Starting the DX-season 25.8

I spent one night in JPR QTH in Muhos (24-25.8). Checking radios, testing loggings lists and also testing more SDR-14 and SDR-IQ in same computer.

Conditions was fair. First from 2130utc some Brazils (1410 R Santa Cruz), Uruguay (1130 Nacional, 1600 R Mil) and common Argentina stations. At 2315 some NA-stations (CKEC 1320, NF 590, 620, 650, 710 - New York 1130, 1560 - CKOC 1150 and many others), but at 0059 NA stations faded out totally!!

Then fair La Plata conditions between 02-03utc. From Uruguay 550 Colonia, 610 Rural, 770 Oriental. From Argentina 590 Contintental, 970 LV2, 1010 Rio Cuarto (new transmitter?), 1020 Universidad Nacional, 1510 Belgrano, 1620 Vida and Italia. From Paraguay 730 Cardinal, 780 Primero de Marzo. From Brazil 860 CBN, 1550 Gurauja Paulista, 1560 Educadora, 1570 Emissora ABC and from Chile RBN 1000 and 1060 Santa Maria.

More after listening the tapes.... among others interesting SS station on 800 kHz (=LV23 Radio Rio Atuel, General Alvear). JVA

Some antenna tests during the summer (ALA100) at the King´s Village QTH

I made some tests using the ALA100 during July. The first attempt was to make a
round loop of spiral wounding using the ALA100, the circumference was about 6 meters and the antenna was rotatable using some rods (supports of a tent) and a fishing rod, The antenna was mounted at about 5 meters. In the picture it is waiting to be erected up.
However it seemed that either the small diameter or sprial wounding made this set up not as good as a bigger normal square loop. It had approx. 10 dB lower gain than the sprial one.
I changed eventually the type to a square "<> - shape" loop of large aperture (ALA100) using about 24 meters of wire. The antenna was also constructed using one center mast (of 10 meter fishing rod) with the highest point at about 8 meters (<> - shape).
It seems this is a very low noise antenna indeed at least at rural QTH with noise floor at SDR-IQ (0 dB preamp.) at about -125 dB. The antenna is at least as good as my longwire of 150 meters but with lower noise level (approx 5 dB) , so the better S/N. However, it seems to be more effective to high angle signals - so the BOG or a good beverage could be better - that will be tested later on this Autumn.
73 TK
...

Short Wave Check with a SDR-IQ & Art of SDR-reception

During a Latin Check on Tropical Band 60 meters on 4725...4915 I found several stations from Bolivia, Brazil and Guatemala on July 24.
While studying the signal of Radio Universitaria (Bolivia) on 4732 I found this interesting picture using the SDR-IQs combo display. It shows nicely the terrible RTTY QRM on both sides of the station - the RTTY tx has short breaks after about 1 minute transmission as you can see. You can see also the close down of the Bolivian as well. The staion is usually covered byt the RTTY-QRM and can be heard only about 15 seconds between the pulses, however sometimes there are longer breaks. It seems the station has disappeared in the beginning of August.
73 TK

WMOG Brunswick GA 1490 - verification

I heard WMOG during PAX63 last October and it became my 6th verified station from GA. Oct. 10th was a great morning for many US east coast stations including WMOG-1490, WWPR-1490, WDSK-1410, WFOY-1240, WHUC-1230, WIRY-1340 ect.
WMOG played NOS music and gave a perfect TOH -ID following with the ABC news. The General Manager of the Qantum Communications verified my report and mp3 with a short but a complete e-mail just two hours ago.

KWEI Weiser ID 1260 -verification

Just a couple of hours ago I found in my mailbox the first QSL for some months - KWEI Weiser, ID 1260. Not a bad start for this new MW -season!
KWEI has been heard every now and then during the last few years on the various peditions in Scandinavia but getting a verification has been hard. I heard KWEI during LEM234 last November with a pretty good signal on the top of the hour with SS. The Team faded in and out in the same time but luckily KWEI faded in strongly just on TOH. A short but a kind e-mail verification came in 4 hours.

Radio Osijek 1557 - verification

I picked up this station 6th of December 1996 in Kivesvaara (Paltamo, Kainuu) and sent reception report. Now over 10 years later I received registered letter from Osijek with verification text!

Happy Solstice on June 21 1806 UT!

So here we are just looking for another MW-dx-season even up here in the North (or at least waiting for the beginning in about two months...)

The photo above was taken just about 24 hours before (20 June at 1805 UT) the "Holy Moment" on June 21.

From the Spaceweather.com:
On June 21st at precisely 18:06 UT, Earth's north pole will be tipped to the max (23.5o) toward the Sun. Astronomers call this moment "a solstice." It marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, and winter in the southern hemisphere. The seasons are changing--Happy Solstice!

I wish You all the best during these midsummer days which are in Scandinavia often the n:o one Carneval time (crazy people going to Sauna - heat usually around +100 centigrades - then to swim even into lakes with cold water - and being outside at night with mosquitos)...
73 TK

Measuring RF-noise by SDR-RX (sdr-14)

Summer is time to check the antennas etc up here in the North when sun shines and low-band dxing at least to East & West is not possible. Two years ago I discoved the rise of noise below 1 MHz on most antennas at my rural-QTH like KAZ and long wires. A bit better with the BOG directed away from the cottage. Soon I noted that the house 500 meters away had started using the ADSL and the connection is via a old-type cable going only a few meters from my cottage´s roof! I used my miniwhip mounted on the fishing rod at about 8 m height (look at the picture) and measured a very big rise of QRM at around 700 kHz. The reception is almost impossible between 200 and 700 kHz. Above 1 MHz the situation is better and above 1200 kHz almost OK with "bottom level" around -130 ... - 110 dB (SDR-14 scale) depending on the antenna. But below 700 kHz the level rises up to - 45 dB when measured only 2 meters from the wire and yeat at about -60 dB at about 30 meters from the wire! The miniwhip itself is quite good for measurements as it really picks up noise easily (though it is a quite active antenna but really needs to be placed away from RF-noise).
Maybe I have to consult the local telephone company ?
73 TK

KDRS Paragould AR 1490 - verification

KDRS became my 6th AR -station and it was my second graveyard station from the state of Arkansas. Previously I have KAAY Little Rock-1090, KFPW Ft. Smith-1230, KRLW Walnut Ridge-1320, KFDF Van Buren-1580 and KWHN Ft. Smith-1650 verified.
KDRS identified "Sporting News Radio 14-90 KDRS" and the signal was clear and pretty strong as well. The station manager sent a short e-mail with a complete verification. I heard KDRS during PAX63 last October.

KWNC Quincy WA 1370 - verification

This one has been seldom heard around here but I was lucky to pick it up last autumn during PAX63. KWNC plays Country music and it identified as follows "This is 13-70 KWNC - this is Real Country Station."
V/s wrote:
"Yes, that was KWNC AM 1370 that you heard. KWNC is a small, automated station that we (KPQ) own. It's signal is located in Quincy, a small, but growing, town in Central Washington State."
Nice to capture a rare WA -station on 1370 where KAST and KXTL are usually dominating on the conditions towards The Western US.