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THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed
and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License
published by Michael Stutz at http://dsl.org/copyleft/dsl.txt
Today's Topics:
1. CPC DX Test QSL Report WWKY 990 and WMST 1150- Dual Test DX
From Kentucky (Les Rayburn)
2. Glenn Hauser logs July 2-3-4, 2022 (Glenn Hauser)
3. CPC DX Test QSL Report KQKD 1380 Redfield, South Dakota
(Les Rayburn)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2022 01:42:37 -0500
From: Les Rayburn <[email protected]>
To: [email protected], IRCA List <[email protected]>, via NRC-AM
<[email protected]>, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]>, WAYNE HEINEN <[email protected]>,
[email protected], [email protected], Hard-Core-DX
<[email protected]>, Tore Larsson
<[email protected]>
Cc: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." <[email protected]>, DX Central
<[email protected]>, Joseph Miller <[email protected]>
Subject: [HCDX] CPC DX Test QSL Report WWKY 990 and WMST 1150- Dual
Test DX From Kentucky
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
My apologies for the lengthy delay in verifying this season?s DX Test
receptions. The fault is mine. The rest of the CPC, including Joseph, Paul, and
George, have all volunteered to take this off my plate. Now that I?ve completed
listening to all the recordings and compiling a list of verified receptions,
Joseph Miller, KJ8O, will design cards and send out electronic QSLs in the
coming weeks. Please be patient with him.
This is the first report. I hope to finish those for KJJR, KQKD, and WCGA
tomorrow.
WWKY 990 Winchester, KY & WMST 1150 Mount Sterling, KY DUAL-DX TEST
One of my favorite tests in recent years was conducted by the owner of the
stations, Hays McMakin. After an exhausting schedule of broadcasting high
school basketball playoffs in Kentucky, which involves a lot of travel and late
night, Hays agreed to stay up late to offer a rare chance to log new stations
from the Bluegrass state.
These particular tests were arranged by Harry Dence, who went to bat for the
entire hobby. Without DX?ers willing to leverage their local contacts, most DX
tests would never happen. Thanks so much, Harry!
SOAPBOX:
Wayne Heinen, N0POH, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, managed to null posts KRKS just five
miles west of his QTH in Colorado and CBW in Winnipeg to snag WWKY on 990 from
Kentucky. Including a great recording of three minutes of rock-solid Morse Code
IDs from the station.
Walt Salmaniw, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, also managed to log
WWKY 990 from his home in Masset in SW Ohio using his Perseus SDR and ALA-100LN
antenna.
Vince Cavaseno, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged WWKY
990 ?barefoot? on his CCRadio Plus in Brookline, MA, with sweep tones. No joy
with WMST, but it certainly wasn?t for lack of trying.
Vasiliy Lazarev, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
in Stavropolsky raion, Russia, used an online Kiwi SDR owned by Christopher
Smolinksi, W3HFU in Westmister, MD to log the test. Chris?s SDR is not only
online for all to use. But it?s also equipped with a 500-foot beverage antenna.
Congratulations to both Vasiliy and Chris for logging the station from
Maryland.
Tom Jasinski, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in Joliet,
IL, managed to snag both WMST 1150 & WWKY on 990. It was nicely done, Tom!
Timmy Harvath, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in
Clarksburg, WV, logged both stations using a PL-330 portable. Timmy sent in an
excellent MP4 video recording of his receptions. Could you keep them coming? I
love to hear reports from Mothman Country!
Sylvain Naud, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used sweep tones to
his advantage to log both stations from his DX shack in Portneuf, QC, Canada,
snagging the first international test reception.
Steve Howe, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in Saint Albans,
Vermont, also managed to log both tests to add two new stations to his logbook.
This, despite a lot of QRM from CKOC, making it challenging to pull WMST 1150
out of the noise. In the end, Morse Code, sweeps, and the sound of a landline
telephone in off-hook condition made it through. For Paul Walker and our other
younger DX?ers, remind me to explain what the term ?off the hook? means to you.
Or Google it. Get off my lawn!
* Steve, we could use your help in arranging a DX Test with a station in
Vermont. Please contact me and let me know if you have any contacts that could
help.
Not everyone was as fortunate as Steve. Stephanie Battaglino, in Palm Desert,
CA, decided to sit this one out due to the high winds at her location. She
wanted to try for it but didn?t want to chance losing one of her loop antennas.
You?ll get them next time.
*Stephanie, we?re also looking to line up a couple of stations to test from
California in the fall. Please reach out to me if you have any leads for us!
Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
logged WMST 1150 quickly on his trusty Icom IC-R8600 receiver from Wolcott, CT.
WWKY was a no-go despite a lot of attempts using four different antennas. WNTY
990 is only 4 miles from Stan?s shack, making it a long shot at best. Still a
new station in the log for Stan?so well done!
James C. Reda, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> of Beaver
Falls, PA (Shout out to the home of Broadway Joe! Roll Tide!) sent in dynamite
recordings of both WWKY and WMST. He uses a Sony ICF SW7600GR portable for his
DXing. This is an underrated portable capable of excellent receptions.
Russ Lay, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> of Nags Head,
NC, used the impressive Eton 850 with the rotatable MW loopstick antenna to log
both stations. Lots of QRM and noise, but the sweep tones, phone off-hook, and
CW cut through everything to be heard in both recordings. Thanks for sending
those in, Russ. Nice catches!
Ronald Musco, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used the
legendary R-390A to snag both stations from the Bluegrass in Poquonock, CT.
Ronald is a former CPC Chairman, so he understands what is involved in setting
up these tests. He passed along his sincere thanks to both owner/engineer Hays
McMakin and Harry Dence for making these tests possible. We?re grateful for
Ronald?s years of service to the hobby. His DX Tests helped put many new ones
in my logbook. Happy to be a small part of returning the favor.
It was a good night for DX?ers named Ronald. Powder Springs, Georgia?s
listening legend Ronald Martin, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, also heard both tests on a Radiowow R-108. He
had some trouble from WAKM in Memphis logging WWKY, but the CW was audible
underneath in his recording. Thank you for two great recordings and a clear,
concise report.
Rob Ross, VA3SW, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in London, Ontario,
Canada, but both stations into his logbook. WWKY 990 was a new station for Rob,
while WMST was an always welcome relog from Kentucky. Mr. Ross is rocking some
top-of-the-line gear with an Elad FDM-S2 SDR receiver and a Wellbrook ALA-1530
Imperium loop making the magic happen.
And Rob Keeney, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, reported
both stations were ?blasting into his QTH in West Union, SC.? Rob can hear a
pin drop from his shack, so these loggings came as no surprise.
Rik, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in CT, used a PL-368 along with
a beverage-on-the-ground antenna to log WMST 1150 but had no joy hearing WWKY
on 990.
Rick Dau, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, added
two new ones to his already impressive logbook. Living in South Omaha,
Nebraska, he?s heard nearly every station on 1150. He quickly heard WWKY?s
Morse Code IDs despite interference from CBW. And then he struggled a bit more
with QRM from KSAL to pull in WMST. Rick uses a Kenwood R-5000 and a Quantum DX
Pro Loop. (I always wanted one of those Quantum loops!)
Rich Line, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, in
Sterling Heights, Michigan, employed the consistently effective WinRadio
WR-G31DDC and a 40 Meter Delta Loop antenna to snag both stations. Rich was
surprised by the signals' strength, especially from WWKY 990. Nice catches,
Rich.
Kostiantyn Pravotorov, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, used a
KiwiSDR near the stations in Lexington, KY, to log both tests. These online
SDRs provide an opportunity for DX?ers in other parts of the world to hear
tests that would otherwise be impossible due to antenna restrictions,
conditions, etc.
Phillip Chiello, Jr., [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> of
Elm Grove, WI, used one of the top portables of all time, the Sony ICF-2010
?barefoot,? to log both stations from his home near Milwaukee. He sent along
two crystal clear recordings. You could even hear the singing jingles for both
stations in the recording. What a treat to listen to. Well done, sir.
Peter Laws, N5UWY, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in Norman, logged
WMST on 1150 with CW overcoming the pest from Kansas running ?Art
Bell-Somewhere in Time? programming. But had no joy with WWKY due to QRM from
nearby KTOK 1000 on the next channel. In addition to his exploits on MW, Peter
is an impressive ham with nearly every award that amateur radio offers to his
credit.
Paul Staupe, W0AD, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, does his DXing
from Minnetonka, MN. He put great equipment and skill to work to log both
stations despite a lot of QRM from nearby WHBY in Kimberly, WI. Paul employed
an AirSpy HF+ Discovery SDR (top performer that can outperform a Drake R8B) and
a 500? long SE Beverage antenna to snag the Kentucky duo.
*If you want to try your hand at SDR technology and want a receiver that will
compete head-to-head with Perseus, Elad, etc., you cannot beat the AirSpy HF+
Discovery. It?s under $170 right now at: https://v3.airspy.us
<https://v3.airspy.us/>
Chris Rigas, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Wood
Dale, IL, heard both stations near his shack in the Chicago area. WWKY 990 was
battling it with CBW but winning! While WMST 1150 was mixing it up with WHBY
and holding its own. WMST was an ATNO (All Time New One) in the log for Chris.
Congratulations.
MIke Gorniak, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
reported both stations were strong in East Central Minnesota. Sweeps and Morse
Code broke through the QRM. Mike likes a more leisurely approach to the hobby,
doing his DXing from the kitchen table using the top-notch CC Radio 3. Mike is
about having fun in the pursuit without sweating the small stuff. A good lesson
for the rest of us, Mike. You don?t need an antenna farm or CIA-worthy
equipment rack to hear great DX.
Master DX?er Nigel Pimblett, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
may operate a listening post for the Candian Security Intelligence Service! He
certainly could with his great location in Dunmore, Alberta, Canada, and the
impressive list of equipment he uses. Nigel has logged just four Kentucky
stations in over 40 years of DXing but added two more with these tests. He used
a Perseus SDR and a phased Array of Wellbrook loops to put them into the log
book. Nigel would tell us more about how he does it, but then he?d have to kill
us.
Pimblett also logged Cuba, XECL, and KRSL during the test period. Sounds like a
great night.
John Johnson, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> of
Mesa, Arizona, couldn?t pull WWKY 990 out. Blowtorch XECL was too much. But he
did manage to snag WMST 1150 with the tone, codes, and sweeps despite some QRM
from KEIB. His semi-local KCKY seemed to be off the air during the test in a
nice bit of luck! He nicely included a recording and photo of what the sweep
tones looked like on his Perseus SDR.
Legendary UK DX?er Steve Whitt of Clashmore, Scotland, reported a ?very poor
night? for North American signals during the test. Nothing from the USA except
for a few regular 50 kW stations. Good news to those in the Old World, Hays
McMakin has already hinted that he has some additional maintenance coming up in
the fall, so another test is possible. Stay tuned.
Mike Booker, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of the most
diverse city in North America, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, reported Morse Code
IDs, sweep tones, and more under CBW on 900 kHz to add WWKY to his log. But
800lb gorilla CKOC proved too much to allow reception of WMST. Nice catch,
Mike.
The ?other? Mike B, Mike Bugai of Enfield, CT, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> logged the Kentucky Duo with Morse Code IDs copied
on both stations. Mike mentioned, "I haven?t stayed up late for a DX Test in
decades. I guess I picked a good one to lose sleep over!?
Martin Foltz, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Sarasota,
Florida, battled QRM from Cuba to log WWKY on 990. He also used one of my
favorites, a Sony SRF-M37W, to pull in both stations. Martin sent along four
great recordings to document his great catches.
Cuba also gave CPC Chairman Les Rayburn, N1LF, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, some difficulty with WMKY, but with some
phasing, I could put both stations in the logbook for two new catches. For some
reason, Kentucky can be tough to hear from Alabama. Thanks to Hayes and Harry
for the new ones!
Mark Connelly, WA1ION, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> in Cape
Cod, MA, seems to hear everything from his seaside perch. No surprise that he
managed to log not only both tests but even to listen to the singing jingle for
WMST. This is despite some competition from WDXC and WWDJ. Tip of the hat to
you, sir.
Mark Garrett, KA9SZX, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, is another
fortunate DX?er who managed to log both stations from Kentucky from his shack
in Macomb, IL. Mark used a Radio Shack DX-440 with its internal antenna to null
QRM from both KCPS and CBW to turn the trick.
Mark DeLorenzo, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> of South
Dennis, MA, logged WWKY 990 under both WNTP and WDCX. He thanked the DX Gods
for the sweep tones, which did the trick. This is KY station #12 for Mark. He
notes that the Bluegrass State is brutal to hear, except WHAS 840. We agree!
Linda Brodsky, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, ?bagged ?em both!?
from her home in Maiverne, NY. She used a CC Crane Skywave SSB portable and
even managed to record the jingle! The CC Crane Skywave is my ?portable of
choice? for some great SSS DX when walking the dogs. It?s put dozens of new
stations in the log. Highly recommended.
Thanks for the great recordings, Linda.
Kiv Zichi, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged the test
from his listening post in Willamston, MI using an RSPdx SDR receiver, +ANC-4
for noise reduction, and a random wire. He used I/Q recordings to record the
test and could play it back later to hear both stations. He sent in great
recordings and this screenshot of WWKY.
Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, described 990
kHz as being ?similar to a graveyard frequency? at his location in Manassas,
VA. He battled interference from WTLN in Orlando, WMNL in Knoxville, and even
the Cuban national anthem to add WWKY to his log. Having some great gear in the
form of a WinRadio G33DDC SDR and a Wellbrook ALA1530S+ Imperium loop antenna
made sure he would come out on top. You can hear for yourself at the links
below:
Program ID:
0000:43 Morse code. Brief audio
https://misc.kg4lac.com/WWKY_990kHz_0000EDT_April-10-2022_MorseCode.wav
<https://misc.kg4lac.com/WWKY_990kHz_0000EDT_April-10-2022_MorseCode.wav>
0003:28 bubble up tones. Brief audio
https://misc.kg4lac.com/WWKY_990kHz_0003EDT_April-10-2022_BubbleUpTones.wav
<https://misc.kg4lac.com/WWKY_990kHz_0003EDT_April-10-2022_BubbleUpTones.wav>
DX?er Karl Forth, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Chicago, did even better. He successfully logged the pair of Kentucky stations
during the test. Fortunately for Karl, he had less QRM to deal with than Kraig
faced in Virginia. Like real estate, DXing is all about location, location,
location!
John Hanna, W9HC, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, included two of
the best recordings received by the CPC for the test. You can make out the
opening announcement. He logged both stations but noted that WWKY 990 was a
challenge due to the blowtorch station, WMVP on 1000, just 7 miles from his
home in Brookfield, IL. He even sent a YouTube video link showing off his
receptions. His shack is an excellent mix of vintage and modern gear. This
video is a treat! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvrmKdG1hhs
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvrmKdG1hhs>
Top-notch gear also turned the tide in favor of John Fisher,
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Kingston, Ontario,
Canada, who used a Perseus SDR and a 65-foot-long wire feed by the Wellbrook
ALA100LN transformer/amplifier to hear both stations from Kentucky. The opening
announcement for WMST 1150 is clear despite a lot of QRM. Thanks for sending in
two great MP3 recordings, John.
Joe Burke, W1INC, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, also
logged WMST from his shack in Concord, NH. His recording was made using a
Grundig 600 Pro with a center-fed dipole antenna. It was remarkably free from
QRM for most of the recording. Morse Code ID and sweep tones could be heard.
Good job, Joe.
Alex Kaminski, N8UCN, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
nailed both stations from the Buckeye Monitoring Post in Springboro, Ohio. He
used a C Crane CCRadio Plus with a small loop to capture both logs, despite
heavy interference from CBW. It was nicely done, Alex. But I?m still never
going to pull for Ohio State.
Jim Renfrew, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, also bagged
his limit by logging both stations. Not sure this is legal at his QTH in
Holley, NY, because DX Hunting Season usually closes before April. In all
seriousness, Jim is one of the top hunters for weak signal DX. So much so that
WMST was a relog for Jim. He captured it during sunset DXing back in January
2021. WWKY was a new one in his logbook.
Jim brought out the big guns for these late-season trophies. His weapon of
choice was the Drake R8B with two long wire antennas and a Quantum phaser to
help tweak the signals. The R8B is one of the best receivers I?ve ever owned,
and nothing sounds better. You can listen to it for hours.
Not surprising that James Niven, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, pulled off the ?Texas Two-Step? by logging both
stations from the Lone Star State. James constantly logs an impressive amount
of DX from his home in Austin and overcame interference from nearby KRCD to
pull in WWKY 990. WMST on 1150 was considerably more accessible for him to
hear?another successful round of tests for the Western DX ace.
Bill Whitacre, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Alexandria, VA (just
outside Washington, DC) heard both WMKY and WMST, with 1150 being the more
potent. He even managed to copy the voice ids and jingles. Bill uses a Perseus
SDR receiver, running JAGUAR software which is tailored for MW DXing, and a 15
X 50-foot Superloop antenna. This is a powerful listening post near our
nation?s Capitol.
Greg Harris, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged both stations
from his QTH near Chicago Heights, IL. The former US Navy Radioman (RM1) had no
trouble copying the Morse code ids on his Icom R75 and Quantum Loop antenna
combination. For fun, Greg also copied both stations using only a Sangean
DT200X Ultralight receiver! Go Navy!
Glen Small, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, was another DX?er
who grabbed both stations for his log. This time from his shack in Shrewsbury,
MA. Nice catches, Glen!
Gerard Hart, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, also
successfully copied test signals from both stations from his monitoring station
in Niagara Falls, NY. As with many others, WMST on 1150 was the more
straightforward catch. G-Man used an AirSpy HF+ Discovery SDR running SDR
Console software and a YouLoop antenna.
Fred Zalupski, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, in Atco, NJ,
used an Icom IC-R75 with the MLA-30+ Active Loop to receive both stations. The
great part of Fred?s reception is that the MLA-30+ is indoors, not outside. He
also experimented with the CCRadio 2 and the Sony ICF-2010. All three worked to
receive both stations?but Sony was the standout performer. Hard to be a legend,
and the Sony 2010 is that.
Fred Schroyer, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Waynesburg, PA, marveled at his ability to receive both DX Tests. With the WMST
test, he heard the opening announcement. Fred was wondering to whom the silky
smooth female voice belonged. He may be surprised to learn that it is a
computer-generated voice. I input the text I want, and the computer generates a
human-sounding voice. It takes a bit of tweaking to make call letters sound
natural, but once the timing is right?it?s great. Great job with the test,
Fred!
Fernando Cano, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged
the WMST 1150 DX Test, sending in an excellent recording of the sweep tones. I
heard using his RSP DX SDR and a Wellbrook loop antenna. Unfortunately, Fred
didn?t mention where he was listening from. This is essential information for
the station. Please let us know your QTH, Fernando, so that we can pass it on.
Dene Lynneberg, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, listened to
both tests on the Kiwi SDR online. This SDR is located in nearby Lexington, KY.
It was built and maintained by Christopher Gay, KU4A. The SDR is connected to
the MFJ-1886 Wideband loop antenna. It performs well indeed on the AM band.
There was a crowd using the SDR, including listeners in Norway, Hesperia,
California, and even Oklahoma DX?er Glenn Hauser. Dene makes his home in New
Zealand, so the online SDR was his ticket to hearing these dual tests.
David J. Sullivan, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Jersey City, NJ, sent in a fantastic clear MP3 recording of both tests. The
opening announcement could be heard like a semi-local. The code was an armchair
copy. David uses the AirSpy HF+ Discovery SDR connected to an indoor YouLoop,
which does an excellent job of rejecting noise sources. Nicely done, David.
The New York/New Jersey pipeline into Kentucky continued with the success of
David Hochfelder, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, in
Albany, NY. He included two prominent recordings with his emailed reception
report.
Carl Dabeisein, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, included
recordings of the dual tests as well. Bagging both stations with relative ease.
His listening post is Maple Grove, MN, and features an Icom R-75 receiver and a
15? X 32? Flag Antenna, which is doing an excellent job for Carl. Please keep
these DX Test reports coming from the North.
The West Coast was represented well by Bruce Portzer, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, Seattle, WA. His attached recording left no doubt
of his success, with several Morse Code IDs heard for WWKY 990. Bruce is a
superstar DX?er who often digs weak signals out with his Perseus SDR receiver
and Delta Loop antennas. He phases them against each other to reduce noise and
peak the signals. The proof is in the pudding with this 2,020-mile reception!
Take a bow, Bruce!
Brent Taylor, VY2HF, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada, logged both tests. He provided
forensic evidence that would convince any CSI technician in Exhibit A (WWKY
recording) and Exhibit B (WMST recording). If it might please the DX court, we
declare him guilty of a Reception in the First Degree!
We?ve determined that the weapons Brent used were the SDRPlay RSPdx and the
Wellbrook ALA-1530AL.
More success to report from the Garden State too. Bob Antoniuk, N2SU,
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, overcame QRM from nearby
Philadelphia stations to hear both stations from Kentucky. Bob has his shack in
beautiful Clifton, NJ.
Superman is allergic to Kryptonite, and the dual DX test from Kentucky proved
that Super-DXer Bjarne Mjelde of Artic fame isn?t truly invulnerable either.
His Fortress of Solitude comes in the form of two (very) remote sites. They
feature remote-controlled Perseus SDR receivers, low noise locations, and
kilometer-long Beverage antennas. All this adds up to super-hearing to rival
the Man of Steel himself. But poor conditions and the rapidly approaching
sunrise left Bjarne with nothing to show for his efforts this time. If you?ve
never seen his incredible DXing efforts, take a look at:
arcticdx.blogspot.com <http://arcticdx.blogspot.com/>
Remote SDR:
arcticsdr.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/ <http://arcticsdr.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/>
Bill Coury, N8UUP, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Ypsilanti,
Michigan, knows something about freezing temperatures, even in April. But he
had better fortune than Bjarne, capturing both stations despite the best
efforts of arch-villain WDEO, who attempted to defeat our hero. Thanks for the
great recordings of both stations, BIll.
Dalton, Georgia, is best known for carpet mills and an ?eccentric?
Congresswoman. But Brian Dominguez, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, managed to pull in the iPhone ringtone
signal from the WWKY 990 test as it briefly faded up. Excellent job, sir.
Andree Bollin, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Wolfsburg,
Germany, logged both tests using an SDR in Westerville, Ohio. Andree noted that
he does a lot of DXing the old-fashioned way, with no Internet involved from
Wolfsburg, a town of 125,000 people. It?s known as ?Motorcity? because it?s the
home of the main plant for VW. Learn more about his AM DXing exploits at:
http://www.abo.bplaced.de <http://www.abo.bplaced.de/>
Closer to home, Tom Jaskinski, WDX9HVL, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, of Joliet, IL, was happy to log a new one in the form
of WWKY 990. He sent along four great MP3 recordings to prove his good fortune.
One included an armchair copy of the ?Retro Singing Jingle? produced by the CPC
just for use in this DX Test.
Allen Willie, VOPC1AA, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used
an Icom R75 with a 600-foot terminated Beverage antenna to pull in both
stations. He had to battle QRM from Spain and CBW Winnipeg to log WWKY, while
CKOC Hamilton and WHBY in Wisconsin provided competition for 1150. He sent in
an excellent MP3 recording that made verification a snap. Keep it up!
SUMMARY
The Dual DX Tests from Kentucky generated more reception reports than any test
in recent memory. Despite rising static levels and a surprise solar storm just
hours before the test, this success was achieved. An April test ruled out any
international receptions from Europe or Scandanavia, as we might see in the
winter months. Still, domestic reports poured in from diverse specialty groups
of DX?ers.
The Ultralight crowd got involved, amateur radio operators who rarely Medium
Wave DX joined in the fun, and so did DXers from coast-to-coast. The Courtesy
Program Committee would love to thank Hayes McMakin, the owner of both
stations, and Harry Dence, who helped with the coordination. They did all the
heavy lifting.
Hoping we can twist Hayes's arm and arrange a wintertime test later this year.
With longer nights and more darkness for our international DXers, it will be
fun to crank it up and see what WWKY and WMST can do!
73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf
NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman
Member WTFDA, MWC
Perseus SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP Duo, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy
Modified], Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps,
Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active
Whip.
?Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else?s favorite song??
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2022 23:47:49 +0000 (UTC)
From: Glenn Hauser <[email protected]>
To: WOR DXLD <[email protected]>
Cc: Short-Wave Radio Listening <[email protected]>
Subject: [HCDX] Glenn Hauser logs July 2-3-4, 2022
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
** BRAZIL. 9673.22V, July 4 at 0638, RVM gospel music wobbling around
here as I try to measure it, good signal and modulation (Glenn Hauser,
OK, WOR)
** CHINA. 13530 & 13130 & weaker 13020, July 4 at 1457, the regular
CNR1 jammers with pop music (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** CUBA. 12000, July 4 at 0618, RHC English S6/S8, 2 x 6000 which is
much stronger. This harmonic appears only occasionally, at transmitter
maladjustments? By 0650, these three are unusually all still on: 6000,
6060, 6100 but not 6165. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn
Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 2145 monitoring: Also confirmed
Sunday July 3 at 2000 on IRRS SW via AM Italia 1323 kHz, S9+20/25 into
nearby Noale SDR including heavy splash from much stronger adjacents
on 1314 and 1332, plus storm crashes.
Also confirmed Sunday July 3 at 2237 the 2230 still on WRMI 5950,
S9+10/22 into Georgia SDR with storm crashes.
Also confirmed UT Monday July 4 at 0033 the 0030 on WRMI 7780 S7/S9
into Athens GA SDR, better here than some others checked, even
Durango2 and TWR Brownsville.
Also confirmed UT Monday July 4 from 0259 on Area 51 via WBCQ
6159.942, S7/S9 into Maryland SDR, trying to avoid ACI from 6165 RHC
thru LSB tuning narrow, or AM narrow, but can`t get rid of it
completely as these two stations refuse to distance from each other.
Next:
0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 9395 to NNW
2230 UT Tuesday WRMI 9955 to SSE [jammed by Cuba]
2330 UT Tuesday WRMI 9395 to NNW
1000 UT Wednesday Unique R, Australia 5035-USB or 3210-USB
1030 UT Wednesday WRMI 5850 to NW
2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v to WSW
0030 UT Thursday WRMI 9395 to NNW
0130 UT Thursday WRMI 5010 to S; 9395 to NNW
Full schedule including AM, FM, webcasts, satellite, podcasts:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
For these noncommercial services, voluntary financial support is much
appreciated; thanks this week to Terry Colgan, Austin, TX for a
contribution
via PayPal in US funds, but not necessarily, to woradio at yahoo.com
and says, ``Thanks for your continuing dedication to the radio
listening
hobby. Best wishes for health and good DX``
One may also contribute by MO or check in US funds on a US bank to:
Glenn Hauser, PO Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. 9940, July 4 at 0645, WTWW with soft rock at S6/S9, still on
but not so strong, // 5085 at S9+40 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. 5890, July 4 at 0647, this WWCR is missing TOMBS, while 5935
and 4840 remain (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. Sporadic E FM DX opening Saturday July 2 at 1829-1930 UT
from Michigan and vicinity, somewhat Lower than last time; on caradio
with fender vertical antenna only, standard provisos to which I add:
no possibility of side-tuning to even frequencies avoiding QRM;
strictly UT:
We start off with a rather confusing situation; perhaps Chris Kadlec
can straighten it out.
92.9 at 1829, strong rock/rap. Nothing further here, but based on
following logs we look up Michigan:
WJZQ 92.9 CADILLAC MI CONTEMPORARY HIT RADIO Z93 100.0 kW 278.0 m Z93
Today's Best Hits Top 40 --- website is:
https://www.z93hits.com/
but its studio is in Traverse City, not too far but not too close, to
Cadillac --- 1369 km = 851 mi
93.5 at 1830, music CCI with Hayes KS fringer. Later at 1855, ``The
Rock Station K-L-T``; 1900 ``Rogers City - Alpena, The Rock Station
K-L-T``.
WBCM relays:WKLT 97.5 93.5 BOYNE CITY MI ROCK 97.5 WKLT 14.0 kW 283.0
m
The trouble is: Boyne City, just S of Petoskey on the NW coast, is
100+ miles from Rogers City & Alpena on the NE coast. So it relays the
KLT station as below on 97.5 yet gives own frequency 93.5. But the
97.5 station is in Kalkaska, just east of Traverse City in the NW.
It`s also linked to a 98.9 station but not branded as KLT which
applies only to 97.5 and 93.5. Is 98.9 serving RC&A? No, it`s in
Petoskey. Boyne City: 1458 km = 906 mi
93.9 at 1830, music CCI with KIMY OK. And at 1841
97.5 at 1831, a poet quoted, maybe the source of 93.5 above. 1848,
mattress ad in Traverse City. Great Lakes Land with lots in northern
MI:
WKLT 97.5 KALKASKA MI CLASSIC ROCK KLT THE ROCK STATION 32.0 kW 188.0
m 97.5 FM 98.9 FM KLT The Rock Station //WRGZ 96.7 - 1415 km = 880 mi
93.7 at 1833, Lakers, trends in baseball; unlikely residual KSPI OK;
1835, Z-93, YL DJ on blood giving, Michelle Per?z at noon to one;
929-HITS which chex as number for Z-93, not to be confused with
anything on 92.9 MHz: https://www.z93hits.com/contact, Traverse City
ads, Cherry Festival, Downtown Arts Fest; Tony`s Best Tacos, Z-93.
Must be this just S of Traverse City, but not branded as Z-93:
WKAD relays:WMBN-1340 93.7 HARRIETTA MI SPORTS THE TICKET 4.3 kW 119.0
m // W284DF 104.7 --- 1354 km = 841 mi
93.3 at 1834, CCI with Jake OKC
95.3 at 1843, plug event in Kresge Auditorium which chex as
Interlochen i.a.; arts fest, Interlochen.org - a classical mecca with
arts school. None especially close but outreach probably beyond the
WIAA coverage area, like this non-comm down the coast:
WGVS-FM 95.3 WHITEHALL MI NEWS/JAZZ WGVU 88.5 & 95.3FM 2.0 kW 110.0 m
Saturday Night Blues LISTEN ONLINE AT WGVU.ORG No Program Type or
Undefined //WGVU 88.5 & W237CZ 95.3 [Grand Rapids, but oldies??]
Whitehall also correlates with next single log across Lake MI in WI:
Whitehall: 1253 km = 779 mi
95.5 at 1844, algo trying to edge in to local 95.7
97.3 at 1845, ``97-3 The Game``:
WRNW 97.3 MILWAUKEE WI HD SPORTS 97.3 THE GAME 15.5 kW 278.0 m Top 40
[sic] --- 1127 km = 700 mi
96.3 at 1858, Bad Credit Blues ad; Ballard`s Plumbing and Heating in
Petoskey; vs ACI from 96.1 OKC:
WLXT 96.3 PETOSKEY MI ADULT CONTEMPORARY LITE 96.3 100.0 kW 299.0 m
--- 1472 km = 915 mi
94.5 at 1901, 3:01 timecheck, inviting R&R requests, and multi-station
ID including WYPV Mackinaw City, too quick to copy all,
``road-runner`` only station for R&R:
WYPV relays:WQON 100.3 94.5 MACKINAW CITY MI CLASSIC ROCK Q 100 50.0
kW 110.0 m // WWMN 106.3 --- 1514 km = 941 mi
97.5 at 1911, ``Werewolf 97.5``, country. Turns out to be the Alva OK
station not far from Enid to the NW, but a new name on me. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KZLF
``KZLF ("Werewolf 97.5 FM") is a radio station broadcasting an adult
hits music format licensed to Alva, Oklahoma, United States.[1] The
station is currently owned by Running Wolf Radio LLC, which purchased
it from George S. Flinn in 2022.[2]`` ``Human all day - WOLF ALL
NIGHT`` see https://werewolf975.com/ --- ex-KPAK. WTFDA has new call
but not new branding and non-silent format:
KZLF 97.5 ALVA OK Silent CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN 97.5 THE QUAKE 50.0 kW
150.0 m 37-01-27 98-41-22 Silent 3/25/22 equip replacement --- 70 km =
44 mi
96.7 at 1917, ad for waterfront property (877) 333-8830 or
https://whiteoakcreekranchtx.com --- TX??? I`ve been getting Michigan
but those clues indeed lead to Texas, phone in Decatur which is NW of
Fort Worth. From photos, the ``water`` refers to ponds or lakes or
creeks, not seashore! Surely not advertising waterfront property to
Michiganders. Closest station to there is on N side of The Metroplex:
KTCK-FM 96.7 FLOWER MOUND TX SPORTS RADIO 1310 & 96.7, THE TICKET 90.0
kW 621.0 m All Sports all the time - KTCK The Ticket - //KTCK 1310 ---
so this is fluke extended GW and that tall tower helps, not sporadic
E. KTCK 1310 being successor to long-lamented WRR --- 381 km = 236 mi
99.7 at 1927, ``Hank FM``, another fringe Okie, but later see there is
another same name in adjacent Kansas on same 99.7; beware, but only
ours spells HANK backwards: Can anyone think of another station
branding by spelling callsign backwards? FHGK sure won`t work:
KNAH 99.7 MUSTANG OK COUNTRY HANK FM 47.0 kW 155.0 m - 112 km = 70 mi
KGHF 99.7 BELLE PLAINE KS COUNTRY 99.7 HANK FM 50.0 kW 147.0 m unhrd
93.1 at 1930, ``93 K-ROCK``, one last gasp of the Es from MI, and one
Yooper I heard in previous opening:
WIMK 93.1 IRON MOUNTAIN MI ROCK 93.1 K ROCK 100.0 kW 180.0 m --- 1331
km = 827 mi
More sporadic E FM DX yet to be compiled:
July 3 at 0129-0218 UT: AZ, CA; Mexico SONORA already done
July 4 at 1634-1907+ UT: NV, UT, WY, ID, MT
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
UNIDENTIFIED. 13745-13755, July 4 at 0616, sure sounds like weak DRM
noise but nothing in skeds to account for it. Maybe China or Russia?
Romania is on 13750 at other times in AM (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
This report dispatched at 2347 UT July 4
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2022 21:26:30 -0500
From: Les Rayburn <[email protected]>
To: [email protected], IRCA List <[email protected]>, via NRC-AM
<[email protected]>, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]>, WAYNE HEINEN <[email protected]>,
[email protected], [email protected], Hard-Core-DX
<[email protected]>, Tore Larsson
<[email protected]>
Cc: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." <[email protected]>, DX Central
<[email protected]>, Joseph Miller <[email protected]>
Subject: [HCDX] CPC DX Test QSL Report KQKD 1380 Redfield, South
Dakota
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
The CPC Chairman is slowly working through last year?s test reports. After
completing my work, Joseph Miller, KJ8O, will design cards and send electronic
QSLs in the coming weeks. Please be patient with him.
KQKD 1380 DX TEST
There are still station owners who love the radio medium just as we do. One is
Ron Schacht, K3FUT, who owns KQKD in Redfield, SD. The company name is Gray
Ghost Broadcasting, which is fitting because stations like this seem to be
little more than phantoms from an era of broadcasting that is gone today.
KQKD is a literal ?mom & pop? operation, with Ron and his wife Denise
compromising the board of directors. They are live on the air from 5 AM until 5
PM daily. Many nights they also broadcast the local high school sporting
events. Then syndicated programming, including ?Red Eye Radio,? fills out the
rest of the night, allowing the owners to get some sleep.
They still host elected officials in their studio, run obituaries, help
listeners find lost dogs, run a swap shop program, do farm and ranch news, and
highlight the local 4H and Future Farmers of America.
It?s a small town local radio station. It?s what the medium does best. Ron
lives at the transmitter site and does all the engineering for the station too.
When he needed to perform some maintenance on the station?s audio chain and
offered to run a test?we jumped at the chance.
There was some confusion about the maintenance date, so the test ran twice?once
on December 11, 2021, and again on January 15, 2022.
SOAPBOX:
Bjarne Mjelde, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
Norway?s amazing DXer, was the first to report the test from his remote site in
Sm?la. He used a Perseus SDR receiver and a 1,115-foot-long Beverage antenna to
log KQKD at a distance of 4,040 miles! Bjarne sent in an MP4 video clip of his
receiver waterfall with the Morse Code ID coming in very clearly. Years ago, I
ceased to be amazed at the catches Mjelde makes from his two remote sites, but
the dedication to the hobby and engineering involved never fails to pique my
admiration.
Bruce Portzer, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Seattle
also caught the first test by reviewing overnight recordings from his Perseus
receiver. He sent in two recordings with the Morse Code IDs audible in both.
Nice catch, Bruce.
Don Moman, VE6JY, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, was the first
to report reception of the January 15h test when he heard sweep tones at 0607
UTC from his shack in Alberta. Don uses a Perseus SDR and the Wellbrook loop
antenna to dig out the weak ones.
Nigel Pimblett, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged those
same sweep tones from his listening post in Dunmore, AB, Canada. He also logged
the Morse Code IDs and 1 kHz long tones before calling it a successful test.
Fred Schroyer, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, was
?delighted? to log KQKD?s 500-watt signal from his home in Waynesburg, PA. If
Fred continues to pull in DX like this, we?ll have to start referring to him as
?The (DX) Beast From the East!? Nicely done, sir.
John Hanna, W9HC, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, noted that
?conditions were terrible,? and he had a pitched battle with WKJG, Fort Wayne,
IN. Despite those obstacles, he used his SDRPlay RSP1a and a Hustler 5BTV ham
radio antenna to copy the test. You can see and hear it for yourself at the
link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZydCqho2ib4&t=2s
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZydCqho2ib4&t=2s>
John was a bit confused about the types of sweep tones that we use during our
DX Tests. If you find yourself in this camp, watch Loyd?s excellent YouTube
video on the topic at DX Central for a few minutes. You?ll be ready for next
season?s tests:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQX_zmEC4fY
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQX_zmEC4fY>
Noted DX?er Rick Dau, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, wasn?t going to be outdone. Overall, he
pulled in KQKD for South Dakota #28 and #1057 in the log. The Kenwood R-5000
and Quantum loop are working great from his QTH in South Omaha, NB.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado?s favorite son, Craig Barnes, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, was next to check-in. Despite some QRM from KHEY in
El Paso, he managed to log KQKD to put a new station into his already
impressive logbook.
Tom Jasinksi, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Joliet, IL, was surprised to find the tones from KQKD coming in ?loud and
clear? at just after 00:19 CST. Five hundred watts into a decent stick can get
out, it seems.
Jim Renfrew, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, can hear a
pin drop in California, so it was no surprise to get his report of the KQKD
test from his home located between Buffalo and Rochester, New York. Having
top-notch equipment doesn?t hurt either. Renfrew uses a Perseus SDR, two
longwire antennas running 200 and 600 feet in length, and a Quantum phaser.
Excellent work, Jim.
Rob Keeney, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, West Union, SC,
heard sweep tones, the 1 kHz continuous tones, and bits of Morse Code from his
shack. The Airplay HF+ Discovery, Wellbrook ALA1530LNP, and the 30X90 foot
Superloop antenna were his weapons of choice for this long-range hunting
expedition.
Steve Ratzlaff, AA7U, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
was about to call it quits and go to bed. But suddenly, at 0637 UTC, he heard
four sweep tones cut through the noise, despite the constant interference of
KLPZ. Later, he logged a Morse Code ID. Steve does his DX in the desert at
Sahuarita, AZ, just Southwest of Tucson.
Not everyone was so fortunate. Mark Connelly, the technical wizard from South
Yarmouth, MA, couldn?t get past dominant station WNYM despite his magic hat
full of tricks. Better luck next time, Mark.
Where witchcraft failed, so opted to ?cheat? by using an online SDR a bit
closer to the action to log the test. Kostiantyn Pravotorov,
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
of Zaporijja, Ukraine, used a KiwiSDR located in Fort Collins, Colorado, to log
the test and sent along with four excellent recordings of the feat. I hope you
are well in Ukraine, my friend. The USA stands behind your country, fighting
for freedom from the Russian invaders.
Gote Lindstrom, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Tenhult, Sweden, also used KiwiSDR technology to his advantage. He used a
receiver in Minneapolis, MN, to log the test starting at around 0653 UTC.
Paul Staupe, W0AD, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, was also
listening in Minneapolis on his own AirSpy HF+ Discovery and a 500-foot-long
Beverage antenna. He sent along a great recording with the Morse Code IDs,
sweep tones, etc. I envy you that antenna, Paul.
Bob Wien, KG6RJW, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, had no trouble
logging the test using a C CCrane receiver. He heard sweep tones, 1 kHz
continuous tones, Morse Code IDs, and some audio. It was a new station for his
log too. They don?t call it ?The Land of Enchantment? for nothing.
Tom Laskowski, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, logged the KQKD test for
his SD #16 into the log. Speaking of ?Strange Magic,? he found conditions
unusual. He could see sweeps, Morse Code, and long tones on the waterfall
display of his SDR but found the actual audio from the test challenging to
hear. Switching to portables, he heard them much better on his Sony, Panasonic
RF-2200, and even barefoot on his CCrane Skywave. Remember, Tom?It?s not the
size of the wand, it's?
Bill Coury, N8UUP, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Ypsilanti,
MI, has a lot of impressive catches on his SDRPlay RSP2 and MPA-30 Loop
antenna. He added another one by logging KQKD easily at 767.6 miles. His
recording from around 1:27 AM was one of the best we received. Keep it up,
Bill.
Jim B, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, in Springfield, MA, also
logged the Morse Code IDs from his shack. This added to the New England
listeners who could capture the 500-watt signal from the Plains. He used a 140?
DKAZ antenna and a 160 Meter invested V fed into a Quantum Phaser to tweak the
signal. His receiver of choice was a Yaesu FTDX3000.
Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, has no
shortage of DX milestones from his perch in Winnipeg, Canada. Using a mix of
analog legends like the Drake R8 and modern SDRs, including the SDRPlay RSPduo,
Shawn pulled in the KQKD test from an overnight recording. He reports the test
was ?heard easily right after it started.? That?s excellent work, sir.
David Walker, AA9UC, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, sent in a nifty test
recording including sweep tones, an off-hook telephone sounder, and Morse IDs.
All recorded on his CC Crane Skywave SSB portable. This tiny, ultralight radio
is a natural performer. I take one out with me when I walk my dogs at the end
of the day. It puts lots of new SSS stations into the log.
Strangely, David could copy any trace of the test on his Icom R-75 or Yeasu
FT-920 despite being connected to a 120-foot-long wire antenna.
Many suspect Rob Ross, VA3SW, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, might
be in league with the Devil. How else to explain some of the DX he hears from
his QTH in London, Ontario, Canada? He listened to the KQKD signal for only 55
seconds out of the entire duration of the test. And he credited his Elad
FDM-S2 SDR for saving the day. He managed to tinker with filtering, finding the
signal only audible in the USB mode at around 0625 UTC. While he credits the
Elad, we?re checking out his story with some paranormal investigators in the
area.
John Johnson of Mesa, AZ, didn?t fare as well as Rob. He heard only a weak tone
and two bits of code at around 0006 CST. It wasn?t quite enough for him to
claim reception. This is despite his formidable array of tools, including a
Perseus SDR, SDRPlay Duo, and a Wellbrook ALA1530LNP loop antenna. While John
missed out on KQKD, he did manage to log KLPZ, KHEY, KTKZ, KSRV, KKOO, and
KOTA. Not a bad haul.
Darren Hennig, VE4VE, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used the Elad
Door SDR and a Wellbrook ALA-100LN-M antenna to capture the test from his
monitoring post in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. His recording was apparent with Morse
Code IDs, telephone off-hook sounder, and sweep tones. Well done, Darren!
Brent Taylor, VY2HF, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of
Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada, in grid FN86. He sent a lengthy
recording of his reception. It required headphones and concentration, but I
could detect full Morse Code IDs along with the 1 kHz continuous tones from the
station. That?s an impressive catch at 1,702 miles! It was fun to listen to
Brent. With Bruce Portzer in Seattle logging the test and Brent on Prince
Edward Island, I think we can genuinely claim that KQKD was heard
?Coast-to-Coast? and beyond.
Steve Hinman?s, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
reception of the KQKD test could be a testimonial for the C CCrane Skywave SSB
portable. He logged sweep tones from the test starting around 1:08 AM CST from
his shack in Castle Rock, CO. This is an excellent catch with an outstanding
little receiver, Steve.
Carl Dabeistein, K0SBV, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, heard
KQKD ?right off the bat? with Morse Code IDs, sweep tones, and more. Despite
not being too far away in Maple Grove, MN, this was an ATNO (All Time New One)
in the log for Carl. He employed his trusty Icom R-75 receiver and a 15? X 32?
Flag antenna to do the job. Great catch, Carl! I am glad we could help put a
new one in the log for you.
One of my mentors and heroes, Phil Bytheway wasn?t so lucky. He had ?dynamic?
music from KRKO, making it nearly impossible for him to identify any other
signals. He has also been battling a nasty noise source which has become his
nemesis. It is rare that Phil can?t log a test using his R-70 receiver and
legendary KIWA loop antenna. Hopefully, we can convince Ron and Denise to run
another test this season; Phil, give everyone a second chance.
During this one, the DX Gods were also not in favor of Stan Weisbeck of
Spokane, WA. Like Phil, he struggled with the music from KRKO, and no amount of
nulling would solve it. Stan also uses the KIWA loop antenna and a Drake R8. As
a consolidation price, he did manage a late-night log of KTKZ, which generally
only appears at sunset and sunrise.
James Niven, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, had better
luck from his DX ranch in Austin, Texas. He logged the test under pest station,
KZTS, running a Gospel format. This was a new one in the log book for Niven,
giving him South Dakota #8. Later that evening, he added another new station,
KKRX, at 0600, running a TOH ID. He sends his thanks out to owner Ron Schacht
for running this test.
Larry Travel, K8YYY, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, checked
in from West Virginia to note that he heard the test from around 0023 until
around 0051. He uses an SDRPlay RSP1A and a Pixel Loop for his medium wave
work.
Karl Virtanen, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Inari,
Finland, used a Perseus SDR running JAGUAR software, a DX Engineering RPA-1
preamp, and multiple Beverage antennas that are 3,280 feet in length! That is
over half a mile in size! Unfortunately for Karl, he used the Beverage pointed
at California rather than the Plains. Despite this ?ahem,? handicap, Karl
recorded complete Morse Code IDs and sweep tones from KQKD. An impressive catch
of a 500-watt signal at 4,097 miles!
KQKD was a new log for many DXers, including Glen Hauser, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, of Enid, OK. Glen used an Icom R75 receiver,
married to a 100-foot longwire antenna that runs E/W. KQKD is 580 miles from
the shack for Glenn, a very nice nice logging indeed. Glen asked for some
background on the station. According to Wikipedia, it first went on air in 1963
under the call letters KFCB. On November 16, 1986, a fire destroyed an entire
block of buildings in Redfield, including the studios of KQKD. The fire also
tragically killed a 17-month-old-girl. According to a wire story about the
conflagration, the station was celebrating its 25th anniversary. Happier days
now for the station and Glen with a new South Dakota station in the log.
Gary Vance, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Grand Ledge,
MI, submitted an excellent recording of the KQKD test. Despite 705 miles of
distance, the signal was clear and readable. In his battle over the noise, Gary
employed an SDRPlay RSPdx SDR and a PA0RDT Mini-Whip antenna. We also have a
PAR0DT Mini-Whip here and have been exceptionally pleased with its performance
and build quality. Keep those reports coming in, Gary.
Eric Fetters-Walp, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used a
remote online SDR in Winnipeg to log the test successfully. You can try that
remote receiver yourself at:
http://24.78.155.2:8073/ <http://24.78.155.2:8073/>
Chris Rigas, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, sent two test
recordings from his QTH in Wood Dale, IL. The first yielded nothing but bits of
code that I could not identify as originating from KQKD. But the second had the
unmistakable sounds of the sweep tones, which were clear even on my laptop
speakers. Rigas uses a Drake R8 receiver and a Quantum QX Pro Loop in his
shack. Really nice grab, Chris!
*Fun fact regarding the sweep tones used in our DX Tests. Engineers originally
developed these at WSM radio, 650 in Nashville. Their primary purpose is to
test out the audio chain that feeds the impressive transmitter there, but
during testing, listeners discovered that they also did a great job cutting
through the AM band's noise. Since then, we?ve scientifically proven it in a
series of tests conducted by an audiologist in Chattanooga.
Pete Taylor of Tacoma, WA, gave it ?the old college try? but could not log KQKD
during the test. Only one mile from his shack is KKMO 1360, whose programming
?blurts? down the dial to 1430. Pete likes to kick it old-school, using a
Hammarlund HQ-180 receiver as his primary rig and a KIWA Loop antenna. Next
time, Pete.
Having better luck was Allen Willie, VOPC1AA, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, in Carbonear, Newfoundland, Canada, who managed
to snag KQKD on his Icom IC-R75. A 600-foot-long unterminated Beverage antenna
aided his efforts. Color me jealous of that antenna, Allen.
Dene Lynneberg, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, employed
remote KiwiSDRs over the Internet to log the test. He chose the SDR built and
maintained by Stephen Olesen, VE6SLP, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
located in Lamont, Alberta, Canada, to log the test. The receiver is connected
to a 250? loop antenna, fed with a Wellbrook ALA100N preamp. This is a distance
of 885 miles, and the signal was loud and clear.
If you?d like to hear a nice MW remote SDR, you can listen to Stephen?s at
kiwi sdr.ve6slp.ca:8073 <http://sdr.ve6slp.ca:8073/>
Les Rayburn, N1LF, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, used a
Perseus SDR running JAGUAR software and a 20?X50? Superloop antenna fed with
the Wellbrook ALA100 to hear the KQKD test in Alabama. Just for fun, I also
copied it on my C CCrane Skywave SSB ultralight portable out in the front yard.
Kraig Krist, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of Manassas, VA, was
another East Coast DXer who managed to log the test. He had heavy QRM from
CKPC, WKJV, WKJG, and an UNID Spanish station. Kraig uses a WinRadio G33DDC SDR
and a Wellbrook ALA1530S + Imperium loop antenna. Kraig included several
recordings, but the most impressive thing to me was the waterfall display which
clearly shows the 1 kHz continuous tones. Check it out:
Rob Keeney, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>, of West Union,
SC, found the sweep tones cutting through the noise and the 1 kHz continuous
tones. WELE, ?The Cat? from Ormand Beach, FL, provided a ton of QRM to ensure
things weren?t too easy for Rob. In the end, his AirSpy HF+ Discovery and
Wellbrook ALA1530LNP won the day. Excellent job, Rob.
Sean Breazeal, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>, in Stansbury Park, UT was able to
overcome KLPZ in Parker to hear sweep tones, Morse Code, and the 1 kHz tones
too. Put on some headphones for this one, you?ll need them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbPvfQFBE4I&t=174s
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbPvfQFBE4I&t=174s>
Trust science, folks. The sweep tones prove their value over and over again.
SUMMARY
A 500-watt signal was heard in at least four countries and coast-to-coast in
North America. As hobbyists, we should all be grateful for radio station owners
who are as devoted to the medium as Ron & Denise Schacht. Perhaps with some
encouragement, we can arrange for another test this season.
Thanks again, Ron & Denise. You?ve made a lot of folks happy with this.
End of Hard-Core-DX Digest, Vol 235, Issue 5
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