-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Low Power DX
- Thread starter nd2023
- Start date
Around 1970, I picked up 10 watt WBWC 88.3 near Cleveland (Elyria??) in Cincinnati. But that pales in comparison to another DXer in Cincy who heard a 10 watter from one of the Dakotas on skip around the same era.Nick said:
WZRD 1983 Chicago, when I lived in NW Indiana, 50 miles away, was a solid signal with only airplane multipathing sometimes.
I now live 4 blocks from WZRD, and they're now 100 watts, but 88.3 has many other users.
If I count my pirate station, I can claim it! 485 miles, 7.415 Mhz 1991 77 watts from Chicago, antenna at 30' on my apartment roof.
Had a friend go over to the house and put it on. I was in Nashville with a 40 dollar 7-band SW pocket radio I bought
at an airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Using only the built-in whip, I heard 10 minutes very clearly.
But that's what 40 meters does best.
I now live 4 blocks from WZRD, and they're now 100 watts, but 88.3 has many other users.
If I count my pirate station, I can claim it! 485 miles, 7.415 Mhz 1991 77 watts from Chicago, antenna at 30' on my apartment roof.
Had a friend go over to the house and put it on. I was in Nashville with a 40 dollar 7-band SW pocket radio I bought
at an airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Using only the built-in whip, I heard 10 minutes very clearly.
But that's what 40 meters does best.
I don't recall the name, but will someday come across the few reports I received. I received very few
and can't even remember how I got them forwarded since I was scared to death of the remailing
services, and think all those came through the A.C.E. I was only on the air 10 or 11 months.
But they sure were fun.
and can't even remember how I got them forwarded since I was scared to death of the remailing
services, and think all those came through the A.C.E. I was only on the air 10 or 11 months.
But they sure were fun.
A poster on another board I frequent claims to have heard the entire Minneapolis band in Fargo (250mi) as if they were local signals, one day in the mid-80s... including two community stations that were 10W at the time (KMOJ and KFAI)!
We also have a pirate around here who's the stuff of legend -- actually two, if you count the Beat Radio guy ;-) -- but the one I have in mind bribed a friend at the IDS to put a 30-watt signal up on the roof (800 feet). He then followed the signal all the way to Mason City (115 miles)! I didn't ask, but I HAVE to assume this was on 87.9.
We also have a pirate around here who's the stuff of legend -- actually two, if you count the Beat Radio guy ;-) -- but the one I have in mind bribed a friend at the IDS to put a 30-watt signal up on the roof (800 feet). He then followed the signal all the way to Mason City (115 miles)! I didn't ask, but I HAVE to assume this was on 87.9.
R
rbrucecarter5
Guest
Nick said:
When KTXT, Lubbock was 10 Watt @ 600 feet on 91.9, it would occasionally skip as far as Midland, TX 110 miles away. The other Lubbock stations, however, would be pegging the signal strength meter. No trace ever of 5 Watt KOHM 91.1, a high school station at the time.
With a ten element yagi and a good tuner, I could easily hear 13 Watt W236AO-FM from St. Lucie, a distance of 60 miles.
In the car, I have heard 55W W227AF as much as 35 miles away.
At home in Coldwater, MI, I can hear these long distance translators or LPFM's on any given day..
89.7- W209BA- Kendallville, IN- 10w, 374 feet- 40.4 miles
92.3- W222BB- Battle Creek, MI- 120w, 98 feet- 23.7 miles
93.1- WMLY-LP- Marshall, MI- 90w, 103 feet- 22 miles
96.3- W242BH- Marshall, MI- 120w, 98 feet- 22.9 miles
I've been able to carry 96.3 almost to the Indiana state line, for a distance of about 35 miles. 89.7 is helped out by the fact that there are absolutely no other stations on that frequency.
Some of my best catches on the road..
88.7- W204BF- Fort Wayne, IN- 10 watts, 571 feet- Heard at Coldwater Lake. Approximate distance of 50 miles
95.5- W238AL- Portage, MI- 175 watts, ? feet- Heard in a rural location just southwest of Hillsdale. Approximate distance just a hair over 50 miles. This translator has since moved to a new tower and slightly decreased their wattage. Still a good translator signal, but I don't think it could make it out 50 miles. I think 40 is still possible.
97.1- W246AU- Coldwater, MI- 170 watts, 102 feet- This translator station from my hometown can be heard up to 40 miles away in some directions.
And my all-time record is..
106.7- WRHC-LP- Three Oaks, MI- 53 watts, 135 feet- 84 miles!! Heard during an intense tropo opening last summer. Tried for other translators/LPFM's from that area (and there are plenty) to no avail. Good looking record though!
89.7- W209BA- Kendallville, IN- 10w, 374 feet- 40.4 miles
92.3- W222BB- Battle Creek, MI- 120w, 98 feet- 23.7 miles
93.1- WMLY-LP- Marshall, MI- 90w, 103 feet- 22 miles
96.3- W242BH- Marshall, MI- 120w, 98 feet- 22.9 miles
I've been able to carry 96.3 almost to the Indiana state line, for a distance of about 35 miles. 89.7 is helped out by the fact that there are absolutely no other stations on that frequency.
Some of my best catches on the road..
88.7- W204BF- Fort Wayne, IN- 10 watts, 571 feet- Heard at Coldwater Lake. Approximate distance of 50 miles
95.5- W238AL- Portage, MI- 175 watts, ? feet- Heard in a rural location just southwest of Hillsdale. Approximate distance just a hair over 50 miles. This translator has since moved to a new tower and slightly decreased their wattage. Still a good translator signal, but I don't think it could make it out 50 miles. I think 40 is still possible.
97.1- W246AU- Coldwater, MI- 170 watts, 102 feet- This translator station from my hometown can be heard up to 40 miles away in some directions.
And my all-time record is..
106.7- WRHC-LP- Three Oaks, MI- 53 watts, 135 feet- 84 miles!! Heard during an intense tropo opening last summer. Tried for other translators/LPFM's from that area (and there are plenty) to no avail. Good looking record though!
The other day I was getting 97.1 W246AM from Amherst, Massachusetts sitting in my car in my driveway in Southington, Conencticut. It wasn't crystal clear but it was still quite listenable. They're 27 watts at 56 feet above ground level or 1294 feet above sea level. I don't know air miles but I do know that Southington is about a 68 mile drive from Amherst. While I didn't have a confirmed ID I heard a mention of "The River" and Brattleboro and I know that The Brattleboro area River Station is Marlboro licensed 101.5 and I know it is a simulcast of 93.9 in Turner Falls, Mass. So all I had to do it is go to Radio-Locator type in 97.1 and Mass and translator and I came up with W246AM Amherst listed as a translator of WRSI.
A sudden random notion that struck me -- how severely does receiver desensing (due to signal overload) affect DXability of low-power signals? In other words, all other things being equal (terrain, HAAT, power level, openness of its OWN frequency and first adjacents, receiver specs), how much further would a LPFM in the flat part of eastern Colorado be usefully detectable than a counterpart in NYC, Kansas City, Des Moines, or even Grand Island, as you go down the scale of saturation?
R
rbrucecarter5
Guest
Grrrradio said:
A well designed receiver / tuner will not overload in the presence of strong signals. Multiple gangs in the front end act to limit broadband gain of locals off frequency. It is unfortunate that many radio manufacturers have opted for single IC designs that are more prone to overload.
I'm not sure of some of the antenna heights as I dont record that in my log although it's available if anyone is interested. I've got a few catches that might be low antennas. Several under 100 watts. I've got my best catches listed online at the bottom of this web page. http://www.geocities.com/kw4rz/FM_records.html
Audio recordings of the actual signals can be heard by clicking on the station. I remember looking up 101.7 W269BK Horseheads, NY after catching them on E skip from 974 miles and the FCC website showed them at 20 something feet above average terrain. I picture their antenna on the side of a roof
Audio recordings of the actual signals can be heard by clicking on the station. I remember looking up 101.7 W269BK Horseheads, NY after catching them on E skip from 974 miles and the FCC website showed them at 20 something feet above average terrain. I picture their antenna on the side of a roof
Re: Low Power DX - I can beat all of you
Hi
My best? - a small 0.3 watt (yes 300 milliwatts) tourist station from Christchurch NZ at 2000km! I even got a station ID!
Freq is 88.2 FM.
dxer2_2000
Hi
My best? - a small 0.3 watt (yes 300 milliwatts) tourist station from Christchurch NZ at 2000km! I even got a station ID!
Freq is 88.2 FM.
dxer2_2000
vibe said:
I own and operate a Part 15 AM on 1610, using a Rangemaster transmitter with a 102" whip. It
has a few short radials and is mounted on top of a 15" pole.
Two Sundays ago, a reception report was received from a radio DX'er in Crawfordville, FL, which is
about 25 miles from the transmitter site. He picked it up at 7:39am while defrosting his car window.
I'm broadcasting live on Sunday mornings and he caught the local weather forecast that I did.
Which is pretty funny, since it seems barely audible here at 2.5 - 3 miles out or more.
has a few short radials and is mounted on top of a 15" pole.
Two Sundays ago, a reception report was received from a radio DX'er in Crawfordville, FL, which is
about 25 miles from the transmitter site. He picked it up at 7:39am while defrosting his car window.
I'm broadcasting live on Sunday mornings and he caught the local weather forecast that I did.
Which is pretty funny, since it seems barely audible here at 2.5 - 3 miles out or more.
It ain't broadcast, but I work ham @ 100 mW (1/10 Watt) all the time. Voice.
I remember one particular contact -- S9 to Paraguay with a dipole in my attic. That's about 4600 miles. Fun.
I am not sure I have ever worked Australia at 100 mW (I would have to check), but have done it numerous times at 1 Watt. ~9000 miles.
DE
I remember one particular contact -- S9 to Paraguay with a dipole in my attic. That's about 4600 miles. Fun.
I am not sure I have ever worked Australia at 100 mW (I would have to check), but have done it numerous times at 1 Watt. ~9000 miles.
DE
There was a Canadian station at 530 (Ft Erie, Ontario/ 250watt directional/forget the call letters) that I received in Lexington, KY using a GE Superadio II. This was about 1990.
My other low power catch was around 2000 in Owensboro, KY using the factory Toyota (Clarion) radio. DFW operated two frequencies announcing arrivals and departures in the expanded AM band. Since there was nothing else in that part of the band you could here them on occasion before the band filled up. I don't remember the frequencies or power levels. Another early Ex-band catch was the first on the band in Elizabeth, NJ station at 1660; a nightly occurrence before the band filled up.
My other low power catch was around 2000 in Owensboro, KY using the factory Toyota (Clarion) radio. DFW operated two frequencies announcing arrivals and departures in the expanded AM band. Since there was nothing else in that part of the band you could here them on occasion before the band filled up. I don't remember the frequencies or power levels. Another early Ex-band catch was the first on the band in Elizabeth, NJ station at 1660; a nightly occurrence before the band filled up.
- Status