Dave Schmarder's 2009 Crystal Set Contest Entry
My location: N 42 15 3 W 76 57 5, Beaver Dams, NY 14812
Loop Class Entry
Comments
I sure like these January contests. They last long enough
so that not only do I get enough time to log stations, but the conditions vary enough to allow different
areas to come in. This year I decided to use my crystal radio loop exclusively. Last year I made some
improvements, including changing the wire for large litz, and using an
Überformer. I used this modified loop in the Sprint
contest last September. I knew then I would have to use this loop during the full contest. There are
not much contestants in the loop class, but very worthy competitors none the less.
After picking the low hanging fruit over the first couple of days, it was time to get down to business.
My best reception was achieved when the furnace circulation pump, humidifier, and refrigerator were not
running. It has to be very quiet to hear those weak stations.
To spot the frequencies, I used my DDS signal generator. Listening to the right frequency is essential.
Once the frequency is spotted, the generator is turned off and the listening begins. Since I have been
in a bunch of these contests, knowing where and when to listen increased my efficiency. I pretty much knew
what I was listening to, most of the time. It was a matter of waiting for the ID or other clue to
confirm the station heard.
A day into the contest made me realize that a
Selectivity Enhancement Circuit was
needed. Loops tend to be low Q, even with larger litz. So the tuning was still somewhat wide. The SEC helped a lot.
I may modify my loop to add a knob adjustable capacitor as adjusting this capacitor according to frequency
was necessary.
It was a good contest. I want to thank Jack Bryant for making some
small rules adjustments. Changing to local time helped me avoid logging errors. I am looking forward
to the 1AD contest coming up in February.
I encourage others to build a crystal loop radio and join in on this. Who would have thought that thousand
mile reception was possible using a loop.
Entry
# Time(EST) Call Freq Location Distance(km) Power(kW) Points
Jan 16, 2009
001 1042 WEHH 1600 Horseheads, NY 18 5 200
002 1045 WFLR 1570 Dundee, NY 33 5 200
003 1047 WRCE 1490 Watkins Glen, NY 13 .4 200
004 1138 WENI 1450 Corning, NY 17 1 200
005 1139 WELM 1410 Elmira, NY 19 5 200
006 1141 WCBA 1350 Corning, NY 17 1 200
007 1143 WENY 1230 Elmira, NY 24 1 200
008 1144 WPIE 1160 Ithaca, NY 38 5 200
009 1145 WLNL 1000 Horseheads, NY 14 5 200
010 1148 WHCU 870 Ithaca, NY 31 5 200
011 1149 WYLF 850 Dundee, NY 48 1 200
012 1150 WWLZ 820 Horseheads, NY 14 4.1 200
013 1151 WINR 680 Binghamton, NY 92 5 341
014 1152 WHEN 620 Syracuse, NY 112 5 303
015 1944 WHKT 1650 Portsmouth, VA 608 1 2026
016 1946 WWRU 1660 Jersey City, NJ 288 1 960
017 1950 WPTX 1690 Lexington Pk,MD 442 1 1473
018 1954 WCKY 1530 Cincinnati, OH 736 50 1566
019 1956 WQEW 1560 New York, NY 305 50 649
020 2004 WJAS 1320 Pittsburgh, PA 320 5 865
021 2006 WERE 1300 Cleveland, OH 410 5 1108
022 2007 WWVA 1170 Wheeling, WV 302 50 643
023 2003 WHKW 1220 Cleveland, OH 651 50 1385
024 2010 WRVA 1140 Richmond, VA 540 50 1148
025 2050 WBBR 1130 New York, NY 290 50 626
026 2056 WBT 1110 Charlotte, NC 862 50 1834
027 2058 WTAM 1100 Cleveland, OH 402 50 856
028 2100 WBAL 1090 Baltimore, MD 320 50 681
029 2101 WTIC 1080 Harford, CT 365 50 737
030 2102 KYW 1060 Philadelphia, PA 278 50 592
031 2104 WBZ 1030 Boston, MA 500 50 1064
032 2108 WMVP 1000 Chicago, IL 912 50 1941
033 2109 CFRB 1010 Toronto, ON 259 50 551
034 2114 CINW 940 Montreal, QU 436 50 928
035 2124 CHML 900 Hamilton, ON 285 50 607
036 2126 WCBS 880 New York, NY 305 50 650
037 2128 WHAS 840 Louisville, KY 844 50 1796
038 2129 CKLW 800 Windsor, ON 499 50 1062
039 2132 WBBM 780 Chicago, IL 913 50 1943
040 2133 WABC 770 New York, NY 284 50 604
041 2134 WJR 760 Detroit, MI 516 50 1098
042 2135 WSB 750 Atlanta, GA 1096 50 2232
043 2136 CFZM 740 Toronto, ON 276 50 587
044 2139 CKAC 730 Montreal, QU 434 50 923
045 2140 WGN 720 Chicago, IL 914 50 1944
Jan 17, 2009
046 0039 CMLC 710 Victoria Tun CU 2372 10 5930
047 0045 CINF 690 Montreal, QU 436 50 928
048 0050 WSCR 670 Chicago, IL 918 50 1953
049 0053 WFAN 660 New York, NY 305 50 646
050 0055 WSM 650 Nashville, TN 1096 50 2333
051 0109 CJBC 860 Toronto, ON 276 50 587
052 1639 WWRL 1600 New York, NY 290 25 659
053 1643 WTWP 1500 Washington, DC 357 50 759
054 1755 KDKA 1020 Pittsburgh, PA 313 50 666
Jan 18, 2009
055 2158 WFIL 560 Philadelphia, PA 278 5 751
056 2204 CFOS 560 Owen Sound, ON 408 5 1103
057 2207 WIP 610 Philadelphia, PA 307 5 830
058 2211 WLW 700 Cincinnai, OH 736 50 1487
059 2214 WOR 710 New York, NY 288 50 613
060 2217 CMEA 570 Santa Clara, CU 2218 30 4954
061 2221 WGY 810 Schenectady, NY 248 50 528
062 2224 CMNB 870 Pilon, CU 2487 10 6217
063 2243 WLS 890 Chicago, IL 904 50 1925
064 2305 WWL 870 New Orleans, LA 1814 50 3860
065 2352 WEVD 1050 New York City 289 50 615
Jan 19, 2009
066 0001 KMOX 1120 St. Louis, MO 1174 50 2498
067 0012 WTTM 1680 Princeton, NJ 279 1 930
068 0016 WWKB 1520 Buffalo, NY 165 50 352
069 0020 WCTC 1450 New Brunswick, NJ 285 1 950
070 1655 WNYY 1470 Ithaca, NY 42 1 200
Jan 20, 2009
071 1916 WPHT 1210 Philadelphia, PA 301 50 641
072 2120 CJBK 1290 London, ON 357 10 892
073 2134 WMBS 590 Uniontown, PA 354 1 1180
074 2146 WINS 1010 New York, NY 286 50 609
Jan 21, 2009
075 2046 WLIB 1190 New York, NY 289 30 641
076 2052 WEAE 1250 Pittsburgh, PA 325 5 878
077 2108 WFBL 1390 Syracuse, NY 118 5 319
078 2120 WNSW 1430 Newark, NJ 283 5 765
Jan 22, 2009
079 2031 CKNX 920 Wingham, ON 399 1 1330
080 2044 WTEM 980 Washington, DC 366 5 989
081 2104 CMBE 950 Arroyo Arena, CU 2195 5 5934
082 2110 CMJD 960 Stgo De Cuba, CU 2474 1 8247
083 2116 WDCX 990 Rochester, NY 132 2.5 388
Jan 23, 2009
084 0049 CHUM 1050 Toronto, ON 257 50 547
085 0100 WADO 1280 New York, NY 287 7.2 744
Jan 23, 2009
086 1931 CMBB 790 Guanabacoa, CU 2184 50 4648
087 1947 WHAM 1180 Rochester, NY 112 50 238
088 2001 CHTO 1690 Toronto, ON 250 1 833
089 2125 CIAO 530 Brampton, ON 281 5 598
090 2146 WMAL 630 Washington, DC 224 5 605
091 2154 WHO 1040 Des Moines, IA 1355 50 2884
092 2207 WICC 600 Bridgeport, CT 337 .5 1248
Claimed Score ------------------------------------------ ------
115555
Statiions heard: 92
Stations ID : 92
Stations NO ID : 0
