** GUYANA. 3290, making progress here in logging reactivated GBC. May 9 at 0617 talk definitely in English, probably BBC relay at this hour, but not // 9410, or at least not synchronized. S9+12 but the noise level about the same, so copy difficult. As far as I could tell this was on 3290.0 (compared to 1290.0), not 3289.9 as some report (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY [non]. 15510, church bells caught my ear, May 9 at 1415, good signal; soon found weaker // 15410; then narration in Russian but with bits of German and English voiced-over. If it`s DW, it can`t be from Germany. Per Aoki, 15510 is 500 kW Rampisham, UK at 76 degrees, while 15410 is 250 kW Woofferton, UK at 58 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI, May 9 English from 1300, today with quite good modulation and not much hum. I noted the magazine`s segments: News; News Around the Archipelago; This Day in History; This Week --- Top Headlines; News in Brief; By now it`s 1333 when the travelogue, Indonesian Wonders, starts. 1338 Miscellany about a skeleton found in West Java; and finally, Music Corner (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. 11705, NHKWNRJ, fair but sufficient signal direct from Yamata intended for Asia, Sunday May 9 at 1400, as we are constantly reminded in NAm by the much bigger Sackville signal 50 kHz lower only in Japanese now. Some ACI from VOK in French on 11710. Now the first minute is spent announcing the frequencies for this transmission, rather than the final minute announcing the frequencies for the next transmission. That is certainly an improvement. News from 1401 to 1411, then World Interactive (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. I don`t scan the local FM band as often as I should, since with the exception of two reliable public radio signals, and KOMA playing oldies, there is nothing but crap to be heard --- gospel huxters or commercials, music of no interest.
However, I did tune across FM to refamiliarize myself with what`s not DX, and in case there would be anything new, May 7 and by golly, there was, at 2035 UT a steady local signal on 99.9 carrying the Katherine Albrecht show, today subtitled ``Good News Friday``. Soon became clear that she is obsessed with privacy and any intrusions upon it, especially by government; refers to ``the privacy-liberty-leave-me-alone movement``.
Then she played an old song used in an American Standard commercial, ``My bathroom is a private kind of place``, which she found quite funny but appropriate for broader use. 2044 adstring begins with Chinese vitamin supplements. 2049 I retuned as she had already resumed, plugging her website katherinealbrecht.com where there is a program archive, and she mentioned being on Genesis.
Ahá, Genesis means it`s a far-right pirate relay, now one operating from Enid. Previously had one in OKC, and there was a big FCC bust of GCN stations in Austin TX. This transmission has artifacts indicating it`s a not-so-hi-bit internet feed.
At 2058 she plugs her upcoming second hour, to be about mothers, 2059 plug for listening to GCN on an iphone app, ad for colloidal silver but consisting mostly of anti-government diatribe. 2101 ID only for GCN, no legal or local ID, and into, what else, IRN-USA slanted radio news.
Then I extend the DX-398 whip horizontally and slowly do a 360. Clearly this is coming from NW/SE, and in its null there is QRM from another 99.9 station, so GCN really not that strong altho it`s pushing up most of the bars at peak. I shall attempt to DF it further ASAP.
As for Albrecht, I never heard her spell her first name. Does she have any idea how many ways there are to spell it? Above is correct, since I wrote this after I looked her up. Her website does not have an affiliate list, tho a glamourized portrait of her.
Then to the GCN website to see if any 99.9s are listed around here. It seems they do not have a total affiliate list, but different lists for each program, since stations are free to pick and choose what they want to carry.
http://www.gcnlive.com/programs/katherineAlbrecht/affiliateList.pdf
lists nothing near here and nothing on 99.9, in fact only 5 AM stations for her in other parts of the country.
It might be interesting to dig into all these separate lists to see if any of them are pirates, or GCN distances itself from acknowledging those? Probably. GCN is deeply involved in pirate FM radio, and ought to draw FCC attention, but how can they help it if some local wants to relay them and gets busted?
FCC FM Query finds only one legal listing for 99.9 in OK, a deleted application for a translator in Weatherford, which is in exactly the wrong direxion, SW of here, so surely not that:
DK260AJ 260 D FX 99.9 MHz APP WEATHERFORD, ETC. OK US BPFT-20020715AAE - 14439 0.092 kW 0. m CREATIVE EDUCATIONAL MEDIA CORP, INC
In the GCN null I can hear another weaker station on 99.9. Could be overload from locals on other frequencies, OR:
In Kansas, there is a full-power FM to the NW of here, KWKR Leoti, which is NW of Garden City, really too far for such non-DX reception in dead afternoon conditions, and its format anyway is classic rock. Plus another one north of here, KSKG in Salina, more likely.
The next afternoon, May 8 I drive to a few spots from central to eastern Enid, and get widely divergent nulls on the signal, so I know it is relatively near. I spiral in on it by triangulation and increasing signal strength, using nothing but the DX-398 with its whip extended horizontally, doing a 360, and noting the number of signal strength meter bars lighting up.
At one westerly point it was NW/SE, east of there it was N/S, and at the east end, NE/SW. Therefore I know it is on the south-central side of Enid. In the center of town, strength was 8, in the east 7, but when I got to the south side it was 9. This was with full antenna extension outside the car. By the time I reached the site, it was strength 8 with the antenna fully collapsed, especially when I was standing right under the tower.
GCN 99.9 is coming from a business called Northwest Plumbing & Mechanical, Inc., 2400 Leona Mitchell Blvd. Just south of it is an OG&E power plant, with a convenient sign on its gas pipeline terminal building giving its precise coordinates, which I round to: 36.37 N, 97.87 W. Perhaps a GE/clone user can find the spot, altho from directly overhead, this mast will not show anything but a shadow.
It is a tall (~100 foot?) self-supporting pole, with what looks like a conventional VHF/UHF TV antenna atop a box, probably a rotor. One of the rear reflectors is missing. But it`s pointed due south, not toward Oklahoma City which is SSE. There is a much smaller yagi antenna above it, which may be the real outputter, altho from ground looks too small to be for mid-FM band.
I took a number of photos from outside the property.
1, The antenna flanked by unrelated ``antennas`` in the foreground at the OG&E plant. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid1.jpg
2, DirecTV satellite dishes on the roof next to the pole; may be unrelated. The Genesis feed sounds like it is via internet, and runs about a minute late. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid2.jpg
3, looking up the antenna pole, http://www.w4uvh.net/genid3.jpg
4, close-up of the antennas: http://www.w4uvh.net/genid4.jpg
5, corner of the building next to the pole with Northwest Plumbing & Mechanical sign. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid5.jpg
6, overview of the building and antenna from the street side, with another sign: http://www.w4uvh.net/genid6.jpg
Reception is hardly solid driving around Enid, but the motivated can surely listen in most of the city. Emanating from the south side means that Vance AFB is also in the coverage area. (Presumably, if it is not so direxional; have not yet been to Vance to check.)
Finally I drove due north on US 81 to see how far the signal would hold up. On the caradio I was losing it by Lake Hellums Road, 7.5 miles from the site. There on the portable, it was inaudible with whip horizontal, making S2 when vertical. So its polarization is more vertical than horizontal, contrary to the look of the makeshift transmitting antenna.
I assume this exceeds what can be accomplished under Part 15 rules, but have no way of measuring axual field strength.
This contrasts with Enid`s other unlicensed FM station, ``WECS`` 97.7 at Emmanuel Christian School, with a range of only a few blox, which I think really is Part 15-compliant. I`ve reported about it before. Programming there consists of nothing but a one-minute loop changed once a week during terms, with inept announcements by the kids (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WWCR is still missing one transmitter, #4, May 9 at 0624 --- nothing on 5890, while 3215, 4840 and 5935 were audible. As of 1530 UT May 9, the homepage still has the May 8 update previously quoted. At 1552 I find 9980 still missing but active on 15825, 13845, 7490 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** U S A. As I tuned across WWRB 9385, May 9 at 1234, Brother Scare was talking about being back on WBCQ 7415, nightly at 8-11 pm ET, because: long hair on men is contrary to what the Bible allegedly requires, and he prevailed upon Allan Weiner to cut his shoulder-length hair, in order to get BS business back. Allan did so and sent him before-and-after photos, the latter showing haircut above the ears. BS praised Allan for being ``obedient``. ? How about all those portraits of J.C. with long hair???? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. No El Hugazo, Sunday May 9 at 1553, checking the Aló, Presidente channels via CUBA 17750, 13750, 12010. Regular RHC was on 11690. Something in Chinese on 13680, i.e. CRI via Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
** GERMANY [non]. 15510, church bells caught my ear, May 9 at 1415, good signal; soon found weaker // 15410; then narration in Russian but with bits of German and English voiced-over. If it`s DW, it can`t be from Germany. Per Aoki, 15510 is 500 kW Rampisham, UK at 76 degrees, while 15410 is 250 kW Woofferton, UK at 58 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, VOI, May 9 English from 1300, today with quite good modulation and not much hum. I noted the magazine`s segments: News; News Around the Archipelago; This Day in History; This Week --- Top Headlines; News in Brief; By now it`s 1333 when the travelogue, Indonesian Wonders, starts. 1338 Miscellany about a skeleton found in West Java; and finally, Music Corner (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. 11705, NHKWNRJ, fair but sufficient signal direct from Yamata intended for Asia, Sunday May 9 at 1400, as we are constantly reminded in NAm by the much bigger Sackville signal 50 kHz lower only in Japanese now. Some ACI from VOK in French on 11710. Now the first minute is spent announcing the frequencies for this transmission, rather than the final minute announcing the frequencies for the next transmission. That is certainly an improvement. News from 1401 to 1411, then World Interactive (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. I don`t scan the local FM band as often as I should, since with the exception of two reliable public radio signals, and KOMA playing oldies, there is nothing but crap to be heard --- gospel huxters or commercials, music of no interest.
However, I did tune across FM to refamiliarize myself with what`s not DX, and in case there would be anything new, May 7 and by golly, there was, at 2035 UT a steady local signal on 99.9 carrying the Katherine Albrecht show, today subtitled ``Good News Friday``. Soon became clear that she is obsessed with privacy and any intrusions upon it, especially by government; refers to ``the privacy-liberty-leave-me-alone movement``.
Then she played an old song used in an American Standard commercial, ``My bathroom is a private kind of place``, which she found quite funny but appropriate for broader use. 2044 adstring begins with Chinese vitamin supplements. 2049 I retuned as she had already resumed, plugging her website katherinealbrecht.com where there is a program archive, and she mentioned being on Genesis.
Ahá, Genesis means it`s a far-right pirate relay, now one operating from Enid. Previously had one in OKC, and there was a big FCC bust of GCN stations in Austin TX. This transmission has artifacts indicating it`s a not-so-hi-bit internet feed.
At 2058 she plugs her upcoming second hour, to be about mothers, 2059 plug for listening to GCN on an iphone app, ad for colloidal silver but consisting mostly of anti-government diatribe. 2101 ID only for GCN, no legal or local ID, and into, what else, IRN-USA slanted radio news.
Then I extend the DX-398 whip horizontally and slowly do a 360. Clearly this is coming from NW/SE, and in its null there is QRM from another 99.9 station, so GCN really not that strong altho it`s pushing up most of the bars at peak. I shall attempt to DF it further ASAP.
As for Albrecht, I never heard her spell her first name. Does she have any idea how many ways there are to spell it? Above is correct, since I wrote this after I looked her up. Her website does not have an affiliate list, tho a glamourized portrait of her.
Then to the GCN website to see if any 99.9s are listed around here. It seems they do not have a total affiliate list, but different lists for each program, since stations are free to pick and choose what they want to carry.
http://www.gcnlive.com/programs/katherineAlbrecht/affiliateList.pdf
lists nothing near here and nothing on 99.9, in fact only 5 AM stations for her in other parts of the country.
It might be interesting to dig into all these separate lists to see if any of them are pirates, or GCN distances itself from acknowledging those? Probably. GCN is deeply involved in pirate FM radio, and ought to draw FCC attention, but how can they help it if some local wants to relay them and gets busted?
FCC FM Query finds only one legal listing for 99.9 in OK, a deleted application for a translator in Weatherford, which is in exactly the wrong direxion, SW of here, so surely not that:
DK260AJ 260 D FX 99.9 MHz APP WEATHERFORD, ETC. OK US BPFT-20020715AAE - 14439 0.092 kW 0. m CREATIVE EDUCATIONAL MEDIA CORP, INC
In the GCN null I can hear another weaker station on 99.9. Could be overload from locals on other frequencies, OR:
In Kansas, there is a full-power FM to the NW of here, KWKR Leoti, which is NW of Garden City, really too far for such non-DX reception in dead afternoon conditions, and its format anyway is classic rock. Plus another one north of here, KSKG in Salina, more likely.
The next afternoon, May 8 I drive to a few spots from central to eastern Enid, and get widely divergent nulls on the signal, so I know it is relatively near. I spiral in on it by triangulation and increasing signal strength, using nothing but the DX-398 with its whip extended horizontally, doing a 360, and noting the number of signal strength meter bars lighting up.
At one westerly point it was NW/SE, east of there it was N/S, and at the east end, NE/SW. Therefore I know it is on the south-central side of Enid. In the center of town, strength was 8, in the east 7, but when I got to the south side it was 9. This was with full antenna extension outside the car. By the time I reached the site, it was strength 8 with the antenna fully collapsed, especially when I was standing right under the tower.
GCN 99.9 is coming from a business called Northwest Plumbing & Mechanical, Inc., 2400 Leona Mitchell Blvd. Just south of it is an OG&E power plant, with a convenient sign on its gas pipeline terminal building giving its precise coordinates, which I round to: 36.37 N, 97.87 W. Perhaps a GE/clone user can find the spot, altho from directly overhead, this mast will not show anything but a shadow.
It is a tall (~100 foot?) self-supporting pole, with what looks like a conventional VHF/UHF TV antenna atop a box, probably a rotor. One of the rear reflectors is missing. But it`s pointed due south, not toward Oklahoma City which is SSE. There is a much smaller yagi antenna above it, which may be the real outputter, altho from ground looks too small to be for mid-FM band.
I took a number of photos from outside the property.
1, The antenna flanked by unrelated ``antennas`` in the foreground at the OG&E plant. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid1.jpg
2, DirecTV satellite dishes on the roof next to the pole; may be unrelated. The Genesis feed sounds like it is via internet, and runs about a minute late. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid2.jpg
3, looking up the antenna pole, http://www.w4uvh.net/genid3.jpg
4, close-up of the antennas: http://www.w4uvh.net/genid4.jpg
5, corner of the building next to the pole with Northwest Plumbing & Mechanical sign. http://www.w4uvh.net/genid5.jpg
6, overview of the building and antenna from the street side, with another sign: http://www.w4uvh.net/genid6.jpg
Reception is hardly solid driving around Enid, but the motivated can surely listen in most of the city. Emanating from the south side means that Vance AFB is also in the coverage area. (Presumably, if it is not so direxional; have not yet been to Vance to check.)
Finally I drove due north on US 81 to see how far the signal would hold up. On the caradio I was losing it by Lake Hellums Road, 7.5 miles from the site. There on the portable, it was inaudible with whip horizontal, making S2 when vertical. So its polarization is more vertical than horizontal, contrary to the look of the makeshift transmitting antenna.
I assume this exceeds what can be accomplished under Part 15 rules, but have no way of measuring axual field strength.
This contrasts with Enid`s other unlicensed FM station, ``WECS`` 97.7 at Emmanuel Christian School, with a range of only a few blox, which I think really is Part 15-compliant. I`ve reported about it before. Programming there consists of nothing but a one-minute loop changed once a week during terms, with inept announcements by the kids (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WWCR is still missing one transmitter, #4, May 9 at 0624 --- nothing on 5890, while 3215, 4840 and 5935 were audible. As of 1530 UT May 9, the homepage still has the May 8 update previously quoted. At 1552 I find 9980 still missing but active on 15825, 13845, 7490 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** U S A. As I tuned across WWRB 9385, May 9 at 1234, Brother Scare was talking about being back on WBCQ 7415, nightly at 8-11 pm ET, because: long hair on men is contrary to what the Bible allegedly requires, and he prevailed upon Allan Weiner to cut his shoulder-length hair, in order to get BS business back. Allan did so and sent him before-and-after photos, the latter showing haircut above the ears. BS praised Allan for being ``obedient``. ? How about all those portraits of J.C. with long hair???? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. No El Hugazo, Sunday May 9 at 1553, checking the Aló, Presidente channels via CUBA 17750, 13750, 12010. Regular RHC was on 11690. Something in Chinese on 13680, i.e. CRI via Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
