DXpedition sites (MA) with geo-data
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DXpedition sites (MA) with geo-data



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MA_SITES.TXT

Some Massachusetts sites used for DXing
Mark Connelly, WA1ION

The good weather is back and it's time to think about 
taking the DX equipment "on the road" for results that
often exceed what is possible at the home QTH.

The emphasis of locations I've chosen for remote operation 
is high performance on lower frequencies (below 5 MHz).  
At those frequencies, salt water is the definitive signal
enhancer.  For higher frequencies, altitude above average
terrain is a more important consideration than ground
conductivity, so different sites (such as hilltops and
summits of mountains) would be preferred, especially at
VHF and above.  At any frequency, desirable features of
a DXpedition site would be adequate antenna space and 
freedom from electrical noise, nearby transmitters, and
large obstructions (buildings, hills) in the path towards
desired DX stations.

My "on the road" medium-wave DX reception is generally 
done with Drake R8A receiver fed by the car-mounted RL-1 
Remotely-Tuned Loop and RW-1 Active Whip controlled by 
the DCP-2 Dual Controller / Phaser to allow generation 
of rotatable cardioid (single-null) patterns in addition 
to the loop's bi-directional nulls and the whip's 
omnidirectional pick-up.  Sites with adequate room and 
solitude for wire antennas are the exception rather than 
the rule in this densely-populated, highly-developed region.  
Such sites are indicated where applicable (otherwise assume 
car-mounted antennas only).  Best exposure directions are 
indicated after EXP:  If not shown, assume that a site is 
neutral (omnidirectional) in terms of inherent pick-up 
directivity.


Locations that have been used as of APR 1997
(with reporting abbreviations for logs):

 
[*A-MA] = Arlington, MA  (GC= 71.171 W / 42.411 N)
 (High Haith Road / Menotomy Rocks Park, DX Lab site 1960-1974)         
Wires: with permission of property owners 
EXP: eastern hillside: slightly enhanced towards Europe / Africa
Nearby Eastern Avenue site ("Robbins Farm") near the Brackett 
School offers a great view and reasonable kick to the east.


[-B-MA] = Billerica, MA (home)  (GC= 71.221 W / 42.532 N)
Wires: to 40 m, must be noise-reduced
EXP: slightly enhanced towards Europe via Shawsheen River floodplain


[*C-MA] = Chatham, MA  (approx. GC= 69.95 W / 41.68 N)
 (Chatham Lighthouse)
Wires: could run 60 m or so down bluff during winter
EXP: strong Europe; good Africa / South America


[*C-MA] = North Chatham, MA  (GC= 69.993 W / 41.713 N)
 (Pleasant Bay: Route 28 near Harwich town line)
Wires: to 100 m during winter (non-tourist) season
EXP: strong Europe; good N. Africa 


[*D-MA] = Duxbury, MA  (GC= 70.67 W / 42.039 N)
 (Town Pier: east end of Mattakeeset Court off Washington St.)
EXP: strong Africa; good Europe & Brazil


[*D-MA] = Duxbury Beach, MA  (GC= 70.647 W / 42.056 N)
 (Gurnet Road, 0.5 km S of East Pine Point Road)
Wires: possibly up to Beverage length at low tide during 
 winter (non-tourist) season
EXP: strong Europe & Africa; adequate Carib./South Am.


[*d-MA] = West Dennis Beach, MA  (GC= 70.176 W / 41.65 N)
Wires: maybe to 50 m during winter around sunset
EXP: strong Latin America / Caribbean; fair Africa 


[*E-MA] = Eastham, MA  (GC= 69.946 W / 41.842 N)
 (Nauset Beach)
Wires: possibly up to Beverage length at during autumn / winter
EXP: strong Europe & Africa


[*G-MA] = Gloucester, MA  (GC= 70.68 W / 42.607 N)
 (Stage Fort Park)
EXP: strong Africa; good Brazil/Carib.; fair Europe & W South Am.


[*H-MA] = East Harwich, Cape Cod, MA  (GC= 70.02 W / 41.71 N)
 (near junction of Routes 39 & 137: pitch pine forest 2 km from ocean)
Wires: private site - temporary wires to 100 m south, 30 m east
EXP: good S. Europe; fair to good N. Europe, Africa, South Am.         


[*H-MA] = Harwich, Cape Cod, MA  (GC= 70.04 W / 41.668 N)
 (Red River Beach)         
Wires: maybe to 50 m during winter around sunset
EXP: strong Latin America / Caribbean; good Africa 


[*I-MA] = Ipswich, MA  (GC= 70.766 W / 42.607 N)
 (Crane's Beach: east end of Argilla Road)
note: It costs $$ to park here and you can't stay much after sunset.
EXP: good Europe


[*K-MA] = Kingston, MA  (GC= 70.722 W / 41.997 N)
 (rest area / lay-by on Route 3 near mouth of Jones River)
EXP: moderately good to Europe
 

[*M-MA] = Marshfield, MA  (GC= 70.69 W / 42.13 N)   
 (boat slipway area, near junction of Ridge Road & Ferry St.)
EXP: strong Europe; good N. Africa

			     
[*m-MA] = Manchester, MA  (GC= 70.75 W / 42.58 N)   
 (Tom Beaton's house: Birch Lane)
Wires: to 40 m (slopers)
EXP: strong Latin America / Caribbean; good Africa

			     
[*mh-MA]= Marblehead, MA  (GC= 70.83 W / 42.50 N)  
 (Fuller Lane off Ocean Avenue - near locked gate to private beach)
EXP: strong Europe / N. Africa


[*mh-MA]= Marblehead, MA  (GC= 70.855 W / 42.491 N)
 (Devereaux Beach)
EXP: strong Latin America / Caribbean; good Africa 


[*mh-MA]= Marblehead, MA  (GC= 70.833 W / 42.505 N)
 (Chandler Hovey Park / Marblehead Lighthouse)
EXP: good to Europe


[*P-MA] = Plymouth, MA (Robbins Rd.)  (GC= 70.68 W / 41.98 N)
Wires: about 50 m (E, SE, S) if hidden and quickly retrievable
EXP: strong Europe / Mid-East; good N. Africa        


[*P-MA] = Plymouth, MA  (GC= 70.672 W / 41.967 N) 
 (Nelson Street Recreational Area / Beach)
Wires: possibly to 100 m (E, NE) during winter
EXP: strong Europe / Mid-East / Africa; good E. Brazil        


[*P-MA] = Plymouth, MA  (GC= 70.63  W / 41.94  N) 
 (Plymouth Beach: Route 3A between Clifford Rd. & "Plimoth Plantation")
Wires: about 50 m (NE) in winter if hidden and quickly retrievable
EXP: northern Europe (some blockage of S. Europe, Africa)


[*P-MA] = Plymouth, MA  (GC= 70.541  W / 41.927  N) 
 (bluff overlooking beach: Manomet Point Road just E of Arnold Ave.)
EXP: strong Europe; good Africa; adequate E. Brazil

			  
[*Q-MA] = Quincy, MA (Wollaston Beach) (GC= 71.015 W / 42.279 N)
EXP: strong Europe (but many pesty local stations)


[*R-MA] = Rockport, MA (Granite Pier) (GC= 70.622 W / 42.667 N)
Wires: hidden / easily-retrievable wire up to 100 m (SE) along
 length of pier during non-busy times (would be good for aurora).
EXP: strong Europe / Mid-East / Africa; good South Am. / Caribbean

 
[*R-MA] = Rockport, MA  (GC= 70.632 W / 42.657 N) 
 ("Hospital Hill"/Poole Hill: park at W end of Summit Ave.)
Wires: to Beverage length (get approval from police) 
EXP: good Europe; adequate in other directions of interest


[*rw-MA]= Rowley, MA  (GC= 70.825 W / 42.75 N) 
 (end of Stackyard Road at Parker River Nat. Wildlife R.: salt marsh)
Wires: at least to 200 m (E) and more than that (NE, SE, S) but
 over wet salt marsh so care must be exercised !
EXP: strong Europe; fair Africa / South America        

		 
[*S-MA] = Scituate, MA  (GC= 70.726 W / 42.193 N)        
 (near Front St. & Brook St.: waterfront municipal parking area)
EXP: good Europe / N. Africa

 
[*S-MA] = Scituate, MA  (GC= 70.727 W / 42.201 N)        
 (near junction Jericho Road & Hatherly Road: boat launch area)
EXP: strong S. Europe, N. Africa; good N. Europe, S. Africa

 
[*S-MA] = North Scituate Beach, MA  (GC= 70.762 W / 42.24 N)        
 (near junction Bailey's Causeway and Glades Road)
Wires: hidden / easily-retrieved wires to 50 m (NE, E, SE) 
 in winter at sunset 
EXP: strong Europe / Africa; good E. Brazil


[*sb-MA] = Salisbury Beach, MA  (GC= 70.82 W / 42.871 N)
 (eastern end of Route 1A off Route 1)
EXP: good Europe / N. Africa


[*sw-MA] = Swampscott, MA  (GC= 70.928 W / 42.463 N)
 (near Kings' Beach)
EXP: strong South America / Caribbean


[*W-MA] = Wellfleet, Cape Cod, MA  (GC= 69.73 W / 41.91 N)        
 (Marconi Beach site)
Wires: to Beverage length at non-busy times
EXP: strong Europe / N. Africa


[*Y-MA] = West Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA (GC= 70.223 W / 41.682 N)           
 (mother's house)
Wires: private site - sloper is sometimes phased against loop;
 noise levels are sometimes high (light dimmers in nearby houses)
EXP: good Caribbean / South America           

 
[*Y-MA] = South Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA  (GC= 70.20 W / 41.65 N)           
 (Windmill Beach: River St. at Willow St.)
EXP: very good low Africa / E. Brazil; good Caribbean / South Am.

     
[*MA] = car radio: location as specified


	
Sites that will be investigated in the future include, but are 
not limited to: Newbury / Plum Island; Gloucester / Eastern Point 
Light, Hammond Castle; Manchester-by-the-Sea / Singing Beach, 
Gray Beach; Beverly / Route 127; Marshfield / pier near Duxbury 
Line - off Route 139; Barnstable / Sandy Neck; Wellfleet / W facing 
sites for dawn DX; Falmouth-Pocasset / W facing sites; Orleans / 
Tonset Point; Truro / near "golfball" radar station; Nantucket; 
Martha's Vineyard.

Inland sites that have been used (for low-noise, but essentially
omnidirectional, pick-up) have included the following: Carlisle /
Route 225 at Concord River; Medway - Millis / Route 109 at Charles
River, Sudbury - Wayland / Route 27 at Sudbury River;  Acton /
Route 2 at Nashoba Creek near W1EVT tower farm; Belmont Hill /
Habitat - Highland Farm off Somerset Rd.; Tewksbury / Livingston 
Street Park near Shawsheen River; and numerous other wetlands and
hilltops with unobstructed views towards DX directions of interest.