[IRCA] West Michigan eclipse report

[Tim Tromp <kilokat7@xxxxxxxxx>]

Eclipse peak: 18:22 UTC / 2:22pm EDT, 85% Totality
Antenna: DKAZ loop aimed 180 degrees South
Receiver: Perseus SDR
Location: Western lower Michigan

While enjoying the eclipse outside, the SDR was faithfully recording large
chunks of RF spectrum which should provide much enjoyment over the next few
weeks.  Peak DX time occurred here near the bottom of the hour before
tapering off at 19:00 UTC.  Fishing for IDs at TOH isn't going to cut it
this time around and it'll require careful listening of content and other
clues near the BOH to pick out the more unusual or desirable signals.  That
being said, here's just a very partial start, beginning with the x-band
down to 1580.  Nothing new so far, but I've barely scratched the surface!
If nothing else, just hearing Florida from Michigan in the middle of a hot
summer day is something I won't soon forget.

Here's a start with more to follow in coming weeks:

1580 kHz: WLPK Connersville, IN. (245w), WHLY South Bend, IN., WAMW
Washington, IN. (500w) and others jumbled together @ 18:30 UTC before
returning to normal cx at 19:00 UTC with WWSJ St. Johns, MI.


1600 kHz: Goes from threshold WAAM Ann Arbor, MI. to a big jumbled mess by
18:30 UTC.  Heard in the mix: KATZ St. Louis, MO., WAOS Austell, GA. @ 653
miles, "Newstalk 94.1" WUCT Algood, TN. (2.5kw @ 484 miles) & an oldies
station matching the webstream of WTZQ Hendersonville, NC. (5kw @ 579
miles).


1620 kHz: Blank channel but WNRP w/ Dave Ramsey begins to appear faintly at
18:21 UTC until building to a respectable signal by 18:28 UTC.  By 18:30
UTC, TIS pest WQBR256 decides to get in on the action along with another
unid station under a now powerhouse signal from WNRP @ 882 miles giving
Pennsicola weather.  Peaked at around 18:36 UTC and then slowly faded and
gone by 18:50 UTC.


1630 kHz: WRDW Augusta, GA. @ 704 miles with sports talk peaking around
18:33 UTC over KCJJ.


1640 kHz: WTNI Biloxi, MS. @ 891 miles with sports talk mixing with WSJP
Sussex, WI. peaking around 18:35 UTC.


1660 kHz: Dominated by semi-local WQLR Kalamazoo up until eclipse peak,
then Allman Bros. "Midnight Rider" crept up and rivaled WQLR for a few
minutes at 18:35 UTC, likely WBCN Charlotte, NC. @ 617 miles.


1670 kHz: Threshold audio from presumed WOZN Madison, WI. which peaked to a
strong signal by 18:28 UTC with another weak sports talker under it.  By
18:34 UTC, the weak sports talker is identified as WMGE Dry Branch, GA. w/
FOX Sports @ 730 miles.


1680 kHz: It's semi-local WPRR dominating the channel, as usual.  Music
begins to be heard around 18:21 UTC and peaks in strength at 18:28 UTC with
a nice solid "99.7 My FM" and into Deee-Lite's "Groove is the Heart".  This
is KRJO Monroe, LA. @ 806 miles.  Still there but way under WPRR by 18:36
UTC.


1700 kHz: @ 18:00 UTC the channel is dead.  KBGG Des Moines @ 392 miles the
first to appear with Sports program about 1813 UTC with good signal.  KBGG
soon mixing with UNID SS talk and into SS music (maybe KKLF?).  By 18:29
UTC, KBGG is gone and now replaced by an overly strong WEUP Huntsville, AL.
@ 582 miles to the South.


73,
Tim Tromp
West Michigan
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