Some observations from last week's Montana trip:
The Billings signals are massive! I noted them just as I crossed over Homestake Pass, 105.9 KWMY, 106.7 KPLN, and KCHH 95.5 along with a few others. 190 miles or so.
Just before Butte, there are a few areas where Idaho Falls FMs are in and out. Noted KLRI-89.5, KWFI-96.1 and KLCE-97.3. Roughly 170 miles from the Hwy 1/I-90 exit that goes to Anaconda.
Some regional DX from the Red Lodge area: KZIN-96.7 Shelby (250 miles), KIKC-101.3 Forsyth, KLFM-92.9 Great Falls plus KMON-94.5, KQPZ-95.9 (Lewistown), KYPH-88.5 Helena, and (definitely not Es, had aircraft scatter fade) KUAO-88.7 North Ogden UT with Air 1, 290 miles!
On Monday, I did have a bit of Es as I was leaving Red Lodge and heading towards Columbus MT for home. Noted KXLU-88.9 Los Angeles w/ RDS and ethnic music, mixed with KTLW Lancaster (Air1). Also: KKJZ-88.1 Long Beach CA, and KAWF-88.5 Selma CA, another Air1 station. And had one of the Air1s on 92.7 from Southern CA (can't ID without RDS PI), plus a tentative KRRL 92.3 L.A.
There was also meteor scatter noted on 94.9, KLRJ Aberdeen SD, with K-LOVE matching 90.9 Billings (530 miles), and CJSI-88.9 Calgary with a slam-dunk Shine FM ID! About 460 miles on that one.
I also had the 96.1 Roswell NM station (KPQN, regional Mexican) passing through Belgrade MT.
I have recordings from Sunday and Monday that need to be digitized soon.