January 27, 2023.

3-Way Active Splitter

From Jan Šustr – Hamparts.shop there is since today a new 3-way antenna splitter. The distributor has really excellent technical values, for example an IP3 of 34 dBm, an adjustable preamplifier, is very economical in power consumption and mechanically very cleanly worked. All this at a really reasonable price of only 115 euros! I was able to buy the distributor already a few weeks ago and test it at my station since then – a clear recommendation! All details and ordering option: https://hamparts.shop/3-way-active-splitter-in-box.html

Made it again.

On January 18, 2023 the result of the TOP 10 DX OF THE YEAR Contest 2022 was announced. I could win the contest again after 2021, but the gap to the second place for Laszlo Budai was very small. A really exciting contest, which will be held again next December.

MW-Logs, 17.01.23

The last day were quite nice signals to hear, even if everything is concentrated with few exceptions on the East Coast.

1130 0100 USA WBBR, New York (NY) 6592 km
1140 0100 CAN CBI, Sydney (NS) 5344 km
1200 0100 USA WXKS, Newton (MA) 6304 km
1270 0100 CAN CJCB, Sydney (NS) 5336 km
1290 0100 USA WKBK, Keene (NH) 6333 km
1320 0100 CAN CJMR, Oakville (ON) 6769 km
1400 0100 CAN CBG, Gander (NL) 4824 km
1430 0100 CAN CHKT, Toronto Island (ON) 6735 km
1500 0100 USA WFED, Washington (DC) 6915 km
1510 0100 USA WLAC, Nashville (TN) 7750 km
1520 0100 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6762 km
1580 0100 CAN CKDO, Oshawa (ON) 6679 km
1600 0100 USA WUNR, Brookline (MA) 6304 km
1610 0102 CAN CHHA, Toronto (ON) 6731 km
1620 0100 CUB Radio Rebelde, Guanabacoa (ch) 8504 km
1650 0100 USA WJFV, Portsmouth (VA) 7028 km
1650 0100 CAN CINA, Mississauga (ON) 6750 km
1660 0100 USA WWRU, Jersey City (D) (NJ) 6593 km
1670 0100 USA WMGE, Dry Branch (GA) 7819 km
1690 0100 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6938 km

WinRadio G33DDC-ExcaliburPro/CSO, Beverage 200 mt. USA 335°, Africa 165°.

Radio DX – Norfolk Island

Yesterday’s Radio DX from Norfolk Island test broadcast on January 14, 2023, was a challenge for man and machine. Nick got up especially at 0415 local time on Norfolk to broadcast from 1630-1830 UT with only 200 watt in the tropical band on 5.045 kHz. The signal was visible from the start of transmission here in Salzburg, first audio signal just before sunrise, the “sunrise enhancement” of the ionosphere exactly at sunrise in Norfolk just after 1800 UT worked perfectly. Although the signal from the Pacific island 16,998 km away could be heard at most with S3, it may have been close to the optimum for the transmission path. The test transmission ended at 1827 UT, and three minutes later the morning program from Vanuatu, exactly 1,000 km closer, began on the adjacent channel 5040 kHz, transmitted via the 2 kW transmitter in Port Vila. This signal from the Pacific was heard with S7 in Salzburg, the best reception this winter.

I listened to both signals on WinRadio G33 Excalibur PRO SDR on my 25 mt. K9AY antenna with technology from RemoteQTH – https://hamparts.shop

A big thank you to Nick Hacko VK9DX for doing this test broadcast for Europe, to hear a shortwave broadcast station from Norfolk Island in Central Europe is a rare experience.

Radio DX – Norfolk Island

Nick, VK9DX, is currently on Norfolk Island, an island in the Pacific Ocean that belongs to Australia. In addition to his amateur radio activities, Nick holds a broadcast license to operate a radio station on 5,045 kHz in the tropical band since 2022.

So far there have been three test transmissions on local evening on Norfolk, another is today, Friday around 0730/0830 UT. Very difficult to receive for Europe as already too far in daylight. I made Nick the suggestion of a test transmission for European DXers, the reception window between 17-20 UT would be very favorable now at the turn of the year, the broadcast stations of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu rarely but still to be heard on 5 MHz.

And indeed, in the coming days, probably Sunday or Monday – while Nick is still on the island – there will be a short test broadcast between 16.30 – 18.30 UT from Norfolk!

An extremely rare opportunity to hear RadioDX from the Pacific in Europe.

MW-Logs.

Here are my MW logs for the first days of January 2023. Currently there is very little to hear from Asia, in the afternoon sometimes only 1-2 stations from China. Only from the Arab region and Africa can some signals be heard. The transatlantic reception is similar; if a handful of stations land in the log, one can be very satisfied.

2023-01-07
1010 0345 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) 6758 km
1010 0345 USA WINS, New York/Lyndhurst [NJ] (NY) 6597 km
1130 0345 USA WBBR, New York/Carlstadt [NJ] (NY) 6592 km
1280 0400 CAN CFMB, MontrÈal/Saint-Mathieu (QC) 6254 km
1350 0345 PTR WEGA, Vega Baja (PR) 7718 km
1377 1630 CHN CNR 1, Xingyang/NRTA554 (HE) 7899 km
1395 1631 ARM Public Radio of Armenia, Gavar (grk) 2674 km
1521 1632 CHN China Radio International, Hutubi/NRTA654 (XJ) 5492 km
1566 1650 KOR Radio Teos, Jeju=Cheju (FEBC) (jej) 8802 km

2023-01-06
1300 0630 USA WOOD, Grand Rapids (MI) 7180 km
1320 0640 CAN CJMR, Oakville (ON) 6769 km
1330 0645 USA WRCA, Watertown (MA) 6304 km
1520 0650 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6762 km
1540 0630 CAN CHIN, Toronto Island (ON) 6735 km
1570 0650 CAN CJLV, Laval (QC) 6258 km
1584 0700 G Jeo Radio, London/Sewardstone (EN-GTL) 1024 km
1590 0650 USA WARV, Warwick (RI) 6360 km
1610 0650 CAN CHRN, MontrÈal (QC) 6241 km

2023-01-05
702 2130 ARS SBA Radio Jeddah, Duba (tbk) 2998 km
765 2135 SDN SRTC Al-Barnameg al-Aam, Khartoum/Soba (kha) 4029 km
774 2143 EGY NMA Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Abis (bhy) 2358 km
819 2146 IRN IRIB Radio Mazandaran, Sari/Khazarabad (mzd) 3462 km
819 2145 EGY NMA Al-Barnameg al-Aam, Batrah (dqh) 2428 km
837 2151 IRN IRIB Radio Isfahan, Esfahan/Habibabad (esf) 3633 km
846 0025 IND AIR West, Ahmedabad A (GJ) 5898 km
864 2152 EGY NMA Al-Quran al-Karim, Santah (ghb) 2451 km
882 2200 IRN IRIB Radio Mahabad, Mahabad (waz) 2924 km
900 2210 ARS SBA Radio Riyadh, Qurayyat (jwf) 2753 km
917 2215 NIG Radio Gotel, Jabura/Modire (adw) 4294 km
918 2221 NIG Radio Benue, Makurdi (bnu) 4492 km
963 2223 TUN RTT ChaÓne Internationale, Tunis/Djedeida (tun) 1258 km
1026 2230 IRN IRIB Radio Tabriz, Azarshahr (eaz) 2867 km
1134 2240 KWT Radio Kuwait Main Arabic prgr., Kabd/Sulaibiyah (jah) 3624 km
1206 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Inhambane, Inhambane (ihb) 8294 km
1269 2245 KWT Radio Kuwait Classical Arab Music, Kabd (jah) 3624 km
1350 0305 PTR WEGA, Vega Baja (PR) 7718 km
1377 2250 TZA Radio Free Africa, Mwanza (mwz) 5937 km
1521 1600 CHN China Radio International, Hutubi/NRTA654 (XJ) 5492 km

2023-01-04
1377 2325 TZA Radio Free Africa, Mwanza (mwz) 5937 km

WinRadio G33DDC-ExcaliburPro/CSO, Beverage 200 mt. USA 335°, Afrika 165°.

Winter 2023.

Beverage Antenna, 200 mt, switchable to USA 335° and Africa 165°, perfect Antenna boxes from RemoteQTH / hamparts.shop