SV: [HCDX]: DXpeditions to east Finland

["Bjarne Mjelde" <bjarne.mjelde@xxxxxxxx>]

Though I don't live in Finland, I share the longitude with many Finnish QTH's, and live even further north than Lemmenjoki.  I would like to second Mauno's views simply for the reason that the further away from European QRM one gets, the easier it is to hear Asians. It is a matter of improved S/N level.

My antennas are rather inferior to the "antenna park" at Lemmenjoki, measuring only 200 meters, still I'm quite capable of receiving low-powered Japanese stations (down to 300 watts in one instance), and I have heard 6 Australian MW stations here.  I do not see how I could have achieved these results with similar equipment in Southern Norway.

One drawback of a Northerly location is early- or late-season DX.  It seems that for instance Australia is more easily heard in August than October.  Jorma Mäntylä has proved this with several loggings of Australian X-band stations in mid-August; however the lack of daylight makes it difficult to obtain a dark signal path between here and Australia.

I actually logged 5RN Adelaide 729 kHz on Aug. 25 this year at 1745 UTC, 45 minutes prior to local sunset here!

Regards,

---From the world's northernmost DX-er---
                   71°N, 29°E
Bjarne Mjelde
P.O.Box 58
N-9980 Berlevåg, Norway
Receivers:  AR7030+, KWZ-30

>Do you count Lappland to Finland here? I have never been DXing in Lappland,
>but based on loggings made there and listening experience in other parts of
>Finland I on the contrary think that it is much easier to hear also Asian
>MW stations in Lappland than in southern Finland. And it is not just the
>better antennae used in Lemmenjoki. There is also longer darkness in
>mid-winter, which is essential for just after noon Asian MW DXing. And what
>is even more essential for Asians than North Americans, they operate on the
>same fq's with Europeans, and interference from central European stations
>is lower in Lappland, that's what I have been told. Even a small loss in
>signal from the interferening station combined with some strengthening for
>the desired station means a lot.
>So, I think travelling some 700 km northwards in Europe makes a huge
>difference regarding also Asian (especially Far Eastern) MW stations. Why
>would any Asian specialist bother to do that if things were otherwise?
>In early autumn Eastern Finland can be even better place for Asians than
>Lappland. And of course the more south and west lies the desired Asian
>station, the less is the advantage of northerly listening QTH.
>I have done most of my DXing 100 km south of the town of Oulu in western
>Finland and now I have been living 1,5 year near the town of Joensuu in
>eastern Finland. Antennas towards Asia are about the same in both places,
>long-wires of 500 metres. Especially Thai stations seem to be easy here in
>the east. But I think I'd hear ALMOST the same stations in the west, too. 
>I'm still looking forward to hearing the ex-band Australians that have been
>heard here near my place! They should be "easier" here than in the west.
>Any other opinions/aspects?
>
>73, Mauno
>Heinävaara
>25 km east of Joensuu in eastern Finland
>
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