** CANADA. 9625, March 14 at 0555 and still past 0620, CBCNQ now signs off an hour earlier at 0505 thanx to the imposition of DST, but still keeps the carrier on plus continuous tone test. Pitch is near D above high C, or approx. 587 Hz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. 3330, March 14 at 0614, no signal from CHU, but very poorly audible on 7850. Normally the lower frequency does best in the nightmiddle; really off the air? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 9570, March 14 at 0554, VG signal in Chinese, but audio sounded almost like an off-air relay; gone at next check 0558. Altho CRI uses this frequency via Albania until 0400, Habana and domestic sites at other times, now in HFCC it`s Geermu at 03-10, 100 kW, 172 degrees, refined in Aoki to show it`s the CNR2 domestic program, carried via the Geermu 916 site, except for a siesta maintenance break on Wednesdays only at 0600-0855, which fits nicely with what I heard. Geermu is at 94-59 east, 36-24 north, close to transpolar from here, but aimed south (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 14: did not start checking soon enough for a full scan before 1300 but found:
12670, 12980 and 13970 all good at 1258-1259; none in the 10s, 11s, or 14s before 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN [non]. 9520, March 14 at 0621, good signal with vocal pop music, in French(?), 0625 Persian announcement and English song by YL, ``Never Let You Go`` but seems to alternate with OM singer in Persian(?), 0630 timesignal and talk, presumed news. Expected R. Farda, no ID heard, but ``BBC Farsi`` mentioned, so I figured that was it. However, must have only been referring to that other station in a news item since R. Farda is listed on 9520 at 0530-0830, 100 kW, 105 degrees via Biblis, GERMANY; I don`t recall hearing this transmission before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, March 14 at 1331, the anticipated frequency jump of Shiokaze has finally happened, back here after several weeks on 6135, which was empty today, just the bonker on the low side. 5910 in Japanese with piano music; also sporadic bursts of ``running water`` ute QRM overriding Sea Breeze from JSR Tokyo/Yamata, JAPAN. So the Myanmarianese have been spared from such QRM plus jamming on 5985v, where Shiokaze could also have jumped: maybe next time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, unlike last night, no IGIM yet at 0604 March 14, but at next check 0616 it was on with chanting (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 15120, March 14 at 0552, no signal, altho the band was open with poor to very poor ones from 15400 and 15580 in Africa, 15160 and 15240 in Australia.
VON's ``ultra modern transmission station launched`` March 13, says this story on their website via Alokesh Gupta,http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/Nigeria/VON-ultramodern-transmitters-launched.html
but so far it has made no difference in reception, despite claims:
``The event included, the commissioning of three Super-Power Transmitters, three fixed and one rotatable antenna, the first in Africa and sixth in the World.
Voice of Nigeria, Nigeria's external broadcast station is mandated to project Nigeria and Africa's views to the world.
Located in Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory, the transmitter has a rotating antenna, with the capacity of a hundred and fifty kilowatts and is powered by one thousand two hundred high tension generators. [sic]
In his welcome address, the Director-General of VON, Abubakar Jijiwa, expressed optimism that the second phase of the project, when completed, would enable VON to embark on 24-hour broadcasting.
Alhaji Jijiwa solicited for Presidential intervention for the VON expansion projects which included the construction of two additional transmitters and antenna systems in line with global best practices and standards, construction of VON Abuja Broadcasting House as well as rehabilitation and upgrading of the ageing Ikorodu Transmitting Station.
Mal. Jijjiwa [sic] stated that "The second phase of this project needs be commenced urgently. It will comprise of two additional super power transmitters and one fixed and one rotatable antenna. When this is done and completed, VON would have the capacity for 24-hour broadcast and we can move this from our existing 18-hour broadcast and this would be the hall marks of simultaneous broadcasting which every external broadcaster hopes to achieve."
New Digital Studio
On Monday, the Voice of Nigeria commissioned an ultra-modern digital studio in Abuja, as part of efforts to enhance its broadcast. . .``
If they ever really go 24-hours, would that mean a service in the North American evenings? How retro! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1170, March 13 at 2015 UT in the daytime, IBOC noise is back around KFAQ Tulsa after missing for more than a month. Maybe this is what I was really getting at night on KSL 1160 even tho I could not hear any on the other side of 1170 (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, March 14 at 0558, checked just before VOR Pet/Kam English to NAm sign-off, found that to be way underneath Russian from R. Rossii via Moscow site co-channel. // 12030 VOR was OK, same 70-degree heading (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [and non]. 11815.49, approx., March 14 at 1307, today`s off-frequency of REE via COSTA RICA, making a het near B below hi-C with weaker NHK.
17595, March 14 at 1404 direct from Noblejas is not only on the air, propagating well, on the right frequency, but unlike yesterday is also modulating normally instead of dead air for hours! Brief English clip during newscast caught my attention, back to Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9885, March 14 at 1254, VOA Spanish is being jammed but atop it; not clear yet whether the DentroCubans have moved their entire jamming one hour earlier like VOA, or just starting up before previous hour of *1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5085, March 14 at 0559, WTWW-2 continues to be absent after a few weeks of Brother Scare, nor before 1300, nor on 9990 after 1300, 1535. 12105, WTWW-3 however, is VG in Arabible at 1311, and WTWW-1 also VG with SFAW on 5755 before 1300, 9479 after (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 6045.4, March 14 at 1340, A-flat het upon VOA Chinese, 30 degrees from Thailand at 12-14, perhaps additional jamming to the CNR1 co-channel jamming surely applied and maybe getting more of that here than VOA, as the ChiCom don`t allow America to speak to China, while they can speak English to America all they want, even via our own stations! Wouldn`t it be nice if this were a sign that XEXQ-OC had reactivated? But it was not that far off-frequency before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. 3330, March 14 at 0614, no signal from CHU, but very poorly audible on 7850. Normally the lower frequency does best in the nightmiddle; really off the air? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 9570, March 14 at 0554, VG signal in Chinese, but audio sounded almost like an off-air relay; gone at next check 0558. Altho CRI uses this frequency via Albania until 0400, Habana and domestic sites at other times, now in HFCC it`s Geermu at 03-10, 100 kW, 172 degrees, refined in Aoki to show it`s the CNR2 domestic program, carried via the Geermu 916 site, except for a siesta maintenance break on Wednesdays only at 0600-0855, which fits nicely with what I heard. Geermu is at 94-59 east, 36-24 north, close to transpolar from here, but aimed south (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 14: did not start checking soon enough for a full scan before 1300 but found:
12670, 12980 and 13970 all good at 1258-1259; none in the 10s, 11s, or 14s before 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN [non]. 9520, March 14 at 0621, good signal with vocal pop music, in French(?), 0625 Persian announcement and English song by YL, ``Never Let You Go`` but seems to alternate with OM singer in Persian(?), 0630 timesignal and talk, presumed news. Expected R. Farda, no ID heard, but ``BBC Farsi`` mentioned, so I figured that was it. However, must have only been referring to that other station in a news item since R. Farda is listed on 9520 at 0530-0830, 100 kW, 105 degrees via Biblis, GERMANY; I don`t recall hearing this transmission before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, March 14 at 1331, the anticipated frequency jump of Shiokaze has finally happened, back here after several weeks on 6135, which was empty today, just the bonker on the low side. 5910 in Japanese with piano music; also sporadic bursts of ``running water`` ute QRM overriding Sea Breeze from JSR Tokyo/Yamata, JAPAN. So the Myanmarianese have been spared from such QRM plus jamming on 5985v, where Shiokaze could also have jumped: maybe next time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, unlike last night, no IGIM yet at 0604 March 14, but at next check 0616 it was on with chanting (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 15120, March 14 at 0552, no signal, altho the band was open with poor to very poor ones from 15400 and 15580 in Africa, 15160 and 15240 in Australia.
VON's ``ultra modern transmission station launched`` March 13, says this story on their website via Alokesh Gupta,http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/Nigeria/VON-ultramodern-transmitters-launched.html
but so far it has made no difference in reception, despite claims:
``The event included, the commissioning of three Super-Power Transmitters, three fixed and one rotatable antenna, the first in Africa and sixth in the World.
Voice of Nigeria, Nigeria's external broadcast station is mandated to project Nigeria and Africa's views to the world.
Located in Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory, the transmitter has a rotating antenna, with the capacity of a hundred and fifty kilowatts and is powered by one thousand two hundred high tension generators. [sic]
In his welcome address, the Director-General of VON, Abubakar Jijiwa, expressed optimism that the second phase of the project, when completed, would enable VON to embark on 24-hour broadcasting.
Alhaji Jijiwa solicited for Presidential intervention for the VON expansion projects which included the construction of two additional transmitters and antenna systems in line with global best practices and standards, construction of VON Abuja Broadcasting House as well as rehabilitation and upgrading of the ageing Ikorodu Transmitting Station.
Mal. Jijjiwa [sic] stated that "The second phase of this project needs be commenced urgently. It will comprise of two additional super power transmitters and one fixed and one rotatable antenna. When this is done and completed, VON would have the capacity for 24-hour broadcast and we can move this from our existing 18-hour broadcast and this would be the hall marks of simultaneous broadcasting which every external broadcaster hopes to achieve."
New Digital Studio
On Monday, the Voice of Nigeria commissioned an ultra-modern digital studio in Abuja, as part of efforts to enhance its broadcast. . .``
If they ever really go 24-hours, would that mean a service in the North American evenings? How retro! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1170, March 13 at 2015 UT in the daytime, IBOC noise is back around KFAQ Tulsa after missing for more than a month. Maybe this is what I was really getting at night on KSL 1160 even tho I could not hear any on the other side of 1170 (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 9840, March 14 at 0558, checked just before VOR Pet/Kam English to NAm sign-off, found that to be way underneath Russian from R. Rossii via Moscow site co-channel. // 12030 VOR was OK, same 70-degree heading (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [and non]. 11815.49, approx., March 14 at 1307, today`s off-frequency of REE via COSTA RICA, making a het near B below hi-C with weaker NHK.
17595, March 14 at 1404 direct from Noblejas is not only on the air, propagating well, on the right frequency, but unlike yesterday is also modulating normally instead of dead air for hours! Brief English clip during newscast caught my attention, back to Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9885, March 14 at 1254, VOA Spanish is being jammed but atop it; not clear yet whether the DentroCubans have moved their entire jamming one hour earlier like VOA, or just starting up before previous hour of *1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5085, March 14 at 0559, WTWW-2 continues to be absent after a few weeks of Brother Scare, nor before 1300, nor on 9990 after 1300, 1535. 12105, WTWW-3 however, is VG in Arabible at 1311, and WTWW-1 also VG with SFAW on 5755 before 1300, 9479 after (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 6045.4, March 14 at 1340, A-flat het upon VOA Chinese, 30 degrees from Thailand at 12-14, perhaps additional jamming to the CNR1 co-channel jamming surely applied and maybe getting more of that here than VOA, as the ChiCom don`t allow America to speak to China, while they can speak English to America all they want, even via our own stations! Wouldn`t it be nice if this were a sign that XEXQ-OC had reactivated? But it was not that far off-frequency before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
