Europirate loggings from Dunlo, PA, USA, 24-27 Dec. 2007

[Dave Valko]

I was hoping to get this out yesterday but was too busy doing other things. Since many reports/loggings have already been posted, I'll spare the programming details. Stations logged using the Web receiver will be designated as "Web rx". All others were heard direct here in (or near) Dunlo, PA. As are all my logging, these are listed by time (first heard).

24 DECEMBER 2007: Regardless of the conditions, I went up to the remote site to listen for a while since it was Christmas Eve. Before I left, I was getting some threshold audio on 6210 R. Kahuzi (Congo) so it looked like it might have improved since the night before. Turned out it didn’t. It was still poor with a lot of quick fading. It virtually never improved the full hour and a half I was out right through sunset. Everything was all ice. It was difficult and dangerous walking through the woods laying out the antenna wire.

RX: JRC NRD-535D
ANT: 315' Beverage (BOG) at about 50°.
QTH: Pennsylvania State Game Lands #26
Duration: 2030-2200 UTC
Solar Indices: Solar Flux = 71, A Index = 6, K Index = 1 No storms
WX: Some sunshine and passing clouds. Temp around freezing. (0° C.)

6209.74 Radio 48?? Just an extremely weak carrier here the entire time. Graham said earlier he’d be on 24 hours through Christmas. (24 Dec.)

6306.02 R. Brandaris 2030-2150. (24 Dec.)

6219.98 Mystery R. 2041. (24 Dec.)

6240.65 LHH?? Only a very weak carrier throughout. (24 Dec.)

6878 A carrier here at 2135. Wonder if Pirate Music/Power FM is back on. (24 Dec.)

25 DECEMBER 2007: Could barely hear a signal from R. Brandaris when I awoke at 0617. But since it was Christmas Day, I had to go out to the remote site to listen. Conditions were poor and very fady like last evening. Fortunately it did pick up a little fairly quickly after 0745 UTC. Don’t know if it was due to dawn enhancement or what. There was a lot of activity. I managed to hear at least 10 stations. If conditions had been good, it would have been a spectacular morning. It was nice that the weather cooperated. The ice in the woods was tricky. I had a little trouble finding my marked trees when I was laying out the wire. So it took a little longer than usual.

RX: JRC NRD-535D
ANT: 315' Beverage (BOG) at about 50°.
QTH: Pennsylvania State Game Lands #26
Duration: 0715-1035 UTC
Solar Indices: Solar Flux = 71, A Index = 2, K Index = 0 No storms
WX: Moonlit with a few clouds, then perfectly clear. Chilly, 26° F. (--3° C.)

6305.98 R. Brandaris 0715-0842. (25 Dec.)

6209.72 Radio 48 0720. A bit of mx poking through at 0727. (25 Dec.)

6420.65 LHH (pres.) 0721. A little audio by 0840. (25 Dec.)

No sign of Mystery R.

6280.04 Antonio R. 0724-0857. (25 Dec.)

6307.09 R. Shadowman 0729-0753. (25 Dec.)

6325.84 R. Black Arrow 0758-0834. Apparently gone by 0856. (25 Dec.)

6260 R. Mistletoe 0825-0930*. (25 Dec.)

6274.6 R. Arcitca Very weak carrier at 0837. ID per Dr. Tims Piraten News. (25 Dec.)

6219.98 LHH 0901-0923. (25 Dec.)

6275.26 Skyline R. Germany Extremely weak carrier at 0906. ID per Dr. Tims Piraten News. (25 Dec.)

6290 Speedwing R. 0915-0916. ID per Dr. Tims Piraten News. (25 Dec.)

6300.06 R. Boomerang 0926-0958. (25 Dec.)

6310 R. Borderhunter 0941-0957. (25 Dec.)

6269.04 R. Geronimo 0948-1014. Nothing on the Bedfordshire UK Web rx when I checked back at home at 1117. ID per ukDXer blog. (25 Dec.)

6240.67 LHH probably Only a carrier at 1001. (25 Dec.)

6300 Boomerang?? Spaceman?? 1007-1013*. (25 Dec.)

6300 Spaceman R. 1017-1035. Still getting a carrier at home on my rx at 1245!!!!! (25 Dec.)

Returned home just before 1100 and listened to the Web receiver then. Here is what was heard.

6300 Spaceman R. 1102-1224. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6205 R. Nordzee Int. 1109-1130*. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6275 Skyline R. Germany 1119-1128. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6209.7 Radio 48 1131-1219. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6240 LHH 1135-1156. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6325 R. Merlin 1138. Gone at 1148 check. ID per Dr. Tims Piraten News. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6310 R. Condor 1141-1143. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

3930 Bogusman 1200-1213. Tuned back in at 1519 and heard the exact same anmnt as heard at 1213, so obviously a loop tape. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6310 R. Ridiculous Int. 1206-1217. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

6200 R. Arctica (clandestine??) 1227-1238. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

3930 Bogusman 1526-1535. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

3905 R. Mistletoe 2005-2012. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

3932.3 Shortwave Pirate 2014-2100. Web rx. (25 Dec. 2007)

3927 R. Mistletoe 0027-0033*. Web rx. (26 Dec. 2007)

26 DECEMBER 2007: Again, I awoke at 0616 UTC, checked the bands, and didn’t hear any stations to give me any indication as to the conditions. I didn’t even hear anything on the Bedfordshire UK Web receiver. So all I could go by was the propagation data. It looked OK. Unfortunately, conditions turned out to be really poor. Unlike yesterday, there wasn’t the tiniest improvement at all. I called it quits early after only an hour and a half. I spent the following few hours listening on the Web receiver. At least the weather was fine, just cold.

RX: JRC NRD-535D
ANT: 315' Beverage (BOG) at about 45°.
QTH: Pennsylvania State Game Lands #26
Duration: 0710-0945 UTC
Solar Indices: Solar Flux = 72, A Index = 1, K Index = 0 No storms
WX: Moonlit with a few clouds. Chilly, 27° F. (-3° C.)

6306.02 R. Brandaris 0714-0754. (see below) (26 Dec.)

6239.96v Laser Hot Hits 0718-0822. (see below). (26 Dec.)

6260.37 UNID. Carrier at 0729-0809. Nothing on the Web receiver when I checked at 0910. Did it go off?? UNID. In Dr. Tims Piraten News. (26 Dec.)

6204.87 R. Arctica 0731. Peak at 0732-0738. Back at home, hrd it on the Web receiver at 0915. (26 Dec.)

6324.94 UNID. R. Merlin?? Extremely weak carrier at 0800. (26 Dec.)

5800 R. Telstar South A little mx briefly at 0816. ukDXer had this here in his blog. (26 Dec.)

6290 R. Mistletoe 0837. (see below) (26 Dec.)

Later, using the Web receiver back at home…..

6290 R. Mistletoe 0913-0932. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6295 UNID. 0921-0925. Gone at 0929 check. Who was this?? Web rx. UNID. In Dr. Tims Piraten News and ukDXers blog. (26 Dec.)

6306 R. Brandaris 0924-1003. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6240 LHH 0926. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6270 Orion R. 0930. 0931-1036. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6310 R. Paardenkracht 0940-0943. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6280 Antonio R. 0917-0946. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6215.7 King SW (pres.) 0952-1046. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6300 R. Shadowman 1019-1028. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6290 R. Jingle Bells 1025-1029. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6275 R. Delta (Gelderland) 1033-1109. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6325 Probably R. Merlin 1037. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6305 UNID. 1057-1112. UNID. In Dr. Tims Piraten News. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6540.3 R. Brigitte 1123. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6325 R. Merlin 1127. Web rx. (26 Dec.)

6220.04 Mystery R. 1947 getting a little mx at this time. Probably strong enough to ID. A couple minutes later, found on the Web receiver w/Andy Walkers show live playing “Taking Care of Businessâ€

[JoJo]

Hello Dave,

thanks for the log. I see you've been bussy around x-mas;)
cheers

[black arrow]

Great Job Dave

Thanks again for listening out.

Solar Flux = 72, A Index = 1, K Index = 0

The skip was on a very long distance, I think it was possible to broadcast from Europe to the West Coast USA this weekend. But we had one problem nobody is listening there.

6325.84 R. Black Arrow 0758-0834. Apparently gone by 0856. (25 Dec.)

Yes correct I left the band around 08.56.

I am glad I made it again with 20 watt , I used a new antenna which works nice .

Please next year also listen around the 41 meters.


Alex