Reflections about a remote mediumwave listeners station

It takes some getting used to, my new DDA with a total length of 78 m. However, in a positive sense, because you first have to get used to the high SNR. It is simply unbelievable what this antenna brings compared to a 50 m wire. Therefore, it can happen that the supposedly good conditions are actually bad as long as you still have the signals of the 50 m wire in your ear. The DDA does not take up more space than the wire mentioned, its structure only goes up. The signal strengths should be comparable to that of a beverage over 100 m long. So it was the best idea ever to pull up this more complex antenna shape in the garden. It now replaces two 50 m wires in the direction of 325 ° and 350 °.

On 16 Feb 2020 I was able to follow reasonably good conditions across the Atlantic for the first time. On this day, some stations never heard before with unusual signal strengths came in. Unusual means signals with over 40 dB SNR. At the same time, the usual channels from the east coast were mostly weaker. An outlier was KLEB, Golden Meadow (LA) 1600 with 250 watts and an SNR over 50 dB.

All logs from that day [Entries in bold: the only log in the MW list | Entries in red: a first reception]:

All my Logs: https://www.mwlist.org/mw_logmap.php?sort=qrg&datum=2020-02-16&hours=0&omid=281&band=MW

590 0452 CAN VOCM, Saint John's (NL) 4360 km
670 0615 CUB Radio Rebelde, Santa Clara/CTOM4 (vc) //1620 8005 km
680 0426 CLM HJZO Radio Nacional de Colombia, Sabanagrande (Barranquilla) (atl) 8620 km
710 0400 USA WOR, New York/Lyndhurst [NJ] (NY) 6179 km
730 0700 CAN CKAC, Montréal/Pointe-Calumet (QC) 5843 km
750 0359 CAN CBGY, Bonavista Bay (NL) ID This is CBC Radio 1 4367 km
760 0400 USA WJR, Detroit (MI) 6648 km
770 0620 B ZYL209 Rádio Cultura AM, Lavras (MG) ID Radio Cultura 9559 km
860 0413 CAN CJBC, Toronto/Meadowvale (ON) 6338 km
920 0628 CLM La Voz del Pueblo, Ibagué (tol) prob.,
ID Radio Maria, Radio Maria from Mexico may also be an option. 9197 km
970 0632 USA WZAN, Portland/Sunset Park (ME) 5742 km
1010 0700 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) 6331 km
1120 0500 USA KMOX, Saint Louis (MO) 7329 km
1130 0600 USA WBBR, New York/Carlstadt [NJ] (NY) 6175 km
1140 0400 CAN CBI, Sydney (NS) 4931 km
1270 0634 USA WXYT, Detroit (MI) CBS sports radio ID 6667 km
1280 0644 USA WHTK, Rochester (NY) Fox ID, another option is WPKZ 6235 km
1330 0642 USA WRCA, Watertown (MA) 5888 km
1380 0547 CAN CKPC, Brantford (ON) 6406 km
1390 0640 USA WEGP, Presque Isle (ME) 5399 km
1470 0400 CLM Esperanza Colombia Radio, Medellín (ant) 9063 km
1480 0643 USA WDJO, Cincinnati (OH) ID 6953 km
1500 0700 USA WFED, Washington (DC) 6498 km
1510 0614 USA WLAC, Nashville (TN) 7325 km
1520 0642 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6337 km
1560 0646 USA WFME, New York/Queens (NY) 6174 km
1580 0643 CAN CKDO, Oshawa (ON) 6252 km
1590 0643 USA WARV, Warwick (RI) rel. px 5944 km
1600 0642 USA KLEB, Golden Meadow (LA) ID 1600 am KLEB, booming! 50 dB SNR 8111 km
1640 0541 USA WTNI, Biloxi (Gulfport) (MS) Possum ID, booming 37 dB SNR 7931 km
1660 0650 USA WBCN, Charlotte (NC) ID Fox sports radio 7033 km
1660 0642 USA WWRU, Jersey City/Carlstadt (D) (NJ) 6176 km
1690 0625 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6523 km
1700 0639 USA KBGG, Des Moines (IA) ID The Champ 7298 km

This section displays the status of my logged USA & Canada states. It will be updated.






List of abbreviations for states

Pin board at Google Maps

Status 31 March 2019

Heard states/green (USA): 29
Confirmed states/red: 0
Latest heard or confirmed: 1700 WEUP, Huntsville, Alabama

Heard states/green (Canada): 5
Confirmed states/red: 1
Latest heard or confirmed:

Map source: Free Software Foundation. The source has been changed.

Excellent propagation conditions on the lower bands brought strong signals in the X-band and below in recent days. In the time around sunrise, around 5 o'clock UTC, it was really fun for a long time to hear Radio Monumental from Quito Ecuador at 1510 kc. But also WPTX from Lexington Park, Maryland at 1690 kc and WGIT Faro de Santidad, Canobas, Puerto Rico at 1660 kc were very well received for some time. Outstanding was also the reception of ZYO701 Radio Roraima from Caracaraí, Brazil at 1390 kc. All logs were made with the K9AY switched to NW.

2019-03-28

700 0410 USA WLW, Cincinnati/Tower Drive (U) (OH) ID 6932 km
800 0452 BES PJB Shine 800 AM (Trans World Radio), Kralendijk (bnr) Transmundial ID 8052 km
1190 0500 CLM Radio Cordillera, Bogotá D. C. (bdc) ID 9105 km
1280 0500 CLM Caracol Radio, Pasto (nar) R Santa Fe ID 9624 km
1620 0500 CUB Radio Rebelde, Guanabacoa/CTOM2 (ch) 8111 km
1660 0500 PTR WGIT, Canóvanas (PR) ID 7360 km
1690 0500 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) ID 6523 km
1510 0505 EQA HCBD1 Radio Monumental, Quito (pic) sev. Ids, big sig! 9820 km
1570 0511 PRU Bethel Radio, Lima (lim) Halleluja ... not so good 10732 km

2019-03-27

730 0452 CAN CKAC, Montréal/Pointe-Calumet (QC) 5843 km
710 0500 USA WOR, New York/Lyndhurst [NJ] (NY) ID 6179 km
1010 0500 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) ID 6331 km
1130 0500 USA WBBR, New York/Carlstadt [NJ] (NY) ID 6175 km
1390 0500 USA WEGP, Presque Isle (ME) 5399 km
710 0501 CUB Radio Rebelde, Camagüey/CTOM1 (cm) 7958 km
1620 0502 CUB Radio Rebelde, Guanabacoa/CTOM2 (ch) 8111 km
760 0505 USA WJR, Detroit (MI) ID 6648 km
1350 0515 CLM Bésame Ibagué, Ibagué (tol) Jingle ID 9204 km
1560 0515 USA WFME, New York/Queens (NY) 6174 km
1290 0519 USA WJNO, West Palm Beach (FL) ID on Newsradio 1290 WJNO 7668 km
1690 0521 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) ID 6523 km
1190 0557 CLM Radio Cordillera, Bogotá D. C. (bdc) ID [SDRCONSOLE3, K9AY N/W AMS/5422 Hz/-72.0 dBm] 9105

2019-03-26

890 0404 USA WLS, Chicago/Tinley Gardens Park (IL) ID 6973 km
700 0500 USA WLW, Cincinnati/Tower Drive (U) (OH) ID [SDRCONSOLE K9AY USB/2996 Hz/-84.0 dBm] 6932 km
730 0500 CAN CKAC, Montréal/Pointe-Calumet (QC) 5843 km
760 0500 USA WJR, Detroit (MI) 6648 km
1010 0500 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) 6331 km
1010 0500 USA WINS, New York/Lyndhurst [NJ] (NY) 6180 km
1180 0500 CUB Radio Rebelde, Chambas/CTOM1 (ca) ID 7938 km
1620 0500 CUB Radio Rebelde, Guantánamo/CTOM3 (gu) 7871 km
670 0501 CUB Radio Rebelde, Camagüey/CTOM3 (cm) ts, ID 7954 km
1690 0504 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) ID 6523 km
1390 0511 DOM , San Cristóbal (cri) tent., heard .. San Cristobal under strong Brazilian STN (unid) 7652 km
1660 0511 PTR WGIT, Canóvanas (PR) 7360 km
710 0515 CUB Radio Rebelde, Chambas/CTOM3 (ca) // 670 7939 km
1390 0516 B ZYO701 Rádio Roraíma, Caracaraí (RR) ID 8440 km
1510 0516 EQA HCBD1 Radio Monumental, Quito (pic) sev. IDs, vy gd sig [SDRCONSOLE3, K9AY N/W USB/2420 Hz/-96.0 dBm] 9820 km
1690 0521 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6523 km
1440 0525 CLM Colmundo Radio, Medellín (ant) ID 9065 km
972 1705 KOR HLCA KBS Hanminjok Bangsong 1, Dangjin (ccg) [SDRCONSOLE3/F, K9AY N/E LSB/2049 Hz/-96.0 dBm] 8548 km
594 1709 IND AIR Maitree Channel/All India Radio GOS, Chinsurah/Magra (WB) 7338 km
1467 1730 KGZ TWR PANI/FEBA Radio, Krasnaya Rechka (cuy) 4954 km
918 1733 IND AIR North, Suratgarh (RJ) 5828 km

2019-03-25

760 0400 USA WJR, Detroit (MI) 6648 km
890 0400 USA WLS, Chicago/Tinley Gardens Park (IL) 6973 km
1010 0400 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) 6331 km
1660 0435 PTR WGIT, Canóvanas (PR) 7360 km
1660 0500 ARG Radio Revivir, Isidro Casanova/Gregorio de Laferrere (ba) 11539 km
1520 0528 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6337 km
1610 0531 CAN CHHA, Toronto (ON) 6304 km
1690 0539 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6523 km
1557 1701 TWN Radio Taiwan Int., Kouhu (YL) [SDRCONSOLE3/F, 50m LW 30° RPA-2 LSB/2049 Hz/-78.0 dBm] 9400 km
918 1707 IND AIR North, Suratgarh (RJ) 5828 km
846 1708 IND AIR West, Ahmedabad A (GJ) 6242 km
594 1712 IND AIR Maitree Channel/All India Radio GOS, Chinsurah/Magra (WB) 7338 km
1377 1728 CHN CNR 1, Xingyang/SARFT554 (HE) 8009 km
972 1732 KOR HLCA KBS Hanminjok Bangsong 1, Dangjin (ccg) 8548 km

2019-03-24

760 0400 USA WJR, Detroit (MI) 6648 km
590 0406 CAN VOCM, Saint John's (NL) 4360 km
1690 0413 USA WPTX, Lexington Park (MD) 6523 km
1660 0414 PTR WGIT, Canóvanas (PR) 7360 km
1440 0419 CLM Colmundo Radio, Medellín (ant) 9065 km
1580 0459 CAN CKDO, Oshawa (ON) 6252 km
700 0500 USA WLW, Cincinnati/Tower Drive (U) (OH) 6932 km
730 0500 CAN CKAC, Montréal/Pointe-Calumet (QC) 5843 km
1010 0500 USA WINS, New York/Lyndhurst [NJ] (NY) 6180 km
1010 0500 CAN CFRB, Clarkson (ON) 6331 km
1130 0500 USA WBBR, New York/Carlstadt [NJ] (NY) 6175 km
1400 0500 CAN CBG, Gander (NL) 4410 km
1440 0500 USA WRED, Westbrook (ME) 5741 km
1500 0500 USA WFED, Washington (DC) 6498 km
1540 0500 CAN CHIN, Toronto Island (ON) 6308 km
1560 0500 USA WFME, New York/Queens (NY) [SDRCONSOLE3, K9AY N/W LSB/2800 Hz/-72.0 dBm] 6174 km
1610 0500 CAN CHHA, Toronto (ON) 6304 km
1660 0500 ARG Radio Revivir, Isidro Casanova/Gregorio de Laferrere (ba) 11539 km
1660 0500 USA WWRU, Jersey City/Carlstadt (N) (NJ) 6176 km
1520 0503 USA WWKB, Buffalo (NY) 6337 km
1190 0519 CLM Radio Cordillera, Bogotá D. C. (bdc) 9105 km
1300 0522 CLM Radio Reloj, Pereira (ris) ID Radio Reloj en Colombia 9198 km

This section displays the status of my logged USA & Canada states. It will be updated.







List of abbreviations for states

Pin board at Google Maps

Status 17 January 2019

Heard states/green (USA): 27
Confirmed states/red: 0
Latest heard or confirmed: 1000 KOMO, Seattle, Washington

Heard states/green (Canada): 5
Confirmed states/red: 1
Latest heard or confirmed:

Map source: Free Software Foundation. The source has been changed.

The mediumwave band from 500 to 2000 kHz in the early afternoon. The formerly low-interference remote location is developing into a HF-picket fence. It looks bad, the disturbances can often be excluded by sidebands. If the signals attract, so after dark, you do not get too much of it. Only the SE leg of the K9AY hides the interference very strong. A disturber shuts off punctually at 17z.

After long experimental sessions with the tablet I discovered more good reasons to use the tablet in my remote station. The background why I did long tests is the circumstance I can only use 12 V solar power and need a low Ah consumption gear.

As I mentioned the other day listening and recording with the ELAD FDM-SW2 software was only possible with a limited bandwidht set to ~192 kc/346 kc, which is beyond my needs. The ELAD FDM-SW2 software consumes more resources than the tablet could provide. Recordings stuttered. Now I was testing the Studio 1 software and was able to record and listen stutterfree with ~1500 kc bandwidht. This is enough to record the whole MW Band e.g.

So my complaints are now going to the software developers. Studio 1 is fine, lets say very fine, but not able to record automatically at a certain time, ELAD FDM-SW2 does but is not able to record ~1500 kc bandwidht.

Another issue with the tablet is that it connects only through USB2 (and not USB 3) with the ext. HD. At some times the audio hangs for 1-3 sec. which does not affect the recording in most of the cases, but in some. The tablet can use a 128 GB microSDXC-Card which could be much more faster. I did not test this now because I need more than 128 GB of space.

As I wrote the other day recordings and listening through the HD are possible if connected through a USB-Y-Cable to a seperate batterie charger. The Trekstor Surftab is not so bad as thought here. It is suitable to run the station.

After testing and testing the Trekstor under different problematic situations, I came to the conclusion that this tablet is not suitable to run durable as a remote station. The other day I wrote about problems with the HDD. They are solved. The irregularity was a somehow wrong USB-Y-Cable. After attaching another one the HDD runs smooth. The other issue is the small bandwidth. The tablet resp. the ELAD Software stutters if the bandwidth is not set to 153,6 kHz. That's too less for longtime operations and recordings. I have no idea if this issue can be solved. The tablet comes with 1GB RAM, has a 1.33 MHz processor and there is only 1,3 MB free space left on a disc that comes with 16 GB. Much of it is covered by the operating system. I don't run a lot of additional software. As I wrote in a futher article about 1228,8 kHz bandwidth I cannot confirm this anymore, the devil knows why I came to this result. Only 153,6 kHz bandwidth is left now! The issue might come from the power supply with the SAVAKE USB-cable. If no charging is running in the background the bandwidth could be set to 614.4 kHz. But recordings may be disturbed by lite stutters, as you can hear during listening. If you switch the SAVAKE cable to charging it is possible to record with 614,4 kHz bandwidh for a while until stuttering begins again. The same with 307,2 kHz. If the ELAD FDM-S2 is connected directly as a single device with a single cable to the only USB port 614,4 kHz is possible. And yes 1228,8 kHz sometimes too. It's irregulare.