HFU HF Underground
Loggings => FM DX Loggings => Topic started by: bobbert on April 15, 2020, 1729 UTC
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Sorry for the late posting as I was in the midst of driving to a meeting & had no acces to cellular signals to post this....
At 2100 UTC, I was driving down the mountain at Kumbrabow State Forest, located near Elkwater Dam, Randolph County, WV. When I started down the southeasterly descent, I began hearing a distant radio station playing classical music. It was at 89.1, FM. Usually there's an NPR-related station out of Roanoke, VA (on that freq) which I always receive as I travel easterly, & it always has "All Things Considered" during that time frame. In this case though, there was classical music. Once I was in the valley, the reception (miraculously) became crystal clear. When I arrived at the post office (In Huttonsville, 26273), I was able to see the RDS on the display & it showed WSRM, Classical, 89.1. My elevation at the time was 2,000 feet in the valley. At the onset of reception, my elevation was close to 2800-feet.
The announcer did a psa for donating old vehicles (for NPR), however, when they did their call letters & numbers (89.1 and 103.9) no geographical location for the radio station was mentioned.
I went back to the supt. residence here at the state forest, looked up the call letters + the frequency, & saw that the station was based outa FLORIDA!!!
The radio I heard the station on is an AM/FM unit, in a 2012 Ford Excape XLT. Nothing special, but has very good reception, for a non-touch screen head unit. Its' RDS Display was showing WSMR; Classical. 89.1
Is this some special type of eskip-event?
Alternatively, condition of our skies were gray, with a cold front moving, with heavy snowfall. Local-to-me stations had very poor reception. lot's of fading and static (no thunderstorms were in the area).
I should contact the station, however I don't think they'd give a sh!t.
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Here's some info on WSMR (and I disagree, the station would be interested in your DX snag). Distance from the Tampa repeater to Huttonsville WV is 755 miles.
Nice catch.
WSMR CLASSICAL 89.1
City Sarasota, Florida
Broadcast area Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, Tampa Bay Area
Branding Classical WSMR
Slogan Florida's Classical Music Station
Frequency 89.1 MHz
Translator(s) 103.9 W280DW (Tampa, relays WUSF HD2)
Repeater(s) 89.7-2 WUSF HD2 (Tampa)
First air date May 1991 (initial license)
Format Classical music
ERP 54,000 watts
HAAT 135 meters (443 feet)
Class C1
Facility ID 64255
Transmitter coordinates 27°6′1.00″N 82°22′18.00″W
Former call signs WAYG (1991-1996)
Owner University of South Florida
(University of South Florida Board of Trustees)
Sister stations WUSF
Webcast Listen Live
Website wsmr.org
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Alright then!!! I'll give 'em a shout! THANKS EAST TROY DAN for the motivation to do so!
Still, I wasn't all too familiar with FM commercial stations & their feelings about reception reports.
On a side note, I can hear WWVU on a daily basis here at the top of the mountain in Huttonsville, WV.
I am unsure how to check lineal measurements, but if someone can get me in the right direction, that'd be great.
Wishing that I had a recorder, as I could've snagged the audio from WSMR & then posted it online for proof.
I'll be sure to carry around my Roland RO-5 from here out!
I'm new to any type of DX'ing altogether, & since I'm a manager for a well known place down here, I have no time to study anything about dx'ing or pirate radio & the likes. Not to make excuses, I just don't have the time to jot down detailed notes or even sit for a few minutes to monitor stations.
I do make an earnest attempt to hear W.O.R. as much as possible (when I am eating dinner or similar).
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https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm
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Thanks again!
Much appreciated...
I just sent the station a reception report to WSMR, via email.
I also sent a reception report to a college radio station located in Morgantown, WV. WWVU, 91.7 FM. Reception for that station is spotty here, though its always crystal clear & I know of at least three places on the top of our little mountain range here (Rich Mtn) to which I can reliably hear it. They play some very good modern college-audience-styled music. Very enjoyable + innovative modern music!