Tuesday, 28 December 2010
28 december 2010
not alot of dxing done since my last post and i haven't been recording and by the looks of things i haven't missed too much as the other guys haven't been reporting much. weather is a bit milder here and most of the ice etc has gone and we have had the odd shower of rain the past few days. will get back into dxing soon as this time of the year brings out the family you haven't seen in years or you didn't know you even had lol ! hope you all had a good Christmas and Santa gave you all the radios you wanted and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to all when it comes.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
21 december 2010
the cold weather continues here in the west coast of Scotland and as i type the temperature is hanging around the -10 to -11 mark. just finished listening to this mornings recordings and nothing of interest heard. at 2200 last night i heard the 1kw CFNW Port Au Choix nfld on 790 but very weak and i will try to get a decent recording.
i have uploaded a video to YouTube again showing the signal to noise ratio on my flag antenna and this time there was a little noise from my router as i didn't know someone had switched it on as usually its switched off for my over night recordings. the station is nothing special (WLIB) the video is just to show the signal to noise ratio i have on my flag antenna. you can see the video on the link below.
i have uploaded a video to YouTube again showing the signal to noise ratio on my flag antenna and this time there was a little noise from my router as i didn't know someone had switched it on as usually its switched off for my over night recordings. the station is nothing special (WLIB) the video is just to show the signal to noise ratio i have on my flag antenna. you can see the video on the link below.
more signal to noise ratio on my flag antenna
Monday, 20 December 2010
20 december 2010
again nothing much to report on the MW band and this morning was rather poor as i think there was some aurora activity at some point this morning and signals were well down.
RADIO CAROLINE
ken asked me to get a small clip he found on the Internet about the UK goverment in discussion for a frequency for radio caroline and to put it to avi for him and i found it rather amusing and i thought i would share it with you
RADIO CAROLINE
ken asked me to get a small clip he found on the Internet about the UK goverment in discussion for a frequency for radio caroline and to put it to avi for him and i found it rather amusing and i thought i would share it with you
Friday, 17 December 2010
17 december 2010
still average conditions on MW here in the west coast of Scotland and not alot to talk about. i have had a couple of emails recently about the signal to noise ratio on the flag antenna and general noise as my antenna is inside the attic. if you are thinking of building the flag antenna dont expect s9 +++ signals. the flag is a quiet antenna and i know some dxers recommend a preamp but i don't use one on the Perseus anyway i have the palstar aa30 but i only use it on the pmsdr.
most of my dx have weak signals but the signal to noise ratio is good enough for the dx to come in and to be honest i am not really worried about signal levels anyway as long as i get the important id. as for noise in general with the antenna being inside well i am rather lucky as the only noise i get is from my own tv down stairs and that gets unplugged when i am dxing. as for the preamp there is a good test to see if your flag needs one. check the band on a clear frequency on the mw band at say midday when the d layer absorption is at its max and put your antenna in/out and you should see and hear the noise go up if not there is not enough gain and a preamp will help.
i have uploaded a video to youtube of CFTR on 680 at 0600 this morning and this is a typical signal with no preamp and this morning was pretty average and you can see the signal to noise ratio i have on my flag. dont get me wrong i sometimes get s9 ++ signals but its usually the common east coast stuff like CFRB WINS WBBR ETC ETC. the video can be seen on the link below.
singnal to noise ratio on the flag antenna
most of my dx have weak signals but the signal to noise ratio is good enough for the dx to come in and to be honest i am not really worried about signal levels anyway as long as i get the important id. as for noise in general with the antenna being inside well i am rather lucky as the only noise i get is from my own tv down stairs and that gets unplugged when i am dxing. as for the preamp there is a good test to see if your flag needs one. check the band on a clear frequency on the mw band at say midday when the d layer absorption is at its max and put your antenna in/out and you should see and hear the noise go up if not there is not enough gain and a preamp will help.
i have uploaded a video to youtube of CFTR on 680 at 0600 this morning and this is a typical signal with no preamp and this morning was pretty average and you can see the signal to noise ratio i have on my flag. dont get me wrong i sometimes get s9 ++ signals but its usually the common east coast stuff like CFRB WINS WBBR ETC ETC. the video can be seen on the link below.
singnal to noise ratio on the flag antenna
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
14 december 2010
after the good conditions from the other morning the past couple of days have been once again very average and nothing much really to report. i had a tentative CFPL London Ontario on 980 at 2300 last night with am 980 id and some phrases like news from the downtown rush and this is "reporters name" in downtown London and Ken told me this station never gives an id but i wont claim it until i get a better recording. below is a couple of recordings from around 0830 and while nothing special it gives you an idea what the band was like.
when looking for ids top of the hour is a must but i set a few recordings say IE 0737 - 0747 as i have found 1/4 to the hour i get quite a number of ids but as i have found out lately i have stopped recording bottom of the hour as it can be so frustrating as i don't get many ids and you get the constant rabble from coast to coast. i know some dxers who hit the record button at 0000 and let it run non stop to IE 1000 ( Perseus wide band recordings ) which is a lot of listening time and i find with my top of the hour recordings and a couple in between there is not enough hours in a day to listen to them.
i forgot to mention the other evening while i was on the MW chat on skype chatting with Paul over in Troon which is roughly 20 miles as the crow flies we had another one of those weird conditions moments. i sent Paul a recording which i was struggling with the id and it turned out to be WFNN Erie pa and Paul asked what time i had received it ( 2300) and when he checked his own recording there was no trace of it and he had WRCA Waltham ma and it amazes me the difference in receptions we get over a short distance. going back to my recording i went over it about 5 times and i just couldn't get the id but when Paul told me what it was i listened to it again and it was there clear as a bell and that happens to me a lot.
one thing i do find very handy is the MW dx cluster Ken set up on skype as when i log on in the morning the spots from all the other guys pop up and it instantly tells you how conditions are and it can let you go directly to a frequency and time of a rare station or simply one you need and as there is no chatting allowed the dx spots are all you see.
when looking for ids top of the hour is a must but i set a few recordings say IE 0737 - 0747 as i have found 1/4 to the hour i get quite a number of ids but as i have found out lately i have stopped recording bottom of the hour as it can be so frustrating as i don't get many ids and you get the constant rabble from coast to coast. i know some dxers who hit the record button at 0000 and let it run non stop to IE 1000 ( Perseus wide band recordings ) which is a lot of listening time and i find with my top of the hour recordings and a couple in between there is not enough hours in a day to listen to them.
i forgot to mention the other evening while i was on the MW chat on skype chatting with Paul over in Troon which is roughly 20 miles as the crow flies we had another one of those weird conditions moments. i sent Paul a recording which i was struggling with the id and it turned out to be WFNN Erie pa and Paul asked what time i had received it ( 2300) and when he checked his own recording there was no trace of it and he had WRCA Waltham ma and it amazes me the difference in receptions we get over a short distance. going back to my recording i went over it about 5 times and i just couldn't get the id but when Paul told me what it was i listened to it again and it was there clear as a bell and that happens to me a lot.
one thing i do find very handy is the MW dx cluster Ken set up on skype as when i log on in the morning the spots from all the other guys pop up and it instantly tells you how conditions are and it can let you go directly to a frequency and time of a rare station or simply one you need and as there is no chatting allowed the dx spots are all you see.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
12 december 2010
the band was open to Calgary etc this morning and i got a nice HO HO HO id from XEQ Mexico and after the disappointment of yesterdays non event of the Colombian reception on 1060 this morning made up for it a wee bit. below are a selection of ids from 08.00 this morning.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
11 december 2010
still nothing exciting on mw to report. the band opened rather early last night and the below recordings were from 2030 - 2130 but only the more common stations were heard.
i was chatting with the guys on skype yesterday and ken told me to get to his place QUICK! so off i went and in a previous post you will see me out on the river when it was covered in ice well i certainly couldn't do that yesterday as there was a thaw and there were chunks of ice breaking off and floating down that would have sunk the titanic lol ! . keep an eye on kens website as he took some video and some pictures of it.
i was chatting with the guys on skype yesterday and ken told me to get to his place QUICK! so off i went and in a previous post you will see me out on the river when it was covered in ice well i certainly couldn't do that yesterday as there was a thaw and there were chunks of ice breaking off and floating down that would have sunk the titanic lol ! . keep an eye on kens website as he took some video and some pictures of it.
Monday, 6 December 2010
6 december 2010....cont
i received a nice email from Jeanne Fisher from WXXI and MANY thanks to her as many stations dont even bother to reply and my return rate on reception reports is very poor so its good to see stations like WXXI taking the time to send a reply.
Dear David
Thank you so much for writing and for sending the recording of
WXXI-AM. You are our first reporting distant listener in Scotland!
WXXI is a non-commercial educational broadcast service that provides
radio and television programming to an eleven county area of Western
New York State. WXXI-AM 1370 is an NPR member station that
specializes in news and public affairs programming, including
community-based talk shows. WXXI-FM 91.5 broadcasts classical music,
plus specialty programs such as "A Prairie Home Companion," and
"Fascinatin' Rhythm." WXXI-TV is a PBS member station that features
award-winning children's shows, public affairs, science, nature and
local news. WXXI Online is our web site, featuring podcasts,
streaming media and resource areas for kids, news and events (visit
us at http://www.wxxi.org).
We are located in Rochester, New York, which is home to the Eastman
School of Music and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman
Kodak, Rochester Redwings Baseball and Rochester Rhinos Soccer.
Rochester was also home to a number of civil rights crusaders,
including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas. The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded just outside of Rochester in
Palmyra, New York. And Jell-O gelatin dessert was invented here!
Thank you again for writing. If you send me an address I will send
some stickers and other WXXI memorabilia by mail.
Jeanne
-------------------------
Jeanne Fisher
Vice President for Radio
WXXI Public Broadcasting
Rochester, NY
jfisher@wxxi.org
wxxi.org
Dear David
Thank you so much for writing and for sending the recording of
WXXI-AM. You are our first reporting distant listener in Scotland!
WXXI is a non-commercial educational broadcast service that provides
radio and television programming to an eleven county area of Western
New York State. WXXI-AM 1370 is an NPR member station that
specializes in news and public affairs programming, including
community-based talk shows. WXXI-FM 91.5 broadcasts classical music,
plus specialty programs such as "A Prairie Home Companion," and
"Fascinatin' Rhythm." WXXI-TV is a PBS member station that features
award-winning children's shows, public affairs, science, nature and
local news. WXXI Online is our web site, featuring podcasts,
streaming media and resource areas for kids, news and events (visit
us at http://www.wxxi.org).
We are located in Rochester, New York, which is home to the Eastman
School of Music and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman
Kodak, Rochester Redwings Baseball and Rochester Rhinos Soccer.
Rochester was also home to a number of civil rights crusaders,
including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas. The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded just outside of Rochester in
Palmyra, New York. And Jell-O gelatin dessert was invented here!
Thank you again for writing. If you send me an address I will send
some stickers and other WXXI memorabilia by mail.
Jeanne
-------------------------
Jeanne Fisher
Vice President for Radio
WXXI Public Broadcasting
Rochester, NY
jfisher@wxxi.org
wxxi.org
6 december 2010
still average conditions here and having a layer of snow on the roof doesnt really make things easier with the indoor flag antenna but a few stations were coming through as heard below. once again KOMO seattle was in at 0700 but again it was more or less the more common stations coming through. below is how signals were sounding after coming through both the layer of snow and the roof.
Friday, 3 December 2010
3 december 2010
not a thing to report on the radio as the average conditions continue. Ken was telling me that the river behind his shack had frozen over and like the lazy buggers we are it gave us a chance to cross it rather than go the long way to inspect his beverage to see if there were any damage in the cold weather.
the first picture is me checking the feed point of his beverage
next up is again myself clearing some branches from the beverage wire and notice its myself doing all the work
on the way back over the frozen river with the rope just in case lol
having a walk up the river
lovingly looking at my old home made 5 element for e3
it seems were were not the only ones on the river
the first picture is me checking the feed point of his beverage
next up is again myself clearing some branches from the beverage wire and notice its myself doing all the work
on the way back over the frozen river with the rope just in case lol
having a walk up the river
lovingly looking at my old home made 5 element for e3
it seems were were not the only ones on the river
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