[IRCA] The ABC Website Archives Really Do Work- Sometimes

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

While DU-DXing on a sloping ocean side hill in Lincoln City, Oregon last Tuesday I tracked down an astonishing signal on 558 kHz, with an apparent ABC network format. If it was in fact an ABC program, that would mean that the station was the extremely long range 558-6WA in Wagin, Western Australia (50 kW at 9,126 miles, or 14,687 km). It would also be the strongest signal that I had ever heard from that long range station. 
https://app.box.com/s/f1qjlre02gk9hw6hofb0n8ib0cs91a0v 

Since I was DXing with only a hot-rodded CC Skywave Ultralight and a relatively small 8 inch FSL antenna, this would be fantastic long range DX for my simple gear-- assuming that I could match my recorded MP3 content with the ABC archives on their website. 

The first step was to find the right program for the time slot, in the Western Australia time zone. After going to the main web site at http://www.abc.net.au , 
click "Radio." Next, click "Stations" ( http://www.abc.net/stations ). Scroll down the page toward the bottom, and locate the option "Visit ABC South West WA website," and click it ( http://www.abc.net.au/southwestwa/ ). Next, click "Programs" ( http://www.abc.net.au/southwestwa/programs/?ref=nav ) Since the MP3 recording was made at 1327 UTC or 2327 Western Australian time, the ABC LR network program being broadcast at that time would have been the "Nightlife" program with Philip Clark, so click that option ( http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/ ). Next, click "Episodes" ( http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/episodes/ ). Since the recording in question was made on Tuesday, August 22 in Western Australia time, click the "Full Episode" option for Tuesday ("Nightlife: featuring your power bill," or http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/nightlife/8810944 ). Next click the "LISTEN 4h" option in the middle of the photo. You will start receiving a 4 hour Podcast of the episode in question, which according to the web site started at 10:00 PM Western Australia time. My MP3 was made at 11:27 PM Western Australia time, so I skip to the 1:25 point in the Podcast and start listening for content that matches my MP3. Despite the fact that the lady's Australian accent is a bit tricky I can clearly hear her say "Muscular Dystrophy" at the 22 second point in my MP3. When listening to ABC's Podcast at the 1:25:42 point the same lady again says "Muscular Dystrophy," confirming that my MP3 content does indeed match the ABC archive content. The lady is Sarah MacDonald, Philip Clark's partner in the "Nightlife" program. So this confirms that I really did receive 558-6WA on the humble 8" FSL antenna. 

This was a general description on how to use the ABC website to check for programming content that matches your DX recording-- your mileage may vary. 

73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) 


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