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 !!!