Tuning around the upper 1600s, I heard a couple of stations that sounded very unusual with muddied, watery audio. After listening to the stronger of the two stations for about five minutes, I realized that I might be hearing the effects of aurora.
In the past, I have worked many stations via aurora on 2 meters and even a few on 10 meters, but never on the AM broadcast band. The station I was listening to was using an unfamiliar language. And the forecast was positive for aurora, so it is likely that what I heard was an aurora propagated station, but I was unable to identify it.
After the aurora subsided, I was able to identify a new one on 1620 kc: WDND transmitting 1,000 watts from South Bend, Indiana, 690 miles to my west. WDND was simulcasting a contemporary hit radio format from WNDV FM.
Receiving equipment was the usual: the stock radio and antenna in my 2007 Subaru Outback Sport.
