Shortwave and HF Log For 25 March 2012

This whole weekend has been a mess for listening AND operating anywhere in the world due to a combination of factors, the worst of which happened to be a bunch of idiot contesters from 160 meters on up to daylight. Contesters are the lowest form of life taking up space on this planet, and just ONCE, it would be nice if someone would find some of these worthless band hogs and make their stations inoperable.

For those contesters who didn't get the memo on authorized band and frequency allocations, you MUST stay away from the WARC bands and you MUST stay IN the amateur bands, not where ever you feel like operating!!! Many of you contesters were heard on the HF Aviation bands, shortwave broadcast bands, and some of the braver souls even wandered well into certain portions of the FM spectrum well outside of the amateur FM bands including public safety frequencies!! Neither YOU nor your CLUB are going to points by being obnoxious and calling "CQ Contest" outside of the amateur bands or by stepping all over other operators simply because you are running at or beyond the full gallon and a half. 

The worst violators were in the following call areas:  9, 8, 4, 3, 2, and 1. 

Enough said! Now, on to the log:

2300 - 2334UTC: 6925Khz / A.M. Mode, Radio Ronan
During the broadcast, Radio Ronan said comments on the show to the HF Underground or the FRN Vine are acceptable, but said you can also e-mail them at radioronanshortwave@gmail.com. Ronan had a wonderful show today with lots of classic greats for his music selections.

0000UTC: 7200KHZ / USB (40 Meter Phone)
A couple of old men talking about things that would have been better left for a phone call instead of wasting spectrum. This is another issue the amateur radio community needs to work on. Amateur radio is not to be used for conversations you can easily have otherwise on the phone or in an e-mail. Our own regulations and our own code of conduct are very clear on that.

0015UTC  7223Khz / USB (40 Meter Phone)
Two guys talking about LOTW and the countries they have logged. LOTW sent both of these guys e-mails informing them that they had worked so many hundred countries but the LOTW numbers didn't match their logs.  Moral of this story...never trust a log that isn't hand written and verified by YOUR OWN records and then verified by a qualified DX Card Checker. Both of these guys eventually revealed that they are contesters....now we can connect the dots properly.

0027UTC 7235.50Khz / USB (40 Meter Phone)
DX ragchew between the UK and Canada. G4GCK/VE3 - Simon, with VE3KWM.

0035 to 0048: spun back through the frequencies to see what else was happening since this log started at 6925Khz. In short, nothing good was missed...just the usual religious hateful right wing broadcasters. 

0048 - 0145: Complete band sweep continued. Nothing of any interest.

Have a good night, everyone!

Low Solar Cycle Doesn't Mean No Propagation

Listening lately to the international broadcast bands & the amateur HF bands has served as a reminder that the bad band conditions resultant from a low solar cycle does not equal zero propagation. As of lately, most of the broadcast stations across the globe on just about any frequency have just been screaming in here at 20 over 9 or better. Just yesterday morning, China Radio International was almost 60 over 9...as far as most meters go on modern rigs.

During the JOTA weekend, VY1JA in the Yukon Territory was screaming in just over S9 or better depending on the time of transmission on 20 Meters. WWV has been a 20 or better, and we won't even talk about RHC or the religious stations, or tin hat conspiracy stations. They are always at least a bit over 20 or about 35 over S9. As this article is in production, listening to 5.070.00 with a conspiracy program focused on Obama, they are between 20 over S9 and 35 Over.

Time to spin the dial, see what else is out here. Harvest Radio on 6.916.00 is 40 to 45 over S9 but I assume them to be local. Mind you, the antenna being used is nothing special. Just a G5RV. Here's something interesting! 7.523.00 brings in a Polish station at almost 20 over S9. 15 over is the true reading for this station. 7.730.00 brings in a German Station also at 15 over S9, swinging to 20 over.

This evening, 75/80 meters and 40 meter SSB is very active with mostly the 4 call stations being heard well. Most readings on these operators are 5 by 9 to 20 over. See, bad band conditions aren't stopping anyone due to the low solar cycle!