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"SPRING INTO DX" TEST 2023-- WMST 1150 & WWKY 990 THIS SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 26 00:01 AM-2AM EDT 0400-0600 UTC

Les Rayburn
 

Corrected date for the test in the header. The typo was mine and I apologize for any confusion. Both tests begin at one minute after midnight 00:01 EDT (04:01 UTC) on Sunday March 26. Stay up late on Saturday to try for the tests, or record. 

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The Courtesy Program Committee (CPC) of the International Radio Club of American (IRCA) and the National Radio Club (NRC) are pleased to announce the 2023 “Spring into DX” tests from the Bluegrass State! Stay up late with us on Saturday night/Sunday morning as WWKY 990 in Winchester, KY and WMST 1150 in Mount Sterling, KY will both be conducting maintenance tests for two full hours. 

The test starts at one minute after midnight 00:01 AM EDT, Sunday morning March 26 (0401 UTC) and lasts until 2 AM EDT (0600 UTC). Both stations will run at their daytime power and pattern. That’s 2,500 watts for WMST and 1,000 watts for WWKY. Snagging this dynamic duo will be a challenge. To help make it easier, the station is broadcasting some of the best DX test material available. 

The test will consist mostly of sweep tones, Morse code at 20WPM & 12 WPM (1 kHz), 1kHz long tones, and proven sound effects to cut through the noise. The stations also plan to run some “special programming” that is sure to be fun. 

CREDITS

This “Spring Into DX" test is a direct result of the outreach efforts of Harry Dence and the generosity of Hays McMakin of Gateway Radio Works, Inc., who own both stations. Again, Hays and his team had to work around high school basketball and March Madness to make this test go, so you have our thanks. Kudos to our all-volunteer CPC team as well! 

Thank you Hays McMakin! 

QSL INFORMATION

The usual rules for a CPC-scheduled test apply: 

  • Email reception reports to dx@...
  • Reception reports must be received within 30 days (May 10, 2023) 
  • QSLs for all DX Tests from the 2021-2022 will be answered when the season is over. Be patient.
  • Reception reports must include a recording of no more than two minutes in length. .MP3, .WAV or .MP4 video accepted. 


SEE YOU THIS COMING LATE NIGHT SATURDAY/EARLY SUNDAY FOR THE “SPRING INTO DX" TEST! 


73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf

NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman
Member WTFDA, MWC

Perseus SDR, Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. 

“Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…” 
K7DWI Art
 

Good morning,
I hope many of you got to listen in to the DX Test.
WMST and WWKY are around 860-875 miles from me here west of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metromess (plex).
I dozed off watching the Gonzaga Elite 8 loss and woke up a couple of minutes after midnight CDT (05:00 UTC).
I turned on the D-808 with the famous DeBock Loopstick (thank you Dave) to 1150 khz.

At 05:11-12 UTC clearly heard the CW, "V V V de WMST WMST", afterward heard the sweep tones.  Luckily, WJBO in Baton Rouge was easy to null out with that Loopstick.
That was so easy,
it was time to see how 990 WWKY could be captured.  That was a challenge. KFCD, 100 miles away on the other side of DFW plays Spanish religious music constantly.
At 05:22 UTC I picked up bits and pieces of CW, about 40-50% copy. No doubt when WWKY sent to sweep tones I could adjust the D-808 to peak the signal.

I learned despite my disdain for Talk radio, it is much easier in DX Tests to pick up a signal through talk, than music 😊

Les,
Pass my thanks to everyone that coordinated the Tests this year. My only suggestion is to do more SSTV and let us know before so we can record it. Recording the Las Vegas KDWN 720 test and printing out the SSTV image was a lot of fun. I enjoyed that more than copying and printing the ISS 2M FM SSTV transmissions a couple of years ago.
I would thank the FB Group, but someone doesn't like me and flags my posts as, "Violating Community Standards". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
I no longer follow or belong to it.

I am moving to what I hope is my final location (QTH) in 3 weeks and hope to be doing some FMBC DXing in May.
73 Art Jackson K7DWI near Weatherford Texas.  

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