Messages

316

MW Loggings / Re: KCKK 1510 AM 0215 UTC 8 Apr 2020

« on: April 13, 2020, 2301 UTC »

That's great news, hopefully more do that.

That would be nice. 

My guess is that since most HD receivers are installed in cars
and hardly anybody is on the road during the present situation
the stations turned off the digital to save on their electric bill.

317

MW Loggings / Re: KCKK 1510 AM 0215 UTC 8 Apr 2020

« on: April 13, 2020, 1214 UTC »

FWIW, WWJ AM 950 and WXYT AM 1270 have recently turned off their digital sidebands. Both are 50kw Detroit stations.

318

MW Loggings / AM 1680

« on: April 11, 2020, 1928 UTC »

A real jumble in here this morning with several stations in and out around sunrise about 1100Z:

WPRR  MI  with political blather
KRJO   LA  urban sound

Also heard a gospel station, probably WOKB  FL and a Mexican format probably WTTM  NJ.

319

MW Loggings / Re: KYW 1060 AM 0045 UTC 11 Apr 2020

« on: April 11, 2020, 1920 UTC »

This one puts a real big signal in here most nights.
Can often receive them on my xtal set... almost 500 mi.

320

MW Loggings / Re: CFZM 740 AM 0105 UTC 11 Apr 2020

« on: April 11, 2020, 1000 UTC »

looks like they may pump up the modulation for the ads
 

321

MW Loggings / Re: KCKK 1510 AM 0215 UTC 78 Apr 2020

« on: April 10, 2020, 0404 UTC »

Amazingly enough, looks like WWJ has their digital sidebands turned off tonight.
Heard my first station ever on 940.  Caught WIDG St. Ignace MI 5kw @ 2300Z.
Programming was Religious-Catholic Relevant Radio. 

322

MW Loggings / Re: KCKK 1510 AM 0215 UTC 78 Apr 2020

« on: April 09, 2020, 2300 UTC »

This one showed up for a little bit, right near the top of the hour to get a good ID, then faded out.

1500 KSTP (a 50kW flamethrower) usually causes too much problems for fun on 1490 & 1510, especially at night when they go directional and throw almost everything to the west (where I am, about 20 miles away right in the center of their night pattern). Daytime they're omni.

Got lucky this night that KSTP didn't interfere too much and pulled out KCKK.

Sounds like the 50kw blaster is running digital sidebands.
Got a similar situation here in Michigan with 50kw WWJ AM 950.  Their pattern is aimed upstate directly at me
so forget about hearing anything on 940 or 960.  Their signal on the SDR looks like a 30kc wide curtain. 

323

MW Loggings / Re: WJR 760 AM 0415 UTC 29 Feb. 2020

« on: April 09, 2020, 0923 UTC »

Kaline played for years with Rocky Colavito  in Detroit before Colavito went to Cleveland where in 1965 Colavito became the 1st (and still ONLY) player to play all 162 games in a season at one position (center field) without an error.

IIRC Colavito  came to Detroit in the around 1960 from Cleveland before eventually returning to Cleveland.
Seem to  vaguely recall him playing at Briggs Stadium before it was renamed Tiger Stadium.
Kinda remember him as a good hitter but for some reason not a favorite with the press.
Anyway, thanks for the memory.

edit:  Been thinking about Colavito… as kids we would imitate the stretch he did with the bat behind his shoulders when he came up to the plate.

324

MW Loggings / Re: KCKK 1510 AM 0215 UTC 78 Apr 2020

« on: April 08, 2020, 1110 UTC »

Nice catch on the Colorado station as most of their nighttime signal is not directed your way.
WLAC Nashville TN with 50kw pretty much crushes everything else on 1510 at this QTH.

325

MW Loggings / WHBY AM 1150

« on: April 08, 2020, 1053 UTC »

WHBY AM 1150 Kimberly WI @1030Z 25kw
moderate signal with some QSB... ads sounded like directed to a farm audience
new one for me, 1150 usually occupied by a couple of much closer OH stations
or CKOC Hamilton ON
although WHBY runs 25kw at night, their pattern is directed mostly NE away from me,
they faded out by 1100Z replaced by WCUE in OH

326

MW Loggings / Re: WJR 760 AM 0415 UTC 29 Feb. 2020

« on: April 06, 2020, 2314 UTC »

"The Great Voice of the Great Lakes"... nice catch on this one and the New Orleans station.

......and the ex-home of the former legendary Detroit Tiger announcer of 42 years, Earnie Harwell. (1960-1991 and 1992-2002).  Back in the early 60's when, as an 11 year old, I discovered I could pick up the Tigers games at nite on my 9 transistor under my pillow making my parents believe I was sleeping cuz I had school the next day. Living in Milwaukee I was a Milwaukee Braves fan but it was great to be able  to listen to American League games via Ernie and WJR. It was my 1st DX experience ever.

Ernie Harwell originally did the Tigers play by play with George Kell on WKMH 1310 Dearborn.  Could pick up that signal on a xtal set in my attic bedroom.  In 1963, WKMH became rocker WKNR "Keener 13" (the WKNR call letters now belong to a station in Cleveland OH).  Beginning with the 1964 season, WJR became the Tigers flagship station.  Ernie called the games there along with Paul Carey, Frank Beckman, Jim Price, and others.  He moved to WKBD TV ch 50 for a while in the 90s and did the Tiger games there along with Al Kaline.  Ernie came back to WJR for a couple of years and then in 2001 WXYT 1270 (formerly WXYZ) became the Tigers flagship.  Ernie Harwell finished his Tiger baseball broadcast career at WXYT in 2002 and passed away in 2010.

edit:  Just came across this...  The ballpark at Wayne State University in Detroit has been named Ernie Harwell Field.   The ballpark also houses a museum dedicated to Harwell's life.

UPDATE:  Sad to report that Detroit Tigers great Al Kaline passed away today.   Rightfielder Kaline  (#6) spent his entire 22 year (1953-1974) career with the Tigers. He was 85.

327

Equipment / Re: Icom IC-R8600 vs Icom IC7300

« on: April 05, 2020, 2150 UTC »

Mmmm...why not?

Seems to be working well so far with my Alinco DX_R8.

Just make sure your supply has some kind of protection circuitry in case the pass transistor were to fail.

328

Equipment / Re: Icom IC-R8600 vs Icom IC7300

« on: April 05, 2020, 1003 UTC »

Your Alinco with the loops should be all you need for AM BCB work.  Neither of the other receivers will be of much if any advantage on the AM band.
If you want a spectrum display, take a look at the SDRplay radios.  For a lot less money you can be up and running. The spectrum display and
waterfall are nice for seeing which AM stations are running digital sidebands or picking out a signal that suddenly pops up.  However, at night with all the skywave coming in
it can be a real jumble.

329

Equipment / Re: Icom IC-R8600 vs Icom IC7300

« on: April 04, 2020, 2003 UTC »

For AM Broadcast Band reception, your Alinco is a bit more sensitive than the 7300 while the 8600 is the most sensitive of the bunch.
However, my suggestion would be to read the QST reviews for each of the three receivers paying particular attention to the dynamic range specs.

That said, IMHO, your Alinco is all you really need for AM BCB work.  If it were me, before investing in a new receiver for AM BCB reception, my approach would be an investment in a loop antenna
to squeeze more out of the Alinco.

330

MW Loggings / WRJZ AM 620

« on: April 04, 2020, 0215 UTC »

WRJZ AM 620  Knoxville TN  4-3-2020 @ 1000Z 5kw
heard this one this morning in the null of WTMJ
they call themselves "Joy 620"...  moderately strong sigs, no QSB
the nighttime 4 tower pattern is an interesting flower shape with one of the lobes pointed my way