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Upcoming Road Trip to Kentucky (Dashboard DX'ing)

L

Lawppy

Hello all,

I am heading down to Bowling Green, Kentucky for a family reunion in two weeks. Due to the bridge construction in Louisville, i'm going to backroad it through Indiana and find my way to Interstate 71 near Madison, IN and rejoin Interstate 65 on the south side of Louisville then continue my regular route to Bowling Green.

I plan on taking my extra time on the back roads by doing some dashboard DX'ing. I know I can expect to hear radio from several cities on my travels, but it should be interesting to hear just what can be heard. Is there anything that anybody here wants me to try for?

On my trip last year, I managed 107.5 WRVW Lebanon, TN at the Seymour, IN exit on I-65 and I caught a whiff of 100.5 WLGX Louisville at the Kentucky/Tennessee border also on 65. Reception in Bowling Green itself wasn't much to ride home about.
 
I don't have any requests for stations, Lawp, but remember, you will likely be in the Appalachians....if you are scanning the FM dial, remember, the higher the elevation, the better the DX. Hopefully there will be some park or picnic area for you at the top of a mountain.

We were at Mt. Davis PA last year....if only we had more time....my radio dial was chock full of stations.

cd
 
Unfortunately the new car radios all want to Scan. I hope your car radio has the ability to manual tune :)

What I used to do is to get the AAA Trip-Tik for the route. Then I would go and write on the pages stations to particularly go and look for in advance of the trip. Made it easier while driving.
 
Unfortunately the new car radios all want to Scan. I hope your car radio has the ability to manual tune Smiley
Click to expand...

My car radio allows for manual scan. Another good feature about it is that it cancels out slop on adjacent frequencies from local stations. (Doesn't help at all with IBOC, however) For example, WFMT or WDZH are audible, albeit somewhat distorted, on 98.7 right next door to my local WNWN on 98.5.

I've been told that there is some surprising Indiana reception once you get into the hills the other side of the Ohio River in Kentucky. I definitely want to check that out.

This route i'm taking keeps me away from all but one of the major markets, so I think i'll have much better results than my trip last year!
 
What car do you have Lawppy? I used a rental 2010 Toyota Corolla for a trip to Yakima in Aug. 2010. Sensitivity so good, it picked up KBLD 91.7 Kennewick right next to KDNA 91.9 (local SS) and a strong CSN xlator on 91.5. I also heard a few Seattle's on that one too...one being KPLZ 101.5, others including KMPS 94.1 and KBKS 106.1. At least 120 or so to the xmitters from Yakima.

-crainbebo
 
I own a 2008 Mazda 6. No idea what kind of radio it has, but the selectivity is pretty good on it!

I actually forgot a couple of my Bowling Green logs from last year!
92.3- WYNU- Milan, TN- Jackson mentions- 150 miles
97.3- WRUL- Carmi, IL- Country with local mentions- 120 miles
 
Lawppy said:
I own a 2008 Mazda 6. No idea what kind of radio it has, but the selectivity is pretty good on it!

I actually forgot a couple of my Bowling Green logs from last year!
92.3- WYNU- Milan, TN- Jackson mentions- 150 miles
97.3- WRUL- Carmi, IL- Country with local mentions- 120 miles
Click to expand...
Carmi on 97.3 has a whale of a signal.
 
I've decided on my DX spots. I'll either stop for the first time in Muncie, IN or Rushville, IN. But my second stop will be at a cemetery overlooking the Ohio River just across the bridge in Milton, Kentucky. The cemetery is 900 feet above sea level while the river itself is at 430-something feet. The land across the river in Indiana slowly slopes up to around 900', so I should have a perfect line of sight to the north.
 
From the I-71/US 431 area, I have picked up 107.9 and 95.5 in Indy.
Click to expand...

From what i've seen, the Indy stations range from 75-95 miles away from Milton, KY. It will be interesting to hear how many of them I can get up there. I'd like to try for Muncie and possibly Fort Wayne up there too.
 
93.1 and 94.7 and 105.7 used to come in pretty well up there but now those freqs all have class A's in the Louisville area that make that less likely. 95.5 might be a possibility even with WIKI 95.3's transmitter just a few miles away. WQMF 95.7 has IBOC but their transmitter is a little farther south so WFMS might still get through. 99.5 is going to be less likely as their antenna is on the north side of the tower & their signal in that direction is not as good as it is to the north...not sure if WDJX 99.7 has IBOC or not. 97.1 WLHK is on the south side of Indy and there's nothing close on 96.9 or 97.3...that may be the best of the batch.
 
I returned home late last night and will be posting an extensive log within the next couple days. I had several surprises along the way!
 
I have returned from my Kentucky trip and have some pretty decent DX reports to share. My trip down took me through the backroads of Indiana, mostly Indiana 3 and US-421. I went through the cities of Hartford City, Muncie, New Castle, Rushville, Greensburg and Madison in Indiana before crossing the Ohio River into Milton, KY and continuing south on 421 until I reached I-71. From there, I continued through Louisville and Elizabethtown, Munfordville and eventually Bowling Green on I-65.

I left Kentucky on Sunday afternoon and took I-65 all the way to Indianapolis and then I-69 back to my hometown of Coldwater, MI. Making DX/dinner stops in Munfordville, KY and Seymour, IN.

I don't know how much of this is usual DX and how much of it is not. These are 100 percent verified DX catches, ID'ed either through commercials, area codes, or call letters. I did this just as I do my at home DX'ing and logging. I'll start with the mobile DX. Stations I heard on the road and had to scribble down approximate locations.

Mobile DX-

92.3- WDEF- Chattanooga, TN- Interstate 65 near Elizabethtown, KY- 175 miles

95.1- WGGC- Bowling Green, KY- Old Michigan Road/US-50- 156 miles

95.5- W238BH- Kendallville, IN- Indiana SR-3/SR-124- 49 mi. (250 watts)
95.5- W238BH- Kendallville, IN- Indiana SR-3/SR-218- Near Warren, IN- 55 mi.

97.3- WJSN- Jackson, KY- Near Plano, KY- 174 mi.

97.3- WMEE- Fort Wayne, IN- Interstate 65- Indiana 11 MM- 191 miles

98.1- WBUL- Lexington, KY- Indiana SR-3- Near Rushville, IN- 119 miles

101.1- WIXX- Green Bay, WI- Exit 129/I-69- Auburn, IN- 257 miles

101.1- W266AE- Coldwater, MI- Exit 129/I-69- Auburn, IN- 38 mi. (27 watts)
101.1- W266AE- Coldwater, MI- I-69/Hursh Road- N of Fort Wayne- 48 mi.

101.3- W267BE- Angola, IN- Interstate 69- Indiana MM 71- 75 miles (250 watts)

107.5- WRVW- Lebanon, TN- Interstate 69- Indiana MM 51- 193 miles

New Castle, IN
Local stations omitted

90.3- WBCL- Fort Wayne, IN- 26kw 211m- 81.56 miles- weak
90.9- WGUC- Cincinnati, OH- 18.5kw 209m- 71.82 miles- poor/weak
91.9- WRLN- Rushville, IN- 60 watts 92m- 21.19 miles- poor
92.5- WOFX- Cincinnati, OH- 16kw 264m- 73.17 miles- weak
93.3- WAKW- Cincinnati, OH- 50kw 150m- 66.61 miles- weak
94.1- WNNF- Cincinnati, OH- 16kw 264m- 73.17 miles- weak
95.1- WAJI- Fort Wayne, IN- 39kw 207m- 81.59 miles- weak
96.5- W243AJ- Shelbyville, IN- 150 watts 96m- 33.00 miles- poor
98.1- WDFM- Defiance, OH- 50kw 152m- 103.84 miles- weak
98.9- WBYR- Woodburn, IN- 50kw 138m- 75.32 miles- weak
100.7- WEEC- Springfield, OH- 50kw 143m- 80.35 miles- weak
102.1- WIMT- Lima, OH- 11kw 323m- 78.74 miles- weak
103.7- WFIU- Bloomington, IN- 29kw 197m- 80.63 miles- weak
104.3- WNLT- Harrison, OH- 5.6kw 96m- 60.13 miles- weak
106.3- WHPP- Columbia City, IN- 5.6kw 103m- 89.07 miles- weak
107.1- WEDJ- Danville, IN- 1.45kw 184m- 64.03 miles- weak

Milton, KY
Local stations omitted

88.5- WMUB- Oxford, OH- 24.5kw 147m- 65.54 miles- weak
91.3- WUKY- Lexington, KY- 100kw 237m- 81.37 miles- poor
92.1- WBVX- Carlisle, KY- 32kw 186m- 65.69 miles- poor
93.1- WIBC- Indianapolis, IN- 13.5kw 302m- 79.66 miles- poor
93.5- WMXQ- Hartford City, IN- 3kw 139m- 118.13 miles- poor
93.7- WFCJ- Miamisburg, OH- 50kw 150m- 86.14 miles- poor
95.1- WAJI- Fort Wayne, IN- 39kw 207m- 164.62 miles- poor/weak
95.5- WFMS- Fishers, IN- 13kw 302m- 79.66 miles- poor
97.1- WLHK- Shelbyville, IN- 23kw 223m- 74.17 miles- poor
97.9- WNCI- Columbus, OH- 175kw 171m- 153.43 miles- poor
97.9- WGNR- Anderson, IN- 50kw 149m- 94.19 miles- poor
99.5- WAOL- Ripley, OH- 13kw 140m- 73.82 miles- weak
99.9- WDKF- Kettering, OH- 28kw 200m- 93.07 miles- weak
100.3- WYGB- Edinburgh, IN- 4.9kw 110m- 52.68 miles- STRONG
100.9- WNOU- Speedway, IN- 6kw 100m- 83.43 miles- weak
100.9- WPGW- Portland, IN- 4.6kw 55m- 119.82 miles- poor
101.3- WFMG- Richmond, IN- 20.5kw 83m- 79.91 miles- poor
102.5- WMDH- New Castle, IN- 50kw 152m- 91.98 miles- poor
104.1- WLBC- Muncie, IN- 41kw 140m- 100.25 miles- poor
104.5- WLKT- Lexington-Fayette, KY- 50kw 142m- 73.12 miles- poor
104.7- WTUE- Dayton, OH- 28kw 200m- 93.07m- STRONG
106.3- WHPP- Columbia City, IN- 5.6kw 105m- 172.17 miles- weak
106.5- WDSJ- Greenville, OH- 50kw 146m- 106.48 miles- weak/poor
107.9- WNTR- Indianapolis, IN- 22kw 232m- 92.30 miles- weak/poor

Bowling Green, KY
Local stations omitted

90.9- WKUE- Elizabethtown, KY- 5.2kw 193m- 63.30 miles- poor
91.9- WAPX- Clarksville, TN- 6kw 59m- 58.86 miles- weak
92.3- WYNU- Milan, TN- 100kw 302m- 149.72 miles- weak/poor
92.7- WHVE- Russell Springs, KY- 6kw 100m- 69.43 miles- poor
93.1- WMKZ- Monticello, KY- 1.45kw 206m- 89.41 miles- weak
93.1- WIBC- Indianapolis, IN- 13.5kw 302m- 196.93 miles- weak/poor
93.7- WFFI- Kingston Springs, TN- 1.15kw 230m- 63.26 miles- weak
94.5- WMXL- Lexington, KY- 85kw 194m- 136.03 miles- poor
94.5- WFGZ- Lobelville, TN- 22kw 218m- 112.59 miles- weak/poor
94.9- WYNG- Mount Carmel, IL- 50kw 128m- 126.14 miles- weak/poor
95.7- WQMF- Jeffersonville, IN- 28.5kw 196m- 87.34 miles- weak/poor
96.9- WDDJ- Paducah, KY- 100kw 237m- 121.86 miles- poor
97.3- WRUL- Carmi, IL- 50kw 149m- 126.15 miles- weak/poor
97.5- WAMZ- Louisville, KY- 100kw 205m- 86.74 miles- weak
98.9- WNRW- Prospect, KY- 43kw 157m- 99.94 miles- poor
100.5- WLGX- Louisville, KY- 37kw 169m- 99.86 miles- poor
104.3- WZYP- Athens, AL- 100kw 340m- 146.76 miles- weak
104.7- WITZ- Jasper, IN- 50kw 119m- 102.04 miles- poor/weak
105.7- WTCJ- Cannelton, IN- 2kw 178m- 64.22 miles- weak
106.1- WDKS- Newburgh, IN- 6kw 100m- 90.20 miles- weak

Munfordville, KY
Local stations omitted

88.7- WLCU- Campbellsville, KY- 800 watts, 63m- 32.14 miles- poor
89.5- WKPB- Henderson, KY- 43kw 115m- 87.80 miles- poor/fair
90.5- WUOL- Louisville, KY- 21kw 236m- 77.17 miles- poor/fair
91.1- WVUB- Vincennes, IN- 50kw 152m- 129.09 miles- poor/fair
92.3- WDEF- Chattanooga, TN- 100kw 360m- 148.90 miles- weak
92.9- WJXA- Nashville, TN- 100kw 321m- 96.35 miles- weak
95.5- WSM- Nashville, TN- 100kw 390m- 91.87 miles- weak
95.9- WLQK- Livingston, TN- 20kw 239m- 78.99 miles- poor/fair
96.1- WSTO- Owensboro, KY- 100kw 305m- 86.77 miles- poor/fair
97.1- WKEQ- Somerset, KY- 27.5kw 201m- 77.46 miles- poor
98.1- WBUL- Lexington, KY- 100kw 171m- 97.89 miles- poor
98.5- WGIC- Cookeville, TN- 50kw 150m- 79.75 miles- weak/poor
99.5- WKDQ- Henderson, KY- 100kw 300m- 99.10 miles- weak
103.1- WQNU- Lyndon, KY- 23kw 169m- 77.70 miles- weak/poor
104.5- WGFX- Gallatin, TN- 100kw 144m- 83.02 miles- fair
104.5- WLKT- Lexington-Fayette, KY- 50kw 142m- 105.49 miles- weak
106.9- WVEZ- Saint Matthews, KY- 24.5kw 204m- 78.38 miles- weak
107.5- WRVW- Lebanon, TN- 46kw 409m- 82.63 miles- weak/poor
107.7- WIVK- Knoxville, TN- 91kw 633m- 159.60 miles- weak


Seymour, IN
Local stations omitted

91.7- W219DO- Edinburgh, IN- 19 watts 91.4m- 27.99 miles- weak
92.5- WBKR- Owensboro, KY- 100kw 320m- 113.64 miles- poor
92.9- WLXX- Lexington, KY- 100kw 259m- 101.15 miles- weak
96.1- WSTO- Owenboro, KY- 100kw 305m- 115.48 miles- poor
97.3- WRUL- Carmi, IL- 50kw 149m- 140.70 miles- weak
97.9- WGNR- Anderson, IN- 50kw 149m- 76.52 miles- weak/poor
98.7- WNNS- Springfield, IL- 50kw 143m- 216.42 miles- weak
100.7- WMGI- Terre Haute, IN- 50kw 152m- 93.66 miles- weak
101.1- WXOS- East Saint Louis, IL- 100kw 300m- 247.59 miles- weak
101.9- WKRQ- Cincinnati, OH- 16kw 264m- 73.71 miles- weak
102.1- W271BG- Columbus, IN- 38 watts, 46m- 23.78 miles- weak
102.7- WBOW- Terre Haute, IN- 28kw 201m- 90.32 miles- weak
 
VERY informative. Does this prove/show that the Radio Locator Maps are accurate with respect to fringe area reception?
I've always though RL was a BIT cautious with the maps w/ respect to fringe area reception.
Or the receiver was real sweet....
 
Vibe,

Most of these stations were not heard with listenable quality reception. Only a handful of them come to mind (the Louisville stations in Bowling Green) for that. The rest of them I barely heard above the static and only heard just enough to ID the signal. I'd still say Radio-Locator is pretty accurate when it comes to listenable signals from stations.
 
The maps vary to a degree because of terrain. The FCC specs call for the elevation to be noted every mile from 2 miles to 10 miles from the transmitter in 8 or 10 directions with the average being the HAAT at ground level at the transmitter site. So you can have favorable terrain out to 10 miles & have high hills or mountains at 11 miles reduce the coverage prematurely. An example is WYGB...Radio Locator says Bloomington,IN is in the 45dbu range...should be very listenable in the car, yet Hopkinsville,KY at 165 miles and WYGB are equally weak there 38 miles from WYGB--neither are even remotely listening quality. Same distance to the NE and WYGB is wall to wall stereo with no flutter. And Lawppy can tell you how strong WYGB is in Milton,KY, well past the 40dbu circle. In the flat parts of the country, the maps will come much closer to being accurate than they do in hills and hollers country.
 
53 mile distant, 4.9kw WYGB 100.3 was super strong on the cliff in Milton, KY, just across the river from Madison, IN. But as I got farther south and terrain started getting between me and the WYGB tower they started fading pretty rapidly. I noted very strong I-BLOC interference from WLGX Louisville (100.5) with WYGB only occasionally poking through just five miles south of Milton. By Interstate 71 in Pendleton, KY (20 miles south of Madison-Milton) forget it.

Radio Locator only predicts listenable signal, which it's pretty accurate with. Enter the fun of the hobby. Hearing just how far beyond this projected contour you can hear certain stations. If you have an open frequency and a nice hill with great line of sight, all bets are off. I had 107.5 WRVW Lebanon, TN on a hill just north of Seymour, IN. Good for a 200 mile jog!
 
Thanks-that clarifies my question. We have the same effect in New England w/ all the hills and valleys. For example, we are on a hill and get excellent FM reception. Go 7-8 miles west and one can hit the scan button and get nothing, even the very strong locals.
 
Need to clarify my last post-those strong locals come in just fine using the presets or manuallly tuning the stations: the stations cannot simply be locked in using the scan feature. For example, there's a very strong WSRS 96.1 Worcester MA that gets out 60+ mi but due to terrain, there are "holes" in the signal 15 mi from the transmitter. But at the base of the hill but with a much better LOS, the radio locks onto WFCR Amherst MA from 45-50 mi or so away.
 
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