[IRCA] DXpedition to Chesapeake Bay

[Bill Whitacre]

I just returned from a short, cold and windy DXpedition to a house called 
Waters Edge near Fleeton, VA -- just a couple of roads down from a place I've 
been a few times in the past - Bay House.

Conditions were 'interesting' - both from a propagation and weather perspective.

I'm still going through wav files and putting up sounds but you can have a look 
at what's there now and 'follow along' over the next week or so as I add more 
at this URL:

http://realmonitor.com/am_logs_we.php

Highlights included, so far; Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, tons of Cubans and 
what must be nearly every station in Florida!  Some of this on a night [Jan. 
7-8] with an A index up well above 30 but a couple of de-telescoped masts on my 
160' DKAZ facing ~145 degrees.

Anyway, now that I've had a chance to warm up, it was fun and educational -- 
NEVER by crappy tie-wraps and expect them to last through REALLY cold weather 
and wind!

Bill Whitacre
Alexandria, VA

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Re: [IRCA] [CapeDX] DXpedition to Chesapeake Bay

[Mark Connelly via IRCA]

--- Begin Message ---
Hi Bill.  Paraguay 780 is a nice catch.  Chris Black had it a few years 
ago at the Fort Hill Park site, Eastham, MA.  I had another Paraguay 
(1020) at the Rowley, MA salt-marsh several years ago (and long-gone 
645 way back in the '70s).  PEI guys had Paraguay on 920 last autumn.  
Seems to be too much WHJJ, CKNX, and WURA on this end to extract much 
from Latin America on 920.


On 780, Radio Coro (Venezuela) is the typical big dog here at night, 
followed by ZBVI and WBBM.  WCKB does pop into the mix around sunset 
but vanishes quickly as darkness conditions settle out.


I heard Radio America (Argentina) 1190 from Granite Pier in Rockport, 
MA in the early 2000s.  Also I've had 1190's from Colombia and Puerto 
Rico there.  Combo WLIB-NY groundwave and skip make 1190 a rougher go 
here on Cape Cod.


1070 should be the best Argentina here.  I heard them in the '80s from 
my parents' place about 3 miles west of here.  Even though CBA was 
still on then, the aurora was so good that the weak remnant CBA 
groundwave was out of the game on an antenna aimed SSE.  1070 is kind 
of an "I-bocky" mess nowadays and mostly what I get is Colombia.


1030 Argie has been heard in recent years by Roy Barstow in Falmouth, 
MA.  Nulling WBZ is the trick here, again (like the NYC stations) a 
messy skywave + groundwave proposition unless aurora kills the skip.  
Then you could be in fat city with just easily-nullable groundwave (and 
that's not even an issue for WBZ south of the NJ shore).


I'm surprised that you have a lot of domestics on channels that are 
usually crushed by Cubans here, e.g. 600, 670, 710 where the Rebeldes 
are fire-breathing monsters.  Also interesting that there are empty 
channels such as 750 (typically YVKS/Cuba/CBGY/WSB shoot-out here with 
a once-in-a-blue-moon Brazilian at beach sites).  And wow, nothing - 
770, where Cuba and WABC battle it out regularly high on the S-meter 
here with Colombia occasionally "backgrounding" or "underrumbling" (as 
we might say in Hauserese).


It's obvious, by the absence of NY etc. stations, that the antenna and 
conditions were jacked to the south.


You will likely find a lot more as you go over the captures.  Having 
noted Brazil on 1100, it would not be surprising to find it on 1220 
too.  The reverberated Globo ID's and synthesized "wolf whistles" blow 
through the other crud (typically ME & OH here) on a regular basis even 
when other aspects of the programming aren't as clear.


Nothing noted on 1340 and 1350 probably means, in the 1340 sense, that 
your DKAZ is doing a good job blocking Atlantic City.  Would 1350 still 
have slightly-off-channel WGPL Norfolk, or are they off?


Seems like 1390 would probably be Charleston, SC.  (It's mostly WEGP 
here since WPLM doesn't get out its backyard - but your antenna wasn't 
aimed this way.)


1650: VA, Canadian, or nothing?  I would guess VA.

I didn't see TA's but I think that Mauritania 783 might have a chance.  
Also look for Sao Tome VOA 1530 around 0300 UTC sign-on with "Yankee 
Doodle."  This can definitely cut through the domestic crud.


Thanks for this good report!

Mark Connelly, WA1ION
South Yarmouth, MA

-Original Message-
From: Bill Whitacre b...@his.com [CapeDX] 
To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America 
; am ; CapeDX 
; lbi-dx ; 
coastalroundtable 

Sent: Mon, Jan 12, 2015 9:57 am
Subject: [CapeDX] DXpedition to Chesapeake Bay






I just returned from a short, cold and windy DXpedition to a house 
called Waters Edge near Fleeton, VA -- just a couple of roads down from 
a place I've been a few times in the past - Bay House.


Conditions were 'interesting' - both from a propagation and weather 
perspective.


I'm still going through wav files and putting up sounds but you can 
have a look at what's there now and 'follow along' over the next week 
or so as I add more at this URL:


http://realmonitor.com/am_logs_we.php

Highlights included, so far; Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, tons of 
Cubans and what must be nearly every station in Florida!  Some of this 
on a night [Jan. 7-8] with an A index up well above 30 but a couple of 
de-telescoped masts on my 160' DKAZ facing ~145 degrees.


Anyway, now that I've had a chance to warm up, it was fun and 
educational -- NEVER by crappy tie-wraps and expect them to last 
through REALLY cold weather and wind!


Bill Whitacre
Alexandria, VA




__._,_.___





   Posted by: Bill Whitacre 



--- End Message ---
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Re: [IRCA] Radio Shack catalog archives

[R. Colin Newell]

In Canada, our Radio Shack (Now called the Source) is little more than a
mini-Best Buy with nary an electronic component in site...
cell phones, portable players, some computer accessories, games and some RC
stuff.

My DX150B - which I purchased on November 3rd 1973 still sits in my office
at the local University and works as good as the day I bought it.

On Fri, Jan 9, 2015 at 1:27 PM, Mike Sanburn 
wrote:

> Incredible site! I didn't realize they went back that far. I think Radio
> Shack has played a part in many a DXers career. I remember logging KBOI on
> a radio that I purchased there.   Ms
>
> Sent from my iPod
>
> > On Jan 9, 2015, at 1:20 PM, Dennis Gibson  wrote:
> >
> > http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalog_directory.html
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> > ___
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> > IRCA@hard-core-dx.com
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> > 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
> >
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> >
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> >
> ___
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>
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>
>


-- 

*Colin Newell is the Editor and creator of Coffeecrew.com
 - Coffee.bc.ca  and
DXer.ca  -| Amateur Radio VA7WWV |
Twitter.Com/CoffeeCrew | Victoria B.C. Canada*
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[IRCA] WWV Solar Report

[NOAA WWV]

:Product: Geophysical Alert Message wwv.txt
:Issued: 2015 Jan 12 2105 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
#
#  Geophysical Alert Message
#
Solar-terrestrial indices for 12 January follow.
Solar flux 159 and estimated planetary A-index 8.
The estimated planetary K-index at 2100 UTC on 12 January was 3.
No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours.
No space weather storms are predicted for the next 24 hours.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Trends -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date 11   11   11   11   11   11   12   12   12   12   12   12   12   12
UTC  0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100  0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100
SFlx 152  152  152  152  152  154  154  154  154  154  154  154  154  159
A-in 10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   8
K-in 23221220112323
Current Solar information available at http://www.am-dx.com/wwv.htm



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Re: [IRCA] Ultralight Radio Class-- MW Sensitivity King Shootout

[d1028gary]

Thanks, Mike-- I hope that the pocket radio comparison was interesting for you! 
 
  
73, Gary 
  
- Original Message -

From: "Mike Sanburn"  
To: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America" 
 
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2015 8:51:10 PM 
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Ultralight Radio Class-- MW Sensitivity King Shootout 

Thanks again for the detailed analysis of these 3 rigs!!! Ms 

Sent from my iPod 

> On Jan 11, 2015, at 8:38 PM, d1028g...@comcast.net wrote: 
> 
> Hello All, 
>   
> The Super Bowl of pocket radio weak signal reception was held this afternoon 
> here in Puyallup, Washington. The contestants (pictured together in a photo 
> posted at   http://www.mediafire.com/view/22enaz1a7ci88p2/EtonTrav3-011.jpg  
> ) were: 
>   
> 1) Tecsun PL-310ET ($49.99 with free shipping from Amazon)   The Ultralight 
> radio class leader in MW sensitivity from 2009 until recently, this 
> AM-LW-FM-SW model (along with the Tecsun PL-606) has the longest loopstick 
> among the Tecsun DSP Ultralights. Although it has the odd heterodynes and 
> "soft mute" drawback typical of the Tecsun DSP models, it also has multiple 
> DSP selectivity choices from its Si4734 chip, including 1 kHz filtering. With 
> a direct frequency entry keypad and a round, external tuning knob, this model 
> has been one of the most popular Ultralight radios for quite a few years. 
>   
> 2)  C.Crane "Skywave" ($89.95 plus shipping from C.Crane)   The first pocket 
> radio found to use the new Si4736 DSP chip, this AM-FM-WX-AIR model has 
> complete freedom from the Si4734 chip heterodynes troubling the Tecsun DSP 
> Ultralights (as well as complete freedom from "soft mute" distractions). With 
> the full range of DSP filtering options (6,4,3,2 and 1 kHz) and switchable 
> audio tone, this new model has already attracted some significant interest 
> among transoceanic DXers (despite its relatively high price). 
>   
> 3)  Eton Traveler III  ($59.14 with free shipping from Amazon)   The newest 
> contestant among these radios, this AM-LW-FM-SW portable has a unique 
> appearance, and functions which set it apart from the crowd. With only one 
> selectivity option it is mainly designed for maximum sensitivity on MW, with 
> excellent audio quality as a primary feature. Unlike the other contestants 
> the model has no direct frequency entry keypad, and can only tune frequencies 
> according to the 9 or 10 kHz band plans. A unique feature is a rotary control 
> selecting world time zones, hidden behind an access door on the front panel. 
>   
> Shootout Preparations:  All three models were tested in the reception of weak 
> daytime DX signals in Puyallup, WA (30 miles south of Seattle) just after 
> local noon on Sunday, January 11. The Tecsun PL-310ET and the C.Crane Skywave 
> were set in their 1 kHz DSP selection, and the Skywave was set in its default 
> "Music" tone option. In each weak-signal MP3 the Tecsun PL-310ET receives the 
> fringe station for the first 15 seconds, the C.Crane Skywave then receives 
> the same fringe station for 15-25 seconds, then finally the Eton Traveler III 
> receives the same station for the last 15 seconds: 
>   
> 550  KARI   Blaine, WA   (5 kW at 127 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/mhq82kijqplmn07/550-KARI-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                    
>   
> 620  KPOJ   Portland, OR   (25 kW at 117 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/31400wkrbn28nkp/620-KPOJ-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                    
>     
> 690  CBU   Vancouver, BC   (50 kW at 148 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/9xpcndd3axt748m/690-CBU-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                    
>   
> 750  KXTG   Portland, OR   (50 kW at 117 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ybcy6yny6bdwfb6/750-KXTG-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                    
>     
> 1070  CFAX   Victoria, BC   (10 kW at 100 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/d7ncp0vhnh9p6v6/1070-CFAX-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                    
>   
> 1470  KELA   Centralia, WA  (5 kW at 46 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/s57y1b3294xezs8/1470-KELA-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>                      
>   
> 1650  Vashon TIS, WA  (15 watts at 15 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/7dew5552opybxwf/1650-VashonTIS-PL310-Skywave-TravIII.MP3
>  
>   
> COMMENTS:  690-CBU was the weakest of all these fringe stations, and the 
> PL-310ET was totally missing in action during the test-- maybe a victim of 
> its "full-blown soft mute?" Its "reception" of 750-KXTG was nothing to shout 
> about, either-- maybe Tecsun is cutting some corners on these new model 
> PL-310ET's? The new Eton Traveler III's MW selectivity is roughly comparable 
> to that of the 2 kHz DSP filtering in the PL-310 and Skywave models-- 
> although if those two models are switched to their 2 KHz DSP setting, they 
> both have an additional MW sensitivity reduction in reference to the Traveler 
> III. 
>   
> 73 and Good DX, 
> Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

Re: [IRCA] Ultralight Radio Class-- MW Sensitivity King Shootout

[d1028gary]

Les, 
  
Thanks very much for your positive comments on the pocket radio "Shootout!" 
  
<<>> 
  
Well, the CC Skywave does have a lot going for it, if the $89.95 price isn't a 
deal-breaker. The new Si4736 DSP chip solves the heterodyne issue affecting the 
Tecsun models like the PL-310 and PL-380, while the selectable audio tone is 
another plus. In MW reception the model falls pretty much in between the PL-310 
and the Traveler III in both audio clarity and sensitivity-- which is why the 
MP3's were recorded with the Skywave in the middle. 
  
<<<  I may have to order the Eton now too--thanks to your review. You 
certainly are helping Amazon's business of late. Hope they send you a 
gift certificate or something! :-)   >>> 
  
The Traveler III would be another excellent choice for a domestic DXer looking 
for great MW sensitivity and audio quality-- especially one who doesn't need a 
direct frequency entry keypad. As for Amazon sending me a gift certificate-- 
I'm not holding my breath! 
  
73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)   
  

- Original Message -

From: "Les Rayburn"  
To: irca@hard-core-dx.com 
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2015 9:21:11 PM 
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Ultralight Radio Class-- MW Sensitivity King Shootout 

Gary, 

Let me add my thanks for taking the time to assemble these tests as 
well. Very informative. I recently purchased the CCrane Skywave, and 
have to say I'm very impressed with it so far. It's best my PL-310 with 
ease, and compares well to larger portables for MW DXing. My primary 
targets at domestic stations, I have little interest in DXing TA's. My 
emphasis is on stations that begin with "K", that is stations in the 
Western part of the U.S. In that regard, the radio works great for my 
needs---mainly when I'm camping with my wife, taking the dog for walks, 
or otherwise away from my primary receiver. 

I may have to order the Eton now too--thanks to your review. You 
certainly are helping Amazon's business of late. Hope they send you a 
gift certificate or something! :-) 



-- 
73, 


Les Rayburn, N1LF 
Maylene, AL 
EM63 

Member NRC, IRCA, & Medium Wave DX Circle 
Former CPC Chairman for NRC/IRCA 

Elad SDR, SDR-IQ,Funcube Pro, Wellbrooke ALA-1530+ loop, LF Engineering 
Active Whips, 
Quantum Phaser, Kiwa Loop, Palstar MW Pre-Selector 



On 1/11/2015 10:38 PM, d1028g...@comcast.net wrote: 
> Hello All, 
>     
> The Super Bowl of pocket radio weak signal reception was held this afternoon 
> here in Puyallup, Washington. The contestants (pictured together in a photo 
> posted at   http://www.mediafire.com/view/22enaz1a7ci88p2/EtonTrav3-011.jpg  
> ) were: 
>     
> 1) Tecsun PL-310ET ($49.99 with free shipping from Amazon)   The Ultralight 
> radio class leader in MW sensitivity from 2009 until recently, this 
> AM-LW-FM-SW model (along with the Tecsun PL-606) has the longest loopstick 
> among the Tecsun DSP Ultralights. Although it has the odd heterodynes and 
> "soft mute" drawback typical of the Tecsun DSP models, it also has multiple 
> DSP selectivity choices from its Si4734 chip, including 1 kHz filtering. With 
> a direct frequency entry keypad and a round, external tuning knob, this model 
> has been one of the most popular Ultralight radios for quite a few years. 
>     
> 2)  C.Crane "Skywave" ($89.95 plus shipping from C.Crane)   The first pocket 
> radio found to use the new Si4736 DSP chip, this AM-FM-WX-AIR model has 
> complete freedom from the Si4734 chip heterodynes troubling the Tecsun DSP 
> Ultralights (as well as complete freedom from "soft mute" distractions). With 
> the full range of DSP filtering options (6,4,3,2 and 1 kHz) and switchable 
> audio tone, this new model has already attracted some significant interest 
> among transoceanic DXers (despite its relatively high price). 
>     
> 3)  Eton Traveler III  ($59.14 with free shipping from Amazon)   The newest 
> contestant among these radios, this AM-LW-FM-SW portable has a unique 
> appearance, and functions which set it apart from the crowd. With only one 
> selectivity option it is mainly designed for maximum sensitivity on MW, with 
> excellent audio quality as a primary feature. Unlike the other contestants 
> the model has no direct frequency entry keypad, and can only tune frequencies 
> according to the 9 or 10 kHz band plans. A unique feature is a rotary control 
> selecting world time zones, hidden behind an access door on the front panel. 
>     
> Shootout Preparations:  All three models were tested in the reception of weak 
> daytime DX signals in Puyallup, WA (30 miles south of Seattle) just after 
> local noon on Sunday, January 11. The Tecsun PL-310ET and the C.Crane Skywave 
> were set in their 1 kHz DSP selectio