Hello All, Although most of us associate Japan with the export of Ultralight radios like the Sony SRF-T615, SRF-M37W and SRF-39FP, there has recently been a North American export which has caught on like wildfire in Japan-- Ultralight radio DXing. Based on the export of two 7.5" loopstick Tecsun PL-380 models and two 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave models to several Japanese DXers in the Tokyo area (Hiroyuki Okamura, Satoshi Miyauchi and Shinya Hasegawa), the popularity of chasing DX with these modified DSP Ultralights has started a boom similar to what we experienced here in North America in early 2008. Other Japanese DXers have seen these modified radios, and like here in North America, the demand for them is far greater than the supply. The interest in having a local version was so great that a group of Japanese DXers commissioned a local engineer to design a home-grown substitute, based on the PL-380 Supercharging article (described in the Japanese Yahoo blog posted at http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/sawapon308/13192201.html ) The Japanese DXers who have already received their modified Ultralights have posted some excellent You Tube videos with them, such as the amazingly strong reception of 1134-AIR (India) near Tokyo, Japan on a modified PL-380 (at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68iKwz3gLFw ) and 666-DZRH (Philippines,, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg8ZdbKitcI ). Recently Japan Customs passed the "smoke test" by successfully allowing the import of a 5" FSL antenna into the country. Satoshi Miyauchi recorded this very strong MP3 of 630-4QN (ABC in Townsville, Australia) received near Tokyo on his 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave and 5" FSL antenna http://www.mediafire.com/listen/lzcuyaaqh83r5rm/2015-04-19-2000-630-ABC.mp3 Since almost all Japanese DXers live within a 30 minute train ride of an ocean coast, we can expect a lot more DXpedition activity from these new Ultralight radio enthusiasts in the future! 73 and Good DX, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
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