Molokai Revisited AM DX from Hawaii from a Norwegian perspective Svenn Martinsen The Aloha State! The 50th State of the USA has always been a fascinating DX target for many, but according to my notes, there weren't any definite AM/MW dx catches in Europe at least between 1945 and 1973. My source of this was the late famous dxer Dr Richard E. Wood, who by the way heard European stations when living in Hilo, HI at least once as he noted 1562 Radio Veronica with 10 kW from International Waters with others in 1969. Many had heard shortwave stations from Hawaii though during the years. I was quite surprised when I heard time signal station WWVH 2500 kHz from its first site at Kihei, HI with its distinctive female announcer on November 16th, 1972 from my first QTH in Fana, south of Bergen. The inspiration from Utsjoki and other Norwegian listeners In early 1974 there was a dramatic change regarding the question of monitoring AM Hawaiians in Europe as during the Finnish Kevo/Utsjoki DxPedition the crew Esa J. Hänninen, Hannu Niilekselä and Risto Vähäkainu heard 8 Hawaiians (call letters as they were at the time): KKUA 690, KIKI 830, KAHU 940, KLEI 1130, KNDI 1270, KNUI 1310, KPOI 1380 and KUMU 1500. Also 4QD Emerald 1550 was heard. In Norway, Arvid Frøsland in Lakselv heard 940 from Waipahu on November 8th, and 1040 from Honolulu 11 days later in 1976. On October 16th, 1982, Svein Jakob Hollerud in Hildre just North of Ålesund was able to hear KIKI Honolulu on 830 and KAIM 870, licensed to Honolulu, but since 1981 broadcasting from Oahu's island neighbor to the east, Molokai, using 50 kW. In 1983, radio operator Geir Stokkeland had his first session in the Arctic at Jan Mayen, also with good opportunities for listening. This was followed by more stints, on Bear Island, Hopen and Svalbard, resulting in many spectacular loggings from North America and the Pacific including the first KIWIs into Norway on 1008, 1035 and 1098 and KSAI Saipan on 936, also a handsome number a number of Hawaiians. Bjarne Mjelde, the owner of the now well-known SDRs in Kongsfjord and also easily one of Norway's star listening specialists, was also an early Hawaii listener, and from January 1997 he was host to the Kongsfjord crew, which at the time of writing is still active after over 20 years also consisting of Odd- Jørgen Sagdahl and Ole Forr. Former members of the crew include the late Arnstein Bue, and the late Tore- Johnny Bråtveit. All AM Hawaiians and a large number of Pacific stations have been heard at this wonderful QTH. Own efforts I was an active listener between 1964 and 1997. When I was able to restart active dxing in 2014, I first used the Kalvøya site in Smøla financed by DXLC by invitation by its founders LA2XPA Rolf Torvik and Odd- Jørgen Sagdahl and from the year after was able to use a very good 70 metres longwire from Bjarne Mjelde’s site in Kongsfjord resulting in several new Hawaiians and my first Aussies. From October 2017 until April 2020 I have been able to use the Pacific beverage at the same spot. But Hawaii listening started for me in the 80s. When I was a young priest I was able to live and Minister with wife and kids in the village of Bud NW of Molde from 1979. Living there until late 1990 I heard many, many new North American stations and also tried for the Pacific. I used much time on 1130 trying for KLEI from Kailua, but in the early 80s never was able to hear more than Big Bands a number of times in the late mornings fading in and out with the country from CKWX in Vancouver during Western conds. And I knew WNEW very well. Often heard at other times, but not them. Typical loggings were these in 1982: 1130 1035 10.11.1982 CKWX plus BBD station. 940 and 830 HI @Bear Island. 1130 0820 24.12.1982 C&W plus Christmas mx, plus BBD also sigs 1040, 940(K stn Christmas mx 0930 1030), 830. As the years passed, I put up a 600 metres Beverage from the Rectory across the main road to Molde with the help of the local power company. During construction, I had an encounter with a ram! After a tentative in January 1985, the month after I had my first definite Hawaii logging in the form of KDEO 940, as KAHU now had changed to Country Music. 940 1300 16.02.1985 KDEO Waipahu, HI ”It's 3 o'clock K-D-E-O Waipahu Music Radio AM-94.” 760 and 1040 were also noted. Local reply as well as from the late Alan Roycroft (Broadcast Services, Inc.) October 18th, 1986 was stunning, starting with strong Alaskan signals and then many Hawaii frequencies became alive beginning with 1110 KHEI from Kihei in Maui @0930 with dual AM/FM ID. 850 KHLO from Hilo on the big island of Hawaii had been interfering with CKRD Red Deer, AB(still on this frequency at the time) and KICY in Nome, gradually taking over and closed down @-1000. Great letter reply from Russ Roberts. More about the resulting verifications at a later date. Also 590, 760 and 900 were noted and I also mention 970 (not the country formatted KIAK as pop music was noted) although KPUA is known to have moved to 670 in 1985. More Hawaii in the form of 760 with Sally Jesse Raphael on NBC Talknet on December 14th and I also mention 970 again but this could have been a station in the Western USA. ”A voice for God in the land of Aloha”: 870 KAIM Honolulu tx site Molokai, Maui county KAIM-AM began broadcasting in 1952, playing contemporary music and later rock 'n roll. The studio was at 3555 Harding Ave, between 11th and 12th Ave. The transmitter and tower was located at the top of Kaimuki on 12th Ave, at the former location of Kaimuki Bowl, 1136 12th Avenue. The tower base occupied a portion of the outdoor parking lot adjacent to the building. The transmitter and power supply was located on the ocean side of the parking, next to the office adjacent to the stairwell leading to the bowling alley on the second floor. The feedline was affixed to the ceiling of the parking level and travelled to the base of the tower. The station ran 1,000 watts, then later upgraded to 5,000 watts. Around 1962, the ownership changed and the format changed to religious broadcasting. In 1978, Billy Graham's ministry bought KAIM AM and FM, and relocated the AM station to a 50,000 watt station on Molokai, with directional antenna system favoring the Hawaiian Islands. A 950 MHz STL (Studio Transmitter Link) was used to hop the studio program from Kaimuki to Koko Head, then to Molokai. The most spectacular logging in Bud I was able to witness was of this station, then owned by the Billy Graham organization who aquired it in 1978 in order to broadcast the Gospel to the Pacific nations as far as the Philippines. In late October 1985 my communications receiver, a Hammarlund SP600JX1 had been taken out by lightning. I was therefore listening with a Tandberg Sølvsuper 6 domestic radio, having found Christian Inspirational Music and Billy Graham’s ”Back to the Bible” on the AM dial this accompanied the morning business at the Parish office: 870 30.10.1985 0934 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI). Back to the Bible outro: "Thanks for being a part of our worldwide radio sermon”, ”I love to tell the story” instrumental+ID This is Hawaii's Gospel lighthouse for the Pacific Basin, KAIM Honolulu.» KSKO McGrath, AK QRM. And KAIM made return visits the day, year and two years after: 870 01.11.1985 1054 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI) 870 08.01.1986 0825 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI) w KSKO McGrath, AK. 870 18.10.1986 0930 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI) "You're listening to KAIM in Honolulu" 870 10.12.1987 0934 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI) 26 mins before midnight Mix of AK, WC and HI. The last time I heard the signal was in 1987: 870 19.12.1987 0930 KAIM Honolulu HI (Molokai HI) Silent night, Christmas music. A great recording from Bear Island done by Geir Stokkeland of the 1000 sign off exists from 13.03.1987 1000 UTC, with the final transcripted here: ” located on Kauai Koi on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. Station KAIM has been operating on an assigned frequency of 870 kHz with a power of 50000 watts. KAIM also operates aural studio transmitter link WGV588 on 948.5 MHz 3555 Harding Avenue Honolulu and aural studio transmitter link WGV589 on 949.5 MHz on the slope of Koko Head Honolulu. KAIM operates under the authorization of the Federal Communications Commission on Washington DC. The major portion of our broadcast day has been presented by way of tape recording and electronic transcriptions. And now the staff and management of KAIM wish you a pleasant good morning and Aloha.” +Star Sprangled Banner. KAIM was also heard and QSLd a couple of times in the late 90s in Kongsfjord, then the station was sold to Salem Communications in 1999, who reduced power to 1 kW in 2001(The 50,000 watt electric bill had been $12-13K/month). and moved the programming to another station of theirs in Honolulu.