Report from Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Times / dates = UTC / 2000
*** Summer 2000 Roadtrip DX Report #2 ***
(logs 29 JUL - 20 AUG 2000)
Includes Boston Area DXers 17-18 AUG 2000
"DX Clams" get-together (pictures, extra logs below)
[Connelly*E-MA] = Eastham, Cape Cod, MA
(GC= 69.962 W / 41.819 N)
(Fort Hill Park)
[Connelly*G-MA] = Gloucester, MA
(GC= 70.635 W / 42.604 N)
(Oceanview Inn: 171 Atlantic Ave.)
[Connelly*O-MA] = South Orleans, Cape Cod, MA
(GC= 69.991 W / 41.735 N)
(Town Landing / beach, off Route 28, 0.3 km N of Tar Kiln Road)
[Connelly*R-MA] = Rockport, MA
(GC= 70.622 W / 42.667 N)
(Granite Pier)
Homepage = weblink.htm
Receivers: Drake R8A
Antenna systems: cardioid array with APW-1 active whip, BBL-1 broadband loop, and Superphaser-1 phasing unit
======================================================
*** TRANS-ATLANTIC DX ***
531 | ALGERIA | Ain-El-Beida, AUG 6 0017 - // 549 with emotional Arabic male vocal; over Spain. [Connelly*E-MA]
549 | ALGERIA | Les Trembles, AUG 6 0017 - Arabic male vocal and strings; loud, over others. [Connelly*E-MA]
567 | IRELAND | RTE, Tullamore, AUG 6 0014 - Elton John or similar vocal with piano, then woman in English; good. + AUG 6 0019 - Bing Crosby or similar 1940's nostalgic vocal with big-band jazz; good. [Connelly*E-MA]
576 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | RNE5 synchros, AUG 6 0009 - man with Spanish talk // 738, then vocal music; fair. [Connelly*E-MA]
585 | SPAIN | RNE1, Madrid, AUG 6 0008 - // 738 with music, Spanish talk; good. [Connelly*E-MA]
621 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | RNE1 synchros, AUG 6 0002 - Spanish news // 1413; to good peak despite strong WZON-620. [Connelly*E-MA]
639 | SPAIN | RNE1, La Coruna, AUG 6 0015 - dreamy new age music, then Spanish talk; over CBN het. [Connelly*E-MA]
648 | SPAIN | RNE1, Badajoz et al., AUG 6 0021 - poor with tropical jazz // stronger 639. [Connelly*E-MA]
657 | SPAIN | RNE5, Madrid, AUG 6 0022 - // 639 with bongo-drum jazz; fair, some WFAN slop. [Connelly*E-MA]
666 | PORTUGAL | RDP, Lisboa, AUG 6 0023 - // 836 with vocal & piano; poor. [Connelly*E-MA]
675 | NETHERLANDS | R. 10, Lopik, AUG 6 0028 - '70s disco, then Dutch talk; to fair peak, through WRKO slop. [Connelly*E-MA]
684 | SPAIN | RNE1, Sevilla, AUG 6 0027 - jazz // 576, 774: fair signal, but tough WRKO slop at times. [Connelly*E-MA]
693 | UNITED KINGDOM | BBC, Droitwich et al., AUG 6 0026 - news interview mentioning Russians; poor to fair over jumble of others. [Connelly*E-MA]
711.04 | WESTERN SAHARA | Laayoune, AUG 6 0025 - bits of Arabic talk; slopped. [Connelly*E-MA]
738 | SPAIN | RNE1, Barcelona, AUG 6 0008 - // 585 with Spanish talk and musical interludes; fair over CHCM slop. [Connelly*E-MA]
765 | SWITZERLAND | RSR, Sottens, AUG 6 0007 - romantic 1950's style vocal; to fair peak. [Connelly*E-MA]
774 | EGYPT | Abis, AUG 6 0005 - Arabic female vocal and violins; crushing Spain ! [Connelly*E-MA]
774 | SPAIN | RNE1 synchros, AUG 6 0024 - // 576 with tropical jazz with organ, saxophone. [Connelly*E-MA]
783 | MAURITANIA (t) | Nouakchott, AUG 6 0044 - probably this (first suspected to be Syria because of good eastern Mediterranean signals from 864 etc.) Arabic vocal, strings, and drumming; rolling over Spain & Portugal. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 18 0059 - presumed this with chanting, talk, then military-style march / anthem at sign-off; carrier cut at 0100. One of the strongest TA's noted on the dial this evening during generally marginal conditions. [Connelly*R-MA]
836 | AZORES | RDP, Pico da Barrosa, AUG 5 2332 - emotional (almost operatic) female vocal and strings; poor. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 18 0220 - Portuguese talk; poor with het from Canaries-837. [Connelly*R-MA]
837 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | COPE synchros, AUG 6 0052 - Spanish talk by woman // 1296; poor. [Connelly*E-MA]
855 | SPAIN | RNE1, Murcia et al., AUG 5 2330 - man with Spanish newstalk; starting to fade up. [Connelly*E-MA]
864 | EGYPT | Santah, AUG 6 0045 - stern, serious Arabic talk (sermon ?) by man. [Connelly*E-MA]
882 | CANARY ISLANDS // SPAIN | COPE synchros, AUG 6 0034 - Spanish talk; over/under UK. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 18 0113 - Spanish teletalk; fair. [Connelly*R-MA]
882 | UNITED KINGDOM | BBC Wales, Washford, AUG 6 0034 - English talk; mixed with Canaries-Spain. [Connelly*E-MA]
891 | ALGERIA | Algiers, AUG 5 2329 - female Arabic vocal; fair with WBPS phased. [Connelly*E-MA]
981 | ALGERIA | Radiodif. Algerienne, Algiers, AUG 5 2327 - Arabic male vocal in deep baritone; poor to fair, separated from 980 mess by using the regenerative output stage in the Superphaser-1 phasing unit. [Connelly*E-MA]
1026 | SPAIN | SER synchros, AUG 6 0035 - // 1575 with teletalk; poor. [Connelly*E-MA]
1044 | MOROCCO | Sebaa-Aioun, AUG 5 2321 - Arab string music, drums, vocal; to good peak atop Spain. [Connelly*E-MA]
1044 | SPAIN | SER synchros, AUG 6 0036 - // 1575 with '60s-type light pop music, then woman in Spanish; excellent. [Connelly*E-MA]
1089 | UNITED KINGDOM | Talk Sport synchros, AUG 6 0038 - sports talk; fair with jumpy fades, WBAL phased. [Connelly*E-MA]
1098 | SPAIN | RNE5 synchros, AUG 6 0039 - // 576 with Latin American style jazz (brass, flutes, conga drums, piano); good / dominant. [Connelly*E-MA]
1107 | SPAIN | RNE5 synchros, AUG 6 0040 - // 1098 with tropical jazz. There was also a substantial-strength unmodulated carrier and bits of an Arabic station mixing in. [Connelly*E-MA]
1116 | SPAIN | SER synchros, AUG 6 0042 - // 1044 with fast Spanish talk by man. [Connelly*E-MA]
1125 | SPAIN | RNE5 synchros, AUG 6 0047 - // 738 with Spanish talk; poor with WBBR slop. [Connelly*E-MA]
1206 | unID | AUG 6 0050 - Koranic vocal. Suspected to be Morocco, per information from European DXers. [Connelly*E-MA]
1251 | LIBYA | Tripoli, AUG 5 2314 - man in Arabic, then a group vocal; fair audio on strong carrier about an hour before sunset. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 19 2352 - Arabic music; in slop. TA conditions below average tonight. [Connelly*O-MA]
1296 | SPAIN | COPE, Valencia, AUG 6 0052 - // 837 with woman in Spanish; fair. [Connelly*E-MA]
1314 | NORWAY | NRK, Kvitsoy, AUG 18 0133 - rock music, then man and woman in Norwegian; to good peak. [Connelly*R-MA]
1359 | SPAIN | Arganda, AUG 6 0053 - bits of female vocal, then Spanish talk; badly chopped by CKBC. [Connelly*E-MA]
1377 | unID | AUG 6 0055 - Middle Eastern sounding music with strings; poor. European DXers have suggested Prizren (Kosovo) as a possibility with its Albanian programming. [Connelly*E-MA]
1385.92 | GUINEA | R. Rurale, Labe , AUG 19 2348 - African-accented French talk by man; poor to fair with WPLM phased. [Connelly*O-MA]
1413 | SPAIN | RNE5 synchros, AUG 6 0002 - // 621 with Spanish news; mixing with second station. [Connelly*E-MA]
1422 | ALGERIA | Algiers, AUG 5 2357 - monster carrier with thin (almost non-existent) audio; Germany audible well under. [Connelly*E-MA]
1485 | SPAIN | SER synchros, AUG 5 2356 - // 1575 with light pop American-style female vocal, then man in Spanish; to good peak. [Connelly*E-MA]
1512 | SAUDI ARABIA | BSKSA, Jeddah, AUG 18 0136 - Koranic recitation; fair through WNRB slop. [Connelly*R-MA]
1521 | SAUDI ARABIA | BSKSA, Duba, AUG 5 2252 - male Koranic vocal; already very loud more than an hour before sunset ! It was at least 20 dB stronger than any other Trans-Atlantic signal noted at the time. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 19 2247 - het fade-in. [Connelly*O-MA]
1521 | SPAIN | SER, Castellon, AUG 5 2351 - // 1575 with man & woman in Spanish; very good (Saudi off at this time). [Connelly*E-MA]
1530 | SAO TOME E PRINCIPE | VOA Relay, Pinheira, JUL 29 0300 - good (way over WSAI) at sign-on with Yankee Doodle marching band music and ID by man "This is the Voice of America". News followed. This was heard outside the Oceanview Inn in Gloucester, MA during Ben Dangerfield's visit to the area. [Connelly*G-MA]
1530 | VATICAN | Vatican R., AUG 5 2350 - interval music, then a woman gave "Radio Vaticana" ID; dominant with WDJZ/WVBF (both to the west) in cardioid array null. [Connelly*E-MA]
1539 | SPAIN | SER, Manresa/Elche, AUG 5 2347 - // 1575 with SER Spanish newstalk; mixed with unID station (Germany ?). [Connelly*E-MA]
1548 | KUWAIT | VOA, Kuwait City, AUG 5 2341 - US man & woman with an interview: talk about someone who "died of a broken heart", then mention of "large amount of federal funding"; fair. [Connelly*E-MA]
1550 | ALGERIA | RASD Clandestine, Tindouf, AUG 5 2345 - male Arabic talk, then a Berber female vocal with accompaniment by what sounded like a ram's horn (or synthesized imitation). Signal was good and actually aided by WNTN's blank carrier being present at about equal level (de facto "exalted carrier" audio enhancement during fades). Het from VOA-1548 reduced by tuning to higher side. [Connelly*E-MA]
1566 | unID | AUG 19 2343 - bits of Mideast-sounding female vocal at low audio level; jumpy signal with polar-flutter type fade pattern. Probably Iran, though possibly India on greyline enhancement. [Connelly*O-MA]
1575 | SPAIN | SER synchros, AUG 5 2347 - // 1539 with man & woman in Spanish; over apparent Arabic music station. [Connelly*E-MA]
1583.6 | CEUTA | RadiOle, AUG 5 2254 - pop vocal; fair, fading up, hetted by SER-1584. [Connelly*E-MA]
1602 | SPAIN | AUG 5 2300 - EI Vitoria and SER net stations at about equal strength. [Connelly*E-MA]
*** PAN-AMERICAN DX ***
530 | TURKS & CAICOS | R. Vision Cristiana, AUG 6 0018 - psalm with response sequence: repeatedly a man said a short sentence, then a woman responded with a similar length sentence; loud signal. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 19 2200 - Spanish religion noted weak on groundwave; over Weston, MA and Atlantic City, NJ TIS stations. [Connelly*O-MA]
555 | ST. KITTS & NEVIS | ZIZ, Basseterre, AUG 6 0016 - Caribbean English talkshow; fair. [Connelly*E-MA] + AUG 20 0017 - bouncy soca vocal and a Caribbean DJ who frequently talked over the music. Good signal. [Connelly*O-MA]
580 | PUERTO RICO | WKAQ, San Juan, AUG 20 0015 - jazz interlude, then WKAQ jingle and Spanish talk mentioning several cities in Puerto Rico; good, dominant. [Connelly*O-MA]
600 | CUBA | R. Rebelde, CMKV, Urbano Noris, AUG 20 0010 - // 710 with operatic male vocal; huge. [Connelly*O-MA]
630 | CUBA | R. Progreso, AUG 20 0114 - // 640 with old-fashioned slow male Spanish vocal; under WPRO/WSKN. [Connelly*O-MA]
630 | PUERTO RICO | WSKN, San Juan, AUG 20 0020 - Spanish discussion of local municipal governments and regional affairs; good with WPRO phased. [Connelly*O-MA]
640 | CUBA | R. Progreso, Guanabacoa / Las Tunas, AUG 20 0114 - romantic old-style vocal // 630; dominant. [Connelly*O-MA]
670 | VENEZUELA | R. Rumbos, YVLL, Caracas, AUG 20 0009 - Venezuela news; fair. [Connelly*O-MA]
680 | PUERTO RICO | WAPA, San Juan, AUG 20 0005 - Spanish news including a report about the sunken Russian nuclear submarine, then "Wapa" jingle and spoken ID; loud, actually over WRKO some of the time. [Connelly*O-MA]
690 | ANGUILLA | Caribbean Beacon, The Valley, AUG 20 0007 - strong and alone on channel with preacher (// 6090) who referred to "National Enquirer type journalism". [Connelly*O-MA]
710 | CUBA | R. Rebelde synchros, AUG 20 0010 - // 600 with operatic vocal; under WOR. [Connelly*O-MA]
750 | VENEZUELA | RCR, YVKS, Caracas, AUG 18 0110 - Caracas newstalk, RCR ID; good. [Connelly*R-MA]
760 | BRAZIL | R. Record, ZYH888, Fortaleza, AUG 18 0102 - Portuguese preaching, folk-style hymn; briefly good over apparent Guyana. Later the channel became a total jumble. [Connelly*R-MA]
760 | COLOMBIA | RCN, HJAJ, Barranquilla, AUG 20 0126 - // 770 with news in Spanish about Colombia; atop Cuban Reloj and low growl. [Connelly*O-MA]
760 | CUBA | R. Reloj, Las Mercedes & Guanabacoa, AUG 20 0001 - Reloj ticks and beeps; in mess. [Connelly*O-MA]
770 | COLOMBIA | RCN, HJJX, Bogota, AUG 20 0127 - // 760 with Colombian news; under WABC. [Connelly*O-MA]
780 | VENEZUELA | R. Coro, YVMN, Coro, AUG 20 0112 - Radio Coro ID emerged out of a huge pile-up of Latin American signals. [Connelly*O-MA]
810 | BAHAMAS | ZNS3, Freeport, AUG 20 0111 - US-type soul vocal, then black DJ took phone calls from local listeners; over/under WGY. [Connelly*O-MA]
830 | ST. KITTS & NEVIS | TBN, Basseterre, AUG 18 0112 - // 7510 with black Baptist preacher; over WCRN/CFJR. [Connelly*R-MA]
910 | VENEZUELA | RQ-910, YVRQ, Caracas, AUG 20 0024 -'erreh-coo' (RQ) slogan, Spanish talk; atop jumble. [Connelly*O-MA]
940 | CUBA | R. Reloj, AUG 20 0123 - Reloj program slugging it out with CINW/WIPR/YVNN mix. [Connelly*O-MA]
1020 | VENEZUELA | Mundial Margarita, YVRS, La Asuncion, AUG 20 0031 - brassy salsa music; loud. [Connelly*O-MA]
1060.3 | COLOMBIA | unID city, AUG 20 0121 - news in Spanish with many Bogota mentions; to good peak over 300 Hz het from KYW and Cuba on 1060.0. I'm now 99% sure that this chronically-off-channel station is a Colombian, but the "which one" question still remains until a positive ID is heard. [Connelly*O-MA]
1080 | VENEZUELA | R. Barcelona, YVQJ, Barcelona, AUG 19 2357 - Radio Barcelona ID; fair, dominant. [Connelly*O-MA]
1090 | VENEZUELA | Union R., YVSZ, Caracas, AUG 18 0047 - Union Radio mention, fast newstalk; good, over WBAL. [Connelly*R-MA]
1100 | ANTIGUA | R. ZDK, St. John's, AUG 18 0044 - Caribbean accent talkshow, local commercial; good, over low growl. [Connelly*R-MA]
1110 | VENEZUELA | R. Carupano, YVQT, Carupano, AUG 18 0054 - "en Carupano !" mention, into romantic adult-contemporary vocal; excellent. [Connelly*R-MA]
1140 | VENEZUELA | La Voz del Caribe, Porlamar, AUG 19 2335 - announcer said "Buenos noches Porlamar."; over growl from unID on 1139.59. [Connelly*O-MA]
1170 | COLOMBIA | CARACOL, HJNW, Cartagena, AUG 18 0150 - Colombia news; dominant. [Connelly*R-MA]
1200 | VENEZUELA | YVOZ, Caracas, AUG 18 0059 - Radiotiempo ID through nulled WKOX. [Connelly*R-MA]
1210 | VENEZUELA | R. Anzoategui, YVZT, Barcelona, AUG 19 2324 - local ads; mixing with WPHT. + AUG 19 2337 - "Anzoategui AM" slogan; good with WPHT nulled. [Connelly*O-MA]
1280 | BERMUDA | VSB2, Hamilton, AUG 19 2350 - hymn by choir; good, way over WADO/WFAU/WEIM pile. [Connelly*O-MA]
1375.02 | ST. PIERRE ET MIQUELON | RFO, AUG 6 0054 - Caribbean style (soca / zouk) music; good. [Connelly*E-MA]
1500 | VENEZUELA | R. Dos Mil, YVRZ, Cumana, AUG 19 2340 - romantic ballad, then a "Dos Mil" slogan; over WTOP. [Connelly*O-MA]
1580 | COLOMBIA | HJQZ, Barranquilla, AUG 18 0140 - Spanish talk, Barranquilla mentions; mixed with 1 or 2 other Latin Americans. [Connelly*R-MA]
1630 | ARGENTINA | R. Red 92, Buenos Aires, AUG 20 0117 - Spanish pop vocal, talk; slightly over unID US station. [Connelly*O-MA]
Pictures from 17 AUG 2000 (to 18 AUG UTC) Boston Area DXers "DX Clams" get-together
Attendees were Mark Connelly, Bruce Conti, Paul Graveline, Paul McDonough, and Gary Thorburn. Trans-Atlantic signals were sub-par, though a good 783 signal first believed to be Syria was strong with Arabic programming up to 0000 UTC sign-off. This was later determined to be Mauritania per investigation by Mauno Ritola and Bruce Conti. Mark Connelly's report is included in the above "Roadtrip" logs. Logs and comments submitted by others follow the pictures.
Click on thumbnail for larger version of an image
All photographs by Mark Connelly (2000) using Agfa 1680 digital camera
DX Clams 2000, Rockport, Massachusetts
17-18 Aug 2000
Paul McDonough
Note: I didn't have my WRTH or PWBR with me, so many of these are UNIDs.
First, logs with whip antenna on Sony 2010 with Kiwa filters.
6458.5 USB @ 2250 AFN Democratic National Convention
10940.5 USB @ 2250 AFN with music
12689.5 USB @ 2250 AFN // 10940.5
7415 AM @ 2256 WBCQ (presumed)
3366 AM @ 2259 Ghana (presumed) with deep voice man and music.
3200 USB @ 2300 Man in EE talking - maritime utility?
3330 carr+USB @ 2300 CHU Canada
5047 AM @ 2301 Man in UNID lang
-------------------------------
(Unrolled 90 foot antenna in north-northwest direction.)
1650 AM @ 2305 Logan airport TIS (Boston)
1610 AM @ 2306 Two TIS's. Male ("Lieutenant" x) mentioning buses to Bath and Acadia (Maine). Something about Family Motorcoach Rally. Also woman on another TIS station speaking about Maine. Could hear her signal beneath man's signal.
(I've heard Portland and Bar Harbor / Acadia here several times - Mark C.)
1660 AM @ 2309 Spanish station (Newark, New Jersey - Mark C.)
1670 AM @ 2309 Spanish station
1680 AM @ 2309 Baseball game in EE (Trenton, New Jersey - Mark C.)
6833.5 USB @ 2312 Males in EE; callsigns NN0...; assume Navy MARS net.
3366 AM @ 2313 Assume Ghana again. Music booming in S5-6 on Sony 2010.
3270 @ 2313 het.
2454.8 @ 2316 strong carrier, no modulation
518 @ 2322 rtty station (NAVTEX - Mark C.)
4319 USB @ 2335 American Forces Network, possibly from Diego Garcia. Music. Seems to be // to 12689.5. Dave Clark Five. Nasty rtty QRM. Paul Harvey talking about tube that makes microwave oven work at 2338.
3270 AM @ 2340 UNID with weak modulation - music.
(Other BAD Guys arrive. 20 minute break to say hello. Following logs are 18 AUG 2000 UTC)
3375 AM @ 0005 UNID with music
1620.1 AM @ 0017 UNID - Caribbean male? - could be Brockton pirate (yes if it's Haitian Creole - Mark C.)
1670 AM @ 0019 Carrier with no modulation. Station problems?
21455 AM @ 0023 "Behold in Christ the Son of God" study program (man in EE). Program "Insight for Living", PO Box 69000, Anaheim, California 92817. Assume HCJB Ecuador.
21550 AM @ 0025 Music with S10 signal strength. Voz Cristiana Chile?????
21740 AM @ 0026 English male talking about Germany. Australia?
21815 USB @ 0027 Music. then "This is Radio for Peace International, Costa Rica." Peaked S6 on S meter.
21941.5 @ 0028 Water bubbler noise. Digital communications?
15049 AM @ 0029 Presumed RFPI, C.R.
15084.3 AM @ 0029 VOIRI Iran?? Woman singing Middle Eastern sounding music.
3290 AM @ 0043 Christian talk by male EE. Assume WWCR. S9 signal strength.
3300 AM @ 0043 Male in unid lang? (weak!). Guatemala???
3310 AM @ 0044 Woman in UNID lang
3315 USB @ 0045 EE males trading message numbers. Assume MARS utility.
3320 AM @ 0047 Woman talking (on phone?) and man talking back. UNID lang. Bad QRM from rtty station on 3318.x.
3359 @ 0048 Data signal with S10 signal strength!
5010 AM @ 0049 Woman singing songs - sounds Indian. Possibly AIR India? (yes, too bad we didn't have the 1566 kHz parallel - Mark C.)
5025 @ 0049 Fast speaking male in SP or Portuguese.
5030.1 AM @ 0050 Man in EE reading Scripture. AWR Costa Rica?
5035.3 AM @ 0050 Music - man singing.
5054.6 AM @ 0051 Singing.
5070 AM @ 0052 Assume WWCR with S10+ signal.
5097.5 @ 0053 RTTY signal at S10+ signal strength.
6956.6 AM @ 0110 Assume Campesino station.
4825 AM @ 0113 Strong station - assume Central/South American.
(Noticed great moonrise over water. Big orange-yellow ball.)
4915 AM @ 0017 Strong Spanish station. S6-7.
4980 AM @ 0120 SP or Portuguese station. S5.
5000 AM @ 0121 Caracas, Venezuela time station. Multiple IDs. No sign of WWV or WWVH.
5505 USB @ 0123 British weather station (aero utility).
Finis!
Summer 2000 Roadtrip DX Report 2
Summer 2000 Roadtrip DX Report 1
Visit by Ben Dangerfield to Rockport, MA (July 2000)
BADX 1999 DX Clams summer outing
Summer 1999
Roadtrip DX Report 2
Summer 1999
Roadtrip DX Report 1
Virtual Cape Ann
BACK TO MAIN PAGE
