F2 TV DX
Channel 2 - RCTV - YVVA Caracas, VEN
Brampton, ON, CAN - December 31, 2001
William Hepburn
Times of Reception:  0950 - 0954 EST / 1011 - 1014 EST / (also 1023 - 1028 EST ?)
                      VEN time is EST + 1 hour (same as AST)
DX taped while at work. Used Samsung SV-5000W multi-standard VCR in auto-TV standard mode.
Would have preferred to use better quality JVC HR-D630U NTSC VCR if I had known F2 DX was
from the Americas. Video only - no audio was received. Semi-local station on Channel 2 is
WGRZ Buffalo, NY (89 miles, Z offset). Antenna aimed at 220° to minimize WGRZ signal (VEN is
180°). Colour logo is from RCTV website. Antenna is typical Channel Master yagi at 47 ft AGL.
0928 EST        Plenty of F2 CCI interference. Nothing discernible.
0949 EST        CCI interference pattern between two F2 DX stations. 19 bars.
RCTV 0
0950 EST        First hint of RCTV logo. Notice the large number of ghosts.
RCTV 1
0950 EST        Same logo but notice the "3"s at mid-left and mid-right under the oval. Not  sure what those are.
                          Could be from a "floater"?
RCTV 2
0953 EST        Grey screen on for a while prior to ID.
RCTV 3
0953 EST        RCTV ID. Oval shape noticeable. 4 balls visible.
RCTV 4
0954 EST        Mickey Mouse face - cartoon followed. RCTV website shows "Club Disney" in this time slot.
RCTV 5
1011 EST        Soap Opera type show seen. I assume it was Cuentos De Reyes as per website.
1012 EST        RCTV full animated ID. First part. Large R clearly visible.
RCTV 6
1012 EST        Second part of ID. Again note the oval and 4 balls.
RCTV 7
1012 EST        Alternate frame. Letters somewhat more distinguishable - though still badly ghosted.
RCTV 8
1012 EST        During an ad for a national newspaper (something like Prueuanc Justico?) there
                           was a brief burst of colour - but it still only captures as black & white. Near
                           the end of the ad the picture shrunk into a distinct map of Venezuela. It is
                           clear when checking against a map in an atlas. Unfortunately it doesn't show
                           well in a single frame capture (the human eye sees a lot more detail viewing
                           30 frames per second then just 1 frame).  
1028 EST        Reference to a "MSD 200.."
1031 EST        All F2 fades out...MUF drops below 54 MHz.
            Click on the link below for what I think is live RCTV video. I wish I found this earlier.
                   ** No longer in operation. RCTV shutdown by Chavez.
RCTV
RCTV Real Video
Link to RCTV website
WRH.