Nick’s Signal Spot is a new feature in which Nick Langan explores RF signals, propagation, new equipment and related endeavors.
Two Finnish radio enthusiasts captured the signal of 1 kW Michigan AM station 1340 WCHB(AM) from a remote cabin above the Arctic Circle, some 4,200 miles away.
Jari Luoma and Timo Metso, who describe themselves as enthusiastic long-distance signal enthusiasts (DXers) in their early 60s with a four-decade passion for medium-wave listening, accomplished the feat on Feb. 7, from their remote DX cabin located in the village of Inari.
(Listen to the audio capture of WCHB from Lapland.)
They reached out to Crawford Broadcasting for a verification email, and Chief Engineer Michael Kernen confirmed the recording was indeed WCHB, licensed to Royal Oak, Mich., broadcasting on its “graveyard” signal.
“We’ve heard from several DXers in Finland, but they usually catch the 50 kW WMUZ(AM) on 1200 kHz,” Kernen said.
The duo’s remote cabin in northern Lapland, Finland is more than 700 miles from their homes in the south and approximately 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
“The site is exceptionally quiet in terms of radio interference, thanks to its isolation from populated areas,” Luoma and Metso wrote to Kernen.
Their setup includes an over 4,000-foot-long Beverage antenna, carefully oriented to optimize reception from North and South America. They use a Perseus SDR receiver to capture the signals.
While the northern lights weren’t visible during the actual reception, the pair noted they were a stunning presence during the construction of their remote station.
The WCHB reception was far from an isolated incident for Luoma and Metso. They also successfully verified a reception of Lander, Wyo.’s KOVE(AM) last month.
[Read the Signal Spot from Nick Langan for More DX-Related Stories]
