E25

Two transmissions for today, the first with Arabic message and lower signal quality, and the second in English. Note also the carrier dropping prior the first sending:

• E25 9450 kHz AM 1208z 26/12 Arabic message to "835" low signal strength (listen!)
• E25 9450 kHz AM 1228z 26/12 Message to "555", better quality! (listen!)

I'm open to your suggestions why is the signal strength varies with time. Is it the ionosphere, or tho operators beam the signal to a different location/use lower power to achieve local coverage? My guess is less power due to op mistakes or the ionosphere. These guys are prone to mistakes. They're probably resources-limited so not capable for high-tech stuff like frequency diversity and beaming! After all they use only one frequency!

Update 27/12:

The translation to the Arabic message is:

6011/6011
5040/0540
8360/3806
3576/5367
5911/9511
5820/8520
6126/1662
1478/4187
6976/9667
5040/0540
7887/8778

Thanks Mr.DXer!

ZKLF Wellington, New Zealand: Ultimate HF-Fax DX is DONE!

Bring me Honolulu!

Santa brought me a nice present for Xmas on my screen. I proudly present you...

13551 kHz, 1330z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+48

There are no doubts anymore. 17400 km! 17400 km! ...17400 km! 5kW transmitter! A portable radio! Antenna made out of junk!

Here comes another!

5807 kHz, 1400z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

And another!

9460 kHz 1415z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

This one suffered from BC QRM. 600 Hz above was the carrier of a broadcast station interfering.

...Again the same one transmitted on different frequency...

13551 kHz, 1430z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

The next transmission (1445z) was on 3247 kHz, too low for me. OK you can't have everything!

A different chart:

5807 kHz, 1500z 1200 TASMAN - NEW ZEALAND MSL ANAL(YSIS)

(parenthesis added to avoid any misunderstandings. This is a DX blog and nothing more!)

The same chart as above, on the QRMed higher frequency:

9460 kHz, 1515z 1200 TASMAN - NEW ZEALAND MSL ANAL(YSIS)

That's all for now. I hope you're impressed, and not bored! Again, the schedule can be found here.

I'll have to run a VOACAP run for Honolulu. I assume it must be more difficult, not because of distance, but because of the frequencies they use.

The Ultimate HF-Fax DXing

This is the ultimate DX goal for any HF-Fax DXer (well, for those located near my QTH!)

13551 kHz 1434z Wellington, New Zealand. Distance: 17400 km

I decided to give a try and that's what I got! It must be the most distant HF-Fax station from my QTH. Distance-speaking, it is further than Honolulu, but maybe easier, propagation-wise. It is noisy, but it is definitely a fax transmission! The schedule can be found here. It is more detailed than the one found in rfax PDF. The service uses a single transmitter which changes frequency cyclically, as time passes.

OXT Skamlebæk, Denmark Meteo HF-Fax

For a couple of days I was looking for a noiseless reception from Denmark, to present you a decent chart. My major problem is noise for this "nearby" station. The schedule can be found in the Danish Meteorological Institute website, except from the well known rfax PDF publication. The station transmits a CW ID prior the Fax transmission, lasting for 2 minutes. The ID is "CQ DE OXT". Running my notebook on batteries reduces noises a little bit on higher frequencies.

17510 kHz, 1335z

NMG New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. Meteo HF-Fax

STANDBY FOR NMG FAX

A 10000 km path opened late this evening from my QTH to the coast of Louisiana, offering the above image (8504 kHz 0000z). While not promising, the next ones are good:

8504 kHz 0115z

And here is the original, from NOAA's National Weather Service:

Not bad for 10000 km travel! And the next one:

8504 kHz, 0125z

Again, the original:

The funny thing is that on the lower frequency, 4318 kHz, Moscow Fax and New Orleans Fax, coexist! Right now (0152z) Moscow is dominant but you can see the black vertical line of New Orlean's transmission! On the other hand, on 8504 kHz things are getting more noisy, (and my eyes more sleepy!) Oh well, I'll wait a little bit to finish receiving this chart and then to my bed!

8504 kHz 0150z

Stay tuned for more Fax & Numbers! Good night!

E25 in Arabic

Here is today's E25 transmission in Arabic. It started at 1209z on 9450 kHz, AM mode as usual. I have no time to translate it. Anyone willing to do it for me? If you are kind enough you can post the translation! I have a feeling that this is an older message, so it might be easier!

Update 26/12/2006:

A fellow DXer provided the translation to the message:

5010/5001
8411/4811
1071/1017
1866/8166
8414/4842
7760/7706
3810/8301
9728/7982
8411/4811
3717/7372

Thanks OM!

E25

I set my PC to record from receiver, from 1200z to 1300z to catch any E25 transmissions. I was lucky!

• E25 9450 kHz AM 1209z 18/12 830 8 (listen!)
• E25 9450 kHz AM 1241z 18/12 785 22 (listen!)
  

The latter has the usual signal quality I enjoy in my QTH, while the former is noisy. On both occasions you can hear the sound the transmitter makes when turned on! Cool!