UNID 930 khz 0825 UTC 5 Apr 2020

[Matt_B]

OK, here's a new mystery for people to solve. 

Tuning in using an SDR based in Minneapolis, I was surprised to hear music on 930 khz.  There are several competing stations here (as my recording will show); the station in question was playing Heart's "These Dreams" (an MTV hit from 1986!).  Though not in this recording, a bit later I heard the beginning of "I Want You Back" by the Jackson Five. 

Now comes the tough part; station identification.  At first, I thought our mystery station might be Canadian; however, there are only three Canadian stations on 930 khz, none of them playing that kind of music.  A check of nearby stations was of no help to me.  I did find that there is an oldies station and an "adult standards" station on that frequency.  Nevertheless, I'm still stumped, as I don't think that a mid-80s hit would qualify as an "oldie"; at least, not yet (and "adult standards" are usually songs from the forties to the mid sixties). 

Anywho, here's my recording of 930 khz, as heard on this particular SDR. 

930 AM

Can anyone figure out what my "mystery station" might be? I haven't a clue. 

[skeezix]

Its probably KKIN in Aitkin, MN. I've listened to the station before and the music you mention fits. Try to listen at the top of the hour (H +/- 5 minutes) for the station ID.

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

[Matt_B]

Its probably KKIN in Aitkin, MN. I've listened to the station before and the music you mention fits. Try to listen at the top of the hour (H +/- 5 minutes) for the station ID.

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

KKIN is supposedly country music? Heart is definitely not country. 

[Matt_B]

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

Could've been this, I suppose.  No idea why it would be on 940, though....unless I happened to tune into a repeater/translator. 

[skeezix]

Its probably KKIN in Aitkin, MN. I've listened to the station before and the music you mention fits. Try to listen at the top of the hour (H +/- 5 minutes) for the station ID.

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

KKIN is supposedly country music? Heart is definitely not country.

KKIN 930 isn't always country. I don't listen to them all the time, but they do switch a bit. The last song (up to 1900 GMT) was the Bee Gee's "Night Fever." At 1900 GMT, into news.

[skeezix]

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

Could've been this, I suppose.  No idea why it would be on 940, though....unless I happened to tune into a repeater/translator.

540 WXYG is a separate station, nothing to do with 930 KKIN. I only mentioned it as they play album rock, one of the few stations that play music these days on AM.

[Matt_B]

Its probably KKIN in Aitkin, MN. I've listened to the station before and the music you mention fits. Try to listen at the top of the hour (H +/- 5 minutes) for the station ID.

Another good station for music is 540 WXYG. They have no problem during the day making it to Minneapolis. During nighttime, they usually come in but may be some interference from a Canadian station.

KKIN is supposedly country music? Heart is definitely not country.

KKIN 930 isn't always country. I don't listen to them all the time, but they do switch a bit. The last song (up to 1900 GMT) was the Bee Gee's "Night Fever." At 1900 GMT, into news.

I have a feeling you're right, then.  Thanks!

[East Troy Don]

A distant possibility:  WHON out of Richmond Indiana,  Low power but the format matches and its only 621 miles to your QTH.

[skeezix]

Its highly unlikely to be WHON. Their format/playlist is exactly in line what was recorded.

WHON is around 560 miles away at 114 W with a nighttime pattern as a blob to the south and Minneapolis is in a deep null.
KKIN has a non-directional nighttime pattern with 360 W at about 100 miles away.

However, this assumes both stations ran authorized power on the authorized pattern.

If WHON messed up and ran day power (500 W) on the day pattern, its still a blob to the south and Minneapolis in a null.

While listening now to 930 trying to pick out stations, heard music from the 70's & 80's, consistent with the format of the original station that Matt_B recorded. Got a clear ID of WFAT 102.7 "The Fat One" at 0121Z and 0129Z (21 Apr 2020). This station is in Battle Creek, MI with 1000W nighttime power with a huge bubble to the NW, which encompasses Minneapolis nicely. 102.7 being their translator (W274AQ). They have been ID'ing frequently, every few songs or so.


So back to the identity of the station recorded - It could be WFAT or KKIN, and I might say that order. I would actually put money on it being WFAT and not KKIN. But without an ID or something else unique (like a local news/traffic/weather report), its only going to be speculation.



Pattern information can be found at:
https://radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com/






_{AFE822x SDR with SdrDx 2.20j software and Wellbrook ALA-1530S+ oriented NW-SE}

[East Troy Don]

Its highly unlikely to be WHON. Their format/playlist is exactly in line what was recorded.

WHON is around 560 miles away at 114 W with a nighttime pattern as a blob to the south and Minneapolis is in a deep null.
KKIN has a non-directional nighttime pattern with 360 W at about 100 miles away.

However, this assumes both stations ran authorized power on the authorized pattern.

If WHON messed up and ran day power (500 W) on the day pattern, its still a blob to the south and Minneapolis in a null.

While listening now to 930 trying to pick out stations, heard music from the 70's & 80's, consistent with the format of the original station that Matt_B recorded. Got a clear ID of WFAT 102.7 "The Fat One" at 0121Z and 0129Z (21 Apr 2020). This station is in Battle Creek, MI with 1000W nighttime power with a huge bubble to the NW, which encompasses Minneapolis nicely. 102.7 being their translator (W274AQ). They have been ID'ing frequently, every few songs or so.


So back to the identity of the station recorded - It could be WFAT or KKIN, and I might say that order. I would actually put money on it being WFAT and not KKIN. But without an ID or something else unique (like a local news/traffic/weather report), its only going to be speculation.



Pattern information can be found at:
https://radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com/






_{AFE822x SDR with SdrDx 2.20j software and Wellbrook ALA-1530S+ oriented NW-SE}

Whoops - I overlooked the "SDR Minneapolis" section of Matt-B's  initial post. 
"Never Mind"  (with apologies to Gilda Radner)

[skeezix]

Don't apologize- it was your post that made me take a closer look at the frequency at night, which then led to WFAT.

After looking at WHON on the pattern maps, I selected a bunch more and saw WFAT along with their format, then parked on the frequency for a while.

Checked the frequency again now (21-Apr-2020 at 02:41 GMT) and WFAT is in there weak, but certainly in there and confirmed with its online stream.

[Matt_B]

Haven't checked this entry in a while, but WFAT would fit.