** AUSTRIA. 9830, Dec 31 at 2118, African English accent about Jesus of Nazareth, with usual RTTY QRM, so another station ignoring that, or maybe it`s no problem in CIRAF 46, the W African target from Niger & Nigeria westward, of AWR, 2100-2130, 300 kW, 210 degrees from Moosbrunn.
BTW, the latest `Wavescan` schedule from Adrian Peterson shows it`s not carried on a single Moosbrunn relay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA [non]. 15205, Dec 31 at 1419, English sermon about New Year, then offering 16-page The Gospel Standard, January issue, from addresses in Halifax NS and Boston MA, on The People`s Gospel Hour, http://www.tpgh.org where the radio page link imagines that WTJC and even WBOH still exist! But whence here? HFCC shows MBR Nauen replaced MBR Wertachtal on Nov 24, both 100 kW, 90 degrees, Mon-Sat at 1415-1430. But that`s merely the transmitter site. What broker is this, really? Pan American Broadcasting, says Aoki, which hasn`t caught up with the site change (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake Dec 31:
7390, fair at 1431, mixing VOA Cantonese as usual; no others sought
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CROATIA [non]. 7375, Dec 31 at 0557, sounds like Croatian comic opera with bass singing; presumably the last of VOC on this German relay, since it`ll be UT 2013 by tomorrow night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nope, still on at 0200 UT Jan 1, but that`s for next year`s report
** GERMANY. 9800, Dec 31 at 1458, mix of DW IS, and VOA Korean. Such overlap should have been avoided: VOA 12-15 via PHLIPPPINES, DW 1500 [sic]-1557 Swahili via RWANDA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST
** INDIA. 7550, Dec 31 at 2133 tune-in, AIR GOS better here than // 9445, and not audible on 11 MHz, as mailbag `Faithfully Yours` is about to wrap up its 2120-2135 Monday broadcast, shux --- no, it isn`t, keeps on going until 2144, so is it expanded, off-schedule, or retimed? M&W take their time reading each reception report and replying, usually adding more scheduled times & frequencies for AIR that might be heard in writer`s area; also pointed out frequencies which changed on Oct 28 vis-à-vis some mentioned in old A-12 reports. At 2134-2139, they read a complete report, including all his program details, from Bruce Portzer, Seattle, for 7550, sometime in November, which he said was weak but in the clear until 2230*. They concluded by asserting his report was ``of immense value`` to AIR and its listeners. Followed by two more, from Netherlands, and Japan, until sign-off with unison ``Faithfully Yours,`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. Not expecting to find much from NHK at midnight in Japan, since the demise of Sackville, and having been disappointed with their NYE coverage previous years, I try R. Nikkei instead, 9595, with a poor signal today, but at this late hour better than // 6055. Dec 31 at 1459 Japanese talk, countdown from 5 to 0 at 1500 UT, ``Sakura`` played on shakuhachi, and then some other songs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non]. 11880, Dec 30 at 2131 check, something is barely detectable under RHC Portuguese. NHK Portuguese relay via GUIANA FRENCH must still be here. While RHC frequency mismanager Arnie Coro is totally to blame for this usurpation, now NHK is also to blame for doing nothing about it for a sesquimonth. Well, there`s always A-13, when some random change may be in store to incidentally solve this in another trimonth.
Confirmed definitely NHK IS starting at 2129 Dec 31, way under RHC Cuban music and IS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 700, Dec 31 at 1314 UT only signal is weak Spanish, 6:15 TC, i.e. UT -7. Sounds like this strangely-named one I have heard before, per Cantú, alluding to another town, Etchojoa:
700 XEETCH La Voz de los Tres Rios, Navojoa, Son. 5,000 D
which is an indigenous station with native languages, IRCA reminds us. The rustic fiddle and guitar tune I also heard fits too.
In summer the UT -7 would clinch it, but in winter, also on UT -7 instead of UT -6 is a bigger-city possibility I doubt:
700 XEGD La Poderosa + FM 90.3 Hidalgo del Parral, Chih. 5,000 1,000
which I may never have heard.
Consult this handy map of Mexican timezones and oddities:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/time-mexico12.php
Then at 1320, WLW is fading in again with ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 750, Dec 31 at 1310 UT, noticias del estado de Sinaloa, mentioned more than once, political discussion, CCI; federal PSA vs drunk driving at fin del año; then announcement in English about New Year`s, Digital FM; then 89.5 pronounced in Spanish. What does Cantú say? It all fits for this one:
750 XECSI Éxtasis Digital + FM 89.5 Culiacán, Sin. 5,000 250
So is it really on day power long before sunrise even here in Enid?
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Best sporadic E opening so far this winter, UT Dec 31 in progress at tune-in, all times UT, channels A-system NTSC analog:
0054 on 3, upper-right bug with Televisa horizontal oval logo, the word TELEVISA below it, and another word below that in tiny type, from the WSW, so suspect it is MEXICALI, i.e. XHBC. Some guy is speaking English with captions, apparently a soul singer as in the next few minutes. Also algo much weaker on 2.
0059 on 5, algo: Mexicali also has XHAQ which accompanies XHBC-3 if MUF coöperate. More on it to follow
0152 on 3, now in strong, still Televisa bug, chat show with six women on a couch, apparently about beauty and fashion in 2012y. Some almost zero-beat CCI, heavy bars typical of XHTJB Tijuana which is far too close to be on the same offset as Mexicali, and seldom surpasses XHBC here, which is at a closer almost-ideal skip distance. Show keeps going past 0200, now seeing five women. 0217 is snow free and I can barely make out MEXICALI as the tiny word at the bottom of the bug. Sometimes it`s invisible depending on the contrast behind it. Heavy ghosting now
0217 on 5, algo, presumed XHAQ Mexicali now that XHBC is in stronger; also on 2, algo CCI but weaker. There is a 2 in BCN also seen last summer
0223 on 3, ad for a cohetería --- I`m not sure what this is; a rocket shop or a place for farting? Or old farts?; political ad for Nueva Alianza; ad for cellphone company YOO. There`s also a free ice rink
0226 on 3, now a sextet of women chatting as another one enters
0230 on 6, weak video briefly and I recognize the net-5 logo in an italic oval, this time larger and screen-center. So it`s XETV Tijuana, which since it added DTV on UHF, has kept analog 6 on air with Mexican instead of American programming. Was XHGC not on in Tijuana before?
0238 on 5, apparently novela, Azteca-13 bug partially visible in UR, so XHAQ Mexicali
0243 on 3, still in, but weaker; 0300 equestrian or rodeo, guy on a horse in an arena; probably XHBC switching to men`s show. Or corrida?
0312 on 2, weak CCI, still westerly rather than southerly
0344 on 2, still algo as opening is about to close
Another opening later the same UT day:
1658 on 2, algo with some Spanish music fades in
1701 on 2, ad for XL3VR, a cold-remedy tablet, not an exotic callsign
1703 on 5, algo as MUF rises
1704 on 2, news with large f bug in LR, i.e. net-4 Foro TV; smaller bug in UR appears to be same. Re low temps in Chihuahua, Coahuila, but I think this is a national cast. W9WI.com shows the only XHTV-4 relay on 2, of any power, is XEFE in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and the direxion fits, altho this may be misleading, as I also remember seeing it via XHY-TV in Mérida, Yucatán, which is listed merely as INDependent. And BTW he shows that XEFE also relays XHGC-5.
At 1711, this 2 is getting some 10-kHz offset CCI, but I have to go out at 1715 with the opening continuing. Anyhow, never heard anything on low end FM caradio, where most of the channels are blocked.
1948 next check, no DX on ch 2, but at 2148 there is some weak Es briefly (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1120, Dec 31 at 1939 UT, KEOR Mexican music is breaking up; hard to tell on caradio whether it`s the carrier or just the modulation. Seems like they turned this on weeks ago and then forgot it, never got around to programming in any IDs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 5930, Dec 31 at 1349 UT, R. Rossii, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is on late for NYE, usually off at 1300 sharp. Fair with Russian talk about China and its music. Maybe also on Magadan 5940, but hard to be sure under R. Australia which starts at 1300 expecting Magadan to go off then. 5930 at 1400, R. Rossii ID and continues, and still audible at 1457 with Russian chat, almost two hours late.
http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy.html
shows Pet/Kam is on UT +11 but claims DST is in effect even now. Presumably local clock midnight was at 1300 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 11680, Dec 31 at 2120, festive classical music, Portuguese announcement, more music, 2124 & 2126 Castilian REE IDs, amid more music.
9535 stronger than // 9620, Dec 31 at 2258 REE IS as it`s almost 2013y there, so no coverage of the preliminaries, but accurate timesignal at 2300 and 12 chimes of some clock marking the New Year, ``Feliz Año``, M&W screaming over crowd noises, 2303 ``Very Merry Christmas`` spoken in English just a week late; from 2305 a rock concert, including rap in English with refrain ``W- T- F-`` over and over too many times to count, except each word was spoken fully; 2312 something about a ``fine guy from Seattle``, but enough of that. I enjoyed last year`s NY music a lot more. Anyhow they`re having a good time in Madrid tonight, despite the dire situation.
Meanwhile, I also checked 6055 for the French service: 2258 it is also in REE IS but not synch with Spanish frequencies; 2300 opening in French as if it`s an ordinary night. There is CCI under 6055 from algo, maybe R. Nikkei, JAPAN, on grayline but I can`t be sure it`s in Japanese; could also be in French, i.e. RWANDA on very late (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 9740, Dec 31 at 1458, BBCWS has good signal concluding a 2012 year-in-review, 1501 news. This is supposed to be the last day for this SINGAPORE relay which has been inadvertently serving North America well; per DX Re Mix News, Bulgaria, gone from January 1:
0900-1630 on 6195 SNG 125 kW / 000 deg to SEAs English
0900-1630 on 6195 SNG 125 kW / 090 deg to AUS English
0900-1630 on 9740 SNG 125 kW / 013 deg to EaAs English
0900-1630 on 9740 SNG 125 kW / 135 deg to AUS English
The 13-degree beam we had been getting, even fed by a semi-transmitter, crosses the USA from Duluth to Birmingham, to Habana, close enough at this distance to spread well into Oklahoma.
So BBC`s gradual self-destruxion as a SW broadcaster proceeds. This year for the first time in recent memory, I did not even try to find an offbeam frequency for the arrival of 2013 at Big Ben (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 7350-SSB, Dec 31 at 1425, a Navy MARS net is in informal roundtable, headed by NNN0RBD, with stations such as NNN0TWA; someone mentioning what channel 8 in Jonesboro AR said about the weather; NNN0UTE, weak in Memphis. NCS announced ``4H1B`` (all these in fonetix), presumably the net designator rather than a callsign, that there is no traffic today, so continue with comments. All these were atop a weak Chinese broadcaster, not enough to be a full BFO. HFCC shows CNR Tibetan service from Beijing site.
Googling on the calls, I find:
``Erskine D. "ED" Wyatt, KC4QYM/ NNN0RBD`` --- and ``EFFECTIVE 10 AUGUST 2012 MR. ERSKINE WYATT, NNN0RBD, WILL ASSUME THE DUTIES OF STATE DIRECTOR FOR TENNESSEE AND IS AUTHORIZED TO USE THE CALL SIGN NNN0GBU IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES``.
By his ham call, he is in Munford, TN
NNN0TWA is Jim, somewhere in Tennessee
NNN0UTE is Raymond, somewhere in Tennessee.
Maybe George McClintock knows them
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1649 monitoring: confirmed on WRMI 9955, UT Monday Dec 31 at 0531. Initially signal is sufficient, about equal to the jamming if you try to ignore it; by 0553, however, we are under the jamming. Tnx a lot, Arnie! Next tries: Tuesday 1200, Thursday 0430. For Europe, special airings from Hamburger Lokalradio 7265, Wednesday 0630 & 1630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5830, Dec 31 at 0627, WTWW-1 is in open carrier/dead air. This was noticed earlier by Jeramy Ross, W5XTL in Lawton OK: ``WTWW is broadcasting dead air/open carrier as of 0409 UT on 5830.`` Still so at 1346, I notice, so has it been mum all-night? Frequency change circa 1400 was accomplished without adding modulation then either; 1407 still OC on 9479. Now I leave a receiver on it, and still no mod at 1501, 1524; then at 1524:45 a canned ID, but back to dead air again. 1535, finally joining SFAW programming.
At 1416 I also check 12105 for WTWW-3 which is usually off the air, but it`s on this Monday in Russian, and by 1527 in Arabic instead. So the Zimbabwe clandestine, R. Dialogue at 16-17, will have CCI today. Seems not only Saturdays but Mondays are more likely for WTWW to be on 12105 in our mornings, as previously logged by Dan Sheedy on December 17. BTW I recently misreferred to 5085 WTWW-2 as -3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 930, Dec 31 at 1300 UT, San Antonio mentioned, Fox `News`, so KLUP again; WKY easily nulled, still on STA of diminished 1.25 kW non-direxional night power instead of 5 kW N/S (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Correcting typo in previous log: it`s KRTX, not KRTZ:
980, Dec 30 at 0603 UT, Spanish gospel music and phone 832-830-6563, looping N/S, which pins it on Houston TX, i.e. KRTX, COL Rosenberg-Richmond, address in Pasadena. Do they pronounce that as in Spanish, or English? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1010, Dec 31 around 0617 UT, live? religious call-in has two hosts moaning about problems with the delay circuit. At 0636, now a gospel huxter is praying, interrupting himself every few sex to exclaim ``Father God``. May have been Speaking In Tongues too as for a while I could not recognize a language, or maybe just bad elocution.
It`s amusing how different preachers have different tics, which I truly believe are mental illness --- some keep interrupting for ``Amen``, others for ``Praise God``, and now this. Oh yeah, I also have no doubt it`s KXXT Tolleson AZ once again with its cheating daytime signal at night, westward from here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1090, Dec 31 at 1328 UT, `Midnight Cry` broadcast concluding with how to order audio in four formats --- so am I hearing Australia, where it`s just past midnight in 2013y? No, probably KAAY Little Rock AR, neatly confirmed at
http://www.midnightcry.org/broadcasts/radio.htm
showing only 5 widely-dispersed AM stations with KAAY at 7:15-7:30 am
altho not updated since 2010y copyright also showing times on WHR SW including defunct KWHR and never-funct ``KHRA``. I new I had run across this somewhere on SW before. Speaking of defunct, website admits that applies to this preacher; another one of those ghouls.
However, before the 1328 minute was over, obliterated by another station popping on 1090 with Catholic programming in progress about the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood: Komen woman saying she was misrepresented by bad press in the recent clash over Choice. She too is interrupted clumsily at 1329 for a sign-on announcement from KEXS Excelsior Springs MO, the Catholic station I was expecting, YL saying 3400 watts, and back to Komen/PP stuff in progress (from EWTN, no doubt, obsessed with abortion, as an affiliate of it), seems part of a year-in-review. NRC AM Log however shows 8 kW daytimer, with 4 kW critical hours, and FCC AM Query agrees, so where does she get 3.4 kW? Maybe admitting true reduced power from decrepit transmitter? But plenty to overcome mighty KAAY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1120, Dec 31 at 0604 UT, unusual dead air from KMOX, don`t know for how long, but started own newscast at 0604:20. Meanwhile, KEOR Oklahoma was QRM-free (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VATICAN. 9645, 7250, 6075, 3975, Dec 31 at 0630, VR opening Latin mass show with intros in English, Polish, Italian and something else Slavic. None of them noted on the air before 0630 today as sometimes happens (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Dec 31 at 2120, music with fair signal, suspect ZBC on late for NYE, after local midnight across the year-line, and 2131 NY party noises, yells, seems Swahili, and some hum (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED [and non]. 870, Dec 31 at 1302 UT, forecast in the 20s with possible snow; 2012y ag weather discussed ``for the state``, but which?? Surely not WWL and not from the SE; and not KFJZ TX either since it`s too urban too and Vietnamese.
Two possibilities in NRC AM Log, neither with an ag format, but might still do that in the mornings: WINU Shelbyville IL, religious, but that`s also too urban, really in St. Louis market.
How about this? KAAN Bethany MO, oldies, ``Radio Can``, 930-watt ND daytimer airable once WWL`s sun rises. Is there a program schedule on their ad-cluttered website? Of course not, but there is a link to ag news from elsewhere, so it`s on their radar:
http://www.northwestmoinfo.com/
I don`t see a ``Radio Can`` on the website, but ``AMERIKAAN``, hee2.
Meanwhile, it`s losing out to Mexican NA at 1303, and XETAR Chihuahua in the opposite direxion dominant by 1305 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 2660, Dec 31 at 1249 UT, very weak to JBA music, until fadeout around 1255. Likely another broadcast harmonic, 2 x 1330. For further checking earlier; hope it comes in stronger than 2910 has (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 2910, Dec 31 at 1150 UT I awaken early again, so make the best of it in another attempt to ID this presumed third harmonic of some Mexican on 970. Still it`s a threshold signal as I keep the BFO on it zero-beat, to help a little, but unproductive as I only catch a few words here and there. Spanish talk at tune-in says ``buenos días``, and has SSB ACI again. 1152 a song, 1155 talk, timecheck, mentions Zaragoza, a common name which could be applied to anything, anywhere; ``amigos radioescuchas``, one or two OMs chattering, no YL. 1202 bit of music;
1205 now the YL joins in with her own ``buenos días``; OM handles the TCs, ``6 de la mañana, 5 minutos`` = UT -6, and a song. 1209 ``fin de año`` which it certainly is. 1215 OM & YL alternate talk; 1218 ad, 1219 mentions Juárez, same name remark. Ad for ``artículos navideños``, now no doubt discounted for clearance. Weather includes lluvias (rain). 1221, TC for 6:20; 1223 more OM & YL chat vs SSB ACI. 1227, TC for 6:26. 1229 weakening and ACI still a problem. 1235 YL in long monolog, reading a news item? Brief OM, and back to YL monolog. 1242 TC 18 minutos para las 7. 1245 fading down and I give up for today, but then tune around and find another harmonic on 2660, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
BTW, the latest `Wavescan` schedule from Adrian Peterson shows it`s not carried on a single Moosbrunn relay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA [non]. 15205, Dec 31 at 1419, English sermon about New Year, then offering 16-page The Gospel Standard, January issue, from addresses in Halifax NS and Boston MA, on The People`s Gospel Hour, http://www.tpgh.org where the radio page link imagines that WTJC and even WBOH still exist! But whence here? HFCC shows MBR Nauen replaced MBR Wertachtal on Nov 24, both 100 kW, 90 degrees, Mon-Sat at 1415-1430. But that`s merely the transmitter site. What broker is this, really? Pan American Broadcasting, says Aoki, which hasn`t caught up with the site change (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. Firedrake Dec 31:
7390, fair at 1431, mixing VOA Cantonese as usual; no others sought
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CROATIA [non]. 7375, Dec 31 at 0557, sounds like Croatian comic opera with bass singing; presumably the last of VOC on this German relay, since it`ll be UT 2013 by tomorrow night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nope, still on at 0200 UT Jan 1, but that`s for next year`s report
** GERMANY. 9800, Dec 31 at 1458, mix of DW IS, and VOA Korean. Such overlap should have been avoided: VOA 12-15 via PHLIPPPINES, DW 1500 [sic]-1557 Swahili via RWANDA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST
** INDIA. 7550, Dec 31 at 2133 tune-in, AIR GOS better here than // 9445, and not audible on 11 MHz, as mailbag `Faithfully Yours` is about to wrap up its 2120-2135 Monday broadcast, shux --- no, it isn`t, keeps on going until 2144, so is it expanded, off-schedule, or retimed? M&W take their time reading each reception report and replying, usually adding more scheduled times & frequencies for AIR that might be heard in writer`s area; also pointed out frequencies which changed on Oct 28 vis-à-vis some mentioned in old A-12 reports. At 2134-2139, they read a complete report, including all his program details, from Bruce Portzer, Seattle, for 7550, sometime in November, which he said was weak but in the clear until 2230*. They concluded by asserting his report was ``of immense value`` to AIR and its listeners. Followed by two more, from Netherlands, and Japan, until sign-off with unison ``Faithfully Yours,`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. Not expecting to find much from NHK at midnight in Japan, since the demise of Sackville, and having been disappointed with their NYE coverage previous years, I try R. Nikkei instead, 9595, with a poor signal today, but at this late hour better than // 6055. Dec 31 at 1459 Japanese talk, countdown from 5 to 0 at 1500 UT, ``Sakura`` played on shakuhachi, and then some other songs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non]. 11880, Dec 30 at 2131 check, something is barely detectable under RHC Portuguese. NHK Portuguese relay via GUIANA FRENCH must still be here. While RHC frequency mismanager Arnie Coro is totally to blame for this usurpation, now NHK is also to blame for doing nothing about it for a sesquimonth. Well, there`s always A-13, when some random change may be in store to incidentally solve this in another trimonth.
Confirmed definitely NHK IS starting at 2129 Dec 31, way under RHC Cuban music and IS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 700, Dec 31 at 1314 UT only signal is weak Spanish, 6:15 TC, i.e. UT -7. Sounds like this strangely-named one I have heard before, per Cantú, alluding to another town, Etchojoa:
700 XEETCH La Voz de los Tres Rios, Navojoa, Son. 5,000 D
which is an indigenous station with native languages, IRCA reminds us. The rustic fiddle and guitar tune I also heard fits too.
In summer the UT -7 would clinch it, but in winter, also on UT -7 instead of UT -6 is a bigger-city possibility I doubt:
700 XEGD La Poderosa + FM 90.3 Hidalgo del Parral, Chih. 5,000 1,000
which I may never have heard.
Consult this handy map of Mexican timezones and oddities:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/time-mexico12.php
Then at 1320, WLW is fading in again with ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 750, Dec 31 at 1310 UT, noticias del estado de Sinaloa, mentioned more than once, political discussion, CCI; federal PSA vs drunk driving at fin del año; then announcement in English about New Year`s, Digital FM; then 89.5 pronounced in Spanish. What does Cantú say? It all fits for this one:
750 XECSI Éxtasis Digital + FM 89.5 Culiacán, Sin. 5,000 250
So is it really on day power long before sunrise even here in Enid?
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Best sporadic E opening so far this winter, UT Dec 31 in progress at tune-in, all times UT, channels A-system NTSC analog:
0054 on 3, upper-right bug with Televisa horizontal oval logo, the word TELEVISA below it, and another word below that in tiny type, from the WSW, so suspect it is MEXICALI, i.e. XHBC. Some guy is speaking English with captions, apparently a soul singer as in the next few minutes. Also algo much weaker on 2.
0059 on 5, algo: Mexicali also has XHAQ which accompanies XHBC-3 if MUF coöperate. More on it to follow
0152 on 3, now in strong, still Televisa bug, chat show with six women on a couch, apparently about beauty and fashion in 2012y. Some almost zero-beat CCI, heavy bars typical of XHTJB Tijuana which is far too close to be on the same offset as Mexicali, and seldom surpasses XHBC here, which is at a closer almost-ideal skip distance. Show keeps going past 0200, now seeing five women. 0217 is snow free and I can barely make out MEXICALI as the tiny word at the bottom of the bug. Sometimes it`s invisible depending on the contrast behind it. Heavy ghosting now
0217 on 5, algo, presumed XHAQ Mexicali now that XHBC is in stronger; also on 2, algo CCI but weaker. There is a 2 in BCN also seen last summer
0223 on 3, ad for a cohetería --- I`m not sure what this is; a rocket shop or a place for farting? Or old farts?; political ad for Nueva Alianza; ad for cellphone company YOO. There`s also a free ice rink
0226 on 3, now a sextet of women chatting as another one enters
0230 on 6, weak video briefly and I recognize the net-5 logo in an italic oval, this time larger and screen-center. So it`s XETV Tijuana, which since it added DTV on UHF, has kept analog 6 on air with Mexican instead of American programming. Was XHGC not on in Tijuana before?
0238 on 5, apparently novela, Azteca-13 bug partially visible in UR, so XHAQ Mexicali
0243 on 3, still in, but weaker; 0300 equestrian or rodeo, guy on a horse in an arena; probably XHBC switching to men`s show. Or corrida?
0312 on 2, weak CCI, still westerly rather than southerly
0344 on 2, still algo as opening is about to close
Another opening later the same UT day:
1658 on 2, algo with some Spanish music fades in
1701 on 2, ad for XL3VR, a cold-remedy tablet, not an exotic callsign
1703 on 5, algo as MUF rises
1704 on 2, news with large f bug in LR, i.e. net-4 Foro TV; smaller bug in UR appears to be same. Re low temps in Chihuahua, Coahuila, but I think this is a national cast. W9WI.com shows the only XHTV-4 relay on 2, of any power, is XEFE in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and the direxion fits, altho this may be misleading, as I also remember seeing it via XHY-TV in Mérida, Yucatán, which is listed merely as INDependent. And BTW he shows that XEFE also relays XHGC-5.
At 1711, this 2 is getting some 10-kHz offset CCI, but I have to go out at 1715 with the opening continuing. Anyhow, never heard anything on low end FM caradio, where most of the channels are blocked.
1948 next check, no DX on ch 2, but at 2148 there is some weak Es briefly (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. 1120, Dec 31 at 1939 UT, KEOR Mexican music is breaking up; hard to tell on caradio whether it`s the carrier or just the modulation. Seems like they turned this on weeks ago and then forgot it, never got around to programming in any IDs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 5930, Dec 31 at 1349 UT, R. Rossii, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is on late for NYE, usually off at 1300 sharp. Fair with Russian talk about China and its music. Maybe also on Magadan 5940, but hard to be sure under R. Australia which starts at 1300 expecting Magadan to go off then. 5930 at 1400, R. Rossii ID and continues, and still audible at 1457 with Russian chat, almost two hours late.
http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy.html
shows Pet/Kam is on UT +11 but claims DST is in effect even now. Presumably local clock midnight was at 1300 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 11680, Dec 31 at 2120, festive classical music, Portuguese announcement, more music, 2124 & 2126 Castilian REE IDs, amid more music.
9535 stronger than // 9620, Dec 31 at 2258 REE IS as it`s almost 2013y there, so no coverage of the preliminaries, but accurate timesignal at 2300 and 12 chimes of some clock marking the New Year, ``Feliz Año``, M&W screaming over crowd noises, 2303 ``Very Merry Christmas`` spoken in English just a week late; from 2305 a rock concert, including rap in English with refrain ``W- T- F-`` over and over too many times to count, except each word was spoken fully; 2312 something about a ``fine guy from Seattle``, but enough of that. I enjoyed last year`s NY music a lot more. Anyhow they`re having a good time in Madrid tonight, despite the dire situation.
Meanwhile, I also checked 6055 for the French service: 2258 it is also in REE IS but not synch with Spanish frequencies; 2300 opening in French as if it`s an ordinary night. There is CCI under 6055 from algo, maybe R. Nikkei, JAPAN, on grayline but I can`t be sure it`s in Japanese; could also be in French, i.e. RWANDA on very late (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. 9740, Dec 31 at 1458, BBCWS has good signal concluding a 2012 year-in-review, 1501 news. This is supposed to be the last day for this SINGAPORE relay which has been inadvertently serving North America well; per DX Re Mix News, Bulgaria, gone from January 1:
0900-1630 on 6195 SNG 125 kW / 000 deg to SEAs English
0900-1630 on 6195 SNG 125 kW / 090 deg to AUS English
0900-1630 on 9740 SNG 125 kW / 013 deg to EaAs English
0900-1630 on 9740 SNG 125 kW / 135 deg to AUS English
The 13-degree beam we had been getting, even fed by a semi-transmitter, crosses the USA from Duluth to Birmingham, to Habana, close enough at this distance to spread well into Oklahoma.
So BBC`s gradual self-destruxion as a SW broadcaster proceeds. This year for the first time in recent memory, I did not even try to find an offbeam frequency for the arrival of 2013 at Big Ben (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 7350-SSB, Dec 31 at 1425, a Navy MARS net is in informal roundtable, headed by NNN0RBD, with stations such as NNN0TWA; someone mentioning what channel 8 in Jonesboro AR said about the weather; NNN0UTE, weak in Memphis. NCS announced ``4H1B`` (all these in fonetix), presumably the net designator rather than a callsign, that there is no traffic today, so continue with comments. All these were atop a weak Chinese broadcaster, not enough to be a full BFO. HFCC shows CNR Tibetan service from Beijing site.
Googling on the calls, I find:
``Erskine D. "ED" Wyatt, KC4QYM/ NNN0RBD`` --- and ``EFFECTIVE 10 AUGUST 2012 MR. ERSKINE WYATT, NNN0RBD, WILL ASSUME THE DUTIES OF STATE DIRECTOR FOR TENNESSEE AND IS AUTHORIZED TO USE THE CALL SIGN NNN0GBU IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES``.
By his ham call, he is in Munford, TN
NNN0TWA is Jim, somewhere in Tennessee
NNN0UTE is Raymond, somewhere in Tennessee.
Maybe George McClintock knows them
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1649 monitoring: confirmed on WRMI 9955, UT Monday Dec 31 at 0531. Initially signal is sufficient, about equal to the jamming if you try to ignore it; by 0553, however, we are under the jamming. Tnx a lot, Arnie! Next tries: Tuesday 1200, Thursday 0430. For Europe, special airings from Hamburger Lokalradio 7265, Wednesday 0630 & 1630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5830, Dec 31 at 0627, WTWW-1 is in open carrier/dead air. This was noticed earlier by Jeramy Ross, W5XTL in Lawton OK: ``WTWW is broadcasting dead air/open carrier as of 0409 UT on 5830.`` Still so at 1346, I notice, so has it been mum all-night? Frequency change circa 1400 was accomplished without adding modulation then either; 1407 still OC on 9479. Now I leave a receiver on it, and still no mod at 1501, 1524; then at 1524:45 a canned ID, but back to dead air again. 1535, finally joining SFAW programming.
At 1416 I also check 12105 for WTWW-3 which is usually off the air, but it`s on this Monday in Russian, and by 1527 in Arabic instead. So the Zimbabwe clandestine, R. Dialogue at 16-17, will have CCI today. Seems not only Saturdays but Mondays are more likely for WTWW to be on 12105 in our mornings, as previously logged by Dan Sheedy on December 17. BTW I recently misreferred to 5085 WTWW-2 as -3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 930, Dec 31 at 1300 UT, San Antonio mentioned, Fox `News`, so KLUP again; WKY easily nulled, still on STA of diminished 1.25 kW non-direxional night power instead of 5 kW N/S (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Correcting typo in previous log: it`s KRTX, not KRTZ:
980, Dec 30 at 0603 UT, Spanish gospel music and phone 832-830-6563, looping N/S, which pins it on Houston TX, i.e. KRTX, COL Rosenberg-Richmond, address in Pasadena. Do they pronounce that as in Spanish, or English? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1010, Dec 31 around 0617 UT, live? religious call-in has two hosts moaning about problems with the delay circuit. At 0636, now a gospel huxter is praying, interrupting himself every few sex to exclaim ``Father God``. May have been Speaking In Tongues too as for a while I could not recognize a language, or maybe just bad elocution.
It`s amusing how different preachers have different tics, which I truly believe are mental illness --- some keep interrupting for ``Amen``, others for ``Praise God``, and now this. Oh yeah, I also have no doubt it`s KXXT Tolleson AZ once again with its cheating daytime signal at night, westward from here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1090, Dec 31 at 1328 UT, `Midnight Cry` broadcast concluding with how to order audio in four formats --- so am I hearing Australia, where it`s just past midnight in 2013y? No, probably KAAY Little Rock AR, neatly confirmed at
http://www.midnightcry.org/broadcasts/radio.htm
showing only 5 widely-dispersed AM stations with KAAY at 7:15-7:30 am
altho not updated since 2010y copyright also showing times on WHR SW including defunct KWHR and never-funct ``KHRA``. I new I had run across this somewhere on SW before. Speaking of defunct, website admits that applies to this preacher; another one of those ghouls.
However, before the 1328 minute was over, obliterated by another station popping on 1090 with Catholic programming in progress about the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood: Komen woman saying she was misrepresented by bad press in the recent clash over Choice. She too is interrupted clumsily at 1329 for a sign-on announcement from KEXS Excelsior Springs MO, the Catholic station I was expecting, YL saying 3400 watts, and back to Komen/PP stuff in progress (from EWTN, no doubt, obsessed with abortion, as an affiliate of it), seems part of a year-in-review. NRC AM Log however shows 8 kW daytimer, with 4 kW critical hours, and FCC AM Query agrees, so where does she get 3.4 kW? Maybe admitting true reduced power from decrepit transmitter? But plenty to overcome mighty KAAY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 1120, Dec 31 at 0604 UT, unusual dead air from KMOX, don`t know for how long, but started own newscast at 0604:20. Meanwhile, KEOR Oklahoma was QRM-free (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VATICAN. 9645, 7250, 6075, 3975, Dec 31 at 0630, VR opening Latin mass show with intros in English, Polish, Italian and something else Slavic. None of them noted on the air before 0630 today as sometimes happens (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Dec 31 at 2120, music with fair signal, suspect ZBC on late for NYE, after local midnight across the year-line, and 2131 NY party noises, yells, seems Swahili, and some hum (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED [and non]. 870, Dec 31 at 1302 UT, forecast in the 20s with possible snow; 2012y ag weather discussed ``for the state``, but which?? Surely not WWL and not from the SE; and not KFJZ TX either since it`s too urban too and Vietnamese.
Two possibilities in NRC AM Log, neither with an ag format, but might still do that in the mornings: WINU Shelbyville IL, religious, but that`s also too urban, really in St. Louis market.
How about this? KAAN Bethany MO, oldies, ``Radio Can``, 930-watt ND daytimer airable once WWL`s sun rises. Is there a program schedule on their ad-cluttered website? Of course not, but there is a link to ag news from elsewhere, so it`s on their radar:
http://www.northwestmoinfo.com/
I don`t see a ``Radio Can`` on the website, but ``AMERIKAAN``, hee2.
Meanwhile, it`s losing out to Mexican NA at 1303, and XETAR Chihuahua in the opposite direxion dominant by 1305 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 2660, Dec 31 at 1249 UT, very weak to JBA music, until fadeout around 1255. Likely another broadcast harmonic, 2 x 1330. For further checking earlier; hope it comes in stronger than 2910 has (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 2910, Dec 31 at 1150 UT I awaken early again, so make the best of it in another attempt to ID this presumed third harmonic of some Mexican on 970. Still it`s a threshold signal as I keep the BFO on it zero-beat, to help a little, but unproductive as I only catch a few words here and there. Spanish talk at tune-in says ``buenos días``, and has SSB ACI again. 1152 a song, 1155 talk, timecheck, mentions Zaragoza, a common name which could be applied to anything, anywhere; ``amigos radioescuchas``, one or two OMs chattering, no YL. 1202 bit of music;
1205 now the YL joins in with her own ``buenos días``; OM handles the TCs, ``6 de la mañana, 5 minutos`` = UT -6, and a song. 1209 ``fin de año`` which it certainly is. 1215 OM & YL alternate talk; 1218 ad, 1219 mentions Juárez, same name remark. Ad for ``artículos navideños``, now no doubt discounted for clearance. Weather includes lluvias (rain). 1221, TC for 6:20; 1223 more OM & YL chat vs SSB ACI. 1227, TC for 6:26. 1229 weakening and ACI still a problem. 1235 YL in long monolog, reading a news item? Brief OM, and back to YL monolog. 1242 TC 18 minutos para las 7. 1245 fading down and I give up for today, but then tune around and find another harmonic on 2660, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
