Re: KDKA heard in Pittsburgh?
> First, a new question: How many out there scan and have
> their AMs bypass KDKA, even here in Allegheny and
> Westmoreland counties?
>
> To whit ... Scan, 620; scan, 660 (this is obviously during
> the day): scan, 730; scan, 770; scan, 810; scan 860; scan,
> 970; scan, 1080? (My scan regularly bypasses 1020. Go
> figure.)
>
> Now ... as someone who enjoys nighttime DX (and works late
> enough to truly enjoy it, while mainlining coffee to stay
> awake driving home), my AM scan at night pulls in some
> interesting combinations, even again here in Pittsburgh's
> hinterland.
>
> But at night, my radio can again bypass KDKA, winding up on
> WBZ 1030. (OK, I am east of Pittsburgh, but not THAT far
> east.)
>
> For what it's worth, when the scan hits WSM 650 (classic
> country tops the modern country-fried rock-and-roll anytime)
> or KYW 1060 (still a great all news station despite
> Infinity), I'm in heaven.
>
It's one of the vagarities of AM signals in Pittsburgh. KDKA has a decent dial position, and has 50kw-U. But SW Penna. has some of the worst topography for AM ground systems. To wit, KDKA is on a hill--with Rt. 8 on its west side. And in such close quarters as Allegheny County, the skywave isn't going to be much of a factor.
Comapre that to 620 KHB--they've got an even better dial position, but at 5.5kw. They're on more flat, solid ground, so the ground wave carries better.
Alot of it depends really where you are in the metro when getting KDKA. In the valleys of Washington County, no scan stops on 1020; on I-79, it's stuck on 1020.
Also, don't discount the disruption to the signal (and its auto-reception) by electrical wires, even those that aren't high-voltage.