[IRCA] August Rockwork 4 DXpedition-- Top Ten Signals from the South Pacific

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

>From August 5-8 four days of ocean cliff DXing were surreptitiously conducted during a "family vacation" to the northwest Oregon coast. The four days of early August DU propagation proved superior to the seven days of early July DU propagation observed during the joint DXpedition with the Japanese, with 558-Fiji making a decent appearance on August 8th, and long-range Australians like 639-5CK and a possible repeat appearance of 558-6WA providing some excitement on August 6th. The rare 2 kW Kiwi station 531-More FM really provided some stiff competition for its Kiwi co-channel PI at times, while the NZ big guns on 657, 702 and 1035 sounded almost local during enhanced Kiwi propagation. Posted below are MP3 links for the ten strongest DU stations heard during the DXpedition, which was conducted entirely with Ultralight radios (three 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave models) and FSL antennas (a 17" and 15" model). 

1) 531 More FM (Alexandra, New Zealand, 2 kW) This low-powered urban rock station ran wild over its Samoan language co-channel during enhanced Kiwi propagation for much of the trip, including this potent hip-hop music at 1300 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/mu7keh0qvh1d9uo08ey2wbv6ss7xi3sd 
A longer version of the recording with a very short "More FM" female-voiced ID (at 7 seconds) is posted at https://app.box.com/s/au14qacc2juzybnlokcecywmgwnwpp9i 

2) 594 3WV (Horsham, Australia, 50 kW) LR network big gun sounding pretty healthy at 1243 on 8-7, but can't quite drown out the musical accompaniment from the 594-Star Kiwi network https://app.box.com/s/82ghq00enqn54yd0mvg6n9l42wsa2qh0 

3) 657 Star (Wellington/ Tauranga, NZ, 50/ 10 kW) Christian hymn broadcaster at local-like strength at 1246 on 8-7. The signals from this Star Network flagship station were unusually strong throughout the trip https://app.box.com/s/l4gzyq89yg5o127hhaompq756e9gq4xz 

4) 684 Rhema (Eastland, NZ, 5kW) Presumably the discontinued Gisborne location's transmitter has been relocated to Eastland, and now sounds stronger than ever. This Kiwi weather report at 1303 on 8-7 was typical https://app.box.com/s/i8o561cza8myntqlq4psdp1iy9s9tmro 

5) 702 Magic (Auckland, NZ, 10 kW) S9+ level classic pop music from this Kiwi oldies broadcaster at 1258 on 8-5. Overall this was the strongest DU station during the four days od the DXpedition https://app.box.com/s/1kmy738awm8pl70ht0vmsm6rrvswijb6 

6) 738 Radio Polynesie (Mahina, Tahiti, 20 kW) Somewhat less overpowering than in July, but still plenty strong with its R&B music at 1317 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/01jinpj8ug23cou0fpysnu4k5orjfr6p 

7) 756 RNZ National (Auckland, NZ, 10 kW) For the first time ever this unlikely station was the strongest RNZ outlet, receiving a major boost from the solid rock cliff (which cut splatter way down from the 50 kW Portland pest 750-kXTG) https://app.box.com/s/jdii2zbb0m6w5fvb7mn6m48rw9o42hyx 

8) 765 Radio Kahungunu (Napier-Hastings, NZ, 2.5 kW) Low-powered KIwi station that acts like a "big gun" on the cliff. The strongest of the late-night Maori network during this trip, it sounded very healthy at 1243 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/fdzx6r6x4aoz50nv0h2t406l3hbnqlaq 

9) 774 3LO (Melbourne, Australia, 50 kW) Oz big gun sounded potent with a sports report at 1227 on 8-6, but generally had trouble prevailing over the Kiwi Radio Sport 
https://app.box.com/s/qqjigpnfcne0qu03ul9pgmb9a521rr38 

10) 1035 Newstalk ZB (Wellington, NZ, 20 kW) Kiwi ad string at blisteringly strong level at 1317 on 8-5; one of the strongest DU stations overall during the entire four days https://app.box.com/s/qdvv5d0adtclylvyny0igs2gccalerxb 

73 and Good DX, 
Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, Oregon, USA) 
7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight + 
17" and 15" FSL antennas 


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