Report from Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Times / dates = UTC / 2008
e-mail = "markwa1...@aol.com"
[Connelly*R-MA] = Rockport, MA, USA
(GC= 42.667 N / 70.621 W) (= 42° 40' N / 70° 37' W)
(Granite Pier)
site-related info: <http://home.comcast.net/~dx_lab/dx_clams_2005.htm>
Receivers: Microtelecom Perseus, Drake R8A
Antenna: cardioid-pattern Micro-SuperLoop on car roof, square, 2 m per
side, with 16:1 transformer (to DX Engineering RPA-1 amp) on east
bottom corner and 5K potentiometer on west corner (see
<http://home.comcast.net/~dx_lab/pictures/micro_superloop.htm>)
======================================================
*** TRANSATLANTIC DX ***
153 | ALGERIA | Chaine 1, Bechar, MAY 14 0010 - Arabic string music;
poor. [Connelly*R-MA]
162 | FRANCE | France-Inter, Allouis, MAY 14 0105 - French talk by
woman, old fashioned male French romantic-style vocal; good.
[Connelly*R-MA]
171 | MOROCCO | R. Mediterranee Internationale, Nador, MAY 14 0009 -
pop Arabic music; fair to good. + MAY 14 0105 - contemporary Arabic
music; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
198 | UNITED KINGDOM | BBC R.4, Droitwich et al., MAY 14 0105 -
sport-related talk mentioning Manchester and Liverpool; poor / noisy.
[Connelly*R-MA]
234 | LUXEMBOURG | RTL, Junglinster, MAY 14 0105 - two men in French,
laughing. [Connelly*R-MA]
252 | ALGERIA | Radiodif. Algerienne, Tipaza, MAY 14 0
105 - man in
French about "algerienne" and mentions of scores and other
sports-related topics; alone on channel. [Connelly*R-MA]
612 | MOROCCO | RTM A, Sebaa-Aioun, MAY 14 0101 - Arabic talk by man;
weak. Low-band MW TA's only started showing after 0100 UTC (about an
hour after sunset). [Connelly*R-MA]
711.07 | WESTERN SAHARA | RTM, Laayoune, MAY 14 0053 - a cappella male
Arabic vocal; good, strongest low-band TA. [Connelly*R-MA]
747 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0101 -
fast-talk Spanish news by man; under Netherlands. [Connelly*R-MA]
747 | NETHERLANDS | R. 5, Zeewolde-Flevoland, MAY 14 0101 - Dutch talk
by woman; poor, over RNE synchros. [Connelly*R-MA]
756 | GERMANY | Deutschlandfunk, Braunschweig & Ravensburg, MAY 14 0101
- man with news in German; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
765 | SWITZERLAND | RSR Option Musique, Sottens, MAY 14 0101 - French
news by man; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
783 | MAURITANIA | R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, MAY 14 0000 - man in
Arabic; poor. [Connelly*R-MA]
837 | FRANCE | France Info, Nancy, MAY 14 0101 - man & woman with
French news; slightly over others. [Connelly*R-MA]
855 | SPAIN | RNE R.1 synchros, MAY 14 0026 - // 1305 with woman in
Spanish; to good peak. [Connelly*R-MA]
882 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | COPE synchros, MAY 14 0058 - man in
Spanish, then an operatic type of vocal; to fair peak, dominant.
[Connelly*R-MA]
909 |=2
0UNITED KINGDOM | BBC R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0101 - BBC news by man;
through WAEI slop. [Connelly*R-MA]
945 | FRANCE | France Info, Toulouse, MAY 14 0101 - French news by man;
poor, better on USB to dodge WGIN (930) IBOC and CINW slop.
[Connelly*R-MA]
981 | ALGERIA | RTVA Chaine 2, Algiers, MAY 14 0100 - Arabic music, 5
pips then a sixth at a higher pitch, musical interlude, then news by
man in French; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
999 | SPAIN | COPE, Madrid, MAY 14 0003 - Spanish news by woman; fair.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1008 | CANARY ISLANDS (t) | Punto Radio, Las Palmas, MAY 14 0102 - pop
music not parallel to SER on 1116. [Connelly*R-MA]
1053 | UNITED KINGDOM | TalkSport synchros, MAY 14 0100 - deep-voiced
announcer "TalkSport News"; over second station and WEPN slop.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1071 | SPAIN | Euskadi Irratia, Bilbao, MAY 14 0102 - woman with
Spanish news mentioning Italia, Inglaterra; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
1088 | ANGOLA | R. Nacional, Mulenvos, MAY 14 0002 - Portuguese news by
man & woman; poor to fair, actually stronger than 1089 TalkSport at the
time. [Connelly*R-MA]
1089 | UNITED KINGDOM | TalkSport synchros, MAY 14 0102 - "Sport
Update" feature with news about the hosting of the Rugby Union World
Cup; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1098 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0000 - "Caribbean Blue" by
Enya, then pips, R. Nacional de Espana ID, news by woman; good. + MAY
14200050 - // 855 & 1107 with woman in Spanish; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1107 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0049 - // 855 with woman in
Spanish; over growl and apparent US English talker (Germany?).
[Connelly*R-MA]
1116 | SPAIN | SER synchros, MAY 14 0057 - // 1179 with woman in
Spanish; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1134 | CROATIA | Glas Hrvatske, Zadar, MAY 14 0103 - Croatian talk by
man; loud, way over Spain. [Connelly*R-MA]
1134 | SPAIN | COPE synchros, MAY 14 0103 - fast Spanish talk; under
Croatia. [Connelly*R-MA]
1143 | SPAIN | COPE synchros, MAY 14 0039 - // 1224 with man & woman in
Spanish; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
1152 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0037 - // 855 with discussion;
to fair peak. [Connelly*R-MA]
1170 | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | R. Sawa, Al Dhabiya, MAY 14 0101 -
Mideast female vocal; briefly through WWVA. [Connelly*R-MA]
1179 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | SER synchros, MAY 14 0057 - // 1116
with echoey Spanish talk by woman; over unID music station.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1206 | FRANCE | France Info, Bordeaux, MAY 14 0044 - // 1377 with
Mideast-influenced jazzy female vocal; good. + MAY 14 0107 - Dixieland
jazz; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1215 | SPAIN | COPE synchros, MAY 14 0006 - man & woman in Spanish;
mixed with UK. [Connelly*R-MA]
1215 | UNITED KINGDOM | Absolute R. synchros, MAY 14 0037 - Coldplay
song; to good peak over Spain. + MAY 14 004120- talk about old people
over "Waiting for God" TV theme music; good. + MAY 14 0100 -
"Wonderwall" by Oasis, then Absolute Radio ID; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1224 | SPAIN | COPE synchros, MAY 14 0039 - // 1143 with man & woman in
Spanish; over others. [Connelly*R-MA]
1296 | UNITED KINGDOM | R. XL, Langley Mill, MAY 14 0108 - Bollywood
type female vocal; over Spain, others. [Connelly*R-MA]
1296.05 | SPAIN | COPE, Valencia, MAY 14 0102 - Spanish talk, still a
bit on the high side of the channel. [Connelly*R-MA]
1305 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0026 - // 855 with woman in
Spanish; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
1314 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0108 - // 1305 with two men in
Spanish; poor. [Connelly*R-MA]
1359 | SPAIN | RNE, Arganda del Rey, MAY 14 0108 - // 1305 & 1314 with
two men in Spanish; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
1377 | FRANCE | France Info, Lille, MAY 14 0044 - // 1206 with
Mideast-influenced jazzy female vocal; poor to fair over WMYF slop. +
MAY 14 0109 - roaring '20s type jazz // 1206; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
1413 | SPAIN | RNE R.5 synchros, MAY 14 0109 - // 1305 with talk, then
music; in bad WVAE (1400) IBOC. [Connelly*R-MA]
1422 | ALGERIA | RTA, Algiers, MAY 14 0013 - man in French; to fair
peak over Germany. + MAY 14 0108 - French rapping with Mideast flutes
in the accompaniment; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1422 | GERMANY | Deutschlandfunk, Heusweiler,20MAY 14 0109 - modern
classical piano music noted during Algeria fade. [Connelly*R-MA]
1431 | DJIBOUTI | R. Sawa, Arta, MAY 14 0014 - pop Arabic vocal with
large string section; fair. + MAY 14 0109 - Radio Sawa ID and jingle,
then Mideast dance club music; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
1485 | SPAIN | SER synchros, MAY 14 0024 - fast Spanish talk; poor. +
MAY 14 0108 - echoey Spanish; poor. [Connelly*R-MA]
1512 | SAUDI ARABIA | BSKSA, Jeddah, MAY 14 0022 - a cappella Arabic
vocal; in WWZN slop. [Connelly*R-MA]
1521 | SAUDI ARABIA | BSKSA, Duba, MAY 14 0016 - man in Arabic, music
interlude, more talk; good. Noted as early as 2300 UTC.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1548 | KUWAIT | R. Sawa, Kabd-Kuwait City, MAY 14 0021 - man in Arabic;
peaking a bit over WQEW IBOC rubbish. [Connelly*R-MA]
1557 | FRANCE | France Info, Fontbonne, MAY 14 0017 - man in French;
fair over WQEW slop. [Connelly*R-MA]
1575 | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | R. Farda, Al Dhabiya, MAY 14 0108 -
Mideast rock; briefly good through CFAV slop and WQEW IBOC.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1584 | CEUTA | RadiOle, MAY 14 0018 - Spanish rock music; to fair peak.
+ MAY 14 0109 - romantic Spanish vocal; fair, over SER. [Connelly*R-MA]
1602 | SPAIN | R. Vitoria, Vitoria, MAY 14 0000 - Euzkadi network ID,
pips, news. + MAY 14 0018 - Spanish talk, pop music; over SER.
[Connelly*R-MA]
*** PAN-AMERICAN DX ***
555 | ST. KITTS &
NEVIS | R. ZIZ, Basseterre, MAY 14 0100 - news by man
& woman; poor in WGAN slop. [Connelly*R-MA]
610 | BRAZIL | ZYL268, Nova Lima - Belo Horizonte (presumed), MAY 14
0030 - Portuguese sports-type shouting man; cresting briefly over
CHNC/WGIR. [Connelly*R-MA]
640 | GUADELOUPE | R. Guadeloupe, Pointe-a-Pitre, MAY 14 0032 - French
sports report; over CBN. [Connelly*R-MA]
700 | BRAZIL | ZYK686, R. Eldorado AM, Sao Paulo, MAY 14 0009 -
Portuguese shouting; poor. [Connelly*R-MA]
720 | VENEZUELA | YVQE, R. Oriente, Porlamar, MAY 14 0032 - "en
Venezuela, Oriente"; atop others. [Connelly*R-MA]
740 | BRAZIL | ZYH446, R. Sociedade da Bahia, Salvador, MAY 14 0009 -
Portuguese sportstalk, mentions of futebol, Bahia, and Salvador, then
typical "Close Encounters" instrumental theme music interlude; good. +
MAY 14 0050 - sports coverage in Portuguese; very good, way over CHCM.
[Connelly*R-MA]
750 | VENEZUELA | YVKS, RCR, Caracas, MAY 14 0050 - Venezuelan food
store advert; good. + MAY 14 0101 - man & woman in Spanish with
Venezuela news; under CBGY. [Connelly*R-MA]
760 | BRAZIL | ZYH588, R. Uirapuru, Fortaleza, MAY 14 0005 - Portuguese
talk; under WCHP. + MAY 14 0031 - man & woman with reverberated
Portuguese talk that seemed religious; dominant. [Connelly*R-MA]
820 | ST. KITTS & NEVIS | Trinity Broadcast Network / R. Paradise,
Charlestown, MAY 13 2351 - talk about the need for missionary work in
India,=2
0Africa, and some parts of the US; good. + MAY 14 0000 - ID "This
is the Trinity Broadcasting Network"; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
840 | BRAZIL | ZYK687, R.Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo, MAY 13 2352 & MAY 14
0001 - fast Portuguese sports talk; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
860 | BRAZIL | ZYJ459, R. CBN, Rio de Janeiro, MAY 13 2352 - excited
Portuguese talk; fair. + MAY 14 0001 - Portuguese; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
895 | ST. KITTS & NEVIS | V. of Nevis, Bath Village, MAY 14 0010 -
talkshow host mentioned "this is an appeal to our young people"; fair
to good. [Connelly*R-MA]
900 | BRAZIL | unID city, MAY 14 0030 - kind of a toss-up between
ZYJ951 Natal and ZYJ454 Rio as the source of the man shouting in
Portuguese here; briefly through CKDH, WGAM, and a rabble of others.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1000 | BRAZIL | ZYK522, R. Record, Sao Paulo, MAY 14 0001 - man in
Portuguese, advert mentioning Brazil, then talk by woman; fair,
dominant. [Connelly*R-MA]
1010 | BRAZIL | ZYH625, R. CBN, Fortaleza, MAY 13 2359 - most likely
this (though possibly ZYH448 Salvador) with Portuguese sports coverage
briefly atop WINS. [Connelly*R-MA]
1070 | VENEZUELA | YVMA, Mundial Zulia, Maracaibo, MAY 14 0031 - "en
Venezuela" mentions in advert; very poor with 1071 Spain hitting it
from the high side and a big blob of WTIC IBOC on the low side.
[Connelly*R-MA]
1100 | BRAZIL | ZYK694, R. Globo, Sao Paulo, MAY 13 2353 - Portu
guese
talk; mixed with WHLI. + MAY 14 0005 - Globo ID and self-promotion; to
good peak. + MAY 14 0042 - Globo mention, Portuguese adverts; over
WTAM. [Connelly*R-MA]
1100 | unID | MAY 14 0057 - man with French talk; briefly mixing with
Brazil & WTAM. [Connelly*R-MA]
1110 | VENEZUELA | YVQT, R. Carupano, Carupano, MAY 14 0057 - Carupano
ID; well over WBT. [Connelly*R-MA]
1140 | BRAZIL | ZYH449, R. Cultura, Salvador, MAY 14 0002 - Cultura ID,
Portuguese talk; to good peak. + MAY 14 0003 - "en Salvador, Bahia"
mention; good, dominant. [Connelly*R-MA]
1220 | BRAZIL | ZYJ258, R. Globo, Rio de Janeiro, MAY 14 0001 -
reverberated very fast Portuguese talk by man; over domestics at times.
+ MAY 14 0003 - adverts. [Connelly*R-MA]
===
Perseus at Granite Pier (round 1: 13 MAY 2009)
I've had the Perseus a few weeks now and I finally had an opportunity
to test this out on a sunset-period mini-DXpedition to the famous
Granite Pier site in Rockport, MA.
There were several power-up options for 5 volts at 1 amp needed by the
receiver. What I wound up using this time around was a 6 volt alkaline
lantern battery with a dropping diode (1N5400) in series with the
positive terminal. In case this method didn't work out, I also had a
homebrew box with a 5 volt regulator that runs OK off car 12 VDC but
tends to get hot even though the 7805-type regulator is bolted directly20
to the metal box for heat-sinking.
I used a digital multimeter to monitor the voltage going into the
Perseus to make sure it stayed between 4.7 and 5.3 volts throughout the
periods of intermittent use. Besides capturing spectrum (primarily at
top-of-hours and bottom-of-hours) with the Perseus, I also had the
Drake R8A with me for live DXing in between.
The computer used to run the Perseus was the MSI Wind U100 netbook.
400 kHz wide captures (e.g. 1200-1600) sound clean. There is slight
occasional stuttering on some of the 800 kHz wide ones (e.g. 530-1330).
Irregularities on playback audio can be reduced by minimizing the
Perseus GUI window and by disabling internet access and other programs
on the netbook. Generally the recovered audio sounds clear and
indistinguishable from live DXing.
Mid-May is not really prime for TA's so it was mostly the big 'usuals'
that showed up. Saudi Arabia on 1521 was the first one to show at 7
p.m. local / 2300 UTC, about an hour before sunset. It took a while
before much else emerged from "across the pond", that just shows you
how much kick Saudi's coastally-sited 2 megawatt rig has to lead the
rest of the pack so decisively. By sunset, around 8 p.m. EDT / 0000
UTC, a fair number of the usual cast of TA's were in. As noted
elsewhere, the 891 Algerian is now off air at times that would be
conducive to skip. Weak 891 het against W
AMG was probably Portugal,
logged before here. The 981 and 1422 Algerians were blasting in, along
with 711.07 Western Sahara which (at times) was clearly louder than
France on 711.0 and WOR on 710.
But more interesting than the TA's were Brazilians popping up on a
number of the 10 kHz channels. 1100 was likely the best - dominating
WHLI early on and WTAM later. 1140 came through with a nice "Cultura,
Salvador, Bahia" ID. Total number of Brazilians logged: 12.
The spectrum files are quite big with a 5 or 6 minute file of 530 -
1330 kHz coming in at about 2 gigabytes and 4 to 5 minutes of 820 -
1620 adding up to 1.6 gigs.
Antenna used on the car roof was the "Micro-SuperLoop" (2 m by 2 m
square, nulling west-southwest). I adjusted the west lower corner
termination pot to null WPHT-1210 PA at about 500 km / 300 miles. This
represented a signal in the mid-range of vertical arrival angles:
lower-angle longer-skip than WTIC-1080 CT and the NYC stations but
shorter-skip / higher-angle than midwestern skywave stations or any
groundwaves. Sometimes I've used WCBS-880 but that has a mix of
groundwave and skip, so WPHT is a better null target (virtually no
groundwave). With it nulled, co-channel VOAR (NL) can come in well,
along with the adjacent TA's: France - 1206 and UK (over Spain) - 1215.
The small roof-top antenna needs amplification. I always run the DX
Engineering RP
A-1, a virtually bulletproof push-pull design, after the
antenna's 16:1 matching transformer output. I can additionally kick in
a second amp (homebrew) for greater gain, though it can sometimes add
mix products, mostly down in the longwave region where the antenna has
very low sensitivity compared to how it receives higher frequencies.
On most of the spectrum grabs, I just ran the one amp stage (RPA-1) to
keep spurs at a minimum. During a 5 minute capture I might kick the
second amplifier in for the last minute in case something down in the
mud needs a little more gain.
Access to a larger and more directive antenna system would have helped,
but such cannot be managed at that particular site. A more spacious
operating area (than the front passenger seat of a car) and access to
AC power would have enabled some productivity-enhancing niceties such
as a computer with enough "horsepower" for 1600 kHz wide captures.
All that said, this initial Perseus "roadtrip" went well.
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