Logs from Newfoundland Oct. 19-26 - variable conditions

[newfoundland dxer]

Hi everyone:

It was a very interesting weekend . . . lots of stations, but very frustrating propogation conditions on Sunday.

The weekend started well. On Friday morning, I heard Misti Radio for the first time at 0920. This was the lowest power station that I have ever heard in the morning. Conditons were also good on Saturday evening, so I was excited for Sunday morning.

Unfortunately, conditions were not good on Sunday morning. I could hear lots of carriers and very weak signals, but most signals were barely above the noise. The only station on 48 m that I could hear clearly, on 6215 kHz, did not ID! The only good news was that stations on 48m did not completely fade out until a half hour after sunrise. This is encouraging.

This weekend saw the start of special Halloween shows from several American pirates. Next weekend should be one of the most active weekends of the year. Halloween is a big deal in the US pirate community.

Despite the conditions, several new stations were logged this week, including Misti, North Star Radio (US), Radio Paardenkracht, Radio Alice, Random Radio (US), and tentative receptions of KPR (US), Marinebroadcaster, Mike and Zodiac.

Monday, October 19
6924,7 . . 2318-2350 . MAC Shortwave (US), Dr. Who Halloween special, Ultraman, c/d 2350, 44443
6870,0 . . 2330-2340 . Playback Int., music, ID, 34342

Tuesday, October 20
6220,0 . . 0025-0030 . Mystery Radio, pop music, ID, 44333
6929u . . .0034-0106 . KPR (US) (tent), music audible, but unable to tune the usb signal properly because of a strong cw station. I could eliminate the cw only by tuning exactly 6929,0, but the music was quite distorted. Op could not confirm, due to distortion, but was on air at this time.

Thursday, October 22
6925,0u . 0108-0125 . UNID (US?), Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Across the Universe", songs by female artist, off or fade out 0125 without ID, 24441

Friday, October 23
6210,0 . . 0920-0930 . Misti Radio, turned on the radio while getting ready for work, heard a trace of music, so set record. Upon reviewing the audio file later, was very pleased to hear three nice peaks of music, two of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (also heard by UKDxer at this time).

Saturday, October 24
6925.0u . 1245-1250 . Radio GaGa (US) (tent), barely audible music, ID via frn.
7600.0 . . 1303-1340 . UNID, continuous 80's music, no announcements or ID, (FRSH?), 34342
9290.0 . . 1352-1440 . Mike Radio (tent), very weak music, fading in and out, fade ins becoming less frequent with time.
7550,0 . . 1900-1905 . Radio Amica, synthesizer music, ID, 44443
6315,0 . . 1927-1935 . Radio CoolAM, weak music, ID discovered upon reviewing audio file, 14341
3905,0 . . 1935-2200 . Radio Overijssel, music, ID, faded in early, up to 34442 around 2100, ham QRM after
3945,1 . . 1949-2155 . Bogusman Radio, music, lots of talk, ID, 24441 at best,
1675,0 . . 2028-2150 . Radio Barones, music, IDs, 24442
6924,7 . . 2045-2050 . MAC Shortwave (US), Paul Starr show, 44443
6870,0 . . 2050-2055 . Playback Int., electronic music, ID, 34342
3925,0 . . 2120-2155 . UNID, barely audible traces of music, covered by Japan sign on at 2155.
3890,0 . . 2155-2200 . Free Radio Victoria, music audible, but under tremendous ham QRM, ID via Iann's chat, 32441
6930.0v. . 2200-0015 . Marinebroadcaster (tent), traces of music, but no details. Heard first on 6929,8, then moved to 6930,0, then to 6929,5. ID via op in Iann's chat.
6309,2 . . 2255-0140 . Radio Marconi, Kiss "I Was Made for Loving You", 34442
1676,1 . . 2352-2356 . Radio Klaas Snoek, talk, country music, 24341

Sunday, October 25
6880,0 . . 0027-0058 . North Star Radio (US), "Shake Baby Shake", ID as "Six-eighty-eight, North Star Radio", off 0058, 34442
7550,0 . . 0105-0110 . Radio Amica, clear ID by woman, pop music, 44443
6205,0 . . 0800-0840 . Borderhunter Radio, barely audible music and talk, ID via Iann's chat
5815,0 . . 0805-0840 . Orion Radio, very weak music and talk, ID via Iann's chat, 14341
6540,1 . . 0823-0830 . Radio Baken 16, occassional notes of music only, ID via Iann's chat.
6324,9 . . 0914-0940 . Radio Paardenkracht, weak music and talk, fading in and out and suffering from cw QRM, ID via Iann's chat, 13441
6280,1 . . 0925-0930 . Radio Merlin, barely audible music for a few minutes, ID via Iann's chat
6215,0 . . 1000-1010 . UNID, playing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" at 1003, no ID heard, 34442, best reception of the morning, and no ID!
7570,0 . . 1010-1015 . Geronimo Shortwave, weak pop music and talk, 24341
6290,0 . . 1015-1020 . Radio Scotland Int., barely audible music and talk, utility QRM, ID via Iann's chat
6305,9 . . 1030-1035 . Radio Brandaris (tent), barely detectable music, ID via Iann's chat.
6393,2 . . 1040-1045 . Radio Zodiac (tent), barely detectable music, ID via Iann's chat.
7600,0 . . 1049-1140 . UNID, presumably the same station as yesterday, maybye FRSH?, continuous 80's music, no ID, 44443
12257,2 . 1103-1135 . WR International, very weak music, ID via Iann's chat.
6880,0 . . 1152-1205 . North Star Radio (US), ID at 1201, "The Evil Woman", 34342
6958,8 . . 1553-1600 . Bluestar Radio (tent), traces of music, barely audible, ID via UKDxer's site.
6318,5 . . 1751-2030 . Radio Alice, barely audible at first, gradually improved until weak music and talk around 1930, then faded again, ID via Iann's chat.
6305,0 . . 1857-2055 . UNID, barely audible music and talk
6325,0 . . 1943-1950 . Radio Mustang, very weak music, ID via Iann's chat
3899,8 . . 2000-1005 . Bluestar Radio, barely audible, c/d before faded in
1655,9 . . 2040-2041, 2054-2055 and 2106-2110, Radio Toekomst, just caught music first 2 time, but music, talk and music third time. Presumably part of QSO,but not other stations heard here, 24442
6925.0u . 2043-2050 . Spider Radio, finally faded in, although very weak today, pop music, 24441
6941.5 . . 2117-2225 . MAC Shortwave (US), live Ultraman show, IDs, emails, time checks, 44444
6925,4 . . 2230-2335 . Liquid Radio (US) (tent), barely audible music fading in and out, ID via frn, 14331
3900,0 . . 2300-2305 . Radio Baken 16, barely audible music under extremely loud ham QRM, 32341
5385,5 . . 2335-2340 . The Crystal Ship (US), reading "The Raven", 32441, QRM from carrier tone on 5385,1.
6880,0 . . 2340-0130 . North Star Radio (US), oldies, IDs, 34443

Monday, October 26
6930.0u . 0005-0015 . Wolverine Radio (US), spooky noises, whispered ID, 34443
6926,0 . . 0058-0113 . Captian Morgan Shortwave (US), Twilight Zone theme, spooky sounds and music, only 10 watts!, barely audible
6925.0u . 0112-0124 . Random Radio (US), big band music, ID, told listeners to post on frn for QSL, 34442
6925,0u . 0143-0155 . Voice of KAOS (US), ID, "Heat of the Moment", 34443

Thanks to all the ops for their broadcasts.


Cheers, Terry

Receivers: JRC NRD-525 & Yaesu-Musen FRG-7
Antenna: 75 m long wire, 30 m from house
QTH: Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Canada

Abbreviations and references:
(US) = United States
IS = Interval Signal
u = usb (upper side band)
L = lsb (lower side band)
v = variable
tent = tentative
pos = possible
QRM = interference
QSO = conversation
ham = licensed radio amateur operator
c/d = close down (transmitter off)
op = operator
frn = Free Radio Network (US) http://www.frn.net/vines/
Iann's chat = http://www.easyshopdiscountzone.com/rad ... e/english/

[Dave Jones]

Hi Terry,
Thank you for the mention of WR International in your logs for 25th October. It is nice to see that on the odd Sunday we can still make the trip.

73's

Dave.

[bart]

Hello Terry
Thank You for reports and also for the Paardenkracht.
Wonderfull You put it here.
Greetings Paardenkracht and Bart