DX LISTENING DIGEST 15-49, December 9, 2015 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2015 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html [also linx to previous years] NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn WORLD OF RADIO 1803 CONTENTS: *DX and station news about: Anguilla, Armenia, Australia, Bhutan, Canada [CHRF: 980], China, Cuba non, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Europe, Germany non, Goa and non, India, Indonesia, International Vacuum, Korea, Kurdistan non, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, México, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oklahoma, Romania, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, USA, Yemen SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1803, December 10-16, 2015 Thu 1230 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Thu 2100 WRMI 7570 [confirmed] Fri 0200 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 [confirmed] Fri 2130 WRMI 7570 [confirmed] Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM [not confirmed after 0442] Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v Area 51 [confirmed] Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 [confirmed on webcast] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Wed 1415 WRMI 9955 Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: Tnx to Dr Harald Gabler and the Rhein-Main Radio Club. http://www.rmrc.de/index.php/rmrc-audio-plattform/podcast/glenn-hauser-wor ALTERNATIVE PODCASTS, tnx Stephen Cooper: http://shortwave.am/wor.xml AND ANOTHER PODCAST ALTERNATIVE, tnx to Keith Weston: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlennHausersWorldOfRadio Also via [but still not back in service]: http://tunein.com/radio/World-of-Radio-p198/ OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DAY-BY-DAY ARCHIVE OF GLENN HAUSER`S LOG REPORTS: Unedited, uncondensed, unchanged from original version, many of them too complex, minutely researched, multi-frequency, opinionated, inconsequential, off-topic, or lengthy for some log editors to manage; and also ahead of their availability in these weekly issues: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=Hauser DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location, and say something about why you want to join. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. U.K.(and non) BaBcoCk music instead of Radio Ashna, Dec 7 1430-1500 on 12075 WOF 300 kW / 075 deg to WeAs Pashto 1500-1630 on 12075 KWT 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Dari http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/babcock-music-instead-of-radio-ashna.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec 6-7, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 7470, R. Tirana with s/on, YL schedule and ID and into OM English News. 0239 into music, and 0243 "Profile" with English talx re violinist, and then more music. IS and ABRUPTLY off with no further ID. 44443+, 0230-0258* 28/Nov, SPR-4 +randomwire (Ken Zichi, Port Hope MI2 with various pieces of gear, MARE Tipsheet Dec 4 via DXLD) 7465, Dec 6 at 0051, R. Tirana is on at ~S9 but low modulation in Albanian. 7470, Dec 6 at 0255, carrier detectable here in local noise level, so presumably R. Tirana is not off the air this Saturday night in English to North America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA [and non]. ALGERIA/ROMANIA, 153 kHz. This morning at 0440 UT, I heard the Algerian 153 kHz frequency transmitter from Bechar, stronger than RadioCom Brasov Kronstadt Bod signal from Romania co- channel. Used the SDR remote net unit at Madrid. S=9+25dB. Thus is clarified that Algeria continues albeit with low transmission power in the channel 153 kHz frequency. The derating so to repair 576 kHz mediumwave installation to a single-mast + new builtup earth net, to build up the new Transradio medium-wave transmitter to the Bechar MW station of 576 kHz in 400 to 600 kW power range, and not to endanger the Ampegon & Transradio technicians during work. Listen to the recording in ogg.format. SDR receiver audio output feed via VAC Virtual Audio Cable as 'Line_4' signal into Audacity software, transformed OGG audio format output as file. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA. Re: ``891, Chaîne 1, Ouled Fayet, NOV 28, 0205 - Het upon 890 WLS Chicago, instantly bringing to mind the 600/300 kW Algerian, although I seem to recall it's ailing. Incomplete MW scan notices no other TA carriers, of course checking secondly 1521 for Saudi (1520 KOKC has enough problems with the co-channel from Minnesota). (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK; NRD-545 with ALA-330S east/west, or north/south not very long wire, DX-398 or PL-880 with internal antenna only, sometimes FRG-7 with ~100-ft east/west longwire, NRC IDXD 83-06, December 2015 via DXLD)`` This station is back on the air, noted here most nights but with too much interference from 3-miles-east-of-me 900, WGHM to get readable audio out of the under-modulated signal (Bruce Conti, WPC1CAT, Nashua NH; WiNRADiO Excalibur, MWDX-5 phasing unit, 15 x 23-m variable termination SuperLoop antennas at 60 northeast and 180 south, NRC IDXD 83-06, December, 2015 via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. 4949.8, Rádio Nacional, Mulenvos, 1931-1950, 05-12, Portuguese comments, songs. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL-880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA [non]. Hi Glenn, Dec 5, at 0436, also noted Caribbean Beacon off the air (6090). Heard faint open carrier, but impossible to tell which station it was (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, Dec 5 at 0611, Caribbean Beacon is OFF; unfortunately, nothing else audible, such as Nigeria, Ethiopia; Brasil [Bandeirantes extinct] or Chile [Temuco, should you believe Aoki that it`s really on the air, 24 hours]. CB day frequency 11775 also off Dec 6 at 1710 check (RHC inbooming on 11760). That should open up 11775 for Algeria via FRANCE at 19-21, but not much else. Hope 6090 is still off early UT Sunday when Ethiopia or Nigeria might make it. Or not: Wolfgang Büschel recently reported: ``NIGERIA [non!] Once again looked out for Radio Kaduna Nigeria on 6089.855v kHz. But negative this morning, no signal on lower sideband of 6090 kHz. So, seemingly - another shortwave broadcast station HAS GONE FOR EVER. Nothing heard from Radio Kaduna anymore, at least since mid 13th! / end of August 2015 (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3)`` R. Amhara, Ethiopia, nominal morning sked is 03-06 UT, but would likely fade out before 06. 6090, Dec 6 at 0100, Caribbean Beacon is still AWOL, so shall try later for Ethiopia or anything else. R. Amhara is scheduled to start at 0300 when I should have tried, but don`t get to it until 0436 when there is no signal here, altho there is VP S7 music on 6110, could be Fana (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, Dec 8 at 0710, CB is *still* off, since Dec 5. I think the day frequency 11775 was back later on Dec 8; 6090 back on by 0112 check Dec 9 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 15345.13, RAE-General Pacheco, at 2030, on 5 Dec. Two male announcers are talking back and forth to each other. The frequency just drifted to 15344.87. There is some background hum from the transmitter. Poor (John Cooper, Lebanon, PA, Winradio-G33DDC, CommRadio CR-1a, RF Space-SDR-IQ, Sangean 909X with Clear Mods, Tecsun PL-660, GAP-Hear It In Line Module, Timewave ANC-4, Wellbrook 1530LNP, Wellbrook ALA-1530S+, PARS-EF-SWL HF End Fed Receive Antenna, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 6 via DXLD) So how long did it take for the drift to occur? (gh, DXLD) 15345.17, R. Nacional, 0216, Dec 7 (Monday). Excited live sports coverage of fútbol game; 0224 yelling "gooooooooooooal"; mostly poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. «debemos terminar con la continuidad del AFSCA» Por julio bárbaro --- Se retiran enojados [this political screed also deals with the media situation] En las palabras de Martín Sabbatella están presentes todas las deformaciones del kirchnerismo. Es maravilloso ver cómo se ponen en movimiento las dos teorías del estalinismo: “la culpa la tuvo el otro” y “no hacerle el juego a la derecha”. Parecen las palabras del pobre Diego Brancatelli, sucesor y digno heredero de Carta Abierta: “Nosotros queremos el bien del país”, como si a los restantes nos impulsara la pasión del mal y “Cristina está muy por encima del resto, por eso no la entienden”. Ya lo había dicho José Pablo Feinmann al que llaman filósofo, “es demasiado inteligente para el resto de la sociedad”. De paso Sabbatella más que duplicó el número de empleados en la AFSCA (Autoridad Federal de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual) de la que es titular; todo sea por el bien de las instituciones.Cuando impusieron la absurda y deformada Ley de Medios lo hicieron con el objetivo de quedarse con todo; lo habían dicho, “venían por todo”. . . http://opinion.infobae.com/julio-barbaro/ (via Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Updated B-15 SW schedule of Voice of Armenia from Dec 1: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/new-b-15-shortwave-schedule-of-voice-of.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 1530-1545 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Assyrian 1545-1600 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Greek 1600-1630 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Kurdish 1630-1700 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Yezidi 1700-1715 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Turkish 1715-1745 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Azeri 1745-1815 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Farsi 1815-1845 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Previous shortwave schedule of Voice of Armenia in the past few years: 1430-1500 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Farsi 1500-1530 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Yezidi 1530-1545 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Assyrian 1545-1615 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Kurdish 1615-1630 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Greek 1900-1930 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/new-b-15-shortwave-schedule-of-voice-of.html (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 4910, Dec 5 at 1332, very poor signal on R75 with M&W talk seemingly English, where nothing is usually heard. Must be VL8T, Tennant Creek, NT, having failed to make switch from 2325 at usual 0830. Then using the FRG-7 for // check, match to 4835 Alice which is always on 60m. Later, 4910 reports also received from Ron Howard in CA, Art Delibert in MD, Walt Salmaniw in BC, on air long before and after I heard it. I also checked 120m, and heard a JBA carrier at 1337 on 2485, Katherine, but nothing on 2325. Doubt this is a permanent change rather than aberration, but time will tell (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4910 kHz, ABC Northern Service, Tennant Creek, noted here 1220-1232 12/5, in parallel to 4835, with music, talk, then ABC news at BOH. Good signal, but CODAR QRM. Australia is not supposed to be on this frequency at this time. Their usual sked on this frequency is 2130 to 0830. At same time, there's no detectable het on 2325, which is usually on at this hour; there is a het on 2485, so I'm assuming if 2325 were on, I would hear something. So perhaps 4910 is temporary while 2325 is down? (Art Delibert, North Bethesda, MD, NRD-545, Pennant antenna with DX Engineering pre-amp, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) 4910, ABC Tennant Creek NT // 4835, ABC Alice Springs NT // 2485, ABC Katherine NT, 1243, Dec 5. Tennant Creek did not switch frequencies (not *0830, on normal 2325); "Saturday Night Country on ABC local radio"; interview with singer Tori Jackson; still on past 1354. Believe this has not happened in a long time? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And still on when I just checked at 1532 UT. 73 (Walt Salmaniw, BC, Dec 5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. GERMANY, Weak signal of Radio Belarus via R 700 on Dec 4: 0700-0900 on 6005 KLL 001 kW / non-dir to CeEu German Mon-Sat http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/weak-signal-of-radio-belarus-via-r700.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgaria, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. BTW - Seems BBS/Bhutan (6034.95) is signing off rather early these days. No longer hearing them after 1230 (Ron Howard, California, Dec 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6034.95, BBS. Tuned in at 0052 (Dec 9) and hear what clearly sounded like Bhutan's usual indigenous music and singing till 0102, when seemed to be a OM talking; faded out and lost about 0115. Never very good, but happy to hear them again, as their sign off is too early in my mornings to catch them. Jim Young (CA) also reported today - "*0037 sign-on on 6034.955. Woman announcer at 0041, and possible singing followed." Very nice greyline reception: Thumphu, Bhutan sunrise: 0040 UT Monterey, CA sunset: 0052 UT (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach (near Monterey), CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. NIGERIA, R. Biafra, 15560 at 1900, talk mention Nigeria and lots of local music. 1925 YL states ``This is Radio Biafra closing down`` and then back to music until fade out 1950. By then lots of splash over from the mouth piece on 15555 sideband [WJHR], Nov 3 (Mike Yohnicki, London, ON, DX394, Antron 99 antenna, Hallicrafters SX110, 60 ft longwire or 102" whip, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) And very soon after that off, but reported back Dec 14 on another fq (gh) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.44, Pio XII, Siglo Veinte, 2320 to 2325 noted being murdered by co channel slop, yl in Spanish 3 December (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro, Drake R8, NRD 525, Sony 2010XA, 60/90/120 meter dipoles, playdx yg via DXLD) Adjacent channel, I assume, WRMI 5950 to Cuba (gh, DXLD) 5952.43, Radio Pio Doce, 0230*, Dec 3. Off after full sign off format of whistling “Colonel Bogey March,” ID and chimes; fair. Often the sign off is cut short, before the chimes. 6134.80, R. Santa Cruz, 0205*, Dec 3; Off with usual "Santa Cruz" song; almost fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BONAIRE. 800, PJB, TransWorld Radio, Kralendijk, OCT 9, 0000 - In English with postcard and calendar offers, mailing address "TWR, P.O. Box 388, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands." Glory Train program followed. OCT 13, 0300 - Woman, "Radio Transmundial ocho cientos AM, transmitiendo desde Bonaire, isla del caribe holandes"; loud (Mark Connelly, MA, NRC IDXD 83-06, December, 2015 via DXLD) NOV 26, 0255 - Pointing the loop southeast, I got Spanish talk by a female and an ID that clearly sounded like "Indonesia Radio Transmundial" (Probably "Antillas Holandesas" - Conti). At least the "Radio Transmundial" part was a dead giveaway as to which station I was getting at the time. After the ID, there was a contemporary Christian song sung by a young lady in Spanish to the tune of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze". Signal dove under KQCV Oklahoma City at legal ID time, but I'm pretty convinced that this was PJB. XEROK was nowhere to be found at the time. First time I've heard PJB from anywhere in over 3 decades! (Rick Dau, South Omaha NE; Kenwood R-5000 with Quantum QX Pro loop antenna, NRC IDXD 83-06, December 2015 via DXLD) 800, PJB very solid in E. Central Florida --- Radio Transmundual is burning the paint off my trusty 2008 Ford Focus with stock radio on 800 kHz right now. Blocking out WPLK Palatka, FL, about 33 miles away. 10 PM Eastern hour tonight (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, 0334 UT Dec 9, ABDX via DXLD) They were on my Border Inn beverage recordings too [September], with a nice clear signal. Hadn't heard them in many years. 73 (Tim Hall, CA, ibid.) So are they up to 450 kW now, or still only 100? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. 17895, 10/24 at 1500, V of America, Mopeng Hill. English. Pop music from unscheduled "VOA1-The Hits" instead of scheduled "Music Time in Africa". 55544 (Alan Roe, Teddington, Middlesex, UK, Winradio G31DDC Excalibur and Elad FDM-SW2 with 17 meter longwire, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. In a ceremony at the Planalto Palace, the president of Brazil a few days ago signed a decree authorizing radio stations to migrate from AM to FM, where signals provide better audio quality and competitiveness and offer improved coverage through cell phones. ASSOCIAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE EMISSORAS DE RÁDIO E TELEVISÃO (ABERT) estimates that 90% of the 1784 AM radio stations will switch to FM. ABERT has for a long time been calling for this change as it has become increasingly difficult to reach listeners with an AM signal due to the high level of noise in the big cities (infobae via GRA and Levi Peter Iversen [Paraguay], Dec MW News via DXLD) What about SW? ** BRAZIL. 4805, Brasil, Rádio Difusora do Amazonas, Manaus, 2310 to 2330 with om long talk in Portuguese first noted back on the air 3 December, similar same time on 5 December (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro, Drake R8, NRD 525, Sony 2010XA, 60/90/120 meter dipoles, playdx yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. /ASCENSION, 6009.933, ZYE521, Rádio Inconfidencia, from Belo Horizonte MG compared to livestream at 0520 UT Dec 3 poor signal just on threshold level, S=6 signal here in southern Germany. Hit heavily by adjacent 6005 kHz BBC ASC at powerful S=9+30dB to compare (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, morning logs Dec 3 at 0505 to 0540 UT, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. /CUBA 6059.776, very odd frequency signal produced annoying 320 Hertz audio HUM QRM interference against RHC Quivicán San Felipe TITÁN 6060 kHz signal of S=8-9 here in southern Germany. At 0505 UT on Dec 3. Seemingly very poor signal of Super Rádio Deus é Amor, Curitiba, PR, religious program in BrasPortuguese (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, morning logs Dec 3 at 0505 to 0540 UT, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9724.92, Dec 5 at 0124, JBA carrier, so Radio RB2 is sticking here so far, rather than downdrifting (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Measured Dec 5 at 10 UT: 9724.921 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX 5 Dec via DXLD) 9724.85, Radio RB2, Curitiba, 2108-2117, 05-12, Radio Aparecida program "Econtro DX de Radio Aparecida", "Radio Clube do Brasil". // 11855 and 11934.90. 24322. (Méndez) 11934.90, Radio RB2, Curitiba, 2106-2118, 05-12, DX program "Encontro DX". 23322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL-880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 860, Dec 5 at 0133 UT, French Canadian talk is mixing with English ballgame, presumably KKOW Kansas, and CJBC, CBC Toronto, which occasionally makes it here. CJBC is 50/50 kW U1, but there is another CBC French on 860, 10/10 kW U4, CBKF-2, Saskatoon. Its night pattern goes N/S, day pattern similar but NNE/SSE. I should have got a DF on this to be sure. Close to same distance from here: Saskatoon 1884 km/1170 mi; Toronto 1766 km/1097 mi (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 980, CHRF, QC, Montréal – 12/3 – Per several sources, they have abandoned French “Radio Fierté” LGBT programming and are stunting with all-Christmas music (“Radio Noël”) while awaiting a new format (Mike Brooker, Toronto – Grundig G5, Grundig YB-400PE, Sony SRF-39FP, Panasonic RF-2200 (receiver emeritus), Domestic DX Digest-East, NRC DX News Dec 14 via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) WTFG? I omitted it on WOR 1803 (gh) ** CANADA. In Montreal, via Steve Faguy of Fagstein Blog, Radio Humsafar is ready to launch on AM, but needs to move its antenna first. A year and a half after it was approved by the CRTC, Radio Humsafar, a South Asian station set to broadcast at 1610 AM, still isn’t on the air. But there are signs of life. The group has applied to the commission for an amendment after it determined that its original plan to share an antenna with CJLO 1690 AM wasn’t feasible (the frequencies are too close together). Instead, Humsafar will install its own antenna on 46th Ave. near François Cusson St. in Lachine’s industrial park, four kilometres west of CJLO’s antenna. Otherwise, the technical parameters are the same, 1000 W day and night, and the coverage pattern is almost identical. Humsafar has gotten a permit from Lachine to install the antenna, according to a report in the community paper. But the CRTC needs to approve the location change, so it has opened the application to public comment until Jan. 8. That means it’ll probably be the end of February before it gets the okay from the commission. In the meantime, you can listen to it online, http://www.radiohumsafar.com (via Nigel Pimblett, ed., Dunmore, AB, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** CANADA. 2598-USB, Dec 6 at 0442, robotic French YL voice with marine weather. The CCG site http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/Marine-Communications/RAMN-2015/Part-2-Atlantic-Facilities-Information shows starting at 0437 UT is: MCTS Les Escoumins / Les Escoumins, Quebec MMSI: 003160026 Call Sign: VCF HOURS: H24 Services in English and in French. For Radio Services call Les Escoumins Coast Guard Radio. For Vessel Traffic Services call Escoumins Traffic – refer to Part 3. Coordinates [blank] Mailing Address: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Canadian Coast Guard Officer-in-Charge – MCTS Operations Les Escoumins MCTS Centre 35 Otis Street Les Escoumins QC G0T 1K0 VCF - Broadcasts Natashquan 2598J3E La Vernière 2749J3E [but nothing heard there at this time] Radiotelephony Technical marine synopsis and forecast for marine areas 215 to 221 and 301 to 302. Wave height forecasts for marine areas 215, 217, 219, 220, 221, 301 and 302. Notice to Fish Harvesters (when available).`` Les Escoumins is on the north shore of the St Lawrence River, between Saguenay and Rimouski, about where it broadens widely into a Gulf across from the western Gaspé. Natashquan site is much further east on the north shore, at 50 11'N, 61 49'W, even with the eastern tip of Anticosti island to the south (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Further to last month’s mention of IBOC (or HD) radio in Canada, Corus has also implemented this at Vancouver’s CFMI-FM on 101.1 MHz. The HD1 channel has CFMI in digital format, while selecting HD2 you will hear CKNW AM 980 (Nigel Pimblett, ed., Dunmore, AB, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** CANADA. Memorial to Bill Westenhaver --- I have received a notice from CBC/Radio Canada International that a memorial page in English, French, Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic has been set up on the RCI webpage for Bill Westenhaver. Here is the link http://www.rcinet.ca/fr/william-bill-westenhaver/ (Sheldon Harvey, PQ, Dec 4, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Sheldon, Sad to see him go; I met him several times while having a beer with friends downtown. He always was a great Guy. Also remember several letters from RCI with his signature on it! 73 (Gilles Letourneau, PQ, ibid.) ** CHINA [and non]. 9860, Firedrake jamming, 1858, 11/30/15. Traditional music jamming loop vs unheard Radio Free Asia in Mandarin via Saipan, MRA. Jamming fair. 9410, Firedrake jamming, 2136, 11/30/15. Chinese traditional music jamming loop vs unheard Radio Free Asia in Mandarin via Saipan, MRA. Jammer Fair – good (Mark Taylor, Madison, Wisconsin, Perseus, SDRPlay, Eton e1, Grundig Satellit 800, Sangean 909X w/ clear mod, and various other portables; 40 meters dipole, 100’ long wire, Flextenna, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 6 via DXLD) 9530, CNR1, Dec 1, 1130. Listed by EIBI as jammer. Probable news in MM [Mandarin]. Powerhouse signal s9+10 with 15 kHz badwidth (George Herr, CA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) CNR-1 Jammer vs SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng till 0800 on 11530 unknown transmitter site: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/cnr-1-jammer-vs-soh-xi-wang-zhi-sheng.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgaria, circa Dec 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7200, CNR1 jamming, 1338 & 1410, Dec 3. This was an anomaly, as normally they end at 1300, when RTI signs off; next day back to normal 1300* (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) USA(non), Strong CNR-1 Jammer vs. Radio Free Asia, December 4 from 1154 on 9940 DB 200 kW / 125 deg to CeAs Tibetan from 1204 on 11540 KWT 250 kW / 070 deg to CeAs Tibetan http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-cnr-1-jammer-vs-radio-free-asia.html Strong CNR-1 Jammer vs. Voice of America, December 4 from 1225 on 9530 PHT 250 kW / 349 deg to EaAs Chinese from 1225 on 11655 UDO 250 kW / 030 deg to EaAs Chinese from 1303 on 9825 SAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-cnr-1-jammer-vs-voice-of-america.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgaria, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 11960, Dec 6 at 0119, poor S3 in Chinese with hype, presumably ads, on CNR1, as scheduled 100 kW, 37 degrees from Beijing 572 site toward North America at 00-09 (except Tuesday siesta 06-09) - -- not a jammer; imagine that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. 9790, Dec 7 at 0313, CRI relay via CUBA in English achieves S9+20, and there`s some squeal on this transmitter. MUF isn`t always this cooperative (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. UNIDENTIFIED station, continuously playing Chinese music, but not FireDrake jamming, heard in 02-03 UT slot on 9470 kHz. Could be parked CNR8 program tx? like Kazakh CNR8 program from PBS Xinjiang Urumqi outlet, scheduled later the day, Aoki mentioned opening at 0345 UT? Similar UNID Chinese program heard in past weeks on 9475 kHz at 1500- 1558 UT by Austrian DXer Herbert Meixner. Please help to Identify this China mainland program. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9470 kHz 2-3 UT - parked Firedrake transmitter from western China? Signal only occur strong from Western China location on Doha Qatar and Moscow Russia remote SDR server units. Tiny weak signal ONLY - noted on remote SDR units in Japan and Brisbane Queensland in 0250-0300 UT slot. Listen to attached .ogg format recording in 0257 to 0300 UT range. Strongest on SDR remote net at Doha Qatar unit, like S=9+5dB at 0258 UT. At 0258 both programs CO-CHANNEL overlapping each other, UNID Chinese music station, and scheduled RRI Tsiganeshti Spanish service interval signal to South America too. At 0300 UT Chinese music station disappeared totally. BTW, the strong peak electrical IGNITION like spikes interference occur locally at Doha Qatar suburb. wb Glenn, strongly I feel, that these China mainland music stations PARKED in 9470 or 9475 kHz channels, warmed up, and wait until sudden crash start into 9.3 MHZ Taiwanese SOH or 9455 kHz IBB RFA channels to additional jamming power? from Kashgar or Urumqi sites? 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, 1739 UT Dec 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5050, Guangxi Beibu Bay Radio, 1320, Dec 6. Usual brief segment in English; today about the "ASEAN Community" established at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur. 7400, CRI. Interesting to note that when Shiokaze started broadcasting here (Nov 1), CRI dropped their 1300-1357 schedule which conflicted with Shiokaze; now that Shiokaze has moved away (Nov 24), CRI is again back here; noted Dec 4 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6035.0, PBS Yunnan, 1356, Dec 8. ID in English - "This is the Voice of Shangri-La, brought to you by Yunnan Radio”; poor. In past years they always gave this ID at the top-of-the-hour, but no longer. My audio of ID https://app.box.com/s/i1ufldgzhxd75peqwjnl4lssj15q1xxp Best heard with headphones or earphones, as it is very weak. BTW - Seems BBS/Bhutan (6034.95) is signing off rather early these days. No longer hearing then after 1230 (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. [at present 5910.059 kHz exact frequency] QSL Alcaraván Radio, bestaetigte mit einer detaillierten eQSL und Fotos vom Sender sowie eSticker innerhalb von 24 Std. "Greetings from Colombia, many thanks for reception report to our signal in 5910 kHz, this help us to improvement our signal, I send you our e-QSL. From January 2011 to all reports received by e-mail we send e-QSL, but if you want Full QSL (Card, Sticker and other little gift) please send you report by Airmail including 2 IRC to: ALCARAVAN RADIO c/o Rafael Rodríguez R. Apartado No. 67751 (oficina Red 4-72 Unicentro) Bogota D.C. - COLOMBIA e-mail (QSL-Manager) Immerhin gibt es noch Sender, die mit Empfangsberichten was anfangen koennen, wie der obige Text dokumentiert (Willi Westrupp-D, A-DX Nov 27 via BC-DX 5 Dec via DXLD) [and non]. 5910.077 approx., Monday Dec 7 at 0640, weak Alcaraván Radio, off+plus as usual; 0642 joined by the TWR music-box IS via AUSTRIA closer to 5910.00 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 950, Dec 6 at 0137:07, ``RR`` in Morse, which is all we need to pin it on Radio Reloj. WRTH has two 10 kW of them on 950, in Camagüey and closer Arroyo Arenas. I was more interested in IDing the soft piano music on 950.03 or so, maybe a religious station but this time of year not necessarily (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 5021.987 kHz exact high speed ute signal, hit Radio Rebelde, Bauta program on 5025 kHz heavily at 0540 UT on Dec 3. RTTY peaks some 200 Hertz frequency distance apart each other at S=9+20dB level, very annoying (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, morning logs Dec 3 at 0505 to 0540 UT, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6100, Sunday Dec 6 at 0731, tune-in to big open carrier, must be RHC, off at 0731.4*. Should have been tail of weekly Esperanto broadcast which had been messed up until now, but I didn`t axually hear any of it; did anyone? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. UNIDENTIFIED. 6870 AM in Spanish/Portuguese? 0100-0430z+ --- Hello Again Glenn, Curious if you have any possible ID for a station on 6870 AM at 0100-0430z+ in Spanish/Portuguese??? Very good signal at ~0300z with male/female & of course music but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I have heard it before & others are hearing it tonight. I just doubt it's a pirate, sounds very professional & not a pescadore station because they don't have the staying power or produce anything this good sounding. Still on at 0430z Thank you [and I see 6250 was resolved LOL] (Rafman K4RAF, 0453 UT Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unfortunately, I couldn`t check this until 0605 Dec 5, when there was nothing on 6870. Here are his and other HFU latest logs of it: http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,24894.0.html And from latest Free Radio Weekly: ``unidentified--only a carrier 6870AM 3 Dec 2015 0012-0103. Saw a carrier in the waterfall and watched it for an hour. Tried USB, ECSS, and Synchro, but there was nothing other than the carrier. It was about 30 dB above the general noise (Hunsicker, PA)`` I searched my archives on 6870 and found this: ``6870 27.09.15 1645 I R. Europe, IT: ID, MX radioeurope@iol.it G. RP in DX Fanzine, and Conexión Digital: RP = Roberto Pavanello in Vercelli (Italy). RX: EGZ DX 10, Icom R-71. ANT: EGZ LPF1R ferrite loop for reception of MW, 30-metre long wire`` But that is likely a red herring, unless it were on in the middle of the Euronight. 6870 was heard by many, before on Sept 9 as in DXLD 15-37, finally IDed as Radio Habana Cuba, but never figured out how a mix could have landed on 6870. Did anyone axually // it to known RHC frequencies?? May have been mixed up with a Spy Numbers transmission (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. María González to Head Office of Cuba Broadcasting DECEMBER 8, 2015 Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) To view this online visit http://www.bbg.gov/?p=23029 MIAMI - The Broadcasting Board of Governors today announced that María "Malule" González will take over as Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, responsible for the strategic planning and direction of TV Martí, Radio Martí and Martinoticias.com, which are collectively known as the Martís. "We are thrilled to have Malule join us at such a critical time for Cuba broadcasting," said BBG Chairman Jeff Shell. "She is a seasoned, Emmy award-winning journalist, a proven leader and an innovator, and she has the skills and experience to lead the Martís through a new era of U.S. broadcasting to Cuba." "I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve my country," said González. "I strongly believe that the people of Cuba must have access to free and accurate information, and I am thrilled to work alongside the entire Marti team to ensure that they do." González began her journalism career as a writer, producer and manager in Puerto Rico before she moved to Univision in 1989, followed by Telemundo where she produced several shows and launched "CBS TeleNoticias," the first Spanish 24-hour pan-regional news network. Since then she has created popular programs for Venevisión International, served as General Manager for an independent local station in Puerto Rico, and most recently has served as Vice-President and Station Manager for WLII and WSTE, two local stations owned and operated by Univision. González will be taking over for Carlos A. García-Pérez, who has served as OCB Director for five years. "Since 2010, Carlos has passionately worked to provide Cubans with unbiased, accurate and reliable information," said BBG CEO and Director John Lansing. "He has led the charge to improve programming, pursue new strategies to overcome Cuban jamming and enhance editorial effectiveness. He is a tireless defender of Article 19, and I know there are Cubans whose lives are better for it." Despite changes in its relationship with the United States, Cuba continues to have one of the world's most restrictive media environments. The island nation consistently ranks in the bottom ten of Freedom House's Freedom of the Press Index, and the Committee to Protect Journalists calls it one of the worst countries to be a blogger. The Martís are a multimedia hub of news, information and analysis that provides a one-of-a-kind service that brings unbiased, objective information to Cuba. Despite consistent jamming by the Cuban government, OCB reaches audiences on the island through a variety of high- and low-tech solutions. In addition to satellite television, and shortwave, satellite, and AM radio, OCB launched a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. The Martís also use SMS text messaging as a means to push unfiltered information out to audiences. González's appointment is effective December 12, 2015 (BBG PR via Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, Dec 8, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ?? So is Malule of Cuban heritage or not?? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 1670 HI.., “La Voz del Yuna, Bonao, http://www.lavozdelyuna.org started on the 1st of August, 2015, but we are still only testing. The power of the transmitter is 3 kW and we are working to get the best reach of our signal. It is an initiative of senator Felix Nova, leader of the Council for the Development of Ecotourism of Monseñor Nouel, our province. La Voz del Yuna marked the start of radio and TV in my country, in 1942. It moved to the capital and the building was demolished. Then the legislator restores that work and creates the cultural station and museum which it is today.” (from a QSL to our member Jan Edh) Background info by OA from the web: “The station started operations on August 1, 1942, from Villa de las Hortensias (a nickname for Bonao) and after not more than four years it was moved to the capital and became La Voz Dominicana. The current station is intended to be a replica of the original station” (Dec MW News via DXLD) ** EASTER ISLAND. 13199, 0954, Male Voice mentioned “Easter Island Air” in English. My list shows it should be 13199.9 (Very seldom used) except in emergency (Dallas McKenzie, Buller, New Zealand, HF:- Icom IC-R70, with long wire N-S (100ft),and 20ft whip (30ft above ground), FRG 7700 with long wire E-W (30ft), and, (Sony SW7600G for Stand by), Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** EGYPT. Strong signal of Radio Cairo, low modulation, distorted audio: from 0658 9745 ABS 250 kW / 315 deg ENAm Arabic General Service http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-signal-of-radio-cairo-low.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9900, Radio Cairo heard at 2015 on 12/3/15, talks in French by a male announcer. Fair, but extremely poorly modulated (Bob Brossell, Pewaukee, WI, JRC NRD-545 (Godar DXR-1000 antenna); Eton E1; Sony ICF SW77, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 6 via DXLD) 9964.56, Dec 5 at 0120, R. Cairo is a JBA carrier. 15535, Dec 6 at 1446, LAH between two poor signals. Only one listed in Aoki is Cairo, Abis in Arabic at 13-16; but EiBi also has a CNR1 jammer at 12-14, i.e. vs V. of Tibet same hours on 15537. 9745.04, Dec 7 at 0315, suptorted music, Qur`an? from R. Cairo to North America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5004.996, RNGE RadioDifusión [sic] de Guinea Ecuatorial, from Bata, surprisingly strong at S=6 signal level this morning Dec 3 at 0530 UT. Spanish language male announcer easily heard and could identify, EquGuinea mentioned often, at 0532 UT Hungarian Gypsy violine Czardas music played. Interference QRM on upper sideband noted again, high speed ute with two RTTY signal peaks visible on SDR screen - some exact 200 Hertz distance frequencies apart, on 5006.099 and 5005.899 kHz measured (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, morning logs Dec 3 at 0505 to 0540 UT, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Wolfy, Was interested to see we were both listening to RNGE at the same time! Ron 5005, RNGE Bata. Tuned in at 0504 (Dec 3); had just missed sign on (not on the air at 0459); African pop music; as Wolfy has already reported - "at 0532 UT Hungarian Gypsy violin Czardas music played," which I also heard and at which time they gave a "Radio Nacional" ID; started out weak, but slowly improved. https://app.box.com/s/pyxii9cn3w449cjilejyijlpmd83akpd contains my recording of "Hungarian Gypsy violin Czardas music" (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dec 5, noted RNGE signed on at *0452, on 5005, with signal improving the whole time, till tune out at 0537; nothing but non-stop African pop songs. Seems to be on regularly now (Ron Howard, California, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, Dec 6 at 0437 I start checking for RNGE, and from 0447 keep an offset BFO tuned to 5004.7 to hear a carrier come on, but it never does by 0507 when I quit. Ron Howard has been hearing it regularly in California; last night Dec 5 from *0452 past 0537, nothing but non- stop African songs. Maybe it`s different on Sundays, or was he or anyone hearing it again tonight? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, RNGE on 5005, noted starting about 0455 on Dec 7; their weakest reception so far; very faint audio with repetitive African singing (Ron, California, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) [Re 15-48, my comments questioning a log of RNGE at 0214 UT, reply from Daniel Wyllyans. Other than closing up extra spaces, I am not going to try to fix up this very rough google translation lest I further alter what he is trying to say --- gh] Re: [HCDX] 5005 kHz Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (Radio Bata) Hello, I thank the friend your opinion on my listening as everyone here, who has years and years in listening DX, I am ``small fish `` and I respect him as a my father, friends Hard core dx mys fathers, and whenever you want to give your opinion and welcome. attached your opinion to the video, time radio RX really to do within no is correct, correct is 02:14 UTC = log, anomaly listening time these radio tropical wave band I have children at home I have to take the power outlet, unconfigures time RX, before film I with earphone claim to have heard Spanish, before shoot I with earphone claim to have heard Spanish, about jumpcuts on you tube I presumed is progam on site yotube from MB to KB, = photo facebook 1,5 MB depois = 45 KB. to go fast on the Internet. I recognize that my camcorder is not good, in truth and china bought 12 times ends in February, I'm actually very poor do not have more money a good buy, I truth work at house com cows my wife has mental problems. the radio and won worth more than the house . === ``- Very annoying thing about YT --- if you don`t get out of it quickly, goes on to play unwanted another audiovideo.`` Ok Glenn, no mys videos YT here got it. Sorry any inconvenience manys 73s for you God bless him. === (Daniel Wyllyans, Dec 3, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Daniel, Thanks for explaining. I would not want you to stop these reports with audiovideo clips, just please try to be more careful. We appreciate your enthusiasm and efforts to DX under difficult circumstances. I would suggest you not use so much a 3 km of wire antenna, to make it less likely that you will find overload signals which are not really there. My complaint about automatically playing more unwanted videos is not because of you but just the way YouTube works. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Dec 9, ibid.) And it`s still possible he really did hear RNGE, on the air that date only at a very unexpected time. When there is such an anomaly, the reporter should explain and point it out, rather than leaving us to wonder about it, whether it was a mistake, typo or what (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was in contact with Daniel about a half year ago concerning those distorted recordings, then I found out that the distortion occurs not because of very long antenna but because of his camcorder mic which is very close to radio. Always when he comes too close to his radio the distortion appears. Daniel likes to show us everything around his listening post (I appreciate it) and also details of his display, but moving too close to the speaker is not good. Otherwise - I am very pleased to know such a very active DX observer in Brasil! (Karel Honzík, Czechia, HCDX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 6090, Dec 7 at 0250, Anguilla is still off, so this time I`m standing by for Amhara Radio, scheduled to start at 0300. But nothing heard, no carrier by 0300, altho I am getting S6 on 6110 at 0259 mentioning Fana, and also an S5 on 5950 at 0302 with some music, other Ethiopian frequencies. There is however, a trace of a carrier closer to 6089 amid hash, suspected from a local device. So is Amhara really active, or is that another ex-6090 station? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Also checking Dec 7 at 0258+ on 6090, but heard nothing. Also again 0352-0402 with nothing. No hint of any station signing on. (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. I also heard Fana Broadcasting Corporate (previously known as Radio Fana) on 6110 kHz on Sunday evening (starting around 0255 UT on 7 December) using the Univ. of Twente WebSDR. I was looking for Xizang but heard Fana instead signing on with their interesting IS. I recorded (using my Tecsun ICR-100) the IS and the ID and start of the news bulletin in Amharic (excerpt attached). I had an Ethiopian colleague listen to the recording and answer a few questions I had including one on the meaning of the name. He told me that the word "fana" in this context has the meaning of a pioneer or a founder and was chosen by the station as it claimed to be the first non- governmental broadcaster. In reality, Fana belongs to the governing party (Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front). The other two words in the station's name ("broadcasting" and "corporate") are English loan words in Amharic. My colleague says such words are used for convenience and almost everybody in the country (radio listeners) knows these words. There are Amharic equivalent words but the words are a little awkward for usage and especially for broadcasters. In addition, "broadcasting" and "corporate" are western (recent) concepts and the words have been adopted by most Ethiopian languages. There are several other English and Italian words in the Ethiopian languages. For example, aeroplane (airplane), mercato (market), autobus (bus), parlama (parliament), and so on. By the way, in case you are wondering what the initial news item is about, my colleague says it is about the dam being built at the source of the Nile (-- Richard Langley, Dec 7, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Richard, Very enjoyable listening to your high quality recording. Thanks for posting it and giving us the additional info (Ron Howard, California, ibid.) Thanks, Ron. In this case, I was actually listening to the Twente receiver using Safari on my iPhone and recorded the audio using the microphone input of the Tecsun ICR-100 for a "quick and dirty" recording rather than a line input. By the way, a high-quality recording (via the Web stream?) of the FBC IS and sign-on announcement can be found on the Interval Signals Online website: http://intervalsignals.net/Files/eth-fana_national_240112.m3u (Richard Langley, NB, ibid.) ** ETHIOPIA. Re my: UNIDENTIFIED. 7235.82 approx., Dec 3 at 1405, JBA carrier, which points to always off-frequency EBC by longpath; or does it? EiBi has it on 7236.5 at 14-15 as EBC in Arabic; 15-16 switches to V. of Democratic Alliance clandestine; 16-17 back to EBC in English. Recent report from Wolfgang Büschel puts it a little lower, but supposedly not varying down below 7236: ``7236.372 kHz footprint narrowed - the Ethiopian station always wanders up and down 20-30 Hertz. Scheduled Radio Ethiopia in Arabic in 14-15 UT slot, from Addis Ababa-Gedja site. Noted at 1405 UT on Nov 25 (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 25)`` It seems that Ethiopia does vary below 7236, even below 7235. Wolfgang Büschel now replies: ``re ETH surprisingly 7234.9v, a pity, just before I could MEASURE accurate ODD frequency, ETH broadcast left the air exact at scheduled 0430 UT on day=6 Fridays! The transmission was on the low side close approx. 7234.8 ... x.9 kHz. This Dec 4th 0430 UT morning. 73 wb`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7236.237 kHz footprint narrowed - the Ethiopian station always wanders up to 30 Hertz. Scheduled Radio Ethiopia in 16-17 UT slot, from Addis Ababa-Gedja site. Noted at 16.05 UT on Dec 6, S=7 -81dBm signal strength here in southern Germany. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 6, dxldyg via DXLD) Re how much R. Ethiopia varies around 7235, Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, replies on the DXLD yg Dec 7: ``Good morning, throughout the last few years, I observed this transmission between approx. 7233.x and 7237.x --- so this is absolutely not surprising. This transmitter is often on low modulation, and we have observed roughly the same pattern with the 9560v transmission: always varying slightly on the one hand, but sometimes also drifting +/-2 kHz within minutes or hours, but likely back to the long term mean sooner or later. 73 thorsten`` And Wolfgang Büschel replies to that: ``ETHIOPIA/CHINA. Nothing observed from ETH in 41 mb this morning Dec 7 around 0330-0400 UT - re 7234 - 7237 kHz wandered station from Ethiopia. But now at 1530 UT on Dec 7 noted odd frequency program on 7236.248 kHz, S=8 or -76dBm in Europe and Moscow Russia remote SDR units, but weak tiny threshold in Osaka and Tokyo remote units in Japan. Surprise surprise, noted a lot of downwards channel at 1553 UT on rather 7236.066 kHz, still wandered downwards lowerside. Some 1000 to 1300 Hertz interference whistle tone QRM, against even CRI Kashgar 7235 kHz channel broadcast signal in Chinese. wb`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wolfy, But in the meantime you had reported this [as above], indicating Ethiopia varied a lot more than 30 Hz, like almost 2 kHz down. Do you now think this was really Ethiopia; and my 7235.82 carrier halfway in between? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I remembered the 7236 matter TODAY, to measure the afternoon/night ETH frequency. But sorry, > The transmission was on the low side close approx. 7234.8 ... x.9 kHz. This Dec 4th 0430 UT morning. 0400-0430 UT is SO MUCH UNPLEASANT NIGHT time locally here in Germany, to check their ETH morning oddity accurate measurement. But in long range time, I'll set the focus on these 7234 ... 7237 kHz frequency range in future. I've no idea, which small domestic station broadcasts also in this 7234 to 7236 kHz fq range. 73 wolfy (Büschel, Dec 6, ibid.) ETHIOPIA 7236.063 kHz footprint narrowed at 1645 UT Dec 8, wanders down and up 20 Hertz. wb (Büschel, ibid.) I heard a very weak signal around 7236 kHz this morning around 1430z, but I didn't log it because although I could tell the announcer was male, I couldn't make out the language as the modulation was too close to the noise floor. VOA in Korean (announcer is usually female) from Tinian is scheduled (B15) on 7235 kHz as well as CNR1 (usually more commercials, etc.) around the same time. The signal fading didn't sound like the other Pacific path signals I was receiving this morning (and in fact did sound more like the fading I was hearing from africa), but I didn't want to be too presumptuous. Does anyone know if VOA in Korean from Tinian is actually using that channel as scheduled around 1430z? Is CNR1 actually there as well? I'll try to get a recording if conditions improve and I hear it again (Rodney Johnson, NV, Dec 8, ibid.) I briefly listened again here this morning ~1445z and found two JBA carriers and no modulation. The stronger carrier zero beat right on 7235 kHz (VOA and/or CRI?) and the weaker one ~7236 kHz (Ethiopia?). I didn't have time to listen more than a few minutes. So nobody knows what's happening on this frequency around this time? If not could somebody send me URLs for remote SDRs in the Pacific region so I can check myself? 73s (Rodney Johnson, NV, Dec 9, dxldyg via DXLD) ** EUROPE. CLOSURE OF MW TRANSMITTERS --- By 31 December many stations in Europe will close their MW transmitters on the following frequencies - 162, 549, 603, 711, 756, 864, 1206, 1242, 1269, 1278, 1377, 1404, 1422, 1440, 1494, 1557, per Mike Simmonds at http://members7.boardhost.com/PirateRadio/msg/1449359578.html (Mike Terry, Dec 7, mwdx yg via DXLD) This is not entirely accurate. 1/ The French station on 162 kHz will not close. 2/ The German station on 1179 kHz is not mentioned in this list but it will also shut down. Regards, (Rémy Friess, ibid.) Has it been confirmed that 1422 will close down too? At one time rumours had it that some of the programming on 1440 (was it CRI?) would be switched to 1422 as of January 2016. Best 73’s (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, ibid.) I think it was just a rumour. I don't think the Chinese are that interested in the MW band anyway. They also abandoned their other outlet on 702 kHz. 73s, (Rémy Friess, ibid.) Yes, and last year they also ceased broadcasting from Pori, Finland, 963 kHz (Jorma Mantyla, Kangasala, Finland, ibid.) ** EUROPE. Dear Mr Hauser, Please be informed that new Europe based pirate station Tipperary Radio is making irregular test broadcasts of our facilities and transmitter during the month of December between 6200-6400 kHz. Special limited edition, numbered postal QSLs are available free of charge for this inaugural broadcast for all correct reports sent via email to radiotipperary@hotmail.com containing the sender's name and street address. EQSLs are not available. Our regularly scheduled broadcasts shall commence after the holiday season, when sobriety will be less random and our mental faculties and physical abilities less compromised. Thank you and be well (Timothy Tipperary, Dec 8, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI English teaser --- Glenn: France 24 TV is running this promo for RFI English. Check out this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/vd2i8LYA33s (Charlie Harlich, Sent from my iPhone, Dec 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. 11580, UT Fri Dec 4 at 0218-0223 check, WRMI with fill music instead of RFI English relay, one tune hymnic, ``Coming Together`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Some special programs on DLF and DLR. Final shutdown decommissioning of medium wave in Germany. Abschaltung der Mittelwelle in DLF und DRadio Kultur. Hallo in die Runde. Laut DLF Magazin beschaeftigen sich folgende Sendungen mit dem Thema der Abschaltung der Mittelwelle. [presumably CET?] Im Deutschlandfunk 5. Dezember 20:05 im Anschluss an das Hoerspiel des Monats. 17. Dezember 10:10 Marktplatz 17. Dezember 18:40 Hintergrund 18. Dezember 10:10 Lebenszeit 19. Dezember 17:05 Markt und Medien Im Deutschlandradio Kultur 30. Dezember 19:07 Kultur und Geschichte. (Hans-Juergen Karius-D, DL4YBP, A-DX Nov 30 via BC-DX 5 Dec via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Again this year on Dec 24 NDR transmits ”Gruß an Bord” to seamen on the Indian Ocean and Atlantic as follows: At 1900-2100 on 6185 to North Atlantic, 9810 to Eastern Indian Ocean, 9830 to Atlantic and Indian Ocean (South Africa), 9885 to Western Indian Ocean and 11650 to South Atlantic. At 2100-2300 on 6040 to North Atlantic, 9515 to Western Indian Ocean, 9655 to Southern Atlantic, 9765 to Eastern Indian Ocean and 9830 to Atlantic and Indian Ocean (South Africa). (Ghibaudo and Kuhl, DSWCI DX Window Dec 9 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Weak signal of Europa 24 on December 3 0715 & 0800 on 6150 DET 015 kW / non-dir to CeEu German http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/weak-signal-of-europa-24-on-december-3.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Here is what I heard today in Skovlunde on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire: 6005.00, *1300-1358* 5.12, R 700, Kall-Krekel (1 kW) RMRC special broadcast from EDXC Conference in St. Petersburg with interviews by Harald Gabler of Chrissy Brand (BDXC), Jan-Mikael Nurmela and Kari Kivekäs (both EDXC) 35333 AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. 11580 via WRMI broadcast from Rhein Mein Radio Club started at 2200. Excellent signals. Program in remembrance of this year`s EDXC conference in St.Petersburg, Russia (Stephen C Wood, Harwich, Mass., Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, very good signal in Wyomissing too! Heard and interview with Chrissy Brand promoting next year's proposed venue in Manchester, England. 73, (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA yg via DXLD) Viz.: 11580, USA, Rhein-Main Radio Club via WRMI-Okeechobee, Florida, 2205- 2246 Dec 5, tuned in for the special EDXC Conference special enjoying Harald Gabler doing interviews with attendees. Very good signal (Rich D'Angelo, 2216 Burkey Drive, Wyomissing, PA 19610, U.S.A., Ten-Tec RX- 340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 6 via DXLD) Repeats: 6.12.2015 on 5850 kHz at 2300-0000 UT (Sunday evening in North America) to North America (English) 6.12.2015 on 9955 kHz at 0500-0600 UT December 6 to the Caribbean and Latin America 7.12.2015 on 7570 kHz at 2100-2200 UT December 7 (Monday afternoon / evening in North America) to North America. This may also be audible in Europe. (English) 7.12.2015 on 15770 kHz at 2100-2200 UT (Monday afternoon/evening in North America) Harald Gabler, Rhein-Main-Radio-Club, via https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/edxc-broadcast-december-2015/ Posted by: ("Alan Pennington", BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) 5850, Dec 6 at 2330-2400, catch second half of the RMRC special about EDXC 2015 conference in St. Petersburg: Dr Harald Gabler hosting VG signal with mixture of interviews, classic rock tunes, plugs for club`s new QSL calendar, etc. One more repeat scheduled on WRMI: Monday Dec 7 at 21-22 on 7570 and 15770 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. Frequency changes of Deutsche Welle effective from December 15, all 250 kW: 0400-0500 12025 MDC / 300 deg EAf English, ex 11810, re-ex 11800 0500-0600 15405 MDC / 300 deg SAf English, ex 15520, re-ex 15275 1600-1700 15190 DHA / 225 deg EAf Amharic, ex 15560 And upcoming frequency change of DW effective from January 15, 2016 0630-0700 11800 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg WAf Hausa (alt. freq. 13610), ex 9800 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/frequency-changes-of-deutsche-welle.html (Ivo Ivanov, Blgariya, Dec 9, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GIBRALTAR. 1458, R. Gibraltar, Maida Vale, 2155 09-Nov-15, Ellie Goulding " Love Me Like You Do" and Radio Gibraltar ID (Allen Willie, Carbonear, NL, ICOM R-75 with 150m wire to NE and 183m wire to SE, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) What a catch ** GOA [non]. 9870, Dec 7 at 1425, nothing but CRI English, very poor, as AIR VBS from Bengaluru is temporarily off, per Jose Jacob, transmitters there needed to substitute for ailing GOA units on other frequencies. So if you hear a listed Panaji frequency and it sounds OK, it may well be Bengaluru instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: AIR Panaji SW transmitter problem --- The following schedule is noted via Bengaluru *ex Panaji 1315-1415 11560 Dari (Afghanistan, Pakistan) 1415-1530 11560 Pushtu (Afghanistan, Pakistan) 1615-1730 7505 Hindi (Middle East) 1730-1830 7505 Malayalam (Middle East) Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India Mobile: +91 94416 96043, http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos Dec 3, dx_india yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** GREECE. Voice of Greece is again on shortwave, December 3-4 2022&2100 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, Dec 3 0600-0710 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, Dec 4 No signal from Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz at 0720UTC, Dec 4 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-is-again-on-shortwave_4.html Voice of Greece is again on shortwave, December 4-5 2001&2100 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, Dec 4 0515&0745 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, Dec 5 No signal from Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz at 0805UTC, Dec 5 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-is-again-on-shortwave_5.html (DX RE MIX NEWS #929 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov Dec. 7, 2015 via DXLD) V. of Greece back on shortwave, Dec 7 after absence of several days: from 1758 on 9420*AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek, co-ch CNR 13 Uyghur till 1805 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-was-back-on-sw-dec7.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec 6-7, dxldyg via DXLD) Voice of Greece transmissions on shortwave on December 8-9: 1951-2100 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg WeEu Greek QRM RFA+CNR-1 on 9410 from 0608 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg WeEu Greek and off air at 0630 UT http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/voice-of-greece-transmissions-on.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Dec 8, Blgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA [and non]. Presentamos DISCULPAS por lo sucedido con nuestro video de Radio Verdad TV 056. El video había sido bloqueado por tres países europeos. YouTube de Guatemala, impugnó dichos bloqueos, en nuestra defensa. En represalia, el servidor de Italia nos anuló el video completo para todo el mundo, y nos anuló la administración de nuestro canal. En consecuencia, ya no podríamos seguir subiendo videos a nuestro canal de Radio Verdad TV. YouTube de Guatemala y License Source de Guatemala hicieron gestiones ante ellos, y lograron que me rehabilitaran la administración del canal, pero, nos dejaron sanciones graves para 6 meses. License Source de Guatemala continúa haciendo gestiones para que el servidor de Italia nos quite las sanciones, puesto que, nos aplicaron sanciones graves, sin habernos amonestado antes. Radio Verdad TV agradece mucho a YouTube y License Source de Guatemala, por sus gestiones en favor de Radio Verdad TV. Por esas razones, quedó deshabilitado nuestro video 056 para todo el mundo; pero, lo analizaremos y volveremos a subir después, para que nuestros más de 100,000 televidentes en todo el mundo no queden defraudados. Recuerde que Radio Verdad TV es un canal educativo y cristiano, y esperamos que no continúen las acciones en su contra. Dentro de un momento, vamos a publicar otro video de "Volviendo a Jesús" TV. Con todo aprecio de su Canal Educativo Evangélico Radio Verdad TV (Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid, Radio Verdad TV, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t get it; why would they bother to block this in Italy? (gh) ** HAWAII. Official Updates from the FCC. STATIONS GOING DARK: 620, KHNU, Hilo – Station had been silent Nov. 21, 2014; new owners applied for a last-minute STA with U3 5000/5000 with an unspecified pattern from four towers at a temporary site outside the original KHNU service area, so the FCC couldn’t grant it in time for the station to get back on the air within one year; FCC deleted the license in a December 4 letter to the new owners. No word about what happens with the synchro relays at Kalaoa and Naalehu (David Yocis, DC, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) ** INDIA. With effect from 10th Dec, 2015 transmissions from All India Radio SPT, Rajkot using 1000 kW MW DRM transmitter has been re- scheduled as following: [subtract 5:30 for UT] 0545-0630 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Urdu + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 0630-0730 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Sindhi + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 0730-1000 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Urdu + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 1200-1345 IST - Pure DRM Mode - 1071 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 1400-1800 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Urdu + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 1800-2030 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Sindhi + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 2030-2130 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Baluchi + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1: Vividh Bharati, Prog 2: Urdu) 2130-0100 IST - Simulcast Mode - AM 1071 kHz Urdu + DRM 1080 kHz (Prog 1 : Vividh Bharati, Prog 2 : Urdu) Transmitter will now carry 3 channels simultaneously, one in AM mode & two in DRM mode. --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Dec 7, dx_india yg via DXLD) SPT = super power transmitter DRM 1080 or 1081 kHz as earlier? Is DRM also carried with 1000 kW? Thanks, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) ** INDIA. 4970, AIR Shillong, 1401, Dec 6. In English; “This is the North Eastern Service of All India Radio broadcasting from Shillong on shortwave 60.26 meters, corresponding to 4,970 kilohertz and an additional FM 100.1 megahertz. It's time now for a feature in English titled 'Hero of Social Justice.' This is a feature of the life and works of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar”; one of the principal architects of the Indian constitution; fairly readable and informative program. My audio at https://app.box.com/s/qjlfzpdl12xdxquqo34gc6rpaqlqvs2b (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. LAUNCHING OF A WEBSITE BY ALL INDIA RADIO FOR ITS EXTERNAL SERVICES --- AIR, 9 December 2015 http://www.indianfrontliners.com/article/22882-launching-of-a-website-by-all-india-radio-for-its-external-services/118-embassy-news All India Radio has launched a multimedia website for its external service. The website airworldservice.org is presently available in English, Hindi and Urdu languages. The content consists of rich bouquet of news, current affairs, programmes on culture, heritage, music, art, tourism, health-care, issues relating to economy, investment, development, education etc. The website which has a blend of text, pictures, video and audio components, also features live streaming of radio programmes. It also has a segment of “Radio On Demand”. The External Services of All India Radio have been broadcasting their programmes in 27 languages (15 foreign and 12 Indian). They are reaching out to more than 140 countries through medium and short wave. Broadcasts are aimed at Indians living abroad as well as others worldwide. The programmes of AIR have wide following as is evident from large number of letters, e-mails received by the different language services. It is mainly for Indian Diaspora and to give the listeners a feel of Home away from home. AIR also broadcast in Bangla, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, Pashtu, Punjabi, Nepali, Saraiki, Sindhi, Sinhala, Tamil and Tibetan for the neighbouring countries. Their objective is to project the progress and policies of India, along with its arts and culture. All Indian nationals living in Kuwait, who are interested to see the external service of All India Radio may log to its website http://www.airworldservice.org/ Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** INDIA. Message from N. Thiyagarajan ADGE(SZ) Chennai about safety and operations of AIR & DD Thank you for your concern. All our staff are OK. Yes, situation was very grim and continues to. City is witnessing heavy and torrential rains after 1918. At present rain has subsided. If it does not relapse then there wont be much difficulty. City is thrown out of gear. All our services on "AIR & DD" are functional, thanks to our officers and staff. They have been doing a commendable job indeed. I gather some pvt TV channels were forced to close due to rain. I could not write on this group as internet was in accessible. I was conserving my mobile battery and in touch with DG, EINC and all though SMS. Every disaster teaches us many things. Power and internet are the first casualty, followed by Landline. Mobile networks also don't function. City was powerless for 48 hours and even now some areas are reeling under darkness. The DDGEs of AIR and DD stayed overnight at office. Hope things will look up soon. Everything is being managed well!! Don't worry!!! So thanks again! Good luck to all!! *N .Thiyagarajan* *Additional Director General (Engineering) South Zone* *AIR & DD MAINTENANCE* --- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Dec 3, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. RADIO CONNECTS FLOOD VICTIMS --- Southgate December 4, 2015 http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/december/radio_connects_flood_victims.htm The Indian Mail Today reports "Good old radio emerged as the only thing connecting the people of Chennai with the outside world during the worst hours of flooding" The newspaper says: When all other communication links were down, All India Radio’s Chennai station managed to broadcast regular news bulletins about the situation in Tamil Nadu. The broadcast remained uninterrupted despite the fact that the news room itself was flooded. The AIR [All India Radio] even increased the frequency of news bulletins to ensure that people get all the information about the calamity as it unfolded. The same news is repeated within this UK Daily Mail story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-3344990/RAISINA-TATTLE-Lt-Gen-Bipin-Rawat-takes-new-chief-southern-command.html All India Radio (AIR) https://twitter.com/airnewsalerts/status/672724347325313024 Indian Mail Today http://mailtoday.in/ Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INDIA. Unscheduled transmission of All India Radio in English Dec 8 1315-1415 on 11560 PAN 250 kW / 330 deg to WeAs Dari as scheduled B-15 1415-1530 on 11560 PAN 250 kW / 330 deg to WeAs Pashto, scheduled B-15 1530-1537 on 11560 PAN 250 kW / 330 deg to WeAs English unscheduled px http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unscheduled-transmission-of-all-india.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Dec 8, Blgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) In other words, they just ran 7 minutes over. And it soon came out that 11560 has Bengaluru substituting, a drawback of always publishing a transmitter site as if it were written in stone (gh, DXLD) See GOA ** INDIA. Here is some news on AIR. Effective 1st Dec, 2015 AIR GOS- II (General Overseas Service in English) at 1000-1100 UT can also be heard in addition to SW via Chinsurah 1000 kW transmitter near Kolkata on 1134 kHz (MW) directed to SE Asia. Reception reports are welcome at specially from the listeners in the subcontinent and So.Ea.Asia. Also 9870 kHz from Bengaluru with Vividh Bharati at 1245-1735 UT is off the air for the time being and which is used for other {substitute Goa Panaji services, wb.} services during this period (Alok Dasgupta, INDIA, Dec 2, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 4 via DXLD) In der Region ist der Sender gut* zu empfangen. [* only S=7-8 signal in Doha Qatar remote SDR unit, similar S=8 signal in southern Greece, wb. at 0738 UT on Dec 5] (BC-DX 5 Dec via DXLD ** INDONESIA. New 3325.00 (ex: 3324.88), RRI Palangkaraya, 1330, Dec 7; audio off at 1333* (only open carrier) till tuned out at 1340 (still just open carrier). Continuing to adjust the transmitter? For about two years had been on 3324.88 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3344.85, RRI Ternate on Dec 9 had definite open carrier onward from 1349, but never strong enough for any audio here, but in Japan, Hiroyuki Komatsubara heard them on 3344.87 at 0925 till 1458 playing "Palau Ambon" at sign off. https://youtu.be/VLTmcgJdHs0 has Dec 9 (not 10) reception. BTW - Dec 9 again found RRI Makassar off the air (4749.94); at 1433 had decent signal from Bangladesh Betar and very light QRM from CNR1 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9526-, Dec 3 at 1435, not even a JBA carrier from Voice of Indonesia, which is about all I can ever expect any more. What does Atsunori Ishida say about recent activity? No signal from 1115 Nov 29, missing on Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, but on Dec 3: ``1044c/on-1110- with very poor. No signal at 1155. Chinese announcement at 1100`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And then so does Ivo: No signal from Voice of Indonesia, Dec 1-3: 1000-1100 on 9526#JAK 250 kW / 135 deg to AUS English 1100-1200 on 9526#JAK 250 kW / 010 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 9526#JAK 250 kW / 010 deg to EaAs Japanese 1300-1400 on 9526#JAK 250 kW / 010 deg to EaAs English 1400-1500 on 9526#JAK 250 kW / 010 deg to EaAs Indonesian 1500-1600 on 9526*JAK 250 kW / 010 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 9526^JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Arabic 1700-1800 on 9526 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu Spanish 1800-1900 on 9526 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu German 1900-2000 on 9526 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu English 2000-2100 on 9526 JAK 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu French # QRM Voice of America in Mandarin on 9530 * co-ch China Radio Int in English on 9525 ^ QRM TRT Voice of Turkey in Farsi on 9530 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/no-signal-from-voice-of-indonesia-dec1-3.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Possible harmonic --- Hi all, The US Navy Fleet Sat Comm is rebroadcasting exotic FM DX. Myself & Jurgen Bartels think this is Congo: http://dx.3sdesign.de/unid/254770-FF-IDx-151205.mp3 Satcom is likely receiving the side of a signal on 295.8, possibly 3x 98.6? RX: Icom 9500 IF out feeding SDR; ant: CLP 5130 Log Periodic -- (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, UK Director #KresySiberia, Dec 9, harmonics yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) Certainly sounds like French intonation; mentions ``congolais`` at 1:29. Even if it`s not a harmonic, this is a fascinating subset of DXing engaged in by very few --- unintentional satellite relays of domestic broadcaster studio-transmitter linx or harmonics, on VHF (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here`s my complete Satcom log from the last week: Log, Tim Bucknall, G-CW12 4 Congleton, 02w14/53n10, IC-R9500 IF output feeding Burkhardt Reuter RDR54D1 SDR CLP 5130, Log Periodic MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 2015-11-29 245.20 1306 NCG Radio Maria STL, via Satcom mass (mono) STL for AM 1400 khz? 249.40 1837 ? UNID WFM Indian? Mx, via Satcom qrm from Satcom trfc 255.78 1827 PAK WFM BC STL, via Satcom qrg: 255.7757 weak stereo carriers at +/- 19 khz 261.28 1744 ? UNID WFM BC, via Satcom cut up by data bursts 265.55 1334 ? UNID WFM BC, Latin America very poor (via Satcom) 268.45 1352 ? UNID WFM BC, Latin America v poor (via Satcom) 2015-11-30 254.74 2207 IRN IRIB STL, via Satcom (east) acapela yl song low mod 257.10 2001 WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) v poor, rlg service? 257.60 2116 ? WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) coldplay song: trouble 260.63 2219 ? video buzz?, via Satcom (east) xmod or cable tv leakage? 260.633 MHz 267.10 1634 ? UNID WFM BC STL, via Satcom (east) v poor 269.65 2202 PHL UNID soft pops WFM STL, via Satcom (east) not// DWKC stream 2015-12-01 250.10 1746 UNID WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) obliterated by legit. traffic 265.45 1909 UNID WFM BC, via Satcom (west) qrm from Brazil freebanders 269.96 1913 NCG UNID SS RLG WFM BC, Nicaragua (via Satcom) qrg: 269.957 Stereo! corkscrew drift pattern 2015-12-02 249.40 1331 UNID WFM BC STL, via Satcom (east) v poor (SS?) 2015-12-04 249.45 1606 UNID WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) Satcom is rxing it off-freq 253.75 1622 UNID WFM BC, Latin America (via Satcom) severe qrm from freebanders 254.07 1623 UNID WFM BC, Latin America (via Satcom) v poor. qrg: 254.075 261.60 0612 WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) severe qrm from mil comms 265.55 0619 2nd WFM BC on frq, Latin America (via Satcom) distorted om tlk xf mx 268.35 1738 WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) ex poor 269.95 1749 2nd WFM BC on frq, Latin America (via Satcom) v poor 2015-12-05 243.63 1400 ? Vatican R WFM BC (Harmonic?), via Satcom S.E church svc, qrg: 243.625 tnx to Jurgen B for tip 252.63 2047 UNID WFM BC STL, poor qrg: 252.625mhz 254.77 1829 UNID FF WFM BC STL, Congo? African mx, blocked by Brazil open mic from 1906 254.78 1921 PRG Radio Uno, Asuncion (via Satcom) football commentary qrg: 254.775 180km 257.15 2037 UNID WFM BC STL, very poor,severe qrm 269.85 1433 ? UNID WFM BC STL, Latin America (via Satcom) terrible qrm from US Navy 2015-12-08 249.57 1949 SS mono WFM STL, Latin America (via Satcom) long SS monologue 249.57 1954 UNID 2nd weaker WFM BC, Latin America (via Satcom) 268.44 2029 PRU Radio La Beta, Cajamarca (via Satcom) Mono WFM STL (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, harmonics yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) Did I ever tell you guys about the weird mixing products that Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope re-radiates on FM when it rains? (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, UK Director #KresySiberia, harmonix yg via DXLD) ** IRAN. 7 Dec 2015 at 1523 on 7360 VOIRI in Azeri. This program seems to be produced in Tabriz as they ID "Inja Tabriz Radyosu". I recall it's been that way for years, but just now happened to hear them ID'ing that way. Listed 1420-1650. This tx listed as Zahedan. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very odd frequency of Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran IRIB on Dec 5: from 2011 on 6061.6 ZAH 500 kW / 289 deg to NEAf Arabic, instead of nominal 6060.0 Full B-15 schedule of VIRI IRIB via this transmitter in Zahedan is: 0223-0520 9895 500 kW / 289 deg NEAf Arabic Al-Quds TV, not checked 0523-1420 15750 500 kW / 289 deg NEAf Arabic, observed nominal freq. 1423-1650 7360 500 kW / 289 deg WeAs Azeri, observed nominal freq. 1653-0220 6060 500 kW / 289 deg NEAf Arabic, some days on 6061.6v: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/very-odd-frequency-of-voice-of-islamic.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very odd frequency of Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran IRIB on Dec 8 1423-1650 7361.5 ZAH 500 kW / 289 deg WeAs Azeri, instead of nom. 7360 1652-0020 6061.5 ZAH 500 kW / 289 deg NEAf Arabic instead of nom. 6060 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/very-odd-frequency-of-voice-of-islamic_9.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Dec 8, Blgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN [and non]. IRAN Tonight at 0220 to present 0245 UT Dec 6, I noted IRIB Tehran signal in Spanish on 7225 kHz to South America, and also on 9445 kHz to zones 11 and 12 in Central America on overtime, latter extended to 0320 UT slot TOO? Measured 9445.006 kHz from Kamalabad site S=9+35dB powerhouse here in Germany, and CeAM signal 7225.0 kHz too, at same S=9+35dB level. Had a lot of talk on Muslim terrorist bomb blowing on Madrid and London metro stations. Despite this deep UT night, we hear unusually only poor tiny signals from N America like in 41, 31 and 25 mb, REAL DEEP WINTER CONDITION. On the opposite very strong signals from the eastern world: powerhouses from IBB Kuwait, various AIR India outlets, and also strong SLBC Trinco 11905 kHz at 0230 UT. BRAZIL 11780.101 RNB/RNA on tiny poor S=3 threshold level at 0205 UT Dec 6. wb df5sx (Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN. I got on the World Service of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting "Certificate of Merit". This is in response to my reports for admission to the "Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran." View it: http://rusdx.blogspot.ru/2015/12/blog-post_89.html (Anatoly Klepov, Moscow, Russia, RusDX Dec 6 via DXLD) ** ITALY. Schedule of next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International --- Greetings from Italy! Here is the schedule for the next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International: 05th December 2015, from 1300 to 1430 UT 06th December 2015, from 0900 to 1300 UT Our frequency is 11390 kHz and power in the region of 30 watts. Test broadcasts consist of non stop music, station identification announcements in Italian, English, Spanish as well as DX shows in English and Italian. MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Audio clips (mp3-file) of our broadcasts are welcome! Until now reception reports, found to be correct, have been received from 13 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. We are anxious to receive feedbacks from more countries! We QSL 100%. Our E-mail address is: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com We hope that you will share this information with your members. Thank you very much for your cooperation – (Marconi Radio International (MRI) Short wave test broadcasts from Italy on 11390 kHz, Dec 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST; also via Manuel Méndez, DXLD yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 5006, Dec 5 at 1338, JBA continuous AM carrier here (not 5005) on 60m bandscan, as often detectable. I assume it must be the experimental station in Japan, which does not qualify as a broadcaster for WRTH. Aoki shows: 5006 HFD Radio Station 0000-2400 1234567 H3A 0.2 ND Tokyo-Chofu J 3539N 13932E JG2XA // 8006 So what kind of ``programming`` is there? IIRC it`s for propagation research. Only 200 watts! Here`s a report from late 2013 as in DXLD 14-02: ``JAPAN. 5006, 1801-, JG2XA, Dec 28. Pretty strong carrier, and very weak [M]CW audible at the top of each minute. // 8006 as well. Tried various modes to hear the CW better, but to no avail (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Haida Gwaii, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` (Glenn Hauser, Dec 5, 2015, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. 6055, Thu Dec 3 at 1351, English lesson from RN-1, levels 3 and 4, American accent, yet with Big-Ben-like chiming tune in background, discussion topic: Nobel Prizes; fair (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. I DID IT! The QSL I kinda, sorta got --- I know, you must be asking yourself, "The QSL he kinda got?" Well, look who I got mail from the other day (click the link below for the picture. http://www.onairdj.com/qsl.jpg (Enlarge the picture and look at the return address). Ironically, the QSL card was not in there, it's missing. The letter was from June, the other dated material was from September and November (Paul Walker, AR, Dec 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Handwritten envelope addresses Bummer, not even a vintage stamp! Considering the hand written address and return address, I wonder if they they are unaccustomed to sending mail. Or, is the use of a plain envelope driven by their economy's dire straits? Of course, we'll never know. I wonder how far up the command chain one must go to get permission to communicate with a person in the United States (Ron Hunsicker, Wyomissing, PA 19610-2102, ODXA yg via DXLD) The letter inside did indicate they were writing because they got the letter, saying I listen, so it's a quasi QSL. Not good enough for my needs. I`m not picky like some Dx'ers; a card, a letter, something scrawled on a napkin would work, but I need time/date/frequency to qualify as a QSL (Paul Walker, ibid.) These days a verification via mail is becoming a rarity; just like a vintage bottle of 100 year rye whiskey! And some stations do not have the staff to man the requests for verifications, which in my opinion, we fall at the bottom of the pile of correspondences. And your pretense that a time/date/frequency qualities for a QSL, yes, but unless you send a Prepared Verification Card, with the details filled in, you will not get it; what ever station feels like responding to. There are exceptions (as these are the Latins) so if you really want that full data card, then send a Prepared Verification Card, asking for them just to sign the card and return it back to you. I have used this method with great success in the past. Myself, I have received a vague 'thank you for listening to our station' e-mail and if that's all you get, that's all you will get. It's not like days gone by when QSL'ing was a thrill, getting that envelope with unique and rare stamps, with the card or letter (or both enclosed). (Edward Kusalik, AB, QSL'ing since 1965, ibid.) When I write a station, and ask for a QSL and tell them what I'd like on the QSL card, I usually get it (Paul Walker, ibid.) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5985, Dec 3 at 1347, Sea Breeze from JAPAN, with usual YL in urgent Thursday English, but very poor, hard to copy, characteristic electronic stingers interspersed. Maybe jamming noise and/or Myanmar underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA. Is V28 operated by Army? 3276.876 kHz, 2015 Dec 5, 1330~1340 UT, Anyang, South Korea, G35DDC + 303WA-2 [9:24 clip:] https://youtu.be/TMkrbCt9zhU After closing, some Korean words heard. I translate the Korean words in English. "you the sucker, stand up, bow". Is V28 operated by North or South Korea army? (Sungchul Cho, Dec 5, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. TAJIKISTAN, Good signal of clandestine Radio Free North Korea 1200-1300 on 9470 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to NEAs Korean, December 5: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-clandestine-radio-free.html Good signal of clandestine Voice of Wilderness 1330-1530 on 7615 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to NEAs Korean, Dec.5: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-clandestine-voice-of.html Good signal of clandestine National Unity Broadcasting Station 1300-1500 on 7515 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to NEAs Korean, former Radio Free Chosun http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-clandestine-national.html Good signal of clandestine North Korea Reform Radio 1430-1530 on 7590 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to NEAs Korean on December 5: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/good-signal-of-clandestine-north-korea.html (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF-2001D, dxldyg via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 9400, Dec 3 at 1420, Denge Kurdistan concert of YL vocalisations, poor-fair via PRIDNESTROVYE, but then dead air 1424- 1429 before resuming at weaker level (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Final B-15 schedule of Denge Kurdistan 0400-0800 on 9400 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0800-1200 on 9400#ERV 300 kW / 192 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1200-1500 on 9400#KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1500-1700 on 9400*SOF 100 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1700-2000 on 9400 ISS 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish 2000-2200 on 9400 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish # co-ch FEBC Radio in Chinese 0900-1400 * plus strong second harmonic on 18800. http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/final-b-15-schedule-of-denge-kurdistan.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. About a year ago, I became interested in receiving station Ovozi Tojik (Voice of Tajik) at a frequency of 7245 kHz. Power 100 kW, the antenna is non-directional. On the Russian broadcast two times a day, from 0800 to 1000 and 1600 to 1800 UT. But thanks to the Chinese "tusuyuschim" on the same frequency, take Voice Tajiks I could not. [Google can`t translate tusuyuschim, but detects it as Uzbek, not Russian; is that so?? --- gh] Recently I learned that Kyrgyzstan also broadcasts in Russian. The radio station Radio Birinchi. Timetables on the official website there. That will bring the schedule from the site Short-wave.info. From 0000 to 0020 UT on at a frequency of 4820 kHz, on Monday and Tuesday in Russian and Kyrgyz languages ?? (there are alternative frequency 4819.8 kHz). In the remaining days in Russian, Kyrgyz and English. [****] From 0200 to 0220 UT on 4820 kHz at a frequency only on Monday and Tuesday, in Russian and Kyrgyz languages. From 1100 to 1110 UT on 4820 kHz frequency on all days except Tuesday, in Russian. From 1600 to 1630 UT on 4820 kHz frequency on all days of the week in Russian. The transmitter in Bishkek, the omni-directional antenna, the power of 15 kW. On Tuesdays from 0430 to 0500 at the frequency of 4010 kHz, they broadcast in the Ukrainian language. Here the transmitter power of 100 kW, the omni-directional antenna. So please all users of the portal, if possible, promonitorit these frequencies, there really broadcasting in Russian. Well worth adding to our portal. All thanks in advance. http://dxing.ru/forum.html?func=view&catid=21&id=33119#33124 (via RusDX Dec 6 via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** LAOS. Hallo A-dxer, ich habe soeben in das englischsprachige Programm von LNR Vientiane von 1400-1430 UT hereingehört. Ein Großteil der Sendung galt dem Besuch einer chinesischen Delegation in Vientiane. Vereinbart wurde eine Fremdsprachenredaktion in Chinesisch, die Sendungen werden ab 2. Dezember auf 576 und 6130 ausgestrahlt, eine genaue Sendezeit blieb man vorerst schuldig. Im darauf folgenden französischsprachigen px nannte man "2100 GMT" als Sendezeit, das wäre 0500 Uhr Ortszeit im Reich der Mitte. Das würde heißen, daß LNR den Kampf mit PBS auf 6130 kHz schon zwei Stunden früher beginnt und die Empfangschancen in Europa steigen, wenn auch mit Gleichkanalstörungen. Ich bleibe am Ball. Viele Grüsse, (Uwe Volk, QTH: Tha Mai, Provinz Chanthaburi, THAILAND via A-DX via SW Bulletin Dec 6 via DXLD) Herzlichen Dank an unseren Südostasien Korrespondenten für die Exklusivmeldung! Seit die Domain http://www.laonationalradio.com vor einigen Monaten verfallen ist, war auch der Spaß der täglichen Sendung hier vorbei. 73 (Christoph Ratzer via A-DX via SW Bulletin Dec 6 via DXLD) Hallo a-dxer, die Überprüfung der Frequenzen 567 und 6130 kHz am 2. und 3. Dezember ergab folgenden geänderten Sendeplan: bis 1330 UT Inlandsdienst in Lao 1330-1400 UT Khmer 1400-1430 UT Chinesisch - neu- 1430-1500 UT Englisch [ex 1400-1430] 1500-1530 UT Französisch 1530-1600 UT Thai 1600-1630 UT Vietnamesisch 1630 UT kommt eine Programmvorschau in Lao für den Folgetag. 1632 UT s/off LNR begeht in diesen Tagen das 55-jährige Stationsjubiläum und das 45- jährige Bestehen der Volksdemokratischen Republik Laos. Viele Grüsse, (Uwe Volk, Thailand, via A-DX via SW Bulletin Dec 6 via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 6050, ELWA Radio, Monrovia, *0526-0700, 06-12, classic music, at 0535, religious program in English, comments and songs. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL- 880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADEIRA. 1530, Posto Emissor de Funchal, Poiso, 1848-1905, 05-12, Portuguese songs, interference VOA Sao Tome same frequency. 12321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL-880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 5995, Dec 8 at 0707, S6 open carrier, dead air, no modulation audible, presumably ORTM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 700, Dec 3 at 1320-1327+, rustic off-key fiddle & guitar tunes, occasional shouts interspersed, roughly from WSW so presumably the usual, XEETCH, native 5 kW daytimer in Etchojoa, Sonora; the only other possibility XEGD in Parral, Chihuahua. Alone on the frequency, with not much else from Mexico on low-band; yet by 1339 UT it`s out and WLW is back in. Enid sunrise today: 1326 UT; our latest at 1343 UT will not be for another month, but our earliest sunset of the year is almost upon us: 2316 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 700, Dec 4 at 1334 UT, some more of that rustic local music, this time by drums and flute, presumed XEETCH Etchojoa, Sonora; unlike yesterday there is CCI from something in Spanish counterclockwise, no doubt KHSE in The Metroplex TX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 1060+, Dec 9 at 0711, off-frequency one is ``La Estación de Todos``, presumably XERDO in Tamaulipas, last measured in November at 1060.04 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 1300, Dec 6 at 0130 UT, amid nicely sung slow rancheras, ``1,300-AM, Radio Mexicana`` dominating for now, so presumably usual XEP Ciudad Juárez, likely 38 kW day power. However, R. Mexicana is not a listed slogan for XEP or any 1300 in WRTH 2015, Cantú as of Feb 2015, nor IRCA log as of 2014. We`ll see what the 2016 WRTH and the 2015 IRCA Log on the way have to say (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 1350, XELBL, San Luis Rio Colorado, Son. NOV 22, 1329 - ID giving call letters, slogan ("Radio Centro"), power (8000 watts), address ("en Avenida Kino y Calle Quinta"), and member of OIR. Signal was fading but I think they went into a program of U.S. oldies music. Semi-regular lately around sunrise with no noise from local 1340 KDCO IBOC, which was switched off one month ago (permanently we hope). (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO; Drake R8, 4-foot box loop, NRC IDXD 83- 06, December, 2015 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 1510, XEQI, Monterrey, NL - 0259 UT 11/7/2015 - Heard during 10 seconds of dead-air silence from WLAC with legal call letter ID, "Sistema Radio y Televisión Nuevo León" and "Alternativa" slogan, thanks to Neil Kazaross for confirming ID, weak on South D-KAZ, new. 73, (Tim Tromp, West Michigan, Perseus SDR + North/South 117' D-KAZ, ABDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 1610, XEUACH, R. Chapingo, Chapingo, NOV 26, 0053 - Strong local like signal with discussion between two men. Station is back on the air after outage lasting several weeks (Mike Beu, KD5DSQ, Austin TX; Drake R8B, terminated Delta antenna (17-ft apex and 28-ft base) northeast, Mini-Flag antenna (7 by 15-ft) southeast, NRC IDXD 83-06, December, 2015 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. FYI, in case you hadn't seen the official notice yet. http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015120740916/mexico-delays-analogue-switch-off-by-a-year.html Best regards (Richard B. Langley, NB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: MEXICO DELAYS ANALOGUE SWITCH-OFF BY A YEAR Juan Fernández González | 07 December 2015 After listening to broadcasters and analysts across the country, Mexico's Senate has faced reality and is postponing the country’s analogue switch-off for another year. Even though the government has lately been rushing http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015110540544/mexico-hastens-toward-dtt.html#axzz3tYWafKlR to ensure every Mexican home has the necessary technology to receive and watch digital TV, several broadcasters are not close to being ready. Therefore, the Senate has offered an extension for those networks and channels that need extra time. Mostly targeting small and local operators, the extension has moved the switch-off date to 31 December 2016. The Senate's decision doesn’t change the deadline for getting the population DTT-ready, however, and homes should still be DTT-ready by the end of this month According to the resolution, “both the analogue switch-off and the IFT http://www.ift.org.mx/ regulations are not changed by this decision”. However, it does lead to a scenario in which a mainly digital TV sector will have to coexist with some smaller analogue channels. Mexico is the Latin American country in which DTT deployment is most advanced, http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015073139290/mexico-argentina-lead-latam-into-dtt-era.html however, it has delayed the analogue switch-off - initially scheduled for 2014 - several times. Follow us: @rapidtvnews on Twitter (via Langley, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** MEXICO. APRUEBAN DICTAMEN PARA QUE 29 EMISORAS APLACEN APAGÓN ANALÓGICO --- by gruporadioescuchaargentino Con 17 votos a favor y tres en contra, la Comisión de Radio y Televisión de la Cámara de Diputados, que preside la legisladora Lía Limón García (PVEM), aprobó en lo general el dictamen de la minuta del Senado para prorrogar hasta por un año la entrada de alrededor de 29 emisoras públicas estatales o complementarias, y las sociales, al apagón analógico, a pesar de que no sean de baja potencia. El propósito, explicó Limón García, es evitar que se queden sin señal las localidades remotas o con baja población, a las cuales no llega otro tipo de frecuencia, y así no se afecte su derecho a la información ni el derecho de las audiencias. “Esta excepción ya existe para las estaciones de baja potencia, lo que se hace es ampliarla para algunas emisoras públicas y complementarias, que sí son de alta potencia, pero que tienen un carácter social”, subrayó. Enfatizó que el apagón analógico no se está aplazando, ya que tiene una fecha fatal establecida para el 31 de diciembre de este año, como lo marca la Constitución. Esta modificación de la legislación secundaria, explicó, va enfocada particularmente a los medios públicos y estaciones de carácter social. Abundó que gracias a estos medios de información es que ciertas poblaciones se enteran de eventos que ponen en riesgo su integridad, como en el caso de huracanes, lo que ayuda a una temprana reacción. “Son poblaciones en las que hoy en día no hay internet. Sería injusto y una falta de entendimiento de los legisladores”, sostuvo. La legisladora aseguró que en este dictamen “no hay gato encerrado”, ya que es un asunto que con anterioridad estaba planteado en la agenda de trabajo de esta comisión para los próximos tres años. “La televisión y la radio no son un derecho humano, pero el acceso a la información sí lo es, y esas herramientas contribuyen al ejercicio de ese derecho”, argumentó Lía Limón. Precisó que la transición a la digitalización hará que algunas estaciones principales tengan un alcance que en el espectro analógico no tenían, por lo que en algunos casos las estaciones complementarias ya no serán necesarias y no tendrán que renovarse (Crónica via GRA blog via DXLD) As in too many of the press items picked up by the GRA blog, there is NO explicit indication of *what country* the story is from or about! Nor are there ever linx to the original source. However, this appears to be Mexico. Issued right after it was an item about a Radio Ciudadana, Concordia on 89.7, god knows where. At least we have the frequency (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. Another winter sporadic E opening, while analog TV still exists! Dec 6 into UT Dec 7: 2352 on 2, CCI from same offset, one of which is American football so could it be Canada? Grafix soon identify it as NFL; seems to be bug in upper right with Televisa oval log, and a word below it, presumably DEPORTES, so would this be net-2, Canal de las Estrellas? 2353 on 3, Televisa-5 net bug visible in lower right during a drama 2354 on 2, audio now Spanish, CCI from 10-kHz offset 2355 on 2, I make the football video // to KWTV CBS, but considerably ahead of it on cable 0002 on 2, NFL game but with Spanish grafix; evidently the NFL and other wipes on CBS are cleanly replaced by Televisa`s. At times the bug in UR is replaced by something else in alternation; maybe clock? 0007, I try the R75 on 59.75 MHz, and can detect some distorted Spanish sounding audio fading in and out, but its FM mode is not the FM mode of NTSC TV audio; almost sounds better by slope detexion in AM mode, but really unreadable. I do refine the frequency easily to 59.74, i.e. offset-minus. R75 is still using only the same E-W longwire as for HF. 0009, back to the TV set, and now the Spanish audio is OK on it, mentioning that there are 5 y medio minutos left in the game. 0014, I notice that CBS is already out of the game and into 60 Minutes; they must have dispensed with a post-game show. The DX seems to have faded out anyway, and I have to do something else for the next hour+. 0128 on 2, recheck, there is algo Es video DX again 0130 on 2, it`s a guy in a labcoat being interviewed by a woman, apparently about some female medical issue. Crawlers in white at bottom show phones in DF, Guadalajara, Monterrey. There`s a big lower- case script g bug in the upper right, and sometimes in the lower left, presumably logo of the infomercial advertiser. 0137, TeleVer full screen ID, so XHFM Veracruz 0139, back to lab coat guy 0145, woman wraps up the show, website or facebook looks like ingestudio or something like that 0146, news segment including about Pres. Obama`s address last hour 0151, CCI, comedy in Spanish; all the above on ch 2 0153 on 4, algo very poor in Spanish 0154 on 4, Televisa-5 net bug in LR 0203 on 2, federal anti-child-labor PSA; ad for navidad at B-STORE 0204 on 2, Azteca-7 promo for Simpsons(?) at 7:40 0207 on 2, animation dubbed; crawler at top running right to left --- I wonder if it`s a warning about the imminent DTV transition? 0210 on 2, I recognize the anim as Toy Story (or a sequel) with the cowboy; shortly fadeout (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`s MEXICO BEAT, this week --- Turns out the social wolves were not so breaking news. Apparently they were the subject of an article in Proceso last month, but it's not online. It also was the subject of two stories from La Jornada Zacatecas, which was put in their digital print edition but not searchable online. One mentions that in the late 80s the university there tried to get a radio station and was denied because the government was worried about it. I've translated the latter and made it available here (for academic/critical use only). http://jmp.sh/kVKLCc7 You can also read, from the NTR site, a reply to the Proceso piece. http://ntrzacatecas.com/2015/11/05/la-ip-y-la-tv-de-caracter-social/ Last edited by Raymie; 12-04-2015 at 04:07 AM (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Dec 4, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Commercial radio newscasts on noncommercial stations? It's happening in Jalisco, http://www.radioformula.com.mx/notas.asp?Idn=553284&idFC=2015 where Radio Fórmula news will now be heard on the C7 radio network. Meanwhile, the Hidalgo state network http://www.milenio.com/firmas/eduardo_gonzalez_intelectoopuesto/Radio-TV-Hidalgo_18_641515886.html is pushing to get on air by December 17, the Campeche state network produced this exciting explainer. And Televisión Azteca has declared itself 100% ready for digital television, including all of its shadows! https://t.co/jq4t4Wp2nu (Raymie, Dec 7, ibid.) Well, SMRTV (Sistema Michoacano de Radio y Televisión) broadcasted Carmen Aristegui news when she was in MVS (Gargadón, Campeche, ibid.) True, and I think they carry Ultra Noticias with Javier Solórzano now. (Another permit station combo springs to my mind: the Cozumel 107.7 FM/TV 5 group also carries Ultra.) EDIT: The TV station carries Ultra. Radio still has MVS. Last edited by Raymie; 12-08-2015 at 01:30 AM (Raymie, ibid.) A line item on the late shift tonight: I reported on this months ago, but get ready to update your logbooks in a couple years. There won't be a Distrito Federal for much longer. http://www.animalpolitico.com/2015/12/aprueban-diputados-reforma-politica-del-df-la-ciudad-tendria-su-propia-constitucion/ A committee in the Chamber of Deputies has finally approved the political reform of Mexico City. The political reform effectively makes Mexico City a full state, with mayorships instead of delegations and a full constitution, as well as the same rights and privileges as the 31 states. In addition, the capital would now be formally known as Ciudad de México. The measure must still go to the full chamber for consideration, and then it will likely be signed by the president. While I'm not a fan of them for Mexico, might I suggest the two-letter abbreviations CD (for Ciudad) or CM? (Raymie, Dec 8, ibid.) Speaking of Mexico City... An Azteca Site I'd Never Heard Of I was digging for government authorizations on the http://cft.gob.mx domain (which is now down; you need to look at Google cache copies of everything) and was pointed to an authorization for an XHTVM emergency transmitter with 625 kW ERP. Said transmitter was located at a site in southern Mexico City, on the opposite end from Chiquihuite. Here it is, and you'll see the huge Azteca sign on the building: https://www.google.com/maps/@19.2691925,-99.2328812,3a,89.7y,332.04h,101.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMajZKvoGtt9AITKUDli5hQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Now, I have no idea why this exists, but the first clue we can ascertain is an ancient-looking sign on the fence. See the IMER? Yeah, I do too. It also says "Secretaría de Gobernación - Instituto Mexicano de la Radio". (IMER currently is under the aegis of the SEP.) I've never seen this IMER logo before. It might date to the founding of the thing. There are several IMER signs on the fence into this complex. So we know that this was an IMER facility. (In fact, it still is on their books. http://www.imer.mx/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/bienes_inmueb_imer_2014.pdf They might have it as a transmitter site, I'm not sure.) I also suspect it was home to another IME: Imevisión. Now, this was not Imevisión's headquarters, which Azteca took on and added to. No, I think this was the transmitter site built for XHTRM-22 (now XEIMT, which moved to Chiquihuite upon its 1993 relaunch). That transmitter was also in Ajusco (Raymie, ibid.) Another state network with shadows? Yup. XHCGA Aguascalientes has four of them, with the highest-powered at Calvillo (14.1 kW). We also finally have the frequency for that Hermosillo social radio station: 106.7 MHz, not 104.3 or 104.1 as had been hinted at. This was likely done because Mexico is now reserving 106.x and 107.x MHz for stations with social concessions like this new Hermosillo one. Hermosillo also has allotted full-power frequencies on 105.9, 103.5, and 104.3 that are available still (Raymie, Dec 9, ibid.) Today is the final day for analog television in the Cinco Manantiales and Saltillo regions of Coahuila, in Guanajuato and Querétaro, as well as in two Sonora towns and one location in Baja California. It is the first of four slated apagones in two weeks. State networks gear up for apagón Digital viewers in Hidalgo, or at least in Pachuca, can now get the state network in digital. Authorizations were given earlier this year alongside a renewal of permits and change to public concessions. "Now on Canal 42 HD" is appearing in some of their advertising. In Tlaxcala, the situation is a little different. According to Revista Pantalla, TDT will be able to go to TDT on time. There are some problems. While they have HD-ready studios, mobile units and soon an HD master control, their satellite contract only provides 3.5 MHz of bandwidth, not a full 6. This means they cannot send an HD signal to their transmitters, which take the satellite feed as terrain makes a microwave system too complex. They will begin in SD. Engineer Hector Parker also mentioned that they'd ideally like to expand to 8 transmitters from the 5 they have, in order to cover the 10 percent of Tlaxcala that cannot receive the state network. A new radio station on the air testing in Yucatán Meanwhile, a potential tropo target in the Yucatán Peninsula has begun testing: XHYRE 107.9 Mérida with Radio Educación. It's a big moment for Radio Educación, https://twitter.com/RadioEducacion/status/675088140810493952 as this is its first ever FM and its first ever station outside Mexico City. In the competition among public broadcasters, this is actually a pretty big deal. Last edited by Raymie; 12-10-2015 at 06:41 PM Read my Mexico Beat blog | Calendario de Apagones December 11: San Felipe BC; Allende/Saltillo/Parras Coah.; Celaya/León Gto.; Qro.; Agua Prieta/Caborca Son. December 16: Isla de Cedros BC; Northern Coahuila; Jalisco except Puerto Vallarta; most Mich.; San Luis Potosí SLP; Cananea Son.; San Fernando Tamps. December 17: Central Mexico; Telemax in Agua Prieta/Caborca, Son. December 22: Some Chih., Cd. Acuña Coah., Dgo., FCP/Chetumal Q. Roo, Matehuala SLP, NW Son., Zac. (Raymie, Dec 9, ibid.) ** MOROCCO. This is probably my best logging of the last few weeks, if not few months and it's Radio Mediterranée International on 9575 khz from Morocco. They are never very strong here at all, they often produce just enough signal to make out that there's speech or music on air, just enough for a logging. Well, the other day they produced such a strong signal that when I made a 30 minute video aircheck, it got hit within 6 or more copyright violations within seconds of it being posted [you mean, on YouTube?]. The signal was so good, you can clearly understand and listen to the songs. I had to upload it to soundcloud! This was recorded at 1:25 am Central/0725 UT on November 29, 2015 using my JRC NRD535D and 80 foot long wire in southern Arkansas. https://soundcloud.com/paul-walker-11/radio-mediterranne-international (Paul Walker, Camden AR, Dec 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. 930, CJYQ switches to country --- On 27th October, 930 CJYQ switched to country music. The old website http://www.thisisnewfoundlandlabrador.ca has disappeared and has been replaced by http://www.930kixxcountry.ca It had been playing Newfoundland music since 2000 (according to Wikipedia). It will be recalled that the station was damaged by fire and was temporarily off the air in early 2014. 590, VOCM dropped country in April 2015 after playing it since 2002 (Dec MW News via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. 2598-USB, Dec 6 at 0122, marine weather from Canadian Coast Guard, very poor S5 in noise level. Most recent start of a scheduled broadcast is: ``MCTS Labrador VOK Broadcasts, 0107, St. Anthony, 2598J3E Radiotelephony Technical marine synopsis, forecasts and wave height forecasts for marine areas 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 235, 237 and 238. Ice conditions and forecast for the East Coast of Newfoundland, and the Labrador Coast, south of 54N. Iceberg Bulletin – Newfoundland Coast and Strait of Belle Isle``. Nothing audible on 2749-USB at the moment, from slightly closer Nova Scotia stations; maybe in a break. St. Anthony is back on the Island of Newfoundland near the northern tip (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CANADA ** NEWFOUNDLAND. Glenn, I`m listening to CKZN 6160 from St John`s. Heard the news at 0800 and now a program from a German outfit on Burkina Faso. Program was called Africa Link. Pretty good copy with much QSB running s9 to 10 db over S9 on my CommRadio CR1A and a K9AY Loop fixed north from Washington NC. This is the first time I`ve ever heard them! The CBC should be kicked in the ass for shutting down Sackville. 73 (Glenn Swiderski, Dec 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be the local 4-4:30 am segment, half an hour later in Nfld., of CBC Overnight, from DW (gh, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. It was over in five seconds. The par four ninth hole at the Titahi Golf Club (north of Wellington) became easier in a moment when a radio mast that had been in the middle of the fairway for more than half a century crumpled to the ground last Tuesday. Hours of measuring and planning ended when a worker cut a single wire attached to the 53-metre mast. That allowed the remaining three wire ropes to tug the structure over. The tower took less than five seconds to fall with a thud in the grass. The crumpled mess left lying on the grass was proof of how rusty it was and why it needed to come down, Radio New Zealand transmission manager Gary Fowles said. It was, in fact, in such bad shape that when a worker climbed it in October, “some of it was so rusty it gave way under his weight”. The structure was immediately deemed unsafe and plans were made to bring it down. Radio New Zealand also made the decision then to bring down the much-higher 220m tower nearby. That mast was New Zealand’s highest structure until the Auckland Sky Tower was built. Radio New Zealand chief executive Paul Thompson said the shorter mast was an obstacle golfers “have lived with and played with for years”. The transmission building at the bottom of the mast would also be demolished, meaning Titahi golfers would have a clear fairway for the first time in decades. The tower would be cut up and taken away for scrap metal. Thompson said the golf club had been fantastic to deal with through the whole process. The 53m mast only had one radio station running through it, and that would be transferred to the nearby 137m mast. The 220m mast is scheduled for removal within the next few weeks. Radio New Zealand received advice in October that the two masts should come down by March, but Thompson made the decision that it had to happen immediately (Kapi-Mana News, 17 November 2015 via Brian Webb via Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** NICARAGUA. 539.83, R. Corporación, Managua, NOV 26, 0146 - Likely sports coverage by male announcers. Station is back in service after lengthy outage, het easily detected on 540 kHz. Fair signal peaks throughout the evening (Mike Beu, KD5DSQ, Austin TX; Drake R8B, terminated Delta antenna (17-ft apex and 28-ft base) northeast, Mini- Flag antenna (7 by 15-ft) southeast, NRC IDXD 83-06, December, 2015 via DXLD) ** NICARAGUA. Hi Glenn, Been wanting to hear this station for a while. Interesting to hear stuff like this. 8989 usb, "El Pescador Preacher." 12/6/2015z 2258-2355z. Tune-in at 2258 with poor sigs. Fading up slowly around 2310. Mentions of "Estados Unidos," "El Pescador," "Nicaragua." Best signal of 34322; ACI from a U.S. military station (presumed), on 8992 usb, reading phonetic cyphers. Best signals observed between 2310 and 2335. Musical selection at 2328, with female vocalist and musical accompaniment. Reverent, religious quality to it. Using DSP with filter down to 2.2 kHz, so music was very tinny-sounding. Music ended at 2335, and back to presumed sermon. Fading to mostly poor after 2340. At 2355, some Spanish-language two-way ssb comms., much stronger than EP, began. After comms. ceased, the preaching was gone. No sigs. observed at 2358z. Thanks to Bob Wilkner, Carlos Gonçalves, Glenn Hauser, et.al., for tips on this station via DXLD. Rx: IC-746 Pro, with 40m dipole balanced feed into antenna coupler. All of the Best, (Steve Zimmerman, Milwaukee WI, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. [non!] Once again looked out for Radio Kaduna Nigeria on 6089.855v kHz. But negative this morning, no signal on lower sideband of 6090 kHz. So, seemingly - another shortwave broadcast station HAS GONE FOR EVER. Nothing heard from Radio Kaduna anymore, at least since mid 13th! / end of August 2015 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, morning logs Dec 3 at 0505 to 0540 UT, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 3, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. Dandal Kura --- I've been hearing them pretty regularly late nights here [05-07 UT] in Nevada on 7415 since July: http://swldx.tumblr.com/search/Dandal (Rodney Johnson, Las Vegas NV, Dec 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) U.K.(non) and USA, Strong co-channel between Dandal Kura International and WEWN-3 1800-2100 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg WeAf Kanuri R Dandal Kura Int. 1800-2400 12050 EWN 250 kW / 220 deg MEX Spanish WEWN-3 R Catolica http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/strong-co-ch-between-dandal-kura.html (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF-2001D, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6950-AM, Dec 5 at 0110, VP signal from algo, presumably pirate rather than 5 x 1390 local KCRC. High local noise level and very degraded propagation. 6955.00-AM, Dec 5 at 0150, my next pirate bandscan finds one signal here, a little better than 6950 had been, rock music, poor, S6 in noise level, 0157 singing ID sounds like WABC, mentions the Seventies. Lots of logs here http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,24887.0.html say it was the same station, Rush Night Oldies, but with IDs for WABC and old jingles --- difference of opinion whether playing tapes of 770 in the 70s, or a `tribute` new produxion, or a mixture (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Dec 5, on 6955-AM, from 0122 to 0219; programming of WABC (yes, maybe a mixture with something else?); "from our studios on beautiful Neely Henry Lake" (Alabama), with weather by "meteorologists James Spann from the ABC 33/40 weather center". My audio - https://app.box.com/s/wt5iewwkgad0jufazvorvswlr9majg8r (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RE: "WABC" reception last night. This from Andy Robins: "WABC 6955 kHz also well heard here in Michigan last night, mostly at S9 level with some fading. This was clearly a contemporary production by someone who has access to studio production tapes of WABC jingles, etc., from the 60's and 70's." What is interesting is that the meteorologists James Spann is still at ABC 33/40 http://abc3340.com/weather (Ron Howard, Dec 5, ibid.) Hi Glenn, Andy Robins has some updated info about the pirate WABC that we recently heard. He noted a new WABC QSL posted on Facebook which states: "WABC AM 1610 & FM 100.1 were a pair of pirate stations run from the shores of Henry Neely Lake [actually "Neely Henry Lake" - Ron] near Ashville, AL by Joe Dentici, a retired DJ and broadcast engineer from WSGN and EWTN among others. Joe lost his battle with leukemia in 2006, and we lost one of the best there ever was. The show you heard originally aired November 26, 2005." Thanks to Andy for this clarification of just what we heard Dec 5 (Ron Howard, California, Dec 8, ibid.) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6955.0-AM, Dec 6 at 0042, JBA carrier, even weaker than the unID on 6940, q.v. Ditto at 0104 recheck. Several logs here http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,24919.0.html say it was Radio Ronin Shortwave (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. PIRATE-NA. Voice Of Pearl Harbor, 6950 AM, 1405- 1432*, 12-06-15. SIO: 343. Sign on with air raid sirens, station ID by OM announcer, news reports from the radio on the bombing or Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt's "Day Of Infamy" speech to congress. Well done program. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. CCC/Cold Country Canada, 6925 LSB, 2241-2300+, 12-06-15, SIO: 444. Pop and rock oldies, IDing as being on 6969 kHz USB, tunes by George Harrison and Steve Miller band. Unusual for a pirate to be in LSB. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. Girl Scout Radio, 6910 AM, 2317-0004*, 12-06/7-15, SIO: 232. Frequent IDs, rap tunes by Willow, Lil Kim, etc. PSA for Girl Scouts Of America. New station. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. Radio Casablanca, 6940 AM, 2322-2345+, 12-07-15, SIO: 343. Tunes by Betty Grable, Lew Stone, Ethel Merman, etc. Casablanca movie audio clips which Shazam said came from Movie Themes Vol. 17 (Chris Lobdell, Tewksbury, MA, Receivers: E1, NRD-545, Aerials: 40 Meter dipole, G5RV dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Earthquake report: shaking for 15-20 seconds starting at 0102:09 UT during my current DX monitoring session. This is a fairly big one, the largest so far today, anyway in the US, per USGS: 4.3 28km NW of Fairview, Oklahoma 2015-12-06 01:01:42 UTC 2.5 km deep Oklahoma authorities are finally cracking down on injexion wells, too little, too late. Fairview is about 56 km WSW of Enid. State Farm assures that its earthquake coverage does not rule out man-made ones. Earthquake report: tremor felt for a few seconds at 0458:25 UT Dec 8; does not make the USGS minimum setting of 2.5, so must be relatively close (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1120, Dec 4 at 1727 UT on caradio, incredible! Tulsa station making announcements in Spanish, YL DJ, CST timechex. Frequent non-IDs as ``11-20 La Diferente``, ``los éxitos están aquí``; recheck 1854 UT ``transmitiendo desde Tulsa con 10 mil watts``, brief news headlines, local, national and international, apparently hourly at this time, sponsored by Mercado Las Américas with locations in Tulsa; 1856 UT bilingual Xmas song, 1858 UT more slogans but no legal call letter ID, ``la música del pasado y del presente``. 1901 UT still no calls in next ID, just ``La Diferente 11-20``. Ditto in 2058-2103 UT recheck. This is the station known to FCC as KETU, which for the past year or more has been on the air with NOTHING but music, never any announcements, let alone IDs of any sort, heard until today, but may have started a few days ago. It is licensed now to La Zeta 95.7, which is the same Arkansas company that runs KSEC in Bentonville AR. There may also be some inter-relation with Mercado Las Américas in AR and Tulsa, which as Radio Las Américas LLC is the licensee of KMUS 1380, also in Sperry. And of KLTK 1140, Centerton AR, which I also hear. Apparently they are a bit hazy about ID requirements. What would be a fitting fine for broadcasting a year with no IDs? And still no legal IDs. The last ID we ever heard from this 1120 was ``KEOR``, which had supposedly already been replaced by KETU. It`s 10 kW day, 7 kW critical hours in deference to KMOX, should they adhere to that. In the past it`s also been on at night. 1120, Dec 5 at 1400 UT, ``La Diferente`` seems to do a call-letter ID at hourtop amid music, pronounced in Spanish with a ``ka``, but I just can`t copy it; does not, however, sound like KETU! Another try, listening closely from 1757 UT, romantic Xmas song about ``noche- buena``, 1758 UT ads for Super-Mercado Las Américas with specific specials pricing, then singing ad for Mariscos La Primerísima (seafood restaurant); 1759 ``Llegó a Tulsa La Diferente, 11-20 AM`` and NO legal ID yet again! Into another navidad song, with ``felicidades``. Eventually I hope to catch them at random time if not hourtop with call-letter ID (Glenn Hauser, Enid, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1230, WBBZ, Ponca City – Format to NWS/TLK (ex-OLD); slogan to “NewsTalk 1230,” networks to Ap/Ok/Oa/P/Ru/CM/DG/C2C. (GH) (Wayne Heinen, NRC AM Log Update, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Applications to extend existing STAs were received from KOKC-1520 Oklahoma City OK (U1 50000/10000); and (David Yocis, DC, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) Used to be 12500 at nite: this means they remain non-direxional day and night with a single tower which remains, and the 10 kW ND will go out as well toward Buffalo as away from it, but also not be enough to keep KOLM in Minnesota from causing heavy QRM to KOKC as close as Enid (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1640, 3.11. 0700-, KZLS Enid OK. Dx-pedition och solfläcksmaximum är svårt att kombinera. Nu hörde vi stationer tre dagar. Den 4. November hoppade K-index till 5 och polarsken fyllde himmelen. Efter solstormen hade vi tid att lyssna till AIH41 inspelningar. Mest av AIH52 inspelningarna finns därför på hårddisk och väntar på bättre tider. Här finns i alla fall preliminärloggen (AIH52 Dx-pedition preliminär logg, JHT Jorma Huuhtanen & JM Jorma Mäntylä, Inari, Aihkiniemi 31.10.-7.11.2015, JRC NRD 535, JRC NRD545, 2xIcom IC-R8500, Perseus, via JM, MV Eko Dec 7 supplement via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 1650, KFSW, AR [sic], Fort Smith – Format to REL:CHR (ex- TLK); slogan to “Life 98.7,” adds // K254AM-98.7, deletes networks (Wayne Heinen, NRC AM Log Update, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) 1650, 26.11 0656, KFSW, Fort Smith AR [sic] med ID Red Eye Radio (Kai Mauseth, Smøla, mv-eko 7 dec via DXLD /Nytt call! –tl (Tore Larsson? Ibid.) Red Eye Radio was not an ID of the station! but the name of an ex-program, also on many other US outlets (gh, DXLD) [Re 15-48, 1650 KFSW ex-KYHN:] FWIW EMF"s stations use either the slogan "K-Love" or "Air 1". Someone may be able to point out an exception but I don't recall any == (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Dec 3, NRC-AM via DXLD) But it`s not that (gh) Being somewhat cynical after various false starts on 1650, I've just listened to their web stream over the TOH. Gone is Arklahoma's talk radio (even though the web site still shows this and the KYHN call sign). The web site's "news" is not updated since September, and Wikipedia states that the station was sold on 2nd October. The station's stream was playing "Hold Me" by Jamie Grace before the top of the hour (quite a catchy, not overtly-religious song and Grammy- nominated apparently). The top of the hour ID was: "You're listening to Life 98-7, AM 16-50 and K254 [sic] KFSW Fort Smith". This time, the news seems to be correct. 73 (Andrew Brade, UK, Dec 5, MWCircle yg via DXLD) BCB DX LOGGINGS FROM SHAWN M. AXELROD VE4DX1SMA, VEPC4SWL DX’ing from: Winnipeg MB Canada; RECEIVERS: ICOM ICR70 / DRAKE R8 ANTENNAE: 3 Foot un-amplified box loop / Quantum QX LOOP v2.0 / 155 Foot U shaped outdoor wire / 100 Foot indoor wire run around the basement walls / MFJ 1026 Phasing unit. Times are: Eastern Local time for Domestic DX, UT for non-Canadian and USA DX 1650, KFSW, AR [sic], Fort Smith, 12/07 1850, Faded up over usual pest KBDJ with Christian music and ID as “Life 98.7”. New calls and format, (SMA-MB) COMMENTS Been trying for this one for awhile and finally got lucky after sun set here. -- Remember on a Clear Day You Can Hear Forever (Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, Winnipeg MB Canada, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. RF 17, K17JN-D, Enid, first found 6 days ago to be on air with six also 17- subchannels, has continued ever since with local- quality signal, but no modulation beyond black, fooling the Zenith STB into thinking there is ``NO SIGNAL``. When will it come to life? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ``When will it come to life?`` TODAY, Dec 6, K17JN-D, Enid finally starts some video and audio modulation instead of black silence for the past week --- and just as I expected based on same company`s Ardmore LP station, it`s multiple channels from 3ABN, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, a Seventh-Day Adventist offshoot. Just what Enid needs, SIX new local gospel-huxtering channels! First noted at 1634 UT, but they are all breaking up, with slightly weaker signals than the black tests had been. PSIP IDs display as follows; some are *letterboxed, some not, and aspect ratio Cannot Be Changed on any of them: 17-1, K17JN-D but 3ABN bug in the lower right 17-2, 3ABN-PR 17-3*, 3ABN-DD 17-4*, 3ABN-ES [Español] 17-5, AF-TV [Amazing Facts] 17-6*, HopeTV1 At 1650, it`s back to black with good signals still on the meter; 1710 resume all six now without breakup; 1841, back to black; 1846 resume and apparently OK, on to stay now, tho I am not watching all afternoon. I`ll bet this goes unnoticed in the local media, but now maybe 3ABN will petition Suddenlink cable for must-carriage? I have the impression that the 3ABN Adventists are on the outs with the Adventist World Radio faxion, doctrinal disputes? But haven`t researched that (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. One more post-icestorm bandscan midday Dec 3, from 1814 UT: 88.3, K202BA, Enid still off; weak gospel probably Wichita 89.1, K206CA, Enid still off, but discussion of Jesus statue, so not KMUW? No, it is public radio in Wichita, KMUW, pledge drive at 1820 92.1, KAMG-LP, Enid, still dead air in Spanish 94.3, KLGB-LP, Enid, still off, but algo discussion, probably KVCW KS 95.7, KXLS, Lahoma-Enid, STILL DA, one of our main commercial stations 96.1, KXXY, OKC, weak. Until now had stayed strong 98.1, WWLS-FM, The Village/OKC, weak 98.9, KYIS, OKC, strong 99.7, KNAH, Mustang, still off? Only hearing Spanish KHLT KS 100.5, KATT, OKC strong 101.9, KTST, OKC still weak 102.7, KJYO, OKC still weak 104.1, KMGL, OKC, still strong, Xmas music, yuk 105.7, KRDR, Alva, presumed, finally back on with dead air 107.1, KNID, North Enid, finally on and modulating AM check at 1822 UT Dec 3, one dekaminute before local mean noon: 1140, KRMP OKC, is finally back on, soul music 1460, KZUE El Reno, remains on, Spanish 1640, KZLS Enid-Hennessey-OKC, tho normal earlier, back to dead air Dec 4 from 1705 UT another FM bandscan on caradio for anomalies still existing from last weekend`s ice storm: 88.3, K202BY still off (it`s been off before for months at a time; not exactly a high priority for Family Radio) 89.1, K206CA, finally back on 94.3, gospel huxter talk, probably Bott KS not local KLGB-LP which is mostly gospel music 95.7, KXLS Lahoma-Enid, has finally resumed modulation after dead air for almost a week following the ice storm. I heard that their equipment was damaged, but they certainly had power to run the transmitter for nothing 98.1, WWLS-FM is still off 98.9, KYIS is still on 99.7, still hearing Spanish only from KS, so KNAH still off? A few more checked at 1820 UT: 90.3, KHEV Fairview, not only on but modulating now 101.9, KTST, weak 102.7, KJYO, weak There are still some anomalies a week after the ice storm, December 5 checking at 2108 UT: 92.1, KAMG-LP Enid, is STILL on with dead mono air. This has happened before without any excuse. No one minding the store since it hooked up as a satellator instead of original local Spanish church gospel huxter 94.3, KLGB-LP Enid, still OFF as I am parked quite near it, yet allowing thru a non-local signal, presumably the Bott in Kingman KS with same-sounding gospel-huxter talk to 95.1 KQCV OKC/Shawnee 98.1, WWLS-FM, Village/OKC, had seemed off, but now I can barely hear some silly sports-talk so apparently on at greatly reduced power. All other OKC FMs seem back to normal, except maybe 99.7 KNAH. Reception of KUCO Edmond/OKC, our full-time classical station, has continued to be marginal, more subject than usual to QRM from KHCC Hutchinson, Radio Kansas, also classical. Dec 5 at 1452 UT, this comes from KUCO: ``Hi Glenn, I've been away this week from station studios and have just discovered that we still aren't back at full power. Patrick is headed to the transmitter this AM to address. Sincerely, Kimberly Powell, Director of Programming, Classical KUCO`` I reply at 1517 UT: ``Kimberly, yes, as I suspected. Trying to hear PerfOkla this morning and can`t get a noise-free signal at all. As usual, Radio Kansas is vying to capture the frequency; often conditions are more favorable for that in the mornings. Too bad I`m not in McAlester [where KUCO has a local relay, unlike in Enid]. One more chance with KWTU tonight but their stream is lo-fi and mono. Or is it a repeat? I think you said the concert was from March. Glenn, Enid`` And again at 1524 UT: ``Kimberly, Listening at 9:22 am, the signal strength suddenly surges, now it`s good! Keep it up. I would be interested in knowing what the reduced ERP was in the meantime. Glenn`` Replying to my initial reply, Kimberly at 1530 UT: ``You should hear us now, I heard Patrick turning up the power a few moments ago. April CMOK [Chamber Music in Oklahoma] superb young Canadian Quartet`` Another anomaly check long after the late-November ice storm, Dec 7 after 1825 UT on the PL-880: 92.1, KAMG-LP Enid is finally remodulating with gospel music in Spanish, mono. It seems the carrier never went off, just dead air 94.3, KLGB-LP Enid is *still* off while sibling station on same tower, 99.9, KVBN-LP, is still on, never interrupted 98.1, WWLS-FM, OKC is still off or very QRP 101.9, KTST, OKC, ditto 102.7, KJYO, OKC, ditto (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 15140, 11/07 at 1425, R Sultanate Oman, Thumrait. English. Non-stop Western pop/club music; at 1442 temporary break in music for Call to Prayers for Muscat local time and ID "Radio Sultanate, Oman", then straight back to music. 45433 (Alan Roe, Teddington, Middlesex, UK, Winradio G31DDC Excalibur and Elad FDM-SW2 with 17 meter longwire, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** PERU. 4747.1, Perú, Radio Huanta 2000, Huanta, Ayacucho 2320 to 2333 yl and om en español, fair to good signal 3 December (Wilkner) 4985.5, Perú, Radio Voz Cristiana, Huancayo 2322 to 2330 om preacher competing with rtty on 4985 3 December (Wilkner) 5459.3, _Tentative_ Perú, Radio Bolívar, Cd. Bolívar, 2320 to 2340 per Pedro Arrunátegui tip 3 December, 0000 to 0012 on 5 December drifted to 5460.23 (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro, Drake R8, NRD 525, Sony 2010XA, 60/90/120 meter dipoles, playdx yg via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 15640 // 17820, R. Pilipinas, 0226, Dec 5. Weekend programming; in English and playing pop songs; segment about halo- halo, a popular local desert; fair-poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. 1030, WOSO San Juan – granted STA with U1 1000/1000 from folded unipole antenna. 1030 WOSO San Juan – has been silent per its STA application but expects to be back soon (PR-info from NRC DX News, numbers 83/03-04 via Dec MW News via DXLD) Was, and will be? English station (gh) ** ROMANIA. 6035-6040-6045, Dec 5 at 0616, DRM noise; strange I had not noticed this before, but it`s RRI scheduled 0600-0627 in French, 90 kW at 285 degrees from Galbeni (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. Here in southern Arkansas, they usually produce a listenable signal from their Tiganesti & Galbeni transmitter sites, but tonight they are super super super strong with little to no fading on my JRC NRD535D and 80 foot long wire. 5910 is s9+10 5975 is s9+20 7340 is s8 to s9+5 [sic] 7340 is s9+1-0 to s9+20 A 1 kW AM on 1450 about 1 mile from me is s9+40, for comparison sakes, of sorts. Here is a video recording of all 4 signals, Heard on December 5, 2015 at 8:20 pm central/0220 UT on a JRC NRD535D and 80 foot long wire in Southern Arkansas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GpRJ1ZU49Q (Paul Walker, UT Dec 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Paul, RRI refurbished their station with new modern transmitters and antenna systems. The results have paid off big time with superb reception. Even on the west coast I often receive them at the same levels, including in DRM. I really enjoy their programming, too. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, BC, ibid.) Romania can also be heard in Johannesburg, but on their 5920 Galbeni frequency from 1700 to 1800. Programming in Romanian, positive ID heard on Dec 1. QRM from much closer and stronger Zambia (5915) on adjacent channel (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D. dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It seems it`s been on 7315 all B-15 season instead of scheduled 7335: 7315, 11/01 at 0020, R Romania Int, Galbeni (presumed). Spanish. Operatic music with long talk by woman. Unscheduled on this frequency. Also strong on scheduled 7325 whilst 7335 is not heard. 55555 (Alan Roe, Teddington, Middlesex, UK, Winradio G31DDC Excalibur and Elad FDM-SW2 with 17 meter longwire, Dec CIDX Messenger via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) [and non]. 7315, Dec 6 at 0045, surprised to hear some Spanish CCI under WHRI, totaling S9+25; maybe a language lesson, mentions Johannesburgo, África del Sur. Then find it`s // 7325 RRI in the clear but not quite synchronized, i.e. the two different transmitter sites. 7325 is Tsiganeshti, and Galbeni is supposed to be on 7335, but apparently on 7315 by mistake. At the time I didn`t know 7335 was where it`s scheduled, but should have noticed that as I bandscanned if it were there. The other two Spanish frequencies this hour are 9525- Galbeni and 9730-Tsiganeshti (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6015-6020-6025, Dec 8 at 0708, DRM noise at S6, i.e. RRI in German this half hour at 307 degrees, carrying on to North America. The HFCC sked for RRO (not to be confused with RRIndonesia) http://www.hfcc.org/data/schedbybrc.php?seas=B15&broadc=RRO still has not figured out a way to show which transmissions are DRM; the ``all`` frequency sked does, however, with an N for numérique. Both of them claim the power for this Tsiganeshti is 300 kW, altho one of the rationales for DRM is getting the same results at reduced power. Is it really at full power??? These also still show no entries for RRO on 7315, even tho instead of 7335, the RRI Spanish hour at 00-01 has been there in B-15, clashing with WHRI, heard already in early November by Alan Roe, England (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Radio Komintern 6990 kHz (located in the city of Rossosh in the region or Voronezh, Russia) confirmed my report with an eQSL showing a selection of oldtime radio equipment (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 6 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Voronezh region. A letter from the Comintern Radio: "The radio station named Comintern works Moscow time in summer from 18-00 to 21-00, and in the winter from 15-00 to 18-00. Basically broadcast first two hours of news from "the local radio of Voronezh", as Lenin district committee of the Communist Party of Voronezh calls his Internet radio station, you can listen to it at this address: http://www.kprf.vrn.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110&Itemid=44 Then another hour sung patriotic songs that I already pick up directly. Frankly, at the Lenin district committee of the Communist Party of the city of Voronezh, I did not ask permission to rebroadcast they are even Internet radio stations, I just never occurred that they may be against it, quite the contrary. But if you think this is necessary, I will refer to them with this issue. In general, the radio it. Comintern it because the whole illegal, too, Lenin at one time the newspaper "Iskra" issued illegally, this is our fate communists, the authorities do not want to be criticized, thus raising the masses. Sincerely, Sergei, Rossosh Department of the Communist Party. http://rossosh-kprf.narod.ru « (via Anatoly Klepov, Moscow, Russia, RusDX Dec 6 via DXLD) ** SARAWAK [non]. Radio Free Sarawak with usual Christmas break, from Dec 7 till Jan 1. The next show will be on the air Jan 4: 1030-1200 on 15420 PUG 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs Iban Mon-Fri.http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/radio-free-sarawak-with-usual-christmas.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 1521, SBC, R. Riyadh, Duba, NOV 26, 0159 - Fair peak with prayer at top of the hour. Audio frequently detected until 0300. First TA audio detected this year! (Mike Beu, KD5DSQ, Austin TX; Drake R8B, terminated Delta antenna (17-ft apex and 28-ft base) northeast, Mini-Flag antenna (7 by 15-ft) southeast, NRC IDXD 83-06, December, 2015 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 9870, Dec 5 at 2130-2157, I land on BSKSA, as the secular ME music is the best I can find on SW to lullaby my nap; fair signal, and very repetitive (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SIKKIM. 4835, Dec 4, 1510, AIR Gangtok, Sikkim, So eine Freude: Länger nicht aktiv, aber heute konnte ich All India Radio Gangtok aus dem ehemaligen Königreich Sikkim im Himalaya endlich wieder im Tropenband auf 4835 kHz nach 15 Uhr UT hören. "Störungen" durch ABC aus Alice Springs, Australien, die auf gleicher Frequenz senden (Christoph Ratzer, Salzburg, Austria, SW Bulletin Dec 6 via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9545, SIBC - Voice of the Nation, 0447-0500*, Dec 3. In Pijin with pop Pacific Island songs; poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Then QSY to 5020 ** SOMALILAND. 7120-AM, Dec 3 at 1355, S5 signal but can`t hear any modulation from R. Hargeisa, which I ought to if level were up to par; stay with it until cutoff at 1401:39* or so, as Ron Howard reconfirms they take a break between 14 and 15; he can hear them after 15 as his sun is just rising. 7120, Dec 4 at 1340, AM carrier by 1400 achieving S7 on the R75 with preamp-2 engaged, but only a trace of modulation. I`m presuming R. Hargeisa, still on at 1401 but cutting out a bit as if they are having trouble turning off the transmitter. 1404:27 morphs into CW not hand- keyed from an ham, W8- something, exactly same frequency. Now I`m wondering if he was running the carrier, key stuck down, but maybe just tuned up on Hargeisa waiting for it to quit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. The SARL weekly radio programme for radio amateurs, shortwave listeners and electronic hobbyists Updated 6 December 2015 Listen Amateur Radio Today Sundays: 0800 UT 17760 kHz 7205 kHz 7082 kHz Repeat broadcast: Mondays 1630 UT 4685 kHz http://www.sarl.org.za/ Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 6, dxldyg via DXLD) The Monday broadcast used to be on 4895. Is 4685 a typo or off-band new frequency? (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) SARL weekly news in English 2015-12-5 states "A rebroadcast can be heard on Monday evenings at 18:30 Central African Time on 3230 kHz AM". So rather confusing! (Mike Terry, ibid.) Nothing heard in Jo'burg on 4685, 4895, or 3230! Checked on Monday Dec 7, from 1825 through to 1850 CAT (1625-1650 UT). Zambia on 5915 is coming in nicely (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D. dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The confusion continues! (Mike Terry, ibid.) I came too late, forgot it to check; now at 1702 UT only a strong STANAG digital signal on approx. 4685 - 4689.4 kHz. S=9+20dB in Germany. wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Could be a routine Sentech / Meyerton display of incompetence. At 1716 UT they put about 4 seconds of BBC on 4895, then straight back to nothing (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D. dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The B15 schedule, as per the HFCC registrations is: Sundays 0800-0900 on 7205 and 17760 Mondays 1630-1730 on 4895 all via Meyerton. I confirmed the Monday transmission on 4895 on 16th November though its very difficult reception in Europe. 73s (Dave Kenny, England, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Test of Radio Exterior de España with dead air December 3: from 0930 on 9690 NOB 200 kW / 290 deg to ENAm Spanish, open carrier from 0930 on 11530 NOB 200 kW / 161 deg to WCAf Spanish, open carrier from 0930 on 17755 NOB 200 kW / 161 deg to WCAf Spanish, open carrier http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/test-of-radio-exterior-de-espana-with.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Exterior de España relay Radio Nacional with sport coverage, Dec 5 [Sat]; all NOBlejas 200 kW in Spanish: 1500-1900 9690 / 290 deg NoAm Sa/Su is off, CRI is here 1500-1900 15390 / 230 deg SoAm Sa/Su 1500-1900 15500 / 110 deg N/ME Sa/Su 1500-1900 17755 / 161 deg WCAf Sa/Su open carrier/dead air 1900-2300 9690 / 290 deg NoAm Daily on air at 1906 UT 1900-2300 11530 / 161 deg WCAf Daily no propagation 1900-2300 15390 / 230 deg SoAm Daily no propagation 1900-2300 15500 / 110 deg N/ME Daily no propagation http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/radio-exterior-de-espana-relay-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF-2001D, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SPAIN [non]. GERMANY. 9560, 11/15 at 0930, R Mi Amigo Int, Kall. English. Paul Newman show "Radio Shack" and oldies music. Also featurette "Shortwave Interval Signals of the week" - Kol Israel's IS this week. 45433 (Alan Roe, Teddington, Middlesex, UK, Winradio G31DDC Excalibur and Elad FDM-SW2 with 17 meter longwire, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** SPAIN [non]. GERMANY, 6005, Radio Mi Amigo, Kall Krekell, 0700*- 0720, 05-12, identification: "Radio Mi Amigo International, radiomiamigointernational.com" English comments and pop music. 34433. 7310, Radio Mi Amigo, Kall Krekell, 1418-1428, 06-12, English comments, pop music, identification: "Radio Mi Amigo International". 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL- 880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO MI AMIGO INTERNATIONAL - XMAS SHOWS Extra X-Mas shows schedule: Make a date with us over Christmas! We're going to broadcast special Festive programmes - in addition to our normal run of schedule in December - on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th from 10.00 to 15.00 CET on 6005 and 7310 kHz. We'll be happy to include your Christmas greetings and special requests; please send them to: info@radiomiamigointernational.com (before Dec. 15) AM and FM: On the same evenings between 20.00-01.00 CET we will be repeating these programmes from our 1485 kHz medium wave service based in Riga, Latvia, yet another chance for a nice bit of Festive DX! In Spain (Costa Blanca) our X-mas shows can be heard on FM 92.3 and 106.0 from 10 am to 3 pm CET. All programmes will be simultaneously broadcast worldwide online in stereo. Introduction: 'Bringing back the 'Golden Era of Offshore AM Radio...' From Kall-Krekel in Germany we broadcast on Shortwave, on the following frequencies: in the 49, 41 and 31 meter band on 6005, 7310 and 9560 Kiloherz. And from Riga in Latvia on the Medium Wave: 1485 AM, serving parts of Scandinavia, North-East Germany and East Europe. We bring you music and jingles from the Golden Era of offshore broadcasting, right across Europe and around the World. Our daily evening broadcast 'Hello Europe' can now be heard on two frequencies: 6005 kHz and 3985 kHz, as part of our new winter schedule. Put that amazing AM sound back into your life with 22 hours of fabulous programmes every weekend on shortwave and mediumwave too. Just click on the SHORTWAVE button at the top of this page for the full Programme Schedule, including links to our live stereo internet streams (24/7) if you prefer digital sound. All Live programs at weekdays and weekends on SW and MW will be available on our web stream in stereo. We welcome your reception reports, reactions in our guestbook and on Facebook and by return you'll receive our new colourful QSL-card. Don't forget to check the latest Prizes to be won on our Competitions Page and of course, sign the guestbook before you leave. This website contains all information about the presenters, program schedules, webstreams, competitions and much more. You'll also find us on Facebook with day to day news, pictures and listener comments: http://www.radiomiamigointernational.com/english/index.html Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, SLBC with YL talx in unknown language, then pips and English ID at BoH and into YL in English announcing local music which sounded like a cross between Indian sub-continental stuff and old-west style yodeling. MOST unusual! Fading as I listened, started out 34+443, down to 24+3+42 at 0150. 0125-0155 28/Nov, SPR-4 +randomwire (Ken Zichi, Port Hope MI2 with various pieces of gear, MARE Tipsheet Dec 4 via DXLD) Ahh, I must compare that sometime to the mistimesignal at 0115+. On his clip, this one is also 2+1, and there is distortion on the voice modulation. This ID is in English only to the extent of pronouncing the full name of SLBC in that language (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. new 9522.0 USB (ex: 7502.0 USB), StarStar Broadcasting Station (XingXing BS), tuned in at 1307 till 1328*, Dec 7. Chinese numbers; almost fair. Should be *1200 & *1300. https://app.box.com/s/79papm5kui3x010zos0hfhry4dp0hgiw contains my audio (fair/poor quality) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7502.0 (strongest in USB) (ex: 9522-USB), StarStar Broadcasting Station (XingXing BS), tuned in at 1305, Dec 8. Reading of Chinese numbers, plus some brief breaks in between for something other than numbers? Fair to almost good; 1328*. My audio at https://app.box.com/s/wo9wjpsifu1wv5vojupr7ovy84s3qyui What is said during 01:07-01:10? Seems not to be numbers and is a different person than reading the numbers? Yesterday's broadcast on 9522.0-USB was a one day anomaly? Perhaps just testing reception on that frequency? (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) I believe it's "Gangcai bobao di sishi zu dianwen" - "[We have] just broadcast message number 40". Regards (Alan Davies, Asia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks so much Alan. Appreciate your feedback. Dec 9 found XingXing BS again on 7502-USB (*1300-1328*). (Ron WORLD OF RADIO 1803, ibid.) ** TURKEY [and non]. 12035, Sat Dec 5 at 1340, VOT English poor signal going from news to press review; 1347:30 theme and opening ``Letterbox Program``, reading and replying to reception reports; thus confirming this as an on-week for fortnightly program, as in DX/SWL/Media Programs just updated at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html where I had the nominal time as 1352-1404 and correspondingly for the repeat broadcasts; I`ve moved that 5 minutes earlier, tho the exact span certainly varies. We should hear it better Sat 2317 on 5960, UT Sun 0417 on 9655. Too bad there is no longer a `DX Corner` to alternate with it. Back to the present: 12035 still on at 1426 with IS and IDs in unknown Turkic language, oh oh, Emirler operator running late again as should have brought up next frequency by now. 1430 accurate timesignal and opening presumed Kazakh supposed to be on 9785, until 12035 cuts off at 1430:25.5*. Then at 1431 I check 9785 and something is there but doubt it can be VOT yet, presumably CNR8 Beijing in Korean as in Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. GERALD MARCUSE, G2NM: PIONEER OF EMPIRE BROADCASTING ON SHORTWAVE The Reading and District Amateur Radio Group has released as a free pdf the history of Gerald Marcuse G2NM the founder of Empire Broadcasting who was granted a licence in June 1927 for a regular shortwave service of speech and music to the British Empire. These continued until August 1928. A statement from the BBC shortly after the licence had been granted "deplored them as an unfortunate publicity stunt." http://radarc.org/history.htm Posted by: (barraclough.mike, Dec 7, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. LA BBC RECIBE FONDOS DEL GOBIERNO BRITÁNICO Es el mayor incremento presupuestario concedido hasta ahora . . . http://www.radionoticias.com/noticias-2015/la-bbc-recibe-fondos-del-gobierno-britanico-24112015.html Posted by: (JOSE MIGUEL ROMERO ROMERO, Dec 4, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Updated B-15 shortwave schedule of BBC in Farsi 0230-0330 on 5985 WOF 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 0230-0330 on 6095 TAC 100 kW / 236 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 0230-0330 on 7230 WOF 250 kW / 086 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 0230-0330 on 7410 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 0330-0430 on 6095 DHA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs, whole B-15 0330-0430 on 7445 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs, whole B-15 0330-0430 on 9695 SLA 250 kW / 350 deg to WeAs, whole B-15 0430-0530 on 9440 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs till Dec 31 0430-0530 on 9670 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs till Dec 31 0430-0530 on 13760 TAC 100 kW / 236 deg to WeAs till Dec 31 1500-1600 on 11995 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 1500-1600 on 13660 WOF 250 kW / 092 deg to WeAs from Jan 1 1600-1700 on 11995 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs till Dec 31 1600-1700 on 13660 WOF 250 kW / 092 deg to WeAs till Dec 31 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/updated-b-15-shortwave-schedule-of-bbc.html (Ivo Ivanov, Blgariya, Dec 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A Flare for Success ARRL Amateur Radio Newsline By Bobby Best, WX4ALA December 4, 2015 An emergency drill, in the form of a huge coronal mass ejection, sent radio amateurs scrambling early last month. And though their response was real enough, the chaos was simulated - with good results. Imagine an outage of all conventional communications throughout the U.S. Imagine too, massive solar flares known as coronal mass ejections, as the source of the stirred-up ionosphere behind the blackout. This was the reality for members of the Military Auxiliary Radio System and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service for two days beginning Nov. 8. It was only an exercise but, for two days, it was still a challenge. And ultimately, said the organizers, it was a success. MARS operators were given the directive to make direct contact with as many radio amateurs in the nation's 3,142 counties as possible, using mainly HF NVIS bands, along with VHF and UHF repeaters. Other methods, such as store-and-forward messaging systems and Internet-linked systems, were necessarily off limits. Paul English, WD8DBY, the U.S. Army's MARS program manager, praised the work of the radio operators at the conclusion of the exercise. He told the ARRL that MARS members got messages through to 816 counties around the country - or 26 percent of the nation's total. He said advance publicity helped boost performance during the two-day drill, and inquiries about participation had poured in from 41 states and more than 50 ARES groups who wanted to be part of the test. Best of all, he said, the mission was accomplished. He said: "The purpose of these exercises is to reach beyond interoperability and focus on our ability to exchange usable and relevant information from the local level to the national level following a crisis event. Only through the cooperation among MARS and the larger Amateur Radio community can we hope to achieve that synergy." (via rec.radio.info) Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: 26110, UNID: 1538, 2-Dec; Fast code starting with VVV; didn't sound long enough for KMK282; no KOVR-TV audio. Nothing same time next day 1520-1545 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 4 via DXLD) If it started with VVV, it was indeed a ute marker and most likely NOT KOVR. This is Maritime Mobile channel 19 per Klingenfuss, but he lists nothing active on that channel. Interesting! kvz](Ken Zichi, ed., ibid.) ** U S A [and non]. 15600, Dec 4 at 1411, good signal with talk in Farsi? And self-echo on talk, but seemingly not music. No, it`s VOA Kurdish via Woofferton UK during this hour. I`m still not certain it`s not long/short path echo. 6080, Sat Dec 5 at 0612, Cuban pulse jamming spur and weak rock music, presumably VOA, so scheduled São Tomé site is now on air? But from *0613 strong open carrier from Greenville overcomes it, warming up for the 0630-0700 segment only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA Radiogram, 5-6 December 2015 --- Mostly MFSK32, but some MFSK64. Includes more QR code examples and Xenokeryx amidalae. Details and schedule: UTF-8 QR codes and Xenokeryx amidalae http://voaradiogram.net/post/134525163062/voa-radiogram-5-6-december-2015-utf-8-qr-codes (Kim Elliott, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radiogram / QR-codes [1 Attachment] "...This weekend on VOA Radiogram, we will conduct one more (for now) QR code experiments. The VOA Radiogram URL will be transmitted as .........................3) as UTF-8 block elements – ........ Interesting experiment, but the character blocks can not represent well the QR code with the correct proportions. All characters were received correctly, the error protection worked well, only the appearance of the QR code does not correspond to the norm. http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/VoA_Radiogram_2015-12-05.htm#VOA http://www.rhci-online.net/files/2015-12-06_qrcode.png [682 byte] (roger Thayer, Dec 6, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Oddness from VOA on 15580 --- I've been listening to 15580 via Botswana from here in Arkansas and something sounds kinda odd. It sounds like nothing but instrumentals the last 45 or so minutes with long gaps or silence between tracks. And it doesn't sound like music instrumentals, you know, like jazz or something; it sounds like music beds used in audio production or something. Their website lists this hour (1900 to 2000) as being English to Africa but I've heard no speech content whatsoever. No station idents, promos, liners, announcers, nothing (Paul Walker, AR, 1956 UT Dec 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'm hearing this type of filler music programming also, even at the top of the hour at 2000 UT on December 7, 2015, on the VOA frequency of 4930 kHz. I'm listening via Global Tuners on the Grenoble, France receiver. Very odd programming! BTW, Paul, I appreciate your many postings and recordings (Bruce (New York, USA), ibid.) Even stranger perhaps is that not one of three different "Listen Now" options on the VOA website is working here on my computer... http://www.voanews.com/ (Bruce (New York, USA), 2018 UT Dec 7, 2015, ibid.)) Apparently there was a power cut at VOA in Washington, so what you heard was standby music at the transmitter site. Apparently the satellite feeds were silent (Andy Sennitt, 2001 UT Dec 7, ODXA yg via DXLD) POWER OUTAGE DISRUPTS VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS BBG Watch December 7, 2015 http://bbgwatch.com/bbgwatch/power-outage-disrupts-voice-of-america-broadcasts/ A power outage today at the Washington, DC headquarters of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) lasting many hours has seriously disrupted numerous Voice of America (VOA) radio and television broadcasts to many parts of the world. According to BBG officials, a contractor working on a construction project in the building inadvertently hit a power line. But BBG’s administrative and technical arm, the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), was unable to quickly restore power, which is what most broadcasting outlets in the United States are almost always able to do within seconds or minutes by switching to emergency power generators. The long-lasting power outage must have been a surprise to BBG’s new CEO John Lansing who recently took up his post. He had previously worked for private U.S. cable and TV industry where such incidents generally do not happen because managers are well- prepared to deal with them. The federal agency, which spends most of its $740 million budget on administrative and support services (34%), was not prepared to deal with the power emergency at the Voice of America, even though its bureaucracy has expanded the number of IBB positions and its budget grew by leaps and bounds in recent years. Because of staff shortages and lack of resources, Voice of America journalists are also unable to post timely news reports and update social media pages, especially on weekend and after business hours on weekdays. VOA has increasingly turned to employing poorly-paid and poorly-supervised contractors. The power was disrupted early in the morning, but it was still not fully restored as of early afternoon. Many Voice of America radio and TV broadcasting facilities still could not be used to produce and transmit programs several hours after the power was cut. An email to staff from one of BBG’s top executives sent out at 1:28 PM said that “many of our broadcast transmission systems are still being hampered by this incident.” ### From: BBG ALERTS Sent: Monday, December 7, 2015 9:13 AM Subject: Cohen Power Outage Pepco/GSA are working on the power outage. Stay safe and in well lit areas. Do not use elevators. ### From: IBB Notices Admin Sent: Monday, December 7, 2015 1:28 PM To: IBB Notices Administration Subject: Power Outage Update Colleagues: Earlier this morning a GSA contractor working on a construction project in the Switzer building inadvertently hit a power line. Unfortunately, this incident brought down power in both the Switzer and Cohen buildings completely disrupting almost all infrastructure systems. At this point, we are working diligently with all of our vendors to ensure that we can restore full operations as soon as possible. Portions of the building are up to full operations but many of our broadcast transmission systems are still being hampered by this incident. We will notify you immediately once we have restored full functionality. We deeply regret the inconvenience to all of our colleagues and programs. Sincerely, André V. Mendes Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 8, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** U S A. 9955, 0406, Radio Prague Sunday Music Show via WRMI fair- good 23/11. At 0430 Glenn Hauser’s World of Radio edition 1800. Ident for “WRMI Okeechobee Florida” then “Moments in Bible Prophecy” (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai, Northland, North Island, New Zealand, AOR7030+, EWEs to NAm, CAm & SAm, Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1802 monitoring: confirmed second SW broadcast, Thursday Dec 3 at 2100 on WRMI 7570, good. Also confirmed UT Friday Dec 4 at 0200 on WBCQ 9330-CUSB, sufficient; Friday 2130 on WRMI 15770, fair; Friday 2130.6 on WRMI 7570, good. Next: Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW [NEW!] Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW 7265, Hamburger Lokal Radio, Göhren, 0730-0750, 05-12 [Sat], English, Glenn Hauser's program "World of Radio". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Friol, Tecsun PL-880 and Sangena ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 8 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1802 monitoring. Confirmed on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, MO, UT Sunday Dec 6 at 0445 mid-break, so started circa 0430 this week, and ends at 0459:24. Thruout, there has been heavy CW QRM on both sides; must be some 160m contest, as the band is full of CW up to 1875 where LSB phoners take over. Next: I`d appreciate confirmation by anyone awake, and some informal reception reports of the new airing: Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW [NEW!] Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW WORLD OF RADIO 1802 monitoring: Awoke just before 0900 UT Sunday Dec 6, so checked 5850 VG signal for new WORLD OF RADIO airing on WRMI --- and I hear: Wavescan! Well, the WRMI sked says WOR. I`ve asked Jeff if he still intends to run WOR then from next week? The 0400 UT Monday airing on Area 51 and WBCQ 5109.7-CUSB is pre- empted by John Lightning running way over; evidently he forgot to turn on his mike during a previous hour, and he starts a pre-recorded segment around 0420. I don`t yet know whether WOR will appear after 0500 or not at all this week. Confirmed on 9955 WRMI webcast at 0430 UT Monday December 7, but it`s very weak on 9955. Next: Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1802 monitoring: confirmed Wed Dec 9 after 1415 on WRMI 9955; no jamming but some ACI from 9960 after 1428, i.e. T8WH PALAU with a Japanese clandestine to Korea. Also confirmed Wed Dec 9 at 2200 on WBCQ 7489.9, propagating well now into winter. WORLD OF RADIO 1803 monitoring: confirmed first SW broadcast of 1230 UT Thursday Dec 10 at 1252 check on WRMI 9955; atop pulse jamming: tnx a lot, Arnie! Next: Thu 2100 WRMI 7570 to NW Fri 0200 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE Fri 2130.6 WRMI 7570 to NW Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB to SW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW [NEW! But not last week] Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW [pre-empted last week] Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. UT Friday Dec 4 checking WBCQ Thursday evening programming on PL-880 portable, able to get sufficient signals on all three frequencies inside the Garfield County Emergency Management building: 5109.7-CUSB: at 0145 hymns, 0152 mennoniteradio.org mentioned, where you can listen to all their episodes. But still shows the latest one only as #5 of Oct 21. So this show is airing for a second week at a new time and frequency not yet publicized on the WBCQ online schedule; nor on own website, still claiming to be on 9330 at 9-10 pm ET, day of week omitted, but it had been Wed = UT Thu. Are the ones running on 5 MHz now just repeats? At 0200, 5109.7-CUSB changes to `Just Right` as I logged one week earlier, from Canada, starting with clip of OTR drama, not sure the point of that, but then at 0201 the two co-hosts introduce. This one is on the 5110 schedule. 9330-CUSB at 0143 check is carrying the usual blasting Blalock; after buffer of WBCQ IS and ID, WOR 1802 starts promptly at 0200 UT Friday Dec 4. 7490 at 0145 Dec 4 has an anti-Obama, pro-Ted Cruz rant, by a caller? But it`s the Rabbi Spivak show. Switches to Overcomer at 0200 as usual 7490 & 5109.7-CUSB, UT Sat Dec 5 at 0105, I`m trying to hear WBCQ with `Allan Weiner Worldwide`, but propagation is awful, weak signals, combined with heightened neighborhood/line noise level. 9330 barely audible with Blalock the blaster. 9265 WINB is also JBA, but southerly 9395 and 9955 WRMI are good strength, as well as 7730 and 7570. Too bad Allan can`t transmit directly from De Land of Fla. Immediately preceding the live airing of `AWWW`, UT Saturdays at 00-01 on 7490 is Fred Flintstone's Music Show, according to the WBCQ Annotated Program Guide, and which needs to be in reruns now: ``Program Description --- Music from the late fifties through the present, ranging from Rolling Stones to Zebra and late doo-wap to eighties hair bands. Highly recommended! Be sure to crank up the volume and attach a subwoofer to your receiver. Program Notes --- Fred surprised his long time listeners on Easter weekend this year with the revelation that he is a born again Christian. This happened by chance (design?) when we were simulcasting WBCQ's webcast on a low power community FM radio station. Fred's show is consistently good and we reiterate, highly recommended. A great test for the old tube type radio for hearing how good WBCQ's 7415 service sounds when conditions are right.`` I`m told that this letter from ``Fred Flintstone`` was read on the Dec 6 AWWW I couldn`t hear: ``To my dear faithful listeners of the Fred Flintstone Show. I want to thank you for your emails and concerns. I want to thank my dear friend Allan Weiner, whom I never had the pleasure to meet to allow me the privilege to have a music show on a great sounding shortwave station, WBCQ. If the station did not have the best sound on shortwave I would not be broadcasting here. Allan Weiner, Tom Barna, and the amazing Timmy Smith, WA1HLR, are the ones who keep WBCQ and the old transmitters on the air and with the sound of a modern digital 250KW station using ancient tubes. Timmy Smith is a REAL Radio Frequency Engineer. There is no one like him on earth. He uses his knowledge and brains to keep WBCQ sounding good and on the air. My medical situation was very scary 3 weeks ago. My Faith and trust is solely in the Our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe ONLY in the God Israel, Jehovah God, who sent HIS son The Lord Jesus to bring knowledge of Salvation to the people of the Earth. I was diagnosed with an ACUTE Lymphoblastic Leukemia cancer B-Cell. A lot of chemicals a lot of meds and bags of IV's. I am in the best hospital in the country for blood cancer, UPMS Shadyside, Pittsburgh Pa. There were some days of despair and hopelessness from all of the poison in my body. The last three days beginning 11/29 have been very good and eating better. I am praying for a second chance at life and to be a better husband and daddy to my son. Serve and love GOD first and serve my family and then the hobbies and electronics and music shows when time permits. The Flintstone shows will ALWAYS be outrageous loud crazy music to kick off the weekend. It's entertainment and toe tapping music always. It has nothing to do with being a Christian and finger pointing that I play the Devil's music. Toe-tapping a great audio sound on WBCQ will always be my goal. Thanks for being my dear friends. Fred Flintstone`` (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7489.9-AM, Dec 6 at 0056, WBCQ with `Shortwave Saturday Night` as J. P. Ferraro is rambling about the sad state of AM radio in the US, ``corporate ownership continues to strangle radio``; old record music break after 0100, and more: 0110, FCC thinking about abolishing clear channels, but another idea is to clear out lots of little unprofitable stations and make a few superpower 750 or 1000 kW clear channels, which could also run hifi wideband AM stereo. AM doesn`t *have* to sound worse than FM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9329.9-CUSB, UT Sun Dec 6 at 0108, `Have Goals` is back on WBCQ, same thing as heard a week ago but it was one hour later in the 02-03 UT hour on 9330. Recognize same content, including reference to gallery show ``Culture Jam`` in Milwaukee, and before that ``Guns & Money`` about his piece for that being sculpture made of guns and knives found in sewage tunnels underneath Milwaukee, etc. So that wasn`t a one- shot, now a two-shot and ----? Still going at 0155, but off at 0203 check. See my log report of Nov 29 for more details (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5109.7-CUSB, UT Sun Dec 6 at 0447, WBCQ is still on with guitar strumming, while 7490 and 9330 are off. I guess it`s the `Lost Discs Radio Show` which ``broadcasts about once a month`` at 03-05. Otherwise it`s 03-04 `Zombo's Mondo Record Party`; 04-05 `The Eric Dolphy Mystery Hour` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5109.7-CUSB, Dec 7 until 0533*, very extended Johnny Lightning show on WBCQ Area 51. It seems that the final hour+ was an edited playback of an earlier sesquihour during which JL`s mike was off in a conversation with someone else, so JL`s voice was only picked up by the other guy`s mike 10 feet away, so the playback boosted that pickup. Must say, I have never heard a talkhost so self-absorbed as JL. And no, World of Radio never appeared tonight, normally scheduled for 0400. Since JL is fortnightly, we should be back on schedule next week (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Amateur Radio Roundtable is making some changes. The show is a ham radio and shortwave show which can be seen on W5KUB.COM every Tuesday night at 8:00 PM Central time (0200 UT Wed) We have changed shortwave frequencies and now our program is simulcast on shortwave radio station WBCQ on a freq of 9330 kHz from Monticello, ME. Viewers watch the show on w5kub.com This show has guests from around the world. Guests are brought in remotely into the broadcast. We have a chat room and call in telephone lines for our listeners to communicate with us during the show. There are some regular segments on the show. Riley Hollingsworth, retired FCC Special Counsel for the spectrum enforcement will answer all your questions. Send in questions to AskRiley@w5kub.com Joe Eisenberg, gives us segments on all the new kits available. He also does reports on the many hamfests that he attends each year. Emmett Hohensee, Chief Engineer of Radiowavz gives us new discussions on antennas. We are always looking for new topics and guests. If you have a topic please contact us at Tom@w5kub.com Thanks, Tom Medlin W5KUB, Amateur Radio Roundtable (via Southgate December 6, 2015, Posted by: Mike Terry, Dec 6 dxldyg via DXLD) Tom, How long is the SW broadcast? I see in your video archive the length varies widely. Is it open-ended on SW? (Glenn to Tom via DXLD) They have set the length of the show on short wave for 1.5 hours but can override it if necessary. Our show normally lasts about 1.5 hours and then at the end, a bunch of viewers join the show using hangout (this is where they can click on a link and have their video and audio on the show. It’s a very informal part of the show. I really like the new relationship I have with WBCQ shortwave now. I am totally in charge and pressure is off. Great working relationship and very friendly staff. I have to now try to modify our show a little to include shortwave listeners. Are you a member of our webcast facebook group? If not please join for all the details of what we are doing. It is also a great ham radio hangout. We have close to 4000 members now. https://www.facebook.com/groups/w5kub/ Glenn, I`m always looking for new people and guests for the show. If you have any ideas please let me know. 73, (Tom Medlin, w5kub, Dec 5, to gh, via DXLD) 9329.95-CUSB, approx., Dec 9 at 0240, very poor signal detectable, presumably WBCQ with `Amateur Radio Roundtable`, now scheduled from 0200 to 0330 or later on UT Wednesdays. Propagation very poor with low MUF. I`ve suggested to W5KUB that he should try to get on 7490 or 5109.7-CUSB instead during the winter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And now changed to 5109.7 ** U S A. I noticed that WRMI has a 'frequency change' for the programmer that took over after Global 24 'went south' Not sure how long ago this happened, but I assume it was to avoid the Utility QRM on the old 41 metre channel. 7730 NF, WRMI with "Son-Power Radio" programmer airing the "Jim Bakker Show" with lots of Jewish focused religious talk and several survivalist ads for things like generators and 8 year food supply packages. /(Seriously? Food designed to last 8 years? One of my 'rules' is 'if it doesn't spoil, don't eat it!' And remember, I LIKE to cook!)/ ID including mention of WRMI at ToH, and frequencies of 9395, 7455 amd 5850. I assume this change was made to avoid the ute QRM on 7455, but nobody told them! In well, 4+4+4+44 with my local QRM there but not bad. 0435-0500 5/Dec using HQ-150 +randomwire (Kenneth V Zichi, D<== I'm not with stupid ==> R, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 7455 frequency for WRMI has been gone for a little over a week, at least around 0500. BBC Ascension on 7445 at that hour is now blissfully free of the splatter that the 7455 WRMI unit was putting out (Stephen Luce, Houston, Texas, Dec 8, ibid.) ** U S A. 17775, KVOH - Rancho Simi, Dec. 3, 1646. Our local blowtorch in Spanish with religious programming [to] CAm, SAm, S9+5, hum on audio. They used to have stronger signal here (only 22 miles away). I don’t know if this is do to a more directional antenna, reduced power or my antenna. Web site looks like they are aimed towards Cuba which would put me out of the preferred direction (George Herr, CA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 17775.00, Fri Dec 4 at 1517, Xmas tune, but it`s just a break during `Frecuencia al Día`, via KVOH. However, there is also a big hum and suptorted modulation, altho frequency is accurate. Wiggle that patchcord? 9975, Dec 5 at 0118, KVOH with sermon at S9+25, but very undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 12105, Dec 5 at 0155, WTWW-3 in Russian is S9! Strange propagation, while e.g. 11580 WRMI is JBA. WTWW has usually faded down or out by now on 12 MHz. Here`s why: a winter sporadic E opening across central USA is in progress, per 6m DX map, with MUF up to 65 MHz. No sign of anything on TV ch 2 or 3; I also tune across 6m band on the R75 but hear nothing but birdies, local devices; I don`t have a proper VHF antenna for it. 5830, Dec 5 at 0621, open carrier, dead air from WTWW-1 instead of dead PPP. 5830, Dec 5 at 2157 I notice that WTWW-1 is missing from 9475, so check 5830 --- yes, the night frequency is already on, re-introducing PPPP; for how long? You never know when they will switch between night and day in morning or evening (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. PETE SUMRALL, SON OF LESTER SUMRALL, DIES OF HEART ATTACK Charisma News December 7, 2015 http://www.charismanews.com/us/53649-pete-sumrall-son-of-lester-sumrall-dies-of-heart-attack Pete Sumrall, son of the late Dr. Lester Sumrall, has passed away. He died of a heart attack on Saturday. He was 62 years old. Sumrall was president and CEO of LeSEA Broadcasting, a network that exists to reach out to the lost across the world and offer families with an alternative to secure television programming. Sumrall was also the host of The Harvest Show. "We all loved my father," said Drew Sumrall. "It goes without saying that Pete Sumrall cannot be replaced, just as his father before him, Dr. Lester Sumrall, could not be replaced. We will move forward with the vision of the company." Whether corresponding remotely from countries around the globe or sharing his insightful perspective with viewers live on the set, Pete Sumrall was committed to proclaiming the gospel. After traveling as a missionary for several years, Sumrall became a full-time employee with LeSEA Broadcasting in 1973, according to the company's website. From here, he worked his way up the ranks in the company in multiple roles, including production, engineering, sales, traffic and tours. In 1982, Sumrall was promoted to general manager of the network, which at the time consisted of two television stations and one FM radio station. In 1996, he was installed as president of LeSEA when his father and the founder of the company passed away. He assumed full leadership of LeSEA Ministries and LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry in 2005. The Harvest Show is seen in more than 42 million homes in the United States and 77 million homes in the Middle East. The company reaches an estimated 1 billion shortwave radio receivers worldwide. Leveraging its technology with a passion to spread the gospel, LeSEA reaches more than 90 percent of the world's population with the existence of TV, radio and satellite assets. Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters Facebook group: Miami, FL, United States, December 7, 2015 Pete Sumrall of former NASB member WHRI Passes Away We lost a pioneer in shortwave broadcasting this weekend. Pete Sumrall was a giant in Christian TV and radio and took his mission even further than his father, who passed in 1996. Doug Garlinger talked Pete into building WHRI and the rest is history. Heather and I worked for Pete as consultants from 1996-1998. I was with him when he purchased the Christian Science Monitor SW radio station in Bangor Maine. You may also know that Pete purchased the Voice of Hope – Asia station in Palau. High Adventure had sold it some years before to a Christian Chinese group who sold it to World Harvest. He was really excited about it and I understand he loved to go to Palau often. Here is the most important thing I know about Pete Sumrall --- He loved God, was dedicated to using shortwave radio and television to proclaim God’s word! He was tightly focused on that and he was faithful! He will be missed Rev. John D. Tayloe, President STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP Voice of Hope – Americas (KVOH Los Angeles) Voice of Hope – Africa (Lusaka, Africa) 99.1 FM The Ranch – KWSV Simi Valley 543 Country Club Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 Tel: 805-338-0075 Fax: 805-669-3213 Jdtayloe@voiceofhope.com http://www.voiceofhope.com (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Marie Lamb wrote on the CUMBRE DX Facebook group: Our sympathies to the Sumrall family. WHRI, as you may recall, was the home for "DXing with Cumbre" from 1996 until the program ended in 2014 (Via Mike Terry, ibid.) National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters Facebook group: Miami, FL, United States December 7, 2015 Thoughts About Pete Sumrall by Doug Garlinger, former President, NASB I lost a good friend on Saturday. Pete Sumrall, the CEO of LeSEA Broadcasting was my employer for 23-1/2 years and friend since 1980. I worked for Pete during the most important years of my broadcast career. So many blessings that have come to my family during the last 35 years came as a result of my association with Pete; his brothers Steve and Frank and their father Dr. Lester Sumrall. When my father died in 1996, Pete drove 3 hours to attend my Dad's funeral. At the end of the service Pete whispered in my ear "You take your Mom to Israel with LeSEA Tours when she's ready and I'll take care of it." And he did. I took her with me the following February and I bought tickets for my daughters Angela and Kelly to go along. There is a whole long list of other fantastic and meaningful things that Pete Sumrall did for me over the years. I was privileged to help Pete and his Dad build the television facilities of LeSEA in Indianapolis, Tulsa, Denver, Kenosha, New Orleans, Honolulu, Maui the Big Island and the nation of Cyprus. In 1985, we put World Harvest Radio International shortwave on the air from Noblesville, Indiana. Then we added shortwave stations in Hawaii and Maine. We became one of the top 10 shortwave broadcasters in the world by 1998. Pete ran LeSEA Ministries and LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry. I had the honor of traveling to many nations to help deliver food. We had our own C-130 transport plane and two ships for humanitarian relief efforts. Pete was two years younger than me. He operated a nutrition company "Making Healthy Choices." He exercised and ate right, he was fit and lean. He ran every day. It doesn’t seem possible that he could have gone to be with the Lord so soon. Pete carried the mantle of his father’s ministry after his death. Now, there remains much work yet for the heirs to continue in their Legacy of Faith and to Run with the Vision of Dr. Lester Sumrall (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. 700, KHSE, TX, Wylie – Format to ETH (ex-SS:REL) (Wayne Heinen, NRC AM Log Update, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) I.e., generic ETHnic, so what languages? Still any Spanish? I must struggle to hear it here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re: 750, KAMA, TX, El Paso – 11/19 0758 [EST] – “Univisión América 750 AM, una estación euforia[?],” i.e. KAMA. Also in middle- of-night sometimes QRMs WSB when it should not, but situation not as bad as it was earlier this year. (GH-OK) See AM Switch this issue, has been running 250 watts ND at night on STA since March 2013 – David Yocis, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) No, it hasn`t. May well be 250 watts ND *now*, but when it was fighting with and often overcoming WSB at night, that was no 250 watts. Later refined to UFORIA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** U S A. Applications to extend existing STAs were received from KAMA-750 El Paso TX (U5 10000/250); WHIM-1080 Coral Gables FL (U4 50000/20000 to overcome Cuban QRM); KZNX-1530 Creedmoor TX (U3 220/220 from night site 24 hours). (David Yocis, DC, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) excerpts ** U S A [and non]. 880-CUSB, Dec 4 at 1337 UT, sermon in Navajo, soon introducing hymn in English, `Go Tell It on the Mountain`, so KHAC Tse Bonito NM. No LSB as usual; listening in AM mode, there is quite a hum which I think is coming from this station, but it`s not for being off- frequency; still a tolerable SAH when KRVN is not nulled. Then by 1341 UT, some Spanish QRM fades in further counterclockwise from KHAC and thus getting more QRM from KRVN NE. W&M plugging some event on 20 de diciembre; 1344 into Mexican music. Either XEV in Chihuahua or XEPNK in Los Mochis. 880-USB, Dec 6 at 0142 UT, Wade Pearson (Wayne Peterson? Something like that) of Reach Beyond with a promo in English for walking to enhance fitness, but quoting something from Isaiah to go with it. Doesn`t say a word about Australia or Ecuador or Colorado Springs, let alone shortwave, but this is obviously on LSB-less KHAC Tse Bonito NM, as always on 10 kW ND day power, Dineh ignoring the White Man`s rules while taking advantage of his technology and subjecting themselves to his religion (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 930, Dec 9 at 0709 UT with WKY OKC nulled, singing ID for ``Classic Hits, WTAD``, Quincy IL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 950, Dec 6 at 0146 UT, ad for Galleria, 1960 Kirkendall (sp?). I am suspecting KPRC Houston, and figure there`s a Galleria there like in Dallas, OKC, etc. Everywhere? I find this business has one location in a Houston Galleria, and another at intersexion of FM 1960 and Kuykendahl: http://www.theconcertpub.com/contact--us.html FM are ubiquitous fourth?-level roads all over Texas, originally Farm- to-Market but surely urban as well. Their pavement is often superior to Interstates and turnpikes in Oklahoma (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 980: Re KQUE: ``? -Richardson? That`s a Dallas suburb, not Houston (gh, DXLD)`` Should have been -Richmond (Terry L Krueger, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Celebrating KFWB`s 90th Anniversary [980, Los Ángeles CA] Excellent history of KFWB by DXer, historian and friend Jim Hilliker. http://jeff560.tripod.com/kfwb.html Sent from my iPad (Dennis Gibson, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1000, Dec 4 at 1348 UT, ``ESPN One Thousand`` ID in passing, with KTOK OKC easily minimized, no doubt WMVP Chicago IL. Almost zero- beat; and so is KKIM NM when I hear it against KTOK. Perhaps the even- MHz stations take a little more pride in frequency accuracy, than the preponderance of US AM stations? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1030, WNVR, IL, Vernon Hills – Slogan to “Polska Radio Chicago,” adds // WRDZ-1300. (Tom Jasinski) (Wayne Heinen, NRC AM Log Update, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) ** U S A. 1060, Dec 6 at 0132 UT, as I tune in, ID for ``Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, una emisora más de Radiorama, El Paso``. So KXPL has finally started announcing! Even IDing, after weeks/months of playing nonstop Mexican music whenever we heard it, and IDed as such only by DF and elimination of everything else. We still need to hear them uttering call letters, perhaps just as reluctant to do so as the 1120 Oklahoman (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Official Updates from the FCC. CALL CHANGES: 1060, KRUZ, AR, Van Buren – Call change to KJQS (Nov. 30, station is silent). 1230 KJQS UT Murray – Call change to KRUZ (Nov. 30, station is silent) (David Yocis, DC, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) ** U S A. 1100, Dec 4 at 1350 UT, no sign of KNZZ Grand Junxion CO from the NW; what`s wrong? Are they really on night pattern for a change? Instead some Xmas music which seems to be a little too far CCW for Joplin, so I keep at it, maybe NM? 1354 UT funny anti-fruitcake song, which I am sure is not appreciated by Corsicanans, but I love pecans. Some more unfamiliar Xmas music so it`s more tolerable than the ones playing war-horses. 1359 UT ID as ``KKLL, 1100-AM, Joplin, Missouri``. Isn`t their legal ID supposed to mention the community of license, Webb City? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1260, Dec 5 at 1356 UT, Mexican music loops NE/SW; 1357 UT super-hype voice actor (SHVA) ID with slogan but can`t copy details other than ``--- del cuadrante y nada más``. It`s surely the one for Des Moines (De Los Monjes), Iowa, KDLF Boone, whose 5 kW day pattern is circular tangent to the southwest, optimum for us. NRC AM Log calls it ``La Reina`` with 33 watts ND at night, 112 watts PSRA. Official sunrise today was 1330 UT (January: 1345 UT) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Slogan much as you describe hard to decipher: http://www.lareina1260.com/ is their website. 73 (Wayne Heinen, CO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1280, Dec 5 at 1339 UT, ``103-3 The Mix`` non-IDs, from KSOK Arkansas City KS on groundwave. Per original report in DXLD 15-37, it`s got two exxes, ``The Mixx``, but hard to tell by hearing. 103.3 is a mere translator, allowing the tail to wag the dog (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1300, WRDZ, IL, La Grange – Format to Polish (ex-KID); slogan to “Polska Radio Chicago,” adds // WNVR-1030, drops networks. (Tom Jasinski) (Wayne Heinen, NRC AM Log Update, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) ** U S A. 1310, Dec 6 at 0149 UT, ad for Oak Ridge Living, off 41-A on Dotson (?) Lane, back to basketball, Xavier vs Western Kentucky, on ESPN 1310 --- that makes it for sure WTTL in Madisonville, western Kentucky, on US 41 and alt US 41, and the home of: http://www.assistedliving.com/kentucky/madisonville/oak-ridge-retirement-center/ which is on Dodson Lane, and not to be confused with the radioactive city of Oak Ridge, eastern Tennessee. WTTL is 1500/500 watts U2, but with a CP for 1500/40 watts U1, per NRC AM Log 2015-2016. An ESPN affiliate but not listed with an ``ESPN 1310`` slogan per se. Night pattern supposedly has/had major lobe to SSW, minor lobes to E and W. I can`t find anything on their website or FB about carrying this particular game (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1330, Dec 5 at 0128 UT, Navajo mixture with English including phone area code 505, into ``O Come, All Ye Faithful`` in English, so don`t you believe it`s ``All Navajo, All the Time``; 0147 UT recheck more Navajo talk is atop, so it`s surely KGAK Gallup NM, which I don`t recall hearing here before. It`s 5/1 kW U2, with night pattern aiming SSE, null toward us, so believe it must be on 5 kW ND day pattern. Night hours in December are 0000-1415 UT. Altho 983 km = 611 miles west of here, there are no 1330s in between; normally heard are Wichita and Monahans. Despite the carol, apparently KGAK is full- service rather than foisting Christianity upon the Dineh as KHAC 880 does incessantly on USB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1370, WVMR, Frost WV; 1200-1204 28-Nov, local weather, ID for this and several FM affiliates. Into "Inside Appalachia" program. This is the only radio station broadcasting from within the National Radio Quiet Zone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_Mountain_Radio It's a community-based non-profit station group with Appalachian themed programming. (Will be adding this to my list for online listening). http://www.alleghenymountainradio.org/cpb/ (Don Moore, DXing in Zion PA, with Afedri SDR-Net & RF Space SDR-IQ, MARE Tipsheet Dec 4 via DXLD) ** U S A. 1370, KGNO, Dodge City, KS, 1300 09-Nov-15, ``Bringing you the legends of country music, we're Classic Country, KGNO, Dodge City, the first radio station in town``, then back to music (Nigel Pimblett, Dunmore, AB, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook phased array, Dec CIDX Messenger via DXLD) And I still can`t hear it in OK! (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 1450, WNBY Newberry MI: Mom and pop AM radio still alive in Northern Michigan http://www.freep.com/story/news/columnists/john-carlisle/2015/12/06/upper-peninsula-am-radio-station-still-vital/76614996/ Posted by: (Harry van Vugt, Canada, Dec 7, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. 1510, Dec 6 at 0152 UT, ``Saturday Night`` folk song, 0153 UT, promo for ``Jimmy Rock Show, afternoons 4-7 on The Rock``. So it`s KCKK Littleton CO, 10/25 kW U4, with night pattern supposedly aiming at Albuquerque instead of Enid. Better on N-S antenna than on the E-W, where WLAC diffuses an anti-Moslem rant (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Stations informing the FCC that they are silent: 1550, KBUD, CO Golden – Silent Nov. 16 to coordinate addition of an FM translator. Also, Bill Hale reports that KVCE-1160 [Metroplex TX] has been off for more than two weeks, while Karl Forth and Ken Onyschuk say that WRDZ- 1300 is back on the air with Polish programs (David Yocis, DC, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 14 via DXLD) See above ** U S A. 1690, Dec 5 at 0142 UT, hearing that Denver is off pending sale, I try for something else besides 1690 WVON, the two close to right angles. WVON has discussion about Chicago PD, politix. Nothing much with it nulled completely, but mixing with it another station in blues music, then ad for originalmattress.com and ``AM 1690, Voice of the Arts``; 0144 UT back to program with DJ playing one last song, mentions Chuck Berry; by 0148 UT I`m hearing WVON only, but surely the otherstation would not have signed off at this oddtime. It seemed like it was close to the same direxion (or opposite) as WVON, but this unique slogan belongs to WMLB, Avondale Estates, Georgia (near Atlanta), which is 1273 km = 791 miles east of here. Not heard before due to Denver. Per http://1690wmlb.com/programming/ The slogan is also the (default?) name of programming at various blox including evenings, start time changing from one night to the next, but there are others. The /about page says: ``AM 1690 strives to bring all the best of the art world to Atlanta radio. With an ever-growing library of music, ranging from old-timey music of the early twentieth century to the latest independent rock releases to folk songs of the 1960s to afrobeat tunes, AM 1690 has just about every musical genre, era, and taste covered. The station stands behind a belief that music holds an invaluable significance in our culture, and by blurring the boundaries set by traditional radio station labels, AM 1690 is able to expose the listener to a little bit of everything. Between the b-sides, essential classics, and under-the- radar gems, any given listen to “The Voice of the Arts” may uncover your new favorite song or provide engagement in a genre you never knew you loved. Additionally, AM 1690 harmoniously mixes its diverse musical playlists with thought-provoking book, movie, and theater reviews and reflections, interviews with individuals from every background and with every passion, relevant news stories, and clever, creative skits. No day of programming is the same, promising a fresh, dynamic listening experience with every tune-in. Through its engaging array of musical, literary, and cultural programs, AM 1690 provides for its listeners a strong and much-needed “Voice of the Arts.” AM 1690, The Voice of the Arts …a little history… JW Broadcasting owner Joe Weber began his project of giving Atlanta “The Voice of the Arts” in 1997 with 1190 AM, WGKA. Through being purchased and converted into a gospel station, and then trying out a different location at 1160 AM, “The Voice of the Arts” has found its home at AM 1690. The move up the dial allows for greater coverage of the Atlanta area, and embracing today’s technology provides even more opportunities to keep up with the station’s programming by downloading AM 1690’s iTunes app, following the station on Facebook and Twitter, and listening live online. Now more than ever, AM 1690 is the “Voice of the Arts” that folks in Atlanta and beyond tune in to for all that is relevant in arts and culture`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1690, Arvada/Denver --- 1690 is back on the air today with religious music, at least when I heard it this afternoon. It sounded like it was relaying programming from an FM station not in the area. From what I read earlier, Salem plans to run a business news format on 1690, so this is probably just temporary fill until they get plugged in with the other. Oh, and the signal was just analog. KDDZ was digital right up to the end. 73, (Kit, W5KAT, CO, 0121 UT Dec 8, ABDX via DXLD) They were off air last night when I listened in the car on an errand about 7 pm and this morning around 7 am [MST = UT -7] when I went to work. Maybe they were testing the transmitter? 1690 being off has allowed me to grab 1700 KBGG and 1680 KRJO, which I had never been able to hear due to their strong IBOC - even while phasing out 1690 KDDZ (John ];') kugellagers, Lakewood/Golden CO, Dec 8, ibid.) 1690 Denver --- On the way to work this [sic] afternoon they were on with religious programming. Coming home after 2 this morning it was "Cash Country, All Johnny Cash, All The Time." I didn't hear a legal ID, so I don't know if the call has been changed. 73, (Kit W5KAT, CO, 1017 UT Dec 10, ibid.) ** U S A. 88.9, UT Sat Dec 5 at 0300 I bring up the webcast of KUSP Santa Cruz CA, for the local classical music show, `On Site`. Host Robin Whitehouse announces that this will be the last classical music show on a week night; there had been a strip of different classical shows M-F at 7-9:30 pm PST. From Dec 13 this show will migrate to Sunday mornings 7-10 am PST [15-18 UT]. It`s exciting, he says. So that explains why another classical host, Joe Truskot, announced this week that he is leaving the station. On tonight`s finale, a classical group new to the area is featured after 0400 UT, Espressivo, ``a small, intense orchestra``; see http://espressorch.org/index.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For the folks in Santa Cruz itself, it looks like they can receive KXSC (one of the "KDFC San Francisco" stations) over the air reasonably well, so the community won't be bereft of classical music. Alas, it likely won't have the community feel of KUSP, but considering how many cities larger than Santa Cruz don't have access to full-time over-the-air classical radio, they aren't in terrible shape. Philadelphia is one of those cities that doesn't have a 24/7 classical music station, unless you count HD2 offerings (Richard Cuff / Allentown PA, internetradio via DXLD) Latest KUSP program grid update shows only two classical shows left, conveniently color-coded in light blue, the Sunday morning block and another one Sunday evening. Now it`s talk shows, as on Tuesday evening in the ex-20/21 timeslot (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. NPR TALK-SHOW LEGEND DIANE REHM WILL RETIRE FROM BROADCASTING NEXT YEAR By Paul Farhi https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/diane-rehm-an-npr-staple-eyes-retirement-from-broadcasting/2015/12/08/aeb9f50a-9dbd-11e5-a3c5-c77f2cc5a43c_print.html Diane Rehm, the host of one of public radio's longest-running and most popular news discussion programs, will retire next year, ending nearly 40 years on the air. A retirement date has not been firmly established, but Rehm, who is 79, says she will end her eponymous program, produced by Washington public station WAMU-FM (88.5), after the presidential election in November. "My thinking is that I'll stay on the air until the election because I really want to see how this will go," Rehm said in an interview Tuesday. "My feeling is, I have a number of ideas and I'm perfectly happy doing something different . . . where I'm not forced to get up at 5 a.m. every morning to prepare for a show. I've been doing that for 37 years. Maybe I'll get to sleep until 7 or 7:30 a.m., like other people do." "The Diane Rehm Show" has been one of the staples of news-oriented public-radio stations nationwide for the past two decades. The two- hour program is carried on 197 stations and attracts an audience of about 2.5 million weekly. The show features discussions with newsmakers in the first hour and interviews with authors and artists in the second. Rehm has often been praised for maintaining a civil tone and a nonpartisan orientation in a medium that has grown increasingly shrill and polarized over the past two decades. Rehm has been in discussions with WAMU management about her future for the past several months. The station would like her to continue, but it has begun preparing for her departure. During her periodic absences -- Rehm receives treatment three times a year for a voice condition called spasmodic dysphonia -- the station has used guest hosts who are being considered to succeed her. Among others, these have included Melissa Block, a former co-host of NPR's "All Things Considered"; and Indira Lakshmanan, a guest host of "Here and Now," another NPR newsmagazine program. Melissa Ross, the host of a Jacksonville, Fla., public-radio program, will substitute for Rehm later this week. "I really love what I do, but I know it can't go on forever," Rehm said. "Fortunately, I'm a young 79, if you can believe it. People say, `How can you walk so strongly? How can you wear high heels?' Because I'm one of the lucky ones." Rehm will be away from the microphone for about a month and a half early next year. In mid-January, she will travel to Portland, Ore., for a scheduled voice treatment that will keep her off the air for about two weeks. Immediately afterward, she will begin a month-long tour to promote a new memoir, "On My Own," about the year since the death of her husband, John, a former State Department official, and about the "right to die" or assisted-suicide movement, of which she is an advocate. [NPR host Diane Rehm emerges as a force in right-to-die debate] A former secretary and stay-at-home mother who never attended college, Rehm first joined WAMU as a volunteer in 1973, booking guests for a program called "The Home Show." She became the host of the station's morning talk show, "Kaleidoscope," in 1979. The show was renamed "The Diane Rehm Show" in 1984. It went into national syndication via NPR in 1995 after Rehm helped raise the money for distribution. "I never thought I'd have a career of any kind, much less a career in radio," she once said. Over the decades, Rehm has interviewed many of the nation's leading political figures, including Presidents Carter, Clinton and Obama, and such cultural luminaries as Toni Morrison and Fred Rogers of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Rehm has discussed staying with the station in some capacity after retiring from broadcasting. Among the options discussed are a role in fundraising and a speaker series, in which she would interview a panel or an important guest before an audience. Rehm said the death of her husband of 54 years last year as a result of complications from Parkinson's disease made her reconsider her future. Among other things, she wants to advocate on behalf of aid in dying for the terminally ill, a cause she has been obliged to avoid espousing on the air. "John so wanted to die on his own terms," she said. "It made me feel like I had to speak out for the right to die." She called the decision to end her program "a very positive bit of news that delights me. . . . I feel so fortunate. I feel as if I'm in control of my own life not only now, but going forward." (c) The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Tell all your "buccos" Pirate FM bandscan videos uploaded. Had to do it in 4 parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Ni5mk2b-4 Sincerely (Elizabeth & Christopher Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU [and non]. Hi Everyone, I`m back at the shortwave dials after quite a long absence. I`ve changed the set up to an Elad fdm s2 sdr and two short beverages on the ground about 100m long; they were too short for medium wave but should act as beverages on the sw bands; well, I hope. I would be interested to know if Vanuatu is still on the air. Have you heard them, Ron (can`t wait to see what you have been getting)?? 73's (Mark, Isle of Anglesey, Dec 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Mark, Wow, is great to hear from you again! Will be very nice to see your postings again in DXLD yg! Certainly missed your past interesting logs during these last three years. Regarding Radio Vanuatu - Have not had any audio recently while checking after 1400 (during weekdays "RN2" [Japan] goes off the air at 1400, leaving the frequency clear for any possible RV reception; on weekends "RN2" goes off early at 0900, giving a better chance for RV reception); only been catching a clear open carrier, but Dec 3, at 1411 and subsequent monitoring did not hear the usual open carrier. So definitely needs more work, on days with good propagation, to find out for sure what is up with them. Back on Sept 20, had positive RV ID up on 7260, during 0855-0935 reception, but Mongolia is often there now (no longer heard on 4830). Welcome back! (Ron Howard, California, ibid.) ** VATICAN [and non]. 6070, Dec 8 at 0709, Vatican Radio IS at S9+10, *way* over CFRX, poor thing, presumably `Midnight [sic] in the Desert`, Art Bell on a weeknight, as the Canadians and the Vaticans refuse to protect CFRX. Meanwhile, 6075, which VR used to use, remains vacant. VR might as well turn it off as soon as the mass is over instead of filling with pointless IS, but HFCC shows the Latin Mass transmission at 0630 may last until 0715, with *two* transmitters --- is it both at once, or either-or?? 250 kW at 4 degrees, and 100 kW at 326 degrees toward Canada, beyond western Europe (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. RADIO BARINAS 880 KHZ IS OFF THE AIR --- This station which belongs to the "Circuito Radio Venezuela" owned by Tobías Carrero Nacar and with studios in Avenida 23 de Enero in Barinas has been off the air for several days. The reason for the station's disappearance from the AM band is unknown. The transmitting station is located on a property which was expropriated a few years ago by the late President Hugo Chávez. The station's technicians and officials frequently experience difficulties in getting to the transmitting facility in order to repair technical problems. It is believed that Tobías Carrero Nacar was one of the supporters of the Chavez election campaign. It is unknown why the government took over the property. Today the the buildings of the property are used by a state owned tourist organization. The Radio Barinas 880 audio on the Circuito Radio Venezuela web page is that of the network's key station RV-790 kHz in Caracas. Radio Barinas 880 kHz, RNV-580 kHz (Radio Nacional de Venezuela) and YVKE 1340 kHz (also off the the air for unknown reasons) are the only AM stations in Barinas (Santiago San Gil G., via Mauno Ritola, WRTH Facebook group, translated by Christer Brunström, Sweden, Dec MW News via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. The radio station has sent a certificate for 5 years reported receiving. View certificate here - http://rusdx.blogspot.ru/2015/12/blog-post_27.html Plus sent a gift - a set of office desktop. (Anatoly Klepov, Moscow, Russia, QSL World, RusDX Dec 6 via DXLD) ** YEMEN [non]. Weak signal from clandestine station Radio Sana'a on December 3: 0705 & 0805 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, QRM CRI Chinese 11855 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/weak-signal-from-clandestine-station.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Dec 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello DXers, Extended transmission of Radio Sanaa from Saudi Arabia? Checking 11860 kHz around 0930 UT, I noticed that Radio Sanaa is still on though they sign[ed] off around 0900 UT. The news started at 1000 about military action taking place in T'aaz and different parts of Yemen. Best 73 (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Sent from my iPad, Dec 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, observed at 1210 UT, Dec 6 -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, ibid.) Tarek, thanks for that observation. I'm listening to them (at least I'm assuming it is them) from about 1600 tune in and still going strong at 1649, with improving signal as the sun rises higher over the horizon. Mostly music, but with some fairly strident talk. S5 to S7 signal into Victoria, BC. 73 (Walt Salmaniw, Dec 6, ibid.) 11860, Dec 7 at 1356, good strong S9+10 signal with ME music, 1358 Arabic announcement mentions Sudan and Saudi Arabia, but can`t detect any ID for Radio Sana`a or Yemen; 1401 back to music which is mostly strident/militaristic past 1425; 1427 talk with bits of Qur`an, tweeting SFX; 1438 strident talk with a bit of echo; more music etc., until 1500 YL voice heard for first time, but still can`t catch an ID, mostly talk, interview past 1522. Surely it is this new clandestine by the ousted leader of Yemen, believed to broadcast from nearby Saudi Arabia. When it first came on after 18 UT, I could only hear a JBA carrier here, but schedule has been expanded, and now propagation is favorable. At 1434, some weak music CCI underneath, i.e. IBB Kuwait in Pashto & Dari at 1430-1630; that collision must be much worse in the target areas (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting log, Glenn. Dec 7 (0308-0322) heard 11860 with non-stop Middle Eastern music; poor-fair reception. Was wondering if it could have been Yemen[non], but no way to confirm? (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess tentatively R Sanaa on 11859.9985 accurate footprint. On Dec 9 at 1335 UT heard two men talk - emotive discuss about Arabic world and many times Syria mentioned, in Arabic language. Heard a strong S=9+15dB signal on remote SDR unit in Brisbane Queensland downunder. QRM hit heavily by adjacent 11855 kHz channel of RRI Bucharest Chinese service program from Tsiganeshti till 1357 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Extended transmissions of Radio Sana'a on December 6 0400-0900 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, as scheduled 0900-1800 on 11860*JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, addit. txion 1800-2300 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, as scheduled * co-ch R. Ashna 1430-1500 Pashto, 1500-1630 Dari, AWR 1730-1800 Kabyle. Thanks quick information of Tarek Zeidan from Egypt. Videos http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/extended-transmissions-of-radio-sanaa.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Clandestine station Radio Sana'a is now 24 h on SW 0400-0900 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic 0900-1800 on 11860*JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, additional 1800-2300 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic 2300-0400 on 11860#JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic, additional * co-ch Radio Ashna 1430-1500 Pashto, 1500-1630 Dari, AWR 1730-1800 Kabyle # co-ch China Radio Inter. 0130-0230 Nepali, PBS Xizang Chinese 0300-0900. http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/clandestine-station-radio-sanaa-is-now.html (Ivo Ivanov, Dec 8, B`lgariya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, ZNBC/Radio One: Dec 3 with *0239 start of African Fish Eagle IS. Not only is it their national bird, but is also on their money: http://www.banknotes.com/zm26.htm Dec 5 with *0239 start of African Fish Eagle IS; still with technical problems; 0410* suddenly off; *0413 back on; 0415* off again; *0419 back again; 0421* off again; *0422 back again. Dec 7 with *0239 start of African Fish Eagle IS; after 0400 struggling to stay on the air; technical problems continue (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. Re: [dxld] Radio Transmundial, Santa Maria, Brazil (?) Didn't get home until just before 2100 UT and nothing noted then on 11735 kHz. However, while I was standing in line at the supermarket at about 2005 or so, I accessed the Twente receiver for a few seconds using my iPhone and heard what I believe was ZBC with a fair signal with talk in (presumably) Swahili with the odd English word/name such as Jimmy Buffet. ;-) Nothing heard from the Twente receiver on 11735 just after 2100, likely because ZBC signs off on 11735 at 2100 according to WRTH 2015 (Richard Langley, NB, Dec 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) closedown time varies quite a lot (gh) 11735, TANZANIA (ZANZIBAR), Z.B.C. at 2046 with national music, 2047 man with news update in Swahili, 2058 announcements and music, including some rap in Swahili, 2104 sound effects and several “Spice FM” IDs, more rap music. - Good, Dec 5 (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, listening in my car by the lake, with the Etón E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1480, Dec 6 at 0126 UT, as I tune in, ID as ``1480 WGRA`` or maybe WGRE --- but there is no such station listed by NRC or FCC on 1480, nor any fuzzily similar call. Lots of QRM, maybe a music station vs all the talk stations. Also a low rumbling het from somebody too far off-frequency. Frustrating. The real WGRA is on 790 in Cairo, Georgia, licensed to LOVETT BROADCASTING ENTERPRISES, INC. Let`s see if they have any 1480s: NO. There is no WGRE on AM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re: weird pirate on 1610 (San Diego) --- I just got a chance to check (had other things going on), and I get no trace of anything on 1610 near El Cajón / Rancho San Diego, using my CC Pocket + Select-A-Tenna. (They could be off the air anyway.) 73, (Stephen, 1544 UT Dec 8, ABDX via DXLD) They're on now, very mumbly but sounds like more whiny "activist" nonsense. Seems to loop toward downtown San Diego or maybe SE San Diego. They can be heard along the 5, 805, and the state portion of the 15. By the time you get to the 125 they start to get weak (but I can hear them at home, just east of the 125 here in Eastlake). Audio is very mushy so it's hard to understand what they are saying. 73 (Tim Hall, 1913 UT Dec 8, ibid.) responsible party: http://www.austindparker.com/pelecanus.html http://www.pelecanus.org/episodes.html https://www.facebook.com/austin.parker.56884 The station seems strongest downtown, perhaps near the airport. The current program is about restoring the habitat of the Coastal Cactus Wren, which had been badly threatened by "development" (but much more by the massive wildfires in 2003 and 2007). Besides the poor recording job, and the poor diction of the announcers, they also play pre-recorded music all the time while they're talking, which makes them even harder to understand. It seems like a bit more than 10 watts. It gets out just slightly better than a typical TIS, and seems to get out better along the coast. 73 (Tim Hall, Dec 9, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 2860-LSB, At 0115, on 4 Dec. An African American male preacher is talking with religious music playing in the background. He began to sing along with a chorus of female singers accompanying him. Poor (John Cooper, Lebanon, PA, Winradio-G33DDC, CommRadio CR-1a, RF Space-SDR-IQ, Sangean 909X with Clear Mods, Tecsun PL-660, GAP-Hear It In Line Module, Timewave ANC-4, Wellbrook 1530LNP, Wellbrook ALA- 1530S+, PARS-EF-SWL HF End Fed Receive Antenna, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 6 via DXLD) 2 X 1430-LSB harmonic? (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 6100, Dec 6 at 1403, open carrier with fast SAH, over second station. Per Aoki, KCBS Pyongyang is on here before and after 1400, while CRI Mongolian via Urumqi ends at 1357: nothing else close (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6870 AM in Spanish/Portuguese? 0100-0430z+ Hello Again Glenn, Curious if you have any possible ID for a station on 6870 AM at 0100-0430z+ in Spanish/Portuguese??? Very good signal at ~0300z with male/female and of course music but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I have heard it before and others are hearing it tonight. I just doubt it's a pirate, sounds very professional & not a pescadore station because they don't have the staying power or produce anything this good sounding. Still on at 0430z. Thank you [and I see 6250 was resolved LOL] Rafman K4RAF Broadband: Speed, Distance, Reliability, Cost --- Pick three http://livestream.com/rafwireless http://www.youtube.com/user/Rafmanne http://twitter.com/Rafmanne http://audioboo.fm/Rafmanne http://picasaweb.google.com/rafwireless <--Photo Albums (Amateur Radio - K4RAF, UT Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6870, Dec 6 at 0041, and several chex until 0205, rechex at 0436, no signal. I`m trying because last night, RAFman K4RAF, was getting something weak here in Spanish or Portuguese, like a regular broadcaster, not a pirate. That reminded me of Sept 9 when a number of pirate-chasers had a 6870 as well, which turned out to be R. Habana Cuba, but we could never figure out how it would land in a mix on 6870 and it wasn`t clear to me if anyone axually matched it to a known RHC frequency; my theory now is that it`s a spy-numbers transmission which accidentally gets RHC on it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, Glenn, I now remember someone had said it was Havana. Very different programming from the norm for them, almost sounds like a Tropical Band Brazilian. I did log it on HFu last night, but while I could hear audio, others just saw carrier. Thank you for your help (Rafman [of HFu], Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6940.0-AM, Dec 6 at 0042, JBA carrier, also at 0104, presumably some pirate. A couple of other unID logs of it: http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,24920.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. PIRATE BROADCASTER QBC International on Dec 6 1437-1507 on 6985.3 unknown transmitter site: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/pirate-broadcaster-qbc-international-on.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 7235.82 approx., Dec 3 at 1405, JBA carrier, which points to always off-frequency EBC by longpath; or does it? EiBi has it on 7236.5 at 14-15 as EBC in Arabic; 15-16 switches to V. of Democratic Alliance clandestine; 16-17 back to EBC in English. Recent report from Wolfgang Büschel puts it a little lower, but supposedly not varying down below 7236: ``7236.372 kHz footprint narrowed - the Ethiopian station always wanders up and down 20-30 Hertz. Scheduled Radio Ethiopia in Arabic in 14-15 UT slot, from Addis Ababa-Gedja site. Noted at 1405 UT on Nov 25 (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 25)`` Of course, on this band mixed with ``40 meter`` hams, one of them could be running a carrier to confuse us. I also have a weaker signal on 7235.0, presumably VOA Korean via Tinian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDentified. "Strange sound" on December 9: 1340-1420 on 9485 USB, continues at 1630 UT http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-strange-sound-on-december-9.html (Ivo Ivanov, Blgariya, Dec 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDentified. Secret station with Arabic music 0900-0910 on 9550 unknown transmitter site, December 6 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2015/12/unidentified-secret-station-with-arabic.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. GERMANY/IRAN/BULGARIA-harmonic? Mix of two stations from 1702 UT on 11800 kHz, Radio Echo of Caucasus in Adygey and Russian 16- 18 UT and an UNIDENTIFIED program in German, maybe the 2nd harmonic of 5900 kHz of KBSWR in German via Sofia Kostinbrod SpaceLine Ltd brokery? (Rumen Pankov-BUL, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 4 via DXLD) No, Rumen, is a mystery, - KBS not anymore via Sofia Kostinbrod relay. 1720-1820 UT German language program scheduled from IRIB Tehran on fundamental 5900 kHz, originate from Kamalabad Iran site (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 15200.0-USB, Dec 6 at 1449, 2-way Spanish INTRUDERS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 21865.5-USB, Dec 3 at 1505, very animated 2-way in Spanish with strange accent, keeps referring to various ``miles de pesos`` of some commodity; sorta Portuguese, so maybe Galician. But pesos instead of pesetas hints at Mexican. Rather, I am not hearing his contact during cambios (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 106.9, Dec 5 at 2110 UT, tuning around on caradio parked at a restaurant in northern Enid, I find a signal adjacent to local 107.1 KNID, which is strong enough not to be bothered by ACI, rock music; 2112 ID as ``106.9 KNRL``. As I drive away, KNID strengthens from a nully area and I no longer hear 106.9. Will look it up later. Well, after searching thru the FCC and WTFDA databases, I can`t find any KNRL on FM or AM, nor any similar sounding call on 106.9. I was pretty sure of it, but the N might have been an M, and the L might have been an O --- Still nothing in those combinations. Would have expected it not to be beyond KS or OK, as no sign of tropo DX in mid-afternoon; sporadic E? Was not fading while I had it, and nothing unusual noted on lower FM frequencies, altho there was an opening on 6m across western USA when checked at 2238 UT. That brings me back to a listed KRNO (not KNRO), 35 kW at Incline Village, Nevada! That`s between Carson City and Reno, certainly possible by Es. Must check 106.9 further for signs of this again or anything else (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1803: Great job with World of Radio, Glenn, always enjoy the broadcast. I listen by downloading the program every week when it's posted. 73, Rob, NV5E (Robert May, with contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Thanks to an anonymous contributor in Madoc, Ontario for a Canadian bank draft in US funds on a US bank to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 Thanks to Fred Jodry, Demarest NJ, for a PMO in the p-mail to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702. Hi Glenn, thank you for all your hard work on WOR, I'm ashamed to report that this is my first donation after many years of enjoyable listening and reading. 73s for 2016 (Mike, Bournemouth, England, Terry, in GBP via PayPal) Glenn, I keep wanting to ask - why the week-long delay each time between when you seem to complete the DXLD and when you post the link to it on this particular forum? (Kevin Anderson, Dubuque IA USA, K9IUA, swprograms at hard-core-dx.com) Kevin, I wish it were otherwise, but because I am running that far behind in completing the compiling and editing. It is a huge job I have undertaken. I don`t have the finished product done by Wednesday afternoon when it is time to record World of Radio based on the current issue so Wednesday is the cut-off day for most material included. Rest assured, the notices of new issues go out to all lists the moment the new issue is finished and uploaded, which is usually the following Sunday at the earliest. This week I am even further behind than usual. I could get caught up by skipping a lot of material for a week, but am unwilling to do that so far. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn, Thank you for the explanation. So the date you list for DXLD is the cutoff date for the material you use, and not the date for when you complete the project. I interpreted the date to be the former and not the latter, which explains why the document appears to be delayed when in reality it is not. I am not a member of your separate DX Listening Digest forum, and so was incorrectly interpreting that you were releasing the information there on the date listed, and then intentionally delaying the announcement for everyone else by six days. How wrong I was believing. You do great work, and I didn't mean for my e-mail to sound like a criticism. I hope you didn't take it that way. It is most definitely a huge compilation process that is to be commended! (Kevin Anderson, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ MOSQUITO COAST RECORDINGS Daniel [Wyllyans] has passed a few recordings in HCDX of stations taken from http://www.mcdxt.it/ If you go to my website http://www.thomasn.sverige.net/ you will find all of those recordings from the "Mosquito Coast" website easily organized. If you are interested in even more recordings, there is also a link to Björn Malm's memorial site "Voces de América Latina" as well as other recordings. When you are on the site don't forget to read all in the very informative "Latin American Corner" by Henrik Klemetz, Jay Novello, Francesco Clemente and Rafael Rodriguez (Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin Dec 6 via DXLD) 8ª Actualización de 2015 de la LISTA MUNDIAL DE EMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL Publicado el 3 diciembre 2015 18:41 por EA4-0003 diciembre 3, 2015 La AER anuncia que ya está disponible la 8ª actualización de 2015 de la LISTA MUNDIAL DE EMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL que se ofrece gratis en forma de listados PDF y de páginas web con motor de búsqueda. http://lista.aer.org.es/ Sigue leyendo? http://aer.org.es/archivos/4694 (Pedro Sedano, Madrid, España, COORDINADOR GENERAL, ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE RADIOESCUCHA (AER), Dec 4, condiglista yg via DXLD) Ondas Tropicais Caros colegas do grupo, encontrei esta matéria em minhas pesquisas na NET sobre Ondas Tropicais. Resolvi compartilhar este conhecimento com vocês: http://www.sarmento.eng.br/NavegandoOT.htm (Paulo Maia, 8 Dec, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Can`t get a connexion, even to the homepage (gh, DXLD) DXFM.com Spreadsheets - FCC Data Girard Westerberg has graciously run a new series of AM, FM & TV station spreadsheets from FCC data with a run date of today. These are available for download on his site as noted above. Thanks Girard! (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, (15 mi NW of Philadelphia), Dec 5, WTFDA gg via DXLD) FCC TO LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE TOMORROW (DEC. 10) Multichannel.com By John Eggerton November 24, 2015 http://www.multichannel.com/news/fcc/fcc-launch-new-web-site-dec-10/395540 The FCC says it plans to debut its redesigned website Dec. 10, with the switchover starting Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. and completed by midnight, though it also says the transition will be "almost instantaneous." The commission switched to new servers over Labor Day weekend, a process that was somewhat less than instantaneous and for which the FCC caught some flak at a recent House oversight hearing. While the transition may be nearly instantaneous, the site will continue to develop in a sort of IT version of a Socratic dialog. "There will be an ongoing process following this transition that will continue to involve user feedback, fixes by the FCC’s Information Technology team, and content updates by policy bureaus and offices," the FCC said. The FCC says the redesign should mean better functionality, including search and navigation, as well as better interoperability for those accessing it via tablet and mobile browsers, increasingly the broadband access device of choice. The FCC said that while it is expecting to have migrated all content to the new site by Dec. 10--after which the old site will not be available -- there could be some pages that still need format, content or function "improvements" and says users should alert it to any "bugs" that they find. According to a beta version the FCC put out for tire-kicking last month the new site features a mostly white background as compared to the dark background of the current site, and uses all the screen space rather than having black-to-blue-to-black gradient borders that enclose the current working space on the home page. There is a definite emphasis on social media in the new site, with prominence given to the blogs and a column for the FCC's running Twitter feed, as well as even larger and more prominent boxes for filing complaints and public comment. Wheeler came into his post saying the FCC needed to focus on being a consumer agency, and the new site appears geared to be going for more consumer-friendly and less officious. The site is Drupal-based, a free, open-source platform that claims over a million Web sites, from Fox to Lady Gaga, Greenpeace to the Dallas Cowboys, The White House and NBC. It is also "responsive," which means it is optimized for viewing on the mobile devices that use the wireless spectrum that the FCC is trying to free up for mobile broadband. Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 9, dxldyg via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WINTER SWL FEST REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE Registration forms have been updated and posted for the 2016 Winter SWL Fest; you can now sign up for the fest either via Snail Mail or online via PayPal. Information here: http://www.swlfest.com/registration/ thanks (Richard Cuff / John Figliozzi, Dec 5, NASWA yg via DXLD) WELCOME TO EDXC CONFERENCE 2016 Dear DX Friend, On behalf of the European DX Council we are happy to announce that The British DX Club will host EDXC Conference 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom. The confirmed dates are 9-12 September, 2016. Accommodation and the conference itself will take place at The Castlefield Hotel. http://castlefield-hotel.co.uk/ This is set in the historic Castlefield canal basin area of the city of Manchester. It is a short walk from shopping areas and is close to many cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants. There are also museums and art galleries nearby. Conference registration will be on the evening of Friday 9 September with conference sessions on the mornings of Saturday 10 September, Sunday 11 September and the final conference sessions on Monday 12 September. The full programme with prices will be announced in due course. Excursions are being planned for the conference and will be announced in a few months. If you have any questions about EDXC Conference 2016 please contact Kari (ksk@sdxl.org), Jan-Mikael (jmn@sdxl.org) or Chrissy (chrissylb@hotmail.co.uk). All information will be available also on EDXC website https://edxcnews.wordpress.com or http://www.edxc.org For more on what to do and see in Manchester see http://www.visitmanchester.com/ EDXC Manchester host Chrissy Brand also writes a daily photo blog about Manchester: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.co.uk/ We would like to see you all at EDXC Conference 2016 in Manchester. You are warmly welcome! 73s, (Kari Kivekäs, Jan-Mikael Nurmela, Dec 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE 2015 - SUMMARY SARL weekly news in English 2015-12-5 http://www.sarl.org.za World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) concluded its deliberations on 27 November in Geneva, as heads of delegations signed the Final Acts revising the Radio Regulations - the international treaty governing the use of radio frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. Some 3 300 participants, representing 162 out of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) 193 member states, attended the 4-week conference. Another 500 or so participants, representing 130 other entities, including industry, also attended as observers. Festus Daudu of Nigeria chaired WRC-15. "A great deal has been achieved in the last 4 weeks and the results will have a major impact on the future of the telecommunication sector in general and radio communications in particular," ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (ITU-R) Director François Rancy said in a closing news release. WRC-15 addressed more than 40 topics related to frequency allocation and sharing. The conference reached consensus on a new worldwide secondary Amateur Radio allocation at 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz, with a power limit of 15 W effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). Some Region 2 countries will be permitted up to 25 W EIRP. With this action - and despite conditions that are more restrictive than had been hoped at the start of the Conference - the Amateur Service has obtained its first new global HF allocation since 1979. The 15 kHz band at 60 [sic] meters "will maintain stable communications over various distances, especially for use when providing communications in disaster situations and for relief operations," an ITU news release said. The new band will not become available for use until the regulatory authorities address the WRC-15 Final Acts. Threats by the mobile telephone/broadband industry near 10 GHz and 24 GHz have been averted for the time being, but are expected to be raised again at WRC-19 and/or WRC-23. The 144 and 420 MHz bands were excluded from the WRC-19 agenda item addressing short-duration (3 years) small satellites. Agenda Item 1.12, addressing the Earth Exploration Satellite Service (10 GHz EESS), was approved at plenary with footnotes relevant to certain Middle East countries. The EESS allocation was tailored to avoid the Amateur-Satellite segment and poses no threat to terrestrial amateur radio use of the band. The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) team at WRC-15 also focused its efforts on tweaking the agenda for WRC-19. Agenda Item 1.1 will consider 50 to 54 MHz harmonization in Region 1. A proposed agenda item to align the 160 metre allocation in Region 1 with the rest of the world did not make the cut. Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 7, dxldyg via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ UTC TIME IS --- http://time.is/UTC (Mauno Ritola, 1625 UT Dec 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Many thanks Mauno, never came across that URL - BEFORE, Danke for accurate time (wolfy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I see that is quite accurate, no internet delay, but it`s in AM and PM, which could cause more confusion. No way to set it for 24-hour clock? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hi Glenn - I changed mine to a 24 hour clock by scrolling down the homepage to "Customize" and checking the "Time Format" for "24 Hours" and then I switched it to UTC by choosing "UTC" also at the bottom of the homepage. - (Bruce (New York, USA), ibid.) I asked the designer Even Scharning and he said that he changed UTC now to 24h form regardless of user's log-in location. Does it look like that now in the US? (Mauno, ibid.) Yes but it`s about one second fast of WWV. O well (Glenn Hauser, 2347 UT Dec 9, ibid.) But close enough to get the UTC hours right for loggings :-) One can hide the seconds in settings (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) Am I just being dense? A web page to tell you the time? Isn't this something that a watch or clock (or a computer clock!) set to UTC wouldn't do better and easier? Just setting a clock while listening to CHU or WWV or whatever, and stop struggling to convert things back and forth is the 'easiest' way to insure you're not making a mistake! This just looks like another example of people trying to make computers do EVERYTHING instead of realizing that sometimes a simple 'old fashioned' tool is better. Yes, you CAN get audio from 'the internet'. Radio tends to be easier, and a lot more portable IF broadcaster remain on the air! Or am I just a fossil? Don't answer that, yes, I'm a fossil, but sometimes old stuff improves with age! (That's my story and I'm sticking with it!) :) (Kenneth V Zichi D<== I'm not with stupid ==> R, MI, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See CANADA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See MEXICO; OKLAHOMA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also: INDIA; ROMANIA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM HOLDS LIVE DEMO IN TANZANIA Radio World By Guest Contributor December 4, 2015 http://www.radioworld.com/article/drm-holds-live-demo-in-tanzania/277642 Digital Radio Mondiale was on hand for the 10th Southern African Development Community Digital Broadcasting Migration Forum, which took place Dec 2–3 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Radu Obreja, DRM marketing director, and Lucky Mbiko, representing Radio Pulpit and the DRM Southern Africa Platform, provided information and presented a live DRM broadcast to more than 60 participants. The demonstration consisted of a live shortwave DRM BBC transmission relayed by Babcock International via transmitters on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean that beamed the digital signal to a DRM AV-DR-1401 receiver in Dar es Salaam, some 6,000 kilometers away. The theme of the SADC forum, which was hosted by the government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, was “Digital Broadcasting Dynamics: Building a Sustainable Future.” Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 5, dxldyg via DXLD) Could the ``guest contributor`` be straight out of a DRM press release? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) AM [sic] BROADCAST TO THE RESCUE Radio World By Jochen Huber Berlin December 7, 2015 http://www.radioworld.com/article/am-broadcast-to-the-rescue/277651 Almost every country in the world operates medium-wave transmitters. In fact, many countries use several transmitters with an output power above 500 kW. Medium wave offers large-area propagation, including coverage of neighboring countries, and today there is no alternative technology available. Satellite and cable are vulnerable due to government control in certain regions, Internet radio needs large bandwidth and is not designed as a “one-to-many” medium, while technologies such as DMB, DVB and DAB, can only reach relatively small areas due to the limited coverage of the frequencies they use. These “modern” options are also more costly and are thus mainly utilized in highly populated areas and by countries where advanced infrastructure and large propagation networks are available. EXTENDED COVERAGE Many nations have decided to switch off (either partially or fully) AM broadcasts. In doing so, they are giving up a field-proven opportunity to inexpensively reach listeners with a relatively “small” infrastructure — even if these installations are physically huge, they also offer extended coverage. There is no lack of AM receivers. The technology, established some 100 years ago, is identical worldwide, where any available AM receiver can function. This is a big advantage, particularly in disaster or emergency situations, since a large population can be reached at minimum cost and effort. In situations where inhabitants flee their home countries such as the Syrian refugee crisis, for example, it is important to reach these people before they leave home and provide them with current information. The refugees need to be informed about what awaits them at their destination — the political situation, culture, etc. Once they arrive, the task at hand then becomes to help them successfully integrate in the country of adoption. In Germany, some public broadcasters have begun producing programs targeted at refugees in their native language, airing them locally over the Internet. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, the dissemination of these programs, which are created for those who have already made their way to Europe, depends on Internet coverage and the availability of Internet radio-capable cellphones or computers. If broadcasters used AM technology, with its easy-to-use, available and cheap receivers, they could increase their audience and reach a large number of people in various countries, without the need for expensive cellphones and cellphone contracts. Another option is Digital Radio Mondiale technology. DRM would allow broadcasters to transmit the broadcasts in additional languages and with more information. However it would also require the appropriate receivers — a small investment really for such a big savings. USEFUL SERVICE Using analog (or digital) AM would make it possible to touch the listeners in their home countries and also on their way to us. This is possible without new installations since everything is mainly in place. All that is needed is the determination and some money to switch it on — quite efficient! Broadcast providers and network operators should maintain AM broadcasts for such political challenges. The willingness to help the refugees integrate into their new world is apparent in many governments and it is a question of humanity to use such ways of communication in order to educate effectively. (Dipl. Ing. Jochen Huber is president of JHBC Broadcast Consulting and honorary member of the DRM consortium). Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Desperate and offensive attempt by a former board member of Transradio to sell high power DRM capable transmitters by using tragic circumstances. In the real world even where medium wave transmitters are on the vast majority of the population will listen on FM and AM transmitters are closing down. There are none in Lebanon for example. And apparently according to this article FM does not exist. I see Ruxendra Obreja who was at one point said to be on secondment from the BBC is now apparently writing articles and travelling around the world promoting this technology to little effect at licencepayers` expense. An apparent relation of hers is now involved in the consortium as "managing director"; managing what is not clear. Any commercial organisation would have closed down all this years ago. http://www.drm.org/?page_id=85 Posted by: (barraclough.mike, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RANT --- After several weeks of more than usual problems with digital converters, I have to rant. I'm tired of digital converters crapping out. Tried to purchase a new one and it took two days to get connected long enough to do a search on Amazon for converters thanks to my stellar internet connection. Found that they have morphed into something else and aren't even capable of being attached to my analog TV or VCR anymore. Just want to state here how proud I am and how warm and runny it makes me inside that my government cares so much for me that they dictate how I shall receive my TV signal and force me kicking and screaming into an inferior method of transmission while their other hand, the FCC, is working to do away with OTA TV altogether. Luddites, unite (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REVERSE DTV AUCTION WINDOW NOW OPEN Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and other internet streaming services are more likely to effect the future of US broadcast television than anything the FCC might do to it. But then - there is the DTV reverse auction and forward auction. Yes, it has already began. The auction process is in its preliminary stages. There are already a couple threads concerning what all of the DTV auction/repacking is all about on the WTFDA forums, along with member questions. One is here... http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?10429-Auction-Repacking-Channel-Sharing-Questions One is here... http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?10297-Channel-Sharing-rules-for-upcoming-Auction-Multiple-Stations-on-One-Channel The Reverse Auction process has began! The Reverse Auction DTV Filing Window officially opened at 12:00 pm Eastern on December 8th (Tuesday) and will close at 6:00 pm on January 12, 2016. A Forward Auction DTV Filing Window will then open at 12:00 pm Eastern on January 26, 2016 and will close at 6:00 pm on February 9, 2016. To read more about this, you can open this document- http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015/db1112/DA-15-1296A1.pdf The Opening Auction prices were also revised in mid-November and can be reviewed in this document- https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-1296A3.pdf Some things to think about when considering how much the TV networks and their affiliates will *jump* at the offer of big cash payouts by the FCC... Television networks - their 2015 value - number of affiliates in network CBS Television - $30.4 billion - 222 O&O and affiliates Fox Television - $11.3 billion - 194 O&O and affiliates ABC Network - $4.3 billion - 200 O&O and affiliates NBC Network - $3.5 billion - 200 O&O and affiliates Public Broadcasting System [sic] (PBS) - unknown - 354 broadcast member stations. The NAB's approach to the Reverse Auction process: http://www.nab.org/advocacy/issue.asp?id=2025 Antennas Direct, a leading antenna manufacturer, is speculating the *fall out* from this will be many more VHF stations. They state that having an outdoor antenna will become a greater issue to maintain reliable reception of local broadcast stations. Their 3rd Qtr 2015 report continued to show 3.5% cord cutting from pay TV services (although that number is slowing some). Last edited by Jim Thomas; 12-09-2015 at 03:11 PM. (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Dec 9, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Is that right that CBS value is 10 times that of NBC? (Mike N9BNN, Lebanon, IN, EM69, ibid.) Technically, because NBC's ratings have been so low the past several years, on paper, industry analysts say they are worth -500 million dollars. Yes, there is a minus symbol before the 500! BUT: the bigger picture - their actual net value (assets) of what they could be sold for puts them at $3.5 billion. I did a lot of research to find out the REAL VALUE of each network. That is the value of the mother ship, not the value of the affiliates, which carries their own value. Last edited by Jim Thomas; 12-10-2015 at 09:04 AM. (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ A USEFUL SMARTPHONE APP FOR DX'ERS Whether you do AM, shortwave, longwave, FM or something else, I think this will prove useful. I have a pretty high return rate when submitting reception reports and asking for QSL cards/letters. I'd say my return rate is probably better then 60 percent, sometimes even 70 or 80 percent. It just depends. But what helps me so much? EVERY reception report I email or snail mail includes an audio recording. Sometimes it's only 30 seconds if the signal is real real rough, weak or hard to pick out anything useable. Sometimes I include anywhere between 5 minutes and 30 minutes with a detailed report. Well, how do I record? I use my smartphone! I have an Iphone 6plus with 128gb of storage. IPhones record some of the best audio I've ever heard from a smartphone. Androids do a pretty decent job, not as good, but not bad. The best app I've found for this is Voice Recorder Pro 7. I think it cost something, but if it did, it was only like 99 cents of $1.99. You can select the format to record in (mp4, mp3 or wav), you can select the sample rate, bit rate (32 kbps all the way up to 320 kbps); you can select mono or stereo as well. But where this really comes in handy, you can email the audio file to yourself or someone with the click of a button, you can upload it to a google drive, dropbox, one drive or box cloud account. You can even have it upload to an FTP server or to your Facebook page if you want!! The one feature I like is being able to turn your audio into a youtube video and uploading it directly to youtube! I was recording videos by holding it up to the radio's display and while the audio was good, it wasn't great because it was a bit further away from the speaker so I could show the S meter and frequency on the display. So what I ended up doing is do is put the phone right near the radio's speaker and start recording. This produces better audio then a straight up video. Then you click a button after the recording is over and it generates the video frames for you, putting a picture there and you fill in the particulars of your video and it uploads it to your youtube account. See what I'm talking about here, by viewing my youtube account https://www.youtube.com/user/OnAirDJPaulWalker You can easily tell which videos were made by me holding up the phone to the radio`s display and which are audio only with the video generated by this smartphone app. Here's an audio only track that I recorded to give you an idea how it sounds: https://soundcloud.com/paul-walker-11/radio-mediterranne-international I don't recall if they have this app for android phones, but if they don't, there's something similar. It's worth investigating. A detailed written report is one thing when requesting a QSL, but audio is indisputable and absolute confirmation of what was heard (Paul Walker, AR, Dec 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) There is no substitute for patching audio output of receiver directly into a recording device, eliminating any extraneous room noise or ambience, and not losing any audio fidelity, inevitable thru speakers and microphones. The proliferation of phones with no possibility of employing a patch cord, makes this idea seem to be completely foreign to a new generation of DXers (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have experimented with several apps on my iPhone5s to record SW, including using the microphone input (with an adapter) to connect with the line output of a receiver. Hope to find some time over the holidays to report on that (Richard Langley, NB, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have a half [sic] held standalone digital recorder sitting in a box but haven't ever gotten the wire to connect into my computer or a reader to put the little storage drive in (Paul Walker, ibid.) This opens up a good topic for discussion: production of DX audio files. In the past 50 or so years, my techniques have progressed from: (1: '60s/'70s) Reel-to-reel tape with a patch cord to the receiver audio out. If tapped off the speaker or 8-ohm headphone jack instead of 600 ohm "line" audio out, a resistive pad would be used. OK for home (or house DXpedition) use but not for "field" (in car etc.) DXpeditioning. Tapes that stayed in good shape were later dubbed to mp3. This KSL 1160 recording from January 1974 was done this way (reception at Menotomy Rocks Park, Arlington, MA: R-390A receiver): http://chowdanet.com/markc/WEB2005A/dx_ksl-1160_19740107_0525z.mp3 Going back to 1965, a friend of mine provided this reception of WBZ's Dick Summer show from a US Navy ship anchored at Midway Island in the Pacific. The recording survived transfer from reel-to-reel to cassette and then to mp3. Receiver: R-390A. http://chowdanet.com/markc/WEB2005A/dx_wbz-1030_heard_from_midway_island_oct1965.mp3 (2: Mid '70s through early 2000's) Cassette recorder with patch cord to the receiver audio out. Initially portable cassette recorders did not have adequate fidelity (or audio-input jacks) so stereo decks that were part of home entertainment gear were used. Here's a 1975 recording - 40 years ago this month - done this way. Germany 1586 absolutely blasting in at Sudbury, MA, 20 miles west of Boston: R-390A, swamp-terminated Beverage pointed at northern Europe: http://chowdanet.com/markc/WEB2005A/dx_w-germany-1586_19751217_0625z.mp3 By 1977 portable cassette recorders progressed to sufficient quality for DX, if not audiophile, recording purposes. This brought DX audio capture out in the field, so to speak, for recording during travelling (in car, in hotel room, etc.). Sometime bias harmonics could interfere with DX (like old-school TV birdies) but moving the recorder could typically overcome the problem. Here's 850 WHDH Boston recorded from Ireland in '77 with an unaided Realistic TRF connected to a Panasonic battery powered cassette recorder. http://chowdanet.com/markc/dx_audio/WHDH_850_heard_in_Ireland_1977.mp3 (3: Early 2000's to present) Portable digital-format recorder. One drawback is that these had somewhat more interference potential than portable analog cassette recorders. A bit more care needed to be exercised in terms of shielding, patch cable length, placement, etc. especially when DXing with a portable radio or with an indoor loop. C. Crane's "Pogo Radio YourWay LX" http://www.cnet.com/products/pogo-products-radio-yourway-lx/ was one of the first out of the gate. It even had its own built-in AM / FM receiver that was deaf as a post. Recording from a real receiver (via line-in) was the objective anyway, so that didn't matter. Here's a 2006 recording of Saudi Arabia 1521 made from Granite Pier (Rockport, MA) with the Pogo recorder fed from a Drake R8A. The audio is a bit "artifacty" sounding by modern standards but certainly adequate as a DX audio document. http://www.qsl.net/wa1ion/audio1/dx_saudi_arabia-1521_20060503_2300z.mp3 I have since used other portable digital recorders including models by Zoom, Archos, and Edirol. Tascam also makes several models that could be useful. The following articles (and other ones easily found by Googling) might be helpful: http://www.wirerealm.com/guides/top-10-best-portable-recorders https://www.musicedmagic.com/music-technology/portable-digital-audio-recorder-buying-guide-with-reviews.html DXers would generally be less interested in microphone based recording since a patch cord is a better way to go. Ability to adjust audio level in an uncompressed mode is advisable though it's also good to have auto-levelling ability as well. Removable media cards are definitely a good thing (as with still and video cameras). Online reviews will not look into RFI, an issue of specific interest to us. DXers will have to figure that out on their own (and publish their findings). C. Crane's more recent offering, the "C. C. Witness", does a reasonable job for on-the-go recording. Like the Pogo, it has a built- in AM / FM radio of limited value. This is what I used on this 2013 recording of WBZ made at my brother-in-law's place at Lake Wylie in Fort Mill, SC. Receiver used: Kaito KA1003 portable. http://chowdanet.com/markc/dx_audio/wbz-1030_heard_in_sc_20131226_2315z.mp3 (4: Early 2000's to present) Audio patched from receiver into desktop or laptop computer. If your computer has a line-level input, this is a simple matter. This is how I digitized all of the analog formats listed above (items 1 and 2) as well as many airchecks and music LP's, 45's, and cassettes. Newer computers seem to have given up the line-in audio jack so you'll have to use the microphone jack instead. Typically an attenuating resistive pad needs to be inserted in the patch cable. Total Recorder http://www.totalrecorder.com/ is my preferred software for this though Audacity also is widely used in the DX community. (5: Mid 2000's to present) Audio patched to computer via an added USB- connected interface board. Sometimes these give better results than a computer's resident sound card. Also, some computers and tablets have no audio input jack at all. Manhattan Products is one of the companies making audio and video capturing interfaces. This is one: http://www.manhattan-products.com/hi-speed-usb-audio-video-grabber (6: Mid 2000's to present) Audio extracted directly within the computer from an SDR receiver such as Perseus, Excalibur, SDR-IQ, Afedri, Elad, etc.). This is what I have been doing since I used an SDR-IQ in 2007 and my current Perseus receiver since 2009. Again, it is Total Recorder that I team up with the receiver's audio output and that works great. Most DX audios I've recently posted have been done this way. These include links from this year's pages: http://www.qsl.net/wa1ion/doc1/audio_march2015.htm http://www.qsl.net/wa1ion/doc1/audio_aug_to_dec2015.htm For some interesting background information, read John Bryant's classic "High Tech DXpeditioning" article from 2003: http://www.dswci.org/specials/tech/hitechdx/hitechdx.html Some info is still close to cutting edge and, of course, a good deal is dated. Things have certainly come a long way in the past 12 years. Smartphone audio capture I haven't tried yet. Guess my tendency would be to look for an audio input jack versus doing speaker to mike. But maybe the portability and ease of use advantages outweigh any audio disadvantages. After all, we're recording AM DX, not the Boston Symphony Orchestra. If the stations can sort out their programming well enough for verification, the solution works. Obviously this is the case (Mark Connelly, WA1ION, South Yarmouth, MA, BADX yg via Walker, dxldyg via DXLD) Yeah, sometimes the audio isn`t that great and if your radio is in the kitchen like mine is, you could get background noise from people in the house. I'm not looking for perfect audio. I'm looking for good enough for a report. And the phone placed near the speaker works well (Paul Walker, ibid.) Hi, Mark. I also use SDR -> Total Recorder for all of my DX recordings. Do you have any particular reason for using MP3 48kb/24 kHz mono for your recordings? I have been using MP3 32kb/22.050 kHz mono and am curious if this isn't optimum. -- 73, (Brandon Jordan, KM4PBQ, Fayette County, TN EM55gc, ibid.) Yes, - used Total Recorder also from late 90ties a decade or so, but was too much complicated to handle. The much easier way is: but in past decade used AUDACITY software only, http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/ Audacity export output into excellent .OGG audio format, developed at Technical University Zurich Switzerland. With AOR7030+ and Eton E1 used line cable feed to PC soundcard, but using SDR output directly by line via VAC as DIRECT input in AUDACITY. Russian VAC virtual Audio cable option direct LINE4 example from Perseus audio into Audacity software. wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Much easier is RecAllPro; costs a bit but I never regretted paying for it (Jurgen Bartels, Suellwarden, N. Germany, mwdx yg via DXLD) Hi Wolfy, When I'm at the beach, listening in my car, I record onto my iPod ("Voice Memos"). When I get home, download recordings onto my computer. Then use Audacity software to edit my audio. Yes, I also find it's a very good software that I enjoy working with. Website: http://audacityteam.org/ (Ron Howard, California, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ COMMUNICATION AND INTERFERENCE. Just received my copy [of Dec Communication magazine from BDXC-UK] and while browsing it over lunch read the Noise Interference problem on page 4. This is certainly the dreaded Homeplugs, those devices that transfer ethernet data around the house using the completely unsuitable mains wiring. Mains wiring is neither balanced, matched, screened, or terminated so when used in this way will radiate interference. The Homeplug manufacturers are allowed to self certify and claim their products are compliant and don’t cause interference, but they fiddle the results by testing them in idle mode. (Really, well yes, remember the VW emissions scandal). Cynically they even notch out the amateur bands as they know they cause interference and also know amateurs understand the issues and will complain. So, what to do? Well first of all try to trace the source. You could then try approaching the owner. Either he/she will be offensive, (“Who uses SW in the 21st century when the internet is available? I’m doing nothing wrong") Or he/she might be understanding and take them out of service in which case you could possibly help him/her wire in CAT 5 cable. In the first case, or even without making an approach, you have to complain to Ofcom. Sadly Ofcom won’t generally be sympathetic to SW listeners but we have one card up our sleeve. They do take notice of interference to amateur radio so point out it is causing interference to the 5 MHz amateur band the one band they have not notched out. There is no charge if you have already traced it for them. Good luck. Interference report form: https://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/abuse-amateur-radio-system More info: http://www.ban-plt.org.uk http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/powerline.html Interesting youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgf4tFuklaU Posted by: (Gareth Foster, bdxc_uk yg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ NJIT SCIENTISTS SHED LIGHT ON HOW SOLAR FLARES ACCELERATE PARTICLES TO NEARLY THE SPEED OF LIGHT --- NJIT News, Newark, December 3 2015 Solar flares erupt when stored magnetic energy is suddenly released and converted to other forms, such as high-energy particles, hot plasma at millions of degrees, intense electromagnetic radiation and plasma eruptions called coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Solar radiation from the primary flare and that generated secondarily from CMEs can affect Earth in many ways. The high-energy particles can destroy the electronic systems in satellites used in telecommunications, weather forecasting and navigation systems, among other services. The electromagnetic radiation can interfere directly with communication and navigation signals, ionize the atmosphere, and cause short-wave radio black-outs. Associated magnetic disturbances can also affect devices on the ground such as power transformers. Full article here http://www.njit.edu/news/2015/2015-312.php Posted by: (Mike Terry, Dec 7, dxldyg via DXLD) Research at the Very Large Array, New Mexico (gh) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2015 Dec 07 0214 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 30 November - 06 December 2015 Solar activity was at low levels. Regions 2458 (N10, L=356, class/area Dao/160 on 24 Nov), 2462 (N09, L=216, class/area Hax/40 on 04 Dec), 2463 (S11, L=205, class/area Dao/130 on 05 Dec) and 2464 (S12, L=189, class/area Axx/10 on 05 Dec) each produced C-class flares. The largest event of the period was a C4/Sf at 1702 UTC on 04 December. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections were observed during the period. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was normal levels on 30 November and reached moderate levels on 01 December. High levels were observed from 02-04 December before returning to moderate levels for the remainder of the period. Geomagnetic field activity was quiet to active with an isolated minor storm period from 0600-0900 UTC on 30 November due to effects from a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Quiet to active levels were observed on 01 December as HSS influence continued. Predominately quiet conditions were observed from 02-04 December with some unsettled periods on 02 and 04 December. Quiet to active levels returned on 05 December due to effects from a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) ahead of a second positive polarity CH HSS. Unsettled to active conditions dominated 06 December with an isolated minor storm period observed from 0900-1200 UTC. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 7 DECEMBER - 2 JANUARY 2016 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels throughout the forecast period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels for the majority of the period with high levels likely on 08-09 December, 11-15 December and 29-31 December following anticipated recurrent CH HSS events. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach minor storm levels on 07 and 08 December due to continued effects from a positive polarity CH HSS. Predominately unsettled to active conditions are expected to from 09-13 December with minor storm periods possible as HSS effects persist. Mostly quiet levels are expected from 14-26 December. Quiet to active conditions are likely on 27 and 28 December due effects from a second recurrent CH HSS followed by quiet to unsettled conditions on 29 December as influence subsides. Quiet conditions are expected on 30-31 December. Unsettled to active conditions are expected on 01 January with minor storm levels likely on 02 January as a third recurrent CH HSS moves into a geoeffective position. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2015 Dec 07 0214 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2015-12-07 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2015 Dec 07 100 25 5 2015 Dec 08 100 20 5 2015 Dec 09 105 15 3 2015 Dec 10 105 15 3 2015 Dec 11 105 15 3 2015 Dec 12 105 15 3 2015 Dec 13 105 15 3 2015 Dec 14 105 8 3 2015 Dec 15 105 5 2 2015 Dec 16 100 10 4 2015 Dec 17 95 8 3 2015 Dec 18 95 5 2 2015 Dec 19 100 5 2 2015 Dec 20 100 5 2 2015 Dec 21 100 5 2 2015 Dec 22 100 5 2 2015 Dec 23 100 5 2 2015 Dec 24 100 5 2 2015 Dec 25 100 5 2 2015 Dec 26 100 5 2 2015 Dec 27 98 18 4 2015 Dec 28 95 15 3 2015 Dec 29 95 10 3 2015 Dec 30 98 5 2 2015 Dec 31 100 5 2 2016 Jan 01 105 15 3 2016 Jan 02 105 20 5 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1803, DXLD) GLENN`S PROPAGATION OUTLOOK FOR MEDIA NETWORK PLUS AS OF DEC 9, 2015 Keith, From IPS in Australia, the global HF propagation forecast thru December 12: normal at low and middle latitudes, normal to fair at high latitudes. From Spaceweather South Africa, magnetic conditions active to minor storm Dec 11, active on December 12; shortwave fadeouts unlikely; MUF unstable. From MetOffice UK, Solar activity expected to remain at very low or low levels through December 13, with a 20% risk of moderate-class flares. A new sunspot region has recently emerged onto the eastern limb of the visible disc, which may result in an increase in flare probabilities over the next few days. F. K. Janda, OK1HH of the Czech Propagation Interested Group says the Geomagnetic field will be: mostly quiet on December 11, 16, 24 - 25, 28 quiet to unsettled on December 12 - 14 quiet to active on December 15, 26 - 27, quiet on December 17 - 23, 30 active to disturbed on December 29 From SWPC in Boulder: Geomagnetic field activity: Predominately unsettled to active conditions are expected until December 13 with minor storm periods possible. Mostly quiet levels are expected from December 14 to 26 with A and K indices mostly 5 and 2. Quiet to active conditions are likely on December 27 and 28 with A and K indices peaking at 18 and 4. Unsettled to active conditions are expected on January 1 with minor storm levels likely January 2, A and K indices of 20 and 5. Solar flux dipping to 95 on December 17 and 18; up to only 100 December 19 to 26, and down again to 95 on the 28th and 29th. William Hepburn`s VHF-UHF-microwave DX maps call for strong tropospheric ducting along the US Gulf coast thru December 12; extreme ducting between Mozambique and Madagascar thru December 13; all week along the northwest coast of Australia. The RSGB reminds us: The Geminid meteor shower peaks Sunday the 13th, so be prepared for some good meteor scatter QSOs (and I must add, FM DX bursts). (via DXLD) ###