Southern Road Trip AM Band Highlights

[cyberdad]

Yet another cyberdad road trip last week. A few nights in the South, two of which were in relatively noise free hotels. I didn't have a lot of time to DX, but I was able to sneak in a little bit in Birmingham, Alabama and Jackson, Tennessee. For the most part, conditions were reasonably good and results predictable (such as with 50kw blowtorches). But I thought I'd share a few things that might be of interest to you guys....

(Nighttime unless otherwise indicated)

620: This was in the car at about 10am about 30 miles northwest of New Orleans on I-55. Near a lake that connects with Lake Ponchartrain. WDAE was tripping the scanner.
670: In Birmingham, it was all Cuba, with WSCR occasionally underneath. In Jackson, WSCR and Cuba were duking it out, with WSCR getting the better of it
680: I expected a battle between Atlanta and WMPS. WMPS was the winner at each place.
690: Four miles north of downtown Birmingham, and WJOX was barely on top of another sports station that I never identified. My guess is Montreal.
710: "Cuban Chorus" weak in both locations, but not sign of WOR or anything else.
740: As posted in another thread, I was looking for CFZM. I knew KRMG would be there, but in each city it was a monster. And pretty much alone
830: WCCO. Once again stronger than expected in each city. Much stronger than WHAS
860: Mess with CJBC on top. Again, in both cities
880: WCBS was the only New Yorker. Fair in B-ham. Weak in Jax
890: WLS Easily the strongest Chicago station
1000: WMVP Weak in both locastions, but a tad stronger in Birmingham
1060: XEEP surprisingly good in Birmingham. Barely audible two nights later in Jackson.
1190: KZQZ (St Louis) Good in Jackson, Weak in B-ham
1220 In Birmingham this channel was surprisingly empty except for a lone Spanish signal. (XEB?)
1270: I was looking for one of my old "alma maters" (the late, great,WHBF). Indeed, What's now WKBF was present and on top in both places (albeit barely in Jackson)
1510: WLAC. Fair in Birmingham. Weak in Jackson
1520: KOKC good in Jackson. What's up here?
1540: KXEL good in both places, which sort of surprised me. CHIN underneath in B-ham,
1560: In the car Friday morning 9-ish Kentucky & So. Illinois. Good signal from WDXR (Or whatever it is. Paducah). Sports programming. Strong for 30-40 miles. We talked about this one recently in another thread. Last time I came through Paducah (February), they were off. This time they sounded like at least 5kw.
1690: WVON fair in Birmingham. Mild surprise considering they seem to have trouble getting beyond the bottom of their own tower.

Feel free to ask me about anything I might have encountered/not encountered, but didn't post here.

Cheers!

Jack

 

[radioman148]

Thanks for the report. I wonder if KOKC is running a temporary ND at night again--weren't they doing that for awhile? Regarding WVON, those Xbanders really get out on skywave. I remember when 1690 was WRLL Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards would complain that they couldn't be heard in the Chicago suburbs, but got emails from Australia.

 

[cyberdad]

Thanks for the report. I wonder if KOKC is running a temporary ND at night again--weren't they doing that for awhile? Regarding WVON, those Xbanders really get out on skywave. I remember when 1690 was WRLL Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards would complain that they couldn't be heard in the Chicago suburbs, but got emails from Australia.

KOKC was actually a big surprise. So the STA was my first thought. Second thought is perhaps they "forgot" to go their night pattern. As for WVON, I haven't heard them all that much during my travels. But they were doing fine last week. CHHA was the strongest x-bander at both locations. BTW, I might have also heard WYLL on 1160, but I didn't hang around long enough to find out for sure.

 

[gr8oldies]

Would this have been during Hurricane Irma? I noted WDAE on day power at night for a couple of nights during and after.

 

[vacuum tube]

1560 in Paducah is WPAD, has been since 1979 when they swapped transmitter facilities with WDXR. They are now 1kw day and 38 watts night non-directional. What ever power they were operating was non directional as they only have one tower at the site as the other three have been taken down.

 

[cyberdad]

1560 in Paducah is WPAD, has been since 1979 when they swapped transmitter facilities with WDXR. They are now 1kw day and 38 watts night non-directional. What ever power they were operating was non directional as they only have one tower at the site as the other three have been taken down.

Thanks for the info. i had forgotten that the WPAD calls went to 1560. I also remember them being on the Paducah 1450. In any event, if they were only 1kw, they were doing pretty well with it when I went through there last week. Especially considering that 1560 was off entirely the previous time I came through there earlier in the year.

@gr8oldies.... This was after Irma (although Nate was approaching). It was 10am on a sunny day and WDAE was obviously on day power. I attribute the reception to the salt water path, which is also supported somewhat by the brackish, shallow water of Lake Ponchartrain, and the other lakes connected to it. I've heard WDAE several times during broad daylight on the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway. But I was surprised to hear it tripping the scan button about 25 miles northwest of there.

My exact location was on I-55 near the Manchac pass, which connects Lake Maurepas with Lake Ponchartrain a few miles east. (Also the site of Middendorf's Seafood Restaurant. Excellent, and which I can highly recommend.)

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

KOKC is and has been running 10kw non direcitonal day and night since the tornado took out the towers.. that hasnt changed