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Palisade Head is a Minnesota radio site along the northwest shore of Lake Superior. The site, which may be among the most magnificent along the lake, is just 55 miles northeast of Duluth and 115 miles southwest of Thunder Bay. Despite its more crowded dial than other locations along the north shore, still hearing distant stations – it’s 185 miles northwest of Marquette and 330 miles northwest of Sault Ste. Marie – is almost expected here. This site, by a scheduling quirk only, was monitored on two separate days. On both days, reception easily topped 350 miles into Northern Michigan as if one were listening instead from the Batchawana Bay site. Expect regular reception here from Northern Michigan, Marquette, Green Bay, La Crosse, and Minneapolis.
PALISADE HEAD, MINNESOTA BANDSCAN (DAY 1)
July 27, 2018 1915-2050 CDT / 72°F
Location: 47°19’12.2″N 91°12’40.5″W
815 feet (215 feet above lake level)
121 stations total / Average distance: 143 mi.
* station was received on seek
*88.1 WWEN WI Wentworth / Real Presence R. / 1.8kw / 15dBµ, mono (68 mi.)
88.3 WKIW MI Ironwood / K-Love / 300w / 20dBµ, mono (77 mi.)
88.3 CBQT ON Thunder Bay / CBC R. 1 Thunder Bay / 23.73kw / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
*88.5 IBOC (WMLS)
*88.7 WMLS MN Grand Marais / Classical MPR / 6kw / 55dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
*88.9 WOJB WI Reserve / Woodland Community R. / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono + IBOC (100 mi.)
89.1 KSPP WI Rhinelander / Northwoods Catholic R. / 18kw / 5dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
89.3 CBON-20 ON Thunder Bay / Ici Première / 16.5kw / 15dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
89.3 WPNE WI Green Bay / WPR News & Classical / 97kw / 10dBµ, mono (253 mi.)
89.5 IBOC (WLSN)
*89.7 WLSN MN Grand Marais / MPR News / 6kw / 50dBµ, mono! (51 mi.)
*89.9 WHSA WI Brule / WPR News & Classical / 92kw / 35dBµ, mono (61 mi.)
*90.1 WNMU MI Marquette / Public R. 90 / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (172 mi.)
*90.3 WHBM WI Park Falls / WPR Ideas / 35kw / 25dBµ, mono (105 mi.)
90.5 KDNI MN Duluth / Faith Radio / 2kw / 15dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
90.5 WPFF WI Sturgeon Bay / K-Love / 100kw / in null (248 mi.)
*90.7 WTIP MN Grand Marais / N. Shore Comm. R. / 25kw / 60dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
*90.9 WUWS WI Ashland / WPR Ideas / 24.5kw / 30dBµ, mono (52 mi.)
*91.1 WGGL MI Houghton / Minnesota Public R. / 100kw / 35dBµ, stereo (120 mi.)
*91.3 KUWS WI Superior / WPR Ideas / 83kw / 20dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
91.3 WGBT WI Tomahawk / R. 74 Internationale / 22kw / 10dBµ, mono (133 mi.)
*91.5 CKPR ON Thunder Bay / Hot AC / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (128 mi.)
*91.7 WXPR WI Rhinelander / Public R. / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (142 mi.)
*91.9 K220BI MN Grand Marais / The Refuge / 34w / 30dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
92.1 WWAX MN Hermantown / The Fan / 5.4kw / 10dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
92.3 WJPD MI Ishpeming / Big Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
92.3 WRLS WI Hayward / The Best Mix / 6kw / 5dBµ, mono (91 mi.)
92.5 WFDX MI Atlanta / The Fox FM / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (364 mi.)
92.5 WJJQ WI Tomahawk / Northwoods 92.5 / 25kw / 5dBµ, mono in null (145 mi.)
92.7 W224AW MI Bergland / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 5dBµ, mono (89 mi.)
*92.9 WSCD MN Duluth / Classical MPR / 70kw / 20dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
93.1 WIMK MI Iron Mountain / 93 Rock / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
93.1 CFNO ON Marathon / Hometown Sound / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono (236 mi.)
*93.3 WBSZ WI Ashland / Z93 / 71kw / 45dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
*93.5 WKMJ MI Hancock / Mix 93.5 / 25kw / 15dBµ, mono (124 mi.)
*93.7 WCYE WI Three Lakes / Coyote 93.7 / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (142 mi.)
93.9 WNBY MI Newberry / Oldies 93 / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono (294 mi.)
94.1 WUPK MI Marquette / 94 Rock / 4.4kw / 5dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
*94.3 CJSD ON Thunder Bay / Rock 94 / 90kw / 25dBµ, stereo (128 mi.)
*94.5 WRJO WI Eagle River / Cl. Hits / 50kw / 15dBµ, mono (118 mi.)
94.7 WOZZ WI Mosinee / Rock 94.7 / 50kw / 5dBµ, mono (171 mi.)
*94.9 KQDS MN Duluth / Cl. Rock / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono, dom. (56 mi.)
94.9 WUPZ MI Chocolay Twp. / The Bay / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (185 mi.)
95.1 WLST WI Marinette / Cat Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (230 mi.)
95.1 WQRB WI Bloomer / B95 / 8.9kw / 5dBµ, mono (166 mi.)
95.3 –
95.5 WIFC WI Wausau / CHR / 98.6kw / 15dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
*95.7 KDAL MN Duluth / My 95.7 / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
95.9 WMQA WI Minocqua / Kool 95.9 / 22kw / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
96.1 WXYM WI Tomah / Mix 96 / 44kw / 10dBµ, mono (228 mi.)
96.1 WJMC WI Rice Lake / Country / 50kw / 5dBµ, mono (120 mi.)
96.3 WLXT MI Petoskey / Lite 96.3 / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (332 mi.)
96.3 WSFQ WI Peshtigo / Hits 96 / 49kw / 5dBµ, mono in null (221 mi.)
96.5 WHOH WI Rhinelander / Sports R. 96.5 / 6.6kw / 10dBµ, mono (149 mi.)
96.5 WKLK MN Cloquet / K96.5 / 36kw / 5dBµ, mono (69 mi.)
*96.7 WJJH WI Ashland / Real Rock J96 / 50kw / 40dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
96.9 WWWX WI Oshkosh / The Fox / 6kw / 5dBµ, mono (257 mi.)
97.1 WGLQ MI Escanaba / Magic 97 GLQ / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (218 mi.)
*97.3 WHDG WI Rhinelander / Hodag Country / 100kw / 25dBµ, mono (165 mi.)
*97.3 KDNW MN Duluth / Life 97.3 / 72kw / 25dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
97.5 W248BU MI Ishpeming / Good Time Oldies //WQKS HD-3 / 250w / 10dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
97.7 WOLV MI Houghton / The Wolf / 6.5kw / 15dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
97.9 WSPT WI Stevens Point / Cl. Hits / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (207 mi.)
98.1 W251AE MI Victoria / Gospel Opportunities / 5w / 10dBµ, mono (103 mi.)
*98.3 WCQM WI Park Falls / 98Q / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (106 mi.)
98.5 WQLH WI Green Bay / Star 98 / 100kw / 3dBµ, mono (236 mi.)
*98.7 WGLI MI Hancock / The Rockin’ Eagle / 52kw / 20dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
*98.9 KTCO MN Duluth / Kat Country / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
98.9 CBQY ON Nipigon / CBC R. 1 Thunder Bay / 2kw / 10dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
*99.1 WIKB MI Iron River / True Country / 60kw / 30dBµ, stereo (152 mi.)
99.3 WKEB WI Medford / K99 / 23kw / 5dBµ, mono (155 mi.)
99.3 W257CZ MI Houghton / The Lift //1400 / 250w / 5dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
99.5 WNGE MI Negaunee / Oldies 99.5 / 3.6kw / 5dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
99.5 WPKR WI Omro / Nash FM / 25kw / 5dBµ, mono (271 mi.)
*99.7 WIMI MI Ironwood / The Storm / 100kw / 45dBµ, stereo (77 mi.)
99.9 W260AC MI Houghton / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 5dBµ, mono (126 mi.)
99.9 WHAK MI Rogers City / The Wave / 50kw / faint (372 mi.)
100.1 WRHN WI Rhinelander / Jack FM / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (145 mi.)
100.3 WUPT MI Gwinn / The Point / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (185 mi.)
*100.5 WSCN MN Cloquet / MPR News / 97kw / 25dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
100.7 WOBE MI Crystal Falls / Radio Now / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
100.7 WBIZ WI Eau Claire / Z100 / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (166 mi.)
100.7 KIKV MN Sauk Centre / KIK-FM / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (218 mi.)
100.9 KOWZ MN Blooming Prairie / Adult Cont. / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (249 mi.)
*101.1 WUPY MI Ontonagon / Superior Country / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (103 mi.)
101.3 –
101.5 WJNR MI Iron Mountain / Frog Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
101.7 CBQ ON Thunder Bay / CBC Music Thunder Bay / 25kw / 15dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
101.7 KLDJ MN Duluth / Kool 101.7 / 18.5kw / 15dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
101.9 WKQS MI Negaunee / Sunny FM / 13kw / 15dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
101.9 WDEZ WI Wausau / Country / 98.5kw / 10dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
102.1 KEEY MN St. Paul / K102 / 100kw / 3dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
102.3 WHKB MI Houghton / K-Bear 102 / 6kw / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
*102.5 KDKE WI Superior / Duke FM / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
102.7 WRVM WI Suring / V. of the Master / 98kw / 5dBµ, mono (209 mi.)
102.9 KMNB MN Minneapolis / Buz’n / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
102.9 W275CR WI Hurley / Original Oldies R. //1450 / 250w / 3dBµ, mono (77 mi.)
102.9 WMKC MI Indian River / Big Country Hits / 100kw / in null (320 mi.)
103.1 –
*103.3 KUMD MN Duluth / Duluth Public R. / 95kw / 25dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
103.3 WFXD MI Marquette / 103-FXD / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
103.5 WTCM MI Traverse City / Country //93.5 / 100kw / 2dBµ, mono (330 mi.)
103.7 WWIB WI Hallie / Christian / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (153 mi.)
*103.9 W280DD MI Ironwood / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 10dBµ, mono (77 mi.)
104.1 KZJK MN St. Louis Park / Jack FM / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
*104.3 WVCN MI Baraga / VCY America / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (141 mi.)
*104.3 KZIO MN Two Harbors / MPR The Current / 50kw / 25dBµ, stereo (45 mi.)
104.5 WAXX WI Eau Claire / Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
*104.7 WHWA WI Washburn / WPR News & Classical / 17.5kw / 55dBµ, stereo (45 mi.)
104.9 –
*105.1 KKCB MN Duluth / B105 / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*105.3 WRLO WI Antigo / Rock 105.3 / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (167 mi.)
*105.3 CKTG ON Thunder Bay / Country 105 / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (128 mi.)
*105.5 K288BF MN Grand Marais / Life 97.3 / 122w / 25dBµ, stereo (51 mi.)
*105.7 WCUP MI L’Anse / Eagle Country / 100kw / 25dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
*105.9 WEGZ WI Washburn / VCY America / 98kw / 65dBµ, stereo (45 mi.)
106.1 WACD WI Antigo / Country 106 / 10kw / 10dBµ, mono (182 mi.)
106.3 WGMV MI Stephenson / Maverick 106 / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono (216 mi.)
106.5 WYTE WI Marshfield / Y106.5 / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (196 mi.)
106.5 W293CT MN Duluth / Sasquatch //560 / 99w / 5dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
106.7 WATQ WI Chetek / Moose Country / 35kw / 15dBµ, mono (150 mi.)
*106.9 WUPM MI Ironwood / Stereo 106.9 / 100kw / 50dBµ, stereo (81 mi.)
107.1 = 106.9
*107.3 WNXR WI Iron River / Cl. Hits / 21kw / 50dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
107.5 WCCN WI Neillsville / The Rock / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (191 mi.)
107.7 KBMX MN Proctor / Mix 108 / 7.7kw / 25dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
107.7 WMQT MI Ishpeming / Q107 / 98kw / 15dBµ, mono in null (177 mi.)
107.9 WBCV WI Wausau / Big Cheese / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (178 mi.)
Inconclusive signals: 88.9
RDS was not monitored
Station notes:
95.3 WVVE MN Grand Marais is off the air with future sign-on in August //106.7
96.7 WUPG MI Republic is at 800w instead of the licensed 50kw
99.5 WYSS MI Sault Ste. Marie is at 1.3kw from a backup tower instead of 100kw
105.5 WMKD MI Pickford is at 700w from a backup tower instead of 100kw
106.7 KZJZ MN Babbitt is off the air with future sign-on in August //95.3
My original plan for this site was, well… to pass it by. I had originally planned a possible bandscan at Split Rock Lighthouse, 11 miles further down the shore, though my specific plans were still a bit up in the air from the beginning. However, because of the strong low pressure that brought clouds and rain to my journeys in Thunder Bay, I arrived into Thunder Bay too late the day before to take a scan with the lake breeze fully active and instead had to delay that until the following day. Therefore, I arrived at all Minnesota sites late as well.
By the time I arrived at Palisade Head, it was 7 p.m., just as conditions along the water begin to weaken. Regardless, I was thrilled with what I could hear at this site. It was peaceful and quiet here on a Friday night with only a handful of visitors coming and going. The scenery was absolutely magnificent! My plan of spending the night in Duluth, where I fought to get one of the very last (overpriced) hotel rooms in town due to high demand on weekends, stood. I had to take the 70-minute trip into the city, thus skipping all the popular sights between.
But I’m far more stubborn than that. Instead, heading in the opposite direction of my plans and backtracking, I woke up early the next day and set out to beat the weekend crowds by seeing all the sights from Duluth back to Split Rock Lighthouse. After that, I took it further; I returned to Palisade Head, as the high pressure that had pushed in the evening before had obviously enhanced conditions, and performed a second bandscan. Palisade Head was mobbed with people, parking was “wherever and however you can fit your car in here,” but I nonetheless persisted before finally packing up and driving the 6½ hours to Copper Harbor.
Much later after the fact, I noticed my photos of Split Rock Lighthouse showed the telltale signs of a strong temperature inversion, the very method by which these radio signals propagate so well across the water. The difference in temperature between the cold water and the hot air above it form an inversion, and that inversion can also lead to mirages often visible as a thin gray line just over the water’s horizon. That line marks the top of a superior mirage over Lake Superior (the “superior” name is quite fitting here!) Oftentimes, you expect to see buildings, trees, or other such objects within a mirage, but no such objects exist out on the water, so you therefore see a mirage of… water.
Comparing these bandscans – Day 1 and Day 2 – one can notice that stations into Minneapolis, Eau Claire, and La Crosse have been enhanced. This is likely simply a result of the enhanced conditions due to the presence of the full lake breeze, which had already started to die down upon arrival on Day 1. Three 10-watt stations and one 5-watt station are present across the water in both scans in addition to a 34-watt station propagating parallel with the shore from Grand Marais. Even with the crowded Duluth dial present here and the many nearby Wisconsin stations across the narrow bay of the lake here, stations were blasting in here, thus making Palisade Head one of the most memorable sessions of 2018.
PALISADE HEAD, MINNESOTA BANDSCAN (DAY 2)
July 28, 2018 1100-1215 CDT / 72°F
Location: 47°19’12.2″N 91°12’40.5″W
815 feet (215 feet above lake level)
128 stations total / Average distance: 144 mi.
* station was received on seek
*88.1 WWEN WI Wentworth / Real Presence R. / 1.8kw / 25dBµ, stereo (68 mi.)
*88.3 WKIW MI Ironwood / K-Love / 300w / 30dBµ, stereo (77 mi.)
88.3 CBQT ON Thunder Bay / CBC R. 1 Thunder Bay / 23.73kw / in null (125 mi.)
88.5 = IBOC (WMLS)
*88.7 WMLS MN Grand Marais / Classical MPR / 6kw / 55dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
*88.9 WOJB WI Reserve / Woodland Community R. / 100kw / 25dBµ, mono + IBOC (100 mi.)
89.1 WHAA WI Adams / WPR Ideas / 28.5kw / 10dBµ, mono (241 mi.)
89.3 KCMP MN Northfield / MPR The Current / 97.6kw / 10dBµ, mono (202 mi.)
89.3 CBON-20 ON Thunder Bay / Ici Première / 16.5kw / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
89.5 = IBOC (WLSN)
*89.7 WLSN MN Grand Marais / MPR News / 6kw / 60dBµ, mono! (51 mi.)
*89.9 WHSA WI Brule / WPR News & Classical / 92kw / 40dBµ, stereo (61 mi.)
*90.1 WNMU MI Marquette / Public R. 90 / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono + IBOC (172 mi.)
*90.3 WHBM WI Park Falls / WPR Ideas / 35kw / 30dBµ, mono (105 mi.)
*90.5 KDNI MN Duluth / Faith Radio / 2kw / 20dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
*90.7 WTIP MN Grand Marais / N. Shore Comm. R. / 25kw / 60dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
*90.9 WUWS WI Ashland / WPR Ideas / 24.5kw / 40dBµ, mono (52 mi.)
90.9 WUPJ MI Escanaba / Strong Tower R. / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (202 mi.)
*91.1 WGGL MI Houghton / Minnesota Public R. / 100kw / 45dBµ, stereo (120 mi.)
*91.3 KUWS WI Superior / WPR Ideas / 83kw / 30dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*91.3 WGBT WI Tomahawk / R. 74 Internationale / 22kw / 15dBµ, mono (133 mi.)
91.5 CKPR ON Thunder Bay / Hot AC / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (128 mi.)
91.5 WVCM MI Iron Mountain / VCY America / 500w / 10dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
*91.7 WXPR WI Rhinelander / Public R. / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (142 mi.)
*91.9 K220BI MN Grand Marais / The Refuge / 34w / 35dBµ, stereo! (51 mi.)
92.1 WWAX MN Hermantown / The Fan / 5.4kw / 15dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
92.3 WJPD MI Ishpeming / Big Country / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
92.5 WJJQ WI Tomahawk / Northwoods 92.5 / 25kw / 15dBµ, mono, dom. (145 mi.)
92.5 WFDX MI Atlanta / The Fox FM / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono in null (364 mi.)
92.7 W224AW MI Bergland / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 15dBµ, mono (89 mi.)
*92.9 WSCD MN Duluth / Classical MPR / 70kw / 35dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*93.1 WIMK MI Iron Mountain / 93 Rock / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
93.1 CFNO ON Marathon / Hometown Sound / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono in null (236 mi.)
*93.3 WBSZ WI Ashland / Z93 / 71kw / 45dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
*93.5 WKMJ MI Hancock / Mix 93.5 / 25kw / 20dBµ, mono (124 mi.)
*93.7 WCYE WI Three Lakes / Coyote 93.7 / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (142 mi.)
93.9 WNBY MI Newberry / Oldies 93 / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono (294 mi.)
93.9 WTBX MN Hibbing / Hot AC / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (84 mi.)
94.1 WIAL WI Elk Mound / i-94 / 84kw / 15dBµ, mono (172 mi.)
94.1 WUPK MI Marquette / 94 Rock / 4.4kw / 10dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
94.3 CJSD ON Thunder Bay / Rock 94 / 90kw / 15dBµ, mono (128 mi.)
94.3 WZNL MI Norway / Star 94.3 / 2.4kw / 10dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
*94.5 WRJO WI Eagle River / Cl. Hits / 50kw / 20dBµ, mono (118 mi.)
94.7 WOZZ WI Mosinee / Rock 94.7 / 50kw / 10dBµ, mono (171 mi.)
*94.9 KQDS MN Duluth / Cl. Rock //106.3 / 100kw / 25dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
*94.9 WUPZ MI Chocolay Twp. / The Bay / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (185 mi.)
95.1 WLST WI Marinette / Cat Country / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (230 mi.)
95.3 WGMO WI Spooner / 95 GMO / 7.1kw / 5dBµ, mono (119 mi.)
*95.5 WIFC WI Wausau / CHR / 98.6kw / 20dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
*95.7 KDAL MN Duluth / My 95.7 / 100kw / 35dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*95.7 WHWL MI Marquette / Gospel Opportunities / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (188 mi.)
95.9 WMQA WI Minocqua / Kool 95.9 / 22kw / 5dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
96.1 WJMC WI Rice Lake / Country / 50kw / 5dBµ, mono (120 mi.)
96.3 WSFQ WI Peshtigo / Hits 96 / 49kw / 20dBµ, mono (221 mi.)
96.3 WLXT MI Petoskey / Lite 96.3 / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono in null (332 mi.)
96.5 WHOH WI Rhinelander / Sports R. 96.5 / 6.6kw / 15dBµ, mono (149 mi.)
*96.7 WJJH WI Ashland / Real Rock J96 / 50kw / 40dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
96.9 WWWX WI Oshkosh / The Fox / 6kw / 5dBµ, mono (257 mi.)
97.1 KTCZ MN Minneapolis / Cities 97 / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
97.1 WGLQ MI Escanaba / Magic 97 GLQ / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (218 mi.)
*97.3 KDNW MN Duluth / Life 97.3 / 72kw / 35dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
97.3 WHDG WI Rhinelander / Hodag Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (165 mi.)
97.5 W248BU MI Ishpeming / Good Time Oldies //WQKS HD-3 / 250w / 5dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
*97.7 WOLV MI Houghton / The Wolf / 6.5kw / 25dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
97.9 WIHC MI Newberry / Strong Tower R. / 50kw / 5dBµ, mono (294 mi.)
97.9 WSPT WI Stevens Point / Cl. Hits / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (207 mi.)
*98.1 W251AE MI Victoria / Gospel Opportunities / 5w / 10dBµ, mono (103 mi.)
98.1 WISM WI Altoona / Greatest Hits 98.1 / 25kw / 10dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
*98.3 WCQM WI Park Falls / 98Q / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (106 mi.)
98.5 WQLH WI Green Bay / Star 98 / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (236 mi.)
*98.7 WGLI MI Hancock / The Rockin’ Eagle / 52kw / 30dBµ, stereo (125 mi.)
*98.9 KTCO MN Duluth / Kat Country / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*99.1 WIKB MI Iron River / True Country / 60kw / 25dBµ, stereo (152 mi.)
99.3 WKEB WI Medford / K99 / 23kw / 15dBµ, mono (155 mi.)
99.3 W257CZ MI Houghton / The Lift //1400 / 250w / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
99.5 KSJN MN Minneapolis / Classical MPR / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
99.5 WNGE MI Negaunee / Oldies 99.5 / 3.6kw / 10dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
*99.7 WIMI MI Ironwood / The Storm / 100kw / 60dBµ, stereo (77 mi.)
99.9 W260AC MI Houghton / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 5dBµ, mono + 99.7 (126 mi.)
*100.1 WRHN WI Rhinelander / Jack FM / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (145 mi.)
*100.3 WUPT MI Gwinn / The Point / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono + IBOC (185 mi.)
*100.5 WSCN MN Cloquet / MPR News / 97kw / 30dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
*100.7 WOBE MI Crystal Falls / Radio Now / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
100.7 WBIZ WI Eau Claire / Z100 / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (166 mi.)
100.9 KOWZ MN Blooming Prairie / Adult Cont. / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (249 mi.)
*101.1 WUPY MI Ontonagon / Superior Country / 100kw / 50dBµ, stereo (103 mi.)
101.3 KDWB MN Richfield / CHR / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
101.5 WJNR MI Iron Mountain / Frog Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (183 mi.)
101.5 WWJC WI Augusta / Prayz Network / 1kw / 5dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
*101.7 KLDJ MN Duluth / Kool 101.7 / 18.5kw / 20dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
101.7 CBQ ON Thunder Bay / CBC Music Thunder Bay / 25kw / 10dBµ, mono (125 mi.)
*101.9 WKQS MI Negaunee / Sunny FM / 13kw / 15dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
101.9 WDEZ WI Wausau / Country / 98.5kw / 5dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
102.1 KEEY MN St. Paul / K102 / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
*102.3 WHKB MI Houghton / K-Bear 102 / 6kw / 20dBµ, stereo (125 mi.)
*102.5 KDKE WI Superior / Duke FM / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
102.5 WCMM MI Gulliver / The Moose / 60kw / 10dBµ, mono in null (243 mi.)
102.7 WRVM WI Suring / V. of the Master / 98kw / 15dBµ, mono (209 mi.)
102.9 W275CR WI Hurley / Original Oldies R. //1450 / 250w / 10dBµ, mono (77 mi.)
102.9 KMNB MN Minneapolis / Buz’n / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
103.1 WOGB WI Reedsville / Cl. Hits / 3.6kw / 1dBµ, mono (257 mi.)
*103.3 KUMD MN Duluth / Duluth Public R. / 95kw / 30dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*103.3 WFXD MI Marquette / 103-FXD / 100kw / 20dBµ, mono (176 mi.)
103.5 WTCM MI Traverse City / Country / 100kw / 3dBµ, mono (330 mi.)
103.7 WWIB WI Hallie / Christian / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (153 mi.)
*103.9 W280DD MI Ironwood / Gospel Opportunities / 10w / 20dBµ, mono (77 mi.)
104.1 KZJK MN St. Louis Park / Jack FM / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono (181 mi.)
104.1 WRLU WI Algoma / Cl. Country / 2.4kw / in null (256 mi.)
*104.3 WVCN MI Baraga / VCY America / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (141 mi.)
104.3 KZIO MN Two Harbors / MPR The Current / 50kw / 15dBµ, mono in null (45 mi.)
*104.5 WAXX WI Eau Claire / Country / 100kw / 10dBµ, mono (184 mi.)
*104.7 WHWA WI Washburn / WPR News & Classical / 17.5kw / 55dBµ, stereo (45 mi.)
104.9 –
*105.1 KKCB MN Duluth / B105 / 100kw / 30dBµ, stereo (56 mi.)
*105.3 WRLO WI Antigo / Rock 105.3 / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (167 mi.)
*105.3 CKTG ON Thunder Bay / Country 105 / 100kw / 25dBµ, mono (128 mi.)
*105.5 K288BF MN Grand Marais / Life 97.3 / 122w / 25dBµ, stereo (51 mi.)
*105.7 WCUP MI L’Anse / Eagle Country / 100kw / 25dBµ, stereo (125 mi.)
*105.9 WEGZ WI Washburn / VCY America / 98kw / 60dBµ, stereo (45 mi.)
106.1 WACD WI Antigo / Country 106 / 10kw / 10dBµ, mono + 105.9 (182 mi.)
*106.3 WMFG MN Hibbing / Cl. Rock //94.9 / 25kw / 10dBµ, mono (82 mi.)
106.5 WYTE WI Marshfield / Y106.5 / 100kw / 20dBµ, stereo (196 mi.)
106.5 W293CT MN Duluth / Sasquatch //560 / 99w / 5dBµ, mono in null (56 mi.)
106.7 WATQ WI Chetek / Moose Country / 35kw / 15dBµ, mono (150 mi.)
106.7 WSRT MI Gaylord / ESPN N. Michigan / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono in null (342 mi.)
*106.9 WUPM MI Ironwood / Stereo 106.9 / 100kw / 55dBµ, stereo (81 mi.)
*107.1 = 106.9
*107.3 WNXR WI Iron River / Cl. Hits / 21kw / 55dBµ, stereo (54 mi.)
107.5 WCCN WI Neillsville / The Rock / 100kw / 5dBµ, mono, faint (191 mi.)
*107.7 KBMX MN Proctor / Mix 108 / 7.7kw / 35dBµ, mono (56 mi.)
107.7 WMQT MI Ishpeming / Q107 / 98kw / 25dBµ, mono (177 mi.)
107.9 WBCV WI Wausau / Big Cheese / 100kw / 15dBµ, mono (178 mi.)
Inconclusive signals: None
RDS was not monitored
Station notes:
95.3 WVVE MN Grand Marais is off the air with future sign-on in August //106.7
96.7 WUPG MI Republic is at 800w instead of the licensed 50kw
99.5 WYSS MI Sault Ste. Marie is at 1.3kw from a backup tower instead of 100kw
105.5 WMKD MI Pickford is at 700w from a backup tower instead of 100kw
106.7 KZJZ MN Babbitt is off the air with future sign-on in August //95.3
Recommendations for this radio site: Palisade Head is one of the many tourist attractions in Minnesota’s North Shore region. Weekend crowds flock to Duluth in the summer and drive along the shore up to Grand Marais and enjoy the sights between. This makes accommodations a very rough endeavor in the Duluth and Superior area. Because of the high demand, the average name-brand hotels can go for as much as $350 a room; Motel 6 inflates their usual $60 weekday fee to $170+ at times. If there is any advice to be given here, it is to avoid the weekend!
Now, let’s say you can’t avoid the weekend. No matter how much I tried to move my plans around, I was stuck at one location or another where everything is booked on weekends and Duluth was one of those places. Simply put, leave early in the morning and plan your sightseeing accordingly. Palisade Head is a madhouse by late morning on a weekend and parking becomes extraordinarily difficult at the top. There is additional parking at the bottom along Highway 61, but it’s a moderately long hike to the top. The road up to the top has little space on the side for pedestrians and cars tend to haphazardly drive up and down it.
There are advantages to visiting Palisade Head on the weekend; cliff climbers were scattered everywhere on the weekend and they were a joy to watch and talk with. But if you want to do some radio work, weekdays is highly suggested. There are always some spots to avoid people even on busy days, but for the sake of consistency, I took my Day 2 bandscan in the exact same spot as my Day 1 scan, which was… in an exceptionally crowded area. While people may be fine for some, people are curious creatures who often like to strike up a conversation at the most inopportune moments.
If Palisade Head isn’t your cup of tea, your best bet is a hidden gem of a scenic overlook within view of Palisade Head (see the photo immediately above). Cliffs Northshore, the local taconite mining facility in Silver Bay, owns a scenic overlook across Highway 61 that reaches up to 1,000 feet in elevation, 400 feet above Lake Superior. The Cliffs Northshore Scenic Overlook has three overlooks just a short easy hike from the parking lot and tends to be very lightly visited as compared to Palisade Head just down the road. All the overlooks include a small covered hut with information on the area and the Cliffs operations at the plant immediately across the street. This is without any doubt a fantastic alternative as a listening site, which I didn’t personally visit until 2021, a trip plagued with wildfire smoke due to Boundary Waters fires during that summer, which did not include substantial radio work. The elevation here is slightly higher than Palisade Head, fellow visitors can be almost completely avoided, and there are still great views to be found that span 270°. The site includes a seasonal portable toilet, the only facilities here.
To get to Cliffs Northshore Scenic Overlook from Palisade Head: Head 2¾ miles south on Highway 61 to Outer Drive in Silver Bay. Take a right toward the center of town and drive 0.6 mile to City Shop Rd. on the left and follow the signs to the top. From the south, turn left onto Outer Drive in Silver Bay at mile marker 53.7.
Aside from Palisade Head, there are a number of tourist attractions along Highway 61 to see in the summer and autumn, when the colorful leaves draw their own flocks of tourists. Black Beach with its black-colored sand is worth a visit and lies at the end of E. Lakeview Drive, a turn off Highway 61 just 1.6 mile south of Palisade Head. There is a park along this road and the beach a short distance after the park, both with views of Palisade Head and only recently opened to the public in 2015 with directional signage largely non-existent. Black Beach Campground is also nearby with 49 sites. As mentioned above, Split Rock Lighthouse is just 11 miles to the southeast of Palisade Head. Admission to this site is $10. With that, you can take a guided tour or explore the area on your own. There are a few different parking lots in the area for different views of the coast and lighthouse. In addition, catch a good view of the lighthouse for free at the scenic overlook just south of the lighthouse’s main entrance off Highway 61. The lighthouse and surrounding areas is not advisable to be used as a radio site due to the higher number of visitors coming and going. But if people aren’t important, the overlook may be ideal as an alternate site.
Twenty minutes down the road from Palisade Head (8 minutes from the lighthouse) is Gooseberry Falls State Park, another popular area sight. The falls are free to see, though the large parking lot will fill up very quickly by mid to late morning on weekends, even overflowing elsewhere. Get there early or avoid weekends for the best experience. There is camping at this park, though it is limited to about 70 non-electric sites which can be hard to come by.
Just northeast of Two Harbors is Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel. The road along the north shore used to be drastically different back in the day. Stop in the parking area on the north side of the tunnel and take a short walk along the walkway beside it to read up on it and catch a nice view of the lake.
If you’re heading north instead of south, Grand Marais is the next major stop along the way, an hour northeast of Palisade Head. The town is a quirky addition to the north shore and is everything you wouldn’t expect it to be. Instead of describing it, my advice is to just visit the place and take a stroll around town. It can be bustling on any given day and it’s not as sleepy of a town as it may appear to be on the map. Be prepared to give it more time than you’d assume to need. While in and around town, be sure to listen to WTIP, North Shore Community Radio, ranked among the top stations in the country over the years and with good reason. It’s a very local community station with a little bit of everything and you’ll get a good feel for the happenings and people in these parts.
In addition to these major sites, there are a number of smaller sites along Highway 61 between Duluth and Grand Marais. There are waterfalls almost constantly, big and small. Most have marked parking areas with ample signage and maps and are no more than a 10-minute trek off the road. Some are literally right beside the road itself.
Heading north from Palisade Head, you’ll come across Tettegouche State Park, which has a large visitor center and rest area along Highway 61. Temperance River State Park is halfway to Grand Marais with a small campground and numerous trails. Right beside it in the hamlet of Schroeder is Father Baraga’s Cross, an historical marker just off the road. There are a few parking lots along Highway 61 here, but you can drive just a moment down Baraga Cross Rd. and park there instead. For those unfamiliar with Father Baraga, it’s a nice chance to take a minute and learn some history of the Great Lakes. An impressive 35-foot tall bronze statue of Baraga lies just down the road from the L’Anse radio site across the lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In addition, there is Cascade River State Park just beyond the granite cross with camping as well.
Location rating: Palisade Head is perhaps at the very top of the ladder for Lake Superior radio sites. While the other must-visit sites, including Nokomis Trail, Kama Bay Lookout, and Copper Harbor, are spectacular in their own rights, Palisade Head is surrounded by things to do and see, pulls in consistently strong reception from long distances, is amazingly scenic, has an alternate scenic overlook that is equally awesome for radio listening just down the road, and is close to services and accommodations.
Furthermore, there are alternate sites nearby, such as areas surrounding Split Rock Lighthouse, that can be used as well (note that 100+ feet of elevation is required for acceptable results along the Lake Superior shore). Parking at Palisade Head, whether you can find it or not, is free and there is always some spot atop these cliffs to avoid the flow of people at busy times.
Overall, Palisade Head is a must-visit site for anyone planning to pass through the north shore of Minnesota.