[IRCA] Post-DX Test report from David Harris at KRPI

["James Pogue" <KH2AR@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Please share this with anyone who may be interested. Also, please note
David's request for an SASE if you would like to receive a QSL card for the
DX Test. From David:

 

In late January, 2012 KRPI, AM 1550, was contacted by Jim Pogue from the
IRCA/NRC Broadcast Test Committee asking if the station would consider
conducting a DX test.  My immediate reaction was YES!  The management had no
objections so the date was set.  Our live broadcasting ends at midnight when
we switch to pre-recorded programming, so it was easy to set up for the
test.  

I made a recording of a brief announcement identifying the station and
alerting listeners that a test was in progress until 1:30 AM PST and that
normal programming would resume at that time.  

A microcontroller was programmed to send Morse code at about 10 WPM.  The
message was VVV VVV VVV de KRPI KRPI KRPI at 1000 Hz followed by the same
sequence at 1500 Hz.

Finally, an iPod was loaded with old time fiddle tunes.  About 5 minutes
before the test was scheduled we switched to day power and pattern (50kW).
At 1:00 AM the voice recording was played, followed by the Morse code
segment, followed by a musical selection.  That pattern was repeated every
five minutes or so for the next half hour.  At least once the musical
selection was East Indian instead of a fiddle tune. In the middle of things
I received a call from a listener in California - I would have loved to
chat, but I had to be a bit abrupt since I had my hands full.  After the
test ended I received another call from a listener in Nashville and had a
nice conversation.

So far I have heard directly from listeners in Alabama, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee,
Manitoba, Ontario, and Japan.

We often receive reports from the AM DX enthusiasts on vacation in Lapland
with their extraordinary long wire antennas and NRD receivers but we rarely
hear from domestic DXers.  This has been an exciting experience for me and
it has been my pleasure to participate in this DX test.  All verified
reports accompanied by a SASE will receive our QSL card which will fit into
an ordinary business envelope.

Best regards to all,

 

David Harris

AC7OB, ex K2RRH

 

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