Daytime Skywave Chicago-Toronto Today

[cyberdad]

Anyone else hear this?

I drove 100+ miles today 9am-11:30am CST. Chicago area to Warsaw Indiana (35 miles west of Fort Wayne). CFTR, CHWO, CFRB all present throughout the drive (along with such usual suspects as WCKY). CFRB had the strongest signal...even splattering on WMVP. CFTR and CHWO were fair.

Tonight, I'm still in Warsaw. Most notable in my casual scan this evening is WSCR getting clobbered by Cuba. 125 miles from their stick. The other Chicago blowtorches are all fine.

 

[schmave]

Anyone else hear this?

I drove 100+ miles today 9am-11:30am CST. Chicago area to Warsaw Indiana (35 miles west of Fort Wayne). CFTR, CHWO, CFRB all present throughout the drive (along with such usual suspects as WCKY). CFRB had the strongest signal...even splattering on WMVP. CFTR and CHWO were fair.

Tonight, I'm still in Warsaw. Most notable in my casual scan this evening is WSCR getting clobbered by Cuba. 125 miles from their stick. The other Chicago blowtorches are all fine.

When I drive from Chicago to Ohio (or vice-versa) on U.S. 30 and it happens to be at night, I usually don't hear too many cancellation issues until around Columbia City on 670, 720, 780 and 890. 1000, it starts MUCH farther to the west, not far east of Valparaiso.

 

[Icangelp]

I've heard Cubans on the usual places, and even some frequencies I hadn't heard them before. The clock tick is everwhere.

670 & 640 were blasted the couple of times I tuned them in. It was like back in the early sixties when Cuba was often dominant on several frequencies.

On several traditional clears, (1180 comes to mind), I've heard mult-stations rising, then falling rapidly, past east & central sunset.

On the drive home last night, 940 WCPC in little Houston MS was booming in for the few minutes I listened.

If I were a serious DXer with a Perseus, I'd have logged dozens of stations in the last week.

So many variables, so much fun.

 

[schmave]

I've heard Cubans on the usual places, and even some frequencies I hadn't heard them before. The clock tick is everwhere.

670 & 640 were blasted the couple of times I tuned them in. It was like back in the early sixties when Cuba was often dominant on several frequencies.

On several traditional clears, (1180 comes to mind), I've heard mult-stations rising, then falling rapidly, past east & central sunset.

On the drive home last night, 940 WCPC in little Houston MS was booming in for the few minutes I listened.

If I were a serious DXer with a Perseus, I'd have logged dozens of stations in the last week.

So many variables, so much fun.

I heard this station up here in central Ohio back in the 90s. I am guilty of not listening to this frequency much so not sure of what's usually there.

 

[borderblaster]

WCPC is pretty regular around sunset in Ohio. I've received WMAC in Macon regularly in the morning there.

 

[cyberdad]

WCPC also not uncommon in Northern Illinois before powering down at sunset.

Also...still here in Warsaw, IN (weeklong project)...WSCR back solidly on top of 670 tonight. Cuba still very much present, but in the background.

 

[cyberdad]

Just to update/finish off what I started....

I've been in this location all week working on my project and have checked daily for mid-day skywave. None really since Monday. Even on the higher channels...save for what may be weak traces of WCKY on 1530.

I haven't been all that active at night, but a few observations....

All of the "big guns" from New York have been present....WFAN, WOR, WABC, and WCBS. All fair, except WOR, which is weaker. WEPN and WBBR were also in at dawn this morning....presumably on day patterns.

All of the Chicago biggies continue to do well. WSCR has Cuba clearly audible underneath, but not rising to the top as it did Monday night. I had been wondering if WIND was audible here at night. It is, but it really takes a pounding and is not listenable.

I'm about 30 miles west-northwest of WOWO's stick. Nighttime signal here is OK....but not great. Stuff underneath.

Surprising big signal here: KOA Tuesday night.

Other surprising signal: R. Reloj on top of an otherwise messy 570. The 530 Cuban was also good earlier in the week, but weak/absent last night (Wed.)

Third surprise: WPTF alone on 680 Monday night. I was expecting CFTR and/or perhaps "the mini blowtorch" WCTT.

Tonight is probably my last night here. If anyone has requests, etc. let me know.

 

[borderblaster]

Check on 1070 CHOK Sarnia, ONT. Blows away WFNI (ex WIBC) as close as S.R. 32 just north of Indy

 

[radioman148]

Cyberdad, does WIND come in at all during the day there?

 

[cyberdad]

Check on 1070 CHOK Sarnia, ONT. Blows away WFNI (ex WIBC) as close as S.R. 32 just north of Indy

WFNI has been pretty solid here at night....which surprises me. They're also good daytime, I haven't heard CHOK for a while, but I haven't been on 1070 (at home) lately. I'll check things out tonight. Their Sarnia "neighbor" CKTY on 1110 used to also be fairly common around the Chicago area at night, but they left the AM band several years ago.

As for WIND.... I had meant to mention that it's pretty decent here daytime. WCPT puts in a fair daytime signal here as well....but with Columbus, OH (ex-WOSU) very much audible in the background. At night, 820 is WBAP mostly, but you can also hear CHAM.

 

[chrish]

Today at noon CKAC 730 Montreal screaming into greater Boston and Southern NH like a local and still steady and strong at 2:45PM, Have to wonder what it is doing to Bob Bittners WJTO in greater Portland

 

[cyberdad]

Check on 1070 CHOK Sarnia, ONT. Blows away WFNI (ex WIBC) as close as S.R. 32 just north of Indy

Checked 1070 Thursday night. WFNI not as strong as it was earlier in the weak, but no CHOK.

 

[borderblaster]

Pattern issues? I almost wouldn't think WFNI would make it to Warsaw at all on that strict southeastern night pattern, I've recieved them in Knoxville and Myrtle Beach, but north is a challenge

 

[cyberdad]

Pattern issues? I almost wouldn't think WFNI would make it to Warsaw at all on that strict southeastern night pattern, I've recieved them in Knoxville and Myrtle Beach, but north is a challenge

I was thinking the same thing about the possibility of pattern issues. I was very surprised to hear them in Warsaw with a strong signal. That said, I do hear WFNI pop out of the mess from time to time here at home northwest of Chicago.

 

[radioman148]

Pattern issues? I almost wouldn't think WFNI would make it to Warsaw at all on that strict southeastern night pattern, I've recieved them in Knoxville and Myrtle Beach, but north is a challenge

I was thinking the same thing about the possibility of pattern issues. I was very surprised to hear them in Warsaw with a strong signal. That said, I do hear WFNI pop out of the mess from time to time here at home northwest of Chicago.

Same here just north of Chicago. WFNI does come through occasionally, but most often Madison, Wi is on top.

 

[borderblaster]

If you got WFNI at all there, they were on day pattern. There should'nt be any radiation heading that direction.

 

[cyberdad]

I was thinking the same thing about the possibility of pattern issues. I was very surprised to hear them in Warsaw with a strong signal. That said, I do hear WFNI pop out of the mess from time to time here at home northwest of Chicago.

Same here just north of Chicago. WFNI does come through occasionally, but most often Madison, Wi is on top.
[/quote]

Yeah, mostly WTSO (Madison) on top of 1070 at night here.

And, borderblaster, WFNI does make it through on night pattern....they're not particularly difficult at any hour of the night, although you very well may need to wait a little while for them to break through. For that matter, you can usually catch them....especially on a car radio...during the day. There are enough holes around here (far northwest Chicago suburbs) in the WTSO signal, so that what's left of WFNI usually comes through. We're in the null for both stations....which in each case becomes more severe at night.

But, also in each case, there's just enough juice to get here at night. WTSO, being closer to where I am, does better. CHOK used to sometimes blow them both out, but I haven't heard CHOK lately. Now, if you go to northern Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, or the UP of Michigan, WTSO is typically always on top with a monster nighttime signal.

 

[borderblaster]

I was actually referring to Warsaw IN where there are no lobes going there at all. There is at least a slight lobe heading toward Chicago. I used to live in Lafayette and WIBC (as it was then) was always audible but often buried by CHOK (at the time it was running a Canada-wide oldies network at night). It wasn't unusual to hear interference from places like Birmingham from there around sunrise/sunset I had heard CHOK and WIBC together in Louisville. I know CHOK is still around, I've heard it during the day on Lake Erie but maybe they don't have the night juice they did.

 

[howardm]

AM 740, Toronto, an easy catch here n. of Chicago at night.

 

[asugeorge1]

Yeah, mostly WTSO (Madison) on top of 1070 at night here.

And, borderblaster, WFNI does make it through on night pattern....they're not particularly difficult at any hour of the night, although you very well may need to wait a little while for them to break through. For that matter, you can usually catch them....especially on a car radio...during the day. There are enough holes around here (far northwest Chicago suburbs) in the WTSO signal, so that what's left of WFNI usually comes through. We're in the null for both stations....which in each case becomes more severe at night.

But, also in each case, there's just enough juice to get here at night. WTSO, being closer to where I am, does better. CHOK used to sometimes blow them both out, but I haven't heard CHOK lately. Now, if you go to northern Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, or the UP of Michigan, WTSO is typically always on top with a monster nighttime signal.

Since you're in the null for WFNI, WTSO and CHOK, have you had any luck snagging KNX from Los Angeles? I know it's probably quite the challenge, but it seems like you would be in a good spot to catch it. IMO, they got a better night-time signal than KFI if you're trying to snag an L.A. station.