[IRCA] Oregon Cliff (Rockwork 4) Ultralight DU's for 8-8

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

It certainly seemed like DU propagation kicked back into the exceptional stage this morning from Australia, NZ and Fiji, but unlike last Friday (with Tom) there was no Perseus-SDR DXer to record the bonanza. 558-Radio Fiji One was the main star of the session with awesome signals from 1305-1330, while a presumed 585-2WEB (not // 576) wasn't far behind with its rock music late in the session around 1335. The NZ regulars 531-PI and 603-Waatea easily pegged the PL-380's S/N readout at 25, while 1017-Newstalk ZB (2.5 kW) made its first decent appearance. 

The ocean cliff was crowded with "interlopers" (as Tom calls them) as I drove up in total darkness at 1150 (0450 local time), but I decided to set up the FSL's in between them, anyway. For the first time ever an "interloper" approached me in the total darkness and stared at me within 10 feet of my DXing position, which provided a little early excitement in the session. Oddly enough this turned out to be a lady, who finally asked if I was "investigating the clouds." After my technical explanation of FSL antenna theory she lost interest very quickly, and promptly returned to her vehicle. 

Longwave propagation was dead, but as soon as I set up an FSL on 531 kHz around 1210 a torrent of S9 signals pounded in, including the Kiwi regular PI and an Australian talk-format station that wasn't 4KZ (which was playing oldies at the time). Finally the talk format station had a commercial ad, which narrowed its identity down to a probable 2PM (which would be the fifth DU station to be heard on 531 during this DXpedition, after PI, More FM, 4KZ and 6DL). The rejuvenated 558-Fiji had modest signals until about 1300, when it seemed to get a turbo boost to reach the strongest level I have ever heard (S9) in any North American recording. Late in the session around 1335 a presumed 585-2WEB (not // 576, like its very weak Tasmanian co-channel) went on a monster run to reach its best level (S9) ever heard in any ocean cliff DXpedition. It was the last DU signal on the band around 1345, finishing up a seriously enhanced session. 

531 2PM Kempsey, Australia, 5 kW (presumed) Australian call-in talk station with strong signals at 1242 running commercial ads and not 4KZ (which was audible with oldies music under it, at times). This seems like the only real possibility 
https://app.box.com/s/jztickg7d207ykg2re1c9jtvtjokznf5 

531 PI Auckland, NZ, 5 kW Samoan music at overwhelming strength at 1248; this was the strongest signal from this station received in over two years 
https://app.box.com/s/b391cdrlt9s4c7y4gp3kt9q1dxbgpj4j 

558 Radio Fiji One Suva, Fiji, 10 kW Reaching S9 levels at times from 1300-1330, this rejuvenated Pacific island wonder was the real star of a very exciting session. Three exceptional Fiji island choral music MP3's are linked below. 
1318z https://app.box.com/s/6b2fxp2ai8p44t38fih4dn1meffzocxi 
1323z https://app.box.com/s/ca7tpo195gua5eayhc46evv9ix29e9oz 
1313z https://app.box.com/s/tno4iqsiuaw1kx62i80y8rg722y15e4o 

585 UnID-Oz Yikes! This S9 rock music recording at 1335 was not // 576, which means that it is most likely 2WEB, Outback Radio in Bourke. If so, it would be far and away the strongest signal ever heard from David Sharp's station 
https://app.box.com/s/46t2trpbuqw90na4zdrl97v1p9ijuq5l 

603 Radio Waatea Auckland, NZ, 5 kW Another science-fiction level signal from this Kiwi regular with music and female Maori chants at 1303 
https://app.box.com/s/wruaavle3k3s4x9my9armbxl4od0369s 

702 2BL-Magic mix The Auckland oldies station runs out of Magic up against the Oz big gun, leaving it will little but "Sorrow" 
https://app.box.com/s/ur43ihfmgka0d1p6bupbhch9ixc1nvrv 

73 and Good DX, 
Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, OR, USA) 
7.5 inch loopstick CC Skywave and Tecsun PL-380 Ultralights + 
17 inch and 15 inch Monster FSL antennas 







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