SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 TO MAY 2, 2025 | 32 EPISODES
SEASON 5
Our biggest season to date, just in time for our fifth season! Lots of tips, tricks and walkthroughs of both technical and tactical DX-related topics. Learn about winding transformers, common mode chokes and why you should use them, lots of information on FM DX including discussions around both tropo and meteor scatter propagation. We also do an introduction to AM/MW propagation and how to get started with DXIng the MW band!
Our fourth season of the MW Frequency Challenge brought our biggest challenges yet with both frequency and theme-based challenges.
Special live interview with Nick Langan and Bryce Foster of the VHF DX Podcast to close out the season.
Season 5 Archive and Show Notes
Episode 1
September 20, 2024 - SEASON PREMIERE! A look back at first episodes of previous seasons, wrap-up of the inaugural Summer of DX challenge, recap of the 2024 Sporadic Es season (that wasn't) in North America, the first frequency challenge of the season (1550-1580), Loyd's AM DX goals for the 2024-25 season, an intro to Meteor Scatter DX on FM.
Episode 2
September 27, 2024 - SDRPlay announces a new SDR (the nRSP-ST networked receiver) and a new version of SDR Connect, a discussion on the design and construction of the SuperLoop antenna, more FM Meteor Scatter and the Orionids meteor shower, weather DX, phasing with an RSPduo and SDRUno, a new frequency challenge announced (1590-1602 kHz).
Episode 3
October 4, 2024 - Big solar flares and possible DX impacts, more FM Meteor Scatter, Airspy announces a new firmware package for their HF+ Series SDRs, a new frequency challenge announced (1430-1440 kHz), review of Bill Hepburn's Tropo Forecast, more FM Meteor Scatter DX.
Episode 4
October 11, 2024 -Recapping the impacts of the recent solar storms and Auroral conditions on MW and FM, the new project to allow use of TEF6686 radios for FM RDS Autologgers and where to find the radios, new frequency challenge announced (1350-1370 kHz), an introduction to matching transformers for KAZ and SuperLoop antennas as Loyd sets out to wind his own 16:1 transformers for his MW antennas, Bill Hepburn's Tropo Forecast for FM DX, FM Meteor Scatter DX.
Episode 5
October 18, 2024 - Nationwide power outage in Cuba has Loyd checking Cuban frequencies for new DX, recapping a tropo opening on the Gulf Coast with some FM 800+ mile receptions into Mexico and some distant NOAA Weather Radio stations in Texas, Bill Hepburn's Tropo Forecast, new frequency challenge announced (800-840 kHz), Loyd finally hears 770-KKOB after chasing them for 30 years.
Episode 6
October 25, 2024 - An introduction to the TEF6686 radios for portable DX and setup as an autologger, FM Meteor Scatter DX, Bill Hepburn's Tropo Forecast, a new frequency challenge is announced (4th Annual Graveyard challenge), tips and tricks for DXing within the graveyard frequencies.
Episode 7
November 1, 2024 - Loyd battles noise from his local power company, another TEF6686 radio is ordered after the success of the first one, tips and tricks for IDing a station and the use of network programming clocks as a DX aid, a new antenna switch is on the way for the DX Central KiwiSDR, constructing new variable resistors for SuperLoops and KAZes for termination, the Graveyard Challenge continues, the first DX Scavenger Hunt is launched, splitters for MW DX to feed multiple SDRs with one antenna, discussing Loyd's recent article for The Spectrum Monitor on shack design, FM Meteor Scatter DX.
Episode 8
November 8, 2024 - The Graveyard Challenge rolls on! Also, we take a little break from the world to reconnect with the things that made us originally fall in love with DX. Thus, the "Share My Story" shoutout is brought to life. Loyd shares some of his favorite QSLs from his SW and AM/FM archives, plays old airchecks of vintage DX and even some airchecks from his own days broadcasting on radio! Loyd unveils his new DX-286 portable AM/FM radio.
Episode 9
November 22, 2024 - Introduction to the common mode choke, its design and its use. More on winding your own transformers. Airspy's semi-annual sale is back! A primer on how DX of NOAA Weather Radio stations can be productive during tropo openings even when FM is not. A new frequency challenge is announced (1270 - 1290 kHz). For the first live DX session, Loyd tunes in an indigenous-formatted station from Mexico.
Episode 10
November 29, 2024 - Loyd reviews his results of testing a Beverage-on-Ground (BOG) antenna at Northshore Studios and gives a primer on what makes them so special. Loyd introduces the FMDX.org Webserver project with online FM DX receivers from around the world! A new frequency challenge is launched (1150-1180 kHz).
Episode 11
December 6, 2024 - Loyd talks through a few of the antenna projects he has been working on recently including a review of the design and principles of the SuperLoop antenna. A new challenge is announced (1380-1390 kHz). Loyd hit 1,000 stations logged from Mandeville on MW/AM! Talking FM Meteor Scatter and the Geminids meteor shower as well as mid-winter Sporadic Es possibilities in the Northern Hemisphere.
Episode 12
December 13, 2024 - FM Meteor Scatter DX is on fire! Discussing the upcoming DX Test from WZON in Bangor, Maine prior to their final sign-off. Using EAS required monthly tests to get more stations in the log, especially those targeting specific states. A new frequency challenge is announced (1250-1260 kHz - our final challenge using frequency ranges for this season).
Episode 13
December 20, 2024 - Reflecting on the first 4 seasons of the MW Frequency Challenge before launching our first "theme-based" challenge - the Daytime Challenge. The WZON DX Test is causing excitement. Loyd introduces the "The DXer's Night Before Christmas." Loyd talks through his new antennas at Northshore Studios including new KAZes! Rounding out the episode with a little FM DX!
Episode 14
December 27, 2024 - Wrapping up the Daytime Challenge and announcing our first 2-week challenge: the No SDR Challenge. More antenna work at Northshore Studios with the addition of a second PA0RDT Mini-Whip to pair on an SDRPlay RSPduo. Bill Hepburn's Tropospheric Forecast and using the Autologger maps to spot an opening. Updating the firmware of the Airspy HF+ Series and a the latest version of SDR#.
Episode 15
January 3, 2025 - Recapping our livestream from New Year's Eve hunting Latin American DX (see below). Loyd breaks his distance record for NOAA weather radio reception thanks to a nice tropo opening. The No SDR Challenge continues! Using Bandicam for DXers from airchecks to grabbing livestreams for later comparison. The new RSPduo is in the shack and Loyd gives a demo of Diversity mode in SDR Connect. Loyd presents data to prove the signal-to-noise ratio of the latest version of SDR# is an improvement,
Episode 16
January 10, 2025 - The No SDR Challenge wraps up and a new challenge is announced: The Country Challenge. For this, Loyd gives some tips and tricks for finding countries on the MW band. Loyd shows the new Resources section on the DX Challenges page with a catalog of unique sounds of Latin America and national anthems! Revisiting the TEF6686 and completing a firmware update. A new video was released this week on the YouTube channel: how to use the Co-Channel Canceller and we look at using the CCC in practice! Also, a look at mapchart.net, a great (free) resource for making colored maps of heard states, countries, provinces, etc.
Episode 17
January 17, 2025 - The Country Challenge continues as winter weather descends upon Southeast Louisiana. New countries in the logbook this week for Loyd and he walks through tips on how he was able to snag British Virgin Islands and Paraguay. An off-season Sporadic Es opening comes to the East Coast which was made possible largely because of RDS autologgers in place. Loyd does an IQ recording review of an 1100 UTC recording on MW, a fantastic time to get new Latin American stations playing their national anthems.
Episode 18
January 24, 2025 - Post-snowpacalypse....Loyd launches a new challenge - the 50 kw Challenge. As part of the new challenge, Loyd reviews some baisc and fundamental AM DX topics with the beginning DXer in mind such as what to listen for, when to listen, propagation, gear and more! Loyd walks through some of the DX101 information available on the DX Central web site. Loyd takes a look at Bandicam software for screen recording of airchecks in SDR programs (and then upload those to YouTube!)
Episode 28
April 25, 2025 -
Episode 29
May 2, 2025 - SEASON FINALE - Wrapping up Season 4 of the MW Frequency Challenge and the Alphabet Challenge. Announcing the new Summer of DX Challenge with FM now included for this year! Our main focus was a long interview with Nick Langan and Bryce Foster of the VHF DX Podcast, talking FM DX, tropo, Sporadic Es and more!
SPECIAL EDITION - New Year's Eve 2024
December 31, 2024 - Our annual DX session on New Year's Eve looking for special NYE broadcasts from Latin America. Latin American stations are much more likely to carry live programming and NYE-specific content than those in the United States and this makes for a great opportunity to hear stations that might otherwise be more difficult in normal programming.
SPECIAL EDITION - WZON - Bangor, ME (First Night)
December 21, 2024 - A special DX Test type broadcast from the now defunct WZON in Bangor, ME.
SPECIAL EDITION - WZON - Bangor, ME (Second Night)
December 22, 2024 - A second night of DX Test broadcast from the now defunct WZON in Bangor, ME.
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