For the DXer, the most important announcement is the station identification,
or for short, the station ID. It’s necessary for the correct
logging of the station
and for a reception report. But DXing means coming across many
signals
where a possible or likely ID is often determined by means other
than the
definite announcement. How does a DXer log a station where the ID
is not
fully heard, or heard at all? A log entry still needs to be made.
In fact, keeping
notes on unidentified stations may help in future detective work
in identifying
the station. The ID can be logged in one of four ways: positive,
presumed,
tentative, or unidentified. The positive ID is the definite
announcement
identifying the station. A presumed ID is a station the listener
recognizes by
its programming or announcer’s voice or name, but without the
positive ID.
The tentative ID is a station where logic and detective work
indicates its
identity, but no other proof is heard. And the unidentified
station is the
mystery, providing only vague clues to its source. It’s important
to indicate the
stage of identification of your logging. Conditions and schedules
change
frequently on shortwave. Even the best DXers can be mistaken as to
a
station’s identity without hearing the full ID. Another trap is
the “list logging”.
This happens when a listener identifies a station by checking a
frequency list
then logs it with certainty.
(http://www.knls.org/English/trascripts/dxdef01.htm)

If you tune in to your local radio station it soon
reveals it identity through a number of clues; its
strength, frequency, programme style and most
importantly its on air ID (callsign, jingle etc.)
which
is easily heard since there is no interference. We
now need to ask what happens when you are
trying to decipher a weak, fading signal from a
distant station that may well be using an
unfamiliar language. The fundamental question is,
at what point is a station identified and how should a station that
is not
fully identified be described.

The process of identifying stations should be viewed as a broad
spectrum of
probability. At one end is the completely unidentified station, an
example of
which is the open or blank carrier with no modulation - although
you may have
quite a good idea about its identity such a signal really is
unidentified. At the
other end of the spectrum is the positively (100% probability)
identified (e.g.
'...the powerful missionary outreach station, the Atlantic Beacon
50000 Watts at
15-70, broadcasting from the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands in
the West
Indies...' leaves little doubt about this station's identity!).

Many DX stations fall somewhere between these two extremes; for
example you
may hear only part of a callsign perhaps in a poorly understood
language, or
maybe in the midst of heavy interference or jamming. Or perhaps no
identification is heard but certain characteristics of the signal
or programme
content point in the direction of one particular station. Generally
speaking, the
longer you listen to a station, on one date or over many days, the
more clues
there are to help achieve successful identification. If you can't
ID a station keep
listening!

The factors which contribute to the identification of a station are almost
without
limit. Among them are time of reception, frequency, quality of
signal, and
programming style. The latter is usually one of the most important
clues since
valuable information can be gleaned from the languages used and
music
played, as well as from advertising, weather reports, time checks
and so on. It
should be appreciated that one's ability to identify a station
depends mostly on
the ability to interpret what is being heard. And, rather like a
detective
investigating a crime, it takes experience as a DXer to reach a
correct
conclusion based upon the limited clues available. Even the most
experienced
DXer will not be able to identify everything heard, so there needs
to be some
way of indicating how certain (or uncertain) a particular
identification is. Hence
the following shorthand expressions have developed as a solution to
this
problem.

Identified
Implies that the listener is 100% certain of a station's
identity since a full announcement by the station was
clearly heard.

Presumed
When a station is listed as presumed it means that the listener
has had
sufficient clues to the station's identity to be almost (90-99%
probability)
certain of its true identity. About all that is missing is a
formal ID
announcement.

Tentative
This term usually describes a situation where the listener is
fairly certain
that a particular station is being heard - indeed that the
probability is
substantially greater than 50%, typically from 75%-90%. It is
important,
however, to note that a tentative logging is not just a pure
guess since
there still have to be a number of clues pointing in the right
direction.

Unidentified
Anything short of tentative is called 'unidentified' and the
DXer should
resist the temptation to classify loggings as tentative if
there is
insufficient evidence. When there is any doubt about a logging,
it is wise
to err on the side of caution and list it as unidentified;
however it may be
worth indicating which station you think it might have been if
you have an
idea.

At this point a word of caution is probably in order with regards
to station
listings. All DXers use lists of one sort or another to help them
in their hobby
(e.g. WRTH, club bulletins etc.) but it is dangerous to rely on a
list (even the
most up to date) as the sole means of identifying a station. That
is not to say
that lists should not be part of a DXers 'tools of the trade', but
just that caution
should be exercised in their use.

Lists are invaluable to help narrow down the range of possibilities
when it
comes to indentifying a mystery station; they can also guide a
listener to the
right place on the dial to possibly hear a particular station, but
they cannot
actually identify a station - only the station itself can do that.

Over reliance on lists and a bit of related 'wishful thinking'
results in the
practice known as 'list logging' which can be sometimes observed as

anomalous loggings reported in the DX logs of some magazines and
club
bulletins.
(http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/practica...ification.html)

More is available via Google and searching "list logging".

dxAce
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

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

"dxAce" wrote in message
...
For the DXer, the most important announcement is the station
identification,

That was extremely helpful! Thanks!

the problem is many statins don't even give a real station i.d. at all.
The Canadian stations are notorious for this

"Telamon" wrote in message
...


Hey Burr pick up AFRTS yet?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

No, not yet!!!
I have never got it once down here in Ont. or up in RC.


--
Burr

Vote "RIGHT"
Vote Republican
Phu Bai/Hue, Da Nang

In article ,
writes:


the problem is many statins don't even give a real station i.d. at all.
The Canadian stations are notorious for this


Statins...

= http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...=Google+Search

- Wishing President Bill Clinton a Speedy recovery

Dan / NYC...

wrote in message
...
the problem is many statins don't even give a real station i.d. at all.
The Canadian stations are notorious for this

Especially MW. I've been lucky, though, in trying to listen to Webcasts to
verify who I'm hearing on my radio.
They're frustrating, though...even when they do ID, they don't necessarily
use call letters. Just saying "CBC" doesn't tell me where they're
transmitting from, which is what interests me the most.

I'd rather see a HUNDRED list logs than one political post.

jw
k9rzz

In article ,
(J999w) writes:


I'd rather see a HUNDRED list logs than one political post.

jw
k9rzz

Amen !

List loggings ALSO give you a quick Idea of what reception conditions in a
certain area are like . . .

Dan, with all due respect I ask you...
why are you posting so many off topic subjects now?
Aren't you the one who responded thusly?

(posted Sept. 6, 2004 9:20 PM Eastern Time Subject: List Logging)

"Diverd4777" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(J999w) writes:


I'd rather see a HUNDRED list logs than one political post.

jw
k9rzz

Amen !

List loggings ALSO give you a quick Idea of what reception conditions in a
certain area are like . . .

In article t,
"Sanjaya" wrote:

Dan, with all due respect I ask you...
why are you posting so many off topic subjects now?
Aren't you the one who responded thusly?

(posted Sept. 6, 2004 9:20 PM Eastern Time Subject: List Logging)

"Diverd4777" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(J999w) writes:


I'd rather see a HUNDRED list logs than one political post.

jw
k9rzz

Amen !

List loggings ALSO give you a quick Idea of what reception conditions in a
certain area are like . . .



And with all disrespect I answer that he is a Trolling idiot making up
for the vacuum Bryant has created.

But if not Bryant then Diverd4777 and if not Diverd4777 then some other
Trolling idiot will show up... that's Usenet.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California