Monday, December 30, 2013

December 2013 Verifications

KPTO Pocatello ID 1440 (thanks OJS)
KQJZ Evergreen MT 1340
KKTS Evansville WY 1580 (thanks OJS)
WXCO Wausau WI 1230 (thanks ABU)
WXNT Indianapolis IN 1430 QSL in pdf format here
WINC Winchester VA 1400
WMAC Macon GA 940
KATE Albert Lea MN 1450
KTJS Hobart OK 1420 "I will mention your DX report on our local news"
WGCL Bloomington IN 1370
KJJQ Volga SD 910
WKAL Rome NY 1450 (DX- test)

Monday, December 16, 2013

WKAL Rome NY 1450 DX Test - Third Time's A Charm

I didn't bother to post "Day Two" because increased proton levels wiped out everything DX-worthy on Sunday morning. However, Bob at Mid-Atlantic Engineering decided to do a third night of testing, and this morning I noted morse code IDs from WKAL! Conditions weren't in any way exceptional (in passing I noted IDs from common stations as CJOY-ON 1460 and WMBD-IL 1470), but as any CW operator knows, tones will beat voice in 10 out of 10 instances.

Thanks to Bob Carter for staying up late and do the work. I know that the test (first night?) was heard in Scotland. I hope other European DX-ers have noted the dit-dit-dahs as well.


Regular service from WKAL will commence in early January.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

WKAL Rome NY 1450 DX Test - Day One

WKAL is doing a DX test over two nights, Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th from 03:00 to 07:00, with morse code segments of 5 minutes every TOH and BOH. The first day in Kongsfjord was disappointing, due to effects from a coronal hole, so conditions were poor as the MW spectrum below shows. I did hear Bermuda tentatively just after 05:00, and probably Colombia at 07:02, but nothing more. Not even a hint of morse.

Incidentally, WWXL Manchester KY was also testing on 1450 at 05:00 and 30 minutes onwards.
Nothing audible prior to 05:00, and not a lot of juice afterwards either
I'm hoping for better results on Sunday!