Hello Guys,
Thanks to all (Kevin, Rob, Carl, Allen, John,
Kirk, Richard, Dennis, Greg and many others) for your generous comments about
the first anniversary of the Ultralight Radio boom, which are all greatly
appreciated. Our exciting new niche hobby has restored the interest of
many AM DXers, and certainly has a very positive future.
Perhaps the most fascinating advantage
offered by ULR DXing is the chance to choose your own level of challenge.
There is never any reason to feel bored, when such a huge variety of radios,
accessories and even modifications are available to provide new DXing
challenges and opportunities-- all at reasonable prices.
John Cereghin's recent comments about the
"minimalist" approach (DXing with a stock SRF-59) very effectively
described the challenge and rewards offered by using only a basic analog
Ultralight to chase domestic and international DX. Allen Willie has also
thrilled us all with a minimalist approach to transoceanic DX, and Rob Ross,
Greg Schoom and others have done the same with domestic DX. There is a
strong "work ethic" required in this type of DXing, but the
rewards are certainly in proportion to the effort. Like most major
projects, your success requires patience and perseverance-- but the
reward of hearing rare DX on a stock Ultralight is an indescribable
thrill that is unlike any other hobby experience.
On the other side of the Ultralight
enthusiast group are the "maximalist" DXers, who have been on a one-year mission
to modify pocket radios into a state of supreme DXing effectiveness. John
Bryant and myself have perhaps led the charge in this, with serious assistance
from Guy Atkins, Steve Ratzlaff, Kevin Schanilec and many others. From the
beginning of the Ultralight boom we have had filter modifications (SRF-M37V,
DT-200VX and others) and loopstick transplants (SRF-39FP and DT-200VX),
but serious performance boosts didn't happen until we learned to
combine extreme sensitivity with extreme selectivity. Today our
modified E100's can embarrass classic DX portables on ocean beaches, and
anywhere else.
If you are looking for new DXing challenges this
winter, you are certainly in the right group! Try the "minimalist"
approach, and se if you are up to the challenge. The ultimate challenge is
offered by the Sony SRF-S84, a radio half the size of an SRF-59 (with a
loopstick only 1.2" long). Think that this tiny radio would be
useless for DX? Guess again-- it has already received 3 TP's here in
my modest location (JOAK-594, JOIB-747 and HLCA-972). But you will have to
learn to play the propagation peaks, and work hard to get rare DX on this
tiniest of Ultralights.
Have you logged a lot of DX on stock Ultralights,
and are running out of possibilities? West coast TP DXers had the same
feeling-- about a year ago! An exciting world of passive and active
antennas awaits you. Check out Kevin's excellent article "Using Tuned
Passive Loop Antennas," posted on DXer.Ca. Investigate the possibilities
of inductively coupling your external antennas to stock Ultralight loopsticks
(read John Bryant's several articles on the subject, also posted
on DXer.Ca.). Using an external antenna with an Ultralight radio
provides an exciting change from the modest stock sensitivity, opening up a new
world of weak-signal possibilities.
Finally, if you would like to try the
ultimate in stand-alone Ultralight performance, check out the E100 Four Variant
Shootout article, also on DXer.Ca. Full information is given on the
relative performance of the amazing Murata CFJ455K5 IF filter, the innovative
Slider loopstick, and a combination of the two improvements. It's tough to
imagine how a modified Ultralight could get more exciting than this-- receiving
49 TP's (and 5 UnID's) in one night at Grayland.
For new DXing challenges this winter,
Ultralight DXers truly have a world of exciting possibilities. Thanks
again to all who made our first year so enjoyable, and best wishes to all for
the most exciting season yet!
73, Gary
DeBock
