winter 2013-2014 mediumwave dx

Introduction

During September 2013, I built an iPad app to help me with my occasional mediumwave DX hobby. I used it as I developed it, and accomplished more than ever before as a result. Contributing to the success of this logging project was the use of five listening locations throughout the San Francisco bay area. This gave me access to lower local interference levels, and topography that blocked oppressive AM HD transmissions from KCBS and other broadcasters.

Notable achievements for these logs:
• Highest total number of logs (144) for a given logging period
• First time logging every region 2 mediumwave frequency
• First time logging Oklahoma
• First time logging Chihuahua, Mexico

Unfinished business:
• It would've been nice to achieve 150 logs
• Didn't log Montana, which was the next nearest unlogged state
• Could've done much more with graveyard frequencies

All logs
530: WPUV620 (10 w; San Mateo, CA; 10 mi)
540: KRXA (10 kW day / 500 w night; Carmel Valley, CA; 100 mi)
540: CBK (50 kW; Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; 1250 mi)
550: KOAC (5 kW; Corvallis, OR; 475 mi)
560: KSFO (5 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
570: KVI (5 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)
580: KMJ (50 kW; Fresno, CA; 150 mi)
590: KUGN (5 kW; Eugene, OR; 440 mi)
600: KOGO (5 kW; San Diego, CA; 450 mi)
610: KEAR (5 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
620: KPOJ (25 kW day / 10 kW night; Portland, OR; 540 mi)
630: KIDD (1 kW; Monterey, CA; 80 mi)
630: KPLY (5 kW day / 1 kW night; Reno, NV; 190 mi)
640: KFI (50 kW; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
650: KMTI (10 kW day / 900 w night; Manti, UT; 600 mi)
650: KSTE (21.4 kW day / 920 w night; Rancho Cordova, CA; 85 mi)
660: KTNN (50 kW; Window Rock, AZ; 750 mi)
670: KBOI (50 kW; Boise, ID; 520 mi)

680: KNBR (50 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)

690: CBU (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)
690: XEWW (77 kW day / 50 kW night; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)
700: KMBX (2.5 kW day / 700 w night; Soledad, CA; 105 mi)
710: KFIA (25 kW day / 1 kW night; Carmichael, CA; 85 mi)
710: KIRO (50 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)

720: KDWN (50 kW; Las Vegas, NV; 415 mi)
730: XEEBC (1 kW day / 250 w night; Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; 520 mi)

740: KCBS (50 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
750: KXTG (50 kW day / 20 kW night; Portland, OR; 540 mi)

760: KFMB (5 kW day / 50 kW night; San Diego, CA; 450 mi)
770: KCBC (50 kW day / 4.1 kW night; Riverbank, CA; 80 mi)
770: KKOB (50 kW; Albuquerque, NM; 895 mi)
780: KKOH (50 kW; Reno, NV; 190 mi)
790: KABC (5 kW; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
800: KBRV (10 kW day / 150 w night; Soda Springs, ID; 675 mi)
800: XEROK (150 kW; Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico; 1000 mi)
810: KGO (50 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
820: KGNW (50 kW day / 5 kW night; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)
820: WBAP (50 kW; Fort Worth, TX; 1450 mi)

830: KNCO (5 kW; Grass Valley, CA; 125 mi)
840: KMPH (5 kW; Modesto, CA; 75 mi)
840: WPEX988 (10 w; Belvedere, CA; 10 mi) ** roadside
850: KOA (50 kW; Denver, CO; 950 mi)
860: KTRB (50 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)

870: KRLA (50 kW day / 3 kW night; Glendale, CA; 330 mi)

870: WWL (50 kW; New Orleans, LA; 1920 mi)
880: KKMC (10 kW; Gonzales, CA; 100 mi)
890: KDXU (10 kW; St. George, UT; 480 mi)

900: KBIF (1 kW day / 500 w night; Fresno, CA; 150 mi)
910: KKSF (20 kW day / 5 kW night; Oakland, CA; 10 mi)

920: KIHM (4.6 kW day / 850 w night; Reno, NV; 190 mi)
920: KVIN (500 w day / 2.5 kW night; Ceres, CA; 80 mi)
930: KAGI (5 kW day / 123 w night; Grants Pass, OR; 335 mi)
940: KFIG (50 kW; Fresno, CA; 150 mi)
950: KAHI (5 kW; Auburn, CA; 130 mi)
960: KNEW (5 kW; Oakland, CA; 10 mi)
970: KESP (1 kW; Modesto, CA;  75 mi)
980: KFWB (5 kW; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
990: KATD (10 kW day / 5 kW night; Pittsburg, CA; 35 mi)
1000: KOMO (50 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)
1010: KIQI (10 kW day / 500 w night; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
1020: KTNQ (50 kW; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
1030: KTWO (50 kW; Casper, WY; 915 mi)
1040: KXPD (2.2 kW day / 200 w night; Tigard, OR; 535 mi)

1050: KNBR/KTCT (50 kW day / 10 kW night; San Mateo, CA; 10 mi)

1060: CKMX (50 kW; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 1000 mi)
1070: KNX (50 kW; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
1080: KSCO (10 kW day / 5 kW night; Santa Cruz, CA; 55 mi)
1090: XEPRS (50 kW; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)

1100: KFAX (50 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
1110: KDIS (50 kW day / 20 kW night; Pasadena, CA; 340 mi)
1120: KZSJ (5 kW day / 150 w night; San Martin, CA; 60 mi)
1120: KPNW (50 kW; Eugene, OR; 440 mi)
1130: CKWX (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)
1130: KRDU (5 kW day / 6.2 kW night; Dinuba, CA; 185 mi)
1140: KHTK (50 kW; Sacramento, CA; 80 mi)

1150: KTLK (50 kW day / 44 kW night; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
1160: KSL (50 kW; Salt Lake City, UT; 600 mi)
1170: KLOK (50 kW day / 5 kW night; San Jose, CA; 40 mi)

1180: KERN (50 kW day / 10 kW night; Wasco, CA; 220 mi)
1190: KDYA (1 kW day / no night; Vallejo, CA; 30 mi)
1190: KEX (50 kW; Portland, OR; 540 mi)
1200: KYAA (25 kW day / 10 kW night; Soquel, CA; 50 mi)
1200: WOAI (50 kW; San Antonio, TX; 1485 mi)
1210: KGYN (10 kW; Guymon, OK; 1150 mi)
1220: KDOW (5 kW day / 145 w night; Palo Alto, CA; 20 mi)
1230: KWG (900 w; Stockton, CA; 65 mi)
1240: KJOP (250 w day / 1 kW night; Lemoore, CA; 170 mi)
1240: KSMX (1 kW; Santa Maria, CA; 225 mi)
1250: KZER (2.5 kW day / 1 kW night; Santa Barbara, CA; 275 mi)

1260: KSFB (5 kW day / 1 kW night; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
1270: KBZZ (13 kW day / 5 kW night; Sparks, NV; 195 mi)
1280: KXTK (10 kW day / 2.5 kW night; Arroyo Grande, CA; 205 mi)
1280: KQLL (5 kW day / 28 w night; Henderson, NV; 425 mi)

1290: KAZA (5 kW day / 88 w night; Gilroy, CA; 65 mi)
1290: KPAY (5 kW; Chico, CA; 150 mi)
1300: KAPL (20 kW day / 5 kW night; Phoenix, OR; 315 mi)
1310: KMKY (5 kW; Oakland, CA; 10 mi)
1320: KCTC (5 kW; Sacramento, CA; 80 mi)
1330: KJPR (1 kW; Shasta Lake, CA; 200 mi)
1340: KATA (1 kW; Arcata, CA; 235 mi)
1350: KSRO (5 kW; Santa Rosa, CA; 55 mi)
1360: KFIV (4 kW day / 950 w night; Modesto, CA; 75 mi)

1370: KZSF (5 kW; San Jose, CA; 40 mi)
1380: KTKZ (5 kW; Sacramento, CA; 80 mi)
1390: KLTX (5 kW day / 3.6 kW night; Long Beach, CA; 360 mi)
1400: KVTO (1 kW; Berkeley, CA; 10 mi)
1410: KERI (1 kW; Bakersfield, CA; 250 mi)
1420: KITI (5 kW; Chehalis, WA; 620 mi)
1430: KLO (25 kW day / 5 kW night; Ogden, UT; 605 mi)

1430: KMRB (50 kW day / 9.8 kW night; San Gabriel, CA; 350 mi)
1430: KVVN (1 kW day / 2.5 kW night; Santa Clara, CA; 35 mi)
1430: KYNO (5 kW; Fresno, CA; 150 mi)
1440: KVON (5 kW day / 1 kW night; Napa, CA; 40 mi)

1450: KEST (1 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
1460: KION (10 kW; Salinas, CA; 80 mi)
1470: KUTY (5 kW; Palmdale, CA; 325 mi)
1470: XERCN (5 kW; Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico; 475 mi)
1480: KYOS (5 kW; Merced, CA; 110 mi)

1490: KTOB (1 kW; Petaluma, CA; 40 mi)
1500: KSJX (10 kW day / 5 kW night; San Jose, CA; 40 mi)
1510: KSFN (8 kW day / 2.4 kW night; Piedmont, CA; 10 mi)
1520: KOKC (50 kW; Oklahoma City, OK; 1400 mi)
1520: KUNX (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Port Hueneme, CA; 300 mi)
1530: KFBK (50 kW; Sacramento, CA; 80 mi)
1540: KMPC (50 kW day / 37 kW night; Los Angeles, CA; 340 mi)
1550: KZDG (10 kW; San Francisco, CA; 0 mi)
1560: KNZR (25 kW day / 10 kW night; Bakersfield, CA; 250 mi)
1570: KTGE (5 kW day / 500 w night; Salinas, CA; 80 mi)
1580: KGAL (1 kW; Lebanon, OR; 470 mi)

1580: KMIK (50 kW; Tempe, AZ; 660 mi)

1590: KLIV (5 kW; San Jose, CA; 40 mi)
1600: KUBA (5 kW day / 2.5 kW night; Yuba City, CA; 105 mi)
1610: WNMQ214 (10 w; Newark, CA; 7 mi)
1610: WNZV591 (10 w; Berkeley, CA; 10 mi)
1620: KSMH (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Auburn, CA; 130 mi)
1630: XEUT (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico; 475 mi)

1640: KDIA (10 kW; Vallejo, CA; 30 mi)
1650: KFOX (10 kW day / 490 w night; Torrance, CA; 350 mi)
1660: KTIQ (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Merced, CA; 110 mi)
1670: KNRO (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Redding, CA; 200 mi)

1680: KGED (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Fresno, CA; 150 mi)
1690: KFSG (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Roseville, CA; 95 mi)
1700: XEPE (10 kW; Tecate, Baja California, Mexico; 480 mi)
1710: KHMB (?)
--- 144

Furthest (600+ miles) (subset of all logs)
540: CBK (50 kW; Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; 1250 mi)
570: KVI (5 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)
650: KMTI (10 kW day / 900 w night; Manti, UT; 600 mi)
660: KTNN (50 kW; Window Rock, AZ; 750 mi)

690: CBU (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)
690: XEWW (77 kW day / 50 kW night; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)

710: KIRO (50 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)

770: KKOB (50 kW; Albuquerque, NM; 895 mi)

800: KBRV (10 kW day / 150 w night; Soda Springs, ID; 675 mi)
800: XEROK (150 kW; Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico; 1000 mi)
820: KGNW (50 kW day / 5 kW night; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)
820: WBAP (50 kW; Fort Worth, TX; 1450 mi)

850: KOA (50 kW; Denver, CO; 950 mi)

870: WWL (50 kW; New Orleans, LA; 1920 mi)
1000: KOMO (50 kW; Seattle, WA; 680 mi)

1030: KTWO (50 kW; Casper, WY; 915 mi)
1060: CKMX (50 kW; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 1000 mi)

1090: XEPRS (50 kW; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)

1130: CKWX (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)
1160: KSL (50 kW; Salt Lake City, UT; 600 mi)

1200: WOAI (50 kW; San Antonio, TX; 1485 mi)
1210: KGYN (10 kW; Guymon, OK; 1150 mi)
1420: KITI (5 kW; Chehalis, WA; 620 mi)
1430: KLO (25 kW day / 5 kW night; Ogden, UT; 605 mi)

1520: KOKC (50 kW; Oklahoma City, OK; 1400 mi)
1580: KMIK (50 kW; Tempe, AZ; 660 mi)

--- 26

Outside my home country (subset of all logs)
540: CBK (50 kW; Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; 1250 mi)

690: CBU (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)
690: XEWW (77 kW day / 50 kW night; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)

730: XEEBC (1 kW day / 250 w night; Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; 520 mi)

800: XEROK (150 kW; Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico; 1000 mi)

1060: CKMX (50 kW; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 1000 mi)
1090: XEPRS (50 kW; Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; 790 mi)
1130: CKWX (50 kW; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 800 mi)

1470: XERCN (5 kW; Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico; 475 mi)

1630: XEUT (10 kW day / 1 kW night; Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico; 475 mi)

1700: XEPE (10 kW; Tecate, Baja California, Mexico; 480 mi)

--- 11

Alternate ID methods
540: CBK: IDed from the phrase "this is CBC radio one"
690: CBU: IDed from phrase "CBC radio one... 690 am in Vancouver"
710: KIRO: IDed from the phrase "710 ESPN Seattle"
800: XEROK: IDed from audio recording at the top of the hour; listened repeatedly to pick out the callsign
1060: CKMX: IDed from the phrase "Calgary... funny 1060 AM"
1090: XEPRS IDed from the phrase "mighty 1090"
1130: CKWX: IDed from the phrase "news1130.com"
1250: KZER: IDed from the phrase "Radio Lazer" and the Spanish music and announcements
1280: KQLL: IDed from the phrase "the new cool 102" and oldies format
1280: KXTK: IDed from the phrase "ESPN radio 1280 the ticket", and multiple commercials mentioning the city of San Luis Obispo
1570: KTGE: IDed with a recording sent through a lowpass filter, played repeatedly, and posted on soundcloud to request help with confirmation
1610: WNMQ214: IDed based on content referencing Alameda County, and identifying the closest TIS on that frequency for Alameda County. The broadcast loop did not include a callsign.
1700: XEPE: IDed from audio recording and comparing with Spanish alphabet video

States/Provinces logged:
• California
• Oregon
• Washington
• Idaho
• Nevada
• Utah
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Wyoming
• New Mexico
• Texas
• Oklahoma
• British Columbia, Canada
• Saskatchewan, Canada
• Alberta, Canada
• Baja California, Mexico
• Chihuahua, Mexico

Reception details
Eton E5
Kaito AN-200
Locations: Home, Crissy Field, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay

Quotes
• "The big tomatoes will last until we get a frost."
• "The phone number that will change your life..."
• "Forty, fifty, up to sixty percent off!"
• "It was getting to the point where I didn't want to be around him, and he didn't want to be around me."
• "If you didn't love your kids, you wouldn't be listening right now."
• "He's a drug dealer; he's a gun runner."
• "High-quality olive oil has a green/golden color."
• "Being a ballerina is per se dangerous."
• "As a little bonus, it tastes like candy as it melts in your mouth."
• "Are you a bear? Do you have a beak? Do you have plumage?"
• "When someone asks you what you do for a living, you're never going to tell them."
• "That was easy. We got the dope and the cash."

HD jammers
• 740 KCBS
• 1050 KTCT
• 1310 KMKY

Unique
• 540 CBK: carrying programming from BBC, Radio Australia, Deutsche Welle
• 660 KTNN: Native American language and music
• 690 XEWW: Broadcasts 77 kW during the day
• 760 KFMB: 5 kW day / 50 kW night
• 920 KIHM: night id; broadcasts 850 watts at night
• 1050 KNBR/KTCT: dual callsigns (KNBR is officially on 680)
• 1170 KLOK: world ethnic, Indian
• 1400 KVTO: Asian language programming
• 1450 KEST: Asian language programming
• 1550 KZDG: Indian tabla music
• 1290 KAZA: Vietnamese. At 10am on 2013-09-03, heard two minutes of radio silence, followed by modem connect sounds, then broadcasting continued.
• 1690 KFSG: Russian language.
• Heard "Real Golf Radio" for the first time
• XEPRS interesting history, Wolfman Jack
• Brinkley Act
• 1090: Ad opposed to privatization of Mexican energy services/sources
• Three oldest stations in California: KCBS, KNX, KWG
• 1540 KMPC: Epic top-of-hour ident! Booming voice, "50 thousand watts", music
• 1330: KJPR Jefferson
• 1430 KMRB Chinese
• 1430 KVVN Vietnamese
• 1280: at 7am on 2013-09-12, receiver picked up loud hum only on this frequency. Sounded like someone playing a low synthesizer note.
• 900 KBIF: Asian language
• 930: KAGI Jefferson

Tools
• http://www.geobytes.com/citydistance.htm
• http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/
• http://www.radio-locator.com/
• http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/am-query-broadcast-station-search
• http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/travelers-information-stations-search
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_radio_stations_in_California
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_broadcast_band#Broadcast_frequency_bands
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12RCpaWjWsU (Spanish alphabet pronunciation)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear-channel_station

comments and questions, 2014 edition

Does anyone have comments about this blog, or questions about amplitude modulation radio (particularly longwave, mediumwave, and shortwave)?