"Has there been any LW broadcasts recievable in the USA in the last 15 years?....All I can ever recall tuning on that band is atmospheric noise."
Yes! Winter of 2009 (from the west coast) was also hot for long wave reception from Russia. Many nights that winter, using the same radio and antenna, Radio Rossii was clearly heard on 279, 180 and 153 kHz! Some evenings 279 was strong enough to be heard on a Sony 2010, using just the built-in antenna. RR 279 transmits from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsko with 500 kw!
jr
sad edit add... looks as if Jan. 2014 was about the end of Russian LW broadcasting:
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-f...where-25683656
.