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Re: Tecsun PL-360 7.5" Plug-in Loopstick Project Update

Tony Ward
 

And on the other hand I could sit on a beach in NZ in 1962 or so and listen to KFI, CKWX, and I don't remember how many other West Coast AM stations on a "9 transistor" National Pansonic, barefoot (both of us). I even heard 500watt WKWF Key West 1600 KHZ more than once --- and several other stations with their towers rooted in salt marshes. I would occasionally drop into the offices of local 1YZ, then on 800 KHz, and check their North American reports. Hank (a DX-legend at the time, cannot I fear recall his last name) had sent one report from Burlington Vt that I recall.... If it was really easy it would not be worth doing .... Do your best; in 20 years today will be "The Good Old Days" I fear ...
 
Tony (VE3NO) ComputerViz, NYAA Starfest On-Line

tonyward@...
http://www.nyaa.ca


Now spending the BBQ Season channelling the Inner Carbon of Cows...


From: "D1028Gary@..."
To: ultralightdx@...
Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 5:16:10 PM
Subject: Re: [ultralightdx] Re: Tecsun PL-360 7.5" Plug-in Loopstick Project Update

 

Hi Stephen (and Tony),
 
As Tony related, it would be tough to receive 1134-Croatia on the west coast if they are not transmitting :-) Their new hours (1600-2245 Z) certainly don't sound good for west coast DXers!
 
As far as your chances to receive DX on 1134 kHz with your pest 1130-KSDO only 6 miles away, unfortunately it's probably a long shot at best. Unless you are able to null the station and still face the bearing of 300 degrees (for TP's) or about 040 (for TA's), you are probably out of luck.
 
Trying to receive TA's on the west coast using ULR's is not easy, except for the super-stations like 1134-Croatia (previously) , 1575-Farda and 1215-Absolute. Trying to receive any other TA's on the west coast with Ultralight radios is really going "against the grain," and requires some serious external antenna help. I was able to receive 675-Radio Maria (Holland), 693-BBC and 756-DLF (Germany) last fall using the 9' PVC loop in the back yard, but signals were typically like this 693-BBC recording on Oct.21:   http://www.mediafir e.com/?qyunz2hxm mz  On the other hand, TA super-stations like 1134-Croatia would really boom in at times, like on this recording of Oct. 15: http://www.mediafir e.com/?o25zzewme dz .
 
As tough as it is to receive TA's on Ultralights on the west coast, it is even tougher to receive TP's on Ultralights on the east coast. The only DXer I know who has accomplished this was Brent Taylor during a DXpedition on Canada's Prince Edward Island, receiving several Japanese "big guns" (747 and 774 kHz?) using a humble Sony SRF-59, inductively coupled to a Radio Shack loop. 
 
73, Gary
 
  In a message dated 5/16/2010 4:54:47 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, pianoplayer88key@ yahoo.com writes:
 

Do I have any chance here in San Diego to get that station on 1134? I have a local 10kW on 1130 (KSDO) that's 6.33 miles away at a heading of 350.03°, so that may pose a bit of a challenge. A few barefoot signal readings in 1kHz BW, while facing KSDO's transmitter, are: 1130-1131=63dBu, 1132~50-54, 1133-1135~38- 51, 1140~38-51, at which point the chatter starts to quiet down. On 1141 it's 37-39dBu with some chatter but not nearly as much as on 1140, on 1142 there's little bits of chirps here and there at 37dBu, 1143 is fairly quiet with about 35dBu.
Also what about the TPs on 747 and 774? I have a local 50kW nighttime KFMB on 760 7.3 mi away, heading 320.65°, which is giving me readings of 39dBu on those frequencies. I also have yet to log the TP on 594, thanks in part to 600 KOGO, whose 5kW IBOC signal, 7.72 mi @ hdg 249.21°, is 34dBu.
Are there any TPs or TAs I should try for barefoot with the somewhat high RF here? Before I got the PL-380 and was trying a couple other radios, I remember I had the G8, and some of the local signals were indicating upwards of 75-80dBu on their assigned frequencies. I kinda wish the PL-380 wasn't limited to indicating 63dBu, as I have several stations that indicate that here.

--- In ultralightdx@ yahoogroups. com, D1028Gary@.. . wrote:
>
> Thanks Tony,
>
> Your 7.5" plug-in loopstick package is traveling faster than expected,
> considering that it's a weekend with NHL playoff distractions :-) A Monday
> arrival would be great.
>
> Yes, 1134-Croatia made a few booming appearances even right here in western
> Washington last fall, and it's too bad they cut their hours. On peak
> evenings they would fade in around 5 PM here in October, and stick around until
> about 8:30 PM. I was able to receive it barefoot on a stock PL-310 (the
> only TA ever received barefoot here), and boost up its signal to a very
> healthy level with the 6' PVC tuned passive loop in the back yard.
>
> Tony, I hope you will have as much fun with your 7.5" plug-in loopstick as
> I've had making them (and sending them out). There is something weirdly fun
> about boosting up the AM sensitivity of this "Clark Kent" radio, and
> making it a super DX performer!
>
> 73, Gary
>
>
> In a message dated 5/15/2010 12:41:59 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
> tonyward@... writes:
>

 
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