[IRCA] Cook Islands DXpedition-- Australian/ NZ Loggings & MP3's (Part Two)

[Gary DeBock <d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

     This is the second group of Australian and New Zealand MW station loggings made during our April 8-13 trip to Aitutaki in the Cook Islands-- a location with superb sunset skip propagation to New Zealand. As a result over 100 Kiwi station recordings were made during the trip, which have been taking some time to sort out.

     The original Cook Island plan had been to investigate every MW frequency during sunset skip over five days, but extra Polynesian dinners scheduled by my wife ate up some serious time, causing several frequencies to go unrecorded. Despite this the greater portion of the MW band was indeed checked during sunset skip propagation, resulting in the greatest number of DX recordings I've ever made during any DXpedition. All of these sunset skip loggings were made with a hand-held 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave SSB model on the Aitutaki lagoon beach.

     Whereas the Kiwi stations dominated the sunset skip sessions, the Australian MW stations dominated at sunrise, especially on frequencies like 576, 594, 693, 918 and 1566-- all of which had exotic South and Southeast Asian target stations. 693-3AW and 1566-3NE even had the same "Ovenight Australia" program running each morning, managing to foul up two priority frequencies with the same long-winded announcer each session (although 693-Bangladesh had enough power to silence him at times). 918 also had an Oz talk program fouling up the frequency (presumably 4VL) along with RNZ and Shandong, but Cambodia did finally break through with its National Anthem on 4-12. Overall the experience of DXing down under was a big thrill at sunrise, though, with long range South Asian propagation that North American DXers can only dream about!


630  4QN   Townsville, Australia, 50 kW   Oz big gun was easy to hear in the null of Radio Cook Islands' open carrier at 1500 on 4-12 with trumpet fanfare and ABC news at the TOH; it was also easy copy in RCI's null (with RNZ) every evening  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ceiaw26agqd4h15jv0j0xipexd7oryy6

630  RNZ   Hawkes Bay, NZ, 10 kW   5+1 time pips and female announcer mixing with 4QN in the null of Radio Cook Islands' open carrier at 1500 on 4-12; this station was the dominant co-channel of RCI in the evening  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ceiaw26agqd4h15jv0j0xipexd7oryy6

639  2HC   Coff's Harbour, Australia, 5 kW   Local ads (mentioning the suburb "Umarra" at 1:08) and "100.5 FM, 639 AM" ID at 1:18  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/cgv1vb0g8twz4vl6j8660hdjj53d1mmx

657  Star   Wellington/ Tauranga, NZ, 50/ 10 kW   A real powerhouse with its Christian programming each evening, its signal tapered off somewhat around sunrise, allowing Pyongyang and AIR (Kolkata) to sneak through on 4-12. This signal (at 1651 on 4-12) starts off with the Asians nulled for a few seconds (after AIR had hit its peak), with Star's Irish-accented preacher hitting an S9 level briefly  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/3o4kd9pkall7oyrzzhy0n2hnx3o8ypfx

675  RNZ   Christchurch, NZ, 10 kW   Another evening powerhouse with a traffic report during the rush hour at 0630 on 4-12  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/o7fldq2j27j3xdpfmwn7yienzn11kq9l

693  3AW   Melbourne, Australia, 5 kW   This was the major pest for Bangladesh reception (and much more troublesome than Radio Sport). This recording of the "Overnight Australia" program at 1703 on 4-10 was during a mix with news from Bangladesh, and features multiple promotions (initially) for the 3AW smart phone and the 3AW app (I don't think I'll apply for these!)  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/39r5556vdg04sasruqfqgqkyyr8wkm7v

693  Radio Sport   Dunedin, NZ, 5 kW   Usually dominant around 1600 daily, only to lose out to 3AW and Bangladesh as 1700 approached. This Yankee-accented program (Fox Sports News relay) was at 1608 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/e921kcqxno63geffbqi3t6hq97l31vey

702  2BL   Sydney, Australia, 50 kW   The Oz big gun had a rough time going up against Kiwi Magic in the Cooks. Here it was at almost equal strength (with male-female conversation under Magic's "See You Later, Alligator") at 0740 on 4-9  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/j4xkzd773528d4ekr3ibjw184j5hev0i

702  Magic   Auckland, NZ, 10 kW   Magic's flagship station ruled the frequency each evening, with awesome signals around the Kiwi sunset, such as at 0730 on 4-10 with this very creative oldies song medley ID  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/n0bnhm6yay3w0nwbfj7mez8foxuo7tvb

729  Radio Sport   Whangarei, NZ, 3 kW   Dominant over a real crowd at 1648 on 4-13 with Yankee-accented Fox Sports News relay  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ykyl4b029h1xynq0vea1w8ttz0nk7peh

738  2NR   Grafton, Australia, 50 kW   Dominant over Magic (a pretty rare occurrence in the evening) at 0745 on 4-9 with male speech  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/synliotkd983zc7ch57rcx84xwswuwas

738  Magic   Christchurch, NZ, 5 kW   The usual sunset skip leader on the frequency, with strong music // 702 over 2NR at 0731 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vp58j5scujemjzn59ua6tebzk7c56awl

756  RNZ   Auckland, NZ, 10 kW   This was one of the strongest RNZ signals each evening, although for some reason it never was recorded. Usually at equal strength with its 567 and 675 parallels.

765  Radio Kahungunu   Hawkes Bay, NZ, 2.5 kW   This Maori-language overachiever was competitive with its 603 parallel on most evenings, but like 756-RNZ accidentally went unrecorded (most likely due to an unscheduled Polynesian dinner).

774  3LO   Melbourne, Australia, 50 kW   The Oz big gun was a potent presence during most sunrise sessions, such as at 1611 on 4-9 (booming in over NZ's Radio Sport)  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/krxsxdkps64zbmlnm0m0wuoeivqmp4yd

774  Radio Sport   New Plymouth, NZ, 5 kW   Yankee-accented Fox Sports news relay almost at equal strength with 3LO at 1612 on 4-9, but usually way under the Oz big gun around sunrise  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/5xqrmwv1n3866u2rotzxq9oa3wa4o8lz

792  4RN   Brisbane, Australia, 25 kW   Not very impressive for the power level on most mornings, usually in a lackluster mix with NZ's Yankee-accented Radio Sport (such as at 1614 on 4-9, playing music // 576)  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/eg72jxaf03tdxu4l70vbg52231ixckn5

792  Radio Sport   Hamilton, NZ, 5 kW   Dominant over a weak 4RN with Fox Sports News relay at 1615 on 4-9  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/6pdsb8j64gdmb7882rwh1jhy8eixkco2

810  2BA   Bega, Australia, 10 kW   Female speech // 774 (along with RNZ and a possible KGO) at 0850 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/1opl0zzodp01jhbfu2sv2o0fzqyttqhd

810  RNZ   Dunedin, NZ, 10 kW   Male speech // 819 in a three station mix at 0850 on 4-10; co-channels were 2BA and a possible KGO  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/1opl0zzodp01jhbfu2sv2o0fzqyttqhd

819  RNZ   Tauranga, NZ, 10 kW   Strong signal all alone with male conversation // 810 at 0848 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/qa751yhhwxlosyi1po1zgqdrbzd7e047

828  TAB Trackside Radio   Palmerston North, NZ, 2 kW   You can almost smell the horses as the low power TAB Trackside leaves the Aussie 3GI way down in the dust at 0835 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/t73cumjyelggta9dgk94nyu23lv3wzol

828  3GI   Sale, Australia, 10 kW   Female and male speech // 774 way under NZ's TAB Trackside at 0835 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/t73cumjyelggta9dgk94nyu23lv3wzol

837  RNZ   Whangarei/ Kaitaia, NZ,  2.5/ 2 kW   Male speech // 819 in a mix with 4RK at 0840 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/nx22gapusqquzotjoo873l7itbmf9hkv

837  4RK   Rockhampton, Australia, 10 kW   Female speech // 774 in a mix with RNZ at 0840 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/nx22gapusqquzotjoo873l7itbmf9hkv

846  Newstalk ZB   Masterton, NZ, 2 kW   The usual co-channel in the null of Radio Kiribati (on Christmas Island), it was at a fairly strong level with female and male speech // 1035 at 0833 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/4lxwj5239ug4rsdwzju2k7136zv7h67f

855  Rhema   Hamilton, NZ, 2 kW   "Focus on the Family" promo and commercial ads at 0830 on 4-10, followed by the "Focus" program in Yankee-accented English  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/s0xxgxqg94043ycr861gijkaotgjltw3

864  Newstalk ZB   Invercargill, NZ, 10 kW   Modest signal with female speech // 1035 over a weak co-channel at 0827 on 4-10  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/1385lejm7f82qu2wc61bfxn1dsbabzwj


(TO BE CONTINUED)







                      
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