AM Frequency of the Week: 870

A little after total dark, they are booming in. I've logged KKOB in WABC fades. But when they're up, they're like locals. KKOB is close enough that the angle is so high it may not propagate by skywave later in the evening, and they're too far for groundwave. I've logged KRVN, later at night when the band gets shorter. Now I see that KFAB wasn't a new state after all. My mind is going....

I'm fortunate in that the only locals are on 1420 and 1470. Aside from the Mexican stations I don't have the patience to ID, anything I hear at night tends to be far away. It's a DXer's dream except for the blasted CFL noise. I'm using a PL-880 and Terk Advantage loop, on a north-facing window sill.

Jim

@formula 72....

Congratulations on snagging WWL. The two nulls (southeast and southwest) provide a little extra juice directed in other directions. And that can help them on the west coast. You also mentioned KRVN on 880. They beam their night signal west in order to protect KRVN, which helps make them an easy catch on most of the west coast. Lexington, Nebraska is definitely a little town with a big blowtorch. (I've been there a few times).

The last time I heard WCBS on the west coast was in the early 80s when KRVN used to signoff at midnight Central time.

radioman148 said:

The last time I heard WCBS on the west coast was in the early 80s when KRVN used to signoff at midnight Central time.

Click to expand...

Give 'em a go this week. This may be unusual propagation. I don't have any experience from here by which to say. But they were there when I tuned past about 2000h your time last night. Good luck!

Jim

I'll give them a try, but I'm not holding my breathe for either of them.

As you can see ( http://nf8m.com/pattern_maps/2016/NIGHTTIME-UNLIMITED/NIGHTTIME-UNLIMITED_map_770KHz-1.html ), In order for me to hear WABC, I would have to hear through KKOB and KCBC. Additionally, it looks like central Iowa is the fringe rim of WABC.

As for 880, KRVN is extreme faint for me, but I have logged it. have a look here ( http://nf8m.com/pattern_maps/2016/NIGHTTIME-UNLIMITED/NIGHTTIME-UNLIMITED_map_880KHz-1.html ), WCBS is just to far for such a faint signal to break through KRVN and KKMC for me to hear it.

I'm not saying they are impossible, but if the signal is not there ( or its covered up by more powerful stations ), I just don't think its possible unless the band was less crowded.

You said you have a Tecsun PL-880...Great radio, I have one. My two Panasonic RF-2200's are considered 5 star radios, and I can vouch for that.

Yes, propagation was usually good last night, and I'm hoping tonight is the same. I will give WWL another try, and If I hear it, I'm going hunting for WABC and WCBS...

KKOB is killing it here right now, but I'm still in the grey zone. There's some weak SS singing and a weak KRVN (local ads) on 880. Will keep checking. Wow, KRVN is really coming up as I move out of the grey zone.

Jim

I'm impressed you're able to get WCBS and WABC in AZ. I have a 3-ft loop with 8 turns of wire that I regularly combine with the Grundig G5. The only NY station I've gotten is WGY-810. Very faint, partial TOH ID a year or two ago in tight San Francisco null. 660/770/880 NYC have no chance here due to west coast stations, thus WGY was the best target for getting that state.
I had a faint WWL last night under KFLD, Dave Ramsey around 0030 PT.

Conditions changed dramatically last night. I was not able to hear WWL, as KRLA and KLSQ were just overlapping each other so much. The other night I heard WWL, I did not pick up KRLA. Its strange how propagation works...