171KHZ / Morocco very strong tonight

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WB9LUR

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Starting at 0100 GMT - I could hear Morocco on 171 KHZ long wave with good usable audio tonight (in AM mode) much stronger than any other recent time here in Florida.

Usually I check their frequency in SSB mode and get a carrier - zero beat and listen for any audio - usually very weak or non-existent but tonight there a easily listenable in AM mode.

By 0200 Zulu they were even stronger and armchair copy - in nearly 50 years to listening on the bands this is the best LW opening I've ever personally heard - if you have a LW radio - I hope you check it out!


0227 starting to fade - hope it's just temporary - will keep listening...

Randy
WB9LUR
 

pjxii

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North Africa on Longwave

I'm also in Florida and both Algeria on 252 kHz and Medi 1 on 171 kHz were coming in well last week. I've been too busy lately but now I'm on vacation for a bit so I'll see how things are holding up.
 

spongella

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Great catches, have to see if any are coming into the East Coast. LF is an interesting band.

Have been hearing a few hams in QSO using CW around 472 kHz, mostly W4's.
 

pjxii

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Medi 1 Strong Again Tonight

171 kHz on 30 January 2018 @ 0500 UTC. Great music then news in Arabic at top of hour. Loud and clear here on the Florida Gulf Coast. This is becoming my favorite station. Algeria on 252 kHz also coming in now but not as clear (weaker and NDB interference).
 

majoco

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0700UTC/1800local looks like a good time for a gray line propagation - just brushing the Morocco coastline and right through here - I'll give it a try tonight! :)
 

majoco

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Yes, there was a carrier on 171kHz but no audio modulation as far as I could tell - this was on my Debeg 7313 which has a good VLF front end. This was at 1830local/0730UTC - when I tried again at 2000local/1900UTC there was nothing on 171kHz bu there was a carrier on 198kHz - Auntie BBC.
Tomorrow I'll get more organised and get the G33DDC well warmed up at 1730local and have a browse down in the mud!
Very warm here today, over 32degsC in the back yard, that's about 90F - very unusual for here - and tonight we're looking for the blood red blue moon - first time in umpteen years!
 

majoco

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As above - definitely a good carrier tonight 7th Feb 18 local and some muffled voice on 171kHz and what sounded like music on Auntie BBC on 198kHz - this is at just past 0700 UTC/2000 local. Strangely a carrier on 189kHz which it says should be from Iceland also on the grey line - it's just getting dark here - if that's a true signal then - wow! Another carrier on 162 that I can't identify - may be a local NDB but it does match the 9kHz band plan - Alloius is long gone.
 
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majoco

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Ah - I see - Allouis is still transmitting a time signal but on reduced power - more testing required..... :)
 

Boombox

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What kind of antenna you using on Longwave, Majoco?

I hope someday I can hear a LW broadcast before they all go off the air.
 

majoco

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Just a 45ft long wire with a 9:1 unun at the top about 20ft up.
Heard my 'test' station last night quite late - Port MacQuarie NDB in Australia near Newcastle on 395kHz - 1410 miles - about 2330 local 1030 UTC - so conditons on LF and defo improving.
 
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