CFCO 630 Received in Port aux Basques (12/16/2010)

[newfoundlandtime]

All I can say is WOW! For years, I would get at all hours CFCY 630 from Charlottetown, PEI. When they moved to FM a few years ago, I didn't think I'd get another station on that frequency (look what happened to 720 when I faintly got WGN last night after former occupant CHTN (also in Charlottetown) moved to FM; still looking for a better spot to pick up WGN a bit more clearly).

I managed to pick up quite a catch: CFCO on AM 630 from Chatham-Kent, Ontario, which is not too far away from Detroit. The deal was sealed when I heard the station ID: Country 92-9 & AM 630 CFCO.

Like most other catches not normally received on my Walkman, this one was picked up in the car.

Side note: In response to whether or not I've managed to receive European stations on my AM radio, no I haven't gotten any yet.

Also of note: I picked up on AM 970 the talk station WZAN from Portland, Maine. Again, in the car.

One more thing, and this one borders on weird: In the car, at around 10 am in my time zone on Monday (12/13), I picked up WBZ 1030 (yes, that's unusual for to pick it up in the daytime). Also picked up 1560 Radio Disney (New York) and WWZN 1510 Boston (or WWKB 1520 Buffalo) at the same time.

 

[w9wi]

All I can say is WOW! For years, I would get at all hours CFCY 630 from Charlottetown, PEI. When they moved to FM a few years ago, I didn't think I'd get another station on that frequency (look what happened to 720 when I faintly got WGN last night after former occupant CHTN (also in Charlottetown) moved to FM; still looking for a better spot to pick up WGN a bit more clearly).

I managed to pick up quite a catch: CFCO on AM 630 from Chatham-Kent, Ontario, which is not too far away from Detroit. The deal was sealed when I heard the station ID: Country 92-9 & AM 630 CFCO.

Nice catch! Before WTMJ-620 launched IBOC, CFCO used to be routine daytime reception in Milwaukee. They've got a pretty decent signal.

One more thing, and this one borders on weird: In the car, at around 10 am in my time zone on Monday (12/13), I picked up WBZ 1030 (yes, that's unusual for to pick it up in the daytime). Also picked up 1560 Radio Disney (New York) and WWZN 1510 Boston (or WWKB 1520 Buffalo) at the same time.

I've noticed on occasion, during the winter, there may be days on which long-distance daytime signals are much better than normal. Sounds like you found one.

_________________________________________________

I'm surprised you haven't heard any European signals from there yet.

During the summer, you should consider checking for Europeans on *FM*. Listeners in Northern Ireland have heard a number of Newfoundland stations.

 

[radioman148]

All I can say is WOW! For years, I would get at all hours CFCY 630 from Charlottetown, PEI. When they moved to FM a few years ago, I didn't think I'd get another station on that frequency (look what happened to 720 when I faintly got WGN last night after former occupant CHTN (also in Charlottetown) moved to FM; still looking for a better spot to pick up WGN a bit more clearly).

I managed to pick up quite a catch: CFCO on AM 630 from Chatham-Kent, Ontario, which is not too far away from Detroit. The deal was sealed when I heard the station ID: Country 92-9 & AM 630 CFCO.

Like most other catches not normally received on my Walkman, this one was picked up in the car.

Side note: In response to whether or not I've managed to receive European stations on my AM radio, no I haven't gotten any yet.

Also of note: I picked up on AM 970 the talk station WZAN from Portland, Maine. Again, in the car.

One more thing, and this one borders on weird: In the car, at around 10 am in my time zone on Monday (12/13), I picked up WBZ 1030 (yes, that's unusual for to pick it up in the daytime). Also picked up 1560 Radio Disney (New York) and WWZN 1510 Boston (or WWKB 1520 Buffalo) at the same time.

I'm sure you'll get some European DX soon. You're in a great location for it.

 

[stormy01]

I'm sure you'll get some European DX soon. You're in a great location for it.

If one has an AM radio that can only tune in 10 kHz increments, that could be a problem to hear the Euros. Most of the stations will be heard as heterodynes to the 10 kHz steps and some won't even be heard likely due to the receiver's narrow bandpass. Better at least to have a analog tuning radio or better yet, a digital radio that can either tune in 1 kHz increments or a radio that can switch between 9 and 10 kHz increments. Adding a long wire would help a lot, especially if there are no high-powered stations nearby. Newfoundland - now that would be an ideal location to hear the Euros from this side of the pond!

 

[Tincap]

I'm sure you'll get some European DX soon. You're in a great location for it.

If one has an AM radio that can only tune in 10 kHz increments, that could be a problem to hear the Euros. Most of the stations will be heard as heterodynes to the 10 kHz steps and some won't even be heard likely due to the receiver's narrow bandpass. Better at least to have a analog tuning radio or better yet, a digital radio that can either tune in 1 kHz increments or a radio that can switch between 9 and 10 kHz increments. Adding a long wire would help a lot, especially if there are no high-powered stations nearby. Newfoundland - now that would be an ideal location to hear the Euros from this side of the pond!

If our man on 'The Rock', is interested, an investment in a good performing DX radio, may be worth considering. IMHO, a relatively good and inexpensive AM/FM radio, with a variable 9/10 kHz switch, is the Sangean PR-D5. It doesn't quite have the performance, nor many of the features of my trusty old DX-440, but it would easily pull in the Europeans...including Absolute Radio 1215 kHz, which I'm pulling in right now. My first TA DX on the D5 was Saudi on 1521 (as reported), quite the feat considering that blow torch WKBW is adjacent to it! The PR-D5 should rock, on 'The Rock'!

~BG

 

[cyberdad]

CFCO has a fabulous daytime signal....and they're not too shabby even at night when they power down. They're fairly regular at night here in Northern Illinois (fighting it out with KJSL and WLAP).
Their tall tower array is visible from the 401 freeway and parked in the middle of some very flat terrain with deep rich soil.

Anyway, congratulations on another great catch.

 

[cd637299]

I have to chime in.....I was in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1999 (August I think it was.....temps in 40s & 50s I believe).

I brought both the Superadio II & III + my Select-a-Tenna. I did catch the UK's 1053 & 1089 (then known as "the new Talkradio", now "TalkSport"). Also I'm sure I caught the former Norwegian on 1314 (or was it 1413? shrug)...of course that cannot be done now. This was caught in my hotel room.

So, newfoundlandtime, don't give up!

cd

 

[radioman148]

CFCO has a fabulous daytime signal....and they're not too shabby even at night when they power down. They're fairly regular at night here in Northern Illinois (fighting it out with KJSL and WLAP).
Their tall tower array is visible from the 401 freeway and parked in the middle of some very flat terrain with deep rich soil.

Anyway, congratulations on another great catch.

I've heard CFCO in the northern suburbs of Chicago during the day many times before WTMJ's IBLOCK.

 

[Icangelp]

SW Ohio

On 630 WLAP in Lexington KY is most frequently heard, but CFCO is a routine visitor here also.

 

[ddsparxx]

No CFCO to be heard here due to strong, local WMAL.

 

[Tincap]

A little side story here. 630 CFCO used to carry a show with a standards format called 'Sentimental Journey' hosted by Loran Fevens. This show was also carried by the other former AM station (besides the previously mentioned 630 CFCY) in Charlottetown 720 CHTN. CFCO was the only station outside of the Maritimes to carry the programme and a number of requests came from that station's American listeners. During our Halifax day's we could catch Mr, Feven's on Seaside FM, however, after returning to Ontario, I've caught the show on both CHTN & CFCO.

~BG

 

[cyberdad]

CFCO has something approaching a local signal around Detroit and adjacent areas of Southeast Michigan-Northeast Ohio.

 

[IT_Guru]

CFCO has something approaching a local signal around Detroit and adjacent areas of Southeast Michigan-Northeast Ohio.

In NE Ohio halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh I can receive CFCO during the day but the signal is not that strong.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

CFCO has two very different patterns day and night using the five towers that were already there that used to be part of a parallelogram and three tower dogleg, from what I can figure. When the station that used to be KDWB 630 in Minneapolis ended up being a Class D daytime station for a while, they were able to change the night pattern and send a whole lot more signal in that direction. I heard it near Chicago day and night back before WTMJ IBOC, right after the new pattern configuration went into service around 1999.

 

[radioman148]

CFCO has two very different patterns day and night using the five towers that were already there that used to be part of a parallelogram and three tower dogleg, from what I can figure. When the station that used to be KDWB 630 in Minneapolis ended up being a Class D daytime station for a while, they were able to change the night pattern and send a whole lot more signal in that direction. I heard it near Chicago day and night back before WTMJ IBOC, right after the new pattern configuration went into service around 1999.

I'm just north of Chicago & before WTMJ's IBOC during the day if I nulled St Louis I could hear CFCO and vice versa.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

I was staying at the hotel across from the IHOP near Old Orchard, and heard it with no problem on a Delco auto radio in 1999.

Another one of the stranger stories is how people would hear WSGW 790 Saginaw in the daytime along Lake Shore Drive where the tall buildings blocked WBBM and reinforced WSGW. Some student was giving us a tour of Circle Campus back around 1968 and said he listened to the station from Saginaw that had the Tri City Apollos. For years, I couldn't figure out what he was talking about, and then somebody explained it. I also didn't realize at the time that WSGW had the equivalent of a 10 kW lobe in that direction.

 

[radioman148]

I was staying at the hotel across from the IHOP near Old Orchard, and heard it with no problem on a Delco auto radio in 1999.

Another one of the stranger stories is how people would hear WSGW 790 Saginaw in the daytime along Lake Shore Drive where the tall buildings blocked WBBM and reinforced WSGW. Some student was giving us a tour of Circle Campus back around 1968 and said he listened to the station from Saginaw that had the Tri City Apollos. For years, I couldn't figure out what he was talking about, and then somebody explained it. I also didn't realize at the time that WSGW had the equivalent of a 10 kW lobe in that direction.

The only time I ever heard WSGW in the Chicago area during the day was when WBBM was down with tech problems once.

 

[w9wi]

The only time I ever heard WSGW in the Chicago area during the day was when WBBM was down with tech problems once.

WSGW is routine reception in the northwest Milwaukee suburbs.

 

[radioman148]

The only time I ever heard WSGW in the Chicago area during the day was when WBBM was down with tech problems once.

WSGW is routine reception in the northwest Milwaukee suburbs.

No chance of getting it here in the near northern Chicago suburbs with WBBM's IBOC on.

 

[cyberdad]

I've never heard WSGW here in the far northwest Chicago suburbs. At least not in the daytime. In fact, about the only thing I ever heard on 790 approaching regular status was CKSO at night. Haven't heard them lately, so I presume they're off.