** BRAZIL. ``Skip was long``, May 27 at 0602, making WYFR very weak on 9680, instead of its often overpowering signal; and 9675 clearly bore Brazilian Catholic recitations by a small group of voices with piano background: Lord`s Prayer, Ave Maria, Apostles` Creed. F-G signal here from R. Cançao Nova, Cachoeira Paulista, which per WRTH 2009 was not even supposed to be on the air between 2100 and 1000. (WRTH 2010 gave up on specifying any hours for Brazilian stations.) But Aoki today shows it 24 hours.
WYFR weakage also eliminated the 9715/9680 leapfrog on 9645 which normally causes a het to off-frequency R. Bandeirantes on 9645.3, now F-G with no het in discussion. Also had music on 9819v, no doubt R. Nove de Julho. Aoki also shows it 24 hours on ``9820``.
It`s nice to see the evangelical Protestants still have some competition from the Catholix on Brazilian SW, altho one, just one Rational outlet would be even nicer (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake May 26:
8400, fair at 1221, JBA at 1339
bandscanning upward found nothing by 16 MHz, but proving it pays to keep going:
16100, fair at 1344, gone at 1421
16520, good at 1344, gone at 1421
But no other FD found 8-22 MHz.
Firedrake May 27:
8400, JBA at 1235; poor at 1423
10420, very good at 1242; fair at 1423
12960, fair at 1246; gone at 1426
13320, fair at 1248 // 12960 and 10420; gone at 1426
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COSTA RICA. 15170, REE still maladjusted, May 26 at 1227 putting modulation peak spikes roughly 15100-15240. By 1420 it`s much worse, totally distorted on 15170 itself and splattering 15055-15210 or so.
REE Cariari relay: May 27 at 1231 on 5930 making a SAH with rumbling/motorboating Petropavlovsk, while // 5970 weak but clear.
The other transmitter, on 15170 remains totally out of whack, May 27 at 1254 terribly distorted breaking up and unlistenable on the fundamental and splattering spikes out as far as 15020-15320. Except for strong signals from Cuba on 15120 and WYFR on 15130, which suffered heavy QRM, it was impossible to tell what other signals were trying to be heard in this entire range! No improvement by 1430 check, splatrange roughly 15030-15310.
Combined with the RHC spurs from 15360 on 15323, etc., most of the 19m band is polluted by these two engineering nightmares. At 1303, even the big signal from CRI Sackville on 15260 had QRM de CRI [Cariari]. Are they not aware in Cariari of what they are doing? They should bring up a remote receiver if necessary. Suspect this problem has something to do with the new unit being DRM-capable (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 9490, DCJC gone wild, still pulsing away around 0600 May 26, and at 1218, vs VOA SAIPAN in Korean, and again vs nothing at 1340. The only time 9490 `needs` to be jammed is M-F 23-02 Tue-Sat when R. República is Sackvilling.
Not only does Cuba jam unnecessarily, it broadcasts RHC on many unnecessary spurious frequencies. You may be tired of my ranting about this, but someone has to speak out against this gross pollution of our shortwave bands, and whoever does it gets denounced, not just Cuba!
The RHC transmitter on 15360 had no problems for months, but lately the one they are using is putting out those spurs each side, at variable multiples. May 26 at 1349 they are centered about 15397.1 and 15322.9, a nice match plus and minus 37.1 kHz. These have modulation clearly matching the fundamental along with that constant-pitch whine. Further out it`s mostly the whine, at doubleplus 37.1 = 15433.2, but could not hear any on 15285.8, perhaps masked by the China radio war. The whine, however, could be heard another step down, on 15248.7.
At 1357, however, I noticed that the spurs had made a considerable shift tho the fundamental remained 15360. Now they are closer to 50 kHz apart, approx. 15410, 15460. And then the spurs cut off and on, while 15360 stays on. At 1419, I can hear whine plus modulation on 15260. Clearly there is something intermittent. Maybe a short in the curtain antennas if not in the transmitter.
Next check at 2055 when the same transmitter is on 15370 in Arabic. Now the primary spurs are on 15408 and 15332, plus and minus 38 kHz.
As I was listening to DW in French on 15410 via RWANDA, May 27 at 1253, it was rudely interrupted by RHC in Spanish, as the spur from 15360 mostly residing around 15397 jumped close to 15410 for a few sex. At 1259 DW went from rapping to sounder to 1300 Hausa.
BTW, RHC is also on 15380 in the mornings, but these 19m spurs are not leapfrogs over it, a separate site an echo apart.
At 1303 RHC was hitting S9+10 on 15397 as Tony was talking about, what else? The cinco antiterroristas unjustly held in US jails since 1998. PLEASE, TURN THEM LOOSE, so we don`t have to keep hearing about this every five minutes from RHC!!! (Or, I guess we could just not listen to RHC). Whatever their own secret political views, I don`t see how Tony and the other RHC announcers can take having to spout this constant monomaniacal rant. BORING (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. Unlike yesterday, VOI 9526- held up with quite a good signal during the English hour May 27, such as 1315 This Day in History starting about the Golden Gate Bridge. Some hum but not too much (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. VOA uses 12080 from various sites between 0400 and 2130, but per Aoki with a break from 07 to 14. Nevertheless, I am now hearing VOA English news at 1245 May 27. Latest info has nothing at this time, until São Tomé starts at 1400, so whence is this good signal? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
WYFR weakage also eliminated the 9715/9680 leapfrog on 9645 which normally causes a het to off-frequency R. Bandeirantes on 9645.3, now F-G with no het in discussion. Also had music on 9819v, no doubt R. Nove de Julho. Aoki also shows it 24 hours on ``9820``.
It`s nice to see the evangelical Protestants still have some competition from the Catholix on Brazilian SW, altho one, just one Rational outlet would be even nicer (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake May 26:
8400, fair at 1221, JBA at 1339
bandscanning upward found nothing by 16 MHz, but proving it pays to keep going:
16100, fair at 1344, gone at 1421
16520, good at 1344, gone at 1421
But no other FD found 8-22 MHz.
Firedrake May 27:
8400, JBA at 1235; poor at 1423
10420, very good at 1242; fair at 1423
12960, fair at 1246; gone at 1426
13320, fair at 1248 // 12960 and 10420; gone at 1426
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COSTA RICA. 15170, REE still maladjusted, May 26 at 1227 putting modulation peak spikes roughly 15100-15240. By 1420 it`s much worse, totally distorted on 15170 itself and splattering 15055-15210 or so.
REE Cariari relay: May 27 at 1231 on 5930 making a SAH with rumbling/motorboating Petropavlovsk, while // 5970 weak but clear.
The other transmitter, on 15170 remains totally out of whack, May 27 at 1254 terribly distorted breaking up and unlistenable on the fundamental and splattering spikes out as far as 15020-15320. Except for strong signals from Cuba on 15120 and WYFR on 15130, which suffered heavy QRM, it was impossible to tell what other signals were trying to be heard in this entire range! No improvement by 1430 check, splatrange roughly 15030-15310.
Combined with the RHC spurs from 15360 on 15323, etc., most of the 19m band is polluted by these two engineering nightmares. At 1303, even the big signal from CRI Sackville on 15260 had QRM de CRI [Cariari]. Are they not aware in Cariari of what they are doing? They should bring up a remote receiver if necessary. Suspect this problem has something to do with the new unit being DRM-capable (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 9490, DCJC gone wild, still pulsing away around 0600 May 26, and at 1218, vs VOA SAIPAN in Korean, and again vs nothing at 1340. The only time 9490 `needs` to be jammed is M-F 23-02 Tue-Sat when R. República is Sackvilling.
Not only does Cuba jam unnecessarily, it broadcasts RHC on many unnecessary spurious frequencies. You may be tired of my ranting about this, but someone has to speak out against this gross pollution of our shortwave bands, and whoever does it gets denounced, not just Cuba!
The RHC transmitter on 15360 had no problems for months, but lately the one they are using is putting out those spurs each side, at variable multiples. May 26 at 1349 they are centered about 15397.1 and 15322.9, a nice match plus and minus 37.1 kHz. These have modulation clearly matching the fundamental along with that constant-pitch whine. Further out it`s mostly the whine, at doubleplus 37.1 = 15433.2, but could not hear any on 15285.8, perhaps masked by the China radio war. The whine, however, could be heard another step down, on 15248.7.
At 1357, however, I noticed that the spurs had made a considerable shift tho the fundamental remained 15360. Now they are closer to 50 kHz apart, approx. 15410, 15460. And then the spurs cut off and on, while 15360 stays on. At 1419, I can hear whine plus modulation on 15260. Clearly there is something intermittent. Maybe a short in the curtain antennas if not in the transmitter.
Next check at 2055 when the same transmitter is on 15370 in Arabic. Now the primary spurs are on 15408 and 15332, plus and minus 38 kHz.
As I was listening to DW in French on 15410 via RWANDA, May 27 at 1253, it was rudely interrupted by RHC in Spanish, as the spur from 15360 mostly residing around 15397 jumped close to 15410 for a few sex. At 1259 DW went from rapping to sounder to 1300 Hausa.
BTW, RHC is also on 15380 in the mornings, but these 19m spurs are not leapfrogs over it, a separate site an echo apart.
At 1303 RHC was hitting S9+10 on 15397 as Tony was talking about, what else? The cinco antiterroristas unjustly held in US jails since 1998. PLEASE, TURN THEM LOOSE, so we don`t have to keep hearing about this every five minutes from RHC!!! (Or, I guess we could just not listen to RHC). Whatever their own secret political views, I don`t see how Tony and the other RHC announcers can take having to spout this constant monomaniacal rant. BORING (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. Unlike yesterday, VOI 9526- held up with quite a good signal during the English hour May 27, such as 1315 This Day in History starting about the Golden Gate Bridge. Some hum but not too much (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. VOA uses 12080 from various sites between 0400 and 2130, but per Aoki with a break from 07 to 14. Nevertheless, I am now hearing VOA English news at 1245 May 27. Latest info has nothing at this time, until São Tomé starts at 1400, so whence is this good signal? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
