[IRCA] 3" FSL Tecsun PL-380 TP-DX for 3-12

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

The prediction was for disturbed propagation this morning but apparently the Japanese and Korean big guns were never notified. From 1300 to 1400 almost all of the regular NHK and Korean powerhouses put out some serious power, sounding potent even on a handheld modified pocket radio. 594, 693, 747, 774, 828, 972 and 1566 took turns building up to very good audio, with 693 and 1566 managing their best signals ever on the "Science Fiction PL-380." It was definitely a big gun show (with the second tier Asians mostly missing in action), butÂwith this little radio chasing the big gun TP'sÂcan be pretty exciting. 
 
At my 1250 start time 594-JOAK and 1566-HLAZ were setting the pace, both with fair to good signals in the rainy, predawn darkness in the back yard. Shortly after 1300 the English lessons on 693-JOAB pounded in at unprecedented strength, resulting inÂits best signal ever on the modified PL-380. 594, 747 and 774 were also very potent from 1310-1340, along with someÂgood peaks on 972-HLCA. Although 1566-HLAZ's Japanese serviceÂhad been around at a very good level for most of the session it went on a monster run just before the switch to Chinese, hitting S9+ levels during some Christian hymns around 1340. As such, although there was some slight 1560 splatter its MP3 from this morning was the strongest signal it had ever managedÂon the 3" FSLÂTecsun PL-380 model. 
 
The steady rain made the session interesting at times, but the modified PL-380 proved that it could keepÂticking when thoroughly drenched. Overall it was a very fun session, especially after the unfavorable solar predictions. Although second-tier Asians were few and far between (there were ghostly signals on 738 and 1035),Âusing a small, handheld portable to chase TP-DX definitely puts the thrill back into tracking down the big guns. 
 
693Â JOABÂÂ Tokyo, JapanÂÂ NHK2 English lesson lady at very good level at 1307; its best signal ever on this model 
https://app.box.com/s/elr8ebu1ofsqb115wt1e5kknihd5w9rq  
 
1566Â HLAZÂÂJeju, S. KoreaÂÂ S9 level Christian hymn through minor splatter at 1339; its best signal ever on this model 
https://app.box.com/s/3p093tb582c01uf75d56qq46hzr3nqyk  
 
73 and Good DX, 
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) 
Stand-alone 3" FSL Tecsun PL-380 Ultralight (full construction article posted at 
http://www.mediafire.com/download/w0gcek56f6aq7kr/3_Inch_FSL_Tecsun_PL.doc ÂÂ) 
 
ÂÂÂÂ 
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