** BRAZIL. As I was looking for REE`s Sephardic service, see SPAIN, supposedly on the same frequency 11780 as the huge Rádio Nacional da Amazônia service, UT Tue Feb 23 at 0113, I instead heard an ID in passing by the Brazilian as ``uma emissora EBC --- Empresa Brasil de Comunicação`` --- what? Is that a new name for the agency running it?
Enter the WRTH-listed website, http://www.radiobras.gov.br and sure enough, it forwards to http://www.ebc.com.br/ where one can read all about it. Axually seems EBC has existed since a law passed in 2008, as Lula in 2007 wanted to reorganize stuff. Maybe we and WRTH just haven`t noticed until now that it supersedes Radiobrás.
Searching the entire site on the word radiobras, I got only one hit, here pulled out of context:
``Sobre a consolidação da EBC na comunicação pública voltada para o cidadão, o chefe de Rádio jornalismo da EBC, Lúcio Haeser, disse que as emissoras ainda seguem a linha da Radiobras e adiantou que "ainda somos tímidos em promover a participação do cidadão".``
A strange attitude; Haeser, BTW is also active in Brazilian DX groups.
New site also linx to program schedule for RNA, now in UT -3:
http://www.ebc.com.br/canais/radios/radio-nacional-am-amazonia/programacao
It shows the M-F 08-10 UT program is Bom Dia Amazônia [sic], while on Sundays it`s Alvorada Brasileira. Claims a break 7 days a week between 00 and 05 local = 03-08 UT, yet we know that 11780 and 6185 run all-night on UT Sundays. I haven`t paid attention to the program name then, but perhaps it`s Alô Brasil as shown on the 980 kHz schedule grid for Sundays 03-09 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake Feb 23: unlike yesterday, not all over the place, missing from 9680 [see INDONESIA], also not heard on 9380 but some S Asian language amid all the WTJC/WWRB QRM at 1343. But FD poorly audible on 8400. At 1438 could not find any FD between 7500 and 7600, tho there was the usual CNR1 echo jamming on 7525 and 7535 against VOA and BBC respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. 9490, R. República at 0010 Feb 23, still very strong and clear signal, no jamming audible tho possibly some is far under, on this 227 degree beam from Sackville, which crosses central Flórida and Yucatán, just missing Cuba, but close enough for this UT Tue-Sat 00-03 broadcast.
Meanwhile, noise jamming still on ex-9810. RR still very good on 9490 at 0112. This is so much better than ex-9810 that now there is little doubt that was really from Rampisham UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI
** CYPRUS. 15780-15805, OTH radar pulsing, presumed from here, in one of its favorite ranges, Feb 23 at 1510 QRMing 15790 BBC Arabic via Cyprus, and weaker 15785 Galei Tsahal, Israel. Hmmm, does QRMing BBC make it less likely this OTHR be really from Cyprus too? Or are they rivals for spectrum? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ECUADOR. 3810, Feb 23 at 0659, HD2IOA timesignals every 10 seconds without QRhaM, so fingers crossed, I was hoping to catch a clear ID at 0659:40, but ham blasted on exactly the same LSB frequency a few sex before then (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA/ERITREA [and non]. 40 mb intruders made another of their frequent long-path appearances: Feb 23 at 1440, 7165 fair with Horn of Africa music including drumming; 7100 also fair but a bit weaker with HOA talk; and 7175 weakest with music including drumming, singing. At 1443 a ham blasted on 7165 which served as BFO, as he replied to someone I had not been hearing at all, about Toyota Avalons.
By 1500, 7165 had weakened so it was no longer adequate BFO for the hams who would rather ragchew, as they have every right to do, than shut up and listen to an exotic broadcast station and its music. 7110 had also weakened to a trace and 7175 was gone or blocked by more hams (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. Correxion to my Feb 21 one-off log of R. Öömrang, 15245 at 1600-1657: Info from Wolfgang Bueschel is that a postal address given was: Tanenwai 24 in 25946 Nebel (Insel Amrum).
So not Niebuell as I had thought. That is in the same region not far away on the mainland, but the postal code matches Nebel on Amrum island. My maps (in English) spell this area in Germany as well as Netherlands, Frisian Islands, not Friesian.
Also, Kai Ludwig suggests about the unfound Facebook page:
Perhaps they really referred to http://www.facebook.com/amrum
which promotes tourism to Amrum (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 15255, Feb 23 at 1408, nice songs in S Asian language, 1410 during talk, ``Adventist World Radio`` pronounced as in English. Good signal but with deep slow fades. Was listed as KSDA, but with such good reception, figured it`s more likely switched to Austria now --- no, still KSDA, due west in Sinhala. The 7DAs do manage to integrate their message into local musical styles. Gone at 1434 recheck, appropriate as it`s a 1400-1430 transmission (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 4920, Feb 23 at 1313, SSOB below 5000, as not much on 4750 today, talk in S Asian language, mentioned a www. --- .in plus postal address more than once with lots of zeroes in it; 1315 to music. 1335 still in with music and talk, but weaker. It`s AIR Chennai, 50 kW non-direxional. No other AIRs making a modulated showing on 60m, nor any Chinese, so no Tibet QRM.
9870, AIR VBS via Bengaluru, usual good signal Feb 23 at 1450-1500 with some really hot Bollywood music. This is what SWLing is all about --- immersing oneself somewhat in the entertainment of a culture from the other worldside, literally, transpolar. 9870 is audible here long hours (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI, which suffered from Firedrake the day before, lacked it Feb 23 at 1304, with ID, well atop some much weaker signal, maybe Taiwan, causing SAH.
New frequency for VOI, 9525-, Feb 23 at 1305. No more 4+ kHz het against 9530 station. Yes, after months on 9526-, they have switched back to 9525-, presumably from another transmitter. It`s just a smidgin below frequency, not as far down as 9524.9.
Two YLs in English referring to Banjarmasin, constant hum and somewhat undermodulated but strong signal makes it mostly readable. 1308 to a report by the guy in that city. 1317 W&W introduce next program, soft-spoken M talking about agriculture. 1320 mention ``Exotic Indonesia`` which is the every-Tuesday live(?) hookup with RRI Banjarmasin, still going after many months; YLs announced the usual three frequencies, and finally ``9525`` is more or less correct; website http://www.voi.co.id and also Banj`s FM frequency where this can be heard.
1322, Today in History, starting with US topping Iwo Jima in 1945. Too much more to monitor so I miss the rest of it, but at 1348 it`s mostly music fill, W&W giggling, 1354 closing transmission with love. No signal at next check 1435 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KAZAKHSTAN. There is no external service from one of the world`s largest countries, let alone anything in English, but Kazakhstan is kind enough to relay our gospel huxters to predominantly non-Christian countries in the vicinity: Feb 23 at 1324, there is anti-church cult leader Harold Camping (end of world minus 15 months and counting) on 9310 with echo. This is scheduled as via Almaty at 12-14, 200 kW, 132 degrees.
WRTH 2010 says there are 9 x 100 kW transmitters at Almaty (Dmitriyevka, while Aoki calls it Nikolayevka --?), so they have plenty of capability and can be doubled up. WRTH also says there are 4 x 1000 kW SW transmitters at another site, Qaraturyq! But I can`t find any listings for those axually being on air. Does anyone know the status of it?
In reality, all the current A-A transmissions are listed as 200 kW, or 500 kW = 5 x 100 kW transmitters at once, or half a thousand? Another anomaly: Aoki shows 9310 as the highest frequency in use from Kaz, while HFCC shows several 11 and 15 MHz channels registered (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, XEPPM back on and in the clear! Feb 23 at 0648 piano with blues, YL [or rather OL] singer in English, and live DJ attempts to pronounce titles in English; 0703 promo something at 1530 here on 1060 AM, 1:03 timecheck, more blues, still going at 0708. Spoiler Brasil is now assumed to cut on sometime between 0730 and 0800 UT, wedded as they are to the shifting local clock, and this should continue until the next DST in November, except UT Sundays; see BRAZIL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MONACO [non]. 7220, Feb 23 at 0641 TWR IS; 0645 open Polish. This is from the ``Monaco site``, i.e. Fontbonne, FRANCE across the border, followed by Czech until 0715, 100 kW, 65 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15345, RTM, Feb 23 at 1507 cutting off and on, then stayed on but only with constant whine; 1510 added modulation of Arabic talk. They seem unable or unwilling to turn off the whine, which I am sure Arabic speaking listeners would appreciate even more than I would (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. 18057.9, R. Victoria, Lima, third harmonic of 6019.3, first heard Feb 22, again audible Feb 23: at 1420 weak YL talk in and out, 1425 a screaming OM preacher, but not David Miranda yet. 1430 preacher mixing with music, mentioning a ``gran bendición`` at some event en la plaza at ``las 4 de la madrugada.`` 1513 recheck, there`s wacky wailing two-languages-at-once David Miranda, so 1500 is apparently one of his many regular timeslots on this station.
Reception peaks today were at least as good as yesterday. This is a station I do not condescend to log on its fundamental, other than as a nuisance to other stations, as it`s there any night, but on the harmonic it`s suddenly hot DX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. What frequency is REE`s Sephardic service to South America really on? On the easily-heard first broadcast to the ME at 1425-1455 on 15380, it`s announced as repeating on 11780, UT Tuesdays 0115-0145, so this week I set an alarm for 0110 Feb 23 and remembered to check for it there and on 11795 as some schedules have it.
This week, REE was quite strong on 11680 even tho it`s 230 degrees from Noblejas for South America, so we know propagation is favorable. 11780 as usual with even bigger signal from 250 kW RNA Brasília, and could hear nothing under it, not a trace of REE IS which should have been running until 0115.
Using 11780 would be a total loss for REE, so are they really on 11795? There is only a very weak carrier detectable there, probably R Liberty Tajik via Tinang or Thailand, surely not REE as the Sephardic azimuth is supposed to be 248, which would put an even better signal into CNAm than 11680.
Just in case, also looked for it on 9690, which is used on the NAm broadcast two sesquihours later, but not there either at 0115. Also looked all over the 25 mb for it. So the question remains unanswered, but seems it must really be a totally different frequency and/or time if on the air at all. I wish listeners in S America would check this out (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [and non]. 9735, just as I tuned in a good signal at 1357 Feb 23, ``Taiwan Hoso desu`` ID and music, off at 1357:30. Aoki shows this Japanese service at 11-12 & 13-14, 250 kW, 45 degrees from Tainan, so also USward. Off just in time, as CRI Chinese service started prélude at 1358 on 9730, via Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. VOT 1330 English service Feb 23: At 1327 still nothing on 12035, but IS audible at 1329, poor rather than just barely audible modulation, so I had hopes, but at 1402 recheck, very undermodulated music. // 15300 at 1414 more Turkish music, under RFI with SAH. So both frequencies remain useless (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Quick check of the enhanced VOA services in the 01-02 hour, UT Tue Feb 23 between 0116 and 0120: A Fondo, co-produxion with R. Martí, was VG on 9415, poor on 11625, but missing from its third frequency 7340. Lavwadlamerik fair-good on 7465 and 5835, but missing from its third frequency, 5960. The absentees still appear on the VOA A-Z language transmission schedule, so a couple GB transmitters down? As usual, the three old RM channels 6030, 7365 and 9825 bore jamming only, so it was impossible to confirm if anything was really being transmitted underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WRMI, 9955: Feb 23 at 0640 The Link from RCI via WRN, good with no jamming. Would that RCI`s old non-incestuous programming had such wide distribution, e.g. also via CBC domestic.
Next check at 1250: R. República with discussion about Cuba, no jamming! The DCJC still hasn`t caught up with the latest WRMI schedule changes including RR at 11-13. At 1259 during closing RR theme and ID, jamming starts, just as it did when the 12-13 hour was not Spanish. See also CUBA [non] for more República.
1300 R. Libertad opens with time schedule on WRMI, ``transmitiendo desde el territorio libre de América`` and they really mean it. ``De cubano a cubano`` program, interviewing someone in (from?) Matanzas about a political prisoner`s hunger strike. Wish I had caught his name, to do him justice, unlike the DentroCubans.
Instead of the wall of noise we used to have at 13-15, the jamming remains relatively lite and programming remains near 100% readable, still at 1325. 1401 as WRMI switches to French for Haiti, signal to jamming ratio is about the same, still pulsing rather than wall. When that happens, it`s as if Cuba is saying, we are still here ready to hit you with full force but not at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Further evidence that the home-made WTJC 9370 transmitter is a POS: Feb 23 at 1252, it`s way out of whack, extreme distortion spreading 9325-9400 with gospel music; clearest spot at the moment is around 9350. Its noise interferes with many other stations, in fact extending into BBC/WHRI 9410 and even unto 9420 at times.
In case there is any doubt, could make out a WTJC ID at 1300. 1324, ranges 9320-9410, at least peaking around proper 9370, and now QRMs even WWRB/BS on 9385. At 1345 covers 9335-9400, i.e. from North Korea to Sweden, with very distorted peak around 9370. At 1436, 9340-9400 but mostly on 9370 with music, very distorted and unlistenable. The same thing has happened periodically; an AM station doing this might get cited by the FCC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9385, WWRB at 1437 Feb 23, BS audio cutting on and off, mostly off. Wiggle that patchcord! On second thought, don`t (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also QRM from WTJC
** VANUATU. R. Vanuatu is reported to have started testing its new 5055 kHz transmitter, 24 hours? This must be it, nothing else on 5055, Feb 23 at 1330, some very weak music, singing, and very slightly on the lo side compared to JOZ 6055 with the FRG-7 MHz tuning. This chex with Bryan Clark`s first log of it at an earlier hour Feb 19 on 5054.97.
1331 bothered by some co-channel 2-way SSB in Spanish, but intermittent. Also occasional beeps, unsure from them or this; more of that at 1333. I was not hearing anything on 5055 earlier around 1240 or 1300.
Our local sunrise today was 1310 UT; in less than a month at equinox it will of course be at 1232 = 0600 LMT, so we are rapidly losing our morning DX window (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
Enter the WRTH-listed website, http://www.radiobras.gov.br and sure enough, it forwards to http://www.ebc.com.br/ where one can read all about it. Axually seems EBC has existed since a law passed in 2008, as Lula in 2007 wanted to reorganize stuff. Maybe we and WRTH just haven`t noticed until now that it supersedes Radiobrás.
Searching the entire site on the word radiobras, I got only one hit, here pulled out of context:
``Sobre a consolidação da EBC na comunicação pública voltada para o cidadão, o chefe de Rádio jornalismo da EBC, Lúcio Haeser, disse que as emissoras ainda seguem a linha da Radiobras e adiantou que "ainda somos tímidos em promover a participação do cidadão".``
A strange attitude; Haeser, BTW is also active in Brazilian DX groups.
New site also linx to program schedule for RNA, now in UT -3:
http://www.ebc.com.br/canais/radios/radio-nacional-am-amazonia/programacao
It shows the M-F 08-10 UT program is Bom Dia Amazônia [sic], while on Sundays it`s Alvorada Brasileira. Claims a break 7 days a week between 00 and 05 local = 03-08 UT, yet we know that 11780 and 6185 run all-night on UT Sundays. I haven`t paid attention to the program name then, but perhaps it`s Alô Brasil as shown on the 980 kHz schedule grid for Sundays 03-09 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake Feb 23: unlike yesterday, not all over the place, missing from 9680 [see INDONESIA], also not heard on 9380 but some S Asian language amid all the WTJC/WWRB QRM at 1343. But FD poorly audible on 8400. At 1438 could not find any FD between 7500 and 7600, tho there was the usual CNR1 echo jamming on 7525 and 7535 against VOA and BBC respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. 9490, R. República at 0010 Feb 23, still very strong and clear signal, no jamming audible tho possibly some is far under, on this 227 degree beam from Sackville, which crosses central Flórida and Yucatán, just missing Cuba, but close enough for this UT Tue-Sat 00-03 broadcast.
Meanwhile, noise jamming still on ex-9810. RR still very good on 9490 at 0112. This is so much better than ex-9810 that now there is little doubt that was really from Rampisham UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI
** CYPRUS. 15780-15805, OTH radar pulsing, presumed from here, in one of its favorite ranges, Feb 23 at 1510 QRMing 15790 BBC Arabic via Cyprus, and weaker 15785 Galei Tsahal, Israel. Hmmm, does QRMing BBC make it less likely this OTHR be really from Cyprus too? Or are they rivals for spectrum? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ECUADOR. 3810, Feb 23 at 0659, HD2IOA timesignals every 10 seconds without QRhaM, so fingers crossed, I was hoping to catch a clear ID at 0659:40, but ham blasted on exactly the same LSB frequency a few sex before then (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA/ERITREA [and non]. 40 mb intruders made another of their frequent long-path appearances: Feb 23 at 1440, 7165 fair with Horn of Africa music including drumming; 7100 also fair but a bit weaker with HOA talk; and 7175 weakest with music including drumming, singing. At 1443 a ham blasted on 7165 which served as BFO, as he replied to someone I had not been hearing at all, about Toyota Avalons.
By 1500, 7165 had weakened so it was no longer adequate BFO for the hams who would rather ragchew, as they have every right to do, than shut up and listen to an exotic broadcast station and its music. 7110 had also weakened to a trace and 7175 was gone or blocked by more hams (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. Correxion to my Feb 21 one-off log of R. Öömrang, 15245 at 1600-1657: Info from Wolfgang Bueschel is that a postal address given was: Tanenwai 24 in 25946 Nebel (Insel Amrum).
So not Niebuell as I had thought. That is in the same region not far away on the mainland, but the postal code matches Nebel on Amrum island. My maps (in English) spell this area in Germany as well as Netherlands, Frisian Islands, not Friesian.
Also, Kai Ludwig suggests about the unfound Facebook page:
Perhaps they really referred to http://www.facebook.com/amrum
which promotes tourism to Amrum (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 15255, Feb 23 at 1408, nice songs in S Asian language, 1410 during talk, ``Adventist World Radio`` pronounced as in English. Good signal but with deep slow fades. Was listed as KSDA, but with such good reception, figured it`s more likely switched to Austria now --- no, still KSDA, due west in Sinhala. The 7DAs do manage to integrate their message into local musical styles. Gone at 1434 recheck, appropriate as it`s a 1400-1430 transmission (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 4920, Feb 23 at 1313, SSOB below 5000, as not much on 4750 today, talk in S Asian language, mentioned a www. --- .in plus postal address more than once with lots of zeroes in it; 1315 to music. 1335 still in with music and talk, but weaker. It`s AIR Chennai, 50 kW non-direxional. No other AIRs making a modulated showing on 60m, nor any Chinese, so no Tibet QRM.
9870, AIR VBS via Bengaluru, usual good signal Feb 23 at 1450-1500 with some really hot Bollywood music. This is what SWLing is all about --- immersing oneself somewhat in the entertainment of a culture from the other worldside, literally, transpolar. 9870 is audible here long hours (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI, which suffered from Firedrake the day before, lacked it Feb 23 at 1304, with ID, well atop some much weaker signal, maybe Taiwan, causing SAH.
New frequency for VOI, 9525-, Feb 23 at 1305. No more 4+ kHz het against 9530 station. Yes, after months on 9526-, they have switched back to 9525-, presumably from another transmitter. It`s just a smidgin below frequency, not as far down as 9524.9.
Two YLs in English referring to Banjarmasin, constant hum and somewhat undermodulated but strong signal makes it mostly readable. 1308 to a report by the guy in that city. 1317 W&W introduce next program, soft-spoken M talking about agriculture. 1320 mention ``Exotic Indonesia`` which is the every-Tuesday live(?) hookup with RRI Banjarmasin, still going after many months; YLs announced the usual three frequencies, and finally ``9525`` is more or less correct; website http://www.voi.co.id and also Banj`s FM frequency where this can be heard.
1322, Today in History, starting with US topping Iwo Jima in 1945. Too much more to monitor so I miss the rest of it, but at 1348 it`s mostly music fill, W&W giggling, 1354 closing transmission with love. No signal at next check 1435 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KAZAKHSTAN. There is no external service from one of the world`s largest countries, let alone anything in English, but Kazakhstan is kind enough to relay our gospel huxters to predominantly non-Christian countries in the vicinity: Feb 23 at 1324, there is anti-church cult leader Harold Camping (end of world minus 15 months and counting) on 9310 with echo. This is scheduled as via Almaty at 12-14, 200 kW, 132 degrees.
WRTH 2010 says there are 9 x 100 kW transmitters at Almaty (Dmitriyevka, while Aoki calls it Nikolayevka --?), so they have plenty of capability and can be doubled up. WRTH also says there are 4 x 1000 kW SW transmitters at another site, Qaraturyq! But I can`t find any listings for those axually being on air. Does anyone know the status of it?
In reality, all the current A-A transmissions are listed as 200 kW, or 500 kW = 5 x 100 kW transmitters at once, or half a thousand? Another anomaly: Aoki shows 9310 as the highest frequency in use from Kaz, while HFCC shows several 11 and 15 MHz channels registered (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, XEPPM back on and in the clear! Feb 23 at 0648 piano with blues, YL [or rather OL] singer in English, and live DJ attempts to pronounce titles in English; 0703 promo something at 1530 here on 1060 AM, 1:03 timecheck, more blues, still going at 0708. Spoiler Brasil is now assumed to cut on sometime between 0730 and 0800 UT, wedded as they are to the shifting local clock, and this should continue until the next DST in November, except UT Sundays; see BRAZIL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MONACO [non]. 7220, Feb 23 at 0641 TWR IS; 0645 open Polish. This is from the ``Monaco site``, i.e. Fontbonne, FRANCE across the border, followed by Czech until 0715, 100 kW, 65 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15345, RTM, Feb 23 at 1507 cutting off and on, then stayed on but only with constant whine; 1510 added modulation of Arabic talk. They seem unable or unwilling to turn off the whine, which I am sure Arabic speaking listeners would appreciate even more than I would (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. 18057.9, R. Victoria, Lima, third harmonic of 6019.3, first heard Feb 22, again audible Feb 23: at 1420 weak YL talk in and out, 1425 a screaming OM preacher, but not David Miranda yet. 1430 preacher mixing with music, mentioning a ``gran bendición`` at some event en la plaza at ``las 4 de la madrugada.`` 1513 recheck, there`s wacky wailing two-languages-at-once David Miranda, so 1500 is apparently one of his many regular timeslots on this station.
Reception peaks today were at least as good as yesterday. This is a station I do not condescend to log on its fundamental, other than as a nuisance to other stations, as it`s there any night, but on the harmonic it`s suddenly hot DX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. What frequency is REE`s Sephardic service to South America really on? On the easily-heard first broadcast to the ME at 1425-1455 on 15380, it`s announced as repeating on 11780, UT Tuesdays 0115-0145, so this week I set an alarm for 0110 Feb 23 and remembered to check for it there and on 11795 as some schedules have it.
This week, REE was quite strong on 11680 even tho it`s 230 degrees from Noblejas for South America, so we know propagation is favorable. 11780 as usual with even bigger signal from 250 kW RNA Brasília, and could hear nothing under it, not a trace of REE IS which should have been running until 0115.
Using 11780 would be a total loss for REE, so are they really on 11795? There is only a very weak carrier detectable there, probably R Liberty Tajik via Tinang or Thailand, surely not REE as the Sephardic azimuth is supposed to be 248, which would put an even better signal into CNAm than 11680.
Just in case, also looked for it on 9690, which is used on the NAm broadcast two sesquihours later, but not there either at 0115. Also looked all over the 25 mb for it. So the question remains unanswered, but seems it must really be a totally different frequency and/or time if on the air at all. I wish listeners in S America would check this out (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [and non]. 9735, just as I tuned in a good signal at 1357 Feb 23, ``Taiwan Hoso desu`` ID and music, off at 1357:30. Aoki shows this Japanese service at 11-12 & 13-14, 250 kW, 45 degrees from Tainan, so also USward. Off just in time, as CRI Chinese service started prélude at 1358 on 9730, via Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. VOT 1330 English service Feb 23: At 1327 still nothing on 12035, but IS audible at 1329, poor rather than just barely audible modulation, so I had hopes, but at 1402 recheck, very undermodulated music. // 15300 at 1414 more Turkish music, under RFI with SAH. So both frequencies remain useless (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Quick check of the enhanced VOA services in the 01-02 hour, UT Tue Feb 23 between 0116 and 0120: A Fondo, co-produxion with R. Martí, was VG on 9415, poor on 11625, but missing from its third frequency 7340. Lavwadlamerik fair-good on 7465 and 5835, but missing from its third frequency, 5960. The absentees still appear on the VOA A-Z language transmission schedule, so a couple GB transmitters down? As usual, the three old RM channels 6030, 7365 and 9825 bore jamming only, so it was impossible to confirm if anything was really being transmitted underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WRMI, 9955: Feb 23 at 0640 The Link from RCI via WRN, good with no jamming. Would that RCI`s old non-incestuous programming had such wide distribution, e.g. also via CBC domestic.
Next check at 1250: R. República with discussion about Cuba, no jamming! The DCJC still hasn`t caught up with the latest WRMI schedule changes including RR at 11-13. At 1259 during closing RR theme and ID, jamming starts, just as it did when the 12-13 hour was not Spanish. See also CUBA [non] for more República.
1300 R. Libertad opens with time schedule on WRMI, ``transmitiendo desde el territorio libre de América`` and they really mean it. ``De cubano a cubano`` program, interviewing someone in (from?) Matanzas about a political prisoner`s hunger strike. Wish I had caught his name, to do him justice, unlike the DentroCubans.
Instead of the wall of noise we used to have at 13-15, the jamming remains relatively lite and programming remains near 100% readable, still at 1325. 1401 as WRMI switches to French for Haiti, signal to jamming ratio is about the same, still pulsing rather than wall. When that happens, it`s as if Cuba is saying, we are still here ready to hit you with full force but not at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Further evidence that the home-made WTJC 9370 transmitter is a POS: Feb 23 at 1252, it`s way out of whack, extreme distortion spreading 9325-9400 with gospel music; clearest spot at the moment is around 9350. Its noise interferes with many other stations, in fact extending into BBC/WHRI 9410 and even unto 9420 at times.
In case there is any doubt, could make out a WTJC ID at 1300. 1324, ranges 9320-9410, at least peaking around proper 9370, and now QRMs even WWRB/BS on 9385. At 1345 covers 9335-9400, i.e. from North Korea to Sweden, with very distorted peak around 9370. At 1436, 9340-9400 but mostly on 9370 with music, very distorted and unlistenable. The same thing has happened periodically; an AM station doing this might get cited by the FCC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9385, WWRB at 1437 Feb 23, BS audio cutting on and off, mostly off. Wiggle that patchcord! On second thought, don`t (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also QRM from WTJC
** VANUATU. R. Vanuatu is reported to have started testing its new 5055 kHz transmitter, 24 hours? This must be it, nothing else on 5055, Feb 23 at 1330, some very weak music, singing, and very slightly on the lo side compared to JOZ 6055 with the FRG-7 MHz tuning. This chex with Bryan Clark`s first log of it at an earlier hour Feb 19 on 5054.97.
1331 bothered by some co-channel 2-way SSB in Spanish, but intermittent. Also occasional beeps, unsure from them or this; more of that at 1333. I was not hearing anything on 5055 earlier around 1240 or 1300.
Our local sunrise today was 1310 UT; in less than a month at equinox it will of course be at 1232 = 0600 LMT, so we are rapidly losing our morning DX window (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
