** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, 7435 had somewhat improved modulation January 1 compared to December 31 when it was extremely distorted. Jan 1 at 2217 check, still low-fidelity during rock music, with only the lower audio frequencies passing, but not very distorted (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. Once again, the CBCNQ Service transmitter on 9625 is way out of whack: Jan 1 at 2222, found R. Exterior de España, 9640, which is normally a loud and clear signal, suffering ratchy interference from off-frequency extremely distorted FMing spur which also ranged from 9635 to 9650. Absolutely nothing, not even a carrier, could be detected on 9625. At 2229 I was able to tell that the spur was speaking English, heard year 2008 mentioned. At 2239 with BFO on I could detect a weak carrier among the mess on 9637, now spreading 9633 to 9650, stepping kHz-by-kHz on the YB-400. Next check at 2315, REE 9640 had closed down, and now the spur was interfering with two weaker stations on 9635 and 9645, presumably Chile and Brasil.
This transmitter has gone in and out of whack several times in the last weeks. When this happens, the signal is completely useless, cannot possibly be understood in the target area, and serves only to put severe interference on other stations.
Later: RCI Sackville tell me they are diligently working on the 9625 transmitter problem, but it has to be on the air in order to troubleshoot. Meanwhile it was back in whack at 1453 Jan 2, if not exactly back on frequency 9625, producing a rumbling lo het with BBC and/or Channel Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 8400 still bearing Firedrake, at 1451 check Jan 2 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. The big day has arrived: the fiftieth anniversary of the triumph of the revolution. I figured there would be something special on RHC, and there was, tuned in Jan 1 at 2320 on 9820, the Mesa Redonda special frequency, a live rally from Santiago including speeches, songs, ID as Cadena Nacional de Radio; the `acto central` apparently the première of a new film about the revolution. This was no doubt on many different domestic networks too. Found // on Rebelde, 5025 with best signal, also weaker RHC on 11760-echo, 6000, 11690, 13760, 6180; and at 2342 also on 9600 while 9550 was in English as usual. I then brought up the Cubavisión webcast, but it was so jerky I kept the separate Rebelde webcast going for the audio. 5-star general Raúl Castro Ruz began his big speech just before 0000, continued past 0030, and he became a stationary object on the ever-buffering video. Wrapped up at 0038 and back to regular programming.
RHC again running way past nominal sign off of 0700 for English, still going at 0724 Jan 2 on 6000, but not 6060 or 6140, `Ed Newman` with year-end summary of USA woes. Why not let the transmitter op snooze? It`s before midnight in the PST, AST and HST zones (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. Again ran across that Cuban exile ham who pontificates in Spanish with anti-communist polemix, on 7210.0 SSB, Jan 2 at 1434. This time I caught his call, N1NR, and he was in contact with W4NNN, I think, but never a trace of the latter, who was either imaginary or duplex on a different unfound frequency as I later tuned around 40m.
Initial subject was whether glasses were half-full or half-empty. This really sounds like a one-way broadcast, just like you might hear on Radio República or Radio Martí. ARRL lookup shows N1NR is: ROIG, NELSON, N1NR (Extra), 41 PHEASANT RUN, BUSHKILL, PA 18324, Previous call sign: WQ3N. And W4NNN is: CARTER, ROBERT V, W4NNN (Extra), 2595 ABBEY RIDGE RD SW, CONYERS, GA 30094 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KURDISTAN [non]. V. of Mesopotamia has extended another hour on 11530 in 2009y, as predicted in Aoki, instead of closing at 1400, still going at 1456 check with ME singing, but audio breaking up. That quintuples its audible time after WYFR closes at 1345. This station is suspected of being pro-Commie, as Al Muick heard them playing the Internationale at another time. Presumably the other frequency via Ukraine, 7540, now opens at 1500 instead of 1400. Yes, sunsets are about to get later, but this is jumping the gun, propagationally (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
** CANADA. Once again, the CBCNQ Service transmitter on 9625 is way out of whack: Jan 1 at 2222, found R. Exterior de España, 9640, which is normally a loud and clear signal, suffering ratchy interference from off-frequency extremely distorted FMing spur which also ranged from 9635 to 9650. Absolutely nothing, not even a carrier, could be detected on 9625. At 2229 I was able to tell that the spur was speaking English, heard year 2008 mentioned. At 2239 with BFO on I could detect a weak carrier among the mess on 9637, now spreading 9633 to 9650, stepping kHz-by-kHz on the YB-400. Next check at 2315, REE 9640 had closed down, and now the spur was interfering with two weaker stations on 9635 and 9645, presumably Chile and Brasil.
This transmitter has gone in and out of whack several times in the last weeks. When this happens, the signal is completely useless, cannot possibly be understood in the target area, and serves only to put severe interference on other stations.
Later: RCI Sackville tell me they are diligently working on the 9625 transmitter problem, but it has to be on the air in order to troubleshoot. Meanwhile it was back in whack at 1453 Jan 2, if not exactly back on frequency 9625, producing a rumbling lo het with BBC and/or Channel Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 8400 still bearing Firedrake, at 1451 check Jan 2 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. The big day has arrived: the fiftieth anniversary of the triumph of the revolution. I figured there would be something special on RHC, and there was, tuned in Jan 1 at 2320 on 9820, the Mesa Redonda special frequency, a live rally from Santiago including speeches, songs, ID as Cadena Nacional de Radio; the `acto central` apparently the première of a new film about the revolution. This was no doubt on many different domestic networks too. Found // on Rebelde, 5025 with best signal, also weaker RHC on 11760-echo, 6000, 11690, 13760, 6180; and at 2342 also on 9600 while 9550 was in English as usual. I then brought up the Cubavisión webcast, but it was so jerky I kept the separate Rebelde webcast going for the audio. 5-star general Raúl Castro Ruz began his big speech just before 0000, continued past 0030, and he became a stationary object on the ever-buffering video. Wrapped up at 0038 and back to regular programming.
RHC again running way past nominal sign off of 0700 for English, still going at 0724 Jan 2 on 6000, but not 6060 or 6140, `Ed Newman` with year-end summary of USA woes. Why not let the transmitter op snooze? It`s before midnight in the PST, AST and HST zones (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. Again ran across that Cuban exile ham who pontificates in Spanish with anti-communist polemix, on 7210.0 SSB, Jan 2 at 1434. This time I caught his call, N1NR, and he was in contact with W4NNN, I think, but never a trace of the latter, who was either imaginary or duplex on a different unfound frequency as I later tuned around 40m.
Initial subject was whether glasses were half-full or half-empty. This really sounds like a one-way broadcast, just like you might hear on Radio República or Radio Martí. ARRL lookup shows N1NR is: ROIG, NELSON, N1NR (Extra), 41 PHEASANT RUN, BUSHKILL, PA 18324, Previous call sign: WQ3N. And W4NNN is: CARTER, ROBERT V, W4NNN (Extra), 2595 ABBEY RIDGE RD SW, CONYERS, GA 30094 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KURDISTAN [non]. V. of Mesopotamia has extended another hour on 11530 in 2009y, as predicted in Aoki, instead of closing at 1400, still going at 1456 check with ME singing, but audio breaking up. That quintuples its audible time after WYFR closes at 1345. This station is suspected of being pro-Commie, as Al Muick heard them playing the Internationale at another time. Presumably the other frequency via Ukraine, 7540, now opens at 1500 instead of 1400. Yes, sunsets are about to get later, but this is jumping the gun, propagationally (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
