would come in day and night solid (the night just sounded a little more 'distant' although still crystal clear - if you know what I mean).

I was basically right across lake St. Clair from Chatham

My experience with CFCO on biz trips to Detroit/Windsor was basically the same. Under the old pattern (1kw night), it was listenable 24/7 although the signal was noticeably weaker at night. (Usually if I was on the Detroit side of the river I was somewhere around the airport or elsewhere west of town.) It was also audible (if not always listenable) 24/7 in and around Toledo and Cleveland. Here in the Chicago area in the days of the former pattern, CFCO was a much tougher catch at night, but still occasionally doable with KXOK(KJSL etc) and WLAP nulled. CFCO has always been relatively easy here around sunrise, however, after they powered up.

 

[gr8oldies]

Last time I was in Vermillion, Ohio, CFCO was solid day and night for the most part. Where I grew up in Western Ohio, I was on the CFCO/WLAP line, a turn of the radio could recieve each one during the day. In Lima it was more solidly CFCO.