Re: [IRCA] Oregon Cliff (Rockwork 4) Ultralight DU's for 7-23

[Stephen Airy <pianoplayer88key@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary,

Would it be possible to leave the camera and/or recorder running the entire session?  The first time or two through, maybe you could "scan" fairly quickly, stopping for a few seconds or so on each channel.  (I'd also love to see a video of a full DX session, to see how you do it. ☺)

Also do you have multiple FSLs and ULRs there?  Would it be possible to have 2 or 3 or more going simultaneously on different frequencies? :)

I've linked a few of my bandscan videos below.  Normally I like to use a Zoom H2n to record the audio (then later mate it with the video), but at the time, the one I had was malfunctioning.  (I have since gotten another one.)  In the videos, I used the camera's microphone to record the audio (which includes ambient noise due to using the radio's speaker).  For radios with no speaker, I connected to my Tecsun PL-398mp's line-in port.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS1ZlpTClbA - 3:14 (3 min, 14 sec)
2012-08-07 18;20 PDT - SRF-59 (modded Murata AM filter) - slower bandscan at 34.07216, -117.29838 (this is less than 50 feet from a 590-KTIE tower)

The following videos were recorded on 2013-01-22 in the afternoon in my back yard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJl5lebq4jY - Tecsun PL-398mp, ±1k BW - 27:06
At the start, I do a trick to modify the desense properties so weaker signals sound louder and seem to be more accurate as to their indicated signal strength.  Also, on several frequencies in the 1100s, I use another radio's local oscillator to beat with carriers that are otherwise buried under splatter.  (Suggestions as to a ULR that would bring in those stations with "armchair copy" without any splatter would be welcomed. ;) )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouf7tw6aalE - Sony SRF-M37W (has modified AM IF filter) - 10:51

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUS17HH4V8E - Sony SRF-59 - 12:19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7UIQ0EvoSQ - Tecsun PL-606, ±1k BW - 14:46
My PL-606's display is broken. Presets 54 to 100 are AM 540 to 1000, 1 to 53 are 1010 to 1530.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt6_Li9_fKk - Panasonic RQ-SW44V - 5:18
This is essentially the same as the RQ-SW20 below, but less sensitive.  (Would this one be "deaf" enough to qualify as a "turkey"?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKvW2NO3CJk - Panasonic RQ-SW20 - 9:06
This (or its twin the RQ-SW10) was my main radio since the mid 1990s, before I was aware of the ultralightdx group and others.  (This is my 3rd or 4th one.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=315ITDCLMVo - Ultronics Sports Radio - 3:59
A radio just like this was my first ever radio - I got it as a freebie with a bike for my 10th birthday.  This was the radio on which I made my first EVER "DX" catch - 890 KDXU St George, UT.  It was right at the noise floor, and pounded by splatter from locals 860 XEMO and 910 KECR, but there it was! :)  This copy seems to have dual peaks when tuning across a station.  Also the IF frequency seems to be off considerably.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnmLc4mdmjg - Coby CX-70 - 4:18
I got this just for fun at Fry's a while back.  Getting a TP on this (or the Ultronics) would be quite an accomplishment. ;)    

Good luck on the DX tomorrow/today! :)
Some day I'd love to see your skills demonstrated in a stronger signal environment.  How'bout at a place like the southwest quadrant of Columbia Park in Torrance, CA? ;) (Due to 1070 KNX's tower not being all that far from there, a few stations on 1071 might be just a little bit tough, like 6WB Radio West from Katanning, Australia (2kW, 9280mi), Radio Kota Santri from Pekalongan, Indesia (0.25kW, 8867mi), and Radio Babil from Hillah, Iraq (1kW, 7726mi), but other than those... ;) Maybe they'd be tough with the ULRs, but shouldn't the Perseus guys be able to bring them in with no difficulty at all, while using an already-existing ~150.6-meter vertical receive antenna?)


73 and good DX,
Stephen




________________________________
 From: "d1028gary@xxxxxxx" <d1028gary@xxxxxxx>
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 8:10 PM
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Oregon Cliff (Rockwork 4) Ultralight DU's for 7-23
 


Hi Bruce,

<<<   Maybe one of these days you could start at the top of the dial and work 
down, just for variety :)   >>>

Thanks for the suggestion, and I've been tempted to do just this. The drawback is that after concentrating on the low band DU's for so many live DXpeditions, my knowledge of the high band DU's is almost nil. I would probably spend most of the trip just leaning to sort out the Kiwi and Aussie high band big guns. During the next few days I do plan to concentrate more on the middle band, though-- assuming that elusive low-band targets like 558-Fiji and 666-New Caledonia don't continue playing hard to get.

<<<   Tonga should be easy where you are, but you'll need to listen earlier.  
I have a recording of them signing off at 1108 today.   >>>

I agree with you, Bruce, but making a special early trip to the Cliff around 1100 (0400 local) would be kind of pushing my luck during this "family vacation." Sometimes you need to compromise a little in an effort to convince your family that they are really the top vacation priority :-)

73, Gary
  

    
  


-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Portzer <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Jul 23, 2013 3:51 pm
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Oregon Cliff (Rockwork 4) Ultralight DU's for 7-23


Hi Gary

Maybe one of these days you could start at the top of the dial and work 
down, just for variety :)

Tonga should be easy where you are, but you'll need to listen earlier.  
I have a recording of them signing off at 1108 today.

Bruce


On 7/23/2013 13:42, d1028gary@xxxxxxx wrote:

Hello All,
  
       Thanks to Nigel and Walt for their DU-DXing reports this morning-- and 
I'd certainly agree with them that this was an NZ-slanted morning (as almost 
every morning seems to be, on this propagation-boosting Cliff).
       The Kiwi regulars were pounding in as usual on the foggy cliff, with 
657-Southern Star and 765-R. Kahungunu reaching their best levels yet during the 
DXpedition. The apparent Chinese-language station on 936 was in and out, and 585 
had some weak audio again (probably the 2 kW Maori station this time, but I was 
unable to confirm the // with 603 or 765). Efforts were made to go after more 
exotic fare on 558 (Fiji), 666 (New Caledonia) and 1017 (Tonga), but once again 
the peak sunrise enhancement period was relatively short, wrapping up around 
1315. In addition,  DU propagation didn't seem to favor (favour) much besides 
New Zealand this morning, except for the usual Aussie big guns and an awesome 
signal from 738-Radio Polynesie (Tahiti) around the 1300 TOH. This Rockwork 4 
cliff faces directly in the Kiwi direction, and there has yet to be a single 
summer listening session where New Zealand stations didn't pound in (8 out of 8 
days so far, including last August). When the!
  !
  NZ propagation really kicks in, this Cliff almost seems like part of Kiwi 
turf.
      It was great to receive a message from Guy Atkins that the Yachats (OR) 
DXpedition group has set up their antennas on Cape Perpetua, both at the Highway 
101 turn off and at the top (805') level. The greatest limitation here has been 
the inability to track down all of the vibrant DU's across the entire band 
(during live DXing) before sunrise enhancement folds each morning. Hopefully the 
multi-antenna Yachats group can use their Perseus-SDR spectrum-recording 
capabilities to overcome this delightful "problem."




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