Farthest you have ever heard WSM and Former X-Rock 80...XEROCK 800 Mexico

[radioman148]

The map with pins which John Long mentions became much fuller over the ensuing couple years that X-ROK remained in the format. Listener reports were received from every continent with the exception of Antarctica. Frequent mail from Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and India. Much less correspondence from non-English speaking countries, especially the (then) Communist bloc.

That's really something if they were heard in Asia.

 

[BRNout]

In high school, I had a friend who grew up in Durango, Colorado and told me that they all listened to X-Rock 80....even during the daytime (this would have been around 1978-80).

Even then, I knew enough to ask him how that could be and he said it was because they broadcast with 200 kw (his words) and were more powerful than any US station was allowed to be. Of course, they've cut back on power since then.

 

[schmave]

That's not too big a stretch distance-wise, but someone here (I think David Eduardo) said XEROK has used as little as 500-1,000 watts daytime in recent years because of power grid issues near the transmitter. That's not to mention that all the extra juice serves mostly desert since El Paso is nowhere near any other major metro areas.

 

[radioman148]

In high school, I had a friend who grew up in Durango, Colorado and told me that they all listened to X-Rock 80....even during the daytime (this would have been around 1978-80).

Even then, I knew enough to ask him how that could be and he said it was because they broadcast with 200 kw (his words) and were more powerful than any US station was allowed to be. Of course, they've cut back on power since then.

If that happened my guess would be it was a few times in the winter.

 

[analog420]

The Durango story is true. Although the station was non-directional (and 150,000 watts, not 200,000), it's had a directional characteristic toward the four-corners area, and could be heard daytime in northern N. Mexico and Arizona, as well as southern Colorado and Utah....at least 400 miles. The directionality was apparently the result of ground conductivty along the Rio Grande (the xmitter site was only a couple hundred yards from the river). David E. correct about vastly reduced power now....the site has relocated and license has been downgraed to 50,000 watts, but in anecdotal listening, it appears they're running at much less.

 

[vibe]

Heard X Rock 800while at Petrified Forest NP (100 mi E of Flagstaff) and KFI and KNX in late November mid afternoon back in 1976. I thought it was groundwave but there must have been some early skywave based on the time of year and time of day.
I do remember getting X Rock 800 from several hundred miles away when driving from New England to Los Cruces NM in Jan, 1976.

 

[radioman148]

The Durango story is true. Although the station was non-directional (and 150,000 watts, not 200,000), it's had a directional characteristic toward the four-corners area, and could be heard daytime in northern N. Mexico and Arizona, as well as southern Colorado and Utah....at least 400 miles. The directionality was apparently the result of ground conductivty along the Rio Grande (the xmitter site was only a couple hundred yards from the river). David E. correct about vastly reduced power now....the site has relocated and license has been downgraed to 50,000 watts, but in anecdotal listening, it appears they're running at much less.

Interesting--thanks.

 

[BRNout]

The Durango story is true. Although the station was non-directional (and 150,000 watts, not 200,000), it's had a directional characteristic toward the four-corners area, and could be heard daytime in northern N. Mexico and Arizona, as well as southern Colorado and Utah....at least 400 miles. The directionality was apparently the result of ground conductivty along the Rio Grande (the xmitter site was only a couple hundred yards from the river). David E. correct about vastly reduced power now....the site has relocated and license has been downgraed to 50,000 watts, but in anecdotal listening, it appears they're running at much less.

Yes, thanks so much for confirming those stories! Beyond the tale of my HS buddy, I'd heard others talk about the range of this station but never had the chance to check it out from that region during the daytime. I recall giving it a try one day from Steamboat Springs, CO in 1982, but got nothing during the day and an okay signal at night. Of course, that's in north central CO with the bulk of the Rockies between me and Ciudad Juarez - much different situation than Durango. I even understood that at the time.

The impressive border blaster I caught at night from Steamboat in '82 was "The Mighty 690" from Tijuana - at the time it was a really cool CHR! Came in really clearly too.

 

[Icangelp]

But what about XERF during the brief Wolfman Jack days? 250 KW of non directional power and the Wolfman were tough to beat.

 

[radioman148]

But what about XERF during the brief Wolfman Jack days? 250 KW of non directional power and the Wolfman were tough to beat.

I could pick up XERF in Northern Illinois & I believe they were ND.

 

[schmave]

250 KW at 1570 ... a DXers dream. Hell, I'm sure the groundwave was impressive enough (for that spot on the dial). I can't imagine how far that signal spread on skywave.

 

[BRNout]

250 KW at 1570 ... a DXers dream. Hell, I'm sure the groundwave was impressive enough (for that spot on the dial). I can't imagine how far that signal spread on skywave.

Roughly 25% farther than a good 50 kw signal at the same frequency. That's based on the corollary that each time you double the power, you get an extra 10% increase in coverage. This is why you really don't get as much bang for the buck as one might think at these sorts of power levels.

Don't get me wrong: it would still be impressive. Back in those days, the station must have been heard by dxers in Asia and westernmost Europe. That end of the dial is great for skywave.

 

[radioman148]

Here in northern Illinois in the 60s XERF used to battle with a station in Ontario and the Ontario station was much closer.

 

[stormy01]

Here in northern Illinois in the 60s XERF used to battle with a station in Ontario and the Ontario station was much closer.

That station was CFOR Orillia, Ontario. Moved to FM. Never got as good a signal from CFOR as 1580 CBJ Chicoutimi, Quebec further away.
Also moved to FM. 800 XEROK always came in better for me as border blasters go than XERF did back in the day... That was a mess when
Bonaire with its 500kW (at that time), CKLW and XEROK were slugging it out.

 

[radioman148]

Here in northern Illinois in the 60s XERF used to battle with a station in Ontario and the Ontario station was much closer.

That station was CFOR Orillia, Ontario. Moved to FM. Never got as good a signal from CFOR as 1580 CBJ Chicoutimi, Quebec further away.
Also moved to FM. 800 XEROK always came in better for me as border blasters go than XERF did back in the day... That was a mess when
Bonaire with its 500kW (at that time), CKLW and XEROK were slugging it out.

Thanks for reminding me of the station in Orillia.
The way I remember 800 was CKLW daytime & mostly at night until the late 60s then Bonaire at night.
In the late 70s XEROK was in there at night too. Later on I lost CKLW in the daytime to a TIS station near O'Hare.

 

[stormy01]

Thanks for reminding me of the station in Orillia.
The way I remember 800 was CKLW daytime & mostly at night until the late 60s then Bonaire at night.
In the late 70s XEROK was in there at night too. Later on I lost CKLW in the daytime to a TIS station near O'Hare.

You're Welcome!
"Later on I lost CKLW in the daytime to a TIS station near O'Hare." Loved CKLW --- they were the creme de la creme of Top 40 stations!
Yeah, I was hearing the TIS Parking Info. station out here too in the Barrington/Cary/Crystal Lake area....until the iBUZZ from 780 came on ...):

 

[radioman148]

Thanks for reminding me of the station in Orillia.
The way I remember 800 was CKLW daytime & mostly at night until the late 60s then Bonaire at night.
In the late 70s XEROK was in there at night too. Later on I lost CKLW in the daytime to a TIS station near O'Hare.

You're Welcome!
"Later on I lost CKLW in the daytime to a TIS station near O'Hare." Loved CKLW --- they were the creme de la creme of Top 40 stations!
Yeah, I was hearing the TIS Parking Info. station out here too in the Barrington/Cary/Crystal Lake area....until the iBUZZ from 780 came on ...):

Yeah I was pretty bummed when I couldn't hear CKLW anymore during their music days.

 

[stormy01]

Did y'all know the O'Hare and Midway TIS for Parking Lots, etc. have been on 1630?
Good luck getting these though if you're in the Chicago 'burbs, there are several Metra TIS also on 1630.

 

[radioman148]

Did y'all know the O'Hare and Midway TIS for Parking Lots, etc. have been on 1630?
Good luck getting these though if you're in the Chicago 'burbs, there are several Metra TIS also on 1630.

There's one on 1620 also on the north side.

 

[schmave]

250 KW at 1570 ... a DXers dream. Hell, I'm sure the groundwave was impressive enough (for that spot on the dial). I can't imagine how far that signal spread on skywave.

Roughly 25% farther than a good 50 kw signal at the same frequency. That's based on the corollary that each time you double the power, you get an extra 10% increase in coverage. This is why you really don't get as much bang for the buck as one might think at these sorts of power levels.

Don't get me wrong: it would still be impressive. Back in those days, the station must have been heard by dxers in Asia and westernmost Europe. That end of the dial is great for skywave.

I would think there'd have been a lot of listeners well into South America, too. Maybe Australia if conditions were right.