New Member/Old Member!

[mikeydxer]

HI all....My name is Mike and I'm back! After a long hiatus I've decided to get back into FM dxing again.I was a member way back when (can't quite remember when) The most notable dxers I remember well are Dave Nieman and Bill Thompson.Don't know if they are still around but they were instrumental in getting me started into dxing,especially Dave! I live in Alden NY 20 mi east of Buffalo and am currently using a Icom IC-R7100 for my FM dxing.I am in the process of finding some different value choke's to narrow the band width ....necessary for the crowded band in this area. Hope to be adding some reports soon! Thanks....Mike E. :)

[Mike-CT]

Welcome back to FM Dxing! Bill Thompson retired from VUD publishing back in spring 2001 and I took it over with the Sept 2001 VUD and have been doing it ever since. I don't think anyone has heard from him in years.

Dave Nieman dropped out of the club years ago but just rejoined this spring. He lives in western PA now.

I don't think the R7100 is the best thing for FM DXing. You might try to find a Sony XDR-F1HD tuner on eBay or wherever. It's got the best selectivity out there. It was only a hundred bucks when it was new. Some people bought theirs for $50 (there was a rebate on that rx).

If you've been out of FM Dxing for a while, you should know about HD radio and the sidebands it creates on a station's adjacent channels. You can't get around it. There's probably a lot of it in the Buffalo area, which makes FM even harder to DX that it was with just the ton of US and Canadian analog stations you have out there.

[mikeydxer]

Thanks for the welcome Mike.....I guess all three of us from WNY dropped out of sight for awhile...I know Dave retired from his job which I worked with him for 23 years, but I got laid off,so I lost touch.I'm glad Dave made it to retirement as the place we worked was deteriorating every contract...... but I have no idea what happened to Bill Thompson. I normally don't use the R-7100 for FM dxing but I read an article about how to change a few filters to make the unit more narrow band without distortion....so I will give it a try and see how it works here in this crowded area! I do have an old Kenwood receiver with modified filters that works quite well, but will have to dig it out of the basement.I currently have a Rohn tower @ 40' AGL with a 8 element fm antenna and rotor of course. Things aren't like the old days back in the 80's with the E skip....I really enjoyed those openings!! I would like to pursue dxing digital tv signals more and hope to find some info on that subject here on these forums. Well, better go attend to some yard work.....it is Saturday! Hope to hear from all of you real soon! Thanks...Mikey:)

[Lynn]

Welcome back! I an new to the forum, and new to tracking DX catches. AM is easier for me, as it probably is for everyone. (One day, I'd love to try my hand at FM DX, but I don't have the $ to get the right equipment.) I can always pick up an AM station from your neck of the woods. It's in the 500s. Always talking about your sports teams.

[Jim Thomas]

Lynn,

If you can spare $50, you should really pick up a Grundig G8 ultra light radio at Radio Shack. It is by far the best portable radio to use for FM dxing. You would absolutely love it.

[crainbebo]

The 500s you are talking about Lynn is WGR Buffalo, NY.