** ALBANIA. 9845, March 30 at 0129, R. Tirana already on new frequency for A-14 English to North America with IS, 0130 sign-on and Klara gives correct new schedule for the two remaining English broadcasts, the other being 2000 on 7465 to Europe, Mon-Sat, while 9845 is UT Tue-Sun. Good signal with some flutter, propagating well despite recent disturbance, and no CCI, nor ACI anywhere near 9845 for several channels. Last summer WHRI was a problem on 9860, but not at all for A-14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 9664.6v, March 30 at 0112, Voz Missionaria with songs/hymns, poor and very wobbly --- unstable transmitter and/or Doppler, after radio blackouts reaching the R3 level in the past 24 hours, per WWV (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANARY ISLANDS. 28772-USB, March 29 at 1918, EA8TX is the highest in-band 10m ham I find, as contesting forces some to get away from the crowd below 28500, occupying a range ordinarily vacant. He simply emits ``Contest`` and his call over and over, with about 2-second pauses before repeating. You`d better hustle to get in between them. Worked an IS7 at one point. QRZ.com lookup:
EA8TX
Fernando Borges Domínguez
C/ Domingo Hernández, 21
La Guancha (Tenerife Island) 38440
Canary Islands
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 6000, March 30 at 0117, RHC English with some pulsing QRM under, like jammer bleed? Or possibly Brasil on an extremely disturbed carrier across the Equator after propagation disturbance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EGYPT. 11710.1, March 30 at 0122 past 0130, and still until cut off at 0152*, open carrier, good with flutter; nothing to het it but measured off-frequency. What`s this? Certainly not Argentina which is closer to 11711 weekdays but still heard on 15345v at this hour on weekends. PL-880 shows 55-66 dBu.
HFCC A-14 has the answer: R. Cairo in Spanish at 0045-0200, 250 kW, 241 degrees from Abis. All they need now is to modulate it, possibly an insurmountable task. Is this ex-11760 where Cairo has been colliding horribly with Cuba? No, parameters match 12080 and/or 13620 in B-13 schedule. Neither checked before lookup while 11710.1 was on.
11760 Cairo Spanish was 250 kW, 286 degrees from Abis, also Arabic from 2330, in B-13 but not in A-14 sked. Now it`s Argentina which will be victimized, Portuguese from 0000, Japanese from 0100, but at least Cairo will be off 11710.1 by 0200 when RAE starts English. Of course, Cairo doesn`t know about Habana or Buenos Aires since neither of those participates in HFCC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 17670, March 29 at 1855, poor signal with S Asian singing. Nothing in HFCC B-13, but Aoki shows AIR GOS in English at 1745-1945, 250 kW, 245 degrees from Delhi (Khampur) and *jammed by the ChiCom presumably with noise. Anyhow, not bad for a 16m signal starting out around local midnight (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non]. 11590, March 30 at 0121, Japanese lesson in Hindi with frequent musical cues, good with flutter. Is NHK via UZBEKISTAN, to continue here in A14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 21450-USB, Sat March 29 at 1842, as I start bandscanning, hear Station YHWH, where some have reported him before, just on the edge of the 15m hamband; after notifying the DXLD yg, heard sermon at 1847 about the ``Christianity cult`` which started in *30 AD, mistakenly worshipping Jesus instead of Yahweh, the True Deity who is going to do this and that in the near future; debunx Biblical verses, such as Isaiah VII: 14-15 as ``a phony text``, etc., etc.
Past 1900 I notice QRhaM on the lo side, as AROs are occupying just about every kHz for a contest, one on 21449-USB, another on 21447-USB at 1908. Same Yahweh stuff at several rechex past 1915, but gone at 1923 so I must have missed ID and sign-off just a few minutes earlier. On this high a frequency it`s obviously not in central North America, but one skip zone away, such as west coast. Rich Ray in IL was hearing him again at 2042 on 21450-USB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. 5980, March 30 at 0059, R. Chaski single carrier is very poor, and can`t hear BBC Oman joining it a few seconds later, due to propagation? No, it`s gone in the A-14 HFCC schedule; in fact, nothing shown on 5980 between 21 and 03 UT. There is heavy splash from 5990 CRI/Cuba, but that`s soon off, so I can track the Chaski cutoff unimpeded at 0106:50.5* which is 12.5 seconds later than 48 hours ago. Even riper for a reset to circa 0100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 9520 // 7335, UT Sunday March 30 at 0109, RRI playing classical music, good signals both. A-14 schedule has just started, Romanian service at 0000-0156 on these, replacing B-13 at 0100-0256 on 5910, 7340. So Alcaraván Radio is uncovered until Japan-via-France remains a collider after 0300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SEYCHELLES [and non]. 15420, March 29 at 1857, I start monitoring the very last day and last hour of the BBC Indian Ocean Relay Station. Except, WBCQ is as always in the way on 15420-CUSB, and also much weaker but audible modulation on the LSB. At first I am hearing no BBC even by tuning LSB only, while 12095 has a JBA carrier. At 1903 in the AM mode, I can tell there are two carriers not matching 15420, making a low audible heterodyne rumble, as BBC`s distant full carrier is gaining on WBCQ`s reduced carrier. By 1929 the two 15420s are roughly equal and can hear some BBC programming on LSB, while 12095 now has a trace of audio. At 1951, BBC has overcome WBCQ on 15420-LSB. So far I have been using the DX-398, but now I switch to the PL-880 and find that it is getting less WBCQ on the LSB, so now it seems this is caused by the DX-398 not suppressing the LSB of WBCQ, or maybe mirroring the USB. See USA: WBCQ.
PL-880 now registers 27-31 dBu on 15420, while 26-30 dBu on // 15400 BBC Ascension. I wonder if there will be anything special on the Seychelles frequencies by way of farewell, but hardly expect it. 1959 a song bit of ``Je ne regrette rien``, but I think that was just closing the program which seemed to be something about France. The 15420 signal simply stops at 1959:33* or so, and that`s it. QRT. Now WBCQ can have 15420 all to itself in A-14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 17685-17725, March 29 at 1854, approx. range of splash from 17705 WHRI with Brother Scare; main victim, 17715 Spain. Extremely strong, presumably aimed this way, while 17610 not yet with BS is not so problematic. Aoki shows 17705 at 315 degrees from Cypress Creek, and 17610 at 85 degrees, supposedly both with BS at 18-19 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 15420v-CUSB, March 29 from 1857, I am trying to hear the final hour of BBC Seychelles, despite perpetual blockage by WBCQ, which might, just might, have kept quiet on this special occasion --- but no, on and on the anapaesstic droning from the androgynous preachperson of Fence Lake NM, Proclaiming the Global Spirit.
On the porch I am running both the DX-398 and the PL-880, with the two random antennas, one a reel-out and another about twice as long also around the eaves. Trying to hear BBC IORS on the LSB since WBCQ is on the USB. In the past and now on the DX-398 I also hear some WBCQ modulation on the LSB and have assumed some is leaking there in its transmission, but compared to the PL-880, I am getting less WBCQ on the LSB, so now it seems the old receiver is to blame. I also switch plugging the antennas back and forth in case that make a difference. See also SEYCHELLES report.
5110-CUSB, UT Sunday March 30 at 0127, WBCQ with music, then Pabst Blue Ribbon commercial (vintage? Can`t imagine their buying time on a SW station), // 7490 but about 2 seconds behind it. Axually closer to 7489, as that transmitter has been varying even lower; and 5110 unchecked but habitually a bit on the lo side too. This would be the `Lumpy Gravy Radio Show` at 01-02 UT; now only on Saturday nights = UT Sundays, Area 51 is on both frequencies at 23-04 UT. And checking the A51 schedule, coming up this week:
``Monday-Thursday 5110, 0100-0300 Radio Caroline Offshore Free Radio special programming``. That means UT Tuesday-Friday. It`s the 50th anniversary of R. Caroline with quite a celebration going on in the UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 29776-USB, March 29 at 1912, N7RO is ``QRZ contest`` and making lots of quick contacts. What? This is outside the 10m band which ends at 29700. I was tuning up here in search of harmonix or anything else interesting, since 10m was bursting with signals during a contest. On a normal day, very little SSB to be heard above 28500, but now there are signals up to 28772-USB [see CANARY ISLANDS].
So is my new PL-880 to blame for putting this signal on 29776, or is N7RO putting out a spur? I`m not hearing any co-channel contacts, which suggests the latter; this signal is a little wobbly. And I`m not hearing 29776 on the DX-398. At 1933 he gives PY3PA a 59-586. I hate to take the time away from BBC/SEYCHELLES in its final hour forever, as there is little hope of finding an N7RO fundamental on the packed 10m band, but I do tune down the 28772-28300 range looking for him, with no success, finishing at 1949. Of course, I may have tuned across his frequency during a pause. BTW, I do not hear a single ordinary conversation, let alone ragchew --- *everyone* is contesting with the briefest possible contacts. N7RO still going on ``29776`` at 2002.
N7RO is RICHARD J MOEN, 2935 PLYMOUTH DR, BELLINGHAM, WA 98225, quite the contester and DX-peditioner per his QRZ.com page. Skip distances are such that except for closer sporadic-E (none of that yet!), here in deep North America the only US 10m stations we normally hear are from the extremities, such as WA, FL and New England (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1714 monitoring: whew, confirmed at expected new time and frequency of 2330 Saturday March 29 on 9930, WTWW-2 --- after gospel tunes, ID and really starting at 2329:18, excellent signal. For one reason or another, this was missed on the past three Saturdays. Finished after 2358, QSY to 5085 announcement, ID, and no QSY but starting `Amateur Radio Newsline` until 9930 cuts off at 0001 UT Sunday March 30. Then tune to 5085 where WTWW-2 is much weaker now over day path. `QSO with Ted Randall` followed, still around 0125 discussing the Dayton Hamvention 2014 next month.
The WRMI-14 airing on 9495 at 0030 UT Sunday: just barely audible, as there has been a propagation disturbance, if not QRP. ``Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level in the past 24 hours; estimated planetary K-index at 0000 UT on 30 March was 3, per WWV.
There is even ACI from Oman 9500! Finally toward the end I recognize something I said on last week`s #1713, so it`s not 1714.
Confirmed UT Sunday March 30 at 0400:55 on WTWW-1, 5830, WOR 1714 starting fine, but transmitter break for about a minute before the billboard is finished, rest OK to conclusion. Next 1714 airings:
UT Monday 0300v on Area 51 via WBCQ, 5110v-CUSB
Tuesday 1100, Wednesday 1300, Thursday 0330 on WRMI, 9955
Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VIETNAM [non]. 12005, March 30 at 0115, nasty collision between V of Vietnam, English via Woofferton to North America, A-14 frequency in effect, ex-6175 in B-13; and something in Arabish? No, Pashto, Deewa Radio via SRI LANKA still on B-13 schedule one more night. So much for coördination during the seasonal transition (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 1450, March 30 at 0344 UT, trying for the WWXL DX test from Manchester KY, after word got out that it did start at 0300 UT instead of 0400 UT. Mostly tuning USB on 1452 or 1453, LSB on 1448 or 1447, on the DX-398, possibly some bits of code at 0344, 0346, near-imagination level; possibly continuous steady tone at 0345, 0350 UT. No sweeps heard and others say none were transmitted. But just not enough here for any certainty (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report dispatched at 0527 UT March 30
** BRAZIL. 9664.6v, March 30 at 0112, Voz Missionaria with songs/hymns, poor and very wobbly --- unstable transmitter and/or Doppler, after radio blackouts reaching the R3 level in the past 24 hours, per WWV (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANARY ISLANDS. 28772-USB, March 29 at 1918, EA8TX is the highest in-band 10m ham I find, as contesting forces some to get away from the crowd below 28500, occupying a range ordinarily vacant. He simply emits ``Contest`` and his call over and over, with about 2-second pauses before repeating. You`d better hustle to get in between them. Worked an IS7 at one point. QRZ.com lookup:
EA8TX
Fernando Borges Domínguez
C/ Domingo Hernández, 21
La Guancha (Tenerife Island) 38440
Canary Islands
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 6000, March 30 at 0117, RHC English with some pulsing QRM under, like jammer bleed? Or possibly Brasil on an extremely disturbed carrier across the Equator after propagation disturbance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EGYPT. 11710.1, March 30 at 0122 past 0130, and still until cut off at 0152*, open carrier, good with flutter; nothing to het it but measured off-frequency. What`s this? Certainly not Argentina which is closer to 11711 weekdays but still heard on 15345v at this hour on weekends. PL-880 shows 55-66 dBu.
HFCC A-14 has the answer: R. Cairo in Spanish at 0045-0200, 250 kW, 241 degrees from Abis. All they need now is to modulate it, possibly an insurmountable task. Is this ex-11760 where Cairo has been colliding horribly with Cuba? No, parameters match 12080 and/or 13620 in B-13 schedule. Neither checked before lookup while 11710.1 was on.
11760 Cairo Spanish was 250 kW, 286 degrees from Abis, also Arabic from 2330, in B-13 but not in A-14 sked. Now it`s Argentina which will be victimized, Portuguese from 0000, Japanese from 0100, but at least Cairo will be off 11710.1 by 0200 when RAE starts English. Of course, Cairo doesn`t know about Habana or Buenos Aires since neither of those participates in HFCC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 17670, March 29 at 1855, poor signal with S Asian singing. Nothing in HFCC B-13, but Aoki shows AIR GOS in English at 1745-1945, 250 kW, 245 degrees from Delhi (Khampur) and *jammed by the ChiCom presumably with noise. Anyhow, not bad for a 16m signal starting out around local midnight (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN [non]. 11590, March 30 at 0121, Japanese lesson in Hindi with frequent musical cues, good with flutter. Is NHK via UZBEKISTAN, to continue here in A14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 21450-USB, Sat March 29 at 1842, as I start bandscanning, hear Station YHWH, where some have reported him before, just on the edge of the 15m hamband; after notifying the DXLD yg, heard sermon at 1847 about the ``Christianity cult`` which started in *30 AD, mistakenly worshipping Jesus instead of Yahweh, the True Deity who is going to do this and that in the near future; debunx Biblical verses, such as Isaiah VII: 14-15 as ``a phony text``, etc., etc.
Past 1900 I notice QRhaM on the lo side, as AROs are occupying just about every kHz for a contest, one on 21449-USB, another on 21447-USB at 1908. Same Yahweh stuff at several rechex past 1915, but gone at 1923 so I must have missed ID and sign-off just a few minutes earlier. On this high a frequency it`s obviously not in central North America, but one skip zone away, such as west coast. Rich Ray in IL was hearing him again at 2042 on 21450-USB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. 5980, March 30 at 0059, R. Chaski single carrier is very poor, and can`t hear BBC Oman joining it a few seconds later, due to propagation? No, it`s gone in the A-14 HFCC schedule; in fact, nothing shown on 5980 between 21 and 03 UT. There is heavy splash from 5990 CRI/Cuba, but that`s soon off, so I can track the Chaski cutoff unimpeded at 0106:50.5* which is 12.5 seconds later than 48 hours ago. Even riper for a reset to circa 0100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA [and non]. 9520 // 7335, UT Sunday March 30 at 0109, RRI playing classical music, good signals both. A-14 schedule has just started, Romanian service at 0000-0156 on these, replacing B-13 at 0100-0256 on 5910, 7340. So Alcaraván Radio is uncovered until Japan-via-France remains a collider after 0300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SEYCHELLES [and non]. 15420, March 29 at 1857, I start monitoring the very last day and last hour of the BBC Indian Ocean Relay Station. Except, WBCQ is as always in the way on 15420-CUSB, and also much weaker but audible modulation on the LSB. At first I am hearing no BBC even by tuning LSB only, while 12095 has a JBA carrier. At 1903 in the AM mode, I can tell there are two carriers not matching 15420, making a low audible heterodyne rumble, as BBC`s distant full carrier is gaining on WBCQ`s reduced carrier. By 1929 the two 15420s are roughly equal and can hear some BBC programming on LSB, while 12095 now has a trace of audio. At 1951, BBC has overcome WBCQ on 15420-LSB. So far I have been using the DX-398, but now I switch to the PL-880 and find that it is getting less WBCQ on the LSB, so now it seems this is caused by the DX-398 not suppressing the LSB of WBCQ, or maybe mirroring the USB. See USA: WBCQ.
PL-880 now registers 27-31 dBu on 15420, while 26-30 dBu on // 15400 BBC Ascension. I wonder if there will be anything special on the Seychelles frequencies by way of farewell, but hardly expect it. 1959 a song bit of ``Je ne regrette rien``, but I think that was just closing the program which seemed to be something about France. The 15420 signal simply stops at 1959:33* or so, and that`s it. QRT. Now WBCQ can have 15420 all to itself in A-14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 17685-17725, March 29 at 1854, approx. range of splash from 17705 WHRI with Brother Scare; main victim, 17715 Spain. Extremely strong, presumably aimed this way, while 17610 not yet with BS is not so problematic. Aoki shows 17705 at 315 degrees from Cypress Creek, and 17610 at 85 degrees, supposedly both with BS at 18-19 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 15420v-CUSB, March 29 from 1857, I am trying to hear the final hour of BBC Seychelles, despite perpetual blockage by WBCQ, which might, just might, have kept quiet on this special occasion --- but no, on and on the anapaesstic droning from the androgynous preachperson of Fence Lake NM, Proclaiming the Global Spirit.
On the porch I am running both the DX-398 and the PL-880, with the two random antennas, one a reel-out and another about twice as long also around the eaves. Trying to hear BBC IORS on the LSB since WBCQ is on the USB. In the past and now on the DX-398 I also hear some WBCQ modulation on the LSB and have assumed some is leaking there in its transmission, but compared to the PL-880, I am getting less WBCQ on the LSB, so now it seems the old receiver is to blame. I also switch plugging the antennas back and forth in case that make a difference. See also SEYCHELLES report.
5110-CUSB, UT Sunday March 30 at 0127, WBCQ with music, then Pabst Blue Ribbon commercial (vintage? Can`t imagine their buying time on a SW station), // 7490 but about 2 seconds behind it. Axually closer to 7489, as that transmitter has been varying even lower; and 5110 unchecked but habitually a bit on the lo side too. This would be the `Lumpy Gravy Radio Show` at 01-02 UT; now only on Saturday nights = UT Sundays, Area 51 is on both frequencies at 23-04 UT. And checking the A51 schedule, coming up this week:
``Monday-Thursday 5110, 0100-0300 Radio Caroline Offshore Free Radio special programming``. That means UT Tuesday-Friday. It`s the 50th anniversary of R. Caroline with quite a celebration going on in the UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 29776-USB, March 29 at 1912, N7RO is ``QRZ contest`` and making lots of quick contacts. What? This is outside the 10m band which ends at 29700. I was tuning up here in search of harmonix or anything else interesting, since 10m was bursting with signals during a contest. On a normal day, very little SSB to be heard above 28500, but now there are signals up to 28772-USB [see CANARY ISLANDS].
So is my new PL-880 to blame for putting this signal on 29776, or is N7RO putting out a spur? I`m not hearing any co-channel contacts, which suggests the latter; this signal is a little wobbly. And I`m not hearing 29776 on the DX-398. At 1933 he gives PY3PA a 59-586. I hate to take the time away from BBC/SEYCHELLES in its final hour forever, as there is little hope of finding an N7RO fundamental on the packed 10m band, but I do tune down the 28772-28300 range looking for him, with no success, finishing at 1949. Of course, I may have tuned across his frequency during a pause. BTW, I do not hear a single ordinary conversation, let alone ragchew --- *everyone* is contesting with the briefest possible contacts. N7RO still going on ``29776`` at 2002.
N7RO is RICHARD J MOEN, 2935 PLYMOUTH DR, BELLINGHAM, WA 98225, quite the contester and DX-peditioner per his QRZ.com page. Skip distances are such that except for closer sporadic-E (none of that yet!), here in deep North America the only US 10m stations we normally hear are from the extremities, such as WA, FL and New England (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1714 monitoring: whew, confirmed at expected new time and frequency of 2330 Saturday March 29 on 9930, WTWW-2 --- after gospel tunes, ID and really starting at 2329:18, excellent signal. For one reason or another, this was missed on the past three Saturdays. Finished after 2358, QSY to 5085 announcement, ID, and no QSY but starting `Amateur Radio Newsline` until 9930 cuts off at 0001 UT Sunday March 30. Then tune to 5085 where WTWW-2 is much weaker now over day path. `QSO with Ted Randall` followed, still around 0125 discussing the Dayton Hamvention 2014 next month.
The WRMI-14 airing on 9495 at 0030 UT Sunday: just barely audible, as there has been a propagation disturbance, if not QRP. ``Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level in the past 24 hours; estimated planetary K-index at 0000 UT on 30 March was 3, per WWV.
There is even ACI from Oman 9500! Finally toward the end I recognize something I said on last week`s #1713, so it`s not 1714.
Confirmed UT Sunday March 30 at 0400:55 on WTWW-1, 5830, WOR 1714 starting fine, but transmitter break for about a minute before the billboard is finished, rest OK to conclusion. Next 1714 airings:
UT Monday 0300v on Area 51 via WBCQ, 5110v-CUSB
Tuesday 1100, Wednesday 1300, Thursday 0330 on WRMI, 9955
Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VIETNAM [non]. 12005, March 30 at 0115, nasty collision between V of Vietnam, English via Woofferton to North America, A-14 frequency in effect, ex-6175 in B-13; and something in Arabish? No, Pashto, Deewa Radio via SRI LANKA still on B-13 schedule one more night. So much for coördination during the seasonal transition (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 1450, March 30 at 0344 UT, trying for the WWXL DX test from Manchester KY, after word got out that it did start at 0300 UT instead of 0400 UT. Mostly tuning USB on 1452 or 1453, LSB on 1448 or 1447, on the DX-398, possibly some bits of code at 0344, 0346, near-imagination level; possibly continuous steady tone at 0345, 0350 UT. No sweeps heard and others say none were transmitted. But just not enough here for any certainty (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report dispatched at 0527 UT March 30
