Night of Nights X

This was recently posted to the Radiomarime forum and I thought it may of of interest to some DXers.

The annual Maritime Radio Historical Society "Night of Nights" event is less than one month away.

This will be the tenth annual Night of Nights!

Every year on 12 July (US time) many famous coast stations return to the air to commemorate what was then thought to be the last commercial Morse stations in the USA.

Since then MRHS coast station KSM has taken to the air and three other commercial coast stations have received licenses for operation in the MF band (KNE, KDR and WFT). Historic ships have reactivated their radio consoles and are active on MF and HF.

The purpose of Night of Nights is to emphasize the objective of the MRHS: to preserve the skills, traditions and culture of the men and women who came before us and who made the profession of radiotelegrapher one of honor and skill.

This year stations KPH, and KSM will be on the air. We anticipate that KFS will be on the air as well. We hope that US Coast Guard stations NMC, NOJ and NMN will join us as they did last year.

Amateur station K6KPH will guard 3550, 7050 and 14050kc for reception reports.

Preliminary information has been posted on the MRHS Web site: http://www.radiomarine.org

Check back often for updated information as it becomes available.

If you would like to receive announcements like this and are not already a member of our mailing list just send a message to: radiomarine-subscribe [at] yahoogroups.com

WCTN-950 Potomac, MD DX Test

This just in to DXTest.info from Chris at WCTN!

Date: Friday (late Thursday night), April 10, 2009.
Time: Midnight - 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 0400 - 0430 UTC.
Mode of Operation: 2500 watts DA
Programming: Programming will be a mix between adult standards and oldies id's between everything - and the "WCTN Potomac - Cabin John Testing" at the top of the hour.

QSL Information: Please send reception reports to:

WCTN
7825 Tuckerman Lane
Suite 217
Potomac, MD 20854

Many thanks to Chris for scheduling this test! Everyone trying for test please leave a comment on your success.

WHTB-1400 Fall River, MA DX Test

Can any confirm if this test actually ran?

ABDX presents their third DX test of the season!

Date: Sunday morning (late Saturday night), Mar 29, 2009.
Time: 1 - 2 a.m. Eastern Time, 0500 - 0600 UTC.
Mode of Operation: The station will test with 1kW non-directional mono. There will be the announcements, the station ID in Morse Code, sweep tones, train whistles, etc. (including a jingle).

QSL Information: Please send reception reports to production [at] wsar.com or you may send postal reports to:

WHTB
1 Home St.
Somerset, Ma. 02725

A special thank you to Jay Rogers, N1WVQ/WQBI410 and all the people at ABDX who made this possible

WSAR-1480 Somerset, MA DX Test

ABDX presents their second DX test of the season!

Date: Sunday morning (late Saturday night), Mar 22, 2009.
Time: 2 - 3 a.m. Eastern Time, 0600 - 0700 UTC.
Mode of Operation: The station will test with 5 kW DA-U using 2 towers. There will be the announcements, the station ID in Morse Code, sweep tones, train whistles, etc. (including a jingle).

QSL Information: Please send reception reports to production [at] wsar.com or you may send postal reports to:

WSAR
1 Home St.
Somerset, Ma. 02725

Most likely their sister 1kW class C station: WHTB-1400 will be doing1 the same test the following week @ the same time.

A special thank you to Jay Rogers, N1WVQ/WQBI410 and all the people at ABDX who made this possible

Last broadcast of ZLXA 3935 kHz, Levin, New Zealand

Station: ZLXA,Radio Reading Service, Levin, New Zealand, 3935 kHz
Schedule: 0400 UTC March 20, 2009 - 1900 UTC March 22, 2009

Original announcement via Dan Ferguson, NASWA via Anker Petersen, DSWCI:

Dear Friends

Following a meeting of the Board of N.Z. Radio for the Print Disabled Inc. on 2 Feb 2009, below is an extract from the Secretary's reply to my letter of 26 January in which I discuss the possible closure of our shortwave service.

"The Board of the NZ Radio for the Print Disabled considered all the facts presented but came to the decision to cease broadcasting as ZLXA on 3935 kHz forthwith. The main reason for this decision is the state of the valves on the transmitter. We would need to renew the four valves (4/400c) at a cost of approximately $3000 also the cost of power at $400 per month and an annual licence of $700 combined makes this broadcasting service completely unfeasible.

We are at this point in time trying to raise finance to replace the MW transmitter which suffered damage during last year's storm.

The Board, though, has agreed to broadcast on 3935 kHz over a weekend from 5.00pm Friday 20th March through to Monday morning 23rd March 2009, (0400 20/3 - 1900 22/3 UTC), depending on the transmitter functioning for that period.

This is the best that we can do to enable the many international DXers to receive our transmission for one last time."

As you will appreciate, for an organisation reliant on grants and donations to continue serving our listening community, the shortwave component is no longer viable. Therefore, RRS will maintain local broadcasts on 1602 kHz (2XA) and 107.3 MHz FM only.

Kindest regards & Best DX
Kelvin Brayshaw
QSL Manager
NZ Radio Reading Service
LEVIN

Radio North-846 Ireland DX Test

Ken Baird in Scotland sent Guy Atkins this information and asked that it be publicized: I have been in communications with Radio North in Co Donegal, Eire. They have agreed to make a similar DX test that night. The details are as follows.

Date: Sunday morning (Late Saturday night) March 15th 2009.
Time: 0200 - 0600 UTC inclusive.
Mode of Operation: The station runs 1kW on 846 kHz.
Programming: There will be voice IDs and CW slow speed IDs every 30m on the hour and on the half hour during their normal overnight music, and music will hopefully consist of better known pop / oldies.. There will be frequent jingle IDs thrown in between times as well.

QSL Information: Radio North will verify with full data QSL's for this broadcast. The email address to be used is:

radionorth846am[at]gmail.com

Thank you to Paul for his continued enthusiasm towards MW DXers.

WHYL-960 Carlisle, PA DX Test

Date: Sunday morning (late Saturday night), Mar 15, 2009.
Time: 12 Midnight - 2 a.m. Eastern Time, 0400 - 0600 UTC.
Mode of Operation: The station will test with 5 kW DA E-W. The DX test will consist of "peppier" pop music, morse code and sweep tones.

QSL Information: 1$ to help defray return postage requested. You may send postal reports to:

WHYL
ATTN Bruce Collier,
1703 Walnut Bottom Rd
Carlisle, PA 17015
U.S.A.

Thank you to Bruce Collier for making this test possible!