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