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The February 27th test of WDAB in Traveler's Rest, SC may have been the
most successful test in several seasons. Widely heard across the US and even
into Europe, this test was one for the books. Our special thanks go to Paul
Walker who arranged for the test, and also to Glenn Hauser who sent out reminder
e-mails to most of the lists just prior to the test. And of course thanks to
Bill and the staff at WDAB!
On with the results!
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First to report hearing the test was Scott Fybush of Rochester, NY who
caught both voice and Morse Code ID's right away, this was quickly followed by
reports from Paul Walker who logged the test from his home in Decatur, Alabama.
Mike B. in Enfield, CT put a new one in his log. Also successful was Jim
Pogue of Memphis, Bob Foxworth of Tampa, FL, and Les Rayburn near Birmingham.
Using only a YB400 and a Select-A-Tenna, Rick Tuner of Bemidji, MN managed
to pull in the Morse Code ID's. While a box loop and a Drake R8B allowed Shawn
Axelrod to put another station in his log all the way from Winnipeg, MB in
Canada.
The West Coast wasn't left out of the party either...Patrick Martin heard
the signal clearly from his spot in Seaside, OR. Mike Hardester used his Icom
R-70 and a random wire to log them in nearby Jacksonville, NC, and Fred
Nordquist added South Carolina to the list of states hearing the test.
A mere "table top" radio with no external antenna was tool enough for Clark
Ingram of Pittsburgh, PA to hear this test. Keith McGinnis pulled the test in
from Hingham, MA, and Joe Veldhuis added Michigan to the totals. David Larrabee
used his Ten Tec 340 with a DX Engineering active whip to log both voice and
code ID's from his home in Columbia, MD.
Craig Barnes of Wondervu,CO didn't manage the voice ID's but did hear both
Morse Code and sweep tones. Dan Malloy of Everett, MA did a little better,
pulling out both English and Spanish voice IDs using only an indoor wire, 20
feet long. Pete Jernakoff reported the test LOUD on his barefoot DX-398 in
Wilmington, DE. Craig Healy in Providence, RI had no trouble either with his
R8B, and indoor loop.
With a bit of overkill, Bill Swiger in West Virginia logged the test using
a 1,000 foot N/S beverage antenna! Bill Bock of Prescott Valley, AZ heard sweep
tones and code in his Western home, and
Scott Levitt said the signal was "completely dominating" from his shack in
Bath, PA.
Jerry Bond also logged the test in Rochester, NY, where WDAB may have put a
dent in the local
Arbitron logs! John Bolduc reported the test "strong" in Derry, NH. And
Nigel Pimblett hung around long enough to finally pull out both Code, Tones, and
Voice from his spot in Dunmore, Alberta, Canada.
Chris Carter successfully ID'ed the test, but unfortunately, we have no
idea where from! Please be sure to include your full name and location when
you're reporting a test....nice catch Chris! Mike Prindle was another DX'er who
logged the test, but didn't say from where...got the MP3 Mike.
Steve Ratzlaff logged the test from Elgin, OR using his AR-7030 (nice rig!)
and reported WDAB fighting it out with KBLA. While RC Watts needed only a plain
vanilla CC radio to pull it in from his home near Louisville, KY. Saul Chernos
of Toronto, Ontario heard the test easily, and also successful was Patrick
Griffith of Westminster, CO.
Gerry Bishop heard the sweep tones clearly from his home in Niceville, FL,
right on the Alabama line. Frank Aden of Boise, ID heard tones at his shack, and
Curt Deegan reported the test "loud and clear" from Boca Raton, FL.
Brett Saylor in Central PA used an Drake R8 with a 100 foot sloper to snag
the test, while Murray Carl Mann used an R8A and a Quantum Loop to pull it in
from his home in Omaha, NB.
Greg Myers of St. Petersburg, FL noted that it had been a long time since
hearing WDAB from his location. Dave Pyatt was happy to add the station to his
log in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, as was Tom Laskowski of South Bend, IN.
Vermont got into the party when Steve Howe used his Sony 2010 to pull in
Code, Sweep Tones, and voice ID's. Doug Smith logged the test on his car radio
from Nashville, and Christos Rigas pulled magic from the ether near Wood Dale,
Illinois.
Wayne Heinen added SC#2 to his log in Aurora, CO despite some QRM from XERF
on the adjacent channel and KQRL in Waco. Also hearing the test was Lee
Freshwater of Ocala, FL,
and Thomas Connatser of Sevierville, TN.
Shaun Curry was another Rhode Island DX'er who heard the test, and James
Beer added Wisconsin to the list of states who received it. Bert New used only a
Sangean ATS 909 to log the test from his shack in Watkinsville, GA, A. MacKay
heard the test using similar equipment from Atwood, Ontario in Canada.
Using an R8 and Quantum Phaser, Bruce Winkleman of Tulsa used this test to
put South Carolina station #1 into his log...we all know what a great feeling
that is! John Sgrulletta heard the test from his home in NY and had nothing but
praise for Paul Walker for arranging the test.
Another happy camper was Joseph Miller of Troy, MI as was Tom Jasinski of
Shorewood, IL.
California DX'ers also got into the act, including Art Peterson of
Richmond, CA and Curtis
McMenanmin of Vacaville, CA. Art reported a long duel with nearby KMIK but
the code and sweep tones managed to make it through.
I talked on my cell phone with Curtis McMenanmin while we both listened to
the station...couldn't make out much from his end except for the sweep tones
which really came through even on the cell!
George Sherman of Michigan pulled in the test, noting the song "Baby Come
Back" that was played during the maintenance period. Glenn Hauser proved that no
good deed goes unrewarded...he reminded many of the test and found his own
treasure when he pulled the test
in using his FRG-7 from Enid, OK. Thanks again Glenn!
John Wilkins of Wheat Ridge, Colorado noted that the WDAB test was only his
second logging from a SC station in over 25 years! Congratulations John! Jim
Chenard of Blairstown, NJ noted that this had been on his 1580 "wish list" for
quite a while too.
Rounding out our list was Phillip Chiello used a Sony 2010 to nab the test
from Elm Grove, WI. We have reports that the test was heard into Europe, but as
of this report, I'm still awaiting details.
Despite the awesome signal and conditions throughout the US, there were
some folks who went to bed disappointed. Among these was Kevin R. in Gilbert, AZ
who couldn't hear anything over nearby KMIK. Most remarkable was that this was
the only report we received of a DX who attempted the test without success.
Totals for the test were amazing. The test was heard by dozens of DX'ers in
23 states and three districts of Canada! Receptions ranged literally from Coast
to Coast, with voice ID's being reported at distances that I've never seen
before. We may all long remember the conditions near sunspot minimum in the
winter of 2006 and this test only adds to the legend of this incredible season.
Congrats again to all who heard the test and to those who helped to arrange it.
QSL cards on on their way, but please be patient. I've got a large stack of
CD's, cassettes, etc to wade through.
SOAPBOX
Blasting in Memphis at 0002 EST. Ah, Just like the good old days!
-Jim Pogue, Memphis, TN
A new station for me here!
-Shawn Axelrod, Winnipeg, MB
Good enough as I was talking to fellow DXer Bill
Block in AZ on my cell. I put the cell up to the speaker and Bill could hear them over the phone without any trouble. -Patrick Martin, Seaside, OR
Station was atop the frequency, reception good to fair (with some fading)
on an average
table radio with no sort of loop or enhancement.
-Clarke Ingram, Pittsburgh, PA
Last time I heard WDAB was back in November of 1995, one afternoon. sunset
local time.
-Keith McGinnis, Higham, MA
Sweep tones positively blasting the headphones off my head!
-Pete Jernakoff, Wilmington, DE
This is SC #1 for me from here!
-Craig Barnes, Wondervu, CO
Signal was very strong, completely dominating 1580. Heard on my car radio
in Bath, PA.
-Scott Levitt, Bath, PA
Scott is not the only one in Rochester hearing the WDAB Test.
I'm getting
them loud and clear also - just a beautiful signal. -Jerry Bond, Rochester, NY Many thanks to Glenn Hauser for the reminder of the 1580 WDAB test--I would
have totally forgotten it otherwise. -Steve Ratzlaff, Elgin, OR I live 5.1 miles from 50 kW blast furnace KMIK on 1580. Almost nothing
short of an EMP blast could get through that mess.
-Kevin R. Gilbert, AZ
First DX Test heard from a SC station since the test from WBSC-1550
in
July (yes, July!), 1970 arranged by Harry Helms! -Steve Howe, St. Albans, VT
The only identifiable QRM was "George FM" KQRL-1580khz in
Waco...
-Wayne Heinen, Aurora, CO
WDAB is the first SC station logged in 26+ years of DXing in
Tulsa Thanks to all the
folks that arranged and conducted the test....
-Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, OK Since I started DXing these types of tests the last 10 or 15 years, this
one
takes the top prize. -John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY
Nice to see how well this 5KW highbander got out !!
-Neil Kazaross, IL
Thank you for this one. Has been on my 1580 list for
a while.
-Jim Chenard, Blairstown, NJ
Les Rayburn, N1LF
NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter will be off the air for maintenance. (205) 253-4867 |
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