DX LISTENING DIGEST 18-09, February 27, 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 1919 contents: Argentina and non, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba and non, Czechia non, Ethiopia non, France, Germany and non, Iran, Kiritimati, New Zealand, Nigeria non, Russia, South America, South Carolina, Uganda non, USA, and the propagation outlooks SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1919, February 27-March 6, 2018 Tue 2030 WRMI 9455 7780 [confirmed] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 [confirmed] Wed 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [1918 replayed] Wed 1030 WRMI 9455 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 [confirmed] Sat 1531 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [confirmed] Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [not aired] Sat 2300 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Sun 0200 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM [confirmed from 0417] Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] 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 #1920?] 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 archive 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. One may apply for membership, subscribe via the above site. DXLD yahoogroup: remains in existence, and members are free to COPY same info to it, as backup, but no posts should go to it only. They may want to change delivery settings to no e-mail, and/or no digest. 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. Fair signal of Radio Afghanistan External Service on Feb 22: from 1600 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs Urdu, co-ch KCBS in Korean from 1630 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs Arabic no signal/only KCBS http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/fair-signal-of-radio-afghanistan.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 13655, Feb 24 at 1530, vamping theme with beeps, apparently implying newsiness, 1531 talk repeatedly mentioning Afghanistan. It`s R. Ashna in Dari, 1500-1630, 300 kW, 75 degrees via Woofferton UK (also 1430-1500 in Pashto). S8-S3 but one of best signals on band other than 13820 Marti & jamming. It`s the Afghanistan service of VOA from Washington studios, not to be confused with more specialized services for the region, as described by WRTH: R. Mashaal, only in Pashto, for the Pakistan/Afghanistan border area; VOA Deewa Radio, also in Pashto for the Pak/Afgh border area. What`s the difference? Well, R. Mashaal is produced in RFE/RL Prague studios, Deewa in Washington. Do they really have a different editorial stance? Why not merge (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. INDIA, 4760, AIR-Port Blair, Feb 21, 1337-1420, 34443-34343, Hindi, Talk and India music, Address announce at 1414, ID at 1415, Very good condition (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA [non-log]. 4949.74, R. Nacional de Angola, off the air during random checking from 0146 through 0300, on Feb 20 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) also note KASHMIR 4949.7, Rádio Nacional de Angola, Mulenvos, 1903-1910, 20-02, Portuguese, comments. Very weak. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog visa DXLD) 4949.726, Usual proper night path program signal of S=8-9 noted at 0231 UT from Rádio Nacional at Mulenvos, fast speedy local music program, singer group, fluttery signal though [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 26, WOR iog via DXLD) A to Z: see also ZAMBIA [non] ** ANGUILLA. 6090, University Network with lively BeeBopping & 800 # to 'make a commitment', into Rev Barbi pontificating about perfection, Budweiser & Wonder Bread. (You can't make this stuff up!), then back to the jazzy bee-bopping & announcer with 800 # for 'reservations'. 4+554+4 some modulation issues, but WAY better than it was before the storms last year. 0310-0320 19/Feb; 6090 Univ Network NOT heard on 21/Feb 0500 (Ken Zichi, Williamston MI, SDRplay + ANC-4 + SDRuno + randomwire, MARE Tipsheet 23 Feb via DXLD) [non]. 5935, USA, WWCR at 1230. Lecture by PMS, and just over strong jammer. DPRK often puts jammer on early for 1300 anticipated open of Shiokaze. PMS running a lot of tapes regarding subject of "tithing", including the really old ones with DGS. VG Feb. 24 (Rick Barton, Report from central Arizona. Logs English unless stated otherwise, and times/dates UT. Mostly Grundig Satellits, RS SW-2000629, HQ-180A with various outdoor wires. 73 & Good Listening.....! WOR iog via DXLD) [non non]. 6090, Feb 26 at 0407, DGS in on again, blotting Ethiopia. 11775, Feb 26 at 1458, Pastor Melissa Scott is on again. BTW, if you search on ``Barbie Bridges``, you may find some images of the alleged same person from her previous career, as well as a lot of discussion about her identity, such as this current top hit: https://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/news/a2823/melissa-scott-porn-pastor/ 6090, Feb 27 at 0701, DGS is off again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 6973-AM. R, LUPO. Feb. 23. 2240-2255 UT. Tangos. SINPO: 45343 (Claudio Galaz; RX: TIVDIO V-111; ANT: Telescópica; QTH: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) Pirate; wonder if they chose Lupo name to match LU- prefix? See also CHILE; SOUTH AMERICA (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [non]. 9395, Feb 27 at 2033, quick check of WRMI confirms it`s still in Italian this hour, i.e. the RAE relay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASCENSION ISLAND. 9530, R. Akhbar Mufriha via Ascension Feb 22 *2145-2200, 55444, Hassiriya, 2145 sign on with Arabic music, ID, Opening announce, Talk, Frequency announce and address announce and ID at 2159 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) = ECUADOR [non] ** AUSTRALIA. Log reports concern both stations, so this time I am not going to try deintermix them, but NB which one is referred to each time (gh) Feb 21, at 1055, both 5045 (Ozy Radio) and 5055 (4KZ) covered by strong OTH radar; still blocked at 1205, but noise off by 1215. 5055 (4KZ), suddenly went off the air at 1234*. Checked 5045 (Ozy Radio) and it was also off the air when checked at 1237; kept checking randomly till 1345, but neither came back again. Noted on the Web that Queensland had some severe weather/strong winds. At 1507, still no Ozy Radio (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Ron, Ozy Radio on 5045 was (assumed) off the air 21 Feb at around the time you heard them. I live only about 20 miles from the transmitter at Razorback and nothing was heard, when it usually booms in. 4KZ was audible over local QRM. Regards, (BRIAN POWELL VK2FBAJ, Sydney, Australia, ibid.) Ozy Radio will soon move to 4835 (ex: 5045 kHz). Thanks very much to Craig Allen (owner and operator of Ozy Radio), who quickly responded to my inquiry about the status of Ozy Radio, in light of his abbreviated transmission today. His reply came at 2046 UT (Feb 21). Ron: "ozyradio is changing frequency to 4835 will be back on air soon" Thanks very much to Al Kirton (general manager of Radio 4KZ), who quickly responded to my inquiry about the status of Radio 4KZ, in light of his abbreviated transmission today. Here is his reply: "Yes 5055 is/was OK. I turn it off remotely when there is a lot of lightning around as I can’t buy a spare RF module. If ever you hear of any one with spares for a 1 kW LPB (US made) shortwave transmitter, let me know. Cheers, Al" Indeed the weather forecast was for chance of thundershowers. http://www.weatherzone.com.au/qld/nth-cst-and-tableland/innisfail (Ron Howard, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello! AIR Gangtok is also on 4835 kHz. That can be a problem to receive Ozy Radio on this frequency (Eduard Korsakov, Moskva, WOR iog via DXLD) - - - - - DXLD 18-02, Jan 10: Hi Glenn, The following posts are from WRTH Facebook. Craig Allen is the owner and operator of Ozy Radio (5045 kHz.). M Breyel: This email also just in from Al Kirton [4KZ - 5055 kHz]: "In two or three weeks we should be up to 1.2 kilowatts." (posted about 0600 UT, Jan 3) Craig Allen: "Both 5045 and 5055 kHz use omnidirectional NVIS antennas, so the closer you are to each service, the better the signal. 5055 [4KZ] is covering the North of Australia and 5045 [Ozy Radio] covers the south; soon there will be 5050 for the West coast of Australia and 4835 for the middle." [my emphasis - Ron] (posted about 0200 UT, Jan 3) Craig's future 5050 kHz, will of course go head to head with Beibu Bay Radio, broadcasting from Nanning, in southern China (near Vietnam), with 15 kW of power. Future 4835 kHz will be unfortunate for continued AIR Gangtok (Sikkim) reception, which here in the States is a challenge to hear now without any QRM (once ABC Alice Springs NT closed down it became possible to again hear Gangtok). (Ron Howard, Jan 3, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1912, DX LISTENING DIGEST) (via Ron Howard, Feb 22, WOR iog via DXLD) Feb 22, noted no signal from Ozy Radio (5045 kHz), from 1042+ UT. Feb 22, with 4KZ (5055) mostly playing pop songs; 1043+ with Michael Bolton, Chuck Berry, etc. songs; at 1400 start of the news, which was cut short with 1402*. So today there must have been no thunderstorms around, therefor a normal day of broadcasting, unlike yesterdays early off (1243*). (Ron Howard, wor iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Radio 4KZ - Australiaterday [sic] --- Hi Ron, I get 4KZ with good clarity in my morning hours here in Gunnedah, NSW. When I checked 5045 my morning at 8 am (2100 UT) I was getting an S5-S9 carrier with no modulation. For about an hour or so, as was the same yesterday. Sometimes I hear what sounds like digital sounds, so, not sure if someone else is testing another 5045 somewhere? Seems to bleed into 5055 at times. I'll keep an ear to it. Using an RF 4800 BA National receiver with Diamond BB7 Vertical. Best regards (Tim Gaynor, Gunnedah NSW, 0103 UT Feb 23, ibid. WORLD OF RADIO 1919) Tim used to run Unique Radio on 3210, but nothing about that now (gh) The latest from Craig Allen, posted at WRTH Facebook page (Feb 22): ``Craig Allen: Hi Everybody, At this stage will stay on 5045 and will use 4835 in Alice Springs, stay tuned. Craig`` (via Ron Howard, 0434 UT Feb 23, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Ozy Radio (5045/4835) seems to be in a state of flux! (Ron Howard, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This also from WRTH Facebook page (Feb 22): Rob Wagner [Australia]: ``Ron Howard - 5045 is coming into Melbourne with a reasonable daytime signal today, Feb 23 at 0245 UT. So you may catch it tonight.`` Craig Allen [responded]: ``maybe maybe not`` (via Ron Howard, 0445 UT Feb 23, ibid.) 21-23 February, Ozy music off air Razorback near Camden NSW on 5045 kHz. Due to CB issue. Now fixed and back up to 1000 watts as of 0200 UT. Regards Johno ARDXC. [what does CB mean here??? gh] 5055, Radio 4KZ, Innisfail QLD. Adverts for the Australian Radio DX Club, 1045 UT 21 Feb on air. Fair level from Sydney, 1800 miles, pretty good for 250 watts! Advert for the club is for email membership $20-00 till 30 June 2019. Apart from the ARDXC bulletin, you also receive the NZDXL bulletin as a bonus, as we have had this agreement in place for some years. Same if you joined the NZDXL, you receive the ARDXC magazine complimentary. John Wright dxer1234@gmail.com Regards, Glenn (Johno Wright, 0324 UT Feb 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5045even, "Waltzing Mathilda" melody played and brought memories back to Shepparton-Vic transmissions in last century. Feb 23 at 1207 UT, S=8 or -84dBm signal observed in Brisbane Queensland SDR remotely. Ozy Radio ID at 1207:50 UT also. 5055.002 kHz, measured at same time of R 4KZ played some music program, S=6-7 or -93dBm signal strength noted. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 23, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 6676-USB, VOLMET weather, on Feb 19, 1301-1304*. Gave visibility, weather, temperatures and dew points for various cities; ended with "Australia VOLMET out" (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 4750.00, Bangladesh Betar, Feb 19 1231-1246, 33443, Bengali and English, News, English news from 1234, ID at 1234 and 1239 [Ko.Hashimoto, JAPAN] 9455, Bangladesh Betar, Feb 21, *1313-1323, 33333, Nepali, 1313 carrier on with IS, Opening music, Opening announce, News (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Was also listening to BB (home service) on Feb 19, on 4750, with the Monday only 1235-1243 SAARC (The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) news bulletin in English, starting at 1235 with “Assalamu alaikum. This is Bangladesh Betar”; gave headlines; "Now the details"; of course many mentions of "Bangladesh"; clearly in English, but not very readable due to usual heavy QRM from both CODAR and CNR1; before and after the English news, was in Bangla. (Ron Howard, California, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Distorted audio of Bangladesh Betar, Feb 22 1315-1345 on 9455 DKA 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAs Nepali http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/distorted-audio-of-bangladesh-betar.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.46, R. Pio Doce. 0208 really nice signal with nonstop rustic CP campesina music. 0220 finally short canned ID announcement by W, and more announcements. 0225 men shouting “Pio Doce” twice, then alternating M and W announcers over instrumental music with ID. 0227 usual “Colonel Bogey march and long full canned ID announcement by M with QTH “Siglo XX, Municipio de Llallagua, Departmento de Potosí, Bolivia”, AM SW and FM frequencies, website, and phone. Ended with harp signature 3 times at 0229 and plug pulled at 0230:02. Had slight QRM from weak signal on 5950, but passband removed it. (27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** BOUGAINVILLE. 3325, NBC Bougainville, 1118-1211*, Feb 20. Long talk in Pidgin, with many mentions of "Papua New Guinea"; followed by usual DJ in Pidgin playing Pacific Islands songs; no RRI QRM heard. 3325, NBC Bougainville, 1100-1202*, Feb 21. In Pidgin, with several interviews; otherwise DJ playing pop songs (The Mamas & The Papas - "Monday Monday," Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner - "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man," etc.); no news at 1100, but at 1200 the start of the news before they cut off. 3325, NBC Bougainville, Feb 22, from 1105 to 1140, with talks in Pidgin; many mentions of "the people of Bougainville," "leadership of Bougainville," "Prime Minister," "referendum," "Papua New Guinea," etc.; 1140-1200 DJ in Pidgin with music show; 1200 news and "NBC Radio" promos till 1207* cut off. Certainly this station is going all out to provide the citizens with the necessary info to make an informed vote next year for the Bougainville referendum to decide on independence. Now being heard almost daily with segments dealing with the referendum, either in English or Pidgin (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4774.87, R. Sora, “A Voz do Brasil” news program from 2255. Full canned ID with frequencies by M at 2300. ID as R. Sora de Congonhas. Best signal in a long time but centered right on a CODAR. (26 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) Wish he would put up a clip of this. I`ll believe they say ``Sora`` instead of ``Difusora`` only when I hear it myself. One would like to see what their webpage say, but no connexion trying http://www.radiocongonhas.com.br/ Searches also lead to various steaming linx one might hear (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4875.26, R. Difusora Roraima. Tremendous signal with long song 0256-0302, canned Portuguese announcement by W, talk by M over music, 0305 nice full canned Portuguese ID by M with frequencies and QTH. Amazing strength but really poor the following morning. (27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885.03, R. Clube do Pará. 0301 M announcer in Portuguese with mention of R. Clube, couple canned announcements, and full canned ID announcement with frequencies, and QTH by M at 0306. Strong but not quite as good as Roraima next door. (27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard- Core-DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6010.02, R. Inconfidência, 2301 singing ID jingle, then live studio M DJ starting with nice clear ID, then same ID jingle again, and news highlights with separater fanfare between each and mention of “America”. Another ID at 2303 and list of network stations. Good signal and clear. (26 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6105.37 kHz, 5 kW, ZYE728, R Cultura Filadélfia, Foz do Iguacu PR, heard at S=6 level at 1500 UT Feb 27 (Wolfgang Büschel, KiwiSDR Paraguay, excellent remote receiver, , WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mid-day local time, that close (gh, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. 11780, Feb 21 at 1457, Portuguese song, 1459 R. Nacional ID, S9 fading to S5; but gone by 1532 recheck. At least there was no ACI from 11775 Anguilla, off more than on. I wonder what the schedule of 11780 is, or is supposed to be? More or less daytime-only, and no use of 6180 at night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11780.01, 250 [sic] kW, ZYE365, R. Nacional da Amazônia, Brasília DF, S=8-9 at 1515 UT, BrasPortuguese program. 11934.905, 10 kW, ex "Radio R-B Dois", ZYJ200, Rádio Evangelizar, Curitiba PR at S=3-4 JBA tiny signal at 1527 UT on Feb 27 (Wolfgang Büschel, KiwiSDR Paraguay, excellent remote receiver, , DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL [and non]. 11915, Rádio Gaúcha, Porto Alegre, 1745-1820, 23- 02, Portuguese, comments, female and male, songs. Arabia out of air or inaudible at this time. 15321. Also, 2040-2055 23-02, Portuguese, comments, male "amanhã às oito da manhã", "Rádio Gaúcha", Brazilian songs. Slight QRM from Arabia, but later at about 2130 strong QRM from BSKSA and Radio Gaúcha inaudible. 13321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, XHDATA D-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I believe this one is irregular and/or closes down early in evening (gh, DXLD) Tentative R. Gaúcha on 11914.990 kHz with weak music. Thanks to Manuel for the tip! (Brandon Jordan, TN 2113 UT Feb 23, ibid.) SAUDI ARABIA, 11914.990 kHz Here in Europe, Grenoble, Belgium, and Moscow Russia remoted SDR Perseus net, BSKSA Holy Qur`an program muslim prayer heard at 2240-2259 UT, scheduled 1755-2257 UT, Nothing heard of Brazilian radio program so far. Riyadh switched off at 2259:50 UT. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 23, ibid. WORLD OF RADIO 1919,) Just checked 11915 at 2315 and no signals. My reception at 2110 on 11914.99 may have been Saudi even though the music sounded more pop. Rádio Gaúcha in Rio Grande do Sul is on my watch list since that is a Brazilian state I do not have verified (Brandon Jordan, ibid.) Hi Brandon, Rádio Gaúcha is very difficult or impossible to catch when Arabia is on air with its ordinary high power, I heard it a few times when Arabia is out, inaudible or weak. Yesterday between 1745 and 2040 or later, first BSKSA was inaudible and later, first audible but weak, and more later strong. When BSKA inaudible or weak, Radio Gaucha it is possible to heard it. Surely you heard the Brazilian Station. Carlos Conçalvez in Portugal, reported several times Radio Gaucha even, I think, with Arabia strong. He have very best logs from Brazil, Latin American and other countries. 73,s (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, ibid.) ZYE851, Rádio Gaúcha entry in Aoki Nagoya list shows 310 degree azimuth, favourable for N American DXers monitoring. [and non] a few more also using 11915 kHz: now at 0915 UT on Feb 24: CHINA 11915.003 Footprint of CNR2nd program in Mandarin language from Baoji Sifangshan #724 tx site. Fluttery audio signal, slight echo effect, seemingly two-way propagation in our European Wintertime morning often happens from East Asia. S=8 or -82dBm strength. 73 wb 11915, R Gaúcha, like exact measurement was 11914.959 kHz yesterday Feb 26, now on KiwiSDR measured at ZOOOM-in on AM-narrow mode approx. 11914.95 kHz, 1520 UT, S=7 strength (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. Ondas Curtas de 31 Metros do Brasil, 1932 UT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGST5Z8WlFE 9515 kHz Rádio Marumby 9550 kHz Super Rede Boa Vontade 9565 kHz Super Rádio Deus Vontade Amor [sic] 9630 kHz Rádio Aparecida 9665 kHz Rádio Voz Missionária 9675 kHz Rádio Canção Nova 9725 kHz Rádio Evagelizar 9820 kHz Rádio 9 de Julho 10000 kHz Observatório Nacional RX: Yaesu FRG 8800 Antena: Beverage simples. DXer: (Daniel Wyllyans, Sítio Estrela do Araguaia - Nova Xavantina - Mato Grosso - Brasil, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Checked 49, 31, 25, and 19 mb at 1900-2000 UT Feb 25: used a remote Kiwi-SDR RX in Paraguay South America, excellent distance to Brazilian SW stations at this time slot. 5939.731, 0.5 kW R. Voz Missionária, Camboriú SC, S=9+15 at 1930 UT 5965 (7.5 kW) ZYE858 R. Transmundial, Santa Maria RS --- nothing 5970 (10 kW) ZYE523 Rádio Itatiaia "A Rádio das Minas", Belo Horizonte MG --- nothing 6010.016 kHz (5 kW) ZYE521 R. Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte MG, S=7-8 at 1932 UT 6020 (10 kW) R. Gaúcha --- nothing 6040.672 kHz (10 kW) ex-RB2 ZYJ200 Rádio Evangelizar, Curitiba PR S=9+30dB at 1933 UT station ID heard. 6059.831 kHz ZYE726 SRDA "Super Rádio Deus é Amor, Curitiba, PR". low modulation, but S=9+10dB, sermon. 6070 Rio de Janeiro, nil nothing. 6080.024 kHz (10 kW) ZYE726 "Rádio Marumby", Curitiba PR, S=9+10dB. public sermon at 1936 UT. 6090 very weak S=5-6 like Gedja Ethiopia ? 6105 (5 kW) ZYE728 R Cultura Filadélfia, Foz do Iguaçu PR --- nothing 6120 (10 kW) ZYE969 "Super Rádio Deus é Amor, São Paulo --- nothing 6135 (25 kW) ZYE954 R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, S=9+5dB, singer group at 1940 UT. 6160 (10 kW) ZYE854 R. Legião da Boa Vontade RS, probably one of the 2 Brazilians requested. S=9+15dB sermon at 1942 UT. 9514.969 kHz (10 kW) ZYE726 "Radio Marumby", Curitiba PR, S=9+5dB at 1900 UT, endless speech. 9530 (10 kW) ZYE858 R. Transmundial, Santa Maria RS --- nothing 9550.054 kHz (10 kW) ZYE855 R. Boa Vontade, Porto Alegre RS, S=9+5dB, amen, female prayer?, nice signal at 1904 UT. 9564.910 kHz (20 kW) ZYE727 SRDA Super Deus é Amor, Curitiba PR, S=7- 8 fluttery signal, female pastor pray at 1906 UT. 9585/9587 (10 kW) ZYE969 Super Radio Deus é Amor, São Paulo SP -- nothing 9629.936 kHz (10 kW) ZYE954 R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, S=9+10dB at 1908 UT, music and prayer. 9645 (7.5 kW) ZYE957 R. Bandeirantes, São Paulo SP --- nothing 9664.992 kHz 10 kW ZYE890 "Rádio Voz Missionária", Camboriú SC, S=9+20dB powerful, two female talk at 1910 UT, chorus singer. 9675.010, ZYE971 R. Canção Nova Cachoeira Paulista SP, S=8 at 1911 UT, relig chorus, mass prayer. 9695 (7.5 kW) ZYE254 R. Rio Mar, Manaus AM --- nothing 9725.364 kHz (10 kW) ZYJ200 Rádio Evangelizar, Curitiba PR, S=9+15dB strong signal, at 1912 UT. 9818.619 kHz 10 kW ZYR96 R. Nove de Julho, São Paulo SP, S=9+20dB strong signal, talk on telecommunications, time check ID 1913 UT. report from tribunal in Rio Janeiro. 11734.946 kHz 50 kW ZYE858 R. Transmundial, Santa Maria RS, S=6 weak and tiny, male presenter at 1918 UT. 11765 kHz 10 kW ZYE726 Super Radio Deus é Amor, Curitiba PR -- nothing 11780 kHz 250 kW ZYE365 R. Nacional da Amazônia, Brasilia DF - nothing 11815.018 kHz 7.5 kW ZYE440 R. Brasil Central, Goiânia GO, S=9+15dB at 1920 UT, music program. 11855.002 kHz 1 kW ZYE954 R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, S=7 weak to fair, talk of two male voice presenter, at 1922 UT. 11895.045 kHz 1 kW ZYE856 R. Boa Vontade, Porto Alegre RS, S=6-7 fair signal, chorus singer at 1923 UT. 11915 R Gaúcha, nothing as always. Riyadh Saudi Arabia S=8-9 in S Am 11925 nothing [was Bandeirantes] 11934.905 kHz 10 kW ex "Rádio R-B Dois", ZYJ200 Rádio Evangelizar, Curitiba PR S=6 15190.122 kHz 5 kW ZYE522 R. Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte MG, poor S=4 signal in close-up local signal skip zone, 1929 UT 15325 nothing 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, WOR iog via DXLD) Please check now SDR Kiwi Paraguay, Rádio Gaúcha on air. Best 73,s (Manuel Méndez, Spain, 1532 UT Feb 26, to and via Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now my Paraguay and furthermore 2 European SDR's in 1655 to 1710 UT, endless talk by two male voices, - very seldom some female voice discussion, always S=9 signal noted on remote KiwiSDR in Paraguay. Measured on various US, French and Belgian SDR's too in Perseus worldwide net, like exact measurement was 11914.959 kHz, in AM-narrow mode, AGC gain at 85dB. 73 (wolfie - gracias and saludos, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. KiwiSDR Paraguay, < excellent remote rx: 6105.37 kHz, 5 kW, ZYE728, R Cultura Filadélfia, Foz do Iguaçu PR heard at S=6 level at 1500 UT Feb 27 [WORLD OF RADIO 1919] 11780.01 kHz, 250 kW, ZYE365, R. Nacional da Amazônia, Brasília DF, S=8-9 at 1515 UT, BrasPortuguese program 11915, R Gaúcha, like exact measurement was 11914.959 kHz yesterday Feb 26, now on KiwiSDR measured at ZOOOM-in on AM-narrow mode approx. 11914.95 kHz, 1520 UT, S=7 strength. 11934.905, 10 kW, ex - "Radio R-B Dois", ZYJ200, Rádio Evangelizar, Curitiba PR at S=3-4 JBA tiny signal at 1527 UT on Feb 27. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. I received an electronic confirmation from Radio Varna ("Hello Sea" program) on the Bulgarian national radio card for reception in the Bulgarian language - 18.10.2009, 2100-2200 UT at the frequency of 6000 kHz (the transmitter is Varna 100 kW). The report was sent repeatedly (in 8 years) to the address: kounov @ bnr.bg. Confirmation from Konstantin Kounov, Chief Engineer (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", QSL World via RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA [and non]. Shortwave Radiogram this weekend is all MFSK32. The show includes all of the passages pertaining to shortwave in the Broadcasting Board of Governors FY2019 budget request. And an item about how artists can render non-visible light detected by telescopes exploring outer space. Details: http://swradiogram.net/post/171207198092/shortwave-radiogram-24-25-february-2018-digital (Kim Elliott, Feb 24, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CAMBODIA [non]. No signal of Voice of Khmer M'Chas Srok via BaBcoCk Tashkent: 1130-1200 12150 TAC 100 kW / 122 deg SEAs Khmer Thu/Sun Feb 18/22/25 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/no-signal-of-voice-of-khmer-mchas-srok.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 25, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CANADA. 413 kHz, Feb 22 at 0728 UT, beacon YHD and dash, from Dryden, Ontario. 382 kHz, Feb 22 at 0731, beacon YPL and dash, from Pickle Lake, Ont 218 kHz, Feb 24 at 0632, beacon RL and dash, from Red Lake, Ontario. 248 kHz, Feb 24 at 0633, beacon WG and dash, from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Canadian 50 kW stations 540 CBK Regina SK 580 CFRA Ottawa ON (30 kW at nite) 590 CJCL Toronto ON 630 CHED Edmonton AB 640 CFMJ Richmond Hill ON 660 CFFR Calgary AB 680 CJOB Winnipeg MB 680 CFTR Toronto ON 690 CBU Vancouver BC 690 CKGM Montreal QC 700 CJLI Calgary AB 730 CHMJ Vancouver BC 730 CKAC Montreal QC 740 CBX Edmonton AB 740 CFZM Toronto ON 770 CHQR Calgary AB 800 CKLW Windsor ON 800 CJAD Montreal QC (10 kW at nite) 820 CHAM Hamilton ON (10 kW at nite) 840 CFCW Camrose AB (40 kW at nite) 860 CJBC Toronto ON 880 CHQT Edmonton AB 900 CHML Hamilton ON 910 CKDQ Drumheller AB 930 CJCA Edmonton AB 930 CFBC Saint John NB 940 CFNV Montreal QC 940 CJGX Yorkton SK (10 kW at nite) 960 CFAC Calgary AB 980 CHRF Montreal QC (10 kW at nite) 990 CBW Winnipeg MB (46 kW at nite) 1010 CBR Calgary AB 1010 CFRB Toronto ON (check //6070 CFRX) 1040 CKST Vancouver BC 1050 CHUM Toronto ON 1060 CKMX Calgary AB (check //6030 CFVP & good luck!) 1130 CKWX Vancouver BC 1140 CHRB High River AM (46 kW at nite) 1150 CKOC Hamilton ON (20 kW at nite) 1260 CFRN Edmonton AB 1280 CFMB Montreal QC 1310 CIWW Ottawa ON 1320 CHMB Vancouver BC 1410 CFTE Vancouver BC 1430 CHKT Toronto ON 1470 CJVB Vancouver BC 1540 CHIN Toronto ON (30 kW at nite) (MARE Tipsheet 23 Feb via DXLD) ** CANADA. Cleaning up the old logs again. When did CBO move from 910 to 920?? (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, Blue Bell, PA, Grid FN20id, Feb 25, nrc-am gg via DXLD) The histories at broadcasting-history.ca are definitive. Here's the CBO page, which pegs the switch at 31 Jan 1977: http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listing_and_histories/radio/cbo-fm (Scott Fybush, ibid.) Thanks, Scott! That website is very helpful here also! (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, ibid.) It's a tremendous resource. I've used it for years! (Scott, ibid.) ** CANADA. 1610, Feb 22 at 1338 UT, strumming chords from NE/SW, 1340 UT Spanish and fading. There are no 1610 Americans except HAR/TIS. I have no luck with the Mexicans, but seems rather late for Toronto; yet CHHA ID in Spanish at 1401 UT, almost a bihour after its sunrise at 1205 UT, and almost a unihour after Enid`s at 1311 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 2598-USB, Canada, VON, St. John's Newfoundland, om with weather 0007 to 0015, good signal 18 Feb. (Wilkner) 2598-USB, Canada VCM St. Anthony, Newfoundland 0120 to 0130 om "this broadcast is for... broadcast by this ...you are listening to..." 21 Feb. (Wilkner) 2749-USB, Canada, VAR-3, Fundy NS, 0140 to 0143 "..south west visible for one mile ..." 21 Feb (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8, NRD 525, 60 meter dipole and noise reducing antenna, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC RADIO TWO IS NOW CALLED CBC MUSIC https://cbchelp.cbc.ca/hc/en-ca/articles/360000745054-Radio-2-is-changing-names-What-you-need-to-know- The Radio One name remains [for now?] (Andy Reid, Ont., Feb 25, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) ** CANADA. ARTHUR BLACK DIES http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/arthur-black-cbc-1.454641 'You felt he was on your side': Longtime CBC Radio personality Arthur Black dies at 74 --- Black spent 3 decades with CBC and hosted the show Basic Black for 19 years CBC News Posted: Feb 21, 2018 11:04 PM PT Arthur Black, the humorist and former CBC Radio host, has died aged 74 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His partner, Lynne Raymond, confirmed he died at Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island, B.C., on Wednesday. "It will come as no surprise to those who have been fans of Arthur's work that he faced it all with his own unique combination of defiance and good humour," said Chris Straw, Black's longtime producer, in a statement on behalf of the family. "The family is very grateful for the overwhelming messages of support and good wishes received during his struggle with pancreatic cancer." Black wrote on his blog about being diagnosed with what he called "the Mike Tyson of Cancers." "So what's it like to get what amounts to a diagnosis of 'terminal' from your doctor?" he wrote. "Like getting smacked by a giant Nerf bat, initially. It rocks you back on your heels and yet it doesn't hurt. Not yet." 'You felt he was on your side' Black got his start with the CBC in Thunder Bay, Ont., in 1972. Basic Black was a Saturday morning staple on CBC Radio for 19 years, ending in 2002 when he retired. It was one of the network's most popular variety shows, heard by 600,000 listeners every week. Black's farewell episode, aired on June 29, 2002: Straw said Black's appeal lay in how relatable he was. "You felt he was on your side ... just everyday things that happened in life, he would find the humour in them and I think people could connect to that," Straw said Thursday. "We were able, in the last year of the show, to go and do a number of public events. The outpouring of support and the amount of people who lined up to get into those shows was a stunning example of how popular he had become and how many people just saw him as a friend." Despite his scores of fans, Black was a writer first and foremost, Straw said. "I think many people would've thought, listening to him on the radio, that he was an extroverted, outgoing guy. He was actually a very private person and he saw himself primarily as a writer," said the producer. "He took the art of writing very seriously." Anna Bonokoski worked on Basic Black for two years before Black's retirement and said much the same. "Man, oh man, could that guy weave together words in a way," she said. "Arthur was able to tell a whole, entire, rich story in very few words. He was concise, almost poetic, in his abilities." Bonokoski said he carried his "immaculate sense of humour" in all of his work. The Basic Black Swap Meet 1:49 [audio link?] On top of his radio work, Black wrote several books and had a syndicated humour column in Canadian newspapers. He won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal three times, most recently with Pitch Black in 2006. The book was a collection of stories about "offbeat and eccentric characters." "It was a cavalcade," he said of his CBC career. "But it's always been fun. Better than having to work for a living." In January, Black said it seemed "grandiose" to think about how he'd be remembered. "If I can ... hiccup their lips into a smile, that would be nice." With files from Farrah Merali (c) 2018 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved (via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) obit ** CANADA. RCI STILL IN LA MAISON AND IS ABOUT TO DESTROY ITS CLYDE GILMORE COLLECTION & MORE. There's a lot of 78 rpm records up in there, too, dammit. Public broadcaster music library closing, CD's to be digitised, destroyed [illustrated] http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/02/23/public-broadcaster-music-library-closing-cds-to-be-digitised-destroyed/ (via Clara Listensprechen, Feb 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) ** CANADA. DORCHESTER MAN SAVES ORIGINAL SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER FROM FORMER RCI SITE === Katie Tower, The Sackville Tribune Post-20 hours ago http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/news/local/dorchester-man-saves-original-shortwave-transmitter-from-former-rci-site-188615/ (via Artie Bigley, Feb 24, DXLD) Viz.: Bill Steele plans to display machine in historic Dorchester prison DORCHESTER, N.B. – It’s a piece of Canadian history that Bill Steele didn’t want to see lost forever. When he heard earlier this year that the original 1943 RCA 50 kW shortwave transmitter from the former RCI Sackville site was up for sale, it didn’t take Steele long to dip into his retirement savings to save the historical treasure. “I just love this thing,” said Steele. “And I really hope other people do too. There’s just so much history behind it. I didn’t want to see this just go to scrap.” Never one to let a unique opportunity like this pass him by, Steele said he is proud to be the new owner of the transmitter and will give it a new home at his prison in Dorchester. The massive walk-in machine - adorned with an array of levers, buttons, glass tubes and wires – was said to be the most powerful shortwave transmitter of its time in North America. Built and installed in 1943 at the brand new Radio Canada International site along the Tantramar marshes, the million-dollar transmitter went into use in February 1945 when the shortwave service was officially launched and programs were fed to Canadian troops overseas and to European listeners. Essentially, the transmitter helped bring the ‘Voice of Canada’ to the world. “It was for our troops to hear their homeland. . . I’m so proud to have saved this,” said Steele. Canadian Army Newsreel #67 YOUTUBE VIDEO PUBLISHED BY WAR AMPS OF CANADA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCer0gakIg4 Within a few months, regular transmissions had been added in Czech, Dutch, Spanish, and Portugese, and programs were beamed to Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Europe “I now own this, I have the ‘voice of Canada,’” said Steele excitedly. “That’s pretty cool.” The machine was decommissioned in the 1970s, replaced by a newer model, but the old transmitter remained on site so visitors could get a sense of RCI’s history. RCI’s shortwave service came to an end, however, in June 2012 after a number of CBC cutbacks. A couple years later, the antennas were dismantled and the transmission towers demolished, and the RCI property came up on the market. It was sold just last year to Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Incorporated (MTI), a group of Mi’Kmaq First Nations. The intended use of the property is still being considered but, in the meantime, workers have been removing old equipment from the complex that is not needed now that it is no longer a broadcasting site. The transmitter was one of those pieces and MTI decided to put a $5,000 pricetag on it to see if there was any interest. Steele heard about the sale and approached MTI soon after. Although there were several other interested parties, he said he is pleased he was able to keep this machine in the local area. Since the transmitter no longer works, said Steele, its only use today is as a museum piece. But that’s okay with him, since that’s exactly what he plans to do with this piece of radio history. “I want to make it available so anyone can come see it,” he said. But to do so, he will need some help. Steele has started a GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/save-cbc-sackville-rci-radio in order to do the necessary modifications to his building to bring the machine inside and have it properly displayed. The transmitter has yet to be delivered to his prison but he anticipates having to install a roller door on one of his rooms that could open easily to the public for viewing. “I love it. People talk about doing stuff all the time and they’re not able to. I just love doing this . . . . I’m living my dreams. I’m buying cool stuff. A lot of people can’t say that. So many people don’t get that chance.” Steele, a retired city worker from Toronto, bought and moved into the historic prison in the centre of the village last spring. RELATED: Ontario retiree purchases historic Dorchester prison http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/community/ontario-retiree-purchases-historic-dorchester-prison-35014/ Then he went on to open the prison up as an Airbnb, offering guests an opportunity to spend the night in a cell. The unique lodging has attracted hundreds of visitors from all over the world. Steele said he has enjoyed learning about the prison’s colorful past and has plenty of stories to tell about the paranormal activities going on there. Not only has he encountered a few unexplained incidents, so have several of his guests. Light switches have flicked on and off on their own, he said, and many people have repeatedly felt someone “poking” them in the middle of the night. “I can absolutely say something is going on in that jail.” But the incidents don’t really scare him, they just make Steele more curious about the stories of the prison and more excited about bringing guests here for tours and overnight stays. “I’m passionate about the place and loving it,” he said. “I’m trying to keep it alive and bring people into the community.” (via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. THE KDKA FAR NORTHERN SERVICE The world’s first regular international shortwave service was inaugurated by the Westinghouse radio broadcasting facility at the time when their transmitters were still located on top of the eight storey Building K at their factory complex in East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. However by this time, radio production studios had already been transferred from Building K into the William Penn Hotel at 530 William Penn Place in downtown Pittsburgh. In his memorable volume on the early history of shortwave broadcasting in the United States, Michael K. Sidel tells the story of how the historic mediumwave station KDKA in Pittsburgh began the world’s first truly international shortwave service. It was in the Summer of the year 1923 when KDKA itself was not quite three years old at the time, that George A. Wendt of the Canadian Westinghouse Company in Hamilton Ontario suggested that KDKA should introduce a program service for residents in the Canadian far north. During the Summer of 1923, the northern posts of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had been issued with shortwave receivers that could tune in to the program service from shortwave KDKA-8XS in Pittsburgh. The Westinghouse Far Northern Service was introduced during that same 1923 Summer, and it was on the air mediumwave and shortwave each Saturday evening. The programming for the new Far Northern Service was compiled with readings from listener letters, news and entertainment music and it was beamed to the Canadian Arctic areas which included police outposts, personnel in service with the Hudson Bay trading company, the extensive French Revillon Frères fur trading company, and isolated Catholic mission stations. It is reported that KDKA received a flood of appreciative letters from northern listeners after the harsh northern winter was over and the mails had begun to flow again during the Spring of the following year 1924. Brief radio histories covering the development of the Far Northern Service state that station KDKA-8XS broadcast a special message to a Hudson Bay trapper in northern Canada on January 17 during the harsh northern winter of 1924, stating that his wife was recovering satisfactorily after a successful emergency operation. However, there is much more to this interesting story than just a simple one sentence historical report. This is what happened. During the year 1906, 22 year old James S. C. Watt migrated from the Scottish Highlands to Canada East, where he soon afterwards accepted an appointment with the Hudson Bay Company. Around that same time a high school girl, Maud Maloney, caught his attention. Maud, born on the Gaspé Peninsula on the southern coast of the St Lawrence Estuary in Canada in 1894, was the tenth child in a blended family of Irish- French background with 16 children. She was fluent in both French and English, and she subsequently became familiar with the northern Algonquin language at a conversational level. As time went by, James Watt accepted a transfer with the Hudson Bay Company to Fort McKenzie in Province Quebec; and Maud accepted employment in the early part of World War 1 as a telegraphiste at Clarke City PQ, a little west of the north entrance to the Gulf St. Lawrence Estuary. Subsequently in a simple ceremony, Presbyterian James Watt in his late twenties and the very practical eighteen year old Catholic girl Maud Maloney were married, and they took up a long term residence in Fort McKenzie. Although the small trading post settlement of Fort McKenzie was located in the north of Province Quebec, yet it was accessible only after an arduous ship voyage along the coast of Labrador followed by a long inland walk of 200 miles due west. The Watt family lived much of their life in Rupert House at Fort McKenzie. On one occasion, it became necessary for Maud to undergo an emergency operation and she traveled to a hospital in North Bay, some 175 miles due north of Toronto in Ontario, for the occasion. The operation was a success, and practical Maud wanted to inform her husband, still way up at Fort McKenzie, that all was well. She had some friends make contact with station KDKA, “way down south of the border”, and Frank E. Mullen included this good will message into his evening Farm Service broadcast. It was known that James Watt would listen on shortwave to KDKA-8XS each evening for news, information and entertainment. The grateful and lonely northern resident subsequently thanked KDKA by mail, stating that yes, he did indeed hear the welcome information about his wife. Three and a half years later, Maud was on another voyage along the Labrador coast, on the return journey to Rupert House Fort McKenzie. Traveling with her were their two children, two and half year old Hugo and six months old Jacqueline, together with a nine year old orphan girl Alice McDonald. On July 22, 1927, the new ship Bayrupert, on only its second voyage north, struck the underwater Clinker’s Rock and it was split open. The wireless operator tapped out an SOS in Morse Code, and in response a steam tugboat came out, took all aboard, and dropped them off on nearby Farm Yard Islands. Soon afterwards, Maud and her three fellow travelers were taken by the ship Kyle back to Newfoundland, where they waited out the season until shipping began to move along the mainland coast once again during the Spring of the following year. Both Maud and James befriended the local peoples of the north, and their service to them has become legendary. Maud herself is honored with the informal title, the Angel of Hudson Bay; books have chronicled her exploits, adventures and service; and movie films have catalogued in dramatic style her endeavors in the Canadian Arctic. Let’s go back to the year 1924 again; and on August 4, the Canadian government asked KDKA to maintain radio contact with the Canadian Coast Guard supply ship CGS Arctic during its annual cruise to isolated outposts in the Canadian north. New radio equipment was installed on the CGS Arctic in Quebec before she set sail for the frozen north, with William Choat Toronto amateur operator 3CO, as the ship’s radio operator. The ship CGS Arctic was actually registered in Newfoundland which was not yet a part of Canada at the time, and its radio equipment was licensed with the callsign VDM. As requested, shortwave 8XS at the KDKA facility in Pittsburgh did maintain regular communication in Morse Code during the nearly three 3 month long 1924 voyage of the CGS Arctic VDM from Quebec, up to the northern outposts and then the return to Quebec. One of the amateur radio stations contacted by William Choats at VDM during this voyage was the pioneer English amateur radio operator Gerald Marcuse G2NM. It will be remembered that Marcuse began the transmission of his now historic program broadcasts on shortwave three years later, and that was the beginning of international shortwave radio programming from England. Back during that era, the KDKA-8XS Far Northern Service was presented usually in English, though on occasions Bishop Turquetil spoke to the northern Canadians in one of the Eskimo languages. By the year 1938, the KDKA Far Northern Service was on the air in five languages: English, French, Danish, Icelandic and Eskimo. The broadcast of the KDKA Far Northern Service for the 1939 Winter season began and by that time their shortwave service had undergone a double callsign change, from W8XS to W8XK and then to the regularized WPIT. Interestingly in December 1933, the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Corporation CRBC introduced their own northern service under the title Canadian Northern Messenger which was based upon the successful American Far Northern Service from KDKA which was by that time now ten years old. But that’s a story for another occasion (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Feb 18 via DXLD) ** CAYMAN ISLANDS. 415 kHz, Feb 24 at 0645 UT, MCW beacon CBC, from Cayman BraC. Dxinfocentre notes in red that it`s now HW, ex: HHW. That means it`s a homing beacon degraded from high power 2000W to medium power of 50 to less than 2000 watts, and still Without voice facilities (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD [non]. See NIGERIA [non] ** CHILE. 6925. RCW. Feb 24. 2100-2204 UT. Programa de música del recuerdo, desde las 2130, se emite un programa sobre Radio Varsovia hasta las 2145, luego se vuelve a un programa de música y de pronósticos meteorológicos. SINPO: 55555 (Claudio Galaz; RX: Tecsun PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 30 metros de largo; QTH: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** CHINA. 1098 kHz, CNR Golmud, Qinghai, FEB 11, 2300 - Weak but alone in domestic splatter with no sign of Spain; orchestral fanfare and CNR-11 ID in Tibetan by woman. "This is certainly the Chinese superpower station located in Qinghai," said Mika Makelainen in RealDX. Comparing an audio clip by Mauno Ritola the night before at the same time, Jari Savolainen in RealDX said, "The female in Tibetan seems to give CNR-11 ID." Noisy audio clip http://www.bamlog.com/unID1098.mp3 A new country entered into the home DX logbook! (Bruce Conti, WPC1CAT, Nashua NH; WiNRADiO Excalibur, Intona USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Isolator, MWDX- 5, variable termination Super/Ewe antennas 15 x 23-m at 60 northeast and 180 south, NRC IDXD Feb 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) ** CHINA. 4900 // 4940, Voice of Strait, 1205+, Feb 19. Seems this one hour segment (1200-1300) is daily //. Also noted // Feb 20. 5050, Beibu Bay Radio. On Feb 19, from 1500 to 1525; in Chinese with songs in English; Ray Charles - "America the Beautiful," Electric Light Orchestra - "Mr. Blue Sky," etc. 6035, PBS Yunnan (Voice of Shangri-la), 1100 usual ID in English, with frequency in Chinese; 1204*, on Feb 19; again with no BBS (Bhutan) today (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) 4940, Voice of Strait. For several years now, I have found it fairly common during the annual Spring (lunar new year) Festival to find some Chinese SW stations with anomalies. During the long holiday, many Chinese are off from work and like to travel, so unusual things sometimes happen on SW. Feb 24 (Saturday), would normally have the "Focus on China" English program 1500-1530, but not so today; tuned in at 1438 to hear the audio feed from the CCTV production about the Qinghai Tibet Plateau in English; audio feed ended at 1455 and into just Chinese, so not the normal exit English format for "Focus on China." Will probably be back to normal in a few weeks time. Today 1500+ with Chinese music show. BTW - Feb 24, found 1200-1300 not // for 4900 & 4940, as I had recently heard VOS (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 9660, CHINA, CNR1 at 1232 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk – Weak Feb 25 11660, CNR1 at 1241 // 9660 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with a man and woman with excited talk and several promos – Fair to Good Feb 25 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [and non]. Last Night's Colorado Latin American DX --- I decided to check for the TWR station on 800 last night and was rewarded with several "RCN" IDs. The Spanish was well enunciated and clear. Mentions of Colombian issues, Colombian style music (it has been a while for me). I'm thinking HJBW was in for a little while at 0228 UT. I thought I heard Radio Transmundial in the background mixing with RCN briefly. That one I'll call very tentative. The propagation conditions lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. That was fun! I haven't heard Colombia from CO in a long time! Best of DX, (Craig Barnes, Wheat Ridge, CO, Drake R8A, ALA1530ln with Quantum Phaser, Feb 27, IRCA via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 5910.3, Alcaraván Radio, Puerto Lleras, 0518-0540, 20-02, Latin American songs. Extremely weak, barely audible. Very irregular on air and with low power when is active. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog visa DXLD) ** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, Brazzaville, 1820-1833*, 20-02, African songs, French, comments. 13321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog visa DXLD) 6115, D.R. OF CONGO [sic], R. Congo. News at 0549 tune/in. Wasn't there at 0540 check, so came on sometime within those 4 minutes. M host in French with many many actualities and mentions of Rwanda (or was it Luanda) and Congo. Nice ID ending report by M at 0554:15. Afro pop music bridge at 0602, then canned M and W at 0603, Afro pop music with M voice-over talk and mention of Congo at 0604. 0605 M announcer. More canned announcements to pleasant Afro pop music after 0608. Talk during music at 0614-0615. Fading. Best heard in many years. Stronger on the Delta Loop but a little noisy. Also getting blasted pulsing static noise from 6080. A Youtube video of the reception can be found using this link: https://youtu.be/4zv8UEbQExc (Dave Valko, 26 Feb., Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S and 153 foot Delta Loop, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) 6115 is NOT DR CONGO (Kinshasa) but the plain old CONGO (Brazzaville). DR should have kept completely different name ZAIRE! (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. NUMBERS STATION. Fair signal of Cuban Spy Numbers HM01 Feb 23 0755-0850 9065 secret tx probably BEJ 50 kW Spanish Sun/Mon/Wed/Fri 0855-0950 9240 secret tx probably BEJ 50 kW Spanish Sun/Mon/Wed/Fri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/fair-signal-of-cuban-spy-numbers-hm01.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) [Spy numbers] Operation probably originate from Bejucal ex USSR relay site 50 kW, wb (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) Many times the numbers frequencies are hugely strong, even when little else is propagating on a band. Could easily be 250 kW, to reach the crummiest spy mini-portable SW receivers (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. 530, Radio Caribe, Cuba; 0113-0130+, 2/22; M&W in Spanish with discussion re “musica Cubana” including a tune at BoH. Not // 5025 Rebelde. Well under CIAO (presumed) in Polish per sked; EZL music station also there without any talk; also need LSB to kill 531 het; a very interesting QRM mix! Later at 0440; SS baladas, “Once cuarenta y uno” TC; 0446 ID, “Radio Caribe Cuba”. Totally dominant with only a hint of QRM (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver in real time -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 14935, 15003, 15072, 15208, 15277, 15346, 15414 very approx. centers of spurblobs --- here we go again! Feb 22 at 1915, I hit the first one at 15277 as I bandscan down, extremely distorted Arabic with F# tone. It`s obviously the RHC transmitter which had been spewing its filth thruout the 19m band from 15370 in the 14-16 UT period but which again was clean today. I bet they swapped out to a different transmitter in order to accomplish that and satisfy their harshest critic. These too are at 68-70 kHz intervals from the source, 15140-AM. Some demodulation can also be copied on the closer ones when switched to the FM mode. Particularly disturbing, registering S7, is 15003, too close to and QRMing weaker WWV/WWVH. Once I realized what was happening, I searched further ones up and down, to the point of barely audible. Nominal span for 15140 is 1900-2130 in Arabic, Kriyol, English and French. This is of course the first time I`ve noted the spur panoply around 15140. Now how long will this go on --- until they do another transmitter swap? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15520, 15445, 15295, 15220, 15145, 15068, 14998, Feb 23 at 1533, they`re back!! Extremely distorted FMy spurblobs out of RHC 15370-AM transmitter, but now at slightly greater intervals circa 70-71 kHz, which means they attack a different set of victims. Can`t hear any further up and down, but at least the F# tone can be detected in FM mode, and the closer ones demodulate clearly, altho at low level. Recheck at 1553 just before sign-off, the blobs have shifted to these approx. centers at 76-77 kHz steps: 15682, 15613, 15524, 15447, 15294, 15218, 15139 – and the last one totally blox whatever weak signal may be there from Oman. We`ll see if Havana`s own 15140 again produce its panoply today at 1900-2130, like yesterday. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15441, 15510, 15580, 15662, 15738, very approx., Feb 24 at 1516, RHC FMy spurblobs are back; their absence was too good to be true. They spread up to 10 kHz and are constantly fluxuating, so cannot cite specific carrier frequencies, but these are more like ~76 kHz apart. 15580 of course lands right on a VOA frequency, inaudible. By 1521 I find the peaks circa 15447, 15291, 15219, 15145, 15074. Yesterday Feb 23 after 1900, a quick check did not find any coming out of 15140. 15438, 15506, 15572, 15302, 15234, 15166, 15098, 15030, all very approx., Sun Feb 25 at 1442, Arnie Coro on multiple RHC FM spurblobs out of 15370-AM transmitter. The closest ones are readable both in AM and FM modes. 15332, 15263, Feb 26 at 1422, approx., extra weak spurblobs in between the main ones from RHC 15370-AM, approx. 15092, 15162, 15228, 15298, 15440, 15510, 15580, 15650, 15720, 15790, 15860, progressively weaker to JBA at the top end. Some of the closer ones intermittently resolve into readable modulation in FM mode. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 5995-6005, Feb 27 at 0658, RHC English 6000 is distorted and splattering plus and minus 5, bad for BBC ASCENSION and MALI which is so undermodulated it needs all the help it can get. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15720, 15650, 15580, 15510, 15440, 15300, 15230, 15160, 15090, 15020, 14950, 14880, Feb 27 at 1450, RHC extremely distorted FMy spurblobs out of 15370-AM transmitter are spread at ~70 kHz intervals today. Even the closer ones provide only noisy modulation in FM mode. 15230 of course obliterates another real RHC AM frequency; and VOA is presumably underneath the weaker one on 15580. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11950 & 11840, Feb 27 at 2306, huge open carriers from RHC, while Spanish programming is modulating only on weaker 11760. 11840 was supposed to start at 2300 for Chile (along with its much weaker parasites on 11830 & 11850, even 11820 & 11860 if you`re lucky); and 11960 not supposed to start until 0000 with `Mesa Redonda` to Chicago. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 5040, Feb 28 at 0038, RHC English with crackle on the modulation // weaker 9720 but no crackle there. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 0039-0050, `DXers Unlimited` runs almost 11 minutes this UT Wednesday, and could easily occupy 15 if Arnie would slow down and speak at a normal pace. Topix include: ham DXpedition to St. Brandon Island, 3B7A in April; another Bouvet DXpedition planned for next(?) southern summer, call 3Y0I, see http://www.bouvetoya.org (it opens with an ink spot in the corner, maybe a map? And thence you can sign up for their newsletter; understanding Polish may be helpful). Then about hamsats such as Oscar 7; low solar activity allowed Arnie to log on 6115 at 0600 UT, French from DR Congo, Brazzaville. Lucky him to get that rather than Nikkei, Japan; and it`s the *other* Congo, NOT the DR, a mistake Dave Valko also just made in his more credible log. One lonely sunspot lately, but more expected. Try 60 mb between local SS and SR, especially for the 3 Cuban frequencies; solar flux was below 70 for 8 days (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Sin Contacto --- Hola José, Nosotros que escuchamos a En Contacto, sabemos que desde hace un año, no está con Manolo de la Rosa, jubilado? sino con Arnaldo Coro. 73, (Guillermo Glenn Hauser, Feb 27, to José Bueno, who publicizes the show every week on noticiasdx list, attributing it to Manolo, via DXLD) Amigo Glenn: Observé que faltaba Manolo de la Rosa pero ignoro el motivo. Intentaré conocer que ocurrió. Te informo cuando lo conozca. Un abrazo (Pepe Bueno, Feb 27, DX LISTENIG DIGEST) Hola Glenn. La contestación de Radio Habana Cuba sobre Manolo de la Rosa: ``Saludos José, gracias por estar en sintonía con nuestros programas. Nuestro querido Manolo de la Rosa disfruta de su jubilación`` (José Bueno Jeremías, España, Feb 28, ibid.) ** CUBA. Re: Cuban Market DTMB-T Tuners The prospect is now over! The five year wait for a Cuban market DTMB-T mobile receiver has finally arrived and is being displayed on my desk. I might be the only individual in the U.S. to have such a unit. Here are two images what it looks like. 1. Click image for larger version. Name: dtmb_a1.jpg Views: 28 Size: 14.4 KB ID: 21293 2. Click image for larger version. Name: dtmb_a2.jpg Views: 26 Size: 19.2 KB ID: 21294 (gactvdx, Easton PA, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Are you going to sell these things? Because your having one there in PA makes as much sense as me having one here in CT, unless you plan to go down south to DX and take it with you (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, - 72 30' W/41 59' N, FN31RX, Online since 1999 and still going at http://mikesdx.com --- Archives: The Original Mike's TV/FM Page with Tuner Mods and Lots of Old Stuff, Feb 18, ibid.) I think you, me, and Chris Dunne should have a BBQ in the Keys. I got the coleslaw and Pepsi (Ryan Grabow, Fort Myers, ibid.) Ya know, that sounds really good. It would take my mind off my bad cold and my wife's bronchitis :-) (Mike B., ibid.) I have no plans to sell this unit. However, if anyone would like to have one, I can order it. This is a mobile accessory unit and not a home STB. Includes a mobile windshield dipole terminated with an SMA male plug. The average distance to Cuba is 1,300+ miles from here. It might be possible to detect a signal from there via tropospheric propagation. The advantage, all open and clean DTMB channels with no interference from ATSC stations all the way down along the U.S. Atlantic coast (gactvdx, ibid.) I'm guessing this has the typical feature set of a digital tuner, utterly hostile to DXing. I wouldn't count on a PA -> [sic] Cuba tropo logging. Chris Lucas had long enough odds getting WSFL on an Insignia/Zenith tuner. And Cuba is still using the same UHF channels as the US as far as I know, so any signal from there will face an obstacle course on its way to you. You didn't deal with the Cuban gov't at all to get that tuner? I'm interested but still paranoid about breaking laws. If only Chinese firms are involved I don't see a problem ordering one (Ryan Grabow, ibid.) To relieve everyone's mind about the DTMB-T tuner. No, I did not obtain it through the Cuban government. It came directly from the mainland China factory. The sales person indicated that they will soon have a new model rolling off their assembly line. It is legal to own one, even tho there is no service in the U.S., the device is a TV receiver, thus not requiring any license, permits (gactvdx ibid.) Just wanted to say, that up to now, April 2, 2017 was the last strong tropo day to Cuba from the Keys, to where a possible DTMB signal would make it, IMHO. On that date Canal Habana was pretty good, and it's the weakest of the six NTSC OTA networks. Too bad I couldn't record more of this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GClk0xmhI4k https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a1f6_TjtZLE cd (Chris Dunne, FL, Feb 18, 2018, ibid.) I'm interested in obtaining a DTMB unit to install at my remote site in Jamaica. The big question is - is the unit set for the Chinese "C" channels or is there any way to change that to the American "A" channels that Cuba uses? (William Hepburn, Ont., Feb 28, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) The unit covers both automatic and manual tuning on the UHF channels 21 to 69 (474 - 858 MHz) using eight MHz bandwidth. I doubt very much that Cuba is using American digital ATSC pilot carriers (xxx.310 MHz). They don't want American co-channel interference. The Cuban government is tight lipped about their DTMB-T frequency channels (GACTVDX, PA, ibid.) Mike - so it`s not possible to determine the frequencies for each channel number from your DTMB box? (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Ozark Mountain DTV dxing Daredevil, Dx Equipment - AntennaCraft MXU59 UHF antenna & homebrew version of AntennaCraft Y10-7-13 VHF antenna @ 25'. Both antennas fed through a Winegard HDP-269 12dB pre-amp; a Zenith DTT901 converter box & a Silicon Dust HDHomerun Dual ATSC tuner, using Rabbitears autologger support, ibid.) Cuba published a list of their DTV bandplan channels and it was "printed" in an issue of the VUD a few years back. To harmonize DTV channels, Cuba will be using a 6 MHz bandwidth variation of the DTMB technology used in (8 MHz) China, making Cuban DTV truly unique. Cuba will use UHF and Highband VHF (but no lowband VHF). The converter box you describe is for the China market and I suspect it would be useless for Cuban DTMB (Robert Grant, ibid.) Jim, Channel 21 is on 474.0 MHz (GACTVDX, ibid.) The ATSC pilot carriers are inherent to the American 8VSB modulation system. It is difficult to find conclusive information but I'm pretty confident no other modulation system (and thus, no other DTV system) has fixed-frequency pilot carriers (this means ATSC 3.0 won't have pilots either)(Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) ** CUBA [non]. President Donald Trump's budget proposes drastic cuts to the Marti stations but restores funds for the promotion of democracy in Cuba and Venezuela. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article200137149.html#navlink=SecList Martí TRUMP'S BUDGET INCLUDES DRASTIC CUTS TO RADIO AND TV MARTI By Nora Gamez Torres February 15, 2018 09:00 AM President Donald Trump's recently released budget would drastically cut funds and staffing at the Miami-based Radio and TV Martí, while restoring funds to support other democracy projects in Cuba and new ones in Venezuela. The restoration of funds comes amid large cuts to the Department of State and the United States Agency for Development (USAID). The proposal would allocate $10 million for programs related to Cuba and another $9 million for similar initiatives in Venezuela. "Assistance will support efforts in both Cuba and Venezuela to promote democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," says the budget justification sent to Congress on Monday by the State Department. In 2017, the State Department presented to Congress a budget with zero financing for programs related to Cuba under its economic support and development fund. Aid to Venezuela was also slashed. The funds for Cuba democracy programs for fiscal year 2019 -- which begins in October 2018 and ends in September 2019 -- is half of what President Barack Obama's administration approved in 2016. The presidential budgets indicate what the executive's priorities are, but Congress can make changes or approve a completely different version. Under the current proposal, Radio and TV Martí could also suffer the biggest cuts in recent years. The budget justification presented by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) includes a $10 million cut to the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), which manages Radio and TV Martí, as well as the Martínoticias website. It also proposes a reduction of full-time personnel from 113 to 51. [WORLD OF RADIO 1919] The cuts are distributed among different divisions of the OCB. Radio and TV Martí will each receive approximately $2.2 million less. In total, the budget of the OCB would be reduced to $13.6 million, less than half of what it received in fiscal year 2017 when it was funded with $28.9 million. The budget for fiscal year 2018 is $23 million. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) President Trump is proposing a $4 trillion-plus budget that projects a $1 trillion or so federal deficit. Unlike the plan Trump released last year, the 2019 budget never comes close to promising a balanced federal ledger even after 10 years. And that's before last week's agreement for $300 billion is added this year and next, a deal that showers both the Pentagon and domestic agencies with big budget increases. AP The BBG, however, requested an additional $1.2 million to expand Voice of America's coverage of Venezuela. "We are still in the planning stages of how we would implement a cut of this magnitude should the final budget reflect these proposed levels," Nasserie Carew, BBG's communications director, told el Nuevo Herald. "Our objective is always to preserve impact." Nobody thought that Donald Trump would be the one to bury Radio and TV Martí. A Martí employee [caption] Workers from the Martí stations who asked not to be named said they were surprised by the news, especially since Trump has hardened U.S. policy toward Cuba. "Nobody thought that Donald Trump would be the one to bury Radio and TV Martí," said one employee. Several others said the proposed cuts came from a board of directors appointed by the previous administration. The Obama administration weighed several alternatives to restructure or privatize the stations, including its merger with the Voice of America and a plan to turn its employees into contractors. "There have been many attempts by the same board of directors that Obama appointed," said one employee. André Mendes, OCB's interim director after the resignation of Malule Gonzalez in June, was to convene a meeting to discuss the budget, the employee added. "Much of our operating cost is in personnel. Following the president's budget rollout, each of our entity leaders have had or will have conversations with relevant staff," Carew said. "We will keep all staff updated as the budget process unfolds." In Miami, some Cuban exiles immediately criticized the proposal but blamed the previous administration. "These Obama appointees, fearing that Radio and TV Martí will fall into the hands of a new director who is not afraid of offending Castro ... have proposed taking $10 million [out of the stations' budget]," said Marcell Felipe, a lawyer and activist who chairs the Miami-based Inspire America foundation. "This shows how important it is for the president to get rid of Obama holdovers who do not support his policy," he added. But not everyone opposes the cuts. Over the years, the Martí stations have sparked criticism because of their cost and effectiveness. The stations' mission is "to promote freedom and democracy by providing the people of Cuba with objective news and information programming," according to the OCB's website. But the television and radio signals have been jammed by the Cuban government. More recently, the OCB has focused on its digital strategy and getting their content to the island on DVDs and USB flash drives. "TV Martí is a waste of taxpayer dollars," said Geoff Thale, vice president of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). "It reaches few people in Cuba, and has been plagued with internal battles. Radio Martí's reporting often falls short of journalistic standards, and it's hard to imagine the justification for spending taxpayer dollars on a station directed specifically at Cuba when we already have a Spanish-language service of the Voice of America that reaches the hemisphere," he added. Radio and TV Martí broadcasts, as well as USAID programs, have also fueled conflict between the U.S. and Cuba. The Cuban government considers both "subversive" initiatives. USAID has also been under scrutiny for its handling of information about programs related to Cuba and its use of the funds. The most serious case involving the agency was the arrest of USAID subcontractor Alan Gross, who was imprisoned in Cuba for five years for smuggling technology forbidden on the island to connect to the internet. Since its publication on Monday, Trump's budget has been harshly criticized for raising the fiscal deficit and including large cuts to programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, making it unlikely that Congress will approve it as is. The proposal requests a total of $39.3 billion for the State Department and USAID, which is estimated to be a 27 percent cut compared to fiscal year 2017, when that figure reached $55.6 billion. In general, democracy promotion programs suffered large cuts under Trump's proposal. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) would receive only $67 million, compared to the estimated $169 million it has for the current fiscal year. USAID's Transition initiative, with a current budget of $125 million, would get only $33 million in fiscal year 2019. The Office of Management and Budget published a report on Monday highlighting the savings by eliminating the State Department's accounts for development assistance and food aid; significantly cutting funding for educational and cultural exchange programs; and slashing nearly $700 million in contributions to international organizations such as the United Nations. The budget request "modernizes State Department and USAID diplomacy" and helps "to support more stable and resilient societies that will lead their own development and, ultimately, no longer need foreign aid," the agency said in a statement. Follow Nora Gámez Torres on Twitter: @ngameztorres (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) see USA for more about the budget ** CZECHIA [non]. 5850, USA, Radio Prague (via WRMI) at 2330 opening with Ian Willoughby with “Radio Prague News” - Fair to Good Feb 20 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) Add this to the WRMI relay times I mentioned on WOR 1918 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. 5840, World Music Radio, 1803-1854, 25-02, pop songs, ID. 1811: "World Music Radio", at 1819, at 1827 Latin American song in Spanish, cumbia "La pollera colorá", Brazilian songs, other songs, various identification. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun P-880, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) Google translates it as ``The Colored Skirt``, but can someone explain this expression more idiomatically? (gh, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. See USA: KVOH ** ECUADOR [non]. GERMANY, 10 Jahre AGDX-Programm mit Olaf Mertens. Am 23. Februar 2008 brachte Radio HCJB Quito das erste AGDX-Programm, das Olaf Mertens produziert hat. Seit den Sechziger-Jahren integrierte der ekuadorianische Missionssender in sein deutschsprachiges Europa- Programm Beitraege verschiedener deutscher Hoererverbaende. Mit dabei war auch die Arbeitsgemeinschaft DX (AGDX) eher regional arbeitender DX-Klubs. Spaeter im Jahr wurden die Kurzwellensendungen aus Pifo eingestellt, da die Station wegen des neuen Grossflughafens von Quito ihren Betrieb einstellen musste. 2016 wurde die deutschsprachige Produktion in Ekuador eingestellt, und HCJB Deutschland uebernahm endgueltig die alleinige Verantwortung. Bis zur Sommerzeitumstellung sendet HCJB Deutschland die samstaeglichen DX- und Medienprogramme noch um 0525, 0730, 1100 und 1730 Uhr UT (+1 = MEZ/CET), dann voraussichtlich wieder eine UT-Stunde frueher, um nach Lokalzeit weiterhin zur gleichen Zeit on Air zu sein. Das aktuelle Sendeschema am Samstag sieht folgende Beitraege vor: 1. Samstag: FM Kompakt mit Kuno Taufenbach (aktuelle Ausgabe) und die RTI DX-Tipps vom Vormonat. 2. Samstag: RMRC DX Informationen von Heinz Schulz sowie ein Auszug der welle370 vom Radiotag auf dem Funkerberg des 3. Sonntags vom Vormonat. 3. Samstag: AGDX Beitrag von Olaf Mertens, Mediennews von Radio Joystick mit Charlie Prince sowie die KBS DX-Tipps von Hans Werner Lange. 4. Samstag: RMRC DX Informationen von Heinz Schulz und Austrian DX Bord Neuigkeiten aus Oesterreich. Wenn es einen Monat mit fuenf Samstagen wie im Maerz 2018 gibt, sind ebenfalls interessante und hoerenswerte Sonderbeitraege zu erwarten. Nach Angaben der Webseite wird die klassische Kurzwelle nach folgendem Sendeplan (+1=MEZ/CET) eingesetzt: 0000-2400 Uhr: 3995 kHz (1 kW) 0700-1700 Uhr: 5920 kHz (1.5 kW) 0800-1500 Uhr: 7365 kHz (3 kW) (Bernd Seiser-D, 23. Februar 2018, Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Feb 23, via BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, Bata, 0529-0545, 20-02, Spanish, program “Panorama Nacional”, “Desde los estudios de Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial”. Very weak but for moments clearly audible. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog visa DXLD) 5005, Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, Bata, *0507-0550, 24-02, open with songs, African songs, Spanish, comments: “Hoy es el día de la fiesta...”. 15331 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, XHDATA D-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0545-0612, 25-02, songs, at 0600 news in Spanish. Very weak in Lugo. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun P-880, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) ** ERITREA. 7181.52, VOBME 2 (presumed), 1457-1502, Feb 19. Phone conversations; HOA music; covered at 1502 with white noise jamming; almost fair before jamming (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) 7181.56, V. of Broad Masses of Eritrea 2 (Presumed), Feb 20, 1404- 1426, 35433, Amharic, Eritrean pop and talk, Very good condition (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ETHIOPIA below ** ETHIOPIA. 7170-7190 and 7130-7150, Feb 22 at 0355, very heavy DRM jamming spreading 20 rather than 10 kHz, centered about the Eritrean frequencies where not even carriers can be detected amid the noise. Jam peaks at S9 around 7140 and 7180 but the lower one unsounds quite as loud. All intruding messing up a lot of the worldwide exclusive ``40m`` hamband (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7235.554, Feb 22 at 1408, JBA carrier, no doubt the widely variant R. Ethiopia by longpath; no jamming or Eritreans audible now below 7200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 11575, Sat Feb 24 at 1606, good signal in African language via UTwente, as I check this following WORLD OF RADIO on 6190. Will it be // 11600? No, 11595! At least I think they are the same, switching back and forth, but cannot hear both at same time to be 100% positive they are // and synchronized. 11595 is stronger and has some hum, unlike 11575. Starting in December was Oromiya Media Network, Radio OMN, via Secretbrod, BULGARIA on 11600, then 11575, and 11600 disappeared; were listed supposedly Monday-Friday only, while now it is Saturday. Guess what: HFCC and latest NDXC/Aoki dated Feb 23 show nothing anywhen on 11575 or 11595! EiBi, not updated since Feb 11, shows Radio OMN, M-F 16-17 on 11575 & 11600 via Bulgaria. Could be some other Ethiopian clandestine, or OMN expanded beyond weekdays? No, weekends are not really new, as in DXLD 18-05, OMN was reported both on Sat & Sun Jan 27 & 28, when on 11600, 11575. Ivo was quoted as saying that 11600 was 100 kW, and 11575 only 50 kW. No sign of jamming on either while I listened today. It seems not even Ivo has caught up with new 11595. And it seems the last time anything other than RTTY QRM was reported on 11595, was the FCC notice busting Station YHWH as in DXLD 16-52 at the end of the year 2016! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11575, Radio OMN (Oromia Media Network). Feb 23 (Friday), heard the transmitter turned on at 1555; programming in vernacular started at ToH; tuned away at 1610 and there was still no jamming at all; fair- good reception. 11600 silent and didn't note what was happening on 11595, which was heard Feb 24 by Glenn, et al., as probably the new // frequency (ex: 11600) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) SECRETLAND, Reception of IRRS Radio OMN via SPL Secretbrod on Feb 25: 1600-1700 NF 11595 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg EaAf Oromo, ex 11600, good 1600-1656 on 11575 SCB 100 kW / 195 deg EaAf Oromo, good, 1 sec delay http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-irrs-radio-omn-via-spl.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 25, WOR iog via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Update posted by Mark this afternoon: TOM TAYLOR / BARRY STEPHENS -EMR TRIBUTE UPDATE "EMR - ONE LAST TIME FOR TOM TAYLOR" The Tribute Programme is now complete and the first broadcasts will begin on Saturday 17th February. The programme will be broadcast on a number of Short Wave outlets around the world. In addition, there is also a continuous high quality internet stream which is currently testing and will broadcast the tribute on a rotating basis for the period from Saturday 17th February until the first week of March. The stream will also carry some old EMR archived programming and also some other radio documentaries such as The EMR History, The Great British Pirate Era, On The Run and more. The stream can be reached at: http://107.170.166.187:8400 Or, by searching Shoutcast or internet radio Apps (such as the excellent XiiaLive - Internet Radio App – available free for Android and iPhones) for European Music Radio. “EMR – ONE LAST TIME FOR TOM TAYLOR” A TRIBUTE TO TOM TAYLOR / BARRY STEPHENS OF EUROPEAN MUSIC RADIO , WHO DIED RECENTLY. STREAMING DETAILS EMR TRIBUTE STREAM STREAM NAME : EUROPEAN MUSIC RADIO STREAM ADDRESS : http://107.170.166.187:8400 FROM SATURDAY 17TH FEB UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH 2018 – THE TRIBUTE PROGRAMME WILL BE CARRIED AS PART OF AN EMR TRIBUTE STREAM THE STREAM WILL ALSO INCLUDE A NUMBER OF RADIO DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMMES AND ALSO SOME EMR ARCHIVE PROGRAMMES AND AN OLDIES PLAYLIST WITH EMR JINGLES AND PROMOS THE TRIBUTE PROGRAMME WILL BE AIRED AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES EVERY DAY… 02.00, 06.00, 10.00, 14.00, 18.00, 22.00 UT – UK TIME STREAM DETAILS: STREAM NAME : EUROPEAN MUSIC RADIO STREAM ADDRESS : http://107.170.166.187:8400 SEARCH FOR : EUROPEAN MUSIC RADIO IN SHOUTCAST (via Mike Barraclough, Feb 15, via Roberto Scaglione, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Frequency changes of Radio France International from Feb 25 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/frequency-changes-of-radio-france.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 24, WOR iog via DXLD) Viz.: 0530-0600 on 11790 MDC 250 kW / 310 deg to EaAf Swahili till Feb 24 0530-0600 on 9670 ISS 500 kW / 145 deg to EaAf Swahili from Feb 25 0600-0630 on 7295 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg to WCAf Hausa till Feb 24 0600-0630 on 11995 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg to WCAf Hausa from Feb 25 0600-0700 on 5925 ISS 500 kW / 204 deg to NWAf French till Feb 24 0600-0700 on 9790 ISS 500 kW / 204 deg to NWAf French from Feb 25 1700-1730 on 15300 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAf Portuguese till Feb 24 1700-1730 on 17685 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAf Portuguese from Feb 25 1900-2000 on 13740 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to CeAf French till Feb 24 1900-2000 on 15300 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to CeAf French from Feb 25 (Observer blog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Blowing up another transmitter Wieder eine Sendersprengung ZUR INFO.....DEUTSCHLAND SCHAFFT SICH AB......73.... MBR installation (former Deutsche Bundespost, Telekom) Media & Broadcast 153 kHz (155 kHz til 1986) longwave 2-mast DLF Donebach Germany, 500 kW, nighttime 250 kW screened signal towards Brasov Bod- Romania will be explode blown up and destroyed for ever on Friday March 2nd 2018 between 1200 and 1400 hrs CET/MEZ, or 1100 and 1300 UT. Last DLF Cologne broadcast transmission happened on Dec 31, 2014. 73 de wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, via DXLD) ------ Originalnachricht------ Von: Rainer Englert Datum: Mo., 26. Feb. 2018 09:06 Hallo zusammen, wie ich gerade von Wolfgang Hirler DL8MDH erfahre, werden in Kürze die Sendemasten der letzten deutschen Langwellensender gesprengt. Wolfgang arbeitete viele Jahre bei der Media Broadcast, das ist der Betreiber aller deutscher Sendeanlagen. Nach Abschaltung am 31.12.2014 werden nun die beiden Sendemasten (siehe Bilder in Anlage) gesprengt. Die Sprengung findet statt am Freitag den 02. März 2018 zwischen 12:00 und 14:00 Uhr. Der LW-Sender Donebach arbeitete auf 153 kHz mit 500 kW Ausgangsleistung tagsüber, nachts wurde auf 250 kW reduziert und strahlte bis Ende 2014 das Programm des Deutschlandfunks aus. Die Masten sind mit 363m das höchste Bauwerk in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Der nordwestliche Mast arbeitete als Strahler, der südöstliche als Reflektor, es war also eine 2 ele Yagi für Langwelle. Beiden Sendemasten waren eine geerdete Konstruktionen, in welche die abzustrahlende HF in etwa 300 m Höhe über die Halteseile eingespeist wurde. Weitere Infos auf einer Webseite: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sender_Donebach Die starke Langwelle hatte eine Reichweite von gut 300 km, nachts bis zu 1000 km und mehr und konnte damit mit einem einzigen Sender eine Fläche von fast 1 Million Quadratkilometern versorgen. Die Verantwortlichen argumentieren immer, das mit DAB+ alles viel besser und billiger geht, allerdings bräuchte man zur gleichen Versorgung mehr als 1000 kleine DAB-Sender zu je 1 - 10 kW Output. Das wird immer unterschlagen in der Argumentaton. Irgendwie können diese Herren (meistens Juristen) nicht rechnen, denn nach wie vor scheint die LW-Verbreitung für ein sprach-orientiertes Programm wie dem DLF auch wirtschaftlich am billigsten zu sein .... aber man verkauft ja neuerdings die Leute als dumm weil es ja eh keiner so genau nachrechnet von den technischen Laien. DAB wird in Notfällen nicht mehr funktionieren, die Langwelle tat es mit ihren Diesel-Aggregat aber schon ... und auch im Ausland konnte man alles gut hören. Will jemand hinfahren? Wem das zu weit ist (Donebach liegt ca. 40 km nördlich von Heilbronn oder 50 km südwestlich von Würzburg), der kann auf die Sprengung des Langwellen-Mastes in Aholming warten, das ist bei Straubing Dggendorf [sic] in Niederbayern. Dieser soll ebenfalls in den nächsten Wochen in das Dunkel der Geschichte der Sendetechnik eingehen, dann sind alle ehemaligen MW- und LW- Sender in Deutschland entsorgt. vy 73 Rainer DF2NU **************************** Rainer Englert (DF2NU) OVV München-Süd C18 Dorfstrasse 14 85567 Bruck-Alxing GERMANY Bureau +49 8092 708339 Home +49 8092 83246 Fax +49 8092 83247 Mobil +49 175 2205650 Email rainer.englert@gmx.de **************************** (via Wolfgang Büschel, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. The annual broadcast of Radio Öömrang is expected again February 21 at 1600-1700 UT on 15215. HFCC has this registered as *every* Wednesday in the B-17 season from 29 Oct to 24 Mar, 500 kW, 300 degrees via Issoudun, FRANCE. 15215 1600 1700 4,8,9 ISS 500 300 0 218 4 291017 240318 D Mul F MBR MBR 3121 A.nusae It`s for a festival on this Frisian island, in local language, German and some English (Glenn Hauser, OK, 0457 UT Feb 21, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15215, Feb 21 at 1600, JBA carrier as I am checking for the yearly broadcast of Radio Öömrang via FRANCE. Yet S9+ signals from 15620 dead air listed as VOA Somali via Woofferton; 15435 Saudi. By 1607 I`m on UTwente, and there it is, rather off-mike conversations in Frisian? with background noise. Reminiscing presumably. Not a solid signal as UTwente is too close to Issoudun. Perhaps they are doing better into New York City target? 1615 switches to English, ``didn`t know anything about pregnancy...`` and back to (high?) German. Something about ``4 pm``, etc. Did not cut off until about 1702*. Tnx to our reminder several hours earlier on the WOR iog, several others were tuning it, including John A Figliozzi in FL [below]. And also better into California, from Ron Howard [below] 15215, Radio Öömrang via Issoudun (France). Thanks to Glenn for the timely alert! Carrier on-off and on again at 1559 Feb 21; briefly on at 1600, then cut off, but came back on again; seemed to be in German, local language and English; "Hello. This is Radio Öömrang, the freedom voice of Öömrang," "this hour for New York Öömrang inhabitants"; interview with a couple married 52 years. Glenn - your "4 pm" was "4 o'clock pm. It's very cold. We are interviewing the young landlord"; several spots with just the sound of seagulls or with announcers talking over the sound of seagulls; some audio hum. My audio of mostly English posted at http://app.box.com/s/f7slayi6nx6adlj6rmfuxrz9f6gc2tkq (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) Thanks, I'd might have missed it this year had you not forwarded Glenn's notice. Once they resolved their 2+ minute broadcast issue, the signal was great into central Ohio. s9+20 currently. SDRuno/SDRplay RSP2 behind a Wellbrook ALA1530LNP NA. -- (Mike Bott, 1631 UT Feb 21, BDXC-UK iogroup via DXLD) Hearing it here in New Hampshire USA on a Grundig Field radio with a SINPO of 55455 (Frederick Moe, 1621 UT Feb 21, ibid.) Booming into southwest Florida with a rather relaxed program as if speakers are moving around a room (kitchen?) with people coming and going (doors opening and closing?). 15215, Radio Oomrang and its strictly once a year idiosyncratic program, mostly in German with a little English heard now and then and also presumably the Frisian dialect. Program is either a play of some sort or a very relaxed informal conversation among friends. Numerous sounds of boots walking, doors closing and chairs moving. Excellent signal heard from 1628 tune in - SIO 545. WRTH ‘18 says using Issoudun transmitter in France. (21 Feb.) (John Figliozzi, Sarasota, FL, Sony ICF-2010 (off whip), 1645 UT Feb 21, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) FRANCE/GERMANY, 15215, Radio Öömrang, Issoudun?, *1600-1659*, 21-02, German, ID, comments, ID and some comments in English, ID "Radio Oomrang", Frisian language, comments, male, female. 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog visa DXLD) Radio Öömrang, via Issoudun (France), on 15215 kHz, full data eQSL at: http://app.box.com/s/4tfu8qw9ty6tvkblo0vgpdf5tfxpuqm5 Reception report sent to info @ media-broadcast.com v/s and received from: Pütz, Michael Michael Puetz, Sales Consultant, Business Unit Radio MEDIA BROADCAST GmbH Erna-Scheffler-Straße 1 51103 Cologne, Germany (Ron Howard, California, WOR iog via DXLD) GERMANY/FRANCE, 15215, Issoudun, Radio Oomrang, 1600-1700, 21-02, eQSL received in two days for a e-mail reception report sent to: QSL- Shortwave@media-broadcast.com (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, ibid.) Pues yo el informe, a las esta direccion y aún, no he recibido la QSL, y casi todo el mundo la esta recibiendo, pues nada, me da que no me la verifican y aporte video e informe [sic] (JOSE HERNANDEZ MADRID EA5- 0819AER, 23 feb, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. ARMENIA, 5845, R. Menschen & Geschichen via Armenia, Feb 25 *1700-1715, 45433-35433, German, 1700 sign on with IS, Opening music, ID, Opening announce, Music and talk, ID at 1705 and 1710 and 1713, Very good condition (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD- 525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [no, Christian Milling says via Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN --- gh] ARMENIA (Or Uzbekistan?), 5845, Radio Menschen [und] Geschichten, via Short Wave Service, Gavar (Or Tashkent), 1730-1800*, 25-02, German, ID "Radio Menschen Geschichten", comments in German and some comments in English, some pop songs. On its web site announces via Tashkent: "1700-1800 UTC (18-19 Uhr MEZ) auf 5845 kHz (Wiederholung, via Sender Taschkent)". 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun P-880, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) See ARMENIA ARMENIA, Radio Menschen & Geschichten via Shortwaveservice Yerevan, Feb 25: 1700-1800 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg WeEu German last Sun, fair/good Today again no signal of Radio MiAmigo International via Shortwaveservice Yerevan 1800-2000 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg WeEu English last Sun-probably deleted http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/radio-menschen-geschichten-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 25, WOR iog via DXLD) : ** GUAM. Fair signal of KTWR Trans World Radio Asia on Feb 23 1103-1128 on 11965 TWR 100 kW / 263 deg to SEAs English Mon-Fri 1128-1143 on 11965 TWR 100 kW / 263 deg to SEAs English Tue-Fri 1059-1156 on 11965 TWR 100 kW / 263 deg to SEAs English Sun http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/fair-signal-of-ktwr-trans-world-radio_23.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 23, WOR iog via DXLD) Fair signal of KTWR Trans World Radio EaAs on Feb 24 1127-1157 on 9910 TWR 200 kW / 350 deg to EaAs Jap/Eng Sat Good signal of KTWR Trans World Radio SoAs on Feb 24 1230-1300 on 12160 TWR 100 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Sat http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/good-signal-of-ktwr-trans-world-radio_24.html Good signal of KTWR Trans World Radio EaAs on Feb 24 1317-1346 on 7510 TWR 100 kW / 320 deg to EaAs English Sat http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/good-signal-of-ktwr-trans-world-radio_95.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 24, WOR iog via DXLD) All programming on KTWR is gospel-huxterism, not even a token DX program in English. IIRC they had one eons ago from Monaco (gh, DXLD) ** GUINEA. 9650, R. Guinea, Feb 22, 0721-0728+, 32332-34333-b/out French, Afro pop music, ID at 0727, b/out at 0728'50" (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What is ``b/out``? (gh) ** INDIA. 4870.205 usual odd fq, from AIR Delhi Voice of Kashmir service, S=8 into southern Germany at 0235 UT Feb 26 [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 26, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INDIA. Extended program now, 1830-1845 UT on 5010 AIR Thiruvananthapuran, 5040, AIR Jaypore and 4910, AIR Jaipur, cricket, India vs South Africa, Vernacular and English, fair on 5010 and weak on 5040 and 4910, ID "All India Radio" (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, XHDATA D-808, cable antenna, 8 meters, Feb 21, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 21 Feb 1845 UT. Hearing AIR with cricket commentary in English of the T20 international match South Africa v India in progress right now on 5010 and 5040 kHz - both on extended schedules (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INDIA. 7550 // 9445, Feb 24 at 2225, AIR GOS is about over, closing with some music, S9-S7 and S7-S5 respectively. Almost listenable in deep North America beyond European target. Same frequencies resume at 2245-2430, which could be a good early evening time for us, but then they are re-aimed north/eastward via Bengaluru: 7550 from 300 to 90 degrees, 9445 from 325 to 38 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR's Faithfully Yours didn't air today (Monday 26 Feb), so next scheduled on-week is Monday 5 March (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS amended accordingly (gh) ** INDONESIA. QSL came from Voice of Indonesia. For the reception of the English service on October 10, 2015 :) Sent on November 25, 2017. The envelope was also a sticker. In a year should come in 2016 :) (Victor Varzin, Leningradskaya oblast, Kommunar, Russia / "deneb- radio-dx" via RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) Voice of Indonesia. The site has been updated, a new address is http://voinews.id e-mail voi @ voinews.id (Vladimir Gudzenko, Lukhovitsy, Moskovskaya oblast, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", via RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. I know most people here don't care for programming delivered by podcast, only over the air shortwave; However: I am surprised at all of the over-the-air international broadcasters that don't use podcasting to enhance and fill in the gaps of their listenership. I try to pick up IRIB, or 'Radio Tehran' on the East Coast with little luck. Why don't they offer a podcast? With all going on in N Korea, (another tough catch in New England), why wouldn't the people at the VOice of Korea offer a podcast? Cairo, Kuwait, Sputnik, Israel, Voice of Vietnam --- why no podcasts? Would love to hear the programming, and podcasts eliminate the reception issues; and the timing (you have to listen at 0800 hrs or you missed it!) (B-T-M, WOR iog via DXLD) For instance, try http://vovworld.vn/ and go a Little Down… 73, (Erik in Copenhagen, ibid.) Thank you for the response, Erik, but those are streams, and not podcasts. :-( (BTM, ibid.) ** IRAN. Iran's 'Voice of Palestine' opt-out observed on MW/SW Iran's national broadcaster Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran [VIRI] was observed with the Voice of Palestine opt-out from their main Arabic Service in progress on 1161 kHz at 19:45 UT on 21 February 2018. It was heard in parallel on 6060 kHz and reception was fair to poor on both frequencies (via a web SDR in Lutsk, Ukraine), with the mediumwave channel battling for dominance with the co-channel Egyptian regional station at Tanta. The programme finished at 20:30 UT and after a couple of minutes of audio from VIRI's main Arabic Service 1161 kHz went off air. There's a full schedule for the broadcaster's MW/SW/satellite 'Arabic Radio' frequencies (though not specifically Voice of Palestine) here: tinyurl.com/vopiran (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, Feb 22, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Dave, Very interesting observations. WRTH gives the Qasr-i-Shirin shutoff as 2130 so that earlier closedown is new. Also we have at the same time 1080 kHz opting out of normal Arabic broadcasts to serve Bahrain. This leaves a possibility that the Palestine program could also be carried by 765 kHz (Chabahar) and 1224 kHz (Kish island). Some further monitoring will be needed to see if 1161 kHz is alone in carrying Voice of Palestine in the evenings. 73 (Dan Goldfarb, UK, ibid.) I did do a quick whizz round some other VIRI other mediumwave frequencies but couldn't hear anything via the Lutsk web SDR. (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, ibid.) Folks, Via the Karelia Perseus I can say that 765 kHz is in parallel with 1161. Slightly unusual being so far to the East within the country. So if 1930-2030 is Voice of Palestine, then no longer on SW only. 1224 kHz was impossible to hear. 73 (Dan (Colchester, England), Goldfarb, 2009 UT Feb 22, WOR iog via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. Today again no signal of IRRS Radio Santec/The Word/The Cosmic Wave via Secretbrod 1500-1530 15190 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg SoAs English/German Sun, maybe deleted! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-from-isle-of-music-via-spl_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 25, WOR iog via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. [LEBANON] QSL Voice of Hope Middle East 1287 kHz. Schoen, schoen, aber ich wusste mit der Frequenz 1287 kHz erst mal gar nichts anzufangen. Makeni Ranch in Zambia konnte es nicht sein. WRTH 2018 page 527 klaert auf, das ist der Sender in Nord Israel, an der Grenze in She'ar Yashuv. Eine gefuegige Evangelen-Organisation? sonst haetten sie keine Baugenehmigung bekommen. Ein Kurzwellensender im 49 mb vom selben Standort ist geplant, und soll auch noch demnaechst folgen. Reply of wb to Patrick Robic-AUT, A- DX ng, Feb 20. Die Voice of Hope Middle East 1287 kHz bestaetigte meinen Empfangsbericht in 325 Tagen mit einer det. QSL-Karte. Der Bericht ging per e-mail an v/s war Ray Robinson (Patrick Robic-AUT, A-DX ng, Feb 20) Auch hier ist die QSL Karte von Voice of Hope, Israel vorige Woche eingetroffen. Schon in 1982 gab es King of Hope 6215 khz (10 kW) aus The Valley of The Springs "in an area called Free Lebanon (Southern Lebanon). The programming is basically a simulcast of WORD, The Voice of Hope, which operates medium wave from the same facility", angeblich der QSL Brief. Auf einer Karte die mitgeschickt wurde steht 945 kHz. In 1994 empfing ich eine QSL von Wings of Hope mit Studio in Metulla, Israel, ausgestrahlt von "The Hill of the Doves, South Lebanon" auf Kurzwelle 11530 kHz. In 1994 war King of Hope auf 6280 zu hoeren (Max van Arnhem-HOL, via wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 21, BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. ARMENIA, Strong signal of IBC Radio via Yerevan Feb 22 1900-2000 on 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg to WeEu Italian Wed 2000-2030 on 5845 ERV 100 kW / 305 deg to WeEu English Wed http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/strong-signal-of-ibc-radio-via-yerevan.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. 4950.0, AIR Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, hovering at threshold level audio; 0146-0214* (went off a few seconds before 0215), on Feb 20. Was able to hear this as Angola was silent, plus it helped that Srinagar sunrise was at 0140 UT and my local sunset was 0152 UT (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KIRITIMATI. Good signal tonight on 846 kHz Kiribati --- 0545 UT // N/NE FLAG and Omni 80-10 end fed. With YL talk. Drake R8 / NRD525 (Colin Newell - Victoria - B.C. CANADA, Feb 19, IRCA via DXLD) Colin and Walt, Colin is quite right about the aurora-enhanced signal of 846-Kiribati tonight. The Puyallup valley is a notorious DU-dead zone, and the IBOC pest 850-KHHO is only 4 air miles away from my DXing spot. Despite this 846-Kiribati made it through with its best- ever audio here (fair) at 0720 UT (26 minutes ago). Definitely not up to Kona or even Victoria quality, but I'll take it https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/mzs6bj9jpqbbwf189i26sr35mrbl3q20 (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), Feb 19, IRCA via DXLD) 846, REALLY strong at 0620 --- Wow, is 846 ever just booming in with music at 0620. About the strongest I've ever heard them. S9 + 5 on the Perseus. Local programming. A YL speaking at 0621, not in English? Nice C&W piece at 0623. Very impressive. No sign of 1017 tonight. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Feb 21, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) It's just a weak carrier in Seattle at 0655 (Bruce Portzer, ibid.) 846 with a great big OC at 0528 UT --- Really strong carrier tonight from Christmas Island, Kiribati, but no audio at all. Strange (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Feb 24, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) It's really just par for the course with 846-Kiribati, Walt. The station's signal was unbelievably shaky during my Kona DXpedition in December, dropping out 6 times within 90 seconds on occasion, and having long, unplanned silent periods. They need the Japanese team that rejuvenated 558-Fiji to pay them a visit! (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Unlike the other evening, reception is strong as is the modulation of a woman in local dialect at 0548 UT. S9+ 10 reception into Victoria, BC tonight. 73, (Walt Salmaniw Feb 27, mw-dx iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Hi Glenn, Radio Kiribati is online opening at 1825 UT and closing down at 1000 heard online Friday 2/23/2018 in Sacramento, CA. The broadcast is in the indigenous language of talk and cultural music, with station ID announced also in English at closedown. Link: https://bpa.org.ki/radio-kiribati/ Radio Kiribati Online - Broadcasting And Publication Authority Best Regards, (Craig Jordan, Sacramento, CA Feb 23, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is probably mother station Tarawa 1440 ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Re: ``Dear Mr. Glenn Hauser, As I write this letter I’m in South Korea, where earlier today, for the first time I stood in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) looking through the barbed wire into North Korea, a country closed to the preaching of the gospel. .... Excerpted from a much longer letter, which assumes that North Koreans would be better off if they become Adventists. NO DETAILS! So what is this new AM station? WTFK? Or are they really buying some time on an existing station, like FEBC? Maybe Wavescan knows. AWR not to be found in WRTH 2018 International sexion under Korea South; there are several Christian broadcasters in the National sexion, but cursorily don`t see anything about AWR (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Answer from my files: ``AWR Facebook mentioned the start of a new broadcast on mediumwave for North Korea at December 1 - without any frequency. But in spring 2016 “someone" have test transmissions from Mongolia on 1431. And that`s the frequency. The signal is good around 1530 UT also in Salzburg on December 2 and 3 (Christoph Ratzer 4.12.2017, Arctic Radio Club mv-eko 4 Dec via WORLD OF RADIO 1908, DXLD)`` (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD) Tnx for the reminder --- except the new item goes on to say: ``In the last few months, I’ve shared with you our plans to expand the coverage beyond shortwave to also include AM radio programs aired from neighboring South Korea.`` Or is he talking about two different stations? Or studio in SK but ``aired`` via Mongolia? Speaking of remotes, I wonder if all the Bonaire programs in Portuguese really originate at Rádio Transmundial, Brasil? (Glenn to Dr, via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 11735. VOK. Feb 25. 0330-0430 UT. Himno nacional, Aviso de inicio del servicio en español, luego de las canciones de los generales Kim Il Sung y Kim Jong Il. Desde las 0338, se emite un boletín de noticias con la declaración de la asociación de Coreanos en China, Publicación de obras del General Kim Jong Il en Bielorrusia referentes al patriotismo, Festival científico tecnológico de la Universidad Kim Chaek, Reunión internacional de sindicatos, Realización de vuelo espía estadounidense durante el 21 de Enero, denuncia de un ensayo militar conjunto con Surcorea después de finalizadas las Olimpiadas de Invierno y de un ataque cibernético. Desde las 0349, se presenta un espacio musical. A las 0403, se lee una descripción del lago volcánico Tianchí que se encuentre en el Monte Paektu. Desde las 0407, espacio musical con corte de audio y portadora durante 10 minutos, luego continuación del espacio musical, nuevamente cortes desde las 0420 por sólo 2 minutos. A las 0426, se emite un aviso con los horarios y frecuencias del servicio. SINPO: 55544 (Claudio Galaz; RX: Tecsun PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 30 metros de largo; QTH: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. KOREA's --- Noted a like USB-mode transmission signal on 6045 kHz at 1002 UT, chorus singer program noted at S=9+10dB in Seoul-KOREA, and S=9 at Tokyo Japan remote installation. Also a separate 'ignition dit-dit' signal on lower side on 6044.982 kHz measured frequency, QRM heard in Seoul, but much stronger dit-dit in Japan server sites. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 25 via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. 6045, Voice of Freedom (Hwaseong), 1552-1600+ 13 Feb., 1553-1600+ 14, 15 Feb. Ex-5920 & leaves carrier on after earlier 1506*, piano/Korean chat at 1552, into anthem, opening ID, & that neat singing jingle just before TOH & (presumed) news headlines. Slight NK jamming on the 13th at 1533 check & later during piano opening, but apparently clear of jammer on the 14th & 15th, but mixes with (Presumed) Furusato no Kaze (Paochung) in Japanese after 1600 (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach/Encinitas, CA, PL380/6m X-wire, via Robert Wilkner, NASWA yg via DXLD) Above is a different version of the same logs in 18-08 (gh, DXLD) PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games On Feb 9, Voice of Freedom carried live coverage of the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Heard in Korean, French and English. Will VOF carry live coverage of the closing ceremony as well? Check on Sunday, Feb 25, starting at 1100 UT. I hope so! VOF has recently been on 6045 kHz (Ron Howard, 0415 UT Feb 25, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Wolfie, 6045, from 1100+ UT, only with the usual VOF programming. Nothing special. As usual was jammed by N. Korea, but VOF very readable, cutting through the light jamming (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) Recorded overnight here in Palm Desert. Poor signal at sign-on at 0900 UT but improved to fair shortly thereafter until 1200 when VOA signs on, on the same frequency with Chinese from Thailand, competing with Voice of Freedom for two hours and then splash from China on 6040 kHz for an hour between 1400 and 1500. As Ron mentioned, nothing special, all Korean and the pulsed tone jamming quite light in the background unlike the strong jamming heard here last Thursday for the English "Sea Breeze" broadcast. Thanks to Ron for tips for an easterner on what to listen to here in the desert (-- Richard Langley, CA, ibid.) ** KURDISTAN [non]. CLANDESTINE, 7520, V. of Welat, Feb 20, 1334-1404, 35433-35333, Kurdish, Talk and kurdish music, // 4810 kHz (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 30m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Both via ARMENIA 7520, Feb 22 at 0354, poor S4-S6, presumed Kurdish music from Denge Welat via ARMENIA; if also on 7320, can`t hear vs 7315 WHRI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. Upgrades of IBB relay station at expense of others, in FY 2019 BBG budget: see U S A! ** KUWAIT. Reception of Radio Kuwait in Persian and Filipino on Feb 21 0800-1000 on 7249.8 KBD 250 kW / non-dir to WeAs Persian, fair/good 1000-1200 on 17760.0 KBD 250 kW / 084 deg to SEAs Filipino very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-radio-kuwait-in-persian.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) Reception of MOI Radio Kuwait General Service on Feb 27: from 0710 on 15515 KBD 250 kW / 059 deg to EaAs Arabic, fair/good MOI Radio Kuwait General Service was back on frequency 9750v, Feb 27 1100-1330 9749.8*KBD 250 kW / 286 deg NEAf, instead of 9739.8 Feb 26 *QRM co-ch 9750.0 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg EaAs Japanese RJapan NHK World Today again no signal of MOI Radio Kuwait Holy Qur`an Service 1355-1600 on 11629.8 KBD 250 kW / 230 deg to CeAf Arabic http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-moi-radio-kuwait-general_27.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 27, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, 4010.116, Birinchi Radio, Krasnaya Rechka, Bishkek, in Kyrgyz language, phone-in program at 0215 UT, S=9+5dB strength here[selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 26, WOR iog via DXLD) ** LIBYA. 1124.96, Libya al-Hurra, El Beida, FEB 18 0157 - Cursory scan finds one considerably off-frequency-low here. MW Offsets list shows the only fit would be Libya, 1124.961 as of Aug 2015, but also varied up to 1126 kHz [Hauser-OK] (NRC IDXD Feb 23 via DXLD) To be clear, I did not report hearing that frequency precisely, but the ed. inserted it as he agreed with my conclusion: (gh, DXLD) FEB 23, 2220 - Observed 1124.962 kHz peaking above the noise floor along with 1124.990 Belgium, unID 1124.995, and audible 1125 Spain (Bruce Conti, WPC1CAT, Nashua NH; WiNRADiO Excalibur, Intona USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Isolator, MWDX-5, variable termination Super/Ewe antennas 15 x 23-m at 60 northeast and 180 south, ed., NRC IDXD Feb 23 via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 17570, Feb 25 at 2029, organ music until 2030*; was the OSOB except for MWV 17640, the other Madagascan. This is AWR at 2000- 2030, 250 kW, 290 degrees from Talata per HFCC in Mos language, which means what? That`s one abbr. not on EiBi`s readme in any form, except as part of Moskva. EiBi frequency list has this as MOO for Burkina Faso, which in turn means Moore, spoken by three sesquimegapersons in BF, part of CIRAF 46. Unfortunately, EiBi has removed all the [xxx] equivalent language abbrs which we find in HFCC, making it harder to cross-reference; why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 9835, RTM Sarawak FM (Presumed), Feb 19, 2335-2348, 33443, Malay, Talk and music. 11665, RTM Wai FM, Feb 19, 2348-0002, 33443, Malay, Talk and music and news, ID at 0000 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525, NRD- 345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 550, XEPL, Cd. Cuauhtémoc, Chih. FEB 12, 1259 - XE anthem; man with ID at 1301: "XHEPL La Super Estación 91.3 FM, 25 mil wats de potencia, señal simultánea en 550 AM..." with usual address at Agustín Mélgar 473; spotty after this with "Amanecer Ranchero" program, consisting of ranchera music, ads, PSA's, and chit-chat. IBOC from local 560 KLZ mostly nulled. [Wilkins-CO] 650, XETNT, Los Mochis, Sin. FEB 15, 1244 - Noted in passing with usual "Buenos Días, Yardero" program, familiar announcer gabbing and playing mainly banda music. Still not sure what "yardero" means. Signal fair at best (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO; Drake R8, 4-foot box loop, NRC IDXD Feb 23 via DXLD) See my report of 2012y, first time I had heard the word: ``650, August 13 at 1113, XETNT Los Mochis, Sinaloa, with `Buenos Días, Yarderos` show on ``Radio 65, 106.5`` singing ID. I wasn`t sure of that word until I found it on their program schedule http://www.chavezradiocast.com/?page_id=395 for 4-6 am [MDT] with Alberto Guerrero, ``El Fogatero``. I still don`t know what a yardero and a fogatero are, nor does my dixionary, nor does Google Translate; local slang. Fogatero probably has something to do with fire, arsonist? He sets fire to yards? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` ** MEXICO. 1310, XEVB, Radio 13, Monterrey, Nuevo León. 1157 February 22, 2018. Truncated anthem from 1159, male announcer with mention of "Radio Trece" and into Mexi-tune, signal lost to WYND and XETIA. Presume the one. Appears to have changed slogans frequently. Listed as this in the 2018 WRTH, as VB 1310 in the 2017, and Mujer 1310 in the 2016. No mobile device working stream located. 1310, XETIA Radio Vital, Guadalajara, Jalisco. 1206 February 22, 2018. As XEVB fades, another is up with unabridged anthem from 1206-1210, male mentions "... mil watts..." into nice tropical ballads, not the usual Mexi-tunes fare. Found it parallel the network site at http://www.notisistema.com/radiovital.php Listed elsewhere as a Health/Talk format, but clearly at least not always. Signal faded by 1218, but listening to the stream, a "Radio Vital, una onda (salvaje?)" slogan after government PSAs, into ballad (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT, Clearwater FL, IC-R75, NRD- 535, longwires, active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 1410, XEBS, México, DF [sic], FEB 10, 1232 - ID, "Bandolera catorce-diez, Ai Puro Tiro; la puerte mexico viene nuevo tiro [sic] en la radio, XEBS... Ai Puro Tiro," then back into talk by two men. Power announced at 25 kW. 1420, XEH, Monterrey, NL, FEB 11, 1152 - In and out under local XEF; "XEH, catorce-veinte" ID, national anthem at 1203 UT (Robert Vance, El Paso TX; WiNRADiO G33DDC, various indoor and outdoor loop antennas, NRC IDXD Feb 23 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week --- [including DTV = TDT] The Universidad de Guadalajara says they'll be on the air in Puerto Vallarta at the end of the year, and apparently they must have gotten the concession. It must have gotten the concession this past week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHFA8QNgCK4 The new U de G transmitter would be based at the Centro Universitario de la Costa (home of XHUGPV-FM), and the plan is to be on the air with programs from Guadalajara by year's end but to begin local program production and build a TV studio in Vallarta in 2019 (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Feb 16, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) When I said Multimedios was going to be the first to air out of IFT-6, I was right. I was also wrong. You see, this week, just days before the Monterrey- based Multimedios is set to flip the switch on a virtual channel change and six new stations, they were beaten to the punch. By Multimedios Televisión. It's actually XHJGMI-TDT 15 in Uruapan, Michoacán! http://www.cambiodemichoacan.com.mx/nota.php?id=37891&tipo=n Corporativo Trejo, or Multimedios Michoacán, got the station on the air this past week with two newscasts. It joins the C7 cable station (not to be confused with the Jalisco state network) and, as previously reported here, http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?9113-OPMA-is-changing&p=45213#post45213 a pirate radio station in Morelia (Raymie, Feb 20, ibid.) It looks like XLNC1 took the hint. In another of the many replies they've left to commenters saddened by the station's FM closure, we've learned XHLNC-FM will remain on the air, but with someone else's programming, past March 1. One reply mentions, "The frequency will change formats and be run by a different radio station completely unassociated with us." It's unclear who exactly will be taking over XHLNC-FM. The rules don't specify much in the way of whether social concessions can be transferred. Potential groups I've found of interest include the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, which might jump at the opportunity to move from AM to FM but would need eventually a conversion to public use, and the Universidad Iberoamericana Campus Tijuana, which recently launched an online station with FM ambitions. With the amount of time that has passed since a new radio station was built here, this is a highly valuable frequency, even if it is social, and it would have been a shame for the concession to be surrendered and the frequency dormant for years. We may have to wait for March 1 to get a taste of what's in store (Raymie, February 20, ibid.) Another week, another mammoth set of new station awards: http://www.ift.org.mx/conocenos/pleno/sesiones/v-ordinaria-del-pleno-14-de-febrero-de-2018 FM Delia Rodríguez Arreola - Linares, Nuevo León Música de Mis Recuerdos, A.C. - Uruapan, Michoacán Fundación Garza Limón, A.C. - Tepic, Nayarit Música de Mis Recuerdos, A.C. - Tepic, Nayarit (both part of a permit backlog clear) Arte y Cultura por Solidaridad, A.C. - Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo (mutually exclusive application resolution out of the 2015 PABF) Luis Roberto Márquez Pizano - San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur (mutually exclusive application resolution out of the 2015 PABF) Fundación Cultural para la Sociedad Mexicana, A.C. - Ensenada, Baja California (mutually exclusive application resolution out of the 2015 PABF) DENIED: Comunicadores del Sur Mexiquense, A.C. - Amatepec, State of Mexico. Javier Juárez Mojica's vote explanation explains that there is a blood relationship with Guillerma Casique Vences, who won XHPAMM- FM in IFT-4. TDT Laura Amparo Otto Díaz - Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán (A search reveals Otto Díaz is involved with Medios Radiofónicos Michoacán, so this is a social wolf with co-owned XHLZ-FM/Mich.) There were also a boatload of FOROtv multiprogramming auths, a bundle of technical changes for 11 radio stations and another bundle of similar, another set of repacking auths (XHCHM-TDT 40 to 21; XHOPMT- TDT 51 to 16), and more station sale, of XEHL-AM to TV ZAC, S.A. de C.V. —*that's the second Televisa Radio station sale in Guadalajara on AM to this company (more well known as NTR in Zacatecas) in the last year. — and XHCMR-FM to Telecomunicaciones CH, S.A. de C.V. (Raymie, Feb 21, ibid.) We got an avalanche out of the IFT today, hoo boy. I'm going to start with the radio news in the form of six new callsign and frequency assignments. If you're in Tangancícuaro, Michoacán, you'll soon be able to listen to Grupo Cultural Tangancícuaro's community station, XHTGM-FM 99.5. Álamo Temapache, Veracruz, gets its second social station when Ageo Hernández Hernández puts XHATV-FM 104.3 on the air. Jorge Luis Salazar Mandujano will put Bochil, Chiapas, on the radio map with XHBOCH-FM 95.7. The next three are all...weird, and I don't know why. Rate Cultural y Educativa de México will come to Puerto Vallarta on XHPECR-FM 88.7. XHPECD-FM on 89.7 MHz has a long callsign, a long concessionaire name (Ciencia, Comunicación y Tecnología de Irapuato) and a long city name (Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia Nacional, Guanajuato). And the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo will add its fourth semi-satellite to the UAEH radio network with XHPECW-FM 102.1. ——— The television news is a new virtual channel table, and there are changes galore to look at in it. While I know television is less and less useful, there are some interesting trends I want to point out. One is that Televisa is trying to get a hold on 9 in more places. A bunch of their regional stations were already on it, and now more have joined, from Torreón to Acapulco. Additionally, XHMEE moved to channel 10 (9 is unavailable in Mexicali for border reasons), XHCLV to 13, and XEWO to 8. Multimedios also made its move to 6 official, but it did not bring along its affiliated non-owned stations (XHPNW and XHSDD). XHSAW will ensure that MM retains channel 12 in Monterrey. It also appears as if some reservations are being made for new assignments, besides Multimedios on 6. The others would appear to be: Tele Saltillo on 10 Quiero Media on 10 (the XEWO to 8 move had to be a nightmare) Compañía Periodística Sudcaliforniana on 10 (BCS only, not Puerto Vallarta) Additionally, there was a callsign change! An honest-to-goodness callsign change! There were PSIP clues as early as last week, but XHOPMA-TDT has become XHSPR-TDT. It's the first Mexico City TV callsign change since XHTRES took on that callsign in 2009 (Raymie, ibid.) Should Sinaloa build a state TV network? http://punto.mx/publicacion/considera-uas-positivo-contar-con-canal-de-television-pero-que-sea-solo-cultural-41853 The Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa says "yes, but keep it cultural". He mentions that such a venture would be too expensive for the university, but that the state government, which has floated the idea, could probably pull it off. The article also briefly mentions the Radio UAS Los Mochis station that came out of clearing the permit forest there, and that they are fighting to get the Mazatlán station as well. Other reporting in the last week on the potential Sinaloa state TV network (they already are on radio in Mochis, Culiacán and Mazatlán) mentions that the state government is continuing with this application dating to 2007 and put out a document in their state official newspaper to that effect. The IFT evidently contacted the state government and asked if there was continued interest in pursuing the station. http://www.adiscusion.com.mx/Noticia.aspx?q=Podr%C3%ADa-Gobierno-del-Estado-tener-su-propio-cana-de-televisi%C3%B3n- (Raymie, Feb 26, ibid.) The concession transfer was approved recently, and now we know why it happened. In December, XHCV's concession was transferred from Rafael Castro Torres to one of his heirs. Last Monday, the Ciudad Valles radio owner and businessman died at the age of 93. http://www.zunoticia.com/muere-el-empresario-rafael-castro-torres/ Castro Torres was born in Nueva Italia, Michoacán, on November 24, 1924. He started XECV in 1956, then proceeded to buy XETR in 1958 and start up XEXR in 1969. At the age of 16, he bought a transportation company from his uncle and sold it 54 years later (Raymie, Feb 26, ibid.) Like an oasis in the desert, it stands with a tantalizing callsign. Lo, it's another AM-FM migrant telling us its frequency... https://www.facebook.com/xek.nuevolaredo/posts/10160742995190354 XHK-FM will be on 90.9 in Nuevo Laredo. (Thanks Gargadon!) (Raymie, Feb 27, ibid.) Public broadcasting looks set to be giving XHCDMX its transmitter site. At Violeta Radio's big presentation ceremony this afternoon at the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia, an agreement was announced with Radio Educación to mount the XHCDMX antenna on RE's tower, probably at their main transmission site (19 21'50.3"N 99 01'37.9"W) in Iztapalapa. While programming has begun online immediately, we won't be seeing them this skip season: they will not get on air until the second half of 2018. http://elnovedades.com/2018/02/violetaradio-iniciara-sus-transmisiones-en-segundo-semestre-2018/ By the end of the year, that may be a two-FM site with Radio Educación's FM migrant, XHEP-FM 96.5, also slated to hit the air sometime in the second half (Raymie, Feb 27, ibid.) Speaking of class A radio stations, there are many new allotments in the FCC tables for additional Class A (mostly) stations across Mexico. Some clearly correspond to second-wave migration. Others don't (why Montemorelos, Nuevo León, for instance?). But the Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro might have been saved by 400 kHz in its fight to finally move to FM. It'd be on a new permit, of course, but 95.1 and 98.5 appeared as Class As in addition to the other frequencies I've discussed in the past. Perhaps we'll hear Radio Narro on one of them not too far off? (Raymie, Feb 27, ibid.) It's the last day for a radio station and an IFT commissioner, and neither's replacement is yet known. For XHLNC-FM, whose XLNC1 format leaves FM at the stroke of midnight, we know something will take over the frequency. The big question is "what". The question is "who" will replace Adriana Labardini, however, because the Senate has yet to take up the proposed nominees for the spot and confirm one of them. That may happen over the next month (Raymie, Feb 28, ibid.) It turns out classical music gets a few more days on XHLNC. We don't know particularly why. Perhaps whoever is gearing up to take on this frequency can't do it until Monday. But indeed, XLNC1 will be on FM just a few more days. This was supposed to be the recording of the end, https://twitter.com/Faltabatijuana/status/969184533177237505 but instead, at about 21:30 in, you can hear the announcement made of the brief reprieve. Meanwhile, on the same frequency, there's a new station in Mexico. XHPMOC-FM has stampeded to air in Ciudad Cuauhtémoc and is La Mejor 104.9 with the MVS format. http://vivirenchihuahua.com.mx/2018/02/cuauhtemoc-inicio-transmisiones-la-mejor-104-9/ XHPMOC is a class A station and had begun transmissions about a month ago. [Tagline:] Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie, March 2, ibid.) ** MEXICO. RADIODIFUSORA INDÍGENA DE SONORA CELEBRA 22 AÑOS DE OPERACIONES --- 21/02/2018 La radiodifusora XEETCH, la Voz de los Tres Ríos, que forma parte del Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indigenistas de la Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas (CDI), celebró su 22 aniversario. Resultado de imagen para XEETCH, la Voz de los Tres Ríos [caption] El director general de la CDI, Roberto Serrano Altamirano, externó su beneplácito por participar en este aniversario de la radio indigenista de este municipio ubicado al sur de Sonora, en el que participaron unas 15 mil personas. “Además de los representantes de los tres niveles de gobierno, hoy tenemos a los gobernadores tradicionales, porque ellos son parte de la cultura de nuestro país, ellos hacen que México sea grande”, anotó. Destacó que la radio cultural indígena la hacen no solo los que trabajan aquí, sino también quienes la escuchan y han hecho que se trascienda fronteras. Reconoció a las comunidades indígenas que asistieron al evento, pues representan la auténtica multiculturalidad. En la celebración se estrechan redes de comunicación e intercambian experiencias con la participación de músicos y danzantes, fiesteros, fariseos, médicos, artesanos, productores indígenas, poetas, fotógrafos, pintores y la sociedad en general. Además, acudieron al 22 aniversario de la radiodifusora XEETCH, la Voz de los Tres Ríos, investigadores, maestros, antropólogos y estudiantes, entre otros, procedentes de la región, el país y el extranjero. En la ceremonia participó Francisco Leyva Valdez, Pascola Mayor y representante de los pueblos mayos de Sonora, quién pidió a las autoridades que esta fiesta se siga realizando todos los años, como muestra de la herencia cultural de los pueblos indígenas. Entre los pueblos indígenas participantes están los seris, pápagos, pima, yaqui, mayo, guarijíos, rarámuris, wixàrikas y mixtecos, entre otros. Serrano Altamirano inauguró la exposición de máscaras tradicionales y juguetes elaborados por artesanos indígenas de diversos estados del país, en las instalaciones de La Voz de los Tres Ríos. Resultado de imagen para XEETCH, la Voz de los Tres Ríos [capción] La CDI cuenta con 21 estaciones de radio ubicadas en zonas indígenas del país, mismas que transmiten en 36 lenguas diferentes. También cuenta con una plataforma en internet llamada Ecos Indígenas, La Voz de la Diversidad, la cual transmite la señal de cada una de las estaciones del SRCI. El director de la CDI visitó la comunidad de Juchica, en la que presenció el inicio de operaciones del sistema de agua potable, con el cual comunidades indígenas de Sonora contarán con servicios del vital líquido. Refirió que en Etchojoa se invirtieron seis millones pesos para hacer esto realidad. Además, entregó certificados de proyectos productivos, proyectos culturales, un proyecto de género, así como paquetes deportivos a niños de la Casa del Niño Indígena Nezahualcóyotl de la CDI ubicada en Buaysiacobe, Sonora. Ver más en: https://www.20minutos.com.mx/noticia/334584/0/radiodifusora-indigena-de-sonora-celebra-22-anos-de-operaciones/#xtor=AD-1&xts=513356 (via GRA blog via DXLD) XEETCH, one of my favorite stations (gh) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, Voice of Mongolia, Ulaan Baatar, 0910-0930, 24-02, program in English, Mongolian songs, comments, tuning music at the end. 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, WOR iog via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 5985, Myanmar Radio. The Monday (Feb 19) edition of "Say It In English"; 1217-1229; dialogue at a "sales conference," "May I introduce Tom Carter?", "Pleased to meet you," "Please call me Tom," "All right Tom, we will," etc.; very readable; should be repeated again on Wed.; program must be produced in England, as they often mention English towns. 5985, Myanmar Radio, 1538, Feb 24 (Saturday). Segment in English; "This is Myanmar Radio. Now you can hear the weather"; children singing "Let there be Peace on Earth"; 1543-1553 the usual Sat program "Voice of ASEAN," telling some of the history of ASEAN and of their various conferences held in ASEAN countries; played pop songs (Fleetwood Mac - "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," etc.). Found the following info on-line, with very positive comments about the use of radio (my emphasis [in original non-text post]): "This new ASEAN in Action (AiA) spin-off project aims to sustain as well as strengthen the knowledge of ASEAN in the target areas. It is the re-branding of the twenty year old AiA radio project produced and broadcast by the radio station of all the ASEAN Member States (AMS) but with enhanced features. Taking into consideration that radio is the most efficient media, it has a strategic and vast potential in helping the overall development of each of the AMS. Thus, by means of combining traditional and new media in enhancing the project, radio can play a more active and constructive role in promoting the goals of ASEAN and continue promoting greater awareness and understanding among the people of ASEAN and beyond. Entitled “Voice of ASEAN – Beyond Boundaries” (VoA-BB), this spin-off project will comprise the annual production of one infotainment radio programme each by all ten ASEAN member states (AMS) of 15–30 minute duration focusing on the 18 – 30 year age group for broadcast first in its own country then exchanged for broadcast in the other AMS to enhance awareness about ASEAN among ASEAN citizens and beyond ASEAN boundaries. Radio is again the chosen medium of this project because it is still generally considered fast, cheap and easily accessible mean to disseminate information to the people." http://learning.asean.org/opportunities/projects/project-detail.html?pid=37 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. 9700, RNZI at 1235 with female opera vocals about spring and a male host talking about opera and jazz then female folk vocals at 1246 recheck – Fair Feb 25 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre- fed dipoles, ODXA iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Per current website, this change to 9700 was made 13 Jan, 11-13 UT daily on the NNW beam instead of NNE. Had been on 9890. However the websked as of Jan 29 I quoted in a previous log still claimed: ``1059-1258 9890 Solomon Islands and PNG Daily from 13 Jan`` --- so when did it *really* change from 9890 to 9700? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** NICARAGUA. 600, La Nueva Radio Ya, Managua. 1129 February 21, 2018. Excellent with female time check, ID, "Muy buenos días, Nicaragua... mil watts, la Nueva Radio Ya... Chinandega, Managua..." 1120, Radio CEPAD, Managua. 1133 February 21, 2018. Good, with some KMOX co-channel. Inspirational talk by man, mentions of Costa Rica and Managua then "The Andy Griffith Show" whistling theme, female ID (pronounced "Say-pad"), mention of "ranchera cristiano" [sic] and roosters crowing, into rustic folk vocal. Parallel station website stream though it's about 30 seconds behind, and located about three- fourths down the page with the large "Transmisión en vivo" link (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT, Clearwater FL, IC-R75, NRD-535, longwires, active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 7254.92, Feb 25 at 0759, I`m unfortunately awake to find that VON is now in English, YL undermodulately talking, brief drum interval past 0800, S9+10. Wish they still had English hour at 0600 when more of us were awake (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. TVC opens new radio station in Abuja April https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/tvc-opens-new-radio-station-abuja-april/ A new radio station will open shop in Abuja in April, according to Andrew Hanlon, chief executive of TVC Communications. TVC's Andrew Hanlon with Alhaji Lai Mohammed --- Hanlon disclosed this when he visited the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday in Abuja. [INS: :INS] [caption] TVC Communications, based in Lagos, owns TVC Nigeria, a national station, Radio Continental and Adaba radio station in Ondo state. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, urged the media to contextualize their reporting so that looters who destroyed Nigeria would not be made to look like its messiahs. The minister did not mention any specific looter. However, he noted that "the same people who presided over yesterday's looting of our treasury are today posing as would-be saviours of Nigerians". "We are on a rescue mission. However, the way a section of the media is reporting the challenges facing the country today does not reflect that understanding. "They are making a corrective administration to look like the culprit, to give the impression that the rain started beating us in Nigeria only from May, 29 2015, to play down the challenges that this Administration has faced and which it is successfully tackling. "For example, we did not get to where we are today in just three years. It has taken successive decades of bad governance, unbridled corruption, and lack of probity, a culture of impunity and a near state of anarchy. "These are the ills this Administration inherited and which it has set out to tackle, and this is what the media must reflect in their reporting," Mohammed said. The Minister said the situation of the country was prevented from becoming worse because of the prudence, probity and the anti- corruption stance of the present administration. He added: "Instead of recession, Nigeria could have had a total collapse of the economy and the power grid could have collapsed." Mohammed further said that the manner in which the government handled Boko Haram, prevented the insurgents from overrunning Abuja just as it did major towns in the North East. He also said that the country's "food imports could have tripled what it was pre-May, 29 2015 and the Naira might have been worse hit." The minister, therefore, challenged the media to do more to educate Nigerians that it was hard to build but easy to destroy, noting that "the same people who presided over yesterday's looting of our treasury are today posing as would-be saviors of Nigerians." He said it was the responsibility of the media to educate Nigerians about efforts being made by the administration to rebuild the nation "almost from the scratch with 60 per cent less revenue" while corrupt ones paint the government bad. According to him, apart from low revenue and deflated foreign reserve, the Buhari administration came into being when the Federal Government was borrowing to pay salary and 27 states were owing workers salaries and unable to pay contractors for years. This, he added, was apart from poor infrastructure, low power generation, trillions of naira wasted as fuel subsidy, empty treasury and most parts of Borno under total control of insurgents. "Today, the trend is being reversed and the results are showing as Foreign Reserves is now $42.8 billion, inflation has fallen for 12 consecutive months to 15.13%, N108 billion has been saved from the removal of maintenance fees payable to banks pre-TSA. " The nation is saving N24.7 billion monthly with the full TSA implementation, the elimination of ghost workers has saved the nation N120 billion, capital inflow reached $1.8 billion in the second quarter of 2017, almost double the $908 million in the first quarter. "While Nigeria's stock market is one of the best-performing in the world, delivering returns in excess of 40 percent. "Nigeria has also jumped 24 places on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking and earned a place on the List of Top 10 Reformers in the world. "The administration has repeatedly given bailouts for states to pay salary. "The administration's Agricultural Revolution is a huge success, with agriculture export up year-on-year by 25%, rice import from Thailand dropping 644,000 metric tonnes to 22,000 metric tonnes and rice farmers growing from 5 million to 12.3 million. "The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has created jobs for 61,352 cooks, and it is providing 6.4 million school children in 33,981 schools across 20 states with one meal a day," he said. Mohammed also said that the N-Power programme has employed 200,000 graduates, power generation had reached an all-time high of over 7,000 megawatts and that infrastructural development was going on at a massive rate across the country. He said a free press was indispensable to democracy, and assured that the Buhari administration would not do anything to stifle the press (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) WTFK?? So oppository, that SW broadcasts into Nigeria from a safe place may be called for (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. 11530, Feb 22 circa 1940 check, just reconfirming R. Herwa International is still on air via WRMI in non-English African language, usual good signal here, probably unlike in target (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. New schedule of Radio Dandal Kura Inter from Feb 26: 0500-0600 on 5960 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex same ASC 0600-0700 on 7415 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex 5960 ASC 0700-0800 on 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg to WeAf Kanuri, unchanged 1800-2000 on 12050 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex same ASC 2000-2100 on 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex 1800-2100 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/new-schedule-of-radio-dandal-kura-inter.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) FRANCE, Radio Dandal Kura International, (not Ndarason Radio International) from Feb 26 is on air only via TDF Issoudun txs: 0500-0600 on 5960 ISS 500 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex same ASC 0600-0700 NF 7415 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex 5960 ASC 1800-2000 on 12050 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf Kanuri, ex same ASC All other previous B-17 transmissions via BaBcoCk txs are cancelled 0600-0700 on 5960 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf, only BaBcoCk Music 0700-0800 on 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg to WeAf, only BaBcoCk Music 2000-2100 on 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf please check BAB Mx http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/radio-dandal-kura-internationalis-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 27, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) I suppose it's hard to tell for non-Kanuri/Hausa-speaking people, but are these old broadcasts via France simply being repeated? (-- Richard Langley, CA, ibid.) Radio Ndarason International on the Air --- Recorded one of the first broadcasts Feb 25, of the new Radio Ndarason International http://www.ndarason.com/ a replacement for Dandal Kura Radio International (or just a name change (?)), using the U. Twente SDR receiver: 5960 kHz from Ascension between nominally 0500 and 0700 UT with an S9 signal. Receiver's AM sync mode reported a frequency of 5960.002 kHz. Programming mostly indigenous music with some male/female talk/interviews in presumed Kanuri and frequent IDs. Clip attached includes a couple of IDs. Thanks to Mauno Ritola on WRTH Facebook for the tip. According to him, the schedule for Radio Ndarason International is: 0500-0700 5960asc 0700-0800 13810wof 1800-2100 12050asc (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) Pronounced [n]da-RAH-san. Home page has lots of news stories in English about Nigeria and vicinity. It keeps loading more as you page down, back thru January and into December; unknown how far. Entering Dandal Kura in search field gets nowhere. ``About`` page merely has this boilerplate: ``Vision To Establish an International Radio that will essentially tell the story of the Lake Chad Basin Region to the larger world in a way that it promotes peace and prosperity. Mission To provide a veritable platform where people from all walks of life, irrespective of personal persuasions, will freely trade their views and ideas in such a way that would promote peace, peaceful coexistence and prosperity in the Lake Chad Basin Region as well as projecting the rich history, culture, concerns, aspirations and achievements of the peoples of this region to the world in a modern and professional way.`` The About link goes to http://www.ndarason.com/who-are-we but is titled ``About - Shoeclack`` -- another strange word. There is in fact a web station called Shoeclack Radio, specialising in music festivals. Nothing in the Partners Page, but the Contact page reveals that the erstwhile David Smith is still in charge of this one, using his Okapi address. Phone number 235+ means country is --- CHAD! No postal or physical location is given (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmmm, this homepage contains plenty of dead links and some more mis- configured features. Last piece of news was published Jan. 28, and contains lots of older articles. so in total it looks somewhat unprofessional. It's not openly said which organization is behind it. But the e-mail-adresses of the staff point to Okapi Consulting in Jo'burg: https://www.okapi.cc/ Among their projects Radio Dandal Kura is listed, pointing back to their homepage which in fact much more up to date. Just a new name for the same? To start over with an outdated, faulty homepage? Strange. 73 (thorsten hallmann, 0959 UT Feb 26, WOR iog via DXLD) Ndarason Radio International deliberate interference against Radio Dandal Kura International Nigeria: Ivo Ivanov reported a name change for Radio Dandal Kura International, but its seems that we have another station deliberately interfering with the station. 1. Ivo Ivanov: Radio Dandal Kura Int is now called Ndarason Radio International Ndarason Radio International via BAB Ascension/Woofferton 0500-0700 on 5960 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Kanuri 0700-0800 on 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg to WeAf Kanuri 1800-2100 on 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Kanuri In HFCC also are registered TDF frequencies from Feb.26 0500-0600 on 5960 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf various 0600-0700 on 7415 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf various 1800-2000 on 12050 ISS 250 kW / 167 deg to WeAf various 2. Dr Hansjoerg Biener online observations: 26 February 2018 http://www.dandalkura.com/news/ with news of February and the day http://www.ndarason.com/ very similar website with news of January 3. Dr Hansjoerg Biener radio observations: 26. February 2018 - after 1800 quite a mix of sounds on 12050 kHz, possibly WEWN continuing, two distinct African programs with many voice overs/DJing over music, which makes listening difficult - When doing an audibility project on Radio Dada Kura International in November, the short wave signal relayed the stream with some delay. So I expected the same for now. Monitoring of http://www.dandalkura.com/ : 1745 loop, 1758 music, female voice and anchor, voice overs in various reports don’t help either, 1819 round table, many IDs „Radio Dandal Kura International“. - http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ 1745 WEWN in Spanish 25222, 1800+ male voices dominant, female voice in background, 1819 music, round table in back ground, female voice over music - http://px2a.homeip.net:8073/ male voices dominant, female voice in background, 1819 music dominant - second ID sounds to my European ID [ears] like "Radio Anderson International" which certainly fits to the spelling of the website, if you consider the different role of N in African and European languages conclusion: deliberate interference against Radio Dandal Kura International (Dr Hansjoerg Biener 26 February 2018, 1745-1835 h UTC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If this is so, it looks as if MBR and BaBcoCk are allowing their transmissions to collide on behalf of the different partisans! It could also be a planned handover, but MBR and BaBcoCk terribly uncoordinated about when to stop one and start the other. We`ll see if the collisions cease (gh, DXLD) Note the attachments showing the two homepages are of the same design but different content, including: DK: CEO Faruk Falhatu, phone 234 8809 481 8092 [Nigeria country code] NRI: CEO David Smith, phone 235 62 93 55 28 [Chad country code] (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12050, 25/2 1925, Radio Ndarason International, Ascension, to Nigeria in Kanuri, African songs, good Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S and 153 foot Delta Loop. A Youtube video of the reception can be found using this link: https://youtu.be/SWfNPDmIc74 (Dave Valko 26 Feb., HCDX via DXLD) On Feb 27 0500-0600 on 5960 ASC and 0600-0700 on 7415 ISS is Radio Dandal Kura International, not Ndarason Radio International (Ivo Ivanov, 0605 UT Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: Ndarason Radio International deliberate interference against Radio Dandal Kura International Please note, that I founded my conclusion on the observation of the short wave audio compared to the webstream of http://www.dandalkura.com/ Why should they add another program stream to their information/word format ruining it. For your convenience, I uploaded these MB audio files to my website: http://www.biener-media.de/websdr_recording_start_2018-02-27T05_24_10Z_5960.0kHz.wav note the singing and hand clapping vs. the voice only programme in parallel with website http://www.dandalkura.com http://www.biener-media.de/websdr_recording_start_2018-02-27T05_08_12Z_5960.0kHz.wav note the singing/string instrument vs. the voice only programme in parallel with website http://www.dandalkura.com http://www.biener-media.de/websdr_recording_start_2018-02-27T05_59_25Z_7415.0kHz.wav clear ID as Radio Dandal Kura International but not in parallel with their website http://www.dandalkura.com (Hj Biener, 0636 Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Check out the whois data for ndarason.com: This domain has been registered just four days ago (Feb 23). I assume that name, organization, etc. have simply been taken from publicly available sources like https://www.okapi.cc. On the other hand Dandal Kura still uses this name, just reconfirmed via their live stream at http://www.dandalkura.com -- While I see no audio content at the clone site at all, neither live nor on demand. So looks like yet another counter action from Nigerian authorities, with SSS/DSS being the usual suspect of course. Same kind of stuff than "Radio Biafra, broadcasting from London". What's new this time is that, it seems, they now even have the nerve to deliberately blot out the existing transmissions. Which, on the other hand, would not be a first for TDF. Years ago they already ran jamming transmissions for their esteemed Libyan customer. For Glenn: Media Broadcast has nothing to do with this. TDF sells airtime also on its own, and someone with good contacts to Nigerian authorities does no longer appear to be a partner of MB but quite much of TDF now. [but see below] Anyone having contact with David Smith? And will Babcock International put up with this or take appropriate action, if the situation is really as it appears to be? Just got the idea to simply check the HFCC data: These Issoudun transmissions have indeed been registered by Media Broadcast, starting Feb 26. Language unspecified ("Mul") and remark "A.Niger". And 500 kW, so it does not matter how much this costs. Gross incompetence would really be the most favourable explanation for what's going on here (Kai Ludwig, Feb 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12050 kHz tonight: At 1759 one transmitter comes up with not further identificable programming. At 1801 a second transmitter comes up with programming // webstream at dandalkura.com. So as a matter of fact two transmissions with different programming, one of them being Dandal Kura, are clashing on this frequency. On the attached file I mixed in during the last seconds the Dandal Kura stream as reference for what is what. The 20 dB weaker signal before the 1759 carrier-on is unrelated WEWN (Kai Ludwig, Feb 27, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5960, Feb 27 at 0503, I`m checking for R. Dandal Kura via ASCENSION, which some reports say has been replaced by Radio Ndarason International, or, the latter is something else to jam RDK. At first it`s dead air, then something undermodulated; no hum here as has been the case at times from the Ascension transmitter (but there is some hum on 6005 BBCWS in English). I cannot make out two stations colliding now on 5960. Mod level varies widely, sometimes much louder, then back to JBM. Intervals of light drumming and chanting. At 0506, it`s lo-fi amateur chanting; 0508 off-mike talk and chanting past 0513. Never hear an ID for either station. Another check at 0531: undermod off-mike talk. 0601 still that plus some music. 7415, no signal before or after 0602, supposed to be another frequency for this, via France, and which I had easily heard previously. 5960, recheck at 0656, now playing the BaBcoCk interval signal which implies it is really Ascension, not TDF/MBR France site. This cuts off at 0659:30; and still nothing on 7415. There has been a lot of discussion about what`s going on here, in the WOR iogroup. Dr Hansjoerg Biener first concluded that Ndaráson was deliberately interfering with Dandal Kura. Or it may be that this is an intentional handover from one station name to another, as the website design is the same but with different contact and other info content --- but rather badly botched if two major transmission providers, MBR/TDF and BaBcoCk are not coordinated to avoid colliding with each other. Both are in latest HFCC registrations. Or it may be disinformation by the Nigerian government, which also tried to sow confusion about Radio Biafra. There is also an evening broadcast from 1800 on 12050, which is tough to monitor here because WEWN is also on it. Kai Ludwig, Germany, reports on Feb 27: ``12050 kHz tonight: At 1759 one transmitter comes up with not further identificable programming. At 1801 a second transmitter comes up with programming // webstream at dandalkura.com. So as a matter of fact two transmissions with different programming, one of them being Dandal Kura, are clashing on this frequency. Just got the idea to simply check the HFCC data: These Issoudun transmissions have indeed been registered by Media Broadcast, starting Feb 26. Language unspecified ("Mul") and remark "A.Niger". And 500 kW, so it does not matter how much this costs. Gross incompetence would really be the most favourable explanation for what's going on here. Check out the whois data for ndarason.com: This domain has been registered just four days ago (Feb 23). I assume that name, organization etc. have simply been taken from publicly available sources like https://www.okapi.cc On the other hand Dandal Kura still uses this name, just reconfirmed via their live stream at http://www.dandalkura.com --- While I see no audio content at the clone site at all, neither live nor on demand. So looks like yet another counter action from Nigerian authorities, with SSS/DSS being the usual suspect of course. Same kind of stuff than "Radio Biafra, broadcasting from London". What's new this time is that, it seems, they now even have the nerve to deliberately blot out the existing transmissions. Which, on the other hand, would not be a first for TDF. Years ago they already ran jamming transmissions for their esteemed Libyan customer. Anyone having contact with David Smith? And will Babcock International put up with this or take appropriate action, if the situation is really as it appears to be? Kai`` Chris Greenway of BBC Monitoring says, ``Looks like a major snafu rather than anything sinister. I note that the website for Ndarason Radio - http://www.ndarason.com/ - has buttons for Twitter and Facebook which link to the accounts for Dandal Kura. And the Dandal Kura website - http://www.dandalkura.com/ - is clearly based on the same template. Could someone contact David Smith or Okapi? Chris`` Smith has instigated several target stations in Africa, and is listed as the CEO of NRI, with a 235+ phone number which is in Chad; but his email is still at Okapi, the no-longer-SW station for Congo DR. The DK website instead shows Faruk Falhatu as CEO with a 234+ phone which would be in Nigeria (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) much more follow-up in the WOR iog, my reports (gh) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6950-USB, Feb 25 at 0133, S9+25/30 music, ``Only Have Eyes for You``, 0135 Wolverine Radio ID, another Eyes? song; 0143 another ID; 0210 ID with echoes, SSTV beeps. Several views of it, before Drunken DJ Radio took over: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,40686.15.html First pirate I`ve logged since Feb 3: seems to be less activity lately, nothing today at earlier check 2318 Feb 24, but I`m not always searching during prime-pirate-time. The latest issue of FRW, however, has only 7 logs, two of them unID, from two otherguys. How about HF Underground posts? There were about twelve NAm threads on UT Feb 23- 24, and five UT Feb 24-25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6935.34-AM, Feb 24 at 0135, much weaker pirate than Wolverine, S7 at best; piano jazz; 0158 has drifted up to 6935.39, jive, something about heartache. By 0203 on 6935.40, never heard any announcements, not even across hourtop; off at 0209 recheck. These say it was Captain Morgan Shortwave: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,40687.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6930-USB, Feb 27 at 2311 weak music from a pirate at S3-S5; 2314 announcement thanking listeners, time as 2313 UTC, and off. Maybe an ID but I could not catch it. This thread says it was Moonlight Radio: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,40739.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Not a single log of an Oklahoma MW station, or any mention whatsoever of OK, searching on those letters, in the 34 pages of the latest 2-weekly issue of mv-eko 26 Feb from the Arctic Radio Club, despite scads of other US MW stations logged in Scandinavia, many of them low-powered. And mve are very good about including the state abbr with all entries (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1210, Feb 22 at 1327 UT, KGYN Guymon now with VG signal during M-F poetry spot by Jim Thompson; then about an app for market info; ad for grocery in Northridge Mall, Top Value with the ``add 10 percent`` gimmick; Enid now has one of these, different name. Official Feb FCC sunrise for KGYN is not until 1330 UT, but don`t let that stop them already running ND 10 kW; March: 1300 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. FEB 07 --- Attention Ponca City Last Updated by Aaron Morvan on Feb 23, 2018 at 11:35 pm OETA engineers have completed installing new equipment to the Ponca City antenna. If you receive a signal over the air through a digital antenna, you must rescan your television. If you do not rescan, your antenna will not receive OETA's signal. We want to thank you for your patience during over the past few weeks. Happy watching! OETA is committed to providing top-quality programming to the citizens of Oklahoma. As a part of our commitment, we regularly update equipment throughout the state with the latest in broadcast technology. As we prepare to update our translator in Ponca City, we want to notify viewers of a few changes. OETA will be off the air on channels 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, and 38.4 for 3 to 5 days as new equipment is installed on the Ponca City tower. Viewers and cable companies who receive our signal over-the-air with an antenna will need to rescan their television or converter box when the project has been completed. If you do not rescan your television, you may not be able to receive OETA. The channel numbers will remain the same at 38.1, 38.2, 38.3 and 38.4. The installation process is tentatively scheduled to take place the week of February 11, 2018. Firm dates will be announced as soon as possible. Please note that these dates are subject to change and depend heavily on weather conditions. During the installation period OETA will not be available over the air. We appreciate your patience and regret any inconvenience this may cause. For updates, viewers can check OETA on Twitter & Facebook or call 405- 848-8501 or 1-800-879-6382 during business hours to inquire about the status of the update (via DXLD) Huhh? They do not explain what is really going on: original channel 38 spectrum is being sold to the cellular industry, as ALL DTV signals above 37 will eventually be closed or moved to lower channels. K38AK-D on RF 38 has now been moved to RF 28, and will no doubt get new calls, not yet in W9WI.com which has 28 merely as an APP. Power also decreased slightly from 13560 to 13500 watts ERP, why? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Enid 19 K19IR OFF since Feb. 1, pending location of new site (FCC TV News, ed. Doug Smith, March WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) Imaginary stations in Enid always catch my eye. I investigate further at FCC TV Query: Licensee is THE EDGE SPECTRUM, owned by Randall A Weiss, Cedar Hill TX, along with many other translators or LPTVs. The new site has the same coordinates as K17JN-D, the only real Enid TV transmitter on air. Original was allegedly between St Hwy 132 and Goltry at the latitude of Goltry, i.e. like Hwy 45 westward from there, and direxional SE toward Enid. I asked Doug about this: ```Hi Doug, Another item catches my eye in your latest column: ``Enid 19 K19IR OFF since Feb. 1st pending location of new site`` NO, it isn`t -- it`s been off FOREVER, does not exist. Who`s kidding whom? Checking the coordinates at W9WI.com it seems to be moving to the same site as K17JN-D ---- maybe then it will go on the air? NO, KAUT 40 is repacking to 19, and that will be the end of that, right? FCC Query shows: LIC: THE EDGE SPECTRUM. Any idea who/what that is? They have a bunch of other translators/LPTVs``` Doug Smith replies: ``K19IR's owners are kidding the FCC :( I suspect the station operated for only a few hours with temporary equipment. No :) There have been a number of LPTV spectrum speculators over the years. I have no idea how they expect to make money...`` (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. FM info in the March WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest alleges two Classical! Formats --- in small town OK???!!! OK Beaver 90.9 KLXO Classical OK Weatherford 105.1 KLXM Classical Radio-locator says format of KLXO is Country and says KLXM is Classic Hits 105.1 http://www.klxm1051.com/ FCC FM Query shows: KLXM, was 6 kW in Weatherford on 104.9, application for CoL, frequency change and power upgrade to 105.1, Burns Flat on 105.1, 25 kW KLXO Beaver, LICensed since 06/09/2015 to Better Public Broadcasting Association 116 HILLCREST DRIVE SEMINOLE OK 74868- But no station there. Most of the KLX# calls around the country are EMF [Educational Media Foundation --- a gospel huxter front]. But this one is also licensed to BPBA and close enough to be in the group: KLXL Springfield CO, 150 watts on 91.9. Anyhow, evidently not really anything to do with classical music on any of them. Wikipedia says: ``Better Public Broadcasting Association From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Better Public Broadcasting Association was organized in 1995 in Clinton, Oklahoma by a group of local radio broadcasters intended to bring some sense of local ownership to the airwaves and disseminate useful and meaningful information to the public, not only in the event of an emergency but on a day by day and hour by hour basis to their service area. The Better Public Broadcasting Association, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Oklahoma in 2006 and participated in the Non-commercial educational broadcasting filing window of 2007 as designated by the Federal Communications Commission to start serving small communities with true local radio programming and public service. Following that initial filing window in 2007, BPBA was awarded construction permits for 6 non-commercial educational broadcast facilities; another was purchased in 2009. Current Operation --- BPBA currently owns the following stations: KLXL 91.9 Springfield, Colorado KLXO 90.9 Beaver, Oklahoma KLXM 105.1 Weatherford, Oklahoma These stations are either already broadcasting or propose to broadcast a Classic Country format of Oldies from the 1970s to 1990s with the Station Position Phrase CAT- Country (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Broad Spectrum Radio --- Still airing the January episode including the faulty radiogram segment as noted on WRMI during the 26 February WRMI broadcast on 7730 kHz at 0700 UT (-- Richard Langley, CA, Feb 27, WOR iog via DXLD) UT Mondays, also 5850 ** PERU. 700. R[ED]. RADIO INTEGRIDAD. Feb. 24. 0344-0400 UT. Hombre habla del Profeta Elías, como parte del programa “Academia cristiana del Aire”, producido por HCJB. Luego espacio musical. SINFO: 44444 con leve QRM de Cadena 3, de Córdoba, Argentina en la misma frecuencia. (Claudio Galaz; RX: Tecsun PL 660; ANT: Ferrita del receptor; QTH: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) This is the one relayed until 2330v* by R. Chaski, 5980, Perú (gh, DXLD) or not: 5980. R. CHASKI. Feb. 25. 2318-2328 UT. Solamente portadora al aire (Claudio Galaz; RX: Tecsun PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 30 metros de largo; QTH: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 4747.36, R. Huanta 2000. Nice signal at 2342 with campesina music. M announcer in Spanish at 2344 ending with ID and TC, then back to campo music. Ad block 2348-2353 with many mentions of Huanta. Canned shouted ID by M during campo song at 2358:30. Live M DJ returned at 0001 followed by another ad block to 0003 tune/out. One of the rare times it stayed on throughout the evening. (26-27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4774.90, R. Tarma. Rapid Spanish talk by M at 2353 with mention of R. Santa Rosa. Tuned out briefly and canned announcement on return at 2356 with mention of Tarma, live M DJ with TC and talk by 2 men over ToH past 0003. Good signal. No CODAR QRM at this time but horrible het and QRM from R. Sora a hair below. (26-27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 6173.95, R. Tawantinsuyo. Very surprised to find this audible at 0010 with Huayno music. Studio M announcer at 0012-0014. Phone ringing SFX during song at 0015 and 0016. M announcer didn’t take any calls on the air, though. 0017 canned W announcer very briefly, no doubt a promo. M announcer returned mixing with music 0017-0019. All parallel to their web stream. Had a nice ID at 0017 but it was just a tad too weak to hear it here. No QRM. Nearly gone by 0030. One of the best Andean openings this Winter season here. (27 Feb) Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S loop antenna. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Radio România International/ Radio Abierta / Radio, Mi Amor --- Radio, Mi Amor 2018-02-24 19:58:00 Irina Calin ¿Qué es la radio para ti, qué te ha aportado tu afición a la radio de onda corta? ¿Qué es la radio para ti, qué te ha aportado tu afición a la radio de onda corta? Hemos hecho muchas veces estas preguntas a nuestros oyentes. Recordamos en esta edición algunas de las respuestas más interesantes. Para Juan Franco Crespo la radio ha sido su universidad, a Tim Hendell [sic] de Estados Unidos le ayudó mucho a aprender español y rumano. Carrie Hooper también de Estados Unidos piensa que la radio de onda corta sigue siendo útil para los países donde el acceso a internet es difícil. Al final un fragmento de la edición de Radio Abierta dedicada a uno de los programas más famosos emitidos por una emisora internacional de onda corta. https://soundcloud.com/radioromaniainternational [and leads to a 15:45 Soundcloud of Radio, mi amor] (via Juan Franco Crespo, DXLD) 6130, R. Romania Int. 2/19 [UT Mon], 0100-0130, in English. The History Show recounts the beginnings of modern Romanian medicine in the second half of the 19th century. SIO 211 (+ [same]) 2/20 [UT Tue], 0100-0130; Business Club discusses investments made in protected areas; in terms of geographic features, Romania is one of the richest nations in Europe, as reporter Florin Orban explains why. SIO 211 (+) 2/21 [UT Wed], 0100-0130, Society Today talks about unconventional educational methods for both adults and children that often involve music and movement, and are used for passing along knowledge, among other things. SIO 211 (Ronald Sives, South Plainfield, NJ, ETON field radio and 66 ft. random wire, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 25 via DXLD) 6130, Radio Romania International, February 25, 2018 [UT Sun], 0136– 0150 in English. SIO 343. YL and OM announcers, pop music. M announcer with mention of DX audience, reads letters from listeners and recites reception reports, also from listeners. Gave frequency and schedule announcements. Switch to “Through the Looking Glass” program with YL host. // 7325 (Vince Henley, Anacortes, WA, Equipment in use: WiNRADiO G39DDCe SDR, ICOM IC-R8600, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R8B, TECSUN PL-380, TECSUN PL-660, TECSUN PL-880. Antennas: whips on PL-380, PL-660, PL- 880 and Alpha-Delta DX-Ultra installed broadside east west at 30 feet, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 25 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Flashback - the Russian Woodpecker - DUGA https://youtu.be/0l_4fzJv_i0 Great video of a biologist gal that explores the forbidden places in Russia - Worth your time. -- (Colin Newell, BC, HCDX via DXLD) Colin, that video of the Woodpecker is actually very close to Chernobyl, Ukraine. This one was the transmitter portion of the OTH radar array, while the receiver complexes were located elsewhere (I'm pretty certain I drove by one west of Lviv, Ukraine a few years ago). 73, (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) Woodpecker Chernobyl July 1976 - Dec 1989, at 323 degrees azimuth towards US NoAM; probably few receiving stations, like UKR_former USSR woodpecker receiving site? at Lviv Mukachevo Lypivka. 73 wolfie df5sx RUS/UKR_OHR_Duga3_Woodpecker_Chernobyl, July 1976 til December 1989 year, 323degr azimuth transmitter site, see great technical monument in Google Maps 51 18 19.1 N 30 03 57.4 E, BUT now a ruin installation, never refurbished anymore, there are leftovers, scraps, wreckage, remnants. UKR_Duga at Gomel Chernihiv, already wooden covered leftover receiving station of DUGA3 Woodpecker 51 38 16 N 30 42 10.4 E, 58 kilometers distance between TX and RX, receiving location some minus 90degrees azimuth direction null-out. UKR_former reserve USSR woodpecker receiving site at Lviv Mukachevo Lypivka, -- also Wullenweber rx antennas. 49 35 33.09 N 23 58 12.23E, 472 kilometers distance between TX & RX. (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Wolfie, the Lypivka site is exactly the place I passed. It's on a main highway from the western border of Ukraine to Lviv, and easy to see from the highway (this was about 10 years ago). I did photograph it, as well, knowing that this had been a very important place during Soviet times. Thanks for finding the coordinates! 73, (Volodya Salmaniw, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. Kamchatkiy kray. GTRK "KAMCHATKA" ON SHORT WAVES --- SW- broadcasts are aired from 08:00 to 10:00 and 13:00 to 15:00 local time (2000-2200 and 0100-0300 UT, possibly only on weekdays) at a frequency of 5940 kHz through the radio center in Elizovo (Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky, 100 kW). Program Guide: http://www.poluostrov-kamchatka.ru/pknews/detail.php?ID=177022 https://vk.com/club59176345 (RusDX Feb 25 via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) The new transmissions of GTRK / Kamchatka on shortwave 5940 kHz have been confirmed by RTRS, the transmitter operator as follows 2000-2200 on 5940 P.K 100 kW / 030 deg to FERu Russian Radio Rossii 0100-0300 on 5940 P.K 100 kW / 030 deg to FERu Russian Radio Rossii http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/transmissions-of-gtrk-kamchatka-on-5940.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 21-22, WOR iog via DXLD) Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ralf Bender, who writes: Here a link to a German radio station website, which yesterday released that a Russian broadcaster is back on air. In times when many broadcasters/stations are closed [this is] good news. Here their original German website: https://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2018/kamtschatka.html And here with automatic Google translation: Kamchatka on shortwave --- According to the broadcasting companies of the republics Adygea and Sakha, in the Russian Federation, a third broadcaster is again active on shortwave: the GTRK Kamchatka from Petropavlovsk. Sent for each two hours from 8.00 and 13.00 clock local time on the frequency 5940 kHz.[…] The transmission to 5940 kHz compensates the omission of the long wave 180 kHz. Like all others, it had been shut down at the beginning of 2014 by long-wave and shortwave recordings that had previously been recorded on the account of the All-Russian State Broadcasting Corporation (WGTRK). Thus, the radio coverage ended outside the areas reached by the FM stations.[…] The article also includes the following reception video from a DXer in Asia: Click here to view on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eNBsBg41SI&feature=youtu.be Thanks for the tip, Ralf! Perhaps some of our Russian readers can shed some light on this development? Please comment! https://swling.com/blog/2018/02/kamchatka-broadcasting-on-shortwave/ via https://vk.com/dxing via RusDX Feb 25 via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) The article also includes the following reception video from a DXer in Asia: Click here to view on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eNBsBg41SI&feature=youtu.be Thanks for the tip, Ralf! Perhaps some of our Russian readers can shed some light on this development? Please comment! https://swling.com/blog/2018/02/kamchatka-broadcasting-on-shortwave/ (https://vk.com/dxing) (via RusDX via DXLD) Extremely pleased to receive an eQSL from Radio Rossii Kamchatka (GTRK Kamchatka). Is wonderful to receive a second Russian eQSL this year (first was from Radio Sakha). In 11 days for a reception report (along with link to my audio file), in Russian (Google translator), sent to and received from: ??? The eQSL is in English. My copy is posted at http://app.box.com/s/65pszxamg7oqp5vybsrzhlyzc00bxyuw (Ron Howard, Feb 25, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. More Saudis: 17805.067, BSKSA Riyadh General first Arabic service 0857-1159 UT at 0925 UT on Feb 24, S=9+40dB -36dBm powerhouse signal this morning in central EUR remote SDR net. \\ 1st program on 15489.990 kHz flute music at 0943 UT on Feb 24, S=9+30dB or -43dBm strength. TX always on air, but some audio feedline breaks noted so far. 17615.019, BSKSA Riyadh Holy Qur`an prayer service, S=9+20dB or -58dBm at 0935 UT Feb 24; similar signal strength here in central Europe on BSKSA Bengali service to subcontinent eastwards: 15120even exact frequency. S=9+20dB or -65dBm strength, 0947 UT. 11934.990, BSKSA HQ service at 1057 UT, S=9+20dB or -53dBm, scheduled 0857-1157 UT. 15120even, BSKSA Bengali service noted in backlobe azimuth at S=8-9, - 70dBm fair at 1100 UT. 15489.990, 1st program from Riyadh at 1104 UT, S=9+25dB or -44dBm powerful. 17570, covered as usual by CRI Czech serevice co-ch, latter S=9+40dB. 17615.018, Saudi HQ program, speech to crowd, at 1108 UT, S=9+20dB or -52dBm. 17805.065, BSKSA Riyadh 1st program, S=9+25dB or -52dBm at 1112 UT on Feb 24. 21670.023, Indonesian foreign service by BSKSA Riyadh, 09-11 UT, on backlobe to central Europe several SDR remotedly, S=7-8 at 1120 UT on Feb 24. Male presenter some Saudi msuic program in between. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Buschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 24 via WOR iog via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE [and non]. HF aero development --- "Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore ... circular says that as of Nov. 8, 2018, aircraft-tracking capability should make use of automated reporting and 'shall not make use of voice reporting through High Frequency (HF) radio' — a mandate regulated and mandated by CAAS, not ICAO." http://interactive.aviationtoday.com/avionicsmagazine/february-march-2018/gadss-the-latest-progress/ (Kim Elliott, KD9XB, Feb 23, WOR iog via DXLD) And also elsewhere??? ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, SIBC, on Feb 21, noted with pop songs at 1239; low modulation, but much better than the recent plain carrier that has been heard; 1245*, so well past their normal 1200* (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SOMALILAND. 7120, Sat Feb 24 at 1934 tune-in via UTwente, R. Hargeisa in non-English, a minute or two of music and presumed Somali talk resumes. Checking out WRTH listing of news in English at 1930. If so, it must have been very brief; besides tuning in by 1930 sharp, also need to check weekdays Mon-Thu (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Marcopolo Radio --- Another new South American pirate, uses 6991 AM variable, heard several times in the 2200-2400 or so time period. Generally weak, but occasional peaks. They even QSL: https://i.imgur.com/ARE6xWV.png We're also still hearing the as yet UNID pirate on 6934.9 AM as well, quite good last night with peaks to SIO 333 just before 0000 UT, probably due to some grayline enhancement (Chris Smolinski, Black Cat Systems, Westminster, MD USA, http://www.blackcatsystems.com Feb 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also: ARGENTINA, CHILE ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. U.S.A.: 5129.84, WBCQ Monticello ME (presumed); 2239-2246+, 2/20; Bro. HyStairical the Last Days Prophet of the Overfondlers ragging about war between everyone in the Mid- East; threw in this pearl: “Artificial intelligence is moving.” (He didn’t explain whether it’s in transit or if he’s enraptured by it.) SIO=4+53+ 9980, WWCR, Nashville TN (presumed); 1929-1936+, 2/17; Bro. HyStairical the Last Days Prophet of the Overfondlers interrupted himself reading supportive letters to repeat the bit about being on WBCQ 5130 & 9330 24 hrs a day. SIO=454-; actually was on WBCQ(presumed) 5128.86 poor & 9330 SIO=454-; at 2329 B.S. was on 5129.8, but a non-B.S. religiscreamer was on 9330 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver in real time -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The latter would be Terry Blalock (gh) 7780, Feb 22 at 0353, TOM via WRMI is poor S4-S6, // much stronger 7730. I haven`t heard unscheduled 7780 much later at night like Ivo once noted. WRMI skedgrid continues to unshow anything on #1, 7780 between 0300 and 1700 (except other religionism Sundays only 13-16) See also USA: WRMI 7780, Feb 24 at 0327, no signal from WRMIBS, while 7730 is very strong; unlike Feb 22 at 0353 when I was hearing 7780. WRMI sked grid at http://www.tinyurl.com/WRMIfqs still shows 7780 off after the Prague relay until 0300*. What about TOM website? Here`s the current attempt to update it, still ``2017``; to be taken only as generalities about this and the other stations: http://overcomerministry.org/radio-schedule/ Brother Scare cannot bother to be accurate or truthful about his own schedule or anything else. 9980, Feb 26 at 1501-1503, WWCR is off the air instead of BS, audiblizing without ACI the Pacificans on 9975, 9985, i.e. Palau and Saipan. 9980 is back on with The Overcomer by rapid check 1702 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA. PARENTS INVOLVED IN RALPH STAIR CASE TURN THEMSELVES IN --- by ABC News 4 [WCIV Charleston SC] http://abcnews4.com/news/crime-news/parents-involved-in-ralph-stair-case-turn-themselves-in Ralph Stair in bond court (WCIV) [caption] Parents connected with the Ralph Stair case have turned themselves in according to the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office. An affidavit says that the mother of one of Stair’s alleged victims knew her daughter was allegedly sexually assaulted in the radio room at Overcomer Ministries. The affidavit says the mother told her daughter that she would take care of it and that God would punish Stair. The mother failed to report the incident to law enforcement for almost two months prompting her daughter to report it on her own according to the affidavit. The mother is charged with alleged unlawful neglect of a child or helpless person. In court, a judge gave her a cash bond of $5,000 and a surety bond of $5,000 according to a court document. The father was arrested Thursday by SLED agents for unlawful conduct toward a child when he turned himself in, according to SLED. An affidavit from Dorchester County reports that the father of the alleged Stair victim willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously placed his daughter in unreasonable risk and endangered her by having her removed from the family home to prevent her from reporting a sexual assault. The father also failed to report the assault to law enforcement, the affidavit says. The father was made aware of the alleged sexual assault that happened in August 2017 a month later in September during a forensic interview, a SLED agent says. A SLED agent said the victim notified the Department of Social Services but were denied access by her father. It was in this instant that the father told his daughter to pack her belongings and leave according to a SLED agent. The father was booked at the Colleton County Detention Center (Via Rick Barton, AZ, Feb 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) The shortwave broadcasters that have carried and/or continue to carry Stair’s programming should seriously reconsider their business relationship with him. It would seem the moral and ethical thing to do — a reconsideration even more imperative, one could argue, for those stations that hold themselves out as “Christian” broadcasters. Clearly, this is no longer “simply” a free speech First Amendment issue (John Figliozzi, Sarasota, FL, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. 9690, Feb 22 at 2224, REE Castilian broadcast with hard rock music in English; key word lyric seems to be ``woman``; S9+20/30 VG to North America, while 15390 & 15500 have totally outfaded. Closer to the start just after 1900, I had noticed that 15390 was still horribly distorted, but they obviously don`t care at Noblejas. Something`s always wrong at REE. 2227 ID/promo in English, French, Portuguese, song in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. SWEDEN/GERMANY, Swedish DX Federation, 6070 via Rohrbach, eQSL received for a special transmission “World Radio Day 2018” on February 13, 0700-0800., v/s Gert Nilsson / SDXF QSL Manager. In 11 days for a reception report send via e-mail to: qsl@sdxf.se (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4765.06, Tajik R., Feb 19, 1205-1215, 35433-33433, Tajik, Talk and tajik music, ID at 1208. 4765.06, Tajik R., Feb 21, 1255-1313, 35443, Tajik, Tajik music and talk, ID at 1300 and 1311 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD- 525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, Kouji measured right, Tajik Radio from Yangi-Yul is back odd frequency on reserve transmitter unit, measured 4765.057 kHz odd fq on Feb 25. 4765.054 kHz again on reserve tx unit from Dushanbe Yangi Yul site, odd fq again, S=9+10dB strength in Germany, at 0220 UT Feb 26, underneath Radio Progreso CUBA on even 4765 kHz [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, Feb 26 via DXLD) 4765.054 kHz again on reserve transmitter unit from Dushanbe Yangi Yul site, odd frequency again, S=9+10dB strength in Germany, at 0220 UT Feb 26, underneath Radio Progreso CUBA on even 4765 kHz. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 26, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Hi Glenn, OK - now I'm confused; V of Turkey heard today 16 Feb with their Letterbox programme, announcing again (as last week) that the next edition will be in two weeks. This week's edition was definitely a new edition (as reception reports of 13 February were mentioned). What *may* be happening is that the programme is aired *weekly*, but a new edition *fortnightly* (with the alternate weeks being repeats). I have recorded this week`s edition, and will monitor once again next week and report back (Alan Roe, Feb a16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, So, I remain confused about the airings of V of Turkey's Letterbox programme. In today's [Friday] (23 Feb) broadcast from V of Turkey there was another *new* edition of the Letterbox (mentioning, for example, a report from 22 Feb) and again ending the programme saying that the next edition will be in two weeks. Both last week and this week, the programme was aired almost like an extra programme after the two main features of the day such that Letterbox was heard during the time when back-to-back music is aired. I think that the best I can suggest for now is that the programme is listed as "mostly weekly", and I'll endeavour to continue monitoring and work out what is going on. 73 (Alan Roe, Feb 23, ibid.) 6125.056, Feb 26 at 0406, VOT English to North America, off-frequency- plus, characteristically (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA [non]. Radio Munansi to Uganda confirmed back on the air this afternoon via WWRB, USA. African music heard on 15240 khz from tune-in at 1515, with talk in vernaculars from 1600. Still in progress after 1700. Telephone quality audio, including ID "Hello Radio Munansi" at 1710 UT. Weak on a clear channel here, quite good on the Twente SDR. 73s (Dave, Caversham, Kenny, UK, AOR 7030+ 25m longwire, WOR iog via DXLD) 15239.930, Sunday February 25 at 1520, very poor signal with African music, presumably R. Munansi reactivated via WWRB as Dave Frantz had notified us last week. Continues to be detected at half-hourly chex; 1741 with lo-fi African language talk, 1745 the frequency re-measured considerably off, at 15239.936. It`s somewhat stronger than neighbor 15825 WWCR. Exact transmission span still unknown, to be Sat & Sun only. Meanwhile, heard from Dave Frantz again at 1358 UT Feb 25: ``By the way, Radio Munasi [sic] wants to be heard in North America and South America by ex-pats. Their internet stream is BLOCKED in Uganda. Well, well, shortwave radio does have its use! It's BLOCKED in Cuba unless you`re a high up gov't official`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am hearing a broadcast (very weak here) in local vernacular language, mentioning Uganda, and playing local music on 15240 since 1800 UT tune-in. I presume that this is the re-activated Radio Munansi via WWRB (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, 1821 UT Feb 25, WOR iog via DXLD) 15239.93, Sunday February 25, R. Munansi via WWRB, first heard at 1520 on signature off-frequency --- I keep checking every hour, mostly as JBA carrier and am still getting it at 1929, 2026, 2100, but not at 2205, so may last all the way to 2200. However, HFCC shows 15240 registered 1500-2100 only, 100 kW at 45 degrees to CIRAF 4 and 9 which means Canada east of 90-west, rather far from Uganda, which would be 48-SW on a more easterly beam. Last year`s usage did not consume the entire span and it`s really Saturday and Sunday only (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. ======== There is information that the World Radio Service of Ukraine since February 9 or slightly earlier stopped broadcasting in Russian at a frequency of 1431 kHz. Can anyone confirm or deny this information? Please, those who received these programs were well received, check that they are now on the air? The broadcasting time was from 20.00 to 24.00 Moscow time (Igor Yaremenko, Novosibirsk, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx" via RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) Our former colleague reports: Ukrainian DXer Oleksandr Yehorov informs that the following Ukrainian MW transmitters are silent since February 1st 2018: 657 kHz Chernivtsi UR1 837 kHz Taranivka UR1 1278 kHz Petrivka UR3 1404 kHz Izmail UR1 1431 kHz Luch RUI https://www.facebook.com/RUIrussian/ (Pavel Ivanov, Belgorod, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", ibid.) Monitoring: 21 and 22 February 2018. - 873 kHz from 0200 UT the Ukrainian Radio in the Ukrainian language is aired. Broadcasting up to ?? UTC. - 549 kHz, broadcasting starts from 0400 UT. On other frequencies, there is no broadcasting. The AMOS satellite broadcasts: - Radio Promin. - UR - 1 Broadcasts Ukrainian Radio. - UR - 3 Broadcasts the Ukrainian radio. - Radio Ukraine International. Broadcasting of the Ukrainian Radio and Radio Ukraine International from 0400 to 0500 UT was broadcast in English Monitoring. February 23, 2018. I accept the Ukrainian radio 0325 UT, 873 kHz / SINPO: 43544, QRM: conversation in Arabic / Every morning 0200 UT starts broadcasting Urainsk radio in Ukrainian (Vasily Lazarev, Samarskaya oblast, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", ibid.) Since 01.02.18 the frequencies of the Ukrainian radio have become silent, 1278, 1404, 1431 only UR-1 549 and the Mayak Odessa 765 https://vk.com/dxingradio Ukraine has stopped broadcasting in Russian? Read here: http://ukrtvr.org/novini/radiomovlennia/5000098-skorochennia-movlennia-ukrainskoho-radio-na-skh.html (Serhiy, Chernihiv, Ukraine / "deneb-radio-dx", ibid.) ** UKRAINE. "BBC News Ukraine - BBC News ??????? - is launching its first TV programme. From Monday 26 February, the live 12-minute news bulletin will air on the Ukrainian channel, Hromadske TV, at 22.00 local time (2000 GMT), Monday to Friday. The programme also will be available via the website http://bbc.ua and the BBC News Ukraine YouTube channel. [...]" More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/bbc-launches-tv-news-programme-in-Ukrainian (26 February 2018 via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD) ** U K. UK REGULATOR HAS ITS SAY BEFORE AM TRANSMITTERS CAN GO DARK https://www.radiomagonline.com/trends/uk-regulator-has-its-say-before-am-transmitters-can-go-dark (Dennis Gibson, CA, Feb 23, IRCA via DXLD) Absolutely; viz.: Ofcom weighs in on Absolute Radio's plans to reduce medium wave coverage across the UK --- Doug Irwin, CBPE DRB AMD Feb 21, 2018 LONDON — While some U.S. broadcasters lament how strict our own FCC is on the broadcast rules, many other countries have far more involved rules and procedures. For example, if you were shutting down an AM station here temporarily, you would need to obtain an STA from the commission; if you were shutting down permanently, you would do so and turn your license in. It’s a bit different in the UK, though, where the regulator, Ofcom, has a lot more to say about the way things are done. Absolute Radio is seeking to reduce its medium wave coverage across the UK, from 90% to 85%, and Ofcom has published a consultation on the proposed variation to Absolute Radio’s national analog radio licenses, according to southgatearc.org. The program would continue to be available to listeners in the affected areas via DAB, via television on the Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media platforms, and via the internet. “We are now seeking views from interested or affected parties which must be submitted by Feb. 26, 2018. We will take all responses into account before reaching a final decision,” writes Ofcom (via DXLD) I must say that I found the recent response to developments in the UK exaggerated, even hysterical: The BBC closes the fourth of its local mediumwave transmitters that merely duplicated FM coverage, Absolute Radio reverts to the power levels at which 1215 kHz had been operated until the nineties anyway (yes!), and people take it as reason for discussions going as far as the general future (or lack of it) of linear radio. Has really no one noticed that AM broadcasting is in DACH (German- speaking countries of Europe) already a thing of the past completely? Are the language barriers really so high? If it does not use or is at least being prominently reported in the English language, it does not exist? (Kai Ludwig, WOR iog via DXLD) BR-exit ** U K. BROADCASTING IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE === United Kingdom --------- For two years of broadcasting in Britain, Matryoshka Radio has gained popularity in the numerous and diverse Russian-speaking community of London. Now its name appeared on the displays of digital receivers in the largest city of Scotland - together with a characteristic selection of Russian and foreign pop music and information and entertainment programs. For Matryoshka Radio, the beginning of broadcasting in Glasgow is an important step in the further advancement of the station in foreign Russian-speaking diasporas. Matryoshka Radio is a purely commercial project, but at the same time, among the main tasks is the popularization of the Russian-language culture and history, as well as the development of mutual understanding with the culture and customs of the host country. In Britain, Matryoshka Radio broadcasts in modern digital formats (DAB in London and DAB + in Glasgow), which are available on all modern stationary, portable and automotive receivers. In addition, the station is available in any part of the world on the Internet at http:/www.matryoshka.fm as well as in the application for smartphones. http://www.radioportal.ru/news/radio/radio-na-russkom-yazyke-nachinaet-veshchanie-v-shotlandii (via RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U S A. WRMI Radio Miami International February 20 at 5:36pm Shortwave listeners, especially in North America, may know the name Stewart MacKenzie, who was head of the American Shortwave Listeners Club for a number of decades. Bill Fisher of the Southern California Area DXers, who we had the chance to see last year at the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters meeting in Simi Valley, California, has informed us that Stewart passed away on February 11, 2018 at the age of 84. In addition to his work with the ASWLC and SCADS, Stewart MacKenzie organized the 1980 convention of the Association of North American Radio Clubs (ANARC) at the University of California in Irvine. This was an excellent meeting of shortwave listeners from around North America, as well as several shortwave broadcasters such as Ian McFarland of Radio Canada International, David Monson of Belgian Radio and Television and others. WRMI's Jeff White also attended that convention. Stewart is survived by his wife Evelyn. Bill Fisher tells us that SCADS still holds occasional picnics for DXers in Southern California. They have a Yahoo group page at: http://groups.yahoo.com/scads RIP Stewart MacKenzie, and congratulations on a great job as head of one of North America's largest shortwave listener clubs for many years (WRMI FB via gh, DXLD) Subject: Passing of Stewart MacKenzie Hello Mr. Hauser, It is with regret that I pass on the sad news that Stewart MacKenzie of the American Shortwave Listeners Club was buried today after many years of Dxing. I know that you and he have had a few disagreements from time to time but that's a good thing in many ways. Stewart was in the hobby until a few years ago and enjoyed DXing. He pretty much spent a couple hours in front of his Radio and then worked on the Bulletin that the ASWLC put out. If you could, please put the news out in your column so that those that have had exchanges with him know that he no longer is with us (Bill Fisher - Southern California Area Dxer'S (SCADS), March 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill, I already put out the news right away on Feb 11. That and several eulogies appeared in the following DX Listening Digest 18-07: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1807.txt Another item is coming soon in the next issue 18-09, from WRMI, and I will add your message to it. I was sad to hear that, as any disagreements were long ago. 73, (Glenn to Bill, via DXLD) ** U S A. 410 kHz, Feb 22 at 0729, beacon EGQ, from Emmetsburg, Iowa. 392 kHz, Feb 22 at 0731 UT, beacon FMZ, from Fairmont - Beklof, Nebraska (note that Beklof spelt backwards is Folkeb), 25 watts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3245-USB, Feb 25 at 0144, AFA5XF leading a MARS net contacting some weaker stations. Searching on that call leads to this on FB: ``The 2017 Ohio MARS picnic is scheduled for Saturday, August 19 at the home of AFA5XF at 19608 Thompson Ridge Road, Laurelville. The chow down will start sometime around noon.`` 3299-USB, Feb 25 at 0145, another MARS net led by AF04FL, calling other stations; the net callsign is 4TX1; his abbr`d call is just zero-foxtrot-lima. No hits on the full callsign, in a strange format with two numbers amid it, but I heard him say ``-zero four-`` several times. License plates? Plenty hits (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. BBG BUDGET NEWS INCLUDING PLANS FOR SHORTWAVE, FROM KIM ELLIOTT As decoded from Shortwave Radiogram Program No. 36: Broadcasting Board of Governors budget request includes plans for shortwave --- Kim Andrew Elliott 22 February 2018 The Broadcasting Board of Governors, consisting of VOA, RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, Radio/TV Martí, Radio Sawa and Alhurra, is slated for a $24 million budget reduction in fiscal year (FY) 2019. Of course, Congress will review and probably will modify the President's budget request for BBG and other agencies. Here are excerpts from the budget request pertaining to shortwave: "TSI [Technology, Services and Innovation, i.e. BBG engineering] continues to move the BBG from traditional broadcasting technologies, such as cross-border radio transmissions shortwave (SW) and medium wave (MW serving regions where these platforms are no longer popular, to other delivery systems that are rapidly growing in effectiveness and are less expensive to operate (e.g., FM radio, DTH satellite, internet streaming, mobile, and social media). ... "As part of its multi-year global network realignment, TSI will continue to focus efforts on upgrading its shortwave capacity at the Kuwait Transmitting Station, even as use of SW decreases. With superior strategic location and extremely low operating costs, this station will be able to serve the overwhelming majority of legacy SW audiences in the most cost-effective manner possible, at a fraction of the cost of other BBG operated site or expensive leased capacity. ... "Over the years, the use of shortwave (SW) radio has declined globally. TSI has responded by consolidating broadcasts to more cost- effective transmitting stations and reducing or even eliminating SW where it is no longer relevant. In markets where SW does still retain a sizable, valuable audience, TSI is committed to making SW service available in the most cost-effective way possible. To meet this need, TSI has been upgrading the Kuwait Transmitting Station (KTS), which enjoys a superior strategic location and extremely low operating costs. In FY 2017 TSI continued to expand that facility, and in FY 2018 TSI will procure and install new antennas. In FY 2019, TSI is committed to investing in the KTS expansion further, utilizing whatever resources may be available, in order to realize longer-term savings. Ultimately, the BBG's goal is to be able to serve most legacy SW audiences from this one site, at a fraction of the cost of all the other transmitting stations, so that other, more expensive sites may be scaled back or closed. Philippines relay will close "In FY 2017, TSI completed the closure of the station in Sri Lanka and in FY 2018 will close the BBG facility in Poro, Philippines. TSI's systematic and thorough review of all transmission leases will continue in FY 2019, identifying further opportunities for savings. In the years between 2010 and 2016, total costs associated with Cross Border Radio (SW and MW ) have declined by over $25 million (34.5%), and we expect this decrease to continue as we respond to market needs and as the Administration and Congress authorize us to shutter less effective legacy facilities … "[I]n China, including Tibet, TSI will continue to provide satellite TV and radio service via Telstar 18, the most popular satellite in China, for only a fraction of the cost of the BBG's legacy shortwave and medium wave transmissions to the region. This allows TSI to leverage the widespread use of satellite receiver dishes across the country and provide accessible programming where local cable and internet access is restricted. In FY 2018, TSI will procure additional satellite capacity on this satellite, allowing BBG to simultaneously distribute HD and SD TV programming and capitalize on the migration of Chinese audiences to HDTV, while not stranding legacy SD users. … "Radio remains a very popular platform in many BBG markets, particularly Africa. BBG global weekly radio audiences increased by a stunning 28 million in 2016 alone and by 35 million since 2012. While shortwave continues to be a relevant means of delivery in several African markets, in most countries rapid growth and competition in the media market have shifted radio habits almost entirely towards FM. The BBG provides 24/7 FM radio programming in over 30 markets across the continent. … But good news for Kuwait and Greenville stations "As part of its multi-year global network realignment, TSI will continue to focus efforts on upgrading its shortwave capacity at the Kuwait Transmitting Station, even as use of SW decreases. With superior strategic location and extremely low operating costs, this station will be able to serve the overwhelming majority of legacy SW audiences in the most cost-effective manner possible, at a fraction of the cost of other BBG operated site or expensive leased capacity. … "The BCI [broadcasting capital improvement] funds in FY 2018 (and base funds in FY 2019) will be used to continue the planned reconfiguration and expansion of the shortwave broadcast infrastructure at the Kuwait Transmitting Station. This will allow BBG to enhance transmission to multiple regions, including Africa, and achieve cost savings for shortwave broadcasts. Because of the very low cost of electrical power in Kuwait, the Kuwait Transmitting Station is the least expensive IBB station to operate. This project will allow the agency to shift mission-critical but higher cost transmissions from other stations in the IBB network to Kuwait. "TSI will install and deploy three newer SW transmitters at the Greenville, NC Edward R. Murrow transmitting station enabling a doubling of frequencies servicing Cuba and making it extremely difficult [sic] for the Cuban government to effectively block Radio Marti signals into the Island. … "To serve audiences in less developed areas of the world, the BBG must continue to broadcast via traditional technologies, such as shortwave, and maintain capability and improve efficiency on these platforms by replacing antiquated equipment. But to stay relevant in competitive news markets and serve current and future audiences, the BBG must continue to invest in new cutting-edge technology. In areas where ownership and usage of shortwave radio has declined significantly, the Agency has evolved away from broadcasting in that medium. The BBG has closed transmission stations, repurposed equipment and invested these savings in platforms that the audience has shifted to, primarily television and digital media." The entire FY2019 BBG budget submission is here: https://www.bbg.gov/strategy-and-performance/budget-submissions/ (via Richard Langley, CA, Feb 27, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) As an aside as a working civil servant in Treasury, we’re stunned at where things stand as the Senate Appropriations Committee has not actually met since last September in full. Now that we’re in “refund season” at IRS we are especially sensitive to things getting done by March 22nd as a third shutdown standoff would halt all further tax refunds going out starting March 23rd if a third shutdown happened until restoration of ops. Tax returns would still be due and still processed, though. I don’t mind Congress deviating from the President’s requests. I would enjoy it if we moved past month to month budgeting so I can keep paying my bills while still employed (Stephen Michael Kellat, KC8BFI, Ashtabula, Ohio, WOR iog via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. 15620, Feb 21 at 1601, S9+10 of dead air; I can only assume it is as scheduled in HFCC: VOA Somali, 250 kW, 126 degrees from Woofferton UK at 1600-1800 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Re 18-08: [Direct QSLs from IBB relay stations?] ``ANSWER – from WRTH 2018: IBB BOTSWANA TRANSMITTING STATION. BOTSWANA (BOT). V: QSL-card. Email rpt to manager_botswana@bot.ibb.gov`` Some readers of DXLD may remember that I provided audibility surveys on VoA stations to DXLD. I also provided the info to IBB Botswana, but I never received any reply from the Botswana station. I still check their schedule for the benefit of readers of Radiokurier (Germany), because the station is regularly received well in Europe. But why should I care to promote the VoA internationally that doesn't get its frequency schedules right on its webpages and does not reply to my comments. Officially, external services target decision makers, an idea that I consider wrong. But this may be the angry verdict of a short wave listener for about 40 years, holding a Ph D on international broadcasting, a professor at a German university, a publisher of many articles related to international broadcasting, certainly not influential enough for the purposes of the American state department (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, 23 February 2018, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9455, Feb 23 at 1938, VOA News via WRMI Oldies, last two minutes by Ann Ball include four stumbles by her. Still amateurish announcing on what should be America`s showcase of broadcast journalism. An earlier one, I did not log at the time, had her introduce an axuality toward the end which failed to appear, leaving her scrambling to wrap up the `cast. Of course, in that case it may not have been her fault, if someone else was engineering, as one would expect (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday February 21 at 2200 on WBCQ 7490.05v, very good S9+10/20, and not #1917 which was not aired last week. Enjoy such reception while we can, as latening sunsets progressively degrade this propagation, and a drastic retiming to 2100 in three weeks due to the imposition of daylight shifting will worsen it even more. (BTW, add OK to the list of states with pending legislation to keep DST going all year!) Also confirmed UT Thu Feb 22 at 0030 on WBCQ 9330v-CUSB. 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 #1919?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: 5850, Thursday February 22 at 2228, WRMI with IS/ID prélude claiming that programming resumes at ``Top of the hour`` (only in India, Iran, etc.); 2230 Okeechobee Ocean ID, 2230.5 WOR 1918 confirmed, and also caught the closing at 2259 implying that it aired entirely. Also confirmed UT Fri Feb 23 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330.294v-CUSB, poor-fair. Next: 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 #1919?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: confirmed UT Saturday February 24 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330.25v-CUSB, fair with deep fades. ``GERMANY, 6190, HLR, Goehren, *0800-0900, 24-02, English, ID “This is Hamburger Lokalradio”, at 0830 Glenn Hauser’s program “World of Radio”. 25332 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S- 8800, XHDATA D-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` ?? Not 0730, or did you slip into local time? (gh, DXLD) Confirmed Sat Feb 24 at 0730 by Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya: ``GERMANY, Reception of World of Radio via HLR on 6190 CUSB, Feb 24: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-world-of-radio-via-hlr-on_24.html 0730-0800 6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu English Sat, good signal`` Also confirmed the next HLR airing. Sat Feb 24 at 1531 on HLR 6190, as I check UTwente at 1545: atop considerable CCI from the ChiComs. Next: 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 #1919?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: confirmed Saturday February 24 at 2230 on WBCQ, 9330.295v-CUSB; was BS until 2229 cut to ID, promo, and 2230 WOR. Also confirmed immediately following, Sat Feb 24 at 2300 on WRMI, 7780, S9/S9+10, right after gospel music, ``Great Gettin` Up Morning``, with no ToH ID. Also confirmed UT Sun Feb 25 at 0205 check, the 0200 on WRMI 7780, unexpectedly strong if really on the 44-degree antenna, S9+27. Also confirmed UT Sunday February 25 starting at 0430 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, later than the nominal 0415 and after ARRL finished. Next: 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 #1919?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, reports: ``GERMANY Reception of World of Radio via HLR on 9485 CUSB, Feb 25: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-world-of-radio-via-hlr-on_25.html 1131-1200 9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat, fair signal`` Manuel Méndez, Lugo Spain, also reports: ``9485, Hamburger Lokalradio, Goeren, 1100-1200, 25-02, English, ID "Hamburger Lokalradio``, at 1130 Glenn Hauser's program "World of Radio". 25332.`` I confirmed UT Monday February 26 at 0030 on WBCQ, 9330.24v-CUSB, poor. Also confirmed UT Mon Feb 26 from 0401:15 on Area 51 via WBCQ 5129.84v, S9 but poor. Also barely confirmed UT Mon Feb 26 at 0430 on WRMI 9455 JBA, presumably // the JBA carrier on 9955. By 0442, 9455 has improved to S4-S7. Next: Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 to NE, 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1919?] WORLD OF RADIO 1918 monitoring: confirmed UT Tuesday February 27 at 0030 on WRMI 7730, VG; also on WBCQ 9330.3v-CUSB, Poor. Altho #1919 was ready 4 hours earlier, WBCQ replayed 1918 at 0030 UT Wed Feb 28 on 9330.299v-CUSB, JBA: straining to hear it with ECSS at S2-S3, I finally could copy some content from last week`s show. WORLD OF RADIO 1919 contents: Argentina and non, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba and non, Czechia non, Ethiopia non, France, Germany and non, Iran, Kiritimati, New Zealand, Nigeria non, Russia, South America, South Carolina, Uganda non, USA, and the propagation outlooks WORLD OF RADIO 1919 monitoring: ready just in time for first airing Tuesday, February 27 at 2030 on WRMI, 7780 JBA and 9455 fair, with no CCCCCCI audible. And again at 2130 on 9455 only, fair-good. Next: Wed 1030 WRMI 9455 to WNW Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Thu 0030 WBCQ 9339v-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 #1920?] Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1920?] Full WOR schedule via all media, podcast access: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [WBCQ non]. 9330, CUBA, Unidentified numbers station at 0650. Strong OC to 0655 and W in Spanish with number groups without "callup" like in days past. Odd echoey sound which I have been noticing lately. Went to silent period with OC at 0720-0725, then resuming numbers. Digital bursts resuming at 0729. Alternating numbers and data signals until 0745 when it went to open carrier. S-9+ Feb. 21 (Rick Barton, Report from central Arizona. Mostly Grundig Satellits, RS SW-2000629, HQ-180A with various outdoor wires. 73 & Good Listening......! WOR iog via DXLD) 9330.320v-CUSB, Feb 22 at 1415, WBCQ fair with TOM, lately staying on the hi side in the .2s or .3s (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] Tonight's AWWW --- Saturday, February 24, 2018 2:23 AM Listening this evening on 5130 again as it's a clearer signal. Allan and Angela in the studio in FLA again. Allan stated that they just got back from a cruise and immediately pointed out that it was an inexpensive cruise and he wasn't squandering station money. Then some talk of cruises that he took with his father over the years. Immediately went into a mini rant about credit cards, then into abolishing the IRS again. Back to school shootings again and yet again put forth the theory that the police had plenty of information that the shooting was imminent and they did nothing about it but thought nothing of sending hundreds of troopers into Stair's compound to arrest a 84 year old man. Then a quick defense of gun ownership. Moved on to some talk about the failure of the war on drugs and commented how easy it was to buy any illegal drug that one wanted and the only way to win the war was to legalize all drugs and tax them. Mini rant about PBS and NPR and how much the people that ran the stations made per year and compared that to how little he makes running his station and that he's forced to charge the same rates that he did nineteen years ago. Talked about the cruise ship only having CNN news on the TVs there and how difficult it was to get real news while on the cruise. Longed for the days of newscasters like Walter Cronkite. Finally a phone call at 0137 from Dave in Indiana and all of a sudden we're back into school shootings. Talked about everyone asking the wrong questions about the shooting and said that it had nothing to do with guns. Said the question to ask was why it happened. Attempted to read some emails at 0157. Show was off the air at 0200 after a very short prayer. Dead air for a minute where Allan could be heard talking to Angela at very low volume then Brother Scare started in the middle of a sentence, stating that the death of Billy Graham was a sign that the rapture was about to start (John H Carver, Jr, Mid-North Indiana, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330.324v-CUSB, Feb 24 at 1908, here`s WBCQ with BS, but VP at S2-S3. Maybe he`s also on totally inaudible 5129.83 as claimed [``5130``] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490.04, Feb 24 at 2302 I`m tuning in WBCQ for `Shortwave Saturday Night`, but must have problems getting connected from Hyde Park. Bits of music, canned IDs, dead air, a few seconds of a newscast about the NRA vs businesses cutting them off, more bits of songs, DA still at 2311 when I give up. 7490 is funxioning OK at next check Feb 25 at 0140, tybro.com offering a spiritual cleansing CD; I guess those are the reactivated Mitch & Kathy. 5129.8 is now active with music at 0139 Feb 25, presumably `Lumpy Gravy` on WBCQ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5129.838, Observed at S=7-8 signal level in southern Germany, sermon in English at 0227 UT on Feb 26 (Wolfgang Büschel, WOR iog via DXLD) 7490, Sat Feb 24 at 2158, WBCQ is not signing on for another `Radio New Music` show as heard last week at 2200, so it`s not a weekly, or not yet: the website has been amended to say: ``Inaugural Broadcast - Sat Feb 17, 2018 Weekly Broadcasts Begin - Sat Mar 3, 2018 5-6:00 PM Eastern US Time 2200-2300 GMT / UTC WBCQ 50,000 Watts 7490 KHz Shortwave`` Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, also noted: ``Hi Glenn, I checked the WBCQ webstream at 2200 on Sat 24 Feb to listen to the new Radio New Music program, but heard only back to back music fill. I guess RNM is not weekly, or is maybe still settling in to a regular schedule`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490.05v, UT Mon Feb 26 at 0357, WBCQ The Planet IS & ID, i.e. prior to sign-on, at unusual time, but it`s because `Herald of Truth` is now isolated, with nothing on schedule between 01 & 04 after `Le Show`. HoT has been on WBCQ since 2004y, from the racist Kingdom Identity Ministries of Arkansas, not Alaska (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. From the Isle of Music, March 4-10, 2018 Part 2 of 2 parts This week, Part 2 of our special guest, saxophonist / composer / bandleader Alexey León, 1st Place winner in the Interpretation category at JoJazz 2017. He already has a very impressive musical resume, and in one of our rare interviews in English, we’ll talk about his career to date and listen to some of his new album Cuban Connection, which also features other distinguished jazzistas such as Ivan Melon Lewis and Carlos Sarduy. We will also listen to some of Alexey’s first album Cuba Meets Russia, some of Carlos Sarduy’s first album Charly en la Habana, and a composition by Juan Almeida from the 1970s, Leningrado, a modern Cuban suite dedicated to the Russian defense of Leningrad in World War II. Four opportunities to listen on shortwave: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100 kW, Sunday 1500-1600 UT on Space Line, 9400, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK) 2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UT on WBCQ, 7490 from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire. 3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UT and Saturday 1200-1300 on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany. Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, March 4: First Anniversary Broadcast! Episode 52 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, to celebrate the first anniversary of the program, will have a little bit of everything along with our mystery song for the week. Sunday, March 4, 2300-2330 UT (6:00-6:30 PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe A18 schedules for FTIOM and UBMP [sic: the time changes are effective March 11 with the imposition of DST upon North America; A18 does not officially start until March 25 with the imposition of DST upon Europe --- gh] 1. FTIOM continues at the current days and UT from Channel 292 and Space Line, local times will change accordingly. WBCQ will stay at current day and current local time (8-9 pm Eastern Mondays) and UT will change to Tuesdays 0000-0100. 2. UBMP will continue Sundays 6-7 pm Eastern and UT will change to 2200-2300. Watch for a new option for Europe in April. Thanks for all you do for radio! (William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer, Tilford Productions, LLC, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. [See above in VOA sexion for another relay item via WRMI] 9395, Feb 21 at 1457, WRMI Oldies with VOA News in progress; before turning it Over to the Comer at 1500. 7780, Feb 22 at 1413, WRMI Oldies is on this Thursday, // much stronger 9395. Yet sked grid shows 7780 supposed to be off; see also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] 9455, Feb 21 at 1418, WRMI, speaking Spanish with a Brazilian accent, too-quick SW sked info about Spain, Taiwan, Korea, Egypt, various Brazilians as on air 00 a 24; audio is also condensed with certain syllables skipped; via Skype?? Outro as someone from the DX Clube sem Fronteiras em Pernambuco, on `Frecuencia al Día` 9455, Fri Feb 23 at 1458, WRMI is still playing the Spanish `Viva Miami` episode recorded at Selangor, Malaysia, just after the HFCC conference, Jeff & Thaïs discussing their adventures and travel plans: as it ends abruptly, says going next to Osaka, switch planes, to Honolulu for three days. Being a major international broadcaster and chairman of HFCC allows the Whites to travel a lot, and I bet it`s first-class. 9395, Sat Feb 24 at 1911, WRMI with World Music from Africa, S9-S7, during the hour now occupied weekdays by RAE in German. 9455 also S9- S7 with Oldie, ``Natural Woman``. 7780 at 1914 with BS poor at S7, but stronger than 9330 WBCQ, MUCH weaker than 9980 WWCR. 9455, Feb 26 at 1459, WRMI starts another week still replaying the same `Viva Miami` episode from Selangor after HFCC, as concluding it, Jeff is Spanishly anticipating his flight back via Osaka to spend three noches in Hawaii. [and non?]. 9396.5, Feb 26 at 1455, hi-speed RTTY on hi side QRMing 9395 WRMI Oldies, and vice versa. Looking at the WRMI skedgrid Feb 28, ``updated Feb 12``, I see somethings new: the 0100-0200 UT block now on three: 5850, 9395 and 9455, has one-hour shows including on UT Wed, `Space Phono Radio` --- what`s that? Along with: UT Mon, `Countdown to Xmas`; UT Tue `Grateful Dead`, another new one I noted before but unheard, but can guess what it contain; UT Thu, `Jazz from the Left`; UT Fri, VORW. Also blank spaces UT Sat 0100-0130, and UT Sun 0130-0145. Another new show is `I Love Italy`, maybe a new name for `Startrek Italy`, no longer shown? Nothing about either new one on the programming page: http://wrmi.net/index.php/programming/ But Startrek is still on it. We have to go to FB for WRMI info about new/special programming: WRMI Radio Miami International, February 25 at 12:22am SPACE PHONO RADIO WRMI will broadcast a special program called Space Phono Radio from Boca Ratón, Florida on the following days and times: 1) 0100 UT Wednesday, February 28 (that's 8:00 pm Tuesday, February 27 Eastern Time) on 5850 and 9395 kHz to North America, and on 9455 kHz to the Southwestern US and Mexico. 2) 2000 UT Wednesday, February 28 on 7780 kHz to Europe. That's 3:00 pm Eastern Time Wednesday (Feb 28). This should also be audible up the East Coast of the US and Canada. 3) 2200 UT Friday, March 2 (5:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday March 2) on 9955 kHz to the Caribbean, Central and South America. 4) 0100 UT Monday, March 5 (i.e. 8:00 pm Eastern Time Sunday March 4) on 7780 kHz to the East Coast of North America, Europe and the Middle East; and on 5950 kHz to the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. More info at http://www.spacephono.com https://www.spacephono.bandcamp.com [not very informative: something about ``writing songs and creating music``] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5830, Feb 21 at 0704, WTWW-1 is S3-S5 of dead air; no loss. 5085, UT Sun Feb 25 at 0207, no signal from WTWW-2, so `Theatre Organ in the Ozarx` misses another airtime; the onetime prepeat at 1900 Saturdays on 9930 is still gone too, as is everything once on 9930 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9475, WTWW, Lebanon TN (presumed); 2208; Predictably Prejudiced & Possibly Petrified Pastor Pete Peters Potently Preachifying about Baal worshipers & “Whores Galore”. S20+ peaks (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver in real time -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) oops, date missing, circa 2/17 to 2/22 judging from other logs in same report (gh) ** U S A. 15610, Feb 22 at 1910, WEWN is stronger than usual, must be some sporadic-E HF enhancement, MUF at least 16 MHz; WWCR 15825 too is about as strong, and about the same 1-megameter skip distance. Only when WEWN gets this strong, can I easily detect the constant squeal it transmits along with English. This was previously attributable to parasitic spurs at plus/minus 9/18 kHz, beating against each other; the modulation causes the pitches to vary slightly vs pauses (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Needs new modulator cards? Reception of EWTN Global Catholic Radio WEWN-1 on Feb 24 till 0858 on 11520 EWN 250 kW / 085 deg to WeAf English, fair: 0900-1200 on 9470 EWN 250 kW / 355 deg to SEAs B-17 inactive! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-ewtn-global-catholic-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 24, WOR iog via DXLD) Reception of EWTN Global Catholic Radio WEWN-1, Feb 25: 1200-1500 on 12065 EWN 250 kW / 355 deg to SEAs English, fair 1500-1900 on 15610 EWN 250 kW / 040 deg to N/ME, is inactive! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2018/02/reception-of-ewtn-global-catholic-radio_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, February 25, WOR iog via DXLD) 15610 may have been missing that day, but I still hear it (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 17774.99, Feb 22 at 2201, KVOH is still on with praise music in Spanish. I decide to measure it, but before I can pin it to the Hz, cuts off abruptly at 2203*. No soft sign-off here, but throw the big switch! Sked shows Tue & Thu 1500-2200; Mon/Wed/Fri 1500-2000 in Spanish; Sat 1600-2000 English. 17774.987, Feb 23 at 1601, now I can measure it, but takes a while as it is varying continuously very slightly. Got it here at 1606 while at 1607 it fades down drastically from original S9+30 to only S7. This is during `Frecuencia al Día` which started with a heavily produced feature about the history of La Voz del Yuna, Bonao, República Dominicana. May well have mentioned current status, but I`m too busy measuring the frequency; scanning the WRTH 2018 listings on page 188-189 I finally find it toward the bottom of the list, as 3 kW on 1670, HIC81, http://lavozdelyuna.org website. Why is Yuna masculine? Probably understood as name of a rio or some other non- feminine geographic entity. I don`t recall ever seeing this reported as a DX catch, tho it should have a good worldwide chance on the X- band. WRTH shows DR with four X-banders, on 1620, 1640, 1670, 1680, the second and fourth being well-known. Note that the official if never announced? callsigns are assigned sequentially by frequency, at this end, HIC79, HIC80, HIC81, HIC82. While HIC## are the main calls on the MW band starting with 1200, below that are HIB## and some others are interspersed, maybe because of relays. Searching my archive on Yuna leads to another station there at Bonao, the 1350 which was reported by Mark Mohrmann, remember him? in 2000y on x 2 = 2700. LVdelY has made news before, such as on 2 July 2015: https://gruporadioescuchaargentino.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/la-voz-del-yuna-se-convertira-en-la-primera-emisora-de-am-digital-de-republica-dominicana-y-america-latina/ Does that mean IBOC, or what? They don`t say! It has appeared in numerous editions of X-band lists, but I still haven`t found any axual DX log of it; maybe IBOC-only? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Quite a surprise because WHRI used to be a non verifier for me: WHRI Cypress Creek (South Carolina) 7520 kHz Sunday only Russian programme (Su 0330-0400 h UT). Full data colour QSL card „30th anniversary“ received in 19 days for report to https://lesea.com/whr/quality-reception-report/ V/S: Lori Kauffman (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, 23 February 2018, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3215, WWCR, TN, Nashville with Classic Radio Theatre hosted by Wyatt Cox. Today's show was a 15/Feb/1950 broadcast of Groucho Marx "You Bet Your Life" with FUNNY exchanges between the contestants & Groucho, review of what was in the news in 1950 & [2018] ads for; A Place For Mom, MyPillow, Perillo Tours, Lendingtree, Krill Oil, and other national-type ads. WWCR ID at 0500. Then another edition of Classic Radio Theatre with the Jimmy Stewart Western "Six Shooter" & ads, news, etc. Another WWCR "WorldWide Christian Radio" ID at 0600, into Coatsworth & Wolfish music [insider tribute to MAREs in Ontario], on "World Wide Country Radio". Quite the knee slapper to start out, then Elvis’ Love Me Tender! Perfect reception made is a pleasure to listen to. These stations need to do more of this kind of stuff! Good radio & 'say the magic word and you'll win $100! ;) 55555, opened the bandwidth up to 10 kHz & BOY did it sound nice! 0420-0605 18/Feb (Ken Zichi, Williamston MI, SDRplay + ANC-4 + SDRuno + randomwire, MARE Tipsheet 23 Feb via DXLD) 12160, Sat Feb 24 at 1815, WWCR amid `Talking Machine Show` with ancient recitation, but mostly it`s ``Musicking Machine``. One of the few WWCR programs worth hearing, even tho some gospel music is included from the old cylinders and shellax. All the times for it on current schedule: http://www.wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.pdf Sat 1800 12160, Sun 0100 7520, Sun 0200 4840, Sat 1100 4840, Mon 0500 4840. Under current low solar conditions, even 12160 midday may not be a solid signal here, too close for the MUF. A similar show, `Last Radio Playing`: Sat 0000 5935, Sat 0100 4840- monthly after first Friday, Sat 0700 4840, Sat 2000 12160. Then there`s `Martha Garvin`s Musical Memories`, almost all hymns, but with some distinctive heartfelt performances. UT Sunday Feb 25 at 0208 on 3215, it`s a guy belting out a hymn with piano accompaniment, and then she interviews him, diversifying. Of course, the times are going to shift one UT hour earlier with the imposition of DST March 11, and in some cases frequency may change. Beware: during the entire 2017 DST season, WWCR pdf skeds failed to show the correct UT-5 difference between UT and CDT but kept showing UT-6! Go with the local time column. Some other mostly secular programs to check the sked for: Golden Age of Radio Theater; Worldwide Country Radio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3215, Feb 25 at 0142, Brother Don discussing kelp, on WWRB, audio breaking up a bit on poor quality feed. No need to switch to 3185 at 0200 apparently, as nothing there at 0208 check. I forgot to check 15240 Saturday afternoon for reactivation of R. Munansi clandestine for Uganda, as Dave notified us would be starting soon on weekends only. Be sure to check WWRB Sunday starting as early as 1600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3184.987 exact measured WWRB ? station, pastor in action, S=8 here in southern Germany, 0208 UT on Feb 26 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Might be some hope for shortwave yet!!! It appears that you tube and others are kicking off some programming they don't like, so as a result, we have been getting calls for airtime from people that had NO LOYALTY to shortwave broadcasting, wanting to get back on! Guess now that they have built other people`s business with the lure of free airtime, now that they are making BIG BUCKS (tech providers), the 'objectionable' programmers are being asked to leave, so now --- they want shortwave! We turn them away and want no part with them! They had no loyalty to US and now we have no LOYALTY to them! We are ONLY interested in LOYAL shortwave broadcasters and new broadcasters! We will bend over backwards helping them. They stood with US and we stand with them! (David Frantz, WWRB, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Continued: UGANDA ** U S A. CPs granted: 780, WBBM, IL, Chicago – Granted CP for U1 35000/42000, moving to WSCR-670 tower. Extensions of STAs granted: 570, WTBN, FL, Pinellas Park – Granted STA extension, U4 5000/10000, Cuba QRM. 1070, KFTI, KS, Wichita – Granted STA extension, U1 10000/250. 1560, KGOW, TX, Bellaire – Granted STA extension, U3 15000/15000 from licensed night site. Applications to extend STAs received: 1120, KLIM, CO, Limon – Applies to extend STA, U1 10/10 from temporary antenna and site (AM Switch, NRC DX News March 5, published Feb 25, via DXLD) That is: 10 WATTS day and night, non-direxional (gh) ** U S A. (1020), KDKA Northern Service: See CANADA [non] ** U S A. 1070, NORTH CAROLINA, WNCT, Greenville. 1204 February 19, 2018. "Nowhere To Run" by Martha Reeves, male ",,, this is Rock 'N Roll..." into "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown, commercial for local restaurant and something else on Highway 70 into ""Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters, male "Beach, Boogie and Blues" slogan. Last log was July, 2016 (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT, Clearwater FL, IC-R75, NRD-535, longwires, active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1120, UNIDENTIFIED, 1153 February 19, 2018. "Sea Of Love" Phil Phillips, "The Lord's Prayer" Andrea Bocelli and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, then fade. Back up for a moment at 1217 with "Spanish Harlem" by Ben E. King. Suspect WSME, Camp Lejeune, as pointing the same as the WNCT reception a few minutes later. From Gerry Bishop: ``1120 "The Lord's Prayer" is KMOX. They do that every morning at 5:58ish Central time. Performer/performance varies, but it always happens. The other two music trax point to somebody else and quite likely your guess on that is correct`` (Terry L. Krueger, All times/dates GMT, Clearwater FL, IC-R75, NRD-535, longwires, active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1130, Feb 23 at 1452 UT check, KLEY is still totally out of whack, same rapid pulsing, for more than a week, and carrier with bits of mod cutting on and off less quickly. 1130, Feb 24 at 1831 UT check, KLEY Wellington KS is finally back in whack! No more pulsing and bits of modulation cutting on and off, but continuous normal music modulation, ID as ``The Wave`` by some BBQ person; 1835 UT a fuller ID as ``The Wave, 100.3 and 1130, your music station from the wheat capital of the world`` (other than Enid). It had been doing that every day checked, from first notice Feb 14, thru Feb 23. Well, not quite correct, since if really on licensed daytime direxional pattern, almost all of the signal would be going northward, but ``normal`` situation has long been for it to provide a good groundwave southwestward into Enid (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1190, Feb 22 at 1325 UT, 1190 Fort Wayne IN ``Wo-wo`` ID with FM 107.5, which is a mere translator W298BJ. 50000/9800 U2. I haven`t heard this one in ages. There are two MO stations in between and many others. Must now be on ND full day power since 1230 UT in Feb, 1200 UT in March. Night pattern is tight N/S in deference to WLIB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1240+, Feb 23 at 1453 UT, het on hi side from NW/SE, no doubt the perpetually off-frequency KCRT Trinidad CO as previously identified. Too weak now to get a good measurement vs 1240.00 pileup, but keyboard says the pitch is between E and Eb above Cmiddle, i.e. about 320 Hz. Incredibly, tho this has been the major 1240+off station for years, it`s not on the list at http://www.mwlist.org/mwoffset.php?khz=1240 despite lots of other US graveyarders (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1290, Feb 22 at 1329 UT, outro `Focus on Agriculture` from CSP? radio network, Wichita Falls closings due to icy weather, Cinemark Theatres` new size restrixions on carry-in bags, (evidently to discourage dismantled rifles or large bombs) from News Channel 6 (KAUZ RF 22). (I also heard same story on 1330 KCKM Monahans, about Mid/Essa. Enid`s only movie theatre is no longer Cinemark, but AMC under ChiCom control, so guns OK?) KWFS is licensed 5000/73 U1, but noticeably weaker in daytime lately with STA renewed of reduced power to 60%, i.e. about 3 kW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KWXY AM 1340 Cathedral City, California There is still music on AM radio, at least here in the desert. KWXY http://kwxy.com/ is a 24-hour station in Cathedral City (next to Palm Springs) transmitting a 1-kW signal on 1340 kHz from a single omnidirectional tower. The music is adult-oriented and consists of easy-listening, familiar vocals and instrumentals from the past including movie themes, and smooth (mostly) jazz. The station claims to have the largest radio station music library west of the Mississippi with over 12,000 recordings. On the weekends, there is a two-hour jazz show ("Jazz Meets Latin Jazz") hosted by New York - based Jim Luce. The station describes its format as the "sound of elegance" as well as "relaxing music" and "beautiful music." But it's far from "elevator music." There are brief weather reports every hour and occasional news bulletins. And for us Canucks, there is "Canada Calling" http://canadacalling.com/ twice a day at about 09:15 and 12:15 PST[/PDT]. This program is just about the only "overseas" service from Canada on the radio these days. The station was first licensed in 1964 and started with the same format it has today. It changed its format to syndicated liberal talk in November 2015 but the station wet silent shortly after in August 2016. It returned to the air in March 2017 with its traditional format. KWXY has a sister talk station, KKGX on 920 kHz AM (5 kW daytime and 1 kW nighttime with a four-tower directional array) and 99.1 MHZ FM. KWXY puts in a good signal here in Palm Desert but is likely not heard much further afield. It would be a good DX catch outside the coverage area especially considering the number of stations on 1340 kHz in the U.S. and Canada (-- Richard Langley, Feb 23, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KWXY has a good quality webstream as well, if DXing the AM 1340 signal doesn’t work out. The website also mentions “FM coming soon”, presumably a translator. This type of format is extremely rare these days (Stephen Luce (not related to aforementioned Jim Luce, AFAIK), Houston, Texas, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1680, Feb 25 at 0711 UT, S9+20 of dead air, must be KRJO Monroe LA. JBA music underneath, maybe from same so not totally dead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Our listenership, both nationally and internationally, was up considerably from the previous year. Beginning with 2015, the total listening minutes for our dial up number was over 1 million minutes each year including this last year! But for the first time ever, our app minutes went over 1,000,000 for the year! App downloads went from a total of 1816 in 2016 to a total of 7467 by the close of 2017! Oh, and God increased our borders once again. We had documented listeners in 203 countries and locations around the world through 2016. By the end of 2017, God had given us 19 more for a total of 222! (FBN RADIO [sic] NETWORK Feb 21 via DXLD) Who needs radio, let alone shortwave? The Fundamental Broadcasting [sic] Network Radio [sic] Network [sic] certainly doesn`t, allowing its crummy SW stations WTJC 9370 and WBOH 5920 to decay into nothing several years ago (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. [Re 18-08, WOCS-LP cheating]: Robert, from what source are you getting the 4 watts? I'm looking at the middle of this page, and it show a maximum ERP of 46 watts: http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=FM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=1643089 Either 4 or 46, it's a moot point, as WOCS already got a tap on the shoulder (i.e., an agent visit in December 2016) from the FCC in regards to their transmitter not being located where their paperwork says it should've been. Probably another visit is forthcoming, methinks. 73, (Rick Dau, South Omaha, Nebraska, ABDX via DXLD) Rick, from the FCC site, it is a CP. Obviously they have already moved to the higher tower; otherwise, they would have run into the horizon before reaching my location. There is no way they could be using 4 watts (Bob Smoak, SC, ibid.) WOCS-LP SC ORANGEBURG USA | Licensee: NEW PERSPECTIVES MEDIA ASSOCIATION Service Designation: FL Low Power FM (LPFM) station or application Channel/Class: 229L1 Frequency: 93.7 MHz Construction Permit File No.: BPL-20170203ADC€ Facility ID number: 194463 CDBS Application ID No.: 1691143 | | 33 31' 36.00" N Latitude 80 49' 44.00" W Longitude (NAD 27) 33.526667 -80.828889 Polarization: Horizontal | Vertical Effective Radiated Power (ERP): 0.004 | 0. | kW ERP Antenna Height Above Average Terrain: 144. | 0. | meters Antenna Height Above Mean Sea Level: 207.2 | 0. | meters AMSL Antenna Height Above Ground Level: 128. | 0. | meters AGL (via Smoak, ABDX via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 9635.83, V. of Vietnam, Feb 23, 2328-2335, 34333, Vietnamese, Talk, // 7435 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD- 525, NRD-345, SATELLIT 750; ANT, 130m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. 970, WSTX St. Croix, v/s Kevin Rames tells that station now runs only daytime news/talk. Nighttime they are calypso and reggae (Jorma Mäntylä, Kangasala, Finland, Arctic Radio Club mv- eko 26 Feb via DXLD) A minor language lesson. Europeans seem to have a lot of trouble with tells vs says --- in this case above, ``tells`` is incorrect. Tells is transitive, i.e. requires an object, like ``tells me`` which would then be correct, same as ``says`` with no object, intransitive; the same as ``says to me`` correct altho more cumbersome (gh, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA [non-log]. 5915, R. One/ZNBC1, off the air during random checking from 0240 through 0311, on Feb 20. Coincidence that ANGOLA was off the air at the same time (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Ron, Yes, Zambia is missing on February 21, but Angola is there today. 4949.7, Angola, Radio Nacional, Mulenvos. Feb 21, 2018 Wednesday. 0353-0355. Afro music followed by YL and OM talking in Portuguese. Poor-fair. Jo’burg sunrise 0357. 5915 Zambia, ZNBC1, Lusaka. Feb 21, 2018, Wednesday. 0353-0355. Nothing heard. AWOL. Jo’burg sunrise 0357 (Bill Bingham, Jo'burg, RSA. Drake R8E, Sony ICF 2001D. WOR iog via DXLD) [non non] Thank you Bill, for your feedback! Feb 23, noted Zambia (5915) back on the air again 0301+. Angola (4949.74) also broadcasting at the same time, as well as Zanzibar (6015). (Ron, California, 0515 UT Feb 23, ibid.) ** ZAMBIA. SPECIAL REPORT: HISTORY OF RADIO BROADCASTING IN ZAMBIA - Jeff: Formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, Zambia is located in southern central Africa, and it is a landlocked country bounded by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique on the east, Zimbabwe on the south, and Angola and Namibia on the west and southwest. Its area of 290,586 square miles makes it somewhat smaller than Turkey but larger than Texas. The population of 7 million consists mainly of the Bemba and Tonga ethnic groups, although there are several smaller groups as well. The official language is English, but over 70 other languages are also spoken. About 15% of the population are Christian, whereas the remainder practice tribal religions. Ray Robinson joins us now with the history of radio broadcasting in Zambia. Ray: Thanks, Jeff. Zambia consists mostly of high plateau country covered with thick forests, the altitude varying from about 3,500 to 8,000 feet. It is drained by a number of rivers, the best known one being the Zambezi, which separates it from Zimbabwe, and from which the country takes its name. In the south on the border with Zimbabwe is the 175-mile long Lake Kariba, formed by the Kariba Dam across the Zambezi. It is the site of one of the world's largest hydroelectric projects, opened in 1960. The history of Zambia, or Northern Rhodesia as it was formerly known, goes back to the early 19th century when various Portuguese explorers traversed the country between Angola on the west coast of Africa and Mozambique on the east, both Portuguese colonies. In 1850, Dr. David Livingstone reached the Zambezi from the south, and in 1855 he discovered the Victoria Falls on his famous missionary journey. It is worth mentioning here that the Victoria Falls greatly surpass Niagara in dimensions. The width of the falls is one mile, with a maximum height of 420 feet. Although of great volume, Niagara has parallel drops of only 158 and 167 feet, which makes Victoria Falls nearly twice as wide, and about two and a half times higher than Niagara. Cecil Rhodes obtained mining concessions in Zambia in 1889 from King Lewanika of the Barotse tribe in the southwest, and he sent settlers to the area. The country was under the administration of the British South Africa Company from 1889 to 1924, when a British protectorate was established. In 1953, Northern Rhodesia became part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which was dissolved in 1964. On 24 October 1964, Zambia became an independent republic within the British Commonwealth, with Dr. Kenneth Kaunda as its first President. It was not until World War II that Northern Rhodesia acquired a radio service. In 1941 the Government's Information Department installed a 300 watt transmitter in Lusaka, the capital. This station was built for the purpose of disseminating war related information. From the outset, the Lusaka radio station addressed programs to Africans in their own languages, becoming the pioneer in the field of local vernacular broadcasting. In 1945 Harry Franklin, Lusaka's far sighted information officer, proposed that Radio Lusaka concentrate on developing programming for Africans. Since Northern Rhodesia could not afford such a specialized service on its own, the administrations of Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland were persuaded to share in the operating costs, while the British Government agreed to provide the initial capital funds. Thus, the Central African Broadcasting Station came into being. Among the by-products of this effort were the world's most extensive collection of ethnic African music, and a breakthrough in that most formidable barrier to audience growth, the lack of a receiver which Africans could afford to buy. Franklin tried for three years in the late 1940s to persuade British manufacturers that a potential mass market existed among Africans for a very simple inexpensive battery- operated shortwave receiver. One must bear in mind that this was before the days of transistors. He finally persuaded a battery company to invest in the research and development of the idea. One of the early models was mounted experimentally in a 9-inch diameter aluminum (or, aluminium) housing, originally intended as a saucepan. Thus was born in 1949 the famous "Saucepan Special", a 4- tube tropicalized short wave receiver, which succeeded even beyond Franklin's expectations. It cost five pounds Sterling, and the battery, which lasted 300 hours, was an additional one pound five shillings. Within the first three months, 1,500 of the Saucepan Specials had been sold, and in the next few years, 50,000 sets were imported. Franklin had hopes of capitalizing on a world market for the sets, but within a few years the transistor radio came into mass production and so his brainchild became a mere historical curiosity. In 1953, Federation came, and in 1958 a new broadcasting organization, the Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was founded, with headquarters in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe). Lusaka continued to use African languages as well as English, but the spirit which had animated the original station had long since been drowned by the rising tide of animosity between the tribes. Eventually in 1964, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland broke away from the Federation and were granted independence as Zambia and Malawi. The station in Lusaka was then known as the Zambia Broadcasting Corporation until 1966, when it changed to Zambia Broadcasting Services (ZBS). This was again changed at the end of 1988 to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC). The ZNBC is a Government department, now under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS). For many years, ZNBC broadcast a “General Service” and a “Home Service” on both AM and shortwave transmitters that covered the country. However, with the implementation of FM transmitters in the major population centers, the AM transmitters were all switched off some years ago. ZNBC also used to broadcast an “External Service” called Radio Zambia International, beamed to Southern Africa over a 50 kW transmitter. Much of the programming was anti-apartheid material produced by nationalist political groups. However, after South Africa gained majority rule in 1991, the need for this service evaporated, and it went off the air. These days, there are now four ZNBC domestic radio services, known as: Radio 1 (the former General Service) Radio 2 (the former Home Service) A National Assembly channel (which carries parliamentary proceedings) Radio 4 – a mostly English language Christian music station The first three channels are widely available throughout the country on FM, but for the fourth network, the 2018 edition of WRTH only lists four low-power transmitters, and on a visit I made to Lusaka last month, the Radio 4 transmitter there was off the air. Radios 1 and 2 also used to be carried on shortwave to fill in the rural areas where the FM signals do not reach. Equipment failures are a constant problem, and Radio 2 has not been heard on shortwave since about 2012. It’s a pity, because Radio 2 is primarily an English language channel. It is believed that the shortwave transmitter for Radio 2 has been cannibalized to keep the transmitter for Radio 1 on the air. Radio 1 itself was also off the air for some months last year, but it was just reactivated on 5915 kHz in January 2018. The transmitter is a 100 kW Continental model 418-E, usually run at about half power into an omni-directional antenna. It is now generally on the air daily from 0245 to 2205 UTC (4:45 am-12:05 am local Central African Time), broadcasting mostly in seven local languages: Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi, Tonga, Kaounde, Lunda and Luvale, but also with news bulletins in English at the top of each hour The languages are used in rotation, and programs include news, public affairs, light entertainment, sport, religion and education. School broadcasts are also carried during school semesters, and there are agricultural programs for farmers in the country areas. The station interval signal is the distinctive call of the fish eagle, a striking reddish-brown, black winged bird with white head and breast, found throughout southern Africa. The best time to hear this station in North America is around sign-on and immediately thereafter, when there is a path of darkness across the Atlantic. Here’s what a recent sign-on on 5915 kHz sounded like. Audio Insert ZNBC sign-on: Call of the Fish Eagle Opening announcement in an African language Our thanks to Colin Miller in Sarnia Ontario Canada for the original script regarding the radio scene in Zambia, and to Ray Robinson at KVOH in Los Angeles California for the update in the Zambia radio scene, and for information regarding their Voice of Hope shortwave station in that same African country. (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Feb 25 via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA, 11735, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, Dole, 1750-1810, 23-02, Swahili, sport comments, soccer, Spanish league, mentioned: “Real Madrid, Las Palmas, Barcelona...”, at 1800 time signals, English, ID “it’s nine O’clock African time, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation from Dole, the news”, news in English. 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, XHDATA D- 880, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search, Feb 21 at 0309- 0315: 531, 621, 711, 747, 855(2), 882, 909, 936*, 1116, 1152, 1215, 1431, 1575. *936 often has a bigger signal; what`s likely? Morocco 100 kW, tho there are equal or higher powers in Syria, Saudi, Iran; while in Europe nothing more than 3 x 20 kW in Spain (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search Feb 24 at 0617- 0624: 531, 549, 567, 585, 603, 612, 621(2), 666, 693(2), 729, 747, 774(vs IBOC, WBBM?), 783, 801, 837, 846, 882, 936, 954, 999, 1026, 1053, 1098, 1116(2), 1125(2), 1179, 1215(2), 1422(2), 1503, 1512, 1521. Also a stronger carrier on 907.7 which I assume is something internal to do with R75 receiver IF, but I haven`t noticed it before when there was a definite TA on 909. At 0629 also LW 198 (there is an NDB in Dixon NC, DIW on 198, but no such ID to be heard; 216 is normally another one, CLB Carolina Beach, not RMC/France) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search, Feb 26 at 0443- 0448: 531, 549, 558, 585, 603, 621, 666, 693*, 711, 738, 747(2), 774, 792 vs WBBM IBOC, 873(2), 882, 909, 936, 999, 1026, 1044, 1053, 1089, 1116, 1125-, 1215*, 1512. *stronger ones. What`s the point? Just quickly discovering what signals are really there, even with far too much domestic QRM to audiblize programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1710: Here is a audio clip of the station that was recorded this evening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqK9kT2m7Hc Has anyone heard it? (GACTVDX, Easton PA, Feb 18, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) That oldies station on 1710 was heard here in central PA yesterday between 6-7 pm EST. Signed off with a singing jingle at 7:05 pm. Best on the south-pointed loop, but I'm not convinced that it's actually in that direction - it could be that loop rejects the QRM from the Hudson NJ TIS better. Also heard at the same time on a Wash DC-area SDR with equal or better signals. Long fades on both radios. I've heard reports of it being heard well on a western-PA SDR too. (Brett Saylor, W3SWL-State College PA USA Drake R8//Icom R75//Tentec RX320//Perseus SDR//Elad FDM-S2 https://www.facebook.com/vintageverifications/ Feb 21, IRCA via DXLD) Brett, I've had it twoo nights in a row here in London, Ontario using an EAST/WEST Wellbrook ALA-1530 LNP Loop. Never hear any talk or IDs, Just continuous oldies Music: 1710, UNID, PIRATE, UNID Location, Feb/18/18, 1806 EST, English, POOR- FAIR. Oldies Music from 1806 EST. "Runaround Sue" by Dion. Signal in/out but peaking at S-5 at times. More oldies 1814-1819. "I Hear you knocking" by Dave Edmunds at 1816-19. Still in/out at 1830 with Oldies. NO Talk and NO IDS. Thanks for Tip from Tim Tromp of Michigan 73 ROB VA3SW (Robert S. Ross, London, Ontario CANADA, Feb 21, ibid.) Dave Valko and I were listening last night and heard them sign off at 7:05 pm EST with this singing ID. We're debating if the frequency is "1510" or "1710" and neither of us can make out what comes after the frequency and before "radio" - a call? a slogan? It hasn't snapped into focus for me yet: http://personal.psu.edu/bds2/audio/2018-02-21%20%20PIRATE%20(NA)%20%201710%20%200006%20ID%20jingle%20%20(Delta%20Loop).mp3 Anyone else have an idea? (Brett Saylor, Feb 21, IRCA via DXLD) I hear it as "1510 Community Radio", although I can't totally rule out "1310" (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, Blue Bell, PA, Grid FN20id, mw-dx iogroup via DXLD) Yep, I think you are correct, Russ. I hear that as well. I'm not positive if it's 1510 or 1710 but the Community Radio is quite clear!! 73 (ROB VA3SW, ibid.) Yep, I agree that's what it is. I'm pretty sure it's "1710" but that's still up for debate. Dave Goren on the NRC Facebook group found a west coast 1710 Community Radio station: http://www.khmbradio.com/ I've been listening to their webstream and, while it does have similar music, our pirate isn't just rebroadcasting their stream. This station has PSA's, ads and singing ID's that are different. Not sure if there's a connection or it's just a coincidence (Brett Saylor, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 1710, UNID TIS STATION, Unknown Locale, FEB/20/18, 0000 EST, English, FAIR. In and Out with PSA with Medical Information on the FLU. "If you think you have the Flu"??? "Call a Provider"???.. "If you have Life Threatening Symptoms"???. Could be WQFG689 Jersey City, NJ but they usually have NOAA weather Reports?? RELOG if them (Rob ROSS, ON, IRCA via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Followup on earlier UNID station in DXLD --- Hi Glenn! I had sent this item in before and you published it in DXLD 17-52: “Heard on the UTwente WebSDR on 3323 kHz at 0147 12-21 GMT: Station sending morse about once a minute: "=99T552??T?????" The second batch of numbers went up by one each repeat. 553, etc. Maybe a sort of time station?“ A similar station was referenced in ENIGMA Newsletter #6 mentioning a station on 5053, 5181 or 5730 that “sends a 14 figure group and then stays silent for 50 seconds, the next 14 figure group is then sent and the last number advances by one.” An example was given as: “990803??8??????” followed by the gap, and “9908047??8?????” Certainly close enough to be either the same station or same type of station. The newsletter is online at: http://www.numbers-stations.com/media/enigma/newsletter-6.pdf The newsletter appears to be from the mid-to-late 1990s (Eric Loy, Sports Director, Neuhoff Media Danville [IL], WDAN D102 K-ROCK, Feb 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4070-CW, Feb 25 at 0146, beacon ZN is JBA with call over and over. Now sufficient pause that I can tell it`s not NZ. 4102.8-CW, Feb 25 at 0146, the W beacon allegedly transmitting weather info from the California desert with various other dits and dahs. I often hear this, but JBA, can`t copy full output and if I did would not know what it signify, useful I suppose only to the instigator (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5800, Feb 24 at 1917, JBA carrier. Since I`m now getting it at midday on 51 meters, must conclude it`s something nearby in the meters-to-kilometer range. Even 6070- CFRX is a JBA carrier now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5835.5-USB, Feb 25 at 0152, lively net in unID tonal language, Chinese dialect? No WTWW on 5830 yet, nor Chilean pirate 5825 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5925, unID "whoop-whoop" jammer at 1502-25+ UT on 16 Feb. Heard well in the background of CNR5, this guy shuts down just before :30 min but who is the target? (Dan Sheedy-CA-USA, via Robert Wilkner-FL-USA, DXplorer Feb 25 via BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) "whoop-whoop" sounds like Vietnamese jamming service against evangelist {FEBC} ministry program to Vietnam/Laos mountain tribe people. Maybe the technician at Xuan Mai site {regular service till 1500 UT} near Hanoi parked here, forget to switch/move over the frequency? wb (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6050.5 approx., Feb 25 at 0156, huge filthy spurblob with talkish modulation completely unintelligible in SSB, AM or FM modes; spreads 6046-6055 and can also hear 6050.0 carrier amid, poor HCJB which I do not think is the source of this, but the victim; rather, HJDH, La Voz de tu Conciencia, COLOMBIA, which several times before has been caught doing this above 6040, and the first time heard, I made out a definite ID. Now I detect only one JBA carrier on 6010.0. Please, someone, kick their transmitter (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6054 approx., Feb 26 at 0406, terribly distorted spurblob around here with talk modulation, believed to be The Voice of Thy Conscience, Colombia, out of whack from 6010 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13564.316-CW, Feb 22 at 1444, HIFER beacon called RF, vs CODAR, but no K6FRC audible nearby yet. Probably east of here rather than west. LWCA roster has it on 13564.330, location still unknown more precisely than grid EM96 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15016-USB, Feb 23 at 1552, slowly uttered series of fonetik letters and numbers, without much reverb on this one, the mysterious US military outlet. Resumes? introducing as a ``message of 52 characters follows`` --- Lucks out between the RHC spurblobs, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15630.039, Feb 21 at 1534, weak wobbling carrier. If not a local device, HFCC shows imaginary wooden entry for RSOman at 1400- 1730; even more likely Cairo which supposedly uses 15630 via Abis only at 1300-1400 in Persian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 88.1 MHz approx., Feb 21 at 1750, 1757, 1804, 1811 UT, very fast CW ID ending with R is firing like clockwork every 7 minutes. I notice this since I am trying to listen to my Part 15 FM feeder on 88.1 with input from some TV station I want to hear on a remote radio in the house. Presumably from a local ham repeater on 2 meters, or maybe 6? This has happened before, and I am not sure whether my feeder is involved in this or not, but I haven`t figured out how an IF mix or anything would wind up on this frequency. I haven`t heard it on any other radio tuned to 88.1. Maybe sometime I will be able to copy the ID. There are some towers not far away upon which a repeater may be (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1919: For your hard work (John Spicer, with contribution via paypal to woradio at yahoo.com) One may also contribute by MO or check in US funds on a US bank to: Glenn Hauser, PO Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Glenn, thank you for over 4 decades of information! (Leonard Rooney, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Note from Gilles Letourneau: Thank you Glenn for all you do (also via PayPal) I enjoy listening on 7730 at 19:30 EST Monday Feb 12 from Winterhaven, CA (John Anderson, via PayPal) Thanks also to Jeff Murri, contribution via PayPal (gh) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ RN GH QSL just now posted on ebay --- Glenn, This QSL just now posted: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RADIO-NEDERLAND-QSL-via-BONAIRE-1970-SWL-DX-/142703735533?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255 (Artie Bigley, Feb 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ian McFarland CD Library Freebie Ian McFarland - Former CBC Broadcaster and host-writer of Radio Canada International's English Language Service has worked with me over the years to create a small library of wonderful MP3 Podcasts and radio shows - a lot of stuff from the vaults. We present some of this material here. And it is FREE until February 23rd at 2300 UT! http://www.dxer.ca/index.php/our-stuff/downloads An international broadcast consultant, Ian has worked for the CBC in London office, Radio Canada International as well as a 2 year stint with NHK in Tokyo. Photo Right - Legends of DX! (2 out of 3!) Shawn Axelrod on the left, Ian McFarland in the centre and yours truly (Colin Newell) on the right in Duncan, British Columbia - April 2017 He is also one of the busiest retired people I know - holding down slots at a local "Food bank" - supporting the disadvantaged - as well as being active on a day care center in the community. Ian McFarland lives on Vancouver Island with his wife Mary and they are enjoying a fairly busy retirement indeed! Ian's current online projects include a trio of 2-CD sets (now in MP3 format) of classic Interval Signals, a language recognition course featuring the late Dr. Richard E. Wood... and some "greatest hits" packages from his long and illustrious career with the CBC Foreign Service - -- (Colin Newell - Editor and creator of Coffeecrew.com and DXer.ca - VA7WWV | Twitter @CoffeeCrew | Victoria - Canada, Feb 22, via gh, 2319 UT Feb 22, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Incredibly generous of Colin and Ian to provide these historic materials! Thanks, fellas! (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) Must be a lot of radio listeners out there that I did not know as there is a DELUGE of downloads - Whatever we have done over the passed couple of years - that is how many downloads there has been in the last 8 hours! Amazing how well "FREE" works! 73 everyone. (Newell, 1631 UT Feb 23, WOR iog via DXLD) It`s all over now, but WOR iog members had 24 hours to get them; may still be purchased (gh, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ IRCA Convention, ST CHARLES MO, SEPT 7-8, 2018 The 2018 IRCA convention will be held at the Best Western Plus Charles Inn in St. Charles, MO on September 7 & 8. The hotel is located at 1425 S. Fifth Street in St. Charles, NW of I-70 exit 229B, or the first exit west of the Missouri River, eight miles west of the Lambert St. Louis International Airport. The room rate is $104.99 a night for either a standard king or two queens. The phone number to call the hotel directly to make reservations for that weekend is (636) 946-6936 or toll-free at 1-888-274-0988. When calling to make the reservation, you must mention the code IRCA to get the rate. There is a block of 30 rooms reserved at that rate for each night for your choice of a single or double bed, your choice. Reservations must be made by August 7, 2018. One note, if all the rooms for this block sell out, then the meeting room at the hotel will be complementary. Registration fee is only $25 per person with free breakfast. There will be a tentative radio tour of KCLC FM 89.1 at Lindenwood College in St. Charles as well as another possible radio tour and a possible radio tower visit. Banquet is out of pocket and the place will be announced at a later date, possibly soon. Your host for the convention is Ken Hawkins. You can either email him at StLouisHerdFan@gmail.com or you can call him on this cell phone at (636) 577-4295. Please make your plans and reservations now for the 2018 IRCA convention as this will probably be one of the best! (NRC DX News March 5, published Feb 25, via DXLD) NRC is still looking for someone to host their own con (gh) LANGUAGE LESSONS see also UK; USA: KVOH; VIRGIN ISLANDS US ++++++++++++++++ LAS VEGAS Re: ``Obviously the *other* one in Nevada, not the original Las Vegas in New Mexico. (All NM media should default to LV NM, and have to specify Nevada if it`s the upstart; but an I-40 exit sign to LVNM had to be specified as NM, there in the middle of NM, as stupid enginists were taking it for Nevada). (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) --- Not exactly in the middle of NM. What's an "enginist"? (Harold Frodge, 99crawdads, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Close enough. It`s certainly not near a border. Enginist -- what is commonly referred to as a motorist: http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/industrial/difference-between-engine-and-motor/ Tnx for another Language Lessons item (Glenn to Harold, via DXLD) I'll bet then same people were responsible for changing US-666 (Harold, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; KIRITIMATI; +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ USA: 550 DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See GERMANY; UK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See ETHIOPIA as jamming ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See also CUBA; MEXICO; OKLAHOMA; USA: BBG ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Portable DTVs I still haven't bought a USB tuner, but I am now giving some thought to a portable DTV. I did look at some a couple of years back and, to be brutally honest, none of them seemed that great. Are there currently any good portable DTVs? I am thinking of something 10 inch diagonal screen or less. (jim1348, Feb 19, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) If you can find a Philips PT902 it has a reasonably DX-friendly tuner. I got mine in 2012 and even then it was discontinued. "Too good to last." The market for portable DTVs was a pale shadow of the portable analog market. Battery-powered analog TVs were everywhere, their digital successors were few... and typically pulled from the market after only a few years. My Ocala bandscan is a pretty good demonstration of the PT902: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylQabobWimE ( :: Ryan Grabow :: egrabow.com/dx :: youtube.com/user/egrabow440 Fort Myers FL, ibid.) FCC WILL OPEN APRIL WINDOW FOR AUCTION-DISPLACED LPTVs --- Stations, translators can file for new channels where space is available Written for Broadcasting & Cable by John Eggerton [Feb 9, 2018] Source: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-will-open-april-window-auction-displaced-lptvs/171682 The FCC has set the schedule for low-power TVs and translators displaced in the incentive auction to try and find new channels, including advising stations to identify new channels as close to existing broadcasters as possible, echoing advice from Microsoft, which wants as much of the remaining spectrum used for unlicensed wireless as possible. In a public notice issued Friday (Feb. 9), the FCC's Media Bureau and Incentive Auction Task Force said the "special displacement window" for filing applications for new channels opens April 10 and closes May 15. The FCC also released a study to help stations figure out what new channels will be available in the new, repacked, TV bands. Actually the FCC study identifies channels that won't be available because they are being used by non-displaced LPTVs and translators or full- power TV's or Class A LPVTS, which were protected in the repack. The existing channels of LPTVs and translators were not protected in the congressional legislation that created the auction and necessitated the repack, but those displaced in the process are being given a "space available" option to apply for them. No one is guaranteed a new channel, but the FCC will try to accommodate as many as possible. The application process is not like a musical chairs game, where first last in loses. If there are mutually exclusive applications -- both parties want the same channel or one assignment precludes the other, the FCC will give them a chance to cure it among themselves before designating that license for an auction between the parties. The FCC is also advising those looking for new channels outside the top 40 DMA's to stay close to existing stations "to help provide flexibility in the future." That sounds like the FCC could be looking to free up even more TV spectrum in that flexible future? NAB was vetting the notice at press time and an FCC spokesperson was not available for comment. But Microsoft has been suggesting such language to the FCC as it pushes for as much contiguous white spaces spectrum between TV channels as it can get. In fact, according to a document from the FCC auction docket, the advisory tracks with Microsoft's recommended addition to the notice, except that the confined the advice to markets below top 40, while microsoft wanted it to go to 15 larger markets. Microsoft counsel Paul Margie said in a letter to the commission Feb. 5: "Microsoft recommends that the Commission provide the following guidance to broadcasters participating in the Special Displacement Window for low-power television (“LPTV”) and translator stations: Given the public interest in promoting the efficient use of spectrum, the Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau encourage LPTV and TV translator licensees operating outside of the largest 25 DMAs to select new channels for displaced stations that are adjacent to channels in use by other broadcast television stations. This will preserve spectrum for future uses and allow for maximum flexibility for all stations on a going forward basis. The FCC language was: Given the public interest in promoting the efficient use of spectrum, we encourage LPTV/translator stations operating outside of the largest 40 DMAs to select new channels for displaced stations that are adjacent to channels in use by other broadcast television stations to help provide flexibility in the future. When a station has studied the FCC study datas and identified a channel not in use, and not liable to cause interference to one in, use, it needs to file a construction permit. The FCC is suspending its general freeze on displacement applications, which is what opens the window, and reinstating it at 11:59 p.m. May 15. Stations that don't file in that window will have to wait until the freeze is ultimately lifted. The FCC is trying to limit the number of station facilities changes within the Rubik’s cube of the larger repack of close to a thousand stations. The FCC last month froze minor LPTV facilities changes signaling the displacement window was about to open. Not surprisingly, the LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition is seeking proposals from consulting engineers for displacement studies in advance of the window, preferable at a group rate. "Finally, the day of judgement has arrived for the 1000s displaced by the incentive auction LPTV and TV translators," said Spectrum Rights Coalition Director Mike Gravino "[T]he Public Notice and corresponding FCC data will keep the communications counsel and consulting engineers in business for quite a few months, as this is not an easy issue to understand. Good luck to all which need to file, and remember, this is a collaborative window, and those with the biggest checkbooks will be happy. Thanks Congress!" (via March WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NEW REMOTES in PARAGUAY, BRASIL On KiwiSDR website map three Brazilian/Paraguayan receiver server to be connected < excellent remote rx (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 25, BCDX 27 Feb via DXLD) CALCULATION OF MIRROR CHANNELS OF RADIO RECEIVERS [a.k.a. IMAGES] WEB: http://radiodx.ru/text-015 Intermediate frequencies of radio receivers: 450 kHz - the standard of imported, most often Chinese, radios 455 kHz - the main standard for imported radios 465 kHz - the Soviet standard of intermediate frequency 500 kHz - used in receivers with electromechanical filters (EMF) For those who forgot --- As a rule, modern mass models of radio receivers are based on a superheterodyne scheme with a single frequency conversion. Let's remember how it works. For a better understanding, you should know that most of the circuit of such receivers is an "old and kind" direct amplification receiver! It is an amplifier tuned to a constant radio frequency (455, 465 or 500 kHz), a detector, an audio amplifier (previously referred to as a "low frequency amplifier"), an automatic gain control (AGC) system. All these elements of the circuit are the receiver of direct amplification. Advantages and disadvantages of superheterodyne The circuits tuned to a constant frequency (455, 465 or 500 kHz) provide a good reception bandwidth for the adjacent channel. i.e., the neighboring station is weakened and does not interfere with the reception. And the circuits themselves are tuned once in the factory by the cores of the coils with constant capacitors. An amplifier with such a relatively low frequency is more resistant to self-excitation and provides a good gain. But! The trouble is that very few people will be interested in taking one frequency ... :-) Therefore, a low-power frequency tunable frequency generator, a high- frequency oscillator (the so-called "local oscillator") and a mixer are added to the direct gain receiver, which mixes: a) the signal from the local oscillator and b) signals from the antenna. Sometimes a local oscillator and a mixer are made with just one radio lamp [tube; valve] or one transistor. For us, it is important that as a result of the mixing of signals, the difference in signals is obtained. And when this difference is, say, 465 kHz, the signal is further processed by the direct gain receiver. Note that such receivers are called "superheterodyne" with a single frequency conversion. A constant, let's call it - auxiliary, the frequency of 455, 465 or 500 kHz has a common name - "intermediate frequency (IF)". Which is amplified by an amplifier of intermediate frequency (UHF [sic]). In the simplest version, the UHF is also done on one radio lamp or transistor. For example, the IF in the receiver is 500 kHz. And we want to accept [hear] the station at 1000 kHz. The heterodyne usually works higher in frequency. So, the local oscillator should work at 1000 + 500 = 1500 kHz. For it is with this tuning of the local oscillator that we get the difference of 500 kHz. But, (attention!) The difference in 500 kHz, we get the same when receiving 2000 kHz. For 2000 minus 1500 = 500 kHz. I.e., we set the local oscillator at 1500 kHz, and we simultaneously accept 1000 kHz and 2000 kHz. This so-called. "mirror" channel of reception - curse of superheterodyne receivers. Weaken the DSL with input circuits, tuning them to 1000 kHz. But, given that the input circuits, as a rule, are slightly (1-2, sometimes 3), the mirror channel is not completely attenuated. By the way, the local oscillator has harmonics, which after conversion can also give a difference of 500 kHz. The strongest are the 2nd and 3rd harmonics, these frequencies are exactly 2 and 3 times greater than the fundamental harmonic. This calculator calculates mirror channels up to the 3rd harmonic inclusive. But, if it is necessary to calculate the "mirror" frequencies for other harmonics, or calculations for other IF values will be needed, then write ... The program will be supplemented (Alexander Kravets (RZ6HAP) 73! (RusDX Feb 25 via DXLD) ANTENNA LENGTH - SHORTWAVE RECEIVE ONLY Hi - I have a PAR EF-SWL with the stock 48 foot antenna wire. The advertised benefit of the EF-SWL is the non-resonant length of the wire - so it equally tunes multiple bands (I listen to both the broadcast SW bands and the ham bands) I would like to extend the wire to at 100 feet to zig-zag cross my roof line (I live in a HOA and can't have visible antennas). I am looking for the closest non-resonating length to that at 100 feet. Can anyone please help me calculate that length? Many thanks, (John Dusek, Feb 22, WOR iog via DXLD) ELECTRONICS TRAVEL ADVICE IRCA, I have not traveled with a laptop in some time. I usually take a tablet. I have to fly soon with my laptop. Do you carry on and if so do they want you to fire it up at the security desk? Or do you check it in you suitcase? Any and all advice will be appreciated. I check the radios well packed and padded in my suitcase. You can email me off line so as not to clog the mailing list. Thanks, Steve (Stephen Hawkins NG0G, ng0g@arrl.net, 73 49 111 01001001, Feb 22, IRCA via DXLD) I travel with everything - all electronics carry on - never an issue - always have a copy of your ham license. That always greases the skids. (Colin Newell - Victoria - B.C. CANADA, ibid.) I fly several times a year with a bag full of radios (usually two Tecsun PL380s, five C. Crane Witnesses, etc.), recorders, a DSLR and a laptop. I've never been asked to turn any of them on. Often they don't even open the bag. Having said that - I have TSA PreCheck status tied to my NEXUS border card. I understand there are some new procedures going into place in the non-PreCheck lanes (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) IDENTITY THEFT. A DOG HAS RIGHTS TOO. GET READY FOR A LAUGH. As a member of the WTFDA, I am also a volunteer that works on the WTFDA's FM Database - http://db.wtfda.org In researching FM radio station locations and confirming their broadcast tower locations for that database, I find myself using the Google Maps Street View application, which is similar to being there and getting to see pictures of areas of interest. Something I learned very recently about the Google Maps Street View research team - they use what is called A-R-P-E software for video/photo captures that is received from their mobile car cams. A-R-P-E - an acronym for Auto- Recognition Photo Editing software. A rather complicated software that runs alongside the video/photo frame process for editing purposes. Typically the A-R-P-E is set to automatically recognize people's faces and license plates on automobiles, and in some situations, people that have been caught in compromising situations when the car is passing by (a.k.a. half dressed, nude, etc). As each frame passes through the editing software, it applies a blur mask to those detected pixels, I.E. face and license plate images, complete human bodies. SO, faces are blurred and license plates are blurred. Google doesn't want to get sued for identity theft or revealing something to the public that shouldn't have been. Last year I noticed there are collections of such *picture misses* from the Google Maps Street View cams on YouTube. The story continues. In *driving* the streets in pursuit of radio station studios and towers, one notices such things. Just how good is this A-R-P-E software? On a recent road-trip on the back roads of Mexico, following the route where a Google car went, much to my surprise where dogs were on the side of the road, they had their identity fully protected by Google Map's A-R-P-E software application. Perfectly clear images of the surroundings and even the dogs` bodies - but, but, but - the dogs` faces were completely blurred. Now that I've seen that once, I've seen it over and over. Who would want to steal that dog`s identity??? Who likes to be called a dog anyway? Who wants to be called a dirty dog??? With Google Maps software application, dogs will never have to worry again about another Fido appearing in another state, ordering a dog bone on you know whose collar. Dogs united can thank Google for protecting their identity in the workplace.....uh.....that should be, protecting their identity along the roadside. Last edited by Jim Thomas; 02-28-2018 at 04:38 PM. Reason: xtra info (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Ozark Mountain DTV dxing Daredevil, WTFDA forum via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Unusual Oscillations in Earth's Magnetic Field Space Weather News for Feb. 22, 2018 http://spaceweather.com EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD IS RINGING LIKE A BELL: This morning in Lofoten, Norway, a magnetic observatory picked up unusually pure low- frequency waves rippling around the Arctic Circle. Known as "pulsations continuous" (Pc), these rare magnetic oscillations can energize particles in our planet's magnetosphere, boosting the brightness of auroras. Indeed, strong auroras are being seen right now in Scandinavia. Visit today's edition of Spaceweather.com to learn what caused these Pc waves and to monitor the ongoing display (via Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, playdx2003 yg via DXLD) WTFK? Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period February 23 - March 20, 2018 Geomagnetic field will be: quiet on February 25 - 26, March 1, 6, 10, 12 - 13, 19 - 20, mostly quiet on February 27, March 2, 7, 11, quiet to unsettled on February 23 - 24, March 3, 5, 8, 15 - 16, quiet to active on February 28, March 4, 9, 17 - 18, active to disturbed on March 14. Amplifications of the solar wind from coronal holes: can not be predicted for the period until March 10, but I do not expect any significant upsurge. Then solar wind will intensify on March 18 - 20. Remark: - Parenthesis means lower probability of activity enhancement. - With regard to ongoing changes, current forecasts remains less reliable especially in the first half of March. F. K. Janda, OK1HH (from Czech Propagation Interested Group compiling this geomagnetic activity weekly forecasts since 1978). e-mail: ok1hh(at)rsys.cz http://rsys.cz (via Giampiero Bernardini, Feb 23, playdxyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2018 Feb 26 0308 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 19 - 25 February 2018 Solar activity was very low throughout the summary period. No active regions were observed on the visible disk. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels from 19-26 Feb. A peak flux of 13,500 pfu was observed on 19/2030 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to G1 (Minor) storm levels due to multiple negative coronal hole onsets. Quiet to G1 (Minor) storm levels on 19 Feb were associated with peak wind speeds of just about 550 km/s from a negative polarity CH HSS. The geomagnetic response declined along with solar wind speeds with quiet to unsettled conditions observed on 20 Feb and quiet levels on 21 Feb . A subsequent enhancement in solar wind speeds from another negative polarity CH HSS increased geomagnetic field activity to quiet to active levels on 22 Feb, and further to quiet to G1 (minor) storm levels on 23 Feb, which were also associated with peak wind speeds around 550 km/s. Activity dropped to quiet to unsettled on 24 Feb and completely quiet by 25 Feb as effects from the CH HSS waned. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 26 FEBRUARY - 24 MARCH 2018 Solar activity is expected to be very low throughout the forecast period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 26-28 Feb and 18-24 Mar due to elevated wind speeds from multiple coronal holes. Moderate levels are anticipated on 15 Mar and the remainder of the forecast period is expected to be at normal levels. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 26 Feb and 18 Mar. Active levels are expected on 14 Mar, 16-17 Mar, 21 Mar and 22 Mar. Unsettled levels are expected on 27 Feb, 15 Mar, and 23-24 Mar. Quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the forecast period. All elevations in geomagnetic activity are anticipated due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2018 Feb 26 0308 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 2018-02-26 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2018 Feb 26 68 24 5 2018 Feb 27 68 12 3 2018 Feb 28 70 5 2 2018 Mar 01 75 5 2 2018 Mar 02 78 5 2 2018 Mar 03 78 5 2 2018 Mar 04 78 5 2 2018 Mar 05 78 5 2 2018 Mar 06 78 5 2 2018 Mar 07 78 5 2 2018 Mar 08 78 5 2 2018 Mar 09 78 5 2 2018 Mar 10 78 5 2 2018 Mar 11 78 5 2 2018 Mar 12 78 5 2 2018 Mar 13 75 5 2 2018 Mar 14 72 10 4 2018 Mar 15 70 8 3 2018 Mar 16 68 12 4 2018 Mar 17 68 15 4 2018 Mar 18 68 18 5 2018 Mar 19 68 5 2 2018 Mar 20 68 5 2 2018 Mar 21 68 12 4 2018 Mar 22 68 15 4 2018 Mar 23 68 10 3 2018 Mar 24 68 8 3 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1919, DXLD) LOOKING FOR METEOR SCATTER INFORMATION Quick intro: Nick from Victoria, BC, Canada. Primary interest is the propagation of MW broadcast signals over long distances, preferably across oceans, and of course identifying and logging stations that propagate that far. So, why join a forum primarily interested in much higher frequencies than medium wave? A former work associate of mine is a physicist who knows about some of the signal strength recording that I do of long distance propagation of medium wave broadcasters, and, having an interest himself in observing meteor showers, asked me a propagation related question. He knows that that at one time there was a commercial operation that used meteor scatter to transfer small amounts of data to distant points in Canada. He was wondering if anyone has determined the density of meteor showers by recording the presence of, or possibly signal strengths of, meteor scatter effects upon long distance receptions of commercial broadcasts on FM or TV. We did find a couple of interesting web links, including a very detailed science fair project, but has anybody on the group done anything like this, or knows of someone who has? Plus a question from me that came out of the discussion with him. Do you see frequency effects when DXing meteor scatter? For example, meteor scatter in one portion of the FM band, but not another? Thanks for any pointers anyone can offer. best wishes (Nick Hall- Patch, BC, Feb 25, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) UPCOMING METEOR SHOWERS Lyrids Active from April 16th to April 25th, 2018 Peak night: Apr 21-22 2018 Eta Aquariids Active from April 19th to May 26th, 2018 Peak night: May 6-7 2018 DATA FROM THE AMERICAN METEOR SOCIETY http://amsmeteors.org (via March WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) ###