I was wondering what the best times for listening to the tropical bands
are. I'm hoping to catch Latin American stns and maybe some Africans. I
looked at a list of Latin American SW stations and a lot of them
broadcast from say 0700-1300 and then 2100-0200. The earlier slot is the
middle of the night here in California, so that's out. I was wondering
if afternoon thunderstorms make the later slot useless for DX.

Winter time is better.

Warpcore wrote:

I live in Washington state and often get up 4am or even earlier, and once in
a while do hear latin american stations, but mainly the far east at that
hour. Evenings the europeans are evident and some latin americans. Nigeria,
Egypt, Benin, Congo, South Africa sometimes are audible here, and not just
after dark.

I used to get up around 7am and I mostly heard Asian stations at that
time, Chinese domestics and lots of Radio Free Asia, because the signal
path from East Asia to the US Pacific Coast is mostly in darkness then.
I know that I've heard African relay stations such as VOA's Sao Tome
transmitter around 11am-noon Pacific time. In the evenings local time
the only thing to be heard is broadcasts aimed at NAm because most of
the rest of the world is asleep then. I do hear some Asian and
Mideastern domestics sign on after 0300 UTC (8pm) especially the Saudis
on 15170. But I hadn't been hearing any Latinos, and this was around
April before I had to put listening on hold for a while.

I heard what apparently was Nigeria a couple days ago but the tx seemed
to be jammed. Any idea who might be doing it?

"tommyknocker" wrote in message
...

I was wondering what the best times for listening to the tropical bands
are.

Winter?


Craig, WPE1HNS
Meredith, NH USA

Drake R8B/Alpha Delta DX Sloper
Sony SW-77
Sony ICF-2010
2 x Phillips/Magnavox D2935
Uniden CR-2021
Knight Kit Star Roamer (permanently tuned to Turkey on 9460)
GE Superadio II/Select-A-Tenna
Delphi Ski-Fi XM/3" Antennae

Tuning since 1963

Winter is far better. Not only the static but the early sunsets here.
Starting in the late afternoon around 2100 to 2300 you will start to hear the
west Africans. Then they will sign off about 0000 because that it usually their
midnight. But in that time frame you can hear many of the western african
countries. Anytime starting in the late afternoon you can hear latin america.
And many of them will sign off at their midnight and some stay on all night.
You can log many south amercans during the winter evenings and hear some
nice music as well.
The africans are the best for me between about 2200 and 0000.
In the mornings is when you get many south americans signing back on and a
lot of the asia.
Just have a nice long wire or a loop even and enjoy. The tropical bands are
fun.
Craig
Colorado

"Jennifer L Michael" wrote in
link.net:

I used to live in Southern CA, and one of my first shorwave thrills
(what a geek at heart) was catching the Voice of Nigeria on 7300 in
the late evenings (summer included) local time. I havent looked for
that broadcast in 10 years, but who knows, it could still be out
there. Nice music and news, in English, too.

Voice of Nigeria is on 7255 with IS/ID in English audible between 0450 and
0458, depending on their mood. Sign on is usually 0500 and has been in
French at that time during the summer, though last night when I checked it
was in English. I don't see any tropical band frequencies at this time for
VofN.

Channel Africa is on 11710 at about 0458 (IS) with English service at 0500.

Nigeria modulation is usually muddy with occasional bright spots; Channel
Africa has a much cleaner signal.

This is in Southern California, BTW.

----

KA6JPL
R-75, FRG-7700, SW-4A