[IRCA] Outstanding DU Morning at Grayland

[D1028Gary@xxxxxxx]

Hello Guys,
 
     John was DXing from his comfortable Room 12 at the  Grayland Motel, and 
I was out in the windy fog at the Grayland Beach Road  picnic table, but we 
both came up with the same conclusion--  it was by far  the best DU morning we 
have experienced this summer.  As Dennis guessed,  the Aussies and Kiwis were 
really strong at the ocean today.
 
     John logged multiple new Aussies with his  Wellbrook Array, both on his 
313 and E100, and mentioned that the upper band was  especially favorable.  
With his four optimally-spaced loop  elements,  John certainly had an exciting 
morning logging one new DU after  another.
 
     But with such great conditions, the stand-alone  Ultralights were really 
able to shine.  5AN-891 was so strong at 1225  that is was audible on every 
portable at the picnic table-- the 30"  loopstick ICF-2010, the modified Eton 
E100 (more later), the 7.5" loopstick  SRF-39FP "prison radio,"  and even a 
stock Sony SRF-T615.  This  equaled John's all-time Ultralight distance record 
(or perhaps exceeded  it very slightly, since the picnic table is about half a 
mile farther from  Australia  :>)
 
     Received on the hard-core modified ICF-2010 was  audio from the 
following DU's, with approximate carrier levels:
 
1141 UTC   2YA-567   (7)
1149           2YC-657   (7)
1204           2BL-702   (8)   presumed
1218          3AK-1116  (7)  presumed
1220          2NR-738   (9)  
1225          5AN-891   (9)
1241          3LO-774   (8)
 
     Received on the modified Eton E100 were 2BL-702  (presumed) at 1205, 
2NR-738 at 1221, 5AN-891 at 1226, and 3LO-774 at 1242.   The sensitivity of the 
modified E100 was just a shade under that of the modified  ICF-2010, a very 
pleasant surprise.  Selectivity was comparable, despite  the E100's AM-only mode 
design.
 
     The modified SRF-39FP "prison radio" and the  stock Sony SRF-T615 both 
managed to receive audio from a booming  5AN-891  around 1226, but could not 
receive the other DU's due to modest selectivity,  which allowed domestic slop 
to interfere.  891 is a special frequency  at Grayland, with no local slop 
after sunrise (at least until KIXI-880 goes  IBOC, hi).    
 
     The newly modified Eton E100 (kind of a special  project for John, Guy 
Atkins and me) was able to receive multiple DU's with a  relatively compact 
7.5" "slider coil" loopstick, and a premium 455 kHz narrow  filter (the Murata 
CFJ455K5, the same narrow filter as used in the Eton  E1).  This filter was 
suggested by Guy,  and has proved extremely  effective in separating the 9 kHz 
split DX from domestic QRM.  The  "slider-coil" loopstick, an innovative offshoot 
of the alignment process,  has made a huge difference in the E100's full-band 
sensitivity.  When  combined with a frequency-optimized Amidon 7.5" ferrite 
bar and 40/44 Litz  wire, the various modifications combine to produce a 
compact,  effective DXpeditioner's Dream Ultralight.  John, Guy and I plan to  write 
a series of articles on this new "Monster E100"...  when we are  not having 
fun with it on an ocean beach :>)
 
                                                           73,   Gary  DeBock 
                                                     .   



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