HCJB to USA on 9915 KHz

[HC7AW]

Hi all,

Tonight HCJB is starting some DRM tests to the USA on 9915 KHz. The time is 0100 UTC to 0400 UTC (20:00 to 23:00 EST). The antenna is aimed at 355 degrees from Quito or roughly at Chicago, IL. We are using just a 4 KW tranmitter.

Please let us know how well you are receiving us.

Thanks,

Doug

[KB0VE]

Not too bad considering 4KW and cycle 23 minimum. I couldn't even get WWV @ 10Mhz in Ballwin, MO tonight! Had to drop down to 5Mhz. I'll try again tomorrow.

Regards,
Dale (kb0ve)

[KB7GF]

Hi Doug,

Pretty good reception here in the Northwest with my loop outside. Enjoyed especially the last 30 minutes with solid copy. We lost about 10 dB when you moved the beam to the EU target at 0400.

73

Mark

[KB0VE]

Very poor conditions with moderate to heavy precip from the Gulf coast to the upper midwest both yesterday and today. S6 signal with lots of QRN. Good data copy but no audio.

[Brendan1]

For comparison purposes only: not very good here in Tucson. Thought I'd do this just to see if I could get anything useful: good idea, bad results. :(

[KB7GF]

Not as good tonight here either. Had ~ one hour where the audio was listenable. The average SNR over the three hours was 12.3 dB.

73

Mark

[Digger]

Hi, HCJB is struggling with BBC here just now, just after 0500 UTC... :mad: Well, not only struggling with the Beeb, now at 0507 UTC there is a data churner 4 kHz down as well... Grrr...

[Digger]

Dare I put the two "logs" here?

[KB7GF]

Better tonight, even though we are not in the direct target zone. At least one hour of decoding here in the Northwest USA with 20 dB max SNR and 14.4 dB avg. SNR.

73'

Mark

[KB0VE]

Audio all over the map.

[KB0VE]

Its all downhill from here!

[HC7AW]

Hi all,

We are going to change our frequency to 9815 KHz after tonight. We needed to change our European frequency and because of some transmitter issues it also requires that we change our North American frequency to the same frequency. I hope that you can follow us to 9815 KHz and continue to send us the reception reports.

Thanks,

Doug

[KB7GF]

I tuned in late tonight, and only caught the last 3/4 hour, but overall good reception tonight in the Northwest. The dip at 03:20 UTC was my error - the loop was precariously positioned on a plastic chair outside, and a gust of wind caught it and blew it to the ground - I returned it to its position and was able to enjoy the broadcast until you turned the beam to the EU.

[KB0VE]

Did not observe any DRM signal on 9815kHz. Tuned 9915kHz and there you were again, but way down in the noise. Are you now directing your test signal NW, N, or NE? I wonder if your 4KW signal is entertaining some North Atlantic fish?

[feinstei]

Excellent reception here in Detroit, MI on 9915 on 11-May-2007 at 0200 UTC. No dropouts, pretty excellent fidelity. It's really nice to hear HCJB's shortwave programming again -- takes me back to my youth in the 1970's when I would listen to HCJB constantly on an old Hallicrafter's shortwave. Would keeping this 4 KW transmitter going in English (past the test end-date) cost HCJB an excessive amount of money?

Here's my log file:

[HC7AW]

Hi all,

Sorry we missed the change in frequency last night. It will happen tonight so look for us on 9815 KHz starting tonight.

Sorry about the confusion.

Doug

[KB7GF]

The signal looked good last night on 9870 in the Northwest USA until about 05:30 UTC.

73'

Mark

[Alan Johnson]

English was extended to past 0500 UTC. Not bad for being off the beam and only four KW. Remember that the max frame rate should be 750, not 1500.:D

[feinstei]

Superb reception of a superb station into Detroit, MI USA starting at 0100 UTC on 13-May-2007 on 9815 kHz. Equipment used was TenTec RX-350, Butternut 80/40 vertical, DRM Software Radio.

Program was a great survey of Ecuadorian music -- just like the grand old days of HCJB. The program was even identified as coming from the "Voice of the Andes"!!!!

Please make this a regular broadcast Only 4 kW and it covers Eastern North America beautifully with uplifting and classic programming that I thought was lost to radio.

Fred E.
N8UC -- Oak Park, MI

[feinstei]

Although it's nice hearing the moniker "The Voice of the Andes" again when ID'ing the station, it's a little stupid when the frequency is announced as "9595 kHz". Please fix the frequency announcement!!!

Fred E.
N8UC -- Oak Park, MI USA

[KB7GF]

A little better than average reception for me tonight on the West Coast (off-beam) during the last hour. I left the log on for another hour and captured the EU beam (which shaved an additional 6dB off of an already marginal signal).

73,

Mark

[KB7GF]

Good results today in the Pacific Northwest.

73,

Mark

[KB7GF]

Average results here in the Pacific Northwest for the first hour of transmission.

73,

Mark