Re: [HCDX] foreign LW/MW DX loggings (DEC 27 - DEC 31, 2008)
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Re: [HCDX] foreign LW/MW DX loggings (DEC 27 - DEC 31, 2008)



Season's greetings and happy holidays !

A check with the computer on and off revealed that is not that much a computer problem as is a cable leakage, the cable leakage is disturbing the radio, placing the PK's Magnetic LW loop right over the cable and the noise is awful, semi-local like !

We need to switch our computer here upstairs from cable leakage to WiFi, otherwise even the strong signals on LW are difficult to listen to...

May the good DX be with you !
Bogdan
----- Original Message ----- From: "Albert Muick" <radioresearch_field_operations@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "'aurel chiochiu'" <acq@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 10:57 PM
Subject: RE: [HCDX] foreign LW/MW DX loggings (DEC 27 - DEC 31, 2008)


Hi Aurel,

Is it your own computer which is causing you these problems?

If so, you may consider purchasing a new case for it that is "electrically
sealed" or "TEMPEST certified."  This can reduce the QRM by a good amount or
even eliminate it in some cases.  The problem is that it is expensive.

Another problem is the electrical insulation of the case of your radio.
Most portables are poorly insulated, and usually only expensive comms
receivers or the software-defined radios have the appropriate amount of
insulation to stop the problem.

Hope this helps!

Best 73,

Al Muick
Kabul, Afghanistan

-----Original Message-----
From: hard-core-dx-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:hard-core-dx-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of aurel chiochiu
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 7:48 AM
To: condiglist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; nrcidxd@xxxxxxx; mwdx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: fkp36@xxxxxxxx; LatinMWDX@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; pepe8877@xxxxxxxxxxx;
christophe genaudeau; ve2shw@xxxxxxxxx; BACONTI@xxxxxxx; jrtrevilly@xxxxxxx;
SOAD BENKIRANE; Perez Ricardo; moy thierry; MarkWA1ION@xxxxxxx;
olivier.tequi; ashley pp; pkloops@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
bourdeau_annemarie22@xxxxxxxxxxx; o_p_nimigean@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [HCDX] foreign LW/MW DX loggings (DEC 27 - DEC 31, 2008)

Warm greetings to all of you and may your best whises come true during the
upcoming 2009 !

While conditions toward both the TAs and the LAs were way below average,
there was 1 exception (see it below). Also, condx on LW may not be that bad,
but local buzz is stronger than ever and almost unnulable using the PK's
Magnetic Shield loop which is a quiet environment should be almost perfect
(though the low frequency isn't quite right on 150 kHz, when I choose to
apmilify the lowest frequency, France-162 along with some local buzz is
boosted, but I can't say the same about 153 which is only slightly
amplified, but the most important issue isn't the antenna which is almost
perfect, but the ever-going buzz which is stronger than ever). On MW, I get
computer-related QRM on frequency I rarely heard such as 780, even WBBM is
difficult to listen to due to that.

Well into the logs (made by Bogdan Alexandru Chiochiu in Pierrefonds /
Montreal, QC using the Sangean CST-818 and the PK's Magnetic LW loop along
with the Sanyo MCD-S830 barefoot):

Trans-Atlantic DX:

162 FRANCE,   France Inter, Allouis DEC 30 2223 - French talk at a fair
level but completly subdued by excellent-level buzz that completly disturbed
anything else other than local NDBs ! (Chiochiu-QC)

171 MOROCCO,   Medi Un, Nador DEC 30 2346 - playing a wide variety of Arabic
mx (traditionnal as well as Dance), jingle and apparent TOH ID in Arabic,
then nx. Good signal, but difficult to listen to due to an annoying buzz.
SINPO 44242 (Chiochiu-QC)

189 ICELAND,   RUV, Gufuskalar DEC 30 2346 - with an eclectic set of music,
mostly jazz and man talk in Icelandic. Fair with severe noise. SINPO 35132.
(Chiochiu-QC)

225 POLAND,   Raszyn DEC 30 2354 - with Slavic rock music at a very good
level, above the buzz; the best LW signal this evening, surprisingly since
it is very far from the Atlantic coast ! SINPO 55332 (Chiochiu-QC)

252 ALGERIA,   Alger Chaîne 3, Tipaza DEC 28 0012 - plaintive AA male vocal
then unreadable FF talk, very poor and best in AM Narrow mode on 253 rather
than on 252 to avoid QRM from the local "UL" beacon on 248 kHz. The buzz
wasn't too much annoying above 189 kHz. SINPO 23422. (Chiochiu-QC)

Pan-American DX

550 VENEZUELA,   Mundial YVKE, Caracas, Distrito Federal DEC 27 0130 - End
of a monologue by a woman, then ID "Mundial YVKE de la mano con el pueblo"
followed by a program of semi-traditionnal / semi-popular Latin American
music. Among the tunes played, the last one was a number done by a Cuban
"trobador" which "...ha sido reconocido en el mundo entero". Slightly under
an unID jazz music domestic (the fairly weak Waterbury, VT semi-local WEVD
w/ some unusual px ?) during the monologue, but very good and atop during
most of the LAm mx px, then shortly after the beginning of the Cuban song,
faded down and never cameback with at least a half-decent strenght. First
time this season ! A nice surprise, given the awful conditions toward Latin
America, even toward Cuba ! Adjacent channel ZIZ-555 unheard since at least
a week, so condx toward the Caribbean are as abysmal as the ones toward
northern South America (the only area of South America with reliable
reception on MW at night in North America outside the primetime coastal
areas such as MA, ME, NS or NF !). (Chiochiu-QC)

570 CUBA,   CMDC, Radio Reloj, Pilón DEC 30 0746 - RR code ID was able to
get through WSYR Syracruse where the host was talking about the fire of Hell
and of volcanoes on Coast-to-Coast AM. When intelligible audio comes from
this, condx are at least decent, so they aren't even average toward Latin
America yet. SINPO 41521; at least the computers are off late at night, so
the high pitched growl usually on the low side of 570 wasn't audible, hence
a N factor of 5 over 5. (Chiochiu-QC)

600 CUBA,   CMKV, Radio Rebelde, Urbano Norris DEC 30 0546 - w/
old-fashionned Cuban mx // SW 5025 briefly poking through WICC/CKAT/others.
This used to be a pest, sometimes stronger than 670 and 710, now it sounds
like rare DX. (Chiochiu-QC)

640 CUBA,   CMBC, Radio Progreso, Guanabacoa DEC 30 0514 - assuming this
station from hearing it quite well during better condx with trop. LAm mx
under 1 or 2 domestics. SINPO 22512 with no computer noise after midnight.
(Chiochiu-QC)

670 CUBA,   CMBA, Radio Rebelde, Arroyo Arrenas DEC 29 0211 - faded up nice
and clear with medium level splatter from CINF-690 while WFAN's side-band
IBOC hash faded down. I sadly miss Radio Rumbos which was my first YV on MW
! I guess I'll never hear it again unless I move farther from Cuba, New York
and Montreal ! (Chiochiu-QC)

750 VENEZUELA,   YVKS, Caracas, Distrito Federal DEC 29 0043 - station's
promos leading to a program about sociology, an interesting topic seldom
broadcasted over talkradio anywhere (if anyone has sociology features
broadcasted by AVENTURE FM in Paris on 105.9 MHz - which merged into
MaXXimum on the 23rd of October of 1989, pleaselet me know), but I had a
guest which was more or less interested in DXing, so couldn't listen much.
Rare to hear real entertaining talk over YVKS / RCR-750, as this station
mainly features YV baseball such as the one noted the night before and
after. With Venezuela on UTC-3.5, this one goes off at 0430 UTC. The only
South American that is really reliable here during such marginal condx,
often stronger than WSB. They must run 100 kW day and night ! (Chiochiu-QC)

I guess any DX is severely disturbed by noises which during Xmas and New
Year's Eve, are at their peak. We should wait a few days. The first night I
had my loop antenna with fresh batteries (DEC 21 / 22 UTC) was my best yet
for LW and I can hardly forget it.

There are times I regret this season was seriously lacking any aurora, yet
with all the computer-related noise I get on several frequencies, things
could only get worse... And there are still some YVs and HJs which sign off
for night, so late night DXing when channels such as 570 are clean from
computer hash can be DXable isn't a CME-related option ! Yes, CME which
stands for Coronal Mass Ejection...

Of course, for TA DX condx were better a few days ago, but I think the
situation still can improove. In any event, the scientists are predicting a
shocking solar maximum in 2012, so DXing "new" venezuelan "estados" and new
cuban locals (I only count the cuban stations, not their "provincias",
because they lack the local flavour the venezuelan "estados" have...) should
be better come the next fall...

May the good DX bless your heart and restore your nighttime attention
instead of your nighttime sleep !
Bogdan Chiochiu
Btw.: Is anyone having any airchecks of Aventure FM on 105.9 MHz in Paris
back in 1988 ? It was great !
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and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License
published by Michael Stutz at
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