** CHINA [and non]. Firedrake Feb 28:
9935, good at 1440 and until 1500* --- no target audible before or after closedown. Apparent new frequency, not in Harold Frodge`s latest Flaming Goose Report, nor in Steve Handler`s restricted charts of Chinese Jamming SW Broadcasts, both of which have only 9905 in the 9900s.
As usual we go to Aoki for an idea of why FD could be here, but no likely target on 9935 or anywhere in the vicinity, not even a jumparound listing for Sound of Hope, but still the probable impetus, as they can land wherever they like and 9935 is surely a tempting open frequency --- until Firedrake finds it, which doesn`t take long.
The only station anytime anywhere listed on 9935 is ERT3 Makedonia station --- HFCC has it for 10 hours from 250 kW Thessaloniki, which is surely imaginary, while Aoki has it from 1600 for less than 2 hours via 100 kW Avlis.
11500, JBA? at 1442
12300, good with flutter at 1444; no others up to 19 MHz by 1449
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 7365, Feb 28 at 0631 as I am checking Vatican on 7360, usual residual pulse jamming, twice per second, long after R. Martí is finished with the frequency. RM has NO history of unexpectedly appearing out of schedule on its frequencies! But the paranoid DentroCubans are taking no chances! The also do it on other vacant VOA and R. Martí channels. It`s just like the neighborhood feral cat who keeps pissing on our front door to mark ``his`` territory (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 11675, Feb 28 at 1504, S Asian song by YL, fair, and figured it could be AIR, but only listed is KSDA in Telugu, 100 kW, 285 degrees at 1500-1530 daily. However, gone at 1524 recheck as conditions were worsening, but maybe closed early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 11670, better than // 9445, Feb 27 at 2119 I intune AIR GOS, sufficiently listenable with some flutter despite (because of?) K-index just reported as 5 by new robofem WWV announceress, so since it happens to be Monday, once a classical music recital concludes, I settle in to listen to their weekly 2120-2135 mailbag `Faithfully Yours` with usual W&M hosts.
It turns out they only deal with four reports; scarce listener input, or just very selective? I figure I will always recognize at least some of the names on any mailbag show, from the limited universe of active reception-reporting SWLs: To wit:
1, can`t catch his name, but from Assam, NE India. Says he is new host of the Indian DX Report on AWR Wavescan, congratulates the GOS on now having its very own QSL and wants one. This takes the entire first five minutes, as the hosts read and comment on his comments, etc.
2, Costa Constantinides, Cyprus; yes, we know him, 4.5 minutes.
3, Dennis Allen, Australia; we know him too, just got some of his items in Australian DX News; 2 minutes.
4, Alvin McCrory(?), USA; don`t know him, but report was from 10 November; are the others that old? He listened at 1909-1945 on 11670 with SINPO 54434; sent 4 IRCs but they reiterate that return postage is NOT WANTED. 2.5 minutes for him.
Every one of them reported on a transmission which was not to their target area! and the OM found that ``very interesting`` each time. He filled quite a bit of the time by giving the schedules and frequencies where they ought to be listening, except of course the American who is not supposed to be listening at all, but admittedly they have got a lot of reports from North America lately. Concluding with W&M unison, ``Faithfully Yours!``.
2135 on to popular Indian vocal music, which was faded out abruptly at 2150 when it was time for `Economic Review` as MEGO caused tuneout. (E = ears) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALAYSIA [and non]. 6050-, very poor Feb 28 at 1423 past 1433, music and some talk with intonation suitable for Indo-Malay, presumed RTM Kajang. Trying to pinpoint the frequency with BFO, compared it to WEWN 12050 and decided it was on the hi side of 6050, but then stepping 5 kHz compared to several other 6 MHz signals, decided it was on the lo side, which is usual. So WEWN must also be off-frequency. As always, that has the squishy spurs to confuse things too. Confirming that same Malaysia site was propagating, but with ten times the power, the usual het on 5965v with CRI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, Feb 28 at 0626, IGIM is on and chanting, good signal tonight, and adjacent VATICAN 7250 never showed up to compete with another Abrahamic religion (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 7275, Feb 28 at 0629 as TUNISIA goes off, a weaker but respectable signal is left on exactly the same frequency, but it`s just barely modulated, presumably FRCN Abuja as it continues to bury itself under Sfax most of the time. Since it`s zero-beat and JBM, hard to tell it is there while IWT is on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 6520, Feb 28 at 0636, ESPN sports talk // and synchro with local KCRC-1390, but this is not a harmonic. Math works for 4 x 1390 = 5560 plus KGWA-960 = 6520.
I was also hearing a local mix on 7580 Feb 26 at 2057 which disappeared before I could tell whether it was from KCRC-1390 or KGWA-960, also not a simple harmonic. FYI/FMI only; these may be receiver-produced or more likely re-radiation from some metal struxures in the KGWA-KCRC-WOR HQ area. We also get various weak combinations on 2350, 2780, 2880, 3310, 3740, 4170, 6950, some of which are true harmonix (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325, Feb 28 at 1411, during CRI break, very poor signal with talk in unknown language, mostly YL, 1417 with a particular sense of urgency; presumably preaching from Wantok Radio Light, which used to run gospel music all night, but no music heard today. About our only chance for verifiable details would be recognizable tunes, if they keep a playlist, but no luck so far. Better than usual, but it will take superb conditions to make anything here out of this 1 kW pipsqueak (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 7265, Feb 28 at 0626 vacant instead of RRI French from 0600; but at 0629, 7310 was on about to start RRI English, after BBC Ascension had finished its French on 7305. These RRI signals are generally weakening with the onset of spring and earlier sunrises, more light on the path (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. Re my previous log of hummy carrier on 10510, which Tarek Zeidan identified at another time with IWT audio: Wolfgang Büschel has the reason why it`s appeared on 10510: 17735 minus 7225 = 10510 kHz. There might also be a mix in the opposite direction but much less likely to propagate: 17735 plus 7225 = 24960 kHz. Of course this mix could not happen until they moved another transmitter from 9725 to 17735 recently (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also NIGERIA
** U S A. 9990, Feb 27 at 2117, WTWW-2 is missing again/still, while superstrong WWCR-4, 9980 does the honors of splattering around WWV [q.v.], presumably until 2200. Look for a possible change of programming on 9990/5085 from March 1 with a new client following test with Brother Scare in February (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, Feb 28 at 0641, WBCQ with dead air again; around 1430 next check, Radio 2:11 back in business (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 10000, Feb 27 at 2118, WWV propagation info has been converted from delivery by a variety of real human beings to a robofem voice! The stitches are not too bad, but still obvious: SF 106; A 18; K21 5!; last and next 24 hours, both with minor geomagnetic storms reaching G1 level. Now if they would only re-program `her` to ``repeat`` each number, as long as there be enough time in the half-sesquiminute available, which there usually is.
Well, that didn`t last long. Next check for propagation report on WWV 10000, Feb 28 at 1518, was back to human male voice: SF 106; A 16; K15 1; minor reaching G1; none. Also the marine weather report at 1510 was still by a human YL. Enunciation by their various humans often leaves something to be desired (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7811-USB, Feb 28 at 0644-0646, AFN reconfirmed with Jim Hightower commentary, this time on Karl Rove`s problem with Clint Eastwood`s ``Halftime in America`` SuperBowl commercial; 0646 on to `NIH Health Matters` capsule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1660, Feb 28 at 0648 UT, classical music from KUDL Kansas City KS audible beneath stupid sports talk about the Colts, either Fargo or Waco, both of which are ESPN. The *only* regularly audible classical station on AM in mid-America is doomed, as Feb 27 press reports emerged that Entercom is converting 1660 from ``Radio Bach`` to ``KMBZ Business Channel``, effective March 5, but ``soft launch`` expected sooner. The ex-KXTR classical CD collexion has already been given to Kansas Public Radio (go away, you elitists).
Sigh, I knew it wouldn`t last. In fact, I am quite surprised classical on 1660 lasted as long as it did. Apparently they are not going to keep it on an FM IBOC channel either, has been HD2 on 96.5. Their website http://www.radiobach.com leads to nothing but a player which is still classical for now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Stories about this (and that Dave Alpert is not also the DXer in LA):http://www.radio-info.com/news/kansas-citys-radio-bach-1660-am-to-become-kmbz-business-channel
(via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD)
http://www.bottomlinecom.com/radio-bach-replaced-with-kmbz-business-channel/
(via Tim Kridel, ABDX, IRCA via DXLD)
** VATICAN [and non]. 7250, Feb 28 at 0628, expecting VR via SMG to pop on with bigsig replacing nosig from Gardens, but never showed up by 0634, 0654. Can`t be propagation as VR`s usual weaksig for Africa on 7360 was audible; and at 0654, 7225 TWR Polish was sufficient via AUSTRIA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 7804 approx., Feb 28 at 0642, as I was tuning by feel for AFN-7811, heard some SSB music and figured this was it until I looked at the dial, but then it went off before I could nail the frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9935, good at 1440 and until 1500* --- no target audible before or after closedown. Apparent new frequency, not in Harold Frodge`s latest Flaming Goose Report, nor in Steve Handler`s restricted charts of Chinese Jamming SW Broadcasts, both of which have only 9905 in the 9900s.
As usual we go to Aoki for an idea of why FD could be here, but no likely target on 9935 or anywhere in the vicinity, not even a jumparound listing for Sound of Hope, but still the probable impetus, as they can land wherever they like and 9935 is surely a tempting open frequency --- until Firedrake finds it, which doesn`t take long.
The only station anytime anywhere listed on 9935 is ERT3 Makedonia station --- HFCC has it for 10 hours from 250 kW Thessaloniki, which is surely imaginary, while Aoki has it from 1600 for less than 2 hours via 100 kW Avlis.
11500, JBA? at 1442
12300, good with flutter at 1444; no others up to 19 MHz by 1449
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 7365, Feb 28 at 0631 as I am checking Vatican on 7360, usual residual pulse jamming, twice per second, long after R. Martí is finished with the frequency. RM has NO history of unexpectedly appearing out of schedule on its frequencies! But the paranoid DentroCubans are taking no chances! The also do it on other vacant VOA and R. Martí channels. It`s just like the neighborhood feral cat who keeps pissing on our front door to mark ``his`` territory (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUAM. 11675, Feb 28 at 1504, S Asian song by YL, fair, and figured it could be AIR, but only listed is KSDA in Telugu, 100 kW, 285 degrees at 1500-1530 daily. However, gone at 1524 recheck as conditions were worsening, but maybe closed early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 11670, better than // 9445, Feb 27 at 2119 I intune AIR GOS, sufficiently listenable with some flutter despite (because of?) K-index just reported as 5 by new robofem WWV announceress, so since it happens to be Monday, once a classical music recital concludes, I settle in to listen to their weekly 2120-2135 mailbag `Faithfully Yours` with usual W&M hosts.
It turns out they only deal with four reports; scarce listener input, or just very selective? I figure I will always recognize at least some of the names on any mailbag show, from the limited universe of active reception-reporting SWLs: To wit:
1, can`t catch his name, but from Assam, NE India. Says he is new host of the Indian DX Report on AWR Wavescan, congratulates the GOS on now having its very own QSL and wants one. This takes the entire first five minutes, as the hosts read and comment on his comments, etc.
2, Costa Constantinides, Cyprus; yes, we know him, 4.5 minutes.
3, Dennis Allen, Australia; we know him too, just got some of his items in Australian DX News; 2 minutes.
4, Alvin McCrory(?), USA; don`t know him, but report was from 10 November; are the others that old? He listened at 1909-1945 on 11670 with SINPO 54434; sent 4 IRCs but they reiterate that return postage is NOT WANTED. 2.5 minutes for him.
Every one of them reported on a transmission which was not to their target area! and the OM found that ``very interesting`` each time. He filled quite a bit of the time by giving the schedules and frequencies where they ought to be listening, except of course the American who is not supposed to be listening at all, but admittedly they have got a lot of reports from North America lately. Concluding with W&M unison, ``Faithfully Yours!``.
2135 on to popular Indian vocal music, which was faded out abruptly at 2150 when it was time for `Economic Review` as MEGO caused tuneout. (E = ears) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALAYSIA [and non]. 6050-, very poor Feb 28 at 1423 past 1433, music and some talk with intonation suitable for Indo-Malay, presumed RTM Kajang. Trying to pinpoint the frequency with BFO, compared it to WEWN 12050 and decided it was on the hi side of 6050, but then stepping 5 kHz compared to several other 6 MHz signals, decided it was on the lo side, which is usual. So WEWN must also be off-frequency. As always, that has the squishy spurs to confuse things too. Confirming that same Malaysia site was propagating, but with ten times the power, the usual het on 5965v with CRI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, Feb 28 at 0626, IGIM is on and chanting, good signal tonight, and adjacent VATICAN 7250 never showed up to compete with another Abrahamic religion (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 7275, Feb 28 at 0629 as TUNISIA goes off, a weaker but respectable signal is left on exactly the same frequency, but it`s just barely modulated, presumably FRCN Abuja as it continues to bury itself under Sfax most of the time. Since it`s zero-beat and JBM, hard to tell it is there while IWT is on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 6520, Feb 28 at 0636, ESPN sports talk // and synchro with local KCRC-1390, but this is not a harmonic. Math works for 4 x 1390 = 5560 plus KGWA-960 = 6520.
I was also hearing a local mix on 7580 Feb 26 at 2057 which disappeared before I could tell whether it was from KCRC-1390 or KGWA-960, also not a simple harmonic. FYI/FMI only; these may be receiver-produced or more likely re-radiation from some metal struxures in the KGWA-KCRC-WOR HQ area. We also get various weak combinations on 2350, 2780, 2880, 3310, 3740, 4170, 6950, some of which are true harmonix (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325, Feb 28 at 1411, during CRI break, very poor signal with talk in unknown language, mostly YL, 1417 with a particular sense of urgency; presumably preaching from Wantok Radio Light, which used to run gospel music all night, but no music heard today. About our only chance for verifiable details would be recognizable tunes, if they keep a playlist, but no luck so far. Better than usual, but it will take superb conditions to make anything here out of this 1 kW pipsqueak (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 7265, Feb 28 at 0626 vacant instead of RRI French from 0600; but at 0629, 7310 was on about to start RRI English, after BBC Ascension had finished its French on 7305. These RRI signals are generally weakening with the onset of spring and earlier sunrises, more light on the path (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. Re my previous log of hummy carrier on 10510, which Tarek Zeidan identified at another time with IWT audio: Wolfgang Büschel has the reason why it`s appeared on 10510: 17735 minus 7225 = 10510 kHz. There might also be a mix in the opposite direction but much less likely to propagate: 17735 plus 7225 = 24960 kHz. Of course this mix could not happen until they moved another transmitter from 9725 to 17735 recently (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also NIGERIA
** U S A. 9990, Feb 27 at 2117, WTWW-2 is missing again/still, while superstrong WWCR-4, 9980 does the honors of splattering around WWV [q.v.], presumably until 2200. Look for a possible change of programming on 9990/5085 from March 1 with a new client following test with Brother Scare in February (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, Feb 28 at 0641, WBCQ with dead air again; around 1430 next check, Radio 2:11 back in business (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 10000, Feb 27 at 2118, WWV propagation info has been converted from delivery by a variety of real human beings to a robofem voice! The stitches are not too bad, but still obvious: SF 106; A 18; K21 5!; last and next 24 hours, both with minor geomagnetic storms reaching G1 level. Now if they would only re-program `her` to ``repeat`` each number, as long as there be enough time in the half-sesquiminute available, which there usually is.
Well, that didn`t last long. Next check for propagation report on WWV 10000, Feb 28 at 1518, was back to human male voice: SF 106; A 16; K15 1; minor reaching G1; none. Also the marine weather report at 1510 was still by a human YL. Enunciation by their various humans often leaves something to be desired (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7811-USB, Feb 28 at 0644-0646, AFN reconfirmed with Jim Hightower commentary, this time on Karl Rove`s problem with Clint Eastwood`s ``Halftime in America`` SuperBowl commercial; 0646 on to `NIH Health Matters` capsule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1660, Feb 28 at 0648 UT, classical music from KUDL Kansas City KS audible beneath stupid sports talk about the Colts, either Fargo or Waco, both of which are ESPN. The *only* regularly audible classical station on AM in mid-America is doomed, as Feb 27 press reports emerged that Entercom is converting 1660 from ``Radio Bach`` to ``KMBZ Business Channel``, effective March 5, but ``soft launch`` expected sooner. The ex-KXTR classical CD collexion has already been given to Kansas Public Radio (go away, you elitists).
Sigh, I knew it wouldn`t last. In fact, I am quite surprised classical on 1660 lasted as long as it did. Apparently they are not going to keep it on an FM IBOC channel either, has been HD2 on 96.5. Their website http://www.radiobach.com leads to nothing but a player which is still classical for now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Stories about this (and that Dave Alpert is not also the DXer in LA):http://www.radio-info.com/news/kansas-citys-radio-bach-1660-am-to-become-kmbz-business-channel
(via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD)
http://www.bottomlinecom.com/radio-bach-replaced-with-kmbz-business-channel/
(via Tim Kridel, ABDX, IRCA via DXLD)
** VATICAN [and non]. 7250, Feb 28 at 0628, expecting VR via SMG to pop on with bigsig replacing nosig from Gardens, but never showed up by 0634, 0654. Can`t be propagation as VR`s usual weaksig for Africa on 7360 was audible; and at 0654, 7225 TWR Polish was sufficient via AUSTRIA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 7804 approx., Feb 28 at 0642, as I was tuning by feel for AFN-7811, heard some SSB music and figured this was it until I looked at the dial, but then it went off before I could nail the frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
