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531 kHz Australians' S9+ Shootout at 11,700 km

Gary DeBock
 

How wild is ocean cliff DXing? Well, here is a minor sample. At 1415 UTC on March 3rd a 6 inch (15cm) FSL antenna set up on the Rockwork 2 plunging cliff near Manzanita, Oregon (USA) tracked down 531-4KZ (with an oldies format) and 531-2PM (with a "talker" format) in an S9+ snarl at 11,700 km across the Pacific Ocean (7,250 miles). This was on a 7.5 inch loopstick XHDATA D-808, set up on the ocean cliff as shown in the attached photo taken during the same sunrise session. Wacky!  https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/mw5rw63b1ypraa4y0p9k457tfcmzq99e

Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 2 Ocean Cliff near Manzanita, OR, USA)   
Re: 1296 E COPE Valencia 7652km barefoot XHDATA D-808

Peter 1956
 

Thanks Pedro
Re: Air Band Receivers

Emily Keene
 

I have 2 of those tiny 737 multibands, identical except that one is labeled "hang ron da" and the other is labeled "exmax". I have really enjoyed them as fun toys to play with, and like Todd Erbert on the video review, I am amazed at how many functions are in such a tiny radio. The tip of the antenna came off on one of mine, but it still works fine.
Emily Keene, New Jersey



Sent from my Virgin Mobile Phone.


-------- Original message --------
From: Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...>
Date: 3/10/21 4:28 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: main@ultralightdx.groups.io
Subject: Re: [UltralightDX] Air Band Receivers

Thanks for the link, that is a good video. I am still 50/50 on it.

On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 7:03 PM keith beesley via groups.io <keith1226=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Paul, 

Don't know if this is viewable in Australia (don't know why it wouldn't be), but here's a video review from Todd Erbert on YouTube: HanRongDa HRD-737 AM FM SW AIR VHF CB Portable Radio Review - YouTube


Keith Beesley
Seattle WA USA


On Monday, March 8, 2021, 04:53:25 PM PST, Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:




--
Paul
Re: Air Band Receivers

Paul Blundell
 

I have owned the UBC126AT (Australian version), they are a great scanner but not what I am looking for. In this case it needs to look like a "normal" AM/FM radio.


On Thu, Mar 11, 2021 at 1:12 AM Joseph Rotman via groups.io <N9JCQ=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
Peter is correct.  The pocket SW receivers are at the very best, marginal air band receivers.  Perhaps the best hand held available on the market is the Uniden 125AT here in the states.  Elsewhere, I am not sure what the Uniden nomenclature is for it. Is a very affordable scanner that you can use for monitoring the civilian and military air bands.


-----Original Message-----
From: Peter 1956 <pe1etr@...>
To: main@UltralightDX.groups.io
Sent: Tue, Mar 9, 2021 3:17 am
Subject: Re: [UltralightDX] Air Band Receivers

Your welcome Paul,

There are some small scanners that cover airband.
eg Uniden Bearcat EZI-33XLT 
Peter



--
Paul
Re: 1296 E COPE Valencia 7652km barefoot XHDATA D-808

Pedro Porres
 

Congratulations Peter, great Dx.
I confirm that it is the Athletic Bilbao-Granada C. F. (2-1) match. At the time of the recording, Athletic was winning 1-0.
A greeting from Spain.

Pedro Porres
Córdoba, Spain.
Re: Air Band Receivers

Paul Blundell
 

Thanks for the link, that is a good video. I am still 50/50 on it.


On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 7:03 PM keith beesley via groups.io <keith1226=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Paul, 

Don't know if this is viewable in Australia (don't know why it wouldn't be), but here's a video review from Todd Erbert on YouTube: HanRongDa HRD-737 AM FM SW AIR VHF CB Portable Radio Review - YouTube


Keith Beesley
Seattle WA USA


On Monday, March 8, 2021, 04:53:25 PM PST, Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:




--
Paul
Re: Air Band Receivers

Joseph Rotman
 

Peter is correct.  The pocket SW receivers are at the very best, marginal air band receivers.  Perhaps the best hand held available on the market is the Uniden 125AT here in the states.  Elsewhere, I am not sure what the Uniden nomenclature is for it. Is a very affordable scanner that you can use for monitoring the civilian and military air bands.


-----Original Message-----
From: Peter 1956 <pe1etr@...>
To: main@UltralightDX.groups.io
Sent: Tue, Mar 9, 2021 3:17 am
Subject: Re: [UltralightDX] Air Band Receivers

Your welcome Paul,

There are some small scanners that cover airband.
eg Uniden Bearcat EZI-33XLT 
Peter

Re: Air Band Receivers

Peter 1956
 

That's the same radio as in the original post.

Peter
Re: Air Band Receivers

keith beesley
 

Paul, 

Don't know if this is viewable in Australia (don't know why it wouldn't be), but here's a video review from Todd Erbert on YouTube: HanRongDa HRD-737 AM FM SW AIR VHF CB Portable Radio Review - YouTube


Keith Beesley
Seattle WA USA


On Monday, March 8, 2021, 04:53:25 PM PST, Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:


790 ARG LR6 Radio Mitre barefoot XHDATA D-808

Peter 1956
 

790 Argentina Radio Mitre Buenos Aires/ Hurlingham 7968km 25kW
https://youtu.be/TO6H51G_Fhs

Peter Wilson
Botswana
940 Brazil Super RBV barefoot pocket radio Roberts R9995

Peter 1956
 

This radio is a re-badged Sangean DT-210 (old PLL version). 6910 km 940 B Super RBV Rio de Janeiro/Magé 100kW
https://youtu.be/wD_Gg8oLOG0

Peter Wilson
Botswana
Well new radio....three new loggings.....was I fighting with one Hand behind my back???

Alex
 

Well as you've read in the past I've been known to use a Sony ICF-P26 Pocket AM/FM for my for some of my AM DXing. I had a suspicions my first example was on the fritz....it was off scale and having trouble RX a local it had no problem in the past.

 

   So I bought a new ICF-P26 today and at sunset in addition to My Select-A-Tenna I logged the following

 

   560 KHz WVOC Columbia,SC

   570 KHz  WAAX Gadsden, Alabama

   570 KHz WKVN Youngstown, OH 

 

   Yes the scale is correct, and many more stations on the dial. It makes me wonder if I was "fighting" with one hand behind my back with the other unit!!!! Now I have a dx chaser!!!

 

   Well I wish I could give more but 4 AM comes very early and I'm about ready to turn into a pumpkin!!!!!

 

GN,

Alex N8UCN / KOH8IG  in SW OH

 
Re: Air Band Receivers

Paul Blundell
 

Thanks Peter. I have had one of these in the past. I was was looking for something that "looks" like a normal radio.



On Tue, Mar 9, 2021 at 8:17 PM Peter 1956 <pe1etr@...> wrote:
Your welcome Paul,

There are some small scanners that cover airband.
eg Uniden Bearcat EZI-33XLT 
Peter



--
Paul
Re: XHDATA D-808 Squelch Capability

Gary DeBock
 

Thanks Dave,

<<<   You observed that “In the Squelch mode you can also toggle the Squelch speed by short pressing the Tuning knob to switch between “Off, Fast and Slow””.
On my example a short press in of the tuning knob toggles between Off, Fast and Slow tuning (not squelch), e.g. on SW Fast = 5KHz steps, Slow = 1KHz steps, Off = 0KHz steps (i.e. tuning knob inoperative). This is as described in the manual and works the same regardless of squelch setting.   >>>

You are absolutely correct-- a short inward press of the D-808's tuning knob toggles between fast, slow and locked tuning-- and does this on all bands, with the current status of this setting shown in the center right area of the display after the frequency readout. This function has no relation to Squelch, and the full D-808 review article at the following link has been corrected and updated    https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/8y6855bnfmy45rnk46mzr7hb4pwjz8u8

The confusion over the D-808's Squelch capability was related to the total lack of any information on the subject in my 10 page, tiny-print owner's manual. There are apparently some D-808 owner's manuals that are more detailed and include information on this subject, but it's pretty obvious that providing highly detailed and informative owner's manuals was not  a top XHDATA priority. Even the "economy model" Radiwow R-108 (from the same company) has a fairly decent 23-page owner's manual.

<<<   BTW, impressed that you've disassembled and inspected 12 samples of this radio - that's probably more than the manufacturer :)   >>>

Thanks! Actually the Navy electronics training that Steve. R., Dale P. and I went through was probably far tougher than anything the Chinese repair technicians experienced. No stock loopstick has ever been safe in this environment-- they all get replaced sooner or later!

73, Gary
Re: Video-- March 2021 Rockwork 2 Ocean Cliff DXpedition

C B
 

Gary,

You and Paul in McGrath have certainly exhibited TP dxing intrepidity! Thanks for the great recordings to you both. Rockwork in March must seem like a long way from Brennecke’s Beach in Kauai!

73,

Craig Barnes
Wheat Ridge, CO (with snow forecasted on Friday!)


On Mar 8, 2021, at 3:45 PM, Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:


Another great video. This location seems to really "work" for you.

Paul

On Tue, Mar 9, 2021 at 7:50 AM Gary DeBock via groups.io <D1028Gary=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
 With nasty weather forecast for 3 out of 4 days I knew that the latest DXing trip to Manzanita, Oregon would never be boring!  The weather was indeed the most severe ever faced during ocean cliff live DXing, but on the very first morning (March 3rd) the Rockwork 2 cliff was deceptively calm, with only a 36 degree (F) temperature somewhat less than ideal. Reminding myself of Paul Walker in Alaska I gratefully set up my gear in the clear weather (thankful to be just above freezing), and noticed that the Pacific Ocean sunrise scenery was awesome from the top of the plunging cliff, complete with a lofty view of Manzanita far below. Figuring that this was the first, last and only chance that I would have during this trip to shoot a video without subjecting my phone to all-out combat, I interrupted the DU-oriented session to record the moment  (6) March 2021 Rockwork 2 Ocean Cliff DXpedition - YouTube
     The twin 6" (15cm) FSL setup with two "supercharged" portables (a CC Skywave and XHDATA D-808) is at the top of the DU-oriented cliff face of the Rockwork 2 site-- the only one with a "dual personality" (featuring both South Pacific and Asian-facing cliffs). The Asian-facing cliff site was the venue of last October's breakthrough TP-DXpedition, although this week the biggest breakthrough was probably in surviving vicious weather.

Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 2 ocean cliff from March 3-6)



--
Paul
JOAB 693 Tokyo Sign Off Boomed Into Alaska

Paul B. Walker, Jr.
 

On Mon Mar. 8 and tues. Mar 9, I specifically went looking for the strongest NHK2 radio signal I could find right before sign off with the least amount of adjacent channel splatter I could find so I could record it and here you go. I mean, sure it's 500KW but still.. its fairly unwavering and fairly strong!

Here's JOAB from Tuesday March 9th:

Here's JOAB from Monday March 8th:

Paul Walker
McGrath, Alaska  
CC Skywave & 5" DeBock FSL Antenna
Re: XHDATA D-808 Squelch Capability

Dave613
 

Just compared your review comments on squelch to the way my D808 behaves and have a couple of comments:


You observed that “While still pressing in the Tuning knob you can adjust the Squelch level by turning the Tuning knob clockwise to raise the squelch level from 1 to 9.”
On my example you do not need to hold the Tuning knob pressed in to adjust the squelch level (although it still works if you do hold the knob in while adjusting).


You observed that “In the Squelch mode you can also toggle the Squelch speed by short pressing the Tuning knob to switch between “Off, Fast and Slow””.
On my example a short press in of the tuning knob toggles between Off, Fast and Slow tuning (not squelch), e.g. on SW Fast = 5KHz steps, Slow = 1KHz steps, Off = 0KHz steps (i.e. tuning knob inoperative). This is as described in the manual and works the same regardless of squelch setting.

BTW, impressed that you've disassembled and inspected 12 samples of this radio - that's probably more than the manufacturer :)
Re: 30 photos uploaded #photo-notice

Michael.2E0IHW
 

A very impressive record, Paul!
Michael UK

On 09/03/2021 01:09, main@UltralightDX.groups.io Notification wrote:

The following photos have been uploaded to the Best of Paul's Radio Photos album of the main@UltralightDX.groups.io group.
Re: Air Band Receivers

Peter 1956
 

Your welcome Paul,

There are some small scanners that cover airband.
eg Uniden Bearcat EZI-33XLT 
Peter
Re: Air Band Receivers

Paul Blundell
 

Thanks Peter. I am looking for something small / pocket sized.


On Tue, 9 Mar 2021, 18:41 Peter 1956, <pe1etr@...> wrote:
Hello Paul,

I have one of these, performance is mediocre. The XHDATA D-808 is much better on Airband, CB band, MW and FM.
eg this was inaudible on the Hanronda HRD-737
https://youtu.be/UDNI0QY_v6s
Peter

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