By Keith Hamer & Garry Smith

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[email protected]

JUNE RECEPTION

After a sluggish start, the Sporadic-E season was finally underway by the first week of June.

On the 9^th, we had the first reports of an analogue TV carrier on channel R3 (77.25MHz), captured by Chris Howles (Lichfield) and Tim Bucknall (Congleton). Chris noticed an R3 carrier again on the 11^th. So don’t throw those D-100 DX-TV converters away just yet!

In Épinal, France, Niels van der Linden and his sons have noticed very weak pictures on channel R1 (49.75MHz) on several days, usually between 0730 and 0830UTC.

On June 7^th at 1539 on R1, Christer Holm (Turku, Finland) received REN TV (Sfera TV) from Novopasskoye, Russia, at a distance of 1,742km. OIRT FM stations were also evident from the same area.

On the 25^th at 1010, TNT (TK Sit) was present on R2 (59.25MHz) from Boguchar at 1,635km. This transmitter is located approximately 300km north-north-east of Rostov-on-Don. Signals on R2 have been observed during other openings.

SIX-METRE RECEPTION

Kevin Hewitt (Gibraltar) reports that on June 10^th, transatlantic reception occurred with a six-metre opening (50MHz) via FT8 mode. On the 20^th, from the Rock, Kevin worked 13 Japanese stations and one from India.

Tony Mann (Perth, Australia) mentions a six-metre (50MHz) FT8 opening from Greece (SV1DH) which reached eastern Australia and New Zealand on June 21^st at around 0540UTC.

FM REPORTS

On June 2^nd, between 1020 and 1715, Tim Bucknall (Congleton) identified Albania, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. At around 1700, Stephen Michie (Bristol) captured Radio Laghouat (RDS: R. LAGHT) from Aflou, Algeria, on 87.60MHz, Radio Italia on 87.50MHz from Ercolano, and HRT HR1 on 87.70MHz from Licka Plješivica, Croatia.

An opening lasting over three hours occurred on the 3^rd (from 1608) when Chris Howles (Lichfield) logged Algeria, Spain, Andorra, France, Italy and Albania. The 6^th produced Algeria, Spain, Morocco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. Turkey was received at 1645 on 87.50MHz and identified as Türkiye Polis Radyosu from Nusratli at 2,554km which is located in the region of Tekirdağ. Another Turkish station logged at 1704 on 87.80MHz was a Spor Radyo, Bergama TV from Sindel Köyü, a distance of 2,678km.

On the same day, Stephen Michie heard Spain (RNE Radio Clásica) 87.60MHz, Czech Republic 87.50MHz and Poland 87.60MHz. On the 12^th, Algeria (Chaîne 3) from Kef El Akhal on 87.60MHz and an unidentified Italian station occupying 88.00MHz were received.

Here in Derby, on the 7^th from 0730, there were various short-lived stations constantly emerging on 87.50 and 87.60 MHz. Later, an unidentified Eastern European station was present on 87.60MHz and later, RAI Radio 1 from Rocca di Papa, Italy. Just before midday, HRT HR1 (Croatia) was heard at high strength on 87.70MHz from Licka Plješivica and Radicale on 88.10MHz from Monte Argentario, Italy. At 1205, on 87.50MHz, Radio Italia (Ercolano) was present. Between 1156 and 1218, Tim heard stations in Italy and Montenegro, the latter on 94.90MHz, logged tentatively as Radio Crne Gore 1 from Lovcen.

Chris noted increased FM activity which included Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Greece, and Croatia. The opening was first noticed at around 0700 and lasted well into the afternoon.

Simon Hockenhull (Bristol) experienced an excellent opening which occurred during the afternoon of June 11^th and lasted for around two hours. Loggings included Italy (R. Italio, Ercolano) on 87.50MHz and unidentified Italian stations on 88.60, 88.70, 89.50, 89.60 and 91.20 MHz.

R. Maximm, a Ukrainian station, was logged on 88.70MHz, and Poland (Polski Radio) on 87.60MHz. The Croatian network HRT-HR1 was heard on 88.30, 88.90, 89.70 and 93.30 MHz, HRT-05 on 102.00MHz and 102.80MHz, and HRT-HR2 on 106.80MHz. Also from that area was Serbia (RTS RB 1) on 92.50, 94.50 and 95.30 MHz while Bosnia & Herzegovina (BH RADIO) was identified on 97.00MHz. From the south, Spain (SER) surfaced on 100.30MHz.

Between 1644 and 1710, Simon heard several OIRT FM stations on 66.10, 66.24 66.45, 66.95, 67.60, 67.70 and 68.25 MHz.

Simon mentions that some east Canadian FM stations were received by DX-ers over the weekend of June 11^th and 12^th. Equipment used includes a Grundig Satellite 700 and Alinco DX 10 hand-held scanner, both using built-in telescopic aerials.

The 26^th was extremely productive with the band active for much of the day. Entries from Chris Howles include Algeria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Finland, Estonia and Sweden.

TROPO FM

On June 3^rd, at around 0745, Iain Menzies (Aberdeen) encountered tropospheric reception of DAB signals from Norway (12D P4 NORGE and 13F NRK P1) and The Netherlands (12C NPO2). Apparently, DAB reception was far better than FM.

At 2155, Chris Howles heard a couple of Dutch stations including  87.70MHz Radio 10 from Lelystad, and 101.2MHz Sky Radio from Hilversum. These were present the following morning at 0558 in addition to Omroep Zeeland on 87.90MHz (Goes) and NDR2 on 87.6MHz from Hamburg. Dutch (Hoogersmilde and Goes) and German (Hamburg and Aurich) transmitters also emerged during the evening.

QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE

Kevin Hewitt (Gibraltar) tells us that GBC added a crown to their normal channel identification to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Queen’s Birthday Parade was held on June 9^th at Casemates. GBC television aired the event ‘live’.

STAY TUNED!

Our thanks to all our readers and DX colleagues who have submitted information and reception reports this month.

Please send DX-TV and FM reception reports, photographs and equipment details to us via the E-mail addresses shown at the top of this column by the end of the month.