I was pleased to drop in on the B-11 HFCC meeting in Dallas TX, this time jointly with the ASBU, drawing in several delegates from Africa and the Middle East, September 12-16. It was a 600-mile round trip I could drive in only five hours each, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend an HFCC without flying overseas to Kuala Lumpur or somewhere; but since I was paying my own way [would any SW station like to retain me as a paid frequency consultant??], I could only spend 24 hours there, Wednesday-Thursday Sept 14-15, and managed to meet many of the almost 100 delegates, but not all of them. Name tags were worn around the neck, which means they were often out of sight, or flipped backwards, and it`s rather gauche to ask people to fish them out so you can identify them, rather than sneaking a peek at name tags firmly and boldly planted on the breast.
I was too busy to take notes most of the time, so I began writing as soon as I got back, and added further recollexions the following week. Non-alfabetical country headings are inserted here in DXLD style for ease of reference, and are also cross-referenced in this issue, in some cases duplicated. Portions were summarized on WORLD OF RADIO 1583. All photos by gh except those of gh. Some were from the HFCC meeting room at the hotel, some from the dinner at the Mexican restaurant, and others from the Continental Electronics factory tour.
We are greatly indebted to Adil Mina of Continental Electronics Corp., http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc07.jpg for sponsoring the meeting, including tour of their factory and dinner following.
** ANGUILLA, U S A. At short notice, George McClintock invited me to join the CBB (Caribbean Beacon) delegation, i.e. him, for my visit to HFCC. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc32.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc21.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc22.jpg
(As George was inspecting a large tube-holder)
Many thanks; it was nice being an Anguillan for a while. Fortunately, there was not too much coördinating for him to be concerned about as 6090 only has a couple of possible problems on adjacent frequencies, but not really. (Co-channels from Nigeria, Brasil, neither participating, are another matter.) He`s also looking after his own WTWW, of course. George was taking a much needed break from `25-hour-a-day` work installing WTWW #2 back in Tennessee, and brought back an unneeded part to return to Continental. Looks like it will be on air before too much longer.
At the same time I was an Anguillan, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc40.jpg I was also an Albanian, or so it seemed from the red and black ALBANIA cap that Drita Çiço gave me. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc42.jpg
** ALBANIA. Unfortunately she could not attend. (We later learned that Drita`s eldest son had just died!) (And R. Tirana remains off the air at the moment, but coördination for the B-11 season continues on the assumption it will be back once the studio-transmitter-linx are replaced). Not Alabama[i]an as someone misread the cap at a glance, wondering why an Oklahoman would wear that!
I was too busy to take notes most of the time, so I began writing as soon as I got back, and added further recollexions the following week. Non-alfabetical country headings are inserted here in DXLD style for ease of reference, and are also cross-referenced in this issue, in some cases duplicated. Portions were summarized on WORLD OF RADIO 1583. All photos by gh except those of gh. Some were from the HFCC meeting room at the hotel, some from the dinner at the Mexican restaurant, and others from the Continental Electronics factory tour.
We are greatly indebted to Adil Mina of Continental Electronics Corp., http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc07.jpg for sponsoring the meeting, including tour of their factory and dinner following.
** ANGUILLA, U S A. At short notice, George McClintock invited me to join the CBB (Caribbean Beacon) delegation, i.e. him, for my visit to HFCC. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc32.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc21.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc22.jpg
(As George was inspecting a large tube-holder)
Many thanks; it was nice being an Anguillan for a while. Fortunately, there was not too much coördinating for him to be concerned about as 6090 only has a couple of possible problems on adjacent frequencies, but not really. (Co-channels from Nigeria, Brasil, neither participating, are another matter.) He`s also looking after his own WTWW, of course. George was taking a much needed break from `25-hour-a-day` work installing WTWW #2 back in Tennessee, and brought back an unneeded part to return to Continental. Looks like it will be on air before too much longer.
At the same time I was an Anguillan, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc40.jpg I was also an Albanian, or so it seemed from the red and black ALBANIA cap that Drita Çiço gave me. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc42.jpg
** ALBANIA. Unfortunately she could not attend. (We later learned that Drita`s eldest son had just died!) (And R. Tirana remains off the air at the moment, but coördination for the B-11 season continues on the assumption it will be back once the studio-transmitter-linx are replaced). Not Alabama[i]an as someone misread the cap at a glance, wondering why an Oklahoman would wear that!
** INTERNATIONAL. Jeff White, organizer of the meeting, facilitated our attendance, many thanks, along with his wife Thaïs and her sister Johanna Silva, and Juan Elías Tobia who came up from Venezuela. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc41.jpg
Doug Garlinger was there, former engineer of WHRI, now working for the ABC-TV station in Indianapolis, but still very interested in SW. He said he had appreciated my work (I might have replied, too bad that Joe Hill didn`t); and I appreciate his, such as his QSL gallery at http://www.garlinger.com
I was also gratified to hear directly from several other people there that they read and appreciate DXLD!
It was also nice to meet Glen Tapley of WEWN; Jeff Cohen again of WRN along with his new colleague James Serpell; Mathias Svensson and colleague of CVC La Voz; Walter Brodowsky of MBR, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc36.jpg the well-known verie-signer but who is primarily frequency manager of this very large and complex operation; Bernd Friedewald, independent frequency manager (BFM); Giuseppe Cirillo of AWR, who built the later deleted Forlì, Italy station; Graham Baker of FEBC, who is still raving about what a beautiful place Saipan is (or was, as far as FEBC is concerned), along with Chris Cooper, [behind gh] http://w4uvh.net/hfcc40.jpg who mentioned that FEBC had done some brief DRM tests, but I am not sure from which site; Gérald Théoret of RCI à Montréal who laments that Sackville SW usage is declining. I also snapped the Ukrainians across the restaurant: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc33.jpg
** CZECHIA. It was also great to see Oldrich Cip, head of the HFCC, who reminded me that we had met once before at the EDXC conference I attended in Vienna --- sometimes in the 70s, we think. He said he was `escorted` by a minder from the then Communist government of Czechoslovakia which made him very uneasy at the time, unbeknownst to us. Oldrich`s airname was Peter Skala when R. Prague had a DX program.
** U S A. Tom Lucey of FCC http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc31.jpg revealed that altho KVOH failed to renew its license, and thus has been off the air for several months, now they have done so, and presumably will be returning; 17775 was their only frequency, and only in the daytime but not daily. Nothing was mentioned about a fine.
What about KTMI? No sign they are making any progress in Oregon or even constructing, tho they keep registering a SW schedule, even tho their CP has now expired, but hey, registering an imaginary SW schedule does no harm as long as no one believes it (gh`s comment).
** CAMBODIA [non]. Hot news direct from Ludo Maes of TDP in person. (With his much shorter TDP companion Mireya Martínez). http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc16.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc18.jpg
Remember Khmer Post Radio which was on air briefly last year? Based in Long Beach. They are coming back starting Sept 21, on Wed/Thu/Fri only at 1200-1300 on 9960 via PALAU. Don`t forget the `the` when you try to see http://www.thekhmerpost.com
And another Cambodian clandestine also based in California, at Fresno, is starting up at the same time and frequency on Saturdays only, from Sept 17, KPPM Radio. See http://www.kppmradio.org where we learn what it means: Khmer People Power Movement (not a US callsign!). They also announced this on their Facebook Sept 3: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Khmer-Power-Movement-KPM/276670769252
``Khmer Power Movement (KPM) --- KPPM Radio live its program broadcasting to Cambodia throug short wave air, please listen KPPM Radio in Cambodia on every Saturday, from 7:00PM to 8:00PM at AM or SW through frequencies: 9960 kHz, 31 meter.``
I should have asked Ludo if he can round up a few more Cambodian dissidents to fill out the week?
He made a presentation earlier in the meeting promoting DRM as he sees the future going exclusively digital in whatever media. He confessed to me that disco/dance music is not his personal favorite, but that`s what TDP Radio wants to carry. I suggest they might spur more interest in DRM with broader musical options, even classical. After all, imperfect analog is the excuse not to carry much classical on SW.
** KURDISTAN [non]. TDP had registered a frequency change for V. of Mesopotamia starting early September, 7460 instead of 7540, via Ukraine at 16-20. But it stayed on 7540, after concerns from R. Tirana that 7460 would QRM some of its broadcasts on 7465. Ludo Maes told me that had agreed not to make the change, but the client still needs a frequency below 7540 to accommodate some receivers among its audience which will not tune above 7.5 MHz.
** KUWAIT. I had a chance to ask the delegate from the MOI, Ghadeer Alkhabaz, to give the correct English schedule to the announcers in that language. 15540 at 1800-2100 continues to be registered as Arabic instead of the English which we hear but they claim it is on 11990, long-abandoned; and the 05-08 on 15110 has been off the air for years. I hope this leads to fixing the announcements rather than the real language on the frequency.
** ALGERIA [non]. She (not pictured) and a young woman from TDA (Algeria), Amel Djenane, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc10.jpg were both dressed in formally modest Arab attire, but not covering their faces.
** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Rocus deJoode of RNW confirmed that Bonaire is set to close down at the end of the A-12 season. It does not look like anyone else is interested in taking it over, as there is not that much demand for SW services in the Americas any more, but they are open to inquiries.
Madagascar`s fate is not quite so certain yet. Along with him was a colleague from the Talata transmitters, Tovonirina Razananaivo. He must have travelled the greatest distance to get to Dallas, via Paris, Amsterdam and then direct to DFW.
He was seated next to me for the Wednesday evening dinner at a Mexican restaurant, the Blue Mesa Grill, featuring the Mariachi Michoacán de Mario Fernández band which he really enjoyed. They were very good, playing almost continuously for 2+ hours. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc30.jpg
They got a brief break when Radu Ianculescu from Romania borrowed a violin to play a tune. One of the octet was quite nimble on the harp, not illustrated on their business card, http://www.mariachimichoacan.com
I would have enjoyed the music even more had I remembered to bring my earplugs as the trumpets were a bit blaring within the confines of the restaurant. I can`t imagine how people seated right up front next to them could take it, and yet people all over were apparently carrying out conversations. At this meal, breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, we were always very well-fed, from buffets.
** MADAGASCAR. Had a nice conversation with Kevin Chambers, Director of Engineering at World Christian Broadcasting. Target for Madagascar World Voice to start up is now toward the end of the B-11 season. A test schedule has been registered effective as early as 1 February 2012. But we saw the transmitters still in the Continental factory. They are almost complete but obviously have not been shipped yet. Antennas are as wind-resistant as they can afford to build them, but cyclones periodically hit the area, even on the NW coast of the island, and are bound to batter the station at some point. He says sometimes the storms head up the Mozambique channel, sometimes loop around from the north.
** ALASKA. As for KNLS Alaska, WCB continue to have problems getting needed parts for one of the old transmitters, but still hope to have the second one back on the air during the B-11 season. Kevin agreed that they need to watch out for unregistered Taiwan/China jamming on KNLS frequencies. He does rely on a few reception reports from dentro-China. They expect to reach southern China better from Madagascar than they can now from the other side via Alaska, and are also looking forward to serving Latin America from Madagascar, altho propagation predictions are not too favorable. I told him that the other Madagascar station, the RNW relay, enjoys good reception even here regardless of the azimuth, as we are close to antipodal, so MWV should also do well. Did not seem to think that the RNW facilities, soon up for grabs, would have been suitable for WCB needs. WCB is already broadcasting in Spanish via WRMI; WCB operates out of Nashville to its very remote SW site(s), and they invited me to visit should I be in TN.
** U S A. The Big Three of WWCR were there, but strangely enough, our paths never crossed. I guess they were not ready to apologize for throwing me off their air. It seemed they spent most of the time standing just outside the totally no-smoking hotel to indulge their addixions. Tsk3. Another reason not to get anywhere near them.
** ROMANIA vs IRAN. I talked to the delegates from both countries about the collision at 0400-0430 on 11920 (yes, just reconfirmed at 0420 Sept 16 and 0400 Sept 22). I don`t know if they ever got together about it, but Gabriel Stanciu indicated Romania seemed willing to move. (Altho it was caused by Iran precipitously moving its ``Voice of Justice`` English hour to North America two hours later than when the season started without being sure the same frequency would still be clear.)
Yes, Iran --- two delegates attending this first HFCC inside the USA, a nice example of international cooperation, visas accepted, despite no diplomatic relations. Amirhoushang Akbarpour and Alireza Sharifi of IRIB were also on the Continental tour and seemed quite interested; maybe Iran is looking for some new transmitters? One of them is in the red shirt: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc13.jpg
Unfortunately we had a hard time finding a common language to communicate in, also the case with some of the other delegates. But their main job is crunching numbers, consulting propagation programs, heading off collisions on their laptops plugged into the HFCC intranet. See below for visa discussion from Jeff White.
** RUSSIA [and non]. Overheard at lunch, (but he knew I was at the table), Adil Mina of CEC revealed that Russia is expected to start ordering a lot of SW transmitters from CEC, and Thomson, starting in January. It seems Russia requires that they be finally assembled in-country, so they will be shipped slightly incomplete as a `kit` with a few final things to be done.
He was hoping to persuade some Romanians familiar with their Continentals to go help the Russians with the last steps. Mr Mina, who also speaks Arabic, is quite the enthusiastic salesman for his transmitters. He said that they keep building 100 kW ones as there is always a market demand for them, but only make 250s to order; and 500s are really too big and not worth it (tho, if you really want to pay the price, well…)
** SPAIN [and non]. Fernando Almarza of REE tells me that they plan to start a second DRM transmission soon via COSTA RICA, to Brasil, presumably on 11815. The total transmission-hours at Noblejas are set, so if something is added there, something else must be removed, but this does not apply to the CR relay. This may explain some of the odd scheduling, like certain transmissions missing one day of the week to accommodate silly ballgames at other times on weekends. Fernando http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc34.jpg insisted on flashing a V = victory salute when I aimed my camera at him (as did someone else behind his head…)http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc35.jpg
** COSTA RICA [and non]. We have reported several times that the off-frequency 5954.2v transmitter of ELCOR, carrying Radio República, produces a het with R. Nederland which is properly on 5955 starting at 0500 for Europe. Of course, RR also draws Cuban jamming around 5955. I heard that RN has attempted to get Elcor back on frequency by supplying them a new crystal, but they haven`t got around to installing it. Altho this is a frustrating episode, other big stations should be so proactive in trying to get rid of Latin hets if not Latin transmitters on the same channels.
AT THE CEC FACTORY: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc28.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc25.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc27.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc04.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc05.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc09.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc08.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc20.jpg
we saw several high-power SW transmitters in various stages of construxion, including two destined for Madagascar World Voice http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc19.jpg and a DRM one running into a dummy load, with a display of the DRM waveform, quite unlike analog modulation. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc12.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc17.jpg
Dan Dickey, President/CEO of Continental Electronics http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc15.jpg confirmed that they do not have any antennas on the site, so they don`t have to worry about licensing transmissions, and the dummy loads allow them all they need to do in order to test and tweak the transmitters. They even have trouble picking up the DL inside the building.
Upon departing we were each given a red gift bag http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc23.jpg containing a curved plexiglass thingie inscribed with HFCC and CEC logos; a combination flashlight and screwdriver with multiple heads; and a paperweight(?) on a cord with a clip.
On the way *out* we spotted an inconspicuous sign on the wall that not only are guns prohibited but so are cameras, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc26.jpg including those in phones, etc. Fortunately many of us had been snapping lots of shots with no objexions.
IN THE HOTEL ROOM:
The Sheraton North Dallas hotel`s TV system had some 40 channels, not including essential ones like Comedy Central (but with MSNBC on low-tier channel 8; is that anything like cable in Dallas?). It also featured RUSSIA TODAY, my first opportunity to view that on a TV screen. News seemed rather repetitious; saw same stories more than once in the hour or so I watched in the morning. Some stories involving the US had a rather negative spin, but maybe that`s to be expected from a non-US source. RT has blonde anchorettes with strange British rather than Russian accents, and I snapped a couple. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc37.jpg
And a skipped blurrier photo of the second one had her name: Kate Partridge:http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc39.jpg
The only other foreign channel was NHK WORLD, nice to have full access to that rather than a semihour daily we get thru OKLA subchannel of OETA in OK. On some of the channels, many of the local commercial breaks were occupied rather roughly by promotion for Sheraton`s in-hotel pay-movies.
(Glenn Hauser at HFCC B-11 Dallas, Sept 14-15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
[If quoting any excerpts, you must add the final credit line just above to each item!]
Later on I had a question for Jeff White: ``Hi Jeff, I was wondering about the visas. Not knowing much about how this works, was it a task to get the Iranians, for example, into the country? Or is lack of diplomatic relations etc., not such an obstacle as one would think?
Doug Garlinger was there, former engineer of WHRI, now working for the ABC-TV station in Indianapolis, but still very interested in SW. He said he had appreciated my work (I might have replied, too bad that Joe Hill didn`t); and I appreciate his, such as his QSL gallery at http://www.garlinger.com
I was also gratified to hear directly from several other people there that they read and appreciate DXLD!
It was also nice to meet Glen Tapley of WEWN; Jeff Cohen again of WRN along with his new colleague James Serpell; Mathias Svensson and colleague of CVC La Voz; Walter Brodowsky of MBR, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc36.jpg the well-known verie-signer but who is primarily frequency manager of this very large and complex operation; Bernd Friedewald, independent frequency manager (BFM); Giuseppe Cirillo of AWR, who built the later deleted Forlì, Italy station; Graham Baker of FEBC, who is still raving about what a beautiful place Saipan is (or was, as far as FEBC is concerned), along with Chris Cooper, [behind gh] http://w4uvh.net/hfcc40.jpg who mentioned that FEBC had done some brief DRM tests, but I am not sure from which site; Gérald Théoret of RCI à Montréal who laments that Sackville SW usage is declining. I also snapped the Ukrainians across the restaurant: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc33.jpg
** CZECHIA. It was also great to see Oldrich Cip, head of the HFCC, who reminded me that we had met once before at the EDXC conference I attended in Vienna --- sometimes in the 70s, we think. He said he was `escorted` by a minder from the then Communist government of Czechoslovakia which made him very uneasy at the time, unbeknownst to us. Oldrich`s airname was Peter Skala when R. Prague had a DX program.
** U S A. Tom Lucey of FCC http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc31.jpg revealed that altho KVOH failed to renew its license, and thus has been off the air for several months, now they have done so, and presumably will be returning; 17775 was their only frequency, and only in the daytime but not daily. Nothing was mentioned about a fine.
What about KTMI? No sign they are making any progress in Oregon or even constructing, tho they keep registering a SW schedule, even tho their CP has now expired, but hey, registering an imaginary SW schedule does no harm as long as no one believes it (gh`s comment).
** CAMBODIA [non]. Hot news direct from Ludo Maes of TDP in person. (With his much shorter TDP companion Mireya Martínez). http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc16.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc18.jpg
Remember Khmer Post Radio which was on air briefly last year? Based in Long Beach. They are coming back starting Sept 21, on Wed/Thu/Fri only at 1200-1300 on 9960 via PALAU. Don`t forget the `the` when you try to see http://www.thekhmerpost.com
And another Cambodian clandestine also based in California, at Fresno, is starting up at the same time and frequency on Saturdays only, from Sept 17, KPPM Radio. See http://www.kppmradio.org where we learn what it means: Khmer People Power Movement (not a US callsign!). They also announced this on their Facebook Sept 3: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Khmer-Power-Movement-KPM/276670769252
``Khmer Power Movement (KPM) --- KPPM Radio live its program broadcasting to Cambodia throug short wave air, please listen KPPM Radio in Cambodia on every Saturday, from 7:00PM to 8:00PM at AM or SW through frequencies: 9960 kHz, 31 meter.``
I should have asked Ludo if he can round up a few more Cambodian dissidents to fill out the week?
He made a presentation earlier in the meeting promoting DRM as he sees the future going exclusively digital in whatever media. He confessed to me that disco/dance music is not his personal favorite, but that`s what TDP Radio wants to carry. I suggest they might spur more interest in DRM with broader musical options, even classical. After all, imperfect analog is the excuse not to carry much classical on SW.
** KURDISTAN [non]. TDP had registered a frequency change for V. of Mesopotamia starting early September, 7460 instead of 7540, via Ukraine at 16-20. But it stayed on 7540, after concerns from R. Tirana that 7460 would QRM some of its broadcasts on 7465. Ludo Maes told me that had agreed not to make the change, but the client still needs a frequency below 7540 to accommodate some receivers among its audience which will not tune above 7.5 MHz.
** KUWAIT. I had a chance to ask the delegate from the MOI, Ghadeer Alkhabaz, to give the correct English schedule to the announcers in that language. 15540 at 1800-2100 continues to be registered as Arabic instead of the English which we hear but they claim it is on 11990, long-abandoned; and the 05-08 on 15110 has been off the air for years. I hope this leads to fixing the announcements rather than the real language on the frequency.
** ALGERIA [non]. She (not pictured) and a young woman from TDA (Algeria), Amel Djenane, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc10.jpg were both dressed in formally modest Arab attire, but not covering their faces.
** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Rocus deJoode of RNW confirmed that Bonaire is set to close down at the end of the A-12 season. It does not look like anyone else is interested in taking it over, as there is not that much demand for SW services in the Americas any more, but they are open to inquiries.
Madagascar`s fate is not quite so certain yet. Along with him was a colleague from the Talata transmitters, Tovonirina Razananaivo. He must have travelled the greatest distance to get to Dallas, via Paris, Amsterdam and then direct to DFW.
He was seated next to me for the Wednesday evening dinner at a Mexican restaurant, the Blue Mesa Grill, featuring the Mariachi Michoacán de Mario Fernández band which he really enjoyed. They were very good, playing almost continuously for 2+ hours. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc30.jpg
They got a brief break when Radu Ianculescu from Romania borrowed a violin to play a tune. One of the octet was quite nimble on the harp, not illustrated on their business card, http://www.mariachimichoacan.com
I would have enjoyed the music even more had I remembered to bring my earplugs as the trumpets were a bit blaring within the confines of the restaurant. I can`t imagine how people seated right up front next to them could take it, and yet people all over were apparently carrying out conversations. At this meal, breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, we were always very well-fed, from buffets.
** MADAGASCAR. Had a nice conversation with Kevin Chambers, Director of Engineering at World Christian Broadcasting. Target for Madagascar World Voice to start up is now toward the end of the B-11 season. A test schedule has been registered effective as early as 1 February 2012. But we saw the transmitters still in the Continental factory. They are almost complete but obviously have not been shipped yet. Antennas are as wind-resistant as they can afford to build them, but cyclones periodically hit the area, even on the NW coast of the island, and are bound to batter the station at some point. He says sometimes the storms head up the Mozambique channel, sometimes loop around from the north.
** ALASKA. As for KNLS Alaska, WCB continue to have problems getting needed parts for one of the old transmitters, but still hope to have the second one back on the air during the B-11 season. Kevin agreed that they need to watch out for unregistered Taiwan/China jamming on KNLS frequencies. He does rely on a few reception reports from dentro-China. They expect to reach southern China better from Madagascar than they can now from the other side via Alaska, and are also looking forward to serving Latin America from Madagascar, altho propagation predictions are not too favorable. I told him that the other Madagascar station, the RNW relay, enjoys good reception even here regardless of the azimuth, as we are close to antipodal, so MWV should also do well. Did not seem to think that the RNW facilities, soon up for grabs, would have been suitable for WCB needs. WCB is already broadcasting in Spanish via WRMI; WCB operates out of Nashville to its very remote SW site(s), and they invited me to visit should I be in TN.
** U S A. The Big Three of WWCR were there, but strangely enough, our paths never crossed. I guess they were not ready to apologize for throwing me off their air. It seemed they spent most of the time standing just outside the totally no-smoking hotel to indulge their addixions. Tsk3. Another reason not to get anywhere near them.
** ROMANIA vs IRAN. I talked to the delegates from both countries about the collision at 0400-0430 on 11920 (yes, just reconfirmed at 0420 Sept 16 and 0400 Sept 22). I don`t know if they ever got together about it, but Gabriel Stanciu indicated Romania seemed willing to move. (Altho it was caused by Iran precipitously moving its ``Voice of Justice`` English hour to North America two hours later than when the season started without being sure the same frequency would still be clear.)
Yes, Iran --- two delegates attending this first HFCC inside the USA, a nice example of international cooperation, visas accepted, despite no diplomatic relations. Amirhoushang Akbarpour and Alireza Sharifi of IRIB were also on the Continental tour and seemed quite interested; maybe Iran is looking for some new transmitters? One of them is in the red shirt: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc13.jpg
Unfortunately we had a hard time finding a common language to communicate in, also the case with some of the other delegates. But their main job is crunching numbers, consulting propagation programs, heading off collisions on their laptops plugged into the HFCC intranet. See below for visa discussion from Jeff White.
** RUSSIA [and non]. Overheard at lunch, (but he knew I was at the table), Adil Mina of CEC revealed that Russia is expected to start ordering a lot of SW transmitters from CEC, and Thomson, starting in January. It seems Russia requires that they be finally assembled in-country, so they will be shipped slightly incomplete as a `kit` with a few final things to be done.
He was hoping to persuade some Romanians familiar with their Continentals to go help the Russians with the last steps. Mr Mina, who also speaks Arabic, is quite the enthusiastic salesman for his transmitters. He said that they keep building 100 kW ones as there is always a market demand for them, but only make 250s to order; and 500s are really too big and not worth it (tho, if you really want to pay the price, well…)
** SPAIN [and non]. Fernando Almarza of REE tells me that they plan to start a second DRM transmission soon via COSTA RICA, to Brasil, presumably on 11815. The total transmission-hours at Noblejas are set, so if something is added there, something else must be removed, but this does not apply to the CR relay. This may explain some of the odd scheduling, like certain transmissions missing one day of the week to accommodate silly ballgames at other times on weekends. Fernando http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc34.jpg insisted on flashing a V = victory salute when I aimed my camera at him (as did someone else behind his head…)http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc35.jpg
** COSTA RICA [and non]. We have reported several times that the off-frequency 5954.2v transmitter of ELCOR, carrying Radio República, produces a het with R. Nederland which is properly on 5955 starting at 0500 for Europe. Of course, RR also draws Cuban jamming around 5955. I heard that RN has attempted to get Elcor back on frequency by supplying them a new crystal, but they haven`t got around to installing it. Altho this is a frustrating episode, other big stations should be so proactive in trying to get rid of Latin hets if not Latin transmitters on the same channels.
AT THE CEC FACTORY: http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc28.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc25.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc27.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc04.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc05.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc09.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc08.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc20.jpg
we saw several high-power SW transmitters in various stages of construxion, including two destined for Madagascar World Voice http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc19.jpg and a DRM one running into a dummy load, with a display of the DRM waveform, quite unlike analog modulation. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc12.jpg
http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc17.jpg
Dan Dickey, President/CEO of Continental Electronics http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc15.jpg confirmed that they do not have any antennas on the site, so they don`t have to worry about licensing transmissions, and the dummy loads allow them all they need to do in order to test and tweak the transmitters. They even have trouble picking up the DL inside the building.
Upon departing we were each given a red gift bag http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc23.jpg containing a curved plexiglass thingie inscribed with HFCC and CEC logos; a combination flashlight and screwdriver with multiple heads; and a paperweight(?) on a cord with a clip.
On the way *out* we spotted an inconspicuous sign on the wall that not only are guns prohibited but so are cameras, http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc26.jpg including those in phones, etc. Fortunately many of us had been snapping lots of shots with no objexions.
IN THE HOTEL ROOM:
The Sheraton North Dallas hotel`s TV system had some 40 channels, not including essential ones like Comedy Central (but with MSNBC on low-tier channel 8; is that anything like cable in Dallas?). It also featured RUSSIA TODAY, my first opportunity to view that on a TV screen. News seemed rather repetitious; saw same stories more than once in the hour or so I watched in the morning. Some stories involving the US had a rather negative spin, but maybe that`s to be expected from a non-US source. RT has blonde anchorettes with strange British rather than Russian accents, and I snapped a couple. http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc37.jpg
And a skipped blurrier photo of the second one had her name: Kate Partridge:http://www.w4uvh.net/hfcc39.jpg
The only other foreign channel was NHK WORLD, nice to have full access to that rather than a semihour daily we get thru OKLA subchannel of OETA in OK. On some of the channels, many of the local commercial breaks were occupied rather roughly by promotion for Sheraton`s in-hotel pay-movies.
(Glenn Hauser at HFCC B-11 Dallas, Sept 14-15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
[If quoting any excerpts, you must add the final credit line just above to each item!]
Later on I had a question for Jeff White: ``Hi Jeff, I was wondering about the visas. Not knowing much about how this works, was it a task to get the Iranians, for example, into the country? Or is lack of diplomatic relations etc., not such an obstacle as one would think?
Glenn``
``Glenn: Oh yes, helping people get visas is one of the biggest tasks, and it starts months ahead of time of course. We send them personal letters of invitation, letters confirming hotel reservations and other documentation they might need to get a visa. We've done this for the conferences in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Switzerland before the Dallas conference. Each country is different of course. A lot of countries don't have a Dominican embassy, so we were able to make special arrangements for most people (even the Chinese; the DR recognizes Taiwan). We also had special arrangements with the Mexican immigration authorities to get visas for conference participants. Switzerland was a little easier, since they have embassies almost everywhere.
``Glenn: Oh yes, helping people get visas is one of the biggest tasks, and it starts months ahead of time of course. We send them personal letters of invitation, letters confirming hotel reservations and other documentation they might need to get a visa. We've done this for the conferences in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Switzerland before the Dallas conference. Each country is different of course. A lot of countries don't have a Dominican embassy, so we were able to make special arrangements for most people (even the Chinese; the DR recognizes Taiwan). We also had special arrangements with the Mexican immigration authorities to get visas for conference participants. Switzerland was a little easier, since they have embassies almost everywhere.
A handful of people were not able to get visas for the Dallas conference, but in most cases it was because they didn't start early enough. Visa processing times can take up to a few months or so in some cases. The most challenging were the Iranian visas, because there is no US embassy in Iran. The Iranians have to go to Dubai or Ankara normally in person to apply, and again to get their passports stamped if the visa is approved. And the appointments are normally limited to one day a month and have to be made a month in advance. It's really hard to get appointments for the Iranians. In the end, we were able to get special appointments for the Iranian delegates to HFCC Dallas at the US embassy in Azerbaijan, and the visas were approved relatively quickly. The IBB was of help during part of this procedure, and we appreciate their assistance. Jeff``
I visited Dallas TX Sept 14-15 for the HFCC meeting. An intense 24 hours, no time for local monitoring, but I did note a few things:
700, on the way back in southern OK evening of Sept 15, I was surprised to find KHSE Wylie (= The Metroplex) in English, including DJ introducing S Asian music after adstring in English of numerous Asian businesses. Usually it`s not in English when heard in Enid.
990, KFCD Farmersville (= The Metroplex), at 2348 UT Sept 15 in southern OK, with ad/promo for http://www.radioexitosfm.net música de los 70s y 80s --- not clear immediately whether this was the service we were really listening to on 990. Ha, the website says 80s y 90s, moving forward? Just try to figure out from the website where this is physically located?! Galería de fotos includes two shots of XHSG-FM 99.9, Crystal FM, in Piedras Negras, Radiorama, which could be a hint.
Some of the linx are dead, but not Facebook, which includes this:
Radio Exitos FM 99.3 o 98.5 -- 106.7 o 107.9 FM Culaquier Frequencia [sic], AM o FM Programación Para Tu radio 24 Horas. Con Soporte técnico a Control remoto e Imagen Personalisada para tu radio am o fm, llámanos, para más información al tel 214-628-5742. Cámbiate a un Formato de Exitos Comprobado Radio Exitos FM
e-mail dagoberto@radioexitosfm.com
September 14 at 6:00pm Like Comment
So the area code on that is back in Dallas.
and this:
Radio Exitos escúchanos en http://www.radioexitos.us
Radio Exitos.us Ahora En Tu Celular http://www.tunein.com
radioexitosfmhttp://www.radioexitos.us
LLévanos Contigo Y Disfruta de Exitos de Los 80's y 90,s En Radio Exitos FM Desde Texas Hasta Tu Celular Inteligente en Vivo Live Radio Saturday at 9:26pm Like Comment
Which merely leads back to the original homepage I heard announced. I took the liberty of fixing up their Spanish with accents, not spelling, mayusculación or grammar.
1480, KNIT Dallas is definitely still off the air, as it has been since July to put in a new ground system, Paul Walker reported. This also helps make KQAM Wichita easier to hear back in Enid, less QRM (Glenn Hauser, TX & OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. FM observations on the way to and from Dallas -
Google maps showed only a few minutes difference in some alternative routes in the Enid-OKC leg, so I followed my usual route on US 81, SH 3, I-44 to I-240 to I-35 in OKC, and I-35 all the way to Dallas, I-35E, to I-635 loop. On the way down in the morning of Sept 14, I wanted to follow the NPR news/talk stations KOSU and KGOU, with some respite from classical KCSC. KOSU and KCSC lasted farther than I expected into southern OK, not quite to the Red River border with Baja Oclajoma. These are from recollexion a week later as I was driving sólo and not taking copious notes (or any notes).
KROU 105.7, the KGOU relay in northern OKC is getting out better toward Enid now that it has moved to the KFOR tower; more solid signal, not much dropoutting or picketfencing anymore; we can pick it up from Hennessey onward, once the 105.5 translator in Enid is out of the way.
After KGOU 106.3 Norman faded out, I didn`t expect anything further from them, but found // on 91.9 for a while, which must be KOUA in Ada, a relayer recently started of only one sesquikilowatt, but only about 30 miles away from I-35 at the closest point near Pauls Valley, sufficient. (It`s co-channel to another public radio relay in the next town eastward, KBCW McAlester, which KCSC is always jointly IDing, but KBCW is even less of a force, only 700 watts.)
Around Ardmore we have to rely on 90.3 KLCU, which is a full-time relayer of KCCU out of Lawton, classical instead of news/talk, and KLCU is one of the KCCU satellites with IBOC, which wipes out anything left of 90.1 KCSC-FM (and 90.5), and also means you won`t get KERA Dallas until further into TX. KERA has a shorter range anyway than some of the commercial FMs there, e.g. WRR 101.1, commercial classical which we could still hear into southern OK on the way up, but there`s a gap on 90.1 between KCSC and KERA, worsened by the 90.3 IBOC. FM Atlas shows not much difference in primary coverage radius, KERA 79 vs WRR 87 km. Didn`t care much for KERA`s recently acquired substation on 91.7, mostly jazz. (KERA is off the hook for classical tnx to WRR, a vanishing species.) (Glenn Hauser, OK-TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
I visited Dallas TX Sept 14-15 for the HFCC meeting. An intense 24 hours, no time for local monitoring, but I did note a few things:
700, on the way back in southern OK evening of Sept 15, I was surprised to find KHSE Wylie (= The Metroplex) in English, including DJ introducing S Asian music after adstring in English of numerous Asian businesses. Usually it`s not in English when heard in Enid.
990, KFCD Farmersville (= The Metroplex), at 2348 UT Sept 15 in southern OK, with ad/promo for http://www.radioexitosfm.net música de los 70s y 80s --- not clear immediately whether this was the service we were really listening to on 990. Ha, the website says 80s y 90s, moving forward? Just try to figure out from the website where this is physically located?! Galería de fotos includes two shots of XHSG-FM 99.9, Crystal FM, in Piedras Negras, Radiorama, which could be a hint.
Some of the linx are dead, but not Facebook, which includes this:
Radio Exitos FM 99.3 o 98.5 -- 106.7 o 107.9 FM Culaquier Frequencia [sic], AM o FM Programación Para Tu radio 24 Horas. Con Soporte técnico a Control remoto e Imagen Personalisada para tu radio am o fm, llámanos, para más información al tel 214-628-5742. Cámbiate a un Formato de Exitos Comprobado Radio Exitos FM
e-mail dagoberto@radioexitosfm.com
September 14 at 6:00pm Like Comment
So the area code on that is back in Dallas.
and this:
Radio Exitos escúchanos en http://www.radioexitos.us
Radio Exitos.us Ahora En Tu Celular http://www.tunein.com
radioexitosfmhttp://www.radioexitos.us
LLévanos Contigo Y Disfruta de Exitos de Los 80's y 90,s En Radio Exitos FM Desde Texas Hasta Tu Celular Inteligente en Vivo Live Radio Saturday at 9:26pm Like Comment
Which merely leads back to the original homepage I heard announced. I took the liberty of fixing up their Spanish with accents, not spelling, mayusculación or grammar.
1480, KNIT Dallas is definitely still off the air, as it has been since July to put in a new ground system, Paul Walker reported. This also helps make KQAM Wichita easier to hear back in Enid, less QRM (Glenn Hauser, TX & OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. FM observations on the way to and from Dallas -
Google maps showed only a few minutes difference in some alternative routes in the Enid-OKC leg, so I followed my usual route on US 81, SH 3, I-44 to I-240 to I-35 in OKC, and I-35 all the way to Dallas, I-35E, to I-635 loop. On the way down in the morning of Sept 14, I wanted to follow the NPR news/talk stations KOSU and KGOU, with some respite from classical KCSC. KOSU and KCSC lasted farther than I expected into southern OK, not quite to the Red River border with Baja Oclajoma. These are from recollexion a week later as I was driving sólo and not taking copious notes (or any notes).
KROU 105.7, the KGOU relay in northern OKC is getting out better toward Enid now that it has moved to the KFOR tower; more solid signal, not much dropoutting or picketfencing anymore; we can pick it up from Hennessey onward, once the 105.5 translator in Enid is out of the way.
After KGOU 106.3 Norman faded out, I didn`t expect anything further from them, but found // on 91.9 for a while, which must be KOUA in Ada, a relayer recently started of only one sesquikilowatt, but only about 30 miles away from I-35 at the closest point near Pauls Valley, sufficient. (It`s co-channel to another public radio relay in the next town eastward, KBCW McAlester, which KCSC is always jointly IDing, but KBCW is even less of a force, only 700 watts.)
Around Ardmore we have to rely on 90.3 KLCU, which is a full-time relayer of KCCU out of Lawton, classical instead of news/talk, and KLCU is one of the KCCU satellites with IBOC, which wipes out anything left of 90.1 KCSC-FM (and 90.5), and also means you won`t get KERA Dallas until further into TX. KERA has a shorter range anyway than some of the commercial FMs there, e.g. WRR 101.1, commercial classical which we could still hear into southern OK on the way up, but there`s a gap on 90.1 between KCSC and KERA, worsened by the 90.3 IBOC. FM Atlas shows not much difference in primary coverage radius, KERA 79 vs WRR 87 km. Didn`t care much for KERA`s recently acquired substation on 91.7, mostly jazz. (KERA is off the hook for classical tnx to WRR, a vanishing species.) (Glenn Hauser, OK-TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
