February 2022 Reception Reports

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FEBRUARY RECEPTION

The first three months of the year can be quiet and irritatingly bland in terms of DX reception, or rather the lack of it. Usually, it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Sporadic-E Reception

Sporadic-E activity materialised on February 20^th, 2022, and at 1314, an OIRT FM signal on 73.73MHz was identified by Chris Howles (Lichfield) as Radio Mariya v Ukraini, from Kul'chiyivtsi, Ukraine. This was identified from the webstream. The reception distance was 2,047km. Chris comments that due to the war in Ukraine, it could be the last time that this transmitter is received.

Tropospheric FM Reception

A tropospheric lift on the 2^nd treated Chris to a selection of French transmitters logged between 1533 and 2256. These included mid and west coastal locations such as Toulouse, Brest, Rennes, Pathenay, Le Mans, Carcassonne, Laval, Nantes, Alençon, Guéret, Niort, Ussel-Meymac/M. Bessou, Bordeaux  Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges and Vannes.

Tropospheric TV Reception

Gösta van der Linden (Rotterdam) advises that Swedish tropo DX at 557km was received in Denmark on the 23^rd. SVT-1 on channel D23 (Nät MUX1) was visible between 0735 and 0900 UTC from the Nacka-Stockholm transmitter (200kW ERP).

On the 28^th, Finnish multiplexes on D25 and D28 (both Sund at 30kW ERP) were decoded at a distance of 671km.

Norwegian transmitters were also decoded at over 400km. These included Skien D24 (MUX 4), Halden D42 (MUX 2) and D38 (MUX 4), Lyngdal D25 (MUX 1) and D32 (MUX 4), and Greipstad D36 (MUX 4).

Holiday DX-ing

Dave Hughes (Paris) was again on his travels in search of remaining exotic analogue TV signals. He flew to Deshaies, Guadeloupe. Unfortunately, the gîte location is far from ideal for DX-ing as it is located in the middle of a tropical jungle with only views of trees and vegetation.

Dave went armed with a three-element Band I aerial, Malachite SDR receiver, 6m TGN amplifier, D-100 USA model (120V), 1970's Panasonic TR5030 TV, plus a TGN filter for cancelling out any RF noise. On some holidays, hotel MATV systems can be an irritating source of interference but this time, despite the location, he hopes to leave with some successful results.

Some channel A2 (System M) carriers have been observed during the evenings on 55.259MHz, 55.243MHz and 55.250MHz, their origins are currently unknown. The latter offset was detected on the evening of the 17^th with Spanish sound. The signal peaked just after midnight before disappearing. Chile is thought to be the likely candidate due to the skip-distance involved with TEP (transequatorial propagation). Venezuela is possibly too close for reception via TEP.

A couple of years ago, Dave identified A2 Venezuela in Brittany, France, but only as a very weak USB vision carrier.

Apparently, Brazil is operating FM transmissions below the normal band. Recife has a transmitter on 76.1MHz which Dave considers a potential DX-ing target.

Stay Tuned!

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 at the latest.

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

CAPTIONS TO PHOTOGRAPHS

Fig 1: Swedish 1^st network graphics.

Photo: Gösta van der Linden (Rotterdam).

Fig 2: Swedish SVT-1 weather presentation.

Photo: Gösta van der Linden (Rotterdam).

Fig 3: Band I aerial awaiting signals.

Photo: Dave Hughes (Paris).

Fig 4: A selection of gear, including a D-100 DX-TV Converter,

USA 110/120V.

Photo: Dave Hughes (Paris).

Fig 5: Unidentified carrier received on 55.259MHz.

Photo: Dave Hughes (Paris).

Fig 6: A different DX-ing experience!

Photo: Dave Hughes (Paris).