[IRCA] Masset DXpedition 2 - 5 Feb 2018

[Volodya S <canswl@xxxxxxxxx>]

*Masset Mini-DXpedition 2 â 5 February, 2018.*



     Iâve just returned from a brief visit to my 2nd home and cottage of
the north-west coast of British Columbia, and due south of Ketchikan, AK,
the nearest larger center.  Results are always interesting, no matter what
the time of the year.  On this visit, for the first evening and morning, I
laid down my stalwart W/NW BOG, approximately 750â in length, and my large
diameter ALA 100LN loop, aimed NE/SW.  On the 2nd and subsequent days, I
erected the SW directed DKAZ antenna, while on the final 2 days, I hooked
up the due North mini-Beverage of about 450â terminated directly into the
ocean.  All performed very nicely, but as usual, my favourite all around
antenna remains the BOG.  Conditions to Australia remained mediocre this
time.  Neither 1017 nor 846 seemed to be propagating well, if at all during
our late evenings, so I wondered whether they were on at all, or not.  TP
propagation to Asia was superb on Sunday Feb 4th.  My highlight is hearing
all three Japanese AFN transmitters on 1575 with echoesâ.very strange!  Almost
always, itâs only Misawa audible.  Occasionally, an echo from 1 other, but
to hear all 3 with echoes, is downright rare!  Equipment in the shack:  2
laptops, each feeding 1 Perseus, with each being able to toggle between
antennae.  Also an AOR 7030+ receiver.  Hope you enjoy my report.  Errors
are my own, of course, so please send corrections to me!   73,  Walt
Salmaniw, Victoria, BC



ALASKA 529, 1528-, SQM and FDV Feb 3 It's not often that I can hear both
TWEB broadcasts from Alaska, but this morning the normally very strong SQM
from Level Island, with Sitka TWEB is cochannel, with also strong cochannel
FDV Nome, with their TWEB.  I  can also hear someone on 530, also unusual
for this time of the morning. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



ALASKA 670, 0514-, KDLG Feb 4 Excellent reception with Anna Marie and Sasha
hosting a local (?) program called, 'Thunderstruck' with a very interesting
selection of music! 'Don't take your guns to town, son.  Leave your guns at
home, Bill'.   Fun to sit back and just listen to these interesting Alaskan
AM stations.  In our mornings, they normally carry NPR programming, so it's
fun to listen to something different!  Way over cochannels.  At 05:30,
interviewing 'The Super Suckers'. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



ALASKA 830, 0500-, KSDP Feb 4 Low modulation, but with local ID giving
local ads for jobs, and sponsors (mainly several airlines).  Cochannel QRM,
but mostly dominating. Into music at 05:03.  Very much a small community
station!  I believe the cochannel is KNCO in Grass Valley, CA.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



ALASKA 850, 0821-, KICY Feb 4 Very good reception in Russian with Christian
programming.  Listed as from 08:00.  Cochannel a sports channel, presumably
KHHO Tacoma.  Sure enough, they announce at 08:00 that they're changing
their beam towards Russia, although I didn't notice any change in signal
strength.  Into Russian. At that time, about equal to KHHO.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



ALASKA 850, 0412-, KICY Voice of the Arctic Feb 4 Rather than religious
broadcasting, there's Nome basketball action tonight.  Local ads for
Hanson's Safeway (strawberries, 'just' $4.99 a pound, etc!).  'Maggie
Miller, number 44 with socks up to her knees, braided hair, etc'.  Play by
play action.  Bering Air local helicopter service. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)





BANGLADESH 693, 1656-, tent Bangladesh Betar Feb 3 Tentative logging at
fair level with what sounds like Sub Asian music, which just may be // to
4750 (way under China).  It's been a few years since I've heard them here
(and in the past, only on disturbed days, and then at very good levels
here). (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



IRAN 1197, 0135-, IRIB Feb 5 Almost certainly Iran with Quranic sounding
chants.  Too bad I missed the BOH to time pips.  Fair to good at
times.  Directly
over the Pole path. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



JAPAN 1575, 1712-, AFN The Eagle Feb 4 Excellent reception this morning,
occasionally fading down to have a loud buzzer, presumably the Iranian
jammer.  What was interesting this morning was there are clearly 2
cochannel AFN stations heard.  Until 17:04, there was sport news, with a
slight delay between the 2 identical feeds.  At 17:04, 'AFN The Eagle' ID,
and into music.  At 17:16 PSA, which were not the same on the 2 feeds, but
back at 17:18 into music, again in parallel, but with a slight delay.  Big
question is who is the second?  Either Iwakuni, in Yamaguchi prefecture
with listed 1 kW, or Sasebo, Nagasaki prefecture with 250 watts.  Both of
the latter on not ideally located for reception across the Pacific, unlike
Misawa which is located on the east coast of the country, so a perfect
water path.  At 17:28, 2 PSAs again.  One was about West Point, and the
other was from a commanding officer, discussing priorities for 2018.  That
should make it easy to differentiate between the two!. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



JAPAN 1575, 1803-, AFN Feb 4 I'm quite certain that at this hour, I'm
hearing all 3 AFN feeds, as they were all present and in // with delays on
each of them.  Definitely more than just 1 cochannel.  An 'out of this
world' effect!  Into music at 18:04:45.  Still fair level, several hours
after my LSR. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



KIRIBATI 846, 0601-, Radio Kiribati (non) Feb 5 A no show for my 4 days in
Masset, and regularly checking each evening.  Should have been an easy
catch here, if they were more regular. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



MARSHALL ISLANDS 1098, 0904-, V7AB Feb 4 A tentative logging as I heard a
BBC ID, and V7AB has 'some BBC programming'.  Fair level.  I wonder, too,
about Newstalk ZB in Christchurch with 5 kW as a possibility.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)

SOUTH KOREA 1566, 1650-, HLAZ Feb 3 Surprised to hear Russian at this time,
instead of the normal 17:30 to 18:00.  Superb reception.  So presumably has
changed to 16:30 to 17:00?  A seasonal change?  A morning that goes on and
on.  Still superb reception when checked at 18:57 UTC (10:57 AM local).
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



SOUTH KOREA 1566, 1630-, HLAZ FEBC Feb 5 Happened to be parked on 1566
right at 16:30, when the transmitter cut, revealing a Chinese speaker.  HLAZ
was off for 1 min, and suddenly came on at 16:31, equally strong to when
they went off, and into Radio Teos in Russian.  Exceptionally strong, of
course!. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



SPAIN 1575, 0523-, SER Network Feb 5 Fair to good reception.  I did a
bandscan from the top to the bottom, and there are a fair number of audios
heard, and plenty of carriers.  The latter unless otherwise noted.  Nothing
really strong, though, and all heard on the over the Pole North
Beverage:  1584,
1566, 1539, 1503 (hint of audio), 1494, 1485 (SER with faint audio), 1458,
1368 (hints of audio  ? Manx Radio), 1341 (either BBC Ulster or SER),
1224  (either
RNE or Romania), 1215 (Absolute Radio, of course), 1125, 1107, 1098, 1089,
1053 (Spain vs UK or Romania), 1044 (SER fair strength), 1026, and 909 (UK
or Spain). (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)

THAILAND 1575, 1652-, VOA Feb 3 Bengali with excellent reception, and just
a hint of AFN cochannel.  Many mentions of 'VOA', 'phone number',
'internet', etc.  Slight buzz noted when VOA fades down.  Not sure the
source of this.  Rechecked at 17:05 and VOA now off, and 'AFN Radio'
clearly heard.  Fair to good level, though, only. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



UNITED KINGDOM 1215, 0133-, Absolute Radio Feb 5 Always the bell weather
station for TA (trans Polar) MW DX.  Saving the best, perhaps, until the
last day.  Good reception at our local SS.  Activity started over 90 min,
ago, with numerous carriers and weak audio.  Chance for some decent TA
activity tonight?  Perhaps. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



USA 1520, 1618-, unid Feb 3 Who's off channel here?  I see 2 channels.  The
nominal channel is KKXA, Snohomish WA with 50 kW, but there's a cochannel
on 1520.080.  Ideas? 1520, by the way is an IBOC channel. (Salmaniw,Masset,
BC)
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