** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. 15190, Jan 8 at 2026 check, R. Africa Network via WRMI has good signal level but very undermodulated. The mod level on this is never up to par, nor on the preceding frequency before 2000, 17790. WRMI sked shows it`s transmitter #7; its only other use is also on the 87 degree antenna toward Bata, on 9840 at 04-08, when it`s running Brother Scare. On that service, I have noticed no undermodulation problem, so it looks like RAN is responsible for it on the feed coming out of California.
17790, Jan 9 at 1410 check, Brother Scare is ranting here, as RAN is running him again, but nowhere near the minimum two-hour stretches he prefers; presumably filler (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN. 11675, Jan 9 at 1513, YL in Russian, fair signal; a bit of music reminds me of Iran, and per Aoki it`s exactly that, VIRI at 1420-1520, 500 kW, 320 degrees from Sirjan. In fact, it`s the only station at any time on 11675, also for one other sesquihour at 1250 in Urdu, in that case via Kamalabad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 9665, Jan 9 at 1416, two stations mixing, one with piano music, the other talk, making SAH of 112/minute = 1.87 Hz apart. 1424 both are in music, one obviously North Korean style choral. KCBS Pyongyang, of course, and Aoki shows during this hour the other one must be CRI in Sinhala, 500 kW, 258 degrees from Jinhua 831 site --- Commies vs Commies! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9775, Jan 8 at 1351, R. Free Chosun prélude, mostly-girl group with nice harmony in love song, so a fourth piece if on and heard early enough, before 1352 usual YM singing ``I`m here for the long run``, etc. Good signal, not transpolar (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 650, Jan 9 at 1320 UT, correspondent crediting self as for Fórmula Noticias, then several mentions of Guamuchil, and discussion of carne de puerco market prices. Guamuchil is a place in Sinaloa, so no doubt the usual sunrise dominator, XETNT Los Mochis (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 700, Jan 9 at 1325 UT, hypo announcer atop another station in Spanish, kept referring unhelpfully to ``esta emisora``; 1327 introducing music in Yaqui and some other language. Surely it`s the indigenous outlet, XEETCH, Etchojoa, Sonora, which the 2013 IRCA Mexican Log now received reminds us broadcasts in Spanish, Yaqui, Mayo and Garijio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 5900, Jan 9 at 1339, ``Moscow Nights`` tune playing, then Chinese announcement, poor-fair. This is one of the remaining Voice of Russia frequencies still on the air. Until Dec 31 it was Mongolian this hour via Vladivostok, but per HFCC since Jan 1 it`s Chinese at 10-14, 152 degrees from Irkutsk. If we could hear it after 1500 it would be in English due south from Irkutsk, the only non-DRM SW site remaining for VOR in any language (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. 9675, Jan 8 at 2031, poor signal in uncertain language, slow deliberate talk as if not a native-speaker. Once again it must be Turkish, as scheduled from R. Riyadh until 2100, inadvertently aimed USward as well, making for this odd reception. Cut off already at 2053* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 9665, Jan 8 at 2053 poor signal with music, French announcement, REE sign-off 2056 with uncopied frequencies, IS briefly. According to EiBi, the 20-21 French service M-F is supposed to be on 9570 and 9605, while the 18-19 French is listed on 9665; are they confused? 9665 is also registered after 1900 for Spanish on weekends. EiBi shows 9665 currently for English M-F at 19-20, along with 9605 for Africa. So maybe they failed to change this transmitter from 9665 to 9570 at 2000 today?
21540 & 21630, Jan 9 at 1412, for the record in another year, REE is *still* colliding with other stations on the otherwise almost-vacant 13m band: Kuwait on 21540 and BBC Ascension Hausa on 21630, which is on top at the moment. Third REE channel 21610 remains in the clear. This monumental case of frequency mismanagement continues in 2014 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 11840, Jan 8 at 2029, VOA French on fair signal via BOTSWANA, cut off in mid-word at 2030* as scheduled; but why doesn`t the programming make a natural break? Geez, how rude. Sans au-revoir! But Francophones may then tune up 10 kHz to 11850 for NHK opening French via MADAGASCAR with better signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 12105, Wed Jan 8 at 2027, WTWW-3 is back on, with Arabible, VG signal; also Thu Jan 9 at 1404 in Russian. This transmitter had been absent earlier on Jan 8 and also on Jan 7 and 6 as I previously noted, which were Mon-Tue-Wed, not the alleged two-days-off per Ivo Ivanov`s schedules of Wed & Thu.
George McClintock explained to me at 1759 UT Tue Jan 7: ``#3 is down NOW due to the extremely cold weather. I am not sure how the transmitter would respond. With our water leak of last week, I have been to the site every day. I will have Ted bring up #3 when the temperature goes up today`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7570, before 2400 UT Jan 8 and after 0000 UT Jan 9, past 0300, it`s nothing but Brother Scare on WRMI, not RMI programming as heard in the 0100-0245 period the day before. So much for a northward RMI frequency in prime time. Do the programs in English really prefer to be aimed southward instead of northward? But carrying on from the days of the single Wilkinson at Hialeah, English and Spanish are all mixed in together, even tho 13 different transmitters are now available (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also EQUATORIAL GUINEA; USA: WOR
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1703 monitoring: again not completed in time for first airing at 0430 UT Thursday Jan 9 on WRMI 9955. So first airing is ready for 1330 Thursday on 9955. Once again, our 29-minute show won`t fit into the slot available. This time rather than music fill, R. Prague hasn`t quite finished talking by 1330:05 when cut off for WRMI ID by Andy Sennitt, delaying start of WOR playback until 1330:37. As I am starting the last item before propagation, about two additional times on WRMI itself, cut to `Scoreboard` at 1359:06, then surprisingly skips any ToH ID and 1400 right into next preacher. So 29:00 minutes of WOR would have fit into the slot if the ID hadn`t run before it. That`s progress. Also: transmitter/antenna switch from 160 to 315 degrees happens early today at 1353:03, very smoothly as I am talking, with hardly a glitch, and suddenly the pulse jamming is greatly suppressed and WRMI comes in much louder. Further:
Thu 2201 on WTWW-1, 9475
UT Friday 0430v on WWRB, 3195 [tune early; last week already at 0426-]
Saturday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio 7265-CUSB
Sat 2130 on WRMI 7730 toward Europe
UT Sun 0030 on WRMI 9495 toward S America
[both these maybe, as experimented last week]
UT Sun 0030 on WTWW-2, 5085
UT Sun 0501 on WTWW-1, 5830
UT Mon 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB
Tue 1200 on WRMI 9955
Wed 0730 & 1530 on HLR 7265-CUSB
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report despatched at 1809 UT January 9
17790, Jan 9 at 1410 check, Brother Scare is ranting here, as RAN is running him again, but nowhere near the minimum two-hour stretches he prefers; presumably filler (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRAN. 11675, Jan 9 at 1513, YL in Russian, fair signal; a bit of music reminds me of Iran, and per Aoki it`s exactly that, VIRI at 1420-1520, 500 kW, 320 degrees from Sirjan. In fact, it`s the only station at any time on 11675, also for one other sesquihour at 1250 in Urdu, in that case via Kamalabad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 9665, Jan 9 at 1416, two stations mixing, one with piano music, the other talk, making SAH of 112/minute = 1.87 Hz apart. 1424 both are in music, one obviously North Korean style choral. KCBS Pyongyang, of course, and Aoki shows during this hour the other one must be CRI in Sinhala, 500 kW, 258 degrees from Jinhua 831 site --- Commies vs Commies! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9775, Jan 8 at 1351, R. Free Chosun prélude, mostly-girl group with nice harmony in love song, so a fourth piece if on and heard early enough, before 1352 usual YM singing ``I`m here for the long run``, etc. Good signal, not transpolar (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 650, Jan 9 at 1320 UT, correspondent crediting self as for Fórmula Noticias, then several mentions of Guamuchil, and discussion of carne de puerco market prices. Guamuchil is a place in Sinaloa, so no doubt the usual sunrise dominator, XETNT Los Mochis (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 700, Jan 9 at 1325 UT, hypo announcer atop another station in Spanish, kept referring unhelpfully to ``esta emisora``; 1327 introducing music in Yaqui and some other language. Surely it`s the indigenous outlet, XEETCH, Etchojoa, Sonora, which the 2013 IRCA Mexican Log now received reminds us broadcasts in Spanish, Yaqui, Mayo and Garijio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. 5900, Jan 9 at 1339, ``Moscow Nights`` tune playing, then Chinese announcement, poor-fair. This is one of the remaining Voice of Russia frequencies still on the air. Until Dec 31 it was Mongolian this hour via Vladivostok, but per HFCC since Jan 1 it`s Chinese at 10-14, 152 degrees from Irkutsk. If we could hear it after 1500 it would be in English due south from Irkutsk, the only non-DRM SW site remaining for VOR in any language (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. 9675, Jan 8 at 2031, poor signal in uncertain language, slow deliberate talk as if not a native-speaker. Once again it must be Turkish, as scheduled from R. Riyadh until 2100, inadvertently aimed USward as well, making for this odd reception. Cut off already at 2053* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SPAIN. 9665, Jan 8 at 2053 poor signal with music, French announcement, REE sign-off 2056 with uncopied frequencies, IS briefly. According to EiBi, the 20-21 French service M-F is supposed to be on 9570 and 9605, while the 18-19 French is listed on 9665; are they confused? 9665 is also registered after 1900 for Spanish on weekends. EiBi shows 9665 currently for English M-F at 19-20, along with 9605 for Africa. So maybe they failed to change this transmitter from 9665 to 9570 at 2000 today?
21540 & 21630, Jan 9 at 1412, for the record in another year, REE is *still* colliding with other stations on the otherwise almost-vacant 13m band: Kuwait on 21540 and BBC Ascension Hausa on 21630, which is on top at the moment. Third REE channel 21610 remains in the clear. This monumental case of frequency mismanagement continues in 2014 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 11840, Jan 8 at 2029, VOA French on fair signal via BOTSWANA, cut off in mid-word at 2030* as scheduled; but why doesn`t the programming make a natural break? Geez, how rude. Sans au-revoir! But Francophones may then tune up 10 kHz to 11850 for NHK opening French via MADAGASCAR with better signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 12105, Wed Jan 8 at 2027, WTWW-3 is back on, with Arabible, VG signal; also Thu Jan 9 at 1404 in Russian. This transmitter had been absent earlier on Jan 8 and also on Jan 7 and 6 as I previously noted, which were Mon-Tue-Wed, not the alleged two-days-off per Ivo Ivanov`s schedules of Wed & Thu.
George McClintock explained to me at 1759 UT Tue Jan 7: ``#3 is down NOW due to the extremely cold weather. I am not sure how the transmitter would respond. With our water leak of last week, I have been to the site every day. I will have Ted bring up #3 when the temperature goes up today`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7570, before 2400 UT Jan 8 and after 0000 UT Jan 9, past 0300, it`s nothing but Brother Scare on WRMI, not RMI programming as heard in the 0100-0245 period the day before. So much for a northward RMI frequency in prime time. Do the programs in English really prefer to be aimed southward instead of northward? But carrying on from the days of the single Wilkinson at Hialeah, English and Spanish are all mixed in together, even tho 13 different transmitters are now available (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also EQUATORIAL GUINEA; USA: WOR
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1703 monitoring: again not completed in time for first airing at 0430 UT Thursday Jan 9 on WRMI 9955. So first airing is ready for 1330 Thursday on 9955. Once again, our 29-minute show won`t fit into the slot available. This time rather than music fill, R. Prague hasn`t quite finished talking by 1330:05 when cut off for WRMI ID by Andy Sennitt, delaying start of WOR playback until 1330:37. As I am starting the last item before propagation, about two additional times on WRMI itself, cut to `Scoreboard` at 1359:06, then surprisingly skips any ToH ID and 1400 right into next preacher. So 29:00 minutes of WOR would have fit into the slot if the ID hadn`t run before it. That`s progress. Also: transmitter/antenna switch from 160 to 315 degrees happens early today at 1353:03, very smoothly as I am talking, with hardly a glitch, and suddenly the pulse jamming is greatly suppressed and WRMI comes in much louder. Further:
Thu 2201 on WTWW-1, 9475
UT Friday 0430v on WWRB, 3195 [tune early; last week already at 0426-]
Saturday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio 7265-CUSB
Sat 2130 on WRMI 7730 toward Europe
UT Sun 0030 on WRMI 9495 toward S America
[both these maybe, as experimented last week]
UT Sun 0030 on WTWW-2, 5085
UT Sun 0501 on WTWW-1, 5830
UT Mon 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB
Tue 1200 on WRMI 9955
Wed 0730 & 1530 on HLR 7265-CUSB
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report despatched at 1809 UT January 9
