[IRCA] TP DX for 9-23-09
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[IRCA] TP DX for 9-23-09



I got to bed late last night and was way too tired to get up and DX this morning. However, my faithful SDR-IQ listened in my place and heard a few things. This was my final morning at Hammersley Inlet, near Shelton, WA.

I noticed a slight enhancement this morning. but it didn't seem to be nearly as pronounced as what others reported. I think much of it was a reduction in the domestic splatter, rather than increased strength from the TP's, although as noted below, some stations did get stronger. There was actually quite a bit of activity on the upper part of the band (above 1400 kHz) around 1200 UTC again. Out of curiosity, I noted the signal strength of JOAK-594 (as reported by the SDR-IQ display) during 1225-1255 and 1325-1405 UT time periods. I also noted the approximate noise level (mostly domestic splatter) between 592 and 598 khz. The actual noise "floor" between 540 and 730 was similar to what I noted below, except near strong domestic stations. Here are the signal strength measurements I observed during the two time periods

Time UTC        JOAK strength            Noise/Interference Level

1225-1235      -60 to -70 dbm            -80 to -85 dbm
1235-1245      -62 to -80 dbm            -80 to -85 dbm
1245-1255      -58 to -75 dbm            -75 to -80 dbm

1325-1335      -60 to -70 dbm            -85 to -90 dbm
1335-1345      -55 to -75 dbm            -90 dbm
1345-1355      -65 to -80 dbm            -90 to -95 dbm
1355-1400      -70 dbm                       -95 dbm
1400-1405      -80 dbm                       -95 dbm

Remember, these are negative numbers, so the larger the number, the weaker the signal. JOAK's strength varied over much the same range for both time periods until around 1400, when daylight kicked in. The interference was mostly splatter from domestics on 590, and dropped off a little earlier than JOAK's signal (no surprise there). The data represents only two time periods from one station on one day with one particular receiving setup, but I think it's kind of interesting. Anyone with too much time on their hands can do the same for other stations, assuming they have a receiver that can accurately measure both the noise/interference level and the strength of the desired signal. Receivers with spectral displays, such as the SDR-IQ, Perseus, etc work quite well for this sort of thing..

As far as other low-band stations, there were a few that were a bit enhanced. 612 666 639 603 and 693 all produced peak signal strengths in the -65 to -75 dbm range some time around 1345, but weren't noted (or only briefly noted) during the 1225-1255 period, when the noise and interference levels were higher (around -80 dbm across the lower part of the band versus -90 to -95 dbm at sunrise), so the improved reception was indeed a combination of stronger signals and less interference. As far as actual DX this morning, 594 603 639 657 666 693 747 774 828 1422 1566 1575 were all about normal or a bit above normal. I didn't record the middle part of the band, so I don't know about 1053 972 1134 etc

Other Highlights:

1593 China dominant 1200 w/pips, signature tune, and ID by man, with NHK in the background again

1584   Unid carrier, and noisy audio various times 1150-1210

1475   Sometimes producing audio, very erratic strength 1150-1210

1458 & 1467 carriers for the second morning in a row. I can't hear them in Seattle, thanks to KARR-1460

738 Taiwan in Chinese for a change at 1323, rather than the usual Korean station

612 Australia fair w/Aussie EE talk 1355, ABC signature tune 1400, into news

576 Russia good around 1340

Bruce in Seattle
temporarily DXing near Shelton WA
SDR-IQ receiver, with 300' mini BOG



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