| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - FRIDAY 31st JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS TODAY:
West
coast was in today, all be it very poorly. But the X band is still
sounding like a graveyard channel!! Much of the rest of the band had
that graveyard sound to it at certain times.
NB: And
I had to change every date on this page as it still read 2013.. LOL.
820 WBAP 0600 Quite good. Fort Wrth / Dallas 31/1
1600 UNID ESPN 0900 31/1 Again, like in the past, I have no call,
only ESPN sports centre.
1640 Unid SS mixing with WTNI 0400 31/1 I suspect Utah as CA ads hrd
on 1700 at same time. But no id noted.
1690 WVON Chicago 0600 poor 31/1
1680 KRJO 0600 31/1
1700 XEEP San Diego market. ESPN 1700 0600 31/1 also ad for CA at
0400 but not identified
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - THURSDAY 30th JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS TODAY:
I think
I will make a short survey in the logs of the so called X band, 1610-1710.
The signals were roaring today, so I shall list what was heard.
UPDATE:
I became distracted listening to the files, I ran out of time to do
a proper x band survey, but the band was jumping with strong signals.
1660 WWRU
1660 WQLR
1680 WOKB
1700 KVNS
1700 WJCC
1070
WAPI Birmingham AL fair 0300 30/1 noted a few times this season.
1250 WSSP Milwalkee 0900 30/1
1290 WKBK 0900 ann 104.1 30/1
1320 WILS in at 0900 30/1. Heard a few times lately
1330 Unid call... Just beyond my ear.. 30/1 0900
WQFG
1710 TIS STATION HEARD:
Official
call, WQFG 689 was heard again today. It was noted yesterday only
around the noise level. Today I managed to pick out a call. Call noted
at 0103, and again after a YL was reading numbers out at 0257.
Trying
to piece together the weak peaks to make a full ann that some sense
can be made of is not easy. Noted yesterday at 03 and 04, mixing with
some of the pirates. Noted today at 01, 02, 03, 0430, 05.
But at
least the signal was heard, and claimed as a log. 
Claimed
power for this is 10 watts. It was surely working well for 10 watts!!!
MITCHIGAN
DX BLOG:
Another
web site worth a read. I need to transfer the recent notes of web
sites to my links pages one of these days. There is a good article
on THE Big Q that showed up on 1710 sometimes. Not heard here though.
http://midx.wordpress.com/
http://midx.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/the-big-q-heard-again-on-1710-khz/
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - WEDNESDAY 29th JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS TODAY:
First
glance the band seems quite lively and still open at 0900, 0930, and
even 1000. I havent checked 1030 yet.
1300
WOOD loud and clear 0900 29/1
1320 WILS Quite gd 0900 29/1
1370 WXXI 1000 29/1
1390 WRIG 1000 29/1 alone on ch
1530 WCKY 1000 29/1
1680 WOKB Gospel 16-80 0500 29/1
1680 Linden Grove, 0500 29/1
1700 WJCC Booming but other stuff on the ch 0500 29/1
1710 UNID. 0400 like poss ee. TIS stn? Def ss tk and mx mixing. .
also 0300 with ss ann at 0300 20/1
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - TUESDAY 28th JANUARY 2014 |
FORMER
TRANSATLANTIC FIRST OFF AIR:
Former
propagation beacon for mw dxers, CJYQ is off air due to a fire in
the transmitter shed. I clicked on the link from VOCM news that was
posted on our Skype DX chat, and gees it was a fire!!!
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=42914&latest=1
CJYQ
has been a shadow here in Europe of it's former self for years, although
was often heard as one of the early fade in signals from NFLD, before
usually being lost in the mix of CFBC and WBEN. Who knows what will
happen to CJYQ now...
LOGS
SO FAR OVER THE WEEKEND:
I have
to report that the band has been pretty average over the weekend since
the last entry on this page. I had a few more interesting logs on
Saturday. No sign of the traffic station on 1710 Mark in the Borders
was hearing though.
1380 WABH Bath 0300 in FF stn silence 0300 28/1 noted a few times
in the last weeks.
NO ANSWERS RE UNID SONOVOX VOICE ON 1390 / 1370:
We are
still no farther forward in identifying the station with the strange
dalek sounding voice on 1390 and 1370. It was thought to be a txer
operating on 1380 that was producing crud either side. Some US dxers
suggested WABH Bath, but Paul C reports that the audio on his reception
of 1380 today did not coincide with the sonovox voice on 1390. So
the plot thickens.
TOP
BAND CONTEST ON THE PERSEUS SCREEN... AMAZING:
The screenshot
below was from Top Band on Sat morning at 0400UTC. Talk about a busy
contest!!!!
MORE
AND MORE QRN TO LOOK FORWARD TO:
Even
here in the sticks, I have somewhat more local QRN than I had say
5 years ago. I don't really live in the sticks as such sadly. I have
streets all around me. Some city slickers may think I am in the sticks,
but I can think of many a better QTH in my local area that really
is out in the sticks. And there is a development underway at the back
of me, not to build a house for someone, but to build a street of
26!! These will overlook me, from the hillside to the south. My FM
antennas in the summer will point straight at them!! Yes QRN is a
subject that is sadly part of the modern day enthusiast. Unless you
are lucky enough to be already in the sticks!!
"Stu"
pasted this long but very interesting article in our dx chat box the
other day. I thought that as it has significance to all, it should
be shared.
http://wp.g7cnf.me.uk/the-reality-of-emc-in-the-uk-in-the-21c/
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - SATURDAY 25th JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS SO FAR:
610
KDAL
0800 25/1 Heard just before I deleted the files. Nothing else of note
seemed to be on the recording.
1470
WCSH 0400 25/1 = WLAM relaying TV News. (just a reminder of strange
call on 1470)
1620
Radio
Bayamo, Cuba 0200 inc call. vg signal 25/1
1650 KYHN OK / Fort Smith 25/1
1660 WMYR with others 0400 25/1
1700 WJCC FL Booming in 0400 25/1
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - FRIDAY 24th JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS SO FAR:
1590
WKTP TN, ESPN for the Tri Cities 0700 24/1 (Full ID heard. NB - ESPN
only has many possibilities) Call heard best in LSB.
1630 WRDW 0300 24/1
1660 WMYR / WWRU 0300 24/1
1670 WPLA 0300 24/1
1680 WOKB 0300 24/1
1700 WJCC 0200 24/1
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - THURSDAY 23rd JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS SO FAR:
1270
WTSN Dover 0800 23/1
1290
WKBK 0800
23/1 on top today. Such a change from WRNI and CJBK pests
1300 WDGJ 0800 23/1
1320 WDER Derry 0800 23/1
1330
WRCA pretty
loud at 0900 with tube talk in ee,...welcome to the past...23/1
1390
0800 // 1370 weird sounds like star trek. see below. 23/1 Good around
1m 40 on recording
1430
SS 0800 23/1 UPDATE.. WKOX Everret MA id 0803 that Paul C noticed.
Personal 1st. Ex call of stn on 1200, now Bloomberg.
1680 Gospel 1680 WOKB 0300 23/1
===============================================
1390
- FIRST CONTACT??
1390
Weird
sounding dalek noise like something from star trek on lsb side of
1390 at 0800 23/1. 1st contact?? Can't see this from any euro channel
closeby and not on USB side of 1390. Actually heard around 1371 as
well, so I thought maybe it was some form of local QRN?? Weird sound
though. Good around 1m 40 on recording
But NOT
local, as Paul C noting it as well...., and Stu in London.
So if
it is on 1390ish and 1370ish, then the chances of it being a transmitter
acting up on 1380 are pretty high. But who?? I have no trace earlier
than the 0800 recording. Not even 0730. I don't have 0830, but there
was a weak trace around 0900, not noticed initially. It is well underway
at 0756 when my top of the hour recording starts. But what a strange
way for a transmitter to sound.... A Perseus screen shot is given
below.
I tried
reversing and inverting the sound, but I couldn't come up with anything
near intelligable!
1380
is pretty poor here at that time, although someone is noted with tk
at 0800.
PS: Let
it be known that if this is "FIRST CONTACT" I heard it first..LOL...
I asked
around if anyone had this signal in their 0800 files, but response
so far has been nil on real dx and IRCA groups. (I thought that signal
would have been widely heard, whatever it was.
Jari
commented that it sounded like Quoran reading. I wonder if the ethnic
txer in the UK on 1377 was acting up???
It does
in fact sound as though could be a transmitter that is fed from a
web stream that has got corrupted, and went erratic. But a very interesting
signal never the less. I like a mystery that can not immediately be
explained.
ALIEN
MESSAGE ON ITN NEWS IN 1977:
The sound
on 1390 today was so much like the famous hoax in the South of England
in 1977, which was broadcast as a message from an alleged alien race,
on top of ITN news!! This was obviously nothing other than a prankster.
A bloody good prankster I must stress, who had quite some technical
abilities. A good old fashioned transmitter hijacking of sorts.
Actually
I think the "alien" signal was simply competing with the
local tv transmitter, rather than sitting close to the feedpoint of
a relay transmitter and getting a perfect signal through the relay.
(The old way to achieve a real hi jacking!!)
But one
thing's for sure. Someone somewhere was technically compitent anyway,
and hats off to them!!
And whoever
posted the video originally around the web, having a video recorder
in 1977 when they were mucho £$$££$£ was quite
something, but to be recording the ITN news at that time, obviously
it was someone in the know..LOL..
Come
on now, its been 37 years... tell us more!!!
I don't
think there were any reports of people throwing themselves out windows
etc on the South Coast in 1977 ..lol..
I think
this has been mentioned before on this blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQNQEzsekHw
===============================================
CW
ON 1470 - WAZN WATERTOWN, MA:
Keep
a look out for CW on 1470 during night hours. Paul C noted this yesterday.
Nothing here though. Noted on the Perseus in CW mode, on 1469. ie
a 1khz tone used. Nice log OM!!
All I
hear in high pitched musical notes now and again. I wonder what hours
they broadcast this cw, and if it is always bang on the top of the
hour (toth).
===============================================
WJDI
1620 - US PIRATE FROM 1989 / 1996 ETC:
An entry
on the IRCA list drew my attention the other day.. WJDI had the name
of being a powerhouse MW pirate station. Someone on the IRCA list
had managed to obtain a QSL card some 25 years later, from a broadcast
heard in 1989!!
A mention
was made of Christmas 1996, when a MW broadcast was to be made with
15kw!! Would, conditions being favourable, be easily possible here
in Europe.
In December
1996 KIWI from New Zealand was getting into Europe on 41m, and Radio
Metalica Worldwide SW was also putting in some very powerful signals
from North America on 6955 at nights. This was another station rumoured
to be using rather high power.
I have
nothing logged that year, but there was a tent log of "something"
on 24/12/97 at 2155UTC on 1640.9 playing let it snow and walking in
a winter wonderland, that sounded more American than Euro. I never
managed to get to the bottom of this one. I am currently gainfully
employed in a search for the tape!! Not on my ID tapes sadly, and
nothing found yet.
And oh
for a Perseus in 1997. I log only one log in the morning of 25th Dec,
AM 1140 from Canada. I was probably expected elsewhere.... I seem
to recall being mad because I wan't at home much during this particular
holiday period.
===============================================
SO
CALLED CHRISTIAN MUSIC:
This
is the short article that was started as a note the other day to remind
me. and I forgot!! Forgot to finish it that is.
Has anyone
ever noticed that the bible bashers are playing a crafty one these
days. I hear it on AM radio from the States, and it is a big turn
off for me on Radio Star and Radio North here in Europe. I speak of
modern day christian music that is dressed up to suit the situation.
Instead of sounding like a traditional hymn we used to get at school,
they dress up their songs to even sound like Bon Jovi, to try and
attract rock enthusiatsts for example. In the case of Radio North
and Star, they play country sounding music, but the lyrics are really
beefed up hymns. I also hate finding myself tuned to a receiver that
plays this type of music if I am thinking am listening to Fiddlin'
Tom for example on Radio North with the weekly country music show.
I'd sooner turn off.
Of course,
the slots of hard core religion are what keeps bread on the table
of many of the radio stations worldwide, including Radio North, Star
and of course Radio Caroline when it was at sea.
Perhaps
they will make more money this way, by attracting heithens like myself.
Who knows. So long as they keep away from my door, scrounging for
money and trying to brainwash me into signing up for whatever amount
of £££££.... lol..
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - WEDNESDAY 22nd JANUARY 2014 |
LOGS SO FAR:
930
Unid call 0700 22/1 Just after WBEN id, like WGHB, = sister stn to
WDLX Washington, NC, but so poor, it may not even be a call..
1350
WNLK Norwalk,
CT NPR. Call better for sister stn WSHU. Multi CALL. 0700 22/1
1390 Unid call straight after fox news on WEGP starts 0800 22/1 Think
WZHF Arlington.
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - TUESDAY 21st JANUARY 2014 |
SS ON 1350 TODAY:
My focus
today was on the strong SS stations on 1350 at 0600 and 0700. Some
dxers report Radio BBN Panama, Radio Ondas De La Montana Columbia,
and a Cuban. I have yet to find an ID in any of the SS today!! There
was some hint of SS music noted on 1130, 1390, and tk on 1430 at one
stage. But things were very scarce as far as IDs are concerned.
140121_0700_1350_unid_ss.mp3
I had
a mention of Montana and also a mention of Caracol in my 0600 recording.
OTHER
LOGS:
1070
Emm Atlantico Columbia 0600 21/1
1440 WRED Particularly good 0200 21/1
1630
KKGM Forth Worth Good 0304 20/1 KCJJ in background at this point.
1650
KYHN Good
0300 21/1
CFMB
1280 HEARD ALL NIGHT LATELY:
CFMB
in Montreal is being heard all night. It has been noted for some time
now nightly. They were in the habit of using a much tighter antenna
pattern at night, and anyone here in Europe that has heard them change,
it is like them going off abruptly. It is uncertain if they have a
problem with the night antenna or just failed to switch over, or even
are licenced to run all night now. 50kw day and night anyway with
both antennas.
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - MONDAY 20th JANUARY 2014 |
MW
DXING TODAY:
570
WMCA NY
Loads of ids 0400 20/1. about 9 ids in a minute!!!
570 CFCB 0403 20/1
610 WIOD FL 0400/20/1
1360 UNID with 700 WLW id 0400 20/1 prob WSAI?? But sports, so could
be anyone taking the feed!
1430
KZQZ
St Louis MO 0300, 0200, 0400 etc 20/1 0400 Beatles Mx,jin id, etc.
Last noted 2008
1470 WNYY 0200 20/1
1510
WUSC Boston
booming in 0400 20/1
1650 KYHN 0400 20/1
1660 KRZI Waco 0400 20/1
1700 KVNS good 0400 20/1
KZQZ
1430 St LOUIS, MO:
This
50kw / 5kw station was heard overnight. I wonder if they were on day
power?? I first noted them at 0400, but they were also heard 03. 02
and traces at other times. The singing jingles they use were not too
clear if you don't know what you are looking for, but I recorded a
few clips from the web, included here.. The two jingles at 0400 as
well as the toth at 0200 are included in the web clip. The 2008 clip
was obviously the all new Crazy Q, initially thought of as KCQ.
140120_0402_0405_1430_kzqz.mp3
140120_0200_1430_kzqz.mp3
kzqz_20th_jan_14_a few_voice_overs_and _jingles.mp3
I heard
this station back in 2008, identified by an American dxer I believe.
../downloads/mw_dxing/081124_0930_1430_all_new_kcq.mp3
CONFIRMED:
WESTERN SCOTLAND BEACHES ARE THE SHITHOLE OF EUROPE:
How would
you like to walk your dog around a rubbish tip???? That's what the
folks in the west of Scotland have to do. I was walking along the
west coast shores on Sunday, and what a filthy disgusting place it
is. Take a look at the photos below, and judge for yourself.
No clean
up effort by the local authorities can be seen, since my visit to
the scene of the high tide some three weeks ago. What does this tell
us about the local authorities, and the question of "where does
our tax money go?"
I can't
believe that I dumped an ice cream tub and Irn Bru bottle in a bin,
rather than just launch them onto the shite heap with the rest of
it. But I just couldn't bring myself to do this. Littler is such a
personal obsession, that I have mountains of photos of litter around
the countrysides. Not helped by sick local authorities that make even
taking rubbish to the tip an ordeal. Our local one is a joke. You
have to sign in if you have a trailer or van!!! Who do these clowns
think they are?? Yahoo or something??? So there is the reason for
the countrysides being littered. But what of the beaches? Well this
is obviously a diffferent story.
What
a disgrace to a nation that is trying to gain it's independence. What
an embarrasment to any native walking the shores with foreign visitors.
2014 is supposed to be another homecoming year, for Scots abroad to
return home for a visit. (I can'trecall the reason this time, I don't
think it is Burns related) Why would anyone want to visit this mess?
I visited
Germany a few years ago and was impressed by Dusseldorf in the fact
that the place seems such a clean city from the outside. I have often
heard it said about much of continental Europe.
Looking
at the west coast of Scotland however is another matter.
Apologies
for the images below. They are only phone photos, so detail is a little
scratchy.
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - SUNDAY 19th JANUARY 2014 |
MW DXING TODAY:
930
WBEN 0700
19/1
1340 CBC heard in BBC Silence 0700 19/1 (Not really identifyable,
as more than 1 possibility. I know some like to jump at an ID as Yellowknife)
1390 WLCM Holt Lancing gd 0600 19/1
1430
WXNT Indianapolis
0700 19/1 (sounds like WHNC but qth there) weaker 0600
1470 WNYY 0200 19/1
1470 WMBD Peroria 0300 19/1
1680 WOKB Gd id 0201 19/1
DELETING
A FEW HUNDRED GIG:
I have
finally got around to checking some files from December that have
remained unchecked. Pretty uninspiring I have to say, so they get
a quick check. A few IDs of note are listed.
950 WWJ
Detroit 0900 22/12/13
1350 WIOU KOKOMO 0900 24/12/12 (NB 2012. was in wrong folder!!)
1360 WTAQ 0900 24/12/12 (NB 2012. was in wrong folder!!)
1530 Radio Fiesta Mexico 24/12/13 0600
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - FRIDAY 17th JANUARY 2014 |
1320 - KOZY GRAND RAPIDS, MN:
I noticed
today at 0900 a silent carrier on 1320 from CJMR, the dominant station
on the channel here in Europe. (Since CKEC closed). Audio was back
by 0905. Audio was also working fine at 0800 though WILS Lancing,
the most common secondary station on the channel was coming through
as well.
Other
stations do come in from time to time. AB recently received a couple
of rarities, when I had pretty average conditions. So it is always
good to add to my own personal firsts.
This
is yet another benefit of wideband recordings. I can't imagine what
the odds against noticing the carrier only at the top of the hour
with a single channel receiver.
WWKB
1520 OFF AIR:
WWKB
seems to be off air today on the recordings at 0300 - 0900. There
wasn't much in the way of other dx. Libertad Columbia, and KOKC.
It was
also off air at 0500 yesterday but only Columbian, LIBERTAD was coming
through.
140117_0900_0830_1520_kokc_ok.mp3
===============================================
MW
LOGS FROM THE LAST DAYS:
570 WSYR
ann 106.4 FM 0600 17/1
1270
KFLC
TX 14/1 0800, and 0700, Personal First (Paul C reported this first)
1280 CFMB Montreal 0300 16/1
1310
CIWW Booming
0900 17/1
1320 KOZY Grand Rapids, MN 0900 17/1
1320 WILS Lancing 0800 17/1
1360 WSAI Cincinati 0300 16/1 fox sports. weak id, good peak just
after id.
1510
WLAC Nashville
particularly good today 0600 16/1
1520 Libertad Columbia 0457 16/1 Good ID 0600 17/1
1590
WKTP
Jonesboro TN 0700 0800 14/1 Personal First
1620 WNRP Pensacola, FL Rare here due to Rebelde etc. Pensacola's
Newstalk station.. 0357 16/1
1620 WDND / U93 South Bend, IN. music u93.com 0800 17/1, 0600 17/1
ID WNDV FM South Bend
1640
WTNI booming
at 0400 16/1
1680 WOKB FL 0000 16/1
1680 WPRR ADA Grand Rapids 95.3 0600 17/1
===============================================
RADIO
RAG - UK LBP:
I was
reading on the web about a mw pirate that used to come on the air
from the Manchester area in years gone by. Radio Rag was heard a few
times here, including 1979 as well as 1985. (Was this the last known
broadcast??) There was a great web site publicised.
A clip
is given from night time MW from 1985 on 1332, when Hereward Radio
still went off air, though the IBA tones are heard. (This was to prevent
piracy, which I have in writing from the IBA at the time, when complaining
about the 1khz tones that used to jam the mw)
1985_02_23_0210_1332_radio_rag_c90_1314_id_tape.mp3
http://www.duncanwheelhouse.com/radiorag/index.html
===============================================
A
FEW OTHER WEB LINKS:
I keep
on saving links and never putting them on my links page. It is a time
thing, rather than a lack of interest thing.
I shall
have to initially check them all, but here are a few. Trouble is,
many web links are linked to 5 minuite wonder sites that often vanish
overnight, never to be seen again.
http://www.odxa.on.ca/
(ONTARIO DX CLUB)
http://www.techspot.com/guides/tips-tricks/
http://swling.com/blog/
http://www.apul64.dsl.pipex.com/enigma2000/
http://www.radiostarcountry.com/
http://www.radionorth.net
http://www.numbersoddities.nl/
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - THURSDAY 16th JANUARY 2014 |
TEXAS ON 1280 - OR NOT - KFLC:
I was
struggling yesterday to find an ID on a station on 1280 that Paul
C had heard from Texas. I had a non EE stn, quite loud, that I initially
thought to be SS. As I listened later to the recordings again, it
became clear I was listening not to an SS station, but to CFMB, an
ethnic broadcaster from Montreal pres on it's daytime antenna pattern.
1280 has been quite a "hot" freq worth watching this winter,
if you can call any freq hot this year!!
But after
a while and referring to TOPAZ, I began to realise I had mis read
Paul's original report as 1280, when in fact it was KFLC 1270!!
So I
began to listen for the station - the beauty of the Perseus SDR allowing
playback of the files. And yes, there it was at 0800 yesterday, playing
SS music, and having a very annoying fade at the top of the hour.
But the same mx was heard from Paul's ID. Not a log though.
So I
tried from the previous day when the unusual TN stn was coming through
on 1590, and there it was at 0800, as well as 0700.
My recording
below features first Paul's rec (to hear what to listen for), followed
by two separate recordings of my own from 0800 on 14th at different
settings on the Perseus, followed by 0700 on 14th where the call is
better. And at the end a clip of music that was heard up to 0800 on
14th. I would probably never have been able to make head nor tail
of this if it hadn't been for Paul's recording.
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - TUESDAY 14th JANUARY 2014 |
WKTP - JONESBORO, TN - 1590:
I noted
a new one today at 0800, WKTP. It was odd that the first time I listened
I only picked up on the 97.7FM part. I tried again and there was a
full blown ID, in the clear.
Update:
Ah it was 0700 that there was a partial ID, but at 0800 the signal
was quite good.
140114_0800_1590_wktp_jonesboro_tn.mp3
===============================================
CAMERA
WARNINGS IN THE MOORS OF SCOTLAND:
LOL,
This is funny. I walk these wild lands, especially in the good weather.
I have meant to include these images in a while on this blog, merely
from a technical point of view. I don't advertise this wireless /
geeky techy blog as anything close to local interest, but every now
and again I include a little ditty that has come my way. There are
moorlands locally, networked with paths these days. Around the place
are signs re video cameras to protect rare moorland bird species that
inhabit the area. I came across one of the cameras. A stick on a pole!!!!
LOL..
Not even
the dumbest egg thief would be fooled by this I don't think!!!
The initial
warning signs are dotted around the place. Look at the camera though.
A stick on a post!!!! And take a closer look. The antenna is like
an Indian's wooden arrow!!!
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - SUNDAY 12th JANUARY 2014 |
MW - NOT MUCH TO REPORT:
I haven't
anything worthy of note to report here. A quick listen to the files
today, shows only really common stuff. Paul C, my dx neighbour reports
that he had Brazil on 1600 at 0200. I had ee from WAAM. Not much else
of note.
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - TUESDAY 7th JANUARY 2014 |
MW SIGNALS GOOD TODAY:
It was
a better morning here for signals, and some less usual stations heard
last night at 2300. Strong SS, suspected VA stn Radio Unida, on 920,
as well as Syracuse sports stn on 1260, though during first play I
am sure I also heard an ESPN id in the mess. Rechecking needed.
A strange
thing at 0000. No stations heard. Just Euros. Yet 2300 and 0100 and
every other hour was perfectly normal. Was the antenna briefly disconnected,
or was there a glitch in the Perseus software??? Who knows. Euros
slightly down in signal levels that makes me think one of the temp
joins was not 100% from the other day, yet every other hour was fine!!
odd one.
Update
- Temp connections on main antenna soldered and greased and made permanent.
I will
begin to list the logs of the last days just shortly, as there is
a back up of recordings that need listened to.
===============================================
MW
DX LOGS:
920 Pres
WURA Arlington / DC market 2300 6/1 SS Strong, pres still day power.
703 tel ad
970 Radio Formula 0700 9/1
1070 WAPI AL 2300 9/1
1260 0857 Disney Boston 0900 7/1
1260 WSKO Syracuse NY 2300 6/1 Syracuse clear in mush. SS fade in
as well, with poss mention Miami and weak call. No +ve ID on WSUA
though. Could have sworn I heard ESPN on 1260, but couldnt find it
again!!
1280 WFAU Gardener, Maine All the best music ever made.... 0200 9/1
1360 WSAI Cincinati 0900 7/1
1380 WABH Bath. 0000 1/1, 0900 7/1
1410 CPAM id 0903 7/1
1470 WNYY 0000 1/1
1570 WFLR Dundee NY 2200 9/1
1690 Avondale Estates 0000 1/1
===============================================
AND
DAE YE KEN THIS YIN.." DAH - DAH - DI - DAH - DAH - DI - DAH
- DAHHH" ?
I had
a great conversation in the pub the other night.
I have
known the fellow concerned for a few years now. He plays keyboards
in a couple of my favourite rock cover bands. We were standing at
the bar having a pint, when the YL struck up a casual conversation
about day jobs. The conversation started with TV repairs, and radio
transmitters, and dxing was mentioned. Dxing?? Now a lot of folk knew
about CB radio dxing back in the day. But no. I was enlightened about
good old interval signals!! You know about Interval signals I ask?
The green web site of Dave Kenrick was mentioned.
That
casual conversation developed to the extent that at the break we were
chanting interval signals!!!! A few were even played on the keyboards!!
It must have looked strange to hear one grown man chanting the Radio
RSA interval signal, and at the right moment, the other grown man
whistling the wee bird that is between the bars of music...LOL...
Never
have I met up with any local broadcast dx enthusiasts. I don't think
even fellow local dxer Davie H was ever a fan of the international
broadcasters, or their interval signals.
As a
schoolboy, I used to go on about SW to a few of my class mates. A
few of them (maybe 2) used to come in of a morning and discuss some
of the common powerhouses that they had heard on their radio cassettes
or whatever radio had sw on it. None of them collected QSL cards though,
to my knowledge.
I had
discovered the SW bands in about 1973, when I used to tune around
on a domestic radio gram. But my own proper dxing history in a few
brief lines stems from 1977, when I began to write down loggings.
(That's when I class myself as starting dxing properly) An enthusiast
at the time who lived in the next valley called Electric Wullie educated
me as a 14 year old about QSL collecting, and gave me his old 1976
WRTH, which I still have. Electric Wullie was so called because he
was an electrician I hasten to add!!! Wullie went on to become more
interested in the ham radio side of things. Unlike myself, who stayed
with the broadcast dxing.
Incidentally,
I have been meaning to get my own recordings of interval signals and
QSLs from International Broadcasters up on line for a long time, so
I hope to find a little spare time soon to get back to work on the
dx archive site, and maybe a little inspiration was gathered from
chanting interval signals down the pub!!.
I have
recently been copying all my old ID tapes to MP3, and have found some
other gems amongst the old recordings.
===============================================
THE
10 YEAR FLOOD:
The flood
just before the New Year here in Scotland was like the 10 year flood.
It was of a level not seen since about 2000 or 2001, but no records
were broken at this qth despite the high water level. I had meant
to add a few photos here of the flood, but this update may find it's
way on line before I dig out the photos.
But the
big stane is away, or moved, that I used to look at the river levels.
It seems it appeared in the 1966 flood!! And has been moved in the
Decembert 2013 flood!! Levels have not fallen low enough to check
out what has changed yet. It may be like another big stane upstream
a little, that has become buried with rocks.
You can
see the little summer house that normally sits way above the water
level was turned into an island very briefly thankfully. I was ready
for moving stuff out of it, just incase.
ARE
BEACHES IN WESTERN SCOTLAND THE SHITHOLE OF EUROPE??
Gees,
I had a walk along our beach just the other day, and a subject close
to my heart could not fail to be seen. On the beach I was on, I saw
tons and tons of plastic bottles and rubbish, washed up.
I must
admit I was on the lookout for something old perhaps. Something that
had come across the Atlantic maybe. Something that had washed up out
a wreck. Something however that could no doubt also be classified
as litter. But maybe an old glass bottle from the 1800's, a stone
jar, or .. just something. But NO. All I saw was modern day plastic
waste. The beach was like a rubbish tip.
Now I
know that the people in Scotland are not the cleanest. In fact there
are so many black bastards around that litter our countyside, I have
a large collection of "littering" photos. I have published
a few on this blog from time to time. But what I saw on the beech
is a shocker.
This
to me really highlights a bigger picture problem!! What have we as
a race done to our shores and seas. I doubt if we will ever have any
council backed clean up campaign. So what of all this crap?? Will
it just be left to be washed back out to sea?? Where does it come
from? Did it all come from the sea, or was it on the beach anyway??
I see
no reason why there can't be work teams from the local nick out doing
this kind of clean up work. If I happened to be stuck in one of those
places, I surely would prefer to be out in the fresh air doing some
form of work duty.
I don't
think I would be so proud to go a walk along our Scottish beaches
with any visiting tourists....
| KEN'S
DX DIARY AND LOGS - FRIDAY 3rd JANUARY 2014 |
MW ANTENNAS REPAIRED IN TIME FOR NEW YEAR:
It was
a bit of luck, but water levels dropped by about 6 feet or so overnight,
see last entry of 2013, which allowed me to make repairs to the antenna
cable I had to cut.
