Your strong nighttime (skywave) AM stations?

[pianoplayer88key]

Ok, we've done an AM daytime bandscan.  Now, let's see what are some stations you hear at night.  Due to dynamic conditions we may hear different weak stations one night and another set of weak stations another night, so for this topic I'll limit it to the strong ones.

What are the strongest stations you regularly receive at night that aren't generally heard at midday?  I'm mostly interested in stations that when the signal is at its peak, are near full-quieting (almost no noticeable background noise), and/or are comparable in strength or stronger than some local groundwave signals serving the city of license where you live (or a larger city nearby - for example I'm near El Cajon, CA, which is in turn near San Diego, CA.  Los Angeles is even bigger, but it's upwards of 100 miles distant.)

Some of my nighttime "pests", as some of you DXers like to call them, include:

720 - KDWN Las Vegas, NV
740 - KCBS San Francisco, CA
840 - KXNT North Las Vegas, NV
1180 - KERN Wasco-Greenacres, CA
1530 - KFBK Sacramento, CA
1580 - KMIK Tempe, AZ - I actually had this one almost peg the meter (97dBuV - max is 98dBuV) on my Tecsun PL-606, by coupling the radio and Select-A-Tenna to a utility pole grounding wire up the street from my house. It was so strong that the radio was overloading, distorting the audio on-channel. (To get another signal that strong using just the built-in ferrite bar, I had to be about 90 feet from 1290 KKDD's 5kW transmitter one recent early afternoon.)

Those are some stations whose signals I've seen (my radio has a relative signal strength indicator) meet or exceed the strength of some of my locals.  Now, what are yours?

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Directionals beamed this way are strongest.

SE Michigan

700 WLW
720 WGN
780 WBBM
840 WHAS
890 WLS
1000 WMVP
1030 WBZ
1060 KYW
1100 WTAM
1140 WRVA
1190 WOWO when it was 50 kW night
1510 WLAC
1530 WCKY
1540 KXEL

Straits Area Michigan

In addition to mainly the same strong signals as SE Michigan, and including two Class B high power stations

760 WJR
910 WFDF
950 WWJ

Others very strong in other parts of Michigan

1040 WHO
1120 KMOX
1160 WYLL
1180 WHAM
1270 WXYT

Strongest from longer distances (lower midpoint latitude)

750 WSB
870 WWL

 

[vibe]

Near Worcester MA-emphasis on the 300+ mi stations:
1. 1100 Cleve-(WTAM?) consistently strong-enjoy the sports
2. 1500 Wash-call letters used to be WTOP
3. 1520 Buffalo WWKB? monstah signal; those are the 3 strongest
Honorable mentions-not strong but consistent
1. 780 Chi WBBM-decent signal for 800+ mi distance
2. 1110 Charlotte-WBT good signal here and in SW Fla

 

[radioman148]

In Northern Illinois the strongest night signals for me have usually been, WLW, WSM, WBZ, WRVA, WLAC,& KXEL. WBZ is not quite as strong as it used to be, but still very good.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Probably because they have shorter, less efficient radiators, WFAN (WNBC) and WSCR (WMAQ) never seemed quite as strong as stations not in the 600s. It might also have to do with varying propagation with different frequencies. Or perhaps the alignment of the typical radio attenuates the lower frequencies more.

 

[LibertyNT]

Just a little north of Dallas in McKinney, TX.

I put the State, Country, or Station Name if I forgot the Call Letters

530 Cuba
580 WIBW
640 KFI
650 WSM
670 The Score (Chicago)
700 WLW (Underneath local KHSE)
720 WGN
750 WSB
780 WBBM
800 XEROK
830 WCCO
840 WHAS
850 KOA
860 KKOW
870 WWL (Super Strong)
890 WLS (Usually on top, but can be quite horrible at times)
920 KARN
1040 WHO
1070 KLIO (If KRLD's IBOC is off)
1100 KMZZ
1110 KFAB
1120 KMOX
1130 KWKH
1170 KFAQ
1200 WOAI
1290 KIVY
1500 KSTP (After Daytimer KJIM Signs-Off)
1520 KOKC
1570 XERF (Super Strong)
1640 KFXY
1680 KRJO

 

[radioman148]

Probably because they have shorter, less efficient radiators, WFAN (WNBC) and WSCR (WMAQ) never seemed quite as strong as stations not in the 600s. It might also have to do with varying propagation with different frequencies. Or perhaps the alignment of the typical radio attenuates the lower frequencies more.

I wonder what kind of signal WNBC (WFAN) had towards the midwest when their transmitter was located at Port Washington, Long Island.
They used a DA, nulling the eastern part of LI. When the population on LI grew they moved to WCBS' tower in 1962.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Here in Michigan, it always seemed that either Chicago was in or New York City was in. Rarely were they both really strong at the same time. I'm not sure if that had to do with the geographic location of E ionization clouds, or the height of the E ionization clouds, or both. Of course it could switch around at various times of the night sometimes also. There were nights when WCFL/WMVP hardly came in at all, and other times when it was the strongest skywave signal we could get. When the Class Is were weak, WNUS 1390 was often stronger.

I could always get WCFL/WMVP in the daytime in the 1960s-1970s where I was living in SE MI, and I measured it at about 50 uV/m during the daytime. Of course, WMAQ/WSCR 670 was better, around 200 uV/m groundwave in the coldest part of winter. WTMJ at 5000 watts omni was around 50 uV/m. When WMAQ/WSCR was on 5 kW auxiliary with a 1/4 wave, WAIT/WCPT when the TL was in Elmhurst was STRONGER with 5 kW than WMAQ.

 

[radioman148]

Here in Michigan, it always seemed that either Chicago was in or New York City was in. Rarely were they both really strong at the same time. I'm not sure if that had to do with the geographic location of E ionization clouds, or the height of the E ionization clouds, or both. Of course it could switch around at various times of the night sometimes also. There were nights when WCFL/WMVP hardly came in at all, and other times when it was the strongest skywave signal we could get. When the Class Is were weak, WNUS 1390 was often stronger.

I could always get WCFL/WMVP in the daytime in the 1960s-1970s where I was living in SE MI, and I measured it at about 50 uV/m during the daytime. Of course, WMAQ/WSCR 670 was better, around 200 uV/m groundwave in the coldest part of winter. WTMJ at 5000 watts omni was around 50 uV/m. When WMAQ/WSCR was on 5 kW auxiliary with a 1/4 wave, WAIT/WCPT when the TL was in Elmhurst was STRONGER with 5 kW than WMAQ.

The only Detroit stations that came in here via groundwave was WJR & CKLW (much weaker). WWJ & WCAR/WDFN are visitors during critical hours.

 

[BRNout]

In Northern Illinois the strongest night signals for me have usually been, WLW, WSM, WBZ, WRVA, WLAC,& KXEL. WBZ is not quite as strong as it used to be, but still very good.

You forgot WHAS, their signal is one of the best around here. I'd add WJR, WTAM and WCCO to your list as well.

WBZ's signal is now severely degraded versus what it used to be thanks to the IBOC travesty that goes on in that portion of the band. I believe it's WHO's IBlock which does most of the damage with a bit from KDKA thrown in for good measure. Then again, WHO would have a great signal in the Chicago area too - except that WBZ's IBlock interferes with it too.

 

[Icangelp]

SW Ohio

700/740/1530 are locals & 840 may as well be.

650 WSM Nashville
720 WGN
760 WJR Detroit
770 WABC New York
780 WBBM Chicago
830 WCCO Minneapolis (Occasionaly fights it out with WTRU Kernersville NC)
860 CJBC Toronto CN
870 WWL NOLA
880 WCBS NYNY
890 WLS Chicago
1000 WMVP Chicago
1040 WHO Des Moines
1100 WTAM Cleveland
1120 KMOX St Louis
1140 WRVA Richmond VA
1210 WPHT Philadelphia
1510 WLAC Nashville

Way back in time before color TV, FM Rock, wireless and comfortable underwear...

There were tons of Caribbean and Central American stations to be heard, including many using "split" frequencies.

525 TICAL "Radio Rumbo" (1KW) in Costa Rica was the lowest frequency New World AM broadcaster
660 New York their signal sucked back then also
670 Was Cuba most nights
690 Canadian clear
770 WABC boomed in
800 was ruled by PJB in Bonaire
800 XEROK just across from El Paso could be heard
810 when conditions favored 250KW radio Sutatenza in Columbia was there and often a new DXer's first SA catch
820 WFAA/WBAP were reliable
900 was XEW
940 was Canada
1030 WBZ roared
1160 WJJD was stong until it was time to defer to KSL
1160 KSL was a semi regular
1160 also meant a chance to hear Radio Swan, a service of the Gibraulter Steamship Company
1180 WHAM had a consistantly good signal in Indianapolis
1190 WOWO was a Westinghouse signal booming in throughout the East and SEast
1200 WOAI was a flame thrower
1540 KXEL was always there with off-beat programming
1570 XERF in Vila Acuna MX right across from Del Rio was listenable most nights. First time I heard the Wolfman. "XERF in Vila Acuna Mexico, baby" I think that was it anyway.
1610 Was THE pirate frequency

 

[ddsparxx]

Northern VA,
550 WGR
650 WSM
660 WFAN
670 WSCR
700 WLW
710 WOR
720 WGN
740 CFZM
750 WSB
760 WJR
770 WABC
780 WBBM
800 CKLW
810 WGY
840 WHAS
870 WWL, though I heard it better at nights in NC
880 WCBS
890 WLS
1010 WNIS
1030 WBZ
1100 WTAM
1110 WBT
1120 KMOX
1130 WBBR
1170 WWVA, especially before theirs towers were knocked down
1180 WHAM
1210 WPHT
1520 WKBW
1430 Toronto's multi-ethnic CHKT (not sure if that's the right calls) may be included as I have heard it pretty well here at nights.
1530 WSAI, or is it WCKY?
1560 WQEW
KDKA and WHO had been a regular here at night but at least half of their signals are interfered by WBZ's IBLOCK.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

One of the cable channels has "Somewhere In Time" showing now, and I heard the WJJD jingle in the movie, and I was just reminded how strong the WJJD 1160 skywave used to be in SE Michigan when it used the day pattern until KSL sunset. They went to the four tower pattern with ~5 kW night, and that cut it way back, and then they had to reduce that 10% (ratchet clause) when WYLL went to 50 kW night from Lockport/Joliet toward WCXI 1160 Fenton, MI.

 

[austingrace]

altamonte springs fl.
have not am dxed at night in a while but plan to put the pl-390 through it's paces on friday night when it gets here.
750 wsb is regular at night. also 840 from kentucky. forget the calls. think it's wwaz. wbt 1110 is pretty regular as well. 650 wsm comes in but i have to walk outside to receive it. but we have 660 worl so i have to turn the radio the right way to get it. i have heard wgn a few times heer as welll. that's about it for now but i'll defanatly post an update once i use the pl-390 more. can't wait to use it.

 

[pianoplayer88key]

Just to clarify something here....

When I started this topic, I didn't mean list ALL the nighttime stations you hear every night (or nearly so).  I've seen people list like 20 or 30 stations, and have even seen comments like some have to go outside to hear some stations.

I meant what are your exceptionally strong, local-like skywave stations?  I specifically mean stations that during propagation peaks literally sound like locals.  These would be so strong that you'd have to crank up the volume during the silent parts of a talk show (when no one's talking) to hear any static.  They would sound as strong as your local stations (whose transmitters are maybe less than 10 miles away over good ground and 1kW or more) even using only a pocket radio's stock loopstick antenna.
If you were to tune in stations at a strength like I'm thinking of using a large tuned loop (several feet or a few dozen feet) or longwire (several hundred or a few thousand feet) antenna, they would very likely overload your radio - not just the front end (where it splatters/intermods or blocks across much of the band) but so the actual audio on-channel is clipping / overdriven / distorted. (What kind of overload would that be called, anyway?)

For me, stations like that include:
720 KDWN Las Vegas, NV (50kW, directional including me in wide lobe about 250 mi)
740 KCBS San Francisco, CA (50kW, major lobe toward me about 450 mi)
840 KXNT North Las Vegas, NV (25kW, narrow lobe right toward me about 250 mi)
1530 KFBK Sacramento, CA (50kW, 2 Franklins push a big lobe at me less than 500 mi)
1580 KMIK Tempe, AZ (50kW, beamed almost toward me with 6 towers from 300 mi)

Hopefully sometime I can post links to recordings of these stations (either with the Sony SRF-59 or the Tecsun PL-606) to show what I mean.

Now....

What are your VERY STRONG skywave signals??

 

[LibertyNT]

What are your VERY STRONG skywave signals??

Ah,
That would be
870 WWL
1200 WOAI
1570 XERF

All From Just a little north of Dallas.

 

[pianoplayer88key]

What are your VERY STRONG skywave signals??

Ah,
That would be
870 WWL
1200 WOAI
1570 XERF

All From Just a little north of Dallas.

Ah ok. How strong are they typically compared to signals like 570 KLIF, 620 KMKI, 820 WBAP or 1080 KRLD?

Something I was just thinking, too, about my list of strong stations in my latest post. None of them are audible here on a stock portable during the day due to high dial position or poor ground along the path (and one has a nearby daytime-only co-channel). I think, though, that if it was all saltwater (and the high ones might need to be 900, 910 (IF*2) or 1000 (easier 2 calculate) kHz lower) path, they would be blasting in like city-grade locals during the day.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

That reminds me tfcwings, did you ever look into the field strength meter/S-meter secondary calibration we talked about? Because without a single standard to compare it to, judging skywave strengths is kind of difficult. Like we talked about, receivers amplify and atttenuate different frequencies differently, and each receiver is also different in that regard. Most stock radios attenuate the lower end of the AM dial more, to compensate somewhat for the groundwave field strength differential favoring the lower end of the dial.

 

[Icangelp]

Note to tfcwings.

While a "thread starter" has every right to re-state the intent in the tread, the thread is not owned by the initiator, nor are the other posters humble subjects of the thread King.

I'll allow that some folks are ruled by the control freak/micro manager side of the brain, and forgive you this time.

You don't work at the post office, do you? ;D

 

[gar hi]

If we're talking only the very strong nighttime signals, then it would only be one here in Tampa, WWL.

Even during the day, it sounds almost like a local over at the beach with it's strong ground wave.

Most of the time, it even takes over the splatter from the neighboring local on 860.