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- Subject: Cape Perpetua Ocean Cliff DXpedition-- Top Ten Signals from the South Pacific
- From: d1028gary@xxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 22:34:31 -0400 (EDT)
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Hello All,
Form August 24-26 another wild and wacky ocean cliff DXpedition was conducted from the Highway 101 turnoff on Cape Perpetua-- Oregon's highest ocean side cliff (2 miles south of Yachats). As expected, the weather was dicey, with gale-force winds making things interesting on the first and last days. This provided some training in surviving such harsh weather during future FSL-antenna-based DXpeditions on such highly exposed venues in the future.
To survive the harsh winds the 30 pound, 15" FSL antenna (and its 5' PVC base) were secured with three 175-lb. test plastic tie wraps strapped to the guard rail fence posts on the Highway 101 turnoff (photo posted at http://www.mediafire.com/view/a5rb2ul7s51id3a/Cape-Perpetua-Typhoon-Tie-Down.jpg ). Although this "Typhoon Tie Down" secured the antenna quite well, at one point the clipboard-mounted log took a 20 foot test flight past the guard rail into the green vegetation beyond.
In general the South Pacific DX was interesting during the three day trip, but extremely strong signals were rare compared to the 7-day "Rockwork 4" trip last month. Unlike Rockwork 4 the Cape Perpetua cliff has no special preference for New Zealand signals, and the Kiwi big guns on 567, 657 and 702 took major dives. One of the special Kiwi stars last month (702-Radio Live) was completely Dead at Cape Perpetua. On the other hand some Australian signals were noticeably improved, such as 792-4RN. Excellent Australian propagation on the last day also provided some wild DU mixes on some frequencies, such as 567, 639 and 891. A ten-minute fight between 5CK and 2HC on 639 kHz was especially memorable. Overall the ocean cliff DXpedition was another thrilling experience (in more ways than one). All the loggings below were made with a 7.5" loopstick Tecsun PL-380 Ultralight radio inductively coupled to a 15" FSL antenna. DU signals which pegged the PL-380's S/N display at the 25 maximum are identified with a double asterisk (**).
**531 PI Auckland, New Zealand (5 kW) Once again this Samoan-language Kiwi station set the pace as the strongest DU signal during
the DXpedition, with potent signals every morning. It occasionally had some competition from the 10 kW NHK1 station JOQG but
had no trouble dispatching the Japanese after 1300 UTC
http://www.mediafire.com/view/r74s7ufdr8jcgzu/531-PI-1248z082414PL380.MP3
594 NZ's Rhema Timaru/ Wanganui, New Zealand (5 kW/ 2 kW) Oddly enough this low-powered Kiwi network ruled over the Aussie big
gun 3WV on all three days. Here it is with typical Christian contemporary music at a good level // 684 on 8-25
http://www.mediafire.com/view/p3103bfikj26wdq/594-NZ.Rhema-1330z082514PL380.MP3
603 Radio Waatea Auckland, New Zealand (5 kW) The strongest of the Kiwi Maori language stations during this trip, although it wasn't quite
up to its typical Rockwork strength. It usually dispatched the Korean big gun HLSA around 1300 UTC daily
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ymki8di8vwck85w/603-R.Waatea-1312z082514PL380.MP3
**639 5CK Port Pirie, Australia (10 kW) The biggest surprise of the DXpedition, and a new logging. Not in the Grayland master log (but
heard by Nigel in Alberta), this ABC LR network station was noted at a potent level on 8-26, parallel to 891-5AN (which, according to
Paul Philbrook of South Australia, rules out the 1 kW LR network station in Mossman, which has a 30 minute time difference in LR
network programming). This ABC station was fighting it out with the Aussie commercial co-channel 2HC for a full 10 minute
period on 8-26-- one of the longest-running Aussie snarls I've ever heard
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/aulw9n6fd41zile/639-5CK-1353z082614PL380.MP3
639 2HC Coffs Harbour, Australia (5 kW) Commercial co-channel of 5CK occasionally had the upper hand during a wild snarl on 8-26
but generally lost out to the South Australian ABC station. This MP3 has a mention of "Coffs Harbour" after a commercial at the :58
point (thanks very much to Sam Dellit of the ADXC and Ultralight radio group for deciphering this).
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/xl9bglckfftyvsf/639-2HC-1339z082614PL380.MP3
Full ten minute snarl of the 639 Australians 5CK and 2HC from 1335-1345 on 8-26, the last morning of the DXpedition (7 MB
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/6ln0yjbkuv5g9xb/639-5CK-2HCmix-1335z082614PL380.MP3
**675 RNZ Christchurch, New Zealand (10 kW) One of the rare Kiwi stations with better signals than during last month's Rockwork 4
trip, this was by far the strongest RNZ network performer during the DXpedition
http://www.mediafire.com/view/iykuvana8g7r35z/675-RNZ-1321z082514PL380.MP3
684 NZ's Rhema Gisborne, New Zealand (5 kW) Another Kiwi station with improved signals during this trip, with Christian contemporary
music at a good level // 594 at 1350 on 8-25. A rather anemic Rhema network ID is at the end of the recording
http://www.mediafire.com/view/k6w52bjfgqoz7ut/684-NZ.Rhema-1350z082514PL380.MP3
**738 Radio Polynesie Mahina, Tahiti (20 kW) Typical French disco music at a potent level at 1124 on 8-25, it usually had some KCBS
splatter to deal with (the San Francisco pest is a daytimer at Cape Perpetua, OR)
http://www.mediafire.com/view/caolhn33k928n64/738-R.Polynesie-1124z082514PL380.MP3
**792 4RN Brisbane, Australia (25 kW) One of the strongest Aussie stations during the DXpedition, this RN network big gun was far more
potent than its 576 parallel. No sign of the Kiwi Radio Sport at all-- the opposite of the Rockwork 4 situation last month.
Here it is with typical music at 1313 on 8-26-- the best morning for Australian propagation
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/53gjz439yp0vw2j/792-4RN-1313z082614PL380.MP3
**891 5AN Adelaide, Australia (50 kW) This LR network big gun was the strongest Aussie signal, and similar to last month at Rockwork 4,
it could reach a blowtorch level when the propagation favored it. Typically it carries various interviews, with occasional music
http://www.mediafire.com/view/z05bkq4j6za8x8u/891-5AN-1330Z082412PL380.mp3
There were other DU stations (and many Asians) received during the DXpedition, and a full report is being drafted. Thanks very much once again to Theo, Chuck, Guy, Nigel, Sam and Phil for their assistance in solving various DU station mysteries!
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (DXing at Cape Perpetua, on the Central Oregon coast)
7.5" loopstick Tecsun PL-380 Ultralight +
15" DXpedition FSL antenna
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