A Chicago station overview from Texas

[jd]

I'm about 75 miles southeast of Dallas and lately I've noticed WBBM has been getting trashed by a Mexican station, XEWGR in Monclova, Coahuila. I've been able to get a positive ID and although the signal is somewhat variable it's often way on top on WBBM. According to official Mexican station information XEWGR is supposed to be running 10,000 watts day and 250 night non-directional. As mentioned here before, the end of daytime operation is a standard 8:00 PM local time throughout Mexico but I have heard them much later than that and I can assure you it's not a 250 watt signal.

WBBM is usually the most dependable Chicago signal here; WSCR suffers a lot of interference from Cuba, the same problem that WGN has but to a lesser degree. WLS has a horrible signal here but it's generally not because of anything in Latin America. The culprit is here in Texas, KVOZ Del Mar Hills/Laredo. As for WMVP I have yet to be able to receive it due to either KTOK Oklahoma City or XEOY in Mexico City. Usually "Radio Mil" on top.

 

[KR4BD]

One reason why you haven't heard WMVP is the fact that their night pattern squirts very little signal in your direction.

 

[cyberdad]

jd....

Your observation pretty much mirrors mine when I'm in Texas...which is usually a couple of times each year. 670....back in its WMAQ days....used to throw a pretty good nighttime signal into the metroplex. But that was back in the day before the Cubans moved in. Then there's WLS. Prevailing wisdom is that a deteriorating ground system along with suburban development near their stick has degraded their signal...especially at night.

Of course here on the other end of the path in Northern Illinois, WBAP is a monster every night. KRLD used to be audible more often than not, but now it's relatively rare due to the channel being more crowded....including a 1080 in southwest suburban Chicago.

 

[LibertyNT]

670 blasts very well in Dallas at night 720 WGN is good 780 WBBM is good, WLS 890 is just not really there...

 

[317C50KW]

At my location WSCR is hurt by 1st adjacent K-SKY. WGN should be better since I'm far enough from 730 KKDA but they never been as strong as they should be. WBBM gets killed by KAAM splatter and IBOC at my location, about 8 south miles from 770's towers. I too have never heard WMVP here though WYLL will occasionally make it through the 1160 clutter at sunrise or sunset.

And yes, WBAP is totally dependable after dark in Chicago. KRLD used to be prior to the suburban 1080 going on the air. Another catch to watch for up there are the two Shreveport stations at 710 and 1130.

 

[317C50KW]

And I forgot to mention that the 890 in my part of the DFW area pretty much gives WLS fits. Before WLS was a fairly regular catch.

 

[cyberdad]

With apologies if needed, permit me to veer the thread several hundred miles to the west....

I was in Birminham, AL last night. Birmingham Marriott, about ten miles south of downtown with the walkman SRF 37. The hotel blocked some of the signals, but let most of them in. There was also a little noise, but nothing too serious. Here's the report on the Chicago blowtorches....

WSCR 670: Fighting it out with Cuba....usually with the Cuban on top.
WGN 720: Good. All by itself. Minor splatter from Cuban on 710
WBBM 780: Good: Also alone. R. Reloj on 790 a non-factor. No trace of WABC (or much of anything else) on 770.
WLS 890: Another battle with a Cuban. Usually with 'LS on top
WMVP 1000: In the mix...and usually on top...with XEOY and a third station, which I couldn't identify. KTOK?

BTW. Strongest skywave was easily KMOX. WLW, WJR, and WWL were also very good. WSB and WHAS were surprisingly weak. WSM "so-so" probably due to convergence. Convergence might also explain the anemic WSB signal.