The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

"bpnjensen" wrote in message
...
The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California


I've copied this station before, SIBC. What's their QSL address?


VegasNightOwl

On Jun 1, 8:35*am, "D. Peter Maus" wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. *Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. *Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

* *Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. Occasionally the
DX-398. My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce

On 6/1/10 11:33 , bpnjensen wrote:
On Jun 1, 8:35 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. Occasionally the
DX-398. My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce



How is that SX-190? I looked at one years ago, and when they were
new, but never moved on one.

Decent performance? Any trouble finding crystals?

On Jun 1, 9:47*am, "D. Peter Maus" wrote:
On 6/1/10 11:33 , bpnjensen wrote:





On Jun 1, 8:35 am, "D. Peter *wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. *Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. *Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

* * Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. *For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. *Occasionally the
DX-398. *My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. *Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. *I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce

* *How is that SX-190? I looked at one years ago, and when they were
new, but never moved on one.

* *Decent performance? Any trouble finding crystals?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well, it may need a bit of alignment on a couple of the bands (25
meters especially is weak), and there is some hum in the audio that
could be reduced, but it is certainly sensitive, it is fairly
selective, sound is OK. Frequency accuracy and precision is
remarkably dependable for a pure analog unit. The 31, 41 and 49m
bands experience overload/images in the evenings when signals get
really strong; but using the RF gain for volume provides a partial
solution, and my MFJ-1026, which allows the gain on both antennas to
be scaled back, finishes off the problem.

Obviously, without an adjustable AGC or S-AM you can go just so far
with it when fading strikes, but that was generally true anyway with
older radios.

The Q-Multiplier is semi-useful, but I think a good notch works
better. The crystal calibrator is mostly functional, but the crystals
are old, and for best freq. calibration it is most useful to tune to a
known station like VoA, WWV, BBC etc.

It comes with most of the crystals needed for SWL and a couple for
ham; and all of the ones in there seem to work fine. Crystals are
certainly available from a couple of different sources; but they need
to be custom made, and I have not priced them just yet. If I get
some, they will be for a 13.5 - 14 mHz crystal to add or replace the
14 mHz ham band, and add a 4.6 - 5.1 MHz crystal to gain 60 meters or
replace the 75 meter ham band.

All this aside, the FUN factor is high :-)

Bruce Jensen

On 6/1/10 12:12 , bpnjensen wrote:
On Jun 1, 9:47 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 11:33 , bpnjensen wrote:





On Jun 1, 8:35 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. Occasionally the
DX-398. My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce

How is that SX-190? I looked at one years ago, and when they were
new, but never moved on one.

Decent performance? Any trouble finding crystals?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well, it may need a bit of alignment on a couple of the bands (25
meters especially is weak), and there is some hum in the audio that
could be reduced, but it is certainly sensitive, it is fairly
selective, sound is OK. Frequency accuracy and precision is
remarkably dependable for a pure analog unit. The 31, 41 and 49m
bands experience overload/images in the evenings when signals get
really strong; but using the RF gain for volume provides a partial
solution, and my MFJ-1026, which allows the gain on both antennas to
be scaled back, finishes off the problem.

Obviously, without an adjustable AGC or S-AM you can go just so far
with it when fading strikes, but that was generally true anyway with
older radios.

The Q-Multiplier is semi-useful, but I think a good notch works
better. The crystal calibrator is mostly functional, but the crystals
are old, and for best freq. calibration it is most useful to tune to a
known station like VoA, WWV, BBC etc.

It comes with most of the crystals needed for SWL and a couple for
ham; and all of the ones in there seem to work fine. Crystals are
certainly available from a couple of different sources; but they need
to be custom made, and I have not priced them just yet. If I get
some, they will be for a 13.5 - 14 mHz crystal to add or replace the
14 mHz ham band, and add a 4.6 - 5.1 MHz crystal to gain 60 meters or
replace the 75 meter ham band.

All this aside, the FUN factor is high :-)




Sounds like.

Cool.

On Jun 1, 10:17*am, "D. Peter Maus" wrote:
On 6/1/10 12:12 , bpnjensen wrote:





On Jun 1, 9:47 am, "D. Peter *wrote:
On 6/1/10 11:33 , bpnjensen wrote:

On Jun 1, 8:35 am, "D. Peter * *wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. *Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. *Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

* * *Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. *For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. *Occasionally the
DX-398. *My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. *Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. *I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce

* * How is that SX-190? I looked at one years ago, and when they were
new, but never moved on one.

* * Decent performance? Any trouble finding crystals?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well, it may need a bit of alignment on a couple of the bands (25
meters especially is weak), and there is some hum in the audio that
could be reduced, but it is certainly sensitive, it is fairly
selective, sound is OK. *Frequency accuracy and precision is
remarkably dependable for a pure analog unit. *The 31, 41 and 49m
bands experience overload/images in the evenings when signals get
really strong; but using the RF gain for volume provides a partial
solution, and my MFJ-1026, which allows the gain on both antennas to
be scaled back, finishes off the problem.

Obviously, without an adjustable AGC or S-AM you can go just so far
with it when fading strikes, but that was generally true anyway with
older radios.

The Q-Multiplier is semi-useful, but I think a good notch works
better. *The crystal calibrator is mostly functional, but the crystals
are old, and for best freq. calibration it is most useful to tune to a
known station like VoA, WWV, BBC etc.

It comes with most of the crystals needed for SWL and a couple for
ham; and all of the ones in there seem to work fine. *Crystals are
certainly available from a couple of different sources; but they need
to be custom made, and I have not priced them just yet. *If I get
some, they will be for a 13.5 - 14 mHz crystal to add or replace the
14 mHz ham band, and add a 4.6 - 5.1 MHz crystal to gain 60 meters or
replace the 75 meter ham band.

All this aside, the FUN factor is high :-)

* *Sounds like.

* *Cool.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That great big aluminum tuning knob is nirvana :-D Also forgot to
mention, the preselector works well and seems to be modestly narrow,
but as I said, does not wipe clean the overloading experienced in the
evening.

Bruce

On 6/1/10 12:29 , bpnjensen wrote:
On Jun 1, 10:17 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 12:12 , bpnjensen wrote:





On Jun 1, 9:47 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 11:33 , bpnjensen wrote:

On Jun 1, 8:35 am, "D. Peter wrote:
On 6/1/10 01:31 , bpnjensen wrote:

The SIBC on 5020v (5019.96) has been a bit better than usual the last
several late nites at my QTH, especially after 0900z when they fade in
strongly enough to beat the Radio Rebelde splatter from 5 kHz upband -
may be worth a grab at your house too. Try LSB or passband to slide
Rebelde aside. Wrote a couple of reception reports for them this
week, we'll see what happens.

73 and Gud DX,
Bruce Jensen
California

Which rig are you using these days?

For toughest stuff, I use the Icom R75. For casual listening, almost
anything - the SX-190 or DX-160 are both fun. Occasionally the
DX-398. My main limitations are, and probably always will be, the
antenna and the location. Both are less than ideal, and can nevver be
much better. I will put up a higher antenna this summer, but in an RF-
noisy residential neighborhood, that will get me just so far...

Thanks for asking :-)

Bruce

How is that SX-190? I looked at one years ago, and when they were
new, but never moved on one.

Decent performance? Any trouble finding crystals?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well, it may need a bit of alignment on a couple of the bands (25
meters especially is weak), and there is some hum in the audio that
could be reduced, but it is certainly sensitive, it is fairly
selective, sound is OK. Frequency accuracy and precision is
remarkably dependable for a pure analog unit. The 31, 41 and 49m
bands experience overload/images in the evenings when signals get
really strong; but using the RF gain for volume provides a partial
solution, and my MFJ-1026, which allows the gain on both antennas to
be scaled back, finishes off the problem.

Obviously, without an adjustable AGC or S-AM you can go just so far
with it when fading strikes, but that was generally true anyway with
older radios.

The Q-Multiplier is semi-useful, but I think a good notch works
better. The crystal calibrator is mostly functional, but the crystals
are old, and for best freq. calibration it is most useful to tune to a
known station like VoA, WWV, BBC etc.

It comes with most of the crystals needed for SWL and a couple for
ham; and all of the ones in there seem to work fine. Crystals are
certainly available from a couple of different sources; but they need
to be custom made, and I have not priced them just yet. If I get
some, they will be for a 13.5 - 14 mHz crystal to add or replace the
14 mHz ham band, and add a 4.6 - 5.1 MHz crystal to gain 60 meters or
replace the 75 meter ham band.

All this aside, the FUN factor is high :-)

Sounds like.

Cool.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That great big aluminum tuning knob is nirvana :-D


Well, yeah. Who among us doesn't like big knobs?


Also forgot to
mention, the preselector works well and seems to be modestly narrow,
but as I said, does not wipe clean the overloading experienced in the
evening.


Sounds like it would be a candidate for an RF Systems MTA.
Dramatically lower noise, and doesn't produce as robust an output to
the receiver for lower probability of overload.




Bruce

On Jun 1, 10:35*am, "D. Peter Maus" wrote:

Also forgot to

mention, the preselector works well and seems to be modestly narrow,
but as I said, does not wipe clean the overloading experienced in the
evening.

* *Sounds like it would be a candidate for an RF Systems MTA.
Dramatically lower noise, and doesn't produce as robust an output to
the receiver for lower probability of overload.

IIRC, that antenna is similar in some respects to a Wellbrook? I have
been thinking about those aerials, just because my site noise level is
so high - but I'd hate to spend the $$$ just to have it not be a
significant improvement.

On 6/1/10 12:43 , bpnjensen wrote:
On Jun 1, 10:35 am, "D. Peter wrote:

Also forgot to

mention, the preselector works well and seems to be modestly narrow,
but as I said, does not wipe clean the overloading experienced in the
evening.

Sounds like it would be a candidate for an RF Systems MTA.
Dramatically lower noise, and doesn't produce as robust an output to
the receiver for lower probability of overload.

IIRC, that antenna is similar in some respects to a Wellbrook? I have
been thinking about those aerials, just because my site noise level is
so high - but I'd hate to spend the $$$ just to have it not be a
significant improvement.



Similar in the sense that noise is low. The design is very much
different than the Wellbrook, and is a passive design. The Wellbrook
is active.

Well grounded, the MTA rocks at this location.