[IRCA] Domestic MWDX to Enid OK May 30-June 6, 2013

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

All times and dates strictly UT [4 hours ahead of `ELT`]. Rx: mostly DX-398 with internal antenna only; or Sony SRF-59 as specified; Nissan stock caradio as specified; FRG-7 as specified

These logs are excerpts from my daily all-band reports, mainly SWBC, also VHF/UHF, sometimes, utility, ham, which may be found in several archives without much delay, such as
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=Hauser

And compiled weekly along with extensive news from many other individuals and publications in DX LISTENING DIGEST:
http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html

These logs are in four sexions, Canada [if any], Oklahoma [if any], rest of USA, unidentified, separated by ======= Within each, they are in frequency order

[Sorry, this also includes some FM and TV information as in my original reports; it`s too tedious to try to delete those parts, for the artificial distinxion of MW-only, but the full VHF/UHF info has been posted on WTFDA and amfmtvdx lists]

** OKLAHOMA. During first tornado outbreak the afternoon of May 30, which affected areas south and east of here, circa oiltown Cushing, while we in Enid are in bright, placid sunshine, OKC TV stations are in wall-to-wall coverage, so I take the opportunity to tune the FM band starting at 2035 UT and find which stations are relaying which TV stations. Some of them * are in-and-out with own announcers, depending on how close they are to the warning areas (and how eager they are to get back to regular programming and commercials; make that: commercials and programming). 

KFOR-27 (``4``): 102.7, 101.9,  96.1,  94.7, 90.5, 89.7/88.7/88.5*
KOCO-7  (``5``): 100.5,  98.1,  98.9*, 96.9* 
KWTV-39 (``9``): 107.7, 105.1*, 104.1, 93.3, 92.5*, 91.7

Also checked some of the stronger AM signals without escaping household noise sources blocking the weaker ones:
KFOR: KTOK 1000
KWTV: Triple-play KOKP 1020 & KOKB 1580 (along with 105.1*); KOKC 1520
So unknown what KUSHing 1600 was doing.

I suspect the above groupings reflect clusters such as Clear Channel, Cumulus, Tyler, gospel-huxters; details which have never really interested me on stations I seldom care to listen to for their own content (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. FM bandscan 0054-0100 UT June 1 during heavy tornado outbreak in OKC:

Relaying KFOR-27 (``4``): 90.1 KCSC-FM (takes a lot to pull them away from classical); 94.7, 96.1, 98.5-Enid xltr, 101.9, 102.7, also 1000 KTOK

Relaying KOCO-7 (``5``): 100.5, 105.7=KROU relaying KGOU public radio (audible due to local 105.5 translator off); 98.9, 98.1, 96.9

Relaying KWTV-39 (``9``): 91.7 KOSU, 92.5, 93.3, 103.5, 104.1, 107.7, also KOKC 1520

On regular schedule: 95.1 gospel huxter, 99.7 oldies. Others:

105.5, with local translator off, something promoing CBS Sports Radio

106.7, KTUZ with own tornado coverage in Spanish, but which TV station are they watching?

1460, no Spanish heard, KZUE El Reno may be OFF! [more below]

1340, KGHM, can`t make out whether talk is tornado or sports

1140, KRMP seems OFF!

930, WKY relays KOCO briefly then translates it to Spanish

890, KTLR Spanish mass

800, KQCV is OFF!

640, KWPN relaying KOCO like 100.5, but interrupted by NWS warning from Norman (sorry, but often what the local TV stations are saying is more timely and urgent than official NWS overrides! Which are maddeningly inhuman, plodding and repetitive). Then dead air; due to NWS, or lost STL??

The OFF AM stations may just be due to widespread power outages, many lines down; however KZUE 1460 on Radio Road just west of El Reno is about where the first tornado spawned.

There is tropo TVDX from the north keeping me up late, so one further check before sleep:

640, at 0641 UT, KWPN is on now, ID with WWLS 98.1 FM (which stole its call)

After sunrise, what`s happening? Now it`s June, the shortest nights of the year, with OKC FCC SR/SS times for e.g. KQCV as 1115/0145 UT.

640, KWPN at 1124 with sportstalk

800, KQCV is still OFF at 1122, 1138, 1155 chex. Too late already for XEROK, but I wonder what else I might get on groundwave without KQCV? KDDD Dumas TX would be best bet from the Panhandle, but only 250 watts; two more low-powers in Arkansas and a 1 kW in eastern MO. Storm noise level from SE OK is still too high, especially on low-band blocking DX

890, KTLR at 1131 is open carrier; by next check 1138 on with unrelated talk, still on at 1155

1000, KTOK at 1138 with dog & flea infomercial

1140, KRMP at 1127 seems OFF; I am hearing Spanish music from E/W = Arkansas, and Spanish talk weak from N/S, probably XEMR NL. But at 1155 KRMP is on with local talk

1340, KGHM at 1130 better sex life infomercial, not sports; but 1136 local tornado damage talk

1490, KMFS Guthrie is OFF! But if it were on, would only be plugged into Jimmy Swaggart network

1520, KOKC at 1138, vitamin-D pusher infomercial after offensive anti-government promos for Savage Nation and Herman Cain

At 1307 UT I start another bandscan this time on the more sensitive parked car radio:

800, KQCV still off at 1307, no DX audible vs noise level

890, KTLR damage discussion in English, from a TV station?

930, WKY, Spanish conversation about casualties, back to music 1308

1000, KTOK, planning for crisis – not this, but aged parents infomercial

1140, KRMP now with soul music at 1309

1220, KTLV, cannot detect any signal, but inconclusive

1340, KGHM, sports talk at 1310

1460, KZUE El Reno still OFF at 1311, but two hours after sunrise residual skywave on hiband, something JBA in English, SAH from weaker 

1490, KMFS still off but at least two weak skywaves, KTOP? and ?

1520, KOKC, medical infomercial

1560, KEBC Del City at 1312 with Stella Italian Restaurant in OKC ad, but will not stray from all-comedy format

Final check before finishing this report, 1546-1550 UT June 1:

800 is back on, shux with gospel huxter.

Also on: 640, 890, 930, 1000, 1140, 1340, 1490, 1520, 1560 with regular programming. 1560 repeats the Stella ad at 1548. 930 is in dead air, but resumes música at 1552.

That leaves only 1460 KZUE still missing. 

** OKLAHOMA. Bandscan on the outskirts of Enid, includes:

1460, KZUE El Reno, 500 watt daytimer, ``La Tremenda`` is still missing after the May 31 tornado, no signal at 1925 UT check June 2. See http://www.latremendaok.com/ which looks like it`s stagnant since 2007. Can`t get any recent hits on KZUE Tremenda at http://newsok.com in case there were any stories about why it`s not on. Has anyone but su seguro servidor noticed?

1220, June 2 at 1956 UT, screaming gospel huxter, weak signal audible on caradio in the outskirts of Enid, so KTLV Midwest City is apparently still on the air, 250 watt daytimer

All the other OKC AM stations are nominal now (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1460, KZUE El Reno, La Tremenda, is still AWOL following May 31 tornado along Radio Road, when checked June 3 at 1542 UT. Does anyone have any info about its status? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 800, June 4 at 1120 UT after sunrise, KQCV OKC is now missing, leaving a remnant of Mexican music likely XEROK plus a SAH. Still nothing at 1137, 1219, 1245 chex but on at 1405 with gospel huxter. May not have anything to do with tornado aftermath.

1460, KZUE El Reno, remains silent by 1405 UT June 4, surely tornado-caused but still unknown exactly what happened to La Tremenda (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1460, June 5 at 1404 UT, another check whether KZUE El Reno is still off the air following the May 31 EF5 tornado: I am getting a JBA carrier looping due N/S, which fits for KZUE right down US 81, but stepping out in the yard away from noise sources, no audio but also a SAH from a second very weak signal. Either KZUE is back on at very reduced power, or it`s two other stations almost a bihour after sunrise, protracted skywave, such as KCLE or one of three other Texans; KKOY KS, KHOJ MO, KXPN NE or KZNT CO. Other weak OKC area stations at normal levels – 1560, 1490, 1340, etc. 1490 also has a SAH indicating residual skywave.

As of June 4, there`s nothing new in the Correspondence Folder for KZUE at FCC AM Query, as they will need to file for an STA to stay off the air or at reduced power. The Topo map
http://msrmaps.com/image.aspx?t=2&Lon=-97.900000&Lat=35.508333&w=2&ref=G|-97.900000,35.508333
says site is 5 km SE of El Reno, i.e. just north of I-40 whence its tower (if still up) should be easily visible. Looks like it`s close to N/S Radio Road intersexion with E/W Historic US 66 which is // I-40. I don`t think there is an exit to Radio Road from I-40, but there is a turnoff from state highway 3 to the north, which I am certainly going to take at next opportunity if it`s passable (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. Still seeking any info about the fate of KZUE 1460 La Tremenda, I try the local newspaper, El Reno Tribune
http://www.ertribune.com/

Searched on obvious keywords: nothing; even the word radio turns up only once since May 31, and behind a sign-up wall.

As a penultimate resort, I sent this June 5 via the contact form on their website and also by direct email to kzue @ aol.com

``Anoto 1460 fuera del aire desde el tornado en su área. No encuentro nada en las fuentes noticiosas sobre el estado de su emisora. Por favor enterarme. ¿Hubo daños a la antena o más?? Espero que no y que vuelva al aire tan pronto como posible. Buena suerte, Glenn Hauser, Enid``

As an ultimate resort if no answer I may axually have to phone them. 

Meanwhile, we can read About Us at 
http://www.latremendaok.com/es/band/
and also try to escuchar, but only set off a few notes and no streaming.

Wouldn`t you know it: a few minutes after despatching my inquiry, I tune 1460 again at 2231 UT June 5, to find KZUE is finally back on the air! With federal PSA, norteña music.

Checked again at 2336, still good clear signal, amid unaccented English standard FCC-required announcement about pending license renewal, except that was in February 2013, and the deadline for comments is (was!) May 1, 2013; back to music. 

Scenario: KZUE had been in touch with FCC about being off the air for a pentaday, and then realized they had neglected to go thru the required procedure at license-renewal time! Or maybe the absence had nothing to do with the tornado, but mixup with the FCC, off until STA`d?

At 0036 UT June 6, a bihour before sunset but skywave is in, English station with silly ballgame way atop KZUE Spanish; Red Sox mentioned, and can`t null it, so very likely approx. same direxion KCLE Cleburne (Metroplex) TX which is frequently heard but not during full daytime.

At 0430 UT I received this nice reply from KZUE`s owner:

``Le agradezco su preocupación; sí, pegó el tornado en la estación en la parte de enfrente y hubo daños mínimos y no en la antena, pero ya gracias a Dios ya estamos al aire; lo más importante que no hubo pérdidas humanas. Bendiciones, Nancy Galvan`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1460, June 6 at 1944 UT checking on reactivated KZUE, El Reno, La Tremenda: it`s on but all I am hearing is a relay of Radio Fórmula, México DF, complete with local IDs for 120,000 watts on 103.3, call XERFR (apparently same as on MW 970, not XHRFR), local DF phone numbers, .mx websites including radioformula.com.mx; 1946 one-minute-off timecheck for ``2 y 45 hora del Centro``, Banamex ad; 1958 another off-TC for 2:57, toll free numbers 800 in Mexico and 866 in USA for something; ad for Cadillac pronounced as in English; no local ID or any announcement for KZUE itself across hourtop. It seems the Fórmula formula is commercial after commercial with occasional feature snippets hard to tell from ads either. Who would want to listen to that? After 2002.5 ``Escucha Grupo Fórmula``, KZUE suddenly cuts off the air at 2003* UT. I guess they are still in post-tornado test phase. I hadn`t paid much attention to them before, to know whether the
 XERFR relays were a regular thing or a stopgap program source now. Cantú shows for the source; note the power disparity:

``103.3 Radio Fórmula - 1er Cadena  Audio
Noticias, comentarios, programas hablados. 
XERFR 58,130 watts. (+AM 970) Grupo Fórmula.``
(Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1120, no signal from KEOR Catoosa/Tulsa, June 2 at 1953 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 1120, June 5 at 0108 UT, in KMOX null, weak signal with Spanish preaching. SAH of about 4.5 Hz, and DF fits for KEOR Catoosa/Sperry/Tulsa, R. Victoria, which until now has been nothing but praise music in Spanish on its very irregular schedule. 

Now we must beware of another new Spanish station on 1120, KTXW in Manor (Austin) TX which has just started testing, ``nostalgic wall-to-wall Spanish language ballads format`` as `Exitos 11-20`` with 5000/155 watts. Tnx to Artie Bigley for tip of this thread at 
http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=235285.msg2121776
KTXW is about 90 degrees away from KEOR from my angle, so besides format difference, not easily confundible here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1672, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

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