AM Frequency of the week: 1510

We're approaching the finish line in our DX journey up the radio dial, but still a few channels to go. So the question this week is what comes out of your radio when the dial is set to 1510?

Here, northwest of Chicago, as I posted in another thread just last week, there's a 23kw on 1510, just about 60 miles north of me (WRRD). But I'm right in the path of a very deep null, so I never hear it. Instead, I get a very weak signal from WWHN in Joliet, IL. 1kw ND. Also about 60 miles from me. So David beats out Goliath,

WAUK is also part of another "David versus Goliath" scenario involving two sister stations serving the Milwaukee market. WRRD is co-owned with WAUK. WAUK's 400-watts (at 540) has a fair-good signal at my location, while the sister station with more than 50-times more power, WRRD, has no signal here at all!

Meanwhile, nighttime here is very simple. It's all WLAC. Usually with a good signal. Pretty much the same thing during critical hours as well.

Reynoldsburg, Ohio ...
Daytime: A very weak WLGN from Logan, Ohio ... 1,000 watts from roughly 40 miles southeast. While it's audible, it's barely listenable once you get into the suburbs with all the power lines, etc.
Nighttime: All WLAC, all the time.

In the near north Chicago burbs a weak WWHN is all I usually hear during the day. At night it's all WLAC all the time.

The rather traditional C&W WWSM from downstate PA's Annville-Cleona-Lebanon is here every midday, car radio, GE SR II, Hammarlund 180, whatever receiver.

One afternoon while painting basement walls in nearby Minersville, I heard WRNJ from NJ ID off the GE II. I have no clue why this 2000-watt omni station is so tough to dig out, but it was and remains a toughie.

I have a taped ID one sunset from WSJC in south Jersey. We four DXers near JFK Airport * never * heard them by us.

Nighttimes is usually WMEX Boston. I have to get cracking here, hi. WLAC is missing. Should be an easy one to nab.

Steve Green NEPA said:

Nighttimes is usually WMEX Boston. I have to get cracking here, hi. WLAC is missing. Should be an easy one to nab.

Click to expand...

At first, I was a little surprised that you're not getting WLAC. But...the do have a null to the northeast, I'm guessing that's your problem.

In some parts of SE MI, WJKN Jackson has come in on groundwave in the Daytime. At Night, it's WLAC, although WMEX used to come in in the background in the 1960s. As I mentioned, WAUK...WRRD comes in quite often during CH, along with other stations like KXEL 1540. WRRD changed recently to an English Language Progressive Talk Format, so if you no longer hear Spanish Sports, that's why. Discovered that while looking for the pattern toward Chicago.

Never tried this freq but will give it a shot on the awesome hdr16.

Nighttime here is a rather strong WLAC. Usually one of the best signals on the dial from Charleston. Sometimes comes in as early as 3pm during the dead of winter or earlier. Daytime is Cocoa, FL weak (WWBC), now 1510 WMEL. You should be able to hear it, @austingrace.

In S.A., 1510 is blank in the daytime. XEQI, "La Radio Alternativa" in Monterrey, dominates at nighttime/sunrise/sunset. At night, WLAC can usually be heard weakly in its partial null. KMND, "ESPN Radio" in Midland, TX, can be heard in that partial null at sunrise and sunset. I've also heard a weak KAGC in Bryan, TX, around sunset. A few times I've heard sports station KBED in Nederland, TX, around sunrise.

A weak KROB (conjunto/Tejano) in Robstown, TX, sometimes pops in and out weakly at sunrise/sunset. I've also caught it at night, although it's supposed to be a daytimer.

This past Tuesday at sunrise, I heard classic hits station KCKK in Littleton, CO, for the first time.

Springfield, IL:

Day: Primarily a faint WYEC (formerly WLRB) Macomb, IL (it punches in once you get out of the city going W/NW). But I have heard an even fainter WQQW Highland, IL in the southeast parts of the city before.

Night: Mostly WLAC, but recently I've heard a station with what appears to be an oldies format faintly in the background (in early evenings--when I want to catch parts of the Dave Ramsey Show on WLAC).

Here, WLAC is dominant at night. Varying strengths, but usually heard. Cocoa, FL comes in during the day. Just a couple of days ago, I was listening to a Vanderbilt basketball game on WLAC. Other than talk shows every other clear has, that's one of the few redeeming qualities of that signal left.

Interesting comment about WLAC programing "same old, same old" as hundreds of other stations out there. That's quite a comedown from when WLAC had a wide long-distance following at night with John R's excellent R&B all night program.

I regret being late to this thread, and other threads as well. Hopefully I can get on board and join at this game as it looks like a lot of fun! Nice catches fellows! Here in Palm Coast Florida in the daytime on 1510KHz, I get WWBC in Cocoa Florida about 87 miles South-Southeast. Its signal is clear and rich received on my C. Crane CC2E. I listen to them Saturday mornings specifically to hear a radio show that plays songs by The Beatles. While this 50,000 watt station is not far from me at all, according to Radio Locator, Palm coast is outside of their fringe coverage area. They are directional and concentrate their signal up and down the eastern seaboard. Their daytime fringe coverage area extends as far north as Jacksonville North Carolina and as far south as the Bahamas! The ocean makes for excellent AM signal propagation! At night, it's mostly WLAC. I must try at dawn and dusk one of these days.