DX LISTENING DIGEST 18-40, October 1, 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 1950 contents: Armenia, Australia, Brasil, Canada, Chad non, China, Colombia, Cuba, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, India and non, Italy, Japan, Kurdistan non, Kuwait and non, México, Nepal, Netherlands non, Perú, Sikkim, South Carolina non, Tibet non, USA; receivers; and the propagation outlook. SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1950, October 2-8, 2018 Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 [confirmed] Tue 0100 WRMI 9955 [confirmed --- NEW!] Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Wed 1030 WRMI 5950 Wed 2100 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v [confirmed] Sat 0630 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [not last 2 weeks] Sat 1231 WINB 9265 via Unique Radio Sat 1431 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [not last 2 weeks] Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sun 0310v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [not last 2 weeks] Sun 2130 WRMI 7780 9955 Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v-AM Area 51 Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 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. NEWISH! DX LISTENING DIGEST IN PDF, HTML VERSIONS Jacques Champagne in Ville-Marie, Québec, has developed programs to convert DXLD .txt into PDF and HTML versions for his own use, and now has made them available to the rest of us. Starting with 18-24, they have been posted as attachments to the WOR iog. He says it takes about an hour to do this, once each issue is published. Merci, Jacques! (gh) Thanks also to Jacques for assisting with formatting of .txt original ** AFGHANISTAN. 6100, R. Afghanistan. In English on 30/8 from 1531 with news, folk music, comment for J. Bolton, at 1552 the song “Voyage, Voyage”, s/off at 1556 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi antenna), Australian DX News via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Received e-QSL for receiving Karakalpak service "TWR Europe", of 864 kHz, via CJSC Yerevan Gavar site. Report was sent to: (Ivan Zelenyi-Nizhnevartovsk-RUS, hcdx / RUSdx Sept 20 via BC-DX 27 Sept via DXLD) Wolfgang Bueschel to Prof. Dr. Hansjoerg Biener on Sept 20: {...} gibt es zu diesem TWR Karakalpak program via CJSC Yerevan Gavar Armenia oder ueberhaupt in history etwas Hintergund Information, die Du mir mitteilen kannst ? Dank im voraus an Dich. (wb, wwdxc) Religious broadcasts in Karakalpak. In "Medien aktuell: Kirche im Rundfunk" 100-101 (February-March 2002y), I mentioned a "new studio" of Trans World Radio in Central Asia, which was to produce Christian programmes in Central Asian languages including Karakalpak as a new language. In "Medien aktuell - Kirche im Rundfunk" 110-111 (March-April 2003y), I give a summer schedule of TWR from CJSC Yerevan Gavar Armenia, which includes Karakalpak: 1610-1825 UT: 864 kHz (1000 kW), 5855 kHz (100 kW), including Karakalpak on Fridays 1625-1640 hrs UT. Unfortunately, I have no coloured TWR schedules for those years but only black and white lists issued back then which did not normally list the Central Asian target. The seasonal schedule for "28 Oct 2001-30 Mar 2002" did include a schedule for Central Asia, which has no Karakalpak programmes yet. "Karakalpakstan (Karakalpak: Qaraqalpaqstan), officially the Republic of Karakalpakstan (Karakalpak: Qaraqalpaqstan Respublikas) is an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan. It occupies the whole northwestern end of Uzbekistan", bordering the Aral Sea. "The population of Karakalpakstan is estimated to be around 1.7 million, and in 2007y it was estimated that about 400,000 of the population are of the Karakalpak ethnic group, 400,000 are Uzbeks, and 300,000 are Kazakhs." "The Karakalpak language is considered closer to Kazakh than to Uzbek. The language was written in a modified Cyrillic in Soviet times and has been written in the Latin alphabet since 1996y." (Prof. Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 22, via BC-DX 27 Sept via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. 2200 m VK Beacon on Air --- The Caboolture Radio Club is proud to announce the commencement of operation of a new Beacon Station on the 2200 m band. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has granted permission for continuous operation of a Beacon on 137.444 kHz - Details: Callsign: VK4RBC Location: Caboolture, Queensland, Australia Maidenhead: QG62lw Frequency: 137.444 kHz Mode: WSPR2 (6H00F1D) plus CW Ident Power: 1 Watt EIRP Antenna: 500m Long Wire, 40m max height TX %: 50 % Status: On Air In the gaps between transmission, the station will report all WSPR decodes to Link. There are many beacons on 2200m operated by individuals like WH2XND [Phœnix AZ]. This beacon is a little different. It is an official beacon specifically licensed as such by the Australian Government. The first to be granted permission to operate below 28 MHz. It has been given the frequency 137.444 only. It cannot change frequency. It cannot make QSOs. It operates 24/7 and must be reliable, so that anyone can check their station at any time. It also receives, which is unusual for a beacon. Last night it got its first decodes of WH2XND, so its receiver is working well using that great long wire as the antenna for Tx and Rx. With WH2XND also reliable, we will now see exactly how good the path from USA to VK really is on 2200 m. Information sourced from the 600 m mailing list and Roger, VK4YB, President Caboolture Radio Club (via WIA News via Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Scandinavian DXer Martti Karimies asked John Sandles of NSW regional operator Grant Broadcasters about their plan to move from AM to FM. He responded that most regional AM stations are set to convert to FM in the next few years. The state of Tasmania will be the first to go in early 2019, followed by New South Wales, then South Australia sometime in 2020 (DXing.Info Facebook page via Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Well-known Norwegian DXer Bjarne Mjelde recently heard 6PNN ABC Newsradio on 1152 from Bunbury West Australia. An audio file was sent off to the v/s who confirmed that it matched their off-air logger. He further explained that the BBC service they relay is specially provided by the BBC from New Zealand. It is often different to World Service and has different latency, so even when the programme content is the same as World Service, they are readily identifiable (via DXing.info Facebook page via Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. AM to FM conversion - 6MM, 1116, Mandurah WA is already testing on 91.7 FM (The Wave) & will officially launch Oct 1st. After a simulcast period, the AM will be switched off. via mediaspy (Geoff Wolfe (Numeralla NSW Australia), Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Very good DU conditions into IL --- This may have been the best morning ever for DU DX here during what has been a dud of a season compared to last year. Audios on quite a few channels and some that are new for me like 549 and 882 and 747 and others I may find when I replay. Stunning best ever level from 4QR 612 with news at 1203. Sunrise here was 1150 and stuff lasted longer past it than usual. 73 KAZ Barrington IL Perseus and DKAZ due west (Neil Kazaross, 1242 UT Oct 1, nrc-am gg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio 4KZ, 5055 kHz – presumed to be the one here from 1112 fade-in to 1145 fade-out. Poor signal, deep in the noise. Could hear pop vocals, then a male announcer at 1127, and back to pop vocals. I wasn’t able to discern any actual words, or even be sure of the language. Hoping for better tomorrow! (Art Delibert, North Bethesda, MD, 9/29/18, Drake R8B receiver, North-facing pennant antenna with a DX Engineering pre-amp, HCDX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 18-39: [WOR] ABC sacks Michelle Guthrie as Managing Director --- Three more stories about this: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-6200861/Guthries-Hunger-Games-legacy-ABC.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-6201479/Sacked-ABC-boss-considers-legal-options.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-6202803/Search-begins-new-ABC-boss.html (via Mike Cooper, Sept 25, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Sacked Guthrie's Tumultuous Journey at ABC 11:18am Sep 24, 2018 TIMELINE OF MICHELLE GUTHRIE, ABC MANAGING DIRECTOR: * March 2016: Former media lawyer and Google executive Michelle Guthrie takes over from Mark Scott as the ABC's managing director. Liberal senator Eric Abetz says she will have to end the "lefty love-in" at the public broadcaster. * October 2016: Ms Guthrie, at a Senate estimates hearing, rejects suggestions made in an opinion piece by former ABC presenter Johnathan Holmes that the public broadcaster is biased towards the left. * February 2017: Both sides of politics criticise Ms Guthrie over a decision to switch off the ABC's shortwave radio service in the Northern Territory and parts of the Pacific. She insists in a Senate hearing the ABC would still be broadcast via FM and AM frequencies, the viewer access satellite television (VAST) service and online in the areas. * March 2017: The ABC boss announces sweeping changes at the ABC, including axing a fifth of management, spending millions worth of savings on making new content and beefing up the broadcaster's presence in regional Australia. * November 2017: Ms Guthrie reveals a plan to dismantle the divide between the public broadcaster's TV, radio and online divisions to instead create content across all platforms. * May 8, 2018: The ABC boss lashes out at federal budget cuts to the broadcaster, saying a proposed $84 million hit can't be absorbed by efficiency measures alone. Related Articles [sidebar linx] Adelaide residents could save hundreds by accessing council grants Malcolm Turnbull says Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott are 'miserable, miserable ghosts' Morrison promises to 'lock in' GST changes * May 24, 2018: Calls for ABC to reconsider its advertising spending, after it was revealed in Senate estimates it had spent $440,000 on Google Ad Words and $1.4 million in Facebook advertising during the year. * June 2018: Ms Guthrie rejects calls from within the Liberal party to privatise the public broadcaster, saying the commercial media sector doesn't need a new "advertising behemoth". * August 2018: The ABC faces calls to justify its plans to create new digital lifestyle-focused projects, with free-to-air TV lobby group FreeTV saying lifestyle is "one of the most comprehensively covered market segments in Australian media". * September 2018: Ms Guthrie is sacked, with the board declaring it is "not in the best interests" of the broadcaster for her to continue in the role (AAP via Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Gaven Morris: ABC's independence is our most precious asset By Director of News, Analysis and Investigations Gaven Morris Updated September 26, 2018 18:58:15 ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-26/abc-independence-is-our-most-precious-asset-gaven-morris/10308744 Gaven Morris addresses a crowd from the stage Photo: ABC's Director of News, Analysis and Investigations Gaven Morris. (AAP: Joel Carrett) Related Story: Milne defies ABC staff calls to stand aside as Minister launches inquiry Related Story: ABC chairman tried to stop triple j moving date of Hottest 100, sources confirm Related Story: Alberici says claims ABC chairman wanted her sacked are 'distressing' Today, the Australian public has asked to be reassured that the ABC's independence is protected. It has been and it always will be. Australia's public broadcaster acts only in the interests of the Australian public and our independence is our most precious asset. Justin Milne speaks at a podium during an evening function. Photo: ABC Chairman Justin Milne reportedly requested Michelle Guthrie fire Emma Alberici to appease the Turnbull government. (ABC News: Marco Catalano) How does management protect independence? The current furore raises very important questions about what the ABC's legislated independence means and how its management, editorial leaders, journalists and other content makers put it into practice. The ABC Act quite clearly states that it is a duty of the board "to maintain the independence and integrity of the Corporation". The act also requires the board to ensure that the ABC's reporting is "accurate and impartial" and that policies and processes are in place to guarantee independence and impartiality. Management's role is to implement those policies without fear or favour. Nothing is more important than ensuring that stories are accurate and editorial decisions are independent and impartial. We are here to serve the public interest and absolutely no other interests. Emma Alberici's response The senior ABC journalist says reports chairman Justin Milne told former managing director Michelle Guthrie to sack her after criticism from the Government are "disappointing if true". Protecting our journalists from influence ABC journalists, producers and content makers are under constant external pressure from politicians of all stripes and vested interests. No-one feels that more than the Director of News and others in senior management. Our role is to ensure journalists are protected from those political and sectional interests, while simultaneously ensuring that stories are not influenced by journalists' own personal or political interests. The ABC has the highest editorial standards of any Australian media organisation. What's expected of content makers is clearly set out in the editorial policies and there is a rigorous and independent complaints process to review content when the inevitable complaints roll in. While journalists do, and should, refer difficult decisions to management, we expect them to take responsibility for their editorial decisions. We also expect them to be bold and courageous in their journalism. In return they expect us to defend them from interference and undue influence. Nothing matters more than the public's trust in the integrity of our journalism (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Head Of Australian Broadcasting Corp. Quits Amid Editorial Independence 'Firestorm' September 27, 2018 5:25 AM ET Scott Neuman [illustrated, with embedded linx; not audio on this page?] https://www.npr.org/2018/09/27/652067686/head-of-australian-broadcasting-corp-quits-amid-editorial-independence-firestorm Former ABC chairman Justin Milne leaves the ABC studios in Sydney after resigning his chairmanship on Thursday. Mick Tsikas/AAP via Reuters [caption] The chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has stepped down amid allegations that he ordered the firing of journalists deemed too critical of the government. Justin Milne resigned his post as the head of the independent, government-funded network after "his board turned against him and staff threatened to walk off the job," The Sydney Morning Herald reports. In May, Milne reportedly emailed ABC's managing director, Michelle Guthrie, insisting that Emma Alberici, the network's chief economics correspondent, be fired after complaints about her coverage from then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. "They [the government] hate her," Milne reportedly wrote. "We are tarred with her brush. I think it's simple. Get rid of her," Milne wrote to Guthrie, according to Fairfax Media. "We need to save the ABC - not Emma. There is no guarantee they [Turnbull's Coalition] will lose the next election." Milne and Turnbull, who was ousted amid inter-party wrangling in August, are described by Australian media as "long-term [friends]." Separately, another publisher reports that Milne had also ordered the firing of ABC's political editor, Andrew Probyn, due to government criticism. Guthrie reportedly resisted pressure to get rid of the two journalists. Turnbull, who has been living in New York since being forced to resign as prime minister, said he had complained about the two journalists, but never asked for their dismissal, according to The Associated Press. "The bottom line is I've never called for anybody to be fired," he told reporters in New York. "My concern has been on the accuracy and impartiality of reporting." On Thursday, Milne, a former executive at Australian telecom giant Telstra, described the recent reports as a "firestorm" and said he decided to quit because he "wanted to provide a release valve" for the network. However, he has denied any wrongdoing. Asked Thursday in an interview with ABC if his resignation was an acknowledgement of a failure to protect the network's independence, Milne responded: "Absolutely 100 percent not." "In fact I feel that the interests of the ABC have always been uppermost in my mind," he said. "There was absolutely no interference in the independence of the ABC by the Government," he insisted in the interview. "Nobody from the Government has ever rung me and told me what to do in relation to the ABC." The day before his resignations, Milne fired Guthrie, ABC's first female managing director, saying that the board of directors had determined it was in the network's best interests to let her go. Guthrie said her termination was not justified and that she was considering legal options. "At all times I have promoted the ABC's importance to the community, including having to defend and protect the ABC's independence," she said, according to ABC. According to the AP, "The conservative coalition has long complained of a leftist bias in ABC reporting. But center-left governments have also complained of unbalanced reporting in the past." Australia's new prime minister, Scott Morrison, tweeted on Thursday that the decision by Milne to step down was "the right call." Speaking with reporters earlier, Morrison described the allegations against Milne as "very concerning," according to the AP. However, he added, "the idea that the government has somehow got some list and is telling the ABC who should work there and who shouldn't - that's complete rubbish." (via John Lyon, MDXC yg via DXLD) Chairman ousted as Australia's public TV hit by politics scandal 27 Sep 2018 https://www.afp.com/en/news/23/chairman-ousted-australias-public-tv-hit-politics-scandal-doc-19h79g3 [INLINE] AFP / Saeed KHAN The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is incredibly popular Down Under Australia's much-loved public broadcaster scrambled to safeguard its hard-won reputation for impartiality Thursday, forcing out a chairman accused of intervening in news coverage to please the government. Top executive Justin Milne told the ABC he would step down, after the institution's board held crisis talks in Sydney and the government announced an inquiry into his actions. According to leaked emails, Milne unsuccessfully pressed for the sacking of two senior reporters over coverage that did not please his friend, Malcolm Turnbull, then the prime minister of the current centre-right government. Milne on Thursday told the ABC the crisis had been a "firestorm" and said he "wanted to provide a release valve". The almost century-old Australian Broadcasting Corporation is incredibly popular Down Under, with polls showing it is not just the most trusted news organisation in the country, but also seen as a national treasure. ABC journalists demanded Milne go on when the revelations became public on Wednesday. Initially the Liberal Party-led government stopped short of publicly forcing that move, announcing that its Department of Communications would conduct an inquiry "to establish the facts in these matters". After appearing to be on the fence, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the ABC and Milne had "made the right call" in changing leadership. "Time for the ABC to resume normal transmission, both independently and without bias. That is what Australia's taxpayers pay for and deserve," he said. Acting centre-left opposition leader Tanya Plibersek demanded an independent investigation into what happened. "The ABC is not the propaganda arm of the Liberal party of Australia. It is our national broadcaster. Australians love their ABC. They are, rightly, very protective of its integrity and independence." Milne did not directly address the allegations in a written statement, but insisted the board had worked to ensure the independence, interests and continued funding of the organisation. Around 70 percent of Australians want a strong ABC, despite government spending cuts and daily withering criticism from its commercial rivals -- who baulk at what they see as unfair competition from the taxpayer-funded behemoth. The current crisis began with the unceremonious ouster earlier this week of ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie, reportedly pushed out by Milne due to her poor relations with Canberra and a range of internal managerial missteps. But her departure was followed by a wave of alarming leaks about Milne's conduct and his closeness with the Liberal government. The tumult has prompted handwringing about the future of the public broadcaster and raised questions about whether the board should be replaced wholesale. It has also prompted questions about the ramifications of Australia's bareknuckle politics, with its frequent backstabbing. "It's about a civic culture that is slowly falling apart: a political class with fewer civic boundaries, less concerned with the independence of institutions, and a muscular intolerance of dissent," politics lecturer Waleed Aly wrote. 27 Sep 2018 (via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035 kHz, Bhutan (BBS), with only QRM from N. Korea jamming of Voice of Freedom on 6045; from 1120 UT till suddenly cut off at 1145*; announcers in English; clearly no FM99 relay via PBS Yunnan again today (Ron Howard, California, Sept 25, WOR iog via DXLD) 6035, Bhutan (BBS), with only QRM from N. Korea jamming of Voice of Freedom on 6045; from 1103 UT till suddenly cut off at 1144*; yesterday`s observation "announcers in English," I now believe to be incorrect; by 1140 today, am fairly sure was in vernacular, not English, as couldn't make out any English words. A change in their schedule? In the past 1100-1200 UT was always in English and also playing some pop songs, whereas today was just a non-stop long winded discussion in vernacular; reception today much better than yesterday; FM99 relay via PBS Yunnan definitely silent again today. Needs more monitoring, especially now with Yunnan off the air (Ron Howard, Sept 26, ibid.) [non-log]. 6035, BBS, 1050+, Sept 27. Clearly no signal at all from BBS today; another day with no FM99 relay via PBS Yunnan; only hearing the jamming spur from N. Korea (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. It never ceases to amaze me when I can hear a station on the tropical bands these days. There was a time, back in the 1980s where, as we approached solar minimum, true DXers were not that concerned as it meant that the tropical bands would be alive with stations. Unfortunately, those days are long gone and there are just a few stations on the tropical bands compared to the heyday of shortwave listening and those that remain are difficult to receive with the EMI and RFI inherent with modern life. All loggings in English unless otherwise specified. All times and dates in UT. 3310, Radio Mosoj Chaski tentatively at 0947 in presumed Quechua with a man and woman with talk and into a local hymn at 0950 – Very weak and noisy Sept 30 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9819.127 kHz, R. 9 de Julho, Brazil in Portuguese language, and terrible QRM of 880 Hertz interference tone apart distance against CNR2 on 9820 kHz of Xian Baoji site in China. Heard at 2235 UT on Sept 28 at S=6 or -83dBm signal level. 9725.302, odd fq signal of R. Evangelicar in Portuguese, male talk program at 2250 UT on Sept 28, S=8 or -81dBm strength. 9664.875, R. Voz Missionária heard with talk by male in Portuguese, at 2252 UT on Sept 28, S=8 or -81dBm signal. 9630.528, R. Aparecida; male Portuguese lang voice, S=9+5dB or -72dBm strength at 2238 UT on Sept 28. 9550.062, R. Boa Vontade, poor S=7 or -89dBm on threshold level, at 2257 UT Sept 28. (Wolfgang Bueschel, remote SDR reception on 31 mb, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2235 to 2325 UT Sept 28, All heard in remote SDR unit - with '10dB' audio switch selection - at VE6JY's installation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Thanks, Don! [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. News: Rádio Pig Rock 6250 kHz --- Other new broadcasting is ON this moment 1438 UT 30 September 2018 from city Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. Name is Rádio Pig Rock for 50 Watts 73 (Daniel Wyllyans, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. News: Rádio Global Hits in 9835 kHz Day 29 September "Estamos ajeitando o PC e a programação da global hits" . Fábio (Daniel Wyllyans, Brasil, Sept 27, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Rádio Global Hits, 9835 kHz Ondas Curtas está no ar nesse momento; o proprietário faz testes; veja no vídeo: https://youtu.be/loh0mOeEip4 (Daniel Wyllyans, PT9008SWL 1335 UT 30 Sept, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. Welcome for 9925 kHz, Rádio Serra do Roncador, Nova Xavantina MT In Octuber. https://youtu.be/J4v1ElM9Xlw (via Daniel Wyllyans, Sept 27, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. News: In Octuber 9000 kHz 14745 kHz 21457 kHz Breve... Em Outubro começam os testes da Rádio Pirâmide 9.000 MHz - 33 metros - 14.745 MHz - 20 metros - 21.457 MHz - 13 metros - Desde: Goiânia Goiás Brasil (Daniel Wyllyans, Brasil, Sept 27, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. News: In October, Rádio Fronteira, 10240, Cabedelo, Paraíba "Talvez até na segunda feira entro no ar" Emanuel (Daniel Wyllyans, Brasil, Sept 27, hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. News: Rádio Baixada 10250 kHz Daniel Wyllyans: O nome da Rádio Ondas Curtas do amigo e frequência? Valdenis - Dexista: "Final de outubro vou ativar. Te informo quando entra no ar. Vai ser nos fins de semana das 19hs as 22hs" Valdenis - Dexista: "Radio Baixada PB 10250 khz" Valdenis - Dexista: "É 12w" (Daniel Wyllyans, Sept 28, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. LISTA EMISSORAS LIVRES ONDAS CURTAS DO BRASIL 2018 Aqui a maioria são emissoras LIVRES. São ONGs (Sem fins lucrativos e sem comerciais). (Também não tem ourtugas). Por outro lado também tem as outras (Piratas mesmo) aqui nessa lista as que passam comerciais, emite em banda de radioamador, com fins de lucro ou que empatam outras emissoras de ondas curtas. 5070 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies . Outros Testes irregular em: 6370 kHz, 9290 kHz, 11485 kHz, 14915 kHz. 5970 kHz Rádio Scalla FM (Testes regular) 6250 kHz Rádio Pig Rock 6985 kHz Rádio GBA (Muitos testes) 7166 kHz Rádio Susseso AM (Testes) 7676 kHz Rádio Pink Panther (Testes) 7800 kHz Rádio Cachoeiras (Testes irregular) 8000 kHz Rádio Casa (24 Horas) 8005 kHz Rádio Litoral Norte (Em outubro) 8005 kHz "Paulo Rádio" (Raro testes) 8065 kHz Rádio Rock (Testes regular) 8470 kHz Rádio Contraste (Teste Raro) 8095 kHz Rádio Máxima (Testes irregular) Outros testes irregular em: 6940 kHz 9000 kHz Rádio Pirâmide (Em outubro) Também em: 14745 kHz e 21457 kHz 9290 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies (Testes regular) 9835 kHz Rádio Global Hits (Em 29 Setembro) 9925 kHz Rádio Serra do Roncador (Em outubro) 10240 kHz Rádio Fronteira (Em outubro) 10250 kHz Rádio Baixada PB (Testes em Novembro) 12290 kHz Rádio Mundial (Raros testes) FREQUÊNCIAS INATIVAS OFF OU TESTE DE CRISTAL: 4900 kHz Rádio Comunidade das Gerais (Ano de 2004) 5010 kHz Rádio Comunidade das Gerais (Ano de 2004) 5050 kHz Rádio Solar (Anos 2000) 5825 kHz Rádio Pig Rock 6050 kHz Rádio Pig Rock 6200 kHz Rádio Pig Rock 6400 kHz Rádio Tury 6905 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 6936 kHz Rádio Saxofone 7605 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 7790 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 6000 kHz Rádio Fronteira 8000 kHz Rádio Fronteira 8000 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 8005 kHz Yellow Radio 8082 kHz Rádio Máxima 8165 kHz Rádio Máxima 8815 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies [sic; out of order?] 8645 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies [sic; out of order?] 9215 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 9925 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 10640 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 10730 kHz Rádio Mundial 9605 kHz Rádio Transmissão Experimental [sic; out of order?] 12000 kHz Rádio Paulo 12286 kHz Rádio Univates 13505 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 13510 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies 16005 kHz Rádio Cidade Oldies OUTRAS NÃO IDENTIFICADAS UNID 2410 kHz UNID 6918 kHz UNID 7140 kHz UNID 8118 kHz UNID 6920 kHz UNID 6945 kHz UNID 7158 kHz UNID 7200 kHz UNID 7535 kHz UNID 7810 kHz UNID 73 Daniel Wyllyans Nova Xavantina MT Brasil Agradecimentos para outros que ajudaram em alguma informação nessa lista: Jonas, Denis, Everton, Paulo, Fábio e William *Fotos:* (Daniel Wyllyans, MT, Sept 30, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ATUALIZAÇÃO: Atenção impressa DX e leitores, nós atualizamos nosso link: o proprietário da Rádio CidadeOldies gostaria que os novos logs e divulgação seja assim: Rádio CidadeOldies. CIDADEOLDIES Juntos. É sua nova marca de sua estação. https://dxbrazilsw.blogspot.com/2018/09/lista-emissoras-livres-ondas-curtas-do.html?m=1 (Wyllyans, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. 10000, BRASIL, PPE (Observatório Nacional, Rio de Janeiro) presumed the one at 2240 in Portuguese with time pips every ten seconds and a man with announcements – Weak but audible under WWV Sept 26 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11780, Sept 25 at 0330, RNA is off; Mark Coady hears it after 1100 and thinx it may be back to 24/7 but I think it still stops circa 0300 = local midnite; and I never hear it on my bedtime bandscans circa 0600. So when does it sign on? There are also reports that it takes a mid-day break (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11780, Radio Nacional da Amazonia at 2225 in Portuguese with lively Brasopops and Brazilian ballads and a male DJ with mentions of “Brasil” and “Radio Nacional” and “Radio Nacional” singing IDs to OC from 2240 to 2241 and a man with a full “Radio Nacional da Amazonia” ID and frequencies and other Radio Nacional IDs and frequencies and a promo and into ranchero-like vocals at 2243 then more Brasopops and Brazilian ballads and into a number of IDs and promos at 2300 - Very Good Sept 29 – Regardless of whether their schedule is 1100 to 0300, as opposed to 24 hours, it's nice to hear their mix of Brasopops, Brazilian ballads, and ranchero-like vocals (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) Agreed! (gh) ** CANADA. This year I again received the list of Canadian AM radio stations to check for the NRC AM Radio Log. I did notice something rather quickly. That was that there were fewer stations yet again to update. There were only 232 lines of stations to proofread for changes. I looked back through the years and found this: 2011 - 329 stations, 2012 - 317, 2013 - 300, 2014 - 276, 2015 - 261, 2016 - 256, 2017 - 245, 2018 - 232 stations. This does not bode well for AM radio in Canada (Shawn Axelrod, MB, via DXing.info Facebook Page via Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) A 30% reduction in 7 years! (Bryan Clark, ed., ibid.) ** CANADA. 740, CFZN, "Zoomer Radio", ON Toronto with "Red Skelton" show (he did Cletus!) and legal ID at ToH and then into what I tuned in to hear: the "Stardust" show. This is GOOD stuff from the Big Band era through about 1965. Lots of classic jazz standards and "American Songbook" stuff that just doesn't get the airtime it deserves. Add to that the fact that "Ziggy" has a nice, no SULTRY, voice, and they take some care to keep things technically tuned up and don't overplay ads, and you get good radio. I opened it up to 15 kHz bandwidth tonight, and it just sounds superb. The waveform filled pretty much everything from 730 to 750 and it sounds just wonderful on an old radio too. I don't know if they have some 'special permission' to broadcast such a wide band-width, but it sure shows off how nice AM can sound when done right! Cuts included Frank S "Luck be a Lady Tonight" and Nancy Wilson's "When Sunny Gets Blue" and Anne Murray "Dream a Little Dream of Me". OK, that one was recorded in the 2000s but still, it is part of the 'great American songbook'! Into “Midnight Blue” with Ziggy after 0400 with a show about sex. As she described in the intro, because ‘sex can be fun, even with other people’. Songs included Eddie Cantor with "Making Woopie" and a Borsht Belt singer whose name I didn't recognize with "Making Wiki Waki down in Waikiki". Lots of similar 'old' songs about love and sex. I think my favourite was a 1933 tune "I'm going to Give it to Mary With Love" by Cliff Edwards. Too funny. Also had the Marilyn Monroe/Franke Vaughan "Let's Make Love" which had the lyric "Prove that you don't hate me / Come on, osculate me." They don't make songs like that any more! ;) 55555 if you narrow the bandwidth to 7k and just a TITCH of splatter from 730 and 750 widened up, but it is so slight, that it is worth widening the band-width anyway! S9+15 to S9+40 dB the whole time. 0255-0420 22/Sep SDRplay +SDRuno +Randomwire -- the signal was so strong that I didn't need the ANC-4. I also went to get a snack and turned on the 1934 RCA Console that lives in my entry and it also sounded great even with my ’10 feet of wire on the floor’ antenna! --(Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. This Artist Made a Radio Out of a Kitchen Sink --- Amanda Dawn Christie’s work commemorates the fading glory of shortwave radio By Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum [illustrated!] 27 Sep 2018 | 19:00 GMT https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/profiles/this-artist-made-a-radio-out-of-a-kitchen-sink Photo: Vincent Lafrance Artful Airwaves: Amanda Dawn Christie, pictured with her radio cello. Some artists work in oils, say, or marble. Amanda Dawn Christie works in radio. Not radio in the sense of performing on air. But radio in the sense of the giant cultural and technological phenomenon that is broadcasting, and specifically shortwave broadcasting. For decades, shortwave was the only way to reach a global audience in real time. Broadcasters such as the BBC World Service and Voice of America used it to project “soft power.” But as the Internet grew, interest in shortwave diminished. Christie’s art draws from shortwave’s history, representing it in sculpture, performance, photography, and film. Her focus is the life of the Radio Canada International (RCI) transmitter complex, located in Sackville, New Brunswick, near Christie’s hometown. The transmitter was in operation from the 1940s until 2012. “Those towers were always just a part of the landscape that I grew up around,” says Christie. It took a radio-building workshop to spark her interest: “I built a radio out of a toilet-paper tube.... I thought I did a great job because I picked up Italian radio. It turned out I did not—I was just really close to this international shortwave site.” She began talking to locals about the complex. “Some people would hear the radio in their sink, or their fridge.... I was jealous because my sink didn’t play the radio,” she says. Research led her to the rusty bolt effect, in which corroded metal acts as a radio diode, something that engineers normally strive to prevent. “I thought, ‘My gosh, if there’s instructions on how to stop this, I should be able to reverse engineer and create it.’ ” This led to The Marshland Radio Plumbing Project, in which Christie attached a sink to a long loop of copper pipe, with a wonky solder joint as the diode. She took it to the salt marsh surrounding the RCI transmitters and got to know the engineers on-site: “We looked at topographical maps to see where I could take the sink and at what time it would be likely to pick up a signal.” Christie’s sink radio turned out to be about 40 meters too short in the pipe department, but soon she was hearing all kinds of stories about RCI from neighbors. For example, “in the 1950s, there were two dairy farms, [and anytime there was a broadcast to Africa] their lights would come on, not all the way, but just sort of glow,” she says. Christie began recording these stories, which led to her next major radio-inspired work, a 2016 film called Spectres of Shortwave. The film is made up mostly of the recordings played over footage of the RCI site’s 13 masts. photo Photo: Amanda Dawn Christie --- Radio in the Reeds: Amanda Dawn Christie is also the creator of a sink designed to pick up shortwave. Christie also began using contact microphones to record the sounds of the masts vibrating in the wind. These droning tones were filtered to create a musical scale. The masts were finally demolished in 2014, and at the end of Spectres of Shortwave, Christie uses these drones as an affecting chorus that gradually stills as each mast falls. The unusual nature of Spectres of Shortwave has meant that Christie has had difficulty showing it. “It’s too experimental for mainstream festivals, and it’s too narrative for experimental festivals!” she says ruefully. (Readers in Montreal between 15 November 2018 and 26 January 2019 can catch screenings at the Dazibao art center.) The tower sounds led to performances. For Requiem for Radio: Pulse Decay, Christie plays a theremin rigged to sound the different drones and trigger images of the masts. This solo piece was also incorporated into a complex, three-person 2017 performance called Requiem for Radio: Full Quiet Flutter. Although the RCI site is gone, Christie’s art is still focused on radio waves: “I just built a cello that has a loop antenna and AM transmitter instead of a resonating body. I’m looking forward to refining it and composing music for it.” This article appears in the October 2018 print issue as “The Radio Elegist.” (via Artie Bigley, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. SHF Geo-stationary Satellite stuff: (Frequencies in GHz) Television: 107.3°W Anik-F1R 4.020-V/30000 Msps. ON Ottawa CJOH-03 with CTV network programming, "Big Bang Theory" and into "Young Sheldon". CBS doesn't have a FTA outlet that I've found yet, so I have to look east to get the shows CTV carries from that network! Interestingly, CTV appears to be backing away from its position as a broadcaster -- they refer to shows coming up by saying they will be 'streaming' at a specific day and time! MOST telling. Indeed, I'm quite sure that if they could, they would turn off all the transmitters and become just another internet service. Most distressing actually! Let's put all those eggs into one fragile basket because we can. Sigh. --kvz 0000-0030 28/Sep 720p HD. 65% and steady. This is one of 12 streams on this transponder, mostly CTV, from across Canada (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Port Hope MI2, for satellite stuff using a Manhattan DJ-1997 FTA receiver +a dual band (C/Ku) LNB +96" movable dish, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD [non]. 12050, Sept 29 at 2057, African song, 2058 sign-off in French mentions Ndarason at least thrice, i.e. R. Ndarason Internationale, HQ Ndjamena, targeting Chad side of Lake Chad region, offshoot of R Dandal Kura for Nigerian side. This 18-21 transmission, 250 kW at 65 degrees from ASCENSION, allegedly only in Kanuri, is normally very difficult to hear here, as it totally collides with WEWN in Spanish at 14-24, 100 kW at 165 degrees from Vandiver AL, per Aoki/NDXC, the only two stations anywhen on 12050. Today, would not even know WEWN exist, except for SAH of 2 Hz, and JBA carrier once Ascension off at 2059.5*, after RNI concluded with a few seconds of native wind instruments, IS? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. 6925 - AM. RCW. Septiembre 28. 2115-2250 UT. Espacio musical de los años 50’s y 60’s en italiano, español e inglés, con algunas identificaciones de la emisora. A las 2138 se emite la hora local por parte de Cucho Zavala. Luego continúa el espacio musical. Desde las 2145, se emite la entrevista del periodista Sergio Jara sobre la corrupción en Chile y del actual presidente. SINPO: 45444 con fading largo pero poco recurrente. Desde las 2200, el fading se hace más leve pero más recurrente (Claudio Galaz, Receptor: TECSUN PL 660, ANTENA: Hilo largo de 30 metros + balun 9:1+ tierra; Lugar de escucha: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 15565, CNR1 at 0038 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a woman interviewing a man and into a string of promos from 0039 – Fair to Good Sept 25 9450, CNR1 at 2303 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk and several promos – Weak but audible Sept 27 9685, CNR1 at 2308 // 9450 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk then taking a brief phone call and a man and woman with promos at 2310 – Good Sept 27 9900, CNR1 at 2312 // 9450 and 9685 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk and several promos – Fair Sept 27. 11640, CNR at 1202 // 11785 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man with gentle talk and a children's chorus – Good Oct 1 – Not sure which CNR channel has children's programming but it didn't easily fit any of the channels I am familiar with. 11785, CNR at 1204 // 11640 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with a children's chorus and a man with gentle talk over instrumentals then another children's chorus at 1209 – Good Oct 1 – Not sure which CNR channel has children's programming but it didn't easily fit any of the channels I am familiar with. 11825, CNR at 1213 // 11640 and 11785 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin iva the Philippines with a man with gentle talk and children's choruses – Poor and noisy Oct 1 – Not sure which CNR channel has children's programming but it didn't easily fit any of the channels I am familiar with. 13830, CNR at 1221 // 11640, 11785, and 11825 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Tibetan via Tajikistan with a woman and a child with talk – Fair at best Oct 1 – Not sure which CNR channel has children's programming but it didn't easily fit any of the channels I am familiar with (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) 9450, CNR1 at 1600, with nice pleasing soft vocal music. Sadly, it's only there to jam Radio Free Asia via Saipan, which should be solo here at this time - Strong, VG Oct 1 (Rick Barton, Arizona, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750; RS SW-2000629, & ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening..! : D ! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 5050, Voice of Beibu Radio, Nanning. Very good, Cover version of old Rod Stewart number “Sailing” sung by female in English followed by canned station announcement. From 1315. 19/9 (Phil Brennan, VK8VWA, Darwin NT (JRC NRD 515, Afedri SDR rev.6, SDR Play RSP1, Quantum Phaser, BHI NEIM1031 Noise eliminating module, Wellbrook ALA1530 LNPro, PA0RDT mini-whip (genuine), Australian DX News via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6065, CNR2, Beijing. Apparently off 12, 13, 14/9 during checks from 1215 to 1320, but back with usual "Haiyang Live Show" at 1240 on 17/9. // 6155 also off those 3 days and back on the 17th (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA (PL380/6m X wire), Australian DX News via DXLD) ** CHINA [non-log]. Sept 25 - PBS Yunnan off the air for second consecutive day [6035] 7210, 1047+ UT, only hearing VOV1 (Vietnam) in the clear; again with no PBS Yunnan.(Ron Howard, California, Sept 25, WOR iog via DXLD) Sept 26 - PBS Yunnan off the air for third consecutive day. 7210 kHz, 1044+ UT, again only hearing VOV1 (Vietnam) in the clear; with no PBS Yunnan present (Ron Howard, Sept 26, ibid.) Sept 27 - Both PBS Yunnan frequencies continuing their silence: 7210 kHz, at 1050, at a time that PBS Yunnan should be playing their pre-sign-on IS, but again only hearing the clear signal of VOV1 (Vietnam). 6035, at 1050+ checking for the PBS Yunnan relay of FM99, but only hearing the N. Korea jamming spur, with Bhutan (BBS) also silent (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6040 kHz PBS Nei Menggu in Mongolian China (Shortwave 49 Meters band) A rare capture in Brazil (Rádio Evangelizar is OFF in this days) Voice woman talks and music broadcasting is in language Mongolian to 50 KW. https://youtu.be/UxhUHCFuavI in 1007 UT 26 September 2018. RX: Yaesu FRG 8800 Antena: Beverage simples (Daniel Wyllyans, Sítio Estrela do Araguaia, Nova Xavantina, MT, Brazil, HCDX via DXLD) 7420, PBS Nei Menggu - Chinese Service, 1112, Sept 27. Fair signal; // 9520, which was almost fair. 9520 had recently been off the air, so nice to hear them again (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 8806-USB, XSG Shanghai Coastal Radio, 1002-1006*, Sept 24. Marine info; first time I have heard this one. My audio at http://goo.gl/vQYF3Y A native speaker of Mandarin Chinese listened to my audio clip and commented: "It's Shanghai ocean weather forecast. Talked about weather, wind, and temperature." (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** CHINA. BROADCASTING IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE ========================= I stumbled upon the evening issue of a 10-minute lesson from the Russian language broadcast by the Chinese regional radio station CNR 17, which broadcasts in Kazakh, daily from 1215 UT ± 2 minutes. at 1260, 9630, 11630 kHz. This is a repetition of the morning lessons, which I reported on August 19, 2018, but they are now going for 5 minutes. earlier: 0315 UT ± 2 min. at 11630 and 12055 kHz (Yury Loburets, Novosibirsk, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", Rus-DX 30 Sept via DXLD) ** CHINA. Additional frequency of CNR, registered in HFCC Database http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/additional-frequency-of-cnr-registered.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 25-26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) viz: Thursday, September 27, 2018 Additional frequency of CNR, registered in HFCC Database 0900-1700 on 11695 DOF 030 kW / 041 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode ??????????? ?? Observer ? 3:48 PM (via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 5910.500, Sept 29 at 0559, JBA carrier with trace of modulation, presumed HJDH Alcaraván Radio reactivated, ex-closer to 5910.3v. Nothing heard till now on almost nightly bandscans. Had been missing for a couple months due to multiple problems described by QSL manager Rafael Rodríguez R., via Manuel Méndez, in DXLD 18-39: electrical supply, damaged transmitter, copper theft and bridge washed out! Nothing heard from the other HJDH, 6010, The Voice of Thy Conscience. 5910.5, Sept 30 at 0618, no signal around here, unlike 24 hours earlier with presumed Alcaraván Radio reactivated (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) but not heard since ** CONGO. 6210, R. Kahuzi, Bukavu. Not too far away across the border in DR Congo so no surprise the signal was good. African music at 1735 but had signed off by 1748 check on 20/7. Irregular as not noted on other occasions while we were in East Africa. From Uganda: We went to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see the fabulous mountain gorillas. A couple of African signals penetrated the impenetrable – (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** CUBA. 890 kHz, 0253-0337 10/1/18 z, Radio Progreso clobbering WLS with up-tempo easy listening and Cuban music. I wasn't complaining. Matched a female vocalist with // 4765 kHz to confirm. VG sigs on peaks. Rx: GE P-780 (Steve Zimmerman, Milwaukee, WI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Back up to 200 kW now? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. I thought it would be nice to visit Radio Havana after having heard them off and on (mostly off) for 50 years (which is a scary fact, first QSL was for a report on 21 December 1968 when I was 15). Where we ended up was the Correspondence Section at Vedado which is in a separate location a block or so away from the studios, a blue building, which we could see out the window. Irma Veitia Herrera was waiting for us at the front door. Irma is 60 years old and has worked at Radio Havana for 35 years. She was in Grenada when the U.S. invaded in 1983 and was rounded up and interned with other Cubans before eventually being repatriated. Her English skills were noticed so she was offered the Correspondence job which she has stuck with ever since. Irma took us up in the lift to the 8th floor. The floors below are all apartments. The building was a bit tatty like many in Havana but some of the external damage had been caused by Hurricane Irma (name coincidence) in September 2017. There was a pleasant view towards the harbor where cruise ships dock. We met five other staff, all women. The oldest was 73, retired but missed the job and signed up again. She was there at the start of Radio Havana in 1962. Unusually, Irma doesn’t respond under her own name. Instead what she writes in English comes under the name of Rosario Lafita Fernández who speaks only Spanish and who was at a meeting elsewhere. She fields a lot of questions from listeners and goes out of her way to gather accurate information, to the extent of contacting government ministries. Irma earns the unbelievably low salary of US$17 a month so she can’t afford to retire. It made us reflect when the taxi back to the narrow streets of Old Havana cost $10. You can contact Irma direct at irma@rhc.cu (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** CUBA. 13740, Sept 25 at 1359, RHC Spanish making >1 Hz SAH of about 64 fades per minute vs other open carrier prior to China Plus relay. CRI undermodulation does not come up until just before 1401, while RHC continues mixing with `Sonido Cubano` music show until it`s cut off the air at 1404:45*. So another good 5 minutes of self-collision, Commies vs Commies; something`s always wrong at RadioCuba. Aoki/NDXC and EiBi say 13740 RHC is via Bejucal site; 13740 CRI via Quivicán; yet Aoki misses RHC on 13700 which has to be the same site as 13740 when it mixes leapfrogs. EiBi says that one is Bejucal. 6000, Sept 27 at 0104, ho hum, dead air but no hum from RHC ``English``. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 6000 = 6165, Sept 28 at 0220, both RHC English frequencies are just barely modulated. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 6060, Sept 28 at 0559, this RHC English frequency is off, and so I think is 6100, or JBA; 6165 is S9 & undermodulated; 6000 is S9+10 and best; at 0600, 5040 at S9+30 with distorted modulation just before cutting to dead air. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 7360, Sept 28 at 2336, big blob of S9 to S9+20 distorted music centered here, // RHC 11760. Must be the 7330 transmitter which is missing. EiBi shows that one this hour only is Bauta site, while before and after in 21-04 UT span it`s Bejucal --- which means it may have been in whack on nominal 7330 except during this hour. Something`s always (very) wrong at RHC. 5040, Sept 28 at 2351, RHC English is distorted with clicking; // 11880 has different distortion and is aclickous. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 17480, Unidentified Numbers Station at 2230, in Spanish with HM-01 digital tones and a woman with number groups (in progress as tunein) - well over S-9 Sept 29 16180, Unidentified Numbers Station at 2055, in Spanish with HM-01 digital tones and a woman with number groups. First heard as an open carrier, strong at 2050 - Excellent Sept 29 (Rick Barton, Arizona, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750; RS SW-2000629, & ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening..! : D ! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) I once caught 16180 carrying RHC programming instead of on 15140 (gh) ** CUBA. 5025 & 5040, Sept 30 at 0012, both 60m frequencies seem off, but a JBA carrier on 5025, probably R. Quillabamba, Perú. RHC 6060 is on as usual. Something`s always wrong at RadioCuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6000, Sept 30 at 0613, RHC English is suptorted at S9+20; 6060 VG with music; 6100 undermodulated. At 0614 I get to 6165, sufficiently modulated at S9+20 but to discover it is in Esperanto! NOT English. Then go back and check 6100, 6060 and 6000, and find them all // in Esperanto too --- which is not supposed to be on until 0700 UT Sundays and on only one of the 49m frequencies. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15230, Sunday Sept 30 at 1343, RHC is S9 but JBM suptorted during `En Contacto`; much weaker but louder on poor // 17730, while 13700 & 13740 are inbooming, even splattering. Something`s always wrong at RHC. Aside from the modulation problems, Arnie`s voice is more and more broken up and we fear he be ailing; takes turns with suave YL hostess reading his script. 6099.238, Oct 1 at 0656, RHC English via the off-frequency transmitter again (later that same day, Wolfgang Bueschel reported via remote SDRs in New Jersey and/or Alberta: ``6099.9975 CUB RHC Bauta site, Spanish language 11-13 UT scheduled, S=9+10dB heard at 1224 UT on Oct 1st. Heavy distorted audio channel, QRM interference oddly of co-channel strange peak signal on odd fq 6099.239 kHz`` --- but as I have logged several times before during both transmissions, the latter is RHC as modulated, and no 6100.0 to go with it). Back at 0656, the other RHCs: 6000 is off; 6060 on with music; by 0701, 6165 is in unscheduled Spanish news instead of English. By 0702, 6099.238 and 6060 have dropped to dead air, carriers still on. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Log 1215-1250 UT in remote Aberdeen NJ-US and Edmonton-Alberta-CAN SDR rx units. Read some reports of empty carrier transmissions from RHC - Cuban sites on Oct 31 around 05-06 UT. So, checked the Cubans today Oct 1st, as follows: 5025 CUB Radio Rebelde, Bauta site, Spanish language program at 1215 UT on Oct 1st, S=9+10 or -66dBm signal strength in New Jersey, US east cost. Stronger than RMI 5010 kHz. 6000 CUB RHC Spanish program at 1218 UT via Quivican, San Felipe "TITAN" 250 kW site non-directional antenna installation. Female presenter read an economic report, powerful S=9+20dB or -54dBm. 6060 non-CUB, silent empty channel, no RHC transmission heard. 6099.9975 CUB RHC Bauta site, Spanish language 11-13 UT scheduled, S=9+10dB heard at 1224 UT on Oct 1st. Heavy distorted audio channel, QRM interference oddly of co-channel strange peak signal on odd fq 6099.239 kHz. 7340 CUB RHC Bejucal 50 kW site, sidelobe S=8-9 of mainlobe 110degr towards Antilles/Suriname target, at 1226 UT. {on 7335 kHz heavy QRM by US-BBG-OCB-Radio Marti at S=9+10dB backlobe signal from Greenville-B site in North Carolina state of USA}. 9535 CUB RHC Bejucal 100 kW unit towards Central America at CTR/NCG/PNR/CLM target at 230 degrees main azimuth. S=9+10dB or -64dBm at backlobe into New Jersey at 1229 UT. 11760 CUB RHC Bauta non-directional signal outlet, at 1231 UT on Oct 1st, S=9+15dB or -61dBm strength. 13740 CUB RHC Bejucal 50 kW unit, towards North Eastern South America at Suriname, French Guiana and Amazonas Brazil, at 135degr azimuth. Proper sidelobe signals into New Jersey at S=9+20dB or -54dBm strength at 1233 UT. 15230 CUB RHC Spanish program at 1238 UT via Quivican, San Felipe "TITAN" 250 kW site 160degr SoAM antenna installation. Female presenter read an economic report, fair signal of S=8 or -72dBm sidelobe. 17580 kHz non-CUB, empty channel, RHC Spanish not on air at 1242 UT. 17730.011 CUB RHC Bauta 130degr transmission towards South America target. S=3 in remote Alberta SDR unit, but less than threshold in New Jersey remote rx SDR unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13700, Oct 1 at 1409, this RHC is off; supposed to run at 13-15. Something`s always wrong at RHC. Next day at 1348 check it`s on again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 7365, UT Thu Sept 27 at 0058, well atop jamming, R. Martí announcement of one SW frequency on now, 5950, for ``pelota de grande liga`` (MLB). That would be the temporary seasonal WRMI relay. On caradio, I didn`t have a chance to confirm it on 5950 then, but the WRMI sked showing 2300-0200 Tue-Wed, apparently means Tue & Wed 2300-0200 Wed & Thu in strict UT terms, i.e. two local days a week; also earlier Sundays 20-24 UT. 7335 & 7365, Monday Oct 1 at 0704, nothing but jamming, making me wonder if Radio Martí have resumed a MM silent period? But still audible on 6030 over jamming. Maybe the MUF has plunged. Now I have a chance to check 11860 which allegedly is also on M-F from 0700 --- nothing audible there, of course. 23 hours later, Oct 2 at 0605, both 7365 and 7335 are VG inbooming over jamming, with RM at S9+10/20, ending a VOA Editorial in Spanish about human rights, i.e. the Fourth Amendment which is totally inapplicable in Commie Cuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHIA [non]. 9955, 30Set 0222, USA, (Relay), RMI, Radio Prague in Spanish. This station deserves the consideration of the radios with attention to its good programming. As the years go by and she continues to give her listeners a short wave program, not from Czechoslovakia, but from the RMI retransmitters in the USA. Today it arrives with a reasonable signal that can be improved by increasing the volume of the radio, with very little static noise. 35443 100 kW. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12°14´S 38°58´W -, Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop, WOR iog via DXLD) ** EAST TURKISTAN. China Radio International received on 29-Sep-2018 at 0200 UT on 9590 during 0100-0300 transmission in Spanish to South America. Station confirmed on this frequency by the usual interval signal just prior to the start of the hour. Reception was not great on this frequency but I found reception better on 9710 a couple of minutes later which was confirmed to be the same by an ID given by the presenter. Both transmissions via Kashi-Saibagh. I was rather surprised to get this one but a map I found online (shortwave.am) suggests that the path is beamed in a westerly direction and swamps South West Asia, Middle East, all of Europe, Africa and the Caribbean and also the east of the USA so should be an easy catch almost anywhere by the looks of things if that is the case (Dave Harries, Bristol, England using Tecsun PL880 with no external antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EAST TURKISTAN. 11870, CHINA, CRI English from Kashgar site in western China, also distorted bad audio outlet, 500 kW at 239 degrs, 0600-0700 UT, S=9+35dB or -44dBm strength. 0605 UT. Log 0445-0605 UT Sept 30 in remote Doha Qatar rx SDR unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz](Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT [and non]. 9799.576 kHz, Arabic singer of Radio Cairo Abis, at 2240 UT on Sept 28. At S=6-7 level; but next 9760 kHz even RRI Galbeni in English from ROU proper S=9+25dB or -51dBm instead, latter some 10.4 kHz wideband audio signal (Wolfgang Bueschel, remote SDR reception on 31 mb, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2235 to 2325 UT Sept 28, All heard in remote SDR unit - with '10dB' audio switch selection - at VE6JY's installation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Thanks, Don! [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9894.57, Sept 29 at 2049, suptorted French at S4-S5, no doubt R. Caire, nominal 9895 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. These Addis Ababa ones are new on FM, not listed in WRTH18 – 93.1 Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation ex 93.2. Actually not new, just a little shift 94.3 Ahadu FM - ahaduradio.com; info@ahaduradio.com (via website) 100.5 ECSU Community R. FM (Ethiopian Civil Service University) - ecsu.edu.et 101.1 Bisrat FM - bisratfm.com; leulmm@gmail.com (via National Information & Business Directory) 107.8 Ethio FM - ethiofmradio.com At Bahir Dar in Amhara State, this one was observed on FM – 94.5 Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation. Mistakenly listed as at Addis Ababa in WRTH18 but it’s in Bahir Dar And on MW – 594 Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, Bahir Dar. Inactive just as WRTH18 indicates 918 Dimtsi Wegahta (Voice of the Dawn), Mekelle. Horn of Africa music 1750 9/8. It’s listed in the WRTH clandestine section under Eritrea. Not new, just interesting. Still in Amhara State, we stayed up in the clouds in the Simien Mountains at Africa’s highest tourist accommodation at 3260 metres. Good FM reception on 12/8 revealed some new FM outlets at unknown locations of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation - 88.7, 90.3, 91.9, 93.5, 98.7, 102.2 - all //94.5 EBC at Bahir Dar. Axum is in Tigray State right near the Eritrean border. Just had a listen on FM. DWET, a service of Voice of Tigray Revolution, was on a few frequencies. Handily, africaphonebooks.com specified their locations – 90.7 DWET, Axum 91.4 DWET, Shire (also known as Shere Endesilassie) 95.5 DWET, probably Humera (the website confusingly mixed 92.5 and 95.2 but 95.5 was what was heard 102.2 DWET, Mekelle, as listed in WRTH18 From nearby the town of Hawzen, these shortwavers were heard – 7235 Voice of Democratic Alliance, Gedja. Scheduled 1500-1600 daily beamed to Eritrea but unheard at 1550 15/8. Wonder if improved relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea means it’s off. The road border crossing was opened shortly after we left and air links have been restored. Could be the same situation for Voice of Peace and Democracy of Eritrea also on 7235. China R. International took over the channel at 1600 6070 Mixing product of the Gedja – Addis Ababa outlets on 6030 (R. Oromiya) and 6110 R. Fana at 1415 15/8 (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) That is not the way leapfrogs or 2B-A normally work, not halfway between two fundamentals, but on either side beyond them (gh, DXLD) ** EUROPE. Empire Radio 40th anniversary broadcast repeated Sunday 30th September --- Chris Cooper on Facebook this evening: "This Sunday (30th September) the 40th anniversary Empire Radio programmes will be repeated on short wave. Join the original 1978 team of Keith Rogers, Chris Cooper and Albert Hall for an entertaining mix of music and comedy. We'll be looking back, over 40 years, but certainly not stuck in the past. The most likely frequency is 5825 kHz, with 5800 being an alternative, Of course, these days it is possible to listen to short wave on the internet, via a WebSDR, such as the one at the University of Twente in The Netherlands, which I'll try and tune to myself: http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ The Empire will kick off at 0800 GMT and run until 1300. Programmes will then be repeated 1400-1800. We hope you will be able to tune in, and enjoy our brand of broadcasting lunacy!" (via Mike Barraclough, UK, Sept 27, WOR iog via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Reception of Radio France International RFI on Sept 26 0600-0700 on 11830 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg to WCAf English, very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/reception-of-radio-france-international_26.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 25-26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Sept.30 AGAIN no signal of Hamburger Lokalradio on 9485 kHz CUSB http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/reception-of-radio-nord-seagoldrausch.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 29-30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 11790, EAST GERMANY, AWR (via Nauen) at 1927 in Wolof with a man with closing announcements over light piano instrumentals giving ID and a Dakar, Senegal address and into Fulfulde at 1930 with opening music and a man with English ID of “This is Adventist World Radio – the Voice of Hope. For more information check our website at awr.org. The following program is in Fulfulde.” and a man with talk over woodwind instrumentals then African vocals over talking drums – Good Sept 30 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Radio Emmeloord, NETHERLANDS, is transmitting on Saturday October 6 th between 10 and 16 ‘o’ clock UT all over Europe on the short wave (Nauen) at 6095 khz (49 M. band) (Andree Bollin, Germany, Sept 26, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** GREECE. 8424-CW, Sept 30 at 0109, [Dash] DE SVO, ID marker over & over from diehard Olympia Radio, and none like it to be heard elsewhere on the 8 or anyMHz band (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 9650, 27 set 2018, 1717, No signal from Radio Guinea since early morning. Certainly out of thin air. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12°14´S 38°58´W -, Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop, WOR iog via DXLD) ** HAWAII. 5000, Sept 29 at 0604, WWVH announcing that marine weather broadcasts during certain minutes will be discontinued October 31; contact info. Did not hear whole thing, so not sure if done deal. Presumably also applies to WWV; they make such announcements at :03 and :04 past the hours, at least (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also USA ** INDIA. 7249.857, AIR Delhi Kingsway in Urdu, played subcontinental typical mx, scheduled 0830-1130 UT. Noted at 0950 UT on Sept 28 at S=9+25dB or -47dBm, all in remote SDR unit at Delhi India. Much odd fq these days from Kingsway, always something wrong with AIR gear. 4949.997, AIR Srinagar in Kashmiri language scheduled - to Jammu & Kashmir at 1120-1743 UT, noted at 1140 UT on Sept 28 at S=9+10dB or -60dBm. 4799.996, AIR Hyderabad in Hindi scheduled, heard at 1144 UT on Sept 28 at S=9+10dB or -58dBm signal. 4809.998, AIR Bhopal in Hindi scheduled, heard live sports transmission report. Heard at 1147 UT on Sept 28 at S=9+20dB or -52dBm signal level. At 1340 UT alternate Hindi/English live sports txion. 4835, AIR Gangtok in Hindi, not on air 1148 UT. 4895, AIR Kurseong in Hindi, not on air 1149 UT. 4910.003, AIR Jaipur in probably Hindi language, S=9+30dB or -45dBm around 1250 UT on Sept 28. Also live sports txion around 1333 UT, \\ Bhopal 4810v kHz. Two stations co-channel on 4919.980 and 4920 kHz - latter probably Lhasa Tibet China even fq. AIR Chennai on odd 4919.980 kHz at 1254 UT on Sept 28, S=9+25dB and -47dBm signal level. 4949.996, AIR Srinagar in probably Kashmiri, scheduled 1120-1743 UT, S=9+25dB or -50dBm signal strength, at 1256 UT on Sept 28. 4969.987, AIR Shillong probably in Hindi language, scheduled 1056-1741 UT, noted at 1257 UT on Sept 28. S=9+10dB or -69dBm fair signal. 5010v, AIR Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam, not on air 1259 UT. 5040.003, AIR Jeypore in probably Odiya language, scheduled 1130-1741 UT, S=9+15dB or -62dBm signal strength, at 1300 UT on Sept 28. 5049.999, AIR Aizawl in probably Mizo language, scheduled 1130-approx.1630 UT, S=8-9 or -79dBm signal level, at 1302 UT on Sept 28. Station OFF air at 1335 UT. All in remote SDR unit at Delhi India. 4869.905, AIR Delhi Kingsway intermodulation mixture of Voice of Kashmir or AIR Nepali (?) sce and sports match? live coverage in mixed Hindi/English language, noted at 1320 UT on Sept 28. S=9+25dB or -49dBm fair signal. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, HCDX via DXLD) ** INDIA [and non]. India (4800 kHz) - On 1 October 2018 (tune in 1628 UT, tune out 1643, http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ sinpo 13422), AIR Hyderabad was heard mixing with CNR-1. The music programme was in parallel with the Telugu webstream at http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Default.aspx [sic] (except for the noticeable time delay). 1630 ID „AIR Hyderabad“ followed by classical Indian music. Both the film music and the classical music was clearly distinguishable from the talk programming of CNR. When CNR started transmitting Chinese pop music the listening became less pleasurable. One hour later at 1724, CNR was the only programme audible. It featured light music and some talk. At 1805 the carrier cut off (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Hearty Congratulations to All India Radio External services which is celebrating its 80th Anniversary today. Please see the attached article. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 80th Anniversary of AIR’s External Services --- Jose Jacob, VU2JOS The External Services Division of All India Radio, India’s cultural ambassador to the world is celebrating its 80th anniversary on October 1, 2018. The External broadcasts were started on October 1, 1939 by the then British Government to counter the propaganda of the Nazis directed at the Afghan people. The first broadcasts were in Pushto beamed to Afghanistan and the then North West Frontier Province. Soon broadcasts were started in Dari, Persian, Arabic, English, Burmese, Japanese, Chinese, Malay, French etc. The External Services today broadcast in the 27 languages (16 foreign and 11 Indian languages) on MW, SW & FM frequencies. The foreign languages are: Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, English, French, Indonesian, Nepali, Persian, Pushtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Thai and Tibetan. The Indian languages are: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The maximum duration is the Urdu Service to Pakistan round the clock on DTH/Live Streaming and on Short Wave / Medium Wave/ FM for over 12.15 hrs. The Bangla Service is also available round the clock as live streaming while the English broadcasts to various parts of the world called “General Overseas Service” are there for 8.15 hrs. During the Haj season, there are special broadcasts in Urdu beamed to Saudi Arabia. The External Services of AIR also broadcasts in DRM mode. (Digital Radio Mondial). These transmissions are broadcast by the High Power Transmitters located at Aligarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Panaji on Short Waves and from Jalandhar, Kolkata (Chinsurah), Rajkot and Tuticorin on Medium Waves and from Amritsar on FM. Some of these transmitters are of 1000 kW and 500 kW power. Programs are beamed to different areas of the world except to the Americas. In each language service a composite program is presented consisting of news bulletin, commentary, press review, talks on matters of general and cultural interest, occasional feature programmes and documentaries, Indian music as well as music of the area concerned. Most of the programs originate in the New Broadcasting House located in Delhi with a few originating at Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Thiruvanthapuram and Tuticorin. The External Services Division of AIR has been a vital link between India and rest of the world, especially with those countries where there are Indian emigrants and people of Indian origin. It projects the Indian point of view on matters of national and international importance and demonstrates our way of life through its various programs. Beautiful QSL cards are issued to the radio hobbyists by AIR in New Delhi for reception reports of their broadcasts. The website of AIR External Service is http://airworldservice.org/ There is live streaming on this website and also on Mobile App on iOS (Apple Platform) & Android. Some External Services of AIR in Indian languages has just been just been launched on Amazon Echo dot Device on Alexa like Bangla, Malayalam, Telugu, Urdu services. The full External services schedule is available in their website: http://www.allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Radio%20Network/Pages/default.aspx With the other choices in the media scene like Internet and TV, the number of listeners for Short Wave broadcasting has drastically dropped. That along with high cost of running broadcasts and also changes in political equations has prompted many countries to cut short or even completely abandon their External broadcasts. But AIR is still going strong with External Service broadcasts and even planning to expand its broadcasts. It must be mentioned here that the AIR broadcasts to China in Chinese and Tibetan are jammed by the Chinese authorities. Added to this the ageing problems of transmitters and its maintenance, interference from other broadcasting stations etc. hampers the good efforts of AIR. However it is business as usual for All India Radio’s External Services for the time being. (References: AIR website, phamlets etc.) (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India. Cell; 94416 96043. Email: vu2jos@gmail.com === from illustrated attached pdf, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It was founded in 1939 as above, so that makes 79 years now. What this means is that the following year is leading up to #80 (gh, ibid.) Oct 1 is also the 17th anniversary of the dx_india yg; congrats (gh) AIR observes the External Broadcast Day on 1st October 2018 Another momentous occasion for us in the External Services of All India Radio. For the first time in its history we are observing the External Broadcast Day on 1st October 2018. This also marks the beginning of a yearlong celebration of the 80th anniversary of External broadcast in India. Eight decades is a long time in the life of an individual. Like in case of a human being as during this period , an institution traverses through many challenges, trials and tribulations. External Services of All India Radio is also no exception to this. Since its inception in 1939 it has passed through its hours of glory and relative sunset moments. From a buoyant high of 37 language broadcast at the height of the World War II in 1945 it plummeted to only 16 just before the dawn of Independence, when it was relegated to insignificance. Independence infused new life into it when it emerged as the voice of a newborn nation trying to announce herself to the world. Notwithstanding the initial bonhomie, external broadcast again fell into disuse as never ever its full potential as a significant tool for public diplomacy and instrument of foreign policy and international relations was fully comprehended, explored and hence not exploited by those in the business of diplomacy. Unlike elsewhere in the world; diplomacy, foreign policy and external broadcast continued to be conducted in silos. Over the years, this disconnect got ossified. World around was however changing in the meanwhile and was changing fast. Countries with whom we unfortunately have a zero sum relations were making strides in the domain of public diplomacy through the medium of radio adding language after language to their bouquet and were adopting modern technology to reach out to the world. In contrast, external broadcast here was gasping and battling out the institutional apathy. Four years ago when after an eventful tenure in the Ministry of Rural Development involving nationwide implementation of development communication strategies, I joined External Services Division for my second stint, the place appeared frozen in time and like a living fossil as I and my wife who accompanied me walked into the place. An all pervading gloom was writ large on every face as the diiktat for its imminent closure had been received and everyone was waiting for the inevitable final pull of the hangman's lever. It was at this crucial cross roads of ESD's history, I was called upon by the Director General and given the mantle of External broadcast and reposed his trust. I felt humbled as giants and stalwarts of Indian and World broadcasting like Ms. Mehra Masani, P.C. Chatterjee, K.P. Shunghloo, U.L. Baruah, N.L Chawla among others had adorned this position. But the pygmy in me refused to be the daunted and become the "First minister in King's government to preside over its liquidation." Instead, I took the bull by horns. I gave myself 6 months to script the turn around story of External Broadcast or quit. It indeed was a tall order. Enthusing the colleagues who had their spirits at bootlace level and gaining their confidence to partner in this uphill ride and bringing the external stakeholders on board had to be done quickly. A technological leapfrogging was also crucial. I must confess, once convinced all my colleagues and my seniors particularly Mr. Fayyaz Sheheryar, the DG stood by me. The culmination of all that is, today no longer anyone talks about closing down ESD or it being "a colossal national wastage and Rs. 100 crore going down the drain." Now the talk is about strengthening the ESD. We have added new services. Gone digital. Have 28 multimedia Websites and Apps of international standard for our language services. We are now present on alternate platforms like Radio Garden, Tune in, Alexa voice command system. Our relationship with MEA is no longer episodic. We are reconnecting to our listeners and patrons every passing day on every platform in which we have made our presence. It is in this backdrop, the celebration of the first External Broadcast Day and the beginning of the observence of the 80th anniversary is personally significant and gratifying for me. Source: Amlanjyoti Majumdar http://airddfamily.blogspot.com/2018/10/for-first-time-in-its-history-air-is.html (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio's special transmission for "Mahalaya" Date: 8th October, 2018 (Monday) 0355 - 0545 IST Time: 2225 UT (7th Oct 2018) to 0015 UT (8th Oct 2018) * some stations have late sign on & may continue past 0100 UT "Mahalaya" is a special two hour transmission consisting of Sanskrit recitation & music orated by Late Shri.Birendra Krishna Bhadra. All India Radio has been broadcasting this program since early 1930's. Countdown of Indian festival of Durga Puja starts from the day of Mahalaya. Frequencies observed during past years : SW 4760 - Port Blair 4810 - Bhopal 4835 - Gangtok (Irregular) 4895 - Kurseong (Off air now) 4910 - Jaipur 9380 - Aligarh (National Channel) MW 531 - Jodhpur 549 - Ranchi 594 - Chinsurah (Kolkata) 603 - Ajmer 621 - Patna A 648 - Indore A 657 - Kolkata A 666 - New Delhi B 675 - Chattarpur 684 - Port Blair 711 - Siliguri 729 - Guwahati A 747 - Lucknow A 756 - Jagdalpur 774 - Shimla 801 - Jabalpur 810 - Rajkot A 819 - New Delhi A 828 - Silchar 846 - Ahmedabad A 891 - Rampur 909 - Gorakhpur 918 - Suratgarh 954 - Nazibabad 981 - Raipur 990 - Jammu 1008 - Kolkata B 1026 - Allahabad A 1044 - Mumbai A 1125 - Tezpur 1179 - Rewa 1215 - Delhi National Channel 1242 - Varanasi 1260 - Ambikapur 1296 - Darbhanga 1314 - Bhuj 1386 - Gwalior 1395 - Bikaner 1404 - Gangtok 1458 - Bhagalpur 1476 - Jaipur A 1530 - Agra 1566 - Nagpur (National Channel) 1584 - Mathura 1593 - Bhopal A Sign on observed by Jose Jacob at different times as follows: 2225 UT (3.55 am IST): 4760, 4910, 531, 603, 666, 675, 711, 747, 756, 774, 801, 819, 828, 891, 918, 956, 990, 1008, 1044, 1386, 1395, 1530. 2230 UT (4.00 am IST): 4835, 1404. 2245 UT (4.15 am IST): 4895 2250 UT (4.20 am IST): 846, 1179 2255 UT (4.25 am IST): 4810, 621, 648, 810, 909, 954, 981, 1026, 1242, 1260, 1296, 1593. Please email your observations & receptions reports to: spectrum-manager@air.org.in Or, Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy) All India Radio, Room No. 204 Akashvani Bhawan, Parliament Street New Delhi 110001, India Or, Online at : http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Information/ListenersCorner/Pages/default.aspx Related : Eight Decades Later, the Original Mahalaya Still Unites https://thewire.in/society/eight-decades-later-the-original-mahalaya-still-unites-bengalis-in-communion Come Mahalaya, Birendra Krishna Bhadra's recitation still default choice for All India Radio http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-come-mahalaya-birendra-krishna-bhadra-s-recitation-still-default-choice-for-all-india-radio-2020933 ---- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Oct 1, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio's streaming services launched on Amazon Alexa smart devices --- Saturday, September 29, 2018 All India Radio has launched Amazon Echo dot Device on Alexa in 14 different Indian languages. This is a voice service led by artificial intelligence capable of giving crystal clear audio quality of radio services to the desirous audiences irrespective of where they are in the world... https://alokeshgupta.blogspot.com/2018/09/all-india-radios-streaming-services.html (press release via Gupta blog, via Tony Molloy, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non-log]. 3325, VOI via RRI Palangkaraya, 1215+, Sept 27. No VOI signal here at all. Totally clear frequency today. 3344.86, RRI Ternate (tentative), 1212, Sept 27. Definite carrier here, but extremely weak; totally unusable (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** IRAN. 9550. IRIB. Septiembre 23. 0240-0320 UT. Programa sobre las universidades persas y de un profesor que es médico y poeta, junto a las impresiones positivas sobre Irán, junto de los cursos de Corán y Persa que se entregan a nivel universitario. Desde las 0245, se emite un programa con respecto a la importancia de la higiene y la limpieza dentro del Sagrado Corán. A las 0254, se emite un servicio noticioso proveniente de Hispan TV con informaciones sobre protestas en Guatemala, Visita de personeros al ex presidente Lula en Brasil, Presentación de libro polémico en España, Problemas con los Derechos Humanos en Inglaterra, El problema migratorio en Estados Unidos, entre otros, luego se habla sobre Venezuela y otros países de Sudamérica como Perú. Desde las 0318, se leen las frecuencias y horarios del servicio, datos de contacto y fin de la emisión. SINPO: 45433 (Claudio Galaz; Receptor: Tecsun PL-660; Antena: Hilo largo de 30 metros; Lugar de escucha: Barraza Bajo, IV Región, Chile, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran (VoIRI) heard at 0153 UT on 29-Sep-2018 during 0020-0320 transmission in Spanish to South America on 9550. Reasonable quality reception (Dave Harries, Bristol, England, using Tecsun PL880 with no external antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 9800, IRIB Zahedan in Arabic NE/ME service, powerhouse at S=9+35dB or -44dBm signal level, little overmodulated. \\ IRIB Sirjan on 7410 also most powerhouse S=9+50dB or -30dBm. And accompanied symmetrical two spurious signal bands some 64 kHertz apart distance either side of 9800 kHz, on: 9725-9743 and 9857-9875 kHz wideband range S=9 spur. Latter hit heavily NHK program in ME/SaudiArabia peninsula target on 9860 CVA NHK Radio Japan Tokyo, via SMG Santa Maria di Galeria 250 kW to all Africa 184 degrees. English service 0500-0530 UT. Log 0445-0605 UT Sept 30 in remote Doha Qatar rx SDR unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz](Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. Irish pirate radio history --- Hello, The Irish Pirate Radio Archive is to be hosted by Dublin City University, securing its preservation in the future. On Wireless on Flirt FM, Galway's community and alternative radio station, we feature this story and also include an interview with Nick Richards about his memories of Irish super-pirate station KISS FM in 1988. You can listen back here: https://wirelessflirt.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/wireless-on-flirt-fm-programme-23/ 73s (John Walsh, Oct 2, bdxc-news iog via DXLD) ** ITALY. Time signal station ItalCable, Sept.26 from 0845 on 10000 CUSB, fair, QRM RWM on 9996 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/reception-of-time-signal-station.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 25-26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Watchdog OKs Foa as RAI president - English - ANSA.it http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2018/09/26/watchdog-oks-foa-as-rai-president_aa50aa16-6cbe-457f-84f0-e65553471458.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) and: Journalist Who Spread Conspiracy Theories Will Oversee Italy's State TV https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/world/europe/italy-journalist-rai.html The appointment of Marcello Foa as chairman of Italy's state broadcaster RAI marks a victory of the populist parties over the establishment press that once discounted them. Credit Massimo Percossi/EPA, via Shutterstock By Jason Horowitz * Sept. 28, 2018 ROME -- Marcello Foa has spread the claim that Hillary Clinton attended a satanic dinner. He broke the news on his blog of a full-scale American military mobilization that never happened. A fan of the Russian leader Vladimir V. Putin and a guest on Russia Today, he doubts the evidence that Moscow's operatives poisoned a former Soviet spy because it is "too obvious." Mr. Foa is also now the Italian government's most influential media figure. On Wednesday night, leaders of Italy's populist government cheered as a parliamentary committee approved Mr. Foa as chairman of Italy's state broadcaster RAI, which has millions of viewers, thousands of employees and is, in Mr. Foa's estimation, the most powerful cultural force in the country. Supporters of Mr. Foa argue that he is an independent voice free of institutional allegiances and RAI's insidious establishment bias against populist voices. His critics argue that his right-wing politics, euro-skepticism, concerns about the "damaging" effects of combination vaccines, and tendency to re-tweet conspiracy theories should have disqualified him for the job. But he was the pick of Matteo Salvini, the powerful leader of the anti-immigrant League, who Mr. Foa helped introduce in March to Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump's former senior adviser. He also has ties to Mr. Salvini's coalition partners, the Five Star Movement. Mr. Foa's appointment now has raised alarms about the state of the Italian media, never too healthy to begin with, and represents a victory of the populist parties over the establishment media that once discounted them. It is far from symbolic, though. Mr. Foa's appointment signals an opening gambit by Italy's populists to take their anti-establishment message, and ambition to reshape public perception, from social media to the televised media mainstream, where the vast majority of Italy still gets its information. On the eve of his appointment, Mr. Foa, 55 and affable, offered a glimpse of his new office with eight television screens in the wall, and shared passages of his book exploring the ways that politicians and spin doctors manipulate the truth and spread misinformation. "The paradox for me is that somebody accused me of being a producer of fake news," he said in a long interview. Instead, he said, he would work to reverse what he claimed was a de facto veto at RAI of euro-skeptic politicians and government ministers, and to introduce voices to make the broadcaster "mirror" the current political reality. Italy's media have long warped standard journalistic practices like a fun-house mirror. The brother of Silvio Berlusconi, the media magnate and former prime minister, nominally owned il Giornale, where Mr. Foa spent decades working as a reporter and editor. For years, Mr. Berlusconi flooded his private newspaper and channels and public airways with pro-Berlusconi propaganda, and it was Mr. Berlusconi who greenlighted Mr. Foa's nomination, in exchange for political concessions. Political agendas, partisan slants, a porous line between journalists and publicists (who call themselves journalists), anonymous reconstructions, conspiratorial tones and little accountability for false reports have riddled the credibility of the Italian press. Image Wrapping his extreme language in an earthy, endearing delivery, Matteo Salvini, left, a former radio disc jockey, has dominated Italian politics by dominating the media coverage. Credit Andrea Ronchini/NurPhoto, via Getty Images All of that fueled polarization and national frustration over the media, which Italy's new populist leaders, Mr. Salvini and Luigi Di Maio of the Five Star Movement, clobbered as they rose to power. The result is a largely impotent press that has failed to hold accountable populist leaders who reach enormous audiences directly with their social media accounts. Mr. Foa said this was only natural, because by suppressing alternative voices on the state broadcaster, "You push the success of Di Maio and Salvini's Facebook pages." He allowed that it is perhaps not especially helpful for a free press or democracy when leaders dismiss stories they do not like as fake news. All the same, he said, attacking the news media was "part of the game" and so it was wrong to blame the politicians. "It's not their fault, for me," he said. The Five Star Movement's hostility to the news media traces back to its co-founders -- the comedian Beppe Grillo and the late Gianroberto Casaleggio, an internet entrepreneur. Mr. Grillo often featured his disdain for reporters on his wildly popular blog, calling them "the walking dead," among other things. Mr. Casaleggio was an admirer of Mr. Foa's right-wing blog and a futurist who envisioned a democratization of politics and media on the web. The party has built a reputation for secrecy, doublespeak and antagonism to critical coverage. In July, the government's top spokesman, Rocco Casalino, an alumnus of the reality television show "Big Brother" and a Five Star power broker, made a thinly veiled threat to pull state funding from a newspaper, Il Foglio, which has been critical of the government. "Now that Il Foglio will close, what will you do?" Mr. Casalino said to a reporter from the paper. "Can you tell me what purpose Il Foglio has? Why does it exist?" The outburst prompted the Order of Journalists in Lombardy, to which Mr. Casalino belongs, to open an investigation into whether he had violated professional guidelines. In turn, the Five Star Movement's blog advocated the abolishment of the organization. Instead, in the current government it is Mr. Salvini, a former radio disc jockey, who has begun the charm offensive, wrapping his extreme language in an earthy, endearing delivery. He has dominated Italian politics by dominating news cycles in Trumpian style -- offering up some nugget, often over Twitter, that is outrageous and offensive to his haters, red meat to his supporters and simply irresistible to the Italian media. He has 3.2 million followers on Facebook and 880,400 on Twitter. Mr. Foa first met Mr. Bannon, the former executive chairman of the right-wing Breitbart News, at the Lugano house of the Swiss financier Tito Tettamanti. He said he later helped arrange a meeting between Mr. Bannon and Mr. Salvini. Image The Five Star Movement's hostility to the media traces back to its co-founders. The comedian Beppe Grillo often featured his disdain for reporters whose wildly popular blog, calling them "the walking dead." Credit Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times The mainstream press had a habit of "portraying all these events in such a mysterious way," Mr. Foa said. Mr. Foa's son, Leonardo, fresh out of college, now works with Mr. Salvini's social media maestro, Luca Morisi. (Mr. Foa said his son got the job on his own.) Mr. Morisi's team includes many alumni of Casaleggio Associates, which administers Five Star's internet platform and is now run by Davide Casaleggio, the founder's son. Before the election, Mr. Morisi acknowledged that the official website "We're With Salvini" shared the same Google codes as sites supportive of the Five Star Movement, as well as "I'm With Putin" and other conspiracy sites. "But we have nothing to do with the pro-Putin or pro-Five Star sites," Mr. Morisi said at the time. Since becoming Italy's interior minister and vice premier, Mr. Salvini's constant social media posts, television appearances and campaign-style travel have raised the question of when he actually works. But that is perhaps an outdated conception of work in an age when the media message is the metier. At 12:38 p.m. on Sept. 24, the government passed Mr. Salvini's tough new immigration law. At 12:55 p.m. he posted a smiley face emoticon. At 1:09 p.m., he tweeted a link to himself talking about it on Facebook Live. At 1:45 he tweeted that the hashtag about his decree, #DecretoSalvini, was "in ten minutes already third on Twitter in Italy! Thank you." At 2:59, he tweeted that the hashtag was "FIRST in Italy on Twitter." Mr. Foa has had his own adventures on Twitter. A few days before the 2016 United States presidential election, he shared an Italian blog post claiming Mrs. Clinton had attended a "satanic" dinner with John Podesta. He said that the report seemed plausible to him because he recalled reading in some "very serious press" about "pedophilic" art in the collection of Mr. Podesta. (John's brother, Tony Podesta, collects contemporary works.) "I didn't go deep on this," he said in the interview this week in his defense, acknowledging that he "might be wrong," and that he sometimes succumbed to the temptation to publish the sensational to boost his audience on social media. "It's happened to me a couple of times," he said. In 2017, he falsely claimed the United States military was preparing to mobilize 150,000 reservists, possibly for a war against Syria or North Korea or Russia. He said a friend in American national security circles told him Mr. Trump had called up reservists and that he checked with an expert he knew in Italy who said it was true. "So I had two sources and I wrote just five lines on my blog, ten lines. And that's all," he said. Still, he thinks reporters could be more cautious, when, for instance, reporting that Russia was behind the March poisoning of a former Soviet Spy, Sergei V. Skripal. "It's too obvious for me," Mr. Foa said of the evidence in the case. "It's a way of saying, `Oh, you see, Putin is the bad guy doing the bad thing.'" His prime concern now, though, he said, is restoring the credibility of RAI, which he said had been destroyed by an establishment, anti-populist bias. Without that trust, he said, political parties, internet trolls and regular citizens would continue to use social media to misinform the public and erode democracy. "We're in a very dangerous territory," he said. Emma Johanningsmeier contributed reporting from Rome. A version of this article appears in print on Page A4 of the New York edition with the headline: Conspiracist Takes Over Italy's State TV (via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. GERMANY, Reception of IBC Radio via Channel 292 on Sept 28: 1300-1300 on 6070 ROB 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu Italian Sat, good Frequency change for Italian Broadcasting Corporation / IBC Radio via Tashkent: 1900-2000 NF 7330 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg to WeEu Italian Wed, ex previous 5845 & deleted 5845/7330 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg to WeEu English Wed IBC Radio 2000-2030 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/reception-of-ibc-radio-via-channel-292_29.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 28-29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. Oklahoma TP DX 9/26/18 594, JOAK fair, man singing at 1207; fair at 1219, man singing (audible on barefoot SRF-T615); signal faded out at 1226 (LSR 1221). 774 JOUB barely audible talking at 1054; faded in briefly at 1144 and 1151; poor, music at 1155. 828, JOBB fair, music at 1157; NHK time pips at 1200, followed by English lesson; faded to poor at 1203; good signal at 1212-1214 (audible on barefoot SRF-T615); fair at 1216-1218. No other Asian signals heard despite showings of JOAK and JOBB. (Richard Allen, near Perry OK USA, Skywave SSB + 8-inch FSL, Sent from my iPad, Sept 26, IRCA via DXLD) TP DX 9/27/18: Reception of Japanese signals was the best thus far this season. 567, JOIK barely audible at 1203; poor-to-fair // 594 at 1208-1210. 594, JOAK poor at 1204. 693, JOAB poor // 747 briefly at 1155. 747, JOIB barely audible, woman talking at 1007 under WSB-750 slop; poor briefly at 1016; poor at 1042; fair at 1152 with KRMG-740 splatter. 774, JOUB poor, woman talking // 747 at 1011; poor at 1043; poor at 1149 with moderate KSPI-780 QRM. 828, JOBB poor, English lesson, at 1210; barely audible at 1223-1224 (LSR 1222) 873, JOGB poor // 747 at 1157; faded away at 1201. 1218, (JOLF?) unidentified carrier, no audio. No signals noted on 666, 954, 972, 1134, 1242 or 1287 or when checked (Richard Allen, near Perry OK USA, Skywave & 8-inch FSL. Sent from my iPad, IRCA at HCDX via DXLD) Oklahoma TP DX 10/1/18: LSR at 1225 GMT. 567, JOIK poor, song ?Dancing Queen? // JOAK at 1220. 594, JOAK barely audible to poor at 1155-1203; poor at 1220-1228; signal faded out at 1232. 693, JOAB fair, English lesson at 1225. 747, JOIB fair to poor, with CKJH-750 QRM at 1140-1150. 774, JOUB poor with moderate KSPI-780 QRM; fair strength at 1139. 828, JOBB poor, English lesson at 1204; poor in unID-830 splatter at 1217. 873, JOGB poor // JOBB at 1208-1217. 972, HLCA? heterodyne, no audio, at 1223. No signals observed on 666, 954 or 1134 when checked. (Richard Allen, near Perry OK USA, Skywave with 8-inch FSL, Sent from my iPad, IRCA via DXLD) ** JAPAN [and non]. Hi Glenn, Re DXLD 18-38 - "KOREA NORTH & SOUTH [and non]." Thanks to Richard Langley and Hans Johnson for the interesting item. One minor correction: "Other Voices --- There are also two stations produced by the Japanese government and directed to North Korea: Sea Breeze and Wind From the Homeland. They are broadcasting on shortwave to Japanese citizens believed to have been kidnapped by North Korea and thought to still be held there." There are indeed two SW programs produced by the Japanese government: Nippon no Kaze and Furusato no Kaze ("Wind of Hometown"). Shiokaze/Sea Breeze is provided by the private organization COMJAN (Investigating Committee on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea). Website in Japanese - http://www.chosa-kai.jp/ (Ron Howard (San Francisco - Sept 27), WOR iog via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. Hi Glenn, NHK Radio Japan heard on 29-Sep-2018 at 0223 UT for 0200-0400 transmission in Japanese to Central America on 6105. Good reception for this transmission here which may be due to the fact that the transmission was airing via Issoudun (France). Seems odd to me that there is any need for a Japanese language transmission in that direction: one can only suppose that there are a good number of ex-pats in that region (Dave Harries, Bristol, UK, using Tecsun PL880 with no external antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also puts VG signal into CNAm, where there are a lot more English-speakers than Japanese --- but NHK blew us off years ago; we don`t matter to them. Quite a lot of music variety on it tho (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 657-Pyongyang -- the TP Booby Prize Recently Colin posted a YouTube video including pretty clear reception of 657-Pyongyang BS in Victoria -- an impressive accomplishment when DXing so close to 650-Vancouver. Although Puyallup is a far inferior location and this QTH currently suffers from some neighbor-emitted RFI, it has always had the inside edge in reception of the "TP Booby Prize," and is reluctant to give up its title. In between multiple DXpeditions and fanatical antenna experiments there is always time for some wacky humor, and Pyongyang BS cooperated nicely with some really corny music this morning at 1333 UT [only 1:12 long sample] https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/dfkgwb4nkobem3bptg6r1irznfm1gcy2 (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), Sept 29, WOR iog via DXLD) One has to be careful about listening too intently to any Pyongyang music - it has an odd hypnotic ability to get you heaping praise upon the great leader and despots like him... POTUS seems to be a fan of Kim and Vladimir - so I suspect he may have spent some time tuning 657, 819 and 855. I`ll readily admit to watching a YouTube video (in HD no less) of a hood mounted GoPro camera going between downtown Pyongyang and some historic sites. It was mesmerizing and there was this crazy music blaring from speakers everywhere. In deference to those on this list who have not experienced somnolence and obedience inducing North Korean organ music, I`ll spare everyone the URL in respect of your remaining sanity. Pity Gary and I [sic], who have been exposed to NK music, our mind and bodies irreparably scarred by these ear worms. From Canada... (Comrade Colin Newell - Victoria - B.C. CANADA (a little slice of socialism in North America...), ibid.) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. From the "RUNDFUNK International" section of the Hörzu Radio Aktuell German radio guide: Südkorea --- KBS World Radio sendet auf Deutsch von 20.00 bis 21.00 Uhr auf 3955 kHz. Weitere Informationen über das wirtschaftliche und politische Geschehen im Land sind online zu finden: http://world.kbs.co.kr/german/ (via Mike Cooper, Sep 30, DXLD) MESZ vermutlich; ¿etwas verändert? (gh) Nein, es ist WZ und über Woofferton, VR (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. 9785, 26Sep 1415, KBS in Korean, not English, in the background the CRI QRM in Thai (confirmed with the parallel frequency of 7360, in the SDR of Perth Western, Australia). After 1423 the signal of the CRI prevails totally on the KBS, even after the closing of the transmission of the CRI. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia 12°14´S 38°58´W - Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop. WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As of last week, 9785 had that new/unscheduled KBS English around 2000; swaparound? (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 23060 Harmonic, Welat Voice/Denge Welat, Issoudun [FRANCE}. 2 x 11530, confirmed at 0502–0557 & after 1500. In Turkish heard on 17/9 at 0450 on 9525, at 0503-0545 and 0600–0630 on 11530 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi antenna), Australian DX News via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) 11530, PRIDNESTROVIE, Dengé Welat at 2001 in Kurdish with a man with news with sound bytes – Good Sept 30 – According to Dan Ferguson's SW Skeds group the HFCC list this as Pridnestrovie while the Aoki list this as France. Both lists were updated on September 27th but I'll trust the HFCC first (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Videos Radio Kuwait und 20 Jahre IBB Kuwait --- Liebe Hobbyfreunde, DL hat mich auf die folgenden Videos aufmerksam gemacht. Beide Videos sind toll gemacht. Klasse Videos, danke an Dieter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svRAmz0BeYY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNIwjrkY_nM&feature=youtu.be (via Wolfgang Bueschel, Sept 25, DXLD) 11629.757, Sept 28 at 1405, poor in Arabic talk: another of MOI`s off-frequencies, nominal 11630 at 1300-1600, 250 kW at 230 degrees from Sulaibiyah. At 1426 in Qur`an; I guess that`s about vespertime. [and non] Off-frequencies also cause greater QRM in collisions by producing an off-frequency het, e.g.: (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho no het heard here for this: Reception of MOI Radio Kuwait Holy Quran Service on Sept.30 1355-1600 on 11629.7*KBD 250 kW / 230 deg to CeAf Arabic, very good. * QRM on nom.11630.0 LIN 100 kW / 286 deg to EaAs Kazakh CNR17 co-ch http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/reception-of-moi-radio-kuwait-holy.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 29-30, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More hetty collision examples: KUWAIT vs JAPAN, Radio Kuwait vs NHK World Japan Network Radio Japan on Sept 25: 1100-1325 on 9749.8 KBD 250 kW / 286 deg to NEAf Arabic General Service R. Kuwait 0800-1600 on 9750.0 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese NHK World Radio Japan: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/radio-kuwait-vs-nhk-world-radio-japan.html KUWAIT vs. ASCENSION, MOI Radio Kuwait vs. Radio Ndarason Int on 5960v kHz, Sept.26 0200-0625 on 5959.8 KBD 250 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic General Sce Radio Kuwait 0500-0600 on 5960.0 ASC 250 kW / 055 deg to WeAf Kanuri R.Ndarason International http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/moi-radio-kuwait-vsradio-ndarason-int.html (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) 5959.875, Odd fq of Radio Kuwait. Al-Quds news/commentary in Arabic language at 0515 UT on Sept 30. S=9+35dB or -43dBm powerful signal. Log 0445-0605 UT Sept 30 in remote Doha Qatar rx SDR unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz](Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good signal of Radio Kuwait in English on Sept 29 0500-0800 on 15529.7 KBD 250 kW / 310 deg to WeEu English: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/good-signal-of-radio-kuwait-in-english_29.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 28-29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4010.174 kHz measured exactly against RWM Moscow Taldom Russia standard fq on Sept 7 at 1552 UT S=7-8 in remote SDR Doha Qatar rx site [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 27 via BC-DX 27 Sept via DXLD) KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, 4010.167 kHz S=9+5dB at 1318 UT on Sept 28, measured exactly against RWM Moscow Taldom Russia standard fq in remote SDR Delhi rx site. Birinchi Radio from Krasnaya Rechka, Bishkek bc center. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, HCDX via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 6135, R. Madagasikara, Ambohidrano. Vibrant music at 1357 6/8. From: Further north at Matemwe, Zanzibar, I logged a couple of things on SW (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XELBC-730, Loreto BCS --- I'm still trying to figure out what is going on with this very quirky station. They were originally licensed as a 10kW daytimer. Offhand I can't recall ever seeing a reliable logging of this station in the 2 decades they've been on the air. I've aimed antennas at them from the Border Inn without luck. They eventually got assigned to move to FM, but with an unusually low power of 250 watts?(the typical power awarded under the Mexican FM migration plan is 25 kW). A DJ from the station told me last year (via Facebook message) that the AM was still on the air. He didn't know their hours of operation on AM. He promised to find out, but I never heard from him again. XELBC is one of a few BC Sur stations?that have a web stream. Most BC Sur stations (even those believed to have moved to FM) have no web presence at all. I've listened to XELBC's web stream for many hours. They NEVER give a decent ID, even at the most likely times (before/after the national anthem). If they try to "ID" at all (which is rare), they only mention their slogan ("La Giganta," after the nearby mountain range) and a power (2.5 kW, which is not the licensed power of their AM or FM). No mention of call letters or frequency, ever. Last year, they had lots of live, local programming. It was very "random" (long rambling interviews, music, etc., never arranged into any discernable structured hourly "programs" ;) but definitely local. This summer, things have been getting even weirder. Some days their web stream is broadcasting dead air (like an OC hum) all day long. Other days, they've been rebroadcasting other BC Sur stations. So far I've heard them rebroadcasting XERLA-940, XEBCS-1050, and XHHZ-105.5 (ex-XEHZ-990). This is the station's own meager web page, so it's not a matter of a third party like tunein.com hooking up to the wrong station's stream (which happens surprisingly often these days). It's as if they have no ability to produce local programming anymore. I'm trying to find the station employee I had found on Facebook last year. So far no luck. Offhand I don't recall ever hearing an ad on this station. I wonder if they're practically on auto-pilot nowadays? I'll probably try again? from the Border Inn next month, though it's a pretty unproductive direction to run an antenna (picks up too many SoCal pests, plus XESOS-730 which is also a huge pest on any wire aimed at Mexico). In any case, it may be worth listening for these other stations' slogans (Radio Surcalifornia, La Radio de Surcalifornia, H-Z 105.5) on AM 730, especially around 6 am MDT. Come to think of it, I might have a Perseus recording with a weird slogan on 730). Right now their web stream has a relay of XHHZ-105.5 La Paz. Does anyone actually know what's going on with these guys? 73 (Tim Hall, CA, Sept 25, Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone, ABDX yg via DXLD) XELBC-730 continued --- No sooner did I write that big long e-mail detailing how XELBC's web stream has been relaying other BC Sur stations (or dead air) most of the summer, than they returned to airing local programming this morning. The national anthem at 6 am MDT is very unusual and should be easily recognizable. It is an instrumental version, but not orchestral (i.e., no strings) and I'm not even sure if I heard any drums. Maybe only wind instruments (definitely brass and woodwind). The length was unusual, too - about 3 minutes (most stations either air a single verse which comes out just over a minute, or a full version which lasts about [?] minutes 40 seconds). After the anthem, just the usual non-ID, "la giganta... 2500 watts" (which is neither the licensed power of the AM or the FM) and no mention of frequency(-ies). One promo said something like "soy Manuela... escúchame por la giganta 95.7" which may be the first time I have ever heard this station mention either frequency. Programming is completely chaotic. A variety of music, mostly grupera (including the really "cheesy" grupera where all the wind instruments are synthesized). Nothing ever starts or ends anywhere near the top or bottom of the hour. At 6:46 am local time when a song ended they suddenly started into a newscast (with no identification or even a title). The morning show "Panorama Informativa," a kind of news magazine program with features from all around BC Sur, started at the odd time of 6:57. I'm still not convinced this station is still active on AM, despite an employee having told me they were. 73 (Tim Hall, Sept 28, ABDX yg via DXLD) Good info. If you can't hear them in Chula Vista or out in the desert, they may be gone. If 2.5 kW AM you should get them I'd say. Maybe you can get a hold of that employee again? 73 KAZ hoping for good DX now as I think I've sorted my issues with the west DKAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) This is from notes from 2011 while on the Mexican Riviera cruise. That cruise went down to Cabo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. 730, 4/24/11 11:09 AM heard song, Ke Buena slogan so that was Ensenada. Notes say 1010 was weak and I thought we were south of Ensenada 730, 4/25/11 11:02 AM nothing, just sailing into Cabo No other notes for 730 on the rest of the cruise. Cruise was typically Ensenada, Cabo, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, then 2 days at sea on the trip back to So Cal (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, ibid.) ** MEXICO. XEVA-790 --- Station confirmed via Facebook message that they have turned off their AM. 73 (Tim Hall, CA, Sept 28, ABDX yg via DXLD) Villahermosa, Tabasco, 25/5 kW (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. [Re gh`s recent 870 log:] You'll find XETAR's site at http://www.cdi.gob.mx/ecosgobmx/xetar.php (Raymie Humbert, AZ, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) ** MEXICO. MÉXICO, Here is an interesting offer from Mexican DXer Luis Alejandro Vallebueno, quoted in the British Medium Wave Circle: Dear Colleagues, Yesterday I visited the XEG station La Ranchera de Monterrey, one of the most powerful stations in Mexico at 1050 kHz and I spoke with the engineer Galicia. This station was the last medium wave station that sent verification cards to the diexistas, a practice that they suspended in 2015. To which I proposed the engineer to become the QSL manager. So soon I will verify the reports of this station (and maybe some other). Both physical and electronic QSLs will be realised soon. Any help from you is welcome. For an e-QSL you can write to xegqsl@gmail.com For a printed QSL you can direct it to: Reception reports, Calle Patoni 104 Sur, Durango Dgo Cp 34000, Mexico. 1 IRC or 2 USD is required for postal fees! (via Henrik Klemetz in DXing. Info via Oct NZ DX Times via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week- including DTV/TDT Monday [Sept 24] saw the official announcement of what we'd known for some time: XHJE would be the new home of Exa FM in Puebla (with full launch October 1). What is becoming clearer is that MVS is taking on this station itself (I expect to see a concession transfer authorization at some point, too). Job postings have appeared for an accountant, mentioning specifically that MVS is searching for office space in the Angelópolis area of Puebla: "Estamos definiendo la ubicación de nuestras oficinas que tentativamente será Angelópolis, y temporalmente nos ubicamos en la zona de Las Ánimas." For reference, Cinco Radio is located in Col. Las Hadas. MVS has, until now, never owned its own station in Puebla. Stereorey was heard on XHZM, which of course is owned by Grupo Ultra (and has not changed hands ever), and the Tribuna deal stuck around for some time. ——— I'm not sure exactly how you publish values, but Publicando Valores, A.C., has its social station in Juchitán, Oaxaca: XHPBJZ-FM 98.9. The applicant is owned by Rubén Cuevas Estrada, Olga Maribel Gutiérrez Gutiérrez, José de Jesús Gutiérrez Gutiérrez and Carlos Javier Gutiérrez Rodríguez. I found one reference to the owners, in a magazine titled "Publicate de los Altos" https://www.scribd.com/document/55762656/1%C2%AA-Edicion-de-Mayo-2011 which apparently originates in Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco, where José de Jesús, a priest who was ordained in 1996, led 50 pilgrims from the Istmo region on a pilgrimage. The publication also has a tie to this application: Rubén Cuevas Estrada is listed as the magazine's director general. A more recent article from 2018 describes the priest as the "director of media and spokesperson for the Diocese of Tehuantepec". http://cambiodigital.com.mx/mosno.php?nota=370056 The diocesan website prominently features a link to a radio station it currently operates, "Guadalupe Tu Radio" on 95.7, in Tehuantepec. It currently operates 16 1/2 hours a day http://diocesisdetehuantepec.org/index.php/menupastoralessectoriales/menupastoraldecomunicacion with a variety of Catholic programs as well as programming from Vatican Radio. ——— Also getting the green light in recent IFT meetings were... XHABO 101.5 - Cabo San Lucas, BCS (Radio Agricultores del Valle de Sinaloa, social wolf for Promomedios Sinaloa) XHTQS 89.9 - Tequisquiapan, Qro. (Radio Procultura, A.C.) Last edited by Raymie; 09-25-2018 at 01:32 PM. (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Sept 25, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) It's time to catch up on the Hermosillo permit forest, where there has been news recently regarding two of the awarded stations. Today saw the inauguration of XHHMO-FM 103.5 of the Universidad Autónoma de Durango, which in Sonora is known as the Universidad Durango Santander. Rather curiously, the group photo was taken across the street from Grupo Larsa Comunicaciones. https://twitter.com/lobosUAD/status/1044638951548444672 However, it might have been beaten to the punch by 88.1 XHRMO, which at the very least has a barebones Facebook page up https://www.facebook.com/lavozdelpiticradio/ and a listen2myradio http://lavozdelpitic.listen2myshow.com/ enabled. La Voz de Pitic, as the station will be known referencing the native name for Hermosillo, appears to have an eclectic cultural format. With XHFLO slated to come on air in the first half of 2019, the lone station without news would be XHHER 105.9, almost certainly Voz Sonora for Hermosillo. ——— One minor bit of news is not terribly surprising in the document clearing the Cancún permit forest, but it is still noteworthy. La Voz del Padre Pío, A.C., was the oldest application on file in the forest —*March 1, 2006. But the reason they lost out was because their owners already had stations. In fact, their owners were Grupo Acustik! (Raymie, Sept 25, ibid.) I spotted a little curiosity in the app description for the Aire Libre app now on Google Play: "AIRE LIBRE es una nueva propuesta de comunicación en México compuesta por estaciones de radio en la ciudad de México 105.3 FM, en Cancún (frecuencia por definir) y en La Riviera Maya 94.7 FM desde Tulum QR. Página Web y aplicación Móvil a partir del 2018." That's right, Cancún! Aire Libre wants in Cancún, frequency to be determined! I'm not quite sure how they're going to get there. There's always the confusing case of XHROJ (103.5 is probably available to rent if they realize it exists). They could buy or lease a commercial station (XHCCQ comes to mind, particularly if Grupo Radio Centro decides to move its market-leading La Z station to IFT-4 station XHPBCQ). Or they could even strike a deal with the Instituto Americano Leonardo da Vinci, which came out of that Cancún permit forest with XHANC-FM 88.1. ——— The social MX group at El Arenal, Jalisco, for 1210 kHz, has been resolved, and José Trinidad Chavira Vargas will win the station. He appears to have operated a 107.1 pirate before, "Valles Digital Radio" (Raymie, Sept 26, ibid.) A curious post... looks like Grupo Expreso (Medios y Editorial de Sonora) has at least one studio ready for its radio venture. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=964040173804586&id=593356997539574&__xts__[0]=68.ARCgMS0mXaFrmNVAGuXhsVRq7TVD8WwrqH-Pl5G1whMIKMWHMSo0Vz6fV2I5IPJXZW7Iswdu2GMRnuZnb-FaKdxCHTh0214RymeNpzEVA3Koa7_JSqqaKvjhlsIgCsOWPUG7tw0EZB8l5CHi1lTmCMM2_21ymCAxjdyRuPJswrBmsyNhiex9&__tn__=-R In IFT-4, the newspaper won duopolies at Guaymas and Navojoa. It looks like XHPMAS and XHPNAV (100.5/89.7) have begun testing, too — they'll be grupera as Sonora Grupera, http://www.sonoragrupera.com/ and their duopoly partners XHPUAY and XHPJOA (90.9/98.1) will be Pop Extremo. http://www.popextremo.com/ Both the Guaymas stations and XHPNAV are HD-required. It appears as if the stations in each format are simulcasting. I am not sure where the programming is being originated, though. There's a chance it might actually be coming from Hermosillo. Last edited by Raymie; 09-27-2018 at 11:09 PM. (Raymie, Sept 27, ibid.) She's back. Last night, Carmen Aristegui called a press conference for midday today, and immediately the speculation turned to her return to broadcasting after three years in exile. The press conference announced that she will return to radio by way of Grupo Radio Centro, on Wednesday, October 17, on GRC's 97.7 FM in Mexico City and syndicated to GRC's affiliates and stations in markets without a GRC/OIR presence (Raymie, Sept 28, ibid.) It appears that XHKOK-FM will be on the move, making it the first Article 90 clear authorized in 2018. Unfortunately, as is prone to happening, the transcription didn't catch the frequency information correctly ("800.9"). My current guess is 88.9 MHz, matching the 800 kHz bandplan for Acapulco. Guerrero has three A90 clears: XHKOK, XHACA in Acapulco (96.1) and XHCHG in Chilpancingo (102.7). None of the other two clears have moved. The fourth commercial station in the state above 106 is XHIG-FM Iguala, which last year was exempted as no other frequency was available to relocate the Class B1 station. The first reserved band assignment in all of Guerrero was made earlier this year in Chilpancingo, to Digital con Sentido Social 106.3, A.C., for XHSCAS-FM 107.9 (Raymie, Sept 28, ibid.) It was the traditional welcome for the La Bonita del Norte stations in Zacatecas, as Governor Alejandro Tello went to visit the studios pumping out La Bonita del Norte, whose ownership is going by JFJ Comunicaciones. http://ljz.mx/2018/09/27/gobernador-inaugura-tres-nuevas-estaciones-de-radio-locales-concesionadas-a-jfj/ Meanwhile, it's five of six for Multimedios on television as XHMTCH begins its full-power transmissions today. There's no new programming, as it is simulcasting existing K26KJ-D, and there are no new subchannels, because there is no authorization on hand. It's worth noting that K26KJ-D's subchannels do not include Teleritmo, because one of them is Canal 28 (Raymie, Sept 28, ibid.) El Paso, Juárez? (gh) The risks of Mexican broadcasting were made apparent again this week. On Thursday afternoon, Arturo Porcallo Eguiluz "DJ Pikachu", one of the airstaff at Radio y Televisión de Guerrero in Taxco (XEGRT-AM), was shot and killed at a mechanical shop. Porcallo was 34 years old. https://guerrero.quadratin.com.mx/asesinan-a-tiros-a-locutor-de-rtg-en-taxco/ (Raymie, Sept 29, ibid.) According to one report, Televisa didn't get anyone to bite on its radio station business. https://www.lapoliticaonline.com.mx/nota/116285-televisa-no-consigue-deprenderse-de-su-negocio-de-radios-ya-no-tiene-interesados-en-mexico/ Sources close to the process say that none of the country's other radio groups were interested suitors. Neither was Carlos Slim, who evidently didn't see radio as fitting his business strategy. The next step may be a belt-tightening in the radio division to make it more attractive for a potential sale, which wouldn't be to any existing players in the radio industry. Grupo ACIR is mentioned as saying it'd pay just $30 million for the operation, where Televisa attempted to sell it at $170 million. That prompted one person involved in the negotiations to note, "They valued the companies as if it were still 2010 and share prices were 40% more important than they are now." Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa [tagline] (Raymie, Sept 29, ibid.) Quote Originally Posted by Raymie ``The next step may be a belt-tightening in the radio division to make it more attractive for a potential sale, which wouldn't be to any existing players in the radio industry.`` The problem here is that Televisa does not operate the radio stations and, in fact, has no radio division. They are a shareholder in the the company that runs the station, but they have no vote in the administration. I think that the fact that Televisa can only sell its 50% of the stations is a major impediment to the sale, as whoever buys that 50% will have to negotiate with Prisa as well. And the fact remains that when Televisa brought Prisa in, the stations were an absolute disaster, populated with failed TV executives and talent and achieving horrible ratings and billings (David Eduardo Gleason, La Quinta CA, Sept 29, ibid.) ** MEXICO. 6185, Radio Educación in Spanish at 0105 UT Sept 26 with what seems to be a news program. ID at 0109+ UT, Very Good past 0230 when playing tradition soft music. Thanks to Dan Robinson for the heads up on this re-activation (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Rx: Perseus SDR, Ant: Wellbrook ALA100 loop, WOR iog via DXLD) ** NEPAL. Finally Heard Radio Nepal On 5005 kHz On September 25 Respected Glen[n] Hauser, Here is a report posted in my blog by me on Radio Nepal heard on 5005 kHz. Hope you will find interesting; with links to audio files recorded. http://gkcalling.blogspot.com/search/label/Dxing & more precisely http://gkcalling.blogspot.com/2018/09/finally-heard-radio-nepal-on-5005khz-on.html It`s my pleasure to inform you all that after random monitoring of Radio Nepal on 5005 kHz for several days during 0830-1115 UT, finally I heard the signal on the afternoon of September 25th(2018) from 1037 to 1111. The Signal faded away & also noise level increased after 1111 approx. & nothing audible as such. I used both my Grundig YB 400 with AC Adapter 9V & GRUNDIG YB 80 Rx on battery with my EXT ANT: Cu WIRE 78' Length, 30' Height With COAX LEADIN. The signal strength though was fair to weak and also with low audio intensity (low modulation) but whenever music was played its audio intensity became higher. There was moderate fading sometimes. There was live call-in show with listeners plus music was played as I understood listening to it. Also hum was observed. And I like to mention further the language of the broadcast was in Nepali Language. Here are the links to the audio files recorded: At 1051 via GRUNDIG YB 400 Rx: https://app.box.com/s/uubgz8nqvaei5yzqixn283w5ezhiyp54 At 1102 via GRUNDIG YB 80 Rx: https://app.box.com/s/w08z8spd3ajcttwwtoemlis9sknkzqmu At 1109 via GRUNDIG YB 400 Rx: https://app.box.com/s/kw395w0ckbnelwahh7c9iyy05q9lje35 Thanks for Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK for sharing the breaking news of Radio Nepal coming back on 5005 kHz after a long gap of several years in UNION OF ASIAN DXERS Facebook Group & also to OM Sarath Weerakoon, 4S5SL for his investigation on the issue. 73s (Gautam Kumar Sharma(GK) Abhayapuri(Assam)(India) Geographical Location of Reception Place(Abhayapuri): Longitude: 26º18´20´´ North Latitude: 90º37´50´´ East 0100 UT Sept 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On Sept 25, assume them on 5005 kHz, from 1052 till off at 1119* UT; only a definite carrier here; signal strength slowly improving, but never any audio. Not heard yesterday 1100+. Still testing? (Ron Howard, California, Sept 25, WOR iog via DXLD) [non-log]. On Sept 26, had 5005 kHz. silent of any carrier; 1051 to 1112 UT. Certainly not on the air daily! 5005, Radio Nepal, on Sept 27, checking on-and-off between 1050 to 1110, with no carrier heard today (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. GERMANY, Radio Emmeloord, Netherland will be on air via MBR Nauen 1000-1600 on 6095 NAU 125 kW / 240 deg to CeEu Dutch Oct.6 // MW 1224: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/radio-emmeloord-netherland-will-be-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 25-26, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) also see GERMANY ** NETHERLANDS [non]. GERMANY. Eastern: 5960, The Mighty KBC via Nauen with Uncle Eric's Giant Juke Box oldies show and the digital minute from Kim Elliot[t] with a photo of floods in NC post Florence: One 'oldie' of note was a request for "Da Yoopers", "If I Could Fart Like My Dad". Cute, but I still kind of prefer "If she Farts on the First Date".... :o --- 4+4+4+4+4 with splatter from EWTN 5970 so LSB sync made things better; 0110-0135 23/Sep, SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +Randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 9690, 27Set2018, 1821, Voice of Nigeria in English. YL talks and music. The signal is good but has suffered slight QRM since the CRI in 9695. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12°14´S 38°58´W -, Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop, WOR iog via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 7470, UNITED STATES (religious pirate), R YHWH in progress at tune-in, 0250. Usual canned lecture, and nothing special for the Day of Atonement. Near armchair reception, but transmitter probs again and weak 0330 and 0355. Recheck after 0400, was gone. Sept 19 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750; RS SW-2000629, & ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening..! : D ! -rb, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 0215 UT tonight, I'm hearing YHWH with his distinctive voice on new 7465 kHz. Don't ever remember him here, although a while back he did jump around a bit to escape jammers. Good reception, although a bit undermodulated. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Sept 25, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7465, Sept 25 at 0329, anti-Christ pirate Station YHWH on new frequency ex-7470, S9 but as usual undermodulated, about ``mighty Yahweh`. Tnx to tip from Walt Salmaniw a few minutes earlier [0215]. Had been on 7470 for longtime, and I also had him recently after 1800 on 11490 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7465, UNITED STATES (religious pirate), R YHWH at 0330, new frequency heard here (thanks to earlier reports by Walt Salmaniw and Glenn Hauser). Poor at tune-in (using SW-2000629 and outdoor longwire), then rose up from the hole after a cupla minutes. Familiar voice and usual monologue. Signal highs were high, and the lows were very low where, as in the past, I had to use the BFO to see if there was even still a signal there. At 0355, there was a drop out and I couldn't even detect a carrier with BFO engaged, and nothing heard after that - Poor/Good variable Sep. 26 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750; RS SW-2000629, & ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening..! : D ! -rb, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7465, Sept 28 at 0253, YHWH on here again tonight, S9 but undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6930-USB, Sept 28 at 2326, unID pirate with protest folksong, S4 about even with noise level; 2329 off or pause; retune 2330 to hear synthom enumerating testicle sizes of various creatures starting with Greek god statues, countdown to an insect as percent of total weight. How enlightening. Also as UnID in this thread: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,46344.0.html Off at 2352 recheck; others say it was off by 2337 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6870-USB, Sept 30 at 0013, rock music with rough reduced? carrier; familiar tunes including 0017 ``Girl from Ipanema`` in Brazuguese and English; 0022 YL ID as ``Mix Radio International``, S9+10 pirate and roughly equivalent to the 100 kW from Nauen on 5960 for non-pirate Mighty Farty KBC. 0046 ``Wichita Lineman``, 0057 ``Gentle on My Mind``, still on past 0105+. Many more logs here, no one mentioning rough modulation, some even lauding her sound: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,46388.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. -- LPFM, 87.9, Yukon OK (OK City 'burb); 6:60-7:22 PM CDT 9/25 [2360-2422 UT Sept 26]; relay of LPFM 93.9 KWDW OK City; EZL Spanish religious music; "Escúchenos 93.9 FM, Radio Calvallos(?)" spot for "Livres [sic] de verdad". VGood at I-40 & Garth Brooks Blvd (Yukon is the hometown of Garth Brooks) (Harold Frodge, From Uncle Harold's Trip out west, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Welcome to Oklahoma --- It`s Radio Calvario, on 87.9 really a pirate, not legal LPFM, but interesting that same programming now be on legal 100-watt LP KWDW 93.9. See my detailed 87.9 report of last April 7 in DXLD 18-15 (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 89.7 Catoosa OK (Tulsa 'burb); 11:12 AM CDT [1612 UT], 9/26; A female, lady woman read a series of numbers, then DA. Heard on I-44 north of Tulsa (Harold Frodge, From Uncle Harold's Trip out west, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) An FM numbers station? Too cool! - kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, ed., MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) That`s awful close to local 89.5 KWGS (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Oklahoma City, 23, KSBI Requests STA for unspecified reduced power due to power supply failure. Tulsa, 12, KGEB, Moved from 49, 21.5kw/182m (FCC News, Oct WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) 23 remains generally in the BAD signal non-decode level here (gh) ** OKLAHOMA. RF 25, Sept 25 at 1423 UT, KWTV OKC seen for the first time on its repack channel; indeed the first of any OKC or OK station I have caught. It`s color bars, with gray scale across the bottom; KWTV TEST across the middle; and also below that a small bar with a dot bouncing back and forth from left to right to left. Every 4.14 seconds it hits the left edge producing a beep. Wonder what the purpose of that is? Labeled KWTV 25 DTV 9-3. This is much weaker than KWTV still funxioning on RF 39 as 9-1 and 9-2; still on at 1554 but by now is dropping out a bit. Still on at 1905, but mostly below Good decode level. It probably would not have been solid earlier without considerable area tropo this morning (such as RF 11, KSWO-HD DTV 7-1 Lawton, and many Bad UHF signals). Does anyone know a timeline for completion of KWTV`s repack to 25? And how about the other OKC market stations, notably KAUT ``43`` still on RF 40? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Replies to my log of KWTV TEST on repack channel RF 25: ``KWTV is the only OKC station repacking in Phase 1. The deadline is Nov 30 - I don't know when they're planning to make the move. All other OKC stations changing channels are in Phase 2 (Dec 1 - April 12). This includes KUOT, KAUT, KOHC, KOCM and KOPX. Chris Lucas - dtvdxer, Poughkeepsie, NY FN31bs wtfda gg`` ``Glenn, regarding the OKC repack: KWTV is in the first phase of the TV repack, and testing has been allowed since September 14. November 30 is when testing is supposed to be complete and regular operation begins. I suppose the actual move could happen earlier than that? The rest of the OKC stations that will move are in the second repack phase, which begins December 1, with completion no later than April 12, 2019. I would assume what you are seeing on RF 25 are tests from a new transmitter that is ATSC 3.0 capable. Lots of stations are installing new units in anticipation of eventual switchover to the advanced digital format. As far as the bouncing dot on color bars: It is there to confirm the video isn't frozen. The beep is there to confirm video and audio are in sync (Stephen Luce. Houston, Texas, WOR iog)`` (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: KWTV repacking starts --- KWTV ``9`` OKC, tests on RF 25 continue, seen mostly weekdays, but not nights or weekends. Photo as first seen, and I know I need a better camera setup; this one has a hard time auto-focusing on the screen. http://www.w4uvh.net/KWTV25TEST.jpg {Same test still vigent Oct 5 at 1540} On Sept 26 I had a good view of the NE OKC antenna farm; must have been at least 10 high towers. It would be interesting to see a map of exactly which stations are on which, FM, TV, and whatever. Meanwhile more replies have come in to my original report, from Doug Smith, of W9WI.com in Tennessee, Sept 25 on the WTFDA gg: ``KWTV received Special Temporary Authority to transition early, in Phase 1. They seemed concerned they wouldn't be able to swap out antennas in time in Phase 2. They received a permit at the end of June for an "auxiliary" physical 25 facility, 1000 kW @ 331 m (on the same tower as the "main" physical 25 -- and the pre-repack physical 39 -- but 147 m lower). I believe you're seeing that auxiliary facility. I think they plan to operate on that facility for a while (how long I have no idea) while they remove the existing RF 39 antenna and replace it with one for RF 25. The FCC put out a Public Notice a couple of weeks ago warning repacked stations they are not to program both channels at the same time. They did however say it's fine to run test patterns on the post-repack channel while programming the pre-repack facility. Looking at other OKC-market stations --- As Chris Lucas says, every station that's moving (except KWTV) is moving in Phase 2. In general the FCC is trying to move every station in a market in the same phase, but they couldn't always accomplish that. KAUT-TV 40=>19; moving to a tower across Britton Road from KOCO-TV. KETA-TV not affected [already on 13] KFOR-TV Stays on 27 but has applied to move to the same Britton Road tower as KAUT. No action yet from FCC. KOCB Not affected [already on 33] KOCM 46=>16; moving to a tower on Ridgeway Road just southeast of KOCO-TV. KOCO-TV Not affected, just a useful landmark :) [already on RF 7] KOHC-CD 45=>31 KOKH-TV Not affected [already on 24] KOMI-CD Stays on 34 but has permit to move to the KMZE-FM 92.3 tower west of Sharon. (station licensed to Woodward) KOPX-TV 50=>18; moving to the same Britton Road tower as KAUT. KSBI Not affected [already on 23, but still underpowered] KTBO-TV Not affected [already on 15] KTUZ-TV Not affected [already on 29; not 25 = typo in original] KUOK Not affected. Went temporarily dark around July 20th. (Woodward) KUOK-CD Stays on 36 but has permit to increase power to 15 kW. KUOT-CD 19=>21 KWET Not affected (Cheyenne) [OETA way off in western OK, not OKC!] KWTV-DT 39=>25 Oh, regarding the bar/dot/beep --- That serves a couple of purposes. Firstly, the motion proves you actually have a working circuit :) Digital transmission paths buffer frames in memory -- which means if the path fails, one or more pieces of equipment will continue to display the last complete frame received. So instead of going black, the picture will freeze. If there's no motion, you don't know it froze! Secondly, lip sync. In analog TV, the sound and picture are transmitted simultaneously. There are two separate paths. In digital, there is only one path. The signal is transmitted in "packets" of 188 bytes of data. A packet may be part of a frame of video, or it might be part of a frame of audio (or it might be some program guide data, or part of the station name display, etc.). The receiver stores these packets and has to be told when to display each one. You want a frame of video displayed on the screen at the same time the associated bit of audio plays out the speakers (there are "Presentation Time Stamps" to take care of that). The transmission methods inside the TV station are very different but still usually involve sending bursts of audio and video down the same wire. Having the sound beep at the same time the dot reaches a predictable place ensures the time stamps are working properly so the sound and picture line up when an actual program is broadcast. (We can generally deal with the sound arriving "too late" -- that happens in real life, because light travels faster than sound. Having the sound arrive "too early", on the other hand, doesn't happen in nature and is VERY apparent!)`` (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang (Maus Blong Garamut), 1148-1208*, Sept 27. Sounded like religious Pacific Islands songs; 1202 bird call intro to the news in English (unreadable); 1206 seemed more religious songs till suddenly off; heavy QRN (static) (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Campesina, Cajamarca has been noted “surfing” this morning at 0500 up to 1381.236 kHz (Rocco Cotroneo, Italy [not Brasil?] via MW Offsets Yahoo Group via Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** PERU. Recibiendo en estos momentos aquí en Cusco, Perú por los 4940 kHz con simpo 3 a R. San Antonio desde Atalaya, región Ucayali, Perú. Programas religiosos. Utilizo receptor digital Sony ICF de 7600gr, antenas dipolo. Poco ruido sin desvanecimiento. Recepcion desde Cusco, Perú. Cordiales DX. (Carlos Gamarra) 1504 UT 26 September 2018 (via Daniel Wyllyans, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** PERU. 5980. R. CHASKI. Septiembre 25. 2315-2330 UT. Predicación sobre el amor de Dios y luego himno e identificación del programa: “El camino de La Vida” y espacio musical instrumental.a las 2326, se identifica y se emiten solicitudes de ofrendas para la radio. SINPO: 45343 (Claudio Galaz, Receptor: TECSUN PL 660, ANTENA: Hilo largo de 30 metros + balun 9:1+ tierra; Lugar de escucha: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. The Voice of America Relay Stations in the Philippines: Before the Beginning Soon after the discovery that shortwave broadcasting was a valuable method for obtaining international radio coverage, United States interests began shortwave services beamed to the Philippine Islands. After all, the Philippines were an American colony at that stage, and they had been so for the past half century, ever since they were ceded to the United States at the Treaty of Paris in 1898. The earliest known date for a shortwave radio relay from the United States to the Philippines took place in June 1935. Station KKR at RCA Bolinas in California relayed a program to the Philippines on 15450 kHz for rebroadcast on mediumwave and shortwave in Manila. There were many subsequent occasions back in that prewar era when the huge RCA shortwave station at Bolinas carried similar program relays for live rebroadcast in the Philippines. Interestingly, some of these live relays were originally broadcast on shortwave from Europe, from the BBC at Daventry near London and from the German shortwave station at Zeesen near Berlin in Germany. The prominent California shortwave station KGEI was inaugurated with test transmissions on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay as W6XBE on February 18, 1939. This station also was noted in Australia and New Zealand at times with a relay of programming from the United States for coverage in the Philippine Islands. Wikipedia states in their historic article on the origins of the Voice of America (Slightly adapted for use on radio): Even before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government’s Office of the Coordinator of Information, COI, in Washington DC, had already begun providing war news and commentary to the commercial American shortwave radio stations for use on a voluntary basis. This procedure was enabled through its Foreign Information Service, FIS, in New York which was headed up by playwright Robert E. Sherwood, who had served as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech writer and information advisor. Direct programming beamed to the Philippines began a week after the United States entered World War 2 in December 1941, and the first broadcast from the FIS office in San Francisco was via a leased General Electric transmitter also located in San Francisco (KGEI). A newly organized American shortwave network began its transmissions from studios at 270 Madison Avenue in New York City on February 1 of the next year 1942, and soon afterwards the identification term "The Voice of America" was introduced. The first Japanese attack against the Philippines took place with an aerial bombardment on December 8, 1941 at several locations just 10 hours after the tragic attack at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Exactly one week later on December 15, 1941, FIS, the Foreign Information Service in the United States, began the transmission to the Philippines of two special programs daily. These daily news programs were specially compiled with information of interest to the Philippines, and the information was rebroadcast by the mediumwave and shortwave stations in Manila and Cebu to the south. Then two weeks later again on December 28, the broadcast of an expanded series of radio programs began from KGEI on Treasure Island in San Francisco. These broadcasts were beamed to the Philippines and carried live by all six of their mediumwave stations and all six of their shortwave stations in Manila and Cebu City. This series of radio programs under the title the Philippine Program was produced due to a special request from General Douglas MacArthur, and also by a proclamation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These expanded programs were broadcast not only by the famous shortwave station KGEI, but also by three of the shortwave transmitters at RCA Bolinas. A total of eight live programs were prepared each day, and all of these were received by the RCA station in Manila, and they were relayed live via station KZRH to all of the mediumwave and shortwave stations then on the air in the Philippines. For the record, these stations were:- Manila mediumwave KZRH KZRM KZRF KZIB KZEG Manila shortwave KZRH KZRM KZRF KZIB KZND Cebu mediumwave & shortwave KZRC This special programming was on the air for a total of just 18 days. When the Japanese army arrived in Manila on January 2, 1942, the program relays over the Philippine commercial stations ended. However, at the instigation of General MacArthur, an alternative radio news service had already been implemented. Initially, army radio WVY in California transmitted news bulletins to the American navy base at Cavite NPO, on the coast south of Manila, and these bulletins were transcribed and read on air over navy radio NPO for local coverage. The Cavite station received these off-air program relays and re-broadcast them for local coverage for just a few days. It is understood that the radio broadcasting transmitter in use on the Bataan Peninsula was a 1 kW mobile unit licensed under the callsign KZRB which was owned by the former FEBC Far East Broadcasting Company (not related to the subsequent/current FEBC) in Manila. The American army took over this transmitter for use mainly as a relay station for the programming from shortwave KGEI in San Francisco. These transmissions from mobile KZRB and army radio WTA Bataan contained mainly news and information, sometimes produced locally and sometimes on relay from elsewhere including the Voice of Freedom Radio on Corregidor. Station KZRB was heard in Australia at times on 11850 11940 or 15545 kHz. The American forces on Bataan surrendered on April 9, 1942 and mobile KZRB as well as WTA was silenced. At the same time, station KZRC in Cebu no longer carried a relay from KGEI via WVDM Corregidor . For another month, station WVDM in Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor Island continued with occasional relays form KGEI, but with the full surrender on May 6, then WVDM was silenced also. Thus it was that these special program relays from the United States to the Philippine Islands were on the air, spread out over some seven years, and they were heard from the major shortwave station KGEI in San Francisco together with three additional relay transmitters at the RCA communication station in Bolinas California and via army radio WVY at the Presidio in San Francisco. In the Philippines, this programming was taken off air and relayed live by six local mediumwave stations and by six shortwave transmitters, as well as by the United States navy radio NPO station located at Cavite, as well as by KZRB-WTA on Bataan Peninsula and by WVDM on Corregidor Island (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Sept 9 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. From the "RUNDFUNK International" section of the Hörzu Radio Aktuell German radio guide: Rumänien --- Das deutschsprächige Programm von Radio Romania International ist täglich von 6.00 bis 6.30 Uhr auf 9700 kHz, von 14.00 bis 15.00 Uhr auf 9600 kHz und von 18.00 bis 19.00 Uhr auf 9775 kHz zu empfangen (via Mike Cooper, Sep 30, DXLD) ¿etwas verändert? (gh) ** RUSSIA. St. Petersburg ----- CETTV ST. PETERSBURG AND LENINGRADSKOY OBLASTI. Today we will briefly describe a little-known page in the history of our branch connected with powerful broadcasting. More precisely, with its most active listeners - radio amateurs-DX- listener, largely thanks to which for so long the world over the interest in Russian foreign broadcasting in medium and short waves. The main interest DX- listener - the collection of QSL cards, confirming the fact of receiving a broadcast (not to be confused with radio amateur!) Station. The first, it can be said semi-handicraft, confirmation card was issued in our branch about twenty years ago. The second, but already executed in a typographical way, was released only in the autumn of 2006, and, as the saying goes, the case helped. In October 2006, our branch, together with Radio Gardarika, conducted a special shortwave broadcast dedicated to the conference of the European DX Council (which brings together various DX clubs from across the continent) in our city. On the recording of the program in the studio of Gardariki there was a representative of the "German Wave" Valentina Krasnopolskaya, whom during our conversation my colleague-ham radio reported that your obedient servant already somewhere within a year can not agree the release of a new QSL-card. "So I will be on Monday with your leaders in Moscow, let me say a word for you ..." - was Valentina's answer. The next Wednesday, the branch received a letter with the recommendation "to assist radio amateurs in the release of a new QSL card," and the issue was resolved. In general, during all these years of our communication with radio amateurs, until the closing of the Russian broadcasting in 2013, we received and confirmed hundreds of reports on the reception of our broadcasts, selected and coordinated with HrcCH dozens of new jam-resistant SW frequencies for Russian radio programs (often with using foreign DX- listener), together with our correspondents, eliminated any technical malfunctions on the transmission paths of powerful broadcasting. It is curious that the radio amateurs, in turn, also helped us in the invitation to our technical facilities of a number of foreign customers. For example, the cost of the branch's revenues from broadcasting a three-hour evening program "Radio Nederland Wereldomroep" at an average wave frequency of 1386 kHz with a power of 1200 kW was equivalent to almost $ 1 million. The experience of communicating with DX- listener helped us very much in December 2011 after the opening of the "Consulting Support Center" and the beginning of a permanent telephone communication with our viewers and radio listeners. We hope that these contacts were useful for both sides and that we made our joint contribution to the development and development of digital terrestrial television in our region. https://vk.com/club171176221?w=wall-171176221_230 (via Rus-DX 30 Sept via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 11745, Al-Azm Radio in Arabic to Saudi Forces contingent in Yemen national war. At 0535 UT on Sept 30, Holy Quran prayer program, S=8 signal noted in Doha Qatar remote SDR installation. Log 0445-0605 UT Sept 30 in remote Doha Qatar rx SDR unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz](Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 17615.064, Oct 1 at 1413, SBC is poor S8-S9 with Qur`an and markedly off-frequency, unlike // 17895, or not // 17705, which in fact are the OSOB. Similar situation 23 hours later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SIKKIM. AIR Gangtok is operating on 6085 at 0630-0930 UT for long time now according to info from the station. Earlier they used to operate for special broadcasts only. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, Mobile: +91 94416 96043, http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos 0420 UT Sept 28, dx_india yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) i.e. 12-3 pm local (gh) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, SIBC (presumed), 1221, Sept 27. Extended broadcast, but another instance of no audio being heard (Ron Howard, Ocean Beach [San Francisco], CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. 7700, R. Al-Andalus. WRTH18 says it’s in Mogadishu but I think there’s a much higher chance it is located in Jilib. It’s an Al-Shabaab operation so not at all unusual to hear Qur’an recitation at 1558 20/7. Seemed to be news from 1600. Tried for it numerous times afterwards but this was the only time it fronted up. From: Uganda. We went to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see the fabulous mountain gorillas. A couple of African signals penetrated the impenetrable – (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. 7750, Warsan R., Baidoa. Sounded like news at 1801 4/8, next day at 0350 with many mentions of ‘Somali’. QSL reply in 3 days from warsanradiobaidoa@gmail.com. As they stated, Warsan R. programs start at 6 a.m. sharp in the morning, end at 9.00 a.m., and it comes back at midday continuous up to 10.30 p.m. (= 0300-0600, 0900-1930 UT). Also on 88.2 FM as in WRTH18. Reported this a year ago from home but didn’t have the correct email then. From: Further north at Matemwe, Zanzibar, I logged a couple of things on SW (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 3230, South African League via Meyerton. DX program in English on 27/8 from 1625 with carrier, ID, program review – tiny signal, better after 1700 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi antenna), Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 5850, WRMI with Brother Stair talking about Passover 2019, how he's investigating automatic translation software (those are my words, he said 'God's blessing during these end times is to make it possible for me to speak in English and have my words translated into any other language.' I wonder if the coders working on voice translation software know they are God according to Bro Spare? He mentioned a 'station in Istambul' that he wanted to take over -- 6070 in Germany and Bulgaria are the ones he uses in that area to my knowledge -- is there a new one? [certainly not on SW --- gh] He FINALLY said something particularly stupid though: in discussing Hurricane Florence he mentioned that it completely missed his compound because he 'is the apple of God's eye' and he won't let harm come to them. Sheesh, pride goeth before the fall, or at least I think I've heard that somewhere before .... :o This was a pretty short tape loop as I heard the same spiel three times as I did other stuff around the shack! Into a different preacher after station ID. 5554+4+ THIS close to perfect but for some deep fades. 0315-0400 24/Sept SDRplay +SDRuno +Randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SECRETLAND, Brother HySTAIRical via SPL Secretbrod on Sept 26 with strange announcements in Arabic, Spanish and probably Japanese 1500-1655 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 126 deg to N/ME English, very good: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/brother-stair-with-strange.html (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) Aha, more of that Alameda Bible Fellowship stuff we are also getting via BS on WRMI (gh, ibid.) USofA: 3215, WWCR, Brother Spare-a-dime rambling a bit more about his plans to expand into the Mid-East including his statement that he was looking at a station in Istanbul, but they wanted more money than he thought 'God wanted him to spend', so he was instead expanding his broadcasts from Bulgaria. Lots of mentions of his address and phone numbers, and at 0457 he repeated the silliness about being the 'Apple of God's eye' and that is why the hurricane didn't hit Walterboro. But this was NOT just a 'repeat' of the broadcast of the 24th. At 0458 a Bible reading from Alexander Scourby telling us that "The day of the Lord is at hand" over and over. ID for WWCR saying they were leaving the air at ToH, and carrier off. Per Eibi this should be on Mondays only, but this is Thursday so .... 55555 Signal from S9+35dB - s9+55db at peaks and strong enough to block out all of my local QRM. I think this may be WWCR's transmitter on a canoe floating on the Red Cedar River -- at least based on the signal! 0440-0501* 27/Sep SDRplay +SDRuno +Randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. RNE REGIONAL/LOCAL break MW SCHEDULE AS OF OCT. 1st 2018 R5 05'25-05'30 LOCAL R1-R5 05'45-06'00 R R5 07'15-07'30 L/R(*) R5 10'25-10'30 R R1-R5 11'10-12'00 R R1-R5 17'45-18'00 R SAT/SUN R5 07'05-07'15 R R1-R5 11'30-12'00 R (*) each region decides. (one hour later in winter time) [so this must be in UT] 73! (Mauricio Molano, Salamanca, ESPAÑA - SPAIN RX site: Aldea del Cano, Cáceres. LAT: 39º17'09.70 N LONG: 6º19'00 W RX: PERSEUS. ANT: WELLBROOK ALA1530S+ http://moladx.blogspot.com/ WOR iog via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Beishan Broadcast Wall: Taiwan’s eerie sonic weapon A stronghold of ‘sonic power’ has been brought back to life. Vivienne Chow talks to the artists behind a new project about different forms of propaganda – and the politics of silence. Music History By Vivienne Chow 24 September 2018 One sunny summer afternoon, a group of 30 people line up to enter a mysterious concrete tower on a small island off the coast of Taiwan. They are not curious tourists waiting to take a peek at the three-storey structure made up of 48 loudspeakers. In fact, they are there on an artistic mission – members of a local choir taking turns to sing into the microphone inside the tower, part of a one-off performance at a site that was once the embodiment of sonic power. More like this [sidebar linx]: - The music played to drown out a war - When music is a weapon - The psychological tricks used to win World War Two It is the Beishan Broadcast Wall on one of Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands, just 2 km (1.2 miles) away from China’s Xiamen city. Built in 1967, the broadcast wall used to be a strategic military stronghold that played a key role in sonic warfare across the straits, blasting out anti-communist propaganda. Nearly three decades after the tower stopped functioning, a group of artists based in Berlin and Taiwan are turning the forgotten historical site into an experimental art stage that investigates the idea of ‘territories’ beyond the conventional definition. . . http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180924-beishan-broadcast-wall-taiwans-eerie-sonic-weapon (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 9180, 29Set 2246, (Attempt), SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng. OM speaks a little emphatically. No trace of it being a CNR broadcast. 2200 stop talking and enter music. I have already heard it a few years ago with this transmission feature and Chinese dexists have confirmed the listening. The signal is very weak, but there are clear audio peaks and at certain time you hear constant audio. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12°14´S 38°58´W -, Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. 11646 26Set 1215 UZBEKISTAN (Relay, clandestine) (PRESUMED) Voice of Tibet in Chinese. Most likely it is a true broadcast of the Voice of Tibet, it does not look anything like the jammer transmissions of CNR1. Calm presentations, soft music. The programming follows with paused OM phrases and occasional stretches of soft music. CNR broadcasts appear to be in a state of euphoria with swift and alternating Om and Yl speeches with successive vignettes. I think it's the first time I listen to it on that frequency, I hear it on 41 meters. End of the transmission at 1230 UT without the characteristic beeps of the closing of CNR transmissions. Om made the final remarks and paused. (Jorge Freitas-B) https://youtu.be/wPUe7-Koh_Q 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia 12°14´S 38°58´W - Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** TURKEY. 9830, Sept 25 at 2335, S4-S6 songs in presumed Turkish; 2346 the VOT multi-lingual ID reel, 2348 sign-off in German with contact info, into VOT IS. Yes, another instance of the sloppyrators at Emirler failing to turn off the transmitter when English to North America finishes before 2300, letting it run with next language on the feed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Voice of Turkey again on odd frequencies 11795.7/9855.7 kHz on Sept 25, EMR 500 kW: 0830-0955 on 11795.7 / 105 deg WeAs Persian, instead of 11795 Sept 24 1000-1025 on 9855.7 / 032 deg CeAs Tatar, instead of 9855 on Sept 24 & instead of 9655.7 / 072 deg CeAs Georgian 1000-1055 UT on Sept 24: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/voice-of-turkey-again-on-odd_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Voice of Turkey again on odd frequencies 11795.7/9855.7 kHz on Sept.29 0830-0955 on 11795.7 / 105 deg WeAs Persian, instead of 11795 Sept.28 1000-1025 on 9855.7 / 032 deg CeAs Tatar, instead of 9855 on Sept.28 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/voice-of-turkey-again-on-odd_29.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Sept 28-29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9620.008, probably TRT Emirler on otherwise empty channel and some BUZZ peak string like FENCE, noted 9x stronger BUZZ strings visible either sideband, on +/- 50, 150, 250, 400 ... Hertz apart distance. At 2044 UT on Sept 29, S=9 in Bavaria and Belgium remote SDR units. 9460.007, TRT Emirler Turkish at S=9+30dB, til sign-off end of transmission regular scheduled at 2102 UT on Sept 29. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 12080, China National Radio 2. In Chinese on 29/8 at 0506 whistling with 2nd harmonic of Turkey (= 2x6040) (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi antenna), Australian DX News via DXLD) so VOT must have been off-frequency fundamental (gh) ** U A E. 9410.106, few / two TX units at Al Dhabbaya are always odd frequency these days. BBC Arabic via UAE at 0450 UT, scheduled 04-05 UT. S=8-9 signal in ME skip zone at Qatar site. 9479.988, UAE, BBC Persian via Al Dhabbaya-UAE at 0455 UT, scheduled 0430-0530, S=9+10dB signal strength. Log 0445-0605 UT Sept 30 in remote Doha Qatar rx SDR unit [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ABSOLUTERADIO 1O YEARS OLD EXCELLENT TO LISTEN TO WHEN CONDITIONS ON SHORTWAVE ARE POOR ESPECIALLY THE SATURDAYNIGHT ROCKPARTY WITH CLASSICROCK (JON COLLINS BIRMINGHAM MIDDLE OF THE UK. DISCLAIMER Ive NOTHING TO DO WITH ABSOLUTERADIO ETC ETC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. [Re 18-39:] More about 521 kHz NDB Orange City IA, from Bill Hepburn: ``The ".51000" is because the licensed frequency is the middle of the occupied bandwidth. The beacon has only an USB 1020 Hz tone, the LSB 1020 is missing. This is the old "A2H" mode. The carrier frequency is 521.0 kHz. wrh`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Brief Report from ION GNSS+ 2018 As mentioned earlier, I'm back down here in Florida for the week attending the ION GNSS+ 2018 international technical meeting of the satellite division of The Institute of Navigation. The first two days of the meeting are taken up with a meeting of the Civil GPS Service Interface Committee, which, amongst other reports, included one by Dr. Stefania Römisch of NIST. I asked her about the threatened closure of WWV/WWVH/WWVB. She didn't really tell us anything new except that she said it was up to Congress to approve or modify the president's proposed budget. The House or Senate could add a specific line item funding the broadcast services. A couple of other reports mentioned the need for resilient PNT (positioning, navigation, and timing) and the need for one or more back-ups to GPS. WWV/WWVH/WWVB was alluded to. There was also a report from the Coast Guard Research and Development Center during which the Coast Guard's test of DRM in Alaska was mentioned. There is supposed to be a final report on the test but I don't know if it is publicly available yet. I'll try to track it down. (-- Richard Langley, Sept 25, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The DRM tests mentioned me, after asking for my permission. Still, they got it wrong calling me a ham! 73, (Walt Salmaniw, BC, ibid.) ** U S A. I hear WWV and WWVH are announcing the end of weather broadcast on October 31st at 4 minutes after the hour and at other times in the hour as well. These announcements must have started today (Oct 01) (Dave N9EWO Zantow, Oct 1, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) I believe this had been known for quite a while (Mike Bott, ibid.) OK, thanks Mike (did not know). As many are aware they threatened discontinuance last year as well. https://shortwavemusic.bandcamp.com/track/storm-warning-discontinuance-notice-5-18-2017-1404-utc (Dave N9EWO, ibid.) Maybe that is what I'm remembering (Mike Bott, ibid.) ** U S A. Update - NIST / WWV etc. Funding for the US Department of Commerce, which includes NIST and WWV / WWVH / WWVB, was authorized through December 7th, 2018 as part of the Continuing Resolution component of the Defense / Education / HHS / Labor FY2019 funding bill that was approved by the House on September 26 and signed by President Trump yesterday, September 28th. This averted an end-of-Fiscal-year shutdown that had been mildly threatened in the past few months. This approach kicks the can down the road until December 7th -- it funds all agencies at the same levels they received in FY 2018 for all continuing activities -- which would include the time stations because there was no Congressional or Agency action to shut them down in FY18. This date could mean that no actions will be taken until after mid-term elections, though that's not known for a fact. Details on the bill as passed and signed: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6157/text (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Sept 29, NASWA yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) see also WORLD OF HOROLOGY below ** U S A. DRM Broadcast Service proposed for U.S. --- Early comments coming into the FCC's Audio Programming inquiry include one from Michelle Bradley, KU3N, a broadcast engineer at REC Networks. Among other subjects, the REC filing proposes a local DRM broadcast service for the U.S. at 26 MHz. Its Appendices C and D contain coverage maps and regulatory details of the proposed service. https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1092437514831/18-227_comments.pdf (Benn Kobb, VA, Sept 24, WOR iog via DXLD) 84 pages including a very long station list by FM frequency 76-88 MHz of proposed AM station moves. They`ve got all the allocations figured out (gh) Hi everyone, ``Extending the FM band down to 76 MHz [...]`` In my opinion it isn't a bad idea to open that band for broadcasting. But why in the FM mode? If people have to buy new sets to receive it, then why not combine it with digitization and use DAB+ for instance. I know that DAB+ is not in use in North-America, but it is a very efficient and cost-effective system. ``the 26 MHz DRM proposal is a revival [...]`` Again why DRM? DRM is a flop and has no future. Why not plain AM? At least there are already receivers on the market. Seems to be the ideal band for special event stations for instance, or inexpensive community broadcasts. Maybe I'm asking a silly question, but has anyone ever thought of using the 26 MHz band for broadcasts via satellite? 73, (Rémy Friess, France, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Extending the FM band down to 76 MHz is a good idea, but 25 years too late. This should have been set in motion long before the DTV switchover, so that radios with the extended band could have been produced and given wide distribution, then clearing channels 5 and 6 in conjunction with the switchover date. I suppose the move could still happen, but with increasing preference for online streaming and the decline in radio sales, would it be pointless? That ship has probably sailed. REC Networks made similar proposals, including a band plan, several years ago. The 26 MHz DRM proposal is a revival of old plans made perhaps 10-15 years ago. There was even a website (26mhz.us IIRC) that promoted the idea. Went nowhere. Have to wonder who would build such stations, how they would be viable, and would there be any incentive for the average person to buy such a radio? That ship has sailed as well. Good ideas at bad times, I guess (Stephen Luce, Houston, Texas, ibid.) ``There was even a website (26mhz.us IIRC) that promoted the idea.`` That was my website. ``Went nowhere.`` I took the website down because the Local Community Radio Act was enacted, permitting LPFM into the large markets; and because Mirics, the DRM chip manufacturer and its customers decided to push other product lines instead of DRM receivers. ``Have to wonder who would build such stations, how they would be viable, and would there be any incentive for the average person to buy such a radio?`` These are realistic questions. I hope and expect that they will be addressed in a more comprehensive FCC Notice of Inquiry or Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to cover 1) Changes to the existing HF broadcasting rules; 2) the high-power HF trading stations; 3) applications for the 26 MHz band. ``Maybe I'm asking a silly question, but has anyone ever thought of using the 26 MHz band for broadcasts via satellite?`` I worked on such a project, under contract to the U.S. government for VOA type broadcasts. This was in the early 1980s. We had international regulatory experts, engineers and an ionospheric physicist on the team. But the satellite being considered was large and there were concerns about cost and malfunction of the antenna deployment (Benn Kobb, Sept 26, WOR iog via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. CZ: RFE/RL Names Leadership For Romania And Bulgaria News Services --- September 21, 2018 https://pressroom.rferl.org/a/rfe-rl-names-leadership-for-romania-bulgaria-news-services/29502774.html Leadership for RFE/RL's new Bulgarian and Romanian news services - Ivan Bedrov (l) and Sabina Fati (r) [caption] WASHINGTON -- Following a decision to resume news coverage for audiences in Romania and Bulgaria after closing its doors there a decade ago, RFE/RL has announced the leadership for both services with plans to launch by year’s end in a bid to strengthen the media landscape in both countries. “We are thrilled at the level of support we’ve met with locally, and take it as a vote of confidence that we have an important role to play,” said RFE/RL Editor in Chief Nenad Pejic. “Our hope, in both countries, is that our coverage can help the growth of a free press, promote public accountability and democratic institutions, and inform discussions about NATO, the EU and the West.” In Romania, award-winning journalist Sabina Fati will be Managing Editor of the service, effective October 1. Fati previously worked for RFE/RL in Romania in the 1990s, and has continued reporting for RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service as a freelancer. From 2006-2017, she was deputy editor of Romania’s independent newspaper, Romania Libera. The author of several books and the recipient of several advanced degrees, she was recognized as one of Romania’s “Women of Courage” by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest in 2017 for “her selfless pursuit to promote transparency, anti-corruption, and human rights in Romania.” Prominent journalist Ivan Bedrov will lead the Bulgarian Service starting October 15. Over the course of a 24-year career in Bulgarian media, Bedrov worked as a radio reporter for RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service in the late 1990s, and as a current affairs program producer and host for the country’s first private national TV station, bTV. Since 2014, he was deputy editor-in-chief of the leading news and analytical ClubZ.bg website; he has also worked as a political commentator for the international broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Bedrov is a member of the Bulgarian Commission for Journalism Ethics and the recipient of numerous journalism awards. Both services will provide audiences with local, regional, and international news, expert analysis and original features, while serving as a platform for informed discussion and debate. Their operations, based out of bureaus in Bucharest and Sofia, will be entirely digital, with dedicated websites and active presences on leading social networks, and will place a premium on partnerships with other local, independent media. RFE/RL previously served countries across Eastern Europe prior to their joining the European Union and NATO. Service to Bulgaria ended in 2004 and to Romania in 2008 (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, 25 September 2018, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. 9330, WBCQ. World of Radio on 29/8 [Wed] from 2330, but not on 19/9 [Mon] at 2330 when religious program in English was (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi antenna), Australian DX News via DXLD) 9265, 1125, USA, WINB. Glenn Hauser’s World of Radio, good, 1250 15/9 [Sat]. Also heard at 2040 17/9 with 2 “Heckle and Jeckle” type gospel hucksters [sic]. Good (Barry Hartley, Auckland, NRDXL SDR, Russell, Bay of Islands, Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) WORLD OF RADIO 1949 monitoring: confirmed Tuesday September 25 at 2038, the 2030 on WRMI 7780, poor, and enough signal on 5950 to confirm it is NOT on there. Despite outdated websked, also confirmed on neither 5950 nor 7780 at 2130. Confirmed Wednesday September 26 at 1045 check the 1030 airing on WRMI 5950, poor S9 and undermodulated (not an MUF matter, as 9395 was VG S9+20: see WRMI logs). Confirmed Wednesday September 26 a few minutes after 2100 on both WRMI 9955 and WBCQ 7490, both poor-fair. Next: 2330 UT Thursday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 2330 UT Friday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0629 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW 1231 UT Saturday WINB 9265V via Unique Radio to WSW 1431 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 2130 UT Saturday WBCQ 9330v [maybe, or 2330?] to WSW 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 1030 UT Sunday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany to WSW 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE, 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Sunday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Monday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 [or 1950?] to WNW 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 5950 [or 1950?] WORLD OF RADIO 1949 monitoring: confirmed Saturday September 29 from just before 1231 on Unique Radio, NSW via WINB 9265V, fair with usual wobbling carrier, altho if carefully centered one may listen in SSB. NOT confirmed, Sat Sept 29 in 1431-1500 period on Hamburger Lokalradio, 6190-CUSB; rather very weak Chinese talk and music via UTwente SDR. Alan Gale, England, did not hear even that: ``Hi Glenn, Yet another HLR no-show by the look of things, I didn't hear anything at all on 6190 kHz this afternoon, and no sign of the Chinese station either. I also checked 7265 at various times as well just in case, but nothing on there either. Channel 292 was coming in okay [6070 Germany] so it doesn't look like a propagation issue. Alan`` ---- Next: 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 2130 UT Saturday WBCQ 9330v [maybe, or 2330?] to WSW 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 1030 UT Sunday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany to WSW 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE, 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Sunday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Monday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 [or 1950?] to WNW WORLD OF RADIO 1949 monitoring: confirmed UT Sunday September 30 at 0326 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, S9+20/30, as I continue to be impressed by signal quality out to 450-mile radius and probably further in all direxions as storm noise level has diminished; 5 minutes into so started circa 0321 this week [WORLD OF RADIO 1950] Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, confirms that Hamburger Lokalradio is again unheard this weekend: ``Today Sept 30 AGAIN no signal of Hamburger Lokalradio on 9485 kHz Today AGAIN [Sept 29] no signal from Hamburger Lokalradio HLR on 6190 kHz CUSB 0631-0700 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu English Sat-WOR #1949`` [WORLD OF RADIO 1950] Next: [9955 was a surprise new frequency last week for 2130 Sunday; so need to reconfirm this week:] 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE, 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Sunday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 to SSE 2330 UT Monday WBCQ 9330v [maybe] to WSW 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 [or 1950?] to WNW WORLD OF RADIO 1949 monitoring: confirmed Sunday Sept 30 on WRMI at 2130, not only 7780 but for at least the second week also on unscheduled 9955, very poor, and poor respectively. Also confirmed UT Monday October 1 until 0333:15 on Area 51 via WBCQ 5129.84, S9-S9+10, so must have started at 0304:30. Also confirmed UT Mon Oct 1 after 0330 on WRMI webcast but inaudible on 9955, just pulse jamming. Tnx a lot, Arnie! WORLD OF RADIO 1950 contents: Armenia, Australia, Brasil, Canada, Chad non, China, Colombia, Cuba, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, India and non, Italy, Japan, Kurdistan non, Kuwait and non, México, Nepal, Netherlands non, Perú, Sikkim, South Carolina non, Tibet non, USA; receivers; and the propagation outlook. WOR 1950 ready for first airing UT Tuesday October 2 at 0030 on WRMI 7730; confirmed, very good. Alan Gale, England, reports: ``WoR on WRMI Live Stream 0100 UT Tuesday 2100 EDT --- Hi Glenn, I'm just listening to World of Radio on the WRMI Live Stream, though the programme isn't listed in the WRMI schedule, just a religious programme called 'Coming Home'. Time is 0100 UT on Tuesday 2nd October here. This wasn't shown in your latest post so I thought you'd want to know about it. Alan`` Indeed, that`s news to me, so must also have been on 9955 immediately repeating after the 0030 on 7730. Next: 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 to NE 1030 UT Wednesday WRMI 5950 to WNW 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v to WSW 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 to SSE 0629 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW [off last 2 weeks] 1231 UT Saturday WINB 9265V via Unique Radio to WSW 1431 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW [off last 2 weeks] 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 1030 UT Sunday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany to WSW [off last 2 weeks] 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE, 9955 to SSE 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 to SSE {As you can see, I have deleted all the [maybe] WBCQ 9330 broadcasts which hardly ever happen any more. I have asked WBCQ whether they could commit to *one* specific 9330 airing a week, any time, any day; but no reply --gh} Full schedule including AM, FM, webcasts, satellite: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI: ** U S A. 5850, WRMI with BSR Radiogram #18 -- an hour long digital-only show this week, with text about recent production 'difficulties' and Pictures from Martin Nature Park in Oklahoma City and more... Photos sent without captions, but look interesting. Here are a couple: Then KG5JST Radiogram #2 dated September 17, 2018 and a REPEAT of both of these things during the second half hour. Then into SW Radiogram #66 with the usual mix of text and photos including stories about: US requiring registration of Chinese media in the USA; an MFSK128 encoded story about Wasps play a crucial role in the ecosystem; then an MFSK64 story about the Transiting Exo-planet Survey Satellite (TESS) space telescope; and a Remote island bounces back after its rats are eliminated. Aerial photo of Palmyra Atoll. Then into Business Radio (as usual). I miss AWR's programming that used to be on after SWR. MUCH more interesting and useful than this show! And he's still calling it WMRI! I keep thinking I should hear something useful for my business, but -- nope -- not so far anyway! 4+4+4+4+4+ *0655-0930* 24/Sep SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +FLDigi for the digital bits +Randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395, Sept 26 at 1045, WRMI is VG S9+20 but very strange: sounds like Spanish with a very heavy Japanese accent, until at 1050 morphs into Brother Scare. System C skedgrid shows nothing but BS on 9395 from 10 to 19 UT. So maybe that was put out by the soggy TOMBS, altho first suspected to be have been overcome by Alameda`s multi-lingual stuff. Quite contradicting, System G skedgrid shows 9395 at 0230-1500 with Oldies (and certain opt-outs), not BS. Which is it really supposed to be?? I was checking 9395 to compare with 5950 carrying 1030 WORLD OF RADIO at same time, with much weaker signal; as one might have expected a low pre-sunrise MUF favoring the lower band. Overnight, 9395 is often almost inaudible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7730, Sept 28 at 2334, WRMI with Indonesian Bible readings from Alameda; are these running at random? Surely not with any likely target areas in mind. 5950, Sept 28 at 2341, more off-kilter programming from this WRMI: toward end of a `Wavescan` with old Harold Sellers logs, i.e. Sound of Hope 6370 at 1117, which was on June 22! So it`s the same stale episode heard the last week or two. But also happens to include something timely by chance: Wolfgang Bueschel about Radio Nikkei`s reduced schedule effective October 1. 2346 greeting Graham Bell in South Africa who heard WS well via Zambia; next week`s feature topic to be 2YA; Zimbabwean music fill. But this time not followed by another WS. Instead, at the odd time of 2350 switches to `Francisco y Ernesto` dialog, i.e. Frank & Earnest in Spanish. Meanwhile there has been het from Pio XII Bolivia 5952.4+ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7570 // 7730, Sept 30 at 0107, WRMI with Arabic, Bibling? from Alameda? both VG. On the skedgrids, both are shown as Overcomer after 0100. It`s not clear whether there is some connexion between TOM and ABF. Someone did report that Brother Scare is now fascinated with some software allowing his own words of wisdom to be translated into other languages. But how to maintain the original hystairical tone?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From my recording last Sunday evening 30 September-1 October UT, 7780: 2015 Viva Miami (in Spanish talking about the trip to Bratislava for the HFCC meeting; repeat) 2030 Reserve Military Retirement (recorded mostly a year ago) 2100 Wavescan (#501) 2130 World of Radio (#1949) 2200 Your Weekend Show (Bob Biermann talks about the Kavanaugh hearing and the "shameful" Senate and the uncivil war in the U.S., revealing his right-wing bias; omitted discussing the root cause Trump; while listing the stations he's on, he mispronounces Nevis; guess he's never really been there?) 2300 Full Gospel (Half-) Hour (not Alameda Bible Fellowship) 2330 Shortwave Radiogram (#67) 0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak 0030 Radio Slovakia International in English 0100 Wavescan (#501) 0130 Through the Cross Ministry (with Pastor Chuck) (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) 7570, Sunday Sept 30 at 2123, this WRMI is already on, and in Japanese, so another expansion with Alameda Bible Fellowship. More and more outdated skedgrid still shows 7570, WRMI-11 starting at 2300 with TOM, except Sundays 2200 with VORW. 5850, Monday Oct 1 at 0655, WRMI IS & ID loop prior to top-of-hour; 0703 beepery underway from Broad Spectrum Radio // even stronger 7730 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ WRMI WBCQ: ** U S A. 7490v WBCQ // stronger 9455 WRMI, UT Thu Sept 27 at 0109, `Hal Turner` show is successfully underway on both this week, perhaps from 0100. Says this could be his last one on SW unless he gets $2K by Sept 30; apparently for monthly advance payments to both stations. Says WRMI costs $1 a minute, i.e. $120 for two hours; and WBCQ nominal rate is $50 per hour = $100; but that`s not all; various other expenses add up to $3300 per month. Finally gets down to business: only he has figured out and warned us of the danger of war between Russia and Israel over Syria (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ: ** U S A. 9330.093 kHz, WBCQ, Allan Weiner scheduled at 2320 UT, some strange Arte-like program - or even interference - ? Some animal 'bleate noise' heard over and over again. S=9 or -74dBm (Wolfgang Bueschel, remote SDR reception on 31 mb, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2235 to 2325 UT Sept 28, All heard in remote SDR unit - with '10dB' audio switch selection - at VE6JY's installation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Thanks, Don! [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) (7490), UT Sat Sept 29 from 0000, WBCQ webcast with `Allan Weiner Worldwide`. Altho he ``doesn`t want to get political`` (really?) starts right off still supporting Kavanaugh and denouncing Democrats=Socialists=Communists. I leave it to John H Carver, Jr., for a fuller report: ``Show started on time on 7490. Comments over the theme song this even were, Run for cover, No one is safe, I've had it, If you have a penis you're in danger. Pens [sic; Opens?] immediately with comments about the hearings for the new Supreme Court Justice. Angela, Allan and Tom in the studio with Robert in the background. Eighteen minutes or so are devoted to the problems in the government, the problems in congress and excessive taxation. TimTron speaks up from the background to balance the discussion and suggests that we make a clean sweep of Congress and replace everyone. Phone call at 0019 with comments and questions about the superstation. Answering the first question asked, says that the concrete pad supporting the new antenna is underground on the bedrock and is forty by forty feet and twelve feet high. Lots and lots of rebar in the pad. Allan said they would be posting pictures of the prep work done on the concrete pad. He said they had been taking pictures since the first scoop of dirt was picked up and they would eventually release all of the pictures online in some sort of an album. Allan also said that all aspects of the station will have manual, analog backups per his instructions so a broadcast is not halted because of a digital failure somewhere in the chain. He also mentioned some of the problems he had with putting the station together. When he called about a transmitter that big, the transmitter company didn't believe him and it took a while to convince them that he was serious about it. He mentioned that it took six months for the power company to take him seriously about the power requirements for the new station. In fact, he had already made plans to bypass the power company and generate his own power for the station. Upon hearing this the power company finally decided to talk to him. He had planned to build two diesel generators and some underground fuel bunkers. Another phone call at 0045 from Freddie about rewiring Monticello, battles with the power company and the transmitter company and their not believing him in the first place. Quick prayer at 0058 and show was off at 0059. Dead Frog Radio beginning at 0100. Robert announced that the `Dead Frog`this evening was a two hour live show and that next week the show would probably only be an hour and after that depended on whether or not money could be raised to buy more airtime. John Mid-North Indiana`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [non] WBCQ 24/7 on 9330v, almost all Overcomer, faces the following CCI as reported by Ivo Ivanóv; except for Cuban spy numbers, not much of a problem over here from the other worldside: GERMANY Unscheduled transmission of BVBroadcasting via MBR Nauen on Sept 28 0632-0712 on 9330*NAU 250 kW / 102 deg to SoAs English, test broadcast, very good *from 0700 on 9330 secret tx probably BEJ 50 kW Spanish HM01 Cuban Spy Numbers co-ch http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/unscheduled-transmission-of.html NUMBERS STATION, Weak/fair signal of HM01 Cuban Spy in 31mb on Sept 28 0655-0750 9330 secret tx probably BEJ 50 kW Spanish Sun/Mon/Wed/Fri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/weakfair-signal-of-hm01-cuban-spy-in.html ARMENIA, Trans World Radio India in English via Yerevan on Sept 30 1514-1544 9330 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg to SoAs English Sat/Sun, very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/09/trans-world-radio-india-in-english-via.html (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHER: ** U S A. 7505v, WRNO, on Sept 24, at 1254. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing "Happy Trails; followed by station ID ("75-05") and contact info; then program ID for "Grace for Today" in both English and Chinese; cut off in mid-sentence at 1304*; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** U S A. 9350, Sept 28 at 2355, rock music at S7-S5. Despite poor signal now (like neighbor 9475 WTWW), must be WWCR-2, scheduled 20-24 UT thru October; earlier in afternoon it blasts in. Slow-loading pdf program schedule shows at 23-24 UT Friday is `The Last Radio Playing` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] ** U S A. 5085, Sat Sept 29 at 2345, WTWW-2 with `Theater Organ in the Ozarx` in progress, last tune starting at 2405, and theme not finished until 0010 UT Sept 30, for -- what else --- a hamad by Ted. Nominally from 2330, so when did it really start, or was it 40 minutes long? New time ex-0100v UT Sun, is bad for me as it conflicts with other favorite programming. What about 15810v, WTWW-3 transmitter, which for a while was //-2 or -1 at various times of day including this? 15809.938 was last heard August 18 as in DXLD 18-34 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5050, WWRB (presumed) with YL Bible Bumper on "Global Glory Ministries" and giving an Oliver Springs TN address at ToH. Then dead air for 20 seconds or so, and at 0201 into a different bumper, this one an OM, reading from Psalms and talking about 'being patient in God' and analogizing about how you don't harvest the day after you plant: good things take time. This whole 'reaping what you sow' must be a theme this evening. ABRUPTLY off in mid sentence at 0242:30 -- no ID at end. 44444 local QRM intruding during fades, 0154-0242:30* 23/Sep SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +Randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5038 & 5044 & 5056 & 5062, Sept 30 at 0011, first- and second-order filthy modulation spurs out of 5050 WWRB are parasiting it again; but 5040 RHC avoids the problem by being AWOL; also 5062 is hard to trace unlike the others, as previously measured precisely. Fortunately, WWRB is active only two or three nights a week and on these frequencies only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5970, Sept 30 at 0612, WEWN is S9 of dead air. I`ll bet nohuman at EWTN is awake to keep an ear on it. See also CHAD [non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9264.999 kHz 'hopping around' signal - unstable of WINB phone-in program, two male strange roarer voices on top, 2323 UT on Sept 28, S=9+20dB or -55dBm strength (Wolfgang Bueschel, remote SDR reception on 31 mb, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2235 to 2325 UT Sept 28, All heard in remote SDR unit - with '10dB' audio switch selection - at VE6JY's installation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Thanks, Don! [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 660, KTNN, Window Rock AZ; 8:13-9:38 AM MDT [1413-1538 UT}, 9/19; "The Voice of the Navajo Nation", "KTNN AM 6-60 & FM 101.5, your Native Enterprises broadcast station; W announcer in mainly Dine'; ads in Dine' & English; Dine' for onion rings is "onion rings"! Dine' chants at 9:06 & 9:26 + C&W tunes. VGood in central UT on I-70, but poor further west due to splash from 650 "KMTI Country" Manti UT (Harold Frodge, From Uncle Harold's Trip out west, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. 1120: Ron (Johnny Rabbitt) Elz === Johnny Rabbitt is a St. Louis radio legend, having been broadcasting for over five decades. Inducted into the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame for his contribution to the radio industry, creating the progressive rock format, and being the first to completely program a radio station by computer. You can hear Johnny Rabbitt on KMOX Saturday nights for his '50s & '60s oldies show, "Route 66." It's one of the hottest radio programs in the Midwest --- and it's where you can always get updates on the latest activities of the Antique Warehouse! In addition to his legendary radio career, Rabbitt is an avid historian and trivia buff. He knows everything St. Louis, in fact, his trivia questions air everyday on KSDK Channel 5's, Show Me St. Louis. He has also written two St. Louis trivia books. Many St. Louis restaurants offer "Johnny Rabbitt Specials" which are Rabbitt's favorite meal or dessert. Rabbitt is the perfect addition to our team, knowing copious amounts of information about St. Louis and its many wonderful restaurants and various other special locations (source?? via Thomas Nilsson, ARC mv-eko 24 Sept via DXLD) ** U S A. KMPG-1520 Hollister, CA has now been off for about a week. The website and stream no longer work. Voicemail has gone from full and can`t leave a message to leave a message. It has not filed for a suspension of operations STA. There`s a weak carrier that has to be KKZZ Port Hueneme (why-knee-me). I`ll keep checking. It is/was(?) the only station in California with critical hours. Sent from my iPad (Dennis Gibson, CA, Sept 25, IRCA via DXLD) Thanks for update on KMPG. They used to boom in here every morning. (Every time I see a Hollister sweatshirt, I think of them). Perhaps if they went under, some other entity will pick up the allocation. I wonder how far their tower is from the San Andreas fault? ms (Mike Sanburn, ibid.) It`s a Daytimer; no one else can pick it up. No new Daytimers are allowed to be licensed and at that it`s multi tower. Anyone who builds a multi tower AM array these days probably needs their head examined. This is probably one of those stations that`s outlived its usefulness and outside of a small ethnic listenership, I doubt many would miss KMPG; nostalgia doesn`t pay the bills (Paul Walker, ibid.) ** U S A. End Of The World For Harold Camping’s Voice On Family Radio By Lance Venta on September 28, 2018 No Comments https://radioinsight.com/headlines/170870/end-of-the-world-for-harold-campings-voice-on-family-radio/ Family Radio Harold Camping --- Five years after his death, Family Stations’ “Family Radio” Christian network is dropping the last remnants of founder Harold Camping as part of a movement to reestablish connections with other churches and Christian groups. Camping, well known for his multiple end of the world proclamations, also regularly preached that that the institutional churches of all denominations had gone apostate meaning they had veered too far away from their true principles and that the faithful should leave those churches. Now as the network continues to resurrect itself in the wake of the failed doomsday predictions that led to Family Radio selling off their big FM signals in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore / Washington and Tampa. [--- and SW in Okeechobee! gh] Christian Post reports that Family Radio will drop all remaining airings of Camping’s programs after October 7. Tom Evans, who succeeded Camping as president, told the site that “Rather than dwell in the past, it’s time for us to move on and come into today. What can we do today as a ministry to encourage the Body of Christ? And that’s really what we’re focusing our attention on. We’re now turning from being critical of the church to now how can we embrace and encourage the church of Jesus Christ here in this world.” (via Artie Bigley, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) Family Radio is finally phasing out the programs of the late Harold Camping http://www.christianpost.com/news/harold-camping-programs-canceled-by-family-radio-says-teachings-not-scriptural-227627/ (via David R. Alpert, dra@pipeline.com, (818) 588-NEWS, Twitter:@DaveAlpert http://www.linkedin.com/in/david-alpert-radionews Sept 29, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, you helped secure public media funding Glenn - You did it. You protected federal funding for your stations for another year. Last week, Congress approved a minibus appropriations bill that contained public media funding. The President signed the legislation into law on Friday afternoon. Since February, you have consistently reminded Members of Congress that you value public media. You joined committed advocates in sending more than 283,000 communications to Congress in support of public media. These actions helped us advance through every phase of the funding process. Thank you for your outreach. While this year’s funding process is over, you can take an action today that will lay the groundwork for next year’s outreach. Please send your Members of Congress a thank you note. Thank Your Lawmakers ? By recognizing your lawmakers’ support, they’ll continue to be aware that your community benefits from public media funding. Once again, thank you for your persistent action on behalf of public radio and public television. Together, we saved public media funding for another year. Sincerely, (The Protect My Public Media Team, Oct 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. 7565, Sept 25 at 1410, VP signal S3-S5 with trace of modulation. EiBi shows BBC in Hindi via Tashkent at 1400-1430 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU. ADRIAN SAINSBURY, Wellington visited Vanuatu in August. He confirms that VBTC on 1125 is working OK but the HF services are still awaiting repair (Oct NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. At Singapore. A desultory scan revealed this – 11720, Voice of Vietnam. HS with Asian Games commentary in Viet at 1225 23/8 //7210 9635. Good that it’s been reactivated. Under strong CRI in Viet which had opportunistically pinched the channel. Probably via Son Tay although Xuan Mai used to be scheduled 1030-1330 (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 7210, VOV1, 1059, Sept 24. Normally this is buried underneath a much stronger PBS Yunnan, but that was silent today, so VOV1 heard in the clear; IS; time pips; anthem; in Vietnamese. Poor reception, but much better than usually heard. My audio at http://goo.gl/YmBwox (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. Vietnam: The domestic FM relay of the VoV international service has been on the air for 20 years: "VOV5 105.5 FM program marks its 20th anniversary Monday, September 3, 2018 | 10:57:00 (VOVWORLD) - “This is VOV5, broadcasting daily on 105.5 FM.” This signature tune has been played for years, signifying a FM radio for the foreign community in Vietnam. The channel was inaugurated in 1998 broadcasting in Hanoi at 105.5 MHz and Ho Chi Minh city and Quang Ninh province at 105.7 MHz. It covers various aspects ranging from politics, economics, culture, and society to music and entertainment. VOV5 produces a special program to mark this significant event, a milestone in the 73-year history of the Voice of Vietnam and the English Service as well. http://vovworld.vn/en-US/about-us/vov5-1055-fm-program-marks-its-20th-anniversary-680491.vov" (3. September 2018 via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, 28 September 2018, DXLD) ** VIETNAM. VoV Hanoi officially launched its Korean language broadcast. I guess yahoo.de is the true address. [?] (VOVWORLD) - The Voice of Vietnam (VOV) officially launched its Korean-language broadcast at 6 pm on Friday [Sept 7] on the occasion of VOV's 73rd founding anniversary. This is the 12th foreign language program on the national radio to promote cultural exchanges and economic and political, economic, and social information. The 1-hour program is aired daily from 7am to 8am, 6pm to 7pm, and 11pm to midnight on FM 105.5 MHz and on website It offers the audience the latest news, entertainment, educational features, and music. Director of VOVworld Nguyen Tien Long said: "We have updated news and stories in Korean on our website vovworld.vn since March 15, before the launch of the radio program on September 7. We have invited Korean and Vietnamese teachers at the Hanoi University and other agencies to contribute to the programming." VOV President Nguyen The Ky said: "VOV and VOVworld in particular need to exert more efforts to shorten the trial run. It is important to produce lively and interactive programs" VOV's launch of Korean-language program plays an important role in Vietnam-Republic of Korea traditional relationship. (Dave Kenny-UK via Paul Gager-AUT, BrDXC-UK ng Sept 7 / 27 via BC-DX 27 Sept via DXLD) ROK?? What about their sputnix in DPRK?? (gh, DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. Tanzania. FM was the band of choice. There were a few extras and amendments compared to WRTH18, as observed on 2/8 while at Stone Town – 87.5 Bomba FM 88.9 Coconut FM 90.5 Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation. There are two transmitters, one at Unguja (Zanzibar Island) and the other at Pemba 92.1 Assalam R. 92.5 Hits FM 93.3 Al-Noor FM ex 92.6 94.1 BBC African service having a problem as only a carrier 95.4 Mwenge FM 96.5 R. Sauti ya Injili. Network outlet 96.9 Zenji FM 97.7 Spice FM (Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation), a small shift from 97.4 98.9 Kiss FM 102.9 Swahiba FM 104.5 R. Imaan. Network outlet 105.9 R. Tumaini 2. Unheard Other stations were as listed. (HOLIDAY DX WITH DAVID FOSTER, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. TA JBA MW carrier search Sept 25 at 0552-0600, on R75 by 9-kHz steps 1 kHz below the channels in USB, so I can detect telltale 1 kHz tones: 936, 882, *855(2), 846(TP?), *774(2), 747, 729, 684(vs WSCR IBOC), 639, 621, 585, 558; 954, 999, 1017, *1044(2), 1098, 1107, 1125(2), 1134, 1215, 1269, 1305, 1314, 1413. *stronger ones; (2) at least two carriers beating. Then from 0600 Sept 25, repeating the scan on LSB, steps 1 kHz above the channels, which might audiblize some different ones within 1 or 2 kHz of 10-kHz channels: 549, 612, 639, 684, 774(2), 837, 846, 855, 882, 936, 1026, 1044, 1107, 1125, 1152, 1215, 1305 kHz. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search, Sept 28 at 0237-0244: 531, 549, 585, 639, 684, 729, 747, 774, 837, 855, 936, 999, 1008, 1017, 1044, 1107, 1125, 1134, 1215, 1269, 1305, 1539, 1575. One of these times, I`ll go thru the listings and display the most likely sources. T-A JBA MW carrier search, Sept 29 at 0615+: 1305, 1269, 1215, 1152, 1134, 1125, 1116, *1107, 1098, 1089, 1044, 999, 936, 882, 837(2), 774, 747, 711(2), 693, 684, 639, 621. *stronger; (2) at least two carriers beating. Trans-Atlantic JBA MW carrier search, Sept 30 at 0618: 558, *585, 603, 621(2), 639, 666, 729, 747, 774, 801, *837(2), 855(2), 882, 936(2), 999, 1017(2), 1044, 1098, 1107, 1125, 1134(2), 1152, 1215 ---- zzzz as fall asleep before completion. *stronger ones; (2) = at least two carriers beating (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 18-39, ARGENTINA 1710v: Make that a notch on 1710. I'm trying to avoid 1700 splatter by listening on USB (Mark Pettifor, IN, IRCA via DXLD) Had nothing here until about 3 minutes before local sunset (2337 UT), then a trace carrier appeared over the next minute or so. It's been up and down in strength, not even close to audio levels. The carrier is drifting around some, moving erratically upwards from 1709.83 to 1709.835. Now (2356 UT) it's drifting slightly back down again. No other station is dominant currently on 1710. I'm also seeing a very weak trace at about 1709.955. Are there other offset lists besides the one at MWLIST? (Mark Pettifor, Northern Indiana, South D-Kaz / Perseus, Sept 24, ibid.) Thanks Mauno, and Mark. The carrier is just starting to fade in again at 0008 UT. The splatter from 1700 makes 1710 tough here on the South DKAZ, otherwise audio may have been possible last night. Mark, you'll go nuts trying to chase offsets on 1710. It's not exactly a frequency known for rock-steady transmitters :-) 73, (Tim Tromp, West Michigan, Sept 24, ibid.) Later, the pirate in Baton Rouge LA, Retén lo que Tienes, was reported reactivated, and that would fit for southward from MI/IN (gh, DXLD) Heard "WQFG" several times around 0342-0346, while listening to the mystery station on 1709.85. Have you gotten anything more here Tim on who this might be? It's there every evening, but I've had no audio yet. I'm actually trying to listen on USB, with a notch on 1700, to avoid the splatter from 1700. That's when I heard the TIS from NJ. And yes, 1700 is a mess of offsets. I zoomed way in the other night, and there were a lot of carriers, and not one was spot on 1700! Best, (Mark Pettifor, North Indiana, Sept 27, IRCA via DXLD) WQFG### is a typical HAR/TIS callsign, so look it up in http://www.ircaonline.org/editor_upload/File/TIS_2018.pdf and find three, one of them on 1710, but hardly south of Michigan or Indiana: 1710 WQFG689 NJ Jersey City Hudson Hudson County (Office of Emergency Management-Summit Ave St and Laidlaw Ave St) [NOAA weather] [ALERT] [10w] 40.740333 74.057667 07/11/26 FCC/tRs 02/12-01/18 V 1710 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4065, EUROPIRATE at 0112 with a British-accented man with small talk and introducing the Sex Pistols' “God Save the Queen” and off at 0114 – Fair Sept 27 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) NAm pirates sometimes inhabit hereish (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 4810, Oct 1 at 0655, JBA carrier vs CODAR, hash on plus side. I have been wondering if previous logs of this could be Radio Logos, Perú, but no one has reported it during waking hours so unlikely it would be on at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6135, Sept 30 at 1331, S8-S5 open carrier or maybe JBM. Most likely it`s Voice of Freedom, Korea South, but no jamming; and surely too much, too early to be Madagascar tho scheduled until 1500. Yet current Aoki/NDXC dated Sept 30 lacks any VOF on 6135, just NK jamming for 20.6 hpd. As of Sept 26, VOF was on 6045 per Ron Howard but it periodically jumps around among a set of alternates, escaping jamming for a few days each (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 7385-7390, Sept 28 at 0552-0554* tones sweeping up and down roughly across this range (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 7466/USB, UNID Fishing boat traffic on channel as I was looking for possible YHWH broadcast. They seem to show up here a lot now. Strong signals Sep. 26 7467/USB, UNID Mexican fishing boats (presumed) at 0200. 2 in QSO, somewhat cryptic, heard last cupla nights when prowling for YHWH. VG Sept 23 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750; RS SW-2000629, & ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening..! : D ! -rb, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 7570, Sound of Hope? Sounded like Chinese. No listing in Eibi or Aoki. Fair from 2245. 21/9 (Phil Brennan, VK8VWA, Darwin NT (JRC NRD 515, Afedri SDR rev.6, SDR Play RSP1, Quantum Phaser, BHI NEIM1031 Noise eliminating module, Wellbrook ALA1530 LNPro, PA0RDT mini-whip (genuine), Australian DX News via DXLD) Could be WRMI extension with Alameda Bible Fellowship (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ My name is Kenneth Bankston, w5vma. I have been fan of your WOR radio program and enjoy the info that you present. 73 Kenny W5VMA Financial support for our non-commercial program, website and publication is always welcome, by MO or check in US funds on a US bank to: Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702; or via PayPal, not necessarily in US funds, to woradio at yahoo.com PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ GLENN HAUSER ARTICLES IN COMMUNICATIONS HANDBOOKS, 1976-1978 Tnx to Artie Bigley who found these in the Columbus OH library, and made some photocopies, then all saved into one 12-page pdf file. Not all the pages are in order. Initially best to rotate clockwise. That leaves some pages sidewise, but those are mostly duplicates. Unscrambling the Shortwave Utilities --- 1976 How to DX the FM Band [including Which Propagation Is It? table] --- 1976 Antarctica Calling [1 column] --- 1976 MEDIUM-WAVE DXing --- 1977 Good Listening and Rare Catches --- by SW frequency --- 1978 [and a similar partial article, 31 to 11 mb] --- 1977 [choosing a receiver, partial] http://www.w4uvh.net/GHCommsHB1976.pdf (Glenn Hauser, October 2, 2018, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FCC AM Query The FCC AM Query Results have a new feature for directional stations. A third tab called Towers/Pattern has been added. It shows how the towers are laid out, tower numbers and pattern. That probably explains why it was down all weekend (Dennis Gibson, WB6TNB, Sent from my iPad, ABDX yg via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ GARBLE, GARBLE? Wondering why I see a bunch of question marks inserted into reports I send when I read them in email back from this list - especially since they were not there when sent. I occasionally note this with others' stuff too. It gives the impression of not being sure about given logs when, in fact, this is not the case (Mark Connelly, WA1ION, South Yarmouth, MA, IRCA via DXLD) Here. I will show you an example. [sic, as received if not beyond] You?re seeing the question marks because of mail programs that use special markings instead of plain text ones. For instance, instead of the plain dash, it makes it into a special extended one ? probably like what I just typed. Or instead of the plain ..., it turns it into a single character like ? or the straight apostrophe ( ' ) becomes a special curved one ( ? ). Or when you see many question marks, it is likely because someone hit the TAB key or something similar, and it?s usually right after a log, so it makes it look like they got something and they?re not sure if they really did, but it?s instead just their mail program being a little bitch. I?m using Windows Mail, which probably just made that a curved apostrophe, which changes everything to those special characters. There is no option anywhere to tell it NOT to do this, though MS Word does have an option to prevent that. When I remember, I oftentimes use Notepad and type all my mails in there, which doesn?t change anything whatsoever, and then I paste it into my mail so that the formatting is plain text only and no question marks will appear. It?s absolutely absurd when you don?t have control over things you type, and that?s technology these days. They want to be helpful, but they only hinder your progress and take control from the user in the process (-Chris Kadlec, Korea South or Michigan, ibid.) WORLD OF HOROLOGY [see also top of U S A sexion above] +++++++++++++++++ In Touch with Time: Possible Closure of Chronohertz Stations WWV & WWVH In recent time, the internet has been buzzing with the undesirable news that the two American chronohertz stations, WWV (including WWVB) in Fort Collins Colorado and WWVH at Kekaha on the island of Kauai in Hawaii are likely to be closed some time next year. Even though a total of 22 chronohertz stations are still on the air today in 15 different countries around the world, yet both WWV and WWVH are looked upon internationally as the senior partners among all of these many time signal stations. Multitudes of people around the world have responded to the suggested closure of these two important shortwave stations, deploring the fact that they may disappear altogether from their allotted and so easily found frequencies that encompass much of the usable shortwave spectrum. The reason for their suggested closure is depleted budgeting, which would enable, it is said, the NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to focus their endeavors on other areas of developmental activity. Although an accurate time standard is seen as the main function of the shortwave transmissions from the twin NIST stations in Colorado and Hawaii, yet they are also useful for other significant purposes as well. Among all of the usages for these shortwave (and longwave) transmissions, we could list the following:- * Infinitely accurate time signals * So called atomic clocks and watches are continuously and automatically calibrated * Calculations for location and distance of earthquake tremors * Accurate time reference for other electronic applications * Exact carrier frequency readout for calibration of radio transmitters and receivers * Exact audio frequency * Voice reports regarding the GPS satellite constellation status * Voice reports regarding severe oceanic weather warnings * Shortwave propagation conditions between the location of the station and the location of the listener We quote the following historical information about the chronohertz stations WWV and WWVB from the NIST entry on Wikipedia:- WWV is the oldest continuously-operating radio station in the United States, first going on the air from Washington, D.C. in May 1920, approximately six months before the launch of the famous KDKA. The station initially broadcast Friday evening concerts on 600 kHz, and its signal could be heard 40 kilometers (25 mi) from Washington. On December 15, 1920, WWV began broadcasting on 750 kHz, distributing Morse code news reports from the Department of Agriculture. This signal could be heard up to 300 kilometers (190 mi) from Washington. These news broadcasts ended though on April 15, 1921. At the end of 1922, WWV's purpose shifted from program broadcasting to the broadcast of standard frequency signals. These signals were desperately needed by other broadcasters, because equipment limitations at the time meant that the broadcasters could not stay on their assigned frequencies. Testing began on January 29, 1923, and frequencies from 200 to 545 kHz were broadcast. Frequency broadcasts officially began on March 6, 1923. The frequencies were accurate to "better than three-tenths of one percent." At first, the transmitter had to be manually switched from one frequency to the next, using a wavemeter. The first quartz resonators (that stabilized the frequency generating oscillators) were invented in the mid-1920s, and they greatly improved the accuracy of the WWV frequency broadcasts. In 1926, WWV was nearly shut down. Its signal could only cover the eastern half of the United States, and other stations located in Minneapolis and at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were slowly making WWV redundant. The station's impending shutdown was announced in 1926, but it was saved by a flood of protests from citizens who relied on the service. Later, in 1931, WWV underwent an upgrade. Its transmitter, now directly controlled by a quartz oscillator, was moved to College Park, Maryland. Broadcasts began on 5 MHz. A year later, the station was moved again, this time to Department of Agriculture land in Beltsville, Maryland. Broadcasts were added on 10 and 15 MHz, power was increased, and time signals, an A440 tone, and ionospheric reports were all added to the broadcast in June 1937. WWV was nearly destroyed by a fire on November 6, 1940. The frequency and transmitting equipment was recovered, and the station was back on the air (with reduced power) five days later on November 11. Congress funded a new station in July 1941, and it was built 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the former location, still referred to as Beltsville (although in 1961 the name used for the transmitter location was changed to Greenbelt, Maryland). WWV resumed normal broadcasts on 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 MHz on August 1, 1943. WWV moved to its present location near Fort Collins on December 1, 1966, enabling better reception of its signal throughout the continental United States. WWVB had signed on in that location three years earlier. In April 1967, WWV stopped using the local time of the transmitter site (Eastern Time until 1966, and Mountain Time afterwards) and switched to broadcasting Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. The station switched again, to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), in 1974. More about these chronohertz stations next time. (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan Sept 16 via DXLD) Subject: [ndblist] NIST Funding Funding for the US Department of Commerce, which includes NIST and WWV / WWVH / WWVB, was authorized through December 7th, 2018 as part of the Continuing Resolution component of the Defense / Education / HHS / Labor FY2019 funding bill that was approved by the House on September 26 and signed by President Trump yesterday, September 28th. This averted an end-of-Fiscal-year shutdown that had been mildly threatened in the past few months. This approach kicks the can down the road until December 7th -- it funds all agencies at the same levels they received in FY 2018 for all continuing activities -- which would include the time stations because there was no Congressional or Agency action to shut them down in FY18. This date could mean that no actions will be taken until after mid-term elections, though that's not known for a fact. Details on the bill as passed and signed: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6157/text 73, (Bill, WA2DVU, Riches, Cape May NJ, sept 29, ndblist iog via Rick Dau, IRCA at HCDX via DXLD) Good news for us as DXers who rely so much on WWV. Sounds like it and WWVH have gotten a stay of execution. But we'll eventually have to adjust to life without them. 73, (Rick Dau, South Omaha, Nebraska, ibid.) My personal opinion is that it is a matter of when, not if, the global powers come to blows. Given that, which tech is more easily taken out of service? I would bet satellite will be among the first to go. I would hope that our military has a "Plan B" for when all their high-tech, modern, "smart" warfaring devices are taken offline in an EMP flash. Did (or does) NIST in Boulder provide any mission-critical services that our military relies upon, either for current ops, or a "Plan B"? If so, then the expenditure to keep it open is well worth it (Mark Pettifor, ibid.) For more on the topic of GPS and the potential for loss of its use: https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/push-return-eloran-radio-navigation-systems-hackers-target-gps-2017-08/ http://gpsworld.com/edloran-the-next-gen-loran/ has some fairly deep technical background which I haven't started to absorb yet. Welcome back LORAN? It was finished in 2010, so they say. best wishes, (Nick Hall-Patch, BC, ibid.) Having Melanomia Trump park her perky bottom in NYC costs more in SS costs than NIST (Colin Newell - Victoria - B.C. CANADA -, ibid.) I think I read it some time ago on the BBC web site that typewriters were making a comeback in the Kremlin, for the 'processing' of top secret documents. My point again is that there are savings that are worth it, and 'savings' that are not. New technology is not always better just because it's new. Governments can be bad spenders, and even worse savers. Bringing this back to radio, albeit FM, wasn't there a considerable 'unintended' consequence when one of the nordic countries ended FM broadcasting? Anybody seen it, and remember the details? (Vince, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Hi, before we close the WWV discussion, I wanted to share a personal story about WWV. The first house I grew up in was in Greenbelt, Maryland in the early 60s. This was right down the little two lane road from what would be the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and directly across the road from our house was station WWV. I mean right across the street. The station manager and his family lived in an old house on the property and I played with their kids from time to time. I often walked up to the WWV building. Meanwhile, we had tremendous RFI from WWV in everything electronic. It got into our phones, radios, even my play Remco telephone set! As a 4-5 year old, I listened to WWV on our Zenith radio. I listened to the ticks and the announcements at the the top of the minute: ``Eastern Standard Time - 1:05 pm.`` I would listen to the broadcasts for long stretches of time as I looked at the clock on the wall. This is how I learned how to tell time. True story. A few years later, after we moved to another town in Maryland, WWV relocated to Colorado. I think my radio hobby is the result of massive RF exposure from WWV as a young child. : ) I can still see the building in my mind as clear as can be, with the white WWV letters on the front. 73 (Russ Johnson, Lexington NC, ibid. via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) 99.9% of my recordings for DX'ing and DX Tests have a WWV time stamp on them usually at the beginning of the recording. But lately it's difficult to get a good signal due to digital noise (Tom Jasinski, Joliet, IL, ibid.) Had the privilege of touring the WWV tower farm and transmitter building back in 1996 during the WTFDA convention which was held in Colorado. Wonderful station(s) that have served folks well for decades. ms (Mike Sanburn, ibid.) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ AIH85 DXpedition Report from Finland One again I have spent an intensive week of AM DXing in Aihkiniemi in northern Finland. I got some nice new catches especially from Australia, Japan and the Philippines. Here's my report of what was heard up in Lapland, and what else I did over there - mostly fixing antennas and shooting the landscape in fall colors: http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/aih85rep.htm If you'd like to experience all this by yourself, you're most welcome. All of our 13 Beverage antennas, each 1 km/3,000 ft long, are working well. We still have a few weeks of vacancy during the winter season. For details, here's more info: http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/aihkiniemi_dx_cabin_for_rent.dx 73 (Mika Makelainen, Oct 2, WOR iog via DXLD) Good reading (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also CHINA; INDIA; USA; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM Major Announcements by DRM at IBC 2018 Thursday 27 September, 2018 Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) gave important news from its key markets in the first three days of IBC, the largest media, entertainment and technology show in Europe. Under the overarching theme "DRM Drives Forward" the DRM Consortium first showcased the DRM (AM and FM) [meaning MF and VHF! gh] progress in South Africa with details about the spectrum, energy efficiency and no interference observed during the DRM trial in Johannesburg, recently just extended. At this first event hosted by Fraunhofer IIS, participants also welcomed the decision taken in Russia to allocate the VHF band to DRM. During the same lively event the guests heard with interest that the public broadcaster in India (AIR) is also supporting DRM for VHF and that with an established network of almost 40 DRM transmitters, the promotion of DRM to the audience is to start. The next day - on September 15 – at the Nautel event the focus was on the global potential of DRM, the ease of upgrading the large number of AM transmitters all over the world to digital and the increased efficiency that new solid-state transmitters bring to the market. The many participants could listen to the live local DRM transmission received on the increased number of DRM receivers to which a new low cost, all band one was also added and displayed. The last event hosted on Sunday 16th September by Ampegon had "new" written all over it. The Ampegon representative gave details about a big solid-state shortwave transmitter delivered and on air in 2018 and about a huge antenna installed in the US, as part of a large DRM shortwave installation to be completed in 2019. [i.e. WBCQ; is it a secret? gh] IBC 2018 was for DRM a time for marking significant progress globally with important announcements a new receiver prototype (Germany) and DRM transmission equipment for FM (Russia). (Asia Radio Today via October Australian DX News via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See also OKLAHOMA! MEXICO ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DTV REPACK IN PROGRESS Phase 1 of the repack transition has been in progress for two weeks now. At the end of August, the FCC released additional notes about the transition. The testing period of Phase 1 began at 12:01am (local time, presumably at the transmitter) on September 14th. Beginning on this date, Phase 1 stations may begin testing on their post-repack channels (but keep reading). They may also begin permanent operation on their post-repack channels, shutting down their pre-repack facility (but again, keep reading). The Commission has made it clear stations ARE NOT to broadcast programming on both channels at the same time (it doesn't explicitly prohibit transmission of test patterns on the post-repack channel while the pre-repack transmitter is broadcasting programs). Stations in a "Linked Station Set" must coordinate both testing and permanent operation with other stations in that set. For example, Linked Station Set #4 contains WGIQ Louisville, Alabama, moving from ch. 44 to ch. 30; and WLGA Opelika, moving from ch. 30 to ch. 17. WGIQ cannot move until WLGA does; it would cause massive interference. Many Linked Station Sets contain more than two stations, making this coordination tricky. In some cases, stations not in a Linked Station Set still have special conditions that must be met before they can move. For example, stations being repacked to channel 14 must ensure they don’t interfere with existing two-way radio operations below 470 MHz. The Commission will allow stations to use temporary interim channels to maintain service. They also mention "temporary joint use of a channel" – a temporary channel-sharing arrangement. I don't know of any such arrangements right now, but wouldn't doubt we might see some by the time the repack is complete. (after typing that, the FCC approved a request for WTXX-LD New Haven, Connecticut to share on the WEDW Bridgeport transmitter until June 22nd, 2019. WTXX is being displaced from ch. 34 by Hartford’s WTIC. They plan to eventually move to ch. 29, but they can’t do it right now because of WUTF west of Boston. WUTF moves to ch. 19 next June, and at that time WTXX can restart their own transmitter on 29.) Stations may obtain a single six-month extension of their repack construction permit. Permitted circumstances are limited – weather; unavailability of equipment or tower crews; tower lease issues; unusual technical challenges; or delays in government approvals. "Financial hardship" will only be accepted if a station is in bankruptcy (Doug Smith, Oct WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See USA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See UNIDENTIFIED TA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ UK Radio Review Website While searching for a good review of the Sony ICF-19 AM/FM portable radio, I found a radio review website located in the UK … https://bestradios.co.uk There’s a preponderance of Roberts radios listed, which is to be expected, since the website is in the UK. There are several other brands not familiar here in the US - Majority, Pure, Goodmans, Azatom - to name a few. The reviews are well-written, not too wordy, and contain links to other radio reviews on the website. The reviews also contain links to Amazon UK. Enjoy! (Stephen Ponder, Sept 26, nrc-am gg via DXLD) Icom IC-R8600 --- My best receiver - and SDR in the same box Jorma Mäntylä --- Bild 1 visar jämförelse mellan Icom 8600 och 8500. Bild 2 visar 8600 pekskärm (touch screen). [illustrations] More than four months I have been DX-listening with my new communications receiver Icom IC-R8600. This receiver was introduced in summer 2017. The previous version Icom IC-R8500 was discontinued some years ago. So far I can say that 8600 is the best receiver I have ever owned. If and when the software for Icom 8600 is developed and bugs omitted, this is my receiver for the next 20 years. First some general information. Frequency coverage: 10 kHz-3 GHz. Frequency resolution: 1 Hz. Modes: USB, LSB, CW, FSK, AM, S-AM (Synchronous-AM), FM, WFM, Digital (D-STAR, P25 Phase 1, NXDN, dPMR, DCR). DRM Software Radio by PC connection. Memories: 2000 regular with 100 groups, 200 auto memory write, 100 skip and 100 scan edge channels. Three antenna connectors, one for longwire-antennas. 105 dB dynamic range. Remote control function through IP Network or USB Cable. Can be used as SDR-receiver with sampling rate 30 kHz -> 5.12 MHz. The whole MW-band can be saved, requires firmware 1.32 or later. Price: € 2890 RxTx Tampere. SEK 32000 SRS AB Karlstad. Icom 8600 is my 8th communications receiver since 1970’s. Before 8600 I have used Eddystone 750/940, Trio 9R59DE, Drake R4B and Icom Ic R70, Icom Ic R71 and Icom Ic R8500 which is still in use as my secondary rx. I use Perseus SDR as 3rd rx during DXpeditions. Icom 8600 is the best among these – but I must admit that differences are relatively small if compared with Icom 8500 and JRC NRD 525/535 which I have tested many times during DX-peditions in the Finnish Lapland. Currently I have 4 receivers: Icom 8600, 8500, Perseus and Sony XDR/Gtk. The sensitivity and selectivity of 8600 are approximately the same as of Icom 8500 and JRC NRD525/535. I have not found differences between 8600 and 8500 when listening to 5AN 891 or DZBB 594 kHz. Perseus is on the same level. The dynamic range of 8600 seems to be as promised. No heterodynes or overloading found on MW when I use an 800 meter Beverage-antenna. This is true even when I use a preselector on MW. Same situation on VHF/FM: no overloading. My QTH Sahalahti is some 40 km from the nearest high power transmitter site (5x60 kW). However, on MW/SW, Icom 8600 is better than Icom 8500 if the desired station is disturbed and there is noise and interference. Icom’s twin Passband Tuning and an effective notch combined with the ability to adjust filters make it possible to hear stations that are hard to be heard with other receivers. An example: DZRH Manila is on 665.95 kHz which is 50 Hz below the channel. I can hear the station even when Eur/Asian stations shout on 666 kHz. Icom 8500 is not often capable to do this. Its bandshift is not very effective, though. The second reason why 8600 is better than most other communications receivers is audio quality. Icom says that they have the best audio, and this is true. You can tune the bass and treble exactly for your ears and headphones. Icom 8600 has the best audio quality of communications receivers I have experienced during last 40 years. Most communications receivers just have AF volume, a plug for headphones and a poor loudspeaker. This is also the reason why I don’t like Perseus, its audio quality is awful. With 8600 there is no need for any recorder when the audio signal is saved. In the front panel of the receiver there is a SD card port which supports cards up to 32 GB. Max 270 hours of recording is possible. The screen capture function saves a snap shot of the screen in PNG or BMP format on the SD card. I like very much the daily timer of 8600. Up to 3 timer slots for different timer settings can be set up. When you are travelling and away from home Icom 8600 listens to 3 frequencies every day and saves the audio. Of course, you must listen the files later. Icom has a battery which keeps the timer memory working if there is a power failure (this happened here once in September). The internal clock of 8600 is accurate - only one second delay has been noted in 4 months. The 10x15 cm colour display with high-resolution real-time spectrum scope and a waterfall screen is simply nice. On MW I use the 240 or 480 kHz bandwith which shows clearly when new stations pop up on nearby frequencies. On FM the maximum 5,12 MHz is the best. The colours and the speed of the waterfall are adjustable. The colour display is also the touch screen to control many functions of the receiver. Yes, it works, and it is easy to use. But how long will it last? Everybody who owns a smartphone knows that the touch screen is the most vulnerable part of the phone. The life cycle of a smart phone is about two years. That is far from 20 years. I have used Icom 8500 20 years – and it still works. This is the reason why I still use a 7 years old Nokia stupid phone which does not have touch screen. The Icom 8600 instruction manual warns to be careful with the touch screen, have short nails etc. The best solution for long lasting use is remote control. It can be done by Icom RS-R8600 software or Sony RM-EZ4 remote control unit. This seems to be my next purchase. This leads me from pro’s to con’s. As traditional DXer I miss an analog S-meter. Digital S-meter is not as good. Analog S-meter is available as optional accessory only. On FM there is only one bandwith 180 kHz, and the receiver does not show RDS-codes. This again is solved by optional software which I have not downloaded. Many DXers and radio amateurs complain that the software for Icom 8600 are delayed and have bugs and problems. Icom has done the receiver first and software comes sometimes later. If you have older firmware than 1.32 you must update. In practice you need a powerful PC with big hard disk to properly operate Icom 8600. My major disappointment was the power supply AD-55NS (15V/2A). It created terrific noise below 4 MHz. On medium-waves DX was impossible and in the 3.5 MHz amateur band listening was appalling because of background noise. Fortunately the dealer in Finland offered me another Maas power supply which does not generate noise and DX is possible. The AD-55NS was returned to the factory, and they promised to send me a new one. I am still waiting. My Icom 8500 power supply does not generate any noise. It was made in Japan while the 8600 power supply AD-55NS is made in China. After 4 months of listening I am generally more than satisfied. Icom 8600 is what promised, one of the best or the best receiver available on the market for serious DXers and radio amateurs. When the software is upgraded this is my receiver for a long time. The disabled power supply AD-55NS seems to be a production error as some Finnish DXers have proper products. Possibly the biggest problem is price, € 2830. With less than € 1000 there are available many SDR-receivers, such as Perseus, SDR-play and Elad. But they are not communications receivers, and Icom 8600 is both communications receiver and SDR-receiver (ARC mv-eko 24 Sept via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) Hi Glenn, After reading the review of the Icom 8600 (communications receiver and SDR-receiver), I feel as if my Etón E1 must be a dinosaur and very outdated. Even so, my portable radio has provided me with countless hours of SWLing enjoyment over the past 10+ years. Believe my location at the beach, next to the ocean, has a lot to do with my decent SW reception and therefore very pleasant listening via my E1. Getting away from all the electrical interference around the house and surrounding area has enabled me to be able to dig out some respectable DX, with a minimum of background noise, by just using a long wire antenna. Not a very sophisticated or high tech set up to be sure, but works well for me. So I believe location perhaps is just as important as the type of radio or antenna used. Just my opinion (Ron Howard, California, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You are spot on, Ron! Location is by far the most important factor (and noise!). Just look at the results that Gary D. and others get at Rockworks, OR. Exceptional using simple portable radios! (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) Ditto. There is a big difference when I go just 40 metres away from my house and use a 7-metre reel antenna with a portable. Getting away from man-made RFI can make all the difference in DXing and in getting decent recordings of some SW stations (-- Richard Langley, NB, ibid.) I agree on location and antenna. Some of my best DX, both in amateur radio and SWLing, was done using a 40 meter inverted vee dipole coupled to the venerable Hammarlund HQ170A and HQ180A. Both radios were obtained in the used market. I checked the value of a new HQ180A in today's dollars and it would be near $4000.00. The low noise era when I used these radios also helped. Now my portables are almost useless from inside the house. What about the IV-R8600? It's wonderful but too much $$ and then, who will repair it? 73s (Guido Santacana KP4FAR, Puerto Rico, ibid.) Regarding the Icom-8600, I don`t have any doubts is a great radio. Technology is always going after a better radio. Money, is always a big factor however, there is people out there with the chance of buying a better radio for them. There is a lot or better bsay [?], a huge amount of very serious radio enthusiast that will have no doubt on buying one of these. Location, is a good point. I feel however, that to enjoy a jewel like this, the antenna plays the bigger role . The better the ant, the better the joy we will take out of this type of radio. Best to all (Hector-NP4FW-KPR-260SWL, ibid.) FYI : My updated Icom IC-R8600 review is still available here : [much more detailed! --- gh] http://n9ewo.angelfire.com/icr8600.html News page for other notes: http://n9ewo.angelfire.com/news.html Note: Be sure and have your pop-up blocker on (block all pop ups). (Dave N9EWO Zantow, Oct 1, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) Devs Used Solar-Powered [SW] Radios to Complete First ‘Off-Grid’ Cryptocurrency Transaction https://thenextweb.com/hardfork/2018/09/18/off-grid-solar-powered-cryptocurrency/ A group of developers claim to have performed a solar-powered cryptocurrency transaction, using shortwave radios and blockchain tech. While it might not be the world’s first radio-transmitted cryptocurrency transaction, the devs insist it is the first one to be completed entirely off-grid. They managed to do it with just a portable hard drive, a solar battery pack, a shortwave radio, and, of course, some technical know-how. In addition to these gadgets, the developers used open-source cryptocurrency Burst to conduct the experiment. For the record, the transaction was recorded on Burst’s blockchain without the need for any mains power or data connections. One of the developers, Daniel Jones, has since teased an image of the improvised setup on Twitter: ``"Daniel Jones" @nixops It is with great honor I present to you the first $burst radio transaction. Solar powered, mesh net, and on chain. https://explore.burst.cryptoguru.org/transaction/17490887355364942154 5:07 AM Sep 16, 2018 [likes:] 277- 142 people are talking about this`` While the items required for this system can be purchased in most good electronics stores, there are some caveats. You’ll need to prove you understand the legalities and technicalities of using shortwave radios before sending cryptocurrency all over the world, as radio operators must hold a license. That might sound like a fly in the ointment of this project, however there is a much deeper opportunity. This project is a submission for the Call for Code challenge, which pits developers against each other to create tech that can aid in preparedness and relief during times of natural disaster. In addition to the ability to send messages and (cryptocurrency) transactions on the blockchain, the off-grid method pretty much makes it possible to exchange digital information in a secure and immutable manner from practically anywhere in the world. When accompanied with other predetermined verification methods, people sequestered deep inside disaster zones can communicate with the outside world. Victims of disaster could confirm their livelihood when all other communication networks are down. This isn’t the first time that blockchain and cryptocurrencies have been used for good. In a project called Game Changers, UNICEF asked gamers to mine cryptocurrency to raise funds for children in Syria. It’ll be curious to see whether the off-grid relay solution can prove useful in real-world scenarios. Just like with charities, it often takes a lot more than just good intentions to create something truly meaningful (via Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ PUBLICATIONS --- I've just completed a YouTube review of the recently renovated VOACAP HFBC site. I've been working with Jari OH6BG over the past few weeks on some testing of the new site. It can be found at https://youtu.be/5_nMKKCFPjI (Rob Wagner, VK3BVW, Oct Australian DX News via DXLD) Science & Environment: World War II bombs 'felt in space' By Laura Foster BBC Science News 26 September 2018 Image copyright US Air Force --- Image caption Bombing of a factory at Marienburg, Germany 9 October 1943 The bombs used by Allied forces during World War II were so large, they weakened the Earth's upper atmosphere. The air raids turned towns to rubble and ash, but now new research shows shockwaves could be felt up to 1,000 km above the UK. Chris Scott, from the University of Reading said: "I was absolutely astonished [when I found out]. "Each raid released the energy of at least 300 lightning strikes." It's now hoped the research will give us a better understanding of how natural forces such as lightning, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can affect Earth's upper atmosphere. How do we know this happened? Researchers studied daily records kept at the Radio Research Centre in Slough, UK. They looked at how the concentration of electrons changed in the upper atmosphere around the time of 152 Allied air raids in Europe - including raids on Berlin and those in support of the Normandy landings. Image copyright National Museum/PA Wire --- Image caption: The allied bombing raids that began in 1942 caused unparalleled devastation on the ground as cities such as Dresden and Hamburg were reduced to rubble and ash. The data showed the concentration of electrons fell significantly when a bomb was detonated, which in turn heated the upper atmosphere. This caused a small but significant depletion in the ionosphere above Slough, even though the bombs were deployed hundreds of miles away. But Chris Scott admits "these were very temporary effects which heated the atmosphere very slightly." "The effects on the ionosphere would only have lasted until the heat dissipated." Why do we need to know about the ionosphere? It is a layer of the Earth's atmosphere which can affect radio communications, GPS systems, radio telescopes and even some understanding of weather systems. Chris Scott said: "This [research] is really important if we're going to understand the ionosphere as a whole. "We know the ionosphere is controlled by solar activity but it varies much more than can currently be explained." The results are published in the European Geosciences Union journal, Annales Geophysicae. https://www.ann-geophys.net/36/1243/2018/) (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) But no luck searching for specific article at that site (gh) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2018 Oct 01 0253 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 24 - 30 September 2018 Solar activity was at very low levels throughout the period. Region 2723 (S08, L=356 class/area Dro/030 on 30 Sep) developed on 29 Sep, but was already showing signs of decay as of this report, and remained inactive. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available satellite imagery. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reach high levels on 24 - 28 Sep, then decreased to moderate levels on 29 - 30 Sep. A peak flux of 6,202 pfu was observed on 24/2020 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels throughout the entire period, from 24 - 30 Sep, under very subtle CH HSS influence. Solar wind speeds averaged near 430 km/s through most of the period, but did see an increase to reach a peak of 505 km/s on 30/0158 UTC. Total field strength ranged between 1 nT to 7 nT, while the Bz component was variable between +/- 6 nT through the period. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 - 27 October 2018 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the outlook period, with a slight chance for C-class flare activity. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate levels from 1 - 8 Oct, and again from 26 - 27 Oct. High levels are expected from 9 - 25 Oct following elevated solar wind speeds associated to recurrent CH HSS activity. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels from 1 - 6 Oct, with isolated active levels likely on 1 Oct. Conditions are then expected to reach G1 (Minor) storm levels on 7 - 8 Oct, with G2 (Moderate) storm levels likely on 8 Oct, due to a positive polarity CH HSS. A brief return to unsettled levels is likely on 9 Oct, with G1 (Minor) storm levels likely returning on 10 Oct as CH HSS effects persist. Active levels are expected on 11 Oct as CH HSS effects taper off. Mostly quiet to unsettled levels are expected from 12 - 18 Oct, with isolated active periods likely on 14 and 18 Oct. G1 levels are likely again on 19 Oct as another CH HSS influences the magnetic field. Isolated active periods are expected early on 20 Oct before conditions decrease to be at mostly unsettled levels throughout the remainder of the outlook period (21 - 27 Oct) as CH HSS effects continue to wane. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2018 Sep 24 0321 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 2018-09-24 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2018 Sep 24 68 15 4 2018 Sep 25 68 10 3 2018 Sep 26 68 8 3 2018 Sep 27 68 5 2 2018 Sep 28 68 5 2 2018 Sep 29 68 5 2 2018 Sep 30 68 5 2 2018 Oct 01 68 10 3 2018 Oct 02 70 12 4 2018 Oct 03 70 5 2 2018 Oct 04 70 5 2 2018 Oct 05 70 5 2 2018 Oct 06 70 5 2 2018 Oct 07 70 20 5 2018 Oct 08 70 35 6 2018 Oct 09 70 10 3 2018 Oct 10 70 18 5 2018 Oct 11 68 15 4 2018 Oct 12 68 8 3 2018 Oct 13 68 5 2 2018 Oct 14 68 10 3 2018 Oct 15 68 8 3 2018 Oct 16 68 5 2 2018 Oct 17 68 5 2 2018 Oct 18 68 10 4 2018 Oct 19 68 25 5 2018 Oct 20 68 15 4 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1950, DXLD) ###