Am station with the largest night land coverage?

[vibe]

Is there a "winner" in this hypothetical, but very interesting topic? I'm surprised that Australia and Russia- large landmasses- haven't weightd in.

 

[clichemoth]

What areas of Australia would have ground connectivity comparable to that of the upper Midwest?

 

[KE4KLS_Radio]

One station I heard a few times last winter was 1521kHz out Saudi Arabia, with 2 million watts of power! It can be heard when tuning after sunset on 1520kHz; there is usually a strong 1khz het and a couple of times Arabic programming may be heard. I would assume it has the largest nightime coverage.

Bill in FL

 

[cheapman]

I can recall picking up both WOAI and WBAP in suburban Boston. WOAI would have been the further of the two.

 

[zumahans]

I heard a ghost of WABC one morning in Tucson, probably in 1978 or 79, when Albuquerque was down for tower maintenance.

 

[FightingIrish]

I posted some of my catches in the WSM thread (haven't seen WSM mentioned in this one).

Here in Milwauke, WI, WSM comes in pretty strong at times at night, with a little static (could be minor interference from local WTMJ (620) and WSCR (670) in Chicago. Otherwise, pretty clear.

I also can pick up WLAC after the local daytimer on 1510 signs off at dusk.

Lately, I've been picking up some pretty distant stations on my new in-dash unit (Sony). I've been trying to pull in Canadian stations recently. Some of the big Canadian stations come in strong (like CHWO-740 from Toronto, CINW-940 and CINF-690 from Montreal, and CBW-990 (CBC Radio One) from Winnipeg (heard a decent blues show the other night).

East Coast stations have been stronger than usual. I've picked up WFAN, WOR, WABC, WCBS and WINS at times with some static. WBZ in Boston was clearer than the NY stations.

And of course there's a few Chicago stations that come in well up here, including WIND, WSCR, WGN and WBBM, which sound almost city-grade during the day. WLS and WMVP are very weak up here considering how much power they're putting out. Must be bad transmitter locations.

And of course, the usual suspects come in well, including WSB, WLW, KOA, WWL, WBAP, WCCO, KDKA, KYW, WHO, WTAM, KMOX and WCKY.

On Sunday, I pulled in a station on 810 (thought I'd try for KGO). Whatever the station was, it came in well. Didn't catch the call letters, since it sounded like an infomercial for some kind of snake oil. I just did a little research and I think it may be WGY.

And the extended band AMs occasionally come in. The original station in New Jersey comes in occasionally, and I even pulled in 1690 from Atlanta a few times. Obviously due to less interference.

I have an old countertop radio at home, a Minerva Mirando (http://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_modell.cfm?model_id=9931), built in the late 1950s. It belonged to my grandparents, and it still puts out amazing sound. Also has a shortwave band. Unfortunately, reception is crap where I am but I'm working on a better antenna for it.

 

[BRNout]

Interesting about your reception of Chicago stations. Last week, I was in Puerto Rico and did some AM dxing at night. Aside from the usual Venzuelan and Cuban suspects, I was amazed to hear a clearly audible WBBM coming in. No other Chicago AMer was present, just WBBM - which was consistent. Of the New Yorkers, only WFAN made a weak and shaky appearance. Got WLW too.

WLS is a dissapointment no matter where I go. Now, they are always weaker than WGN, WSCR or WBBM - yet I remember that they were the gold standard back in the 70's and 80's. If you could get any Chicago station back then, it was WLS.

Strange thing is that my "listening post" was on the south-facing balcony of my hotel. So, the US-based signals had to penetrate part of the building to get to me. It's almost certain that if I had a north-facing (ocean side) room, the US AM stations would have done better. WBBM impressed me because Chicago is a very long way (north AND west) from San Juan, PR.

The big Venezuelan signals on 750 and 830 were loud and clear - to the extent that local adjacents had no effect. The Cubans were not as strong, but were there too. Interesting stuff.

 

[w9wi]

I posted some of my catches in the WSM thread (haven't seen WSM mentioned in this one).

Here in Milwauke, WI, WSM comes in pretty strong at times at night, with a little static (could be minor interference from local WTMJ (620) and WSCR (670) in Chicago. Otherwise, pretty clear.

I also can pick up WLAC after the local daytimer on 1510 signs off at dusk.

Lately, I've been picking up some pretty distant stations on my new in-dash unit (Sony). I've been trying to pull in Canadian stations recently. Some of the big Canadian stations come in strong (like CHWO-740 from Toronto, CINW-940 and CINF-690 from Montreal, and CBW-990 (CBC Radio One) from Winnipeg (heard a decent blues show the other night).

And of course there's a few Chicago stations that come in well up here, including WIND, WSCR, WGN and WBBM, which sound almost city-grade during the day. WLS and

WMVP are very weak up here considering how much power they're putting out. Must be bad transmitter locations.
On Sunday, I pulled in a station on 810 (thought I'd try for KGO). Whatever the station was, it came in well. Didn't catch the call letters, since it sounded like an infomercial for some kind of snake oil. I just did a little research and I think it may be WGY.

I'm *from* Milwaukee but live in the Nashville area...

WLS's transmitter is down in Tinley Park, something like 20 miles south of Chicago - WBBM and WGN are pretty much next-door neighbors in the Schaumburg area about 15 miles north. IOW WLS is 35-something miles further away. WMVP and WSCR kinda split the difference. Except that WMVP had some tower problems, at least for awhile they were transmitting at reduced power from the WLS tower. Not sure whether they still are.

If it was well after sunset, I would concur the 810 you heard was WGY. During daylight or right around sunset I would consider WHB (Kansas City) as a possiblity.

Some other Canadians to try for would include 730 and 880 in Manitoba and 540 and 940 in Saskatchewan. Many nights 960 and 1140 in Alberta also come in.

I doubt WTMJ or WSCR would cause problems for WSM unless you live pretty close to the WTMJ towers (Racine Co.). Most radios can split 20-30KHz without any problems.

Due to directional antennas, Wisconsin signals are a lot less prevalent down here. I suppose 1640 R. Disney is the most consistent.

 

[FightingIrish]

I'm *from* Milwaukee but live in the Nashville area...

WLS's transmitter is down in Tinley Park, something like 20 miles south of Chicago - WBBM and WGN are pretty much next-door neighbors in the Schaumburg area about 15 miles north. IOW WLS is 35-something miles further away. WMVP and WSCR kinda split the difference. Except that WMVP had some tower problems, at least for awhile they were transmitting at reduced power from the WLS tower. Not sure whether they still are.

If it was well after sunset, I would concur the 810 you heard was WGY. During daylight or right around sunset I would consider WHB (Kansas City) as a possiblity.

Some other Canadians to try for would include 730 and 880 in Manitoba and 540 and 940 in Saskatchewan. Many nights 960 and 1140 in Alberta also come in.

I doubt WTMJ or WSCR would cause problems for WSM unless you live pretty close to the WTMJ towers (Racine Co.). Most radios can split 20-30KHz without any problems.

Due to directional antennas, Wisconsin signals are a lot less prevalent down here. I suppose 1640 R. Disney is the most consistent.

Wisconsin doesn't have any Class A stations. The strongest is WTMJ, which has help via its dial position. Pretty audible in Chicago. WISN also carries out a bit, but has to protect co-channel KFAN in Minneapolis.

And I did most of my DXing on the south side near the airport.

And I've heard that WLS was located to the south of Chicago, which explains somewhat how people in states in other directions were able to pick them up. I assumed WMVP was broadcasting from the same area. Very staticy in the Milwaukee area currently, moreso than the WLUP days (though I occasionally picked the station up in Minneapolis early in the morning when Howard Stern was on the station). The signal is far worse now, but wasn't great in the past either.

 

[1q2w3e]

Hi,
Is it koa?
Or if not whitch one?

I assume we are talking about US stations as there are 2 MILLION watt AM stations in Europe and Asia.

KOA would give a good running for the title.

KMOX is very good as well, as is WLW.

The greatest daytime signal belongs to a 5kW WNAX in Yankton, SD. The combination of incredible ground conductivity and a HUGE tower gives them coverage in FIVE STATES in the DAY time! With only 5kW!

When I was in Wisconsin, KOA had a killer signal. I would pick up KFI (LA) and KNBR (SF). KFI would be a very tough catch right now as an airplane took out there main tower a few years ago. KNBR is quite possible.

Now I am in Eastern North Carolina. KMOX still comes in regularly. KOA is tough with too many 850 stations (Raleigh, Atlanta and Boston).

WLW is always huge. The tower is next to none. I picked up WLW in southern Mexico.

My best catches have been 760 Columbia, and 891 Algeria. No special equipment. A Sony jogging radio is all. And this was from the Midwest. Now that I am on the coast....look out!!!

 

[cyberdad]

Regarding the Chicago stations....

What's been reported isn't surprising. In my travel experiences for years, WBBM appears to have the best nighttime signal.

 

[jd]

Regarding the Chicago stations....

What's been reported isn't surprising. In my travel experiences for years, WBBM appears to have the best nighttime signal.

When it comes to Chicago stations, from my experience in Texas (mainly around Dallas and Houston) WLS was the leader by a long shot until about 20 years ago . But now WBBM comes in the best, followed by WGN, then a tie with WLS and WSCR. Trouble is, all are undermined by Cuban interference, especially WGN, except for WLS which (as I mentioned in another thread) is getting beat up lately by KVOZ Laredo TX. That station shouldn't be heard at all. I have no chance with WMVP, of course, with its eastward pattern and usually receive KTOK 1000 in Oklahoma City, whose pattern runs NNW/SSE.

Overall the best of the class A's from my location are WWL (like a local virtually all night, every night), WOAI and KMOX, followed by KOA and WSM.

 

[vibe]

Having travelled extensively from the Rockies (east) thru new England and to SW Fla, WWL is the only station that comes in strong virtually everywhere at night. Gets my "vote" and since I'm not from Chi I won't vote twice.

 

[tomservo]

After actually giving this subject some thought, I'm going to cast my vote for WOAI over everyone else. WWL, KMOX, WBAP are certainly contenders, and I'd give WHO a close second, but WOAI just seems to be everywhere at night.

I personally have heard them clearly outside of Miami, east of downtown LA, and somewhere south of SLC... Provo? I forget. One thing I do remember is hearing Art Bell on at least one occasion talk about them on Coast to Coast AM, back when he did the weekday show... He mentioned the station supposedly getting good reception reports from places like Hawaii, parts of South America and the Carribean.

If I understood Spanish fluently, I bet I could hear some Cuban or Mexican stations in many more places than any of these... Ditto the non-English language and ethnic music I hear every single night on 530, whether I'm in Atlanta, Seattle or New Orleans. But that may be more than one station?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

530 is a big opening - I am probably returning to LA next summer, I'll be sure and see if the Turks and Caicos or Cuba comes in. A few weeks back, there was a big Transaltantic opening with 531's from Europe and Africa punching through - strong 1 kHz heterodynes all the time, and they would fade right in swamping T&C. Then Cuba fired up, and I haven't gotten a TA 531 since.

 

[700WLW]

After actually giving this subject some thought, I'm going to cast my vote for WOAI over everyone else. WWL, KMOX, WBAP are certainly contenders, and I'd give WHO a close second, but WOAI just seems to be everywhere at night.

I personally have heard them clearly outside of Miami, east of downtown LA, and somewhere south of SLC... Provo? I forget. One thing I do remember is hearing Art Bell on at least one occasion talk about them on Coast to Coast AM, back when he did the weekday show... He mentioned the station supposedly getting good reception reports from places like Hawaii, parts of South America and the Carribean.

If I understood Spanish fluently, I bet I could hear some Cuban or Mexican stations in many more places than any of these... Ditto the non-English language and ethnic music I hear every single night on 530, whether I'm in Atlanta, Seattle or New Orleans. But that may be more than one station?

I would still vote for WHO - I am in Maryland, and can get clearly WHO and WWL, but never anything from Texas...

 

[sdradiohead]

I can vouch for WOAI being heard in Hawaii, as I just returned from a week long trip there. It had deep fades, but it was listenable. Also noted, but very weak were WBAP and KMOX along with many from the west coast: KMJ, KNBR, KIRO, KOA, KOMO, KTCT, KNX, KTLK, and KEX were among the strongest I heard.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Back to the subject. After considering it carefully - I have to nominate the Saudi Arabia 1521. I always get a heterodyne on it early evening, and then past 10 when it signs back on. I cannot get modulation being only 200 miles from the monster signal of KOKC 1520, but anywhere without a nearby 1520 should have little trouble. Honorable mention would have to go to the Swiss 531, which is probably the easiest transatlantic to pick up.

 

[woody1394]

On the west coast it's definitely KNX and KNBR. I recently drove to Denver from the SF bay area and had KNX at night (both nights) like it was a local station. I even had KNX with no problem in Denver even slightly before sundown.

Also, KOMO comes in here very well (SF bay area), and even overpowers a local station on 990.

 

[radiorob2.0]

QTH: Owensboro, KY

The typical catches for this part of the country including all of Chicago ND's, WTAM Cleveland is very strong, WCBS is the only on out of NYC that is loud. Furthest on a regular basis would be KOA.

Once in a blue moon: KNBR SF sneaks in and once I caught KKOB, obviously on ND. Never receive KFI, always tried though.