Although most TP-DXers have come to accept the fact that ocean cliffs do enhance transoceanic DX, the undeniable fact is that they also enhance transoceanic weather fronts. Rain and wind combined to make for an interesting session this morning, and sent most of the area's "sleeping squatters" into panicked departures back to Portland. Steady rain drenched everything in sight, temporarily knocking out two ICD-SX68 digital recorders. Everything else survived, although the session's DU-DXing results seemed somewhat "watered down." The Kiwi big guns sounded healthy as usual but the more obscure NZ stations (576, 585, 936 etc.) were missing in action. The most interesting frequency was 702, where the 10 kW Auckland station ran out of Magic in its fight with the Oz big gun 2BL after 1211. The Sydney powerhouse finally demonstrated why it is one of the prime DU targets in the Midwest, sending 702-Magic and its oldies into complete oblivion with awesome S9 peaks throughout the rest of sunrise enhancement. Its parallel 774-3LO was almost as strong, but suffered seriously from Seattle splatter. Besides these 783-Access Radio made its first decent appearance of the trip at 1241 with ethnic music and an unknown language (sounding very much like Samoan to me, someone who hears too much of 531-PI). 1008-Newstalk ZB also showed up with a fairly decent signal at 1220 // a stronger 1035, and 675-RNZ once again ruled over its 567 parallel (which has sounded like it's on emergency power all three days, after having demolished most of its signal along with its old tower). Overall the session was pretty modest for Rockwork 4, but it's very easy to get spoiled here. 675 RNZ Christchurch, NZ Interview program with Mideast refugee at good level // a weak 567 at 1248 https://app.box.com/s/ts9ra2pfcphx2blb6tmx8hmgg2jv2bk2 702 2BL Sydney, Australia Star of the soggy session with S9 ABC interview program // 774 obliterating Magic after 1211 https://app.box.com/s/f0qfop5x7ymw1gbyowg65obveuqjwf6m 702 Magic Auckland, NZ Oldies at good level at 1211 before being dispatched by the Oz big gun for the remainder of the session https://app.box.com/s/jnmxrvyezt5mzerm0qpu939hnyjgzjbt 738 Radio Polynesie Mahina, Tahiti Instrumental music at meltdown level at 1237; strongest DU of the session https://app.box.com/s/3vk2thq7d2t78gsgdrh86k0sz65dp19n 783 Access Radio Wellington, NZ Wellington's multi-cultural station at good level with apparent Samoan music and speech at 1241 https://app.box.com/s/yg4xp9r7er4hyul4jvcpsr5x747vqkf2 73 and Good DX, Gary DeBock (DXing at the Rockwork 4 ocean cliff near Manzanita, Oregon, USA) 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave Ultralight (3, all of them awesome performers in heavy rain) + 17" and 15" DXpedition FSL antennas Detailed photo of this morning's soggy setup posted at https://app.box.com/s/wys8fvd3neyk0ww3eo3xgt49klugah0g _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
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