Spokane's Steve Becker said he still likes to scan the modern version of the radio dial to see what far-away stations he can pick up.

He said it is not unusual to tune in stations from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Calgary, Edmonton and other cities out West. 

But his No. 1 long-distance story comes from a time his own voice was the one someone heard.

It was back in the mid-'80s and he was working for a radio station in Seattle. He got a card in the mail from a guy in New Zealand who had picked up one of his broadcasts. This guy wanted Becker to confirm that he had been on the air on the date in question.

Becker said the fellow reported that he had been on a mountaintop when scanning the radio dial for distant stations.

"I guess the signal must have taken a big skip off the ionosphere," said Becker.   

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