MW DX
Encyclopedia
MW DX, short for mediumwave
DXing, is the hobby of receiving the reception of distant mediumwave
(known as AM
in North America
) radio stations. MW DX is similar to TV and FM DX
in that broadcast band
(BCB) stations are the reception targets. However, the nature of the lower frequencies (520 - 1710 kHz) used by mediumwave radio stations is very much different from that of the VHF and UHF bands used by FM and TV broadcast stations, and therefore involves different receiving equipment, signal propagation
, and reception techniques.
radio stations have a normal reception range of about 20 to 250 miles (32 to 400+ km), depending on the transmitter power, location, and the quality of the receiving equipment, including the amount of man-made and natural electromagnetic
noise
present. Long-distance reception is normally impeded by the D layer of the ionosphere, which during the daylight hours absorbs signals in the mediumwave range.
As the sun sets, the D layer weakens, allowing Medium Wave radio waves from such stations to bounce off the F layer of the ionosphere, producing reliable, long distance reception of (especially) high-powered stations up to about 1,200 miles (2,000 km) away on a nightly basis. Aside from the more or less regular reception of certain high powered transmitters, variable conditions allow reception of different stations at different times - for example, on one night a medium-powered broadcaster from Cleveland, Ohio
may be audible in Duluth, Minnesota, but not on the following night. Much of the hobby consists in trying to receive and log as many of these stations as possible, identifying target stations and frequencies to listen to and log.
Near or on the coastlines, trans-oceanic reception is quite common and a favored target of DXers in those areas. Very distant inter-continental DX from stations several thousands of miles away is possible even far inland, but may require exceptionally good conditions and a good receiver and antenna on the listening side.
DX stations evaporate from the dial as the sun rises. However, sunrise and sunset ("SRS" and "SSS") periods can provide interesting loggings.
and Canada
, stations on the mediumwave
dial are spaced at 10 kHz intervals from 520 to 1710 kHz. The tremendous number of radio stations in this region of the world and limited number of available frequencies means congestion is very common, and DXers may hear two, three, or more stations on the same frequency (especially on certain "graveyard" frequencies where many lower-powered stations operate). The most powerful stations in the two countries transmit with 50 kilowatts of power. Examples of stations in this category are WLS
in Chicago
on 890 kHz, KMOX in St. Louis on 1120 kHz, WTMJ
in Milwaukee on 620 kHz, VOCM
in St. John's
on 590 kHz, WSB
in Atlanta on 750 kHz, WCCO in Minneapolis on 830 kHz, CJBC
from Toronto
on 860 kHz, and WABC
, 770 kHz, WCBS
, 880 kHz in New York City
, and WTAM in Cleveland on 1100 kHz, all of which can be heard over much of the United States
and Canada
east of the Rocky Mountains
. In the southern half of the United States, Mexican
stations, some of which operate with over 100 kW of power, may be heard on a similar night-to-night basis. Many of these stations are also clear-channel stations, ensuring that there will be no interference or limited interference on the same frequency.
Although some distant listeners may rely on such stations for non-DX purposes, such as to hear a certain talk show
or sporting event, DX'ers generally log these stations when they begin the hobby and afterwards pay little attention to them while seeking out new, less powerful and well-heard stations, often with a few kilowatts of power or less, or unusually distant stations. Especially prized in the former category are receptions of distant traveler information service (TIS) stations, operated by the Department of Transportation to give visitors information. These stations typically run at very low powers (limited to 10 watts) and are only intended to cover small areas, but may travel thousands of kilometers under certain instances. Similar are the tiny radio stations operated by high schools.
On the East Coast
, it is not unusual for DX'ers to hear the high-powered European stations, which operate at 9 kHz intervals, rather than the 10 kHz in the United States, helping to reduce co-channel interference from domestic stations, from countries such as Spain
and Norway
. Stations from Africa
and the Middle East
are also often heard. The Pacific Coast
provides a similar opportunity with stations from Asia
n countries and Australia
/ New Zealand
although a considerably longer distance must be covered. On both coasts, as well as in the middle portion of the country, "Pan-American" DX from Latin American and Caribbean
nations is often sought and logged.
The expanded AM band, or "X-Band" as MW DXers often call it (not to be confused with the range of microwave
frequencies), runs from 1610 kHz to 1710 kHz. This is a relatively new portion of the mediumwave broadcast, with the first two applications for frequencies having been granted in 1997 http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/1997/nrmm7013.txt. The lower density of stations in this area of the spectrum, as well as a lack of stations with more than 10 kW of power in the United States
, has led to many DX'ers taking interest here.
often run higher power than American stations, sometimes several hundreds of kilowatts. Synchronous networks are also commonly used, with local transmitter stations often having less of a local identity than those in the United States
and Canada
. The wide variety of languages spoken over the DX'ing range, from Spanish
to Arabic, adds an element of challenge to DXing in the region. Some stations in Europe have taken to Digital Radio Mondiale
transmissions, requiring a receiver capable of demodulating such signals, or a computer loaded with special software coupled to the receiver.
DX reception of North American stations has been observed on many occasions. CJYQ
930 kHz and VOCM
590 kHz (both from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
) are generally the easiest to receive, and their presence is taken as an indication that the reception of more distant stations is possible. North American stations whose frequencies are furthest from the 9 kHz multiples used in Europe are easier to receive, particularly since 24-hour broadcasting is now the norm in Europe.
Superadio or the Panasonic
RF-2200. More serious DXers may spend much more for a tabletop shortwave
communications receiver
with good performance on the lower mediumwave
frequencies using an external antenna, such as the AOR
7030+, Drake
R8/R8A/R8B, Icom
R-75, or Palstar R-30. In such a configuration, a high-performance loop antenna may be employed, or in the alternative, one or more outdoor longwire Beverage antenna
s, sometimes many hundreds of meters long. In order to cancel out reception of unwanted stations, some DX listeners employ elaborate phased array
s of multiple Beverage antennas. For trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific reception, where the target station is on a 9 kHz rather than a 10 kHz multiple or vice versa, receivers with narrow RF filters are useful in rejecting adjacent broadcasts on the listener's own continent. To combat noise, DXers may use an outboard noise attenuation device, or a radio with built-in digital signal processing
capabilities. A personal computer
with specialized logging software or simply a paper notebook
is used to write logs. Tape recorders can be used to archive memorable DX moments, or identify hard-to-hear station receptions after the fact.
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
DXing, is the hobby of receiving the reception of distant mediumwave
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
(known as AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
) radio stations. MW DX is similar to TV and FM DX
TV-FM DX
TV DX and FM DX is the active search for distant radio or television stations received during unusual atmospheric conditions. The term DX is an old telegraphic term meaning "long distance."...
in that broadcast band
Broadcast band
A Broadcast band is a segment of the radio spectrum used for broadcasting.-See also:* North American broadcast television frequencies* Dead air* Internet radio* radio networks* Music radio* Old-time radio* Radio astronomy* Radio programming...
(BCB) stations are the reception targets. However, the nature of the lower frequencies (520 - 1710 kHz) used by mediumwave radio stations is very much different from that of the VHF and UHF bands used by FM and TV broadcast stations, and therefore involves different receiving equipment, signal propagation
Radio propagation
Radio propagation is the behavior of radio waves when they are transmitted, or propagated from one point on the Earth to another, or into various parts of the atmosphere...
, and reception techniques.
Propagation
During the daytime, medium and high powered mediumwave AMAM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio stations have a normal reception range of about 20 to 250 miles (32 to 400+ km), depending on the transmitter power, location, and the quality of the receiving equipment, including the amount of man-made and natural electromagnetic
Electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space...
noise
Noise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
present. Long-distance reception is normally impeded by the D layer of the ionosphere, which during the daylight hours absorbs signals in the mediumwave range.
As the sun sets, the D layer weakens, allowing Medium Wave radio waves from such stations to bounce off the F layer of the ionosphere, producing reliable, long distance reception of (especially) high-powered stations up to about 1,200 miles (2,000 km) away on a nightly basis. Aside from the more or less regular reception of certain high powered transmitters, variable conditions allow reception of different stations at different times - for example, on one night a medium-powered broadcaster from Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
may be audible in Duluth, Minnesota, but not on the following night. Much of the hobby consists in trying to receive and log as many of these stations as possible, identifying target stations and frequencies to listen to and log.
Near or on the coastlines, trans-oceanic reception is quite common and a favored target of DXers in those areas. Very distant inter-continental DX from stations several thousands of miles away is possible even far inland, but may require exceptionally good conditions and a good receiver and antenna on the listening side.
DX stations evaporate from the dial as the sun rises. However, sunrise and sunset ("SRS" and "SSS") periods can provide interesting loggings.
MW DX in North America
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, stations on the mediumwave
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
dial are spaced at 10 kHz intervals from 520 to 1710 kHz. The tremendous number of radio stations in this region of the world and limited number of available frequencies means congestion is very common, and DXers may hear two, three, or more stations on the same frequency (especially on certain "graveyard" frequencies where many lower-powered stations operate). The most powerful stations in the two countries transmit with 50 kilowatts of power. Examples of stations in this category are WLS
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on 890 kHz, KMOX in St. Louis on 1120 kHz, WTMJ
WTMJ (AM)
WTMJ is a radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin broadcasting at 620 AM. It is a 50,000-watt station airing a format of news, talk and sports. WTMJ is owned by Journal Broadcast Group, which also owns the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and sister station WLWK-FM....
in Milwaukee on 620 kHz, VOCM
VOCM (AM)
VOCM is an AM radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, broadcasting at 590 kHz. Owned by Newcap Radio, VOCM first went on the air in 1936. October 19, 2011 marks 75 years of broadcasting for VOCM...
in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
on 590 kHz, WSB
WSB (AM)
WSB — branded AM 750 and 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB — is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia broadcasting a news/talk format. The station transmits with 50,000 watts of nondirectional power day and night, enjoying clear-channel status on its broadcast frequency according to the U.S...
in Atlanta on 750 kHz, WCCO in Minneapolis on 830 kHz, CJBC
CJBC (AM)
-External links:* * * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on 860 kHz, and WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
, 770 kHz, WCBS
WCBS (AM)
WCBS , often referred to as "WCBS Newsradio 880" , is a radio station in New York City. Owned by CBS Radio, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of the CBS Radio Network...
, 880 kHz in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and WTAM in Cleveland on 1100 kHz, all of which can be heard over much of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. In the southern half of the United States, Mexican
Border blaster
A border blaster is a licensed commercial radio station that transmits at very high power from one nation to another. Border blasters should not be confused with international broadcast stations...
stations, some of which operate with over 100 kW of power, may be heard on a similar night-to-night basis. Many of these stations are also clear-channel stations, ensuring that there will be no interference or limited interference on the same frequency.
Although some distant listeners may rely on such stations for non-DX purposes, such as to hear a certain talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
or sporting event, DX'ers generally log these stations when they begin the hobby and afterwards pay little attention to them while seeking out new, less powerful and well-heard stations, often with a few kilowatts of power or less, or unusually distant stations. Especially prized in the former category are receptions of distant traveler information service (TIS) stations, operated by the Department of Transportation to give visitors information. These stations typically run at very low powers (limited to 10 watts) and are only intended to cover small areas, but may travel thousands of kilometers under certain instances. Similar are the tiny radio stations operated by high schools.
On the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, it is not unusual for DX'ers to hear the high-powered European stations, which operate at 9 kHz intervals, rather than the 10 kHz in the United States, helping to reduce co-channel interference from domestic stations, from countries such as Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Stations from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
are also often heard. The Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
provides a similar opportunity with stations from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n countries and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
/ New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
although a considerably longer distance must be covered. On both coasts, as well as in the middle portion of the country, "Pan-American" DX from Latin American and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
nations is often sought and logged.
The expanded AM band, or "X-Band" as MW DXers often call it (not to be confused with the range of microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
frequencies), runs from 1610 kHz to 1710 kHz. This is a relatively new portion of the mediumwave broadcast, with the first two applications for frequencies having been granted in 1997 http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/1997/nrmm7013.txt. The lower density of stations in this area of the spectrum, as well as a lack of stations with more than 10 kW of power in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, has led to many DX'ers taking interest here.
MW DX in Europe
Stations in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
often run higher power than American stations, sometimes several hundreds of kilowatts. Synchronous networks are also commonly used, with local transmitter stations often having less of a local identity than those in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The wide variety of languages spoken over the DX'ing range, from Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
to Arabic, adds an element of challenge to DXing in the region. Some stations in Europe have taken to Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital Radio Mondiale is a set of digital audio broadcasting technologies designed to work over the bands currently used for AM broadcasting, particularly shortwave...
transmissions, requiring a receiver capable of demodulating such signals, or a computer loaded with special software coupled to the receiver.
DX reception of North American stations has been observed on many occasions. CJYQ
CJYQ (AM)
CJYQ is an AM radio station broadcasting at 930 kHz in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Owned by Newcap Radio and playing predominantly Newfoundland music, the station is currently branded This Is Newfoundland Labrador.ca, corresponding to a tourism website operated by the same...
930 kHz and VOCM
VOCM (AM)
VOCM is an AM radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, broadcasting at 590 kHz. Owned by Newcap Radio, VOCM first went on the air in 1936. October 19, 2011 marks 75 years of broadcasting for VOCM...
590 kHz (both from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
) are generally the easiest to receive, and their presence is taken as an indication that the reception of more distant stations is possible. North American stations whose frequencies are furthest from the 9 kHz multiples used in Europe are easier to receive, particularly since 24-hour broadcasting is now the norm in Europe.
Equipment
While any radio covering the mediumwave (AM radio) band can be used for DX purposes, serious DXers generally invest in a higher-quality receiver, and often a specialised indoor tuned box loop or outdoor longwire antenna. At the lower end of the spectrum, a portable radio with a larger-than-normal internal ferrite core antenna designed for long-distance AM radio reception may be used, such as the discontinued GEGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Superadio or the Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
RF-2200. More serious DXers may spend much more for a tabletop shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
communications receiver
Communications receiver
A communications receiver is a type of radio receiver used as a component of a radio communication link.-Features:Commercial communications receivers are characterised by high stability and reliability of performance, and are generally adapted for remote control and monitoring...
with good performance on the lower mediumwave
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
frequencies using an external antenna, such as the AOR
AOR (company)
AOR, Ltd. is a Japanese based manufacturer of radio equipment, including transceivers, scanners, antennas and frequency monitors....
7030+, Drake
R. L. Drake Company
The R. L. Drake Company is a manufacturer of electronic communications equipment located in Franklin, Ohio. It is also known for its line of equipment for amateur radio and shortwave listening, built in the 1950s through the 1980s.-History:...
R8/R8A/R8B, Icom
Icom
is an international manufacturer of radio transmitting and receiving equipment, founded in 1954 by Tokuzo Inoue. Its products include equipment for radio amateurs, pilots, maritime applications, land mobile professional applications and radio scanner enthusiasts....
R-75, or Palstar R-30. In such a configuration, a high-performance loop antenna may be employed, or in the alternative, one or more outdoor longwire Beverage antenna
Beverage antenna
The Beverage Antenna is a relatively inexpensive but very effective long wire receiving antenna used by amateur radio, shortwave listening, and longwave radio DXers and military applications. Harold H. Beverage experimented with receiving antennas similar to the Beverage antenna in 1919 at the...
s, sometimes many hundreds of meters long. In order to cancel out reception of unwanted stations, some DX listeners employ elaborate phased array
Phased array
In wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array...
s of multiple Beverage antennas. For trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific reception, where the target station is on a 9 kHz rather than a 10 kHz multiple or vice versa, receivers with narrow RF filters are useful in rejecting adjacent broadcasts on the listener's own continent. To combat noise, DXers may use an outboard noise attenuation device, or a radio with built-in digital signal processing
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
capabilities. A personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
with specialized logging software or simply a paper notebook
Notebook
A notebook is a book or binder composed of pages of notes, often ruled, made out of paper, used for purposes including recording notes or memoranda, writing, drawing, and scrapbooking....
is used to write logs. Tape recorders can be used to archive memorable DX moments, or identify hard-to-hear station receptions after the fact.
See also
- AM broadcastingAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
- DX communication
- DX station
- IonosphereIonosphereThe ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
- SkywaveSkywaveSkywave is the propagation of electromagnetic waves bent back to the Earth's surface by the ionosphere. As a result of skywave propagation, a broadcast signal from a distant AM broadcasting station at night, or from a shortwave radio station can sometimes be heard as clearly as local...
- List of medium wave transmitters in Germany
- Medium wave
- Radio propagationRadio propagationRadio propagation is the behavior of radio waves when they are transmitted, or propagated from one point on the Earth to another, or into various parts of the atmosphere...
- Shortwave RadioShortwaveShortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
- TV-FM DXTV-FM DXTV DX and FM DX is the active search for distant radio or television stations received during unusual atmospheric conditions. The term DX is an old telegraphic term meaning "long distance."...
External links
- The Medium Wave Circle - The premier club for MW/LW enthusiasts
- AMANDX Radio Pages
- Mediumwave Info
- An Introduction to Long Distance Medium Wave Listening - updated October 2007
- DXMidAmerica
- DXing.info - News, reports, sound files and logs
- GE Superadio FAQ
- SWDXER ¨The SWDXER¨ - with general SWL information and radio antenna tips.
- Hard Core DX
- NZRDXL MW DX Introduction - from the New Zealand Radio DX League
- Euro-African Medium Wave Guide - General information and frequency list
- World Radio TV Handbook The Bible of International Broadcasting
- "What's that Station?" - MW DX logging software for WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
- RadioDXing.com - MW DXpeditions to Long Beach IslandLong Beach IslandLong Beach Island is a barrier island and summer colony along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States...
- MW Artic DX Weblog from Kongsfjord, Norway http://arcticdx.blogspot.com/
- Drake R8B Communications Receiver Email Mailing List
- MWLIST worldwide database of MW and LW stations