KTSM El Paso TX 690 Verification

KTSM was heard with a fair signal for 45 minutes on September 18, 2007. A first time for me. A very swift response from Tom Connelly this afternoon confirmed my reception. Conditions were good towards MN/ND and TX/Mexico this night; I noted very good signals from WNAX-570, presumed WEBC-560, KDAL-610 and not least WDGY-630 which made a very surprising visit.

WWRU Jersey City NJ 1660 Verification

Took a while until I was able to get the first official US X-band station confirmed! Not a common guest here but I heard WWRU with a nice signal at Smøla Island in February 2006. George D. Butch, MRBI's Regional Engineer, kindly confirmed my reception with an email today. Thanks OJ Sagdahl for email info. The station went on the air in December 1995, expanding to 24h operation in January 1996.

KKMO Tacoma WA 1360 Test Heard

The test started 0800 today and lasted for 15 minutes. Conditions were very poor, as the usually dominant KKMO was almost not audible; WTAQ was the strongest station on 1360 and also KKBJ was heard. I heard the sweep tones and 1 kHz tone. I heard none of the station identifiers but they may have been voice and not morse. The sweep tones were by far the easiest to hear. Thanks Jim Pogue and CE Monte Passmore on KKMO for conducting this test.

Some minutes after KKMO resumed to normal programming I am actually hearing KKMO much better...

KRTA Medford OR 610 Verification

"Confirmed!" was the short and to the point message from Brian Fraser, Director of Sales, in response to my emailed report this afternoon. KRTA "Radio Sensación" had nice signals a few days last October; at one instance I was able to record a 30-second pre-recorded ID with superb signal strength. A most wanted station.

KGRV Winston OR 700 Verification

KGRV was heard very briefly and not at all strong under KBYR Anchorage on October 22. It took a few tries but today KGRV's GM Phil Morrow confirmed my reception. Incidentally my 40th Oregon station (of 42 reported) and 500th mainland US station (of 554 reported). Think I'll celebrate with taking my Icebugs on a nice jog...

Norwegian DX-ers Popular With CBC

On the links to the right you will find two interviews; one with me from October 2007 (CBC Prince Rupert BC 860), and one with OJ Sagdahl from today (!) on CBC Moncton 1070. They are a bit lengthy so expect some download time. Moncton set their 106.1 FM transmitter in operation yesterday and will leave AM 90 days from now.

More files will be uploaded as time permits.

KKNX Eugene OR 840 Verification

I heard KKNX a few minutes on October 22, 2007 giving their "Solid Gold Radio 84" moniker before losing ground to the more common KSWB. Last night I received an email from owner John Mielke who confirmed my reception. John informs that KKNX has gone digital. They also have a 32-kbps webcast from radio84.com.

KWSU Pullman WA 1250 Verification

I heard KWSU for the first time last Saturday while running my Perseus SDR remote by using LogMeIn Pro. I recorded the full-hour ID from KWSU using Total Recorder on my home PC. There is a risk of the occasional audio drop-out using this technique though.

General Manager Dennis Haarsager, of Norwegian origin and OJ Sagdahl's distant cousin, confirmed my reception with an email this afternoon.

Weather in Kongsfjord was awful at the time so I am glad that I didn't need to spend time there...

My Perseus Impressions

My impressions on the Perseus SDR is published on kongsfjord.no. It's a bit of a work in progress since I plan to update it should there be software updates or if someone finds errors in the article.

Flex-5000A Given "Best SDR" Award From WRTH - Why?

The 2008 edition of World Radio TV Handbook did a review of the Flex-5000A SDR, a follow-up from last year's review of the FlexRadio SDR-1000 which has now been discontinued. Somewhat to my surprise, the Flex-5000A has been given the "Best SDR" award from WRTH. My surprise is founded not on the qualities of the Flex-5000A (of which I can say nothing, since I don't own one), but on the competition. Surely, when one SDR is rated "best", it must have been compared to the rest of the SDRs on the market. Has it?

One can wonder. The WRTH HF Receiver Guide 2008 (page 23) lists the two Flex SDRs, the Elad FDM77 and a few Winradios. The CIAOradio H101 is not listed. The DiRaBox DRB30 is not listed. The RF Space SDR-14 is not listed. The RF Space SDR-IQ is not listed. And maybe there are others that I do not know about. The WRTH is of course excused for not having listed the new Perseus. I am particularly puzzled by the omission of the two SDRs from RF Space. The -14 and the -IQ have been widely acclaimed by dedicated DX-ers worldwide, hence one would assume that an authoritative publication like the WRTH would find interest in reviewing them. Not so.

I am not taking sides as to which is the best SDR of 2008. I am simply saying that a number of candidates didn't get the chance to run.