Low cost DXing article in October edition of Radio User magazine

Hi there here's my latest article for Radio User magazine, on the benefits of low cost DXing. Many of us have shacks full of expensice, sophisticated equipment that cost £1000s...but I know only too well from my own experience that the best results are almost always obtained with a good, relatively cheap portable (in comparison to the kit in my shack) and a reel of wire, out in the woods. My article explains what you can expect to hear, based on how much money you need to spend on a portable receiver. I hope you enjoy it.

The reality of operating the FT8 digital mode on 5 Watts TX power

Hi there, I've been operating with the narrow band FT8 digital mode for a couple of weeks now. I keep hearing that you can 'work the world' on a few Watts. That's not really true - well not thus far with my set-up. My Elad puts out a maxium TX power of 5 Watts, so my ERP is a bit less than that. Some would argue that my SE-X80 wideband vertical antenna is a bit of a compromise, but it's the sort of antenna that those of use with limited space have to work with. What's interesting is that my signal is being decoded all over the world, but it's a very different story in terms of making QSOs. This video tells the story, so far.

Thanks for watching.

Radio Verdad 4055 kHz, Guatemala, copied in Oxford UK on the Icom IC-R75

Hi there, always a difficult target at home - weak signal, often poor modulation and a big pile lol of adjacent digitial noise. Fortunately the IC-R75 surpasses itself with SSB selectivity and overall sensitivity on HF with the Bonito NTi MegaLoop FX antenna. The Icom is a pleasure to own and operate.

Recorded in Oxford UK on 20/09/18 at 02:45 hrs UTC using a Wellbrook ALA1530 magnetic loop antenna. Thanks for watching.

Shanwick `Radio C' 2872 kHz USB received in Oxford UK on a JRC NRD-525

Hi there, this is the first time I've copied Shanwick Radio on this frequency since March 2016. A really nice signal on a superb receiver. I am loving the NRD-525 lol.

Recorded on 26/09/18 at 02:54 hrs UTC using a Wellbrook ALA1530 magnetic loop antenna, outdoors.

Voice of Tigray Revolution 5950 kHz Addis Ababa, copied in Oxford with Y...

Hi there, I thought I'd try copying this signal on both the FRG-7700 and 8800. It had been a while since I'd heard this station - last year actually whilst I was in Brazil, so nice to have that wonderful East African music in the shack.


Recorded in Oxford UK on 22/09/18 at 03:18 hrs UTC using a Bonito NTi MegaLoop FX antenna. Thanks for watching.

Radio Sonder Grense 3320 kHz, Meyerton South Africa copied on Yaesu FRG-...

Hi there, it's been over a year since I copied this station on the FRG-7700...this time around a stronger, clearer signal. With my Elad tied up on FT8 TX, I've come to the conclusion that this receiver's forte is actually MW DXing. I remember a long time ago Matthias telling me this - and now that I've spent more time with it, he's absolutely right. The narrow audio filter suitably cuts out adjacent noise on MW, whilst still retaining decent audio fideltiy. More on that to come in future videos.

Recorded in Oxford UK on 22/09/18 at 02:45 hrs UTC using a Bonito MegaLoop FX antenna, outdoors. Thanks for watching.

Radio Rebelde 1620 kHz, Guanabacoa, Cuba, copied with IC-R75 and MegaLoo...

Hi there, here's a decent signal from Cuba on 1620 kHz using the Icom IC-R75 and MegaLoop FX antenna. Very satisfying way to DX on MW...using an actual radio that you control manually!

Recorded in Oxford UK on 20/09/18 at 03:22 hrs UTC. Thanks for watching.