LWBC in MICHIGAN

[NM8R]

I'm pretty sure I'm hearing two LW BC stations on 252 Kc right now (0239Z).

Thoughts as to sources, anyone?  Both are pretty weak but I would figure one to be Algeria?  Music sounds like AA chant. I'll try to catch the announcer's language.

198 is making a show again tonight and DIW is very weak, again.

183 is in there.  171 only a carrier.

Scott

[NM8R]

Dominant stn on 252 Kc appears to be speaking French.  Unsure of the one in the background. 

171/183/198 (!) all making appearances, too.  I can't stress how unusual it is to hear something on 198, over DIW, here.

An interesting evening.

What are you guys hearing?

Scott

[NM8R]

Talking to myself, here, it seems.

But - the dominant station on 252 is playing AA mx - so I will presume Algeria.

A moment of research reminded me Ireland is still on 252, also.  I thought they had closed it down, but apparently the diaspora prevailed.   Good.

Scott

[pinto vortando]

Talking to myself, here, it seems.

Not really, been reading the posts but unfortunately the local QRM is so bad here in the early evening so as to make any kind of LW reception almost impossible.
Will try again this evening.
Tnx for the reports.

[NM8R]

Update for 02FEB 0141Z (Thursday evening local time):

I am seeing perhaps the strongest signal I have ever encountered from a LW broadcaster, tonight,with 198 Kc at -67 dBm.

183 is almost as strong.

171 is weak. 

It's rare to see a spectrum trace that actually shows modulation peaks as I am seeing tonight.

Scott

[NM8R]

171 has joined the group.  I may go downstairs and try my Zenith R7000.  One other time I heard EU and AF LWBC stations using its internal ferrite rod antenna.  This might be the second time, with signal levels like these.

Scott

[pinto vortando]

Just a muddle of voices down in the noise on 198 last evening.  Sure would like to have your up north noise floor...  QRM in the evening is terrible here.  However, DIW was really pounding in  here last night and early this morning, loudest it has ever been.

[pinto vortando]

LW noise level this evening in suburban hell is -90dbm.  Even so, with the help of the MFJ 1026 it is possible to cancel out enough of the noise to hear voices just at the remaining noise level on 198.  Oddly enough, DIW is nowhere to be heard tonight after blasting in here yesterday.

[refmo]

252 Algeria doing a decent job into Kentucky tonight, with N.African pop music and French speaking YL announcer. S5 to S6.

Also getting audio on 198 for the first time in several years.

Nothing heard on 171, 183, or 216 so far tonight

[NM8R]

Roger that, on Algeria 252.  Nice signal here in Michigan. S8 to S9 by the meter.

And likewise 198 which has some of the best audio in my LW listening tenure.  And as P.V. notes DIW is absent.  That is equally odd.

My noise floor is about -105 dBm.  Not everywhere of course - that was measured cherry picking a frequency with pretty much the lowest level.

Last note - I heard R. Iceland on 189 earlier.  They were playing a Tom Petty song.  They are pretty rare here.

Scott

[NM8R]

REFMO - you have a Wellbrook loop?

 I have a Pixel Pro-1B.  It is good to about 250 Kc's then runs out of gas below, in spite of their advertisement copy.  How does your loop do down low?

BTW, for usual LWBC reception I use an active whip that is German made.  A MIL/commercial marine type unit.  I extended the probe with some hard-drawn refrigeration copper tubing and it is my go-to antenna for all LW work.

[refmo]

Yes, I have a Wellbrook Loop, ALA1530LN.  In my experience with it (about 1 year), the lower the frequency the better it performs compared to my other antennas.
On Longwave, I have never had a better antenna.  It is good down to the limit of my Afedri SDR (about 50 khz) with no sign of bottoming out.
On medium wave, it is still very good - about equal to my pennant on the top end of the AMBC band.
From 3 to 10 MHz, the sensitivity begins to go down, but not bad and it is still very low noise.  It will sometimes beat the pennant and longwire in this range.
Above 10 MHz, the pennant and longwire are almost always better than the loop.  None of my antennas are particularly good above 20 MHz.
The loop is about 120 feet from my house and performs best with the null pointed at the house.
On a good day, my noise floor is around -110dBm.  Good days are getting to be less common though.

[refmo]

Also getting pretty good audio from Iceland on 189.  It has been 3 years or so since I have heard them.
0255 - english pop songs, S5
0256 - "Ventura Highway" America
0304 - "New Rules" by Dua Lipa according to Shazam
0307 - "Flottur Jakki" by Borgardaetur.  This must be an icelandic version of 'Rocking Robin'

Thanks for the heads up, I had overlooked it earlier.

[NM8R]

REFMO,

I would like to compare loop performance at some point.  I may retire my Pixel and go with the Wellbrook as the loop is so much less noisy than the active whip.  But for now, the whip must dominate here.

Next on the agenda: 252 is BIG tonight (0040Z).  It looks like 171 just came up as well.  It is often on a QSB roller coaster here.  198 is in and DIW nowhere to be found.

I agree about 189 Iceland.  It is a rarity here.  I think it must be due to its northerly path.

Scott

[refmo]

At 0045
198 - DIW is fairly strong here tonight, but able to hear some audio from BBC underneath.
183 - is the strongest LWBC signal so far tonight, but its still early
171 - fair signal, which is rare for me
252 - sounding good and getting stronger, probably will surpass 183 very soon
189 - weak audio so far but getting better