Two New Ones

Monday evening, I finally identified the Spanish language station on 920 kc: WURA transmitting 7 kW from Quantico, Virginia, 310 miles to my southwest. The station was very weak, but solid until sunset when it switches to 750 watts and lets WHJJ and CKNX vie for 920.

At 1056 UTC Saturday, I caught the station id of WKMB transmitting 250 watts from Stirling, New Hersey, 100 miles to my southwest. This was a nice catch because it was on the often difficult 1070 kc... difficult due to the IBOC QRM from the 50-kW WTIC on 1080 kc, 15 miles to my northeast.

Both new ones were captured using the Elecraft KX3 with the Terk Advantage antenna.

CKNX... not new

920 kc has been my hang-out for the past few nights. WHJJ in Providence dominates 920, but when I null it out with the Terk Advantage antenna I hear a Spanish station just after sunset, which gives way to a country & western station that competes unsuccessfully with WHJJ the rest of the night.

I have been unable to identify the Spanish station mainly because my Spanish is weak.

The country & western station has been too weak to identify until last night at 0220 UTC when it dominated 920 for about ten minutes. Turned out to be CKNX, about 450 miles to my north-northwest in Wingham, Ontario.

I thought CKNX was a new one, but I had already logged it back in June 2013.

Now, if I can only identify the Spanish station! I am sure it would be a new one.

By the way, I was using the Elecraft KX3 with the Terk antenna.

Top of the Mountain to You!

ICOM AH-7000 up on the roof

I am on vacation this week trying to get some antenna work completed before the weather becomes inhospitable for working outdoors. Monday I put my ICOM AH-7000 discone antenna up on the roof. My daughter assisted from the ground guiding the coax and antenna up to me on the roof. The install was successful.

After dinner I had an opportunity to test the antenna installation as well as finally get my Elecraft KX3 2-meter transporter (KX3-2M) on the air with a 2-meter antenna. After tuning around and hitting a bunch of repeaters, I settled on 146.52 MHz simplex where I found a conversation already in progress. They were locals who I did not know, so I hung back.

After that conversation ended, I heard WO2M in Mattituck, Long Island calling DX. I called him and he got right back to me, but cut it short because he said the band was open and he was looking for bigger fish to the south. No matter, I was pleased that my 2 watts into the discone managed to be heard 50 miles away.

I sat back waiting for him to catch the bigger fish. Meanwhile,  I heard three other stations: Pittsfield, Mass,  Clinton, Mass and Manasquan, New Jersey, 60, 85 and 120 miles away, respectively.

I was very satisfied with the operation of the KX3 transverter and ICOM discne antenna.

By the way, I logged a new AM station on Saturday: WENE on 1340 kc running 1000 watts from Gloversville, NY, 120 miles north-northwest. It was the first new logging using the KX3 (the antenna was my 40 meter dipole).

Today, the weather was wet, so I postponed my antenna work plans to tomorrow.