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[IRCA] Hot-Rodded Ultralight Radio Shootout at Grayland-- July 12
Hello All,
When two fanatics hopelessly hooked on Ultralight DXing get together on an
ocean beach, and try out the latest super-modified pocket radios (and
antennas) in a very tough DXing evaluation, the results are completely
unpredictable. True to form, John Bryant and I both discovered something about the
new DSP-powered Ultralights (Tecsun PL-300WT and Grundig G8) that was
certainly unexpected.
In the tough mission of receiving DU's (South Pacific stations from
Australia, New Zealand and the nearby islands), we both independently tested the
new DSP-enhanced Ultralights in selectivity against the Murata premium
ceramic filter-modified Eton E100 and C.Crane SWP units. During previous testing
in domestic DXing sessions, the new DSP Ultralights had proven to be the
equal of the CFJ455K5 filters in limiting domestic splatter-- but that was
when the DSP radios tried for stations at least 10 kHz away from locals. In
DU DXing this morning, many targets were only 1 or 2 kHz away from
domestic stations. In addition, many of these DX stations had in-line domestic
splatter that could not be nulled.
Both John and I noticed a clear difference in the superior performance of
the Murata filter units when the DU's were very close in frequency to the
domestics, such as with 738-Tahiti, 792-4RN and 891-5AN. The modified E100's
and SWP's provided a superior S/N ratio once their Slider loopsticks were
peaked, while the PL-300WT's and G8's allowed too much domestic splatter to
be competitive. Of course, for a $50 radio the DSP Ultralights do provide
a lot of AM selectivity for the price, but in very tough 9 kHz-split DXing
they wouldn't be the first choice.
For my own DXing this morning, I was using a Murata filter-modified C.Crane
SWP 7.5" Slider loopstick model inductively coupled to an experimental 8'
tuned passive loop (constructed with a collapsible PVC frame). A 30"
loopstick modified ICF-2010 was used as a spotting receiver. The following
stations were heard:
531 UnID Weak music around 1227, but no ID's
567 2YA The first DU to produce audio at 1153, the strongest NZ station
this morning
612 4QR In and out with talk around 1237
639 R.Fiji Weak choral music at maximum dawn enhancement (1235)
648 UnID Moderate audio around 1213, presumed R. Rhema
657 2YC Showed up shortly after 567-2YA with music at 1156
670 KPUA Booming in with ID at 1259 for nice MP3
738 R. Tahiti Very strong in French at 1226-- no modulation issue. Weak
Aussie co-channel.
774 3LO Presumed the one with DU talk at 1232
792 4RN Instrumental music at 1240, strong at times
891 5AN Strong with news/talk at 1219, weak co-channel Aussie at times
1116 3AK Strongest Aussie of the morning; an MP3 with ID recorded at
1214, followed by pop music
Many more DU stations had audio this morning, but the rain at my picnic
table location made things awkward to do a complete search. Although the new
8' loop is completely waterproof, the DXer and radios were not,
unfortunately. A new umbrella modification may be the next project.
73, Gary DeBock
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