MW DX with 200 m Beverage: UNID transatlantic signal carrying US news on 1110 kHz

Hi there, another UNID signal that could be WBT from Charlotte, North Carolina (TX power 50 kW) or CBC Radio 1 from Deep River, Ontario. The latter would be a really excellent catch as their reported TX power is only 0.04 kW. Either way, this would have been another PF if an ID had been heard, but that goes with the territory! Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/10/16 at 02:00 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

MW DX with 200 m Beverage: WTAM 1100 kHz, Cleveland, Ohio (presumed)

Hi there, although no ID is heard from this US news broadcast, WTAM is the most likely candidate with a 24/7 TX power of 50 kW on 1100 kHz. This would have been a PF if identified, so a pleasing catch nevertheless. Thanks to Matthias for his input. Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/10/16 at 02:00 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

MW DX with 200 metre Beverage: CKAC 730 kHz Montreal, Quebec, heard in Oxford, UK

Only the second time I'd copied CKAC, the first being an hour earlier on the same morning. Again, tricky to hear well because of adjacent QRM, but the Elad mostly deals with it very well in USB. Recorded on 10/10/16 at 02:57 hrs UTC using an ELAD FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

MW DX with 200 m Beverage: WUNR Brookline, 1600 kHz, Newton, Massachusetts

Hi there, only the second time I've copied WUNR, so nice to catch them on the Beverage. A difficult signal to hear well due to severe adjacent channel QRM, but that's where the Elad and it's myriad of filtering options comes into it's own. Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/10/16 at 02:59 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

Urban DX antenna test #4: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip on MW

Hi there, here is a comparison of the longwire and Boni whip on medium wave. Watch how the signal from CFRB Newstalk 1010 Toronto 1010 kHz is buried under noise with both, until it miraculously appears at the end of the video when the Wellbrook is connected. What can you say? In a QRM-laden environment, neither a longwire or Boni whip is going to deliver serious DX. The H field Wellbrook, however, does the business. One more video in this series to come, with an example on LW, where the situation is a little different, then on to a comparison in the field between the whip and barbed wire fence...also interesting results! Thanks for watching.

Sony ICF-SW77 vs ICF-SW55 vs Tecsun PL-310ET: R. Tupi/Super R. Deus e Amor, 11765 kHz,Brazil

According to online sources, this station broadcasts with a TX power of 10 kW, however, according to the WRTH 2017, the TX power is 20 kW, which I might be more inclined to believe. Either way, a nice catch on these portables. The performances of the Sonys are similar again, not sure which I prefer. The Tecsun struggles until the two narrowest filters are selected and then produces audio that fades in and out. Not bad at all for a sub £40 radio! Recorded in Oxford UK on 29/12/16 at 20:53 hrs UTC using an Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop antenna. Thanks for watching.

 

Medium wave DX: WENE "Fox Sports AM 1430" Endicott, NY, first reception & clear ID

Hi there, I was pleased to catch WENE, Endicott,  New York for the first time with an ok signal, despite serious adjacent channel QRM. Again, the Elad operating via the FDM-SW2 software demonstrates amazing selectivity via the almost innumerable filtering options. Recorded in Oxford UK on 09/12/16 at 03:59 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO and Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop antenna (indoors). Thanks for watching.

Medium wave DX: 1310 kHz - is this CIWW 1310 News, Ottawa, Ontario?

Hi there, this is presumed because no clear ID can be heard. Intially I thought this signal might be WLOB, but then I thought probably not and this was confirmed by Matthias as there is no mention of Fox News or their usual fanfare. With a TX power of 50 kW, CIWW is another likely candidate. If anyone can shed further light on this catch, I'd be very grateful. Recorded in Oxford UK, on 07/01/17 at 07:59 hrs using an Elad FDM DUO and Wellbrook loop (indoors). Thanks for watching.

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530 test #7 winner: Wellbrook (7 wins out of 7)

Hi there, this is the final test comparing these two antennas in my noise-laden shack, using the Afia Darfur signal on 9510 kHz, from Santa Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy. Once again, reasonable reception on the Wellbrook with an audio bandwidth filter of 6.6 kHz and a signal pushing over S9. However, once the whip is connected, the noise floor increases by more than 10 Decibels and the signal almost dissapears under the blanket of amplified noise. So it's 7 wins out of 7 for the Wellbrook, but I'm not giving up. For the next test, I'm interested to see how the whip performs against a 30 metre piece of wire slung around the garden - a less than ideal arrangement I used for some time before I purchased the Wellbrook. Then finally I'm going to take them both out to the woods and run another comparison. I must reiterate that I really want the Boni whip to prove itself an excellent performer in a quiet environment, because that would give me an excellent, very portable antenna to use on DXpeditions. Thanks for watching.

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530: Test #6 winner: Wellbrook

Hi there, I've taken a different approach this time - by using what is probably the strongest signal on shortwave at my QTH - CRI on 6020 kHz. With an 18 kHz audio bandwidth filter, audio fideltiy on shortwave doesn't really get much better than this. As might reasonably be expected wiht a huge signal, the difference in the performance of the two antennas based on audio fidelity at least, is much less obvious, despite the signficant drop in SNR with the Boni whip. One more reception video to come, to conclude this first series of tests. Thanks for watching.

 

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530: Test #5 winner: Wellbrook

Hi there, here is test number 5 and the first with a signal on shortwave  - Radio Habana, Cuba on 6060 kHz. I would describe the signal strength and audio fideltiy as about average with the Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop. However, switching over to the Bonito Boni whip results once again in a significant increase in the noise floor - just over 10 decibels this time, but that's still very significant and the resulting loss of signal modulation is clear to see and hear. I'm still hoping that a trip to the QRM free woods in Oxfordshire will result in a much reduced SNR performance delta between these two antennas. Thanks for watching.

 

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530: Test #4 winner: Wellbrook

Hi there, here is the next MW band comparison test for these two antennas - a signal from WMEX Boston Talk Radio on 1510 kHz. Sometimes this station can almost boom in over the Atlantic to my QTH in Oxford, UK. However, two nights ago, their signal could, at best, be described as quite weak, but with some discernible audio using the Elad FDM DUO and Wellbrook ALA1530. However, when switching over to the Boni whip, the signal was completely buried under amplified local noise, thus another disapointing result.

I still believe the delta in performance of these two antennas will be significantly less in a quiet location and to this end, I will be conducting another test at the woods in Oxfordshire. I want the Boni whip to succeed because a) I've spent over £100 on it and b) it would be great to have a very compact antenna that peformed as well as, or even nearly as well as the Wellbrook to use on DXpeditions. Three more test videos to come, all of which target shortwave signals. 

Thanks for watching.

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530: RÚV Iceland, LW Test #2 winner: Wellbrook

Another disaster for the Bonito Boni whip. Here RÚV Iceland can be clearly heard with very decent signals on 189 kHz and 207 kHz using the Wellbrook ALA1530. Switching over to the Boni whip results in no discernible audio with the disappearance of both Icelandic signals under a blanket of noise. I've never seen anything like it and I actually reverted back to the Wellbrook to confirm this was as a result of the Boni whip antenna. Terrible peformance, even worse than the previous example with Medi 1. Hopefully, the situation will improve on MW and SW. Thanks for watching.

Bonito Boni whip versus Wellbrook ALA1530: Test #1 winner: Wellbrook

Hi there, here is a signal from Medi 1 on LW 171 kHz with nice audio on the Wellbrook ALA1530. Watch as the Wellbrook is unplugged from the Elad FDM DUO and the Boni whip connected (using the supplied radiating element). The noise floor jumps by around 20 decibels and the resulting audio is severely compromised. I read that the Boni whip is often very ineffective in buildings, so I put both antennas in the garden to give it the best chance of success. The problem is however, that my garden is often noisier that inside the house because our neighbours surround us quite closely on three sides. Anyway, test number 1 is a disaster for the Boni whip. Let's see what happens next. Thanks for watching.

Setting up to test the Bonito Boni-Whip against the Wellbrook ALA1530

Hi there, some of you will remember that I recently purchased a Bonito Boni-whip to use as a second antenna at home. I've read reviews that support this antenna and of course the views of just as many detractors. One user mentioned that it was performing as well as, or almost as well as his Wellbrook loop. That would be great as it cost less than half of what I paid for my ALA1530 14 months ago. I plan to test them head-to-head using the Elad SDR spectrum and record signals on LW, MW and SW. It should be an interesting test! Reception videos to come in the next couple of days. Thanks for watching.

MW DXing with 200 metre Beverage: CFTR Toronto News Talk 680 KHz

Hi there, this is presumed, but I think it very likely the source is indeed CTFR Toronto. I've heard them a couple of times previously, but not for more than a year, so if I'm right, this is a very pleasing catch. I've never copied anything else from the Americas on this frequency by the way. WRKO and WPTF are other potential candidates for this frequency as they are either on or relatively close to the East Coast and TX at 50 KW. Perhaps someone with better ears than me can hear a clue to the identification....too many years of listening to heavy rock for me lol. All I can hear is Donald and Hillary arguing - it was the night of the second presendential debate. Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/1016 at 02:00 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

MW DX with 200 m Beverage: Caribbean Beacon 1610 kHz, Anguilla, best ever reception

Hi there, the Caribbean Beacon on 1610 kHz can nearly always be heard, albeit with varying degrees of signal strength. I've only ever copied a different station on this frequency - some of you will remember I recently logged CHHA 'Voces Latinas' from Toronto. Otherwise, Anguilla is almost ominpresent on this frequency. Here is my reception with the 200 metre Beverage and perhaps not surprisingly, it produced by best reception of this station to-date. Recorded on 10/10/16 at 02:00 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.