Author Archives: admin

Carcacassonne Antennas

Here are some pictures of the antennas in use here.

First up here’s the Triax FM5s,  HS Pubs Band I/II and III, Tonna, satellite 2m/70cm, 23cm, DAB antenna for 250 Mhz sats, Diamond V2000 and the Cushcraft R8 40-10m vertical.IMG_0814

Here’s a couple of pictures of the 40/80m Inverted V (25m legs) with apex on a 12m Spiderbeam:

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It’s been nice and sunny today but clouding over now in late afternoon – snow capped Pyrenees look fantastic – Mont St Barthelemy and Pic Soularic:

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and snow capped Canigou visible from the QTH in Catalunya del Nord – modern day French department of Pyrenees Orientales – Catalan border is the other side of Canigou. Canigou is a sacred mountain to the Catalan nation.

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Tropo Enhancement in Carcassonne

Some excellent tropo enhancement in Carcassonne yesterday with 19 Catalan stations making it across the Pyrenees. Logs can be seen here:

http://www.fmlist.org/fm_logmap.php?datum=2014-02-07&omid=3154&band=ALL&target=ALL

I performed the Konrad mod on the Sony XDR I have out here and it is a superb performer with a horizontal Triax FM5 in the clear beaming 150 degrees. I also have a vertical FM5 available at the press of a button – 101.6 MHz in Horizontal brings in France Bleu Roussillon while switching to vertical you have RTL. Interesting to note the over-rated Hepburn maps showed no signs of tropo  for this area – http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_eur.html

Excellent NA/LA MF Conditions

After several months of poor conditions this morning saw some excellent signal strengths from both North American and Latin American stations. A new one for me was HJLI Radio Libertad from Bogota Colombia on 1520 kHz:

I was astounded to read in the February 2014 issue of Radio User magazine that the editor states in 50 years of trying he has yet to hear a North American MF station on medium wave. I am speechless – he lives near the south coast of England. Does he not known how to erect a flag antenna or even point a loop antenna at 300 degrees? Even in last few months when conditions have been poor 1010, 1130, 1390 and 1510 kHz have all been audible here in London virtually every night and early morning.

I really think he should be reflecting on whether he is the right person to edit a national radio listening magazine….