John Plimmer wrote:

Steve, I congratulate you on getting RRI Fak Fak - I'm sure it doesn't come
in everyday in Holland Michigan.
Okay, I have not seen Fak Fak logged recently in the U.S. but have seen
several logs for RRI Serui, hence my comment.
Also, Guy Atkins in Puyallup, an extremely experienced DXer did not log Fak
Fak alongside his Serui log, although he was sure to have tried for it.

I'm not sure whether Guy tried for it or not, Fak Fak was off recently it seems
for a few weeks, but it is indeed regularly receivable here.

We'll have to continue to disagree about the mountains.

dxAce
Michigan
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

Hi John & dxAce,

I didn't try for Fak Fak when I logged Serui because I was concentrating on
trans-Pacific MW last week. I was just briefly checking a few of the weaker
Indonesian frequencies, like Manggarai on 2960 and Serui.

I note in my logs that I last heard Fak Fak on July 9th at a Grayland
DXpedition. Here's the log:

INDONESIA 4790, 1233-1313, RRI Fak Fak Jul 9 Soft lagu romantik tunes in
Indonesian, continuous from 1233 tune-in. Powerhouse signal level, but some
swisher QRM. No break or announcers at top of hour. Male announcer with ID
at 1310, and back into music. (Atkins-WA)

Regarding Serui's frequency, John, I've noted them on 4604.9v lately.
However, back at the end of August they were 4606.5.

In my opinion, Steve and John's reception of Serui is more impressive than
mine, given your topography and QTH, local noise sources, and antenna
limitations you may have. Although my DXing in Puyallup is in the RF
"shadow" of strong Seattle/Tacoma broadcasters, my reception is enhanced by:

-Kiwa BCB filter + extension filter for shortwave DXing (*really* helps the
RF blocking/desense from the local MW powerhouses)
-underground AC power mains for about 1/2-mile radius from here
-2 Beverage antennas, one "aimed" right at PNG/Irian Jaya
-no horizon blockage
-although I'm about 90 miles inland from the ocean, it's a mostly water path
from here to my favorite targets

Ya wanna talk tough DX targets from my location? All of Latin America (not
really a region of interest for me though) and Africa (which I'd love to
hear more often). African DX is loads of fun on morning longpath, with a
southwest Beverage antenna at the coast, around local sunrise. I've had the
strongest African signals on the morning longpath. BTW, mid-winter is best
for this.

73,

Guy



"dxAce" wrote in message
...


John Plimmer wrote:

Steve, I congratulate you on getting RRI Fak Fak - I'm sure it doesn't
come
in everyday in Holland Michigan.
Okay, I have not seen Fak Fak logged recently in the U.S. but have seen
several logs for RRI Serui, hence my comment.
Also, Guy Atkins in Puyallup, an extremely experienced DXer did not log
Fak
Fak alongside his Serui log, although he was sure to have tried for it.

I'm not sure whether Guy tried for it or not, Fak Fak was off recently it
seems
for a few weeks, but it is indeed regularly receivable here.

We'll have to continue to disagree about the mountains.

dxAce
Michigan
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

Hi Guy,
You raise two points of interest.
One is that it is a fairly regular feature of S. African DXing for us to get
N. American MW stations, but it seems very difficult indeed for U.S. MW
DXer's to get the 100 Kw powerhouse omnidirectional TX's that we have here
in S. Africa in the U.S.A. Even Mark Connelly on the East coast and a
Canadian DXer up in Nova Scotia seem to have great difficulty.

The Canadian fellow achieved what for me must be the ultimate DX catch in
Nova Scotia - he claims to have got our 100 Kw R. 702. Now this TX has a
very effective antenna system beamed only to the South West, so the signal
to him could only have been long path - an astounding 17,000 miles away. If
you go just North of the 702 TX you will get BBC on 702 from Europe. Since
this path lies near Grayland, you might like to try for that when conditions
are next good???

Also, I have a good friend in France who DX's NDB beacons on LW and he has
also commented that European DXer's seem to get more N. American catches
than Americans getting Europe. Go figure.......

Second, your experience is that your best most exotic DX is caught in mid
winter. My experience down here is that the equinox - around 21st March and
21st September have given me markedly better results than any other time.
That applies both to my home QTH and various DXpeditions.

There are some other anomalies too - Although getting U.S. East coast and
Brazil here are fairly common, getting Mexico and Central America is so rare
as to be an occasion to break out a bottle of champagne if you ever get
one..... Also, even though Brazilian catches are common here, right down to
the very South of the country, Argentina, right next door, hardly ever comes
in. I really have no logical explanation for this.

best of 73's
de John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Ya wanna talk tough DX targets from my location? All of Latin America (not
really a region of interest for me though) and Africa (which I'd love to
hear more often). African DX is loads of fun on morning longpath, with a
southwest Beverage antenna at the coast, around local sunrise. I've had
the
strongest African signals on the morning longpath. BTW, mid-winter is best
for this.

73,

Guy