XEEP 1060 heard in Michigan!!

[Lawppy]

I've only logged AM stations since December 2005, so if this isn't a big deal then i'll apologize ahead of time. I just confirmed XEEP 1060 from Ejercito De Oriente, DF (Mexico City) through a web stream from my location in Coldwater, MI.

This new log just absolutely shatters my old distance record of approximately 1,580 miles set by RVC 530 (Turks and Caicos). XEEP is 1,758 miles from my location.

 

[vibe]

Great catch!! I'm thinking that w/ all the clutter on the AM Band the theoretical limit for long distance AM reception w/o any unusual antenna setup is about 1800-2000 mi.

 

[davideduardo]

Great catch!! I'm thinking that w/ all the clutter on the AM Band the theoretical limit for long distance AM reception w/o any unusual antenna setup is about 1800-2000 mi.

From the West Coast it is quite easy to get Australians, New Zealand stations and quite a few Chnese, Philippine and other Asian stations which operate on the 9 kHz separation system... even thinks like Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on 1475 has been a visitor for decades since it was activated in the early 70's.

 

[vibe]

David E-I agree w/ you; forgot about the Left Coasters who have a huge salt water path to the west. Good point.

 

[grantchester]

Congrats, Lawppy!
I check 1060 every morning on the way home, but there's a christian station in New Orleans that directs a lobe at North Texas, that usually overrides it. XEG used to always splatter across it too, but I haven't noticed that lately. I've heard some great tunes on XEEP. One night an hour of Joni Mitchell. Another night a half hour of Pentangle. One night they played the Mexican National Anthem for hours, over and over again.
When I was a boy working on my radio-telephone operators license I had to learn about 'Whistlers'.
Those are signals coming around the globe from the other side, out of phase with the signal you're listening to. I never heard one.
I do remember getting requests for CQ cards from Sweden, France and Japan at WOAI.
Someone could have made some pocket money printing those things up and selling them to stations

 

[Lawppy]

XEEP is 1,758 miles from my location.

That number was according to Google Earth. The radio distance program I have on my computer is saying 1,763 while Radio Locator says 1,765. My distance program is usually the most accurate, so i'm sticking with 1,763 miles for XEEP. I was in disbelief for about two hours that I actually heard the station. But the web stream and what was coming through my radio were about the same, so there's no doubt in my mind that I heard it.

The only bad thing about hearing a station from such a great distance is that it won't be so exciting when I finally break the Rockies and get KTNN or KDWN.

 

[davideduardo]

Someone could have made some pocket money printing those things up and selling them to stations

They certainly could have...

 

[pianoplayer88key]

Great catch!! I'm thinking that w/ all the clutter on the AM Band the theoretical limit for long distance AM reception w/o any unusual antenna setup is about 1800-2000 mi.

From the West Coast it is quite easy to get Australians, New Zealand stations and quite a few Chnese, Philippine and other Asian stations which operate on the 9 kHz separation system... even thinks like Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on 1475 has been a visitor for decades since it was activated in the early 70's.

How do you do this? I know my standards of radio reception aren't the same as yours - for example I can just about pick something out from under the noise, while you like probably at least a 75dB signal to noise ratio (or whatever the 10mV/m you mention provides), but I still have yet to log ANYTHING from across the Pacific. I'm near 32°45'40"N 116°56'50"W, btw, using a cheap portable radio (Panasonic RQ-SW10). I also have a Select-A-Tenna, but even with that haven't logged anything.
I do have quite a few strong locals, for example 600, 690, 800, 860, 910, 1040, 1170, 1210, 1240, 1360, 1470, 1700 which all splatter fairly strong +/- 10kHz, weak +/- 20kHz (also 760 in the daytime), plus 760 nighttime and 1130 which splatter strong +/- 2 channels and somewhat weaker +/- 3 channels. Stations that are barely receivable (fringe) for me using the radio's built-in antenna are 670 KIRN, 870 KRLA, 930 KHJ, 970 KNWZ, 980 KFWB, 1020 KTNQ, 1050 XED, 1110 KDIS (note: inaudible due to 1130's splatter, if 1130 is off then I can hear it a little better), 1190 from L.A. area, 1290 from Santa Barbara, 1320 KKSM, 1340 from Santa Barbara, 1520 KVTA.
Any suggestions on how to log these stations? I can switch my radio to 9kHz tuning increments, but even that doesn't bring them in. I wonder if my radio's selectivity is just too poor for where I am when I'm trying to log the trans-Pacific stations...
Also you've mentioned something about a minimum 10mV/m field strength for reception in L.A. Does that mean on a cheap portable radio from inside a shielded metal building, with 100s of computers, fluorescent lights, etc, on, with a 90dB signal-to-noise ratio on the station on your radio, or what DOES it mean? Also, what are your estimates for minimum field strength for clear reception or fringe reception in a rural area?
Last night, btw, I was listening to KMIK from Tempe, AZ, and that station was coming in as strong as I've ever heard them. Using only the radio's built-in antenna, it was lighting the tuning indicator on the adjacent channel, something only a few locals, like KOGO, XETRA (unless they've changed their calls), KFMB, KECR, KSDO, KCBQ, and KLSD do. (I don't have the software installed now, but I've looked at field strength for some of the locals I just mentioned, and at my location it's about 10mV/m. Is it possible that KMIK's skywave signal at the time was that strong?) There was hardly if any trace of KBLA Santa Monica. Now, if I could figure out what antenna system to use to get that good reception in the daytime from my location.... Bruce Carter, which loop antenna should I build?

 

[davideduardo]

How do you do this?

It takes a highly selective communications receiver capable of separating stations as close as 1 kHz from each other. The lowest priced I would recommend would be the ICOM R75, with additional filters installed and the KIWA modifications... about $700 in total. Then, the best is a used Drake R8, R8A or R8B, often found on e-bay around $1400 used. No longer in production, either. The AOR (At around $1700) is a good one, as are the JRD 500 series receivers.

Antenna is either a beveradfge (need a couple of acres of land minimum, or a park that is empty at night for the 1000 foot plus lengths required) or a tuned loop like the KIWA (About $500 on e bay.).

With these, on nights of good conditions, you can get the trans-Pacific stations, called "TPs" by DXers. You can find more info on Broadcast Band DX on the National Radio Club and Irternantional Radio Club of America websites.

I do have quite a few strong locals, for example 600, 690, 800, 860, 910, 1040, 1170, 1210, 1240, 1360, 1470, 1700 which all splatter fairly strong +/- 10kHz, weak +/- 20kHz (also 760 in the daytime), plus 760 nighttime and 1130 which splatter strong +/- 2 channels and somewhat weaker +/- 3 channels. Stations that are barely receivable (fringe) for me using the radio's built-in antenna are 670 KIRN, 870 KRLA, 930 KHJ, 970 KNWZ, 980 KFWB, 1020 KTNQ, 1050 XED, 1110 KDIS (note: inaudible due to 1130's splatter, if 1130 is off then I can hear it a little better), 1190 from L.A. area, 1290 from Santa Barbara, 1320 KKSM, 1340 from Santa Barbara, 1520 KVTA.

With a decent receiver, and directional loop, you can often get very close to the locals... sometimes within 4 or 5 kHz by nulling.

Also you've mentioned something about a minimum 10mV/m field strength for reception in L.A. Does that mean on a cheap portable radio from inside a shielded metal building, with 100s of computers, fluorescent lights, etc, on, with a 90dB signal-to-noise ratio on the station on your radio, or what DOES it mean?

It means that the local AM signal has to be that stroing to overcome most interference most of the time and to get frequent listening that the ratings company will detect.

Also, what are your estimates for minimum field strength for clear reception or fringe reception in a rural area?

We are not talking DX, but comfortable reception on clock and kitchen radios without noise. About 5 mv/m in most places, except, let's say, rural Dakotas or somewhere that there is literally no man made noise.