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Saturday, 15 March 2014

Noise Images & General Observations Around Town

Here are two screen grabs of some noise I recording overnight. I am guessing this is thermostat or timer related, probably the latter in view of the fairly precise lengths of the noise bursts, though I have seen this happening for slightly longer durations - perhaps doubling this time.

Overnight 15-03-14
Overnight 15-03-14 (Close Up)

Typically, the noise goes up and down in strength with regularity, and it does it abruptly but without a click or additional noise. As you will see, the noise spikes came in blocks of 14 minutes and 10 seconds when at its strongest. The noise is a white noise, as you would hear on an empty FM frequency. When the noise is at its quietest, it produces a slightly raspy 50Hz hum.

Has anybody seen anything quite like this before?

This came about accidentally tonight as I had positioned my antenna to the east for meteor scatter, but the strong overnight winds here swung it round to the south.

I still consider the new QTH to be very quiet on the whole. The noise to the south is still nowhere near as bad as where we used to live and the FM5 when vertical almost loses it completely here. Putting the FM5
higher up also reduces the noise to an acceptable level.

While trialling the XDR GTK software on a laptop in the car yesterday evening, together with home made FM whip, I was staggered to hear a huge amount of noise around town. All residential areas I drove through had white noise here and there. I could only estimate that at least 50-60% of properties were subject to noise of one type or another. One particular hotel, close to the sea front, with bright,neon signs wiped out the entire FM band for two hundred metres around it. I watched the XDR glow as I drove along the main drag (Grand Parade), past the pier and other seafront attractions.

No noise is good noise!

John

Friday, 14 March 2014

Skegness Log: 14-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Tropo: 13-03-14:
 87.6 0828  D  hr3, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf) (hes) OM ID  612km
 88.6 0831 HOL NPO 3FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) ID  407km
 88.9 0832 LUX RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg, Dudelange/Ginsterberg (gld) Weather, traffic and ID 
               573km
 89.2 0832  D  NDR 2, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Jingle ID  525km
 90.8 0834 BEL RTBF Classic 21, Profondeville-Rivière/Sart à Soile (wal-nam) Queen
               song, as web  440km
 91.0 0835 HOL Omroep Brabant, Roosendaal/Alticom Toren (nbr) Brabant ads, as web  334km
 91.2 0836 BEL RTBF Musiq'3, Brussel/Financietoren=Bruxelles/Tour des Finances (bru)
               6353 MUSIQ3__  376km
 91.3 0837 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Rotterdam/Alticom Toren (Waalhaven) (zho) 83D1
               Scrolling RDS  313km
 91.6 0838  D  SWR3, Koblenz/Dieblich-Naßheck (rlp) Cranberries song, as web. Noise free
               but just below RDS  590km
 92.8 0839 BEL RTBF Musiq'3, Profondeville-Rivière/Sart à Soile (wal-nam) 6353 MUSIQ3__  440km
 92.9 0840 HOL NPO Radio 2, Wieringermeer/Robbenoordbos (nho) Madness song, as 92.6  318km
 93.0 0840  D  SWR2, Haardtkopf (rlp) Classical and YL,as web  593km
 93.3 0842 LUX RTL Radio, Dudelange/Ginsterberg (gld) Ben E King song, as web  573km
 93.3 0843  D  WDR 2, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) YL, as web  420km
 93.2 0844 BEL RTBF Classic 21, Brussel/Financietoren=Bruxelles/Tour des Finances (bru) ID and
               Deep Purple song  376km
 93.6 0845  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Scharteberg (Eifel) (rlp) Jingle ID  550km
 93.8 0847  D  SWR2, Saarburg/Geisberg (rlp) YL, as 93.0  586km
 94.0 0850  D  SWR2, Koblenz/Dieblich-Naßheck (rlp) Classical, as 94.0  590km
 97.8 0855  D  NDR 2, Lingen-Damaschke (nds) ID and ads  477km
 98.4 0856 HOL NPO Radio 1, Markelo/Alticom Toren (ove) Dutch OM  424km
100.0 0857  D  WDR 4, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) ID between soft pops  493km
100.8 0858  D  WDR 2, Aachen/Stolberg (nrw) Ad break. ID and nachrichten  483km
101.0 0900  D  WDR 2, Bärbelkreuz (Eifel) (nrw) News, as 100.8  519km
101.6 0901 HOL NPO Radio 4, Wieringermeer/Robbenoordbos (nho) Easily squeezing in at the
               side of Tacolneston  318km
102.0 0903  D  Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Lingen-Damaschke (nds) News  477km
102.1 0904  D  RPR 1., Scharteberg (Eifel) (rlp) RPR Eins Live promo  550km
102.8 0910 BEL Zen FM, Gent/Opgeëistenlaan (vlg-ovl) Jazzy music, as web  328km
103.5 0911  D  RPR 1., Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) Rock song, as 102.1  553km
104.0 0914  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Koblenz/Kühkopf (rlp) Rap song, as web  590km
104.2 0915 BEL AFN PowerNet, Casteau-Shape (wal-hnt) Presume with US programming  386km
104.9 0920  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) David Guetta song,
               as web  553km
105.6 0921  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) YL chat, German song, as web  656km
105.9 0922  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Jingle ID between
               pops  525km
106.9 0925  D  Radio Euskirchen, Schleiden/Broicher Höhe (nrw) Just audible with piano
               song, as web  514km
107.0 0926  D  WDR Eins Live, Olsberg (nrw) Rock track, as 106.7. V weak  592km
107.2 0926  D  WDR Eins Live, Ederkopf (nrw) Weak. As 106.7  592km
107.4 0926  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Koblenz/Dieblich-Naßheck (rlp) German song, as web 
               590km
 90.2 0930  D  NDR Kultur, Lingen-Damaschke (nds) Classical, as web  477km
 93.8 0932 HOL Slam!FM, Megen/Alticom Toren (nbr) Ads, as 88.4  387km
 93.9 0932  D  SWR2, Bornberg (rlp) YL, as 93.8  640km
107.9 1005  D  WDR Eins Live, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) D391 _1LIVE__ 24dB  493km
106.3 1016  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Torfhaus/DTAG (nds) Fluttery but noise free on
               peak. ID after Gotye song  707km
 94.6 1017  D  MDR 1 Radio Sachsen-Anhalt, Brocken (san) Stevie Wonder song, as web  712km
100.8 1019  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Over Aachen to noise free
               levels. YL ID  606km
 99.5 1020 BEL RTBF Musiq'3, Liège/Bol d'Air (wal-lge) 6353 MUSIQ3__  459km
 96.4 1024 BEL RTBF La Première, Léglise/Vlessart (wal-lux) French YL, as web  524km
104.3 1035  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Lingen-Damaschke (nds) Jingle ID  477km
102.7 1036 BEL RTBF La Première, Profondeville-Rivière/Sart à Soile (wal-nam) Squashing
               Peterborough again!  440km
 96.1 1039 BEL RTBF La Première, Wavre (wal-bra) 26dB but bad 96.2 splatter  396km
 96.6 1044 BEL RTBF Pure FM, Anderlues/Mont-Sainte-Geneviève (wal-hnt) 6351. Jingle ID
               after Faul and Wad song  409km
 95.4 1046  F  France Inter, Amiens/Saint-Just-en-Chaussée [60] (80) Discussion and laughter,
               as 103.7  431km
 92.8 1048  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Lingen-Damaschke (nds) Oldies, as web  477km
 92.0 1049  D  WDR 5, Münster/Baumberg (nrw) ID in YL speech  493km
 91.1 1050  F  France Inter, Villers-Cotterêts/Fleury (02) OM, as 95.4  474km
 89.6 1051  F  France Culture, Villers-Cotterêts/Fleury (02) Atmospheric discussion,
               as 98.0  474km
 92.9 1051  F  France Musique, Villers-Cotterêts/Fleury (02) Piano music, as 88.7  474km
 89.2 1053  F  France Musique, Reims/TDF Hautvillers (51) Piano music, as 88.7  516km
 89.0 1054 BEL VRT MNM, Schoten (vlg-ant) YL and pops, as web  354km
107.6 1059  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Bornberg (rlp) Very poor. Rap, as 104.0  640km
106.3 1104  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Bad Marienberg (rlp) ID and traffic service  592km
103.0 1107  D  BFBS Radio, Bielefeld/Hünenburg (nrw) YL military sports news. Afghanistan
               news. Ally Gibson for BFBS  564km
100.7 1109  D  WDR 4, Ederkopf (nrw) Mixing with Luxembourg. As 101.3  592km
 98.7 1118 HOL Freez FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Phil Collins song, as web  407km
104.7 1120  F  France Inter, Calais/Mont d'Hubert (62) Peaking above Nordelle again  266km
103.1 1122  D  RPR 1., Bornberg (rlp) Mixing Aurich  640km
103.1 1123  D  Radio ffn, Braunschweig-Broitzem (nds) ID after Katy Perrier  691km
 89.4 1148  D  NE-WS 89,4, Düsseldorf/Rheinturm (nrw) Pops, as usual, no news! As web  488km
 93.8 1232  D  bremen eins, Bremen-Walle (bre) Taking over from Saarburg  565km
101.7 1250  D  WDR 4, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) Soft German pops, as 101.3  420km
 97.3 1252  D  WDR 3, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) fair signal, just short of RDS  420km
 94.4 1256  D  NDR Kultur, Steinkimmen (nds) Schlager music and german YL, as web  543km
103.7 1432  D  WDR Eins Live, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) Pops, as 104.7  420km
102.6 1435  D  NDR 2, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Pops, as web  606km
102.3 1439  D  Radio ffn, Steinkimmen (nds) ID. Pops. Almost noise free but Lincs splash 
               543km


This is a log of everything heard on the 14th, with the exception of a few of the regular continental transmitters. Nothing new was heard.

Tempting fate as usual, the tropo subsided substantially about 30 minutes after I started my Ustream broadcast. Conditions had completely gone by the early evening.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Thursday, 13 March 2014

Skegness Log: 13-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Tropo: 13-03-14:
107.3 0836 BEL VBRO, Diksmuide/IJzertoren (vlg-wvl) ID and Dutch music  292km
106.2 0838  F  France Bleu Nord, Calais/Mont d'Hubert (62) YL, as 103.3  266km
102.7 0839 HOL Radio 538, Rotterdam/Alticom Toren (Waalhaven) (zho) 83C7 RADIO538.
               Peterboroiugh squashed  313km
 95.4 0841 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Gilze/Prinsenbosch (nbr) OM, as web  358km
 96.3 0850  G  Corby Radio, Corby/Grosvenor House (EN-NHA) Start your texts with Corby Radio  101km
 95.5 0853  G  BBC Somerset, Mendip (EN-SOM) Dog poo in Somerset!  293km
 95.4 0854  G  BBC Radio Wales, Wrexham-Rhos (WA-WRE) Talking about Rugby. ID  225km
 95.2 0855  G  BBC Radio Cornwall, Caradon Hill (EN-CNW) Talk about Andy Murray being
               out of tournament, as web  440km
103.1 0926  G  Free Radio, The Wrekin (EN-SHP) ID and pops  200km
 96.6 0936  G  TFM Radio, Bilsdale West Moor (EN-NYK) ID and pop  166km
 87.6 0946 BEL Nostalgie Vlaanderen, Oudenburg/Zeeweg (vlg-wvl) Reet petite, as web.
               On horizontal FM5  288km
 95.4 0950  F  France Inter, Amiens/Saint-Just-en-Chaussée [60] (80) OM, as 103.7  431km


Mostly inland enhancements today. The early morning period showed an enhancement in all inland directions, but the continent remained only slightly enhanced.

The middle part of the afternoon showed a big enhancement to Lille and Tournai. I was waiting for sundown in the hope that conditions would improve further, then I was going to put the FM5 in the vertical plane, but conditions had gone "fizzle" by then so I didn't bother. Admittedly, a little bit of lethargy has set in after the good conditions on the 11th.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Skegness Log: 12-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Tropo: 12-03-14:
 97.2 0815  G  Stray FM, Harrogate/Harlow Hill (EN-NYK) C3BC Stray_FM  155km
107.8 0820  G  Stray FM, Skipton/Procter Heights (EN-LNC) C3BC Stray_FM  180km
106.3 0835  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Torfhaus/DTAG (nds) Shania Twain song, as web  707km
104.0 0904  G  BBC Hereford & Worcester, Malvern (EN-WOR) ID and so on  213km
 99.6 1713  F  France Inter, Caen/Mont Pinçon (14) Fair signals  469km
 96.4 1928  F  BFM Business, Lille/Fort de Mons-en-Baroul (59) YL and OM conversation,
               as web  339km
 87.6 1939  F  RMC, Le Havre/Harfleur (76) RMC IDs in lively promo  406km
106.7 2119  F  Beur FM, Bagnolet(Paris)/Tour Mercuriales Ouest (93) Phone-in, as web  498km


The opening to Haute Normandie and the Paris area during the evening was short-lived and very poor. It was also quite selective, but the main transmitters at Caen and Brest were also well received at the time, but not the more usual Paris outlets on 87.8 & 107.1.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Skegness Log: 11-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter: 11-03-14:
104.8 0014  D  hr1, Heidelstein (Rhön) [bay] (hes) Slow pop song, as web  729km **
104.8 0016  D  Ostseewelle, Marlow (mev) Katy, roaring again, as web. No other German
               stations on this frequency in //  813km **
104.8 0018 CZE CRo Vltava, Ostrava/Hostálkovice (MO) Distinctive classical music,
               as web  1287km **
104.8 0054  D  Radio TON Neckar Alb, Reutlingen (bwü) Pink song (as opposed to brown
               or beige) as web. Two second burst  811km **
104.8 0219  D  Radio Hochstift, Büren or Höxter Holzminden-Neuhaus German song,
               as web **
104.8 0629 SUI RTS Couleur 3, Bourrignon/Les Ordons (ju) Manu Chao Clandestina song,
               as web  806km **

Band 2 Scatter: 11-03-14:
106.9 0809  G  Takeover Radio, Sutton-in-Ashfield (EN-NHS) Jingle ID between songs  106km **
104.3 0812  G  BBC Radio Cymru, Llangollen (WA-DBG) C71B BBCymru.  235km
103.2 0815  G  Mansfield 103.2, Mansfield/Fishpond Hill (EN-NHS) ID after Cranberries song 
               104km
103.5 0829  D  RPR 1., Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) ID and news  553km
107.0 0843  D  WDR Eins Live, Olsberg (nrw) Whispery YL ID jingle between songs  592km
105.7 1018  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Steinkimmen (nds) D389  543km
104.9 1022  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Aurich (nds) Pops, as 105.7  478km
 95.4 1046  D  Nordwestradio, Schiffdorf [nds] (Bremerhaven) (bre) OM on phone,
               as web  554km
 91.2 1047  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Dannenberg Zernien (nds) OM talk, as web. mixing
               Bruxelles  705km
 90.0 1048  D  NDR Kultur, Aurich (nds) Piano concerto. All other Aurichs up  478km
 96.4 1304  D  NDR Info, Aurich (nds) OM, ID, YL, as web. Just about noise free  478km
107.5 1427 HOL Radio Eenhoorn, Menaam/Mieddyk (fri) Dutch song, as web  356km
107.3 1430 BEL VBRO, Diksmuide/IJzertoren (vlg-wvl) VBRO News after ads  292km
107.1 1436 BEL Club FM, Deinze/Gentsesteenweg 204 (vlg-ovl) Rap song, as web  326km
 88.3 1442 HOL 100% NL, Wieringermeer/Robbenoordbos (nho) 83D3 100%__L_  318km **
 90.8 1445 HOL Radio Drenthe, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Phone in, as web  407km
 91.0 1445 HOL Slam!FM, Tjerkgaast/Alticom Toren (fri) Presume Tjerkgaast. Pops, as 91.1 
               360km
 91.6 1447 HOL Radio Veronica, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Focus excellent Hocus
               Pocus, as web  320km
107.7 1453 BEL RGR FM, Oostkamp (vlg-wvl) Club mix, as web  296km
105.6 1454 BEL Radio Minerva, De Haan (vlg-wvl) Female crooner, as web  278km **
 98.7 1459 HOL Freez FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Ads, as web  407km
 99.6 1500 HOL Slam!FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Presume Smilde. ID in promo  407km
 97.1 1503 HOL NPO 3FM, Wieringermeer/Robbenoordbos (nho) Dutch ads and click bonks!  318km
 97.2 1503  F  RFM, Saint-Omer/Wisques (62) French song, as web  299km
 93.3 1510  F  Rire et Chansons, Boulogne-sur-Mer/Mont Lambert (62) French comedy,
               as web  285km
 93.2 1511 HOL Waterstad FM, Jirnsum/Rijksweg (fri) Luke warm Hot Chocolate song, as web 
               365km
 93.0 1513 HOL Radio 10, Westdorpe/Verkavelingsweg (zee) That awful Baby I Love your
               Way song, as 103.8, etc.  322km
 92.0 1516  F  Radio 6, Boulogne-sur-Mer/Mont d'Herquelingue (62) French song, as web  288km
 88.9 1517 HOL Radio Noord-Holland, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Who Let The Dogs Out
               sample and YL, as 93.9  320km
 87.7 1518  F  RTL, Saint-Omer/Wisques (62) OMs talking, as web. Over Radio 10  299km
 87.8 1540  F  France Inter, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) French OM  YL, then depressing
               classical music, as web  497km
105.5 1544 HOL Scheldemond FM, Oostburg/Watertoren (zee) Dutch OM talking over jingly music,
               as web  296km
 99.1 1555 HOL 100% NL, Tjerkgaast/Alticom Toren (fri) Possibly Tjerkgaast but Enchede
               also here with 10kW  360km
105.5 1600 BEL Topradio, Staden/Stadenberg (vlg-wvl) ID on the hour and pops  299km
 91.0 1613 HOL Omroep Brabant, Roosendaal/Alticom Toren (nbr) ID in lively chat  334km
 92.8 1616  F  NRJ, Béthune/Fresnicourt-le-Dolmen (62) Dance tune, as web  340km
 93.3 1617 HOL Ujala Radio, Amsterdam/Alticom Toren (nho) Indian club music, as web  320km
104.0 1619 BEL Bel RTL, Bruxelles/The Hotel (bru) French OMs, as web  377km
107.1 1647  F  France Bleu 107.1, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) French OM, as web  497km
104.3 1700  F  RTL, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) Presume Paris, judging by the conditions  497km
103.5 1702  F  Virgin Radio, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) Pops, as web  497km
107.5 1704 HOL Scheldemond FM, Oostburg/Watertoren (zee) Local ads, as web  296km
 98.7 2112  G  New Style Radio, Birmingham/Cambridge Tower (EN-WMD) Soul music, as web 
               168km **
 95.4 2115  F  France Inter, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) French OMs, as web  604km
 89.4 2116  F  France Musique, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) Piano dirge, as web  604km
 88.0 2253  G  Real Radio, Wrexham-Rhos (WA-WRE) Noise free. Pops, as web  225km


** Personal Skegness 'First'

Unidentified:
107.5 1605 HOL UNID Relay of Omroep Zeeland, // 87.9  Jingle and vocal ID after ads

Does anybody know who relays Omroep Zeeland on 107.5?

Another Dutch mystery appeared on 107.1 - a relay of NPO Radio 1. This is an 'old familiar' from the Suffolk days.

Meteor Scatter:
CRo Vltava was today's most consistent 'burster' with HR1 coming in a close second. Ostseewelle was also quite frequent. I was very pleased with the two low power catches - Radio Ton Neckar Alb and Radio Hochstift. All German streams were recorded so there was no mistaking stations which might be relaying a common night service.

Tropospheric:
Some good Dutch DX during the late evening with Belgium and Holland with a few personal firsts. I also logged another 25 watt Birmingham station.

The strongest signals were from Egem which peaked at 39dB. This is a good semi-local signal strength from the FM5 which was just above rooftop level.

I was really surprised to find that there were no continentals coming in on the car radio when I drove into town, close to the sea front, while this lift was in full swing. This bodes very well for the new QTH.

Noise:
My noise to the south was almost undetectable when I put the FM5 vertical yesterday. It's still nowhere near as bad as at the last QTH, but I discovered that I can reduce it substantially when I raised the height of the FM5 another couple of metres. I am wondering if this is coming from the burglar alarm box which is right in the path to the south on the nearest property to us. All other directions remain crystal clear and noise free.

Note: Any reference to 'noise' in my loggings refers to typical background FM mush, which is right down at 4dB or less. All "dB" figures quoted are references to "dBf" in the GTK software. Note also that I do not use the IF/RF boost facilities as I find these increase the general FM background noise.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Monday, 10 March 2014

Skegness Log: 10-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Scatter: 10-03-14:
 87.5 0851  I  Malvisi Network, Strozorand Pellegrino Parmense. Chance vocal ID heard
               while listening live. At least five seconds very steady burst **

Band 2 Scatter: 10-03-14:
102.9 0905  D  RPR 1., Bad Marienberg (rlp) Jingle ID after news, then pops  592km
100.8 0907  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Light pops, as web.
               Dominating Aachen  606km
106.4 0909  D  WDR Eins Live, Aachen/Stolberg (nrw) Lilly Allen song, as 106.7  483km
106.3 0911  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Bad Marienberg (rlp) Cliff Richards Power To All
               Our Friends, as web  592km
105.9 0932  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Over Feldberg with
               pops, as web  525km
 99.0 0943  D  hr1, Hoher Meißner (hes) ID in promo  684km

** Personal Skegness 'First'

I had just switched on the GTK software, which automatically starts the XDR on 87.5. Completely oblivious to what was happening, I heard a song and then a man say "Malvisi ... ", presumably "Malvisi Network". Then it was gone. I quickly realised that this was a meteor burst, but it was stable and sustained for several seconds. This one was lucky, but I have noticed meteor scatter becoming increasingly regular and stronger over the last week.

General scatter was average again. Still very little tropo around, only a weak lift to some of the regular continental transmitters during the evening.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Sunday, 9 March 2014

Skegness Log: 09-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Scatter: 08-03-14:
 93.5 0941  G  Unity FM Birmingham, Birmingham East (EN-WMD) Asian YLs on conversation
               with mains hum! As web  167km **
 94.0 0944 IRL RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Mount Leinster (CW) Gaelic YL, as web.
               Almost noise free beaming SW  480km
 99.2 0958  G  Hermitage FM, Coalville/Hoo Ash Farm (EN-LEI) Horrible song, as web 
               125km
105.9 1002  G  Sunshine Radio, Unlisted News and ID. Weather. Has this moved from 106.2?
 89.4 1341  F  France Musique, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) Just audible in electrical
               noise  604km
 87.6 1357 BEL Nostalgie Vlaanderen, Oudenburg/Zeeweg (vlg-wvl) Almost noise free.
               Rappers Delight song, as web  288km
103.0 1618  D  BFBS Radio,
               Bielefeld/Hünenburg (nrw) BFBS ID and mention of the BFBS app. Becoming
               quite regular at the new QTH with some decent peaks  564km
 93.0 1620  D  SWR2, Haardtkopf (rlp) Jolly piano music, as web  593km


All tropo was inland during the morning. Continental reception was subdued, even though the tropo forecast suggested the opposite. I think the tropo forecast has been downgraded. Even Lille was struggling first thing

I swung the FM5 round to the SW where it had to rest on those poplar trees. The West Midlands was well up in strength with Sutton Coldfield reaching 56dB. Hearing the DX rolling in from inland reminded me not only of how congested the band is there, but how wide and messy a lot of the transmissions are.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Saturday, 8 March 2014

Skegness Log: 08-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Scatter: 08-03-14:
104.9 0935  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) ID and pops after
               ads. Scatter. noise free on peak  553km
106.3 0938  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Bad Marienberg (rlp) Brenda Lee song, as web.
               Weak and fluttery  592km
 98.0 0948  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Fluttery but comes
               up to noise free  707km
 95.3 0950  D  YOU FM (hr), Hardberg (hes) V weak. Pops, as web  712km
 94.6 0951  D  MDR 1 Radio Sachsen-Anhalt, Brocken (san) Unheilg song, as web. Traffic
               bleep and ID. Noise free peaks  712km
 94.4 0953  D  NDR Kultur, Steinkimmen (nds) Sustained noise free peak on scatter  543km
 89.9 0956  D  NDR Kultur, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Classical, as 90.0  707km
 89.2 0958  D  NDR 2, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Pop rock track, as web. Noise
               free on fluttery peaks  525km
 89.4 0958  D  NE-WS 89,4, Düsseldorf/Rheinturm (nrw) Ad, YL ID jingle and Pink song  488km
 89.0 0959  D  89.0 RTL, Brocken (san) Pops, as web, in asnd out of the noise  712km
103.1 1003  D  Radio ffn, Aurich (nds) YL news, OM weather, ID. Almost noise free  478km
 98.1 1006  D  NDR 2, Aurich (nds) Pops, as web. Not Nordhelle for a change  478km
 92.8 1009  D  NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Lingen-Damaschke (nds) German pop song, as web.
               V weak  477km
107.4 1051  D  Radio Wuppertal, Wuppertal/Westfalenweg (nrw) Ultravox song, as web  508km
 93.3 1104  D  WDR 2, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) End of news, weather, traffic bleeps
               and ID  420km
101.4 1714  D  Radio SAW, Brocken (san) Nice peak from all Torfhaus' and Brockens.
               German pops  712km
107.7 1719 LUX Den Neie Radio (DNR), Blaschette/Kandel (gld) Just peaking over a very weak
               Kiss with soft pops, as web  557km
105.3 1722  D  NDR Info, Schwerin (mev) OM sports commentary, v weak, as web  739km
 98.7 1725  D  AFN Wiesbaden-The Eagle, Großer Feldberg (Taunus)/hr (hes) Country
               music chart perhaps. US presenter. Almost noise free peak  647km
105.3 1728  D  B5 aktuell, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) Weak but almost noise free peak on
               scatter!! YL speech and vocal ID  732km


Some excellent aircraft scatter again today. This is the first time I have ever received Schwerin and Kreuzberg via this mode here in Skegness. Signals were fluttery and not exactly weak either, but almost noise free when at their best. These used to be regulars on the Suffolk coast.

Brocken and Torfhaus have also been well received and have been reaching noise-free or near-noise-free levels all day on 89.0, 92.1, 94.6, 98.0, 101.4, etc. Again, signals were fluttery, indicating aircraft scatter as opposed to stable tropo conditions.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Friday, 7 March 2014

Skegness Log: 07-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Scatter: 07-03-14:
107.1 1240  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Haardtkopf (rlp) German YL song, as web  593km
 98.7 1251  D  NDR 2, Morsum (Sylt) (shs) V weak on scatter. YL song, as web  565km
 98.7 1254 HOL Freez FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Blasted its way above everything
               else. Sweet song, as web  407km
 99.6 1256 HOL Slam!FM, Smilde/Alticom Toren (dre) Slamming tunes, as web  407km
 99.1 1257  D  SWR1 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) Ad break, as web  656km
 95.3 1259 HOL L1 Radio, Hulsberg/Emmaberg (lim) Ad break, as 100.3  455km
 98.7 1345 HOL NPO Radio 4, Hulsberg/Emmaberg (lim) Classical, suddenly on top.
               as web  455km
107.3 1455  D  hr4, Heidelstein (Rhön) [bay] (hes) Not quite noise free but a decent
               signal for 729 km. Foundations song, as web  729km
102.3 1722  D  Radio ffn, Steinkimmen (nds) Depeche Mode type song, as web  543km

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Skegness Log: 06-03-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter: 04-03-14:
 99.5 0035  D  NDR Info, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Guitar solo, as web  707km **
 99.5 0046  D  Bayern 3, Hühnerberg (bay) Slow pop song, as web  871km **
 99.5 0147  D  Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Löbau/Schafberg (sac) YL conversation, as web.
               Two second burst  1006km **
 99.5 0214 CZE CRo Radiozurnál, Zlín/Tlustá hora (ZL) Czech OM, as web. Three second burst 
               1281km **
 99.5 0323 BEL RTBF Musiq'3, Liège/Bol d'Air (wal-lge) Sudden burst of pan pipes, as web 
               459km **
 99.5 0705  G  BBC Radio 1,
               Black Hill, Wenvoe or Swingate perhaps?  News, as web **
 99.5 0803  D  N-JOY, Schwerin (mev) ID and jingle ID on eight second burst  739km **
 99.5 0804 NOR NRK P2, Jetta/Blåhø (op) Norwegian OM, as web  1108km **


** Personal Skegness 'First' via this mode

The most frequent bursters on 99.5 were Bayern 3 from Huhnerberg and NDR Info from Torfhaus. Come sunrise I had a lot of bursts from BBC Radio 1, though it's impossible to know which site/s these were from. Black Hill, Wenvoe and Swingate would be the most likely.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk

Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.

Aerial:
Triax FM5, five meters AGL.