** ALASKA [and non]. 9655, Jan 6 at 1510, some English under RRI in Arabic, with SAH, in usual collision with KNLS, habitually won by RRI, despite both being off-the-back, 270 and 140 degrees respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ALGERIA [non]. 9390, Jan 5 at 1803, no carrier detectable from scheduled relay via FRANCE; WWRB 9385 with Brother Scare was not strong enough to obscure 9390 if it were on. Wolfgang Büschel the last three days has been monitoring all the France and Algeria broadcasts, and finds RTA is still on air ONLY at 19-20 on 7455, 11955. However:
``TDA erected two new 250 kW shortwave sites at Bechar (curtain antennas 49/41 mb, 31/25mb, at 135 degrees) and Ourgla (curtain ant at 206 degrees) on existing LW and MW TX sites. And daily 12 broadcasting hours rent at Issoudun will soon be ceased after completion of these two Algerian installations (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 6)`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 7365 and 9825, Jan 6 at 0638, heavy pulse jamming against nothing long after R. Martí is off these frequencies; slightly higher pitched pulsing on 9955 against WRMI with news in Spanish from R. Praga, which was holding its own at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U S A: WRMI
** FRANCE [and non]. 21690 is one of the RFI frequencies which has not been deleted, poor signal in French Jan 5 at 1816, presumably still 17-20 via GUIANA FRENCH. Wolfgang Büschel monitors 21690 at 12-13 and 17-20 via GUF, none of the former times via ISS. 15300 ISS, missing earlier, is poorly audible here at 1808. Wolfgang Büschel observes 15300 on air only at 06-08, 12-13, 17-19.
Still nothing around 0435 from the ex-English RFI frequencies 7425, 9805, nor Algeria [q.v] relay on 5865. Until 0657* poor signal still on 7390 from RFI in French as IDed just before cutoff; previously and perhaps still scheduled 04-07; Wolfgang Büschel confirms that.
As of Jan 6, the HFCC sked for RFI has still not been updated to remove all the deleted transmissions!
http://www.hfcc.org/data/schedbybrc.php?seas=B11&broadc=RFI
What is going on is now emerging. I asked Walter Brodowsky of M&B about this, and he replied Jan 6:
``Glenn, I just received the response from TDF at France as following:
RFi has decided to stop the Spanish transmission from ISS and GUF.
Best regards, Walter Brodowsky``.
But that`s not all! Jean-Michel Aubier in France found the story linked below and says, ``RFI could stop SW and MW transmissions at the end of 2013. For the time being, RFI could cut 32 hours on SW (could... or has ?)``
http://www.radioactu.com/actualites-radio/noi_139246/rfi-l-ifg-preconise-l-arret-de-la-diffusion-en-ondes-courtes-et-moyennes/
Mike Cooper digests and summarizes the article:
``Glenn: As I read the article, TDF planned to cut 32 hours of shortwave as part of a new contract effective January 1, 2012. The reduction would involve the broadcast in French for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, broadcasts in Portuguese and English for the African continent and broadcasts in Spanish for Central America and Cuba.
It wasn't mentioned in the article Mr. Aubier pointed out, but it appears that the Météo Marine broadcast has also been cut [was 1133 UT on 13640 via GUF, 17610 ISS]. An article written by Arielle Cassim, who was the announcer on the program, says the last broadcast was on December 31. She posted her comment at:
http://www.seableue.fr/fin-du-bulletin-meteo-marine-de-rfi/
Cutting SW programming to the Democratic Republic of the Congo comes at a particularly bad time, since the DRC's Communications ministry "cut the signal of RFI," according to an AFP report. The government objects to RFI's reporting since the contested re-election of President Joseph Kabila. The government in Kinshasa totally cut RFI between July 2009 and October 2010, accusing it of "demoralizing" the army.`` This refers to FM relays in the DRC.
Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, also forwards a VOA News story about the Congolese disconnexion, from Scott Stearns | State Department:
The United States says authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should restore broadcasts by Radio France International. Those frequencies were blocked this week over the station's reporting on political opponents of President Joseph Kabila.
Congolese authorities say they switched off RFI's six FM frequencies while a new, state-run media regulatory authority considers the station's coverage of the long-time opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says the move breaches freedoms of speech and should be reversed immediately. . .
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/US-Calls-on-Congo-to-Restore-RFI-Broadcasts0-136767223.html
No one but us seems concerned about RFI`s abrupt cancellation of all its Spanish and English SW broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non] 5985 via JSR Tokyo/Yamata, JAPAN, Jan 6 at 1350, Shiokaze is still not back to English on Fridays; is there any on other days now?? Programming also abnormal, violin and piano music and dramatic narration, hard to tell whether Korean or Japanese, but 1404 ID in Japanese; meanwhile with QRMyanmar from 5985.8 or so carrier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT. 15540, Jan 5 at 1800, no sign of a signal from R. Kuwait`s English service, which recently made it to Massachusetts at 1900; before spring, it will still take an unusually good propagation night to get it out if it is still really on the air daily at 18-21. However, just before dispatching this report, Jan 6 at 1802, RK *is* audible here with poor signal starting the daily show promoting Sunnislam (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA [and non]. 7245, Jan 6 at 0637, prayerful-sounding Arabish rather than chanting, perhaps because it`s the Fribbath, weak vs Vatican mass on 7250 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 92.9, Jan 5 at 2106 UT I notice that KBEZ Tulsa is calling itself ``The Bob FM``, rock music. Had not noticed that before, but may be nothing very new on a station I usually ignore. No such slogan in the last FM Atlas XXI published May 2010y. Confirmed at http://www.929bobfm.com/ where ``we play anything``. Really? I want to hear, say, Monteverdi.
95.7, Thu Jan 5 at 2107 UT, KXLS Enid ``Lahoma``, breaking from format of whatever music they usually play, is broadcasting some silly ballgame, sounds local, probably HS BKB? Odd time for that.
Another such SBG was heard on 93.3 at same time, i.e. local translator K227AT in Enid of KIMY 93.9 Watonga, instead of gospel. Or was it the same game with different loyalty? Yes, Enid Public Schools calendar shows tournaments are in progress both for boys` and girls` basketball, some at Watonga, but no times given.
KIMY and translator are now part of a network covering most of OK and vicinity, map:
http://www.thegospelstation.com/dyn/showpage.php?id=37
And they do admit to broadcasting the religion of sports, no details
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. 15280 // 17540, VG signals Jan 6 at 1517, RRI with US rock song in English by autotuned YL, yet this is the Arabic service, as IDed at 1518, ``Sawt al-Romania``. How about playing some Arabic, or even Romanian music? see also ALASKA [and non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SEYCHELLES [non]. 11985, Thursday Jan 5 at 2147, poor signal with music and unknown language, presumably FEBA in Pulaar, 250 kW, 27 degrees from ASCENSION, registered as 2145-2215 daily except #4 = Wednesday, which however when last logged on Tuesday Jan 3 was running VTC music loop; unchecked on Wed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 6875, Jan 6 at 0639 check, RTI via WYFR still in German instead of Spanish. Also so strong it is again putting that weak image(?) on 6750 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 17655, Jan 5 at 1813, VOA Portuguese via Greenville is still here, ex-17650, altho as of Jan 6, HFCC listings still show the ex: 17650. How long does it take to get new info in there, anyway? Also with long-path echo, some 38 megameters around. And // weaker 15670 which during this semihour M-F only is Botswana (but at 17-18 daily it`s São Tomé, and the additional tack-on Fridays only at 1630-1700 is Wertachtal) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1598 monitoring; first SW broadcast confirmed Thu Jan 5 at 2200, VG on WTWW 9479; second at 2230 on WBCQ 7490 (and not much BBC QRM from Thailand, seems to have abated); third at 0433 UT Friday Jan 6 on WWRB 3195 after 20 seconds of respectful silence following the Anderson SC preacher (meanwhile WWRB 5050 with separate programming now).
Repeat on WTWW is UT Sunday 0500 on 5755; WRMI 9955 airings: Sat 0900, 1600, 1830; Sun 0900, 1630, 1830; Monday 1230. On WRN via SiriusXM 120: Sat & Sun 1830, Sun 0930 UT. Plus many more on webcast from WRMI and others; full schedule:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 9955, Jan 6 at 1408, preacher in English from WRMI vs heavy SAH and CCI from KTWR as well as lite pulse jamming. With everything Jeff White has done for HFCC and NASB, you`d think other broadcasters would cut WRMI some slack and stay off 9955, but KTWR GUAM is here at 1400-1430; HFCC says language is `yue` while Aoki shows Sunday in Hui, M-F in Cantonese, and off Saturdays only. At 1436, WRMI relay of R. Eslovaquia Internacional had less QRM after KTWR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1600, Jan 5 at 1817 UT, only a quarter-hour before local mean noon, Vietnamese which must be from KRVA in The Metroplex TX, is overriding English groundwave from KUSH Cushing OK, and making a SAH of about 7 Hz. So here`s high-band skywave at midday, altho only 400 km away, and as we head from solstice to equinox, less and less likely, but should hold up a few more weeks from even greater distances if sought (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 17487-17501, Jan 5 at 1812 spurious talk extremely distorted, seemed to match bigsig from NWS marine weather feminine robot on 17362-USB, i.e. WLO Mobile AL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11532.0, Jan 6 at 0632 UT, no broadcasters audible on 25m, but huge S9+25 signal here, open carrier, then brief segment of digital racket, back to carrier past 0652. Presumed part of the Cuban spy agency, and could well be using a same 250 kW transmitter as RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ALGERIA [non]. 9390, Jan 5 at 1803, no carrier detectable from scheduled relay via FRANCE; WWRB 9385 with Brother Scare was not strong enough to obscure 9390 if it were on. Wolfgang Büschel the last three days has been monitoring all the France and Algeria broadcasts, and finds RTA is still on air ONLY at 19-20 on 7455, 11955. However:
``TDA erected two new 250 kW shortwave sites at Bechar (curtain antennas 49/41 mb, 31/25mb, at 135 degrees) and Ourgla (curtain ant at 206 degrees) on existing LW and MW TX sites. And daily 12 broadcasting hours rent at Issoudun will soon be ceased after completion of these two Algerian installations (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 6)`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. 7365 and 9825, Jan 6 at 0638, heavy pulse jamming against nothing long after R. Martí is off these frequencies; slightly higher pitched pulsing on 9955 against WRMI with news in Spanish from R. Praga, which was holding its own at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U S A: WRMI
** FRANCE [and non]. 21690 is one of the RFI frequencies which has not been deleted, poor signal in French Jan 5 at 1816, presumably still 17-20 via GUIANA FRENCH. Wolfgang Büschel monitors 21690 at 12-13 and 17-20 via GUF, none of the former times via ISS. 15300 ISS, missing earlier, is poorly audible here at 1808. Wolfgang Büschel observes 15300 on air only at 06-08, 12-13, 17-19.
Still nothing around 0435 from the ex-English RFI frequencies 7425, 9805, nor Algeria [q.v] relay on 5865. Until 0657* poor signal still on 7390 from RFI in French as IDed just before cutoff; previously and perhaps still scheduled 04-07; Wolfgang Büschel confirms that.
As of Jan 6, the HFCC sked for RFI has still not been updated to remove all the deleted transmissions!
http://www.hfcc.org/data/schedbybrc.php?seas=B11&broadc=RFI
What is going on is now emerging. I asked Walter Brodowsky of M&B about this, and he replied Jan 6:
``Glenn, I just received the response from TDF at France as following:
RFi has decided to stop the Spanish transmission from ISS and GUF.
Best regards, Walter Brodowsky``.
But that`s not all! Jean-Michel Aubier in France found the story linked below and says, ``RFI could stop SW and MW transmissions at the end of 2013. For the time being, RFI could cut 32 hours on SW (could... or has ?)``
http://www.radioactu.com/actualites-radio/noi_139246/rfi-l-ifg-preconise-l-arret-de-la-diffusion-en-ondes-courtes-et-moyennes/
Mike Cooper digests and summarizes the article:
``Glenn: As I read the article, TDF planned to cut 32 hours of shortwave as part of a new contract effective January 1, 2012. The reduction would involve the broadcast in French for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, broadcasts in Portuguese and English for the African continent and broadcasts in Spanish for Central America and Cuba.
It wasn't mentioned in the article Mr. Aubier pointed out, but it appears that the Météo Marine broadcast has also been cut [was 1133 UT on 13640 via GUF, 17610 ISS]. An article written by Arielle Cassim, who was the announcer on the program, says the last broadcast was on December 31. She posted her comment at:
http://www.seableue.fr/fin-du-bulletin-meteo-marine-de-rfi/
Cutting SW programming to the Democratic Republic of the Congo comes at a particularly bad time, since the DRC's Communications ministry "cut the signal of RFI," according to an AFP report. The government objects to RFI's reporting since the contested re-election of President Joseph Kabila. The government in Kinshasa totally cut RFI between July 2009 and October 2010, accusing it of "demoralizing" the army.`` This refers to FM relays in the DRC.
Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, also forwards a VOA News story about the Congolese disconnexion, from Scott Stearns | State Department:
The United States says authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should restore broadcasts by Radio France International. Those frequencies were blocked this week over the station's reporting on political opponents of President Joseph Kabila.
Congolese authorities say they switched off RFI's six FM frequencies while a new, state-run media regulatory authority considers the station's coverage of the long-time opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says the move breaches freedoms of speech and should be reversed immediately. . .
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/US-Calls-on-Congo-to-Restore-RFI-Broadcasts0-136767223.html
No one but us seems concerned about RFI`s abrupt cancellation of all its Spanish and English SW broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non] 5985 via JSR Tokyo/Yamata, JAPAN, Jan 6 at 1350, Shiokaze is still not back to English on Fridays; is there any on other days now?? Programming also abnormal, violin and piano music and dramatic narration, hard to tell whether Korean or Japanese, but 1404 ID in Japanese; meanwhile with QRMyanmar from 5985.8 or so carrier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT. 15540, Jan 5 at 1800, no sign of a signal from R. Kuwait`s English service, which recently made it to Massachusetts at 1900; before spring, it will still take an unusually good propagation night to get it out if it is still really on the air daily at 18-21. However, just before dispatching this report, Jan 6 at 1802, RK *is* audible here with poor signal starting the daily show promoting Sunnislam (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA [and non]. 7245, Jan 6 at 0637, prayerful-sounding Arabish rather than chanting, perhaps because it`s the Fribbath, weak vs Vatican mass on 7250 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 92.9, Jan 5 at 2106 UT I notice that KBEZ Tulsa is calling itself ``The Bob FM``, rock music. Had not noticed that before, but may be nothing very new on a station I usually ignore. No such slogan in the last FM Atlas XXI published May 2010y. Confirmed at http://www.929bobfm.com/ where ``we play anything``. Really? I want to hear, say, Monteverdi.
95.7, Thu Jan 5 at 2107 UT, KXLS Enid ``Lahoma``, breaking from format of whatever music they usually play, is broadcasting some silly ballgame, sounds local, probably HS BKB? Odd time for that.
Another such SBG was heard on 93.3 at same time, i.e. local translator K227AT in Enid of KIMY 93.9 Watonga, instead of gospel. Or was it the same game with different loyalty? Yes, Enid Public Schools calendar shows tournaments are in progress both for boys` and girls` basketball, some at Watonga, but no times given.
KIMY and translator are now part of a network covering most of OK and vicinity, map:
http://www.thegospelstation.com/dyn/showpage.php?id=37
And they do admit to broadcasting the religion of sports, no details
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. 15280 // 17540, VG signals Jan 6 at 1517, RRI with US rock song in English by autotuned YL, yet this is the Arabic service, as IDed at 1518, ``Sawt al-Romania``. How about playing some Arabic, or even Romanian music? see also ALASKA [and non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SEYCHELLES [non]. 11985, Thursday Jan 5 at 2147, poor signal with music and unknown language, presumably FEBA in Pulaar, 250 kW, 27 degrees from ASCENSION, registered as 2145-2215 daily except #4 = Wednesday, which however when last logged on Tuesday Jan 3 was running VTC music loop; unchecked on Wed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 6875, Jan 6 at 0639 check, RTI via WYFR still in German instead of Spanish. Also so strong it is again putting that weak image(?) on 6750 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 17655, Jan 5 at 1813, VOA Portuguese via Greenville is still here, ex-17650, altho as of Jan 6, HFCC listings still show the ex: 17650. How long does it take to get new info in there, anyway? Also with long-path echo, some 38 megameters around. And // weaker 15670 which during this semihour M-F only is Botswana (but at 17-18 daily it`s São Tomé, and the additional tack-on Fridays only at 1630-1700 is Wertachtal) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1598 monitoring; first SW broadcast confirmed Thu Jan 5 at 2200, VG on WTWW 9479; second at 2230 on WBCQ 7490 (and not much BBC QRM from Thailand, seems to have abated); third at 0433 UT Friday Jan 6 on WWRB 3195 after 20 seconds of respectful silence following the Anderson SC preacher (meanwhile WWRB 5050 with separate programming now).
Repeat on WTWW is UT Sunday 0500 on 5755; WRMI 9955 airings: Sat 0900, 1600, 1830; Sun 0900, 1630, 1830; Monday 1230. On WRN via SiriusXM 120: Sat & Sun 1830, Sun 0930 UT. Plus many more on webcast from WRMI and others; full schedule:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 9955, Jan 6 at 1408, preacher in English from WRMI vs heavy SAH and CCI from KTWR as well as lite pulse jamming. With everything Jeff White has done for HFCC and NASB, you`d think other broadcasters would cut WRMI some slack and stay off 9955, but KTWR GUAM is here at 1400-1430; HFCC says language is `yue` while Aoki shows Sunday in Hui, M-F in Cantonese, and off Saturdays only. At 1436, WRMI relay of R. Eslovaquia Internacional had less QRM after KTWR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1600, Jan 5 at 1817 UT, only a quarter-hour before local mean noon, Vietnamese which must be from KRVA in The Metroplex TX, is overriding English groundwave from KUSH Cushing OK, and making a SAH of about 7 Hz. So here`s high-band skywave at midday, altho only 400 km away, and as we head from solstice to equinox, less and less likely, but should hold up a few more weeks from even greater distances if sought (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 17487-17501, Jan 5 at 1812 spurious talk extremely distorted, seemed to match bigsig from NWS marine weather feminine robot on 17362-USB, i.e. WLO Mobile AL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11532.0, Jan 6 at 0632 UT, no broadcasters audible on 25m, but huge S9+25 signal here, open carrier, then brief segment of digital racket, back to carrier past 0652. Presumed part of the Cuban spy agency, and could well be using a same 250 kW transmitter as RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)