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[IRCA] Pacific DX Report for 20 November, 2009: From Tonga to Samoa
Pacific DX Report for 20 November 2009: From Tonga to Samoa
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Well we’re into UTC November 21^st , having left Samoa bound for Hawaii,
which is 4 or 5 days of open ocean or about 2600 miles or so…our longest
stretch by far. When I came out to my usual perch on the aft end Lido
deck, there was a tropical monsoon with the wind and rain and somewhat
churning seas, and rather muggy on top of all that. Let me back up a
moment and tell you about Samoa. If there’s a single island nation to
visit in the South Pacific, then it has to be Samoa (with it’s charming
capital, Apia). Robert Louis Stephenson came here seeking a cure for his
tuberculosis, fell in love with the place, built a lovely home up in the
“mountains” and died there five years later. He’s buried on top of the
hill overlooking his home. I can sure understand why he loved this place
so much. It’s very lush and green, and the coastline is equally
beautiful. Overall, it’s a stark contrast to Tonga, which is a very flat
country, and much poorer by contrast. Here, the roads are very good, and
the homes very attractive. Each one also has a structure, roofed, but
completely open on the sides which is used on hot nights to sleep, and
as I understand it, to house relatives who come to visit.
We hired a van for the day, working out to $30 each and saw all of the
sights and sounds of the place, and even went sliding down a series of
waterfalls, and later swam in a freshwater cave on the coast with a
connecting tunnel to another cave (not for the claustrophobe!), perhaps
5 feet deep and the tunnel itself about 2’ in height and 10’ long. Of
course I had to try it, trusting our very knowledgeable guide to count
to 5 and be through to the other side…He was correct, and I’m still here
to report on things. Samoa, previously known as Western Samoa, gained
it’s independence from New Zealand in 1962. It had been a German colony
until after World War I, before being ceded to the Kiwi’s after the war.
American Samoa is only about 90 miles away. On a radio related note, I
did check for their AM stations, and failed to hear any at all (I tried
630, 648, 720, and 900). American Samoa suffered the effects of the
tsunami recently much worse than did Samoa, although the north shore was
hit and destroyed some resorts on that side, opposite to Apia. I saw no
evidence of damage on our long day on the road.
2AP on 540 sits prominently just off the downtown core of Apia, with
it’s large single tower perhaps 75 meters from the water’s edge.
Reception, of course, is excellent throughout the island and perhaps a
few hundred miles around. There are no other AM transmitters on the
island nation.
Last night I monitored for a while and noted many more North American
stations audible, especially in the 1100 to 1200 range. I also listened
to the sign-off of 2AP, and my results are listed below. For SW buffs,
Radio Malaysia is absolutely armchair around 08:00 on 15295 with their
Voice of Islam program.
530: No sign of Alaskan beacons yet, despite me hearing quite a few MW
stations from the area.
540: 2AP, Apia Samoa with English news at tune-in at 08:08 until
08:11:30, announcing “Radio 2AP news”, which I initially didn’t
understand due to the Samoan accent. Into Christmas carols. Excellent
reception. Retuned at 09:59 to hear the NA, then OC was left on. Under
this, I could clearly hear the CBC news until 10:04:30, and then this
went into BBC Outlook program. Perhaps the transmitter’s location can be
ID’d from these details, but my assumption is that this is from Winnipeg
(I think). Not a bad catch!
558: Radio Fiji 1 at fair to good level, with what sounds like a
religious program (mentions of Jesus). //639 at good level at 08:33
(perhaps they beam northward? Since not well heard further south), 684
(good level), 927 (fair/good), 1152 (fair/good). See my note for Radio
Fiji 2 on 1467 below.
560: Coast to Coast AM at good level at 08:35
570: poor to fair level, with mentions of $250,000.
580: Good to very good reception with mentions of Fresno. Sure puts out
well!
590: EZL music
621: I did hear an American accented preacher at 08:18 at poor to fair
level. I was hoping that this might be Tuvalu, but I suspect that it was
only NZ’s Rhema. Darn!
Footnote here: I have been a bit underwhelmed by the lack of Pacific
stations to be heard on MW. I had thought that with the big blue ocean
surrounding me, that I’d be hearing Vanuatu, The Marshalls, Guam, Cook
Islands, etc at armchair level, but such is not the case!
648: Again, hoping for WVUV, but instead go the NZ’s Rhema ID at 08:33
after a program with the same American preacher.
650: 2 cochannels, one being Alaska, and another unid. Fair to good level.
657: NZ here still at very good level (many NZ stations are still
audible, but most are at fair level only)
666: RFO Noumea only weakly heard now. Definitely must beam more to the
south than in my direction.
680: ESPN Radio ID at good level
690: Good to very good level with cochannel. KHNR plus a fairly strong
cochannel too.
702: NZ at good level. Radio live ID at 09:29 at good level, plus
another EE speaker cochannel.
738: Not Papeete! But rather EE from DU.
756: English at fair/good level
760: English with religious station at good level.
770: fair level with talk about butterflies.
774: Not English….Fiji. See my comments for 1467.
780: fair reception with YL and religious program.
830: 2 cochannels, both in English
860: EE call-in program.
930: music at fair to good level
1020: SS speaker
1030: music at fair level
1040: poor level
1050: sports news
1070: Good to very good level with CBS news at 09:23
1090: poor/fair with SAH
1100: Fair/good with female call-in.
1110: call in program at fair level, // to 1120 (good level), and 1190
at very good level.
1170 may also be in //, but not sure at poor/fair.
1160: Jim Bohanan (?sp) show, // 1150 as well.
1386: Radio Tarana only at poor to fair level tonight.
1420: good to very good level in EE.
1467: Radio Fiji 2 finally audible at poor to fair level hear around
08:25. Later at 08:53 I was tuned into 774 and finally heard no English.
This was Radio Fiji 2, at poor/fair level and definitely // to 1467.
They did mention several number groups, like “4108 and later 8431”. No
ID at the TOH at 09:00, but ads starting at 09:02 mentioning the 2011
Rugby world cup, and other ads past 09:05 (some in English), and then
into Hindi music.
1700: fair level in English at 09:07.
SW:
15295: Voice of Malaysia at excellent level at 09:45. English, into CC
at 10:00. Armchair copy. // 6175 with fluttery signal, and nothing on 9
MHz listed channel.
That’s it for another night. I did take tonight off to enjoy the
tropical weather. Perhaps I’ll be back at it tomorrow, but no
promises!!! I might leave that DX to my friend Colin Newell in Hawaii!
73’s…………Walt Salmaniw
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