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[HCDX] Grayland, WA DXpedition 11 - 12 June, 2005
'This weekend, John Bryant, Guy Atkins, and myself once again convened in
the Grayland, WA area for a mini-dxpedtion. Conventional wisdom states
that with the longest day approaching, DXing takes a back burner to normal
summer pastimes. Needless to say, this notion has been dismissed soundly
in past years, when dxing has been excellent, especially to stations
Down-under. John preceded Guy and me by a day, and dxed for a couple of
nights at the Grayland State Park, experimenting with his portable Kaz
antenna, being unable to erect a Beverage, at least on the second
night. We were able to communicate via GMRS radios the night Guy and I
arrived. Unfortunately (for the MW dxer), reception was lackluster at best
the first night, and a bit more interesting the second night. SW to PNG,
however was superb, with the best reception in a long while. The highlight
for both Guy and myself was monitoring Wantok Radio Light's official
inauguration on 7120 with near armchair levels at times... so much for the
NVIS antenna system and 1 kw not getting out! It sure did! Vanuatu on 90
meters was another interesting logging. For the few PNGs not heard the
first night, they appeared the following night. Tantalizing was a signal
on both mornings on 2410. Could this be Radio Enga again? Unfortunately,
unlike in past years, no audio was audible. ARDS 5050 (actually more like
5049.98) was audible only as a reasonable het both mornings. John's Kaz
performed rather well compared to the Beverages, providing another
alternative for the space challenged DXer, and does not depend on ground
conductivity, unlike the EWE and Pennant/Flag antennae. Guy noted that
this outing was a first of sorts, with the 3 of us all having spectrum
display abilities...John with his WinRadio 3030e, Guy with his Icom 756Pro,
and me with my 756 ProII! We mused how the hobby has changed from a simple
receiver, cassette deck, and headphones, with a myriad of paper
resources. Today, we are all equipped with lap tops (in my case running
both the Icom, and the 7030+ with ERGO4 computer control software, and ILG
databases, as well as GeoClock, and Bruce Portzer's excellent Pacific AM
List, the B-Log logging program, and 2 copies of Recall-Pro fed by each of
the receivers via independent sound cards! Utterly amazing, isn't it? We
had the choice between 3 Beverages aimed SW, W, and NW to Asia and the
Pacific. I now have some 10 or 12 hours of MP3 recordings to listen
to. No more cassette tapes, or Minidiscs! When everything works, it''s
simply marvellous!!! Now on to the loggings. Enjoy!........Walt Salmaniw,
now safely home in Victoria, B.C.
VANUATU 7259.685, 0621-, Radio Vanuatu Jun 11 Sunset in Port Villa, with a
decent signal (at least the music) but with lots of summer static
crashes. Modern western music. Chatting with Guy Atkins across the table,
when it just vanished at 06:25. Very weak het only. I assumed it was some
local noise, but I don't think so, as 7120 PNG is coming in with
audio. Still nothing at 0642, but fair audio on 3944.86 with identical
format, so I'm assuming this is the same transmitter. Listened to 06:58
with mentions of Vanuatu. Port Villa mentioned at 07:06. I checked again at
0800. Rapid drums up to the TOH, then islands type music. No IS or ID on
the hour. 'People of Vanuatu' heard at 0805. Transmitter appears to be
drifting somewhat. 'Vanuatu government' at 0807. Frequency is 3944.86 at
0810. Radio Vanuatu ID at 08:11:55. Rapid drums, and ?conch shell, and
another Radio Vanuatu ID at 08:15, and into music, and presumed ad. All at
good signal strength but weak modulation. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 7120, 0634-, Wantok Radio Light Jun 11 Official
opening ceremonies of the radio station. Mentions of PNG and Wantok Radio
Light. Seemingly live relay of an outdoor event. Superb signal at 07:01
retune. Every bit as strong as Don Moman's fabulous recording from last
week. Armchair copy, like Port Moresby's 4890 so often! I rechecked at
08:25. Easily S9+10 to 20 signals, with thanks to various individuals, so
I'm wondering whether the opening ceremonies are coming to a close.
(Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
SOLOMON ISLANDS 5019.87, 0708-, SIBS Jun 11 Nice reception except for
pretty awful splatter from Cuba on 5025, but quite nicely taken care of by
the 7030+ NB on wide setting. Regional news and sports. Time check for 12
minutes past (6? o'clock). In English, but then switched to Pidgin. Nice
TC at 07:15. Much stronger now, as the sun sets. Still in Pidgin, with a
play by play of a sports match, but no excitement in the announcer's
voice! Soccer it seems. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 3905, 0821-, Radio New Ireland Jun 11 Almost armchair
copy with Pidgin ad about ?bird conservation, and then singing by children,
accompanied by what sounds like cans bumping along the ground. ID for
Radio New Ireland heard at 08:31. Then the Golden Rules. One, two, three,
four....public service announcement for something or another! Marijuana
mentioned multiple times at 08:34 with ill effects on the brain. (Salmaniw,
Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 4960, 0840-, Catholic Radio Network Jun 11 S7 to S9
signal with church service in progress with a beautiful choir. Not at all
sounding like anything indigenous, though. Lot's of static noise.
(Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 3290, 0845-, PNG Bandscan Jun 11 S7 to S9 open carrier
here at this time. Not sure whether this is a Central American, or the PNG
station, Radio Central. 2410 has a weak carrier. As I recall Radio Enga
hasn't been on the air for a while. Worth watching. 3205 Radio Sandaun,
usually one of the strongest is absent today. 3220, Radio Morobe heard
with only a fair signal at best. 3235 Radio West New Britain heard at good
levels at 08:52 with S9 to S9+5 level with EZL western music. ID for Radio
West New Britain at 0856. Lowish modulation for the announcer
(female). // to 4890 with National news at 09:04. 3245 Radio Gulf, not on
the air. 3260 Radio Madang fair to good, but lot's of atmospheric noise
again. Radio Southern Highlands on 3275 is only weakly heard, again with
National news relay at 0910. Open Carrier on 3290, Radio Central's
frequency. 3305 Radio Western...loud carrier only. 3315, Radio Manus
absent. 3325 Radio North Solomons with a political speech, mentioning
Bougainville, and tok-tok. Children's choir (sounds like an
anthem?). 3335 Radio East Sepik very strong. 3345 Radio Northern's
frequency is occupied by the Indonesian, so can't tell. 3355, Radio Simbu
is absent. Very weak carrier on 3365.1. Don't think this is Radio Milne
Bay. 3375 has several stations, including one 100 Hz high. Not sure is
Radio Western Highlands is among them. 3385 is the strongest on the band,
with Pidgin male announcer, mentioning Radio Australia from 1985. Powerful
signal. 3395 Radio Eastern Highlands not on the air. 3905 Radio New
Ireland very strong. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
TAIWAN 7130, 0949-, WYFR Jun 11 Despite what ILG states, WYFR appears to be
on at this time with an Asian language and religious songs. Interfered by
an off frequency carrier causing a het to be heard, easilly dismissed by
the Icom's notch filter. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
AUSTRALIA 1116, 10:40-, 4BC Brisbane Jun 11 Pretty dismal MW conditions
thus far, with only this frequency and 846 audible on the medium
waves. This was made up with the more than interesting tropical band
conditions, and Wantok Radio Light's official sign-on. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
TAIWAN 7129.82, 1326-, Radio Taiwan International Jun 11 Despite ILG
listing an even 7130 freq, this transmitter is off, causing a mess with
cochannel ?CNR right on freq. Japanese program, with lots of mentions of
'Taiwan. Good to very good reception. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 3385, 1328-, Radio East New Britain Jun 11 A real
power house with strong signals long after my sunrise. By far the
strongest 90m station, but they pulled the plug within a few minutes of the
logging. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 4890, 1400-, National Radio Jun 11 Sign off
announcements, with frequencies and then short NA, into dead air by
14:00:45. Still very strong!. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 4960, 1402-, Catholic Radio Network Jun 11 Even a
couple of hours after sunrise, this PNG is still going strong with late
night instrumental music. Still a S5 to S7. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 3290, 1043-, Radio Central Jun 12 Didn't hear this one
last night, but here this morning with a fine S9+ signal with American
inspirational vocal. Rechecked at 11:04, when they were carrying the
National news. On recheck at 11:28 they were carrying a National program
(parallel to 9675). (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 3364.974, 1048-, Radio Milne Bay Jun 12 Definitely on
this morning slightly off frequency, with islands music with rapidly
increasing audio as I monitor to the hour. Music is decent, but the male
announcer is rather muffly. Friday and Monday mentioned. English, not
Pidgin at the moment. Into more music at 11:01. Signal is nice and
strong, but unfortunately the announcers modulation is terrible. Still
nice to hear them today, as they weren't audible yesterday. (Salmaniw,
Grayland, WA)
PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA 9675, 1119-, Radio National Jun 12 A very unusual PNG
morning with very few stations on the air, and the few that weren't on the
air yesterday morning are audible today. 4890 was uncharacteristically not
on the air. Thanks to Guy Atkins who pointed out that they stayed on their
day frequency of 9675! Stong signal except for really bad adjacent
splatter from 9680 (Taiwan and the Chinese music jammer). No problem on
LSB, though. Continued with a news program. Rather tinny audio, though,
compared to the full rich modulation on 4890. End of the program at
11:24:50, with a 'good night'. Open carrier for almost 30 seconds before
going into western modern pops. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
AUSTRALIA 2485, 1134-, ABC Northern Territory Katherine Jun 12 Annoying hum
with ABC news, and then into a Sunday variety show. The feed source is
different from 2310 and 2325, as they are in parallel, but Katherine is a
fraction of a second ahead of 2310 and 2325. No hum on the latter 2
either, so a more pleasant listen. Much stronger signals than yesterday
am. 2310 Alice Springs the strongest, followed closely by 2325 Tennant
Creek. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
FIJI 639, 1159-, Radio Fiji 1 Jun 12 Great reception at our local dawn with
Fijian talk ?ID at 12:00, and into some very pleasant south islands
music. Parallel to 684. Thanks to Guy Atkins for clearing this one
up! Good levels at times. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
NEW ZEALAND 783, 1222-, 2YB Access Radio, Wellington Jun 12 Nice local ID
heard for '783 Access Radio'. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
NEW ZEALAND 1125, 1235-, Radio Sport Jun 12 Good reception with American
relay with, what else, sports talk, and maybe an infomercial. Strange to
hear American programming from so far away!. (Salmaniw, Grayland, WA)
AUSTRALIA 1116, 1236-, 4BC Talk 1116, Brisbane Jun 12 'Talk 1116,
Brisbane's 4BC'. Great reception at 12:51. Seems to be continually coming
in with good to at times excellent signals! Frequent IDs and local
ads. One of the most reliable Aussie stations in Grayland. (Salmaniw,
Grayland, WA)
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