[IRCA] DX Tests 2001-11

[Chernos Saul <sauldx@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm getting in gear for the 2010-11 AM DX "Season" - I'm an avid FM-TV DXer and am not crazy about listening to lightning crackles, so I pretty well shut down the AM rigs from May-August.
 
After cracking an imaginary bottle of champagne on the AM radios, including my new Tecsun handheld with a loopstick mod, I sent out e-mails to a few people I am hoping will be able to source us some DX tests this coming season. And I've had a few replies - details TBA shortly.
 
So it's time, fellow DXers, for each of you - and I am asking each and every one of you to pause for a moment and at least this some thought - to ask at least one or two stations to run a DX test for the clubs. Have you ever heard from and benefited from a test? If so, here's your chance to 'give back". If you haven't, here's an opportunity to log something new; perhaps a target you've been after for a long time.

 

Call an engineer, PD or owner you know. If you have received an overly friendly response to a QSL request, or even your home-town local, put a call in, or send an e-mail. (I find that an e-mail, followed if need be by a phone call, works best). Put a bug in their ear. Let them know what DX tests are all about. How easy they are to run, given that we'll supply any content they need, including morse code and sweep tones and such. If they can turn on the daytime stick, that's really helpful, and a great chance for them to run their own tests on it. During the 0000-0600 (local) legal test hours, that is. Two variations of tests I am looking at thus far - a chunk of time running anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Or a minute or two at the top of each hour (works well with stations whose day and night patterns and power are the same). Feel free to get craetive with this ... could automate TOH 'test minutes' at, say, 0200, every morning for a week, or every Sunday or Monda!
 y morning...whatever works for the test operator and station.

 

Feel free to point them my way if they have any questions.

 

And thank them for considering your request. Just like I'm thanking each and every one of you for taking a moment to consider this request to you. Ok, maybe don't lean on 'em so heavily - no guilt trips. Remember, they are doing you a favour even getting back to you. So be nice to them throught. Make it a positive experience for them. If not now, maybe down the road, etc...

 

Anyhow, I encourage you to do what you can. The more lead time, the better, so's we can print alert details in club bulletins, and also best to run tests from Sept-April.

 

Thank you for considering...and where possible acting on this request.

 

73,

 

Saul

 

Saul Chernos

IRCA-NRC DX Test Coordinator
 		 	   		  
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