{"id":67454,"date":"2026-10-23T07:06:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=67454"},"modified":"2026-10-23T07:07:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:07:14","slug":"am-bcb-radio-dxing-in-1973-kkjo-1550-turning-back-the-clocks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/am-bcb-radio-dxing-in-1973-kkjo-1550-turning-back-the-clocks\/","title":{"rendered":"AM BCB Radio DXing in 1973 – KKJO 1550 – Turning back the clocks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Image: Universal Radio<\/p><\/div>\n

by Dan Greenall<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the House of Representatives in the U.S.approved the Sunshine Protection Act, the Senate has not yet passed it, meaning most states should return to “Standard Time” on November 1. The DJ in the following recording seemed pleased that he would be getting an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, October 28, 1973. However, should some states choose to adopt Daylight Time permanently in the future, the time zones, as we have known them, could become quite fragmented. Caution will need to be taken when trying to ID a BCB station by means of their time check.<\/p>\n

In the wee hours of October 28, 1973, this DX recording was made of radio station KKJO in St. Joseph, MO (about an hour’s drive north of Kansas City) broadcasting on 1550 kHz in the AM broadcast band. According to White’s Radio Log for Fall 1973, KKJO was running 5000 watts of power. My receiving post was some 800 + miles distant in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. I was using a Realistic DX-150A communications receiver hooked up to a long wire antenna. You can hear the station fade gradually in and out a number of times during the recording, but fortunately faded in around the 2:49 mark to catch their station ID and announcement about returning to Central Standard Time. Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” is heard at first, and Art Garfunkel’s “All I Know” afterward, 2 very popular songs in 1973.<\/p>\n

Recording:<\/a><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/KKJO-1550-Oct-28-1973-01.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

This was considered unusual reception at my listening post. The image below shows the nighttime antenna patterns for radio stations on 1550 kHz.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Also check out this close-up coverage map (PDF).<\/a><\/p>\n

You will note that Windsor, Ontario station CBE is normally heard in southern Ontario, and that KKJO’s signal is mostly directed to the north and west of St. Joseph, MO. On this occasion, it seems that CBE may have been off the air for maintenance, and KKJO was then heard off the side of their beamed signal.<\/p>\n

73<\/p>\n

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Dan Greenall While the House of Representatives in the U.S.approved the Sunshine Protection Act, the Senate has not yet passed it, meaning most states should return to “Standard Time” on November 1. The DJ in the following recording seemed pleased that he would be getting an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, October 28, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[373,5935,433,3],"tags":[6426,10271,10772],"class_list":["post-67454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-am","category-dx","category-mediumwave","category-news","tag-am-dx","tag-dan-greenall","tag-kkjo"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-hxY","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":62700,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/pure-am-radio-nostalgia-vintage-aircheck-recordings-from-the-1970s-by-dan-greenall\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":0},"title":"Pure AM Radio Nostalgia: Vintage Aircheck Recordings from the 1970s by Dan Greenall","author":"Thomas","date":"April 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall for once again sharing a remarkable collection of vintage off-air AM radio recordings. In this post, he shares recordings made from his home and during his travels across North America and the Caribbean. Dan writes: Hi Thomas Judging by the interest on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Dan-Greenall-AM-Letters-1.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":66059,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/dxing-from-another-country-bermuda-1975\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":1},"title":"DXing from another country – Bermuda 1975","author":"Thomas","date":"May 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dan Greenall A half-century ago, long before the internet, e-mail, and SDRs, I was fortunate to visit the islands of Bermuda. In addition to meeting up with a fellow amateur radio operator, whom I had contacted from my home QTH in Ontario, Canada, I was able to do some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dan-Greenall-Bermuda-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dan-Greenall-Bermuda-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dan-Greenall-Bermuda-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60649,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/09\/60649\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":2},"title":"Clear Channel Stations: Dan’s gateway into the world of DXing","author":"Thomas","date":"September 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Dan Greenall, one of our dedicated\u00a0Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributors, who shares the following guest post: Clear channel BCB stations \u2013 My Introduction to the world of DXing by Dan Greenall Sometime in the mid 1960\u2019s, I acquired a Japanese made AM only transistor radio similar to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WJR-Detroit-MI-1970.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WJR-Detroit-MI-1970.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WJR-Detroit-MI-1970.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WJR-Detroit-MI-1970.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WJR-Detroit-MI-1970.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60168,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/dan-asks-what-is-your-longest-dx\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":3},"title":"Dan asks: “What is your longest DX?”","author":"Thomas","date":"July 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: What is your longest DX (from transmitter to receiver)? Assuming we are limiting the discussion to planet Earth, Perth, Australia would be represent one of the farthest land based locations to hear at 18145 km or 11275 miles as the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DX"","block_context":{"text":"DX","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/dx\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ABC-Perth-Australia-1970.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ABC-Perth-Australia-1970.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ABC-Perth-Australia-1970.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ABC-Perth-Australia-1970.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ABC-Perth-Australia-1970.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59604,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/dans-digital-archive-of-qsl-cards\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":4},"title":"Dan’s digital archive of QSL Cards","author":"Thomas","date":"May 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas In addition to digitizing many of my old SW and BCB audio files, I have begun setting up some of my QSL galleries on the internet archive in order to help preserve radio history. I am sending along\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/El-Salvador.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/El-Salvador.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/El-Salvador.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/El-Salvador.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/El-Salvador.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57327,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/radio-botswana-barnyard-sounds-mystery\/","url_meta":{"origin":67454,"position":5},"title":"Radio Botswana barnyard sounds mystery","author":"Thomas","date":"July 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post and SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following off-air shortwave radio recording and writes: In all of the recordings of Radio Botswana\u2019s famous barnyard interval signal I can find, the barnyard sounds are accompanied by the sound of cowbells. There is usually a rooster\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67454"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67461,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67454\/revisions\/67461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}