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Gary,
Congrats on your amazing DX catches and awesome recordings from the Cook
Islands!
73,
Craig Barnes
Back in the no TP zone - Wheat Ridge, CO
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 4, 2018, at 3:20 AM, Gary DeBock <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Chasing DX from the center of Polynesia was an ideal chance to track down
> exotic DU island stations that rarely, if ever, show up on the west coast of
> North America. From my location on the Aitutaki lagoon beach (in the Cook
> Island group, 2600 miles due south of Hawaii) obscure stations like 630-Cook
> Islands and 990-Fiji Gold were pounding in at S9 levels every evening, while
> other exotic island stations were the strongest ones on the MW band.
> Phenomenal ocean beach propagation was routine-- except that the North
> American pest stations (that TP-DXers love to hate) never managed even a
> whimper.
>
> Close-in DU propagation was so favorable that only the 7.5 inch loopstick CC
> Skywave SSB Ultralight was necessary to track down most of these exotic
> stations at S9 levels, and make all the MP3 recordings linked below. The
> vacation was also an ideal chance to investigate and record what is possibly
> the most obscure MW-DX station still transmitting in the Pacific-- 630-Radio
> Cook Islands, with an underperforming 2.5 kW transmitter in Rarotonga.
> Overall the entire experience was a real thrill for a west coast DXer who
> rarely hears these stations, let alone at such powerful levels.
>
>
> 540 2AP Apia, Samoa, 5 kW Located only 866 miles (1,394 km) from my
> DXing site, this was always an S9 powerhouse every evening. Samoan island
> music was common, along with male and female Samoan speech. The station does
> have some issues with the transmitted signal cutting out, an intermittent
> microphone and (occasionally) the announcer allowing 30 seconds of dead time
> after a song, as in the third MP3 below.
>
> Male Samoan speech, background music and advertisement at 0718 on 4-9
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vfsisz3n9gx6869eejbh116y3dwnrn20
>
> Samoan news (with mentions of Samoa at the 1 second and 9 second points) at
> 0702 on 4-9 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/3y9puecegkb6ikgppv9s8coxgq23ifam
>
> Beautiful Samoan island music at 0716 on 4-9, followed by 28 seconds of dead
> time. When programming resumes with an advertisement the transmitter (or
> microphone) cuts out twice within 30 seconds, with the microphone apparently
> having an intermittent low output issue
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/akv3p4ds5rnz0kcta1k4rixnht5c3hqf
>
> 558 Radio Fiji One Suva, Fiji, 5 kW Both this native language station
> and its English-oriented sister station on 990 were solid powerhouses each
> evening, as well as during sunrise enhancement sessions. S9 signals were the
> norm, and a wide variety of local island music was the usual format.
>
> Typical Fiji island music on the station's overnight program at 1605 on 4-9
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/iui5tnz71kfie3mtznaiey0taowcf0b3
>
> Island music and the usual ID, "Radio Fiji One, Na Domoiviti" at the 24
> second point of this recording at 1622 on 4-10
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/iui5tnz71kfie3mtznaiey0taowcf0b3
>
> Apparent storm coverage of Tropical Cyclone Keni at 0718 on 4-9; the cyclone
> caused extensive damage on Fiji
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/hj0vi3yc9zut8pll2vs8kgtyc6cu6i81
>
> 621 Radio Tuvalu Funafuti, Tuvalu, 5 kW Usually very strong but
> occasionally pestered by 3RN QRM, this exotic island station typically hit an
> S9 level about an hour after local sunset. A lot of island music is played by
> the usual female announcer, featured in this recording in her native language
> at 0720 on 4-12
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ht4fhwj9htzcrtmuby6930664yc9uj56
>
> 630 Radio Cook Islands Rarotonga, Cook islands, 2.5 kW Located 164 miles
> (264 km) south of my DXing site, it was pretty obvious why this obscure
> station is so tough for distant DXers to track down. After sunset it had
> multiple strong co-channels on the frequency (RNZ and ABC), and even just
> after its sign on at 1556 the 5+1 pips from RNZ were clearly audible at 1600.
> The station has multiple issues, with a disastrous live microphone, audio
> amplitude varying widely between different programs, noticeable audio hum on
> the signal, etc. It signs on at 1556 and signs off at 0958, unless there is a
> weather emergency in the area (as there was with tropical cyclone Keni on
> April 9), in which case it switches to an RNZ satellite feed overnight until
> sign on at 1556 (thanks to Bryan Clark for ID of the station). The station is
> obviously a low budget operation, with no special sign on or sign off
> message, automated time mentions, and (typically) strings of recorded island
> music with
> no live announcer. The only live announcers I heard during the week were
> during a Sunday morning recorded church service on April 8, and just after
> sign on (with the dreadful microphone) on April 12th.
>
> Here is the full sign on routine at 1556 UTC on April 12, with the horns,
> apparent national anthem, English ID, drums, and finally the live female
> announcer with the dreadful microphone (cutting off almost all the high
> frequencies, resulting in legendary poor audio). The weakness of the signal
> at 1600 allows the 5+1 time pips from RNZ to be clearly heard at the 4:30
> point in the recording
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/xqonh9iz57w22ebzxwz42krugu3rvykx
>
> This recording of a church service at 1724 on April 8 was the only one I made
> on Rarotonga, the site of the transmitter. It features a live male announcer
> at 1:10 into the recording with an English "It's 7:25, that's your time with
> your National Voice" ID. At 1:44 into the recording one of the station's
> major issues is on full display-- the sudden amplitude increase of the
> transmitted audio
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/rfe2u3m3px4xmossujtxilzw8vlk3jtg
>
> During most hours of the day the station runs a fully automated operation,
> with strings of recorded island music interspersed with recorded male-voiced
> station ID's and female-voiced time checks, as at 0706 on 4-9
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/oegfjznhbgw0evy9xuzqbu428xd31l4y
>
> There is no special sign off message at 0958 (2358 local time), when the
> power is cut. There is a recorded station ID and time check at 0957, though,
> as in this recording at 0956 on April 9th. The weakness of the station around
> local midnight can be heard, with a strong co-channel pestering the signal
> before the unceremonious switch to the RNZ satellite feed at 0959, This was
> due to the tropical cyclone Keni weather emergency in the South Pacific area
> on April 9th; on normal days the transmitter power is simply cut off at 0958
> (2358 local time), with no warning or fanfare
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/bqwt5lm0ezhdyqayqkfjj8j8fbirysar
>
> 846 Radio Kiribati Christmas Island, Kiribati, 10 kW Not quite as strong
> on Aitutaki as it was in Kona, Hawaii last December, this station was one of
> the first to fade in at sunset, but was pestered by ANZ co-channels later in
> the evening. It has apparently corrected the transmitter cutout issues
> noticed last December, and features an open carrier overnight after sign off
> around 1006. The time delay with its 1440 parallel wasn't checked during this
> trip (mainly because both of these Kiribati stations had trouble holding
> their frequencies), but in December it was very unpredictable. Since the 846
> transmitter apparently doesn't sign on until it gets the programming from
> 1440 in Tarawa (significantly to the west), 846-Kiribati was silent during my
> sunrise DXing sessions in the Cooks from 1600-1700, although the semi-local
> 630-RCI (at approximately the same longitude) signs on at 1556.
>
> The best time to receive the station was around local sunset, before the ANZ
> co-channels showed up. Here it was at 0650 on 4-9, playing some American
> country music (a format which seems very common on the playlist)
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/e965m3zcy13t3auije44zn344x5q8fw9
>
> Later on in the evening it was pestered by multiple ANZ co-channels, as
> demonstrated when the loopstick bearing is shifted at the 16 second point in
> this recording at 0834 on 4-10
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/f6kd11wrj2lunrcjzlss1nnnr9i8v39m
>
> 900 Radio Fiji Two (Fiji Gold) Suva, Fiji, 10 kW The English-language
> sister station to the native language 558-RF1, this interesting station plays
> classic pop hits, and is a favorite with expats and NZ listeners alike. Very
> tough to receive on the west coast because of its "domestic" frequency and
> the 5 kW Hawaii co-channel KIKI, its signal had no trouble pounding in to the
> Cooks at an S9 level each evening, although the 1 kW Kiwi co-channel TAB
> Trackside did attempt to make it somewhat of a horse race at times. Because
> of Tropical Cyclone Keni there was extensive weather coverage on the station
> during my visit, which is reflected in all of the MP3's linked below.
>
> Oldies music and tropical cyclone weather update at 0712 on 4-10, after the
> storm had just passed trough the center of Fijian waters
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/b5may3rbr5kuuwbus18lr4hala57x1vb
>
> Oldies music, local advertisements and Fiji news at 0700 on 4-12, including
> the President's warning against corruption in repair construction contracts
> after the tropical cyclone
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/rs70dcbhco94arepnnv6othl3b5z27hw
>
> Long version of the first MP3, as co-channel TAB Trackside (1 kW in Nelson,
> NZ) tries to make it a horse race with Fiji Gold at 0710 on 4-10, but folds
> in the clutch to Melissa Etheridge
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/devsen4lrp2pul0m92m0r638yb6yj79i
>
> 1017 A3Z (Tonga B.C.) Nuku'alofa, Tonga, 10 kW Much stronger in the
> Cooks than in Hawaii, this station was only 1,014 miles (1,632 km) from my
> DXing site on Aitutaki. Coverage of Tropical Cyclone Keni dominated the
> programming, which featured both English and native language updates on the
> storm. Despite the station's S9 strength it was easily nulled out with the
> Ultralight's loopstick, bringing in the 2.5 kW Radio Sport co-channel in
> Christchurch (as demonstrated at 1:23 into the first video linked below).
>
> In a Tropical cyclone update in English and Tongan languages at 0712 on 4-9,
> Radio Tonga is nulled out by the Ultralight's loopstick at various points,
> bringing in the Kiwi co-channel Radio Sport (2.5 kW) at an equal S9 level
> around the 4 minute point
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/h4hbmh1ro3xydm0h6g4tlfkwxfqp3mjd
>
> Tongan island music at S9 level at 1607 on 4-11, but with Yankee-accented
> Radio Sport (relaying Fox Sports Network) and another DU English co-channel
> (2KY?) https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/3771cas3q9mdqvsn8phy2c96esghlchi
>
> 1098 V7AB (Radio Marshalls) Majuro, Marshall Islands, 25 kW Not nearly
> as strong as in Hawaii, this was another island station easily nulled out
> with the Ultralight's loopstick to bring in an S9 Kiwi co-channel (Newstalk
> ZB). It was strongest prior to sunset in NZ, but couldn't hold the frequency
> after that unless the Kiwi station was nulled out (as demonstrated in the MP3
> linked below).
>
> Radio Marshalls and Newstalk ZB fight it out at 0724 on 4-9, with the island
> station holding the frequency as long as the loopstick favors it (and getting
> plastered otherwise)
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/32p2a8stc0ci9m1f7cyrmxfkkpa9rhk8
>
> Radio Marshalls plays some beautiful music, which made for enjoyable
> listening as long as Newstalk ZB was nulled out (as at 0746 on 4-10)
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/3f589i8odtcu98ky45agyz4gqex29qzg
>
> 1440 Radio Kiribati Bairiki, Tarawa, 10 kW Reasonably strong on most
> nights in the Cooks, although occasionally (and amazingly) troubled by the
> flea-powered (200w) Kiwi co-channel Te Reo O Tauranga Moana. Having a
> variable-delay parallel arrangement with its 846 kHz sister station on
> Christmas Island, all of the programming originates from this station. The
> music format features a lot of Kiribati island tunes, along with a surprising
> amount of American country music.
>
> Radio Kiribati with the usual female and male announcers at typical strength
> at 0708 on 4-9 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/bwsm9wdte9qap0anqw3wt8rgtsg9d9j0
>
> One of the distinctive ways to identify the station is the 4-bong time signal
> on the half hour, as at the 13 second point in this recording at 0730 on 4-10
> (with the male announcer)
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/0jdxn3mm3v1da9a659nvyvd47ek7qryo
>
> The usual female announcer has a strong signal until around 51 seconds into
> this recording at 0805 on 4-11, when the 200w Kiwi co-channel Te Reo O
> Tauranga Moana provides some serious competition in Maori (thanks to Theo for
> language identification)
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/f9m9z6aqpacsolti5l3eevgsq72dnabo
>
> 73 and Good DX,
>
> Gary DeBock (DXing in Aitutaki, Cook Islands from April 8-13, 2018)
>
> All receptions made on the 7.5" loopstick C.Crane Skywave SSB Ultralight
> https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/oephl2ru7ejk31saxdq2tijqx9db0ros
>
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