WNTP 990 kHz Philadelphia, PA DX Test

** RESCHEDULED **

Date: Saturday morning (late Friday night), Mar. 15, 2008.
Time: Midnight - 1 a.m. Eastern Time, 0400 – 0500 UTC.
Mode of Operation: From midnight until 12:30 a.m. the station will test with their new daytime pattern and 50 KW power. From 12:30 until 1 a.m. they will test with their non-directional pattern and 12.5 KW power. Previous non-directional tests have been conducted at 5 KW, and this higher power should give more listeners a chance to hear this station.
Notes: “We’ll especially be running a lot of sweep tones since they seem to get the best results. Morse IDs, steady 2 kHz tones, and some odd ball music – which I have yet to pick,” says Chief Engineer and DXer René Tetro.

QSL Information: Reception reports may be sent to René at WNTP, 117 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444. E-mail reception reports may also be submitted to rtetro [at] pobox.com. “If sending an audio recording, I prefer CD or mp3 (MP3s can be an attachment to an e-mail, provided the size doesn’t exceed 3-4 mb),” René adds. No eQSL service is being offered for this test.

This is the fourth year in a row that René will conduct a test over WNTP, but this higher transmitter power opens up lots of new possibilities.

NOTE: All requests for verifications must be accompanied by return postage in order to receive a reply.

Many thanks to René for his great support over the years to DXers and our hobby, and in particular for conducting this test.

Jim Pogue – KH2AR [at] comcast.net
IRCA/NRC Joint BTC Coordinator

WKDK DX Test Final Report

To paraphrase a well known member of our hobby community (apologies to GH), if anyone ever tells you that DX tests on graveyard frequencies don't get out, "don't you believe them!" Powell Way III's great test over his 1240 kHz station on the morning of Feb. 11 was heard well throughout the South, along the Eastern Seaboard and into the Midwest. Here's our list of the lucky folks who've check in to say they heard "WKDK ... Newberry County's VOICE for over 60 Years!"

Fred Nordquist - Moncks Corner, SC
Paul Walker Jr. - Abbeville, SC
Dave Hochfelder - Albany, NY
Joe Miller - Troy, MI
Jim Renfrew - Holley, NY
Willis Monk - Old Fort, TN
Les Rayburn - Central Alabama
J.D. Stephens - Hampton Cove, AL
Dave Pyatt - Burlington, ON, Canada
Steve Francis - Alcoa, TN
Tom Jasinski - Shorewood, IL
Chris Johnson - Taylors, SC
And an anonymous posting from Michigan on the DXTESTS.INFO site.

There were a number of "tentatives" as well, including:

Saul Chernos - Burnt River, ON, Canada
Mark Gerwlivch - Markham, ON, Canada
Dave Lang - Waterford, CT
Jim Pogue - Memphis, TN

We'll have to wait until Powell has a chance to work through the reports to see if we hit pay dirt or just plain dirt.

Several other DXers tried for the test but mostly just heard the old graveyard gumbo/ These DXers included Joe Wozniak in St. Louis, Steve Ratzlaff in Oregon, Frank Aden in Idaho, and Wayne Heinen in Colorado.

For a few others who didn't hear WKDK, the time spent at the dials was not a complete loss as it did yield some new ones for them. Dan Riordan in Sherwood, OR, heard two he need from California, namely KNRY and KSUE. And Craig Barnes in Wondervu, CO, added KCCR in Pierre, SD, to his logbook.

Again, our sincere thanks to Powell Way III for conducting this test. Hearing a graveyard station is always a treat in my book.

Remember to keep checking the DXTESTS.INFO Web site frequently and listen to the BTC Podcasts for news and late-breaking developments.

Jim Pogue
IRCA/NRC Joint Broadcast Test Committee Coordinator

CKEC 1320, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada - Final days on the air

This station is scheduled to permanently sign off its AM facilities and transition fully to 94.1 FM on March 11, 2008. Although the station is unable to conduct a special test with tones, Morse code or other special content, Chief Engineer Peter Lann (VE1LAN) invites reception reports from DXers during the last days of AM operation. He says this will be an extremely good time to hear the station, particularly the final week. The station ID is given at least four times per hour and there is a four-minute News Cast at the top of the hour. Mr. Lann says he will reply to all DX reports sent. "I have been a SWL/Ham since my early teens.....Good hunting!"

The format for CKEC is country music. Reception reports may be sent to Mr. Lann at: 84 Provost Street, Box 519, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada, B2H 5E7. E-mail reception reports may also be submitted to plann [at] ckec.com. NOTE: All requests for written verifications must be accompanied by return postage in order to receive a reply.

Jim Pogue and Saul Chernos
IRCA/NRC Joint Broadcast Test Committee