By Frank Glen (Christchurch)
The Dxpedition began on Thursday 1 st March at 0800 when Frank Glen left Christchurch for Oamaru. On arrival Peter Grenfell and Frank undertook the purchase of rations etc so essential to the fighting on a Dxpedition. They arrived at Tiwai Gate entrance at 0230 UTC and were met by Paul Aronsen. The expedition members pulled up at the house and at 0330 the NZ ensign was hoisted. The wilderness and the one-way road had beckoned us forward while the luxuries of civilization we soon left behind. Cars were unpacked and aerial connections made to (Paul) Kenwood R5000, (Frank) Sony 6800 (Peter) Kenwood R5000. Listening commenced at 0400 UTC. The reception conditions were outstanding, with many good loggings from around the world. The X band was embarrassing; it was like listening to broadcast signals of the late 1950s. Riches there were everywhere but because of the coming and going of many strong signals one had to use columns in logging to sort out each signal from the same frequency. However all three intrepid radio fanatics with 150 years of experience between them managed to capture a logging or two.
Peter Grenfell (PG)
Paul Aronsen (PA)
Frank Glen (FG)
Longwave. 2 nd March
171khz 1845hrs Radio Rossi Russia. Strength Very Good Russian music and classics. (PG)
Broadcast 2nd March (A veritable feast of goodies not heard for a long time). Times are
all in UTC.
1110 Khz 0950 KFAB Omaha Neb Programme dealing with communicating with the
dead by telephone. Wonders never cease, fascinating listening. All as good
as local signal. (FG/PG/PA)
1413 Khz 0700 Radio Ferrymead. 3XP Christchurch. Did well for 400 watts, but eventually
submerged by three unidentifiable Yanks by 0712. (FG)
1470 Khz 0804 KUTY This is Kutie Radio. Palmdale Calf. Excellent for 5KW.(PG)
1480 Khz 0759 KYOS Merced, Calf. Excellent for 5KW. ID and news.(PG/FG)
1540 Khz 0719 KXEL Waterloo Ia. Wickam Loans – financed (PG)
1570 Khz 0815 XERF Great to listen to an old favourite unencumbered by noise and side
band interference. Strength 5 and could be heard in the Tiwai kitchen. (FG)
1610 Khz 0740 CHAA Toronto Canada First Canadian that was heard by the team. Could
be heard from the Tiwai long drop for years. Not been like this for years.
(PA/PG)
1620 Khz 0915 WDHP St Croix, US Virgin Islands BBC World Service (FG)
1640 Khz 0740 KDIA Vallejo Calf. Religious life at the top of the dial. (PG)
1600 Khz 0723 KCJJ. Long room listening (PA)
1630 Khz 0706 KKGN Fort Worth Texas Station Ident Southern Gospel (PA)
1630 Khz 0745 KRND Foxfarm Wy. Spanish ID. Clear (PG)
1630 Khz 0750 KKGM Fortworth Texas. Southern Gospel. Mega reception.(PG/PA)
1660 Khz 0815 WGIT Canovanas Puerto Rico Spanish folk music. (FG)
0723 KCJJ Iowa. Clear Signal (PA)
1670 0820 KHPY Moreno Valley Calf. “Radio Catolica” Prayers and Hymns
Spanish exceptional signal.(FG)
1683 Khz 1900 Ethnic Greek Sydney. Swamping the band (FG)
1700 0845 XEPE “The money station” Exceptional signal (FG)
1700 0905 KBGG Desmoines Ia. CNN News. Excellent signal all plus plus.(FG)
1700 0718 Indian language Station. Ident not given. Submerged into three other
signals at 0723.(FG)
SHORTWAVE 2nd March. Time is UTC.
3200 1825 TWR Swaziland. Religious programme – weak. (PA)
4780 1918 Radio Djibouti. Ethnic singing sand ethnic programme. Good signal
(PA/FG/PG)
4770 1920 Kaduna Nigeria. Good Signal. (PA)
4890 0750. 1KW. Radio Atlantida. Iquitos. Peru. Spanish music and clear ID.
Remarkable to listen to – both of us logged it. (FG/PG)
4930 1910 VOA Botswana. Weak. (PA)
4940 1900 VOA via Sao Tome. English. Weak signal. (PA)
4976 1905 Kamala. Uganda. Weak indeed. (PA)
5010 1815 ZNBC Lusaka. Local language style programme. Fair signal. (PA)
6065 1930 Voice of Turkey singing on Excellent. (PG)
6200 0415 Radio Prague Czech Science Programme (PG/FG)
6220 1815 Mystery Radio. (Pirate) Techno music & numerous deep throat ID
(FG.PG. & PA)
7100 0445 Eritrea. Asmara Not in English but in the Voice of the Broad Masses.
Music & Interviews (PG)
7400 1843 Radio Bulgaria News in English. (PG)
7410 1900 All India. News clear and loud had to turn volume well back. (PG/FG)
7415 0500 WCBQ. Planet. Excellent (PG)
7255 1907 Radio Minsk Belarus. On News and interview (PG/FG)
7465 Sweden coupled with 6065 Khz. English with news. Who said Sweden had
closed down?(PG FG) Logged.
7345 1945 Radio Slovakia International One. Domestic news etc. (FG/PG)
7811 0510 Upper Side Band AFRTS. (Key West) Talk on ecology – excellent (FG/PG)
Report sent by email as suggested by AFRS, no confirmation via this
means by 19 th March,(FG)
9290 0728 Radio Six. Transmission from Latvia. Studies in Scotland and Glasgow
Address. (FG/PG)
11760 0646 Radio Cuba. Havana. The world of Stamps. Had to turn it down.
Too loud. (FG/PG)
Broadcast – 3 rd March.
1700 0730 KVNS Brownsville TX. News on continuously.(FG)
1700 0745 WEUV Huntsville Al. In behind KVNS – patient waiting and it was logged. (FG)
Short wave.
3200 1825hrs TWR Swaziland. Religious broadcast. A hardly annual going well.(PA)
4770 1920 Exception Signal Kaduna Nigeria (PA)
4780 1855 Djibouti exceptional signal. This may well become the hub of then
commercial world by CE (Christian era) 2050. (PG. FG)
4930 1910 VOA Botswana – by contrast a weak signal. Hard to log. (PG )
5765 0811 VOA via Soe Tome EE. Sadly quite weak. (PA)
6055 1730 “The Voice of Russia. (FG & PG)
9290 0727 Radio 6. Latvia. Via UK transmitters. (Logged) (FG, PG. PA)
4 th March Weather fine and warm. No wind.
MW and X Band.
3XP Ferrymead, Christchurch. Readable on 400-Watt transmitter.(FG)
1570 0815. XERF Mexico. The old faithful of many a Dxers first Mexican.(FG)
1665 0712 Sydney Greek Programme. Full strength.(FG)
1683 0719 Ethnic Sydney. Drowning all out.(FG)
The entire signals noted on 2 nd & 3rd of March were still easily logged on the X Band.
Short wave.
3925 0829 Japan – Appears to be reading the local in house Japanese news. (PG FG)
3995. 1902 Voice of Russia in German news. (FG)
5020 0734 Solomon Island. Reports from the missions.(FG)
5025 0740 Catherine, Northern Territory Australia ABC News and interstate
programme. (PA FG)
11760. 0625. Cuba, rap music and announcer in English. (PG ,FG, PA)
The short-wave stable of stations was again repeated over the DX period of 3 rd and 4 th March. On Sunday the trio drove to Bluff and feed their faces at “Lands end” Café, while looking out on the placid seas and Dog Island. The Southland Brach came out on Saturday for a BBQ and then held their meeting. Meanwhile the flag flew high the hot water flowed and aerials repaired. One short aerial that Frank & Paul resurrected and re-established was unanimously named in all sincerity the Merv Branks Memorial Aerial, and woe betide any one who in the future mucks about with it. So ended a wonderful three nights, and about the finest opportunity to hear fantastic DX for many a decade. The Dxpedition ended on the morning of the 5 th March and after wonderful weather we all departed going our several ways. Frank Glen went home to write eleven reports despite his tight deadline with the editor on his present book. A magic place for us all. We hope all is left in place for the big Easter DXpedition in April.
