** ARGENTINA. 15345.58, UT Sunday March 18 at 0058, R. Nacional has built up in the past two sesquihours to fair level with music, 0100 IDs for 870 including ``Nacional, Argentina, te informa`` to intro brief newscast, temp in Bs. As. Its carrier makes an A-flat+ het against 15346.0 BFO, so that means 420 Hz lower. This frequency runs so late only on weekends instead of foreign languages on 11711v (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 11815+, March 18 at 0112, music and R. Brasil Central promo ID; modulation somewhat distorted and unstable carrier slightly on the hi side, poor signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 11780, March 18 at 0117, RNA with Brazilian talk, marred by constant `propeller` buzz/whine; same problem on // 6180 which was weaker and with ACI from 6175 Vietnam/Canada, so this is a modulation input problem rather than specific to one transmitter. Still that way for at least an hour in random further chex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 18, before 0100:
15800, very poor with flutter at 0058-0100*, unusual time to hear it, and no others found
Before 1330:
11500, very poor at 1324
12300, very poor at 1326
15500, very poor at 1330; then changed 15505:
Before 1400:
15505, very poor at 1356 with het on hi side, presumably V. of Tibet
13970, fair at 1359; none in the 11s, 12s, 14s
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** EGYPT. 6270, March 18 at 0119, R. Cairo the worst I have ever heard them, and that`s saying something: overmodulated and extremely distorted, with buzz and awful whine expanding down to 6240, presumably in Arabic talk, and music. Totally unreadable monstrosity. Same thruout presumed English broadcast after 0200, at 0210 and later chex; still on at 0334 when back into Arabic? Off before 0430.
9305, March 18 at 0211 compared the R. Cairo Arabic frequency, and it was much better modulated, tho much weaker, with long dead-air pauses during Qur`an (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 15190.0, March 17 at 1912, after tip from Dave Kenny in UK of R. Africa reactivated, found open carrier here, typical slipshod behavior, so kept listening. 1918 modulation started with fade-up of assertive preacher in English, mostly unreadable. Could be another break 15 or 30 minutes later; kept going past 1933, so at 1945 as dead air was about to resume, I rolled 45 minutes of tape while otherwise occupied. Monitoring it the next day (with times maybe a minute off due to synchronization margin of error), not much emerged:
1945, outro of show, giving address in Illinois, dead air
1948, talk resumes, maybe mentioned prophet, and St. Louis
1955, dead air again; breakdown rather than short show?
1959, ACI hits from 15195 as YFR Ascension comes on. I was recording with DX-398 in USB mode; should have been LSB! 15190 had some band music, could pass for national anthem, but unlikely. 15195 brief break and back on at 2000 with modulation as on 15190 R. Africa is making some announcement, JBA talk continues vs the QRM from YFR.
2012, choral music, distorted announcement in English, intro new show?
2025, bits of music and nothing further heard.
No IDs ever heard, but no doubt it`s R. Africa. Several other monitors heard it and everything fits their M.O. [all to be aggregated in the next DXLD 12-12] Also, Victor Goonetilleke found that the domestic service transmitter at Bata on 5005 had also just been reactivated. Remains to be heard whether 15190 will keep going or disappear again for months. Manuel Méndez in Spain was also hearing it at 0650-0835 March 18, and it might also be heard in the clear 1600-1730 between Vatican and Philippines, then mixing with Philippines until 1930.
Next day March 18 at 1900 I am again getting a very poor signal on 15190.0 with some JBA talk, so can`t be sure if it`s EqG or Philippines, but Bill Bingham in S Africa was getting R. Africa during the previous hour. One last check before dispatching this report:
15190.0 with dead air at 2000 March 18, so I keep listening for something to resume, but still dead at 2010 when I quite after wasting battery power with the DX-398 on the porch; at least I could enjoy my newly-mown lawn, rather earlier than most springs: it`s still winter, really.
As for the long periods of dead air, we`ve always assumed it was slopperation, but maybe there is method: only on R. Africa can we guarantee you isolation from competing ministries! Also, remember that your reception report to Panamerican will just prove to gullible clients that the station is really on the air --- even if it disappears again for months (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUATEMALA. 4055, March 18 at 0409, open carrier, but dead air only for a minute with music at 0410 from R. Verdad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15349.1, March 17 at 2115, nice concert of Arab music, vocal duet and orchestra, better signal and modulation than usual from IMM. I was dozing to it and was about to measure the frequency when it cut off abruptly at 2155* without any announcement. RAE 15345 too weak to bother but Morocco has its own lite internal whine, as there is nothing on 15350.0 at this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 15120.0, March 18 at 1858, V. of Nigeria is poorly audible here with a brief break 1859, back on until off at 1900*, so the old Ikorodu site, and no succession this Saturday by Abuja on 15119.86 or so; seems they don`t operate it on weekends, as also noted by Chris Lewis last week.
15120, zero signal March 18 at 0505, while 15400 BBC South Africa was fair with `World Today`, and 15580 VOA Botswana audible poorly.
15120.0, March 18 at 1857, very poor signal but-on frequency, again goes off at 1901:20* with no further signal from the new site on Sunday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. 7305, March 18 at 0448, RRI English with mailbag replying to Roger who has sent a report for the third week in a row. This 04-05 broadcast is for WNAm, 300 kW, 337 degrees from Tiganeshti (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 6010, March 18 from 1300 to 1302* open carrier with hum on late after R. Rossii, Pet/Kam closing (and no CW heard on 6009 or 6074 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SERBIA [non]. 6190, UT Sunday March 18 at 0200 IRS IS and theme, opening English as usual giving no times but frequencies covering different times, 6100, 9635 [sic] to Europe, 6190 to US [who cares about Canada?]. This is contrary to its own schedule, with English to North America UT Tue-Sat only at 0130-0200, with Serbian extended until 0200* on UT Sundays, 0230* on Mondays. But this contrascheduled English emission has happened before, apparently a regular thing now.
Same M announcer presents entire show, and he`s hard to understand due to rapidity of speech and accent. The brief opening newscast was only about domestic affairs, anniversary(?) of some ethnic-cleansing event in 2004y, making me wonder if it was really a Today-in-History segment, until went on to current violence in Macedonia between Serbs and Albanians, blaming Albanian extremists: sounded rather biased. (I soon learnt this was current as CRI reported on same at 0321 on 6190!)
Outroed already at 0205 as having been ``news``, canned YL ID loop as ``International Radio of Serbia; stay tuned`` repeated several times. 0206 more political content on upcoming elexion, and with some crosstalk in English I cannot account for except as part of the program in voice-over, never a good idea for SW reception. Later a report on cycling, 0222 a bit of Serbian rap, 0228 sign-off with the three frequencies, only one of which is applicable, and the third one is wrong, having shifted to 9640 on Feb 26 as per DX Mix News in DXLD 12-10; cut off the air after only two notes of the IS.
I was alert to hear whether it would stay on past 0230, as it was reported once, March 13 by Martien Groot as going later with more language broadcasts, including English after 0400, but not tonight. Something, however was again co-channel to China on 6190 after 0300: BBC, see UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH AFRICA. Just after the 11608/11610 clash, see UK [non], March 18 at 0500 I was hearing BaBcoCk music IS loop on both 11605 and 11690. 11605 went into French at 0501, very poor signal, and 11690 kept running the music loop until 0502*. Another foulup at SENTECH:
11605 starting RFI relay in French for an hour, 100 kW, 345 degrees;
11690 was ending R. Okapi for DR Congo, at 04-05, 250 kW, 340 degrees
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [non]. 11815, no signal from REE COSTA RICA relay March 18 at 1323, just NHK, since for unfathomable reasons, REE uses 15125 instead on Sundays only; so I could not determine whether 11815 would be off-frequency today, but 15125 (and 15170) were not. After 1330 I am anticipating `Amigos de la Onda Corta`, but instead another show voiced by Antonio Buitrago, `Hispanorama` as introed, then segment on ``cooperatismo español`` and at 1355 outroed, last segment however about 70th anniversary of REE, which could easily have been included on AOC, and probably has been already. Also on 17595 direct, running 5 seconds ahead of CR frequencies. So what has become of AOC? Wrong recording played out?
While checking for Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea around 1900 March 18, Noblejas has started on 15110 and Cariari on 15125; or rather now 15125 is considerably on the hi side, 15125.53 approx., close to the semi-kHz offset often, but not always affecting 11815 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 11940, March 18 at 0425 Arabic music, 0426 YL announcement, OM ID as Radio Tamazuj (finally clearly heard the pronunciation: ``Tah-MAH-zutch``); quickly checked // 7315 and found the same altho an echo apart.
At 0429, 11940 cut to brief tone and open carrier until 0430*, while 7315 switched to R. Dabanga opening with singing ID. No jamming audible at first but at 0447 the ringing noise could be heard. At 0520 Arabish still audible but weakening, and also still with whine jamming.
Current scheduling has both services on 7315, 500 kW, 135 degrees from Issoudun, FRANCE; they are both also on 11940, but with a site change: R. Tamazuj at 0400-0429, 250 kW, 325 degrees from MADAGASCAR, but then R. Dabanga at 0430-0557, 500 kW, 135 degrees from FRANCE, not propagating to here. All this will change next Sunday, no more France, but via UAE, Madagascar, Vatican in the mornings, Madagascar and Sri Lanka evenings: (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Radio Dabanga A12 [presumably really R Tamazuj during first half hour]
0359-0557 DHA 15550 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
0359-0557 MDC 15400 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
0359-0557 SMG 11650 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1459-1527 MDC 15150 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1459-1627 TRM 15725 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1529-1627 MDC 15150 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur (Leo van der Woude, RNW via
Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SWAZILAND. 4775, March 18 at 0410, German talk, choir hymn, 0414 more German, fair signal from TWR Swaziland. It always seems strange to be hearing German on 60m, but this is 233 degrees for the German SW Afrika colonial remnant in Namibia, where NBC still has an entire FM network in German as for several other languages but only English is 24 hours (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 9505, March 18 at 0259 tuning across here, surprised to hear RTI announcing its complete English schedule, G signal // 5950, while 9680 was open carrier. At 0259:10, 9505 cut off the air, and the same announcement modulation cut on 9680, but just after 0300, as RTI was starting news in English, 9680 cut off the air. Now 5950 is in Chinese. All kinds of switching errors at WYFR. RTI English heard later in the hour on 6875, the only frequency where it is supposed to be, I think. I can only assume 9505 was WYFR, but it is not currently on their schedule at any time for any reason, altho IIRC they have used it before. Could it be mispunch jumbling same numbers as in 5950? But that was on the air too (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. 7275, March 18 at 0449 a bit of English caught my ear but it was just a momentary clip from IWT, back to Arabic, discussing cinema (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 7385, March 18 at 0303, BBCWS instead of news has YL courtesy announcement, ``no full news due to industrial axion by some members of the National Union of Journalists``, but at 0304 cutaway cue ``BBC News`` and the news starts/resumes as if nothing had happened; 0306 into `World Today` also normal. Was that announcement played by mistake? I hunted around the BBCWS and NUJ websites and did not find anything about a current strike, nor has any news of one reached me. The NUJ blog
http://www.nujbroadcastingblog.blogspot.com/
to which we are linked, is not exactly up-to-date, as the latest entry is ``Sunday, 8 March 2009 Strike day at Bush House``. 7385 is the Ascension hour sandwiched between WHRI broadcasts on 7385.
6190, March 18 at 0310, CRI English via CANADA from 0300 has CCI from an understation also in English, as I barely make out one phrase, ``crimes against humanity``. No doubt it`s BBCWS via SOUTH AFRICA, also scheduled on 6190 during the same two sesquihours until 0600, 100 kW, 15 degrees from Meyerton; and not, tonight anyway, an extension from SERBIA, q.v. I could not match 6190 to 7385, however, tho both should be on African stream.
11608, March 18 at 0455, English here hetting something on 11610 until the latter went off around 0456 or 0457. 11608 is talking about number of employees at the US DOD, concludes with bbc.co.uk, and cut off just before 0500 during the truncated version BBCWS now plays of ``Lilliburlero``.
What in the world is it doing here? Must be a mispunch. Uplooked later in the handy B-11 schedule booklet of the British DX Club, we see in the 04-05 UT hour, BBCWS is scheduled via SEYCHELLES on 11860!
11610 is listed as V. of the People, clandestine for Zimbabwe at 04-05, 50 kW, 266 degrees via MADAGASCAR. I bet the audience thought someone was jamming it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 6175, March 18 at 0227:50, V. of Vietnam in Vietnamese via CANADA cuts to the BaBcoCk music-loop IS as always between languages, English starting at 0230; again heard at 0329. This loop heard on many relay sites is supposedly always originating from BBC master control in London (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7811-USB, March 18 at 1308 poor signal from AFN FL Keys with NPR `Weekend Edition Sunday` // IBOC-delayed feed on KOSU 91.7; nothing audible from 5765-USB Guam which last Sunday was carrying CBS News `Sunday Morning` instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 7575, March 18 at 1304, VOA news about elexions in ``the tiny nation of Guinea-Bissau``, 1305 `Jazz America` again today about Chick Corea, but starting with Stevie Wonder; soon found in synch on // 9640, not in synch on stronger // 12150.
Yes, G-B is pretty small as African countries go, 10,800 square miles, about the same as the state of Massachusetts, which would anyone outside the Beltway call tiny? Yes, there are plenty of tiny-trappers everywhere.
Sites: 7575 and 9640 are Tinang, PHILIPPINES; 12150 Udorn, THAILAND aimed USward. All are on the air at 13-14 only on Sat & Sun for `Jazz America`. Would VOA ever favor American classical music that way? Of course not! Not even on satellite/internet schedule of `Music Mix` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5985, March 18 at 0123, guitar music and song, or rather hymn, then Bible stuff, fair signal. Thought it might be something interesting as not // WYFR 15440 westward in Spanish with preacher, but 5985 is also WYFR, southward. Apparently they are still running two separate A & B services in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7555.55, March 18 at 0140, KJES is S9+20+ in Spanish catechisms(?), just barely modulated. Same problem earlier on 15385+. Frequency measured with BFO on 7556.0 finding pitch between B flat and A, about 450 Hz. Too far out of tolerance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9955, March 18 at 0144, WRMI is jamming-free this Saturday evening, fair signal but with atmospheric noise and some deep fades, allowing us to hear some DX programs, after ID, starting at 0145 with `Viva Miami`, this edition entirely in Spanish as Jeff White is interviewing visiting Argentine DXer Rubén Guillermo Margenet, who has also said he is going on to Wáshington for a VOA tour. Conclusion implied future editions would continue with more from RGM.
0200, R. Praga in Spanish; 0239 check during R. Eslovaquia Internacional in Spanish; 0336, Portuguese DX program `Encontro DX` in progress [WRMI current program grid shows this at 0300 and blank at 0330]; 0400 `Wavescan` starting with history of broadcasting in Sri Lanka; 0516 during Italian DX program `Studio DX` with contact info, phone, schedule also as a satellite TV program on Sky 922 --- is that really video, or an audio channel? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7465, UT Sunday March 18 at 0400, WHRI, `DXing with Cumbre`, confirmed at unchanged UT after DST has been imposed, the only known time when it is really on SW. Soon into `Pirating with Cumbre` from Chris Lobdell, and in fact lasted all the way until 0423 outro by Marie, jazz theme fill music running on and on. Seems Marie is mostly relying on outside contributors.
DWC has pretty much transformed into PWC, as there is little coverage of pirating on WORLD OF RADIO, which now is on at the same time! Confirmed UT Sunday 0400 on 5755 WTWW, which does have to make DST shifts. Furthermore, the third US DX program, Wavescan is also on WRMI 9955 at 0400 UT Sundays (plus several other times). All of us have quite different content, making us complimentary rather than competitive, except in the sense of unfortunate scheduling coincidences by our stations (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1608 monitoring: confirmed at new shifted time of 0400 UT Sunday March 18 on WTWW 5755; also barely audible after 1530 UT Sunday on WRMI 9955, mixing with subaudible heterodyne from presumed Tibetan via TINIAN and/or ChiCom jamming. Also have a try on 9955 UT Monday 0500, 1130 in case jamming relent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, March 18 at 1314 tune-in, WBCQ cuts off praise-rock, dead air until this dense music cuts back on at 1315:25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 660, March 18 at 1240 UT, again today around sunrise here, KTNN Window Rock AZ has good dominant signal, during Farmers Insurance, Western Union ads in English, KTNN jingle. Official sunrise in March not until 1330 UT; until then should be nulling New York altho hardly likely to bother WFAN much east of here in full daytime. I wonder if KTNN is confused by DST for the rest of March, switching off night pattern at 1230 UT (6:30 am MDT) instead of 1330 UT (7:30 am MDT = 6:30 am MST), since the rest of AZ beyond the Res is on MST? Or maybe it`s just staying on day pattern as reported previously (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1510, March 18 at 0528 UT, Denver ads, 303 area code dominant from NW, little signal from easterly WLAC, so it`s KCKK Littleton CO, now that anomalous station which *increases* from 10 kW day to 25 kW night, but with tighter direxional pattern at night, deep nulls toward Nashville and Spokane, and very little supposed to come our way either, with major lobes at 30 and 205 degrees:
http://transition.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/1283677-105685.pdf
So is the pattern out of whack? (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. March 18 at 0220 in English on 6050, caught RHC reporting that Chávez had just returned to Venezuela after 21 days in Cuba for more cancer treatment. But not likely to be ready for more SW shows yet: at 1552 check, nothing on special frequencies 17750, 15370, 13680, and RHC itself still running on 15380, 13750-which they use Sunday only anyway, 13670, four 25m channels, and zero 31m channels. Still nothing at 1900 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 750, March 18 at 1243-1249 UT just after sunrise here, a very long adstring, all of them national with no local clues, and of course then fading down. Loops E/W vs N/S growing signal from KMMJ Nebraska with preaching in English. A bit late for WSB even to have a remnant; KHWG in Fallon NV has been reported a lot as on day power/pattern at night, so that might be penetrating from the darkside. Other possibility is KBNN, 5 kW in Lebanon MO, but really unseemed from NE/SW. Eastward KRMG 740 Tulsa already on 50 kW day pattern causing lots of splash QRM; helped a little to offtune to 752 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 11815+, March 18 at 0112, music and R. Brasil Central promo ID; modulation somewhat distorted and unstable carrier slightly on the hi side, poor signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 11780, March 18 at 0117, RNA with Brazilian talk, marred by constant `propeller` buzz/whine; same problem on // 6180 which was weaker and with ACI from 6175 Vietnam/Canada, so this is a modulation input problem rather than specific to one transmitter. Still that way for at least an hour in random further chex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake March 18, before 0100:
15800, very poor with flutter at 0058-0100*, unusual time to hear it, and no others found
Before 1330:
11500, very poor at 1324
12300, very poor at 1326
15500, very poor at 1330; then changed 15505:
Before 1400:
15505, very poor at 1356 with het on hi side, presumably V. of Tibet
13970, fair at 1359; none in the 11s, 12s, 14s
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENNG DIGEST)
** EGYPT. 6270, March 18 at 0119, R. Cairo the worst I have ever heard them, and that`s saying something: overmodulated and extremely distorted, with buzz and awful whine expanding down to 6240, presumably in Arabic talk, and music. Totally unreadable monstrosity. Same thruout presumed English broadcast after 0200, at 0210 and later chex; still on at 0334 when back into Arabic? Off before 0430.
9305, March 18 at 0211 compared the R. Cairo Arabic frequency, and it was much better modulated, tho much weaker, with long dead-air pauses during Qur`an (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 15190.0, March 17 at 1912, after tip from Dave Kenny in UK of R. Africa reactivated, found open carrier here, typical slipshod behavior, so kept listening. 1918 modulation started with fade-up of assertive preacher in English, mostly unreadable. Could be another break 15 or 30 minutes later; kept going past 1933, so at 1945 as dead air was about to resume, I rolled 45 minutes of tape while otherwise occupied. Monitoring it the next day (with times maybe a minute off due to synchronization margin of error), not much emerged:
1945, outro of show, giving address in Illinois, dead air
1948, talk resumes, maybe mentioned prophet, and St. Louis
1955, dead air again; breakdown rather than short show?
1959, ACI hits from 15195 as YFR Ascension comes on. I was recording with DX-398 in USB mode; should have been LSB! 15190 had some band music, could pass for national anthem, but unlikely. 15195 brief break and back on at 2000 with modulation as on 15190 R. Africa is making some announcement, JBA talk continues vs the QRM from YFR.
2012, choral music, distorted announcement in English, intro new show?
2025, bits of music and nothing further heard.
No IDs ever heard, but no doubt it`s R. Africa. Several other monitors heard it and everything fits their M.O. [all to be aggregated in the next DXLD 12-12] Also, Victor Goonetilleke found that the domestic service transmitter at Bata on 5005 had also just been reactivated. Remains to be heard whether 15190 will keep going or disappear again for months. Manuel Méndez in Spain was also hearing it at 0650-0835 March 18, and it might also be heard in the clear 1600-1730 between Vatican and Philippines, then mixing with Philippines until 1930.
Next day March 18 at 1900 I am again getting a very poor signal on 15190.0 with some JBA talk, so can`t be sure if it`s EqG or Philippines, but Bill Bingham in S Africa was getting R. Africa during the previous hour. One last check before dispatching this report:
15190.0 with dead air at 2000 March 18, so I keep listening for something to resume, but still dead at 2010 when I quite after wasting battery power with the DX-398 on the porch; at least I could enjoy my newly-mown lawn, rather earlier than most springs: it`s still winter, really.
As for the long periods of dead air, we`ve always assumed it was slopperation, but maybe there is method: only on R. Africa can we guarantee you isolation from competing ministries! Also, remember that your reception report to Panamerican will just prove to gullible clients that the station is really on the air --- even if it disappears again for months (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUATEMALA. 4055, March 18 at 0409, open carrier, but dead air only for a minute with music at 0410 from R. Verdad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15349.1, March 17 at 2115, nice concert of Arab music, vocal duet and orchestra, better signal and modulation than usual from IMM. I was dozing to it and was about to measure the frequency when it cut off abruptly at 2155* without any announcement. RAE 15345 too weak to bother but Morocco has its own lite internal whine, as there is nothing on 15350.0 at this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 15120.0, March 18 at 1858, V. of Nigeria is poorly audible here with a brief break 1859, back on until off at 1900*, so the old Ikorodu site, and no succession this Saturday by Abuja on 15119.86 or so; seems they don`t operate it on weekends, as also noted by Chris Lewis last week.
15120, zero signal March 18 at 0505, while 15400 BBC South Africa was fair with `World Today`, and 15580 VOA Botswana audible poorly.
15120.0, March 18 at 1857, very poor signal but-on frequency, again goes off at 1901:20* with no further signal from the new site on Sunday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. 7305, March 18 at 0448, RRI English with mailbag replying to Roger who has sent a report for the third week in a row. This 04-05 broadcast is for WNAm, 300 kW, 337 degrees from Tiganeshti (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 6010, March 18 from 1300 to 1302* open carrier with hum on late after R. Rossii, Pet/Kam closing (and no CW heard on 6009 or 6074 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SERBIA [non]. 6190, UT Sunday March 18 at 0200 IRS IS and theme, opening English as usual giving no times but frequencies covering different times, 6100, 9635 [sic] to Europe, 6190 to US [who cares about Canada?]. This is contrary to its own schedule, with English to North America UT Tue-Sat only at 0130-0200, with Serbian extended until 0200* on UT Sundays, 0230* on Mondays. But this contrascheduled English emission has happened before, apparently a regular thing now.
Same M announcer presents entire show, and he`s hard to understand due to rapidity of speech and accent. The brief opening newscast was only about domestic affairs, anniversary(?) of some ethnic-cleansing event in 2004y, making me wonder if it was really a Today-in-History segment, until went on to current violence in Macedonia between Serbs and Albanians, blaming Albanian extremists: sounded rather biased. (I soon learnt this was current as CRI reported on same at 0321 on 6190!)
Outroed already at 0205 as having been ``news``, canned YL ID loop as ``International Radio of Serbia; stay tuned`` repeated several times. 0206 more political content on upcoming elexion, and with some crosstalk in English I cannot account for except as part of the program in voice-over, never a good idea for SW reception. Later a report on cycling, 0222 a bit of Serbian rap, 0228 sign-off with the three frequencies, only one of which is applicable, and the third one is wrong, having shifted to 9640 on Feb 26 as per DX Mix News in DXLD 12-10; cut off the air after only two notes of the IS.
I was alert to hear whether it would stay on past 0230, as it was reported once, March 13 by Martien Groot as going later with more language broadcasts, including English after 0400, but not tonight. Something, however was again co-channel to China on 6190 after 0300: BBC, see UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH AFRICA. Just after the 11608/11610 clash, see UK [non], March 18 at 0500 I was hearing BaBcoCk music IS loop on both 11605 and 11690. 11605 went into French at 0501, very poor signal, and 11690 kept running the music loop until 0502*. Another foulup at SENTECH:
11605 starting RFI relay in French for an hour, 100 kW, 345 degrees;
11690 was ending R. Okapi for DR Congo, at 04-05, 250 kW, 340 degrees
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN [non]. 11815, no signal from REE COSTA RICA relay March 18 at 1323, just NHK, since for unfathomable reasons, REE uses 15125 instead on Sundays only; so I could not determine whether 11815 would be off-frequency today, but 15125 (and 15170) were not. After 1330 I am anticipating `Amigos de la Onda Corta`, but instead another show voiced by Antonio Buitrago, `Hispanorama` as introed, then segment on ``cooperatismo español`` and at 1355 outroed, last segment however about 70th anniversary of REE, which could easily have been included on AOC, and probably has been already. Also on 17595 direct, running 5 seconds ahead of CR frequencies. So what has become of AOC? Wrong recording played out?
While checking for Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea around 1900 March 18, Noblejas has started on 15110 and Cariari on 15125; or rather now 15125 is considerably on the hi side, 15125.53 approx., close to the semi-kHz offset often, but not always affecting 11815 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 11940, March 18 at 0425 Arabic music, 0426 YL announcement, OM ID as Radio Tamazuj (finally clearly heard the pronunciation: ``Tah-MAH-zutch``); quickly checked // 7315 and found the same altho an echo apart.
At 0429, 11940 cut to brief tone and open carrier until 0430*, while 7315 switched to R. Dabanga opening with singing ID. No jamming audible at first but at 0447 the ringing noise could be heard. At 0520 Arabish still audible but weakening, and also still with whine jamming.
Current scheduling has both services on 7315, 500 kW, 135 degrees from Issoudun, FRANCE; they are both also on 11940, but with a site change: R. Tamazuj at 0400-0429, 250 kW, 325 degrees from MADAGASCAR, but then R. Dabanga at 0430-0557, 500 kW, 135 degrees from FRANCE, not propagating to here. All this will change next Sunday, no more France, but via UAE, Madagascar, Vatican in the mornings, Madagascar and Sri Lanka evenings: (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Radio Dabanga A12 [presumably really R Tamazuj during first half hour]
0359-0557 DHA 15550 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
0359-0557 MDC 15400 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
0359-0557 SMG 11650 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1459-1527 MDC 15150 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1459-1627 TRM 15725 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur
1529-1627 MDC 15150 PNW Mul 1234567 Darfur (Leo van der Woude, RNW via
Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SWAZILAND. 4775, March 18 at 0410, German talk, choir hymn, 0414 more German, fair signal from TWR Swaziland. It always seems strange to be hearing German on 60m, but this is 233 degrees for the German SW Afrika colonial remnant in Namibia, where NBC still has an entire FM network in German as for several other languages but only English is 24 hours (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN [non]. 9505, March 18 at 0259 tuning across here, surprised to hear RTI announcing its complete English schedule, G signal // 5950, while 9680 was open carrier. At 0259:10, 9505 cut off the air, and the same announcement modulation cut on 9680, but just after 0300, as RTI was starting news in English, 9680 cut off the air. Now 5950 is in Chinese. All kinds of switching errors at WYFR. RTI English heard later in the hour on 6875, the only frequency where it is supposed to be, I think. I can only assume 9505 was WYFR, but it is not currently on their schedule at any time for any reason, altho IIRC they have used it before. Could it be mispunch jumbling same numbers as in 5950? But that was on the air too (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. 7275, March 18 at 0449 a bit of English caught my ear but it was just a momentary clip from IWT, back to Arabic, discussing cinema (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 7385, March 18 at 0303, BBCWS instead of news has YL courtesy announcement, ``no full news due to industrial axion by some members of the National Union of Journalists``, but at 0304 cutaway cue ``BBC News`` and the news starts/resumes as if nothing had happened; 0306 into `World Today` also normal. Was that announcement played by mistake? I hunted around the BBCWS and NUJ websites and did not find anything about a current strike, nor has any news of one reached me. The NUJ blog
http://www.nujbroadcastingblog.blogspot.com/
to which we are linked, is not exactly up-to-date, as the latest entry is ``Sunday, 8 March 2009 Strike day at Bush House``. 7385 is the Ascension hour sandwiched between WHRI broadcasts on 7385.
6190, March 18 at 0310, CRI English via CANADA from 0300 has CCI from an understation also in English, as I barely make out one phrase, ``crimes against humanity``. No doubt it`s BBCWS via SOUTH AFRICA, also scheduled on 6190 during the same two sesquihours until 0600, 100 kW, 15 degrees from Meyerton; and not, tonight anyway, an extension from SERBIA, q.v. I could not match 6190 to 7385, however, tho both should be on African stream.
11608, March 18 at 0455, English here hetting something on 11610 until the latter went off around 0456 or 0457. 11608 is talking about number of employees at the US DOD, concludes with bbc.co.uk, and cut off just before 0500 during the truncated version BBCWS now plays of ``Lilliburlero``.
What in the world is it doing here? Must be a mispunch. Uplooked later in the handy B-11 schedule booklet of the British DX Club, we see in the 04-05 UT hour, BBCWS is scheduled via SEYCHELLES on 11860!
11610 is listed as V. of the People, clandestine for Zimbabwe at 04-05, 50 kW, 266 degrees via MADAGASCAR. I bet the audience thought someone was jamming it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 6175, March 18 at 0227:50, V. of Vietnam in Vietnamese via CANADA cuts to the BaBcoCk music-loop IS as always between languages, English starting at 0230; again heard at 0329. This loop heard on many relay sites is supposedly always originating from BBC master control in London (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7811-USB, March 18 at 1308 poor signal from AFN FL Keys with NPR `Weekend Edition Sunday` // IBOC-delayed feed on KOSU 91.7; nothing audible from 5765-USB Guam which last Sunday was carrying CBS News `Sunday Morning` instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 7575, March 18 at 1304, VOA news about elexions in ``the tiny nation of Guinea-Bissau``, 1305 `Jazz America` again today about Chick Corea, but starting with Stevie Wonder; soon found in synch on // 9640, not in synch on stronger // 12150.
Yes, G-B is pretty small as African countries go, 10,800 square miles, about the same as the state of Massachusetts, which would anyone outside the Beltway call tiny? Yes, there are plenty of tiny-trappers everywhere.
Sites: 7575 and 9640 are Tinang, PHILIPPINES; 12150 Udorn, THAILAND aimed USward. All are on the air at 13-14 only on Sat & Sun for `Jazz America`. Would VOA ever favor American classical music that way? Of course not! Not even on satellite/internet schedule of `Music Mix` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5985, March 18 at 0123, guitar music and song, or rather hymn, then Bible stuff, fair signal. Thought it might be something interesting as not // WYFR 15440 westward in Spanish with preacher, but 5985 is also WYFR, southward. Apparently they are still running two separate A & B services in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7555.55, March 18 at 0140, KJES is S9+20+ in Spanish catechisms(?), just barely modulated. Same problem earlier on 15385+. Frequency measured with BFO on 7556.0 finding pitch between B flat and A, about 450 Hz. Too far out of tolerance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9955, March 18 at 0144, WRMI is jamming-free this Saturday evening, fair signal but with atmospheric noise and some deep fades, allowing us to hear some DX programs, after ID, starting at 0145 with `Viva Miami`, this edition entirely in Spanish as Jeff White is interviewing visiting Argentine DXer Rubén Guillermo Margenet, who has also said he is going on to Wáshington for a VOA tour. Conclusion implied future editions would continue with more from RGM.
0200, R. Praga in Spanish; 0239 check during R. Eslovaquia Internacional in Spanish; 0336, Portuguese DX program `Encontro DX` in progress [WRMI current program grid shows this at 0300 and blank at 0330]; 0400 `Wavescan` starting with history of broadcasting in Sri Lanka; 0516 during Italian DX program `Studio DX` with contact info, phone, schedule also as a satellite TV program on Sky 922 --- is that really video, or an audio channel? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7465, UT Sunday March 18 at 0400, WHRI, `DXing with Cumbre`, confirmed at unchanged UT after DST has been imposed, the only known time when it is really on SW. Soon into `Pirating with Cumbre` from Chris Lobdell, and in fact lasted all the way until 0423 outro by Marie, jazz theme fill music running on and on. Seems Marie is mostly relying on outside contributors.
DWC has pretty much transformed into PWC, as there is little coverage of pirating on WORLD OF RADIO, which now is on at the same time! Confirmed UT Sunday 0400 on 5755 WTWW, which does have to make DST shifts. Furthermore, the third US DX program, Wavescan is also on WRMI 9955 at 0400 UT Sundays (plus several other times). All of us have quite different content, making us complimentary rather than competitive, except in the sense of unfortunate scheduling coincidences by our stations (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1608 monitoring: confirmed at new shifted time of 0400 UT Sunday March 18 on WTWW 5755; also barely audible after 1530 UT Sunday on WRMI 9955, mixing with subaudible heterodyne from presumed Tibetan via TINIAN and/or ChiCom jamming. Also have a try on 9955 UT Monday 0500, 1130 in case jamming relent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9330-CUSB, March 18 at 1314 tune-in, WBCQ cuts off praise-rock, dead air until this dense music cuts back on at 1315:25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 660, March 18 at 1240 UT, again today around sunrise here, KTNN Window Rock AZ has good dominant signal, during Farmers Insurance, Western Union ads in English, KTNN jingle. Official sunrise in March not until 1330 UT; until then should be nulling New York altho hardly likely to bother WFAN much east of here in full daytime. I wonder if KTNN is confused by DST for the rest of March, switching off night pattern at 1230 UT (6:30 am MDT) instead of 1330 UT (7:30 am MDT = 6:30 am MST), since the rest of AZ beyond the Res is on MST? Or maybe it`s just staying on day pattern as reported previously (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1510, March 18 at 0528 UT, Denver ads, 303 area code dominant from NW, little signal from easterly WLAC, so it`s KCKK Littleton CO, now that anomalous station which *increases* from 10 kW day to 25 kW night, but with tighter direxional pattern at night, deep nulls toward Nashville and Spokane, and very little supposed to come our way either, with major lobes at 30 and 205 degrees:
http://transition.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/1283677-105685.pdf
So is the pattern out of whack? (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA [non]. March 18 at 0220 in English on 6050, caught RHC reporting that Chávez had just returned to Venezuela after 21 days in Cuba for more cancer treatment. But not likely to be ready for more SW shows yet: at 1552 check, nothing on special frequencies 17750, 15370, 13680, and RHC itself still running on 15380, 13750-which they use Sunday only anyway, 13670, four 25m channels, and zero 31m channels. Still nothing at 1900 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 750, March 18 at 1243-1249 UT just after sunrise here, a very long adstring, all of them national with no local clues, and of course then fading down. Loops E/W vs N/S growing signal from KMMJ Nebraska with preaching in English. A bit late for WSB even to have a remnant; KHWG in Fallon NV has been reported a lot as on day power/pattern at night, so that might be penetrating from the darkside. Other possibility is KBNN, 5 kW in Lebanon MO, but really unseemed from NE/SW. Eastward KRMG 740 Tulsa already on 50 kW day pattern causing lots of splash QRM; helped a little to offtune to 752 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
