DX LISTENING DIGEST 18-05, January 30, 2018 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 2018 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 1915 contents: Albania non, Anguilla, Armenia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bouvet, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia non, Germany, Hawaii and non, India, Indonesia, Korea North & South, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria non, Russia, Sikkim, South Africa, South Carolina, Tibet non, UK, USA, Zambia; and the propagation outlook. SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1915, January 30-February 6, 2018 Tue 2030 WRMI 9455 7780 [1914 replayed] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 [1914 replayed] Wed 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [not confirmed: inaudible] Wed 1030 WRMI 9455 [confirmed] Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v [confirmed] Thu 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Thu 2230 WRMI 5850 [confirmed] Fri 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Sat 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Sat 0730 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [Bulgaria confirmed] Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [confirmed] Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 [not confirmed; JBA carrier] Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM [confirmed from 0421] Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [Bulgaria confirmed] Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v-AM Area 51 Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 9455 Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 Tue 2030 WRMI 9455, 7780 [or #1916?] 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 ANOTHER PODCAST ALTERNATIVE, tnx to Keith Weston: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlennHausersWorldOfRadio NOW tnx to Keith Weston, also Podcasts via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/glenn-hausers-world-of-radio/id1123369861 AND via Google Play Music: http://bit.ly/worldofradio 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 IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!! WOR IO GROUP: Effective Feb 4, 2018, DXLD yg info and members have been migrated to this group: https://groups.io/g/WOR [there was already an unrelated group at io named dxld!, so new name] From now on, the io group is primary, where all posts should go. DXLD YAHOOGROUP: remains in existence, and members are free to COPY same info to it, as backup. They may want to change delivery settings. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ The change was necessary due to increasing outages, long delays in posts appearing, and search failures at the yg. Why wait for DXLD issues? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our io group without delay. ** AFGHANISTAN. 6100 kHz, R. Afghanistan, Kabul. At 1630 UT, thanks to Rumen Pankov's tip! Heard talk after music and luckily caught ".min Kabul". Later clearly talk in Arabic. "Afghanistan" was mentioned. Getting stronger but at the time SIO: 222 (Zeljko Crncic, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 20, BC-DX 27 Jan via DXLD) ** ALASKA. 6110, KNLS at 1500, IS starting 10 seconds past the hour and into Mandarin. Tuned back at 1540 and it was in Russian. So is it a half hour of each at 1500-1600? - Poor, Jan. 27 (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia. Listening in my car, parked on a quiet country road. CommRadio CR-1a and Sony AN-1 antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA [non]. 5850, Jan 24 at 2300.5, WRMI yet again starts playing familiar World Music fill instead of Radio Tirana, which, yes, does still appear on the frequency sked grid, for XMTR 12, http://tinyurl.com/WRMIfqs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Christian, Radio Tirana English has not been appearing on WRMI 5850 at 2300, as had been scheduled. Apparently they are not getting the files. If you are still the intermediary for this arrangement, I hope you can correct it. 73, (Glenn Hauser to Christian Milling, Jan 24 via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Radio Tirana changed their streaming URL without notifying anybody. I've corrected it, so tonite there should be a new episode ready for playout. 73, (Christian Milling, shortwaveservice.com, Germany, Jan 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) 5850, Jan 25 at 2300.5, WRMI relay of R. Tirana has been reactivated, as expected, after at least two weeks of absence, VG signal as always here, better than it ever was direct. IS, theme and sign-on in English does not mention any SW, just via an internet address! Perhaps because the relay is somewhat unofficial but tolerated. 2318 in a feature about Byzantine art. 5850, again Jan 26 at 2300.5, R. Tirana with another program they don`t acknowledge is on any SW transmitter (and is so tnx to our efforts, not the management); previewing topix Press Review and Profile later after news about domestic politix. This is daily except Sundays (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5850, Jan 30 at 2327, music ending R. Tirana relay via WRMI, then IS at 2328, so still funxioning from 2300, Mon-Sat; very good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Albania / Germany --- Received QSL from the German service of Radio Tirana for the reception - December 15, 2017, 1930-2000 UT at the frequency of 3985 kHz. On QSL - a school museum in the city of Korcha. The report was sent by e-mail: aibro@albaniaonline.net New a card in my collection from Radio Tyrant [sic translated]. (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", via QSL World, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** ALGERIA. [Re 18-04:] Good evening; Regarding the languages in Algeria: - Algerian dialect: every region have dialect special, usually is mix by Arabic & French and few Spanish in west of Algeria. - Arabic language: it is language of learning in school (primary, secondary). - French language: it is language of learning in universities. - Tamazight: in the region near Algiers. mix by French Regarding the programs of radio in Algeria - CHIANE 1: Arabic language in the news, & some program with Arabic & Algerian dialect. - CHAINE 2: Tamazight - CHAINE 3: French language - RADIO CORAN / RADIO CULTURE: Arabic language & Algerian dialect - RADIO INTERNATIONAL: The news with many languages (Arabic, English, French, Spanish) some program with French. - RADIO LOCALS: Arabic language in the news, same program with Local dialect. * Algeria is multicultural society. Best regards (Amine Frh, 73, Jan 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amine, Thanks so much for explaining this. It is gratifying that a little radio log leads to a learning experience (Glenn to Amine, ibid.) ** ALGERIA [non]. FRANCE: 5905, Radio Algeria; 2100, 15 Jan; Brief ID by YL as "Radio Algeria" in English, into broadcast in Arabic (Bill Carney, Grand Ledge MI, Perseus + Wellbrook loop; using Amalgamated DGPS software for DGPS logs, MARE Tipsheet 26 Jan via DXLD) English ID! quite a rarity on this station (gh, DXLD) 5940, FRANCE, R. Algerienne (via Issoudun) 2058 Arabic vocal song, signal off the air for 47 seconds, back on with OC, then routine of M with Arabic ID mixed with Arabic music and English ID by W as “Koran Radio Algeria”, then repeated again. Nice signal // 5905. 27 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. 4760, AIR Port Blair. 1300 Signal very weak at this time and didn’t improve. Gone by 1400! Recent email query to AIR Station Manager in Dec 2017 confirms AIR Port Blair is on air with 4 kW?. Status of AIR Leh Jammu & Kashmir is unknown and to date no response from AIR Spectrum Management in Delhi to my email query, 19/12 (Robert Shepherd, Toowoomba QLD (JRC NRD535-D using balanced 80’ long wire, plus balanced EWE NE – SW), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) See also INDIA [nonish] ** ANDORRA. LA ROSA DE TOKIO PARA ESTE FIN DE SEMANA: LA RADIODIFUSIÓN EN EL PRINCIPADO DE ANDORRA La Rosa de Tokio es un programa dedicado a difundir el apasionante mundo de la radio y del diexismo que se transmite semanalmente desde los estudios de LS11 Radio Provincia de Buenos Aires. LA ROSA DE TOKIO se emite los sábados a las 20 hs LU (2300 UT). El sábado 27 de enero se irradiará un programa dedicado a revisar la historia y el presente de la radiodifusión en el Principado de Andorra. La Rosa de Tokio puede ser escuchada los días sábados de 2300 a 2400 Tiempo Universal Coordinado (20:00 a 21:00 hora LU) por los 1270 kHz y en Internet por http://www.amprovincia.com.ar Además, una extensa red de emisoras de frecuencia modulada de toda la República Argentina retransmite en forma semanal nuestro programa en diferentes días y horarios. La Rosa de Tokio también sale por onda corta gracias a las facilidades brindadas por WRMI Radio Miami Internacional http://www.wrmi.net También puede ser escuchada en cualquier momento entrando en la página ProgramasDX y haciendo "click" en http://programasdx.com/larosadetokio.htm Desde este vínculo también podrán acceder al archivo que recaba ediciones anteriores del programa. La Rosa de Tokio es producida y conducida por Omar José Somma y Arnaldo Leonel Slaen y cuenta con la colaboración habitual de Rubén Guillermo Margenet, desde Rosario y Alejandro Daniel Alvarez, desde Neuquén (Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. 4949.75, Rádio Nacional de Angola, Mulenvos. Reception report sent to the station via e-mail 24-01 at 0621 UT. Received e-QSL letter, v/s Josefa Kenzuela, 24-01 at 1115 UT. Reply in 4 hours 54 minutes. Reception report sent to: josela.mami@hotmail.com (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. 6090, Jan 24 at 0222 check, there it went! Caribbean Beacon gone again just as expected. Meanwhile, Harold Frodge got this explanation from Brady Murray of WWCR: ``Harold: Pastor Scott’s crew has the transmitter in great shape. As they are able, they run the transmitter when not repairing infrastructure. Though I have not seen the site personally, I suspect that continuous operation could cause significant risk of injury or death, if operated while repairs continue. I’m guessing it broadcasts only when workers are off-site. WWCR has not broadcast on either CBB frequency. CBB is intermittent for now, but will be back as soon as possible.`` OK, but that doesn`t really explain why it needs to be off the air overnight, and for weeks straight at a time. Richard Langley also replies to my comment, ``"Richard Langley says the local newspaper reports. . ." Actually, it was an article in the British newspaper The Times. Don't hear them on 6090 kHz tonight at 0245 UT`` OK, I didn`t think there was a Times on Anguilla but unspecified, there are Times all over (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, no Anguilla, 1030 UT in central Florida remote. only 6090even, CNR2 Business R Geermu, poor JBA threshold heard (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 24, dxldyg via DXLD) CB 6090 normally/nominally switched to 11775 circa 1000 (gh, DXLD) 11775, Jan 24 at 1452, CB is still off again; but at 1912, PMS is on again; at 2054 off again. Others report it cutting on and off today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good signal this afternoon (24 January 2017) in NB on 11775 kHz at 2035 UT (-- Richard Langley, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked at 2110 and no signal. Suddenly on at 2113 with terrible distorted Melissa Scott for 30 seconds, and now a very hummy open carrier (Brandon Jordan, TN, Jan 24, ibid.) Nothing on 11775 kHz at 2149 UT. Nor on 6090 kHz (Richard Langley, Jan 24, ibid.) Maybe mainpower shortage at nighttime on the island? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, 2158 UT, ibid.) 6090 kHz active at 2220 check. PMS in progress with good audio. Using the Shared Apex Loop, the signal has a pronounced null on the NW beam, so this signal is definitely coming from SE of my QTH (Brandon Jordan, Fayette County TN, 2225 UT, ibid.) Brandon, yes active at least at this hour, ANGUILLA, 6090.002 excellent technicalwise. University R program, sermon female prayer lady, into central Florida remote SDR unit, observed at 0015 UT on Jan 25, S=9+15dB, excellent audio, their transmitter unit is repaired - sure. On Edmonton Alberta VE6JY site: at same time slot S=9+35dB strong there. At antenna selected 30dB ATT switch: S=9+60dB tremendous signal. Song heard at 0028 UT, phone # 1800 338 30 30 given few times. At 0030 UT switched to male sermon prayer. n o w some 60/120/180 Hertz BUZZ tones heard, 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) Updated Barbieland logs --- 11775, University Network; 1626-1635+, 1/23; Rev. Barbie ragging on people who listen but don’t come or tithe. SIO=4+54. A message from WWCR’s Brady Murray says that the intermittent broadcasts on 6090 & 11775 are indeed from Anguilla. Also 1717, 1/24; Rev. Barbie. S10 peaks; not on at 1518 (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11775, Caribbean Beacon at 1400. Send money music, announcements, to lecture by Dr. Gene. By 1409, back to the send us money music and announcements. First reception that I've had in a long time, as they have been off the air. Excellent-Jan. 23 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, Jan 25 at 0251, PMS is on again; 11775, Jan 25 at 1453, off again. 6090, Jan 27 at 0614 no signal from CB; nor 11775, Jan 27 at 1522. Have they gone back into hibernation? 11775, Jan 28 at 1509, CB is on again with PMS. Last night, 6090 was not heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, Caribbean Beacon at 0515. Dr. Gene Scott with lecture to the BoH, PMS after that. Very Good signal Jan. 29. 11775, Caribbean Beacon / University Network. Long talk by PMS, Very Good S9 signal, clear, good modulation. Jan. 29 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ooops, missed time, but anyway a date it was somewhat active (gh) 6090, Jan 30 at 2335 check, Caribbean Beacon is off again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Hearing Radio Buenos Aires in Holland --- Hi Glenn, Tuning up the U. Twente WebSDR just now [0310 GMT 1-28-18], I read the chat that stated Radio Buenos Aires on 1350 was in, and sure enough. I tuned to hear a nice ID and a listenable signal. Had to tune a radio in Europe to hear Argentina on MW! Take care! (Eric Loy, Sports Director, Neuhoff Media Danville, WDAN D102 K-ROCK, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 1350 is a favorite productive split frequency for European MWDXers (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. ESCUCHAS DESDE AMERICA (tomada de Argentina en AM y FM): RADIO SENTIRES (AM 1620 kHz), es una estación de Amplitud Modulada que opera desde la zona oeste del conurbano bonaerense. La misma está siendo reportada con mucha mejor señal en dicha frecuencia, lo cual hace pensar que hubo mejorado su calidad técnica. La emisora posee sus estudios sobre la calle Mozart 1015 de la localidad de Parque San Martín, Partido de Merlo, Provincia de Buenos Aires. Tel: (11) 2007- 2043. E-mail: . Página Web: . Se encuentra bajo la dirección de la Sra. Sara Griselda Sánchez. Su slogan es: “El Sentir del Pueblo” (Jan Conexion Digital via DXLD) At Merlo, sked 11-01 per WRTH 2018 (gh) ** ARGENTINA [non]. 9395, Jan 24 at 1903, WRMI playing reggae? tune from World Music instead of RAE in German. Not // 9455 music, presumably Oldies. 9395 still music at 2054 instead of RAE Italian. 9395, Jan 25 at 1946, WRMI poor signal, still with World Music (sounds Japanese), instead of RAE in German; also WM until at least 2100 instead of RAE Italian. At 1946, 9455 was in Oldies. While 11530, R. Herwa International, much better with an S9+10 signal. 9395 is also supposed to carry the RAE English hour from 0200, but Jan 26 it`s inaudible, while 9455 is a JBA carrier. 9395, Jan 26 chex between 19 and 21, *still* no RAE in German, Italian via WRMI, but World Music variety. If a song is in German or Italian, it`s only coincidental. See also USA: WRMI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA [non]. RAE - ARGENTINA AL MUNDO (Pub) Revised complete schedule Chinese 0800-0900 mtwtf.. NAm 9455rmi English 0200-0300 .twtfs. NAm 9395rmi French 2330-2400 mtwtf.. NAm,Eu 7780rmi German 1000-1100 .twtfs. CEu 6005kll 1900-2000 mtwtf.. NAm 9395rmi 2100-2200 mtwtf.. NAm,Eu 7780rmi Italian 2000-2100 mtwtf.. NAm 9395rmi 2200-2300 mtwtf.. NAm,Eu 7780rmi Japanese 0800-0900 mtwtf.. NAm 9455rmi Portuguese 1200-1300 mtwtf.. B 9955rmi Spanish 2200-2300 mtwtf.. CAm 5950rmi (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30, 2018 via DXLD) Unfortunately, this is not entirely correct, according to my own repeated monitoring: German at 21 & Italian at 22 are NOT on 7780, as we earlier expected with 7780 to replace 11580 across the board. NOR are they on 9395 at 19 & 20!!! But presumably this is in error. 1200 Portuguese not confirmed here toward end of hour, but would be on 9455 in addition to 9955 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Confirmed later ** ARMENIA. 9745, Mon Jan 29 at 1435, S8-S5, religious in English referring to frequency 9410, South Asian accent, explaining that the root of the word Bible means book! EiBi shows 9745 as TWR via Armenia, M-F at 1435 going from Hindi to English until 1450, and indeed off when rechecked at 1455. Certainly not on 9410, nothing heard, altho both BBC English via Oman and Turkey in Russian are scheduled this hour. Guess what: per Aoki/NDXC, 9410 was the A-17 frequency for this service, and they are still announcing it! That should confuse listeners, no more so than TWR India itself. Why doesn`t a god intervene and set them straight in its own self-interest? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. Radio Menschen & Geschichten via Shortwaveservice Yerevan, Jan 28: 1700-1800 on 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg to WeEu German last Sun, very good signal Surprisingly no signal of Radio MiAmigo Int via Shortwaveservice Yerevan, Jan 28: 1800-2000 on 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg to WeEu English last Sun [of the month it had been scheduled], maybe cancelled http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/radio-menschen-geschichten-via_28.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 5055, 4KZ, Innisfail QLD. Relay of the mediumwave 4KZ first noted at 0840 on 20/12. Weak signal (much weaker than the 5045 Ozy R.) and heavy summertime QRN. Pops and occasional adverts, ID at 0852. At 0900, another ID and then news. Also heard on most of the NZ web SDR remotes with the best being at the Bay of Islands site. At 0904, mention made of the 5055 kHz shortwave outlet! (Rob Wagner, VK3BVW, Mount Evelyn, VIC (Yaesu FTDX 3000, Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Kenwood R5000, Tecsun PL-680, Horizontal Sky Loop, Double Bazooka antennas for 80, 40 and 20 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) Very good in English with Aussie rock at 0705 on 1/1. Also heard on first day of transmission (December 20 2017) at 0014 with news and local weather (John Adams, Port Douglas Qld (Sangean ATS-909X, 7 Metre Reel Antenna, ibid.) Weak and noisy reception of an advt for Harvey Norman before the song “Take a look at me now” at 0920 on 20/12 (Dennis Allen, Milperra NSW (Icom IC-R75, Realistic DX-160, Longwire, ibid.) Fair signal, ID as “4KZ News” just on 1200, but actually took 2GB relay, seems to have a classics line-up. Interesting operation, 27/1 (Craig Seager, VK2HBT, Bathurst NSW (Perseus SDR, JRC NRD-545, Airspy HF+, DX Engineering Preamp, Wellbrook feeder isolator, Icom IC-746, Loop Skywire, Home-made Loop with LZ1AQ amplifier), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) [at] 1000. Not a bad signal for 500 watts. I’d rate it as SINPO 33233. ID: “This is Radio 4KZ broadcasting on 5055 kHz shortwave”. 21/12 (Robert Shepherd, Toowoomba QLD (JRC NRD535-D using balanced 80’ long wire, plus balanced EWE NE – SW), ibid.) 5055, Radio 4KZ. Best in USB; 1359-1404*, Jan 25. Elton John song; news till suddenly off the air (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 5045, Ozy Radio, on Jan 25, at 1408. Usual commercial announcement for Tecsun radios, laughing kookaburra, "Waltzing Matilda" and full ID; pop songs; Australian singer Kylie Minogue with "Locomotion," etc.; 1431-1446 international news (many items about US president, N. Korea, Russia, etc.); best in LSB (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5045, Radio Oz [sic] at 1456 UT January 25 with Air Supply "Every Woman in the World". ID and frequency at 1459, then "Georgie Girl". Good. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook ALA 100 loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5045 and slightly stronger 5055, Jan 26 at 1140, JBA carriers from Ozy Radio and 4KZ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE Before the race, a quick Google search revealed the documents made available to yacht skippers by the race organisers which included all radio frequencies and skeds which were in Sydney time. 26 December - 15:00 local time (0400 UT) - 156.800 Channel 16 VHF - Sydney to Hobart Race - Cape Solander Radio (Botany Bay) reporting yachts passing. 26 December - 17:17 local time (0617 UT) - 4483 kHz - Sydney to Hobart Race - the radio relay yacht JBW and the sail trainer ‘Young Endeavour’ receiving position reports. Yachts reported being in positions ranging from 34.0 S 151.0 E to 34.5 S 151.5 E, about level with Jervis Bay. Most yachts were proceeding safely but there was one report of a man overboard (subsequently recovered) and a challenge to the race judges. Yachts heard included Kialoa, Purloin, Sandby, Quest, Thank You, Vanishing Point, Wild Oats 11, Warrior One (reporting an incident), China Easy Way, Caprice, Malabi, Chancellor (with a steering problem), OCL2, and numerous others not so well known. Reception varied from S0 to S4, with some yachts being hard to raise from JBW and even Young Endeavour which was farther out to sea. 27 December - 17:17 local time (0617 UT) - 4483 kHz - Sydney to Hobart Race - the radio relay yacht JBW and the sail trainer ‘Young Endeavour’ receiving position reports. Yachts were off southern Tasmania but individual yachts could not be received by me. JBW was heard at S1 (John Faulkner, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. 11995, Jan 24 at 1533, south Asian song, S9 to S9+10 with flutter; 1535 AWR ID in presumed Punjabi as scheduled 1530-1600 via Moosbrunn, mentioning several languages including Punjabi, Hindi, address in Lahore, Pakistan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. Fair signal of Radio Bahrain Shabab FM on Jan 26: from 0800 on 9745 ABH 010 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic CUSB http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/fair-signal-of-radio-bahrain-on-jan26.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Reception of Bangladesh Betar External and Home Services, Jan 23: from 1315 9455 DKA 250 kW / 320 deg Nepali External Sce, very good from 1530 4750 SVR 100 kW / non-dir English Home Service fair/good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-bangladesh-betar-external.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. 621/1125: Wolfgang Gargitter, Germany has got a QSL from RTBF where it was noted a remark :”The RTBF MW transmitters will be taken out of service as soon as our radio programs will be audible on DAB+”. (A-DX 18.1.2018) The Belgian Télépro Radio & TV magazine confirms that RTBF will cease all MW transmitters before the end of 2018 (Christian Ghibaudo via WRTH fb 11.1.2018, via Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 29 Jan via DXLD) ** BELIZE. THE RADIO SCENE IN CENTRAL AMERICA: BELIZE - 1 The independent Central American country of Belize has been the third smallest country on the isthmus land bridge that joins North America with South America. The smallest country in Central America was the Panama Canal Zone, a temporary country that was carved out of Panamá in 1903, and it was under the authority of the United States for three quarters of a century before it was reintegrated back into Panamá. The second smallest country in Central America, or now the smallest since the Panama Canal Zone no longer exists, is El Salvador which lies on the west coast of the isthmus, abutting against Guatemala and Honduras. El Salvador has the highest density of population in Central America. Next comes Belize on the Caribbean coast, and though it is now the second smallest country in Central America, yet it has the least people density with a total population of just one third million. Belize is just 180 miles long and 70 miles wide. It is stated that the government of Belize holds 9,000 square miles of undistributed land which could be available for purchase and development. The former capital city is also identified as Belize, though a new capital city Belmopan is under development 50 miles inland in an endeavor to avoid the frequent and disastrous hurricanes that strike the coastal areas. The country of Belize hosts a quarter million tourists each year. The largest employer in Belize is the banana industry; one of their largest exports is petroleum oil; their Wildlife Sanctuary is the world’s premier site for the preservation of the Jaguar population; and the cost of electricity in Belize is the highest in Central America. The world’s second largest Barrier Reef runs parallel to the country’s east coast for 560 [sic] miles; only the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of eastern Australia is longer. One of the major tourist attractions in the Belize Barrier Reef is the Great Blue Hole, which is a giant underwater sink hole, perfectly round, 1,000 feet across and 480 feet deep. The Great Blue Hole protects more than 500 species of plants and animals that are unique to the area. Back in 2012, the American TV network Discovery Channel presented the Great Blue Hole in the Belize Barrier Reef as their number one choice at the top of their list of the Ten Most Amazing Places on Earth. Back two thousand years ago, it is estimated, the total Mayan population in what is now Belize was around one million people. When the Spanish explorers arrived five hundred years later, they reported that there were three separate Mayan communities in the area. The Spanish did establish a few minor settlements in Belize, though when there were no rich sources of gold, they left and settled elsewhere. The British established their first settlement in Belize, or British Honduras as it was known at the time, in 1638, and a flourishing trade in mahogany was soon developed for use as an ornamental wood working timber and for use as a strong fabric dye. The country changed its name from British Honduras to Belize on June 1, 1973, and the country obtained its independence from Great Britain eight years later on September 21, 1981. During the year 1911, the United Fruit Company in the United States made an appeal for the establishment of a wireless station in British Honduras as an aid to the development of the banana industry. During the following year (1912), plans were announced for the projected wireless station, and a callsign was allocated for this new facility, UCF, a callsign indicating the United Fruit Co. Two years later (1914), work commenced on a new wireless station in Belize, though it was a function of the British government, not the United Fruit Co. This new wireless station, under the callsign VPP, was installed in the British Military Camp on the extreme northern edge of the city of Belize near the ocean front. Two tall towers at a height of 250 feet supported the antenna system; and all of the the electrical equipment was imported from the United States. Two longwave channels were chosen for this new wireless station; 600 metres (500 kHz) for general communication transmissions, and 1,000 metres (300 kHz) for communication with Swan Island out in the Caribbean. Back at that time when the station was officially opened (1915), the wavelengths for these two transmission channels were listed, not in the metric system in metres, but in the imperial system in feet, as 1969 feet and 3281 feet. All messages intended for the United States and Europe were relayed from Belize via the wireless station on Swan Island. In November of the following year (1916), an American weather station was co-sited with the wireless station and weather reports and forecasts were broadcast in Morse Code for onward transmission to the United States. During the year 1920, there was a recognized need to upgrade the Belize wireless station. In fact, during the following year (1921), the American wireless magazine, The Wireless Age, a publication from the Marconi company in New York, stated in its February issue, that the Belize spark wireless station was underpowered, and that a completely new station was under consideration. Three years later (1924), a photograph of Belize town was taken from one of the towers of the wireless station in the army barracks, and this was published as a black and white postcard. The photograph is looking south along the coast towards the small town nearby. During the mid 1920s, the spark wireless system at station VPP in the British army encampment was changed over to valve/tube operation, and at the same time a small network of country communication stations was installed throughout Belize. It would appear that the old wireless callsign VPP was discarded at that stage, and a new callsign ZIK was applied to the new transmitter equipment in the Belize encampment. That’s where we leave the story for today. On the next occasion when we pick up the story of the radio scene in Belize, we plan to present the information regarding their earliest endeavors at the broadcast of radio programming (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Jan 28 via DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035.00, *0112-0140 21.1, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Sangaygang. Dzongkha ann, Bhutanese songs to local string instrument, 0129 two interviews, 45434 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde heard on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) 6035 (tentative)- BBS, Thimphu, Bhutan, 1140 30 Jan 2017 - Tune in at 1140 to very faint om & yl dialog. Audio only at brief signal peaks over adjacent R.Marti (6030) & jammers. Some music was heard that sounded distinctly South Asian in nature, not more familiar Chinese style. Continued at this very weak level past 1200 then in the middle of instrumental music signal went off at 1201. Audio disappeared and signal disappeared from the Perseus screen. I know Yunnan continues past this time so this is what is making me think that it could have been Bhutan. I have never gotten any type of signal from them here on the east coast and the 49 meter band was full of signals out of China this morning at pretty good levels, better than usual (Stephen C Wood, Harwich, Mass., Perseus SDR, 20 x 40 terminated superloop antenna, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** BIAFRA [non]. RADIO BIAFRA (Clan) ‡ Key: ‡ Broadcasts on SW have stopped (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) See also NIGERIA [non] ** BOLIVIA. 3310, R. Mosoj Chaski. Nice campesina music with W vocal, W in Quechua at 0957 including TC, and continuous talk to 1000. Usual canned ID announcement with frequency and QTH over instrumental CP music, then W returned briefly before going back to campesina music. 28 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6024.972, probably Red Patria Nueva, Spanish locutor, S=5- 6 in central Florida, 1055 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6024.97 in survey below. I often hear a JBA off- frequency carrier like this, evenings (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA [and non]. R. Panamericana 6105 active + LA band scan for s/off + s/on 6105.36, BOL, R. Panamericana, La Paz. 23 JAN *1052 - on with "Buenos días" by woman, mention of Panamericana, alternating locutor and locutora over the ToH by which time the signal had faded badly. Unfortunately La Paz sunrise was 35 minutes earlier at 1017, so the signal faded quickly after s/on. [Jordan-TN] I still had overnight SDR spectrum recordings from Jan 21 and Jan 22. No sign of Radio Panamericana on the Sunday morning 1/21 recording, but sure enough I caught them signing on at *1100 on the Monday morning 1/22 recording. Fair reception of 6105.365, Radio Panamericana, La Paz, Bolivia this morning, Jan 24, from *1056 sign-on. 6 minute audio clip from 1100- 1106 UT has been posted here: http://swldx.us/blog/?p=2227 [Jordan-TN, WORLD OF RADIO 1915] LA Bandscan for s/off and s/on times, Jan 23 2018 0145-1220 UT 4885.01 B R. Acreana, Rio Branco-AC 0227* *0845 4774.9 B R. Congonhas, Congonhas-MG *0707 4774.9 PRU R. Tarma, Tarma 0207* *0946 4810.0 PRU R. Logos, Chazuta 0226* *0909 4924.99 B R. Educação Rural, Tefé-AM 0203* *1005 4955.99 PRU R. Cultura Amauta, Huanta [?had been near 4955.0 gh] *1031 4965.01 B R. Alvorada, Parintins-AM (poor modulation) *0857 5952.42 BOL R. Pio XII, Siglo Viente (no s/on noted) 0230* 6024.97 BOL Red Patria Nueva, La Paz 0354* *0806 6080.02 B R. Marumby, Curitiba-PR *0905 6105.36 BOL R. Panamericana, La Paz *1052 6135.82 BOL R. Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz (xmtr cut off 0216) 0208* *0901 6174.9v PRU R. Tawantinsuyo, Cusco *1040 6180 B R. Nacional da Amazônia 0319* Icom IC-7200, IC-7300, WinRadio G33DDC, G313e, RFSpace NetSDR, SDR-IQ, Elad FDM-S2, Wellbrook ALA100LN 4'x 32' Loop SE/NW, Wellbrook FLG100 21' x 60' DKAZ @ 45 , Array Solutions SAL-20 Shared Apex Loop, DX Engineering ARAV3 Active Vertical -- (Brandon Jordan, KM4PBQ, Fayette County, Tennessee, USA http://www.swldx.us dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BONAIRE. 800, PJB, Bonaire is still scheduled to increase power from 100 to 450 kW on January 30th. The Facebook Live Event begins at 0300 pm Bonaire time, though the power increase may occur earlier in the day. The latest report on TWR’s web site, dated January 17th, indicates that the 9 person launch team was doing final testing last week. TWR web site graphics show a four tower array and a Figure 8 directional pattern with lobes NNW and SSE. The one to the North is directly at Florida and Cuba (Jon Pearkins via IRCA’s DX Monitor 55/21 via ARC via DXLD) OFFICIAL INAUGURATION OF NEW RTM BONAIRE TRANSMITTER The newly installed 450-kW-medium wave transmitter for Radio Transmundial [800 kHz] is to be officially taken into use on 30 January as planned: "TWR transmitter dedication event to be on Facebook Live. We're planning to stream on Facebook Live on Tuesday, Jan. 30 beginning at 2:30 pm EST. (3:30 Bonaire time) https://www.facebook.com/twr.bonaire/ https://bradtwr.blogspot.de/ (24 January 2018 via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) 2018 WRTH shows original 800 kHz, 100 kW services were all targeted to SAm, on air only 2130-1230 UT, in English, Spanish, Portuguese and two token native languages. CUBA is to be a major target with the increased power, which means during those hours, a much greater signal should be penetrating North America too: bad news for fellow gospel huxter KQCV in OKC with 1 kW at night, which nevertheless I have managed to hear PJB thru; for CKLW and three other full-power Canadians; XEROK Juárez if it cares, since it`s mostly QRP, hardly a cannon --- AND dozens of lower power US stations with 1 kW or less at night, most of them in eastern half of USA, notwithstanding CKLW Windsor whose major lobe goes NE/NNE. IIRC, 800 was originally a daytimer-only frequency for most of them, but now only one, in Arkansas, is D-only, per NRC AM Log listings. However, there has been little if any info from TWR about antenna changes to go with the new extra power (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.twrbonaire.com/news/view/420/2018/01-17/transmitter-testing-on-high-power-this-week Transmitter Testing on High Power This Week January 17th, 2018 This week Tom King and his son Josh came to Bonaire to prepare the station for the transition from 100 kW to 450 kW. Tom King is president of Kintroncis Labs, the supplier of the antenna system components that facilitate the power increase. Safe Workplace ‘What we have been doing so far is to reduce any concerns regarding arc detector events like flash faults and other accidents that could happen in the tuning houses,’ Tom explained, ‘we do this to protect the transmitter, the antenna system and to create a safe workplace. We started this last summer and are finishing it up this week. These are important issues because we need to have a stable operation when we go to 450 kW. Today we will start testing the transmitter on the dummy load. When we are sure the transmitter works properly, we will connect it to the antenna. So by tomorrow, we can possibly try the transmitter on one pattern with the high power. ‘ Electrical Installation Approved Yesterday, an inspector for WEB (electricity Company Bonaire) came to inspect our electrical installation. They had to make sure that everything was installed according to the requirements and grid code of the Dutch regulations. After the approval, WEB connected our 380 volt circuits to the new transformer building. Privilege to See the End During devotions this morning we all shared what we were thankful for. Jonas, Maintenance Manager at the Transmitter site shared, ‘Now we see an end. There were so many people before us working on this Power Up Project. We have the privilege to see the end, and for that, I am very grateful!’ Tom King shared that he is very grateful to God that he can be on Bonaire. Only a couple of days before he left, he had some health issues. ‘Gods timing is always perfect’, Tom said. Josh King, Tom’s son agreed. ‘In the summer of 2013, I worked at TWR Bonaire as an engineering student-intern. I did a lot of drawing, making measurements and planning, to prepare for the upgrade to 450 kW. Those days it was all very distant. I never thought I would be back to finish this up! For that I am grateful (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD) Still no info about the axual direxional patterns to be employed (gh) TWR FLIPS SWITCH ON NEW TRANSMITTER FOR A LARGER REACH By Beth Stolicker January 29, 2018 https://www.mnnonline.org/news/twr-flips-switch-new-transmitter-larger-reach/ Bonaire (MNN) — On Tuesday, January 30, the island of Bonaire will be filled with Trans World Radio’s staff celebrating as the ministry flips the switch to a stronger service at 4:30 pm EST. With the new transmitter, TWR is ushering in a historic era of Christian broadcasting in Latin America and the Caribbean. New Transmitter Launch “We’re increasing our power from 1000-watts to 4500-watts. And it’s an AM station. It will cover all the way from Central Brazil all the way to the Southern part of the United States at night,” TWR’s President Lauren Libby shares. (Photo Courtesy of TWR) “In fact, this upgrade is increasing by 100 million people (potential listening audience) in the Bonaire range from the Bonaire station. We’re now calling it Shine 800 AM. And so Shine 800 AM will be shining the name of Jesus all across northern Latin American down into Brazil, particularly Cuba at night.” Once it goes live, this transmitter will make TWR the largest AM station in the Western Hemisphere. However, it’s taken five years and 3.8 million dollars to make this incredible dream a reality. Still, Libby says TWR is excited to see how the new transmitter is going to impact lives in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Brazil. [it seems they don`t bother to mention that it was originally 500 kW for many years, but for some reason gave it up --- gh] A Need Answered TWR began broadcasting Christian programs from the island in 1964. But it wasn’t until recent years when listeners on the edge of the broadcast range began calling for better access to TWR’s programming. Furthermore, TWR’s ability to reach its audience using its own transmitter has grown more important in places like Venezuela, where many radio stations airing the Spanish translation of TWR have been shut down. But now, TWR can broadcast directly into the country on its own. (Photo Courtesy of TWR via Facebook) “You know, people really view this as a spiritual resource. Pastors use it in terms of message preparation because they listen to the teaching on the air and then they turn right around and share it with their house churches,” Libby shares. “I think in terms of outreach to new people, and in terms of helping people become established in field ministry on the ground, this station will be a real asset to that.” In the past, TWR has even received calls from a listener in Cuba, a country where TWR’s reach has been sporadic. But now, people in the country will be able to listen to Shine 800 AM regularly. Libby hopes that with this larger broadcast reach the ministry will begin to see the growth of churches, growth of on-the-ground ministries (including those working with unreached people groups), and the Lord touching people’s lives. Please pray for TWR’s work through this transmitter, for listeners to respond to Jesus and even reach out to TWR. And if you’re in the area, tune in on Tuesday to hear TWR’s station, Shine 800 AM. TWR will be livestreaming the event on Tuesday through it’s Facebook page beginning at 2:30 pm EST. You can tune in for the celebration here! https://goo.gl/LqUZPW (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) MNN if not TWR are a bit ignorant about the basix. Power goes up from 100 to 450 kilowatts, not 1000 to 4500 watts! Still NO info about which languages on which azimuths at which times, but in English (et al.?) they are calling it ``Shine 800 AM``. Old sked in WRTH 2018 may be prolonged: 2130 Spanish, 2300 English, 0030 Spanish, 0700 Portuguese (except 0845-0900 Sat Baniwa, Sun Macuxi), 0900-1230 Spanish. And why bother to broadcast in the daytime? They also admit they intend to cover the southern USA. Is this a NARBA treaty violation? What has the FCC to say about this entity which is based in Cary, North Carolina? There are small AM stations day and night on 800 in all the southern states except Mississippi, which may get blown away by this. Maybe they can file for STA power increase just like the Floridians have to combat illegal QubaRM. 73, (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) After my recent visit to Cuba and difficulty finding an accurate & complete schedule info for PJB online, I e-mailed requesting more information but had no reply (Steve Whitt, UK, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Good signal with "Radio Trans Mundial" ID at 0200 UT, so am guessing they're on with 450 kW power now. 73, (Nigel Pimblett, Dunmore, AB, 0210 UT Jan 30, IRCA via DXLD) The stronger signal will double the size of TWR’s potential audience, to about 100 million people, in Latin America and the Caribbean. And with the daily broadcasts will have a new identity as they bring God’s light to hungry listeners: Shine 800 AM Bonaire. In Spanish, the station will be known as Que Brille 800 AM Bonaire. (TWR Global Update via Jan-Feb Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Schnitzer" Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2018 8:37 PM Subject: Re: [A-DX] TWR Bonaire 800kHz Am 30.01.2018 um 14:27 schrieb Sven Dibbert: ``...Ab heute 2130 UT soll TWR Bonaire auf 800 kHz mit 450 kW statt 100 kW senden`` auch gehört am DX-Camp Rømø: 800, 0355, BES, R Transmundial, 26.1., Sp, "Transmite ... desde la isla de Bonaire, Radio Transmundial" ms (Michael Schnitzer, 8:37 PM Jan 30, A-DX via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) 800 kHz TWR Bonaire, Sicher nicht an einer optimalen MW type Antenne am Perseus SDR server Standort in Orlando mittleres Florida, US Staat: um 2340 UT Jan 30, ein S=9+15dB Signal, und eine ID sowie Hinweis auf die Verstärkung auf 450 kW um 2346 UT dazu. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TWR Bonaire now 440 kW --- Since the news came out a couple of days ago TWR Bonaire has increased power from 100 to 440 [sic] kW. Locally in South Florida they start coming in at 6 PM local time [2300 UT] and report being heard in the Southeast USA, the Midwest and far South into Brazil. From what I understand, each hour block may use a different antenna pattern and power with the principal programming target being Cuba. I sent them a recording of the signal as it is heard on a portable radio and on a car radio. I also ran a quick comparison of reception using and SDRPlay RSP1 ans Airspy HF+ at 7 Pm local time [00 UT]. To me Airspy HF+ had a tiny edge over RSP1A. https://youtu.be/P08k8742E_I (Iván, NO2CW, Miami, Jan 31, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) TWR BONAIRE (Rlg) Revised complete schedule Portuguese 0800-1000 daily B 800twb Spanish 0000-0300 daily CUB 800twb 0300-0800 daily Car 800twb 1000-1230 daily Car 800twb 2130-2300 daily Car 800twb English 2300-2400 daily Car 800twb (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** BOUVET ISLAND [non]. 14203-USB, Jan 24 at 1554, WB3BFC keeps repeating nothing but his callsign every few seconds, a sure sign of a pileup near a DX-pedition. A bigger pileup on 14201-USB with K2AJY, W2DAR and many others. No one ever spares the precious time to utter callsign of the station they are calling. 14185-USB was the nominal publicized frequency for the 3Y0Z two-week DXpedition which must now be underway. Standard protocol is for the DX to listen a few kHz away, usually upward, from own frequency, no one else allowed to use it. If 3Y0Z is around 14185 or 14195, I can`t hear it. Nothing heard later in the day on or above these in 20m band, nor the other SSB publicized: 21285, 18130, 7082, 5400, 3785. As of 2246 UT Jan 24, their website does not yet confirm they have arrived and are on the air: http://www.bouvetdx.org Want to check the SR/SS times for Bouvet, but gaisma.com doesn`t have it in its database, unlike timeanddate.com: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/@3371123 Tho they show its far-south latitude 54-26, and SR/SS times converted to UT seem right for mid-summer rather than mid-winter: 0356/1959 for a day 16+ hours long, summer temps near or below freezing, it`s otherwise treated as part of European Norway! As if it were on CET in the Northern Hemisphere, with DST dates from March to October. My faith in the accuracy of timeanddate.com is damaged (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7024-7025, Jan 25 at 0648, CW pileup sending callsigns only every few seconds, suspected trying to reach 3Y0Z DX-pedition, nominally on 7023. Nothing in LSB around 7082. Of course there could be other DX- peditions now I have not researched. It looks like they were still enroute to Bouvet as of Jan 24, so the pileups heard may have been trying to work their maritime mobile: ``January 24, 2018: Sunny, clear skies this morning provided a very nice view, as we passed the snowy peaks of the South Georgia Islands 20 miles to the south of us. Spectacular! – Hal, W8HC Our first iceberg was sighted today about 100 miles southeast of South Georgia. Incoming signals to 3G9A/MM are generally weak. This is due to our maritime mobile antennas and their location. Our on-island antennas will be much, much better! – Ralph, KØIR`` Own website refers to here to ``follow us``: https://dxwatch.com/dxped/3Y0Z The last three entries are: ``VK2HR 3Y0Z 14002.5 [AN-002] Tnx Qso New One 0558z 24 Jan FM5AN 3Y0Z 14000 [AN-002] Good travel...we are ready! 1549z 23 Jan YL2HX 3Y0Z 3502 [AN-002] Heard in E31A pileup 2311z 20 Jan`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, 1645 UT Jan 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QRX for the 3Y0Z DX-pedition which hasn`t arrived yet. This map shows they were less than halfway to Bouvet from Punta Arenas, Chile, passing South Georgia on Jan 24: https://dx-world.net/3y0z-bouvet-2018/ Since they departed PA on Jan 19, it`s unclear how they ever expected to reach BI by Jan 23. At this rate it should take another 6 days, like Jan 30-31. Original departure date of Jan 13? was delayed without notice. Bruce Churchill, USN Ret., says on the DXLD yg, ``And that is one of the scariest places in the world to be on the water in a small boat`` Jari Savolainen, Finland, another mariner, replies, ``Well, Betanzos isn't actually "a small boat". It's not a huge passenger liner but anyway about 1400 gross tons and some 65 meters long. Has been in use since 1974 and described as fish factory/trawler/cargo ship. According to Fleetmon AIS-info, the ship has sent their ETA (estimated time of arrival) being Bouvet 2018-01-29 at 1600 UT`` Also got this from another Finn, Br Jari (OH1EB) Kulkki, Jan 26: ``Glenn, Bouvet is not active yet, still few days to go. There has been big pileups for Kosovo (Z60A) which you probably heard on 14200 kHz. The station Z60A was transmitting on 14195 and listening 5-10 up. ARRL has changed the rules and Kosovo is now added to DXCC list. What is the status of Kosovo in BC countries list? They have one MW station on 549 kHz`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See KOSOVO 14195-USB, Jan 29 at 1502, W6HXW utters his callsign over and over, atop a pileup for some DX station, reminding us that the 3Y0Z visit to Bouvet is finally about to begin, ETA was today or tomorrow (plus some time to set up). 14185 was their nominal frequency on this band, but now I am hearing only DG7LAL on 14184-USB working USA stations. Keep an eye on: https://dx-world.net/3y0z-bouvet-2018/ with daily reports on the voyage, which has encountered some very bad weather and rough seas, so they may be further behind schedule, but no new ETA mentioned: ``JANUARY 29 — We had another night of rocking and rolling. A strong southwesterly wind produced high following seas resulting in the stern of the ship rising on the approaching wave or swell, the ship surfing down the front of the wave, and the bow plunging into the wave ahead of it. The change in motion produced a change in the migratory pattern of gear and furniture, but the chaotic end results were similar to our last rough ride. Entropy exists. Last evening, we met with the helicopter pilots to be sure we understood each other. Safety first, and then get everything ashore as quickly as possible with never more people than our infrastructure can support. We parted with the "one team" commitment. We continue to bounce around, but for the soaring sea birds around us, it is just another day. Onward! [KØIR]`` The same appears on http://www.bouvetdx.org/ with this addition as of January 29: ``1605 UTC: Satellite navigation shows the ship 370 nautical miles from Bouvet``. So what is their average daily naumileage? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Their typical speed is around 11-12 mph. The Garmin tracker shows that: https://share.garmin.com/bouvet just click on the arrow and then "more". A very nice weather display for Bouvet (or any other location you enter) is at: https://www.ventusky.com/?p=-53.898;2.409;9&l=wind It shows the nice [?] is far from calm there and that will certainly impact the time it takes them to transport and erect everything. 73 (Don VE6JY Moman, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) Strangely enough there is NO info about this in the latest DARC DXNL Jan 31 (gh, DXLD) {They reached the island but landing delayed by rough seas, hard weather, still not heard as of Feb 3! Engine problems too: At 2000 they announced the DX-pedition had been aborted -- gh} ** BRAZIL. 4875.3, Radiodifusora Roraima – Boa Vista, 0159, 1/27/18, in Portuguese. Woman announcer, ID into male announcer with news. Fair (Mark Taylor, Madison, Wisconsin. Equipment: Perseus, Airspy HF+, SDRPlay RSP1; ICOM R75, Tecsun PL 880, and various other portables; 42 meters dipole, 100’ long wire, W6LVP loop, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) 4874.9, Radiodifusora Roraima, Boavista, 2336-2348, 27-01, Brazilian songs, Portuguese, comments. 25322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4875.251, Jan 31 at 0055, JBA carrier from presumed R. Roraima, Boa Vista, the northernmost ZY SW station. Always off-frequency but has been reported as high at 4875.3 and as low as 4874.9 lately; I`ve never caught it on the low side (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4885, Rádio Clube do Pará, 1/22/18, 0412-0503. Nice program of local pop music with a few selections of 1950's American rock thrown in like "Shake, Rattle, and Roll," and "Rock Around The Clock." Interesting note -- the National Radio section of WRTH shows them at 10 kW while the Frequency List shows 2 kW. From the way they were pounding in here, I would guess the former is more accurate. Good to fair signal, 45334 (Bob Dodt, VA, IC-750, Alpha Delta SWL Sloper, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via DXLD) 4885.022, R Club do Pará, Belém, S=6 at 0708 UT Braz music program. 4985.008, R Brasil Central, Goiânia, similar Braz music program, 0710 UT S=5-6 fluttery. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) 4985, R. Brasil Central. End of soft Portuguese song at 0132, W announcer in Portuguese, then nice ID by M over “Theme from a Summer Place”, canned announcement by W, and right back to more Portuguese MOR music. Just fair but not RTTY QRM. 28 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) See also BOLIVIA [and non] ** BRAZIL. 5939.773, much lower fq this morning, R Voz Missionária, sermon prayer, S=6 here in Germany, 0724 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5970, R. Itatiaia, Belo Horizonte. What a pleasant surprise! Noisy reception of a song at 1040, then the signal improved and I heard some Portuguese announcements at 1041-1043. Much better on 14/1 at 1030 with Portuguese talk about [sic] (Dennis Allen, Milperra NSW (Icom IC-R75, Realistic DX-160, Longwire, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) So what was the first date? WRTH 2018 as double-dagger inactive, and not otherwise reported lately. What about WEWN with much more power in Spanish on same frequency all night? Well, same reporter logged it on an earlier date: (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5970, WEWN, Van Diver [sic]. Heard at 0805, 16/12, with a Spanish ID for Radio Catholica Mondiale [sic]. Fair level with some periods of slight noise (Dennis Allen, DX-Pedition Item, Bargo, NSW Southern Highlands, ibid.) ** BULGARIA [and non]. Shortwave Radiogram, 27-28 Jan --- In addition to the usual MFSK32 text and images, Shortwave Radiogram this weekend includes an experiment with five Olivia modes. All are 2000 Hz wide, the the number of tones decreases 64 > 32 > 16 > 8 > 4. With each reduction in the number of tones, the text speed increases, but the chance for errors in the decode, in typical shortwave conditions, also increases. Details and schedule: http://swradiogram.net/post/170158019177/shortwave-radiogram-27-28-january-2018-olivia (Kim Elliott, VA, Jan 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see OKLAHOMA ** BULGARIA. 5900, Jan 29 at 0214, S9-S6 of open carrier, whence? HFCC shows only SOFia, Bulgaria, registered available at 0000-1730, 100 kW at 126 degrees. This frequency was formerly used for Brother Scare at certain times, nominally to N America. Nothing in EiBi, but Aoki/NDXC: ``5900 BIBLE VOICE BCN Radio Dardasha7 0216-0231 1234567 Arabic 50 126 Kostinbrod(Sofia) BUL 4240N 02320E BVBN b17 MBR Nov 23`` Unfortunately I didn`t recheck it after 0216 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CAMBODIA [non]. Voice of Khmer M'Chas Srok via BaBcoCk Tashkent, Jan 28 1130-1200 on 12150 TAC 100 kW / 122 deg to SEAs Khmer Thu/Sun, fair http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-voice-of-khmer-mchas-srok_28.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CANADA. Tuned the NDB LW band on R75 and besides a triple of non- Okie USAmerix, q.v. got these in MCW; reference dxinfocentre.com: 248 kHz, Jan 24 at 0317, WG and dash, from Winnipeg, MB 346 kHz, Jan 24 at 0325, YXL and dash, from Sioux Lookout ON 362 kHz, Jan 27 at 0633, SB, from Sudbury, Ontario. Did not note it with a dash, but I suppose so being Canadian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA 347 kHz ** CANADA. 1610, Jan 25 at 0701 UT, YL news in Brazuguese, surely CHHA Toronto, Voces Latinas, tho their 2-year-old program sked sorely needs updating, as it just shows `All Night Music` at 06-11 UT Mon-Fri (and blank on weekends --- off the air? I doubt it) http://chha1610am.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PostCard-CHHA-1610AM-2016.jpg And please explain how six hours of Punjabi each week were Latinas in any sense whatsoever (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 6030, CFVP Calgary at 2240 UT January 26 with comedy programming and IDs as "Calgary's Funny 1060". Very Good. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook ALA 100 loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 6070-, Jan 26 at 0210, JBA carrier; is CFRX off or hit by propagation disturbance? NDXC/Aoki shows only one other 6070 on air at this time, in fact 24 hours like CFRX: R. Capital in Rio de Janeiro, which of course has been dead for years, fortunately for CFRX listeners. By 0703, CFRX is reaudible with news on ``News-Talk 10-10`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6070, UT Mon Jan 29 at 0040 on caradio, CFRX coming back from an iHeart break to `Ted Talks` --- in America we would expect to hear this on NPR stations, or RNZI, but CBC must have passed on it in Canada. Program schedule at http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/shows seems to ignore weekend variations in the evenings but there is a sidebar link to Ted Talks: http://www.iheartradio.ca/shows/ted-radio-hour-1.1761523 but time for `TED Radio Hour` as Sunday 12-1 am [05-06 UT], so maybe what I heard was only a promo. Drop-down ``select station`` shows it`s also on six other Canadian iHeart stations. Eventually a link to podcasts of recent episodes, this one for Jan 26 being ``Can We Trust the Numbers?`` https://www.iheart.com/podcast/7-TED-Radio-Hour-28457194/episode/can-we-trust-the-numbers-28874929/ Anyhow, I am pleased to be able to listen to CFRX while driving around Enid at night on the BST-1 SW caradio. That is, except when too close to noisy traffic lights/HF transmitters which block even stronger signals than this 1 kW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1010, CFRB, ON, Toronto – Networks to CP/TED/C2C (Tore Vik, AM Switch, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via DXLD) This takes note of it being on TED Talk network one hour a week, as I reported (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. AFTER 4 DECADES ON AIR, DON CONNOLLY RETIRING FROM CBC NOVA SCOTIA http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/don-connolly-information-morning-retirement-cbc-nova-scotia-1.4409892 (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, Jan 26, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non?] 6045, CNR1 at 1204 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a man with excited talk – Poor Jan 25 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iogroup via DXLD) 6045, THAILAND, VOA at 1215 in Mandarin with western pop female vocals and a woman with gentle talk and brief pop vocals at 1226 and brief talk and Five for Fighting’s “100 Years” then lost to CNR1 until 1237 and a woman interviewing a man with mentions of “Washington” and “Donald Trump” and lost again to CNR1 at 1240 – Poor fighting it out with CNR1 jammer Jan 27 Coady-ON 6045, CHINA, CNR1, at 1232 rising up and dominating the frequency in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a man and woman with excited talk – Fair Jan 27 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iogroup via DXLD) ** CHINA. 7480, BUZZ noise jamming by China against RFA Uyghur TJK started at 0100 UT Jan 25, S=9+20dB, wide: 2 x 8.3 kHz buzz scratch block. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. EAST JAMMERSTAN: 9860, 1954, 1/25; Crash & Bang Music Jammer; weak. Radio Free Asia via Marianas listed (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. 6145, CNR1 at 1600. M in Chinese, soft vocal music, used to censor RTI Chinese service listed here at this time. Last station on dying band with onset of morning here. Good-Jan. 25, 7445, CNR1, used as Jammer at 1200. PRC often seems in a big hurry to jam Radio Taiwan Chinese service by starting up the jamming while the English program is still on and Andrew Ryan is giving closing announcements. This morning they actually waited until 1200 to crank up the jamming. RTI could be heard under. Jan. 26. 9860, "firedragon" at 1855. Crash and Bang music going through the hour to my 1910 tune-out. Music intended to censor Chinese language broadcast from (Guam [sic]) Radio Free Asia. Very strong parallel on 9455 (the target heard on neither frequency). Very Strong-Jan. 29 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 7445, CNR1 at 2243 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a man and woman with excited talk – Poor to Fair Jan 30 7470, CNR1 at 2245 // 7445 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Tibetan via Tajikistan with a man and woman with excited talk – Poor to Fair Jan 30 7480, CNR1 at 2247 // 7445 and 7470 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Tibetan via Kuwait with a man and woman with excited talk – Poor to Fair Jan 30 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iogroup via DXLD) ** CHINA. 11710 // 11875, Jan 25 at 0655, pop music and Chinese announcements, SSOBs. Must have a pipeline from Nanning, scheduled site for both, 100 kW each at 200 degrees, 11710 at 06-08 and 11875 at 07-08 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Most of the stations heard at Bonaire (Kiwi-SDR) are the same with those listed in WRTH, but I found out another newcomer (?): 590, HJCR, Volvamos a Dios Radio, Medellín, was heard at 0659 UT on Jan 28 with a religious program. ID was given as “Desde la ciudad de Medellín transmite su emisora Volvamos a Dios Radio, HJCR 590 en amplitud modulada, emisora del Movimiento Misionero Mundial, transmititendo las 24 horas el mensaje de la palabra de Dios.” ? may be Carrera 45 # 44-90, Medellín, according to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolvamosaDios/ (Tetsuya Hirahara) /Ex W Radio?- ed/ (via Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 29 Jan via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [and non]. 5910.233, Jan 24 at 0225, Alcaraván Radio is making a big het with weakened Romania, the latter presumably very close to 5910.000. For fun this time, instead of measuring the carrier directly on the R75, I compare the pitch to my keyboard, and it`s very close to Bb below Cmiddle, i.e. 233 Hz. Then I do it another way, I hear the het in AM mode, then in LSB mode off-tune until the HJDH carrier is making the same pitch against the RRI carrier, and the frequency reads out 5910.230, close enough (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910.244 ... x.246 kHz, S=6 wandered slightly 1 Hertz by Hertz, measured from Alcaraván Radio CLM. Alcaraván Radio CLM entry NOT in Aoki Nagoya database list. Nothing on 6010v, not BRA, not CLM (Wolfgang Büschel, central FL remote, circa 1030 UT Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, Brazzaville, *0556-0610, 26-01, open with vernacular comments, 0701, French, news and comments. 15321. Also 0604-0620, 28-01, French, news, comments, female, male. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 530, Radio Caribe, Caribe, 01/24, noted Radio Enciclopedia ID by woman at 0059 then co-channel Radio Caribe ID’s; and female with "Esta es C-M-B-Y, Radio Caribe … Cuba" both stations at good strong level. Then female introduces a program "Radio Caribe presenta - Musica de Cuba" NEW (James Niven, Receiver ELAD S2 and Drake R8 with Antennas as DKAZ (East & South) 140-foot x 23 high, (2) EWE’s 1 East and 1 West 100x15ft and 150-foot Long wire, Cedar Creek (East of Austin), Texas, nrc-am gg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) 530 R. CARIBE - 1210 R. RELOJ. I have received from RadioCuba info about these transmitter movements: 530, Radio Caribe. CMBY is temporarily on 530 kHz (via one of the transmitters used for Rebelde at the CTOM "Caribe", Isla de la Juventud) because the 1220 transmitters (CTOM "La Fe-Progreso") burned. 1210, Radio Reloj. CTOM "LAS TUNAS-PROGRESO". Reloj has been temporarily moved from 1020 to Rebelde's freq of 1210 kHz due to a transmitter failure. 73! (Mauricio Molano, Salamanca, ESPAÑA - SPAIN, Jan 24, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What`s CTOM? Certainly not a callsign (gh, DXLD) I'd guess it's Centros transmisores de ondas medias. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) CTOM is the abbreviation used by RadioCuba for "Centro Transmisor de Onda Media". 73! (Mauricio Molano, Salamanca, ESPAÑA - SPAIN, ibid.) [530] R Caribe and R Enciclopedia are both strong and at equal levels for me here in NC. Every time I remember to try to record a formal TOH ID from R Caribe, Enciclopedia overwhelms it. I’ll keep trying! (Jay Novello, Wake Forest NC, Jan 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6000, UT Wed Jan 24 at 0530, RHC English is a little more readable here than 6165, no Arnie Coro. Ian Millett, Baltimore, N3CVA, notified me earlier: ``Hello Glenn, Radio Havana Cuba’s middle of the week Dxers Unlimited program was missing at 0230 UT (9:30 p.m. EST) tonight Tuesday 23rd January, 2018. The announcer said that Arnie Coro is recovering from surgery and hopes to be back with the program soon. I continued listening to 6000 kHz when the transmission suddenly went off air at 0254 though parallel 6165 was still on air. Transmitter came on again at 0300. Ian Millett in Baltimore`` We heard about his surgery a few weeks ago; maybe it was delayed, rather than a second one. GWQ! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15031, 15097, 15168, 15234, 15302, 15439, 15508, 15576, 15644, 15710, 15779, Jan 24 at 1446, approx. centers of RHC-FM spurblobs out of 15370-AM, which are back today, so yesterday`s clear band was indeed a fluke. 15234 QRMs RHC`s other real frequency 15230. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: 15031, 15097, 15168, 15234, 15302, 15439, 15508, 15576, 15644, 15710, 15779 kHz, on Jan 24 at 1446 UT, approx. centers of RHC-FM spurblobs out of 15370-AM kHz Bauta 315degr, which are back today, so yesterday's clear band was indeed a fluke. 15234 kHz QRMs RHC's other real frequency 15230 kHz from Quivican San Felipe TITAN site at 160degr. Something's always wrong at RHC`` (Glenn Hauser-OK-USA, hcdx and dxld Jan 24 via BC-DX 27 Jan via DXLD) If you compare the above to my original report, you will find that I did not mention transmitter sites or azimuths. wb has this helpful habit of inserting his own info into others` reports, without attribution. This may be harmless, unless something turns out to be wrong (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) 15370 kHz RHC spurious - Jan 24 at 1530 UT on remote Detroit-MI-US and Edmonton-Alb-CAN units: 15845, 15777, 15641, 15573, 15506, 15440, 15301, 15232.5, 15164, 15096, 15028, 14959 kHz [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Buschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15033, 15101, 15168, 15236, 15303, 15438, 15504, 15570, 15637, Jan 25 at 1405, approx. centers of today`s RHC-FM spurblobs with constant tone. RHC audio readable in FM mode on the ones closer to source 15370-AM. At least 15236 is far enough from RHC 15230-AM today not to QRM it; roughly 67.5 kHz intervals. But woe to CHR Trenton Military 15034-USB and anyone trying to access it. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15370-AM, Jan 26 at 1540 check, another blessèd day without the constellation of RHC FM spurs all over the 19m band. Bet they`re back in force in a day or two. 15643, 15575, 15506, 15438, 15303, 15236, 15170, 15103, 15036, Jan 27 at 1439, approx. centres of horrible RHC-FM spurblobs today, reactivated after absence yesterday while source 15370-AM continued as usual; and still with the F# above Cm continuous tone. Average intervals about 63-67 kHz, pace CHR, KBS. 11830 & 11850, Jan 27 at 1523, RHC parasites at S9-S7 during open carriers out of source 11840 which is S9+20. Only 11840 appears on schedules, at 12-15 to N/C/S America - meaning non-direxional? And 23- 06 to Chile. Still modulating are 11760 and 9535. I usually hear 11830 & 11850 in the mornings and suspected the evening 11840 was a different transmitter, certainly different antenna (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also JAPAN [non] 6000even fq RHC English via Quivicán San Felipe TITAN 250 kW site, S=9+30dB at 0726 UT, 20 kHz wideband signal, \\ 6060.005 kHz from Bauta site, music at 0728 UT, BUT SUFFERS by heavy fast speed RTTY 6060.9 / 6061.1 kHz signal pair ! \\ 6100even - best understandable audio of RHC English this morning, "Music With A Message" program, S=9+15dB at 0732 UT, 18 kHz wideband. \\ 6165.002 RHC Bauta English, S=9+20dB strong, but VERY LOW modulation level at 0736 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) 6000, Sunday Jan 28 at 0802, I had dozed off, but perceived RHC Esperanto sign-on just in time to hear this frequency cut off the air, while 6100 stayed on. Another typical example of the slipshod way RHC transmitters are made to go on and off without respect or coördination to programming breaks. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 17580, Jan 28 at 1505, RHC Spanish still on air // much weaker 17730, but by 1508, 17580 has cut off. 15577, 15508, 15439, 15301, 15232, 15163, 15094, 15025, 14956, 14887, Jan 28 at 1429, RHC-FM spur field at plus/minus 69 kHz intervals today out of 15370-AM transmitter. The closer ones have clear if weak audio when tuned in FM mode, all of them with the F# whine. Something`s always wrong (x10) at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15370-AM, Sun Jan 38 at 1439 retune just a little too late for early start of `En Contacto`, as YL says about Arnie`s condition following surgery, ``sigue en total mejoría`` and will be back on air soon. Meanwhile filling with a 1990 interview by Ing. Ynclán. I understand that his English version, `DXers Unlimited` instead skipped an episode. Recheck for its Sunday/UT Monday times. We wish Coro the best for a full recovery (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6000, UT Mon Jan 29 at 0215, RHC English with special about José Martí on some anniversary, instead of `DXers Unlimited` with Arnie Coro, who is recovering from surgery. So what better substitute? Also Martí stuff in the second half of English hours; at 0630 mailbag, 0633 ``special`` `World of Stamps` about --- JM. 9535, UT Mon Jan 29 at 0613, RHC is still on here and in English instead of turning off at 0600 after Spanish. Something`s always wrong at RHC. `DXers Unlimited` is supposed to be on now, but no mention heard of Arnie Coro, who is recovering from surgery. Instead, report about a duplicate of a José Martí statue in New York being installed in Habana --- about time! // The Cuban Five, 5040, 6000, 6060, 6100, 6165 with various levels of modulation. 9535 mod is OK but only fair signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5990, CRI at 2303 with Paul James with “CRI News” then program promos at 2305 and a woman with “Today” with introducing general interest features and suddenly off at 2307 - Good Jan 30 – Cuban relay transmitter reliability at its best I presume? (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iogroup via DXLD) ** CUBA. 9955, Jan 28 at 1516, pulse jamming against nothing from the incompetent DentroCuban Jamming Command. Take that, WRMI!! Despite never on the air now at 15-22, and when it was, full of BS, no Cuban exiles in this span (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. WRMI Radio Miami International January 8 at 4:23pm Homenaje a Mario Jiménez, luchador incansable para la libertad de Cuba. Murió el 3 de enero a la edad de 87. Mario ha presentado y participado en muchos programas cubanos en WRMI por más de 20 años. Más recientemente, presentaba noticieros diarios dentro de la programación de Radio Libertad (de lunes a viernes a las 7 pm hora de Cuba en 9955 kHz). Hasta pocos días antes de su muerte Mario estaba grabando un programa en los estudios de WRMI en Miami. Que descanse en paz. Comment, not clear from whom, maybe Andrea Mangiarotti: Mario Jiménez gran apasionado de la radio, más que un cliente un gran Amigo. Persona honorable, responsable, auténtico y correcto en lo que hacía. Desde los micrófonos de WRMi luchando contra un régimen caduco de Cuba. Hoy nos deja sólo con un gran vacío. QDP. Mario Jiménez, great passionate about the radio, more than a client a great Friend. Honorable, responsible, authentic and correct person in what he was doing. From the WRMI microphones fighting against an outdated regime of Cuba. Today leaves us a great loneliness. RIP (WRMI FB Jan 8 via DXLD) obit - News was at 0015 UT, not 7 pm ET (gh, DXLD) ** CYPRUS [non]. 9455, Wed Jan 24 at 2100, WRMI with `FG Radio`, misc. news about the area, which sounds vaguely familiar, and at 2109 feature about a 94-year-old scuba diver, which I know I heard before - -- ``9955, Wed Dec 20 at 1400, WRMI starting `FG Radio`, another new episode with several subjects, about the situation in Syria, a 94- year-old diver, etc.`` So they are back to repeating same episode week after week, soon to be months? I reminded Nathan about this. Followed by `Viva Miami` at 2115 repeating the Allan Weiner interview (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. 5839.990, Danish music station WMR 'World Music Radio' program, 'Sunshine song' heard, 0722 UT on Jan 28. S=7 signal in southern Germany. Thanks Stig-Hartvig [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ** DENMARK. Re: "5840- WMR Pirate DEN, 1715/0635 Gen 14/21, music + female ID (Mauro Giroletti)" (mwdx yg via DXLD) [= January 14 & 21] Kindly note that World Music Radio (WMR) is not a pirate station. WMR is a legal, licensed radio station. Best 73's (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, WMR, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, ibid.) ** ECUADOR. MW logs, updates: see PERU [and non] ** ECUADOR [non]. Radio Akhbar Mufriha via BaBcoCk Woofferton/Ascension on Jan 28 2100-2115 7300 WOF 250 kW / 170 deg NoAf Tachelhit, fair/good 2115-2145 7300 WOF 250 kW / 170 deg NoAf Arabic, fair to good 2145-2215 9530 ASC 125 kW / 027 deg WeAf Hassinya Thu-Tue, very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/radio-akhbar-mufriha-via-babcock_29.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28-30, dxldyg via DXLD) ** EGYPT. Reception of Radio Cairo with fair modulation, Jan 26 from 1835 on 9540 ABS 200 kW / 325 deg to WeEu Italian, good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-radio-cairo-with-fair.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via DXLD) ** EGYPT [and non]. Voice of Greece vs. Cairo (?) Good signal of VoG here in NB this afternoon (24 January) but accompanied by an approximately 400 Hz heterodyne. Checking using the U. Twente SDR receiver, VoG is very weak but there is a strong signal on 9419.6 kHz (with a 400 Hz het from VoG). Hearing some intermittent English. Could this be Cairo? The carrier is strong (S9 + 10 dB) but the audio is extremely poor. And now the carrier is gone (at 2157 UT)! Sounds like Cairo. ;-) (-- Richard Langley, NB, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, *0538-0620, 28-01, open with music, flute, songs, at 0600 Spanish, ID “Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial”, news, male, female, “Este informativo nacional”, 0610: “pasan 10 minutos de las 7 de la mañana...”. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Reception of VOBME 1 & VOBME 2 Dimtsi Hafash on Jan 23 from 1416 on 7140.0 ASM 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Tigrinya, weak from 1419 on 7181.5 ASM 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Amharic, fair: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-vobme-1-vobme-2-dimtsi.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. CLANDESTINE & OTHER TARGET BROADCASTS Target: ERITREA (ERI) RADIO ADAL ‡ RADIO AL–MUKHTAR (Rlg) ‡ Key: ‡ Shortwave transmissions cancelled until further notice (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Reception of three Ethiopian station in 49mb, Jan 26 Radio Deegaanka Soomaalida Itoobiya from 1825 on 5940 JJG 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Somali, fair Radio Amhara from 2005 on 6090 GDR 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Amharic, good Fana Broadcasting Corporation Radio Fana from 2020 on 6110 ADD 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Oromo, fair http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-three-ethiopian-station-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 7237.085, Jan 26 at 1517, VP carrier, presumed R. Ethiopia, which varies widely in this area. Also JBA carriers presumed also long-path regular neighbors, 7205 Sudan, 7181+ & 7140 Eritrea, 7120 Somaliland (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. 11600, Radio OMN (Oromia Media Network) via Kostinbrod/Sofia, testing on Jan 26; tuned in at 1554 to hear their carrier already on; 1600 start of program; perhaps in the Oromo language, as directed to the the Oromo people of Ethiopia; three minutes into the broadcast *hit with jamming*. OMN is a U.S. based nonprofit organization, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Website https://www.oromiamedia.org/ Grayline reception, with my local sunrise at 1513 UT and Sofia sunset at 1531 UT. Also heard today at 1600, by Edward Kusalik via a remote in Europe (HB9DC). Thanks very much to Mauno Ritola (WRTH Facebook) for the tip that OMN is again testing. I last heard them testing on Dec 22 (1524-1532), when they were on the air 1500-1600; new testing time is an hour later. My five minute audio at http://goo.gl/DHikcB (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also on parallel frequency 11575. Posted by: (Ivo Observer, 1841 UT Jan 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, ibid.) SECRETLAND, Radio OMN testing again via SPL from Jan 25 1600-1658 on 11575 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Oromo, strong 1600-1656 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Oromo, strong According to IBB Monitoring System under "CME" are registered 1500-1600 on 11600 unknown kW / unknown to EaAf alternative time 1600-1700 on 11630 unknown kW / unknown to EaAf alt. frequency http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/radio-omn-testing-again-via-spl.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) Used the U. Twente SDR receiver this afternoon, while working at my UNB office, to monitor/record the program. A strong signal on 11600 kHz while the parallel frequency of 11575 kHz was quite weak. This is explained by Ivo's observation that 11575 kHz uses a 50 kW transmitter while 11600 kHz uses 100 kW. A few minutes after 1600 UT, the white- noise jammer came up on this frequency, initially obliterating Radio OMN. However, for most of the broadcast, Radio OMN was above the noise. No English detected except for the word "professor" -- I suppose the interview was with one. They tend to like to talk a lot. ;-) No jammer heard or seen on 11575 kHz. The audio ended (seemingly abruptly) at about 1657 with the carrier off at about 1701. The jammer left the frequency about 10 seconds before 1702 (-- Prof. Richard Langley, NB, Jan 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, ibid.) 11600, CLANDESTINE, Radio OMN (Oromia Media Network) – Kostinbrod (Sofia), *1556-1656*, Jan 27. open carrier until flute music opening at 1600 followed by station ID and opening announcements before news in presumed Oromo language. Some Horn of Africa music but mainly long talks until closedown at 1654. Fair (Rich D'Angelo, 2216 Burkey Drive, Wyomissing, PA 19610, U.S.A. Equipment: Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via WORLD OF RADIOI 1915, DXLD) 11600, CLANDESTINE (BULGARIA), R. OMN, OC already on at 1556. 1600 HoA music and nice echo ID by W with frequency in Oromo, M announcer with couple more IDs with mention of meterband, then obvious news headlines with instrumental music between each short item. Good signal and not jammed. 28 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) see also FRANCE ** EUROPE. 12255.02, PIRATE, Reflections Europe. Very poor and only audible on very short peaks with M announcer at 1631 and again 1632, and music at 1636. Peak coincided with ID at 1640, also heard on a European web receiver. 28 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** FRANCE. 13800, Studio 52; 1850, 20 Jan; "Studio 52" program, IDs by OM in English. Song by a singer that sounds like Johnny Cash. More talk by OM alternating between English & Arabic. Uptempo version of Love You More by Sunscream, email address, off air at 1900 (Bill Carney, Grand Ledge MI, Perseus + Wellbrook loop; using Amalgamated DGPS software for DGPS logs, MARE Tipsheet 26 Jan via DXLD) This is an irregular broadcaster, not listed in either Aoki or EiBi. https://studio52radiogroup.jimdo.com Per an HFUnderground post, this b’cast was from Issoudun. Great catch, Bill! -- (Harold Frodge, ed., MARE Tipsheet 26 Jan via DXLD) ** FRANCE [and non]. No signal of three clandestines via TDF Issoudun Radio Herwa International - no signal on Jan 25-27 0700-0730 on 13710 ISS 100 kW / 170 deg to WeAf Hausa/Kanuri Also nothing 11530 YFR 100 kW / 087 deg to WeAf of WRMI tx#9 BRB Voice of Amara Radio - no signal from Jan 22 1600-1700 on 15360 ISS 250 kW / 120 deg to EaAf Amharic Sun 1700-1800 on 15360 ISS 250 kW / 120 deg to EaAf Amharic Mon/Wed/Sat BRB Radio Voice of Independent Oromiya - no signal on Jan.14/21 1600-1630 on 17850 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Oromo Sun (Observer, via DXLD) ** GERMANY. 9830, Adventist World Radio at 1600. AWR IS clearly heard. Man with sign on, ID, and into Bulgarian language. Heard only briefly then faded down. Theoretically I should not hear this station here at this hour, but I did while tuning across the 31 meter band on the HQ- 180-A. I did verify the frequency by chasing the station parallel with the Grundig (that reads digitally). Also noted on the frequency an RTTY station-like sound, heard on both receivers. Fair-Jan. 30 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW- 2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS: CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT LODGED AGAINST THE BND LAW https://rsf.org/en/news/reporters-without-borders-constitutional-complaint-lodged-against-bnd-law January 29, 2018 - Updated on January 30, 2018 Reporters Without Borders (RSF), together with five civil society organisations, has lodged a constitutional complaint against the Federal Intelligence Service Act, also known as the BND law [why?]. In the complaint, international journalists seek to defend themselves against the powers granted to the German foreign intelligence agency, the BND, in the area of surveillance. The complainants are for the most part investigative journalists. Among these journalists is the winner of the Right Livelihood Award, Khadija Ismayilova from Azerbaijan, and the Mexican investigative journalist Raúl Olmos, who was a member of the international team of reporters that evaluated the Paradise Papers. The international organisation Reporters Without Borders, which is based in Paris, is also one of the complainants asserting before the German Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe that the right to freedom of the press and freedom of communication are being violated. [...] Germany is currently ranked 16th among the 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, 30 January 2018, DXLD) ** GREECE. Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, Jan 25: from 0649 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 NO SIGNAL on 9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek tx#1 * news in Arabic/Serbian at 0749-0757 UT & off air at 0803! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, Jan 26: from 0751 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 NO SIGNAL on 9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek tx#1 * news in Arabic/Serbian at 0751-0759 & off air at 0800! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_26.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via DXLD) 9420, Jan 27 at 2220, open carrier/dead air at S7-S9, still past 2230 and I think a later check; nothing on 9935. Must be Voice of Greece minus any modulation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9420.003 kHz, now closer to even fq channel, this Jan 28 morning at 0650 UT V of Greece Avlis, prayer of Greek Orthodox mass, men`s singer group, S=9+20dB here in central Europe, southern Germany. 10.8 wideband signal, nice modulation, no fault could be stated so far. Nil on 9935 [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, DX LISTENING DIGST) ** HAWAII. 5000, Jan 26 at 1143, WWVH with a special announcement this minute, can`t copy clearly, but seems about plans to curtail some service, marine weather? Ends with ``Aloha``, and again at 1144, repeat or part 2. 1145 the hourly propagation outlook, starting with solar flux at 70. Weak and under less weak WWV; also audible on 2500. On Jan 3, Mark Coady, Ont., reported to ODXA: ``According to the NIST website, WWVH on 5000 is at reduced power (2.5 vs. normal 10 kW) due to a transmitter fault`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 2500, Jan 28 at 0714, WWV with NWS notice about discontinuing marine weather, as also heard earlier on WWVH. Here`s the exact info from homepage https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/radio-stations/wwv ``NOTICE: Proposed discontinuation of storm warning announcements on WWV and WWVH --- The National Weather Service is seeking comments on the proposed discontinuation of Atlantic and Pacific high seas storm warnings on the WWV and WWVH broadcasts. These announcements are heard on minutes 8, 9 and 10 of each hour on WWV, and minutes 48, 49, 50 and 51 of WWVH. Questions, comments or concerns about this proposed change should be emailed to nwws.issue@noaa.gov (link sends e-mail) with NIST MARINE WARNING in the subject line, no later than February 23, 2018`` IIRC, such a notice was also airing last year, but apparently nothing ensued, postponed and now being reconsidered (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA [nonish]. AIR Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Following my email query to the AIR station engineer at Port Blair, Andaman Islands, I received his reply stating they still utilise 4760 kHz at 4 kW. Daily sked is 0530-0830 IST (0000-0300 UT) and 1600-2300 IST (1030-1700 UT). In eastern Australia it may be possible to hear this station from 1200 UT which equates to approximate local dusk (5.30 pm IST) at Port Blair. I heard the station at 1500 UT early January with talks and Hindi music at pretty faint level. AIR Port Blair also operate daily on 7390 kHz, 4 kW 0845-1600 IST (0315-1700 UT) but it’s unlikely this frequency would be heard in Australia. Several reports in overseas DX media state that Chinese radio technicians visited Port Blair late last year, and installed replacement components in the transmitter, so this may have assisted my logging the station mid-summer in the southern hemisphere. AIR Leh, Jammu & Kashmir Ladaki also operate daily with 7 kW on 4760 0215-0430 and 1130-1630 UT, plus 6000 kHz 0630-0930 UT. Care needs to be exercised in logging 4760 kHz due to the dual occupancy of these AIR stations (Robert Shepherd, Jan-Feb ADXN via DXLD) ** INDIA. Jan 25, on the eve of the 69th Republic Day, an address to the nation by president of India. 1330: AIR ID; National Anthem; president's speech in Hindi; 1348: Ends Hindi segment with "Jai Hind" and then repeats address in English. President’s address // frequencies: 4760, AIR Port Blair - Open carrier; unable to pull in any audio. 4800, AIR Hyderabad - Unable to hear due to the usual CNR1 (China). 4810, AIR Bhopal - Heard poorly. 4835, Gangtok - Off the air; Jan 24 heard at 1514 with transmitter hum; having problems with transmitter! 4895, AIR Kurseong - Continues off the air. 4910, AIR Jaipur - Only able to hear a carrier. 4920, AIR Chennai - Heard, but as usual mixing with PBS Xizang (Tibet) 4950, AIR Radio Kashmir, Srinagar - only an open carrier; never reached the level of any audio. 4970, AIR Shillong - Mostly poor; not much audio; low modulation. 5010, AIR Thiruvananthapuram - Poor. 5040, AIR Jeypore - A nice signal here [WORLD OF RADIO 1915] 5050, AIR Aizawl - Only heard BBR (China); AIR has not been heard here for a long time now. 9380, AIR via Aligarh - 1330 only hearing a carrier/hum; by 1353 had audio. 9865, AIR via Bengaluru - Fair. YouTube video of president's speech (English portion) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qac9toWmLo Before and after the speech, AIR Jeypore (5040) had live coverage of the India vs RSA cricket match being held in South Africa; alternate coverage in English and Hindi; 1509 news headlines in English, then "back to our coverage" (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 7340, AIR Mumbai, 1240 segment of long talk by M in presumed Sinhalese, brief music, then W announcer at 1245, and into subcontinental music going past 1253. Weak signal but also on Coimbatore India web receiver doing well. 29 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** INDIA. 11560, AIR, 1/24/18, 1530-45 in English, a 15 minute world and regional news segment. WRTH lists the target area for this transmission as Western Asia. Just as the announcer said that "sports is next," the transmitter abruptly shut off (as scheduled) at 1545. So obviously reusing a recording from another broadcast earlier in the day. Fair to good signals helped by the listed 500 kW (Bob Dodt, VA, IC-750, Alpha Delta SWL Sloper, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via DXLD) I don`t see how that means it was a recording (gh) ** INDIA. Very good signal of All India Radio on Jan 25: 1615-1715 on 11560 BGL 500 kW / 325 deg to EaEu Russian NO SIGNAL on 9910 DEL 250 kW / 312 deg to EaEu Russian With announcement of wrong // 9595, instead of 9910 kHz http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/very-good-signal-of-all-india-radio-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INDIA. Happy Republic Day to all! The B 17 schedule of AIR is available in their official website now http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Radio%20Network/Pages/default.aspx Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, Mobile: +91 94416 96043 http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos Jan 26, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. 15185, AIR via Bengaluru, 0412, on Jan 26, with live commentary in English of the parade and cultural pageant of the 69th Republic Day; description of the military regiments marching by, as well as describing the Indian Prime Minister, President and other dignitaries; 0430 mentioned "21 gun salute," followed by National Anthem (instrumental); 0440 the Indian Army Band went marching by, followed by bagpipe marching band. This is the first year that I have ever heard this event on SW. Very nice! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Regarding my eve of Republic Day reception (Jan 25) - very much appreciate feedback from Gautam Kumar Sharma (Abhayapuri, Assam, India), which confirms many of my observations: "Thanks for your observations on reception quality of AIR Regional Stations specially from the North East. Yes, AIR-Shillong is now heard with low intensity audio level (i.e. perhaps low modulation) on 4970 kHz, as I regularly aircheck in the morning 0030-0330 UT. And also with slight rough audio. Both AIR-Aizawl on 5050 & AIR-Kursong on 4895 are not heard here from a long time. As posted by me in DX India Yahoo Groups, recently AIR-Gangtok on 4835 was heard with strong hum and as per my latest monitoring now it was off the air. As reported earlier in DX Circles, AIR-Chennai was noted with strong hum for a few days but it was rectified within a very short time. Now the most consistent reception giving AIR Regional Shortwave Station is AIR-Jeypore on 5040 kHz" Jan 26, noted that AIR Gangtok (4835) seemed back to normal at 1307, with faint audio, but no transmitter hum. Yesterday clearly off the air. 5040, AIR Jeypore, 1218, Jan 26. Yet another day of live coverage from South Africa of the India vs RSA cricket match; in English; later with coverage in Hindi (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9940.071, AIR Kingsway odd fq, Nepali service, 0747 UT S=5-6 from India into Germany under great sunspot figures this morning [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INDIA [non]. TWR: See ARMENIA ** INDONESIA [and non-log]. 9525.95, VOI, Jan 26. Still off the air through 1117. Only active Indonesian SW station is Pro 1 RRI Palangkaraya (3325), heard Jan 26, at 1537, with indigenous music / chanting; mostly fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9526-, Jan 28 circa 1520 bandscan, no signal as usual from VOI which has been missing now for weeks. Michael Cunningham in Brisbane tells me, ``Hi Glen[n], VOI have notified listeners on their Facebook page today (Sun 28th Jan) that the 9525 kHz is under maintenance. No indication of when they expect to return. See attached for the notification`` his voice of indonesia-off.pdf says: ``Dear valued listeners, in the past several weeks our SW 9525 kHz transmitter has been under maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience. But don`t worry, you are still able to listen to our programs via streaming on [sic] Http://cdn.voinews.id/streaming_en/id.html and http://cdn2.voinews.id Thank you very much for staying tuned to Voice of Indonesia`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. DX RE MIX NEWS # 1055 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov. Date Jan. 30, 2018 Also visit: & ====================================================================== UPDATED WINTER B17 OF CLANDESTINE TRANSMISSIONS AS OF JAN 29 [in time order, so some stations appear more than once] Voice of Freedom 0000-0200 on 5920 CHC 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean, alt 6045 Republic of Yemen Radio 0000-0700 on 11860 JED or RIY / unknown to N/ME Arabic Radio República 0200-0400 on 9490 ISS 150 kW / 285 deg to Cuba Spanish Radio Payem e-Doost 0230-0315 on 7460 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Farsi Voice of Kashmir 0230-0330 on 6030 DEL 250 kW / 304 deg to SoAs Kashmiri Voice of Freedom 0300-0800 on 5920 CHC 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean, alt 6045 Radio Tamazuj 0330-0430 on 7315 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic 0330-0430 on 15550 MDC 250 kW / 335 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic Denge Kurdistan 0330-1530 on 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to WeAs Kurdish 0330-1530 on 7520 ERV 300 kW / 192 deg to WeAs Kurdish Radio República 0400-0500 on 9490 ISS 150 kW / 285 deg to Cuba Spanish Sun/Mon Radio Dabanga 0430-0500 on 7315 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba [sic] Arabic 0430-0500 on 15550 MDC 250 kW / 335 deg to EaAf Juba [sic] Arabic Echo of Unification 0430-0630 on 3945 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0430-0630 on 3966vCNG 005 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0430-0630 on 6250 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean Radio Biafra 0500-0530 on 7240 ISS 100 kW / 170 deg to WeAf English Radio Dandal Kura International 0500-0700 on 5960 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Kanuri Voice of The People 0530-2330 on 3480 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0530-2330 on 3910 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0530-2330 on 3930 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0530-2330 on 4450 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0530-2330 on 6520 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0530-2330 on 6600 K-S 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean Echo of Hope 0600-2400 on 3985 HWA 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0600-2400 on 4885 SEO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0600-2400 on 5995 HWA 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0600-2400 on 6250 SEO 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean 0600-2400 on 6350 HWA 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 0600-2400 on 9100 SEO 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean Radio Dandal Kura International 0700-0800 on 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg to WeAf Kanuri Radio Herwa International, inactive at present 0700-0730 on 11530 YFR 100 kW / 087 deg to WeAf Hausa/Kanuri 0700-0730 on 13710 ISS 100 kW / 170 deg to WeAf Hausa/Kanuri Voice of Kashmir 0730-0830 on 6100 DEL 250 kW / 304 deg deg to SoAs Kashmiri Voice of Freedom 0900-1500 on 5920 CHC 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean, alt 6045 Republic of Yemen Radio 0900-2400 on 11860 JED or RIY / unknown to N/ME Arabic Suab Xaa Moo Zoo Voice of Hope 1130-1200 on 11530 TSH 100 kW / 250 deg to SEAs Hmong Voice of Khmer M'Chas Srok 1130-1200 on 12150 TAC 100 kW / 122 deg to SEAs Khmer Thu/Sun Radio Que Me 1200-1230 on 9930 HBN 100 kW / 318 deg to EaAs Vietnamese Fri Voice of Tibet 1200-1208 on 11517 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese 1208-1230 on 11507 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese Radio ERGO 1200-1300 on 17845 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf Somali Radio Free North Korea 1200-1300 on 9345 TAC 100 kW / 076 deg to NEAs Korean National Unity Radio 1200-1500 on 7530 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to NEAs Korean Voice of Tibet 1230-1237 on 11602 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1237-1300 on 11603 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan Echo of Unification 1230-1430 on 3945 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 1230-1430 on 3966vCNG 005 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 1230-1430 on 6250 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean Voice of Tibet 1300-1305 on 9897 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1305-1335 on 9898 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1335-1400 on 9903 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan Voice of Tibet 1300-1308 on 11627 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese 1308-1316 on 11632 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese 1316-1330 on 11637 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese Nippon no Kaze 1300-1330 on 7295 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Korean 1300-1330 on 9465 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Korean 1300-1330 on 9940 TSH 100 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Korean JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Chinese Mon 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Tue 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Wed 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs English Thu 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Fri 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Sat 1300-1330 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Sun Furusato no Kaze 1330-1400 on 7295 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Japanese 1330-1400 on 9705 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Japanese 1330-1400 on 9950 TSH 100 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Japanese JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Mon 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Tue 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Wed 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs English Thu 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Fri 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Sat 1330-1400 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Sun Voice of Wilderness 1330-1530 on 7625 TAC 100 kW / 070 deg to NEAs Korean Furusato no Kaze 1405-1435 on 6085 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese 1430-1500 on 7295 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Japanese 1430-1500 on 9560 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Japanese 1430-1500 on 9960 HBN 100 kW / 345 deg to NEAs Japanese Voice of Kashmir 1430-1530 on 6030 DEL 250 kW / 304 deg to SoAs Kashmiri North Korea Reform Radio 1430-1530 on 7590 TAC 100 kW / 076 deg to NEAs Korean Radio Tamazuj 1430-1530 on 13800 MDC 250 kW / 340 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic 1430-1530 on 15550 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic Nippon no Kaze 1500-1530 on 7290 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Korean 1500-1530 on 9800 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Korean 1500-1530 on 9975 HBN 100 kW / 345 deg to NEAs Korean Radio Warra Wangeelaa-ti 1500-1530 on 15515 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Afan Oromo Sat Living Water Ministry Broadcasting 1500-1600 on 7280 PUG 250 kW / 000 deg to NEAs Korean Tue-Thu Denge Kurdistan 1530-1600 on 7520 ERV 300 kW / 192 deg to WeAs Kurdish Nippon no Kaze 1530-1600 on 7290 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Korean 1530-1600 on 9465 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Korean 1530-1600 on 9965 HBN 100 kW / 345 deg to NEAs Korean Radio Dabanga 1530-1630 on 13800 MDC 250 kW / 340 deg to EaAf Juba [sic] Arabic 1530-1630 on 15550 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba [sic] Arabic Voice of Martyrs 1530-1700 on 7510 TAC 100 kW / 076 deg to NEAs Korean/English Furusato no Kaze 1600-1630 on 6045 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Japanese 1600-1630 on 9690 TSH 300 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Japanese 1600-1630 on 9975 HBN 100 kW / 345 deg to NEAs Japanese JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Chinese Mon 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Tue 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Wed 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs English Thu 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Fri 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Sat 1600-1630 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Sun Radio Xoriyo Ogaden 1600-1630 on 11970 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Somali Tue/Sat 1600-1630 on 17870 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Somali Mon/Fri Radio Voice of Independent Oromiya 1600-1630 on 17850 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Oromo Sun Voice of Amara Radio, inactive at present 1600-1700 on 15360 ISS 250 kW / 120 deg to EaAf Amharic Sun Voice of Freedom 1600-2000 on 5920 CHC 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean, alt 6045 Denge Kurdistan 1600-2200 on 1395 ERV 500 kW / ??? deg to WeAs Kurdish 1600-2200 on 7320 ERV 300 kW / 280 deg to WeAs Kurdish Nippon no Kaze 1630-1700 on 6155 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Korean JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Mon 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Tue 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Wed 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs English Thu 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Fri 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Korean Sat 1630-1700 on 6110 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs Japanese Sun Furusato no Kaze 1700-1730 on 6155 TSH 300 kW / 352 deg to NEAs Japanese Radio Ranginkaman/Radio Rainbow 1700-1730 on 7580 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Farsi Mon/Fri Voice of Oromo Liberation 1700-1730 on 11810 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg to EaAf Afan Oromo Wed/Fri/Sun Dimtse Radio Erena 1700-1730 on 9720 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Tigrinya Mon-Fri Dimtse Radio Erena 1730-1800 on 9720 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Arabic Mon-Fri Dimtse Radio Erena 1700-1800 on 9720 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Tigrinya Sat 1700-1800 on 9720 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Arabic Sun Voice of Amara Radio, inactive at present 1700-1800 on 15360 ISS 250 kW / 120 deg to EaAf Amharic Mon/Wed/Sat Voice of Oromo Liberation 1730-1800 on 11810 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg to EaAf Amharic Wed Radio Payem e-Doost 1800-1845 on 7480 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Farsi Radio Itahuka 1800-1900 on 15420 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAf Kirundi Sat Radio Dandal Kura International 1800-2100 on 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Kanuri Lutheran World Federation/Voice of Gospel/Sawtu Linjilia 1830-1858 on 9800 ISS 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf Fulfulde Radio Herwa International 1930-2000 on 9580 ISS 100 kW / 170 deg to WeAf Hausa/Kanuri 1930-2000 on 11530 YFR 100 kW / 087 deg to WeAf Hausa/Kanuri North Korea Reform Radio 2030-2130 on 7500 TAC 100 kW / 076 deg to NEAs Korean Voice of Freedom 2100-2400 on 5920 CHC 010 kW / 010 deg to NEAs Korean, alt 6045 Suab Xaa Moo Zoo Voice of Hope 2230-2300 on 7530 TSH 100 kW / 250 deg to SEAs Hmong Echo of Unification 2230-0030 on 3945 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 2230-0030 on 3966vCNG 005 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean 2230-0030 on 6250 PYO 100 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean Voice of Tibet 2300-2305 on 7493 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2305-2330 on 7487 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2330-2335 on 7493 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2335-2345 on 7487 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2345-2400 on 7488 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan Sound of Hope Xi Wang Zhi Sheng & RFA relays, time vary 2100-1700 on 6230 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 6280 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 6370 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 6730 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 6870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 6900 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7210 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7280 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7310 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7650 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7730 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 7810 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9080 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9155 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9180 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9200 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9230 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 9255 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9280 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9320 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 9540 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9635 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9730 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9920 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 9970 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 10820 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 10870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 10920 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 10960 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11070 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11100 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 11150 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11300 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11370 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11410 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11440 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11460 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11500 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11530 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11580 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 11600 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 11715 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11765 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 11970 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12150 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12170 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12190 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 12230 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12345 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12370 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12430 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12500 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12560 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12800 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12910 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12950 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 12980 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13070 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13130 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13200 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13230 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13270 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13530 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13620 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13640 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13680 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13820 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13890 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13920 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 13980 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14370 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14430 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14500 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14600 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14700 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14800 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14820 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14900 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14920 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 14980 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 15070 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15295 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15340 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15740 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15800 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chi/RFA 2100-1700 on 15870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15940 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 15970 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16100 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16160 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16250 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16300 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16350 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16680 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16770 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16775 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 16980 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 17000 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 17200 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 17400 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 17440 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 18180 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 18870 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 2100-1700 on 21800 unknown kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/dx-re-mix-news-1055.html More information on the shortwave listening hobby, please visit to http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com QTH-1: Patreshko, Bulgaria Receiver: Afedri SDR Software: SDR-Console v2.3(using remote connection) Antennas: various Inverted V and beverage antennas. QTH-2: Sofia OK2, Bulgaria Receiver: Sony ICF-2001D Antenna: 30 m. long wire -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. LONG-DEAD NASA SPACECRAFT WAKES UP Amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has a hobby: He hunts spy satellites. Using an S-band radio antenna in Roberts Creek, British Columbia, he regularly scans the skies for radio signals from classified objects orbiting Earth. Since he started 5 years ago, Tilley has bagged dozens of secret or unlisted satellites. "It's a lot of fun," he confesses. Earlier this month, Tilley was hunting for Zuma--a secretive United States government satellite lost in a launch mishap on Jan. 8th--when a J-shaped curve appeared on his computer screen. "It was the signature of a lost satellite," he says, "but it was not Zuma." https://skyriddles.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/nasas-long-dead-image-satellite-is-alive/ In a stroke of good luck that has dizzied space scientists, Tilley found IMAGE, a NASA spacecraft that "died" more than 10 years ago. More of his article here: https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2018/01/28/long-dead-nasa-spacecraft-wakes-up/ SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids (via Mike Terry, Jan 27, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Sad news. Peter Brian, a.k.a. Peter van Dam, who worked for Radio 199, Radio Caroline, Radio Atlantis, Radio Mi Amigo and numerous other stations between 1972 and 2017 died on Saturday January 6th at the age of 65. He was the number one deejay from Belgium for many decades. Jean Luc Bostyn has written an obituary, which you can find with the next link. Peter van Dam 1973 photo: Menno Dekker https://translate.google.nl/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fradiovisie.eu%2Fhet-manneke-popt-niet-meer%2F&edit-text=&act=url (Hans Knot International Radio Report, Feb via DXLD) obit ** IRAN [non]. Re: 250 TV, RADIO STATIONS IN PERSIAN TARGET IRAN Mehrnews English http://en.mehrnews.com/news/131547/250-TV-radio-stations-in-Persian-target-Iran 250?? Hard to believe. Please provide an enumerated list, along with platforms. Sure aren`t more than a few on SW. Does each Radio Farda frequency count as a ``station``? (gh, DXLD) Many years ago, I published an article on The Arrival of Radio Farda. International Broadcasting to Iran at a Crossroads, in: MERIA (Middle East Review of International Affairs) Journal 7,2003,1 (March 2003), p. 13-22. In my files I have an old undated list of some 100 Iranian radio and television programmes outside of Iran. So, it is possible that the Iranian official refers to a list reflecting Iran’s monitoring of such ventures even if the particular exile community is not broadcasting with Iran as a target area in mind (Dr Hansjoerg Biener 30 January 2018 ** IRAN [non]. BBG – RADIO FARDA (US Gov) Farsi Days Area kHz 0400-0500 daily IRN 5860kwt (add) 0400-0530 daily IRN 13765udo (add) 1500-1530 daily IRN 13765lam (add) 1430-1500 daily IRN 9990bib (add) 1430-1530 daily IRN 5860kwt (add) 1500-1630 daily IRN 11695lam (add) 1730-2130 daily IRN 7585udo (add) (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. SECRETLAND, Again no signal of IRRS Radio Santec/The Word/Cosmic Wave via SPL Secretbrod: 1500-1530 15190 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg SAs Eng/Ger Sun, probably deleted http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/from-isle-of-music-irrs-radio-santec.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. EMR TOM TAYLOR PASSED AWAY Hello There from IRRS/NEXUS-IBA in Milan, We are back after a while, with some very sad news. Tom Taylor, also known as Barry Stephens, founder of European Music Radio, and passionate Shortwave radio enthusiast heard many times over our station, has died. We exchanged emails last November with Tom, and he wrote me about his illness. Tom was extremely eager to return to the air in 2018. I thought that these days he would be able to recover quickly. However, I was wrong. I am losing a very good friend and a passionate radio lover alike. We are all going to miss him greatly at NEXUS. We scheduled the last EMR program that Tom sent to us for a special broadcast over the next weekend on: i.) Friday, Feb 2, 2018, 1900-2000 UT on 7290 kHz (150 kW to EU) and 846 kHz MW ii.) Saturday, Feb 3, 2018, 0900-1000 UT on 9510 kHz (150 kW to EU) Also repeated at various other times on 846 kHz during all next week from 7 PM-01 AM CET on 846 kHz to Southern Europe, and available via streaming at http://mp3.nexus.org:8000/irn.mp3.m3u Hope Tom will be enjoying good reception from the heavens. Keep listening to Shortwave. 73s, (-- Alfredo E. Cotroneo, CEO, NEXUS-Int'l Broadcasting Association, https://www.nexus.org Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) We are sad to hear that. Late last year he had specials on WBCQ. HFCC maintains the fixion those frequencies are really from MILano. EiBi says both are via Sofia, BULGARIA. Aoki says 7290 is Saftica, ROMANIA, and 9510 Kostinbrod/Sofia, BULGARIA. Guess what, starting with 2018 WRTH, IRRS is filed under IRELAND in the international sexion, page 477, leaving Italy only with IBC. Yet more conflicting info on the sites: WRTH shows both 9510 and 7290 via Tsiganeshti, ROMANIA! About Ireland, WRTH notes explain: ``In 2017, the operation was re- organised as a business unit of Milano Ventures Ltd (Ireland)``; has Alfredo axually moved to Ireland? Postal address: Apartment 97, Merrion Village, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 YA32, Ireland. (I think that is a zero, not an oh, after the D, but WRTH font makes them very hard to distinguish, never crossing zeroes.) Yet WRTH also says ``SW: via tx leased from NURTS (Bulgaria)`` --- but only 15190 and 15515 have sof attached to them. 846 is a relay via Challenger Radio, Villa Estense, northern Italy. Only Alfredo knows the true SW transmitter sites, and he isn`t saying. EMR website: http://www.europeanmusicradio.com/ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7290 and 9510 are via Romania. Posted by: (Ivo Observer, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tributes to Tom here and link to Mark Staffords public Facebook timeline where there are more. https://shortwavedx.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/rip-tom-taylor-of-emr.html Final EMR broadcast that Tom made scheduled on IRRS this weekend https://shortwavedx.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/final-broadcast-from-european-music.html Herbert Visser will be dedicating the next 3rd Sunday shortwave broadcast he has, 6070 khz, 8-9 GMT, Sunday February 18th, to EMR and Tom (Mike Barraclough, UK, Feb 1, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. 6165, Jan 27 at 0610, poor S9+ YL in non-Spanish, must be Arabic this semihour from NHK World as scheduled via FRANCE. This was in an RHC check, which seems to be AWOL from this frequency, not just undermodulated; still there on non // 6000 S9+20/30 undermod, 6060 louder, and 6100 S9+30 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KIRITIMATI. 846, Jan 24 at 0655, JBA carrier from presumed R. Kiribati (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not much since [and non]. 846-UnID TP in Kona, Hawaii --- The newly rejuvenated 846- Kiribati pretty much smothered the frequency in Kona, Hawaii last month each evening until its sign off around 1006 UT, but I did manage to find one recording with a fairly strong co-channel at 1002 on 12- 19. This apparently has some accented English by a male speaker along with some interval music-- maybe Radio Veritas in the Philippines? The occasional female speaker at a weak level is the Kiribati announcer https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/e0t9i8bpx75lgmu5k9p0lmlopctdmtq2 (Gary DeBock (DXing in Kona, Hawaii with a 7.5" loopstick C. Crane Skywave SSB Ultralight + 5 inch "Frequent Flyer" FSL antenna, IRCA via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Most of NK transmitters are suffering with technical malfunctions. Following observations are made via Japanese SDR´s: 621, Pyongyang B.S./VOK. Low and distorted modulation. 702, KCBS Chongjin have irregular schedule. 801, Pyongyang B.S. Hwadae is driting 797-804 kHz. 810, Pyongyang B.S. Kaesong is drifting 805-818 kHz and terrible distorted, Irregular schedule. It is jamming their own broadcast from Pyongyang on 819 kHz. 873, KCBS/PBS, Sinuiju have telephone quality audio and you can hear jammer in the background. 882, KCBS Wonsan is distorted and drifting 880-885 kHz. 729, 765, 792 are unheard, probably reduced power and not reaching Japan. The only good sounding transmitters are: 657, Pyongyang B.S. from the capital. 720, KCBS Kanggye. 819, KCBS Pyongyang. 855, Pyongyang B.S. from Sangwon (Tringer László, 8.1.2018 via Ydun´s MW Info via Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 29 Jan via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. Seems the Olympic diplomacy is really working? On Jan 26, at 1106, found about a 20 minute segment of no jamming at all on 3910, 3930, 3985, 5995, 6015, 6135, 6250, etc.; most of the S. Korea stations had fair to good reception; jamming started about 1127 for most frequencies, but for some reason didn't jam 3910, 3930 nor 3985. Again at 1228+ had no jamming at all till *1244. In the past was extremely rare to find these segments with no jamming, but now is almost a daily happening! BTW - Hope to someday find 6135 free of jamming before 1500, so I can check on Glenn's UNID (perhaps Madagascar) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 5885, MARIANA ISLANDS (Tinian), Radio Free Asia at 1500. Good ID by M in English to W in Korean. Good and over a DPRK jammer. Jan. 29 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ- 180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non] JAPAN, Fair signal of JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze, Jan 25 1600-1700 on 6110*YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs English Thu * co-ch same 6110 ADD 100 kW / non-dir to EaAf Radio Fana: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/fair-signal-of-jsr-shiokaze-sea-breeze.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via DXLD) 5935, JAPAN, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze at 1300. Open carrier after Dr. Gene Scott went off, to sign on right on the hour, piano music, M then and W in Japanese over soft piano music. Signal well over obvious censorship, i.e., DPRK jammer. Good-Jan. 30 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Reception of BRB Living Water Ministry Broadcasting on Jan 23 1500-1600 7280 PUG 250 kW / 000 deg NEAs Korean Tue-Thu, good signal: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-brb-living-water-ministry_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH/SOUTH. 6250, on Jan 26, at 1228, with Echo of Hope - Voice of Hope in the clear (no jamming) with good signal; at *1230 hit with the strong sign on of Echo of Unification (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 5920, Jan 29 at 1405, pop song sounds English, 1407 Korean YL; lite jamming from rapidly pulsing carrier on high side, about 5921.65. Must be Voice of Freedom from South to North. 6085, Jan 29 at 1412, Furusato no Kaze, via Shiokaze, JAPAN, this one with same kind of jamming but from the low side 6084 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. 5920, Presumed Voice of Freedom, South Korea and VoIRI, Iran mixing at 1439, former in Korean and latter in Hindi. - Both poor, Jan. 27 (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia. Listening in my car, parked on a quiet country road. CommRadio CR-1a and Sony AN-1 antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Pray for the land that has been gifted to FEBC in South Korea. This land is located in just the right place, where we can build a radio station so powerful that our broadcasts will be heard across the entire country of North Korea. Yes, this outreach is incredibly ambitious, and we estimate our costs will surpass $1 million over the next year. But first things first, we ask that you would pray that we can break ground and get the radio tower started. https://www.febc.org/2018-projects (via FEBC Newsletter via Juan Franco Crespo, Spain, DXLD) ??? FEBC already has two long-established high-power MW stations in South Korea; what`s wrong with them? Per WRTH, 100 kW on 1188, HLKX Seoul; and 250 kW on 1566, HLAZ, Jeju; plus a bunch of FM stations. So where is the new one, exactly? (gh, DXLD) ** KOSOVO. A PROPÓSITO DE KOSOVO - ARRL, NOTICIAS DE LA JUNTA. En la mañana del domingo 21 de enero, Dx World publicaba el siguiente tuit: Strong rumours suggest Kosovo will become [after a long time & with their IARU membership] the newest DXCC entity. *Emphasis on rumours * .... T.B.C / QRX ! En el indicaba que después de mucho tiempo de espera, había "FUERTES RUMORES" de la posible inclusión de Kosovo en la IARU, lo que supondría un nuevo país del DXCC. Más tarde, Dx World en su web añadiría: Noticias de la Junta de ARRL (Jan Conexion Digital via DXLD) ** KOSOVO. NEW DXCC - REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO (Z6): The Republic of Kosovo (Z6) has been added to the DXCC list, effective 21 January 2018, bringing the list in total to 340 entities. http://www.arrl.org/news/amendment-to-arrl-dxcc-rules-will-expand-dxcc-list (DARC DXNL Jan 31 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA igroup via DXLD) Viz.: AMENDMENT TO ARRL DXCC RULES WILL EXPAND DXCC LIST --- 01/23/2018 The ARRL Board of Directors approved a motion to amend the DXCC Rules, when it met January 19-20. Section II, Subsection 1 of the DXCC Rules now will include a new Subsection (d): The entity has a separate IARU member society http://www.iaru.org/member-societies.html and is included on the US State Department Independent States in the World. https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm “The discussion during the Board meeting and the rule change did not address any specific entity,” ARRL Radiosport Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, said. “The amendment *could allow* some additions to the current DXCC List of entities. It’s a good thing not only for DXCC but for all active hams.” In fact, the Republic of Kosovo (Z6) has been added to the DXCC List of current entities, increasing the total number of current DXCC entities to 340. The addition of Kosovo raises to 331 the required number of current entities confirmed to qualify for DXCC Honor Roll; Top of Honor Roll is 340. DXCC award accounts are being tabulated to reflect the change. This change qualifies as an “event,” effective on January 21, 2018, at 0000 UTC. Nothing is retroactive. A new Logbook of The World (LoTW) TQSL configuration file (v.11.4) will be released on January 23. TQSL will detect when this file has been released and will install the update automatically. Radio Amateurs outside of Kosovo should continue to upload their logs to LoTW in the usual manner. LoTW users within Kosovo (either with a Z6 call sign or reciprocal call sign Z6/) will use TQSL to request a new call sign certificate for their call sign. The request will use Republic of Kosovo as the DXCC entity, and the QSO Begin date will be January 21 or later. LoTW will reject call sign certificate requests for the Republic of Kosovo with a QSO Begin date prior to January 21. Z6 users requesting call sign certificates may e- mail a copy of their Amateur Radio license. Kosovo’s IARU member society SHRAK http://www.shrak.org/en/ and its president Vjollca Caka, Z61VB, are hosting a 10th-anniversary activation to celebrate Kosovo’s independence in February, 2008. SHRAK Headquarters station Z60A now is active on several bands with multiple guest operators. Club Log will be used for this activation, while QSLs are via OH2BH (via DXLD) See BOUVET ISLAND [and non] ** KURDISTAN [non]. _4810.00_, 1345-1405 21.1, CLANDESTINE, Dengê Kurdistanê (New frequency!), via Noratus, Armenia, Kurdish talk about Iran and Syria, 1350 ID: "Era Dengê Kurdistanê", 1400 orchestra music, talk - noise on USB, so best in LSB. 35343 // 7520 (35433) (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde heard on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, 4010.223 kHz noted on Jan 6. Heute traf ein e-QSL Brief innerhalb von 10 Stunden von Kyrgyz Radio 4010 kHz hier ein. QSLer war Frau Cholpon Temirbekowa. (Dieter Wi_So_GER, A-DX Jan 23) QSL 4010 kHz Birinchi Radio, Krasnaya Rechka, Bishkek, Kygyz Republic Ms. Cholpon Temirbekova International Relations Department Officer Public Broadcasting Corporation of the Kyrgyz Republic 59, Jash Gvardiya boulevard 720010 Bishkek Kyrgyz Republic Office: +996 312 658495 (Christian Milling-D, A-DX Jan 23 via BC-DX 27 Jan via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) 03/2018- NEW STATION, NEW COUNTRY !!! Surprising gift on Vasanth Panchami! Listened to Birinchi Radio Kirgyzstan last night i.e. on 21/01/2018 from 1645 to 1730 UT on 4010 kHz. Submitted email report this morning at 1020 am. QSL confirmation letter received from Ms. Cholpon Temirbekova, International Public relations Officer at 1027 am, just after 7 minutes. Unbelievable!!! Actually, I sent my first report to them on 09/01/2018 and was not getting a reply. Meanwhile, I noticed a few got reply within a week or so. So, I decided to send a fresh report with reference to the previous one. Probably, that resulted this surprise (Pradip Kundu India, QSL World, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4010, Radio Liberty program, Bishkek. 21/1 at 1445 with discussion in Russian, ID at 1448 in KY as Azatuyik Radio, from 1500 again Kyrgyz Radio program DJ in Russian about the biography of Natalie Cole singer. On 22/1 from 1500 program of the BBC, & from 1600 of CRI both in KY (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony 2001D, Folded Marconi ant 16 meters own made, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) On January 21st I took 4010 kHz after 1445 Radio Liberty program in Russian - discussed the legislative reforms in Kyrgyzstan, and at 1458 announced the end of the transmission in the Kyrgyz language of "Azatyk Radio". From 1500 in Russian the musical biography of the singer Natalie Kol sounded, and from 1510 the program in the local language "Dostuk Radio", from 1520 to 1528 the fairy tale for the children of "Good night" in Russian, later in Kyrgyz, and from 4 pm the transfer of MRKita from Beijing in the Kyrgyz language. On January 22, at 3 pm, the BBC program began in the Kyrgyz language (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Pray for our new Talas station that is set to launch in the coming months, as well as our plans to launch another brand-new station this year in this culturally Muslim nation. The new station would be located either in Osh, the capital and biggest city in the south of Kyrgyzstan; or in Naryn, located near the center of the country and considered by many to be the cultural capital of Kyrgyzstan. https://www.febc.org/2018-projects (via FEBC Newsletter via Juan Franco Crespo, Spain, DXLD) WTFK? ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, Radio Malagasy, tentative. 1900, notorious for its irregularity. Heard at weak level in French with bad carrier hum, news lead-up theme (a siren) and then siren again at 1910 news end. In years gone by I seem to recall hearing their odd news theme. AIR Thiruvananthapuram, Kakala off air by this time. Interestingly, a DXer on a cruise ship in the western Indian ocean reports to NZDXRL as hearing Malagasy 5010 kHz from the ship. 5/1 (Robert Shepherd, Toowoomba QLD (JRC NRD535-D using balanced 80’ long wire, plus balanced EWE NE – SW), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 6065, Jan 24 at 0306, sounds like children`s drama or story, in African language with music, S8 to S9+10; then ID as ``Ah- doble-ve-err`` almost like it were Spanish, but really AWR in Malgache this hour, 100 kW at 20 degrees. I guess Talata can`t go non- direxional or better yet, NVIS, for domestic coverage (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 13800, Jan 24 at 1525, sounds like two stations mixing, one with talk, one with music, during Radio Tamazuj, also a long/short path echo? Or is single station programming just over-produced? And a fast subaudible heterodyne, or is it just propagational flutter? By 1528, it`s Radio Dabanga only with their singing IDs. In previous seasons there was a site change about now, with overlapping audio, but in B-17 both are scheduled exactly same parameters via Talata. I can see how one might suspect it`s a totally different station under there, i.e. Radio Puntland, but we certainly need more evidence of that. BTW, Tamazuj for Sudan South is surely in the Juba dialect of Arabic, not that I can hear the difference, but I don`t think R. Dabanga which is mainly for Darfur, would also be in the Juba dialect as some schedules keep assuming. Both services are produced by Free Press Unlimited in the Netherlands. WRTH 2018 page 518 does not mention Juba Arabic at all, just Arabic for Tamazuj (which means Blend), but this about the Dabanga languages: ``aimed at listeners in the Darfur area of Western Sudan. In Standard Arabic, Darfuri Arabic, Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRTH got it: see SUDAN SOUTH [non] ** MEXICO. 770, XEANT, SLP, Tancanhuitz de Santos, 01/17, noted at 0001 with female giving full identification, nice clear signal. Relog 810, XEHT, TLAX, Huamantla, 01/12, noted at 0559 with fair signal with male and female "…XHHT FM 106.9 ….. Radio Huamantla ….", heard with KYTY underneath, New! (James Niven, Receiver ELAD S2 and Drake R8 with Antennas as DKAZ (East & South) 140-foot x 23 high, (2) EWE’s 1 East and 1 West 100x15ft and 150-foot Long wire, Cedar Creek (East of Austin), Texas, NRC IDXD Jan 26 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 820, XEBA, Belisario Domínguez, Jal. JAN 20 1329 - Baladas in mix with WBAP, ID at 1330, "XEBA, La Consentida, en 820 AM, con diez mil watts de potencia. La Consentida, una emisora de Televisa Radio." Then back into baladas. [Vance-TX] 820, XEABCA, Mexicali, BC, JAN 20 1338 - Dance music and baladas, ID at 1345, "Canal ochocientos veinte, ABC Radio," and back into music. Full ID at 1358 followed by Mexican national anthem. Prolonged farm animal noises at 1404. (Time to get up!) [Vance-TX] 1040, XEBBB, Santa Ana Tepititlan, Jal. JAN 20 1111 - Spanish pop with announcement, "Diez-Cuarenta, Radio Mujer," between songs. Good signal until 1131 then faded into mix with WHO Des Moines (Robert Vance, El Paso TX; WinRadio G33DDC, various indoor and outdoor loop antennas. NRC IDXD Jan 26 via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. 6185.017, Jan 26 at 1513, very weak signal, but I can tell it is in Spanish, which means it has to be XEPPM, on the air far earlier than supposedly scheduled from 2300 or 0000. Also others have measured it slightly off+plus. There is another weaker signal, perhaps the 15 kW China Huayi, or the 500 kW Voice of Turkey in Italian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EDUCACIÓN CELEBRARÁ 50 AÑOS DE TRANSMISIONES ININTERRUMPIDAS 25/01/2018 Con diversas actividades, entre las cuales sobresale la realización de sus primeras transmisiones en Frecuencia Modulada (FM) en la Ciudad de México a través del 96.5; cinco audiolibros y radioteatros, Radio Educación celebra este año los 50 años de transmisiones ininterrumpidas, que iniciaron el 23 de noviembre de 1968. . . https://www.20minutos.com.mx/noticia/322675/0/radio-educacion-celebrara-50-anos-de-transmisiones-ininterrumpidas/#xtor=AD-1&xts=513356 (via GRA blog 25 Jan via DXLD) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week --- [including DTV = TDT] First on the Mexico Beat: Callsigns Ahoy for IFT-6 The first four IFT-6 TV stations are in the RPC, and lo and behold, so too are their callsigns XHRTNA-TDT 27, Acaponeta-Tecuala, Nay. (Radio-Televisión Digital de Nayarit) XHRTTS-TDT 26, Tepic-Santiago Ixcuintla, Nay. (Radio-Televisión Digital de Nayarit) XHFAMX-TDT 28, Mexico City (Francisco Aguirre Gómez) XHCOSL-TDT 33, Matehuala, SLP (Comunicación 2000) MONDAY EDIT: We have more... XHICCH-TDT 30, Chihuahua (Intermedia de Chihuahua) XHMTCO-TDT 33, Monclova, Coah. (Multimedios Televisión) XHMTCH-TDT 28, Ciudad Juárez, Chih. XHMTDU-TDT 29, Durango, Dgo. XHMTPU-TDT 15, Puebla, Pue. XHCPPV-TDT 27, Puerto Vallarta (Compañía Periodistica Sudcaliforniana) XHCPCS-TDT 35, Cabo San Lucas, BCS XHCPBC-TDT 23, La Paz, BCS XHQMGU-TDT 9, Guadalajara (Quiero Media) XHROSL-TDT 10, San Luis Potosí (Radio Operadora Pegasso) TUESDAY EDIT: Add... XHRCDU-TDT 30, Cuencamé, Dgo. (Radiocomunicación Gamar) XHRCSP-TDT 22, Santiago Papasquiaro, Dgo. XHTDJA-TDT 34, Guadalajara, Jal. (Televisión Digital) XHTDMX-TDT 11, Mexico City XHTSCO-TDT 36, Saltillo, Coah. (Tele Saltillo) XHJGMI-TDT 15, Uruapan, Mich. (José Guadalupe Manuel Trejo García — note, this is corrected from prior reporting) WEDNESDAY: Like Telsusa Televisión México? XHTMBR-TDT 29, Veracruz XHTMYC-TDT 24, Mérida XHTMYU-TDT 27, Tizimín-Valladolid, Yuc. XHTMQR-TDT 32, Cancún XHTMGJ-TDT 36, León XHTMCH-TDT 20, Chetumal XHTMPT-TDT 32, Puebla-Tlaxcala XHTMNL-TDT 20, Agualeguas, NL XHTMVE-TDT 19, Xalapa XHTMCA-TDT 27, Campeche XHTMTU-TDT 19, Tulúm XHTMCC-TDT 25, Ciudad del Carmen Last edited by Raymie; 01-31-2018 at 05:53 PM (Raymie Phœnix AZ, originally Jan 26, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) A couple more callsigns from authorizations for new community FM stations. Yati Ne Casti, A.C., will be building 94.1 XHYAT-FM somewhere in the Juchitán, Oaxaca, area. The COL is Ixtepec-Comitancillo-Juchitán- Ixtaltepec-Santo Domingo Chihuitán-Santiago Laollaga.* The legal domicile of Yati Ne Casti is in Asunción Ixtaltepec, but information on the applicant remains scarce. There is probably no connection to a former pirate on the same frequency, community station Radio Huave, which like other community stations in the region spearheaded opposition to a large wind farm. https://rsf.org/en/news/oaxaca-community-radios-hounded-opposing-wind-farm While it might still be technically to be built, XHIXMI-FM 107.7 in Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo, owned by Familia Brillante, A.C., can probably be considered operational. As reported here two months ago, it is the religious station Radio La Brillante. https://www.facebook.com/brillanteixmiquilpan/ *Still not as long a defined service area as XHEDI-FM! (Raymie, Jan 27, ibid.) How do you celebrate your TV station's birthday? You sign on its first repeater (even if they are quick to remind it's a separate concession) https://twitter.com/Gabriel_TorresE/status/958744610326577152 and produce hours of programming from a different city. XHPBGZ-TDT 11 (44) went into formal service today, beginning a crusade to expand Canal 44's broadcast footprint in Jalisco. The Lagos de Moreno transmitter is probably next, and there are also plans for Puerto Vallarta, https://twitter.com/CANAL44TV/status/958725269421830144 though in Vallarta an SPR application trumped the initial U de G bid and they do not yet have a concession there at this time. The goal is to cover 80 percent of the state. Lagos should sign on within four months, with Vallarta projected for the end of the year, though that will of course require an additional concession. Of course, each new transmitter means the U de G can exercise its must-carry rights to get on the cable systems in the region. The U de G had begun radio transmissions to the area in November 2001 on XHGZ-FM/Jal. (formerly XHUGG-FM) 94.3. There is a mention of an application for a power increase for this station to expand its coverage. Canal 44's director, Gabriel Torres Espinoza, did an interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXkQCqmSx-M He also mentions that the university wants to increase its local production from the different regions of the state. Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie, Jan 31, ibid.) ** MONGOLIA. Fair signal of Voice of Mongolia on Jan 22: 0900-0930 on 12084.9 U-B 250 kW / 178 deg to SEAs English http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/fair-signal-of-voice-of-mongolia-on.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1054 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov. Date Jan. 27, 2018, dxldyg via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. Fair signal of Myanmar Radio on 9730 and 7200 n Jan 23: from 1240 on 9730 YAN 050 kW / 356 deg to SEAs Burmese, B17 till 1130 from 1330 on 7200 YAN 050 kW / 356 deg to SEAs Burmese, B17 till 1400 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/fair-signal-of-myanmar-radio-on-9730.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** MYANMAR [and non-log]. 5915, Myanmar Radio. Had been very nice recently to have CRI off the air here, leaving Myanmar in the clear, but Jan 25, CRI returned to cause heavy QRM 1300+. [non-log] 7200.0, Myanmar Radio, Jan 26. First day to find them off the air here; started checking 1115 till last check at 1246. Had been interesting recently to hear their Distance Learning Service lectures (1230+) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 13835-13840-13845, Jan 28 at 2016, DRM Noise weak abutting 13845-AM WWCR. Must be RNZP. After several changes, here is their full schedule as of Jan 29, from http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/listen ``RNZ Pacific (RNZI) broadcasts at the following frequencies and times to different parts of the Pacific Region. Expect schedule changes from time to time to take account of propagation to our target audience. NB: Every month on the first Wednesday is Maintenance day at our transmitter site from 2230 to 0600 UT (Thursdays 1030-1800 NZST [but is on DST of UT+13 until April --- gh]). During this period there may be interruptions to our programmes. 29 Oct 2017 - 24 Mar 2018 UTC kHz Target Days 0000-0458 15720 Pacific Daily 0459-0758 13730 Pacific Daily from 01 Dec 0759-1058 9765 Pacific Daily 1059-1258 9890 Solomon Islands and PNG Daily from 13 Jan 1259-1650 7390 Pacific Daily from 18 Dec 1651-1750 5975(DRM) Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga ** From 12 Jan Sun-Fri 1651-1758 7390 Pacific Sat 1751-1850 9780(DRM) Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa Sun-Fri 1759-1858 9700 AM Pacific Sat 1851-1950 11690(DRM) Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun-Fri 1859-1958 11725 Pacific Sat 1951-2050 13840(DRM) Pacific Sun-Fri 1959-2058 13840 Pacific Sat 2051-0000 15720 Pacific Daily`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency change of Radio New Zealand Pacific in AM mode from Jan 27 1759-1958 NF 9700 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific English Sat only, ex 11725 1859-1958 on 11725 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific English Sat only unchanged (Observer via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [and non]. 11 peaks ute station on 7255 kHz even frequency, covers totally V of Nigeria Abuja French service on 7254.924 kHz, S=6 signal, at 0743 UT Jan 28, totally useless NIGERIAN transmission, under that condition in southern Germany [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. Nigeria (Biafra) shortwave --- Emma Powerful, spokesperson of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with some rather confusing descriptions of shortwave operations by and against IPOB. If I understand correctly, they use the name "Radio Nigeria" for their Hausa service. https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/01/ipob-well-drop-biafra-agitation/ "The Nigerian Government created a parallel radio station which we have since renamed Radio Buhari International to reflect its true ownership. They proceeded to launch another radio on shortwave frequency with our sacred name. Both stations are based in the US" (Kim Elliott, VA, Jan 28, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) The IPOB project in question has been announced as "Radio Nigeria Hausa Service": http://www.ipob.org/2018/01/ipob-launches-radio-nigeria-hausa.html What they got wrong is the time. It should read 17:00-18:00, i.e. 1600-1700 UT. But the frequency is (or was) right. This is (or was) a transmission from Kostinbrod, by their new provider Spaceline, who had relayed Radio Biafra London for some time until that operation went online-only in last year. "Based in the US" is a paraphrase for "transmission arranged by Radio Miami International". The "parallel radio station" are the transmissions known for announcing "Radio Biafra, broadcasting from London" every ten seconds or so, first observed 12 Nov 2017 with some Anambra state elections being the only topic it covered (they were legitimate, blah-blah-blah, and this is Radio Biafra, broadcasting from London). This counter-station used to go out via Issoudun 0500-0600 on 7240 and 1900-2000 on 9580, // via the Okeechobee facility, which is inadequate for transatlantic transmissions, on 11530. I have not seen (which could also mean: missed in all the routine loggings) any follow-ups on what became of this since (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SECRETLAND, IPOB Radio Nigeria Hausa Service via SPL on Jan 27 1600-1700 on 15110 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to WeAf Hausa, poor/weak http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/ipob-radio-nigeria-hausa-service-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO NA GASKIYA (RADIO TRUTH) (Clan) (New Entry) W: http://ipob.org Hausa Days Area kHz 1600-1700 daily NIG 15110sof Notes: Produced by IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra). The station refers itself as "R. Nigeria Hausa Service" in publicity material, however uses the on-air ID "Radio Na gaskiya", which translates as "Radio (Of) Truth". On SW since 6 January 2018. Main target is the Hausa speaking population in Northern Nigeria (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) See also BIAFRA [non] ** NORTH AMERICA. Pirate logs this week: ==hf== Clever Name Radio. Sunday, January 21, 2018, 2246, 6940 usb. Clever Name Radio with rap music. Very good, solid s9 signal. (Will-MD) Cool AM Radio. Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 0004, 6940 usb. Pretty decent signal, s7/s9 peaks, with an ID at 0005 and into the Rolling Stones "Street Fightin' Man." Faded way down at 0021. Faded back up again a few minutes later, at 0037, s7 with "I've Got the Music In Me." (Will-MD) Clever Name Radio. Thursday, January 25, 2018, 0124, 6900 LSB. The Star Spangled Banner and Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix. Solid s9 signal, very good. Lots of pesky traffic audible underneath and co-channel. (Will-MD) Unsuspected Radio. Friday, January 26, 2018, 2233, 6940 usb. Music by The Doors, L' America. The same song repeated over and over several times and then into more Doors songs. ID "This is Unsuspected Radio six nine forty Unsuspected Radio" at 2246. At 2305, Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" and another ID. s5/s7 with excellent modulation. (Will-MD) ==fm== 90.3 FM, Unid, south central Frederick, Maryland. The nonstop mid-to- late sixties pop music pirate is back on after apparently being off since late December. Logged on January 20 at 2100 and January 27 at 1500. Fair signal, bothered by all the QRN coming out of the massive strip development south of town. (Will-MD) 88.1 FM, Unid, on the border between Rockville and Gaithersburg, Maryland. Lo-fi Spanish talk by f noticed in the nulls of the mash-up of 88.1 WYPR Baltimore and WYPF Frederick MD. The two PR stations have marginal signals in Rockville. They run "parallel" but there is a noticeable delay between the two making the frequency completely unlistenable. (Will-MD) (Larry Will, 28723 Ridge Road, Mount Airy, MD 21771, radio@zappahead.net Icom IC-R75 with G5RV, Tecsun PL-600, PL-660, PL-880, random wires, GM truckradio for AM and FM logs, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6940-USB, PIRATE (NA) Unsuspected R. (no doubt ex: An Unknown Radio Station) 2250 repeating IDs by W “Good evening. This is Unsuspected R., 6-9-40, Unsuspected R.”, and into hard Rock music at 2251. Played pieces of Led Zeppelin songs at 2254. Same ID over song at 2301. Pink Floyd song. 2305 repeating IDs with out music again, and apparent Black Sabbath song. Strong and clear. 26 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6940-USB, Jan 28 at 0114, Synthyl says ``You are listening to CNR Radio, 69-40 . . .`` and the rest not understood, as audio seems to be mixing with a TV soundtrack --- also from CNR or a QRM pirate? S9. 0201 still going with hard rock, by 0206 S9+15. More: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,40136.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6950-USB, Jan 28 at 0201, rough-voice singer belting out ``Born on a Bayou``, S9 like 6940 but sounds a bit louder; 0206 Wolverine Radio ID. Apparently started at *0119: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,40137.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORWAY. DAB RADIO IN NORWAY CLOSE TO THE ABYSS. FM STILL ON. Digital Radio FM Insider Blog 25 January 2018 Picture: VG http://digitalradioinsider.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/dab-radio-in-norway-close-to-abyss.html?m=1 Lobbyists are spreading a false picture of the digital OTA transition During 2017 Norway switched-off its national FM network and replaced it with DAB+. Reports distributed by DAB promoters to international media depict the transition as ”successful”. However, the listeners do not agree. Last month the Oslo daily Dagbladet published a Ipsos poll indicating that 56% of the Norwegians are not satisfied with DAB, 31% satisfied and 12% do not know. Trying to force the listeners to scrap their FM receivers and invest in DAB+ receivers will come to a high cost for the three major broadcasters. Public radio NRK has lost a considerable part of its listeners – about a fifth during 2017. Abroad the DAB lobby is ignoring the awkward developments at home. The CEO of the DAB promoting company Digitalradio Norge AS Ole Jørgen Torvmark will tell quite another story for an audience at the European Radio Show in Paris this Friday. The success story of DAB+ in Norway is a template for what can be achieved from digital switchover! says the invitation by WorldDAB. Meanwhile the Norwegians are furious about the FM switch-off. An editorial in Dagbladet summarized 2017: Agreeing that the FM switch- off is something ridiculous is uniting the nation on level with cross- country skiing. Being in the only country in the world to switch-off FM-radio the listeners are now discovering several setbacks with DAB+. For example while driving a car with frequent DAB signal drop-outs there is no automatic FM back up signal as in other country with dual systems - as in Australia - there will be only silence. There have also been lots of criticism regarding an impaired emergency preparedness system. Mobile and smartphones are not DAB-able as most are for FM radio. Still millions of cars, buses and trucks are not equipped with DAB+. And the geographical coverage of the nation including its sea coast was much better with FM than DAB. Listeners are also disappointed of the arrogant responses on complaints about DAB reception. NRK and Digitalradio Norge AS argue that nothing is wrong with the transmission system. The blame is instead put on the listeners themselves and their receiver installations. The attitude is that the DAB critics ”are as always just a few complaining” individuals. However, social media is buzzing with resistance to the switch-off. One of several Facebook groups Nei - til tvanngsinforing av DAB… has reached 7,800 members in eight months and is growing fast. Most major and regional newspapers have published negative editorials, op-eds and articles about the switch-off. You will hardly find any positive input about the transition in any Norwegian newspaper during 2017. After the switch-off was completed in December politicians are getting worried and have started to question the project. The new Minister of Culture Trine Skrei Grande (Liberals) was skeptical to the project already 2011 in the parliamentary debate on DAB radio. Then, she hoped it was the last time the politicians decided on an information-sharing technology. In newspapers and social media NRK and Digitalradio Norge are accused to have not presented a complete picture of the FM and DAB technology. The costs for listeners to replace their receivers (est. NOK 23 billion kronor) and the impact of Internet on radio developments was never put on the agenda. It is primarily the threatened position of local radio that concerns politicians. For a long time according to other sources, behind this is effort by the major players to force local commercial competition out of the market. This would be particularly aimed at local Radio Metro and others on FM in the metropolitan areas. According to experts, such smaller players hardly will survive being exclusively in a DAB network together with the three dominant players. (NRK, German Bauer and Swedish MTG) Meanwhile many Norwegians are staying with FM-radio as they can listen to local commercial or community radio. Still there is no political decision to close FM for local radio. Some local commercial FM stations have doubled or even trebled their listenership during 2017. Also almost half of the population can listen to cross-border FM mostly the Swedish public channels. Neighboring Sweden and Finland have no plans to replace the FM networks with DAB+. But the steep uphill battle for DAB will be the Internet. Norway is one of the most connected countries in the world with the fastest mobile broadband capacity. Many listeners losing NRK and commercial channels on FM discover that the choices and sound quality on the Internet is far superior to the DAB offering. The ultimate killer for DAB will be the smartphone. And Norway is a part of this universal evolution which will make the smartphone a major listening platform for digital radio - in most of the world’s 220 countries. NRK has not succeeded convincing the smartphone manufacturers to include DAB receiver capabilities. The last DAB+ LG model initiated by NRK cannot be found in the stores in Norway any longer. The Norwegians will find alternatives to national channels for listening to radio and music in their homes and on the road. The ultimate losers of this transition to DAB+ will be NRK whose public service image is tarnished by being part of something the citizens never asked for and still don’t want. The winners will be local radio on FM. In the Norwegian newspapers, but also social media and by listening to the listeners you will get the story not told by lobbyist. Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 1230, WBBZ OK Ponca City – Networks to C/Ok/Oa/P/Ru/DR/WW1FSR//LCL/C2C. (GH) (NRC AM Log 2017-2018 updpate, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via DXLD) Tnx for credit, but all I mentioned was that Rush Limbaugh is now on WBBZ, and also heard CBS news, so editor Wayne Heinen added Ru to the networks list and replaced Ap at the head of it with C. I have no idea whether any of the other networks remain correct (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. From the General Manager --- Dear Members and Listeners, Alexa! Play KUCO. We have not seen such technical progress in the last year as during all of KUCO’s 51-year history. KUCO is now available on all the major streaming platforms and thanks to our new alliance with The Stream Guys we are available worldwide on iTunes, TuneIn, IHeart Radio and others. If you listen the old fashioned way via the air, we have a new antenna in Oklahoma City and KCSC in Woodward has been completely rebuilt with new antenna and transmitter. Within the next two years we will upgrade KBCW to increase its signal strength and replace our main transmitter which is approaching 40 years old (the company still has parts, but no service for that model). Keeping up with technology is necessary to bring good music to you wherever you live and however you tune in. You can count on us to bring you the major orchestra broadcasts from across the country as well as Exploring Music and our premiere local programs Performance Oklahoma and Spotlight on the Arts each week [Thu 10 am CT = 16/15 UT] Yes, we have lost some of our funding because of state budget cuts to higher education but we know our listeners value our service and we can count on you! We invite you to renew your membership today. You can use our secure on-line system through the website or by return mail. All who renew will receive a 3x3 inch sticker in addition to any premiums you may select. Sincerely, Brad Ferguson (KUCOFM.com website via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. RF 39, KWTV ``9``, OKC, January 24 at 0420 UT, David Payne`s national weather map with a few major cities labeled, includes SAN JOSE about where Corpus Christi TX should be. Strange as it seem, there is no San José town of any size, anywhere in Tejas, per Rand McNally large-scale atlas! Further online research finds a San José barrier island just up the coast from CC, but these map titles were of cities, not islands. Historically there were San José somethings-or-others in Bexar and Duval counties (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Minor regional tropo morning of Jan 28 at 1541+ UT revisiblizes the last remaining NTSC signal in this area still vigent, channel A-48, KOCY OKC, infomercial in Spanish for Dermawand; 1600 lightly animated ID as KOCY 48.1 Estrella TV. Snowy but steady color pix. The 48.1 virtual refers to a subchannel of full-power RF 29 KTUZ Shawnee-OKC, which has the SS market tied up, also with Telemundo and Univisión, each on a totally different virtual channel, enough to confuse autoscans. Also numerous Bad DTV signals, none decoding, on: 47, 45, 42, 38, 36, 31, 22, 21, 20, 19. These correlate with OKC, Wichita markets, maybe Tulsa (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Re Kim Elliott: ``Hello friends, While waiting for the Monday 0800 UT broadcast of Shortwave Radiogram, I was surprised to hear a digital mode on 7730 kHz from WRMI Florida. I recognized it as MFSK16, at about 800 Hz. It was the Broad Spectrum Radio program on WRMI, scheduled for Monday at 0700-0800 UT. It might be worth a listen this Monday to see if the MFSK16 (or any other mode) is repeated.`` I have checked the two latest editions of the BSR program, which are available on the Internet. With a spectral scan, I found the corresponding signals quite quickly (visually) at the end of the November issue. The CW signals were very easy to decode - with FLDIGI. The MFSK signals, however, were of poor quality, without RSID, on crooked audio frequencies. An MFSK16-txt track was found at 526 Hz, with +/-2 Hz tolerance and a subsequent MFSK16-pic track at 553 Hz, with incredible +/-1 Hz tolerance, to get at least fragments of the image txt-header. In order to get a valid 100x100c image trigger, I had to generate my own audio and put it in the right place. This "digital BSR challenge" was quite a tricky thing. http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2018-01-20.htm#BSR (roger, germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As of Feb 4, the January show still hasn`t appeared on website http://broadspectrumradio.com/ (gh, DXLD) ** OMAN. 13600 R. Oman. 7/1 at 0540 in Araboc, reactivated after several days with only carrier on 9530, 13600, 15355, ID ”Idaati Sultanate Oman”. The broadcast in English at 0300-0400 is not observed here already for long time (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony 2001D, Folded Marconi ant 16 meters own made, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman at 1431 with “Legal Arena” with a woman interviewing a male lawyer on legal and paralegal issues in Oman then a man with program closing announcements at 1439 and promos of “We are more than just the music” – Good Jan 25 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre- fed dipoles, ODXA iogroup via DXLD) 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman – Thumrait, 1430-1510, Jan 28. English language program with pop music “Oman FM” IDs with a man and woman hosting “Would You Say It Again?” a light-hearted use of Arabic language program. Several ads and public service announcements including the Supreme Council for Planning’s latest survey. At 1503 there was a station ID “#1 Radio Sultanate of Oman, your music station” as they went into pop music programming. Fair to good signal (Rich D'Angelo, 2216 Burkey Drive, Wyomissing, PA 19610, U.S.A. Equipment: Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. 621, Radio Mashaal, Khost is now closed due to hostile agenda (Ydun´s MW Info 21.1.2018 via ARC mv-eko Information Desk 29/1 via DXLD) [non] Are you sure? Khost is across the border in Afghanistan; the Mashaal offices inside Pak have been closed (gh, DXLD) [Re 18-04:] PAKISTAN/USA: MEDIA RIGHTS GROUPS, PAKISTANI POLITICAL LEADERS DECRY RADIO MASHAAL CLOSURE January 24, 2018 "Media rights organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have been joined by representatives of a broad spectrum of Pakistani political parties in protesting a January 19 decision by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry to close the Islamabad bureau of Radio Mashaal, RFE/RL’s Pashto language service to Pakistan. The closure order followed accusations by the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency that its programs are “against the interest of Pakistan” and “in line with [a] hostile intelligence agency’s agenda.” [...]" https://pressroom.rferl.org/a/cpj-rsf-pakistani-politicians-decry-radio-mashaal-closure/28994584.html (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, Mike Cooper, Jan 25, DXLD) Meanwhile the opinion of another observer for further discussion: These talks at Islamabad about "regulating" shortwave broadcasting could indicate possible jamming of Radio Mashaal by China, on behalf of Pakistan of course. If so it would be very interesting if they leave Deewa Radio alone (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALAU. 11675, Sun Jan 28 at 1511, S9-S7 gospel huxter in southern English; what`s this? T8WH (a.k.a. HBN to HFCC), registered daily 1430-1600 in English due west. In fact it`s on Sat & Sun only per NDXC/Aoki, which explains why I don`t hear it on weekday bandscans (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang, 1138-1208*, Jan 26. Pop Pacific Islands songs; DJ in Pidgin; 1202 usual bird call and NBC news in English till suddenly off (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU [and non]. More of Don Moore’s SDR-files from Perú and Ecuador [during extended visits to those countries in late 2017] + a few additional items --- Henrik Klemetz 610, Radio Santa Mónica, Chota, PRU, weak beneath La Cariñosa, Bogotá, CLM, Nov. 30. Unheard on any of Don Moore’s files is Radio Continental, whose txer in Ayaviri, PRU, is reportedly active on this channel. (José Agramonte C., news reporter on Radio Continental). 650.465, Radio Visión, Manta, EQA, weak, in Loja, locally produced news. 820.010, Continente Radio, Cajamarca, PRU. 910, Radio Frontera, Juliaca, PRU, ex-Radio Visión del Altiplano, no address available. Noted with local folklore by Jan-Erik Österholm, FIN, and confirmed by a local listener in the absence of a working stream. Radio Frontera has several independent stations, one of which is Tacna, PRU, logged by Jim Solatie, FIN, on 1150.16 in 2012 and verified by programme mgr Inés Tacora. 920, Radio Democracia/EXA, also Cadena Democracia, Quito, EQA, back on the air. Heard with news in // to EXA FM 92.5 Quito and 89.7 Riobamba. Highly critical of the late Correa administration, the station was forced to close down. Now that Correa has left office, the station has resumed broadcasting on MW. Other stations harassed by the previous government included Radio Visión 860 and Ondas Azuayas 1110. The latter station has been noted active on Don Moore’s files. 950.06, Local ads for Bambamarca, PRU, on Dec 21, probably the listed Onda Popular, Bambamarca. 961.4, Unid PRU, with “folklore”, probably a station in Carabamba. Nov. 23. 990, Radiodifusora Tarqui, Quito, EQA, closed down more than one year ago. Founder-owned ex-mayor Gustavo Herdoiza passed away several years ago, and his son was unable to maintain the station going. Was one of the most popular stations in Quito. 1010, Three stations heard in northern Peru: Radio Cielo, Lima, PRU; Acuario, Bogotá, CLM; Radio Cajamarca, PRU. Radio Cielo is the most persistent one. 1120.004, Radio Paz, Chota, PRU, slogan ”transformando corazones”. Religious. Mainly music. The signal is relayed in Bambamarca on 97.1 FM. Address: Jr. Santa Rosa 899 P. 3, Chota. 1120, Radio Dinámica, Trujillo, PRU. Announcing “Di-di-dinámica, qué bacana” (bacana means “awesome”). Fairly weak signal and mixing with the Chota station on the same frequency. 1159.968, Radio Vía, Machala, EQA. 1170, Radio Jerusalén, Cajamarca, PRU, slogan “sintonía total”, probably ex-Radio Layzon. 24/7 relay of La Voz de la Liberación. No address given, but the main IPDA (Iglesia Pentecostal Dios es Amor) church is at Av. Vía de Evitamiento 940, in Cajamarca, per on-air announcement. (On Don Moore’s SDR files the following stations have been logged on 1170: Radio Nutibara, Medellín, CLM; Ondas del Meta, Villavicencio, “50 años”, CLM; Caracol Radio, Cartagena, CLM;. Radio Filadelfia, Guayaquil, EQA, and one unID from Brazil.) 1270.089, Radio Universal, Guayaquil, EQA, 24/7. 1283.33, Bethel Radio, San José, Lambayeque, PRU, // 1570. Slogan “lo que quiere escuchar”. Prgr “La hora de la tranformación”. 1340, Ondas de Esperanza, Loja, EQA, is 24/7. This one and Radio Ciudadana on 620 are the only two locals remaining on AM in the town of Loja. Ciudadana produces a harmonic on 1240 in Loja. 1400.010, Radio Z-1, Guayaquil, EQA, religious, sometimes in Quichua. 1430.024 Frecuencia 14-30, relaying La Voz de Salvación aimed at “católicos, hermanos evangélicos y librepensadores”, mentions “en esta ciudad de Jaén” (PRU) in an announcement and says their church is San Lorenzo, km 46 on the San Ignacio road. Sign on around 0900. info@iplacosecha.pe has no info. 1550.01, Radio Integración, Cutervo, PRU, Jr. Santa Rosa 971. Also FM 91.1. 1600.603, Radio La Voz de Cristo, unknown QTH and country. The religious music is not Ecuadorian, rather Peruvian or Bolivian. (Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 29 Jan via DXLD) ** PERU. 4747.4, Radio Huanta 2000, Huanta, 2335-2346, 27-01, Spanish, comments. Very weak. 15321. (Méndez) 4774.9, Radio Tarma, Tarma, 2336-2349, 27-01, Spanish, comments, advertisement, ID “Radio Tarma”. 24322. (Méndez) 4955, Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta, 2335-2347, 27-01, Quechua, comments. Very weak. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BOLIVIA [and non] ** PHILIPPINES. I received eQSL FEBC - Manila - a program in African languages. http://ivanovpb.blogspot.ru/2016/06/febc-radio-teos.html (Pavel Ivanov, Belgorod, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx" & "open_dx" via QSL World, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ? No African languages from there, all Asian, including Rawang and Akha as on the QSL (gh, DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. "Radio Poland" in 2018 confirms reports with cards with the kind of cities. The presenter of "Polish Radio" Irina Zavisha reported in the next issue of the "Feedback" column that, as in previous years, in 2018, verification cards from Warsaw will be devoted to Polish cities. "The QSL cards of the Polish radio are still with the views of the Polish cities, all of these cities are beautiful, each in its own way, and we are sure that each of them will bring you joy," answered the presenter of my question about the subject of the cards. Reports on the reception of "Radio Poland" at medium-wave frequencies of 738 and 1386 kHz are received at the addresses: Polskie Radio - Redakcja Rosyjska, Al. Niepodleglosci 77/85, 00-977 Warszawa, Polska or ru@polskieradio.pl (IR, via QSL World, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) Again, no one with the initials IR appears on the credit list for this. 738 is the WRN Moskva MW relay; 1386, Lithuania (gh, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. 14245-USB, Jan 25 at 1358, after drawing a blank on Bouvet 14185+, I find KP4FL trying to QRT but keeps getting called by other PRs, first one apparently someone he was glad to resume contact with, post-María. Rather chaotic with many talkovers. 20m is not a good band for local contacts, unless very close by groundwave, so suspect some of them are exiled, e.g. la Florida mentioned, also Caguas PR. Per ARRL/FCC lookup, KP4FL is: LORENZINI, GIOVANNI, KP4FL URB GRAN VISTA 1 CALLE ARBOLEDA 211 GURABO, PR 00778 But no Italian accent I could make out. The others in rapid colloquial Spanish I could not follow, but no callsigns ever heard. Only KP4FL once gave his, fonetikaly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. 6130, R. Romania Int. 1/23, 0115-0139, in English; Business Club discusses how the EU has initiated a number of reforms in the area of international road transport and trucking. SIO 211(+) 1/24, 0110-0135, Society Today talks about the controversy surrounding the measles vaccination program in Romanian schools because some parents are against mandatory compliance. SIO 322 (+) 1/25, 0115-0140; Travellers' Guide highlights the city of Alba Lilia, known to the general public and specialists alike due to its age and the significance of the historical events it has hosted. SIO 211 (+) 1/26; 0120-0140; the segment Green Planet takes an intriguing look at buildings constructed on the basis of ecological standards, well insulated and low polluting, with minimal impact on the environment; the so-called "green buildings". SIO 222 [+] 1/27, 0119-0140, RRI Encyclopedia talks about the lucrative salt mines found in the Carpathian area of Transylvania; "All That Jazz" featured an artist born in Romania, but sang his songs in English. World of Culture also featured. SINFO 43323 (Ronald Sives, South Plainfield, NJ, USA. Equipment: ETON field radio and 66 ft. random wire, NASWA Flashsheet Jan 27 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. 11975, Jan 26 at 1526, disco-beat music at S7 to S9+10, // 9810 at S9-S8. RRI is in Romanian at 1400-1557 on both from Galbeni 300 kW, 285 and 290 degrees, good enough for us (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 1978 year. The Voice of the Moscow Radio. ------------------------------------ A documentary about the work of Moscow Radio in the late 70's. "Moscow. Voice of Truth and Peace." In Russian. Movie time: 25 minutes 41 seconds. https://vk.com/club59176345?z=video-59176345_456239428%2Fff7a291ba6a3ba6585%2Fpl_wall_-59176345 (Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) See also MUSEA ** RUSSIA. From the archive of Sergei Izyumov, Moscow, Russia --------------------------------------------------------------- Flyer to visit the observation platform of the Ostankino TV tower. 50 years of the Ostankino Tower. You can see here - http://rusdx.blogspot.ru/2018/01/blog-post_89.html The Ostankino TV tower is a television and broadcasting tower located in the Ostankino district of Moscow. The height is 540.1 m, at the time of construction the highest in the world, and as of January 2018 - the 10th highest free-standing structure. Ostankino TV Tower is the highest building in Europe and Russia, and also a full member of the World Federation of High-rise Towers. In November 1967, at the time of the solemn opening of the TV tower dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, the work was not completed, and a compromise decision was made: on November 4, the television signal left the tower for the first time, on November 5, the State Commission act on the commissioning of the first queue of the Hardware-studio complex, which included a television tower, and the second stage was commissioned on December 26, 1968. Only to turn all city antennas towards the new television tower took about another 2 months. In 1969, an observation deck and a restaurant opened. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostankino_TeleStroy (Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. 5940, Kamchatskoye R./R. Rossii Could just barely hear M and lady announcers underneath R. Algerienne (via Issoudun) here at 2151 same as heard on web receiver in Novosibirsk. Algerienne went off at 2159 and noted het with 5940 and 5939.79 Voz Missionária. M and W with apparent promo at 2159, same as heard in Novosibirsk, then possible M announcer for about 10-15 seconds (this as an ID on the web receiver), then 5 clear time ticks, M with a few words probably an intro, and definite M with news after 2200. Very poor due mainly to Voz Missionária slop QRM. tnx Ron Howard tip. 25 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) SW transmitter there previously reactivated for FMs being off the air for maintenance, so this may not last (gh, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. Good signal of GTRK Adygeya/Adygeyan Radio, Jan 28: 1900-2000 on 6000 ARM 100 kW / 188 deg to CeAs Adygeyan Sun http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/good-signal-of-gtrk-adygeyaadygeyan.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28-30, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. RUSSIA MOVES TOWARD CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT INTERNET --- Roman Goncharenko 17 January 2018 From Deutsche Welle: Experts say Russia is planning the next step in making the country independent from the West, at least in cyberspace: Moscow wants to install its own root servers. But why, and does it make any sense? Freedom on the internet has diminished over the years in Russia: people go to jail for posts on social media, there's a ban on VPN services and expanded data storage is hard to come by. And recent moves by the Russian government indicate that further developments are yet to come. According to a report by the RBK web portal, Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017 ordered his government to negotiate independent root name servers for the so-called domain name system (DNS) with the BRICS states, which apart from Russia include Brazil, India, China and South Africa, by August 2018. These servers contain global databases of public IP addresses and their host names. If Russia had its own root servers, it could create a kind of internet of its own, experts say. The reason given is the "dominance of the US and a few EU states concerning internet regulation" which Russia sees as a "serious danger" to its safety, RBK quotes from minutes taken at a meeting of the Russian Security Council. Having its own root servers would make Russia independent of monitors like the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and protect the country in the event of "outages or deliberate interference." Putin sees Internet as CIA tool From Moscow's point of view, it would seem the threat of a confrontation with the West in Cyberspace has increased since Russia annexed Crimea. Russia took a closer look at its internet, and found flaws. The country and the economy are too big to live with that threat, Putin advisor Igor Shchegolev said in an interview with RBK. He pointed out North Korea and Syria experienced Internet outages for a few days. The US was believed to be behind the December 2015 outage in North Korea; Washington remained silent, however. Moscow doesn't plan to seal itself off completely, Shchegolev said, only to keep the internet working in the country should there be an "external influence." President Putin once commented that the internet was developed as a CIA project and continues to move in that direction. Internet technology was in fact developed by order of the US Department of Defense and by that department's employees. ... An eye on the root Russia's plans go right to the root of the internet. The world's entire communication between computers uses all of 13 DNS root servers. The computers store the so-called zone files of top level domains (TLD) like .com (worldwide), .de for Germany or .ru for Russia. Ten root servers are located in the US, one each in The Netherlands, Sweden and Japan. In addition, there are hundreds of anycast server networks worldwide, ten of them in Russia alone. All root servers are independent. Until September 2016, the US government had oversight over the A root server, which stores the DNS master copy. Now an ICANN subsidiary is responsible for that server. ICANN's contract with the US Department of Commerce ended in 2016, and today, the corporation is a private non-profit company based in California headed by a 20-member board that includes experts from all over the world. A Russian root server doesn't make much sense, said cybersecurity expert Wolfgang Kleinwächter. They always claim the US government can shut off a country from the internet, he said. "That's utter nonsense." "Even if the US president has control of the A root server - and he doesn't - deleting the zone files ending on .ru would make no sense at all because this zone file still exists on all the other root and anycast servers," Kleinwächter argued, adding that sending emails might be a few milliseconds slower. Full text: http://www.dw.com/en/russia-moves-toward-creation-of-an-independent-internet/a-42172902 (via SW Radiogram Jan 20 via roger, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RWANDA [non]. RADIO ITAHUKA --- NB: The transmissions are in Kinyarwanda, not Kirundi (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** SAIPAN. 9985.020, Jan 24 at 1537, off-frequency in Korean, i.e. IBB at 1500-1700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Strong signal of Rep.of Yemen Radio & Al-Azm Radio, Jan 27 0655&0855 11860 JED or RIY tx ??? kW to N/ME Arabic Rep.of Yemen Radio 0658&0855 11745 JED or RIY tx ??? kW to N/ME Arabic BSKSA Al-Azm Radio http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/strong-signal-of-republic-of-yemen.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via DXLD) 9714.979 kHz HQ prayer from BSKSA Riyadh, S=6 at 0752 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) 13710, Jan 24 at 1523, S6 BSKSA with Qur`an --- at tune-in the pause was so long I thought it was open carrier. 13710.014, Fribbath Jan 26 at 1537, BSKSA Qur`an, S9+10/20. Not unusual for them to be slightly off-frequency, enough for pitch to stick out in 1 kHz step BFO tuning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SIKKIM. 4835, AIR Gangtok, 1444-1515, Jan 27. Above threshold level audio; segment in English 1444-1459, with pop songs; REO Speedwagon "Keep on Loving You," a Rolling Stones song, etc.; several clear mentions of "All India Radio"; 1500-1512 non-stop solo sitar instrumental music; 1512 start of the New Delhi audio feed (tone, followed by commercial announcements); 1515 news in Hindi. This past week there were days they were clearly not broadcasting, while other days had strong hum from their transmitter, so great to find them doing so well today. Still a challenge to hear this, but today was one of their best days, as normally they are well below threshold level audio. Details very similar to these that Bruce Churchill reported in DXLD 16-36, during the same time period: " .... Surprised to hear English program at 1430 to 1459 with woman announcer intro (“Hello all you beautiful people out there…this is… Gangtok…today we will be talking about…”) followed by intro instrumental/vocal music piece. Talk on women’s equality in education and society. Pop vocal/instrumental music selections in between talk segments. Back to vernacular at 1459.5 with man and local instrumental music. Commercials at 1512-1515. Intermittent slight CWQRM on 4836. Have logged Sikkim from this site before but in the Dec/Jan time frame and with QRM from ABC. From this site Gangtok was one of the predominant carrier indications on 60 mb." (via remote Perseus site in E. Finland, on Sept 1, 2016). My audio today of faint ID and soft sitar music at http://goo.gl/Evp6dG (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see INDIA Another nice low band catch, Ron. What an amazing location; I can't imagine how it would be with a high, permanent antenna!! (Steve, WEB - "The VE7SL Radio Notebook": http://qsl.net/ve7sl/ VE7SL BLOG - "Homebrewing and Operating Adventures From 2200m to Nanowaves": http://ve7sl.blogspot.ca/ ibid.) ** SINGAPORE. 7395, Jan 24 at 1546, lively conversation in Korean, i.e. BBC at 1530-1830, 250 kW at 25 degrees also USward beyond. Stronger than NZ 7390 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, SIBC. Jan 25, starting at 1257 with only a carrier (no audio at all) till last check at 1516, during which had periods of faint audio; very low modulation; playing pop songs; mostly unusable; greatly extended schedule today (past 1200*) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. SIBC has ended its MF service on 1035 kHz. Delivery on FM & HF has been retained. Audience surveys indicated HF delivery was more effective than MF. The decision will be reviewed in 2018 (via Nigel Holmes, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) NO LIGHTS FOR SOLOMON'S BROADCASTER THIS FESTIVE SEASON --- 3:04 pm on 27 December 2017 The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation is reportedly struggling to stay on air after the electricity company cut power to the station because of more a than $US8,000 (8,300) unpaid bill. Its chief executive Ashley Wickham told the Solomon Star newspaper that the national broadcaster's poor financial situation was the direct result of a critical cash-flow problem with the government. Mr Wickham said he's written a complaint to the Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance about Solomon Power not knowing that the SIBC comes under the essential services act, and that it didn't care about the cash-flow situation the government was facing. Mr Wickham said the station was now running solely on generators, and its running only its short-wave service which covers the whole country. He said a live stream overnight service for its international audience is switched off at 11pm local time to allow generators to rest. Mr Wickham said if the financial situation does not improve, it would firstly look at reducing its short-wave transmission in the early morning and early evening, before beginning any process to lay-off staff. The SIBC has the furthest reach and the widest audience in rural and remote Solomon Islands' communities and gets a majority of its revenue from government. Solomon Power said any customer with an outstanding bill will face similar action (Radio New Zealand via Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) And the flip side of the coin …. GOVT SETTLES $200000 OF ARREARS TO SIBC --- January 4, 2018 The Solomon Islands Government yesterday handed over a cheque for more than $213,000 to reduce its outstanding bills with the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation. The payment included $187,000 Government subvention for the third and fourth quarter of 2016. It also covered a combined sum of $25,800 owed to SIBC by the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs. Special Secretary to the Prime Minister John Muria Jr and Government Finance and Economics Consultant Ethel Frances presented the cheque to SIBC management. Mr Muria said another payment of $150,000 is among his priorities to further reduce the Government’s outstanding bills with SIBC. Earlier in the year when SIBC feared the Government’s cash-flow situation might deteriorate to the point that it could not pay its bills and contracted commitments, a contingency plan was developed. On December 15, 2017, the Board of Directors approved the implementation of the first phase of the plan, which resulted in the broadcaster switching off its medium wave transmitter that serves mainly the central Solomons. SIBC Finance Manager Jacob Panada said after yesterday’s partial payment, Government arrears to SIBC were reduced from approximately $1 million to more than $680,000. SIBC Chief Executive Officer Ashley Wickham said he is grateful that the Government remains committed to meeting its financial obligations to the national broadcaster. He said SIBC looks forward to the Government’s finances improving early this year so that SIBC can continue to deliver on the Government’s community service obligations (SIBC Website via Craig Seager, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SOMALILAND. 7120, Radio Hargeysa, Somalia. 1800 with HOA music and talks at good level. Station is sked for English news at 1930, 24/12 (Robert Shepherd, Toowoomba QLD (JRC NRD535-D using balanced 80’ long wire, plus balanced EWE NE – SW), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) But don`t think I`ve ever seen reported English heard at 1930 since extended s/off from 1900* to 2000*. WRTH 2018 also shows other English news at 1300, whilst English segment used to be 1320-1340 (gh, DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 7285, Jan 27 at 0459, can-can music, i.e. ``Gaîté Parisienne``, not from France but Sonder Grense; maybe this is their rise-&-shine signal? 0501 into Afrikaans news. Unlike BBC/UAE earlier, this good 7285 signal is not perceptibly off-frequency. Has just moved up from 3320 overnight, which is always audible here, sometimes fairly well (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [and non]. 9980, WWCR Nashville TN (presumed); 1644, 1/21; Tune-in to Alex Scourby Bibling into Bro. HyStairical (WWCR continues to inflict the airwaves with Overfondler B.S.); B.S. ranting on “dying in faith”. (Islamic suicide bombers do that!) SIO=353 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BOND SET TODAY FOR BROTHER RALPH STAIR | January 24, 2018 4:28 pm Fourteenth Circuit Court Judge Perry Buckner split the difference when it came time to set bond for Ralph G. Stair, the religious leader of Overcomer Ministry. At the beginning of Stair’s bond hearing on eight criminal counts, Sean Thornton of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office told Buckner that a pair of letters from two of Stair’s alleged victims and a third victim, who appeared at Wednesday afternoon’s bond hearing, were asking the court to deny bond. If that was not possible, Thornton said, the prosecution requested bond be set at $1 million dollars and contain a variety of conditions. Those conditions included Stair not having contact with any of the victims or their families; not having contact with anyone under 18 years of age; surrendering his passport; and wearing an electronic monitor. Columbia attorney Jack Swerling, who joined Beaufort attorney Scott Lee on Stair’s defence team, requested Buckner set a bond of between $250,000 and $500,000, while agreeing with the other bond conditions put forth by Thornton. Swerling pointed out that when Stair was arrested in 2002, he spent two years out on $500,000 bond without a violation and had forfeited his passport. Stair never had that passport returned, Swerling said, and had not obtained a new one since then. He also suggested that the bond condition concerning Stair not having contact with anyone under 18 years old was not necessary, saying that he had been told that there was no one under 18 living at the compound. Buckner — after fine-tuning the bond conditions to allow Stair to leave the group’s religious compound at 12680 Augusta Highway for meetings with his attorneys and to seek emergency medical care — set Stair’s bond at $750,000. While Stair was either seated or standing at the front of the courtroom, he periodically turned around and glanced at the rear of the courtroom, which contained many of the estimated 40 residents of the Overcomer Ministry compound. Stair, 84, was taken into custody on eight criminal counts filed by the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office during a raid on the church compound the morning of Dec. 18. The charges include three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and single counts of assault with the intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, second-degree assault, first- degree burglary, and third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor (The Press and Standard via Jan-Feb Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) First off, reports are that Bro Scaremonger has had a bail hearing, and the judge set bail with LOTS of conditions (no contact with people under 18, etc., etc.) at $750,000/10% (meaning he needs to come up with $75,000 to be released). He was lodged back in jail afterward, and no word on whether or not he'll make bail. You can still listen to 'Brother Scare Classic and the Robo-minions' (tm) on 3215 nightly. There is at least 5 hours of him on there each night, and I'm pretty sure he's on in the afternoon on WWCR in 31 metres too (Ken Zichi, MARE Tipsheet 26 Jan via DXLD) 7490, WBCQ was supposed to be carrying him for one hour per day too; not sure when. EiBi sez 2300-2400 M-F. Aoki sez 0100-0400 Mon, 0200-0400 Tue & Thu-Sat, 0200-0500 Sun & Wed. I wouldn’t bet the farm on any of this (Harold Frodge, ed., ibid.) EiBi is correct, Aoki outdated. I reported the 2300-2400 weeks ago when only that was announced to be retained by WBCQ (gh, DXLD) Meanwhile it dawned to me that the text shown on their website could also still be the last version of their oblique reference to "is in jail". And I would expect that his lawyers very much recommended to refrain from on-air talks that could be used against him. -----Original-Nachricht----- Betreff: Stair is out of jail Datum: 2018-01-27T12:06:25+0100 Von: "Kai Ludwig" An: "dxld@yahoogroups.com" TV report, with footage from bond court: http://abcnews4.com/news/crime-news/75k-bond-set-for-colleton-county-preacher-ralph-stair-accused-of-sexual-assault And the press with a still photo: https://www.postandcourier.com/news/preacher-charged-with-sexual-assault-can-return-to-walterboro-compound/article_796b6bae-011b-11e8-afed-33271aab6533.html http://overcomerministry.org shows an interesting new statement: "Due to legal difficulties, Brother Stair is not currently available nor permitted to broadcast on the Overcomer Ministry." Is he really "not permitted" or has he rather been advised to refrain from appearing on air with fresh rants because they could be used against him? Also the new statement claims that "the Overcomer has discontinued broadcasting on AM/FM and shortwave radio": Really not aware of the arrangement with WWCR still being in place? Or does WWCR still transmit this programming without a contract being in place, i.e. without being regularly paid? If so, why? More dirty secrets looming here? And then scroll further down: "The following audio testimony is from our friend Alan Weiner of WBCQ Radio." As already heard being inserted into the actual broadcast as well. So Weiner fully associates himself, and his station, with the Stair cult now (Kai Ludwig, Jan 27, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also WBCQ 9330v PREACHER CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT CAN RETURN TO WALTERBORO COMPOUND IF HE POSTS $750,000 BAIL --- By Michael Majchrowicz mmajchrowicz@postandcourier.com Jan 24, 2018 Updated Jan 25, 2018 (2) WALTERBORO — The embattled preacher of a secluded Christian ministry accused of sexually assaulting multiple women and children in his congregation was granted $750,000 bail Wednesday. It marked Ralph Gordon Stair's first court appearance since waiving his initial bond hearing after his December arrest. Stair, 85, is charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, one count of kidnapping, one count of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault and battery, and one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Circuit Judge Perry Buckner set bail even as prosecutors argued Stair should not be released and, if he were, that it be $1 million. Stair did not speak during the one-hour hearing. Defense attorney Jack Swerling argued for lower bail and for the preacher to be allowed to return to the self-sustaining compound where each of the alleged crimes were committed. Stair was still in the Colleton County jail late Wednesday and will be allowed to return to the compound once he posts bail. "I have been out there myself ... and I think it's an amazing place, completely self-sufficient," Swerling told the judge. As for the followers who remain living there "they really want him back and trust his guidance," he said. At least eight to 10 minors are living on the compound, Assistant Solicitor Sean Thornton said. As for the conditions of his release, Stair may not have any contact with the alleged victims, witnesses or anyone younger than 18. He's also not permitted to leave Overcomer, will be electronically monitored and must ensure law enforcement has "complete and unfettered access" to the property, the judge said. His alleged victims no longer live at the site. Both sets of attorneys declined further comment after the hearing. Before Buckner delivered his ruling, one of the women who accused Stair of sexual assault implored the judge not to allow him to be released and return to Overcomer. "He has a lot of control there," said the woman, who The Post and Courier is not identifying. "If something were to happen there, no one would say anything." For more than three decades, members of the Overcomer Ministry have been drawn to the 130-plus-acre swath of land by Stair's preachings that were broadcast to radio station around the world. The radio sermons, which were the ministry's greatest expenditure and recruiting mechanism, have since been discontinued in Stair's absence. Four women previously interviewed by The Post and Courier described incidents ranging from groping to rape they said occurred in Overcomer Ministry’s radio room, dining hall and mobile homes on the rural property tucked off S.C. Highway 61. The behavior described to the newspaper by these women typically began with hugging and later escalated. Stair, they said, told several women the alleged sexual acts were "God's will," and threatened eviction from the compound if they did not comply. Members of Overcomer Ministry, who Stair dubbed "the saints," surrender their money, possessions and often sever contact with people outside the compound as they await the second coming of Christ. Local, state and federal authorities, including officials from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, raided Overcomer Ministry on Dec. 18 where roughly five dozen people worship and live off the land. Several of Stair's supporters sat in court Wednesday as the preacher, who called himself the "Last Day Prophet of God," was led in and out of courtroom doors in shackles (via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ** SPAIN. 15390, Jan 24 at 1915, no signal from REE, while 15500 is S6-S8 and 9690 S7-S9 with silly ballgame. Others report the distortion on 15390 fixed, but I doubt if it`s permanent and can`t check if there is no signal at all (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ESPANHA. 15390. Jan 29, 2018. 1945-2010, Radio Exterior da Espanha, Noblejas-E, em Espanhol. Locutora lê as notícias; Uma breve música e, em seguida, mais notícias, com participação de locutor, também. 2000 Programa "Radiogaceta de los Deportes": Notícias e comentários. REE apresenta um bom sinal e uma modulação prejudicada por áudio abafado - os problemas no transmissor ainda continuam, 45333. Escutas paralelas em 9690 (45433), 11685 (22432 - cw interference, presumably) e 15500 kHz (45544). (DXer: José Ronaldo Xavier, Local da escuta: Cabedelo-PB, Brasil, Sony 7600GR, Longwire, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. Just to let you know I am listening to Sri Lanka BC in Hindi at 11905 at 0222. They are playing Hindi Music. There is some background static. Station ID in English at 0230. Off the air at 0232 on January 26. Listening from Holtville, CA on a Grundig Sat 750. I enjoy your show every week (John Anderson, KG7QHW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I often try to hear this at *0115 when there is a mis-timesignal, but no luck now for months; maybe come springtime (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 9775, FEBA On with IS once at 1330, and into Hindi religious program. 1344 IS again and opening English ID announcement giving frequency, and program “Chords of Praise”, then said English program with W host with inspirational talk and playing 2 songs; “King of My Life” and a choral religious song. Instrumental piano music and ended with M and W giving ID/program/frequency/contact info announcement, IS once, and off. A Youtube video with a STEREO recording of the reception here and in Coimbatore India can be found using this link: https://youtu.be/qDOHuQMkERM 29 Jan. Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non] & SUDAN SOUTH [non] --- See MADAGASCAR ** SUDAN SOUTH [non]. Target: SOUTH SUDAN (SSD) --- RADIO TAMAZUJ NB: In future WRTH schedules, this service will be moved from SUDAN (SDN) to SOUTH SUDAN (SSD) to more accurately reflect the Juba Arabic speaking target audience (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** SURINAME. /UNIDENTIFIED 4989.982, probably R Apintie, Paramaribo, S=3 JBA on threshold level, -106dBm tiny, 0714 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND. 3240, Jan 24 at 0342, African choir at S6-S8, 0345 TWR music box IS once and off (uncovers a JBA carrier, but it`s local overload). This is Manzini at 0300-0345, in ShaNdc per HFCC, 50 kW at 3 degrees. WRTH shows 0330-0345 is really in Ndau without a c, after 0300-0330 daily in Shona. EiBi readme.txt language reference shows Ndau is spoken by twice as many in Moçambique as in Zimbabwe, ``NDA Ndau: Mocambique (1.6m), Zimbabwe (0.8m) [ndc]`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Strong signal of Trans World Radio Africa on Jan 25 1557-1627 on 15105 MAN 100 kW / 013 deg to SoAf Kirundi Mon-Fri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/strong-signal-of-trans-world-radio_26.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SWEDEN [non]. Världsradiodagen --- CB: På Världsradiodagen den 13 februari 2018 avser Sveriges DX-Förbund att genomföra en special- sändning över Channel 292 på 6070 kHz. Ett 60-minuter långt program sammanställt av Moritz Saarman kommer att sändas kl. 0700, 1800 och 2000 UT. Som vanligt en sändning med flera olika inslag och radiorelaterad musik (Christer Brunström?, Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 29 Jan via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 7445, RTI at 1100, opening and news by man, then talk show. Best reception in a long time, a solid S-9. Jan. 25 (Rick Barton, central Arizona. Hammarlund HQ-180A, Satellit 750, RS SW-2000629, various outdoor wires (no stations logged from car parked next to desert wash, mirage, or alkali pool), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. RADIO TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL (RTI) (Gov) Chinese 1100-1120 daily SEA 12100pao (add) 1200-1300 daily EAs 9545tsh (ex 11985) English 1120-1140 daily SEA 12100pao (add) 1600-1700 daily SAs 6185tsh (ex 9405) Indonesian 1140-1200 daily SEA 12100pao (add) Japanese 2230-2330 daily EAs 9735pao (ex 2200-2300) (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. Fair to good signal of Voice of Tajik on Jan 28 1100-1400 on 7245 DB 100 kW / non-dir to CeAs Hin/Ara/Eng: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/fair-to-good-signal-of-voice-of-tajik_28.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 14295 Harmonic, Tajik Radio. 24/1 at 1100 (by us noon is at 1000h) with ID & news in TJ as 3rd harmonic of fundamental 4765 (sometimes hxs on 9530 & 19030 are also mention here) (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony 2001D, Folded Marconi ant 16 meters own made, Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** THAILAND. Has received QSL (in the form of the booklet) Bangkok Radio (VOLMET) http://ivanovpb.blogspot.ru/2018/01/bangkok-radio-volmet.html (Pavel Ivanov, Belgorod, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx" & "open_dx" via QSL World, Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. RADIO THAILAND WORLD SERVICE (Gov) Chinese 1115-1130 daily SEA 5875udo (ex Khmer) German 1145-1200 daily SEA 5875udo (ex Burmese) Japanese 1130-1145 daily SEA 5875udo (ex Lao) Malay 1100-1115 daily SEA 5875udo (ex Vietnamese) (WRTH B-17 updater Jan 30 via DXLD) Very strange how they would replace all four languages in this hour including adding German to SE Asia --- for all the sex tourists? (gh) ** TIBET. 6130.00, *2050-2100 20.1, CHINA, Xizang PBS, Lhasa, Tibet. Tibetan ann, ID in Tibetan and English: "Tibet People's Broadcasting Company", March "The East is Red", reading long list, talk, music 35333, // 4920 (35333) (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde heard on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) ** TIBET. CHINA, Reception of Holy Tibet Radio via PBS Xizang Jan 26 0700-0800 on 9580 LHA 100 kW / 290 deg to EaAs English, good: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-holy-tibet-radio-via-pbs.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 23/25, dxldyg via DXLD) The ChiCom have a lot of nerve calling the program they produce and control ``Holy Tibet``, considering the persecution they have imposed on the Dalai Lama`s real religion of Tibet. I`ve never listened to the program itself: does it portray false respect for it? (gh, DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. TAJIKISTAN, Frequency changes of Voice of Tibet Jan 28 1308-1316 NF 11632 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 11633 1316-1330 NF 11637 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 11627 Updated B17 of clandestine broadcasts will be published on Jan.30 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/frequency-changes-of-voice-of-tibet-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28, dxldyg via DXLD) 7493, Jan 30 at 2328-2330+, JBA carrier, enough to make a het if one listen carefully against BS via WBCQ 7489.94. It`s Voice of Tibet via TAJIKISTAN, quite coincidentally here, as reported by Ivo Ivanov: 2300-2305 on 7493 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2305-2330 on 7487 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2330-2335 on 7493 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2335-2345 on 7487 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2345-2400 on 7488 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan Very subject to change in the exact switchover times, as not on 7487 when first heard, or to a totally different group of frequencies. ChiCom jamming could stay on 7490 for these, but no close het heard to WBCQ; nor 7485, 7495, depending on proximity (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. 5960, Voice of Turkey at 2315 UT January 26 with very nice Turkish music. Letterbox program at 2324 [Friday] followed by Question of the Month at 2234. Sign off announcements at 2346, then music until off at 2355. Very Good. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook ALA 100 loop antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5960.054, Jan 30 at 2337, Turkish music on VOT, S8 to S9+10. Habitually off-frequency, but more so than usual on this one. Off the air an hour later, so no bonus German. 6000, Jan 28 at 0145, W&M conversation, carrier drops off for a moment, fair S7-S9. Must be Türkish, altho here and there it sounds like Portuguese and German; VOT at 01-03, 500 kW 72, degrees from Emirler. This is during RHC`s hour off 6000, but capable of mutual QRM after 0200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. PAY AND EQUALITY AT THE BBC --- The BBC believes in equality. No one should be paid differently because of their gender. Tony Hall, Director-General Date: 30.01.2018 Last updated: 30.01.2018 at 11.36 Category: Corporate http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/pay-and-equality-at-the-bbc Today the BBC has published a review of on-air pay carried out by PwC, and set out a five-point plan to help create a fairer and more equal BBC. The review, which covers correspondents, presenters and on-air editors in news and news-related areas, found no evidence of gender bias in pay decision-making, but identified a number of issues in relation to pay which have resulted in anomalies that need addressing, including: Too many pay decisions being made at local levels because of the absence of clear pay frameworks. A lack of clarity and openness about the basis for pay decisions because of the absence of pay ranges for on-air roles. A slower rate of pay progression for both men and women over the past decade because of a period of significant pay restraint. PwC makes a number of recommendations including a clear pay framework, narrower pay ranges, simpler contracts and allowances and improved transparency. The BBC wants a fair, equal and transparent pay framework for the future, so we will now consult our presenters on this to help ensure we get it right. On-Air Review BBC Management Response The plan unveiled by the BBC today means: Substantial pay cuts for some men and increases for some male and female presenters - prominent men in BBC News have already accepted pay cuts. We have already addressed close to half of the 230 cases raised of pay unfairness and equality by women and men - on and off air. We aim to conclude the rest by the summer. A new on-air framework for determining the pay of people on air - an equal, fair and transparent structure for the future. We will have narrower pay bands because they have become too wide; cut the number of contracts and allowances to be simpler and fairer; and have clear criteria for how pay reflects skills, experience and audience impact. We will fully consult on this to make sure we get it right. Greater pay transparency - we aim to be the most transparent organisation when it comes to pay. When our reforms are complete, everyone will be able to see the pay range for virtually every job in the BBC. Where there are more than 20 people in a job, staff will also be able to see where everyone else is positioned. We will do more to explain the pay of each presenter paid over £150,000, especially where they do more than one role. Review of career progression and working practices for women - we will look at what more we can do to make the BBC a better place for women to work. We already, for example, allow and encourage job shares and other flexible forms of working. We will review what we do to ensure we have the best in class processes and opportunities. We want to help more women progress more quickly at the BBC. We will also accelerate our work to achieve 50:50 representation across the BBC by 2020. Through the year we will continue to make changes to our on-air line-ups at a faster rate. The BBC is committed to equal pay and will not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, disability, social background or any other characteristic. But, as in any organisation, that does not mean everyone is paid the same. People bring different skills and experience, and take on different responsibilities or risks. But we must apply those factors fairly, transparently and without discrimination. Director-General Tony Hall says: “The BBC believes in equality. No one should be paid differently because of their gender. The BBC has a special role representing Britain. That is why we need to be and want to be an exemplar on gender pay, and equal pay. “Today’s report does not find evidence of gender bias in decision- making, but it shows that we have real and important issues to tackle, particularly in some areas of news and current affairs, and I’m determined to get it right. The plans we’re setting out today go further and are more important steps in modernising the BBC and making it fairer. “We’ve already made an important start. We’re addressing unfairness in individuals’ pay and want to close the gender pay gap and have women in half of our on-air roles by 2020. Those are big, bold commitments I’m really serious about. “We are clear we’re going to tackle this and change for the better, and I hope other organisations take the same approach. The BBC can and must lead the way. I am determined that we will.” The report by PwC covers around 800 on-air roles. It makes a series of recommendations, which form the basis of a proposed new pay framework. PwC’s recommendations are: proposing a grading structure for the on- air group; using narrow pay ranges; addressing outliers both above and below the pay ranges; publishing pay ranges; reviewing the current approach to contracting; simplifying allowances; creating an on-air talent team to help manage the governance for this population; conducting regular reviews; reporting regularly; and continuing to improve diverse representation. In October we published an equal pay audit of around 18,000 staff which concluded there was no systemic discrimination against women at the BBC. We also published our audited gender pay gap report, which shows the gender pay gap is 9.3 percent against a national average of 18.1 percent. At the same time we set out a range of actions we were taking including access for staff to specialist advice if people have questions about pay, ensuring managers review pay in their team every six months to ensure fairness, and ending single-sex panels for job interviews, as well as striving for diverse shortlists for jobs. Notes to Editors The PwC review covers around 800 individuals consisting of Presenters, On-Air Editors and Correspondents. These individuals work within one of the following areas: Network News, Radio Continuous Programmes, Nations, English Regions, World Service or Sport. The review is published here The BBC’s response is available here The BBC has already published an equal pay audit of the majority of its workforce here. Our gender pay gap report is also available here Below is the BBC’s performance against a range of gender and diversity targets: 48% of staff are women (2020 target 50%) 42% of leadership are women (2020 target 50%) Target for 50:50 gender split in lead roles on air across all genres by 2020. 14.5% of staff are BAME (2020 target 15%) 10.3% leadership are BAME (2020 target 15%) Target for 15% BAME on screen, on air and in lead roles across all genres by 2020. [??? Maybe Black And Middle Eastern??? --- gh] 10.2% staff are disabled (target 8%) 9.6% leadership are disabled (target 8%) Target for 8% disabled people on screen and on-air including some lead roles by 2020. Tony Hall has also committed to closing the gender pay gap by 2020. BBC Press Office (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener 30 January 2018 ** U K. BBC ARABIC CELEBRATES 80 YEARS OF BROADCASTING Date: 26.01.2018 Last updated: 26.01.2018 at 13.03 http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/arabic80 Launched in 1938, BBC Arabic is both the largest and the first of the BBC’s non-English language services. It was launched as a radio service on 3 January 1938 and has grown to become an award-winning multimedia service, available on TV, radio, online and via mobile handheld devices, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. BBC Arabic currently has a weekly reach of 43 million people. On Monday 29 January at 4pm GMT a special edition of Talking Point, on TV, radio and online, will discuss what the role of radio is in the era of tech and social media developments. Listeners can give their opinions and share their experiences through Talking Point’s social media pages or by calling in. Details on how to get involved and how to listen are here: http://www.bbc.com/arabic/interactivity And at 7pm GMT on Monday 29 January, a special two-hour radio programme will be broadcast live from the iconic Bush House (the home of BBC Arabic for many years). This can be heard live online here and listeners around the world can share their memories of BBC Arabic and the topics discussed using #BBCArabic80 on social media. The programme will feature many great names and expert voices from the past and current staff of BBC Arabic, including Sami Haddad, Munir Obied and Salwa Al Jarrah. Topics will include the history and evolution of BBC Arabic: from radio, through TV and online and what role radio will play in the future. There will also be a chance to hear from some of the latest new faces to join BBC Arabic and from audience members across the world who will share their stories. Further programming to celebrate this milestone in broadcasting will appear in schedules throughout the year. BBC Arabic maintains unique qualities which have led to its continued success, covering political, social, and cultural issues and bringing impartial, balanced and accurate news that matters to its diverse audiences in the Middle East, North Africa and worldwide. BBC Arabic has continued to innovate and create special content for younger and female audiences. In the past year, new series such as Trending, BBC Xtra TV, and new radio programmes for the Gulf and North Africa have been launched and digital-first series such as Teenagers and Shame have focused on topics not covered by other media in the region. The BBC Arabic Festival will also return this April for its fourth year. BBC Arabic is available on BBCArabic.com, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Google+, Telegram, Pinterest, Vine, Instagram, Soundcloud and Periscope. AFG (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC LAUNCHES ETHIOPIAN, ERITREAN RADIO SERVICES 29 Jan https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/bbc-launches-ethiopian-and-eritrean-radio-services-doc-y84ed3 AFP/File / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS The BBC World Service, which is funded by Britain's television licence fee, is the world's largest international broadcaster [caption] The BBC on Monday launched new daily radio services producing news, current affairs, features and English language training for Ethiopians and Eritreans. The BBC World Service programmes will be broadcast from Monday to Friday in the Amharic, Afaan Oromo and Tigrinya languages and will be aired on shortwave radio and streamed on Facebook. "There will be a strong focus on culture, health and original journalism from the region," the British broadcaster said. It will also offer beginner, intermediate and advanced English language lessons once a week to speakers of the three regional languages. The BBC last year launched an online portal entirely in Nigerian Pidgin, which takes inspiration from Portuguese, English, as well as Jamaican patois. It also launched a Korean service that is said could be available to listeners in North Korea if the signal is not blocked. The announcements came as part of the World Service's biggest expansion since the 1940s, funded by the British government. The expansion is designed to bring "independent journalism to millions more people around the world, including those in places where media freedom is under threat," according to the BBC. "Through war, revolution and global change, people around the world have relied on the World Service for independent, trusted, impartial news", said Francesca Unsworth, BBC World Service Director. "As an independent broadcaster, we remain as relevant as ever in the twenty-first century, when in many places there is not more free expression, but less," she added. The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, reaching a global audience of 269 million weekly, on radio, television and online. BBC Director-General Tony Hall has set a target for the broadcaster to reach 500 million people worldwide by 2022. 29 Jan 2018 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) WTFK? BBC starts Horn of Africa SW broadcasts today (29 Jan). Schedule is: 1730-1830 on 7595, 11720 and 12065 1830-1930 on 9855 and 15490 1730 Amharic 1750 Oromo 1810 Tigrinya 1830 Amharic (repeat of 1730) 1850 Oromo (repeat of 1750) 1910 Tigrinya (repeat of 1810) Posted by: (chrisgreenway, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) To be jammed? Guess we'll see. Do the Ethiopians have enough jammers? (-- Richard Langley, NB, ibid.) 1830 on 9885, not 9855, parallel 15490. Posted by: (Ivo Observer, ibid.) Yes, all three Horn-of-Africa language segments had the "Hello, I'm Sam" English lesson in the last 5 minutes of the segment – (Richard Langley, 1908 UT Jan 29, ibid.) Seems one of my postings on the topic didn't make it yet. I'll hold off for a few hours before repeating it if necessary. Yahoo is a FPITA and I really think we should move away from it (perhaps keeping it in parallel for awhile). Anyway, VOA in Kirundi came up on 9885 kHz (from Botswana) with a much stronger signal before the BBC Tigrinya segment had finished (Richard Langley 1941 UT Jan 29, ibid.) BBC Media Centre press release on the new services. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/english-language-learning-ethiopia-eritrea Posted by: (mike barraclough, ibid.) Viz.: NEW BBC RADIO SERVICES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA 29.01.2018 Last updated: 30.01.2018 at 14.38 Category: World Service The BBC is launching new daily radio services which will be aired Monday to Friday in Amharic, Afaan Oromo and Tigrinya. The new language services have been available online since September 2017 when they launched websites and Facebook pages in all three languages. The new radio services will provide impartial news, current affairs, features and analysis for Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as regional and international news. There will be a strong focus on culture, health and original journalism from the region. These services are part of the largest investment in the BBC World Service since the 1940s and are funded by the UK government. The programme will be broadcast on shortwave, satellite - and streamed directly onto each service's Facebook page. In addition content produced by BBC Learning English, part of the BBC World Service which teaches English to global audiences will feature prominently across the schedules for all three languages, with daily content as follows: Essential English - Beginners (airs on Monday, repeated on Wednesday) A functional five-minute audio course presented by an English speaker and a local presenter, which aims to help beginners to learn English. Learners will be introduced to essential chunks of functional language, which will allow them to start having simple conversations in English immediately. English Expressions - Intermediate (airs Tuesday, repeated on Thursday) --- This five-minute audio course focusses on common expressions used in everyday English. An English speaking presenter and a local language presenter discuss the meaning and use a different expression each week. English Together Advanced (airs Friday only) --- This is a bilingual five-minute audio with three presenters (2 English and one local language) discussing a current (safe i.e. non news) topic and examining the language used in the story allowing the user the practise their listening skills and equip them with the grammar and vocabulary needed to discuss the story. The programmes are broadcast Monday-Friday at the following times: 17:30 – 17.45: Amharic news 17.45 – 17:50: BBC Learning English Amharic 17:50 – 18:05: Afaan Oromo News 18.05 – 18.10: BBC Learning English Afaan Oromo 18:10 – 18:25: Tigrinya News 18:25 – 18:30: BBC Learning English Tigrinya Programmes will also be streamed via the respective BBC websites and Facebook pages (see links below). Details of how to listen: Amharic Afaan Oromo Tigrinya Notes to Editors The Initial shortwave broadcast to go out at 1730 GMT/20:30 EAT on three transmitters providing coverage across Ethiopia and Eritrea: 7.595 MHz 11.720 MHz 12.065 MHz Repeat to follow at 1830 GMT/21:30 EAT 9.885 MHz 15.490 MHz Satellite Radio content will go out on the following channels: Arabsat (BADR4) - 11.966 GHz, Horizontal Nilesat 201 - 11.843 GHz, Horizontal Hotbird 13D – 12.597 GHz, Vertical Evening satellite broadcast to go out at 1730 GMT and will be repeated until 21:30 GMT. The BBC World Service reaches a global audience of 269 million weekly, on radio, TV, and digital. BBC World Service received further funding of £291m until 2019/20 from the UK Government to launch twelve new language services: Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi, Serbian, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba. This additional funding is not part of the licence fee. MF (also via Mike Cooper, Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD) Here's the missing post again, more or less. "Schedule is: 1730-1830 on 7595, 11720 and 12065 1830-1930 on 9855 and 15490 1730 Amharic 1750 Oromo 1810 Tigrinya 1830 Amharic (repeat of 1730) 1850 Oromo (repeat of 1750) 1910 Tigrinya (repeat of 1810)" Used the U. Twente SDR receiver to monitor the broadcasts. All three frequencies for the 1730 UT sequence were rather weak. But the 7595 kHz frequency improved at some point during the hour and when noticed at 1820 was fairly readable. English lesson in the last 5 minutes. No jamming noticed. At first, nothing heard on the two frequencies for the 1830 sequence. But Ivo posted a correction for the 31 mb frequency: 9885 kHz. And when I retuned, there was a fairly strong signal there. Nothing heard on 15490 kHz. No jamming noticed on either frequency. As mentioned in a subsequent posting, all three language programs had an English lesson in the last 5 minutes of the programs. (-- Richard Langley, Jan 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST Monitoring using the U. Twente SDR receiver, all three frequencies at 1730 were quite weak. Around 1820, noticed that 7595 kHz had become stronger. Last 5 minutes of Tigrinya segment had an English lesson. No jamming detected on any of the frequencies. At 1830, nothing heard on the two advertised frequencies. But then Ivo posted the correction to the 31 mb frequency and on retuning, there was quite a good signal on 9885 kHz. Nothing heard on 15490 kHz. Last 5 minutes of Amharic segment had the English lesson, too. Perhaps it's on all three segments? Do we have any idea of the transmitter location(s) for these broadcasts? (- Richard Langley, ibid.) ** U K [non]. BBC starts Horn of Africa shortwave broadcasts today on Jan 29 in three different languages, each with 20 minute duration, 1830 UT repeat of 1730 1730-1830 7595 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg EaAf Amharic/Oromo/Tigrinya M-F 1730-1830 11720 DHA 250 kW / 230 deg EaAf Amharic/Oromo/Tigrinya M-F 1730-1830 12065 MEY 100 kW / 015 deg EaAf Amharic/Oromo/Tigrinya M-F 1830-1930 9885 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg EaAf Amharic/Oromo/Tigrinya M-F 1830-1930 15490 ASC 250 kW / 070 deg EaAf Amharic/Oromo/Tigrinya M-F 1830-1930 7505 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg EaAf registered via SPL, deleted! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/bbc-starts-horn-of-africa-shortwave.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28-30, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ** U K. We need to talk: why Britain loves radio phone-ins For 50 years, listeners have been ranting, sharing intimacies and making extraordinary confessions over the airwaves. But do they democratise our national discourse, or degrade it? Anne Karpf Sun 28 Jan 2018 11.00 EST Last modified on Sun 28 Jan 2018 19.10 EST Jane Garvey, Adrian Chiles and Marcus Buckland on BBC Radio 5 Live in 1994 [caption] On 4 February 1968, a disgruntled Nottingham resident picked up the phone to complain about his local council. He didn’t ring the council offices, though. Instead, he called the very first British radio phone-in programme, What Are They Up to Now?, on Radio Nottingham, one of the new BBC local radio stations. He may not have realised it, but his call launched a radio revolution. Fifty years later, radio is still awash with phone-ins, even though today you can sound off on Twitter and Facebook or blog your grievances without risk of interruption. So why have they survived? . . . https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/28/we-need-to-talk-why-britain-loves-radio-phone-ins (via Eric Flodén, Canada, DXLD) ** U S A. Tuned the NDB LW band on R75 and besides a couple of Canux, q.v. got these non-Okies in MCW; reference dxinfocentre.com: 385 kHz, Jan 24 at 0328, UWL, which is in New Castle IN 407 kHz, Jan 24 at 0330, HRU, which is in Herington KS 414 kHz, Jan 24 at 0333, MSD, which is in Mansfield LA LW beacon logs, on R75 with E-W longwire, UT: 417, Jan 25 at 0707, HHG, Huntington IN 388, Jan 25 at 0709, GLY, Clinton-Golden Valley MO (~67 mi SE of KC) And relogs of YPL 382, HRU 407. ND Beacon: 347 kHz, Jan 27 at 0629, AFK, from Nebraska City NE; QRM from much stronger 350 RG, which is Gally, Oklahoma City, in red as William Hepburn says it is ``back on``; when was it off? Everybody knows where OKC is, in the middle of its state, but NE City? Directly S of Omaha halfway to Kansas, near the Missouri River; with pop. of only 7+K, it`s relatively insignificant (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CANADA 362 kHz ** U S A. Beacon experiments --- hey, Glenn. I run some beacon experiments on 475 kc. You should be able to copy. The beacon is carrier phase encoded for my experiment plus has the id N/A every 15 seconds using space modulation. Experiment. You can hear it with regular AM radio. Let me know how copy (Dave Frantz, WWRB, TN, 1236 UT Jan 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dave, Tried last night but no go. Early evening and around 0700 UT. Would it also be audible, or better audible with SSB/BFO on?? Haven`t heard or heard about your 529 beacon for a long time. Is that off the air for good? (Glenn to Dave, via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) Is's a two function beacon: during the day it is using space modulation; at night it switches to wspr mode. During the daylight it should make OKC, received in standard AM mode (Dave, Feb 1, ibid.) ? what is ``space modulation``? Beacon was last reported in 2012y, from 2007y: ``529, TENNESSEE, Morrison, LYQ (WQHL966, NDB aero beacon)`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1790-CW, Jan 26 at 0254, another attempt to copy the test message from WH2XDE/3. It`s tough as the signal is fading up and down a lot, up only at brief spurts allowing an occasional letter, number or symbol to be copied here and there. After a considerable pause, the sequence always starts with VVV VVV (and another VVV?). Several times I get the /3, but not the full experimental call. Also WAYLAND, the Massachusetts town which is suburb on the west side of Boston. Also QSL K2ORS. SK at the end. Starts over around 0300 and 0303. It`s a little better at 0633 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 2960, Jan 28 at 0121 UT, VP harmonic signal with heavy beat music, 120/minute. Has to be from 1480 or 740. Certainly not // the dominant 1480 here, Spanish KBXD; nor 740 KRMG/CFZM. 0123 YL DJ, S7 peaks. ECSS engaged, and this helps a little, maybe making the difference. 0131 UT up to S8-S9 with classic rock, 0132 fade for announcement, soul tune. 0135 UT, ``Greatest hits of all time, WADX(?) 1480``, weather: 59 degrees now, predicted low 57. 0136 UT brief QRM from stronger 2962-USB aero contact with Selcall. Figuring I can look up the call later, I move on, but 0200 UT recheck, can`t copy ID, only maybe another slogan ``best music you know``. Oh oh, No WADX call in NRC AM Log for 1480, nor anything fuzzily similar. To FCC AM Query displaying all the 1480 stations: there it is right at the top: WABF, Mobile AL. This is a new call effective Dec 6, 2017, replacing WERM which replaced something else Aug 19, 2014. WERM was NOStalgia format, per NRC, and now WABF is still 5/4.4 kW U2, which means direxional at night only: https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/194580-22221.pdf Major lobe goes SE, virtually nothing to the WNW. Also check: https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WABF-AM&h=N Likely on ND day pattern if not power, how much of it on the double? And refers to own website which leads to: http://newsite.wabfradio.com/2017/03/27/77/ I also check the NWS for Mobile, and find current temp 60, predicted low 58, a close match to WABF`s version. There was a call swap with 1220, which NRC had listed as: 1220 WABF Fairhope AL 1000/30 U1 Then searching the DXLD archive on WERM, Terry Krueger in Clearwater FL reported: ``1479.958, ALABAMA, WERM, Mobile. 0951 October 22, 2017. Sérgio Méndez "Never Gonna Let You Go" into The Jackson 5 "The Love You Save" then Frankie Valli, no ID over the top of hour, Fleetwood Mac "Silver Springs" live rendition, finally at 1009, male canned "Great music on your local station, WABF, go online at... WABF 1480." They pretend to be WABF, which is still the assigned calls for the sister station on 1220 kc/s (per the FCC dB), and WABF apparently pretends to be WERM (not audible with XEB blocking the channel). One website of sorts is wabf1220.net. Read the Wiki separate entries for WERM and WABF for the convoluted story on these two. Apparently the problems continue, with this off-frequency and drifting very slightly from this center measurement.`` I did not check for exact frequency, but if still as above on fundamental, it would now be harmonicizing on 2959.916. Will recheck. I had forgotten that WERM was putting out 2x harmonic just over a year ago in January 2017, which I had logged as follows: ```UNIDENTIFIED. 2960, Jan 7, 2017 at 0320, stable JBA carrier with trace of modulation, but with QRN adding up to S9+10. Checking here since Tim Tromp had reported the night before to the harmonics yg, ``WERM Mobile AL, 2 x 1480 on 2960 with a decent signal and modulation during peaks with black gospel music. WERM calls clearly heard between songs making for an easy ID on 2960 but no luck logging them on their intended frequency of 1480 here. 73, Tim Tromp, West Michigan``. It`s licensed for 4400 watts at night on 1480, so how much on 2960? 2960, Jan 12, 2017 at 0722 UT, S4 signal with trace of music, presumed the currently active harmonic of 1480, WERM, Mobile AL. 2960, Jan 12 at 1310, still VP carrier at S4``` 2959.992, Jan 28, 2018 at 0709 UT, JBA carrier here, from presumed WABF Mobile AL second harmonic as logged earlier, so now very close to on-frequency fundamental 1480 rather than 1479.958 as logged by Krueger on October 22. It`s notable that of the myriad of US AM stations, 2x harmonix are so rare; tnx, WABF! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3245-USB, Jan 28 at 0140, MARS net, weak signals, NCS AAA5CMI, also in contact with AAA5RD and many others. Searching on latter call gets some interesting hits such as this discussing what does MARS really do? http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=72966.0;wap2 And IDing him as Art, AAA5RD -- N9AOP, Region 5 Army MARS Director, and lookup on ham call finds: ``VIDMAR, ARTHUR A, N9AOP, JOLIET, IL 60435`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. IRAN’S INTERNET IMPERATIVE --- THE U.S. CAN DO FAR MORE TO HELP IRANIANS DEFEAT THE REGIME’S FIREWALL. Opinion Review & Outlook By The Editorial Board Jan. 17, 2018 7:20 p.m. ET 36 COMMENTS https://www.wsj.com/article_email/irans-internet-imperative-1516234832-lMyQjAxMTI4MTI3NDkyOTQ3Wj/ No one knows how Iran’s political protests will evolve, and perhaps the current moment is more like Poland in 1981 than 1988. That’s all the more reason for the U.S. to assist Iran’s political opposition as it seeks to use the internet to evade regime censors and build a larger movement. We do know that demand for information inside Iran is skyrocketing. Iranians are flocking by the millions to use circumvention software like Psiphon and Lantern to hide their identities from Tehran’s cyber authorities and access social media, messaging apps and trustworthy news sites. Silicon Valley tech company Ultrareach Internet Corp., which invented the Ultrasurf circumvention software, reported its servers failed this month as Iranians flooded their systems. More than half of the Iranian population owns a smart phone. The authorities in Tehran are reluctant to order a wholesale internet shutdown lest it damage Iran’s already-weak domestic economy and anger more Iranians. But they also want to control the flow of news and information into and throughout Iran. Toward that end they’ve blocked Twitter, Facebook and in particular Telegram, a messaging app with more than 40 million Iranian users. Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani uses government TV and social media to offer lip service to the right of Iranians to express themselves. This an opportunity for the Trump Administration to learn from the Reagan Administration, which used the telecommunications tools of the 1980s to spread information behind the Iron Curtain. The tools then were short wave radio, satellite news and fax machines. Today’s dissenters need software to evade the regimes’s internet firewalls. Yet the U.S. government seems remarkably slow and backward in spreading the freedom message, starting with the taxpayer-backed Broadcasting Board of Governors. The BBG’s mission is to “inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy,” which should put it in the center of Iran’s online battle. But the presidentially appointed BBG board has become a political sinecure, rather than a home for foreign-policy experts who want to fight oppression. Its current CEO, former cable industry executive John Lansing, was appointed by President Obama. President Trump hasn’t nominated a replacement. While Iranians are desperate for reliable circumvention technology, the BBG leadership has spent only $15 million of its $787 million 2017 budget on internet freedom and anti-censorship projects, and the agency is telling vendors it’ll take weeks to direct more funding to these projects. The place needs a thorough rethinking for the internet age. Is President Trump aware that he could dismiss the BBG’s current board and nominate a CEO who’s more attuned to foreign policy and the fight for freedom? Ronald Reagan once observed that truth is “the ultimate weapon in the arsenal of democracy.” That belief animated U.S. policy during the 1980s and, along with a U.S. economic revival and military buildup, sowed the seeds of revolution across the Soviet bloc. The Trump Administration needs a similar strategy toward Iran, North Korea, and for that matter Cuba, Venezuela and China. SHOW COMMENTS HIDE COMMENTS (36) (via David Cole, Goodwell OK, DXLD) Opinion Letters BBG IS DOING ITS JOB, AIDING IRANIAN PROTESTS https://www.wsj.com/article_email/bbg-is-doing-its-job-aiding-iranian-protests-1516746754-lMyQjAxMTE4MDI0NDcyMDQwWj/ We continue to grow our world-wide audience (close to 300 million people on a weekly basis) and develop critical programming. Jan. 23, 2018 5:32 p.m. ET Regarding your editorial “Iran’s Internet Imperative” (Jan. 18): As board chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), I can proudly say that the agency is a recognized global pioneer in creating secure platforms for those suffering under repressive regimes around the world. The Open Technology Fund, a competitive internet freedom tech-centric, private-sector program managed by Radio Free Asia (one of the networks overseen by the BBG), has nurtured the development of research and field-driven interventions that sustain secure anticensorship and communication technologies advancing hundreds of millions of citizens’ access to free expression without fear of repressive surveillance. CEO John Lansing has dramatically grown our digital efforts and broadened the number of tools and vendors available to increase and improve BBG’s anticensorship efforts. Mr. Lansing was not “appointed by President Obama,” but selected by a bipartisan board comprised of policy experts. These investments have enabled us to support innovative circumvention and encryption tools, including tools provided by Ultrareach, which the BBG has funded for over 10 years. Through localization efforts, more than 60 of these tools are available in over 200 languages and dialects to millions of people in repressive societies, including China and Russia. Although you acknowledge that “Iranians are flocking by the millions to use circumvention software like Psiphon and Lantern,” you fail to reveal that Psiphon and Lantern were available in part because they have received BBG support. Millions of Iranians also relied on Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Persian web, mobile, TV and radio platforms. In this fiscally restrained environment we continue to grow our world- wide audience (close to 300 million people on a weekly basis) and develop critical programming. Kenneth R. Weinstein Chairman Broadcasting Board of Governors Washington (WSJ via David Cole, OK, DXLD) See also IRAN [non] ** U S A. Stewart Lessel from Japan has an interesting time with visiting the Voice of America in Washington DC, and reports: “I flew to the United States for Christmas this year and thru the New Year holidays. On Jan 3 2018 I was fortunate to finally see where a lot of past reception reports had been mailed to: The Voice of America. I stood in front of the building and had a photo taken just a few steps from Independence avenue and an entrance. I arrived just before noon as the scheduled tour, free of charge, was about to begin. An escort who was the guide had the tour, myself included, follow him down the hall and I saw at a glance the Voice of America Africa Division. Then we passed a memorial on the wall which pictured journalists over the years who had been slain in the line of duty. Then we entered a studio area where studio 22 and studio 23 were side by side. Studio 22 a radio room transmits English and Studio 23 also a radio transmits foreign languages; both to audiences around the world. Lastly we saw the television rooms. The guide also mentioned the importance of the VOA charter. This tour lasted 30 minutes and of course there is so much going on in this building it was worth the visit (Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday January 24 at 2200 on WBCQ webcast, and on 7489.910 after that. Earlier at 2124 I had measured it on 7490.052. Next: Thu 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Thu 2230.5 WRMI 5850 to NW Fri 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0729 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed UT Thursday January 25 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330.2-CUSB, poor via the PL-880 on the porch; then measured at 9330.173v-CUSB on the R-75. Next: Thu 2230.5 WRMI 5850 to NW Fri 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0729 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed Thursday January 25 after 2230.5 on WRMI 5850, VG S9+20. Not confirmed UT Fri Jan 26 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330v-CUSB: no signal audible. Not confirmed UT Sat Jan 27 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330v-CUSB but there is a JBA carrier, even weaker than the JBACs on 9265, 9395, 9455. Hey, US SW stations, just maybe the 9 MHz band is not suitable after dark under current propagation conditions. Next: Sat 0729 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, 6190, Hamburger LokalRadio, Goehren, 0730-0800, 27-01, English, Glenn Hauser’s program “World of Radio”. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of World of Radio via HLR on 6190 CUSB, Jan 27: 0730-0800 6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat, fair signal http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-world-of-radio-via-hlr-on_27.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 26-27, dxldyg via DXLD) It seems Ivo never reports the next broadcast on same at 1531. I try UTwente, and hear the Chinese stations, possibly a trace of me in the mix at 1536; recheck 1558, B-B-C- chimes directly block 6190, opening Farsi(?) but off at 1600 after a mistaken transmission, leaving a weak timesignal from algo. Axually, BBCWS in English is scheduled to start on 6190 at 1600 via South Africa, but I`ve never noticed it before. BBC Farsi is supposed to be on 6195 from 1600 NNW via OMAN, which is probably what I heard, and indeed there was then heavy ACI to 6190 but I did not check from where and what. From Feb 1, BBC 6195 is registered to start an hour earlier at *1500, which means more QRM for Media Network Plus and WORLD OF RADIO. [WORLD OF RADIO 1915] But Alan Gale in England at a better further skip distance from Göhren, reports: ``Hi Glenn, No problem hearing World of Radio on 6190 kHz CUSB this afternoon, even with the accompanying music programme in the background. It was audible right up to 1558z, when another station joined in with its Interval Signal. Short mp3 file is attached. 73 for now, Alan``. Next: Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed Saturday January 27 at 2230 on WBCQ, 9329.888v-CUSB, good S9+10 (following 2228 The Planet IS & ID loop, 2229 jingle ID and fundraising promo). NOT confirmed Sat Jan 27 at 2300 on WRMI 7780, as that frequency has been off the air all day and still is; ditto by 0200 UT Sun Jan 28 (and 11580 not reactivated either!) Checking WA0RCR at 0126, S9 with heavy CW QRM on almost same frequency 1860-AM; so there must be another ham contest underway. Next: Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed UT Sunday January 28 at 0428 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, S9+30 but with heavy CW QRM from some 160m ham contest, at Kurdistan/Armenia item 13 minutes into show, so started circa ontime 0415. Next: Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed UT Monday January 29 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9329.96v-CUSB, S4-S5; also confirmed UT Mon Jan 29 from 0401 on Area 51 webcast, and on WBCQ 5129.83v, ~S7 at 0429 check. Also confirmed UT Mon Jan 29 at 0430 on WRMI 9455, S9+10, much stronger than // 9955 yet peaking S9. Next: Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] WORLD OF RADIO 1914 monitoring: confirmed UT Tue Jan 30 at 0038, the 0030 on WRMI 7730, very good; same time on WBCQ 9330v-CUSB: nothing audible. Also confirmed Tue Jan 30 at 2030 on WRMI 7780, fair but better than somewhat stronger // 9455 which has Firedragon QRM. Not a good idea ever to share a frequency with Radio Free Asia! Also confirmed Tue Jan 30 at 2130 on WRMI 9455, now with less CCI. WORLD OF RADIO 1915 contents: Albania non, Anguilla, Armenia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bouvet, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia non, Germany, Hawaii and non, India, Indonesia, Korea North & South, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria non, Russia, Sikkim, South Africa, South Carolina, Tibet non, UK, USA, Zambia; and the propagation outlook. WOR 1915 ready by 2230 UT Jan 30, too late for the WRMIs above, but in time for WBCQ, UT Wed Jan 31 at 0030, but as usually the case, no signal detectable. Next: Wed 1030 WRMI 9455 to WNW Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Thu 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Thu 2230.5 WRMI 5850 to NW Fri 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0729 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 to NE Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1915?] Full WOR schedule via all media, podcast access: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9329.978v, Jan 24 at 1542, S6-S8 open carrier, must be WBCQ resuming daytime testing, also with signature slight variation in frequency as I try to measure it. Recheck at 1906, still on at S4-S6, just barely modulated on 9330.112v. By 1920 it`s fully modulating with a young Brother Hystairical, confirmed as such by running 26 seconds behind 9980 WWCR. Still going at 2054 and 2123 chex. Another way to keep him on the air beyond 23-24 on 7490; previous 9330 tests contained WBCQ-FM C&W music, playbacks of AWWW and WOR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7489.912 !tiny poor! signal seemingly WBCQ heard fragments of Spanish! spoken program by male presenter. Just JBA on threshold level in Edmonton Alberta Canada. 0105 UT Jan 25. 0107 UT talked about Quechua radio program, then Bolivia SW program featured present on 49 mb. S=9+20dB signal in central Florida remote Perseus installation, much stronger signal heard there, compared to Alberta. 12 kHz wideband program. R Aficionados program featured of RHC. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That was UT Thursday; current sked has a gap at 0100-0130, but the only Spanish program anywhen on WBCQ is `Antena DX`, allegedly UT Thu 0130-0200 on 5130. Not sure what he means referring to RHC (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330v-CUSB, Jan 25 at 1453, no WBCQ/TOM test yet today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See SOUTH CAROLINA [non] Tonight's AWWW --- Show started just a few seconds late following what I assume was the end of the previous program. No 7490 again this evening so listening on 5130 so I assume we were hearing the feed from 7490 and the previous program there. Poor signal this evening hopping from S3 to S5 with a lot of noise. When the program actually starts I can barely copy what they are saying. Allan and Angela are again talking about men being falsely accused of sexual harassment I think. Fades in and out but some phrases pop out. "Control your urges", "Keep your rocket in its pocket" and "The strongest men I know are gentlemen." Phone call from Fred Jodry at 0115. Fred is recovering from cancer, not at home at the moment, has no reception of AWWW or the station in general, no computer access and is looking for radio penpals to let him know what's going on. By 0119 the upper swing on the S meter is hitting S7 and the noise is starting to drop away although someone on SSB can be faintly heard under the signal. Then Allan is off on a discussion of Capitalism vs Communism and the reads a long article about same. Phone call at 0147 continues the discussion. Show was off the air right at 0200 again in the middle of a sentence. Allan did say that the Mitch and Cathy show was coming back to the air. Said nothing about Brother Stair this week. No emails were read and only the two phone calls (John H Carver, Jr, Mid-North Indiana, 0215 UT Jan 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330v-CUSB, Jan 25-26-27 at random daytime chex, no more signs of WBCQ testing here since last heard with Brother Scare, Jan 24 at 2123. 7489.93, UT Sun Jan 28 at 0152, WBCQ without Mitch & Kathy, but two guys discussing Part 15 hobby broadcasters, 0156 wrapping up as podcast from radiosurvivor.com, 0159 one of hosts is Eric Klein. And usual closedown after 0200. You saw it here first: WBCQ program schedule shows nothing after `Shortwave Saturday Night` ends at 0100. [WORLD OF RADIO 1915] WBCQ is not on their affiliate list http://www.radiosurvivor.com/affiliates/ in fact nothing from Maine and nothing on SW! But I see two stations in New York which also carry WORLD OF RADIO. As for `Mitch & Kathy`, John Carver heard this on last night`s AWWW: ``Allan did say that the Mitch and Cathy show was coming back to the air. Said nothing about Brother Stair this week. No emails were read and only the two phone calls. John, Mid-North Indiana.`` Speaking of BS, Kai Ludwig forwards news that his bail has been approved at $750K, so he can go back to the compound now that his victims have left: TV report, with footage from bond court: http://abcnews4.com/news/crime-news/75k-bond-set-for-colleton-county-preacher-ralph-stair-accused-of-sexual-assault And the press with a still photo: https://www.postandcourier.com/news/preacher-charged-with-sexual-assault-can-return-to-walterboro-compound/article_796b6bae-011b-11e8-afed-33271aab6533.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. STOP PRESS! Sunday (February 4th) there will be test transmissions of VORW Radio International via radio station WINB in Pennsylvania. These tests are beamed toward North America but may be heard elsewhere, reception reports are very much appreciated to gauge effectiveness. Sunday 2100 UT (4 PM Eastern) – 9265 kHz – WINB 50 kW – Test to North America Also, here is the full broadcast schedule, each show features some misc. talk and commentary and some listener requested music. It can make for a fun listen! Thu 2000 UT – 7780 – WRMI 100 kW – Eastern North America Thu 2300 UT – 9955 – WRMI 100 kW – South America Fri 0000 UT (Thu 7 PM Eastern) – 7730 – WRMI 100 kW – West N America Fri 0100 UT – 9395 – WRMI 100 kW – North America Fri 0100 UT – 9455 – WRMI 100 kW – Central America Fri 0100 UT – 5850 – WRMI 100 kW – North America Sun 2100 UT – 9395 – WRMI 100 kW – North America Sun 2100 UT – 7780 – WRMI 100 kW – North America Questions, comments, reception reports and music requests may be sent to vorwinfo@gmail.com Reception reports will receive a QSL! (Jan-Feb Australian DX News via DXLD) ** U S A. Monitored WRMI Sunday Evening / Monday Morning (UT) 7780 kHz Schedule From my recording last Sunday evening, 21-22 January; the line-up is partially different from what usually ran previously on 11580 kHz: 2015 Viva Miami 2030 Shortwave Radiogram 2100 Voice of the Report of the Week * 2200 Your Weekend Show (only first half hour) * 2230 Walking in Power, followed by "Oldies" * 2300 Wavescan 2330 Shortwave Radiogram (repeat) 0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak 0030 Radio Slovakia International in English 0100 La Rosa de Tokio * 0200 Wavescan (repeat) 0230 Radio Prague in English * = change from the previous line-up Bob Biermann's Your Weekend Show was quite interesting with the first half hour about the mechanics of the Hawaii missile alert fiasco and the second half about our use of our time and how we sometimes waste it. It was so interesting, I just had to listen to the rest of it on line! He also mentioned that he is changing his program a bit (and moving back to Florida) and also considering additional shortwave broadcasts. Virtually no evangelizing in this episode (-- Richard Langley, Jan 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BB had retreated to mountains of north Georgia to take on an assistant pastorate; maybe has had enough already of real winter? (gh, ibid.) 5985, Jan 24 at 0256, WRMI, DX program in Spanish with a bunch of logs correlating with what Manuel Méndez, Spain reports, about Conciencia, Congo, Guinea Ecuatorial. Scheduled UT Weds from 0230 as `Frecuencia al Día`. 9455, Jan 24 at 1910, WRMI Oldies during news, not townhall.com but really VOA as in mid-ID at 1911, // JBA 7780. At 2100 9455 switches to FG Radio; see CYPRUS [non]. 9395, Jan 24 at 2100, after Argentina [NON], WRMI joins GCN for `The Power Hour`, but at 2116-2122+ recheck, both this and // 7780 are back to Oldies music fill; what happened to TPH? Not that I miss it. WRMI: see also ALBANIA; ARGENTINA [nons] 9395, Jan 25 at 2143, WRMI is not broadcasting `The Power Hour` as scheduled, rather Oldies music; 2144 ID by Bob Biermann, into VOA News by Ann Ball, but within about one and one third minutes, as she has already stumbled thrice, she is interrupted by the BB ID again, and ``All We Need is Love``, back to Oldies instead of the rest of VOA news, let alone TPH. 9395, Jan 26 at 2100, this WRMI morphs from World Music replacing RAE relays, to join GCN network opening `The Power Hour Nation` with Mary Ellen --- in for Daniel ---, who will be back from vacation on Monday. First 5.5 minutes she vamps with plugs for their mall and what`s coming up; paranoid conspiracy-laden program underway past 2112 tune- out, but at 2158, this and // 7780 which I can now hear, are winding up an Oldies hour, 2159 BB ID, 2200 ``more music in a minute`` after own commercial, 2201 back to music. It seems that the M-F 21-23 block which is supposed to be radiating TPH is instead dumping out of it sometime during the first semihour, presumably mis-programming by mistake, and when that happens, these transmitters default to Oldies. 5950, Jan 26 at 1212, this always weak WRMI to the south, has guy singing The Lord`s Prayer, but not the usual Protestant tune, in English, then apparently Hebrew, mentions Yeshua, cites Micah in English. Scheduled Fri 1200-1230 is Yeshua Messiah Ministry, and several other times and frequencies. This block other days of week contains DX programs, except Saturday `Trova Libre`, Cuban music. 7780, Jan 26 at 1524, WRMI music is jazzy, and not // 9395 & 9455, the latter certainly Oldies. So what program is on 7780? Maybe World Music, or a different playout of Oldies? 9455 // stronger 9955, WRMI Fri Jan 26 at 2202, `Noches con Mirka` live-sounding chat, music and audience, seems to be the Xmas (or was it pre-New Year) special which consumed a sesquihour instead of usual unihour. Goes on to review what happened in 2017y, a bit stale by now. It seems that whenever there is a pre-emptive schedule change for some special, it`s likely to stick for week(s) rather than reverting to normalcy. 5850, UT Sat Jan 27 at 0154, WRMI with `IBC Radio` concluding some DX news, into digital segment in MFSK32. This 01-02 block on 5850 continues to be unaccounted for in WRMI sked grids. In the frequency version, XMTR 12 5850 at 01-02 is shown for only three days a week: ``System G VORW-Fri, Jazz-Sat, Xmas-Mon``, but this is Sat and it`s not jazz. The program version completely omits this frequency-hour, but does show IBC on two other Systems at same time! System D on 5950 and 11580-sic, nominally replaced by 7780; and unnamed System but color-coded as H, on 9395 & 9495. Unfortunately I do not check whether IBC is on the other four frequencies, since 5850 as lowest and on the 315 azimuth is by far the best here. 9395 // 9455, Sat Jan 27 at 1528, WRMI Oldies music, but can`t hear third // 7780, unless imagination-level JBA carrier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Monitored WRMI Sunday Evening / Monday Morning (UTC) 7780 kHz Schedule From my recording last Sunday evening, 28-29 January; the line-up is similar to last week's: 2015 Viva Miami 2030 Shortwave Radiogram 2100 Voice of the Report of the Week Radio International 2200 Your Weekend Show (only first half hour) 2230 Walking in Power, followed by VOA News and "Oldies" 2300 Wavescan 2330 Shortwave Radiogram (repeat) 0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak 0030 Radio Slovakia International in English 0100 La Rosa de Tokio 0200 Wavescan (repeat) 0230 Radio Prague in English 0300 Radio Prague in English (repeat, by mistake?) Once again, Bob Biermann's Your Weekend Show was only run for the first half-hour and was interrupted by "Walking in Power." Most annoying. A mix-up in the scheduling equipment at WRMI? (-- Richard Langley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395 // reactivated 7780, WRMI, Sunday Jan 28 at 1400, secret airtime of `AWR Wavescan` reconfirmed, new edition for this date (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9955, Jan 29 at 1456, WRMI `Viva Miami` vs pulse jamming, new episode in Spanish with Jeff & Thaïs discussing fruit and other food, evidently after stopping in Hawai`i on their trip back from HFCC A-18 Malaysia. Yes, that event has already come and gone, Jan 22-26. See CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES below. 9395 // 7780, Mon Jan 29 at 2115 check, once again WRMI is running Oldies music instead of scheduled `The Power Hour` at 21-23 weekdays. Didn`t check if TPH started off OK today at 2100, as it had the last several days only to find Oldies going later in same hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non non]. Cancellations and Updates - VORW Radio International - Newsletter 8 "VORW Info" 28/01/2018 8:10:27 Dear VORW Radio Listeners, Happy 2018! There are a number of broadcast cancellations as well as a number of changes to our transmissions, please take a look at our new broadcast schedule below. Thursday: 3 PM Eastern - 2000 UT - 7780 kHz to Europe / North America [WRMI] 6 PM Eastern - 2300 UT - 9955 kHz to South America [WRMI] 7 PM Eastern - 0000 UT - 7730 kHz to Western North America [WRMI] 8 PM Eastern - 0100 UT - 5850 kHz to North America [WRMI] 8 PM Eastern - 0100 UT - 9395 kHz to North America [WRMI] 8 PM Eastern - 0100 UT - 9455 kHz to Mexico [WRMI] Sunday: 4 PM Eastern - 2100 UTC - 7780 kHz [WRMI], 9265 kHz [WINB], 9395 kHz [WRMI] to North America Transmissions at 8 PM Eastern on 7490 kHz [WBCQ] and TuneIn every Thursday have been discontinued, transmissions at 11 AM Eastern on 9400 kHz [Bulgaria] every Sunday have also been discontinued. A transmission on 5850 kHz [WRMI] at 8 PM Eastern every Thursday has been added! It provides excellent reception to all of North America! Likewise, a broadcast every Sunday at 4 PM Eastern has been added on 9265 kHz [WINB], the target area is North America - reception reports are appreciated to gauge effectiveness. Please send correspondence to - vorwinfo@gmail.com If you don't have a shortwave radio to listen on that's no issue at all! You can hear VORW Radio International on Tunein Radio at 1 PM Eastern every Thursday here: https://tunein.com/radio/WRMI-9955-s50329/ You can hear VORW Radio International on Tunein Radio at 6 PM Eastern every Thursday here: https://tunein.com/radio/WRMI-9955-s50329/ Latest programs may be heard on-demand via SoundCloud here: https://soundcloud.com/vorw_radio_int For additional information on listening, consult this document: https://pastebin.com/1U94dUNE Finally, you can obtain VORW-related merchandise on our Teespring store at: https://teespring.com/stores/thereportoftheweek PAYPAL Donations to E-mail: repweekinterview1@gmail.com Help Support Me at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheReportOfTheWeek Respectfully, John (VORW Radio International.)(via Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) Why do some programs downplay the stations that carry them, never mentioning which goes with which frequency? Most of us should know, but I have added this info to the above. He did include stations in another version further up (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. 17774.989, Jan 24 at 1912, KVOH is S9+30 with a song about Yeshua (in Hebrew?), then Spanish announcement. 17774.985, Jan 27 at 1922, KVOH is ON! On a Saturday! Sermon in English, S9+20 and the OSOB (since 17640 MWV skips this hour). New program grid at http://www.voiceofhope.com/schedule/kvoh_program_grid.pdf shows 17775 now with English at 16-20 UT Saturdays including `AWR Wavescan` at 1630, everything else religious. The sked says Revised 5 Nov 2017, but surely today is the first date for the new Saturday schedule; and there is no longer any English on Thursday or Friday afternoons (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6115, Jan 24 at 0223, very poor signal from algo, something exotic? No, WWCR merely has faded way down, weaker than 5935 which is also in deep fading (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Classic Radio Theater on WWCR --- Noted in progress at 2130 UT this afternoon ([Sat] 27 January) on 9350 kHz with a strong signal here in NB. Featured Jack Benny in one of CBS Radio's "Suspense" mystery dramas. Originally broadcast January 18, 1954. A welcome change from Brother Stair (-- Richard Langley, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? Should that be Jack Benny, comedian, *and* instead of *in*? I think you will find OTR at a few other times if you search WWCR sked (gh) ** U S A. QSL received: USA, 9265, Atlantic 2000 International via WINB, Red Lion, transmission: 2100-2200 UT, 14-01, e-QSL card received in a week for a reception report send via e-mail to atlantic2000international@gmail.com (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9265, Sat Jan 27 at 1529, WINB is already on with praise song, undermodulated S9+10. New program schedule dated Jan 21 at http://winb.com/schedule.htm shows Saturday from *1430, Sunday from *1200, weekdays from *2030, and final programs start at 0300, 0330 or 0400, unclear whether all are one quarter, one half, or full hour long with nothing to follow them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Further updated as of Feb 4 to include VORW as above (gh) ** U S A. 9475, WTWW Lebanon TN; 1956-2007+, 1/5 [sic]; Tune-in to Raw Hide theme; 1058+ Scriptures for America spot; ToH WTWW ID into Permanently Planted & Possibly Petrified, Pontifical Poobah Pastor Peter Peters Pointlessly Peddling Provocative Palaver; ragging on people “vulnerable to the snakes” (otherhuxters). Highly variable sig; S7-20; audio very subdued before ToH; batter after but w/scratchy QRN (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think date may be typo, as accompanied by much later logs (gh) 5085, Jan 27 at 0614, no signal from WTWW-2. Come to think of it, have not heard at all past week in random chex early and late evening, tho might have missed it. 9930 continues to be unheard when it used to be on in afternoons, including Sat Jan 27 at 1920 when `Theater Organ in the Ozarx` used to emit itself. Will it be back after 0200 UT Sun for TOITO on 5085? 5830, Jan 27 at 1527, WTWW-1 SFAW night frequency is still on at S9+20/30, checked after 9475 found vacant. 5085, UT Sun Jan 28, at 0117, WTWW-2 is back on, Ted promo for QSO, C&W music, S9+45, along with much weaker parasite spur carriers on 5072.1 and 5097.9, so all set for TOITO at 0205? Meanwhile, Ted is neglecting WTWW-1, Jan 28 at 0150 still on 9475 with a JBA carrier, while it would be audible if also on its night frequency 5830 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3215, UT Sun Jan 28 at 0138, WWRB reactivated, sounds like same paranoid politico-religious show as before, about Palestine, Trump, Zion, 33-degree Masons, etc. One guy spouting and another reinforcing him (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3185 & 3215, UT Tue Jan 30 at 0119 check, WWRB is on neither frequency, while it had been active Jan 29 at 0218 on 3185; and Jan 28 at 0138 on 3215 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The FCC's recent proposal to streamline rules relating to document filings contains several paragraphs relating to International Broadcast Stations. While this is largely a routine subject that wouldn't affect signals or programming, it does relate to ownership of these stations. The material on international stations is in Paragraphs 12-15. https://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2018/db0130/FCC-18-8A1.pdf (Benn Kobb, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 12. International Broadcast Stations Unlike AM, FM, and television stations, international broadcast stations do not serve local communities in the United States. These stations, which are authorized on a seasonal basis, employ frequencies allocated to the broadcasting service between 5900 [sic] and 26100 kHz, the transmissions of which are intended to be received in foreign countries.30 International broadcast stations, which are often operated by churches and other religious organizations, typically do not have network affiliations and do not enter into time brokerage arrangements or joint sales agreements. As of December 13, 2017, there were 16 international broadcast stations operating.31 These stations are subject to the Section 73.3613 filing requirements but do not have public file obligations like those applicable to AM, FM, and television stations. Similarly, these stations are not currently subject to the routine ownership reporting obligations applicable to other broadcast services.32 13. Based upon our review, we tentatively conclude that the current justifications for requiring disclosure of Section 73.3613 documents by commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, and television stations do not apply to international broadcast stations. As mentioned above, for example, licensees and permittees of commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, and television stations are required to list Section 73.3613 documents in the broadcast ownership reports they file with the Commission and make copies of such documents available via a public inspection file, but international broadcast stations are not subject to such obligations.33 While the disclosure of Section 73.3613 documents by commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, and television stations supplements the ownership information that they must routinely report to the Commission, the same is not true for international broadcast stations. Furthermore, these stations are not subject to the ownership rules applicable to commercial AM, FM, and television stations,34 nor are they subject to the relevant operational provisions applicable to noncommercial stations.35 Moreover, it does not appear that the Section 73.3613 documents that international broadcast stations are required to file with the Commission have been reviewed by Commission staff in the recent past. Accordingly, we tentatively conclude that there is no need to continue requiring the licensees and permittees of international broadcast stations to routinely file Section 73.3613 documents with the Commission. 14. Instead, we believe that the Commission’s information needs can be met by retaining our ability to obtain these documents from licensees and permittees of international broadcast stations upon request, as needed. For example, if there are concerns about the ownership or control of an international broadcast station, the Commission could request copies of the relevant Section 73.3613 documents as part of an investigation. We seek comment on how to implement this requirement. Should the Commission’s rules continue to delineate the documents subject to disclosure (either in Section 73.3613 or in a new rule section relevant only to international broadcast stations) or is the Commission’s general authority to request relevant information during an investigation or to otherwise fulfill its statutory obligations sufficient? 15. We seek comment on these proposals. Is there a continuing need for these licensees and permittees to routinely file paper copies of Section 73.3613 documents with the Commission? What is the value, if any, of retaining the Section 73.3613 paper filing requirement for international broadcast stations for the Commission and the public? Would eliminating the requirement and retaining our ability to obtain Section 73.3613 documents upon request adequately ensure that the Commission will have access to information concerning ownership and control of international broadcast stations and compliance with our rules? Are there any reasons that would support a requirement that international broadcast stations make these documents available to members of the public?36 If so, what is the least costly and most effective manner of doing so? footnotes 30-36: 30 Id. §§ 73.701(a), 73.702. Currently, two seasons exist: a summer season and a winter season. See id. § 73.701. 31 FCC High Frequency Stations, https://www.fcc.gov/general/fcc-high-frequency-stations (last visited Dec. 13, 2017). 32 See 47 CFR § 73.3615; FCC Form 323, Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations (Nov. 2017), https://transition.fcc.gov/Forms/Form323/323.pdf FCC Form 323-E, Ownership Report for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations (Nov. 2017), https://transition.fcc.gov/Forms/Form323-E/323e.pdf 33 Previously, international broadcast stations were subject to the ownership reporting requirements that applied to AM, FM, and television stations, but this is no longer the case. Compare 47 CFR § 1.343(a) (1953) (“The licensee or permittee of each broadcast station (Standard, FM, television and international) shall file [an Ownership Report (FCC Form 323)] on or before April 1 . . . .”), with id. § 73.3615(a) (“[Form 323] must be filed electronically every two years by each licensee of a commercial AM, FM, or TV broadcast station . . . .”). 34 See id. § 73.3555. 35 See id. §§ 73.503, 73.621. For purposes of enforcing the statutory bar against de facto transfers of control of an international broadcast station without prior Commission authorization, we believe that it is sufficient to retain our ability to obtain Section 73.3613 documents from licensees and permittees of international broadcast stations upon request, as discussed below. 36 We note that these stations transmit programming that is intended to be received in foreign countries and are not required to have public inspection files, and thus do not currently make Section 73.3613 documents available to the U.S. public in that manner. And, considering the very small number of stations operating nationally, Section 73.3613 documents of international broadcast stations may be of little relevance to the U.S. public. We seek comment on these issues (FCC via DXLD) ?? ``for abroad?`` Should someone clue in the FCC that many if not most IB stations in the USA are really intended for domestic consumption? This can be seen: in the coincidental azimuths crossing the USA on the way to somewhere else, the predominant use of English, political programs of purely domestic interest, programs originally produced for and broadcast by domestic stations, and even presenting schedules in local time exclusively, or primarily along with UT (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. 1200 WAXA (ex-WJUA from January 19) This from the NRC's DXN 85-10 "AM Switch" section: ``1200 WAXA FL Pine Island Center – Applies U2 10000/2200, Cuba QRM at night`` Umm. There's one Cuban on 1200, a puny 1 kW Radio Sancti Spíritus. And that's in south central Cuba. Such bullshit on the part of the FCC that does zero due diligence before issuing power increases (Terry Krueger, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1350, KCCY, CO, Pueblo – Call change to KBPL (Jan. 16) and then to KDZA (Jan. 23). (AM Switch, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via DXLD) That was quick! FCC AM Query shows further chain of changes for facility ID 53850, with begin dates: [IIRC KDZA also was applied to 1230 a while] KDZA 01/23/2018 KBPL 01/16/2018 KCCY 04/01/2012 KDZA 04/25/2008 KGHF 12/04/1989 KRYT 12/01/1988 KIDN Before that you have to look at the History Cards, i.e. negative microfiche transformed into PDF, messy typed entries. This example: https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=38971 If you are interested in a particular station, historical timelines can be extracted. I know it was KGHF long before 1989, because it was one of the first stations I DXed in 1953 or 1954y as an 8- or 9-year- old in Santa Rosa NM on the family`s old Philco 1941 console AM/SW radio. It originated in 1927 as KIDN on 1430; after sharing time with KFXJ, in 1929 it moved to 1320 and became KGHF. This interesting tidbit: ``11-4-37, Rebroadcast over KGHF conversation bet. W5XAR & W5XAS of West.Radio Teleg.Co. period not more one hr. bet. 11/6 & 11/11, flying weather permitting.`` In 1941, the NARBA reallocation shifted it to 1350. Lots of changes, but KGHF call lasted until about 1964. Never saw any clue about what GHF stood for: not the licensees. At the end of the file: ``About the History Cards ... History Cards were first used by the Department of Commerce to keep track of applications filed by, and changes to, the earliest AM broadcast stations in the early 1920s. The records were subsequently transferred to the Federal Radio Commission in 1927, and after that to the Federal Communications Commission when that agency was created in 1934. These cards gradually grew into a large card file. History Cards remained in use until the creation of the first computerized database in 1980 to track broadcast applications, the Broadcast Application Processing System (BAPS). However, the Commission did not transfer the data from the History Cards to the new system. Instead, it retained the History Cards in their original form – 3” by 5” filing cards – for reference. In 1999, the Commission moved to a new location (445 12th Street SW), and also at that time created the successor database to BAPS, the Consolidated DataBase System (CDBS). The History Cards were transferred to microfiche by a contractor (only one set is known to exist), and the original paper cards were destroyed. The History Cards were stored on the microfiche as negative images, like those you see above. Generally, they have been left as negatives as those are often easier to read. History Cards contain very brief entries and notes about station facilities, applications, and ownership. They are not, and never were intended to be, a comprehensive record of a station’s operations. Nevertheless, they can be useful to help determine, for example, when a station first went on the air and its call letters at that time. History Card comments were generally typed onto the cards, and thus some records will show more faintly or with more smudging than others, depending on the quality of typewriter and ribbon then used. Occasional handwritten comments, corrections, and strikeouts may also be found. Cards may be incomplete, missing, or occasionally out of sequence. The History Cards are presented here as they were copied to microfiche, to preserve this record for public use, and with the hope that they will be of value to future researchers of radio station history`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. (Re 1160 WCXI) Looks like this isn't the only Birach station with a checkered operational history. The attached from today's Radio World notes two Birach stations in Virginia that are about to lose their license for excessive silent periods and questionable operations. http://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/0002/fcc-paper-hearing-set-for-two-stations-often-silent/341089 (via Paul Dobosz, MARE Tipsheet 26 Jan via DXLD) Viz.: In the case of WBVA(AM) [1450] in Bayside, Va., the FCC alleges the station operated for 54 days out of the 1,225 days in its original license term; and it said WVAB(AM) [1550] in Virginia Beach operated only 48 days of 1,231. The stations are collocated Class C stations with similar operational histories, though WBVA operated with a power level of 30 W, while WVAB operated with 6 W of power. The FCC said these levels allow the stations to only serve a small portion of their communities of license (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 1480, KHQN, UT, Spanish Fork – 1/22 0940 [EST = 1440 UT] – Dramatizations from “Tales from the Mahabharata,” which ended at 0950 [1450 UT] with an ID and “become a vegetarian” PSA; non-stop sitar music followed until fadeout at 1008 [1508 UT]. Fair and occasionally on top, mixing with KVNR and others. Vietnamese mixing with sitar music is an interesting sound! (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge – Drake R-8, 4-foot box loop, Domestic DX Digest-West, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) KVNR is ethnic in Santa Ana, CA (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ** U S A. 1560, KKAA, SD, Aberdeen – 1/22 0852 [EST = 1352 UT] – Presumed with North Dakota news, Fargo ads, ID's as “Thunder 106-1 and 98-3,” as well as “Ag News 890”. These all apply to KQLX-890 so it appears that someone on 1560 is relaying them. KKAA, which had been silent, is the only logical choice, although no ID's were heard, other than the aforementioned slogans (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge – Drake R- 8, 4-foot box loop, Domestic DX Digest-West, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via DXLD 1560 KKAA back on --- Hello, DX-midAMerica reports: ``1560 KKAA SD Aberdeen 1000/1000 NOTED BACK ON // 890 KQLX AM/FM Lisbon KXGT Carrington 1/24`` Best wishes (Barry :-) Davies, Carlisle UK, Jan 25, MWCircle yg via DXLD) ** U S A. For a week now the overnight? toth ID of 1560 WFME has been a corrupted recording. You would have thought someone might have noticed by now. https://www.dropbox.com/s/05pdtg8oflg22i3/wfme.wav (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, Jan 28, IRCA via DXLD) Wow, that is bizarre and still occurring Sunday morning at 1400 UT: https://app.box.com/s/v78dypqkdjyvkcivaqe2edhi21n5fvma Thanks for noticing this, Paul Crankshaw in Scotland! (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?228-DeLorenzo-s-Classic-DX Jan 28, ibid.) Not even the producers listen to the station, I guess. That confirms something (Jim Renfrew, ibid.) Family Radio station, once the great WQXR. ``Double-u`` stuck in a loop along with another letter or two; second clip goes on to ``New York`` over and over. So this does not affect any of their other programming? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. ==am== WBCN, 1660, Charlotte NC is coming in very well most mornings now after local sunrise until around 1800. Station ID is "947 Smoke" and the format is southern rock. In heavy rotation is music by a rock band called "Blackberry Smoke." (Larry Will, 28723 Ridge Road, Mount Airy, MD 21771, radio@zappahead.net Icom IC-R75 with G5RV, Tecsun PL-600, PL-660, PL-880, random wires, GM truckradio for AM and FM logs, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1670, Jan 25 at 1328 UT, nulling dominant sports talk from WOZN Madison WI, I hear sermon in Spanish, 1330 UT music, 1337 more Spanish. Don`t see how this could be anything but KHPY Moreno Valley CA, only 1670 SS listed in NRC-AM Log, and with religious format. Moreno Valley is just east of Riverside, population almost 200K, one of the largest cities we`ve never heard of in any other context. 1670, at 1330 UT, I also hear at least a few notes of ``The Star Spangled Banner``, unseems from either of the above. But what third station would be playing it, presumably around local sunrise, and audible? There are only two other Unitedstatesians on 1670, Redding CA and Dry Branch (Macon) GA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. It is with sadness and regret that I report a local radio legend, Harvey J. Steele, passed away on December 28, 2017 due to complications from diabetes. Harvey was one half of the famed Shores & Steele morning team which has dominated Toledo AM drive since 2000. He, along with partner Gary Shores, were a formidable pair on WKKO- 99.9 FM (K-100) that not only had the top-rated morning show from 2000 to 2017 upon taking over that slot, but also were number 1 in the afternoon drive portion at K-100 from 1994 to 2000. Their ongoing success carried WKKO to the continuous top spot in Toledo radio since at least 1996. Harvey was someone I could call friend since making his acquaintance back in 1982 when he worked alongside then-program director Gary Shores at WTOD-1560 AM here in Toledo. It was Mr. Shores who hired Harvey out of a small station in Illinois and the rest becaume Toledo radio history when Harvey arrived in Toledo in 1981. Mr. Shores started WTOD in 1975, the same time I was a competitor at WTUU-1520 AM. In 1982, I caught up with both at a local remote. I told Gary about my time in radio and how we were both seeking the same radio audience. Harvey overheard that and was pretty interested. Shortly thereafter the conversation turned to DXing as Gary had indicated that he did some of that back in the day. It was then that Harvey mentioned his dad did that, too. I asked him who his father was, and he said, “Sid Steele.” I immediately told him I knew his father via the various radio clubs for over a decade. This connection forged a familiar relationship such that anytime I would see either Gary or Harvey we could talk radio shop or about thiings in general. It was not uncommon to see Harvey at local Toledo hockey games. His passing is not only a personal loss, but also a huge community loss. Harvey’s life story played out very personally for many listeners due to life-saving liver transplants he had back in 1997. He became a strong advocate for organ donor causes. His daughter Kara heads the local Life Connection for Ohio organization. Our cubs and the radio industry lost a real original, for me a true friend in the radio world. Harvey grew up in Illinois but lived most of his adult life in Toledo. He was only 60 years old (Gary Siegel, Toledo OH, NRC DX News Feb 5, published Jan 28, via DXLD) obit ** U S A. AVANZA PROYECTO DE RADIO COMUNITARIA EN FRONTERA SONORA- ARIZONA La organización binacional Campesinos Sin Fronteras inició una consulta comunitaria, para que la gente opine sobre los programas que desea que transmitan en su estación de radio a partir de marzo próximo. En entrevista, la directora de Campesinos Sin Fronteras, Emma Torres, indicó que los miembros de la comunidad formarán grupos de enfoque, que en febrero aportarán sus opiniones y recomendaciones sobre el contenido de la radiodifusora. “Invitamos a las personas que quieran dar ideas sobre lo que piensan que la radio debería llevar al aire, porque queremos que la señal lleve el contenido de lo que la comunidad quiere y necesita escuchar”, destacó. En 2015 la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones de Estados Unidos otorgó a esta organización no lucrativa la concesión para operar la radio no comercial y comunitaria en el cuadrante 99.9 de Frecuencia Modulada (FM) y con las siglas KYMZ. De manera reciente compraron el equipo de transmisión básico, y encontraron asesoría técnica para la instalación y operación de la radio en la vecina ciudad de Somerton, Arizona, expuso. Campesinos Sin Fronteras es una agrupación binacional ciudadana, la cual ofrece de manera gratuita diversos servicios de salud, educación y jurídicos, entre otros, a la comunidad latina y a los trabajadores migratorios, en su mayoría mexicanos. Ver más en: https://www.20minutos.com.mx/noticia/322968/0/avanza-proyecto-de-radio-comunitaria-en-frontera-sonora-arizona/#xtor=AD-1&xts=513356 (via GRA blog 23 Jan via DXLD) Is this same entity as the following? ** U S A. FCC FINES CESAR CHAVEZ FOUNDATION OVER PROMOTIONS ON ITS RADIO STATIONS --- By Geoffrey Mohan Feb 02, 2018 | 9:10 AM http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ufw-fine-20180202-story.html The Federal Communications Commission has levied a record fine against two farmworker radio stations in California and Arizona for overstepping restrictions against commercial advertising. The Cesar Chavez Foundation, a nonprofit social service affiliate of the United Farm Workers union, agreed to a $115,000 fine and a one- year moratorium on new underwriting from for-profit sponsors on the two stations, the FCC said Thursday. The stations — KUFW-FM (90.5) in Woodlake, Calif., and KNAI-FM (88.3) in Phoenix — strayed from rules that allow educational stations to acknowledge underwriters without making "commercial" pitches for them, the FCC found. Those violations, from August 2016 to March 2017, involved promotional announcements that implicitly compared an underwriter's business with competitors', provided information about valuation and discounts, and urged listeners to contact a business. Examples included assuring listeners they could "trust" one car dealership, and listing services and products of specific cellphone companies, according to the FCC. And at 30 to 60 seconds, the announcements were too long, the agency said. Such violations "threaten to upset the reasonable balance between the financial needs of noncommercial educational stations and their obligation to provide an essentially noncommercial service," the FCC said. The Cesar Chavez Foundation — which operates eight radio stations through its Campesina network — said in a written statement that it "fully cooperated" with the FCC and accepted the findings. "This has been a learning experience for the organization, and as we move forward in polarizing times, we will continue being a voice for our community," the foundation said. One of the complaints about the radio spots came from an attorney for Gerawan Farming Inc., a fruit grower and packer in the San Joaquin Valley that has been locked in a decades-long battle with the UFW over representation of its workers, according to FCC documents. KUFW was fined $12,500 in 2010 over similar violations, according to FCC records. It also was required to repay nearly $400,000 to the Corp. for Public Broadcasting in 2013 after an audit revealed accounting irregularities involving restricted grants to the station. The Farmworker Educational Radio Network, a for-profit corporation owned by the Cesar Chavez Foundation, agreed last December to pay $20,000 to the FCC over unauthorized broadcasting blackouts and failure to maintain proper records at KRIT-FM (93.9) in Parker, Ariz. The Cesar Chavez Foundation reported $39 million in revenue and more than $100 million in assets in 2015, according to Internal Revenue Service documents. Follow me: @LATgeoffmohan (Via Artie Bigley, DXLD) I recall DXing KNAI by sporadic E thrice, and each time remarking that they were sounding commercial! (gh, DXLD) Viz.: June 23, 2015: 88.3, at 2357, Spanish, address on Camelback, and I-17, CCI to above religious station. That intersexion is a dead giveaway for Phœnix AZ; 2358 ad for Harry`s Bank (? Sounds rather informal --- oh, it`s Harris Bank operating in AZ), 602 area code, and for Jones Law Firm; 2358 ID in English ``nuestra bandera, 88 point 3 FM, La Voz de la ---?, La Campesina``. I also heard if a few years ago when it was just as blatantly commercial, and traced to founder César Chávez. See: http://campesina.net/who-we-arequien-somos/history-of-radio/ [WTFDA DB: KNAI 88.3 PHOENIX AZ 22.5 kW Spanish RADIO CAMPESINA REGIONAL MEXICAN] June 20, 2014: More notes from my 88.3 recording 0202 UT onwards: promo for Reforma Migratoria --- that makes it more likely American than Mexican. Slogan as ``La Campesina 88.3``. Ad for a concert sponsored by Bud Light, with groups from Tijuana, Sinaloa (not to be taken as local ID clues!), then ``¡¡¡La estación líder en eventos, La Campesina, no más!!!`` (much quoted here should be accompanied by six exclamations, uttered by super-hype voice actor [SHVA]). More ads, including a Mexican grill, Águila radio-taxis; about a remote from Talking Stick (?) Resort, at Indian Bend. ``Gracias a muchos anunciantes que hacen posible continuar el sueño de César Chávez, via ésta, tu estación, La Campesina, --- y la Fundación César Chávez --- viviendas para personas de la terera edad, 300 casas para familias de bajos recursos --- 4000 --- en Arizona, California, Nuevo Méjico y Tejas.`` ``La Campesina y la Unión de Campesinos, en la lucha por la reforma, 88 punto tres, 88 point 3 eff emm, Kay En Ay Eye, Phoenix, Arizona`` (the legal ID part for KNAI in accented English altho not required to be). ``Fundada por César Chávez, La Campesina, en la lucha para la reforma, ¡¡¡sí, se puede!!!`` Into music and shortly fading out. Listen to 3:49 clip: http://www.w4uvh.net/KNAI2.mp3 July 9, 2012: 1530 on 88.3, Spanish overrides local Family Radio translator, ads with 602-phone numbers, i.e. Phoenix AZ area, contracted from what used to cover the entire state just a few years ago. Promo/ad for Mundo Fox, canal 6, y canal 40 en Phoenix; it`s a commercial adstring, including a body shop. These are fully-produced hard-sell commercials, not ``underwriting announcements`` by any stretch of the imagination! Must be KNAI in Phoenix, which final FM Atlas of 3+ years ago slogans as ``Radio Campesina``. How do they get away with operating a commercial station so blatantly on the non- commercial band? César Chávez should be ashamed; his foundation runs it`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KBPI-FM switches frequencies, and now has a lot of angry people. So, on December 1, 2017 KBPI switched Frequencies (4 weeks ahead of schedule it was supposed to happen the morning of New Years day.) KBPI went from 106.7 FM to 107.9 FM and the static on 107.9 FM is awful. The new transmitter for KBPI (K300CP-FM Denver) is now located in Downtown Denver on top of the Century Link tower. The old transmitter for 106.7 is located on Lookout Mountain in Golden along with other FM broadcasters & TV Stations, in Denver. KBPI isn't a station I listen to every day but since the frequency switch, about all you can hear is static, People have been blasting the station on Facebook for the last 4 weeks about how bad the signal is. The main transmitter for KBPI is located in Buckeye, CO near Cheyenne, WY at the old KPAW transmitter site, this gives KBPI a very good signal in the Cheyenne Metro area, the problem I-Heart is having is getting the translator to link properly with the main transmitter in Buckeye, they say the translator is in need of a power boost. Engineers say this static problem will be sorted out by Saturday January 27, 2018, I highly doubt it, because they have said, they can't boost power at the translator because it will affect nearby backup transmitters for KUSA-DT, KCNC-DT, KMGH-DT, KDVR-DT, KWGN-DT, & KTVD-DT, who have had transmitters on Republic Plaza tower since 1999. I-Heart also flipped 107.9 in Pueblo & Colorado Springs, so you can listen to KBPI from Cheyenne to the New Mexico border without changing your radio. The Colorado Springs transmitter is clear but they are also having static issues with the site in Pueblo (-----PAUL----- ARMANI, CO, Jan 26, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 32 RADIO STATIONS WENT SILENT IN 2017 http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2018/01/32-radio-stations-went-dead-in-2017.html The FCC's release of broadcast station totals from the past year has revealed that thirty-two radio stations, thirty AM and two FM, closed last year, a further sign of changing times. By the FCC’s count, at the end of 2016 there were 4,669 AM stations but only 4,639 at the end of 2017. Likewise, there were 6,746 commercial FM stations at the end of 2016 and 6,744 at the end of 2017. FM educational stations actually grew however, from 4,101 in 2016 to 4,120 in 2017. Believe it or not, there are a total of 15,503 licensed radio stations in the United States. That far more than most people (me included) think. When it comes to television, there are 1,767 stations now operating in the US, again far more than one would think. When you count up all the AM, FM TV, UHF, translators and boosters, and low power TV and FM stations, you get a whopping 33,006 broadcast licenses. Once again, far more than anyone would think. The fact is, there’s competition in just about every market. Even in small cities with 20,000 population, there’s usually at least a couple of stations. Most station owners own both FM and AM stations (which sometimes broadcast the same programming). Many of the stations are alternative programming aimed at servicing an immigrant section of the market. In Los Angeles there are 119 radio stations alone, with 48 dedicated to alternative language programming. That said, we all have our 4 or 5 stations that we regularly listen to in a market with that much variety. I can honestly say that I’ve never sampled the major of what’s available in my market. The point is that those of us in the music business tend to think of radio as just another delivery method for music, but it’s far more than that. Only 47 of the 119 in LA were strictly dedicated to music. Radio is still the place for news, talk and sports, and in the future, that’s where it will continue to shine. Posted by Guest Post http://profile.typepad.com/6p016766638dee970b on 01/22/2018 in Broadcast & Satellite http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/broadcast_radio/ http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/music-business/ | (via Kevin Redding, Jan 28, ABDX via DXLD) I think they undercounted! (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. “THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD - A TRIBUTE TO JOE FRANK'” RADIOLAB - WNYC New York Public Radio How do you pay proper tribute to a legend that many people haven’t heard of? We began asking ourselves this question last week when the visionary radio producer Joe Frank passed away, after a long struggle with colon cancer. Joe Frank was the radio producer’s radio producer. He told stories that were thrillingly weird, deeply mischievous (and sometimes head-spinningly confusing!). He had a big impact on us at Radiolab. For Jad, his Joe Frank moment happened in 2002, while sitting at a mixing console in an AM radio studio waiting to read the weather. Joe Frank's Peabody Award-winning series "Rent-A-Family” came on the air. Time stood still. We’ve since learned that many of our peers have had similar Joe Frank moments. In this episode, we commemorate one of the greats with Brooke Gladstone from On the Media and Ira Glass from This American Life. (30”) http://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab (John Figliozzi, Podding Along, dxldyg via DXLD) More remembrances of Joe Frank: https://www.npr.org/2018/01/16/578422431/radio-artist-writer-joe-frank-dies-at-79 Remembering Peabody Award-Winning Radio Artist Joe Frank 20:03 Download Transcript January 19, 20181:25 PM ET Heard on Fresh Air Frank, who died on Monday, created the radio drama series Work in Progress and was known for his intimate on-air monologues, sketches and interviews. Originally broadcast in 1989. https://www.npr.org/2018/01/19/579097081/remembering-peabody-award-winning-radio-artist-joe-frank (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) obit ** UZBEKISTAN. From the archive Piotr Skorek, Poland. -------------------------------------------- QSL card from the past, received in 1993 from Radio Tashkent - Uzbekistan. To look a card it is possible here - http://rusdx.blogspot.ru/2018/01/qsl-card-from-past-received-in-1993.html (Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) ** VATICAN. 9645 powerhouse S=9+20dB Santa Maria di Galeria, Suns only mass in Ukrainian, 0755 UT, 10.8 kHz wideband, in peaks 18 kHz wide signal [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) 9660, Jan 25 at 2110, interview in Portuguese about Moçambique. VR direct from SMG, 100 kW at 234 degrees to CIRAF 46W, which means the west coast of West Africa, where the only possible targets would be Cabo Verde & Guiné-Bissau; but also good for Brasil just beyond (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Oops, I mean VN Reception of Vatican Radio Holy Mass in English, Jan 26 1130-1200 on 15595 SMG 250 kW / 118 deg to N/ME English Fri, good 1130-1200 on 17590 SMG 250 kW / 112 deg to N/ME English Fri, fair http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-vatican-radio-holy-mass-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 25-26, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 9635.831, usually odd frequency from Son Tay site, VoV 1 domestic program on odd channel, S=4 even make it on winter daylight across Siberia into Germany [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** YEMEN [non]. 11860, Wed Jan 24 at 1532, Rep. of Yemen R. is Qur`aning at S7-S9, so is it vesper time? No, Sana`a sunset was already 1458 per gaisma.com (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, NBC, Lusaka. Back on air after a long absence, noted at 2035 with a discussion program in a local native language. Intriguingly, there were short bursts of singing, as though they were discussing song-writing or telling stories through song. Nice Zambian song at 2100. Some talkback radio calls taken between 2105 and 2115, more Afro music at 2118. A weak signal and difficult listening at times just rising above the background noise. Nowhere as good a signal as it used to be pre-disappearing act, but still good to have it back on air. Dual monitoring from the Basque webSDR in Spain where it was a touch better. Eventual s/off just after 2137. 13/1 (Rob Wagner, VK3BVW, Mount Evelyn, VIC (Yaesu FTDX 3000, Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Kenwood R5000, Tecsun PL-680, Horizontal Sky Loop, Double Bazooka antennas for 80, 40 and 20 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Jan-Feb Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) [and non]. 5915, Jan 24 at 0229, 1 kHz tone on carrier here, not a het, from ZNBC-1 of course. Not too much ACI from 5910 or 5920 stations. Tone stops at 0238:20, but carrier still on with a slight SAH, from what? HFCC shows CRI in Russian, via Kashgar, East Turkistan, 100 kW at 0 degrees, this hour only. But so weak as not to bother much with ZNBC-1 at S7-S8; the Fish Eagle cries start at 0240, and last 11 minutes! I wonder if they are in a loop or if the FE axually kept calling that long in real time. 0251 brief music, presumed national anthem, 0252 announcement and music, then yelling with bells, 0254 into a speech (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5915, Zambia NBC, Radio 1, Lusaka, 2027-2036, 26-01, vernacular comments. 25322. Also 1810-1835, 27-01, vernacular comments, African songs. 35433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA, 11735, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, Dole, 1750-1810, 27-01, Vernacular comments, at 1800 time signals, English, ID “This is Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation”, news in English. 33433. Slight interference from Radio Transmundial (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) TANZANIA, Reception of Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, Jan 28: 1800-1810 on 11735 DOL 050 kW / non-dir to CeAf English, very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/reception-of-zanzibar-broadcasting_29.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, January 28-30, dxldyg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier searches, on the R75 with usual E-W longwire of about 100`, so no DFing, but better sensitivity than on the handheld DX-398 I often use for TPs around sunrise. Normally run full bore Preamp 2, but to reduce overload on MW for this, Preamp 1 or no preamp. Method: USB, set to 9 kHz steps offset 1 kHz below the 9-kHz plan, so I can hear, or not, a 1 kHz het, sometimes even amid heavy QRM 1 or 2 kHz away. 10-kHz even channels where they coincide with 9-kHz spacing are not included, of course, and some 9 kHz channels are blocked by IBOC peaks from US stations. Many are JJJBA, but the strongest ones get a * even tho still not enough to pull any audio. Not necessarily logged in the order shown, but rearranged for convenient reference: Jan 30 at 0143-0158 UT: 531, 621, 639, 648, 666, 684, 693, 729, 774, 837, 855, 882, 909, 936*, 1044, 1053, 1125, 1215, 1296, 1503, 1575. Jan 30 at 0227-0230 UT: 531, 549, 558, 621, 639, 711(2 beating), 729, 774, 855, 864, 882, 909, 936, 1008, 1053*, 1089, 1098, 1116, 1125, 1161, 1215, 1341, 1413. Jan 30 at 0720-0723 UT, some are still coming in, most likely from NW Europe: 558, 693, 846 [could be Kiritimati, which is what I have always assumed when checking only 846], 909, 936, 1044, 1053, 1116, 1197, 1215. Jan 31 at 0058-0102 UT: 576, 693, 828, 837, 855, 882, 935, 999, 1044, 1053*, 1089, 1179, 1197, 1215*, 1575. No doubt experienced TA DXers on east coast can make good guesses about many of these (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 774, Jan 26 at 1130, JBA carrier on R75 with E/W longwire, so no DF; could be Australia or Japan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Who is off frequency on 1540? It seems to vary from .1112 to .1117. I can occasionally hear a male speaker. Good DX! (John Faulkner, UK, Jan 28, mwoffsets yg via Mauno Ritola, DXLD) I think I can hear English in my 0700 clip this morning, but too weak for ID. Maybe KGBC Galveston TX, which Glenn Hauser reported on 1540.12 kHz in December? 73, (Mauno Ritola, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could be, altho I have not noticed a het off frequency from them lately. MW News never publishes my logs (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1710, Jan 26 at 1135 UT, soft strumming music I have heard here before, from Retén lo que Tienes, Bâton Rouge LA? Now there is a second weaker station with vocal music, no doubt both pirates, but what is the other one? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1790, Jan 24 at 0656, trace of CW JBA, probably WH2XDE/3 in MA or MD, as logged Jan 14. The 1711-1799 kHz range is virtually empty in North America, quite a waste of spectrum; per Carlos Gonçalves logs from Portugal, in Europe it`s full of pirates, marine weather stations, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENIFIED. UTILITY STATIONS The Pip, The Squeaky Wheel, The Goose on Jan 22 from 1313 on 5448 USB The Pip from 1316 on 5473 USB The Squeaky Wheel from 1324 on 6360 USB The Goose http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/01/the-pip-squeaky-wheel-and-goose-on-jan22.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1054 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov. Date Jan 27, 2018, dxldyg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Otherness: 6031.9/USB, SS 2-way; 2252, 1/9; Sitting on 6030 to see if CFVP might creep in when this popped up. Minor pulse jammer on 6030; anticipating Radio Marti, not due on till 2400. 2252 exchange was very brief; back at 2324+ on 6031.8, but can hear only one side this time (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6041.68 - Extremely faint signal heard under severe static. Unable to distinguish any spoken audio. Music seems to be more western in style perhaps even religious. The signal strength is S6 but the static is so high that the audio is really garbled. The offset frequency makes me guess more towards Brazil but I am not aware of any stations around this frequency. Perhaps Colombia drifting from 6045? (Stephen C Wood, Harwich, Mass., Perseus SDR, 20 x 40 terminated superloop antenna, hauula7@comcast.net 0136 UT Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST What Colombian on 6045?? See my previous report. The Brazilian is normally just below 6041 (gh, ibid.) Viz.: 6034-6051 approx., peaking around 6042, Dec 19, 2017 at 0220, extremely distorted FMy blob of overmodulated music sounding Cuban, but can`t match it to RHC English or Spanish frequencies, nor anything on 49m, nor a twin spur, nor Cubans on 60m. Slightly more intelligible in JRC`s FM mode, so I keep listening. Quick YL announcement at 0222; another one between tunes at 0227 as La Voz de tu Conciencia! It`s S9+5 here, far more than it ever manages on proper 6010v when in AM. Now on that channel there`s a JBA carrier from algo, but it`s not off- frequency. Is HJDH just way out of whack or attempting something new? The other HJDH on 5910.3 is also on, in AM, almost holding its own against het from Romania 5910.0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1909, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re: Glenn's log Nov 10: UNID on 6135 - Madagascar? ``6135, *Nov 10* at 1404, very poor talk, intonation reminds me of Jeff White, but surely not. Is Voice of Freedom clandestine from South to North Korea back on this frequency today? Maybe trace of noise jamming. As of Nov 8, Ron Howard said VOF carrier-only was on 5920 and not on 6135 for a long time. Otherwise, how about long-path from Madagascar, which also has not been reported in a long time?! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess it's worth checking that one again. Today I spotted a fair carrier on a South African SDR on 6135 around 1440. Didn't observe the exact sign-off time but it was not much after 1500. As mid-summer is approaching in the southern Hemisphere and still afternoon in South Africa, I would not expect the signal emanating from so far away. For example, there is (almost) no trace of the Koreans on 6250 and 6400 which are audible in Europe, being a candidate for 6135 also. 73 (thorsten, Dec 1, ibid.) Here in California, still hearing the daily strong white noise jamming from North Korea, on 6135, the former frequency of VOF. Madagascar would seem a very likely candidate for the UNID, especially with 1500 approximate sign off. Unfortunately for me, I think the jamming is too strong for me to tell if there is anyone underneath (Ron Howard, Dec 2)`` Now, as the South African SDR is online again, I made some more checks of this one, trying to catch some audio. Today, Jan 24, as well as yesterday, the transmitter signed off quite exactly at 1500. Signal strength near Jo'burg was S5 at best. Audio almost nil. There is a 100 Hz tone and rarely it seemed to be some talk audible. But that's all. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes Thorsten, see also AOKI Nagoya database, 6135 kHz, 05-15 UT, maybe a pensionist technician from former SWF Rohrdorf site (7265 kHz til 2005year) could repair the modulation fault (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. FYI Glenn, I am still hearing the presumed Latin pirate most nights on 6934.9 AM. Last night I had periods of very good reception around 0300, easily SIO 333. No one has managed to hear an ID yet (Chris Smolinski, Black Cat Systems, Westminster, MD USA http://www.blackcatsystems.com Jan 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Log Unid 7700 --- After quite a long time I caught a transmission on 7700 again, tonight -1901*, very little modulation, but apparently closing with a song. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: As reported by Ivo Ivanov in the past, there's a station playing Arabic or similar music on 7700. Tonight I was able to catch some audio via a SDR in Belgium. Carrier with undefinable bits of modulation at 1820, but at 1830 slow song in Arabic, sign-off must have been already around 1845, after a few minutes of dead air. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Sept 8, 2017, dxldyg via DXLD) 7700: Am 08.10.2017 um 22:10 schrieb Mauno Ritola: It seems to be an Al-Shabaab station, but no info yet about name or location. 73, (Mauno, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. S=9+25 dB signal of HAARP Alaska?, exact on 7742 kHz. Then 7613 kHz 2 minutes later. 7692 kHz then, 7532 kHz, 9-10 kHz broad signals. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 11501.6-USB, Jan 28, 2-way in Spanish, whistling; QRM from rapid clicking bursts at two different pitches alternating, OTHR? Intruders if we consider 25m SWBC down to 11500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13564.3-CW, Jan 26 at 1533, beacon callsign RF sent continuously with hardly any pause between repeats. Compared to 13564.0, my keyboard puts it at F-natural above C-middle, i.e. 349 Hz per this reference: http://pages.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html while LWCA list puts it on 13564.33, which would be closer to E- natural. Probably cannot expect that much precision, especially with differing tables of exact music pitch frequencies. Unknown location, but grid EM96 per LWCA list. This time no competition from K6FRC on 13565+, but from wideband CODAR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15054.50-USB, Jan 26 at 1542, 2-way in colloquial Spanish; stronger one has severe background noise (from engine?) playing havoc with his vox. Weaker one is clear. Among the words I can recognize are: tiroteo, vuelo, cambio, madre, 2205, viento tras vientos, mareados. 15054.50-USB, Jan 27 at 1443, 2-way in Spanish, same guys as yesterday, today with expletive right away, `puta madre`, politely = whoreson (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15160+, Jan 27 at 1926, S4-S6 open carrier, from what? As I am measuring it a few Hz on hi side, goes off at 1928*. Maybe one of those IBB warmups-on-adjacent-frequency? But nothing sked from IBB nearby from 1930, nor anything else. Leaves a JBA carrier about 15160.22, probably local device (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1915: Thanks to Will Martin, St Louis MO, for a generous check (and subscriptions) to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: CQ Glenn. Again, thank you for all of your dedicated SWL works; also to your other supporters. You make SWL more fun and always informative. Tnx n 73 fer now Bob HNJ (Robert Zerilli with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Financial contribution to DXLD (Geoffrey Wolfe, NSW, via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Hey Glenn: All the best for 2018 - really appreciate the great radio related information you provide throughout the year! 73, (Mike Beu KD5DSQ Austin, Texas, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ARCHIVE. DXA BULLETINS 2010 - 2017 (January) (No. 100 - 128) http://www.dx-antwerp.com/downloads/downloads.html (Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HFCC A-18, KUALA LUMPUR, JANUARY 22-26; B-18 SLOVAKIA, AUGUST 27-31 Yes, that event has already come and gone, Jan 22-26. Perhaps reports and photos of the conference will eventually be made public, at HFCC.org, or WRMI FB, like was done for HFCC B-17 in Cape Town. And: ``The B18 HFCC/ASBU Coordination Conference will be held from 27 to 31 August 2018 in Slovakia.`` I see that HFCC have a questionnaire, but not intended for mere listeners, who can see what concern them: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/HFBC/Pages/questionnaire.aspx (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) THE DATES OF THE 2018 IRCA CONVENTION will be Friday September 7 and Saturday September 8 2018 at the Best Western Plus Charles Inn in St Charles MO. The registration fee is $25.00 per person. Radio tours and the Saturday banquet site are TBA at this point. Ken Hawkins (stlouisherdfan@gmail.com). (More details as they become available. Set these dates now if you plan to attend – pb) BRUCE PORTZER’S ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER I'll be holding my annual DX get together on Saturday February 17 at 2 pm. Consider yourself invited, and be prepared to talk about AM, shortwave, or TV-FM DX with like-minded persons. Bring radio stuff for show-and-tell if you'd like. It will be held at my house: 6546 19th Avenue NE in Seattle, 206-522-2521. Potluck snack food (liquid or solid) is welcome. See you there! Bruce (Both: IRCA DX Monitor Feb 3, published Jan 30, via DXLD) 2018 WINTER SWL FEST PROGRAM AND FORUMS SCHEDULE UPDATED! This is to notify that the (still) TENTATIVE 2018 Winter SWL Fest Program and Forums Schedule, to be held 1-3 March 2018, has been updated on the Fest’s official web site — http://www.swlfest.com — with three additional forums and some minor time alterations. Richard Cuff, John Figliozzi 2018 NASWA Winter SWL Fest Co-Chairs (Figliozzi, Jan 25, dxldyg via DXLD) 2018 Winter SWL Fest Program and Forums Schedule Further Updated! This is to notify that the (still) TENTATIVE 2018 Winter SWL Fest Program and Forums Schedule, to be held 1-3 March 2018, has been updated again on the Fest’s official web site-- www.swlfest.com — with a change to the date and time of the screening of “Spectres of Shortwave” to Friday at 1500 with a corresponding move of the forums previously scheduled for late Friday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. (Richard Cuff, John Figliozzi, 2018 NASWA Winter SWL Fest Co-Chairs, Jan 29, ibid.) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ KONA, HAWAII ULTRALIGHT DXPEDITION ARTICLE For those interested, an 8 page article describing the wild and wacky DX received from December 17-20 at the Royal Kona resort on Hawaii's Big island is posted at http://www.mediafire.com/file/ucdg6re3vqy6icx/December_2017_Kona%2C_Hawaii_Ultralight_DXpedition.docx It includes 70 DX recording links from 53 stations in Asia and the Pacific islands, along with multiple photos (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), Jan 27, IRCA via DXLD) YACHT DX-PEDITION LISBOA TO AÇORES, June 22-29, 2018 RUSSIA. Letter from Radio Pushka --- Hey hey!! Posted: 25 Jan 2018 Dear friends! Radio Pushka has been off for a long time. There are several reasons for this, being the main reason: time. We are now creating an amazing opportunity for the Short Wave listeners to: - Meet the Pirate Capitan - Get to know the Azores islands - Be on board of our sailing boat - Shortwave listen right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, with no any noise or interference! - Get to know amazing people - Have the experience of a life time. Dates are : 22/06/2018 to 29/06/2018 Our Yacht: Dufour 375 grand large. Most part of our tripulation speak Russian and English. If you have any interest on being part of the crew, please send message till 28/01/2018 02:00 UTC for details. radiopushka@gmail.com Best regards, Pirate Captain and Skipper: Andre PS: PIC from our last event here in Lisbon in preparation for the Azores (via Pavel Ivanov, Belgorod, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx" & "open_dx", via Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATIONS. A.S. POPOV. -------------------------------------------------- ------ http://www.rustelecom-museum.ru/visit/plan/virtualnyy-muzey/ https://vk.com/club59176345 (via Rus-DX Jan 28 via DXLD) See also RUSSIA DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See MEXICO; OKLAHOMA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See UNIDENTIFIED: TA carriers +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See NORWAY! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also NEW ZEALAND ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ VIRTUES OF DRM, SW, MW In this age of internet censorship, is it possible that shortwave could be making somewhat of a comeback? The reality is that it has remained important in certain parts of the world all along. Interesting article: http://www.radiomagonline.com/around-the-world/0020/bbcs-nigel-fry-expounds-virtues-of-shortwave-medium-wave-and-drm/39531 BBC’s Nigel Fry Expounds Virtues of Shortwave, Medium Wave and DRM (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ THE BUILDING IS IN THE FORM OF A RADIO RECEIVER. Deli in Sochi, Krasnodar Territory. (from the network). You can see here - http://rusdx.blogspot.ru/2018/01/blog-post_16.html (From the archive of Ruslan Slavutsky, Moscow Region, Russia via Rus- DX Jan 28 via DXLD) SAMSUNG COMMITS TO UNLOCK THE FM RADIO CHIP IN FUTURE PHONES An unlocked FM chip inside a phone is about more than just free local radio. By Jason Cipriani | January 10, 2018 -- 18:25 GMT (10:25 PST) | Topic: Samsung http://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-commits-to-unlocked-fm-chip-in-future-phones/ Video: Samsung app will turn phone into Linux PC Samsung and NextRadio on Wednesday announced the handset-maker will begin shipping phones in the US and Canada with the FM radio chip unlocked. Currently, Samsung was shipping some devices with the FM radio access unlocked, while others (often dependent upon carrier whims) had a locked FM radio chip. An unlocked FM radio chip in a smartphone not only provides free access to local radio stations, but also, in emergency situations, access to important information. In August 2017 LG announced a similar deal with NextRadio and provided a list of devices that already had access to the FM radio chip inside the phone. Some Samsung devices already work with the NextRadio app. I tested the app on a T-Mobile Galaxy S8 and it worked, but the fact that all phones from Samsung going forward will work is reassuring (Via Blaine Thompson, Indiana Radio Watch via John Carver, DXLD) INTERFERENCE FROM ROBOTIC LAWNMOWERS Hello all, My neighbor is planning to buy a Husqvarna robotic lawnmower. I heard already about interference caused by robotic lawnmowers, especially on the lower frequencies between 0 and 3 MHz. That is the reason I wrote some mails to Husqvarna and asked for some information about this interference. Below you find the answers from Husqvarna. I am anxious to know your comments, especially about the last answer with the graph. Anybody with experience with the interference on the MW frequencies, does this comply with the graph? I know a robotic lawnmower is active about from 130 meters from here. This robotic mower is not interfering with my radio reception, but of course I am worried about a lawnmower not far from my antennas. 73 (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, Jan 25, MWCircle yg via DXLD) ---------------------------------------------------------- With your background in this area I trust that you might be aware of some of the following explanations. Nevertheless, I would like to explain how we ensure that the Husqvarna Robotic lawnmowers are designed to comply with all existing standards as defined by the European Commission. The Husqvarna Robotic lawnmowers are classified as a radio transmitter, according to the new Radio Equipment Directive (RED), utilizing an inductive loop antenna. As such the product is tested and approved using the EN standard EN 303 447. This standard is developed and governed by the European standardisation committee (ETSI) on the request from the European Commission. The standard sets special requirements for the emitted signals in the frequency bands that you mentioned, and actually from 0Hz up to 1GHz. The limits for the emissions are set according to the recommendations in the generic recommendations SEPT/ERC/RECT7401 and the test procedures are developed within an ETSI Working Group with participants from the member states, the industry and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Husqvarna Group takes seriously on potential interference and have made sure that all robotic lawnmowers from the Group fulfils the requirements and regulations both regarding Radio interference and EMC at all frequencies. If there is a need to reduce the emissions even further there is a possibility to use what we call the “Eco Mode” in the mower. This turns off the signal in the antenna completely, all the time that the mower is scheduled not to operate or any time the mower is in charging station. I hope the information given clarify and underline our endeavours to ensure compliances with all regulations and to ensure that our mowers are best in class in all aspects with hassle-free operations. ---------------------------------------------------------- Do you have any information about the impact of your lawnmowers on the lower radio frequencies between 0 and 3 MHz? I can imagine that in this case the distance between the inductive loop of the lawnmower and the radio receiving antenna is important. In other words, is there any information available about how far the inductive loop propagates its radio interference between 0 and 3 Mhz? Yes, the team has provided me with the below information that I trust answer your question. Needless to say, and as already stated in earlier conversations, there is limit stated in the standard ETSI EN 303 447 which we of course fulfill. We have simulated the H-field (dBµA/m) as a function of frequency (MHz) for different distances from the inductive loop. As signal power level for these simulations we have used the limits given in ETSI EN 303 447, which provides a worst case scenario. We trust that the above graph provides you with the requested information about how the signal from the inductive loop propagates and attenuates with distance (via Max, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Jam it! The customer will soon return it to Husqvarna if it doesn’t work and leaves the lawn and mows down their beautiful flowers (Steve Whitt, MWN Editor, :) ibid.) ON THE AIR AND IN THE AIR - 1: STORIES ABOUT RADIO & AVIATION As an interesting historical fact, the era of wireless experimentation and the era of airplane development ran largely parallel with each other. During almost the same era, while Marconi was experimenting with ever increasing distances in the transmission of wireless signals over Salisbury Plain in England, the Wright brothers were experimenting with mechanical flight over the sand dunes of North Carolina in the United States. Multitudes of additional participants soon assisted in the development of wireless and radio, and so also with the development of mechanical flight; until today both electronic communication and aircraft flight are two of the major wonders of our modern age. In our program today, we begin a mini sequence of topics linking together both radio and aviation in a series of interesting topics and exploits. As an introduction to this miniseries of interesting topics, we present a cluster of events linking both radio and aviation; perhaps a little different, and perhaps even a little strange. In February 2002, there was a brief news item on TV in the United States regarding an airplane on the tarmac at an airport in California. According to the news item, which our DX editor himself saw on television, the airplane was being readied for take-off and the instruments were set for automatic take-off. At a stage when the pilot was not on the plane, it suddenly roared down the runway, lifted up into the air, and disappeared into the distant blue sky. That story sounds like an April 1 story; or perhaps in more accurate reality, it was the story of an early drone. And there were many other attempts at flying unmanned drones back around that era. Back in the 1960s, radio controlled model airplanes were introduced into the tourist shops in Singapore, and they became very popular with the well to do young people in that island city. It was a favorite pastime to go to the sand dunes at Changi Beach on a sunny Sunday afternoon and control the flight of a model airplane with the little toggle switches on a small handheld transmitter apparatus. There was also another almost equally popular pastime. Some young people on the edge of the flight area would wait until a radio controlled model airplane would fly nearby, and then with their own control unit tuned to the same radio channel, they would steal that plane. Back more than half a century ago, Australian and American authorities at Woomera near the center of Australia were experimenting with full- sized radio-controlled aircraft. These drones, with no pilot aboard, were controlled completely from the ground with radio signals. On one occasion, one of these drones got out of range of the radio control system at Woomera and it just flew off aimlessly into the distance. As the bulletin of radio news from the ABC stated, and as heard by our DX editor, the plane was just simply lost. Some time later however, Woomera control received a phone call from a homestead some 50 miles distant. The man on the phone asked Woomera control: Have you lost an airplane? The reply from Woomera stated: Yes, we have. The answer came back over the phone: I think I have got your plane out here. For almost an hour, an airplane has been flying circles around our tall radio tower. Back during the year 1947, Radio Australia received a phone call from the captain of a Qantas passenger airliner in which he made a request that Radio Australia should broadcast time signals at certain times during the day as a navigation aid for incoming flights. Radio Australia management therefor issued a staff directive, requiring the broadcast of the observatory time signals at specific times each day on certain shortwave channels. Back many years ago, mediumwave station VOAR, the Voice of Adventist Radio in St John’s Newfoundland, received a letter from the captain of a passenger liner flying across the Atlantic. In his letter, the captain explained that while he was flying across the Atlantic, he happened to tune in to the programming from VOAR mediumwave. He stated that he enjoyed the music and the programing so much that he fed the programming over the loud speaker system so that all of the passengers could enjoy the programming also. In times of international emergency, there have been occasions when airplanes are used to broadcast needed information for listeners on the ground. The United States maintains a small fleet of radio equipped planes that can be flown to any location anywhere in the world in order to provide emergency programming where needed. It was back in the mid 1960s, that the United States first developed the Commando Solo radio system, in which electronic equipment has been installed into a cargo plane so that broadcasts on radio and TV could be received on the nearby ground area below. It is stated that the equipment on these flying communication stations includes mediumwave, shortwave and FM radio transmitters, and also TV transmitters that are compatible with any of the TV systems throughout the world. The radiated power from the transmitters is usually in the order of around 10 kW, and the antenna systems are generally single trailing wires suspended from the plane. One trailing antenna is a wire with a 500 pound weight attached. The original Commando Solo plane was a modified Hercules transport, though these days there are generally around half a dozen planes that can be flown to any needed locality around the world and activated electronically. Commando Solo planes have been noted over the years by international radio monitors as being active over the Americas, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Europe. Programming for broadcast from the Commando Solo planes has been available from two different sources; prerecorded on tape and computer, and live from a radio receiver. Programming is usually in the languages of the potential listeners on the ground. In 2003 for example, the Commando Solo planes associated with Operation Iraq Freedom relayed live off air the BBC broadcasts in Iraqi Arabic; and in 2010 the Commando Solo planes associated with earthquake relief in Haiti relayed off air the broadcasts of VOA News. In that situation, their emergency broadcast service quickly sprang into action (2010) and they sent their plane to fly lazy circles above the ocean just off the coast of Haiti. Programming was broadcast on three channels; mediumwave 1030 kHz, and FM 92.5 & 104.1 MHz. The mediumwave antenna was a 264 ft wire hanging from the plane with this time a ¼ ton weight at the end. Programming from the 1030 kHz channel was heard by several listeners in Europe. As a part of the earthquake relief project, the American military delivered 50,000 portable radio receivers that gain their power from solar energy and the hand crank mechanism (Adrian Peterson, IN, AWR Wavescan Jan 28 via DXLD) THE USAGE OF RADIO CALLSIGNS The origin of callsigns as an identification for radio stations goes right back into the era when distant communication was achieved via connected telegraph wires. Instead of spelling out a specific location in Morse Code it was easier and quicker to identify a specific location with just one or two or perhaps three letters and numbers. Thus, when distant communication was achieved by wireless, then the same system fell into use. Initially, any wireless station could choose any short combination of letters and numbers as a callsign and this would make identification quick and easy. Simple as this may seem, yet the usage of radio callsigns has in itself become quite a cumbersome issue. For example, a radio callsign can be used to identify a specific transmitter. As an example, the callsign KWID identified a 100 kW transmitter located at Islais Creek near San Francisco in California during the era of World War 2. When this transmitter was on the air, it was always identified as KWID, regardless of the frequency in use. However, back during that same era, the BBC in London issued a separate callsign for each different shortwave frequency, regardless of the actual transmitter or location. Thus callsign GRC identified a 50 kW transmitter on the frequency 2880 kHz, and GRB identified a 50 kW transmitter on 6010 kHz. However during that same era, Radio Australia followed a slightly different pattern again. Each basic three letter callsign identified a specific transmitter, such as VLC at Shepparton in Victoria and a suffix number indicated a specific frequency. For example VLC2 identified the 50 kW RCA transmitter at Shepparton on the frequency 9680 kHz, and VLC3 identified the same transmitter on another frequency 11870 kHz. However, due to many changes in frequency over a period of many years, this system became somewhat cumbersome, and so they subsequently adjusted the numeric suffix to identify a particular MHz band. For example VLA9 would identify a 100 kW transmitter VLA at Shepparton on any frequency in the 9 MHz band (31 metre) and likewise VLA15 would identify the same 100 kW transmitter on any frequency in the 15 MHz band (19 metre). Another usage of a callsign became evident in the United States during the war in the middle of last century. A specific communication transmitter that was licensed under its own callsign was granted another callsign for a particular program service. The large communication station operated by PWI Press Wireless International at Hicksville on Long Island New York operated many shortwave transmitters, and even some of the staff who worked there did not know how many. These transmitters ranged in power from 10 kW up to 40 kW and 100 kW. Beginning in April 1942, PWI Hicksville began the relay of VOA Voice of America programming beamed to Africa and Europe. However one year later, beginning in March 1943, PWI Hicksville began to identify their on air programming with four letter callsigns such as WKRD WKRX and WKLJ for which some QSLs were issued. These callsigns did not identify a specific transmitter nor a specific shortwave channel, but rather a particular program service. Over a period of nearly two years, a total of at least a dozen four letter callsigns were applied to the program relays over these PWI communication transmitters, a procedure that ended in February 1945. The PWI usage of the four letter broadcast callsigns still defies interpretation and understanding even to this day. Mediumwave radio callsigns in the United States seem to indicate, one call, one station, regardless of the number of actual transmitters they may operate. However, in earlier years the one transmitter could be licensed with more than one callsign. For example, back in the year 1934, the university radio station in West Lafayette Indiana operated a facility with three different callsigns. For program broadcasting, the callsign was WBAA; for experimental radio transmissions, the callsign was W9XG; and for amateur communications, the callsign was W9YB. At one stage the ABC shortwave station located at Lyndhurst in Victoria Australia operated a total of ten shortwave transmitters, each rated at 10 kW. All of these transmitters were used in consecutive rotation for all of the broadcasts of all of the program services. The callsign VLH was originally a single transmitter callsign and it usually carried a relay of programming from 3AR Melbourne. However as time went by, the call VLH became in reality a program service from the ABC studios in Melbourne. In 1987 for example, there was a daily overlapping period of ¾ hour in which there were two transmitters on the air under the one callsign VLH: - 0830 - 0915 UTC VLH9 9680 kHz & VLH15 15230 kHz In a different setting, sometimes callsigns were varied according to the location to which the transmissions were beamed. For example, back in the mid 1930s, transmitters VLK VLM and VK2ME at the AWA station at Pennant Hills near Sydney in Australia were used at times for international radio communication. When beamed to England, the callsign was VLK; when beamed to Indonesia, the callsign was VLJ (Java); and when beamed to New Zealand, the callsign was VLZ. However for program broadcasting at the beginning of World War 2 in 1939, the callsign was VLQ. So how then should we understand the usage and application of international radio callsigns? There is only one answer. We should understand and interpret the usage of radio station callsigns according to the actual usage by the station itself whose story we are studying. * QOTW187 QSL of the Week: Fiji on Shortwave with Four Different Callsigns Back a couple of years ago, we listed three different callsigns for the shortwave station located at Suva on the South Pacific island of Fiji . However, as we look at this information again, we realize that we unfortunately omitted one additional shortwave callsign. The three callsigns that we did list were as follows:- VPD SW 1930 Black & white QSL card Coastal village & boat scene ZJV 3980 1953 Sepia color Village woman preparing food VRH4 3980 1961 Color Village hut with aerial However, we should also have listed an additional callsign, and that was VPD2. In 1936, a new AWA 200 watt shortwave transmitter was installed in Fiji, hence the addition of the number 2 as a suffix to the callsign VPD. The QSL card for VPD2 was exactly the same as for the original VPD, except that the number two was added to the callsign on the QSL card, thus VPD2. When mediumwave ZJV in Suva Fiji was inaugurated in 1926, the international prefix letter for Fiji was Z. When the first VPD shortwave was inaugurated in 1935, international regulations had changed and the prefix for Fiji was VP; then when Radio Fiji was upgraded in 1954, a new prefix was granted again, this time VR, and hence the new callsign VRH (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Jan 21 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++++ :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2018 Jan 29 0117 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 22 - 28 January 2018 Solar activity was at very low levels. The largest event of the period was a B9 flare from plage Region 2696 (S13, L=123). No Earth-directed CMEs were observed. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 22-25 Jan and moderate levels from 26-28 Jan. A maximum flux of 348 pfu was observed at 27/2010 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity was at predominately quiet to unsettled levels with an isolated active interval observed late on 24 Jan. Quiet to unsettled periods were observed on 22 Jan and 24-26 Jan due to a pair of weak negative polarity CH HSS. Quiet levels were observed on 23 Jan and 27- 28 Jan. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 29 JANUARY-24 FEBRUARY 2018 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the outlook period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels throughout the outlook period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels on 29-31 Jan, 04-05 Feb, 09-11 Feb, 15-18 Feb and 20-22 Feb, with isolated active periods likely on 10 Feb. This activity is due to influence from recurrent CH HSSs. Mostly quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2018 Jan 29 0118 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 2018-01-29 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2018 Jan 29 69 8 3 2018 Jan 30 69 8 3 2018 Jan 31 69 8 3 2018 Feb 01 69 5 2 2018 Feb 02 69 5 2 2018 Feb 03 69 5 2 2018 Feb 04 69 8 3 2018 Feb 05 69 8 3 2018 Feb 06 70 5 2 2018 Feb 07 70 5 2 2018 Feb 08 70 5 2 2018 Feb 09 70 8 3 2018 Feb 10 70 12 4 2018 Feb 11 70 8 3 2018 Feb 12 70 5 2 2018 Feb 13 70 5 2 2018 Feb 14 70 5 2 2018 Feb 15 70 8 3 2018 Feb 16 70 12 4 2018 Feb 17 70 8 3 2018 Feb 18 70 10 3 2018 Feb 19 70 5 2 2018 Feb 20 70 8 3 2018 Feb 21 70 10 3 2018 Feb 22 70 8 3 2018 Feb 23 69 5 2 2018 Feb 24 69 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1915, DXLD) ###