** BOTSWANA. 17715, Dec 13 at 1453, Amerenglish with heavy flutter on audio and frequency wobbling by Doppler. Scheduled as VOA at 14-15, 100 kW, 350 degrees, to shift to 10 degrees at 15-16 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non]. 9785, Dec 13 at 1501, `China Drive` is opening, underneath a stronger carrier with hum, but clear by 1503. VOA Chinese during the previous hour via Tinang, PHILIPPINES, q.v. was a bit slow to turn off the carrier, tsk2; also jammed per Aoki. CRI 9785 is Jinhua site at 264 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 13640, Dec 12 at 1947 check, huge collision between roughly equal bigsigs from RHC and AIR, both broadcasting to Europe in French, as has been the case since Nov 7 frequency changes by RHC. Both are outlaw stations, refusing to participate in HFCC, so serves them right for not coördinating, but pity the poor listeners in Europe. I suspect the 500 kW, 300 degrees from Bangaluru have the advantage in Europe. Aoki claims the French segment from RHC at 1930-2000 is 100 kW, nondirexional, while Portuguese and Arabic after 2000 are on 53 degrees. How much longer will this go on? Both stations are obstinate, and we know Arnie doesn`t ever want to admit he made a mistake. Reports, please, from Europe on how the mix is over there at 1930-2030 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. Cf previous report under SOUTH CAROLINA [non] --- 15190, checking for any signal from R. Africa, at the times Brother Scare thinx he is on the air, to E Africa, Monday at ``3-4 pm``, probably meaning EDT or EST: no sign of it Monday Dec 12 at several chex, circa 1855, 1947, 2050, 2110 UT. Only extremely weak carrier, probably Brasil at some points, or before 1930 Philippines. Meanwhile, Ascension with YFR on 15195 at 20-22 had its usual good signal, with flutter, and it`s in the same neighborhood as Equatorial Guinea. If Brother Scare is really paying for airtime on ``R. Africa``, he`s wasting his money, or rather that of the suckers who support him (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** FRANCE [and non]. RFI strike situation check Dec 13:
9765, Dec 13 at 0635, fair with news in English
17690, Dec 13 at 1417 via GUIANA FRENCH, Spanish with history of French space programme; also some ``generator hum``
17620, Dec 13 at 1419, French talk, not musique
Latest update from Mike Cooper Dec 12: ``Workers at RFI on Monday decided "to suspend and not to stop the strike" begun on November 28, according to a statement posted at RFIRiposte. "Other actions are being out in place. The mobilization of workers against the merger of RFI and France 24 is intact," the statement said. Monday morning, union officials delivered a letter to the office of Prime Minister Francois Fillon asking that he block the merger. "Today, the ball is in the court of the Prime Minister," unions said.
A French-language AFP story about RFI on Monday said that, even though
its worldwide audience has declined from 44 million in 2004 to 35.6
million in 2008, it is popular in France with 26 million listeners.
The AFP story added that as much as 80 percent of RFI's programming
has been replaced by music during the strike.``
See also Media Network story:http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/rfi-strike-against-merger-with-france-24-continues
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. 9335, Dec 13 at 1359 open carrier from VOK, except the sound of N. Korean jamming is clearly heard, mixture at same Kujang transmitter site. That`s noise with an oscillating/pulsing sound added. 1400 VOK IS, French sign-on, anthem, with jamming still audible underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KURDISTAN [non]. 11530, Dec 13 at 1410, fair signal from V. of Mesopotamia with Kurdish music via UKRAINE; by 1458 it had faded to JBA. Media Network had a story on the PKK Dec 8; we always have to point out that VOM is brought to us by the same `terrorists` who run Roj TV:
``The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union. Its members are fighting for autonomy in Turkey's southeast, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Roj TV has a Danish broadcasting license, but has no studios in Denmark.`` Read more from Today's Zaman:http://www.todayszaman.com/news-265129-danish-prosecutors-say-roj-tv-voice-of-pkk-should-be-banned.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA [and non]. 7245, Dec 13 at 0638, IGIM is on and chanting vs adjacent Vatican mass on 7250 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MONACO [non]. 5910, Dec 13 at 0644, TWR music-box IS, 0645 Polish. Cannot hear a het or anything from Alcaraván Radio, Colombia, which many nites at other times has the frequency to itself. HFCC has TWR on 5910 only at 0645-0700, 100 kW, 55 degrees from Wertachtal, GERMANY.
At 0650 checked 7225, same YL speaking, but not //. Finally figured out that 7225 was running about 20 seconds ahead of 5910, so different playouts of same program? Separation became more obvious when music started at 0653. HFCC shows 7225 is 100 kW, 300 degrees from Moosbrunn, AUSTRIA at 0644-0659. Are the registered times one minute apart trying to indicate that they are really 20+ seconds apart? In A-11 the lower channel was on 5915 and the higher on 7220, plus Czech at 0600-0615, both from `MCO` = Fontbonne, France, but not any more (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 91.7, Tuesday Dec 13 at 1430 UT as I turn on the breakfast table radio, quite by chance catch another monthly `The Living Room` show on KOSU, pre-empting the final semihour of NPR `Morning Edition`. Gerry Bonds is interviewing a Mideast expert from UCO in the first half, and Moslem/Christian women from Tulsa in the second half, who get together and enjoy each other`s company, Jews and agnostix also welcome. See our previous report on this in DXLD 11-45, when it was heard at same time Tuesday Nov 8 --- so seems to be scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month (plus a couple of earlier times) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9760, Dec 13 at 1500, where is VOA English news? Finally at 1502, transmitter cuts on and off quickly multiple times during news, finally stays on, but undermodulated and with hum, as also heard last few days. No other carrier on frequency, so this Tinang unit is obviously ailing, presumably the #2 transmitter, 250 kW at 21 degrees USward, also used on 9555 in Korean at 12-15 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, Dec 13 at 0634, poor signal from something, presumably R. Rossii, Moscow site, which was absent 24 hours earlier tho propagation was obviously funxioning from that same area on 9996. Still need to check before 0600 on the collision with VOR English from Pet/Kam to WNAm also on 9840, as which one dominates from night to night varies greatly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 6875, Dec 13 at 0640, RTI via WYFR still in German instead of Spanish, but explaining Chinese song lyrix and then playing the song; usual huge signal aimed Mexicoward (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, Dec 13 at 0635, not only no modulation, but no signal from WBCQ, despite Cairo-9305, Bulgaria-9400, BBC-9410 audible, and good signal from WTJC-9370. But at 0704 recheck, WBCQ is back on 9330 with GFRN, and stronger than 9370 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 7295, Dec 13 at 0639, AM signal here not a broadcaster but a ham, with test counts, quick ID sounded like WB3TM or WB3TL but no hits for either on QRZ.com or ARRL.org. Please use fonetix? Algeria AM via France is currently on 7295 only at 05-06, to be extended to -07 from Feb 26 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non]. 9785, Dec 13 at 1501, `China Drive` is opening, underneath a stronger carrier with hum, but clear by 1503. VOA Chinese during the previous hour via Tinang, PHILIPPINES, q.v. was a bit slow to turn off the carrier, tsk2; also jammed per Aoki. CRI 9785 is Jinhua site at 264 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 13640, Dec 12 at 1947 check, huge collision between roughly equal bigsigs from RHC and AIR, both broadcasting to Europe in French, as has been the case since Nov 7 frequency changes by RHC. Both are outlaw stations, refusing to participate in HFCC, so serves them right for not coördinating, but pity the poor listeners in Europe. I suspect the 500 kW, 300 degrees from Bangaluru have the advantage in Europe. Aoki claims the French segment from RHC at 1930-2000 is 100 kW, nondirexional, while Portuguese and Arabic after 2000 are on 53 degrees. How much longer will this go on? Both stations are obstinate, and we know Arnie doesn`t ever want to admit he made a mistake. Reports, please, from Europe on how the mix is over there at 1930-2030 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. Cf previous report under SOUTH CAROLINA [non] --- 15190, checking for any signal from R. Africa, at the times Brother Scare thinx he is on the air, to E Africa, Monday at ``3-4 pm``, probably meaning EDT or EST: no sign of it Monday Dec 12 at several chex, circa 1855, 1947, 2050, 2110 UT. Only extremely weak carrier, probably Brasil at some points, or before 1930 Philippines. Meanwhile, Ascension with YFR on 15195 at 20-22 had its usual good signal, with flutter, and it`s in the same neighborhood as Equatorial Guinea. If Brother Scare is really paying for airtime on ``R. Africa``, he`s wasting his money, or rather that of the suckers who support him (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** FRANCE [and non]. RFI strike situation check Dec 13:
9765, Dec 13 at 0635, fair with news in English
17690, Dec 13 at 1417 via GUIANA FRENCH, Spanish with history of French space programme; also some ``generator hum``
17620, Dec 13 at 1419, French talk, not musique
Latest update from Mike Cooper Dec 12: ``Workers at RFI on Monday decided "to suspend and not to stop the strike" begun on November 28, according to a statement posted at RFIRiposte. "Other actions are being out in place. The mobilization of workers against the merger of RFI and France 24 is intact," the statement said. Monday morning, union officials delivered a letter to the office of Prime Minister Francois Fillon asking that he block the merger. "Today, the ball is in the court of the Prime Minister," unions said.
A French-language AFP story about RFI on Monday said that, even though
its worldwide audience has declined from 44 million in 2004 to 35.6
million in 2008, it is popular in France with 26 million listeners.
The AFP story added that as much as 80 percent of RFI's programming
has been replaced by music during the strike.``
See also Media Network story:http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/rfi-strike-against-merger-with-france-24-continues
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. 9335, Dec 13 at 1359 open carrier from VOK, except the sound of N. Korean jamming is clearly heard, mixture at same Kujang transmitter site. That`s noise with an oscillating/pulsing sound added. 1400 VOK IS, French sign-on, anthem, with jamming still audible underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KURDISTAN [non]. 11530, Dec 13 at 1410, fair signal from V. of Mesopotamia with Kurdish music via UKRAINE; by 1458 it had faded to JBA. Media Network had a story on the PKK Dec 8; we always have to point out that VOM is brought to us by the same `terrorists` who run Roj TV:
``The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union. Its members are fighting for autonomy in Turkey's southeast, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Roj TV has a Danish broadcasting license, but has no studios in Denmark.`` Read more from Today's Zaman:http://www.todayszaman.com/news-265129-danish-prosecutors-say-roj-tv-voice-of-pkk-should-be-banned.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA [and non]. 7245, Dec 13 at 0638, IGIM is on and chanting vs adjacent Vatican mass on 7250 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MONACO [non]. 5910, Dec 13 at 0644, TWR music-box IS, 0645 Polish. Cannot hear a het or anything from Alcaraván Radio, Colombia, which many nites at other times has the frequency to itself. HFCC has TWR on 5910 only at 0645-0700, 100 kW, 55 degrees from Wertachtal, GERMANY.
At 0650 checked 7225, same YL speaking, but not //. Finally figured out that 7225 was running about 20 seconds ahead of 5910, so different playouts of same program? Separation became more obvious when music started at 0653. HFCC shows 7225 is 100 kW, 300 degrees from Moosbrunn, AUSTRIA at 0644-0659. Are the registered times one minute apart trying to indicate that they are really 20+ seconds apart? In A-11 the lower channel was on 5915 and the higher on 7220, plus Czech at 0600-0615, both from `MCO` = Fontbonne, France, but not any more (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 91.7, Tuesday Dec 13 at 1430 UT as I turn on the breakfast table radio, quite by chance catch another monthly `The Living Room` show on KOSU, pre-empting the final semihour of NPR `Morning Edition`. Gerry Bonds is interviewing a Mideast expert from UCO in the first half, and Moslem/Christian women from Tulsa in the second half, who get together and enjoy each other`s company, Jews and agnostix also welcome. See our previous report on this in DXLD 11-45, when it was heard at same time Tuesday Nov 8 --- so seems to be scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month (plus a couple of earlier times) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9760, Dec 13 at 1500, where is VOA English news? Finally at 1502, transmitter cuts on and off quickly multiple times during news, finally stays on, but undermodulated and with hum, as also heard last few days. No other carrier on frequency, so this Tinang unit is obviously ailing, presumably the #2 transmitter, 250 kW at 21 degrees USward, also used on 9555 in Korean at 12-15 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, Dec 13 at 0634, poor signal from something, presumably R. Rossii, Moscow site, which was absent 24 hours earlier tho propagation was obviously funxioning from that same area on 9996. Still need to check before 0600 on the collision with VOR English from Pet/Kam to WNAm also on 9840, as which one dominates from night to night varies greatly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 6875, Dec 13 at 0640, RTI via WYFR still in German instead of Spanish, but explaining Chinese song lyrix and then playing the song; usual huge signal aimed Mexicoward (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, Dec 13 at 0635, not only no modulation, but no signal from WBCQ, despite Cairo-9305, Bulgaria-9400, BBC-9410 audible, and good signal from WTJC-9370. But at 0704 recheck, WBCQ is back on 9330 with GFRN, and stronger than 9370 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 7295, Dec 13 at 0639, AM signal here not a broadcaster but a ham, with test counts, quick ID sounded like WB3TM or WB3TL but no hits for either on QRZ.com or ARRL.org. Please use fonetix? Algeria AM via France is currently on 7295 only at 05-06, to be extended to -07 from Feb 26 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
