I finally made my long-delayed first trip to the renowned Grayland DX site for the mornings of July 12, 13 and 14. Mid-July is about the mid-point of our traditional Summertime Down-Under Season and I hoped to do some ferrite bar antenna testing, try out the new DSP ULR and add to my Trans-Pacific Stations Heard count in Ultralighting. I did not hope for much premium DU DX because the NW DXers had been reporting what appeared to me to be a below average DU Season from their home QTHs. As far as I know, no one had yet tested the waters directly at the Pacific shore, though, so I was hopeful. In the actuality, I was happily surprised with the number of DXable DU and TP signals present on all three mornings, though I had the distinct impression that the signal levels were rather weaker than usual. I would have been unable to ID more than half of the signals (many at just above mumble level) were it not for having gained considerable experience with parallels and specific program content over the years. Station identifications heard were rare; signals were just too weak even on the Winradio 313e and present for too short a time to catch many pure IDs. That being said, the DX was much more numerous and interesting than I anticipated.

With local dawn about 1225 UTC (5:25AM), I was at the dials on Sunday morning at 1015 (3:15AM). Below 900 kHz, the band was FULL of DU/TP carriers and between 900 and 1400 kHz, 50% of the channels contained a decent carrier. There were maybe 10 threshold audios present and the strongest signal that I’ve ever heard from Radio Tahiti-738. Things did not really start showing in audio until about 1120 and then for the next 75 minutes, I had the best New Zealand opening that I’ve had in years. Well over a dozen Kiwi’s were present in moderate level audio. Most of the usual suspects were logged, but there were also a number of second and third tier stations present. The propagation was definitely very southerly. I bagged three completely new Kiwi stations and six that were new Ultralight loggings. In the early part of dawn enhancement, I found one Japanese signal (1134) and a couple of Aussies. Late post-dawn, about 1245, the propagation changed, there was a 15 minute burst of fairly strong Aussie audio and I garnered 6 of the biggest Guns before the band closed completely. Sunday morning was EXCELLENT, though the levels did seem to be below average.

Monday morning was very different from the previous AM. It was mostly Aussie all morning, after a surprise early showing of all of the Biggest Japanese Guns. As predicted by Nick Hall-Patch, the JJs opened early in dawn enhancement, going away soon after 1200 (dawn at the transmitters, I believe) leaving a band full of Big Gun and a few second tier Aussies, along with the odd major Kiwi. I added one new all-time Aussie and four more new Ultralight loggings. It was a good but not great morning, with the Big JJs being a pleasant surprise. Again, for the most part, the levels seemed down, though the post-dawn Aussies came up rather well.

Tuesday AM finally brought what I had expected from the modest home-location DX reports: a modest DU morning with a very few Kiwi’s and mostly Big Gun Aussies. Nevertheless, I was able to log three
new Ultralight Aussie loggings and two Kiwi’s. One of the high points of the DXpedition was logging my sole brand new Aussie, 927 Sports, 2UZ from Melbourne.

Although I complained about the weak signals, this DXpedition brought me five totally new stations, four in New Zealand and the Aussie. After somewhere around 60 DXpeditions to Grayland over 20 years, it has been a while since I’ve added so many stations. I also added fifteen new Ultralight-logged stations, bringing my TA station count to 151. Since I’ve only heard about 250 TP stations in 20 years of DXing, I suspect that I’ll have a very difficult time getting my Ultralight count up to 200. It won’t be for lack of trying, I assure you.

Gary DeBock was able to join me at the Grayland motel Saturday evening and Sunday AM and will be reporting his loggings and antenna testing results separately. (Man, you should see those big passive
PVC loops!!!) Both of us will be reporting our somewhat disappointing test results with the Tecsun PL-300WT/Grundig G8 separately in the near future. It was great to get to know Gary face-to-face better
and we both really enjoyed having Guy Atkins drive down from Puyallup to join us for Sunday lunch.

All in all, it was an excellent DXpedition. Australia - 25 stations; New Zealand - 17 stations; Japan – 7 stations; Tahiti and South Korea
Five totally new stations and 14 new Ultralight station loggings.

Loggings

576 AUSTRALIA 2RN, Sydney , Jul 13 1245 - R. National program noted in passing at moderate level. New on Ultralight. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
594 AUSTRALIA 3WV, Horsham , Jul 14 1121 - Noted in passing at fair level wiuth Aussie talk by male. New on Ultralight. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
594 JAPAN JOAK NHK1, Tokyo, Jul 13 1132 - JJ talk at moderate level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
612 AUSTRALIA 4QR, Brisbane , Jul 12 1254 - Noted in passing with Aussie talk in post-dawn. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
621 AUSTRALIA 3RN, Melbourne , Jul 14 1222 - Good level briefly running //792, of course. Also heard on the Ultralight. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
648 NEW ZEALAND NZ's Rhema, Gisborne , Jul 12 1140 - Typical Rhema EZL music program at poor to fair level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
657 NEW ZEALAND Southern Star, Wellington , Jul 12 1142 - Typical Southern Star cont. Christian and EZL music at poor to fair level. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
675 AUSTRALIA 2CO, Corowa , Jul 13 1248 - Movie reviews at moderate level. New on Ultralight. (Bryant- G'land,WA)
684 AUSTRALIA 2KP, Sydney , Jul 12 1258 - Preparing for ABC News, fading long after dawn. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
693 JAPAN JOAB, NHK2 Tokyo , Jul 13 1132 - // Other NHK2. JJ Talk at moderate level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
702 AUSTRALIA 2BL, Sydney , Jul 12 1305 - Last audio on the band with ABC News fading rapidly. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
729 AUSTRALIA 5RN, Adelaide , Jul 14 1235 - Noted in passing at good level in the post-dawn Aussie-peak. //792. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
729 AUSTRALIA 5RN, Adelaide , Jul 12 1244 - Typical ABC RN news/commentary in late post-dawn. Fair. (Bryant- G'land,WA)
738 TAHITI Radio Tahiti, Papeete , Jul 12 1016 - Was the only signal all morning to be at genuinely good levels. Primarily FF programming in the pre-dawn enhancement period. Replaced about 1130 or so with the Aussie. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
738 AUSTRALIA 2NR, Grafton , Jul 12 1245 - Noted in passing with talk and ABC News in progress at 1302. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
747 JAPAN JOIB, NHK2 Sapporo , Jul 13 1133 - // other NHK2s at moderate level. JJ Talk. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
747 AUSTRALIA 4QS, Toowoomba , Jul 14 1227 - Noted during the post-dawn 'Aussie Peak.' Somewhat rarely heard and I forgot to attempt to log on my Ultralight set-up. Rats! (Bryant-G'land,WA)
756 NEW ZEALAND 1YA, RNZ National, Auckland , Jul 13 1253 - Noted in passing at moderate level. (Bryant- G'land,WA)
774 JAPAN JOUB, NHK2, Akita , Jul 13 1135 - // other NHK2s. Best of the bunch at moderate to good peaks. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
774 AUSTRALIA 3LO, Melbourne , Jul 12 1250 - Was here at mumble level all AM, rose to fair level, post-dawn. Heard all three mornings. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
783 NEW ZEALAND Access Radio, Wellington , Jul 13 1255 - Noted in pure Spanish (not Tagalog/SS) discussing Bolivia at very good level. Sounded weird to hear this on a DU channel. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
792 AUSTRALIA 4RN, Brisbane, Jul 13 1120 - Heard all morning at sometime moderate level with typical RN news/talk. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
828 AUSTRALIA 3GI, Sale, Jul 12 1204 - Heard throughout the DXpedition. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
828 JAPAN JOBB, NHK2 Osaka , Jul 13 1136 - // other NHK2s at moderate level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
846 AUSTRALIA 2RN, Canberra , Jul 14 1142 - This heard at good level //792 4RN, Brisbane. New on Ultralight. This station seems to have a long-standing policy against QSLing. Should I waste another report? (Bryant-G'land,WA)
855 AUSTRALIA 4QB, Pialba , Jul 13 1257 - Noted fading, // 828. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
891 AUSTRALIA 5AN, Adelaide , Jul 12 1200 - ABC News on the hour with another DU audio beneath. Heard throughout the DXpedition. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
909 NEW ZEALAND S.Star, Napier-Hawkes Bay , Jul 14 1245 - Somewhat rare one caught here in the burbles as the band began to fade. Good level on Ultralight and 313e. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
927 AUSTRALIA 3UZ, Sports 927, Melbourne , Jul 13 1225 - Sportstalk at fair level. Presume this as is only Sportstalk listed. New station on 313e and also on E100+Wellbrook. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
936 AUSTRALIA UNID Aussie ABC NewsTalk , Jul 14 1145 - This likely either 7ZR ABC Hobart or 4PB ABC NewsRadio, Brisbane. Heard at poor level and did not ID. Definite ABC programming. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
963 NEW ZEALAND Southern Star, Christchurch , Jul 12 1205 - EZL//657 kHz. at fair to poor level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
972 SOUTH KOREA HLCA, Dangin , Jul 13 1138 - Male talk in KK and possible JJ. Fair to poor level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
981 AUSTRALIA UNID Aussie , Jul 13 1235 - Running pops show at moderate level. Most likely 3HA Hamilton, VIC, though could have been 2NM Muswellbrook, NSW. Not enough to report, even tentatively. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1008 AUSTRALIA 1008 Newstalk ZB, Tauranga Jul 12 1205 // 1035 // 1044. New station and new Ultralight logging for me. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1035 NEW ZEALAND 1035 NewsTalk ZB, Wellington , Jul 12 1210 - Typical ZB programming //1044. Fair to poor. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1044 NEW ZEALAND NewsTalk ZB, Dunedin , Jul 12 1220 - //1035 and 1098 at fair to good level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1071 NEW ZEALAND Radio Trackside, Ashburton , Jul 12 1227 - Really pleased with this 6 kilowatter. Was a totally new station for me and was in at fair level with continuous horseracing calls on the 313e and the
E100+Wellbrook. New station and new Ultralight logging for me. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1098 NEW ZEALAND NewsTalk ZB, Christchurch , Jul 12 1230 - Parallel to other ZBers, over/under Marshall Islands Open Carrier. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1107 AUSTRALIA 2EA, Sydney (pres.) , Jul 12 1233 - Presume this one with Aussie talk, noted in passing. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1116 AUSTRALIA 4BC, Brisbane , Jul 13 1125 - Heard all AM at sometimes moderate level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1134 JAPAN JOQR, Tokyo , Jul 12 1112 - Barely audible JJ talk. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1143 AUSTRALIA 4HI, Emerald (pres.) , Jul 13 1240 - Presume this one that QSLed last year with oldies+talk at moderate level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1215 NEW ZEALAND NewsTalk ZB, Kaikohe , Jul 14 1204 - 'Number One in Late Night Talk, Newstalk ZB' in at good level briefly. Last heard as 1ZE, at least a decade ago, before the privatization of most of Kiwi AM stations. Heard also on Ultralight. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1251 NEW ZEALAND R. Rhema, Auckland , Jul 12 1235 - Noted //648 with Rhema's EZL at fair level for a new Ultralight log. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1287 JAPAN JOHR Sapporo , Jul 13 1127 - Typical teen mx/talk programming at fair level. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1377 NEW ZEALAND RadioSport, Levin , Jul 12 1237 - American-owned Radio Sport continues to run American sports programming in their deep overnight. At max dawn caught a NASCAR program at good level for a brand new station with both the 313e and the E100+Wellbrook. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1386 NEW ZEALAND Radio Tarana, Auckland , Jul 12 1137 - Usually Bollywood music program at fair to good level all morning. Possibly the best Kiwi on the band. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1503 NEW ZEALAND RadioSport, Wellington , Jul 13 1300 - Noted with late peak with a USA sports program discussing ML Baseball. Believe this the one here at mumble level throughout the expedition. New station
logged on Ultralight. (Bryant-G'land,WA)
1512 AUSTRALIA 2RN, Newcastle , Jul 13 1155 - Radio National at fair to poor level // 738. (Bryant-G'land,WA)

Published on August 25, 2009