** CHINA [and non]. Firedrake Feb 3: at 1403, open carrier on 8400, and music modulation resumed at 1404:40 tho not at the level I expected for strength of carrier. Nothing audible on 9000, 10210, 11300 or vicinity.
After a few days of not checking for the mystery Firedrake on 7585, did so Feb 3 at 1452 and there it is, better than 8400, and something weak detectable underneath. Still nothing listed in Aoki except Vatican via Tajikistan in S Asian languages 1430-1550 (Sunday -1558), with Tamil at 1450-1510.
Why would the ChiCom be jamming Vatican in such languages? There could be something more sinister before 1430 on 7585 but I haven`t noticed it or any jamming that early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. DCJC pulsing on 11600 against nothing, Feb 3 at 0610, while RHC had VG signal on 11760. At 0620 looked for other Cuban jammers against nothing, and found them on 11930, 9955 and 9565.
But jamming against something, 5745, Feb 3 at 1354 as R. Martí is still running there until 1400, and could be heard underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: Marti
** CYPRUS. OTH Radar pulsing, presumed from here, but could be from somewhere else in Eurasia, Feb 3 at 1423 from 15450 to 15475. No broadcasters audibly affected here tho several are listed. Please get this noise OUT of the broadcast bands! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI in Indo/Malay, Feb 3 at 1408, but cut off the air at 1409* before I could check the frequency for sure. Atsunori Ishida has updated his Indonesian monitoring page
http://www.max.hi-ho.ne.jp/a-ishida/ins/
and also had them in Indonesian past 1400 on Jan 26, 28 and 30, until unknown closing. I heard RRI continuing on 9680 with Indonesian pop songs at 1412 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. 7140, Feb 3 at 0700 with VOK IS and anthem, poor, but better than Guinea 7125. Aoki shows this as 200 kW, non-direxional from Kujang site at 0700-0757 among many other times, from an outlaw nation continuing to intrude in the hamband (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Since WWCR was inbooming on 15825 the morning of Feb 3, at 1419 and 1528 UT chex, I knew there was a sporadic E opening (and other off-season ones had been reported the last few days by WTFDA monitors). So as soon as I could, connected my VHF antenna directly to analog TV set on channel 2. Signs of activity, but only a few brief fade-ins at 1612, 1640 and 1651 UT. At 1640 there was YL talkshow in Spanish; at 1651 promo for ``Info 7``, i.e. the Azteca-7 network from somewhere in Mexico.
Unfortunately that`s not enough to go on, since on channel 2 according to http://www.w9wi.com/channels/2.html
there are five full-power Azteca 7 relays, 10 but mostly 100 kW, in Campeche, BCN, Chihuahua, Durango and Tamaulipas plus one low-power 1.5 kW in Sinaloa. Campeche is the most likely here, then Tampico, as the opening was only affecting the eastern part per the 6-meter DX map showing at the time via
http://www.vhfdx.net/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&Map=NA
In fact the main Es patch the last time I looked was over northern Alabama, no good for Mexico from here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA [and non]. 6075, R. Rossii, Pet/Kam, Feb 3 at 1357 tune-in to check for 8GAL three minutes later; see UNIDENTIFIED 6074. This RR transmitter is again in very bad shape with severe motorboating; that is, unstable carrier producing noise against its own modulation even without BFO on. Who would want to listen to that for content? With BFO on, too unstable to zero-beat, but heard a few IDs in passing, mixed with music until timesignal 5 seconds late at 1400 and carrier stayed on another minute.
After it and 8GAL were finished, could still detect a very weak carrier on 6075, much weaker than CFRX 6070 and Australia 6080. Aoki no longer shows any Taiwan on this frequency, and consequently no jamming. However, there is CRI Urdu via Kashgar, East Turkistan, somewhat more likely than DW via Woofferton at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. Since the Buzzing Service was fixed on February 2, I was eager to hear how 15435 would sound on Feb 3. At 1500, Arabic talk heavily marred by pulsing carrier shifts plus hum. Several times per second irregularly we would hear chirps. With BFO on, it seems the transmitter is putting out spurious carriers a kHz or two off main channel, interfering with it. Fortunately this does not cover the entire 19m band, like the buzz did, but only bleed up to 15450, neatly meeting the OTH radar pulses (see CYPRUS); and not significantly downward from 15435.
With or without BFO on, the chirps now sound like video game SFX, denoting gunfire! What a way to exhibit piety in the Moslem world, as Qur`an starts at 1502. At 1509 all we can hear are the sound effects. By 1532 the chirps have stopped so we can hear some intentional Arabic. The BSKSA engineers are obviously finally working on this transmitter, trying to get it into whack, but not yet very successfully. Never a dull moment on 19m in the mornings (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15385, Feb 3 at 1533 some beautiful a cappella harmonies by YL singer, then joined by a trio? Or choir. Hard to place language, but not Castilian. Did not sound African either, but this was just an interlude before going to phone interview at 1535 with Yolanda Álvarez of TVE who has made several trips there, about how bad things are in Africa. According to the B-09 REE program grid here http://programasdx.com/principal_archivos/parrillareeb09.pdf
the M-F 1530-1600 program is África Hoy, but not on all frequencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 15670, Feb 3 at 1421, continuous hilife music, no announcements heard, and a segué at 1445. Nothing scheduled, but this must be the Míraya FM relay via IRRS via SLOVAKIA, which we found on this new frequency the day before, except that transmission supposedly starts at 1500. Kept listening and already at 1457 M&W talk in English started, mentioning South Sudan. But signal is weakening by now and hard to follow; very poor by 1532. So are they now starting at 1400, or thinking about doing so?
Altho there was no QRM today or yesterday, checking the 15670 listings, we are reminded that there would be a collision on Sunday and/or Saturday, when Madagascar clandestine Radio Mada is on 15670 via Pridnestrovye at 1530-1600! I don`t know about Jan 31, but Ron Howard confirmed that was still in service on Jan 24, so something may have to give (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. VOT is still a total mess with its English broadcast at 1330-1425v. Yet again Feb 3 at 1414 I find 12035 with decent S9+8 signal, tho fluttery, but just barely audible modulation, Turkish music at the moment during a break within Live from Turkey.
I am long done with trying to help them by pointing out such problems to TRT directly, as they have ignored my advice too many times in the past. Instead they will be deservedly ridiculed as incompetents: just another 500 kWh wasted today (axually slightly less than one hour; but no transmitter is anywhere near 100% efficient, so axually a lot more than 500 kWh wasted).
Meanwhile at 1415, TRT in Turkish on 11815 had usual good modulation, and also usual collision atop REE via Costa Rica causing a rippling SAH. Double my kWh wastage comments.
At 1424 I checked the // English frequency, 15300, as usual colliding with France in French, discussing the situation in Guinée-Conakry, which was using this frequency long before TRT mispicked it for B-09. TRT was still on, closing in English, then IS variations 1425-1427* later than usual, which probably caused them to be late coming up on the next frequency. Triple my kWh wastage comments, since 15300 tho adequately modulated is a total loss too, colliding with France.
France and Turkey were roughly 8 Hz apart causing a `fast subaudible heterodone`. For SAHs in this range, the way I estimate them is to count rapidly 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 as I watch the seconds ticking by on my watch; if my counting stays in synch, that`s the SAH I read. This doesn`t work much above 10 Hz. Slower ones can be counted directly over a 10, 12, 15, or 20 second period, and then multiplied by 6, 5, 4 or 3 to get the number per minute, then divided by 60 for the Hz. This method is of course more accurate (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U A E. UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 15520, open carrier at S9+5, Feb 3 at 1422, still at 1430, 1451, 1500 but not afterwards. At the latter times I turned it up and thought I heard some very weak modulation upon it, but could have been crosstalk/overload from something else on 19m. What is scheduled here? YFR in Hindi via UAE, 14-15! Wake up in Dhabbaya! Refund needs to go to Oakland. It`s only fair, but NOT to be taken as any endorsement of the Camping Anti-Church Cult (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Following up our discoveries the night before of a new VOA/Radio Martí service, new frequency of Lavwadlamerik, collision with WWCR, I was ready for some intensive monitoring early UT Feb 3.
First at 2304 Feb 2 I reconfirmed that the secret LVA fill-in frequency 7590 was still on the air. I did not think to check 5835 at that time, but at 0026 Feb 3 both of them were running, so 5835 starts either at 2300 or 0000.
WWCR hasn`t decided on a replacement for 7465 at 0100-0200 when LVA is there, but at 0059 promoted the next program at the top of the hour on 5070, and then announced that it would be ``performing technical adjustments``, to resume in one hour, but did not say on what frequency (presumably 3215). Then 7465 went off.
However, no LVA to be heard there yet. At 0101 comes on the 7465 carrier, but no modulation until that started to fade up at 0103:45, but faded right back down to carrier only. By 0107 the LVA modulation seemed back for good, but not at full level.
Meanwhile, 5835 had continued uninterrupted, and 5960 was on at 0105 check, weaker than 5835 and don`t know exactly when 5960 started. 7590 had gone off as usual by 0100. I haven`t caught any LVA frequency announcements on air lately, but I sure hope they know about 5835, which is the best, least interrupted one in the evenings.
All the new VOA/RM Spanish frequencies were late coming up, considerably past 0100. Perhaps the Washington/Miami studios should be notified to hold off starting the service for 5 minutes or so until all the frequencies can be up and running. Fat chance; that would imply shortwave is a priority rather than an afterthought.
First to appear, joining ``A Fondo`` in Spanish progress was 7340 at 0102 after about a minute of open carrier from *0101. At 0103 still nothing audible on 9415 or 11625. At 0104.5 I was finally hearing a carrier on 9415, and at 0106 modulation. These may have started slightly earlier as I was not monitoring that frequency constantly. At 0106 I could also hear a much weaker signal on 11625, not sure when it started.
Why don`t they start on time? Management has imposed an impossible task on the engineers at the site. Or maybe it`s just one engineer, night shift, after all. No one could possibly do that with only two hands, unless just pushing buttons and even that would be difficult.
He has to switch frequencies, antennas, and audio inputs on about six transmitters, ideally in half of one minute in order not to miss much significant programming.
At least there are six running after 0100: 5835, 5960, 7340, 7465, 9415, 11625, assuming they are all really from Greenville, plus three more for Martí which don`t make any change at 0100 --- 6030, 7365 and 9825, plus 9895 for RNW Spanish relay ongoing 0000-0157 for a total of ten. Make that eleven, since Special English, weeknights only is still going on 7405 at 0145 check Feb 3, while its other frequency, 5960, has been turned over to LVA.
So are there eleven usable transmitters at Greenville-B now? No, there are only nine. Do we have some secret relays from somewhere else, like Furman? There is no sign of this on WHRI`s Angel 1, 2, 5 and 6 program schedules, but we know how reliable those are.
I haven`t been able to confirm all the Radio Martí frequencies during the 01-02 hour due to continuous heavy jamming, so it could be that two of those are really moved to the A Fondo service for one hour. After all, otherwise RM would be competing with itself. But is the A Fondo program also on the remaining one, unannounced?
Before 0100 these are in use for VOA Spanish, Radio Martí, Lavwadlamerik and RNW Spanish: 5835, 5890, 6030, 7365, 7465, 7590, 9825, 9885, 9895, a total of only nine. Check.
What happens at 0200? A Fondo: 9415 is playing standard VOA sign-off, and carrier stays on a couple minutes, VG signal now. 7340 is already off, clearing 7335 for VOR Spanish via GUF. 11625 too weak to track.
LVA after 0200: 7465 still on, 7590 does not come back by 0215 final check, and 5835 is off; however, by 0203 we notice that 5835 is back on. Perhaps there has been some site/antenna switch but it is to continue during the final hour instead of 7590. I am still wondering whether 5835 is really from GB.
After 0200, WHRI has somewhat better signals on 5850 and 5875 than LVA on 5835, and now the upper pair are // in English with discussion of Haiti relief --- except 5875 is running about one second behind 5850; why?
WWCR was also banging the steel drums at 0200 starting up on 3215 after the hour of rest.
This report has been somewhat updated and modified from the original post sent to the dxldyg only. So if quoting, use this one.
I am spending entirely too much time on my own monitoring and reporting, falling further and further behind in keeping up with everyone else`s input for DX Listening Digest and World of Radio, so during this report I was not paying any attention to content, just tracking the frequencies. Or: am I spending entirely too much time on DXLD and WOR? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7095, oh oh, a new mixing product, fair signal with two audios clashing at equal levels. One of them is soon identified as PMS, // WWCR 5935 and Anguilla 6090. Let`s see, 7095 minus 5935 = 1160. That does not fit anything; MW mixes at WWCR with WNQM are 1300 kHz away. The ham intruder-watchers are not going to be happy about this!
Checking WWCR`s other frequencies, PPP on 5890 is not the source of the other audio, nor whoever is on 3215. What about 5070? It`s missing! Finally at 0644 I come across a huge signal on 4775 --- so WWCR-3 is there instead of 5070, talking about Monsanto. And guess what, it`s 1160 kHz below 5935, so that explains the mix on 7095: 4775 leapfrogging over 5935. Or if you insist, 2 x 5935 minus 4775 = 7095.
The same continued past 0700. What`s WWCR doing on 4775 again, a frequency tested some weeks ago? But that was with the WWCR-1 transmitter, instead of 3240/3215/7465, not the WWCR-3 transmitter now instead of 5070.
I don`t see how this could relate to the WWCR-1 collision on 7465 at 01-02. That`s when they need a replacement frequency as long as Lavwadlalmerik is on there. I have no idea how long WWCR had been on 4775 tonight, as I was not monitoring between 02 and 06. However, a DXLD monitor in South Carolina also caught 4775 at 0600 with Alex Jones, instead of on 5070. And Noble West in TN noticed 5070 was off already at 0430.
Regarding the mix on 7095, the trouble with going to any new frequency with four powerful transmitters right next to each other and sharing an antenna field is that the new frequency will produce new mixing products which have to be dealt with individually, filtered or suppressed.
If WWCR keeps running 4775 and 5935 at the same time, 7095 will have to be removed. There could also be a mix with the 5890 transmitter by the same formula which would also land in the 40m hamband, 7005; I did not notice anything there, but I did not compute that frequency until the next morning, so it needs to be thoroughly checked too next time, if there is one.
15825, WWCR was inbooming for a change Feb 3 at 1419 during Inspirations Across America, black gospel music hour. Still strong at 1538 with preacher sadistically discussing boiling crabs alive with some relish, ``joy to the Lord``, also boiling frogs by slowly heating water they are in.
When WWCR inbooms on 15825 at our too-close one-megameter distance, it has to be a sporadic-E opening, and indeed this tipped us off to TVDX from Mexico [q.v.] on channel 2 later in the morning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WEWN dirty spur from 11520 transmitter, Feb 3 at 0611 against Harold Camping on 11530. If these two don`t care enough to fix this problem, why should I? They deserve each other (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U A E
** U S A. Having heard KJES reactivated on 11715 and 15385 on Feb 2, I checked their third frequency, 7555, UT Feb 3 at 0205, and yes, back there too, but poor in Ave Maria with guitar accompaniment. This is at 0200-0330 only; if you hear Catholic stuff elsewhen on 7555, it`s WEWN, currently scheduled only in Spanish at 0500-1300.
Feb 3 at 1538 on 11715 I could make out the robokids underneath RVA Philippines in Tagalog via Vatican, with KJES causing low annoying het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Have not looked for 8GAL mystery CW marker at 1400 UT on 6074 for a few weeks, so it`s time for another check as we usually lose it sometime during February. Started monitoring the motorboating R. Rossii 6075 [see RUSSIA] at 1357 Feb 3. Before its 5-seconds-late timesignal could finish, the 8GAL marker started with standard text in slow CW: VVV CQ CQ CQ DE 8GAL 8GAL 8GAL K. It finished shortly before Pet/Kam turned off the 6075 carrier at 1401*. Splash from CFRX 6070 was a bit of a problem (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15500, a bit of SSB caught my ear at 1505 Feb 3 as I was engrossed in monitoring other 19mb activity, weak and intermittent so not sure if Spanish, but probably another intruder (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 17565, open carrier and intermittent tone test, Feb 3 at 1430, most likely IBB Greenville tuning up a transmitter used from 1730 in Creole; but why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. After hearing the Qur`an tests on 15160, 15360 and 15380 the days before, suspected Algeria via France, I looked for them again Feb 3, but nonesuch anywhere on 19m in the hour or more following 1427 when I tried to hear anything under Cuba 15360; by 1451 there was some other talk audible there, presumably scheduled RFI in Persian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
After a few days of not checking for the mystery Firedrake on 7585, did so Feb 3 at 1452 and there it is, better than 8400, and something weak detectable underneath. Still nothing listed in Aoki except Vatican via Tajikistan in S Asian languages 1430-1550 (Sunday -1558), with Tamil at 1450-1510.
Why would the ChiCom be jamming Vatican in such languages? There could be something more sinister before 1430 on 7585 but I haven`t noticed it or any jamming that early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. DCJC pulsing on 11600 against nothing, Feb 3 at 0610, while RHC had VG signal on 11760. At 0620 looked for other Cuban jammers against nothing, and found them on 11930, 9955 and 9565.
But jamming against something, 5745, Feb 3 at 1354 as R. Martí is still running there until 1400, and could be heard underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: Marti
** CYPRUS. OTH Radar pulsing, presumed from here, but could be from somewhere else in Eurasia, Feb 3 at 1423 from 15450 to 15475. No broadcasters audibly affected here tho several are listed. Please get this noise OUT of the broadcast bands! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI in Indo/Malay, Feb 3 at 1408, but cut off the air at 1409* before I could check the frequency for sure. Atsunori Ishida has updated his Indonesian monitoring page
http://www.max.hi-ho.ne.jp/a-ishida/ins/
and also had them in Indonesian past 1400 on Jan 26, 28 and 30, until unknown closing. I heard RRI continuing on 9680 with Indonesian pop songs at 1412 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. 7140, Feb 3 at 0700 with VOK IS and anthem, poor, but better than Guinea 7125. Aoki shows this as 200 kW, non-direxional from Kujang site at 0700-0757 among many other times, from an outlaw nation continuing to intrude in the hamband (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Since WWCR was inbooming on 15825 the morning of Feb 3, at 1419 and 1528 UT chex, I knew there was a sporadic E opening (and other off-season ones had been reported the last few days by WTFDA monitors). So as soon as I could, connected my VHF antenna directly to analog TV set on channel 2. Signs of activity, but only a few brief fade-ins at 1612, 1640 and 1651 UT. At 1640 there was YL talkshow in Spanish; at 1651 promo for ``Info 7``, i.e. the Azteca-7 network from somewhere in Mexico.
Unfortunately that`s not enough to go on, since on channel 2 according to http://www.w9wi.com/channels/2.html
there are five full-power Azteca 7 relays, 10 but mostly 100 kW, in Campeche, BCN, Chihuahua, Durango and Tamaulipas plus one low-power 1.5 kW in Sinaloa. Campeche is the most likely here, then Tampico, as the opening was only affecting the eastern part per the 6-meter DX map showing at the time via
http://www.vhfdx.net/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&Map=NA
In fact the main Es patch the last time I looked was over northern Alabama, no good for Mexico from here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA [and non]. 6075, R. Rossii, Pet/Kam, Feb 3 at 1357 tune-in to check for 8GAL three minutes later; see UNIDENTIFIED 6074. This RR transmitter is again in very bad shape with severe motorboating; that is, unstable carrier producing noise against its own modulation even without BFO on. Who would want to listen to that for content? With BFO on, too unstable to zero-beat, but heard a few IDs in passing, mixed with music until timesignal 5 seconds late at 1400 and carrier stayed on another minute.
After it and 8GAL were finished, could still detect a very weak carrier on 6075, much weaker than CFRX 6070 and Australia 6080. Aoki no longer shows any Taiwan on this frequency, and consequently no jamming. However, there is CRI Urdu via Kashgar, East Turkistan, somewhat more likely than DW via Woofferton at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. Since the Buzzing Service was fixed on February 2, I was eager to hear how 15435 would sound on Feb 3. At 1500, Arabic talk heavily marred by pulsing carrier shifts plus hum. Several times per second irregularly we would hear chirps. With BFO on, it seems the transmitter is putting out spurious carriers a kHz or two off main channel, interfering with it. Fortunately this does not cover the entire 19m band, like the buzz did, but only bleed up to 15450, neatly meeting the OTH radar pulses (see CYPRUS); and not significantly downward from 15435.
With or without BFO on, the chirps now sound like video game SFX, denoting gunfire! What a way to exhibit piety in the Moslem world, as Qur`an starts at 1502. At 1509 all we can hear are the sound effects. By 1532 the chirps have stopped so we can hear some intentional Arabic. The BSKSA engineers are obviously finally working on this transmitter, trying to get it into whack, but not yet very successfully. Never a dull moment on 19m in the mornings (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15385, Feb 3 at 1533 some beautiful a cappella harmonies by YL singer, then joined by a trio? Or choir. Hard to place language, but not Castilian. Did not sound African either, but this was just an interlude before going to phone interview at 1535 with Yolanda Álvarez of TVE who has made several trips there, about how bad things are in Africa. According to the B-09 REE program grid here http://programasdx.com/principal_archivos/parrillareeb09.pdf
the M-F 1530-1600 program is África Hoy, but not on all frequencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 15670, Feb 3 at 1421, continuous hilife music, no announcements heard, and a segué at 1445. Nothing scheduled, but this must be the Míraya FM relay via IRRS via SLOVAKIA, which we found on this new frequency the day before, except that transmission supposedly starts at 1500. Kept listening and already at 1457 M&W talk in English started, mentioning South Sudan. But signal is weakening by now and hard to follow; very poor by 1532. So are they now starting at 1400, or thinking about doing so?
Altho there was no QRM today or yesterday, checking the 15670 listings, we are reminded that there would be a collision on Sunday and/or Saturday, when Madagascar clandestine Radio Mada is on 15670 via Pridnestrovye at 1530-1600! I don`t know about Jan 31, but Ron Howard confirmed that was still in service on Jan 24, so something may have to give (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. VOT is still a total mess with its English broadcast at 1330-1425v. Yet again Feb 3 at 1414 I find 12035 with decent S9+8 signal, tho fluttery, but just barely audible modulation, Turkish music at the moment during a break within Live from Turkey.
I am long done with trying to help them by pointing out such problems to TRT directly, as they have ignored my advice too many times in the past. Instead they will be deservedly ridiculed as incompetents: just another 500 kWh wasted today (axually slightly less than one hour; but no transmitter is anywhere near 100% efficient, so axually a lot more than 500 kWh wasted).
Meanwhile at 1415, TRT in Turkish on 11815 had usual good modulation, and also usual collision atop REE via Costa Rica causing a rippling SAH. Double my kWh wastage comments.
At 1424 I checked the // English frequency, 15300, as usual colliding with France in French, discussing the situation in Guinée-Conakry, which was using this frequency long before TRT mispicked it for B-09. TRT was still on, closing in English, then IS variations 1425-1427* later than usual, which probably caused them to be late coming up on the next frequency. Triple my kWh wastage comments, since 15300 tho adequately modulated is a total loss too, colliding with France.
France and Turkey were roughly 8 Hz apart causing a `fast subaudible heterodone`. For SAHs in this range, the way I estimate them is to count rapidly 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 as I watch the seconds ticking by on my watch; if my counting stays in synch, that`s the SAH I read. This doesn`t work much above 10 Hz. Slower ones can be counted directly over a 10, 12, 15, or 20 second period, and then multiplied by 6, 5, 4 or 3 to get the number per minute, then divided by 60 for the Hz. This method is of course more accurate (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U A E. UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 15520, open carrier at S9+5, Feb 3 at 1422, still at 1430, 1451, 1500 but not afterwards. At the latter times I turned it up and thought I heard some very weak modulation upon it, but could have been crosstalk/overload from something else on 19m. What is scheduled here? YFR in Hindi via UAE, 14-15! Wake up in Dhabbaya! Refund needs to go to Oakland. It`s only fair, but NOT to be taken as any endorsement of the Camping Anti-Church Cult (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Following up our discoveries the night before of a new VOA/Radio Martí service, new frequency of Lavwadlamerik, collision with WWCR, I was ready for some intensive monitoring early UT Feb 3.
First at 2304 Feb 2 I reconfirmed that the secret LVA fill-in frequency 7590 was still on the air. I did not think to check 5835 at that time, but at 0026 Feb 3 both of them were running, so 5835 starts either at 2300 or 0000.
WWCR hasn`t decided on a replacement for 7465 at 0100-0200 when LVA is there, but at 0059 promoted the next program at the top of the hour on 5070, and then announced that it would be ``performing technical adjustments``, to resume in one hour, but did not say on what frequency (presumably 3215). Then 7465 went off.
However, no LVA to be heard there yet. At 0101 comes on the 7465 carrier, but no modulation until that started to fade up at 0103:45, but faded right back down to carrier only. By 0107 the LVA modulation seemed back for good, but not at full level.
Meanwhile, 5835 had continued uninterrupted, and 5960 was on at 0105 check, weaker than 5835 and don`t know exactly when 5960 started. 7590 had gone off as usual by 0100. I haven`t caught any LVA frequency announcements on air lately, but I sure hope they know about 5835, which is the best, least interrupted one in the evenings.
All the new VOA/RM Spanish frequencies were late coming up, considerably past 0100. Perhaps the Washington/Miami studios should be notified to hold off starting the service for 5 minutes or so until all the frequencies can be up and running. Fat chance; that would imply shortwave is a priority rather than an afterthought.
First to appear, joining ``A Fondo`` in Spanish progress was 7340 at 0102 after about a minute of open carrier from *0101. At 0103 still nothing audible on 9415 or 11625. At 0104.5 I was finally hearing a carrier on 9415, and at 0106 modulation. These may have started slightly earlier as I was not monitoring that frequency constantly. At 0106 I could also hear a much weaker signal on 11625, not sure when it started.
Why don`t they start on time? Management has imposed an impossible task on the engineers at the site. Or maybe it`s just one engineer, night shift, after all. No one could possibly do that with only two hands, unless just pushing buttons and even that would be difficult.
He has to switch frequencies, antennas, and audio inputs on about six transmitters, ideally in half of one minute in order not to miss much significant programming.
At least there are six running after 0100: 5835, 5960, 7340, 7465, 9415, 11625, assuming they are all really from Greenville, plus three more for Martí which don`t make any change at 0100 --- 6030, 7365 and 9825, plus 9895 for RNW Spanish relay ongoing 0000-0157 for a total of ten. Make that eleven, since Special English, weeknights only is still going on 7405 at 0145 check Feb 3, while its other frequency, 5960, has been turned over to LVA.
So are there eleven usable transmitters at Greenville-B now? No, there are only nine. Do we have some secret relays from somewhere else, like Furman? There is no sign of this on WHRI`s Angel 1, 2, 5 and 6 program schedules, but we know how reliable those are.
I haven`t been able to confirm all the Radio Martí frequencies during the 01-02 hour due to continuous heavy jamming, so it could be that two of those are really moved to the A Fondo service for one hour. After all, otherwise RM would be competing with itself. But is the A Fondo program also on the remaining one, unannounced?
Before 0100 these are in use for VOA Spanish, Radio Martí, Lavwadlamerik and RNW Spanish: 5835, 5890, 6030, 7365, 7465, 7590, 9825, 9885, 9895, a total of only nine. Check.
What happens at 0200? A Fondo: 9415 is playing standard VOA sign-off, and carrier stays on a couple minutes, VG signal now. 7340 is already off, clearing 7335 for VOR Spanish via GUF. 11625 too weak to track.
LVA after 0200: 7465 still on, 7590 does not come back by 0215 final check, and 5835 is off; however, by 0203 we notice that 5835 is back on. Perhaps there has been some site/antenna switch but it is to continue during the final hour instead of 7590. I am still wondering whether 5835 is really from GB.
After 0200, WHRI has somewhat better signals on 5850 and 5875 than LVA on 5835, and now the upper pair are // in English with discussion of Haiti relief --- except 5875 is running about one second behind 5850; why?
WWCR was also banging the steel drums at 0200 starting up on 3215 after the hour of rest.
This report has been somewhat updated and modified from the original post sent to the dxldyg only. So if quoting, use this one.
I am spending entirely too much time on my own monitoring and reporting, falling further and further behind in keeping up with everyone else`s input for DX Listening Digest and World of Radio, so during this report I was not paying any attention to content, just tracking the frequencies. Or: am I spending entirely too much time on DXLD and WOR? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7095, oh oh, a new mixing product, fair signal with two audios clashing at equal levels. One of them is soon identified as PMS, // WWCR 5935 and Anguilla 6090. Let`s see, 7095 minus 5935 = 1160. That does not fit anything; MW mixes at WWCR with WNQM are 1300 kHz away. The ham intruder-watchers are not going to be happy about this!
Checking WWCR`s other frequencies, PPP on 5890 is not the source of the other audio, nor whoever is on 3215. What about 5070? It`s missing! Finally at 0644 I come across a huge signal on 4775 --- so WWCR-3 is there instead of 5070, talking about Monsanto. And guess what, it`s 1160 kHz below 5935, so that explains the mix on 7095: 4775 leapfrogging over 5935. Or if you insist, 2 x 5935 minus 4775 = 7095.
The same continued past 0700. What`s WWCR doing on 4775 again, a frequency tested some weeks ago? But that was with the WWCR-1 transmitter, instead of 3240/3215/7465, not the WWCR-3 transmitter now instead of 5070.
I don`t see how this could relate to the WWCR-1 collision on 7465 at 01-02. That`s when they need a replacement frequency as long as Lavwadlalmerik is on there. I have no idea how long WWCR had been on 4775 tonight, as I was not monitoring between 02 and 06. However, a DXLD monitor in South Carolina also caught 4775 at 0600 with Alex Jones, instead of on 5070. And Noble West in TN noticed 5070 was off already at 0430.
Regarding the mix on 7095, the trouble with going to any new frequency with four powerful transmitters right next to each other and sharing an antenna field is that the new frequency will produce new mixing products which have to be dealt with individually, filtered or suppressed.
If WWCR keeps running 4775 and 5935 at the same time, 7095 will have to be removed. There could also be a mix with the 5890 transmitter by the same formula which would also land in the 40m hamband, 7005; I did not notice anything there, but I did not compute that frequency until the next morning, so it needs to be thoroughly checked too next time, if there is one.
15825, WWCR was inbooming for a change Feb 3 at 1419 during Inspirations Across America, black gospel music hour. Still strong at 1538 with preacher sadistically discussing boiling crabs alive with some relish, ``joy to the Lord``, also boiling frogs by slowly heating water they are in.
When WWCR inbooms on 15825 at our too-close one-megameter distance, it has to be a sporadic-E opening, and indeed this tipped us off to TVDX from Mexico [q.v.] on channel 2 later in the morning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WEWN dirty spur from 11520 transmitter, Feb 3 at 0611 against Harold Camping on 11530. If these two don`t care enough to fix this problem, why should I? They deserve each other (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U A E
** U S A. Having heard KJES reactivated on 11715 and 15385 on Feb 2, I checked their third frequency, 7555, UT Feb 3 at 0205, and yes, back there too, but poor in Ave Maria with guitar accompaniment. This is at 0200-0330 only; if you hear Catholic stuff elsewhen on 7555, it`s WEWN, currently scheduled only in Spanish at 0500-1300.
Feb 3 at 1538 on 11715 I could make out the robokids underneath RVA Philippines in Tagalog via Vatican, with KJES causing low annoying het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Have not looked for 8GAL mystery CW marker at 1400 UT on 6074 for a few weeks, so it`s time for another check as we usually lose it sometime during February. Started monitoring the motorboating R. Rossii 6075 [see RUSSIA] at 1357 Feb 3. Before its 5-seconds-late timesignal could finish, the 8GAL marker started with standard text in slow CW: VVV CQ CQ CQ DE 8GAL 8GAL 8GAL K. It finished shortly before Pet/Kam turned off the 6075 carrier at 1401*. Splash from CFRX 6070 was a bit of a problem (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15500, a bit of SSB caught my ear at 1505 Feb 3 as I was engrossed in monitoring other 19mb activity, weak and intermittent so not sure if Spanish, but probably another intruder (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 17565, open carrier and intermittent tone test, Feb 3 at 1430, most likely IBB Greenville tuning up a transmitter used from 1730 in Creole; but why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. After hearing the Qur`an tests on 15160, 15360 and 15380 the days before, suspected Algeria via France, I looked for them again Feb 3, but nonesuch anywhere on 19m in the hour or more following 1427 when I tried to hear anything under Cuba 15360; by 1451 there was some other talk audible there, presumably scheduled RFI in Persian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
