DX LISTENING DIGEST 15-52, December 30, 2015
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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For restrixions and searchable 2015 contents archive see
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[also linx to previous years]
NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but
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WORLD OF RADIO 1806 CONTENTS: *DX and station news about:
Albania, Australia, Bhutan, Biafra non, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Greenland, India, Italy non, Japan,
Korea North, Kuwait, Luxembourg, México, Myanmar, Netherlands non,
Nigeria, Perú, Poland, Romania, USA, Yemen non
SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1806, December 31, 2015-January 6,
2016
Thu 1230 WRMI 9955
Thu 2100 WRMI 7570 [confirmed]
Fri 0200 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed]
Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 [not aired; error?]
Fri 2130 WRMI 7570 [confirmed]
Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio
Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio
Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM
Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM [confirmed from 0410v]
Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 [confirmed]
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v Area 51 [confirmed]
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 [confirmed]
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955
Wed 1415 WRMI 9955
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v
Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite
and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html or
http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org
For updates see our Anomaly Alert page:
http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html
WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS:
Tnx to Dr Harald Gabler and the Rhein-Main Radio Club.
http://www.rmrc.de/index.php/rmrc-audio-plattform/podcast/glenn-hauser-wor
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http://shortwave.am/wor.xml
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http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlennHausersWorldOfRadio
Also via [but still not back in service]:
http://tunein.com/radio/World-of-Radio-p198/
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO:
http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html
or http://wor.worldofradio.org
DAY-BY-DAY ARCHIVE OF GLENN HAUSER`S LOG REPORTS:
Unedited, uncondensed, unchanged from original version, many of
them too complex, minutely researched, multi-frequency, opinionated,
inconsequential, off-topic, or lengthy for some log editors to
manage; and also ahead of their availability in these weekly issues:
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=Hauser
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** AFGHANISTAN. VOICE OF AFGHAN JOURNALIST NOW HEARD ON IS RADIO
http://www.voanews.com/content/voice-of-afghan-journalist-now-heard-on-islamic-state-radio/3114538.html
December 22, 2015 5:13 PM
The voice of a journalist who until recently used to work at radio
stations in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province can now be heard
in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, and neighboring districts as the
voice of Islamic State's new “caliphate radio.”
Former colleagues are quick to recognize the voice of Sultan Aziz
Ezam, who worked for three local radio stations over the course of a
decade, covering primarily land issues.
Now, that voice is issuing death threats.
Local newsmen hear their former colleague — or some imitator —
accusing them of “working for foreigners” and saying they are on the
IS death watch list for their reporting practices.
“I know the addresses of houses of all those journalists who are
working with different media organizations in Jalalabad, and will find
them and will kill them,” he declares.
Journalists 'very scared'
VOA could not independently confirm the identity of the IS radio
anchor. But local Afghan journalists say they are alarmed by the
threats and are taking them seriously, because they recognize the
voice. "All journalists in Jalalabad are aware of the threats and are
very scared," one local journalist told VOA.
About 50 reporters in Nangarhar work for local and international news
outlets. Journalists say Ezam and his brother recently left their work
at a local radio station, and Ezam had not been heard from until his
voice surfaced on the IS broadcasts.
The Nangarhar governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Khogianay, told
reporters that the provincial government was aware of the threats to
journalists. “We have started working on a mechanism to protect
reporters,” he said, offering no specifics. “We are hopeful, if we are
successful in creating the mechanism, that reporters will feel safe.”
The Nangarhar communications directorate has said that because of
technical reasons, the radio has not yet been taken off the air.
IS radio
FM radio broadcasts by IS started recently along the Pakistan-
Afghanistan border and are the voice of terror in a region where IS
terrorist fighters are active.
IS launched the channel as the “Voice of Khelafat [Caliphate].”
It is not hard to find on the radio dial. The two-hour daily evening
broadcasts include Quranic recitations, Arabic nasheed (Islamic
chanting), interviews with IS fighters and anti-government propaganda.
The channel also airs interviews with IS mullahs who issue fatwahs
against those who work with the Afghan army and government, with the
Pakistan army and for foreigners in Afghanistan.
Pakistani and Afghan officials say they are hunting for the
broadcasters; they believe the signal emanates from a mobile
transmitter in the mountains.
The governor of Achin district, Haji Ghaleb, told VOA that the radio
station has been set up in the Achin district along the border with
Pakistan. Achin has recently seen an increasing presence of IS
fighters who have launched multiple attacks on Afghan security forces
in the district.
VOA reporters contributed to this report from Jalalabad.
(via Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD)
AFGHAN AUTHORITIES CLAIM TO SHUT DOWN IS RADIO
http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-authorities-claim-to-sgut-down-is-radio/3117572.html
FILE - Nangarhar University students gather as some raise Taliban and
Islamic State flags in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Nov. 8, 2015. An Afghan
official said the government is investigating links between
universities and extremist groups. [caption]
VOA News December 24, 2015 3:30 PM
Local authorities in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province say that Sadai
Khilafat Radio (Voice of Caliphate), which broadcast pro-Islamic State
propaganda, has stopped broadcasting in the eastern province.
Mimicking IS's media outreach in Syria and Iraq, the Afghan branch
also set up a radio station in Nangarhar, broadcasting at least one
hour a day to attract young Afghan men disenchanted by dim job
prospects in a war-torn country with an overall 24 percent
unemployment rate. The joblessness is even higher among youths
targeted in the IS recruitment drive.
Atta Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar, told VOA
that local authorities were successful in discontinuing the radio
station’s broadcast. He added that authorities are looking into
finding the location where the radio was broadcasting.
The frequency that Sadai Khelafat Radio was broadcasting is currently
airing the national anthem of Afghanistan and other traditional music.
Some officials in the local government say it is possible that foreign
forces helped the government shut down the radio (via Clara
Listensprechen, DXLD)
same but shorter URL:
http://m.voanews.com/a/3117572.html
(via Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, dxldyg via DXLD)
AFGANISTÁN RECLAMA EL CESE DE LAS EMISIONES DE LA RADIO DE ESTADO
ISLÁMICO
Radio Califato pertenece a Estado Islámico y sus emisiones se pueden
escuchar en la provincia de Nangarhar, en el este de Afganistán, ha
informado la agencia de noticias afgana Pahjwok . . .
http://www.estrelladigital.es/articulo/espanha/afganistan-reclama-cese-emisiones-radio-estado-islamico/20151222194427265779.html
(via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD)
** AFGHANISTAN [non]. USA(non), Frequency changes of IBB:
Deewa Radio from Dec 28
0100-0400 NF 7470 KWT 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 9765 KWT
0100-0400 NF 7530 IRA 250 kW / 334 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 12025 KWT
0100-0400 NF 9765 IRA 250 kW / 340 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 12005 IRA
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/frequency-changes-of-ibb.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DXLD) See ALBANIA below, another user of 7470!
** ALASKA [and non]. Good signal of KNLS The New Life Station Dec 22:
0800-0900 on 9615 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#2
0900-1000 on 9680*NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian tx#2
* very poor due to strong signal of Ictimai Radio on 9676.9
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-knls-new-life-station-on.html
Very weak signal of KNLS The New Life Station. Today December 23 no
signal of Ictimai Radio on 9676.9:
0900-1000 on 9680*NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/very-weak-signal-of-knls-new-life.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Reception of KNLS The New Life Station, Dec 28:
0800-0900 on 9615 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#2
0900-1000 on 9680*NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian tx#2
1000-1100 on 9615 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#2
* plus weak signal of Ictimai Radio on 9676.8 FM modulation.
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/reception-of-knls-new-life-station-dec28.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD) See also ARMENIA/AZER
** ALBANIA [and non]. 7470, Dec 29 at 0225, open carrier to R. Tirana
IS starting, S7. I meant to tune in earlier to see if I could hear
another carrier on 7470, but now there`s only the self-imposed LAH,
and is slightly off to the lo side of 7470. Usual canned sign-on
announcement still says ``2100 to 2030`` for the previous English
airing, not corrected. Still no CCI, and at 0250, sports report with
Albanian football scores; 0251 ending broadcast to music fill for the
rest, 0258 playing IS again, 0300 off, and again not hearing anything
else. I`m checking this carefully since Noel Green points out a
frequency change by IBB effective Dec 28 according to Ivo Ivanov:
Deewa Radio from Dec 28:
0100-0400 NF 7470 KWT 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 9765 KWT
Good that I can`t hear Kuwait on 7470 tonight, but when reception
improves from the area, it could be a problem for us in North America.
From a remote receiver in NJ at 0304 after Tirana was off, Wolfgang
Büschel did hear Kuwait with a very poor signal. Would other monitors
in North America keep an ear on this during Tirana`s 0230 broadcast
and report whether there is a problem (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF
RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. INDIA, 4760, AIR Port Blair with very
usable signal on Dec 18 from SDR remote unit at DL0AO site at DARC
Amberg-Germany using NE Beverage - tuned at 0014 UT with readable
signal for about 30 min before gray line passage killed the signal.
Some occasional ute, CWQRM and heavy co-channel QRM from Tajikistan on
4765 kHz [sic --- that`s adjacent channel, not co-! meaning same gh]
Also heard later on Dec 18 from 2345 UT tune with open carrier to 2353
UT then IS to 2354 UT. Lost signal due to server timeout and wrong
antenna selected until 2357 UT at which time usual stringed/flute
Hindi music after sign-on heard to 0000 UT. Woman announcer to 0001 UT
then into local music with periodic woman to 0025 UT. Woman announcer
followed by man to tune out at 0027 UT. Signal to this QTH seems to
peak around 0015-0020 UT (Bruce W. Churchill-CA-USA, DXplorer Dec 23
via BC-DX 26 Dec via DXLD)
** ANGOLA. 4949.67, Rádio Nacional de Angola, good carrier strength at
1821 but almost no audio getting through, only the occasional
"whisper" of a male announcer (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from
David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
4949.75, R. Nacional de Angola, 0510, Dec 28. Just above threshold
level audio; just able to get a definite ID (Ron Howard, Asilomar
State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** ARMENIA/AZERBAIJAN. Since late 90s, from Stepanakert - the capital
of separatist Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (ex Azer, now pro Armenian)
was on the air radio station, rather radio monster, broadcasting in
wide frequency range around 9677 kHz with super distorted audio. It is
ex-jamming transmitter which was used in 80s against Radio Liberty.
The broadcasts were in Azeri two times weekly - each by 30 minutes and
repeated on next days, resp. Tue/Wed and Fri/Sat. The Russian DXers
recognized their ID as "Edaletin Sese Radiosu" (=Voice of Justice).
Already 2-3 radio seasons the transmissions are at 0820-1420vary (DST
from end of March 0720-1320) on 9677 and irregularly 0410-0610 (DST
0310-0510) on 11760 also with wide range but on 11743-11763 kHz.
According to the WRTH it is V of Talyshistan; according to Ivo Ivanov
is Radio Ictimai, etc., but I don't know some DXer who recognize the
exact ID.
Some notes: On 9677 kHz there are not two stations - on as jamming;
Ictimai in Azeri means Public; in Azerbaijan there is not DST but in
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh there is DST. The sounds, the speakers,
the music between the news are the same now as were in the past by V
of Justice (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec 30, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** AUSTRALIA. Photos of Symban World Radio and antenna in tropical
wave 2368 kHz and FM 93.3 MHz from Sydney, NSW. EXCLUSIVE:
From year 2008 (Presumably). Other pictures in the tropical wave
antenna, FM, Radio link antenna to studio, etc. You can see this link
of Radio Symban, section Photos:
http://www.symban.com.au/
they disclose at 2369 AM on the website.
Radio Symban was founded in April 1997 by Angelo Matsoukas, a person
with a wealth of knowledge in radio both in Greece and in Australia
since the 1970s. The vision of Angelo Matsoukas and his colleagues was
to create a radio station with a 24 hour Greek radio programme which
would respect the political and religious convictions of all
listeners, a value which has been respected by all and which makes up
the philosophy of the station until today.
Watch your tropical wave antenna Radio Symban, some limited stations
in Brazil in tropical wave use the same scheme.
Videos DXing received in Japan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmWwiiYbkJo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZOxAiXc9PI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMurxj9a9H0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzjJvReLn5E
* Photo year 2015 Studios Symban World Radio *
<https://www.google.com.br/maps/place//@-33.9048578,151.1291206,3a,66.8y,14.87h,100.38t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKGdN80d8Ff7ZYk1pL0RJQg!2e0>
73 (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova Xavantina MT, Dec 25, Brazil
<http://dxbrazilsw.blogspot.com.br/2015/12/photos-of-symban-world-radio-and.html>
Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)
Altho 2369 AM is on the masthead, the about-us station history
neglects to mention anything about it, instead, X-band, VHF and
internet (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** AUSTRALIA. However, the private station, 2368, R. Symban, Sydney
NSW has not been heard since about July or August, and still remains
off-air; perhaps for good? Who knows!
Over the last week, 2325 kHz ABC Tennant Creek, NT and 2485 kHz ABC
Katherine, NT have both been off air with different technical
problems. New parts have arrived, been installed, and both
transmitters were back on air last night when I checked at 1020 UT.
Cheers, all, (Rob VK3BVW Wagner, HF Underground via Daniel Wyllyans,
Brasil, Dec 25, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1806,
DXLD)
** AUSTRALIA. 12085, Dec 24 at 1342, RA is JBA, much weaker than
12065, which should be the other way round, as 12085 should aim NNE at
30 degrees and 12065 at 35 degrees further west. I can tell 12085 is
really RA on the air only by // to 12065 and 9580. Something is amiss
again.
12065 & 12085, Dec 28 at 1413, R. Australias are at equal levels,
instead of normally 12065 much weaker than 12085, due to differing
azimuths. Something has changed.
12085, Dec 30 at 1327 check, this RA frequency is once again much
stronger than // 12065, which is the normal situation; after their
being equal on Dec 28, and reverse on Dec 24 --- as if antennas were
being exchanged. What`s going on at Shepparton? (Glenn Hauser, OK,
WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** AUSTRALIA. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE 2015 SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT
RACE --- Southgate December 27, 2015
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/december/radio_communications_for_the_2015_sydney_to_hobart_yacht_race.htm#.Vn_DmOTnnmI
The annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is currently underway and makes
good listening during sked times throughout the day, when each vessel
reports in with their latitude/longitude positions.
Frequencies used are 6516 and 4483 kHz. These frequencies will be in
operation until the race is completed, probably some time during
December 31. Sked times and other details, along with a YouTube video
of a portion of the first sked from December 26 are at:
http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/radio-communications-for-2015-sydney-to.html
73, Rob VK3BVW Wagner Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
** BAHRAIN. Surprisingly strong signal of Radio Bahrain on Dec 23:
1445-1515 on 9745 ABH 010 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic in CUSB due to
NHK World on 9750 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese is off today
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/surprisingly-strong-signal-of-radio_23.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
9745-CUSB, Radio Bahrain, 1840, very good with traditional Arabic
vocals. Enjoyed hearing this well past 1900. (Also noted again at 1715
with good level on 29/12.) (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David
Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9744.997-USB mode, Radio Bahrain, Abu Hayan, Arabic service, but
western pop music, and station ID in English at 0443 UT Dec 26, "98.4
FM ID", S=8-9 signal level in Qatar. USB mode bandwidth visible like
3.3 kHz only (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 25 via DXLD)
** BELARUS. Strong signal of Radio Belarus, but modulation not 100%:
1100-1400 on 11730 MNS 100 kW / 246 deg to WeEu Belarussian on Dec.23
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-signal-of-radio-belarus-but.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** BERMUDA. 89.1, ZBM, Hamilton, Dec/30/15, 1311 EST [1811 UT],
English, VG. PSA for MADD and "Bermuda Mothers for MADD - Don't Drink
and Drive Campaign" by Male DJ. Into Caribe Island Music. RELOG 1162
Miles. RECEIVER: SANGEAN HDT-1X, ANTENNA: APS-14 14 Element Beam at 50
Feet on Tower. FM LOG TOTALS are now: 2745 Stations Heard. 73 ROB
VA3SW (Robert S. Ross, London, Ontario, CANADA, ODXA yg via DXLD)
** BHUTAN. 6035.05, BBS, *0057 on Dec 24:
*0057-0100: no intro - straight into indigenous chanting.
0100-0111: monologue (news?).0111-0119: items with brief indigenous
instrumental music between items.
0119-0126: indigenous chanting/singing.
My local sunset at 0056, while Bhutan sunrise was at 0048. Close to a
perfect match up for grayline reception.
6035.05, BBS. Dec 28 listening for sign on between 0030-0125, but
nothing heard; they signed on later; by 0140 noted open carrier, but
by then was too late for any audio. My only window of opportunity here
for BBS reception is about 0040-0120 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State
Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BIAFRA [non]. SECRETLAND(non), SPL The Global specialist for
International Communications on shortwave and provided to you strong
and quality signal around the world.
SPL relay test transmissions of Radio Biafra via Secretbrod Dec 20:
2000-2300 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf ONLY open carrier / dead air
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/radio-biafra-via-secretbrod-open.html
SPL relay test broadcast of Radio Biafra via Secretbrod on Dec 22:
2000-2300 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf English, live broadcast
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-test-broadcast-of-radio.html
SPL relay test transmissions of Radio Biafra via Secretbrod on Dec 23:
2000-2050 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf English plus music, not live
2050-2130 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf dead air, tx off at 2132 UT!
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/radio-biafra-via-secretbrod-on-december.html
SPL Secretbrod relay Radio Biafra on Dec 25
2000-2300 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf English, live
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretbrod-relay-radio-biafra-on.html
SPL relay Radio Biafra via Secretbrod on December 26, open
carrier/dead air:
2000-2012 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf & then talks, low modulation
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-radio-biafra-via-secretbrod_26.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD) To be considered ``test`` until they ever get it right? (gh)
SPL relay Radio Biafra via Secretbrod Dec 28, open carrier / dead air
2000-2047 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg WeAf and off the air at 2047 UT:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-radio-biafra-via-secretbrod_29.html
73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
SPL Secretland relay Radio Biafra via Secretbrod on December 29:
2000-2018 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf, open carrier/dead air
2018-2039 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf, mx/not live broadcast
from 2039 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf, really live broadcast
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretland-relay-radio-biafra-via.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Problems continue. How much blame is due to SCB and how much to Radio
Biafra failing to provide a reliable program feed into it? (gh, DXLD)
Weren't the previous Issoudun transmissions plagued by losses of
modulation as well?
http://radiobiafra.co
always brings up real program audio, either by clicking on "Live
Radio" or even autolaunching. So what's the problem here??
And someone should really tell them that pleaaaase you should not put
a running cell phone close to audio equipment! (Kai Ludwig, Germany,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
A pretty monotonous Radio Biafra transmission so far today. Carrier
came on a couple of minutes before 2000 UT with audio beginning about
2000 with the song "I'm a Biafran" which has been repeated several
times now. No sign-on announcement of any kind. Currently 2019
(Richard Langley, NB, Dec 24, dxldyg via DXLD) Still heard via remote?
Nothing but a carrier noted today for at least an hour starting a
couple of minutes before 2000 UT as monitored via Twente (Richard
Langley, Dec 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Live broadcast today from 2000 UT, videos tomorrow – (73! Ivo Ivanov
QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec 25, dxldyg via DXLD)
Very weak, low-audio signal today via Twente. Just before 2000 UT,
there was some brief audio at listenable level from Brother Stair or
another broadcaster. I guess they were testing the signal set-up. But
when Radio Biafra started (right into commentary -- no anthem or
music), it was hard to make out anything. Gave up listening (Richard
Langley, 27 Dec, ibid.)
And on 28 December, nothing but a carrier noted via Twente at 2020 UT
peaking to S8 or S9 (Richard Langley, NB, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA [and non]. 6025, 0948-0959 UT 29.12.2015. Red Patria Nueva.
Llamados telefónicos en respuesta a la pregunta sobre hechos
destacables del año 2015. Señal con leve siseo de Radio Martí y otras.
Grabación:
https://soundcloud.com/claudio-radioham-dx/6025-red-patria-nueva-29-12-2015-0956-utc
6025, 1010-1020 UT 30.12.2015. Red Patria Nueva. Informaciones del
departamento de La Paz y otros, en idioma aimara. Grabación:
https://soundcloud.com/claudio-radioham-dx/6025-red-patria-nueva-30-12-2015-1016-utc
(Claudio Galaz, Receptor: Realistic DX-160, Antena: Hilo de 45 metros
+ tierra+ balun 4:1, Lugar: Ovalle, Chile, SWARL call sign: CE2006SWL,
condiglista yg via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. Radio Panamericana on 6105 kHz seems to have become a
rarely heard station since July 2015. This coincides with the death of
the founder Miguel Dueri Anton Maria on 30 July 2015 and the apparent
relaunch of their website
http://panamericana.bo/
The coloured header of the site only mentions 96.1 MHz and 580 kHz
while further down the short wave frequency is still included in a
list which also mentions 106.3 MHz for the provinces. The site refers
to a web stream at
http://www.megalink.com/radio/panamericana/index.php
which did not start when checked.
Looking at the given schedule one might also note that the station
closes two hours earlier in the weekend compared with the weekday
schedule.
UT schedule: 1000-0300 Mo-Fr, including 1225 and 1530 Contacto con la
VOA; 1100-0100 Sa Su
LT schedule (LT=UTC-4)
Mon-Fri:
06:00 Bolivia en canto
06:30 Buenos días Bolivia
07:30 Panamericano Matinal
08:00 Ronda de Corresponsales
08:25 Contacto con la VOA
08:40 Panamericano Deportivo
09:00 Noticiero Solar
09:15 Micrófono Abierto
11:30 Contacto con la VOA
12:20 Panamericano Deportivo
13:00 Panamericano Meridiano
13:30 Microncierto
14:00 Noticiero Solar (reprisse)
14:15 Surcos Bolivianos
15:30 Onda Panamericana
18:00 Voz Popular
19:00 Suavecito
20:00 Panamericano Nocturno
20:30 Hola Noche
23:00 Cierre
Sábado
07:00 Personalidades de la música
07:30 Panamericano Matinal
08:00 Ronda de Corresponsales
08:30 Discoteca Panamericana
09:00 Noticiero Solar
09:10 Discoteca Panamericana
11:00 Especial de Solar
11:30 Contacto Internacional
12:00 Diálogo en Panamericana
14:00 Confidencias
14:30 Surcos Bolivianos
18:00 Un tiempo con Dios
20:00 Ronda de los éxitos
21:00 Cierre
Domingo
07:00 Manantial de Vida
08:00 Diálogo (reprisse)
10:00 Confidencias
10:30 Siempre en Domingo
13:00 El Panamericano Deportivo
18:00 Un tiempo con Dios (reprisse)
20:00 Concierto Dominical
21:00 Cierre
If the transmitter is broken or failing, it is unlikely that short
wave will be given any investment before January 2017, because the
station's licence is coming up for renewal and the station does not
necessarily comply with Presidente Evo Morales' views (Dr. Hansjoerg
Biener, 29 December 2015, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. ANOMALIA 4862 kHz --- Para quem mora no exterior é um bom
momento para ouvir a Rádio Verdes Florestas em 4865 kHz. Nesse momento
ela está transmitindo músicas, é uma missa católica; acabei de
comfirmar o audio do web site
http://www.verdesflorestas.com.br/radio/player.html
também comfere com audio da onda tropical, ambos audios ao vivo.
Quanto a 4862 kHz, presumívelmente seria a Rádio Alvorada de Londrina,
que está trasmitindo em 4862 kHz com OM falando CX natalinos. Mas não
ouvi nada ligado a Londrina. Esperarei por um ID.
Dia 24/12 0211 UT, Hoje 26/12 às 0148 UT a Anomalia continua. Fiz um
video mas estou com probemas de internet com tempo de chuvas e fortes
ondas de calor ao mesmo tempo, 73 (Daniel Wyllyans, Xavantina MT, Dec
27, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)
** BRAZIL. 4885, Dec 30 at 0705, very poor signal in Brazuguese, as R.
Clube do Pará apparently signs on now at 0700, rather than 24h, and is
already off again by our evenings (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. Prefixo Rádio Cultura de Cuiabá - 5015 kHz Onda Tropical
(OT). Passando o prefixo no 0:17 do video, é citado os 710 kHz AM e a
Onda Tropical de 5015 kHz, depois música Gospel da Igreja Pentecostal
Deus é Amor; essa emissora vem transmintido na onda tropical sòmente
durante o dia no Brasil; durante as noites brasileiras fica OFF. Isso
é interessante? Pois as emissoras de onda tropical costumam atingir
seu auge à noite, atingindo assim centenas de km, presumívilmente de
dia essa frequência talvez atinge 2.000 KM durante o dia. SINPO 54444,
Dia 29 de Dezembro 2015 às 2057 UT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyieegKNfYY&feature=youtu.be
RX: Tecsun S-2000, Antenna: Telescopic (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova
Xavantina MT, Brazil, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)
** BRAZIL. 11855.1, Dec 29 at 0242, new frequency for R. Aparecida,
only S3, but obviously ex-11856.2 where it had been for several weeks;
on the NRD-545; recheck at 0645 on the R75 refines it to 11855.13, at
S4-7 in Brazuguese.
11934.92, Dec 29 at 0648, Rádio RB2, another perpetually off-frequency
ZY, is poorly audible with singing like 11855.1 as it`s almost always
relaying Aparecida. Too weak to tell if synchronized. Also heard
earlier at 0245 on 11934.9, JBA at S3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF
RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 28424.9-USB, Dec 24 at 2039, PY4NY, Jan, concluding contact
with a J4 after considerable trouble copying his call, just as I have
trouble copying the PY call until he foneticizes it (``New York`` ---
I once failed to make an aunt understand ham fonetix, how e.g. this
one would have nothing else to do with New York). QRZ.com shows:
JANIO DE SOUSA GODOI
Rua Bom Jesus da Penha, 659, BL 47, Apto. 1103
Bairro Santa Terezinha,
Belo Horizonte - MINAS GERAIS 31365190, Brazil
And he`s also operated from Fernando de Noronha as PY0NY (why don`t
hams expeditioning there ever put on a SWBC station for a new radio
broadcast country?) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 28370-USB, Dec 24 at 2042, two Brasilians in QSO: PY2ZK and
PY2HP, in Portuguese and a little English. I guess they are within
groundwave range? As prefix implies, in QRZ.com, both are in SP, SP:
PY2ZK Brazil flag Brazil
BILA-WALDEMIR SOARES SILVA
RUA ARATANJI-362
ZIP:02613-070- SÃO PAULO - SP
Brazil
Lucas.
P.O.Box 334
São Paulo, SP 13295970
Brazil
Ten meters isn`t very open, but a little of this so far away is nice,
and it makes you wonder what Brazilian SW broadcasters could
accomplish with higher power on 11 meters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** BULGARIA. SECRETLAND, SPL Secretbrod relay ETC Radio, Dec 25
1801-1831 11600 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu English
from 1832 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf open carrier, test for R.
Biafra
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretbrod-relay-etc-radio-dec25.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD) End Times Coming (gh)
** BULGARIA. SECRETLAND, SPL The Global specialist for International
Communications on shortwave and provided to you strong and quality
signal around the world.
SPL relay IRRS Shortwave Radio Warra Wangeelaa-ti:
1500-1530 on 15515 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Oromo Sat December 26
Mixture between R. Warra Wangeelaa of 15515 & Denge Kurdistan on 9400,
Dec 26
1500-1530 on 9400 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Denge Kurdistan + R.
Warra Wangeelaa
1500-1530 on 15515 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Sat only Radio Warra
Wangeelaa-ti
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-irrs-shortwave-radio-warra_26.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** BULGARIA. SECRETLAND(non), SPL The Global specialist for
International Communications on shortwave and provided to you strong
and quality signal around the world. SPL relay IRRS various programs,
Dec 25 [sic, must mean Dec 26], day by day different transmissions:
1900-2000 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu English Sat as follows
1900-1905 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu Feature Story News FSN
1905-1915 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu United Nations Radio
1915-1930 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu Christmas Songs, talks
1930-1940 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu United Nations Radio
1940-2000 on 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu Several Songs, talks
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-irrs-various-programs-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** CANADA. Norway radio enthusiast tunes into CBC Saskatchewan 5,800
km away --- Ole Forr is a 58-year-old radio lover who tunes into radio
stations across the world for fun --- CBC News Posted: Dec 30, 2015
5:12 AM CT Last Updated: Dec 30, 2015 7:31 AM CT
Andøya, Norway is more than 5,800 kilometres from Regina, Sask. A
dairy farmer in Norway went to great lengths to tune into CBC
Saskatchewan. Sure, The Morning Edition with Sheila Coles is the No. 1
morning radio show in Saskatchewan. But few people could have expected
it to reach a group of listeners more than 5,800 kilometres away — and
not through the internet. . .
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/norway-farmer-thrilled-cbc-saskatchewan-radio-1.3384042
(via Steve Whitt, York, MWCircle yg via DXLD)
** CANADA. 2749-USB, Dec 29 at 0246, robo-YL in English with marine
weather, S9 but about equal to noise level; includes wind forecasts in
knots, gale warning. CCG website shows starting at 0240 is VCS Halifax
via site in suburb Sambro: ``Technical marine synopsis, forecasts and
wave height forecasts for marine areas 201 to 214. Notices to Shipping
in South Coast Nova Scotia area. Notices to Shipping revising the
position of every reported offshore exploration and exploitation
vessel`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA [and non]. 6070, Dec 24 at 0531, CFRX with local Toronto
PSAs, not // 5085 WTWW, but this could just be in a break. No, by
0555, CFRX is in music while WTWW is still in `Midnight [sic] in the
Desert` with new hostess Heather, interviewing someone who believes in
levitation, soon break switching to Ted pushing C Crane SW radios.
Back to 6070: at 0556, ``10-10 news``, 0601 into local talk show. So
CFRB has already bailed out now that Art Bell is gone. Axually, sounds
to me like Heather is doing a good job, if you like that sort of
nonsense. The CFRB website now shows at 12-3 am [EST = UT -5] Tue-Sat,
generic `Newstalk 1010 Programming`. Tsk2
http://www.newstalk1010.com/schedule.aspx
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. CKZU Vancouver --- 6160, 1018 25 DEC - SINPO = 25122.
English, classical music. QSB=slow rate, often below noise floor with
peaks well above it. Fade/out to just noisy wavy carrier at 1020z.
Started to return with woman singing opera at 1026z. sf131.5, a12, k3,
geomag: unsettled. 0.5kw, beamAz 315 , bearing 339 . Sangean ATS505
w/Sony AN-LP1 active loop in west facing window. Received at Las
Vegas, United States, 1576KM from transmitter at Vancouver BC. Local
time: 0218 (Rodney Johnson, NV, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non]. 9690, Dec 26 at 0122, two carriers slightly apart,
one playing CNR sounder, so it`s likely a jamming situation: yes: Aoki
shows RFA Uyghur via UAE this hour only is * (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 9455, Dec 26 at 1934, weak Firedragon music jamming at S6.
Also seems to be a LAH; target is RFA Chinese via Saipan, supposedly
until 2100 but nothing audible at recheck shortly after 2000. Someone
mentioned that the axual music on the Firedragon jamming has changed
for the better, but I haven`t heard it well enough in a long time to
opine. Is it really different? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. CNR-1 Jammer vs Sound of Hope Xi Wang Zhi Sheng
0830 on 11530, 11580 probably via transmitters in Taiwan
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/cnr-1-jammer-vs-sound-of-hope-xi-wang.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD) date of logs? Dec 28 in the credit line in this form is the
date of publication, not necessarily the same (gh)
** CHINA [non]. 9580, Dec 29 at 0239, CRI relay via CUBA is S9+20 but
dead air; while // 9570 via ALBANIA is modulating Chinese at S7 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 9360, 2125-2138 UT 29.12.2015. Chinese Firedrake jammer
versus Voice of Hope. Grabación:
https://soundcloud.com/claudio-radioham-dx/9360-chinese-firedrake-jammer-vs-sound-of-hope-29-12-2015-2133-utc
(Claudio Galaz, Receptor: Realistic DX-160, Antena: Hilo de 45 metros
+ tierra+ balun 4:1, Lugar: Ovalle, Chile, SWARL call sign: CE2006SWL,
condiglista yg via DXLD)
** CHINA. 6080, CNR1 (Geermu) 0032-0100* 19 Dec. First audio surfacing
just after BOH with chat // 7560 (jammer v. VOA), 9690 (jammer v.
AIR/VOA), 11960 (Beijing), 15425/17440 (both jammers v. SOH). Had
ads/promos at 0055, 5+1 & "Beijing shijian" ["Beijing time"] at TOH
with 6080, 7560, 15295, 17440 closing at 0100.
6090, CNR2 (Geermu) 0027-0100+ 25 Dec. Lurking behind the 2 "S"s
(DG/PM [Anguilla]) // 7220. EiBi/Aoki have 6090 closing at 0100, but
heard well past TOH today.
6055, CNR1 (unID site), 1524 24 Dec. Could be a mixing product from
one or more of the CNR1 jammers/regularly scheduled outlets on 49M, or
perhaps a random "holiday" jammer?--nothing listed in EiBi/Aoki on
6055 for CNR1 to mess with, however (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach CA,
E5/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. CNR-8 on 9785 kHz & PBS Qinghai on 9780 kHz, Dec 25
1400-1500 on 9785 BEI 100 kW / 063 deg to EaAs Korean CNR-8
1400-1500 on 9780 XIN 050 kW / 270 deg to EaAs Chinese PBS Qinghai
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/cnr-8-on-9785-khz-pbs-qinghai-on-9780.html
73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
How nice of them to double up, conserving frequency usage (gh)
** CHINA [non]. And, with the closing of RTL on 1440 kHz on New Year's
Eve, CRI will lose 10 hours of German programming daily on European AM
radio. Don't know if they`re on any other frequency in Europe (Richard
Langley, NB, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See USA: 1520 KYND, 1540
** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, 1750, already on with talk by man and
Radio Congo ID. Weak modulation (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from
David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CONGO DR. 5066.4, Radio Candip, 1725, fair with hilife and male
announcer. In the clear with the UTE which haunts this area off (David
Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** CUBA. Good signal of Cuban Spy Numbers HM01 on December 21
0654-0748 9330 secret / hidden tx ?Bejucal? Spanish Sun/Mon/Wed/Fri
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-cuban-spy-numbers-hm01_21.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** CUBA. 790, Dec 25 at 0209 on caradio as I tune by, without really
trying, hear time pip and RR, from Radio Reloj, which per WRTH 2016 is
25 kW from Pinar del Rio, altho there`s another at the far other end
of the island, 10 kW in Holguín (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** CUBA. 1000, Radio Artemisa, Artemisa, Artemisa. 1000 December 25,
2015. Nice recorded ID with theme in passing, very good signal.
1140, Radio Rebelde. 1107 December 24, 2015. One of the Rebelde
transmitters here is loud and badly over-modulated/distorted. Musical
Nacional and others underneath (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT,
NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active loop u.o.s., Clearwater, FL
u.o.s., DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 1620, Dec 28 at 0317, as I tune in, ``Parada de Éxitos,
Rebelde``, and // 5025, so not relaying the FM network instead this
time. WRTH 2016 has three Rebeldes on 1620, two of which are in Ciudad
de la Habana province, 5 kW in Guanabacoa, and unknown power in El
Sapo, surely one of those rather than the third, 1 kW in far-off
Guantánamo. One other Cuban 1620 is R. Bayamo, Granma (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 6270, Dec 25 at 0344, no signal from RHC leapfrog mixing
product, 6060 over 6165 another 105 kHz higher; have not heard this in
a long time, so I wonder if Arnie finally got it suppressed so I could
no longer report hearing it? Or are the fundamentals no longer from
the same site, which would also get rid of the problem? No, B-15 skeds
still show Bauta for both at 01-05; however at 05-07, 6060 changes to
Quivicán, so 6270 completely impossible for English after 0500.
6100, Sunday Dec 27 at 0715, VG RHC confirmed in weekly Esperanto
tacked-on semihour, all other frequencies now correctly off (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5040 kHz, RHC in 5-6 UT slot WAS NOT ON AIR this morning; R Rebelde on
5025 kHz noted with poor S=6...8 signal only. wb (Wolfgang Büschel,
Dec 28, dxldyg via DXLD)
6165, Dec 29 at 0700, RHC in Spanish with report from Villa Clara
about some imminent anniversary, also on 6000, as program feed has
morphed from English before the ops get the transmitters turned off;
6060 and 6100 carriers are still on too, but dead. Probably all off
within a few minutes. RHC is never one for smooth, accurate switching
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CZECHIA. While listening to the podcast of WoR #1805 and the item
on English recently heard on Czech radio, I happened to glance over to
my wife's curio cabinet where she keeps her prized tea cups, etc. and
noticed the cup and saucer that I had donated to her collection (see
attached [in the dxldyg]). It was a gift from Radio Prague, one of
several items received from shortwave radio stations back in the "good
old days" of shortwave. Anyone else have one or similar trinkets?
(Richard Langley, NB, Dec 28, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Back in either the 60's or early 80's, I got a figure doll of a
newsman with a mike and recorder slung over his shoulder from R.
Prague. I got some neat items from various stations over the years:
keychains, lapel pins, pennants and that handmade flute from HCJB.
Nowadays, you're lucky to get a QSL card from a station (Don Hosmer,
W8SWL, W Branch MI USA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
[Re 15-51:] Czech Radio, CRo Plus, has started carrying news bulletins
in English weekdays at 1805 and 1905 (BDXC UK Broadcasts in English B-
15 booklet via DXLD)
Thanks, that explains it. The 639 kHz frequency is very high power and
does well into UK and Ireland, especially in Winter (Derek Lynch,
WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
750 + 30 kW = 780 kW, per WRTH 2016 (gh, DXLD)
Czech Republic: Beginning on 5 January 2016, Ceský Rozhlas Plus will
be broadcast almost entirely on FM. While the FM coverage is being
enlarged, the only medium wave still assigned to CR Plus, Ostrava-
Svinov 639 kHz, will broadcast CR Plus in the evening 16.00-24.00 h
Local Time. The changes also affect the English segments 19.05-19.10
and 20.05-20.10 h Local Time which came under the umbrella of CR Plus
in November 2015.
(Dr. Hansjörg Biener)
More details on the move to FM can be found at
http://www.rozhlas.cz/plus/nove/_zprava/1529057
http://www.rozhlas.cz/vysilace/aktualne/_zprava/neprehlednete-naladte-se-od-listopadu-na-nove-frekvence—1536560
(Biener, Dec 29, DXLD)
Members, This news coming from Cesky Rozhlas is a complete surprise.
Dr Hansjörg Biener quotes the official website in his article written
today on Ydun's MediumWave Info.
On 04 January 2016 the following stations will close,
270 kHz Uherské Hradište - Topolná
639 kHz Praha - Liblice
954 kHz Brno - Dobrochov
954 kHz Ceské Budejovice - Hosova Kolonie
954 kHz Karlovy Vary - Stará Role
1332 kHz Moravské Budejovice - Domamil
The only surviving station will be Ostrava Svinov on 639 kHz which
will only broadcast from 05 January 2016 between 1500-2300 UT.
This means that some sites with a rich history will be transferred to
my Inactive or Closed spreadsheet. The closure of the Topolná longwave
transmitter means that there will be even more space for RTÉ and
Tipaza to sort out their collision on 252 kHz. 73 and 88 (Dan
Goldfarb, Dec 29, mwmasts yg via DXLD)
Hello, CRo is to close most of its MW transmitters. All outlets on 954
and 1332 kHz will stop broadcasting on the 5th of January. The main
transmitter on 639 kHz will also be closed, only the 30 kW transmitter
near Ostrava will remain active. Source: RBB Radio Eins. 73, (Rémy
Friess, BDXC yg via DXLD)
From the WRTH Facebook group: I think there is a misunderstanding
here! As far as I can see, it is just CroPlus, who leaves MW except
for 639 kHz. CRo2 will still use the above MW frequencies (Ydun Ritz,
December 29 via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
According to the official report the change is much less drastic than
what it sounds: CRo Plus programme time (15-23) will be replaced by
CRo 2 except for 639 kHz, so there would be absolutely no change in
terms of total transmitting hours on MW! Just a return to the time
before CRo Plus was brought to MW sharing CRo 2's frequencies. But I
guess we'd better wait and see what really happens (Mauno Ritola
having got in touch with Czech DXer Karel Honzik December 30 via Mike
Barraclough, ibid.)
Don't know, but the RBB Radioeins media show says they will go
altogether.
http://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2015/rozhlas_mw.html
Wait and see, 73, (Rémy Friess, ibid.)
Hello Rémy, It is not completely clear but I think as per this page
http://www.rozhlas.cz/plus/nove/_zprava/1529057
it could be that 954 and 1332 stays on the air but only until 16 LT.
Maybe Karel can shine a light on this? 73, (Guido Schotmans, Dec 30,
MWCircle yg via DXLD)
Hello Guido, I don't know, but the RBB Radio Eins media programme says
they will go off altogether and RBB is usually well-informed:
http://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2015/rozhlas_mw.html
Wait and see. Regards, (Rémy Friess, France, ibid.)
I think it is all a misinformation by Dr. Biener based on two articles
published by Cesky Rozhlas (CRo). He already managed to send his info
to various media. But none of these articles says that Czech Republic
leaves MW. It says that CRo Plus (now 1500-2300) leaves MW for FM
except Ostrava-Svinov 639. How was it in the past on MW?
former:
CRo2 (0300-2300)
now:
CRo2 (0300-1500), CRo Plus (1500-2300)
So I suppose that now when CRo Plus leaves MW from Jan 5, the schedule
will be returned back. The only strange thing is, that on 639 kHz
there will be two programmes on one frequency, with one very strong
transmitter (Liblice) and one weak transmitter (Svinov). According to
CRo it is difficult to find a suitable FM frequency for Ostrava (a big
town, now covered by Svinov on MW). Distance between the two
transmittters is 250 km (Karel Honzík, Czechia, Dec 31, ibid.)
At present insiders try to find out what's going on there.
As a matter of fact the referenced PR puff
http://www.rozhlas.cz/plus/nove/_zprava/1529057
is the only piece of information that can be found, and all it says is
that CRo Plus will as of Jan 5 be transmitted on mediumwave only, 4 to
12 PM via the Ostrava transmitter, otherwise via FM only.
There appears to be a belief that the other transmitters will simply
carry other programming instead. But it is quite unlikely that the
synchro operation on 639 kHz will be broken up, with the Liblice
transmitter just 250 km away. Thus it indeed looks as if this
transmitter will no longer be used. And if so it is rather unlikely
that the 954 and 1332 kHz transmitters will continue either.
Probably this is related to the decision in regard to the CRo budget
for 2016, as reported at
http://www.digizone.cz/clanky/analogovy-cesky-rozhlas-plus-vyjde-v-pristim-roce-na-desitky-milionu/
If so it could indeed be that 270 kHz will be terminated, too. But
this is so far entirely speculation. Last known situation was that the
transmission contract for the current set-up, with the ex-Burg 261 kHz
transmitter, is valid until 2017 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30, mwmasts
yg via DXLD)
Hi Chaps, Re the above posting and the perceived chance of "sorting
out" the clash on 252 kHz I would guess that that approach would not
be adopted by RTE as their plan has been to surely close the service
to save PLH costs. So the interference currently experienced by DX
listeners (ex-pats in UK) is ideal for RTE as they can use the
degradation in service to say it's not worth running it anymore and
advise listeners to use DAB, SKY audio channels, internet radio, etc.,
etc. Just a thought! 73 and HNY (Dave G4OYX, Porter, ibid.)
RBB Radio Eins media programme now says they cannot verify the news
regarding the closure.
France also still going strong after 0000 UT. Nice music. 73 HNY
(Harald Kuhl, Gesendet: Freitag, 01. Januar 2016 um 00:28 Uhr, ibid.)
** EAST TURKISTAN. 5060, Dec 27 at 0052, weak signal but registering
S9 vs the storm noise level, and definitely in Chinese, so it`s
Xinjiang PBS, Urumqi, which we also sometimes detect around our
sunrise, and now this leads us to try the other three services on 60m,
immediately finding weaker JBA carriers, as listed: 4980 Uighur, 4850
Kazakh, 4500 Mongolian. The Chinese-language service is first among
equals, but 4980 is second (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EGYPT. 12070.0, Dec 26 at 0113, S4 very poor carrier, evidence that
R. Cairo is still trying to transmit here.
9965.3, Dec 26 at 0119, open carrier, dead air except some whine, S8
9745.0, Dec 26 at 0208, S8 in Arabic? Distorted, just barely modulated
9315, still nothing whatsoever after 0200 for the scheduled English to
North America. WRTH 2016 says it`s on 9860 in B-15, which is one of
the registered alternative frequencies, but never heard there either,
yet. Must still keep an ear out for that one.
However, Clara Listensprechen sends me an mp3 file of the live-stream
transmission of R. Cairo in English, starting with a timesignal, and
timecheck as 01:15 local, 2315 GMT. There is lots of extraneous sound
in the background, such as a dog barking right on cue after the
timesignal! People yelling back and forth, doors slamming. Sounds like
it`s recorded in a home with no soundproofing, not a professional
studio; and a continuous humbuzz, but quite tolerable compared to what
they put on shortwave. Then news theme and news read by Mayar Adel.
After 10 minutes, ``stay tuned for political commentary coming to you
live from Studio 7``. Different YL speaker/reader, but same background
distraxions. I`ve yet to listen to all of it, but quite an improvement
over Cairo shortwave.
9860, Dec 27 at 0049, JBA music and talk, S6. Could it be Cairo active
on this in Spanish? 12070 is also detectable, even weaker and not
enough to make a //. If so, there`s a chance 9860 would stay on past
0200 for the English sesquihour previously on 9315. Can anyone confirm
that, further east? But 9860 is no longer audible here at 0135. 9860
could well be CRI from Jinhua site at 00-02. The Cairo Arabic
frequency at 0050 was S7 but just barely modulated and not offset,
9965.0.
9860, Dec 28 before 0330, no sign of R. Cairo, English to western N
America, as alleged in WRTH 2016 for 0200 UT.
I also listened to more of the `livestream` version of Cairo in
English, recorded Dec 25-26, and found that the YL announcer with a
very heavy accent after news headlines closed the 2300 UT broadcast at
about 2425 announcing the frequency as 9965, and that news times are
``1:15 and 2:25 Cairo local time`` = 2315 and 0025 UT; ``Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year``. Just music played to fill out the
sesquihour before switching to Arabic. May we assume there is no
livestream version of any 0200 UT broadcast, which may no longer exist
at all? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Glenn, Here is a link to the 0200 UT English broadcast from Egypt.
I'm hearing it right now as I type this at 0248, on December 29, 2015.
It may not always be on this particular player, which is labeled in
Arabic as the "Farsi" service.
http://www.egradio.eg/radio.php?PubPnt=Faressy&ChnName=10
(Bruce (NY, USA), dxldyg via DXLD)
Tnx, tried later but nothing happens and nothing to click on except
``get adobe flash player`` in Arabic. This is not the same source as
above from live-stream, a private initiative? (Glenn Hauser, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Bata, noted with Spanish talks and
hilife at 1832, weak (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David
Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5005, Dec 24 I am checking periodically between 0516 and 0552, and
never any trace of a carrier from RNGE; storm noise level from the
Gulf coast is running about S5. Will be interesting to see whether Ron
Howard was hearing any RNGE on this date (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Glenn, Dec 24, I was not at the beach at 0500+, but received this
from Ralph Perry: "around 11 p.m. [Dec 24 UT] and tried the 0500+ [UT]
appearance of Bata. And Bata was nada. Kept checking the fqy till
about 0545. Judging from the nice signal you got [he had listened to
my recording - Ron], when they are 'on' they ought to make it thru
here to the Midwest," which would conform Glenn to your non-reception.
Dec 25 with random checking 0524-0611. Had the same results that you
and Ralph had 24 hours earlier - no signal at all. Clearly off the air
during my monitoring. So what is equally clear is the fact that
RNGE/R. Bata is broadcasting erratically.
So I was fortunate to catch them Dec 23 with decent reception. My
audio at
https://app.box.com/s/j040w2khmmkiyymua93rb0xletbmvwpd
of that reception, with a "Radio Nacional de Guinea Equatorial" ID at
0:51 (thanks to Ralph for confirming this ID). (Ron Howard,
California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0545-0613, 27-12, Spanish and African
songs "6 de la mañana con 48 minutos en Radio Bata", greeting and
answering listeners letters, "felicitaciones al año nuevo, "La radio
Bata, la estación continental", " las 6 de la mañana con 56 minutos".,
at 0600 news, Spanish. Signal very clear, like years ago but at 0600
became very weak perhaps reducing power. 24443 but at 0600 14221.
(Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, Enviado desde TypeMail, Dec
27, ibid.)
5004.998, R Nacional Guinea Ecuatorial (R Bata) is on air this morning
Dec 28 around 0535-0600 UT, but really low signal on THRESHOLD, too
tiny, no program details recognized so far. wb (Wolfgang Büschel,
ibid.)
Hi Wolfy, We were listening at the same time, but perhaps my reception
was slightly better than yours. Certainly was not a good day for them.
5005, RNGE/R. Bata, Dec 28 signed on around 0535; mostly monologue in
Spanish; most distinct detail was African pop music 0559-0603; the
weakest signal I have heard from them so far.
https://app.box.com/s/tqosaf443hmobo9ytbt4crjh1bkokkjh
contains my audio of just the music (Ron Howard, California, ibid.)
** ERITREA [non]. SECRETLAND(non), SPL Secretbrod Dimtse Radio Erena
again on 11855, Dec 26:
1700-1730 11855 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg EAf Oromo, ex 11850, re-ex 11855
1730-1800 11855 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg EAf Arabic, ex 11850, re-ex 11855
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretbrod-dimtse-radio-erena-again.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
WRTH 2016 shows this station in Arabic and Tigrigna, not Oromo; Oromo
is in Ethiopia (gh, DXLD)
SECRETLAND, relay Dimtse Radio Erena on unregistered frequency Dec 28
1700-1730 NF 11850 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Oromo, instead of
registered 11855
1730-1800 NF 11850 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Arabic,instead of
registered 11855
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-dimtse-radio-erena-on.html
73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
WRTH 2016 says the 1700 broadcast is in Tigrigna, as you would expect
for Eritrea, rather than Ethiopian language Oromo (gh, DXLD)
SPL relay BaBcoCk Dimtse Radio Erena, Dec 29:
1700-1730 NF 11850 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Oromo, ex 11855
1730-1800 NF 11850 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Arabic, ex 11855
The frequency 11850 kHz is registered in HFCC on Dec 29:
1700-1900 on 11850 SCB 050 kW / 030 deg to EaEu Russian
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-relay-babcock-dimtse-radio-erena.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) standard remark re Oromo
** ETHIOPIA [non]. FRANCE, Poor reception of Oromo Voice Radio & Radio
Xoriyo Ogaden on Dec 21:
from 1600 17850 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg Afar Oromo Mon Oromo Voice Radio
from 1617 17850 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg English Mon Oromo Voice Radio
from 1620 17870 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg Somali Mon/Fri R Xoriyo Ogaden
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/poor-reception-of-oromo-voice-radio.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** EUROPE. FRS Holland - Sunday 27th December
FRS' traditional Seasonal broadcast will be aired on Sunday December
27th. This year’s broadcast will see a different approach in contrast
with previous editions. FRS-Holland will be airing two 3 hour blocks.
The first one will be between 0852-1200 UT/09:52-13:00 CET followed by
an afternoon slot between 1252-1600 UT/13:52-17:00 CET. Frequencies
remain unchanged: 7700 // 9300 kHz. There might be an evening slot in
favour of North American listeners; if so details will be announced as
soon as possible! Our seasonal programmes will be presented by Paul
Graham, Jan van Dijk, Roger Davis, Dave Scott & Peter Verbruggen. The
music of your life and more. We will ring out 2015 in a great way!
Streaming --- Choosing for ‘the best of both worlds’ FRSH goes for
broadcasting on short wave in good old AM and digital high quality web
streaming. You can make your choice out of two streams:
http://laut.fm/jukebox Sunday Dec. 27th 15-18 UT = 16-19 CET.
http://nednl.net:8000/frsh.m3u Sunday Dec. 27th 15-18-21 UT = 16-19-22
CET (two times in a row!). In addition there will be a repeat via
Laut.fm on Sunday January 2nd 17-20 UT = 18-21 CET. As an extra
service for mobile devices there is a 24 kbps mono stream via
http://nednl.net:8000/frsh24.m3u
QSL-cards --- Understandably reception reports and letters with
comments are much appreciated and will be verified with a QSL card
from our current series ‘FRS through the Years’. Each QSL of this
series shows an 'element' which played an important part in FRS' 35+
year life. Curious about the previously published QSLs from this
series? Surf to
http://www.frsholland.nl/frs-image-gallery/qsl-gallery/qsl-series.html
E-mails please to [frs@frsholland.nl] and for an excellent large
format hard copy use our Herten maildrop: P.O.Box 2702, 6049 ZG
Herten, the Netherlands. You can make make your own choice and choose
one of the 8 QSLs which have been offered so far in our long time
running 'FRS-Holland Through the Years’ series.
FRS-HOLLAND Programme-Schedule for Sunday December 27th 2015
UT Programme Schedule
0900 Nonstop music
0922 Station-opening: ID's & Theme tune
0930 FRS Magazine - Peter Verbruggen with the best music from
the past decades.
1000 German Show - Jan van Dijk. A brief retrospect to the music
year 2015
1030 Dave Scott's Radiowaves featuring classic rock
1100 Sounds from the 80s. Paul Graham plays great (X-Mas) tunes
from the 1980s era
1130 FRS Golden Show – Roger Davis. Uptempo and some times rare
60s & 70s (seasonal?) stuff.
1200 Close down
This schedule will be repeated 1300-1600 UT/14:00-17:00 CET. And
perhaps in the evening. Important: for 'last minute news'(for instance
frequency changes) watch this article!!
http://www.frsholland.nl/20-latest-news/93-frs-seasonal-broadcast-2015.html
Posted by: ("Dave kenny", Dec 26, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD)
Very good signal from FRS Holland at the moment (0940 UT) on 7700 kHz,
also fair on 9300 - with Peter Verbruggen as per schedule above. 73s
(Dave Kenny, Dec 27, ibid.)
Free Radio Service Holland on Dec 27, videos
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/schedule-of-free-radio-service-holland.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD)
** FRANCE. The Radio France website now has an article on the closure
of mediumwave stations together with a link to their FM frequencies
for each area.
http://www.radiofrance.fr/extinction-des-ondes-moyennes
Posted by: (Mike Barraclough, Dec 25, dxldyg via DXLD)
From that link: "Il sera suivi au 31/12/2016 de l’arrêt de la
diffusion en ondes longues." Does this mean that Radio France will
cease broadcasting on longwave at the end of 2016? Regards (Harald
Kuhl, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD)
Exactly (Satnipper, ibid.)
Yes, that's a confirmation of what was said earlier this year.
Presumably as for medium wave they will put in some additional FM
outlets (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Viz.:
EXTINCTION DES ONDES MOYENNES
A partir du 31 decembre 2015 `a 24h00, les emetteurs diffusant en
ondes moyennes les programmes de Radio France cesseront definitivement
d'emettre. Ces emetteurs diffusaient jusqu'`a present France Info,
France bleu RCFM et France Bleu Elsass.
L'arret du mode de diffusion en ondes moyennes (au 31 decembre 2015),
prevu dans le Contrat d'objectifs et de moyens de Radio France 2015 -
2019, vise `a adapter le mode de diffusion de nos antennes aux
nouveaux usages et aux technologies d'aujourd'hui. La diffusion en
ondes moyennes, procede mis en service entre 1937 et 1944, s'avere en
effet aujourd'hui obsolete. Cette technique est de moins en moins
integree dans les recepteurs par les industriels. Le nombre
d'auditeurs `a l'ecoute des ondes moyennes est desormais marginal.
L'arret du mode de diffusion en ondes moyennes participe egalement de
la mise en oeuvre du plan d'economies prevu dans la trajectoire
financiere de Radio France. Il sera suivi au 31/12/2016 de l'arret de
la diffusion en ondes longues.
Pour toucher les publics sur tous les territoires et elargir
l'audience des antennes, Radio France privilegie une amelioration de
la diffusion en modulation de frequences, la FM demeurant le premier
mode de consommation de la radio d'aujourd'hui.
Dans un contexte d'evolution des usages (un auditeur sur 7 ecoute
Radio France sur un support connecte), Radio France investit egalement
dans la distribution de toutes ses chaines et de tous ses programmes
sur les terminaux connectes (smartphones, ordinateurs, tablettes, TV
....). et propose de nouveaux services tels que les webradios et les
applications mobiles.
La couverture des auditeurs de France Bleu et de France Info dans les
zones qui etaient couvertes par les ondes moyennes sera donc desormais
assuree par la FM et internet (cliquer ici pour consulter la liste des
emetteurs FM). (via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
The closing of MW stations in Germany and France is bad [and sad] for
all of us TA DXers. There aren't many countries left besides UK and
Spain (and many Spain stations have also shut down). This is what
happens when government runs radio stations. Fortunately I have
verified many of these stations (and all of these countries) over many
years. Just a few years ago the AM band on most nights was crawling
with stations, and with good signals (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford,
PA, NRC-AM via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
This is the end of mediumwave --- in France. All MW transmitters will
close down on Dec 31 2300 UT. Just a few days left to log those exotic
stations: France Bleu Elsass on 1278 and France Bleu Frequenza Mora on
1404 and 1494. They are low power stations, not so easy to catch even
in the middle of France. A last chance to hear regional languages on
MW. Apart from that the MW band is alive and well and still
overcrowded. Season's greetings and 73 to all (Jean-Luc from central
France, Fradet, Dec 28, MWCircle yg via DXLD)
No, it isn't the end of MW in France. Bretagne 5 is alive and kicking.
And, OK, you may regard the France Bleu Corse Frequenza Mora stations
as low power outlets, but certainly not France Bleu Elsass. The
Sélestat transmitter sends out a solid 300 kW. It is well heard in
many parts of Europe at night.
One thing I can tell you is that the local people at Sélestat are glad
the blasted thing shuts up at long last. A friend of mine who lives
there recently told me that he is glad he will now be able to listen
to his old LP records again, something he hasn't been able to do since
he moved there 30 years ago because the record player demodulated the
signal from the nearby transmitter.
If MW had been used with appropriate power, and only at times when
specific programming is carried, then it would not have been so costly
and Radio France would not have to drop it altogether. Regards, (Rémy
Friess, France, ibid.)
** GERMANY. Also closing many MW transmitters at yearend (Glenn
Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As covered
extensively in recent DXLDs
** GERMANY [and non]. Re: [SWEDEN] Hörby and Sölvesborg album #89
> two new Thomson- SW TX were installed and was in use until 1993
> when they became prohibited to use due to PCB in the insulation.
It's interesting that such a transmitter could in Norway, at
Fredrikstad, be kept in operation until 1997. Especially so because
too much PCB in the capacitors was the very reason for which the 800
kW mediumwave equipment at Langenberg had to be shut down at yearend
1993, too.
> Regarding to the MW TX in Hörby, it was so torn at the end so the
> technicians prayed every morning for it would start….
In case it is not widely known yet where this transmitter ended up:
http://funkerberg.de/museum/Sendersammlung/sendersammlung.htm
It's a bit ironic, since an old Telefunken 100 kW transmitter, moved
in from Berlin-Tegel, was in use also at Königs Wusterhausen until
1987 when it was replaced by a 2 x 20 kW Tesla set-up (for regular
use, the very last time the old Telefunken had been switched on was in
1991).
In case someone wonders about the frequency: It was 882 kHz until
Wachenbrunn took over this frequency after the completely failed
attempt to establish a Wilsdruff/Wachenbru nn/Burg synchro operation
on 1044 kHz. Afterwards Königs Wusterhausen took over 603 kHz from the
Golm site which afterwards was only an aux (last used in 1992),
complete with the Potsdam regional programming in the morning (its FM
service started only after 1985, on a spare Berlin frequency plus an
additional Dequede one). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30,
shortwave[sic]sites yg via DXLD)
** GERMANY. Very strong signal of Deutscher Wetterdienst, December 23
2000-2030 on 5905 PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu English/German CUSB
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/very-strong-signal-of-deutscher.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Reception of Deutscher Wetterdienst on December 28
0604-0630 5905 PIN 010 kW / non-dir CeEu Eng/Ge CUSB, excellent signal
1204-1230 5905 PIN 010 kW / non-dir CeEu German CUSB, very poor signal
2004-2030 5905 PIN 010 kW / non-dir CeEu German CUSB, very good signal
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/reception-of-deutscher-wetterdienst-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
** GERMANY. Radio Channel 292 relays on December 27:
0900-1000 on 6070 ROB 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu English SuperClan R
1300-1700 on 6070 ROB 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German Beatspektrum
1700-2300 on 6070*ROB 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German Radio Marabu
* will be totally blocked by China Radio Int in Russian till 1900UT
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/germany-radio-channel-292-relays-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. RADIO GLORIA INTERNATIONAL
RGI – Alternative Music Radio
winterschedule 2015/16
Jan 24 - 2016 Feb 28 - 2016
Dec 27 - 2015 -every 4th Sunday of the month-
SW(KW) UTC German Time
9485 7-8 8-9
7265 8-9 9-10
9485 9-10 10-11
7310 10-11 11-12 + Internet „shortwaveservice.com“ 7310
6005 16-17 17-18 + Internet „shortwaveservice.com“ 6005
16-18 17-19 Coloradio.org
or listen to the SW by
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901 (a service in NL)
hp.: http://rgi.fmkompakt.de
RGI by "laut.fm/Jukebox:" December 2015
Sunday 27 Dec. 1155-1355 UT
Wed, 30 Dec. 17-19 UT (rep.)
Sat, 2 Jan. 1155-1355 UT (rep.)
Good reception! Reports welcome! Andy
(via Manuel Méndez, Spain, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** GERMANY [and non] NDR Hamburg "Greeting on board" on Dec 24, 2015
1900-2100 on 6185 NAU 125 kW / 250 deg to Northern Atlantic, at 2000
UT co-ch CRI Arabic
1900-2100 on 9810 MOS 100 kW / 115 deg to Indian Ocean East
1900-2100 on 9830 ISS 250 kW / 156 deg to Indian Ocean/SoAf
1900-2100 on 9885 NAU 125 kW / 130 deg to Indian Ocean West
1900-2100 on 11650 ISS 250 kW / 195 deg to Southern Atlantic
2100-2300 on 6040 NAU 125 kW / 250 deg to Northern Atlantic
2100-2300 on 9515 NAU 125 kW / 130 deg to Indian Ocean West
2100-2300 on 9655 ISS 250 kW / 195 deg to Southern Atlantic
2100-2300 on 9765 MOS 100 kW / 115 deg to Indian Ocean East
2100-2300 on 9830 ISS 250 kW / 156 deg to Indian Ocean/SoAf
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/ndr-hamburg-greeting-on-board-on.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Here is are my Christmas loggings from Skovlunde done on the AOR
AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire:
6185.00, *1900-1920 24.12, NDR Hamburg 90.3 FM relayed by Nauen.
German news and weather, 1904 "NDR Info 90.3" with "Grüss an Bord" to
83 German ships in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Song and audience
clapping, interview about hospital treating sick seamen, song, "3
netten Damen" sending greetings to family members at sea, Merry
Christmas song, 45333. // Moosbrunn 9810 (55444), Issoudun 9830
(45344), Nauen 9885 (15121) and Issoudun (55444) Best 73 and have some
nice Holidays, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx
yg via DXLD)
NDR Christmas program fading in now, 2025 UT, on 6185 (v.poor) & 9885
(Poor). Both, I believe are via Nauen, Germany (Stephen C Wood,
Harwich, Mass., Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Yes, 2 x Nauen ==> maps
http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/VoA_Radiogram_2015-12-19.htm#GAB_2015
(roger, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)
Gruß an Bord " or "Gruss an Bord" = Greetings on Board --- All 5
frequencies heard well via the Twente receiver (naturally) for the
first transmission. For the second transmission beginning at 2100, the
only frequency with a hint of audio here in New Brunswick was 6040
kHz. Let's see if reception improves (Richard Langley, 2118 UT Dec 24,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Likewise 6040 only frequency with any audio here on Cape Cod at 2210.
Sounds like church service (Stephen C Wood, ibid.)
Immediately after 2200, just when I checked the presence, they run a
horribly sung "Stille Nacht". With these noisy and fading shortwave
signals inavoidably the word "Weihnachtsringsendung" surfaced in my
mind...
Yes, the whole thing is called "Gruß an Bord", which means "greetings
to the ship" (means "on board" in English also sending something onto
a ship?).
At quick check 2202, 9655 could not be confirmed from Central Europe,
unlike the other four frequencies. They appeared to be more or less in
synch, so presumably all three sites take the NDR Info Spezial signal
from Astra 1M. By the way, a description of technical details I read
somewhere mentioned HRS 4/4, antennas for Issoudun, indicating that no
ALLISS units but the classic Centre E complex is in use there (Kai
Ludwig, Germany, ibid.)
at 2245 UT the Issoudun tx 9655 kHz couldn't trace anymore, I guess
the tx WAS totally OFF. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, ibid.)
It seems that 11650 kHz, the frequency it was supposed to use 1900-
2100, did not make it on air either (Kai Ludwig, ibid.)
Re 11650 kHz signal missing, not so -- on excellent video snap by Ivo
in Sofia Bulgaria; listen to 2nd tube recording at 00.44 m/s, you will
heard a poor signal on 11650 kHz channel too. Thanks, Ivo. Greetings
from Stuttgart to Felix DL5XL and his colleagues on ANTARCTIC research
station downunder.
Bad condition in US east coast in 31 mb tonight, only REE Madrid 9690
kHz is on S=8-9 -74dBm signal level the 'lonely knight'.
Short checks of NDR Hamburg special Christmas transmission on remote
units in Qatar and Greece show at 1930 UT Dec 24:
{farthest reception points on remote net}
9810 S=8 -81dBm
9885 S=7 -86dBm Freddy, Austrian Seamen at 1935 UT
9515 S=8 -81dBm
9765 S=9 -72dBm
6040 S=9 -73dBm
9515 S=6 -88dBm
9655 S=7 -83dBm
9765 S=9+10dB -63dBm
9830 S=9+10dB -63dBm
[selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz]
wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD)
Someone know if the radio station confirm? Eventually what is the
email to send reception reports? Good 73 and Merry Christmas from
north of Italy (Dario Gabrielli, Inviato dal mio dispositivo Huawei,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Dear Dario, Try technik@ndr.de Regards, (Tony Ashar, West Java,
Indonesia, Sent from my Android phone with mail.com Mail. Please
excuse my brevity, ibid.)
Con probabilità molto alta.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ITKgz15Lkwg/VKhOgpAPr8I/AAAAAAAAEOw/_Qw_AD08ZRE/s1600/P1190807%2B%282%29.JPG
http://www.ndr.de/der_ndr/technik/Technische-Teilnehmerberatung,hotlineindex100.html
technik@ndr.de
Consulenza tecnica di ascoltatori della radio
sinceramente (roger, dxldyg via DXLD)
Recorded 6040 kHz unattended as we went off to celebrate Wigilia at
some Polish friends. On reviewing the recording today, I noted that
reception did improve somewhat but even by the end of the program it
was still rather noisy. Hopefully, reception was better in mid-
Atlantic (-- Richard Langley, NB, Dec 25, ibid.)
Not much heard last year, but this year I`m trying again for Gruss an
Bord, the yearly NDR special for German seafarers in the Atlantic and
Indian Oceans (none in Pazifik?).
I must say, they do a fine job of keeping their signals out of deeply
landlocked areas such as mine! Dec 24 at 2015, from the three
different sites, Germany, France and Austria, I find no signals on
9810, 9885 or 11650; 9830 totally occupied as always in our daytimes
by that usurping RTTY; the fifth frequency, which would be least
likely to propagate that early, does have a JBA carrier, but it`s
slightly low at 6184.97 and I bet it`s XEPPM on its secret daytime
schedule. At 2048, I manage to detect JBA carriers on 9810, 9885.
GaB changes most of the frequencies for the second bihour at 2100, so
at 2105 I check that batch: now nothing on 6040, 9765; JBA carriers on
9515 and 9655, and still nothing but heavy RTTY on 9830 --- not a
problem circumEurope? Maybe some of these were skipping over Germany,
not the target either anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
NDR Hamburg "Greeting on board", [audio-]videos:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/ndr-hamburg-greeting-on-board-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, ibid.)
6040, Norddeutscher Rundfunk "Groß an Bord" relay (Nauen?). 2132-2400*
December 24, 2015. Just beginning to fade in, good level by 2210.
German church services and choir, ID, contact information, phone
number etc. at 2214. After 2300, news and announcements-type magazine
format with brief music interludes through conclusion of the annual
Christmas/eve broadcast. 9675 audible at 2334 check, clear but poor.
Unidentified ChiCom alone on channel once NDR closed.
9885, Norddeutscher Rundfunk "Groß an Bord" relay (Nauen?). 2046
December 24, 2015. Very weak with German church services and choir.
Carrier on 6185, but no audio and that could have been someone else
(Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT, NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole,
active loop u.o.s., Clearwater, FL u.o.s., DX LISTENING DIGEST)
It was all supposed to be over at 2300 UT (gh, DXLD)
** GOA. 11740, INDIA-GOA AIR (Panaji) at 2215 // 9445 and 11670 with
the end of a commentary and a woman with ID then “Women's World” at
2216 – Very Good Dec 27 – this was armchair copy and the best I have
heard them in a long time. It bodes well for those who want to log
this one for the upcoming January Shortwave DX Challenge - ed (Mark
Coady-ON, ODXA YRX via DXLD)
** GOA. AIR Panaji back on SW --- For the record, the 2 x 250 kW SW
transmitters at AIR Panaji are now back on air. For some weeks their
frequencies were substituted by 500 kW transmitters in Bengaluru which
no doubt provided better reception. The original B-15 schedule of AIR
is now in force. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National
Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India Mobile: +91 94416 96043
http://www.qsl.net/ vu2jos dx_india yg via DXLD)
But as of what date, and what frequencies involved, exactly? (Glenn
Hauser, DXLD)
** GREECE. Voice of Greece again on shortwave on Dec 23 as follows,
all on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu
0700-0800 Greek and other languages, Serbian, Romanian, Spanish,
Polish, Italian, Russian, Arabic & Albanian missing
[we can`t tell which ones you mean were missing --- only Albanian?]
0800-0905 Greek
0905-0910 Arabic/Italian, ex-Polish
0910-1005 Greek
1005-1015 Romanian/Serbian/Russian
1015-1105 Greek
1105-1110 Spanish/Polish, ex-Italian/Albanian missing
1110-1200 Greek
1200-1300 Greek, relay ERT 1 (Proto Programa)
from 1300 Greek, instead [OF!] English 1300-1305 UT
from 1305 Greek and continues how many hours?
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-is-again-on-shortwave_23.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Voice of Greece was back on SW after 5 days absence:
from 2030 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, Dec 28
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-was-back-on-sw-dec28.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
The somewhat irregular Voice of Greece is on tonight (at 0325 UT as I
enter this) with an S9+40dB signal on about 9420.004 kHz via Twente.
IS, anthem, and ID at 0400 UT, beginning the day's transmission. The
signal subsequently deteriorated between about 0415 and 0535 UT and
then came back to good levels, continuing until 0707:27 UT with an
abrupt end of transmission (Richard Langley NB UT Dec 29, ibid.)
Yes, in several random chex I have not found it for several
days/nights (gh, DXLD)
Voice of Greece was back again on shortwave on December 29
1500-2110 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, co-ch CNR-17
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-was-back-again-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GREENLAND. What I believe to be Qeqertarsuaq = Godhavn from
Greenland on 650 kHz was audible, initially at good strength, at tune
in 0740 UT.
http://maps.google.com/maps/@69.243417,-53.526972,17z
A talk was in progress in a language I did not recognise - not Danish.
I've never heard their IS which has been listed in the WRTH for years
as "Sonja Drags Whale" and I mistakenly thought today was the day. But
of course it faded out before the hour. I also think it's this station
that I heard several times earlier in December at around this same
time, but then it was much weaker.
Usually I expect to hear CKGA Gander, Newfoundland, which is one of
the affiliates of VOCM 590 making it easy to ID, but neither were
propagating today, and CKGA has been elusive this winter (Noel R.
Green (NW England), Dec 26, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Noel, Greenland was probably what you heard. It had a very good
signal on and off on the Ireland DXtuners site from when I first heard
it around 0200. 570 was also there yesterday but not as strong as 650.
Regards (Tony Magon, VK2IC, Dec 26, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Referring to Noel's comments about Greenland, I guess that the IS is
no longer in use, as they now are 24 hrs. In the 80's I was a
technical teacher at KNR in their old Radio Building, and made a
couple of 'direct' recordings, including this attached one with the
Interval Signal and start of programs at 07 local with the time
signal, IDs in Greenlandic and Danish, dated April 17, 1985. Enjoy! 73
(Erik Koie, Holte/Copenhagen /erik@koie.dk att to the dxldyg via DXLD)
** GUAM. Strong signal of KTWR in DRM mode(undecoded) on December 28:
1215-1245 on 9975 TWR 060 kW / 285 deg to SoAs English Mon/Fri/Sat
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-signal-of-ktwr-in-drm.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
** GUATEMALA. 4055, R. Verdad, presumed, mostly carrier at 1015 but
snippets of music getting through, t-storm QRN (David Sharp, NSW, Dec
24, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. Status of AIR DRM transmitter installations by Nautel
company. 75% of Installations Now on Air! To date the following units
are on air:
NX300 systems at Jammu, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Rajkot and Dibrugarh.
NX200 systems at Bengaluru, Jabalpur, Chennai, Ajmer, Dharwad,
Siliguri and Delhi.
NX100 systems at Panaji, Pune, Vijayawada, Tiruchirappalli, Kolkata A,
Patna, Varanasi and Mumbai A & B.
The first transmitter, an NX200, shipped on August 27, 2013. This
flagship installation in Delhi went on air (819 kHz) on May 30, 2014.
Installations about to begin:
NX300 system at Suratgarh
NX200 systems at Ahmedabad
All Shipments Were Completed in Under a Year
August, 2013: NX200 shipped to Delhi.
August, 2013: three NX300?s shipped to Jammu, Jalandhar, and Lucknow.
December, 2013: four NX100?s shipped to Vijayawada, Tiruchirappalli,
Patna, and Varanasi.
January, 2014: four NX200?s shipped to Chennai, Bengaluru, Dharwad and
Ajmer.
March, 2014: four NX100?s shipped to Mumbai A, Mumbai B, Panaji and
Pune.
April, 2014: three NX300?s shipped to Dibrugarh, Rajkot and Suratgarh.
June, 2014: five NX200?s shipped to Kolkata A, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur,
Siliguri and Itanagar.
July, 2014: three NX100?s shipped to Kolkata B, Ranchi and Pasighat.
Source: Nautel Canada (Alokesh Gupta, India, DXindia Dec 25 via BC-DX
26 Dec via DXLD)
** INDIA. 13710, Dec 24 at 1408, AIR GOS, good signal with Indian
classical music, always enjoyable, and NO CCI from CRI English via
Kashgar, which is usually the case after 1400. Checked here after
hearing it on weaker 9690, and then find the third frequency, 11620,
totally inaudible; is it off? 1419 outro music and plug the ``brand-
new`` AIR GOS website (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. Special broadcast of AIR on 27 Dec 2015 --- The broadcast to
the Nation “Mann Ki Baat” by Shri. Narendra Modi, Hon'ble Prime
Minister of India will be broadcast tomorrow Sunday 27 Dec 2015 at
0530-0600 UTC (1100-1130 am IST). It is the 15th edition of the
program. All stations of AIR will relay this program on MW/SW/FM.
Look out on the following additional frequencies also (which were
heard last time)
9870 Bengaluru
9940 Delhi
11850 Delhi?
17715 Delhi
(The above frequencies are off at this time normally) The broadcast
can be heard at the same time in the following website (and others)
http://pmonradio.nic.in/
Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur
Radio, Dec 26, dx_india yg via DXLD)
Dear DX-friends, 17715, AIR Delhi, 0535-0556*, Sunday Dec 27, Speech
by the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi in the
Broadcast to the Nation ”Mann Ki Baat” in Hindi and English, 0554 ann
by female, Indian song, closing ann by female, weak signal 25322.
Thanks to Jose Jacob. This was the only AIR frequency audible in
Denmark at that time (Anker Petersen, ibid.)
** INDIA [and non]. 9870, Dec 28 at 1415, AIR Vividh Bharati via
Bengaluru with familiar march theme, for news break? Heavy CCI from
CRI English via Xian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA [and non]. http://qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm
Noted here in Europe AIR DRM screen block on 7550 kHz at 1750 UT
wideband digital 7545.163 to 7554.913 kHz. wb (Wolfgang Büschel,
dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
DRM from India on 7550 kHz was observed on Dec 28 at 1725 UT, over
Radio Ranginkaman/Radio Rainbow till 1730, video later today
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SRI LANKA 7550
A half-hour later (1830 UT), in Eastern Newfoundland, I am hearing the
AIR 7550 dual-channel DRM with 100% decoding. Likewise the RRI 7350
DRM is nearly 100%. But I may be too late for the Voice of Nigeria DRM
on 15120 -- I'm getting no signal at all. (Philip Hiscock, dxldyg via
WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 3904.93v, Pro 1 RRI Merauke on Dec 25 found on a lower
frequency than recently heard; Xmas songs; off with "Pulau Ambon"
(Island of Ambon)/"Love Ambon" and ID at 1502*; another day of very
decent reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1,
antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9524.981, V of Indonesia English service from Cimanggis,
poor S=6 signal, noted in Qatar Perseus remote post at 1235 UT Dec 28.
Young lady singer, mix of Indonesian and Pacific South Sea song,
smooth and sweet. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD)
English supposed to be after 1300, not before; remains nothing but a
JBA carrier here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD)
Much better modulation of Voice of Indonesia on Dec 29, but not 100%
1700-1800 on 9525 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu Spanish
1800-1900 on 9525 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu German
1900-2000 on 9525 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu English
2000-2100 on 9525 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu French
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/much-better-modulation-of-voice-of.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN [non]. R. Ranginkaman/Rainbow via SPL and BaBcoCk, open
carrier on Dec 25:
1700-1730 7460 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg WeAs Persian Mon/Fri, off at 1710
1700-1730 7550 TAC 100 kW / 236 deg WeAs Persian Mon/Fri, off at 1710
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/rranginkamanrainbow-via-spl-and-babcock.html
Reception of Radio Ranginkaman/Radio Rainbow in Persian on Dec 28:
1700-1730 7460 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg Mon/Fri mixing with BVB from 11700
1700-1730 7550 TAC 100 kW / 236 deg Mon/Fri co-ch AIR in DRM from 1725
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/reception-of-radio-ranginkamanrainbow_29.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
** ITALY. Test broadcast of Radio Latino, Dec 26:
1200-1428 on 7590 unknown transmitter in Italy to Europe
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/test-broadcast-of-radio-latino-dec26.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** ITALY. Next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International will be:
0800-1100 11389.7 ???.03 kW / non-dir to WeEu En/Sp/It on December 25
0900-1300 11389.7 ???.03 kW / non-dir to WeEu En/Sp/It on December 27
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/the-next-test-broadcasts-of-marconi_24.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Fair to good signal of Marconi Radio International on Dec.25
Videos at 0844 and 0902UT with DX pxs in English and Italian
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/the-next-test-broadcasts-of-marconi_24.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DXLD)
** ITALY [non]. SECRETLAND(non), SPL Secretbrod relay IRRS various
programs on December 25:
1900-2000 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg WeEu English Fri, instead R.City.
And surprisingly 1939-1959 UT IRRS relay Glenn Hauser's World of Radio
#1805!
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretbrod-relay-irrs-various.html
(Ivo Ivanov, B`lgriya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
** ITALY [non]. EUROPEAN MUSIC RADIO NECESITA AYUDA
Publicado el 27 diciembre 2015 13:39 por EA4-0003
Tom Taylor, de European Music Radio, está interesado en comprobar la
calidad de recepción de los programas de IRRS a través del emisor de
Kostinbrod, en Bulgaria. Por lo visto, IRRS ha substituido el emisor
de Rumanía por éste.
Me ha pedido que compruebe la calidad de la señal de IRRS los viernes,
sábados y domingos a partir de las 1900 UT por los 7290 KHz. Y me ha
pedido también si puedo hacer llegar su petición a otros diexistas.
Por ello os escribo.
Si alguien tiene tiempo y ganas, que haga la comprobación y le envíe
un simple correo electrónico a Tom. Su dirección es emrsw@sky.com.
¡Muchas gracias de su parte y feliz entrada de año!
(Artur Fernandez Llorella, AER.org via DXLD) AFAIK, EMR is in English,
not Spanish, so why doesn`t he ask in English? (gh, DXLD)
** JAPAN. 774, NHK Akita, 1415, good with cochannel nulled; English
language course being presented, show ended at 1430 then back to
Japanese with male announcer and Tokyo mentioned 2x (David Sharp, NSW,
Dec 29, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non]. 9855, Dec 24 at 2035, undermodulated S9 signal in
French, thought they IDed as RFI, but by 2053 when they are talking
about Japon and interspersing bits of Japanese, I reconsider: yes,
it`s NHK in French via MADAGASCAR during this semihour (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non?]. 9830, Dec 27 at 0058, surprised to hear NHK IS and
IDs in Japanese and English, as frequent bandscanning around this hour
has never encountered it before. No program ever starts, just IS & IDs
continuing at further chex past 0102, 0107; 0136 but weakening. Not
scheduled here in HFCC or Aoki, instead CNR1 non-jammer from Beijing,
but no sign of it. NHK apparently testing, from where? FWIW, NHK was
stronger than other frequencies direct from China on 31m (Glenn
Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KIRIBATI. 1440, Radio Kitibati, 0914, fair after cochannel nulled;
usual selection of island music with woman announcer (David Sharp,
NSW, Dec 29, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. P5, NORTH KOREA. Reports indicate that Dom, 3Z9DX, has
left North Korea sometime on December 22nd. He had agreed before
operating to leave his equipment behind in Pyongyang. During his few
days of operating Dom made 785 QSOs (742 Unique callsigns) all on SSB
between 0009z, December 20th, and 0847z, December 21st. Band used:
127/20m, 566/15m and 91/10m. Continents worked are: 1/AF, 0/AN,
591/AS, 75/EU, 26/NA, 83/OC and 8/SA. The log and breakdown can be
viewed on ClubLog at:
https://secure.clublog.org/charts/?c=P5/3Z9DX
The next activity is planned for February 2016, possibly from another
location. QSL via ClubLog's OQRS, it is the best and fastest way to
receive a QSL card (Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1246, December 28, 2015,
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW, Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland,
Ohio), Written From Murfreesboro TN (in between playing with Grand-
Kids), Sent From Murfreesboro TN, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. Re ? No main electricity power available - or what
happened in KRE? (Rumen Pankov)
> Yes, as usual during strong cold weather winter months,
> no main circuit electricity available there in the D.P.R.
> on various locations ?
KOREA D.P.R. quick check at 16 UT on Dec 27, in remote net units at
greater Tokyo, eastern Thailand, and Brisbane Australia:
missed, - not on air Dec 27:
on 2350* 3920* 3959* 3968* 3980* 6070* 6400* 11680* kHz.
Latter 11680 kHz Pyongyang channel skipped in northern hemisphere,
only heard downunder in Queensland Australia unit! (Wolfgang Büschel,
wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 27 via DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. 9665.000, Korean KCBS Pyongyang, martial army soldier
songs chorus S=7 - not much strong these days. N o t h i n g \\ of
same service 11680 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, logs in 0430-0530 UT Dec 30
in Japan, remote SDR units, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
KCBS Pyongyang --- 6100, 1424 28 DEC - SINPO = 25322. Korean, drama,
overacting by male and female characters. Narrated by female
announcer. QSB=moderate rate. modulation somewhat muffled, low
fidelity. sf106.1, a11, k2, geomag: quiet. 250kw, Omni, bearing 318 .
Sangean ATS505 w/DEGEN 31MS active loop in south facing window.
Received at Las Vegas, United States, 9445KM from transmitter at
Kanggye. Local time: 0624 (Rodney Johnson, NV, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
KOREA D.P.R. and KOREA REPUBLIC, re: Korea North 6400 & 11680 kHz. Hi
dear Rumen, checked the KRE / KOR stations in 1830 to 1910 UT time
slot on Dec 22, used remote SDR net units in Tokyo, Osaka, and Okayama
Japan. Pause break - nothing noted at 1845 UT on Dec 22 on 2350 2850
3920 3959 3968 3980 5830 6070 6100 6400 6518 9665 11680 kHz.
3219.899 KRE Carrier only 1830 UT, S=9+30dB in Tokyo
3250.002 KRE PBS Korean, female singer, 1834 UT, S=9+30dB
3319.997 KRE PBS Korean, 1835 UT, S=9+40dB
3912.004 KOR VoP, KRE jamming, 1837 UT, S=9+40dB
3985.021 KOR EoH/VoH, KRE jamming, 1840 UT, S=9+40dB
4449.991 KOR VoP, KRE jamming on 4449.931 kHz, 1842 UT, S=9+50dB
4557.000 KOR VoP, KRE Jamming, 1845 UT, S=9+40dB
6003.018 ??? two peaks - also on 6002.988 kHz at 1850 UT.
6015.000 poor KRE jamming only, 1858 UT (6020 CHN Firedrake)
6135.008 and 6134.983 UNID two peaks, VoF KOR, KRE jamming ? 1858 UT.
6169.997 KRE S=9+10dB
6250.004 KOR / KRE S=9+10dB
6348.032 KOR S=9+20dB, and ditter audio signal jamming by KRE.
6600.000 KOR S=9+10dB, jamming by KRE.
KRE log on 0100-0130 UT Dec 23 in Tokyo and Nagoya remote SDR units:
6100.000 KRE KCBS Pyongyang from Kanggye, S=8-9, 0126 womans chorus
6518.004 KOR VoPeople Kyonggi-do Koyang NOT heard,
only KRE scratching noise jamming heard so far, S=7 at 0130 UT.
9665.003 KRE KCBS Pyongyang from Kanggye, S=8-9, at 0105 UT \\ 6100
kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 22 / 23, DXLD)
KOREA D.P.R. But at crash-start before 2329:30 UT a new signal string
appeared on 7590 kHz even channel, and heard North Korean scratching
noise intermodulation underneath.
Both V of KOREA in Japanese on 7580 kHz S=9+40dB powerhouse, and less
strong VOK, Korean of KCBS Pyongyang program on lowersideband 7570 kHz
channel started in \\ originate in producing - at same txion center -
an intermodulation between 7580 and 7570 kHz channels, latter Korean
program + some noise scratching heard combined also on upper sideband
7590 kHz channel (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 29, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. new 5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata
(Japan), 1324, Dec 25. Back to one of their alternate frequencies; in
Korean; no jamming here, as it was their first day here, but N. Korean
jamming (pulsating noise) was still on Shiokaze's former frequency of
5985, mixing with Myanmar Radio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach,
CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5910, Dec 26 at 1302, poor signal with piano music and YL in presumed
Korean as listed, tho my first impression was Japanese, anyhow
Shiokaze from JAPAN on its latest frequency change as first reported
by Ron Howard yesterday, ex-5985. And today he says the other
broadcast, far too late at 1600 for us to hear on 6 MHz band, has
moved from 5910 to 5955 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
New 5955 - Shiokaze noted Dec 26 at 1610, with no jamming. Former
frequency of 5910 still jammed with pulsating noise from N. Korea.
(Ron Howard, CA, Dec 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
JAPAN, Frequency changes of Shiokaze Sea Breeze from December 25
1300-1400 NF 5910 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs various, ex 5985, not
recorded today
1600-1700 NF 5955 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs various, ex 5910, co-
ch RRI Ukr/Serb
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/frequency-changes-of-shiokaze-sea.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1327-1400*,
Dec 29. Another special program that was different from yesterday's
jazz and classical music program; today with two announcers before an
audience (applause heard); in Japanese and playing many songs and
"Auld Lang Syne" in Japanese; fair reception with no jamming. N.
Korea jamming NOT heard today on Shiokaze's former frequency of 5985.
Also: 5955, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1606, Dec 29. Sounded like
a repeat of the 1300-1400 program; no jamming here either.
My audio of 5955 at -
https://app.box.com/s/em9mzh87dam127fxv4z2gkhr4sa3bmu9
Will be interesting to see what happens on Thursday! Will they have a
special show in English, or more likely that will be preempted (Ron
Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. UZBEKISTAN, Voice of Martyrs with English
program on December 29
1630-1800 on 7520 TAC 100 kW / 070 deg to NEAs Korean(Eng 1710-1720):
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-martyrs-with-english-program.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA SOUTH. 4885, Echo of Hope-VOH, 1449-1532+ 21 Dec. Fair with
Korean chat, singing jingle & chimes at 1458/1525, news/commentary
after 1500.
22 Dec. 1440-1500+ with similar programming (more "gossipy" style
chat) + schedule/frequencies given after ID/chimes at 1459.
24 Dec. 1529-1550+ Christmas carols in Korean ("1st Noel", "Jingle
Bells") and Englkish ("Silver Bells", "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
[the "Figgy Pudding" song]) & several "Merry Christmas" mentions.
4885 still unjammed while 3985/6003/6348 are usually about 40/60 with
the NK roaring jammer & a festive "thanks" to Ron Howard for
completing my "V-O-mumble-mumble" ID on the 21st (Dan Sheedy,
Moonlight Beach, CA, E5/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Weak and poor reception of Echo of Hope on December 23 from 1632 on
4885 HWA 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean, new additional frequency
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/weak-and-poor-reception-of-clandestine.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
4885 Voice of Hope (presumed), 1717, very strong with talk by Korean
woman (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
4885, Dec 29 at 1302, very poor signal in Korean, so seems Echo of
Hope is here to stay; is it jammed yet? Reads S3 in SSB, S6 in AM on
the R-75, i.e. S-readings don`t mean much in any absolute sense, but
useful comparing to others (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Glenn, 4885 with Echo of Hope VOH, as of Dec 29, has not been
jammed yet. After 1300, I have good reception here in California, per
this recent audio, with their ID jingle and dramatization in Korean
(0:22 "drama" on recording).
https://app.box.com/s/z5peb68ty67asemc57pj0sdmvcmee7nf
(Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KURDISTAN [non]. UNIDentified station with Arabic music and Denge
Kurdistan on 9400 kHz
0905-0915 on 9400 ERV 300 kW / 192 deg to WeAs Kurdish Denge Kurdistan
0905-0915 on 9400 unknown transmitter site Arabic music UNIDentified:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-station-with-arabic-music_29.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD) So a try at jamming?
** KYRGYZSTAN. 4009.85, Kyrgyz Radio, noted in passing with news or
similar at 1705 (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David Sharp's
iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LIBYA. Re 15-51: Mark Connelly, WA1ION, log: Libya was always
1053.+101 Hertz in past 3 months. Wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** LUXEMBOURG. Tail slate for Marnach [like a movie clapper??]
RTL Group "Backstage" BCE, Luxembourg 22 December 2015
https://backstage.rtlgroup.com/public/htm/en/Dailynews_FS.aspx?id=dailynews_217D39B92ECA4F70B3DACD6C85031415&newsdate=22122015
On 1 January 2016, the medium-wave transmitter site will finally close
its doors after almost 60 years in operation, during which it gave
generations of listeners their first taste of rock and pop and an
opportunity to explore these new genres of music.
The now cult English-language station Radio Luxembourg broadcast on
the famous "Two-O-Eight", a medium-wave frequency of 208 metres, until
1991. Its programmes were not only picked up in the UK, but also
reached Scandinavia and even parts of Eastern Europe, where they had a
lasting impact. Medium-wave broadcasts of the English programme were
initially transmitted from the site in Junglinster, starting on 15
January 1951, and joined by programmes in Dutch in 1953. But on 14
December 1956, these broadcasts were moved to Marnach to guarantee
better signal reception, primarily in the UK and Scandinavia. On 15
July 1957, Radio Luxemburg's day-time German-language programmes
followed suit, becoming the success story we all know today.
The antennas erected on the high ground at Marnach in northern
Luxembourg transmitted daily broadcasts to millions of listeners.
However, the advent of FM broadcasts, offering superior listening
comfort, gradually eroded the appeal of medium-wave transmissions,
which goes some way towards explaining why broadcasts of medium-wave
radio programmes were gradually abandoned. Nonetheless, the Marnach
site managed to hang on to customers like Radio China International,
which continued to appreciate the tremendous range covered by medium-
wave transmissions.
In 2014, the Luxembourg government concluded an agreement with CLT-UFA
on the site's closure under the terms of which the land it covered
would be acquired by State. Meanwhile, the sites at Junglinster,
Beidweiler and Hosingen continue transmitting long-wave, short-wave
and FM radio broadcasts.
Eugène Muller, Head of Technical Services and Transmissions at BCE,
says: "The closure of this site devoted to medium-wave transmissions
marks the end of a major chapter in our history. Indeed, thanks to the
English-language broadcasts by Radio Luxembourg and the German-
language programmes of Radio Luxemburg, Marnach became a kind of
umbilical cord linking us to millions of listeners in Europe."
The national anthem of Luxembourg will be broadcast for the last time
on medium waves on 1 January at 01:00.
(Link from James Robinson on http://mediumwave.info/news.html )
Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
There is a confused statement towards the end of the article implying
that the Junglinster SW service is still broadcast. Other than that it
is a good article. 73 and 88 (Dan Goldfarb, mwmasts yg via DXLD)
208 closedown tonight - special programme just announced!
Mike Knight just wrote this evening on the Radio Luxembourg 208 fans
Facebook Group:
``I have just been informed that TONIGHT at midnight UK time (1 am
CET) the Mike Hollis produced closedown from 1991 (which I recently
edited) will be played on 1440 kHz/208m !!! - on the final day that
208 will be on air - you will have on last chance to listen to the
famous 208 DJs on that famous frequency before they switch it off.
Huge thanks to my friends at RTL for arranging this - you know who you
are. Wow! - I am so happy that RTL are doing this`` Posted by: (Mike
Terry, Dec 30, dxldyg via DXLD)
Just listening to this right now. Still got the Luxy distortion and
fade. Gosh, what we put up with as teenagers in the 60s! Can’t imagine
anyone putting up with it these days (Gareth [Foster?], bdxcuk yg via
DXLD)
Car crash radio! This might give you some amusement: Can't sleep from
the pain so having a tune on MW at 0013 UT on 31/12/15: 1440,
Luxembourg is currently broadcasting what sounds like the
retrospective from 31/12/1991, but they should have done some research
first because it features glowing tributes to and from --- Jimmy
Saville, Chris Denning! & Cliff Richard! The phrase "ill-judged"
doesn't begin to cover this broadcast! Oh dear Radio nonce-mbourg what
have you done!
I was actually a listener prior to the 1991 shutdown - in those days
it was Mike Hollis, Shawn Tilley, Robin Banks, etc., but the memory is
well and truly soiled :D On the plus side I'm once again amazed by
the noise rejecting ability of the Reuter RDR54D1; on the Icom 1470 is
just a wall of noise but on the Reuter I can hear a Latin American
Pile up – (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, UK Director #KresySiberia,
WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Radio Luxembourg 0000-0200 31/12/2015 --- Just started at 0000z
31/12/2015 - Mike Hollis's history of Radio Luxembourg programme. I
understand this will close with a repeat of Radio Luxembourg's 1992
closedown sequence. Anyway, it's right now on 1440 kHz MW - in English
Posted by: (Tom Read, 0004 UT Dec 31, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD)
Re: Medium wave in Europe --- Germany left MW short before midnight,
only AFN-1143 still audible. Luxemburg-1440 got replaced by Belgian
pirate Radio Paradise, and that is now playing an old R. Luxemburg-
English "208" recording. So don't get surprised. France is still on
air with all channels (Jurgen Bartels Suellwarden, N. Germany, mwdx yg
via DXLD)
** MADAGASCAR. 5011.04, 1944-1955 13/12 MDG?, R. Madagasikara
(presumed), Ambohidrano. Music, Weak modulation. Adjacent QRM de CHINA
on 5010. 14441 (Carlos Gonçalves, South coast of Portugal, JRC NRD-
545DSP & DRAKE R8-E; Advanced ReceiverResearch amp.; 20 m T2FD, 45 m
inv. V, 30 m 180º/0º mini-Bev., 80 m 300º/120º Bev., 200 m 270º/ 90º
Bev., 270 m 145º/325º Bev., 300 m 225º/45º Bev., raised, 4 loop K9AY,
playdx yg via DXLD)
5009.8, Radio Malagasy, 1750, not much more than a carrier (or het
against AIR on nominal); recently noted as high as 5011 (David Sharp,
NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALAYSIA. 9835, Sarawak FM (via RTM Kajang) 1558+ 24 Dec. One quick
"Salam Christmas" & into Stevie Wonder's cover of "A Christmas Song"
just before TOH and 'Negara Ku'. Wai FM managed a cheerful "meri
Christmas" at 1552 check, as well (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA,
E5/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 590, XEPH Sabrosita 590, México, DF. 1103 December 24,
2015. The usual very non-Mexican tropical and salsa vocals format,
canned kiddie "¡Sabrosita!" atop song (Terry L. Krueger, All
times/dates GMT, NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active loop u.o.s.,
Clearwater, FL u.o.s., DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 610 // 650, Dec 29 at 1314, the Sinaloa twins with their
morning agriculture show, mentioning Guasave meeting: XEGS 610
Guasave, XETNT 650 Los Mochis (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 660, Dec 24 at 0519, Spanish station mentions ``Grupo
Radiofónico Zer``, then plug for some holiday event in Aguascalientes
on 5 de enero, and a long string of federal PSAs including Cámara de
Diputadas y Diputados (women finally get first billing in México! But
I bet they are still a minority); Secretaría de Salud; CNDH (National
Human Rights Commission); Senado about the ``catastrophe`` of global
warming (imagine the denialist Republican-controlled U.S. Senate
saying something like that!), still PSAs at 0523 as somestation in
English is gaining, KSKY? Anyhow, the Ags station on 660 is 50/10 kW
XEEY, and indeed is affiliated with Zer per the new IRCA Mexican Log
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
I heard that Senate global warming PSA while waiting for 40 minutes to
hear XEAD's top-of-hour ID last night. I was kind of stunned myself.
ZER is correct as the owner of XEEY: the concession is in the name of
Josefina Reyes Sahagún, who happens to be the wife of Grupo
Radiofónico ZER's founder and namesake, Arnoldo Rodríguez Zermeño.
Sahagún has a few concessions and permit stations in her name. ZER is
a den of what I call "permit wolves" (noncommercial stations operated
commercially), owning a bunch of them in various cities, and earlier
this year received a social concession (a.k.a. permit) to expand to
television in its home market of Zacatecas, under the name Valores y
Tradiciones de mi Tierra, A.C. The clue that it was ZER was that the
legal representative was the group's vice president—and another holder
of permits — Rodrigo Rodríguez Reyes (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Dec
24, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)
** MEXICO [and non]. 660, Dec 29 at 1318, adstring by live announcer,
mentioning Mazatlán and Delicias, for a farmacia i.a., from WSW,
presumably XEACB in Ciudad Delicias, Chihuahua (no 660 in Sinaloa);
along with another SS further counterclockwise, could be Durango or
Aguascalientes. By 1330 UT, ``The Answer`` KSKY The Metroplex captures
660, exactly its official Dec & Jan sunrise time for jump from 700 to
20,000 watts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 660, XECPR Radio Chan Santa Cruz, Felipe Carillo Puerto,
Quintana Roo. 1017 December 27, 2015. Tuning up the dial, stopped on a
nice signal with someone playing the LP version of a late-1970's
crossover smooth jazz trumpet hit I can't recall the name of (I
thought it was "Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione, but not so when
going to YouTube later to confirm; maybe something Herb Alpert or
Maynard Ferguson?)
Turned out to be XECPR, apparently using this warm-up track just
before formal sign-on, beginning with the Mexican choral anthem from
1020, Quintana Roo state anthem (instrumental, truly awful song) from
1022, then a high school-like band from 1024. Man at 1028, "El
domingo, XECPR, Radio Chan Santa Cruz..." then female seemingly
canned, "Sintonizar XECPR, Radio Chan Santa Cruz... 630 AM... la
buena, la buena... XECPR... desde la capital de... 630 AM... mil watts
de potencia... excelencia... Radio Chan Santa Cruz, buenos días,
buenos días... Radio Chan Santa Cruz, 630 AM." Into Spanish ballads.
1020 GMT is well before Quintana Roo or even my sunrise. Suspect this
one has eluded me because they normally sign on much later (this was a
Sunday). But then again, December 30: 1104 man and woman canned ID
including phone number, into Mexi-tunes. Male canned "Radio Chan Santa
Cruz" between songs through 1125 tune-out (Terry L. Krueger, All
times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active loop,
Clearwater, FL, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 660, XEFZ ABC Radio, Monterrey, Nuevo León. 1150 December
28, 2015. Female with program promo, mentions of ABC Radio, man with
news and those gobierno announcements. Someone else very weak with
choral anthem from 1159. No trace of XECPR through 1209 tune-out
today, assuming the anthem at the time most normally spin it wasn't
them (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof
dipole, active loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 700, Dec 29 at 1322, rustic music by fiddle and guitar past
1330, and at 1331 full ID in Spanish for XEETCH, Etchojoa, Sonora, and
then same in indigenous language, both mentioning sponsoring federal
agency CNDPI - Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de Pueblos
Indígenas; no QRM at first, but 1334 something in English, probably
WLW resurging almost at our sunrise; heard more than once, including
1335, interjexion between tunes, ``¡Qué me toque un baile!`` -- play
me a dance. I love listening to this native music; hard to pull away
to keep bandscanning (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 720, Dec 27 at 0121, romantic music, break and
``continuamos con el fonógrafo de 720 AM`` atop WGN most of the time.
Might have been KSAH TX, but definitely Mexican at 0142, with PSAs
from INE - Instituto Nacional Electoral, SCT - Secretaría de
Comunicaciones y Transporte, CNDH - Comisión Nacional de Derechos
Humanos; another ``continuamos`` non-ID as above and back to music.
Presumed the usual irritant {yea, nemesis} to WGN, making a slow SAH
with it, XEDE, Saltillo, Coahuila (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 760, Dec 25 at 0207 UT, on Nissan caradio, Spanish station
is dominant with several social media contacts mentioning Universo,
and then ABC, so it`s 70/10 kW XEABC in Los Reyes de la Paz, EdoMex,
i.e. effectively the DF while it still exist. I couldn`t hear WJR now
if I wanted to (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 870, Dec 29 at 1328, YL Spanish talk about fiestas, then
she switches to Tarahumara, as it`s obviously XETAR, Guachochi,
Chihuahua (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Who's this? Was listening to a crappy and fluttery AM band
when I hear música tropical on 930. I heard the announcer go into the
ID and a fade at the most inappropriate time but when the fade came
back up she said música tropical. I will have to listen some more if
it ever comes back but am curious who this might be (Kevin Crump, TN,
Dec 25, ABDX via DXLD)
Kevin: likely XEU 930 in Boca del Rio, VERACRUZ, Mexico. La "U" de
Veracruz. sometimes has a "musica tropical" program in the evenings
(Steven Wiseblood/AB5GP, Harlingen TEXAS, ibid.)
I wondered about that. They were rumored to have moved to FM a while
back, as was XEJ-970, but when I recently discovered that XEJ did not
vacate the AM dial after all (they merely added an FM and cut the
power on AM 970 to 1kW)?, I wondered if XEU's reported "move" to FM
would also prove to be false. (still trying to find the right angle to
pick up NE Mexico and the southern tip of TX from the Border Inn site)
73 (Tim Hall, Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone, ibid.)
http://tunein.com/radio/XEU-930-s87588/
here XEU is are ONLINE, they have added 98.1 FM Veracruz
(Steven Wiseblood, Harlingen TEXAS, ibid.)
Thanks Steven! I think I had some bits of tropical music on 930 on the
SE wire. I've just now finished reviewing all the recordings from the
September Border Inn DXpedition. As soon as I type up all the tips
(better late than never!) I'll be eager to go back and re-check the
recordings to see what I missed the first time around. 73 (Tim, Sent
from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone, ibid.)
I just received a QSL letter within the last week or so from XEU-AM
930, for an old reception report. In the verification, the station
Engineer states that XEU no longer transmits on AM - now only FM and
Internet. 73 - (J. . Stephens, Hampton Cove, AL, Dec 27, ibid.)
Don`t forget WKY 930 OKC, La Indomable, mostly music format. Not sure
if some of it would be considered Tropical, but surely a bearing would
have ruled that in or out vs Veracruz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 950, XEMEX La Mexicana, Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco. 1201
December 28, 2015. Kiddie version of anthem in progress (always used
here) followed by those rapid and haunting flute notes theme, an easy
way to confirm it's this one when no ID is pulled (Terry L. Krueger,
All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active loop,
Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 970, Dec 29 at 1339, ballads in Spanish pulled past local
960 KGWA, 1342 DJ maybe mentions Jota, 1347 fades for next
announcement including phone numbers. Probably XEJ in Ciudad Juárez,
Chihuahua, now known as Pancho as listed in 2015 IRCA Log, while WRTH
2016 still has it as La J Mexicana (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
I recently discovered that XEJ did not vacate the AM dial after all
(they merely added an FM and cut the power on AM 970 to 1 kW (Tim
Hall, CA, ABDX via DXLD)
** MEXICO. 1030, Dec 28 at 0635 and at many other times, dominant
signal is Spanish talk, which no doubt is XEYC, R. Fórmula, in Juárez,
Chihuahua, 1/1 kW, rather than 50/5 kW XEQR, R. Centro in the DF,
almost twice the distance whence signals are remarkably rare.
1030, Dec 29 at 1346, R. Fórmula, Grupo Fórmula ID in news/talk, so
XEYC, Ciudad Juárez, mostly on network feed out of XERFR DF 970 but
occupied here and there by XEJ, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 1060+, Dec 26 at 0604, choral NA ending, as usual making
LAH on the hi side of 1060.0 stations, full ID for XERDO, ``La Raza``
also mentioning 93.7 FM, i.e. Reynosa. This is a new station first
appearing in the WRTH 2016 edition (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Circa 2030 UT Dec 25, 6m maps show sporadic E openings up
to 97 MHz over eastern USA, but seeing nothing on TV and hearing
nothing on FM, I move on to other tasks, such as gathering pecans
before another winter storm hits us. I don`t turn on TV again until
2249 when I find Es now on TV from analog Mexico, all times UT:
2249 on 2, weak video but Spanish music audio; video has CCI beat bars
of about 5 kHz, perhaps from local device/cable radiation, and doesn`t
go away. Now the maps show some contacts across Texas but not Mexico
on 6m.
2255 on 2, same fades in again
2304 on 2, stronger fade-in with VW ad, Banco Azteca, Crest; 2306
glimpse of trece
2315 on 2, Azteca trece, full screen animation, corte informativo, no
audio
2322 on 2, continuamos, now small trece bug in UR during film drama
2331 on 4, MUF now up to here with some video, soon CCI among 2 or 3
stations, including 20 kHz apart plus/minus offset small beat bars
2347 on 3, now some video and audio CCI here; as often happens, we get
signs of DX on 4 before 3, presumably due to geographical factors
2350 on 4, novela, Televisa 2 star bug in lower right
2351 on 5, now some lite video CCI is showing up here
2353 on 5, novela, Televisa 2 star bug LR
2355 on 2, animation with dancing elves, Azteca 7 bug in UR
Will all these signals be blacked out forever in one week with the
apagón analógico? It seems that a few minor stations are getting
exceptions. Unlike in the US and Canada, where there remain *some*
lowband TV stations now in DTV, Mexico is abandoning VHF for UHF only,
effectively putting an end to DX abroad. For now, to be continued.
A bit more from the sporadic E opening in last report, crossing into
next UT day, Dec 26:
0001 on 2, dubbed animated movie, dog looks like ``Lady & the Tramp``;
believe there`s an Azteca 7 bug in UR
0025 on 4, novela, Televisa 2 star bug in LR, definitely at 0031
0045 just about all gone, conveniently for me to switch to Friday
evening SW monitoring session (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
6m Es maps showing activity all day Dec 29, just out of reach, over
eastern USA, northern, northwestern, so I never see anything on
channel 2, or hearing anything on 88.1 --- until almost midnight
local, UT Dec 30:
0536 on 2, fade-in weak video and audio with music
0542 on 2, Spanish ad, promo a program at 6 de la tarde, but can`t
catch a network
0543, ``SIPSE``, mentioned as one word, so that points right to one of
my regulars, XHY-TV in Mérida, Yucatán. (And my antenna is also
pointed that way.); no more seen after 0546. Then I check the 6m map
and see one ham contact line across Texas to correlate with DX from
this direxion.
Probably the last time I will ever see it with the apagón analógico
looming, but will no longer be an obstacle to further Latin American
TVDX from the same bearing across Central and South America, I hope
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [and non]. Mexico TV in 251-323 MHz band!
I just found out about this while looking at the Mexican bandplan
(note MEX69). There are apparently 12 TV channels in the 251-323 MHz
band! These channels are used as STLs (studio-transmitter links). The
few listed here are in the ITU database - there are probably lots
more. Regular NTSC mode. There are also tons of radio STLs in the same
range. Any DXers up for a challenge? Known list follows:
251-257 MHz
Tijuana, BC 100 watts
257-263 MHz
Colima (Volcán de Colima), COL 158 watts
Nevado de Colima, JAL 200 watts
Monterrey (Papagayos), NL 10 watts
Cancún, QR 10 watts
Mazatlán (El Vigia), VER 1.26 kW
263-269 MHz
Tecate, BC 10 watts
Monterrey, NL 10 watts
Santa Catarina, NL 10 watts
269-275 MHz
Colima (Volcán de Colima), COL 158 watts
Tamazula, JAL 200 watts
Monterrey (Papagayos), NL 10 watts
Cancún, QR 10 watts
Mazatlán (El Vigia), VER 1.26 kW
275-281 MHz
La Rumorosa, BC 10 watts
Ciudad Tiutzen, SLP 10 watts
Ciudad Valles (Cuitzillo), SLP 200 watts
281-287 MHz
Colima (Volcán de Colima), COL 158 watts
Nevado de Colima, JAL 200 watts
San Juan (San Diego), JAL 200 watts
Monterrey (Papagayos), NL 40 watts
Cancún, QR 10 watts
Mazatlán (El Vigia), VER 1.26 kW
287-293 MHz
Ensenada, BC 10 watts
293-299 MHz
Acapulco (Agua Fría), GRO 10 watts
Tamazula, JAL 200 watts
Teocaltiche, JAL 158 watts
299-305 MHz
305-311 MHz
Acapulco (Agua Fria), GRO 10 watts
311-317 MHz
317-323 MHz
(William Hepburn, WTFDA gg via DXLD
While working on the "shadow" stations in the regular band I ran into
a number of radio STLs just outside of the 222 MHz ham band. There
were dozens of them listed in a single document and I expect there are
more beyond what I saw. I forget whether they were on the 221 MHz side
or the 225 MHz side. This spectrum belongs to the military in the U.S.
(Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Dec 16, ibid.)
It seems that most of Latin America has radio STL's somewhere in this
range (example: Colombia 300.1-328.5 MHz) - so many targets for
unintended military-satellite relaying. Yesterday's 296.65 Sogamoso,
Colombia is gone today. Maybe the satellite wobbles? wrh (Bill
Hepburn, ibid.)
** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week ---
Merry Christmas! Since there's not much going on right now, I figure
it's a good time for a transmitter site:
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.8727409,-116.6313301,3a,75y,305.99h,91.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sg-2mqapRzDUgBFmiVmpfXA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
That is Ensenada. And the television duopoly in Mexico is rarely
rubbing elbows, uh, this closely. As in, the transmitter facilities
are next to each other.
The only station not in this picture is the local station XHENB-29.
It's at another site with some other sticks a mile away on another
high point. And I have no idea about it being in digital, so...
Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda
prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el
programa (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Dec 25, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)
A not-so-merry Christmas from XEPET in Peto, Yucatán, where the CDI
indigenous station has axed half its staff!
http://www.desdeelbalcon.com/despidos-en-la-cdi-golpe-devastador-para-radio-xepet-aseguran/#.Vn1j9h3Yy1_.twitter
The remaining workers called it a "devastating blow" to the station to
lose five of their ten staff. They also said that advising and
technical services to the school stations operating in localities like
Chemax and Yaxcopoil would be cut (Raymie, Dec 25, ibid.)
Some more information on the Big Radio Station Bid of 2016 (or, as I
will call it, Subasta '16):
http://www.milenio.com/firmas/fernando_mejia_barquera/Radio-frecuencias-licitacion_18_652314787.html
#1. Pricey and cheap. The most expensive stations in the auction
are 91.3 and 92.9 FM Acapulco, with a starting bid of 1.75 million
pesos; the cheapest FMs will set you back at least 2,500 pesos and are
in Mahahual, Q. Roo, 41 miles from Chetumal. On AM, you'll pay 1.53
million pesos for the privilege of operating 1030 AM in Lagos de
Moreno, Jalisco, but 614.1 pesos ($35.60) for 730 AM at Concepción del
Oro, Zacatecas. What a steal!
#2. Economic offers weighted heavily. 80 to 86% of the valuation
of each bid depends on how much they offer, not on how long it'd take
them to get on air (or for FM, HD Radio).
#3. Timeline. Participants will register in March, with the
auction occurring in May. This is a simultaneous ascending auction.
Mejía Barquera also apologized for his horrendous column last
week, which was very poorly researched. The linchpin of the whole
article, which discussed Radio Fórmula airing its newscasts on Jalisco
state FMs, was the fact that he mistook XHPVA 91.9 for 91.1, a
frequency in Subasta '16.
———
Surprise! Another digital television station snuck up on us! It's
XHCRP-TDT 22, broadcasting from Cerro Corral de Piedra as part of the
CORTV state network (Oaxaca). No authorization, but this article
confirms that CORTV is on air from Corral de Piedra.
http://www.oaxaca.gob.mx/nunca-mas-una-televisora-al-servicio-de-un-gobierno-gabino-cue/
22 is reported as the RF by a local viewer and matches the expected
channel assignment (Raymie, Dec 26, ibid.)
TELEVISION IN CHIHUAHUA CAPITAL
based on research by Eduardo Burciaga, translated by me, with some of
my own stuff in there too
Chihuahua, Chih. jumped on the television train early by Mexican
standards, when XERA-TV signed on channel 11 in 1956. Built by Ramiro
Gerardo Uranga Fernández, who already owned radio stations including
XEFI, XEFO, XEFA and XEBW. Located on Avenida Zarco number 3604, XERA
would morph into a more recognizable form in the 1960s. In 1964, it
moved to channel 5, and in 1969, the station was rechristened XHFI-TV.
Telesistema Mexicano bought XHFI in 1971.
By that time, competition had appeared. Tele-Cadena Mexicana built
XHCH-TV, which signed on March 16, 1968 after eight years of waiting
for a concession and four more years as an unbuilt station. XHCH
broadcast from Cerro Santa Rosa and was known as "el canal del perrito
chihuahueño". It was the first station with significant major
programming. In 1969, it would pick up an affiliation with Televisión
Independiente de México. By the 1970s it would become the market
leader, with popular programming including its flagship children's
show, Estrellitas del Dos.
The next year, XHIT-TV channel 4 would come to air. It was owned
by Impulsora de Televisión, S.A. (Burciaga says XHIT was owned by
Uranga and connected to Telesistema Mexicano; Mejía Prieto 1972 lists
it as part of Tele-Cadena Mexicana, which I believe to be correct.)
XHIT would cease broadcasting in December 1972. On August 8, 1973, the
Diario Oficial de la Federación ran a declaration of expropriation of
XHIT's concession, stating that in going dark, XHIT had damaged the
public interest. The station came under operation by the SCT, and upon
being bid out again later in the decade, the concession was
predictably won by Corporación Mexicana de Radio y Televisión — the
state-owned Canal 13. XHFI began to carry XEW programming in the
afternoon hours.
In November 1975, the rest of Tele-Cadena Mexicana, including XHCH
which now was primarily running XHGC programs in the afternoons, was
expropriated. It linked up not only to XHGC but also to Televisión
Cultural de México. XHCH took a leap forward in 1980 when it built and
signed on a satellite in Ciudad Juárez, XHCJE-TV channel 11. In 1983,
XHCH-XHCJE and XHIT were folded into the newly created Imevisión, and
XHCH became one of just three local stations in the entire Imevisión
system (8 Monterrey, 22 Mexico City). It carried local programming and
news, but not without political interference. Some commented that the
change of XHCH from Canal 5 was part of a "punishment" for the PAN
winning the mayorships of both Chihuahua and Juárez that year
(something that just didn't happen in the "perfect dictatorship"). In
1986, 15 days before the gubernatorial elections that were said to be
marred by irregularities (and which the PRI candidate won), XHCJE was
taken off air.
In the late 1980s, XHECH channel 11 was created, run by Impulsora
de Televisión del Norte. It carried the Imevisión Red Nacional 7 and
was part of a regional block of stations. In the original
privatization bid for XHECH and its sister stations in the group, run
in 1991, there was high interest by other concessionaires, notably
Sergio David Valles Ríos and Olga Leticia Moreno Fernández, who were
ruled out for not requesting all of the stations but rather the four
in the state of Chihuahua. (They were required to take on the whole
group, including stations in Coahuila, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas.)
Ultimately, XHCH, XHIT and XHECH would go to Televisión Azteca in
1993; XHCH and XHIT became Azteca Trece outlets (with XHIT on a one-
hour delay), and the stations moved to new facilities at Blvd. Ortíz
Mena number 341.
Televisa expanded in the 1990s with two new concessions. In the
Great Concession of 1994, awarded to Radiotelevisora de México Norte,
XHCHZ-13 signed on, with XEW; two years later, Telemisión, S.A. de
C.V., owned by silent partner José de Jesús Partida Villanueva,
obtained XHAUC-9 which absorbed all of Televisa Chihuahua's local
programming. XHAUC built on Cerro Santa Rosa, where XHCH's original
tower had been.
In 1997, high winds knocked Televisa's stations in Chihuahua off
the air by destroying the transmitter tower. The municipality then
awarded Televisa and Azteca rights to land on Cerro El Coronel, where
they would build new facilities (as well as a scenic overlook, which
is rather common on major Mexican mountains within cities such as
those used for TV towers).
The 2000s would see the arrival of real noncommercial television
to the capital city. In 2003, XHABC-28 came to air for the first time,
operated by Sergio Valles and his Sistema Regional de Televisión, A.C.
In April 2006, the permit would be issued for XHCHI-20, part of a trio
of new Canal Once transmitters built in Chihuahua on channel 20;
transmissions began on January 12, 2007 (Raymie Humbert, ibid.)
It's Mexican April Fool's Day! Wait, what? Today is December 28, Día
de los Inocentes. It's pretty much April Fool's for Latin America.
I'm writing this primarily as a reminder to myself (Raymie, ibid.)
The Apagón Wave of December 31
The books will close on another 240 analog television stations on
December 31, by which time 92% of the country will be all-digital.
But there have been some major omissions in apagón material of
late, and for me a question:
#1. The entire state of Chiapas. This is the last state without
any apagón declarations that apply to it. Given what we know about
Chiapas – it is Mexico's poorest state and has difficult terrain –
this may be a TV distribution issue or a signal coverage issue. (I dug
up a Milenio article from last month where the governor admitted that
they were way behind!)
http://www.milenio.com/politica/apagon_analogico-retraso_apagon_analogigo-pantallas_chiapas_0_626937618.html
The other 31 federal entities have all been included in one of the 10
waves.
#2. Some major southern Mexican cities, like Oaxaca and
Villahermosa, failed to appear in either of the 12/31 waves.
#3. One station that otherwise should be allowed to continue in
analog might not be able to. It's XHNAN-55 Ciudad Anáhuac, NL, which I
believe would be one of if not the last station in North America in
the 700 MHz band were it to continue broadcasting past December 31.
(XHEBC-57 Ensenada will go on 12/31.) The station is otherwise
permissible under the extension conditions, though I wonder if they
might not want to have it operate on another channel (like 49).
(Raymie, Dec 28, ibid.)
IFT Commissioner Fernando Borjón says that 95% of rural areas get TDT
service.
http://www.radioformula.com.mx/notas.asp?Idn=558386&idFC=2015
Apparently, as I've been expecting, they are awaiting some further SCT
notifications to shut off remaining areas of the country. I'm checking
the IFT page really regularly and think later today that I should have
more news of station shutoffs (Raymie, Dec 29, ibid.)
30 minutes ago, IFT said another wave of stations to shutdown this
December 31st (finally Oaxaca and Villahermosa):
http://www.ift.org.mx/comunicacion-y-medios/comunicados-ift/es/conforme-al-mandato-constitucional-el-ift-continua-sumando-apagones-analogicos-comunicado-1242015
Even there is a list of stations that will continue broadcasting in
analog format. All of those are low-power stations and "equipos
complementarios de sombra", mostly Televisa (Gargadon, Campeche, Dec
29, ibid.)
Finally. Some more notes:
State networks: XHAMO and XHCOJ are in this third batch. Stations
just came to air. XHCOJ lacks an RPC authorization but has to be on
air.
The list of stragglers in 2016: Yes, there is a full list.
http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/contenidogeneral/comunicacion-y-medios/tabla2final.pdf
Televisa is responsible for most of the commercial stations not
transitioning, which are in the first part of the table; Azteca
accounts for just 5 remaining analog transmitters. The second part
includes noncommercial stragglers.
20 noncommercial stations owned by 10 permitholders are cutting power.
http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/contenidogeneral/comunicacion-y-medios/tabla1permisosfinal.pdf
I am surprised that the Oaxaca state network is including XHCRP and
XHAOX when they are already in digital. These two lists go together to
form a complete picture.
One notable missing straggler, the only such in the NL state network,
is XHNAN, which will go off air because it is on channel 55.
There will be 497 analog transmitters in operation in Mexico in 2016.
All VHFs will be 1 kW or less, and all UHFs will be 10 kW or less
(Raymie, ibid.)
I'm gonna [be] recording the apagón analógico in my town. And I'm
gonna tell you some information very singular. Since last month,
XHCCT-3 audio sounds with a lot of noise. I didn't know why until now.
It seems the audio carrier is drifted 400 kHz upper, located not in
65.75 MHz, but in 66.15 MHz instead (Gargadon, Ciudad del Carmen, Dec
30, ibid.)
Yeah, that is strange, but it won't matter after today.
One thing that's strange is that a couple of stations are missing from
the authorization where they would make sense, especially Puerto
Escondido: XHPET, XHPCE (XHJP is included)
The only explanation I have is that XHPCE is a much higher power
station than XHJP, both in analog and digital, but XHPET isn't
terribly powerful.
There are also some stations that have not appeared in any apagón
authorization, particularly in the Istmo region of Oaxaca (Palma
Sola/Matías Romero) and Chiapas (San Cristóbal, Tuxtla, Motozintla,
Comitán, and for whatever reason all but one of the Tapachula
stations). I have no idea what is up with them.
Azteca also waited until today to make a few adjustments to match
soon-to-be-former analog service. The Monterrey opt-outs are now
available in digital in Tampico, and XHIT is on an hour delay like in
analog. Last edited by Raymie; 12-30-2015 at 03:11 PM (Raymie, Dec 30,
ibid.)
One long-time tropo target is already gone. XHFW-9 Tampico turned off
its transmitter this afternoon and is now branding as channel 26:
https://twitter.com/TampicososTV/status/682245304830144512
The account has some other tweets — apparently Televisa del Golfo and
XHFW did quite a bit of stuff (Raymie, Dec 30, ibid.)
I am also on a free-to-air (FTA) satellite TV forum and one of the
members there posted they are in Baja California and ALL of the OTA
stations have gone digital. They live in a retirement destination
community and several of the seniors there have large screen analogs.
He would like to know if the Mexican digitals will decode on the US
converter boxes. I think they will but thought I should ask here
first. Seems everyone on that forum is clueless about the Mexican DTV
transition. He commented it would be such a waste if all of them had
to be thrown away because a converter box won't work with them (Jim
Thomas, Springfield, MO, Dec 30, ibid.)
Yes, they'll work (same standard)! Do you mind linking me to the
thread? (Raymie, ibid.)
Thank you Raymie.
https://rickcaylor.websitetoolbox.com/post/questions-about-digital-tv-atsc-7837583?pid=1290155811
(Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.)
I'm not sure in re: the satellite hardware, unfortunately, but buying
a converter at any electronics store (Elektra, Soriana, etc.) should
do the trick. Elektra sells the HiTV boxes which are good in the rare
case they wind up with an MPEG-4 dilemma in their area (they were
designed for an Azteca-run service not unlike Airbox). Of course, a
UHF antenna is a must — if they are in BCS somewhere this might not be
something they have in spades. The only thing is that they might want
to find the language settings to change to English.
The IFT also managed to sneak in the final 34 authorizations, for
stations in Oaxaca and Chiapas, today.
http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/contenidogeneral/comunicacion-y-medios/senalesapagon31dediciembre-acuerdo30dic.pdf
———
Some final statistics...
The IFT regaled us with this beautiful infographic,
http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/contenidogeneral/comunicacion-y-medios/infografiaapagonanalogicomexico2015.pdf
which also mentions that XHNAN was vandalized, isn't on the air and is
expected to return in digital. It also tells us that the apagón
tonight affects 40 million people.
The actual press release mentions the following:
http://www.ift.org.mx/comunicacion-y-medios/comunicados-ift/es/culmina-la-transicion-la-television-digital-terrestre-conforme-al-mandato-constitucional-y-queda
* In September 2013, 330 stations were authorized and 146 in
operation. Today, all stations are authorized and 537 main stations
and 236 (the document says 536 but also says 773 in total) shadows are
operating.
With regard to yesterday's analog list:
* There are 319 commercial shadows remaining. All but 5 are from
Televisa stations.
* 129 main permit stations will remain in analog at existing low
powers, plus 20 more that cut their ERPs.
* 29 shadows of noncommercial stations also remain: 25 in Chiapas,
2 in Nayarit and 2 in Veracruz.
Last edited by Raymie; 12-30-2015 at 11:58 PM (Raymie, ibid.)
Hi. As a Dish Mexico suscriber, I can tell you that the Dish boxes
with ATSC tuner built-in can't work without its suscriber card, and
that includes the ATSC tuner part. The safest method is getting a new
converter box (cheapest since $28.50 USD), or as Raymie said, HiTV
from Elektra boxes. If he can get cheaper converter boxes in USA, it
would be better (Gargadon, Campeche, ibid.)
And so it is done. The digital transition in Mexico, which began more
than 11 years ago, has finally come to its logical end — at least for
main stations.
It is midnight in Aguascalientes, and across most of the Mexican
Republic. The stations of Quintana Roo bid their farewells an hour
ago. In an hour, it is farewell for Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa,
Nayarit and Baja California Sur. And one hour later, Baja California
will conclude the parade with stations in Ensenada.
It has been an exciting 19 months since I joined this forum. I
have learned more than I ever thought I would about radio and
television in Mexico. I have solved riddles that were never solved in
their time, including when they ran in VUDs more than 30 years ago.
With this farewell, Mexican television will matter a lot less to
the average TV DXer. Aside from the 497 remaining low-power
transmitters, which promise a real challenge, only those in tropo
range of the Gulf of Mexico will still see “XE”s and “XH”s come in
from time to time. However, the digital television transition is the
start of an exciting new era in Mexican television. In the 1960s, the
Secretary of Communications and Transport, Walter Cross Buchanan,
declared that a goal of the expansion of Mexican television was to
bring the signal “from coast to coast and from border to border”.
Within the next few months, Cadena Tres will launch as the first
network in decades to aim at that goal and build all its transmitters
from the ground up. A bidding process is underway that may do wonders
for the development of regional and local services in a historically
centralized landscape.
At the same time, some 60 years of e-skip and (later) tropo
reception of Mexican television stations has for the most part come to
an end. Imagine the first DXer to receive Mexico, back in the heady
days. The first time Cerro del Zamorano put a signal into the United
States, caught on a DXer’s antenna in Arizona in the summer of ‘57.
The first reception of Mexico via tropo, the first appearance of TIM,
the Imevisión logo and later the Azteca headdress. The black box IDs,
succeeded by the 16x4s.
En otro aspecto de este asunto, en los últimos 19 meses me he
quedado inmerso en México. He aprendido mucho sobre la historia, la
cultura, la complejidad del país. Para un estudiante de un idioma, no
hay mejor oportunidad de bañarse en un idioma que hacerlo en
combinación con un interés profundo, una especialidad. Los medios, y
sobre todo la televisión, me han fascinado desde mi niñez. Entre mis
recuerdos son leer sobre el diexismo, sobre la televisión en Estados
Unidos. Hace más de ocho años yo di mi primer paso en aprender el
español, y en mi opinión mejoró mucho mi español a causa de estos
estudios y proyectos, todos los documentos federales que he leído, los
foros en los cuales he comunicado con usuarios mexicanos cuyos
reportes fueron claves en la compilación de las noticias que
aparecieron en este hilo.
I will not be gone entirely, of course. I’ll still be around to
post the odd piece of Mexican radio news, to assist in identifying SS
stations during skip season, and so on, as well as to keep you updated
on the nearly 500 stragglers. But in a way, this is the end of a phase
for me, not least for Mexico, which for the most part concludes 65
years and 4 months of analog television service today, and not least
for DXing.
I can only end this era one way, now, can I?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEqYbHr4wU
...Y retiemble en sus centros la tierra
Al sonoro rugir del cañón. [Mexican National Anthem]
(Raymie, Dec 31, ibid.)
VIDEOS:
Tabasco: https://twitter.com/saenzei/status/682452936681734144
Chiapas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV6KwI_q3zM
Tampico XHTPZ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pZCB1AZLlU
(Raymie, ibid.)
And mine one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iescMUYeUyQ
(Gargadon, ibid.) Viz., captioned:
Apagón Analógico Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico
David Emmanuel Kantún Marín
204 60 views Published on Dec 30, 2015
The radio is tuned at 67.75 MHz, an XHCDC-11 audio carrier harmonic
[sic]. And it was the last station to shut down, just for 5 seconds
after TV Azteca ones (via DXLD)
Well, there is FM
Seriously, your work has been GREATLY appreciated. Your study of the
language -- and of the mundane details of how the Mexican government
releases information - have left us far more familiar with what's
going on south of the Rio Bravo. (members should not discount the
importance of that second half of the equation. Even with regard to
English-speaking countries such as the Bahamas, we've been lacking in
understanding of official information. It is one thing to be able to
translate information into English and something entirely different to
really understand what it means.)
Este himno dura más que la televisión analógica!
(Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.)
I don't think I've seen anything better than the RPC in my 19 months
on here. When I saw for the first time an authorization labeled
"EQ_COMPLEMENTARIO" in there, I couldn't believe my eyes. (I think it
was XEZ or XHZ where I saw it first.)
Some more videos:
Cancún: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJP_ublye8
Colima: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRh_stC54qQ
Culiacán: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysUdBAopyOc
Guerrero (report from Gala TV Acapulco):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h8qff3ctxs
Los Mochis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA7TLXauWPw
Manzanillo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6CTC3lB6BM
Mazatlán: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFdgxQej9OI
Mérida: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQe6grmlki0
Sahuayo Mich. (XHSAM): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBAaGk2TEk
— This station was not shut off on 12/16 because the town was tied up
in a special election. Note the odd ID style.
Oaxaca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGR00jY5rgE — Take a good
long look at the CORTV color bars. You're going to need to get used to
them. CORTV has many analog stragglers.
Another Tampico. Also shows XHTPZ's station ID with HUGE calls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9AIxiqmz0I
Tepic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ5jAQFpOxQ
Veracruz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm-v_waLgkg
Also, an item on XHSBB and XHTTG moving to digital:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGltaadvBKU
Last edited by Raymie; 12-31-2015 at 04:30 PM (Raymie, ibid.)
Raymie, thanks a lot for keeping us updated on Mexico's transition. To
date I've never seen Mexico by tropo, but I expect to someday. Can't
wait to see XH- calls pop up on the PSIP!
(:: Ryan Grabow, Fort Myers FL, :: http://egrabow.com/dx
:: facebook.com/egrabow440 :: youtube.com/user/egrabow440 ibid.)
There is no reason to leave here now, is there, Raymie? cd (Chris
Dunne, FL, ibid.)
Nahhh...I'm staying, of course! I can't imagine not doing this,
honestly. It's just that there's a lot less TV news that matters to
most DXers (Raymie, ibid.)
I remember when you first started posting here Raymie, I was glad you
showed up. As I said then; my only regret was that you weren't around
sooner. Saying you've done a remarkable job is an understatement.
Especially considering you're not a DXer! It's different now. Hard to
explain --- there was just something about analog Mexico (mike, South
Louisiana, TVDXing since 7/27/09, ibid.)
The backbones of my research didn't exist until a few months before I
joined. When the RPC launched in March 2014 it didn't have any
permits, only concessions. Now I can't imagine life without it. We've
extracted a lot of data from the authorizations it has, too (Raymie,
ibid.)
Raymie, Great work! Much appreciated. And please keep it up with
radio. I think you have already written a PhD dissertation should you
need one in a few years (Glenn Hauser, ibid.)
** MYANMAR/BURMA. 5985.0, Myanmar Radio, 1530, Dec 25 with fair
reception (very readable) in English; ID, news and weather; 1537 NHK's
"Friends Around the World," a Thursday & Friday show; interesting
program about haioko short poems, with 3 lines of 5 syllables, 7
syllables and 5 syllables. Clear audio at
https://app.box.com/s/lgi98a89f41b0zq3nixafut8sah4ud8u
(Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long
wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See
LANGUAGE LESSONS
** MYANMAR. 7200.09, Myanmar Radio, 1300-1312*, Dec 28. In vernacular;
pop songs; slowly improving till suddenly off. Reception contingent
upon both RTI and CNR1 (jamming) going off together at 1300, but
recently one or the other has often run late (Ron Howard, Asilomar
State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Dec 30 at 1356 found CNR1 (jamming) still on 7200; running well past
the normal 1300*; strong signal and // 6125 (Ron Howard, ibid.)
re MYANMAR. 7200.09, Myanmar Radio --- MYANMAR Only two strings
visible on 9590 and 9730 kHz at 0430 UT Dec 30:
Nothing heard in Japan remote units at this hour. Accurate 9589.991
kHz and on 9730 kHz strings visible, but latter disturbed by
powerhouse V of Korea in English at 0430-0527 UT at S=9+15dB strength
level.
Latter carried soldiers chorus till 0438 UT, followed by news in
English at 0439 UT, about North Korean fishery fleet workers.
Improving of peoples living conditions, leader Kim Jong-Un told the
people about the 'fishery front' to reach the successful 7th congress
next year. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.)
Tentatively - I see an odd frequency peak around 0100-0200 UT on Dec
31 on v7200 kHz: 7200 kHz stronger signal peak on accurate 7200.118
kHz at 0115 UT, but wandered downwards to x.105 kHz/Hz; and now at
0157 UT on x.101 kHz.
S=9+5dB level in Russia, but local noise in Moscow is tremendously
at -66dBm level, - terrible suburb receiver noise level during
festivity season lights everywhere.
I guess 7200v frequency in Myanmar/Burma would come rather from older
UK Empire era broadcast center in former capital at Rangoon Yegu site,
than from newer northern site of Pyin Oo Lwin / Pyin U Lwin, at
22 01'03.78"N 96 33'00.76"E
some 208 kilometers northerly distance from capital single TX site
5915kHz 100kW Nay Pyi Taw outlet.
Latter rather 5914.993 kHz precisely measured freq at 0130 UT on Dec
31, two masts at 20 10'51.01"N 96 08'41.04"E G.C. location.
Tiny signals here all over Europe on this 7200 threshold level, no
chance to get any audio into Europe, at least with the SF figures
prediction this UT early morning. This log of Moscow, Sweden, Austria
and Italy remote units; unfortunately Uwe's remote post unit in
Thailand is OFF - not on server net now (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 31, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. 7395, Dec 27 at 0147, The Mighty KBC has Uncle
Eric introducing Wolfman Jack, with an Xmas medley, interviewing a
member of the Elf Liberation Front; S7 via Nauen, GERMANY (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Mighty KBC Frequency Change --- As of Sunday, January 10, 2016 the
Mighty KBC moves to 6040 kHz and the new time is 0000 to 0300 UT to
North America. Spread the word! 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, Dec 29,
dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Officially in HFCC that looks good, nothing already on 6035, 6040,
6045 during those hours. But there`s the off-frequency Brazilian RB2
on 6040+ which will be causing at least an annoying het. Did they not
know about it? Of course there is Bhutan on 6035 which may be a little
harder to hear one day a week. Aoki also has Chinese stations on 6040.
73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.)
GERMANY, Frequency change of Mighty KBC Radio effective Jan. 9, 2016:
2300-2400 NF 6040 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to NoAm English Sat, ex 7395
0000-0200 NF 6040 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to NoAm English Sat, ex 7395
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/frequency-change-of-mighty-kbc-radio.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) You mean 00-02 SUNDAY
** NEW ZEALAND. 11724.98 approx., Dec 24 at 0536 RNZI in a song; I
have long noticed it`s slightly off-frequency, so attempt to measure
it on the NRD-545, where I get 11724.975; having switched to the R-75
at 0706, now I get 11724.985, so split the difference.
11724.99, UT Wed Dec 30 at 0650, RNZI good with discussion of virtual
reality, which turns out to be part 1 of the `TED Radio Hour`, as
outroed at 0657 --- No US SW station dares to serve as a true public
radio outlet, so TG for NZ! DRM is also grinding away circa 11690
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 6090, FRCN Kaduna, 1830, presume the one with hilife,
dominating freq with someone else under this (David Sharp, NSW, Dec
23, Sent from David Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
AFRICA/UNIDENTIFIED. 6090 on Dec 24, while checking on Anguilla
(Caribbean Beacon, University Network), found a station underneath
with repetitive African type singing/music; random checking 0450-0522.
Possibly reactivated R. Nigeria Kaduna? QRM too strong to tell exact
language or to tune sharp audio.
https://app.box.com/s/efv6kh8ots2vvuzpefql7zb7qhbb8fyz
poor quality recording of talk (0:00-1:30) and music (1:30-2:25).
Appreciate any comments or observations! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State
Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Since Kaduna did reactivate recently I`m putting it here (gh, DXLD)
** NIGERIA. 9689.9, Dec 27 at 0702, VON in French with schedule
announcement, fair; at 0711 check, nothing on 7255- (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
also tonight 1800+, 9689.9 is on with the English service, while the
usual 7255 and 15120 DRM seem to be off (or may be just inaudible due
to QRM or bad propagation respectively. But I believe they're off).
73 (Thorsten Hallmann, 1847 UT Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
at 1940 UT on Dec 28: Nigeria accurate poor signal on 9689.895 kHz,
hit heavily by REE Noblejas co-channel on even 9690.0 kHz latter S=8-
9. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Tonight, by 1754, both 9690 and 15120 DRM are on, music until IS right
now at 1757. Link to live stream has been removed from homepage, VON
scope is audible on demand, but not every day's edition, and only
website is given in this files - no time or frequency, ID as VON
Abuja. As nothing is heard any more on even frequencies at daytime, I
wonder if there are still any programmes or broadcasts from
Lagos/Ikorodu. Not heard for months. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Dec 29,
dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Voice of Nigeria is currently audible on 9689.9 kHz with the English
service at 1830 tune-in. Weak but fair signal here. This transmission
is scheduled from 1800 to 1930 UT and is usually on 7255 which is
inaudible here, but sometimes they switch to 9690 - a much better
frequency for reception in Europe at this time. 73s (Dave, Caversham
Berks, Kenny, Lowe HF225 / 25m long wire. Dec 29, BDXC-UK yg via WORLD
OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
Noted at 1940 UT on Dec 28, V of Nigeria accurate poor signal on
9689.895 kHz, hit heavily by REE Noblejas Spanish co-channel on even
9690.0 kHz latter S=8-9 level. At 2205 UT was a string visible on
11769.754 kHz, but I guess was rather a PLC or electricity
interference? (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 28, dxldyg
via DXLD)
Noted today Tue Dec 29 around 1900-1930 UT AHEAD of lower REE 9690
signal, S=8-9 here in central Europe. A Program could well understand!
Once again as always on 9689.895 kHz (Büschel, DXLD)
Voice of Nigeria, 9690, 0711 29 DEC - SINPO = 35233. French?, female
announcer, 0710z male announcer, 0720z female interviews male.
QSB=moderate rate, modulation somewhat muffled, lo-fi, but strong and
steady (did they finally repair transmitter?), occasionally fades
approach noise floor. 0728z musical interlude, rhythmic instruments.
0730z male announcer in different (African?) language(?). 07302z short
flute-like interlude fb male announcer with music continuing in the
background (// 7255 nothing heard). sf113.2, a5, k1, geomag: very
quiet. 250kw, beamAz 7 , bearing 62 . Sangean ATS505 w/Kaito KA33
active loop in west facing window. Received at Las Vegas, United
States, 12234KM from transmitter at Abuja-Lugbe. Local time: 2311
(Rodney Johnson, NV, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9689.895, accurate nice S=9 signal at 0724 UT on our winter season
morning path from West Africa into Germany. Heard radioplay in French
to the crowd, seemingly according to announcement "Development
program" of La Voix du Nigeria", "au revoir" in French at 0728 UT.
Then flute xylophone drums music from that area til 0733 UT, likely
Hausa? language spoken by the male announcer. Mentioned Malabo and
Maghreb. Nil on 7255v (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6930-USB, Wolverine Radio, 0008-0052 25 Dec. Nice
program of Christmas-themed blues songs, closing just after 0100 with
digital bloops/bleeps (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA E5/6m X wire,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6951.0-AM, Dec 26 at 0107, pirate music at S8; next
check 0132, announcement, ad? and into CW message, copied last part of
it, -- CHER``, back to music; 0133 plays Lincolnshire Poacher IS and
nothing more. Must be Bangalore Poacher as on this frequency last
week. HF Undergrounders agree,
http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,25334.0.html
and myteaquinn copied probably the same code message 10 minutes
earlier, apparently with some errors, as:
A C H E R T H I S I S T H E B A N A L O R E P O A C II E R
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6950.0-AM, Dec 27 at 0138, just as I tune in very
weak S5 signal, I hear an ID in form of e-mail address from Radio True
North (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. A pirate you might can hear is XFM shortwave
(usually 6975). Believe he is west coast. Has a very sporadic schedule
though (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, GA, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have,
but not lately (gh)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 530, Dec 29 at 0253 UT, R. Enciclopedia, CUBA
has some distorted QRM, so is K530AM, Vance AFB out of order? By 1900
UT it`s normal and alone (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 800, Dec 28 at 1340 UT, KQCV OKC is OFF! As of
1625 UT check, OG&E System Watch has more than 57K outages across
central OK; more than 8000 in OKC proper, many more in suburbs,
including almost 4000 in Mustang, close to the KQCV site (and 1254 in
Enid, but so far only a few power glitches here). 800 still off 5
hours later.
Even when KQCV is actively gospel-huxtering English in the evenings,
gospel-huxtering in Spanish can be heard along with it, no doubt the
super-powering TWR 800 BONAIRE.
XEROK 800 is still negligible but supposedly on the air at very low
power. The new 2015 IRCA Mexican Log still has it as 50/50 kW, no
mention of any degradation; likewise the new 2016 WRTH: despite
numerous non-logs from myself and others the last several months.
800, Dec 29 at 1325 UT, KQCV OKC is back on, and probably considerably
earlier, having been off at midday yesterday. Didn`t get anything
useful in its absence (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1120, Dec 29 circa 1900 UT, KETU Catoosa/Sperry/Tulsa is
OFF; weather-related? Maybe.
1120, Dec 30 at 1925 UT, Spanish, with OSU PSA and 918 area code, so
KETU, Sperry/Catoosa/Tulsa, La Ketú is back on following yesterday`s
outage (more reliable now that it`s not just music fill, but still
subject to absences for no particular obvious reason like power
failure) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1210, Dec 26 at 0145, ``Today`s Best Country, 12-10
KGYN``, into Xmas music. Guymon 10 kW station is back to old trix,
failing to protect Philadelphia at night as has been the case for a
few nights now. They still have a CP for 50/39/10 kW, which if it ever
happen, will give them the option of cheating with 50 kW non-
direxional night as well as day. Why not? Other stations get away with
it, like KNZZ 1100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1230, Dec 29 at 1354 UT, nothing but fill music on this
now-talk station until 1400 UT sharp, no ID and into CBS News; steady
groundwave already over the graveyard, certainly our nearest, WBBZ
Ponca City. Talk after the news probably Beck (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 1460, Dec 29 at 1531 UT, I`m still not hearing
KZUE El Reno, and may have overlooked its absence since the latest ice
storm. As of 1815 UT Dec 29, OG&E Systemwatch shows 3168 customers in
El Reno powerless (and 875 in Enid, but never us, whew! Circa noon ice
is crashing off tree branches, temp barely reaching unfreezing).
Instead on 1460, still skywave at 1539 UT Dec 29 from KCLE, mentioning
Burleson during buy-and-sell call-in, 817 area codes, Old Texas
Brewing Co., et al. Same show still going at 1620 UT, mixed with
another English station with sports talk, perhaps nearest KKOY Chanute
KS, but could even be skywave still from KXNO Des Moines IA.
Closer to local mean noon I seek KZUE again at 1900 UT: just a mixture
of weak low-noon skywave, so KZUE is definitely off.
1460, KZUE El Reno is still AWOL, Dec 30 at 1919 UT on caradio: power
still out following Dec 26-27 icestorm. Instead weak mix of skywave
signals, one with football talk.
1460, Dec 30 at 1929 UT, ESPN Radio and at 1930 UT CCI from station
mentioning Burleson, missed ID for an FM; 1953 UT C&W music.
Burleson and C&W is certainly KCLE a.k.a. Cleburne TX; nearest ESPN on
1460 is KXPN, 5 kW ND in Kearney NE. (KCLE used to be ESPN till it
flipped to The Outlaw last May; KBZO Lubbock TX is ESPN, but Deportes,
i.e. Spanish).
KZUE is still missing Dec 30 at 1812 UT check (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 1640, Dec 28 at 0316 UT, KZLS Enid-OKC is open
carrier/dead air yet again; some weak talk underneath and at 0357 UT,
probably WTNI Biloxi MS. KZLS still dead air at 0630 UT and still at
1350 UT. We have an ice storm around here with considerable power
outages, but the site east of Hennessey obviously has power; just
can`t get any programming, a very frequent situation when there is
nothing untoward to explain it.
1640, Dec 29 at 0255 UT, KZLS is again/still in dead air with hum. See
USA for KBJA, WJSP logs. Still open carrier/DA at 0720 UT, 1407 UT,
and 1900 UT chex. It`s really amazing how many hours are wasted this
way. How does KZLS make any money, retain any listeners? (Glenn
Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. Xmas eve, UT Dec 25, our annual pilgrimage to Enid`s Xmas
spectaculars: the light show surrounding a house at the south-side
intersexion of Pheasant Run and Club House Drive, on the extreme west
side of town, says tune to 97.7, playing a good selexion of pop Xmas
music in stereo, starting with Mannheim Steamroller as we drive up
circa 0300 UT. Part 15 is OK right here, but losing it before we exit
to the nearest artery a couple blox away, Garland.
Then to the NE corner of Oak and Oakwood, that fenced-off oil well
lot, which every Xmas puts up ``Singing Christmas Trees`` a less
elaborate light show, this one with a few Chipmunx tunes on 89.5, in
degraded modulation at 0320 UT Dec 25. Also short Part-15 range (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. ANOTHER ice storm has hit us. In Enid, anyway,
it`s not as bad as the Thanksgiving one. Icy limbs but all the leaves
are gone now, and the weakest were already broken. But there are still
a lot of power lines down elsewhere so time for another FM bandscan on
the PL-880 to see what`s abnormal (in addition to 800 KQCV OKC
missing, separate log). Dec 28 at 1352+ UT:
88.3, K202BY Enid, Family Radio, OFF since last storm, never back
88.5, KZTH Piedmont, continuous hi pitched tone, and barely audible
lo pitched tone at same time! Yet parent station 89.7 KJTH is OK
89.1, K206CA Enid, Oasis, had been on, but now OFF
89.3, KIEL Loyal, seems also off, tho not always audible
90.3, KHEV Fairview probably off, tho not always audible
90.5, KGVV Goltry OFF
93.7, KSPI Stillwater seems off; no, at 1434 UT on but weak
95.7, KXLS Lahoma/Enid, OFF
96.9, KQOB Enid/Crescent/OKC, OFF
[this allows another ``Bob``, on 97.1 to be audible: at 1420 UT, after
Wichita weather, ``97-1 Bob FM, where Bob plays everything`` such as
country-rock to follow: KIBB 18.5/18.5 kW Haven KS --- NW of Wichita,
toward Hutchinson, not to be confused with South Haven on OK border]
99.7, KNAH Mustang, OFF
104.1, KMGL OKC is on, and finally no more Xmas music
105.1, KOSB Perry, OFF
105.5, K288FX, North Enid, on but only NOISE, evidently open feed from
primary, which is KYLV 88.9, but I thought it was OK. Back to normal
later
105.7, KRDR Alva OFF, so KROU Spencer is again audible carefully
107.1, KNID North Enid OFF
Later check starting at 1740 UT for anything different:
88.5, KZTH is OFF, no more intoning
88.9, KYLV is apparently on but weak (see 105.5 above)
After 1811 UT, on more selective caradio,
90.9, KOKF Edmond, Air One is OFF; normally merges with same on 91.1
KKRD Enid, still on
97.5, KPAK Alva, is OFF
106.7, KTUZ Okarche is OFF; Spanish, had been on earlier today
AM:
800, KQCV OKC is still off
1280, KSOK Arkansas City KS, just across the border, is the only other
notable absence on midday groundwave
1640, KZLS Enid-Hennessey-OKC is dead air again
On cable TV, KOCM, Suddenlink 6 and 106 is missing – just black, no
error message. Antenna is still getting a signal on RF 46, tho bad ---
this one is always marginal (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
FM bandscan on caradio, Dec 30 at 1955 UT finds several stations still
absent following Dec 26-27 icestorm:
88.3, K202BY, Enid, Family Radio still off (since November icestorm)
89.1, K206CA, Enid, Oasis, still off
90.5, KGVV, Goltry, off
93.7, KSPI, Stillwater off? Weak signal with C&W, probably something
else, maybe a mix
95.7, KXLS, Lahoma/Enid, still off
98.1, WWLS, The Village, apparently off again
106.7, KTUZ, Okarche, off, no Spanish
107.1, KNID, North Enid, still off
(Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OMAN. Radio Sultanate of Oman in English again after 1500/1600 Dec
25:
1400-1500 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu English, as scheduled B-15
1500-1610 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu English, instead of Arabic
from 1610 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu Arabic, as scheduled B-15:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/radio-sultanate-of-oman-in-english.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
Surprisingly good reception of Radio Sultanate of Oman, December 26:
0830-1000 13600 THU 100 kW / 220 deg EAf Arabic, scheduled 0400-1000
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/surprisingly-good-reception-of-radio.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
9540 kHz heard Omani broadcast service, but heard no "Radio Oman" ID,
only in English like "?90.4? ... FM". S=9+30dB powerful at 0430 UT.
Seemingly 0200 Arabic, but English 03-05 UT. 04-05 UT NOT ON SCHEDULED
13600 kHz, but heard at 0520 UT in Arabic, on exact 13600.002 kHz at
S=8-9 level in 'like skip over signal' zone between Oman and Qatar
(Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX 26 Dec via DXLD)
9540, Radio Sultanate of Oman presumed the one at 0350 with rap music
to 0354 and a male DJ introducing a Boney M song and abruptly off at
0356 – Fair Dec 27 (Mark Coady-ON, ODXA YRX via DXLD)
** PAKISTAN. Random transmission of Radio Pakistan (PBC) on Dec 29
0935 & 1000 on 15730 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu Urdu and off at 1020
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/random-transmission-of-radio-pakistan.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PALAU. No signal from Furusato no Kaze via T8WH, Angel 5 Dec 26:
1000-1230 9960 HBN 100 kW / 345 deg NEAs Japanese Sat, videos Dec 12
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentidied-probably-furusato-no-kaze.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** PANAMA. COMIENZAN A DARSE CAMBIOS EN EMISORAS DE FM DE PANAMÁ
by gruporadioescuchaargentino
Un reordenamiento en las frecuencias de las emisoras en la banda de
Frecuencia Modulada (FM) se está dando con la conclusión de este año y
el inicio de 2016 en la capital y otras provincias del país.
Esta medida ha iniciado en la provincia de Panamá para reordenar las
frecuencias asignadas cada 400 mega[sic]hercios dentro de un área de
cobertura.
Este reajuste también se realizará con emisoras de FM en las
provincias de Darién, Colón, Coclé, Herrera, Los Santos y Veraguas.
La Autoridad de los Servicios Públicos (Asep) tomó esta decisión para
que los concesionarios de las frecuencias puedan brindar un servicio
de óptima calidad sin interferencias, las que se han detectado,
incluso, con estaciones radiales de Costa Rica.
Para llevar adelante estos cambios se ha establecido una metodología,
mediante la cual se ha establecido un orden cronológico, dividiendo a
las emisoras en tres grupos (tomada de PanamáAmerica.com via GRA blog
via DXLD)
** PERU. 4955, R. Cultural Amauta tuned at 2255 UT on Dec 18 from SDR
remote unit at DL0AO site at DARC Amberg-Germany using SAm Beverage
with fair signal, no QRM. Instrumental hymn, several IDs by man and
woman, occasional commercials, announcements, news. Overall nice
signal - SINPO 35443+ (Bruce W. Churchill-CA-USA, DXplorer Dec 23 via
BC-DX 26 Dec via DXLD)
** PERU. 5460 kHz, Radio Bolívar, Bolívar - La Libertad, hablando de
algún movimiento popular, OM ``ha liberado`` después se pasó música
tradicional peruana, SINPO 24122, Dia 23 Dicienbre 2015 en 0011 UT. Yo
creo que emiten con muy baja potencia; emisoras de Perú siempre llegan
``bien`` en mi región.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD5xGRkNcqE&feature=youtu.be
RX: Tecsun S-2000, Antenna: Long wire 700 Meters (Daniel Wyllyans,
Nova Xavantina MT, Brazil, Dec 27, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD
OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
** PERU. 5980. 2330-2344 UT. 23.12.2015. Perú. R. Chaski. Programa:
“Momento decisivo” con la temática del gozo cristiano e ID: “Red Radio
Integridad”. SINPO: 35343 con QRN marcado (Claudio Galaz T., Receptor:
Realistic DX-160. Antena: Hilo de 30+ Tierra + Balun 4:1, Lugar:
Ovalle, Chile, condiglistas yg via DXLD)
[and non]. 5980, Dec 26 at 0059, only one JBA carrier, R. Chaski; a
second one cuts on at 0100:10, i.e. BBC Hindi via UAE is late, about
the same weakness. Then I keep listening attentively to the two
beating against each other, slightly different frequencies obviously,
by off-tuning to 5979.6 USB. Back to only one carrier as one cuts off
at 0104:46.5*, so now we have the new base datum of R. Chaski
autocutoffs to precess by 6 to 8 seconds later per night for months to
come before another reset.
5980, Dec 27 at 0104 two weak carriers on slightly different
frequencies, the stronger one with traces of modulation, until it cuts
off at 0104:53*, which is 6.5 seconds later than last night at
0104:47.5*, so it`s Radio Chaski back on track with its slipping
autotimer, leaving a bit from BBC UAE still carriering on 5980 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5980, 0001-0014 UT 27.12.2015. Perú. R. Chaski. Avisos de la emisora y
programa de estudios bíblicos. Grabación:
https://soundcloud.com/claudio-radioham-dx/5980-r-chaski-27-12-2015-0001-utcogg
(Claudio Galaz T., Receptor: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Varilla, QTH:
Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, SWARL call sign: CE2006SWL,
condiglista yg via DXLD)
** PERU. 6173. 0005-0020 UT 24.12.2015. Perú. R. Tawantinsuyo.
Programa de análisis periodístico acerca de los abusos del Estado en
el tratamiento de campesinos, junto a un recuerdo de la fiesta de
Navidad. SINPO: 45343 (Claudio Galaz T., Receptor: Realistic DX-160.
Antena: Hilo de 30+ Tierra + Balun 4:1, Lugar: Ovalle, Chile,
condiglistas yg via DXLD)
6173. 2330-2340 UT 26.12.2015. Perú. R. Tawantisuyo. Mensajes en
idioma español e indígenas sin identificar. Grabación:
https://soundcloud.com/claudio-radioham-dx/6173-rtawantisuyo-26-12-2015-2330-utc
(Claudio Galaz T., Receptor: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Varilla, QTH:
Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, SWARL call sign: CE2006SWL,
condiglista yg via DXLD) Axually more like 6173.9 (gh, DXLD)
** POLAND. POLAND'S LAWMAKERS APPROVE NEW LAW ON STATE MEDIA CONTROL
Dec 30, 4:29 PM EST
WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Poland`s parliament on Wednesday approved new
legislation that gives the government control of state radio and
television stations in a move that has raised EU concern.
Following a heated debate, the lower chamber voted 232-152 with 34
abstentions to adopt amendments to the media law that were proposed by
the ruling conservative Law and Justice party.
If it takes effect, the legislation would give the Treasury Minister
the authority to appoint heads of the state-run radio and TV, would
limit the number of members in the supervisory boards and the boards
of managers and would terminate the terms of the current management,
appointed by the previous establishment.
The Law and Justice argues that under current leadership state radio
and TV fail to fulfill their role of uniting and educating the nation
and serve as means of propaganda for the previous ruling team, now in
the opposition.
Opponents say that the new legislation would threaten media
independence and freedom of expression, by putting them under direct
government control.
The amendments need approval from the Senate and the president, who
are also controlled by the ruling party and are expected to grant
their consent.
Deputy head of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans wrote to
Poland`s foreign and justice ministers on Wednesday to express concern
for Poland`s media freedom and to seek assurance that the new
legislation respects EU principles concerning the rights of the media.
Poland`s Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said late Wednesday he
has not yet received "any such letter."
The fast pace and the nature of the reforms undertaken by the
government since it took power last month have led to large street
protests in Warsaw and some other Polish cities and have alarmed some
EU leaders. 2015 The Associated Press (via Mike Cooper, DXLD)
POLISH GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEDIA WITH NEW LAW
(c) AFP/File / by Michel Mrozinski | The measure is the latest
controversial legislation introduced by the ruling Law and Justice
(PiS) party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski (L), pictured with Polish President
Andrzej Duda (R) on November 13, 2015
WARSAW (AFP) - Poland's conservative government took control of state
media Wednesday after new legislation giving it the power to directly
appoint the heads of public broadcasters was rushed through
parliament, despite EU concern and condemnation from rights watchdogs.
The media bill, which was only submitted to the conservative-dominated
parliament on Monday evening, was easily approved by 232 lawmakers,
with 152 voting against and 34 MPs abstaining.
Under the new law, senior figures in public radio and television will
in future be appointed -- and sacked -- by the treasury minister, and
no longer through contests by the National Broadcasting Council
(KRRiT).
The new legislation will also see the current managers and supervisory
board members of Poland's public broadcasters fired with immediate
effect.
The measure is the latest controversial legislation introduced by the
ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, which won a
general election in October.
On Monday, PiS-backed President Andrzej Duda passed into law a reform
of Poland's top constitutional court, despite mass protests and claims
by the opposition that the changes threaten judicial independence.
In a joint statement, international media rights organisations such as
Reporters Without Borders, the European Broadcasting Union and the
European Federation, said they were "outraged by the proposed bill,
hastily introduced by the majority party in Poland".
In a letter to Polish officials, the Association of European
Journalists also voiced "serious concern".
It said the law would "effectively bring public service television and
radio under the direct control of the government, involve the
dismissal of respected journalists for political reasons, and lead to
a systematic editorial bias in the content of... broadcasts in favour
of the present government."
European Commission Vice President chief Frans Timmermans was asking
the Polish government for information about the media bill as "freedom
and pluralism of the media (are) crucial for society and rule of law,"
commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said in a tweet ahead of the
parliamentary vote.
The ruling PiS party has defended the legislation, said its moves were
designed to cut costs and boost "professional standards and ethics."
"As the first step, we will change the principles of electing the
public television (TVP) and Polish Radio (PR) officials," said
Krzysztof Czabanski, deputy minister of culture, in charge of
reforming the Polish media market.
"In the next phase, we will pass a law on national media which will
change the functioning of public media and the rules for their
financing," he added.
PiS wants to transform the public radio and television stations as
well as the PAP news agency into cultural institutions overseen by a
national media council, due to be founded by the new government.
Until now the three have been commercial companies run by the state.
The Polish opposition said that with the new legislation the
conservatives had simply seized power over the country's public media.
To take effect, the new law must still be passed by the PiS-controlled
Senate and signed by President Duda. by Michel Mrozinski (via Mike
Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
** RUSSIA. 6000, Adygeyskoje Radio log 1828 UT, via Armavir Krasnodar
center: Nicht gerade alltaeglich: Adygeisch per Kurzwelle. Danke fuer
den schoenen Tipp. Heute Mon Dec 21 um 1900 UT mit nettem
Intervallsignal zu Beginn und SIO 333, leider etwas schwach moduliert,
aber nicht minder interessant. Offenbar wohl die einzige Rundfunk-KW-
Sendung die aus Russland noch verblieben ist.
Diese ungewoehnliche Sprache kann man auch unter
<http://www.adygtv.ru/programs/radio-inoveshchanie/broadcasted/>
sogar noch mal nachhoeren (Daniel Kaehler-D, A-DX Dec 21 via BC-DX 26
Dec via DXLD)
** SAUDI ARABIA [and non]. Listen to the attached recording of Qatar
remote. 1st part: ARS BSKSA Arabic on 9714.981 kHz S=9+15dB strong
carrier, B u t o n l y 5% modulation,
2nd part: s a m e signal S=9+15dB strength on nearby channel 9695
kHz BBC Oman in Persian, but much perfect modulation. 73 wb (Wolfgang
Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9715 is shown as 500 kW Riyadh in Shortwave Stations of the World
frequency table in WRTH 2016, but annotated with a ^ --- which is not
explained in introductory key to symbols of that listing. This
discussion arises from speculation whether the Yemeni clandestine on
11860 is from an old Jeddah transmitter (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
9714.921, Checked BSKSA HQ program at 0410 UT on Dec 26, at Doha Qatar
remote SDR unit. Powerhouse S=9+30dB carrier signal though, but very
low like 'submarine underneath' modulation, only tiny 5% modulation.
Using - according antenna request in ITU/HFCC file - a rather fountain
like NVIS antenna to serve Saudi Arabian peninsula and Near East / ERI
/ SOM target.
Former 9580 kHz, at present settled on 9715 kHz for few seasons now.
These non-directional transmissions from Saudi Arabia heard hardly in
our European morning hours, far westernmost - but rather poor -
signals heard always in remote Greece and Calabria Italy SDR posts.
At same time in 4-5 UT slot on Dec 26 heard at SAME Power level at
Doha Qatar remote receiver: 9540 OMAN, q.v.; 9744.997 BAHRAIN, q.v.
(Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX 26 Dec via DXLD)
** SAUDI ARABIA. (Excellent broadcast). 11930, 12/24 1939-1950 Saudi
Intl. Radio, Riyadh, in Arabic. OM talks, long talks; excellent signal
and very good modulation, 55544 (DXer José Ronaldo Xavier (JRX),
Cabedelo - Brazil, Degen DE1103 / Tecsun S-2000, Portable Telescopic
antenna, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) And not a hint of the
Cuban radio war, evidently, I=5 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** SIKKIM. INDIA [former SIKKIM state], 4835, AIR Gangtok from 0104.5
UT tune in, SDR remote Perseus unit at DL0AO site at DARC Amberg-
Germany site. Sign on instrumental music followed by man announcer and
local music (instrumental and male singer) to 0120 UT. Man to 0125 UT
then another man to 0129.5 UT. Back to earlier man at 0130 to tune out
at 0134 UT. Decent signal using NE beverage antenna which drops right
across Indian subcontinent, SINPO 33433 with co-channel QRM from 4840
kHz (Bruce W. Churchill-CA-USA, DXplorer Dec 23 via BC-DX 26 Dec via
DXLD)
4840=WWCR? Adjacent, not co-; and some DXers are obsessed with the
gender of each announcement, as if that proved anything, except
perhaps, in deeply repressed societies. And how can you be sure an
individual heard doesn`t have an unusually hi/lo voice for his/her
gender, or even be trans-gender, wherein voices don`t change much?
Bruce must not be an Hungarian (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, Wantok FM 96.3 relay via SIBC, 1425, Dec 25
with pop & Christmas songs; no real announcements, just playing music
with very brief IDs between every 3-4 songs. Special extended
Christmas Day schedule (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1,
antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5020, Dec 25 I`m not awake until 1430 but check 60m anyway half a
sesquihour after sunrise --- and here is a JBA carrier --- I bet SIBC
is on late for Xmas. Ron Howard soon confirms that: ``5020, Wantok FM
96.3 relay via SIBC, 1425, Dec 25 with pop & Christmas songs``; I also
have JBA carriers on 4835 Australia, 4885 Korea, 4940 China (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5020 - Wantok FM 96.3 relay via SIBC, Dec 26 another day of extended
broadcasting; many Christmas songs; 1401 & 1423 played "Silent Night";
still on at 1547 (Ron Howard, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
And still audible in Kauai, though weakly, at 17:52 tune-in which is
close to an hour post-LSR. Seems like a decent carrier, but low
modulation. Heard on an SDR-IQ with about 30' random wire. 73, and a
late Mele kalikimaka to all dxld readers! (Walt Salmaniw, Dec 26,
ibid.)
5020, SIBC? or Wantok FM 96.3 relay? 1348-1602, Dec 29; unable to
determine if it was SIBC programming or Wantok FM relay programming;
certainly was not the normal format for Wantok FM, which in the past
was always non-stop pop songs and some brief canned IDs; today
playing pop songs, but with a live DJ and announcements; too weak to
make out the language; if SIBC programming, I would have expected
breaks at the top of the hour for ID, etc., but there were none.
Whichever it was, they are on another extended schedule (Ron Howard,
CA, ibid.)
Hi Glenn, Thanks very much to Christoph Ratzer (Austria) for sending
me a recording he made today at 1758 on 5020. The announcer in Pijin
that he recorded sound like the same one I was hearing earlier.
Christoph's audio had weather alerts for heavy rains and flooding,
so that is the reason SIBC did not sign off today at 1200, but
continued on and must have been giving weather advisories during
their usual off time of 1200-1900, but was too weak for me to make
them out. So clearly NOT Wantok FM relay today, but the whole
time was SIBC programming. Appreciate Christoph's assistance! (Ron
Howard, California, Dec 29, ibid.)
Hi Glenn, Here is Christoph's excellent SIBC audio from yesterday -
https://remotedx.wordpress.com/2015/12/29/audio-solomon-islands-2/
Dec 30, noted open carrier and faint audio 1335 + 1357, on 5020.
So looks as if they are continuing with extended broadcasts to
give weather advisories (Ron Howard, Dec 30, ibid.)
[and non]. 5020, Dec 29 at 1305, JBA carrier from presumed SIBC on
late again. Ron Howard agrees, including, ``5020, SIBC? or Wantok FM
96.3 relay? 1348-1602, Dec 29; unable to determine if it was SIBC
programming or Wantok FM relay programming``.
I hear many other JBA carriers like this on 60m around 1300, on
frequencies matching India, China, Tibet, East Turkistan, Tajikistan.
5020, Dec 30 at 1325, JBA carrier from SIBC, on late once again. Ron
Howard says was because of typhoon warnings (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOMALILAND. 7120, R. Hargeisa, Dec 26 with transmitter turned on at
1457; open carrier till *1500 start of their National Anthem (marching
band); 1501 reciting from the Qur'an followed by "Radio Hargeisa" ID.
My local sunrise 1518 and Hargeisa sunset 1452 UT (Ron Howard,
Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH AFRICA. 3320, Dec 25 at 0344, Sonder Grense is good and
strong at S9+20 with music unseeming especially Xmassy, as it`s
summer, after all; and more than 3345, Channel Africa in English at
only S9 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH CAROLINA. 17610, 12/24 1933-1938, Brother Stair, Furman,in
English. Pastor Brother Stair makes his interminable and alzheimean
preaching; good signal, fair broadcast, 45433 (DXer José Ronaldo
Xavier (JRX), Cabedelo - Brazil, Degen DE1103 / Tecsun S-2000,
Portable Telescopic antenna, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) See
also USA: WRMI
** SRI LANKA. 11905, Dec 26 at 0114, JBA carrier from China, as I
await a slightly stronger one to cut on from SLBC, which it does at
*0114:25.5, rating S3. Music prélude starts at 0114:46.5 as usual, and
2+1 mis-timesignal ends at 0115:17.5, sign-on in Hindi(?)
11905, Dec 27 at *0114:11.5, S3 carrier cuts on over the JBA Chinese
one; 0114:46.5, music prélude starts; 0115:17.5, 2+1 timesignal ends
by SLBC. These times vary little, so they are reliable within their
skewed off-time universe (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** SRI LANKA. 7550 kHz: RFE/RL clear in Newfoundland before 1700 UT:
I was checking this afternoon to see if All-India Radio had parked
their DRM bus on the 7550 kHz spot yet at 1645 UT and heard a very
clear AM signal instead. I don't know any Uzbek but the phonology
seemed right for it to have been the RFE/RL Uzbek broadcast from
Iranawila, Sri Lanka. I see the transmission direction is 340 degrees
which, according to my little globe, should bring the signal dead
overhead here in Newfoundland.
It was very clear with little noise and no interference, a surprise
for me at this time of day (1:15 pm local time). Of course the signal
must have reached me from a NNE direction, so the vast majority of
that path was in darkness.
The (presumptive) RFE/RL transmitter dutifully turned off (though with
no apparent sign-off identification) just a minute or two before 1700
UT (Philip Hiscock, NL, Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Iranwila making it to Western Atlantic at mid-day --- Further to my
reception yesterday of RFE/RL in Uzbek from Iranwila, Sri Lanka, on
7550 kHz in the early afternoon here in Newfoundland, I am listening
now to a clear signal from perhaps the same transmitter, of the VOA in
Pashto, on 13590 kHz. It is just before noon here in Eastern
Newfoundland (1525 UT). My Satellit 750 with a short (three-metre)
wire attached to the whip and strung around my room is easily getting
the station weakly but quite clearly: say SINPO 34333. (The whip alone
is too noisy.) The little bit of "interference" is just a fairly
inobtrusive het. If I knew Pashto, I'd easily be able to follow
everything. I am however only guessing that it is the VOA Pashto as I
have not heard an ID, but it seems very likely.
This frequency is listed as having the same 340-degree direction that
the 7550 Uzbek broadcast has later in the day. That direction takes
the signal over India, Afghanistan, Moscow, Oslo and on to me in St.
John's (Philip Hiscock, NL, Dec 29, ibid.)
** SUDAN [and non]. 15550, Dec 25 at 1548, R. Dabanga with poor signal
via VATICAN, and jammed by a 1 kHz tone. Carrier peaks detected at
15549 and 15551, so not a single off-frequency carrier to make a het,
which the Sudanese sometimes employ instead, but instead a co-channel
transmission modulating 1000 Hz tone.
13800, Dec 29 at 1527, R. Tamazuj with flutter, but seems to be
underneath another carrier at S9+20, so is a site swap about to occur?
No, R. Dabanga jingle starts at 1530 sounding the same. The 13800
switch from MADAGASCAR to Vatican is not until 1600 (or rather,
1557?). Meanwhile 15550 is // 13800, except 15550 is about 5 seconds
behind. 15550 is already VATICAN at 1500-1630. Before 1500 or after
1630 would be the time to search for R. Puntland on 13800 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Reception of Radio Tamazuj & Radio Dabanga, Dec.28
1500-1530 on 13800 MDC 250 kW / 340 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
1500-1530 on 15400 ISS 200 kW / 138 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
1500-1530 on 15550 SMG 200 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
1530-1600 on 13800 MDC 250 kW / 340 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
1530-1630 on 15550 SMG 200 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
1600-1630 on 13800 SMG 200 kW / 145 deg to EaAf Sudanese Arabic
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/reception-of-radio-tamazuj-radio.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SWEDEN [and non]. SAQ Grimeton 17.2 kHz --- Good reception this
morning (0743-0806 UT 24/12) of SAQ Grimeton for their annual
Christmas Eve transmission on 17.2 kHz. Due to the inclement weather
here (must be getting soft in my old age..!) I abandoned the hill-top
listening post and set up the receiver in the shed. Previous attempts
in here have not been very successful due to high levels of local
noise, but this morning was better. Turning off as many low-energy
bulbs/Christmas lights as I could, SAQ was audible well above the
noise.
A few pauses and interruptions whilst sending "VVV VVV VVV DE SAQ SAQ
SAQ", the message began at exactly 0800 and ended 0806. Whilst tuning
up the receiver, RDL on 18.1 kHz were sending a brief CW message at
0735 which allowed me to time to peak a few tuned circuits. DH038
Germany 23.4 kHz noted off-air, but good signal from NAA Cutler [Maine
USA] on 24 kHz. Both UK stations on 19.6 & 22.1 kHz were strong. 73's
& Season's Greetings all round (Nick, Buxton UK, Home-brew VLF set,
Rank, Dec 24, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD)
If anyone missed it - they were S9+ with a Perseus SDR and a PA0RDT-
design miniwhip at 8m in Norfolk - I recorded the transmission; see
http://g0kya.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.infotechcomms.co.uk/downloads/SAQ_241215.mp3
(Steve Nichols, ibid.)
** SWEDEN. Update schedule of Sala transmitter site on Dec 26
Radio Nord Revival
1100-1200 on 3975 SAL 005 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh AM
1100-1200 on 6060 SAL 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh LSB
1700-1800 on 3975 SAL 005 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh AM
1700-1800 NF 6105 SAL 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh LSB, ex 5940
Swedish DX Federation
1200-1400 on 3975 SAL 005 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh AM
1200-1400 on 6060 SAL 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh LSB
1800-2000 on 3975 SAL 005 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh AM
1800-2000 on 5940 SAL 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu Swedidh LSB
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/update-schedule-of-sala-transmitter.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Update from the Sala transmitting site: our 5 kW rig is now working
well again and we will be on the air this Saturday, Dec. 26 as
follows:
1100-1200 UT Radio Nord Revival
1200-1300 UT Programme from the Swedish DX Federation SDXF
Frequencies: 3975 kHz AM 5 kW and 6060 kHz A3H 10 kW
1700-1800 UT Radio Nord Revival
1800-1900 UT Programme from the Swedish DX Federation SDXF
Frequencies: 3975 kHz AM 5 kW and 5940 kHz A3H 10 kW
Reception reports can be sent to qsl @ sdxf.se or by post to Sveriges
DX-Förbund, Box 1097, SE-40523 Göteborg, Sweden. All reports will be
verified by real QSL cards - not eQSLs - just the way Grandad used to
do it.
Merry Xmas and good listening! Ronny B Goode (on 'Radio Revival
Sweden' Facebook, 24 Dec via Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD)
Hi All, Ronny B. Goode posted via his Facebook page that Radio Revival
is on 6105 kHz from 1700 to 1800 rather than on 5940 as previously
shown, this was due to interference on the other channel. The SDXF
programme at 1800 should still be on 5940 though (both in parallel
with 3975 kHz). (Alan Gale, UK, 1715 UT Dec 26, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Radio Nord Revival confirmed here at 1700 UT on 6105 (lsb) and 3975
kHz. Both quite weak although slightly better on 6105 here. 73s (Dave,
Caversham, UK, Kenny, Lowe HF225 / 25m long wire, BDXC-UK yg, Dec 26,
via DXLD)
Switched to 5940 kHz (from 6105) at 1800 UT for the SDXF programme,
which is fairly clear but weak here in southern England. Some splatter
from Romania on 5945 on wide filter. Still parallel to 3975 kHz which
is also quite weak here. Swedish talk and Christmas songs, carols. 73,
(Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, AOR 7030plus, 30m longwire dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5940, Swedish DX Federation, Radio Revival Sweden, Sala, 1825-1857,
26-12, English, commenting letters and reports from listeners, at 1830
Swdish, comments and songs. 32432 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in
Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangenan ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and
Degen 31MS active loop antenna, ibid.)
Radio Nord Revival & Swedish DX Federation via Sala, December 26,
videos
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/update-schedule-of-sala-transmitter.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SYRIA. [Re 15-51:] RADIO REBELS: BERLIN GROUP MAKES TINY
TRANSMITTERS FOR SYRIA --- First, wishing merry christmas for all of
you. Friends, I post this article because I'd like to comment.
1. comment: The soul of the below-mentioned FM radio is a Raspberry PI
computer. I read mentioning that hardware on the receiver list section
of http://www.sdrradio.org Raspberry PI is a hardware for a SDR which
has a narrow-band specification as can be seen on www.sdrradio.org.
2. comment: I don't want to offend anyone but I think these western
idiots are unable to learn from the past:
From a legal point of view a code of conduct is only valid when you
can enforce that. You are unable to enforce it in a war zone in a
foreign country under a foreign law which rightly can enforce its
anti-piracy laws on these NGO's and their "partners on the site".
These "partners" are simply law-breakers. In a war zone court marshal
can be imposed on them. Plus who can guarantee that these "mild"
opposition groups are really "mild" and don't turn toward extremism?
Formerly al-qaeda members were "freedom fighters" in Soviet-occupied
Afghanistan. So, I want to see who will guarantee that these radios
doesn't fall into extremist hands.
3. Who can insure that these stations don't cause interference to
legitimate users - including foreign users - on the ground?
(Tibor Gaal, Hungary, Dec 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
And now the whole article:
RADIO REBELS: BERLIN GROUP MAKES TINY TRANSMITTERS FOR SYRIA
Frank Jordans, Associated Press
Updated 12:03 pm, Thursday, December 24, 2015
BERLIN (AP) — On the top floor of an old brick building in the heart
of Berlin, a group of journalists and tech enthusiasts are working to
spur the Syrian media revolution.
Their weapon is an unassuming black case the size of a shoebox that
allows opposition radio stations in Syria to transmit inside hostile
territory.
Dubbed PocketFM, the device is basically a low-powered radio
transmitter. Coupled with a satellite dish to receive new programs, a
car battery for power and a one-meter (three-foot) antenna, it can
broadcast FM radio within a 5-kilometer (3-mile) radius.
That's enough to cover a town or a city district, said Philipp
Hochleichter, who oversees development of the device for the Berlin-
based nonprofit organization Media in Cooperation and Transition
{MICT; http://www.mict-international.org }.
The group has been training journalists in conflict zones for more
than a decade and often relies on FM radio to reach populations in
far-flung areas that don't have access to the Internet or smartphones.
But when the group realized that shifting front lines and the brutal
treatment of journalists meant operating large broadcast antenna could
become too cumbersome or risky, it developed PocketFM.
It's now being used to covertly broadcast in nine locations, including
two that are controlled by the Islamic State group, said Hochleichter.
Connected to a solar panel, a PocketFM transmitter can theoretically
work autonomously for long periods of time.
The project, which also includes compiling a daily best-of from nine
cooperating radio stations that is beamed down by satellite, is
financed by the German Foreign Ministry. It cooperates only with
moderate opposition groups who have to abide by a code of conduct.
"Of course it's necessary for us to make sure they don't fall into
propaganda scheme, which is very tough in Syria at the moment," said
Najat Abdulhaq, a Palestinian journalist who manages the project.
Listeners might be surprised to find that aside from urgently needed
information — which borders are open, what are the prices in the
market, how are refugees abroad faring — there's a fair amount of
light entertainment.
"People have a day-to-day life despite conflict," said Abdulhaq.
"Despite the sadness and the war, people like to listen to music and
even comedy."
Hochleichter said Monday the group is currently working on its third
version of PocketFM, which it hopes to complete by the middle of next
year. As with previous versions, the technology is decidedly low key,
with a $40 Raspberry Pi computer at the heart of the device.
"We're not a hardware company that's got $100,000 to develop new
technology," Hochleichter said.
The next version will be slightly more powerful and boast a new
security feature that allows users to remotely switch off the device
by text message to prevent it being traced.
With the war in Syria running for almost five years, the third version
is almost certain to see use. "I wish, but I would be very naive if I
would believe, that the conflict would be over next year," said
Abdulhaq (via Tibor Gaal, Hungary, Dec 25, dxldyg via DXLD)
There has already been quite some coverage of these FM transmitters in
German media, as proudly listed at
http://www.mict-international.org/press/
Apparently this project is widely considered hip and cool. I would
raise the question, too, if these hipsters are perhaps just a bit
naïve in their belief in "the Syrian media revolution" (Kai Ludwig,
Germany, Dec 26, ibid.)
** TAIWAN. 7200, RTI, 1318, Dec 25. They were very sneaky today and
did not sign off at 1300 as they normally do; CNR1 jamming did sign
off leaving RTI in Chinese with good reception. At first thought it
was CNR1 staying on late, as sometimes happens, but checked // 6125
and found was not a match; RTI mentioning "Taiwan" many times. Rare to
clearly hear RTI in Chinese with no jamming! (Ron Howard, Asilomar
State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [and non]. 9519.978, CHINA, as usual the odd frequency Nei
Menggu stn, PBS Chinese and nearby Taiwanese Number station in 0500-
0530 UT slot too:
9521.987, TWN, Chinese random numbers "XingXing guangbo diantai 4"
- according Aoki Nagoya list - from Kuanyin, fair S=6 signal at 0512
UT on Dec 30 (Wolfgang Büschel, logs in 0430-0530 UT Dec 30 in Japan,
remote SDR units, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Wolfy, Dec 30 on 7502 noted StarStar BS (XingXing BS) from 1316 to
1328*. Recently has been heard here daily at *1200 & *1300, with their
half hour of numbers in Chinese (Ron Howard, California, ibid.)
9634.916 TWN SOH Chinese, poor S=4 level on threshold, next to odd
frequency of Vietnam, an heterodyne producing combined at
9635.795 VTN VOV-1 domestic program.
9749.975 CHN The other PBS Nei Menggu in Mongolian language,
S=6 fair signal progr at 0525 UT.
9849.956 UNIDs TWN SOH odd, and another stn on even 9850 kHz.
9930.227 TWN SOH tiny threshold level at 0527 UT.
9970.118 TWN SOH program
and to mention a much lot of CHINA, CRI, various CNR and Chinese
minority language services on 31 meterband on this time slot heard
locally on various remote Japan SDRs (Wolfgang Büschel, logs in 0430-
0530 UT Dec 30 in Japan, remote SDR units, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** TAJIKISTAN. 4764.99, Tajik Radio, 1739, fair with talk by lang man,
local music, low modulation (David Sharp, NSW, Dec 23, Sent from David
Sharp's iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAJIKISTAN [and non]. CHINA vs TAJIKISTAN, CNR-2 vs Voice of Tajik
on 7245 kHz, December 21
1300-1400 on 7245 BEI 150 kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese CNR-2
1300-1400 on 7245 DB 100 kW / non-dir to CeAs English Voice of Tajik
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/cnr-2-vs-voice-of-tajik-on-7245-khz.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** THAILAND. (Exceptional signal and modulation) 9390, 12/24 2004-2046
R. Thailand, Udon Thani, in German. YL talks; program dedicated to
Xmas period; many short and variety Christmas songs; 2015 IS, ID,
s/off; 2030 IS, ID, English; HSK9, R. Thailand, World Service; 2045
IS, ID, Thai language; R. Thailand presents today an exceptional
signal and modulation in my location, 45544 (DXer José Ronaldo Xavier
(JRX), Cabedelo - Brazil, Degen DE1103 / Tecsun S-2000, Portable
Telescopic antenna, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)
** TIBET. 6050, Xizang PBS (Lhasa-Baiding) 1502-1525 22, 24 Dec. Rare
to hear XPBS Chinese service here with any strength--//s 4820/5935 are
morning regulars.
6110, Xizang PBS (Lhasa-Baiding) 0022-0100+ 21 Dec. Very pleased to
hear XPBS' Tibetan service while watching the sun set. // 4905, 4920,
6025, 6130 with 6110 by far the best.
1440-1500+ 21 Dec. Much better signals from all (except unheard 6130)-
4905 after the ute closes, 4920 under AIR, 6200 under VOJ--but beating
them the next morning (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA, E5/6m X wire,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TIBET [non]. TAJIKISTAN / CHINA --- 2300-2307:30 UT 7597 kHz
Dushanbe 100 kW 131 deg to CeAS Tibetan, and CNR1 jammer on 7595 kHz,
S=9+25dB in Japan remote SDR unit.
VoT went to 7603 kHz at 2307:30 UT at S=9+5dB signal strength, CHN1
jammer left 7595 kHz jamming channel about a minute later in favour of
7605 kHz, still S=9+25dB. \\ CNR1 program on 7230 7275 7290 and 7345
kHz in 41mb.
TAJIKISTAN / CHINA VoTibet OFF air on 7603 kHz at 2328:50 UT, CNR1
jamming on 7605 kHz lasted till 2330 UT wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 29,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. Wobbly signal of Voice of Turkey on December 23,
transmitter on/off, on/off
1200-1225 7245 EMR 250 kW / 290 deg SEEu Bulgarian, and finally off
at 1215
1230-1325 17755 EMR 500 kW / 310 deg WeEu German, no signal of VOT
till 1245
1330-1425 12035 EMR 500 kW / 310 deg WeEu English as scheduled
B15,good signal
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/wobbly-signal-of-voice-of-turkey-on.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** U K [non]. 9915, Dec 24 at 2215, BBCWS is amid a FONLAC replay
(Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols), only poor reception, presumably
ASCENSION extended past registered 2200* closing. I had missed most of
the original this morning via KUCO, but find that American Public
Media is repeating it on webcast from 2300 UT which I do listen to, in
$tereo to boot.
Altho it is really a religious service, I like to listen for the
ambiance, and the Carols more than the Lessons, not to mention the
Tradition of it all. And I love organ music, even if it is sacred,
which so much of it is. The rhetoric remains unconvincing. Some public
radio stations will replay this individually on Xmas day. Here`s an
exhaustive 48-page pdf program:
http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/files/services/festival-nine-lessons-2015.pdf
including instruxions to the congregation in situ, such as: ``Please
wait until the Choir has finished singing before turning the page as
quietly as possible``.
``FO9LAC`` might be more accurate, but don`t want to confuse it with a
French Polynesian amateur (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. News from ARRL Dec 16 says: ``Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, will
again put his 600 meter Experimental Station WG2XFQ on the air for a
Christmas Eve commemorative transmission. WG2XFQ will transmit on 486
kHz from Forest, Virginia, to mark the 109th anniversary of Reginald
Fessenden’s first audio transmission. Historic accounts say Fessenden
played the violin — or a recording — and read a brief Bible verse.
It’s been reported that other radio experimenters and shipboard
operators who heard Fessenden’s broadcast were astounded.
Justin will conduct a run-up to this year’s event starting at around
mid-day Eastern Time on December 23. The “official” Christmas event
will begin on December 24 at 0001 UT (the evening of December 23 in US
time zones) and will continue for at least 24 hours. Justin said he
plans to repeat the commemorative transmissions on New Year’s Eve and
on New Year’s Day.``
So I`m listening for it on 486 kHz, UT Dec 24 between 0516 and 0552 UT
checking and rechecking as I am also drawing a blank on Bata 5005 ---
not even a JBA carrier on 486. It`s supposed to be in AM mode. I
wonder how much power he`s running? Also seems strange he would do
this on UT Dec 24 instead of UT Dec 25, i.e. the real Xmas eve, North
American time. Just in case, I also check early UT Dec 25: nothing on
486 via NRD-545 or R-75. Well, there`s always next week. Did anyone
hear it, and how far away? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15580, Dec 25 at 2107, good signal during the only hour per
week when it`s worth it for VOA to be running 15580 in English from
Greenville site, i.e. `Music Time in Africa` --- Xmas song in
Portuguese, outroed by hyper-hostess Heather Maxwell as ``Natal`` from
Cabo Verde. Next: ``O Holy Night`` from Benin, and to follow more
carols from DRC, Ghana, Togo, but later in hour straying to Jamaica,
Cubamerica. At 2159 closing, Heather still gives several times but
never this one, Fridays at 2100+, unknown to her.
15740, Dec 26 at 1925, steady S9 open carrier, no doubt Greenville
warming up for switch to modulating 15730 in French from 1930, while
VATICAN site is in 15730 use 1830-1930, violating Separation of Church
and State; after an hour from NC, another semihour in French is tacked
on 15730, Sundays only via Botswana at 2030-2100 (and Saturdays same
in Hausa) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. VOA Radiogram, 26-27 Dec 2015 --- Holidays
notwithstanding, VOA Radiogram will be on the air this weekend. The
all-MFSK32 show will include stories about radio broadcasting to Cuba,
as well as within Afghanistan and Syria. Details:
http://voaradiogram.net/post/135852521787/voa-radiogram-26-27-december-2015-broadcasting
VOA Radiogram transmission schedule (all days and times UT):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 (gray line to Europe possible this time of year)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.
The Mighty KBC will conduct another experiment in creative co-channel
broadcasting: It's weekly MFSK32 will be Sunday at 0158 UT on 7395 kHz
(via Germany), with the Radio Romania International interval signal
also on 7395 for its French service starting at 0200. Generally the
MFSK32 decodes well despite the very audible RRI. Decode the MFSK32
text and images with Fldigi from w1hkj.com, or your favorite software
(Kim Elliott, Dec 25, dxldyg via DX LISITENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1805 monitoring: confirmed second SW
broadcast, Thu Dec 24 at 2100 on WRMI 7570, good at S9+25. Also
confirmed third at 0200 UT Fri Dec 25 on WBCQ 9330-CUSB, fair. Next:
Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE
Fri 2130.6 WRMI 7570 to NW
Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. SECRETLAND [BULGARIA], SPL Secretbrod relay IRRS
various programs on December 25:
1900-2000 7290 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu English Fri, instead R.
City. And surprisingly
1939-1959 UT IRRS relay Glenn Hauser's World of Radio #1805!
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/spl-secretbrod-relay-irrs-various.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
Would it recur Fri Jan 1 or any other day??? (gh, DXLD)
** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1805 monitoring: confirmed Friday
Dec 25 at 2130 on WRMI 15770, barely audible, and almost faded out by
2200; from 2130.6 on WRMI 7570, good and completed to finish. Next:
Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW
WORLD OF RADIO 1805 monitoring: despite storm noise, confirmed at
Equatorial Guinea item circa 0434 UT Sunday Dec 27 on WA9RCR, 1860-AM,
so started somewhat later than nominal 0415. Next:
Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW [please confirm, ye who are awake]
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW
WORLD OF RADIO 1805 monitoring: confirmed UT Monday Dec 28 starting at
0402 on Area 51 via WBCQ 5109.7-CUSB; Jean Shepherd ran a bit over
with his hilarious stream-of-consciousness. 1805 also confirmed at
0430 on WRMI webcast of 9955, unchecked on SW. Next:
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW
WORLD OF RADIO 1805 monitoring: confirmed at 1433 Dec 30, the Wed
1415.5 broadcast on WRMI 9955, no jamming. Also confirmed Wed Dec 30
at 2200, on WBCQ 7490.00, right on time and right on frequency.
WORLD OF RADIO 1806: ready for first broadcasts Thu Dec 31:
Thu 1230 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Thu 2100 WRMI 7570 to NW
Fri 0200 WBCQ 9330-CUSB to WSW
Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE
Fri 2130.6 WRMI 7570 to NW
Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW
Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND?
Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WRMI Okeechobee tx#09 relay UNID music program December 25:
0700-1000 on 11580 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Music, intead of TOM
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/wrmi-okeechobee-tx09-relay-unid-music.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Fill music loop? (gh, DXLD)
7730, Sunday Dec 27 at 0713, WRMI-13 is open carrier/dead air with
some hum at S9+30, while 5850, WRMI-12, is OK with a gospel huxter,
not // 9395 with excerpts from Handel`s ``Messiah``. Before 0700 all
three are with Son Power Radio (a.k.a. TruNews), but on Mondays only
(not Sundays), 7730 is scheduled for `In Christ We Live` for another
hour until 08; while on Sundays only, 5850 is extended, changing at
0700 to `Worship in your Home` for two hours (and then, WORLD OF RADIO
at 0900 – did anyone hear it?), while 9395, WRMI-6 is 24/7 TruNews.
I *think* #6 is the old Wilkinson transmitter, the original WRMI moved
in from Hialeah, ex-Radio Clarín, quite an historic unit. BTW, WRMI-1
is shown on the grid also on 7730, except no entries. One other
transmitter with no usage at all currently is #5 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
TruNews via WRMI Okeechobee on three frequencies in parallel, Dec 28
0600-0700 5850 YFR 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm tx#12, QRM STANAG 5855
0600-0700 7730 YFR 100 kW / 285 deg to WNAm tx#13
0600-0700 9395 YFR 100 kW / 355 deg to ENAm tx#06, QRM Denge Kurdistan
9400
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/trunews-via-wrmi-okeechobee-on-three.html
73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
But not for long. 7730 & 5850 turned over to BS Jan 1. The 5855 QRM is
Cuban spy numbers, not STANAG (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
More frequencies of WRMI Okeechobee registered on Dec 28
0800-2400 on 5015 YFR 100 kW / 285 deg to WNAm various tx#13
0100-0500 on 5950 YFR 100 kW / 181 deg to Cuba various tx#14
0100-0300 on 5985 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg to MEXI various tx#02
1500-2200 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm various tx#10
0300-0500 on 11920 YFR 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm various tx#04
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/more-frequencies-of-wrmi-okeechobee.html
73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
All those are for more Brother Scare, but the hours for 5015 are
wrong: 2300-1500 UT; and it had trouble getting started (gh, DXLD)
7570, Monday Dec 28 at 2101, WRMI is once again re-re-running the
RMRC/EDXC Special, stuck here instead of original program during this
hour, `La Rosa de Tokio`. I suppose it also appeared Dec 21 at this
time, as it did on Dec 14 after intentional pre-emption Dec 7 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Changes of WRMI Okeechobee, effective 0000 UTC Jan.1, 2016 (updated):
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/more-frequencies-of-wrmi-okeechobee.html
0100-0300 5985 100 kW / 222 deg to MEXI Brother Stair tx#02
0100-0500 5950 100 kW / 181 deg to Cuba Brother Stair tx#14
0100-0700 5850 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm Brother Stair tx#12,x TruNews
0100-0700 7730 100 kW / 285 deg to WNAm Brother Stair tx#13,x TruNews
0300-0500 11920 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm Brother Stair tx#04
1500-2200 9955 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm Brother Stair tx#10
2300-1500 5015 100 kW / 285 deg to WNAm Brother Stair tx#05
(Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
Updated winter B15 of WRMI Okeechobee effective from January 1, 2016:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/updated-winter-b15-of-wrmi-okeechobee.html
Updated B-15 schedule of Brother Stair from Jan.1
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/updated-b-15-schedule-of-brother-stair.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A. 7489.90, Dec 26 at 0127, `Allan Weiner Worldwide` starts
some WBCQ ``operational notes`` --- 5110 will be on until midnight
(ET) tonight -0500* UT, with `Tom Cole Theater` at 10 pm = 0300 UT. No
Grog show this week. Fred Flintstone has three new shows (so I guess
his cancer treatment is going well, presumably UT Sats 00-01 on 7490);
David Medrick has a show ``I Love Zoey Deschanel``, whoever that is,
time not given. Allan mentions his girlfriend in DeLand of Fla, Pam,
cooked a great meal for them. Then J. P. Ferraro on the phone.
Retune at 0210 finds some more program previews: next Friday evening,
Jan 1 at 7-10 pm ET [00-03 UT Sat], a live New Year show with Ray of
Radio Free Dishnuts, ``I guess on 5110``; At 0213, when I am listening
to the delayed feed on 5109.7-CUSB, Allan reads a bit from Free Radio
Weekly including a log of Bangalore Poacher by gh (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. AMATEUR ROUNDTABLE: PREPARING FOR THE STORM, KITS, AND
HOMEBREW 40 M TRANSCEIVER --- W5KUB.COM watched in over 150 countries
Amateur Radio Roundtable
On this week's Amateur Radio Roundtable show (December 29th) Emmett
Hohensee, W0QH, the chief engineer of Radiowavz, will give will
discuss how to prepare for a storm and what to do after severe
weather. Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, will be back with us to show another
kit. Tom, W5KUB, will also show the progress of his homebrew 40 meter
transceiver on this show and future shows. This is a very easy
homebrew project and should cost less than $40. After these segments,
we will open up the show to phone calls and talk to anyone who would
like to call in. Lets hear about your ham radio Christmas presents.
Be sure to send your FCC related questions to Riley Hollingsworth,
K4ZDH, to AskRiley@w5kub.com. Riley retired from the FCC’s Compliance
and Information Bureau as Legal Adviser for Enforcement Program. He
will be answering your questions every few weeks on our "Ask Riley"
segment
Remember our show is also on international shortwave radio station
WBCQ out of Monticello, ME on 5110 Khz, Please send a signal report to
tom@w5kub.com.
Amateur Radio Roundtable is a live weekly amateur radio webcast, held
every Tuesday night at 8 PM CT (0200 UT Wednesday) at W5KUB.com. The
show covers a wide range of topics for ham radio operators and
electronic hobbyists; including balloon launches, satellite, go-kits,
emergency communications, SDR, digital modes, DXing, home brewing,
hamfest updates, and more. We also want to grow our shortwave listener
base and will be including programs that intrest those listeners as
well. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions via the chat
room or telephone.
We need your help. If you use Twitter, please send out a tweet 15
minutes before the show or retweet our announcement. I suggest
something like "live #hamradio show starts in 15 mins on w5kub.com 8
PM CT". This should help increase our viewer base.
Towards the end of each show, we provide a link and viewers who have a
camera, microphone, and a Google+ account, can join the show. Your
video and audio will be on the webcast. This part of the show is very
informal and up to 10 people can join. We talk about anything the
viewers want to discuss.
We would like to share pictures of your ham shack on the webcast. Send
a picture of your ham shack with a description and we will feature
your shack pictures on the show. In fact, if you give us your
permission, your shack could be used as the background of that week's
webcast!
If you have a specific subject idea for a future show, send an email
to tom@w5kub.com Forward this message to a Friend will allow you to
share this message with your friends. If you missed last week`s show,
you can watch it here on our Youtube channel. Our shows are recorded
and placed on YouTube's W5KUB channel the following day. Join us for
fun and interesting discussions! (Tom Medlin, W5KUB, Dec 28, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) Posted by: (Glenn Hauser, in advance of broadcast,
on the dxldyg; via DXLD)
** U S A. Dave Franz (WWRB) is trying to sign up more clients and
playing ABBA music. I think he only has 3 or 4 including Brother
Stair. I had deleted his station off my pre-sets a while back (Lou
KF4RCA Johnson, GA, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
3215, Dec 25 at 0158 on the BST-1 caradio, I land a memory on Dave
Frantz with a seemingly live WWRB QSY announcement, saying we should
retune to 3195, repeated half a dozen times, but one time he says
3185, which is the correct next frequency. As soon as he`s off, WWCR
comes on 3215 with steel drum IS.
I don`t think WWRB has been using 3195 at all in recent seasons
[CORRECTED BELOW], but FCC B-15 registers it at 01-04, and 3215 at 21-
02. I don`t think 3215 really starts that early, either. 3185 is also
available 00-13 but really starts at 02.
WWCR is also authorized for 3195 at 06-10 and 22-01 but not using it
at all. I say again, why mess with this complexity of exchanging
frequencies (also shifting with DST), instead of one staying on 3215
and the other staying on 3185?
3185, Dec 26 at 0110, WWRB is already on with BS, while last night did
not move from 3215 to 3185 until 0158. Nothing on 3215 yet tonight, as
WWCR is not so flexible and will not come up until 0158.
3215, UT Sunday Dec 27 at 0154, a couple guys offering anti-Hillary
material, 0157 wrapping up reminding us that from next Saturday they
will be on ``shortwave 1``, 3215, at 7:30-9 pm Eastern [0030-0200 UT
Sunday], ``American Prophecy`` with a 330-area code phone number.
Well, they are already on that time and frequency this week!
This has been WWRB, as Dave Frantz then comes on at 0158, apparently
live, after the `Prophecy News Hour` with QSY announcement to
``secondary frequency`` 3195 mentioned multiple times, where he will
be reading reception reports. He says they are driving two antennas,
to northeast and south, with 15,000 (? 50,000?) watts. Off at 0200 and
WWCR comes on 3215 a few seconds later. It seems the two rivals are
well-coördinated about this, only by clock or by monitoring?
3195, WWRB comes up in about half a minute after 0200, with Dave
again; now sounds like he says power is 110,000 watts. He talks on and
on past 0215 about: WWRB as only station to use aircraft to align
antennas; other US stations are just guessing at their rhombic
coverage. His main business is aviation, including pipeline tracing,
tax-mapping, and when he was in Key West found the WWRB signal on
south beam to be ``astoundingly strong``, thus also into Cuba, and
also has reports like that from Jamaica and Costa Rica (50 over 9).
Measuring field strength in all direxions, he has flown circles around
the site testing at low power, at a distance of 10 miles, first at 500
feet, then up to higher flight levels (so he has a 3-D picture of the
signal patterns). A SW signal looks like an open clamshell. Look at
the WWRB website for a photo gallery.
At 0205 he`s pushing for customers to broadcast to Cuba, where they
have no Bibles and no internet, but US AID gave away some shortwave
radios. Then a rant against most ``Taj Mahal`` churches which are in
growing debt and only interested in getting money from members, rather
than evangelism, little more than vanity social clubs.
Based on what I heard tonight, my logs of last two nights were
incorrect. I didn`t have 3195 in my BST-1 caradio memories, so thought
when 3215 was closing he really meant 3185, which I could hear,
instead of 3195 to be next, which is certainly active. Tonight 3185
was already running before 0200 with Brother Scare, and sounded much
weaker, tho the S-meter showed only about 5 dB less than 3195. Maybe
it`s the solid state modulator on SW-1 which makes the difference?
Altho the current date is auto-displayed at the top of the
http://www.wwrb.org homepage, everything else is in dire need of
updating, from 2011, 2012, etc. Better not to look at the program or
transmitter schedules at all, lest you should believe some of the
long-gone details (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Did you happen to catch Dave Franz's rant 12/28 8 PM (ET) on 3215?
Made a great lead-in to WWCR's program at 9 PM. In his rant he
discusses wet dream wars, cannon fodder, Obamcare, politicians, lip
service Christians, Bible believing Christians, and RV's. At times
he's yelling much like Alex Jones, Michael Savage, and Mark Levin.
Maybe he should go syndicated. There's always room for one more talk
show host (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, Dec 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
3195, Dec 28 circa 0310, WWRB is still on here, with the Tullahoma TN
preacher, but at 0352 recheck it`s off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** U S A. 9930, Dec 24 at 2028, VG signal from WTWW-2 which is now on
regularly, financial advice mentioning ``Financial Peace University``,
which is a Dave Ramsey thing, but it doesn`t sound like Dave; going
into a break, ID for that show, but no name from the speaker. I guess
Dave is off today for some reason.
WTWW website now shows Dave Ramsey ``live`` at 1-4 pm CT weekdays (19-
22 UT). Seems he is all over the domestic radio dials already, so
hardly needs SW. His station-finder is too specialized, but e.g. has
seven outlets in OK including one right here in Enid. In every case,
``check with station for airtime``! Easy way out for him. It does seem
his show appears all over the clock as well, as doesn`t need to be
live. I also have the impression he is really, really, into selling
stuff to listeners; good advice! He`s a UTK graduate, unlike me.
5085, Dec 25 at 0738 check, Art Bell is back! But I`m sure only as a
holiday rerun instead of Heather, topic marijuana legalization in
Colorado, `Midnight [sic] in the Desert` via WTWW. Maybe another AB
revival next night.
5085, Dec 26 at 0610, Art Bell is still back on another holiday rerun
from before he resigned from `Midnight[sic] in the Desert`, via WTWW-
2, but still gone from 6070, CFRX. Who will be doing the next show, UT
Tuesday Dec 29 from 0500+?
9475, Dec 26 at 1937, as I tune in WTWW-1, it`s off; then cuts on
during a ham show, off again by 1938.
9930, WTWW-2 is on at 1938 Dec 26, still with Xmas music. At 0051
check Dec 27, 9930 is still on with Ted selling a radio, starting to
fade down, not yet on night frequency 5085.
5830 & 9475, Dec 29 at 0236, both WTWW-1 frequencies are off; but 5085
WTWW-2 is on, still playing Xmas music; and 12105 WTWW-3 is S9 with
PPPP in English, probably sporadic-E boost.
5085, Dec 30 at 0703, `Midnight[sic] in the Desert` is already
resuming after a [news?] break, Heather again, subject nuclear storage
sites, via WTWW-2 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9265, Dec 24 at 2034, WINB carrier on already at S9, before
2045 sign-on, and not wobbling, so maybe it`s already warmed up from
even earlier; however at 2050 during hymn, in SSB reception mode there
is some wobble on carrier, while in AM mode on the NRD-545 it sounds
like fast flutter.
9265, Dec 25 at 1505, S9 open carrier, rather than WMLK, much more
likely WINB on early for Xmas rather than *2045 weekdays; 1557-1601+
still dead air, so when will they start? Online sked
http://winb.com/schedule.htm is now effective Dec 20, but nothing
about extended Xmas Friday programming. AND --- after having achieved
correct UT/ET conversion of 5 hours in the last revision, now they are
back to incorrect 4-hours as if EDT conversion!
WRTH 2016 on page 504 still lists Hans Johnson as sales/frequency
manager. Founder of Jihad-DX, later Cumbre DX, but long inactive as a
DXer, Hans surely knows how to convert times correctly, so who is
responsible for this atrocity? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7504.75, Dec 27 at 0152, WRNO is already on with distorted
gospel music.
7504.8, Dec 29 at 0229, at tune-in, hear a bit of a Dutch ID for WRNO
--- or was it Low German, back into Englisch; whatever, quite a
surprise. Have not run across any DW news relays in English lately on
WRNO (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. World Wide Christian Radio WWCR-1 with transmitter's problem
on December 21
1345 & 1445 15825 WCR 100 kW / 046 deg to WeEu English, self-QRMing
and squeals
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/world-wide-christian-radio-wwcr-1-with.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
Do you ever catch Dr. Wong on WWCR. Caught his passionate dissertation
against vaccines: "Why the hell would you ever let them put that shit
in you?" (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, GA, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For
immunization, duh. When and where? (gh)
** U S A. Updated B-15 schedule of US private religious stations can
be found here
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/additional-transmission-in-english-of.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. [Re 15-51, presidential debate on big MW stations]: As to
the debate, yes, iHeart was the radio partner (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix
AZ, Dec 24, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)
** U S A. 700, Dec 30 at 1923 UT on groundwave, Spanish religion, so
KHSE Wylie TX. so far heard only in Spanish despite broadening format
to ETHnic (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 830, Dec 26 at 0158 UT, ``La Fabulosa 8-30`` ID goes by, so
WFNO Norco LA retains such a monicker. I am also trying to split off
the het I`m getting on 830.5 or so without success (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. KOVO-960 oddity --- Does anyone know if KOVO has different
day and night sites? In reviewing my Border Inn recordings [NV/UT],
I've noticed an odd echo on this station after sunset during the BYU
FB game on Friday night Sept 25th. It's as if they left the day rig on
for the FB game but forgot to prevent the night rig from coming on at
the usual time. Is that possible? (Tim Hall, CA, Dec 30, ABDX via
DXLD)
I don't know if they have different sites or not, but I have heard
similar issues with sports broadcasts. If a station's mix minus feed
back to the event is not properly configured, some of the event audio
can make its way back to the origination point, somewhat delayed. The
amount of delay depends on a number of variables, but it can be
anywhere from a fraction of a second up to several seconds. 73, (Mike
Gorniak, NM7X, ibid.)
Just one site. FCCdata.org is a good way to find these things - plug
in KOVO and you'll see immediately that it has just one tower for day
and night use, 5 kW day, 140 watts at night, non-directional. I agree
that the echo could easily have been a problem with the audio feed of
the game reaching the station (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.)
Thanks guys! Somehow I forgot they were ND. The echo started right
around FCC sunset time, so it got me wondering if such a thing has
ever happened. I'm going loopy trying to resolve my UNIDs from the
Border Inn HS FB Beverage DXpedition as I'm typing up my big report. I
just wasted an hour trying to figure out a game on 1240 kHz off the
NNE wire that sounded like the Golden Jenkies(?)? vs. the ______mint
Gophers? Probably in CDT since there were only about 5 minutes left in
the game just after 0200 UT. "Golden" was leading 10-6. On this game,
I was the one who ended up punting! 73 (Tim Hall, ibid.)
Hi Tim, I was thinking about this today and stumbled across this
letter in KOVO's FCC file:
http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=59220
What's really strange to me is that they are asking the FCC to put
their application on hold while they sort out some issues to amend it.
So, it appears that they are licensed presently with a 2 tower DA
Night pattern. I'm now starting to wonder if, in fact, you DID hear 2
sites on at the same time! The locations of the licensed and proposed
transmitter sites are definitely different. Here's the main link:
https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=KOVO
If you click on each entry you can access more info, including the
correspondence file. It's a nice little mystery. I have heard it
happen with other stations before. 73, (Mike Gorniak, NM7X, ibid.)
** U S A. 980, TEXAS, KQUE, Rosenberg-Richmond. 1059 December 30,
2015. End of Mexi-tune (Christian theme, presumed) into very long
canned ID string of many affiliate stations by male in Spanish --
including "KQUE 980 AM Rosenberg" and back to Christian Mexi-tunes.
This one can easily fool one into thinking it's a real Mexican (Terry
L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active
loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1050, Dec 24 at 0548 UT, KTBL program promo and ad string;
on the east-west ALA-330S, I`m easily hearing this rather than XEG,
which is often inexplicably weak for a 100/100 kW ND station as in
WRTH 2015, Cantú and IRCA Log (however, NRC Pattern Book shows a
smaller circle at night, implying reduced power, but still plenty).
KTBL is only 1/1 kW U3 from Los Ranchos (Albuquerque) NM, and often
owns 1050 at night, altho there are about 50 US stations on the
frequency, most of them with minuscule power at night in deference to
XEG and CHUM Toronto (which we have never heard as it also protects
XEG). KTBL day and night pattern is broad, centered slightly east of
north, not to the south, but no null toward us (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1100, Dec 25 at 0252 UT, Colorado ads way over WTAM, making
fast SAH, Xmas music; KNZZ ID for sure at 0334 UT, Grand Junxion
obviously cheating again with 50 kW ND at night. It does fade from
time to time on caradio, but not enough to clear the channel for
Cleveland (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1110, Dec 25 around 0230 UT, Mannheim Steamroller`s
`American Christmas`, annual special carried on many US MW stations,
this one being KFAB Omaha, at times overridden on caradio by IBOC from
1120 KMOX peaking at 1107 kHz. Maybe there will be more airings Xmas
day/night? Pushing their new recordings, of course. I enjoy their
music and almost went to one of the two MS roadtour groups` appearance
recently at the new Enid Event Center, but decided the price was too
high, and I`d have to bring my enclosing-the-ears headphones to deaden
the dBs, thus also killing the hi frequencies, like I had to for
``Tops in Blue`` by the USAF (free). No other audio control by
audience in an arena! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1130, Dec 26 at 1354 UT, open carrier/dead air from KLEY
Wellington KS on groundwave.
1130, Dec 28 at 0323 UT, open carrier/dead air from NE/SW, surely my
semi-local KLEY Wellington KS, supposed to be 250 watts daytime and
PSRA, ONE WATT at night. Ditto at 0634 UT, but by 1343 UT it`s
recovered (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1220, Dec 24 at 0550 UT, WSLM weather on ``My Country 12-
20`` --- the slogan listed in NRC AM Log, tho I wasn`t sure about the
``My``. Seems this Salem IN station is still/again cheating, occupying
1220 much more at night than many others in eastern US, supposedly 82
watts at night, 5000 watts day, with tight patterns slightly clockwise
from east/west, tnx to Cleveland 1220 running a deep null toward the
west, presumably to protect XEB to its southwest (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1280, Dec 29 circa 1900 UT, KSOK, Arkansas City KS is back
on, having been missing 25 hours earlier. I don`t think the Arkansas
River is flooding this far up, but it certainly is by the time it gets
to Arkansas State.
Pronunciation guide for non-natives:
Kansas the state: KAN-zuss
Arkansas the state: AR-kun-saw
Arkansas City, Kansas: ar-KAN-zuss SIT-ee (or just ark-SIT-ee)
Arkansas River, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas: AR-kun-saw
always (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1330, Dec 26 at 0143 UT, ads for something in Vegas(?), so I
perk up in case this is all the way from Nevada --- no, next ad is for
Monahans, so KCKM must have been referring to Pecos (pay-kuss), next
town down I-20 (and not Vega [VEE-gah] TX either, which is too far
away, west of Amarillo) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1360, Dec 30 at 1926 UT, plugging AM-820, covering the state
of Ohio, Catholic call-in from EWTN. I.e. the former WOSU disposed of
by Ohio State, now WVSG with 6.5 kW in the daytime. But this 1360 is
KPHN El Dorado KS, close enough for marginal groundwave but stronger
than usual so some boost from skywave? Holding its own against the
local KCRC spur/het from 1390 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1390, Dec 27 at 1354 UT I find that local KCRC Enid is off!
No severe winter storm has hit us yet. An improvement over mere dead
air they were broadcasting for hours a few nights ago, so what else
can I get? Just after sunrise (if we could see it!), so some skywave
still. NW/SE gets some C&W music, later at 1350 UT blues with YL
singer and piano; NE/SW gets something talking. I have to turn on a
VCR by 1355 UT in preparation for CBS Sunday Morning (which KWTV has
shifted to KSBI due to continuous winter storm coverage on main
channel), and the VCR radiates blocking noise on the NW/SE angle.
So I keep on the NE/SW station, can`t pull any IDs but 1400 UT Fox
``News``, 1405 UT national ad with 800 number, 1406 UT into `Smart
Living with Larry Ahrens` from BizTalk Radio. Says the show originates
in Albuquerque. I do find that on the BizTalk pdf schedule grid (due
for changes in January), for this hour on Sundays, via
http://affiliate.biztalkradio.com/Programming-Schedule
but the ``affiliate resources`` do not include any list of them!
Proprietary info, I suppose. Unfortunately, neither BizTalk network,
nor Ahrens show are among those referenced in the 2016 NRC AM Log.
Nothing specific about affiliates searching on his name; he`s an
alumnus of KKOB 770.
1390, KJPW, Waynesville MO, looks to be the very likely source, in
fact called `The Source` in NRC AM Log, affiliated with Fox news, but
can`t find an own website as it`s insignificant among a sextet of co-
stations at
http://www.myozarksonline.com/2015/03/27/select-your-station-here/
It`s our `next` 1390 station to the northeast. Unlike very direxional
KCRC, KJPW is ND day and night, 5000/111 watts, PSRA 500, but now it`s
definitely Day. The two 1390s in Arkansas are both Spanish.
As for the music station on 1390, these two are most likely by
proximity and listed format: KNCK, Concordia KS, OLD; KBEC, Waxahachie
TX, C&W - Texas Classic Music. By 1625 UT check, KCRC is back on, shux
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn, I think KNCK 1390 is oldies or something similar, but not
country. They don't stream so I can't confirm. Could you have had KBEC
Waxahachie, TX? Both radio-locator and wikipedia list KNCK-AM as
oldies, with wikipedia even listing a slogan "1390 Memories"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KNCK_(AM)
(Paul B Walker, Jr, AR, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1480, Dec 24 at 2059 UT, outro credits for Sherlock Holmes,
with organ music, as from Mutual Broadcasting System, immediately ID
``The Big Talker, 14-80, KQAM, Wichita proud`` and into some network
news, probably not Mutual, about tornados in the South. Sherlock must
have been holiday substitute programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1520, Dec 28 at 1346 UT, KOKC OKC talk with severe
interference, often atop it, and almost zero-beat, from C&W music:
must be KYND Cypress TX, and 1349 UT conveniently breaks for ID in
American English, ``1520 KYND``.
This is one of the stations which had been relaying China Radio
International, but no more, as discussed on WOR and DXLD (Glenn
Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See 1540 below
** U S A. Heard WCKY Cincinnati (1530) skipping in around noon here in
Atlanta (about 600+ miles). Much of the east coast was in cloud cover
that day. According to Wikipedia, tropoducting occurs to some extent
at all frequencies (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, GA, Dec 24, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Maybe, but much more likely, around winter Solstice at our latitude
the midday solar angle is so ``low noon`` that ionospheric D-layer
daytime absorption is reduced, letting thru night-like signals off the
E-layer; or even sporadic E can enhance MW signals, I think, as we are
now at the minor winter peak (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1540.08, Dec 30 at 1310 UT, het upon dominant signal KXEL on
the R-75. I measure it down to here, and on the DX-398 it`s about two
clix (80 Hz) above KXEL, furthermore looping NNW/SSE, just right for
KGBC Galveston TX, and with South Asian music; 1316 UT YL in English
welcomes us mentioning 106.1 --- so that clinches it, KGBC reported in
RadioDiscussions to have replaced G&E/CRI relay with ``Hum Tum Radio``
// 106.1. WTFDA Database has no such 106.1 listing for TX, but this
one is in the market:
K291CE // KLTN-HD3 106.1 SUGAR LAND TX 0.19 kW 29.4456 95.2855 Spanish
KLTN is full-power on 102.9 in Houston, ``regional Mexican`` format.
By 1318 UT, KEDA is gaining on 1540 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO
1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See DXLD 15-51 about this
As for KYND, its pattern is supposed to be a circle tangent eastward,
groundwave to interfere with the Lafayette LA station, not KOKC, which
remains self-degraded at only 10 instead of 50 kW, since a tornado
broke one of its towers last May; well, how long to replace it if they
are ever going to?
Here`s a LOT more about the CRI situation from Radio Discussions
Houston board.
http://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?691609-KYND-Cypress-Off-the-Air
b-turner is obviously someone in charge of KYND: (Glenn Hauser, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Our programmer cancelled their programming. While we could have gone
live at the studio, we wanted a more 21st century option. And
certainly getting stuck in the mud at the tower site was a given but
maybe not after a couple of dry days. We needed a couple of days and a
piece of equipment to pull that off, so in lieu of airing silence or
being stuck in the studio the whole time, we shut down until we got
our ducks in a row. In fact, I met with our engineer yesterday (both
of us visiting family and it just happened to be the same city,
minutes away from each other), and I was able to pass of what he
needed from me. I see the piece we needed came in and we're up.
From my understanding G&E Studios created most of the programming
heard on the English version with a few from China Radio. When China
decided to stop things, G&E had to cancel us and I understand all of
the English language stations they were on throughout North America.
Like usual, no matter the terms of a contract, when cancellation
comes, it is always without warning, unexpected and not a win-win for
any involved parties. In fact your client might not know until the
final moment as well. That is simply the nature of the business.
Finding a new qualified programmer sometimes feels like trying to win
the lottery. You don't know them, how to find them and they don't know
you, but whn everything aligns, somehow you connect. Meanwhile you are
painfully aware of the revenue loss (b-turner, Dec 21,
radiodiscussions.com Houston via DXLD)
Yep, everything is changing. And I can see why. Cost for one thing,
younger audience more adept to listening via network services rather
than over the air, also. Portable devices these days aren't a
traditional radio of course, they almost all have internet
connectivity now. I wonder if the openings on SW will attract some new
blood? I don't see the bands going to complete waste, nor do I ever
see them being what they once were, just impossible with today's
world, and I don't see the ham bands getting extended either, just not
that crowded.
So is this re-evaluation of China's radio efforts due to the same
thing that's going on everywhere, or does this have something to do
with the news stories recently about Chinese Radio and their
government propaganda machine? Bill have you heard anything about why
the cancel of the programming? (Chris, KF5JMD, Dec 22, ibid.)
Allow me to try to explain a bit about the CRI deal: G&E Studios is an
American company that had a client, China Radio International. G&E
leased stations and placed programming on them. Some programming came
from CRI but much originated from American hosts (using Los Angeles
Air Talent) who did shows on subjects like technology, sports,
financial and other subjects. G&E was hired to do this by CRI.
After 5 years, the funding for this was stopped resulting in G&E no
longer having a client and a bunch of stations they leased mow needing
programming and a new paying client. I suppose the Chinese
'reevaluated' and dropped the ax. It is my understanding the English
language version was stopped everywhere in every city G&E leased a
station to carry the programming. This would not be a just Houston
thing. I really enjoyed having G&E as a client, really nice people,
understanding and very reasonable in their dealings, a truly rare find
(b-turner, Dec 22, ibid.)
Possibly anything to do with this, I wonder? BTW: As I said before I
liked the programming.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6752877/feds-radio-chinese-ownership
``FEDS INVESTIGATE RADIO BROADCASTER OVER ALLEGED CHINESE OWNERSHIP
11/3/2015 by Associated Press
Federal regulators are investigating a U.S. radio broadcasting company
that is reportedly majority-owned by a unit of a Chinese government
broadcaster.
A spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission confirmed
Tuesday that the agency will open a probe into G&E Studio Inc., a Los
Angeles-based company reportedly owned by James Su, a naturalized U.S.
citizen originally from Shanghai.
The company leases stations and air time, and broadcasts in more than
10 cities across the U.S., including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.
and San Francisco.``
This site`s story about it makes it out to be a "Covert" Radio
Network, LOL.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3302100/Investigation-launched-emerges-California-firm-s-radio-broadcasts-backed-Chinese-government.html
``INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO COVERT CHINESE RADIO NETWORK
BROADCASTING IN 12 U.S CITIES AND BACKED BY THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT
Report revealed some radio broadcasts are being backed by the Chinese
--- G&E Studio Inc is 60% owned by state run Chinese Radio
International --- The firm is owned by James Su, a naturalized US
citizen born in Shanghai --- He owns or leases virtually all the air
time on at least a dozen US stations``
I spent a lot (100's) of hours listening to 1520AM KYND while I worked
at my shop, and can say that yes, some of the programming from G&E/CRI
was obviously hand picked by the Chinese Government, along with the
fact that a lot of the big news stories involving China mysteriously
were just left out of the programming entirely. But still it was a
good listen, and informative (KF5JMD, ibid.)
Interesting posts. "G&E Studio Inc is 60% owned by state run Chinese
Radio International"; "The company leases stations and air time". G&E
does not own stations from what I know (and I sure don't know it all).
The Daily Mail article clearly says that: G&E does not own any U.S.
stations, but it leases.
So, let's clarify: you rent a space to open, say a hair styling salon
on the corner of a busy intersection. You pay the rent and attend to
your customers at that location. My question, does the salon operator
own the building? Next question: Is the salon owner leasing the space
from the building owner? If you rent/lease a home, do you own it?
I think it might be fair to say 60% of their revenue came from the
client China Radio International. What I find interesting is how a
naturalized citizen can be foreign ownership. Sure, they could be a
'front' but a citizen is not [sic] a citizen.
For the record, I have never seen, spoken to or dealt with Mr. Su. If
he was leasing the station I manage, I think I'd know it or I'd have
some contact at some point over half a decade. I have known of the
people I dealt with prior to them coming to us about the lease. In
fact they had been involved in radio in Houston.
Covert is really a funny way to describe things since most of the
programming came from independent air talent in the Los Angeles area
who were hired to do shows on topics like finance, sports,
entertainment and such.
They would have been very covert if they were still on by making fun
of the Miss Universe blunder and how Mr. Harvey's post misspelled
Philippines and Colombia. Scary covert stuff indeed. My point is most
all programming I heard was the same sort of stuff you'd hear
elsewhere on the radio dial.
It is true the English language programming, while mostly originated
in Los Angeles, was paid for through CRI who hired G&E Studios to
originate programming and broadcast a couple of shows off of CRI's
English Service. Even the news originated from Los Angeles air talent,
was simply rip and read, with local weather and traffic added.
This would be akin to the BBC hiring an American company to place BBC
programming on stations in the USA and authorizing that company to
originate programming of interest to the American public. The BBC is
known as a state broadcaster (b-turner, ibid.)
Yep, that's me jocking from my cheap studio at the house. That's what
I get for being an old top 40 jock back in the day when you only spoke
over the music and shut up before the lyrics began. We were having
some problems today and the engineer will be out there in the morning
to see why what couldn't go wrong did.
I mean we are talking something like turning on the radio, then you
walk away from it 5 minutes and for some reason without human
intervention, it turns itself off. All you can do is scratch your
head, turn it back on and watch it for a while to see if it does the
same thing. Then again, if you watch it, it never messes up. It waits
until you are not watching it. Or at least that's my experience with
equipment that is to do what it is supposed to do (b-turner, Dec 22,
ibid.)
G&E Studio is still on in Atlanta (WJTP-890). Its the ONLY foreign
station in this market on in English. I used to enjoy listening to
Nikki Lee's program till they took her off (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, Dec
29, WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later replaced by
something, else? in Chinese only: next DXLD
** U S A. US station history questions [including:] 1540, PA, I have
conflicting listings for Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd. FCC currently
shows Philadelphia, the old WJMJ was also Philadelphia? Was it ever
really in Bala Cynwyd? (Russ Edmunds, PA, NRC-AM via DXLD)
For many of these questions, the answers reside in the FCC's history
cards, which can be accessed through the AM Query. *IF* the station
existed before 1978, and *IF* its history cards have been scanned, a
PDF link will appear in the detailed search results from AM Query. The
scanning is taking place as resources permit, in alphabetical order
based on the station's callsign as of the end of the history card
system in 1978. They are up to about WK-- now, maybe WL--.
The 1540 Philly question is complicated. In order to get night power,
1540 had to be relicensed from Philadelphia to Bala. (There was never
a site change.) There was a CP grant in the early 1990s, and the CP
was actually built out. But the story goes that the station never paid
the consulting engineer who did the work to put in the new night
phasor (at the day location along Ridge Pike in Roxborough), and after
waiting for his bills to get paid, said engineer went back one night,
removed the night equipment and walked away. The night facility was
never rebuilt, no license to cover the CP was ever filed, and 1540
reverted to daytime-only with Philadelphia as COL. (It's safe to tell
this story now; the engineer in question died some years back and it's
become local broadcast legend, with the added fillip that it's
actually true!) s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Lately a CRI relay (gh)
** U S A. 1550, Dec 29 at 1403 UT, flood warning for SE Missouri and
adjacent states, ``Talk Radio 100.3`` IDs, temp for Cape Girardeau, so
KAPE, 5 kW day power, the AM simulcaster not worth mentioning. Per NRC
AM Log, 100.3 is a mere translator, K262AX, so no longer branded as
``Cape 15-50``. Not many cities are lucky enough to match call letters
with (part of) their name.
Silent KLFJ Springfield remains out of the way for us to get KAPE
beyond. Never mind the Okies on 1550. When skywave is gone on 1550, we
get KYAL Sapulpa vs KKLE Winfield KS. Flooding along the Mississippi
around St Louis could lead some AM stations legitimately to run day
facilities at night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. [Re 15-51:] And in re: KATZ, the SIU Salukis website says
that they carry both football and men's basketball.
http://www.siusalukis.com/multimedia/silu-radionetwork.html
(Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Dec 24, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)
** U S A. Re: Weird pirate on 1610? (San Diego) "Pelecanus" pirate is
still active on 1610. Audio is still annoyingly mushy but it gets out
well. 73 (Tim Hall, Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone, 0224 UT Dec
27, ABDX via DXLD)
** U S A. A FEW MINUTES WITH ... A DEEJAY IN THE (HIS) HOUSE
Jim Schaefer, Detroit Free Press 6:21 p.m. EST December 27, 2015
Jim Schaefer interviews Steven Cherry about the low-power AM radio
stations Cherry runs from his house in Hamtramck. Jim Schaefer,
Detroit Free Press (Photo: Jim Schaefer Detroit Free Press)
If you’re lucky to stumble onto this little radio station in Hamtramck
-- like I did -- you might get to meet Steven Cherry, who built a low-
power AM station that he runs from the front room of his corner home
on Sobieski Street.
Cherry, 43, has been on the air for about six years. He and his
buddies play everything from Motown to rock to techno, emphasis on
local and vinyl. Last year, Cherry ran into a little trouble with the
Federal Communications Commission.
So he shut it down for awhile. But he’s still on the Internet at
AM1610.org, and he says my visit will inspire him to make the fixes to
get back permanently on your AM dial — if you’re in the neighborhood.
QUESTION: First things first, you’re not broadcasting any more in your
neighborhood, what happened?
ANSWER: The FCC paid me a visit. And they were very nice, great guys
at the FCC. Showed up at the door and said my field strength was too
strong for the FCC guidelines, which I sort of operate under.
Meaning you were able to be picked up way too far than you were
supposed to, by people with radios.
Way too far. (pause.) There was a moment of pride. They got me up at 8
Mile. ... They said it was about 5,000 times too strong. . .
http://www.freep.com/story/news/columnists/jim-schaefer/2015/12/26/few-minutes-deejay-in-his-house/77845498/
(via Harry Van Vugt, Ontario, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A. 1640, Dec 27 at 0110 UT, KZLS Enid-Hennessey-OKC is in dead
air again, as a winter storm is approaching, scared silent? So I can
hear some music playing under the carrier, unlikely stupid sports-
talking from WTNI MS; tweaking the NRD-545 tuning for tight bandwidth
and passband, past the KZLS carrier, 0130 UT Spanish announcement,
``disfrute la diferencia``, 0131 UT ad with an 801-area code, which
nails it as the SS Utahn, KBJA Sandy. This had been DKBJA for a while,
Deleted by FCC, but now the D is gone, so they are apparently
{Undeleted, UKBJA?} legally on air again. Nothing helpful about this
in their Correspondence File at AM Query.
1640, Dec 29 at 0255 UT, local KZLS Enid is still/again in dead air
except for hum, facilitating pulling other audio around it on the NRD-
545, with antenna angle minimizing, narrowed bandwidth and passband
tuning just right:
Spanish show with marriage advice; 0259 UT closing with 801-AC phone
number for Patricia, i.e. UTAH, until semana entrante, so a brokered
weekly program. 0300 UT sharp, ID in Spanish as ``KBJA, 16-40-AM`` and
then in English, ``KBJA, 16-40 AM, Salt Lake City``. Not sure if they
mentioned SLC or Sandy in Spanish, but as CoL, Sandy is supposed to be
in legal IDs. Meanwhile I was also getting WSJP in WI (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1640, Dec 29 at 0255 UT, while mainly hearing Spanish from
KBJA UT, better on the N/S antenna I am also hearing English, prayer
to Jesus, and Xmas music, no doubt WSJP Sussex WI, now Alabaman
Catholic with EWTN; tnx to dead air from local KZLS, pulling audio
around it with narrow bandwidth, PBT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** U S A. 1640, FLORIDA (TIS/HAR), WQDM970, FDoT Florida Turnpike,
Sawgrass Expressway MM [mile marker] 4, Broward County. 1025 December
26, 2015. Most likely the one, which would be propagating about 190
miles. Looping SE/SSE. Quasi-generic loop with compu-female
mentioning, "... 1 8 8 8... W W W dot... (and the key to narrowing
down)... Interstate Five Ninety Five..." and real man mentioning "This
is the Florida..." Seemingly slightly off-channel (low side). Suspect
this is the Florida Turnpike transmitter on the Sawgrass Expressway at
MM 4, Broward County, which dumps into I-595 on the southern terminus
and as from previous listening experience while passing through, got
out well. FCC dB shows the calls are WQDM970; on my Florida Low Power
Radio Stations page, it's just a generic entry at the end of the long
list of FL Turnpike 1640 entries which is this one, as I pegged it to
MM 4 in the line item.
1690, FLORIDA, (MIS), WQKP882, Pinellas County Traffic Management;
Largo. 0240 December 30, 2015. Great. Someone contract again came down
again and fixed this and I bet the other two functioning transmitters
across the county. This specific transmitter has been a weak carrier
blob for at least 3-4 months and getting out only a few thousand feet
as of my last direct pass-by this past weekend. Now, it's a huge
signal -- cleanest audio in years -- with the same, useless generic
loop they've run for years (and never any signage to inform the
citizenry these exist). What's the point of this tax waste nonsense?
Anyone wanting to hear this while it's tuned up very hot, listen for
an approximately 1:15 male/female loop mentioning the frequency, two
calls, the State Move Over Law and how we must watch out for bad
motorcycle drivers.
***************************************
Florida Low Power Radio Stations:
https://sites.google.com/site/floridadxn/florida-low-power-radio-stations
(Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole,
active loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also FM below
** U S A. Caradio bandscan Dec 30 starting at 1918 UT finds skywave in
play half a sesquihour after local mean noon, including:
1620, at 1918 UT, ``The Zone``, i.e. KOZN Bellevue (Omaha) NE
1510, at 1921 UT, football game, fades up and down, KCTE Independence
MO, also with lo het, so must be on its off-frequency transmitter now.
This het is just a bit higher-pitched than the one on 1540, at 1928 UT
1540, at 1921 UT, low audible het, like I was getting at sunrise from
KGBC Galveston TX (vs KXEL IA likely)
1660, at 1921 UT, sports talk, probably KWOD Kansas City KS, tho ND
and TX are also sports
1700, at 1922 UT, sports talk about Iowa over TexMex music, i.e. KBGG
Des Moines IA and KKLF Richardson TX.
See also separate logs: OKLAHOMA [non] 1460; USA 700, 1360 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1700, NEW YORK, WRCR, Ramapo. 1014 December 26, 2015.
Tentative as no ID, but very briefly someone up in dominating co-
channel WJCC, Miami Springs (Haitian kreyòl) and KVNS, Brownsville
(Fox Sports Radio) with mention of New York and a possible ad, with
clear 908 area code (New Jersey) then lost, pointing NE. The newest X-
Bander I believe, having surrendered their in-band channel for this in
July (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof
dipole, active loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** U S A. 100.1 MHz, FLORIDA (LPFM), WYPW-LP, Brandon. 1700 December
30, 2015. This was just texted to me from a good friend at iHeart
Media who lives in Brandon and is hearing what he thought may be a
pirate, running a loop stating that due to interference, "WYPW is
attempting to change frequency before normal programming begins." I
quickly Googled and found that this is a legitimate, recently new
LPFM. Some of many links:
http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_list.pl?Prefix=BNPL&Arn=20131107AFX&Facility_id=192915
http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view;NEWECFSSESSION=gdMRVhqNJB7fyd9BhTvYXbMZGxDGJHMzXlQrLMxGbhQp2FPnnfK2!-349327291!-1110365353?id=60001122359
(Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole,
active loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** U S A. BIG RADIO COMPANIES FACING BANKRUPTCY --- This is a little
off-topic but worth reading for most people. I think these companies
could save some big money if they just dropped the HD, which nobody
cares about anyway....
http://www.golocalprov.com/business/big-radio-companies-facing-bankruptcy-wrpo-and-whjys-parent-cos-in-financia
-- (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT USA, Dec 20, WTFDA gg via DXLD)
Both companies gorged themselves buying up stations well beyond
anything reasonable, and now they're sick as a result. Surprise,
surprise! (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, (15 mi NW of Philadelphia),
Dec 21, ibid.)
They had to borrow tons of money to make the purchases they did, and
now they can't pay down the loans in a timely fashion so they cut
expenses to the bone at the various stations in their haphazardly-
built empires. Who suffers? Surely not the bigwigs in San Antonio and
elsewhere who designed the acquisition schemes in the first place,
they have long since had golden parachutes written into their
executive contracts. Nope, it's the employees at the stations which
they acquired who had nothing to do with the schemes to build the
empires but now are forced to take the rap. Regards, ([Al]Fred Laun,
K3ZO, Temple Hills, MD, ibid.)
** U S A. BEFORE DONALD TRUMP, THERE WERE THE SHOCK JOCKS - The
Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/before-donald-trump-there-were-the-shock-jocks/2015/12/23/af28d9be-a8d2-11e5-9b92-dea7cd4b1a4d_print.html
(via Mike Cooper, DXLD)
** VATICAN. Saludos, Glenn. Espero que estés muy bien. Te debía esto y
hoy te cumplo. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year! Adán
THE MYTH OF THE VATICAN RADIO’S VACANT-SEAT-QSL-CARD (NOWADAYS)
Finally I am sending this article about Vatican Radio. For years, I
have listened to DX programmes in several shortwave stations stating
that Vatican Radio issued a special Vacant-Seat-QSL-card. As you know,
the Vacant Seat is the period between the death of the Pope and the
arrival of a new one after a conclave. During that time, the Holy See
establishes a Council of Cardinals led by a Camerlengo that governs
the world’s smallest country. The symbols of the Vacant Seat are an
umbrella (or at least it looks like that), the Saint Peter’s keys
crossed and a shield.
Of course, a Vacant Seat is not a very common situation because Popes
are not dying everyday. For example, John Paul II had a Papacy that
lasted more than 20 years. That’s why I always wondered about how a
Vacant-Seat-QSL-card could look like. In the late 1980s, I read a very
interesting story in “Diexman Uruguay” related to this famous QSL. As
far as I can remember, the card didn’t display the image of any Pope
in particular but a black silhouette was only seen. Naturally, this
sends the message that there isn’t still a new Pope in the Holy See.
Unfortunately, I lost my Diexman’s monthly-printed-report so I don’t
have any images available of this mysterious item in the world of
DXing. However, I have searched on the internet to get a sample image
of the Vacant-Seat-QSL-card and it has been an impossible task to find
one.
In February 2013, Benedict XVI announced he was quitting his duty as a
Pope. Something like this hadn’t happened in more than 400 years. That
meant a new Vacant Seat was just around the corner and I had a real
chance of getting a QSL card related to this historic event. Wow! The
Vacant Seat started on February the 27th, 2013 and I began listening
to Vatican Radio in order to compose accurate reception reports. The
frequency was 7310kHz and the signal was quite good. I did this for
five days and I thought it was better to make a call to Vatican Radio
and give the info to somebody who worked there. If I sent the reports
via email they would probably be processed slowly and the QSLs had
been issued long time after the Vacant Seat came to its end. I wanted
to avoid that situation!
I made three phone calls to Vatican Radio. The second time I spoke to
Father Guillermo Ortiz, who was very kind with me. He took notes of my
reports and he promised a QSL card. I told him that I wished to
receive the Vacant-Seat-QSL-card. He replied he was going to talk to
the people in charge of the correspondence department. Days later I
made a new phone call and I had a nice talk with a woman (I don’t
remember her name now). She said she hadn’t heard before about the
Vacant-Seat-QSL-card and she assumed that was something which had
taken place many years ago at Vatican Radio. According to her, nothing
was found in the Vatican Radio files related to the so-called QSL
card. She confessed they didn’t have plans to issue any special QSL
card at that moment and there weren’t plans for the future either. I
was very disappointed!
Months later I received a letter from Vatican Radio. Unfortunately,
the postman threw the envelope in my garden and the dog almost ate it!
The envelope was destroyed by my four-legged friend but the QSL card
and a short letter from Father Guillermo Ortiz survived. There was no
Vacant-Seat-QSL-card but I had a nice photograph portraying both Popes
(Benedict XVI and Francisco). The explanation of why the current staff
at Vatican Radio hasn’t heard of the Vacant-Seat-QSL-card is very
simple: John Paul II spent more than two decades as a Pope, before he
died in 2005. So the last Vacant Seat occurred in the late 1970s. For
sure, many staff members at Vatican Radio retired during all those
years without having a Vacant Seat event and that’s why the “new
generation” in 2013 didn’t have any idea of what I was talking about.
And that was quite frustrating!
These lines I am writing try to warn you about the myth of the Vacant-
Seat-QSL-card nowadays. All the DX programmes on shortwave should
avoid stating that Vatican Radio has a special card to commemorate
those Popeless days because -in the last years- that hasn’t been true
at all.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all! 73s and good DXing! Adán
González, Catia La Mar, Vargas State, Venezuela
P.S. The first Vacant Seat in years took place in April 2005 but I
forgot the whole thing on the QSL – those were busy days! According to
staff members, in 2005 Vatican Radio didn’t issue any Vacant-Seat-QSL-
card either.
EL MITO DE LA QSL DE LA SEDE VACANTE DE RADIO VATICANO (HOY EN DÍA)
Al fin envío este artículo sobre Radio Vaticano. Durante años he
escuchado en diversos programas DX de la onda corta sobre la QSL
especial que emite Radio Vaticano durante la Sede Vacante. Como
sabrán, la Sede Vacante es el período que hay entre la muerte de un
Papa y la llegada de otro, después del cónclave, y durante ese tiempo
la Santa Sede establece un Colegio Cardenalicio liderado por un
Camarlengo que funge de gobierno en el país más pequeño del orbe. Los
símbolos de la Sede Vacante son: una sombrilla (o al menos eso
parece), las llaves cruzadas de San Pedro y un escudo.
Desde luego, la Sede Vacante es una situación nada común porque no
todos los días se muere un Papa. Verbigracia, Juan Pablo II tuvo un
papado de más de 20 años; por todo lo anterior, siempre me preguntaba
cómo sería el aspecto de una tarjeta QSL de la Sede Vacante. A finales
del decenio de 1980, leí un artículo muy interesante en “Diexman
Uruguay” acerca de la famosa tarjeta. Hasta donde logro evocar, ésta
no mostraba ninguna imagen de algún Papa en particular sino se
atisbaba solamente una silueta negra, lo cual indicaba – naturalmente
- que todavía no había nuevo Papa en la Santa Sede. Por desgracia,
perdí el ejemplar de mi boletín mensual impreso de “Diexman” y por lo
tanto no tengo imagen disponible de tan misterioso artículo en el
mundo del diexismo. Sin embargo, he buscado en internet alguna imagen
de muestra de la QSL de la Sede Vacante y ha sido imposible hallar
una.
En febrero de 2013, Benedicto XVI anunció que renunciaba a su papado,
algo que no había acontecido en más de 400 años y ello significaba que
una nueva Sede Vacante estaba cerca. Disponía de una verdadera
oportunidad para obtener una tarjeta QSL de ese momento histórico.
¡Caray! La Sede Vacante empezó el 27 de febrero de 2013 y empecé a
escuchar Radio Vaticano con el fin de redactar informes de recepción
precisos. La frecuencia era la de 7310 kHz y la señal era muy buena;
lo hice por cinco días y pensaba que era mejor hacer una llamada
telefónica a la emisora para dar la información a alguien que
trabajase allí. Si enviaba los reportes por correo electrónico, estos
–probablemente- iban a tardar en ser procesados y las QSL serían
impresas mucho tiempo después de que la Sede Vacante terminase.
¡Quería evitar esa situación!
Realicé tres contactos telefónicos a Radio Vaticano. La segunda vez
que llamé hablé con el padre Guillermo Ortíz, quien fue muy amable
conmigo: tomó nota de mis informes de recepción y me prometió una
confirmación por escrito. Yo le comenté que deseaba recibir la QSL
especial de la Sede Vacante y él me replicó que iba a hablar del tema
con la gente de la sección de correspondencia. Días más tarde, hice
otra llamada y hablé con una dama (cuyo nombre no recuerdo ahora) y me
dijo que nunca antes había escuchado hablar de la QSL de la Sede
Vacante e imaginaba que eso se había hecho en Radio Vaticano hacía
bastante tiempo. Según ella, no halló nada al respecto en los archivos
de la emisora y me confesó que –para ese momento- no había planes de
emitir una tarjeta especial. Tampoco los había para el futuro. Me
sentí muy decepcionado.
Meses después, recibí una misiva de Radio Vaticano.
Desafortunadamente, el cartero la lanzó sobre el jardín y el perro
casi se la come. El sobre quedó destrozado gracias a mi cuadrúpedo
amigo pero se salvaron la tarjeta QSL y una esquela del padre
Guillermo Ortíz. No había ninguna QSL de la Sede Vacante pero tenía
una buena fotografía de ambos Papas (Benedicto XVI y Francisco). La
explicación de por qué el actual equipo de Radio Vaticano no ha
escuchado platicar de la QSL de la Sede Vacante, es muy sencilla: el
papado de Juan Pablo II duró más de dos décadas, antes de que éste
muriese en 2005. Por lo tanto, la última Sede Vacante había sido a
finales del decenio de 1970. De seguro, muchos de los trabajadores de
Radio Vaticano se jubilaron durante estos años en los que no ha habido
un evento de Sede Vacante y por ello la “nueva generación” de 2013 no
tenía ni idea de qué les estaba hablando. ¡Y eso fue muy frustrante!
Estas líneas que escribo son de advertencia para que sepan que la QSL
de la Sede Vacante es un mito hoy en día. Todos los programas
diexistas deberían evitar sostener que Radio Vaticano dispone de una
tarjeta especial para conmemorar aquellos días en los que no hay Papa,
porque – en los últimos años - eso no ha sido para nada verdad.
P.D. La primera Sede Vacante en muchos años se dio en abril de 2005
pero olvidé por completo el asunto sobre la QSL: días muy ocupados. De
acuerdo con miembros del equipo de la emisora, en aquella oportunidad
tampoco se emitió ninguna tarjeta QSL conmemorativa del hecho.
¡Feliz Navidad y Año Nuevo para todos! ¡73 y buen DX! (Adán González,
Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, Venezuela, Dec 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Adan, Nice to hear from you, and best wishes to you too. Very
interesting, but I don`t recall ever hearing about such a thing, and I
wonder which DX programs were talking about it? And when? I think you
are too young to have been listening in the 70s. Also, since the
transition from Benedict to Francisco was unprecedented, a
resignation, didn`t Benedict remain pope until Francisco was crowned,
thus no vacancy? Maybe not (Glenn to Adán, via DXLD)
Thank you very much, my friend. In the 1980s, 1990s and even in this
century I heard about that special QSL at Vatican Radio. DX
programmes? En Contacto on RHC -AER segment- some years ago and Amigos
de la Onda Corta in the late 1980s. As I wrote in the essay, I also
read about it in the Diexman Uruguay's monthly report that was sent to
me via postal mail. You are right, I was a baby boy in the 1970s,
hahaha!
It would be nice if somebody reads the story on DXLD and gives some
more info on the issue - an image of the Vacant-Seat-QSL-card would be
a quite good item. Actually, there was a Vacant Seat in the Vatican
back in 2013. Vatican Radio's web site displayed the Vacant Seat
symbol during those days and there was a Camerlengo along with a
Council of Cardinals. Take care, my friend. Best regards, (Adan
González, Venezuela, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
The most recent period of sede vacante of the Holy See began on 28
February 2013, after the resignation of Benedict XVI at 1900 UT on 28
February 2013[2] and ended on 13 March 2013 with the election of Pope
Francis, a period of 13 days (Wikipedia via DXLD)
** VIETNAM. Thanks very much to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for
clearing up an UNID reception I was having on a good number of days
in Nov after 1300 (after CNR1 & RTI signed off on 7200). Heard an
UNID open carrier on 7196.25, but never was able to pull in any audio.
Finally gave up on it, as it was just too weak to tell anything about
it.
Now I know from Hiroyuki that I probably heard a VOV-1 spur being
generated from their 7210 frequency. He believes that he heard VOV1
spurs on 7196.25 and 7223.75. This makes sense to me, as in the past
(as recently as June of this year) I often heard, with fairly good
audio, Voice of Vietnam-1 spurs on both 5967.0 & 5983.0, from their
5975 frequency, but have not heard those for many months now.
Interesting to now find out about 7196.25 and 7223.75 (Ron Howard,
Asilomar State Beach, CA, Dec 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Re VOV-1 spurious signals on 7196.25 and 7223.75 kHz of Daclac / Dak
Lak - Buon Me Thuot' site. Previously reported by Y.T. in June 2014
and Febr 2015 in bcdx:
VIETNAM 6020.0 Voice of Vietnam's 4th domestic program, non-direction
outlet from Daclac tx site, S=9+25dB or -55dBm signal in eastern
Thailand post. Boring endless female reading at 2321 UT, no music
heard at all. [Thailand location, selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz
RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 21/24, 2015)
6033.400 Odd Frequency, some Himalayan/Myanmar/Laos/Thailand/
SE Asian area - music sound hill people singer heard. Could that be
Thimpu Bhutan so early at 2320 UT? In 2300-2400 UT slot, not heard
after 0000 UT anymore. Or is this an unknown spurious outlet and needs
further investigation.
At 2349 UT on Febr 23 some 10 Hertz downwards now on 6033.390 kHz,
little scratchy audio sound, like SoEaAsian jungle or mountain forest
tribe people radio program, S=5 fade-out ... [Thailand location,
selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz]
[later] So, the 6033.4 kHz UNIDENTIFIED mysterious spurious signal
seems in the clearing now ...
Most probably two symmetric spurious audio signals some ±13.400 ...
x.390 kHz/Hz frequency away distance ... of fundamental Daclac / Dak
Lak - Buon Me Thuot' site transmitter installation in Vietnam.
Observed on both domestic Vietnamese 4th service on 6020 kHz and first
service on 7210 kHz program outlets these days. That seems their very
special - accurate - footprint. Similar item we published in BC-DX
TopNews June 2014 already:
7210.000 Voice of Vietnam 1st domestic px from 'Daclac / Dak Lak -
Buon Me Thuot' site scheduled 2145-1700 UT, at 1100 UT June 8 - 2014,
S=9 or -73dBm heard on remote SDR unit in southern Brisbane Australia.
But also the Dak Lak(Daclac) station produced two wider spurious
signals of 4 kHz wide bandwidth each, 13.69 kHz distance apart on
7196.305 and 7223.685 kHz.
[some Febr 23 2245 UT / Febr 24 0015 UT morning log of remote eastern
Thailand post at Tha Mai location on Uwe's SDR unit place...]
(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 24, 2015)
Uwe send me this e-mail now: Ich habe eine mir unbekannte Station auf
6033 kHz gehoert, nicht einordenbar,
... Ich tippe auf Ober-/Unterwellen von VoV Daclac auf 6020 kHz. Es
ist wie ein Fingerabdruck der installierten Sender in Daclac zu sein,
gleiches Phaenomen auch auf 7210 kHz, siehe Hardcopy. Beide Sender
strahlen ein Signal ±13.6 kHz aus (Uwe Volk-THA, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews
Febr 24, 2015) (all via wb, late December 2015, DXLD)
** VIETNAM [and non]. CHINA vs. VIETNAM, China Radio International vs.
Voice of Vietnam, December 22
1900-1957 9730 KAS 500 kW / 298 deg SEu Portuguese China R Internat
1900-1957 9730 SON 100 kW / 320 deg WEu English/French V of Vietnam
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/china-radio-international-vs-
voice-of.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550.0, 1212-1302* 14/12 ALGERIA, POLISARIO
Front (cland.), Rabouni. Arabic, chanting, anthem (old version). 25342
(Carlos Gonçalves, South coast of Portugal, JRC NRD-545DSP & DRAKE R8-
E; Advanced ReceiverResearch amp.; 20 m T2FD, 45 m inv. V, 30 m
180º/0º mini-Bev., 80 m 300º/120º Bev., 200 m 270º/ 90º Bev., 270 m
145º/325º Bev., 300 m 225º/45º Bev., raised, 4 loop K9AY, playdx yg
via DXLD)
1550.0, 2243-2302* 21/12, Rabouni. Arabic, talks, songs, anns., anthem
(old version). 55444 CG
1550.0, *1812-1954 23/12, Rabouni. Arabic, late start, no prayer,
anns., talks, but long audio breaks. 55444 (Carlos Gonçalves, Lisboa,
Portugal, JRC NRD-545DSP & PERSEUS sdr; homemade amp. (W7IUV version);
20 m T2FD, 30 m inv. V, 6x19x6 m Ewe 135º, raised, 4 loop K9AY, playdx
yg via DXLD)
** YEMEN [non]. 11860, 1456 23 DEC - SINPO = 25422. ?Middle Eastern
Language?, middle eastern music, with microtonal vocals. male
announcer at 1501z. QSB=ff. sf128.7, a13, k2, geomag: quiet. 50kw?,
Omni?, bearing 18 . Sangean ATS505 w/MFJ-1020C active antenna used to
preselect Magic Wand Antenna hanging indoors on west wall. Received at
Las Vegas, United States, 13039KM (?) from transmitter at Riyadh (?) .
Local time: 0656 (Rodney Johnson, NV, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11860, 1453 24 DEC - REP. YEMEN RADIO SANAA (YEMEN). SINPO = 25322.
?Middle Eastern Language?, music with microtonal vocals, male
announcer seeming to give short speeches between songs. sf132.7, a11,
k2, geomag: quiet. 50kw?, Omni?, bearing 18 . Sangean ATS505 w/MFJ-
1020C active antenna used to preselect Magic Wand Antenna hanging
indoors on west wall. Received at Las Vegas, United States, 13039KM(?)
from transmitter at Riyadh(?). Local time: 0653 (Rodney Johnson, NV,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Also Riyadh 11860 would beam south and it would be interesting to hear
how the strength is in South Africa, for example. I checked at 0915
via Qatar Perseus and 11860 kHz was clearly stronger than supposed
Riyadh on 9715 kHz. Merry Christmas! (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.)
This 9715 kHz signal is not in HFCC at all, and WRTH 2016 lists it as
"low power". So what's this?? And 2200 check for 11860 in Central
Europe: Again a weak signal, this time appearing to suffer from the
frequency being too high (Kai Ludwig, Dec 24, ibid.)
R Sana'a 11860 around 20 UT on Dec 24 at S=6-7 -88dBm in Doha Qatar,
local midnight time. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.)
Sorry, nothing definitive from South Africa. Friday Dec 24 at 1655 -
1710. 11860 is s3 - s5 with lots of QRN. Can just make out an OM
talking in Arabic, barely readable. Couldn't make out the ID at 1700.
Early morning check Dec 25, 0235-0425, 11860 reception initially very
poor, but improved markedly after our local sunrise (0314 today). But
by about 0330 it was deteriorating again. Early programming was Arabic
music, with assorted songs by OM or YL, and instrumental music on ud
(oud). Switched to a talk format at 0334, and I thought I heard
several mentions of "Yemen" during this period, but not conclusive.
Back to music from 0342, but by now reception was getting poor. Heard
nothing that I would recognise as a formal ID all the time I was
listening; I'm pretty sure I heard a "Yemen" at 0357 and two "San'a"
at 0415 and 0416, but they didn't seem to be part of a formal ID so
probably irrelevant. Tuned out at 0418. By 0500 whatever is there was
at noise level, and still is as of 0524.
Throughout this period nothing at all was heard on 9715. Both EiBi and
Aoki list it as starting at *0300, but HFCC doesn't mention it. Wooden
entry, at least for this time slot?? (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA.
Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D. dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11860, Dec 24 at 1335, good signal in Arabic discussion from R.
Sana`a, certainly the best on band from Middle East, while East Asian
signals are weak and Dopplery. At 1435 I`m back on the S9+20 signal,
awaiting music to stop for Maghrib Call to Prayer, which happens at
1439:24.5, i.e. 80.5 seconds later than two days ago at 1438:04, and a
hefty 87 seconds later than yesterday`s anomalous timing. They are
belatedly catching up to the ever-latening sunsets, calculated by
Gaisma.com for Dec 24 as 1439 UT in Sana`a, 1441 UT in Aden.
Meanwhile, I got out my NGS Globe and checked out the great circle
paths. If this is from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as speculated, aiming at
Sana`a/Aden, the long path all over-water, across the Indian Ocean,
way south of Australia, and between Wilkes Land and New Zealand, up
across the Pacific, would eventually run right across Enid! Within a
degree or so. Our being on the same Great Circle might explain why we
are getting such a strong signal, but not so much elsewhere. The short
path across Europe also runs very close to Stuttgart and Blackpool,
where they are not getting such a strong signal as I am, despite all
of us being related near this G.C.
Why should it be an old 50 kW non-direxional transmitter in Jeddah?
This is mere speculation, based on its supposed availability tho not
reported in some time. HFCC B-15 registrations have it, but imaginary?
--- 03-06 9580, 06-17 11855, 17-22 9580; and also: 15-18 6130. I seem
to recall that when it was in use, the modulation and frequency
accuracy were degraded, neither the case with this 11860.
WRTH 2015 lists 4 x 250 kW also in Jeddah, but Kai Ludwig says: ``And
the "4 x 250 kW" are a new facility for which so far no signs of it
being on air have been reported. Of course it could be in use already
for quite some time, running frequencies registered as "RIY". I think
it's a rather unlikely scenario that the complete new facility has
been put into real programming use with that 11860 service for the
first time.``
In fact the new WRTH 2016, which I just received today as an Xmas
present, removes the 4 x 250 kW, and not the 50 kW either, showing the
only Saudi SWs are in Riyadh: 4 x 350 kW and 8 x 500 kW. With a dozen
high-power units, it seems that BSKSA could certainly spare one for
this service with little or no effect on its existing Riyadh output.
However, Sa`udi Arabia itself is only an assumption, based on Saudi
political/military support for the ousted president of Yemen. Running
the same frequency day and night, 11860, does not make good
propagational sense, so we wonder how reception is 24/7 in Yemen. Skip
distances, city-to-city in km and miles:
Jeddah to Sanaa: 841 523
Jeddah to Aden: 1128 701
Riyadh to Sanaa: 1100 684
Riyadh to Aden: 1370 851
Our experience at 36 degrees north is that an 11 MHz signal would not
normally propagate in the winter night over a ~1 megameter distance,
e.g. WTWW 12105. However, Riyadh is about 25 N, Jeddah 22 N, Sana`a 15
N, Aden 12.5 N, all further south with the advantage that entails. For
comparison, Okeechobee is at 27 N, habitually propagating when other
US SW sites further north are diminished.
11860, Dec 25 at 1431, usual R. Sana`a rousing music, change to a slow
ballad at 1438:40 but curtailed for Maghrib call to prayer starting at
1439:16, which is 8.5 seconds *earlier* than yesterday rather than
later, so the timing is again zigging and zagging, but the trend
continues to be later, in keeping with axual sunset times in Yemen.
Now it`s S9+15 and IBB Kuwait R. Ashna still audible underneath during
pregnant pauses.
11860, Dec 26 at 1320, R. Sana`a is only S3, very poor, not having
faded up yet, so I doze. Then at 1344 it`s up to S9 during phoner
interview in Arabic; By 1430 peaking at S9+10 with rousing music, 1439
and 1440 changing musix, until finally cut to Maghrib Qur`an call to
prayer starting at 1441:26, which is a good 130 seconds later than
yesterday at 1439:16, so now they`re catching up to the sunset,
calculated (to the minute, not the second) by gaisma.com for Dec 26 as
1442 UT in Aden, 1441 in Sana`a, both to reach 4 minutes later in 1
week.
By 1520 the 11860 signal has diminished to S9, and by final check 1611
only S6, and/or with IBB KUWAIT, which at the peak I could only hear
during Qur`anic pauses. So let`s say ~1345-1530~ UT is the current
window for this at amazingly good strength, starting about sunrise
here which was 1341 UT today. At random chex elsewhen during the
alleged 24-hour schedule of 11860, I hear little or nothing. Where is
this Radio Sana`a really from, what power and azimuth?
11860, Dec 27 at 1340, R. Sana`a is in well with Arabic discussion;
1435 I`m back during rousing music at S9+20 with some IADs, standing
by for this evening`s Maghrib, Call To Prayer interruption, which
happens at: 1441:17, also audiblizing IBB Kuwait R. Ashna *still*
underneath. This is 9 seconds earlier than yesterday, while it should
be a few seconds later. Will Allah get `em for that? 11860 is still
S9+10 at 1516 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
SAUDI ARABIA {tentat.} 11859.998 noted at 1240 UT Dec 28 on remote SDR
unit at Doha Qatar on Arabian peninsula. S=9+10dB or -64dBm signal.
Broadband signal of 11855.05 to 11865.05 kHz frequency range. Noted
military like army chorus songs of the muslim Arabic terrorist
fighter. Followed by extended Arabic language news at 1300 to 1310:20
UT. Professional radio program service type.
Signal strength worldwide at 1310 UT on Dec 28
NIL in JPN, CZE, USA
S=1 lower than threshold FIN, AUT, BEL, GB/IRL
S=2 in St. Gallen SUI, Calabria ITA
S=6 on ham radio HNG unit with excellent antenna, Ancona ITA (Wolfgang
Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
And nothing heard in Joburg at 1340-1343 on Dec 28 (Bill Bingham,
Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D. dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Yet an hour later same day it`s up to its usual good level here in OK;
transmitter site changed? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
Dear Noel and dear Glenn, in Qatar at 1735 UT S=6 or -87dBm, not
strong, and IBB QRM. re short check of Radio Sana'a Dec 28 at 1630 -
1700 UT.
S=9+5dB -68dBm
S=9 -72dBm Calabria / Sicily Italy.
S=9+5dB -70dBm Moscow Russia.
S=4 -98dBm in central / northern Italy, Adria coastline.
NIL in Genua Italy, Riviera coast.
S=7 -84dBm in Lyon-F, St. Gallen Switzerland, Belgium.
S=6 -90dBm in Austria and GB/IRL.
S=4 -106dBm in Bavaria Germany.
S=3 -109dBm in MI-US
S=4 -93dBm in MA-US
NIL in FL-US
S=4 -94dBm in Edmonton Alberta Canada
vy73 de wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Ahead on 11860 kHz, in western Europe and Italy 1730-1800 AWR Kabyle
sce from MBR Nauen towards Morocco and Algeria NW Africa. latter
S=9+20dB -60dBm signal. wb (Büschel, Dec 28, ibid.)
It seems that 11860 supplies a useful signal into South Africa for
just a few minutes after our local sunrise (around 0314 as I reported
on Dec 25), and again at around our local sunset and later. Tonight
(Dec 28) it was audible when I tuned in at 1620, with an S4 signal,
improving slightly to S4-S5 by 1700. Our local sunset tonight was at
1702. As of 1730 there had been no further improvement, and reception
suddenly got worse when considerable co-channel QRM began at 1730
through to about 1755, possibly AWR to North Africa.
Just before the QRM ended, a considerable SAH started at 1754, as
though another transmitter had started up on the same frequency. When
the SAH stopped at about 1758, signal was suddenly up to S7 peaking at
S9 and perfectly readable.
Reception quality has been similar for the last two nights (Dec 26 and
Dec 27), at least after 1800 - I hadn't checked earlier on those
occasions (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D.
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11860, Dec 28 at 1439, R. Sana`a with rousing music, S9+10 but IADs;
1441 dramatic music and narration, interrupted at 1441:22.5 for
Maghrib Call to Prayer, still marred by intermittent audio dropouts.
This is only 5.5 seconds later than yesterday, so they are again
failing to keep up with the sunset shifting later at a faster rate.
This time I don`t notice any R. Ashna underneath in the Qur`anic
pauses, so has IBB finally moved Kuwait away? Inconclusive about that
so far.
As for where this Sana`a is really transmitted from, I have previously
suggested that 11860 could be from more than one transmitter site.
Three reasons for this:
1, Altho it is reported to be on air 24 hours, only one segment circa
1330-1530 UT provides any significant signal here, and then it is
remarkably good. I haven`t heard any abrupt signal changes, however.
2, Bill Bingham in South Africa has been monitoring, and reports this:
[as above, the signal overlap at 1754 and then much stronger]
3, And earlier there was this from Paraíba: ``Clandestine: 11860,
12/23 1841-1855 Radio Sana´a, Jeddah [sic], in Arabic. Traditional
Arabic song; OM talks; fair signal and poor modulation, 35332 (DXer
José Ronaldo Xavier (JRX), Cabedelo - Brazil, Degen DE1103 / Tecsun S-
2000, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD)``
The modulation is *never* ``poor`` when heard here in the 1330-1530
period --- so different site at 1841-1855??? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD
OF RADIO 1806, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
SAUDI ARABIA, 11859.9965, Radio Sana'a only heard as S=7-8 in Doha
Qatar remote SDR site at 0356 UT, HQ prayer. The only remote SDR unit
on Perseus net. Real NIL - NOTHING heard on downunder Brisbane
Australia, Greece, Italy, Moscow, Switzerland, Belgium, and also
NOTHING as signal on various German remote SDRs. Only heard as S=3
tiny signal just on threshold level on DARC Amberg Bavaria, like port
:8015 as 4_loops, not signal on :8014 and :8016 ports of DARC Amberg
remotes - nothing. At same time between 0315 and 0410 UT, in Brisbane
AUS, Uwe's Perseus in Thailand, Qatar and Calabria Italy:
11860, ARS nil-nothing of Riyadh, 0315 UT. and in Doha Qatar and DARC
Amberg Bavaria Germany :8015 port remote SDR net units checked the 25
mb again at 0440 - 0505 UT Dec 28: 11859.9965 R Sana'a tent via Riyadh
S=8 at 0440 UT. WB (Büschel, Dec 28, dxldyg via DXLD)
Conditions here seemed only fair in spite of good looking Solar-
Terrestrial numbers, but R. Sana'a has still been quite readable
lately: Rep. Yemen, Radio Sanaa, 11860, 1441 28 DEC - SINPO = 25322.
Arabic, male singing/chanting a Cappella (Qur`an). 1444z male
announcer fb music with microtonal vocals. QSB=ff. sf106.1, a11, k2,
geomag: quiet. 50kw?, Omni?, bearing 18 . Sangean ATS505 w/MFJ-1020C
active antenna used to preselect Magic Wand Antenna hanging indoors on
west wall. Received at Las Vegas, United States, 13039 KM(?) from
transmitter at Riyadh(?). Local time: 0641 (Rodney Johnson, NV, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11860, Dec 29 at 1417, another day of remarkable reception from R.
Sana`a, from somewhere, Arabic dialog at S9+20, no IADs, 1425 mostly
music, but I doze, missing start of Maghrib Call to Prayer! That ends
about 1445 so started approx. 1442, and can still hear R. Ashna, IBB
Kuwait, in pauses underneath. By 1450 there are now some IADs, or
skipping in the music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Rep. Yemen Radio Sanaa (Saudia Arabia Relay?) 11860, 1443 29 DEC -
SINPO = 35323. Arabic, male singing/chanting a cappella, 1445z male
announcer with deep voice fb music with microtonal vocals. QSB=ff.
sf113.2, a5, k1, geomag: very quiet. 50kw?, Omni?, bearing 18 ?.
Sangean ATS505 w/Sony AN-LP1 active loop in west facing window.
Received at Las Vegas, United States, 13039KM? from transmitter at
Riyadh?. Local time: 0643 (Rodney Johnson, NV,
http://swldx.tumblr.com/search/11860khz
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11860, Dec 30 at 1429, R. Sana`a in music at S9+20, usual very good
level; 1437 goes to dramatic echoey speech, and CCI from IBB Kuwait
audible under; 1439.5 to chanting music; 1441:56 cut to Maghrib,
sunset call to prayer (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZAMBIA. 5915, ZNBC/Radio One, 0459, Dec 28. Start of their segment
in English; government PSA - "PACRA - business starts here. Register
your business with PACRA today ... visit our head office along Haile
Selassie Avenue ... www.pacra.org.zm" (PACRA - Patents and Company
Registration Agency); music & call of fish eagle; "The time is seven.
One Zambia, one nation"; news and sports; 0515 PSA again. Unusual
African reception; normally this is too weak by 0500 to make out
details.
https://app.box.com/s/chmes5h97o5un3ykh839ptxcwjqk8k88
contains my audio of PSA. Now that Radio Two (English Service) is no
longer on SW, is very nice to hear this brief segment (Ron Howard,
Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZANZIBAR. 6015, ZBC Radio on Dec 28 with transmitter on at 0254
and *0256 with pop African music; time pips, which today was accurate,
but on Dec 14 the time pips were noted at 0257.
Dec 28 had unusual African reception. Normally this is too weak after
0400 to get many details, but today held up well till 0430; news
(items about "Zanzibar," "Washington," "Beijing," etc); several
monologues; 0430 brief chanting (identical to the one heard at 0344)
(Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long
wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11735, ZBC, Dole. 1821 December 24, 2015. Just beginning to fade in at
tune-in, steadily improving to nice level just before 1900. Time
sounders (five lower, one high tone) at 1900, Swahili newscast by
female until 1900:15, then into Islamic-influenced vocals. Time tones
again at 2000, news, vocals past 2030, but gone by 2040 re-check
(earlier than usual just past 2100 variable closing). (Terry L.
Krueger, All times/dates GMT, NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active
loop u.o.s., Clearwater, FL u.o.s., DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 830, Dec 24 at 0602 UT, last few strains of choral
Mexican NA among the mix as I am nulling signal already reduced from
WCCO with CBS News --- so Spanish here doesn`t have to be WFNO Norco
LA. Ten XEs are listed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 890.7, Dec 27 at 0123, quite a het here not against WLS,
but against Cuba`s R. Progreso on 890.0. Can`t pull any audio from it,
but is best on E-W rather than N-S antenna. Surely Algeria would not
be that far off 891 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 1639.84, 1026 December 26, 2015. Reading approximate. No
audio making it through. Suspect an off-channel TIS/HAR and definitely
lower than the audible SE Florida I-595 Turnpike audible signal (Terry
L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT. NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active
loop, Clearwater, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 1690, Dec 24 at 0524 UT, the unmistakable voice of Dick
Cavett, not heard in a long time, apparently current since he is
talking about Trump with a talkhost who is impressed by The Donald. No
DF on it so not sure if WVON Berwyn (Chicago) or reformatted KDMT
Arvada (Denver), now meaning ``Money Talk`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 6870.0-AM, Dec 28 at 0308, very poor S7 signal with
talk, 0349 a JBA carrier, presumably a pirate. HF Underground has no
logs of this, and the frequency only had two other unIDs this year in
Sept and earlier in Dec (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later:
IDed by Chris Smolinski as RHC, 0.5 x 13740! See next DXLD
UNIDENTIFIED. 6990.40-USB, Dec 29 at 0231, Spanish 2-way mentions 16-
570 (or 16-560), possibly a related daytime frequency (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDentified. European Pirate on December 27:
1400-1530 on 9293 unknown tx site, very poor
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-european-pirate-on.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED. Anyone know the ID of the station right now (1318 UT) on
9420 kHz heard via Twente? Does not seem to be either ERT - Voice of
Greece nor CNR 13. Recording for later analysis (Richard Langley, NB,
Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Sounds like CNR-13 (Uighur Service), // 9890 kHz (David Kernick,
Interval Signals Online, ibid.)
Thanks. You are probably right. I discounted CNR 13 initially as it
didn't seem to be parallel to the online streaming from
http://www.uycnr.com/
Are they known to be different? The time pips are definitely Chinese.
I was hearing words like "radiostantsiya" and "programa" and thought
perhaps it was a slavic language but it seems these words are used in
Turkic languages too, like Uyghur. I clearly need to improve my
Uyghur. ;-) (-- Richard Langley, ibid.)
UNIDentified. Open carrier/dead air, Dec 25
1405-1500 on 9495 unknown transmitter site
1500-1600 on 9495 plus CNR-1 Jammer vs RFA
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-open-carrierdead-air-dec25.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD)
UNIDentified. Station with Arabic music, December 21:
1100-1110 on 9600 unknown tx site, test tone 1000 Hz
1110-1116 on 9600 unknown tx site, non-stop Ar music
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-station-with-arabic-music.html
UNIDentified two stations has observed on December 23:
0910-0915 on 9600 unknown tx site non-stop Arabic music
0910-0915 on 9600 unknown tx site DRM mode, very strong
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/two-unidentified-stations-on-9600-khz.html
(DX RE MIX NEWS #932 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Dec 28, 2015,
via DXLD)
UNIDentified. Station with Arabic music, December 25:
1056-1101 on 9600 unknown tx site, test tone 1000 Hz
1101-1112 on 9600 unknown tx site, poor signal today:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-station-with-arabic-music_25.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 9600, Dec 25 at 1501, S9 open carrier with flutter until
off at 1502:40*. HFCC and Aoki show nothing here before 1500, but at
1500-1530 is supposed to be CRI in Persian via Kashgar --- maybe gave
up after failing to ignite transmission (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) Hmmm, could that be related to the other 9600 items?
UNIDentified. Station with Arabic music on December 29
1030-1035 on 9600 unknown tx site, very poor signal:
http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-station-with-arabic-music_30.html
-- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30
m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 9830.14 approx., Dec 24 at 0712, an off-frequency JBA
carrier catches my ear, but this semihour has nothing listed on 9830,
after DW via São Tomé until 0700, CNR from 0730 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11621.0-USB, Dec 25 at 1456, INTRUDER, 2-way in
colloquial Spanish, OM talking about huevos (which kind?) with lots of
engine(?) noise in background; his weaker contact without the noise
sounds like a YL voice, unusual for these, but no mentions of putas
heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15244.90-LSB, Dec 29 at 1505, INTRUDERS, 2-way in
Spanish, discussing some commodity in 12 ó 13 kilos, both with engine
noise in background – speedboats or planes drug-smuggling? Still going
at 1525 recheck.
I often encounter these in- or out-of-band during routine
bandscanning, and wonder why no one else ever seems to report them.
Even editors don`t want to include them since they are not SWBC. Of
course they cannot be identified, but still --- DEA at least ought to
be interested in knowing such frequencies to monitor in case they slip
some useful info, and of course sophisticated equipment could get a
fix on them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 18165-USB, Dec 25 at 1551, not much amateur activity,
but here`s someham in what sounds like Low German, probably from
northeast America. A frequency to recheck (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 21585, Dec 28 at 1506, JBA carrier. Nothing at all is
listed on 21585 in latest HFCC or EiBi or Aoki. In the mostly vacant
13m band, any carrier stands out with BFO. At this time, 21690 RFI
Swahili via Issoudun is S7, while 21675 WRMI is only JBA (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. RF 2, Dec 27 at 1743 UT, weak NTSC video fades in, then
a bit of audio to go with it. 1746 definitely Spanish audio, seems
novela. Tiny text bug in lower right, unfamiliar and unreadable. In
and out for a few minutes, nothing further. 6m map shows the only
sporadic E is across northeast US, MUF 67 MHz.
My antenna remains permanently aimed about 170 degrees to favor Mexico
and Oklahoma City. I habitually assume something like this is Mexico,
but that`s becoming less so and with their apagón analógico Dec 31,
the band will be more open for more exotic Latin American analog TV DX
which still exists (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1806:
Thanks to Fred Jodry, Demarest NJ, for a PMO in the p-mail to P O Box
1684, Enid OK 73702.
TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY:
Hi Glenn, thank you for all your hard work on WOR, I'm ashamed to
report that this is my first donation after many years of enjoyable
listening and reading. 73s for 2016 (Mike, Bournemouth, England,
Terry, in GBP via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com)
In recognition of your key role in keeping the DX hobby alive (Dan
Goldfarb, England, with a contribution in GBP via PayPal to woradio at
yahoo.com)
Thanks to Will Martin, St Louis MO, for a generous check to P O Box
1684, Enid OK 73702 (and for re-renewing a subscription to The Week)
Dear Glenn, Please accept this long-overdue gesture of appreciation
for your hard work in continuing to compile and distribute DXLD,
despite all the changes in our wonderful hobby. I wish you a happy and
healthy 2016! Vy 73 de (Anne Fanelli, Elma NY, Dec 21, with a check to
P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702)
Keep up the good work! (Henning Vahlbruch, Germany with a contribution
in US$ via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com)
Needless to say, over the years I have very much enjoyed my
membership in your excellent DXLD yg! Has provided me with a great
deal of information, that has increased the pleasure I get from SWL
(Ron Howard, CA)
Cheers & thanks for providing world-class DX info (Dan Sheedy,
Moonlight Beach, CA E5/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Subject: WOR HITLIST --- Thank you for providing this page. I greatly
enjoy it (Sheryl Paszkiewicz, Sent from my iPad, Dec 29)
Sheryl, Good, and Alan Roe will be pleased too (gh)
Best wishes and Happy New Year! Thank you for all your work for the DX
and SWL community - it is very much appreciated! (Alan Roe, England)
PUBLICATIONS
++++++++++++
SHORTWAVE BROADCASTING SITES LOCATOR at the following url:
http://www.qrz.com/db/XE1JLW
(James Mills, Dec 26, shortwavesites yg via DXLD)
Linx to wikimapia for many sites, past and present, plus some photos
interspersed (gh)
LANGUAGE LESSONS
++++++++++++++++
HAIKU POEM
winter is with us
DX season upon us
hunt down that DX
[SEE MYANMAR] (Ron listening at the beach). [WORLD OF RADIO 1806]
I still remember Don Jensen's 2012 poem:
``No beach DX here.
I'm driving myself to drink
Port Blair still eludes
--don``
(Ron Howard, CA, DX LISTEING DIGEST)
15770, WRMI, Radio Miami Int'l (presumed); 1715-1722+, 20-Dec; Bro.
Hystairical; ragging on scoffers, mockers & other prophets including
"other supposed men of God." He also said that he is "The Sign"
(Beware of False Prophets?) and still saying he might not be on after
1/1. SIO=4+53+
+++ tuned in at 2132 to hear a non-B.S. huxter talking about
"fornicants". (Is that generic for fornicators & fornicatees?)
SIO=454; different English non-B.S. huxter on 7570 talking about the
Rapture. (When's the next regularly scheduled one?) SIO=454 (Harold
Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD)
My dictionary doesn't have that word, but I did learn something
interesting about the origins of the word fornicate in the process of
looking: ORIGIN Middle English (as fornication): from ecclesiastical
Latin fornicat- ‘arched,’ from fornicari, from Latin fornix, fornic-
‘vaulted chamber,’ later ‘brothel.’ Now we know, but did the 'arched'
refer to architecture of the brothel, or something more anatomical?
Inquiring minds want to know! -kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE
Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD)
CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
SCHEDULE POSTED FOR SAVING AMERICA'S RADIO HERITAGE EVENT, 2016
Radio Preservation Task Force Conference --- Saving America’s Radio
Heritage: Radio Preservation, Access, and Education
Friday 26 February – Library of Congress, Madison Building,
Washington, DC; and
Saturday 27 February – University of Maryland’s Special Collections in
Mass Media & Culture, Hornbake Library, College Park, MD
[including the QSL archive, I believe --- gh]
See:
http://radiopreservation.org/
(Benn Kobb, Dec 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Extensive agenda of panels, addresses (gh)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See GUAM; INDIA; IRAN; NEW ZEALAND;
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NIGERIA; SRI LANKA; UNIDENTIFIED 9600
DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See also USA: 1110
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HD RADIO UPDATE PLEASE - FARMERIK
Do have need to be very close to both AM and FM transmitters to get a
reliable signal? (FARMERIK, CT, ABDX via DXLD)
This is an easy one to answer. Most of the time you have to be within
25 miles but there are occasions where it goes further. HD really
sucks in a car (Kevin Redding, Crump TN, Dec 29, ibid.)
It depends on where you are. If you're out west listening to a 100 kW
class C station and there's nothing on the first-adjacent channels
(which is where the FM HD actually lives), you can often carry HD for
40-50 miles. If you're in the east and the first-adjacents have
interference on them, you'll get far less range.
I routinely keep an HD lock on WLKK 107.7, about 50 miles from me, but
there's not much to interfere on 107.5 or 107.9. I have occasionally
locked in AM HD by skywave from WBT, WBZ and others here in Rochester.
s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.)
Thanks. FM would probably not work at my location. I have crowded band
conditions and stations in every direction from here in the center of
southern New England. No really close stations though. For AM I have a
question. Something I read suggested to me AM does not have the sub
stations [HD1, HD2 etc.]. Is that correct? Only alleged improved
digital sound (FARMERIK, ibid.)
And it obviously also depends on the power of the station. My
experience with KDDZ 1690 was that their 10 kW ND Day signal was only
good for 20 miles or less in digital, and their 1 kW ND Night signal
was only good for about 5 miles or less in digital.
One can only wonder how many of the stations that tried it would have
tried it if they had known how poorly it worked. The people marketing
it surely did not tell them they could only expect their digital
signal to travel only 5 miles or less at night with 1 kW, especially
for the licensing fees they were charging for it. If they didn't end
up with lawsuits against them, they were darned lucky!
Is there is anyone who truly believes IBOC is better than C-QuAM? Far
more stations used C-QuAM, and for a much longer time period. IBOC is
so bad, it didn't take long for everyone to see what a complete
failure it is. Look how many stations are still using it. Clear
Channel was one of the investors in IBOC, but they turned it off at
all of their stations I know of long ago.
None of their Denver stations have used it for quite a while. The only
stations in the Denver market still using it are owned by religious
groups. Why they are still hanging on is hard to figure. Now that
translators can be used by AM stations, they can get far more distance
in stereo on FM with a translator than they could in stereo with IBOC
on AM, plus everyone has an FM receiver, but very few have IBOC. The
FCC talks big about trying to revitalize AM, but they drove a big nail
in the coffin when they authorized AM stations to use translators. 73,
(Kit W5KAT, CO, ibid.)
My experience with HD-AM in a car --- The last AM station anywhere
near me running HD is an X-bander [1620], WTAW College Station. Very
much fringe and weak in Houston, although listenable with some static
in my West Houston location. Being on the outskirts of town, there are
some rural highways and streets. What I discovered was that when I was
on a street with NO power lines beside the street, WTAW HD came in and
locked, and stayed locked. It was quite a contrast - weak analog
compared to very clear but obviously digitized audio. Any time I got
within a quarter mile of a power line - WTAW HD dropped and didn't
come back until I was away from the power line.
Unfortunately, there are very few streets or highways without power
lines running along them. Because there is virtually no interference
from some of them, I assume the power lines themselves act as giant
longwire antennas, distorting the field coming from the station itself
(phase distortion?). No matter what the mechanism, my side of town is
growing rapidly, where there were open fields three years ago there
are now subdivisions and shopping centers, with power lines lining the
same streets that were free of them when I did the test three years
ago. WTAW HD no longer is receivable unless I go further west and find
streets and highways with no power lines.
There is nothing of note on WTAW that would make it a station I want
to seek out, so I really don't care whether it is HD or not. Just
observations of the reception (Bruce Carter, TX, Dec 30, ibid.)
The main reasons for the AM garbage IBOC were political. With the
major broadcasters funding iBiquity, there was heavy pressure to come
up with both AM and FM systems. It could be argued that the FM system
does seem to be slowly gaining acceptance. The AM system should have
been outlawed before it was ever deployed. Some of the CBS stations
still spew this obnoxious trash, but I suspect that's because one of
their engineers was a key part of iBiquity during the development
years. AM stations still running IBOC should be ashamed of themselves.
Turn if off, guys! 73, (Mike Gorniak, NM7X, MN, ibid.)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See also MEXICO; OKLAHOMA
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TRANSLATORS: POST-REPACK PLANS, PROSPECTS PREVIEWED
By Ashley Ludlow and Peter Tannenwald, CommLawBlog, December 28, 2015.
http://tinyurl.com/hdl3xzt
In addressing LPTV/translator future, FCC declines to loosen several
regulatory leashes. Low Power Television (LPTV) and TV translator
stations face a difficult and uncertain future in the post-incentive
auction context. Thanks to the auction (and the consequent spectrum
repack), the FCC will reduce the number of channels available for
television broadcasting -- perhaps eliminating for TV use all channels
above Channel 31. All full power and Class A stations will then be
repacked into the remaining channels based on computer programs that
disregard the existence or fate of LPTV/translators. LPTV/translator
operators have, not unexpectedly, loudly cried "foul" and two court
appeals are pending over their ultimate fate (via Neal McLain, Dec 29,
WTFDA gg via DXLD)
Thinking out loud here, what are the chances the FCC is going to get
sued big time by the owners of LPTV's and translator stations? Can the
FCC, as a Federal government entity, be sued AT ALL for anything they
do? Or are they exempt from lawsuits?
I'm not lobbying for those owners or groups, but just speculating such
a thing could *happen*, from a business owners perspective. I know the
WTFDA email list isn't a place for *political discussion*, but it
appears there are a lot of implications with the impending repacking.
It goes way beyond how we feel about it, in DXing terms (Jim Thomas,
Springfield, Missouri, ibid.)
Well, the House Republicans are suing the President over funding for
the ACA, and the District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled
that they have standing to sue. So I guess if you can sue to President
you can sue the FCC.
http://tinyurl.com/poehey6
(Neal McLain, ibid.)
The government is determined to destroy OTA television. Our local Fox
station is low power as is the Fox station in St. Joseph, Missouri. We
have a cabin in New Mexico [Eagle Nest] where all local non payTV
service is via translators. This incentive auction is getting worse
and worse (Dave Pomeroy, Topeka, Kansas, ibid.)
Here's a very good comprehensive analysis of DTV SS, SNR,aand MER -
http://www.aa6g.org/DTV/Noise/noise.html
When co-channel interference occurs, you decode nothing and see
nothing until one signal becomes at least 15.5 dB stronger than
competing signals. With FM radio a similar capture ratio phenomena
occurs, but it's only about 2 dB, compared to 15.5 dB on DTV, so co-
channel interference is a much greater problem on DTV than on FM.
With AM, such as the BC band, there is no capture area, and you hear
both or many stations if their SS [signal strength] are similar.
One type of co-channel interference is multipath where the same signal
is reflected and arrives multi-seconds later. If you have large
buildings or mountains, it's not unusual to have reflections that
amount to 1/10th or 1/20th of the power of the direct signal. That
1/10th or 1/20th power would be 10 dB or 13 dB weaker than the direct
signal, but you need a signal 15.5 stronger than all others in order
to decode and see anything, so even with a very strong direct signal,
the MER would be zero and you'd decode nothing. On the other hand, a
very weak signal may not be competing with any other co-channel
signals or multipath and have a MER of 100. Hope that helps (Doug K4LY
Allen, Inman, SC, Dec 27, ibid.)
INCENTIVE SPECTRUM AUXION
You've heard of the "Incentive Spectrum Auction" the FCC is planning
to bribe, er, I mean entice broadcasters to give up their lucrative
broadcast licenses so the FCC can sell that spectrum (that it doesn't
own!) to AT&T and Verizon so they can provide digital video streaming,
right? Well ---
Larry Russell points out the future of "Q-TV" from Delta College
(WDCQ RF 15/PSIP 19) is being debated. See THIS link for details.
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/12/delta_college_public_tv_spectr.html
At the same time, WKAR from East Lansing/MSU (RF 40/PSIP 23) is having
the same debate in a slightly different forum according to an email I
just received. See THIS link for details on that station.
http://wkar.org/post/pres-simon-future-wkar-tv-signal-be-determined-2016
Rumour is that CMU is having the same debate, but we don't have a link
for them, and we haven't heard anything about the Detroit or West
Michigan PBS stations yet. --- Anyone?
The 'experts' had predicted that the non-commercial stations would be
the ones that showed the most interest to being bribed, er 'selling'
their broadcast spectrum to the FCC, and apparently they were right.
Now follow me here, because this gets complicated. (And where is the
ACLU filing suit to stop this already!? They NEED to before it is too
late!)
The FCC will take this 'spectrum' they are "buying" from broadcasters
-- that neither the stations nor the FCC owned in the first place mind
you -- and "sell" it to one of the several "communications" companies
who donate lots of money to politicians and pay expensive lobbyists
(but almost no federal taxes I might add).
These companies will then take something that was *previously* owned
by the public (the radio spectrum) and which was supposed to be
administered for the public good by the FCC and, with the FCC
gleefully issuing its imprimatur, (and charging them for that
approval) sell it BACK to members of the public (remember, the public
owned it in the first place!) in the form of "wireless data services"
that will allow these sheep -- er, people to receive video when they
want it --- on spectrum previously used to provide video for people to
watch when they wanted to for free. And this is 'progress' and working
to get the public 'what it wants'. Clearly.
I am getting too old for this. Sounds like 'special interests' bribing
government to get a license to print money and pick the pocket of the
public to ME, but then, I've never been accused of being a 'shrinking
violet' when I see people acting badly and stealing from the public.
Sigh. -kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD)
BLACK & WHITE TVS STILL IN 9000+ UK HOMES
http://advanced-television.com/2015/12/29/black-white-tvs-still-in-9000-uk-homes/
Presumably analog(ue) sets with digital converters ...
(Kim Elliott, dxldyg via DXLD)
I suspect this must read: 9000+ homes claim that they still use B&W
sets, for the reason mentioned in the article. And nobody dares to
voice this suspicion officially.
When have the last full-size B&W TV sets, i.e. other than portable
dwarfs, been offered in western Europe? In East Germany they
disappeared in spring 1990, and they had been made until then only
because many people simply could not afford colour sets which cost the
equivalent of about 2000 Euro of current spending power.
Some of these last generation B&W TV sets could still be found in
little used rooms in recent years, stuffed away, not connected to
anything, away from cable nets and without any DVB boxes around, thus
with no signal source at hand anyway (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.)
Kai, I agree with you. These TV sets - if they are exist at all -
aren't used often. Maybe they are in a countryside cottage where
owners spend 1-2 days in a year as a vacation. Another possibility is
that collectors keeps them as a relic because of their aesthetic value
or the users are connected mentally to the TV sets e.g. "it served me
in my childhood some years ago". They hardly usable today even with
set-top boxes and this is not only true in the UK but here in Hungary,
a less wealthy part of Europe too (Tibor Gaal, ibid.)
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
SONY AN-LP1 ACTIVE LOOP ANTENNA and other loops
Greetings From Nevada! The holidaze here were somewhat fruitful in
that my wife got me a Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop antenna (apparently
still available on Amazon Prime for a decent price, who knew!). It's
been interesting to do side-by-side tests with the cheapie Kaito Loop.
I also bought a couple of DEGEN 31MS active loops direct from china on
Ebay for less than 20$ apiece purely for experimentation (as they are
identical to the cheapie Kaito Loop that I have been using for over a
year). You get what you pay for, of course (especially on Ebay), as
one of the units was not working, but easily repaired once I took it
apart (which I was planning to do anyway) and found a couple of solder
joints that weren't soldered at all on the main pot on the little
controller box.
So now (if you can picture this) I essentially have a small active
loop antenna in every window of the shack room (two windows face west
- of which can at least glimpse the western horizon; one window faces
south - that looks straight at another apartment building) and a
"Magic Wand" antenna hanging high on the western wall between the two
windows. Not to mention the wire threading through the south window
that connects to a rain gutter high on the south side of the building.
So now I've got some testing to do (which should keep me busy for a
while).
My first curiosity was the comparison of Sony active MagLoop with the
now-very-familiar cheapie Kaito. So I went about comparing signals
with both on various bands. The Sony has some sort of optional RFI
filter of which I found to be ineffective in reducing noise, in fact
on the higher bands (25m and above) it seemed to actually raise the
noise floor a bit so I removed it for the comparison (maybe my RFI
problems aren't as bad as I'd feared?).
So 49m and below it was pretty much a toss up between the Sony and the
Kaito. The Sony seemed to have a higher noise floor overall, but
signals were just as readable, so I'd guess it just has a little
higher gain amplifier (on these bands). Below 60m are about the only
bands where I might use the Rain Gutter antenna any more; the noise is
horrible on on all the antennas here in my ground floor apartment and
the gutter seems to get the most signal above that noise generally
(but not always, of course).
On 41m the Kaito still beats out everything else I have, even the more
expensive Sony. Lower noise and greater S/N ratio makes the weak
signals more readable. On 31m it was another toss-up but the Sony
seemed to edge-out the Kaito, and although it still seemed a little
noisier, the singals seemed slightly stronger and clearer. 25m and
above, the Magic Wand combined with the MFJ-1020C preselector still
seems to be unbeatable with the Kaito coming in second, the Sony
third. But as I keep changing antennas to make signals more readable
I'm sure I'll develop a favorite antenna for each band. I'm also
noticing differences between the Kaito facing West (Probably directed
N/S) and a DEGEN 31MS (exact same as the Kaito KA33) facing South
(Probably directed E/W) so I will continue to tinker with all of
these. Where will all this lead? Well, I think I see a Wellbrook Loop
in my future. 73s (Rodney Johnson, NV, http://swldx.tumblr.com/ dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
AM BROADCASTERS AFFECTED BY RFI ISSUES
From Radio World:
AFCCE Symposium Examines AM Broadcast Band Woes. AM broadcasters are
calling upon the FCC to help reduce man-made RFI, which is negatively
impacting their businesses.
http://www.radioworld.com/article/afcce-symposium-examines-am-broadcast-band-woes/273098
Pressure like this can only help. But the reality is that electronics
manufacturers, power companies, and similar industries all employ
highly-paid lobbyists making regulation and oversight difficult for
the FCC to pursue.
DXing from my neighborhood has become so bad that I'm seriously
considering portable operation using SDR's to record TOH's in radio-
quiet locations as the only viable means of continuing in the hobby.
RFI comes from every house, including my own despite intensive efforts
to reduce or eliminate it. -- 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, Maylene, AL
EM63, Dec 30, NRC-AM via DXLD)
PROPAGATION
+++++++++++
:Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2015 Dec 28 0317 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction
Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 21 - 27 December 2015
Solar activity ranged from low to moderate levels (R1-Minor) with
low activity observed on 25, 26, and 27 Dec, and moderate activity
observed on 21, 22, 23, and 24 Dec. The majority of the flare
activity occurred from Regions 2472 and 2473. Region 2472 (N04,
L=331, class/area Dai/170 on 23 Dec) produced an M2/Sf at 21/0103
UTC and an M1/1n at 21/1014 UTC before decaying. Region 2473 (S22,
L-331, class/area Fkc/590 on 26 Dec), the largest region on the
disk, produced an M1/Sf at 22/0341 UTC, an M4/1f at 23/0040 UTC, and
an M1 at 24/0212 UTC. Multiple eruptions were observed in
coronagraph imagery, but all were directed off the east limb and
none were geoeffective.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater
than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to high
levels through the entire week 21 December - 27 December.
Geomagnetic field activity reached G1 (Minor) to G2 (Moderate) storm
levels early on 21 Dec due to effects from a CME that erupted on 16
Dec. G2 storm condtions were observed from 21/0000-0600 UTC, with G1
storm conditions occurring in the 21/0600-0900 UTC synoptic period.
Solar wind parameters at the ACE spacecraft were enhanced with Bt
reaching as high as 18 nT and prolonged periods of southward
magnetic field (-Bz). An isolated period of active conditions was
observed early on 22 Dec due to lingering CME effects. Active
conditions occurred late on 23 Dec due to weak substorming. Quiet to
unsettled conditions were observed on 24, 25, and 27 Dec. The
geomagnetic field reached G1 (Minor) storm conditions late on 26 Dec
(26/2100-2359 UTC) due to a negative polarity coronal hole high
speed stream (CH HSS).
FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 28 DEC 2015 - 23 JAN 2016
Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels
(R1-Minor) throughout the period. Moderate activity is likely
through 03 Jan as Regions 2472 (N04, L=329) and 2473 (S22, L=332)
rotate off the disk. Low activity levels are expected on 04-23 Jan
with moderate activity possible on 15-23 Jan as Regions 2472 and
2473 rotate back onto the visible side of the disk.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is
expected to be at moderate to high levels on 28 Dec - 12 Jan in
response to coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) effects. Normal
to moderate levels are expected on 13-23 Jan.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at active levels on 01,
03 Jan with G1 (Minor) storm conditions on 02 Jan due to a positive
polarity CH HSS. G1 storm conditions are likely again on 06 Jan with
active levels following on 07 Jan due to a positve polarity CH HSS.
10 and 11 Jan are likely to see G1 storm and active conditions,
respectively due to a negative polarity CH HSS. Generally quiet to
unsettled conditions are expected from 13-23 Jan.
:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2015 Dec 28 0317 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction
Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2015-12-28
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2015 Dec 28 110 12 3
2015 Dec 29 110 10 3
2015 Dec 30 110 10 3
2015 Dec 31 115 8 3
2016 Jan 01 115 15 4
2016 Jan 02 115 25 5
2016 Jan 03 110 18 4
2016 Jan 04 105 12 3
2016 Jan 05 105 8 3
2016 Jan 06 105 20 5
2016 Jan 07 110 18 4
2016 Jan 08 110 12 4
2016 Jan 09 110 10 3
2016 Jan 10 110 20 5
2016 Jan 11 110 18 4
2016 Jan 12 110 10 3
2016 Jan 13 105 5 2
2016 Jan 14 105 5 2
2016 Jan 15 110 5 2
2016 Jan 16 115 5 2
2016 Jan 17 115 5 2
2016 Jan 18 115 5 2
2016 Jan 19 115 5 2
2016 Jan 20 115 5 2
2016 Jan 21 110 10 3
2016 Jan 22 110 15 3
2016 Jan 23 110 10 3
(SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1806, DXLD)
BIG SUNSPOT ERUPTS
http://www.spaceweather.com/
December 30, 2015
SUNSPOT ERUPTS, HURLS CME TOWARD EARTH: After several days of pent-up
quiet, big sunspot AR2473 erupted on Dec. 28th (12:49 UT), producing a
slow but powerful M1.9-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics
Observatory recorded the blast's extreme ultraviolet glow:
For more than an hour, UV radiation from the flare bathed the top of
Earth's atmosphere, ionizing atoms and molecules. This, in turn,
disrupted the normal propagation of shortwave radio signals on the
dayside of our planet. A NOAA blackout map shows the affected area.
Ham radio operators, mariners and aviators in South America, Africa
and the south Atlantic Ocean may have noticed fades and blackouts of
transmissions below 20 MHz.
The slow explosion also produced a coronal mass ejection (CME). Images
from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) show a ragged,
full-halo CME heading almost directly toward Earth:
NOAA analysts have modeled this CME, and they say it could reach Earth
as early as Dec. 30th, with a 60% chance of polar geomagnetic storms
when the CME arrives. Maximum storm levels are expected to be in the
range G1 to G2.
Sunspot AR2473 has an unstable 'beta-delta' magnetic field that could
explode again in the hours ahead. NOAA forecasters estimate a 50%
chance of additional M-class flares and a 10% chance of X-flares on
Dec. 29th. Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ###