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Thursday, 6 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-10-06 (MW Transatlantic & East Asia)

1570 0200 USA WMVX Viva 1570, Methuen MA. Must be using day power. YL ID and lively
              jingles just after the hour.  Weak  5210 km

1296 1700 TWN BCC News Network, Tainan (TN) BCC 7 note jingle on the hour V weak  9753 km
 891 1800 TWN BCC Local Tainan, Tainan (TN) BCC 7 note jingle on the hour, audible
              under Netherlands V weak  9753 km


It was a struggle to hear anything today. So it was a surprise to hear WMVX on 1570 at 0200 and the Tainan transmitter later in the early evening. JOIF's time signal was present on 1413 at 1800 too, but too weak to hear speech.

DXLC are boldly stating that the geomagnetic field whould be quiet for the next couple of days. We'll see!

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) 1m ASL
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver: Perseus SDR Receiver
Software: Jaguar Big Cat
Antenna:  Movable 10ft x 25ft flag
Amplifier: G3PQA 17dB low noise pre-amp

Wednesday, 5 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-09-05 (Tropo: F)

100.6 1950  F  France Bleu Picardie, Abbeville/Limeux (80) French phone caller, as web  
               364km

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

Receivers:
Elad FDM-S2 (Meteor Scatter and sporadic E)
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c mod. (Tropo/Scatter)

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is approximately 3 metres asl, 1km from the sea.
Fringe Electronics 20dB pre-amp.

Software:
Elad FDM-SW2, SDR Console File Analyser & RDS Spy via VAC.
XDR-GTK v0.3.1 for the Sony XDR-F1HD

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-10-04 (Tropo: NOR)

 96.0 1646 NOR NRK P1, Stord/Kattnakken (ho) Norwegian YL, as web  811km
 91.1 1647 NOR NRK Petre, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) Pops, as 91.8  745km
 92.6 1647 NOR NRK Petre, Stord/Kattnakken (ho) Pops, as 91.8  811km
 97.3 1647 NOR NRK P2, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) YL and OM, as web  745km
102.8 1650 NOR P4 Radio Hele Norge, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) Sia song, as web  745km
 98.7 1748 NOR NRK P2, Bjerkreim/Urdalsnipa (ro) V weak classical, as web  703km

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

Receivers:
Elad FDM-S2 (Meteor Scatter and sporadic E)
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c mod. (Tropo/Scatter)

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is approximately 3 metres asl, 1km from the sea.
Fringe Electronics 20dB pre-amp.

Software:
Elad FDM-SW2, SDR Console File Analyser & RDS Spy via VAC.
XDR-GTK v0.3.1 for the Sony XDR-F1HD

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation

Skegness Log: 2016-10-04 (MW South America)

1400 0200 GRD Harbour Light of the Windwards, Carriacou/Tarleton Point (cpm) Full ID and
              frequencies Fair  7033 km

1190 0211 CLM HJCV Radio Cordillera, Bogotá D. C. (bdc) Jingle ID Weak  8566 km

A reasonable Caribbean / Northern tip of South America morning. Good signals from the Caribbean Beacon 1610 and WGIT 1660 and lots of borderline audio signals all over the place. I only managed to identify a couple.

940 was an interesting frequency with three South American/Caribbean signals just getting to audio levels. A portuguese speaking religious station was the most frequently heard there, but none of them wanted to ID.

Presumed YVWP 1320 and YVRZ were in at fair levels at times. Noo IDs there either due to fades at all the wrong moments.

Some good news is that the new version of Jaguar, v2.7, has resolved a lot of he issues I had running v2.6. I don't think Jaguar was to blame, but my Windows 7 was the culprit. It's good to have (almost) full control of this software again, but there are now other things which don't work. It's Windows, therefore it can!

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) 1m ASL
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver: Perseus SDR Receiver
Software: Jaguar Big Cat
Antenna:  Movable 10ft x 25ft flag
Amplifier: G3PQA 17dB low noise pre-amp

Skegness Log: 2016-10-04 (Tropo: Norway)

Band 2 Troposhperic:
 96.0 1646 NOR NRK P1, Stord/Kattnakken (ho) Norwegian YL, as web  811km
 91.1 1647 NOR NRK Petre, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) Pops, as 91.8  745km
 92.6 1647 NOR NRK Petre, Stord/Kattnakken (ho) Pops, as 91.8  811km
 97.3 1647 NOR NRK P2, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) YL and OM, as web  745km
102.8 1650 NOR P4 Radio Hele Norge, Bokn/Grønnestadvegen (ro) Sia song, as web  745km
 98.7 1748 NOR NRK P2, Bjerkreim/Urdalsnipa (ro) V weak classical, as web  703km

A disappointing tropo. "Disappointing" because the forecast promised so much more. Signals were very weak.

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

Receivers:
Elad FDM-S2 (Meteor Scatter and sporadic E)
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c mod. (Tropo/Scatter)

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is approximately 3 metres asl, 1km from the sea.
Fringe Electronics 20dB pre-amp.

Software:
Elad FDM-SW2, SDR Console File Analyser & RDS Spy via VAC.
XDR-GTK v0.3.1 for the Sony XDR-F1HD

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

Monday, 3 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-10-03 (MW Transatlantic, East Asia)

 600 0100 CAN CBNA CBC Radio 1, Saint Anthony (NL) CBC News jingle, just audible
              V weak  3715 km

1610 0100 AIA Caribbean Beacon, The Valley (tvy) All god, all The Time. God, god and
              more god!  Fair  6629 km

 590 0354 CAN VOCM, Saint John s (NL) The VOCM Morning Crew Fair  3730 km
 710 0354 CAN CKVO, Clarenville (NL) The VOCM Morning Crew Fair  3774 km
 740 0354 CAN CHCM, Marystown (NL) The VOCM Morning Crew Weak  3915 km
1400 0500 USA WOND News Talk 1400 WOND, Pleasantville (NJ) WOND ... radio you can
              depend on. Newstalk Fourteen Hundred WOND and wondradio.com  Weak  5673 km

1510 0500 USA WMEX, Boston (Waverley) (MA) You're listening to the new 15-10 WMEX
              Boston Weak  5245 km

1560 0500 USA WFME Family Radio, New York/Queens (NY) Family Radio IDs Weak  5538 km
1494 1800 CHN Xinjiang RGD 738 Zonghe, Two txs producing echo Xinjiang Guangbo ...
              tientai, etc. ID on the hour then time pips. Sign off after this? Not heard
              beyond the time pips V weak

1539 1800 CHN CNR 1, Golmud/SARFT916 (QH) OM ID after pips and YL timecheck Weak  7134 km
1098 2000 TWN R.Taiwan Int./R.Free Asia/Ikuan Tao/RFI, Kouhu (YL) This is Radio Free Asia
              ID in English, then Asian language. Fair  9714 km

1143 2000 TWN Taiwan Chü Yuyeh Kuangpo Tientai, Baisha/Chiangmei Ts un (PG) Pips. Usual YL
              ID over steel drum music Good  9675 km


Disturbed conditions, but still a few transatlantic / East Asian stations getting through.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) 1m ASL
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver: Perseus SDR Receiver
Software: Jaguar Big Cat
Antenna:  Movable 10ft x 25ft flag
Amplifier: G3PQA 17dB low noise pre-amp

Sunday, 2 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-10-02 (MW East Asia)

1098 1900 CHN CNR 11, Golmud/SARFT916 (QH) OM ID. Riding well over Euros Good  7136 km
1566 2000 KOR HLAZ FEBC, Jeju=Cheju (jej) YL HLAZ ID, time pips then choir. Dominant
              over Euros Good  9067 km


Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) 1m ASL
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver: Perseus SDR Receiver
Software: Jaguar Big Cat
Antenna:  Movable 10ft x 25ft flag
Amplifier: G3PQA 17dB low noise pre-amp

Saturday, 1 October 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-10-01 (MW Transatlantic)

 750 0502 EQA HCRC2 Radio Caravana, Guayaquil (gua) Thanks to Matthias Gatzke and
              Andrew 
Brade and Sylvain Naud at RealDX for checking this and
              confirming HCRC2. 
Details at https://youtu.be/ZrqYnIlOkEI
              V weak  9553 km **

 800 0600 BES PJB Trans World Radio, Kralendijk (bnr) Radio Trans Mundial ID  Fair  7513 km **

** Personal First

Two personal firsts today and a potential UK First in HCRC2. Thanks to Matthias, Andrew and Sylvain for watching my video and confirming HCRC2. This one was a struggle as the signal was VERY poor. Sylvain was able to extract some detail where the signal peaked, but it's still a headphone job.

Good DX!

John Faulkner, Skegness, Lincolnshire (JO03dd) 1m ASL
Blog: http://skegnessdx.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/g1vvp
Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/skegnessdx

Receiver: Perseus SDR Receiver
Software: Jaguar Big Cat
Antenna:  Movable 10ft x 25ft flag
Amplifier: G3PQA 17dB low noise pre-amp

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Skegness Log: 2016-09-28 (Tropo: E)

102.3 0003  E  Radio Galega, Moaña/Monte Faro Domayo  YL news, as web  1379km **
103.9 0005  E  Radio Galega, Ares/Montefaro (GAL-C) OM ad, as 102.3  1251km
104.7 0006  F  Europe 1, Brest/le Rody (29) Presumed site. OM, as web  625km
107.7 0019  E  Radio Estrada, A Estrada (GAL-PO)  OMs talk, as web (This was regular in 
               Cornwall)  1321km **
107.9 0020  E  Radio Líder, Zas/Pico de Meda (GAL-C)  Listed inactive but several clear 
               IDs heard  1315km **
103.5 0023  E  Radio Galega, Carballo/Monte Neme (GAL-C)  YL on phone, as others  1285km **
 95.6 0036  E  SER, Meis/Monte Castrove (GAL-PO)  Phone in, as web  1362km **
 95.0 0042  E  Kyoto FM, Vilagarcía de Arousa/M. Xiabre  Spanish music, as web. 
               Unlisted PI FFFFFFFF 1347km **
 97.4 0043  E  RNE Radio 3, Moaña/Monte Faro Domayo  Piano music and OM, as web  1379km **
 91.8 0047  E  Onda Cero, Monforte de Lemos OMs talk, as web  1296km
 92.8 0634  E  RNE Radio 5 Todo Noticias, O Páramo/M. Páramo (GAL-LU) National weather, 
               jingle ID  1287km
 88.2 0636  E  RNE Radio Clásica, O Páramo/M. Páramo (GAL-LU) Opera, as 91.6  1287km
 91.2 0637  E  RNE Radio Clásica, Parada de Sil/M. Meda  Opera, as 91.6  1338km **
 93.7 0640  E  RNE Radio 5 Todo Noticias, Santiago de Compostela/Monte Pedroso (GAL-C) 
               E215 1316km
 99.0 0644  E  RNE Radio 3, Santiago de Compostela/Monte Pedroso (GAL-C) OMs, as web  
               1316km
107.0 0651  G  Isle of Wight Radio, Chillerton Down (EN-IOW) Breakfast team, as web  301km
 97.1 0701  E  COPE, Santiago de Compostela/Monte Pedroso (GAL-C) Vocal ID  1316km
100.2 0741  E  Radio Galega Música, Serra do Xistral  Spanish song, as web  1225km **
101.6 0746  F  NRJ, Flers/la Chapelle-Biche (61) Jingle ID after ads  498km
 93.4 0751  F  RCF, Argentan/Saint-Clair (61) YL and OM, as web  506km
101.4 0754  F  Radio Classique, Amiens/Dury TDF (80) Classical, as web  390km
105.3 0801  F  France Info, Falaise/Villers-Canivet (14) ID  473km
106.7 0803  F  Europe 1, Cherbourg-Octeville/la Glacerie (50) French YL, as web  415km
 91.4 0806  F  France Culture, Cap-de-la-Hague/Omonville-la-Petite (50) Discussion, as web  
               415km
 92.2 0809  F  France Musique, Tours/Chissay [41] (37) OM and classical, as web  646km
105.6 0818  F  France Info, Cherbourg-Octeville/Digosville (50) As web  414km
106.5 0822  F  RKB Radio Kreiz Breizh, Guingamp/Ploumagoar (22) OM, as web  567km
107.9 0827  F  RMC, L'Aigle or La Ferté-Macé ID. Noise free  
107.5 0829  F  RTL, Cherbourg-Octeville/la Glacerie (50) OM and ad, as web  415km

** Personal First

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

Receivers:
Elad FDM-S2 (Meteor Scatter and sporadic E)
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c mod. (Tropo/Scatter)

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is approximately 3 metres asl, 1km from the sea.
Fringe Electronics 20dB pre-amp.

Software:
Elad FDM-SW2, SDR Console File Analyser & RDS Spy via VAC.
XDR-GTK v0.3.1 for the Sony XDR-F1HD

Rotator:
Yaesu G-5500 azimuth & elevation

Skegness Log: 2016-09-28 (Tropo: NW France & Galicia)

Band 2 Tropospheric:
102.3 0003  E  Radio Galega, Moaña/Monte Faro Domayo (GAL-PO) ++ YL news, as web  1379km
103.9 0005  E  Radio Galega, Ares/Montefaro (GAL-C) OM ad, as 102.3  1251km
104.7 0006  F  Europe 1, Brest/le Rody (29) Presumed site. OM, as web  625km
107.7 0019  E  Radio Estrada, A Estrada (GAL-PO) ++ OMs talk, as web (This was regular in
               Cornwall)  1321km

107.9 0020  E  Radio Líder, Zas/Pico de Meda (GAL-C) ++ Listed inactive but several
               clear IDs heard  1315km

103.5 0023  E  Radio Galega, Carballo/Monte Neme (GAL-C) ++ YL on phone, as others  1285km
 95.6 0036  E  SER, Meis/Monte Castrove (GAL-PO) ++ Phone in, as web  1362km
 95.0 0042  E  Kyoto FM, Vilagarcía de Arousa/M. Xiabre (GAL-PO) ++ Spanish music,
               as web. Unlisted PI: FFFF 1347km

 97.4 0043  E  RNE Radio 3, Moaña/Monte Faro Domayo (GAL-PO) ++ Piano music and OM,
               as web  1379km

 91.8 0047  E  Onda Cero, Monforte de Lemos (GAL-LU) OMs talk, as web  1296km
 92.8 0634  E  RNE Radio 5 Todo Noticias, O Páramo/M. Páramo (GAL-LU) National weather,
               jingle ID  1287km

 88.2 0636  E  RNE Radio Clásica, O Páramo/M. Páramo (GAL-LU) Opera, as 91.6  1287km
 91.2 0637  E  RNE Radio Clásica, Parada de Sil/M. Meda (GAL-OU) ++ Opera, as 91.6  1338km
 93.7 0640  E  RNE Radio 5 Todo Noticias, Santiago de Compostela/Monte
               Pedroso (GAL-C)  E215 1316km

 99.0 0644  E  RNE Radio 3, Santiago de Compostela/Monte Pedroso (GAL-C) OMs, as web  1316km
107.0 0651  G  Isle of Wight Radio, Chillerton Down (EN-IOW) Breakfast team, as web  301km
 97.1 0701  E  COPE, Santiago de Compostela/Monte Pedroso (GAL-C) Vocal ID  1316km
100.2 0741  E  Radio Galega Música, Serra do Xistral (GAL-LU) ++ Spanish song, as web  1225km
101.6 0746  F  NRJ, Flers/la Chapelle-Biche (61) Jingle ID after ads  498km
 93.4 0751  F  RCF, Argentan/Saint-Clair (61) YL and OM, as web  506km
101.4 0754  F  Radio Classique, Amiens/Dury TDF (80) Classical, as web  390km
105.3 0801  F  France Info, Falaise/Villers-Canivet (14) ID  473km
106.7 0803  F  Europe 1, Cherbourg-Octeville/la Glacerie (50) French YL, as web  415km
 91.4 0806  F  France Culture, Cap-de-la-Hague/Omonville-la-Petite (50) Discussion,
               as web  415km

 92.2 0809  F  France Musique, Tours/Chissay [41] (37) OM and classical, as web  646km
105.6 0818  F  France Info, Cherbourg-Octeville/Digosville (50) As web  414km
106.5 0822  F  RKB Radio Kreiz Breizh, Guingamp/Ploumagoar (22) OM, as web  567km
107.9 0827  F  RMC, L'Aigle or La Ferté-Macé ID. Noise free  
107.5 0829  F  RTL, Cherbourg-Octeville/la Glacerie (50) OM and ad, as web  415km

The last of the Spanish tropo. Still some reasonable signals but a little weaker after midnight, then quite a lot weaker by dawn. Most of the signals from the previous evening were hanging on, but still no Portugal.a

The "++" in the log are my own references for personal firsts.

Maximum distance received was from the Moaña transmitter at 1379 km.

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

Receivers:
Elad FDM-S2 (Meteor Scatter and sporadic E)
Sony XDR-F1HD with Konrad i2c mod. (Tropo/Scatter)

Aerials:
Körner 9.2 @ 5.5 metres agl. QTH is approximately 3 metres asl, 1km from the sea.
Fringe Electronics 20dB pre-amp.

Software:
Elad FDM-SW2, SDR Console File Analyser & RDS Spy via VAC.
XDR-GTK v0.3.1 for the Sony XDR-F1HD

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