Hi,

Can anybody point to any good website or books to get me started
in MW DXing. Also what's the best antenna to use. I currently have an
AOR LA350 with the medium wave attachment and a 8M longwire. The
longwire seems a bit noisier at my QTH. My radio is an AOR AR7030
plus. I'm located in the UK and would like to receiver American
stations if possible. What's the best time to listen and what
frequencies should I try. Do I need a better antenna ?
Any help much appreciated. BTW I realize this is rec.radio.shortwave
but I wasn't aware of a medium wave group

Thanks,
Mike

(snip)

I don't think there *is* a MW group, this seems to be the best place.

Good, then I've landed home !

Try http://www.nrcdxas.org in the States, I'd bet there's a link off
http://www.skywaves.info in the U.K.. (Skywaves is a FM/TV group but
I'd bet they have a link to U.K. MW DXers)

The *best* antenna to use is a Beverage - a very long wire very close to
the ground. As in, 150m long or longer and maybe 20-30cm to 1m above
ground.

:0 We only have a small back yard.

Obviously few DXers have enough room to use such an antenna!

I think you're going to want to look at a ferrite-core or air loop
antenna. (you can make your own air loop fairly easily) A longwire
will probably have to be at least 40-50m long to stand much chance of
hearing American stations.

Yeah, 8 metres is my max for a longwire. I've got what I think is a
ferrite-core, but no loop.

Virtually all American stations (except low-power outlets) operate 24/7.
I might suggest your best chance is to listen at your sunrise, when

Yeah I read somewhere that MWDXers tend to be insomniacs.

it's already light across Europe (and the stations on the Continent are
beginning to fade out) but still dark across the Atlantic.

Writing from the "wrong" side of the ocean I'm not all that familiar
with what's the best frequencies to check. The stations we consider
most commonly DX'd here in the States are often NOT the ones that are
strongest in Europe. Most U.S. stations that operate at night use
highly-directional antennas to beam most of their power out to sea (and
away from other American stations on the same frequency) at the nearest
beach.. which means they're not well-heard in the American interior but
can be plenty loud overseas.

I think CBC Radio 1 on 640KHz from St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador
is probably the most-often-heard American station in the U.K.. The
all-sports station on 1510 in Boston seems to be fairly commonly heard
as well.

I'll try those tonight, thanks very much for the help.

A good antenna to use is a loop. There are several you can buy and there are
plans to build them also. You can build something like a 2 foot loop and use it
with a preamp or the 4 foot box loop that doesnt need any preamp.
If you have lots of room outside, a beverage antenna would be great. There
are also other types of outdoor wire antennas that many are using. One is
called the EWE antenna.
There are some listserve e-mail groups dedicated to MW DXing and some clubs
here in the US I know of.
Here is the web address for the IRCA, International Radio Club of America.
All MW Dxing and their web page has lots of info.

http://www.ircaonline.org/

The IRCA also has an email list group with lots of MW DX info and talk on it.
Here is that address. I am sure you can ask someone there how to get on this
mailing list.




Here is another club for MW DXing called the NRC, National Radio Club:

http://www.nrcdxas.org/

Here is the web address for I think another club and has plans for a 1 meter
MW loop on it.

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx...op/1mloop.html

Here is a web page with lots of info on the EWE MW antenna that many use to
DX with.

http://www.nrcdxas.org/articles/ewe.html

You should be able to hear stations from North America there, especially in
the winter when conditions are much better. US and Canadian stations are all 10
khz apart. 550-560 570 etc.
Here is a good web page to search for call letters.

http://www.geocities.com/amlogbook/main.htm

There is also the list serve group called AMFMTVDX, I cant remember how to
subscribe to them. Here is the email address.


Craig

Michael Holme wrote:

Hi,

Can anybody point to any good website or books to get me started
in MW DXing. Also what's the best antenna to use. I currently have an
AOR LA350 with the medium wave attachment and a 8M longwire. The
longwire seems a bit noisier at my QTH. My radio is an AOR AR7030
plus. I'm located in the UK and would like to receiver American
stations if possible. What's the best time to listen and what
frequencies should I try. Do I need a better antenna ?
Any help much appreciated. BTW I realize this is rec.radio.shortwave
but I wasn't aware of a medium wave group

Thanks,
Mike

Ideally, you need a very long beverage antenna for MW dxing or a MW loop
antenna. Have a look at the UK's very Medium Wave Circle (MWC), address
below:

http://www.mwcircle.org/

There is also the BDXC which is mainly SW but covers, MW, FM and pirate
loggins:
http://www.bdxc.org.uk/

The MWC also sell many publications relating to Medium Wave Dxing, Antennas,
Probagation, etc.

Im also in the UK, Transatlantic Reception is possible all year round though
better in the Winter. Frequencies that come through regulary are 930KHz,
CJYQ, 1500KHz,1510KHz, though what you hear depends on the time and the
month you listen. At the momemnt before sunrise or 3or 4am UK time may be
your best bet, someone may be able to offer further advice on listening.

BTW I realize this is rec.radio.shortwave
but I wasn't aware of a medium wave group

Ok, just think of us listening to very long shortwaves.

One of the most useful things I found for MW DX is a heck of a sharp
preselector - makes it easier to pull a DX shot out of the QRM with a
50KW powerhouse only 10KHz away.

--
Gregg
*Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

Michael Holme wrote:

Hi,

Can anybody point to any good website or books to get me started
in MW DXing. Also what's the best antenna to use. I currently have an
AOR LA350 with the medium wave attachment and a 8M longwire. The
longwire seems a bit noisier at my QTH. My radio is an AOR AR7030
plus. I'm located in the UK and would like to receiver American
stations if possible. What's the best time to listen and what
frequencies should I try. Do I need a better antenna ?
Any help much appreciated. BTW I realize this is rec.radio.shortwave
but I wasn't aware of a medium wave group

Thanks,
Mike

Try the AMANDX site below for antenna ideas as well as

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/dxmidamerica/

http://www.nrcdxas.org/

http://www.ydunritz.com/
--
73 and Best of DX
Shawn Axelrod

Visit the AMANDX DX site with info for the new or experienced listener:

http://www.angelfire.com/mb/amandx/index.html

REMEMBER ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN HEAR FOREVER

Behold, Ron Hardin signaled from keyed 4-1000A filament:

Its particular advantage is that it's outdoors but completely steerable.
You can take out a noise source or a local MW station.

Ooooo, I used those in foxhunts :-)

--
Gregg
*Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

I would say conditions tonight are unusual rather than lousy. I've got KJJK
Fergus Falls, MN wiping out KDKA on 1020khz. (running oldies). WHo knows, he
may hear Africa at sunrise !

GL !

John Wilke
WB9UAI
Milwaukee

(J999w) wrote in
:

I would say conditions tonight are unusual rather than lousy. I've got
KJJK Fergus Falls, MN wiping out KDKA on 1020khz. (running oldies).
WHo knows, he may hear Africa at sunrise !

There is an aurora. MW DXers look forward to these.