Messages

661

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: CKZN 6160 2025 UTC 26 Jul 2013

« on: July 28, 2013, 2130 UTC »

I also heard CKZN on 7/26, at 0800, there was a short echo on the CBC news on 6160 khz., one of the stations being CKZU, the other obviously CKZN. 

Always cool to hear Newfoundland from here in the PNW -- it's the second time I've ever heard CKZN.  Last time it was strong enough to be heard on a portable with the whip antenna -- this time, not so much.

662

Equipment / Re: Some Thoughts on Resonant Loop Antennas

« on: July 25, 2013, 1555 UTC »

I can see how a loop for lower SW frequencies would be useful, especially to null out QRM.

The Realistic DX-375 receives the Low SW bands off the internal loop as well as its whip antenna, and can be directional on the low shortwaves using the internal loop.

If a loop can work on a digital portable, there's no reason a larger air core loop can't work well on the low shortwaves.

663

Equipment / Re: Lazy H Antenna

« on: July 25, 2013, 1543 UTC »

No, but I think there was a mention of it in a book I have on cubical Quads (I think it's a book by Bill Orr?), I think they may be related somehow.

664

Other / Re: 10225 khz., 10234 khz., Korean USB, prob. fishermen, 0638z 7/23/2013

« on: July 25, 2013, 1535 UTC »

I have no idea.  

I do know that the Supreme Commander, Comrade Kim Jong Un just recently dedicated a fleet of North Korean fishing boats, whose task is to catch a lot of fish to feed the North Korean army.  

The Supreme Commander, Comrade Kim Jong Un also advised the fishermen concerning the best way to catch a lot of fish.  This was one of the top news stories on the Voice Of Korea a few weeks ago.

So, whether these Korean voices were from this new fleet or not, I don't know....  

665

General Radio Discussion / Re: The HF Underground is now on Twitter

« on: July 23, 2013, 0934 UTC »

I've got a Twitter account but have never used it.  I'm not really sure why I opened an account there.

Now I have something to follow, cool.

666

Other / 10225 khz., 10234 khz., Korean USB, prob. fishermen, 0638z 7/23/2013

« on: July 23, 2013, 0931 UTC »

Tuned through the utility bands and the horrendous QRM from the neighbor's two plasma TVs, and heard what sounded like Korean speech by men on 10225 and 10234 in USB. 

The QSO on 10234 was stronger. 

I've never heard anything but RTTY, data, or static in this part of the band before.  The last few times I've heard what sounded like Asian fishermen I think it was in the 8 Mhz band.

At times like this I wish I had a 1000 watt linear and rotatable 4 element beam antenna for my CB.  I could aim it right at my neighbor's main TV room and entertain them.  They have a monstrous flatscreen that puts out hash and carriers all over the HF spectrum, the loudest ones being 7000 khz and above, and some monstrous hash in the 21 meter SWBC band.

667

Utility / Re: What RTTY Station Is That on 4905 KHz?

« on: July 23, 2013, 0925 UTC »

I heard this 4905 khz RTTY station pounding in tonight around 0629 UTC, and it was also there during re-check of that frequency at 0700.  Sounded like an S5 signal.

PS, I'm located in Washington state.

There's another one just as loud on 4985 khz., which I think I've heard more often.  Not having a decoder, I've no idea who that one is.

668

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: CFRX 6070 AWOL

« on: July 23, 2013, 0917 UTC »

Their signal is making it here to the NW US with readable signals.

On 6030 khz, CKMX's SW relay is usually covered by Marti / jammer, but last night I was actually hearing them on top, with Marti / jammer barely audible underneath them.

6160 CKZU has been stronger than normal over the past couple of nights, although I have to tune left to reduce Radio Havana's splatter.

669

Other / UNID CW, 6970 khz., 0509 UTC, 7/16/2013

« on: July 16, 2013, 0756 UTC »

Tuned into 6970 khz. at 0509z and heard some intermittent, slow CW, no characters, a series of 5 dits, then a dash, then another series of 5 dits, then nothing.

I'm guessing it may have been a ham tuned below band by accident.  Unfortunately, I only tuned in during the last three 'characters'.  Kept the radio on the frequency for a while -- nothing.

670

Utility / Re: What RTTY Station Is That on 4905 KHz?

« on: July 16, 2013, 0750 UTC »

When does this station operate?  I tuned in to 4905 khz. earlier tonight and there was nothing but static.

671

MW Loggings / Re: UNID 1690 kHz July 7, 2013 1807Z

« on: July 16, 2013, 0748 UTC »

Have you taken a portable out with you to do some DFing with the internal loop? Just curious.

RE: internet streams being used: a local station, usually standards (MOYL) at night, was playing some hard core rap (including swearing) for two nights in a row a couple weeks ago.  The program IDed as "66 Raw", which is an internet rap / hip-hop channel.  Obviously, somebody had switched to the wrong channel for overnight music....

The sound was clear -- I didn't hear any artifacts.

So I think its entirely possible your mystery station could be taking audio off the internet.  I know for a long time radio stations used Mp2s of music compressed 4:1.  You could hear the artifacts if you played the music directly off the hard drive, but over the air it was very difficult to hear any, because of the processing.

672

General Radio Discussion / Re: Solar maximum is shaping up to be the weakest in 100 years

« on: July 15, 2013, 1124 UTC »

That's good news for Medium Wave and lower SW band DXers. 

673

Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Brasil Central, 11815 khz., 0534 UTC 7/14/2013

« on: July 15, 2013, 1112 UTC »

Tuned into tropical sounding music and announcements by man in Portuguese, along with jingles for "......Central" (0539z) and ".....Brasil Central" (0542z). 

Through the next half hour or so they played several pop-folk songs with guitars, bass, drums, and accordion predominating, one of them sung by a man, which also sounded like a live recording.

The signal weakened, and then strengthened over the next half hour.

Was much more readable than Super Deus E Amor on 11765, which is from Curitiba, maybe 1000 km further south of this station's location in Goiania (Super Deus E Amor was barely readable).

At 0559 UTC there was a long ID, mentioning kilohertz and Goias, and then more tropical sounding music.

Reception was fair at best, but the best I've heard this station so far.

674

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: CFRX 6070 AWOL

« on: July 10, 2013, 0722 UTC »

Still MIA here in the WA state...  nothing on the channel tonight.

The other Canadian SW stations are still audible, at least part of the time.

6160 -- CKZU was in fairly strong tonight (w/ co-channel QRM and splatter from RHC on 6165).  Usually it's pretty weak but audible.  (CKZN-6160 from NFLD only makes rare appearances...)

6030 -- sometimes CKMX's SW outlet comes in well, but generally it's Marti and the jammer that I hear, with a hint of country music in the mess.

675

Shortwave Broadcast / The Mighty KBC, 9925 khz., 0003 UTC 7/6/2013

« on: July 10, 2013, 0717 UTC »

Saturday (local time) I tuned into 80's sounding pop music on 9925 khz.  The signal was fluttery (like a polar signal).  It turns out it was this KBC station I've read about here.

Heard an ID at 0003z "Jukebox.... good morning, good afternoon from the Mighty K(G)C!!"  Into another pop song with a chick singer.  Another announcement with the DJ mentioning something about the 90's, and into Belinda Carlisle's hit from 1989.

Heard an ID at 0009z, something about "blasting into the stratosphere with 175,000 watts", then another 80's pop song.  ID at 0016z, DJ talking about "the Mighty KBC.... 33rd year (?)... USA, UK and Europe...." The announcer sounded like the American accented guys that used to be on Radio Netherlands.

Signal started weakening from around S3 to S2 or so, and kept deteriorating, after an ID at 0019z ("KBC") and a pop song sung by a guy.  There was another announcement at 0021z ("22 minutes past the hour") -- by then the signal had deteriorated into the noise, audible, but not readable.

Pretty cool mix of 80's music.  Hadn't heard this station before.  The overall conditions were mediocre, there was a high noise level here at my QTH.  Received it on my Panasonic RFB45 and 25 ft. wire.