Messages

706

Longwave Loggings / Re: Michigan NDB logs

« on: July 21, 2018, 0933 UTC »

I acquired these MI logs while antenna testing last week

2018-07-06  1439  254.0  MB   Manistee, MI, USA  319 Km
2018-07-06  1442  257.0  MB   Saginaw, MI, USA  367 Km
2018-07-06  2212  263.0  GR   Grand Rapids, MI, USA  253 Km
2018-07-06  1558  344.0  ES    Escanaba, MI, USA  446 Km

Have not heard 257  MB  Saginaw all week.  Propagation has been mostly wall to wall static lately but in the past it has had good sigs in here day and night regardless.

btw...  interesting Manistee and Saginaw same identifier only 3 kc and less than 150 mi apart

707

Longwave Loggings / Re: Michigan NDB logs

« on: July 21, 2018, 0918 UTC »

Funny... SJX, I was trying for quite a while to get that one last night but never did.

SJX is an infrequent visitor here. 

708

Longwave Loggings / Re: NDB Logs for July 2018

« on: July 21, 2018, 0913 UTC »

L-G,

Are these loggings with ur new R-75 ?

709

Equipment / Re: MFJ noise filters for NDB DXing...

« on: July 20, 2018, 0847 UTC »

There is no one magic box that will fix all the noise issues on LW freqs.
If power line noise is your biggest problem, first make sure that the source is not from some device(s)
on your own property.  Better to quench it at the source than with some add-on box at your receiver.
If you decide to give the MFJ 1026 a try, it will have to be modified to work on the NDB band...
plenty of info on the internet on how to fix it.

710

Equipment / Re: MFJ noise filters for NDB DXing...

« on: July 19, 2018, 2309 UTC »

Have several MFJ boxes here that are used for NDB DX.  Have had good luck with the 722B Optimizer Filter as well as the 1020C Active Antenna used as a preselector.
Also have the 1026 Noise Cancelling unit but had to modify it to cover LW.  Have had some good results with the 956 Tuner, helps cut down some of the spurs. 

711

Equipment / Re: Favorite coax for HF receive antennas ?

« on: July 19, 2018, 2257 UTC »

RG-6...  it's cheap, readily available, low loss, and easy to work with.  Use it around here for just about everything.
Costs less than .10/ft and have even scored it for free.  The gel filled stuff is for direct bury but is more expensive and messy to work with.
IHMO, for hobby use, the general purpose cable will be fine in the ground as long as the outer jacket isn't damaged.
Just slit the turf and stick it in the ground an inch or two.
However, always call the utility cable locator before digging.
For example, the phone and cable guys use the same shallow technique...
you don't want to hit anything.
Also, be aware if there are underground lawn sprinklers those pipes and wires can be very shallow buried.

712

North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: UNID 1650 AM 2145 UTC 18 Jul 2018

« on: July 19, 2018, 0852 UTC »

Couldn't find any regular X-band station using that format or slogan unless they have recently changed formats.
So, did some quick internet research and it looks like there is a station that claims to be a low power Part 15 AM operation on 1650 out of Texas using call letters KLRP.
They have a country format.
Nice catch in MD if that is what you heard. 

713

Longwave Loggings / Re: Radio Europe 1 - 183 AM 0100 UTC 04 Jul 2018

« on: July 15, 2018, 2147 UTC »

Wow !  Long haul catch...  nice. 

714

Longwave Loggings / Michigan NDB logs

« on: July 15, 2018, 1708 UTC »

All Michigan all the time.
Heard the following beacons this morning just before sunrise:

278  ADG   Adrian
332  PH     Port Huron
338  DE     Detroit
336  MA     Cadillac  (miskeys as MET)
359  GYG   Grayling
365  TV     Traverse City
382  IRS    Sturgis
382  SJX    Beaver Island  (never got the full ID on this one, mixing with IRS and XU London ON on same freq)
400  CI      Sault Ste. Marie

not heard:  257  MB  Saginaw Tri-City
                 269  FN  Flint Bishop (was decommissioned in May this year)

Just want to get these logged while they are still on the air...  we've lost at least 5 in the past several years.
Anybody else with Michigan logs feel free to post 'em here.

715

Equipment / Re: Alinco DX R-8 Comms receiver, a good radio?

« on: July 09, 2018, 2106 UTC »

Thanks Pinto Vortando, after a little more reading around the net I have decided to go for the Icom R-75, paid for it today so should be here by the end of the week. 

Will be glad to decommission the Tecsun 2000 and relegate it to VHF aircraft monitoring, which is about the only thing it does really well!

L-G,

Sounds good.  I really like my Alinco but if a new IC-R75 were available I would grab it.  Amazing that you were able to find a new R75 as they were discontinued about 2 years ago.
IIRC, the late production radios included the DSP unit.  However, you may want to look into some optional narrow filters especially if you like to chase NDBs.  My Satellit 750 (similar to the Tecsun 2000) is a nice radio for casual listening but it is not a communications receiver.  With a good antenna, it is so-so on LW but pretty good on MW AM and HF SWL.  FM performance is lacking. It is quite good on VHF AM aircraft reception even with just the internal whip antenna. 

Anyway, enjoy your Icom, looks like a very enjoyable radio to operate...  not a lot of layers of menu nonsense. 
Let us know how you like it when you get it up and running.

716

Equipment / Re: Icom IC R-75 comms receiver, your opinion?

« on: July 08, 2018, 0202 UTC »

Hmmm...  odd that it costs less than the Alinco you were looking at in your other post.
Make sure that it is actually brand new and not a returned or repaired unit. 
Otherwise, the R75 enjoys a good reputation.

717

Equipment / Re: Alinco DX R-8 Comms receiver, a good radio?

« on: July 08, 2018, 0154 UTC »

Have the Alinco DX-SR8T transceiver here.   Got the transceiver as it only cost a bit more than the DX-R8 receiver, but rarely use it for TX, got it mostly for SWL...  mostly LW NDBs and MW AM BCB DXing.  The receiver in the transceiver specs and operating instructions appear to be very similar to those of the stand alone receiver, however, the transceiver RX lacks the SDR output if that matters to you.

This was my first Alinco radio so didn't know what to expect but have had the radio for a couple of years now and have been quite pleased with it.  Yes, the buttons are a bit small but not really a problem for me.  The radio measures about 10" W X 4" H x 11" D...  maybe a bit "small' but the display is large and bright.  Audio out of the small front facing speaker is surprisingly good but most of my listening is done with headphones.  By today's standard, a very simple radio to use.  Very simple menu, easy to understand instructions,  about as intuitive as it gets nowadays.  The receiver is very good on LW, very sensitive,  good selectivity and filtering too... can easily pull a Canadian 400 cycle NDB out from between the sidebands of a 1020 cycle modulated U.S. NDB on the same frequency.

Have not used it that much for HF SWLing but it does a good job receiving the aviation VOLMET stations.

Overall, very happy with the Alinco radio. 

718

Longwave Loggings / Re: Why we don't DX LW NDBs in the summer

« on: July 01, 2018, 1546 UTC »

I agree and can see that with the DGPS stations (283.5 - 325 kHz). Most days are quite pathetic. However, last week(?) there were a couple of days of decent propagation. Propagation for June 30, 2018 was absolutely horrible.

Log 'em while you can...  another half-dozen or so get turned off this year with the remainder terminated over the next two years.

719

Longwave Loggings / Re: Why we don't DX LW NDBs in the summer

« on: June 30, 2018, 2056 UTC »

Seems like the LW band has been especially noisy this summer.  Have pretty much hung up the cans here until Autumn. 

720

Longwave Loggings / Re: Take Off to the Great White North

« on: June 16, 2018, 0059 UTC »

Given your location you probably heard YPL.  It puts out a good signal.  In fact, at night it covers the more local to me XU London ON on the same freq.
Try www.dxinfocentre.com.  Lots of good stuff there including a list of NDBs.