** AUSTRALIA [and non]. 9265, Sat Dec 22 at 1116, unfortunately awake, so a quick check for Unique Radio via WINB: it`s good S9+10/20 but always lo-fi audio, during ID break in Hobart Radio International relay, Xmasmx show featuring Elvis.
Unfortunately, I am not awake an hour later to check WORLD OF RADIO. Nor was I at 0930 when Unique Radio itself should have aired WOR on 5045-LSB this alternate Saturday (but hiatus planned two weeks from now). Now no trace on 5045, but a JBA carrier on 5055, presumably the other Aussie, 4KZ Queensland (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL [non]. 6090.00, Dec 22 at 0218-0232, one VP signal, S6-S8, talk sounds Spanish by 0227, but can`t be positive. It ought to be Iran as scheduled, and unfortunately there is no // to try to make a match. I`m checking because now we have three reports from two North Americans who think they heard R. Bandeirantes in Portuguese around this time, despite it having quit SW some months ago (and definitely gone from 9645v, 11925v).
Both EiBi and Aoki still list it on 6090 for 24 hours, also 11925, except EiBi skips 9645. What will WRTH 2019 say? The 2018 already had all three of them double-daggered as inactive. Just in! WRTH 2019 has eliminated all three Bandeirantes frequencies (and this year`s is visibly thicker than last years`, yet same number of pages --- slightly heavier stock?)
Adding to my doubts, this 6090 transmitter is right on-frequency. Surely some of our Brazilian readers could easily confirm whether RB ever be around 6090, or ask the station about SW status. Of course, Anguilla is conveniently out of the way now and most of the time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. 800, Dec 22 at 0710 UT, amid my TA JBA carrier bandscan I am distracted by a commercial break in Coast to Coast AM, with American-orientated commercials for Omaha Steaks, and IRS help. But it`s got to be CKLW Windsor, a C2CAM affiliate. Fat chance we will ever hear Canadian commercials on a US station, except those deliberately trans-border. I guess CKLW is one of them by default; does the CRTC approve? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 7490 QRM: See USA: WBCQ
** CUBA. 6000, UT Sat Dec 22 at 0011, no signal from RHC, in keeping with the UT Tue-Fri scheduling of the alternative TV simulcast `Mesa Redonda` (not Mon-Thu except in local time). When on, it`s // 11950 only, the other Spanish frequencies mainstream RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 15140, Dec 22 at 1430, very weak only S3-S4, which explains why tuning down the band I have not hit the spurs around 15311, 15283, nor their mirrors below. 15230 is also weakened, S4-S6 and cuts off at 1431*. Yet the CRI English relay on 15700 is much stronger at S9-S7 altho that too is weaker than usual. What`s the problem? WWV propagation report does not account for this: SF=71, K=0 at 1500 which is nominal for now, and no storms. No FM spurs on 13 MHz band either tho 13700 & 13780 are normal strength. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. 11900, Dec 22 at 1434, gospel huxter in English with echo, S9+10 fading to S7; 1448 still on with choral hymn. HFCC shows this is Saturdays-only via MBR Nauen at 1400-1500. More specifically, Aoki/NDXC and EiBi show Bible Voice, to S Asia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also WORLD OF RADIO monitoring
** IRAN. See BRAZIL [non]
** KOREA SOUTH. 1566 kHz, Dec 22 at 1343 UT I`m straining to follow the JBA carrier from the NW, as FEBC Jeju Island is scheduled to change from Japanese to Chinese circa 1345 when the signal toward North America drops dramatically with pattern change toward the west rather than east. And it does: fortunately a slight fade-up first, making the cut at 1344:31 more obvious, but during the following minute I can still detect it. There was little doubt about 1566, but lacking any axual audio, this bit makes it even more definite.
This is not a good TP morning, as only 3 other carriers were detected lowband. And local sunrise here is 1340, creeping to 1344 at the latest in a biweek, so a few more better chances to observe this. I wonder what the true bearings are of 1566 major lobes as both Japan and China cover large portions of the compass from so close. If centred on Tokyo it would favor Argentina beyond, while the direct path to Enid goes west of Japan as far north as Anchorage (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [and non]. 700, Dec 22 at 1335 UT, rustic drum and flute music from WSW/ENE, surely XEETCH, native station in Etchojoa, Sonora; and the lowest XE frequency still propagating, not even 650 XETNT, 5 minutes before sunrise here at 1340 UT, on the way to latest at 1344 UT in another biweek; no WLW; and nulling XEETCH, there is S Asian music, no doubt KHSE Wylie (Metroplex) TX, no longer brokered religion in Spanish as in NRC AM Log, and still reported as such by MAREs in November. Radio-locator.com now says it`s ``Radio Caravan`` with Asian format:https://www.radiocaravan.com/ which autolaunches Hindi/Bollywood audio (but English ad at 1814 Dec 22), or choose Telugu instead. Also operates on FM, IBOC and in Houston (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 7255-, Dec 22 at 0655, VON is on in Hausa? at S9+20/30 but suptorted; wiggle that patchcord! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. 5960, Fri Dec 21 at 2330, VOT English to NAm is only poor during `Letterbox`. Reception was much better on the earlier airing for ``W Europe`` at 1400 on 12035! Mark Coady, Ontario, has also been complaining about poor 5960 reception.
I say, perhaps the time has come, during solar-min and dark winter, to go *lower* than the 6 MHz band, for the Europe/NAm circuit! But wait, there are no ISWBC bands lower, except 75m which is denied here in Region 2 by hams all the way up to 4000. How about the 60m so-called ``tropical`` band? I can`t think of any Eurocaster which has ever used it to NAm, and ISWBC stations may not even have a suitable antenna. But wait2, 60m over here is a *fixed*, not broadcast band. But wait3, some US SWBC stations are using it quite successfully anyway, ``out-of-band``. So in that case, why not Eurasia-to-North America on 60m in our evenings? There could also be OOB space just above 4.0 MHz, as pioneered by TGAV, and now increasingly used by pirates who find even <7 MHz unpropagable due to even lower MUFs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TURKEY. 12035.0, Dec 22 at 1423, VOT English signing off at S9-S7, off at 1425*. 11815.0 (both not off-frequency!), VOT excited Turkish continues in silly ball- or sweat-game, and is quite stronger, S9+10 to S9. Why the disparity? Both are for W Europe. Per HFCC registrations, it ought to be opposite, 12035 with 500 kW, twice the power of 250 kW 11815, azimuths 310 & 305 degrees resp.; different antennas, type 205 on 12035, type 215 on 11815. But they could also be swapping around transmitters and antennas as evidenced by one or the other often +0.7 kHz off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 7490.196v, Fri Dec 21 at 2240, I catch the rest of `Behaviour Night` old music recordings, the host mostly putting on a patrician accent, and even conversing with his normal self. VG now, and better enjoy it during winter as elseseasons, WBCQ-SW is too poor before sunset this far, especially when earlied by DST to 21-22 UT. At 2300, abrupt switch to one of Brother Scare`s weekdaily hours, but I am alert for a het from 7490.0 in Chinese: none audible immediately, but there at 2328 check when I make the measurement.
I have been hearing this QRM for a few weeks (but who cares against BS?), yet Aoki/NDXC still hasn`t caught up with it (and BTW, *all* the WBCQ program U-timings in it for 7490 are *wrong* as if it were still summer!)
Not in latest HFCC either, but EiBi now has it! ``7490 2023-2400 CHN China National Radio 1 M CHN`` but no site. Maybe it is really on before 2300 but fortunately not fading in here until later in hour? (EiBi also has *wrong* timings for WBCQ 7490 shows, including WOR Wed at 2100 instead of 2200!) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7490+, UT Sat Dec 22 at 0016, WBCQ is fading down into the noise level, S9-S7: prospects bad for AWWW by 0100, so I will listen on L&C webcast. 5130.346 is VP and undermodulated, deeper into noise level adding up to S9 but unusable; and no longer carrying AWWW anyway. 9330+ is still AWOL, WHY?
(7490) webcast, at 0100 the previous hour `FKB` program is upwrapping, as the host announces *two wrong frequencies* and not this one: ``9625`` via WINB and ``5050`` via WWRB! Again Allan is not hosting, instead this week, TimTron, which means it will be a very different show. He`s soon joined by three other guys in Monticello, and AW calls in from DeLand of FLA, lauding how those who winter in Maine keep WBCQ going. TimTron emits a big belch, Allan calls him on it, and Tim denies doing it! Also says he must abstain from alcohol since he`s getting antibiotix against Lyme Disease --- but weed is OK!!
At 0113 Allan remarx that next month they will work on getting 3265 up and running. Plenty of music breaks, fraxured Xmasmx on YouTube as suggested by a caller; Tron says he was going to get political tonight, but thinx better of it.
Later in hour, Robert goes over 5130 programming including imminent specials (wish he would do this every week): a new Tom Cole Theatre, Monday 24th (forgets the time?), with repeats Tue at 7-8 pm EST [UT -5]; Fri at 9-10 pm and again one week later. Uncle Bill`s Melting Pot Xmas special, Tue 25th at 8-9 pm EST. Other 5130 shows are now regular: Tue 9-10:30 pm EST Amateur Radio Roundtable; Wed 9-11 pm EST Hal Turner // 7490v; Thursday 7-8 pm EST The Hour of the Time; Friday 7-8 pm EST Analog Telephone Show; 8-9 pm Intelligence Report (also other days). And Area 51 on weekends. He doesn`t say anything about Brother Scare gobbling up (all?) other hours on 5130+; nor why 9330 is gone. Someone points out that 5130 time is available at the bargain rate of $15/hour.
No benedixion, but unlike Allan, TimTron allows this AWWW to run over until 0205 canned sign-off, then a few minutes of dead webair before some music start.
Here`s John Carver`s weekly report on the same:
``Tonight's show started on time but TimTron was the one making comments over the theme song. 7490 is very poor. No sign of anything on 9330 but checking 5130 I find AWWW there with a much better signal. Forties and rain in Maine but it came on top of two feet of snow so everything is bogged down up there. Terri and Robert show up in the studio along with Tom Barna whom they've just rescued after his car got stuck in the muck. Allan and Angela call in at 0109. Allan says he sent Terri and Robert to get the stuck Tom so Tim wouldn't have to do the show alone. He also said that he and TimTron would be working on the 3265 transmitter next month.
Robert announced that there was a new program airing on 5130 Monday evenings at eight to nine. Something to do with live theater.
At 0120 the AWWW program stops in mid-sentence and the regularly scheduled program at that time on 5130 starts in progress. Back to 7490 and they're in the middle of a phone call about fractured Christmas music. Very difficult to copy 7490. Lots of noise, some fading and signal is bouncing between S1 and S3. After the phone call Tom finds the link to the fractured music and plays ten minutes of it over the air. Is merely Christmas carols played on a piano by someone who is pretending not to know how to play a piano. After ten minutes of this Tom found some other Christmas music and continued till about 0150 when Tim did a monologue and then back to music at 0153. Show was off the air at 0204 as was 7490. Unlike last week programming continued on 5130 past 0200. John, Mid-North Indiana`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1961 monitoring: checking the WRMI 9955 skedgdrid for something else, I spot a NEW airing for WORLD OF RADIO: Saturday 2200! One must be vigilant to detect ASAP any possible additions or deletions. I search the rest of the grids, but no other WOR changes on WRMI.
WOR 1961 not confirmed, Sat Dec 22 at 1531 on HLR 9485-CUSB, as inaudible both at home and at UTwente. But apparently pre-empted for holiday? Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, reported:
``GERMANY, Hamburger LokalRadio, Goehren, will be on air this weekend as follows:
Today Saturday, 22 December
0700–1200 UTC 6190 kHz. English 0700-0800
1200–1600 UTC 9485 kHz. English 1200-1400
Tomorrow Sunday, 23 December
1000–1300 UTC 7265 kHz. English 1100-1200``
I don`t know where he got that info, as checking the HLR website I don`t see anything but the normal schedule, including English and WOR Saturdays until 1600. Via the WOR HITLIST, there is HLR streaming at http://server1.cityedv.at:9036/192kbps but I suspect it is their domestic service rather than SW programming. At 1525 it`s playing African music, soon announced at 1530 in Castilian as from Malgache on the `Mundofonías` show, world music I used to enjoy on RNE webcast and I think even via REE SW before their drastic cuts. At 1600, HLR stream switched to German, another music show introduced by Thomas Völkner, starting with some Whitney Houston. Thomas was at Radio for Peace International, Costa Rica, and tnx to his involvement with HLR, brought WORLD OF RADIO onto here.
Alan Gale, England, also reports at 1602 UT: ``Hi Glenn, I was finally back home in time to check for World of Radio again today, but not a thing was heard from HLR on 9485 kHz, not even a mouse. If it's beingtransmitted, then it's going right over the top of me, I'm afraid. Hopefully the skip will improve when the days start to lengthenonce again in a few weeks time. 73 for now, Alan``
Confirmed Sat Dec 22 at 2055 the 2030v on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, poor in high local noise level, but recognizable on the PL-880 with reelout. Maybe the first time I have managed to hear this broadcast, but now in season for high-MW skywave propagation already.
Next:
2200 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 to SSE [NEW]
0400vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND
0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW
1130 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany to WSW
2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday WRMI 5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday WBCQ *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday Unique 5045-LSB low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast; direct linx to these and many others at:
Complete updated WOR sked, all affiliates, satellite, webcast, AM&FM: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9955, Dec 21 at 2353, dead air from WRMI; 2354 hymnfill starts. Scheduled Fri at 23-24 is `La Rosa de Tokio` the historical media show from Argentina, which probably runs shorter than a full hour. It focuses on one particular topic or station each week, sometimes international, often domestic, with plenty of music stretch. Week of Dec 15 subject was ``homenaje a la memoria de Betty Elizalde, insigne locutora de la radio argentina, recientemente fallecida`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 5970, Dec 22 at 0653, WEWN Spanish is dead air, but weak 11520 English is audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. 700, Dec 22 at 1335 UT, rustic drum and flute music from WSW/ENE, surely XEETCH, native station in Etchojoa, Sonora; and the lowest XE frequency still propagating, not even 650 XETNT, 5 minutes before sunrise here at 1340 UT, on the way to latest at 1344 UT in another biweek; no WLW;
and nulling XEETCH, there is S Asian music, no doubt KHSE Wylie (Metroplex) TX, no longer brokered religion in Spanish as in NRC AM Log, and still reported as such by MAREs in November. Radio-locator.com now says it`s ``Radio Caravan`` with Asian format:https://www.radiocaravan.com/ which autolaunches Hindi/Bollywood audio (but English ad at 1814 Dec 22), or choose Telugu instead. Also operates on FM, IBOC and in Houston (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 880, Dec 22 at 1339 UT, Mexmx and ID as ``La Tremenda, 8-80``, but not a Mexican as further brands itself with ``la raza``, which a genuine XE would never do, or need to do. I bet it`s the St Louis market station, WIJR Highland IL, listed in the NRC AM Log with 1.7 kW day power as ``La Primera 880 AM, La Raza``. Radio-locator.com confirms the name change, now at http://latremenda880.com/
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 900, Dec 21 at 1950 UT, I am searching for some nice music, rare on the AM band. One such station is nostalgic KSGL Wichita KS, a 250-watt almost-daytimer with barely audible IBOC noise plus, and no problem minus against 890 OKC KTLR. Split-personality, with gospel-huxtering blox elsewhen. ``Begin the Beguine`` is playing (what is a beguine, anyway?).
But there`s a heavy subaudible heterodyne at the rate of 224/minute = 3.73+ Hz. There is no other 900 station at groundwave range, altho some in AR and TX, and this unseems skywave so early; furthermore, there is absolutely no QRModulation to KSGL. Therefore, I suspect that KSGL itself is running two transmitters, by mistake. They may have a backup and/or one for QRP night usage at 28 watts. In SSB listening, the R75 eliminates such SAHs, but painfully obvious in AM mode. After some more music, partly Xmassy, 1959 UT ID also for FM 105.7, which of course is a mere translator, but in this case just as ``powerful`` as the AM. 2000 UT, USA Radio News --- and now the SAH is completely gone! (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Following my own advice, I listened to the 2-hour Solstice Concert by the Paul Winter Consort from the Cathedral of St. John the [Allegedly] Divine in NYC, UT Sat Dec 22 at 0300-0500 via WUOT Knoxville webcast; a few hours after winter started.
But guess what, this is an ``encore`` from the year 2011! They all sound similar, except for different guest artists. One may still listen to either hour or both via:
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/21/675242726/a-paul-winter-solstice-concert-2018-encore-performance
There was a new live performance earlier tonight. And an encore Saturday afternoon (but not in the dark!). The NPR broadcasts are never live, as they obviously involve a lot of post-produxion, and would be very ragged if they attempted to do the same thing live. But when will we ever get to hear the 2017 concert, let alone 2018? I couldn`t find ticket prices, but bet they are plenty. Should I ever find myself in NYC around Winter Solstice, this will be a bucket priority (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search from 0706 past 0715+ UT Dec 22: 531, 549, 558, 621, 657, *684 with some talk, 200 kW RNE Sevilla, Spain? most likely; 693, 774, 801, 837, 846-or Kiritimati?, 855, 882, 909, 936(2), 954, 999, 1044, 1053, 1089, 1098, 1107, 1116, 1125, 1134, 1152, 1215, 1305, 1413, 1539. Quite a haul this late in Europe, but it is the longest night.
1305 & 1413 are often the best/only ones in the upperband, so whence most likely? Both Spain by proximity rather than power, multiple Radio 5 synchro transmitters adding up to 75 and 25 kW resp. It`s a bit late on 1413 for the 500 kW from Pridnestrovye or 600 kW from BBC Oman (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific JBA MW carrier search, Dec 22 at 1328 pre-sunrise: not much from NW except 747, 774, 882 and 1566: see KOREA SOUTH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report despatched at 2113 UT December 22
