** BULGARIA. Missed the final 22 UT broadcast in English of R. Bulgaria Jan 30, and the final 00 broadcast UT Jan 31, so started to record the final final 03 broadcast, but reception too poor on 7400 and 5900. 7400 overridden by much stronger open carrier from 7395, i.e. MADAGASCAR already warming up for the 0315-0400 Swahili broadcast of NHK at 320 degrees also USward; and by the Cuban radio war on 7405. I did make out an announcement about 0301 that SW would be terminated as of February 1 after 76 years on the air.
The same two frequencies in use for Bulgarian at 0530-0600: at 0552 Jan 31, 7400 was good, 5900 almost as good except it`s undermodulated.
At 0606, 7400 has open carrier and hum, as they are still running the transmitter long before the 0630 German service; weak audio of something underneath, presumably also R. Bulgaria Turkish in opposite direxion. Turkish-sounding music was more audible at 0620. 9400 also had weaker open carrier at 0606, 0620. Heard IS, theme and German opening at 0630 on 7400.
15600, checking for the Bulgarian hour Jan 31 at 1431, very poor signal and not sure it`s RB, which is normally heard quite well; heavy RTTY from circa 15604 was a problem too tho WEWN 15610 and spurs were off.
15700, at 1643 Jan 31, only a very weak carrier, but never very good here, aimed south.
Here are the final scheduled few hours of RB SW transmissions before pulling the big switch forever at 2200 (unless they have already done it?), per WRTH 2012:
1600-1700 5900 7400 9700 15700 Bulgarian
1730-1800 7400 9700 German
1730-1800 5900 9400 Spanish
1800-1830 7400 9700 French
1830-1900 7400 9700 English
1830-1900 5900 Turkish
1900-2000 5900 7400 Russian
2000-2100 5900 7400 German
2100-2200 5900 7400 French
2100-2200 6000 9400 Spanish
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA [and non]. 6070, Jan 31 at 0609, CFRX is distorted and carrier unstable with comedy; looks like the transmitter is about to go out again. All-night comedy fans will soon have an alternative, as KKLF 1700 in The Metroplex, TX adopts that format February 1, I think from the same network source (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake January 31:
15870, poor with heavy flutter at 1429, -1500*, nothing else audible
14970, very poor at 1433
No others found 11-18 MHz.
Don`t think I`ve heard it before on 15870, and it`s not in Harold Frodge`s comprehensive compilation in DXLD 12-03, nor in Steve Handler`s restricted B-11 list, but Aoki shows one of the 100-watt nuisance Sound of Hope transmitters on Taiwan on 15870 available 24 hours in Chinese, or 02-04 in Cantonese, and therefore requiring jamming whenever it appear before an hourtop (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, Jan 31 at 1415, Indonesian talk, S9+20 with some hum but very undermodulated; at least there are no IADs any more. At 1422, 9680 RRI domestic had good modulation and well atop CCI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MADAGASCAR. The original Feb 1 tentative target date for Madagascar World Voice has prompted ``almost on the air`` assumptions, with a frequency test schedule circulating, but not so. I asked Kevin Chambers of World Christian Broadcasting for a status report and he replies as of Jan 31:
``Hello Glenn, Thank you for the inquiry. I wish I had better news. The transmitters are packed and ready to ship. However, the Malagasy government has stalled (16 months) in the signing of necessary document renewals that would allow the transmitters to enter the country. At this time, I cannot give even a guess as to when the transmitters could start on their way here. I have had many "first on-air test" dates in mind but I have given up trying to predict so we are just trying to be patient. We have no leverage as to what the government will do. Everything else here at this site is ready to go.
Sincerely, Kevin Chambers, World Christian Broadcasting``
It looks like they would have been better off acquiring the RNW SW transmitters which are already up and running for many years, replenished with newer ones from Sweden and soon to lose their primary purpose (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MYANMAR. 7110, Jan 31 at 1408, Myanma Radio presumed with singing, poor signal but better than usual and no QRhaM at the moment; seems undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [and non]. 11680, Jan 30 at 2116, REE in Portuguese, YL with Brazilian accent conversing with Castilian-accented OM. The 21-22 M-F broadcast is only on this frequency direct for Brasil, while the 1830-1900 M-F is on all `Spanish` frequencies of REE, even the one relayed by CR to North America, 17850.
9675, Jan 31 at 0603, REE via Costa Rica is still on the air with narration and singing, not news, a filler? // 5965, and so is the third CR frequency 3350. Tried to hear whether these were // 11895 and 12035 from Noblejas, but no propagation from Europe. By next check, 0611, 9675 was off while 5965 continued as it alone is supposed to (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15583-15642, Jan 30 at 2108 I find WEWN`s 15610 signal extremely strong with the squishy spur/noise field extending this far out: The peaks are at intervals of somewhere between 8 and 9 kHz, circa 15619, 15627, 15636; and on the lo side 15601, 15592, maybe 15584 but strong VOA 15580 signal obscures it there.
Jan 31 at 1427, WEWN is missing from all three frequencies: 11550 and 12050 in Spanish, 15610 in English; but there is heavy FSK/RTTY circa 15604, as if that station has trumped WEWN. Normally it`s nothing but WEWN spreading splash and spurs from 15610, and Bulgaria [q.v.] on 15600, which only had a very weak signal if that`s what it was. All three WEWN frequencies still silent at 1643. Weather.com shows no lightning anywhere in the US (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1490, KRSN Los Álamos NM: QSL card serial #13, for DX test Jan 21 received by p-mail on Jan 28, full details, signed both by Michael Westfall, N6KUY, QSL Coordinator/Volunteer, and David Sutton, COO, Station Owner/Manager. It seems KRSN means ``Kommunity Radio Station Now``. Also enclosed two filing cabinet magnet cards, and business card from Sutton, all of which present a wavy musical staff logo, but only the business card appears to have an axual melody on it, representing their jingle? Accepted report by e-mail, no rp. Tnx again to Michael and David for the test as I previously reported, IDed by MCW tuning offset from 1490. See them at:
http://www.w4uvh.net/KRSN.jpg
(Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 6200, 6075, 5850, 5775, Jan 30 at 2122, strong carriers cutting on and off at the rate of 14 times per minute, noticed with the DX-398 portable on the porch. Not found on other frequencies at 25, 50 or 75 kHz intervals such as 5700, 5925, 6000. Very strange. Since I had only one receiver handy, could not tell if they were synchronized, but seems likely, and were right on each frequency. Walking around the neighborhood, found no changes in signal strength, nor when approaching WOR HQ, so the source must be external. 6075 was overriding a weak Vatican. All gone at 2139 check on the FRG-7 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 9625, Jan 31 at 1420, chimes sounding much like HSK9, but not scheduled here, atop CCI and lo het from CBCNQ; then language sounds tonal. HFCC shows only Iran in Japanese, and South Africa in Portuguese, so we go to Aoki for a fuller picture: also Taiwan in Vietnamese, so presumably that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15604 approx., Jan 31 at 1430, heavy FSK/RTTY here instead of usual WEWN spreading from 15610 or Bulgaria on 15600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
The same two frequencies in use for Bulgarian at 0530-0600: at 0552 Jan 31, 7400 was good, 5900 almost as good except it`s undermodulated.
At 0606, 7400 has open carrier and hum, as they are still running the transmitter long before the 0630 German service; weak audio of something underneath, presumably also R. Bulgaria Turkish in opposite direxion. Turkish-sounding music was more audible at 0620. 9400 also had weaker open carrier at 0606, 0620. Heard IS, theme and German opening at 0630 on 7400.
15600, checking for the Bulgarian hour Jan 31 at 1431, very poor signal and not sure it`s RB, which is normally heard quite well; heavy RTTY from circa 15604 was a problem too tho WEWN 15610 and spurs were off.
15700, at 1643 Jan 31, only a very weak carrier, but never very good here, aimed south.
Here are the final scheduled few hours of RB SW transmissions before pulling the big switch forever at 2200 (unless they have already done it?), per WRTH 2012:
1600-1700 5900 7400 9700 15700 Bulgarian
1730-1800 7400 9700 German
1730-1800 5900 9400 Spanish
1800-1830 7400 9700 French
1830-1900 7400 9700 English
1830-1900 5900 Turkish
1900-2000 5900 7400 Russian
2000-2100 5900 7400 German
2100-2200 5900 7400 French
2100-2200 6000 9400 Spanish
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA [and non]. 6070, Jan 31 at 0609, CFRX is distorted and carrier unstable with comedy; looks like the transmitter is about to go out again. All-night comedy fans will soon have an alternative, as KKLF 1700 in The Metroplex, TX adopts that format February 1, I think from the same network source (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake January 31:
15870, poor with heavy flutter at 1429, -1500*, nothing else audible
14970, very poor at 1433
No others found 11-18 MHz.
Don`t think I`ve heard it before on 15870, and it`s not in Harold Frodge`s comprehensive compilation in DXLD 12-03, nor in Steve Handler`s restricted B-11 list, but Aoki shows one of the 100-watt nuisance Sound of Hope transmitters on Taiwan on 15870 available 24 hours in Chinese, or 02-04 in Cantonese, and therefore requiring jamming whenever it appear before an hourtop (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9526-, Jan 31 at 1415, Indonesian talk, S9+20 with some hum but very undermodulated; at least there are no IADs any more. At 1422, 9680 RRI domestic had good modulation and well atop CCI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MADAGASCAR. The original Feb 1 tentative target date for Madagascar World Voice has prompted ``almost on the air`` assumptions, with a frequency test schedule circulating, but not so. I asked Kevin Chambers of World Christian Broadcasting for a status report and he replies as of Jan 31:
``Hello Glenn, Thank you for the inquiry. I wish I had better news. The transmitters are packed and ready to ship. However, the Malagasy government has stalled (16 months) in the signing of necessary document renewals that would allow the transmitters to enter the country. At this time, I cannot give even a guess as to when the transmitters could start on their way here. I have had many "first on-air test" dates in mind but I have given up trying to predict so we are just trying to be patient. We have no leverage as to what the government will do. Everything else here at this site is ready to go.
Sincerely, Kevin Chambers, World Christian Broadcasting``
It looks like they would have been better off acquiring the RNW SW transmitters which are already up and running for many years, replenished with newer ones from Sweden and soon to lose their primary purpose (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MYANMAR. 7110, Jan 31 at 1408, Myanma Radio presumed with singing, poor signal but better than usual and no QRhaM at the moment; seems undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [and non]. 11680, Jan 30 at 2116, REE in Portuguese, YL with Brazilian accent conversing with Castilian-accented OM. The 21-22 M-F broadcast is only on this frequency direct for Brasil, while the 1830-1900 M-F is on all `Spanish` frequencies of REE, even the one relayed by CR to North America, 17850.
9675, Jan 31 at 0603, REE via Costa Rica is still on the air with narration and singing, not news, a filler? // 5965, and so is the third CR frequency 3350. Tried to hear whether these were // 11895 and 12035 from Noblejas, but no propagation from Europe. By next check, 0611, 9675 was off while 5965 continued as it alone is supposed to (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 15583-15642, Jan 30 at 2108 I find WEWN`s 15610 signal extremely strong with the squishy spur/noise field extending this far out: The peaks are at intervals of somewhere between 8 and 9 kHz, circa 15619, 15627, 15636; and on the lo side 15601, 15592, maybe 15584 but strong VOA 15580 signal obscures it there.
Jan 31 at 1427, WEWN is missing from all three frequencies: 11550 and 12050 in Spanish, 15610 in English; but there is heavy FSK/RTTY circa 15604, as if that station has trumped WEWN. Normally it`s nothing but WEWN spreading splash and spurs from 15610, and Bulgaria [q.v.] on 15600, which only had a very weak signal if that`s what it was. All three WEWN frequencies still silent at 1643. Weather.com shows no lightning anywhere in the US (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1490, KRSN Los Álamos NM: QSL card serial #13, for DX test Jan 21 received by p-mail on Jan 28, full details, signed both by Michael Westfall, N6KUY, QSL Coordinator/Volunteer, and David Sutton, COO, Station Owner/Manager. It seems KRSN means ``Kommunity Radio Station Now``. Also enclosed two filing cabinet magnet cards, and business card from Sutton, all of which present a wavy musical staff logo, but only the business card appears to have an axual melody on it, representing their jingle? Accepted report by e-mail, no rp. Tnx again to Michael and David for the test as I previously reported, IDed by MCW tuning offset from 1490. See them at:
http://www.w4uvh.net/KRSN.jpg
(Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 6200, 6075, 5850, 5775, Jan 30 at 2122, strong carriers cutting on and off at the rate of 14 times per minute, noticed with the DX-398 portable on the porch. Not found on other frequencies at 25, 50 or 75 kHz intervals such as 5700, 5925, 6000. Very strange. Since I had only one receiver handy, could not tell if they were synchronized, but seems likely, and were right on each frequency. Walking around the neighborhood, found no changes in signal strength, nor when approaching WOR HQ, so the source must be external. 6075 was overriding a weak Vatican. All gone at 2139 check on the FRG-7 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 9625, Jan 31 at 1420, chimes sounding much like HSK9, but not scheduled here, atop CCI and lo het from CBCNQ; then language sounds tonal. HFCC shows only Iran in Japanese, and South Africa in Portuguese, so we go to Aoki for a fuller picture: also Taiwan in Vietnamese, so presumably that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15604 approx., Jan 31 at 1430, heavy FSK/RTTY here instead of usual WEWN spreading from 15610 or Bulgaria on 15600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
