Thanks to Colin and Nigel for their earlier reports. Unfortunately there was no dramatic improvement in Asian signal strength this morning (at least not at this mediocre location). Some promising signals around 1310 took a swoon by 1330, and a lackluster sunrise enhancement brought up very few second tier TP's.
 
In the total darkness at 1310 both the 1053-Jammer and 1566-HLAZ were managing fair to good signals, along with fair audio from the Japanese big guns and the somewhat unusual 558-HLQH. These all took a dive by 1330, with very little Asian audio across the band. Around 1400 the Japanese on 594 and 747 came back up to fair strength, while 603 came out of the noise with a weak mix of China and HLSA around 1405. 657-Pyongyang also managed threshold audio around the same time, while 738-Tahiti (a sure sign of substandard Asian conditions here) confirmed the dreary propagation with weak audio at 1430. Late on in the session around 1435 both 1575-VOA and 1593-CNR1 came out of the noise to manage ghostly audio, but bailed very quickly after that. Overall the session was pretty lackluster, and fairly typical of the dreary propagation during this lean solar year. Hopefully the group at Rockwork had much better Asian results than this mediocre location provided, but I'm not very optimistic about that.
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)
7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight +
15" FSL antenna

 

Here in Puyallup it was also a clunker session for sure, with all the Asian big guns except for 1566-HLAZ turning their nose up at the lackluster propagation. 

 

The meager signals that showed up were all from Korea and Thailand, the best of which was from 1566 during its Japanese service at 1335 (fair to good). 558-HLQH also managed a few gasps past the 560 splatter around 1405, and ghostly audio from both 603-HLSA and 657-Pyongyang surfaced around 1425. Finally,1575-VOA also managed fair audio at 1438 for about 5 minutes, but that was about it. Even the Japanese big guns took the day off (like we should have done).

 

73 and Good DX,

Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight +

15" FSL antenna

 

 

For once Victoria and Puyallup were in full agreement as the below average season produced another below average session. With the exception of the Japanese and Korean big guns TP signals were going against the grain, and those that did manage to show up lacked any energy.

 

In the predawn darkness at 1310 the NHK big guns and 1566-HLAZ were all fairly strong, and 972-HLCA, the 1053-Jammer and 1566-HLAZ were having their moments of fair audio. Unfortunately things pretty much stayed this way throughout the session, with very little else showing up during a lackluster sunrise enhancement. Around 1400 there were weak gasps of audio from a presumed 603-HLSA, 657-Pyongyang and a presumed 738-BEL2, none of which could stick around for more than a few seconds. 1134-JOQR, 1503-JOUK and 1575-VOA also reached threshold levels in and out during a dreary sunrise enhancement, but bailed very quickly whenever investigated. Only 594, 693 and 774 reached very good levels, although even these big guns weren't as strong as yesterday. Altogether it was another very forgettable session in a pretty lackluster October.

 

73 and Good DX,

Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight +

15" FSL antenna

 

The dreary reports from Victoria this morning were kind of puzzling, with the Asians sounding about average here this morning (for this below average season, that is). A fairly good sunrise enhancement boost at 1400 brought the usual Japanese big guns and 972-HLCA up to respectable levels, along with weak audio from 558-HLQH, 603-HLSA, 657-Pyongyang and 1134-JOQR. 972-HLCA even had several S9+ peaks, reaching its best level of the season here so far.

  
At my 1310 start time the band was bizarre indeed, with 1323-CRI the only Asian with decent audio (and that at a fair to good level, no less, with its Russian service). Unfortunately the gear wasn't set up yet in the back yard for a recording. The Japanese big guns and 972-HLCA had several fair to good peaks during the predawn darkness, along with weaker audio from 1053, 1134 (JOQR) and 1566. Just before 1400 the Japanese big guns and 972-HLCA began to get a serious boost, with 972 pounding in at S9+ levels between 1420 and 1430 with its variety program. Second-tier TP's on 558, 603 (HLSA), 657 and 1134 (JOQR) weren't nearly as strong, but did make weak appearances in and out of the noise before bailing around 1430.The big guns on 594, 693 and 972 stuck it out much later, though, with 594 and 972 both maintaining weak audio here as late as 1450 (unprecedented this month, for this mediocre location). Overall the session was fairly average, but kind of bizarre considering the lackluster reports from Victoria.

 

972  HLCA   Korean female speech at S9+ level during variety program at 1416

https://app.box.com/s/ce4pb82zztm3uhublxna48oeylp1icmm 

 

73 and Good DX,

Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight +

15" FSL antenna

 

A dreary band in the predawn darkness was rescued somewhat by a potent sunrise enhancement boost after 1400, bringing the usual Japanese and Korean big guns up to respectable levels, and several second-tier Asians out of the noise.
 
Around 1305 the Asians were anemic indeed, with only 1566-HLAZ managing fair audio in and out. During the predawn darkness all the NHK big guns seemed to be struggling to get out of the noise, and the Koreans on 972 and 1053 were missing in action. Things began to improve dramatically around 1400 when the Japanese on 594, 693, 747, 774 and 828 came out of the noise to reach fair to good levels in and out, while the Koreans on 972 and 1053 got a serious boost. Around 1405 both 603-China (with weak male-female Chinese speech, all alone without HLSA) and 657-Pyongyang managed fair audio peaks, while a presumed 1134-KBS also came out of the noise with variety show programming sounding like 972. Although the Japanese big guns followed Nick's script by staying at relatively modest levels 972-HLCA became pretty strong, with Korean female speech temporarily hitting a very good level around 1410. Neither 603-China nor 657-Pyongyang could hold their fair strength for any length of time, though, and sunk into the noise around 1420. The Japanese big guns also bailed shortly thereafter, but 972-HLCA was still in audio as late as 1445 here-- pretty much unprecedented for this mediocre location so far this season. Overall the session was moderately interesting because of the dramatic sunrise enhancement boost-- which turned a clunker band into something pretty decent.

      
972  HLCA   Dangjin, S. Korea   Korean female speech at very good level at 1410
https://app.box.com/s/8t8k0ve0pa11fmfjnk4gsg76ohauzfpc  
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)
7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight +
15" FSL antenna

 

 

Hello,

 

<<<  my main question is if the community of ULR dxing supports the SW band as an option and if the awards program can support SW. Is the awards program alive?????   >>>

 

In answer to your questions, the ULR community does indeed support SW listening as part of our hobby interest, and welcomes your SWL reports. As a matter of fact, we have typically allowed DXing reports made using ANY portable to be posted on our site, although the Records and Awards programs are limited to receptions made on officially approved Ultralight radios (of 20 cubic inches or less, and without SSB capability).

 

The Ultralight Radio Awards Program currently does not include any provision for receptions made on the Shortwave frequencies. The Awards Program was originally set up to cover Medium Wave and Longwave receptions on Ultralight radios, but is currently in great need of another volunteer qualified in Adobe Photoshop software usage and composition. There really isn't any way that one person (yours truly) can process Awards Applications from 1,617 members, especially when certain applicants don't understand why they can't receive their awards immediately. As with most radio hobby groups the Ultralight Radio group has been sustained by the same volunteer workers for many years-- who have worked in the background to provide the services that are taken for granted. Many of our original volunteers have dropped out for various reasons, unfortunately. Until we can have the volunteer services of another Photoshop-qualified applicant, I regret that we can no longer take new applications for Ultralight Radio Awards, except in highly unusual cases.

 

73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

Ultralight Radio group Co-Founder

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

Congratulations on your reception of 594-JOAK this morning on your Eton Traveler III and Terk Loop in Vancouver! I'm happy that you were able to receive it around 1309, especially because it wasn't too strong here around that time. In addition, it's always a challenge to chase TP's with a portable antenna setup away from home.

 

The station hit a pretty strong peak this morning around 1405 UTC (0705 PDT), which was about an hour after you tracked it down  https://app.box.com/s/naioudkwo0ff3b2oq13vev7luahk9kdf  In general, your best chance at tracking down TP's this time of year is to try for the "sunrise enhancement" period of 1400-1415 UTC (0700-0715 PDT), during which the Asians usually reach their best strength of the morning.

 

Thanks again for your report, and good luck in tracking down more Asians!

 

73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)