** CUBA. So much for lack of jamming against WRMI during its Haitian service at 12-13 M-F on 9955: Feb 8 at 1248 check, nothing but heavy DCJC noise wall vs scheduled UN Radio relay in French. I don`t know whether it was already grinding as early as 1200, but seems the callous Cubans can`t risk anything positive getting thru to Haiti.
Since I have had occasion more than once recently to criticize the atrocious quality of the 11705 transmission relaying Venezuela at 12-13, such as distorted modulation and splatter, it is only fair that I also make note of its fine clear modulation achieved on Feb 8 at 1254 about the Haitian earthquake and Venezuela`s aid, what else? The carrier was still on, open, at 1309 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Feb 8 at 0608, Spanish talk with a bit of reverb, poor signal but with Castilian accent and anyhow there are no LAs on this frequency, so surely RNGE Bata --- or rather RGE, as WRTH 2010 names it just Radiodifusión de Guinea Ecuatorial; nothing audible on 6250 but lots of ute QRM. Oops, WRTH does show a Radio LTC, Juliaca, Perú on 5005 or 5006, but have seen zero reports of that anytime in last few years (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI missing again Feb 8 at 1243 check, while RRI 9680 was in well with music. No 9526- either at some other tunebys (tunebies?) in the following bihour. 9680 was airing ``Indonesian opera`` just before 1500 and as usual ran over, this time until 1501. Just as applause started, cut the carrier, so at least this transmitter op is paying some attention to what`s being modulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ISRAEL. 15785.0, instead of 2-3 kHz lower was Galei Tsahal, Feb 8 at 1525 with discussion in Hebrew; poor signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [and non]. 4800, Feb 8 at 0621, preacher speaking Spanish in conversational tone, what a relief compared to overwrought David Miranda via Brasil 9565 a few minutes earlier; weak but almost readable signal vs CODAR. XERTA is seldom heard here this well, or at all, and must be very low power, tho it does make it to Spain (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. So much for my hypothesis that RTM had quit using 15341 in favor of 15345 as monitored the past couple days: Feb 8 at 1414 they were back on 15341, poor signal and undermodulated Arabic. Sometime during the next hour, probably circa 1500, switched to 15345 where found at next check 1526. I suppose the variation is just a matter of sloppy get-around-to-it operation. Still not detecting HCJB Australia even as a het from 15340 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 7260, Feb 8 at 1531, VOR English starting Russian by Radio lesson, fair but ham SSB QRM and I bail out. This is 230 degrees from Vladivostok. During same hour R. Liberty in Tajik, 316 degrees from Thailand is also scheduled, but inaudible here. I should think VOR would bother RL reception in Tajikistan, close to its targets from Kashmir to Vietnam (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. This Monday Feb 8 I set the alarm to remind me to check REE`s weekly Sephardic service, but of course, remembered this time and did not need the alarm. Already at 1416 open carrier on 15385, but off at 1420*. *1420:30 cut back on with REE IS for three sesquiminutes. 1425 to fanfare and sign-on as ``Radio Nacional de España/Radio Exterior, emisión Sefarad en judeo-español``. YL then announces frequencies for the three transmissions, starting with this one on ``15325`` --- she STILL doesn`t know what frequency she is really on, 15385, but just as well since it`s clear and 15325 is not. Then detailed summary of upcoming program content, so much that I found it hard to imagine how they could cram all that into a semihour.
Nevertheless, no less than the first half was dedicated to an interview with a musician named Paco. He was speaking Castilian and she was speaking JE, but of course they have no trouble understanding each other. Too bad there wasn`t time to hear much of his music. Still, it`s a well-produced show and we loved what music there was. Wrapped up with another frequency schedule announcement, fanfare and off at 1455* sharp. After antenna switch, 15385 back on at *1456:30 for regular REE service in conventional Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K. 5790, Feb 8 at 0615 Russian dialog about Ukrainian elexion, shortly mentioning BBC, fair signal but would be better without QRM and overload from Cuban spy cut numbers superstrong 5800. BBCWS English on 5875 was very good. 5790 is 250 kW, 47 degrees from Rampisham at 05-07 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. Based on a remark from someone at BBCWS Trust, kimandrewelliott.com assumed that the first week in February was to be the ``last week`` for Connexion Haïti, the special Creole program BBCWS pulled together a week or two after the quake, in the wake of immediate Creole expansion by VOA.
It had been inserted into the Spanish hour, at 1232:30-1252:30 via WHRI 9410 and Guiana French 11860; however, on Friday Feb 5 we heard them say they`d be back the next day, altho unchecked on Saturday and Sunday. Surely this would be gone by Monday, and the Spanish frequencies back to classical music fill?
No. But it almost seemed that way, as the show did not start at the appointed time. When we intuned 9410 Feb 8 at 1237 there was an apology loop in French (not Creole), with music, saying programming was unavailable from BBC Afrique, so check out bbcafrique.com. Afrique? How did that get in here?
But at 1238 axually started Connexion Haïti which thus still exists; perhaps it is being extended, maybe, day to day, or week to week. If it was needed before, it is not needed any less now. This late start should have been just in time to get it finished before the transmissions end at 1300 sharp.
Receptionwise, at the outset 9410 was quite weak and mixed with Chinese QRM, i.e. CNR5 Beijing blocking Fu Hsing, Taiwan, per Aoki, and 11860 was much better, but at 1241, WHRI 9410 rapidly built up to full strength as if someone were turning up the power, but apparently, the morning ionosphere was just getting itself together, now way over the Chinese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9885, VOA with morning service in Spanish called Enfoque Andino, whose remit would seemingly overlap that of the new evening show with Martí, A Fondo; at 1245 Feb 8 with report from Venezuela, someone highly critical of adopting Haitian `orphans` abroad to such awful places as New York; then anchor asked for people in Venezuela to send photos of what`s going on there, presumably meaning anti-government demonstrations, to comentarios @ voanoticias.com to be published on its website http://www.voanoticias.com --- looking around, I don`t find much of that, but here`s one:
http://www1.voanews.com/spanish/news/latin-america/Niegan-marcha-en-Caracas--83554712.html
At 1310 they were plugging A Fondo, M-F at 8-9 pm on 9825 et al. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. To emphasize my disdain for stupid ballgames, I wanted to see how long I could go without finding out who won the so-called Superbowl, UT Feb 8. That evening I was watching mostly C-SPAN and OETA/PBS; even avoided seeing it surfing past Yahoo headlines, but scanning MW quite by chance I couldn`t help but find out as WOAI was mentioning it just as I tuned across 1200 at 0633 UT, drat! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
Since I have had occasion more than once recently to criticize the atrocious quality of the 11705 transmission relaying Venezuela at 12-13, such as distorted modulation and splatter, it is only fair that I also make note of its fine clear modulation achieved on Feb 8 at 1254 about the Haitian earthquake and Venezuela`s aid, what else? The carrier was still on, open, at 1309 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Feb 8 at 0608, Spanish talk with a bit of reverb, poor signal but with Castilian accent and anyhow there are no LAs on this frequency, so surely RNGE Bata --- or rather RGE, as WRTH 2010 names it just Radiodifusión de Guinea Ecuatorial; nothing audible on 6250 but lots of ute QRM. Oops, WRTH does show a Radio LTC, Juliaca, Perú on 5005 or 5006, but have seen zero reports of that anytime in last few years (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI missing again Feb 8 at 1243 check, while RRI 9680 was in well with music. No 9526- either at some other tunebys (tunebies?) in the following bihour. 9680 was airing ``Indonesian opera`` just before 1500 and as usual ran over, this time until 1501. Just as applause started, cut the carrier, so at least this transmitter op is paying some attention to what`s being modulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ISRAEL. 15785.0, instead of 2-3 kHz lower was Galei Tsahal, Feb 8 at 1525 with discussion in Hebrew; poor signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [and non]. 4800, Feb 8 at 0621, preacher speaking Spanish in conversational tone, what a relief compared to overwrought David Miranda via Brasil 9565 a few minutes earlier; weak but almost readable signal vs CODAR. XERTA is seldom heard here this well, or at all, and must be very low power, tho it does make it to Spain (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. So much for my hypothesis that RTM had quit using 15341 in favor of 15345 as monitored the past couple days: Feb 8 at 1414 they were back on 15341, poor signal and undermodulated Arabic. Sometime during the next hour, probably circa 1500, switched to 15345 where found at next check 1526. I suppose the variation is just a matter of sloppy get-around-to-it operation. Still not detecting HCJB Australia even as a het from 15340 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 7260, Feb 8 at 1531, VOR English starting Russian by Radio lesson, fair but ham SSB QRM and I bail out. This is 230 degrees from Vladivostok. During same hour R. Liberty in Tajik, 316 degrees from Thailand is also scheduled, but inaudible here. I should think VOR would bother RL reception in Tajikistan, close to its targets from Kashmir to Vietnam (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. This Monday Feb 8 I set the alarm to remind me to check REE`s weekly Sephardic service, but of course, remembered this time and did not need the alarm. Already at 1416 open carrier on 15385, but off at 1420*. *1420:30 cut back on with REE IS for three sesquiminutes. 1425 to fanfare and sign-on as ``Radio Nacional de España/Radio Exterior, emisión Sefarad en judeo-español``. YL then announces frequencies for the three transmissions, starting with this one on ``15325`` --- she STILL doesn`t know what frequency she is really on, 15385, but just as well since it`s clear and 15325 is not. Then detailed summary of upcoming program content, so much that I found it hard to imagine how they could cram all that into a semihour.
Nevertheless, no less than the first half was dedicated to an interview with a musician named Paco. He was speaking Castilian and she was speaking JE, but of course they have no trouble understanding each other. Too bad there wasn`t time to hear much of his music. Still, it`s a well-produced show and we loved what music there was. Wrapped up with another frequency schedule announcement, fanfare and off at 1455* sharp. After antenna switch, 15385 back on at *1456:30 for regular REE service in conventional Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K. 5790, Feb 8 at 0615 Russian dialog about Ukrainian elexion, shortly mentioning BBC, fair signal but would be better without QRM and overload from Cuban spy cut numbers superstrong 5800. BBCWS English on 5875 was very good. 5790 is 250 kW, 47 degrees from Rampisham at 05-07 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. Based on a remark from someone at BBCWS Trust, kimandrewelliott.com assumed that the first week in February was to be the ``last week`` for Connexion Haïti, the special Creole program BBCWS pulled together a week or two after the quake, in the wake of immediate Creole expansion by VOA.
It had been inserted into the Spanish hour, at 1232:30-1252:30 via WHRI 9410 and Guiana French 11860; however, on Friday Feb 5 we heard them say they`d be back the next day, altho unchecked on Saturday and Sunday. Surely this would be gone by Monday, and the Spanish frequencies back to classical music fill?
No. But it almost seemed that way, as the show did not start at the appointed time. When we intuned 9410 Feb 8 at 1237 there was an apology loop in French (not Creole), with music, saying programming was unavailable from BBC Afrique, so check out bbcafrique.com. Afrique? How did that get in here?
But at 1238 axually started Connexion Haïti which thus still exists; perhaps it is being extended, maybe, day to day, or week to week. If it was needed before, it is not needed any less now. This late start should have been just in time to get it finished before the transmissions end at 1300 sharp.
Receptionwise, at the outset 9410 was quite weak and mixed with Chinese QRM, i.e. CNR5 Beijing blocking Fu Hsing, Taiwan, per Aoki, and 11860 was much better, but at 1241, WHRI 9410 rapidly built up to full strength as if someone were turning up the power, but apparently, the morning ionosphere was just getting itself together, now way over the Chinese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9885, VOA with morning service in Spanish called Enfoque Andino, whose remit would seemingly overlap that of the new evening show with Martí, A Fondo; at 1245 Feb 8 with report from Venezuela, someone highly critical of adopting Haitian `orphans` abroad to such awful places as New York; then anchor asked for people in Venezuela to send photos of what`s going on there, presumably meaning anti-government demonstrations, to comentarios @ voanoticias.com to be published on its website http://www.voanoticias.com --- looking around, I don`t find much of that, but here`s one:
http://www1.voanews.com/spanish/news/latin-america/Niegan-marcha-en-Caracas--83554712.html
At 1310 they were plugging A Fondo, M-F at 8-9 pm on 9825 et al. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. To emphasize my disdain for stupid ballgames, I wanted to see how long I could go without finding out who won the so-called Superbowl, UT Feb 8. That evening I was watching mostly C-SPAN and OETA/PBS; even avoided seeing it surfing past Yahoo headlines, but scanning MW quite by chance I couldn`t help but find out as WOAI was mentioning it just as I tuned across 1200 at 0633 UT, drat! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
