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Topics - Paul B. Walker, Jr.

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31
MW Loggings / TWO Station DX Test with SSTV Apr 8/9
« on: April 03, 2023, 1804 UTC »
The Courtesy Program Committee (CPC) of the National Radio Club and International Radio Club of America are proud to announce another “Dual DX Test” this weekend.

Chief Engineer Todd Clark will be doing maintenance testing starting on Saturday, April 8th at 12:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time (0601 UTC) when KJJR, 880 AM, will be testing on daytime power and pattern. 10,000 watts. Programming will consist of sweep tones, Morse Code IDs, 1 kHz “long duration tones,” etc. The test will last two hours, until 02:00 AM Mountain Time.

Part two of the dual test is the next day, Sunday, April 9th, at 12:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time (0601 UTC) when KSEN, 1150 AM, will be testing on daytime power and pattern. 10,000 watts. Programming will consist of sweep tones, Morse Code IDs, 1 kHz “long duration tones,” etc. The test will last two hours, until 02:00 AM Mountain Time.

SSTV (Slow-Scan TV) Tests

Both tests will also feature the transmission of Slow-Scan TV images commonly used by amateur radio operators and increasingly by shortwave broadcasters.

The images are transmitted as audio tones in Scottie 1 format. KDWN recently used this same format in Las Vegas during their signoff DX Tests. SSTV requires computer software to decode. This can be done using an audio connection to your PC or holding a cell phone near your speaker.

SSTV is straightforward and works great. You can get reasonable images by picking up audio with your laptop without wiring.

Download the free MMSSTV app and try it out:

hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php

Another great app for Mac or PC is Fldigi from http://www.w1hkj.com/.

You can also search the App store on your iPhone or Google Play for Android for “SSTV.” Lots of great apps are available.

Highly recommend you test BEFORE the weekend. The best bet is to tune to 14.233 MHz in USB mode if you have a shortwave receiver. Lots of activity there most of the day.
--

++ Note: SSTV is not a weak-signal mode like FT8. If you cannot copy the Morse Code and sweep tones, you will unlikely decode an SSTV image successfully.

It’s a fun mode, not a miracle mode.


QSL INFORMATION

At the station’s request, the Courtesy Program Committee will be responsible for verifying reception reports and issuing QSLs. All reception reports should be emailed to:

dx@highnoonfilm.com

The new QSL rules for CPC-coordinated tests will be in effect for this test. Please read them carefully.

SPECIAL THANKS

A big thank you to Chief Engineer Todd Clark who agreed to include SSTV and allow us to test this mode as an option for future tests. Also to Paul Walker, who arranged for all this.

And to Rob Keeney who encoded the images into SSTV format and provided technical expertise on incorporating them into our files.

NEW QSL RULES FOR THE 2022-2023 SEASON

DX Tests are arranged by the Courtesy Program Committee of the National Radio Club (NRC) and the International Radio Club of America (IRCA.) Both clubs offer low-cost, online-only memberships. It is appropriate that those seeking QSLs should support the clubs financially. Please indicate in your request which club you are a member of. It may improve the response time for your QSL.

QSL requests for DX Tests where the CPC will issue QSLs must be received within 30 days of the test.

A brief recording of at least two (2) minutes must be submitted. .MP3, .wav, or .MP4 video formats accepted. No written reports unless accompanied by a recording.

No remote receivers (Internet-based) will be accepted for QSLs. The exceptions to this rule are as follows:   

A.) If you constructed the remote receiver, maintained it, or contributed money towards those purposes, you may use it to submit reception reports. Examples would be DXers who built remote receivers in low-noise locations but operate from home.

B.) Internet-based receivers you don’t own are only acceptable if they are more than 500 miles from the transmitter of the test station. You must fully disclose which receiver was used, including its URL. If the owner is known, please provide their name so they may receive credit. Include the distance of the receiver in miles from the transmitter site.

C.) Only one QSL will be issued per DXer, even if they operate multiple remote receiver sites or use more than one remote receiver at distances of 500 miles to receive the station.

QSLs will be issued only after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 DX Season. Generally, this will occur in April. We will send out group emails when QSLs are issued.

Unpaid volunteers perform all work in verifying reports and sending you a QSL. We all have jobs, spouses, kids, and lives. Be patient. Be nice.

32
Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Vanuatu 5040khz Apr 1 0830UTC
« on: April 01, 2023, 0852 UTC »
Noted at 0832UTC with a Radio Vanuatu announcer talking an Australian about something, I didn't catch what.. its late here. S9+10 or better signal and off schedule. 3945 should be on now. I haven't heard 7260 in awhile but I haven't looked for it really.. However, 5040 sounds strong and better than anything else ive heard form Vanuatu in awhile

I didnt note SIBC 5020 on either but as well, the last6 few times ive heard them, 5020 had modulation in the toilet.

33
MW Loggings / Upcoming DX Test With SSTV!
« on: March 31, 2023, 1754 UTC »
Les And I from the DX Test committee are working out the particulars and he'll release the details in the next few days... but we'll have a 2 station DX test and both will contain a slow scan tv image!

34
Some of you have probably heard/seen me talk about Rádio Nacional de Amazonias (Brazil) on 11780khz in the past here or in other online DX gatherings, it's my favorite SW signal to date. It's 100kw from near Brasilia beamed to the northern amazon regions of the country


Well, I've talked about how strong it can be. The clip in the link below is from Wednesday afternoon AK time, Thursday morning UTC

S9+55 on peaks, S9+20 nominal. Zero noise, zero fading, almost as good as FM Mono!! I use an ATS25max radio , an emtech zm2 tuner, a DXE preamp and a 15 foot wellbrook loop


Audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PwF7B2d5yZwFlUnRaNYZ3xD3o7UkPN0j/view?usp=share_link

35
I suspect this may be a pirate, no ones listed using this frequency at any point and it sounds kinda amatuerish.

Someone is playing instrumental jazz, with dead air between the tracks and one amatuer sounding liner, "what music will you take to the fortress? jazz for the end of the world"   0300UTC hour Mar 14 in alaska. I heard it about a month or two ago with a covid themed talk show, giving out a web address that didnt work. 

Signal is pretty good with some fades. but nothing that totally makes reception go away.

36
Shortwave Broadcast / La Montana Colombia 4940k 0714UTC Wed Mar 8
« on: March 08, 2023, 0814 UTC »
Just back to back music, one song I heard sounded like a 100 year old record being played on a 100 year old record player

15 foot wellbrook loop, dxe preamp, ats25max radio and emtech zm2 tuner in alaska

37
I logged two Aussie Shortwave outlets in Alaska tonight between 0830 and 0915UTC  March 7th. 

I had Paul Karlstrand engineered, Al Kirton operated 4KZ 5055khz progressively getting better as I approached 0900UTC.  Pretty decent signal!!

I also had what should be Bay Islands Radio on 5045khz but while i dont have internet at my DX spot, I have my cell phone and was texting with a friend who had the stream for Bay Islands Radio up and what I had didn't match the stream. as I got past 0900UTC, 5045 got REAL good!!

38
Shortwave Broadcast / R. Mali 5995 0620UTC Feb 24
« on: February 24, 2023, 0638 UTC »
RTV Mali 5995khz, 50KW non directional via Bamako at 0620UTC Feb 24th in Alaska with some African continent music t hen some Quranic sounding chanting.  ATS25 Max radio, 15 foot wellbrook loop, DXE preamp and Emtech tuner.  DEcent to good signal, audio is a bit undercooked and a bit muffled.

39
Other / Russian Nat'l Anthem Loop 9310 USB 3 FEB 2023
« on: February 09, 2023, 0452 UTC »
Sorry, sorry for being so so late to post a log and audio.. I'm kept busy by my job and DX'ing. I'm basically working or Dxing and when Dxing I focus on logging, not posting.

Back on Feb 3rd at 0519UTC, I had a pirate on 9310kHz USB at my Alaska QTH with cruddy audio running the Russian national anthem over and over again in a loop. The cruddy audio is partly them and the radio's USB function drifting a bit in the cold.

Here's the audio:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Itv0i4sN85yhhUojKkUIpIus4gEN_41U/view?usp=share_link

40
Utility / UVB76 The Buzzer, but NOT on 4625! (Jan 29 in alaska)
« on: February 09, 2023, 0414 UTC »
After 4 years in Alaska, 1 1/2 in Galena and currently nearly 2 1/2 in McGrath, I finally logged UVB76 "The Buzzer" but not on 4625khz and no one in the DX/hobby community I spoke to knew of or heard of The buzzer anywhere else...

However , Jan 29th I logged "The Buzzer" on 9705khz! At 2125UTC, I tuned across the dial and had a decent signal from Vatican Radio in Portuguese, but there was this "noise" under it I didn't initially recognize.

It took me a minute to make out that it wasnt any digital data, weather Fax, etc and when I pulled up someones youtube stream, what I had on 9705 was a perfect match to 4625. After 3 minutes and 10 seconds, the Vatican program signs off and The Buzzer is in the clear.

Here's the audio:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_aVyos_ILeNYHX9s2mkVxf5VJASaUQEa/view?usp=share_link

41
Shortwave Broadcast / delete
« on: January 27, 2023, 0147 UTC »
delete

42
Shortwave Broadcast / VOA Hausa 11850 Jan 23 2045UTC
« on: January 23, 2023, 2150 UTC »
Killer S9 plus 50 signal with zero fading or noise with a current news report/discussion Jan 23 at 1945 in McGrath, alaska

43
Shortwave Broadcast / R. Brasil Central 4985kHz 0113UTC Jan 21
« on: January 21, 2023, 0154 UTC »
SW LOG OF THE WEEK! Radio Brasil Central 4985kHz 10KW Non Directional from Goiania, Brazil at 0113UTC Jan 21st in McGrath, Alaska. Heard with a BEATLES! Song. I got lucky, because this song really stuck out of the noise, I recognized it immediately and was able to match it to the 7.5KW 11815kHz beamed at 359 deg az.

44

This is Voice of America on 9775kHz via Botswana to N. Africa, beamed at 340 deg. azimuth in the 0300UTC hour Jan 19th. Look at that killer signal and massively low noise floor!
 
Well, here's a look at why it's so good..... follow the 340 deg. az line.. where does it go? within a few hundred miles east of me and as one engineer put it, it's probably a pretty wide beam... and a few hundred miles in HF isnt much.

Plus, it's probably a bit enhanced as it travels because it comes real close to or goes over the pole.

This is why I get excited about HF DX... way outside the target area, yet in exactly the right place for a killer signal!!



45
Shortwave Broadcast / VMW Wiluna WA Aus 6230kHz Jan 12 1930UTC
« on: January 12, 2023, 2241 UTC »
Pretty strong, understandable signal considering its like 12,000km away and only 1kw. The aussie accent stuck out even when tuning by in AM mode, had to switch to usb obviously. It was dark there and just beginning to get light here

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