Technical information
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CBW Winnipeg
aren’t so rare, but many of them were among the
first I received almost 30 years ago! Most recently, I
received a QSL from RCN in Bogota, Colombia.
RCN is on 770 khz and not normally able to be
received. WABC’s chief engineer alerted me to the
fact that they would be off the air and I caught them
while WABC was silent. I received the letter,
refrigerator magnet, and station schedule via
registered mail from Columbia! It was accompanied
by a personal letter from the stations engineer
expressing delight as mine was the first letter he
ever received from New York! Considering the
prompt response, I took the time to send him a letter
and explain that WABC seldom leaves the air and
this rare opportunity came just once in 8 years!
(*($," "3^
So What is BCB DX’ing?
BCB DX’ing is the Attempt to listen to AM broadcast stations outside
your normal listening area. The broadcast band is defined as 530 - 1700
kHz. Please note that the top end of the broadcast band was recently expanded from 1600 to 1700 kHz.
OK, but what equipment will I need to enter this aspect of the radio hobby?
The greatest thing about BCB DX’ing is that you already have everything you’ll need to get started. Any AM
radio is all that’s needed. Given the fact that all receiver designs aren’t created equal, obviously some will
perform better than others. Here’s a few things to look for when selecting a good radio you already own.
Loopstick Antennas
: Generally, the longer the internal antenna, the better they’ll work. Also, as the length
increases, so too will the null of the ends of the antenna. These nulls are used to selectively tune out stronger
stations, often allowing you to hear weaker stations. AM/FM/Cassette type “boom boxes” are a great choice
since they’re portable. Even better are some of the older car radios. These radios used an IF of 262.5 kHz and
are generally more selective.
Analog Tuning:
Newer digitally synthesized digital readout radios may look high tech, but they tend to be much
noisier. Experience has shown that the older variable capacitor, dial cord variety radios perform much better.
Power Source:
Since much of the noise we receive originates from AC power lines, opt for battery powered
receivers when possible. Here’s an interesting point to keep in the back of your mind - Many AM/FM radios
use the AC line cord and your house wiring as an antenna. This accounts for slightly better reception when
using the AC line cord on AC/DC receivers. Play it by ear and see if the extra signal strength outweighs the
extra noise.
Can I improve the reception by adding an external antenna.
Generally yes, but sometimes external antennas may actually decrease the performance of your station,
here’s why. Most AM radios won’t have an external antenna connection. Connecting an external antenna
internally will generally result in a massive overload of the front end causing images, hetrodynes, and a
general deterioration in overall receiver performance. If your receiver offers an external connection, by all
means go ahead and try some sort of a long wire antenna. Here’s a trick you can try with virtually any portable
radio. Wrap 5-10 turns of insulated hookup wire around your radio and connect the end of this wire to your
external antenna. By inductively coupling the antenna in this way, the chance of overload is greatly reduced
and it often will improve reception. Experiment, by winding the wire around the receivers width, length or girth.