Re: [IRCA] DXing the Western US [ Grandpa, DON'T Tell Me About the Good Ole Days ]

[neilkaz <neilkaz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm tied up this weekend but will be adding a couple replies to this thread. All I'll say now is to use modern tech for best results.

1) SDR to record the entire band (or a good chunk of it)

2) You want to receive to the west, so use an antenna system that nulls the east.

3) Wait for fall. Trying SSS to the west anytime in the summer prior to late Aug isn't likely to get you much difficult.

4) You don't need GeoClock, but have the sunset grid maps is certainly useful as they'll tell you the boundaries between the 15 minute sunset power switch times. 

73 KAZ

-----Original Message-----
>From: Nick Hall-Patch <nhp@xxxxxxxx>
>Sent: May 23, 2015 9:47 AM
>To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: [IRCA] DXing the Western US [ Grandpa, DON'T Tell Me About  the Good Ole Days ]
>
>Neil Kazaross gave a good talk on the subject of sunset skip at the 
>Minneapolis convention Les, and used many illustrations of western 
>stations heard in his part of the world.   I'd certainly ask him.
>
>best wishes,
>
>Nick
>
>At 00:46 23-05-15, you wrote:
>>With apologies to the Judds for their hit song.
>>
>>My primary interest in AM DXing is logging domestic stations in the 
>>Western part of the U.S. Probably because i enjoy traveling in that 
>>scenery, and the people are wonderful. No matter the reason, any 
>>station with a "K" call is a thrill for me to log.
>>
>>I started my DXing career in the late 1990's, right about the time 
>>that Total Recorder software made automated monitoring possible. 
>>That fit well with my busy lifestyle, so it's continued to dominate 
>>my efforts since. Not spending much "live" time at the dials, I've 
>>never appreciated the opportunities for Sunrise and Sunset (SR/SS) 
>>DXing to it's full extent.
>>
>>One fond memory is setting at a state park with a portable receiver 
>>at sunset, waiting for a daytime station in the East to sign off, 
>>revealing a Nebraska station loud and clear giving farm reports 
>>underneath. I don't recall the call or the frequency, but it's in my log.
>>
>>Fast forward to 2015. I'm not eager to add to my totals for Western 
>>stations. I'd like to ask other DX'er what strategies, equipment, 
>>antennas, etc they use when looking for new ones out West.
>>
>>I've asked this question before, and usually receive a lot of 
>>stories about "how it used to be" before the rules changes, when the 
>>clear channels dominated, etc. Many articles written about SR and SS 
>>DXing also either focus on the historical aspect, or assume that 
>>everyone reading knows how it used to be, and only talk about how 
>>bad it is now.
>>
>>So--while I appreciate the history--I'm more interested in putting 
>>new ones in the log today. Any DX'ers have suggestions on how best 
>>to do that now in 2015?
>>
>>Knowledge is always appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>>
>>
>>--
>>73,
>>
>>
>>Les Rayburn, N1LF
>>Maylene, AL
>>EM63
>>
>>Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle
>>Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA
>>
>>Elad FDM-S2 SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, 
>>Clifton Lab Active Whip,
>>Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector
>>
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