Hello All, Heading to Grayland on August 8th for a one-night family vacation, DXing expectations were very low. Our fully-loaded Toyota Corolla could not accommodate any large PVC-framed loops, even collapsible ones. The 30" loopstick ICF-2010 spotting receiver was out of the question. John Bryant had just returned from Grayland, reporting mediocre conditions. The solar forecast looked bleak. It seemed like everything was falling into place-- the wrong place. Despite this, the booming Ultralight radio enthusiast group (now over 300 members strong) has been fascinated with Kchibo's recent introduction of the D96L model, which offers the choice of five different DSP selectivity options-- including a 1 kHz selection. A Chinese-market model discovered through Internet research by Guy Atkins, this model represents Kchibo's best effort to manufacture a high quality AM-FM pocket radio, suitable for DXing on either band. Since this is currently the highest quality ULR offering this 1kHz DSP filtering option, there was intense interest among transoceanic ULR DXers whether this $58 stock D96L model would be competitive in actual TP-DXing, particularly when matched up against the premium Murata CFJ455K5 ceramic filters transplanted into the Slider E100 and Slider C.Crane SWP models. Regardless of poor DXing conditions, I was determined to find out the answer. In a crash program to design and build a small loop antenna that would barely fit in the Toyota Corolla trunk, I measured the trunk length at 4' 4", and made plans for a collapsible-frame 36" square tuned passive loop that would hopefully squeeze inside the overloaded trunk when disassembled. All week long, construction proceeded with military urgency. The project was just barely finished a day before the Grayland trip, and included a PVC base which had removable legs. To compensate for the smallish loop (and primarily to boost the shaky confidence of the DXer), the legs were designed to get the 36" loop up about 7' in the air. Photos of this three-day wonder are posted in the Yahoo Ultralightdx site photo section. Arriving at the Grayland Beach Road picnic table at 1145 UTC (0445 local time), I quickly set up the collapsible-frame loop (and collapsible base) in total darkness, hoping for decent South Pacific propagation to compensate for my smallish antenna. On my substitute spotting receiver (a 19.5" loopstick ICF-2010, which was the subject of a loopstick transplant article in DXM and MWC), I had programmed into memory all of the unlogged Aussie and Kiwi stations heard by John Bryant at Grayland-- which has turned out to be a great shortcut to success this summer (although perhaps a little shameless). The first strange signal noticed (at 1210) was strong French from 738-Tahiti, indicating that the propagation definitely wasn't favoring Australia (and 2NR-738). There was moderate splatter from KCBS-740, so relative selectivity tests were quickly run between the new D96L and a C.Crane SWP Slider model (with the premium Murata CFJ455K5 ceramic filter), both assisted by the 36" square passive loop. Much to my surprise (and satisfaction), the D96L's 1 kHz DSP selectivity option was competitive with the performance of the Murata filter in limiting the splatter from KCBS-740, although the final audio was possibly a little more harsh in the Kchibo unit (as judged by those who have listened to the MP3, available on request). The second relative selectivity test was run with 567-2YA (Wellington, NZ), in the shadow of strong domestic KVI-570. When tuning to 567-2YA, I was astonished to find the signal at near blowtorch level-- the strongest I have ever heard any NZ signal. After running the competition between the D96L and filterized SWP (with the same basic result), I was amazed to find New Zealand stations booming in all over the band. Despite my smallish antenna and pessimistic outlook, I had apparently stumbled onto a legendary Kiwi propagation opening at Grayland. Quickly grabbing the ICF-2010 spotting receiver and checking the memories, I noticed that almost all the unlogged Kiwi frequencies had audio already! Since a lot of the sunrise enhancement period had already been devoted to the D96L/ SWP selectivity tests, there was a wild scramble to log (and record MP3's of) as many New Zealand stations as I could, before increasing daylight made the propagation bail. The ICF-2010's signal level LED's were used to quickly tune the 36" loop to each Kiwi frequency, which was then used to boost up signal levels on the D96L and Slider SWP for MP3's. 648-Rhema and 675-3YC were quickly "processed," followed by 963-3YC. With the ocean beach now in bright daylight at 1310, I doubted that the fun would continue much longer-- until I rechecked 2YA-567, and found it still at blowtorch level. Checking the 2010's memories for more Kiwi audio, I found moderate audio from 927-2ZA, a 2 kw station identified by the "Newstalk Zed-B" format with the male and female announcers' voices that I had recorded last year on an MP3 of 1035-2ZB. Propagation was really diving at 1322 when I managed a final weak logging of 1296-1ZH, a 2.5 kw station on the same talk format network. Besides these new Kiwi loggings, the new Hawaiians of KUMU-1500 and KNUI-900 were also heard. The Australian stations were strangely silent all morning, with only 612-4QR barely coming into threshold audio. A paltry signal from JOUB-774 at 1155 was the only Asiatic TP in evidence. On this very strange Kiwi-slanted morning, loggings were as follows: 531 UnID's DU mix at 1305 with fair signals, presumably including 5 kw Auckland 567 2YA Wellington National program with extremely strong signal from 1210-1320 612 4QR Brisbane The only Aussie to reach audio level, very weak at 1308 639 R. Fiji 1 Lautoka Typical choral music with fairly mediocre signal at 1222 648 NZ-Rhema Gisborne Booming in with religious program at 1245 for nice MP3 657 2YC Wellington Another booming Kiwi station with Southern Star network, 1258 670 KPUA Hilo The strongest Hawaiian as usual, with financial news at 1255 675 3YA Christchurch National program with blowtorch signal from 1245-1315 738 R. Tahiti From 1215-1315, legendary signal with French music and news 760 KGU Honolulu Fair signal after fade of San Diego at 1303 900 KNUI Kahului With Fox Sports news, weak signal at 1325 before propagation dived 927 2ZA Palmerston N. Network talk format surprisingly strong from this 2 kw station at 1314 963 3YC Christchurch Southern Star network // 657, moderately strong at 1310 for MP3 1017 A3Z Nuku Alofa Despite great propagation, signal never rose above threshold audio 1035 2ZB Wellington The strongest of the "Newstalk Zed-B" stations, good signal at 1316 1296 1ZH Hamilton Weak with talk format as propagation was diving at 1322, //1035 1500 KUMU Honolulu Very strong with local ads at 1305 after mainland QRM faded Kchibo D96L model verdict: This new DSP-enhanced radio is a true breakthrough for ULR transoceanic DXers, providing exceptional 1 kHz selectivity in addition to its good AM sensitivity. Before the testing of this model during this DXpedition, no stock Ultralight had ever been able to solidly receive any DU station at Grayland. The DU's are typically weak, and the signals usually are buried in domestic splatter on stock ULR's. Because of the Kchibo's breakthrough DSP selectivity, however, the stock D96L managed to solidly receive two DU's during this trip-- 567-2YA in Wellington, NZ, and 738-Radio Tahiti. It probably could have received several more, except for the fact its owner was busy chasing new Kiwis with the 36" loop. 36" Collapsible Frame Loop verdict: This modestly-sized tuned passive loop performed far beyond expectations, providing a serious DU signal boost to any radio brought under its influence. It typically boosted the ICF-2010 spotting receiver's signal by 5 LED's, and made the difference between a weak signal and a booming signal on the ULR's. The MP3's recorded by this modest loop are clear evidence of its effectiveness, and are posted on both _http://www.dxer.ca_ (http://www.dxer.ca) and the Ultralightdx Yahoo file site. These MP3's include recordings of 648- NZ Rhema, 675-3YC, and 738 R. Tahiti, as well as a selectivity comparison test between the D96L and SWP Murata filter model in receiving 567-2YA (in the shadow of 570-KVI), posted on Ultralightdx. Thanks again to Guy Atkins for his investigation of the Kchibo models, and to John Bryant for his detailed DU Ultralight loggings. For a DXer with too many projects going on at once, these guys are just what the doctor ordered :>) 73 and Good DX to All, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA) _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
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