[IRCA] 720-KOTZ DX Test tomorrow - do I have a chance? + suggestion

[Stephen Airy <pianoplayer88key@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

I've read about 670-WSCR, 720-WGN and 780-WBBM being off the air, and a few stations on their frequencies doing some DX tests.  So far I'm aware of 670-KBOI doing 1 minute of 50kW ND morse code a couple times (I forget what times, though).  I've heard them previously before they re-directionalized their night pattern away from Southern California, but I think I might be able to get them on their ND pattern.  KIRN Simi Valley, CA (receivable but weak in the daytime) and maybe KMZQ Las Vegas, NV (I've also heard KLTT Commerce City, CO) might be a bit tough to get past, though ....

... but nowhere near as tough as 720-KDWN will be to get past hem to bag KOTZ in Alaska.  For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaLPsevaRGk

BTW I'm near 32°45'40"N 116°56'50"W.  Do I have a chance of catching KOTZ breaking through that pest?  KDWN is about 410 km / 255 mi from me at a bearing of about 26° - their augmented IDF @ 1 km toward me (bearing ~205°) is about 3436 mV/m, giving them about 111 kW ERP toward me.  KOTZ, being 10 kW ND, is about 4804 km / 2985 mi distant at a bearing of about 336° / reverse 119°.
Even if KDWN is relatively tame, I'm wondering if 760-KFMB could also influence my ability (or lack thereof) to get KOTZ?  KFMB is about 11.75 km / 7.3 mi from me at a bearing of about 321°, with an ERP toward me (bearing ~140°) of about 35.5 kW (theoretical IDF ~1814 mV/m @ 1 km, TPO 50 kW).  As you can probably tell from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICaOz_Nvxeo - KFMB can have a fairly strong signal here, especially after their pattern change to their 50kW night pattern. :)

So, do I still have any chance at KOTZ?  I will probably be using a Tecsun PL-606 and Select-A-Tenna, and possibly also the utility ground wire featured in the two videos (hidden behind the wooden strip on the pole.)



Also, I was thinking of something that might make it a little easier to get KOTZ (and other stations) during the test.  Would it be at all possible to include some morse code IDs / tests at, for example, 5 and 4 or 6 kHz modulation simultaneously?  (Not 5 kHz code, then 6 kHz code, but both the 5 and 6 kHz tones played simultaneously.)  I'd suggest that the tones (especially the 5 kHz one) be at full modulation, or same power into each of those as goes into the carrier.  I'm hoping that I would be able to tune to 715 or 725 kHz with my PL-606, and if it works like I hope it would, the tones would fool my PL-606 into thinking there was a carrier on one (or both) of those frequencies (causing the S/N display to register something other than 00 if the signal is strong enough), and I'd hear a 1 kHz beat note.  (Given a sufficient signal I'd probably hear that beatnote anyway even if the S/N display never rose above 00.)  Alternately, maybe a 7 and 8
 kHz tone combination (so I'd tune to, say, 712, 713, 727 or 728 kHz for the code, with the 1 kHz beat note audible) may work, if it could be sent at full power / modulation.  Is there any possibility of that?  I was able to hear the 5 kHz tones on the 1490 KRSN DX test recently with my SRF-59, but I didn't have an über-strong pest on that frequency like I do on 720 with KDWN, and I'm hoping I can use the PL-606 to try to catch KOTZ.

Also could someone recap what the plans for DX tests are so far on the 3 frequencies - 670, 720 and 780?

BTW I have heard WGN once several years ago one morning when KDWN was off the air, and I heard WBBM once when I got lucky and was able to null KKOH Reno and local pest KFMB (the radio I was using has selectivity that I'd guess is marginally better than the stock filter in the Sony SRF-M37V/W series radios.)  For some reason KAZM Sedona, AZ, was a non-factor then, but is a semi-regular on 780 when I null Reno aim east.  I still have yet to catch 670 WMA-- i mean WSCR.  KLTT near Denver might pose an obstacle, but hopefully I'd be able to tame relative weaklings KIRN Simi Valley and KMZQ Las Vegas, and receive WSCR sometime ; also KBOI is a relative non-factor here on their current night pattern.

73,

Stephen
S of El Cajon, CA
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