Return of the DX-Guy

March 2-16, 2005

By Craig Edwards

A long time ago in a galaxy far away…. Craig Edwards has returned to his home planet of South Australia in an attempt to rescue his friend Dave Onley from the clutches of the vile gangster Pizza the Hut.

Little does Craig know that the galactic empire (regular society) has secretly begun construction on a new armoured space station (a new job in South Australia) even more powerful than the 1st dreaded death star (previous job in Townsville).

43 countries on this trip? Impressive, most impressive. The Force is with you young DXpeditioner, but you are not a DXer yet.

Once completed, this ultimate career will spell certain doom on the small band of rebel DXers struggling to restore AM Broadcast Band listening to the galaxy.

Craig had a complex visionary flashback, as he spoke to Bundy, the DX-guy master in the depths of the Coorong System. He said to me "Unfortunate that you rushed to face real life in regular society in 1997, that you did not complete your DX-guy training. Remember a DX-guys strength flows from the ionosphere, and beware …….wife, career, non-DX friends - the dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path (regular society), forever will it dominate your destiny. Do not underestimate the powers of the employer, or suffer your fellow DX-guys fate will you."

May the propagation be with you.

Jedi master 'pass-a-can-of-beer-to-me' has taught you well, you have controlled your fear of becoming a DXer.

That's right R75, we're going to drive to the Coorong system, I have a promise to keep to an old friend.

The huge journey starting at Townsville, travelling to Katherine & then heading south with a slight detour to Ayers Rock en route to Adelaide.

March 2. Last day in Townsville, Queensland (QLD)

Jupiters Casino, Townsville - a good place to start a DXpedition

The previous day my wife and I finished sending all of our belongings on a freight truck back home to Adelaide in South Australia for us to settle there permanently. We decided to spend our last night in Townsville at their Casino and enjoy our last mango daiquiri cocktail in Tropical Queensland. This was certainly a time to reflect on the great DX heard in the previous 10 months and confirm that my decision to return to DXing after a nine year absence was certainly the right decision. The only regret was that I didn't have the chance to spend more time DXing there. At that moment I made a promise to myself that on return to Adelaide I would continue DXing.

March 3. Townsville to Mount Isa, QLD (892km/550mi)

First morning DXing at Mount Isa

My wife and I jumped in our car and departed Jupiters Casino with the plan to spend 14 days on the road driving through North West Queensland, the Northern Territory and through South Australia to make it to Adelaide in time for the V8 Supercar Festival which is another passion of mine.

This first stint of the trip was certainly a long one so I took the opportunity to read printouts of past DXpeditions from Grayland, Newfoundland, Miscou, Lemmenjoki, Kongsfjord, Long Beach Island and from around South Africa to get me in the mood for the next couple of weeks. We pulled into Mount Isa at 530pm. Fortunately I'd been to Mount Isa before for work only a few weeks back so I knew exactly where to go for a meal, accommodation and a DX site for the morning. After a pepperoni pizza and a couple of XXXX beers I checked the equipment and found myself hitting the wall by 830pm, hmmmmm must have been the 9 hours driving!!

March 4. Mount Isa, QLD to Tennant Creek, NT (663km/410mi)

Needless to say you need to look out early for road trains - better pull off to the side of the road bloody quickly!

I quickly jumped out of bed at 5am (1900 UTC) and headed out to the same spot as a month back with 200m on the ground to the west and was at the radio tuning 40 minutes later. On reflection this was probably one of the best mornings of the trip due to low noise levels and very favourable conditions to Africa and Europe with the highlights being Botswana 909; Lesotho 1197; Mayotte 1458 & Sao Tome 1530 and then well after sunrise up popped a couple of European Russians on 1089 & 1170.

The only problem I faced now was that we had a 663 km drive to start in an hour's time, so I quickly packed the car, headed back to the caravan park cabin to shower & get ready for driving. We departed Mount Isa by 9am local with my wife doing the first driving stint while I tried to grab some shut eye. Mind you I found myself awake as we drove along one of the worst stretches of road that could possibly call itself a supposed highway.

Goodbye Queensland - Hello Northern Territory

How the 50m (170ft) long road trains are supposed to navigate this dual carriageway when it is virtually the width of a single lane is amazing. In the distance whenever we saw one of these monsters we'd have to pull over on the side of the road as it roared past at 100kph/60mph and it's last trailer would often be waving side to side like the tail of a brown snake. Oh yeah, this road also went through unfenced cattle stations so the walking beef burgers would often be wandering on the road - fun!!!

However as soon as we hit the Northern Territory border the road was sensational. This was a good thing too because there are no speed limits in the NT. I couldn't jump behind the wheel quicker to set the cruise control for 140kph/90mph for this cannonball run - yehaaaaw.

By 4pm we'd completed the drive to Tennant Creek and having never been to the NT it now meant that every time we'd pull into a new town I'd have to find a safe and suitable DX location for sunrise listening in the car which was close to the caravan park because there were many many kangaroos to negotiate with at this early hour. I found a DX location for the next morning on a hill overlooking the town and it just so happened to have an access road straight enough for a 200m wire to North Africa.

March 5. Tennant Creek to Katherine, NT (676km/420mi)

This sign means 'no speed limit' - time to start the cannonball run.

After a 5am wake up call I was at the radio by 2000 UTC. There were no sensational catches but Euro highlights of Cyprus 1233 & France 1557 were a good sign and the band was exploding with Philippines stations at amazing strengths that lasted until 8am, an hour and a half after local sunrise. The only downside to the morning was a hose reel malfunction causing the wire to tangle quite badly and it took a good half hour in the heat and millions of post sunrise flies to sort it out. So that was all for Tennant Creek, we'd be there again in a few days but it was now time to head north to Katherine. So after a well deserved shower & bacon breakfast after the tangled wire incident, we were off by 10am. We pulled into Katherine by 430pm and I decided to choose a spot just a couple of minutes from the caravan park for my morning listening session.

March 6. Katherine, NT

DXing under the rainbow in Tennant Creek - the pot of gold? - that would be Djibouti 1431 kHz.

A key factor learnt from the previous morning was that because I was so far north, as soon as 2000 UTC came around, the band was full of sign ons from the Philippines and western China CNR outlets. So to hear Europeans and Africans, I would have to beat the clock and start waking up at 4am (sigh) and be at the dials by 1900 UTC to give me an hour before that Philippines national anthem would start firing up everywhere. Reception conditions were very different from the previous two mornings logging Russia 1494; Moldova 1548 & Lithuania 1557 with no sign of any Africans, but then 2000 UTC swung around and it was time to play chase the new Filipino. Another difference was that the band was totally dead by 700am (2130 UTC), the previous morning the band was still going until 800am (2230 UTC).

This was the first day of the trip that we weren't driving to another major centre so it was a chance to catch up on laundry and some well earned sleep. I tried to do some early evening listening for Asians but just like the previous evening, a spectacular array of lightning in the area put an early end to those efforts because only the strongest could survive the crashes and it probably wasn't a good idea in terms of possibly toasting the little R75.

March 7. Katherine, NT

There's nothing like coming across a brown snake feeding on a stray mouse in the Katherine tourist park laundry to get your heart pumping!!!!!!

Without the burden of a day long drive like in previous mornings it was easy (?!??) to wake up at 330am and drive out to the roadway outside the caravan park to put out the wire and hit the dials by 4am'ish (1830 UTC). Unfortunately the remnants of the previous evenings lightning storms in the tropics were still about as in the distance the occasional white explosion of lightning in the sky could still be seen. This meant that the noise levels were way over any faint Afro or Euro signal so I went to plan B and had a great time chasing Philippines station sign ons and getting some more detail on logs from previous mornings, mind you the late showing of Cyprus 990 was a new station for me and a pleasant surprise. Later on that day we did the touristy things as my wife and I visited beautiful Edith Falls and I was tempted to dive in as the weather was very much like Townsville - very hot and very humid. Then we spent the afternoon on a sensational cruise along Katherine Gorge with numerous Crocodile sightings to again remind me of my 'old home' of Townsville. In the late afternoon on the way back to the caravan park I decided that it was safe enough to leave the wire out rather than setting it up in the dark of morning.

March 8. Katherine, NT

Sitting in the pool in the tropical pool at Katherine - funny enough I was reading an article on the Lemmenjoki Dxpeditions in the snow.

I woke again at 330am only to find the same scenario with the lightning and high noise levels as on the previous morning. There were no new Afro, Euro or even Middle Eastern stations around so I spent the morning hunting new Philippines stations that I hadn't heard before in Townsville and managed to get DWIZ 882, DXIM 936, DYTR 1116, DWDD 1134 and DZEL 1260 reported in the log so the morning wasn't a complete waste of time. Mind you I was starting to get a bit nervous that Katherine was a waste of time and that I should have spent more time in Mount Isa or Tennant Creek rather than Katherine - aka Lightning Ridge!

With this being the last day in Katherine I thought I'd head out to the wire outside the caravan park in late afternoon to see what could be picked up from Asia. I noticed some rather loud crackles on the band resembling lightning strikes, so I got out the car and there was lightning coming from every direction. I quickly disconnected the wire and stood in awe as thunder started to roll in and I was surrounded by distant 'sheet' lightning. This was sensational to watch but not really conducive to DX. An hour or so later it was scary in an enjoyable way as back in the cabin my wife and I experienced the most violent electrical storm we have ever seen. The forked lightning was blinding and the thunder so severe it rattled not only the windows but the walls too. There were blackouts and torrential tropical rain bursts mixed with night time temperatures as hot and humid as in day time. So as I eventually drifted off to sleep I pretty much knew that the next morning was going to be a chase the Filipino ID one, if anything at all. I had visions of the remains of my antenna being a black line in the bushes as a lightning strike vaporised it!

March 9. Katherine to Tennant Creek, NT (676km/420mi)

Friendly little furry critter encountered while pulling in the wire one morning in Katherine.

Waking early on the morning after the mega storm I was pleasantly surprised to see all the wildness had passed and there weren't any distant signs of lightning in the skies like on the previous few mornings. So as I jumped in the car for the slow short drive to the listening site I had the car radio on 909 as per usual as this is one of the only unoccupied Australian channels on the band and its good to check for likely noise and lightning crash levels as I drive to the site. Hmmmm that would be Voice of America via Botswana I can here at readable levels in English…….hmmmmmm I'm listening to Africa on a car radio……hmmmmm might want to get to the antenna site ASAP!!!!!! After quickly weaving around startled wallabies and kangaroos in the car, I was delighted to find that the noise levels were way down and lightning crashes were all but gone and this coincided with good conditions to Africa. I switched the R75 to 909 and VOA was huge overall but with deep fast fades.

Unfriendly little scaly critter encountered while pulling in the wire one morning in Katherine - excuse the poor zoom in - I wasn't getting any closer for fear of shitting myself!!!

A quick check of 1458 and 1197 saw action too but they were already in the log so I headed to 1377 in hope. I've been trying every morning previously to try and hear Tanzania here with no luck and by 2000 the CNR China outlet takes over on this channel. There was life on the frequency but it was tough. So I decided to sit on it as I was determined to be patient and wait for something to happen over the next hour or so before 2000 UTC. This moment was the highlight of the trip probably because the signal was so tricky and because I wanted this one so much. But sure enough the Radio Free Africa ID in English made it all worthwhile and for good measure Swaziland in Portuguese appeared to join the party. So while the extra days at Katherine was probably a failure in terms of the DX heard from Europe and Africa, I was certainly buoyed by the 1377 kHz experience.

Time to head south back down to Tennant Creek again. After the previous visit to Tennant Creek a few days ago I didn't have to worry about searching for a DX site so there was nothing to do but sit in the tourist park pool and reflect on what had been heard. I also tried for some Asian signals in the early evening while my wife went to bed early after our long drive, mind you I could have done with the sleep too at that stage.

March 10. Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, NT (506km/314mi)

No speed limits and unfenced roads on cattle stations - aaaah ya gotta luv the Northern Territory.

I was welcomed by a relatively noise free morning and the effects of lightning crashes were virtually non-existent. On this morning I enjoyed different conditions to any other previous morning of the trip as there was a sensational opening to Northern Africa and the Middle East which resulted in loggings of Oman 1242; Sudan 1296; Cyprus 1323; Kuwait 1593 and my much sought after Djibouti 1431 (finally!!). So with another successful morning it was time to head further south to a new town - Alice Springs.

March 11. Alice Springs, NT

No I didn't do a reception report for Alice Springs 87.6 MHz FM Tourist Information Radio - I'm not that much of a weirdo.

The tourist park we stayed in didn't really have a good site for DXing so the maximum antenna length tried was only 100m (300ft) and this coincided with a fairly noisy area and ordinary conditions too I feel. So I spent the morning looking for unheard Western Australian stations. Mind you there was plenty to see and do in Alice Springs so the tourist side of things was a lot more enjoyable than the mornings DX. The experience of putting a live snake, albeit a non-venomous one around my neck was a tad unnerving - leaving Townsville meant the Crocodile DX Hunter character was over - so what the hell was I doing! Especially how my wife kept reminding me about all the Snake Wrangler TV shows where he got bitten by a cranky python - I just told her to shut up and take the bloody picture.

Figuring that DX possibilities with the current antenna set up on the following morning was going to be ordinary and that the next drive was only 443 km, we figured it was time to go out for dinner. So we found a nice restaurant in 'walking to' and 'staggering from' distance from the tourist park and enjoyed some sensational Barramundi from the Top End and Coopers Ale which I hadn't sampled since being in South Australia a year ago.

March 12. Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock), NT (443km/275mi)

Amazing how a smile on the outside hides a DXer about to piss his pants on the inside.

Well my 9th pre-dawn wake call came around again and this time conditions were better, mind you they couldn't have gotten much worse than the previous morning. A few more Asians in the log but nothing much to write home to Santa about. Now it was time to visit one of the most recognised international landmarks in the world - Uluru or Ayers Rock. So we did the typical touristy things despite of the 40oC heat. At least we were far south enough to avoid the tropical humidity which we had experienced in the first instalment of the travelling DXpedition. I was happy to be south because on Northern Territory television and radio we were constantly being reminded of Tropical Cyclone Ingrid which was blasting across the Top End. Instead we had a beautiful dinner at Ayers Rock Resort of Red Back beers and enough prime beef and baked potato to pack most of my arteries.

March 13. Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Erldunda, NT (242km/150mi)

Ayers Rock / Uluru

I did the usual 330am wake up call but this time my wife tagged along because my listening location was in view of Ayers Rock and she was keen to see this early morning phenomenon as did hundreds of other tourists. So this was the first morning of the DXpedition where I wasn't alone in being the only clown awake so early. Unfortunately I could only string out 100m here and like Alice Springs, there was nothing much new around on such a 'short' wire. Getting to our next outpost was pretty easy as it was only a quick 2 hour drive to Erldunda 242km away. At a place that only had (1) a motel, (2) a petrol station and (3) a pub, it was pretty easy deciding what to do. (1) check into the motel and put out the wire, (2) fill the car with petrol, and (3) goto the pub for Bundy Rum & a chicken schnitzel.

March 14. Erldunda, NT to Coober Pedy, SA (489km/303mi)

Goodbye Northern Territory and hello to the old home state South Australia.

After 3 ordinary mornings on a shorter antenna, I was pleased to be able to get 200m/660ft out to Europe and this enabled a couple of new catches for me like Yemen 760 and Greece 792 so that was a nice surprise. A little later we ventured off to leave the Northern Territory only to cross into our home state of South Australia. At this time it certainly felt like our move away from Townsville really hit home. We arrived in this odd place of Coober Pedy. It's odd for so many reasons but no more so that the majority of houses are underground to escape the stifling heat.

Final morning DXing in Coober Pedy

March 15. Coober Pedy, SA

A good spot was found for my final morning of DXing and while there were pretty good conditions to Europe, nothing really new was noted, the main factor was that after 11 mornings in a row of listening I'd pretty much heard all that could be heard and I was very very TIRED………..

March 16. Coober Pedy to Adelaide, SA (840km/520mi)

Well it was time to head back home to Adelaide and while I was sad to end the travelling DXpedition I was glad to have a rest. It was an exciting time to return home to Adelaide as we planned to arrive in time for the 4 day V8 Supercars Racing Festival - the Clipsal 500. After a month of solid DXing, first at Townsville (and then this trip, it was nice to have a non-DXing diversion.

On return to Adelaide, enjoying the festivities at the V8 Supercar race

I have to make the clear point that this DXpedition wasn't your typical annual week long expedition at an ideal coastal site with an array of long beverage antenna. In fact if I wanted to go anywhere in Australia to hear Europe and Africa I would have chosen a site on the coast of Western Australia. This DXpedition was simply a way to get myself and my wife from Townsville to Adelaide as we relocated from tropical Queensland to the capital city of South Australia. So you see this DXpedition really didn't need to happen, we could have simply flown to Adelaide in a day as opposed to a 14 day road trip over 6000 km (3700 miles).

But given the choice of flying and hearing nothing or driving and hearing 131 stations from 43 countries including 4 new countries makes this trip an obvious winner. It confirmed the theories yet again of the benefits of a coastal location as opposed to an inland one as experienced on this trip. While a number of good logs from Europe, Africa and the Middle East were made, the strength wasn't as solid as reception of such stations from the Coorong back when I DX'ed there in 1993-1996. So the bottom line is - if you're planning a DXpedition from scratch, make sure it's on or very near the coast.

One thing I did learn that you really don't appreciate until you do it yourself is the effect of DXing in the tropics of Australia. We were at the end of the summer wet season but still the effects of late afternoon lightning storms and high crashing noise levels on the band were still a big factor which would at least normally quieten down in the morning. This was a slight to moderate problem when I was chasing North Americans in Townsville and a similar thing happened while in Tennant Creek. These cities are on a similar latitude but the effects are much much worse at the more equatorial latitude of Katherine. The lightning factor was so bad that it was simply too unsafe to listen in the evening and the effects of static crashes still lasted at sunrise. Another factor was that my attempts of going after the prize European and African catches was severely impeded at 530am or 2000 UTC as the Philippines and western China CNR outlets would sign on. While this was enjoyable to hear and log, the main target was Euro & Afro, not Filipino. My experience of DXing from Katherine in the north to Coober Pedy in the south revealed that a latitude of around Ayers Rock was north enough to be away from the concentration of south-east Australian stations yet not too north to be dominated by the Philippines and the tropical storms. Of course later in the year in winter would also reduce the thunderstorm factor.

With the move to Adelaide now complete and once all the Townsville & Northern Territory reception reports are out, my attention will turn to the Coorong some 150km south of my home in Adelaide where I'll be investigating DXpedition sites to hunt European and African AM band signals - I can't wait…..and my wife can't believe I'm still keen to stick with the hobby, I think she was secretly hoping I'd go into a DX retirement village in Adelaide!

TRAIL

Listening locations - all listening done with an Icom R75 and cassette tape recorder in my Holden Commodore by the road side with antenna laid on the ground.

(CE-MI) Mount Isa, Queensland. 200m wire at 270o
(CE-TC) Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. 20m random wire in the evening and in the morning 200m wire at 300o
(CE-K) Katherine, Northern Territory. 20m random wire in the evening and in the morning 300m wire at 270o
(CE-AS) Alice Springs, Northern Territory. 100m wire at 240o, next day 270o
(CE-U) Uluru (Ayers Rock), Northern Territory. 100m wire at 270o
(CE-E) Erldunda, Northern Territory. 200m wire at 290o
(CE-CP) Coober Pedy, South Australia. 200m wire at 280o

ASIA/PACIFIC

549 2033 CNR Fujian, China. Good here well over fading 2CR with Chinese musical. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

576 2040 DYMR Cebu City, Philippines. Fair over unid station in English playing easy listening song, DYMR noted with DYMR IDs. Mar 9 (CE-K)

585 0900 NBC Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Good here with ID, news then discussions on political issues. Mar 4 (CE-TC)

594 0916 JOAK Tokyo, Japan. Good here over 3WV with MA & FA talks in Japanese. Mar 4 (CE-TC)

594 2008 DZBB Quezon City, Philippines. Good here canned IDs. Mar 7 (CE-K)

603 2003 DXPR Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Good in Tagalog with MA & FA quick RMN talks mixing with unid Asian, likely HLSA. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

612 2008 DYHP Cebu City, Philippines. Nice signal mixing with the Aussies but noted with RMN IDs & news items // 603. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

621 1000 DXDC Davao City, Philippines. Very good with RMN news commentary & lots of RMN IDs. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

630 2020 RRI Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Regular morning signal here with Indonesian call to prayers well over 4QN. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

666 1005 Voice of the Strait, Fujian, China. Fair here over 4LM with MA & FA Chinese talks // 11590. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

738 1958 DZRB Manila, Philippines. Good at sign on over likely Taiwan Fisheries station. Philippines Broadcasting Service & DZRB Bayan IDs. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

738 2015 BEL2 Taiwan Area Fishery, Taiwan. Good here in Taiwanese with FA giving weather reports // 1143. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

756 1905 HLKA Yeoju, South Korea. Odd appearance of a Korean as not many on this trip - poor with MA talks. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

774 0955 RRI Fak Fak, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Excellent at sunset with Indonesia talks then into full ID and Jakarta news. Mar 4 (CE-TC) Also noted in the mornings at 2117 with pop music show // 4790 Mar 10 (CE-TC)

810 0908 RRI Meruake, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Very good in Indonesian with end of Jakarta news and then local ID followed by non-stop commentary. Mar 4 (CE-TC)

819 1010 DXUM Cebu City, Philippines. Nice signal over 6KW with IDs & commercials. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

828 2028 JOBB Osaka, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 873, 1017, 1125, 1386, 1593, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

855 2020 DXGO or DXZH, Philippines. Fair mixing with unid Indonesian, MA talk in Tagalog then gave Manila Broadcasting Service IDs but no call sign ID. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

873 2028 JOGB Kumamoto, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 828, 1017, 1125, 1386, 1593, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

882 1915 DWIZ Manila, Philippines. Fair with canned ID after series of political talks in Tagalog. Mar 8 (CE-K)

909 2004 RRI Sorong, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Checked this during apparent sign on with lots of IDs and then into gentle morning music, signal was fading quite a lot, even able to hear VOA Botswana underneath, for the rest of the DXpedition while in Northern Territory, when RRI signed on 909, that was it, the signal was huge! Mar 4 (CE-MI)

909 2107 DYSP Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Nice surprise to get this briefly over RRI with Super Radyo IDs & jingles. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

927 2102 DXMD Santos City, Philippines. Poor with brief appearance with RMN ID. Mar 7 (CE-K)

936 2058 DXIM Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. Fair mixing with 6FX with Radio Bayan IDs after full English sign on announcements. Mar 8 (CE-K)

945 2030 CNR China. Typical CNR orchestrals in the morning // 5030. Mar 11 (CE-AS)

954 2113 DZEM Manila, Philippines. Good here with canned DZEM 954 IDs & Tagalog talks. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

963 2118 DYMF Cebu City, Philippines. Fair but mixing with 6FX with Bombo Information program & lots of sound effects. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

972 1830 RRI Surakarta, Java, Indonesia. Fair in Indo mixing with unid Philippino & 5PB. Mar 7 (CE-K)

972 2000 DXMO Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. Good at sign on with numerous DZRH network IDs. Mar 7 (CE-K)

981 2038 CNR China. Fair here mixing with unid Philippines station, noted with Chinese orchestral // 1035. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

999 2125 DYSS Cebu City, Philippines. Big big big signal with Super Radyo news reports. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

999 1957 RRI Jarkarta, Java, Indonesia. Fair here with possible s/on with song of coconut isles then IDs. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1017 2028 JOLB Fukuoka, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 828, 873, 1125, 1386, 1593, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1017 2001 DWLC Quezon, Philippines. Good over 6WH at sign on with NA then Philippine Broadcasting Service & DWLC Radio Ng Bayan IDs. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1035 1055 RRI Serui, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Fair with local ID and numerous references to Jakarta in Indo. Mar 5 (CE-K)

1035 1825 SIBC Honiara, Solomon Islands & 2ZB Wellingotn, New Zealand. Both poor here and the only Pacific/NZ stations noted the whole trip off the back of the wire in the mornings. Mar 14 (CE-E)

1053 1040 JOAR Nagoya, Japan. One of the few JA stations this trip, good with Japanese music show & talk. Mar 5 (CE-K)

1053 1055 RRI Jayapura, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Poor under JOAR but noted with Indo talks then RRI ID before the hour then into Song of Coconut Isles interval signal. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

1062 2103 DZEC Manila, Philippines. Just caught the end of their sign on with end of legal English ID, then loads of Radio Agila news items & DZEC canned IDs with techno music. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1071 2131 DXKT Davao City, Philippines. Very good here with religious sermon from FEBC. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1080 2030 KCBS Haeju, North Korea. Good in Korean with usual musical // 2850 Mar 8 (CE-K)

1089 2138 CNR Fujian, China. Powerhouse regular here with CC commentary, noted every evening and morning of the DXpedition. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1107 1103 JOCF Kagoshima, Japan. Fair over Indonesian/Philippines mix with Japanese sports show. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1116 2139 CNR Fujian, China. Not as strong as 1089 but still strong here with CNR pgm in CC & mixing with unid Philippines station. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1116 2038 DYTR Tagbilaran City, Philippines. Good over CNR with echo canned DYTR IDs and talk in Tagalog Mar 8 (CE-K)

1125 2145 DXGM Davao City, Philippines. Nice signal with Super Radyo news items. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1125 2028 JOAK Okinawa, Japan. Likely the one here, didn't stick around for local ID, sign on interval signal // to 828, 873, 1017, 1386, 1593, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1134 2149 CNR China. Sunrise over western China heralded appearance of lots of CNR megastations including this // 4800. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1134 2105 DWDD Quezon City, Philippines. Good morning announcements & DWDD Armed Forces Radio ID mixing with CNR. Mar 8 (CE-K)

1134 2100 RRI Banjarmasin, Kalimantan, Indonesia. Only noted briefly on the hour in Indo with MA giving local RRI ID then in the mush with Aussies & CNR. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1143 2015 BEL3 Taiwan Area Fishery, Taiwan. Good here in Taiwanese with FA giving weather reports // 738 Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1161 2049 DYRD Tagbilaran City, Philippines. Nice strength at sign on over all the Aussies with full English sign on announcements - oh how I never get tired of hearing these!!, then into Tagalog. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1170 1958 DXMR Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. When they sign on they almost blew the headphones off as I was carefully listening for a VOR ID, Philippines NA then English sign on annc and Radio Ng Bayan IDs. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1170 1111 HLSR Gimje, South Korea. Good here in the early evenings with Russian commentaries. Mar 5 (CE-K)

1179 2156 RRI Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia. Tentative this as poor with Indo talks, rare appearance of this one as this outlet only would occas. produce Sweden over the Indo/Philippine mush. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1179 2030 DYSB Bacolod City, Phillipines. Good here with political pieces with laser gun sounds in between & canned IDs. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1179 1946 JOOR Oaska, Japan. Fair in the mix with Filipinos with Japanese music show. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1188 2038 HLKX South Korea. Fair with Korean music show and little talk, mixing with ABC & unid Philippines station. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1197 2056 DXFE Davao City, Philippines. Excellent at sign on over other stations with English sign on, full ID and FEBC Good News Radio show in English. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1215 2203 DYRF Cebu City, Philippines. Good here with network IDs & religious program. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1224 2205 DXED Davao City, Philippines. Fair here with canned ID & music show in Tagalog. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1224 2055 DWSR Lucena, Philippines. Nice strength at times mixing with CNR which was huge so lucky to get ID during of their brief fades. Noted Philippines NA then echo effect canned IDs for DZRH relay many times then a few moments later up popped DXED with their sign on! What a busy little frequenhertz. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1224 2054 CNR Fujian, China. Sign on of this outlet mixing with unid Philippines station. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1251 1110 Voice of Russia, Ussuriysk, Russia. Fair over 2DU with Chinese commentaries. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

1260 2128 DZEL Lecuna City, Philippines. Good over 6KA with EBC & DZEL IDs. Mar 8 (CE-K)

1278 1115 JOFR Fukuoka, Japan. Fair here with Japanese music show. Mar 5 (CE-K)

1287 2216 RRI Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia. Tentative here with poor Indo talks between interesting up beat tunes. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1287 2120 DXRC Zamboanga City, Philippines. Good with MA Tagalog talk & Super Radyo Zamboanga IDs. Mar 8 (CE-K)

1296 2019 DXAB Davao City, Philippines. The strongest of all Philippines stations, just like a local S9+10dB, 4RPH not even audible underneath! Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1314 2115 DWXI Paranaque, Philippines. Fair with religious pgm in Tagalog. Mar 9 (CE-K)

1323 1117 CRI, Jilin, China. Fair over weak mix of others with Korean program // 5965. Mar 9 (CE-TC)

1332 2035 RRI Jakarta, Java, Indonesia. Tentative here with Indo talks by MA & FA. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1332 1934 JOSF Nagoya, Japan. MA & FA talks in Japanese at poor level mixed in with 4BU & others Mar 8 (CE-K)

1359 2005 CNR China. Good over Family Radio with Chinese music show Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1359 2005 Family Radio, Taiwan. Good strength but CNR dominant, FR with their Chinese service at this time. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1377 2025 CNR Henan, China. Excellent here with Chinese orchestral // 1593. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1386 2028 NHK2 network, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 828, 873, 1017, 1125, 1593, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1413 1120 JOIF Fukuoka, Japan. Fair mixing with 2EA, Japanese non-stop commentary. Mar 5 (CE-K)

1440 1845 JOWF Sapporo, Japan. Good here in Japanese over 2PB & Saudi Arabia. Mar 11 (CE-AS)

1467 2055 DXVP Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Very nice signal over TWR France. Noted with full English sign on announcement and into chatter by 2100. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1485 2047 DYDH Iloilo City, Philippines. Nice signal in Tagalog with MA chatter & nice ID. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1494 2000 DXOC Ozamis, Philippines. Good at sign on over Russia & Jordan with English full ID after NA. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1503 2013 Family Radio, Taiwan. Good here over the Aussies with US religious junk. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1512 0923 DYAB Cebu City, Philippines. Very good and in the clear with back to back news items and IDs. Mar 4 (CE-TC)

1530 2035 DZME Manila, Philippines. Good over VOA & 2VM with Tagalog commentaries. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1539v 2110 DZYM San Jose, Philippines. Assume this one but no ID, religious program with program from Catholic Congress in Asia then into hymns. Mar 9 (CE-K)

1548 2020 unid Philippines. Good over mush of many unids with with Philippines political talks and news items on the budget, faded before ID though. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1557 2028 Family Radio, Taiwan. Fair with English religious pgm mixing with 2RE and France. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1566 2035 All India Radio Nagpur, India. Good here in the clear with music show // 9425. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1566 2010 HLAZ Jeju, South Korea. Fair in Korean mixing with AIR Mar 8 (CE-K)

1575 1945 Armed Forces Network, Japan. Fair here with 80's pop music show in English with AFN ID on the hour. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1575 2223 Voice of America, Thailand. Excellent in presumed Khmer with IDs & Asian news items, never heard at this late hour ever before. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1593 1013 CNR China. Fairly good at western China sunset with FA talks in Chinese. Mar 4 (CE-TC)

1593 2028 NHK2 Network, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 828, 873, 1017, 1125, 1386, 1602 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1602 2028 NHK2 Network, Japan. Sign on interval signal // to 828, 873, 1017, 1125, 1386, 1593 then into Japanese s/on annc. Mar 6 (CE-K)

EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

585 2115 BSKSA Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Poor as the ol sun was killing the band, noted with Middle Eastern music show. Mar 6 (CE-K)

621 2015 Voice of the Arabs, Batrah, Egypt. Poor in Arabic with call to prayer & then DXDC sign on at 2027. Mar 11 (CE-AS)

648 2010 BSKSA Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Poor in Arabic with male talks then into music // 1440. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

760 1840 Radio Sana'a, Yemen. Poor with MA talks in Arabic, this het was heard most mornings, first time any audio came through. Mar 14 (CE-E)

792 1905 VOA Kavala, Greece. Poor and heavy fading, but noted with MA & FA talks in presumed Turkish // 9485, tough due to variety of unid Asians & 4RN making reception tricky. Mar 14 (CE-E)

909 2008 Voice of America, Botswana. Good strength but well under RRI. Noted with VOA News for Africa in English. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

990 2116 Radio Sawa, Cape Greco, Cyprus. Fair with male talks in Arabic // 1260 mixing with 8GO. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1089 2110 Tbilisskaya, Russia. Poor but in the clear with MA talks in Russian, unsure of pgm though. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1169 1925 IRIB Sarasary, Iran. This giving a big het on 1170 but the audio was very mushy, noted with Middle Eastern non-stop music. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1170 1928 Radio Farda, Al-Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates. Good but not as strong as // 1575 and was mixing with Voice of Russia at various times. Also the het (no audio though) from 1169 was starting to cause some problems. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1170 1945 Voice of Russia, Tbilisskaya, Russia. Poor due to Radio Farda but on the Farda fades this was clearly audible with sombre MA talks in East Euro language presumed Slovak, noted reference to various Euro cities and was preparing for VOR interval signal at 1958 when the next log happened…….Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1179 1950 RSI Solvesborg, Sweden. Fair with MA commentaries in German. Mar 9 (CE-K)

1197 2020 Family Radio, Maseru, Lesotho. Poor under unid Filipino,4BI and 5RPH mush with US Evangelist preacher garbage. Tricky log this as on Sunday 5RPH also has US Evangelist and after 2100 DXFE which is clearly stronger airs US Evangelist junk too!!, but Lesotho would fade in and out as per Botswana 909 was. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1233 2208 Radio Monte Carlo, Cyprus. Good here in Arabic over unid Philippines station, RMC ID & address. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1242 2109 Muscat, Oman. Nice on brief fades with MA talks in Arabic, but usually under 8TAB. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1260 2014 Radio Sawa, Rhodes, Dodecanese Islands. Discussions on Iraq and then into funky music in Arabic over mushy mix of 4MW, Japan and Philippines. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1296 1850 SNBC Reba, Sudan. Preume the one here on an excellent NAf/MEast morning. Arabic talks by male on various world issues, then up rose BBC WS from 4RPH on the hour. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1323 1945 BBC Cyprus. Fair with BBC World Service in English mixing with 5RPH also carrying BBC WS!. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1377 1904 France Info, Lille, France. Fair here in French with pop music mixing with 3MP. Mar 7 (CE-K)

1377 1851 Radio Free Africa, Arusha, Tanzania. Good on peaks over presumed Swaziland with English pop music and Radio Free Africa ID at 1900. Mar 9 (CE-K)

1377 1900 Radio Cidade, Sandlane, Swaziland. Tentative this as no ID but noted fading in and out with Tanzania in Portuguese with male commentaries. Mar 9 (CE-K)

1386 1923 KBC Maralal, Kenya. Fair on peaks but very deep fades, I only hung around because not much new was around, otherwise would have moved on as I've already got them QSL'd. English pop music show with brief FA announcements, occasionally unid Asian (possible HLAM) & Euro would pop up, terrible mess on this freq. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1413 2044 BBC Masirah Island. Poor here but clearly audible, by now all Eastern Australian stations south of Bundaberg inaudible with the sun well up in the west Queensland sky. So even poor signals from Asia and the Middle East could poke their way through the noise. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1431 1830 Radio Sawa, Djibouti. Noted with ID & up tempo pop music with Arabic vocals, finally landed this one after trying every morning, this time pretty much in the clear only mixing with Vision Radio in WA. Then talks mentioning Washington numerous times, noted // 990 & 1260. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

1440 2040 BSKSA Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Usual powerhouse mixing with 2PB with Arabic talks. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1458 2048 Radio Vision Mayotte. Poor here mixing with Philippines mush, noted with French talks Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1467 2039 TWR Roumoules, France. MA & FA talks in German mixing with 3ML. Mar 15 (CE-CB)

1494 1904 Radio Jordan, Al Karanah, Jordan. Poor in the mix with TWR and others with MA talks in Arabic // 9830. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1494 1904 TWR Russia. Tentative in Russian sounding language, possibly Lithuanian with religious talks mixing in with Jordan. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1521 2057 BSKSA Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Usual Middle Eastern music program at good levels. Mar 12 (CE-AS)

1530 2010 Voice of America, Sao Tome. Nice signal in English // 909 but fighting it out with 2VM. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1548 1932 TWR Grigoriopol, Moldova. Tentative here at poor levels in East Euro language, possibly listed Romanian with MA talks on world affairs under 4QD. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1557 2028 France Info, Fontbonne, France. Poor under 2RE and Family Radio but noted on peaks with French talks. Mar 5 (CE-TC)

1557 1918 CRI via Sitkunai, Lithuania. Mixing with Family Radio with world affairs talks in Russian // 7245. Mar 6 (CE-K)

1575 1913 Radio Farda, Al-Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates. Good here and 1st log of the DXpedition with usual contemporary pop music interspersed with Radio Farda IDs & talk in presumed Farsi. Mar 4 (CE-MI)

1593 1938 Voice of America, Kuwait. Fair in preumed Persian with news commentary of sorts noted // 9680 & mixing with CNR. Mar 10 (CE-TC)

COUNTRIES HEARD

1. Australia
2. Botswana
3. China
4. Cyprus
5. Djibouti
6. Dodecanese Islands
7. Egypt
8. France
9. Greece
10. India
11. Iran
12. Irian Jaya
13. Japan
14. Java
15. Jordan
16. Kalimantan
17. Kenya
18. Kuwait
19. Lesotho
20. Lithuania
21. Mayotte
22. Moldova
23. New Zealand
24. North Korea
25. Oman
26. Papua New Guinea
27. Philippines
28. Russia
29. Sao Tome
30. Saudi Arabia
31. Solomon Islands
32. South Korea
33. Sudan
34. Sulawesi
35. Sumatra
36. Swaziland
37. Sweden
38. Tanzania
39. Taiwan
40. Thailand
41. United Arab Emirates
42. Yemen

Published on June 12, 2005