Topband: VE6WZ RBN skimmers, and TB DXing from Alberta

[ve6wz at shaw.ca]

Hi Jon,
Yes, it makes sense that even domestic qasi-long range AM band conditions would be a good proxy as well.

Another fun one to check for Asia opening is FEBC / HLAZ from Korea on 1566 kHz.
These guys are a real powerhouse with 250kW directional transmitter from an island just off the south coast of Korea.
Most of our typical ham radios will tune down to the AM band. Perhaps a good one to check once and a while.

As a matter of fact, 160m was very open to Japan and Korea this morning into VE6.
Here is a recording of HLAZ 1566kHz from this morning. This is just before the top of the hour at 1000Z.  The female gives the HLAZ ID.
This is actually astonishingly loud considering it is the AM Broadcast band over 8,500 km from Korea:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15dA7rMqAVad-zH9Jvw_kfIUcRx9mJ_IH/view?usp=sharing

There are many other Japanese and Chinese BCB stations that commonly make it into Alberta.

Steve ve6wz

________________________________
From: Topband <topband-bounces+ve6wz=shaw.ca at contesting.com> on behalf of jon jones <n0jk at hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2025 9:50 AM
To: topband at contesting.com <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: VE6WZ RBN skimmers, and TB DXing from Alberta

That is an amazing setup, Steve.

Interesting on you AM BCB receptions "over the pole."

I often copy 540 kHz CBC "Radio One Regina" on the car radio driving to work around 1130 UTC. Sometimes if strong it correlates with JA 160M openings.

73 — Jon N0JK

>I have been asked a few times by private email about the VE6WZ RBN skimmers so here is some detail about the RBN setup I have at my remote.

If the band is open over the pole to EU, I will usually copy 500kW Moldova Vesti on 1413kHz , Lithuania Baltic 1386kHz or often the UK, and sometimes even 1kW Svalbard on 1485.

160m openings are often short, sporadic and far from predictable. "this 'aint 20m or 40m"!
However, please know that ve6wz is ALWAYS watching the band!!  That is why I will suddenly show up for a QSO even if I am not CQing. So please CQ if you have the time.......I will be watching!

73, de steve VE6WZ



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