[IRCA] DXpedition to Masset, BC 7 to 16March 2014

[Walter Salmaniw <canswl@xxxxxxxxx>]

*DXpedition to Haida Gwaii March 7 to 16, 2014*



     I travelled to my cottage on March 7th, and as always did some pretty
serious DX work while there.  I took along my Perseus SDR, along with my
AOR 7030+, and a rarely used JRC NRD 535D.  Antennae included my large
diameter ALA 100 aimed NE/SW, a 750' BOG aimed 270 degrees to Asia and
unterminated, and a 400' mini-Beverage aimed due north, and terminated into
the ocean without a resistor.  Once again, conditions locally were
exceptionally quiet, with no neighbours present this time of year.  I'm
always awestruck looking at my Perseus waterfall and seeing black,
especially on the LW band!  What a treat it is to DX right down to the
noise floor.  SW conditions were really very good throughout the week. TP
MW DX was variable, with a couple of very good mornings.  TA conditions
were practically zilch, except for a very modest opening last night (UTC 16
March).  Here are my results.  Enjoy!  Comments, as always are always very
much welcomed.  73,  Walt Salmaniw







RUSSIA 810, 1451-, Radio Rossii Mar 9 I can confirm that at least this MW
transmitter is still on the air with Russian talk, and mentions of a Moscow
phone number.  Cochannel with a number of cochannels (sounds very much like
a graveyard channel!), along with off frequency North Korean (on 854.897).
Many carriers visible on the Perseus waterfall when zoomed.  Good to very
good at times.  Radio Rossii jingle at 14:58.  Faded down just before the
TOH and replaced with Chinese speaker at good level!  The vagaries of
propagation!  Time pips for this station were almost 10 sec late.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



CHINA 1323, 1508-, CRI Mar 9 Russian service at superb level discussing
Ukrainian crisis.  Sounds very much like a native Russian speaker.  Weaker
cochannel(s) also heard, faded down by 15:11, but only for a few seconds
before returning to dominate. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



JAPAN 1413, 1905-, JOIF   KBC Mar 10 A very good morning for Asian MW TP
signals.  It's past noon local, and I'm still hearing a number of TP
stations including JOIF.  Other TPs still going are 1422, 1449, 1467, 1566
HLAZ (at good level), 1287, 972.  I'm very pleased with the results.  Most
split channels had 1 or more stations from top to bottom!  Nothing obvious
DU, though.  All Japanese, Korean, and Chinese mostly.  HLAZ when rechecked
at 19:11 was at excellent level!  Did they change the beam?  HLAZ was
pretty much gone by 19:47 UTC. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



RUSSIA 648, 1458-, Radio Free Asia Mar 11 Strong open carrier to 15:00 when
'This is Radio Free Asia.  The following program is in Korean'.  Very good
reception.  100 kW listed with 230 degree beam. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



CHINA 1098, 1528-, CNR 11 Mar 11 Very strong reception with CNR's Tibetan
Service.  Confirmed with SW // of 7350. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



BANGLADESH 693, 1617-, Bangladesh Betar Mar 11 Nice to hear them again.
This morning was a lacklustre morning compared to yesterday's superb
propagation.  Will fade up to very good levels, and then fade down again.
I thought that this was a 1000 kW transmitter, but listed as only 100 kW on
the Aoki database.  ?typo?   Typical subcontinental music, followed by some
sports announcement.  Then 'Bangladesh Betar' at 16:21:30, and back to sub
continental music.  Excellent level at this point.  Minor splatter from
Anchorage on 700 kHz.  Another ID for BD Betar at 16:31, and into guitar
type local music.  Despite listings of 16:30 sign-off, still going at
16:34.  I left the recorder running.  Excellent at 16:58.  Beautiful
'Bangladesh Betar, Dakha' ID at 16:59.  At 17:00, time pips weakly (maybe
not their's, then Salyem Aleichum, Bangladesh Betar.  Still very strong,
but faded rapidly after 17:01.  Faded up again around 17:09, and better
still at 17:14 with Bangla female vocal music.  I only taped until 17:30,
and it was still present at fair to good level.  That's 10:30 AM local!
Several hours past local dawn.  A quick scan of other sub-continental
frequencies did not immediately yield any stations. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)





JAPAN 567, 1559-, JOIK Mar 10 Reviewing my wav files from yesterday, I came
across JOIK signing off(!) at 16:00.  Very much like the NHK2 network
sign-off procedure.  Announcements at 15:59 by a female, followed by the
national anthem, then JOIK call letters.  Transmitter cut a few seconds
later revealing another co-channel (very strong, too).  ?Korea?  This was
unexpected, as NHK1 usually runs 24/7.  Down for transmitter maintenance?
Anyone with Japanese language fluency to sort this out?  Thanks!  MP3
available. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



JAPAN 684, 1559-, JODF  IBC, Iwate Hoso Mar 10 I'm assuming that the young
lady is saying 'IBC radio', although it does also sound a lot like 'ABC
radio'.  I'm assuming this is the IBC network. No parallels noted, as
written in the PAL (for 1557 and 1062) though.  MP3 available.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



SPAIN 1269, 0411-, COPE (tentative) Mar 13 Finally hearing a TA.  Otherwise
I had a few snippets from Absolute Radio on 1215 on other nights.  This one
is in the clear with talking, which I'm quite certain in from COPE in
Spain.  Gone by 04:13, though.  Lowish modulation, otherwise quite strong.
(Salmaniw,Masset, BC)



KOREA 1566, 0347-, HLAZ Mar 15 A particularly good morning for TP MW
reception to Asia, and especially China and Korea. There was a marked post
sunrise enhancement, so I decided to let the mp3 recorder tape 1566, 250
kW  from Jeju, South Korea.  Reception continued at fair/good levels to
19:55 UTC  (that's 12:55 PM local), and faded totally by 20:20 UTC ( 1:20
PM local).  Quite amazing, especially as we are almost at the spring
equinox, and have been in daylight for many hours!  972, another powerhouse
South Korean (HLCA with 750 or 1500 kW) faded out by 18:50 UTC (11:50 AM
local). (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)





GREAT BRITAIN 1215, 0516-, Absolute Radio Mar 16 On my final evening, I'm
actually hearing weak audio on 1215.  Quite a few other carriers are also
visible, up and down the band.  1089 and 1053 also noted with weak audio.
Best heard on my North directed mini-Beverage.  Strong enough for the SAM
to lock on the Perseus, but better heard on the AOR 7030+ by a hair.  Fair,
almost good reception at times.  By 05:27, good reception.  TAs have been
very infrequent for several seasons, so nice to hear them again!  The UK is
in the greyline now. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
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