My BIG catch in Austin

[sdh483]

As I was driving back to San Antonio from Houston on an alternate route on 71 west into austin, then southbound 35, I encountered The Buzz 103.1 from all the way from Florida! This occured when 71 and 35 intersect (gee what a lot of construction) and came in crystal clear. The station sounded pretty similar to The Buzz 94.5 in Houston, though I lost that station as I was heading towards Smithville.

 

[jras20]

As I was driving back to San Antonio from Houston on an alternate route on 71 west into austin, then southbound 35, I encountered The Buzz 103.1 from all the way from Florida! This occured when 71 and 35 intersect (gee what a lot of construction) and came in crystal clear. The station sounded pretty similar to The Buzz 94.5 in Houston, though I lost that station as I was heading towards Smithville.

I was getting that station all day, I never could get a call though every time I tuned in KTXX would go over when it was time for a call. I heard some comercails from Florida though.

 

[sdh483]

Found the station's website. their Call letters are WPBZ West Palm Beach, FLA. Thinking the station might have something in common with Houston's 94.5 The Buzz, turns out WPBZ is owned by CBS Infinity and not Clear Channel. I tried to call the offices, but the operator kept picking up the line because no one was answering my call I guess.

 

[Mediafrog+]

There was some ionospheric skip from Florida making it in to Houston at the same time, as I was hearing WCMQ-FM in Miami, along with a few other stations. Not a spectacular opening as these things go, and didn't seem to last very long. But E-skip from Florida has been noted many times before during good ionospheric conditions--the approx 1,000 mile distance is just about right for such reception.

It's also not unusual for Arizona stations to make it into southeast Texas during similar conditions from the other direction. The Carolinas and upper midwest states are also frequent catches.