News Serving DX’ers since 1933 Volume 81, No. 3● October 14, 2013 ● (ISSN 0737-1639) Inside this issue . 2 … AM Switch 12 … Membership Report 18 … Confirmed DXer 4 … Domestic DX Digest West 13 … DX Tool Box 18 … Graveyard DX Update 7 … Domestic DX Digest East 14 … Perseus Auction 19 … Space Weather Forecast 10 … International DX Digest 15 … Pro Sports Networks (NHL) 19 … Geomagnetic Indices From the Publisher: A nice deep early‐ to Canada (postage to Canada has gone up yet October aurora has had folks back at the dials, again). and while the weather here still feels like A full list of NRC publications is available at summer, it’s definitely DX season again! Plenty www.nrcdxas.org. Order on the web site using of DX and stations news reported this week … Paypal, or with a check or money order (U.S. and if you aren’t sending your loggings to funds only, please) to NRC HQ at the address DDXD and IDXD, why not let us all see what on the back page. you’re up to? Perseus Auction: At this year’s convention, We’re a Social Group: The NRC is on John Callarman donated his fresh‐out‐of‐the‐box Facebook and Twitter! Social media is a yet Perseus SDR to the club, to be auctioned for the another way to keep in touch with NRC benefit of the NRC. Bids will be accepted until members and to spread the hobby – and spread November 1. For details see page 14. the news about what the NRC has to offer to a NRC/WTFDA Convention 2014: Bids are broader public. You can connect and join in the being accepted for the 2014 NRC/WTFDA sociability – see page 9 for the details. annual convention. For information, contact Unreported Stations: Two stations reported Ernie Wesolowski at [email protected] to DDXD for the first time in the 21st Century, or 13312 Westwood Ln. Omaha, NE 68144. both from Kentucky: WBFC‐1470 and WKXO‐ Ernie can help you evaluate the practical aspects 1500. So only 560 left on the list from last issue. of hosting a convention so that if you decide to Can you hear one and knock some more off the make a formal bid you’ll have what you need to list for next time? make that decision. Publications: Don’t forget that the TWO VOL. 81 DX NEWS PUBLISHING SCHEDULE essential tools for your 2013‐2014 DX season are No In By Date 17 Jan. 17 Jan. 27 now available from NRC Publications: the 34th 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 21 18 Jan. 24 Feb. 3 Edition of the AM Radio Log and the 7th Edition 5 Oct. 18 Oct. 28 19 Jan. 31 Feb. 10 of the Antenna Pattern Book. For more 6 Oct. 25 Nov. 4 20 Feb. 7 Feb. 17 information, see below for the Log and page 3 7 Nov. 1 Nov. 11 21 Feb. 14 Feb. 24 for the Pattern Book. These all‐volunteer efforts 8 Nov. 8 Nov. 18 22 Feb. 21 Mar. 3 build on the work of many NRC members (not 9 Nov. 15 Nov. 25 23 Mar. 7 Mar. 17 just Wayne and Paul) and are available at 10 Nov. 22 Dec. 2 24 Mar. 21 Mar. 31 discounted prices to club members. If you 11 Nov. 29 Dec. 9 25 Apr. 11 Apr. 21 haven’t ordered yours yet, what are you waiting 12 Dec. 6 Dec. 16 26 May 2 May 12 for? 13 Dec. 13 Dec. 23 27 May 30 June 9 Don’t forget that we still have the remaining 14 Dec. 27 Jan. 6 28 June 27 July 7 inventory of the final (21st) edition of the FM 15 Jan. 3 Jan. 13 29 Aug. 1 Aug. 11 Atlas by the late Dr. Bruce Elving; $15 to the 16 Jan. 10 Jan. 20 30 Sept. 5 Sept. 15 United States and now $23 NRC AM Radio Log, 34th Edition The Log is unbound and three-hole punched for standard binders. Price: To the United States, $22.95 to members, $28.95 to non-members Add $3.85 for Priority Mail. To Canada, $35; Airmail to all outside US/Canada: $39.00. Canadian orders: PayPal or postal money order only, please. U.S. funds only! Order from: NRC, P.O. Box 473251, Aurora CO 80047-3251 or www.nrcdxas.org CO residents add 3.5% sales tax. 2 Info to David Yocis – 1245AM 13th St. NW #105, Switch Washington DC 20005 – [email protected] The “lapse in appropriations” due to the current political shenanigans here in D.C. has left the FCC web site, and the FCC itself, largely dark. The FCC Commissioners themselves have their pay funded through a different source and so they are on the job, and a handful of employees have been deemed “essential” and therefore are working (presumably to be paid when things get back to normal). This includes 8 employees “strategically located” around the country “to conduct interference detection, mitigation, and disaster response operations” as needed. (Potential pirate operators beware!) But the large majority of FCC staff are out until funding resumes. A few changes were noted on the web site early this week before it signed off: CALL LETTER CHANGES 1640 KOAG OK Enid – Call change to KZLS (9/30). Also, Station Intel (ex‐100 kW) (via Bill Hale) reports KINF‐730 Boise ID changed to KNFL and WEGI‐1370 Fort Campbell KY changed to WLFZ; in addition, Radio Insight (via Shawn Axelrod) reports that KRTR‐650 Honolulu flipped to KPRP (“Pinoy Power Radio,” Filipino format) on 10/3. Presumably these changes were precleared with the FCC and will be officially announced when the FCC returns to work. STATIONS DELETED 1590 KQLO NV Sun Valley – License cancelled and calls deleted; FCC says station has been silent since 10/12/2011 and licenses are automatically cancelled after one year. CHANGES TO EXISTING STATIONS CPs Granted 1410 WMSX MA Brockton – CP granted for U1 610/25 (now U4 1000/156), CoL to Dedham MA. Applications for CPs 1120 WUST DC Washington – Applies for D5 50000 (ch 3000) (now D1 20000 (ch 3000)), moving to WJFK‐1580 transmitter site/towers. (WUST and WZHF‐1390 currently diplex from the same site in northern Virginia; WUST says the landlord is not renewing the lease as of “early next year” and that it expects WZHF to apply to move to the WJFK site as well.) SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY (STA) 570 WWNC NC Asheville – Granted STA for U1 5000/1250 during tower replacement. 1030 WOSO PR San Juan – Granted STA for reduced power/emergency antenna, actual power unspecified but probably U1 2500/2500. 1310 WLOB ME Portland – Granted STA for U2 3500/1000 after a tower collapsed; construction project on neighboring site snagged a guy wire and brought the tower down. Applications to extend existing STAs were received from WAXY‐790 South Miami FL (U4 25000/25000 to overcome Cuban QRM); WFXY‐930 Jacksonville FL (U1 5000/1250 or U2 with pattern at variance); and WTTR‐1470 Westminster MD (reduced power during antenna work, level not specified). SILENT STATIONS Stations notifying the FCC that they were silent and are now back on the air: 850 WKGE PA Johnstown – Was silent (since 10/6/2012); back on the air 9/27. Stations notifying the FCC that they are silent: 1490 KYZS TX Tyler – Silent 9/19 due to “catastrophic failure of the transmitter.” 1570 KPIO CO Loveland – Silent 9/14 due to flood damage at transmitter site. Also, multiple sources report that Disney stations WDDY‐1460 Albany NY and WKSH‐1640 Sussex WI are silent pending sale. North of the border, the CRTC is open for business and has some changes for us (via Dan Sys and Shawn Axelrod): 920 CFRY MB Portage la Prairie – Request to split the 920/93.1 AM/FM simulcast is approved; 920 will remain on the air with the current C&W format. 1450 CHOU QC Montreal – Applies for low‐power FM repeater on 104.5 in the eastern part of Montreal; will not affect AM service. 3 And Wayne Heinen sends along more updates to the 34th Edition of the NRC AM Radio Log: 620 WSNR NJ Jersey City – Format to ETH/REL; adds programming from “Radio Maria.” 670 WSCR IL Chicago – Network to Cs (drop YSR). (BD) 800 WSVS VA Crewe – Slogan to “Virginia’s Country Legend.” 830 WQZQ TN Goodlettsville – Adds // W235BW‐94.9. 910 KCJB ND Minot – Slogan to “Classic Country 91.” 920 KBAD NV Las Vegas – Slogan to “The Game.” WYBY NY Cortland – Networks to SRN/BBN. 960 KZIM MO Cape Girardeau – Networks to A/Mo/Bf/Ru/P/DG/TRN/CM/B. 1070 KLIO KS Wichita – Format to SS:SPT (ex‐OLD), slogan to “ESPN Deportes,” networks to ESPD. 1160 WBYN PA Lehighton – Slogan to “The Light.” 1200 KPSF CA Cathedral City‐ Format to BIZ/TLK (ex‐BIZ). CFGO ON Ottawa – Slogan to “TSN 1200.” 1210 KGYN OK Guymon – Networks to Fox/Ns. 1220 KDOW CA Palo Alto – Slogan to “Bay Area’s Business Radio.” 1230 WENY NY Elmira – Networks to Nn/Mt/DrJ 1250 KPZK AR Little Rock – Slogan to “92 Jam.” WHHQ MI Bridgeport – Slogan to “Hail Holy Queen Radio,” 1290 WJNO FL West Palm Beach – Networks to Fox/P/Ru/CM/B. (BC) 1310 KIHP AZ Mesa – Slogan to “Immaculate Heart Radio.” 1340 KNTF CA Oroville – Format to AOR (ex‐SPT); delete all networks. 1380 WABH NY Bath – Format to NOS (ex‐SPT); delete slogans; networks to C; group is // WEHH Group.