Norman peters wrote:

My DXing has been casual since I was a young lad. A 1939 Eatons Viking tube radio got me Wheeling West Virginia often, and stations from New York and Philadelphia area. Often didn't get the station call letters or anything that would identify the station.I currently have access to a Realistic DX 440 radio with AM, FM, and Medium and Short wave.  Unfortunately the antenna needs to be be replaced. AM and FM are ok, but SW and MW  won't come in. Would this be something that The Source might carry, or would I need to go to a specialty shop like A1 Electronics in Etobicoke? My friend Big Daddy {AKA Russ Horton} told me about a DXer Allen Willie on the east coast of Newfoundland, who has an incredible set up. I imagine he would be in the top ten when it comes to getting stations at a great distance.

I've never seen Allen's set-up, but he reports often on Facebook, and I've DXed elsewhere from Newfoundland so I can attest to two things. Equipment and location. I've had all kinds of crazy places on AM from Cappahayden, on the southeast coast, DXing close enough to water's edge that I hauled Home depot size buckets of seawater to add salt to the antenna ends. Japan, both Koreas, South Africa, Siberia, China, India, Israel, Afghanistan, Paraguay. I haven't managed Australia and environs, nor have I heard Hawaii or Alaska, but not bad for something like 4 or 5 two week trips. We used longwires. I can't remember offhand what Allen uses, but he knows what he's doing.

 

I've always wondered what it would be like to DX from some exotic locations.

What, for example, might you hear on a good night in Hawaii? I've never been to the Island, but it's definitely something I would want to check out after pattern change.

On the other extreme, what could be coming in when the sun goes down (if it goes down, depending on the time of year) in Alaska? I despise the cold, so it's not on my itinerary at any point, but that would be another fascinating place to go and hear what shows up on the dial.

RadioActive wrote:

I've always wondered what it would be like to DX from some exotic locations.

What, for example, might you hear on a good night in Hawaii? I've never been to the Island, but it's definitely something I would want to check out after pattern change.

On the other extreme, what could be coming in when the sun goes down (if it goes down, depending on the time of year) in Alaska? I despise the cold, so it's not on my itinerary at any point, but that would be another fascinating place to go and hear what shows up on the dial.

I don't know who DXes these days in Hawaii. DXers there have in the not too distant past managed FM from California via Tropo. Dr. Richard Wood, who might or might not still be with us, is among the most well known who lived there. John Bryant went on DXpeditions to Easter island and his logs are awesome and probably still Google'able. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago. Paul walker is your go-to DXer in Alaska. He's still very much at it, as well as being (I think) general manager at KSKO 89.5. He's had al kinds of stuff on AM, including relative flea-powered stations from Australia and the like. His biggest challenge DXing AM seems to be that auroras, which are DX-effective further south, completely wipe out the band up at his latitude. Bill Hepburn, now in the Niagara area, DXed FM and TV for a few years in the NWT when he worked there for Environment Canada (weather dep't). he reported a lot of E-skip opening that would begin with stations on Canada's east coast, wind through central regions, and conclude westwards. He was within skip range of the northern US so sometimes logged the Dakotas, Michigan, etc. He even logged some of my Kawartha-area locals and when we were in touch afterwards he was always passing me target lists, convinced I should be able to hear NWT and Nunavut. I have never managed that, though I have heard north-central Manitoba and Saskatchewan. DXers in coastal Finland and Norway always amaze me with their AM catches. A DXer in Ireland has had multiple openings on FM to the US and Canada, once including 90.7 WVAS Alabama.

Last edited by Saul (January 21, 2025 10:52 am)

Re above ... I ahree. Radio World is really the go-to place these days for in-store shopping in the GTA area.

There's DX-ing and out of town listening, but this is way beyond me. I'm betting not even a stalwart like Saul has ever received this!

Making The Longest Distance Radio Contact Possible

I have noticed over the past few months I am getting more AM/FM signals in my car.  And other distant stations that I always received are clearer.

CFPL AM, CKTB, CFOS, WBEN, CFCO, CKNX AM are all much clearer.  WBEN I could never get before and now they are listenable in the car.  WGR 55 has always come in fairly clear.  Oddly enough the only AM that has not changed has been CJOY in Guelph who continue to put in a lousy signal into Kitchener. 

On the FM side, all the Toronto FM stations are clearer, I can pull in some St. Catharine's FM better now and 102.5 the former WBEN FM comes in now, where it didn't before. 

Nightime DXing doesn't interest me since I don't listen to radio in the evening.  Also getting stronger signals from stations in the north like Wingham, Listowel etc.  Like I said this has been going on for a few months now. 

Last edited by paterson1 (January 26, 2025 2:21 pm)

This is not the farthest I have DX's but it is a tough one to pick up in Toronto because of 640. CFOS from Chatham/Kent. I even got it in AM stereo but just for a bit. I think it is only one of two stations in Canada still in AM stereo.