DXing as a teenager.
One day, while turning my radio dial, I found stations I was not familiar with. I realized they were from other cities and I was hooked.
I was in Lincoln, Nebraska in the days when it was easy to get stations from all over the North American continent.
Now, the stations in the United States were not allowed to be over 50,000 watts. There was, however, that monster in Del Rio, Texas that was 500,000 watts. Their transmitter was in Mexico. I never listened to it but often wondered what they covered up from the United States. They took up a lot of space on the dial.
My favorites were KIOA in Des Moines, Iowa, KOMA in Oklahoma City, and KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri. They are now all on FM and KCMO has a web presence. I listen to it in Florida on my computer. They play the music I listened to way back when and it is a lot of fun. (Added later: KOMA and KIOA are also streaming on the web now.)
My DX report from KIOA was addressed to Nancy but I did not care. It had the right last name and street address. I have been called worse. All the d.j.'s signed the program schedule and I still have and treasure it.
I knew my radio dial and could find stations in the dark. One night, I was turning it and found a station that wsa not supposed to be there so I stopped to listen. When I heard it was WLCY (the station was in Tampa at the time) I was reduced to tears. I was so homesick for Tampa and this was such a neat gift. For four early mornings I got them loud and clear. When I wrote and asked for a dx card they said it was impossible and refused to send me one. I was crushed. Many, many years later I found that it could indeed be possible. (I knew that. I heard them.)
KDKA was the first radio station in the United States. I listened to them. They are in Pittsburgh.
I listened to Canada and all over the United States. Lincoln was an optimum area for such a pursuit. When we moved back to Tampa (which I was happy about) I tried dxing and still had some success but nothing like in Lincoln.
There are d.j's and engineers that I wonder about. Occasionally, I will come upon their names and what they are doing now. Oh, how I could tell them what a joy they brought to me then on the radio.
I keep saying I am going to pull out my dial radio and try it now. And, I wonder what will happen on the FM. It cannot be near as much fun. But, then I might be surprised.
posted by Mary Ann Chidlow at 9:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home