Radio Candip Makes a Rare Visit Here!!

[VK3BVW]

5066.33   CONGO, DEM REP.  R. Télé Candip, Bunia. Finally heard a weak signal from this one on Jan 21 after monitoring the frequency closely for several months, and following an encouraging report from Victor Goonetilleke a week or so earlier. First checked in around 1745 to hear French anncts and occasional African songs. Some sort of ID noted at 1801 but too weak at that moment to really decipher the details. Then into a short talk for several minutes before it went back into the music program. Although the signal was weak, it actually began to improve a bit around 1805. The remainder of the transmission consisted of African pop-styled songs and bright, bouncy announcements.  Only slight QRM from a CW beacon utility on this occasion, and luckily the band was especially quiet on this early summer morning. Tried recording the signal but unfortunately the result was not very useful.

Overseas reports indicated that the station signs off around 1900v. However, today it kept going right past this time. At 1915, a man with a deep rich voice made some anncts. Then at 1918, there was what appeared to be some type of news or commentary by a female announcer, followed by a discussion between the two announcers.  At 1932, there was a long pause, "dead air" - I thought the station had signed off. But then at 1936, the African pop music started up again! By 1945, we were well into our summer morning (6:45am) - the signal was fading, the breakfast-time electrical noise in the neighbourhood was increasing, and QRM from an RTTY station started up, which well and truly finished off the listening session. The power is listed as 1 kW and is quite possibly running less than that. Very rare reception for my location, particularly at this time of the year in south eastern Australia. A pleasing morning's listening.

I have more information and a recording (albeit a rather poor recording!) on the Mount Evelyn DX Report blog at

http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/rare-signal-radio-candip-bunia.html

73's, Rob Wagner VK3BVW

[ChrisLobdell]

Congrats!  I've never been able to hear this one in the northeastern USA. One of the few DX catches around these days.

[jFarley]

Any ment of this station in the hobby press gets my attention, so you got mine, and MAJOR CONGRATS!  This is really an elusive and tough station by all accounts.  Most logs I see tend to be via grayline into Europe, so this is really exciting to read!  Great to hear your audio, also.

Candip is a very tough catch here in central USA, but it is possible.  The het is visible weakly from s/on or fade-in around 0330z rather often in the winter months, but only rarely is there enough SRE to bring up audio; I got just a scrap last season on one evening, and came close a few weeks ago.  Here in Chicago, we look for Madagascar 5010 earlier in the evening; if 5010 is in good then Candip becomes a possibility as they come via the same path.

I have never seen this posted in the press, so here is the front of a hand-made card I got from them in 1987.

Again, congratulations!

[Antennae]

Thats a cool card. I like the style and the antenna doesn't look out of place in it.  Is that a woman with a pink hat playing a congo drum? 

[VK3BVW]

Thanks everyone for your comments on the Candip reception. Some good feedback from you there. Also interesting to see the 1987 Candip QSL - extremely cool!!

Yes, it's a tough one to hear. I'm hoping it will still be operating during the Aussie mid winter, as reception should be better then. BUT, as with all DXing, it's just a mater of being at the right spot on the dial at the right time. You just never know when something is going to pop out of the atmospherics.

73s'  Rob