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Monday, 5 January 2015

Skegness Log: 05-01-15 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
107.2 0412 HNG MR 1 Kossuth Rádió, Kab-hegy (Ves) B203  1405km

Band 2 Tropospheric:
105.0 1122  E  RNE Radio 5 Todo Noticias, Liérganes/Peña Cabarga (CNT-S) Spanish OM and YL, as web  1128km
103.2 1128  F  France Bleu Berry, Bourges/Neuvy (18) Phone in, as web  672km
102.9 1130  E  RNE Radio 3, Liérganes/Peña Cabarga (CNT-S) Alternative music, as web  1128km
 92.6 1131  G  Radio Verulam, Saint Albans (EN-HTS) Police appeal about a road accident,
               as web  162km

107.1 1148  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Haardtkopf (rlp) YL ID  593km
107.3 1149  D  hr4, Heidelstein (Rhön) [bay] (hes) Light pops, as web  729km
107.9 1150  D  BR Klassik, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) Concerto, as web  732km
105.3 1152  D  B5 aktuell, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) News and ID  732km
103.4 1158  D  ANTENNE 1, Raichberg (bwü) YL news before the hour, as web  813km
 89.8 1210  D  SWR1 Rheinland-Pfalz, Bad Marienberg (rlp) Oldie, OM ID  592km
105.6 1241  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) ID and light pops  656km
105.1 1243  D  Hit Radio FFH, Hoher Meißner (hes) ID and pops  684km
104.9 1246  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) ID and pops  553km
104.2 1938  D  Landeswelle Thüringen, Inselsberg (thü) Ugly Kid Joe track, as web  739km
106.8 1940  D  Hit Radio FFH, Driedorf/Höllberg (hes) Dreadful Ed Sheeran song, as 105.9  604km
106.3 1945  D  Antenne Niedersachsen, Torfhaus/DTAG (nds) Pops and ID  707km
 97.2 2026  D  Deutschlandradio Kultur, Inselsberg (thü) ID and ballad  739km
 95.0 2028  D  hr-info, Rimberg (hes) OM interview, as web  678km
 94.2 2029  D  Deutschlandradio Kultur, Sonneberg/Bleßberg (thü) Ballad, as 96.5  793km
 93.4 2031  D  Bayern 3, Pfaffenberg (bay) Pops, as web  712km
 91.5 2033  D  MDR JUMP, Brocken (san) Boy-band pop, as web  712km

** Personal 'First'

If I was still at school the teacher should give me 1000 lines for beaming the antenna south for meteor scatter. It doesn't work here!

I must not beam south for meteor scatter!
I must not beam south for meteor scatter!
I must not beam south for meteor scatter!
I must not beam south for meteor scatter!
I must not beam south for meteor scatter!

The use of copy/paste makes this task too easy these days though. I STILL beam south just to see what might be coming in. Part of the problem this time might have been the inland tropo which meant that just about every frequency was occupied with signals good enough to block out the meteor scatter. My idea was to hopefully catch some interesting tropo in the recordings.

Good hear Spain again, but it was only ever noisy and weak and best. This tropo generally favoured more southerly parts of the UK again but plenty of German signals came through here too. I wasn't able to spend much time DXing on the whole yesterday so I concentrated on logging the most distant of the German transmitters. Other sites heard included Langenberg, Teutuburger Wald, Sackpfeife (Biedenkopf), Ederkopf, Scharteburg (Eifel), Steinkimmen and Olsberg. None of the Germans reached RDS this time. I was hoping to try vertical for Dutch transmitters but I just didn't have enough time, having to spend most of the day in Boston, but I heard plenty of Dutch signals on the car radio. DAB did not reveal anything in the way of DX but I was never in a good DX spot being in the town centre.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Sunday, 4 January 2015

Skegness Log: 04-01-15 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
104.9 0406  D  Radio SAW, Leipzig Wiederau [sac] (san) D3D9  843km
104.0 0408 SVK Fun Rádio, Banská Bystrica/Suchá hora (BB) 5340  1392km
105.0 0429  D  Radio 7, Iberger Kugel (bwü) D30B  922km
105.6 0438 POL PR 2, Katowice/Kosztowy (SL) 3222  1333km
 88.0 0817 POL PR 1, Krosno/Sucha Góra (PK) 3211  1530km
 88.3 0817 POL PR 1, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) 3211  1229km
 90.3 0817 POL PR 3, Opole/Chrzelice (OP) 3233  1229km
 92.0 0817 POL PR 3, Krosno/Sucha Góra (PK) Rock track, as 90.3  1530km
 87.7 0854  E  RAC 1, Barcelona/Collserola (CAT-B) E251  1312km
 87.9 0854  E  Carrier, (formerly iCat FM), Collsuspina (CAT-B)
               Hum / Test tone  1268km **


** Personal 'First'

The results of the 2015 Quadrantids shower. A BIG disappointment. The above log includes everything I identified.

The peak of any activity seemed to be during daylight hours yesterday 3rd. Sunrise on the 4th was probably the worst time. Meteor showers don't always go according to the forecasts.

Hopefully, the rest of January and February will be as lively for meteor scatter as they were in 2014.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Saturday, 3 January 2015

Skegness Log: 03-01-15 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
107.4 0427  I  Radio Suby, Multi-tx 5204
105.1 0441  F  RTL, Bayonne/la Rhune (64) F211  1104km
101.0 0504  D  BR Klassik, Grünten (Allgäu) (bay) D314  942km
103.0 0504  D  SWR3, Grünten (Allgäu) [bay] (bwü) D3A3  942km **
 90.1 0749 SVK SRo 1 Rádio Slovensko, Banská Bystrica/Suchá hora (BB) 5201  1392km **
107.2 1409 POL Radio Maryja, Kielce/Swiety Krzyz (SK) 3232  1436km **
103.7 1429  I  Radio Subasio, Calvi dell’Umbria/Monte San Pancrazio (tr) 53FD SUBASIO  1499km **
104.1 1429  I  Radio Subasio, Bagno a Ripoli or Vaiano Pops, as 103.7
105.0 1429  I  Radio Deejay, Scandiano or Prezza 5214 D **
105.3 1429  I  Dimensione Suono Due, Rocca di Papa/Monte Cavo (rm) 5E49 DIMSUONO  1568km **
105.8 1429  I  Radio Incontro, Rocca di Papa/Monte Cavo (rm) 5E74  1568km **
107.1 1429  I  Antenna Uno, Rocca di Papa/Monte Cavo (rm) 5E84 ANTENNA1  1568km **
107.2 1429  I  Radio Maria, Multi-tx Vocal ID. Abbadia San Salvato listed here. Maybe that **
107.9 1429  I  Radio 24, Rocca di Papa/Monte Cavo (rm) 5245  1568km **
103.9 1442  F  France Bleu, Multi-tx Unsure which outlet **
105.3 2302 AUT KRONEHIT, Sankt Pölten/Jauerling (nie) A3FF  1181km
104.0 2321  D  MDR Figaro, Wittenberg/Gallunberg (san) D3C3  839km

** Personal 'First'

Another vertical session paid off with the Italians. So many heard once again but very few identified. Regulars omitted.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

A Simple Review of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso Car Radio

We recently changed our car. My old Megane was rotting quite badly and my foot was going through the foot well floor. I might be able to put this down to the salty sea air. I had the Megane from new and looked after it well, but the four years living in Skegness seems to have advanced the corrosion process, as sea air does.

Now, when choosing a car, you don't ordinarily base your decision on the performance of the car radio. Do you? You DO? No, seriously, this was not something I considered. We just needed something with enough 'space' for us, the dogs, etc. I didn't even touch the radio when looking at the vehicle.

Luckily, luck was on our side and the radio performs extremely well. So well, that I am wondering if it includes the same chip as the Sony XDR-F1HD. The audio on an empty channel sounds exactly the same, with that 'fluttery' sound. The kind of sound which seems to tell you that the radio is trying to lock on to the slightest signal. When listening to continental reception, you can tell that the sensitivity is high by the way the signals are extracted from the noise in no time. That familiar sound of the noise breaking up as opposed to just being overridden. I have already heard meteor scatter when tuned to an empty frequency.

Sensitivity is also of the 'digital IF' kind, though it doesn't sound like SHARX where you can hear the bandwidth narrow in stages. Selectivity is just very tight, even when right next door to anything from Belmont. You can hear the slightest audio from Belmont, but it's hardly there at all and far more selective that the SHARX system.

Somebody suggested that this radio might have the XDR-F1HD chip, but this is speculation. I have no idea what is inside. What brand is the radio? Unfortunately there is no way of knowing, but I have been told that Clarion is the usual brand in many of today's Citroen cars. The radio is not visible, however, as everything is 'touch screen' operation.

Operation of this radio is slightly awkward and I cannot find a way to manually tune across the band. The radio always jumps to the nearest strongest signal and Belmont is the only transmitter it will stop on. Even then it can miss the transmitter when scanning, such is the setting of the threshold. I have occasionally been able to force a manual tune, but it is far from precise and easily locks on to a channel or two higher. VERY frustrating! How fortunate that there is direct frequency entry. This method is reliable. While I would rather see a full manual tune option, the direct frequency entry has some advantages. Maybe I will find a way to disable the auto-tuning.

In conclusion, this radio is exceptional in terms of the main requirements of the DX enthusiast, but the tuning lets it down. at least until (if) I can find a way around this. Medium wave is equally good. There doesn't appear to be any long wave band, though I haven't tried entering a frequency below medium wave yet, so don't quote me on this. This is an early stage review and I will adapt this page as I go along.

This radio has DAB radio too, but I won't give any comments about this as I know next to nothing about DAB or how to tune through the channels and multiplexes. I need to learn.

Hopefully this brief review will be useful to somebody, but I can summarize this in a few simple words. This is a VERY GOOD radio which I would not hesitate to recommend and outperforms my Blaupunkt "Digiceiver" radios. Well worth getting - *IF* I can find out what the radio is and its model number. We NEED to find out.

Good DX!

John

Friday, 2 January 2015

Skegness Log: 02-01-15 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
105.7 0423  I  Radio 105 Network, Abbadia San Salvatore/Monte Amiata (si) 5211  1414km **
107.9 0423  I  Radio 24, Guadamello or Rocca di Papa 5245 **
105.3 0426  I  Radio Italia Solo Musica Italiana, Meldola/Frazione Valdinoce(fc)
               5220  1328km **

 89.9 0709  F  TSF Jazz, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) F223  497km **
 92.8 0720  I  Radio Kiss Kiss, Multi-tx Vocal ID **
 90.5 0723 HRV HRT-HR 2, Licka Plješivica (gs) C202  1456km **
 90.6 0736  I  RAI Radio1, Multi-tx though probably Milano 5201 **
 92.6 0751  I  Arancia Network, Falconara, Treia-San Lorenzo or Fermo 5571 AranciA  **
 87.5 0805  I  Radio Subasio, Sigillo & Fermo 53FD
 91.3 0832  I  RAI Radio1, Santu Lussurgiu/Punta Badde Urbara (RAI) (or) 5201.
               Highly likely Santu Lussurgiu  1575km **

 88.6 0834  I  Radio Capital, Serramazzoni, Castel San Pietro Terme or Cesena 5219

** Personal 'First'

I forgot to rotate the 9.2 back into the horizontal plane tonight. Vertical doesn't usually bring in much on meteor scatter, but tonight was different. The beam was aimed approximately SSE and I heard dozens and dozens of Italian stations. Possibly even hundreds! Bursts of activity appeared very frequently indeed. While that sounds good, each time Italy rolled in, there was lots of co-channel QRM which resulted in mush. Very little of this was strong enough for RDS so I was pleased to squeeze out the above stations.

Now lets hope the Quadrantids will bring us all some gems over the next couple of nights.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Thursday, 1 January 2015

Skegness Log: 01-01-15 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
 88.6 0406 FIN SR P3, Sund/Finby-Fejansberg (ah) E203  1434km **
 91.1 0406  S  SR P1, Motala/Ervasteby TM (og) E201  1098km
 91.1 0420 CZE CRo Radiožurnál, Ceské Budejovice/Klet - CRa (JC) 232F  1084km
 90.5 0422  D  NDR 1 Radio MV, Helpterberg (mev) D371  881km
 92.2 0422 POL PR 1, Plock/Rachocin (MW) 3211  1289km
 92.1 0509  D  Bayern 1, Brotjacklriegel (bay) D311  1021km
 93.3 0509 CZE CRo Vltava, Plzen/Radec (PL) 232D  993km
 94.4 0509  D  Bayern 3, Brotjacklriegel (bay) Pops, as 94.7  1021km **
 94.7 0509  D  Bayern 3, Hoher Bogen (bay) D313  975km
 96.5 0509  D  Bayern 2, Brotjacklriegel (bay) D312  1021km
 96.4 0512 POL PR 3, Poznan/Srem (WP) 3233  1127km
 92.0 0517  D  Radio PSR, Auerbach/Schöneck (sac) D3C2  881km **
 92.8 0517  D  MDR 1 Radio Sachsen, Chemnitz/Geyer (sac) D5C1  904km
 93.0 0517  D  Bayern 2, Hohe Linie (bay) Traditional music, as 96.5  943km **
 93.3 0517  D  MDR 1 Radio Thüringen, Weimar/Großer Ettersberg (thü) D4F1  783km **
 93.4 0517 CZE Frekvence 1, Jihlava/Javorice (VY) 2205  1131km **
 93.9 0517 CZE Rádio Blaník, Pardubice/Krásné (PA) 233C BLANKK_V (Not 283C)  1127km **
 94.3 0517 CZE Hitrádio Vysocina, Jihlava/Strážník I. (VY) 2A2A VYSOCINA  1126km **
 96.0 0517  D  Bayern 2, Ochsenkopf (bay) Traditional music, as 96.5  865km **
 93.6 0550 POL Radio ZET, Wroclaw/G.Sleza (DS) 3205  1147km
 96.6 0607 CZE Radio Impuls, Praha/Mahlerovy sady (PR) 2203  1031km
 97.0 0607  D  Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Chemnitz/Geyer (sac) D210  904km
 97.4 0607 CZE Frekvence 1, Pardubice/Krásné (PA) 2205  1127km
 97.6 0607 SVK Rádio Anténa Rock, Banská Bystrica/Suchá hora (BB) 5345 ANTENA  1392km
 99.0 0627 AUT Hitradio Ö3, Salzburg 1/Gaisberg (ORS) (sal) A203  1080km
 96.7 0653  S  SR P2, Mora/Eldris TM (da) E402  1211km **
 99.0 0653  S  SR P3, Mora/Eldris TM (da) E203  1211km **
104.6 0714 AUT FM 4, Salzburg 1/Gaisberg (ORS) (sal) A213  1080km
102.8 0724  D  Radio Regenbogen, Heidelberg/Königstuhl, DTAG (bwü) D308  717km **
103.6 0742 SRB Radio Zrenjanin, Zrenjanin/Mužlja (Voj) D091  1686km **
105.6 0742 ROU SRR Radio Resita, Resita/Semenic (CS) EE03  1801km
104.1 0751 ROU SRR Radio România Actualitati, Oradea=Nagyvárad (BH) EE00 RRACTUAL  1677km

** Personal 'First'

Some new ones. Some regular ones. Another frequency to add to the list. A good start to the new year!

Good DX and Happy New Year!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Skegness Log: 31-12-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
 87.7 2003 SVK Fun Rádio, Košice/Dubník (KE) 5340  1544km

Well, that was 2014 going out with a "pfffft" as opposed to a 'bang'. One solitary MS ID made during the evening. The overnight recordings were made with the 9.2 beamed south-south-west. This was done in the hope of catching some of the French and Spanish tropo. The only thing which made it in the end was a Brest on 89.4. 93.0 was struggling against Ridge Hill while 95.4 and 97.8 were severely splattered out by signals from the Midlands, which were enhanced. There was a second station on 105.0 mixing with Cambridge 105, but it was too weak to hear. I guess it was Lierganes as the web stream sounded very similar, but just too weak to commit to.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Skegness Log: 30-12-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
 87.9 0405  D  MDR Figaro, Inselsberg (thü) D3C3  739km **
 93.9 0532  I  RAI Radio3, Bologna/Colle Barbiano (RAI) (bo) 5203  1256km **
104.3 0720  I  Radio Subasio, Città di Castello or Campello sul Clitunno (both pg)
               Jingle ID

103.7 0736  D  SR Unser Ding, Saarbrücken/Schoksberg (saa) D3B5  628km

Band 2 Tropospheric:
104.9 0713  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Ahrweiler/Schöneberg (rlp) Bangin' toonz and OM ID
               553km

102.9 0714  D  RPR 1., Bad Marienberg (rlp) RPR1 ID and pops  592km
105.6 0715  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Donnersberg (rlp) OM ID and a jolly German toon  656km
 89.4 2220  F  France Musique, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) F203 MUSIQUE  604km

** Personal 'First'

Avoiding repeating the regular MS catches today, but activity is still on the quiet side.

Some vague tropo around at sunrise, but slightly more intense tropo appearing towards NW France by late evening.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Monday, 29 December 2014

Skegness Log: 29-12-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
 87.7 0409 SVK Fun Rádio, Košice/Dubník (KE) 5340  1544km
 88.5 0417  F  France Culture, Bourges/Neuvy (18) F202  672km **
 91.8 0417  F  France Musique, Bourges/Neuvy (18) Classical, as Lille 88.7  672km **
 88.3 0418 HRV HRT-HR 1, Vinkovci/Borinci (vu) C201  1590km
 92.1 0418 HRV HRT-HR 1, Zagreb/Sljeme (zg) C201  1381km
 87.6 0438 CZE Radio Impuls, Brno/Kojál (JM) 2203  1219km
 91.7 0445 POL PR 3, Czestochowa/Wreczyca (SL) 3233  1291km
 87.7 0455 POL PR 1, Konin/Zólwieniec (WP) 3211  1211km
 92.2 0455 POL PR 1, Plock/Rachocin (MW) 3211  1289km
 95.4 0525 AUT Ö2 - Radio Steiermark, Graz 1/Schöckl (ste) Jingle ID  1261km
 93.3 0551 HRV HRT-HR 1, Beli Manastir (os) C201 HRT-HR_1  1552km
104.0 0833 SRB Radio Beograd 202, Beograd/Avala (Srb) D2FA  1740km
 93.3 0933 POL RMF FM, Bydgoszcz/Trzeciewiec (KP) 3F44  1186km

Band 2 Tropospheric:
 97.4 0640  D  SWR4 Rheinland-Pfalz, Linz (Rhein)/Ginsterhahner Kopf (rlp)
               "SWR4 Rheinland Pfalz" ID and Modern Talking song  560km

100.8 0640  D  WDR 2, Aachen/Stolberg (nrw) OM ID and Cher song  483km
101.0 0640  D  WDR 2, Bärbelkreuz (Eifel) (nrw) OM ID and Cher song  519km
104.0 0846  D  big fm (Rheinland-Pfalz), Koblenz/Kühkopf (rlp) Frequent mentions of
               "Big" in ad break  590km

104.7 0846  D  WDR Eins Live, Nordhelle (nrw) ID and alternative pops  553km
103.8 0847  D  WDR 4, Nordhelle (nrw) La Bionda song and ID  553km

There was some light tropo during the early hours. Signals were stable but it didn't last for long. I wouldn't have been awake at that time anyway so it's all thanks to the FDM-S2 recordings. This makes up for a poor meteor scatter session. I know it's still a fair long compared to single frequency DXing but the activity has been very much down on recent nights with hardly any pings. There were a few longer bursts to make up for it though. You just never know what to expect with meteor scatter.

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.

Sunday, 28 December 2014

Skegness Log: 28-12-14 (FM)

Band 2 Meteor Scatter:
 87.7 0401 POL PR 1, Konin/Zólwieniec (WP) 3211  1211km
 90.5 0401  D  NDR 1 Radio MV, Helpterberg (mev) D371 ND  881km
 92.0 0401 POL PR Radio Szczecin, Szczecin/Kolowo (ZP) 34EB  953km
 89.0 0410 DNK DR P1/DR P2, Sønder Højrup/Sdr. Højrupvejen 21 (sdk-fyn) 9201  700km
 89.5 0410  S  SR P4, Hörby/Sallerup TM (sn) E224  913km **
 88.3 0421  S  SR P1, Västervik/Fårhult TM (ka) E201  1132km
 91.8 0421  S  SR P2, Västervik/Fårhult TM (ka) E402  1132km
 88.4 0422  S  SR P1, Bollnäs/Arbrå-Kyrkberget TM (ga) Waves  1323km
 87.7 0438  S  SR P1, Halmstad/Oskarström-Slättåkra TM (ha) Waves  899km
 88.1 0450  S  SR P1, Gävle/Skogmur TM (ga) E201  1310km
 88.2 0450 NOR NRK P1, Skien 1/Vealøs (te) F201  889km
 88.9 0450  S  SR P1, Skövde/Billingen TM (vg) Waves  1023km
 94.6 0503 POL RMF FM, Poznan/Srem (WP) 3F44  1127km
 92.2 0531  S  SR P1, Mora/Eldris TM (da) E201  1211km
 92.5 0536  S  SR P2, Kisa (Kinda)/TM (og) E402  1095km
 92.6 0543 FIN YleX, Turku - Åbo/Kaarina-Kuusisto, Vuolahdentie 137 (vs) Finnish OM, 
               as 92.8. Likely Turku with suspected YLE Suomi on 94.3  1553km **
 92.8 0543 FIN YleX, Anjalankoski/Kouvola-Liikkala, Sopasenpolku 40 (ky) 6202. 
               Most likely Anjalankoski  1808km **
 92.8 0543  S  SR P2, Östhammar/Valö TM (up) E402  1334km
 95.5 0543  S  SR P3, Östhammar/Valö TM (up) E203  1334km
 93.0 0552  F  France Bleu Breizh Izel, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) F205  604km
 95.4 0552  F  France Inter, Brest/Roc Trédudon (29) F201  604km **
 93.8 0553 POL RMF FM, Luban/Nowa Karczma (DS) Madonna song, as 95.3  1035km
 97.1 0608 NOR NRK P2, Nordhue (he) F202  1094km
 97.5 0608  S  SR P3, Tåsjö/Hoting-Tåsjöberget TM (jm) E203 SR_P1  1518km **
100.8 0608  S  SR P4, Tåsjö/Hoting-Tåsjöberget TM (jm) E224  1518km
 99.5 0631 FIN YLE Radio Vega, Anjalankoski/Kouvola-Liikkala, Sopasenpolku 40 (ky) 
               6205  1808km
100.6 0631 FIN YLE Radio Vega, Lahti - Lahtis/Hollola-Tiirismaa, Arvi Hauvosentie (ph) 
               Slow pops, as 99.5  1740km **
 96.9 0637  S  SR P3, Kisa (Kinda)/TM (og) Briefly atop Viking, as 97.5  1095km
 98.6 0641  D  Antenne Brandenburg, Cottbus Calau (brb) D531  935km
 97.8 0650  D  NDR 1 Welle Nord, Bungsberg/NDR-Mast (shs) D3E1  694km **
101.4 0743  D  R.SH, Flensburg Freienwill (shs) D3E8  626km **
103.7 0743 POL PR Radio Gdansk, Gdansk/Chwaszczyno (PM) 309C  1195km
101.0 0748  S  SR P4, Vislanda (Alvesta)/Nydala TM (kb) E224  983km
103.8 0748  S  SR P4, Bollnäs/Arbrå-Kyrkberget TM (ga) E224  1323km
105.4 0800 POL Radio ZET, Siedlce/Losice (MW) OM vocal ID  1512km
 94.3 0930 NOR NRK Petre, Tron (he) F203  1175km
 95.3 0930 NOR NRK P2, Bagn 1/Kjeldeknatten (op) F202 NRK_P2  1019km
 95.5 0930 NOR NRK P2, Kongsberg/Jonsknuten (bu) F202  918km **
 96.2 0930 NOR NRK P2, Low power multi-tx YL news, as 95.3. At a guess, very likely 
               Viblemo (100 watts 716 km) as the rest are 50 watts and under **
 96.4 0930 NOR NRK P2, Gausta/Gaustatoppen (te) F202 NRK_P2  902km
 97.2 0930 NOR NRK P2, Melhus/Vassfjellet Vassfjellvegen (st) YL news, as 95.3  1265km
 95.2 0951 FIN YLE Radio Extrem, Lapua - Lappo/Simpsiö-Mastiontie (ep) 6204  1704km
 96.0 0953 POL RMF FM, Kraków/Choragwica (MP) Madonna song, as 95.3  1406km

Band 2 Tropospheric:
 97.2 1216 DNK DR P3, Rangstrup/Gammel Tøndervej 28 (sdk-sjy) Pops, as web  617km

** Personal 'First'

A couple of interesting Scandinavian catches this morning:

96.2 had a very weak NRK P2. A YL was heard in parallel with 95.3 (which had full RDS). The signal was very weak, but no wonder as this is a low-powered frequency. The highest powered P2 listed is Viblemo at 100 watts. Below this, it's just flea powered transmitters. Viblemo is right at the southern tip of Norway and looks more favourable than the other possibilities.

97.1 had a mixture of stations at 0608, producing THREE separate PI codes. E203 was dominant from SR P3 from Jönköping, which I didn't actually log for some reason as I was more interested in the F202 PI. This turned out to be NRK P2 from Nordhue, but I overlooked this transmitter at the time and was I also more interested in the Slavic sounding language on the frequency. This was never identified, but there was a third PI of F201 to begin with. This did not re-materialise on successive playbacks. If the PI F201 referred to NRK P1, then we're looking at another low powered transmitter. Helgehornet 2 is listed with 217 watts at 1059 km and would be the most likely site. The other two are 40 watts. I didn't log this as there was no obvious audio to confirm it.

Teasing the PI code out of the FDM-S2 can be a bit 'hit and miss'. If a signal is weak and just below the RDS threshold, it might not reveal a PI code on the first playback. Looping might work, or sometimes I might go back to the recording later and play the same signal and the PI will appear! Sometimes the frequency needs adjusting very slightly to avoid splatter, or sometimes the PI appears 'just because it does'.

As always, you can see my latest video uploads here: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp

Good DX!

John Faulkner
Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) <3m ASL.
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.co.uk
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver:
Elad FDM-S2

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is 3 metres asl.
Triax FM3, one metre above the ground as a phasing antenna.
Fringe Electronics 20dB & Labgear 30dB band 2 pre-amps.
HS Publications Antenna Phaser.

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation rotator, allowing antenna to be vertical, horizontal, etc.