FM Bandscan - Silverdale, WA (10/1/2012)

[swhyde1980]

Haven't been in a position where I could listen in on a decent radio in awhile, while in the Silverdale area (One of the more desirable DX locations in Kitsap County besides Green Mountain, on the north end of Dyes Inlet), but earlier today on my Mom's car radio, here's what came in:

88.1 KWAO/K201ET (Coming in simultaneously...Heard "Effect Radio" on one of the signals)
88.5 KPLU
89.1 K206DM (Calvery Chapel's Gold Mountain translator for Bremerton)
89.5 KNHC
89.9 KGHP (Faint)
90.3 KEXP
90.7 KSER (Faintly)
90.9 KVTI
91.1 (What I believe to be a faint KROH.  Sounded like religious programming.)
91.5 KSQM (Faint.  Recieved possibly thanks to 91.7 being off the air)
92.1 CBU-FM1 (Suprisingly no KPLU translator)
92.3 KGON (faint, mostly getting squashed by KQMV)
92.5 KQMV
92.9 KISM
93.3 KUBE
93.7 CJJR (Faint)
94.1 KMPS
94.5 K233BU (KMIH's translator...KRXY used to own this frequency up Dyes Inlet until KMIH put their translator up)
94.9 KUOW
95.3 CKZZ (Faint)
95.7 KJR-FM
96.1 KXXO
96.5 KJAQ
96.9 KGY
97.3 KIRO
97.7 KOMO
98.1 KING
98.5 CIOC
98.9 KLCK
99.3 KDDS
99.5 KWJJ (Faint)
99.9 KISW
100.3 CKKQ
100.7 KKWF
101.1 CFMI (Faint, didn't hear any sign of KXL-FM)
101.5 KPLZ
101.9 KINK (Coming in suprisingly good with stereo carrier)
102.1 KPQ/KSWW (simultaneously, both faint)
102.5 KZOK
102.9 KNBQ
103.1 CHTT (Faint)
103.3 KKCW/K277AE (KMTT) Translator (Both faint, but simultaneous)
103.5 CHQM (Faint)
103.7 KMTT
104.1 KAFE
104.3 KMNT (Faint)
104.5 KMCQ
104.7 KDUX (Faint)
104.9 KKBW
105.3 KCMS
105.7 CBU-FM (Faint)
106.1 KBKS
106.5 KLYN
106.9 KRWM
107.1 KRQT (Faint, with some HD radio hash from KRWM)
107.3 Unsure if it was CHBE or possibly KFFM.
107.7 KNDD

 

[bobdavcav]

I believe you mean KWPZ 106.5? Nothing too surprising except for some of the Portland stations.

 

[swhyde1980]

I believe you mean KWPZ 106.5? Nothing too surprising except for some of the Portland stations.

My bad...yes, KWPZ.

The waterfront park location in Silverdale gets a lot of good signals from the south at times (not suprising).  KGON, KINK, and KKCW are the most common.  KWJJ used to be common until KDDS moved to South Mountain some years ago.  Another great waterfront location I haven't been to in awhile for DXing is over by the Hwy. 302 bridge in Purdy. Long Beach & Astoria stations tend to sneak into there.

 

[crainbebo]

I've had great luck about a half mile inland from the Southworth Ferry Terminal. KPQ and KXLE sometimes come in like gangbusters out there.
In Lewis County, at the Maytown Rest Area (or is it Thurston County? Not sure) I've had OK luck with Astoria stuff. I can get KVAS 103.9, and a tentative KCMS xlator on 103.5, which is Astoria (60 mi!) No sign of KCRX, due to the KACS xlator on 102.3. But on the coast near Pacific Beach/Moclips, KCRX is usually in, and sometimes is as strong as the Aberdeen stations.
Another one that does good at the ocean is KCRF 96.7 in Lincoln City (150 mi S). I can hear it with varying strength, from fair to clear at low tide!

-crainbebo

 

[TimmyWA]

Anyone ever try a bandscan up on Paradise on Mt. Rainier?

 

[bobdavcav]

Anyone ever try a bandscan up on Paradise on Mt. Rainier?

That would definately be an interesting scan! Here's a typical scan from my home here in Edmonds,
88.1 weak signal, can't tell if it's Effect Radio or Air1.
88.5 KPLU
88.9 CBUX-FM-1 I think it is.
89.1 if I'm not just hitting scan, I usually get a Calvery Chappel translator.
89.5 KNHC, though rarely in as good of stereo as other stations.
89.7 sometimes I've recieved CJSU, usually if there is nice inhansement to the north.
89.9 recieved KGRG once. Usually, I just hit scan though, haven't done a really close scan in a while.
90.3 KEXP
90.5 CBCV
90.7 KSER
90.9 KVTI
91.1 I think I've heard the PT station there.
91.3 KBCS sometimes mixing with CJZN
91.7 I think I've heard KXOT, can't remember for sure.
92.1 CBU-FM-1, have noticed some reception degradation since the KPLU xlator moved there, but it's not strong enough to get a good signal up here. Sometimes I would get the xlator on 88.1.
92.5 KQMV
92.9 KISM
93.3 KUBE
93.7 CJJR, have gotten KANY once.
94.1 KMPS
94.5 have gotten CFBT, K233BU, and KRXY.
94.9 KUOW
95.3 CKZZ when there is nice inhansement
95.7 KJR-FM
96.1 KXXO
96.5 KJAQ
96.9 KGY-FM, used to get only CKLG on my other radio when there was tropo, the same type of day where CHKG sometimes mixes with KXXO.
97.3 KIRO-FM
97.7 KOMO-FM, sometimes CBUF comes in better, but hasn't happened in a while.
98.1 KING
98.5 CIOC
98.9 KLCK
99.3 KDDS not usually any sign of CFOX
99.9 KISW
100.3 CKKQ
100.7 KKWF
101.1 sometimes CFMI
101.5 KPLZ
101.9 occasionally KINK
102.1 KPQ-FM, usually weak
102.5 KZOK
102.9 KNBQ
103.1 CHTT
103.3 usually KMTT xlator, have heard KKCW once though.
103.5 have heard CHQM once.
103.7 KMTT
104.1 KAFE
104.3 I heard CHHR once around the time I got my IPod, but nothing since.
104.5 KMCQ
104.7 have recieved KDUK once.
104.9 KKBW, although when there is tropo, good luck, practically drowned out by Sonic.
105.3 KCMS
105.7 sometimes CBU-FM
106.1 KBKS
106.5 KWPZ
106.9 KRWM
107.3 sometimes CHBE
107.7 KNDD.

 

[crainbebo]

Combining several bandscans from Edmonds together-here's what I've gotten on all trips.
My equipment was either a Grundig G5 with longwire about 7 or 8 feet, and a Grundig G8 with stock whip ONLY.

88.1 KWAO/CBU-1
88.3 Effect xlator Mt. Vernon (believed to be 4 WATTS!)
88.5 KPLU
88.7
88.9 CBUX-FM1/CSN/KSWS
89.1 CSN x2/I think Radio U Issaquah
89.3 KAOS/KVIX
89.5 KNHC
89.7 CJSU/KMWS
89.9 KASB/KGRG/KGHP/I think KQAC one time
90.1 KNWP
90.3 KEXP
90.5 CBCV/KACS
90.7 KSER
90.9 KVTI/CBUX
91.1 KROH
91.3 KBCS/CJZN
91.5 KSQM/KOPB
91.7 KSVR/KZAZ/KXOT/CKAY
91.9 KPTZ/KSJU
92.1 CBU-FM1/KPLU xlator West Seattle
92.3 KGON??
92.5 KQMV
92.7
92.9 KISM
93.1 CKYE
93.3 KUBE
93.5
93.7 CJJR/KANY
93.9 KPDQ one time
94.1 KMPS
94.3
94.5 CFBT/KRXY/K233BU
94.7
94.9 KUOW
95.1
95.3 CKZZ/KXXK
95.5 KBFF
95.7 KJR
95.9
96.1 KXXO/CHKG
96.3
96.5 KJAQ
96.7
96.9 KGY/CKLG
97.1 KYCH
97.3 KIRO
97.5
97.7 CBUF/KOMO
97.9
98.1 KING
98.3
98.5 CIOC
98.7 KUPL
98.9 KLCK
99.1
99.3 KDDS only
99.5 CBCV-FM1/KWJJ
99.7 CBUF-FM9
99.9 KISW
100.1
100.3 CKKQ
100.5 CKPK
100.7 KKWF
100.9
101.1 CFMI/KXL
101.3 KLWA
101.5 KPLZ
101.7 K269FT/CHLY/CIVL
101.9 KINK/CFUV/CITR
102.1 KSWW/KBRC xlator/KONP xlator Port Angeles/KPQ
102.3 CKWV
102.5 KZOK
102.7 CFRO
102.9 KNBQ
103.1 CHTT
103.3 K277AE/K277BQ Olympia/KKCW
103.5 CHQM
103.7 KMTT
103.9
104.1 KAFE (most-listened to station on trips there, when KRWM is multipathed and unlistenable, KAFE comes in like a local)
104.3 CHHR/KMNT
104.5 KMCQ
104.7 KDUX/KDUK/CKKS Sechelt, BC. 350 WATTS-130 miles!
104.9 KKBW/CFUN-FM2
105.1 KRSK
105.3 KCMS
105.5 K288GG
105.7 CBU/KJET
105.9 KFBW
106.1 KBKS
106.3 KLOO
106.5 KWPZ
106.7 KLTH
106.9 KRWM
107.1 KRQT
107.3 CHBE
107.5 KXJM
107.7 KNDD
107.9 CILS/KHPE

-crainbebo

 

[bobdavcav]

Hmm, using the IPod, HD radio, and BN, we get a lot of the same distant stations. I've never taken my IPod down to the beach, I live up by Highway 99. You mentioned Radio U, I got there xlator one Christmas must have been 2010, I was wondering why the radio didn't stop on KWPZ. Manually tuned there and the radio was in a bad spot, heard Radio U.

 

[crainbebo]

Some of the scans were done out by SW County Park in North Edmonds. Others included
Pine Ridge Park (near Five Corners)
Yost Park (where I got CKKS and a lot of interesting BC stuff)
Marina Beach Park (good place for SW WA/Portland)
Woodway along Woodway Park Rd (another good place for Portland).

-crainbebo

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Perhaps you guys in Edmonds can help to figure out who's putting out what appears to be a low power signal playing religious music on 88.9. It just comes in solid and strong in the Edmonds "bowl" downtown, but fades away as you drive uphill. So that suggests it's not a new "translator" from Everett 15 miles away, which would likely get a little stronger uphill. I think it might be a 1 watter or the like hidden away in a local church steeple or at someone's house in the downtown Edmonds neighborhood.

The big signal French station "Espace-Musique" is finally back on at 88.9, with a stronger than ever signal, and that's what we should be hearing in Edmonds from its transmitter, which is probably just under 50 miles across the water in Victoria. But as I drive into downtown Edmonds, the "worship" music takes over, just as I get down to around 7th Avenue. Must be a fundamentalist-type church doing it. See what you think next time you're in lowlands of "the bowl" by the waterfront.

And does anyone else know of a reliable mechanism for reporting this to the FCC? Last time I tried to deal with them about a broadcast interference issue by calling the unpublished number for their Redmonds, Washington field office, the person who answered said it wasn't what they do, and that I had to contact someone at the FCC HQ in Washington. Pretty much negates what I always understood the remaining field offices were set up to do. Seemed like the local staff had no concept of how radio signals operate and that intereference issues are not to be left up to the offending station to correct, based on a listener complaint, but is part of their job to correct and enforce. But it does help to explain the mess the FM band is becoming in these parts.

 

[crainbebo]

I forgot another station, I logged KMIH 88.9 one time at Pine Ridge Park near Five Corners. Barely made it through the mess of CBUX etc. on 88.9.

-crainbebo

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Considering the curiosity of what terrain does to FM signals, a few weeks ago I drove up Mt. Seymour near Vancouver BC (a little to the northeast of the city), where a lot of their stations transmit from. Not quite sure of the altitute, perhaps 2000 feet or more. Seattle FMs, including Everett's KSER, came in loud anc very clear. Even good reception of the 103.3 translator of KMTT! But the much closer-Bellingham's lower power stations like KUGS and KQOW were not to be found.

 

[Bongwater]

Considering the curiosity of what terrain does to FM signals, a few weeks ago I drove up Mt. Seymour near Vancouver BC (a little to the northeast of the city), where a lot of their stations transmit from. Not quite sure of the altitute, perhaps 2000 feet or more. Seattle FMs, including Everett's KSER, came in loud anc very clear. Even good reception of the 103.3 translator of KMTT! But the much closer-Bellingham's lower power stations like KUGS and KQOW were not to be found.

Bellingham, like Edmonds, sits in a bowl....The little KUGS tower (where KQOW is also situated) on Sehome Hill doesn't seem to send anything beyond that bowl at whatever power level.

 

[crainbebo]

The Mt. Seymour parking lot is 3200+ feet.

Anyways, I'm extremely surprised that KMTT's xlator made it to Vancouver. That's 250w at over 100 miles!

No sign of the Portland stations? Or even KPQ? I would think KPQ could make it.

-crainbebo

 

[Dan Sys]

Bongwater.....I get KQOW loud & clear in Aldergrove. Even little 7 watt K210CN 89.9 puts in a healthy signal here. According to Google Pedometer and the REC NET site I'm about 18 miles north of the KQOW tower and 20 miles north of the K210CN tower.

I'm amazed that Goldilocks heard the KMTT translator at 103.3 on Mt. Seymour, especially when you consider that the tower for the 100KW blowtorch CHQM 103.5 is located at about the 2,800 foot level on the mountain. Great catch!

 

[crainbebo]

But then I also made some spectacular catches in Edmonds as well. CKKS/104.7 Sechelt, BC with many Whistler/107.1 mentions weak o/u KDUX, 99.5 CBCV-FM1 with 64w but high tower, fair at times with CBC Radio One // 90.5, plus many many other BC stations, and don't forget the Portland stuff!

-crainbebo

 

[Bongwater]

Bongwater.....I get KQOW loud & clear in Aldergrove. Even little 7 watt K210CN 89.9 puts in a healthy signal here. According to Google Pedometer and the REC NET site I'm about 18 miles north of the KQOW tower and 20 miles north of the K210CN tower.

I'm amazed that Goldilocks heard the KMTT translator at 103.3 on Mt. Seymour, especially when you consider that the tower for the 100KW blowtorch CHQM 103.5 is located at about the 2,800 foot level on the mountain. Great catch!

It might be location. All I know is for the most part, they're pretty much gone by the time you leave Bellingham proper.

103.5 IS a blowtorch. And overrides KMTT in Bellingham on even the most selective radios

 

[Bongwater]

Bongwater.....I get KQOW loud & clear in Aldergrove. Even little 7 watt K210CN 89.9 puts in a healthy signal here. According to Google Pedometer and the REC NET site I'm about 18 miles north of the KQOW tower and 20 miles north of the K210CN tower.

I'm amazed that Goldilocks heard the KMTT translator at 103.3 on Mt. Seymour, especially when you consider that the tower for the 100KW blowtorch CHQM 103.5 is located at about the 2,800 foot level on the mountain. Great catch!

It might be location. All I know is for the most part, they're pretty much gone by the time you leave Bellingham proper.

103.5 IS a blowtorch. And overrides KMTT in Bellingham on even the most selective radios

Speaking of Northwest Washington FM radio, they're going to be firing up the new repeater station for KPLU (KPLK 88.9, Sedro-Woolley) shortly too. With CBUX blasting away rock solid in Skagit County, it's going to get noisy on 88.9 MHz.......

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Sedro-Wolley is probably as close to a direct shot across the water to Victoria and the transitter site for CBUX-2 "Espace-Musique" on 88.9 as anywhere that isn't right on the coast. A truly stupid move for KPLU that won't be worth the wasted wattage. Maybe with a new GM they'll figure it out. Their 105.5 repeater gets a decent signal into a lot of North Sound territory, and across the border a bit. Is there a reason I'm forgetting why they're not going to continue to rely on that one?
Or, why not use the same 88.7 freq as their Bellingham translator, which I don't believe makes it south to Skagit County. Why do they have to plop on top of next-door Canadian powerhouses? It just turns two non-comm music-intensive stations that provide arts, jazz, classical, blues, and world/French pop music into mush. And drives another nice audience way from terrestrial radio. Radio-Locator doesn't show most of the updated info for Canada assignments, so if that's what their consultants are using to pick a frequency, they're not worth it.

 

[crainbebo]

UNBELIEVABLE AGAIN!

I just wonder if these consultants have actually looked at the dial themselves, and seen how messy it's gotten. Look at KROH and CJZN. KAFE and CHHR. Even CKKQ and CFRO. All of these are TOO CLOSE to each other! You could probably see British Columbia with binoculars on Port Townsend hills, but KROH is trying to blow away Canada. Now KPLU's relayer will blow away another Canadian.

CHQM is a blowtorch, just like Bongwater said. Even with KMTT's IBOC, I heard CHQM a couple times on I-405 around NE 85th in Kirkland.

-crainbebo