Starting at 1130 UTC (0430 local time) in the predawn darkness an improved-design 5" Frequent Flyer FSL was set up in the cold back yard here to record 657 kHz, on the offhand chance that the tiny antenna might get a trace of Pyongyang through the neighbor's S7 electrical noise. At 1315 a band check was once again made in the cold back yard, and the digital recorder was checked. The tiny FSL antenna had not only recorded multiple strong signals from Pyongyang, but also had China mixing in at times-- quite a surprise https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/oex42e5yefaxsg6mab746x0hx9fk689h
Other Asian carriers seemed potent as well, so a single 15" FSL and 7.5" CC Skywave SSB model were once again taken to a local park to escape the electrical noise. From the beginning (at my 1335 setup time) there were mixes of Chinese and Koreans on 603 and 657, and unusually good signals from the CRI stations on 963, 1017 and 1044. A strong 738-BEL2 was already easily pushing aside the KCBS splatter, and weak Chinese audio was showing up on 918 and 936. With only a single FSL, though, it was tough to decide which Asian to record over the 1400 TOH. 603 and 657 fizzled somewhat just before 1400, though, so the 3+1 pips from 738-BEL2 were recorded at 1400-- possibly with another Asian in the background. After 1400 the 603-China signal began to dominate HLSA, and 657 turned into somewhat of a zoo with Pyongyang and China fighting it out. Curiously, though (as Nick also noticed), 639-CNR1 was practically MIA, managing only a trace in domestic splatter. Weak musical audio from a p resumed 936-Anhui was recorded around 1415, while 963-CRI hit its S7 peak in Russian around 1418. Finally around 1422 the overachieving 738-BEL2 closed out the session with an impressive S9 signal-- far and away the best Taiwan signal ever showing up at this challenged location. There were still potent Asian signals after 1430 but they were tapering off-- similar to my endurance in the 37 degree cold. As the usual group of curious Peach Park onlookers began to congregate around my gear I knew that it was time to get out of Dodge, so the PVC base, 15" FSL, hot-rodded Ultralight and frozen DXer beat a hasty retreat back to the warm but RFI-troubled point of origin. 603 China Hulun Buir? Dominating HLSA's music at 1415; generally at an equal level with the Korean prior to 1400 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/2ilzk5tl7seqz5wz0ji98sai2laxqysl 738 BEL2 Penghu, Taiwan The overall star of the session-- steel drum, 3+1 pips and Chinese female ID at the 1400 TOH https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/h7savgn03dr5ibtxpdxcsds0xe0ocufh Awesome S9 level with Chinese female speech at 1422 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/od9um1sx0yvg98c27k75js3jwkajh6cs 963 CRI Huaduan, China Russian service with female and male speakers peaking at S7 level around 1418 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/yolids3oux2qb8v9p93bzhqz71smdt5c 972 HLCA Dangjin, S. Korea Chris K.'s old local testing the crunch resistance of my Ultralight with S9+ vocal music signal at 1344 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/bfbiveyoak0pkjuetzlju0q3tl0j2dt0 73 and Good DX, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave SSB Ultralight + 15" FSL antenna (DXing at Sam Peach Park in the Puyallup Valley _______________________________________________ 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