[IRCA] KHSE, KFAQ, KSPI, KTLV, WQCL720, WPQG483, WMT, KXTR, KEOR, KGBC, KWMO

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dates and times strictly UT; originally published in DX LISTENING DIGEST 10-06, 10-07 and pending 10-08, via 
http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html

** U S A. 700, Feb 6 at 1607 on the caradio I hear KHSE, The Metroplex, TX, in English! Usually is in some S Asian language. YL opens program of the India Association of North Texas, inviting calls to studio at a 214-AC number for requests and dedications, soon into Indian music. 

Last time I logged this in Sept, found program schedule at http://funasia.net/Files/rad_saturday.html
At ``10-12 AM`` Saturday host is Shabnam Modgil, program is Radio Bharti, and the content is ``India Association Of North Texas``. You can`t really tell from this schedule which programs are in English unless the title includes Punjabi or something, and even then could be bilingual. I see that during various unsold hours, the default is nonstop music.

Besides the splash from KGGF-690 KS, this morning I am hearing a weaker signal underneath on 700. I suppose the 15 kW in Houston with its unfavorable pattern tho not a null is about as likely as remnant WLW 50 kW non-direxional, less than twice as far. Salt Lake aims due south even daytimes, per NRC Pattern Book. 

Meanwhile, 720 bore two weak signals with the typical SAH between KSAH TX and WGN IL. Running only 1.5 kW, KHSE would be much better here were it not for its own null (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1170, KFAQ, IBOC had been turned off at 2012 UT check Feb 5; finally 1160 and 1180 were clear for DX on the caradio, altho this early, there wasn`t any. Had been on constantly in daytime, so we`ll have to see if this be a fluke or a policy change. Then a sesquihour later, the powerline noise level around much of Enid was up, a lot like IBOC except it`s all over the band. Arrgh.

KFAQ 1170 Tulsa IBOC is still off at 1555 UT check Feb 6; I am beginning to be hopeful (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

1170 KFAQ IBOC still off this morning 1555Z (0955 CST) 06FEB10. Thanks
for the heads-up on this one, Glenn (Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, OK, ABDX via DXLD) Seems we both checked at exactly the same time! And still off ever since (gh) [back on night and day by UT Feb 11 --- gh]

** U S A. 1160, KSL Salt Lake City UT, with delayed Jim Bohannon Show, Feb 11 at 0715 UT, but bad IBOC QRM. What could that be from? KFAQ Tulsa 1170 has stopped IBOC at least in the daytime, and still clear at 1715 UT check, but no other stations known on 1170 or 1150, much less 1180 or 1140, which would mess up 1160, where KSL itself is on the IBOC list at http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/station-list.html
Hmmm, could it have been out of whack, KSL QRMing itself too close to center channel? Besides, there was no IBOC bothering weaker signals on 1180, i.e. coming from 1170 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Turned out to be KFAQ 1170 with IBOC resumed; see OKLAHOMA (gh)

** OKLAHOMA. 1170, KFAQ Tulsa has resumed IBOC noise on the sides, after several days` respite. Feb 11 around 2045 UT on the caradio I found a spot quiet enough to evade local noise override and could tell it was there again, so that explains the IBOQRM against KSL-1160 I was getting the night before at 0715 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA [and non]. I have long noticed on the caradio that there is something wrong with KSPI 780 Stillwater, a sports talker; Feb 8 at 2049 UT I was hearing hets of almost the same pitch when stepped 10 kHz to much weaker stations on adjacent frequencies, both of them attempting to play music for our enjoyment:

770, KAAM Garland, The Metroplex, TX, with ``The Way You Look Tonite``, nostalgia format, and
790, KXXX Colby KS, with ``Rhinestone Cowboy`` in country format; and mixed with news/talk from KFYO Lubbock TX

There is also a higher-pitched whine when tuned to KSPI itself. It`s about 50 miles away, and hard to believe a daytimer with such a big signal here is only 250 watts. They must be modulating it to the hilt. I think it is putting out spurs, but will have to see if I can measure them on some other radio. [later: YES, detected close to 776 and 784]

** OKLAHOMA. Re 10-06: Yes, KSPI 780 Stillwater is putting out spurs, as previously noted hets on 770, 780 and 790 on the 10-kHz stepping caradio. Feb 11 at 2157 I tried on the DX-398 portable, and from Stillwater direxion, could detect weak carriers very close to 776 and 784 kHz, which have really been there for months (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

BTW, years ago in Enid I had no problem hearing daytime groundwave from KXXX in the NW corner of KS, or KFYO, also over 300 miles away in West Texas, nulling one or the other, but not any more with KSPI on one side and augmented KQCV OKC 800 on the other, now 2.5 kW instead of original 250 watt outlet. Trying to remember its original call from the 1960s when I started, but FCC call sign history can`t either. KQCV also makes it tough to listen to WHB ex-KCMO Kansas City on 810.

1220, Feb 8 at 2052 UT, looking for the Asian station from The Metroplex, but only hearing weak soul/gospel music outlet; a few minutes later, lengthy local commercial by obnoxious pitchman, but could not copy anything pinning it to KTLV Midwest City or OKC, due to splash from 1230 WBBZ Ponca City with music most of the time. Less than an hour later, I was not getting 1220 at all.

FCC shows the 250 watts are direxional with major lobes at 60 and 250 degrees, nulls including 340 degrees, close to Enidward, so it could still be on but with little signal here, while 250 W would be plenty if it were nondirexional. Forget about it at night, 5 watts on same pattern. 

NRC AM Log 2009 shows format UC/GOS, which fits, and slogan ``Key To Living Victoriously`` --- gee, I always thought KTLV was supposed to evoke ``Twelve``. And furthermore it`s marked -I for IBOC, if so, certainly undetectable here.

1610, at quiet spots in western Enid one can make out the NWS relay via Great Salt Plains State Park TIS, WQCL720, axually licensed to the town just south, Jet. Quick & Easy leads right to the GE image at http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.742500,-98.132222&=0.03805,0.06727&t=k&hl=en

We located the mast in the park area to the left of the road opposite the airstrip, where BTW, our ``local`` NEXRAD weather radome is located, identified with Vance AFB, both quite a distance away. 

1610 used to alternate NWS Enid 162+ MHz relays with local loop of info about attraxions at the park and other towns such as Cherokee, but lately I have heard nothing but NWS so perhaps the old tape wore out after never having been changed for years, turn-it-on-and-forget-it.

Back to the point, on Feb 8 at 2140 I was unusually getting QRM from another 1610 TIS, believe it`s YL voice, making 1 Hz SAH, most likely from the next closest one, Kansas Turnpike Authority, per MW List Quick & Easy: ``WPQG483 Wellington, KS 0.01 nr jct k35 & us 160 hwy``
which provides its own weather and traffic alerts for paying travelers (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 600 kHz, good signal looping NE/SW with nostalgia music, at 0052 UT Feb 15, a love song for VD, soon outroed as by Mary Jo Stafford, and the Phil Weston Orchestra, on ``Musical Memories`` for a Sunday afternoon, mentioning current hour 6-7 pm, so apparently live DJ somewhere in the CST zone, also giving weather forecast for what ``we`` could expect, including snow and below-freezing temps, but never a geographical hint as to exactly where ``we`` are, for those yearning for an ID. 

But must be WMT Cedar Rapids IA. Soon confirmed it`s Jim Doyne at http://www.wmtradio.com/pages/musicalmemories.html
which says his show starts at 2 pm = 2000 UT: 
 
``Relive your Musical Memories every Sunday with Jim Doyne --- Jim provides his listeners with the great songs of the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s every Sunday afternoon from 2 to 7 pm.``

Companion show before it at 7:30 am-2 pm [1330-2000 UT] is: ``Leo Greco's Variety Time --- Leo has been a musician and entertainer in Eastern Iowa since the mid 1940’s. He show features a special blend of polkas, standards, country and other musical favorites. He’s been waking up Iowans on Sunday morning for over 35 years.``

WMT must be a ``full-service`` station daring to play music as well as news/talk the other six days of the week. Well, axually a disservice as their `news` comes from Fox, and Rash Limburger is on the roster, along with anti-administration stuff plastered all over their homepage. 

Besides the nostalgic music, I`ll give them some credit for carrying Jim Bohannon --- since our local KGWA has dropped Jimbo, WMT is a possible source for him here at 0307-0559 UT Tue-Sat, tho hardly QRM-free (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** U S A. 1660, Feb 11 around 2100 on caradio, dominant station is carrying caraces, no sign of classical music. Could this be KXTR Kansas City KS?? No music heard later, and at 0053 UT Feb 12, there was sportstalk about the Jayhawx, i.e. KU, nearby Lawrence KS, so it looks like KXTR has undergone a radical format change, and not some propagational quirk inbringing the next closest 1660 stations, Fargo and Waco, which are both ESPN.

Or has it? KXTR 1660 has previously broken away from classical to carry stupid minorleague ballgames, mostly in the evenings. Website http://www.kxtr.com would still make you think it`s nothing but classical, not sports, but if you click on schedule page all you get is a further link, to coupons! Somehow, it seems KXTR 1660 is not that serious about classical music programming.

The classical format also runs on the HD2 IBOC channel of the 98.1 FM station, so possibly the Entercom group considers that to be primary instead of surely secondary based on possible listenership, and uses 1660 as a dumping ground for sports specials or whatever needs to pre-empt the stated format. 

What`s on the stream may stay classical? It was anyway when checked later around 0130:
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=KXTR

I was also monitoring 1660 around 0005 UT Feb 12, and was definitely hearing some Mexican music down in the mix --- most likely KXOL in Brigham City UT, which is now a latino hotbed? This almost an hour before Feb local sunset there of 0100 UT, so still on 10 kW day power; much more likely than another SS, but religious, Merced CA.

1660, KXTR Kansas City KS still plays classical music part of the time, such as 0724 UT Feb 13, at the moment atop multiple SAHs from other 1660s, notably Waco. 

BTW, 24 hours after I was hearing NASCAR nonsense on 1660, presumed KXTR, around 2100 UT on the same caradio, nothing audible on 1660, and not much else on X-band either. Conditions vary markedly from day to day, with the Sun`s slight ascension negligible, altho the trend is certainly against daytime DX, only 5 weeks from equinox! 

It was audible enough on Saturday afternoon Feb 13 to tell that it was carrying the Metropolitan Opera (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1120, KEOR Sperry was absent at 2153 UT check Feb 18 on the caradio. It`s been quite reliable from some weeks, simulcasting KJMU 1340. Next check at 1538 Feb 19 found it on the air with talk, and a strange thumping noise every few seconds, perhaps some kind of feedback, and this went on for at least the next two or three hours (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1540, China Radio International, Feb 19 at 0645 tune-in to ``Everyday Chinese`` language lessons, and IDed as such about once a minute. Not // CRI via Sackville 6115. Steady S9+20 signal atop multiple SAHs, occasional fades but remains dominant past 0700 UT despite using my unfavorably-oriented E-W longwire on the FRG-7. Modulation very good. 0653 changed to ``Tips of the Chinese Culture``, the very title of which suggests they need some English lessons. 0655 announcement as ``China Now, from CRI, Beyond Beijing``; song.
Kept listening to catch a local ID around hourtop, but there was none!! Violation!! 0700 into CRI news starting with denunciation of Dalai Lama being received at the White House and the ``harm`` that has done to Sino-American relations. 

Apparently this feed, as IDed above is different from what goes out on SW. Of course, 1540 is KGBC Galveston TX, which at the beginning of the year sold out to the ChiComs with a fulltime relay of CRI. Thank you, KGBC for advancing Chinese imperialist anti-Tibet propaganda.

Yes, CHIN Toronto also relays CRI part-time, but it`s a rarity here. And besides, CHIN is running Rai in Italian at this time per 
http://www.chinradio.com/radio-programs?sch2=1

I think I logged KGBC long ago, when it was a real local station, but not lately. It`s 2.5 kW day, 250 watts night, and with a null, tho not a deep one, at 350 degrees OKward at night. Daytime pattern is broader without such a null. Thus we suspect the latter was really in use at midnight.

KGBC has an application to move to ``Dayton`` TX, closer to Houston, increase power to 5 kW day, reduce to 187 watts night, and with similar patterns from two different sites, but surely that is not on yet even to test, as a CP has not been granted, per FCC AM Query (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###

** U S A. I make regular chex of 4050 in case KWMO Washington MO make it thru, but usually not. Feb 13 at 0705 there was just barely audible music presumed from this 1350 station, current champ in the third-harmonic radiation category.

Relatively quiet conditions Feb 14 at 0556 allowed a weak S9+5 signal to be audible on 4050 with country music. Faded a bit at 0600 sharp when inserted ID including ``KWM-`` and right back to more of same music. I.e. KWMO, Washington MO, 3 x 1350.

4050, Feb 16 at 0624 check, country music, no-strain level at peaks, no doubt presumed KWMO Washington MO, 3 x 1350 as usual (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1500, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 4050, KWMO Washington MO third harmonic can also be heard earlier than my usual 06-07 UT logs: Feb 19 at 0219 M&W talking, probably an ad; 0304 music, so not much news if any on the hour. Quite weak and presumed as per previous definite IDs, no other 1350s harmonicizing like this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [and non]. Re 10-05, COLOMBIA, 2980, comments about harmonic suppression in USA vs elsewhere:

Glenn, "Decades ago" the FCC rules didn't require 2nd harmonic (and other way out of band) emissions from US stations to be -80 dBc (80 dB below carrier), as long as they didn't create "actual" (i.e., cause of complaint) interference. In fact, even after the FCC adopted emission limits, it exempted stations operating with transmitters approved prior to the rule. 

I can't remember exactly when, but I distinctly remember making measurements on stations that didn't meet -80 dBc but weren't required to by virtue of transmitter age at least all through the 1960's and possibly into the 1970's as well. (I just looked at the 1968 version of the rules, and it was -80 dBc at that time, but my only earlier copy of the rules is 1937-1940 so I can't say exactly when the rules changed.)

And many medium wave stations outside of North America still don't meet the ITU requirements, which are somewhat more complex than FCC's.  -60 dBc is probably the informal standard most places (Ben Dawson, WA, Feb 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)


      

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