Tuesday 29 April 2008

KELA Centralia WA 1470

A station I just have been waiting to hear is KELA, and this finally happened on 22 October 2007. A very nice email from Steve Richert confirmed this KONG17 reception. KELA has a web site at www.kelaam.com which is quite nice.
KELA isn't easy to hear mainly because of super-dominant CJVB in Vancouver, but as you might know - on mediumwave everything is possible.
MW QSL no. 550 from USA (ex. Hawaii).

Monday 28 April 2008

OAU6D Radio Lider, Arequipa 1240

Luis Emilio Lazo Rodríguez, Administrador General, sent me an email with a very nice letter and two wonderful photos from their studio, just to confirm my 7 September 2007 reception of Radio Lider. Radio Lider was one of 3 stations from Peru heard that fantastic night for LA DX from Smøla.

KWSW Eureka CA 790

Justin Bowser, Traffic Director/IT Manager of Eureka Broadcasting Inc, sent me an email tonight with a letter attached, confirming my 22 October 2007 reception of 790 Talk Radio KWSW. This was an excellent day for NA DX in Kongsfjord, and I'm quite sure this was the first time KWSW was ever heard in Europe.
When I spoke to Hugo Papstein, Station Owner, on the phone a few weeks ago, he told me their power when I heard their signal was only 113 watts.

JOLB NHK-2 Fukuoka 1017

Today I complained to my DX colleague TJ today about lack of response from Japanese AM stations lately, and immediately he did something about it! Later today I received an envelope from Fukuoka with a QSL card, a nice letter and a NHK World schedule.
JOLB was a 15 October 2007 catch in Kongsfjord, and my reception report was sent by air mail on 14 February.

Friday 25 April 2008

KSPT Sandpoint ID 1400

Production Director John W. Goes confirmed my 17 October 2007 reception of the only AM signal from Sandpoint - KSPT 1400. Thanks, John! And thanks to my good friend OJ Sagdahl for providing John's contact info.

Wednesday 23 April 2008

KEXO Grand Junction CO 1230

Ed Chandler, Brand Manager/Program Director, sent me a nice email with a confirmation of my 18 October 2007 of KEXO 1230 AM. He attached a station logo and included some interesting information:
"For your records, this station is 1,000 watts and the tower is 250 feet tall.

The surface terrain is 4,600 feet above sea level in a high desert valley. We are surrounded by mountainous terrain ranging from 6,000-9,000 feet aboove sea level.

It's amazing, considering the terrain and power of the station it would reach that far."

Monday 21 April 2008

KNBR San Francisco CA 680

A station I have heard about for almost 30 years but not heard until last year was KNBR 680 AM, which appeared in Kongsfjord under KBRW and CJOB on 18 October 2007. In addition to my confirmation the email from Chuck Bullett (W1AEK/6) also presented information of general interest:

"We are currently creating a commemorative QSL card for reception reports, and I ask for your patience with these QSL requests from your colleagues within your organization.
When the QSL card is complete, it will be available to all who send an SASE, and evidence of reception.
Alternately, a pdf version will be emailed upon request."

Radio Trackside, Gisborne 1485

Radio Trackside, Gisborne, also was a very difficult one, due to NRK Svalbard 1485 which isn't very far from Kongsfjord. Thanks to Bjarne and OJ for pointing out this NZ station, and great thanks to Richard Ellerington, Broadcast Operations Manager, for confirming my reception. My MW NZ #25

Sunday 20 April 2008

Newstalk ZB, Northland 1215

Murray Madden replied kindly to the email reception report I sent earlier tonight: "I can comfirm reception of NewstalkZB from your MP3 although it takes some concentrated listening". This one wasn't easy, so I thank you for your efforts, Murray!
Geography is always interesting as well: "The transmitter is based at Ohaeawai which is east of Kaikohe and inland from the famous Bay of Islands".

Saturday 19 April 2008

HJLJ Sonora 1500 AM, Santiago de Cali 1500

I was quite pleased to receive an email from Fernando Adán Gallo Forero two minutes after midnight, confirming my 11 March 2007 (Smøla18) reception of Sonora 1500 AM from the city of Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca.

Friday 18 April 2008

KRDM Redmond OR 1240

La Bronca 1240 AM was heard briefly on 22 October 2007. And even if they are in the middle of relocating their studios and office, they took their time to send me a short email today, confirming my reception. My QSL no. 50 from Oregon.

Wednesday 16 April 2008

Newstalk ZB, Auckland 1080

Peter Casey, Senior Development Engineer at The Radio Network Ltd in Auckland, just confirmed my 16 October 2007 reception of Newstalk ZB, Auckland 1080. Peter told me that the announcer I heard was Kerre Woodham, who I can see and read about on their website at http://www.newstalk.co.nz/
My 7th QSL from New Zealand the last 8 days. This proves that focus is everything, doesn't it?

KALL North Salt Lake City UT 700

Finally I also got a confirmation from KALL 700 Sports in Salt Lake City. Thanks a lot to Bill Riley for kindly confirming my 18 October 2007 reception of this nice radio station and for giving me my QSL no. 17 from Utah.

KOLM Rochester MN 1520

Next to Oregon (17) and Washington (10), I got the highest number of reception reports to California (9) and Minnesota (8) during the latest Kongsfjord DXpedition. Particularly Minnesota has not been so common, and has pleased me a lot when listening to my KONG17 recordings. One of the nice MN stations is Sports Radio 1520 KOLM, from which I received a nice email tonight confirming my 16 October 2007 reception. Thanks a lot to Bill Dahlstrom, Chief Engineer of Cumulus Broadcasting in Rochester, and to my good friend OJ Sagdahl for providing Bill's name and email address.
And there are still a lot of KONG17 recordings to examine!

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Radio New Zealand, Gisborne 1314

Adrian Sainsbury also confirmed my 16 October 2007 reception of Radio New Zealand National from Gisborne on 1314 kHz. Thanks, Adrian!

Sunday 13 April 2008

Newstalk ZB, Napier 1278

Ross Holden at Newstalk ZB Hawkes Bay confirmed my 16 October 2007 (KONG17) reception in a very nice email, like most New Zealand AM stations do.

Thursday 10 April 2008

Radio Club 1683 AM 1683

In some mysteriuos way a verification letter, written to me but headed for jari.korhonen@pp.inet.fi, came to me via the web master of kongsfjord.no tonight. Anyway, thanks a lot to Con Nikolis, Manager of the Greek Radio Station of Australia, for confirming my 13 October 2007 reception of Radio Club AM 1683. And thanks to webmaster OJ for forwarding my QSL.

KNCO Grass Valley CA 830

KNCO Newstalk 830 was a great surprise on 22 October 2007 when they surfaced from KHVH Honolulu during their full hour identification! This was the first time this station was heard in Norway, and is another great memory from KONG17. Program Director George Rath confirmed my reception in a nice email tonight.

Wednesday 9 April 2008

KSUB Cedar City UT 590

In a very short email tonight Tim Nesmith confirmed my reception of KSUB. The station was heard in Kongsfjord on 18 October 2007. Thank you, Tim!

Tuesday 8 April 2008

Newstalk ZB, Nelson 1341

Another one from the South Island! It's hard to believe, but Newstalk ZB from Nelson was heard with a relatively huge signal on 1341 for more than 30 minutes on 18 October 2007.
Mike McElhinney, General Manager of Radio Network in Nelson, sent me a very nice email with a confirmation of my reception. "I have shared your report with our staff who were very excited for you", he writes, but the pleasure is all mine.
This was my MW QSL no. 20 from New Zealand.

1XX One Double X, Whakatane 1242

17 October 2007 also was a great day for DX'ing New Zealand in Kongsfjord, and one of the stations nailed was 1XX One Double X in Whakatane. Even if 100 kW JOLF out of Tokyo made reception of 1XX difficult, Broadcast Engineer Chris Prouse was able to identify the announcer, the station ID jingle and a mention of a small town close by to Whakatane. Education of the young is very important for the future of DX'ing: "We have played the sound bite to some our younger staff who were very excited to learn that the station could be heard on the other side of the world."
Thank you very much, Chris!

Newstalk ZB, Christchurch 1098

This 18 October 2007 (KONG17) catch from New Zealand's South Island was verified last night when I received a very nice email from Ross McRobie, General Manager of Radio Network in Christchurch.
Ross visited Norway at the age of 15, and he has a dream to come again with his wife and drive up north to see the land of the midnight sun - in a MG. Ross is a collector and he kindly attached a photo of one of his cars.

Radio Trackside, Rotorua 1548

This 990 watts New Zealand transmitter was heard quite well in Kongsfjord in Arctic Norway on 17 October 2007. I sent my reception report last night, and when I woke up today I had received a nice email from Richard Ellerington, Broadcast Operations Manager, kindly confirming my reception.

Friday 4 April 2008

XENV Radio 13 La Vallenata, Monterrey 1340

As a reply to my letter of 18 July 2007 I received a very nice email today, confirming my 18 October 2006 (KONG15) reception of XENV Radio 13 La Vallenata, Monterrey 1340.
The email from this 1000 watts Mexican station came from Señor Franklin Olivares Rodriguez and pleased me a lot. Thanks to Jan Alvestad for valuable ID help.

Thursday 3 April 2008

WCRN Worcester MA 830

True Talk 830 WCRN was heard as early as 2052 UTC on 4 January 2008, as one of just a few NA stations at Lista that weekend. A nice email reply came tonight from Steven Callahan, Director of Engineering, after I god his name and email address from my good friend Bjarne Mjelde. Steven writes: "With the increase of our night power, from 5,000 to 50,000 watts last year, the DX reports from Scandinavia are even more numerous than they were before".

Wednesday 2 April 2008

KJJR Whitefish MT 880

Newstalk 880 KJJR was also heard on 22 October 2007, 7 minutes after I heard KCMX on the same frequency. Both stations were found last Sunday. Thanks a lot to Matt Desch for confirming my reception of this lovely radio station in a short email tonight.

XETRA W Radio 690 AM, Tijuana 690

Thanks a lot to Fred Zermeno for confirming my 18 October 2007 reception of XETRA W Radio 690 AM! I look forward to receiving the confirmation by mail as well.

Tuesday 1 April 2008

KBRO Bremerton WA 1490

Radio Cristiana KBRO 1490 AM was one of the fine stations which pleased me during the KONG17 DXpedition. Confirmation by email was received at home when I was out having beer and pizza with former colleagues at the local pub.

KUTR Taylorsville UT 820

In a brief email John Dehnel told me he has sent me a card by mail. This nice radio station was heard in Kongsfjord on 22 October 2007 when they surfaced with a good signal for 1-2 minutes.

KCMX Phoenix OR 880

KCMX was found on a recording last Sunday, a recording made during KONG17 in October 2007. 22 October has turned out to be an excellent day for NA reception.
Thanks to Devin Harpole, Program Director, for confirming my reception, even if the signal level was very low.

CHRC Québec QC 800

CHRC 800 was heard at home in December 1997 - there was fantastic conditions towards North America between Christmas and New Year's Eve that year, and lots of nice stations were heard on my former 70-meter-long backlobe antenna. Thanks a lot to Jocelyn Ruel (VE2GHR) for a lovely email in French, confirming my reception.