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Monday, April 20, 2020

WQFG689 1710 kHz


WQFG689, 1710 kHz, Hudson County (NJ) TIS in Jersey City, NJ, is running higher power during the virus pandemic and is easy pickens in this neck of the woods. (S-9 on the IC-R8600 and a good signal on the car radio.) If you haven’t logged them before, now is a good time to catch them because they may go back to 10 W once the virus blows over.

21 comments:

  1. Good signal in SE Michigan at 2220 EDST. On Icom 7780 and magnetic loop at 8' they were S7-9. Covid info, park closures, some .ramp closing info

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    1. I am now receiving them in the area outside of the US a place called Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada as I type this. The signal is weak and they are claiming that they are experiencing technical difficulties and will continue working on correcting the issues.

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    2. I hear them most days here and their "technical difficulties" announcement is heard almost as often as their normal "programming."

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    3. I'm about 70 miles from the transmitter and S9++ here

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    4. I am located in TN, 50 miles NW of Nashville. Picking them up clearly on 1710 kHz 24 Oct 2022 at 1800 Central Time. Antenna is a 400 ft long terminated beverage, directional to north-north-east, 10 ft high. Receiver is Collins 75A-4. Running a continuous loop "We are currently experiencing technical difficulties. We continue to work on correcting the issue. Please check back with 1710 AM soon. Thank you for your patience.

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    5. I received WQFG 689 at 23:30 on Feb. 9 2023, in Clinton Ontario Canada. The station was broadcasting its recorded announcement 'we are experiencing technical difficulties....etc. Their signal was weak and at the threshold of audibility on a c.crane portable AM/FM radio. If they're only 100 watts, this is a very good catch because they're roughly 1000 km away from my location as the crow flies!

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    6. I'm receiving them August 9 in Shrewsbury, Mass on a Hammarlund HQ-180A with a 200 ft dipole oriented N/S fading in and out, many mentions of Hudson County Courthouse with street closures mentioned and frequent ID's. KB1OKL

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  2. Heard 4:30 AM EDT 13 September 2020 at FN05 Newmarket, Ontario. S9 Good Audio - playing message "...we are currently experiencing technical difficulties..." Working Conditions : Yaesu FT857D into 80m Dipole at 60ft sloping East Down to 25ft

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  3. Just discovered this station on Jan.16,2021 on my Sangean H201 receiver. Modulation is fairly low, with background noise. What is their power output presently?

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    1. 10 watts or 100 watts. Normally, they transmit 10 watts, but they had an STA to transmit 100 watts during the pandemic. My guess is they are still at 100 watts because I can hear them this morning as I type this. At 10 watts, I could only hear them after dark.

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  4. I just found them, by accident. They're S-9 +10 at 20:30 Hrs local time 19 Jan 2021 here in Chester County, PA (About 40 miles West of Philadelphia.) The travel information frequencies can be real interesting and can bring some nice surprises, DX wise.

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  5. I have just found them these past few days during my DXing at night. I am in Central Virginia area and can hear them clear as can be.

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    1. Hearing them in car AM radio strong after dusk but fade in and out throughout night. Must be increased powwer baecaue have not heard before this. Reside in western Virginia

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  6. Received 100 miles away in Narrowsburg NY last night. Audible, but with interference.

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  7. Just heard them here in the middle of Illinois using a EWE antenna pointing northeast. About S5 on an SDR, weak but intelligible. Mostly Coronavirus related information, and frequent repeats of the call sign which made ID easy. Supervised to hear a 100 watt station this far away.

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  8. Heard WQFG 1710 on Portsmouth, Rhode Island on my car radio (Honda Accord) yesterday at 2000 in the evening.

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    1. This station is supposed to be providing a community service. How long have they been broadcasting "technical difficulties?" They should leave the air until they get things fixed.

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    2. I have been monitoring this station for years and I believe that they turn on the "technical difficulties" announcement whenever they do not have any community service announcements.

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  9. Reception via KiWI SDR in Maryland

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  10. Receiving them near Worc, MA at 10 pm on a Hammarlund HQ 180A with a 200 ft dipole. Many ID's and mentions of street closures. No mentions of technical difficulties. KB1OKL

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  11. I am posting this for Kevin,K4GTR: from kevindscottscott@bellsouth.net. Received them on a rental car radio in the Kanata/Nepean area of AOttawa last week (8/23/23 - 8/24/23). When away from powerlines the signal was full quieting. Sometimes there was fading but for the most part it was Q5 copy. Pretty amazing for 10 watts but still very good for 100 watts if they are still running at that level. Also, keep in mind that their ground radial system is probably a minimal setup and not like at a regular AM BCB station so that makes it even more amazing. Does anyone know more technical details about this station? The FCC search website for TIS stations is not working (access denied) at this time. I do not believe that there are any other stations in the US & Canada on 1710 kHz which gives them a clear shot without interference

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