Best Daytime AM DX

[BobOnTheJob]

Here's what started this line of thought...here in south central Indiana, daytime AM reception on a good car radio is pretty well limited to 250 miles or so. WJR, WSM, KMOX the Chicago stuff--but no trace of 1100 in Cleveland. If you find a quiet day, Cedar Rapids,IA on 600 is sometimes there with a longwire at 350 miles. On a recent trip through the Dakotas, I was amazed to find larger distances to be common. KGAB 650 Cheyenne carried almost 400 miles to the east in South Dakota, but the slam dunk car radio winner was CBK 540 Watrous,SK which carried about halfway across South Dakota on I-90 at an air mile distance of 600 miles at high noon! It might have eeked out another 50 miles but 5KW KWMT 540 Cedar Rapids,IA was taking over at about 300 miles. So without a doubt, 5KW in the upper plains blows the doors off of 50KW in the midwest. I'm a broadcast engineer & know about the ground conductivity & how it impacts coverage...but it doesn't really hit you until you actually hear numerous stations in the 300-400 mile range with really listenable signals. Then there's the other extreme...about 80 miles N of Las Vegas where the entire AM and FM dial is empty...almost like driving on Mars. Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

KMKI 620 Dallas sounds almost like a local in Lubbock, TX (or at least they used to before they took a hit from IBOC). Good radio, no interference - you can listen all day. KSKY is even stronger in Lubbock because they are 20 kW as opposed to 5. That is about 330 miles.

Before a local 850 signed on the air, KOA Denver was a fairly regular daytime catch in Dallas in the winter months. At least 600 to 700 miles. When a local 870 was dark for a few days - WWL came in daytime in Dallas.

I remember in the late 60's, early 70's, listening to 690 from Tijuana almost all the way to San Francisco.

I did some testing of 4 and 5 foot loops in Lubbock, TX, using a GE Superadio 3. I was astonished to get WCCO 830, WSM 650, WLW 700, WSB 750, WBBM 780 (even in the presence of a strong local 790). Reception of that type is characterized by deep fades lasting from an hour or two - not all of them were receivable full time.

 

[dxer2_2000]

Hi

I once tried running a 300m unterminated beverage antenna connected to my Kenwood R-5000. I aimed the antenna northward.

At around 11:30am - 12pm I could hear 4MB Marybrough (5kw) 1161 khz at a distance of around 1300km or so.

The Brisbane stations like 50kw 4QR (612khz) were at strong clear levels (S7 on the S meter) at 900km

dxer2_2000

 

[jd]

Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

My personal best was on a winter day in the mid 1970's, using a stock AM Ford radio in Las Colinas (Irving TX). I got a very listenable signal from KWMT 540 Fort Dodge, Iowa at noon. Of course the low dial position helped a lot, but at the time KWMT was running only 1,000 watts and the distance was just under 680 miles.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

My personal best was on a winter day in the mid 1970's, using a stock AM Ford radio in Las Colinas (Irving TX). I got a very listenable signal from KWMT 540 Fort Dodge, Iowa at noon. Of course the low dial position helped a lot, but at the time KWMT was running only 1,000 watts and the distance was just under 680 miles.

Yes, KWMT is a monster! I have to drive from Dallas to Emmetsburg, Iowa rather frequently and on my Ford Escort car radio, KWMT is actually listenable (under the QRM of KDFT/Ferris, TX) starting just north of Oklahoma City, around the Edmond exit. By the time I'm in Blackwell, OK -- it's solid all the way. Hours and hours later, as I pass its two tower site site on US 169 north of US 20, I'm amazed at how long and far I'm able to drive and listen to just one station.

By the way, when I'm up in NW Iowa, KKLF/1700 blasts in at night regularly. It's how I hear the Cowboys.

 

[trusty]

I noticed you have mostly referenced stations on the low end of the dial for daytime reception. Clear stations on the high end of the dial depend on skywave for distance, which is one reason shortwave stations change frequencies throughout the broadcast day.

For example, compare daytime (groundwave) signals on Radio Locator of Nashville's 650/WSM and 1510/WLAC or Cincinnati's WLW/700 and WCKY/1530). Both have the "fringe area" of the higher frequency station equaling the "local coverage" area of the lower frequency station.

Also, it has been said that a 5kw station at 560 will have a greater groundwave coverage than a 50kw station at 1200 and up. It's no wonder that a 50kw station at 540 blankets the midwest.

 

[tomservo]

I've gotten some good daytime DX on the high end of the band, especially after about 2 pm here in N Central Mississippi.

Let's see... WTAW 1620 College Station, TX usually booms in around 4pm and later, WTNI 1640 from Biloxi sometimes pops up on cloudy days That's about 240 air miles. I've probably heard but never ID'd WVON 1690 from Chicago during a cloudy day, that's closer to 550 miles.

Considering the nearest AM's are all about 30 miles away and running 1000 watts or less, pretty much all AM here is DX.

As for low band, you can't beat KNOE 540 from Monroe, Louisiana. Their 5kW day signal is quite listenable in the Delta region, where I think ground conductivity is a bit better. When it's cloudy, they can be quite strong in this region. That's 160 miles.

 

[jd]

Also, it has been said that a 5kw station at 560 will have a greater groundwave coverage than a 50kw station at 1200 and up. It's no wonder that a 50kw station at 540 blankets the midwest.

Actually I recall hearing a claim from years ago that the groundwave coverage of a 1,000-watt station at 540 would be equal to that of a one million-watt station on 1600. That would assume something like a 1/4 wave non-directional antenna for each frequency. The comparison supposedly worked, at least on paper.

Also, KWMT isn't 50kW. They run 5kW during the day with a pattern mainly concentrated to the south.

By the way, when I'm up in NW Iowa, KKLF/1700 blasts in at night regularly. It's how I hear the Cowboys.

But unfortunately for KKLF (licensed to suburban Richardson, with a tower a good distance to the north) gets blasted nightly throughout much of the area by KVNS from Brownsville, about 475 miles south of Dallas.

 

[anotherguyTN]

When WLS in Chicago was still a Top 40 station in the 70's and 80's, I can remember hearing them at times even at Noon in West TN during the Fall and Winter. That would have been in the neighborhood of 450-500 miles.

 

[radiorob2.0]

My QTH is Owensboro, KY my best daytime catch with the Superadio II would be CKLW on a nice quiet winter day.

Speaking of the Superadio, I purchased it in Wilmington, NC Thanksgiving Day 1989. My aunt and uncle lived along the coast and I was unsure about keeping the Superadio, I was pretty proud of my Radio Shack DX-440. I started down the Superadio's dial and found music at 560, it was WQAM Miami (oldies at the time). In the meantime the DX-440 was static at 560. Needless to say I decided to keep the Superadio.

Oh, if you have a chance pay a visit to Cape Hatteras barrier islands of North Carolina. It's a fun place for daytime listening. 570, 660, 770, 880 from NYC have nice signals along with 690 in Jacksonville, FL and the rest of the eastern seaboard.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Oh, if you have a chance pay a visit to Cape Hatteras barrier islands of North Carolina. It's a fun place for daytime listening. 570, 660, 770, 880 from NYC have nice signals along with 690 in Jacksonville, FL and the rest of the eastern seaboard.

I can second that - my location was Daytona Beach Shores. NYC and many more 50 kW stations almost like locals in the daytime. But I think that was mainly the saltwater effect.

 

[davideduardo]

Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

Some, but not most, over water. Early 50's from Cleveland, OH, 4VEH from Cap Hatien, Haiti, 1035 kHz, 10 kw at around noon in winter.

Also quite nice catches during the two CONELRAD tests I monitored (11:30 to Noon) in the early 60s: 680 CJOB, 1470 Regina, and other closer ones like North Bay, ON, Montreal, m ade possible with all US AMs off or on 640 and 1240

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Anyone have any other examples of long range daytime AM that doesn't travel over water?

Some, but not most, over water. Early 50's from Cleveland, OH, 4VEH from Cap Hatien, Haiti, 1035 kHz, 10 kw at around noon in winter.

Also quite nice catches during the two CONELRAD tests I monitored (11:30 to Noon) in the early 60s: 680 CJOB, 1470 Regina, and other closer ones like North Bay, ON, Montreal, m ade possible with all US AMs off or on 640 and 1240

Conelrad Tests...when I started in radio in 67, I remember shutting the transmitter off for 5 seconds, back on for 5 seconds & back off for 5 seconds & then back on...seemingly with a 1kc tone afterwards. That was the weekly test. I saw transmitters with either 640 or 1240 crystals installed. But I never witnessed the test where everyone was off or else on 640/1240. How often did they happen & how long did each test last? Do you recall what year they were discontinued? What did 640 & 1240 sound like during those tests? That must have been a fascinating time to be DXing!

 

[davideduardo]

I saw transmitters with either 640 or 1240 crystals installed. But I never witnessed the test where everyone was off or else on 640/1240. How often did they happen & how long did each test last? Do you recall what year they were discontinued? What did 640 & 1240 sound like during those tests? That must have been a fascinating time to be DXing!

This is vague recollection, but I believe between about 1959 and 1962 there were 3 such tests. I listend during two of them, and they were from 11:30 AM to Noon in the daytime. Anyone near the border or coast had a chance for some interesting DX. In addition, there were market-only 1240 and 640 tests, and one for Grand Rapids I got a verie for was signed by FCC COmmissioner Robert E. Lee! I also had a verification of KFI testing "low power" CONELRAD equipment, for a Monday early AM reception.

 

[Len14043]

I received WHAM 1180 and WBZ 1130 in Cincinnati at high noon during the winter. If fact, WHAM was a frequent daytime catch until WOWO 1190 started running IBOC. I heard WLW during the day in summer as far as Davenport Iowa. KNRS 570 in Salt Lake City can be heard from Southern Montana to Northern Arizona during the day.

 

[vibe]

I received a lot of stations one late Oct. afternoon starting about 3 hours before sunset one afternoon near Rockingham NC. Atlanta was clear as a bell (750) and shortly after that the Chi-Cle Cinci Det- NYC- etc came in. Boston weighed in about 4 pm; way before local sunset which was about 6:15 PM if I recollect. About 1 hr before sunset I had 2 620's battling it out from Tampa and Milwaukee. Even the 5000 watters were coming in for 400 mi plus. I had WTIC 1080 Harford shortly after Boston then KRLD Dallas (1080) as soon as the sun set.
But I attributed it to an early skywave day where the cloudy conditions seemed to enhance Am reception. But it was fun to see the AM band light up that way, particularly where ground conductivity is so so to poor.
But I remeber a similar day where the LA stations were clear out in eastern AZ (about 500-600 mi) on a Novermber day w/ similar conditions. And this was from about 1 PM on but sunset, if I recollect, was a lot earlier, about 5-5:30 pm.

 

[mleach]

Back in the early 80s visiting my cousin in Harrisonburg, VA I somehow managed to pull in Baltimore's WFBR-AM 1300. Harrisonburg's 1300 WKCY for some reason was off the air that day. Baltimore to Harrisonburg I believe is around 140 miles. Kinda of an interesting feet since I had friends who lived in Frederick, MD and despite they being so close to Baltimore, they could NOT pick up WFBR.

Also in the early 80s it was not uncommon to pick up Buffalo's WKBW at noon in Virginia. Not as clear as it would be at night but still listenable.

 

[BRNout]

I received a lot of stations one late Oct. afternoon starting about 3 hours before sunset one afternoon near Rockingham NC. Atlanta was clear as a bell (750) and shortly after that the Chi-Cle Cinci Det- NYC- etc came in. Boston weighed in about 4 pm; way before local sunset which was about 6:15 PM if I recollect.

WBZ is a real powerhouse, day and night. I've picked it up during the day as far south as Suffolk County, NY and on beachfront property on the northern Jersey shore. Too bad its daytime audio sounds so flat now - thanks to the implementation of IBOC. At night, it shines in places where other northeastern stations are very weak - like parts of the midwest and south. WBZ's nighttime signal is truly impressive, I have even caught it in Utah - clearly audible under KTWO.

WTIC comes in reasonably well, during midday, as far south as southern NJ - as long as you're right near the coast. Go inland and its gone. Nonetheless, that's pretty darn good reception and its strong enough that the same may well be true along the east coast of the Delmarva peninsula too. Just never been there to try it.

Saltwater really allows for impressive daytime DX.

 

[gr8oldies]

Ground conductivity is pretty good in Ohio and Indiana, and some low powered stations really get out. WJYM in Bowling Green, OH has a bowling-pin pattern that takes it to the northern Cincinnati suburbs and they were even audible in Central Indiana before WGN's IBOC. KTRS, St. Louis makes it to Indiana much better than KMOX. In the Dayton, OH area I have had noontime reception of WBZ, WSM, and WSB. I lived briefly in Quincy, IL and worked accross the river in Hannibal, MO. Crossing the Mississippi river bridge had an effect as though your antenna was diconnected and as son a you hit that bridge going into MO your antenna was reconnected. I could get WLS during the daytime about as well as I could in Ft Wayne, IN. It was amazing how far these little Missouri 250 watters got out....most of them seemed to call themselves "Regional Radio".

On the high end, I caught WCNW-1560 Fairfield OH in Lafayette IN at noon, and WKVI-1520, Knox, IN in Dayton, OH. I also had the experience of noontime reception of all NYC clears from Virginia Beach. All time most interesting was WKWF from Key West into Sarasota with 500 watts.

 

[KE4KLS_Radio]

If you visit Crystal River or Homasassa Springs on the west coast of Florida, try WWL 870. Its daytime signal booms in along the coast there, but as you travel further south towards Tampa gets some spatter from the 860 there. I have also picked them up during the day along the east coast of FL in the winter months.

Bill in E. Central FL.