[IRCA] August 2016 Rockwork 4 DXpedition Loggings and MP3's

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

>From August 5-8 a solo DXpedition was conducted from the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, Oregon. Since this was supposedly a "family vacation" the hours of DXing were limited, and only a couple of large FSL antennas (17" and 15") could be fit inside our crammed Toyota Corolla. Despite this the DU-DXing propagation was very favorable to both New Zealand and other areas, providing results superior in certain aspects to those observed during the 7-day July DXpedition conducted with Tom, Nick and the Japanese visitors. 

High points were a breakout session from the rare low-band Kiwi 531-More FM, which had the usual regular 531-PI on the run for 90 minutes on August 5th. 558-Fiji made a surprise appearance at a good level on August 8th, while a 558 DU English station was received during long-range Australian conditions on August 6th (after 558-6WA was received by Chuck, Tom and I last year, at this site). The 2 kW Kiwi station 1026-Newstalk ZB was received for the first time on FSL antennas at this cliff, while the big gun Kiwis on 657, 702 and 1035 pounded in at legendary levels when NZ propagation was enhanced. Not everything was perfect, however-- although the low-powered Kiwi stations on 531, 936 and 1026 were logged the ones on 576, 585 and 828 ended up MIA-- most likely because of the lack of time to track them down on a single FSL during exceptional Kiwi propagation. The absence of the Perseus-SDR DXers was also keenly felt as mysteries like the 558 station were tough to solve without multiple parallel network recordings. Overall the trip was highly enjoyable, though, and the early August propagation was every bit as thrilling as what we enjoyed together a year ago at this plunging cliff site. 

The following stations were all received on a 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight portable inductively coupled to a tuned 17" FSL antenna, with the exception of the 531 kHz stations and 558-Fiji (which were received on a 15" FSL antenna). Stations which reached an S9 level during the MP3 recording are identified with a double asterisk (**). 

531 4KZ (Innisfail, Australia, 10 kW) Presumed the one with classic pop format at 1220 and mention of Australia during Rio Olympic report at 1241 on 8-8. Only dominant on this one day https://app.box.com/s/jxtn7jbremeaounjywy6m8tmqdpxml08 
https://app.box.com/s/76gqgtlmruka5izerwaxi0860evt9ceu 

531 More FM (Alexandra, NZ, 2 kW) Rare Kiwi urban rock broadcaster with typically short male-voiced ID at 1248 (first MP3), then very short female voiced ID at 7 seconds into the second MP3 at 1259 on 8-5-- followed by the station's typical hip-hop rock which builds up to a pretty strong level. Dominant over Kiwi co-channel PI for most of the DXpedition https://app.box.com/s/mhcld5y83cchzd5ko8nd4azzhrpfbg92 
https://app.box.com/s/au14qacc2juzybnlokcecywmgwnwpp9i 

531 PI (Auckland, NZ, 5 kW) Samoan language broadcaster struggled against Kiwi co-channel More FM for most of the trip, but was fairly healthy with female Samoan speech at 1212 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/vzst8cfxel3v7jiieun93qc7ipmbylsi 

558 Radio Fiji One (Suva, Fiji, 10 kW) Faded in to a pretty good level at the end of the last (rain-soaked) session at 1312 on 8-8. Stuck around for about 10 minutes on the backup 15" FSL https://app.box.com/s/gc978l4rh1pcgl085imqqa95omeh71ot 
https://app.box.com/s/srj6r0hh0m2hp9kt72b9l691svvywryv 

558 UnID-DU ABC-sounding DU English station received during exceptional Australian conditions at 1251 on 8-7. As the sole ABC station 6WA in Western Australia is a strong possibility (received here last year at this site, with the same equipment) . https://app.box.com/s/jt652eltg5564enerq1rsxsgtj2k084u 
Although not a concurrent parallel recording, this MP3 of 594-3WV (another ABC LR network station) recorded eight minutes earlier apparently features the same male announcer with the same speaking style https://app.box.com/s/gwotnojgnxay901sd78yi3zxunvgqv1p 

567 RNZ National (Wellington, NZ, 50 kW) Usually audible at an anemic level on most mornings, it rarely matched the signal level of either the 675 or 756 RNZ parallel stations. The new antenna seems to be somewhat of a transoceanic dud https://app.box.com/s/tt8ck75x5zg3f4h6drnfav4olx31as4d 

576 2RN (Sydney, Australia, 50 kW) Heard on all four days (even during exceptional Kiwi conditions), although usually at modest strength with its varied music programs https://app.box.com/s/wyn99vt0jtu1c2xer9djigt7n5r2vh5w 

585 7RN (Hobart, Australia, 10 kW) Pretty good signals from this Tasmanian RN network station on two out of four days, identified by the parallel with 792-4RN at 1305 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/6wabtltmvjz9zbxijyq8bnlnpp6epej3 

585 UnID-DU Weak DU English station not parallel with 576 (i.e. not 7RN) nor 603 (i.e. not Radio Ngati Porou) at 1254 on 8-6. Most likely 2WEB in Bourke 
https://app.box.com/s/s4irccnzej3rjjxg7r7v0q1vchd3khs3 

594 3WV (Horsham, Australia, 50 kW) Dominating the Kiwi co-channel Star network during favorable Australian propagation, this recording at 1243 on 8-7 features some Star music accompaniment (and apparently the same male ABC LR network announcer as the 558 UnID listed above) https://app.box.com/s/2p7lnkt7cpbd2aqifhi2tqfegi2awxcr 

594 Star (Timaru/ Wanganui, NZ, 5/ 2 kW) All alone with modest level Christian music // 657 at 1325 on 8-5. Oddly enough it seemed to get a boost whenever co-channel 3WV was on the frequency https://app.box.com/s/zumo4umpmxti1gozcxkrcnh8u1nqcih4 

603 Radio Waatea (Auckland, NZ, 5 kW) Maori language station generally had decent signals, but not up to the level of its 2.5 kW parallel 765-Kahungunu https://app.box.com/s/tlqnmsjqj3ks992mds97ihl9s8x84nc3 

639 5CK (Port Pirie, Australia, 10 kW) Female-voiced LR network announcer (// 891) prevailing over apparent commercial co-channel (2HC?) and mystery electrical noise at 1312 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/abcc0crvz6idkhmd29gyxtlzkpeill2n 

**657 Star (Wellington/ Tauranga, NZ, 50/ 10 kW) Christian hymn broadcasting network had excellent signals during Kiwi-enhanced propagation (such as at 1246 on 8-7), and was a convenient parallel signal for network stations on 594 and 963 https://app.box.com/s/l4gzyq89yg5o127hhaompq756e9gq4xz 

675 RNZ National (Christchurch, NZ, 10 kW) Usually stronger than its 50 kW parallel 567-RNZ signal on all four days, it was occasionally joined by a weak co-channel during favorable Australian propagation. This good-level signal was at 1320 on 8-7 https://app.box.com/s/8fcq8e1g7jq5ffru62vpiemzgtujp13x 

702 2BL (Sydney, Australia, 50 kW) Usually getting plastered by the Kiwi big gun Magic, the Oz big gun rarely had a clear frequency. One such unusual time was at 1237 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/89xk6k2terhtnla92vkqinvvthrrcus7 

**702 Magic (Auckland, NZ, 10 kW) Pounding in with monster signals during enhanced Kiwi propagation, this oldies broadcaster had the Oz big gun 2BL on the run all four days. This Motown classic (with a thunderous ID) seriously tested the crunch resistance of my Ultralight radio https://app.box.com/s/1kmy738awm8pl70ht0vmsm6rrvswijb6 

738 Radio Polynesie (Mahina, Tahiti, 20 kW) Not quite as overpowering as during the July DXpedition, but still pretty potent. This typical R&B music was received at 1317 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/01jinpj8ug23cou0fpysnu4k5orjfr6p 

756 RNZ National (Auckland, NZ, 10 kW) Surprisingly strong despite being only 70 miles (and 6 kHz) away from the 50 kW pest 750-Portland, this RNZ outlet obviously got a major boost from the splatter-reducing cliff, ending up as the strongest overall RNZ frequency during the four days. This potent signal at 1315 on 8-7 was typical https://app.box.com/s/jdii2zbb0m6w5fvb7mn6m48rw9o42hyx 

765 Radio Kahungunu (Napier-Hastings, NZ, 2.5 kW) The strongest of the Maori network stations overall, this low-powered overachiever was usually fairly potent with its mix of Maori and Motown music, such as at 1243 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/fdzx6r6x4aoz50nv0h2t406l3hbnqlaq 

774 3LO (Melbourne, Australia, 50 kW) Oz big gun dominated the frequency on most days, with the Kiwi Radio Sport a poor second. This strong sports broadcast at 1227 on 8-6 includes a weak female-voiced foreign language co-channel at the end of the recording-- maybe the Philippines? https://app.box.com/s/qqjigpnfcne0qu03ul9pgmb9a521rr38 

774 Radio Sport (New Plymouth, NZ, 5 kW) Not much of a factor during this DXpedition, typically with weak relays of Fox Sports Network way under 3LO 

792 4RN (Brisbane, Australia, 25 kW) Fighting it out with the Kiwi Radio Sport on most mornings, it occasionally had a clear frequency, such as during this 585-7RN parallel recording at 1305 on 8-6 https://app.box.com/s/o8f3tzrrni3g5ma518jh2d2qf2nb4btb 

792 Radio Sport (Hamilton, NZ, 5 kW) Usually having the edge over 4RN with its Yankee-accented relays of Fox Sports Network, as at 1315 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/d20n837fry6e8th43pq70pf4dtonxuhu 

891 5AN (Adelaide, Australia, 50 kW) Missing in action for most of the trip except for exceptional Australian propagation on 8-6, when it was weak at best 

936 Chinese Voice (Auckland, NZ, 1 kW) A prime target during exceptional Kiwi propagation, this low-powered ethnic station came through with male Chinese speech at 1302 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/cu28ghvb4f91htkvr6sqkl006zxdbjlb 

963 Star (Christchurch, NZ, 10 kW) Not one of the stronger Star frequencies, but strong enough to confirm the 657 parallel with its Christian music at 1250 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/xdbzft5pu7rhuzpa6sr2a8z2uu9gr0hn 

1008 Newstalk ZB (Tauranga, NZ, 10 kW) Usually buried in 1010 Spanish splatter, its signals were the weakest in recent memory 

1017 UnID-DU A determined search for Tonga at 1058 on 8-6 resulted in only a few ghostly seconds of female foreign language speech before an early (for late Saturday night) sign off. Although the voice apparently matches that in other Tonga recordings it's way too weak to claim a logging https://app.box.com/s/f6zr86ke7312gdm26hxv1wg1mrv92mv6 

1026 Newstalk ZB (Kaitaia, NZ, 2 kW) Heard for the first time with an FSL antenna, this low-powered Kiwi network station was a big surprise // 1035 at 1330 on 8-7 https://app.box.com/s/oaaml2btsettnqu6u9eetrewwt4pithf 

**1035 Newstalk ZB (Wellington, NZ, 20 kW) Along with 702-Magic, this was overall the strongest DU station during the DXpedition. This blistering-level Kiwi ad string was received at 1317 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/qdvv5d0adtclylvyny0igs2gccalerxb 

1044 Newstalk ZB (Dunedin, NZ, 10 kW) Usually fairly strong throughout the trip, although never up to the level of its1035 parallel. This signal was received during exceptional Kiwi propagation at 1235 on 8-5 https://app.box.com/s/e3e3zmj0zzberxgkqnjiznba13jeagcr 

1386 Radio Tarana ( Auckland, NZ, 10 kW) Hindu language broadcaster came through with moderate-level speech and music at 1303 on the last day of 8-8, but generally had a rough time with domestic splatter https://app.box.com/s/t7q3h54qq9a6t7pldnlmekha4dmn3mwy 

73 and Good DX, 
Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, Oregon, USA) 






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