[IRCA] Hot-Rodded Ultralight Radio Shootout at Grayland-- July 12

[D1028Gary@xxxxxxx]

Hello All,
 
When two fanatics hopelessly hooked on Ultralight DXing get together  on an 
ocean beach, and try out the latest super-modified pocket  radios (and 
antennas) in a very tough DXing evaluation, the results  are completely 
unpredictable. True to form, John Bryant and I both discovered  something about the 
new DSP-powered Ultralights (Tecsun PL-300WT and Grundig G8)  that was 
certainly unexpected.
 
In the tough mission of receiving DU's (South Pacific stations from  
Australia, New Zealand and the nearby islands), we both independently tested the  
new DSP-enhanced Ultralights in selectivity against the Murata premium  
ceramic filter-modified Eton E100 and C.Crane SWP units. During previous testing 
 in domestic DXing sessions, the new DSP Ultralights had proven to be the 
equal  of the CFJ455K5 filters in limiting domestic splatter-- but that was  
when the DSP radios tried for stations at least 10 kHz away from  locals. In 
DU DXing this morning, many targets were only 1 or 2 kHz away  from 
domestic stations. In addition, many of these DX stations had in-line  domestic 
splatter that could not be nulled.
 
Both John and I noticed a clear difference in the superior performance of  
the Murata filter units when the DU's were very close in frequency to the  
domestics, such as with 738-Tahiti, 792-4RN and 891-5AN. The modified  E100's 
and SWP's provided a superior S/N ratio once their Slider loopsticks were  
peaked, while the PL-300WT's and G8's allowed too much domestic splatter  to 
be competitive. Of course, for a $50 radio the DSP Ultralights do  provide 
a lot of AM selectivity for the price, but in very tough 9  kHz-split DXing 
they wouldn't be the first choice.
 
For my own DXing this morning, I was using a Murata filter-modified C.Crane 
 SWP 7.5" Slider loopstick model inductively coupled to an experimental 8' 
tuned  passive loop (constructed with a collapsible PVC frame). A 30" 
loopstick  modified ICF-2010 was used as a spotting receiver. The following 
stations were  heard:
 
531  UnID  Weak music around 1227, but no ID's
567  2YA   The first DU to produce audio at 1153, the  strongest NZ station 
this morning
612  4QR   In and out with talk around 1237
639  R.Fiji  Weak choral music at maximum dawn enhancement  (1235)
648  UnID  Moderate audio around 1213, presumed R.  Rhema
657  2YC   Showed up shortly after 567-2YA with music at  1156
670  KPUA  Booming in with ID at 1259 for nice MP3
738  R. Tahiti  Very strong in French at 1226-- no modulation  issue. Weak 
Aussie co-channel.
774  3LO  Presumed the one with DU talk at 1232
792  4RN  Instrumental music at 1240, strong at times
891  5AN  Strong with news/talk at 1219, weak co-channel Aussie  at times
1116 3AK  Strongest Aussie of the morning; an MP3 with ID  recorded at 
1214, followed by pop music
 
Many more DU stations had audio this morning, but the rain at my  picnic 
table location made things awkward to do a complete search. Although the  new 
8' loop is completely waterproof, the DXer and radios were not,  
unfortunately. A new umbrella modification may be the next project.
 
73, Gary DeBock 
 
 
 
                    
 
 
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