HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR DX

Now that you have written down all the 'normal stations' in your area, it is time to organize them.

Let me point out that there are many, many ways to organize your DX. What works for one, may not work for others. 

I just want to show you how I do it.

In the olden days, we used to keep handwritten notes. We also used the VANE JONES Log as our guide to what stations were on each frequency. I used to underline the stations I received.

 It was a great guide in it's day.

Many DXers just use a note book. I did it that way for over 40 years. Then I caught up with technology and started using a computer.

Now, I keep a typed log on the screen as I DX. (I have the hand writing of a serial killer, or Doctor)

Then I move them to an Xcel Spreadsheet.

Here is am example of my typed Text file

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

04/08/20 WMEJ BAY ST LOUIS MS 1190 0700 R259

                           P-H-P

                           CALLS HEARD – SIGN ON

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

04/04/20 ZNS-3 NASSAU BAHAMAS 810 2358 R260

                           P-M-P

                           NATIONAL ANTHEM & ID

                          “VOICE OF THE BAHAMAS”

                           FOUND WHILE REVIEWING S.D.R. RECORDINGS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

04/08/20 WCRW LEESBURG VA 1190 0900 20-830

                            P-M-P

                           TOH ID AS WCRW                     LEESBURG/WASHINGTON

                            ETHNIC CHINESES EE ID

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is pretty simple. I list the date, call letters, location, frequency, and the time of reception. 

The 20-830 means this was the 20^th NEW station received during the current DX season, and the 830^th OVERALL number heard. 

Since this was a NEW logging I have highlighted it in RED.

Then I list the signal quality. In the case above WCRW signal was Poor, Interference was Moderate, and the over quality of the reception was Poor.

In the station above WCRW, (ZNS-3) the R230 shows that ZNS-3 was a 're-log' (heard before) and was the 230th relog of the season.

I logged this station later, while reviewing the recordings of that DX session.

Simple, right ????

I also keep some research on this Text file. At the bottom I keep a list of CUBAN Station I can refer to.

After I DX, I copy this info into my MASTER AM DATABASE.

This database is the meat of my logbook.

Let's take a look at the spreadsheet.

Take a look at the 940 entry for WCSY in South Haven Michigan.
See how it is in 'GRAY' ? This means that WCSY had gone off the air and has been DELETED from the FCC database and no longer exists. I keep these in the system because I have logged many of these types of stations, and it is interesting to see the demise of the smaller AM stations.

Now, look at line 1481. (at the bottom)

The station is on 940 khz.

It is the FIRST station I logged.

I have not logged it this season.

I did log it previously.

Calls are WCPC.

Location is Houston MS

It is in USA.

During the day, they use 31,000 watts of power

At night they use 7 watts.

They do not lower power during the “Critical Hours” (2 hours PAST local sun-rise and the 2 hours BEFORE local sunset.

Now let's slide the spreadsheet to the right.

(note: I have hi-lighted the WCPC line )

PSRA stands for Pre Sun Rise Authorization. This allows a Daytime only station to sign on at 6 AM local time with reduced power.

I worked for a daytime station in Illinois that came on the air with 500 watts (on 1410) at 6 AM then went to 1000 watts at sunrise. They now have 68 watts at night. (But that's another story.)

WCPC uses a 'directional antenna' The DA-2 means that the directional patterns differ from day to night.

Here are some other examples

DA-1 Station uses ONE antenna pattern

DA-2 Station uses TWO different patterns

NDA Station is NON DIRECTIONAL meaning ONE Tower

DA-N Station is NDA during the day then switches to a directional signal at night.


The FCC also uses a ND2 designation. That means a station is Non Directional 24 Hours a day but the tower uses different parameters at night. It may be a difference in tower impedance or other factors.

For our purposes, NON Directional is NON  Directional and there is no need to get that technical.

We then list the FORMAT of the station in this case WCPC has

A Religious format

I do not list any NETWORKS for this station.

If you look above you will see a station that is // WLRT-1250

This station has the SAME programs as WLRT on 1250 Khz. 

They call this 'SIMULCASTING'

Let's go further to the right. (Having fun yet??)

On the high lighted line, you will see that WCPC has an FM translator W289CJ on 105.7 (A low powered FM station that repeats the programming from WCPC-AM.

If you look at the NOTES column you can see that one of the stations above has a Special Temporary Authorization to broadcast using 1000 Watts during the day and 500 watts at night. That means the FCC has given them permission to operate at something other than licensed values. This may be due to many issues. Transmitter or tower trouble is the usual cause. Some Florida stations have STA's for higher power than licensed, due to interference from CUBA.

I also list former Call Letters the stations have used over the years.

Lets go to the right.

Here is where we list the Slogan of the station, and the date I updated the station info as well as where the information came from (This is a fairly NEW column)

It shows I got the new information from the National Radio Club DX News.

Onward !!!! to the right...

Here is where I list the info from the TEXT file log.

Date I heard the station Time , The Signal info, and what I heard.

Now lets look at the TABS on the bottom

I have other TABS that I use.

I list all the station that I have heard BY FREQUENCY

CITIES

STATES

The “working” tab is info that I am researching.

I keep 2 sets of 'MAPS' showing my DX.
Using my 'BY FREQ'  list, I use 'My MAPS' from Google and show each FREQ

Here is a look at the map for AM and the map for FM. Each freq gets it's own map/

930 Khz

92.1 Mhz

 

And for fun, I am working on a MAP for the wall. (I need to get back to that project)

RED pins are TV stations I have received.

BLUE pins are FM stations.

And WHITE pins are the AM stations.

(sorry the blue and red pins don't show up very well.)

(All are ONE pin per City.)

It's kind of cool to look at.

There you have it. How I keep track of my DX.

Next we'll take a look at the FM Database.

And we'll tell you how you can get one !!!

WHAT DO I NEED ?

So you want to explore the exciting world of DX'ing. Good for you. You will not only have fun, but you will learn a lot about geography.

Since the FM DX season is about to bust, let's start with FM DX'ing

One of the first questions a newcomer to the hobby asks is, “What kind of equipment do I need?”

The answer depends on what you want to listen to.

For FM reception, any good middle to high end tuner will work. However, RDS is a MUST have for serious DX'ing.

“RDS” stands for “Radio Data System” and it allows FM broadcasters to send far more than just an analog audio signal out over the air. Using a 'hidden sub carrier, (57khz) stations can transmit digital RDS data for reception by RDS equipped FM tuners. This technology opens up a whole new range of information that helps the DX'er identify stations.

Here are some RDS screen shots taken from my home tuner.

W Z D M Vincinnes Indiana, as received in Ocala Florida

I've had a lot of different radios over the years.

 HALLICRAFTERS S-38 C

 HALLICRAFTERS S-38E

 HAMMARLUND HQ-145

 And the BEST of the LARGE tube radios - HAMMARLUND HQ-180a

Now I use a DRAKE R-8A for AM AND SHORT WAVE DX.

For FM DX I have a Denon TU150RD tuner

 and an Audio Design Associates HD-Pro Tuner 

(unfortunately, these two tuners are no longer made.)

For portable outside AM DX I have a professional Potomic FIM-41 Field Strength Meter. (This is used by Broadcast Engineers to measure their AM signal strength.) 

I recently added a 'Software Defined Tuner' to my computer. I am still learning the in's and out's of the software, It looks like it may work GREAT. (More on that later)

 Above is our 102.3 local station (WXUS) you see the main signal and the HD signal to the left and right of the main.

AIR SPY S.D.R. RADIOS

Having an HD radio is nice for quality listening, but not required for DX'ing.

“HD” is the all digital transmission that allows a station to have their main channel in HD as well as several 'sub channels' with different programming. (Much like HD Over the Air TV)

One example is our local WXUS 102.3. They have a Country Rock format on their main channel, and an Oldies format on their Sub channel. 102.3-2

(Side Note, or useless information)  102.3 was owned at one time by Asterisk Radio Group. They hired me to come to Florida in 1989 and build the studios and transmitter site when they moved from Dunellon to Ocala....I never went back to Indiana.

What about the antenna ??

For serious DX'ing, an outdoor antenna (with a rotor) is at the top of the list. On a portable FM tuner with a whip antenna I may get a Orlando station, but that's all I receive. With an outdoor antenna and rotor, I can turn the antenna towards Jacksonville and receive their station on the same frequency. Then I can turn it towards Tampa and get another station.

The type of antenna depends on your budget and any local restrictions. In my case, I moved to a 55+ community three years ago. They allow one outdoor antenna no higher than 25 feet. That works well for me.

For my use, I bought a HD Stacker antenna combo (VHF/UHF) antenna that also works on FM.

DENNY'S ANTENNA SERVICE

If you only have a portable radio and whip antenna, do not despair. You can still get a ton of DX with it and have fun doing it.

I remember when I was in high school, I was at our lake cottage in Ontario and received tons of FM DX with a portable radio while sitting in a boat, fishing.

So now you have your tuner and antenna. “Now what ??” you ask.

Start by tuning to 88.1 and do what we DX'ers call a “Band Scan” Make note of all the stations you receive in frequency order. If you have a rotor, turn it in an opposite direction while listening. You may be amazed. You need to get to know the band. To know what “Normal” reception is like. Make a list and keep it handy. I do a new Band Scan at the beginning of each DX Season.

“What is the DX Season?”

Many DX'ers DX year round. There is always something to listen to. For me, I keep the FM tuner on 24/7 from April thru August.

Then I turn on the AM radio until April.

Even in the winter I keep my eyes on the internet for alerts of possible DX in my region. (more on that later)

How do signals arrive at my antenna??

There are three main ways:

Ground Wave. Stations heard by ground wave are your local radio and TV stations, which are heard more-or-less all of the time regardless of reception conditions. Here in Florida, I receive Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa on a regular basis. Signals heard via groundwave are strong and usually have complete RDS and HD Radio (assuming stations run either service)

Tropo. This method of DXing brings in stations from areas not normally in your reception range of locals. Tropo is typically reliant on local weather conditions and occurs in the warmer months. High pressure systems are usually the basis for good DX reception. Stalled weather fronts and other phenomenon may produce stellar tropo ‘ducts,’ which could bring in stations up to 1000 miles away while excluding closer signals on the same frequency. Being in Florida, I live in a tropo heaven.

Here are 3 good resources

DAILY TROPO MAP

DX MAPS 
 

144 MHZ MAP

(as you can see- signals are flying in Florida)

When tropo is good, I can receive stations from South Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and more.

Sporadic E-Skip (Es): This is the FUN ONE. No one knows exactly how this occurs. Common research suggests a ‘cloud’ of ionization in the E-layer of the atmosphere acts like a mirror to reflect signals back to the earth with distances of 500-1500 miles away, often with clear local-like reception. Stations received by Es , although strong, are typically characterized by having rapid fading, sudden dropouts, or are mixed in with other signals. Sporadic E openings tend to pop up in the late morning (9 a.m. to noon) and early evening (5-9 p.m.) hours in the warmer months but can happen at any time or day of the year.

Also possible is Meteor Scatter Skip : As a meteor hit the upper atmosphere, an FM signal can bounce off of it and hit you antenna. This type of reception may only last a second or two, so you have to be quick o the draw. And getting an ID on one is at best, harder than you can imagine. And to be honest, I have never received a station in this manner.

As this is written (the end of April 2020) the FM DX Season is almost in full swing. The is plenty of Tropo Ducting. And we have already had one good day of Sporadic E Skip, where I logged two stations in Mexico and a few in the mid-west.

Let's look at the next few months of the FM DX Season and see what we can expect.

MAY: Look for some decent tropospheric  ducting during May, especially in the Midwest, East and Southeast states. The Sporadic E season will be in full swing, with intense all day openings. (we hope) May is also a good month for Meteor Scatter.

JUNE: June may be the BEST month for FM (and TV DX) Tropospheric Ducting is common during June, sometime producing openings out to 1000 miles, and more. Spoadic E activity will be at it's peak during June. It's not uncommon to see all day Sporadic E DX.

JULY: July is also a fantastic FM and TV DX month/ Sporadic Ducting is normal in the Midwest and Eastern States, bringing in stations from up to 1000 miles away, Sporadic E is usually good during July, with intense openings possible. There are also a few Meteor Shows you can explore.

AUGUST: Sporadic E season is winding down , but you may find some decent openings. August also offers some great tropo openings, especially in the mornings and early evenings. The Perseid's meteor shower also come into play during August.

I know is a lot of information to take in. But give it a try,

Next time, we'll talk about keeping track of your DX .

Live long and prosper.

WHO WE ARE

Hello, and welcome to DX'ING WITH FRESH. 

My name is Lee Freshwater from Ocala, Florida.

I spent my life in the Broadcasting Industry. From DJ work to engineering, station ownership, and sales, I've done it all.

It was a hell of a ride, and I had the time of my life.

However, all good things must come to an end. So I retired a few years ago.


Now, I have more time to search the radio bands finding those elusive radio signals that most people either don't know about, or ignore.

It's called DX'ing. The search for distant radio signals.

I've been doing this since my Junior High days in the mid 1960's.

So come along with me on this journey, as we explore the forgotten AM Radio band, as well as FM, TV, and Short Wave. 

We'll talk about receivers and the accessories that go with them.

If you are new to this hobby, don't be concerned. It can be intimidating, and seem difficult.

It is neither, and we will walk you through it.

The web is full of help, and we will show you were to go for it.

You will be amazed and thrilled at what is out there.

You can thank me later.

Live Long and Prosper.