[IRCA] Ultra Rare 630-Cook Islands-- Full Details

[Gary DeBock <d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

630-Cook Islands in Rarotonga has the reputation of being one of the toughest DU island stations to track down at long range-- and for good reason. Its "domestic" frequency, underperforming transmitter, strong DU co-channels and multiple programming issues all conspire to make this a legendary tough catch.

Recently I had the chance to visit Aitutaki Island in the Cooks, a location 164 miles (264 km) north of the Rarotonga transmitter site of the station. After two failed attempts to track down 630-RCI at relatively close range in Kona, Hawaii, I was very curious about why this obscure, 2.5 kW transmitter couldn't manage to get its miserable signal even a few thousand miles north to the Big Island.

The full details are contained below, part of an upcoming post about Pacific Island results during the Cook Island Ultralight DXpedition. Good luck to all those trying for the obscure station-- you will probably need it!


630  Radio Cook Islands   Rarotonga, Cook islands, 2.5 kW   Located 164 miles (264 km) south of my DXing site, it was pretty obvious why this obscure station is so tough for distant DXers to track down. After sunset it had multiple strong co-channels on the frequency (RNZ and ABC), and even just after its sign on at 1556 UTC the 5+1 pips from RNZ were clearly audible at 1600. The station has multiple issues, with a disastrous live microphone, audio amplitude varying widely between different programs, noticeable audio hum on the signal, etc. It signs on at 1556 and signs off at 0958, unless there is a weather emergency in the area (as there was with tropical cyclone Keni on April 9), in which case it switches to an RNZ satellite feed overnight until sign on at 1556 (thanks to Bryan Clark for ID of the station). The station is obviously a low budget operation, with no special sign on or sign off message, automated time mentions, and (typically) strings of recorded island music with no live announcer. The only live announcers I heard during the week were during a Sunday morning recorded church service on April 8, and just after sign on (with the dreadful microphone) on April 12th.
Here is the full sign on routine at 1556 UTC on April 12, with the horns, apparent national anthem, English ID, drums, and finally the live female announcer with the dreadful microphone (cutting off almost all the high frequencies, resulting in legendary poor audio). The weakness of the signal at 1600 UTC allows the 5+1 time pips from 630-RNZ to be clearly heard at the 4:30 point in the recording  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/xqonh9iz57w22ebzxwz42krugu3rvykx
This recording of a church service at 1724 UTC on April 8 was the only one I made on Rarotonga, the site of the transmitter. It features a live male announcer at 1:10 into the recording with an English "It's 7:25, that's your time with your National Voice" ID. At 1:44 into the recording one of the station's major issues is on full display-- the sudden amplitude increase of the transmitted audio  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/rfe2u3m3px4xmossujtxilzw8vlk3jtg
During most hours of the day the station runs a fully automated operation, with strings of recorded island music interspersed with recorded male-voiced station ID's and female-voiced time checks, as at 0706 UTC on 4-9  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/oegfjznhbgw0evy9xuzqbu428xd31l4y
There is no special sign off message at 0958 UTC (2358 local time), when the power is cut. There is a recorded station ID and time check at 0957, though, as in this recording at 0956 on April 9th. The weakness of the station around local midnight can be heard, with a strong co-channel pestering the signal before the unceremonious switch to the RNZ satellite feed at 0959, This was due to the tropical cyclone Keni weather emergency in the South Pacific area on April 9th; on normal days the transmitter power is simply cut off at 0958 (2358 local time), with no warning or fanfare  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/bqwt5lm0ezhdyqayqkfjj8j8fbirysar
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (DXing on Aitutaki, Cook Islands from April 8-13)

 All recordings made with a 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave SSB Ultralight  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/oephl2ru7ejk31saxdq2tijqx9db0ros

 
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