Jongensgat4 Report
April 16-19, 2007

by John Plimmer

John and wife Dawn arrived at the cottage at noon Monday to find the owners still cleaning up after the previous occupants. While they finished this we lugged up the heavy gear and supplies from the beach parking. After lugging all this up the steep slope to the cottage we were bushed and so relaxed for a bit and had lunch. Then to arranging the tables to accommodate the four DXers and setting up my Icom and the Kiwa Loop.

Half an hour before sunset all is ready and the signals start booming in from Australia. As the sun dies, Taiwan and China make an appearance as well. By half an hour after sunset Australia has been comprehensively logged from Perth in the West to Adelaide and Melbourne in the East. We all retire fairly early and the other lads resolve to be up at 5.00 a.m local time which is an hour before sunrise.

Dog Leg PuPlessis, Vince & Gary

Tuesday and I am up at 3.00 a.m. local time and soon DXing with a big mug of tea. Brazil is coming in strongly and a few stations from the Caribbean. Later the other lads are up at 5.00 a.m just as Argentina makes an appearance. Local sunrise at 7.00 a.m. found the Argentinians still pouring in until well after sunrise. I switch off the radio and have breakfast followed by a nice hot bath and a change of clothing. Vince though, ever seeking the ultimate perfection in his beverage antenna's heads out into the hilly scrub to more perfectly align his antennas. They finish this quite late and set up a fire with wood for a typical South African "braai" (barbecue) which they have late at three p.m. I have an earlier lunch and then doss down for a sleep.

Half an hour before sunset everyone is DXing again and Aussie and Taiwan are dominant for the early Tuesday evening session. I must say I was a bit diverted trying to hear the score of the crucial World Cup cricket match going on in Jamaica between the South African Proteas and the West Indies. BBC annoyingly doesn't relay the score, but soon I find the sports mad Australians giving the score on ABC Geraldton. Our Proteas win, thank goodness! The band is very noisy this Tuesday evening and propagation is not all that good, so the lads retire exhausted early at 9.15 PM.

Wednesday 3AM I am up and find a strong presence from France and log a clutch of those. I am also trying for the U.K. but no luck there. At 5AM the other lads join me and Argentina and Brazil are booming in again. Lots of low power South Americans are logged. The day turns out to be beautiful weather with a clear sunny sky and light wind. In the gorgeous setting of the isolated Jongensgat cottages we soak in the beauty and lovely scenery. I spend the morning tidying up my logs and listening to my audio clips for some elusive ID's. Derrick and Gary doss down for a bit, and Vince who has his family with him in the adjacent cottage attend to family matters and takes them for a bit of sightseeing in the attractive little holiday and fishing town of nearby Stilbaai. There is a fish and chip shop in Stilbaai that does lovely fish, so Dawn and I go shopping and bring fish and chips back for everyone at 1PM. I also collect a lovely Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc wine and that goes down with the fish just superbly.

Wednesday evening is quieter with better propagation and we are soon logging more Aussies plus the Indian Oceans islands. 8PM and Gary announces excitedly that Japan is starting to come in and this is followed by the Philippines. Great hearing those signals from 14,500 kilometers/9,000 miles away. Gary and Vince try for their favourite catch on 801 Khz Guam, but no luck this time. Derrick, Vince and I give up at about 10PM., but Gary decides to soldier on through the night.

Thursday 4AM. I find Gary still going strong after his all night session with Argentina and Brazil still coming in strongly. The other lads join us at 5AM and we are getting better reception this morning. Santiago Chile is logged (rare) and Vince picks up some of the usual East coast U.S. stations on what he call's his "Northern" antenna. I am disappointed not to get the U.S. as I am connected only to the Southern directed antenna. We all try for Falklands on that but no luck. An hour before sunrise Gary is kaput and retires asking not to be woken. He doesn't miss much though as only the Eastern South Americans are still coming in until sunrise.

Well it was three days of heavy DXing and all are pleased with a nice batch of stations. I am as always amazed at the performance of my Kiwa MW Loop. About fifty percent of the time it is better than the long beverage, sometimes remarkably so. It does have it's limitations though, one of them being it does not perform like the beverages before sunrise and after first light. In the dark though it really shines.

A feature of this fourth DXpedition to Jongensgat was the remarkable change in the catch area. Morning sessions had previously had a strong presence from the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico, with nothing heard from Argentina. This time propagation over the three days had shifted South and we got few N. American stations but a strong presence from Argentina which was not really heard to any extent before.

So then it's time to pack up - relatively easy for me and my Kiwa, so with some help from Derrick taking down the heavy gear for me (what a relief = a big thanks Derrick!) we are all packed up and gone and home by noon. The other lads have a considerable job of packing up the long beverage wires and they only get away much later.

Another great DX sessions ends at the lovely isolated and scenic Jongensgat site, with no other humans about and virtually nil RFI interference. Plus the comfortable cottages and fabulous outlook makes it one of the best DX sites in the world. But for how long? Jongensgat is a prime coastal real estate developers dream and I asked Fanie the owner if he was not tempted to sell, as he is getting long in the tooth, also a septuagenarian  like me. I was relieved when he replied that he had no intentions of selling at all while he was in good health and hardy, but at his age, who knows what the future holds for the younger DXer's amongst us? The loss of Jongensgat to the real estate developers or new owners would be a massive loss to us DXer's, so here is hoping for Fanie's good health well into the future.

Present:
   Derrick (Dog Leg) du Plessis - Icom Transceiver IC 751
   Gary Deacon -Yaesu FRG7
   Vince Stevens -  Drake R8A
   John Plimmer -  Icom IC-R756 PRO III

Antennas:
- Three beverages of about 1000ft/300m each fanned out to cover Australasia and the Far East over the shoulder and N. and S. America direct.
- Various BOG's and wires laid out by Gary and Derrick
- Kiwa MW Loop used by John

Location:
Jongensgat is a conservancy on the Indian Ocean in the Southern Cape Province of South Africa roughly between the city of Cape Town to the South West and the town of Mossel Bay to the East.

Logs

540 BRAZIL R. JORNAL CANINDE 19-Apr 0425  PP
550 URUGUAY R.COLONIA (TENT)  18-Apr 0400 Tentative ID SS poor
585 AUSTRALIA 6PB PERTH 16-Apr 1727 YL interviews OM on farming EE
585 SPAIN RNE 1 MADRID 18-Apr 0153  SS
590 VENEZUELA R.CONTINENTE(TENT) CARACAS 18-Apr 0431 ID which sounded like R.Continental SS
594 PHILIPPINES DZBB (PRES) QUEZON CITY 16-Apr 1739 pops & talk in Filipino  
600 BRAZIL R. GAUCHE PORTO ALEGRE 17-Apr 0200  PP
612 AUSTRALIA 6RN DALWALLINU 18-Apr 1645  EE fair
666 REUNION R. REUNION ST. PIERRE 16-Apr 1857  FF
684 MAURITIUS R. MAURICE MALHERBES 18-Apr 1700  FF
684 AUSTRALIA 6BS BUSSELTON 16-Apr 1733 //720 6WF EE
700 ARGENTINA R.CORDOBA CORDOBA 17-Apr 0436 ID & EE pops SS fair
710 ARGENTINA R. DIEZ BUENOS AIRES 18-Apr 0224 "YL with EE song ""round & round""" SS good
729 AUSTRALIA 5RN ADELAIDE 16-Apr 1531 "nx, clear like a local" EE
730 COLOMBIA HJCU 'LA 730' R.LIDER BOGOTA 18-Apr 0344 mentions of Bogota SS fair
770 URUGUAY R. ORIENTAL MONTEVIDEO 18-Apr 0254  SS
770 HONDURAS R. NORTE SAN PEDRO SULA 17-Apr 0215  SS
774 AUSTRALIA 3LO MELBOURNE 16-Apr 1839 cricket comm EE
790 ARGENTINA R. MITRE BUENOS AIRES 18-Apr 0258  SS good
800 NETH ANTILLES TWR BONAIRE 17-Apr 0220 Gospel wth SS translations EE
801 GUAM KTWG AGANA 18-Apr 1648 relig px EE poor
837 FRANCE FRANCE INFO NANCY 18-Apr 0145  FF
837 AUSTRALIA 6ED ESPERANCE 17-Apr 1605 //720 w phone ins etc.. EE poor
840 BRAZIL R. BANDEIRANTES SAO PAULO 18-Apr 0309  PP fair
840 ARGENTINA R.SALTA SALTA 17-Apr 0447 "ID , QRM from Brazil" PP
846 AUSTRALIA UNIDENTIFIED AUSSIE  16-Apr 1747 Cricket comm Sri Lanka v Aus EE
855 AUSTRALIA UNIDENTIFIED AUSSIE (ABC)  16-Apr 1756 Cricket EE
860 BRAZIL CBN RIO 17-Apr 0239  PP
870 ARGENTINA R. NATIONAL CAPITAL BUENOS AIRES 18-Apr 0459  SS fair
873 RUSSIA R. ROSSI KHABAROVSK 16-Apr 1820  RR
891 AUSTRALIA 5AN ADELAIDE 16-Apr 1524 Under Lesotho EE poor
990 AUSTRALIA 6RPH (PRES) PERTH 16-Apr 1555 BBC News EE poor
990 ARGENTINA AM 990 (PRES) FORMOSA 19-Apr 0501 "ID, mixing with other LA stn." SS fair-good
1030 ARGENTINA R. EL PLATA BUENOS AIRES 19-Apr 0219  SS very good
1053 JAPAN JOAR NAGOYA 18-Apr 1959  ann JJ poor
1062 PHILIPPINES DZEC EAGLE BCC QUEZON CITY 18-Apr 2006 In Philipino wth lots of EE thrown in VV very good
1100 BRAZIL R. GLOBO SAO PAULO 19-Apr 0223  PP
1110 ARGENTINA R.DE LA CIUDAD BUENOS AIRES 19-Apr 0120  ann SS fair
1116 AUSTRALIA 6MM MANDURAH 18-Apr 1614  EE fair
1130 BRAZIL R. NACIONAL RIO 19-Apr 0226  PP
1134 CHINA CNR1 QINGHAI 18-Apr 1611  CC
1170 ARGENTINA R. NATION SAN LUIS 17-Apr 0500  SS
1190 ARGENTINA R. NATIONAL SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMAN 17-Apr 0452  SS
1190 ARGENTINA R. AMERICA BUENOS AIRES 19-Apr 0243  SS fair
1206 FRANCE FRANCE INFO BORDEAUX 18-Apr 0138 //1557 FF
1220 BRAZIL R. GLOBO RIO 19-Apr 0246  PP
1224 AUSTRALIA 6RN BUSSELTON 16-Apr 1700 Talks EE poor
1233 CYPRUS TWR CAP GRECO 16-Apr 1734  AA
1242 FRANCE FRANCE INFO MARSEILLE 18-Apr 0136 //1557 FF
1242 JAPAN JOLF NBS TOKYO 18-Apr 1839  JJ fair
1270 ARGENTINA R. PROVINCIA BUENOS AIRES 17-Apr 0429  SS fair
1278 JAPAN JOFR FUKUOKA 18-Apr 1752  JJ good
1296 TAIWAN BBC TAINAN 17-Apr 1616  EE
1314 AUSTRALIA 3BT (PRES) BALLARAT ? 1958 mention of Victoria EE poor
1314 PHILIPPINES DWXI  PARANAQUE 18-Apr 1600  ID &  s/off w severe stretched tape recording of the national anthem   fair
1323 PHILIPPINES UNIDENTIFIED  18-Apr 1548 ann in Filipino  fair
1323 AUSTRALIA 5DN ADELAIDE 16-Apr 1551 Pops EE
1323 CYPRUS BBC WS ZYGI 18-Apr 1926  EE
1332 AUSTRALIA 3SH SWAN HILL 16-Apr 1745 ads EE fair
1350 ARGENTINA R.BUENOS AIRES BUENOS AIRES 18-Apr 0320 Church choir & preaching SS
1359 TAIWAN WYFR FANGLIO 17-Apr 1612 gospel EE
1377 FRANCE FRANCE INFO LILLE 18-Apr 0131 //1557 FF
1380 CHILE R. CORPORATION SANTIAGO 19-Apr 0258  SS fair
1395 S.KOREA KBS1 CHEORWON 18-Apr 1810 w  talks  poor
1413 SERBIA R. KOSOVO DRENAS 18-Apr 1937  VV
1450 ARGENTINA R.EL SOL CIUDAD DE QUILMES 17-Apr 0305 ID under UNID stn SS poor
1458 MAYOTTE RFO PAMANDZI 18-Apr 1953  FF
1467 AUSTRALIA 3ML MILDURA 16-Apr 1602  mx EE fair
1510 ARGENTINA R. BELGRANO SUARDI 18-Apr 0324  SS
1512 PHILIPPINES DYAB CEBU CITY 18-Apr 1608 ann & mx  fair
1520 ARGENTINA R. CHASCOMUS CHASCOMIUS 18-Apr 0532  ID  SS poor
1521 AUSTRALIA 2QN DENILIQUIN 16-Apr 1748 mx // 1566 EE poor
1530 SAO TOME VOA PINHEIRA 16-Apr 2000  EE
1530 PHILIPPINES DZME QUEZON CITY 18-Apr 1606 ann  fair
1540 BAHAMAS ZNS1 NASSAU 17-Apr 0057  EE
1548 AUSTRALIA 4QD EMERALD 16-Apr 1603 sports nx under local EE poor
1550 BRAZIL R. CACIQUE CAPIVARI 18-Apr 0400  PP
1557 FRANCE FRANCE INFO NICE 16-Apr 1957  FF
1560 BRAZIL R. GRANDE RIO AM ITAQUIA 19-Apr 0401  PP
1566 AUSTRALIA 3NE WANGARATTA 16-Apr 1924 "pops, competing wth AIR Nagpur" EE poor
1575 UAE R. FARDA AL DHABIYA 16-Apr 1922  AA
1600  URUGUAY EMISORA CONTINENTAL PANDO 18-Apr 0500 " ""sembrando en la noche"" thanks to Rocco Controneo for identifying the station ! Only 2KW on a Brazil dominated freq." SS good
1600 BRAZIL R. NOVE DE JULHO SAO PAULO 17-Apr 0130  PP
1600 COSTA RICA R. ROCOCI GUAPILES 17-Apr 0337  SS
1610 ARGENTINA R. GUAVIYU GREGORIA DE LAFERRERE 18-Apr 0359  SS good
1620 ARGENTINA R.ITALIA VILLA MARTELLI 18-Apr 2107 anns SS fair
1660 ARGENTINA HOZANNA AM 1660  EZEIZA 18-Apr 0447 ID  SS fair
1690 ARGENTINA R. APOCALIPSIS "SAN JUSTO, B.A." 17-Apr 0258  SS good
4319 DIEGO GARCIA AFN  18-Apr 1523  EE
5765 GUAM AFN  18-Apr 1521  EE
10320 HONOLULU AFN PEARL HARBOUR 19-Apr 0442  EE

(published on July 2, 2007)