Long-Distance Radio?

[JHZR2]

Recent discussion over multi band radios made me pull out my old Sony 7600, and a list of clear channel stations.

I regularly can tune in to WGN from Chicago, at home, and elsewhere (from Alabama comes to mind). Was clear as a bell tonight.

Started tuning in other stations, tuned to 1550AM, and heard French. Was expecting an Ontario station... looked into it more...



I think I was getting 1550 out of La Romaine, QC, 1000 miles away. I think 1550 out of Windsor, ON went off the air.

But the odd thing is that it seems to be a 40W station. Can that be right?

So... a thread to discuss what and where you might tune in interesting radio, be it FM, AM, SW or others...

 

[SZR48207]

Big fan of SW myself. I tend to use the Utwente web SDR since it has all the known stations bookmarked and gets great reception. Just remember to account for the time difference when thinking about ideal propagation for programs you want to hear.

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

 

[c502cid]

As a kid I was big into shortwave and medium wave, I have QSL cards from all over the world, it was quite an education!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Radio Habana Cuba on 6,000 kHz, 1,400 miles away.


https://shortwaveschedule.com/

 

[tombalas]

During nighttime hours, AM signals can travel hundreds of miles by reflection from the ionosphere, a phenomenon called "skywave" propagation.

 

[JHZR2]

During nighttime hours, AM signals can travel hundreds of miles by reflection from the ionosphere, a phenomenon called "skywave" propagation.

Yeah, got that. But it’s a 40W station, not 10kW or 50kW.

It comes in clearer than the NYC stations!

 

[tombalas]

I'm also in NJ but never picked up Quebec signals. Furthest I've heard clearly was 1190 WOWO from Fort Wayne Indiana - which is over 500 miles away.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yeah, got that. But it’s a 40W station, not 10kW or 50kW.

It comes in clearer than the NYC stations!

Are you sure it isn't the one out of Windsor? You could listen to the Windsor one online to compare if you are hearing the same content.

 

[OVERKILL]

"Back in the day" 101.5FM in Peterborough used to be way the heck up on the top of a hill and had 48,500W of broadcasting power. It is now 15,200W.

When I was a kid and it was "in its glory" I could listen to it at our cottage 2 and a half hours away. You could also get for almost the entire trip to Montreal.

I heard rumours that there were issues with an American station in NY that had the same frequency on the other side of Lake Ontario, but not sure how true that was.

 

[Lubener]

"Back in the day" 101.5FM in Peterborough used to be way the heck up on the top of a hill and had 48,500W of broadcasting power. It is now 15,200W.

When I was a kid and it was "in its glory" I could listen to it at our cottage 2 and a half hours away. You could also get for almost the entire trip to Montreal.

I heard rumours that there were issues with an American station in NY that had the same frequency on the other side of Lake Ontario, but not sure how true that was.

During nighttime hours, AM signals can travel hundreds of miles by reflection from the ionosphere, a phenomenon called "skywave" propagation.

AM can go more than a thousand miles on a good night.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm also in NJ but never picked up Quebec signals. Furthest I've heard clearly was 1190 WOWO from Fort Wayne Indiana - which is over 500 miles away.

I recall picking up French Canadian stations in my truck, when driving in NE PA, maybe a decade ago. On the Delco radio!

I videoed what I picked up just to verify what I was hearing. More investigation tonight.

Are you sure it isn't the one out of Windsor? You could listen to the Windsor one online to compare if you are hearing the same content.

My understanding is that the 1550AM clear channel station out of Windsor went off the air... And I don’t think they would be broadcasting in French from Windsor, Ontario.

 

[Quattro Pete]

My understanding is that the 1550AM clear channel station out of Windsor went off the air... And I don’t think they would be broadcasting in French from Windsor, Ontario.

From what I was able to find out, the 1550 AM CBEF station airs Radio-Canada's Première network, which is in French.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBEF


Here is the live stream in TuneIn:
https://tunein.com/radio/ICI-Radio-Canada-Premire---Windsor-1550-s31096/

Is it the same content you're hearing through your Sony radio?

 

[Variant_S]

In the late 60s an aunt in Reno, Nevada called us in Chicago one night to tell us that she was listening to WLS on the table radio in her kitchen. Gotta love that skip.

 

[wings&wheels]

Radio Habana Cuba on 6,000 kHz, 1,400 miles away.


https://shortwaveschedule.com/

I get a kick out of Radio Habana, almost a parody of Cold War propaganda, except it isn't a parody.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I used to love falling asleep listening to shortwave every night. I’ve been wanting to find another shortwave radio.

 

[JHZR2]

From what I was able to find out, the 1550 AM CBEF station airs Radio-Canada's Première network, which is in French.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBEF


Here is the live stream in TuneIn:
https://tunein.com/radio/ICI-Radio-Canada-Premire---Windsor-1550-s31096/

Is it the same content you're hearing through your Sony radio?

Quite possibly the same. I need to look back through my history, but Inhad seen someplace that implied 1550AM was not on the air anymore from CBEF. That seems to be incorrect.

So it’s 600 miles on a 10kW transmitter oriented directionally to the NE, while Im to the SE... vs 1000 miles over the ocean. I’ll still take it!

Thanks for the sleuthing!

 

[Snowflake White]

Recent discussion over multi band radios made me pull out my old Sony 7600, and a list of clear channel stations.

I regularly can tune in to WGN from Chicago, at home, and elsewhere (from Alabama comes to mind). Was clear as a bell tonight.

Started tuning in other stations, tuned to 1550AM, and heard French. Was expecting an Ontario station... looked into it more...



I think I was getting 1550 out of La Romaine, QC, 1000 miles away. I think 1550 out of Windsor, ON went off the air.

But the odd thing is that it seems to be a 40W station. Can that be right?

View attachment 42556

So... a thread to discuss what and where you might tune in interesting radio, be it FM, AM, SW or others...

I have this EXACT same radio and listen to amateurs on it every single day on it! Bought it in 2004 still works perfectly even on SSB!

 

[aquariuscsm]

I had this one:

 

[opus1]

As a kid I was big into shortwave and medium wave, I have QSL cards from all over the world, it was quite an education!

Did this too.

Currently, all I can say is that at Mom's house in NW Indiana, I've been able to pick up an AM station out of Toronto in the early morning. 750 AM IIRC.

 

[vwmaniaman]

Love those old Zenith TransOceanic radios. I have several and listen to them and try keeping them working at their peak. Listen all over the world on them.