** CANADA. 6175, Jan 16 at 0633, surprised to hear big signal with rock music, song by YL in unknown language, mixing in some English words. Soon becomes clear with Spanish announcement 0635 as ``Melodías de Corea``. Sackville must have put the KBSWR Spanish hour to Europe at 06-07 on the wrong frequency instead of 6045!
No, 6175 is in addition to weaker // 6045. Seems like the V. of Vietnam relay frequency 6175 and antenna USward are still/again in use long after it normally closes at 0529*! Extremely hyper M&W gab for few minutes; his accent sounds Mexican, not Castilian. 0638:30 back to music, really fast disco beat: that`ll wake `em up in Spain and keep us awake in Oclajoma. 0642 she explains some Korean words, presumably relating to the song lyrix. 0648 audio message from a listener in Buenos Aires, then playing request for him, ``The Boys`` by some ``chicas explosivas``. So was this a one-off mistake, test, or possibly making this transmission do double-duty, also late evening for Aztlán, western México? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake January 16:
9200, good at 1352 but heavy flutter, like all Chinese signals today
13130, very poor at 1355; no others up to 16 MHz by 1400. Neither of these were audible at 1425, 1449 rechex respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. Today`s anomaly at RHC: 13670 missing Jan 16 at 1448 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 15660, Jan 16 at 1439, poor-to-very poor, YL talk in Burmese, with its distinctive rising-pitches at the end of most sentences, which chex as KSDA, 100 kW, 285 degrees from Agat at 1430-1500 daily (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. 9595, Jan 16 at 1424, Japanese pop song // better 6055 even at this late hour, so R. Nikkei is still on 9595, contrary to a report by some downunderite, tho propagation not favorable today. Could not hear it when checked earlier around 0700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA SOUTH [non]. KBS gets another frequency: see CANADA
** MAURITANIA. 7245, Jan 16 at 0620, IGIM is still not on the air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325-, Jan 16 at 1402, weak signal altho registering S9+15 on the generous FRG-7 meter, with hymn on piano, 1404 talkover in unknown language, vocal hymn; lite QRM from ute beeps on lo side, but not from any 7325 broadcaster. Faded down by 1410, not much audible, 1418 carrier still detectable with bits of audio.
Tnx to Ron Howard tip from California that there is now a half-hour window for Wantok Radio Light to be heard. Aoki and HFCC show CRI Japanese finished as 1357, and CRI Filipino starts at 1430 on 7325. Japanese service always has a bigsig here, aimed 59 degrees from Jinhua and consequently also USward.
At *1429, CRI carrier comes back on blowing it away, 1430 IS and sign on in Filipino, 145 degrees from Xi`an, which must increase the QRM level in PNG. WRL was very slightly on the lo side compared to 9325 VOK.
My log of Christian music matches what Ron Howard was hearing on Jan 13, 50 Hz on the low side of 7325, with a 2:45 clip at
http://www.box.com/s/ecpj37qb8m82cij5iht6
Sounds like there is some oscillating jamming in the background, unheard here.
HFCC also shows DRM from VOR Kaliningrad until 1500, but no sign of that here, and maybe really quits at 1400 too as in Aoki, which means WRL could also make it to northern Europe during this window.
WRL has been a much-sought catch ever since it went on the air in mid-2005 on 7120, later 7325. There weren`t many reports of it until 2007.
You really have to hunt for the 7325 info on page 301 of the WRTH 2012, as it`s not in the frequency lists. Says 1 kW, no schedule for it altho 24h on satellite and presumably various FM outlets. Aoki agrees it`s 1 kW, non-direxional from Port Moresby, M-F at 2000-1700, Sat 2030-1500, and Sun 2100-1100, so nothing to be heard during this window on that day. However EiBi just shows 7325 as 24 hours; and of course not in HFCC.
We marvel that they have stayed on 7325, which is `shared` with 500 kW CRI transmitters most of the local evenings and part of the mornings. A few years ago there were reports they were looking for a new frequency. I suspect they consider the SW only a secondary fill-in to their FM relays, not that important.
See http://www.wantokradio.org where they are still celebrating their ninth anniversary as of January 14, 2010, so now they have just passed their eleventh. Wait a minute: ``We are proud to be celebrating our 9th anniversary since the launching of the ministry in January 14th 2002`` --- that would have been in 2011, not 2010! Can`t they count? Launching of the ministry does not necessarily coincide with first broadcasts, on FM, let alone SW.
Also, it seems time flows backwards for them: ``The celebrations will begin on Wednesday 13th January 2010, and will continue through to Tuesday – the official birthday date – and end on Friday. During these days we will be having an Open Station Day. . .`` ?? I guess they meant Thursday instead of Tuesday, those days matching January 2010, not 2011.
Also linx to QSL info, available by e- or p-mail with r.p. I need a few more details first, after this presumed log, and will certainly try again, but reception will probably deteriorate as our sunrise earlies.
BTW, the name Wantok is the Tok Pisin rendering of ``One Talk``, sometimes misspelt by DXers `Wontok`, perhaps influenced by `wonton`, a quite different thing? Also we sometimes see the order of the three words of the name mixed up (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9760, Jan 16 at 1459, I start monitoring for VOA to start up, as it usually comes on late, and so it does today: not until *1501:30, with news in progress, in fact 30% of the 5-minute English cast missed, as the schedulers in Washington expect Tinang-2 to make the switch from 9555 Korean service in nothing flat. At least modulation and strength were OK today once it came on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, Jan 16 at 0624, no signal from R. Rossii, Taldom site near Moskva per Aoki, tho I can hear RWM binary signal on 9996, also Taldom per WRTH. So I must conclude that 9840 is off the air again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15385.2, Jan 15 at 2055, KJES is on but only poor signal with fading, mostly skipping over here, singing, 2059 overlapping kid IDs in Spanish, off at 2100:20*. Previously measured as high as 15385.4, beyond FCC tolerance of plus/minus .0015% or 231 Hz. Now it is no more than 200 Hz off, so all is well! Another check Jan 16 at 2027: better signal, and now it`s slightly on the low side, by 40-50 Hz under 15385- (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5110v-CUSB, UT Monday Jan 15 at 0330, music from WBCQ Area 51, still at 0332, but WORLD OF RADIO 1599 was in progress later on webcast, starting a few minutes late, ending around 0405. If present pattern holds, will skip a week and be back on Jan 29 with #1601 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15825, Jan 16 at 1356, `Ask WWCR` is ending, mentioning that they have been testing on 6875 in the 21-23 UT period. That`s when #4 transmitter is available in an hiatus after 2100 a couple days per week. They also tried it at 10-12 UT instead of 7465.
Apparently thinking of using 6875 instead of 7465, 7520 frequencies from WWCR-1 in A-season. This was recorded before A-12 HFCC at Kuala Lumpur, so next biweekly edition should have a report on that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
No, 6175 is in addition to weaker // 6045. Seems like the V. of Vietnam relay frequency 6175 and antenna USward are still/again in use long after it normally closes at 0529*! Extremely hyper M&W gab for few minutes; his accent sounds Mexican, not Castilian. 0638:30 back to music, really fast disco beat: that`ll wake `em up in Spain and keep us awake in Oclajoma. 0642 she explains some Korean words, presumably relating to the song lyrix. 0648 audio message from a listener in Buenos Aires, then playing request for him, ``The Boys`` by some ``chicas explosivas``. So was this a one-off mistake, test, or possibly making this transmission do double-duty, also late evening for Aztlán, western México? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake January 16:
9200, good at 1352 but heavy flutter, like all Chinese signals today
13130, very poor at 1355; no others up to 16 MHz by 1400. Neither of these were audible at 1425, 1449 rechex respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. Today`s anomaly at RHC: 13670 missing Jan 16 at 1448 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 15660, Jan 16 at 1439, poor-to-very poor, YL talk in Burmese, with its distinctive rising-pitches at the end of most sentences, which chex as KSDA, 100 kW, 285 degrees from Agat at 1430-1500 daily (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. 9595, Jan 16 at 1424, Japanese pop song // better 6055 even at this late hour, so R. Nikkei is still on 9595, contrary to a report by some downunderite, tho propagation not favorable today. Could not hear it when checked earlier around 0700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA SOUTH [non]. KBS gets another frequency: see CANADA
** MAURITANIA. 7245, Jan 16 at 0620, IGIM is still not on the air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325-, Jan 16 at 1402, weak signal altho registering S9+15 on the generous FRG-7 meter, with hymn on piano, 1404 talkover in unknown language, vocal hymn; lite QRM from ute beeps on lo side, but not from any 7325 broadcaster. Faded down by 1410, not much audible, 1418 carrier still detectable with bits of audio.
Tnx to Ron Howard tip from California that there is now a half-hour window for Wantok Radio Light to be heard. Aoki and HFCC show CRI Japanese finished as 1357, and CRI Filipino starts at 1430 on 7325. Japanese service always has a bigsig here, aimed 59 degrees from Jinhua and consequently also USward.
At *1429, CRI carrier comes back on blowing it away, 1430 IS and sign on in Filipino, 145 degrees from Xi`an, which must increase the QRM level in PNG. WRL was very slightly on the lo side compared to 9325 VOK.
My log of Christian music matches what Ron Howard was hearing on Jan 13, 50 Hz on the low side of 7325, with a 2:45 clip at
http://www.box.com/s/ecpj37qb8m82cij5iht6
Sounds like there is some oscillating jamming in the background, unheard here.
HFCC also shows DRM from VOR Kaliningrad until 1500, but no sign of that here, and maybe really quits at 1400 too as in Aoki, which means WRL could also make it to northern Europe during this window.
WRL has been a much-sought catch ever since it went on the air in mid-2005 on 7120, later 7325. There weren`t many reports of it until 2007.
You really have to hunt for the 7325 info on page 301 of the WRTH 2012, as it`s not in the frequency lists. Says 1 kW, no schedule for it altho 24h on satellite and presumably various FM outlets. Aoki agrees it`s 1 kW, non-direxional from Port Moresby, M-F at 2000-1700, Sat 2030-1500, and Sun 2100-1100, so nothing to be heard during this window on that day. However EiBi just shows 7325 as 24 hours; and of course not in HFCC.
We marvel that they have stayed on 7325, which is `shared` with 500 kW CRI transmitters most of the local evenings and part of the mornings. A few years ago there were reports they were looking for a new frequency. I suspect they consider the SW only a secondary fill-in to their FM relays, not that important.
See http://www.wantokradio.org where they are still celebrating their ninth anniversary as of January 14, 2010, so now they have just passed their eleventh. Wait a minute: ``We are proud to be celebrating our 9th anniversary since the launching of the ministry in January 14th 2002`` --- that would have been in 2011, not 2010! Can`t they count? Launching of the ministry does not necessarily coincide with first broadcasts, on FM, let alone SW.
Also, it seems time flows backwards for them: ``The celebrations will begin on Wednesday 13th January 2010, and will continue through to Tuesday – the official birthday date – and end on Friday. During these days we will be having an Open Station Day. . .`` ?? I guess they meant Thursday instead of Tuesday, those days matching January 2010, not 2011.
Also linx to QSL info, available by e- or p-mail with r.p. I need a few more details first, after this presumed log, and will certainly try again, but reception will probably deteriorate as our sunrise earlies.
BTW, the name Wantok is the Tok Pisin rendering of ``One Talk``, sometimes misspelt by DXers `Wontok`, perhaps influenced by `wonton`, a quite different thing? Also we sometimes see the order of the three words of the name mixed up (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9760, Jan 16 at 1459, I start monitoring for VOA to start up, as it usually comes on late, and so it does today: not until *1501:30, with news in progress, in fact 30% of the 5-minute English cast missed, as the schedulers in Washington expect Tinang-2 to make the switch from 9555 Korean service in nothing flat. At least modulation and strength were OK today once it came on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, Jan 16 at 0624, no signal from R. Rossii, Taldom site near Moskva per Aoki, tho I can hear RWM binary signal on 9996, also Taldom per WRTH. So I must conclude that 9840 is off the air again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15385.2, Jan 15 at 2055, KJES is on but only poor signal with fading, mostly skipping over here, singing, 2059 overlapping kid IDs in Spanish, off at 2100:20*. Previously measured as high as 15385.4, beyond FCC tolerance of plus/minus .0015% or 231 Hz. Now it is no more than 200 Hz off, so all is well! Another check Jan 16 at 2027: better signal, and now it`s slightly on the low side, by 40-50 Hz under 15385- (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5110v-CUSB, UT Monday Jan 15 at 0330, music from WBCQ Area 51, still at 0332, but WORLD OF RADIO 1599 was in progress later on webcast, starting a few minutes late, ending around 0405. If present pattern holds, will skip a week and be back on Jan 29 with #1601 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15825, Jan 16 at 1356, `Ask WWCR` is ending, mentioning that they have been testing on 6875 in the 21-23 UT period. That`s when #4 transmitter is available in an hiatus after 2100 a couple days per week. They also tried it at 10-12 UT instead of 7465.
Apparently thinking of using 6875 instead of 7465, 7520 frequencies from WWCR-1 in A-season. This was recorded before A-12 HFCC at Kuala Lumpur, so next biweekly edition should have a report on that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
