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New longwave loop antenna and NDB loggings

J

jim-satx

Last week my 14” passive 150-450 kHz antenna arrived from PK’s Loop Antennas. I’ve been using it with my Sony ICF-2010, and it seems to increase gain on the LW band even more than a Terk loop does on AM.

NDBs that I’ve only heard very weakly are often significantly stronger with the loop, and I’ve logged four new ones since Friday: 230 BNZ - Abbeville, LA (391 miles); 242 EL - El Paso, TX (485 miles); 253 OC - Nacogdoches, TX (267 miles); and 198 DIW - Dixon, NC (1,285 miles)

Looking forward to taking the antenna and radio outside and away from the RFI for even better reception.
 
Jim,
Those are outstanding results.

Try using your Q-Stick with the loop for some enhanced listening.

Here is a link to a 630 meter site...it is good for seeing what current
LW band conditions are doing for optimum DX:

http://njdtechnologies.net/category/630-meters/

BTW DIW198 is just a "little" east of BBC Droitwich Radio4 on the same frequency,
just saying.<g>
 
If he won't say it,then I will:

Congratulations to Jim for logging France Inter (162 khz) on his new PK Loop and
Sony 7600GR last night from Texas...that's over 5,000 miles!

Excellent work,Jim.
 
rtc said:
If he won't say it,then I will:

Congratulations to Jim for logging France Inter (162 khz) on his new PK Loop and
Sony 7600GR last night from Texas...that's over 5,000 miles!

Excellent work,Jim.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm still buzzing about the logging. 5,221 miles!

As I mentioned to Ron earlier today, I caught France Inter about 20 minutes after sunset yesterday in a small nearby park that is RFI-free.

I was hearing something very faint on 162, which I thought might be intermod. However, the signal grew slightly stronger, and I could hear a song. Thinking it might be France Inter, I checked the station's web stream on my phone. Sure enough, it was playing the very same tune - "Little Sparrow" by Leyla McCalla. After the song there was French talk and then the station slowly faded out.

The recording is still on my Olympus, but I'll post it soon.

Thanks again for your helpful advice, Ron. I will be trying for other European LW broadcasters, in addition to more new NDBs, this DXing season.
 
Last edited:
France-Inter-Radio.logo_.jpg
...is scheduled to close down their longwave operation at the end of this year,
marking seventy full years of operation.
 
Update summary on LW and MW band conditions:

This session was different from the previous session but not necessarily poor.
Even higher latitudes enjoyed some nice openings including a trans-Atlantic report
and more Alaska to Japan.
Band conditions were quiet and activity was high as many stations were probably
trying to seek refuge from the CQ World Wide CW contest occurring this weekend on HF.

While the previous session showed significant enhancements with North / South paths,
East / West paths are beginning to return to pre-storm form.

Geomagnetic conditions are currently at elevated-quiet levels.

http://njdtechnologies.net/112616/

List of current Longwave BC stations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwave#List_of_stations_currently_operating

List of Longwave BC stations that are defunct or inactive:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwave#List_of_stations_that_have_closed_or_are_otherwise_inactive
 
Last edited:
jim-satx said:
Thanks. I caught it just in the nick of time.

Are any other LW broadcasters scheduled to go silent in the near future?
Click to expand...

I hadn't been to Europe for five years until my trip to Italy (near Florence) this past June. After more than a decade of going across the pond once or twice a year, it was obvious that on LW, the herd had thinned considerably. But there were still a few big signals out there, with 162 being one of the biggest. Actually, during the daytime, there was more to hear on LW than MW (AM). As I posted at the time, just about all "standard" broadcasting in Italy has migrated to FM. Legally or otherwise, as David explained.
 
It sure has been. Using a WebSDR in Weiser, ID, I have logged loads of distant NDBs lately. About 2AM MT on 1/1, I heard 25w BBD-380 Brady, TX. This is 1,319 miles. Also heard several Alberta beacons, FS-375 Fort Simpson, NWT, and a DGPS beacon in Mississippi! DDP-391 has been the farthest so far, from Puerto Rico - have also heard two NC NDBs and one from Quebec.
 
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