** AUSTRALIA. 19000, Aug 25 at 2338, no signal from RA here, tho 21740 is VG at 2340; Aug 26 at 0001, still nothing on 19000, must be off the air tho scheduled 23-01; however at 0133 recheck, now 19000 is on contrary to latest schedule; making up for lost time? Or better yet, finally escaping the collision with Spain on 15160 between 01 and 02? No! At 0148 recheck, under Spain I can still hear RA // 19000.
The latest operational schedule shows 19000 at 23-01 is the same transmitter F, as on 15160 after 0100 (and during the rest of the UT day the one switching consecutively to 13630, 9580, 7240, 9580, 13630). So there`s been some shuffling around. Probably one of them is now the spare 100 kW Shepparton transmitter which is available at all times, but why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL [and non]. 9820-, Aug 25 at 2350, het of C#5 = 554 Hz, no doubt from off-frequency R. Nove de Julho which would be on 9819.446 if the other station is on 9820.000. R9J is not usually reported that far off; EiBi lists 9819.7, so need more direct rather than inferential measurement. Aoki shows the only alternatives are:
9820 CNR 2 2330-0100 1234567 Chinese 150 290 Xianyang 594 CHN 10854E 3412N CNR2=11845 a12
9820 RADIO 9 DE JULHO 0000-2400 1234567 Portuguese 10 ND São Paulo SP B 04639W 2333S ZYR96
9820 VO Beibu Bay Radio 2300-2400 .....67 Chinese 15 225 Nanning 954 CHN 10811E 2247N BBR
9820 VO Beibu Bay Radio 2300-2400 12345.. Vietnamese 15 225 Nanning 954 CHN 10811E 2247N BBR
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake August 25, before 2400:
15900, poor at 2335 with flutter
15970, very poor at 2335 with flutter
16100, very poor with flutter at 2336
17170, JBA at 2337; none in the 18s, 14s, 13s, 12s
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COLOMBIA. 14950+, Aug 26 at 0133 check, Salem Stereo is quite readable, but it`s the usual preaching during this semihour instead of any music. When I first heard it with very weak signal, I thought it was USB plus carrier, and someone else recently reported it thus, but once again it`s clearly AM/DSB and really sounds better in AM mode than LSB or USB receiver positions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 11680, Aug 25 at 2344, RHC with `Sonido Cubano` program ID, music; much louder than // 11840 which axually had almost the same S9+22 signal level, but undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT. 15540, Aug 25 at 1942, I switch from Morocco to good signal from Kuwait and from one culture to another as ``Hotel California`` is playing, must be long version, by The Eagles. The real meaning of the lyrix has been the subject of much speculation, summed up here:
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/hotel.asp
At 1953, ``She`s a Lady`` by Tom Jones. Would that meet Islamic moral standards? Well, when you read the lyrix this song seems rather male chauvinist:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tomjones/shesalady.html
At 2006, ``The Midnight Rider``, one of numerous covers, not the original by Allman Brothers Band. Might as well link those lyrix too:
http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/allman-brothers-band-lyrics/midnight-rider-lyrics.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15349.1, Aug 25 from 1900 to 1942 I was napping to the sound of IMM, including quite a bit of music. (Can`t call it ME, in NWAf.) Fidelity is not that great, but this is a good hour without any 15350 het and sufficient signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 15580, another check Aug 25 to see what happens with this VOA frequency, which had been saddled with double-audio this week from the MADAGASCAR relay. I tune in early at 1954 and find an open carrier is already on the air, blotting out anything else. Botswana is supposed to be running right up until 2000, as heard previously, when there was a well-coördinated DCI/CS handover, but not today.
At 1959:45 tail of some music begins the modulation; brief pause and 2000 opening `Music Time in Africa` with its new ethnomusicologist hostess who previews music from central Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Benin, Ethiopia, etc. (later heard Afro-influenced music from Colombia too).
By 2003 already the song is ``The Apostles Will Bow at Jesus` Feet``. Oh-oh, hope she dosn`t have hidden agenda, and this will at least be balanced by some animist hymns; otherwise, standard remark about USG`s IBB again violating Separation of Church & State.
Recheck at 2127, 15580 is still on with same signal characteristix as earlier, but after 2100 it`s supposed to switch back to Botswana; really? Now there is some music, but soon bringing in an interview about film (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9479, Aug 25 at 1830, WTWW-1 in `QSO with Ted Randall`, but it`s quite overmodulated and distorted. Carrier also wobbling with BFO on (tho George McClintock insists when this happens it`s my receiver, not the transmitter); still overmod/distorted near end of QSO at 1957 recheck. A little better but still distorting on peaks at 2349 during SFAW, carrier OK.
As for 12105, WTWW-3, lots of down time recently, a set of photos just in from George McClintock (posted to the dxldyg) shows why: the transmitter tube has been replaced. Looks like the old one was quite carbonized (black). Now #3 is up and running fine, he says (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9385, Aug 25 at 2136, WWRB is already off, having (recently?) moved the switch to Brother Scare`s night frequency three hours earlier from 2400 to 2100, per DX Re Mix News. Of course, 3185 is totally inaudible here this early; even at 2353 it`s a JBA carrier vs summer storm and local noise level. Sunset at WWRB is approximately 0020 UT now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 21420, Aug 25 at 2339 a rare AM signal on 15m, and nicely modulated too, but deep fades: CQ 15 from WS4B, even announced the frequency, but missed location if any. Two separate CQs but no answers so far. ARRL/FCC lookup shows:
MESSICK, BRADLEY J, WS4B
7114 91ST STREET EAST
PALMETTO, FL 34221
7245, Aug 25 at 2355, Kansas Q-SO Party with CQs from KS0KS; one contact is AA0DF; they exchange counties including Johnson. At first sounded like AM, but then SSB; they were riding zero-beat to some broadcast carrier, Mauritania? Which was barely modulated. Locations per ARRL/FCC lookup:
SANTA FE TRAIL ARC, KS0KS (Club)
PO Box: 3144
Olathe, KS 66063
ATTN: MICHAEL P ASSELTA
Trustee: ASSELTA, MICHAEL P, KD0CDQ
Previous call sign: KC0AAR
Licensee ID: L00173982
FRN: 0006732333
Radio Service: HV
Issue Date: 02/22/2007
Expire Date: 04/08/2017
Date of Last Change: 05/19/2011 (License Modified)
Johnson, Donald L, AA0DF
2903 Road F
Americus, KS 668359587
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
The latest operational schedule shows 19000 at 23-01 is the same transmitter F, as on 15160 after 0100 (and during the rest of the UT day the one switching consecutively to 13630, 9580, 7240, 9580, 13630). So there`s been some shuffling around. Probably one of them is now the spare 100 kW Shepparton transmitter which is available at all times, but why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL [and non]. 9820-, Aug 25 at 2350, het of C#5 = 554 Hz, no doubt from off-frequency R. Nove de Julho which would be on 9819.446 if the other station is on 9820.000. R9J is not usually reported that far off; EiBi lists 9819.7, so need more direct rather than inferential measurement. Aoki shows the only alternatives are:
9820 CNR 2 2330-0100 1234567 Chinese 150 290 Xianyang 594 CHN 10854E 3412N CNR2=11845 a12
9820 RADIO 9 DE JULHO 0000-2400 1234567 Portuguese 10 ND São Paulo SP B 04639W 2333S ZYR96
9820 VO Beibu Bay Radio 2300-2400 .....67 Chinese 15 225 Nanning 954 CHN 10811E 2247N BBR
9820 VO Beibu Bay Radio 2300-2400 12345.. Vietnamese 15 225 Nanning 954 CHN 10811E 2247N BBR
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake August 25, before 2400:
15900, poor at 2335 with flutter
15970, very poor at 2335 with flutter
16100, very poor with flutter at 2336
17170, JBA at 2337; none in the 18s, 14s, 13s, 12s
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COLOMBIA. 14950+, Aug 26 at 0133 check, Salem Stereo is quite readable, but it`s the usual preaching during this semihour instead of any music. When I first heard it with very weak signal, I thought it was USB plus carrier, and someone else recently reported it thus, but once again it`s clearly AM/DSB and really sounds better in AM mode than LSB or USB receiver positions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 11680, Aug 25 at 2344, RHC with `Sonido Cubano` program ID, music; much louder than // 11840 which axually had almost the same S9+22 signal level, but undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KUWAIT. 15540, Aug 25 at 1942, I switch from Morocco to good signal from Kuwait and from one culture to another as ``Hotel California`` is playing, must be long version, by The Eagles. The real meaning of the lyrix has been the subject of much speculation, summed up here:
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/hotel.asp
At 1953, ``She`s a Lady`` by Tom Jones. Would that meet Islamic moral standards? Well, when you read the lyrix this song seems rather male chauvinist:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tomjones/shesalady.html
At 2006, ``The Midnight Rider``, one of numerous covers, not the original by Allman Brothers Band. Might as well link those lyrix too:
http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/allman-brothers-band-lyrics/midnight-rider-lyrics.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO. 15349.1, Aug 25 from 1900 to 1942 I was napping to the sound of IMM, including quite a bit of music. (Can`t call it ME, in NWAf.) Fidelity is not that great, but this is a good hour without any 15350 het and sufficient signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 15580, another check Aug 25 to see what happens with this VOA frequency, which had been saddled with double-audio this week from the MADAGASCAR relay. I tune in early at 1954 and find an open carrier is already on the air, blotting out anything else. Botswana is supposed to be running right up until 2000, as heard previously, when there was a well-coördinated DCI/CS handover, but not today.
At 1959:45 tail of some music begins the modulation; brief pause and 2000 opening `Music Time in Africa` with its new ethnomusicologist hostess who previews music from central Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Benin, Ethiopia, etc. (later heard Afro-influenced music from Colombia too).
By 2003 already the song is ``The Apostles Will Bow at Jesus` Feet``. Oh-oh, hope she dosn`t have hidden agenda, and this will at least be balanced by some animist hymns; otherwise, standard remark about USG`s IBB again violating Separation of Church & State.
Recheck at 2127, 15580 is still on with same signal characteristix as earlier, but after 2100 it`s supposed to switch back to Botswana; really? Now there is some music, but soon bringing in an interview about film (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9479, Aug 25 at 1830, WTWW-1 in `QSO with Ted Randall`, but it`s quite overmodulated and distorted. Carrier also wobbling with BFO on (tho George McClintock insists when this happens it`s my receiver, not the transmitter); still overmod/distorted near end of QSO at 1957 recheck. A little better but still distorting on peaks at 2349 during SFAW, carrier OK.
As for 12105, WTWW-3, lots of down time recently, a set of photos just in from George McClintock (posted to the dxldyg) shows why: the transmitter tube has been replaced. Looks like the old one was quite carbonized (black). Now #3 is up and running fine, he says (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9385, Aug 25 at 2136, WWRB is already off, having (recently?) moved the switch to Brother Scare`s night frequency three hours earlier from 2400 to 2100, per DX Re Mix News. Of course, 3185 is totally inaudible here this early; even at 2353 it`s a JBA carrier vs summer storm and local noise level. Sunset at WWRB is approximately 0020 UT now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 21420, Aug 25 at 2339 a rare AM signal on 15m, and nicely modulated too, but deep fades: CQ 15 from WS4B, even announced the frequency, but missed location if any. Two separate CQs but no answers so far. ARRL/FCC lookup shows:
MESSICK, BRADLEY J, WS4B
7114 91ST STREET EAST
PALMETTO, FL 34221
7245, Aug 25 at 2355, Kansas Q-SO Party with CQs from KS0KS; one contact is AA0DF; they exchange counties including Johnson. At first sounded like AM, but then SSB; they were riding zero-beat to some broadcast carrier, Mauritania? Which was barely modulated. Locations per ARRL/FCC lookup:
SANTA FE TRAIL ARC, KS0KS (Club)
PO Box: 3144
Olathe, KS 66063
ATTN: MICHAEL P ASSELTA
Trustee: ASSELTA, MICHAEL P, KD0CDQ
Previous call sign: KC0AAR
Licensee ID: L00173982
FRN: 0006732333
Radio Service: HV
Issue Date: 02/22/2007
Expire Date: 04/08/2017
Date of Last Change: 05/19/2011 (License Modified)
Johnson, Donald L, AA0DF
2903 Road F
Americus, KS 668359587
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)