American Broadcast DXers (http://abdx.org/) announces a DX test for KRSN 1490 kHz, Los Alamos NM.

But what is a "DX Test?"

Back in the 1920s, the first radio stations were anxious to know how far away they were being heard. They asked for reception reports from listeners, and promised to reply to reports with souvenir postcards confirming that the listener indeed heard the station. "DX" is radio jargon shorthand for "Distance." One practice that has continued since the early days of radio is the "DX test." FCC rules allow stations which must reduce power or change antennas at night to briefly test using daytime power and antennas during an "experimental period" from midnight to sunrise. A DX test is a special program transmitted after local midnight, often using higher transmitter power or different antennas than the station normally uses (KRSN will be using than same antenna and power level that it normally uses, however). Station identifications in Morse code may be used; the Morse code will often make it through interference better than voice announcements. Most DX tests are arranged in conjunction with one of the clubs for AM band DXers to assure a large listening audience.

Now that KRSN has a brand new properly installed antenna and is running at a full 1000 watts of power, David and Gillian Sutton, owners of the station, are anxious to see how far away the station can be detected.

The KRSN DX test is scheduled for early Saturday and Sunday mornings, Jan 21 and 22 at midnight Mountain time.

The test will run for 10 minutes each time.

Included are sweep tones, Morse Code at 700 Hz, telephone "offhook" signal, and vocal IDs & announcements provided by Paul Walker (http://onairdj.com).
Thanks, Paul!

Also included is Morse Code at 5 kHz, so that those listeners who have the appropriate equipment can try to detect the sidebands as continuous wave signals ("CW") at 1485 or 1495 kHz.

The transmitter is a Harris DAX-1 at 1000 Watts into a 3-wire folded monopole antenna located at N35° 53'37.6", W106° 17'36.8" (That's that new antenna tower at the Los Alamos Middle School).

Last time KRSN did a DX test in 2007, reception reports came in from as far away as San Diego, CA.

The preferred reception report method is via email to
DXTEST@KRSNAM1490.COM. Attach an audio clip of what you heard if you can. At least give a good description of what you heard.

If you simply must use snail-mail, send your report (and a CD or cassette, if possible) to:

DX Test C/O David Sutton
3801 Arkansas Ave, Ste. E.
Los Alamos, NM, 87544

Labels: DX Test, KRSN, Los Alamos, radio