Haha Guy I love that adaption of the 153 fish account :) Maybe the fish were responsible for swallowing up your DX, then were instructed, like in the story of Jonah, to spit the DX out on the cliff in time for Gary to be there? ;)
Gary, I'm curious as to how strong those signals really were :) Was there any background noise on the signals, or was it local-grade, sounding as strong & clear as KSUH, KHHO, etc. are back in Puyallup? I see you left your Edirol R09 at home, so I guess I'll have to wait to hear them? Or did you not have ANY recording device? I do hope you have a camera, though - even the one on your smartphone (if you have one) might work for recording a catch over the speaker, except for maybe the weak signals that don't ever rise above 0 dB S/N. Also while you're there, would it be possible to record (and later post after you're home) a midday bandscan video with the FSL and PL-380 (or whatever DSP Tecsun you have with you), preferably set to display signal? I'd like to know what it can hear with the saltwater path. Any chance that you'd hear anything as far south as L.A. in the daytime? And, if you have a totally barefoot (stock loopstick, no 7.5" mod) PL-380 or whatever with you, I'd love to see a comparison video of sensitivity on some frequencies between stock and the 12" FSL, preferably picking frequencies that on the stock PL-380 have at least 1-2 dB S/N or higher. :) I'm curious how much gain it gives, preferably in dBu. The S/N display is limited to a 25 dB scale, but with the signal strength, combining the Select-A-Tenna with a utility groundwire I've indicated better than 50 dB gain as long as I'm not near strong stations. One example was taking my semi-local 1550 XEBG from about 29-30 to about 86-87 dBµ or so. I also think it's possible to have even more gain if I'm not near strong locals, one of which is an 81-dBµ-barefoot 1170 KCBQ. A couple times I was at my setup, but nulling 1550 with the radio. I quickly flipped it to max signal pickup (faster than its AGC could react), heard it distort the audio like it was overloading it for a split second, and happened to time it right so it flashed 98 dBµ, before settling back down to the upper 70s / low 80s or so. (That would be a near-70 dB gain.) I'm wondering if the FSL would blow my setup away? :) (I know it would on price.) Also, while I know you're not in the right place to test it right now, how deep are the nulls on the FSL? For example, do you remember if, from your home in Puyallup, you could completely null out KSUH on 1450 or KHHO on 850? 73 and may you have even better DX the rest of your trip! -Stephen On Wednesday, April 9, 2014 4:34 PM, Guy Atkins <d...@guyatkins.com> wrote: Amazing, Gary! One day after I return from Rockworks with little to show for it, I'm reading that you found " the strongest Japanese big gun signals ever heard in 8 years of TP-DXing." Now, I'm *not* saying that you're a prophet or have special powers, but your story reminds me of John 21:4-6 in the New Testament. Let me substitute a few words to make my point: *(4) When it was already very early morning, Gary stood on the cliff, but the DXers did not know that it was Gary. (5) So Gary said to them, "Children, you don't have any DX, do you?" They replied, "No." (6) He told them, "Throw your antenna wire on the right side of the radio, and you will find some." So they threw the antenna wire, and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of DX catches. * :^) :^) Whatever you're doing Gary, don't stop! Some fellas are chick magnets, others attract DX, I guess <g> 73, Guy Atkins DX-less in Puyallup, WA > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: d1028g...@aol.com > To: irca@hard-core-dx.com, ultraligh...@yahoogroups.com > Cc: > Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 16:47:54 -0400 (EDT) > Subject: [IRCA] Oregon Cliff (Rockwork 4) Ultralight TP's for 4-9 > > > > Hello All, > > <<< I hate to say this, given what the Rockworks guys were (not) hearing, > but it was actually a pretty fair morning here for Asiatics at this > time of year, though some of the "DX" was noted before 1300UT. >>> > > I wish that Nick could have been here this morning, when the Rockwork 4 > cliff delivered the strongest Japanese big gun signals I have ever heard in > 8 years of TP-DXing. Really wacky conditions-- like something straight out > of October. Along with the NHK big guns on 594, 693 and 774 (all at S9+ > levels) 657-Pyongyang was at a similar blowtorch level, and 603-HLSA wasn't > far behind Before a DU propagation swoon around 1130 the New Zealand > Samoan language station 531-PI was also at an excellent level, but in > general the Kiwis and Aussies were well below their summer strengths. > > Murphy's Law struck early in this DXpedition as the Edirol R09 MP3 > recorder was accidentally left at home in Puyallup, making it impossible to > post same-day MP3's (although the recordings are still being made). There > was heavy rain here until around midnight, when it suddenly cleared up > before the DXing session. The Rockwork 4 cliff was clear and cold around > 1100 (0400 local time), when the session started with both the Asians and > Kiwis at potent levels. Unfortunately Kiwi propagation hit the skids around > 1130, so 531-PI was the only vibrant Kiwi recorded. The Japanese big guns > went on a phenomenal run from 1145-1330, hitting almost science fiction > levels on 594, 693 and 774 while the Kiwis and Aussies played hard to get. > The raspy North Korean carrier on 702 produced some fair audio around 1215 > (fair level that is, but equally boring), while 603-HLSA went on an > excellent run around 1316 (over two co-channels, one of them apparently a > weak 603-Waatea). The Japanese big guns ruled right up until the band > folded around 1400, although 972-HLCA had a late revival around 1355 to > reach an excellent level. I was looking for some DU propagation after these > Asians bailed, but only wispy signals from the Aussie big guns on 702, 792 > and 891 were to be found. Knowing very well that chasing these ghostly > Aussies was running up against the propagation grain I decided to get off > the frigid cliff around 1410, and take my chances on better DU propagation > sometime during the next two days. Overall it was a thrilling session, and > hopefully the first of three such wild rides. > > 73 and Good DX, > Gary DeBock (in Cannon Beach, OR) > DXing at the "Rockwork 4" ocean cliff site (2013 DXpedition video at > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWSqvb9NdLo ) > C.Crane SWP 7.5" Slider loopstick Ultralight + > New 12" DXpedition antenna (design photo posted at > http://www.mediafire.com/view/m4vpd78b91nowxb/12-inchDXFSL-004.jpg ) > _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
