WJXL Jacksonville FL 1010 QSL

A surprise appearance of WJXL Jacksonville FL on 1010 kHz was noted for the first time (A South African First) during the early hours on the 1st November. The reception occurred at my QTH in Fish Hoek, via a recently acquired ICOM IC-R71E and an ALA 1530 loop antenna, suspended from my cupboard door. Co-channel WINS New York NY is the usual dominant station from the USA to make it through under favourable propagation conditions from North America.

I received a friendly email reply last night from WJXL's Programming Consultant, Tom Fridley who kindly verified my audio clip and reception report :

" ... Gary, What a pleasant surprise it was to read your thoughtful note and listen to the sound clip – indeed, it is our station in Jacksonville, FL. I am fascinated by your account and the detail with which you presented the information. I also took a quick look at your web site and was very impressed. And what a beautiful place it appears that you live ... I will share your email with others here at 1010 XL ... Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness! ~ Tom ... "

Thank you Tom for your interest and kind response !

4QL Longreach 540 QSL and Audio

A rare appearance of 4QL Longreach on 540 kHz on the 11th October 2007 included a local ABC Western Queensland id and weather report at the beginning of the breakfast programme.

 

Kevin McAlinden from the ABC kindly verified my reception report this morning and added : 

" ... I can confirm that you received the ABC Western Queensland Local Radio service that broadcasts on 540 kHz from our transmitter site at Longreach, Queensland. This is a 10kW ERP omnidirectional service with vertical polarisation. Thank you for the great photos and links. Best wishes to South Africa in this weekend's Rugby World Cup final ... "

Thanks Kevin for the reply and well wishes for the Rugby World Cup !

Audio

4RO Rockhampton QLD 990 QSL

The excellent reception conditions from Australia on the 11th October included 10 stations from Queensland which managed to make it through to Fish Hoek.

It was a surprise to receive 4RO Rockhampton for the first time (Another South African first). The station was heard with co-channel 6RPH Perth, the usual dominant Australian station on 990 kHz.

I received a prompt friendly reply from Michael Bailey who kindly responded to my email reception report this morning : " ... Well Hello South Africa. Hi Gary Yes that is us from the Land Downunder Well Done. Why don't you send over some of your music and I will give it a spin and best of luck in the rugby. Cheers Michael ... "

Thanks Michael for the reply and well wishes for the Rugby Final !

Radio Larrakia Darwin NT 94.5 FM QSL

Donna Odegaard, Chief Executive Officer of Radio Larrakia, Darwin NT kindly replied to my report regarding the recent reception of their FM station via 6WR Waringarri Radio on 693 kHz. She mentioned that station operations manager Steve Mclachlan would also respond accordingly.

During an internet search this evening I was a surprised to find my report and low res pics on Radio Larrakia's web site !

Check out http://www.radiolarrakia.org/home22222

I guess that this could be regarded as an on-line " FM via AM " verification - certainly my first !

3UZ Melbourne VIC 927 QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear 3UZ Radio Sport 927, Melbourne for the first time on the 14th September (A possible South African first). The station also made it through during the following evening on the 15th September with a few clear id's.

Chief Engineer Kelvin Brown kindly verified my report this week and added : " ... The audio quality was not too bad considering the distance and possibly a couple of bounces of the ionosphere ... We use a 5kW Nautel transmitter into a single vertical antenna. The transmitter is located at Lower Plenty which is approximately 15 kilometres from Melbourne Victoria ... "

2BL Sydney NSW 702 QSL

2BL Sydney is the flagship station of the ABC Local Radio Network and the first full-time radio station in Australia, having commenced broadcasting on the 23 November 1923.

6KP Karratha is the usual dominant Australian station on 702 kHz to make it through to Fish Hoek. An interesting one second delay of // ABC programming was noted on 702 kHz during the evening of the 15th September.

A lucky propagation break resulted in a local id from co-channel 2BL Sydney for the first time (A possible South African first). It was also unusual to hear signals from both the east and west coast of Australia simultaneously on the same frequency !

Natalie from 702 ABC Sydney kindly verified my email report.

6WB Kununurra WA 693 QSL

The north-eastern part of Western Australia, including the Northern Territory, can be quite a challenge to receive at Fish Hoek. Situated in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the town of Kununurra is only 30 km west of the Northern Territory border.

I was fortunate to hear 6WB Kununurra on 693 kHz during two consecutive evenings at the sports field location. Station identifications of 989 FM (14th September)and 94.5 FM Radio Larrakia, Darwin (15th September) were noted for the first time. Relays of both stations are carried during the local early hours.

General Manager Colin Cameron kindly verified my e-report this morning with a friendly reply : " ... Congratulations on taking the trouble in today's modern world to find distant stations on the AM Band. Without doubt that would be one of the best long distant reports I have ever come across ... "

1410 CFUN Vancouver BC received at Seefontein !

The astonishing reception of Canadian MW station CFUN, Vancouver BC on 1410 khz by fellow South African dxer John Plimmer occurred during a recent Dxpedition to Seefontein. In John's own words : " ... Quite the best catch I ever got in my life and the only station I have ever recorded West of the Rockies ... "

A recording of the actual reception on the 14th September has been included at the beginning of the audio clips section. John used his Icom IC-756 PRO III via a 300 m BOG (Beverage On Ground) "over the Shoulder " towards North America.

So far as I'm aware this is a new South African record. 1410 CFUN is the most distant Canadian MW station to reach South Africa at over 16 500 km. It is also the first MW station from British Columbia to be heard in SA. The station is almost 2000 km further away than CBW Winnipeg, Manitoba which I was fortunate to receive over 20 years ago.

Congratulations John on an amazing dx achievement and one of the best dx catches in years !

John also received a reply, on the 21st September, from CFUN Program Manager Stu Ferguson who kindly verified the reception.

YEMEN YRTC Aden 792 QSL

Millers Point is a good location for the reception of stations from Asia and the Far East. The actual dx location is close to Castle Rock which is situated a little further south along the coastal road towards Cape Point, approximately 100 metres above sea level. A steep cliff face on the inland side of the road allows for a 50 metre "over the shoulder" long wire antenna with an approximate 30 degree slope towards the south-east.

Good reception from the Middle East and Asia during the early evening of the 19th June included a fair and consistent signal from Yemen Radio, Program 2, English service on 792 kHz.

Engineer and Technical Director Ali Ahmed Tashy kindly verified my email report this evening.

Ganzekraal DXpedition Report - 9th to 12th August 2007

Another recent and relaxing holiday with the family to the serene coastal resort of Ganzekraal on the Atlantic west coast included some interesting AM dxing. Listening from the 9th to 12th August at the beach chalet (pic above) offered the following advantages :

* An elevated position overlooking the bay

* Only 50 meters from the shore line

* A really quiet noise floor when using 12v DC as a power source

* The ability to take full advantage of the ultra quiet circuit of the FRG7 via the preselector

* The reception of Far East stations from around 1430 UTC (4:30 pm local) with the sun still quite high up in the sky !

I set up an 80 m antenna which began as a sloper from the west side of the roof of the chalet and gradually progressed to a BOG (Beverage On Ground) directed towards South America.

Good evening reception was experienced off the back end of the sloper/BOG with some strong signals from China, India, Malaysia and Taiwan. Fangliao, Taiwan on 1503 kHz was usually the first station to fade up at around 1430 UTC.

A pleasant surprise was the reception of the Seychelles on MW for the first time ! I have been trying to hear this station for the past 30 years ! To the best of my knowledge this may also be the first time that the Seychelles has been heard on MW in South Africa.

Other highlights included the reception of Japan (1242, 1278 and 1413 kHz), the Philippines (1062, 1314, 1512 and 1530 kHz) and Zanzibar (585 kHz).

Early morning reception was much the same as experienced during the last visit with Brazil and Argentina dominating the band again. A few of the usual stations from the USA and the Caribbean were also noted briefly around local dawn. Strong peaks from 1640 WTNI and 1660 WWRU were by far the most regular of the few X banders noted from the USA.

The highlights : 

Freq Time Country Station

585 1805 ZANZIBAR Voice of Tanzania, Chumbum w news in EE and id as " ... This news is comming to you from Spice FM ... " - fair 10/8

585 1727 INDIA AIR Mumbai w cricket comm India vs England - poor 9/8

720 1631 INDIA AIR Chennai w news in EE - poor 10/8

801 1608 INDIA AIR Jabalpur w cricket comm - poor 9/8

927 1708 INDIA AIR Visakhapatnam w cricket comm - poor 10/8

936 1708 INDIA AIR Tiruchirapalli w cricket comm - fair 9/8

1044 1635 INDIA AIR Mumbai w cricket comm - fair 11/8

1062 1544 PHILIPPINES DZEC Pasig w EZ listening mx incl. "As Time Goes By" - fair 10/8

1098 1600 CHINA RTI Kouhu w "RTI News" - fair 9/8

1134 1624 CHINA CNR1 w ads // 1593 kHz - fair 10/8

1152 1615 PAKISTAN PBC Islamabad in EE w News and Current Affairs - fair 11/8

1242 1604 INDIA AIR Varanisi w cricket comm - fair 11/8

1242 1720 JAPAN JOLF Tokyo w anns - poor (heard briefly) 9/8

1278 1718 JAPAN JOFR Fukuoka w ads and RKB id - fair 9/8

1314 1522 PHILIPPINES DWXI Paranaque - poor 9/8

1323 1606 CHINA CRI in EE w "News Update" - excellent 11/8

1332 1615 PAKISTAN PBC in EE // 1152 - poor 11/8

1368 1738 SEYCHELLES SBC Victoria w live rock concert and some distinctive Mauritian inspired Sega music just before the National Anthem at 1800 UTC followed by s/off. Really pleased with the reception of this Indian Ocean island for the first time after more than 30 years of trying to hear the MW signal ! - very poor 10/8

1368 1804 CHINA Guangshui w anns - fair w good peaks 9/8

1377 1624 CHINA CNR1 Zhengzhou w ads and id // 1593 - very good 10/8

1395 1537 INDIA AIR Bikaner/Chennai w news in EE - poor 10/8

1395 1802 CHINA RGD Silingol w local mx - fair 9/8

1413 1717 JAPAN JOIF Fukuoka w anns - fair 9/8

1449 1610 MALDIVES Voice of Maldives Male in EE w news headlines and wx - fair w good peaks 10/8

1458 1636 MAYOTTE Radio Mayotte Pamandzi in FF w mx and anns - excellent 10/8

1467 1615 INDIA AIR Jeypore w cricket comm - fair peaks 10/8

1467 1546 THAILAND So.Wor.So Sathaanii, Bangkok w discussion - fair peaks 11/8

1475 1520 MALAYSIA Radio Malaysia w EE pops incl "The Look Of Love" and National Anthem w s/off at 1534 UTC - good peaks 10/8

1512 1547 PHILIPPINES DYAB Cebu, Philippines w talk back - poor 9/8

1530 1548 PHILIPPINES DZME w religious px - fair 9/8

1566 1539 INDIA AIR Nagpur w news in EE - very good 10/8

1575 1533 THAILAND VOA Ayutthaya news in special EE - good peaks 9/8

1593 1626 CHINA CNR1 w ads - good 10/8

2VM Moree NSW 1530 QSL

The excellent reception from Australia on the 13th April included a surprise appearance of 2VM Moree, New South Wales on 1530 kHz for the first time at Fish Hoek (and possibly South Africa).

I was fortunate to hear the station id at the beginning of a weather report at 1705 hours UTC before the CMR (Country Music Radio) network program relay.

Today I received a QSL letter and stickers from General Manager Pat Hetherington who kindly verified my reception report. He added that the station uses a RCA Ampliphase transmitter and broadcasts from a five-eigth length mast with a power of 2 kw.

ARGENTINA LR6 Radio Mitre Buenos Aires 790 QSL

A strong presence from Argentina was noted across the band during the early mornings at the recent Jongensgat DXpedition. LR6 Radio Mitre, Buenos Aires on 790 kHz was heard on the 17th April at a good consistent level with surprising peaks !

Monica de Carvalho (co-presenter of the program " Noche de Gallos ") kindly verified my Spanish report via email this evening. A brief recording of the signal (a program promo for "Noche de Gallos") has been added to the beginning of the audio clips section.

MALAWI MBC Radio 1 Lilongwe 594 QSL and Audio

Sunnyside is a picturesque resort which is situated north of Lesotho in the Free State, just past the Golden Gate Nature Reserve. The colourful sandstone formations in front of the resort are truly spectacular (pic above).

A family holiday in June/July 2005 included a memorable stay at Sunnyside. I took along the FRG7. Space allowed for an 80 m BOG which was directed towards the north. Africa and the Middle East were heard with strong signals. Although many of these stations are regularly heard throughout South Africa, the strength and clarity of dx from the African continent was the best I had ever experienced. Visit http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/kwazulu_2005_06-07.dx for a detailed report.

MBC Radio 1 from Lilongwe, Malawi was received on 594 kHz with a huge signal during a cold, teeth-chattering morning of minus 7 degrees C on the 29th June 2005. The excellent quality of the reception, included at the beginning of the audio clips section, inspired me to email a report to the station this week.

MBC Director of Engineering Joe Chikagwa kindly verified my e-report this evening. He added that they were currently not broadcasting on 594 kHz due to a lack of some spares but would advise as soon as they get back on air.

3SH Swan Hill VIC 1332 QSL

Stations from Victoria also manage to get through to Fish Hoek on rare occasions during very quiet solar conditions. 1332 3SH Swan Hill was heard with fair peaks during the excellent reception conditions experienced on the 13th April 2007.

It was a pleasant surprise to receive the following friendly reply from Program Director Len Johns who kindly verified my e-report this morning :

" ... Hey Gary, Yep, it is our station! We are amazed at how far the signal can travel when conditions are right ! We have heard of people receiving our signal throughout Australia but definitely not in South Africa ... Thanks for the email, very interesting & you’re the talk of the morning - might even mention this email on my radio shift this afternoon. The show you were listening to was The Travelling Fisherman ! – a show about where the fish are biting ! ... Having a look at the photos you live in a beautiful part of the world ! "

2CA Canberra ACT 1053 QSL 2

I was fortunate to receive a second verification from 2CA Canberra this evening. Announcer Thomas McCoy sent a friendly email reply confirming the reception on the 11th May.

Part of the reply :

" ... Thanks for taking the time to write to us with such a fascinating message. We normally beam a fairly good signal up and down the East Coast of Australia during the evenings, which spans a distance of a few thousand kilometres. But to skip right across to Cape Town, at almost 11,000 kilometres away, is absolutely amazing ... I've checked our schedule and can confirm that you were definitely listening to us... Anyway, thanks again for getting in touch. And if you're ever in Canberra we'd be happy to show you our facilities ... "

My sincere thanks to Thomas and Gerry for kindly taking the time to reply and for showing an interest in a distant listener way beyond their normal coverage area !

2CA Canberra ACT 1053 QSL

New South Wales is rarely heard in Fish Hoek due to signal absorbtion from the auroral zone around the South Pole. However, stations from that part of the world do manage to get through during very quiet solar conditions.

2CA Canberra on 1053 kHz has been received at the location behind the Fish Hoek sports field on rare occasions. I was fortunate to hear two id's in between their Golden Oldies format during an excellent opening from Australia on the 11th May. I also recognised a few of the songs and e-mailed a report to the station.

I heard 2CA for the first time in June '86 but tried unsuccessfully to obtain a verification so it was a pleasant surprise to receive a friendly e-mail reply this morning from Musical Director Gerry Nyein.

Part of the reply :

" ... Yes, it was quite a thrill to learn of our reception in South Africa. I have spoken with our Senior Network Broadcast Technician and he tells that although the broadcast strength is only 5KW (directional) for 1053 2CA, we have one of the best transmitter positions in all of Australia. We have frequently been received in Queensland and in New Zealand ... Please be aware that digital radio broadcasting commences in all capital cities in Australia in 2009 and you will be able to hear us like we are next door to you ... 2CA celebrated 75 years of transmissions in Australia last year and remains one of Australia's oldest radio services ... All the best, happy listening ! "

Long Distance Listener - Dubbo Photo News

Managing Director of the Dubbo Photo News, Tim Pankhurst kindly forwarded a copy of an article concerning the reception in Fish Hoek, of 1251 2DU Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. The story was published today. (The full article appears futher down on the right hand side of the web page).

It's encouraging that MW dxing still has the ablility to make the news despite today's satellite and internet streaming technology !

KKGM Dallas TX 1630 QSL

1630 KKGM Dallas TX made it through to Ganzekraal on the 28th April 2007. It was a pleasure to identify the station for the first time when the signal peaked to a fair level for brief periods with frequent id's in between their Southern Gospel mx px.

PD Jack Davis kindly verified my e-report on the 2nd May.

Ganzekraal DXpedition Report 27th April - 1st May 2007

Ganzekraal is a serene coastal resort on the Atlantic west coast, approximately 70 km north of Cape Town. I took the family for a brief and relaxing holiday to this tranquil part of the world.

I brought along the FRG7 in order to try out the dxing possibilities. Space allowed for a 120 m BOG (Beverage on Ground) directed towards Argentina and a 50 m longwire antenna directed towards North America.

Good evening reception was experienced from Tanzania and Kenya off the back end of the 120 m BOG. Highlights included signals from Pakistan (1152 Rawalpini), China (1422 Kashi) and Japan (1413 Fukuoka). Good X-band openings included some strong signals from Argentina, USA and Mexico.

The loggings :

Freq Time Country Station

603 1647 TANZANIA Radio Tanzania, Dodoma w ads - poor 29/4

621 1803 TANZANIA Radio Tanzania, Mbeya w anns - poor 29/4

675 1804 MALAWI MBC Radio 1, Ekwendeni w news and id - poor 30/4

720 1648 TANZANIA Radio Tanzania, Mwanza w ads including 'Safari Lager' - good 29/4

747 1625 KENYA KBC, Ngong in EE w id and 'Bible Teacher' px - very good 30/4

792 1625 YEMEN YRTC, Al-Hiswah in EE w sports scores and id at 1628 UTC - fair 29/4

1107 1927 KENYA KBC, Maralal // 747 kHz - poor 29/4

1134 1829 KENYA KBC, Kitale w px promo // 747 kHz - fair 29/4

1152 1612 PAKISTAN Radio Pakistan, Rawalpindi w EE news and reports - fair 30/4

1305 1924 KENYA KBC, Wajir // 747 kHz - fair 29/4

1413 1658 JAPAN JOIF Fukuoka w All Night Nippon px and KBC id - fair (heard briefly) 30/4

1422 1555 CHINA CRI, Kashi w s/off ann - fair 30/4

1440 1635 TANZANIA Dar-es-Salaam Radio 1 w id and mx - poor 30/4

1449 1644 MALDIVES Voice of Maldives w EE news - fair 30/4

1610 2040 ARGENTINA Radio Guaviyu w music promo - good 30/4

1620 0518 USA WTAW College Station TX w ann - very poor under WDHP 28/4

1620 2129 ARGENTINA Radio Vida, Monte Grande w id - fair w very good peaks 30/4

1620 2012 ARGENTINA Radio Italia, Buenos Aires w id and anns - poor 30/4

1630 0305 ARGENTINA AM Restauracion, Hurlingham w id - fair 1/5

1630 0500 USA KKGM Dallas TX w id and gospel mx - fair peak 28/4 *

1640 0501 USA WTNI Billoxi MS w news - good peak 30/4

1650 0216 USA UNIDENTIFIED w ad - very poor 1/5

1650 0508 USA WHKT Portsmouth VA w 'AM 16-50 Radio Disney' id - poor 30/4

1660 0246 USA KRZI Waco TX (presumed) w ESPN sports - fair 1/5 *

1660 0527 USA WCNZ Marco Island w talk back - good peak 30/4

1660 0415 USA WWRU Jersey City NY in KK - good 30/4

1660 2116 ARGENTINA Hosanna AM 1660, Ezeiza w mx - fair 30/4

1670 2058 ARGENTINA Radio Bethel, Buenos Aires w id - fair 30/4

1680 0522 USA WLAA Winter Garden FL (presumed) w a promo for a Mexican music show 'Musica de mariachi al domingo Mexicano' and 'Musica de Miami'. Also a mention of 'Coca Cola' and 'Red Bull' (possible sponsors) - poor 30/4. Thanks to Rocco Controneo and Jean Burnell for their kind assistance with the audio clip. *

1680 0245 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Radio Senda (presumed) w religious px in SS - good peak 1/5 *

1690 0515 ARGENTINA Radio Apocalipsis II, Buenos Aires w EE gospel song - good peak 28/4

1700 0250 USA La Preciosa Brownsville TX in SS w ad for 'ticket master.com' and mx - good 1/5

1700 0244 MEXICO XEPE Tijuana w 'Cash 1700' id and sports comm - fair 1/5

Teracom Pendant from Sweden

I received a QSL card (yes, they still exist !) last year, for the reception of Radio Sweden, Solvesborg on 1179 kHz.

It was a pleasant surprise to receive a letter last week from Teracom Service Technician Hakan Widenstedt. He also kindly included a pendant, a photograph of the antenna towers, antenna system details and coverage maps.

An extract of the letter :

" ... We, the three technicians serving the SW station in Horby and the MW Station of Solvesborg want to present you with our company flag for the extraordinary feat of catching our 1179kHz signal as far away as in South Africa ... We have been listening to the attached audio clip in the E-mail that was forwarded to us from our friends at Radio Sweden and we are very impressed ... It is unusual that we get reports from so far away. I remember, in the very early days of the Solvesborg station, there was a reception report from one famous DXer Arthur Cushing in New Zealand, but these occassions are of course very rare ... "

Thank you Hakan for kindly taking the time to write the letter and for including the pendant !

Jongensgat Dxpedition Report 16th - 19th April 2007

The cottage at Jongensgat overlooking the rocky coastline and the Indian Ocean is an excellent dx location, especially for MW stations from the Far East and Australia in the evenings and South America in the mornings.

It was interesting to hear Argentina across the band on various frequencies normaly dominated by Brazil.

It was also great to listen with fellow DXers John Plimmer, Vince Stevens and Derek Du Plessis who all contributed to another enjoyable dxpedition !

Highlights :

Freq Time Country Station

710 0450 ARGENTINA Radio Diez Buenos Aires w ann - good 17/4

790 0444 ARGENTINA Radio Mitre Buenos Aires w discussion - good

801 1648 GUAM KTWG Agana w religious px - poor 18/4

870 0238 ARGENTINA Radio National Buenos Aires w id - fair 19/4

1030 0050 ARGENTINA Radio del Plata w ads and id - very good 19/4

1053 1959 JAPAN JOAR Nagoya w ann - poor 18/4 *

1062 2028 PHILIPPINES DZEC Quezon City w anns - very good 18/4

1110 0120 ARGENTINA Unidentified ann - fair 19/4

1190 0116 ARGENTINA Radio America w id and jazz mx - fair 19/4

1242 1814 JAPAN JOLF Tokyo w ads - fair 18/4

1270 0540 ARGENTINA Radio Provincia de Buenos Aires w id - fair 18/4

1278 1748 JAPAN JOFR Fukuoka w discussion - good 18/4

1314 1600 PHILIPPINES DWXI Paranaque w id and s/off w severe stretched tape recording of the national anthem - fair 18/4

1314 1958 AUSTRALIA 3BT Ballarat (presumed) w mention of Victoria - poor

1323 1548 PHILIPPINES Unidentified w ann - fair 18/4 *

1332 1745 AUSTRALIA 3SH Swan Hill w ads - fair 16/4

1380 0530 CHILE Radio Corporacion w various station ids from the parent network - fair 18/4

1467 1602 AUSTRALIA 3ML Mildura w mx - fair 16/4

1512 1608 PHILIPPINES DYAB Cebu City w ann and mx - fair 18/4

1521 1748 AUSTRALIA 2QN Deniliquin w mx // 1566 - poor 16/4

1520 0532 ARGENTINA Radio Chascomius Chascomius w id - poor 18/4

1530 1606 PHILIPPINES DZME Quezon City w ann - fair 18/4

1566 1550 AUSTRALIA 3NE Wangaratta w mx - fair

1600 0500 URUGUAY Emisorra Continental, Pando w "Sembrando en la noche" - good 18/4 Thanks to Rocco Controneo for kindly listening to my audio clip and identifying the station ! Great to hear this 2 kw station on a frequency usually dominated by Radio Nove de Julho, Sao Paulo, Brazil. *

1610 0457 ARGENTINA Radio Guaviyu w music promo and id - good 18/4

1620 2107 ARGENTINA Radio Italia w anns - fair 18/4

1660 0447 ARGENTINA Hozanna AM 1660 Ezeiza w id - fair 18/4

1690 0440 ARGENTINA Radio Apocalipsis II Buenos Aires w mx - good 18/4

Receiver : FRG 7

Antenna : Various beverages

2DU Dubbo NSW 1251 QSL

New South Wales is received here on rare occasions. I was fortunate to hear 1251 2DU Dubbo during the excellent reception conditions experienced on the 13th April 2007.

It was a pleasant surprise to receive the following reply form Peter Leslie who kindly verified my e-report this morning :

" ... It was a real thrill to hear from you in South Africa and this e-mail verifies your reception of Radio 2DU in the Central West of New South Wales Australia. I hope you don't mind but we have forwarded your report to our local paper and if used we will send you a copy of the story. You can find us on the net at http://www.2du.com.au/

Regards, Peter Leslie for and on behalf of the Management and Staff of 2DU ... "

5RPH Adelaide SA 1197 QSL

5RPH Adelaide is a reading and information service for the print handicapped. Assistance to the station is provided by over 180 dedicated volunteers.

I managed to hear their 2 kw signal under Family Radio, Lesotho on previous occasions. However, it was great to finally hear an "11-97 AM RPH Adelaide" id in betweeen their overnight BBC programming. Co-channel Family Radio, Lesotho seemed to be having transmitter problems and were off air at the time.

I received an e-mail reply this morning from station manager Hans Reimer who kindly verified my e-report from the reception on the 13th April 2007.

Fish Hoek DXpedition Report 13th April 2007

Fish Hoek is an excellent location for the reception of stations from Australia thanks to the mostly sea water path.

Favourable reception from down under usually consists of stations from Western Australia which are the most consistent. South Australia and Queensland are heard less frequently. Victoria and New South Wales are not heard that often. The Northern Territory and Tasmania are rarely heard.

Excellent reception from Australia on the 13th April 2007 produced 75 stations from across the continent ! It was unusual to be able to hear all states during a single evening's listening !

Highlights included 8 stations heard for the first time : 540 4QL Longreach (10 kw), 549 2CR Orange (50 kw), 612 4QR Brisbane (50 kw), 657 2BY Byrock (10 kw), 747 4QS Toowoomba (10 kw), 801 5RM Berri (2 kw), 981 3HA Hamilton (2 kw) and 1530 2VM Moree (2 kw).

Loggings :

Freq Time Call Location

531 1835 6DL Dalwallinu w mx interlude // 720 Perth - poor/fair

540 1835 4QL Longreach // 720 Perth - very poor *

549 1835 2CR Orange // 720 Perth - poor *

558 1836 6WA Wagin - fair with side splatter from 567 Cape Talk

585 1927 6PB Perth w BBC relay - fair

594 1836 3WV Horsham // 720 Perth - very good

603 1836 6PH Port Hedland // 720 Perth - poor (presumed)

612 1837 4QR Brisbane // 720 Perth - poor *

612 1837 6RN Dalwallinu w disscussion // 1296 Wagin - fair

630 1838 4QN Queensland - poor

639 1845 5CK Port Pirie // 720 Perth - fair

657 1845 2BY Byrock // 720 Perth - very poor under Meyerton (presumed) *

675 1846 6BE Broome // 720 Perth - fair

702 1846 6KP Karratha // 720 Perth - poor

720 1855 6WF Perth w report on offloading cargo of cars at Sydney - excellent

729 1835 5RN Adelaide w profile on musician Chris Miller - very good

747 1857 4QS Toowoomba w report on offloading cargo of cars at Sydney - poor/fair *

747 1830 6SE Esperance w local ads and mx // WA Radio West stations except for local ads - fair

756 1830 6TZ Margaret River w local ads and mx // 747 Esperance - poor

765 1847 5CC Port Lincoln w mx - poor

774 1831 3LO Melbourne w mx - very good

783 1832 6VA Albany w local ads and mx // 747 Esperance - fair

783 1829 8AL Alice Springs w ABC local radio id - poor (presumed)

792 1905 4RN Brisbane w wx and Radio National id - fair

801 1830 5RM Beri w ads and id : " 5RM, the only station with a blend of community information, entertainment and the best songs of all time - poor/fair *

810 1820 6RN Perth - fair w good peaks

828 1818 6GN Geraldton w mx interlude // 720 Perth - very good

837 1818 6ED Esperance // 720 Perth - poor

846 1818 6CA Carnarvon // 720 Perth - very poor under Komga

864 1817 6AM Northam w mx // 747 Esperance - poor/fair

882 1816 6PR Perth w ads, id and John Lewis' px - excellent

891 1810 5AA Adelaide - fair under Radio Lesotho

900 1815 6BY Bridgetown w mx // 747 Esperance - poor

918 1814 6NA Narrogin w mx // 747 Esperance - good

927 1810 4CC Gladstone w pops - poor (tentative)*

936 1850 7ZR Hobart w mx // 720 Perth - fair

963 1807 6TZ Bunburry w local ads and mx // 747 Esperance - fair

981 1804 3HA Hamilton w wx and id - poor *

981 1805 6KG Kalgoorlie w discussion - good peak

990 1802 6RPH Perth w BBC relay - very good

1044 1755 5CS Port Pirie w ads and id - good

1053 1747 2CA Canberra w mx - very poor

1062 1706 5MV Renmark w ABC local radio id - fair

1080 1747 6IX Perth w mx - good

1098 1746 6MD Merredin w mx // 747 Esperance - fair

1116 1745 6MM Mandurah w mx - good

1125 1708 5MU Murray Bridge w mx and id : " The best songs of all time. 5MU " - fair/good

1161 1652 5PA Naracoorte w cricket commentary - fair/good

1188 1915 6XM Exmouth // 720 Perth - poor

1197 1759 5RPH Adelaide w BBC program, promo and id : " You're listening to the BBC World service on 11-97 Adelaide where the time is 29 past 3 " - poor/fair. Pleased to be able to hear and identify 5RPH as Family Radio, Lesotho seemed to be having transmitter problems and were off air at the time.

1224 1837 6RN Busselton // 1296 Wagin - fair

1242 1744 5AU Port Augusta w mx - good

1251 1924 2DU Dubbo w id : " 12-51, 9-7-2 2DU " followed by country mx - very poor

1278 1915 3EE Melbourne w mx - poor

1296 1837 6RN Wagin w discussion - excellent

1305 1743 5RN Renmark w interview - fair

1323 1909 5DN Adelaidee w mx - good

1332 1930 3SH Swan Hill w ads including "Swan Hill Toyota" - poor/fair

1377 1915 3MP Melbourne w mx - poor

1395 1912 5AA Adelaide w ads and talkback - fair

1404 1742 6TAB Busselton w racing results // 1449 Mandurah - poor

1422 1720 6GS Wagin w mx - poor

1449 1742 6TAB Mandurah w racing results - good

1467 1912 3ML Mildura w mx - good

1512 1715 6BAY Morawa w id as "The Spirit" and mx - fair

1521 1658 2QN Deniliquin w mx - poor

1530 1704 2VM Moree w wx and Country Music Radio px - poor/fair *

1539 2001 5TAB w sports results - fair/good

1548 1702 4QD Emerald w cricket - good

1566 1952 3NE Wangaratta w ads - poor

1602 1736 UNIDENTIFIED ABC station(s) w talkback - very poor. Interesting low-power frequency with 2CP Cooma (50 watts), 5LC Leigh (100 watts) and 3WL Warmambool (250 watts).

1611 1938 6MX Albany w ads which included id : " ... supported by Albany's only 100 percent locally owned commercial radio station - AM 16-11. Gold Coast MX ... " - fair peak

1611 1937 6GS Wagin w mx - poor under 6MX (presumed)

1620 1901 UNIDENTIFIED w news read by female - very poor

1638 1742 NTC Radio 16 Armidale/Sydney w AA mx - very poor

1647 1940 NTC Radio Canberra w mx - very poor (presumed)

Location : Fish Hoek sportsfield

Receiver : Yaesu Musen FRG 7

Antenna : 220 m BOG towards Perth

Check out http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/fishhoek_2006_03.dx

for a March/April 2006 Fish Hoek DXpedition report and pics.

6MX Albany WA 1611 QSL

Pleased with the reception of 6MX Albany, Western Australia which is normaly under 6GS Wagin on 1611 kHz most of the time here in Fish Hoek. I dxed from the sportsfield location and received a clear id on the 29th March at 1831 hours UTC : " Good times and classic hits. Albany's Gold MX. "

Station Manager Warren Mead very kindly replied via e-mail to my reception report. The station runs 400 watts into a 94 foot Valcom free standing fibreglass tower. He also confirmed that their official call sign is 6MX (ex 6AY).

Fellow dxer Vince Stevens recently included a brief video clip of the receiving location on Youtube which may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApWiXK4MWjM

3EE Melbourne VIC 1278 QSL

The solar indices @ 2100 UTC on the 21st March : Solar Flux 73
A = 1 and K = 0

Encouraged by the very low A/K indices that evening, I decided to set up the 220 BOG (Beverage on Ground) at the sportsfield location in Fish Hoek. Although it is another 2 km futher to the west from the site opposite my home, the location has an advantage in that it is completely free from local electrical noise sources.

Conditions tend to favour Australia during our local evenings with the very low auroral activity such as that experienced that evening. Very good reception from Australia, despite moderate static crashes, included rare stations from New South Wales and Victoria. 3EE Magic 1278, Melbourne was received for the first time. Station Manager Gary Hoffman kindly verified my e-report and added : " ... It's quite amazing that our AM signal can travel so far when we are restricted to broadcasting at just 5,000 watts (as are all commercial AM stations in Melbourne) ... "

5AN Adelaide SA 891 QSL

Excellent reception from South Australia on the 21st February 2007 included a huge signal from 5AN Adelaide which managed to get through Radio Lesotho, the usual dominant station on 891 kHz. Although I've heard 5AN on a few occasions, it was unusual to hear the station with such a strong signal from home via the ALA1530. Producer Debra Tribe kindly verified my e-report. She listened to the attached audio clip and added : " ... The reception was remarkably clear given the incredible distance (10 140 km) ... "

I also received a surprise request for a live interview on the 6th March 2007 with John Kenneally and Tony McCathy on the Bald Brothers Breakfast program. The interview, together with some photographs and a short story has also been included on the ABC website : http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/stories/s1870547.htm Although the conversation seemed to cover the lifestyle in Fish Hoek and the music scene in Cape Town more so than dxing from home, it was really cool to be able to chat.

KCJJ Iowa City IA 1630 QSL

U.S.A. X-Banders can be a challenge to receive and identify, even under good reception conditions, with the usually low signal levels experienced here in South Africa due to the long haul over the Atlantic Ocean.

It was a pleasant surprise to be able to receive and identify KCJJ Iowa City on 1630 khz on the 5th February 2007. It was also encouraging to hear the 1kw night-time signal, over 8 680 miles / 13 970 km away at home in Fish Hoek via the ALA1530. This active loop antenna also helps to effectively reduce the interference from electrical noise sources usually experienced in the home/urban environment.

KCJJ General Manager Tom Suter kindly verified my reception report via a brief e-mail on the 7th February 2007.

The 1630 KCJJ Antenna Mast situated at the transmitter site in southeast Iowa City (photograph courtesy Steve Bridges).

Google Earth image showing the KCJJ signal path from the transmitter site at southeast Iowa City, to Fish Hoek - an impressive distance of 8 680 miles / 13 970 km !

CHML Hamilton ON 900 QSL

CHML Hamilton ON is the most regular Canadian MW station to make it through to my QTH. The favourable night time antenna pattern over Lake Ontario and an almost all-sea water path to Fish Hoek probably has a lot to do with being able to occasionally receive the station at over 13 000 km.

I mailed a report last year for reception on the 24th December 2005. A follow-up e-mail report on the 31st January 2007 resulted in enthusiastic replies from Program/News Director Jeff Story as well as announcers Bob Bratina and Scott Thompson.

On the 6th February 2007 Scott Thompson hosted a 5 minute interview which he broacast on the drive show. I really enjoyed chatting about the radio listening experience here in Fish Hoek. Producer MJ kindly sent an mp3 of the interview which contains my first ever "on air" verification !

RVI Wolvertem Belgium 1512 QSL

A good opening from Europe during the early hours of the 29th January 2007 included a huge signal from RVI Wolvertem, Belgium on 1512 kHz. It was quite surprising to hear the station at that level from my QTH.

Wim Jansen kindly verified my reception report and remarked that it was quite astonishing to receive my e-mail and audio clip.

WWRL New York NY 1600 QSL

1600 WWRL New York is one of the more regular of the USA stations heard from home during the early hours, usually around transmitter dusk. The station peaked on the 29th January 2007 at around 0100 hours UTC with a really clear id.

I tried unsuccessfully in the past for a QSL so was really pleased with a friendly e-mail reply from Adriane Gaines.

Thanks to Bjarne Mjelde for kindly provinding the e-mail address.

I was also fortunate to recieve another friendly verification from Amy Winslow of Air America. WWRL is their New York City affiliate.

WCNZ Marco Island FL 1660 QSL

Chapmans Peak Caravan Farm in Noordhoek is a picturesque location which is approximately 2 km from the Atlantic coast and only 6 km from my QTH at Fish Hoek. However the scenery is so different, one might as well be 1000 kilometres away. Wife Sandy and daughter Nicole both enjoy the camping experience, so this is becoming the place of choice for our regular annual January getaway. I also took along the FRG7 and ALA1530 and set up a separate radio tent.

The reception of 1660 WCNZ/Relevant Radio on the 13th January 2007 was a pleasant surprise as WWRU Elizabeth NJ is normally the dominant station on this frequency during the Xband openings from the USA. Manager/Chief Engineer Bob Ladd kindly verified my reception report via e-mail. He added that my report was most unusual as most reports come from Sweden and that part of the world.

A short story concerning the reception has also been included in the latest Relevant Radio Newsletter : http://www.relevantradio.com/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=1054

KOA Denver CO 850 QSL

It was a real surprise to hear 850 KOA, Denver (over 15 000 km) on the 5th January 2007 from home via the FRG7 and ALA1530 suspended from my cupboard door !

I sent in an e-report and received a very nice QSL letter from Chief Engineer Jan Chadwell.

This is my fourth QSL from the USA on this frequency, the other three being WHDH Boston, WKIX Raleigh (received back in 1986) and WTAR (received in 2006).