Prepping Equipment for 2023

[SkywaveBird]

Hey guys, a few things I wanted to update in terms of DX:

- Currently my FM logs have been halted for updates because of other factors in life, will try to get around to that sometime

- Got me a new scanner (Uniden BC370CRS) that can monitor both FM and lo-VHF, as well as WWV25 for a warning beacon when Es happens. I think this will come to be useful for next Es season, and maybe possible next month for the peak.

- Took down my Stellar Labs Yagi for the season (also due to possibility of it getting struck by lightning or blown down by winter storms, but in its place I have put a small indoor TV dipole (bunny ears) I snagged from Lowes and wrapped it in electric tape (might also do that for the Yagi when the time comes..). So far the indoor dipole works pretty well outside, using it for NOAA DX in winter so it is vertically positioned, but it also is decent with local/regional FM, so it might also be nice to use for the December Peak. Though currently my new scanner is hooked up to my 20 Meter homemade dipole (inverted V) outside, and its really nice grabbing some L.A and San Diego stations. Possibly will use the 20M dipole for the Dec Peak, I reckon.

- Stumbled upon some articles on how attaching a 75 ohm transformer to a Yagi antenna can help balance it as well as reduce some noise that goes into a receiver. Though what's strange is that most transformers I'm finding use "alligator" style U clips so I have no idea how to attach it to the antenna.. (I reckon it has to be tightened on the bolts that hold the elements in place on the Yagi, but if anyone knows the answer, feel free to leave your comment here

And that about does it here. Hope everyone is doing alright. Let's make 2023 (and next month lol) as best as it can be. (:

[N1LF]

Great to see another FM DXer in California. Have you considered adding an SDR receiver, and perhaps joining RabbitEars so that you can "scan" the FM band full time? The autologger will record any RDS signals that it decodes and plot them no a map for all of us to enjoy. Patrick Martin, who is near you in Seaside, OR is getting some great stuff. Many of us use a simple dipole, and even a low-cost RDL type SDR will work.

https://rabbitears.info/tvdx/fm_all_tuners

Keep reporting your catches, and letting us know what you're hearing. I'm just getting into NOAA Weather Radio DXing myself!

[SkywaveBird]

Many of us use a simple dipole, and even a low-cost RDL type SDR will work.

https://rabbitears.info/tvdx/fm_all_tuners

Keep reporting your catches, and letting us know what you're hearing. I'm just getting into NOAA Weather Radio DXing myself!

Hey there, Les. Excuse me if I may be reading this the wrong way, but this certainly ain't my first rodeo with FM DX and SDRs. Not sure if you were aware on dxMaps in the past, but if you ever saw a callsign with N6AVI that came from Southern California during the summer months, that was me. lol.

Anywho, about the whole remote SDR thing, I tried to apply to GlobalTuners to have my RSP1A on there, however, they never responded back to me when i first sent it months ago. Even then still, my yagi is down at the moment so the best antenna I have for FM is my 20 Meter Dipole up on the roof, or the recent indoor TV antenna I strapped outside. How would one go about setting up an RSP1A on RabbitEars?

[K4LY]

Mat,
That's a great FM DX record!
With one of the SDRs that were recommended, use free SDR Console or SDR Sharp software, and contact KB8U for his software and instructions for uploading to Rabbit Ears. The SDR Console was easier to use with the KB8U software for me. I have a 14 el InnoVantenna on my chimney at 24' and the Stellar FM antenna on my tower at 70 feet. I need to replace the reflector on the Stellar which has blown off the antenna. My Rabbit Ears FM URLs are https://rabbitears.info/tvdx/fm_one_tuner_map/58 for the InnoV and https://rabbitears.info/tvdx/fm_one_tuner_map/19 for the Stellar.