Monday, September 14, 2009

September means better shortwave radio reception

From the Archives Collection of QSL Report column in Monitoring Times

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September means better DX conditions
Have you noticed that the summer static levels have decreased ? This is the time, if you haven't already, to get your listening post and antennas in order.

Have you updated your station and country totals, and prepared a Most Wanted List of station's to verify this season? Radios and outside antennas should be checked and any necessary repairs made before it's too cold or icy to do so.

Hopefully, you have completed any outstanding correspondence including follow up reception reports before September. Now is the time to concentrate on nabbing those favorite stations and prepare for the seasonal condition changes beginning this month. Twilight and nighttime patterns have improved and will continue to do so as longer darkness paths provide an extended time to bandscan. Look for stations from South America, Europe and Africa, to fade in earlier, improving prior to 0000 UTC.

Stations in the tropical bands including East Asia and Indonesia, are being heard beginning at twilight in the evenings, and any time from 0900-1500 UTC, depending on your location. The Indian subcontinent's signal has improved and will peak in the winter. South Americans begin to fade in around 0700 UTC, followed by the Papua New Guinea stations by 0800 UTC. Medium wave conditions are improving too. Fall and winter are prime time for DXing, especially hearing the cross country

In case you haven't noticed, shortwave radio conditions are improving, and now is the time to prepare for a new DX season.

Good luck in your quest.

Amateur Radio
Guernsey-MUOC (IOTA EU-114) 20 meters SSB. Full data color photo card. Received in 75 days via ARRL bureau. (Van Horn, NC)

WX4NHC 14325 kHz USB. Full data QSL card signed by Julio Ripoli-WDR4. Received in six days for a SASE and SWL report for Hurricane Season 2006 On-the-air Test. Station address: National Hurricane Center, c/o Julio Ripoli, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator, 14855 SW 67 Lane, Miami, FL 33193 USA. (R.C. Watts, KY)

Argentina
RAE 11710 kHz. Full data logo card signed by Marcela Campos-RAE Director, plus schedule and personl letter. Received in five months for an English report, applause card, three IRC's and a local Christmas post card. Have attempted to verify RAE for over ten years. Station address: C.C. 555, Core Central C1000WAF Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Joe Wood, TN)

Ascenion Island
Radio Prague relay 11665 kHz. Full data (except site) Josef Bozek, part of Czech Scientist and Inventors series. Received in three weeks. Always enjoy receiving QSLs from Radio Prague, since it reminds me of the really interesting studio tour I received many years ago. Station address: Vinohradská 12 12099 Prague 2, Czech Republic. Website: www.radio.cz/ (Wendel Craighead, KS)

Clandestine
Democratic Voice of Burma (via Alma Ata) 15480 kHz. Full data verification (except site) and information letter signed by Banya Mon. Received in 44 days for a CD postal report. Correspondence address: NCGUB, P.O. Box 6720, St. Olavs Plass N-0130 Oslo Norway Website: www.dvb.no/ (Edward Kusalik, Canada)

Little Saigon Radio (via Taiwan) 7380 kHz. Full data multilingual colored card signed by Joe D. Dinh. Received in 63 days for an English rport. Correspondence address: 15781 Brookhurst Street, Suite 101, Westminister, CA 92683 USA. Website: www.littlesaigonradio.com/ (Edward Kusalik, Canada)

Radio Chan Troi Moi (via Taiwan) 1503 kHz AM. Full data (except site) CTM logo card with personal note apologizing for the delay in responding. Report was for a logging at Bao Loc, Vietnam. QSL card is identical to cards received for RCTM SW broadcast in 2001 and 2002. Correspondence address: Correspondence Section, Radio CTM, P.O. Box 48, Nishi Yodogawa, Osaka 555, Japan. Card postmarked via Spokane, Washington. This is my third QSL for a medium wave clandestine broadcast. (Wendal Craighead, KS)

Ecuador
HCJB 12005 kHz. Full data card of Galapagos Giant Tortoise, signed by Douglas Weber, plus revised frequency schedule, pocket calender and religious pamphlet. Received in 27 days to verify the final English analog broadcast from Quito. Email report sent to: english@hcjb.org.ec (Kraig Krist, VA)

Madagascar
Radio Netherlands relay 11655 kHz. Full data folder map card signed by Rahmefy Eddy-Technical Dept. Received in 137 days for an English report. Response received direct from transmitter location at: Radio Nederland Wereldomroep Station Relais, B.P. 404, Antananarivo, Madagascar. Station address: Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, P.O. Box 222, 1200 JG Hilversum, The Netherlands. (Joe Wood, TN)

Medium Wave
China National Radio 1008 kHz AM. Full data CNR card unsigned. Received for English report and no return postage. Station address: China National Radio, Audience Dept., P.O. Box 4501, Beijing 100040 PR China. China Radio International 1044 kHz AM. Full data QSL card for report to Japanese service. Station address: 16A Shijingshan Street Beijing 100040 PR China (Craig Edwards, Northern Territory, Australia).

United Kingdom
DSWCI 50th Anniversary card 7230 kHz via Wooferton, 5975 kHz (via Radio Japan). Card received in 53 days for report to: Anker Petersen, Udbyvej 11, DK-2740, Skovlunde, Denmark. (Kusalik CAN) DSWCI Anniversary cards signed by Anker Petersen, received for Radio Japan broadcast via: Rampisham (UK) 9575, Wooferton (UK) 7230, Moyabi (Gabon) 15355, Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles) 11935, Sackville (Canada) 6145 and Yamata Japan) 9695 kHz. (Wendel Craighead, KS)

Utility
KSM 6474, 12993 kHz. Full data QSL on historic Globe Wireless radiogram copy, signed by D.A. Stoops. Received in 28 days for a utility report of contact with KHRC. Station address: P.O. Box 381, Bolinas, CA 94924-0381 USA. (Watts KY)

Shannon Aeradio, 5649 kHz USB. Full data QSL folder card signed by Dennis Cannalley-Watch Manager. Received in 182 days for a utility report, one US dollar and an address label. Station address: The Irish Authority, Aviation House, Hawkins Street, Dublin 2 Ireland. (or) Irish Aviation Authoriy, Shannon Aeradio, Ballygirreen, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare, Ireland. (Watts, KY)
(QSL Report by Gayle Van Horn/photo VT Communications)