[IRCA] WNTP 990/WFIL 560 DX Test Results

["Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

DX Friendly (and DX'er himself) Rene Tetro conducted the now annual WNTP 
990khz
and WFIL 560khz DX Test. This year's effort was directed at giving more West
Coast DX'ers a chance to log the Philadelphia, PA stations by testing much
later than normal at 0500AM Eastern.

Complete test details are listed below:
============================================

WNTP 990khz Philadelphia, PA DX Test
WFIL 560 Philadelphia, PA DX Test
Date(s): Sunday Morning December 10th, 2006
Time: 0500-0600 Eastern Time. One hour test.

Modes of Operation: Transmitter Testing to check on improvements to the new 
audio chain.

WNTP:    0500-0530  50kw Day Directional Pattern
               05530-0600 5kw Non-Directional

WFIL:     0500-0530  5kw Day Directional Pattern
              0530-0600  2.5kw Non-Directional

Programming: Morse Code ID's, Sweep Tones, Voice ID.

Notes:  Transmitter audio chain testing. With WNTP running daytime power for 
½ hour (50KW) this should present a real opportunity for DX'ers on the West 
Coast to log this station/state.

TEST RESULTS
======================================================

Tom Dimeo of nearby Harrisburg, PA reported easy copy on the tests, followed 
quickly by
your editor, Les Rayburn, in Helena, AL who easily copied both stations as 
well. I used
my Icom 746Pro with an LF Engineering M-601 active antenna phased against
a Wellbrooke loop.

A Drake R8A and Quantum Loop proved to be the perfect combination for Robert
Pote in Greenwood, Indiana who even managed to copy parts of the voice 
announcements
despite powerhouse CKGM.

Neil Kazaross got the perfect Christmas gift in the form of a new logging, 
when he managed to null
WIND using only his bedside Sony 2010 and pull in the sweep tones from WFIL. 
Guess Santa came
to Barrington, IL early this year!

A Sony 2010 and a Radio West Loop were also the tools of Stephen Howe who 
managed to
log both tests from his home in St. Albans, Vermont. And William Wilkins of 
Springfield, MO
also managed to log WNTP, during the lower power part of their test.

Alas, not everyone had such luck. Despite using top of the line equipment, 
in the form of a
Drake R8B and a Kiwa Loop, Doug Pifer of Albany, OR reported no joy at his 
shack. He
must have been on the naughty list. Hopefully Santa will bring him something 
nice later
in the test season!

My sources at the North Pole indicate that Jim Progue was a frequent member 
of the
naughty list during his boyhood days, so it's no surprise that he got coal 
in his stocking
this time around. Actually, Jim's a great guy and well known DX'er from 
Memphis. He
usually can bag the rarest ones, but found no luck on this test. He's got 
locals
on both frequencies, and they proved too much of an obstacle for this test.



SOAPBOX
=======================================

 I tried for WNTP from 0510-0520 ELT during their 50 kW day directional 
pattern to no avail.
I checked back at 0537-0600 ELT during the 5 KW non-directional
pattern and heard several of the sets of the solid, sweep, step,
pulse, oscillating, and telephone tones, and the Morse code letter,
very faintly way under CKGM during pauses in their spots and sports program.
-Stephen Howe, St. Albans, VT

I'm working on it, no luck yet up until 0516ET.   Local on 990 three miles
west of me is a big factor. Have modern SS music so far.
Thanks a bunch! and 73
-Doug Pifer,Albany, OR

Sadly I wasn't able to knock down either of my locals
on 560 or 990 to the point where I could hear anything underneath
(both are less than 12 miles away from me). Just the same, many thanks
to Les, Rene and everyone else involved for airing the tests. Maybe
next time I'll try driving out of town a few miles and see if I can
get a proper null.
-Jim Pogue, Memphis, TN

My alarm went off at 0513 EST this morning and I flipped on the bedside Sony
2010 and nulled WIND and there was WFIL with code and a few minutes later
something like a two-tone siren. QRM u/nulled WIND was music, most likely
unn CFOS

73 and thx for a new station, Rene.
-Neil Kazaross, Barrington IL


Again, a big "Thank you!" to Rene Tetro, one of the most DX friendly 
engineers
in the history of the hobby. This test has become an annual event, and it's 
really
something for DX'ers to look forward to.


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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