** CHINA [and non]. Firedrake Feb 22: at 1407, very poor on 8400.
At 1408, FD on new 9380 vs something not in Chinese, sounds like S Asian language. FD dominance increased during the hour: by 1419 it was VG atop victim; by 1447 the undersignal was JBA. Off at 1500 uncovering ``pre-recorded`` Camping English YFR in this hour. I think the FD carrier was completely off, but at 1506 noticed it was back on over YFR English. It`s getting increasingly difficult to separate from the burgeoning WWRB BS signal on 9385.
Aoki Feb 22 edition has the answers: on 9380 before 1500 it`s DW in Urdu via Pridnestrovye (following 1330 Dari via Tajikistan, or rather Armenia; 1400 Pashto via Prid.). And from 1500 to 1600 it`s a new Family Radio frequency since Feb 19, site unknown.
But Firedrake is on 9380 because of another 1 kW Sound of Hope transmitter on Taiwan which could be running 24 hours. Tough luck, DWL, YFR, et al.
At 1454 found FD on another new frequency, 9680, i.e. RRIndonesia! Mixing badly with it; FD continued past 1500, not taking any hourtop monitoring break here. Aoki now shows Taiwan in Chinese on 9680 at 1100-1700 with 300 kW, 352 degrees, so that explains it. But before today, RRI was in the clear on 9680, and I really don`t think Taiwan was active, at least not during entire six hours. Goodbye, gamelans.
I kept bandscanning looking for more new Firedrake frequencies, and soon found another at 1508: 7545, vs. what? The 22 Feb edition of Aoki shows only one real station on 7545, R. Farda via Lampertheim at 15-16, but surely not the ChiComs` intentional victim. Another frequency spoilt by SOH?
Perhaps `tis the season for piling on Firedrake all over the place, in a paranoid ploy to block frequencies which just might carry something objexionable, sometime. The ChiCom have so many transmitters, originally American models, that they have got to put them somewhere, and what better possible use could there be for them?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [non]. After hearing CRI relay via KGBC Galveston TX dominating 1540 one night before 0700, I have checked for it various times since. Feb 22 at 0648 there were ``Everyday Chinese`` lessons again, but deep in the mix of SAHs and QRM. That programming does stand out from the pack (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 18520-18560, lite DCJC pulsing peaking at 18540, Feb 22 at 1538. Rate corresponds to that heard from R. Martí jamming at sidebands such as 15325. Seems to be totally stray, as no jamming on nearest band 17 MHz, to be spurious from, and if harmonic, nothing needing jamming on 6180 which is an intentional RHC frequency at other hours. Of course, there could be another Radio República tiny transmitter needing blocking around here.
11600, another check of the jamming against never-heard alleged R. República transmitter from Central America: Yes, Feb 22 at 1558:30 jamming noise started, ramping up rapidly with additional units onpiling (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI
** HONDURAS. After hearing the extremely distorted Spanish signal on 3290 UT Feb 19, I checked briefly following nites around same time 0200+, but nothing there, nor any normal transmission on 3340, suspected source being HREZ. May have been a one-off, but we can always hope for a more identifiable two-off (Glenn Hauser, OK, UT Feb 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN. 15545, I picked to listen to for a while due to interesting music from VIRI`s Arabic service, Feb 22 at 1548. But within two minutes switched to incomprehensible talk discussion. Cut off the air abruptly at 1553:25 and returned at 1554:40, but now noticeably weaker. Was this a deliberate transmitter/antenna switch during continuously scheduled Arabic service at 0530-1630 via Sirjan? Or some failure lacking complete recovery (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LIBYA [and non]. 21695, V. of Africa English ID at 1512 Feb 22, big S9+18 signal better than // 17725, into African music, what a pity: crummy lo bitrate, when it could have been as hi-fi as a strong steady analog SW signal possiblizes.
Meanwhile Saudi HQS had much better audio on somewhat lesser S9+9 21460 signal at 1513; Spain 21610 and 21570 S9+7 at 1514 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [non]. Eager to hear Radio Educación`s eclectic music mix on 6185 unimpeded by QRaMazon, now that DST is over in Brasília, even tho it was irrelevant in target zone, I check the frequency at 0643 UT Monday Feb 22 --- no ZYE365, an encouraging sign as now it should not be starting before 0730 --- but no XEPPM either, signal missing, we hope solely flukely (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MYANMAR. None of the frequencies ever make it here with audible modulation, but Feb 22 at 1406 I was able to detect the carrier on 7186 (definitely not 7185), vs QRhaM. Seemed the signal level should have been enough to bring some sound; is it undermodulated? Ron Howard in California found Myanmar had reactivated this out-of-band channel, heard just about every morning since Feb 13, until 1530*, ex-5915, and varying slightly 7185.70-7185.77 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OMAN. 15140, fair fluttery signal with Qur`an, peaking to S9+8 at 1523 Feb 22, no doubt RSOO; would English have been as good during previous hour? Usually not (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. With the higher frequencies improving, it`s time to search for harmonics 18+ MHz. Feb 22 at 1516 I found one! On 18057.9, at peaks instantly recognizable as the wacky wailing preacher David Miranda, dipping to just barely audible. Such programming plus the off-frequency means it has to be the third harmonic of R. Victoria, Lima, at the moment on 6019.3, but of course not audible on the fundamental at this hour. When it is at night, always puts annoying hets on the major broadcasters foolish enough to use 6020.
At 1528 he settles down a bit to more normal speech, making it easier to detect he is speaking portunhol, or españuguês, the peculiar mix of Portuguese and Spanish he thinx will entrance all South Americans equally. 1531:43 cut to music, and announcer outros only program title, ``A Voz da Libertação``, so is it supposed to be more than 50% Brazilian? Following announcement at 1533 had cadence of Spanish rather than Portuguese, presumably locally from Lima, Radio Victoria (not Rádio Vitória). Last check at 1606, JBA carrier on 18057.9.
Meanwhile at 1524 I had strained to hear any carrier from this on other possible harmonix, 12038.6 and 24077.2, but nothing, one too low and one too high if anything is really radiating. WRTH says fundamental power is 3 kW, so only a fraxion of that on 18.
Also carefully rescanned up to 18600 for other harmonix from 6 MHz band stations, but none found. If only a few more Latin Americans would loosen up their harmonic suppression! Even so, there are probably some more weak signals waiting for a good bit of propagation to raise them above the noise level, which fortunately was quite low here today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 6075, R. Rossii, Pet/Kam transmitter never gets fully fixed. Now Feb 22 at 1400 it is rumbling loudly, motorboating against itself even in the minute+ after timesignal and modulation stops. With BFO on I could barely detect some CW ending before RR 1401:13* no doubt the usual 8GAL marker (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. 17560, Feb 22 at 1602, assertive speaker in Arabic, with a bit of reverb as in a public place, e.g. a mosque, but no audience reaxion heard; S9+10 but fluttery. Checked BSKSA 15435 and 15225 but not //. That`s because those are the first program and 17560 is the HQS, so I should have found a match on 15205, 13710 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also LIBYA [and non]
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. SIBC 5020v transmitter must be reactivated; at least there is a detectable carrier now at 1355 Feb 22, weaker than Malaysia 5030 on the other side of Cuba.
Yes, S. Hasegawa, NDXC reported to DXLD: ``SIBC on 5019.96 received from 0800 UT on Feb. 19 by many Japanese DXer. Condition is good.``
But before it failed they dropped the overnight BBCWS relay due to expense, so is that back on after 1200, or do they just leave the carrier on, eating up the same amount of electricity? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. Quick check of 15385, Monday Feb 22 at 1425 reconfirmed REE Emisión Sefarad is still here and still announcing imaginary 15325. Good signal aside Cuban jamming spurclix around 15382 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 17700, new via ASCENSION, Feb 22 at 1600, Sudan Radio Service opening in Arabic, with e-mail srs @ edc.org pronounced in English as well as the station name; and still not // the other SRS via PORTUGAL 17745 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SWAZILAND [and non]. 9635, Feb 22 at 1452 ``This is Trans World Radio – Swaziland`` IDs alternating with chime IS which really cuts thru the QRM, fairly good signal. But at 1504, Radio Canada Internal`s news in English was ending, making a fast SAH quite similar rate to the CBCNQ one on 9625 with Channel Africa.
Per Aoki, RCI 9635 from 1500 is via Xianyang, China, usually known simply as Xian, 500 kW at 252 degrees, while TWR is in Malagasy at 1440-1525 except French on Sundays, 100 kW, 64 degrees from Manzini, which means the two are aiming approximately at each other. This does not explain why TWR was running IS and ID in the middle of it at 1452 --- unless they just do that between programmes in a single language.
I wanted to see if there were more variations listed in the WRTH 2010. There is NO entry for SWAZILAND in the international sexion! Go to the domestic sexion and it refers you to the international sexion. But under what country? How about USA --- yes, there is a brief entry but no schedules, mentioning that TWR owns transmitters in Benin, Guam, Netherlands Antilles, Swaziland. Yes, but where are the schedules?!
Finally I find the TWR Swaziland schedules under SOUTH AFRICA, of course! Mixed in with Meyerton transmissions, and they are on the facing page to the missing Swaziland position. But these do nothing other than agree on the French/Malagasy 1440-1525 on 9635 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. 11620, VOT piano variations IS, Feb 22 at 1457, S9+10 good except for flutter. O o, as uplooked later, the Çakirlar operator must be dozing again, as this is the end of the Uyghur hour, not the prélude to any other broadcast on this frequency. Wake up, hurry up and get it retuned to 11680 for Dari or 9530 for Persian both starting at 1600; sources differ as to which transmitter site; TRT may swap them around as needed for repairs, maintenance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Lavwadlamerik confirmed still running an extra Creole hour among many others kept secret from the public schedule, i.e. 0200-0300; at 0210 check Feb 22 on 7465 and much better 5835 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. WRMI, 9955, has moved its French-to-Haïti hour from 12-13, to 14-15. Unfortunately, the old time was not completely jammed, but the new time has been constantly jammed even when not carrying anything counter-revolutionary, or even in Spanish. And it still is, nothing but noise at 1458 check Monday Feb 22. By 1501, jamming had diminished to pulses & beeps, and we could tell Radio Prague in English was there. By 1610, no jamming at all during AWR Wavescan, but fast SAH from co-channel Taiwan 9955 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 17775, KVOH at 1605 Feb 22, must have just come on at 1600 as not there a few minutes earlier; now S9+18 on fundamental, enough signal to bring with it the spurs: 17920v typical noise with periodic bronx cheers from the ute databurster entitled to this frequency; and as usual, much weaker trace of KVOH spur around 17630, tho clear with CRI Bamako finished at 1600, and still no sign of a reactivated Africa Number One, Gabon (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
At 1408, FD on new 9380 vs something not in Chinese, sounds like S Asian language. FD dominance increased during the hour: by 1419 it was VG atop victim; by 1447 the undersignal was JBA. Off at 1500 uncovering ``pre-recorded`` Camping English YFR in this hour. I think the FD carrier was completely off, but at 1506 noticed it was back on over YFR English. It`s getting increasingly difficult to separate from the burgeoning WWRB BS signal on 9385.
Aoki Feb 22 edition has the answers: on 9380 before 1500 it`s DW in Urdu via Pridnestrovye (following 1330 Dari via Tajikistan, or rather Armenia; 1400 Pashto via Prid.). And from 1500 to 1600 it`s a new Family Radio frequency since Feb 19, site unknown.
But Firedrake is on 9380 because of another 1 kW Sound of Hope transmitter on Taiwan which could be running 24 hours. Tough luck, DWL, YFR, et al.
At 1454 found FD on another new frequency, 9680, i.e. RRIndonesia! Mixing badly with it; FD continued past 1500, not taking any hourtop monitoring break here. Aoki now shows Taiwan in Chinese on 9680 at 1100-1700 with 300 kW, 352 degrees, so that explains it. But before today, RRI was in the clear on 9680, and I really don`t think Taiwan was active, at least not during entire six hours. Goodbye, gamelans.
I kept bandscanning looking for more new Firedrake frequencies, and soon found another at 1508: 7545, vs. what? The 22 Feb edition of Aoki shows only one real station on 7545, R. Farda via Lampertheim at 15-16, but surely not the ChiComs` intentional victim. Another frequency spoilt by SOH?
Perhaps `tis the season for piling on Firedrake all over the place, in a paranoid ploy to block frequencies which just might carry something objexionable, sometime. The ChiCom have so many transmitters, originally American models, that they have got to put them somewhere, and what better possible use could there be for them?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [non]. After hearing CRI relay via KGBC Galveston TX dominating 1540 one night before 0700, I have checked for it various times since. Feb 22 at 0648 there were ``Everyday Chinese`` lessons again, but deep in the mix of SAHs and QRM. That programming does stand out from the pack (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 18520-18560, lite DCJC pulsing peaking at 18540, Feb 22 at 1538. Rate corresponds to that heard from R. Martí jamming at sidebands such as 15325. Seems to be totally stray, as no jamming on nearest band 17 MHz, to be spurious from, and if harmonic, nothing needing jamming on 6180 which is an intentional RHC frequency at other hours. Of course, there could be another Radio República tiny transmitter needing blocking around here.
11600, another check of the jamming against never-heard alleged R. República transmitter from Central America: Yes, Feb 22 at 1558:30 jamming noise started, ramping up rapidly with additional units onpiling (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI
** HONDURAS. After hearing the extremely distorted Spanish signal on 3290 UT Feb 19, I checked briefly following nites around same time 0200+, but nothing there, nor any normal transmission on 3340, suspected source being HREZ. May have been a one-off, but we can always hope for a more identifiable two-off (Glenn Hauser, OK, UT Feb 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN. 15545, I picked to listen to for a while due to interesting music from VIRI`s Arabic service, Feb 22 at 1548. But within two minutes switched to incomprehensible talk discussion. Cut off the air abruptly at 1553:25 and returned at 1554:40, but now noticeably weaker. Was this a deliberate transmitter/antenna switch during continuously scheduled Arabic service at 0530-1630 via Sirjan? Or some failure lacking complete recovery (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LIBYA [and non]. 21695, V. of Africa English ID at 1512 Feb 22, big S9+18 signal better than // 17725, into African music, what a pity: crummy lo bitrate, when it could have been as hi-fi as a strong steady analog SW signal possiblizes.
Meanwhile Saudi HQS had much better audio on somewhat lesser S9+9 21460 signal at 1513; Spain 21610 and 21570 S9+7 at 1514 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [non]. Eager to hear Radio Educación`s eclectic music mix on 6185 unimpeded by QRaMazon, now that DST is over in Brasília, even tho it was irrelevant in target zone, I check the frequency at 0643 UT Monday Feb 22 --- no ZYE365, an encouraging sign as now it should not be starting before 0730 --- but no XEPPM either, signal missing, we hope solely flukely (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MYANMAR. None of the frequencies ever make it here with audible modulation, but Feb 22 at 1406 I was able to detect the carrier on 7186 (definitely not 7185), vs QRhaM. Seemed the signal level should have been enough to bring some sound; is it undermodulated? Ron Howard in California found Myanmar had reactivated this out-of-band channel, heard just about every morning since Feb 13, until 1530*, ex-5915, and varying slightly 7185.70-7185.77 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OMAN. 15140, fair fluttery signal with Qur`an, peaking to S9+8 at 1523 Feb 22, no doubt RSOO; would English have been as good during previous hour? Usually not (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. With the higher frequencies improving, it`s time to search for harmonics 18+ MHz. Feb 22 at 1516 I found one! On 18057.9, at peaks instantly recognizable as the wacky wailing preacher David Miranda, dipping to just barely audible. Such programming plus the off-frequency means it has to be the third harmonic of R. Victoria, Lima, at the moment on 6019.3, but of course not audible on the fundamental at this hour. When it is at night, always puts annoying hets on the major broadcasters foolish enough to use 6020.
At 1528 he settles down a bit to more normal speech, making it easier to detect he is speaking portunhol, or españuguês, the peculiar mix of Portuguese and Spanish he thinx will entrance all South Americans equally. 1531:43 cut to music, and announcer outros only program title, ``A Voz da Libertação``, so is it supposed to be more than 50% Brazilian? Following announcement at 1533 had cadence of Spanish rather than Portuguese, presumably locally from Lima, Radio Victoria (not Rádio Vitória). Last check at 1606, JBA carrier on 18057.9.
Meanwhile at 1524 I had strained to hear any carrier from this on other possible harmonix, 12038.6 and 24077.2, but nothing, one too low and one too high if anything is really radiating. WRTH says fundamental power is 3 kW, so only a fraxion of that on 18.
Also carefully rescanned up to 18600 for other harmonix from 6 MHz band stations, but none found. If only a few more Latin Americans would loosen up their harmonic suppression! Even so, there are probably some more weak signals waiting for a good bit of propagation to raise them above the noise level, which fortunately was quite low here today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 6075, R. Rossii, Pet/Kam transmitter never gets fully fixed. Now Feb 22 at 1400 it is rumbling loudly, motorboating against itself even in the minute+ after timesignal and modulation stops. With BFO on I could barely detect some CW ending before RR 1401:13* no doubt the usual 8GAL marker (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. 17560, Feb 22 at 1602, assertive speaker in Arabic, with a bit of reverb as in a public place, e.g. a mosque, but no audience reaxion heard; S9+10 but fluttery. Checked BSKSA 15435 and 15225 but not //. That`s because those are the first program and 17560 is the HQS, so I should have found a match on 15205, 13710 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also LIBYA [and non]
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. SIBC 5020v transmitter must be reactivated; at least there is a detectable carrier now at 1355 Feb 22, weaker than Malaysia 5030 on the other side of Cuba.
Yes, S. Hasegawa, NDXC reported to DXLD: ``SIBC on 5019.96 received from 0800 UT on Feb. 19 by many Japanese DXer. Condition is good.``
But before it failed they dropped the overnight BBCWS relay due to expense, so is that back on after 1200, or do they just leave the carrier on, eating up the same amount of electricity? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. Quick check of 15385, Monday Feb 22 at 1425 reconfirmed REE Emisión Sefarad is still here and still announcing imaginary 15325. Good signal aside Cuban jamming spurclix around 15382 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 17700, new via ASCENSION, Feb 22 at 1600, Sudan Radio Service opening in Arabic, with e-mail srs @ edc.org pronounced in English as well as the station name; and still not // the other SRS via PORTUGAL 17745 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SWAZILAND [and non]. 9635, Feb 22 at 1452 ``This is Trans World Radio – Swaziland`` IDs alternating with chime IS which really cuts thru the QRM, fairly good signal. But at 1504, Radio Canada Internal`s news in English was ending, making a fast SAH quite similar rate to the CBCNQ one on 9625 with Channel Africa.
Per Aoki, RCI 9635 from 1500 is via Xianyang, China, usually known simply as Xian, 500 kW at 252 degrees, while TWR is in Malagasy at 1440-1525 except French on Sundays, 100 kW, 64 degrees from Manzini, which means the two are aiming approximately at each other. This does not explain why TWR was running IS and ID in the middle of it at 1452 --- unless they just do that between programmes in a single language.
I wanted to see if there were more variations listed in the WRTH 2010. There is NO entry for SWAZILAND in the international sexion! Go to the domestic sexion and it refers you to the international sexion. But under what country? How about USA --- yes, there is a brief entry but no schedules, mentioning that TWR owns transmitters in Benin, Guam, Netherlands Antilles, Swaziland. Yes, but where are the schedules?!
Finally I find the TWR Swaziland schedules under SOUTH AFRICA, of course! Mixed in with Meyerton transmissions, and they are on the facing page to the missing Swaziland position. But these do nothing other than agree on the French/Malagasy 1440-1525 on 9635 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. 11620, VOT piano variations IS, Feb 22 at 1457, S9+10 good except for flutter. O o, as uplooked later, the Çakirlar operator must be dozing again, as this is the end of the Uyghur hour, not the prélude to any other broadcast on this frequency. Wake up, hurry up and get it retuned to 11680 for Dari or 9530 for Persian both starting at 1600; sources differ as to which transmitter site; TRT may swap them around as needed for repairs, maintenance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Lavwadlamerik confirmed still running an extra Creole hour among many others kept secret from the public schedule, i.e. 0200-0300; at 0210 check Feb 22 on 7465 and much better 5835 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. WRMI, 9955, has moved its French-to-Haïti hour from 12-13, to 14-15. Unfortunately, the old time was not completely jammed, but the new time has been constantly jammed even when not carrying anything counter-revolutionary, or even in Spanish. And it still is, nothing but noise at 1458 check Monday Feb 22. By 1501, jamming had diminished to pulses & beeps, and we could tell Radio Prague in English was there. By 1610, no jamming at all during AWR Wavescan, but fast SAH from co-channel Taiwan 9955 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 17775, KVOH at 1605 Feb 22, must have just come on at 1600 as not there a few minutes earlier; now S9+18 on fundamental, enough signal to bring with it the spurs: 17920v typical noise with periodic bronx cheers from the ute databurster entitled to this frequency; and as usual, much weaker trace of KVOH spur around 17630, tho clear with CRI Bamako finished at 1600, and still no sign of a reactivated Africa Number One, Gabon (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
