AM Frequency of the Week: 680

[RyanHoward]

Warminster PA(Philly 'burbs):

Daytime: zippo, maybe splatter from semi-local WPHE on 690.
Night: usually WRKO from Boston. Sometimes, CFTR or WPTF would be heard here.

 

[cyberdad]

I'm in Foley, 'bout 14 miles north of Gulf Shores. We've talked before on the old Radio whateveritwascalled website. My user name was "Zach" if I remember correctly.

Remember it well! Glad to be back in touch! Looks like we'll miss our trip to your area this year, on account of hooking up with our daughter-in-law's family trip to Italy. But we're planning to be back in 2017.

 

[tomservo]

Remember it well! Glad to be back in touch! Looks like we'll miss our trip to your area this year, on account of hooking up with our daughter-in-law's family trip to Italy. But we're planning to be back in 2017.

Hmm. Perdido Beach or Italy. Tough choice (not!)

Gonna try to do any DXing while you're abroad?

 

[DX_AR]

The only discernible signal from Central Arkansas I have ever picked up on 680 was KFEQ in St. Joseph, MO. It was late at night and pretty weak, but good enough to catch the ID.

 

[Sammi Brie]

From Prescott, Arizona there is a fair signal from KNBR, San Francisco,
when orienting my Sony Boombox NW/SE. When I moved it North/South,
KNBR completely faded out and was replaced by a spanish language station.
I didn't find anything in mexico on 680 but did find stations in Nicaragua,
El Salvador and Honduras. Each country had one station on 680.
The station(s) was very weak, fading in and out.

There's a Mexican on 680: XECHG Chilpancingo, Gro. It's one of those 80 or so permanent AM-FM combos authorized in 1994. 2.5 kW night.

It could also (and more likely, to be honest) be the 680 at Clovis, NM, which might be Spanish.

As for me here in Phoenix, it's KNBR and not much else.

 

[davideduardo]

There's a Mexican on 680: XECHG Chilpancingo, Gro. It's one of those 80 or so permanent AM-FM combos authorized in 1994. 2.5 kW night.

It could also (and more likely, to be honest) be the 680 at Clovis, NM, which might be Spanish.

Also there is no AM on 680 in El Salvador, where AM stations are a dying breed. The one in Nicaragua, the long-ago former Unión Radio, is now a low powered Sandinista station and I do not recall it ever being heard in the US since the time of the first loss of power by the Sandinistas. The Honduran is very low power (with most AMs in that nation deteriorating since nearly all are on FM simulcasts or have moved totally).

So Clovis and something from XE-land seems much more likely.

 

[gr8oldies]

I'd think there'd be problems with the 690/680 foreign language station.
Here's the WNZK sunset power and pattern change. https://youtu.be/hVX6XOu1agM

CFTR makes it all the way to Detroit in daytime....barely. It's the only Canadian station that's audible anywhere daytime along side an also audible adjacent Chicago station. WSCR also makes it to Windsor daytime...barely. So Detroit/Windsor is where you need to be to be to experience these two side by side (on a really good radio).

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

It's really not much of a problem to get CFTR. WNZK doesn't use IBOC, so the adjacent channel isn't that bad, and in many areas it can be nulled to hear CFTR in the Daytime and at Night.

 

[K9RZZ]

I'm happy to report that I heard KNBR San Francisco this morning at 0600 CDT (1100z) from here in Wisconsin! Caught a clear ident at the top of the hour. Haven't heard them in years (not that I've been trying that hard). Will try to get an audio clip next time. Rig: Icom R75 and 6 ft loop.

 

[radioman148]

I'm happy to report that I heard KNBR San Francisco this morning at 0600 CDT (1100z) from here in Wisconsin! Caught a clear ident at the top of the hour. Haven't heard them in years (not that I've been trying that hard). Will try to get an audio clip next time. Rig: Icom R75 and 6 ft loop.

That's great! I'll have to give it a try soon. Usually in the fall, mornings, is the best time to try. I think about 5 or 6 years ago right before sunrise in the Chicago area is the last time I heard it here.

 

[icybluelake]

Usually KFEQ at night. WPTF Raleigh often blasts in during pre-dawn hours. Have also caught KNBR San Francisco. Can't recall if I've ever heard Winnipeg or Toronto.