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-   -   2 questions. (https://www.radiobanter.com/shortwave/46994-2-questions.html)

Maturin December 21st 04 08:44 PM

2 questions.
 


I'm new to the hobby of SWL, and currently studying for a amateur
radio license. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....

Also, I was trying to listen for a signal on the aeronautical band.
The 2010 was picking up music from the AM/FM radio in the adjacent
room... confusing at first, since I couldn't understand why the AB
would be host to syphonic music. I don't quite understand how the
AM/FM being on would cause this to happen....

thanks,
M.


running dogg December 22nd 04 04:51 AM

Maturin wrote:



I'm new to the hobby of SWL, and currently studying for a amateur
radio license. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....


The 2010 is primarily a shortwave radio. For MW you're gonna need a
radio that is just an AM/FM radio, and that has good MW circuitry.
Examples would be a GE Superadio 3 or a Sangean CCRadio. I'm surprised
nobody has responded to you yet, since there are plenty of people here
who are familiar with MW DXing. You'll probably need to make your own
loop, since most ready made loop antennas are designed for SW. Also,
since you're in Maine, you'll have a hard time picking up MW stations
from west of the Rocky Mountains (likewise, people in California rarely
pick up anything east of Denver). It can be done under exceptional
propagation conditions but that doesn't happen very often.

Also, I was trying to listen for a signal on the aeronautical band.
The 2010 was picking up music from the AM/FM radio in the adjacent
room... confusing at first, since I couldn't understand why the AB
would be host to syphonic music. I don't quite understand how the
AM/FM being on would cause this to happen....


The aero band is like the police and fire bands-if you're tuning across
the band at random you'll be unlikely to hear anything unless you're
near a major airport. This is because the aero, police, and fire bands
are "point to point" transmissions. Unlike a regular broadcast station
that puts out a signal all the time, planes and towers only broadcast
when they're communicating, and are silent the rest of the time. (Same
thing with a police car or a fire truck communicating with central
dispatch.) For public service bands you'll need a specific radio called
a "scanner", go to rec.radio.scanner. The 2010 is not designed for
either MW DX or public service band listening, it's designed for
shortwave listening.


thanks,
M.




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Mark December 22nd 04 06:57 AM

"running dogg" wrote in message
...
The 2010 is primarily a shortwave radio. For MW you're gonna need a
radio that is just an AM/FM radio, and that has good MW circuitry.

The 2010 is not designed for
either MW DX or public service band listening, it's designed for
shortwave listening.


Yes, that's fair to say the 2010 isn't for MW DX. But I just wanted to
comment that I use a 2010 (well, an ICF-2001D, identical radio) for MW DX.
For example, I can often listen to Radio Fiji 1, out of Suva, Fiji (12
kiloWatts) from here in Auckland, New Zealand. That's 1,150 nautical miles
away, so I consider that to be MW DX.

Mark.
Auckland
New Zealand.



Brian December 22nd 04 02:42 PM


"Maturin" wrote in message
...


I'm new to the hobby of SWL, and currently studying for a amateur
radio license. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....

Also, I was trying to listen for a signal on the aeronautical band.
The 2010 was picking up music from the AM/FM radio in the adjacent
room... confusing at first, since I couldn't understand why the AB
would be host to syphonic music. I don't quite understand how the
AM/FM being on would cause this to happen....



Well, I would have to disagree with the poster who suggested the 2010 was
not adequate for MW dx. I have a portable quite inferior to yours(dx-398)
with which I logged 1120 KMOX St. Louis, and 1080 WTIC Hartford, Ct. from my
qth in Wilmington, NC last night without any external antenna at all, and
those are just the two that I recall off hand. I do agree however that it
would prove difficult to say the least to log 48 states on MW, but I'll
leave that for someone more knowledgeable to comment on. You'll probably
want to construct a box loop antenna or some such for the mw band. There are
several sites with instructions on how to build various types of mw loops on
the internet. Good luck.

-Brian



Caveat Lector December 22nd 04 02:48 PM

Why not go for all 50 States -- for best bets see URL:
http://ac6v.com/clearam.htm#50

--
Caveat Lecter



"Maturin" wrote in message
...


I'm new to the hobby of SWL, and currently studying for a amateur
radio license. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....

SNIP Question 2
thanks,
M.




Jack Painter December 22nd 04 02:57 PM


"running dogg" wrote

Maturin wrote:

Also, I was trying to listen for a signal on the aeronautical band.
The 2010 was picking up music from the AM/FM radio in the adjacent
room... confusing at first, since I couldn't understand why the AB
would be host to syphonic music. I don't quite understand how the
AM/FM being on would cause this to happen....


The aero band is like the police and fire bands-if you're tuning across
the band at random you'll be unlikely to hear anything unless you're
near a major airport. This is because the aero, police, and fire bands
are "point to point" transmissions. Unlike a regular broadcast station
that puts out a signal all the time, planes and towers only broadcast
when they're communicating, and are silent the rest of the time. (Same
thing with a police car or a fire truck communicating with central
dispatch.) For public service bands you'll need a specific radio called
a "scanner", go to rec.radio.scanner. The 2010 is not designed for
either MW DX or public service band listening, it's designed for
shortwave listening.


Aeronautical Mobile is allocated thousands of frequencies from MW (2000+ Khz
range) all the way up through most of the entire HF spectrum. These are all
in USB mode. Portable radios that can select "SSB" will also receive these
but may need to fine-tune to the upper sideband.

Nighttime frequencies will be lower, daytime higher for New York Center/New
York Oceanic, Gander Radio, Shanwick, etc. All transoceanic flights use
aeronautical-mobile MW and HF frequencies.

Just for starters, try night frequencies of
2.899Mhz, 3.016Mhz, 5.598Mhz, 5.616Mhz, 5.649Mhz
Daytime frequencies of
8.825Mhz, 8.864Mhz, 8.879Mhz, 8.903Mhz, 8.906Mhz, 11.396Mhz, 13.306Mhz

As to your second problem, turn off other radios and television,
dimmer-switches, low-voltage lighting and halogen-dimmers when you are SW
listening. They are all "transmitters" to your highly sensitive little SW
radio. If you have a short wire antenna with the radio, use it and put the
wire around a window or outside completely.

Good luck,
Jack



Brian December 22nd 04 03:00 PM


"Caveat Lector" wrote in message
news:GOfyd.12163$JI.5760@fed1read07...
Why not go for all 50 States -- for best bets see URL:
http://ac6v.com/clearam.htm#50

--
Caveat Lecter



Great link.

-Brian



[email protected] December 22nd 04 03:35 PM

Back in the 1950's almost any cheap little transistor radio I owned that
had five or six transistors could at night time pick up some radio
stations in New York City and Denver and Detroit and Minneapolis and a
radio station in either (I forget which city now) Los Angeles or
Sacramento.
cuhulin


[email protected] December 22nd 04 03:45 PM

People who live in the East coast area's of America can pick up some
European MW radio stations with their ordinary radio's at night time.In
1960,one night I was driving along the A1A highway to Miami and I picked
up a radio station in Ireland on my car radio.
cuhulin


bpnjensen December 22nd 04 04:26 PM

Heck, I used to get 40 states and Canada and Mexico on my old
Astronaut-8 and a 60 ft. wire from Massachusetts, and I didn't know
what I was doing.. MW is not that hard if you just spend a bit of time
at the right moments.

Bruce Jensen


m II December 22nd 04 04:56 PM

bpnjensen wrote:

Heck, I used to get 40 states and Canada and Mexico on my old
Astronaut-8 and a 60 ft. wire from Massachusetts, and I didn't know
what I was doing.. MW is not that hard if you just spend a bit of time
at the right moments.



Was the sixty foot wire from Massachusetts attached to a cable company
on the other end? I bet being so close you could wave to their secretary..




mike

m II December 22nd 04 05:01 PM

wrote:

Back in the 1950's almost any cheap little transistor radio I owned that
had five or six transistors could at night time pick up some radio
stations in New York City and Denver and Detroit and Minneapolis and a
radio station in either (I forget which city now) Los Angeles or
Sacramento.



I would not have thought that there were any CHEAP five or six
transistor radios in the fifties. Didn't the Sixties bring in the less
expensive sets?



mike

Michael Black December 22nd 04 05:07 PM


) writes:
Back in the 1950's almost any cheap little transistor radio I owned that
had five or six transistors could at night time pick up some radio
stations in New York City and Denver and Detroit and Minneapolis and a
radio station in either (I forget which city now) Los Angeles or
Sacramento.
cuhulin

But one of the immediate problems is closer stations getting in the way of
distant stations. A local station will block the use of that frequency,
unless you wait till it goes off the air for some reason. Same if KDKA
is booming in. The problem of receiving distant stations can't come
into play until you can eliminate closer stations.

Michael



bpnjensen December 22nd 04 05:24 PM

Howdy - Actually, this set-up predated cable by quite a few years!
Mid-1970s. It was strung up in some of our BIG trees. We were lucky -
way out in the sticks of west-central state, we had no QRM to speak of,
and fine dark skies at night for astronomy. Could hear Arthur Cushen
on RNZ's little transmitter from half a world away easily. KFI - LA
was an infrequent but definite visitor. Could hear Lome, Togo 5047
too, while here it's just a weak heterodyne on SSB.

Lord, how I miss it. Urban California is a sad, sad substitute. sigh
Bruce Jensen


bpnjensen December 22nd 04 05:26 PM

An MFJ-1025/26 does this pretty nicely if your offending station is
groundwave, a bit more difficult if your station is skywave. It helps
to disable the MW attenuation (easily done, not easily reversible).
Bruce Jensen


clifto December 22nd 04 10:08 PM

m II wrote:
wrote:
Back in the 1950's almost any cheap little transistor radio I owned that
had five or six transistors could at night time pick up some radio
stations in New York City and Denver and Detroit and Minneapolis and a
radio station in either (I forget which city now) Los Angeles or
Sacramento.


I would not have thought that there were any CHEAP five or six
transistor radios in the fifties. Didn't the Sixties bring in the less
expensive sets?


You win. It wasn't until the little Japanese companies flooded the market
with cheapies that the prices became very affordable. Before that, an
all-transistor, American-made radio cost about one week's take-home pay.

--
The state religion of the USA is atheism, as established by the courts.

[email protected] December 22nd 04 10:58 PM

The Birth Of Christ And The Birth Of America Are Linked.
www.chuckbaldwinlive.com
cuhulin


m II December 22nd 04 11:29 PM

wrote:

The Birth Of Christ And The Birth Of America Are Linked.
www.chuckbaldwinlive.com


There was a white horse at the nativity?

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/kaleidos...me7/birth.html




mike

tianli December 22nd 04 11:55 PM

I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....


The 2010 is primarily a shortwave radio. For MW you're gonna need a
radio that is just an AM/FM radio, and that has good MW circuitry.
Examples would be a GE Superadio 3 or a Sangean CCRadio.


Huh? I would say that the 2010 and its Sync Detector will beat out the
GE and CC radios every single time.

I have the GE SR2 and a Sony 7600GR. I can tell you that I much prefer by
far
the 7600 with its Sync Detector on MW. Also, the use of SSB mode in the
cluttered MW band is priceless.



Stereophile22 December 23rd 04 03:28 AM

The aero band is like the police and fire bands-if you're tuning across
the band at random you'll be unlikely to hear anything unless you're
near a major airport. This is because the aero, police, and fire bands
are "point to point" transmissions


That's what I thought he meant at firsst, also. The VHF aircraft band.

However, I now think he was talking about the shortwave aircraft bands.

Those do supposedly propagate worldwide.



starman December 23rd 04 05:23 AM

Brian wrote:

Well, I would have to disagree with the poster who suggested the 2010 was
not adequate for MW dx. I have a portable quite inferior to yours(dx-398)
with which I logged 1120 KMOX St. Louis, and 1080 WTIC Hartford, Ct. from my
qth in Wilmington, NC last night without any external antenna at all, and
those are just the two that I recall off hand. I do agree however that it
would prove difficult to say the least to log 48 states on MW, but I'll
leave that for someone more knowledgeable to comment on. You'll probably
want to construct a box loop antenna or some such for the mw band. There are
several sites with instructions on how to build various types of mw loops on
the internet. Good luck.

-Brian


The 2010 has more than enough sensitivity and AM selectivity with the
sync' detector for MW Dx'ing. All it needs is a good antenna and
possibly a passive preselector to control intermod's from strong local
MW stations.


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starman December 23rd 04 05:28 AM

m II wrote:

wrote:

Back in the 1950's almost any cheap little transistor radio I owned that
had five or six transistors could at night time pick up some radio
stations in New York City and Denver and Detroit and Minneapolis and a
radio station in either (I forget which city now) Los Angeles or
Sacramento.


I would not have thought that there were any CHEAP five or six
transistor radios in the fifties. Didn't the Sixties bring in the less
expensive sets?


The first generation of transistor radios cost several hundred dollars
in today's money, which is similar to the first pocket calculators in
the 70's.


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Maturin December 24th 04 09:30 PM

On 23 Dec 2004 01:44:07 GMT, lex (Nobody You Know)
wrote:

Maturin
wrote:



I'm new to the hobby of SWL, and currently studying for a amateur
radio license. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010 as my primary radio. I
apologize if my question is OT, but I'm interested in picking up
distant MW signals. One of my better catches would have to be WICC on
600 kHz broadcasting from Bridgeport, CT @ 500 W, and approx. 350
miles from me (reciever is in downeast Maine.) Anyway, my goal is to
pick up a signal from each of the 48 contiguous states. In addition to
the 2010 I've got a Terk loop. Is this setup adequate for my goal
(assuming "luck" as a factor)? I'd add that I'm limited to indoor
antennas at this time. I suppose I will need to pay more attention to
timing....



The 2010 is one of the best portables for MW DX. Its synchronous detector is a
big help in reducing fading & distortion, and interference from an adjacent
frequency. Choose the upper or lower sideband, whichever one yields the best
reception.

350 miles is nothing, you should be easily hearing stations from 700 miles and
more at night if propogation is good.

At your location, you might be able to occasionally hear signals from Europe or
North Africa, even on LW. Look for signals popping up on frequencies that
don't end in 0. Europe & North African stations appear every 9 khz, as apposed
to 10khz in the USA.

The loop antenna you use should help. However, a steel-frame building or
aluminum-sided house can limit reception.

Check out the National Radio Club (NRC) or International Radio Club of America
(IRCA). Do a Google search to find their websites.

Happy hunting!


Hi,

I mentioned the Bridgeport, CT station because it was the first
station I had to struggle to get. I knew after I heard the WICC call
sign that I was hooked! The farthest station I've received is WHAS
from Louisville, KY (995 Miles or so). WHAS came in almost as clear as
a local signal.

I've noticed that Vermont is absent from my logs so I'm working on
that right now. I'm not sure what to shoot for in VT yet. I'm also
having some difficulty IDing Canadian stations that broadcast in
French.

I checked out the NRC Web page, and I've just joined their AM list
which is pretty neat. I've also ordered their "AM Radio Log", so that
should help. I won't need the computer on with a good reference book.

I'm looking forward to picking up a signal or two from Europe or N.
Africa!

Merry Christmas,
M.

[email protected] December 24th 04 11:40 PM

A1A to Miami that night.They was in Maryknoll,Ireland playing them
Uillean Pipes over there and it scared the Coon Dog crap out of me! I
had to pull over and listen for a while.I am Schotch Eyrie by ancestry
so I hope y'all understand.(double whammy on me)
cuhulin


[email protected] December 25th 04 11:59 AM

KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.If I remember,there is only one other radio station
West of the Mississippi River (I live about forty miles East of the big
muddy) that begin's with a W.But I am old and senile (that married Irish
woman wayyyyyy over across the big pond spells senile with a p) and I
don't remember exactly.
cuhulin


dxAce December 25th 04 12:32 PM



wrote:

KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.


I think there may still be a few exceptions with regards to the K call's east of
the Mississippi, and there are certainly quite a few with regards to the W west
of the Mississippi.

dxAce
Michigan
USA




dxAce December 25th 04 12:59 PM



dxAce wrote:

wrote:

KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.


I think there may still be a few exceptions with regards to the K call's east of
the Mississippi, and there are certainly quite a few with regards to the W west
of the Mississippi.


I can come up with at least two K calls other than KDKA, they are KFNS, Wood River,
Illinois and KQV also in Pittsburgh, there may be a couple more, but they are indeed
rare these days.



dxAce
Michigan
USA



Left Coast December 25th 04 03:48 PM

Not these days see URL:


http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm
--
LC



wrote in message
...
KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.If I remember,there is only one other radio station
West of the Mississippi River (I live about forty miles East of the big
muddy) that begin's with a W.But I am old and senile (that married Irish
woman wayyyyyy over across the big pond spells senile with a p) and I
don't remember exactly.
cuhulin




Left Coast December 25th 04 03:50 PM

For a map showing K's east and W's west -- see URL:

http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm
--
LC



"dxAce" wrote in message
...


wrote:

KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.


I think there may still be a few exceptions with regards to the K call's
east of
the Mississippi, and there are certainly quite a few with regards to the W
west
of the Mississippi.

dxAce
Michigan
USA






David December 25th 04 03:55 PM

Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.

On Sat, 25 Dec 2004 07:48:49 -0800, "Left Coast"
wrote:

Not these days see URL:


http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm




dxAce December 25th 04 03:57 PM



David wrote:

Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.


KYW is in Phiadelphia.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



[email protected] December 25th 04 04:07 PM

They are all W's in the state of confusion I live in.I reckon I better
get up off of my doggys couch now and start wrapping them Christmas
presents and put on my cleanest dirty clothes.I am supose to be over at
my sister and brother in law's house at high noon today to do the
Christmas thingy.
cuhulin


Left Coast December 25th 04 04:11 PM

Gee Whiz Guys and Gals -- see the map
http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm


--
LC



"David" wrote in message
...
Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.

On Sat, 25 Dec 2004 07:48:49 -0800, "Left Coast"
wrote:

Not these days see URL:


http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm






Robert Sillett December 25th 04 06:28 PM

Pittsburgh has

KDKA 1020
KQV 1410

KYW is in Philadelphia

Bob

"David" wrote in message
...
Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.

On Sat, 25 Dec 2004 07:48:49 -0800, "Left Coast"
wrote:

Not these days see URL:


http://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm






David December 25th 04 07:05 PM

Hey thanks; news I can use.

On Sat, 25 Dec 2004 10:57:20 -0500, dxAce wrote:



David wrote:

Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.


KYW is in Phiadelphia.

dxAce
Michigan
USA





k35454 December 25th 04 11:18 PM


wrote in message
...
KDKA is the only radio station East of the Mississippi River that
begin's with a K.If I remember,there is only one other radio station
West of the Mississippi River (I live about forty miles East of the big
muddy) that begin's with a W.But I am old and senile (that married Irish
woman wayyyyyy over across the big pond spells senile with a p) and I
don't remember exactly.
cuhulin


WBAP Ft. Worth. WHO Des Moines. ?? k35454.



[email protected] December 26th 04 01:16 AM

OK,I guess I haven't been keeping up with the K's and W's lately.
cuhulin


k35454 December 26th 04 06:57 AM


wrote in message
...
OK,I guess I haven't been keeping up with the K's and W's lately.
cuhulin

No sweat. And yes, I'm in Canada. k35454.



David Eduardo December 26th 04 05:27 PM


"David" wrote in message
...
Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.


WTAW, WBAP, WACO, WOAI, WRR... 5 out of 886 is not "lousy with" anything.



David December 26th 04 05:37 PM

Excuse the **** out of me.

Texas is lousy.

Better?

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 17:27:00 GMT, "David Eduardo"
wrote:


"David" wrote in message
.. .
Pittsburgh also has KYW as I recall. Texas is lousy...with W
stations.


WTAW, WBAP, WACO, WOAI, WRR... 5 out of 886 is not "lousy with" anything.






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