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Re: [IRCA] Skywave noise
Patrick,
When my wife and I were staying at the Marriott in Lihue, Kauai in April 07,
I brought along the little Grundig YB-305 I bought for $30 at the 1997 IRCA
convention auction. Just used the internal ferrite stick. When I sat out
on the balcony in the evening/early morning, I had good reception of
mainland US stations all over the dial, and our room faced west-- I assume
there was steel framing in the building. On the other hand, there were no
signals from west/south. No Tahiti, Tonga, etc. There was a mountain to
the SW of us, on the other side of the bay. So why can't I hear any strong
Hawaiians from here anymore? They used to be regular in Reno when I lived
there in the late 70s.
I think it's the higher noise level, much of it from HD. I notice it here
in Vacaville. KOA used to be blockbuster an hour before sunset, now it
often is very weak but fades up and down. KXNT-HD a factor? KTRB-860 is
very hard to hear at night, partly because of pattern change, partly due to
KOA HD slop. KDXU is also much much weaker than previously but don't know
if there's any HD on 880 or 900 to cause that. 730 used to be listenable,
but with KDWN-HD and KCBS-HD, it's just hiss at night. And remember that
Kauai's entire population is less than Vacaville's. The whole island is
60,000 give or take. Vacaville is pushing 100,000.
On the plus side, KMJ-580 and KTCT-1050 have stopped the HD altogether,
haven't heard it for several weeks. KCBS turns it on and off. KFBK has had
it off quite a bit lately but turned it back on again. KCBC-770 turns it on
at 6 am exactly. KKOH goes from a solid signal to very weak under hiss.
Rich Toebe
Vacaville CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Martin" <mwdxer@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club ofAmerica"
<irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Skywave noise
Craig,
The overall noise level here during the day is still very low. The S
Meter still rests at close to zero on the R8. The night noise level
doesn't seem to be any different, but the over all signals from distant
stations seems much weaker. The higher S Meter reading from like
Hawaiians are not there. The QRM on 670 is not worse. KBOI is still not
a big factor off the SW EWE, but the powerful KPUA S9+20 is not there.
It is like they dropped to 1 KW from 10 KW. The Hawaiian stations seemed
to have some big cloud between the coast and Hawaii that does not let
much of the signals through. 2/3's of the Hawaiians used to be regulars
night after night. Often from LSS there to after LSR here. KMVI 550 was
S9+30, now buried under KOAC most nights. They just don't have the
signal they did 25 years ago. Conditions?
73,
Patrick
Patrick Martin
KGED QSL Manager
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