EGrabowHD (mobile view) Mobile
Desktop
<< EG PrimeRandomAll Pages >>

TV DX From New York (1994-2005)

Yagi used in Patchogue
RS VU-110XR w/ rotor

Patchogue, New York is where I discovered DXing. Our house had a Radio Shack VU-90XR directed at NYC, and we watched everything off-air since we didn't have cable. I explored what stations would come in and realized that distant signals would sometimes appear on normally empty channels , or even interfere with local signals. I got a larger antenna and a rotor for my 14th birthday (in 1996). A cable subscription came two years later so I was then able to rotate my antenna anytime I wanted. By the time I joined the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association in 1999 I'd logged stations as far as Wichita, Kansas, and was getting a good feel of how tropo and e-skip worked.

Patchogue was also where I began to DX the AM band, and where I got my shortwave radio, leading me to an interest in "numbers stations." There was a brief effort to get into FM DXing, but it didn't take. I remained primarily a TV DXer while I lived in New York, and TV DX is what this page covers.

1997-2000 were great years for TV DX. I had a lot of free time and was making great catches, when I was in high school and working 16 hours a week. But then came college, and then went my free time. The rotor burnt out in 2001, leaving the antenna pointed north, but I still managed some new catches (like WVTA 41 and WDIQ 2).

There was a small surge of activity just before we moved in 2003, as I was determined to find the time to squeeze in a few more catches... before my first QTH became history. North Massapequa, 40 km closer to the city, took a couple of years to get off the ground... off the ground just in time for my decision to move to Florida . In effect my 2005 catches were another small surge before moving away, and are included here as footnotes to my Patchogue catches.

Statistics

1,500 Mile Map
for Patchogue
186 Analog TV stations logged from 1994 to 2003
     includes 17 locals and 10 semi-locals
     does not include 19 tentatives

115 by tropo
     20 over 500 km (WGNT 27 most logged)
     farthest is WSFX 26 in Wilmington, NC @ 869 km
     States/Countries: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, PA,
       RI, VA, VT

 

44 by e-skip
     8 over 2,000 km, and 7 under 1,400 km
     farthest is KLNE 3 in Lexington, NE @ 2,229 km
     shortest is WBBM 2 in Chicago, IL @ 1,228 km
     States/Countries: AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, KS, KY, LA,
       MN, MO, MS, NE, OK, TN, WI

Local Stations

ChCallsCitykm (mi)kWVideoStatusNotes
2WCBSNew York, NY85 (53)21.4(local)CBS
3WFSBHartford, CT113 (70)100.0(semi-local)CBS
4WNBCNew York, NY85 (53)17.4(local)NBC
5WNYWNew York, NY85 (53)17.4(local)FOX
7WABCNew York, NY85 (53)64.6(local)ABC
8WTNHNew Haven, CT73 (45)166.0(local)ABC
9WWORSecaucus, NJ85 (53)61.7(local)UPN
11WPIXNew York, NY85 (53)58.9(local)WB
13WNETNewark, NJ85 (53)60.3(local)PBS
17W17CHMedford, NY5 (3)  (local)The BOX; distance to city
20WTXXWaterbury, CT83 (52)2,240.0(semi-local)WB
21WLIWGarden City, NY38 (24)3,160.0(local)PBS
25WNYENew York, NY83 (52)2,450.0(local)educational
26W26CEMiddle Island, NY16 (10)3.1(local)color bars
30WVITNew Britain, CT104 (65)3,090.0(semi-local)NBC
31WPXNNew York, NY85 (53)2,820.0(local)PAX; originally WNYC
41WXTVPaterson, NJ83 (52)2,340.0 (local)Univision
43WSAHBridgeport, CT66 (41) (semi-local)originally WHAI
47WNJULinden, NJ85 (53)4,570.0 (local)Telemundo
49WEDWBridgeport, CT58 (36)1,950.0(semi-local)CPTV (PBS)
51WNYN-LPDeer Park, NY26 (16)  (semi-local)The BOX; distance to city
55WLNYRiverhead, NY16 (10)5,000.0(local)originally WLIG
59WCTXNew Haven, CT73 (45)5,000.0(semi-local)UPN; originally WBNE
60W60AINew York, NY82 (51)75.0(semi-local)HSN Spree
61WTICHartford, CT105 (65)5,000.0(semi-local)FOX
67WFTYSmithtown, NY14 (9)2,630.0(local)TeleFutura; originally WHSI
68WFUTNewark, NJ83 (52)2,190.0(semi-local)TeleFutura; originally WHSE
Added as Locals in North Massapequa (2005):
29W29CFWestbury, NY9 (6)7.0(local)school
32WXNY-LPNew York, NY   (local) 
35WNYX-LPMineola, NY   (local) 
39WNYN-LPNew York, NY40 (25)50.0 (local) 
50WNJNMontclair, NJ64 (40)2,094.0 (semi-local)NJN (PBS)
54WLNY-LPMineola, NY   (semi-local)// WLNY 55
58WNJBNew Brunswick, NJ87 (54)1,321.0 (semi-local)NJN (PBS)
      Deleted as locals: 3, 17, 26, 30, 51, 55, 59, 60, 61        Reduced to semi-locals: 8, 67

Tropo Catches

ChCallsCitykm (mi)kWVideoTimes Logged (first)Notes
2WGBHBoston, MA227 (141)  0 (tentative) TrPBS
2WMARBaltimore, MD350 (217)100.0 1 (1999) TrABC
3KYWPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)100.0(very common catch)CBS
4WBZBoston, MA227 (141) 1 (2000) Tr 
4WRCWashington, DC402 (250)  1 (1999) Tr 
5WCVBBoston, MA227 (141) 1 (2000) Tr 
5WTTGWashington, DC401 (249)  1 (1999) TrFOX
6WLNEProvidence, RI178 (111)100.0(very common catch)ABC
6WPVIPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)74.1(very common catch)ABC
6WRGBSchenectady, NY223 (139)93.33 (1998) TrCBS
7WHDHBoston, MA229 (142)  3 (2000) Tr 
7WJLAWashington, DC401 (249)  1 (1999) TrABC
7WITNWashington, NC714 (444)316.0 2 (1997) Tr 
8WGALLancaster, PA317 (197)110.01 (2000) TrNBC
8WRICRichmond, VA538 (334)269.0 1 (1999) Tr 
8WFXIMorehead City, NC724 (450)316.0 3 (1998) Tr"FOX 8/14"
9WUSAWashington, DC401 (249)  1 (1999) Tr 
10WJARProvidence, RI188 (117)316.012 (1997) TrNBC
10WCAUPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)191.0(very common catch)NBC
10WAVYPortsmouth, VA535 (332)316.05 (1997) TrNBC
11WBALBaltimore, MD350 (217)316.0 1 (1999) Tr 
12WPRIProvidence, RI189 (117)316.016 (1997) TrCBS
12WHYYWilmington, DE206 (128)309.0(very common catch)PBS
12WWBTRichmond, VA532 (331)316.03 (1996) TrNBC
12WCTINew Bern, NC737 (458)316.04 (1998) TrABC
13WJZBaltimore, MD350 (217)316.03 (1999) Tr 
13WVECHampton, VA533 (331)316.012 (1997) TrABC
14WFDCArlington, VA404 (251)2,880.0 0 (tentative) Troriginally WTMW
14WXOB-LPRichmond, VA524 (326)23.5 0 (tentative) TrThe BOX
14WYDOGreenville, NC705 (438)1,100.03 (1997) Tr"FOX 8/14"
15WLYHLancaster, PA298 (185)1,050.04 (1997) TrUPN
15WHRONorfolk, VA536 (333)2,880.013 (1997) TrPBS
16WNEPScranton, PA246 (153)1,150.05 (1995) TrABC
16WBOCSalisbury, MD339 (211)4,070.015 (1996) TrCBS
17WPHLPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)2,340.0(very common catch)WB
17WMHTSchenectady, NY223 (139)2,630.01 (1997) TrPBS
18WUVNHartford, CT113 (70)3,160.011 (1999) TrUNI; originally WHCT
19WCDCAdams, MA208 (129)447.013 (1996) TrABC // WTEN 10
19WVBN-LPVirginia Beach, VA522 (324)70.0 0 (tentative) Tr 
19WUNMJacksonville, NC737 (458)3,020.04 (1997) TrUNC (PBS)
20WDCAWashington, DC402 (250)  2 (1999) Tr 
22WLBX-LPCranford, NJ114 (71)9.42 0 (tentative) TrThe BOX
22WWLPSpringfield, MA148 (92)3,390.021 (1997) TrNBC
22WYOUScranton, PA246 (153)2,950.06 (1996) TrCBS
22WMPTAnnapolis, MD364 (226)  7 (1995) TrMPT (PBS)
23WVVHSouthampton, NY74 (46)25.0 0 (tentative) Tr 
23WNJSCamden, NJ193 (120) (very common catch)NJN (PBS)
23WXXAAlbany, NY222 (138)3,020.05 (1997) TrFOX
24WEDHHartford, CT113 (70)813.0 (very common catch)CPTV (PBS)
24WUTBBaltimore, MD360 (224)1,170.06 (1996) TrUPN; originally WHSW
24WTATCharleston, SC1,055 (656)5,000.0 0 (tentative) TrFOX
25WFXTBoston, MA226 (140)1,950.0 2 (1997) TrFOX
26WHPXNew London, CT99 (62)2,820.08 (1997) TrPAX; originally WTWS
26WETAWashington, DC404 (251)2,290.0 1 (1998) TrPBS
26WSFXWilmington, NC869 (540)2,190.03 (1997) TrFOX; farthest IDed tropo
27WNXY-LPNew York, NY76 (47) 4 (1998) Tr 
27WUNIWorcester, MA204 (127)1,150.0 4 (1999) TrUnivision
27WHTMLancaster, PA338 (210)2,140.03 (1998) TrABC
27WGNTPortsmouth, VA533 (331)2,340.020 (1997) TrUPN
28WLWCProvidence, RI207 (129)5,000.021 (1997) TrUPN
28WBREWilkes-Barre, PA245 (152)3,020.09 (1995) TrNBC
28WCPBSalisbury, MD346 (215)776.021 (1997) TrMPT (PBS)
29W29CFWestbury, NY46 (29)7.01 (2001) Tr 
29WTXFPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)5,000.0(very common catch)FOX
29WVIRCharlottesville, VA564 (350)5,000.01 (2000) TrNBC
31WWPBHagerstown, MD440 (273)4,070.0 1 (2000) TrMPT (PBS)
31W31BGYorktown, VA499 (310)  0 (tentative) TrValueVision
32WHUTWashington, DC404 (251)500.0 1 (1997) Tr 
33WITFHarrisburg, PA330 (205)1,100.01 (1999) TrPBS
33WTVZNorfolk, VA536 (333)5,000.011 (1997) TrWB
34WQAV-LPAtlantic City, NJ200 (124) 4 (1998) Troriginally W34BS
35WNYX-LPMineola, NY51 (32) 2 (2000) Tr 
35WYBEPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)1,918.04 (1997) Tr 
35W35BHVirginia Beach, VA512 (318)  0 (tentative) TrNBC // WAVY 10
35WRLHRichmond, VA544 (338)2,570.02 (1998) TrFOX
36WSBEProvidence, RI172 (107)1,230.04 (1997) TrPBS
36W36BKMappsville, VA394 (245)15.2 1 (2000) Tr 
38WSBKBoston, MA226 (140)160.03 (1997) TrUPN
38WSWBScranton, PA240 (149)1,290.02 (1997) TrWB; originally WOLF
38WEPXGreenville, NC713 (443)5,000.0 2 (1999) TrPAX
39WXNY-LPNew York, NY79 (49)50.04 (1997) Troriginally W39AI
39WLVTAllentown, PA207 (129)575.03 (1995) TrPBS
39W39BWNewport News, VA523 (325)50.0 0 (tentative) TrValueVision
40WGGBSpringfield, MA166 (103)4,250.021 (1997) TrABC
40WMGMWildwood, NJ237 (147)741.013 (1997) TrNBC
41WVTAWindsor, VT300 (186)1,050.0 1 (2002) TrVPT (PBS)
41W41ACOnancock, VA394 (245)36.2 0 (tentative) TrNBC // WAVY 10
43WPMTYork, PA315 (196)  1 (1999) Tr 
43WVBTNorfolk, VA535 (332)5,000.06 (1998) TrFOX
44WVIAScranton, PA245 (152)1,000.0 2 (1995) TrPBS
44W44ADOnancock, VA394 (245)35.8 2 (1999) Tr 
45WEWBSchenectady, NY223 (139)2,950.0 2 (2000) TrWB; originally WMHQ
45WBFFBaltimore, MD349 (217)1,290.03 (1996) TrFOX
45W45BGVirginia Beach, VA525 (326)33.07 (1997) TrPIN; farthest -LP
46WWDPNorwell, MA236 (147)2,938.03 (1998) TrPAX; originally WBPX
47WMDTSalisbury, MD343 (213)  1 (1998) TrABC
48WGTWBurlington, NJ206 (128)2,340.0(very common catch) 
49WPXVNorfolk, VA536 (333)5,000.02 (1997) TrPAX; originally WJCB
50WNJNMontclair, NJ101 (63)2,094.0(very common catch)NJN (PBS); originally WNJM
50WBDCWashington, DC398 (247)2,450.03 (1997) TrWB
51WTVEReading, PA248 (154)  1 (1999) Tr 
52WNJTTrenton, NJ151 (94) 12 (1995) TrNJN (PBS)
53WKOB-LPNew York, NY83 (52) 3 (1996) TrKorean
53WEDNNorwich, CT111 (69)  6 (1996) TrCPTV (PBS)
53WWACAtlantic City, NJ198 (123)12.33 (1997) Tr 
54WTBYPoughkeepsie, NY134 (83)5,000.08 (1997) TrTBN
54WNUVBaltimore, MD360 (224)5,000.0 0 (tentative) Tr 
56WLVICambridge, MA226 (140)2,240.02 (1997) TrWB
56WWLFHazleton, PA245 (152) 1 (1996) TrFOX // WOLF 38
56WNVCFairfax, VA417 (259)  0 (tentative) Tr 
57WGBYSpringfield, MA166 (103)776.09 (1997) TrPBS
57WGBSPhiladelphia, PA206 (128)5,000.07 (1995) TrUPN; originally WPSG
58WNJBNew Brunswick, NJ128 (80)1,321.015 (1995) TrNJN (PBS)
60WBPHBethlehem, PA206 (128)  0 (tentative) Tr 
60W60ALOnancock, VA394 (245)39.5 3 (1999) Tr 
61WPPXWilmington, DE229 (142)3,000.0(very common catch)PAX; originally WTGI
62WWSIAtlantic City, NJ168 (104)5,000.0 3 (2001) Tr 
62WRNNKingston, NY172 (107)5,000.07 (1999) Tr"RNN"
62WMFPLawrence, MA239 (149)5,000.0 5 (1999) Tr 
62W62CNHampton, VA518 (322) 1 (1998) Tr"WPEN"
63WMBCNewton, NJ135 (84) (very common catch) 
64WNACProvidence, RI188 (117)3,720.06 (1998) TrFOX
64WDPBSeaford, DE325 (202)191.0 1 (1999) TrPBS // WHYY 12
65WUVPVineland, NJ194 (121)3,800.0(very common catch)TeleFutura; originally WHSP
66WFMEWest Milford, NJ108 (67)24.0 1 (1997) TrReligious
66WHSHMarlborough, MA234 (145)3,160.0 2 (1999) TrHSN
66WPXWManassas, VA430 (267)  1 (1999) Tr 
68WABUBoston, MA238 (148)  0 (tentative) Tr 
69WPXQBlock Island, RI128 (80)17.82 (1999) TrPAX
69WFMZAllentown, PA207 (129)1,078.04 (1997) Tr 
These stations were also logged in North Massapequa:
KYW 3, WFSB 3, WPVI 6, WCAU 10, WHYY 12, WJZ 13, WPHL 17, WUVN(t) 18, WDCA 20, WNJS 23, WUTB 24, WTXF 29, WVIT 30, WYBE(t) 35, WGTW(t) 48, WNJT 52, WPSG 57, WPPX 61, WTIC 61, WWSI 62, WMBC(t) 63, WUVP(t) 65

E-Skip Catches

ChCallsCitykm (mi)kWVideoTimes Logged (first)Notes
2WBBMChicago, IL1,228 (763)  2 (2000) Esshortest Es
2WSBAtlanta, GA1,270 (789)  1 (2003) Es 
2WKRNNashville, TN1,314 (816)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
2KTVISt. Louis, MO1,507 (936)46.0 1 (2001) Es 
2WESHOrlando, FL1,513 (940) 6 (1996) EsNBC
2CKPRThunder Bay, ON1,535 (954)56.0 0 (tentative) EsCBC
2WDIQDozier, AL1,576 (979)  1 (2003) Es 
2KGANCedar Rapids, IA1,579 (981)100.05 (1998) EsCBS
2WMABMississippi State, MS1,651 (1,026)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
2WPBTMiami, FL1,778 (1,105)100.06 (1998) EsPBS; QSLed
2KETSLittle Rock, AR1,827 (1,135)100.0 1 (2001) Es 
2KQTVSt. Joseph, MO1,850 (1,150)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
2WBRZBaton Rouge, LA2,012 (1,250)100.0 2 (2000) Es 
2KDTNDenton, TX2,316 (1,439)100.0 0 (tentative) Trfarthest tentative
3WRCBChattanooga, TN1,246 (774)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
3WCIAChampaign, IL1,309 (813)100.03 (1998) EsCBS
3WISCMadison, WI1,392 (865) 1 (2000) EsCBS
3WRBLColumbus, GA1,410 (876)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
3WSILHarrisburg, IL1,411 (877)100.03 (1998) Es 
3WREGMemphis, TN1,598 (993)  3 (1998) Es 
3KTVOKirksville, MO1,640 (1,019) 3 (1998) Es 
3KIMTMason City, IA1,660 (1,031)100.03 (1999) Es 
3WEDUTampa, FL1,666 (1,035) 10 (1996) EsPBS
3KDLHDuluth, MN1,670 (1,038)100.02 (2000) Es 
3WEARPensacola, FL1,734 (1,077)100.0 4 (1999) EsABC
3KYTVSpringfield, MO1,767 (1,098)95.59 (1999) Es"KY 3" (NBC)
3WLBTJackson, MS1,817 (1,129)100.03 (1996) Es 
3KMTVOmaha, NE2,036 (1,265) 2 (1996) EsCBS
3KOETEufaula, OK2,050 (1,274)  5 (1998) EsOETA (PBS)
3KTBSShreveport, LA2,066 (1,284)100.0 2 (1999) Es 
3KATCLafayette, LA2,117 (1,315)100.0 1 (2001) Es 
3KSNWWichita, KS2,132 (1,325) 6 (1998) Es"KSN" (NBC)
3CBWFTWinnipeg, MB2,152 (1,337)59.0 0 (tentative) Es 
3KLNELexington, NE2,229 (1,385)100.0 1 (1999) EsPBS; farthest IDed Es
4WJXTJacksonville, FL1,401 (871)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
4WTVYDothan, AL1,582 (983) 3 (1999) EsCBS
4WFORMiami, FL1,770 (1,100) 4 (1998) EsCBS
4KARKLittle Rock, AR1,835 (1,140)100.02 (1999) Es 
4WWLNew Orleans, LA1,958 (1,217)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
5WTVFNashville, TN1,299 (807)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
5WMCMemphis, TN1,603 (996)  1 (2000) Es 
6WPSDPaducah, KY1,437 (893) 1 (1999) EsNBC
6WBRCBirmingham, AL1,466 (911)100.0 0 (tentative) Es 
6KMOSSedalia, MO1,746 (1,085) 1 (2000) Es"FCTV" (PBS)
6KEMVMountain View, AR1,769 (1,099)100.01 (1999) EsAETN (PBS); QSLed
6WTVJMiami, FL1,831 (1,138)100.02 (1998) EsNBC; southernmost Es
6WDSUNew Orleans, LA1,949 (1,211)100.0 1 (2000) Es 
6KOTVTulsa, OK2,042 (1,269)  1 (1999) Es 
These stations were also logged in North Massapequa:
KTVI 2, KATC 3, KTBS 3, KYTV 3, WLBT 3
This station was logged only in North Massapequa:
2CBWFT-7Kenora, ON1,925 (1,196) 0 (tentative) EsFrench

Related Videos

EGRABOW.COM and its original content Copyright 1999-2024 Ryan Grabow. May be reproduced in good faith unless otherwise stated.