Mount Evelyn DX Report

RETRO RECEIVER REVIEW # 4 Click each image to enlarge RACAL RA6790/GM by Craig Seager VK2HBT We all like to criticise our governments, and goodness knows they often deserve it. But DXers have for many years reaped some additional benefits courtesy of the instrumentalities that comprise our federal and state administrations.  You see, bodies such as the Department of Defence, DOC and the several coastal stations around the country used to buy some pretty decent HF radios, at prices well beyond what the average punter could afford.  Whether they were used to monitor vessels in distress, naval frigates or Cold War spooks, these were very well maintained high-end sets from manufacturers such as Rohde & Schwarz, Collins, Harris, Dansk Radio, Cubic – or the British company, Racal.   Happily, government bodies eventually “wash out” their disused or replaced equipment via surplus auctions, providing rich pickings for opportunistic enthusiasts, at ty...

WANTOK RADIO LIGHT RETURNS Plus Other Log Book Notes January 20, 2016 PAPUA NEW GUINEA - WANTOK RADIO LIGHT Over the past week or so, a few DXers around the world have noted the return of the low powered PNG station, Wantok Radio Light (WRL). Although listed as only a 1 kW transmitter into a non-directional antenna from its location in Port Moresby, it is quite amazing how this tiny station can be heard as far away as Japan, USA and Europe. I think it may have been Hiroyuki Komatsubara who was the first to note the return of WRL, quickly followed by Ron Howard in California, Mauno Ritola in Finland, Bryan Clark in New Zealand, and myself. Here's Ron's first notes on his reception: WRL Studio 7324.96, Wantok Radio Light (presumed). Thanks very much to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for the alert that WRL has reactivated after being off the air for some time now; Jan 10 with several openings with CRI off the air. 1257-1258 heard religious song; this opening i...

I'm delighted to welcome Mr Richard Cummings as a guest contributor to the Mount Evelyn DX Report. Mr Cummings is an expert  on Cold War Broadcasting  and the author of two highly regarded and researched books. His books are "Cold War Radio:  The Dangerous History of American Broadcasting in Europe, 1950–1989" and "Radio Free Europe's Crusade for Freedom: Rallying Americans behind Cold War Broadcasting, 1950-1960."  Mr Cummings also produces an excellent blog called Cold War Radio Broadcasting and More , which can be found at:  http://coldwarradios.blogspot.com Some months ago, I came across the article below about the early history of Radio Free Asia, which I found most interesting. Initially, it appeared on Mr Cummings' blog but has since been withdrawn. He generously accepted my request to reproduce it here for our MEDXR readers. The Original Radio Free Asia Incorporated March 12, 1951 by Richard Cummings On March 12,...

LATEST LOG BOOK NOTES January 11, 2016 Reception over the past 48 hours has been quite good on the low frequencies here at Mount Evelyn. 3255   SOUTH AFRICA. BBC - Meyerton . Quite a poor signal today at 1920 with some type of commentary program in English, the service is beamed to SAf, Jan 10. 3320   D.P.R.KOREA. Pyongyang BS - At 1925 with military songs, eventually marching itself to a sign off at 1930 after the local top-of-the-hour time pips. I could hear any signal from the South African Radio Sonder Grense after the Korean station had left the frequency, Jan 10. 3955   ENGLAND. R. Taiwan Int'l - Woofferton. German service with pop song programming at 1935, fair signal Jan 10. 3955   ENGLAND. KBS World Radio - Woofferton. S/on 2000 with German to WEu, fair signal on Jan 10. 3975   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria . At 1940 with the Rosary in Latin, beamed to SEu, good signal till s/off at 2000 on Jan 10. 4765   TAJIKISTAN. R....

STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK January 9, 2016 GUYANA Congratulations to Ron Howard (Asilomar State Beach, CA, USA) who has been lucky enough to hear the Voice of Guyana, Georgetown on consecutive days this past week. This low powered broadcaster returned to shortwave during 2015 and made a few appearances down here in Australia during our winter and spring. It's great to see the station is also monitored in other parts of the world, too. Here's Ron's description: 3290, Voice of Guyana , 0210-0350, Jan 5. Due to outstanding propagation, had much stronger reception than normal; very rare for me to have such well above threshold level audio; a special reception for me! Their local program of all EZL pop songs in English (Michael Jackson with "The Lady In My Life," "Heal The World," "The Girl is Mine" (along with Paul McCartney), Dionne  Warwick, et al. with "That's What Friends Are For,"  Barry Manilow with "I Made...