venerdì 13 marzo 2009

Glenn Hauser logs March 13, 2009 (more)

** BIAFRA [non]. Confirming time shift for V. of Biafra International, which had been at 20-21 UT Fridays only via WHRI 15665: March 13 checked before 2000 in case it shifted earlier as would normally happen due to local DST, but nothing there. Nor after 2000. But at 2103 opening exercises in progress, mezzo-soprano singing God Bless Africa, and at 2110 The Orator with VOBI, Washington DC, ID in English, then into Ibo for a while. Sufficient but not very strong signal. So this is now airing at 21-22 UT Fridays. Probably same transmitter as used by 11785 other days of the week, where also heard with regular English gospel huxters in the hour before 2100 this day (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. KVOH, 17775, ditto my report of March 5, again putting out hefty filthy spurs at multiples of 144 kHz plus and minus, March 13 at 2013, strongest on 17631 and 17919, also audible considerably weaker on 18063 and 17487, but not heard on 3x and 4x 144 kHz further out, tho they might have been if I had turned off a noisy computer. 17775 fundamental was also somewhat distorted. However at 2106 recheck could not hear the spurs, luckily for RFI 17630, tho 17775 was still audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. I believe I have heard WWCR via long path, i.e. some 39 megameters away. At 2017 March 13, 13845 PMS/DGS service had extremely heavy echo, i.e. the echo was almost as strong as the direct signal, and relatively quite a long delay. In round figures, the LP is 38 Mm longer than the SP, so the computed delay is 38/300 = 0.1267 second, or approximately one eighth of a second, which I bet would be confirmed if I had a way to measure it. I know it`s possible for 13 MHz to hold up thru the darkside, since I often hear R. Australia there when it is the middle of the night here, including 14 hours earlier. The direct signal from 13845 is usually borderline here due to skip zone, and this was still the case; if it were very strong it would obscure the echo if there were any.

Compared to other WWCR frequencies at same time: 15825 fair with a much quicker echo, like a reverb, which is what you would expect from backscatter, i.e. coming back from the first reflexion point eastward from Nashville, rather than all the way around the world. 12160 had a good signal, no echoes, tho occasional audio dropouts during program discussing Islam, which according to the program schedule at
http://www.wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.html
on Fridays at 3-4 on CT us called ``Warning``. According to the program website, the guest was ``Walid Shoebat, Ex-Muslim Terrorist``. Disregard the incorrect UT time conversions as if TN were still on UT -6 instead of UT -5.

Back on 15825, the Friday airing of World of Radio 1451 started late at 2030:35 after a late-running preacher, making me apprehensive that I might be cut off at the end, but WWCR was paying attention and let WOR play to completion at 2059:20 before starting the frequency change announcement to 7465, an exercise which has been compacted (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. Rechecked WBCQ for WinterFest coverage on 9330, Friday March 13 at 2025, but it was too weak, at least without turning off computer. Could tell it was more on USB than LSB, and sounded like someone off-mike speaking in a forum, with co-channel QRM, possibly Syria. Meanwhile 15420 was VG with preacher, and 7415 somewhat better than 9330; after 2100, 7415 with Behavior Night, old record show, but one UT hour earlier now and noisy, so we shall have to rely on webcast more and more for that as solstice comes on, likewise Marion`s Attic 24 hours later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. Very strong signal from Greenville on 15185, splattering even upon WYFR-Ascension 15195, March 13 at 2033 playing great hilife music. Hmm, strange to have music instead of news at the start of VOA`s M-F 2030-2100 Hausa service as per previous logs and schedule at
http://www.voanews.com/english/about/frequenciesAtoZ_h.cfm

Oh, oh, it`s not Hausa, but the English service to Africa, in ``The Africa Beat`` show as per DJ announcements, and // frequency which really is supposed to be in English, currently via Bonaire, 11975 tho a reverb apart; most of the lyrix unseemed English; at 2050 heard ``Africa Numéro Un`` mentioned in a song which also unseemed French. 2052 outroed as having originated in the DRCongo. Vocals on some of these were electronically altered for a yodeling effect, not something easily accomplished in the jungle.

Ladysmith music interrupted at 2059:30 for VOA sign-off in English. So the poor Hausans (surely not Hausers?) have lost their broadcast due to a feed mixup somewhere along the line at VOA. Geez, what a mickey-mouse operation; can`t even get the correct languages on the air according to their own schedule. And:

Have been intending to check VOA Creole service this week since DST began, to confirm whether or not it has moved one UT hour earlier as usual despite the fact that there is no DST in target Haïti. I did notice one day that it was missing after 2200. Yes! Finally noted March 13 at 2100 with strong signal in Kriyol on 15390 // 11890*, but unfound on any 13 MHz band frequency, nor in a quick scan of other bands 9-17 MHz.

VOA language schedule website for ``C`` at
http://www.voanews.com/english/about/frequenciesAtoZ_c.cfm
claims this is still at 2200-2230 on 11895*, 13725 and 15390. Par for the course. Likely the other two Creole transmissions are also one hour earlier for the convenience of Washingtonians, not Haitians, at 1130 M-F and 1630 daily, instead of 1230 and 1730, 15390 being the only channel common to all of them, if there have not been further unlisted frequency changes too (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 7887-AM, 5-digit YL Spanish spy numbers, sufficient signal March 13 at 2028 repeating 50651 several times, then into other groups starting with 83424 and 76281 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###