Before JAN 1st, the end of the month is better for sunset DX. After JAN 1st the beginning of the month is best. (Plus the beginning of the month may be a time to catch stations failing to adjust to the new month). The sign-off times or power down times are set at the 15th of each month, so that's what creates the window of opportunity before or after the 15th. Long before software came onto the scene, the NRC had a reprint available with a map of the US and world for each month showing the sign off zones in 15 minutes increments. Some months the lines are nearly north/south and other months they are skewed. In every month there are opportunities. Neil Kazaross has worked out some charts that demonstrate the best months to go after certain western stations, those times when the target station is in the dark for the longest period. Some stations have post-sunset and pre-sunset authority to operate before sunrise and after sunset, usually with much limited power. Some of them, I think, don't bother to power down though. Check the NRC list to see if the chart is still available. One of the most glorious experiences years ago was to sit on 1580 and listen through the afternoon and evening as stations would sign off in turn every 15 minutes. Jim Renfrew
On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Les Rayburn <l...@highnoonfilm.com> wrote: > Forgive the idiot questions. I'm not new to AM DXing, so can't really even > use the "newbie" excuse. > > When I asked about software to help with gray line DX, I should have been > more specific. I'm interested in sunset DX (and to a lesser extent sunrise > DX). I know that certain times of the year result in some AM stations > switching to nighttime power levels well after my local sunset. Sometimes > they can remain at daytime power/pattern long enough for them to be logged > when it might otherwise be impossible. > > I know this occurs more in some months than others. > > What I'm looking for is software that might aid in determining how much of > an opportunity exists on a given day for these types of loggings. > > Does that make more sense? I'm sure that more experienced DX'ers can just > do this in their heads--but it's hard for me to visualize. > > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle > Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA > > Perseus SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering > Active Whips, > Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW 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