After the shutdown of Absolute Radio on 1215 kHz and its neighbouring channels, there are always rare stations to be heard there. A few days ago, for example, DYVS, a religious medium-wave station from Bacolod City, the capital and largest city of the province Negros Occidental on Negros, the third largest island of the Philippines. The 10500 km distant station was heard around 2130 UT on 1233 kHz in Salzburg. Today a confirmation of the station arrived at my home. My 4th confirmed medium wave station from the Philippines.
Due to the shutdown of the Absolute Radio transmitters in Great Britain, the frequency range around 1200-1250 kHz became much quieter in Central Europe. This gave me the opportunity to listen to the CBC North transmitter in Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay), the capital of the Territory of Nunavut, here in Salzburg. CFFB transmits with only 1 kW on medium wave 1230 kHz and could be heard short time in Salzburg last week around 22 UT. The station technician has now confirmed the rare reception, so the territory of Nunavut is also “in the box”.
On 2 February, the signals from Asia and the first signals from Canada were very weak, often a sign for me that Africa could be doing well. Moreover, it was Thursday, so the Sirtaki stations from Greece, which were in almost the same direction of reception, were less active.
And indeed, around 22 UT, I was rewarded with a terrific opening into Southern Africa. Due to my beverage antenna which listens in the direction of 165° to Africa, European stations can be faded out well. For example, on 828 kHz BBC Asian Network from Wolferhampton is broadcasting with its 200 Watt transmitter and can be heard loudly here. By switching the antenna towards Africa, the BBC could no longer be heard, but the Magic 828 announcement from South Africa could. After 2145 UT I could hear Emissor Provincial de Inhambane from Mozambique on 1206 kHz in a quality never received before. The national anthem of Mozambique could then be heard at 22h UT after a precise search on five other frequencies. The stations from Sofala, Tete, Manica, and Niassa have certainly not been heard often in Europe, Emissor Provincial de Cabo Delgado I could already hear in Salzburg.
828 2230 AFS Magic 828, Klipheuwel/Blaauw Blomme Kloof Farm (WC) 9093 km 873 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Sofala, Beira (sfl) 7811 km 963 2203 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Tete, Tete (tte) 7409 km 1026 2203 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Manica, Chimoio (mca) 7720 km 1206 2145 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Inhambane, Inhambane (ihb) 8294 km 1224 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Cabo Delgado, Pemba (cbg) 7296 km 1260 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial do Niassa, Lichinga (nia) 7155 km
For such moments, the work with the antennas and the station is worthwhile and a motivation for the whole year!
WinRadio G33DDC-ExcaliburPro/CSO, NetSDR, Beverage 200 mt. USA 335°, Africa 165°. 3xSplitter Hamparts.shop.
From Jan Šustr – Hamparts.shop there is since today a new 3-way antenna splitter. The distributor has really excellent technical values, for example an IP3 of 34 dBm, an adjustable preamplifier, is very economical in power consumption and mechanically very cleanly worked. All this at a really reasonable price of only 115 euros! I was able to buy the distributor already a few weeks ago and test it at my station since then – a clear recommendation! All details and ordering option: https://hamparts.shop/3-way-active-splitter-in-box.html
On January 18, 2023 the result of the TOP 10 DX OF THE YEAR Contest 2022 was announced. I could win the contest again after 2021, but the gap to the second place for Laszlo Budai was very small. A really exciting contest, which will be held again next December.
The last day were quite nice signals to hear, even if everything is concentrated with few exceptions on the East Coast.
1130 0100 USA WBBR, New York (NY) 6592 km 1140 0100 CAN CBI, Sydney (NS) 5344 km 1200 0100 USA WXKS, Newton (MA) 6304 km 1270 0100 CAN CJCB, Sydney (NS) 5336 km 1290 0100 USA WKBK, Keene (NH) 6333 km 1320 0100 CAN CJMR, Oakville (ON) 6769 km 1400 0100 CAN CBG, Gander (NL) 4824 km 1430 0100 CAN CHKT, Toronto Island (ON) 6735 km 1500 0100 USA WFED, Washington (DC) 6915 km 1510 0100 USA WLAC, Nashville (TN) 7750 km 1520 0100 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6762 km 1580 0100 CAN CKDO, Oshawa (ON) 6679 km 1600 0100 USA WUNR, Brookline (MA) 6304 km 1610 0102 CAN CHHA, Toronto (ON) 6731 km 1620 0100 CUB Radio Rebelde, Guanabacoa (ch) 8504 km 1650 0100 USA WJFV, Portsmouth (VA) 7028 km 1650 0100 CAN CINA, Mississauga (ON) 6750 km 1660 0100 USA WWRU, Jersey City (D) (NJ) 6593 km 1670 0100 USA WMGE, Dry Branch (GA) 7819 km 1690 0100 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6938 km
WinRadio G33DDC-ExcaliburPro/CSO, Beverage 200 mt. USA 335°, Africa 165°.
Yesterday’s Radio DX from Norfolk Island test broadcast on January 14, 2023, was a challenge for man and machine. Nick got up especially at 0415 local time on Norfolk to broadcast from 1630-1830 UT with only 200 watt in the tropical band on 5.045 kHz. The signal was visible from the start of transmission here in Salzburg, first audio signal just before sunrise, the “sunrise enhancement” of the ionosphere exactly at sunrise in Norfolk just after 1800 UT worked perfectly. Although the signal from the Pacific island 16,998 km away could be heard at most with S3, it may have been close to the optimum for the transmission path. The test transmission ended at 1827 UT, and three minutes later the morning program from Vanuatu, exactly 1,000 km closer, began on the adjacent channel 5040 kHz, transmitted via the 2 kW transmitter in Port Vila. This signal from the Pacific was heard with S7 in Salzburg, the best reception this winter.
I listened to both signals on WinRadio G33 Excalibur PRO SDR on my 25 mt. K9AY antenna with technology from RemoteQTH – https://hamparts.shop
A big thank you to Nick Hacko VK9DX for doing this test broadcast for Europe, to hear a shortwave broadcast station from Norfolk Island in Central Europe is a rare experience.
Nick, VK9DX, is currently on Norfolk Island, an island in the Pacific Ocean that belongs to Australia. In addition to his amateur radio activities, Nick holds a broadcast license to operate a radio station on 5,045 kHz in the tropical band since 2022.
So far there have been three test transmissions on local evening on Norfolk, another is today, Friday around 0730/0830 UT. Very difficult to receive for Europe as already too far in daylight. I made Nick the suggestion of a test transmission for European DXers, the reception window between 17-20 UT would be very favorable now at the turn of the year, the broadcast stations of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu rarely but still to be heard on 5 MHz.
And indeed, in the coming days, probably Sunday or Monday – while Nick is still on the island – there will be a short test broadcast between 16.30 – 18.30 UT from Norfolk!
An extremely rare opportunity to hear RadioDX from the Pacific in Europe.
remotedx 