Unfortunately Chris my interference problem is external not internal and it's electrical arching from the railway. It looks like quite a few people are suffering from the same interference as me. One problem is Virgin trains as they go past, they produce a whining noise over all of the bands.


You're like me, I miss being able to use a Medium Wave loop aerial for North American Dx'ing, there is so much noise as Chris said, from switch mode psu's, Plasma Tv's and the dreaded power line adaptors that it renders indoor aerials useless. If I had my way then I would be living on some small Scottish island in the Orkney's or Shetland - but then I like to dream as well.


I haven't done any Tv Dx'ing for years, are they still using Band I for Tv and is it still analogue?

So far Band 1 is used in Ukraine, Belarus & Moldova which are regular catches during the Es season. Hungary I believe finished last year & that was a regular catch, but obviously no more. I also think Jordan & Syria are still using analogue, in fact I hope they do since that one can be a regular as well. Unfortunately, most of Europe is off analogue. South America & Africa is still on analgoue since I see a Youtuber post regular catches from these regions.

Yes, there are a few counties still using Band 1, analogue TV. They are mainly the eastern European and Russian countries (Belarus, Ukraine, Russia) are received in the UK. Even Hungary and Czech Republic have now ceased Band 1, analogue transmissions, and have gone UHF, digital. In the next few years, all analogue, Band 1 TV will cease, so that part of the hobby will be no more

Chris.

An interesting Es opening this evening which has recently faded out. The main area was the Balkans/SE Europe with a handful of Italians in the mix. Countries IDed include Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria but there were a lot of unids in the mix. There was a station on 88.4 playing lively SE European folk music which had an Eastern flavour,

I have some clips from this lift and will upload them when I can.

Hi all. Here are some clips from tonight's opening, with some interesting signals heard from SE Europe:

https://app.box.com/s/cli3io7wnkprxzdguc7t - 87.7 unid language. It sounds like there may be an ID 7 seconds in but it's hard to make out

https://app.box.com/s/y9vtmq0h0y4g4ds7ws3p - 87.6 various signals fighting it out. There's a station with an ad break mentioning restaurants and businesses in Sofia so I'm guessing this one is Radio Zorana, Sofia

https://app.box.com/s/kw7zuv1l7hplvjvngwgp - 87.5 Fokus Radio, presumably from Belgrade

https://app.box.com/s/09iy5asm8ai5wts7dll2 - 88.3 unids, interrupted by an Italian near the end

https://app.box.com/s/59pnybvmj3p5lk7nqiyl - 90.8 unids, one of which is playing some lively folk music

https://app.box.com/s/zak9a4h362dxn726q3m2 - 87.6 unids (Greek music is Laikos FM)

https://app.box.com/s/h4bcg5pg40afkd6xzxnk - 88.4 unids, the main station playing some more interesting folk music, the other station with pop (Simply Red, Falco)

https://app.box.com/s/6yns4vwo93ebm1xgeitm - 88.0 folk music plus some talk at the end, was wondering if it was Montenegro

https://app.box.com/s/pl38qri7nd96p11hoj9f - 87.6 BNR Horizont and Laikos FM

Any help with the UNIDs much appreciated


Thanks and good DX,
Nick

I have an LG TV with a Band I analogue tuner in it, so I may be tempted to put up a temporary dipole during the Es season and see what I get on Band I.

I remember in the 70's getting signals for all over the place, but for some unknown reason I always got a bit of a thrill when conditions favoured the North and I saw the RUV Philips PM5544 test card on the screen.

Good Es now to Poland and Slovakia! Classic FM from Wrotham on 100.9 was just being flattened by Europa 2 from Poland!

Sadly, Iceland stopped using Band I, analogue for TV, earlier this year. I did mange to catch it on E4 last summer (but no test card)

Chris.

This morning at 09:48 BST (08:48 UT), while driving to Lincoln, I heard a male with a Scottish accent talking to a listener on the phone. The caller was invited to "pick an envelope to win the van". This was on 87.6MHz FM.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Chris. (Lincoln, UK)

I don't know if it's a coincidence, but driving into Nottingham today at about 9am Radio 2 was breaking up on 88.3 .The signal breaking it up was pretty clear on 89.0 and appeared to be a talk station speaking in Italian?!

There was a strong "Sporadic E" opening this morning. I remember when I used to drive around Leicester, listening to Radio 2 from Sutton Coldfield (88.3MHz). In the summer months, the band tends to suffer interference from continental stations, during "Sporadic E" openings.
As you noticed, when this happens, it is possible to tune into these continental stations, which are not heard under normal atmospheric (Ionospheric) conditions.

Best regards,

Chris.

Maybe another Es opening due.

This morning here near Bristol Radio 2 suffering severe noise and interference, strong SpE opening bringing in signals from France Croatia and Poland. Many in stereo with RDS

Wow, I had no idea! Thanks Chris, I had googled my question first, but it came up with nothing, so thought I'd give it a go here, I don't understand much about what you are saying, "sporadic E" doesn't mean anything to me at the moment , but when I get the chance I will read this topic from the beginning I just wanted to make sure my car radio was experiencing things like everyone else, thanks for the explanation, cheers Eric

Just a heads up there is a strong SpE opening to Portugal now. Our local Radio 2 swamped out. Antena 1&2 plus Portugese commercials heard in stereo and RDS

Various Portuguese stations coming in in Mid Staffs too. Got RDS on Megahits on 90.0 (Coimbra) and 92.4 (Lisbon), as well as other Lisbon area stations.

Sounds like Italian stations fading in and out at the bottom end of the band. Mostly weak though

Kiss 106.4 Now up to 44dB here so there is a pretty good lift to the south, not much to report on the E's apart from a Russian sounding station and the usuals from Algeria today!

Es to Italy here over the last 45 minutes or so, still going now.

Yes just catching it now after tea Nick but it's weak here

Yes 87.6 been active most of the day here fading in and out for me.

Same here - I caught a few short bursts just after 5pm. I thought it sounded Spanish but could have been Italian.

Well in the end it was mainly Italy here with one or two Balkans and a a few Greeks as well, only one of which I positively IDed, Studio Ena on 87.6 from Corfu. Signals from Italy were good at times but on the whole it was a rather patchy opening.

Hopefully there will be another big one soon.

Nothing here as I've got a strong pirate carrier which has been on 87.5 87.6 and 87.7 and now moved back to 87.6. Also all of the other pirates that OFCOM removed recently have all returned, so I'm back to flogging a dead horse as far as Dx'ing.

Opening to Spain right now