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What are your advantages and disadvantages about your location
- Thread starter dxtrfn80
- Start date
R
Radio-X
Guest
I'm in Lynnwood, WA. A suburban town north of Seattle. I'm about a mile (and line-of-site out of my kitchen window) from the Puget Sound at about 500' above sea level. Exact location in Lynnwood is at 47° 51' 04.7" N 122° 17' 40.4" W
Advantages:
Good AM reception of most Seattle and Vancouver, BC stations.
Local-grade reception of Seattle, Bellingham, and high-powered Victoria, BC stations. Lower-powered Victoria stations can be picked up with antenna adjustments.
Location up high near water allows reception of lower-powered stations along the Pacific coast 80-100 miles away.
A few Vancouver FM stations not near Seattle stations get received regularly.
Within 1 hour driving time of several 8000'-12000' mountains with excellent FM reception of NW radio stations
Disadvantages:
Tropo is almost unheard of due to weather patterns and mountains here. Occasionally (2-4x per year) get Portland, SW Washington, and Vancouver stations that normally never pop up.
Inland of the Puget Sound AM reception is often poor.
Between Vancouver, BC, Victoria BC, Seattle, and Bellingham stations, the FM dial is starting to get overcrowded. There are several stations out here that would not get approved in spacing requirements in the interior US because the applicant can prove it won't interfere with another station in the other country. That doesn't mean the interference isn't heard here!
Radio-X
Advantages:
Good AM reception of most Seattle and Vancouver, BC stations.
Local-grade reception of Seattle, Bellingham, and high-powered Victoria, BC stations. Lower-powered Victoria stations can be picked up with antenna adjustments.
Location up high near water allows reception of lower-powered stations along the Pacific coast 80-100 miles away.
A few Vancouver FM stations not near Seattle stations get received regularly.
Within 1 hour driving time of several 8000'-12000' mountains with excellent FM reception of NW radio stations
Disadvantages:
Tropo is almost unheard of due to weather patterns and mountains here. Occasionally (2-4x per year) get Portland, SW Washington, and Vancouver stations that normally never pop up.
Inland of the Puget Sound AM reception is often poor.
Between Vancouver, BC, Victoria BC, Seattle, and Bellingham stations, the FM dial is starting to get overcrowded. There are several stations out here that would not get approved in spacing requirements in the interior US because the applicant can prove it won't interfere with another station in the other country. That doesn't mean the interference isn't heard here!
Radio-X
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FM Advantages - Many open channels here. Much more than Seattle would ever offer...even without CSN translators all over the place. I have double the FM logs here in Yakima, over just two seasons, than in Seattle, over 4 or 5 seasons.
I have more of the midwest open for e-skip. Kansas City is 1400 miles (and have received KMBZ). Tulsa is 1460 miles (single-hop, and I have received two from that city so far - KRAV and KYLK). OKC is 1410 miles and I have heard three FMs from there already. I think the higher elevation (1200+ feet) also helps with the clouds - plus I have crossed the Cascades.
Tropo scatter almost every day from April-September as well...to Seattle, Vancouver, Spokane, Pullman, Portland, and sometimes Corvallis/Eugene. KEHK has been heard here at least once.
Disadvantages - Now I have HD on 99.5/99.9, have already had HD on 90.1/90.5, lost 4 open channels to translators last year, and low FM is almost trash unless you have narrow filters. 88.3 makes it through sandwiched between two weaker locals. That's about it however without 110khz filters. With narrow filters I open up 88.3 some more, 88.7, 89.3, 89.7, 90.9, 91.3, and 91.7, in addition to several higher up as well.
AM
Advantages - Over the Cascades, so I get a lot more from the Midwest. WBAP, WBBM, WHO, KSTP, WCCO, WGN are all common. WLW and WJR are semi-rare, but they have been heard. Also have received 1660 WBCN in NC, 1570 KBCV MO, and a variety of California and Arizona stations via aurora. Cuba is more common than you think. Just null KOFI 1180 and listen for yourself. Use 5.025 khz as a guide. Rebelde is usually in 9/10 times I check 1180. Probably 5/10 times u/ KIRO 710.
Disadvantages - AM is practically unusable when there's TVs and other electronics on nearby in my apartment complex. BUZZZZZZZZZ on 20-30 frequencies, and a mess on several others.
Box loop helps when there's not much noise. But when there is, my noise level goes from S-7 (on some nights) to S-9+10 on the box loop...
Strong local on 930 (KYAK) causes splatter down past 910 in the daytime. Not as bad at night due to ~100w night power. But it's 10,000 watts day.
I have more of the midwest open for e-skip. Kansas City is 1400 miles (and have received KMBZ). Tulsa is 1460 miles (single-hop, and I have received two from that city so far - KRAV and KYLK). OKC is 1410 miles and I have heard three FMs from there already. I think the higher elevation (1200+ feet) also helps with the clouds - plus I have crossed the Cascades.
Tropo scatter almost every day from April-September as well...to Seattle, Vancouver, Spokane, Pullman, Portland, and sometimes Corvallis/Eugene. KEHK has been heard here at least once.
Disadvantages - Now I have HD on 99.5/99.9, have already had HD on 90.1/90.5, lost 4 open channels to translators last year, and low FM is almost trash unless you have narrow filters. 88.3 makes it through sandwiched between two weaker locals. That's about it however without 110khz filters. With narrow filters I open up 88.3 some more, 88.7, 89.3, 89.7, 90.9, 91.3, and 91.7, in addition to several higher up as well.
AM
Advantages - Over the Cascades, so I get a lot more from the Midwest. WBAP, WBBM, WHO, KSTP, WCCO, WGN are all common. WLW and WJR are semi-rare, but they have been heard. Also have received 1660 WBCN in NC, 1570 KBCV MO, and a variety of California and Arizona stations via aurora. Cuba is more common than you think. Just null KOFI 1180 and listen for yourself. Use 5.025 khz as a guide. Rebelde is usually in 9/10 times I check 1180. Probably 5/10 times u/ KIRO 710.
Disadvantages - AM is practically unusable when there's TVs and other electronics on nearby in my apartment complex. BUZZZZZZZZZ on 20-30 frequencies, and a mess on several others.
Box loop helps when there's not much noise. But when there is, my noise level goes from S-7 (on some nights) to S-9+10 on the box loop...
Strong local on 930 (KYAK) causes splatter down past 910 in the daytime. Not as bad at night due to ~100w night power. But it's 10,000 watts day.
We're due north of Pottsville PA and about the same distance, to the NE, from Hazleton.
The QTH here is about 1450 feet HASL. Although we are closer by a mile or so to the MD border than to the NY border, the Appalachian arc that swerves through these parts, plus it's coal and its commerce, situates us as 'Northeast PA' society.
As far as FM goes, I'm assuredly not the DXer on that dial to ask for an evaluation, hi. I've gotten some nice tropo stuff from the south, including a night or two of watching all the VHF stations from Balt and DC, as well as some UHF from those two places plus Harrisburg. But I don't spin FM dial that much. The hills here certainly favor the trope from the south, because where we are kind of slides downhill into Chesapaeake Bay. It's the same way to the south on E-skip. I've gotten E-skip both on TV and FM from Florida here, all three times somewhat happenstancually.
Aside from those casual times, all of which were on the car radio or a GE Superadio II and none of them with any notable aerial, I can't speak about FM advantages or disadvantages.
AM here is terrific at night because we have no 'locals'. Plus, the AM radios and antennae here are more geared toward DX than the FMs are.
After sundown, AM locals WPPA 1360, WEEU 830, WAEB 790, WKOK 1070 and WPAM 1450 and WLSH 1410 are gone. The first four swing their patterns away from here and/or drop power; WPAM is a GYer, and WLSH is a strict daytimer.
So the nighttime AM advantage is obvious.
The QTH here is about 1450 feet HASL. Although we are closer by a mile or so to the MD border than to the NY border, the Appalachian arc that swerves through these parts, plus it's coal and its commerce, situates us as 'Northeast PA' society.
As far as FM goes, I'm assuredly not the DXer on that dial to ask for an evaluation, hi. I've gotten some nice tropo stuff from the south, including a night or two of watching all the VHF stations from Balt and DC, as well as some UHF from those two places plus Harrisburg. But I don't spin FM dial that much. The hills here certainly favor the trope from the south, because where we are kind of slides downhill into Chesapaeake Bay. It's the same way to the south on E-skip. I've gotten E-skip both on TV and FM from Florida here, all three times somewhat happenstancually.
Aside from those casual times, all of which were on the car radio or a GE Superadio II and none of them with any notable aerial, I can't speak about FM advantages or disadvantages.
AM here is terrific at night because we have no 'locals'. Plus, the AM radios and antennae here are more geared toward DX than the FMs are.
After sundown, AM locals WPPA 1360, WEEU 830, WAEB 790, WKOK 1070 and WPAM 1450 and WLSH 1410 are gone. The first four swing their patterns away from here and/or drop power; WPAM is a GYer, and WLSH is a strict daytimer.
So the nighttime AM advantage is obvious.
From Mountain View Hawaii, not far from Hilo.
Advantages - AM
At night, I can hear stations from well over 2,000 miles away, some good and steady such as the big ones from California.
I can hear as far away as WLW Cincinnati. WBBM and WGN Chicago are often heard behind KKOH and KDWN.
I can even hear many 5 kw stations from the western states and even a weak mix on a graveyard frequency.
Japan is often heard at night too.
Can't beat that!!
Disadvantages -
No real DXing to be had on the FM band unless tropo brings some stations in from Honolulu.
No E-Skip because the mainland is too far. That's not good.
Advantages - AM
At night, I can hear stations from well over 2,000 miles away, some good and steady such as the big ones from California.
I can hear as far away as WLW Cincinnati. WBBM and WGN Chicago are often heard behind KKOH and KDWN.
I can even hear many 5 kw stations from the western states and even a weak mix on a graveyard frequency.
Japan is often heard at night too.
Can't beat that!!
Disadvantages -
No real DXing to be had on the FM band unless tropo brings some stations in from Honolulu.
No E-Skip because the mainland is too far. That's not good.
My location is odd in a city where both dials change from the west end to the east. I'm in the middle of town.
As far as FM goes. We are the Bermuda Triangle of reception. On an average consumer grade radio, more than half of the local stations either do not reach this part of the city or have difficulty. 2 locals in the middle of the dial put so much RF over the area due to their transmitter being located in the area, that the 2 of them bleed over almost everyone else. It used to be 3 stations that did that but one of them has (thankfully) gone silent. It takes some patience to hear and tune in some stations and others are too difficult. With an excellent FM tuner that can reject interference, stations from the Ottawa Valley, and northern New York state can be heard. An odd thing about the middle of town, on most radios, not all local FM stations will stop the scan feature on the radio. If you move away from Downtown, there's a guarantee that at least one, if not two local FM stations will not be able to be easily received as they are low powered.
AM does ok here. All 4 local stations are perfectly clear. There are 5 AM stations from Montreal that hit us. 2 of them are easily heard in my extremely noisy environment all year round. 1 other can be a slightly noisy in the summer The other 2 are only listenable in the winter and are difficult to impossible in the summer. Get rid of the interference and if you have a really good tuner, you can pull in stations from upper New York state, Toronto-Hamilton-Buffalo, the weaker Montreal stations and Vermont. AM reception is much better in the east end of town than in the west. Most of the weaker stations come from east of the city and disappear by the time you reach the west end. Note that these are daytime conditions. At night, because of our wide open dial, even in an extremely noisy environment, There are a lot of very clear stations from the midwest and east coast that come blasting through.
As far as FM goes. We are the Bermuda Triangle of reception. On an average consumer grade radio, more than half of the local stations either do not reach this part of the city or have difficulty. 2 locals in the middle of the dial put so much RF over the area due to their transmitter being located in the area, that the 2 of them bleed over almost everyone else. It used to be 3 stations that did that but one of them has (thankfully) gone silent. It takes some patience to hear and tune in some stations and others are too difficult. With an excellent FM tuner that can reject interference, stations from the Ottawa Valley, and northern New York state can be heard. An odd thing about the middle of town, on most radios, not all local FM stations will stop the scan feature on the radio. If you move away from Downtown, there's a guarantee that at least one, if not two local FM stations will not be able to be easily received as they are low powered.
AM does ok here. All 4 local stations are perfectly clear. There are 5 AM stations from Montreal that hit us. 2 of them are easily heard in my extremely noisy environment all year round. 1 other can be a slightly noisy in the summer The other 2 are only listenable in the winter and are difficult to impossible in the summer. Get rid of the interference and if you have a really good tuner, you can pull in stations from upper New York state, Toronto-Hamilton-Buffalo, the weaker Montreal stations and Vermont. AM reception is much better in the east end of town than in the west. Most of the weaker stations come from east of the city and disappear by the time you reach the west end. Note that these are daytime conditions. At night, because of our wide open dial, even in an extremely noisy environment, There are a lot of very clear stations from the midwest and east coast that come blasting through.
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Local disadvantages: live in a valley, at low elevation. Local hills decrease signals from the North and South, although I hear Canada and California reasonably well. The Cascade mountains about 30 miles east of here reduce some Eastern signals. KSTP, WCCO, WBBM, and some other Midwestern signals come in at reduced levels, but nothing like I have heard the few times I've DXed in Eastern WAshington, where the mountains are farther away and the elevation is about 1000 feet higher.
Advantages here: signals to the southeast aren't blocked, and on good DX nights I can hear Texas, 1180 Cuba, and WWL. And on HF / SW there's a nice pipeline to the NW that allows Asia to come in well. A hill reduces MW reception from Asia, though. :-( On CB sideband (when I used to have a loop up tuned for 27 mhz) I was able to hear and talk to the SE well.
On FM I'm in a hole, but I'm close enough to the local FM antennas that I get good local FM reception. Any FMDX is short distance tropo.
Advantages here: signals to the southeast aren't blocked, and on good DX nights I can hear Texas, 1180 Cuba, and WWL. And on HF / SW there's a nice pipeline to the NW that allows Asia to come in well. A hill reduces MW reception from Asia, though. :-( On CB sideband (when I used to have a loop up tuned for 27 mhz) I was able to hear and talk to the SE well.
On FM I'm in a hole, but I'm close enough to the local FM antennas that I get good local FM reception. Any FMDX is short distance tropo.
I live in Southeastern Connecticut
Advantages: Get 90% of Hartford Stations
Have access to many local markets such as Springfield/Hartford/Providence etc.
FM reception can be good to great on the hill I live on
AM is not crowded
At night I can get all over on AM
Disadvantages:
FM is extremely overcrowded in some spots
My local AM/FM don't broadcast at a lot of power compared to other markets
My area has quite a bit of AM interference
Local AM station 5 Miles Away even on the Superadio is directional during the day
Tropo is average at best, summer is pretty good though.
Advantages: Get 90% of Hartford Stations
Have access to many local markets such as Springfield/Hartford/Providence etc.
FM reception can be good to great on the hill I live on
AM is not crowded
At night I can get all over on AM
Disadvantages:
FM is extremely overcrowded in some spots
My local AM/FM don't broadcast at a lot of power compared to other markets
My area has quite a bit of AM interference
Local AM station 5 Miles Away even on the Superadio is directional during the day
Tropo is average at best, summer is pretty good though.
Great topic!
East Tennessee (I live in Knoxville and work in Sevierville, often DX during lunch hour in the car).
Advantages (AM): Several silent local/regional stations. Poor ground conductivity clears the band for any skip coming in...not so many regional pests.
Disadvantages: Where I live it's wall to wall electrical noise and I have to leave to DX anything
Advantages (FM): Being able to get to mountains and ridges when DX is coming in. E-Skip can get to the Carribean (Cuba, Caymans, Bahamas). FLorida seems to be too close.
Disadvantages (FM): Very little tropo. I can think of 2 really good openings in 5 years of living down here. The mountains I mentioned seem to bring in more LPFM and translators than stations from distant markets.
East Tennessee (I live in Knoxville and work in Sevierville, often DX during lunch hour in the car).
Advantages (AM): Several silent local/regional stations. Poor ground conductivity clears the band for any skip coming in...not so many regional pests.
Disadvantages: Where I live it's wall to wall electrical noise and I have to leave to DX anything
Advantages (FM): Being able to get to mountains and ridges when DX is coming in. E-Skip can get to the Carribean (Cuba, Caymans, Bahamas). FLorida seems to be too close.
Disadvantages (FM): Very little tropo. I can think of 2 really good openings in 5 years of living down here. The mountains I mentioned seem to bring in more LPFM and translators than stations from distant markets.
Cañon City CO:
Advantages: Our climate is best described as "Albuquerque North." High concentration of prisons keep posh pieces of affluent out. Or is it effluent? It's just like affect/effect, I never know which spelling to use.
Disadvantages: In terms of RF, it's all disadvantages. Most of Cañon is situated in an almost perfect bowl. Lots of Colorado Springs and Pueblo FMs in generally perfect multipath. Basically, if your transmitter or translator doesn't have LOS to the bowl, forget it. How I miss tropo like back in the midwest. Not enough to deal with all of the weather and humidity that make tropo conditions possible, though.
Advantages: Our climate is best described as "Albuquerque North." High concentration of prisons keep posh pieces of affluent out. Or is it effluent? It's just like affect/effect, I never know which spelling to use.
Disadvantages: In terms of RF, it's all disadvantages. Most of Cañon is situated in an almost perfect bowl. Lots of Colorado Springs and Pueblo FMs in generally perfect multipath. Basically, if your transmitter or translator doesn't have LOS to the bowl, forget it. How I miss tropo like back in the midwest. Not enough to deal with all of the weather and humidity that make tropo conditions possible, though.
I don't dx much on FM from here in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. I never really took time to think of advantages or disadvantages, but I'll list a couple:
AM-
* I live in a townhouse and we have a fair amount of electrical noise, but I've had a lot worse. The night I moved in here, some of the "distant" AMs such as WLW, WTAM and some smaller-power stations from nearby were coming in great. This was in September. After we fully moved in, well, it's less so. WLW is audible in my study with quite a bit of static because I'm right above the living room.
Oddly enough, WLW comes in very well on my bathroom radio about 40 feet away.
* Ground conductivity is pretty good here in Columbus proper. It improves to the north and west and drops off dramatically, from 8 to maybe a 4 at best, roughly 30 miles to the east.
* I live in the nulls for a few local AMs, WTVN (610) and WBNS (1460), and though both are audible at night at a noticeably weaker level than during the day, one turn of the radio occasionally brings in other signals.
* Columbus is in an ideal location to get all the regular blasters from east of the Rockies, including KOA (which is not very strong, but it's there). Unfortunately we are too far north to get the powerful Mexican stations that can be heard only a few hundred miles to the west and south.
FM-
* As I said I don't DX much, but some hilly terrain to our northwest knocks out almost any chance to hear Lima or Fort Wayne signals here even when the conditions are right. Some of the Dayton channels come in quite well depending on your location in the metro, especially during the summer. The reason I don't consider them DX targets is because I listen to a few of them, especially WHIO, on a fairly regular basis.
AM-
* I live in a townhouse and we have a fair amount of electrical noise, but I've had a lot worse. The night I moved in here, some of the "distant" AMs such as WLW, WTAM and some smaller-power stations from nearby were coming in great. This was in September. After we fully moved in, well, it's less so. WLW is audible in my study with quite a bit of static because I'm right above the living room.
Oddly enough, WLW comes in very well on my bathroom radio about 40 feet away.
* Ground conductivity is pretty good here in Columbus proper. It improves to the north and west and drops off dramatically, from 8 to maybe a 4 at best, roughly 30 miles to the east.
* I live in the nulls for a few local AMs, WTVN (610) and WBNS (1460), and though both are audible at night at a noticeably weaker level than during the day, one turn of the radio occasionally brings in other signals.
* Columbus is in an ideal location to get all the regular blasters from east of the Rockies, including KOA (which is not very strong, but it's there). Unfortunately we are too far north to get the powerful Mexican stations that can be heard only a few hundred miles to the west and south.
FM-
* As I said I don't DX much, but some hilly terrain to our northwest knocks out almost any chance to hear Lima or Fort Wayne signals here even when the conditions are right. Some of the Dayton channels come in quite well depending on your location in the metro, especially during the summer. The reason I don't consider them DX targets is because I listen to a few of them, especially WHIO, on a fairly regular basis.
I thought I'd mention some other places I've lived and DXed from.
Dayton, Ohio area: Advantages
FM). Easy reception of most Cincinnati and Columbus signals (less so with the influx of 80-90s and LPFM/translators. Not unheard of to log Detroit, Cleveland, and other Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and Indiana markets. A couple of Chicago and St. Louis area stations make it in occasionally.
Disadvantages: (FM) More translators signing on by the day, but sometimes DX coming in on the translator input can be entertaining.
Advantages: (AM) The 3 fulltime locals can be easily nulled unless you're sitting under the tower. Even 20 miles directly east of Kettering, I've had the former Radio Disney outlet, a Manchester, KY station and WIRL, Peoria. Decent ground conductivity, and fairly easy to hear most of the major east and Central skywaves. Also good sunrise and sunset skip.
DisadvantagesAM) Don't expect to get anything on 700.
Lafayette, IN (it's been awhile since I've been there so things have changed)
Advantages (FM): Chicago and Indianapolis area have several higher powered frequencies in common. Lafayette sitting in a "bowl" attenuates Indianapolis, making Chicago and others more possible. Regular reception of smaller markets in Illinois and most of Indiana are quite possible.
Disadvantages: (FM). The "bowl" effect attenuates some of the DX too. Several formerly open frequencies blocked by 80-90s, LPFM and translators.
Advantages: (AM) Only a couple of locals, fairly easily nullable. Good ground conductivity.
Dayton, Ohio area: Advantages
FM). Easy reception of most Cincinnati and Columbus signals (less so with the influx of 80-90s and LPFM/translators. Not unheard of to log Detroit, Cleveland, and other Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and Indiana markets. A couple of Chicago and St. Louis area stations make it in occasionally.Disadvantages: (FM) More translators signing on by the day, but sometimes DX coming in on the translator input can be entertaining.
Advantages: (AM) The 3 fulltime locals can be easily nulled unless you're sitting under the tower. Even 20 miles directly east of Kettering, I've had the former Radio Disney outlet, a Manchester, KY station and WIRL, Peoria. Decent ground conductivity, and fairly easy to hear most of the major east and Central skywaves. Also good sunrise and sunset skip.
Disadvantages
AM) Don't expect to get anything on 700.Lafayette, IN (it's been awhile since I've been there so things have changed)
Advantages (FM): Chicago and Indianapolis area have several higher powered frequencies in common. Lafayette sitting in a "bowl" attenuates Indianapolis, making Chicago and others more possible. Regular reception of smaller markets in Illinois and most of Indiana are quite possible.
Disadvantages: (FM). The "bowl" effect attenuates some of the DX too. Several formerly open frequencies blocked by 80-90s, LPFM and translators.
Advantages: (AM) Only a couple of locals, fairly easily nullable. Good ground conductivity.
Far northwest Chicago suburbs....
AM:
Advantages are good ground conductivity, and just far enough from Chicago that all the strong blowtorches are null-able to one degree or another. Also, being in the Midwest, coast to coast, border to border (and beyond) nighttime DX is possible...although the crowded channels mean the west coast is problematic. As for disadvantages, the noise floor is often annoyingly high. And being in the middle of the country can also clog local and regional channels and make for an unlistenable mess.
FM:
Advantages: We're on the southeast fringe of a "Bermuda Triangle" of four markets....Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Rockford. All but the lowest powered Chicago signals are available here, as well as at least some from the other three markets most of the time. Also, while there are many usable signals, not many are particularly strong. Which means, tropo and/or e-skip events can frequently overcome the "regulars".
Disadvantages: Unless you have a good radio or antenna, most channels are subject to "hiss" most of the time. The "picket fence" effect can be pronounced in cars, especially in lowland locations.
AM:
Advantages are good ground conductivity, and just far enough from Chicago that all the strong blowtorches are null-able to one degree or another. Also, being in the Midwest, coast to coast, border to border (and beyond) nighttime DX is possible...although the crowded channels mean the west coast is problematic. As for disadvantages, the noise floor is often annoyingly high. And being in the middle of the country can also clog local and regional channels and make for an unlistenable mess.
FM:
Advantages: We're on the southeast fringe of a "Bermuda Triangle" of four markets....Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Rockford. All but the lowest powered Chicago signals are available here, as well as at least some from the other three markets most of the time. Also, while there are many usable signals, not many are particularly strong. Which means, tropo and/or e-skip events can frequently overcome the "regulars".
Disadvantages: Unless you have a good radio or antenna, most channels are subject to "hiss" most of the time. The "picket fence" effect can be pronounced in cars, especially in lowland locations.
Just S of Charleston, SC (James Island/Folly Beach):
AM
Advantages- Great water path to Georgia and Florida daytime. Probably 15-20 Floridians every day, almost all on the East Coast, from Jax to Miami, plus 570 from Cuba. Nighttime reception very good, pretty much the entire set of East Coast clears, along with the Midwest, out to WBAP and WHO every night.
Disadvantages- The local stations are very strong here, and you can almost never hear signals on the next channel from them. Nighttime reception often troublesome with all the Cubans and Mexicans that come in.
FM
Advantages- Very good reception of signals both inland and coastal. I can hear Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Augusta and Savannah signals pretty much every day. Frequent tropo especially during the summer, from Jacksonville to Miami, and plenty of NC signals.
Disadvantages: Few open frequencies, with a lot of new translators and LPs over the past several years restricting our ability to get distant signals. Hard to get signals on the first-adjacents of locals.
AM
Advantages- Great water path to Georgia and Florida daytime. Probably 15-20 Floridians every day, almost all on the East Coast, from Jax to Miami, plus 570 from Cuba. Nighttime reception very good, pretty much the entire set of East Coast clears, along with the Midwest, out to WBAP and WHO every night.
Disadvantages- The local stations are very strong here, and you can almost never hear signals on the next channel from them. Nighttime reception often troublesome with all the Cubans and Mexicans that come in.
FM
Advantages- Very good reception of signals both inland and coastal. I can hear Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Augusta and Savannah signals pretty much every day. Frequent tropo especially during the summer, from Jacksonville to Miami, and plenty of NC signals.
Disadvantages: Few open frequencies, with a lot of new translators and LPs over the past several years restricting our ability to get distant signals. Hard to get signals on the first-adjacents of locals.
From Port Alexander, AK:
AM:
-Absolutely no locals, so nighttime skywave reception is quite good! Never heard Anchorage AMs though. At night two Juneau stations (barely) come in. Sometimes KTKN 930 Ketchikan, AK fades in and out. Occasionally but not regularly... Most "graveyarder" frequencies are a mess, of course.
-No city power= minimal electrical noise! With a GOOD setup you can hear multiple AMs around southeast AK (Juneau/Sitka/Ketchikan/used to be able to hear Petersburg before it went off the air), and I think a few Canadians. (Prince Rupert?) I need to check more. But with a small/cheap/portable radio, or ANY electrical noise, forget it!
FM:
Only one strong local signal, and one weak/distant signal. But forget much DX, being too far away from the rest of the world LOL. And we don't get E-skip or tropo here, just don't have those hot/humid weather patterns. I've never heard any atmospheric FM DX in person, only other peoples' recordings of tropo openings or E-skip events.
Former location (Atascadero, CA):
FM: Was on a bit of a hill/edge of a valley. Got a LOT of signals, particularly with a good antenna. If I still lived there I'd be putting a rooftop Yagi on the chimney of the 4-story house, which was already at a higher-ish elevation. Other than the local SLO market one or two Fresno stations (One was 103.7 "The Beat", an active rock station) could be heard with a good radio. One from Lompoc was audible on car radios, it was 104.1 (Whatever calls that is).
Morro Bay and Cambria could also be heard with a decent antenna, but the mountains sort of blocked them or Monterrey. KRKC 102.1 of King City came in with a marginal signal. I think I once snagged a soft-rock/AC on 96.9 or 98.9...maybe Salinas or Soledad? This was before I was an avid DXer, just things I happened across between strong local signals.
I don't ever think I heard Santa Barbara. I wish I could go back and put up a tall Yagi and really tune around though.
AM: didn't care enough yet.
AM:
-Absolutely no locals, so nighttime skywave reception is quite good! Never heard Anchorage AMs though. At night two Juneau stations (barely) come in. Sometimes KTKN 930 Ketchikan, AK fades in and out. Occasionally but not regularly... Most "graveyarder" frequencies are a mess, of course.
-No city power= minimal electrical noise!
With a GOOD setup you can hear multiple AMs around southeast AK (Juneau/Sitka/Ketchikan/used to be able to hear Petersburg before it went off the air), and I think a few Canadians. (Prince Rupert?) I need to check more. But with a small/cheap/portable radio, or ANY electrical noise, forget it!FM:
Only one strong local signal, and one weak/distant signal. But forget much DX, being too far away from the rest of the world LOL. And we don't get E-skip or tropo here, just don't have those hot/humid weather patterns. I've never heard any atmospheric FM DX in person, only other peoples' recordings of tropo openings or E-skip events.
Former location (Atascadero, CA):
FM: Was on a bit of a hill/edge of a valley. Got a LOT of signals, particularly with a good antenna. If I still lived there I'd be putting a rooftop Yagi on the chimney of the 4-story house, which was already at a higher-ish elevation. Other than the local SLO market one or two Fresno stations (One was 103.7 "The Beat", an active rock station) could be heard with a good radio. One from Lompoc was audible on car radios, it was 104.1 (Whatever calls that is).
Morro Bay and Cambria could also be heard with a decent antenna, but the mountains sort of blocked them or Monterrey. KRKC 102.1 of King City came in with a marginal signal. I think I once snagged a soft-rock/AC on 96.9 or 98.9...maybe Salinas or Soledad? This was before I was an avid DXer, just things I happened across between strong local signals.
I don't ever think I heard Santa Barbara. I wish I could go back and put up a tall Yagi and really tune around though.
AM: didn't care enough yet.
96.9 KWAV Monterey?
Port Alexander seems like a great spot for AM DX. Check in the late night and morning hours towards the Pacific. You will hear 9 khz heterodynes EVERYWHERE. Especially 972/1566 (Korea) and 594/774/747/828 (Japan). You may also be able to snag 612 and/or 1116 from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with good conditions.
E-skip/tropo never happens in Alaska.
If you have enough money, buy one of those SDR devices (like the Elad), and set up a long antenna. You can set recordings on the hour for TOH IDs. You will be able to pull up everything and anything with a long antenna. KXEL and KSTP have both been heard from SE AK (2000+ miles). I'm sure WBBM is also possible in non-auroral conditions.
Port Alexander seems like a great spot for AM DX. Check in the late night and morning hours towards the Pacific. You will hear 9 khz heterodynes EVERYWHERE. Especially 972/1566 (Korea) and 594/774/747/828 (Japan). You may also be able to snag 612 and/or 1116 from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with good conditions.
E-skip/tropo never happens in Alaska.
If you have enough money, buy one of those SDR devices (like the Elad), and set up a long antenna. You can set recordings on the hour for TOH IDs. You will be able to pull up everything and anything with a long antenna. KXEL and KSTP have both been heard from SE AK (2000+ miles). I'm sure WBBM is also possible in non-auroral conditions.
In suburban Phoenix...
Advantages: You get Tucson on a few frequencies...and some Cottonwood...and some Prescott. No locals on X-band, and for the moment no locals above 1540 kHz. Northern and western Mexico show up on AM, which I like (even got 730 Guadalajara once).
Disadvantages: So many locals...and that includes locals at 68 miles. The FM band is full up and full of HD Radio stations. No tropo ever comes our way. K-Love three times on FM.
Advantages: You get Tucson on a few frequencies...and some Cottonwood...and some Prescott. No locals on X-band, and for the moment no locals above 1540 kHz. Northern and western Mexico show up on AM, which I like (even got 730 Guadalajara once).
Disadvantages: So many locals...and that includes locals at 68 miles. The FM band is full up and full of HD Radio stations. No tropo ever comes our way. K-Love three times on FM.
Crainebebro:
Maybe...Monterey COULD be! I looked it up on R-L and Wikipedia. Being a "SuperPower" FM grandfathered in makes it seem plausible. It's transmitter is south of Salinas, though, on Mt. Toro. It probably was that station...
I wish I could've heard the FM dial in my area of CA in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s as it developed into what it is now. Might have been able hear stations like the aforementioned 96.9 back then more easily.
I have a radio (3M Tekk WorkTunes) I usually DX with. It for whatever reason tunes in 9Khz steps. (Used to be 10, then randomly set itself to 9...dunno why). Is the heterodyning that high-pitched static/whistle? Can someone post a recording of hetereodyning so I know if that's what I'm hearing?
I need a better antenna. Never heard anything other than the West Coast. Who was DXing from SE AK who hears the stations you mentioned? If they're on here I'd like to pick their brain...And what COLs are the ones you mentioned?
Maybe...Monterey COULD be! I looked it up on R-L and Wikipedia. Being a "SuperPower" FM grandfathered in makes it seem plausible. It's transmitter is south of Salinas, though, on Mt. Toro. It probably was that station...
I wish I could've heard the FM dial in my area of CA in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s as it developed into what it is now. Might have been able hear stations like the aforementioned 96.9 back then more easily.
I have a radio (3M Tekk WorkTunes) I usually DX with. It for whatever reason tunes in 9Khz steps. (Used to be 10, then randomly set itself to 9...dunno why). Is the heterodyning that high-pitched static/whistle? Can someone post a recording of hetereodyning so I know if that's what I'm hearing?
I need a better antenna. Never heard anything other than the West Coast. Who was DXing from SE AK who hears the stations you mentioned? If they're on here I'd like to pick their brain...And what COLs are the ones you mentioned?
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The high pitched whistle you're hearing is a heterodyne, and if your radio is set to 9 kHz steps, you're probably hearing them from the local stations heterodyning against stations from Japan, Korea and China.
The worktunes radio looks like it probably doesn't have much of an AM antenna. I'd get a CCrane AM radio, or if you want to save money and still have a great AM radio get a Sony ICF-38 (or even a Sony SRF-59 if you're into headset radios) -- you'll get much better reception. The ICF-38 is a very good AM radio and costs around $25-30, the SRF-59 costs around $20. Excellent performance for the money.
I'd say the WorkTunes isn't all that great on AM, but its FM is superior to others I've owned in the past. My best AM headset was an old WalkMan, actually!
Still, can someone post a heterodyning recording, just so I'm ABSOLUTELY 100% sure that's what I'm hearing? (I want to be sure, not sure if I'm describing the sound well enough in text). Thanks
So, hypothetically, if for some reason ALL the 10Khz-spaced stations in the US/Canada/maybe even Mexico HAPPENED to all be off the air at once, or at least many of the overnight 50Kwers, do you think I'd hear Japan/Korea/China easily, even on a fairly cheap radio?
Still, can someone post a heterodyning recording, just so I'm ABSOLUTELY 100% sure that's what I'm hearing? (I want to be sure, not sure if I'm describing the sound well enough in text). Thanks
So, hypothetically, if for some reason ALL the 10Khz-spaced stations in the US/Canada/maybe even Mexico HAPPENED to all be off the air at once, or at least many of the overnight 50Kwers, do you think I'd hear Japan/Korea/China easily, even on a fairly cheap radio?
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