Well, not exactly the far north, but just south and west of Ketchikan, AK on the Queen Charlotte Islands (now known as Haida Gwaii). I DX'd for 4 days using 4 antennae: A permanent N/S mini 450' Beverage, terminated at the north end.
A TP BOG (about 1000') aimed about 300 deg, but gradually slewed to about 290 degrees....an exceptionally quiet antenna.....no noise at all, and right on the noise floor on the SDR-IQ, a 900' BOG aimed 40 deg initially, but later slewed 30degrees.
Finally a 4th 350' elevated wire aimed about 340 deg, unterminated. I used 2 receivers....my hot AOR 7030+ (I love this one for dxing), a SDR-IQ 190 kHz "drift net" receiver....a fantastic performer too, and finally a back up NRD 535D receiver for SW // frequencies, but just not in the same league as the first 2. I recorded with ample back-ups this time to a 500 GB HD. Here are some of my best loggings. TA reception on the 31st was very very good. In fact, that night (New Year's eve) was about the only night that I received any kind of TA activity. Not nearly as good as September, but the best I've had it since. I've already posted an audio clip of the ultra rare (for North American DXers, anyway) 680 KBRW in Barrow, AK at Colin's great DX site, www.dxer.ca under the downloads section. I'll be posting more as they come available. Keep his website bookmarked! Shortwave conditions, for the most part were rather poor, overall, compared to the great MW conditons .......
Walt Salmaniw, Victoria
All times UTC
Selection of edited medium wave logs
281 ALASKA Point Barrow VIR, Dec 29 0213 - 2 CW aerobeacons audible here, with hopefully one at Point Barrow. Taped to my Edirol for confirmation later. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
531 AUSTRALIA 4KZ Innisfail, Queensland, Dec 29 1520 - Good reception this morning from DU on this frequency with local ads for Innisfail during a call-in program. Cochannel JJ just started to fade-in. Earlier, not heard at all (the JJ that is). (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
570 CANADA CFWH Whitehorse, Dec 31 07:00 - Very good reception with ID just before TOH as 'CBC 990 in Carmacks', which is a 40 w retranslator in Yukon. Network news followed, and then the weather for southern Yukon. Nothing more specific to give a positive ID. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
711 KOREA HLKA KBS1, Jan 1 1558 - Good to very good reception with KK banter, but more interesting is a cochannel playing the old American tune, 'Close to You'. This might be an Australian station, although there wasn't any ABC fanfare ot 16:00. On top of this, there is a jammer. Presumably CC against the Voice of Han?. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
720 ALASKA Russia, Jan 1 16:59 - Noticed Radio Rossii's IS while checking to see whether KOTZ was there (no luck on the latter. Inspirational music instead without a TOH ID, so not sure who that would be. Could still be KOTZ, I suppose. Will have to review the mp3 files for sure. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
720 USA WGN Chicago IL, Dec 31 0138 - Searching for KOTZ, instead I'm hearing Chicago with good reception except for some pretty fierce splatter from both above and below. Had to turn off the AGC for best results. Surprised, since Alaskans are coming in quite well tonight so far. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
819 NORTH KOREA KCBS, Jan 1 1540 - Very good reception, with clean audio, unlike so many of their other transmitters. Usual female operatic performances. North Korea particularly well heard on this trip to Masset. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
873 NORTH KOREA KCBS, Dec 31 1731 - With NHK2 off at this late hour, the North Korean is very well heard with KK operatic singing. Appears to be right on frequency with good modulation....a rarity with the North Koreans. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
1026 PHILIPPINES DZAR Soshine Radio, Dec 29 1533 - A very interesting morning. Initially, I heard a CNR jingle at 15:33, then almost immediately conditions flipped to a preacher in English and then inspirational music. This must be DZAR, Soshine Radio. A very good signal as I type this!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
1098 MARSHALL ISLANDS V7AB Radio Marshalls, Jan 1 0824 - Poor to fair reception with islands music. I'm not usually up to hear the station, just the OC that's always present during dawn enhancement, so nice to hear them during their normal programming day. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
1170 ALASKA KJNP North Pole, Dec 31 0606 - Excellent reception tonight of many Alaskans tonight. PAL suggests that KJNP signs-off at 06:00 during the winter. Not so! They had a lovely full ID at 06:00, then news and extensive weather forecast followed by a syndicated program called the Voice of Hope. Not sure whether they're 24 hrs or not. Still on at 07:17 recheck. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
1170 SOUTH KOREA HLSR KBS Liberty 2, Dec 30 1616 - A very interesting channel. At times, HLSR will be absolutely armchair, and then fade down into the mud to be overtaken by KPUG, Bellingham, and then fade right back up to dominate totally. Disturbed conditions today for certain! Rechecked them at 18:00 UTC (10:00 am local) and they still dominated the frequency completely with a very nice ID. Wonder when they'll fade out!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
Shortwave
4800 CHINA China National Radio 1, Dec 30 0049 - Very good reception of CNR1. No sign of CODAR using the west Beverage. Only in the deep of winter would this be possible here! Almost graylining all the way. Remember Radio Moscow? Well I heard no less than 13 parallel frequencies! 11720, 12045, 13610, 9690, 9675, 15380, 15550, 11750 (very strong), 11760, 11710 (very strong), 11925 (superb), 15480 and 11960 (very strong). Wow!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
4830 MONGOLIA Mongolian Radio 1st Program, Dec 31 00:55 - Poor reception, but there with Mongolian music, time pips at 01:00 and then speech too weak to understand. Parallels noted on 4895 and 7260, both also very poor. A rare catch here for sure!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
4880 SOUTH AFRICA SWR Africa, Dec 29 1819 - Fair reception with English talk. Not noted on listed // of 7125 (VOR with very good strength). This is at 10:20 am local time. Northerly latitudes sure help! Still lots of MW 9 kHz stations audible, by the way!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
4880 SOUTH AFRICA SW Radio Africa, Dec 30 1731 - Good reception with modern EZL music. Not heard again on 7125 due to VOR in E with excellent reception. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
4905 CHAD Radio Diff TV Tchadienne, Dec 29 0519 - Good reception with African music. Best heard on NE Beverage...aimed towards Europe and Africa. Listened again at 18:30 and sure enough they're hear again at fair level in French. Africa does propagate in the winter in our mornings. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
6240 RUSSIA Voice of Russia World Service, Dec 29 0205 - Surprised to hear VOR here at good level in English with news. Best heard on my N/S Beverage. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
7245 TAJIKISTAN Radio Tajikistan, Dec 30 0232 - Not 100% certain this is them, but I can hear weak Russian talk by a male and woman. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
9445 INDIA AIR GOS Service, Dec 29 2125 - Good reception of the GOS of AIR in English. The only other parallel noted was 9410 which was weak. Listed as from Aligarh to Europe. Into news at 21:30. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
12025 PHILIPPINES Radio Filipinas, Dec 29 0209 - Fair reception in English. Nothing heard on listed // of 17770 and 15285. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
12095 THAILAND Radio Thailand, Dec 30 0046 - Very good reception in English direct, to ECNA with trendy, very western sounding programming. Sounds more like a local program for westerners. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
13590 ZAMBIA CVC, Dec 29 1824 - Christian vocals at fair level. Presumable Christian Voice from Zambia. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
15275 THAILAND Radio Thailand, Dec 29 0202 - Good reception with English news in this direct transmission to WCNA. Some deep fades noted. Surprised that this worked! Very strong the following night, with up to S9 signal strength and superb modulation. 'Good morning, and thank you for tuning in to the morning news'. Proves that propagation is possible at this late hour!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)
(Source: Walter Salmamaniw, Canada)
