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Northwest FM DX Fun

Bongwater

Bongwater

Interesting night in Anacortes and whilst driving back to I-5 last night, I was picking up KONP's FM translator on 102.1 almost clearly to Mount Vernon and about 7 miles further north. How much power are they? 70 watts? DAMN that's good - especially for what appears to be a directionalized signal N-NE!

KEXP was also coming in unusually clear in the same area. So was a pirate rebroadcasting CHKG 96.1 on 87.9 a night earlier. Never heard THAT before. Picked up another signal from somewhere on 106.3. And was CKPK testing? I was hearing "Bottle It Up" Sara Bareilles on 100.5, trying to cut through the blast of 100.3 last night too. And 93.1 Red FM CKYE Vancouver was competing with a talk station. Even KMCQ's little signal was actually trying to break through the blast of KAFE....

By the time I got into Bellingham, most Seattle stations were coming in clear - VERY rare. KZOK was going strong next to KMRE-LP 102.3 and CFRO 102.7 to the north. Seemed like almost every FM frequency had something on it - and not just the usual pirates. I was picking up commercial country on 98.7 (usually a local bluegrass pirate), likely KUPL....

Any others in YOUR area?....
 
Interesting stuff, Lar. Seems pretty local to your neck of the woods. Normally FM "ducting" happens in the heat of summer so this one seems like a real fluke. Where you are in Anacortes you should get some really strong ones in the summer, at least in a NS orientation- up n down the Sound.

I would have to figure the nice front that came thru today wiped out all of your DX. FM DX is a funny thing, and a lot less predictable than AM. Our little 100 watt LPFM in Ocean Shores was once heard clearly (for a few hours) some 60+ miles away, over land. And periodically we are ducted that far over the ocean as well.

One FM DX that is pretty consistent is the 97.1 Walla Walla (KXRX- yeah, I know) that you can usually listen to starting just east of Stevens Pass. That, my friends, is a heck of a carry! The X broadcasts from Pike's Peak, OR in the Blue Mountains at 100k at least a couple thousand feet above the rest of the Columbia basin. Basically, there's just a big bowl between that tower and the Cascades. And more importantly, there aren't any co-channels to jam you from Western WA. The other big signals for that region are at 94.9 and 95.7...so you can understand why you can't hear those! I was able to carry KXRX all the way past the ski area and about two more miles into Western WA tonight.

BTW, heard the worst (non) legal ID tonight, and it was automated so absolutely no excuse. "You are listening to KEYG at 98.5 FM serving Grand Coulee and all of Eastern Washington." BZZZZT. Bad ID, no cookie for you. I guess the FCC probably doesn't care about that part of the world so much, or they might make them re-do it.
 
Back in the late 70's early 80's, I remember being able to get KATS 94.5, KIOK(?) OK 95, and KPQ 102.1 regularly from out in Graham. That was before KRXY, KXXO, KSWW were around though. BTW will KSWW ever upgrade to a signal like KNBQ or KFMY to reach into the south sound? That is one station from the coast area that I would like to get here in the Tacoma area.
 
IndigoCoyote said:
Interesting stuff, Lar. Seems pretty local to your neck of the woods. Normally FM "ducting" happens in the heat of summer so this one seems like a real fluke. Where you are in Anacortes you should get some really strong ones in the summer, at least in a NS orientation- up n down the Sound.

I would have to figure the nice front that came thru today wiped out all of your DX. FM DX is a funny thing, and a lot less predictable than AM. Our little 100 watt LPFM in Ocean Shores was once heard clearly (for a few hours) some 60+ miles away, over land. And periodically we are ducted that far over the ocean as well.

One FM DX that is pretty consistent is the 97.1 Walla Walla (KXRX- yeah, I know) that you can usually listen to starting just east of Stevens Pass. That, my friends, is a heck of a carry! The X broadcasts from Pike's Peak, OR in the Blue Mountains at 100k at least a couple thousand feet above the rest of the Columbia basin. Basically, there's just a big bowl between that tower and the Cascades. And more importantly, there aren't any co-channels to jam you from Western WA. The other big signals for that region are at 94.9 and 95.7...so you can understand why you can't hear those! I was able to carry KXRX all the way past the ski area and about two more miles into Western WA tonight.

BTW, heard the worst (non) legal ID tonight, and it was automated so absolutely no excuse. "You are listening to KEYG at 98.5 FM serving Grand Coulee and all of Eastern Washington." BZZZZT. Bad ID, no cookie for you. I guess the FCC probably doesn't care about that part of the world so much, or they might make them re-do it.
Click to expand...

Around here, with stations from Canada and Western WA on almost every FM frequency, it's hit or miss. The weaker signals reveal more obviously....

My furthest record was picking up CITI-FM 92.1 out of Winnipeg in Lynnwood in 1989 (just prior to CBU-FM2 Victoria signing on.) But didn't CITI-FM also have a 360,000 watt signal at that time? I'm sure at that surely grandfathered power from Winnipeg on a tall stick, they could easily cover most of the Canadian prairies and the American midwest with that wattage. I'm surprised I never heard them earlier. I also once picked up WBBM-FM Chicago on a bluff overlooking Vantage..

I also remember picking up KMCQ from The Dalles too in Lynnwood.

KZFN 106.1 Moscow, ID also has a great range. I've picked them up as far as Cle Elum. KMOK 106.9 Lewiston also popped up on my drivss east of the mountains....
 
It looks like KSWW is going the other way by relicensing to Ocean Shores and moving closer to Grays Harbor. I'd say they're too close to KINK for a full signal. The other rimshots aren't protecting Class Cs.
 
Bongwater......since reading your post several days ago I have checked 100.5 numerous times for CKPK testing and haven't heard a thing (I'm 35 miles east of Vancouver). I wonder if what you heard might have been Chilliwack's Star FM repeater in Hope, B.C. at 100.5 CFSR. Only 157 watts, but if you were experiencing unusual conditions that evening you just never know.

Also no sign of CHKG on 87.9. That's a weird one as I can't see what purpose a pirate rebroadcasting CHKG would have. No real concentration of Asians outside of Metro Vancouver except perhaps in Victoria to a limited degree.

I'll keep on monitoring these 2 frequencies and update you with anything that I find out.
 
semoochie said:
It looks like KSWW is going the other way by relicensing to Ocean Shores and moving closer to Grays Harbor. I'd say they're too close to KINK for a full signal. The other rimshots aren't protecting Class Cs.
Click to expand...

And not to speak for the esteemed Mr. Wolfenbarger - but Boss Bill's own signature on this board is "Keeping radio locally-owned on the Washington coast". Doesn't sound to me like a move to the South Sound is in the offing.
 
Dan said:
Bongwater......since reading your post several days ago I have checked 100.5 numerous times for CKPK testing and haven't heard a thing (I'm 35 miles east of Vancouver). I wonder if what you heard might have been Chilliwack's Star FM repeater in Hope, B.C. at 100.5 CFSR. Only 157 watts, but if you were experiencing unusual conditions that evening you just never know.

Also no sign of CHKG on 87.9. That's a weird one as I can't see what purpose a pirate rebroadcasting CHKG would have. No real concentration of Asians outside of Metro Vancouver except perhaps in Victoria to a limited degree.

I'll keep on monitoring these 2 frequencies and update you with anything that I find out.
Click to expand...

Dan,

Thanks, Please keep an ear out for for 100.5 for the rest of us. 87.9 is off now. I also think think the 87.9 pirate might have been closer to me than you. Can't imagine anybody but CKPK wanting to use 100.5 up here. They're supposed to start testing any day now.

It's kinda lame tonight as far as DX.....
 
Actually, a few days earlier than October 1st, I picked up:
93.7 CJJR Vancouver AT ONE TIME STEREO!!!!! :) :) :)
100.3 CKIQ Victoria Great signal!
101.1 CFMI Vancouver STEREO AT TIMES!!
 
crainbebo said:
Actually, a few days earlier than October 1st, I picked up:
93.7 CJJR Vancouver AT ONE TIME STEREO!!!!! :) :) :)
100.3 CKIQ Victoria Great signal!
101.1 CFMI Vancouver STEREO AT TIMES!!
Click to expand...

Where are you? (Not general address, but what city/general area?)

100.3 is CKKQ.....

All can be recieved clearly in Seattle on clear, good nights.....
 
IBOC rained on the parade once had. Used to listen to 94.7 in PDX and 97.9 KNRQ in Eugene this time of year. In Sumner, just east of Tacoma.

Happy DX'ing.

-Ty
 
Bongwater said:
Where are you? (Not general address, but what city/general area?)

100.3 is CKKQ.....

All can be recieved clearly in Seattle on clear, good nights.....
Click to expand...
I live in Bothell, WA.
 
Last winter (MLK weekend) I was traveling I-80 with my gf from Davis, CA to Colorado. Trying to get a traffic report, I turned the dial to AM, and 1000 was left on from when she was in Seattle. (Doesn't visit AM much) I was able to receive AM 1000 PERFECTLY from Lake Tahoe all the way to Salt Lake City, UT. It was amazing!

We were sitting in traffic in the snow, listening to Seattle traffic reports. Didn't do much help, but it was neat.
 
Right on Jakob

I remember hearing KXTL 1370 from Butte Montana, they gave a weather report, snow and 3 degrees below zero. Needless to say I was in bed wishing we would get some weather like that here in Seattle. I didn't want to go to school the next day, back in '96 or so.

-Ty
 
I have heard KXTL before, but this post is on FM DX and not AM.

-crainbebo
 
Just thought I'd let you guys know that the new CBC Radio One rebroadcaster (CBU-2) hit the air yesterday at 88.1 with 19,500 watts maximum E.R.P. Licensed to Vancouver with the tower located on Mt. Seymour in North Vancouver. The station simulcasts CBU 690 100%.

I'm wondering what will happen to all those Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls translaters on 88.1 in Bellingham, Everett, Mt. Vernon, and Port Angeles. One would think that the new CBC signal will blow them off the air.

Also no sign of CKPK 100.5 testing yet. I'm hearing rumours about a November 1 launch. They do have a website now however:
http://www.thepeak.fm/
Yes, there's a new mountain gracing the Vancouver skyline.
 
I'm wondering what will happen to all those Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls translaters on 88.1 in Bellingham, Everett, Mt. Vernon, and Port Angeles. One would think that the new CBC signal will blow them off the air.
Click to expand...

I just looked up the "Effect" website. There translators in Mount Vernon, Port Townsend, & Lake Stevens are expected to be blown away and have to be shut down. The effected translators play "christian rock" music which is not available over the air anywhere else (but for 105.3 HD2... i dont have HD.) Not the same as Spirit 105.3. I will miss the lost music.
 
From Vancouver on good nights, I can hear a very faint KNBQ from Centralia. I can also receive a fair signal from the Bellingham bluegrass pirate.
 
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