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[IRCA] Grayland TP's and DU's, 6-29 and 6-30
Hello All,
With eternal optimism despite the recent poor DU conditions, a two-day
DXpedition to Grayland, Washington was scheduled over the weekend, primarily
to test out the latest hot-rodded Ultralight radio, a modified Eton E100.
This supercharged model, containing the latest twisted tinkering ideas of John
Bryant, Guy Atkins and myself, has the new combination of extreme sensitivity
AND selectivity, something very new in hot-rodded Ultralights. It was
indeed fortunate that the pocket-sized modified radio was well prepared, because
the DX conditions were generally awful.
The SSB receiver used to "spot" Ultralight radio targets was a modified
ICF-2010 (with a 19.5" loopstick). When in Grayland, this radio can usually
pull in some DU audio, even on John's "golfing mornings."
The Sunday (6-29) morning conditions were modest at best, although
there was an unusual summertime opening to Japan around 1125, which took me
completely by surprise. A booming JOIK-567 was heard on the modified 2010, the
modified E100, and even on a stock Sony SRF-T615 midget radio. The Japanese
powerhouses on 747, 774, 828, 1134 and 1287 were then all heard on both the
2010 and E100, at equivalent signal strength and quality. This was a real
breakthrough in hot-rodded Ultralights-- a modified pocket radio that could match
the "supercharged" 2010 in both sensitivity and selectivity.
Sunday morning's DU's were limited to weak DU English on 738 at 1215
(presumed 2NR) and to equally weak 4QR-612 audio at 1220. There were many DU
carriers that never reached audio, but that's been typical for the recent
trips to Grayland. When you are only using stand-alone portables with hot-rodded
loopsticks, you need to be thankful for what you get.
Monday (6-30) morning was pretty much a repeat of Sunday's lackluster
conditions, minus the rare summertime opening to Japan. 567-2YA rolled in
with weak music around 1215, and provided a stiff test for the modified E100's
new narrow filter (up against a loud KVI-570 that could not be nulled). The
newly hot-rodded Ultralight again matched the 2010 in selectivity, receiving
New Zealand with very little KVI slop. This was despite the E100's lack of
SSB capability-- quite a surprise. Weak 738 DU English was then again
received at 1221, and finally, a very weak talk program on 891 at 1227, which
actually had audio first on the modified E100, a few seconds before the monster
2010 could produce it. This was the final surprise of a very interesting
weekend.
Thanks to John and Guy for their suggestions on creating this new
DXpedition Ultralight, the details of which will be fully promulgated to the
Ultralight enthusuast group (and others) in a series of upcoming articles. I feel
very fortunate to be associated with such creative, innovative tinkerers.
This weekend's results proved that modified pocket radios can provide DX
excitement and success in very tough conditions-- and maybe even keep a few
confirmed DXers off the golf courses.
73, Gary DeBock
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