Mon 16.6.2014: Utö 15 is over

Utö 15 is over. The rest 3 of the DX-group dismantled antennas on Monday morning. The band was empty in the morning and on Sunday evening.

This pedition was a little disappointment. No big openings for us and the conditions were mostly 0 - 30 minute lasting peaks.

However, 27 new +-stations (=never heard in Finland before) were identified. The reason for that is that the areas of conditions were towards Balkan and Greece. Especially Balkan has been rare here for many years!  Utö15 did not hear any sign of France, UK and Spain (except tent. Nervion 88.0 MHz by JTK) .  
A lot of meteors were audible again also with several long bursts. Many stations were id'ed by meteor mainly during monitoring the band.

The best catches were LIBYA and tentative ALG,TUN.
JJS took the Skipmaster T-shirt with Libya FM 88.5 MHz. Distance 3081 km (if Benghazi-tx).

First Loggings in Finland listing by country: GRC 5 / KOS 4 / KAL 3 (tropo) / SRB 3  / ROU 2 / UKR 2 /. One plus (+) station from these countries: ALB / BIH / HRV / MKD / I / MNE / RUS / SVN.

Utö16-pedition will be next summer -  3.6 - 14.6.2015.

Sun 15.6.2014: Libya on FM + UKR,RUS,TUR

Conditions seem starting again after several days silence. In the morning opening to Ukraine, mainly Odessa and also Russia. Some Turkey at the same time (Adapazari-tx and Istanbul).

The highlight of today and this pedition was LIBYA on 88.5 MHz: Libya FM 88.5 MHz with RDS and music for one minute, no talk heard. This is supposed to be Benghazi but can be Tripoli as well.
Libya was heard by JJS and it is quite clear he will win the Skipmaster T-shirt with the longest skip 3081 km (about), so we finally got over 3000 km also on this pedition.
JJS was monitoring the band alone and Libya was heard at that time when the rest of the crew was on the harbour as 4 guys left the island today. Only 3 remaining here till tomorrow midday.

Sat 14.6.2014: Silence continues

Silence continues on FM-band. The beginning of this summer looks bad. No big openings so far, which is quite rare. Two days left of this pedition. JTK left the island yesterday and most of the crew tomorrow midday.

We have a photo-message from East Finland - from well-known Middle-East and India-FM-DXer Markku Sollo (MSO):
Perhaps someone out of this crew find some humor from this photo beside... (Spock says: "To hear Middle-East stations in Utö"  "IT IS NOT LOGICAL").

Fri 13.6.2014: OIRT Russia in the morning - Silent evening

After two days silence the conditions seem to start again from Russia. OIRT was open to Kirov-area and around. Radio Shanson Kirov ided 72.44 MHz.
This might start now a new row of conditions.

Thu 12.6.2014: Empty band

Silence continues on FM-band in Utö. The sun is shining after rain at night. The Utö living lady Disa visited our camp today and it was fun to see her dogs swimming in the sea,.but nothing more to write of today.

One card-game more today: HKU won Baltic Sea Champion 2014 - later a new game in the evening: JTK won SDXLChampion 2014. Still waiting the big opening...

Wed 11.6.2014: Silence - except 3 min Romania...

Nothing on Es (except 3 min Romania...), but tropospheric peaks to Kaliningrad on 96.3, 102.5, 104.5 and 106.9 MHz. These are the easiest stations and comes up when tropo is bit stronger than normal.
Two new KAL-stations were monitored by JY: Radio Vesti, 95.1 MHz 1 kW V and Radio 7, 93.6 MHz.

Utö card-game Championchip 2014 was played in the evening because of no conditions: Utö Champion 2014 is JJS. 

Tue 10.6.2014: Silent morning - afternoon - and evening

Nothing in the morning - and no promises in the map later as well. Despite of this, very brief openings to Italy and France - and Spain also very shortly. But this is not fun... Next opening will be the big one??

Mon 9.6.2014: Turkey, Greece etc. peaking again - later Hungary, Romania, Balkan

This beginning of June is very odd. There have been openings everyday during past 12 days, but the big opening is still missing!! Mostly short peaks to south everyday. Never before this kind.

The conditions started today with several Turkish at 0440utc, but the best moment to Greece, Turkey, Balkan, Romania, Bulgaria was after 0600utc giving strong peaks for 30 minutes. Thessaloniki- and Istanbul-stations once again etc. Each station was not audible for long time.
At 0730utc short Italy again to Puglia area (Ritmo 80, KissKiss etc.).
Again short 15 min push at 1340utc to Hungary, Balkan, Romania. Strange...

The Skipmaster T-shirt holder is now JJS with TRT Türkü, Kirsehir-tx (ica-kir) 88.8 MHz with 2470 km, the longest distance tx identified until now.

Here below a photo (CLICK it) of OSY's screen now:
- In the left up corner is Reaper-recorder with 4 tracks connected to 4 XDRs. Each XDR can be chosen to tune individually and ids can be marked (long box in the middle) on the tracks if needed. XDRs and tracks are coloured to help controlling them.
- In the right side 2x XDR GTK's. The upper XDR is connected to StationList in the left down corner.
- FMLIST is open in the middle

Sun evening 8.6.2014: Short Balkan, Greek-opening

About 5 minutes opening to Greece and South Balkan (Kosovo, Macedonia) at 1730utc. Later one Turkish alone on the band, 88.4 MHz. It was supposed to be Istanbul FM, Kirklareli-tx. Poor day.

  - Left> OSY-JY-MB - Short Greek-opening is over and Marko opened F1 on the laptop-screen -

Sun 8.6.2014: Silent Sunday morning - Toast for Jürgen

Saturday afternoon and evening gave nothing on the band. The first card-game was won my JJS (now North Utö Champion).

We have in all 24 Sony XDR-receivers along here and 9 of them are GTK-modified. Yesterday evening we installed fantastic StationList-software to every computer. SL is made by Jürgen Bartels (Germany).
He gave us beta version of StationList connected to XDR GTK-software!! It is awesome tool in FM-DXing with Sony XDR-GTK!!

The crew was so impressed on SL that we raised a toast for Jürgen for his development on it!!! Photo is below. Thanks Jürgen - and also to Konrad for updating GTK and Günter for FMLIST database!!!

It is fun to listen with XDR-GTK now as the list of stations change when you change frequency - and that you see the transmitters near of the one you are listening to - and very quickly (+ many other features)!!

      -  The crew raising a toast for StationList - made by Jürgen Bartels!
          From left: JY-MB-HKU-JUS-JTK-JJS-JJK-OSY -

Sat 7.6.2014: Silent morning - very short peaks to south

After peaks to South Europe on two first days we had silent morning on today Satuday, but after midday several very short peaks (max. minute) to Turkey and Romania (Radio Kit and Radio Mamaia ided).
The Longest Skip-holder (Skipmaster T-shirt owner) at the moment is JTK with Radio Melody FM, Patras, Greece. Distance 2394 km.

Here is a photo of OSY's equipment. Otso uses 4 x Sony XDRs (two of them GTK-modified). They are all connected to Reaper-recording software and can be recorded simultaneously to 4 tracks.
The receivers and audio-tracks are coloured so it is easy to follow the receivers live.
It is also possible to mark id-places etc on the tracks during listening / recording.
The 4 XDRs are connected to computer with extra USB-sound cards and each of them can be choosed individually for live audio-monitoring with switchbox. CLICK FOR BETTER VIEW

Photo below (CLICK): Printscreen of Otso's computer. 2x XDR-GTK on the right side. Reaper-recording software with 4 tracks recording. FMLIST open in the left down

.

Fri 6.6.2014: Balkan, Turkey, Italy -tentative Algeria

The first full day gave us nice 3 h conditions strating from Turkey and Balkan, (+ Romania, Bulgaria) moving to Italy for the end. High MUF almost all the time.
Nothing spectacular observed, but especially Serbian opening gave some new stations. Conds started at 0840 lasting till 1140utc.

After this push Arabic language was heating the crew at 1210utc on lower FM-band. 87.8 and 88.4 aired same programme. It is presumed to be Algeria altough this does not match to the station-database. Also Arabic on 88.1 and 88.7 MHz. This douple-hop lasted only a few minutes.

Again some Italy during the afternoon. The evening was silent.
This is now 8th day in a row with Sporadic E - altough not big openings yet! They are still to come in June. CLICK>

Thu evening 5.6.2014: Nice peaks to South Balkan, Greece, Italy

Utö15 started Thu evening. Receivers were installed around 1700utc and the first opening started right away, lasting over 1 h. We had nice peaks to South Balkan: Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Greece and also Italy.
Several new stations were ided.
Here some example loggings from Thu evening (+ = first logging in Finland)
90.700     +MNE: Ruskoe R, Budva. Danilovgrad-tx
90.800     +GRC: R Neapoli, Kavala (30).
91.000     ALB: Radio Jug, Fier.
91.000     ALB: Radio Tirana. RDS-id.
91.200     ALB: Club FM, Tirana.
91.400     GRC: Ola FM, Thessaloniki.
91.400     GRC: Palace FM, Larissa (10).
91.600     +SRB: Elit Radio, Plemetin
93.500     I: Quarto Canale R, Francavilla Fontana BR
98.900     +MKD: R Slobodna Makedonija, Skopje
100.00     +KOS: R Gjakova, Djakovica

Utö15 starts Thu 5.6.2014

Utö15-pedition starts today with full and original Utö-Böyz-crew! The ferry arrives at 18.15 local time. 8 listeners will hunt FM-stations for 10 days!
Stations will be identified, cards will be played and perhaps some frisbee also.

The antennas are ready after Utö14 (tnx!), so the only job is to split H- and V-yagis to two cabins - and to raise 50 Mhz/OIRT-antenna (and split it, too).

This year The Skipmaster-competition is arranged once again. The winner will get Skipmaster T-shirt. Only one copy is made (by HKU). The winner and the master is the guy who identifies a station with the longest skip.

The 2012 winner was MB with Morocco MFM Oriental 89.2, Béni-Mellal-site, Morocco. Distance 3685 km.
The 2013 winner was JJS with RFM, Monchique/Fóia-tx, South Portugal, 104.9 MHz and from the same tower Radio Renascensa 98.6 MHz. Both 10 kW. Distance 3277 km.

Wed 4.6.2014: Weak UK and OIRT - Sweden-tropo

Last full day of Utö14-pedition gave poor opening to UK reaching BBC R4 on 95.7 and 96, which means it was Scotland. One UK STL-link was identified: Radio Star 52.43 MHz.
During the day OIRT was open again over Ural.

In the evening very nice tropo to Sweden. Big signals from Stockholm with RDS and also rare Radio Borlänge on 98.6 MHz.
JY stays on the island and joins Utö15, but the other three leaves Thu evening - when Utö15 crew arrives at 18.15 local time.

Utö 14-pedition was succesfull! One week time gave nice signals from all directions from east to west, altough passing many countries. Much worse 7 day-periods have been observed during the years.

Tue 3.6.2014: Good North Italy and South France, some Spain + UK, Russia

This morning started before 06.00utc with openings to South France, around Marseille and even Perpignan, moving then to North Italy, Milano and Piemonte (Torino, Cuneo etc). Milano-area is quite rare in S-Finland.
After Italy back to Marseille-area (dep 83 mainly) and moving then to nice Lyon-opening. Conds ended to France on the areas of departements 25, 90 and Swiss boarder. Some Spanish stations appeared also every now and then.
This morning opening lasted over 3,5 hours but obviously not high MUF long times.

After 14.00utc opening to Ireland, UK reaching even 108 MHz shortly. Scottish Cuillin FM 101.7 was strong!
After this surprisingly again back to Russia with short peaks after 15.30utc, to Tatarstan, Kazan and Rostov. MUF even to 108 MHz. OIRT open the whole evening.

Mon 2.6.2014: Italy, S-France, low Spain - Crete!!

This morning nice tropo around Baltic Sea - also rare Kaliningrad 102.5 was picked up!

Around local mid-day almost one hour conditions started from Italy, Reggio-Emilia area, then moved to Piemonte and for the end to France, Marseille-area and around.  Also Corsica was audible (88.7 Jazz FM). Several nice Spanish signals, but mostly networks ided live (RNE, 5, COPE).
In the afternoon signals peaked up from HRV, SVN and one nice surprise was Erotokritos FM 87.9 from Crete - alone in the band with double-hop!!
In the early evening Italy peaks and some Romania etc.

Sun 1.6.2014: Russian peaks

Sunday midday gave several peaks over 87.5 MHz to Russia, around Rostov. OIRT open almost whole day.
Silent evening.

Sat 31.5.2014: Nice Turkey opening + Russia, East Europe

Saturday gave nice one hour Turkey-opening to Ankara, which is very rare to reach. Also Zonguldak, Göztebe and Samsun were audible from Turkey.

The whole afternoon gave short peaks to Russia and also ROU, BUL and MDA. The OIRT was open all the time from 06-16utc.
Late evening short Italy peaking.

Utö14-pedition started - Weak peaks today

This season's first Utö-pedition, Utö14 (29.5 - 4.6.2014), started yesterday evening. Two jagi antennas were up late Thursday evening.

On the first full day there were brief peaks to C-Europe giving some signals from 6 countries: I / CZE/ AUT/ F / HRV /SVN. Not serious conds. Later in the afternoon shortly GRC, MKD, ROU, BUL, KOS but low MUF again (+OIRT). Nothing in the evening.
Vertical Körner-yagi silenced suprisingly with no clear reason. Now there is 8-element Triax as V.

Here some photos of the participants: JY (Juha Ylönen), TAK (Tapio Kalmi), YK (Yrjö Kainulainen), JOE (Jouko Peltomäki). The photos were taken by TAK.

Equipment used by TAK (above):  1) Internet and logging PC   2)  2*Sony XDR-GTK + 2*RDS Spy +  2* Total recorder   3) Perseus FM+ PC    4)  One extra laptop not in use yet

 

                                JY in front and JOE behind.

                                YK.

Utö FM-DX summer 2014 schedules

Utö14-pedition lasts one week, 29.5 - 4.6.2014. There are 4 DXers on the first run of this season: JY (Juha Ylönen), TAK (Tapio Kalmi), YK (Yrjö Kainulainen), JOE (Jouko Peltomäki). Two last mentioned are first-timers. Some of the best highlights of this pedition will be booked here.

Utö15-pedition lasts 10 days again, 5 - 16.6.2014. The 8 participants are the original "Utö Boyz", making this again as full crew: HKU, JUS, JJS, JTK, MB, OSY, JJK, JY. This is 7th pedition in a row in Utö (2008 - 2014), but not with full crew every year. The very first FM-pedition to Utö was held in 2004 by HKU and JUS.
Daily "log" or description of the FM-conditions are published here as previous years.