** ALBANIA. 7425, May 8 at 0128, R. Tirana IS, fair with lots of summer storm static, 0130 opening with correct schedule of the remaining two English broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. 6134.8, May 8 at 0132, peppy music, best heard on USB to avoid the TADIL-A bonker infesting the low side; despite weaker signal, has better modulation and readability than XEPPM 6185. R. Santa Cruz IDs at 0133 and 0134 sandwiching some kind of promotional announcement. So this date it probably stayed on until after 0200; other days it goes off shortly after 0100. Nothing on 6135.0 to het it. Also checked 5580 in case the another Bolivian was active and audible, but nothing heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 6180, May 8 at 0126, RNA is loud & clear; rechecked, since this frequency had been missing later on UT Sunday when it should have been on // 11780. Quite a problem for weaker XEPPM on 6185. Retune at 0135 to find 6180 off, but soon cut back on, so intermittent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake May 8, before 1300:
11300, nothing ever here nor Sound of Hope as some have been reporting
11500, fair at 1234 with VOR Tajikistan CCI
12230, JBA at 1230
12600, fair at 1230
13970, very good at 1252
14700, very good at 1252
15550, good at 1254, and continued past 1301 unlike the others
15900, good at 1254
15970, very good at 1254
16100, very good at 1255
16980, fair at 1255
17250, poor at 1255
17450, very poor at 1256
Before 1400, also a dozen:
11500, poor at 1343 with SAH, CCI from VOR
12600, fair at 1333
13850, poor at 1333
13970, very good at 1333
14950, very poor at 1335
15495, good at 1335
15900, very good at 1335
15970, very good at 1335
16100, very good at 1335
16980, very good at 1335
17170, very good at 1338
17250, poor at 1338
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [non?]. 21580, May 8 at 0451, very poor signal with M&W in Chinese; soon found one slightly stronger on 21480, seemed // but not positive, too weak to match on two receivers. RFA in Chinese via TINIAN is scheduled on both, but may have been hearing ChiCom CNR1 jamming instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, May 8 at 0506, IGIM on this early, in Arabic, but poor signal, less than 7250 Vatican (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, May 8 at 0123, XEPPM has good carrier but very low modulation, which combined with heavy ACI from both sides, much stronger Brasil and Bonaire, makes it unreadable. I was checking this out, since Terry Krueger, FL, tipped me he was hearing ``your Mexican`` OK at 0044. RNW went off 6190 at 0127, after which I could employ USB or side-tune in AM above 6185 to diminish the Brazilian splash from 6180. Now R. Educación is playing music, but very undermodulated. At 0136 I can make out a mention of ``la huasteca potosina``, but too poor to keep trying to listen. I asked Terry if he didn`t find XEPPM very undermodulated, and he replied: ``Mod was excellent here but somewhat squished by 6190 up just before 0100.``
Next check at 0457, to find a fast SAH on 6185, co-channel QRM between one station talking and the other music: could it still be Vatican this late? I make out a bit of Spanish: ``se acabó . . . vamos`` (it`s over, let`s go); could that be an informal sign-off? Blasted away by CRI Sackville 6190 which cut on about 10 sex before 0500; unfortunately not on wrong frequency 6080 today. And shortly after that, no carrier on 6185 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. 6190, May 8 at 0122 as I am checking on XEPPM 6185, note that RNW via Bonaire is in English instead of Dutch. Soon obvious that it`s the very same interview I ran across weeks ago between RNW YL in Dutch, and a Dutch OM second-generation immigrant to New Zealand, who understands her but replies in English. I guess with RNW Dutch service about to self-destruct, they are just re-running old stuff; sad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9430, May 8 at 1247, FEBC Chinese, gospel pop music, strong signal but distorted, and carrier wobbling. This problem has been going on for many months, some days worse than others. Listed as a 100 kW transmitter at Bocaue, all the way from 09 to 17 UT. Are they ever going to fix it or replace it with one of the ex-KFBS units? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SERBIA [non]. 9685, May 8 at 0125, IRS is missing, no signal tho supposedly scheduled until 0130 in Serbian to NAm [except English on UT Sundays, says Aoki]; propagation fine with 9665 VOR Pridnestrovye in well (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15091, 15100.5, 15119.5, 15129, May 7 at 2040 check, the REE 15110 transmitter with very strong signal is again putting out these spurs peaking at multiples of about 9.5 kHz. Opens at 1855, so probably messes up Nigerian DRM 15115-15125 during following hour. Sometimes the spurs are employed, sometimes not; tweak that transmitter!
11795, UT Tuesday May 8 at 0124, REE weekly Sephardic service is VG on clear frequency intended for SAm; historical talk and one must listen closely to decide whether it`s really in judeo-español or just plain Castilian intermixed. Words with j- should as judeo are pronounced [dzh] like an English J, instead of an [x] aspirated H, so it must not be Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. 17735, May 8 at 0455, fair signal in Arabic, kept mentioning Ibrahim mixed with nice bits of music on plucked instrument. Figured it was probably Iran, but Aoki shows IWT is now on 17735 not only in the evening at 1600-2110, but also in the morning at 0300-0610, both 250 kW, 100 degrees from Sfax.
However, not audible much after 0500, so suspect these times are again one hour off, as we know the evening is really finished around 2010, fortunately for the rest of RCI`s co-channel in English. I guess 17735 replaces previously scheduled 9725 at both spans; should be // 12005.
Aoki and HFCC also show 17735 with VOA Tibetan at 03-04 via Tinang, 04-06 via Thailand, but no sign of that now nor ChiCom jamming. HFCC still shows Tunisia on 9725 thru 28 Oct, never on 17735 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7555, May 8 at 0507, WEWN is missing from usual good signal in Spanish; at 0511 still on the other two, fair 11520 English, poor 11870 Spanish; and all three are active after 1300 check, 11550, 12050, 15615 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15747 approx., May 8 at 0520, DRMish noise centered around here; nothing scheduled, maybe utility or jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. 6134.8, May 8 at 0132, peppy music, best heard on USB to avoid the TADIL-A bonker infesting the low side; despite weaker signal, has better modulation and readability than XEPPM 6185. R. Santa Cruz IDs at 0133 and 0134 sandwiching some kind of promotional announcement. So this date it probably stayed on until after 0200; other days it goes off shortly after 0100. Nothing on 6135.0 to het it. Also checked 5580 in case the another Bolivian was active and audible, but nothing heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 6180, May 8 at 0126, RNA is loud & clear; rechecked, since this frequency had been missing later on UT Sunday when it should have been on // 11780. Quite a problem for weaker XEPPM on 6185. Retune at 0135 to find 6180 off, but soon cut back on, so intermittent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake May 8, before 1300:
11300, nothing ever here nor Sound of Hope as some have been reporting
11500, fair at 1234 with VOR Tajikistan CCI
12230, JBA at 1230
12600, fair at 1230
13970, very good at 1252
14700, very good at 1252
15550, good at 1254, and continued past 1301 unlike the others
15900, good at 1254
15970, very good at 1254
16100, very good at 1255
16980, fair at 1255
17250, poor at 1255
17450, very poor at 1256
Before 1400, also a dozen:
11500, poor at 1343 with SAH, CCI from VOR
12600, fair at 1333
13850, poor at 1333
13970, very good at 1333
14950, very poor at 1335
15495, good at 1335
15900, very good at 1335
15970, very good at 1335
16100, very good at 1335
16980, very good at 1335
17170, very good at 1338
17250, poor at 1338
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [non?]. 21580, May 8 at 0451, very poor signal with M&W in Chinese; soon found one slightly stronger on 21480, seemed // but not positive, too weak to match on two receivers. RFA in Chinese via TINIAN is scheduled on both, but may have been hearing ChiCom CNR1 jamming instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MAURITANIA. 7245, May 8 at 0506, IGIM on this early, in Arabic, but poor signal, less than 7250 Vatican (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 6185, May 8 at 0123, XEPPM has good carrier but very low modulation, which combined with heavy ACI from both sides, much stronger Brasil and Bonaire, makes it unreadable. I was checking this out, since Terry Krueger, FL, tipped me he was hearing ``your Mexican`` OK at 0044. RNW went off 6190 at 0127, after which I could employ USB or side-tune in AM above 6185 to diminish the Brazilian splash from 6180. Now R. Educación is playing music, but very undermodulated. At 0136 I can make out a mention of ``la huasteca potosina``, but too poor to keep trying to listen. I asked Terry if he didn`t find XEPPM very undermodulated, and he replied: ``Mod was excellent here but somewhat squished by 6190 up just before 0100.``
Next check at 0457, to find a fast SAH on 6185, co-channel QRM between one station talking and the other music: could it still be Vatican this late? I make out a bit of Spanish: ``se acabó . . . vamos`` (it`s over, let`s go); could that be an informal sign-off? Blasted away by CRI Sackville 6190 which cut on about 10 sex before 0500; unfortunately not on wrong frequency 6080 today. And shortly after that, no carrier on 6185 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. 6190, May 8 at 0122 as I am checking on XEPPM 6185, note that RNW via Bonaire is in English instead of Dutch. Soon obvious that it`s the very same interview I ran across weeks ago between RNW YL in Dutch, and a Dutch OM second-generation immigrant to New Zealand, who understands her but replies in English. I guess with RNW Dutch service about to self-destruct, they are just re-running old stuff; sad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9430, May 8 at 1247, FEBC Chinese, gospel pop music, strong signal but distorted, and carrier wobbling. This problem has been going on for many months, some days worse than others. Listed as a 100 kW transmitter at Bocaue, all the way from 09 to 17 UT. Are they ever going to fix it or replace it with one of the ex-KFBS units? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SERBIA [non]. 9685, May 8 at 0125, IRS is missing, no signal tho supposedly scheduled until 0130 in Serbian to NAm [except English on UT Sundays, says Aoki]; propagation fine with 9665 VOR Pridnestrovye in well (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 15091, 15100.5, 15119.5, 15129, May 7 at 2040 check, the REE 15110 transmitter with very strong signal is again putting out these spurs peaking at multiples of about 9.5 kHz. Opens at 1855, so probably messes up Nigerian DRM 15115-15125 during following hour. Sometimes the spurs are employed, sometimes not; tweak that transmitter!
11795, UT Tuesday May 8 at 0124, REE weekly Sephardic service is VG on clear frequency intended for SAm; historical talk and one must listen closely to decide whether it`s really in judeo-español or just plain Castilian intermixed. Words with j- should as judeo are pronounced [dzh] like an English J, instead of an [x] aspirated H, so it must not be Castilian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. 17735, May 8 at 0455, fair signal in Arabic, kept mentioning Ibrahim mixed with nice bits of music on plucked instrument. Figured it was probably Iran, but Aoki shows IWT is now on 17735 not only in the evening at 1600-2110, but also in the morning at 0300-0610, both 250 kW, 100 degrees from Sfax.
However, not audible much after 0500, so suspect these times are again one hour off, as we know the evening is really finished around 2010, fortunately for the rest of RCI`s co-channel in English. I guess 17735 replaces previously scheduled 9725 at both spans; should be // 12005.
Aoki and HFCC also show 17735 with VOA Tibetan at 03-04 via Tinang, 04-06 via Thailand, but no sign of that now nor ChiCom jamming. HFCC still shows Tunisia on 9725 thru 28 Oct, never on 17735 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7555, May 8 at 0507, WEWN is missing from usual good signal in Spanish; at 0511 still on the other two, fair 11520 English, poor 11870 Spanish; and all three are active after 1300 check, 11550, 12050, 15615 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15747 approx., May 8 at 0520, DRMish noise centered around here; nothing scheduled, maybe utility or jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
