[IRCA] Grayland 8-9 Ultralight DXpedition-- With the New ULR Selectivity King!
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[IRCA] Grayland 8-9 Ultralight DXpedition-- With the New ULR Selectivity King!



Hello All,
 
Heading to Grayland on August 8th for a one-night family vacation,  DXing 
expectations were very low. Our fully-loaded Toyota Corolla could not  
accommodate any large PVC-framed loops, even collapsible ones. The 30"  loopstick 
ICF-2010 spotting receiver was out of the question. John Bryant had  just 
returned from Grayland, reporting mediocre conditions. The solar forecast  
looked bleak. It seemed like everything was falling into place-- the wrong  
place.
 
Despite this, the booming Ultralight radio enthusiast group (now over 300  
members strong) has been fascinated with Kchibo's recent introduction  of 
the D96L model, which offers the choice of five different DSP selectivity  
options-- including a 1 kHz selection. A Chinese-market model discovered  
through Internet research by Guy Atkins, this model represents Kchibo's  best 
effort to manufacture a high quality AM-FM pocket radio, suitable for DXing  on 
either band. Since this is currently the highest quality ULR  offering this 
1kHz DSP filtering option, there was intense interest among  transoceanic 
ULR DXers whether this $58 stock D96L model would be  competitive in actual 
TP-DXing, particularly when matched up against the  premium Murata CFJ455K5 
ceramic filters transplanted into the Slider E100 and  Slider C.Crane SWP 
models. Regardless of poor DXing conditions, I was determined  to find out the 
answer.     
 
In a crash program to design and build a small loop antenna that  would 
barely fit in the Toyota Corolla trunk, I measured the trunk length at 4'  4", 
and made plans for a collapsible-frame 36" square tuned passive loop that  
would hopefully squeeze inside the overloaded trunk when disassembled. All 
week  long, construction proceeded with military urgency. The project was just 
barely  finished a day before the Grayland trip, and included a PVC base 
which had  removable legs. To compensate for the smallish loop (and primarily 
to boost the  shaky confidence of the DXer), the legs were designed to get 
the 36" loop up  about 7' in the air. Photos of this three-day wonder are 
posted in the  Yahoo Ultralightdx site photo section.
 
Arriving at the Grayland Beach Road picnic table at 1145 UTC (0445 local  
time), I quickly set up the collapsible-frame loop (and collapsible base) in  
total darkness, hoping for decent South Pacific propagation to compensate 
for my  smallish antenna. On my substitute spotting receiver (a 19.5" 
loopstick  ICF-2010, which was the subject of a loopstick transplant article in DXM 
and  MWC), I had programmed into memory all of the unlogged Aussie and Kiwi 
 stations heard by John Bryant at Grayland-- which has turned out to be a  
great shortcut to success this summer (although perhaps a little  shameless).
 
The first strange signal noticed (at 1210) was strong French from  
738-Tahiti, indicating that the propagation definitely wasn't favoring  Australia 
(and 2NR-738). There was moderate splatter from KCBS-740, so relative  
selectivity tests were quickly run between the new D96L and a C.Crane SWP  Slider 
model (with the premium Murata CFJ455K5 ceramic filter), both assisted by  
the 36" square passive loop. Much to my surprise (and satisfaction), the 
D96L's  1 kHz DSP selectivity option was competitive with the performance of the  
Murata filter in limiting the splatter from KCBS-740, although the  final 
audio was possibly a little more harsh in the Kchibo unit (as judged by  
those who have listened to the MP3, available on request).
 
The second relative selectivity test was run with 567-2YA (Wellington, NZ), 
 in the shadow of strong domestic KVI-570. When tuning to 567-2YA, I  was 
astonished to find the signal at near blowtorch level-- the strongest I have  
ever heard any NZ signal. After running the competition between the D96L  
and filterized SWP (with the same basic result), I was amazed to find New  
Zealand stations booming in all over the band. Despite my smallish antenna and 
 pessimistic outlook, I had apparently stumbled onto a legendary Kiwi 
propagation  opening at Grayland. Quickly grabbing the ICF-2010 spotting receiver 
and  checking the memories, I noticed that almost all the unlogged Kiwi 
frequencies  had audio already!
 
Since a lot of the sunrise enhancement period had already been devoted to  
the D96L/ SWP selectivity tests, there was a wild scramble to log (and  
record MP3's of) as many New Zealand stations as I could, before increasing  
daylight made the propagation bail. The ICF-2010's signal  level LED's were 
used to quickly tune the 36" loop to each Kiwi  frequency, which was then used 
to boost up signal levels on the D96L and Slider  SWP for MP3's. 648-Rhema 
and 675-3YC were quickly "processed," followed by  963-3YC. With the ocean 
beach now in bright daylight at 1310, I doubted  that the fun would continue 
much longer-- until I rechecked 2YA-567, and found  it still at blowtorch 
level. Checking the 2010's memories for more Kiwi audio, I  found moderate 
audio from 927-2ZA, a 2 kw station identified by the  "Newstalk Zed-B" format 
with the male and female announcers' voices that I had  recorded last year on 
an MP3 of 1035-2ZB. Propagation was really diving at 1322  when I managed a 
final weak logging of 1296-1ZH, a 2.5 kw station on the  same talk format 
network. Besides these new Kiwi loggings, the new Hawaiians of  KUMU-1500 and 
KNUI-900 were also heard. The Australian stations were  strangely silent all 
morning, with only 612-4QR barely coming  into threshold audio. A paltry 
signal from JOUB-774 at 1155 was  the only Asiatic TP in evidence. On this 
very strange Kiwi-slanted morning,  loggings were as follows:
 
531    UnID's                        DU  mix at 1305 with fair signals, 
presumably including  5 kw Auckland
567   2YA  Wellington       National program with extremely strong signal  
from 1210-1320
612   4QR   Brisbane            The  only Aussie to reach audio level, very 
weak at 1308
639   R. Fiji 1   Lautoka         Typical choral  music with fairly 
mediocre signal at 1222
648   NZ-Rhema  Gisborne   Booming in with  religious program at 1245 for 
nice MP3
657   2YC   Wellington         Another booming  Kiwi station with Southern 
Star network, 1258 
670   KPUA   Hilo                 The strongest Hawaiian as usual, with 
financial news at 1255
675   3YA  Christchurch       National program with blowtorch signal from 
1245-1315
738   R.  Tahiti                      From 1215-1315, legendary signal with 
French music and news
760   KGU  Honolulu            Fair  signal after fade of San Diego at 1303
900   KNUI   Kahului            With  Fox Sports news, weak signal at 1325 
before propagation dived
927   2ZA  Palmerston N.    Network talk  format surprisingly strong from 
this 2 kw station at 1314
963   3YC Christchurch        Southern Star network // 657, moderately 
strong at 1310 for MP3
1017 A3Z  Nuku  Alofa         Despite great propagation,  signal never rose 
above threshold audio
1035 2ZB   Wellington         The strongest of the  "Newstalk Zed-B" 
stations, good signal at 1316
1296 1ZH   Hamilton            Weak  with talk format as propagation was 
diving at 1322, //1035
1500 KUMU Honolulu          Very strong with local ads at 1305 after 
mainland QRM faded
 
Kchibo D96L model verdict:   This new DSP-enhanced radio is a  true 
breakthrough for ULR transoceanic DXers, providing exceptional 1 kHz  selectivity 
in addition to its good AM sensitivity. Before the testing of this  model 
during this DXpedition, no stock Ultralight had ever been able to solidly  
receive any DU station at Grayland. The DU's are typically weak, and the signals 
 usually are buried in domestic splatter on stock ULR's. Because of the 
Kchibo's  breakthrough DSP selectivity, however, the stock D96L managed to 
solidly receive  two DU's during this trip-- 567-2YA in Wellington, NZ, and 
738-Radio Tahiti. It  probably could have received several more, except for the 
fact its owner  was busy chasing new Kiwis with the 36" loop.
 
36" Collapsible Frame Loop verdict:  This modestly-sized tuned  passive 
loop performed far beyond expectations, providing a serious DU signal  boost to 
any radio brought under its influence. It typically boosted the  ICF-2010 
spotting receiver's signal by 5 LED's, and made the difference between  a 
weak signal and a booming signal on the ULR's. The MP3's recorded by this  
modest loop are clear evidence of its effectiveness, and are posted on both 
_http://www.dxer.ca_ (http://www.dxer.ca)  and the Ultralightdx Yahoo file  
site. These MP3's include recordings of 648- NZ Rhema, 675-3YC, and 738 R.  
Tahiti, as well as a selectivity comparison test between the D96L and SWP  
Murata filter model in receiving 567-2YA (in the shadow of 570-KVI), posted  on 
Ultralightdx.
 
Thanks again to Guy Atkins for his investigation of the Kchibo models,  and 
to John Bryant for his detailed DU Ultralight loggings. For a DXer with  
too many projects going on at once, these guys are just what the doctor 
ordered  :>)
 
73 and Good DX to All,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)
 
 
    
                     
            
 
 
 
    
 
 
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