Tuesday, August 28, 2007

DXpedition to British Columbia


Hi, folks.

Just returned from a 4 day visit to Masset, and was able to DX for 3 mornings (ie Sat - Mon). The first morning was rather disappointing as I had erected a 1000' West BOG which was dead in the morning, so I had to use my permanent N/S 450' Beverage only. Went to track down the problem only to find that the BNC connector wasn't attached to the matching transformer! Ugggh!!!. The next morning was better, of course, with the 2 Beverages, but nothing very spectacular. This morning was the best with a really good opening on LW to Russia (just about all the Russian FE LW transmitters heard quite well), and at dawn, some Filipinos really started to come in, as did some Aussies. Interestingly, the best antenna for these turned out to be a short normal Beverage aimed to the W/SW which I erected last night. Here are a few highlights: Walt Salmaniw, BC

By the way, I used a WinRadio 313e and an AOR 7030+, with a NRD-535D as a back up.

999 PHILIPPINES DYSS Super Radyo, Aug 27 1349 - Wow, just checked this frequency to hear multiple IDs for 'Super Radio' in Tagalog. 'Media Awards 2007' Radio GMA Incorporated and Cebu mentioned. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

1026 PHILIPPINES DZAR Soshine Radio, Aug 27 1323 - I'm hearing English religious discussion with an accent which sounds Filipino to me. Fades up to fair level, but then back in the mud. Filipinos are occasionally heard in Masset, so I'm not sure who else this could be (although 2 others are listed, but this fits best with the religious content). 999 heard a few minutes earlier is also likely a Filipino station. Later: Very nicely fading up at 13:30 to good levels, cochannel oriental speaker. Reading letters at 13:40, mentioning Typhoon Dodo (?). Mentions of NCR (?National Capital Region, Manila?). Yes! Philipines mentioned. Old Israel....must be a settlement in the Philippines. Best heard on my shorter European Beverage erected only last night. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

1062 PHILIPPINES DZEC Eagle Broadcasting Corp., Aug 27 13:59 - Nice clear ID just before 13:59 as 'Dee Zee E C, Eagle Broadcasting' in Filipino. Good reception. An excellent opening today to this part of Asia! Still going strong at 14:11 with Spanish Eyes. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

1161 CHINA , Aug 26 1258 - Nice reception with EZL music until 12:59, and then more traditional oriental music. No obvious time pips at 13:00, though. May have faded down at the critical moment! Seemingly in CC, but with at least one other co-channel. Tentative!. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

1575 THAILAND VOA, Aug 26 1151 - Strong S9 signal with English commentary by American accented male about President Putin of Russia. I'm suspecting AFN Japan as VOA Thailand (heard an hour earlier) is listed as in Burmese at this time. Ah, at 11:59, 'This is the Voice of America signing off', so must have been VOA after all. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

4052.5 GUATEMALA Radio Verdad, Aug 27 0435 - Decent S6 to S7 signal with too much summer static crashes marring an otherwise decent program of religious music. Take away the crashes, and I think I'd be able to easily follow the broadcast. As it is, it's too difficult to tell even the language. Further listening reveals American accented preacher in English. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

4775 SWAZILAND TWR, Aug 27 0451 - English programming in the clear, and free of static for the most part at good levels, although S meter is only at S5. Insight for Tomorrow program. Strongest African on the air right now. Much stronger than the 90 meter Meyerton transmissions. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

4930 BOTSWANA VOA, Aug 27 0453 - Another good signal, but seems to suffer more from static crashes than does Swaziland. Go figure! English science program. Reading S7 to S8. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

6030 CANADA CFVP, Aug 27 0504 - Classic Radio 1060 ID with surprisingly good signal (S9) followed by Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown. Some summer static. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)

6045 RUSSIA Voice of Russia World Service, Aug 25 1402 - English news about Polish opposition to US interceptor rockets. S7 signal with minimal adjacent splatter. Good overall. Transmitter in Vladivostok. // 7165 excellent (also Vlad.), 9745 poor/fair. Program is to Asia. (Salmaniw, Masset, BC)