Palm Beach, USA: How do you find Jupiter’s little radio station? Look for the antenna in the palm tree!

Palm Beach, USA: How do you find Jupiter’s little radio station? Look for the antenna in the palm tree!

The antenna for WJTW is attached to a palm tree behind the radio station’s studio in Jupiter. (Bruce R. Bennett/The Palm Beach Post)

While there are several ways to grow a radio station’s audience, not many include fertilizer.

But then, few radio stations use a 70-foot Washingtonian palm tree planted in back of its studio as an antenna pole.

“We try to take good care of that tree,” said Tom Boyhan, the owner of low-power WJTW, 100.3 FM, known as “Jupiter’s Home Town Radio Station.” “Our first one got hit by lightning.”

The palm tree was Boyhan’s workaround of a Town of Jupiter rule prohibiting antennas more than 50 feet tall near residential areas.

With an extra dose of fertilizer and regular watering, a few more listeners each year from Palm Beach Gardens to Hobe Sound might be able to tune in to the station’s mix of local news and nostalgia, with songs that range from ’50s crooners to ’70s soft rock, salted with plenty of show tunes.

“The joke around town is the taller that palm, the better the signal,” said Jennifer Sardone-Shiner, marketing director of Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

On a local radio dial dominated by homogenized super stations with corporate formats devised in board rooms, tiny home-grown WJTW is radio’s artisanal micro-brew.

Instead of “Don’t Touch That Dial” bombast, there’s a handmade quality to the airwaves emanating from this four-room office suite, where the transmitter room is the size of a closet and the production studio doesn’t have soundproofing.

Read More at The Palm Beach Post

(Source : The Palm Beach Post, spotted by SCOOPWEB)

Dxer of the year (most active and dedicated dxer)(multiple vote accept)   Glenn Hausar, USA	97 (12%)
Kim Andrew Elliott, USA	8 (1%)
Andy Sennitt, Netherlands	11 (1%)
DX Muecke, Germany	311 (41%)
Victor Goonetilleke, Sr iLanka	15 (1%)
Sean Gilbert, UK	10 (1%)
Jonathan Marks, Netherlands	3 (0%)
Toshi Ohtake, Japan	34 (4%)
Jose Jacob, India	12 (1%)
Alokesh Gupta, India	19 (2%)
Swopan Chakroborty, India	7 (0%)
Christoph DXer	46 (6%)
Mitul Kansal, India	8 (1%)
Chrissy Brand, UK	9 (1%)
Salah Uddin Dolar, Bangladesh	62 (8%)
Ashik Eqbal, Bangladesh	93 (12%)
Ludo Maes, Belgium	4 (0%)
Dave Jones, UK	4 (0%)
Klaus-Dieter Scholz, Germany	134 (17%)
Azizul Alam Al-Amin, Bangladesh	254 (33%)

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Frequencies and Sites in Bengali Currently On-Air
Map of sites and frequencies currently on air in Bengali
Your search produced 54 results and took 0.148 Seconds. Database dated 11 Nov 13.
Freq ▼    Station    Start    End    Days    Language    Pwr    Az    Transmitter Site    Lat/Long    Remarks ◆
4750    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    08:30    12:35    1234567    Bengali    100    ND   
BGD
Shavar    23N26 090E12   
SIGNAL_STRENGTH_4
BANGL
4750    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    12:55    15:30    1234567    Bengali    100    ND   
BGD
Shavar    23N26 090E12   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
4750    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    15:45    16:00    1234567    Bengali    100    ND   
BGD
Shavar    23N26 090E12   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
5845    BBC    13:30    13:59    1234567    Bengali    250    305   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
5875    BBC    16:30    17:00    1234567    Bengali    250    325   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
5905    FEBA RADIO    00:00    00:30    1234567    Bengali    100    131   
UZB
Tashkent    41N13 069E09   
OFF_AIR
IBRA BAB
5955    TWR India    13:15    13:30    ......7    Bengali    250    224   
RUS
Irkutsk    52N17 104E17   
OFF_AIR
7240    Athmeeya Yatra R. (GFA)    00:15    00:30    1.....7    Bengali    250    85   
D
Nauen    52N37 012E54   
OFF_AIR
AYA MBR
7250    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    05:00    06:00    1234567    Bengali    250    305   
BGD
Dhaka    23N42 090E26   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
7250    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    07:00    09:00    1234567    Bengali    250    290   
BGD
Dhaka    23N42 090E26   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
7250    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    16:30    17:00    1234567    Bengali    250    290   
BGD
Dhaka    23N42 090E26   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
7250    R.BANGLADESH BETAR    19:15    20:00    1234567    Bengali    250    320   
BGD
Dhaka    23N42 090E26   
OFF_AIR
BANGL
7320    VO ISLAMIC REP.IRAN    14:20    15:20    1234567    Bengali    500    235   
IRN
Sirjan    29N26 055E40   
OFF_AIR
IRIB
7325    BBC    00:30    01:00    1234567    Bengali    250    305   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
7375    VO ISLAMIC REP.IRAN    16:19    16:49    1234567    Bengali    500    100   
IRN
Kamalabad    35N45 051E27   
OFF_AIR
IRIB
7405    VOICE OF AMERICA    16:00    17:00    1234567    Bengali    250    300   
THA
Udon Thani    17N25 102E45   
OFF_AIR
IBB/
7485    BBC    16:30    17:00    1234567    Bengali    100    330   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
7545    TWR India    00:30    00:45    .23456.    Bengali    250    116   
UKR
       
OFF_AIR
7560    BBC    13:30    13:59    1234567    Bengali    250    325   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
9390    FEBA RADIO    15:00    15:30    1234567    Bengali    100    131   
UZB
Tashkent    41N13 069E09   
OFF_AIR
IBRA BAB
9490    CHINA RADIO INTER.    13:00    14:00    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
9490    CHINA RADIO INTER.    14:00    14:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
9490    VOICE OF AMERICA    16:00    17:00    1234567    Bengali    250    283   
PHL
Tinang    15N20 120E36   
OFF_AIR
IBB/
9510    BBC    00:30    01:00    1234567    Bengali    250    300   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
9510    BBC    01:30    02:00    1234567    Bengali    250    305   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
9600    CHINA RADIO INTER.    13:00    13:57    1234567    Bengali    150    255   
CHN
Baoji-Xinjie    34N30 107E10   
OFF_AIR
9610    CHINA RADIO INTER.    15:00    15:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
9620    VO ISLAMIC REP.IRAN    14:20    15:20    1234567    Bengali    500    94   
IRN
Kamalabad    35N45 051E27   
OFF_AIR
IRIB
9650    BBC    16:30    17:00    1234567    Bengali    250    340   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
9655    CHINA RADIO INTER.    02:00    02:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
9690    CHINA RADIO INTER.    15:00    15:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
9740    VO ISLAMIC REP.IRAN    16:19    16:49    1234567    Bengali    500    94   
IRN
Kamalabad    35N45 051E27   
OFF_AIR
IRIB
9880    BBC    14:00    15:00    1.3....    Bengali    250    90   
UAE
Dhabbaya    24N10 054E15   
OFF_AIR
11610    CHINA RADIO INTER.    13:00    14:00    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
11610    CHINA RADIO INTER.    14:00    14:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
11640    CHINA RADIO INTER.    02:00    02:57    1234567    Bengali    150    270   
CHN
Kunming    25N10 102E49   
OFF_AIR
11700    R.PAKISTAN    09:00    10:00    1234567    Bengali    100    118   
PAK
Islamabad API-6    33N27 073E12   
OFF_AIR
PAK
11760    VO ISLAMIC REP.IRAN    14:20    15:20    1234567    Bengali    500    100   
IRN
Kamalabad    35N45 051E27   
OFF_AIR
IRIB
11870    R.VERITAS ASIA    14:00    14:30    1234567    Bengali    250    300   
PHL
Palauig-Zambales    15N28 119E49   
OFF_AIR
RVA
12025    BBC    00:30    01:00    1234567    Bengali    250    330   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
12035    BBC    14:00    15:00    1.3....    Bengali    250    305   
THA
Nakhon Sawan    15N03 100E03   
OFF_AIR
12035    R.JAPAN    13:00    13:45    1234567    Bengali    100    131   
UZB
Tashkent    41N13 069E09   
OFF_AIR
NHK
12065    BBC    13:30    14:00    1234567    Bengali    100    330   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
12095    BBC    14:00    15:00    1.3....    Bengali    250    315   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
15120    R.RIYADH    12:00    14:57    1234567    Bengali    500    70   
ARS
Riyadh    24N30 046E22   
OFF_AIR
BSKSA Holy Qur`an
15215    KSDA-AWR GUAM    13:00    13:30    1234567    Bengali    100    285   
GUM
Agat    13N20 144E39   
OFF_AIR
AWR
15235    Athmeeya Yatra R. (GFA)    15:15    15:30    1....67    Bengali    250    85   
D
Nauen    52N37 012E54   
OFF_AIR
AYA MBR
15265    R.VERITAS ASIA    00:30    00:57    1234567    Bengali    250    280   
PHL
Palauig-Zambales    15N28 119E49   
OFF_AIR
RVA
15270    BBC    01:30    02:00    1234567    Bengali    250    315   
SNG
Kranji    01N25 103E44   
OFF_AIR
15340    HCJB AUSTRALIA    12:45    13:00    .2.....    Bengali    100    310   
AUS
Kununurra    15S46 128E41   
OFF_AIR
HCA
15340    HCJB AUSTRALIA    14:30    14:45    .2.....    Bengali    100    310   
AUS
Kununurra    15S46 128E41   
OFF_AIR
HCA
15430    ADVENTIST WORLD R.    12:30    13:00    .23.5.7    Bengali    125    25   
CLN
Trincomalee    08N43 081E08   
OFF_AIR
17760    HCJB AUSTRALIA    01:15    01:30    .2.....    Bengali    100    310   
AUS
Kununurra    15S46 128E41   
OFF_AIR
HCA
17760    HCJB AUSTRALIA    02:15    02:30    .2.....    Bengali    100    310   
AUS
Kununurra    15S46 128E41   
OFF_AIR
HCA

সিআরআই সাউথ এশিয়া রেডিও ক্লাবের উপ-পরিচালক

তাছলিমা আক্তার লিমাকে বিমানবন্দরে সংবর্ধনা

চীন থেকে মর্যাদাসম্পন্ন “সিআরআই শ্রেষ্ঠ শ্রোতাসংঘ ২০১৩” পুরস্কার গ্রহণ করে এবং এক সপ্তাহের মূল্যবান চীন সফর শেষে বাংলাদেশে ফিরে এসেছেন সিআরআই সাউথ এশিয়া রেডিও ক্লাবের উপ-পরিচালক এবং ঢাকা জেলার সভাপতি তাছলিমা আক্তার লিমা।

বিশ্বের মাঝে বাংলাদেশের সুনাম বৃদ্ধি করায় এবং দেশের জন্য সম্মান ও মর্যাদা বয়ে আনায় ঢাকায় হজরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দরের আগমনী লাউঞ্জে তাকেঁ চীন আন্তর্জাতিক বেতারের শ্রোতাদের পক্ষ থেকে সংবর্ধনা দেওয়া হয়। আজ ৩১ অক্টোবর ২০১৩ বৃহস্পতিবার চায়না ইস্টার্ণ এয়ারলাইন্সের এমইউ-২০৩৫ ফ্লাইটে বোয়িং ৭৩ই বিমানে করে দুপুর ১টা ৫০ মিনিটে তিনি বিমানবন্দরে এসে পৌঁছান। সিআরআই সাউথ এশিয়া রেডিও ক্লাবের পরিচালক দিদারুল ইকবাল, অন্যান্য শ্রোতা নেতৃবৃন্দের মধ্যে বিপ্লব কুমার অধিকারী, সৈয়দ আসিফুল ইসলাম, হাজেরা বেগম, রফিকুল ইসলাম, মো:সেলিম উল আলম প্রমূখ উপস্থিত থেকে তাছলিমা আক্তার লিমাকে স্বাগত এবং অভিনন্দন জানান। শ্রোতাদের পক্ষ থেকে সিআরআই ক্লাব’৯৫ এর সভাপতি বিপ্লব কুমার অধিকারী তাছলিমা আক্তার লিমাকে ফুলের তোড়া উপহার দেন।

বাংলাদেশে চীনের সংস্কৃতি বিনিময়, সিআরআই’র অনুষ্ঠান প্রচার ও দু’দেশের জনগণের মধ্যে বন্ধুত্ব জোরদারের ক্ষেত্রে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা পালন এবং সংশ্লিষ্ট বিষয়ে বছর জুড়ে বিভিন্ন অনুষ্ঠানের আয়োজন করে বিশ্বের ৪১১২টি দেশী-বিদেশী বেতার শ্রোতাসংঘ ও ওয়েবসাইট ফ্যান ক্লাবের মধ্যে পরিচালিত বিশেষ আন্তর্জাতিক প্রতিযোগিতায় চীন আন্তর্জাতিক বেতার (সিআরআই) থেকে “সিআরআই শ্রেষ্ঠ শ্রোতাসংঘ ২০১৩” পুরস্কার জয়লাভ করে বাংলাদেশের সিআরআই সাউথ এশিয়া রেডিও ক্লাব।

৩০ অক্টোবর বুধবার চীনের রাজধানী বেইজিং-এ চীন আন্তর্জাতিক বেতার (সিআরআই) কর্তৃক আয়োজিত “সিআরআই শ্রেষ্ঠ শ্রোতাসংঘ ২০১৩” পুরস্কার বিতরণের এক জমকালো অনুষ্ঠানে সিআরআই দক্ষিণ এশিয়া কেন্দ্রের উপ-পরিচালক চাও ছিয়াও সিআরআই সাউথ এশিয়া রেডিও ক্লাবের উপ-পরিচালক এবং ঢাকা জেলার সভাপতি তাছলিমা আক্তার লিমার হাতে এই পুরস্কার তুলে দেন।

China Radio International (CRI)

Dhaka- 103.20, Ctg.- 105.40 KHz at 06:30 to 07:30 PM (Everyday)

NHK World Radio Japan

Dhaka- 97.60, Comilla- 101.20, Khulna- 102.00, Sylhet and Rajshahi- 105.00, Chittagong and Rangpur- 105.40 KHz at 09:00 to 09:45 PM (Everyday)

Deutsche Welle (DW)

Dhaka- 97.60, Khulna- 102.00, Sylhet and Rajshahi- 105.00, Chittagong and Rangpur- 105.40 KHz at 08:00 to 08:30 PM and 08:00 to 08:30 AM (Everyday)

Finally Closed Radio Deutsche Welle (DW) Bengali Service

It is closed on Saturday 9 March 2013 at 8:30 AM (Bangladesh Time).

There was an error in this gadget

WHAT IS SINPO CODE ???????????????

SINPO, acronym for signal, interference, noise, propagation, and overall, is a code used to describe the quality of radio transmissions, especially in reception reports written by shortwave listeners. Each letter of the code stands for a specific factor of the signal, and each item is graded on a 1 to 5 scale (where 1 stands for very bad and 5 for very good).
The use of the SINPO code is subjective and varies from person to person. Not all shortwave listeners are conversant with the SINPO code and prefer using plain language instead

Code explained

S (Signal strength) 

The relative strength of the transmission.

I (Interference) 

Interference from other stations on the same or adjacent frequencies.

N (Noise) 

The amount of atmospheric or man-made noise.

P (Propagation) 

Whether the signal is steady or fades from time to time.

O (Overall merit) 

An overall score for the listening experience under these conditions.

Examples of SINPO code applied

In responding to a shortwave reception, the SINPO indicates to the transmitting station the overall quality of the reception.
The SINPO code in normal use consists of the 5 rating numbers listed without the letters, as in the examples below:
54555 - This indicates a relatively clear reception, with only slight interference; however, nothing that would significantly degrade the listening experience.
33434 - This indicates a signal which is moderately strong, but has more interference, and therefore deterioration of the received signal.
Generally, a SINPO with a code number starting with a 2 or lower would not be worth reporting, unless there is no noise, interference or loss of propagation, since it would be likely the signal would be unintelligible. This does not apply to shortwave stations broadcasting on SSB, however, as there is no carrier signal to receive.
One shortwave listener (SWL) may rate a signal as 33232 while another SWL at a different location might rate it as 44333. Although the original SINPO code established technical specifications for each number (i.e., a number 3 in the P column meant a fixed

DXing is the hobby of receiving and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to obtain written verifications of reception or contact, sometimes referred to as "QSLs" or "veries". The name of the hobby comes from DX, telegraphic shorthand for "distance" or "distant".
The practice of DXing arose during the early days of radio broadcasting. Listeners would mail "reception reports" to radio broadcasting stations in hopes of getting a written acknowledgement or a QSL card that served to officially verify they had heard a distant station. Collecting these cards became popular with radio listeners in the 1920s and 1930s, and reception reports were often used by early broadcasters to gauge the effectiveness of their transmissions. Although international shortwave broadcasts are on the decline, DXing remains popular among dedicated shortwave listeners. The pursuit of two-way contact between distant amateur radio operators is also a significant activity within the amateur radio hobby.

AM radio DX

Main article: MW DX

Early radio listeners, often using home made crystal sets and long wire antennas, found radio stations few and far between. With the broadcast bands uncrowded, signals of the most powerful stations could be heard over hundreds of miles, but weaker signals required more precise tuning or better receiving gear.
By the 1950s, and continuing through the mid-1970s, many of the most powerful North American "clear channel" stations such as KDKA, WLW, CKLW, CHUM, WABC, WJR, WLS, WKBW, KFI, KAAY, KSL and a host of border blasters from Mexico pumped out Top 40 music played by popular disc jockeys. As most smaller, local AM radio stations had to sign off at night, the big 50 kW stations had loyal listeners hundreds of miles away.
The popularity of DXing the medium-wave band has diminished as the popular music formats quickly migrated to the clearer, though less propagating, FM radio beginning in the 1970s. Meanwhile, the MW band in the United States was getting more and more crowded with new stations and existing stations receiving FCC authorization to operate at night. In Canada, just the opposite occurred as AM stations began moving to FM beginning in the 1980s and continuing through today.
Outside of the Americas and Australia, most AM radio broadcasting was in the form of synchronous networks of government-operated stations, operating with hundreds, even thousands of kilowatts of power. Still, the lower powered stations and occasional trans-oceanic signal were popular DX targets.^[4]

Shortwave DX

Main article: Shortwave listening

Especially during wartime and times of conflict, reception of international broadcasters, whose signals propagate around the world on the shortwave bands has been popular with both casual listeners and DXing hobbyists.
With the rise in popularity of streaming audio over the internet, many international broadcasters (including the BBC and Voice of America) have cut back on their shortwave broadcasts. Missionary Religious broadcasters still make extensive use of shortwave radio to reach less developed countries around the world.
In addition to international broadcasters, the shortwave bands also are home to military communications, RTTY, amateur radio, pirate radio, and the mysterious broadcasts of numbers stations. Many of these signals are transmitted in single side band mode, which requires the use of specialized receivers more suitable to DXing than to casual listening.^[5]

VHF DXing

Main article: TV-FM DX

Though sporadic in nature, signals on the FM broadcast and VHF television bands - especially those stations at the lower end of these bands - can "skip" for hundreds, even thousands of miles. American FM stations have been occasionally received in Western Europe, though no reports exist of European FM signals propagating to North America.
Police, fire, and military communications on the VHF bands are also DX'ed to some extent on multi-band radio scanners, though they are mainly listened to strictly on a local basis. One difficulty is in identifying the exact origins of communications of this nature, as opposed to commercial broadcasters which must identify themselves at the top of each hour, and can often be identified through mentions of sponsors, slogans, etc. throughout their programming.

Amateur radio DX

Main article: Amateur radio

Amateur radio operators who specialize in making two way radio contact with other amateurs in distant countries are also referred to as "DXers". On the HF (also known as shortwave) amateur bands, DX stations are those in foreign countries. On the VHF/UHF amateur bands, DX stations can be within the same country or continent, since making a long-distance VHF contact, without the help of a satellite, can be very difficult. DXers collect QSL cards as proof of contact and can earn special certificates and awards from amateur radio organizations.^[6]
In addition, many clubs offer awards for communicating with a certain number of DX stations. For example, the ARRL offers the DX Century Club award, or DXCC. The basic certificate is awarded for working and confirming at least 100 entities on the ARRL DXCC List. ^[7] For award purposes, other areas than just political countries can be classified as "DX countries". For example, the French protectorate of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean is counted as a DX country, even though it is a region of France. The rules for determining what is a DX country can be quite complex and to avoid potential confusion, radio amateurs often use the term entity instead of country. In addition to entities, some awards are based on island groups in the world's oceans. On the VHF/UHF bands, many radio amateurs pursue awards based on Maidenhead grid locators.
In order to give other amateurs a chance to confirm contacts at new or exotic locations, amateurs have mounted DXpeditions to countries or regions that have no permanent base of amateur radio operators. ^[6] There are also frequent contests where radio amateurs operate their stations on certain dates for a fixed period of time to try to communicate with as many DX stations as possible.

DX Clubs

Many radio enthusiasts are members of DX clubs. There are many DX clubs in many countries around the world. They are useful places to find information about up-to-date news relating to international radio. Many people also enjoy social events, which can form a large part of the enjoyment that people can get out of the radio hobby.

QSL cards

Main article: QSL card

QSL card from Voice of America

One of the interesting sides of DXing as a hobby is collecting QSL cards (acknowledgement cards from the broadcaster) confirming the listener's reception report (sometimes called SINPO report, see next section).
Usually a QSL card will have a picture on one side and the reception data on the other. Most of the broadcasters will use pictures and messages indicating their country's culture or technological life.

SINPO report

SINPO stands for the following qualities, graded on a scale of 1 to 5, where '1' means the quality was very bad and '5' very good.
S - Signal strength
I - Interference with other stations or broadcasters
N - Noise ratio in the received signal
P - Propagation (ups and downs of the reception)
O - Overall merit
Although this is a subjective measure, with practise the grading becomes more consistent, and a particular broadcast may be assessed by several listeners from the same area, in which case the broadcaster could assess correspondence between reports.
After listening to a broadcast, the listener writes a report with SINPO values, typically including his geographical location (called QTH in amateur radio teminology) in longitude and latitude, a brief description of the programme listened to, their opinion about it, suggestions if any, and so on.
The listener can send the report to the broadcaster either by post or email, and request verification (QSL) from them.
Variants of this report are: a) the SIO report which omits the Noise and Propagation, b) grading on a scale of 1 to 3 (instead of 1 to 5) and c) the SINFO report where the F stands for fading.

DX Communication

DX communication is communication over great distances using the ionosphere to refract the transmitted radio beam. The beam returns to the Earth's surface, and may then be reflected back into the ionosphere for a second bounce. Ionospheric refraction is generally only feasible for frequencies below about 50 MHz, and is highly dependent upon atmospheric conditions, the time of day, and the eleven-year sunspot cycle. It is also affected by solar storms and some other solar events, which can alter the Earth's ionosphere by ejecting a shower of charged particles.
The angle of refraction places a minimum on the distance at which the refracted beam will first return to Earth. This distance increases with frequency. As a result, any station employing DX will be surrounded by an annular dead zone where they can't hear other stations or be heard by them.
This is the phenomenon that allows short wave radio reception to occur beyond the limits of line of sight. It is utilized by amateur radio enthusiasts (hams), shortwave broadcast stations (such as BBC and Voice of America) and others. This is what allows you to hear AM (MW) stations from locations far from your location. It is one of the backups to failure of long distance communication by satellites, when their operation is affected by electromagnetic storms from the sun.
For example, in clear ionosphere conditions, you can hear Radio France Inter on 711 kHz, far into the UK and as far as Reading, Berkshire

DXing equipment

Radio equipment used in DXing ranges from inexpensive portable receivers to deluxe equipment costing thousands of dollars. Using just a simple AM radio, one can easily hear signals from the most powerful stations propagating hundreds of miles at night. Even an inexpensive shortwave radio can receive signals emanating from several countries during any time of day.

Serious hobbyists use more elaborate receivers designed specifically for pulling in distant signals, and often build their own antennas specifically designed for a specific frequency band. There is much discussion and debate in the hobby about the relative merits of lesser priced shortwave receivers vs. their multi-thousand dollar "big brother" radios. In general, a good desktop or "PC Radio" will be able to "hear" just about what a very expensive high-performance receiver can receive. The difference between the two types comes into play during difficult band or reception conditions. The expensive receiver will have more filtering options and usually better adjacent channel interference blocking, sometimes resulting in the difference of being able to receive or not receive a signal under poor conditions. Reception of international broadcasting seldom shows a noticeable difference between the two radios. Car radios are also used for DXing the broadcast bands.
Another recent^[when?] trend is for the hobbyist to employ multiple radios and antennas connected to a personal computer. Through advanced radio control software, the radios can be automatically ganged together, so that tuning one radio can tune all the others in the group. This DXing technique is sometimes referred to as diversity reception and facilitates easy "A to B" comparison of different antennas and receivers for a given signal. For more details on "PC Radios" or computer controlled shortwave receivers see the discussion in Shortwave listening.
Having a minimum of two Dipole antenna at right angles to each other, for example, one running North-South and one running East-West can produce dramatically different reception patterns. These simple antennas can be made for a few dollars worth of wire and a couple of insulators.