Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
102.6 0017 EST Raadio 2, Koeru (Jae) Lively pop track, as web. Two second burst 1708km **
102.6 0023 SVK SRo 3 Rádio Devín, Banská Stiavnica/Sitno (BB) Piano music, as web. Two
second burst 1402km **
102.6 0045 D Radio TON Heilbronn, Schwäbisch Hall (bwü) Belinda Carlisle, as web 795km **
102.6 0310 F France Bleu, Multiple sites. Likely Mulhouse. This tx has been heard frequently
via MS on 88.6 (France Culture). OM with phone number. Tnx Cédric, Stuart
and Jean-Louis for help with this **
102.6 0559 D RBB Fritz, Berlin/Alexanderplatz (brb) Pops, as web 880km **
102.6 0602 D Radio ffn, Cuxhaven Otterndorf (nds) FFN own news with OM over music, as web.
Four second burst 571km **
102.6 0602 D NDR 2, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Pops, as web. Three second burst 606km **
102.6 0649 D MDR Info, Weimar-Ehringsdorf (thü) YL talking to OM, as web 791km **
102.6 0659 EST Raadio 2, Koeru (Jae) In again with distinctive guitar playing, as web.
Two second burst 1708km
87.6 1000 E RNE Radio Nacional, Multi-tx Top of the hour jingle. Live listening **
88.6 1125 CZE CRo Vltava, Klatovy/Doubrava (PL) 232D R-______. Live listening 984km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
A good night for MS. I chose 102.6, a frequency usually dominated by
Tournai, but putting the aerial at 70-80 degrees meant that it was much
less of a problem. This bearing also probably helped bring in Raadio 2
from Koeru. Radio TON and RBB Fritz were regularly heard on pings.
Estonia is one of three new countries I have received this week via MS.
Latvia and Lithuania are the other two, but then my antenna has been
pointing slightly further north than usual at 70 or 80 degrees. Even so,
the Spanish reception on 87.6 just shows that anything is possible.
People are asking where the Es have gone. 1. We were spoilt by last
year's phenomenal Es season in England. 2. We were sent an early teaser
on the 26th with a brief band 2 opening. This was unusually early. Don't
write off this year's season yet! We don't usually expect band 2 Es
until the end of May, so anything before then is a bonus.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Friday, 9 May 2014
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Skegness Log: 08-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
104.1 0014 CZE Frekvence 1, Plzen/Krasov (PL) YL on phone to OM, as web 947km **
104.1 0157 ROU Kiss FM, Petrosani/Parâng (HD) Pops, as web 1877km **
104.1 0206 POL Radio Zet, Kraków/Choragwica (MP) Polish OM and bleepy music, as web 1406km **
104.1 0235 LTU ZIP FM, Kaunas - Juragiai (Kau) Soft YL song, as web 1538km **
104.1 0247 D delta radio, Bungsberg/DTAG-Turm (shs) Vocal ID by OM 694km **
104.1 0516 D N-JOY, Ueckermünde (mev) Distinctive pop song, as web 910km **
104.1 1227 AUT KRONEHIT, Rechnitz 2/Hirschenstein BKF (bur) Suspect Rechnitz, but Lend
also listed at 135W 1308km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
A night of mostly very short pings, but with some longer burst around dawn which lasted around half a minute.
104.1 around sunrise became a mixture of Joe FM from Egem and the new outlet of Radio 10 from Arnhem. Radio 10 seems to be dominating most of the time when scatter is present, but WDR4 from Olsberg also shows itself from time to time.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
104.1 0014 CZE Frekvence 1, Plzen/Krasov (PL) YL on phone to OM, as web 947km **
104.1 0157 ROU Kiss FM, Petrosani/Parâng (HD) Pops, as web 1877km **
104.1 0206 POL Radio Zet, Kraków/Choragwica (MP) Polish OM and bleepy music, as web 1406km **
104.1 0235 LTU ZIP FM, Kaunas - Juragiai (Kau) Soft YL song, as web 1538km **
104.1 0247 D delta radio, Bungsberg/DTAG-Turm (shs) Vocal ID by OM 694km **
104.1 0516 D N-JOY, Ueckermünde (mev) Distinctive pop song, as web 910km **
104.1 1227 AUT KRONEHIT, Rechnitz 2/Hirschenstein BKF (bur) Suspect Rechnitz, but Lend
also listed at 135W 1308km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
A night of mostly very short pings, but with some longer burst around dawn which lasted around half a minute.
104.1 around sunrise became a mixture of Joe FM from Egem and the new outlet of Radio 10 from Arnhem. Radio 10 seems to be dominating most of the time when scatter is present, but WDR4 from Olsberg also shows itself from time to time.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Skegness Log: 07-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
104.2 0045 D Berliner Rundfunk 91.4, Frankfurt (Oder) Booßen (brb) Bryan Ferry song,
as web. Two second burst 951km **
104.2 0108 D Landeswelle Thüringen, Inselsberg (thü) Now familar German song, as web.
Four second burst 739km **
104.2 0112 AUT Energy 104,2, Wien 5/RiFu Arsenal (wie) Pops, as web 1256km **
104.2 0337 POL Radio Zet, Bialogard or Jelenia Góra Pops, as web **
104.2 0430 BEL AFN PowerNet, Casteau-Shape (wal-hnt) Big burst above v weak scatter. US OM
over guitar song. 386km **
104.2 0504 LVA LR 1, Rezekne/Griskani (Rez) Latvian OM, as web. Two second burst 1762km **
104.2 0716 AUT KRONEHIT, Hallein/Zinkenkogel (sal) Pop song, as web. Two second burst 1090km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Some long meteor bursts overnight, occasionally lasting up to 30 seconds or more.
Sporadic E:
There were two brief bursts of Slavic/Balkan Es earlier this evening at 1817, both times on 87.8 and 88.5.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
104.2 0045 D Berliner Rundfunk 91.4, Frankfurt (Oder) Booßen (brb) Bryan Ferry song,
as web. Two second burst 951km **
104.2 0108 D Landeswelle Thüringen, Inselsberg (thü) Now familar German song, as web.
Four second burst 739km **
104.2 0112 AUT Energy 104,2, Wien 5/RiFu Arsenal (wie) Pops, as web 1256km **
104.2 0337 POL Radio Zet, Bialogard or Jelenia Góra Pops, as web **
104.2 0430 BEL AFN PowerNet, Casteau-Shape (wal-hnt) Big burst above v weak scatter. US OM
over guitar song. 386km **
104.2 0504 LVA LR 1, Rezekne/Griskani (Rez) Latvian OM, as web. Two second burst 1762km **
104.2 0716 AUT KRONEHIT, Hallein/Zinkenkogel (sal) Pop song, as web. Two second burst 1090km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Some long meteor bursts overnight, occasionally lasting up to 30 seconds or more.
Sporadic E:
There were two brief bursts of Slavic/Balkan Es earlier this evening at 1817, both times on 87.8 and 88.5.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Skegness Log: 06-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
89.1 1031 CZE CRo Radiozurnál, Plzen/Krazov (PL) OM, as web 947km **
89.1 1051 NOR NRK P1, Multi-tx Sadly not on local programming **
89.1 1059 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Bonn-Bad Godesberg/Heiderhof (nrw)
German rap piece, as web 543km **
89.1 1111 G BBC Radio 2, Multi-tx MS enhancement to Wrotham **
92.4 1158 SVN Val 202, Plesivec (Urslja Gora) (sg) Jazz, as web 1282km **
92.4 1201 ? UNID English news. News in British English
92.4 1238 NOR NRK P1, Melhus/Vassfjellet Vassfjellvegen (st) Local programming. Pops,
as web 1265km **
92.4 1305 D RBB Kulturradio, Berlin/Scholzplatz (brb) Classical music, as web
868km **
92.4 1401 I RTL 102.5, Multi-tx. Sinnai and Rocca Di Papa most likely OM Vocal ID **
92.4 1612 D SWR1 Baden-Württemberg, Witthoh (Tuttlingen) (bwü) Level 42 song, as web.
Eight sescond burst 834km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Meteor pings, bursts and flutters are on the increase again!
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
89.1 1031 CZE CRo Radiozurnál, Plzen/Krazov (PL) OM, as web 947km **
89.1 1051 NOR NRK P1, Multi-tx Sadly not on local programming **
89.1 1059 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Bonn-Bad Godesberg/Heiderhof (nrw)
German rap piece, as web 543km **
89.1 1111 G BBC Radio 2, Multi-tx MS enhancement to Wrotham **
92.4 1158 SVN Val 202, Plesivec (Urslja Gora) (sg) Jazz, as web 1282km **
92.4 1201 ? UNID English news. News in British English
92.4 1238 NOR NRK P1, Melhus/Vassfjellet Vassfjellvegen (st) Local programming. Pops,
as web 1265km **
92.4 1305 D RBB Kulturradio, Berlin/Scholzplatz (brb) Classical music, as web
868km **
92.4 1401 I RTL 102.5, Multi-tx. Sinnai and Rocca Di Papa most likely OM Vocal ID **
92.4 1612 D SWR1 Baden-Württemberg, Witthoh (Tuttlingen) (bwü) Level 42 song, as web.
Eight sescond burst 834km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Meteor pings, bursts and flutters are on the increase again!
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Monday, 5 May 2014
Skegness Log: 05-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 General Scatter:
99.6 0945 HOL Radio Gelderland, Zaltbommel/Hulpweg (nbr) Pop song, as web on Hoorn fade
367km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
99.6 0945 HOL Radio Gelderland, Zaltbommel/Hulpweg (nbr) Pop song, as web on Hoorn fade
367km **
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Recent DX Videos
Here are some video grabs of scatter propagation from the last few days. These were recorded with CamStudio - software I am still having problems with. It will suddenly stop recording for no apparent reason. When it does this, it won't automatically save what has just been recorded and truncates it to the first few seconds. Other times I have been able to record as much as three hours worth of video.
CamStudio does have some very useful features though, so I will keep using it for a while at least.
YouTube have done the usual thing of blocking some of the audio, and even some of the video, giving their usual messages: "Matched third-party content"; "Audio muted due to claim"; "Video blocked in some countries". Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about this.
CamStudio does have some very useful features though, so I will keep using it for a while at least.
YouTube have done the usual thing of blocking some of the audio, and even some of the video, giving their usual messages: "Matched third-party content"; "Audio muted due to claim"; "Video blocked in some countries". Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about this.
Sunday, 4 May 2014
Skegness Log: 04-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
87.6 1109 E esRadio, Santiago de Compostela (GAL-C) E287. Live listening 1315km **
Band 2 General Scatter:
97.4 1242 D Deutschlandradio Kultur, Brocken (san) OM, descriptive talking, as web
712km
95.3 1254 D YOU FM (hr), Hardberg (hes) Dramatic YL song, as web 712km
101.7 1258 D Radio Salü, Saarbrücken/Schoksberg (saa) News before the hour! As web 628km
99.0 1300 D hr1, Hoher Meißner (hes) ID and news 684km
100.3 1305 D Planet Radio, Eisenberg (Neuenstein) (hes) Pops, as web 677km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
87.6 1109 E esRadio, Santiago de Compostela (GAL-C) E287. Live listening 1315km **
Band 2 General Scatter:
97.4 1242 D Deutschlandradio Kultur, Brocken (san) OM, descriptive talking, as web
712km
95.3 1254 D YOU FM (hr), Hardberg (hes) Dramatic YL song, as web 712km
101.7 1258 D Radio Salü, Saarbrücken/Schoksberg (saa) News before the hour! As web 628km
99.0 1300 D hr1, Hoher Meißner (hes) ID and news 684km
100.3 1305 D Planet Radio, Eisenberg (Neuenstein) (hes) Pops, as web 677km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Saturday, 3 May 2014
Körner 9.2 Installed at the new QTH!
It took two months to get there, but I finally got the Körner 9.2 antenna on the roof at the new QTH. It has actually been installed for about two weeks now so I can give a better overall assessment of general reception.
To recap. We moved to a new bungalow almost three months ago, where getting permission should have been simpler, in theory. In reality it became rather complicated but we got there in the end.
So how is reception? Is it any different at the new QTH? Is the FM band any noisier?
"Yes" and "No" are the respective answers. Reception is actually better (I had expected it to be no different), though I don't think any of us escape the noise levels completely these days. I haven't. There is a slight noise to the south when horizontal, but it's not a major problems. It varies in strength too. It sounds like nothing I have heard before. It is a 50Hz hum for about 15 minutes and then it becomes white noise. At 10dB it is not going to be a major problem, though I have occasionally seen it up to 20dB and has been known to come in on different bearings. I am fully aware things can change at any moment, such is the level of 'borrowed time' we are all living on regarding noise levels.
Reception to the east is surprisingly good. I now have regular daily scatter from German transmitters like Heidelstein, Kreuzberg-Rhon, Brocken, Torfhaus, Inselberg and Hoher Meissner, all delivered daily on tap! Their signal strengths vary from non-existent to noise free (if I am lucky). Many other less common German transmitters are audible on a daily basis too such as Saarburg, Bad Marienburg, Donnersberg and Bielefeld. The nearer transmitters like Langenberg, Aachen, Munster, Bonn, Gottelborner Hohe, Kleve and Barbelkreuz peak to noise free levels and can reach PI code level on a good day via scatter. Even local stations in Nordrhein-Westfalen are creeping through on good days. I have so far identified 105.2 Radio RST, Schoppingen, 106.9 Radio Euskirchen, 107.4 Radio Wuppertal, Wuppertal via scatter. Naturally, these signals are very weak.
To the north-east, I hear Lingen, Aurich, Bremen, etc. almost constantly, plus occasional scatter from Rangstrup in Denmark and even Bjerkreim in south-west Norway. Heide and Flensburg flutter up and down occasionally too, very weakly.
Reception to the south is disappointing, however. I cannot explain this. The 9.2 'sees' a reasonable take-off in all directions. I can still receive Kippure, Mount Leinster and Clermont Carn on an almost daily basis, but northern transmitters like Caen and Rouen struggle. Brest can be OK at times, but moving to more distant transmitters such as Troyes and Bourges and I struggle. Some you win, some you lose.
Reception inland is worse too, which is good thing as far as I am concerned. But the FM band is more solid with continental transmitters from Holland and Belgium. This is nice but some of them are now frequency blockers for more distant transmitters.
Overall, I am very happy with the situation, but while some DXers say I am very lucky to be able to receive so many continental transmitters, you have to remember that many of them are now my 'locals' in a sense and can actually be a nuisance.
Friday, 2 May 2014
Skegness Log: 02-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 General Scatter: (Pre-amp Test)
95.5 0817 D SR 3 Saarlandwelle, Göttelborner Höhe (saa) Pops, as web. Testing pre-amp 629km
87.8 0833 D WDR 2, Schwerte/Sommerberg (nrw) Pops, as web. Testing pre-amp 525km
107.1 0834 D SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Haardtkopf (rlp) Noise free. Schlager. Testing pre-amp
593km
91.8 0837 D WDR 2, Hohe Warte (nrw) Almost noise free. Bangles song, as 93.3. Testing Pre-amp
544km
95.0 0839 D hr-info, Rimberg (hes) ID and Ukraine news. Testing pre-amp 678km
87.9 0841 D MDR Figaro, Inselsberg (thü) Classical. Weak on NPO fade. Testing pre-amp
739km
103.4 0843 D Radio ffn, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Almost noise free. Pops, as web.
Testing pre-amp 525km
103.0 0846 D BFBS Radio, Bielefeld/Hünenburg (nrw) Pops, as web. Noise free. Testing
pre-amp 564km
101.9 0848 D WDR 5, Aachen/Stolberg (nrw) Mixing Peterborough and Goes. Testing pre-amp 483km
102.7 0852 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Nordhelle (nrw) Clobbering Peterborough. Testing pre-amp
553km
103.5 0853 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Torfhaus/DTAG (nds) YL on phone, as web. Testing pre-amp
707km
107.0 0855 D WDR Eins Live, Olsberg (nrw) Ads, as 107.9. Noise free on A/S peak. Testing
pre-amp 592km
105.3 0857 D B5 aktuell, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) YL, as web. Testing pre-amp 732km
105.3 0858 D NDR Info, Schwerin (mev) German OM, as web, mixing Kreuzberg. Testing pre-amp
739km
90.4 0904 HOL SubLime FM, Hoorn/Electronweg (nho) Chic song, as 90.7. Testing pre-amp 325km
89.5 0917 HOL 100% NL, Alkmaar or Utrecht. Probably the latter. Country song, as web. Testing
pre-amp
99.0 0925 D hr1, Hoher Meißner (hes) Very fluttery but almost noise free on peak. UB40, as
web. Testing pre-amp 684km
100.2 0928 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Lochem/Streek Beton (gel) Dutch OMs talk, as web. Testing
pre-amp 426km **
102.8 0931 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Wesel-Büderich (nrw) OM, as 102.0. Testing pre-amp 456km
104.0 0936 D big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Koblenz/Kühkopf (rlp) Decent, clear signal. Pops,
as web. Testing pre-amp 590km
92.1 1033 D NDR 2, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Virtually noise free. Pops, as web. Testing
pre-amp 707km
98.0 1034 D NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Buddy Holly song, as web.
Dominating Lille. Testing pre-amp 707km
97.4 1036 D Deutschlandradio Kultur, Brocken (san) Almost noise free. YL, as web. Testing
pre-amp 712km
101.7 1039 D WDR 4, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) German song with bagpipes and ID. Testing
pre-amp 420km
102.6 1040 D NDR 2, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Pops, as web. Peaking above Tournai. Testing
pre-amp 606km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
I plumbed in my Fringe Electronics 22dB pre-amp today, remembering how good this used to be at the old QTH. Back then, it was installed at the mast head, but today I only connected it by the receiver, just to see if it made any difference. The Fringe Electronics pre-amps are known for their good signal-to-noise figures.
I suspect it DID make a difference as I heard more continental DX than I have heard here to date. It enabled me to hear NDR Info from Schwerin on 105.3 for the first time on scatter anyway, so that seemed very promising.
The one thing I didn't like with the pre-amp inline was the increase in general FM mush, which you are bound to get, but when signals peaked they really did seem to be relatively noise free compared with the reception I am used to. I just prefer to listen to an FM band without any horrible mush. I will have a play with this again at some point, but probably not in a hurry, and connect it in such a way that I can make quicker 'before and after' comparisons. Instant comparisons are necessary with constantly fading scatter.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
95.5 0817 D SR 3 Saarlandwelle, Göttelborner Höhe (saa) Pops, as web. Testing pre-amp 629km
87.8 0833 D WDR 2, Schwerte/Sommerberg (nrw) Pops, as web. Testing pre-amp 525km
107.1 0834 D SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Haardtkopf (rlp) Noise free. Schlager. Testing pre-amp
593km
91.8 0837 D WDR 2, Hohe Warte (nrw) Almost noise free. Bangles song, as 93.3. Testing Pre-amp
544km
95.0 0839 D hr-info, Rimberg (hes) ID and Ukraine news. Testing pre-amp 678km
87.9 0841 D MDR Figaro, Inselsberg (thü) Classical. Weak on NPO fade. Testing pre-amp
739km
103.4 0843 D Radio ffn, Osnabrück/Schleptruper Egge (nds) Almost noise free. Pops, as web.
Testing pre-amp 525km
103.0 0846 D BFBS Radio, Bielefeld/Hünenburg (nrw) Pops, as web. Noise free. Testing
pre-amp 564km
101.9 0848 D WDR 5, Aachen/Stolberg (nrw) Mixing Peterborough and Goes. Testing pre-amp 483km
102.7 0852 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Nordhelle (nrw) Clobbering Peterborough. Testing pre-amp
553km
103.5 0853 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Torfhaus/DTAG (nds) YL on phone, as web. Testing pre-amp
707km
107.0 0855 D WDR Eins Live, Olsberg (nrw) Ads, as 107.9. Noise free on A/S peak. Testing
pre-amp 592km
105.3 0857 D B5 aktuell, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) YL, as web. Testing pre-amp 732km
105.3 0858 D NDR Info, Schwerin (mev) German OM, as web, mixing Kreuzberg. Testing pre-amp
739km
90.4 0904 HOL SubLime FM, Hoorn/Electronweg (nho) Chic song, as 90.7. Testing pre-amp 325km
89.5 0917 HOL 100% NL, Alkmaar or Utrecht. Probably the latter. Country song, as web. Testing
pre-amp
99.0 0925 D hr1, Hoher Meißner (hes) Very fluttery but almost noise free on peak. UB40, as
web. Testing pre-amp 684km
100.2 0928 HOL BNR Nieuwsradio, Lochem/Streek Beton (gel) Dutch OMs talk, as web. Testing
pre-amp 426km **
102.8 0931 D Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Wesel-Büderich (nrw) OM, as 102.0. Testing pre-amp 456km
104.0 0936 D big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Koblenz/Kühkopf (rlp) Decent, clear signal. Pops,
as web. Testing pre-amp 590km
92.1 1033 D NDR 2, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Virtually noise free. Pops, as web. Testing
pre-amp 707km
98.0 1034 D NDR 1 Niedersachsen, Torfhaus (Harz-West) (nds) Buddy Holly song, as web.
Dominating Lille. Testing pre-amp 707km
97.4 1036 D Deutschlandradio Kultur, Brocken (san) Almost noise free. YL, as web. Testing
pre-amp 712km
101.7 1039 D WDR 4, Kleve/Bresserberg (nrw) German song with bagpipes and ID. Testing
pre-amp 420km
102.6 1040 D NDR 2, Stadthagen/Bückeberge (nds) Pops, as web. Peaking above Tournai. Testing
pre-amp 606km
** Personal Skegness 'First'
I plumbed in my Fringe Electronics 22dB pre-amp today, remembering how good this used to be at the old QTH. Back then, it was installed at the mast head, but today I only connected it by the receiver, just to see if it made any difference. The Fringe Electronics pre-amps are known for their good signal-to-noise figures.
I suspect it DID make a difference as I heard more continental DX than I have heard here to date. It enabled me to hear NDR Info from Schwerin on 105.3 for the first time on scatter anyway, so that seemed very promising.
The one thing I didn't like with the pre-amp inline was the increase in general FM mush, which you are bound to get, but when signals peaked they really did seem to be relatively noise free compared with the reception I am used to. I just prefer to listen to an FM band without any horrible mush. I will have a play with this again at some point, but probably not in a hurry, and connect it in such a way that I can make quicker 'before and after' comparisons. Instant comparisons are necessary with constantly fading scatter.
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Skegness Log: 01-05-14 (FM)
Band 2 Sporadic E:
89.4 2045 ALG Chaîne 1, Tiaret - Gzoul (14) Arabic music, as web 1976km
94.0 2046 ALG Chaîne 1, Aïn N'sour (48) Arabic music, as 89.4 1913km
87.7 2047 ALG Radio Chlef, Aïn N'sour (48) Presume Chlef. Web stream down. As 87.6 1913km
87.6 2048 ALG Radio Laghouat, Aflou (3) Presume Radio Laghouat. Arabuc music, as 87.7 2120km
Band 2 General Scatter:
93.8 1043 G BBC Radio Scotland, Durris (SC-ABS) V weak between BBC Radio 4s, as 04.3 461km
94.3 1044 G BBC Radio Scotland, Black Hill (SC-NLA) Tropo? Stable-ish. Noise free peak
405km
92.7 1045 G BBC Radio Scotland, Forfar (SC-ANG) Presume Forfar as 103.7 in. As 94.3 430km
103.7 1047 G BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal, Forfar (SC-ANG) Gaelic music, as 104.2. V weak
430km
104.2 1049 G BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal, Meldrum (SC-ABS) OM, as 103.7 501km
91.8 1601 F France Musique, Bourges/Neuvy (18) First time at the new QTH. OM news, as 88.7
672km
The beginning of the day saw some tropo to Scotland. I wasn't sure at first whether this was unusually good scatter or the end of the previous evening's tropo. I suspect it must have been the latter in view of the stability of the signals.
The end of the day saw a brief sporadic E opening to Algeria, reaching 94 MHz. The opening served the purpose of answering the question will will have been on many DXer's lips: "Does Algeria have RDS yet?". The answer would appear to be "No". :O(
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
89.4 2045 ALG Chaîne 1, Tiaret - Gzoul (14) Arabic music, as web 1976km
94.0 2046 ALG Chaîne 1, Aïn N'sour (48) Arabic music, as 89.4 1913km
87.7 2047 ALG Radio Chlef, Aïn N'sour (48) Presume Chlef. Web stream down. As 87.6 1913km
87.6 2048 ALG Radio Laghouat, Aflou (3) Presume Radio Laghouat. Arabuc music, as 87.7 2120km
Band 2 General Scatter:
93.8 1043 G BBC Radio Scotland, Durris (SC-ABS) V weak between BBC Radio 4s, as 04.3 461km
94.3 1044 G BBC Radio Scotland, Black Hill (SC-NLA) Tropo? Stable-ish. Noise free peak
405km
92.7 1045 G BBC Radio Scotland, Forfar (SC-ANG) Presume Forfar as 103.7 in. As 94.3 430km
103.7 1047 G BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal, Forfar (SC-ANG) Gaelic music, as 104.2. V weak
430km
104.2 1049 G BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal, Meldrum (SC-ABS) OM, as 103.7 501km
91.8 1601 F France Musique, Bourges/Neuvy (18) First time at the new QTH. OM news, as 88.7
672km
The beginning of the day saw some tropo to Scotland. I wasn't sure at first whether this was unusually good scatter or the end of the previous evening's tropo. I suspect it must have been the latter in view of the stability of the signals.
The end of the day saw a brief sporadic E opening to Algeria, reaching 94 MHz. The opening served the purpose of answering the question will will have been on many DXer's lips: "Does Algeria have RDS yet?". The answer would appear to be "No". :O(
Good DX!
John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
Receivers:
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c modification & XDR-GTK software.
Aerial:
Körner 9.2 at 5.5 metres AGL. Yaesu G-5500 elevation/azimuth rotator.
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