Distant stations receivable on certain radios

[IBadget]

Being a fan of listening to distant radio stations, I am aware that certain radios can pick up distant radio stations, whereas other radios can only pick up local stations. For instance, here in Waipahu, I can pick up Kauai's FM 97 @ 96.9 KFMN, Maui's Kiss FM 99.9 KJKS, Maui's KPOA 93.5, and Molokai's All Hawaiian 102.3 KMKK on my DX-395 AM/FM/shortwave radio. OTOH I can't receive those distant stations on my Panasonic boombox or my Sony Walkman. So, I am thankful to have my DX-395 radio, which has a powerful FM antenna to pull in stations from the Neighbor Islands. I especially love Molokai's All Hawaiian 102.3 KMKK with their mix of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music.

[Kimo]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

I used to listen to St Louis Cardinal baseball games on KMOX St. Louis when I lived in Kahala in 1947.

[mel]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

Receiving distant stations depends on where you are located. Right smack in the middle of urban Honolulu, the only stations most people can get are the ones broadcasting right here in town. The signals block most everything out.

However move closer to the shoreline or out to certain places in the country and your chances of receiving distant stations are better.

Being an urban dweller my favorite spot to check on the neighbor island stations is the Diamond Head lookout. From there I can receive most of the Maui FMs and a few of the FM stations from Kona.

Of course night time is good for listening to AM radio if you like talk shows and stuff, though picking up something from the neighbor islands or even the mainland will probably yield the same talk shows you get here in Honolulu... Coast to Coast AM and re-runs of daytime talk like Rush Limbaugh.

On the Big Island I used to DX a lot of mainland stations such as KNX News radio 1070, KSL 1230(?), KDAY 1520, KTNQ 1020(?) and a number of others.... could get those on my el cheapo AM only Sony back in the day. Also worked with later receivers from Panasonic and Tandy.

With the internet though, it is real easy to just sit at my computer and pick up radio streams of many broadcast stations from all over the world with either iTunes or a number of other computer software programs.

[IBadget]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

I agree that the AM stations are homogenized, especially when it comes to talk. Even the AM stations that play music are homogenized. Kauai's Radio Station 720 KUAI, for instance, mixes the same lite rock you can hear on Honolulu's KUMU 94.7 with the same country music you can hear on Honolulu's KHCM 97.5 and the same Hawaiian music you can hear on Honolulu's KINE 105.1, KCCN FM 100.3, and KKNE AM 940. The only AM music station that is the most unique is Hilo's KHBC 1060 AM, also simulcasting on KHWI FM 92.7. KHBC mixes traditional Hawaiian music with lite rock, jazz, adult standards, rock, country, and blues. Kauai's Radio Station 720 KUAI doesn't even come close to Hilo's KHBC/KHWI.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

Sometimes in Kaimuki and even easier on the east side of the Big Island you can pick up KFI in Los Angeles...weak but it's there.

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

Everytime I visit my Mom in the Lanikai area of Kailua, I have a habit of getting up early on occasional mornings (around 5AM) to DX with a cheapo AM radio that has the more adjustable dial tuning, just to see what radio stations I can pick up from the mainland. The last time I was there, I picked up stations from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City.

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

I used to listen to St Louis Cardinal baseball games on KMOX St. Louis when I lived in Kahala in 1947.

YIPES! When I lived in Kahala (back) in 1947...

and I thought I was long in the tooth

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Distant stations receivable on certain radios

In Phoenix we could receive Dallas, Denver, St. Louis AM radio often and it was fun to hear what time it was there or how cold it was, etc. When I moved up to Oregon we could still get St. Louis and many California, Washington and Idaho stations.

Aj