Friends,
After two good but fairly pressure-packed DX mornings, I sort of
anticipated a more leisurely AM today, cruising up the band noting all
the stations that I'd logged on the first two AMs and logging a few new
ones in a gentlemanly fashion.... there just couldn't be that many more
stations available right now. I did hope that the North Koreans
would reappear and at such strength that I could nail another Ultralight
country in the rapidly declining number of those left. Sounded like a
plan to me.
The general pattern of receptions was a match to the two previous AMs....
from about 1120 (LSR around 1320). As usual, when I tuned in, there were
a few weak DUs around and the Asians, especially the Japanese, were
already in at very good levels. As time wore on, the Chinese gained in
number and strength. but with more JJs appearing, too, along with BOTH
Koreas. Also as usual, dawn marked the demise of most of the Asians, to
be replaced with lots of hets and weak DUs. The DUs lasted even longer
than usual after dawn. I quit at 1400 and there were still several bits
of audio around.
So, the general pattern was as expected. What was not anticipated at all
was the pace of logging new stations. Although few signals were at
astounding levels, general conditions were just excellent, and
wide-spread, too. I kept very busy logging new stations, totalling
12 new Ultralight TPs today and shocking myself by adding FOUR new
countries (North Korea, Russia, Taiwan and East Malaysia!!!)
To top things off, I was tuning up the band one last time with the 313e,
more than 30 minutes after dawn and, as I passed 1143 kHz, this Aussie
sez, plain as day "4HI......" followed by a brief slogan
and into a pop song. I could not believe it! In 18 years of DXing out
here, I've NEVER heard 4HI... wasn't really aware that it existed. I
quickly dialed 1143 on the E100, while the song was playing (it was
THERE, too!) I got my internal recorder going and waited for the song to
end. Things were fading fast, but the song was over and there it
was again "4HI" with a very processed sound. The signal
faded during the third number. 4HI is a 5 kW commercial Aussie in
Emerald, Queensland and may set another new 5 kW distance record... I'm
gonna have to measure carefully, as 4TAB in Townsville is the current
record.
So, it was an excellent morning, over all, but I'll treasure the 4HI
logging as one of those real gems that comes along only once or twice a
season, if that.
The Ultralight loggings:
648
V. of Russia
Ussur, Sib.
Russia
8/21/2008
1300
Russian M. approaching TOH; Bells of
Moscow?
729
5RN
Adelaide
Australia
Oceania
50
8/21/2008
1331
"ABC News" with M+W
738 Taiwan
Fish. Baisha
Taiwan
8/21/2008
1307 CC
talk // weaker 1143
819
KCBS
Pyongyang
North Korea
8/21/2008
1151 Hrd.
On 818. Typical NK martial orchestral music
837
CNR5?
Zangban?
China
8/21/2008
1125 Man
Talk. Prob. new station to Taiwan from Fujian
873 JOGB
NHK2 Kumamoto
Japan
8/21/2008
1220 Int.
EE lessons //774
981 CNR1
Synchro China
8/21/2008
1224
Olympics //5030. Hrd. On 982
1143
Taiwan Fish.
Baisha
Taiwan
8/21/2008
1310 CC
talk // stronger 738
1143
4HI
Emerald
Australia
Oceania
5
8/21/2008
1344 IDs,
slogans, Oldies
1278
JOFR
Fukuoka
Japan 8/21/2008
1234
Olympic coverage JJ. Also maybe Heibei
1323
GovoritPekin
Shuanghyashan?
China
8/21/2008
1158 Quiet
mx to TOH, then Russian male ann.
1475 RTM
Labuan Kota Kinabalu
East Malaysia
8/21/2008
1144 Hrd.
On 1474 to miss 1476 QRM. Slight undermod
1566
HLAZ*
Cheju Isl.*
South Korea*
8/21/2008
1241 Heard
Barefoot: T615; Was S-8 on 313e
Total of 12 new Ultralight loggings with the 837 Broadcaster to Taiwan as
a tentative. I'm hoping for ID help from Chinese friends, though I
have not yet gotten a good TOH recording.
And I forgot to mention, amidst all to the cheering and Chickasaw war
dances, I managed to log a solid HLAZ-1566 as my second TP Barefoot...
second country, too, with the Sony T615.
There were lots of relogs from Asia and DU, but I'll not list them... all
were common, many were listed here on previous AMs.
Well, my total TP station count is now above 80, and I dare to hope to
hit 100 this season. I'll have two more DXpeditions down here this
fall and the Chinese come in fairly well at my home on Orcas. You can bet
that I'll be ultralighting every AM!
Thanks to Ultralighting, I'm having more fun this season than any for
many years.... and every one of those past seasons was fun, too!
YEE-HAW!
John Bryant
Grayland 2008.8
Winradio 313E
Mod. E100 + T615 Ultralights
Wellbrook Phased Array
