Midday C.Crane Shoot-Out

It rained here Sunday morning, which postponed my plans to move leaves. Plan B was to play radio and that's what I did.

I now own five models of C.Crane receivers and after FARMERIK published a comparison of Sony receivers he owned on the Ultralight DX list, I decided to compare my C.Cranes in a similar manner using the radio's stock AM antennas.

I parked each radio in the same spot on my radio desk and in turn tuned across the AM band counting the number of stations heard. I did this between 1550 and 1655 UTC (1050 to 1155 local time/EST). My location is in Wolcott, Connecticut (41° 37' 48" N, 72° 56' 43" W) at 912 feet ASL. Radio conditions were flat.

Here are the results:

CC Radio 2E Enhanced: 60
CC Skywave: 60
CC SW Pocket: 53
CC Radio SW: 50
CC Pocket: 45

The CC Skywave and CC Radio 2E heard the same 60 stations with two exceptions: the Skywave heard a station on 850 kHz that the 2E did not and the 2E heard a station on 920 kHz that the Skywave did not.

Comparing the Skywave and the 2E, their sensitivity is similar on the AM band in my opinion, but the Skywave is more selective. 1070 kHz is a problem area at my location because the 50 kW of WTIC on 1080 kHz blasts through here 24/7. Until I added the Skywave (and an Elecraft KX3) to my radio shack, I never heard anything but QRM from WTIC on 1070 kHz. With the Skywave, I’ve logged four stations on 1070.

On the other hand, the 2E sounds much better than the Skywave. Of course, size matters and you would expect the 2E to sound better than its pint-sized cousin. The 2E is the best sounding AM radio I have ever owned.

820 Action

Last evening, I parked my receivers on 820 kHz because there were three or four stations vying for dominance of the frequency. I managed to identify two of the stations ― both new loggings here in Downtown Wolcott.

“Gamut Radio,” WWFD in Frederick, Maryland, 283 miles to my southwest was prepping to broadcast the Washington Capitals hockey game and was the dominant station on 820 transmitting 430 W, which resulted as an S-1 to S-3 signal in my neck of the woods at 2347 UTC.

“The Answer,” WNTW in Chester, Virginia, broke through WWFD at 2349 UTC transmitting 1 kW 379 miles to my south-southwest. Its signal peaked at S-1 at 2349 UTC just as it broadcasted its station identification.

I used a C.Crane CCRadio SW receiver with an C.Crane CC twin coil ferrite external antenna to log WWFD and a C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhanced receiver with a Terk Advantage antenna to log WNTW.

I plan to revisit 820 kHz tonight and try to pick off some more stations from that busy frequency.

WVBF and CFMJ

Added two new stations to the AM radio log last night:

At 2300 UTC, I heard WVBF on 1530 kHz transmitting 2 watts 106 miles east-northeast from Middleborough Center, Massachusetts. Signal was S0 to S2 into the CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite external antenna.

At 0200 UTC, I heard CFMJ on 640 kHz transmitting 50,000 watts 348 miles west-northwest from Lincoln, Ontario. Signal was S0 to S1 into the CC Radio 2E and Terk Advantage external antenna.

94.5

Tuesday evening, I was monitoring 94.5 MHz with my C.Crane CC Pocket AM/FM/WX Radio and I could hear a station way down in the mud. It was playing Rat Pack tunes: a string of Frank Sinatra songs followed by a Dean Martin song. There was very little chatter between songs and the signal was so weak that I could not understand a word of what was being said.

I decided to try my other radios. The C.Crane CCRadio-SW detected nothing on 94.5, while the C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhanced heard the signal at the same muddy level as the C.Crane CC Pocket.

I left the 2E tuned to 94.5 while I worked in the shack. Suddenly, a different station came up from out the noise at 2311 UTC and put in a solid S-3 signal for about four minutes: WPST running 50 kW out of Trenton, New Jersey, 140 miles southwest.

After WPST faded away, another signal came up from out of the noise at 2322 UTC with an S-2 signal: WJMN running 9.2 kW, 100 miles east-northeast from a 1200-foot tower in Newton, Mass, just southwest of Boston. The tower is one of the big four towers in the Newton-Needham area that you cannot miss when traveling in that neck of the woods.

After WJMN faded away, the Rat Pack station was still wailing away and then it faded out, too. I will monitor 94.5 again this evening to see if I can pin it down.

WEGP

WEGP out of Presque Isle, Maine, popped up on 1390 kHz with a pet talk show Friday evening at 2327Z. A very variable signal ranging from an SØ to an S3 running 10 kW, 424 miles to my northeast. I received WEGP on both AM radio setups: the C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver with the C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna and C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhanced radio with the Terk Advantage antenna.

WCAT

I love listening to AM radio stations playing golden oldies from my error and last night I found one down in the mud on 1390 kHz with a less than S1 signal. The music was audible and recognizable, but voice was not. It took some doing to finally identify the station as WCAT in Burlington, Vermont, a few minutes before Big Ben struck midnight (UTC). The station was transmitting 5 kW, 199 miles to my north and I received it on both AM radio setups: the C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver with the C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna and C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhanced radio with the Terk Advantage antenna.

A Bounty

Yesterday, EST yesterday rather than UTC yesterday was a bountiful day.

In addition to WPUT, written up in the previous post, which I caught at high noon, I added three new ones last evening.

At 2154Z, WKMC popped up loud and clear (S4) broadcasting comedy recordings on 1370 kHz. WKMC transmits 5 kW from just south of Altoona, Pennsylvania, in Roaring Spring, PA, which is 300 miles to my west-southwest.

At 2336Z, I added WDEA on 1370 kHz to my log with an up and down signal (S0 to S3) out of Ellsworth, Maine, transmitting 5 kW, 300 miles to my northeast.

While tuning around at the top of the hour, I landed on 1270 kHz and at 0003Z a station identification popped up out of the noise --- CJCB with an S1 signal transmitting 10 kW from Sydney, Nova Scotia, 710 miles to my east-northeast. That's my best catch so far this year.

I heard WKMC and WDEA using my C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhancedradio with the Terk Advantage antenna, whereas I heard CJCB using my C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

Four on the Fourth

After logging WILI on Sunday, I wondered how many other AM stations in Connecticut I could add to my log. So I perused a couple of websites and put together a Connecticut AM Radio Station Needed List consisting of eight stations.

Using the list, I logged two of the needed stations midday today, log entries 172 and 173:

WLAD transmitting 1 kW on 800 kHz from Danbury, CT, 35 miles WSW with a solid S-7.

WNLK transmitting 1 kW on 1350 kHz from Norwalk, CT, 42 miles SW with an S-1 signal competing with another S-1 signal on 1350.

Six to go!

In the evening, I logged entries 174 and 175:

WILK transmitting 5 kW on 980 kHz from Wilkes-Barre, PA, 160 miles W with an S-2 signal.

WDEL transmitting 5 kW on 1150 kHz from Wilmington, DE, 180 miles SW with an S-0 to S-1 signal.

Logged WLAD and WNLK using the stock radio and antenna in my 2007 Subaru Outback Sport. Logged WILK and WDEL using a C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

(Photo courtesy of Bing Maps.)

WILI

Logged WILI transmitting 1 kW on 1400 KHz from Willimantic, CT, 40 east with a steady S-4 signal. Equipment used a C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

WILI is number 171 in my AM log. Above image of the WILI transmitter site is courtesy of Bing Maps.

WKND

Sunday morning, I added AM radio station number 169 into the log: WKND transmitting 0.5 kW on 1490 kHz from Windsor, Connecticut, 21 miles to the northeast. It was a steady S-4 all the time I monitored it with a C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

CJLO

Montreal AM radio stations were in the air around Downtown Wolcott last evening and I added a new one (#168) to the log at 0010 UTC: Concordia University’s CJLO transmitting 1 kW on 1690 kHz. The transmitter is located in Lachine, an industrial area southwest of Montreal and 260 miles north of here. The signal varied from S3 to S6 during the half hour I monitored the station using a C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

WPTX

Logged WPTX on 1690 kHz at the strike of midnight UTC. The Lexington Park, Maryland station is number 167 in my AM radio log; it transmits 10 kilowatts 300 miles to my southwest. The signal varied between S0 and S5, but peaked momentarily at S7 when the station id was announced at the top of the hour. Equipment used were a C. Crane CCRadio-SW receiver and C. Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite antenna.

Stats

Lately, I have been chasing DX on the AM and FM broadcast bands and the LW mixed-use band. I have been concentrating on AM and LW and visit FM when the band is open.

Here are my stats for the three bands:

LW - 56 stations logged - best DX: BBC4, London, UK, 3375 miles
FM - 13 stations logged - best DX: WOMR, Provincetown, MA, 147 miles
AM - 152 stations logged - best DX: WWL, New Orleans, LA, 1256 miles

Here is my radio equipment for the three bands:

Receivers:
   2007 Subaru Outback Sport standard radio (for AM, FM)
   Crane CCRadio-SW  (for AM, FM)
   Crane CC SW Pocket (for AM, FM) (see photo)
   Kenwood TS-440S (for LW, AM)

Antennas:
   40-meter inverted Vee  (for LW, AM)
   Built-in whip antennas on the Crane radios (for FM)
   Built-in ferrite antennas on the Crane radios (for AM)
   Built-in antenna on 2007 Subaru Outback Sport (for AM, FM)
   Crane CC Twin Coil Ferrite (for AM)
   Terk Advantage (for AM) (see photo)

AM DX Log

Catching up on reporting my loggings.

• 2013-02-21 0030Z   WEZE   590 kHz   Boston, MA   5 kW   110 m   NE   station id, religious
• 2013-02-22 2303Z   CFAV   1570 kHz   Laval QC   10 kW   276 m   N   Beatles marathon, French
• 2013-02-22 2322Z   WQTW   1570 kHz   Latrobe PA   1 kW   350 m   WSW   weather, station id   

My receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.

WEZE antenna farm.

AM DX Log: Four New Loggings

• 2013-02-15   2323Z   WHCU   870 kHz  Ithaca NY   1kW   180m   WNW   station id
• 2013-02-17   0353Z   WHKW   1220 kHz   Cleveland OH   50kW   450m   W   station id
• 2013-02-17   0400Z   WWVA   1170 kHz   Wheeling WV   50kW   430m   WSW   station id
• 2013-02-17   0405Z   CKOC   1150 kHz   Hamilton ON   50kW   360m   WNW   station id

My receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.

AM DX Log: WAEB

Logged one new AM radio station this evening:

WAEB transmitting 1500 375 watts on 740 780 kc from Allentown, PA, 150 miles WSW (2013 Feb 14, 2333Z)

My receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.

UPDATE from Mike Schaffer, KA3JAW:

News Talk AM 790 WAEB is licensed for operation on 790 kHz (not 740 kc) with
3.6 kilowatts daytime and 1.5 kilowatts nighttime, employing different directional
antenna patterns daytime and nighttime in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

On September 4, 2009 the western most tower of the stations' five-tower directional
antenna array in Whitehall Township was toppled when a vandals cut the tower's guy
wires.

March 5, 2010, on behalf of Capstar TX LLC requested an extension of the initial
special temporary authority (STA) that was granted on May 16, 2008.

Extensions to operate the station with emergency antenna facilities to replace the
tower. The authority expired November 11, 2010 with further extensions being made
till September 28, 2013.

During the dated of your reception the WAEB AM operated with an emergency non-
directional antenna at reduced power not to exceed 0.9 kilowatts daytime and
0.375 kilowatts nighttime, only as necessary to facilitate the repair work.

With that in mind, you can make a log modification that you received the station
at 375 watts of power vice 1.5 kW

WAEB antenna farm

AM DX Log: Two Birds with One Stone

I logged two new stations on the same frequency at the same time. The two stations, WTNT and CKAC, faded in and out in tandem on 730 kc for about a half hour while I tried to identify them. WTNT was amazing catch since it is transmitting only 25 watts!

• WTNT in Alexandria, VA on 730 kc. Talk radio, 25 watts, 300 miles SW

• CKAC in Montreal, QC on 730 kc. Talk radio, 50 kW, 270 miles N

My receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.

WTNT antenna farm

AM DX Log

Home sick, but feeling good enough this morning to turn on the radio and listen to the static. Logged four new ones!

• WIZZ in Greenfield, MA on 1520 kc. Oldies format, the station transmits 10 kW 68 miles NNE

• WQEA416 in Southington, CT on 1670 kc. CT DOT traffic advisory station transmitting 10 W 3 miles E

• WARV in Warwick, RI on 1590 kc  (my first logging on 1590). Religious format, the station transmits 5 kW 78 miles E

• WPQH451 in Rocky Hill, CT on 1610 kc. CT DOT traffic advisory station transmitting 10 W 14 miles ENE

My receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna for the first two stations and my 40-meter dipole antenna for the last two.

The antenna farm at WQEA416 in Southington, CT

AM DX Log: WYLL

One new AM station in the log this evening:

2325Z on 1160 kHz, WYLL transmitting 50 kW in Chicago, IL, 770 miles W, S-1

Receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.

AM DX Log: WFIL

I counted four different stations on 560 kHz Thursday evening, but only identified two, CFOS, which dominated the frequency and is a station that I had already logged and one new one, WFIL at 2350Z transmitting 5 kW from Philadelphia, 160 miles SW, S-2.

Receiving equipment: C.Crane CCRadio-SW and CC twin coil ferrite antenna.