** AUSTRALIA. 9475, Jan 17 at 0708 English discussion of PINs, ATMs, apparently the Innovation show. Did not realize RA started this early on frequency, but indeed 9475 scheduled from 0700 and a good thing it is, tho 329 degrees from Shep, nowhere near USward: not // 9660 and 9710, the latter split off for stupid ballgame coverage on a Sunday afternoon (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COSTA RICA. 15170, REE at 1323 Jan 17 talking about Chile, Ukraine, in Spanish with good modulation for a change. I wonder if this means one of the new transmitters is now in operation? It`s also DRM-capable, so watch out next season. Strangely, no co-channel audible from RRI in Romanian, tho should be on; it was colliding after 1400, however. REE // 15125 also CR relay considerably weaker (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. RHC missing from 6140, Jan 17 at 0650 so we can`t know if it would have been in Spanish or English this time. At 0700 surprised to hear RHC opening Esperanto on 6110 as I tuned by looking for XEQM, much weaker than Spanish on 6120, but I think this time, 6110 was receiver overload, as it appeared to go away with attenuation.
But it could have been a leapfrog mix, as both 6010 and 6060 were still on with that weekly language. Soon they announced schedule for Esperanto starting with ``6000`` at 0700 Sundays, so the speakers haven`t a clue about the frequencies they are really on and did not attempt to copy the rest of it.
At 0730, 6010 and 6060 went right back to RHC English, with ``news`` item saying ``allegedly`` to raise doubts about US relief to Haiti: could it be that the US is using this as an excuse to take over another country? Yeah, sure, just what we need. Always a negative spin on the US from RHC: now what is Cuba doing to help Haiti? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. R. Martí confirmed with the ``Arte Latino`` show at another time it appears on their unreliable program grid: Sat 2130. At least, that was the show in progress at 2150 Jan 16 on 13820, about a Nicaraguan, 2151 brief produxion credits for that segment and on to another about Tico Valdés, 10.1.21-26.6.95, of sonora matancera fame. Also on 11930 and 9565, but much better on 13820 due to signal vs. jamming level (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526, VOI in English Jan 17 at 1316, YL with an historical talk concerning the 1930s, undermodulated, but at least the English hour still exists (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6104.8, XEQM, 0637 Jan 17, DJ a YL for a change on this UT Sunday, including live TCs, phone number, taking a call-in putting listener on air, feedback but good signal, soon fading down (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. 9670, Jan 17 from tune-in at 1257 a story was being told in English, but cut off incomplete at 1258*. What in the world was that? Aoki soon provides the answer:
9670 R. NEDERLAND 1230-1257 1234567 Dutch 250 267 Tinian Island MRA
So it is yet another case of non-coördination between program feed and transmitter, as we have heard before via IBB NMI and Philippines: RN feed in Dutch ends at 1257, and then switches to English, but they leave the transmitter on one minute longer, not caring what may be modulating it. Must add RN`s one-minute English service to schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 6090-, Jan 17 at 0638, Anguilla off, uncovering big but distorted signal from assertive speaker in African language. Has to be R. Nigeria, Kaduna, probably in Hausa. Slightly off-frequency to the low side compared to MW 1090 on the FRG-7, and with BFO on, at least one more carrier nearby, probably Bandeirantes/Brasil making lo het. This is the rumble we normally hear under DGS/PMS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 9660, Sunday Jan 17 at 1320 RRI in German discussing QSLs, good signal as usual, since altho obviously destined for nearby German-speaking countries, it`s on a 307 degree azimuth from Tiganeshti, exactly the same as for North America a bit further on. How about the vertical takeoff angles --- do they make the same azimuth steeper when serving Europe instead of North America? Unseems so due to consistently good signals here on Euro transmissions.
Since VOA Creole has been expanded a semihour on weekdays until 1330, this will produce a collision on 9660, whereas before, VOA went off before RRI went on. I suppose Greenville can override RRI in Haiti, but it`s not a pretty scenario. The new VOA Creole // at 1230-1330 M-F is Bonaire on 6135 which should be in the clear altho I have not yet heard it. BTW, if there were any weekend when a little overtime would be justified to keep the Creole service going daily, this is it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 9410, BBCWS in English via WHRI, Sunday Jan 17 at 1254 with Newshour discussion of US politix, ending at 1256 in time for a sports capsule. The 12-13 hour M-F had been the only BBC Spanish left on SW, but after the earthquake, it was announced that BBC was switching this transmission to English, expanded also to weekends, and // 11860 via Guiana French.
A contradictory report said the hour would be partly in Spanish and French (not Kriyol, but close enough?), but this is the first time I have monitored early enough to hear any of it. Has anyone noted French on this? Seems to me that breaking up Newshour to insert other languages would be inconvenient, but do the Haitians really need to hear about US politix in English at the moment, let alone cricket or rugby? Anyhow, this change takes care of any chance to hear DXing with Cumbre where it used to appear at 1200.
Speaking of rugby, that`s what ``Invictus`` is about, secondarily Mandela; be warned, tho still a good movie. According to this tale, black and white South Africans` passion for the stupid violent ballgame made it a significant factor in overcoming racial tensions, enhancing national pride and unity, and getting Mandela off to a good start as leader (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. VOA Creole service: see ROMANIA [and non]
** U S A. 5070, WWCR generally holds up with large signal at night, but Jan 17 at 0643 it was weakening, non-solid as `skip was long` and/or MUF was low over path from Nashville during talk show discussing CES Las Vegas. Not much was making it on 7, 9 or 11 MHz either, except Australia 9660, and New Zealand 11725 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WYFR has added a bit of reverb to Brother Camping`s audio, so now he sounds like he`s at the bottom of a barrel, which is appropriate considering the nonsense he spews: same sound on // 5950, 6915, 7455 at 0713 Jan 17, all with VG signals. I`m afraid this makes him no more hip, but may appeal to those easily impressed by reverb (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 2366 kHz, ``LSA`` longwave beacon from Lamesa TX again audible on seventh harmonic of 338 kHz, Jan 17 at 1305, the Symban-spoiler. VL8 carriers were barely audible at 1314 on 2310, 2325, 2485, so no chance for Symban here anyway. Altho it`s A2 with continuous carrier and modulated Morse code, as heard on 2366 the LSA keying was negative, as I kept trying to position the BFO to make it positive. So weak that BFO essential to make it audible at all vs noise level. Could not detect it on x 9 = 3042. I have no doubt I am hearing this propagated seventh harmonic but am curious why no one else has reported it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. ``Aló, Presidente`` finally nominal Sunday Jan 17 at 1715 check via CUBA: on all five scheduled frequencies, arranged here from strongest to weakest: 13750, 12010, 17750, 11690, 13680. El Hugazo pontificating. Meanwhile RHC itself with music on 11760, et al. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
** COSTA RICA. 15170, REE at 1323 Jan 17 talking about Chile, Ukraine, in Spanish with good modulation for a change. I wonder if this means one of the new transmitters is now in operation? It`s also DRM-capable, so watch out next season. Strangely, no co-channel audible from RRI in Romanian, tho should be on; it was colliding after 1400, however. REE // 15125 also CR relay considerably weaker (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. RHC missing from 6140, Jan 17 at 0650 so we can`t know if it would have been in Spanish or English this time. At 0700 surprised to hear RHC opening Esperanto on 6110 as I tuned by looking for XEQM, much weaker than Spanish on 6120, but I think this time, 6110 was receiver overload, as it appeared to go away with attenuation.
But it could have been a leapfrog mix, as both 6010 and 6060 were still on with that weekly language. Soon they announced schedule for Esperanto starting with ``6000`` at 0700 Sundays, so the speakers haven`t a clue about the frequencies they are really on and did not attempt to copy the rest of it.
At 0730, 6010 and 6060 went right back to RHC English, with ``news`` item saying ``allegedly`` to raise doubts about US relief to Haiti: could it be that the US is using this as an excuse to take over another country? Yeah, sure, just what we need. Always a negative spin on the US from RHC: now what is Cuba doing to help Haiti? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. R. Martí confirmed with the ``Arte Latino`` show at another time it appears on their unreliable program grid: Sat 2130. At least, that was the show in progress at 2150 Jan 16 on 13820, about a Nicaraguan, 2151 brief produxion credits for that segment and on to another about Tico Valdés, 10.1.21-26.6.95, of sonora matancera fame. Also on 11930 and 9565, but much better on 13820 due to signal vs. jamming level (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526, VOI in English Jan 17 at 1316, YL with an historical talk concerning the 1930s, undermodulated, but at least the English hour still exists (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6104.8, XEQM, 0637 Jan 17, DJ a YL for a change on this UT Sunday, including live TCs, phone number, taking a call-in putting listener on air, feedback but good signal, soon fading down (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. 9670, Jan 17 from tune-in at 1257 a story was being told in English, but cut off incomplete at 1258*. What in the world was that? Aoki soon provides the answer:
9670 R. NEDERLAND 1230-1257 1234567 Dutch 250 267 Tinian Island MRA
So it is yet another case of non-coördination between program feed and transmitter, as we have heard before via IBB NMI and Philippines: RN feed in Dutch ends at 1257, and then switches to English, but they leave the transmitter on one minute longer, not caring what may be modulating it. Must add RN`s one-minute English service to schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 6090-, Jan 17 at 0638, Anguilla off, uncovering big but distorted signal from assertive speaker in African language. Has to be R. Nigeria, Kaduna, probably in Hausa. Slightly off-frequency to the low side compared to MW 1090 on the FRG-7, and with BFO on, at least one more carrier nearby, probably Bandeirantes/Brasil making lo het. This is the rumble we normally hear under DGS/PMS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 9660, Sunday Jan 17 at 1320 RRI in German discussing QSLs, good signal as usual, since altho obviously destined for nearby German-speaking countries, it`s on a 307 degree azimuth from Tiganeshti, exactly the same as for North America a bit further on. How about the vertical takeoff angles --- do they make the same azimuth steeper when serving Europe instead of North America? Unseems so due to consistently good signals here on Euro transmissions.
Since VOA Creole has been expanded a semihour on weekdays until 1330, this will produce a collision on 9660, whereas before, VOA went off before RRI went on. I suppose Greenville can override RRI in Haiti, but it`s not a pretty scenario. The new VOA Creole // at 1230-1330 M-F is Bonaire on 6135 which should be in the clear altho I have not yet heard it. BTW, if there were any weekend when a little overtime would be justified to keep the Creole service going daily, this is it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 9410, BBCWS in English via WHRI, Sunday Jan 17 at 1254 with Newshour discussion of US politix, ending at 1256 in time for a sports capsule. The 12-13 hour M-F had been the only BBC Spanish left on SW, but after the earthquake, it was announced that BBC was switching this transmission to English, expanded also to weekends, and // 11860 via Guiana French.
A contradictory report said the hour would be partly in Spanish and French (not Kriyol, but close enough?), but this is the first time I have monitored early enough to hear any of it. Has anyone noted French on this? Seems to me that breaking up Newshour to insert other languages would be inconvenient, but do the Haitians really need to hear about US politix in English at the moment, let alone cricket or rugby? Anyhow, this change takes care of any chance to hear DXing with Cumbre where it used to appear at 1200.
Speaking of rugby, that`s what ``Invictus`` is about, secondarily Mandela; be warned, tho still a good movie. According to this tale, black and white South Africans` passion for the stupid violent ballgame made it a significant factor in overcoming racial tensions, enhancing national pride and unity, and getting Mandela off to a good start as leader (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. VOA Creole service: see ROMANIA [and non]
** U S A. 5070, WWCR generally holds up with large signal at night, but Jan 17 at 0643 it was weakening, non-solid as `skip was long` and/or MUF was low over path from Nashville during talk show discussing CES Las Vegas. Not much was making it on 7, 9 or 11 MHz either, except Australia 9660, and New Zealand 11725 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WYFR has added a bit of reverb to Brother Camping`s audio, so now he sounds like he`s at the bottom of a barrel, which is appropriate considering the nonsense he spews: same sound on // 5950, 6915, 7455 at 0713 Jan 17, all with VG signals. I`m afraid this makes him no more hip, but may appeal to those easily impressed by reverb (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 2366 kHz, ``LSA`` longwave beacon from Lamesa TX again audible on seventh harmonic of 338 kHz, Jan 17 at 1305, the Symban-spoiler. VL8 carriers were barely audible at 1314 on 2310, 2325, 2485, so no chance for Symban here anyway. Altho it`s A2 with continuous carrier and modulated Morse code, as heard on 2366 the LSA keying was negative, as I kept trying to position the BFO to make it positive. So weak that BFO essential to make it audible at all vs noise level. Could not detect it on x 9 = 3042. I have no doubt I am hearing this propagated seventh harmonic but am curious why no one else has reported it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. ``Aló, Presidente`` finally nominal Sunday Jan 17 at 1715 check via CUBA: on all five scheduled frequencies, arranged here from strongest to weakest: 13750, 12010, 17750, 11690, 13680. El Hugazo pontificating. Meanwhile RHC itself with music on 11760, et al. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
