Scott, Maybe I was a bit too pessimestic by my statement, but Scott, as you know I live in an area that it pretty clear of electronical noise and away from many powerhouse stations. I am sure with a series of phased EWE antennas, I will be able to combat a lot of the noise regarding DX from Asia and the Pacific. I have already been able to phase the SW and WNW EWE's to get a pretty darn tight lobe to the N/NW killing much of the signal from the South and East. It does pretty well. I think with more EWE's at slightly different angles from the SW to the North I may beable to even get better results. But I have been spoiled for many years living here on the coast. In the realm of the real world of DXing that most have to deal with, I have avoided much of it. To think some stupid thing like IBOC will have such a dramatic effect on our hobby, is unthinkable in many ways. IBOC is not even worth the paper it is written on. Something absolutely useless. If someone would have said this would be the future 20 years ago, I would have laughed. Generally change does bring a lot of advatages. You lose some things and you gain some things. But there is always a plus side. Even BPL will bring inexpensive internet to people at the expense of more noise. But AM IBOC has no usefull properties. Zero. Just a way for the big coimpanies to control the air ways. Totally a waste of time and money. Like you, I do have other hobbies, autograph collecting, DVD/Video collectinfg, Satellite TV, and all sorts of that. Even without the AM band, I still have many interests. But a hobby I have loved for 45 years, going out the door this way. Well, maybe not going out the door as yet per se, but greatly affected by a bunch of garbage. I have been a DXer of Short Wave almost as long as MW, so that too is an option. But I will be fighting to keep what I can DXwise on the MW Band. I don't give up and I wont. I am happy I do live in a rural area. At least there are more options. But as KAZ has said, my Eastern beverage may not be of much use with so many of the 50 KWer Coast to Coast stations go the Buzz Saw direction. I already see that to a point. Time will tell. Those row of trees in the backyard (If I don't lose more in the high winds. I already have lost two), may have a series of 50-100 foot EWEs in them in the future.
73, Patrick Patrick Martin KAVT Reception Manager _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com