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- Subject: Re: [IRCA] domestic dx
- From: Mark Connelly <markwa1ion@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2017 11:50:44 -0400
- Delivered-to: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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The mid '60s in NRC had John Callarman and Gordon Nelson editing the International DX Digest section. This is the foreign loggings section similar to DX Worldwide in the IRCA DX Monitor. Bruce Conti is the present IDXD editor.
There were many reporters in IDXD in the '60s. Of course there was Nelson himself, well sited a few miles up the Charles River from Boston Harbor, providing many tips on Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Other reporters helped to fill in the Latin American and Transpacific scenes.
If you're an NRC E-DXN member, you can see most of the old DX News magazines online. Well worth $15 / year.
Today's IDXD is still an active column though perhaps lacking a bit on the TP front since the West Coast tends to be more IRCA-land than NRC-town.
Ground conductivity is indeed a big factor. Seawater gives the biggest boost and also, along a coastline, you have the advantage that much of the domestic interference is opposite the direction of foreign DX you are trying to hear. The combination of directive antennas and coastal sites leads to the astounding loggings you often read here: 1 kW New Zealand stations etc. This is why people do DXpeditioning: you hear stuff that just isn't going to make it very far beyond where you smell salt air and see seagulls flying.
Inland ground conductivity is best in the Plains: the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, etc. Some long haul foreign DX does get to those areas though you have the big problem of having to "look through" a big pile of West Coast domestic interference when chasing TP's or Lakes Area + East Coast domestics en route to the TA's.
Domestic DX is really the prime focus if you're in the central US. Receiving all lower 48 states is a distinct possibility. Along with some Mexicans and Cubans during aurora as we had recently.
Eastern and Pacific time zone locations that aren't right on the coast will present some overseas DX possibilities but those tend to be a small subset of what you get right at the beach. The soil conductivity a bit back from the shore is not all that good since rocks and/or sand typically is what's under you.
It's the abrupt shift from poor sandy soil to conductive salt water at the shore boundary that produces very directional receiving results even if a non-directional vertical whip is being used.
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WPGG-AM
Add antenna directivity to that inherent boost and then the DX really gets crazy. Rearwards blockage by cliffs in "pest" directions, as evidenced by Gary DeBock et al. at Rockworks, kicks in a further advantage.
PA sites do offer reasonable TA and Latin American DX possibilities as shown by the ongoing reports by Ben Dangerfield in NRC and this DXpedition report from last autumn:
http://www.radiodxing.com/zion2016/zion2016.html
Here on Cape Cod, foreign DX is the main interest for me and for other active DXers such as Marc DeLorenzo, Stephen Wood, and Roy Barstow. The domestics I chase are often Deep South (FL, GA, etc.) during aurora and Newfoundlanders when things are good on the TA route. My antennas aren't set up to get much going west-northwest and the poor ground that way doesn't help either.
Mark Connelly, WA1ION
South Yarmouth, MA
<<
Back in the mid-60's I was a novice dxr. I also joined nrc. At that time I
don't recall ever seeing ta/tp reports from anyone. They may have had a
separate section
To list those regions. I just don't remember, nor do I have old newsletters
to reference.
I grew up only thinking ta/tp were relegated to the swl hobby.
I hope we can expand on this issue of soils conductivity vs. domestic dx and
the potential for great dx in less than ideal circumstances.
Bill brooks drake r8a wellbrook ala1530lnp Paleozoic shale
(soils are significant!)
Waynesburg,pa
-----Original Message-----
From: IRCA [mailto:irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of billy brooks
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2017 12:21 PM
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [IRCA] domestic dx
Glad to see a little domestic dx being offered up. While interesting, the
ta/tp stuff does get a bit pedantic at times. Not criticizing, just sayin'.
And while I'm steeping on toes, would like to see more qth and equip.
included with folks' reports. Helps with the mileage thing.
Bill brooks, drake r8a, wellbrook ala1530lnp, Paleozoic
shale
>>
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