Africa 03/2023.

QSL: Eswatini.

Today I received a special QSL from Africa: Trans World Radio broadcasts from Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, on medium wave 1170 kHz in addition to its shortwave transmissions. However, this frequency is occupied in Central Europe by Radio Capodistria. With my Africa Beverage Antenna and weeks of reception attempts, I actually managed to receive signals from Mpangela Ranch on medium wave on 21 February, 2023.

QSL: DYVS, Philippines.

After the shutdown of Absolute Radio on 1215 kHz and its neighbouring channels, there are always rare stations to be heard there. A few days ago, for example, DYVS, a religious medium-wave station from Bacolod City, the capital and largest city of the province Negros Occidental on Negros, the third largest island of the Philippines. The 10500 km distant station was heard around 2130 UT on 1233 kHz in Salzburg. Today a confirmation of the station arrived at my home. My 4th confirmed medium wave station from the Philippines.

QSL: CFFB, Iqaluit.

Due to the shutdown of the Absolute Radio transmitters in Great Britain, the frequency range around 1200-1250 kHz became much quieter in Central Europe. This gave me the opportunity to listen to the CBC North transmitter in Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay), the capital of the Territory of Nunavut, here in Salzburg. CFFB transmits with only 1 kW on medium wave 1230 kHz and could be heard short time in Salzburg last week around 22 UT. The station technician has now confirmed the rare reception, so the territory of Nunavut is also “in the box”.

Mozambique!

On 2 February, the signals from Asia and the first signals from Canada were very weak, often a sign for me that Africa could be doing well. Moreover, it was Thursday, so the Sirtaki stations from Greece, which were in almost the same direction of reception, were less active. 

And indeed, around 22 UT, I was rewarded with a terrific opening into Southern Africa. Due to my beverage antenna which listens in the direction of 165° to Africa, European stations can be faded out well. For example, on 828 kHz BBC Asian Network from Wolferhampton is broadcasting with its 200 Watt transmitter and can be heard loudly here. By switching the antenna towards Africa, the BBC could no longer be heard, but the Magic 828 announcement from South Africa could. After 2145 UT I could hear Emissor Provincial de Inhambane from Mozambique on 1206 kHz in a quality never received before. The national anthem of Mozambique could then be heard at 22h UT after a precise search on five other frequencies. The stations from Sofala, Tete, Manica, and Niassa have certainly not been heard often in Europe, Emissor Provincial de Cabo Delgado I could already hear in Salzburg.

828 2230 AFS Magic 828, Klipheuwel/Blaauw Blomme Kloof Farm (WC) 9093 km
873 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Sofala, Beira (sfl) 7811 km
963 2203 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Tete, Tete (tte) 7409 km
1026 2203 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Manica, Chimoio (mca) 7720 km
1206 2145 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Inhambane, Inhambane (ihb) 8294 km
1224 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial de Cabo Delgado, Pemba (cbg) 7296 km
1260 2202 MOZ Emissor Provincial do Niassa, Lichinga (nia) 7155 km

For such moments, the work with the antennas and the station is worthwhile and a motivation for the whole year!

WinRadio G33DDC-ExcaliburPro/CSO, NetSDR, 
Beverage 200 mt. USA 335°, Africa 165°. 3xSplitter Hamparts.shop.

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°.