In October the Mosgiel DX contingent of Ian Wells, Phil Garden and Jon Wood gathered for their 4th annual DXpedition to Waianakarua. They were joined by Paul Aronsen who also made the pilgrimage last year.
Paul Aronsen, Phil Garden, Jon Wood & Ian Wells (Credit: Phil Garden)
DX preliminaries kicked off on Monday the 18th with Paul and Linda Ormandy spending a couple of days (and very cold nights!) at Waianakarua. We woke to a very heavy frost on Tuesday and headed home for Wednesday night. Paul Aronsen arrived for lunch on Thursday and confessed to having only a Digitech AR1747 radio, fortunately Stu Forsyth’s AR7030+ had been sitting here awaiting his impending return from overseas. So it was pressed into service and performed very well.
Ian and Phil arrived mid-afternoon on Friday and Jon around the same time on Saturday. Jon primed himself with very strong coffee so when he left at midnight he would stay awake for the return journey to Mosgiel.
Paul Ormandy & Ian Wells (Credit: Phil Garden)
Reception conditions on MW were variable. Peruvian stations thumped in every night with 1570, 1540.5, 1470, 1400, 1360, 1130, 1010 and 880 provided the most regular signals. Yanks were not strong and there was a general feeling that there was something amiss with the antenna. One day the balun feed was replaced to no avail and next day re-doing the end termination brought no improvement, so we assumed there must be a break or bad join somewhere along the 310m run. That will be a project for another day. Even so, US signals on the EWE were also very flat and Bryan Clark in Mangawhai also reported similar US reception.
Reception on shortwave was phenomenal with some good catches to be had in the now under-utilised bands. Brazilians were audible on 25mb from as early as 1900z and still there at 0900z. Africans in the morning on 49 and 41mb were also very good. Zanzibar on 25mb, Equatorial Guinea and Argentine Antarctic on 19mb were the pick of the higher frequency catches.
We packed up Sunday morning with planning for the 2014 Oktoberfest already beginning.
Paul Aronsen (Credit: Phil Garden)
Waianakarua Oktoberfest 18-20/10/2013. Present: Paul Aronsen, Ian Wells, Phil Garden, Jon Wood and Paul Ormandy. Receivers: Kenwood R1000 x 2, Sangean 909, AOR AR7030+, Lowe HF150 & Kenwood TS2000. Antennas: 425m Beverage aimed at South America, 20m groundplane, EWE, 10m groundplane (North Amwerican Beverage has a break somewhere… needs more detective work and sweat!).
666 0812 NEW CALEDONIA Radio Nouvelle Caledonie, Noumea MA & FA Interference from 675 NZ poor. W
710 0812 CUBA Radio Rebelde, gd w/light pops. W
840 0828 UNID S/on w/ national anthem and FA, Panama??? W
940 0927 USA KYNO Fresno, MA w/id. W
1050 0730 USA KTCT San Mateo CA, gd w/promo for “i-heart radio”. W
1129.9 0736 PERU Radio Bacan, Lima gd sig /campesino music. W
1190 0641 COLOMBIA Radio Cordillera, Santa Fe de Bogota, “la musica popular de Todelar” and HJ soft pops. W
1220 0547 MEXICO XEB Mexico C, gd sig w/prog of tangos. W
1250 0715 COLOMBIA Radio Capital, Santa Fe de Bogota, “la mejor de la ranchera en Radio Capital”. W
1360 0558 PERU La Nueva Q,Lima, vgd sig w/promo for prog ‘la radio cumbia del Peru”. W
1400 0652 PERU Super Radio, Callao, full id in NZ slop. W
1440 0820 AUSTRALIA 1SBS Canberra FA/MA with addresses including e-mail, hrd pf/fr. W
1470 0555 PERU Radio Capital,Lina, vgd w/plenty of ids, jingle, ads & program promo. W
1540 0550 BAHAMAS Radio Bahamas, Nassau, promo for meeting at a church in Nassau then back-back light pops. W
1540.5 0708 PERU Turbo Mix,reg sig w/ is and lively mx. W
1499.9 0609 PERU Radio Santa Rosa, Lima, fr-gd w/relig prog. W
1540 0620 HAWAII KREA Honolulu FA/MA talk in Korean pr/fr. W
1570 0552 UNID tent. Radio Carraviz, Juliaca, Peru, strong relig prog, poor mod. Id twice as “la voz de la Juventud” or similar. W
1570 0555 PERU Radio Bethel, Lima, strong FA w/gospel music. Often making reference to other network stations with their freqs (mostly FM). W
1610 0554 ANGUILLA Caribbean Beacon, EE relig fr-gd. W
1610 0727 CANADA CHHA Toronto, fr in SS, call-letters in EE and SS slogan. W
1611 1710 VATICAN Vatican Radrio, tent. The one here with Latin rosary, mxd Aussies. W
1620 0550 VIRGIN ISLANDS WDHP St Croix, gd sig w/BBC WS prog. Local full id 0558 incl web address. W
1620 0550 CUBA Radio Rebelde, MA in SS, pr. W
1629.8 0750 ARGENTINA Radio Melody, best in USB to Avoid aussies on 1629, weak sig w/peruvian pops. W
1640 0625 USA KDIA Oakland CA MA and mx pr. W
1641.3 0716 NEW ZEALAND Unid distorted sig,sounds like National Radio?. W
1670 0749 USA KHPY Moreno CA gd sig in SS w/promo. W
2325 0953 AUSTRALIA VL8T Tennant Creek, FA w/id for VL8T and VL8A, fr-gd. W
2368.5 1000 AUSTRALIA Radio Symban, Marrickville, MA in Greek, went off at 1001. W
2485 1758 AUSTRALIA VL8K Katherine FA/MA talking s/off?? 1800 gd. W
2850 0939 KOREA (DPR) KCBS Pyongyang, vgd instru mx. W
3200 1807 SWAZILAND TWR pr-fr w/EE relig prog. W
3255 1741 SOUTH AFRICA BBC via Meyerton,fr w/WS news.W
3260 0834 PAPUA NEW GUINEA NBC Radio Madang, fr tlk in Pidgin EE. W
3310 0906 BOLIVIA Mosoj Chaski Radio, Cotapachi, fr, MA & FA w/discussion in Quechua. W
3325 0905 PAPUA NEW GUINEA NBC Bougainville, fr-gd w/nx in EE. W
3350 0535 COSTA RICA REE Cariari, pr w/FA in SS. W
3385 0900 PAPUA NEW GUINEA Radio East New Britain, gd w/nx in EE.W
3905 1857 PAPUA NEW GUINEA NBC New Ireland, pr-fr sig at s/on w/ EE pops the id and nx. W
4010 1744 KYRGYZSTAN Birinchi Radio, Krasnaya, pres the one w/RR tlk.W
4055 1013 GUATEMALA Radio La Verdad, San Esteban, fr sig w/brief id, t/c then hymns. W
4699.9 0941 BOLIVIA Radio San Miguel, fr sig w/lively morning show. W
4700 1752 ERITREA Voice of the Broad Masses, Asmara,pr-fr in vernac,FA talk o/mx bed. W
4716.7 0946 BOLIVIA Radio Yura, Yura, MA /canned id and SS mx. Leaves carrier on over night. W
4747 1016 PERU Radio Huanta Dos Mil, Huanta, vgd sig w/id and ads. W
4755.6 0740 POHNPEI “The Cross”, fr w/EE pop and gospel mx. W
4765 1754 TAJIKISTAN Radio One, Dushanbe, gd trad mx. W
4774.8 PERU Radio Tarma, Tarma, w/prog “Programa Amanacer” lively breakfast show. W
4780 1755 DJIBOUTI R.Djibouti, Doraleh, vgd chanting-style mx. W
4785 0855 BRAZIL Radio Caiari, Porto Velho, fr-gd w/lengthy MA tlk. MA
4795 1745 KYRGYZSTAN Radio One, Krasnaya, fr-gd tlk thru till s/off w/mx 1800.W
4805 0900 BRAZIL Radio Difusora do Amazonas, Manaus, s/on w/id, time, short mx piece and MA & FA hosts. W
4810 0904 BRAZIL Radio Difusora, Londrina, fr sig, MA & FA w/ids. Later swamped by much stronger Logos. W
4810 0944 PERU Radio Logos, Chazuta, exc sig, Andean mx. Best in LSB to avoid ute QRM. W
4820 1743 CHINA Xizang PBS, Tibet, vgd w/trad. mx. S/Off 1800z. W
4824.4 1020 PERU La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos, fr sig but low mod w/campesinos mx, MA w/canned ids. W
4835 1755 AUSTRALIA VL8A Alice Springs, exc sig w/political cmtry. W
4865 0950 BRAZIL Radio Verdes Florestas, Cruzeiro do Sul, MA w/canned id, list of freqs and PP mx. W
4870 0841 INDONESIA RRI Wamena, fr sig w/call to prayer. W
4880 1800 SOUTH AFRICA SW Radio Africa, Meyerton,vgd sig in vernac, later 1847 in EE. No sign of jammer. W
4905 1800 CHINA Xizang PBS,Tibet, vgd w/piano mx till id and s/off 1805, // 4920
4910 0809 AUSTRALIA VL8T fr sig in static w/sports cmtry, // 4835. W
4930 1801 BOTSWANA VOA Moepeng Hill, fr in vernac, Noted again 1857 in EE. W
4949.8 1826 ANGOLA Radio Nacional, Mulvenos, pr sig ma in PP. W
4955 1017 PERU Radio Cultural, Amauta, MA w/id & t/c, then greetings to listeners. W
4960 1802 SAO TOME VOA Pinheira (pres), gd w/nx in EE. W
4976 0745 PERU Pacifico R. Lima, fr w/relig tlk SS, het from unid (Brazil?) 4975. W
4976 1804 UGANDA Radio Uganda, Kampala, pr-fr w/nx in vernac. W
5005 1805 EQUATORIAL GUINEA Radio Bata, poor in SS, best in LSB to avoid QRM. W
5019.9 0748 SOLOMON IS Radio Solomons, fr in EE w/shipping movements. W
5025 0450 CUBA Radio Rebelde MA in SS, Cuba hrd often pr/fr. W
5035 0748 BRAZIL Radio Aparecida,vgd sig w/PP relig. W
5039.1 1005 PERU Radio Libertad, Junin, vgd sig w/id then morning prayer. W
5040 0355 CUBA Radio Habana, MA& FA, id, fr. W
5860 1930 SRI LANKA Radio Farda, Trincomalee nx MA, fr. W
5890 0420 USA WWCR Nashville, MA fr. W
5910 0502 COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio, Lomalinda, vgd sig, full id w/MW & SW freqs. W
5915 1907 ZAMBIA Radio Zambia, Lusaka, 2 x MAs w/dis in vernac.Heard past 2000z. W
5935 0425 USA WWCR Nashville, relig FA, gd. W
5939.9 0447 BRAZIL Voz Misionaria, Camboriu, fr sig w/relig in PP. W
5950 0449 ETHIOPIA Voice of the Tigray Revolution, Addis Ababa, MA w/lengthy tlk. Also noted vy gd sigs 1816 past sked 1900z s/off. W
5964.7 1833 MALAYSIA RT Malyasia, Radio Klasik, vgd w/ballads. W
5964.9 0812 BRAZIL Radio Trans Mundial, Santa Maria, fr sig w/gospel mx. W
5970 0815 BRAZIL Radio Itatiaia, Belo Horizonte, pr-fr sig, difficult copy due ute QRM. W
6010.1 0506 COLOMBIA La Voz de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda, vgd sig w/SS relig mixed unid (Brazil?). W
6030 1828 ETHIOPIA Radio Oromiya, Adama, gd sig w/tlks in vernac, hrd past sked 1900 s/off. W
6055 0500 RWANDA Radio Rwanda, Kigali, gd sig in vernac, ee nx 0515 till s/off 0530. Also noted EE nx 1835 gd sig. W
6060 0845 BRAZIL Super Radio Deus e Amor, Curitiba, big sig w/PP relig. W
6080 0759 BRAZIL Radio Marumby, Curitiba, big sig, full ID, web address, freqs etc. W
6120 0555 CUBA Radio Habana, gd in EE. W
6120 0817 BRAZIL Super Radio Deus e Amor, Sao Paulo, vgd sig w/ MA preacher. W
6110 0414 ETHIOPIA Radio Fana, Addis Ababa, MA tlk in vernac. Also noted at 1821z vy gd sig w/mx //7210. W
6160 0603 CUBA Radio Habana gd in EE. W
6160 0735 CANADA CKZN St Johns,fr w/CBC Radio One prog. W
6165 1825 CHAD Radio Chad, Ndjamena, fr-gd in vernac. W
6180 0856 BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazonia, Brasilia, exc sig w/serteneja mx, //11780. W
6185 0850 MEXICO Radio Educacion,Mexico city, fr w/id 7 mx. W
6190 1859 SOUTH AFRICA BBC via Meyerton, fr sig w/id then nx. W
6885 1929 ISRAEL Galei Zahal, Lod, vgd sig w/MA & FA in Hebrew. W
6925 0517 USA PIRATE Radio Ronin Shortwave, 3 songs back-back then ids, e-mail addr and s/off. W
7120 1825 SOMALIA Radio Hargeisa, Hargeisa, gd sig w/ lively Somali pops. Also noted w/fr sig at 0401z. W
7236.5 1813 ETHIOPIA (tent.) Voice of Eritrea, with tlk, fr sig till s/off some time around 1830z. W
7255 1832 BELARUS Radio Belarus MA & FA heard RR. Belarus often good. W
7295 1852 MALAYSIA RTVM Traxx FM gd w/health message then back-back EE pops. W
7320 0350 RUSSIA Radio Rossii MA in RR, pr. W
9565 0302 BRAZIL Super Radio Deus e Amor, Curitiba, gd sig, id then MA preacher. W
9630 0125 BRAZIL Radio Aparecida, pr, MA& FA relig. W
9645.4 0305 BRAZIL Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo, fr-gd w/light pops. Dominant o/unid. W
9665.7 0310 BRAZIL Radio Voz Misionaria, Camboriu, gd sig w/id, giving ph numbers. W
9700 0510 ROMANIA, Radio Romania Int, in FF, gd. W
9800 0544 RWANDA DW Kigali, EE, fr. W
11560 0328 SUDAN (NON) Radio Miraya via Bulgaria, local music and station ID fr/gd. W
11735 1902 ZANZIBAR Radio Tanzania, Dole, fr-gd sig in the clear, MA in Swahili. Heard till s/off 2100z. W
11735 1920 BRAZIL Radio Trans Mundial, Santa Maria, gd sig relig tlk, mostly over Zanzibar. Other Brazilians at this time on 11780, 11815, 11855 and 11925. W
11765 0310 BRAZIL Super Radio Deus e Amor, Curitiba, fr w/Gospel mx. W
11780 0313 BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazonia, Brasilia, vgd w/ jingle ids. Also noted w/exc sig 0900z. W
11815 0315 BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central, Goianai, fr-gd w/soft pops. W
11855 0138 BRAZIL Radio Aparecida, pr-fr, best LSB to avoid QRM. W
11925.2 0140 BRAZIL Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo, lively talk show. W
13635 0719 TURKEY V of Turkey, Turkish, gd. W
15190 1943 EQUATORIAL GUINEA Radio Africa, Bata, poor sig but improvingw/US-accented MA preacher. W
15190 1915 PHILLIPINES, Radio Filipinas, gd sig w/non-stop music till close 1930. W
15345 2228 ARGENTINA RAE Buenos Aires, id ‘la radio publica Argentina al Exterior” then prog in PP. W
15400 1935 ASCENSION ISLAND BBC English Bay, nx followed by aa interview gd. W
15476 1906 ARGENTINE ANTARCTIC LRA36 Radio Nacional San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, FA with short annc I interspersed w/tango mx. Improving past 2000z. W
15540 1825 KUWAIT R Kuwait MA w Station ID in EE, gd. W
