Copperton DXpedition No.28
August 26-30, 2011

by Vashek Korinek

For decades Copperton has been a prosperous copper mining town located in a semi-desert area of Karoo, complete with a school, stadium, post office, drive-in, many shops etc. Geographically, it is pretty much half-way between Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa. When the mining activities started winding down in 1980’s the place became a ghost town quite rapidly, all houses and amenities turning derelict. As this was happening, the state armaments manufacturer bought a few adjacent farms and turned them into a proofing range, the main attractions being the flatness of the area and its remoteness.

This resulted in the mine’s single quarters and the row of the houses previously belonging to the mine management being "saved" for use by the visitors to the proofing range. Since then a few more houses have been salvaged mainly for use by the neighbouring farmers, but essentially the place remains a ghost town with a minute community, the nearest proper shops being in Prieska, about 80 km away.

It is always one of the "management houses" which I use during the DXpeditions. It basically offers DXing in comfort regardless of the weather and the location is relatively quiet. These houses are adjacent to a farm, where it is possible to erect Beverages covering every direction, as long as the aerials remain bidirectional, which is not a problem in South Africa with so few MW stations remaining on the sub-continent.

Copperton Logs 26. to 30. August, 2011

549.0 1725 AUSTRALIA, 2CR (ABC) Orange, interviews, //to 594, weak signal, 26/8
585.0 1735 TANZANIA, R. Tanzania Zanzibar, Swahili talks, good signal, 26/8
594.0 1740 MALAWI, MBC Lilongwe, adverts / announcements, fair signal, 26/8
594.0 1745 AUSTRALIA, 3WV (ABC) Horsham, interviews, nx at 1800, //to 549, fair signal 26/8
612.0 1810 KENYA, KBC Ngong, Swahili talks, fair signal, 26/8
666.0 1830 REUNION, R. Reunion, St. Pierre, Cuban and local music, French ann's, fair signal, 26/8
675.0 1600 AUSTRALIA, 6BE (ABC), Broome, short news and talks, poor signal, 29/8
684.0 1735 AUSTRALIA, 6BS (ABC), Busselton, phone-ins and chats, poor signal, 28/8
684.0 1840 MAURITIUS, MBC R. Maurice, French chansons, English ann's, good signal, 26/8
702.0 1610 AUSTRALIA, 6KP (ABC), Karratha, phone-ins mainly about rugby, a song or two, fair signal, 28/8
710.0 0240 ARGENTINA, R. Diez, BA, current affairs talks, poor signal, 27/8
720.0 1845 AUSTRALIA, 6WF (ABC), Perth, interviews, phone-ins, very good signal, 26/8
729.0 1850 AUSTRALIA, 5RN (ABC), Adelaide, an interview, fair signal, 26/8
747.0 1630 KENYA, CRI relay via KBC Ngong, English news, good signal, 28/8
774.0 1700 AUSTRALIA, 3LO (ABC) Melbourne, news, Melbourne weather, fair signal, 28/8
800.0 0415 BRAZIL, R. MEC, Rio, RJ, talks, discussions, good signal, 29/8
820.0 0420 BRAZIL, Gazeta AM, Vitoria, ES, local pops, announcements, good signal, 29/8
820.0 0245 BRAZIL, R. Globo, Macae, RJ, actualities & Panorama Esportiva, nx at 0300, good signal, 27/8
840.0 0135 BRAZIL, R. Bandeirantes, S.P., actualities, fair signal, 30/8
850.0 0140 URUGUAY, R. Carve, Montevideo, talks, announcements, some music, poor signal, 30/8
870.0 0430 ARGENTINA, R. Nacional, Cap. Federal, discussions, reviews, fair signal, 29/8
880.0 0145 BRAZIL, R. Inconfidencia, Belo Horizonte, MG, actualities, //6010, good signal, 30/8
900.0 1620 INDIA, AIR Kadapa, local singing, poor signal, 29/8
910.0 0100 ARGENTINA, La Red, BA, sport commentary, fair signal, 29/8
936.0 1715 INDIA, AIR Tiruchirapalli, local traditional songs, fair signal, 28/8
940.0 0110 BRAZIL, Super Radio Brasil, Rio, RJ, RBV religious prog., very good signal, 29/8
970.0 0440 PARAGUAY, R. 9-70, Asuncion, phone-ins, good signal, 29/8
980.0 0115 BRAZIL, R. Nacional, Brasilia, avant-garde music, fair signal, 29/8
980.0 0315 COLOMBIA, RCN Cali, interview, nx at 0330, adverts, 30/8
990.0 0450 ARGENTINA, R. Splendid, Capital Federal, tango's, announcements, 29/8
1000.0 2355 BRAZIL, R. Record, S.P., local light music, announcements, poor signal, 27/8
1030.0 0005 BRAZIL, R. Capital, Rio, RJ, local songs, announcements, fair signal, 28/8
1050.0 0120 BRAZIL, R. Capixaba, Vitoria, ES, religious talks, announcements, good signal, 29/8
1100.0 0010 BRAZIL, R. Globo, S.P., sports talks and chat, good signal, 28/8
1110.0 0125 ARGENTINA, R. de La Ciudad, BA, talks, chats, phone-ins, adverts, fair signal, 29/8
1130.0 0020 BRAZIL, R. Nacional, Rio, RJ, Brazilian romantic music, very good signal, 28/8
1150.0 0025 BRAZIL, R. Tupi, S.P., musica sertajena, announcements, good signal, 28/8
1152.0 1755 KENYA, KBC Wajir, religious prog. In Swahili, fair signal, 27/8
1152.0 1800 AUSTRALIA, 6RN (ABC), Manjimup, relaying BBCWS, fair signal 27/8
1161.0 1755 AUSTRALIA, 5PA (ABC), Naracoorte, chats, phone-ins, an oldie or two, poor signal, 28/8
1180.0 0030 BRAZIL, R. Mundial, Rio, RJ, rural music, announcements, promo's, good signal, 28/8
1197.0 1445 LESOTHO, LM Radio (a Mozambique based FM stn.) relay, oldies, adverts, probably a test, very good signal 27/8
1220.0 0200 BRAZIL, R. Globo, Rio, RJ, news, good signal, 28/8
1270.0 0040 ARGENTINA, R. Provincia de B.A., La Plata, classical music, very good signal, 28/8
1280.0 0400 PUERTO RICO, NotiUno Radio, talks mainly on weather, evacuation, hurricane, poor signal, 28/8
1280.0 2015 BRAZIL, R. Sanhaua, Bayeux, PB, talks, announcements, adverts, fair signal, 29/8
1290.0 0420 VENEZUELA, R. Puerto Cabello, local rhythmical music, announcements, good signal, 28/8
1290.0 0425 BRAZIL, R. Brasil Sul, Londrina, PR, light instrumental music, announcements, poor signal, 30/8
1296.0 1705 AUSTRALIA, 6RN (ABC), Wagin, weather and "Bush Telegraph", good signal, 29/8
1300.0 2020 BRAZIL, R. Novo Tempo, Afonso Claudio, ES, religious programming, good signal, 28/8
1320.0 2045 BRAZIL, R. Regional, Cicero Dantas, BA, talks & local popular songs, adverts, poor signal, 29/8
1330.0 2035 BRAZIL, R. Terra, Osasco, SP, light local songs, announcements, very good signal, 28/8
1330.0 0440 PARAGUAY, R. Chaco Boreal, local romantic and emotional songs, poor signal, 28/8
1340.0 0445 BRAZIL, CBN, Porto Alegre, RS, "CBN Madrugada" with talks / actualities, fair signal, 30/8
1360.0 2100 BRAZIL, R. Bandeirantes, Rio, RJ, announcements & lively local music, fair signal, 28/8
1370.0 2110 BRAZIL, R. Iguatemi, S.P., outstanding U.S. and Brazilian music, very good signal, 28/8
1390.0 0230 ARGENTINA, R. Universidad, La Plata, various S. American popular songs, fair signal, 29/8
1400.0 2125 BRAZIL, R. Rio AM, Rio, RJ, an inspirational prog., good signal, 28/8
1404.0 1810 AUSTRALIA, 6TAB, Busselton, an interview, weak signal, 28/8
1410.0 2115 BRAZIL, R. Itaperuna, RJ, rural music, announcements, adverts, very good signal, 29/8
1430.0 2130 BRAZIL, R. Clube B2, Curitiba, PR, fast talks, slow music, fair signal, 29/8
1500.0 2145 BRAZIL, R. Cumbica, Guarulhos, SP, musica sertajena, announcements, poor signal, 29/8
1570.0 0300 MEXICO, XERF - La Poderosa, Cd. Acuna, announcements and long talks, fair signal, 29/8
1620.0 0205 ARGENTINA, R. AM 16-20, local pops, announcements, good signal, 27/8
1700.0 0435 U.S.A., KVNS, Brownsville, TX, 60's & 70's oldies, announcements, fair signal, 27/8

NDB's Logs

205.0 0300 WO ZIMBABWE, Bulawayo, weak, 27/8
235.0 0200 URT BRAZIL, Uruburetama, CE, weak, 30/8
268.0 0115 TO ZIMBABWE, Gweru, weak, 28/8
272.5 0315 HX Unidentified, weak, 27/8
303.0 2215 YLR Unidentified, weak, 29/8
308.0 0320 LZ ZAMBIA, Livingstone, weak, 27/8
320.0 0210 JPS BRAZIL, Joao Pessoa, PB, weak, 30/8
325.0 2335 PAF BRAZIL, Paulo Afonso, BA, weak, 29/8
340.0 0130 MCO BRAZIL, Maceio, AL, weak, 28/8
345.0 0140 PTL BRAZIL, Petrolina, PE, weak, 28/8
355.0 0330 ACJ BRAZIL, Aracaju, SE, good, 27/8
360.0 2130 ASN ASCENSION ISL., weak, 26/8
367.0 2120 OH SOUTH AFRICA, Oudtshoorn, weak, 26/8
377.0 0340 PO ZIMBABWE, Hwange, fair, 27/8
385.0 0150 RC ZIMBABWE, Kwe Kwe, weak, 28/8
405.0 2050 PK SOUTH AFRICA, Nelspruit, fair, 26/8
417.5 0350 VM SOUTH AFRICA, Venetia Mine, fair, 27/8
457.5 0400 LO SOUTH AFRICA, Louis Trichardt, 27/8
480.0 0410 PA Unidentified, weak, 27/8
512.5 2115 MAJ SOUTH AFRICA, Majuba Power Station, weak, 26/8
1632.0 2215 ZG Unidentified, fair, 29/8
1650.0 0200 SAC Unidentified, fair, 27/8
1680.0 0210 QRG Unidentified, fair, 27/8

(published on September 6, 2011)