Information about my equipment, location and some of my DX catches

• My equipment
• Some favourite QSLs
• WAV/Real Audio clips

My equipment lineup:

• Receivers:
• Don Moman modified Icom R71A equipped with ESKAB PLAM.
• Drake R8B -- a Christmas present from my lovely wife
• Backup Receivers:
• SW77,  modified DX-400,
• My wife's Grundig YB 400 PE    ;-)
• an infrequently used GE SR II
• Collectibles
• My Knight-Kit "Ocean Hopper" 3 tube regenerative radio
• Panasonic RF-4900
• Antennas:
• Dual K9AY terminated loops
• Kiwa Loop
• Dressler ARA-30 active antenna
• 2 x 50 ft. wires strung oppositely both NE/SW. Alternates-75 ft N/S inverted L
• 1200 foot beverages at my cottage
• Martens Regenerative Loop
• Experimental S-A-T clone
• 1 metre diamond shaped loop
• Other equipment:
• Time Wave DSP 59+

Top

Here are a few of my QSLs

• LRA1-Buenos Aires (870 kHz)
• Radio Norway International (1314 kHz)
• Czechoslovakia (1521 kHz)
• Caribbean Beacon (1610 kHz) when still @ 15 kW
• Radio 4VEH, Haiti (1030 kHz now gone)
• Radio Paradise, St. Kitts (when on 825 kHz)
• VOA Antigua (now gone)

Cook Islands on 11760 kHz (500 watts now gone from SW)
Greenland on 3999 kHz (gone from SW)

WAV files of some of my catches. Sorry about their quality. Recorded under heavy QRM conditions.
Format: Microsoft ADPCM, 8000 Hz, 4 bit, Mono

• WSKN  la Super Cadena, San Juan, PR in a program break (Oct 22, 0218 UTC)
• Real Audio: LRA1-870 Radio Nacional, Buenos Aires Argentina ID, Time Pips, News
• Radio 4VEH ID and IS at 0000 UTC s/off w/WBZ(gone from 1030 kHz, but still on 840 kHz)
• Real Audio: 4VEH
• Real Audio: 780-YVMN Radio Coro Jingle
• Radio Sandino-750 kHz,  Managua, Nicaragua w/QRM from WSB (Sandinista times)
• Radio El Salvador-655 kHz  ID & jingle (now gone)
• Radio Centro-1030 kHz, Mexico City ID & jingle (with WBZ QRM)
• Radio Mundial Margarita-880 kHz, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela w/QRM from WCBS
• Radio Nacional Guatemala-640 kHz, Guatemala City TC & IS
• Radio Vatican-1611 kHz (when still in TheVatican City and running only 15 kW)
• QRM from the Caribbean Beacon's Reverend Scott  & his hooplah during the IS
• IS of Czechoslovak Radio-1521, Kosice-Cizatice (now in Slovakia)
• IS and 'Nationale' theme from Radio Tirana Albania-1395 (IS & theme no longer used)
• used to be hard-core commie, like N. Korea, now broadcasts AWR gospel programs
• 5kW Colombian HJQZ-1580  (La Voz de las Estrellas) sometimes heard during aurorals
• RDTV Senegal on 765 kHz. Cora Instrument IS before SO at 0555 (summertime--during an approaching thunderstorm)

• 526 BAHAMAS, ZLS,  Stela Marris: Beacon at 0523 with 6 CW bursts/min, poor in CIAO/RVC slop on  Nov 10. (WRF-K) Heard with the same format on Dec 13 at 0451, also poor.  (WRF-KL)
• 555 ST. KITTS, Radio ZIZ, St. Kitts: Heard from 0458, Caribbean-accented EE OM hosting tele-talk w/reggae music bridges, no ID or news at top of hour.  Fair Dec 13. (WRF-KL)
• 595 DOMINICA, DBS Radio, Hillsborough (presumed): Strong O/C only at 0410 Jan 3. (WRF-KL)
• 620 CUBA, R. Rebelde synchros - likely CMGN, Colon: From 0510 w/two SS YL spkeakers in conversation playing romantic music, fair  // 5025 on Nov 10. (WRF-K)
• *693 ENGLAND, BBC synchros (likely Droitwich):EE, OM in interview with YL asking questions. Poor on Dec 26. (WRF-LL)
• 700 COLOMBIA, HJCX,  CARACOL Occidente, Cali (presumed): Always under WLW! First noticed at 0511 w/OM reading SS news bits with numerous Colombian items, Loteria Colombia spot at 0558, fanfare and quasi-ID as “En Colombia! Informativa!”,  fadey signal, weak under WLW on Nov 15. Again at 0648 w/OM reading news at 0648 and  “CARACOL La Radio de Colombia!” punctuated spot with a rooster crowing. Very poor-poor on Nov 17. Also at 0429 with news, 0430 BONG w/TC, fanfare, jingle & announcements, many Colombian items including WC mentioning  “La Costa”. Vpr on Nov 18 (WRF-K)
• *740 PUERTO RICO, WIAC, S. Juan (tentative): Too late for CMKP (Progreso) at 0615. Phased CBL to almost equl level and heard hot salsa with a wimpy sounding SS announcer and ads between selections. (WRF-LL)
• 780 VENEZUELA, YVMN, R. Coro, Coro: Latin pop tear-jerker at 0419, SS R. Coro jingle, ID, and "R. Coro presenta!” then lively Afro-Cuban vocal. Poor in WBBM null on Nov 25. (WRF-K)
• *810 COLOMBIA, HJCY, Bogota: Almost at equal level with // 5076.8, possible // also on 700. Very good at 0606 on Jan 12. (WRF-LL)
• *840 HAITI, 4VEF, R. 4VEH, Cap-Haitienne (tentative): From 2322 with French-sounding gospel song, OM w/inspiritional talk in FF or Creole or Patois (all sounded FF to me!), into another gospel song as it faded to a hot Latin (probably CMHW, Santa Clara). Taped the session and reviewed it, but did not reappear, nor could I hear the distinctive "Amazing Grace" hand-bells IS on my tape at 0000. Poor w/SS and WHAS QRM on Dec 31. (WRF-LL)
• *855 SPAIN, RNE-1 synchros, (likely 300 kw Murcia): Fast talking SS OM first noted 0058. Weak signal, only poor w/CJBC slop & long fades on Dec 20. (WRF-LL)
• *880 ECUADOR, HCRP1, R. Catolica Nacional, Quito: From 0145 OM speaking in quiet tones between several inspirational songs that were not what I would call gospel songs (one had a YL lead w/childres' chorus). OM w/mentions of "Catolica" and "Ecuador" at 0154, directly into martial music sounding like Ecuadorian Anthemn in a fade. Carrier seemed abruptly cut at 0155 (listed s/off at 0200). Only very poor with WCBS/& likely R. Progreso on Dec 31 but I'm pretty certain of this one. Long time since I last heard it! Possibly again at 0155, I thought I heard the Ecuadorian National Anthemn again ending -- only the last few bars heard u/WCBS and the pesky Cubano on Jan 1 with indications also in same time frame on Jan 2 at 0150.(WRF-LL)
• *890 CUBA, CMDZ, R. Progreso, Stgo. de Cuba (presumed): Hard to believe this one is runs at listed 10 kw. Hot Cuban instrumentals, SS OM/YL alternating talks, mentions of "Cunbanos", very good signal at 0338 on Jan 3. (WRF-KL)
• *900, MEXICO, XEW, Mexico City: From 0632 Jackie Gleason Show big-band theme, SS, 2 YLS & OM w/discussion between music selections mentioning "nino" and "Jesu Cristo", also frequent mentions of Mexico & California (maybe talk wasn't just of Christmas "nino" but "el Nino"). Partly onscured ID at 0144 w/ mentions of Mexico &  Distrito Federal & also in ad-string that followed. Faded to a Canadian FF station by 0648 & mostly a weak second u/CHML on Dec 20. (WRF-LL)
• *909 Unid TA:Several stations here in a jumble. Snatches of YL song in unid lang. Poor at 0642 on Dec. 29. (WRF-LL)
• 940 CUBA, R. Reloj synchros - likely CMKD, Holguin: Cuban Clock format at 0306 consisting of  SS OM/YL news-team alternating w/seconds ticking, "Radio Reloj" spoken ID and a CW “RR” every minute. Poor modulation and CBM QRM  on Dec 13. (WRF-KL)

$941 kHz with very weak signal, sometimes barely just a het against 940 kHz with possible smatterings of SS(?), very poor w/Montreal and at least one other SS on 940 kHz at 0520 on Feb 9. Possible Radio Reloj? (WRF-LL) From NRC IDXD 65-18, issued 7 FEB 1998: Mark (Connelly) speaks:  "During DXing from Cape Cod on Saturday 31 JAN, I noted a couple of off-channel stations.  Both were Latin Americans.  One was on 870.38 kHz and the other was on 941 kHz.  Audio extracted from the 870.38 station seemed to have advertising in Spanish (so probably not a non-commercial Cuban)."
• 1000 MEXICO, XEOY, R. Mil, Mexico: Distinctive 4 note IS  (melody is like a hot-rod car horn). SS OM announcer playing romantic ballads,  TC at 0139 "siete y quarenta (7:40)" again at 0144 "siete y quarenta cinqo" (1 minutes off) and another IS. (WRF-K)
• *1060 MEXICO, XEEP, R. Educacion, Mexico City: From 0523 with a bluesey harmonica then into EE funky black gospel song (they do this here!), brief SS talk by OM/YL then OM at 0531 with clear ID as "Radio Educacion" and a kids jingle. Fair w/KYW on Jan 4. (WRF-LL)
• 1062 DENMARK:from 0400, OM in heaviliy slopped signal -- sounded Scandinavian. Music from 0404 w/YL anncouncer, pop songs including Abba. Poor on dec 26. Again from 0350-0403, pop music, beep on the hour, YL w/news, OM talk at 0403 and into lively vocal music. Poor Dec 28. Again at 0357 carrier on, 0359 obscured YL talk (presumed ID), beep @ 0400, OM into news. Still there at 0501 OM/YLtalk (news-dua?). Poor on Dec 30 (last night of good TA conditions). (WRF-LL)
• *1107 SPAIN, RNE-5 synchros:Bits of audio during 0058-0139 period, SS talk, most likely news or talk radio, OM & YL talk and laughs, maybe sharing a joke. Very poor-to poor on Dec 20 with 1110 slop somewhat removed via MFJ 1025. (WRF-LL)
• *1116 Unid TA:OM in Unid language, Arbic-like music interlude at 2236. Can't speculate who this was though poor on Dec 22. (WRF-LL)
• 1125/1134 CROATIA, Zadar: First observed on 1134 at 2256 with orchestral music and bits  of YL talk in presumed Croatian. Poor on December 13 (WRF-KL) Again at 2357 with Hungarian csardas to 2359, OM then YL in presumed Croatian, ID not discerned at 0000, into news and on-the-spot report, at 0006 a second OM w/possible WC then YL speaking w/OM. A second station was also here. // signal on 1125 first noted at 0010 but weak and hard to clearly discern until 0235 when the same YL sang a folk tune, clearly evident on both channels. (WRF-LL) * Non-stop folk music, sometimes excellent strength and in the clear Dec 20 but always with fadeouts to near zero levels. (WRF-LL)
• *1170 Unid Colombian (presumed): Hot Colombian music with rollicking accordions in a jumble under WWVA at 0627. Poor on Jan 4. (WRF-LL)
• *1179 SWEDEN (tentative): YL in Scandinavian sounding news at 0601 fading quickly on Dec. 28. Snatches of YL/OM speaking in conversation. Poor at 0646 on Dec 29. (WRF-LL)
• 1314 NORWAY, Kvitsoy (tentative):  From 0241, OM speaking in a quiet voice (or poorly modulated) just above noise/QRM,  too poor to remain with it for a definite ID on Dec 15. (WRF-LL)
• *1314 NORWAY, Kvitsoy : Norwegian OM speaker, into "Little Town of Bethlehem", 2 OM in commentary at 0240, still there at 0401. Fair on Dec 22. Fair-good at 0337 on Dec 24. (WRF-LL)
• *1314 SPAIN, RNE-5 synchros with Unid TA(s):OM/YL alternating in talk with a possible other station playing martial music at 2100, one definitely with SS talk by 2131. Poor on Dec 23. (WRF-LL)
• 1375 ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON, RFO: FF, just discernible with 1370/1380 slop, possible // on  5054.5, very poor on Nov 13.  Poor at 0435 w/Beatles “Love Me Do” Nov 17. (WRF-K)
• 1386 RUSSIA (tentative):OM with measured talk severely slopped, Christmas Carol or gospel song at 2150. Couldn't get more out of this poor one on Dec 23. (WRF-LL)
• *1394.9 ALBANIA, Fllake: From 2120, OM SLAVIC language w/gospel talk & gospel music bursts, full song at 2126 to mark segment end at 2128 w/OM in obscured announcement ending in fanfare at 2129. Horns IS at 2130 (not the old Albanian IS) then a presumed ID as it faded. Years back, they had a monster signal here; this time poor to only fair w/long fades on Dec 16. (WRF-LL) Dec 19. It's TWR that leases the old commie voice w/schedule listed under Monaco showing Croatian at 2115-2130 & EE from 2130-2200. Heard from 2116, good at times to final fadeout at 2153, first with a Croatian gospel program, OM/YL w/pgm end sequence & probable request for listeners to write, mentioning Tirana in pgm end at 2228. Theme music ended segment in a fade so 2130 ID was missed. Resurfaced at 2131 with British-accented EE preacher then an American-south-accented one at 2134 topic, relationships and God. Signal got weaker and finally faded out by 2153. Good to excellent (S7+) a couple of times, w/long fades & slop in weak periods Dec 19.  (WRF-LL)
• 1521 SAUDI ARABIA, DUBA: From 2223, lute music then AA news, mentions of Arabyiah, Islam, some of Radioyah, male w/inspirational sounding talk and brief music interludes some played atop his talk. Fair with S5 levels at times Sat. Dec 13. (WRF-KL) Again at 2203-2209,  fair and almost clear of slop on Dec 14. (WRF-LL)
• *1548 Unid TA: OM at 0000 with apparent news, Slavic or Hungarian sounding but severely slopped. Difficult on Dec 23. (WRF-LL)
• *1521/1575/1584/1602 SPAIN, SER synchros: From 0608, SS OM/YL alternating news 1575//1584 at 0612 OM/YL in SS talk on 1584//1602 fluttery and by 0615 1602 was SS but NOT // 1584 so 1602 was possibly EI service from Vitoria (Basque). By 0621 I had clear SS talk on 1521 which sounded // 1584 (the best of the lot). Poor-fair on Dec 24.
• *1619.5 NETHERLANDS,  PCH,  Scheveningen: Weak CW ID and RTTY-like bursts, poor w/TIS QRM at 0635 Dec 29 and 0756 Dec 30. (WRF-LL)
• 1620 ARGENTINA, a new X-bander. On a tip from Al Merriman and his posts in the HCDX and  AMFMTVDX list, I chased this up-and-down signal in a TIS jumble from 0402-0607 and heard an impassioned SS male preacher who sometimes dropped down to level tones. At 0513 an OM/YL pair spoke w/gospel music bridges, followed by an ad-like announcement played atop gospel music at 0518. More talk, gospel music and phone-ins from 0540-0558, followed by a YL speaking atop and with up-beat gospel music. No ID heard at the hour but fanfare and the startup of another program which included punctuated announcements and gospel.  Some of my reception paralleled Merriman's in the same time frame on Dec. 15. He heard English gospel pieces, but I couldn't tell. (WRF-LL)
• *1620 ARGENTINA: Good signal at 0619 in very short intervals. Briefly atop TIS stuff w/SS OM gospel speaker mentioning "La Vida Cristo" and "Navidad" with gospel music bridges and songs on Dec 20 (WRF-LL)

 

Domestic Logs - times are UTC:

• *600 CKCL, Truro, NS:C&W music with announcements "AM 640 Your Country Music Station!" and "Here's the CKCL forecast. Periods of snow with a high of -4". Fair on Dec 28 (WRF-LL)
• *720 CHTN, Charlottetown, PEI:ID as "Good Time Oldies on CHTN",  WMAQ phased at 0249 on Jan 5. (WRF-LL)
• *830 CFJR, Brockville, ON:Rock vocals, quasi-ID as "The River" between selection at 0552, ID at 0601 as "CFJR.. simulcats on 103 FM....".Fair only with intense CHAM slop and weaker WCCO. (WRF-LL)
• *880 KGHT, Sheridan, AR: Program called "Solid Gospel" with several C&W celebrity spots like "Hi! I'm Johnnie newborn and you're listening to KGHT!". Poor w/WCBS from 2240 on Jan 10. (WRF-LL)
• 880 WMDB, Nashville, TN: Surprisingly briefly drifted atop WCBS/KGHT at 2257 also with gospel ending at 2258, into ID as "This is WMDB, Nashville Tennessee broadcasting on 880 kHz with 2.5 kw of power.... Good Night!" into American National Anthemn. Fair on Jan 10. (WRF-LL)
• *940 WCPC, Houston, MS:Good signal with lots of local ads (Mission City Managed Care, Calumet City Funeral Home, Bruce Telephone Co.), clear WC as "This is WCPC in Houston with 63 degrees" and clear IDs as "WCPC AM 940 in Houston Mississippi". Good at 2304 on Jan 3. Excellent at 2233-2253 with local bands and singers in a down-home backwoods gospel program on Jan 4. (WRF-LL)
• *990 CBW, Winnipeg MN, w/possible CBY Corner Brook NF: 0335-two YLs in interview --one Irish sounding, (bits of classical music program u/neath this at various times, music was  // 740 and 1550 at the time -- hence I thought I had CBY Corner Brook, NF as the primary station). Into a story read by or about "Morley" ending 0458 with a CBC Vancouver production spot. Into CBC news on the hour, followed by weather reports at 0504 including WC for parts of NW Ontario and various Manitoba regions while 740 already had another classical program going which I thought still heard smatterings of u/neath 990 by 0506. (The earlier // music must surely have come from CBY but w/o more than // bits of music I'm not about to claim as more than a possible..) Poor signal mixing with several on Jan 3. (WRF-LL)
• *990 WZZD, Phladelphia, PA:From 2154 w/C&W,  ad-string with quasi-ID as "WZZD is pleased to announce Harbour View Auto Mall as an advertising partner". Poor in a jumble on Jan 5. (WRF-LL)
• *990 WIVK, Knoxville, TN (presumed):From 2207 with Knoxville,  Headland County and prominent Tennessians news  items and local ad for an electrical supplier "largest in the Knoxville area". ID at 2213 as "W(?)OX in Knoxville on 99.1 (probably WNOX!)" then live "Sportstalk, Newstalk from location past Peter Bluff  by The Mayo Centre # 9620 just off I-94". Poor on Jan 5.
• *990 WHOO, Orlando, FL:Jazz concert with  music by Al Ahrens & LA jazz Caravan, Jerry Mulligan and ID at 0437 as "Unforgetable music on WHOO 990 AM". Good with MFJ in invert position on Jan 7. (WRF-LL)
• *990CKGM, Montreal, PQ:Canada AM spot and Chrysler dealer ad at 0533 in a CBW phase invert. Good at 0528 on Jan 12. (WRF-LL)
• *1000 CKBW, Bridgewater NS: YL host taking phone requests for C&W, mentioned "Great doings in Nova Scotia" at 0413 and IDed as "CKBW Weekend Weather Watch!" at 0416. Very good Jan 3 with WMVP phased and that took me to 990 in hope of hearing CBY. Again at 0727, very good on Jan 4. Good at 0225 with a "CKBW weather check -4 degrees" on Jan 5. (WRF-LL)
• *1030 WQSE, White Bluffs, TN:From 0712, C&W music and country DJ, ID at 0715 as "... here with today's top hits on WQSE". Fair to good on Jan 1. Last month I reported WSFZ here. (WRF-LL)
• 1030 WCTS, Maplewood, MN:Caught at 2300 under WQSE/WSFZ and WBZ background with ID as "You're listening to AM Stereo WCTS", into news. Very poor on Jan 9. (WRF-LL)
• *1070 WDIA, Memphis, TN:Under CHOK with talk, faded up at 2336 in an ad/announcement string mentioning "here on WDIA", into a telephone company ad with phone # 547 8900 as it faded below CHOK again. Only briefly fair on Jan 10, (WRF-LL)
• *1640 KXBT, Vallejo, CA: Thought the activity here for sometime was local CJOY (a dirty operation RF-wise). With oscillator B on 1460 to discrimminate programs they were different! Bits and pieces from 0515 -- OM DJ w/up-beat and black style vocals, excited OM talk at 0555 when I  thought I heard "The soul... (obscured)... station", fanfare & jingle at 0600 and probable ID (none of which I could make out) and straight into another vocal.Very poor, w/weak signal, rising atop TIS and noise only infrequently after long fades on Dec17. (WRF-KL) Again, same soul format, 0535-0542, poor with TIS QRM and fluttery-fading singals on Dec 18. (WRF-LL)
• *KGXL at 0652 with an oldie vocal, spots at 0656 mentions of Ethel Mermam Concert and ID with at least 3 KGXL mentions and  KGIL 1260 giving a PO Box (missed) into West Side Story soundtrack at 0658 w/out further ID at 0700. Weak and deep in noise but understandable at times. Dec 30 1729 UTC.
• *1629 UNID: Someone playing old Jerry Lee Lewis piece followed by talk at 2129. Very weak with local noise Dec 24. (WRF-LL)

WHAMLOG Home
 

Copyright © 2003-2004 Eric H. Force
All Rights Reserved

dobe.com - Now with the BEST Web Host out there ... Check 'em Out!