Toughest DX Targets?

[JohnW]

AM 530

The other at 530 could have been CIAO in Brampton, Ontario. They do mostly multicultural programming. Their website: http://am530.ca/

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I had 2 530's the other nite battling it out. The first 530 was in Spanish (turks?) but the second 530 was playing middle eastern music. I kinda know where the 1st one is coming from since it is like a blowtorch in Fla but the second one??
660 AM fron NYC (about 125 mi as crow flies) was fading in and out which it usually never does but the station underneath wasn't strong enough to ID.
To the guy that got Window Rock from MI-congrats!

The other 531 could have been Algeria ---

 

[vibe]

B.C.-the night in question Canada was booming in. I had a hockey game on 920 w/ a Canadian ID-(didn't write it down) over semi local 920 from Prov RI-about 25 mi away. Lots of others.
My furthest reliable stations (from central mass) are 1040 des moines and 1120 st lou. they were really strong last nite and that may bode well for more distant reception. Maybe.
Guys-thanks for the possible ID's-

 

[gr8oldies]

Anything from the West Coast. WFLF in Florida which has still never made it to Ohio that I know of under any of its incarnations (WGTO).

 

[tomservo]

What I've really been wanting to get, but with no luck, is something from Mississippi, Alabama, or even Montana. That's right - I've never heard anything from Montana. 1630 from Fox Farm, WY and 850 from Denver are regulars, as are stations in Saskatchewan and even possibly Alberta, but I have yet to hear a single thing from MT, which at the closest is only about 600 miles away.

Backing up some others' suggestions for Alabama and Mississippi... Your best bets are going to be around sunset, but something tells me most of the stations that are good targets would be covered up in your neck of the woods. WCPC-940 in Houston, MS... WVMI-1640 Biloxi... WSPZ (was WJOX)-690 Birmingham, WEUP-1700 Huntsville... I'd also throw in WXJC-850 in Birmingham, WCKA-810 Jacksonville, AL, WLOR-1550 Huntsville (they boom into Birmingham at sunset), WCMA-1560 Daleville (just upgraded to 50kW) and finally a dark horse, WJRD-1150 Tuscaloosa. Good luck!

~*~​

I'd love to confirm anything from outside North America (as in Carribean, S. America or overseas). I've heard ethnic programming in Spanish and other languages many times on 530 but always assumed it was the Brampton station. TIS transmitters are a good target; my record is a Dallas TIS on 1610 (or 1620?), heard around Birmingham several years back.

 

[vibe]

Zach:I agree the DX around sunset in the winter is incredible. Last winter from Englewood Beach FL (about 70 mi S of Tampa) I regularly got the X banders from the Dallas area, Ft. Smith AK, and Norfolk VA to name several which is one LOONG way. The 5000 watters from GA SC, AL also were regular catches from 300-500 mi away.

 

[missterled01]

For kc0ltv, and others can take note-- Being a native Mississippian, I have had success from all over the country with certain Mississippi stns. WSLI-930, Jackson, has been caught from Houston and Birmingham, with no trouble from KPRC or WERC, respectively. WEEZ (then WQIS) and WBKH (now WHSY), 890 and 950 in order, were received around sundown from Memphis. And these are two of my locals. The 1580 station from Pascagoula (at that time was WPMO), was heard from 25 miles east of Cherokee, NC, post-sunset. This was before they would eventually start simulcasting K99.1FM in the near future from then. WCPC-940 was also heard from the NC location. WSJC-810 used to be a very good catch, even to the coast, but I would seriously doubt it now. I can vaguely recall hearing the old WOKJ-1550 (Jackson), also from the NC location, I think, but that stn is non-existent now .// I think that I possibly heard WABC-770 the other night. KOA-850 and WCCO-830 I will sometimes pick up in the overnight hours. There had been makings of an argument because I thought I heard the former KMPS-1300 Seattle, WA close to my local sunset. KMBS, Monroe, LA was what folks thought that I actually heard from the adjacent channel. Would love to log some of those NW stations from here, as well as Some of the Boston and Los Angeles stns that I have logged from elsewhere. Would like to log WFAN-660 from here. WABC and WCBS are every once in a while. A C.D.A., Idaho stn broadcasting on 103.1 mhz, is my farthest FMer received from MS. 73.

 

[Arnold Schoenberg]

Your 920 would've been CJCH in Halifax, NS. They broadcast the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They won't be around much longer though as they have permission to flip to FM.

 

[chuckydoll]

From New Jersey:
680 Toronto, mid-80's when it was still a CHR. Heard it playing "Back Where You Belong" by .38 Special.
680 Raleigh, 3-4 years ago with Carolina Hurricanes hockey.
690 Jacksonville, early 80's after it dropped rock for country.
750 Caracas, about 1-2 years ago. N/T en espanol (of course) as RCR.
790 Sudbury, Ontario, 80's with country. Now the only AM left in Sudbury.
840 North Bay, Ontario, 80's at night with no sign of WHAS. Has since moved to FM.
900 Barbados, 80's at night with no Canadians present.
920 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 80's at night. Heard it playing "Say It Isn't So" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, pitched slow. Now dark.
960 Roanoke, 1980, Sunday night running AT40. Dumped out of a song early to go into CBS News.
1070 Chattanooga, late 70's when it was a rocker. Was playing "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin in PM drive.
1100 Antigua, 80's at night with no sign of then-3WE.
1150 Hamilton, Ontario, 1983, Sunday night w/AT40. No network spots!
1290 London, Ontario, 1984, late Sunday night w/AT40. No network spots!
1430 Weirton WV, late 70's at dusk over then-WNJR.
1570 Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, 1982. Was it still running 250 kw then?

Once on eastern Long Island I heard 1390 Charleston SC overnight with automated oldies.

I did get KOA-850 in New Jersey in the 80's on a Monday night during a Broncos game.

 

[gr8oldies]

Here's a station I used to DX regularly but haven't heard in years..WMMM (may have had different calls) on 920 in Fairmont, WV. What stood out most for me was the young announcers' use of the name of the town to end almost every sentence. "We're playing your favorite music, Fairmont!" "That was a great song, Fairmont!).

 

[tomservo]

Here's a station I used to DX regularly but haven't heard in years..WMMM (may have had different calls) on 920 in Fairmont, WV. What stood out most for me was the young announcers' use of the name of the town to end almost every sentence. "We're playing your favorite music, Fairmont!" "That was a great song, Fairmont!).

I think that's WMMN, and it's talk now.

 

[pianoplayer88key]

Southern California:

530 – MAYBE??? Turks & Caicos station. Otherwise, daytime, a TIS from LAX airport 100-120 miles away.
540 – mexican underneath a local station, sometimes.
620 – wanted to try for KMKI Dallas, but KTAR Phoenix is in the way, and now that KMKI=IBOC, forget it.
650 – wanted: WSM Nashville, TN, and KENI Anchorage, AK
660 – wanted: WFAN New York (but KTNN is in the way)
670 – KBOI Boise, ID, used to be a fairly strong regular, but I can't hear them anymore. Any way to bring them back? Also, I haven't yet heard WSCR.
680 – KBRW Barrow, AK, seems to be AWOL, courtesy of KNBR.
700 – no trace of WLW yet.
710 – KSPN blocks my attempts at W--- New York (callsign escapes me at the moment), but I think I heard KIRO once.
720 – I think I heard KDWN once either while KDWN was off for maintenance, or while I had it nulled. I don't remember.
730 – Mexico City, sometimes, underneath a semi-local from Ensenada.
740 – No trace of the Toronto station yet under KCBS.
750 – Come ON! Where's WSB Atlanta? (in the daytime, WITHOUT an internet connection) I want to hear Clark Howard at the time his show is LIVE, not some rerun!! Also, KFQD Anchorage would be nice, too.
760 – Getting WJR out from under a 50kW blowtorch less than 8 miles away would be a nice accomplishment, IF I could make it happen.
770 – KKOB seems to be dampening my efforts to pull in WABC.
780 – I heard WBBM once under KKOH, but I have yet to get KNOM.
810 – WGY is obliterated by KGO.
820 – WBAP comes in rarely. I wish I could make it a regular.
830 – I've heard WCCO once or twice.
840 – WHAS is blocked by KXNT. Interesting note: A few years ago I was camping on the south end of Lake Mead, and there was virtually NO TRACE of KXNT.
870 – WWL makes it in occasionally, but is usually wiped out by KRLA.
880 – KRVN comes in sometimes, but has recently been dominated by a semi-local that I have trouble ID'ing. Also, WCBS is AWOL. What do I have to do to get my fix of “That ball is high, it is far, it is WOW! Caught at the fence! And he doubles up A-Rod at HOME trying to score from THIRD! Throw to second is... IN TIME to get Matsui! TRIPLE PLAY!! Ballgame over! Red Sox win!! Theeeeeeeeeee Red Sox WINNNN!”??
890 – WLS seems to be playing hide and seek with KDXU.
900 – Mexico City occasionally comes in.
1000 – KOMO is a semi-regular under a local, but I have yet to hear WMVP.
1020 – I heard Roswell, NM, once, but I have yet to hear KDKA.
1030 – KTWO used to be a regular until a local signed on. Does that eliminate my chances of hearing WBZ?
1040 – I heard WHO once or twice, but I think it was while I was some distance away from a local on 1040.
1060 – KYW seems to be evading my radio.
1080 – KRLA comes in occasionally, pero normalmente no puedo escucharlo. Any way to get the Hartford, CT, station?
1090 – Does the 50kW local eliminate my attempts to get Little Rock and Baltimore?
1100 – I don't think I've heard WTAM yet.
1110 – I've heard KFAB once or twice under KDIS.
1120 – no trace of KMOX
1130 – Come on, WBBR! Just because I have a 10kW local 8 miles away doesn't give you a license to hide!
1140 – no trace of WRVA yet
1170 – KFAQ has been heard once or twice, but the freq is usually dominated by KLOK. WWVA, Donde estas?
1180 – Ouch!! KERI is WHAMming my efforts to hear a certain station from NY.
1190 – I've heard Portland, OR, once or twice, but where's WOWO?
1200 – WOAI can be heard occasionally.
1210 – no trace of WPHT. Should I blame KPRZ?
1240 – While a local was on the air (I'm close enough so that night reception is still fairly good), I heard Radio Disney from Albuquerque. The two are approx 180 degrees opposite heading from me.
1500 – KSTP St Paul has made it in on a couple occasions. But, no trace of WTOP (or have they changed callsign since I last listened? I know they no longer carry the news format.)
1510 – KGA seems to be buried too deeply under KSPA. Also, no trace of WLAC either.
1520 – KOKC has been hampering my efforts to get WKBW. (or is it WWKB? and was there ever a WKB?)
1530 – KFBK is blocking my efforts to get the other 1530, wherever it is. I have ocasionally heard it (Sac) at noon.
1560 – Yea, Yea, I know they're IBOC, but WQEW would be a nice catch, if I could get them out from under KNZR.
1570 – Ok, so this isn't very far, but due to their power toward me and pattern, I ocasionally hear KPRO Riverside (85 miles to the north of me) at local sunrise/sunset. Otherwise, XERF dominates.
1580 – KMIK comes in like a local at night, even with KBLA only 120 miles or so away. I've wanted to try to get them in the daytime as strong as I get them at night, but now that they seem to be running IBOC.... Say bye-bye to Santa, kids in management at any Disney station that sins by running IBOC.
1640 – (or 1680) – I used to hear the DFW TIS's occasionally before others signed on.
1690 – Radio Disney from Denver seems to be blocked by some other station. Are they still running C-Quam, or have they sinned and converted to IBOC?

 

[Lawppy]

650 – wanted: WSM Nashville, TN, and KENI Anchorage, AK

1120 – no trace of KMOX

It seems like you could get WSM and especially KMOX in California. I've read DX reports from people who have heard both of them in the Las Vegas area. Granted they have a 200 mile advantage over you, it still seems like those would be gimmes.

1190 – I've heard Portland, OR, once or twice, but where's WOWO?

WOWO downgraded to make space for WLIB in New York City. I now have a hard time hearing them in Southern Michigan.

I'm on the same boat as you. I'd like to hear California, but the closest i've been able to get is KTNN 660 Window Rock, AZ a couple of weeks ago and KMTI 650 Manti, UT last March during their DX test.

 

[vibe]

Where's WOWO?(one of my favorites as a child). Got them loud and clear w/ no fades on I-75 between Sarasota FL and Tampa FL- about 5:30 AM last month. Must be highly directional. But didn't get the "big fish" like Window Rock or Alb or the West Coast (dream on). There's always next time!

 

[mobley]

My uncle told me many years ago, that during the WW2 era, east coast stations would sign off at midnight-and west coast stations could be heard here in NC (since they would sign off at 3 Easten Time). Evidently, 24 hour stations were a rarity back then. He said he would hear San Fran, LA and others all the time while working third shift.

 

[jd]

I really like your list (and your wishful thinking), tfc!

670 – KBOI Boise, ID, used to be a fairly strong regular, but I can't hear them anymore. Any way to bring them back?

No, their new night pattern has a serious null toward Southern California. The reason: the healthy power increase for KIRN Simi Valley, from 5,000 day/3,000 night to 35,000 watts full-time. I'd like to know how much that "deal" (?) was worth for Citadel.

750 – KFQD Anchorage would be nice, too.

Same here, but in Texas I don't stand a snowball's chance.

1640 – (or 1680) – I used to hear the DFW TIS's occasionally before others signed on.

Sorry tfc, but you're SOL in So Cal with D/FW Airport's 1640. It bit the dust when X-bander KKGM Fort Worth signed on at 1630, just a few miles south of the TIS.

 

[EastBay]

I really like your list (and your wishful thinking), tfc!

I agree, what a great list for SoCal!! I have had much of the same luck when I'm in SoCal (which is all the time). A few comments to add:

870 – WWL makes it in occasionally, but is usually wiped out by KRLA.

From Lancaster, I actually get WWL fairly regularly. Maybe it's a high desert advantage.

1090 – Does the 50kW local eliminate my attempts to get Little Rock and Baltimore?

Given that I can pick up 1090 from the bay area during the day (occasionally), I'd say so!

880 – KRVN comes in sometimes, but has recently been dominated by a semi-local that I have trouble ID'ing.

Funny, I noticed that too but from up here (bay area). KRVN is a regular here, though there has been something else under it recently. I picked up WCBS from the side of a hill near Pleasanton ONCE about 10 years ago, and at that moment it came in clear enough to make out a traffic report and heard "WCBS newstime...". It lasted about 5 mins or so, then faded out and I've never heard it again. Trust me, I've tried. (BTW, that is by far my best catch ever!).


I have never picked up anything from Alaska or Hawaii, though I've tried as hard as I could. Considering I'm very near the ocean, I would think I could get something , assuming it is on a fairly clear frequency. Anyone on the west coast have any luck with those?

 

[blamethemayo]

B.C.-the night in question Canada was booming in. I had a hockey game on 920 w/ a Canadian ID-(didn't write it down) over semi local 920 from Prov RI-about 25 mi away. Lots of others.
My furthest reliable stations (from central mass) are 1040 des moines and 1120 st lou. they were really strong last nite and that may bode well for more distant reception. Maybe.
Guys-thanks for the possible ID's-

how do you get anything on 1040? all i get is wbz hiss.

 

[vibe]

I'm about 40 mi W of Boston and get Des Moines 1040 on many nights. On some nights there is a hiss that precludes reception but on many nights no hiss. I get KDKA 1020 many nights reasonably well.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Here's a station I used to DX regularly but haven't heard in years..WMMM (may have had different calls) on 920 in Fairmont, WV. What stood out most for me was the young announcers' use of the name of the town to end almost every sentence. "We're playing your favorite music, Fairmont!" "That was a great song, Fairmont!).

The station is WMMN in Clarksburg, WV. They would also cover Fairmont and up into Morgantown. I would catch them fairly often in the Pittsburgh area back in their Top 40 days. They were 5kw Day and 1kw directional night, so at 120 miles that's not bad. I get them on very rare occasions now. Apparently they lost 2 of their directional towers and now run only 200 watts nighttime.