Steve: I often hear "todas musica" XEMF here in north central
Oklahoma. Not too bad for a reported 0.25 kW at 1117 km (694 miles)
distance.

Richard Allen

For the past several nights, I have been able to hear
XEMF "780 Radio Nostalgia" under WBBM with a good, clear
signal. Early this morning (Saturday 23 Aug 2008 at
0330 AM CDT/0430 AM EDT) I heard a slogan that sounded
something like "La frecuencia del amor" and then a good
ID, "XEMF 780 Radio Nostalgia en Monclova, Coahuila."
BTW, I've been using my "yellow-jersey" Sangean DT-400W
and a pair of Koss "Sparkplug" earbuds.

I'm loving the DT-400W more and more each time I use it!

73 & Great DX,

Steve N5WBI
Houston TX

Friday morning was my last DX session for this trip to Room 15 at the Grayland Motel and it went much more as I had expected for yesterday... less intense, more gentlemanly (in modern-speak, would this be "personly?"  Completely different meaning and poorly spelled.)  Conditions were down noticeably from Wednesday and Thursday's excitement, so I cruised around the band from 1100 onward (LSR 1325).  A goodly number of re-logs... Japan and China were doing better than anything else and, though the DUs showed after LSR, they were weak and spotty.  Still, it was a great morning for me. Before dawn, I managed to add three more TPs to my Ultralight log.

I pretty much though that was going to be it, but then I cruised by 801 just at dawn where a woman was reading a long Biblical quotation. I had noted a station in EE here at bandfade yesterday, but it was too weak to have a chance at ID. After 20 years of DXing TPs, I don't have anything heard, much less verified on 801, so I was very interested.  I figgered it for an Aussie, though Aussie stations running religious programs are rare, and I noticed a an obscure 5-call in PAL that was at least a possibility.... excitement, plans for war dances, if it lasted until 1330 and I caught an ID.  It was sloooowly fading by 1325 and I happened to reread that page of PAL and it all came clear.... KTWG, Agana Guam!  It almost had to be!  Almost everyone else of the NW TP DXers has heard Guam at least once, but I've tried so many times for so many years, that I'd given up several years ago and kind of wiped them out of my mind.  At 1230, there was a station break with an announcer with a non-NAm accent and I THINK that I heard "Cornerstone."  KTWG is "The Cornerstone, AM 800" and runs religious programs 24-7, most syndicated.  I'll be reviewing the tape and sending KTWG a report this weekend with a recording and the name of the syndicated show.... here;'s hoping.  This is a presumed logging for right now, but "I'd bet my pension...."  Oh, by the way, the station was coming in so well that getting it on the E100 by off-tuning one kHz (802 kHz)  was no problem.... thanks to Guy Atkins' Murata IF filter mod.

Here are the Ultralight loggings:

567 JOIK, NHK1 Sapporo Japan 8/22/2008 1226 NHK1 //594
801 KTWG Agana Guam  8/22/2008 1328 Franchise Christian programs change at 1330
855 4QB Pialba Australia 8/22/2008 1340 // stronger 1548 with Local ABC net programming
936 Anhui RGD Hefei China 8/22/2008 1234 CC Talk
1314 JOUF Osaka Japan 8/22/2008 1248 JJ Romantic Play (Soap Opera)
1557 WYFR Fam.Rad Kouhu Taiwan 8/22/2008 1258 Hymn, Fam.Radio TS, then CC talk by fem

Well, I'm up to 83 TP Ultralight loggings.... in 16 countries.  I did some planning for the assault on 100 TPs... it might just be possible this season, but its going to take both work and luck. I'm sure going to try.  Getting to twenty countries, TP may just not be possible... certainly not this season.  After 20 years with the big radios, I'm only in the low 20s out here and several of those QSLed countries (Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Solomons, New Caledonia) are either off the MW air entirely or are unheard here in a number of years.  I expect to get Viet Nam 675 when the fall season is in full cry, but from there.... Kiribati and Micronesia are possibilities at some point, but that leaves me at 19..... hummmmmm.  Maybe China will break into at least three pieces as has been predicted at times. Hummmmm.

Well, thanks to Ultralighting  (and 4HI + KTWG) this was my most enjoyable DXpedition in many years... what a blast.

I'll combine all my Ultralight loggings and get together a DXpedition report in the next few days.

Thanks for discovering this stuff, Gary!!!

John B. 

Gary;

I guess it's the difference between direct and circumstantial
evidence. In case of the latter it's up to the jury.

So for the moment I'm listing WOMN-1110 as tentative. Looking at my
log, I'd already logged KGFL-1110. But I did hear KDIS, KYKK, WBT and
Radio Guadalupana for the first time, all for the first time. The
down side was having to listen to KFAB QRM!

Overall it wasn't a bad week with 15 new stations logged.

I hope you've had as good a week DXing as me.

Richard Allen.

Sunset Dxing and later under the stars  at Topsail Beach, Newfoundland last evening with the SRF-M37V and SRF- 39FP barefoot.   Nothing new of any sort but conditions were excellent and very low noise being out and  away from St. John's. Unusual evening in that strong transatlantics which usually occur to start with were weaker and Canadian and American stations dominated early on.   A few logs as follows:   760 khz  - WJR Detroit, Michigan   8/22/08   23:40 UTC  w/ Talk Show and 760 -WJR ID , fair   780 khz - CFDR Dartmouth,Nova Scotia   8/22/08  23:41 UTC  w/ religious program ; very good   790 khz - CFNW Port Aux Choix,Newfoundland   8/22/08  23:44 UTC  w/ country music (relay of CFCB) ; good   810 khz - CJVA  Carraquet, New Brunswick  8/22/08  23:46  UTC  w/ french and country music songs in french; good   1008 khz  - Radio Punto , Las Palmas Canary Islands   8/22/08   23:48  UTC  w/ spanish commentary and music , ID ; good   1160 khz - WSKW Showhegan, Maine  8/22/08  23:37 UTC  w/ JC Penney AD , college day promo, ESPN Radio ID, mentions of Maine; good   1580 khz - CKDO Oshawa, Ontario  8/22/08  23:50 UTC w/ local ads , 1580-CKDO ID; oldies played, good   1600 khz - WNRB Boston, Mass  8/22/08  23:47 UTC  w/ spanish programming ( Usually second harmonic from local   800 khz  covers this one up in St. John's)     73   Allen Willie Dxing at Topsail Beach,Newfoundland SRF-M37V and SRF - 39FP barefoot

---

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Great  going, John!!!  Very nice logs.

John B.

How much lee-way is permitted in claiming reception of a station? In
the past it's been my practice to only claim reception of a stations
if I heard something unmistakably identifying the station. But I've
noticed some DXers claiming reception on sketchy information.

I really never thought much about it until yesterday. While listening
on 1110 kHz, at 1100 UTC, I heard a partial call through Radio
Guadalupana and KFAB's signals. All I heard was "K?FL Studios". My
guess it was KGFL, Clinton AR (6 kW @ 458 km). That was immediately
followed by a seven-day weather forecast from another station. There
was nothing remarkable about it other than a low/high tide forecast.
No location was heard and the signal quickly faded out. I've checked
weather/tide forecasts on the Internet and looks like it could be New
Orleans. So, is it enough to claim I heard KOWN, Chalmette LA (21
Watts at 911 km)?

While listening on 790 kHz last evening, I heard the unmistakable time
pips and CW ID of Radio Reloj under KXXX, Colby KS. Even though I
didn't hear a voice, can I claim reception of the Cuban station?

In the past, I would have just listened again on the frequency until I
heard the questionable station.

What is allowable? In the end I realize it's an "honor" system. What
are your feeling on the matter?

Good DX,
Richard Allen.

Hello Richard,

 

     Our Ultralight DX Awards program does indeed emphasize the honor system in station identification, and this concept certainly assumes that the DXer will fully investigate and evaluate all possibilities before claiming a reception.  In general, each DXer has the responsibility to ensure that his loggings are trustworthy beyond a reasonable doubt, and that the claimed loggings are reasonable in consideration of propagation, language, format, etc  The general principle is that the value of the loggings is only as good as the DXer's standard of station identification (and investigative work, if necessary).

 

     AM-DXers will usually go out of their way to answer questions about station formats, ID slogans and other programming clues, in efforts to help someone with an UnID question.  Although every DXer must set his own standard of station identification, it's necessary to have conclusive evidence before logging, although this may delay the process.  Eventually 99% of the mysteries clear up, although some never do, unfortunately.

 

     73,  Gary DeBock    

 

    

I just found a couple of radios that I'd forgotten I owned. One is a
Sony SRF-M80V. It's the predecessor of the Sony SRF-M85V, which is in
the turkey farm; it's described as cute but deaf.

This is cute too but definitely not deaf. It's as sensitive as my
DeBock souped-up SRF-59! It's not as selective but I wouldn't call it
barn-door selectivity like the SRF-M37V. I have three AM's one mile
away all using the same tower; seeing three STL antennas on one tower
is weird. All are 1 KW or less and non-directional. It behaves less
well around them than almost all of my non ultralight radios. I'll
have to get it a few miles away from them and see what happens. It
also has TV sound for all the good that will do in about six months,
FM and the weather band.

The other is also in the turkey farm but it deserves to be there. It's
the Sangean DT-110. It's described as "Xin and Amazon say Turkey".
Dennis says turkey too. It's fairly numb and has barn-door
selectivity. Local AM's sound great through good headphones. The only
good part is that it was free. I got it free at the Discovery Channel
store when I spent more than $50.00. It has the Discovery Channel logo
on it.

Does anybody here have both an Eton E100 (the old version) and E10? I
think my refurbished E10 should do better on MW. It's great on SW. At
least I only paid $30.00 for it. Everyone's description of how
sensitive the E100 is sounds better than my E10 is. The Sony SRF-M80V
leaves it at the starting line.

73 de WB6TNB

--- In ultralightdx@..., D1028Gary@... wrote:

Hi Kevin,

The Sony SRF-M37V is indeed a puzzle-- an Ultralight with fairly
decent sensitivity but barn-door selectivity, in stock form. Allen

Willie in

Newfoundland has used it to receive more new TA countries than all

other

Ultralight DXers combined, but for most of us, it's just not as

competitive as an

SRF-T615, E100 or DT-200VX.

During a recent visit to Oregon, I noticed the new SRF-M37W

model for

sale at a Fred Meyer, so I picked up one for the Ultralight Summertime
Shootout. It looks almost identical to the SRF-M37V, but the TV

audio coverage has

been replaced by weather band coverage (like the DT-200VX and

DT-400W).

Price was $34.95, like the old SRF-M37V. It hasn't been tested out

yet, but if

Sony improves the AM IF filter in this new model, it would make a huge
difference for us (even though it's probably wishful thinking).

The 450 kHz IF of the model makes some decent filter

modifications

possible (as you and Jim have experienced), but the E100's 1 kHz

tuning steps

provide a huge advantage for 9 kHz split-frequency DXing, to chase

TP's and

TA's. The 455 kHz IF of the E100 also makes installation of some

VERY effective

IF filters possible, such as the Murata CFJ455K5 ceramic filter.

Your modified SRF-M37V's would make a very interesting project

for a

large loopstick transplant, Kevin. We have discovered that whenever a
selectivity boost is combined with a major sensitivity boost, an

Ultralight suddenly

becomes an Ultra-effective DX chaser.

73, Gary

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

--- In ultralightdx@..., dx@... wrote:

John, FYI, the Murata filter we love for the E100 is nominally
2.3 kHz, not 5 kHz.

In fact, it's a 2.4 kHz nominal filter (sez p05e9.pdf). This
one measured 2.9 kHz @ -6 dB:
http://jlkolb.cts.com/site/curves/CFJ455K5.PDF
Shape factor is about 1.4, not too shabby. It's not clear
from the catalog how many elements the CFJs actually have,
must be at least 9. Nice metal cased SSB filters in any case.

Stephan

OK thanks i took them in and out a few times it cleared up so i know
to expect this once in while.
--- In ultralightdx@..., "Brett Saylor" <bds2@...> wrote:

This is very interesting - the same thing happened to me with one of

my

E100's. I replaced the batteries thinking they were weak and then it

worked,

but checking the batteries showed they were still ~1.35 volts. They

were the

original batteries that came with the radio, BTW.

Brett N3EVB

On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 8:55 PM, ronshire2000

<ronshire2000@...>wrote:

i had a similar instance with one my E100's. it had been sitting

on my

desk in the case for several weeks since last use. i tried to turn

it

on. it did come on but went right back off on multiple tries. at

first

i thought maybe the batteries had died even though i hadn't used

them

much. i removed the battery cover and "rolled the batteries in

place"

and/or pulled one out and put it back in. after that it fired

right up.

i'm guessing that maybe humidity or slight oxidation of batteries

kept

them from providing full power or the batteries we get with them

are

not much good.

Ron N8APZ

i had a similar instance with one my E100's. it had been sitting on my
desk in the case for several weeks since last use. i tried to turn it
on. it did come on but went right back off on multiple tries. at first
i thought maybe the batteries had died even though i hadn't used them
much. i removed the battery cover and "rolled the batteries in place"
and/or pulled one out and put it back in. after that it fired right up.

i'm guessing that maybe humidity or slight oxidation of batteries kept
them from providing full power or the batteries we get with them are
not much good.

Ron N8APZ

Hi Phil:

I too love this little unit. RadioLabs sells a 4.5 khz filter (LTS 450GW)
intended for Sangean 909 retrofits with the 450 khz IF. They also have a
3.0 or 3.3 khz model, but the 4.5 makes domestic listening quite enjoyable
and really does the job. The filter manufacturer's spec sheet is at:
http://www.euroquartz.co.uk/pdf/ceramic-lts-450w.pdf

The filters aren't listed on the RadioLabs web site, but below is what the
guy said a few months ago in response to an inquiry. Note that RadioLabs
doesn't have the same name for the filters as the manufacturer, and I
can't recall if the SFR450J (RadioLabs' part number) corresponds with the
4.5 khz LTS-450GW, so make sure you ask the phone rep!

Kevin S
Bainbridge Island, WA

- - - - - - - -

I do have those in stock , If you call to order tell phone rep that there
is a code in the system for 909 filter # SFR450J
part # SFR450J - $5 Shipping around $4

Best Regards,
Todd D.
RadioLabs Intl. Inc.
3610 Pryor Ct.
Fortuna, CA 95540
Phone:(877) 575 3700
Fax;(707) 725 6633
todd@...

John, FYI, the Murata filter we love for the E100 is nominally 2.3 kHz, not 5 kHz. I am sure you know this...it was probably a slip o' the typing fingers.

Guy
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

I have a less than a year old Sangean DT200-VX in mint condition - not really used much - mostly just as frequency setting for the 'hotter' SRF-59 - which I'm considering letting go of. Cost me $50 new, I'd let it go for less.

If anyone's interested, please contact me offlist.

Russ Edmunds
Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL )
[15 mi NNW of Philadelphia]
40:08:45N; 75:16:04W, Grid FN20id
<wb2bjh@...>
FM: Yamaha T-80 & Onkyo T-450RDS w/ APS9B @15'
AM: Modified Sony ICF 2010 barefoot