Re: [IRCA] Masset DXpedition 15 - 23 October, 2015: MW perspective Part 1

["Paul B. Walker, Jr." <walkerbroadcasting@xxxxxxxxx>]

Could your UN'id Aussie 531 be 4KZ Innisfail, QLD? They are like an
oldies/AC type station.

Paul

On Friday, October 23, 2015, Walter Salmaniw <canswl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I'm back from another visit to my cottage on Haida Gwaii.  Fourth visit
> this year, but the first that I was able to devote a lot of time to DX.  I
> had fun erecting various antennas and testing them, and in some cases,
> taking back down.  Conditions were OK for SW generally, and at times, very
> interesting for MW DX.  I'll have a separate email for SW DX.  Receivers
> used were 2 Perseus SDRs (one live, and the other using Mestor for timed
> recordings), and an AOR 7030+ receiver.  Antennas used with most important
> first, as follows, along with comments:
>
> 1.  NW BOG (Beverage on ground).  700' or so in length.  Unterminated.
> This is always my go-to antenna with excellent results.  It's the first
> antenna up, and the last to be removed.  DX RPA1 amp added at the antenna
> lead in, as well as chokes on both ends of the coax.
>
> 2.  DKAZ aimed 220 deg.  This was an impressive antenna after a few
> hiccups.  Before local dawn, it was often as effective as the BOG.  And
> only requiring 140' of real estate.  Fed to a FLG 100 LN head, and via coax
> to the Wellbrook interface.  Often the only antenna that would hear Hawaii
> well.  This one's a keeper from now on.  Not good for LW, however.  The
> DKAZ performed very nicely on SW, in addition to MW.
>
> 3.  ALA 100 LN antenna:  double loop, separated by about 30 cm, as
> suggested by Andy Ilkin (Mr. Wellbrook).  Aimed NE/SW.  Normally an
> excellent all band antenna.  This time around, it somehow did not perform
> as well as in previous DXpeditions.  The only change was that I purposely
> separated the 2 loops to 30 cm, from around 10 cm (as recommended by
> Andy).  The other possibility was of a coax fault, although the lead in is
> milspec RG 58 cable.  Almost in no case, this time, was the ALA better than
> the others, even on SW.  More investigation needs to be done as it's a very
> quick antenna to get up and running.
>
> 4.  Mini Beverage aimed due north, terminated into the sand on the beach,
> and under water at high tide.  About 500' long, so I call it a
> mini-Beverage.  It is elevated about 12' or so.  At times a great antenna.
> I was hoping for some European MW DX, but nothing ever came about.  Often
> picked up Alaskans very well, and at times equal to the NW BOG for TP DX
> (like this morning).  This is a permanent antenna, except for the beach
> portion.
>
> 4.  Parallel BOG to the NW BOG.  Fiddling with it, and feeding it into a
> Misek Phaser, for instance, did nothing at all.  Didn't seem to enhance
> anything, so I moved it towards the SW.
>
> 5.  SW BOG:  about 600' and aimed about 230 deg.  This path takes it
> directly across the land mass of Haida Gwaii (whereas the NW BOG aims to
> the direct open ocean).  Overall, not a great performer, even with a
> DX-RPA1 amp.  Once again, it could be due to a lossy coax, as it was quite
> a way to the shack, or the direction.  I do recall in the past erected a
> similar BOG with much effort (with Bruce Portzer) and also being
> disappointed.  Makes me attribute this to the land mass phenomenon.  Not
> ideal for BOGs.
>
> Here's the report for MW.  As always, excuse the typos, or mistakes.
> Please let me know, and I'll correct them.
>
> Part 1 (in order to get under the limit for IRCA):
>
> 531 AUSTRALIA unid, Oct 23 1429 - For the first time this week, English is
> dominating this channel.  Before 14:00, I was hearing a lot of American
> music.  An extended newscast at 14:00, including weather and marine
> forecast.  Little sign of any NHK1 stations which dominate, and only a hint
> of Avtoradio.  Unfortunately, this is the noisiest morning with lots of
> static crashes.  Mentioned a phone number ending in '4139'.  I know it's
> very difficult to ID stations on this frequency.  Funny that the usual DU
> frequencies are absent when checked earlier. At 14:35, there seems to be 2
> English speakers.  One I suspect may be DYDW as it sounds like a sermon.
> Didn't last long, as the dominant Australian came back. (Salmaniw, Masset,
> BC)
>
>
>
> 531 JAPAN Morioka 10 kW NHK1 JOQG, Oct 20 1510 - Very strong Japanese
> opening this morning with many 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tier stations heard.
> What's more interesting to me is the co-channel with pop music, which I'm
> quite certain is Avtoradio Sakhalin.  One of the few MW channels still on
> the air in Russia.  Reception of the latter would be pretty decent, if not
> for the powerful JJ station!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 531 JAPAN NHK 1 Morioka 10 kW JOQG, Oct 16 1513 - The lower half of the
> band is interesting at this time, as it's solid NHK 1 on each frequency.
> Good signal on 531 (with a weak cochannel), 540 at good/very good level
> with 6 NHK 1 stations listed, 549 at fair/good level.  Oh, I notice this is
> Okinawa!  Nice catch.  567  excellent from the 100 kW Sapporo site (with
> weak cochannel), 576 at good level from probable JOHG Kagoshima with 10 kW,
> although 2 others are listed at 0.5 and 1 kW.  585 at good level,
> presumably JOPG Kushiro, and of course JOAK from Tokyo with 300 kW at very
> good level, but with a cochannel.  It doesn't stop there, there's still 603
> with 5 kW, probably JOOG Obihiro (less likely JOKK Okayama with same 5 kW),
> well over the 250 kW HLSA. 612 JOLK Fukuoka with 10 kW cochannel with
> another cochannel.  Whew!  Oops, musn't forget 666 at excellent level from
> Osaka JOBK at 100 kW. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 531 RUSSIA Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 5 kW Avtoradio Sakhalin, Oct 22 1522 - A very
> nice LSR enhancement with a big boost to an otherwise anemic morning.  NHK
> 1 well heard, but almost as strong is a pop music station, which is almos
> certainly Avtoradio (Car radio) from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.  Listening further,
> I can confirm this as they have a characteristic rapid tone dialing
> signature which I just heard.  I wonder whether there are any other Russian
> stations still on MW in the Far East?. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 531 RUSSIA Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 5 kW Avtoradio Sakhalin, Oct 23 1505 - Came
> back to see who was there, and now only 2 cochannels:  NHK 1 and Avtoradio
> both about equal level. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 531 RUSSIA Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 5 kW Avtoradio Sakhalin, Oct 17 1407 - A
> tentative logging.  Cochannel with NHK 1 station.  EZL music, fading up and
> down.  Most likely them, with propagation conditions of the morning (vs
> DU).  Note by 14:26, a repeat of yesterday's all NHK 1, all the time, and
> everywhere!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 540 CHINA multiple sites CNR 1, Oct 20 1414 - For an out of world
> experience, 540 delivers this morning.  Multiple echos with CNR 1
> programming.  There are 31 listed transmitters!  Cochannel with 6 NHK 1
> transmitters.  CNR 1 dominates mostly. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 549 OKINAWA Naha 10 kW  NHK 1 JOAP, Oct 20 1513 - Particularly strong this
> morning // to 531, 540, etc etc!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 549 OKINAWA NHK 1 Naha 10 kW JOAP, Oct 16 1526 - Very good reception when
> rechecked at 15:27 parallel to many channels on the lower part of the
> band.  A superb Japanese opening this morning. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 550 HAWAII Wailuku Maui 5 kW KNUI The Talk of Maui, Oct 19 1449 - Local
> mentions of Maui at good level, before fading down. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 630 PHILIPPINES Bulacan 50/25 kW DZMM, Oct 22 1529 - Excellent reception,
> with Tagalog talk, identical to what I heard a few days back.  Faded a bit
> at 15:33 with cochannel 630 CHED Edmonton.  Another good LSR Filipino
> morning, it appears. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 630 PHILIPPINES Bulacan, Metro Manila 50/25 kW DZMM ABS-CBN Broadcasting
> Corporation, Oct 16 1503 - I originally thought that this might be KUAM,
> Agana or a domestic MW outlet, but going back to the Perseus wave files, I
> find a beautiful musical vocal ID for DZMM at 15:03  ('Dee Zee M M'), so no
> doubt about it!  I'm very pleased with this one!  I checked the following
> day, and heard the same ID jingle at 15:01, but weaker. (Salmaniw, Masset,
> BC)
>
>
>
> 680 ALASKA Barrow 10 kW KBRW, Oct 22 1511 - Good reception, for the first
> definite logging of the season of Barrow.  Splatter from 670 KDLG,
> Dillingham, but otherwise in the clear, and best heard on the North
> mini-Beverage.  Flipping over to the SW DKAZ has an entirely different
> station.  Earlier, I was hearing KOMW Omak, WA with very folksy local
> programming. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 738 PHILIPPINES Philippine Broadcasting Service Bulacan NCR 40 kW DZRB, Oct
> 18 1550 - I'm quite certain that I heard this station this morning with
> Tagalog talk, with some English words.  Fair to good reception.  No ID, of
> course, but no other Filipino listed on this frequency. (Salmaniw, Masset,
> BC)
>
>
>
> 738 TAHITI Papeete 20 kW Radio Premiere Polynesie, Oct 19 1422 - Good
> reception with lovely Polynesian music and clearly in Tahitian, and not
> French.  Best heard on the DKAZ.  Excellent reception on recheck at 14:41,
> but now in French, and then back to Tahitian, although the French appears
> to be ads. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 740 HAWAII Kihei 5 kW KCIK, Oct 19 1340 - Immaculate Heart Radio
> tentatively mostly under very strong KCBS with religious content.  A
> tentative  logging, heard only using my DKAZ antenna aimed at Hawaii.  As
> expected, reception improved markedly after LSR in California, and good
> reception with Immaculate Heart Radio IDs at 14:17 UTC.  Interesting that
> KCBS came back to dominate briefly at 14:20 (LSR over northern
> California).  Excellent reception at 14:45.  Continues at great level at
> 15:00 where there's a super brief ID for 'KCIK, Kihei, Maui', and then back
> to network programming. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 747 SOUTH KOREA KBS 1 Bia, Gwangju 100 kW HLKH, Oct 16 1549 - The NHK 2
> network signed off today at 15:40, leaving the channel clear.  Up to very
> good reception of the Korean.  With 500 kW for JOIB Sapporo, and 100 kW for
> HLKH, I wonder how they avoid QRMing each other?. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 774 JAPAN Akita 500 kW NHK2 JOUB, Oct 23 1422 - English lessons about when
> it is not polite to ask for a doggie bag.  British have an aversion to do
> so.  Waste not, want not in Japan.  Portion sizes are far too large in the
> US, etc.  When first tuned in, barely audible, which is very unusual.
> Instead, there was a cancophany of stations co-channel.   A disturbed
> morning, I suspect.  At 14:26, I think I can make out a Filipino  station.
> (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 774 JAPAN NHK 2 Akita JOUB, Oct 19 1547 - I haven't noticed this before,
> but watching the Perseus waterfall, both 774 and 828 (JOBB Osaka), cut
> their transmitter at 15:47.  Perhaps a new energy savings measure, or
> transmitter maintenance?. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 774 PHILIPPINES Ilollo City 10 kW DYRI, Oct 22 1547 - Great!  Previously,
> I've been hearing DWWW, but just caught the sign-off of DYRI, with call
> sign, power, location, etc in English, followed by the National Anthem.
> Part way through the NA, DWWW came back at very good strength!  A bit of a
> mushy signal, which I think is due to the 2 (or more) stations being a
> little different in frequencies.  I suspect KYRI was on 774.027, while DWWW
> is on 774.004.  If I really zoom the waterfall, I think there are actually
> 5 carriers measuring:  773.997, .999, 774.005, .008 and .027.  An
> interesting frequency, for sure!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 774 PHILIPPINES Quezon City 25 kW DWWW, Oct 22 1534 - At my local dawn (LSR
> 15:29), there was a huge boost of signals, and especially from Japan, but
> also the Philippines.  774  JOUB is a 500 kW powerhouse, of course, from
> Akita, but for a while DWWW was giving it a good run for it's money.  I can
> still hear them underneath JOUB.  Assuming that the NHK2 network will sign
> off in a few minutes (15:40), and then turn off their transmitter, we
> should be able to hear DWWW well this morning. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
>
>
>
> 774 PHILIPPINES Quezon City 25 kW DWWW Music of Your Life, Oct 20 1624 - A
> presumed logging with 50s/60s American vocals.  Good reception, with weak
> cochannel(s).  Once again, JOUB (and other NHK 2 network transmitters)
> turned off their transmitters shortly after signing off at 15:40, leaving
> the frequency open.  Rechecking at 17:36, several hours after LSR (10:36 AM
> local), still playing the same genre of music at fair level.  Addendum:  I
> went back to listen to my mp3 from the 7030+.  At 15:45, there's a long
> monologue about the program, 'Just For You' with announcer George ? and
> then, 'right here on DWWW 774'.  In the clear with fair signal. (Salmaniw,
> Masset, BC)
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