[IRCA] Rockwork 4 Ultralight DU's for 8-7-- Never a Dull Moment

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Yesterday's superb Australian propagation continued for a second day, but there was a potent comeback by the Kiwi stations late on, resulting in one of the wackiest DXing sessions of the summer. To make matters more interesting both rain and wind pounded the cliff with increasing force as the Oz Vs. Kiwi mixes spread over the band, finally ending up just short of the "Japanese Welcome Session" storm level. 

During FSL antenna setup at 1130 the rain and wind were mild, and only 531-PI was showing much strength in the predawn darkness. Both Oz and Kiwi signals came up dramatically by 1230, though, with a loud "big gun" snarl on 702 (2BL vs. Magic), 594 (3WV vs. Rhema) and 774 (3LO vs. Radio Sport). 531 even featured an all-Kiwi snarl (PI vs. an apparent More FM) at 1248. Around 1255 the high priority frequency of 558 once again featured a DU English station with an ABC-like format fighting it out with 560 splatter (almost certainly Australian, since 558-Radio Sport features Yankee English at this time from the Fox Sports network relay), and the 639 Oz pair of 5CK and 2CH were back again at a modest level. After 1300 all the Kiwis seemed to get a turbo boost along with the stormy weather, though, ending up with dominance over Australia on all frequencies except the ones with uneven matches (576, 585, 639 etc.). Late on around 1320 some unusually good Kiwi signals showed up on 675, 684 and 756, while an UnID DU English station showed up on 1026. By 1335 DU propagation was near collapse, and the FSL antennas seemed in a similar state as the stormy wind pounded them in their unsecured (not strapped down) condition. Overall the DU propagation during these past three days has been in a higher league than anything experienced in the one-week July DXpedition, providing further evidence (on top of last summer's results) that early August is the peak season for DU-DXing results at Rockwork 4. 

531 PI + More FM (presumed) PI's female Samoan speech getting trounced by urban techno rock from a presumed More FM (this music doesn't fit 4KZ's format) at 1248 https://app.box.com/s/v8gq3embjk3lgcv3yhgenipk6sy8t0se 

558 UnID-Australian Male DU English speech with ABC-like format in and out of 560 splatter at 1250; 6WA a strong possibility (heard here last year) but no definite // available at the time https://app.box.com/s/7eaj76zn4vhie4d39fdw7720w79iia29 

594 3WV + Rhema Mix The Oz big gun generally rules over the lower powered Kiwi Christian music network at 1243 
https://app.box.com/s/82ghq00enqn54yd0mvg6n9l42wsa2qh0 

657 Star Wellington/ Tauranga, NZ Almost nuclear-level signal with Christian music at 1246; no Australian competition all morning 
https://app.box.com/s/l4gzyq89yg5o127hhaompq756e9gq4xz 

684 Rhema Gisborne, NZ Sounding very healthy (despite an impending eviction order) with Kiwi weather report, Bible reading and Christian music at 1303 
https://app.box.com/s/i8o561cza8myntqlq4psdp1iy9s9tmro 

702 2BL and Magic The Oz and Kiwi big guns fight it our at a pretty equal level at 1234 
https://app.box.com/s/vt64agkho18neze7aqsv0w7rwaxlw9op 

702 Magic Auckland, NZ The Kiwi Oldies station finally dispatches the Oz big gun with a blowtorch ID ("Magic, feels good") at 1237 
https://app.box.com/s/ykn15v9oc1wj0lqgmuy7cwh9ka9oejhq 

73 and Good DX, 
Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, Oregon, USA) 
7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralights (3) + 
17" and 15" DXpedition FSL antennas 



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