** ALGERIA [non]. 7295, RTA via Issoudun, FRANCE, March 14 at 0603, first in French, I think, then Arabic, marred by heavy echo. This has happened before with such relays on 7 MHz band, at an hour when long-path is unlikely over the dayside, so I again suspect there is some kind of double-transmission error, either two transmitters at once, or two audio feeds into one transmitter. Or maybe just a severe case of backscatter/multipath. This frequency is now scheduled at 06-07 UT only, 194 degrees, while until 27 Feb it was an hour earlier, 05-06 at 162 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ANTARCTICA. 15476, another week starts and still no show from LRA36, Monday March 14 at 1316, 1405, 1422, 1445 chex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 14:
8400, poor at 1323
10300, fair at 1419, no 8400 now
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 12010 & 12040, UT Monday March 14 at 0240, RHC `En Contacto` is underway in final repeat, about Radio Reloj being taken over by pre-revolutionaries on March 13, 1957.
http://www.radioreloj.cu/index.php/quienes-somos/39-historia-de-radio-reloj/58-el-asalto-a-la-emisora-radio-reloj
So the DX program has remained at this time, 0235 Mondays, but probably one UT hour earlier from next week due to DST of UT -4.
13680, March 14 at 1400 UT, RHC timecheck as ``las diez de la mañana en todo el territorio nacional``. What? Cuba is supposed to be on UT -5 for another week. So I go to the ultimate authority, Radio Reloj`s webpage. http://www.radioreloj.cu/index.php/la-hora-en-el-mundo
At the top, 1553 UT, Cuban time displays at 3:53!! Obviously it is reading my computer clock on Azores Daylight Time, not displaying true Cuban time, a serious programming defect. This page has numerous clox below linked to WorldTimeServer, including ``Washington, EEUU`` as approaching 9 am! So it`s Washington State, not DC, representing the entire USA. Times in other American countries appear to be correct.
I listen for a minute to R. Reloj stream, zoning out during the propaganda before the timecheck, at 1555 UT as 10:55 --- so yes, Cuba is still on UT -5, oddly like Oklahoma for a week (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. 11930, 13820 and 15330, R. Martí atop heavy jamming, March 14 at 1412, still messing with horoscope nonsense, which is hardly the info DentroCubans need; earlier had a report on a sexology conference --- sure to perk up listeners, ears (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUYANA. 3290, GBC, March 14 at 0555, English talk, seems like sports, which would fit for the final few minutes of a typical BBCWS news hour relayed. Too squeezed as usual by bigger carrier on low side, and now also T-storm QRN from KS/MO. Signal seems a little stronger now; wonder if GBC has made some minor improvement (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [and non]. NHK`s short-sighted curtailment of English broadcasts continues to impede the world from getting news direct. At 1400, 21560 via France is very poor and unreadable, as is 9875 direct. I also tried 9875 after 1300 when it is the only English frequency, but inaudible, compared to CRI English over India on 9870 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT [and non]. 21540, March 14 at 1446, R. Kuwait in Arabic well atop collision with SPAIN direct, which itself had good signals on clear 21570 and 21610. Saudi 21505 also in, weaker. If only we could get Kuwait as well in English, from 1800 on 15540. See also UNIDENTIFIED 13650 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LIBYA. 17725, V. of Africa from the Great Jamahiriyah, March 14 at 1403 in English after another Swahili runover, with usual 9-9-99 nonsense. Fair signal and good modulation, anyway. At 1445 really happy hilife music --- things must be peachy in Libya now. 1502 Beethoven`s Ninth riff and Green Book crap, same old stuff. Still missing from 21695 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, XEPPM, March 14 at 0600 open carrier, 0601 JIP (join in progress) national anthem. 0600 is when they switch from separate SW programming to simulcasting MW 1060. It would be nice if they could accomplish this flawlessly. 6185 well atop Vatican CCI which lasts only until 0620 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA [non]. 9460, March 14 at 0548, presumed Hausa, hollow sound, poor with flutter. Hamada Radio International via RMI, 100 kW, 180 degrees via Wertachtal, GERMANY, M-F at 0530-0600. It`s the second frequency added to 7350 via Nauen at 185 degrees, but I could not pull out the signal on 7350. Miami`s monthly correspondence publicity shows that HRI is quite pleased with the results they are getting (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6815.4-AM, March 14 at 0036, some music is audible, not very good but much better than 2+ hours earlier when we first checked for The Crystal Ship, after having been notified they would be on the air at least until 0000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 12030, March 14 at 0256 tones, 0259 VOR sign-on in English to NAm, 0300 news, good signal. 0545 still good with pop music but weaker than // 9840, while 9855 was barely audible. 12030 is 250 kW, 70 degrees from Petropavlovsk/Kamchatsky, 0300-0700. This was generally inaudible during winter, but now things are warming up. And it will be gone for A-11 in a biweek (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15385, looking for REE`s weekly Emisión Sefarad, scheduled Mondays at 1425-1455 to ME, but no signal at 1423, and still nothing at 1428 when I check 15325 just in case, the once-announced frequency, but nothing audible there either. When I get back to 15385 at 1429, it has cut on, joining judeo-español in progress. Perhaps a new transmitter operator could not really believe the schedule showing such an odd start time of 1425 instead of 1430? But cut off the air for a sesquiminute at 1436, so having further problems.
When on, had a long/short path echo, so heavy that I couldn`t copy the schedule announced at 1440. We normally get this off the back, but most of the signal is aimed eastward. Aoki shows 1425 on 15385 as 92 degrees from Noblejas. BTW, this transmission is missing from HFCC on any frequency, tho they have the other two at 0115 and 0415 UT Tuesdays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 13650, March 14 at 1410-1413*, open carrier at S9+18. Per Aoki, only thing scheduled this hour is R. Kuwait, 500 kW, 350 degrees USward from Sulaibiyah at 14-17, also 18-21. However, EiBi and HFCC have only the latter. Could also have been one of the other 13650 occupants tuning up for later broadcast, such as Rampisham or Sackville. Urumqi is also on 13650 until 1400, and possibly ran over, but too good a good signal and unlike CRI to be so sloppy (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11815, strange tones at 1415-1417+ March 14: one lower pitch, one an octave higher, alternating, at the rate of 14 per minute each. This frequency suffers from the usual 3-way collision among: REE via Costa Rica, which had the dominant Spanish audio; Turkey in Turkish, mostly music; and Japan in Japanese, mostly talk, also producing subaudible heterodynes. R. Brasil Central is likely buried in there too, often heard in the clear elsewhen and probably active 24 hours. It`s impossible to tell where the tones are coming from. Does anyone recognize that pattern? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15185, March 14 at 1406, no signal from Family Radio in English, which was here last week during this hour. Mystery relay, gone again? Numerous European signals were audible at this time on 19m (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###
** ANTARCTICA. 15476, another week starts and still no show from LRA36, Monday March 14 at 1316, 1405, 1422, 1445 chex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 14:
8400, poor at 1323
10300, fair at 1419, no 8400 now
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 12010 & 12040, UT Monday March 14 at 0240, RHC `En Contacto` is underway in final repeat, about Radio Reloj being taken over by pre-revolutionaries on March 13, 1957.
http://www.radioreloj.cu/index.php/quienes-somos/39-historia-de-radio-reloj/58-el-asalto-a-la-emisora-radio-reloj
So the DX program has remained at this time, 0235 Mondays, but probably one UT hour earlier from next week due to DST of UT -4.
13680, March 14 at 1400 UT, RHC timecheck as ``las diez de la mañana en todo el territorio nacional``. What? Cuba is supposed to be on UT -5 for another week. So I go to the ultimate authority, Radio Reloj`s webpage. http://www.radioreloj.cu/index.php/la-hora-en-el-mundo
At the top, 1553 UT, Cuban time displays at 3:53!! Obviously it is reading my computer clock on Azores Daylight Time, not displaying true Cuban time, a serious programming defect. This page has numerous clox below linked to WorldTimeServer, including ``Washington, EEUU`` as approaching 9 am! So it`s Washington State, not DC, representing the entire USA. Times in other American countries appear to be correct.
I listen for a minute to R. Reloj stream, zoning out during the propaganda before the timecheck, at 1555 UT as 10:55 --- so yes, Cuba is still on UT -5, oddly like Oklahoma for a week (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [non]. 11930, 13820 and 15330, R. Martí atop heavy jamming, March 14 at 1412, still messing with horoscope nonsense, which is hardly the info DentroCubans need; earlier had a report on a sexology conference --- sure to perk up listeners, ears (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUYANA. 3290, GBC, March 14 at 0555, English talk, seems like sports, which would fit for the final few minutes of a typical BBCWS news hour relayed. Too squeezed as usual by bigger carrier on low side, and now also T-storm QRN from KS/MO. Signal seems a little stronger now; wonder if GBC has made some minor improvement (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [and non]. NHK`s short-sighted curtailment of English broadcasts continues to impede the world from getting news direct. At 1400, 21560 via France is very poor and unreadable, as is 9875 direct. I also tried 9875 after 1300 when it is the only English frequency, but inaudible, compared to CRI English over India on 9870 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT [and non]. 21540, March 14 at 1446, R. Kuwait in Arabic well atop collision with SPAIN direct, which itself had good signals on clear 21570 and 21610. Saudi 21505 also in, weaker. If only we could get Kuwait as well in English, from 1800 on 15540. See also UNIDENTIFIED 13650 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LIBYA. 17725, V. of Africa from the Great Jamahiriyah, March 14 at 1403 in English after another Swahili runover, with usual 9-9-99 nonsense. Fair signal and good modulation, anyway. At 1445 really happy hilife music --- things must be peachy in Libya now. 1502 Beethoven`s Ninth riff and Green Book crap, same old stuff. Still missing from 21695 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, XEPPM, March 14 at 0600 open carrier, 0601 JIP (join in progress) national anthem. 0600 is when they switch from separate SW programming to simulcasting MW 1060. It would be nice if they could accomplish this flawlessly. 6185 well atop Vatican CCI which lasts only until 0620 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA [non]. 9460, March 14 at 0548, presumed Hausa, hollow sound, poor with flutter. Hamada Radio International via RMI, 100 kW, 180 degrees via Wertachtal, GERMANY, M-F at 0530-0600. It`s the second frequency added to 7350 via Nauen at 185 degrees, but I could not pull out the signal on 7350. Miami`s monthly correspondence publicity shows that HRI is quite pleased with the results they are getting (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6815.4-AM, March 14 at 0036, some music is audible, not very good but much better than 2+ hours earlier when we first checked for The Crystal Ship, after having been notified they would be on the air at least until 0000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 12030, March 14 at 0256 tones, 0259 VOR sign-on in English to NAm, 0300 news, good signal. 0545 still good with pop music but weaker than // 9840, while 9855 was barely audible. 12030 is 250 kW, 70 degrees from Petropavlovsk/Kamchatsky, 0300-0700. This was generally inaudible during winter, but now things are warming up. And it will be gone for A-11 in a biweek (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15385, looking for REE`s weekly Emisión Sefarad, scheduled Mondays at 1425-1455 to ME, but no signal at 1423, and still nothing at 1428 when I check 15325 just in case, the once-announced frequency, but nothing audible there either. When I get back to 15385 at 1429, it has cut on, joining judeo-español in progress. Perhaps a new transmitter operator could not really believe the schedule showing such an odd start time of 1425 instead of 1430? But cut off the air for a sesquiminute at 1436, so having further problems.
When on, had a long/short path echo, so heavy that I couldn`t copy the schedule announced at 1440. We normally get this off the back, but most of the signal is aimed eastward. Aoki shows 1425 on 15385 as 92 degrees from Noblejas. BTW, this transmission is missing from HFCC on any frequency, tho they have the other two at 0115 and 0415 UT Tuesdays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 13650, March 14 at 1410-1413*, open carrier at S9+18. Per Aoki, only thing scheduled this hour is R. Kuwait, 500 kW, 350 degrees USward from Sulaibiyah at 14-17, also 18-21. However, EiBi and HFCC have only the latter. Could also have been one of the other 13650 occupants tuning up for later broadcast, such as Rampisham or Sackville. Urumqi is also on 13650 until 1400, and possibly ran over, but too good a good signal and unlike CRI to be so sloppy (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11815, strange tones at 1415-1417+ March 14: one lower pitch, one an octave higher, alternating, at the rate of 14 per minute each. This frequency suffers from the usual 3-way collision among: REE via Costa Rica, which had the dominant Spanish audio; Turkey in Turkish, mostly music; and Japan in Japanese, mostly talk, also producing subaudible heterodynes. R. Brasil Central is likely buried in there too, often heard in the clear elsewhen and probably active 24 hours. It`s impossible to tell where the tones are coming from. Does anyone recognize that pattern? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15185, March 14 at 1406, no signal from Family Radio in English, which was here last week during this hour. Mystery relay, gone again? Numerous European signals were audible at this time on 19m (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###