Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
89.9 0208 AUT Ö2 - Radio Wien, Wien 1/Kahlenberg (wie) AC0C ____DIO* 1247km **
89.9 0401 G BBC Radio 2, Wenvoe or Black Hill BBC News **
92.1 0729 D Bayern 1, Brotjacklriegel (bay) Jingle ID. Thanks Konrad DX for help. 1021km **
Band 2 Sporadic E:
97.5 1736 HRV HRT-HR 2, Otocac/Stipanov Gric (gs) C202 ____HR_2 1439km
87.7 1738 HRV HRT-HR 1, Licka Pljesivica (gs) C201 __HR____ 1456km
Band 2 Scatter:
102.8 1354 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Wesel-Büderich (nrw) German OM, as 102.7 456km
103.3 1354 D Funkhaus Europa, Langenberg/Hordtberg (nrw) Noise free stereo 505km
97.8 1358 HOL Radio 2, Westdorpe/Verkavelingsweg (zee) ID and ads 323km
98.2 1358 HOL Radio 4, Loon op Zand/Alticom Toren (nbr) Fair peaks 366km
96.3 1359 HOL Radio Veronica, Loon op Zand/Alticom Toren (nbr) Ads 366km
97.6 1359 HOL Radio Decibel, Rotterdam/Alticom Toren (Waalhaven) (zho) Fair, with ads 313km
94.5 1401 HOL Radio 4, Roermond/Alticom Toren (lim) Peaking over Peterborough 443km
92.0 1403 D WDR 5, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) OM news, as web 494km
89.6 1405 BEL VBRO, Brugge/Walakker (vlg-wvl) Nice peaks, almost noise free 295km
89.6 1405 F RDL-Radio Dallas Loisirs, Saint-Omer/Racquinghem (62) Blues song, fighting
with VBRO 306km
89.0 1406 BEL VRT MNM, Schoten (vlg-ant) Almost noise free 354km
100.0 1409 D WDR 4, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) Fair on peak 494km
103.1 1429 BEL Q-Music, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw/Norkring Toren (vlg-vbr) Fair peaks. Noise free stereo 376km
91.6 1710 D SWR3, Koblenz/Dieblich-Naßheck (rlp) Robbie Williams, as web 591km
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Three modes of propagation today!
The Es opening was tricky since signals were mostly too low for RDS.
There weren't a lot of stations, however the MUF reached at least 97.5.
It might have been much higher, but I was chasing what seemed to be
enhanced meteor scatter for several minutes before I reallised these
were in fact Es.
Only the FM3 was able to get RDS and noise free signals. The 9.2 was
subject to 20dB of noise until the late evening and I could barely hear
the Es.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Triax FM3 (Meteor Scatter)
Friday, 10 January 2014
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Skegness Log: 09-01-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
103.0 0015 HNG MR 1 Kossuth Rádió, Komádi (HaB) B203 1649km **
103.0 0514 I RAI Radio1, Menconico/Monte Penice (RAI) (pv) 5201 RADIO1__ 1136km **
87.7 1456 S SR P1, Halmstad/Oskarström-Slättåkra TM (ha) E201. Live listening.
Signal up to 33 dB 900km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Triax FM3 (Meteor Scatter)
103.0 0015 HNG MR 1 Kossuth Rádió, Komádi (HaB) B203 1649km **
103.0 0514 I RAI Radio1, Menconico/Monte Penice (RAI) (pv) 5201 RADIO1__ 1136km **
87.7 1456 S SR P1, Halmstad/Oskarström-Slättåkra TM (ha) E201. Live listening.
Signal up to 33 dB 900km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Triax FM3 (Meteor Scatter)
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Skegness Log: 08-01-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
93.9 0305 D MDR 1 Radio Sachsen, Leipzig/Wiederau (sac) Vocal ID 844km
91.6 0729 D Bayern 2, Hoher Bogen (bay) Programm info. Tnx Arvid Husdal for confirmation 976km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receiver:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Antennas:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Triax FM3 (Meteor Scatter)
93.9 0305 D MDR 1 Radio Sachsen, Leipzig/Wiederau (sac) Vocal ID 844km
91.6 0729 D Bayern 2, Hoher Bogen (bay) Programm info. Tnx Arvid Husdal for confirmation 976km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receiver:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Antennas:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Triax FM3 (Meteor Scatter)
Sweet Spots & Dead Zones
Nothing is ever straight-forward when it comes to antennas. While the theoretical aspects hold up well, the practice often seems to suggest the contrary.
In my own example, how can it be that a simple three element band 2 beam, just one metre above the ground, out-performs a professionally crafted and carefully optimised 9 element beam on a rooftop mast? Well, it can't. But the location is probably more important than many of us realise.
This unexpected discovery only came to me when I erected a Triax FM3 on the garden for the purpose of having a 'quiet' antenna for meteor scatter DXing. The facts which follow do not suggest that a Triax FM3 can outperform a Körner 9.2.
When I bought the fabulous Körner 9.2 antenna I was very impressed with its performance across band 2. Not only was the gain noticeably superior to that of my Triax FM5, it also exhibited far better directivity than I had expected. I used my garden as a test site before getting it on the rooftop mast. I was hearing fully quieting signals from troposcatter signals in excess of 700 km. They were actually noise free at times too. The 9.2 was only on a makeshift mast at only two to three metres above the ground. This was surely going to provide a huge improvement to my band 2 DXing, and indeed it did!
The problems I faced related to locally generated electrical noise. I won't go into that again as I have probably thrashed that topic too much as it is, but once the 9.2 went on the roof, I was aware that it received considerably more noise than it did when it was under analysis on the garden. Regular viewers will be aware that I am not allowed to have an antenna on a mast on the garden due to overzealous housing regulations. All antennas have to be professionally erected on the property.
To cut a long story short, I erected a Triax FM3 on a small tripod base in the middle of the garden. It was only one metre above the ground. I checked the reception and immediately noticed a super-quiet FM band. I say "super-quiet" because the noise levels registered 4dB across the band. This is as low as the XDR-GTK software goes. This is not high-grade laboratory standard test equipment so these readings might be best considered to be approximate, though it gives me a very good reference - something I did not have on the Sony XDR-F1HD which the software controls. Knowing how this software behaves, I would expect a reading down to 1dB were it able to go that low. I have no idea why it stops at 4dB.
While I was conducting this initial reception test, I noticed that many continental transmitters were coming though, fading in to noise free levels and then dropping out again. Typical scatter conditions, but wait a minute ... this seems to be picking up more continental signals that the rooftop 9.2. How can it be from this most basic of antenna setups? It must be because the noise levels are much quieter. RDS is now forming with signals as low as 20dB! I can hear meteor bursts coming in to 26dB already! This bodes well. But can this really be dragging in more DX than the 9.2? It certainly seems to be. Time to make a comparison.
Switching between the 9.2 and the FM3 provided me with some BIG surprises which I never expected. Both antennas received roughly the same amount of signal, though continent signals were in greater abundance on the FM3, quite clearly due to the FM3 receiving less noise, but it was apparent that the FM3 was picking up the same amount of signal level as the 9.2. Again, how could this be?
I then spent the next half an hour or so moving the FM3 around the garden. There was a very well-defined 'sweet spot' close to the middle of the garden. Moving the FM3 two metres further away from the property quietened the noise levels down even more, but also reduced the signals. Even with the FM3 one metre away from its original position saw a reduction in general pick-up. I had found this sweet spot by accident. It occurred to me that the rooftop 9.2 was in a dead zone. It's the same as receiving weak signals in a moving car. You will find you can get better reception by driving the car a metre or so forwards or backwards, etc.
So I find myself in the less than fortunate position of having the 9.2 antenna in a poor location. No wonder it performed so much better on the garden - it was very close to that sweet spot when I first tried it. I am now considering moving the 9.2 elsewhere on the property. I'll have to think about this carefully and conduct more tests. Bearing the housing situation and our neighbours in mind, this could be problematical.
John
In my own example, how can it be that a simple three element band 2 beam, just one metre above the ground, out-performs a professionally crafted and carefully optimised 9 element beam on a rooftop mast? Well, it can't. But the location is probably more important than many of us realise.
This unexpected discovery only came to me when I erected a Triax FM3 on the garden for the purpose of having a 'quiet' antenna for meteor scatter DXing. The facts which follow do not suggest that a Triax FM3 can outperform a Körner 9.2.
When I bought the fabulous Körner 9.2 antenna I was very impressed with its performance across band 2. Not only was the gain noticeably superior to that of my Triax FM5, it also exhibited far better directivity than I had expected. I used my garden as a test site before getting it on the rooftop mast. I was hearing fully quieting signals from troposcatter signals in excess of 700 km. They were actually noise free at times too. The 9.2 was only on a makeshift mast at only two to three metres above the ground. This was surely going to provide a huge improvement to my band 2 DXing, and indeed it did!
The problems I faced related to locally generated electrical noise. I won't go into that again as I have probably thrashed that topic too much as it is, but once the 9.2 went on the roof, I was aware that it received considerably more noise than it did when it was under analysis on the garden. Regular viewers will be aware that I am not allowed to have an antenna on a mast on the garden due to overzealous housing regulations. All antennas have to be professionally erected on the property.
To cut a long story short, I erected a Triax FM3 on a small tripod base in the middle of the garden. It was only one metre above the ground. I checked the reception and immediately noticed a super-quiet FM band. I say "super-quiet" because the noise levels registered 4dB across the band. This is as low as the XDR-GTK software goes. This is not high-grade laboratory standard test equipment so these readings might be best considered to be approximate, though it gives me a very good reference - something I did not have on the Sony XDR-F1HD which the software controls. Knowing how this software behaves, I would expect a reading down to 1dB were it able to go that low. I have no idea why it stops at 4dB.
While I was conducting this initial reception test, I noticed that many continental transmitters were coming though, fading in to noise free levels and then dropping out again. Typical scatter conditions, but wait a minute ... this seems to be picking up more continental signals that the rooftop 9.2. How can it be from this most basic of antenna setups? It must be because the noise levels are much quieter. RDS is now forming with signals as low as 20dB! I can hear meteor bursts coming in to 26dB already! This bodes well. But can this really be dragging in more DX than the 9.2? It certainly seems to be. Time to make a comparison.
Switching between the 9.2 and the FM3 provided me with some BIG surprises which I never expected. Both antennas received roughly the same amount of signal, though continent signals were in greater abundance on the FM3, quite clearly due to the FM3 receiving less noise, but it was apparent that the FM3 was picking up the same amount of signal level as the 9.2. Again, how could this be?
I then spent the next half an hour or so moving the FM3 around the garden. There was a very well-defined 'sweet spot' close to the middle of the garden. Moving the FM3 two metres further away from the property quietened the noise levels down even more, but also reduced the signals. Even with the FM3 one metre away from its original position saw a reduction in general pick-up. I had found this sweet spot by accident. It occurred to me that the rooftop 9.2 was in a dead zone. It's the same as receiving weak signals in a moving car. You will find you can get better reception by driving the car a metre or so forwards or backwards, etc.
So I find myself in the less than fortunate position of having the 9.2 antenna in a poor location. No wonder it performed so much better on the garden - it was very close to that sweet spot when I first tried it. I am now considering moving the 9.2 elsewhere on the property. I'll have to think about this carefully and conduct more tests. Bearing the housing situation and our neighbours in mind, this could be problematical.
John
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
No Noise Is Good Noise - Conclusion
I have been able to observe my noise levels in glorious detail since performing the Konrad i2c modification on my XDR-F1HD. It is becoming very clear why I have had so much difficulty with propagation modes such as meteor scatter and very weak scatter.
Although my location is coastal and I can receive many continental signals virtually all the time, there are periods when nothing seems to get through. It's as if my antenna has been unplugged. Without a signal meter, it has been impossible to know that I had any noise at all since 25dB of noise sounds almost identical to 5 dB of noise, thanks to the white noise heard with FM modulation.
Over the last few weeks I have been able to make three clear observations.
1. Noise levels are constantly variable and timings are random.
2. Noise varies between 14dB - 30dB (No amplification. 4dB = antenna unplugged)
3. There is more than one noise source.
Now I see the picture more clearly I realise that the amounts of noise vary from day to day and it doesn't just depend on the the time of day, thus I can probably rule out thermostatically controlled devices. The intensity of the noise also varies, as does the overall 'sound' of the noise, which can be a smooth 'white noise' or a slightly rough growl. The noise fades in and out too, sometimes slowly over several minutes and sometimes more abruptly in a matter of seconds. It never seems to be instant, as if indicating that somebody has switched on some apparatus, as I had expected it to be.
23dB is more than the amount necessary to get a fully quieting mono signal. Typically I find that a 15 to 18 dB signal can be noise free, unless the noise is present, then a 30dB signal can be noisy. The noise tends to disappear overnight now, returning anytime between 0700 and 0930, according to recent observations. It can be gone at 10:00 or, as is usual, continue throughout the day.
Since the noise levels have become more intermittent here recently, I have been able to hear very weak scatter again. I have also experienced a big improvement in meteor scatter DX.
Sometimes the noise is just as strong in the vertical plane as it is in the horizontal. Sometimes vertical is much quieter. The noise can be stronger at the top of band 2 now, whereas it was always worse at the bottom until recently. Moreover, the direction of the noise now varies between north-east and south-east, though typically it comes from the east. This confirms that there is definitely more than one noise source.
It has always been assumed that the neighbouring property was the source of the noise: 1. Because the directions is correct and 2. because our neighbours use PLT devices and a lot of additional gadgetry due to having a handicapped son, lighting effects, video players, mechanical hoists, etc., much of which is left on constantly. However, our neighbours very recently had to go away for two days. While this doesn't prove or disprove anything, the noise continued in its random fashion throughout the duration of them being away.
Noise is the scourge of modern DXing and there's very little we can do about it, unless we have good neighbours and have the courage to approach them with the purpose of checking their equipment and finding solutions. Having consulted OFCOM recently I was shocked to learn that even relatively simple things like fish tank heaters have been known to propagate high levels of noise high into VHF at a distance of 5 miles!
There was also their story of the radio ham who moved to a remote location, several miles from anybody so he could escape noise. He suddenly discovered one day that he had devastating noise levels and traced them to electricity pylons several miles away.
If you have a clean, quiet band, enjoy it while you can. It may not last.
Although my location is coastal and I can receive many continental signals virtually all the time, there are periods when nothing seems to get through. It's as if my antenna has been unplugged. Without a signal meter, it has been impossible to know that I had any noise at all since 25dB of noise sounds almost identical to 5 dB of noise, thanks to the white noise heard with FM modulation.
Over the last few weeks I have been able to make three clear observations.
1. Noise levels are constantly variable and timings are random.
2. Noise varies between 14dB - 30dB (No amplification. 4dB = antenna unplugged)
3. There is more than one noise source.
Now I see the picture more clearly I realise that the amounts of noise vary from day to day and it doesn't just depend on the the time of day, thus I can probably rule out thermostatically controlled devices. The intensity of the noise also varies, as does the overall 'sound' of the noise, which can be a smooth 'white noise' or a slightly rough growl. The noise fades in and out too, sometimes slowly over several minutes and sometimes more abruptly in a matter of seconds. It never seems to be instant, as if indicating that somebody has switched on some apparatus, as I had expected it to be.
23dB is more than the amount necessary to get a fully quieting mono signal. Typically I find that a 15 to 18 dB signal can be noise free, unless the noise is present, then a 30dB signal can be noisy. The noise tends to disappear overnight now, returning anytime between 0700 and 0930, according to recent observations. It can be gone at 10:00 or, as is usual, continue throughout the day.
Since the noise levels have become more intermittent here recently, I have been able to hear very weak scatter again. I have also experienced a big improvement in meteor scatter DX.
Sometimes the noise is just as strong in the vertical plane as it is in the horizontal. Sometimes vertical is much quieter. The noise can be stronger at the top of band 2 now, whereas it was always worse at the bottom until recently. Moreover, the direction of the noise now varies between north-east and south-east, though typically it comes from the east. This confirms that there is definitely more than one noise source.
It has always been assumed that the neighbouring property was the source of the noise: 1. Because the directions is correct and 2. because our neighbours use PLT devices and a lot of additional gadgetry due to having a handicapped son, lighting effects, video players, mechanical hoists, etc., much of which is left on constantly. However, our neighbours very recently had to go away for two days. While this doesn't prove or disprove anything, the noise continued in its random fashion throughout the duration of them being away.
Noise is the scourge of modern DXing and there's very little we can do about it, unless we have good neighbours and have the courage to approach them with the purpose of checking their equipment and finding solutions. Having consulted OFCOM recently I was shocked to learn that even relatively simple things like fish tank heaters have been known to propagate high levels of noise high into VHF at a distance of 5 miles!
There was also their story of the radio ham who moved to a remote location, several miles from anybody so he could escape noise. He suddenly discovered one day that he had devastating noise levels and traced them to electricity pylons several miles away.
If you have a clean, quiet band, enjoy it while you can. It may not last.
Monday, 6 January 2014
Skegness Log: 06-01-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
94.6 0335 POL RMF FM, Poznan/Srem (WP) 3F44 ______Hz. AF: 93.5, 94.6, 94.8 1128km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
94.6 0335 POL RMF FM, Poznan/Srem (WP) 3F44 ______Hz. AF: 93.5, 94.6, 94.8 1128km **
** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Skegness Log: 05-01-14 (FM) More Midwinter Es !!
Band 2 Sporadic E:
88.6 1914 I Radio Delta 1, Roccamorice-Maiella-Fonte Tettone (pe) 535E R.DELTA1 - then 545E 1594km
88.1 1916 I RAI Radio1, Abriola/Monte Pierfaone (RAI) (pz) 5201 _RADIO1_ 1824km
87.7 1917 I Veronica MyRadio, Tolentino/Colle Redentore (mc) Vocal ID and ads 1458km
89.5 1918 I RTL 102.5, Cammarata/Monte Cammarata (ag) 5218 RTL102.5 2008km
87.5 1922 I Radio Radicale, Villa Castelli/Monte Fellone (ta) OSqueaky OM, as web 1901km
88.6 1926 I RAI Radio1, Motta Montecorvino/Monte Sambuco (RAI) (fg) OM, as 88.1 1698km **
87.8 1929 I Ritmo 80, Corato/Monte Ripanno (ba) 5A72 1796km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
A late midwinter Es opening! Thanks to Andy P at Skywaves for the alert.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
88.6 1914 I Radio Delta 1, Roccamorice-Maiella-Fonte Tettone (pe) 535E R.DELTA1 - then 545E 1594km
88.1 1916 I RAI Radio1, Abriola/Monte Pierfaone (RAI) (pz) 5201 _RADIO1_ 1824km
87.7 1917 I Veronica MyRadio, Tolentino/Colle Redentore (mc) Vocal ID and ads 1458km
89.5 1918 I RTL 102.5, Cammarata/Monte Cammarata (ag) 5218 RTL102.5 2008km
87.5 1922 I Radio Radicale, Villa Castelli/Monte Fellone (ta) OSqueaky OM, as web 1901km
88.6 1926 I RAI Radio1, Motta Montecorvino/Monte Sambuco (RAI) (fg) OM, as 88.1 1698km **
87.8 1929 I Ritmo 80, Corato/Monte Ripanno (ba) 5A72 1796km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
A late midwinter Es opening! Thanks to Andy P at Skywaves for the alert.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
The Quadrantids Meteor Shower - Video Highlights
January 2nd was a failure as I forgot to activate the audio on my overnight recording. There wasn't any RDS showing in the video, so I probably didn't miss much.
During the peak, there were bursts lasting more than a minute. It was like sporadic E at times, in fact I thought there was an Es opening at one point.
As is typically with meteor scatter, most of the signals remain below RDS threshold, but I still managed to produce my largest meteor scatter log for 15 years - since the Leonid storm of November 1998 in fact. For me, this year's Quadrantids were just about as good as that Leonids peak.
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Skegness Log: 04-01-14 (FM - More Quadrantids!)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter
88.0 0052 D SR 1 Europawelle, Göttelborner Höhe (saa) D3B1 629km **
89.5 0059 I RAI Radio1, Bologna/Colle Barbiano (RAI) (bo) Tentative site. 5201 1256km **
91.7 0100 I RAI Radio2, Bologna/Colle Barbiano (RAI) (bo) Tentative site. Italian pops, as web 1256km **
91.7 0327 POL PR 3, Czestochowa/Wreczyca (SL) 3233 1291km **
Band 2 Aircraft Scatter
100.0 1340 D WDR 4, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) Fair peaks. German song, as web 494km
100.4 1340 D WDR 2, Bonn/Venusberg (nrw) Fair peaks, OM as web 538km
102.5 1341 D hr4, Großer Feldberg (Taunus)/hr (hes) OM interview, as web. Fair peaks 648km
99.6 1342 D hr-info, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) OM, as web 612km
102.9 1342 D RPR 1, Bad Marienberg (rlp) Pops, as web 592km
104.3 1343 D hr4, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) Gentle piano pop, as web 612km
105.6 1344 D SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) German pop 657km
88.9 1346 LUX RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg, Dudelange/Ginsterberg (gld) Noise free peaks! 574km
94.6 1348 D MDR 1 Radio Sachsen-Anhalt, Brocken (san) Comical German song, as web 713km
89.5 1359 HOL 100% NL, Utrecht or Alkmaar Pops, ad break, as web. Sudden peak on horizontal 9.2!
91.0 1401 D hr1, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) OM news 612km
95.8 1412 D NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Aurich (nds) Noise free at around 17dB. No noise today! :O) 479km
98.0 1415 HOL Radio Decibel, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Bang Bang Bang. As 97.6 321km
97.0 1416 HOL Station NCR, Achterhoek area Dutch music, as web **
100.2 1423 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Lochem/Streek Beton (gel) Brief fade-in. OM, as web 426km
103.5 1425 HOL Radio Gelderland, Ugchelen/Alticom Toren (gel) OM phone in, as web 392km
103.6 1426 HOL Radio 10, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Glen Frey song, as 87.7 103.8 321km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
88.0 0052 D SR 1 Europawelle, Göttelborner Höhe (saa) D3B1 629km **
89.5 0059 I RAI Radio1, Bologna/Colle Barbiano (RAI) (bo) Tentative site. 5201 1256km **
91.7 0100 I RAI Radio2, Bologna/Colle Barbiano (RAI) (bo) Tentative site. Italian pops, as web 1256km **
91.7 0327 POL PR 3, Czestochowa/Wreczyca (SL) 3233 1291km **
Band 2 Aircraft Scatter
100.0 1340 D WDR 4, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) Fair peaks. German song, as web 494km
100.4 1340 D WDR 2, Bonn/Venusberg (nrw) Fair peaks, OM as web 538km
102.5 1341 D hr4, Großer Feldberg (Taunus)/hr (hes) OM interview, as web. Fair peaks 648km
99.6 1342 D hr-info, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) OM, as web 612km
102.9 1342 D RPR 1, Bad Marienberg (rlp) Pops, as web 592km
104.3 1343 D hr4, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) Gentle piano pop, as web 612km
105.6 1344 D SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) German pop 657km
88.9 1346 LUX RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg, Dudelange/Ginsterberg (gld) Noise free peaks! 574km
94.6 1348 D MDR 1 Radio Sachsen-Anhalt, Brocken (san) Comical German song, as web 713km
89.5 1359 HOL 100% NL, Utrecht or Alkmaar Pops, ad break, as web. Sudden peak on horizontal 9.2!
91.0 1401 D hr1, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) OM news 612km
95.8 1412 D NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Aurich (nds) Noise free at around 17dB. No noise today! :O) 479km
98.0 1415 HOL Radio Decibel, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Bang Bang Bang. As 97.6 321km
97.0 1416 HOL Station NCR, Achterhoek area Dutch music, as web **
100.2 1423 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Lochem/Streek Beton (gel) Brief fade-in. OM, as web 426km
103.5 1425 HOL Radio Gelderland, Ugchelen/Alticom Toren (gel) OM phone in, as web 392km
103.6 1426 HOL Radio 10, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Glen Frey song, as 87.7 103.8 321km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
Friday, 3 January 2014
Skegness Log: 03-01-14 (FM - Quadrantids Meteor Shower)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter
93.9 0624 HNG MR 2 Petöfi Radio, Kabhegy (Ves) Vocal ID heard 1405km
87.7 1451 POL PR 1, Konin/Zólwieniec (WP) 3211 1211km
87.7 1635 E RAC 1, Barcelona/Collserola (CAT-B) E251 1311km
87.7 1743 SVK Fun Rádio, Kosice/Dubník (KE) 5340 __NRAD__ 1545km
88.3 1839 POL PR 1, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) Presume Opole. 3211 1229km
95.3 1842 POL RMF FM, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) Bruno Mars track, as web 1229km
95.3 1858 I RAI Radio2, Tempio Pausania/Monte Limbara (RAI) (ot) Distinctive pop music, as web 1521km **
95.3 1900 F France Inter, Troyes/les Riceys (10) OM and crowd, as 103.7 643km
95.3 1900 E Los 40 Principales, Zaragoza/Juslibol (ARA-Z) E274 1276km
87.6 1904 F France Culture, Angoulême/le Four Lachaux (16) OM, as 87.7 832km **
87.7 1904 F France Culture, Strasbourg/TDF Nordheim (67) OM, as 98.0 709km
87.6 1917 D NDR 2, Hamburg-Moorfleet (ham) Promo jingle including One Direction song 650km **
87.6 2006 CZE Radio Impuls, Brno/Kojál (JM) 2203 1219km
94.4 2031 F France Inter, Gex/Montrond (01) Several bursts, YL and music as 103.7 858km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Well this is a turn up! Probably my biggest meteor log in 15 years.
This shower was supposed to peak during the early morning of January 3rd but, as I type, I am hearing longer bursts and more frequently than this time 24 hours ago! Some of today's meteor scatter actually sounded like E skip!
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
93.9 0624 HNG MR 2 Petöfi Radio, Kabhegy (Ves) Vocal ID heard 1405km
87.7 1451 POL PR 1, Konin/Zólwieniec (WP) 3211 1211km
87.7 1635 E RAC 1, Barcelona/Collserola (CAT-B) E251 1311km
87.7 1743 SVK Fun Rádio, Kosice/Dubník (KE) 5340 __NRAD__ 1545km
88.3 1839 POL PR 1, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) Presume Opole. 3211 1229km
95.3 1842 POL RMF FM, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) Bruno Mars track, as web 1229km
95.3 1858 I RAI Radio2, Tempio Pausania/Monte Limbara (RAI) (ot) Distinctive pop music, as web 1521km **
95.3 1900 F France Inter, Troyes/les Riceys (10) OM and crowd, as 103.7 643km
95.3 1900 E Los 40 Principales, Zaragoza/Juslibol (ARA-Z) E274 1276km
87.6 1904 F France Culture, Angoulême/le Four Lachaux (16) OM, as 87.7 832km **
87.7 1904 F France Culture, Strasbourg/TDF Nordheim (67) OM, as 98.0 709km
87.6 1917 D NDR 2, Hamburg-Moorfleet (ham) Promo jingle including One Direction song 650km **
87.6 2006 CZE Radio Impuls, Brno/Kojál (JM) 2203 1219km
94.4 2031 F France Inter, Gex/Montrond (01) Several bursts, YL and music as 103.7 858km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Well this is a turn up! Probably my biggest meteor log in 15 years.
This shower was supposed to peak during the early morning of January 3rd but, as I type, I am hearing longer bursts and more frequently than this time 24 hours ago! Some of today's meteor scatter actually sounded like E skip!
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <2m ASL.
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Rooftop Körner 9.2, 8m AGL & Yaesu G-5500 azimuthal/elevation rotator
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