My subscription to Life expired, but I still have a subscription to Mad.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Navigational Beacon Loggings


Added three new stations to the log, all three were navigational beacons.

ZQM on 304 kHz from Moncton, Riverview, New Brunswick transmitting 50 watts, 508 miles to the northeast

1F on 363 kHz from Bathurst, New Brunswick, transmitting 125 watts, 545 miles to the north-northeast (photo above is the Bathurst Airport; the extreme right tower is 1F)

H7 on 388 kHz from Manitowaning, Manitoulin East, Ontario, transmitting 25 watts, 531 miles to the northwest

ICOM IC-R8600 receiver and 80-meter dipole antenna were my receptors.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Two More


Good conditions continue and I logged two new stations.

WTNY on 790 kHz transmitting 1 kW from Watertown, New York, 221 miles to the northwest

WGCR on 720 kHz transmitting 15 kW from Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, 686 miles to the southwest

Both stations were logged using the ICOM IC-R8600 receiver and ICOM AH-7000 discone antenna.


Sunday, October 20, 2019

Yet Another Good Night


Conditions have been very good this past week.

Saturday evening, the 162-MHz NOAA weather radio band lit up and I was copying at least one station on each of the weather radio channels, which is not normal. Nothing new to enter in the log, but I was very surprised to find that band opened at this time of year and that time of day (2330 UTC).

Later in the evening, I noticed Cuba’s Radio Rebelde besting WHAM on 1180 MHz. Again, not a new log entry, but I did copy two other stations that were new to the log:

WQLR “The Fan” on 1660 kHz transmitting 10 kW from Kalamazoo, Michigan, 650 miles to the west-northwest

Navigational beacon ZNS on 385 kHz transmitting 25 watts from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 531 miles to the northeast.

The ICOM IC-R8600 receiver, ICOM AH-7000 discone antenna (for WQLR) and 80-meter dipole antenna (for ZNS) were my ears of choice.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Another Good Night


Four new loggings in one night, so I'd say it was a "good night!"

2019-10-15 at 2244Z on 780 kHz: WCKB, Dunn, NC, 7000 W, 534 miles SSW

2019-10-16 at 0347Z on 250 kHz: navigational beacon UAC, Poste Montagnais - Eric Lake, QC, Canada, 500 W, 786 miles NNE

2019-10-16 at 0358Z on 334 kHz: navigational beacon YER, Fort Severn, ON, Canada, 200 W, 1191 miles NNW

2019-10-16 at 0410Z on 364 kHz: navigational beacon ZHZ, Halifax - Split Crow, NS, Canada, 25 W, 519 miles NE

Caught WCKB just as they were signing off and was amused that they pulled the plug in the middle of the sign-off announcement. I guess somebody was anxious to go home!

Heard lots of other good stuff that was already in the log. The usual trans-Atlantics and most notably, Cuba (Radio Rebelde), which was so strong on 710 that it left WOR in the dust.

Equipment used: ICOM IC-R8600 receiver and ICOM AH-7000 discone antenna for WCKB and 80-meter inverted-Vee antenna for the navigational beacons.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

A Good Night

Schefferville - Squaw Lake, Quebec, Canada
The longwaves were in very good shape last night and I worked three new navigational beacons.

9Q on 291 kHz transmitting 25 watts from Amos, Quebec, Canada, 544 miles to the north-northwest

OU on 329 kHz transmitting 25 watts from Quebec City - Ste. Foy, Quebec, Canada, 365 miles to the north-northeast

KR on 323 kHz transmitting 250 watts from Schefferville - Squaw Lake, Quebec, Canada, 952 miles to the north-northeast

All were heard on my ICOM IC-R8600 receiver and 80 meter dipole antenna.