[IRCA] An Average Low Band Morning: TPs from Orcas Is. 28 October

["John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Friends,

With the solar numbers looking pretty good, I was up two hours before 
band fade. The first hour, before the pre-dawn "pause" continues to 
be very interesting/productive.  I've never found this period 
particularly good before. I wonder if the bottom of the solar cycle 
is giving us this period, or if it has always been there and I just 
missed it.  Nick, does your propagation monitoring record give any 
insight into that???  I'd say that 3 morning out of four, I'm finding 
TP reception at almost equal to dawn enhancement levels, on average, 
and on some signals, ONLY hearing them well in this early period.

In general, I'd call this morning an "average" Asian morning, with a 
bias toward the mainland.... I seem to remember the same bias 
becoming more common late in the fall season last year, too. Seasonality????

There were several interesting frequencies, especially early: The 
radio was tuned to 1062 when I turned it on and something in a 
non-East Asian language was coming in well. It was probably Tagalog, 
but I turned the recorder on and experienced that famous fade that 
often accompanies stating the recorder.... so. On my first sweep up 
the dial, 837 was in Standard Chinese. I tried paralleling it with 
CNR1 on 5030....There is a CNR1 transmitter on 837 in far south 
China...It "may" have been parallel with a major satellite delay... 
or maybe it wasn't parallel at all. It soon faded precipitously, of 
course.  Later in the morning 837 was the NHK1 in presumed Niigata. 
891 was Thailand early, at the same time as the CC on 837, so.... 
I've been enjoying following the seemingly massive new North Korean 
on 873. For several days, the usually strong N.K. has just been 
putting a growl on 873 NHK-2 Kumamoto.  Yesterday, it was not there 
at all, despite hearing plenty of other Koreans.  Today, Kumamoto was 
almost smothered by the funniest growl/howl that I've ever heard.... 
and on the Winradio Spectrum Scope, the signal looked like an 
asymmetrical HulaHoop!!!  Durndest thing that I've ever seen. I'd not 
want to be in the shoes of the NK station manager or chief engineer. 
Wonderful Leader may eventually take a dim view of alla these shenanigans!

The new Hindi station in nearby Vancouver on 1200 was testing until 
1500 UTC..... Just blows a total hole in the spectrum!!!  Absolutely 
impossible to see/hear even a bit of a het on either 1197 (about my 
favorite JJ station) or 1206.  POO! I thought that the Canadians were 
"smart" enough to all migrate to FM???  Geez, next they will adopt 
IBOC! DARN IT!  At 1500, they left the air and, suddenly, there were 
1197 and 1206, both in modest audio, just as pretty as you'd please. DARN IT!

Several stations were at rather stunning levels either right at dawn 
or 10 or so minutes after dawn. 963, the CNR Russian Service, was 
absolutely rock steady with not even any band noise... running at 
S-9... right at dawn.  Amazing.  CNR1 on 945 and 1377 were equally 
strong, blasting in about 1510 or so.

Oh, also, for a while this morning, during dawn enhancement, a CC 
station was completely dominating the huge NHK2 on 774. Wow.... I did 
not ID the station... twas probably Beijing.

Very surprised to note that nothing made it to Bill Brock in Prescott.

John B.    

_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://arizona.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx