This reminds me very much of my shortwave radio hobby I had as a kid. I used to listen to some of the most obscure broadcasts and had a very sophisticated long-wire antenna. I also remember listening to the first broadcast, over shortwave, of the first Chinese satellite. It was basically the same interval signal as Radio Peking (The East Is Red).
I never heard their signal this well. I lived in Michigan and used to hear them coming in weakly on 31 meters. I used to use a Heathkit GR-64 and a 50 foot longwire.