DX LISTENING DIGEST 16-01, January 6, 2016 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 2016 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 1807 CONTENTS: *DX and station news about: Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, Biafra non, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, France, Germany, Guyana, Indonesia, International Internet, Luxembourg, Micronesia, Myanmar, Netherlands non, Sarawak non, Slovakia non, Spain, Turks & Caicos, USA, Yemen non SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1807, January 7-13, 2016 Thu 1230 WRMI 9955 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 [confirmed from 0426] Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v Area 51 Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 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 NOTE: I have *resolved* to make DXLD leaner, more selective, as I seriously need to reduce my workload, much of which has been merely editing gobs of material into presentable form. This makes it even more important to be a member of the DXLD yg for additional material which may not make it into weekly isssues (gh) 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/ ** ALBANIA. ADXB QSL Aktion mit Radio Tirana, Albanien. Liebe Hobbyfreunde! Nun ist unsere QSL-Aktion abgeschlossen und somit moechte ich mich bei allen jenen, die teilgenommen haben, hiermit auch ueber die A-DX Liste bedanken. Es kamen 122 Empfangsberichte von insgesamt 105 Teilnehmern aus 3 Kontinenten (Europa, Asien, Nordamerika) und 15 Laendern herein. Die QSL Karten wurden zum groessten Teil schon direkt aus Tirana versendet. Es wurden 20 Sachpreise vom deutschen Hoererklub Radio Tirana verlost und dieser Tage versendet. Details sind auch auf der ADXB-Homepage wie folgt nachzulesen: Fazit: eine schoene Aktion, bei der sowohl die Hoerer als auch der Sender Radio Tirana, aber auch der Hoererklub von Radio Tirana (Werner Schubert) profitiert haben. Vielleicht machen wir zu einem spaeteren Zeitpunkt wieder eine neue Aktion mit einem anderen Sender. Bisher hatten wir HRT-Zagreb, Radio Budapest und Radio Slowakei International fuer eine solche Aktion gewinnen koennen. vy 73 + 55 (Harald Suess, ADXB - Austrian DX Board, Postfach 1000, 1081 Wien, Austria, e-mail URL: Dec 29 via BCDX 2 Jan via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. Glenn, I was looking for Radio Tirana’s Albanian program between 0000 and 0100 UT on 7465, plus internet, via Mike’s Radio World. Nothing was heard for the entire hour except the interval signal. I checked one hour later, just in case, and, still nothing. Don’t know whether this is a temporary glitsch, or, if they have maybe dropped this transmission, as they did the one to Europe at 2130 a year or so ago. I’ll check in future days. I checked internet at about 0150. Expected to hear IS. Instead, heard music, followed by announcement in English, presenting Mailbag. However, no mailbag heard, just music, then off at 0158, brief “goodbye” announcement, no IS. Started checking again at about 0227, both 7470 and internet. I thought I heard a carrier on 7470, but, within two or three minutes, it was gone. Nothing on internet. Stayed with it until 0237, nothing heard. I don’t consider these observations conclusive. Often, R. Tirana has not played on the internet when it was supposed to, and I have very poor SW reception here, don’t know why. I do consider my observation of 60 minutes of IS at 0000 to be valid, because IS was actually present. Are we witnessing a dying radio station, or just normal glitches? I don’t know. I’ll continue observing and reporting this week (Tim Hendel, Huntsville AL, Jan 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tim Hendel in Alabama says he was hearing no programming on the Albanian hour to North America at 00-01 UT Jan 6, on 7465, or on webcast --- just interval signal for 60 minutes. So we make a point of checking the English broadcast at 0230 on 7470. I find a poor carrier at 0227 but no IS or any modulation past 0230 when I should have heard a sign-on (likewise Tim). At 0232 I realize that the carrier I had earlier is gone; except a much weaker, just barely audible one, probably Kuwait, where IBB started up a week ago despite Tirana. Then at 0237 I bring up the remote receiver in Twente, Netherlands, on 7470, and get a very good signal from Deewa Radio in Pashto W&M conversation until music at 0258 to 0304, then more talk. Not a trace of Tirana there! I think Shijak must be completely off altho I haven`t checked how reception is at Twente before. What happened? When resuming, Tirana might as well go back to 7465, to avoid the IBB intrusion on 7470, unless IBB can be persuaded to get away. Nothing on 7465, and utility on 7475. Also, WRMI is no longer on 7455 at all, so no interference problem from it, just the RTTY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA [non]. Checked Radio Tirana Shijak area 7465 kHz: 7470 kHz of IBB VoA Deewa Pashto service to Afghanistan CeAsia target from IBB Kuwait relay site, S=9 strength in southern Germany, at 0252 UT on Jan 1. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 2 via DXLD) Checked the morning Albanian language service on shortwave of Radio Tirana, transmitter Shijak towards Balkan, Kosovo, exYugoslavia, Italy, Greece, and heard also well rx signals in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, around 0855 to 0952 UT tune-in. Listen to the recording on "box" under address https://app.box.com/s/gg07rj9po0ereiwvwal0im09t309q5in preferred VLC Media Player - ogg.format. 7389.9775 kHz RT Albanian, broadband modulated 7379.97 to 7399.98 kHz range visible of SDR Software Defined Radio Perseus browser software. And audio signal accompanied by three 100 Hertz buzz audio like 100/200/300 Hertz from the main power - (except the lady presenter part at 0930 UTC, which was clean of 100 Hertz buzz!?). Signal strength observed on various reception locations: on Zakynthos Greece island S=9+15dB or -60dBm. in Calabria Italy S=9+30dB or -48dBm. in Switzerland and southern Germany S=9+ 5dB or -70dBm. in Austria and Hungary S=9+25dB or -56dBm. News in Albanian read by male announcer presenter, start at 0900 UT till 0919. Audio of the male presenter from studio sounded a little bit muffled/distorted and overmodulated. News details like 0906, item of Turkey, 0907, Coca Cola business?, 0909, President Obama item, 0912, Tirana airport, 0913, Notebook item, 0914, Kosovo Press item, money millionares there, economy export from Kosovo. 0919, 3 ! seconds music O N L Y Then at 0919 a short 3 second music noted / heard, but suddenly stopped the music, pause of 5 minutes til 0921:05 - not modulated, no talk, no music, at 0921:05 technician two tries to start music again. Later at 0930 UT the lady presenter in Albanian language took over their duty. String instrument played at 0951. vy73 (Wolfy from Stuttgart Germany, Jan 6, Happy New Year to all, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, R. Tirana seemed to be operating normally today, all transmissions that I checked, including 0230 to N.A. 7470, heard IS, but, could not actually copy news, though I was aware of the female reader, and heard her on the internet. Stopped listening at about 0236. I don’t know what happened yesterday. Most likely, just typical SNAFU! Another possible explanation? Does Albania observe the calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church? Isn’t their Christmas just about now? Not sure of exact day, but, I wonder if this could have affected the international services yesterday. I doubt it, but, it is a possibility, perhaps. 73 (Tim Hendel, UT Jan 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I bet that`s why – Orthodoxmas nominally Jan 6 (gh, DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 7360, Jan 2 at 1951, VP S5 signal, sounds maybe Vietnamese? But only thing scheduled is CRI French via Cërrik. Maybe they were in Cantonese or Mandarin lesson at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. 4760, Dec 18, 0014, AIR Port Blair with very usable signal from DL0AO [Germany] site using NE Beverage - tuned at 0014 with readable signal for about 30 min before gray line passage killed the signal. Some occasional ute, CWQRM and heavy co-channel QRM from Tajikistan on 4765. Also heard later on 12/18 from 2345 tune with open carrier to 2353 then IS to 2354. Lost signal due to server timeout and wrong antenna selected until 2357 at which time usual stringed/flute Hindi music after sign-on heard to 0000. Woman announcer to 0001 then into local music with periodic woman announcer to 0025. Woman announcer followed by man announcer to tune out at 0027. Signal to this QTH seems to peak around 0015-0020 (Bruce Churchill, California, via DXPlorer via SW Bulletin Jan 3 via DXLD) 4760, Dec 30 -1701*, AIR Port Blair with sign off 1700:55. Have monitored this frequency for a few days and no sign of AIR Leh. Most likely transmitter problems as I believe Leh was the one producing a lot of weird spurious signals ending at 1630 (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Jan 3 via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. 4949.71v, R. Nacional de Angola, as early as 0321, still on at 0525, Jan 1. In Portuguese with hi-life music; 0400 time pips and news; 0459 full ID with frequencies, as well as transmitter power; time pips; news; many IDs. Certainly one of their better receptions; poor to almost fair; strongest audio after 0500; very clear IDs. https://app.box.com/s/dix29h2t885e33ai7scwa8bcrvkroh1a contains my four minute audio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. Stig Adolfsson: Thomas och övriga SWB:are! God fortsättning på det nya året som i skrivande stund besväras av en kraftig geomagnetisk störning i huvudsak bestående av röntgen- och protonstrålning. Dessa tunga partiklar orsakar omfattande absorption av radiovågor, särskilt i Dskiktet (den solbelysta delen av jorden). Dock kan kvarstående effekter märkas upp till en vecka efter utbrotten, särskilt på nordligare latituder. - Under julhelgen lyssnade jag efter den årliga ?? sändningen från baserna på Antarktis. Började lyssna vid 2230 UTC och gav upp vid 0005. Förutom 7995 så kollades även andra frekvenser tilldelade stationer i Antarktis, 7875, 7922, 7996,5 och 8090 men jag hörde absolut ingenting förutom en svag handnycklad CW-stn (7995) och en underlig knattersignal vars amplitud varierade oregelbundet. OTH-radar ?? - All lyssning i mina tips har gjorts vid fritidsstället i södra Dalarna (SW Bulletin Jan 3 via DXLD) Here is the translation: Stig Adolfsson: Thomas and all others in SWB! Good continuation of the new year which, as I write this, is bothered by severe geomagnetic disturbances mainly consisting of X-ray and proton radiation. These heavy particles are causing extensive absorption of radio waves, especially in the D-layer (the sunlit part of the Earth). However, residual effects can be noted up to a week after the eruption, especially in northern latitudes. - During the Christmas holidays, I listened for the annual?? broadcast from the bases in Antarctica. Started listening at 2230 UT, and gave up at 0005. In addition to 7995 I also checked other frequencies assigned to stations in Antarctica, 7875, 7922, 7996.5 and 8090 but I heard absolutely nothing except a faint hand keyed CW station (7995) and a strange rattling signal whose amplitude varied irregularly. OTH radar?? - All the listening in my log have been made at my vacation home in southern Dalarna [a landscape in central Sweden] (translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) So which nationality bases would those have been? (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Can anyone confirm whether LOL Argentina is active? WRTH 2016 lists on 10000-AM, 2 kW at 1400-1500 Mon-Fri only. By that time, WWV is usually at strong daytime level here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA/AZERBAIJAN. {re 15-52:] The programme which is audible on 9677v kHz broadcasting in NFM mode for about 2.5 years is Ictimai Radio, an FM station from Baku, which I could identify several times on-air and also // to their webstream at http://www.itv.az/ (which dont´t work at the moment). The best recording I found in my archive: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zpomn2uuaayd05s/Ictimai%20Radio.mp3?dl=0 Voice of Justice and Voice of Talyshistan (a programme promoting independence of Talyshistan from Azerbaijan) were broadcasting in (distorted) AM mode. A recording from 2013: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q8iphu0s4qak3zf/%C3%84dal%C3%A4tin%20Sesi%20Radyosu.MP3?dl=0 I myself never heard both stations at the same time, but I have no idea if Ictimai Radio and VoJustice/VoTalyshistan were coming from the same site (Patrick Robic, Austria, Jan 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Very degraded propagation Dec 31 at 1310 UT, 2016 having arrived in DST AET, poor on 12085, only fair on 9580, but improves an hour later. 9580, Jan 2 at 1938, ``Good mornings`` from a couple of Ozzies, S5 signal, unusual to hear RA at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. 9745, Radio Bahrain, Shabab FM at 1547 in Arabic with Arab pop songs, Jingle "Shabab Shabab" at 1558 followed by Arab pop songs – poor Jan 1 (Patrick Robic, AUSTRIA, ODXA YRX via DXLD) ** BARBADOS. TEP - 97.5 MHz - Barbados - Caribe ---- Amigos, conforme já reportado pelo amigo Luiz, ontem tivemos uma ótima abertura TEP aqui na região de São Paulo, por aqui a única frequencia livre no lotado dial da cidade de São Paulo era 97.5 MHz, essa frequencia é normalmente ocupada por uma radio pirata potente que dificilmente sai do ar, mas ontem a noite por sorte estava fora, nessa frequencia livre de emissoras locais estava recebendo uma emissora do interior do Estado de São Paulo, a Transdigital FM com sinal bem fraco: Transdigital FM - 97.5 MHz - Itupeva SP Transdigital FM - 97.5 Mhz - Itupeva SP | Visualizar em youtu.be Quando foi por volta de 21:50 horário de Brasília começaram os ruídos oscilantes e encobriram totalmente o sinal da Transdigital FM, deixei sintonizado e quando foi 22:00 local, começou a entrar uma emissora religiosa com locutores falando inglês, era a Life FM de Barbados: http://www.life975.com/about-us.aspx A abertura foi muito boa com sinal estável até as 00:25 local quando o sinal dissipou rapidamente. Fiz alguns videos mostrando como chegava o sinal por aqui: Em horário GMT a abertura foi entre 0000 e 0225 UT Life FM - 97.5 MHz - Barbados - Caribe - Parte 1 Life FM - 97.5 MHz - Barbados - Caribe - Parte 2 Life FM - 97.5 MHz - Barbados - Caribe - Parte 3 Life FM - 97.5 MHz - Barbados - Caribe - Parte 4 73´s (Fran - São Paulo SP, Jan 3, Sony XDR-F1HD, Antena interna direcional Yagi 6 elementos, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035.05, BBS, *0050-0125 on Jan 5: *0050-0101: suddenly on; no intro; straight into repetitive indigenous chanting. 0101-0112: monologue (news?). 0112 & 0115 brief indigenous instrumental music. 0117-0125: indigenous music and singing/chanting. Still with grayline reception. My local sunset at 0105 UT, while Bhutan sunrise was at 0052 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. Radio Biafra is putting in a fair signal this afternoon (noted at 2100 UT and a bit earlier) on 11600 kHz as monitored with the Twente receiver (Richard Langley, Jan 1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) Re this log: ``11599.98, Jan 2 at 1916, VP S5 signal with traces of modulation, presumably R. Biafra via BULGARIA`` Oops, I jumped the gun as Biafra doesn`t start until 2000. Nothing is known on 11600 in the previous hour, altho BULGARIA had registered it as available starting at 1700. Something else via Secretbrod? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes; Bro Hystairical (Ivo) SECRETLAND (non), SPL The Global specialist for International Communications on shortwave and provided to you strong and quality signal around the world. SPL Secretbrod relay Radio Biafra on Jan.2, but modulation is not 100%: 2000-2020 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf open carrier / dead air 2020-2040 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf English/Music, not live 2040-2300 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf English, live broadcast http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/spl-secretbrod-relay-radio-biafra-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Decent enough carrier on 11600 kHz via Twente a couple of minutes before scheduled 2000 UT sign-on time. At 1957:10 a few seconds of audio from a religious programmer (testing?). Also, the same at around 2000:00. But no Radio Biafra today. Gave up checking at 2100. How can Radio Biafra think that they can develop a loyal listenership with such irregular transmissions? Is the problem with "Secretbrod" or the studio link to Bulgaria? Perhaps they should give up on attempted live transmissions for the time being and produce mp3 files that they could simply e-mail to Bulgaria (Richard Langley, NB, Jan 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Confirmed they were on the air today (around 2020 to 2030 UT at least) on 11600 kHz with a fair signal via Twente with a live program just before the Twente site went down presumably for the previously announced maintenance. Have to adjust the passband for decent reception due to the RTTY transmission on or about 11598 kHz (see attached). (Richard Langley, Jan 4, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) SPL Secretbrod relay Radio Biafra on Jan 4: 2000-2300 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to WeAf English, live http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/spl-secretbrod-relay-radio-biafra-on_5.html (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA [and non]. 5952.46, Jan 1 at 0400 tune-in just after the arrival of 2016y to find S8 from Radio Pio XII, Siglo XX on the air late for the occasion with national anthem playing; 0401 ID, welcoming us to 2 mil 16, brief speeches by several officials with music bridges; 0405 ``algunas palabras del director(?) de Siglo Veinte``, ``para gente del campo y de las minas``; 0407 ``¡Feliz año nuevo!``. 0418 still on with song, and at 0431 with ACI worsening from 5950 WRMI. At first, RP12 was slightly stronger than RMI, by 0418 about equal S9. I had been carefully avoiding it by USB and passband tuning. (WRMI-14 has now officially expanded 5950 hours to bring us even more BS at 01- 05 southward, in addition to 23-01 and 11-12 other programming; see U S A.) Also see BRAZIL [and non] for what I was hearing just before this on 60m. R. Santa Cruz 6134.8v was not on so late (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4755 kHz Rede Milicia Sat , - Reativado -, Campo Grande - MS, YL e ouvinte deseja feliz ano novo a todos, YL passa o número de telefone da emissora. SINPO 34223, Dia 29 de Dezembro 2015 em 2055 UT/ Emissora muito irregular em ondas tropicais, A Rede Milicia Sat de comunicação pertence a Associação Milícia da Imaculada em São Bernardo do Campo - SP, onde estão a administração; até algum tempo atraz o operador era somente o João Bosco em Campo Grande - MS, e não havia um responsável pela direção da emissora nessa cidade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbYPWrYzUdc RX: Tecsun S-2000 Antenna: Long wire 700 Meters (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova Xavantina MT Brazil, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) This station in WRTH 2016 is named Radio Imaculada Conceição, Campo Grande, double-dagger as inactive (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Name radio Updated: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbYPWrYzUdc Maybe they have problems at the transmitter? I live only 883 km = 543 miles away from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul and yesterday at 2047 UT only one SINPO 24222. Thank you for info WRTH & 73 (Daniel Wyllyans, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. 4862.77, Rádio Alvorada de Londrina, OM cx sobre o ser humano. Estava em rede com a Rede Milícia Sat; o progama vinha de São Bernado do Campo - SP. O locutor cita a rede, percebe que a Rádio Alvorada de Londrina está em rede durate boa parte dos progamas durante o dia e noite. A frequência central recebida em minha região é 4862.77 kHz e estava soltando alguns spurius no 4861, 4863, 4864 kHz e muito levemente no 4865 kHz. Quanto a Rádio Verdes Florestas parecida presumidademente está OFF durante a minha escuta às 2327 UT de 03 de janeiro 2016. SINPO 34222 (Daniel Wyllyans, RX Tecsun S-2000 e Icom ICR-75 Antenna Long wire 700 meters, Jan 4, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) 4862 kHz & 4865 kHz, Rádio Alvorada de Londrina e Rádio Verdes Florestas (Anomalia), OM Fala CX Natalinos em 4862 kHz; já nos 4865 kHz tocam música em uma missa católica. 4862 kHz SINPO 34233, 4865 kHz SINPO 33222. Dia 24 de Dezembro 2015 em 0211 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Em December 31, 2015-January 1, 2016 escutou na frequência central recebida nos EUA ``4862.3, at 0353, JBA carrier vs CODAR``. Em 03 de Janeiro a frequência central recebida em minha região é 4862.77 kHz e estava soltando alguns Spurius no 4861 kHz 4863 kHz, 4864 kHz e muito levemente no 4865 kHz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1mqujam_-c RX: Tecsun S-2000 / no log de 03 de Janeiro receptor Icom ICR-75 Antenna: Long wire 700 Meters (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova Xavantina MT, Brazil, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6059.78, Jan 5 at 0712, JBA carrier after RHC is off. Wolfgang Büschel measured SRDA Curitiba Dec 19 on 6059.774 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9630, R. Aparecida, 2325-0005 3/4 Jan. Hadn't heard this frequency in several days, so happy to find it doing OK // 11855/11935(RB2)/9725(RB2) with BOH/TOH IDs, UT-2 TCs and their neat (and long) affiliated station list just after TOH. 11935 gets hammered by CCI from (presumed) CNR5 (Beijing) *0100--or perhaps RVA (Palauig-Zambales) in Karen--either one makes listening to RB2 a challenge (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RB2 is off to lo side about 11934.9 (gh) ** BRAZIL. For *2016y in this country, I pick the sure-fire bigsig on 11780.1, RNA/RNB, which is always on the hi side, but has behaved itself the past couple months with no more of those awful spurs all over 25m. Brasília is on DST of UT -2, so tune in at 0154, to a song, 0156 hyper DJ, but that`s nothing unusual. 0159 multi-station ID for EBC Rádios Nacionais and MECs all over, 0200 no timesignal, ``Nacional Informa`` ordinary news, no celebration, but acknowledges time is ``méia-noite``, without specifying which year. So much for that. BTW, méia in this sense does not mean ``six``. 11780.1, Jan 2 at 1929, JBA carrier, signature off-frequency of RNB/RNA. So is it on the air all-day despite our once having caught it start at *2100? With full 250 kW power, which inbooms at night, but barely propagating this far beyond the Amazon in daytime? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 11815, Rádio Brasil Central (Goiânia) (presumed) 2334-2352+ 3 Jan. Doing well this afternoon with PY pop/romantic tunes, UT-2 TCs, but their usually abundant "RBC" jingles didn't make it thru today. CRI (Xi`an) in Cantonese opening on 11820 at 0100 didn't help much, either (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 11855.05, Jan 3 at 0447, JBA carrier from R. Aparecida, edging closer to truly accurate frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL [and non]. Leading up to 0400 UT January 1, I`m bandscanning 90 and 60 m on the NRD-545, looking for unusual Latin Americans on late for New Year`s, starting at 0348: 4990, at 0348, JBA carrier, like to think it`s Suriname, never heard here with any identifiable audio 4894.90, at 0350, S7 music vs S9 CODAR. This off-frequency is the signature of R. Novo Tempo, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, e.g. logged Oct 30 by Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal. 4875.1, at 0351, echoey speech. This off-frequency is commonly heard here, i.e. Rdif. de Roraima, Boa Vista. 4862.3, at 0353, JBA carrier vs CODAR. Daniel Wyllyans in Mato Grosso had just reported to HCDX a Brazilian on 4862, UT Dec 27 at 0148 which he tentatively thought would be R. Alvorada de Londrina, as Verdes Florestas was still on 4865, which is also Alvorada`s nominal frequency [WORLD OF RADIO 1807] 4824.9, at 0353, algo vs CODAR. This off-frequency is signature of Rádio Canção Nova, Cachoeira Paulista SP, as measured by Carlos Gonçalves November 1. 4810.0, at 0354, algo JBA vs CODAR, presumably R. Logos, Chazuta, Perú, as I hardly ever get any more from it, even on LSB required to avoid uteblob on hi side. I finally start scanning 49m just before 0400, resulting in only one significant NYE catch, BOLIVIA on 5952.46, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 10000, Jan 1 at 0702, PPE time announcement in Portuguese and pip every dekaminute, the hour being 5+ on ZY DST at Observatório Nacional, Rio. It`s very weak but recognizable, under weak WWVH and no WWV at all. Listed as 1 kW, carrier plus USB, so I should have tried not hearing it on LSB. The ZY broadcasters on 31m are correspondingly a bit stronger than usual in the nightmiddle (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. SECRETLAND SPL, The Global specialist for International Communications on shortwave and provided to you strong and quality signal around the world. IRRS Shortwave various pxs via SPL on January 3, BUT DEAD AIR 1030-1256 on 9510 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu, OPEN CARRIER http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/irrs-shortwave-various-pxs-via-spl-open.html IRRS Shortwave Radio Santec, The Word/Cosmic Wave via SPL on Jan 3, BUT DEAD AIR 1500-1530 on 15190 SCB 050 kW / 090 deg to SoAs English/German Sun, OPEN CARRIER http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/irrs-shortwave-radio-santec-via-spl.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CANADA. 980, QC, Montreal, CHRF, From LGBT programming (Radio Fierté) to Soft AC-Standards (days); Haitian (nights) (AM 980). (IRCA DX Monitor Jan 9 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Is Radio Shalom about to close it doors? http://www.thesuburban.com/blogs/cohen_confidential_with_mike_cohen/is-radio-shalom-about-to-close-it-doors/article_51b85760-af61-11e5-87f1-b7ba652cd67d.html What is the future for Radio Shalom, http://www.radio-shalom.ca the only all Jewish radio station in North America that broadcasts from the 1650 AM frequency in Montreal? The fact it has survived for 10 years without any support from the organized Jewish community is in itself a miracle. Now founder Robert Levy has begun to wave the white flag. In a statement issued today, he said the time has come to end his commitment towards the radio station. CJRS, branded as Radio Shalom Montreal, is a 24-hour non-profit radio station based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is Canada’s first and only trilingual Jewish radio station. Radio Shalom is also the only all Jewish radio station in North America. It broadcasts in French, English and Hebrew. The station broadcasts at 1650 AM. Its current president is Robert Levy. Radio Shalom broadcasts in several different languages, notably English, French, Hebrew and Yiddish. It has a number of interesting talk shows, particularly those hosted by Howie Silbiger and Stanley Asher. What I always appreciated about the station is not only can you listen to it live online, but they always maintained a nice archive of past shows. Levy really gave it his best shot, but I must say the proper push was never really made to get the organized Jewish community completely on side. Yes, I know attempts were made, but think of the value of Federation CJA, the YM-YWHA and Montreal's plethora of Jewish organizations assuming a piece of the Radio Shalom pie? Each has large constituencies and radio is so direct. Levy's announcement does not necessarily mean Radio Shalom will close. He is first and foremost proposing that a new president and board of directors be appointed. Is there such a group out there? Levy spent years working towards getting the Canadian-radio Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to grant Radio Shalom a license. We know that is no easy task. According to a survey in July 2015 conducted by Charles Shahar, Federation CJA statistician, 84.6 percent of respondents said they were aware of the existence of Radio Shalom. As the report notes, “All in all, the awareness quotient of the community with regard to Radio Shalom is a very positive finding.” Posted by: (JOSE MIGUEL ROMERO ROMERO, dxldyg via DXLD) Altho I can`t think of any ``all-Jewish`` radio stations in the USA, are we so sure there is not a single one? (USA is included in ``North America``, terminology Canadians are forced to use 10X more than vice- versa.) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non?]. 5010, Dec 31 at 2317, very poor carrier(s) with heavy Doppler flutter (i.e. frequency itself wobbling, caused by ionosphere, not transmitter), all talk seems Chinese past 2335. RTI is here but jammers are always more likely atop. Don`t know of any CNR1 frequency to compare it with at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9455, Jan 2 at 1946, Firedragon music jamming very poor at S3; what I can hear sounds like the familiar medley (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9520, PBS Nei Menggu. In Dec 2014, I often heard their nice multi-language IDs at sign off, including one in English - "Radio Inner Mongolia - Voice of Inner Mongolia." Audio of that ID at https://app.box.com/s/a0u5bhir8e60fc21q9it Recently checked again and found they have dropped the ID in English; now only in Chinese and Mongolian. Dec 26 (1552-1605*) and // 7420 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. Re: DX Fanzine nr. 28 - December 2015 --- Antonello, Tnx for sending me the Fanzine. I have a question about one item --- ``5985 05.12.15 1716-1744 COG R. Diffusion TV Congolaise, VV: PX of African MX pre- 33433 AN* sented by OM. At 1744 blocked by CRI 5985 11.12.15 1600-1601 CHN China R.Int, Swahili: Opening announcement with ID 43433 AN* 6115 21.12.15 1805-1823*COG R. Congo, Brazzaville, FF: TK. Short MX and QRT @1723 23222 AN`` 5985??? Brazzaville known to use only 6115 for many years, and on a very limited evening schedule only. CRI is scheduled in Swahili during both hours, 16-17 & 17-18. On what basis do you ID this as Congo? 73, (Glenn to Antonello Napolitano, via DXLD) Dear Glenn, Thank you for your feedback. Better someone who has doubts about logs than no feedback! I am attaching recording about my log on R. Diffusion TV Congolaise, with a program of African music presented by OM. The programme was probably focused on the Zimbabwean musician Oliver Mtukudzi as my recording includes five of its songs: Ndakuvara, Wasakara, Shanda, Hear Me Lord, Todii. I thought it was unlikely that CRI could air a show focused on a single artist from Zimbabwe, a country in which Swahili is not spoken. I am attaching the full recording about my log and, at the end suddenly appears CRI with a lesson of Chinese. If you listen carefully it seems that CRI blocks the transmission from Congo or at least that was my impression at time of listening. After your E-mail I listened again my recording and, to be honest, I have now some doubts that the Chinese lesson simply comes after the end of music show, so it is not a different signal which blocks Radio Congo. I am (and I was) aware that 5985 kHz is used by the Swahili service of CRI but I thought that due to a problem with transmitter that day went on air with a big delay (at 1744 which is the time I reported in my log CRI was blocking Radio Congo). Last but not least: I heard Radio Congo in September/October on the same 5985 kHz a number of times usually between 1730 and 1755 when the station uses to go off the air and CRI was absent. This station in that period was reported by a number of DXers. Besides that, I sent a report on reception, accompanied by a recording, of Radio Congo on 13th October 2015 to Mr. Malotita, formerly member of Radio Congo administration whom I asked to forward my E-mail to director of RTV Congolaise (I never found an official e- mail address of Radio Congo!). Below is his e-mail in which he confirms I heard Radio Congo. For the sake of good order I am attaching the recording of 13th October 2015, too. Dear Glenn, I am now very uncertain that on 5th December I really listened to Radio Congo. Probably I made a big mistake but believe me it was in full good faith. I always keep mp3 recordings of my logs as it's possible, if someone has doubts, to check whether or not what I heard was really what I thought. Please listen to my recordings and let me have your opinion. I'll put a note on next DX Fanzine about this. Thanks again for your feedback (Antonello Napolitano, Editor of DX Fanzine, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for all the detail about this. It would not hurt to publish such info in the first place rather than a very brief log entry. I listened to part of the recordings --- I can`t really draw any conclusions from either, as I am not familiar with CRI`s Swahili service, or Radio Congo. However, I had not seen your previous 5985 log of Congo or anyone else`s, so this frequency reported now really caught my eye. It was not known to be active from Congo in any listings I found, including WRTH 2015 and 2016. We know they are on 6115 shortly after the time you reported this, so why would they be on 5985 instead earlier (or both)? I would not find it any more unusual for CRI to be featuring a Zimbabwean artist on its Swahili service, than for Congo to do so, where Swahili is not spoken, either. I would also caution against taking as 100% credible the reply of someone from the Congo, as in many cultures there is a courteous tendency to give a positive answer to an inquiry rather than an accurate or skeptical one. Probably not significant, but in the last few minutes of the latest recording, I hear some CW QRM starting with Vs, unusual within the 49m SWBC band at 5985 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6000, Jan 2 at 0701, RHC is still on, playing classical music! A flute concerto until cutoff at 0706* as I knew had to happen. Meanwhile, tried to // it to 590 CMBF Radio Musical Nacional, but inaudible there. The other RHC frequencies were also on for a few minutes past 0700 but dead air only on 6060, 6100, 6165 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. [Re 15-52:] UNIDENTIFIED. 6870.0-AM, Dec 28 at 0308, very poor S7 signal with talk, 0349 a JBA carrier, presumably a pirate. HF Underground has no logs of this, and the frequency only had two other unIDs this year in Sept and earlier in Dec (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, For a few weeks I've had an UNID station on 6870, generally weak. But tonight it was much stronger, and there was a clear Radio Havana ID at 0106. There is a link to an audio recording of the ID here: http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,25469.0.html Looking at the SDR recording, sign on was 0102. It is still on now (0130) but much weaker (Chris Smolinski, Black Cat Systems, http://www.blackcatsystems.com UT Jan 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chris, Yes! Rare, but it happens. One possibility I had not yet considered. That must be it. 13740 is however scheduled 22-05 UT, so would not axually be starting at 0100. 100 kW, 160 degrees from Bauta. I guess they re-open evening programming as if signing on then (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I checked the SDR recording, and 6870 signed off at 0459, so that seems to fit. I then went back further, and noticed 6870 from 2353 until 0002. Perhaps it is fading in and out (I do notice a lot of variability in the signal strength) or whatever is producing the signal is intermittent. Going even further back, I observe it from 2149 to 2316, with just a carrier until 2200, when I hear music then a SS OM (the signal is fairly weak at this time) with a Radio Habana Cuba ID (Chris Smolinski, MD, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13740, Jan 3 at 0448, RHC Spanish is S4, and nothing on 6870. 6870? Chris Smolinski in Maryland has been hearing it there occasionally, with definite RHC IDs, and we had been trying to figure out how RHC could land on 6870? Not an obvious SW mixing product, until Chris asked on Jan 2: ``Glenn, Is a sub-harmonic possible? I see 13740 is listed as in use at that time`` Yes! I told him, it happens, tho rarely. So that`s it. This transmitter is not completely suppressing 6870 before it`s internally doubled for the intended frequency, which is scheduled 2200-0500, 100 kW, 160 degrees from Bauta. Checking SDR recordings, he`s found the carrier on 6870 as early as 2149, opening at 2200 and signing off at 0459 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More on the 6870 business: there were other reports of it a month ago: 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 & others are hearing it tonight. I just doubt it's a pirate, sounds very professional & not a pescador station because they don't have the staying power or produce anything this good sounding. Still on at 0430z Thank you (Rafman, K4RAF, Broadband: Speed, Distance, Reliability, Cost --- Pick three, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here are his and other HFU latest logs of it: http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,24894.0.html And from Free Radio Weekly: ``unidentified -- only a carrier, 6870 AM, 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)`` 6870 was heard by many, before on Sept 9 as in DXLD 15-37, finally IDed as Radio Habana Cuba, but did anyone axually // it to known RHC frequencies?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6000, Jan 3 at 0659, RHC is in Spanish news instead of English! For how long, or did it just switch over before turning off? 5040, 6060 and 6100 are briefly in music presumably still from English service program feed, but 6165 is already dead air; by 0700, 5040 goes to dead air and soon off, while 6100 correctly starts the weekly Esperanto service theme. 11760, Sun Jan 3 at 1435, `En Contacto` after birthday notes, RHC repeating as always last week`s show, to the tune of Jingle Bells, naming the most regular listeners during 2015 (i.e. presumably only the ones who have written in); starting with four LA countries with only one individual each, up the chart to the USA in ninth place with only four! Including one name recognizable, Dino Bloise, producer of another DX program. Did not follow the rest of it, but Cuba itself is usually #1, probably enhanced by the new FM relay in Habana. 6000, Jan 4 at 0658, RHC in Spanish instead of English, with efemérides for 4 de enero, suptorted modulation; while the other ex- English frequencies, 6165, 6100, 6060 and 5040 are on open carrier for a bit longer. 17730, Jan 4 at 1509, RHC is AWOL from this frequency supposed to last until 1600, while 17750 is still on. 17580 is also off, correctly, sked only until 1500. 6000, Jan 6 at 0658, once again RHC is in Spanish instead of scheduled English, and so is 6165; while 6060 is still in English and so is 6100 at S9+30. Switching confusion as the broadcast day comes to an end (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is there a way I can listen to recently broadcast; R Havana "DXers Unlimited". Is anyone one collecting these shows or is there a catchup website? The only ones I have found are full of old content and not current. Thanks (Matt, Jan 6, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ``New`` shows are also quite full of old content (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. Sr. Hauser: Le informo que escuché una estación numérica al parecer cubana aproximadamente en los 5860 kHz (ligeramente variable) con fehca y hora ÜT 27 de diciembre a las 0500- 0520 en Mérida, Yucatán. [really always on 5855, I find --- gh] También le informo que ya que se habla de emisoras clandestinas hacia Cuba me acuerdo que cuando estaba al aire Radio Camilo Cienfuegos en una ocasión pusieron una canción de un grupo de rock mexicano de la década de 1960, cosa rara, ya que esa música solo se pone en programas especiales referentes a esa época ¿mexicanos trabajando en esa emisora como DJ? Diablo Con Vestido Azul Y La Plaga --- Los Rockin` Devils https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSuRI0p2Ji8 Atte: (Ing. Israel González Ahumada, M.I., Yucatán, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Otra vez la emisora numérica. Sr. Hauser: Le informo que escuché otra vez la misma estación numérica al parecer cubana aproximadamente en los 5860 KHz (ligeramente variable) con fecha y hora ÜTC 03 de enero a las 0500-0520 en Mérida, Yucatán. Parece que a los cubanos les gusta transmitir a medianoche (tiempo local) por los sábados. Atte.: Ing.Civ. Israel González Ahumada, M.I., Jan 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Default CMBA 2 Havana, or not --- Plenty of Cuban TV DX this afternoon. Had a 2- (Vid-55.24, Aud-59.74) with Tele Rebelde and a fútbol match. When fútbol ended it IDed with several sports promos then transitioned to an ESPN feed with a swim meet. OK, it's CMBA Havana, no problem, or is it? Here's where it gets odd. I checked the audio/video carrier frequencies, again, and found they were now 2+ (Vid-55.26, Aud-59.76) (?!) Did CMBA make a mid-stream offset change? Did some unknown low power 2+ Tele Rebelde transmitter take the place of CMBA when my back was turned? (I have, in the past, noticed Cuban signals with a bit of echo / re- verb on them. This could indicate two transmitters, slightly out of time sync, running the same program) Today, the signal seemed to remain solid during all of this; weird. I've got a nice Tele Rebelde ID picture I'll post, later, when my snail-speed dial-up is running a little faster. (It slows down during high-traffic times and picks up speed in the wee hours of the a.m.) 73, (Ed, NN2E, Owner / Operator - Murphy's Law Test Site & Thunderstorm Proving Grounds, Jan w; Last edited by NN2E; 01-03-2016 at 03:46 AM, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) IIRC, despite call Ed is in KY (gh) Isn't 2+ CMAK Pinar del Río? (Raymie Humbert, AZ, ibid.) I wish I had the wherewithal to discern a zero offset from a + or -; aren't the La Habana stations all zeroes? BTW, I had just caught the tail end of a great opening myself, with Dallas & Houston area; no TV though. cd (Chris Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, ibid.) As promised... Name: Pictures 005.jpg Views: 31 Size: 1.38 MB http://forums.wtfda.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=18439&d=1451806447 Sorry about the large file size of this picture. The program I use for down-sizing pictures seems to have quit working. Might be time to haul this old steam-powered computer to the scrap yard and replace it with one that runs on electricity. WRH.... http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tv-car.htm#CUB Has CMAK as a zero offset (with a ?) and CMBA as a minus offset. If what I heard / saw was a swap, from one tx to another, it was the smoothest transition I've seen. 73, (Ed NN2E, ibid.) Nice signal. I think that's a new logo and it also shows up in the cartelera site I use. If Cuba's serious on this whole "joining the outside world while maintaining our political system" thing, it might be time for Tele Rebelde to start carrying more sporting events live outside of European soccer. Sometimes they baffle me. On Tuesday 12/29, at 1:32 pm and for one hour and 46 minutes, TR carried an NFL game (Bengals/Cardinals). That game occurred on: November 22. They carried a hockey game on 12/30 (Montreal and Boston) that ran for an hour and 42 minutes — it could have been their meetings on 10/10, 11/7 or 12/9. Today (1/3) they're offering two hours worth of NBA basketball, a Rockets/Lakers game. I think this is the 12/17 game. I have no idea why the ICRT does this. It might be to remove advertising. Multivisión seems to be running shows at their actual runtimes (22 minutes for Mike and Molly). More alarmingly on Multivisión's schedule is Mansión Crawley. If you can guess which show that is, you will also realize that it is running in Cuba before airing in the United States. (They aired the finale on January 1!) (Raymie Humbert, AZ, Jan 3, ibid.) Earlier in the afternoon I saw a 3z CubaVision that was 40db over S-9 on the Icom R-7000. Wish I could have gotten an ID picture at that time. It looked like a local. I've been under the impression that Cuba runs whatever programming they can steal. This may not be a fair assessment but it seems so. 73, (Ed NN2E, Jan 3, ibid.) Either Santa Clara or Holguín — unfortunately the snazzy maps from LACETEL don't list offsets (Raymie, ibid.) It has been 20 years, but there was another program that I recall as being shown in Cuba prior to being shown in the USA: It was the Japanese-made animated cartoon Samurai Pizza Cats. As long as the advertising is removed, I cannot think of any sporting event outside of soccer that T Rebelde would show live from other countries. Their baseball games have brief breaks between innings that seem to go smoothly though. Yes, Ed, nice pic. One has to upload two or more here for the pix to be thumbnails. cd (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) Maybe they got it from Mexico. I mean, two years ago, in Cubavisión they showed Futari wa Pretty Cure with, most probably, Mexican dubbing (only available via DVD here). (Gargadon, Campeche, ibid.) Mildly curious about something regarding FM & TV listings for Cuba. Perhaps this is more of a political question than one directly addressing broadcasting in Cuba. Does Cuba and the ICRT NOT want to have connections with the outside world? The reason I ponder this question - in recent times, I have spent hours digging through Spanish webpages that are related to listings of TV & FM stations in Cuba. My attempt has been to find a recent published list of all the broadcast television stations and broadcast FM stations that operate in Cuba. It seems such lists don't exist! When I worked on the Emisoras de FM publication (2009), I literally begged the ICRT via email to send a list of their broadcast facilities in Cuba. I repeated an email to them almost every two weeks and close to six months had passed and suddenly, I had an FM list in my email inbox. I could only trust it was fairly accurate. I checked it against listings that could be found on websites for Radio Enciclopedia, Radio Taíno and others. At least those matched. In recent times, I've been watching when DXers in the eastern part of the US report Cuba FM on Es and have noticed since 2009 there have been several loggings of stations that do not correlate to the list I was given. I assume they have either moved stations around or added stations. One thing I have learned about Cuba FM and how they treat what they consider a broadcast station to be. For a station to *count* as a broadcast station, they must be a full power station and originate their own programming. All of the flea power repeaters are NOT considered to be a real broadcast station. SO - if Radio Taíno has 20 repeaters stretched across the island, the ICRT only counts one station. Radio Taíno is responsible for those repeaters, NOT the ICRT. Kinda curious if they treat all of the repeater TV stations there the same way. With that in mind, IF the broadcaster doesn't bother to list where their local signal can be tuned to, then you have no idea of how many repeaters actually exist (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Jan 3, ibid.) They do seem to have tried to keep a lot of this information secret. My thought is they're being paranoid about "counter-revolutionary" forces using that information. [and non] The U.S. scheme, where each translator is licensed separately, is unusual. Canada & Mexico both have provisions for a single license to include multiple relay transmitters. Even in the U.S., with the digital conversion we now have that. There's only one KRBK - but it has six transmitters. If the owners were to *sell* KRBK, they would be required to sell all six transmitters as a unit. They can't, for example, sell two of them to Fox, three to Nexstar, and keep the sixth (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66 http://www.w9wi.com Jan 3, ibid.) Maybe there needs to be a separate forum, similar to Raymie's Mexico Beat, for Cuba; the only difference will be that any info is only what we DXers can claim! For example, it should not be hard to get at all-- -but for 4 years now, there is yet to glean this simple info: (1) the power used by 104.7 R Mayabeque in Güines. I believe this to be the most powerful FM in Cuba; is almost always the first Cuban FM station I hear once I drive south of Florida City. The thing even has RDS! But power listed? Nah. (2) the location of the 530 Rebelde that every DXer and his mother have heard under Enciclopedia. Although there is one listed for Guantánamo, the azimuth is pretty much the same as that of Enciclopedia. I really don't understand why the secrecy; but then again, the U.S. with the Samoan KVZK stations is almost as secretive! cd (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) cd, my spies tell me 530 AM is located in/near Havana. shhhh... don't tell anybody... it's a secret. :-) 73, Ed NN2E, Thunderstorm KY, ibid.) Well, your spies are equivocados. The Enciclopedia 530 is there. Our former WTFDA member who lives there told us so, and could not hear the Rebelde. And it's not a matter of simple jamming --- there are pockets where Enciclopedia is heard much more easily, where Rebelde isn't even audible. I suspect the Rebelde location as Pinar del Rio, but I at least admit to not really knowing. cd (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) cd, This came from a very well known Cuban DXer. Perhaps, he threw me a curve, just in case I was planning to invade the country and take control of the radio station. I would imagine he could lose his job (and more) if he strayed from the Party-approved playbook and disclosed the station's true location. Something we need to keep in mind: in Cuba, it's still 1960. Big Brother is watching. Ed Last edited by NN2E; 01-04-2016 at 02:41 PM (Ed, KY, Jan 3, ibid.) With the initials AC? [<---here is where I long for a "Groucho Marx" emoticon with eyebrows up & down] cd (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) Weird, because Enciclopedia is listed in their official page http://www.radioenciclopedia.cu/quienes-somos/ and in EcuRed http://www.ecured.cu/Radio_Enciclopedia as 530 AM (Gargadon, Campeche, Jan 4, ibid.) The last three summers I've been getting a plus offset 2 with Tele- Rebelde, shortly after CMBA comes in (rarely, shortly after or alone). Twice I've unequivocally seen the Tele Pinar ID when the 55.26 carrier is dominant (I use a radio with CW mode that tunes in 10 Hz steps. The 2+ is often followed by Mexican DX (was, rather). Habana Tele- Rebelde has been 2- for a long time (Robert Grant, Jan 5, ibid.) ** CUBA. DTV: CUBAN DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION --- Standard: DTMB. Currently being tested by the government. Switch-off: 2021 In May 2013, the Cuban Communication Ministry (ICRT) announced the beginning (in June) of tests in Havana to introduce progressively the digital TV in the island using methodology and equipment donated by China. The second week of November 2015, the ICRT & Lacetel officially released the plan for their digital television transition. Lacetel http://www.lacetel.cu/ Lacetel is the official office in charge of overseeing the digital transition in Cuba. All of the channels have been mapped out. Why couldn't we ever had this with analogue TV for Cuba??? To see the DTMB channel assignment list, here it is: http://www.lacetel.cu/television-digital/informaciones-utiles.html What's crazy about the channel lists on the link above, they have maps that show where the transmitters are located and also what the DTMB channel assignment is. IF you love reading stuff about broadcast TV, you are going to love looking at this stuff coming out of Cuba now. Scrolling through the map listings of channel assignments, it appears everything will migrate to high VHF or UHF. What is surprising is some of the pages show up in English, which leads to the suspicion that a third party source that writes English designed certain pages. I can just see some of the southeastern US DXers wanting to get a DTMB receiver for a chance at catching some Cuban tropo. Update on information - Lacetel posted a products page on December 18, 2015, showing ALL DTMB capable STB's and DTV's, to date. This list contains reviews and comments of each model. It appears they have tested the models. You can find that page here: http://www.lacetel.cu/television-digital/verificacion.html Since most of these are coming from China, I would venture a guess a US shopper should be able to find these on eBay or similar. Last edited by Jim Thomas; 01-03-2016 at 11:24 AM. Reason: Updated information (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Jan 3, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) OK, so there's some more information than when I was doing this back in 2014. http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?9101-Turning-to-Cuba-More-information-on-Cuba-DTV They also seem to have put on air several more HD transmitters. That xmitter page even has info on ANALOG stations down to the telecentro in the images by province! We now know that the low-V channels in La Habana come from "Televilla". Pinar del Río's Tele Rebelde comes from the La Capitana site, Boniato provides the low-VHF service to Santiago de Cuba, and Cubavisión on 3 from Santa Clara originates from Loma Dos Hermanas. No coordinates, but Televilla's received often enough that I dug some up: 23.043575, -82.456314 There seems to be quite a bit of high-V here, more than I would have expected, but then again Cuba is chock-full of Us, particularly for Multivisión. They also provide reviews of antennas. http://www.lacetel.cu/television-digital/verificacion-antenas.html At least some are domestic in origin ("Fábrica de Antenas de Villa Clara"). (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Jan 3, ibid.) Google Maps may be helpful with some of these. I believe I've located Loma Salón, site of a channel 13 transmitter, at 22.829486N/82.954857W. There are obvious towers (two) at that site. FWIW I only see three high-VHF sites. It's the "Dirección" column that lists individual transmitters -- more than one "Municipio" may be served by a single transmitter. It appears that they're multiplexing (very common for DTV outside North America) as fewer than a handful of sites have more than one DTV channel (Doug Smith W9WI, ibid.) Looks like Cuba's clearing everything above channel 51, just like us. I'll certainly be getting one of those converter boxes considering my prime location for Havana tropo (Ryan Grabow, Fort Myers FL, ibid.) I'm not sure how many channels to a mux they are doing. I do know their service has eight TV channels (the analog 5, Cubavisión Internacional, a kids' channel and a music channel) and six radio streams (Raymie Humbert, ibid.) Some more recent info on TDT in Cuba: http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2015/11/17/sigue-avanzando-la-television-digital-en-todo-el-pais/ HD tests are coming to additional areas. Salón (Artemisa) 47, Villa Clara 32 and Jacán (Matanzas) 51. Interestingly one of the factors that makes this hard is getting 10 Mb/s Internet service to the transmitters to deliver the HD feed. Notably the HD service is an experimental feed, not a simulcast of another network. (It's evident how behind Cuba is just from that bit. In most countries the "special HD channel" phase has ended.) In addition the telecentro optouts are starting to appear on digital. On 24 transmitters in six provinces outside of La Habana, telecentros are inserting their programs. They hope to have all telecentros hooked into TDT this year, at least in provincial capitals (Raymie, Jan 4, ibid.) I will be going to Cuba in March. I will actually be staying a few blocks from the Habana Libre. It looks like it has quite a few TV and at least one FM signal from there. Should be interesting (Juan Gualda, Fort Pierce, FL, Jan 5, ibid.) Juan, if you have time and could do an FM bandscan while there, I would love to get your results. I would like to match a current bandscan with what we have up on the WTFDA FM database (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) The Habana Libre has some interesting stuff. Notably channel 12 is what I would call an "intermittent operation" station carrying a TDT test service in digital and Canal Educativo in analog. This article from 2011 talks about the replacement of the tower http://www.radiorebelde.cu/noticia/realizara-radiocuba-cambio-torre-transmisora-20110103/ and mentions that 91.7 COCO, 94.9 Radio Ciudad Habana, and 98.3 Radio Metropolitana broadcast from there. Another source says 93.3 Radio Taíno is also there (Raymie Humbert, ibid.) ** CUBA. Default Cuba low VHF assignments - Es targets ***Is it possible to make this a sticky thread for TV dxers? Linking to the Cuba DTV transition thread: http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?10553-Cuban-digital-television-transition Since Cuba analogue television isn't going away until 2021, there are going to be plenty more opportunities to receive low VHF television via Es from Cuba. This especially applies to East coast DXers in the US & Canada. With that in mind, I went through the Lacetel maps for the DTV transition that were recently posted on the internet and extracted the information for this thread. I am also uploading all of the province maps for Cuba with this thread so the reader/viewer can see ALL of the television channel assignments for Cuba. These maps include ALL VHF/UHF analogue assignments plus the future TDT (DTMB standard) assignments. The *problem* with the channel listings on the maps is they don't indicate offsets, call letters, or power for the assignments. However, it is better than what we had before. Format: Province Analogue Channel - Network - City served (transmitter location) La Habana 2- - Tele Rebelde - La Habana (Televilla) 4z - Canal Educativo - La Habana (Televilla) 6z - Cubavisión - La Habana (Televilla) Pinar del Río 2+ - Tele Rebelde - Rural area/16 miles NE of Pinar del Río capital (La Capitana) 6z - Cubavisión - Rural area/16 miles NE of Pinar del Río (La Capitana) 3z - Tele Rebelde - Bahía Honda (Cajalbana) 5z - Cubavisión - Bahía Honda (Cajalbana) Villa Clara 3z - Cubavisión - Santa Clara (Loma Dos Hermanas) 5z - Tele Rebelde - Santa Clara (Loma Dos Hermanas) Camagüey 4+ - Tele Rebelde - Camagüey 6z - Cubavisión - Camagüey Holguín 3z - Cubavisión - Holguín (Loma de la Cruz) 4z - Tele Rebelde - Moa (Miraflores)* 6z - Cubavisión - Moa (Miraflores)* Granma 2z - Cubavisión - Pilón (El Mamey) 5z - Tele Rebelde - Pilón (El Mamey) Santiago de Cuba 2z - Cubavisión - Santiago de Cuba (Boniato) 5z - Tele Rebelde - Santiago de Cuba (Boniato) To get the complete list of West Indies television broadcast stations, go to Bill Hepburn's website... http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tv-car.htm *Corrected per Raymie's post below. Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. Name: TV Artemisa.jpg Views: 47 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18441 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Camaguey.jpg Views: 26 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18442 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Ciego de Ávila.jpg Views: 20 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18443 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Cienfuegos.jpg Views: 20 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18444 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Granma.jpg Views: 18 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18445 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Guantanamo.jpg Views: 13 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18446 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Holguín.jpg Views: 14 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18447 Click image for larger version. Name: TV La Habana.jpg Views: 13 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18448 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Las Tunas.jpg Views: 10 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18449 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Matanzas.jpg Views: 11 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18450 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Mayabeque.jpg Views: 11 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18451 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Pinar del Río.jpg Views: 13 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18452 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Sancti Spíritus.jpg Views: 10 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18453 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Santiago de Cuba.jpg Views: 12 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18454 Click image for larger version. Name: TV Villa Clara.jpg Views: 15 Size: 256.0 KB ID: 18455 Last edited by Jim Thomas; 01-07-2016 at 08:56 PM. Reason: updated information (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Jan 3, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) I am very glad to see this mirrored. When I went to the page this was the first thing I saw. What an improvement over previous lists! A few additional notes: -The by-province maps also indicate the level of service of each telecentro: primary (orange), secondary (purple) or community (green). Many community transmitters were established to carry Multivisión, which is not broadcast from some of the high-power transmitters. -Two telecentros maintain their own stations: Canal Habana and Solvisión, serving Guantánamo. -Fun fact: The name of the telecentro en Santiago de Cuba, Boniato, literally means "sweet potato". What a memorable name! -Needed correction: the 4 and 6 from Holguín province are at Miraflores, southwest of Moa, which is 80 miles from Holguín itself (Raymie Humbert, AZ, Jan 4, ibid.) This is great, Jim! As I mentioned to you, the last time I checked that site they only had digital info, not analogue. The network info is especially useful. All missing networks on my Cuban TV list have been updated. http://dxinfocentre.com/tv-car.htm#CUB Channels 3 & 5 La Palma have swapped networks - which solves our mystery Rebelde 3 which many of us have been getting over the last few years. Great hunting, Jim! (Bill Hepburn, ibid.) Good stuff, Jim!!! Cuba has been a regular contributor to the ITU, so I have been able to get powers that you'll see on my lists. For those not on the DX logger, thanks to Jim's new-found info, I've been able to fill in all the missing networks. Also, the mystery 3 Rebelde has been solved as a network change for Channel 3 La Palma. http://dxinfocentre.com/tv-car.htm#CUB (Bill Hepburn, Ont., WTFDA gg via DXLD) ** CURACAO [and non]. 21240-USB, Jan 1 at 1408, Anders, vacationing on Curaçao, making contact with Rosemary, KB4RM, whom he quickly tells he has worked before; his signal grows, maybe rotating toward us, while hers is JBA. He`s one of those hams who pronounces contacts` calls much more clearly and often than his own. Says he`s hot and needs to take a shower; this will be last contact. It`s PJ2/SM4 --- something, and they soon switch to Swedish, 1414 discussing Göteborg. Finishes at 1418 never going back to English, and my Swedish alphabet is not well- known. Ignores another call from someone else. Not enough info to find on QRZ.com, so I try DX Cluster, and find a couple of other contacts during the previous hour, on this frequency, with PJ2/SM4KYN. Now I can find him on QRZ.com: SM4KYN Sweden flag Anders Qvist Pilgrimsvagen 24A 68137 Kristinehamn Sweden ``Coming up, PJ2 Curacao and PJ4 Bonaire, December 14 to January 14. Now QRV from Curacao, sorry but I am on holiday and do not try to work as many station as possible.`` Here`s a photo, QSL? Which I deserve but will not bother him for: https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.qrz.com/n/sm4kyn/PJ2_SM4KYN.jpg Lots more photos of this and his other vacations at QRZ.com KB4RM is: ROSE MARIE B BATTIG, PO BOX 8185, Charlottesville, VA 22906- 8185 USA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHIA. [Re 15-52:] Obviously, it is really necessary to sum up the situation with the mediumwave transmitters used by CRo: In essence they now carry the Dvojka program all the time, as was the case until 2003. Since 2004 an evening slot had been used for programming that was until then carried on transmitters closed down at this point (1071, 1233, 1287 kHz). Now this arrangement has been reverted after CRo has been allowed to put this programming, now called Plus, on FM. They found no possibility for doing so in the Ostrava region so far, thus the old arrangement has been kept only for the Ostrava-Svinov transmitter, i.e. its program input still switches at 4 PM CET from Dvojka to Plus. As result from a distance 639 kHz presents in the evening now Dvojka with Plus whispering deep underneath. The area served this way by the Svinov transmitter is very limited, the program audio from the much stronger Liblice transmitter becomes audible very soon. Comments that could be gathered so ar describe this as a plain emergency set-up they will try to get rid of as soon as possible. The rationale of the whole exercise still remains unclear, but in general Slovakia is an important reason for the AM service from CRo continuing. This especially concerns 270 kHz, the idea behind keeping it on air with the ex-Burg 50 kW transmitter was simply that this way it can still deliver a useful service across the White Carpathians (Kai Ludwig, Jan 6, mwmasts yg via DXLD) Thanks, Kai, I read that 270 kHz had closed down, is that not the case? (Mike Terry, ibid.) CZECH REP at 1741 UT, 270 LW on air, why not? R Journal at S=9+30dB or -40dBm on Perseus remote net unit in eastern Czech Republic, location on mountains between Ostrova and Wroclaw Poland. The others: 639, S=9+40dB -32dBm, 1233, S=9+30 dB -42dBm 1287, only Spanish station 1071, nil CZE station; 1741 UT Jan 6 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** EAST TURKISTAN. 5060, 4850, 4500, Dec 31 at 2334, JBA carriers on the PBS Xinjiang Urumqi frequencies, but not on 4980. Aoki shows that 5060 and 4980 start morning broadcasts at 2308, 4850 and 4500 at 2340. 5060, 4980, 4850, JBA carriers, and vs CODAR, 4500 as well, the four frequencies from PBS Xinjiang, Urumqi, January 4 at 0036, each a different domestic language service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EAST TURKISTAN. CHINA. When looked out at R Sana'a signal on 11860 kHz channel in 0530-0610 UT slot today Jan 4, came across 3 spurious - or rather intermodulations of CRI English/Chinese lesson hour --- from powerhouse beast Kashgar/Kashi broadcast center in western China. Brought tremendous signals on 11870 and 11895 kHz into the Arabian peninsula, - as well could also be compared to same program outlet via CRI Cërrik Albania on 11750 kHz latter S=9+15dB. Kashgar intermodulation/spurious combination noted around 11813.200, 11845.000, and 11926v kHz - latter difficult to trace due of VoIRIB Kamalabad-IRAN in Dari. CRI basics 11895 and 11870 kHz were S=9+25dB, but intermodulation on 11845 kHz only S=8-9 strength, - or had Xi`an Chinese 11845 kHz carried the wrong English audio feed? (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9570, Jan 2 at 1941, dead air at S4. At first I wonder if it`s Greenville warming up for Martí to start at 2000 on 9565; but no need to shift, and O yes, R. Cairo`s silent German service is scheduled during this hour, onward to North America. 9963.55, Jan 4 at 0053, S5, JBM carrier, no doubt R. Cairo further off-frequency than usual. Another check Jan 4 at 2259 past 2301 finds it on 9963.700, dead air when English should have started (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. Round and round El Salvador goes, which digital standard they'll choose nobody knows! http://www.mediatelecom.com.mx/index.php/radiodifusion/television/item/99038-el-salvador-sigue-sin-definir-modelo-para-la-tv-digital?utm_source=MEDIATELECOM+LIST&utm_campaign=168cb166ac-Am_ricas_05_de_octubre_de_20158_27_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_482a842d2e-168cb166ac-401598906&ct=t() (Raymie Humbert, AZ, Jan 6, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) DTV ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. ECUATORIAL GUINEA, 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0653-0712, 01-01, comments, very weak, barely audible. 14221 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Happy New Year, Manuel. Always enjoy reading your logs! Certainly agree with you about the RNGE reception! Jan 1 on 5005 heard RNGE/R. Bata at 0543, shortly after they signed on; in Spanish; pop African music; mostly unusable; tuned out at 0611 (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) First time I`ve seen a log of Bata as late as 0700+, which was a sesquihour+ after local sunrise at 0525 UT. Could that log be in UT +1? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) [non-log]. 5005, RNGE/R. Bata. Jan 3 monitoring 0504-0604, but nothing heard; clearly not on the air during this time period today (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5004.9965, accurate read at 0535 UT. Thanks to continuously issued monitoring tips of Ron Howard in CA on the Bata operation in UT mornings, I was negative on Jan 3rd log, but today on Jan 4 around 0535 UT was a very poor tiny signal string VISIBLE in Italy and Greece posts. But NOTHING could be recorded on audio file, signal was far under threshold level, at least to mention here in southern Europe posts (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 4, dxldyg via DXLD) ** EUROPE. MW CLOSURES IN EUROPE --- Glenn, Some of this info has been in your newsletter and the WWDX Club one, but this is a good summary: http://www.radioworld.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=277810 -- (Benj. F. Dawson III, P.E., Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers, LLC, 9500 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103 USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 01/04/2016 --- The beginning of 2016 marked the end to various medium wave (526.5-1606.5 kHz) services in Europe. The radio services on these frequencies all transmit using amplitude modulation, and thus these cuts are being seen as a setback for AM radio in general. On Dec. 31 Radio France ceased its medium wave broadcasts of France Info, France Blue [sic] and France Blue Elsass, Deutschlandradio silenced its seven medium wave transmitters, and RTL said goodbye to Radio Luxembourg 208 on 1440 kHz. Both Radio France and Deutschlandradio say that dwindling medium-wave listener figures justify their decision, but ensure that the affected services will be available via FM, digital and Internet broadcasts. Radio France added that the scheduled stop aims to adjust the “mode of dissemination of its broadcasts to new uses and technologies today.” Deutschland Radio’s Chris Weck pointed out that for long-wave and medium wave the broadcaster “has paid around 12 million euros per year, with the majority of that being for electricity.” While the BBC still maintains selected medium wave broadcasts, some question how long they will continue. Industry specialist David Lloyd, points out in an article that “AM has had its day” and that these closures are to be expected with the onset of more modern technology. “Both DAB and FM sound much better – even though maybe they don’t quite sound like ‘radio,’” he wrote. [Now DRM tries to get in on the act: --- gh] According to DRM Chairman Ruxandra Obreja, medium wave broadcasts are caught in a vicious circle: the fewer transmitters there are, the fewer listeners there are, which in turn justifies further cuts, at least in some countries. “In the U.K., medium wave is very popular (BBC 5 Live boasts over 10 percent of the listeners above 15 years of age). So why abandon analog medium wave broadcasts in the name of lower distribution costs and the 'inflated' capabilities of old FM technologies and other more modern digital platforms, all attractive but expensive and limited in coverage?” she questions. Obreja adds that analog medium wave transmitters can be digitized through DRM and that analog receivers are plentiful and digital medium wave receivers are starting to appear. “In some countries, such as India, medium wave is currently being reassessed and given a new digital lease on life,” she said. “AM, and especially medium wave, is one of the few real unchallenged assets of broadcasters in the current spectrum grab mounted by other players, with DRM improving quality and reducing electricity costs, and benefiting both urban and rural areas.” Related: Radio France to Cease Medium Wave Transmission http://www.radioworld.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=277810 (via Ben Dawson, DXLD) Info Update 2016-01-06 --- Hello Glenn, First of all a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you - good health and best of luck!!! As many European DXers have done, I also monitored the end of the MW aera in France, Luxembourg and Germany about a week ago. As had been announced before, the following stations have closed down for good (confirmed 2016-01-06): FRANCE (all these Radio France mediumwave stations had still been confirmed active on 2015-12-31): - Radio France Info: 603 (which still kept going through the first weekend in January), 711, 1206, 1242, 1377, 1404, 1494, 1557 (was still active for a while after midnight 2016-01-01). I could not hear nor confirm 864 kHz but it has evidently also been shut down. - Radio France Bleu Alsace (Strasbourg): 1278 kHz which also carried unique Alsacian language programs (a mix of French and German) that have also disappeared from the airwaves. Luckily, so far, the LW station of France Inter at Allouis on 162 kHz (2 MW day, 1 MW night) which also carries a phase modulated time signal is still active without any change. This time signal can be read when tuning in SSB mode and analyzing the signal via a soundcard using the CLOCK program which is part of the MULTIPSK DIGImode freeware http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm This is even possible in North America at times during a nighttime path, and propagation permitting (quiet magnetc field, low noise levels). LUXEMBOURG: - RTL Marnach 1440 kHz shut down just before midnight December 31, playing their National Anthem. CRI was the final user of this transmitter. GERMANY: - All DLF channels have disappeared from the MW before midnight: 549, 756, 1269, 1422 kHz. DLF had mentioned the shut-off many times in advance during a few special feature programs in December 2015 and also by specific announcements before the full hour and, on December 31, also after each hourly newscast. I monitored 1422, usually the most powerful signal, where (just like on all other channels) the modulation was cut in mid-programming at 23:45 local (2245 UT), and then the old yet still familiar DLF Interval Signal was played over and over again for a few minutes before - without any announcements - the carriers were cut for good, in the case of 1422, at about 1/2 minute after 2257z, or 2.5 minutes before local midnight. I attach a recording, in case you wish to take a listen, starting at 2015-12-31 2240z with DLF 1422 kHz, then switching to RTL (Anthem and QRT) and finally over to RF Info on 1557, which still made it into 2016 for a little while, celebrating the new year on the air. Thanks and best regards (Tobias (T²), Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE: FRANCE. Looking at situation at 18 UT Jan 1: France has retained MW France Info on 711 Rennes and 603 Lyon. Neither as consistent in Ireland as closed Lille 1377 but better than nothing. Notably missing 1377 1206 1242 1404 1496 among others. Also gone separate France Bleu for Paris 864 kHz. GERMANY. Powerhouses 1269 1422 and 756 gone too. Not sure they were pre-announced. Remember when 1269 carried DLF in English for Europe. Hearing weak Arabic 1422, UK local 756 (Derek Lynch, Ireland, January 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As monitored this past week: All MW hipower FranceInfo stations + France Bleu Paris off Dec 31 - Except Rennes 711 and Lyon 603. - Rennes lasted a day, gone by Jan 2. - Lyon 603 was gone by Jan 3. (Derek Lynch, Jan 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. The French MW Day After Survey --- What I could hear on January 3 after all French Stations left MW. Only a private one is still on air: Radio Bretagne 5, 1593 kHz. 73 Giampiero Bernardini http://air-radiorama.blogspot.it/2016/01/francia-medium-wave-day-after.html http://radio-dx.blogspot.it/ 603, The last to go France Info Lyon active till midnight 3 Jan at 2303 UT, after news off air. At this time R. Romania Actualitatsi dominant over RNE R5 Sevilla 711, COPE Murcia e Romania Actualitatsi 864, RNE Socuéllamos (Castilla y la Mancha) Spain, fair & ERTU Al- Quran al-Karim Egypt fair/good 1206, IBA Reshet Bet, Haifa, Israel, football live, fair & Greek unid radio 1242, Absolute Radio, UK, & IRIB Radio Iran, Zanjan, & R. Sultanate of Oman (good at 2000) 1278, UR 1 Persha Prog., Petrivka, Ukraine & IRIB R Kermanshah, Iran 1377, (see image) 1376v TWR, Gavar, Armenia, Persian, good / 1377 IRIB R Zahedan, weak/fair in USB & after 0000 4/1 non stop songs, dance and rap, pirate? weak/fair 1404, ERT Komotinis Greece, fair/good & Romania, fair 1494, 1494 e 1493.94 Radio Moldova Actualitati, 2 tx, fair. I 2 tx si alternano col fading 1557, Grea Mix (see image) Smooth Radio, 2 tx, UK, weak/fair & 1557.025 IRIB Radio Iran, Zabol, weak 1593, 20.00 Bretagne 5, ID, news, French, Private station, the only French on MW now (GIAMPIERO BERNARDINI - QTH remote BOCCA DI MAGRA (SP), RX: EXCALIBUR PRO - ANT: WELLBROOK 1530S+ IMPERIUM, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. AFN Vilseck 1107 kHz still on air. After the closure of most remaining [PUBLIC] German medium wave stations, AFN Bavaria is still active on 1107 kHz from Vilseck Oberpfalz next to Czech border. The station "serving America's best" was checked yesterday and this afternoon when in Amberg which is in the intended coverage area although the US garrison was closed years ago. When listening to the programme, there was no clue to a potentially imminent closure of the transmissions (Prof. Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Jan 1, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 2 via DXLD) Why not? AFN operations are paid by the German govt taxpayer? But not from German GEZ/KEF public broadcaster budget, by their special radio/tv fee. I guess, like by German-US contract "Occupation Statute" of after WW II, now the contract between US and Federal Germany in 1955 and 1990 years, it's AFN operation paid from Minister Schaeuble's finance ministry. The US govt. is still occupying 600-700 terrain areas on German soil. The political heavy disputed atomic bombs Air Force base is organized in Buechel Air Base Eifel, next to Belgium and Luxembourg border area (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, BCDX 2 Jan via DXLD) ** GOA. I guess the Goa Panaji SW transmitters are of MARCONI origin and over 25 years old? URGENT need for replacement by new Ampegon units, like recently in Riyadh Saudi Arabia SW center (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 31, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 2 via DXLD) ** GREECE. 1853.4 kHz, 4/1 0103 Greek pirate, old Greek songs, fair, note the frequency!!! (GIAMPIERO BERNARDINI - QTH remote BOCCA DI MAGRA (SP), RX: EXCALIBUR PRO - ANT: WELLBROOK 1530S+ IMPERIUM, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Voice of Greece is on 9420 kHz this evening (noted at 0328 UT) with a strong signal via Twente but with the multiple tone/hum/whine transmitter problem (Richard Langley, NB, Jan 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Same transmitter problem this morning Jan 5 on 9420 at 0700 in Greek, Serbian, Romanian, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Italian and Arabic -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, ibid.) Voice of Greece was back again on shortwave on January 5 with the multiple tone/hum/whine tx problem, as of 9935 several months ago: 0700-0800 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek + various langs* * in Serbian, Romanian, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Italian and Arabic. 0800-0900 Greek 0900-0910 Greek/Arabic/Italian/Polish 0910-1000 Greek 1000-1015 Greek/Romanian/Serbian/Russian 1015-1100 Greek 1100-1115 Greek/Spanish/Albanian/Polish 1115-1200 Greek from 1200 very weak, under strong CNR-13 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/voice-of-greece-was-back-again-on.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GUAM. 9975, Jan 3 at 1425, soft music and tonal Asian language, from KTWR. Aoki shows it`s a lot of Hui on Sat & Sun during this semihour, and Cantonese on weekdays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. 700, R. Mundial, Guatemala, NOV 26, 0451 - Tentative for now, but very likely the one. Poor under WLW and W Radio with a fast- paced vocal in thumping music and lots of tuba sounds, then a man and woman in an (unclear) talk. At 0454 a program spot mentioned what clearly sounded like "Radio Nacional Guatemala" and made several references to Guatemala in context. This is somewhat of a mystery! A cursory web search returned one link to W Radio 107.3, La Voz de Guatemala AM 640, among others. There are no direct references to Radio Nacional Guatemala on 700 kHz. However, searching the web for "Radio Nacional de Guatemala" returned http://www.radiotgw.gob.gt and that site clearly shows affiliation with TGW. As well, a search on R. Mundial returned http://www.radiomundial.com.gt also info@radiomundial.com.gt So, I would say what I heard was R. Mundial which appears to be another TGW corporate acquisition, now affiliated in this case anyway, with the Guatemalan government (Werner Funkenhauser, Sebring FL; WiNRADiO Excalibur, Wellbrook System K9AY with 13 foot triangular loops directed at 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees, experimentally phasing as needed with a Quantum Phaser and Par end-fed sloper, NRC IDXD Jan 1 via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4055, Jan 1 at 0355, R. Verdad is S9+25 on NYE, but dead air or maybe barely modulated. 4055.00, Jan 3 at 0417, TGAV good signal with organ music. Dr Madrid has asked me to monitor for additional R. Verdad relays on other frequencies close to 4055 in various parts of the world, supposedly testing. I hear absolutely no other broadcasting between 4000 and 4100 at additional chex until 0453. Details such as exact frequencies, locations and hours have not been provided, and I can`t help but wonder if this whole thing is legitimate. I hope he has not paid anything upfront for it, as I have told him. Nothing found in Google searches on the name of the entity allegedly carrying this out, as below. Here is his request to me on January 2; he did not ask me to keep it confidential: ``A VERY IMPORTANT FAVOR --- Dear Glenn: We, at Radio Verdad, have started some test short wave transmissions for the whole world through "Short Wave Alliance Euro-USA", besides our regular short wave transmissions. The test transmissions started on December 29th, 2015, at noon, and will last up to the 4th of January 2016. Our test transmissions are on 4055 Khz or near to that frequency. We have had some irregularities due to Internet fail, and other causes. I plead if you can check our signal, and let me know a report. We are suppossedly transmiting to United States, Europe, Rusia, China, Japan, Africa, South America, Antillian Isles, and Mexico. But I wonder how our test signal is getting to the world. Will you please check our signal and let me know of the results? These transmissions are done besides our regular short wave transmissions. You should check on 4055 Khz, or close by frequencies, as the frequency may vary a little, according to different countries and how strong our frequency may be in such a country. We are transmitting from Guatemala City these days, and will transmit from Chiquimula afterwards. Our test transmissions will stop on Monday January 4th, 2016. But I need to know any information about our signal. I will appreciate your help on this matter. May God bless you. Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid Radio Verdad & Radio Verdad TV`` Since we have no idea where these transmitters are [or all in Guatemala City??? This is not lucid], I asked the DXLD yg to look for them too, but so far no replies. Obviously anything else on 4 MHz will have only limited range in daytime, and if less than 1 kW like TGAV itself, still be a challenge to detect over night paths. Any additional logs of TGAV around 4055 would indicate this is not all imaginary. 4055, Jan 4 at 0030, R. Verdad with religious music, S9+10. As requested by Dr Madrid, I`m looking for any duplicate/relays in the 4000-4100 range, but without any sign of them. Mostly vacant except for some utilities. There is a steady S9+20 carrier on 4012.80, again at 0056; could be something local; at 0554 logged as 4012.7 without noting the slight disparity; Maybe always a ute there (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was glad to get these e-mail messages for Christmas below. (First e-mail) ”I have some good news about Radio Verdad for you. We are starting a new system by which we are going to transmit to the whole world with a strong signal. I have spent very much money on that, and I just paid some money yesterday for our strong transmissions to Japan with Radio Verdad's signal. I hope everything comes out alright. If so, we may be transmitting with a strong signal by the month of February 2016.” (Second e-mail) ”We are almost ready for the short wave transmissions, but our Government said to wait until January, but in January I am going to travel to Perú. So, I hope we may transmit in February. I hope everything comes out alright. We are going to transmit through Short Wave Alliance Euro-USA. May God bless you. Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid Radio Verdad and Radio Verdad TV” (Tomoaki Wagai, Wakayama, Japan, DSWCI DX Window Jan 6 via DXLD) We have never heard of this Short Wave Alliance Euro-USA and it has no web presence that I can find. I fear Dr Madrid has been scammed. I already advised him not to pay up front for this, but it`s too late. He has told me he doesn`t fully understand how this is supposed to work, but apparently picking up internet feeds and transmitting them on frequencies close to 4055 from various sites. For starters, how about info on licensing these in each country? Or from satellites? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Glenn: I don`t have all information about Short Wave Alliance, except for my technician. I have not received any report either yet, neither from Ralph Borthwick. According to their information, there are different percentages of transmissions in different countries, for example, Japan has only 10%, United States and Canada have 45%. They are making only test transmissions for making necessary adjustments. It is a Mexican Engineer the expert who is working on it. It could be that your geographic area might not be covered yet; I don't know. I hope everything comes out alright. There is one problem though, that I am traveling to Peru on the 12th of January, and won't be around until the 31st of January. The tests are being done as close as they can to our 4055 frequency. The frequency and power adjustments are automatically made on computers and satellites. I don't fully understand all the system yet, but I think they are not using any SW transmitters, but many computers in different countries, which are sending the signal to SW Antennas. It is a modern technology, and, right now, it is only on trial. As I said, I don't fully understand the system yet. I will appreciate if you keep on track of this situation, for me to know about the results. If this system works alright, it is going to be marvelous. We`ll be in contact. May God bless you (Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid, Radio Verdad, Jan 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Glenn and Ralph: I want to explain to you what happen with the test Short Wave transmissions done this week: They faced several unexpected troubles. First of all, they were away from the shop due to the holidays, and the tests were done with and Internet service with only 512 Mb. The system dropped down several times, and were on the air not so long. They were investigating the caused of the drops. As you know, they were first test transmissions. Besides those difficulties, we at Radio Verdad had serious difficulties for transmitting also: Our router failed two times. It failed for a whole day first; then, it failed permanently, until today when the Internet company installed a new one. Any how, Short Wave Alliance is going to make new test transmissions, and I will let you know, if I am around. Soon after, we`ll have to make test transmissions from Chiquimula, the place where the system is going to operate permanently. There is only one problem: I will be in Perú from January 12th up to January 31st. This situation may hinder the transmissions. We might be transmitting permanently in February. Another difficulty is that, during my stay in Perú, I will have difficulties to open and read my e-mail. That has happened to me everytime I travel to other countries. Yahoo mail does not let us open e-mail in a different country, or they block it, until we return home. I wonder why they do that. I will keep you informed about all process, and I will appreciate if you monitor our World Short Wave Signal. I will send you Short Wave Alliance Euro-USA Web Site later on, and you can copy their e-mail address from this mail. May God be with you (Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid, Radio Verdad & Radio Verdad TV, UT Jan 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3290, Voice of Guyana, 0210-0350, Jan 5. Due to outstanding propagation, had much stronger reception than normal; very rare for me to have such well above threshold level audio; a special reception for me! Their local program of all EZL pop songs in English (Michael Jackson with "The Lady In My Life," "Heal The World," "The Girl is Mine" (along with Paul McCartney), Dionne Warwick, et al. with "That's What Friends Are For," Barry Manilow with "I Made It Through The Rain," etc.); started out poor and slowly improved to close to fair. Very enjoyable to catch this one after such a long time since I last had actual audio. This is not the greatest audio, but I am happy with it. https://app.box.com/s/a2qwnqo3f0msn145geu8cinh5k9y8wrx (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Guyana is "licensed" for 5 kW but a web search shows they are only running about 1 kW. And I suspect it may be a tube transmitters whose tubes are going soft. Lower power combined with bad tubes and poor modulation result in what we get from VoG (Paul Walker, AR? ibid.) Please cite your sources beyond ``web search``. I had several reports months ago from the American engineer who was down there refurbishing their transmitter (gh, DXLD) I guess it's 1 kW solid state transmitter à la Jamie Labadia. Foto: http://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2015/guyana.html 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxldyg via DXLD) Which indeed goes back to one Glenn Hauser as quelle (gh, DXLD) 3290, Voice of Guyana, 0150-0317, Jan 6. Another day of decent reception; the whole time was just one long music program with two announcers (many segments with them always taking during their theme music - "A Summer Place"); songs included "Just My Imagination," "Dream Lover," "Don't Know Much About History," "When A Man Loves A Woman," etc.; unable to make out what was said (low modulation), but the music was fairly clear. My audio at https://app.box.com/s/rtuxpm2x4tceh9evrdod38jvgk5ndm4k (poor quality) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED 3289.988 accurate frequency UNID signal string visible in MA/NJ/KY-US remote SDR stations, around 0319 UT on Jan 6. BUT HEAVY UTE like digital Stanag signal in broadband frequency range 3287.6 to 3290.6 kHz, latter S=8 strength in US east coast, but noted S=9+10dB in western Europe. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, Jan 6, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Indonesien, 3904.983 kHz die Südseemusik kam bestimmt aus RRI Merauke, S=8-9 in Queensland, um 1153 UT Jan 4sehr schönes Signal bei den Aussies (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 31, 2015, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3904.93v, Pro 1 RRI Merauke on Dec 31 with special New Year's extended broadcast till 1602*; off with "Pulau Ambon" (Island of Ambon)/"Love Ambon" and ID; running one hour beyond their normal sign off (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3904.983 kHz noted a radio station played South Sea music - nice singer performance, could be really from RRI Merauke, observed at S=8- 9 level in downunder remote SDR unit at Brisbane Queensland in Australia, noted at 1153 UT on Jan 4 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Wolfy, Jan 4 was also listening to RRI Merauke; heard 1457-1500* with "Pulau Ambon" (Island of Ambon)/"Love Ambon" and ID till off. Have to say how much I appreciate your providing accurate frequency measurements for so many stations! Is helpful with confirming the identity of some off frequency stations. Afraid my old Etón E1 is just not as accurate as you are (Ron Howard, California, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. A VISIT TO THE VOICE OF INDONESIA --- by Jawahar Almeida In the month of September 2015, I was fortunate to be among the winners of the 2015 Wonderful Indonesia Quiz (VOI Quiz) that brought me to this beautiful country. Though I had previously visited Indonesia for the first time 25 years ago and on a couple of occasions since then, it was a memorable experience visiting the Voice of Indonesia for the second time and experiencing their traditional hospitality once again though this time at their invitation. This quiz is organized annually by the RRI World Service - Voice of Indonesia (VOI), the external service of the State broadcaster Radio Republic Indonesia, in collaboration with the Ministry Of Tourism. The Republic of Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world consisting of five major islands and 30 smaller groups with a total of around 17,508 islands forming an arc between Asia and Australia. The archipelago is on a crossroads between two oceans, the Pacific and Indian ocean and bridges two continents, Asia and Australia. This strategic position has always influenced the cultural, social, political and economic life of the country. The five principal islands are Sumatra; Java; Borneo, of which the 72% belonging to Indonesia is known as Kalimantan; Sulawesi, formerly called Celebes; and Irian Jaya (West Irian), the western portion of the island of New Guinea. Indonesia has land boundaries with Malaysia (on Borneo), Papua New Guinea (on New Guinea), and East Timor (on Timor). Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta, is located on the island of Java. The 11th of September is the anniversary date of the founding of Radio Republic Indonesia and our arrival was timed to be in attendance for this ceremony. This year marked the 70th anniversary. The ceremony began with a traditional programme followed by an address by the President Director of RRI Niken Widyastuti at the campus of the main building. This was followed by a presentation of traditional arts and culture in the main auditorium and later an awards presentation ceremony to the various regional stations of RRI for their impressive programming and various presentations. The winners of VOI quiz had an audience with the President Director after a sumptuous buffet lunch. RRI Jakarta which houses the VOI [caption] Anniversary Address by the President Director of RRI [caption] Over lunch, we were introduced to M. Rohannudin who is the Technical Director of RRI and has worked hard to have VOI back on the air on 9625 [SIC] kHz lately. Gifts were presented to the VOI quiz winners by Kabul Budiono who is the Director of Program And Production. Incidentally I was meeting Budiono again after 25 years! Most of the staff whom I had met during the first visit had since retired. RRI World Service – Voice of Indonesia is located on the 4th Floor of the RRI building and there we got to meet Lilik, Rahma, Nita, Dee, Nuke, Stefanus, Yati and Ani from the English Service. Also present were The Head of Broadcast Division Budi Nugroho, Wati from the Broadcast Cooperation Section, Enny from the Chinese Service, Yubi from the French Service, Neni from the Arabic Service, Unun from the German Service, Dora from the Indonesia Service and the ever likable and resourceful Nouva from the News Division who is also a Chinese announcer. In fact all the staff was very friendly and hospitable which is a tradition in Indonesia. The next day we were in Semarang and given a tour of RRI Semarang. It was nice to be able to visit the station that I once listened to on shortwave and unfortunately is now only on MW and FM. Here again we experienced excellent hospitality of Head of RRI Semarang Arianti Astuti and the staff. We also got to be on air over Pro 1 RRI Semarang. The rest of the day in this beautiful city was spent visiting Lawang Sewu (Thousand Doors), Sam Poo Kong temple, Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah in Semarang. RRI Semarang Presentation by Director of RRI Semarang Arianti Astuti with Nouva from VOI [caption] From Semarang we drove to Solo, the home town of President Joko Widodo whose home is located on Jalan Salmett Riyadi, not far from the Hotel Paragon where we checked in. In Solo the attractions were Keraton Solo, Sangiran Museum and then an evening drive to Solo to witness the sunset at Ratu Boko. Tweaking on the Radio dial from Solo I could log Radio Rama on 666 kHz, Pro 1 RRI Semarang on 801 kHz, Suara Diponegoro on 1125 kHz, Radio Sangkakala Surabaya on 1062 kHz and several FM stations. Reception within the confines of the hotel room was very poor and so I had to make use of breaks during the guided excursion on the road. VOI Transmitter technician [captions] VOI Quiz winners in Semarang VOI English staff The final leg of the tour took us to Yogyakarta which could be considered as the arts and culture hub of Java. Among the attractions are the Batik shops, puppet makers, gamelan concerts, food vendors, street arts and the nearby Temples of Borobudur and Prambahan dating back several centuries. We were taken for a tour of Borobudur Temple and the same evening flew back to Jakarta. Mr. Shesar from the Ministry of tourism accompanied us throughout the tour to ensure we had a comfortable stay. Before he bid goodbye he handed souvenirs to the Quiz winners. Mr. Henry was the tour guide and kept us well informed and in good spirits all along. The day before we left for home, the staff at VOI were kind enough to arrange a visit to the transmitting station of the Voice of Indonesia located in Cimanggis on the outskirts of Jakarta. VOI Transmitting antennas [captions] VOI Transmitter site We were welcomed by Tarto Waluyo who is the Head at the Transmitter Site. Also present was transmitter technician Suyatno. He hosted a breakfast for us with a spread of Talas, a local root vegetable, groundnuts and cookies. Later we were shown around the transmitter site. The transmitter is a 250 kW Marconi using a TH537 in the Final RF. Presently it is plagued with spares issues and so power is not optimum. The antenna farm consists of 4 dipole curtain arrays. No. 1 beamed to Africa, No. 2 towards South Asia/Europe, No. 3 towards East Asia and No. 4 towards South America. Indonesia is a beautiful country with a lot to see and experience. A fascinating range of civilizations have grown up on these tropical islands, from animist tribes in remote jungle villages to the elaborate Hindu kingdoms of Bali and Java. In Indonesia, timeless temples jostle for space with golden-domed mosques and beach resorts crowded with sun-seekers and surfers. Flights and ferries link all of the islands so you can island-hop right across the archipelago. The people are polite and hospitable. Travel and lodging is very reasonable. For the Radio fan there are a number of stations still on Medium wave. The Stations are very friendly and responsive to QSL hunters. I have always enjoyed my visits to Indonesia and hope to return again. Most of all I shall always cherish the visits to The Voice of Indonesia who are still on shortwave (Dec-Jan DSWCI SW News via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) 9525.0, VOI, 1320, Dec 31. In English; seemed to be a review of all the top news stories from 2015 (item about the Kalimantan fires, etc.); this is the first time in a long time that I have been able to pick out some of what was said (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. LIVE365 SUFFERS A COLLISION OF MISFORTUNES, LAYS OFF MOST EMPLOYEES AND VACATES OFFICE RAIN News By Brad Hill December 30, 2015 http://rainnews.com/live365-suffers-a-collision-of-misfortune-lays-off-most-employees-and-vacates-office/ Thousands of webcasters are bearing an uncertain holiday season, their businesses threatened by the imminent expiration of legislation which provided below-market royalty rates. Internet radio hosting platform Live365, one of the most venerable brands in this industry, is affected by shifting regulations that change the cost of music on January. In addition, the company’s investors have pulled support from the company, forcing an immediate financial crisis. RAIN News has learned that as a result, nearly the entire staff was laid off this week. The company vacated its office space, and the few remaining personnel are working from their homes. Live365 was founded in 1999, and hosted small online radio stations free of charge. Payment plans were soon installed, and the ad- supported model added a commercial-free “VIP” membership in 2003 which persists today. RAIN News recently covered Live365’s launch of Podcast2Radio in partnership with the Blubrry [sic] podcast network, designed to expand audience development for podcasters by inserting their programs in streaming platforms. The U.S. audio webcast industry is rocked by the music licensing regulations which change every five years — most recently on December 16 when the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) released webcast rates for 2016-2020. At the same time, a special provision called the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009 is set to expire in the new year, ending a 10- year period in which low-revenue online radio stations could pay lower royalties to labels than those paid by Pandora and other big webcast brands. With no word yet on its renewal from SoundExchange, which is sanctioned by Congress to negotiate special licensing deals with industry groups, small webcasters are scrambling to map survival strategies. Live365 pays the licensing fees for webcasters in the platform’s Pro plan. The platform hosts many webcasters who pay their own licensing obligations. So, Live365’s dilemma is twofold — how to afford higher rate obligations for the Pro group, and whether the platform will retain non-Pro webcasters faced with dramatically higher cost. In a cruel ironic twist, it could be the most popular stations that will experience and deliver the most pain — successful stations with more listening hours than the company’s Pro threshold cannot get into Pro, and therefore might go out of business, removing large blocks of ad inventory from Live365. As the company shops for a new influx of venture capital, director of Broadcasting Dean Kattari emphasized the potential loss of unique musical variety: “The true value of Live365 lies in it’s diversity of content – it’s a sanctuary where you can hear music and other content that it so unlike the template broadcasting that is heard on most terrestrial radio. These stations are the hard work of real human beings who use Live365 to share their vision with the world. It’s a home for musical discovery because many of these stations play emerging artists that terrestrial stations are reluctant to take a chance on. It would be a great loss for this to all go away.” Posted by: (Mike Terry, Jan 5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) WHY AMERICAN INDEPENDENT INTERNET RADIO MAY GO EXTINCT IN 2016 Wednesday, January 6, 2016 5:25 PM Radio Survivor By Paul Riismandel January 5, 2016 The new performance royalty rates that internet radio will pay artists and record labels were released on December 16 and many small and mid- sized internet-only broadcasters are now fearing they’ll be put out of business. While there was a modest increase on the fee paid for each song played, the bigger concern is what’s missing. Since 2009 webcasters with lower revenues have been able to pay rates based upon that income, rather than based on tracks played and audience size. Under the Webmaster Settlement Act of 2009 (WSA) stations with less than $1.25 million in revenue were able to pay a percentage of that in royalties ranging from 12% to 14%. That agreement was made between SoundExchange, which negotiates and collects performance royalties on behalf of copyright owners, and a group of internet radio stations. However, the WSA ended on December 31, 2015 and there is no new agreement to take its place. This means that all internet broadcasters that qualified for revenue- based royalties in 2015 will now have to pay based upon the number of performances. This is calculated based upon the number of tracks played multiplied by the number of listeners to each track, which is then multiplied by the rate of $.0017 per performance. So, if a station averages 100 listeners at any given time and plays an average of 15 tracks an hour, then it has 1500 performances an hour, 36,000 per day, and 13,140,000 performances a year. This adds up to a royalty of $22,338 a year. To understand how significant this change might be, consider that 100 average listeners isn’t a very big audience. So even if a webcaster were able to make $100,000 a year–equivalent to the budget of a small community radio station–the royalty obligation under the WSA would have only been $12,000. However, it’s more likely that a webcaster with that size audience would have a hard time making even $12,000 a year. For very small webcasters with little actual operating revenue the cost of doing business threatens to greatly outweigh actual income... For more of this comprehensive article see: http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2016/01/05/why-american-independent-internet-radio-may-go-extinct-in-2016/ Posted by: (Mike Terry, Jan 6, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. RETURN OF THE DX PODCAST! Happy New Year, everyone! Surprise surprise. Way back in 2007 or 2008, a couple of us were tossing around the idea of a regular scheduled podcast on the subject of DX, radio and international media. There were a few episodes and then the effort quietly faded into the background noise. Well, I am at it again with another attempt. So, without further fuss, please head over to DXer.ca for the first in a series of conversations with Ian McFarland on the subject of his career. I will be looking for people to interview; DXers, on air personalities, former personalities, etc.. even going to do equipment reviews and discuss current conditions and trends. Enjoy Episode 1! On DXer.ca (Colin Newell, BC, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. RADIO STATION ALL ABOUT RADIO SET TO LAUNCH Wednesday, January 6, 2016 10:50 AM A radio station for the radio industry is launching next month, bringing the world of radio content together in one place. inRadio will be an online stream aimed at radio professionals and anyone with an interest in what happens ‘behind the scenes’ in the radio industry. It will operate from the UK but will target an international audience, with content from America, Australia and Europe planned. Regular podcasts such as the RadioToday Programme, Radio Stuff, Earshot Creative Review, and The Media Podcast will feature in the schedule, along with new and archive material created by radio people. BroadcastRadio.com has signed up to become the main station sponsor in a two year deal, and is currently installing a new studio at RadioToday’s HQ, where the station will broadcast from 24 hours a day. Presenters include former Real Radio presenter Guy Harris at ‘breakfast’, ex-Atlantic 252 DJ Enda Caldwell on ‘afternoon drive’ and freelance 5 live journalist Stuart Clarkson in the newsroom. RadioNewsHub.com will also provide hourly updates. RadioTodayLive will use the station to stream live from radio events, including award ceremonies conferences. inRadio will also broadcast hourly news updates, and some exclusive programmes, plus special segments of archive audio such as bloopers, air checks and comedy radio sketches. Commercial breaks will be filled by adverts of interest to the radio industry. Roy Martin, Founder and Managing Editor: “It’s always puzzled me why the radio industry doesn’t have a radio station of its own. Even dogs have their own radio station! “We’re also looking to the radio industry to provide content to promote your station or the industry in general. Daily breakfast show trails, station sound montages or even award entries which highlight the best of your station are all welcome. “inRadio will be full of parody songs, spoof commercials and highlight the best of radio around the world – I can’t wait to launch!” inRadio will fully launch on 16 February at 10 am [GMT?] with an hour launch special. Keep an eye on its new Facebook page for updates (radiotoday.co.uk 5 January via BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata (Japan). As expected the Dec 31 (Thursday) program was not in English at 1300, but instead Korean; this week have heard several special programs. BTW - Shiokaze's former frequency of 5985 continues to be jammed by N. Korea, even though Shiokaze moved off that frequency on Dec 25. The staff of the N. Korea jamming must be off celebrating the holiday! 5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata. Jan 2 finally jammed by N. Korean with pulsating noise; at 1348 another special program of classical music before an audience; sound of applause; in Japanese; usual "Message from the Japanese Government" segment; identical program as I heard Dec 28. These special programs were recorded during "North Korean Human Rights Abuses Awareness Week" (Dec 10-16) and continue to be repeated. Thanks to Hiroshi and Hiroyuki Komatsubara for their assistance. Much appreciated! My 3+ minute audio at https://app.box.com/s/xzf7b05b0bc3fqpe9hp0qjhis1m1g9d4 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. 4885, Echo of Hope - VOH, 1342, Dec 31. Another day of good reception and no jamming (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4885, VoH 1528-1558+ 1 Jan. Still in the clear with casual chat / music, // 6003/6348 jammed up. First heard 21 Dec. on the E5 at 1448- 1533 with Korean chat, chimes/jingle at 1458, 1525 & partial ID at TOH--thanks to Ron Howard for the complete ID (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4885, Echo of Hope - VOH, 1310 and subsequent checking on Jan 4, heard with what I believe to be QRM from OTH radar, as is fairly common around this segment of the band. Further believe this is not actually jamming from N. Korea. Later reception today (1637-1759*) reported by Japanese DXer to be completely free of OTH radar or any QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4885, EoH VoH + KRE Bubble Jamming, 1209 UT Jan 4 KOREA REP / KOREA D.P.R. Das Jahr faengt ja auf dem Tropenband gut an. (Ach ist das aufregend, sagt der Didi... ) Kim Jong-un's Sicherheitsoffizier hat die grosse Bubble-Blubber Keule in die Luft gestellt? Bis die Nordkoreaner sich einen neuen realen Schmalband Jammer fürs 60 mb angeschafft haben, um auf die neue EoH VoH 4885 kHz Herausforderung aus dem Süden im Äther zu reagieren? Zwischen Australien und Japan ist der Bereich 4797 bis 4924 kHz mit einem Breitband Blubber Jammer voll belegt. Das ist kein CODAR oder OTHR. 4885 kHz (genau 1 Hz tiefer) EoH VoH Sagang Hwaseong war schön - S=8-9 - mit den koreanischen Nachrichten um ungerade 1209 UT in Brisbane zu hören. Weltnachrichten mit NY USA, Indonesien, Malaysia, Seoul Details. Und unten drunter der Bubble-Blubber Jammer, wie weiland bei den 60 Stasi RIAS Störern DDR-weit. In Brisbane nur der Bereich 4841 bis 4909 kHz, wirklich gestört, dagegen in Tokyo viel stärker und breiter mit S=9+10dB, - siehe oben. Hier in Osaka und Tokyo ist sogar der Empfang des starken ABC NT Alice Springs Signals von 4835 kHz unmöglich. Um 12.27 UT war der Sender zweimal für eine Sekunde kurz hintereinander OFF, um den lokalen Monitorleuten einen Check zu erlauben, nach der Methode,- "huch - ich hören ja den Zwecksender gar nicht mehr ...". 73 wb # # # # Voice of Hope from Sagang Hwaseong 4885 kHz location Sagang Hwaseong location, 1134 kHz 500 kW MW two antennas near 37 12 46.32 N 126 46 32.52 E left of the TX house 6 Mast Sidefire directional antenna on the street fence corner left side, two Corner Reflector fountain like antennas, 4885 and 6003 kHz? see image of 12 Febr 2015 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 31, 2015, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jan 5 found Echo of Hope VOH on 4885 with no QRM today, no OTH radar. Nice signal here in California with dramatization in Korean: https://app.box.com/s/1vf2yx1782kwwlon800gn9x90psz9iuf // 3985 // 6003 // 6348 and all jammed to those specific frequencies (no wide band jamming). Thanks very much for the following feedback from Amano. Appreciate learning more about what I was hearing via VOH. Ron "Nice reception from California! Ron-san. VOH's program name in your audio is the "Kim Sat-gat Bang-rang-gi" in Korean. "Kim Sat-gat Bang- rang-gi" is "Kim Sat-gat Wanderer's Notebook" in English, I guess. Incidentally, "Kim Sat-gat Bang-rang-gi" is "Kim Sat-gat Hou-rou-ki" in Japanese. "Kim Sat-gat" is the person's name." (Ron Howard, CA, Jan 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 4885 Jan 4: In Pacific region between Australia and Japan was the 4797 to 4924 kHz frequency range totally covered by Bubble jamming. I don't think that is new CODAR or OTHR mode type interference? Today Jan 6th heard similar wide scratching signal on 5700 to 5830 kHz, but not BUBBLE, rather scratching / white noise, totally different. Also VoA 4930 kHz 14-18 UT Jan 6th, was covered by white noise buzz jamming too, like DRM digital / Stanag signal. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, Wolfy for your observations. Was not able to make it to the beach today to listen due to heavy rains here. Thanks again! (Ron, ibid.) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. WACP DT-4 Changed Sub-Channels. WACP has dropped their 4-2 channel and added 4-5 which appears to be the Arirang Network. It seems to be Korean and they have English subtitles when Korean is being spoken. I suspect this started either Jan. 1 or Jan. 4th (Bob Seaman, Hazleton, PA, Jan 6, WTFDA gg via DXLD) DTV Got it. My information is that Arirang is the official international service of the South Korean government. You might call it the Korean equivalent of the VOA. I list it on five stations in the U.S.: WRNN 62.3 Kingston, NY WACP 4.5 [Atlantic City NJ, 10 kW ERP; for Philadelphia?] WNVT 53.9 Goldvein, VA (Washington) WYXN-LD 35.3 NYC KXLA 44.5 Los Angeles The Arirang website also claims WOCK-LD 13.2 Chicago & WKTB-CD 47.4 Atlanta - I list both as carrying the Korean-language service. == (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, jan 6, WTFDA gg via DXLD) ** LIBYA. Libya was always on odd 1053.+101 Hertz in past 3 months. Here in central Europe TERRIBLE mixture on co-channel with UK TalkSport and R. Yash-Iashi Romania powerhouse too. 1053.1015 kHz, Tripoli Libya noted at 2355 UT on Jan 1. Alignment of Greece remote Perseus SDR unit at Zakynthos; measured against Skopje Macedonia 810 kHz and Grigoriopol Moldova Pridnestrovie 1413 kHz exact frequency beasts. Heard also HQ prayer program on Jan 2nd at 0215 UT, S=9+40dB signal strength measured across the sea in Zakynthos Greece remote SDR net. This is the Libyan transmitter site "called by the old regime President Muammar al-Gaddafi as 'Transmitter km8 Kilometer Eight' broadcast center. LBY Tripoli km8, 1053 kHz 50 kW; 1404 kHz 20kW at location 32 51 32.39 N 13 04 39.83 E (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 29 / Jan 1 / 2, BCDX Jan 2 via DXLD)) ** LUXEMBOURG [and non]. At 2244 UT on RTL 1440 Marnach carries religious of the longtime client of Schweizer Freundesdienst relig in German - from Switzerland. 1440 kHz religious till 2257:47 UT Freundesdienst?, midst on the spoken prayer started LUXembourg National Anthem Hymn, lasted till 2259:05 UT, end of Hymn, then at 2259:10 UT TX OFF air - for ever. On 1440 kHz afterwards Arabic from Saudi Arabia heard in southern Germany. wb df5sx wwdxc germany (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also EUROPE 1440 MW, RTL Radio, Marnach, cease for ever at 2259* on Dec 31, 2015, final according direct phone access to Broadcasting Center Europe in Luxembourg (Wolfgang Bueschel, DSWCI DX Window Jan 6 via DXLD) CRI German programme was abruptly interrupted by the National Anthem of Luxembourg: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/final-80-seconds-of-rtl-rluxembourg-208.html What a historical frequency is no more! (Koie and Ivanov, DSWCI DX Window Jan 6 via DXLD) The last R Luxembourg English show was broadcast at 0000-0200, Dec 31, 1991 - a two hour story of the English service. It can be found on: http://download757.mediafire.com/rg6e7kaxs3ug/rs96x5nf3wll2dg/208+Last+show+31.12.1991.mp3 But beware! The file is of course very large, so have patience! (Erik Køie, Denmark, ibid.) Hello, I followed the DLF, RTL Marnach and Radio France switch off MW stations via WebSDRs, specially at Twente (PI4THT) with these today (Jan. 01) updated reports: 1557 kHz - Old France Info, now UK Smooth R. with QSB. 1494 kHz - Old R. France and Bleu, now R. Moldova Actualitati, weak at 0336 Z. 1440 kHz - Old RTL, yesterday (Dec. 31), around 2004 Z, we had YL talk in German followed by French music, very strong. Today at 0319 Z we had weak signal with several references to R. Luxembourg. 1242 kHz - Old DLF now with two British, Absolute R. and Smooth R. 864 kHz - Old France Bleu, heard now ERTU with bit splatter of 855 ROMANIA. 756 kHz - Old DLF, now two BBC with different programmes. 711 kHz - R. France Info ready with news and weather at 0331 Z. 603 kHz - R. France Info // 711 at 0532 Z. 549 kHz - Old DLF, now R. Koper SLOVENIA very strong with Jil FM ALGERIA // 531. A 3rd very weak station also heard in English, 0458 Z. 73! (Flavio PY2ZX, Brasil, Jan 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 711 & 603 pose a bit of a surprise! Just heard both of them via Twente, at 0621 UT. I was listening to 711 via the GT Rimini receiver around 0010 UT, and could have sworn that France pulled the plug, leaving only Romania. But it's almost 2016 where I am; perhaps I need a drink. :^)> Your English on 549 is probably Spirit Radio, in Cardonagh, Ireland (25 kW). Happy New Year to all! (GREG HARDISON, CA, ibid.) GERMANY [sic]. Final 80 seconds of RTL R. Luxembourg 208 on medium waves, Dec 31: 2257-2259 on 1440 MAR 300 kW / non dir to WeEu Nat.Anthem and off forever http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/final-80-seconds-of-rtl-rluxembourg-208.html (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, dxldyg via DXLD) 1440, Ex-Luxembourg: SBC R Riyadh, fair & Unid could be China for few minutes in early evening. No Beograd 1 (GIAMPIERO BERNARDINI - QTH remote BOCCA DI MAGRA (SP), RX: EXCALIBUR PRO - ANT: WELLBROOK 1530S+ IMPERIUM, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 7445, Jan 2 at 1948, religious music and 1950 Joseph in English about how he moved to Australia and became a monk. Not Vatican as I first thought, but BBCWS, 250 kW and 315 degrees USward at 17-20, poor at S5 but best signal on 40m making it this early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 660, México DF. XEDTL, Radio Ciudadana. 1157 January 2, 2016. Anthem from 1158, female, "XEDTL Radio Ciudadana..." and frequency/power. XECPR, XEFZ and this seem to trade off channel dominance each morning. 690, XEN La 69, México DF. 1100 January 2, 2016. Segment on workers rights movement in Chihuahua state, XEN ID, tribute feature on Natalie Cole's death followed by her "Unforgettable" remix duet with Nat Daddy and back to Mexico news items. Why such discrepancies on daytime power here? IRCA Mexican Log states 100 kW; WRTVH and Wiki list at 50 kW; radio-locator.com states 20 kW (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, NRD-535, IC-R75, roof dipole, active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. {re 15-52, XEU 930 now on FM only] I would concur based on not hearing it my in local mornings for a long time now. It used to dominate the channel around sunrise. Last logbook entry here is December 10, 2013. Recall also they used to be on shortwave, 6020. Also, same DXLD edition, correction is the ID on XECPR. They referenced 660 kHz always (630 a typo on my part). (Terry Krueger, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 1080 unID Mexico - mystery second anthem --- Have a clip from 1080 at 0659 EST [1159 UT] from Dec 22. I know it's from Mexico because I was working my way up the dial checking for anthems which I believe run at 0600 local time in Mexico (as well as 0000 local time). What's striking is there's a second piece of military march style music immediately afterwards, and I think it's the same station as one ends, there's a second of silence, and the next one begins. My hunch is the second anthem is a state anthem from Mexico, or perhaps (less likely IMO) even a municipality or perhaps even a second national musical score. I've cut the Mexican anthem to the last bit - enough to make it identifiable as an anthem. About 8-10 seconds in is the start of what I believe is the second anthem. A second clip has some talk I heard, with rooster crowing, moments after the second anthem ended. Any ideas on this one? It's my first ever from Mexico here on 1080! Attached Files File Type: mp3 1080 unID Mexico 22DC15 0659.mp3 (1.32 MB, 2 views) File Type: mp3 1080 unID Likely More Mexico 22DC15 0706.mp3 (496.4 KB, 2 views) (Saul Chernos, Burnt River ON, Jan 1, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) I've never heard this anthem piece, but I think it's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-FtQSIpyCU You have, without a doubt, XETUL-AM Tultitlán Edomex, barely not in Mexico City! (Raymie Humbert, AZ, ibid.) Thanks, Raymie. Cool. What's the give-away clue? (Saul Chernos, ibid.) The fanfare at the beginning of the anthem is heard about 15 seconds in. Also the part 0:25-0:30 of the video lines up to 0:35-0:40 (watch for the rise at "nacional" toward the end). The transmitter is at 19.680293, -99.103075 (Raymie, ibid.) Thanks, Raymie. Appreciate your ear for the state of Mexico anthem. The key to logging Mexico lies in the 0000 / 0600 (local time) anthems, usually preceded or followed by a legal ID, or in this case a state anthem (Saul Chernos, Burnt River ON, Jan 2, ibid.) ** MEXICO. 1140, Jan 1 at 0427 UT, ID as Radio Pentecoste, gospel songs in Spanish, i.e. XEMR, 50/50 kW in Monterrey NL, whose listed name is Radio Esperanza, but I`ve heard Pentecoste on it before, maybe just a program title (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6184.97, Jan 2 at 1915 on NRD-545, JBA carrier, presumably XEPPM on its secret daytime schedule. Any modulation? Is it really listenable closer to the DF in daytime? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Ya nos sorprendió el apagón analógico en Mérida, Yucatán, ninguna estación analógica al aire. Atte.: Ing.Civ. Israel González Ahumada, M.I., Jan 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. [Re 15-52:] Glenn: -- Re the Mexican "STL" allocations, Doug Smith writes (truncated): "While working on the "shadow" stations in the regular band I ran into a number of radio STLs just outside of the 222 MHz ham band....I forget whether they were on the 221 MHz side or the 225 MHz side. This spectrum belongs to the military in the U.S." -- The US Military is assigned 225-400 MHz; the lower segment (220-222 MHz) is used for Business purposes. If holding true to the "military" allocation, that would put the signals on the high-side of the Ham band. Just a thought in the middle of the night (GREG HARDISON, Jan 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week --- There are still new digital television stations to be found...! While CORTV has built at least two digital TV transmitters, it received reprieves for all of its transmitters. We now know that the network plans to slim down even further, to 16 stations — some of which have no digital authorizations (and are thus new) Seven are considered regional: XHPOX-40 Pinotepa Nacional-Jicaltepec (that's a mountain and is a change in listed location) XHAOX-36 Oaxaca XHUJZ-22 Huautla de Jiménez XHJZA-41 Juchitán de Zaragoza (Palma Sola) (Palma Sola is not the listed coordinates for XHJZA analog... 22 mile move! I think CORTV's analogs do not have correctly listed locations) XHCRP-22 Corral de Piedra (already on air) XHSDP-22 San Pedro Pochutla (Pluma Hidalgo) XHJBT-20 San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec The low-power stations also feature some new links: XHSCJ-27 Santa Catarina Juquila XHSLX-22 Santiago Juxtlahuaca XHCPO-23 Concepción Pápalo XHNEA-22 Teotitlán de Flores Magón XHTLO-21 Tlaxiaco XHSPT-22 San Pedro Tapanatepec XHSMI-23 Santa María Ixcatlán (which is authed for two watts) XHAPF-26 Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa (but we have 21 authed) http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/110915FREC_ADICIONAL010754.pdf XHSGX-26 San Agustín Loxicha (which is authed for six watts) Transmitters that do not seem to be planned for replacement are in Asunción Nochixtlán, Loma Bonita, San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán, San Juan Cacahuatepec, San Sebastián Tlacolula and Santiago Jamiltepec. (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Dec 31, 2015, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Quote Originally Posted by Glen[n] Hauser: ``Raymie, Great work! Much appreciated. And please keep it up with radio. I think you have already written a PhD dissertation should you need one in a few years. Glenn Hauser`` Thank you for the kind words. They mean a lot coming from you (Raymie, ibid.) Thanks, Raymie. You've provided us a wealth of knowledge about Mexican TV. Though I'm a dedicated DTV DXer I still dabble in analog. It'll be interesting to see what, if any, remaining analogs can be seen from Mexico. Thinking of a TV station in KY that continued to operate after its license had been revoked makes me wonder if any of the same might happen in Mexico. We'll see. 73, (Ed NN2E, Thunderstorm KY, Owner / Operator - Murphy's Law Test Site & Thunderstorm Proving Grounds, ibid.) Your best bet for that is XHENB Ensenada, whose status I am unsure about. I posted on their Facebook page and was given an incorrect explanation that the station fell under the extension parameters. It does not (it is a commercial main station, even if it broadcasts at 5 kW which is considered low power on UHF). I suspect in a few days we're going to get a list of "stations that didn't comply with the apagón" and thus will have their concessions/permits revoked as of January 9. Kind of funny, given that Ensenada could be said as Mexico's most important city in re: UHF. It had Mexico's first U (XHS-23, signed on in December 1963) at a time when most domestically-produced TV sets didn't have UHF, as well as North America's last operating 700 MHz station (XHEBC-57). Who Else is Disappearing? 1. Assuming that stations not granted an extension will have their permits revoked: XHALC, XHBAL, XHCCP, XHOHH, XHRIG, XHRPC, XHRRZ, XHSFB, XHSFE, XHSFN The San Felipe stations have always been questionable from a legal standpoint as permit stations rebroadcasting the commercials of commercial stations. Most of the others haven't operated in recent years. 2. For now, XHK, which apparently wasn't able to sign on in digital on time (though it holds an authorization). 3. XHENB, probably. I suspect they will become cable-only. 4. Potentially the Cancún, Chetumal and Playa del Carmen transmitters of the QR state network. 5. For now, XHGV Misantla (a known shadow). RTV Veracruz is promising all remaining transmitters will offer digital service by March 31. https://veracruz.quadratin.com.mx/Misantla-pasara-ano-nuevo-sin-senal-de-TV-abierta-no-se-instalo-transmi/ And who isn't? 1. XHST, which apparently is renting a transmitter and running at less than authorized power because of the state government's financial situation. (It is operating, however.) http://tribunacampeche.com/yucatan/2015/12/12/televisora-de-gobierno-quedaria-fuera-del-aire/ 2. The Tabasco state network, or at least XHSTA (which is using PSIP!). Last edited by Raymie; 01-01-2016 at 08:10 PM (Raymie, ibid.) From post #750, this thread... "There will be 497 analog transmitters in operation in Mexico in 2016. All VHFs will be 1 kW or less, and all UHFs will be 10 kW or less." Raymie, Is it too much to ask you to compile a list of low channel (2- 6) analogs remaining on air? This would give us something to work with during the upcoming Spring E-skip season. Due to my dial-up connection I'm hanging on to the internet by a very thin, and fraying, thread. I'm not able to do much of research because of this. Many websites simply cut off (time out?) in mid download. The FCC website is one of them. 73, (Ed NN2E, Owner / Operator - Murphy's Law Test Site & Thunderstorm Proving Grounds, Jan 2, ibid.) I'm working on something like that, at least for stations I can confirm on low-band. Some of these shadows aren't even in the INE maps. ——— I know it's a touch late for apagón videos, but this one's got some cool shots in it. It's from XHI Los Mochis: https://www.facebook.com/canal2LosMochis/videos/984599444934998/ I also have heard a report from Ensenada: XHENB is still on in analog. This is unbelievable. They are breaking the law and will soon have their concession revoked. Last edited by Raymie; 01-02-2016 at 07:59 PM (Raymie, ibid.) Things are gonna be slower here for obvious reasons, but... Say Bye-Bye to... Some stations appeared neither in the extension lists or in any apagón declarations. We will be saying goodbye to some permit stations... Patronatos XHSFB-XHSFE-XHSFN San Felipe, BC: Local TV translator association, but with a questionable legal status as a permit retransmitting a concession and the better availability of solutions like Sky since it was founded in 1985, it likely didn't have a chance. XHALC Villa Aldama, Chih. XHBAL Balleza, Chih. XHRPC Riva Palacio, Chih. XHOHH Ocampo, Chih. XHCCP Copainalá, Chis. XHRIG-XHRRZ Río Grande, Zac. This community is served by an analog-extended XHSOZ shadow as well. Other XHAZS Tamazunchale, SLP (Raymie, Jan 4, ibid.) A dire situation in Baja California Sur where Televisa local station XHK may be no more. http://www.milenio.com/estados/Cierran_estacion_XHK_canal_10_de_La_Paz_tras_apagon_analogico_0_658734442.html It certainly isn't transmitting — it didn't get a transmitter on in time, though it holds an authorization — and the workers can't get in the building because it's been closed by the SCT. One employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited a lack of money as the main reason to not be able to switch. Employees also mentioned that they have not been paid for weeks, and that SITATYR (the union) is looking at going on strike there. It would be the second strike at XHK this decade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZjHtWU57vI El Informante adds that they owe money to Televisa, for their affiliation. http://elinformantebcs.mx/suspenden-transmisiones-del-xhk-tv-canal-10-la-paz/ For their part, the workers have said they'll take to YouTube to continue producing local programs (Raymie, Jan 5, ibid.) There are two types of official time-claims on Mexican radio and TV: "Tiempos oficiales" — larger blocks of programming, especially on TV, and La Hora Nacional, along with any national addresses, that are required carriage for stations by virtue of being broadcasting stations, and "tiempos fiscales" — which, as their name implies, are a sort of tax on broadcasters. SEGOB wants to be more efficient in its use of the latter. In 2014, the state didn't use 7,000 hours of time it was entitled to under the tiempo fiscal regime. http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/nacion/politica/2015/12/31/establece-segob-reglas-para-tiempos-en-radio-y-tv New rules will require government agencies and legislative and judicial bodies to present their requests for air time on time, or their allotments will be reassigned (Raymie, Jan 6, ibid.) ** MICRONESIA. Update - PMA-The Cross Radio still off the air Hi Glenn, Received (Jan 3 at 0600 UT) an update from Sylvia Kalau at PMA-The Cross Radio (4755.54 kHz.): "Sorry Ron, we are not running the short wave, only the FM at this time. Will let you know when we start up again." Has been off the air since May 10, 2015 (Ron Howard, Jan 4, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR/BURMA. 5985.0, Myanmar Radio, 1529, Dec 31. "Happy" New Year's song; 1530 New Year's program preempted their normal segment in English; in vernacular; song "Auld Lang Syne" in English; program of EZL songs in English ("Love Will Keep Us Alive," Doris Day with "Que Sera, Sera [Whatever Will Be, Will Be]," etc.). https://app.box.com/s/y22tu6eohkvkdxhmkuoz8mjio4nqem9w contains my audio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6165.00, 0025-0040 30.12, Thazin R, Pyin U Lwin Chin, indigenous songs, 0029 Chin ID, 0030 Kachin ann, 0031 Kachin indigenous song by duet with rare stringmusic, 0040 ann 45333 AP-DNK Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire in Skovlunde, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. My last log of "7200.09, Myanmar Radio, 1300-1312*, Dec 28. In vernacular; pop songs; slowly improving till suddenly off. Reception contingent upon both RTI and CNR1 (jamming) going off together at 1300, but recently one or the other has often run late (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)" Today (Jan 2) a new development on 7200.00. Surprised to hear MYANMAR mixing with CNR1 (China) at about equal strength; 1313-1400* UT. Myanmar Radio playing indigenous and pop music. At 1400* CNR1 went off first, then a few seconds later Myanmar went off. Myanmar seemed to be exact frequency! Without CNR1 QRM, Myanmar reception would have been very good. https://app.box.com/s/tyl40t5ezehlgfoefprihq17dqnkbnej contains my audio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Jan 4 was another day of not only CNR1 (jamming) continuing on past usual cut off time of 1300, but RTI also kept going. Myanmar was also noted mixing with the other two. Assumed they would all close down at 1400, as I recently noted, but not so. Myanmar Radio stayed on all alone till suddenly off at 1437*; after 1400 was completely in the clear when I tuned in at 1406; some ham QRM, but mostly fair/good reception. https://app.box.com/s/yt5zopw4zr73wuminiss605slwm35b7m contains my audio (fair/good quality). (Ron Howard, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Moving to Oregon from Virginia this week. Never heard Mynamar before (not counting working them on the ham bands). Looking forward to logging them, but telling them from other Asian stations may be an interesting experience. Are there other frequencies that would be clearer? Regards, (George, NJ3H, Stephens City, Virginia USA until 7 Jan 16; Redmond, Oregon USA after 7 Jan 16, Perseus and Elad FDM-S2 SDRs and Wellbrook ALA1530AL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi George, Will be nice to have you on the West Coast. You will find you have very decent reception of many Asian/Pacific station that you probably could not hear on the East Coast. Regarding Myanmar: 5985.0, Myanmar Radio, is probably the best bet. Often enjoy their 1530-1600 English segment, with Wednesday VOA Special English programming after the news & local weather. Also the Thursday and Friday shows of NHK's "Friends Around The World," are interesting programs and fairly readable during our winter months. 5915, Myanmar Radio is heard, but with strong CRI QRM also on frequency. Believe Myanmar signs off 1530, but is not much fun to listen to that much QRM. 9730, Myanmar Radio is heard after 1100 on Monday & Wednesday with Radio Australia's program "English for Business," but QRM from Sound of Hope (Taiwan) sometimes makes for challenging reception. Myanmar sign off time is 1130. Also there is Thazin Radio. They are on 6165; unfortunately there are just too many stations there before 1400 for me to deal with (Vietnam, etc.). After 1400 there is only China and India to contend with, still too much QRM. Thazin Radio is in vernacular after 1400. They go into their English segment at 1430 till off at 1500*. Sometimes is possible (if the QRM is having an off day) to dig out Thazin's local news and weather at 1435, but normally a tough copy at best. Hope this helps (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I saw that Myanma Radio relaying VOA. I heard NHK World programme in Myanmar language on December 11, so I asked whether they relay NHK not only in English, but also in Myanmar. The QSL manager verified my report and confirmed also the suspect: "We are broadcasting some programs from "NHK World Radio" that we had contracted with NHK to relay programs in Myanmar and in English. NHK is broadcasting in Myanmar and English language" (Jan-Mikael Nurmela, Asst. EDXC Secretary General, Uurainen, Finland, DSWCI DX Window Jan 6 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Reminder that The Mighty KBC moves to new frequency and shifted time for weekly broadcast to North America via Nauen, GERMANY, as of Jan 10: UT Sundays 0000-0300 on 6040, despite the off-frequency+ Brazilian to heterodyne it (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6224-USB, Taupo Maritime Radio, 1259-1305*, Jan 2. Has been three years since I last heard this one; fair with weather conditions; announced "2182, 4125, 6215, 8291, 12290, 16420 kilohertz"; 6224 not given. Audio at https://app.box.com/s/o1onwpavt8139zkn891xh6nmsng13zed (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. 539.865, R. Corporación, Managua, DEC 1 0450 - Man ending news/commentary, into Ten Commandments fanfare and sign-off talk mentioning R.Corporación, prayer at 0455 then the Nicaraguan national anthem with carrier cut at 0459 UT (Werner Funkenhauser, Sebring FL; WiNRADiO Excalibur, Wellbrook System K9AY with 13 foot triangular loops directed at 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees, experimentally phasing as needed with a Quantum Phaser and Par end-fed sloper, NRC IDXD Jan 1 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 7254.925 approx., Jan 2 at 0709, VON in French. Not much else on 41m at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) After not tracing Voice of Nigeria yesterday evening, I guess I heard them again with pop music on 7255 when CRI was off there for a few seconds around 1757. At least, on Twente SDR it looked like the carrier was on the low side. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Jan 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Hello Gents: Here are the Christmas Holiday Pirates, heard over the past week! PIRATE-NA. WMID, 6880 AM, 2105-2149*, 12-19-15 SIO: 343 Music “Punk Radio Christmas”, ID by Uncle Schlekstein mentioning this was a Christmas special show. Played songs “Blue Christmas” by The Frantic Flintstones, ID, then “12 Days Of Christmas” by Splodge. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. Pee Wee Radio, 6925 USB, 0123-0152*, 12-24-15 SIO: 222 “Silent Night” on Electric Guitar. ID in CW 0148, then more Silent Night on Electric Guitar. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. The Crystal Ship/TCS Shortwave Radio Network, 6876 AM, 2350-2356*, 12-24-15 SIO: 333 “Last Train To Clarksville by The Monkees, Snoopy VS The Red Baron by The Royal Guardsman. ID by OM, then traditional pirate song before sign off. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. Moonlight Radio, 6930 USB, 0022-0029+, 12-26-15 SIO: 222 Vocal “Ave Maria” by male opera singer, short ID as “Moonlight Radio”, faded out or signed off. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA. Radio Bingo, 6950 AM, 2133-2145*, 12-26-15 SIO: 333 Bingo Game, won by John T. Arthur, some audio featuring Alan Masyga, ID’d as “6955 Radio Bingo, Steel Belted Radio”. [Lobdell-MA] PIRATE-NA Liquid Radio, 6925 AM, 2340-2350+, 12-29-15 Pop tune, Song by The Cure, talk/short ID by OM, then fade out. [Lobdell-MA] (Chris Lobdell, Tewksbury, Massachusetts USA, Receivers: Eton E1, JRC NRD-525, Aerial: G5RV Dipole, Jan 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Larry Will Free radio logs Dec 26-Jan 1 Cold Country Canada. Friday, January 1, 2016, 1754, 6969 LSB. Some nice mellow rock music, into Fleetwood Mac "Go Your Own Way" and Crosby Stills and Nash. Fair signal, s5. (Will-MD) Cold Country Canada. Thursday, December 31, 2015, 2107, 6969 LSB. Music, Cold Country Canada ID at 2108, announcer speaking, into more music. "Requests through the pirate radio chat room." s7. (Will-MD) Moonlight Radio. Thursday, December 31, 2015, 2244, 6940 usb. Music, "Ding Dong" by George Harrison, blues song "I'm a woman." Hip hop music at 2252. Music by Pink Floyd at 2257, "Another brick in the wall." Peskie interference. s3/s5, tinny audio. (Will-MD) Old time radio. Sunday, December 27, 2015, 2126, 6770 am. The Lone Ranger "hi ho silver and away." Sgt. Preston, the Challenge of the Yukon, starting at 2129. Fading in and out, occasionally very good, s9 peaks. (Will-MD) Old time radio. Thursday, December 31, 2015, 2240, 6770 am. Our Miss Brooks show in progress. Very good signal, s7/s9 with quite decent audio. (Will-MD) Old time radio. Friday, January 1, 2016, 1645, 6770 am. Generally poor conditions on the band this morning, but despite this, there is an old radio show audible here. Prell shampoo presents The Life of Riley at 1700. s5/s7. (Will-MD) Radio Azteca. Thursday, December 31, 2015, 2211, 6900 am. Radio Azteca with the mailbag. Fine signal, slight fading, s9+. Occasional co-channel burblies. (Will-MD) Radio Bingo. Saturday, December 26, 2015, 2143, 6951 am. Caught just the end of an old Radio Bingo episode. Very good signal and sound, s9. (Will-MD) Renegade Radio. Saturday, December 26, 2015, 2253, 6935.2 usb. Rap music, into a very old commercial for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Rock 'n' roll version of Frost the Snowman at 2319. s7/s9 peaks, noisy conditions. (Will-MD) Unid. Thursday, December 31, 2015, 6925 am. Music by Chuck Berry, Johnny B. Goode. A live recording, presumably from a New Year's broadcast -- he said "happy new year" as the song was starting. s9/s15. (Will-MD) Unid. Sunday, December 27, 2015, 2208, 6925 am. Big signal with pop music, sound byte "we will not let them tear it [us?] down, " and into "Tell me something good" by Rufus and Chaka Khan. s9, wideband AM. Signal took a big dive at 2213, now just above the noise floor. (Will-MD) WDDR. Friday, January 1, 2016, 0446, 3440 usb. Music by Led Zeppelin. Extended talk by the op. Into more nice classic rock music. s7/s9, very good. (Will-MD) (Larry Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, Icom IC-R75 with G5RV radio@zappahead.net DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORWAY. 5895, Radio Northern Star via Bergen Kringkaster at 1557 with a test transmission with ID "This is Radio Northern Star", sung ID "Northern Star", announce postal address in Rong, instrumental music at 1559 and signing off at 1600 – poor Jan 3 (Patrick Robic, AUSTRIA, ODXA YRX via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Jan 2 circa 1830 UT midday on caradio: 1460, KZUE El Reno is STILL off (at 0055 UT Jan 3 check of OG&E Systemwatch, only 270 outages remained in its entire service area, 170 of which were in El Reno, the very lowest priority!) 1460, Jan 4 at 1409 UT, Mexican music roughly NW/SE when I null KHOJ MO, 1413 UT Spanish talk, interview with woman on phone. Suspect it`s KZUE, finally back on air more than a week after latest icestorm which hit El Reno hard, the last town to have power restored by OG&E; but to be sure, must check at midday even if I can`t get an ID. YES: Jan 4 at 1728 UT, KZUE now dominant on groundwave looping N/S with ``música del recuerdo`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 91.7, Dec 31 at 1702-1721 UT, KOSU provides us with 19 minutes of dead air instead of NPR news and Hear & Now (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 92.1, Jan 4 at 0010 UT check on caradio (and many other times), KAMG-LP Enid is extremely distorted and bleeding into 92.3 during usual praise music in Spanish. Something`s very wrong with the satellator input and/or output (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 95.7, Dec 31 at 1902 UT on caradio in western Enid, I am getting a weak signal with Oklahoma news --- could local KXLS Lahoma really be on with exciter-power only? No: ONN goes to ABC news at 1903, and at 1905 weather on KKAJ from the Channel 12 KXII Weather Center, i.e. Ardmore. KKAJ-FM is 50 kW, 140 m in Davis OK, ``Texoma Country`` listed slogan. 221 km = 138 miles city to city. It does have some CCI, possibly Es as I have just got WRAU Maryland on 88.3; or another weak OK or KS outlet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 96.9, Jan 2 at 2123 UT, I`m listening to KQOB, Enid- Crescent-OKC for a few minutes of tolerable rock, to an ID as ``Fun 96-9 FM``, so no more Bob. WTFDA Database already has new name, so maybe flipped some time ago? Maybe call should change to, say, KQUF? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Post icestorm FM Bandscan 22 hours later than last one, Dec 31 at 1755 UT, this time on the hand-held PL-880: 88.3, K202BY, Enid, Family Radio, still off 89.1, K206CA, Enid, Oasis back on talking about Tulsa ministries 90.5, KBVV, Goltry, still off 93.7, KSPI, Stillwater, off 95.7, KXLS, Lahoma/Enid, still off 98.1, WWLS-FM, The Village, is on but low power, e.g. much weaker than 98.9, KYIS 99.7, KNAH, Mustang, unheard, nor Wichita Spanish in 99.9 LPFM ACI 100.5, KATT, OKC, off; had been on yesterday 101.1, algo weak, Stillwater or Woodward missing? 105.7, KRDR, Alva on, but once again failing to ID in the 10 seconds before 1800:00 UT provided by ESPN 106.7, KTUZ, Okarche, back on in Spanish 107.1, KNID, North Enid, still off More anomaly chex, almost a week past the latest ice storm power outages: On caradio, Jan 1 circa 2345 UT: 90.5, KGVV Goltry is finally back on, // 88.7 KLVV 95.7, KXLS Lahoma/Enid finally back on, axually earlier today 98.1, WWLS-FM is still very weak 100.5, KATT is weak, ``Rock 100.5, The Cat`` 107.1, KNID North Enid finally back on. I guess the Enid-area stations were off because of powerlines down at remote sites west of city; and they are not important enough to merit any backup generation Jan 2 circa 1830 UT midday on caradio: 98.1, WWLS-FM is finally up to very good full-power signal. At 2125, 98.1 WWLS is still VG, and seems to have been running sports documentaries all day; but 101.9 KTST and 102.7 KJYO OKCs are weak again (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. RF 17, K17JN-D Enid, the 3ABN 6-channel translator, has lost #3, now black and unlabeled, tho the signal meter shows it`s still there, unoccupied, as on various chex Jan 2. It had been called DD = Dare to Dream. This is via the old Zenith STB. On my Sanyo TV with antenna plugged into it directly, no 17-3 either, and furthermore 17-5, AFTV is without audio, ``unsupported audio CODEC`` error message --- and only on that subchannel, but it`s OK on the STB. Strange are the ways of DTV. Suddenlink cable in Enid still ignores K17JN-D, our only ``local`` TV ``stations`` (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. BANDWIDTH AUCTION COULD IMPACT TV STATION AVAILABILITY === Posted: Wednesday, January 6, 2016 4:15 am By Emily Summars Staff Writer by Emily Summars Area Reporter http://www.enidnews.com/news/state/bandwidth-auction-could-impact-tv-station-availability/article_98971c94-01af-5dcd-a16e-e17c6ceb53a8.html Area televisions may have fewer channels, or none at all, if a Federal Communications Commission bandwidth auction takes place this year. Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters CEO and President Vance Harrison described the auction as building a highway. A highway that means fewer channels for consumers, Harrison said. The FCC wants to buy TV station bandwidth because it is the best, Harrison said. The FCC is allowing TV stations to voluntarily sell or share bandwidth with another station in an effort to reduce bandwidth usage. Extra bandwidth would then be sold by the FCC to companies like AT&T, Verizon, Google and other companies that may or may not be interested. The issue for northwest Oklahoma is that many station signals are rebroadcast through a translator. The average station signal travels up to 75 miles, therefore channels like KFOR 4, KOCO 5, KWTV 9 and OETA, are sent through a translator to reach areas of western Oklahoma, Harrison said. “These translators are not a part of this compensation and this plan for moving all these people around,” Harrison said. “My guess is in Oklahoma, about one-tenth of Oklahoma could potentially be in jeopardy if the issue of translators is not figured out.” Mark Norman, OETA vice president of technology, said in areas like Alva, Woodward and Buffalo, no translator means no TV signal. OETA has 14 translators located throughout the state and about half of OETA’s translators could be at risk, Norman said. “The commission has also said if there is no need for that spectrum, like Channel 48 in Buffalo, then they would leave it on air until someone wants to buy it. It’s a real mess to be honest. There are so many unknowns about this whole situation.” Harrison said the FCC would sell stations and bandwidth but the percentage of those willing to participate is unknown and the FCC is not sharing how many are interested. The result: there will be fewer channels but how fewer remains the question, Harrison said. Charlie Meisch, FCC incentive auction task force spokesman, said the auction is scheduled to begin March 29. The FCC is in the application window for broadcasters to contact the FCC about an initial bid commitment. The voluntary auction was authorized by Congress in 2012, Meisch said. “Over-the-air broadcast TV is still very important,” Meisch said. “We also know companies are demanding more bandwidth for wireless activity. Rather than repurpose the spectrum ourself, Congress said let’s look at licensees, like broadcast licensees, and relinquishing spectrum for a portion of the proceeds.” Norman said the bandwidth to be bought by the FCC and then sold to corporate companies have been owned by Americans since the beginning. “Every seven years we file for a license but we don’t own it,” he said. “Now they (FCC) are looking at taking those licensees away, but when they sell them the government no longer has control of that frequency. It will be owned by corporations and then they can charge more money for it. Once the government sells it off, it’s gone.” Meisch said if a station chooses to participate, it may sell its license with the intention of going off air or with the intention of sharing a channel with another station in the area. Stations also may host a channel share, he said. “The technology exists for broadcasters to put out multiple streams over the air on a single channel, and some stations are doing that on their own,” he said. “You could split up the bandwidth for two different stations on the same station.” Norman said OETA will not participate in the auction because it currently is using all of its bandwidth. Meisch said stations that choose not to participate could be moved. “We are obligated by law, by Congress, that if a station doesn’t want to participate, or participates but doesn’t win (a bid), we must assign them a new TV channel that preserves the same population and geographic coverage area that they have today,” he said. “If you are a station and you serve a certain square mileage, you lose nothing once this is over.” Harrison said that could be an issue for western Oklahoma. Harrison said the auction, and station availability, will happen regardless. “The value of your TV station is more determined by the city of your license than your ratings,” Harrison said. “They don’t want the signal for what you’ve done in the past; they want it for the broadband capability.” Meisch said station changes depend on how many participate and which stations participate, because some bandwidth is more valuable than others. FCC is not required by Congress to protect translators, Meisch said, but the commission has taken several steps to mitigate the impact to it. “We (FCC) just adopted rules to allow for the low-power and translator stations to enter into sharing agreements that full-power guys can enter into,” he said. “That helps ease some of the channel crunch in a sense because you have two stations sharing the same frequency would be able to continue operations in an environment where they may have lost a channel they were on.” Norman said FCC grossly underestimated the importance of translators. If translators disappear, Norman said a lot of people would have to pay for TV via satellite. “You need to tell your congressman that you do not want translators to go off the air,” he said. “They are an important part of getting TV, and if people don’t know that, there will be a lot of people disenfranchised. FCC really underestimated translators and what they do. Translators are free. If they take translators in the Panhandle, half of the state would lose OETA.” Harrison said ultimately the auction will mean fewer stations and less access in an attempt to increase bandwidth. “Television stations sit on some pretty valuable broadband and that’s the broadband they (FCC and corporate companies) want,” Harrison said. For information, go to http://www.wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/incentive-auctions/broadcast-incentive-auction.html. (Enid News & Eagle Jan 6 via gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Small display ad in recent OKC Spanish language free newspaper (making it sporadically to newsstands in Enid) says ``La mejor programación en Oklahoma City MUNDOMAX 45.1`` -- That would be KOHC-CD, RF 45 and virtual 45, which I never see in Enid (if I get anything on 45, it`s KSNW ``3`` full power Wichita off the back), but rabbitears.info shows KOHC inhabited by Azteca America on 45.1, and MundoMax on 45.2 (plus blanx on 45.3 and 45.4). The MundoMax network is in lots of markets, mostly low powers: http://rabbitears.info/search.php?request=network_search&network=MundoMax even including Enid`s KXOK-LD, as 31-2 on RF 31, despite that having been off the air for over a year! For many months it was running color bars and PSIP as Mundo Fox. Rabbitears files this under market 50 OKC, not that anyone but possibly an astute DXer in OKC could ever possibly see KXOD-LD, IF it were even on the air! Is MundoMax just a name change from MundoFox? Apparently: Under the Max network list above, weblink still shows as http://www.mundofox.com but clicking on that gets forwarded to http://www.mundomax.com So is it still a Fox subsidiary? I don`t see any reference to Fox on the homepage. And what became of Azteca América --- did it flip to 45.2 on KOHC-CD at least? Any OTA viewer inside OKC could tell us (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 15140, Radio Sultinate of Oman, 1410-1500, 12/30. Strong signal (45444) in English with male DJ playing the top 25 hits of the year, including music by the Jonas Brothers, Adele and others. Interrupted at 1451 with a quick prayer, then back to the hits before going into Arabic at 1500. This is the strongest I've heard them in English in many years (Mike Nikolich, Lake Barrington, IL, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook ALA-1530 loop antenna, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 3 via DXLD) Must be close to sunset, as we have been observing for YEMEN [non]. But Oman spreads quite a bit east to west. Should have been several minutes earlier. What if you pray at the time on the radio, but not at your real local sunset. Do you get a demerit for that? Or just doesn`t reach the deity? (gh, DXLD) ** PANAMA. 590, HOH3, RPC Radio, Coclé DEC 25 0300 UT, - Disco version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by female singers in English, into identification by man in Spanish (translations with help from Don Moore and Dave Valko): "Panamá... HOHM 610 AM... ??.7 FM provincia de Panamá... HOHJ 1060 AM... ?? FM para Colón," followed by a list of Comarca locations where the second part is an indigenous word - the Comarcas are semi-autonomous regions with large indigenous populations. Fairly sure of the 1060 call and frequency, even though mwlist has it as HOJ60. ID continued, "HOH3 590 AM ?? FM provincia de Cocle... HOH4 580 AM, ???, provincia de Chiriquí... HOH? 660 AM, ?? FM, provincia de Bocas del Toro," then another Comarca region; mwlist has this as HOH33 but it does not sound like 33; then a website "para todo el mundo... RPC Radio," with an echo effect fade-out. The program then went into a Spanish song by a man with lyrics including a shout-out, "Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Colombia..." The station was over R. Musical Nacional Cuba during most of the time. WRTH doesn't list the station, but mwlist shows it as 10/1 kW (Brett Saylor, State College PA; Perseus SDR with 16 x 36-ft corner-fed SuperLoop at 180 , NRC IDXD Jan 1 via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 9520, R. Veritas Asia, 1327, Jan 3. Series of IDs in English before starting scheduled Chin language; totally blocking reception of PBS Nei Menggu (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. Polskie Radio 1, Hymn of Europe on Jan 4: from 1300 on 225 Solec Kujawski 1000 kW / ND to Eu http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/polskie-radio-1-hymn-of-europe-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxlydg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess that`s one of the tunes on the WRMI fill-music loop (gh) ** ROMANIA. 6015, RRI (Galbeni) 2338-2357* 3 Jan. Sneaking in through the noise with their English program. Chat, music & sked given at end of broadcast (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 6990, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, Radio Voronezh at 1403 in Russian with Russian music (female choir), station ID "Radio Voronezh" at 1405 by female, music (male sing remix of Russian communist song) – Fair January 2 (Biliczky Istvan, HUNGARY, ODXA YRX via DXLD) Fair reception of Comintern Radio on January 5 from 1445 on 6989.9 VOR 001 kW / non-dir to EaEu music http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/fair-reception-of-comintern-radio-on.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SARAWAK [non]. 9835 // 11665, RTM (Kajang) 1545-1605+ 31 Dec. Live NYE celebrations with "lima, ampat, tiga, dua, satu.." countdown at TOH followed by loud gongs and "selamat tahun baru" Negara Ku after the NY greeting. 11665 closed right after NK and with no "Sarawak FM" ID heard, this might have been the main RTM studio broadcast rather than Sarawak FM's program (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA, CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SARAWAK [non]. PHILIPPINES Radio Free Sarawak again on air, Jan 4 1030-1200 on 15420 PUG 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs Iban Mon-Sat Confirmed via SDR units in Hong Kong and Sydney-AUS on Jan 4 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/radio-free-sarawak-is-again-on-air.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) After scheduled Christian-holiday break. It was Mon-Fri, not Mon-Sat; and M-F in WRTH 2016 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. re 9715v - okay, that means always same figures of season requests on ARS 9580 kHz Jeddah entry in HFCC database, since a decade or so, even now repeat 9580 kHz registration in A-16 season from March 2016. A-16 9580 0300-0600 38E,39,48W JED 50 0 0 925 1234567 2703-301016 Ara ARS #1352 Riyadh shortwave site - they at BSKSA broadcaster had always 9 x 500 kW on their disposal, but often imperfect calibration, some variability of very odd 20 to 90 Hertz frequencies noted, and very bad terrible audio, - so four of them replaced in summer 2015 by new Thalès Ampegon equipment. "Ampegon had announced another project, the delivery of four new transmitters for the Riyadh site, supposed to be ready by summer 2015, Kai Ludwig" But I think, they have also older 100 kWs in usage, not connected to the Curtain array beasts, but to the Quadrant antenna or the two Log- periodics on revolving masts near the TX house, see (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 29, BCDX Jan 2 via DXLD) Implying maybe one of those used to Yemen now on 11860?? (gh, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA [non]. I just finished scanning the WRMI schedule going into effect January 1, 2016 and I no longer see Radio Slovakia International on 9955. See link: http://www.wrmi.net/pb/wp_d12a1732/wp_d12a1732.html 73 and Bon'Anno (Happy New Year) - (Dean Bonanno, Durham, CT, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) English RSI was dropped from 9955 a few weeks ago, but continues on some of the other frequencies. See the program sked blox below the entire transmission schedule; daily at 0030 on 5850, 11580; also Sat & Sun 2100 on 7570 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. [Re 15-52]: Interesting that I happen to be listening at almost the same time at 1730 UT 30 Dec 2015, which was about 30 minutes past my LSR at Kauai. Modulation seemed to be quite low, but clearly audible. Happy new year to everyone! 73, (Walt Salmaniw, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5020, Dec 31 at 0724, detectable JBA carrier this early in Cuba splash, and still on at 1308, 1356 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5020, SIBC, 1435-1514, Dec 31. Very enjoyable reception with nice signal; in Pijin with special broadcast for New Year's with two announcers; read out many texted messages; many phone calls; 1500 - "exactly 2 hours into 2016"; many IDs. Of their recent extended receptions here, today was by far the very best. https://app.box.com/s/aw2hxwrwc2czamlt6k26i03ge85tlwyr contains my seven minute audio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5020, SIBC 1540-1606+ 31 Dec. Nice to have them on late with NY greetings (phone calls, texts) and 2 chatty announcers ("wherever you are, good morning; it's 2 hours and 45 minutes into 2016"). (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5020, Wantok FM 96.3 relay via SIBC on Jan 1; first tuned in at 1356; pop songs with frequent very brief IDs; "This is Wantok FM 96.3. Good times. Great music," etc.; reception poorer than yesterday's SIBC programming; still heard at 1548. [non-log]. 5020, SIBC/Wantok FM. After hearing the special extended New Year's Eve broadcast on Dec 31 from 1435 to 1514 and also the special Wantok FM 96.3 simulcast on Jan 1 from 1356 to 1548, found on Jan 2 & 3 that SIBC/Wantok FM no longer has an extended schedule past 1200 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Despite being wrong about everything, Brother HySTAIRical is now claiming to be on 50 SW frequencies, per frequent announcements, such as 0230 UT Jan 3 on WRMI 7570. He`s added a lot on WRMI, see USA, but apparently expansion on other stations too, e.g. WHRI? Have not investigated that yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Back on WINB (Ivo Ivanov) ** SPAIN. 15500, Thu Dec 31 at 1507, S9+20 open carrier with some fading, continuously past 1600+; presumably REE, the only station listed here, but supposed to start programming from 1500 only on Saturdays & Sundays; perhaps on NY eve, the ops at Noblejas are confused. Ivo Ivanov has also heard REE transmitters running carriers at odd times like 0900+. 9690, Dec 31 at 2239, I tune in REE for New Year festivities --- just about the only UT+1 zone European SW station left with possibly live broadcasts. Yes, a 2-minute year-in-review capsule of the most important stories; 2246 rock song in English; 2257.5 joining TVE for coverage from Puerta del Sol, usual excited commentary, all in Castilian unlike the music; 2300 pops and bells ringing at local midnight; then more gabbing past 2307. Normal close-down is 2300, but still on air at 2342 check, with another song in English. What`s with that; not enough stuff in Spanish? Of course all of Spain between 7.5 degrees west and east should really be on UT, even UT-1 in Galicia. Apparently recent pushes for such normalization are unsuccessful (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15500, Jan 4 at 1511, open carrier/dead air, presumably REE Noblejas again like Dec 31, inexplicably on air long before *1900 weekdays. If running the transmitter anyway, why not add some useful modulation?? Nothing on 15390 which would otherwise be // (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. ROUNDUP OF SAQ RECEPTION RESULTS --- LWCA The annual Christmas Eve morning greeting from Sweden's historic 17.2 kHz Alexanderson alternator went off without incident this year. Listeners across Europe copied the signal widely, as might be expected; and there were several reports from listeners in North America too, despite lingering strong thunderstorms in the Midwest. Jay Rusgrove W1VD reported better reception in Connecticut than he usually experiences for the December messages (here's an MP3 clip from his Web site). Bill de Carle in Ontario also found the signal to be better than usual with his portable loop antenna (and an MP3 clip from Bill's site). Steve Sykes KD2OM copied only part of the tuneup and message in Victor, NY, but observed, "even though it wasn't clean reception, it was my best so far." Frits W1FVB also reported partial copy in Whitefield, NH. In Kansas, John Davis KD4IDY experienced static levels more like springtime, but also heard a little of the Morse keying despite lack of adequate propagation to copy DCF77 or any European LWBC stations that night. The station's recently improved Web site is at http://www.alexander.n.se/ Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 9699.97, Jan 2 at 1937, W&M conversation, off-frequency; I almost thought it was Turkish, but wrong intonation and TRT not scheduled now; instead, VOA Korean at 19-21, 38 degrees from Udorn and USward (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. 11815.04, Dec 31 at 1501, very poor signal, unseems Japanese, and off-frequency, so likely TRT Emiler TURKEY in Turkish as scheduled 14-17 UT at 300 degrees USward, rather than NHK at 09-17, 235 degrees oppositeward. I was hoping to hear some New Year celebrations from 2016, just arrived in Japan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. V of Turkey in Turkish observed running beyond normal sign- off time of 2200 UT on Sunday 3 January on 5980 and 6120 kHz, with some nice easy-listening Turkish music (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, 2233 UT Sun Jan 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKS & CAICOS. 530, R. Visión Cristiana will possibly start transmitting again after several years of absence. There are plans for a new antenna mast and a new 100 kW Nautel transmitter during the second quarter of 2016 (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, DX Aktuelt via Ydun's Medium Wave Info via NRC IDXD Jan 1 via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) ** U S A. 5000, Dec 31 at 2359 UT, our tradition continues of monitoring the real arrival of a New Year according to WWV. Uncounted, but no Leap Second had been publicized. Did not even try for BBCWS/Big Ben this year, as I know only marginal SW frequencies could possibly be audible (and might be frustratingly cut off before completed). WWV again at 0559+ UT Jan 1 for the arrival of 2016y here in the CST zone, and official celebration in our household. Happy New Year! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Standard Time & Frequency Transmission WWV Ft. Collins Colorado USA on 25000kHz currently audible here at 1715 UT with good peaks. Could this be a sign of improving conditions? 73's (John, Faversham Kent UK, Hoad, JRC NRD-525 / Wellbrook ALA1530LF, Sent from my iPad, Jan 2, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) 25000, Jan 6 at 2128, WWV audible at S7 level on R75 in AM mode. Short skip/sporadic E has to be in play for us to hear it so close (782 km, 486 miles city-to-city Fort Collins to Enid) and on so high a frequency: yes, 6 meter maps show MUF across central USA to 67 MHz. So I also check 25950-FM, where KOA and associated stations used to be heard, but nothing around 2157 Jan 6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6080, Jan 6 at 0658, VOA with report about NOAA coral reef restoration project, over pulse jamming, outro as an editorial from the US government, off at 0700* without any ID. VG S9+30 signal, obviously still Greenville substituting for scheduled São Tomé relay, but only starting at 0630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1806 monitoring: missed checking WRMI Dec 31 Thu 1230 on 9955, and 2100 on 7570, but confident they aired. Confirmed UT Friday January 1 at 0200 on WBCQ 9329.77-CUSB; had been playing music at 0157 instead of Blalock the blaster; off early or completely? Next: 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 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 1806 monitoring: NOT confirmed Friday Jan 1 at 2130 on WRMI 15770 --- instead Brother Scare is still playing. I hope it`s a mistake, as the non-9955 program grid still shows WOR and other programming at 21-22 daily; but in some other ways the grid does not seem to be up-to-date. BS has been expanded on several other frequencies: see separate WRMI report. [WORLD OF RADIO 1807] WOR 1806 confirmed, whew, Friday Jan 1 at 2130.6 still on the other WRMI frequency, 7570, very good, but last few seconds cut off for ID at 2159.5, then back to BS. Next: Sun 0415v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW 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 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, Weak signal of World of Radio #1806 via of HLR on Jan 2 0730-0800 on 7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat CUSB http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/weak-signal-of-world-of-radio1806-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) GERMANY, 7265, Hamburger Lokal Radio, Goehren, 0729, 02-01, Glenn Hauser's program "World of Radio". 24322. (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880 and Sangean ATS-909X, Cable antenna, 10 meters and Degen 31MS active loop antenna, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1806 monitoring: confirmed on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, UT Sunday Jan 3 at 0420, as I am talking about Czechia some 8 minutes into the program, so started circa 0412; already over and back to ham news at next check 0443. I should move up the nominal start time to 0410v. Also confirmed newest addition, Sunday Jan 3 at 0900 on WRMI 5850: I had to run a timer recording to do this. Next: 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 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1806 monitoring: confirmed right on the dot, UT Monday 0400 Jan 4 on webcast of Area 51 and presumably WBCQ 5109.7-CUSB, which was confirmed on air during following semihour, along with WRMI 9955 which plays WOR at 0430. Next: Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW WORLD OF RADIO 1806 monitoring: confirmed Wed Jan 6 from 1415:35 on WRMI 9955. Also confirmed Wed Jan 6 at 2200 on WBCQ 7490. WORLD OF RADIO 1807 ready for first airings Thu Jan 7: Thu 1230 WRMI 9955 to SSE Thu 2100 WRMI 7570 to NW Fri 0200 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Fri 1939 IRRS via BULGARIA 7290 [please check! It was heard Dec 25] Fri 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE [please check! Did not appear Jan 1] 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 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND? Sun 0900 WRMI 5850 to NW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 1415.6 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5850, Dec 31, 2015y at 2315, open carrier, dead air from WRMI past 2335, finally coming to life at 2359 with BZ ID and from 0000 UT January 1, 2016y, RSI in Slovak as scheduled. Thursdays at 23- 24, 5850 is supposed to emit Viva Miami, Moments in Bible Prophecy and Radio Ukraine International, and this hour // 11580, unchecked whether it was dead too. 9955, Thu Dec 31 at 2335 check, WRMI with ``Haciendo Campo``, clip of some station with Andean music, and more clips. Presumably during historical media show `La Rosa de Tokio` sked jueves a las 23-24. 5850, Jan 1 at 0411, Brother Scare has replaced Rick Wiles on WRMI, S9+45, and ditto on 7730, while BS remains on 7570, all bigsigs, what a waste. 9395 is all that`s left for SonPower Radio Network, JBA now, but around 0700 recheck has re-reached audible level. New WRMI sked shows only 9395, 24 hours for ``TruNews`` which is axually one program on SonPower, tho its flagship. They really should have picked the lowest frequency to keep for winter overnights, but what does Rick know about Propagation 101? BS additions include: 01-07 on 5850 & 7730; 01-05 on 5950; 01-03 on 5985; 03-05 on 11920; 23-15 on 5015. This means an Overcomer-overload on WRMI, e.g. at 03-05 on SEVEN frequencies at once: 11920, 11580, 7730, 7570, 5950, 5850, 5015. However, 5015 was not heard at all on UT January 1. Instead: 5956.20, Jan 1 at 1320, very poor signal sounds like Brother Scare! Not synchronized with 3185 WWRB, or 9980 WWCR, but yes, matches 11825 WRMI. Needs to be split off from slightly stronger signal on 5955.0, CRI. At 1352 still audible, and after 1401. Unfortunately I was not on 5956.20 at 1359 when a WRMI ID should have automatically fired, interrupting the LDPOG. At 1633 I sent this to WRMI: ``Jeff & Terry, Something very strange this morning. Brother Stair, weak signal on 5956.2, heard from 1320 past 1401. It was synchronized with 11825, so I think it must be a stray transmission from WRMI; NOT synchro with WWCR 9980 or WWRB 3185. I guess this is #5, supposed to be on 5015 --- not there now, nor was I hearing it last night. Please confirm if I have figured this out correctly. Glenn`` Jeff replied at 1747: ``We're looking into this, Glenn, to see what you might be hearing. Jeff, Sent from my iPhone`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5956.2, WRMI 0010-0057+ 1 Jan. LDPOG acting up with unscriptural glossolalia mixed with what sounded like another audio feed of hymns on piano. Also 0056+, 0441 2 Jan (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA CCrane "Skywave"/6m X wire, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Several new frequencies for Brother Scare via WRMI: 15440 at S9+40, 13695 and 11565 very good too, Jan 3 at 1920, // 15770 still weak, confirmed as WRMI by synchro with 11825, and at 1933, 9955 is back on in the daytime with BS too! Also 17530=WHRI bigsig. And also on 9370=WWRB, not so big. And 9980=WWCR bigsig which is running a few seconds ahead of the WRMIs. Current WRMI frequency grid shows these three new ones are all running at 12-20, corresponding to same transmitters/antennas at night: #11: 7570/13695/315 degrees; #12: 5850/11565/315 degrees; #13: 7730/15440/285 degrees Now about the strange WRMI frequency 5956.20 and the absence of scheduled 5015 at 2300-1500 --- As I have been telling Jeff White: Jeff, Still never heard anything on 5015! Nothing there at 0654 Jan 2. At 0659.5 Jan 2, 5956.20 is on again with the Zanotti WRMI ID. No doubt about it. Before that, BS was // synchro with 5850. I wasn`t checking for 5950 at that time which ends at 0500, right? I have no reason to believe 5956.2 is a spur out of 5850 transmitter, since when I heard it before around sunrise, it was long after 5850 was off. Today Jan 2 I did not wake up until 1433, and first thing I checked was 5956.2 --- not heard, no carrier, tho it is getting late into the daytime. I suggest when you think the 5015 transmitter is on, you bring up a remote receiver and see if you can hear it. If not, you might be able to hear it on 5956.2. To be absolutely sure that`s the source, you could interrupt the programming with something unique. I was monitoring again at 2300 Jan 2: 5850 did not cut on until 2303 with FG Radio in progress, then // weaker 11580. 5015, no signal. 5956.20 was not on at 2301 either, but retune at 2305, now it`s on, very poor signal and // 7570, someone other than BS at the moment on TOM. Another check at 0230 UT Jan 3: 5015 not on, and now can`t detect 5956.20 either, altho I can find the Bolivian carrier 5952.45 or so (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] 5015 & 5956.20, Jan 3 chex at 0417, 0451, 0657, 1407, no more signals from WRMI-5 on either frequency, so apparently off for repairs. Except: Jan 3 at 0434 there`s a poor S7 carrier briefly on 5015, no modulation, so was that WRMI, I ask Jeff. Same time, 5950 is running S8-S9. Elsewhen, such as 0451, heavy splash from 5025 Rebelde extends to 5015, so does WRMI really want to go there? Why not, as the umpteenth BS frequency. Maybe they should try WRMI-1 for this, now designated as an auxiliary standby transmitter; however, it may not be convenient to attach it to the wanted antenna, as each unit is only set up to access a certain antenna or set of antennas. Too bad WYFR did not leave them a totally flexible antenna switching matrix. 9955, Sun Jan 3 at 1411, WRMI with Mideastern music fill, and then other eclectic mix for rest of half hour; must have been a shock to the scheduled programmer at 1400 Sundays, `Living the Bible`; back to preaching at 1430, scheduled `Word for the World`. We always enjoy the music fill loop and wish there were some time to reliably hear it. And yes, 9955 still on at 1506 with more and more midday BS. 15770, Sunday Jan 3 at 2100, WRMI is poor as usual here, but Brother Scare after ID is followed by `In Christ We Live` --- never have I been so happy to hear a gospel huxter, as that may mean the 21-22 slot on 15770 is still NON-BS, as on the schedule grid, and WORLD OF RADIO could still appear Fridays at 2130, instead of BS, hopefully only by mistake on Jan 1. ICWL had replaced WOR several weeks ago Suns at 2100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just as I thought, here`s the deal about WRMI appearing on 5956.2 for a few days: ``Glenn: It turns out that transmitter 5 was radiating on the frequency of an old crystal that was in it instead of the PTS frequency synthesizer. We now have it on 5015, and it should be on the air at 2300 today on schedule. Your report would be appreciated (Jeff White, WRMI, 1835 UT Jan 3, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` 5015, Jan 3 at 2328 check on the R75, there`s BS on a JBA signal, but definitely there instead of 5956.2; recheck on the NRD-545 at 0033 Jan 4: very poor still, S7 and seems undermodulated to boot, also suffering from 5025 Rebelde splash, escaped by LSB tuniing. Another check at 0552 Jan 4, 5015 is still JBA. Perhaps it is doing an adequate job in its boresight, 285 degrees? Well, 7730 night, 15440 day are also on a 285 antenna with plenty big if not blasting signals here at about 315 degrees from Okeechobee (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5110, WBCQ, Monticello, at 0100, on 31 Dec. A program on amateur astronomy was presented for an hour by Troy Riedel. Troy presented information about telescopes and viewing space objects. The program hour was given to Troy as a Christmas present from his son. The space weather was not cooperating with the audio tonight as there was a lot of noise with fading in and out. Fair-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 ALA-1530LNP, Wellbrook ALA-1530S+, PARS-EF-SWL HF End Fed Receive Antenna, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 3 via DXLD) [and non]. 7489.85, Dec 31 at 2241, WBCQ during this odd Overcomer hour has a low audible heterodyne, from BBCWS English via THAILAND, 7490.0, inadvertently aimed this way beyond East Asia at 22-24. Fortunately, yesterday from 2200, WBCQ was on-frequency during WORLD OF RADIO, so no het and any CCI was negligible. 7490.00, Fri Jan 1 at 2202, WBCQ is on-frequency, so no het from BBC Thailand, as `Behavior Night` old records has started with ``Nobody`s Sweetheart Now``; only fair signal and declining. 5109.70-CUSB, UT Sat Jan 2 at 0004, the Radio Free Dishnuts special via WBCQ that Ray T. Mahorney asked me to publicize, to last three hours. Turns out he`s exercising his First Amendment free speech to denigrate the President over the Second Amendment, all I can take by 0015; should be Radio Free Gunnuts? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9475, Jan 1 at 0415, JBA signal here and no signal on 5830, so Ted on New Year`s Eve has forgotten to change WTWW-1 from day to night frequency! Still the same at 0654 and presumably all-night. 12105, Jan 2 at 1926, WTWW-3 gospel huxter about Jews becoming uncircumcised (?), interrupted by Ted with canned Bible Worldwide ID, pleading for contacts. How do you spell B-I-B-L-E? 5830 & 9475, Jan 3 at 1431, PPPP is missing from both night and day WTWW-1 frequencies, boo, hoo. 12105, Jan 4 at 0033 check, WTWW-3 is open carrier/dead air at S5; WTWW-2 is not on 9930 or 5085; WTWW-1 also is still on 9475. 9930, Jan 4 at 1949, WTWW-2 with Ted plugging Xmas music, but not really, as 1950 it`s back to Dave Ramsey show. 9930, Jan 6 at 2124, WTWW-2 is open carrier/dead air instead of Dave Ramsey show; for how long?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6120.18 & 6107.535, Jan 4 at 0043, the WWCR transmitter on 6115 is putting out spur/carriers within its sidebands on these frequencies, as if a tone at those pitches (5.18 and 7.465 kHz) were being modulated. Yet you don`t hear them in AM tuning to center frequency. I often note such artifacts surrounding various blasting WWCR frequencies, when fine tuning across them. They stay for a while, and then may shift to other spots (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 17775, Jan 6 at 1522, no signal from KVOH, nor at 1544. Off the air? Normally it has faded in with strong signal by this time; as it does 24 hours later Jan 7 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 600, WBOB, Jacksonville, FL DX Test Time/Date: 0500-0800 UT, Sunday, January 10, 2016 EST*: Midnight - 3 AM, January 10, 2016 CST*: 11 PM - 2 AM, January 9/10, 2016 MST*: 10 - 1 AM, January 9/10, 2016 PST*: 9 - Midnight, January 9, 2016 Mode of Operation: Daytime antenna pattern, with power possibly up to 35 kw. Equipment performance during the test will dictate the maximum transmitter power to be used. The test will include morse code, sweep tones, big band & orchestral music, and selected program audio. QSL Information: Reception reports are only accepted via e-mail, and can be submitted to jerry [at] jerrysmith [dot] net. Correct reports will be answered with an e-QSL by Station Engineer Jerry Smith. Credits: Many thanks to J.D. Stephens of Hampton Cove, AL for arranging the test and WBOB Engineer Jerry Smith for making this test possible! Please share the details of this DX Test with your contacts. 73, (Brandon Jordan, IRCA/NRC DX Test Committee, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OK, I have a question. Did WBOB just get an approval to go 35 kW? I'm not seeing it anywhere so I figured I must be missing something (Todd Skaine, Bloomington MN, IRCA via DXLD) You may have already seen this, but according to their FCC correspondence file, WBOB applied for a Construction Permit for a 50kW daytime two-tower array in 2012 (9.7 kW with 5 towers at night), and had a Program Test Authority issued last September for that CP. Definitely looking forward to this test here. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/corrp_list.pl?Facility_id=53588 (Brian Rachford - Prescott, AZ, http://azswdxing.wordpress.com/ ibid.) They have; I can hear them here in Fort Pierce in the daytime. Never could before (Juan Gualda, FL, ABDX via DXLD) They have been authorized, or they've been gunning for 50 kW. I've got a ton of AM 600 WBOB photos, mic to the five-in-line tower array, likely at work, if anyone wants to gawk at a few (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, ibid.) It had a CP for 50 kW/9.7 kW that was going to expire in August of 2015. It was granted a modification in September of 2014. It applied for a license to cover on August 26, 2015 and was granted program test authority on September 3. It applied for a modified license to cover on December 1 (Dennis Gibson, wb6tnb, Sent from my iPad, ibid.) Says 50 kW days on the FCC site. Best wishes (Barry :-) Davies, Carlisle UK, ABDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) [The test was widely heard including by gh --- details next issue] ** U S A. 700, KHSE, Wylie, TX, was ethnic, now Spanish religion, adds slogan: “Bringing The Community Together” 990, KFCD, Farmersville, TX, was Spanish, now Spanish religion, adds slogan: “Bringing The Community Together” 1110, KVTT, Mineral Wells, TX, old slogan: “FunAsia 1110 AM”, new: “Bringing The Community Together” (IRCA DX Monitor Jan 9 via DXLD) Hmm, quite a convergence --- perhaps these stations are related, all in The Metroplex market. Dec 31, below, I was still hearing KVTT with Qur`an; still doing that? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 790, Jan 2 at 1900 UT on caradio, C&W music past hourtop, 1902 UT ID as KXXX, Colby KS, serving ``generations of farmers and ranchers``, 1903 UT into Fox ``news``, deliberately delayed? CCI from talk underneath, SAH of ~8 Hz, presumably KFYO Lubbick TX. Getting past 800 KQCV OKC is the obstacle tho only 2.5 kW. Doing better than usual now in daytime (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. G&E studio off in Atlanta --- on WJTP (890). It`s all Chinese all the time now as of 1/1/16. I enjoyed listening to Paul James commentary during the weekday news every hour (Lou KF4RCA Johnson, GA, Jan 3, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) When it was relaying CRI. But Chinese from what source?? Local? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Ha! I knew you were going to ask that. Since I don't know Chinese, I can't tell you (Lou Johnson, ibid.) ** U S A. Denver updates: A format swap took place between two AMs last weekend: 950 KRWZ (Parker) changed from Oldies to Big Band/Nostalgia. 1430 KEZW (Aurora) changed from Big Band/Nostalgia to Oldies. The bad news is that 950 is rumored to be changing to a sports format. That would make at least the fifth sports station in the market unless 105.5 dumps the format. 73, (Kit W5KAT, CO, Jan 5, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1010, Jan 1 at 1345 UT, ``KXEN, Faith Talk for St. Louis`` and into Joyce Meyer program. Was 50 kW daytime, but has been on much reduced STA of 350 watts. Sounds like more than that but less than 50,000. Not unusual here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1110, Dec 31 at 1350 UT, Qur`an bits alternating with talk (translation?) in non-Arabic language, maybe Punjabi or Urdu, from 50 kW KVTT Mineral Wells (Metroplex) TX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See 700 entry above ** U S A. 1310, Jan 1 at 1338 UT tune-in, ``1310 WIBA News time``, football report, atop frequency. It`s Madison WI, one of my former locals, 5/5 kW U2. Day pattern is ND; night somewhat skewed toward the north. Then at 1339 UT, I check another Madison frequency, 1670 and WUSW is in well as often with sports talk. Official sunrise in January is 1330 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1460, Jan 4 at 1409 UT somestation still playing Xmas carols! Loops NE/SW, ``O Come, All Ye Faithful``; 1412 UT Catholic promo; 1413 UT `Good King Wenceslaus`, 1422 UT mentions reallifecatholic.com, `We Three Kings`. Has to be the EWTN station for St Louis MO market, KHOJ St Charles, meaning Heart of Jesus, 12 kW day power. Nulling it I`m getting Spanish, so is KZUE finally back on? See OKLAHOMA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1520, Dec 31 at 1336 UT, C&W music making slow SAH atop KOKC OKC, then ID ``1520 AM KYND`` from Cypress TX, ``now living in Londale`` (?? I don`t find any similar place in greater Houston) 1520, Jan 1 at 2323 UT on caradio, after hearing former CRI relayer KGBC Galveston hetting KEDA on 1540, what about the other former CRI relayer, KYND Cypress (Houston) TX on 1520? Yes, country music, and soon KYND ID somewhat atop KOKC and making 6 per minute SAH (deep regular fades) with it, i.e. only 0.1 Hz apart. Our sunset: 2328 UT. KYND`s January SR/SS times: 1315 UT/2345 UT. It`s 25 kW daytime, 18 kW Critical Hours, presumably 1315-1515 UT & 2145- 2345 UT, and not at night. I still think their antenna pattern is way out of whack putting so much signal into OK rather than eastward (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1540, Dec 31 at 1329 UT, R. Jalapeño is dominant signal, ID in Spanglish from KEDA San Antonio, with a constant LAH: manœvering the DX-398, I am trying to decide whether KEDA is the one off- frequency, to the hi side. No, it`s further east, like from KGBC Galveston as I thought yesterday, tho I can`t pull any South Asian audio from it today. By 1348 UT, KXEL is starting to appear, and making a sub-audible het with KEDA, i.e. both very close to on- frequency. 1540.08, Jan 1 at 2316 UT as I turn on the caradio, already tuned to 1540 from last session, big het with South Asian music, no doubt KGBC Galveston TX as previously traced; 2320 UT, TexMex music gains from KEDA San Antonio; but 2343 UT, still the het on 1540. This was reported in RadioDiscussions to be called ``Hum Tum Radio`` duplicating 106.1 FM. Searching on that name, I come up with hits in several cities including Houston, so I go there to http://www.humfmradio.com/ just Hum FM rather than Hum Tum. I`m wondering what ethnicity in particular this is, among the dozens of major ones in South Asia. Probably obvious to the S Asians. And is it multi-lingual, or uni- lingual, or mostly in English? We find that Hum means we in Hindi, but beyond that they`re not saying. ``Welcome to HUM FM Radio Online! Listen to us on your radio dial on 106.1FM and in high definition [sic] on 107.5-3 HD3. You may also listen via our online audio stream and our mobile phone app. Hum FM Radio is Houston’s #1 South Asian radio station broadcasting 24/7. Hum FM Radio’s success is based on the leadership of Rehan Siddiqi. For over two decades Mr. Siddiqi has successfully operated radio stations as well as produced live entertainment for the South Asian community throughout the USA. Additionally, Hum FM Radio’s team has a combined 40 year span of experience in production, media solutions and knowledge of the mechanics of the radio industry. Read more`` ``Hum FM Radio is Houston’s only South Asian radio station broadcasting 24/7 on both FM & HD! Based in Houston, our heart is as big as Texas! We love to serve our community and our advertisers. From culture to demographics, no one knows South Asians better than Hum FM Radio. cityimage [illo] Hum Fm Radio knows and understands the pulse of South Asians, we connect to them every hour of everyday, giving them a voice and a sense of identity. We’re broadcasting 24/7! Hum Fm Radio is an award winning market leader with 80% of our programming based on music and entertainment and 20% on news and topical programs. Hum Fm Radio caters to the entire family and to all tastes with its mixture of classic and new hits, celebrities interview, South Asian lifestyle, traffic, weather and financial updates. Hum Fm Radio has a proven and successful track history of promoting live events as well as executing media campaigns for local, regional and corporate advertisers. Hum FM is a true market leader with several advertising packages to fit any marketing budget. Hum Fm Radio is a true market leader! Over 20,000 business in Houston are South Asian owned of which over 5,000 are convenience stores and gas stations! Businesses include banks, electricity companies, attorneys, insurance agents, restaurants, grocery chains, airlines, communication and IT companies, hotels, motels and more…`` ``Created by admin on Wed, 12/09/2015 No comments IMG_5817-1 Rehan Siddiqi announced the launch of a new Houston radio station, 106.1 HUM FM, Houston’s 24/7 Desi Experience. "106.1 Hum Fm" represents a new South Asian station in the Houston market. It merges South Asian and Bollywood music with dance and electronic into a new blend that will also appeal to anglo and other ethnicities. Featured is a variety of music from artists such as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shreya Ghosal, Arijit Singh, Adnan Sami, Mika Singh, Atif Aslam, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Salim Sulaiman, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangheskar, Mohd, Rafi Mukesh, Asha Bhosle, Mika Singh, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam as well as some cross over acts and European infused electronic remixes. Some of the late night programming will also include new music and indie features from cross over acts like M.I.A. and Jay Sean as well as newer lessor known artists like Humble the Poet, Mathai, Nadia Ali, Rajiv Dhall, Lilly Singh, Falu and more. The playlist will not be determined by era or popularity, but rather by the sensibilities determined directly by each of the on-air radio jocks, personalities and staff. "Our RJs have a part in selecting the music that will be aired," announced 106.1 Hum Fm Director Rehan Siddiqi. "We are breaking so many firsts with 106.1 by airing South Asian and Bollywood music 24 hours a day and 7 days a week while simulcasting it live both on FM and on high definition on 107.5-3 HD3. We are streaming online and on mobile. We are blending some EDM remixes into the playlist. We’re merging styles and generations into them, creating a mix and calling it The Desi Experience." Siddiqi revealed that there will be plenty of programming to keep listeners entertained and engaged throughout the day. "A fun and dynamic lineup of shows with the hottest music, international and community news, and unrivaled access to Bollywood," He said. "It will all be broadcasted with a unique flavor reminiscent of home. We have programmed a schedule of the best RJs in Houston as well as specialty programming during the nights and on weekends from other local personalities and producers." As far as the quality of being on an FM. "We knew the previous programming and broadcast on an AM dial was good but now on an FM we’ve realized it’s beyond excellent!" Morning Personality, Radio Jock and host of 2 programs Arif Memon said. "Our quality is on par with other mainstream stations. I feel we have arrived and all the hard work and effort has paid off in a big way." The public agrees. "It’s definitely exciting times, not just for the Hum FM Radio team, but for the whole of Houston!" exclaimed Radio Jock and personality Natasha Khan. "For so many years there has been a need for a reliable and reputable 24/7 Desi radio station. Rehan Siddiqi understood that and he has delivered. The response from the South Asian community has been phenomenal. In fact, we have listeners online from all four corners of the United States, as well as internationally, contacting, congratulating and expressing their appreciation daily. I’m excited, too! Hum FM Radio is now bigger, better and stronger then ever before." The marketing plan for promoting the new station will be done on air and via social media. Joshua C. Mares of Advernomy is the consultant in charge of creating the visual brand as well as leading the digital strategy. "The marketing activity will highlight how Hum FM has evolved into a major player and leader in the local radio market," Explained Mr. Mares. "Houstonians are diverse and they embrace change. Having South Asian and Bollywood music on FM just makes Houston a better place to enjoy traditional radio. We plan to highlight this acoustic experience and the diversity in the marketing." For more information about the new 106.1 Hum Fm Radio programming, events and news, listen to 106.1 FM, 107.5-3 HD3 or log on to http://www.humfmradio.com # # # # Press Release Prepared by Informitron --- About Hum FM Radio Hum is a pronoun in Hindi meaning "We". Hum FM Radio is Houston’s #1 South Asian radio station broadcasting 24/7. Hum FM Radio’s success is based on the leadership of Rehan Siddiqi. For over two decades Mr. Siddiqi has successfully operated radio stations as well as produced live entertainment for the South Asian community throughout the USA. Additionally, Hum FM Radio’s team has a combined 40 year span of experience in production, media solutions and knowledge of the mechanics of the radio industry. HUMFM, LLC – Parent Company of Hum FM Radio and it’s director is Rehan Siddiqi. Rehan Siddiqi --- About Rehan Siddiqi --- Rehan Siddiqi is a successful business owner, concert producer and radio station personality and operator with more than 20 years experience in the music and radio industry. Rehan Siddiqi has produced over 250 successful events with many of South Asia and Bollywood’s biggest stars such as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sonu Nigam, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Priti Zinta, Akshay Kumar, Adnan Sami, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghosal, Kailash Kher, Anu Malik, Umer Shareef, Shazad Roy, Hadiqa Kiyani, Jawed Ahmed, Sukwinder Singh, Shazia Manzoor, Fariha Perwaiz, Amanat Ali, Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, Himesh Reshamiya and many more. Besides being at the realm of the entertainment world, Rehan Siddiqui involves himself in charitable activities like sponsoring community events, seminars and workshops on topics like immigration, health and taxes. He has volunteered hundreds of radio hours as well as financial contributions to many non-profit and community organizations.`` They have quite a gallery of mostly YL DJs, or rather RJs. Did you know a female could be a ``jock``? What about being on 1540 KGBC?!?!?! Nothing about it, not even by Site Search, where 1540, or KGBC get nothing but an error message. So they are in no hurry to publicize that, but it seems this thing has only existed on FM for less than a month. The HD-3 being on 107.5 contradicts what we found in the WTFDA database as being on 102.9. It shows the 107.5 in Houston market, is, with main channel info: ``KGLK // KHPT 107.5 LAKE JACKSON TX 95.0 601.0 29.1716 95.1353 HOUSTON'S EAGLE CLASSIC HITS``. KHPT is 106.9 in Conroe, // KGLK. Hum are also on Facebook which I don`t access; maybe some mention of KGBC 1540 there? And what about their ``main`` frequency, 106.1? Of FCC`s 39 TX records on that frequency, the very last one is in the Houston area: K291CE TX SUGAR LAND FX LIC --- Licensee: PRIMERA IGLESIA EVANGELICA DE APOSTOLES Y PROFETAS --- it`s only a 190 watt translator, hardly befitting the hype above which would be revealed if they ever cited its callsign (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KBUD, 1550, Golden (the short-lived pot station) was just sold, but it is still silent. The station has been on the air for barely two years and is now being taken over by the fourth owner. 73, (Kit W5KAT, CO, ibid.) ** U S A. 1640, re my log of KBJA in Sandy, Utah, remarks that it had been deleted, DKBJA, tnx to Greg Hardison for pointing out that the SS Utahn X-bander which had been deleted but remained on air is 1660 DKXOL Brigham City instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. UNIDENTIFIED. 2660, Jan 3 at 0703 UT check, JBA carrier as usual probably from KGLD Tyler TX, 2 x 1330, as previously IDed. Now someone else has reported it: ``Is this group still alive? Heard one early this morning at 0700 UT 1/1/2016 on 2660 kHz with a steady but very faint signal. Urban / black gospel music with no announcements until 0700 UT TOH when a faint "AM 13-30" was mentioned and then a set of even fainter call letters given. "KGLD" is the closest set of calls that I found that sound similar to what was given in the weak ID, no guarantees though. Maybe others closer to the TX can check it out. No matching parallel here on 1330 at the time of reception. 73, (Tim Tromp, West Michigan, Perseus SDR + South D-KAZ, harmonics yg via DXLD)`` I replied: ``Tim, If you didn`t see my recent report about this, and came to such a tentative anyway, perhaps that makes it more likely. 73, Glenn Hauser [Viz.:] UNIDENTIFIED. 2660, Dec 12 at 0111 UT, JBA AM carrier. It`s a frequency I always check during 2 MHz bandscans along with the Canadian Coast Guards. I continue to think it`s still the second harmonic of KGLD, Tyler TX, 2 x 1330, and claim to be the only DXer who ever definitely IDed it, a couple of years ago, but now it`s never strong enough to pull anything more than traces of audio. . .`` [as in DXLD 15-50; see also DXLD 15-33, 15-34, 15-35] Then a follow-up report from him in ABDX yg: ``Heard early this morning at 0700 UT, very weak but steady and without distortion with urban or possibly black gospel music. A simple ID finally given at 0700 UT TOH "K-G-L-D, 13-30 AM". Very very faint copy. After repeated playbacks I'm fairly certain the calls are KGLD. I still need this one on 1330 but I heard no parallel when checking 1330 during this time. 73, Tim Tromp, West Michigan, Perseus SDR + South D-KAZ`` I don`t know if Tim collects QSLs, but I urge him and everyone in such cases NOT to try to get one from harmonix, unless they are causing harmful interference, and this certainly is not; don`t even contact the station about it: lest, upon getting DX reports, they be motivated to eliminate the harmonic and with it some of our neatest DX. 2660, Jan 5 at 0715-0733+, harmonic is a bit stronger than usual, tantalizing with traces of music, presumed KGLD 1330 Tyler TX. If only I could get a little more signal and/or a little less noise. Tim Tromp in MI has now decided he could make out a KGLD ID on his recording. Please don`t try to get a QSL or even contact the station about this harmless multiple, lest they be motivated to get rid of such a neat DX target (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. When this story first appeared on the local TV stations, I noticed the cameras panned signage indicating to tune to 88.1 FM for accompanying Christmas music with the display. Presumably inactive going forward, especially if a law suit against the lights display owner is filed: http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/62113899-story (Terry Krueger, FL, Jan 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6m sporadic E DX-map shows lots of activity across eastern US, and at last some of the contact paths are finally reaching Oklahoma. So as I head out for lunch I`m alert for any DX on the caradio, Dec 31, UT: 88.3 FM, at 1858 UT, since local Family Radio translator is still off, thank goodness, marginal signal from low-power KOSR Stillwater with Fresh Air is QRMed by another NPR station with Hear & Now closing; promo for Third Coast Festival from WBEZ Chicago; 1859 ID for WAMU 88.5, and wamu.org! Yes, definitely heard on 88.3, as 88.5 is blocked by an Okie; Fresh Air is next on this one. Possibly there was an insert with the relayer`s ID, missed as I was tuning around. So what transmitter would be carrying WAMU on 88.3? WTFDA FM Database has one and only one hit: WRAU, // WAMU, 88.3, Ocean City MD, 50 kW ERP, 150 m HAAT --- Ocean City as implied is right on the east coast, just south of the Delaware border, i.e. the farthest point of Maryland from here, 2023 km = 1257 miles city-to-city. I tune up for a few more minutes but no other obvious Es; there are some unusually strong music signals on 93.1 and 93.3, but could just be KS & OK. While dining on pizza next to an east-facing window, on the G8 I keep looking for FM DX, but even nearby signals are attenuated, by security system? Yet I can get SW stations fine on it. Might another hop have got me Bermuda at last? No, it`s further south, 1902 miles away, the midpoint in western North Carolina, with plenty of blocking signals. Best bet Ocean 89 on 89.1 is only 1 kW and anyway blocked here by that Oasis Network translator. And this opening`s MUF barely reached 88 MHz (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LOW-POWER FM: WHEN YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION IS REALLY, REALLY LOCAL https://www.yahoo.com/tech/low-power-fm-when-your-1327550899511350.html (Photos by Rob Pegoraro/Yahoo Tech) The most unlikely thing in radio came to Washington DC-area airwaves earlier this month: a new FM station on a previously unused frequency. A “No Vacancy” sign has been up on the radio dial for decades — to launch a new station, you’d normally need to silence an old one. So how could a new broadcaster like Arlington, Virginia’s WERA (96.7 FM) get its own slice of the airwaves? It quite literally took an act of Congress. The Local Community Radio Act of 2010 authorized the Federal Communications Commission to license thousands of new ”low-power FM” (LPFM) stations, by relaxing older rules meant to defend the reception of existing stations. LPFM was meant as a counter to unlicensed “pirate radio” and as an antidote to the wave of consolidation that had left Clear Channel owning an unhealthy chunk of the nation’s stations. Low-power stations max out at 100 watts — a thousandth of the maximum for commercial FM — and can be neither for-profit nor owned by existing broadcasters. Indie sounds from indie stations [link?] The return of free-form radio The most memorable sound of LPFM on WERA’s opening night was a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” that volunteers had performed earlier that day in a studio of its parent organization Arlington Independent Media. The station has since served up a free-form mashup of music that you almost never hear on commercial FM. One DJ with his medium on his mind followed R.E.M.’s “Radio Free Europe” with Donna Summer’s disco hit “On the Radio” and Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio,” but the selection has also extended to French chanteuse Edith Piaf and 1950s mambo king Pérez Prado. While WERA continues to boot up, approving shows and training its members, much of its hours are filled with a stream of music cued up in advance. The eventual plan, executive director Paul LeValley said before the station’s opening, is to have a roughly 50-50 split between talk and music. “The biggest challenge for us is getting the programming going,” he said. “These stations are like black holes, you know — you have to feed them constantly.” Because WERA only broadcasts at 21 watts, I can outdrive its signal in as little as 15 minutes. But it can still reach a decent chunk of Washington, D.C. All of this may make LPFM sound like the ultimate hipster taunt: You probably haven’t heard of it and you probably can’t even tune it in. But these stations — 1,430 on the air, by the FCC’s latest count — do more than let aging Generation-Xers like me relive college-radio memories. The variety of LPFM stations catalogued at sites like the Prometheus Radio Project and Radio Survivor is fascinating. There’s a station for the Twin Cities’ Somali community, one for migrant farmworkers in southern New Jersey, and another one run mostly by Maui teenagers. The future of LPFM More than a thousand other LPFM stations are on the way — including a WKRP, although that one’s in Raleigh instead of Cincinnati. But had a long-running debate gone another way, they wouldn’t have been possible. President Obama’s signing of the Local Community Radio Act only came after a dozen years of arguments against an expansion of LPFM from incumbent broadcasters. Both the National Association of Broadcasters and National Public Radio predicted doom if these tiny new stations could take up spaces only two channels away from existing broadcasters. (WERA’s 96.7, for example, is neighbors with WASH-FM’s 97.1). Those forecasts were wrong. The FCC has only required five LPFM stations to adjust their broadcasts to resolve interference problems, and the NAB now says the FCC rules work fine. (Disclosure: NAB covered most of my travel costs when I spoke on a panel at its conference in April.) While some LPFM projects have collapsed — about 200 have returned their licenses to the FCC — the biggest problem may be the work required to find one near you. The FCC’s built-for-broadcast-engineers FM-search page can do that, but it’s not obvious: After you select a state and city, go to the Service menu and select Low Power FM. A third-party site, LPFMDatabase.com, gets updated far more often than its lava-lamp looks might suggest, but it offers no search function. After you’ve done all that clicking around online to find a nearby LPFM station, you could be forgiven for wondering if this fuss over FM radio is misplaced, when almost all LPFM stations also stream over the Internet to a vastly larger potential audience. As LeValley said at WERA’s debut, friends had asked him joking questions like “Why are you starting a radio station? Why don’t you start a telegraph station?“ But radio’s reach still beats the Internet’s. It’s in decades-old hardware and comes in almost every car. It’s the first sound many people hear in the morning (followed by the sound of their hands hitting a clock radio’s snooze button). And done right, LPFM helps get radio back to its original promise: It sounds like it’s from somewhere instead of anywhere (via ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Denver updates --- 105.5 KJAC (Timnath) is being sold and is currently silent. This was one of at least four sports stations in the market, so hopefully the new owner will do something different. Playing music comes to mind. 73, (Kit W5KAT, CO, Jan 5, ABDX via DXLD) Wish granted! KJAC has been sold to KUNC 91.5, which will go all news and talk on 91.5 and move its music programming to 105.5. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) That is welcome news, although I wish KUNC would bring back Echoes on weeknights. I have had to it listen online since they dropped it, which is fine at home, but it was nice to be able to hear it in the car when they carried it. 73, (Kit W5KAT, CO, Jan 5, ABDX via DXLD) ** VATICAN. 3975, Sunday Jan 3 at 0709 tune-in to organ music, but off a few seconds later, tail of VR`s Latin Mass starting at 0630, and before I had time to compare it to 6070 blocking CFRX. Sunrise in Roma today was 0638 UT. 7250, Jan 6 at 0802, Arabic with musical background, stronger than adjacent NIGERIA 7254.92. It`s VR, scheduled analog at 0745-0805 except Sundays, 100 kW at 326 degrees from SMG! That`s not to the original Arab World, but to the Arab world of NW Europe (and deep North America beyond). 15770-15775-15780, Jan 6 at 1534, DRM noise, i.e. Vatican English due east for S Asia with 125 kW, per Aoki, at 1530-1550 daily, extended to 1558 on Saturdays. This is overcoming any WRMIBS on 15770-AM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN [non]. Very different reception Dec 31, as WWV reported: ``Geophysical Alert Message Solar-terrestrial indices for 30 December follow. Solar flux 102 and estimated planetary A-index 4. The estimated planetary K-index at 1200 UTC on 31 December was 4. The estimated planetary K-index at 1500 UTC on 31 December was 6. Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level are expected.`` 11860, Dec 31 at 1308, JBA carrier from R. Sana`a; improved to only poor by 1422; 1439 very poor with CCI from IBB Kuwait; cut to Qur`an for Maghrib call to prayer at 1443:28.5. Two days ago this happened at 1441:22.5, so now 2 minutes and 6 seconds later. Gaisma.com shows today`s sunset in Aden at 1444 UT; Sana`a, 1443, so today`s timing neatly splits the difference between the two main cities; both to shift 4 minutes later in one week. 11860, Jan 1 at 1430, R. Sana`a is at usual good level, now with lite CCI starting from R. Ashna, Kuwait, which seems unwilling (or unknowing) to move off. Listening to this almost every morning, I hear familiar music time and again, hard to describe, but this one has a siren briefly at 1436. Today`s cut to Qur`an, Maghrib sunset call to prayer, occurs at 1442:54, which is 34.5 seconds *earlier* than yesterday, so jumped the gun a bit, zigzagging, margin of error, but still close to real calculated sunset times. 11860, Jan 2 at 1435 I start listening to R. Sana`a with good signal; unusually today, it`s all OM talk in Arabic, no music; with R. Ashna, Pashto via Kuwait audible underneath. Even stranger, as I listen continuously past 1449, NO break for Maghrib, sunset call to prayer. First time I`ve ever heard it skipped. Standard remark. At 1452 changes to a YL talking. 11860, Jan 3 at 1434, R. Sana`a, ME music at S9+10, into yelling and dramatic music we`ve heard before; break for Maghrib sunset call to prayer at 1445:39. Right on: Gaisma.com shows today`s sunset in Sana`a as 1445; Aden 1446. Here`s how it`s been timed the last few days: xxxxxxx Jan 2 skipped! 1442:54 Jan 1 1443:28.5 Dec 31 1441:56 Dec 30 1441:22.5 Dec 29 In case anyone can hear 11860 around sunrise, calls to prayer then should be circa 0322 for Aden, 0330 for Sana`a, a much wider disparity, so which one would be favored? 11860, Jan 4 at 1425, R. Sana`a with familiar stirring music and brief exhortations, presumably to overthrow the usurpers. After 1430, IBB R. Ashna KUWAIT still audible underneath. Break for Maghrib sunset call to prayer happens at 1446:24.5 which is 45.5 seconds later than yesterday at 1445:39. By 1459 past 1507 the music is suffering from IADs, unlike earlier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SAUDI ARABIA-exile? [and various other to compare in 25 mb at that ME region] Compared the probably Radio Sana'a broadcast via exile Riyadh - supposed to be reserve log-periodic antenna outlet signal in 0530-0630 UT time range, on remote units in Calabria Italy, Zakynthos Greece, and mainly on Doha Qatar units in Perseus remote SDR net. 11859.997, accurate measured around 0549 UT as S=9+25dB signal in Italy and Greece, but at Doha Qatar site only S=6-7 signal, due of local nearby skip zone, heard at 0640 UT. To compare 11860 kHz with various services in 25 mb ONLY, - (and a lot of CRI/CNR nationality domestic stations too) 11625 Vatican Radio SMG Port/French S=9+15dB 11870 and 11895 CRI Kashgar English both S=9+25dB 11880 AUT AWR ORS Moosbrunn in Arabic, S=9+15dB 0604 UT Jan 4 11925 IRN VoIRIB Kamalabad in Dari to Eastern IRN/Afghanistan at S=9+15dB level 12130 IBB Mashaal R Pashto from Kuwait center S=9+15dB 12140 IBB Azadi RFree Afghanistan in Pashto/Dari from Kuwait little stronger S=9+20dB. (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 4, dxldyg via DXLD) 11860, Jan 5 at 1410, R. Sana`a in Arabic talk about Yemen, 1422 to music, break for Maghrib sunset call to prayer at 1445:28 which is 56.5 seconds *earlier* than yesterday at 1446:24.5, so another anomaly. Today I am monitoring signal strength compared to others around this time on 25m. On the R-75 in USB mode, preamp-2, 11860 is S9+10, and so are these: 11825 WRMI, 11775 Antigua, 11550 WEWN, 11930 Cuban jamming, 12085 Australia. Only stronger signals at S9+20 are: 11565 WRMI, 11760 RHC, 12050 WEWN. In the AM mode add 10-20 dB on 11860 at least. The only other signals from the ME, Iran on 11675 & 11730 (until 1420) are much weaker below S9. Turkey on 12035, which is supposedly aimed USward beyond W Europe, is only S4, very poor. It so happens that there are *no* RIYadh frequencies registered on 25m during this hour to compare with, but please explain how this service obviously targeted on Yemen only, if it is really from SAUDI ARABIA, consistently puts in such a bigsig here, equal to the US and vicinity signals cited above, and way more than Turkey? 11860, Jan 6 at 1446:09, R. Sana`a interrupts programming for quasi- mandatory call to prayer at Maghrib = sunset; this is 41 seconds later than yesterday Jan 5, but 15.5 seconds *earlier* than two days ago Jan 4; so one of those was off-timed. Semi-listening past 1500 Jan 6, when has changed as usual from mostly- music to talk, at 1503 I am hearing an echo on the words, as if making a transmitter-site change with a slight overlap, and the program feeds not synchronized. However, it could be just an artifact in the modulation produxion. No significant change in strength noted, as Bill Bingham has been finding in South African monitoring circa 1751, when it suddenly gets stronger (but not Jan 7, he says) (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Sana'a --- Country and Location??? 11860, Jan 6, 2016 Wednesday. 1710-1810. Arabic talk by OMs at 1710 tune in, but with lots of QRN, so barely readable, signal about S3-S5. Presumed AWR co-channel to North Africa came on at 1730, rendering neither readable but giving a combined signal of S4-S5. This did not change until 1751 when the Sana'a signal suddenly increased to S7-S8 peaking at S9, clearly readable and completely stomping on AWR which became inaudible. No SAH noticed tonight before the sudden increase in signal, but QRM and QRN were so bad before that I can't be definite about that. Jo'burg sunset 1705 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF2001D, 1811 UT Jan 6, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. Also during this holiday season was interested in 5915 (ZNBC/R. One), which was heard a good number of times since Christmas playing an African song that they play many times during the holiday; in English; "Happy Christmas, Happy New Year"; it's almost like a theme song for them, as they play it so often. Recording I made last Jan 1, 2015 - https://app.box.com/s/x2ixtfifh3too8qfgslo (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar (Spice Radio), 2030-2130, 12/30. Incredible signal (45444) today with great selection of popular regional music and extended an extra half hour with an interview between a male announcer and a young girl, using Celine Dion's theme from "Titanic" as the music bed. Plug pulled abruptly at 2131 (Mike Nikolich, Lake Barrington, IL, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook ALA-1530 loop antenna, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 3 via DXLD) No English from Zanzibar? Has anyone noticed that the absence of the English news on Zanzibar 11735? Checks in recent days show no English at 1800 UT (Dan Robinson, VA, 1803 UT Jan 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned in via the Odenwald, Germany receiver at globaltuners.com on January 2, 2016 at 1800 UT and only heard what sounded like Swahili. Definitely not English. Music at 1804 (- Bruce (NY, USA), ibid.) 11735.0, Jan 2 at 1930, typical Ungujan music at S6 from ZBC. I`m hardly ever monitoring at 1800 when they sometimes have a few minutes of news in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) English news was heard today, Sunday 3 January, from ZBC Zanzibar on 11735 from tune-in at 1802 until 1807 UT (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, ibid.) Yeah, I heard English at 1800 from Zanzibar (via Twente). I am wondering if English might be restricted to certain days (Mike Bryant, KY, KK4TSX, Jan 3, ibid.) TANZANIA, Good reception of Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) on January 4: 1500-2100 on 11735 DOL 050 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili, no English program 1800-1808 UT http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2016/01/good-reception-of-zanzibar-broadcasting.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11735, Jan 5 at 2050, tho only a poor signal, I settle into ZBC typical Ungujan music to accompany my nap --- but it chops itself off abruptly at 2056* -- customary erratic behaviour, no respect for its own programming or would-be listeners (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1290, Jan 1 at 0424 UT, crooner singing ``It would take a Michelangelo``, i.e. ``Portrait of My Love``, roughly north/south. Best bet by proximity and format, and ruling out some news/sports 1290s, is: WZTI Greenfield WI, 5/5 kW U4, UC:OLD format per NRC AM Log. Patterns are NNE/SSW, but 1290 is that page in the NRC Pattern Book where day and night patterns are indistinguishable. Radio- Locator.com shows both day and night similar patterns favor the north but not exclusively. The second possibility, from the opposite direxion, is: KIVY Crockett TX, 2500/175 watts U1, NOStalgia format. Crockett is in east central TX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 2660 harmonic: See USA, KGLD UNIDENTIFIED. 5961.53, Jan 6 at 0703, JBA carrier. Nothing reported in years around this frequency. I wonder if it could be R. Transmundial, Brasil, nominal 5965? WRMI, ex-5956.20 is safely on correct 5015 with BS at 0705, S9+20 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 7385, Jan 1 at 0708, various tones with buzz, carrier cutting on and off. This is a WHRI frequency currently used before 0500 and after 1100 per Aoki, but registered available 23-14 straight thru per HFCC B-15. So is this a WHRI transmitter or some ute? I never notice any ute QRM during WHRI programming here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1807: 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 to woradio at yahoo.com) TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: In recognition of your key role in keeping the DX hobby alive (Dan Goldfarb, England, with a contribution in GBP via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Thanks to Will Martin, St Louis MO, for a generous check to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (and for re-renewing a subscription to The Week) Dear Glenn, Please accept this long-overdue gesture of appreciation for your hard work in continuing to compile and distribute DXLD, despite all the changes in our wonderful hobby. I wish you a happy and healthy 2016! Vy 73 de (Anne Fanelli, Elma NY, Dec 21, with a check to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702) Keep up the good work! (Henning Vahlbruch, Germany with a contribution in US$ via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Thank - YOU Glenn Hauser Happy New Years! Thank You Glenn for your dedication to the Radio World. I live in a very remote part of British Columbia, Canada, and until a decade ago S/W was about the only reliable source for info. Now EVERYONE has a dish, and THINK they are plugged in to the World Vibe: But WE ALL Know that S/W, though much sparser that 15 years ago, is still the best for a Balanced World View!! I have 'bout 30 S/W radios, and spend much time with them, though the currant CME is kicking that today, but dish is working, so this Email. I wish that I had your patience to record and distribute my Hits, since my position closer to Asia gives me many contacts you do not record, but I still get about 60 - 70 % of your hits !! AGAIN, THANK YOU GLENN FOR MANY YEARS OF FAITHFUL DISTRIBUTION!! Happy New Years to ALL. THX (Rick Wald, dxldyg et al.) As an active SWL'er since 1959, I appreciate what you do for the Shortwave community. I got started with an old 2 transistor radio that I took apart and tweaked to receive the 160M ham band and did DXing on the AM broadcast band. I was hooked at the age of 7!! Today I do my listening on a pair of DX-398's hooked to an 88' end fed antenna which I share with my Yaesu FT-857D. I regularly read your DX Listening Digest and pour over the DX Programs, Hitlist, WOR sked mailing. Thanks Glenn, you do good stuff !! (//Kris Olmstead, W2FLR in FN12uu, http://otiscolake.com ) STEWART MACKENZIE's 82nd Birthday I'm posting this with Evelyn MacKenzie's permission, along with the birthday picture in the Photos section, as Stewart is remembered as a DXLD regular. He does have serious medical issues (one of them is Alzheimer's) but is otherwise in good spirits. He was quite a regular on Facebook, but I'm told that he no longer remembers what Facebook is and his account is in limbo for now, planned to be pulled. Evelyn is on Facebook herself, and anyone here with a Facebook account is encouraged to convey birthday wishes and other messages to Stewart via Evelyn. Stewart's pretty special to me personally, for being the first to publish the Clara Listensprechen Report in ASWLC on the occasion of the demise of a different CL in a different club, so let me be the first to tip my hat to this man in salute (Clara Listensprechen, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Please convey my Birthday wishes to Stewart. I was unable to find Evelyn's Facebook page. I was very active in the ASWLC in the 1960s and early 1970s and had the pleasure to visit him in 1969 while on a college summer "Road Trip" to CA. I still remember him giving me an eye-opening demonstration from his garage shack of how different DX conditions are on the West Coast (where I now reside) compared to my (then) home on East Coast. While many of us had issues with the politics of the club and drifted away, I always admired the selfless time and effort he put into the club! (Bob LaRose, San Diego CA, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS updated: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See EUROPE; KOREA SOUTH; VATICAN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASITNG --- DAB See EUROPE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See CUBA; EL SALVADOR; KOREA SOUTH non; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MEXICO; OKLAHOMA DTV AUCTION OPTION - LOW DEFINITION SIGNAL? Read an interesting article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about the effects of the coming auction on Lima, OH, TV stations. One comment that caught my attention was that supposedly stations could give up part of their spectrum by reverting to a lower def transmission. I am not aware of that option except it may happen if a station channel shares (Mike Glass, Lebanon, IN, Sent from my iPad, Jan 7, WTFDA gg via DXLD) I think channel sharing is what it's referring to, in more words. In WLIO/WOHL-CD's case, they run two HDs on each station. So if they were to sell WOHL-CD and keep WLIO, they couldn't really fit 4 HDs on it, they'd have to downgrade at least one of them, probably two or three (Trip Ericson, ibid.) I read the article on the front page of the W$J. I think most of us have seen what happens when a station airs too many streams at once. KTAJ-21 in KC and airs several TBN streams (5 as I recall) and they all look pretty bad. SD for old shows like on Antenna TV, Cozi TV, Retro TV and Me-TV are one thing, but reducing four network (NBC, CBS, Fox and ABC) on one channel pretty well wipes out HDTV. KSNT-27 simulcasts co-owned KTMJ-43 on channel 27.2. Looks pretty bad compared to the Fox network signal that is on channel 43. KTMJ-43 is LPTV and doesn't reach as wide an area as KSNT thus the rationale for putting KTMJ on 43.1 and 27.2. Just as OTA is looking so good with HDTV the chance that stations could move to SD is bad for viewers (Dave Pomeroy, Topeka, Kansas, ibid.) So first they give superior video quality as one of the reasons for transitioning to DTV. Then they cram in a bunch of unwatchable 480i channels and leave just one HD channel, which contradicts their original argument for DTV. Sounds like a con job to me (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, Jan 7, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Something else I should mention as a follow-up to the discussion about how bad IBOC is: I was driving past the KLTT towers last week at night and tuning them in a mile or two down the road. I could still see their towers clearly, but I could not receive their digital signal at all. For anyone not familiar with KLTT, it is on 670 with 50 kW Day using a 3 tower array, and 1.4 kW Night using a 4 tower array. Their main lobe at night points southwest, and I was on I 76 traveling southwest past their site when I was listening to it. It seems to me that when a digital signal cannot be picked up from a station when you are looking at their towers, that should be a good indication that the system is an abject failure. 73, (Kit W5KAT, Denver CO, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES – Compiled by: Phil Bytheway E-mail: phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary December 1 2015 through December 31 2015. Tabulated from email status daily (K @ 0000 UT) Date Flux A K Space Wx 1 95 14 4 no storms 2 95 9 1 no storms 3 95 4 1 no storms 4 98 5 2 no storms 5 101 16 3 no storms 6 102 24 4 minor, G1 7 101 20 2 no storms 8 111 11 2 no storms 9 109 8 2 no storms 10 109 23 4 minor, G1 11 114 20 4 no storms 12 117 12 2 no storms 13 123 8 1 no storms 14 124 22 5 minor, G1 15 119 17 3 minor, G1 16 126 7 1 no storms 17 118 7 2 no storms 18 117 5 3 no storms 19 119 12 4 no storms 20 117 66 6 moderate, G2 21 122 38 3 moderate, G2, R1 22 130 13 2 minor, R1 23 134 11 4 minor, R1 24 133 12 3 minor, R1 25 126 8 2 no storms 26 117 15 5 minor, G1 27 110 11 2 no storms 28 112 5 1 minor, R1 29 105 6 2 no storms 30 105 4 2 no storms 31 96 43 6 moderate, G2 Gx – Geomagnetic Storm Level Rx – Radio Blackouts Level Sx – Solar Radiation Storm Level (IRCA DX Monitor Jan 9 via DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2016 Jan 04 0534 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 28 Dec 2015 - 03 Jan 2016 Solar activity ranged from very low to moderate levels. Very low activity was observed on 03 Jan, low level activity on 29 Dec - 01 Jan, and moderate level activity on 28 Dec and 02 Jan. Region 2473 (S22, L=331, class/area=Fkc/590 on 26 Dec), which exhibited a complex beta-gamma-delta configuration, produced all of the significant flare activity (2 M-class, 14 C-class). On 28 Dec, Region 2473 produced an M1 flare at 28/1245 UTC. Associated with this event was a Type IV radio emission and a partial-halo CME observed off the southern portion of the disk, first visible in LASCO coronagraph imagery at 12/1212 UTC. Analysis of this CME determined that an Earth-directed component was present. On 02 Jan, Region 2473 produced a long duration M2 flare at 02/0011 UTC. Associated with this event were Type II (1095 km/s) and IV radio emissions and an assymetric partial-halo CME observed off the southwest limb, first visible in LASCO coronagraph imagery at 01/2324 UTC. Analysis of this CME determined that a weak Earth-directed component was present and would arrive around midday on 03 Jan, though eventually proved to be a miss. There was greater than 10 MeV proton event on 02 Januaury 2016. The event began at 02/0430 UTC shortly after a long duration M2 flare that accured at 02/0011 UTC. Proton flux reached a maximum flux value of 21 pfu (S1-Minor) at 02/0450 UTC and ended at 02/0750 UTC. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels throughout the period with the exception of 31 December when moderate flux levels were observed. A maximum flux of 6,782 pfu was observed at 03/1600 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to moderate (G2) storm conditions. At 31/0003 a small shock was observed at the ACE spacecraft. Total field (Bt) increased from 5 nT to 13 nT with a corresponding solar wind speed increase from 350 km/s to 500 km/s. The shock was associated with the arrival of the 28 Dec CME observed in LASCO C2 imagery at 28/1212 UTC. Isolated G1-Minor to G2-Moderate storm conditions were observed midday through late on 31 Dec as well as early on 01 Jan. Mostly quiet conditions were observed on 28 - 30 Dec, 02-03 Jan. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 04 - 30 JANUARY 2016 Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a chance for M-class (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) flare activity from 15 Jan - 28 Jan due to the return of Region 2473 (S22, L=331). Very low solar activity is expected for the remainder of the period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be high from 04 - 13 Jan, 25 - 30 Jan due to recurrent coronal hole high speed streams (CH HSS). Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at active levels on 04, 07, and 22 Jan with G1-Minor storm conditions on 06 Jan due to recurrent CH HSS activity. Mostly quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the rest of the period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2016 Jan 04 0534 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 2016-01-04 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2016 Jan 04 105 15 3 2016 Jan 05 105 8 3 2016 Jan 06 105 20 5 2016 Jan 07 105 20 4 2016 Jan 08 110 12 4 2016 Jan 09 115 8 3 2016 Jan 10 115 5 2 2016 Jan 11 110 5 2 2016 Jan 12 105 5 2 2016 Jan 13 100 5 2 2016 Jan 14 100 5 2 2016 Jan 15 105 5 2 2016 Jan 16 110 5 2 2016 Jan 17 115 5 2 2016 Jan 18 120 5 2 2016 Jan 19 120 5 2 2016 Jan 20 120 5 2 2016 Jan 21 120 8 3 2016 Jan 22 115 15 4 2016 Jan 23 110 12 3 2016 Jan 24 105 8 3 2016 Jan 25 110 5 2 2016 Jan 26 115 5 2 2016 Jan 27 115 5 2 2016 Jan 28 110 5 2 2016 Jan 29 105 5 2 2016 Jan 30 100 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1807, DXLD) GLENN`S PROPAGATION OUTLOOK FOR MEDIA NETWORK PLUS AS OF JANUARY 7 Keith, From IPS in Australia, the global HF propagation forecast thru January 9: normal at all latitudes. From SpaceWeather South Africa, thru January 9, magnetic conditions unsettled, shortwave fadeouts unlikely, MUF unstable. From Met Office UK thru January 10: Solar activity continuing to be low. From January 8, geomagnetic activity is expected to decline back to mainly quiet to unsettled conditions. F. K. Janda in Prague says the Geomagnetic field will be: quiet on January 8, 12, 24 - 25 quiet to unsettled on January 9, 13, 15, 19 - 20 active to disturbed on January 10 quiet to active on January 11, 16, 22, 27 mostly quiet on January 14, 17 - 18, 21, 23, 26 The outlook from SWPC in Boulder: Geomagnetic field mostly quiet to unsettled except active levels on January 22 with A and K indices of 15 and 4. Only 5 and 2 from January 10 to 20. Solar flux troughing at 100 on January 13 and 14; peaking at 120 on the 18th to 21st. William Hepburn`s VHF UHF DX maps predict extreme tropospheric ducting January 9 and 10 off the west coast of Australia (via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ HOW GERMANY'S LOVE OF SILENCE LED TO THE FIRST EARPLUG 4 January 2016 From the section Europe Image copyright Johannes Simon Image caption: Traditional Bavarian boeller gunner protects his ears during the annual boeller feast Germans have a difficult relationship with noise. They hate it and complain loudly, writes Sean Williams, who has traced Germany's relationship with sound and the invention of the first earplug. The year 1907 was a pivotal one for German noise. In Hanover, philosopher Theodore Lessing created the country's first Antilärmverein - anti-noise society - whose members met to debate how the noises of the modern world, from factories and cars to weapons of war, would impinge on the intellectual and cultural world. "Silence is noble," Lessing frequently told his fellow club members. Meanwhile, in Berlin's Schöneberg district, pharmacist Max Negwer developed the first modern earplug, which he dubbed Ohropax, a combination of the German for "ear" and Latin for "peace". . . http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35122755 (via Gerald Pollard, NC, DXLD) Read on: does have a radio angle ###