Autumn Bandscan 2023

I went outside around 2230Z. There was very, very slight drizzle in calm wind.

First the LW band. What remains of the usual suspects was audible, with BBC R4 as the strongest signal. While Gufuskálar is the closest sender, it is weak on the portable, possibly because the entire path
is over land.

On the MW band, the Spanish stations at the low end and some Central European stations higher up were coming in slightly stronger than usual. The Brits, however, were a bit weaker than I’m used to; none of them lit up the “TUNED” indicator on the Panny tranny’s LCD panel.

Well, this is all I recall this time.

Reynir Heidberg Stefansson (2023-09-23)

Summer solstice bandscan 2023.
I went outside with the radio around 2325Z. After a hot and sunny last week, the weather turned cool, cloudy and foggy.

The LW band appeared rather poor, with only Allouis (162kHz), RUV (189kHz), BBC (198kHz) and a weird tic-tic-tic sound (spread over the band). The last one was soon tracked to a nearby Lexus.

The MW band was little better off. The only signals of good strength were those of Talk Sport on 1053 and 1089 kHz. Others were audible but not of living-room strength.

Reynir Heidberg Stefansson (2023-06-22)

Winter solstice bandscan 2022.
Last night’s weather was snowy and blowy. Rather than risk the radio, I decided to crawl into bed and look for some comfort under the comforter.

Tonight’s weather was calm with broken clouds. I went outside ca. 2115Z with the Panasonic radio. The LW band was pretty normal except for Allouis being noisy enough to make the crossmodulation inaudible, and Gufuskálar (189 kHz) actually being inaudible.

The MW band… it was weak. I had to turn up the volume on even the British senders. I think I heard a faint peep from Smooth Radio on 1161 kHz. I only made one round across the band due to lack of hot chocolate indoors.

Reynir Heidberg Stefansson (2022-12-22)

Vigo Bandscan Longwave.
Qth: Donón, Vigo, Galicia
Receiver: Belka
Aerial : 80 m longwire
Date/time: Nov 18 2022 – 1630-1730 UTC 

Fq / (signal level)* / country / station /  site
* from 0 to 90

153 (48-55) Algeria – Radio Algéria Chaine 1
153 (weak under Algeria) Romania – SRR Antena Satellit
162 (53-68) France – Allouis open carrier
171 (42-52) Morocco – Medi 1, Nador
189 (39-45) Iceland – RÚV, Gufuskálar
198 (55-65) UK – BBC Radio 4
207 (37-42) Iceland – RÚV, Eiðar
225 (30-35) Poland – Polskie Radio (and some interference from a utility station)
234 (54-60) Luxembourg – RTL
243 (45-50) Denmark – DR, Kalundborg
252 (65-75) Ireland – RTÉ
252 (weak under Ireland) Algeria – Radio Algérie Int’l.

Signal strength levels generally increased quite remarkably from 1630 until 1730. Local sunset was at 1710 UTC. Some stations were more stable than others. Iceland and Denmark had almost no fading whereas Ireland and the UK had a lot of fading.

Stig Hartvig Nielsen (2022-11-18)

Monitoring of Mongolian Radio 
Place of reception: Ulan-Ude city (Russia) 
Data time: October 10, 2022
Reception time: 22:00 UTC (06:00 local) 
Reception frequencies: 164, 209, 227, 882 kHz 

Conclusion: In the morning hours before dawn, the reception of the Mongolian National Radio (the distance from the transmitters is 500-1000 km) in Ulan-Ude is most favorable at 164 kHz. At this frequency, there is a more confident non-floating signal, although there is an indefinite whistle. A signal with noise of various levels is available at longwave frequencies 209 and 227 kHz. However, there is unstable reception with attenuations at these two frequencies. At the medium-wave frequency of 882 kHz, the weakest quality of the ether. Quiet signal, interference from other stations, noise and interference.
There is a video of the reception here: https://vk.com/radioko?w=wall-161080476_971

Igor Kolke (2022-10-15)

Autumn equinox bandscan 2022.
The weather was clear with barely a breeze. There was still visible auroral activity over the mountains just north of town.

The LW band showed little if any changes to the existing signals.

The MW band had stronger signals from Spain at the low end than I had expected. Higher up, Smooth Radio was listenable on 1152 and audible on 1161 kHz. Absolute Radio was fair on 1215 with a weak relay audible on 1242 kHz. The other big Brits were there, just not wall-to-wall. There was a clear signal on 999 kHz, probably Russia.

Reynir Heidberg Stefansson (2022-09-24)

WSON-860 heard with good signals here with mentions of Henderson football.
WHLN-1410 also strong with southeast Kentucky ads.
I think WZYX-1440 was in there also, but not IDed. This is usually one of the stronger high school football stations.

Karl Forth, Chicago to irca iog (2022-09-03)

This morning’s session was my first attempt at hearing TP’s this season. The results were slightly better than what I would have expected for late August.  Times are 1220-1305z except as noted.

The Koreans on 972 and 1566 were the strongest and most consistent stations of the morning, with really good signals much of the time. They both faded in around 1100z and stayed around until just past
Seattle sunrise (about 1330z).

The high-powered low-band NHK stations were generally underwhelming. JOIB-747 had some good moments.  JOAK-594 JOUB-774 and JOBB-828 made brief appearances but were mostly buried under domestic splatter.

Upper band commercial and NHK stations were heard occasionally. Those heard included JOLF-1242 JOHK-1287 NHK2-1386 and maybe a couple of others. Yanbian was weak-fair with Korean programming on 1205.96.  CRI’s Russian service was good-nil.  It peaked at 1235z with Russian talk.  Some of the music and ID was audible at 1300, but most of it was buried under 1320 splatter.  CRI-963 was briefly heard //1323 around 1245 .

Equipment: Perseus with crossed delta loops aimed at 50 and 320 degrees.  Jaguar software.

Bruce Portzer in Seattle to irca iog (2022-08-26)

Good conditions to the north overnight with Greenland 650 and 570 noted along with 1230 CFFB Iqaliut. All at 0300.
The antenna wasn’t pointing that direction either!

Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland to mwcircle iog (2022-08-26)

It’s been underwhelming this week. I had tons of Japanese, and pretty good too during a quick check Weds. Aug 24th, but that’s not really what I’m after. I want the aussies, kiwis and Europeans… most of that comes a bit later in the season.

The “domestic” DX before sunrise hasn’t been that thrilling either.

KMZT and KLTX in LA, KMKY 1310 near San Fran.. KSTN 1420… a few of the big AM’s in western Canada.  KSTN and KMZT are nice and not regulars, but the rest are kinda ho-hum and something I hear often.

I think im the only Dx’er who thumbs his nose at 2000 mile domestic DX lol. Not to be snobby, but it is so so common that even KIHH 1400 eureka, CA while nice.. i don’t spend much time with.

Paul Walker to IRCA iog (2022-08-25)