Your toughest freq. to DX ?

I've discovered mine - 97.1. I can barely hear WDRV out of south Chicago if pointed right at them, any other direction I get NOTHING. I've aimed at the next closest stations as seen on my map below, hoping for some brief tropo, airplane scatter, meteor scatter ... looking for anything. HOURS and HOURS (like 40 hours so far!) of recording - hisssssssssss.

If we ever get any E skip up here, I'll have new ones in the log for sure!

What's your toughest frequency? (other than having a local parked there)

John K9RZZ
Milwaukee

[Mike-CT]

It sounds to me like you have somebody on 96.9 and/or 97.3 running the dreaded you-know-what. That'll kill off any dx except for super tropo or strong Es.

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

It sounds to me like you have somebody on 96.9 and/or 97.3 running the dreaded you-know-what. That'll kill off any dx except for super tropo or strong Es.

I thought of that, but if I point towards south Chicago, I can hear them just above the noise and they sound 'normal' for a weaker station.

How can I find out if my semi-local on 96.9 is running digital?

John K9RZZ

[KW4RZ]

IBOC hiss sounds a little different than a quiet frequency's "hiss". If you have a signal meter or a "tuned" indicator on your receiver it should light up on the IBOC signal. I have several such frequencies here. They sound clear if one is not familiar with the sound of IBOC but only the strong DX comes in over it. 97.3 WQBW in Milwaukee is an HD station according to the web so 97.1 and 97.5 would be plagued with IBOC and that would make it tough to DX.

[cd637299]

My toughest freq? You name it! Down here between Miami & Ft. Lauderdale, between IBOC frequencies & pirates operating, that's why I do a lot of my DXing from remote locations.

91.7 is fairly clear again, due to WMKL "The Call" moving to 91.9...there is, however, low powered pirate activity there. WMKO Marco/Naples is in everyday now, if I point the antenna that way.

I'll have to try Humberto's suggestions of 72.5 & 72.9....ha ha.....I dare any pirate to try those!!

cd

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

... They sound clear if one is not familiar with the sound of IBOC but only the strong DX comes in over it. 97.3 WQBW in Milwaukee is an HD station according to the web so 97.1 and 97.5 would be plagued with IBOC and that would make it tough to DX.

Hmmm. Will try to phase 97.3 down when I get my IC-R7100 back from the shop (it has an S meter) and see how I fare then. Too hard to do by ear when they are fairly loud.

Thanks!

John K9RZZ

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

IBOC hiss sounds a little different than a quiet frequency's "hiss". If you have a signal meter or a "tuned" indicator on your receiver it should light up on the IBOC signal. I have several such frequencies here. They sound clear if one is not familiar with the sound of IBOC but only the strong DX comes in over it. 97.3 WQBW in Milwaukee is an HD station according to the web so 97.1 and 97.5 would be plagued with IBOC and that would make it tough to DX.

You're right, that's what's killing me on 97.1

Listening carefully, IBOC's hiss is high pitched, while general white noise on a clear channel has more bass.

Interesting.

John K9RZZ

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

I've got my Icom R-7100 back from the shop in Maine, the second I.F. oscillator crystal had gone bad. Now I'm back in buisiness and when I tune to 97.1 (which I thought was clear?), the S meter sits at S9+10 ... IBOC no doubt, duh!

With a functioning S meter, I can finish up my antenna phaser and get down to some serious DXing.

John K9RZZ
Milwaukee (E skip? What's that?? )