DX LISTENING DIGEST 19-04, January 21, 2019 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 1966 contents: Andorra, Australia and non, Brasil, Canada, Chad non, Congo DR, Cuba, Denmark, India, Japan/Korea North non, Mongolia, New Zealand, Somalia, Turkey, USA, Zambia, Zanzibar, unidentifieds; publications; and the propagation outlook SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1966, January 22-28, 2019 Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 [confirmed] Tue 2030 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Wed 0930 Unique 5045-LSB NSW Australia low-power Wed 1030 WRMI 5950 Wed 2200 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Wed 2200 WBCQ 7490v [confirmed] Thu 0100 WRMI 7780 [confirmed] Fri 0930 Unique 5045-LSB NSW Australia low-power Sat 0730 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1200 Unique 5045-LSB NSW Australia low-power [alt weeks, Feb 2] Sat 1230 WRMI 9955 Sat 1531 HLR 9485-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sat 2200 WRMI 9955 Sun 0400v WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0415] Sun 0830 WRMI 5850 5950 7730 Sun 1130 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sun 2130 WRMI 7780 Mon 0230 WRMI 5950 9395 Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v-AM Area 51 Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 Mon 0930 Unique 5045 NSW Australia low-power Mon 2330 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 MORE PODCAST ALTERNATIVES, tnx to Keith Weston: https://blog.keithweston.com/2018/11/22/world-of-radio-podcast/ feedburner: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlennHausersWorldOfRadio NEW via tunein.com: http://bit.ly/tuneinwor 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. 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. And now also posted on our website. INTRODUXION to DXLD in HTML and PDF: http://www.worldofradio.com/DXLDformats.htm HTML and PDF versions converted by Jacques Champagne are now also posted shortly for open access: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1903.html http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1903.pdf Thanks also to Jacques for assisting with formatting of .txt original ** ANDORRA. See CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES (WORLD OF RADIO 1966) ** ANGUILLA. 11775, University Network; 1652-1700+, 1/13; Tune-in to knee-slapper gospel tune & UN contact info, into Really Bountiful & Robustly Blessed Rev. Barbie with book review for Bunyan’s Progress which morphed into sermon on sin, desire, etc. S20 peaks + xmtr hum (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. 6090, University Network/Caribbean Beacon with Rev. Barbi pontificating about pilgrimages, reconciling yourself with God and reminiscing about her first years with Dr Scott, and talking about how she didn’t feel any DIFFERENT as a result of learning about God, but there was a new ‘new creature’ in her that manifested her new peace with God, but yet, not mentioning her previous profession. A rather husky-voiced woman singing “Wasted Years” (was that her singing? It wasn’t half bad actually!) at the BoH, and a ‘voice over’ with the phone number to call. 4+554+4+ with the hum in the modulation that has become a feature of this transmitter discernible but not really causing issues. Almost like ‘old times’ with this here after being missing more often than there for so long. 0420-0435 16/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. Winter B-18 shortwave schedule of Voice of Armenia: 1530-1545 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Assyrian 1545-1600 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Greek 1600-1630 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Kurdish 1630-1700 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Yezidi 1700-1715 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Turkish Mon-Fri 1700-1730 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Turkish Sat/Sun 1715-1745 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Azeri Mon-Fri 1730-1745 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Azeri Sat/Sun 1745-1815 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Farsi 1815-1845 4810 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic (Ivo Ivanov, BULGARIA via Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. MARE Paul Dobosz surfing the web instead of listening to the radio found the following by Alan Hughes from the 14/Jan RadioWorld: https://tinyurl.com/RAreturn Mr. Hughes seems to have drunk the DRM kool-aide [sic] so I'm not sure why his other conclusions would bear weight, but he IS correct that a return to SW from Radio Australia, while not technically impossible, or even really difficult, is not something that will be politically easy, even with the opposition making noises like that is something they would do if they win this year's election. For now, I just want to know how a lower power DRM service can provide "noise free stereo" reception during severe thunderstorms, and while using "67% less electricity" than an AM transmitter. He seems to think that QRN and QRM are not a problem for DRM, and stations can decrease power and still have as good a range as AM. Yeah, right. (See the DRM log below.) And I've got this bridge in Brooklyn and some swampland in Florida you'll want to spend money on too! Oh, and don't forget the 'new rule for 2019 that REQUIRES all cable companies to transmit a very low frequency signal with all their premium channels and all you need is this special squirrel secret 'device' to 'suck the signal right out of the air.' --kvz (Ken Zichi, ed., MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) Re: [WOR] Will ABC Shortwave Broadcasts Really Be Restored? #12-46 Quoth the article ... ``Shortwave AM reception during the monsoon is noisy because of the lightning, whereas DRM can be heard in noise free stereo, provide there is sufficient signal strength from a transmitter outside of the monsoon zone.`` I've decoded hundreds of hours of DRM and find that it folds like a five dollar suitcase in the face of moderate interference. A local lightning strike could cause a dropout of audio lasting a few seconds. A local thunderstorm could result in several such dropouts. With analog shortwave, the static crashes will be heard, but audio will be restored immediately thereafter. The text modes that we use on Shortwave Radiogram (digital modes via analog radio) are very resistant to interference. In adverse conditions, text often decodes 100% because of the error correction built in to the modes (Kim Elliott, WOR iog via DXLD) I just wish they would get on with it and stop procrastinating. If the ABC aren't going to do it and it's deemed to be a life saving broadcast (As it is in many parts of Australia), then someone else would need to do this. Maybe even a private company or a group of concerned people could do this and step into the fray. The major cost would be power and that's been established. DRM could work with power savings. The existing infrastructure would be too expensive to run so, in my opinion, maybe a number of smaller public outback Associations could do this in a cost effective way. Even without DRM, SSB could be another option, tuned to the existing outback frequencies and with proven 'a safety of life' add on to the licence, could also make that free of licence fees. Actually one service does exist from Queensland on 5055 kHz shortwave, 4KZ network which covers the North of Queensland and has been heard with many 'safety of life' weather and news for this area. Does anyone listen to 4KZ shortwave? 4KZ puts out a great signal (Tim Gaynor, Gunnedah NSW, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) Hi Tim, Occasionally here in California I can indeed hear Radio 4KZ (5055 kHz), e.g. Jan 15 at 1008 UT heard Billy Joel with "Uptown Girl" and at 1155 with Bob Dylan singing "Just Like a Woman." Reception was poor, but at a level to be able to ID some of the songs. Always enjoyable to catch any reception of this low powered Australian station (Ron Howard, ibid.) That's always amazing Ron and always amazed at how HF propagates, 73 (Tim Gaynor, Gunnedah NSW, Australia, ibid.) Tim, I listen a lot using the “magic” of remote receivers, specifically from the Bay of Islands just north of Auckland – they can be heard here in NoAm West Coast but to truly enjoy the programming you need a remote receiver much closer to Queensland. The only down is that NZ nighttime coincides with our night here in CA and if one wants a decent amount of sleep, listening suffers between 0800-1600 UT! ?. In my earlier days of DXing, nighttime listening was a staple, but at the ripe old age of nearly 80 (in April) long nights are harder to come by! Cheers, (Bruce Churchill, ibid.) And Tim, I too listened to 4KZ (both 531 and 5055) when I was up in Masset in late Dec/early January. Reception was often pretty darned good! 73 (Walt Salminiw, BC, ibid.) Pretty amazing that too Walt :-) (Tim, ibid.) Hi Bruce, At times my 5045 kHz can be heard quite well in NZ, albeit fortuitously, usually from 0930 UT onwards, but it varies a lot with conditions. Inside my target zone across Northern NSW it's quite good according to reports. Shortwave listening in Australia, seems tough to find a regular audience but enthusiasts across North America, The Pacific (NZ), however, keep it interesting. In my experience, if broadcasts are aimed at a particular community and run by the community (Like an SSB outpost radio) then I reckon they would go quite well. I don't believe ABC need to be a part of it anymore other than perhaps allowing audio to be relayed. SSB in outlying areas, in my opinion would work better then DRM and is more readily accessible. Yes, Bruce I get that about late nights and I have to get my beauty sleep to for work the next day ;-) 73 (Tim Gaynor, Gunnedah NSW, Australia, ibid.) 5055, 4KZ, 1255, 1/20/19. Signal there are 1255 check, can mainly hear music and thumping of bass, not much more though one announcement (Ralph Perry, Wheaton, Ill. Equipment: Drake R8B, Dentron Super – Tuner, Ameco & Palomar Preamps, Wellbrook Loop, 350’ LA BOG, Delta Skyloop, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 5055, Radio 4KZ, on Jan 19. Was able to ID the following songs: 1125, with The Mamas & The Papas - "Monday, Monday," and at 1158, with Billy Paul - "Me And Mrs. Jones"; 1200 - news not readable; 1205 - music fanfare after news, into sea conditions(?) - "winds ..." (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) 5055, 4KZ at 1455 UT January 20 with multiple ads to ID at 1500, then talk show program. Fair. Rx Perseus SDR, Ant: Wellbrook ALA 100 loop. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Hi Bruce, At times my 5045 KHz can be heard quite well in NZ, albeit fortuitously, usually from 0930 onwards but it varies a lot with conditions. Inside my target zone across Northern NSW it's quite good according to reports. Shortwave listening in Australia, seems tough to find a regular audience but enthusiasts across North America, The Pacific (NZ), however, keep it interesting. In my experience, if broadcasts are aimed at a particular community and run by the community (Like an SSB outpost radio) then I reckon they would go quite well. I don't believe ABC need to be a part of it anymore other than perhaps allowing audio to be relayed. SSB in outlying areas, in my opinion would work better then DRM and is more readily accessible. Yes, Bruce, I get that about late nights and I have to get my beauty sleep too for work the next day ;-) 73 (Tim Gaynor, Gunnedah NSW, Australia, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) Re: [WOR] No audio from Unique Radio via WINB 9265 KHz - listen here Apparent WINB transmitter problem. Not successfully on the air until about 1430 UT today (Saturday) as monitored here in NB (— Richard Langley, Jan 19, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) I taped 9265 overnight from the west coast, and first audio popped up at 1426:07 UT. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) No more Unique Radio via WINB 9265 kHz --- Hi Guys, I have decided to cancel all further broadcasts on WINB 9265 kHz, as I feel the broadcasts are no longer inline on what I need to do in broadcasting anymore. Please check the Unique Radio website for schedules: http://www.uniqueradio.biz The programs will still exist both on 5045 kHz Unique Radio and online; however will be heard earlier in the week and also will be uploaded to by Wednesdays at: http://www.uniqueradio.podomatic.com I'm waiting on a reply from WINB. Thank you for your understanding (Tim Gaynor, Unique Radio, Gunnedah NSW, Australia, Jan 21, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So that also ends WOR Saturday at 1200. I suspect WINB`s failure to transmit the entire Unique block on Jan 19 may have something to do with this; also wrong program instead of International Radio Report. I suppose Tim got a good rate on WINB, but if one want to reach North America with relatively reliable good signals, should go with WRMI, as long as on a NW quadrant antenna --- 285, 315 or 355 degrees (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Or Australia with the closest Az, 285 (gh) ** BHUTAN. 6035, BBS, 1011-1045*, Jan 20. Pop Western songs; as usual at 1020 went to a discussion, today all about students; not very readable; 1034 back to music till cut off. Too early for any PBS Yunnan QRM. On Jan 19, noted 1102*, cut off during the news in English (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BOUGAINVILLE. 3325, NBC Bougainville (Maus Blong Sankamap - Voice of the Sunrise), 1128*, Jan 21. Cut off during a political speech given in Pidgin; some light VOI QRM. Cut off time varies. On Jan 20 (Sunday), cut off 1146*; usual religious programming (preaching and songs) in Pidgin (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Bandeirantes AM SP --- Aqui na Bahia, caiu na ultima terça feira a torre da Radio Excelsior AM 840, com isso está a emissora fora do ar. Notei que a Bandeirantes não emite mais nessa frequencia. Pelo menos não capitei ela ha seis dias. Até uma emissora em inglês proveniente dos EUA foi possivel [WHAS?]. Mas de SP nada. A Bandeirantes aí já abandonou a AM? (Ed Santos, Locutor, 20 Jan, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Sporadic use of proper accents sic. When Brazilians write like this, I pergunt myself why I bother to put them in? Not to mention comma splices to take out. Give this man some semicolons;;;; (gh, ed., DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885.023, (5 kW) ZYG362 R Clube do Para, Belem PA, S=9 in MA 0600 UT 5939.696, (0.5 kW) R. Voz Missionaria, Camboriu SC, singer group S=7 at 0608 UT on Jan 21 in MA. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres longwire in Skovlunde: 5939.71, 2220-2225 17.1, Voz Missionária, Camboriú, SC, Portuguese religious talk, hymn, 35233. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, wbradio yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [and non]. 9630.50, Jan 19 at 2349, R. Aparecida has been stable almost exactly split between 9630 and 9631 as if intentional, 24h, and most of the time lux out lacking any het from genuine 9630 stations --- but now there is a weak het in Chinese until 2357*. Aoki & EiBi show it`s CRI Cantonese this hour only, via Jinhua 831 site for Philippines (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) missing lately ** BRAZIL. Observatório Nacional [10000 kHz] --- Unexpectedly, the first QSL map [sic, as in karta, i.e. card!] from Observatório Nacional from Brazil for an official report dated November 19, 2018 was received for me from the exact time station. In previous years, the station ignored my admission reports. Unfortunately, the envelope and the contents are heavily dented. The station also sent a QSL letter and a booklet about the station’s mission. QSL can be viewed here http://freerutube.info/2019/01/15/qsl-observatorio-nacional-braziliya-noyabr-2018-goda/ (Dmitry Elagin, Saratov, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", QSL World, Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11780, Jan 17 at 2300, RNA is VG, S9+10/20, but nothing on 6180 --- so not to be expected on two at once, altho possible as proven a few days ago. And no CCI to CRI via Cuba 6180 after 0100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See CUBA ** BULGARIA [and non]. KBC-MFSK64 & SWRG#83 & SSR#22 http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-01-19.htm#KBC http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-01-19.htm#SWRG (Tecsun Radios Australia image decoding competition - week 5) http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-01-19.htm#SSR_22 "......To separate SSTV and DRM, today we will send a few characters in morse code, so that you know you have to switch. We had some response on our experiments with DRM, both via mail and on Twitter. Last two shows we took almost the worst possible settings of the DRM software for HF us. Thanks to those listener comments this week we will have two settings that will probably work, at least one of the two. Let's say it is a learning process :-) .." Diesmal Slow Scan Radio mit 2 Bildern im sehr robusten DRM-Mode E (QAM4): http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-01-19.htm#DRM (roger. Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CANADA. RUMOUR has it that there are plans for CIAO 530: "NEW CALL LETTERS FOR 530 AM IN BRAMPTON" "Evanov has changed the call letters at Multilingual AM 530 in Brampton-Toronto from CIAO to CHLO. The significance of the move is unknown, but CIAO is generally an Italian greeting term. "Italian programming on AM 530 has been reduced to just a few hours on the weekends now. The CHLO calls were in St. Thomas, Ontario at 680 and 1570 from 1948 to 1994 (now CFHK 103.1)" (John Rieger is listed as the 'source' for the tip) HOWEVER, contrary to the tip, there is no noted change on the air despite several MAREs listening in. The Station personnel have apparently denied the rumour, but the official Canadian databases have been updated with the 'change' so .... is this a case of upper management keeping the lower levels in the dark, or are the rumours just that? Time shall tell, but keep an ear open and report what you hear! You'll get real news from MARE instead of rumours from the Internet so, YOU know what to do! (presumably Ken Zichi, ed., MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) 530, CIAO, ON, Brampton – 1/15 2258 – some kind of South Asian / Subcontinental / Horn of India ditty sung in either Serbo-Telugu or Special Marathi. Hourtop ID that mentions “ciao” several times and certainly no mention of “CHLO”, which apparently are their new calls. Not that changing their calls would make any difference in my ability to hear this as it is a local station. Into a Punjabi program with a commercial that naturally featured the phone numbers in English, which of course began with “905” (Niel Wolfish, Toronto ON, WinRadio Excalibur G31DDC/, Wellbrook Loop, MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) 530, CHLO?/CIAO? Brampton (xmtr near Georgetown) ON; 1846-1902+, 1/14; Hindi? program with pop music & ad string 1851-1857+ with mix of English & Hindi? ToH “This is Ciao, multi-cultural radio, AM 5-30 for Brampton, Toronto & the GTA...” + English disclaimer, into more Hindi? No mention of new call. Good at S5 well over QRN & no QRM. Tnx for tip from KZ. There appears to some uncertainty as to whether a call change has actually occurred. +++ 1849-1900+, 1/15; same log except more English during ad string & same ToH slogan as yesterday. +++ 0352-0402+, 1/16; Hindi? announcements & pop tunes; no English slogan at ToH. Mixing with Radio Rebelde & need LSB due to 531 het (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time ----, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 530, CIAO, ON, Brampton, English ID at 0101 mentioning "Multicultural Radio" and "CIAO" and their website, but no hint a change in call was planned or coming. Into OM/YL talk in Lang?? Rough copy, 3+44+43 with my local noise causing issues. 0059-0104 17/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. MARE Harold Frodge provides the following bit of tid (I would add "Get 'em while you can!" --kvz) Remaining 3-letter CB calls: 550 CBK SK Regina 50/50 kW [sic: really 540 -- gh] 550 CBT NL Grand Falls-Windsor 10/10 kW [sic: really 540 -- gh] 640 CBN NL St. Johns 10/10 kW 690 CBU BC Vancouver 50 kW [sic: reduced to 25 -- gh] 740 CBX AB Edmonton 50 kW 990 CBW MB Winnipeg 50/46 kW 990 CBY NL Corner Brook NL 10/10 kW 1010 CBR AB Calgary 50/50 kW 1140 CBI NS Sydney 10/10 kW 1400 CBG NL Gander 4/4 kW (MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) ** CANADA. 6070, CFRX, Toronto ON; 1955-2001+, 1/16; Interview program with astronomer guest claiming to have found a rock which is an alien probe. The host seems to have bought this. The guest sounds just like Arnie Coro! 1959 “In-depth radio, news-talk 10-10” & promo for Star Trek Discovery (good timing) into weather, news headlines & Time-Saver tfc. SIO=453- (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. SWRG#83: Collage with the usual colors: MFSK-32 in yellow, MFSK-64 in green and voice of Jeff in white: https://www.dropbox.com/s/709eui6cnupi01o/2019-01-18_SWRG83-WRMI.png?dl=0 "...From Radio Canada International: Former RCI transmitter site – slow transformation Marc Montgomery 14 January 2019 The former RCI transmitter site near Sackville New Brunswick, sold to a First Nations group, is now in the process of being absorbed into native reserve land and some as yet undetermined use... ...Quoted in a 2018 article in the Sackville Tribute, Bill Steele said he didn't want to see the historic transmitter end up as scrap. "It was for our troops to hear their homeland ... I'm so proud to have saved this, I now own this, I have the 'Voice of Canada' That's pretty cool" said Steele. . . http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2019/01/14/former-rci-transmitter-site-slow-transformation/ See also: http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2019/01/15/radio-canada-international-spectres-of-shortwave/ (roger, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CANADA. A life of firsts: Ernest Tucker, trailblazing Montreal journalist, dead at 87 Pioneering reporter worked for CBC News and taught generations of journalists at John Abbott College --- Joanne Bayly · CBC News · Posted: Jan 19, 2019 10:00 AM ET | Last Updated: January 19 Ernest Tucker was a CBC reporter in Montreal, seen here at a news conference with then-mayor, Jean Drapeau. (Submitted by Jeannette Tucker) When Ernest Tucker graduated from Toronto's Ryerson Institute of Technology in 1954, he took the long bus ride north to Sudbury, Ont., to be interviewed for a job as a reporter. He arrived in the newsroom and was told there'd been a mistake: the job had already been filled. It was the Bermudian native's first experience with racism in Canada. . . [illustrated] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/a-life-of-firsts-ernest-tucker-trailblazing-montreal-journalist-dead-at-87-1.4984615 (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) obit ** CHAD [non]. 12050, Jan 17 at 2027, poor S6 in presumed Kanuri, from Radio Ndarason International, tnx to absence of WEWN Spanish; also uncovering that ``ASCENSION hum`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 7445, CNR1 at 2208 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a man with excited news coverage – Weak but audible and noisy Jan 17 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten- Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, Congo Democratic Republic, 6210.19, on air now via SDR Kiwi Switzerland Here in Lugo only weak carrier detected, but via SDR Kiwi remote receiver in Switzerland perfectly audible. Via SDR Kiwi remote receiver in South Africa audible but more weak than in Switzerland. CONGO, Democratic Republic, 6210.19, Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, 1718-, 16- 01, French and Swahili, comments, religious catholic songs. Switzerland receiver: http://hb9odp.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/ South Africa receiver: http://zr6aic.giga.co.za:8073/ Radio Kahuzi, Congo DR, 6210.19 closed transmission at 1758 UTC Radio Kahuzi website: http://radiokahuzi.blogspot.com/ http://radiokahuzi.com/ (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, WOR iog via DXLD) Very weak signal of Radio Kahuzi, Jan.16 from 1745 on 6210.2 BUK 001 kW / non-dir to CeAf French: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/very-weak-signal-of-radio-kahuzi-jan16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6210, Radio Kahuzi, today seems to be out of air, not heard between 1700-1758, 17-01 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S- 8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard via SDR Kiwi remote receiver in Switzerland. Here in Lugo only weak carrier. Tomorrow if on air, I will try to hear it in Friol, where conditions are much better than here in Lugo. 6210.19, Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, 1640-1710, 18-01, French, comments, mentioned "Congo", "Les Congolais", at 1700 English, religious comments. At first fair signal but now deteriorated and became almost inaudible (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) 6210.189 1/2 kHz measured at 1732 UT on Jan 18, signal strength here in southern Germany, Stuttgart or also in Bavaria SDR, at S=6 or - 93dBm, little fluttery signal, but not annoying. Sounded like SPEECH to crowd discussion broadcast transmission [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 18, ibid.) Yes, very erratic even since the latest reactivation since New Year, also modulation is extremely low at times (Mauno Ritola, Jan 18, ibid.) ** CUBA. CUB_CMMF Baracoa Mabujabo 580 kHz / CMMC 1180 kHz 2.5 / 5 kW sowie auch 720 kHz alle 2.5 kW. G.C. 20 21 38 N 74 31 18 W on route "The route to Baracoa from Santiago de Cuba" filling station nearby, CUB_CMMW_Imias (Guantanamo) 1250 kHz 10 kW G.C. 20 04 24.01 N 74 38 46.46 W See enclosed picture of a 10 kW MW transmitter mast near US_occupied Guantanamo bay. When European tourist group bus stopped on filling station nearby, before went to the mountain street to beach resort near Holguin on northeastern tip. also at CUB_CMKS 1070 kHz Guantanamo - Burene (Guantanamo) 10 kW 20 10 01.55 N 75 10 11.35 W (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 16, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. 6180 / 6181 BRAZIL / CUBA. Radio Nacional Brasil (6180) / China Radio International (6181), 0142, 1/10/19. RNA with a male then female announcer talking. CRI with articles, “49 minutes past the hour” (accurate time check), and ID at 0155 then lost feed / modulation until 0200 when CRI in Mandarin started with ID. RNA was clearly audible despite CRI 1 kHz up. CRI had poor modulation making the articles difficult to identify subjects. Strange offset by the Cuban operators (Mark Taylor, Madison, Wisconsin. Equipment: Perseus, Elad FDM-S2, Airspy HF+, ICOM R75, Tecsun PL 880, and various other portables; 42 meters dipole, 100’ long wire, W6LVP loop, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Never caught Cuba on 6181 here (gh) ** CUBA. 6180, CRI at 0125 with a man with news then a man with “Beijing Hour” program ID at 0127 and several promos and news headlines at 0129 and contact info – Good Jan 16 – With Radio Nacional da Amazonia back on 11780, this is not interfering any longer. Although the target area for this one is Eastern North America, there would be enough signal off of the back of the antenna to cause problems for the Brazilian. So that may be a reason for the switch back to 11780. It's not CRI's fault. The blame lies with the Cubans who have no regard for others, whether they be friend or foe or major international or regional shortwave broadcasters (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. Radio Habana Cuba on even frequency 15140 via Titan-Quivican, Jan.16: from 1359 15140 QVC 250 kW / 130 deg SoAm Spanish, weak to fair signal NO SIGNAL 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu English R.Sultanate of Oman! From 1402 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu En R.Sultanate of Oman is on https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/radio-habana-cuba-on-even-freq-15140.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see OMAN ** CUBA. 15368.833, Jan 16 at 1423, a new wobbly weak spur // 15230 RHC, but probably out of the other frequency, which is not so offset now, 15139.993, i.e. +228.84 kHz. 14911.172, Jan 16 at 1430, similar wobbly weak spur, which is 228.821 kHz below, a close match. 15311.521, Jan 16 at 1426, one of the older wobblespurs, which is 171.528 kHz above the fundamental, but I don`t hear the match around 14968. 15283 approx., yet another of the older spurs from 15140, is audible at plus 143 kHz, but not its match circa 14997. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6165, 6100, 6060, 6000, 5040-, Jan 16 at 0702, The Cuban Five, all RHC English frequencies are VG and still on with dead air: apparently not a one of them will now emit another hour of modulation. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15370, Jan 17 at 2031, dead air from VP carrier, must be RHC: Hurry up, French to Europe supposed to start at 2030. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 11980, Jan 18 at 0123, S9-S7 Spanish, soon clearly RHC // much stronger S9+20 11840 and much weaker S8-S5 11700. 11980 adds up as a leapfrog mixing product of 11700 over 11840 another 140 kHz beyond as I believe I have heard before; but strangely, modulation is louder on 11980 than 11840 which doesn`t really make sense. Could there be some other explanation, despite the math, like an intentional secret fundamental or harmonic? Could be 5990 x 2, but that`s for CRI relay and not on air now. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6000 // 6165 kHz, Friday January 18 at 0140 UT. Radio Havana Cuba. Both frequencies of RHC were loud and clear tonight. Something was right at RHC tonight! (JK & Josh, Near Atlanta, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5025, Jan 18 at 0713, S9+20 R. Rebelde is distorted and overmodulated during Fox fanfare, not exactly Revolutionary. Something`s always wrong at RadioCuba. And not the only entity to pirate it. In fact it`s the best thing about Fox. Wikipedia has a bit about it but mainly on the visual logo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Fox#Music ``20th Century Fox is known for its searchlight structure logo. Its fanfare was originally composed in 1933 by Alfred Newman, who became the head of Twentieth Century-Fox's music department from 1940 until the 1960s. It was re-recorded in 1935 when 20th Century-Fox was officially established`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 9570, CRI at 1331 with a man with another reading from “Mao Zedong: Man, Not God” on “Alight on Literature” to OC at 1335 with low level and choppy audio – Good at first with minor fading until the audio bottomed out Jan 18 – Someone should make some audio recordings of this great service from the Cubans and send them to CRI but I truly wonder if CRI would do anything (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CUBA. 15230, Jan 18 at 1454, this RHC is unusually off but 15140.0 is on-frequency with very weak spurs audible circa 15311, 14997, 14968. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11980, Jan 19 at 0032, very poor in Spanish, but // much stronger 5990, CRI relay, so 11980 is 2 x harmonic this time. 11980, Jan 19 at 2340, very poor algo, not // 5990 this time with undermodulated CRI English relay; but confirmed // 11760, 11700, 11840, RHC Spanish, so likely a leapfrog of 11700 over 11840 another 140 kHz beyond. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100, Sunday January 20 at 0702, RHC is S9+10 opening in Esperanto citing its schedule starting with Sunday *0800* on 6100! What do they know? Supposed to be 0800 during non-DST season, but shortly in November, RHC went back to 0700. The others: Sun 1600 on 11760 (and 15140?? I still haven`t confirmed this for sure); Sun 2330 on 15730. Now the other three 6 MHz English frequencies to which weekly Es`po is appended, have gone off but 5040 is still S9+20 of hummy/hashy open carrier at 0708. Io estas ciam malgusta en Radio Habana Kubo. If the circumflexes don`t survive, make that chiam maljusta. 15254.42, Jan 20 at 1510, JBA RHC spur // 11760; then found more circa 15311, 14997, 14968, the usual ones out of 15140.0 transmitter, but 15254.42 is different at plus 114.42 kHz if it too be out of 15140 rather than 15230 which is also on but never traced as a spursource. Match would be 15025.58 where nothing noted. Significantly, 114.42 = 4 x 28.605 kHz, the latest figure also involved in the next one: 15168.63, Jan 20 at 1515, another suspicious JBA blob, which is 28.63 kHz above 15140.0, so does it have a minus-match? Yes, JBA 15111.41, which is within 40 Hz of the opposite, margin of error. There should/could also be something circa 15082 = 2 x 28.64 displaced. 14911.13, Jan 20 at 1532, JBA spur with music // 11760 RHC, which is 228.87 kHz from 15140.0. Its match would be 15368.87, but did not get around to checking that. Had been trying to expedite searches by not taking time to nail these down to third decimal places. No spurs to seek on 13 MHz band today. Somethings` always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA: 5025 and 5040 kHz on air strong as always in MA at 0603 UT. 6000even, rather lower side on 5999.999+ kHz, RHC Quivican TITAN site. S=9+25dB at 0611 UT. 6060.002, RHC Bauta, S=8 at 0613 UT. Strongest S=9+35db in Alberta- CAN. 6100even, Also RHC Bauta transmission, 0617 UT S=9+10dB. 6165even, RHC Bauta, S=9+15dB in MA-US state at 0616 UT, but usual UNDERNEATH signal of NHK World Radio Japan in Arabic via TDF Issoudun relay site. At 0612:26 UT "Havana Calling" program of Arnie Coro CO2KK started, followed by weekend edition of "Mailbag Show" at 0622:20 UT onwards. Many New Year letters arrived from Naples Italy, GB & IRL, Kansas City, DXer Michael Lindner Germany, Daniel from US-Oregon, from Norihiko in Japan, from New Jersey-US state, and many more read. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 20 / 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 15140.0, Jan 21 at 1511, RHC is on frequency, but with numerous weak spurblobs measured approximately at: 15397.45, 15311.65, 15254.43, 14968.38, 14882.57. Displacements respectively are: +257.45, +171.65, +114.43, -171.62, -257.43. Notice how they match very closely. Only missing is 15025.57 at -114.43. Now comparing the spurs to each other: The top two are 85.8 apart; the middle two are 57.22 apart. The difference between these is 28.58. Divide 257.45 by 28.58 and you get almost exactly 9.00. Divide 114.43 by 28.58 and you get almost exactly 4.00. Clearly 28.58 is the most significant figure. Something`s always wrong at RHC. But no spurs on 13 MHz band today: RHC is putting all its efforts into 15 MHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But Jan 22 at 1504, no spurs audible tho 15140 still attains S9+20; what happened? ** DENMARK. Radio Oz - Viola next broadcast --- Received this advance notice after sending a e-mail on when their next broadcast would be scheduled for broadcasting from Jan Steen. It sounds both as an adventure and very exciting to broadcast. I think of advertising or anything else that might indicate it was us, because maybe we are not 100% alone on the frequency. We have a new broadcast in the weekend 19 - 20/01 19, o'clock 13 UT. You can read more about us here: http://ozviola.dk/ So that's this weekend January the 19th and 20th at 1300 UT. The frequency is 5825 kHz. Power is suppose to be 150 watts AM (600 watts PEP). (via Edward Kusalik, Jan 16, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** DENMARK. Weak to fair signal of World Music Radio on Jan.19: from 0925 on 15805 RND 0.2 kW / unknown to Eu English Sat/Sun https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/weak-to-fair-signal-of-world-music.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.18-19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Excellent signal for World Music Radio now on 15805, 0935 UT, 20-01, pop songs in English, Latin American songs, ID "World Music Radio". 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) At 0945-1000 UT nothing heard here in 19 meterband 15805, but noted WMR Randers in 50 meterband instead at 0953 UT, 5839.990 kHz, S=8-9 signal here in European remote SDR's. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Sunday Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 5840 unfortunately keeps drifting a bit, but I have now adjusted the frequency - and hopefully it is now back on 5840.000 kHz. 15805 is very unlikely to propagate into Germany. That is too close to the transmitter site. Best 73s (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, www.wmr.radio 1017 UT, HCDX via DXLD) Per their Facebook page 6 hours ago: https://www.facebook.com/WorldMusicRadioWMR/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARC04I9zBSzbPSK9DBnPVVbrYgJhhe7F5MH3UQekcq_lA9n3lKo3QuF8TwYhDOUa3sVDjsaMzuLfjq1K&hc_ref=ARS_j538XjWuohoLRHA3mWk7H7a1EML3cMi1rtXp6PNDSUAKfv_QvUPxIZs2nMZA4fg&fref=nf&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDvLMhWmErbhv3zAiKJwbSPIJa62B5PZRSbO8aOaOerFAMt_UqmID1BnAfRx8ES_AGrmPOowLE_-gAf7kJqTkiUxaPsuAkCBmHHZSLpI88-OmFZP_oM1W3iD_5s0AOHlkq6-dTvuvgjsCw5n5LYeor1MxqUJYkLmXKDmjPRHgz-8LDfPOfcDrmdwshvvKPwXJSai7UYCg-1zFUV43k_RVqVkt8c5F_X_g0qJ0UpGKW8nl68GmJmnxEdb2hQ-P4AR6c9I9vN9ZNaPtoeUCwl-Sbh3YBO2sXMfRYDW2we7R5AN7SEjwyzb5th-p091HthZOUl6T5RlPk9LVX_fcIIVJn9uMc_ World Music Radio - 6 hrs · Due to a computer failure, WMR has been off the air for some hours, but from 0330 UT Sunday morning, streaming is up again at www.wmr.radio, and both 5840 and 15805 kHz are on the air (Mike Terry, 1021 UT Jan 20, wor iog via DXLD) 15805 kHz fine via North Spain. Also later after sunrise via Rockport ME USA. 5840.000 kHz fair in Finland at 1030. 73, (Mauno Ritola, WOR iog via DXLD) Nothing on 15805 at 1030 in Sofia, Bulgaria (Ivo Ivanov, HCDX via DXLD) In north east of Italy near Venice no one signal on the frecuencies of 5840 and 15805 khz with my receiver Degen 1128 H and indoor telescopic antenna (Dario Gabrielli, 1054 UT, ibid.) At 0945-1000 UT nothing heard here in 19 meterband 15805 kHz, checked all over Europe, i.e. on remote SDR's Ireland, Finland, Poland, Moscow Russia, Hungary, Riviera, Rome. But noted WMR Randers in 50 meterband instead at 0953 UT Jan 20, 5839.990 kHz, S=8-9 signal here in European remote SDR's. Pop music played, what else. And on Jan 21 at 1008 UT on upper side on 5840.011 kHz hopping around, played Cuban hot rhythmen [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 20 / 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DENMARK. My results after trying to check WMR on 15805 the last days: 1. Local noise is S5 with AM wide paabad [? passband], i.e. 4.7 kHz on R75. Sources are DSL lines and other unknown equipment. 2. More than 10 times tested on Sat 19 and Sun 20 with only one success at 1102 UT/20.1 with signal up to S3 and for around 3 minutes, then faded. Just a beat sound from music. 3. All other times the signal was lost into the QRN or in a few cases just a faint carrier using SSB. Question: Did the news reach your county about the riot/demos hold in Athens on 20.1? (Zacharias Liangas, https://www.facebook.com/zachliang https://del.icio.us/gr_greek1/ZAK (all pages), Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) barely World Music Radio is transmitting on 15805 kHz this weekend - continuously from now (Saturday morning 07 UT) until Sunday January 20th at 20 UT. The power is 200 W and reception reports are welcome to: wmr@wmr.dk and World Music Radio, PO Box 112, DK-8920 Randers SØ, Denmark. In particular it should be interesting to notice if someone can pick up the signal at night. 15805 will be off air next weekend, so next transmission is February 2nd and 3rd. 5840 kHz (100 Watt) continuous 24/7. Transmitter site is Randers, Denmark. Best 73's (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, http://www.wmr.radio Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) ** ERITREA. Both Asmara Eritrea 40 meterband broadcasts noted on air today Saturday Jan 19 at 1715 UT, both S=9+10dB signals heard at remote Doha Qatar unit, 7140.020 and 7180.020 kHz, different programs, 7140 kHz more spoken parts, but on both local HoA music and guitar sound heard [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) 7140.020 Tigre? language and 7180.020 ERI latter Asmara Eritrea rather in Arabic language, not Amharic, both on air at 0542 UT on Jan 21, heard at Doha Qatar remote SDR 7140=S8, 7180=S9+5dB [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. RECEPTION IN SÃO BERNARDO SP, BRAZIL Rx: KiwiSDR (São Bernardo) + Mini Whip Antenna, PA0RDT Standard. CLANDESTINE --- 17545 kHz, FRANCE: R. Voice of Stability / Alsmood, via Issoudun, Tigrynia, 19/01 1532. Commentary by female / male voices, references to 'Eritrea..', instrumental music. A song by male voice. 35543. Tx w/122º Az to Eastern Africa (Rudolf Grimm, http://dxways-br.blogspot.com YouTube Channel: GrimmSBC Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) 15-16 UT Saturdays only (gh) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY, Reception of Voice of Oromo Liberation via MBR Nauen on Jan.16: 1700-1800 9610 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg EaAf Afan Oromo Wed, very good BUT 1730-1800 9610 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg EaAf Amharic Wed, again not on air https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-voice-of-oromo-liberation_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI Sound Kitchen http://en.rfi.fr/culture/20190119-French-President-Emmanuel-Macron-s-concessions-Gilets-Jaunes-sound-kitchen "For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave." (via Tony Molloy, Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** FRANCE [non]. As a test, after hearing Glenn mention this on WOR, I ended up with perfect reception of the most recent program on 5.745 GHz (WiFi Channel 149) via reciting the following encantation: "Hey Google, play the latest RFI Sound Kitchen podcast." 73 (Dan Srebnick, Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Reception of New Shortwave Radio for Europe 49mb, Jan.17 from 1100 on 6160 WIS 001 kW / non-dir to NWEu English, fair signal: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-new-shortwave-radio-for.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. Fair signal of DWD Deutscher Wetterdienst Jan 17 1200-1230 on 5905#PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German AM mode 1200-1230 on 6180*PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German AM mode # co-ch same 5905 KAS 100 kW / non-dir to CeAs Russian CRI * co-ch same 6180 LIN 100 kW / 286 deg to EaAs Kazakh CNR-17 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/fair-signal-of-dwd-deutscher.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY EAST. 15285, Athmeeya Yatra Radio at 1350 in Urdu with a man with talk to a man at 1357 with closing announcements followed by subcontinental female vocals and into Gondi at 1400 – Inaudible to Fair with deep fading Jan 18 – Dan Ferguson's SW Skeds spreadsheets are once again listing the languages being broadcast that are in 15 minute blocks thanks to the Aoki and Eibi lists and are also listing this station name rather than “Athmik Yatra Radio”. The organization's website of ayradio.com now shows the same (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** GREECE. Unsure for what was printed last year. WRTH this year has around 20 frequencies of unofficial stations, some of them from N Greece. A friend of me who bought the WRTH 18 advised me that there were only 3 unofficial stations. However there are more than 1000 stations across Greece! (Zacharias Liangas blog via DXLD) ** GREECE. Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, Jan 16: 0749&0757 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 *Arabic/Serbian news & the transmitter switches off at 0803 UT https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, Jan.17: 0757-0801 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 * only Serbian nx & the transmitter switches off at 0809 UT https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_17.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Re: All India Radio to close on MW --- Devarajan S reports on the Union of Asian DXers Facebook group: 19 January 2019 "Shocking news for all dxers. AIR is winding up all m.w.stations from April 2019" (source not quoted) (via Mike Terry, WOR iog via DXLD) After having ordered 33 new transmitters in the last few years, as proudly presented by the supplier at https://www.nautel.com/products/digital-radio/drm/? this definitely needs a more serious source than a single sentence that appears under an unfamiliar name in a fake news slingshot (the spread of fake news via so-called social media has become a really big problem in India). This must be said although some reports indeed could be read in such a way that the closure of the overnight service was only the first in a row of cost-saving measures. Consider also the possibility that not mediumwave but instead shortwave could be slated for complete closure (Kai Ludwig, Germany, WOR iog via DXLD) I highly agree with Kai - it seems the usual progression of closures is: shortwave first, analogue MW second, then the MW-DRM would be last (assuming the MW closure news IS correct and not fake). Indeed Nautel would have to "redact" their praise if this FaceBook "news" was true indeed. Steve McGreevy, CA, -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com McGreevy Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) This relates to an announcement late last year regarding the closure of the national channel in five cities and is on air from 6 am to 6 pm local time. This from 'The Logical Indian' https://thelogicalindian.com/news/all-india-radio-closed/ There are other centres where the network continues http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/National%20Channel/Pages/Default.aspx (Paul R, NZ, Jan 19, mwdx yg via DXLD) Members, This comes from the WRTH Facebook page. The source through that website's editor is Devarjan Sankaranarayan. Apparently all MW/AM transmitters operating below 2 MHz will be turned off from April 2019. Potentially lots of transfers between the 2 spreadsheets will be needed. Given the vast rural areas in India this is a surprise. Obviously one to watch both by monitoring and through checks on Jose Jacobs' website and others. 73 and 88 (Dan Goldfarb, mwmasts iog via DXLD) Re: INDIA From: Colin Miller Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2019 07:51:22 PST What about all those DRM transmitters they installed during the past few years? I assumed that they would eventually replace the analog units. Seems like a waste to me. Colin From: Chris Youlden Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2019 08:06:19 PST Agreed, Colin. I was thinking the same, it was All India Radio's long term project, I thought. A list from DRM is here: https://goo.gl/azmKZV Click on 1. -- Chris (via mwmasts iog via DXLD) Really? After all their recent huge investment in over 30 new high power DRM transmitters? 73 (Steve Whitt, MWN Editor, Jan 19, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Somehow I doubt this to be true. 73 (Tony VK2IC Magon, ibid.) This seems to be the original story https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/all-india-radio-to-shut-down-national-channel-to-cut-costs/cid/1680829 Not quite the same story? The national channel is not carried on the DRM network as far as I can see. 73 (Steve Whitt, ibid.) No, this is another matter and it is true. 73, (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) 5th of January : https://scroll.in/latest/908314/prasar-bharati-shuts-down-all-india-radios-national-channel-to-cut-costs?fbclid=IwAR3bFj3HkRyiK95T7EMO2goYVztS9L9GpelqDP3Oa5xFQTO4K-DfNXy7DFE Prasar Bharati shuts down All India Radio’s national channel to cut costs The national channel and academies in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Shillong and Thiruvananthapuram will be shut down immediately, the broadcaster said in an order dated Thursday. Immediately: 5th of January? And this news on https://mediumwave.info/news.html --- 04/01-2019 INDIA AIR National Channel to close down with immediate effect. Thanks to Mr. K. Raja Raja for the flash news. National Channel schedule is 6.50 pm to 6.10 am IST (1320 to 0040 UTC). Present frequencies: 1215 kHz New Delhi 20 kW 1566 kHz Nagpur 1000 kW 9380 kHz Aligarh 250 kW http://www.allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/National%20Channel/Pages/Default.aspx Yours sincerely, Jose Jacob, India, via WOR group io (4/1-2019) 07/01-2019 INDIA All India Radio National Channel seems to continue today as before, so seems, that the closure wasn't as immediate as was reported. Does anyone know the exact closing date or has the closure been cancelled? Mauno Ritola, wrth fb group (7/1-2019) 73 (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, ibid.) Hello Steve, Do you know what is happening to their blowtorch on 1566 kHz? I don't hear it when India is coming through on other channels. Best wishes (Barry Davies, Carlisle UK. Lat. 55.0119N Lon. 2.9668W, ibid.) Hello Max, To be clear only two AIR transmitters are to be mothballed immediately. Is that right? Best wishes (Barry, ibid.) As far as I understand, there are two messages, one beginning January, about the closure of the National MW channels 1215 and 1566 (and SW 9380) and another message about the closure of all AIR MW channels as from April 2019. 73 (Max, ibid.) Hello. I agree with Steve. It must have cost a lot of €€€€€ to set the blowtorches up to cover that vast country and now shut them down. As for your friend, Mauno, did you send him the links to the news so he could say this is fake news from an unreliable sauce? I guess we'll know soon enough if the usual Indian channels are silent in April hi" Best wishes (Barry, ibid.) I just asked an AIR transmitter engineer and he said, that this must some kind of misunderstanding. 73, (Mauno, ibid.) Thanks for the report about AIR closing on MW, but I sure hope that it isn't true! The AIR stations are major MW targets during Pacific island trips, where they are possible but challenging (unlike in the Pacific Northwest, where they never seem to show up). Losing all those exotic targets would take a lot of fun out of the sport (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), MWCircle yg via DXLD) When asked he commented further: ``SW is the next target. Survey conducted by AIR gave a very disappointed figure of 1% listeners for MW, so the decision. They feel FM transmitters are easy to maintain and operate and after first phase of MW closing. That is why listeners get unstable signals from AIR. e.g. AIR Trivandrum is transmitting with a temporary tower. It is more than 3 years [since?] proper grounding is tested. They have a schedule for testing all parameters. But nothing is followed. That is the reason for horrible hum on 5010 kHz and it is from one of the technical staff of AIR and this is what happened with AIR national channel closedown. Nobody is informed. Same thing happened with closing of all UHF lpt [low-power?] transmitters.`` I also discussed this with a Delhi transmitter engineer and he didn't know anything about plans to close any MW transmitters (Mauno Ritola, Jan 21, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Seems incorrect - so sorry please ignore (Mike Terry, bdxc-news iog via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR Kurseong on 4895 reactivated - Per Victor Goonetilleke's excellent Facebook page UNION OF ASIAN DXERS (Jan 16 UT): ``Avijit Mondal: AIR KURSEONG 4895 khz back on air. SIO 444 @0400 utc. Song from Hindi film "Rajanigandha" by Lata Mangeshkar. Rx Kenwood R5000 Antenna - 64 feet random wire. Tip courtesy - Pranab Kumar Ray, Youth International Radio Listener's Club, Shyamnagar, West Bengal.`` In one sense this reactivation is good news, but this will now cause a problem for reception of Mongolia on 4895 kHz? (Ron Howard, CA, Jan 16, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) I contacted AIR Kurseong just now and the info is that they are back on SW from January 1, 2019 after being off air (on SW) for some months. Currently they are on air for the morning transmission only on 4895 at 0055-0400(Sat Sun 0430). After about 10 days, they will be on in the evening hours also on 4895 at 1130-1700(Sat, Sun 1741). After about 20 days, they will be on the daytime frequency of 7230 at 0620-1030. The transmitter is of 50 kW but it is being operated now at 30 kW http://www.allindiaradio.gov.in/station/KURSEONG/Pages/default.aspx Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, Jan 16, via Ron Howard, ibid.) ** INDIA. Copy of B 18 Printed Schedule of All India Radio Home Services is available in the following link: http://qsl.net/vu2jos/air.pdf Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, Jan 19, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. Special broadcasts by AIR for Republic Day 2019 India is celebrating its 70th Republic Day on 26 Jan 2019 (Saturday). All India Radio will broadcast special programs in connection with the Republic Day celebrations as follows: 25th January 2019 (Friday): Eve of Republic Day 1330 UT (1900 IST) onwards Hon’ble President's address to the nation in Hindi & English. This will be broadcast by all stations of AIR on MW, SW, FM. Shortly after this broadcast, the local stations will broadcast its translations in local languages. SW frequencies: kHz kW Station 4760 7 Leh 4760 8 Port Blair 4800 50 Hyderabad 4810 50 Bhopal 4835 10 Gangtok 4895 50 Kurseong 4910 50 Jaipur 4920 50 Chennai 4950 30 Srinagar 4970 50 Shillong (Off Air) 5010 50 Thiruvananthapuram 5040 50 Jeypore 5050 10 Aizawl (Off Air) 6030 250 Delhi 9380 250 Aligarh 9865 500 Bengaluru MW Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/mw/freq.htm FM Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/fm/airfreq.htm 26 January 2019 (Saturday) : Republic Day Live running commentary of Republic Day parade & cultural pageant from 0345 UT (0915 IST) onwards : Hindi: 7520 (Delhi 250 kW) (Cancelling External Service in Urdu normally broadcast at this time on this frequency), 9950 (Delhi 100 kW), 13695 (Bengaluru 500 kW) English : 6030 (Delhi 250 kW); 15185 (Bengaluru 500 kW) Also MW/FM frequencies as per above mentioned links. The following regional stations will change from their Morning frequencies on 60 Meters (4 & 5 MHz frequencies) to their day time frequencies between 0335-0350 UT (i.e. much earlier than usual) as follows : 6000 Leh (Off Air) 6085 Gangtok 7315 Shillong (Off Air) 7325 Jaipur The following stations are already scheduled to be on air daily at this time and will also relay the running commentary. 5040 Jeypore 6110 Srinagar 7270 Chennai 7290 Thiruvanthapuram 7380 Chennai 7390 Port Blair 7420 Hyderabad 7430 Bhopal 9865 Bengaluru Please send your reception reports on line at: http://pbinfo.air.org.in/feedback/ or by email to: spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in Live streaming of the above programs is available in: http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Default.aspx Those who would like to watch programs on Doordarshan TV can check: DD National Channel: http://www.ddindia.gov.in/Pages/Home.aspx https://www.youtube.com/user/DoordarshanNational DD News Channel: http://webcast.gov.in/live/ Happy Republic Day to all DX_India members! 73, Alokesh Gupta & Jose Jacob http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dx_india/ Join dx_india facebook group at : http://www.facebook.com/groups/dxindia/ Posted by: (Alokesh Gupta, Jan 22, dx_india yg, via gh, early UT Jan 23 plenty in advance, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INDIA [non]. ARMENIA, Reception of Trans World Radio India via CJSC Yerevan, Jan.20 1530-1600 7550 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg SoAs English Sat/Sun, fair signal Wrong announcement: every Sat/Sun from 1545 on 7505 kHz at 31 meterband! https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-trans-world-radio-india_20.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.19-20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3325, Voice of Indonesia, via RRI Palangkaraya, 1259- 1316, Jan 21. Filler music; English segment; "program summary"; news and commentary (Asian & Indonesian tourism); "Today In History" (this date in 1968, in Vietnam, the Battle of Khe Sanh started; this date in 1985, bombs detonated at Buddhist temple in Indonesia and this date in 2016, groundbreaking for China/Indonesia railroad project); reception much better than normal (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. IRAN/{ITALY_non}/ROMANIA/CHINA On Jan 6 the program of IRRS on 9510 kHz was heard with strong QRM from CNR in Mongolian language till 1050 UT followed by QRM with test tone & whistle and from 1120 UT began Iran in Ve[rnaculars?] [IRIB Ahwaz is scheduled from (later the day) 1220 UT in Dari/Pashto Afghanistan sce onwards]. Signal ahead/over co-channel IRRS Milano via Radiocom Saftica-ROU relay (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 12 via BC- DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. 7290, Jan 18 at 1547, conversation in Japanese --- or so I thought, but Nippon no Kaze service in Korean is scheduled via TAIWAN. Maybe teaching Japanese to Koreans? Or so colloquial it`s harder to tell the difference (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 11635, KCBS at 2340 UT January 16 with local music and announcements in Korean. National Anthem at 2348. Fair // 12015 Fair // 11875 fair // 9445 poor. Rx Perseus SDR, Ant: Wellbrook ALA 100 loop. 11710, Voice of Korea (KCBS) noted at 1730 UT January 16 with talk and music in Korean. Still a noticeable grumble on the old transmitter. Fair. Also 1714 January 17th Good, Nothing 1720 January 18th and 1710 January 19. Rx Perseus SDR, Ant: Wellbrook ALA 100 loop. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, WOR iog via DXLD) 7580, Jan 20 at 0715, VP YL in Japanese; must be VOK as scheduled at 07-13 & 21-24; no other E Asian signals this early on 7 MHz, i.e. 16:15 Pyongyang local re-time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. JAPAN, Frequency changes of JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze from Jan.17 1300-1400 NF 7345 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 6085 as follows 13-1330 Chinese Mon; Japanese Tue/Sat; Korean Wed/Fri/Sun; English Thu 1330-14 Korean Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat; Japanese Tue/Sun; English Thu * co-ch same 7345 BEI 100 kW / 175 deg to EaAs Chinese CNR-1, weak https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/frequency-changes-of-jsr-shiokaze-sea.html Frequency change of Furusato no Kaze via Yamata on Jan.17: 1405-1435 NF 7295 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg NEAs Japanese, good, ex 7245 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/frequency-change-of-furusato-no-kaze.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Using the U. Twente SDR receiver on Thursday (17 January) for the English broadcasts of Shiokaze Sea Breeze: 1300 UT on 6085 kHz: Nothing heard. But Ivo has said this frequency has been changed to 7345 kHz as of this day. 1600 UT on 6095 kHz: Weak signal; a few words understandable initially but then dropped into the noise (-- Richard Langley, Jan 19, WOR iog via DXLD) From the Hiroshi website, in Japanese http://hiroshi.mediacat-blog.jp/d2019-01-20.html where he daily monitors Shiokaze, et al. Here is a loose translation (Google and my slight input) of his reception today: ``Jan 19, at 1300, on Saturday, "Shiokaze" (7345 kHz.) is hardly heard due to strong interference from CNR 1, also on the same frequency; in Japanese; first from the international symposium organized by the government held on Dec 15 of last year; the concert conducted in the third section pattern, with a chorus of "Furusato" by all performers and Tachikawa No. 7 junior high school students and a message to abductee victims are issued. That is the same program as last week`` (Ron Howard, California, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, ibid.) ** KOREA SOUTH. 1566, Jan 16 at 1341 I start continuous monitoring of the NW carrier here, until it cut off at 1344:31.5*, i.e. FEBC Jeju, 250 kW HLAZ switching from Japan to China beams. LSR here is 1342. After my full JBA MW carrier bandscan; see UNIDENTIFIED (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. MOLDOVA / FRANCE --- Just to remind once again that 'Denge Welat' has programs in different dialects (languages like Kurmanji, Sorani, etc.) of Kurdish but also in Turkish. Confirmed by listening to 8, 9, 10 & 11th January on 9525 kHz at *0400-0445* & *0500-0545* UT, the programs were in only Turkish language (and not in Kurdish). (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 12, BC -DX 19 Jan via DXLD) 19 Jan was the publication date of the ~weekly BC-DX; Jan 12 was really the date of the report from Rumen, and this confusion applies to all items from this source (gh, DXLD) Broadcast centers in use are different during daytime, via TDF Issoudun or Radiotelecentr (PRTC) transmitter Grigoriopol Maiac MDA. MOLDOVA. Log: 11479.5 kHz, Sender??, UT 0805, Jan 18. SINPO 25232. Tuerkische und hindu mx, zur Zeit maennliche Stimme mit Bericht? ID nicht gehoert, nicht erkannt. Die Station hoerte ich seit Jan 14 taeglich. Gruss, Horst, QTH Bardudvarnok / Hungary, RX AOR 7030/FCD2, 30 m LW (via A-DX ng Jan 18) Das hatten wir hier schon mal genannt im letzten Monat: Radiotelecentr (PRTC) transmitter Grigoriopol Maiac MDA Moldova. Ganz einfach zwei Spurs symmetrisch von 50.283 kHz Abstand beidseitig. Fundamental 11530 kHz, und etwas huepfend unstabil wobbelnde 5 x 100 Hertz Abstand Signal-Strings sichtbar, bei 11479.713 ... 722 kHz, sowie oben auf circa 11580.280 kHz 5 strings visible, gleichermassen. Dreh' kurz mal auf die 11530 kHz und Du bekommst das gleiche Programm geliefert. 73 wb ps. Hintergrund der Aussendung auf der Kurzwelle: die 38 Millionen Kurden sind jene Volksgruppe, die vor 95 Jahren bei den Friedenskonferenzen der Briten und Franzosen Kolonial-Aufteilungen in Nahost nach dem Osmanicreich-Empire Kollaps nicht bedient wurden. Und seitdem auf einen eigenen Staat hoffen. (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19)(BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) Despite the above, I heard a station varying 11480 to 11479 before and after 1600 UT Jan 22, which was NOT // and not out of the DK 11530 transmitter; as reported in full later; none such Jan 23 & 24 (gh, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Reception of MOI Radio Kuwait General Service on Jan.17: till 0902 15515.0 KBD 250 kW / 059 deg EaAs Arabic, very good signal https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-moi-radio-kuwait-general_17.html Unscheduled broadcast of MOI Radio Kuwait in Persian in 16mb, Jan.17 0950-1000 17760.0 KBD 250 kW / 084 deg SEAs Persian, vy good signal & 1000-1200 17760.0 KBD 250 kW / 084 deg SEAs Filipino as scheduled B-18 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/unscheduled-broadcast-of-moi-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Re: ``BUZZ of 100 Hertz distance apart each 23 x 100 Hz strings either sideband on 4820 kHz, Lhasa Tibet Chinese px on top S=9+30dB. 0050 UT Jan 10`` Wolfgang Bueschel kirjoitti 15.1.2019 klo 14:10: 4820 kHz, when checked on Tue Jan 15 at 11.50 UT only CNR Mandarin Tibet was on air. I think KGZ was just too weak to have audio. I am 100 % certain, that the strong spurs and buzz is from them. Now at 1430 ,when KGZ is off, Xizang carrier is very clean, please check here: http://newdelhi.twrmon.net:8073/?f=4820.00amz10 73, (Mauno Ritola, Jan 19, ibid.) ** KYRGYZSTAN. I think KGZ was just too weak to have audio. I am 100% certain that the strong spurs and buzz is from them. Now at 1430, when KGZ is off, Xizang carrier is very clean, please check here: http://newdelhi.twrmon.net:8073/?f=4820.00amz10 (Mauno Ritola, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At the moment (1000 UT) the Kazakh receiver hears only Kyrgyz Radyosu and the buzz and side carriers are very strong: http://sdr.71036.kz:8073/?f=4820.00amz14 (Mauno Ritola, Jan 20, ibid.) ** MADAGASCAR. 5009.9+, Jan 18 at 0330, VP carrier with trace of mod, presumed RNM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 9855, Jan 17 at 2040, S9+10 in French, but quite undermodulated, NHK via Talata (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. MWV: Station has been heard on a single frequency again recently. They have already three transmitters at their disposal locally. So, not the main power transformer of their diesel generator is blown up / burnt out by lightning recently. (wb, Jan 17) [WRTH 2019 says 2 x 100 kW, not 3! They are never on more than two frequencies at once. Altho Ivo specifies #1, #2 or #3 --- gh] 1900-2000 UT 9690 MWV 100kW 355deg to EaEUR Russian #3 KNLS, New Life Stn signal well ahead of REE co-channel. 1900-2000 UT 11965 MWV 100kW 355deg to NE/ME Arabic #2 Radio Feda 2000-2100 UT 11965 MWV 100kW 295deg to CeAF English #3 African Pathways R 2000-2100 UT 13710 MWV 100kW 355deg to NE/ME Arabic #2 Radio Feda noted both on Jan 19 evening. 11965 S=9+25dB 13710 S=9+15dB here in Europe. (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19) (BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA [non-log]. 9835 (Sarawak FM) & 11665 (Wai FM), checking randomly on Jan 20, from 1120+; clearly both off the air (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** MALTA. 999, Radio Malta on Dec 27 & on 3rd of Jan with ID "Radio Malta" (on Dec 27 at 1640 UT with the song Feliz Navidad sung by R. Power & Al Bano) on MW 999 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC- DX TopNews Jan 12, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) 999 kHz 5 kW, location PBS Radio Malta, Mosta site 35 54 47.36 N 14 24 41.14 E (BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 1420, XEXX, Tijuana format change --- Heard last night with ESPN Deportes Radio programming (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, 2350 UT Jan 19, ABDX yg via DXLD) Was religious, R. Vida per IRCA Log (gh) ** MEXICO. [continued from unID 1690 thread:] When I used to live on the west coast in Cupertino, CA, I remember hearing a Mexican university station that would play classical in the evenings in the expanded band. I think it was on 1690 kHz. Sorry I don’t recall the call sign or city either. So you may be hearing this in the western U.S. (Harry in Atlanta, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Harry - Perhaps you were thinking of the following? Once upon a time they played wonderful classical music on 6045 kHz. Ron (California) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XEXQ-AM : "XEXQ-AM is a radio station in San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí. It broadcasts on 1190 kHz and is one of two radio stations owned by the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, known as Radio Universidad 1190 AM. XEXQ is the second-oldest university radio station in Mexico, behind Radio UNAM. On July 28, 1938,[2] the UASLP's radio efforts began with the sign-on of XEXQ-AM, the second university broadcaster in Mexico. Only a year prior, XEXX-AM in Mexico City, the station of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. The original station, licensed for 1250 kHz with a power of 50 watts, began formal transmissions the next day with programming from 1 to 3 pm and 6 to 8 pm, Monday through Saturday.[3] The new AM radio station came with a shortwave counterpart, also XEXQ [-OC], on 6045 kHz, which by the 1950s was one of 16 shortwave radio stations in Mexico and is still [sic] in operation. In 2007, the station moved to 1190 kHz." (via Ron Howard, with a view of XEXQ`s 50th anniversary 1938-1988 coat of arms, WOR iog via DXLD) Wally must mean 1630 XEUT Tijuana, BCN (or are they Mexicali now per WRTH etc.?) [yes -- gh] from the Universidad de Baja California) that plays all kinds of music, including Classical some evenings. Tonight (local Sunday at 1922 UT [sic]) they have the usual head-banger music going I hear on Sunday evenings frequently. Compared to the 1700 (XEPE) Border-Blaster nearby Tijuana, 1630 XEUT is at least 10 dB down from the 1700 station most evenings and I would say generally weaker than average for the X-band (Steve McGreevy, -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Ron - Great coastside logs of late - I regularly hear - even post sunset and into late morning if vestigial daytime skip prevails - 1630 XEUT Tijuana (I found their xmtr site - 1 tower - near TJ on Google Earth. They are part of the Universidad de Baja California (UaBC) - they play all kinds of music from classical to head-banger and nice Mexican traditional music as well. Actually by far my fave expanded- band station on the WCNA and marred somewhat by the Mexican-format station in Fox Farm, Wyoming (drat!). I also catch near sunrise: 1160 XEQIN San Quintin, BCN that plays a lot of indigenous music and is in various native languages and some SS talk, also. A regular sometimes clobbers KSL! I null KSL and listen to this a lot when I am awake early (not much these days in winter). The FM sister station to 1630 XEUT is on 104.1 in Mexicali - years ago I used to hike a lot (1997 to 2006) near White Tank Campground and points to the southwest by many miles down in Joshua Tree NP, and the 104.1 UBC station in Mexicali is quite strong in places, and also out half-way to Gila Bend, AZ and bits into Organ Pipe Cactus NM back in 2001 (sensitive Sony and the car rx. too). And, oh yes just remembered this: I was a regular listener to R. Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo formerly on 6115, in the 80s -- they were in all day in Marin County. Like I do them, them I miss all of the 60mb CAm and SAm stations - once my fave was also 4965 R. Santa Fe, Bogotá whereby I would patch the SW radio's audio to my stereo system about 1980 and I would then enjoy semi-Hi-Fi audio from them with great "Tropical Music" and the cool selective fading too. 73 (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com, WOR iog via DXLD) Radio Universidad de Sonora, XEUDS was on 6115; XEXQ, 6045 was in San Luis Potosi, SLP. I used to listen to them both, and believe I was even on the mailing list for XEXQ`s monthly program guide (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week --- including DTV = TDT Hello dear all, This is for Veracruz, Mx. Just to let you know that since the day before yesterday, one of the main transmitters of XHRN 96.5 MHz (Known as "Mas Latina") has started to broadcast in the 95.7 MHz too. I'm trying to find out if this is just a test or was ordered by the IFT. It should be noted that since the beginning of operations of the XHPUGC 96.3 MHz (Broadcasting from La Antigua, Veracruz) Multimedios radio group has requested frequency change due to the short distance stored by the transmitters (Less than 18.64 miles in contiguous frequencies) targetting that the marginal signal covers the city of Veracruz. Rgds (F Santos P, Jan 16, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) You're right that it's a curious assignment, and I think the dual- transmitter setup explains it. I bet XHPUGC's separation distance when they did the analyses was to the Santiago Tuxtla transmitter — which is the higher ERP — but Veracruz Puerto alone is a Class A facility (1.976 kW at 52.44 m). The distance between first-adjacent Class A stations should be 61 km, not 18.64 (the 96.3 transmitter would have to move north some 40 km). If anything, XHPUGC should move, not XHRN. However, 95.7 would not be available at the La Antigua transmitter site because it is 30 km short spaced to XHTP Xalapa. In Veracruz Puerto, 100.5 was once 102.1, and 101.7 was once 101.3. The problem there is that those frequencies were reassigned in the Córdoba/Orizaba area. If XHPUGC were to move to 102.1, the primary spacing issue would be XHPR-FM/Veracruz Puerto and it would be .54 km beyond the minimum spacing to XHAG Córdoba. Of course, with mountains, there may be cases where a transmitter is short-spaced on paper but has room due to terrain. I also want to point out something very pertinent. XHRN has an HD authorization it has never used, maybe because of their setup. If they were to go HD, XHPUGC would be very hard hit (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, ibid.) President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has finally announced his picks to lead various public media agencies, according to reports. https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/El-grand-slam-de-la-defensoria-de-audiencias-llega-al-Imer-Notimex-Canal-Once-el-22-y-SPR-20190116-0048.html In broadcasting, the following appointments were made. Radio Educación will be headed by Gabriel Sosa Plata — perhaps the gold standard of Mexican media researchers, academics and writers, whose work has featured time and again here on the Mexico Beat. Sosa Plata has been with Radio Educación for a decade as a regular contributor on media matters to its Pulso newscasts. The Instituto Mexicano de la Radio will be led by its third ever female director. Aleida Calleja headed up the Mexican Association for the Right to Information (AMEDI) and has worked with community radio stations and telecom think tanks. Canal Once will be headed by ex-Radio Educación director, former federal deputy, Governor of Tlaxcala and current senator José Antonio Álvarez Lima, while Armando Casas will take the reins at Canal 22. Casas's resignation from TV UNAM—which does not have a federally appointed director—was announced this week. The SPR pick might be the highest-profile for a general audience. Jenaro Villamil has decades in journalism, especially media-focused content — most recently at Proceso — and he recently started a new "Villamil Informa" radio newscast at Cadena RASA. Villamil would need Senate confirmation and the resignation of Armando Carrillo Lavat, who was confirmed to the post for a five-year term in October 2014 after heading up OPMA between 2013 and 2014. Under Villamil, Fernando Coca would run Canal Catorce (Raymie, Jan 16, ibid.) Another IFT-4 station has revealed its format. XHPTOM-FM will be Ke Buena, and as you probably could have predicted for a station at Puerto Morelos, it will rimshot Cancún. Broadcasting on 100.3 MHz, XHPTOM is the second of the two AGC stations to be built. XHPPLY-FM 96.1 Playa del Carmen is already on the air with Los 40. The news was broken by a new employee of XHPPLY-XHPTOM. The two stations will both broadcast from studios in Cancún and begin full operations in February, http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/96262_181127113659_5485.pdf according to said post. The XHPTOM-FM tower is to be located a third of the way from Puerto Morelos to Cancún. http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/96262_181127113659_5485.pdf [these two linx are identical, by mistake?] (Raymie, Jan 17, ibid.) A new templated callsign range has been opened by the IFT with station calls published today. This is the CS (Concesión Social) range, and so far it has two stations. One is XECSAC-AM 1210 (Class B), to be owned by José Trinidad Chavira Vargas at El Arenal, Jalisco. The other is XHCSAD-FM 101.1 (Class AA) at Pijijiapan, Chiapas, the station of Keren Victoria Morales Ruiz. ——— It looks like XHUIA-FM will become a class B1 station. The increase for XHUIA, and XHTYL Monterrey's increase to class A, were approved on December 5. The classes are mentioned in the meeting transcript. Last edited by Raymie; 01-18-2019 at 11:45 PM (Raymie, ibid.) The perpetual motion machine that is Grupo Radio Centro is moving again with another baffling decision. Apparently XERED is going in for a major overhaul and transmitter relocation, and 1110 AM will be off the air for three to four months beginning tonight at 9pm. That was the news from Jesús Martín Mendoza, whose newscast was just this week relegated to the AM frequency. XERED has transmitted from a site just outside Mexico City itself, at Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, visible from the Autopista Naucalpan- Ecatepec. The site also is the site of record for XEINFO-AM 1560, which is no longer in service. Other stations associated with GRC have gone off the air for long periods in order to be diplexed with other stations. In 2017, XEEST-AM (operated by Grupo Siete) was off the air for nearly five months as a consequence of being relocated to the Atlazolpa site now used for XEITE-AM, XEEST-AM http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/36281_181025122155_5602.pdf and most notably XHINFO-FM. The La Pradera site where it was located also supported XERC-AM 790 (relocated to share with XEB-AM), http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/36281_181025122155_5602.pdf XEQR-AM 1030 (relocated to Atlazolpa), http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/35786_181025122127_26.pdf and XEJP-AM 1150 (no authorization available). None of them have resumed broadcasting. XEN-AM 690 has its own site and should not be affected unless GRC seeks to do a rebuild or relocation (Raymie, Jan 18, ibid.) The first journalist death of 2019 in Mexico claims the life of the founder of the first community station in Baja California Sur. https://www.animalpolitico.com/2019/01/asesinan-periodista-rafael-murua-en-baja-california-sur/ Rafael Murúa, who started Radiokashana (today's XHOLP-FM), had gone missing on Saturday. His body was found on a highway leading north from Santa Rosalía, with gunshot wounds to the chest. His vehicle had previously been found abandoned in town, https://colectivopericu.net/2019/01/20/aparece-sin-vida-periodista-reportado-desaparecido/ according to Colectivo Pericú. Last year, he claimed to have received threats for his journalistic work, indirectly blaming Mulegé municipal president Felipe Prado Batista. Murúa was 34 (Raymie, Jan 21, ibid.) Diego's getting the pink slip in Tijuana in another FM Globo conversion. For the third time in the last year, MVS is putting the format on one of its stations—this time, XHOCL-FM Tijuana. The music isn't changing much, though. The new FM Globo is kicking off with a day of all music from the band Maná. ——— A new callsign is now known for the nation's newest TV station. Broadcasting on channel 8, XHCPAF-TDT is the first new station to be awarded that channel. (XHUS Hermosillo flash-cut on channel 8, which had been its analog home.) It will be Puerto Vallarta's Canal 44 station when it comes on the air. Last edited by Raymie; 01-21-2019 at 11:50 PM (Raymie, Jan 21, ibid.) Breaking News: Is Grupo Radio Centro Filing for Bankruptcy? Conflicting reports tonight put Grupo Radio Centro's future in some question. According to one version, Grupo Radio Centro has filed for bankruptcy and will lay off nearly 100 staff. That reportedly broke this evening in tweets from Etcétera magazine. https://twitter.com/revistaetcetera/status/1087498119598747649 There will be no severance payment for the laid-off employees of the company, https://twitter.com/revistaetcetera/status/1087486315883569152 according to the media magazine. Video is circulating on social media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3re1q5bo87I of a meeting in which Talina Fernández asked for support from other media outlets for the fired employees. Gabriel Sosa Plata points out correctly https://twitter.com/telecomymedios/status/1087515261421449216 that GRC has not yet issued a release on the news or a Relevant Event statement to the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, where its stock is traded. He is reporting that at least 10 employees from the GRC news department are being fired. https://twitter.com/telecomymedios/status/1087512280072372227 In an article earlier today from El Economista, https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/GRC-desconecta-a-Radio-Red-AM-y-liga-20-meses-con-El-Fonografo-y-Radio-Centro-fuera-del-aire-20190121-0089.html the IFT is quoted as saying that GRC had informed the regulator that the company's off-air AM stations remained such due to unforeseen reasons related to their transmitter location changes, approved in 2017. This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more information. Update: In a telephone interview with El Economista, https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/Grupo-Radio-Centro-admite-retrasos-salariales-con-colaboradores-20190121-0095.html Francisco Aguirre Gómez admits that the company is behind on payroll but says there have been no layoffs and there is no bankruptcy. We also learn from the interview that XHFAMX-TDT is still on track to sign on on virtual channel 8 sometime before the end of July. Update 2: Just before 10pm Mexico City time tonight, GRC issued a press release https://twitter.com/RadioCentroMX/status/1087559065356529665 commenting on today's rumors, saying that some people are being laid off in order to obtain "operational efficiency" and as part of a larger reorganization in the content and programming area of the company. It says some layoffs are tied to programs going off the air and the consequent termination of contracts for personnel that contributed to those shows. Last edited by Raymie; 01-21-2019 at 11:49 PM (Raymie, Jan 21, ibid.) Editorial: GRC, WYD? Grupo Radio Centro’s unexplainable changes yet again take the spotlight Grupo Radio Centro, what are you doing? On Monday, you launched a new news-talk station, clumsily switched its imaging with that of the pop station it replaced on the dial, and while introducing some new programs on that flagship talker, began relegating at least two newscasts to AM. On Friday, you then proceeded to begin a shutdown of 3-4 months of said AM station in order to relocate its transmitter. Grupo Radio Centro’s decision-making has come under a harsh spotlight in these past 8 days, beginning with the culmination of months of changes in its talk radio wing. The company further emphasized its doubling-down on AMLO-friendly hosts by hiring Julio Astillero and separated the long-running pair of Sergio Sarmiento and Lupita Juárez. It canceled many non-news talk shows that had been on Radio Red (according to Gabriel Sosa Plata, 34 of them) https://www.sinembargo.mx/21-01-2019/3525599 and exiled two news programs, from Juan Francisco Castañeda and Jesús Martín Mendoza, to the AM dial. And Carlos Loret de Mola, not wanting to budge from mornings, wound up at W Radio…doing afternoons. This switch made XHFO-FM—the ex-XERC-FM, as it were—an even more obvious station with little reason to exist outside of Gabriel Roa. It feels like November 30, 2020, the day when GRC hands this station back to Grupo Siete after 27 years unless another contract extension comes about, should be much nearer than it is. As if that weren’t enough, the company added insult to injury. After just five days of the newscasts being on AM, now they don’t have any terrestrial radio home. To some observers, it looks like censorship, of the type that sent Carmen Aristegui, now GRC’s star, packing from MVS Radio. And while at least XERC, XEQR and XEEST did see technical authorizations for relocations issued in their shutdowns, the former two have yet to resurface and the third is now off the air again as well. And GRC still owns another AM station to which Castañeda and Martín Mendoza could have been relocated, XEN-AM 690, with its own transmitter site and everything. In the shuffle, GRC also killed off its news wheel station, Formato 21. Then on Monday, the company had to quiet rumors it was headed for bankruptcy while confirming it was executing some layoffs related to canceled shows and speech programming. I get it. The AM dial is not a sound business proposition in most parts of the country. The silence on XEDA 1290 AM and Radio Trece is because Carlos de Jesús Quiñones Armendáriz has yelled about it not being a business. A raft of Combos of ’94 have told the IFT to take back the AM frequencies. And in the US, a number of major AM transmission sites have been sold for their land in recent years. But this doesn’t feel so much like it’s about AM radio as much as it might be about GRC’s poor decision-making. This is a company that overpaid significantly in the IFT-1 national network auction and ended up paying the security deposit, a decision that required it to obtain credit, just to not have to fork over three billion pesos. This is a company that can’t seem to keep some of its stations, namely in Mexicali and Mérida, in regular program service. In the United States, they’ve inexplicably stopped paying for Nielsen ratings for their stations in Los Angeles and El Paso. Oh yeah, and at some point they have two new radio stations and a TV station to build. They'll save some money in the case of the former because they're using other commercial broadcasters' transmission facilities (NCS in Campeche, Radio Turquesa in Cancún), but there's still no sign of either of them. This is a company that feels like it is unable to chart a course for stability, whose leadership style feels bipolar, which fails to inspire confidence from other industry actors. Instead, I’m writing this. Instead, people reported the company's bankruptcy. Instead, listeners in Mexico City and elsewhere are fundamentally confused by the actions of management. I truly would love to know, Francisco Aguirre Gómez… What is your company doing? (by Raymie Humbert himself, Jan 21, ibid.) ** MONGOLIA. Log via remote receiver SDR Kiwi in Irkutsk. Nothing here in Lugo. 4895, Mongolian National Radio, Murun, open program at 0700 with comments in Mongolian. 25322. 7260, Mongolian National Radio, Khonkhor, open program at 0658 with pop song in English, at 0700 time signals, and news in Mongolian, at 0705 more pop songs in English. Interference from China on the same frequency, but Mongolia more strong. 32322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, 0709 Jan 16, WOR iog via DXLD) Fair signal of Mongolian Radio HS-2 on Jan.16: 1345&1415 on 7260 U-B 050 kW / non dir to EaAs Mongolian https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/fair-signal-of-mongolian-radio-hs-2-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ron Howard kirjoitti 15.1.2019 klo 15:02: ``Jan 15, had definite carrier on 4895 at 1006, but checking later (1117+) found they had gone off the air. Erratic schedule?`` Marcos_2007 kirjoitti 14.1.2019 klo 14:09: ``I'm now on the the Irkutsk SDR and on 7260 they are playing a lot of English pop songs. this is MNB Radio 2 on at 1205 UT. Marcos Cox, Vicuña, Chile`` I don't think it was Radio 2, but 3. 1st program is carried on 4895 kHz (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) Checking some streams on their website, you are probably right because they have a stream for “P3 FM 100.9” but not for “????? ???" ?????” Radio 2 that is the actual Radio2 on MNB’s Website. When I was listening to them, the P3 FM live stream was the same that 7260 khz was carrying (Enviado desde Correo para Windows 10 by Marcos, ibid.) Yes, acc. to WRTH Altan San Radio was discontinued in 2017 (Mauno Ritola, WOR iog via DXLD) Re Mendez: 7260 kHz has a regular break between 0500-0700, has probably always had (Mauno, ibid.) Re Manuel Méndez kirjoitti 14.1.2019 klo 13:32: Audio of Mongolian Radio, Murun, 4895.2 via remote SDR Kiwi Irkutsk at 0859 with time signals at 0900, 14 January: https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZenvx7Z52JKMwr5hQfQdF9Sf0FoUygD5tn7 Now on air again at 1120 UT. Yes, vía SDR Kiwi Irkutsk on 7260 two stations, China on 7260.2 and presumed Mongolia on 7260.3, Mongolia at first with pop songs in English, and now with comments in Mongolian?. China stable on this frequency and Mongolia comes and goes. Vía SDR Kiwi in Switzerland, no signal from 4895 and weak carrier on 7259.8, China, and 7259.9 Mongolia Here in Lugo, nothing on 4895 and weak carrier, but no audio on 7260 They are both very close to nominal, Xinjiang is on 7259.99 kHz (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) 4895 kHz again off today (Mauno Ritola, 1113 UT Jan 20 WOR iog via DXLD) 4895, Mongolian Radio 1 (presumed), 1116 & 1133, Jan 21. Definite carrier heard, but check at 1139 found frequency clear. Closing down at various times! Checking at 1007, on Jan 20, heard definite carrier; later at 1105 + 1210, no signal at all here. Assume carrier was Mongolia and not the anticipated reactivation of AIR Kurseong (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. 11279-USB, Jan 18 at 1535, ATC handing off a flight to next contact, Edmonton; a very large latitude mentioned, so probably trans-polar; then contact United 88, specifying 8891 as secondary, testing selcall. I *think* concluding contact with ``Gander``. Only station EiBi has on 11279 is Tashkent VOLMET. Here`s one other report of Gander on 11279: https://www.facebook.com/337484696428841/posts/11279-gander-radioquite-an-echo-may-be-two-different-tx-sites/629846430525998/ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 9699.985, Thu Jan 17 at 0627, English programming obviously from RNZI and slightly displaced, but not a scheduled time for 9700; with fast SAH from authorized 9700 station, presumed VOT in Turkish at 04-07 (but I see in HFCC also NHK Japanese at 05-09). Normally have only a VP signal from Turkey. Only a minute later, RNZI cuts off at 0628*. Then I check 13730 where it is supposed to be until 0658 -- nothing, altho often audible as the OSOB. At 0632 I find an open carrier on 9765.01 at S7-S9, soon JIP RNZ programming. So instead of resuming 13730, they bring the next frequency up early. No doubt this is their periodic maintenance check, but it must be tough for people axually trying to listen to RNZI on its scheduled frequencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Arthur Cushen Dies --- by Timothy Hendel From the Editor: Tim Hendel is a member of the Huntsville chapter of the NFB of Alabama. Since he was a student at the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia, he has been interested in travel, languages, and short-wave radio. That is how he first became acquainted with Arthur Cushen and his story. This is what he says: A large group of sighted people would tell you that the only blind person they know is Arthur Cushen. These people share the hobby of tuning around on their short-wave radios to pick up unusual stations. Hard-to-get stations are often referred to as "DX," and people who have this hobby are called "DX-ers." Arthur Cushen was called "the world's only professional DX-er." On September 20, 1997, he died in Invercargill, New Zealand. Arthur Thomas Cushen was born on January 24, 1920, in Invercargill. This community is at the extreme southern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about as far as you can get from most European and North American cities. . . https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm98/bm980411.htm (via Rick Shaftan, OBX, DXLD) obit ** NIGERIA. Fair signal of Voice of Nigeria in Hausa and Fulfulde on Jan.16 0600-0700 7254.9 AJA 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf Hausa, B18 as scheduled 0700-0730 7254.9 AJA 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf Fulfulde, not in French 0730-0800 7254.9 AJA 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf Fulfulde, as scheduled: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/fair-signal-of-voice-of-nigeria-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. FRANCE, Reception of Radio Nigeria Kaduna via TDF Issoudun, Jan.16 0700-0900 13840 ISS 150 kW / 170 deg to WeAf Hausa, very good signal, 0900-1500 13840 ISS 150 kW / 170 deg to WeAf Hausa - AGAIN NO SIGNAL! https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-radio-nigeria-kaduna-via_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 0900-1500 should the frequency be 17690 kHz? (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. UnID. Sunday, January 13, 2019, 2151, 6935 usb. Mellow pop music, m/announcer with British or Australian accent. Many song snippets, cut harshly to dead air, then starting another. At 2212, heard a weather report, current conditions at Reagan National Airport. ID, "WT--" then cut off (WTOP relay?) Then into more music bits and Aussie commentary. Obliterated by some very strong utility bursts 2213-2216. SSTV at 2219 and again at 2224, then off. Good signal, s5/s7 (Will-MD) Mix Radio International. Sunday, January 13, 2018, 2107, 5861 usb. Mix Radio International with mellow rock music. ID at 2114 and 2127. s7 peaks, very good signal with occasional tweety bird QRM. (Will-MD) Classic Pirate Relay Service. Friday, January 18, 2019, 2323, 6955 usb. Robo-voice, "classic pirate radio relay service." Radio USA ID and contact info at 2324. After Radio USA show ended, contact address, classic pirate radio relay service at gmail given at 2331. s7, good (Larry Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, radio@zappahead.net, Icom IC-R75, G5RV, PL-880, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Very good signal of Radio Sultanate of Oman, English, Jan.16 from 1403 on 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu English + weak signal at same time 15140 QVC 250 kW / 130 deg to SoAm Spanish R.Habana Cuba https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/very-good-signal-of-radio-sultanate-of_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of Radio Sultanate of Oman / Oman FM 90.4 MHz Jan18 1400-1407 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu transmitter is not on air from 1407 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu English, very good + weak same time 15140 QVC 250 kW / 130 deg SoAm Spanish Radio Habana Cuba from 1453 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu switches on Arabic program https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-radio-sultanate-of-oman_19.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.18-19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman at 1447 with pop vocals and a man at 1450 with a promo mentioning “The best music variety” and “We are more than just the music. We are the nation's station. Oman FM” and more pop vocals from 1451 with more IDs at 1455 then in Arabic at 1504 re- check with Islamic Call to Prayer and equal signal strength with RHC – Fair to Good mixing with and over RHC Jan 19 – Due to band conditions and RHC I haven't heard this one lately (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang, (Maus Blong Garamut - Voice of Indigenous Drums), 1118+, Jan 21. Clearly off the air today. Jan 20, noted 1149 with usual religious Sunday program in Pidgin; 1159 full ID and frequency; 1207 DJ in English (must be the start of the relay of "NBC National Radio"?), till cut off 1208*. Jan 19, heard 1214*, cut off during a song by Cher (Ron Howard, Calif., Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Reception of IRRS EGR/UNR via RADIOCOM Saftica on Jan.20: 1030-1300 9510 SAF 100 kW / 300 deg to WeEu English Sun, fair signal https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-irrs-egrunr-via-radiocom_20.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.19-20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. Limited 100 kW power [of usual 300 kW sites Tsiganeshti-1 and Bacau Galbeni sites], of Tsiganeshti-2, is rather Saftica site location built up already in 1956 year (as Tsiganeshti South 2). Distance between Tsiganeshti-1 and Tiganeshti-2 / Saftica site is 13 kilometers. Saftica site is also known as home broadcast center of former Clandestine 'Radio España Independiente' and 'Rádio Portugal Livre', of their Communist Parties` KOMINTERN broadcasts 1958 til 1977 year (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. Russia / Germany --- Radio Stanica The Russian Hooligans --- Secondo ascolto di Radio Stanica [sic] The Russian Hooligans Music Station – free radio dalla Germania. Lunedi 14 gennaio 2019, alle 2126 (09.26 pm) UT a 3926.17 kHz AM, qualità della ricezione sufficiente. Per l'ascolto ho utilizzato il ricevitore SDR FDM S1 Elad abbinato ad un PC Intel Core i7-4771 CPU 3.5 Ghz e il software SDRSharper v0.3h mentre l'antenna, è una Delta-Ewe autocostruita + preamplificatore (W7IUV self-made) Report, inviato via email a radiostanciarussianhooligans@hotmail.com, conferma con messaggio email e QSL elettronica, in 2 gg [days]. https://it2021swl.blogspot.com/2019/01/radio-stanica-russian-hooligans.html?fbclid=IwAR0tl8pj0eq0i4-AVFfaIkSOE9IvFUXuqcdBS_gjo4obQiIVtAnMvGk4Hhw (Claudio Tagliabue, Italy / https://www.facebook.com/groups/1080049528677701/?ref=bookmarks (via QSL World, Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA? Replies to my 1521 kHz carrier in daytime: Glen[n], fwiw. I've been hearing the German time signal, on 77.5 kHz, as early as 2 pm CST. The AF & EU LW stations (153, 171, 183, 198, 225, 252) have been following about an hour later. I'll listen for your 1521 & see what turns up. IIRC, KRHW 1520 Sikeston, MO has wandered off frequency, before. We'll see. (73, Ed NN2E, Owner / Operator - Murphy's Law Test Site & Thunderstorm Proving Grounds, KY, Jan 13, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Spent some time checking 1521, today. I can report that I hear no local / regional signals on that frequency during mid-day. Beginning 90 minutes before my Sunset I started hearing a carrier from the northeast. I have no way of telling if it was from the KSA as there's too much Stateside QRM to detect any audio. 73, (Ed NN2E, Jan 14, ibid.) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 15435, SBA at 1621 in Arabic with rousing Middle Eastern male vocals and a man with brief talk with a mention of “Islam” and more vocals at 1623 and brief talk to 1627 and a woman introducing a program with Middle Eastern instrumentals theme music and into a man and a woman with talk about “Islam” and “Allah” with Middle Eastern instrumentals music bridges to 1632 and into Islamic Call to Prayer – Very Good Jan 19 – The rousing Middle Eastern vocals were a welcome change to the normal fare from the Saudis but, as with all good things, they must end (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) 13710.013, Jan 20 at 1504, SBA is S9+10/20, much stronger than usual, with lovely music in Arabic alleging that there is an Allah who is akbar. Much better signal than usual. Need to fine-tune slightly plus to make the music via SSB sound on-key. Note: as transliterated, not to be confused with akhbar = news (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SIERRA LEONE. Ham Radio DXpedition --- GA All. Not sure if SWL op's are interested in listening to a ham radio DXpedition that has been ongoing since January 8th. The operators are all amateur radio operators, mostly from France. They are operating from an island off shore, called Banana Island, Sierra Leone, using a call sign '9LY1JM'. They are operating on many frequencies from 3.5 MHz through 28 MHz, using various modes including Voice (SSB), Morse Code (CW), Radio Teletype (RTTY), and digital modes (FT8). Most transmitters are 1 kW. As I type this I can easily hear one of their operators on 14145 kHz (SSB). They do have a great web page at: https://9l2019dx.wordpress.com/ You can find out exactly what frequency they are using by using an amateur radio dx cluster called 'DX Summit' found at http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/ I do know that amateur radio operators can provide QSL cards if asked. Thanks for viewing (Charles Gessner, W3ON, Jan 18, WOR iog via DXLD) Hi Mickey, Thanks for your response. I am glad to hear that you have heard them. As a radio amateur I have been following the 9LY1JM dxpedition to Sierra Leone's Banana Island for the last four days. They are due to cease operations on January 21st. I have actually made radio contacts, using mostly voice (ssb), morse code (cw), and a few on radio teletype (rtty), with the operators on frequencies in the 7, 10, 14, 18, and 21 MHz bands. Generally their radio signals have not been very strong at my home in Western Pa. I have heard them as early at 1500 UT, and as late as 0400 UT. To me, it`s always fun to hear and work them. Take care (Chuck Gessner W3ON, ibid.) Thanks, Chuck. Yes, it was nice to hear them. At the moment I have no antennas to try and work them. VE6IDX is my call but until I get some antennas up, I am just a listener. Best 73 (Mick, ibid.) Just finished contacting them on 30m cw. They've been very active and have had good signals into western Canada, which is a real treat. And they are operating from 1.8 MHz and up just to add to your original post. I was pleased to get them on 160 for a new one. One can follow who they've worked on their online log at https://secure.clublog.org/charts/?c=9ly1jm# as they are using leaderboard feature. 73 (Don VE6JY Moman, AB, ibid.) Returned to Europe Jan 20 (gh) Update. They closed down on January 20th about 1300 UT, with a little over 50000 logged contacts in their logs. They should already be on the way back to their homes in France. Nice operation, despite the generally poor radio propagation. 73 (Chuck Gessner W3ON, ibid.) ** SIKKIM. Thanks very much to Avijit Mondal (India) for his helpful posting to the Facebook page UNION OF ASIAN DXERS on Jan 16: "AIR Gangtok is having transmitter problem again. There was loud electrical hum on 4835 kHz (Their morning transmission frequency). Called the station engineer of AIR GANGTOK this afternoon [Jan 16] and informed him about the problem. He assured to look into the matter immediately." (Ron Howard, WOR iog via DXLD) Signed off at 1147 today (Mauno Ritola, Jan 18, ibid.) ** SOMALIA. 7750 kHz USB, UNID - 18/01/19 --- Hi all, As of 1536 UT I am hearing African music? on 7750 in USB modulation. Online suggests Warsan Radio but I'm not sure. I'll put it as UNID. Perseus SDR (Personal Perseus) - Beverage ant - Remote QTH Finland. Best Regards, (Jordan Heyburn, UKOGBANI, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) Also hearing this from KiwiSDR near Auckland NZ at S4 level – best in USB mode. Definite Somali music with man announcer talking interspersed with Horn of Africa style music – just heard the announcer say “I Love You, I Love You Too” as the name of a song that was playing. I would say Warsan R is high probability. Further to my last – Warsan R 7750 appears to be using USB or Carrier + USB mode as I could hear nothing in LSB and audio quality is much better in USB than in AM Narrow mode. Originally tuned here at 1739 and currently (1808) man announcer in what sounds like Somali with other people talking and bits of HOA music. Per WRTH sched, should be on until 1930 (Bruce Churchill, CA, ibid.) Weak signal of Warsan Radio in Somali on Jan.18: 1430&1930 on 7750 unknown tx / unknown to EaAf Somali USB https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/weak-signal-of-warsan-radio-in-somali.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.18-19, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 7285, R. Sonder Grense/SABC Meyerton: 0600z brief instrumental theme, into news by man in Afrikaans, 0610z roundtable program with man and woman in Afrikaans. 0623z talking to man on phone. Good signal (Steven Wiseblood, Harlingen TX, times in GMT (z), 1/17/2019, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 9690, Radio Exterior de España, 2300-2320 Looking for their new English service and found a C&W music program. Music was by a Madrid Spain band called the Chisum Cattle Co. OM announcer explained they sang in English. Not what I had expected from them. Good on 01/11 (Don Hosmer, West Branch MI, ICOM IC-7200, CommRadio Cr-1a and/or XHData D-808 w/G5RV dipoles & W6LVP loop, MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) 9690, REE a ‘mostly music’ show, but with the nice feature that rather than just playing the songs, they talked about them, and the Spanish artist who was featured. It caught my ear with ”Lumpy Gravy”, which you don’t hear that often any more (or is that 'ever'?). Hey, I’m a bit of a Zappa-head so what can I say. Then into “Willy the Pimp” and other Frank Zappa tunes performed/produced by Caballero Reynaldo and other ‘tributes’ to him and mentioning , which I had to check out --- interesting. Watch out where the huskys go, and don't you eat that yellow snow! 4+554+4+ and staying at S9+15 -20 even at the BoH, and it has been fading early of late. NONE of the 25 metre freqs were there. 2301-2331 16/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +randomwire (Ken Zichi, Williamston MI, MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) ** SUDAN SOUTH [non]. FRANCE, Updated B-18 schedule of Eye Radio - only 1 hour via TDF Issoudun https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/updated-b-18-schedule-of-eye-radio-now.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.19-20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 0400-0500 11620 MDC 250 kW / 335 deg Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri, cancelled 1500-1600 15410 SMG 250 kW / 139 deg Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri, cancelled 1600-1800 15410 ISS 250 kW / 139 deg Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri, confirmed 1700-1800 15410 ISS 250 kW / 139 deg Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri, cancelled * including other languages: English; Dinka; Nuer; Shilluk; Bari; Zande; Lutoho ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:44 PM (via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4765.067 kHz odd frequency reserve unit of Tajik Radio 1 program at Dushanbe Yangi Yul now in regular use. S=9+15dB at 1424 UT on Jan 14. Central Asian Tajik music singer/string instrument played, 10.4 kHz wideband signal. At Seoul remote SDR noted on 4765.066 kHz S=7 at 1640 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 14, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** THAILAND. 13745, Radio Thailand 0000 UT January 17 sign on with English announcement from the Public Relations Department of the Thai Government wake up wake it is newshour. Usual minute or less missing at 0029 for azimuth change. Sign off at 0059:30 Very Good. Rx Perseus SDR, Ant: Wellbrook ALA 100 loop. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TIBET [and non]. INDIA vs. CHINA: 4920 kHz clash strong this evening via grayline-path to E. Calif. I've been aware of the clash between listed AIR Chennai on 4920 that clashes badly with CNR(?) Lhasa, Tibet, China; per reports from Asian DXers, and both noted unusually strong here this (local) evening with about an 8 to 10 Hz SAH between both of them, and both are nearly equal in strength via grayline-path reception at 0110 UT on 17 January 2019 (or just a bit after sunset here) in the northern Mojave Desert in California. Very enhanced strengths tonight - peaking to about S8 with wavery/rapid fading and at least 5 S-units stronger than a couple of evenings ago upon a check. WHY does this 4920 clash exist if there is bad mutual QRM between these stations? Intentional jamming on the part of ChiComms...? Rx. used was a Kenwood R-1000 to a 20m end-fed wire. 73 (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done real-time with traditional (non-SDR) receivers -- 0245 UT Jan 17, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. 963 kHz, Confirmed in January 2019 on MW 963 kHz a music program between 1500-0700 UT with IDs in French like "eR Te I"; featuring program in German usually at 1930-2000 UT with QRM from Cyprus, on Jan 6th at 1730-1800 UT playing hits of ABBA. Based on WRTH 2018 p. 392 there is some mis-match info about MW 963 kHz: in MW list is given as program " I " 24 hrs, & below but Cultural Channel 1100-2400 UT in Arabic, & RTCI 0500-0100 UT in French except ... etc. Whether it is a same in WRTH 2019? (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 12, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) Compare on Eutelsat 13deg satellite, 12149 vertical, transponder 72 wide. Radio Nationale Tunis SID 7250 Arabic Radio Tunis Chaîne International SID 7251 mix (BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** TURKEY. TRT Voice of Turkey in Farsi on very odd frequency 11795.7 kHz, Jan.16 0930-1055 11795.7 EMR 500 kW / 105 deg Farsi instead of 11795.0 Jan.15 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/trt-voice-of-turkey-in-farsi-on-very_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Voice of Turkey Bulgarian on very odd frequency 7245.6, Jan.16: 1200-1225 7245.6 EMR 250 kW / 300 deg Bulgarian instead of 7245 Jan.15 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/voice-of-turkey-in-bulgarian-on-very_16.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12035.735, Jan 16 at 1358-1404, VOT English with `Media Analysis` editorial amid music breaks; poor copy but about ``Irrational US Mideast policy`` in wake of acting president Drumpf`s latest threats (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15350, Voice of Turkey at 1343 in Turkish with an instudio interview between two men with mentions of “Syria”, “Pax Romana”, and “Pax Americana” then a woman with ID at 1347 and into pop vocals - Good with minor fading Jan 18 – This was obviously a discussion about Middle Eastern tensions as the term “Pax Romana” refers to a period of peace in the Roman Empire starting with Augustus Caesar that lasted 206 years while “Pax Americana” refers to a period of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere that started after WWII (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre- fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. 279 kHz longwave, TR1 Watan Asghabat TKM at 1730 UTC. Moin, Moin! Fuer die Freunde Turkmenistans, sei die Langwelle 279 kHz aus der Hauptstadt Asgabat jetzt aktuell nahe gelegt. Zur Zeit (1730 UT) mit weiblicher Sprecherin und schwach-mittlerem Signal und lauer Modulation hier oben im Nordwesten mit absolut zugaenglicher und schneefreier Antenne (Olaf Haenssler, Germany, A-DX ng Jan 11 via BC- DX 19 Jan via DXLD) Im Winter 2016 wurde ueber 279 kHz berichtet: in French language is a Luxembourg effect mixture signal of - stronger - RTL 234 kHz, - and lower EUR1 183 kHz signal strength. ein Luxembourg Effekt berichtet. Auch Nils hatte das damals bemerkt in der Mongolei LW Diskussion. Aber auf der Achse LUX-Saarlouis Turkmenistan, dafuer liegt Oldenburg bisserl zu weit nordwaerts? Was sagt die Diskussionsrunde? Da wird Olaf wohl heute real die WATAN Langwelle Asgabat gehoert haben, auf dem web-Stream kamen die time pips 15 Sekunden soeben zu spaet, aber diese Diskussion hatten wir ja diese Woche schon. clicke auf media / radio / WATAN 73 wb df5sx PS: laut Google Earth images, das alte Sende-Zentrum Asgabat aus UdSSR Zeiten wurde im Jahr 2013 geschliffen, und durch neue Baum Plantagen Anpflanzungen ersetzt, das neue/alte R Moskau Sendezentrum vom 2014 images Ausbau liegt weiter im Norden bei 37 57 54.96 N 58 44 02.00 E dort sieht es eher nach trockener Sandwueste aus, mit ganz schlechter Bodenleitfaehigkeit? Vielleicht liegt dort jetzt im Januar auch Schnee mit besserer Boden-Leitfaehigkeit, wer weiss? Rumen Pankov in Sofia Bulgarien hat die LW Asgabat 279 kHz regelmaessig im Januar / Februar berichtet, mit dem Sony ICF 2010 aus 1995, ohne weiteren Magnet Antennen-Rahmen (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 11, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** U A E. Here are confirmed the following MW stations on January the 6th with rod antenna & Sony ICF2001D rx: 810 kHz 1900 UT Pravasi Bharati making QRM on co-channel Macedonia in Bulgarian but from 1910 switching to white noise (DRM?). 846 kHz 0130 UT ID in Arabic "Holy Quran" and sermon - presumed UmmAl Quwain. 1152 kHz 0115 UT, S/on of Voice of Kerala in ?Malayalam, native songs 1170 kHz 0100 UT Military Anthem, emotional ID in Arabic "Sowto Jumhuriya" \& songs. 1269 kHz 1600 UT Regularly received station in vernacular with Hindustani mx mainly presumed Radio Asia. 1539 kHz 0105 UT Hindustani songs, presumed Asianet Radio (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 12, BC-DX 19 Jan via DXLD) ** U A E. 5910.094, Odd frequency, one of the four txs at Al Dhabbaya UAE is always odd fq. KBS World Seoul in Arabic scheduled 20-21 UT. At 2032 UT Jan 20, S=9+5dB in Doha Qatar [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. 15600, Jan 21 at 1509, dead air at S9+10 but soon a music medley and ``You are listening to a test transmission`` and off at 1510*. This is the pattern of Woofferton, Encompass ex-BaBcoCk. WOF is in fact HFCC-registered for IBB Kurdish at 14-15 and normally well- heard here way off-beam; certainly not Bulgaria after 1500, among numerous wooden entries for Spaceline (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Unscheduled frequency of BBC World Service on Jan.17 till 1501 on 15120 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg to WeAf English, very good https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/unscheduled-frequency-of-bbc-world.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.17-18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Great Britain: 3955/DRM BBC WS not decoding audio or the Journaline text, but the FAC channel was in solidly allowing for a definite ID. The s/n ranged mostly from 7 to 10 dB but was getting worse as daylight approached the UK. Never decoded anything. 4xxx1 0605-0630 17/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno+ +ANC-4 +DReaM software +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s certainly enough to QRDRM the exclusive ``80`` meter hamband in the Americas over a 10-kHz span; should have been ``better`` earlier in evening, and if beamed our way --- evidence that analog SWBC from Europe to North America should and would work during the doldrums in the 4-5 MHz area when even 6 MHz is not propagating well (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. New era for England: BBC announces major changes to services across the country Date: 16.01.2019 Last updated: 16.01.2019 at 15.02 The BBC will “reinvent and refresh” its offer in England - including BBC local radio and regional TV news - to ensure it is providing the best possible services to all audiences across the country. Plans announced today include the launch of an exciting digital platform aimed at young audiences in England and a simplified leadership structure across the country as the BBC seeks to improve its offer to English audiences. The changes include: The Social, the award-winning online platform created by BBC Scotland viewed by millions of online users each week, will be expanded into England, giving young people an opportunity to create content for the BBC. Continuing the work already underway to reinvent Local Radio so it owns local conversations, fully reflects the diverse communities it serves and becomes the front-door for new talent into the BBC, uncovering and nurturing the broadcasting stars of tomorrow. A new approach to content commissioning for TV and online; exploring opportunities to create more content for English audiences by working with other parts of the BBC. The leadership of BBC England will be reworked to a structure based around platforms rather than geography. A Head of News and Head of TV Commissioning will be appointed alongside the Head of Audio and Digital with an overall reduction in the number of senior managers. The plans have been announced today by the Director of BBC England, Helen Thomas. The aim is to ensure the BBC in England adapts to changing audiences, develops successful digital products, continues to provide trusted local news online, on television, and on radio and reflects modern England in all its content. Helen Thomas says: “BBC England is in a strong position. Our regional TV news bulletins at 6.30pm are collectively the most watched news programme on UK TV. Six million people listen to our local radio stations each week. People value the services we offer. “But there are significant groups who don’t engage enough with what we do. England is changing and audience behaviour is changing too. This presents us with a challenge and an exciting opportunity. “We’re going to reinvent and refresh what we do in England to ensure we reflect all of the country’s diverse communities while providing services in ways people want them. “We will be about more than news - we will own local conversations and reflect life in modern England, recognising the different audience demands in different parts of the country and what that means for our output. And we will become the BBC’s front-door for new talent, the place where the broadcasting stars of tomorrow are uncovered and nurtured.” The changes will be introduced throughout 2019. The new strategy builds on the work already underway in BBC local radio. In 2018, in the biggest shake-up of BBC local radio in a generation, each station launched 15 hours of new original content every week after local programming was reintroduced into weekday evening schedules. The new evening shows have a diverse mix of presenters and subjects, with many of the presenters getting their first broadcasting break. They include a Bradford grime artist, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield Magid Magid and a finalist from The Voice. The shows target audiences that have not traditionally tuned into local radio. The Social will be launched in England in the coming months. In Scotland, it reaches millions of young people every week across the BBC website and social media platforms. In England, it will allow the BBC to help young people tell their stories and provide an important new pipeline for emerging talent. BBC England will explore opportunities to commission more TV and online content for English audiences. It will work within the BBC to find opportunities to create more content for people in England, across a broader range of genres. The proposed leadership restructure is the biggest change to the structure of BBC England in 50 years. There are currently ten head of regions and a head of digital. These posts will close. There will be six new senior editorial roles - a Head of News and a Head of TV Commissioning and four regional leads covering the North, the Midlands, the East and South East and the West and South West. Chris Burns, who was announced in 2018 as the Head of Audio and Digital, will continue to lead local radio. It means the number of senior managers will reduce from eleven to eight. Helen Thomas says: “These changes will ensure we have a clear management structure. We’ll also be saving money as the number of senior managers will be reduced. “We want to have clear leaders for all our services and operate in terms of platforms rather than geographical locations. Ultimately, this is all about providing a better experience for our audiences.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/bbc-england (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener 16 January 2019, DXLD) ** U S A. Where are they now? Do any of you know the present status of the following DXers?: Alan Merriman last known to be in VA Ray Moore last known to be in FL (Mark Connelly, MA, Jan 18, nrc-am gg via DXLD) Mark, Alan's ham call K4GLU is still active according to the FCC database http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=245508 It's licensed to William A Merrman [sic] in Madison, S Dakota (Bruce Portzer, IRCA via DXLD) I last saw Alan at the 2002 NRC Convention in Lima, Ohio. Wonder what in the world took him from Chincoteague Island all the way to South Dakota? 73, (Rick (Birthday Boy) Dau, hunkered down in icy and snowy South Omaha, Nebraska, ibid.) My last contact with Ray was about 10 years ago, I'm afraid, but he was living in Fort Myers then, in good health, and still full of good ideas, as well as hearing DX from Australia and such. Best wishes, (Nick Hall-Patch, BC, ibid.) Thanks to those who replied to my recent question of the whereabouts of formerly active DXers Al Merriman (K4GLU) and Ray Moore. I don't recall that Ray Moore had any connection to Key West. He was in Fort Myers, as Nick mentioned. Among other things, he designed the RSM-105 passive loop - a good performer especially in urban situations where high-Q unamplified loops offer the most payback, well at least before every living quarter became an RFI den of iniquity with switching supplies, cable boxes, and noisy "efficient" light fixtures. At his FL QTH, Ray had some longpath success with east Asia / Australia via South Pole / South America. Al Merriman moved from the DC area to Chincoteague Island and had a start-up year with loggings in the same league as what New England DXers, 400 miles closer to Europe on the same track, were reporting. And then he disappeared from the "radar". That's got to be at least 15 years ago. Pre-Facebook-era by my reckoning. At least, per FCC info via Bruce Portzer, he's still on the "right side of the grass" and living in Madison, South Dakota. Likely not much TA DX for him anymore but maybe a few TP's. Another formerly active DXer name that popped into my head is Elliot Strauss of NJ. Maybe someone knows something about him. Another DXer of the past, Richard Eckman, is on Facebook and seems to be in the Far East a lot on business. It would appear that his case is one of too many other things to do. People like that sometimes do get back to the hobby when retirement comes along. All the above used to spin out some great log reports. I'll take this opportunity to say hi to Chris Black, formerly active not much more than a mile from here. He was moving out of the neighborhood about the time I was moving in. Good luck and DX out west, Chris (Mark Connelly, WA1ION, South Yarmouth, MA, IRCA at HCDX & nrc-am gg via DXLD) ** U S A. 2097.3-CW, Jan 16 at 1349 UT, beacon A every dekasecond is quite audible from Quartzsite AZ, and reliable; checked after the 2263-USB unID (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7200/LSB, Flame war between disgruntled & gruntled hamsters; predominant one is fixated on bodily orifices & functions; finally covered by QSO between W3JRB in Louisville & WA7FCF. 1858-1905+, 1/12 +++ 2142, 1/12; Legit QSO by 2 hamsters talking about gasoline additives; Some dufus repeats everything they say (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7200-LSB, Jan 17 at 2109, naughty hams are having their usual big time. One of them says the music jammer is N2FUV in Kodak, Tennessee, i.e. per ARRL lookup, Michael J. Mgrdichian [sic]. But don`t assume this be true without further evidence. FCC van? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7416-USB, Jan 18 at 1544, Triblade 20 with top-secret crypto ``message #5``, beeps, i.e. Civil Air Patrol net (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Aiuto indirizzo email Radio Sawa --- Ciao a tutti. Ho provato a inviare un rapporto di ricezione a Radio Sawa (trasmettitore di Cipro su 990 kHz) ma le mail inviate all'indirizzo comments @ radiosawa.com non sono accettate dal server. Esiste un altro indirizzo valido? Grazie per la collaborazione. 73 de (Giovanni Lorenzi, ITALIAN AMATEUR RADIO STATION I T 9 T Z Z, Jan 21, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Ciao OM Giovanni! Cerco di aiutarti su questo, purtroppo le sorgenti di informazione non sono generose. Il blog "South East Asia DXing" afferma aver ricevuto una QSL precisamente per questa trasmissione (Cape Greco, 990 kHz) scrivendo a Radio Sawa e alla BBG (non indica gli indirizzi). Ora, la BBG si e trasformata in US Agency for Global Media, il cui indirizzo e: info@usagm.gov Ma attenzione: L'USAGM di momento non funziona, a causa del continuato shutdown del governo stattunitese. Il blog menzionato dice anche aver inviato dei follow-up a "personne di contatto per R. Sawa" pure loro non menzionate. Dunque forse e meglio guardare il testo del RR ed eventuali file audio ed inviarli poi quando l'USAGM riprendera le sue attivita. 73, (Cristian Mocanu, ibid.) Ciao Cristian e grazie per le info. Potrebbe darsi che il rifiuto del server di Radio Sawa di accettare le email sa dovuto proprio allo shutdown in corso negli USA. Ho archiviato i file audio che ho registrato e proverò ad inviare il rapporto appena la situazione si sarà stabilizzata. Nel frattempo cercherò altre strade. 73 de (Giovanni, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. VOA to Zimbabwe --- In the current crisis, the US Embassy in Harare is telling people to tune to "Voice of America on Channel 909 AM in Harare and on short-wave 4930, 7210 and 12120 kilohertz frequencies". See: http://www.newsdzezimbabwe.co.uk/2019/01/us-issues-zimbabwe-security-alert.html But are those frequencies out of date? Current frequencies for VOA to Zimbabwe are given by EiBi and WRTH 2019 as 6175 and 9825 (at 0400- 0500 GMT) and 4930, 13860 and 15460 (at 1700-1900).(Chris Greenway, Jan 17, WOR iog via DXLD) Maybe alternative facts. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) re VOA on monitoring B-18 [does not match either set above] SMTWTFS 04:01:23 S VOA ENGL11925 AM BOT 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:01:45 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:02:07 S VOA ENGL 4960 AM SAO 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:02:29 S VOA ENGL 4930 AM BOT 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:02:51 S VOA ENGL 1530 AM SAO 20 MP4 S.....S 04:03:13 S VOA ENGL 909 AM BOT 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:31:23 S VOA ENGL11925 AM BOT 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:31:45 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:32:07 S VOA ENGL 4960 AM SAO 20 MP4 SMTWTFS 04:32:29 S VOA ENGL 4930 AM BOT 20 MP4 S.....S 04:32:51 S VOA ENGL 909 AM BOT 20 MP4 http://ibbmonitor.appspot.com/status/RMS_SCRIPT_ACCR_190117_070550.TXT S...... 17:02:29 S VOA ENGL 17895 AM BOT 20 MP4 S...... 17:02:51 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 ......S 17:02:51 S VOA ENGL 17895 AM BOT 20 MP4 S...... 17:03:13 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM KWT 20 MP4 ......S 17:03:13 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 S...... 17:03:35 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 ..T.TF. 17:03:35 S VOA ENGL 17895 AM BOT 20 MP4 ......S 17:03:35 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM KWT 20 MP4 .M.W... 17:03:57 S VOA ENGL 17895 AM BOT 20 MP4 ..T.TF. 17:03:57 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM KWT 20 MP4 ......S 17:03:57 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 .M.W... 17:04:19 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM KWT 20 MP4 ..T.TF. 17:04:19 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 .M.W... 17:04:41 S VOA ENGL 6080 AM SAO 20 MP4 S.T.T.S 18:35:25 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 S.T.T.S 18:35:47 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM UDO 20 MP4 .M.W.F. 18:36:31 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 .M.W.F. 18:36:53 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM UDO 20 MP4 .MTWTF. 19:34:41 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 S.....S 19:35:03 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM BOT 20 MP4 .MTWTF. 19:35:03 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM SAO 20 MP4 S.....S 19:35:25 S VOA ENGL 13590 AM SAO 20 MP4 .MTWTF. 21:34:41 S VOA ENGL 15580 AM GB 20 MP4 .MTWTF. 21:35:03 S VOA ENGL 6195 AM SAO 20 MP4 .MTWTF. 21:35:25 S VOA ENGL 1530 AM SAO 20 MP4 (via Bueschel, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. 12075, Thu Jan 17 at 2112, VOA-Afrique via BOTSWANA M -F, with lengthy English lessons for French. Several different sexions, some with long English text, then discussing and explaining; such as Q&A interview about the American Civil War; 2127 about the very important English verb ``to have`` (avoir), along with ``to be``; also referred to websites, including partial AmericanEnglish---.gov. Seems this USG department continues unabated, altho teaching English would not seem to be essential. Good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. 5850, WRMI: WOR #1964 started at BoH with the usual mix of radio news including items about a new frequency for Channel 292 in Germany, and details about Bancock [sic] Meteo Radio loggings, among many others. 4+54+4+4+ *0755-0900* 13/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sunday WORLD OF RADIO 1965 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday January 16 at 2200 on WBCQ 7490.1v, good, and stronger than WRMI 9955, fair, about 6 words apart, and 9955 again with a strange regular SAH fading as if from another transmitter a few Hz away. I forgot to check the new time of 0100 UT Thursday January 17 on WRMI 7780; anyone hear it? Next: 0930 UT Friday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 0729 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW 0930 UT Saturday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND [alt weeks; Jan 19?] 1200 UT Saturday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 1200 UT Saturday Unique *9265 via WINB to WSW 1230 UT Saturday WRMI *9955 to SSE 1531 UT Saturday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany to WSW 2030vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM non-direxional 2200 UT Saturday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0400vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW 1130 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany to WSW 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE 0230 UT Monday WRMI 5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW 0400vUT Monday WBCQ *5130v Area 51 to WSW 0430 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0930 UT Monday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 2330 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE * also webcast; WORLD OF RADIO 1965 monitoring: necessarily slept thru the Unique Radio and WINB scheduled airings Sat Jan 19 at 0930 and 1200 and WRMI 1230; however, Tim Gaynor had notified at 1020 UT: ``No audio from Unique Radio via WINB 9265; listen here --- go to http://www.uniqueradio.podomatic.com to listen to the broadcast. Apologies and beyond my control. 73 Aussie Tim`` As ever, not audible in OK on 9485-CUSB, but imaginatively confirmed, Saturday January 19 at 1553 the 1531 on HLR 9485-CUSB via UTwente SDR, trace of what sounds like gh. Alan Gale, England, reports: ``Hi Glenn, Well, I can confirm that HLR was on 9485 kHz this afternoon, as it was audible here during the Radio Tropical programme at 1400-1500 UT, but it faded out about half-way through, never to be heard again, so still no reception of World of Radio on this frequency. I'll keep checking it; hopefully the propagation will improve and it will be back before too long. Alan`` Confirmed Sat Jan 19 at 2220, the 2200 on WRMI 9955, fair on portable. Next: 0400vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW 1130 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany to WSW 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE 0230 UT Monday WRMI 5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW 0400vUT Monday WBCQ *5130v Area 51 to WSW 0430 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0930 UT Monday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 2330 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE * also webcast WORLD OF RADIO 1965 monitoring: Please note that in the opening of WOR 1965 I say ``recorded January 9th``, while it was really on the 16th! WOR 1965 truly is a new edition after 1964 on the 9th. Sorry for my confusion! Confirmed UT Sunday January 20 at 0426 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, MO, S9+30, about 12 minutes into, so started circa 0414. KB4IUJ tells me, ``Heard show 1965 On 5950 at 2:30 CST (0830-0900) Sunday morning. Sent from my iPod`` Should also be on 5850 & 7730. Next: 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE 0230 UT Monday WRMI 5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW 0400vUT Monday WBCQ *5130v Area 51 to WSW 0430 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0930 UT Monday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 2330 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE * also webcast WORLD OF RADIO 1965 monitoring: Confirmed Sunday January 20 at 2130 on WRMI 7780, very poor. Also confirmed UT Monday Jan 21 at 0230 on WRMI 5950, fair-poor, and 9395 very poor-JBA Also confirmed UT Monday Jan 21 from 0359:39 on Area 51 via WBCQ 5130.39, very poor. Also confirmed UT Monday Jan 21 at 0430 on WRMI 9955, good S9+10, fading to S7. Also confirmed Monday Jan 21 at 2330 on WRMI 9955, good, but by 2358 faded to JBA! WORLD OF RADIO 1966 contents: Andorra, Australia and non, Brasil, Canada, Chad non, Congo DR, Cuba, Denmark, India, Japan/Korea North non, Mongolia, New Zealand, Somalia, Turkey, USA, Zambia, Zanzibar, unidentifieds; publications; and the propagation outlook WOR 1966 ready for first airings UT Tue Jan 22: 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 to WNW [confirmed S9+20/30, deep fades] 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 to NE 0930 UT Wednesday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 1030 UT Wednesday WRMI 5950 to WNW 2200 UT Wednesday WRMI *9955 to SSE 2200 UT Wednesday WBCQ *7490v to WSW 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 to NE 0930 UT Friday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 0729 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany to WSW 1200 UT Saturday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND [alt weeks: not Jan 26] 1230 UT Saturday WRMI *9955 to SSE 1531 UT Saturday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany to WSW 2030vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM MO non-direxional 2200 UT Saturday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0400vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW 1130 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany to WSW 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 to NE 0230 UT Monday WRMI 5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW 0400vUT Monday WBCQ *5130v Area 51 to WSW 0430 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE 0930 UT Monday Unique 5045-LSB NSW ND 2330 UT Monday WRMI *9955 to SSE * also webcast; direct linx to these and many others at: Complete updated WOR sked, all affiliates, satellite, webcast, AM&FM: 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. Changes of Supreme Master TV via WRMI-5, 5950 Jan 11 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/changes-of-supreme-master-tv-via-wrmi.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.19-20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 0000-0100 5950 100 kW / 285 deg MEXI English new, instead of Oldies 0500-0600 5950 100 kW / 285 deg MEXI Supreme Master TV is cancelled 2000-2100 5950 100 kW / 285 deg MEXI English new, instead WRN - RFI ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:45 PM (via DXLD) instead *of* WRN-RFI 15770, Supreme Master TV via WRMI 1552-1610> OM & YL reciting long list of stations and systems that carry this service. Started with WRMI 15770, they listed services from Mongolia to a local cable access station on Long Island. Almost global coverage of this strange broadcast. And if we think this is weird, wait till the flat-earthers fire up the new 500 kW transmitter in Maine this spring. Excellent signal on 01/12 (Don Hosmer, West Branch MI, ICOM IC-7200, CommRadio Cr-1a and/or XHData D-808 w/G5RV dipoles & W6LVP loop, MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) 5850, WRMI with the last 5+ minutes of BSR Radiogram as usual, of late, and then a voice ID and into SW Radiogram #82 with the usual mix of digital text and photos including stories this week were in MFSK64 and about: China targets internet users seeking news (in English and Chinese); Astronomy from the far side of the moon with image, and several other images including an underwater restaurant in Europe and, A partial solar eclipse is seen through a silhouette of a bird sitting on tree branches in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China: [illustrated on the WOR iog] The painting of the week is "Winter Night Landscape" by Vanda Bleavins. and they also broadcast the Tecsun Radios International decoding competition. Tecsun audio ad and Ian McFarland ID between SWR and WOR. WOR #1964 started at BoH with the usual mix of radio news including items about a new frequency for Channel 292 in Germany, and details about Bancock [sic] Meteo Radio loggings, among many others. 4+54+4+4+ *0755-0900* 13/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7730, WRMI with Broad Spectrum Radio, repeat from November running again. Apparently, they turn this channel on earlier than 49 metres, but 41 metres doesn't make it to Michigan as well at this time of day, so ... At any rate, I was up, so I checked, and this was in progress when I tuned in. I switched to 5850 to decode the Radiogram, but this continued. 3+5443+ 0640-0655 13/Jan SDRplay +SDRuno +ANC-4 +randomwire (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395, WRMI at 2135 Bob Biermann's “Your Weekend Show” interviewing WRMI owner Jeff White about the past, present, and future of shortwave broadcasting – Fair with fading Jan 20 – A most interesting and insightful interview (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD) 5950 // much stronger VG 9395, Jan 21 at 0646, WRMI with VOA News starting always at odd times; first item goes right into an AP Radio report. There is certainly nothing wrong with AP, but shouldn`t VOA be able to call on its own worldwide correspondents? Evidently a step toward ``privatizing`` it. Also another VOA news airing was immediately followed by a spot commercial. 5950, Mon Jan 21 at 2018-2033+, WRMI is JBA, mostly- or all-music [so not SMTV this time?] 7780, Mon Jan 21 at 2034, checking whether WRMI is on the air today, as it was off the air last Tuesday when WOR should have aired. Yes, it is, with that generically titled ``Arabic Radio Program`` for Mondays 2030-2100 (and also on 5950---NOT!). Would some Arabic speakers please listen and tell us what it really is? Title, host, subject, contact info? Only other time on sked is UT Sunday 0230-0245 on 7780. So is it 15 or 30 minutes? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ: ** U S A. 9329.004, Jan 16 at 1524, TOMBS via WBCQ has been drifting steadily upward, and I have been chasing it since 1515, when it was first obviously even well below 9329 --- about 9328.74 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490.10v, UT Fri Jan 18 at 0117, Available Time Slot on WBCQ contains a playback of `Allan Weiner Worldwide` talking about the new Ampegon antenna. 5130.4v, UT Fri Jan 18 circa 0130, WBCQ is on with some talk program, altho nothing at all scheduled between UT Wed and UT Sat (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490v & 9330v, UT Sat Jan 19 at 0035, no signals from WBCQ; and 5130.48 is JBA; while 3265 remains inactive. Bodes ill for `Allan Weiner Worldwide` this week, so I bring up the webcast about 0057: music fill instead of previous program, ID at ToH and instead of AWWW, back to fill music, which continues the rest of hour on headphone background. Maybe realized not on air so skipped doing program --- or vice versa? John H Carver reports at 0104: ``Glenn. 7490 appears to be off the air. 5130 with some other program and 9330 with Brother Scare. Could Allan be in transit and they decided not to have a show at all?`` and at 0216: ``Glenn. Monitored all three frequencies for a bit over thirty minutes and no change. Brother Scare was blathering and 5130 talked of cars with onboard computers that could shut them down and tips for choosing one's personal drone. John`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB WINB: ** U S A. 13688, Jan 17 at 1442, tones beating against each other from WINB DRM transmitter as usual, but hardly any DRM noise on the plus side of 13690; strange. A week ago, Wolfgang Bueschel described this: ``14 x like CODAR strings visible on 13684.755, 13689.670, 13689.970, 13694.850 kHz and 6 kHz broad data block seen. 330 Hertz apart distance strings``. No spurs from RHC on 13 or 15 MHz this morning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9265, Jan 18 at 0030 UT Fri, I`m on computer so confess to listening online confirming Tim`s `Sounds of Your Life` music show, Unique Radio via WINB; checked SW 9265 at 0122 with something else at S9-S5. Better luck this week getting International Radio Report onto the other primetime Unique, UT Sun 0130 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also AUSTRALIA [non]! WINB henceforth demoted from special headers OTHERSW OTHERSE OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHER: ** U S A. 12050, Jan 17 at 2027, no signal from WEWN Spanish, so see CHAD [non]. 5970, WEWN Spanish night frequency also AWOL circa 0130 Jan 18, and always? WEWN English afternoons on 15610 still running at 2029, and 11520 at night. 12050, Jan 18 at 1534, WEWN Spanish is back on; other frequency 5970 continues AWOL the nights before and following (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3145, 3185, 3195, 3215, UT Sun Jan 20 at 0135, nothing from WWRB on any of its current or former 90mb frequencies; possibly already finished weekend broadcast, or not at all? Website schedules are totally outdated/imaginary. Even still shows a WORLD OF RADIO broadcast! which we pulled off WWRB in December 2014 due to its inability to air it reliably --- the only SW station we ever had to do this. From the detailed history of WOR goings and comings at our site http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 15555-USB, Jan 20 at 1507, JBA gospel huxter signifying that QRP ``broadcaster`` WJHR is operative aside much stronger 15550-AM Vatican (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 12160, WWCR Nashville TN; 1702, 1/13; Religinnouncer read list of MW stations (including KXEL & WWVA) plus WWCR, WINB & Radio “East” Africa on 15190; into Pastor Rice? SIO=3+53+ (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWCR-1 relay simultaneously Brother Stair & Day of Challenge, Jan.16 1300-1302 15825 WCR 100 kW / 046 deg WeEu English, fair/good signal: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/wwcr-1-relay-simultaneously-brother.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Lebanon, TN. 5085 kHz, Friday, January 18 at 0130 UT. WTWW. Transmitter # 2 was heard with "All Hits All The Time" oldies similar to that of WRMI. Reception was VP (very poor) and as we're reporting this, reception has now faded into oblivion! (JK & Josh, Near Atlanta, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1140, Jan 20 at 1429 UT, looking for Relevant Radio unID as heard Tue Jan 15 before 1400: dominant is KXRB Sioux Falls SD, ``Great Country, 100.1 and 1140 AM``. Not much from my nearest KRMP OKC until 1431 plug for a 405-AC church. I struggle to split the difference nulling both as much as possible, and at 1435 fades in from NE/SW another Christian conversation, but no Relevant heard. Altho not listed as REL, another station I need to check out is KCXL, Liberty MO (Kansas City market), U1 4000/6 watts. And guess what, their program schedule besides far-right extremist secular talkshows, includes at 6-8 am (CST = UT -6) Mon-Fri, ``Relevant Radio``! http://www.kcxl.com/shows.html Nothing shown before 8 am weekends, but after 8 on Sundays now it`s ``The Jesus Christ Show`. So my unID is now ID as KCXL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The network is IHR, Immaculate Heart Radio, which many stations use in the ToH ID's and is shown on Page 290 under the network name with "Religious Relevant Radio Programing" in the Specialty column. Most stations that are 100% (or nearly) IHR programing have the branding (slogan) shown in the individual station's slogan field... From page 290 39th Edition of the AM Radio Log `IHR Immaculate Heart Radio Religious Relevant Radio Programing` I am also inquiring to KCXL to see if I can confirm if the listed program from their website is IHR programing. 73 (Wayne Heinen, Editor AM Radio Log, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sorry I did not see the entry under I. Such are the drawbacks of a print-only reference, which cannot be searched (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 1470, Jan 20 at 1422 UT, Mexican music before and after ``La Nueva 14-70 AM`` ID, loops NNE/SSW. Prime suspect is KAIR Atchison KS, which per NRC AM Log had been off the air since October 2017, was classic country. Current searches lead only to its FM 93.7 http://www.kairfm.com/history-of-kair.html The AM is licensed as U3 1/1 kW, with tight direxional lobes toward SW (good for us) and NNE. https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/313975-22117.pdf deadline for KAIR to resume after silent-STA extension was Nov 1, 2018; no later correspondence in FCC file (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [later: 1470 SS more likely KWSL Sioux City IA : see next DXLD] ** U S A. 1500, KSTP, MN, Saint Paul – 1/15 2300 – inbooming with hourtop ID and mention of the “all new Score North”. Apparently I caught this ‘rebranding’ on day one. On the KSTP website they spell score as “Skor”, which makes me think of the candy bar. It looks like KSTP can still be oncounted for talk about the Norse Seafarers NFL team and the Auric Love Boat TV Show Purser college basketball team (Niel Wolfish, Toronto ON, WinRadio Excalibur G31DDC/, Wellbrook Loop, MARE Tipsheet Jan 18 via DXLD) ** U S A. Geesh, talk about an eclectic format. Just a few minutes ago at 12 Noon PST, 16 January 2019, KGA [1510] switched its format to Sports and Hip Hop. They are branding it as "103.5 The Game. Sports and Hip Hop." I wonder how well it will go over in Spokane. At least they seem to be keeping their KGA call sign. I think that Sports and Country Music would have been a better combination for the Spokane radio market if the intent was to combine sports and music (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. On January 3, 2019, the 116th Congress convened to start its work. You can make a positive first impression on the new Congress, including more than 100 newly elected Members. Take a moment to welcome your lawmakers to the 116th Congress. Your note will remind your Members of Congress to invest in public media funding this year. To send an email, fill out your information to the right and select ‘Email Your Lawmakers.’ All fields included on the form, including the mobile number, are required by congressional offices. For the mobile number field, please do not use dashes or hyphens. https://protectmypublicmedia.org/new-congress/?utm_source=advocate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new-congress (PMPM via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. There has been a pirate FMer for at least the past few days (since I first noticed it) in the greater Phoenix area. Operating on 87.9, there is an all-over-the-map mix of music with no announcer. Strongest signals N and W of downtown. 73 and Good Listening, - rb (Rick Barton, AZ, 0141 UT Jan 17, WOR iog via DXLD) ** U S A. A 93-year-old radio host from California, has been running a program on local radio stations for the past 75 years. Armenian Art Labo, or his real name, Arthur Egnoyan, conducts a program for relatives of prisoners. With the help of his show, relatives can send messages to their loved ones who are currently behind bars, reports the Associated Press. He was born in an Armenian family in Salt Lake City during the Great Depression. Sister sent him a radio when he was 8 years old. Later he moved to California, served in the navy during the Second World War. In the end, he became a radio host in San Francisco and took the pseudonym Art Labo after his boss advised him to take a more pronounced name. In 1956, the morning radio show was the number one program in Los Angeles. news.am http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__71944/ (via Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) WTFK? 93.5 FM, per a studio photo in the original article in Russian; but what station? Who cares? Then I search it out to KDAY-FM, L.A. There are a few others prisoners` shows around this country (gh, DXLD) ** VATICAN. Unscheduled broadcast of Vatican Radio, Ukrainian, Jan.19 0830-1030 on 9645 SMG 250 kW / 050 deg to EaEu Liturgy, very strong 0830-1030 on 11740 SMG 250 kW / 058 deg to EaEu Liturgy, fair to good https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/unscheduled-broadcast-of-vatican-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.18-19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. Pages history SPbRTS [sic]. Through the decades.pdf --------------------------------------- In Russian. Material about the business trip of the Soviet telecommunications to Vietnam. The main task assigned to the signalmen was to assist Vietnamese friends in building the largest radio center in the country and in the region as a whole. https://vk.com/doc506477879_474419204?hash=3288825741cce0dfaf&dl=29f3a95b3769662dcc Publication date: June 22-23, 2009 https://vk.com/club171176221 (Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, Zambia NBC, Radio 1, Lusaka, out of air, not heard in the early morning, afternoon and evening for more than a week (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Jan 17, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BTW - As Manuel Méndez has recently reported, Zambia on 5915 kHz has been silent for a while now, as it was 0240 to past 0500, on Jan 18 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. Hi Glenn - Was listening at the same time as you! Ron 6015, ZBC Radio, 0340-0410, on Jan 18. Tuned in to catch the usual format at this time of brief chanting/song, always followed by YL with distinctive mention of "Zanzibar"; into segment of various excited reports ("Outside Broadcast'), which I have always believed to be sports(?) related (this segment is heard daily after the 0340 format), during which heard several clear mentions of "Zanzibar"; 0358 theme music (African drums); time pips and into the news. Sample of my reception today at - http://bit.ly/2FEzuc5 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) After weeks without heard it on this frequency, today on air, but more weak than before. TANZANIA, 11735, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, Dole, 1740-1814, 17-01, Swahili, comments, 1800, time signals, ID "This news comes to you from Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation", English, news, 1810 more Swahili comment, songs. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TANZANIA: 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar; 1844, 2001, 1/17; No hint of a carrier despite reported back on. Reported by Manuel Mendez in Spain in Swahili 1740-1814 1/17 with English news 1800-1810. Maybe just lower power. They were usually pretty reliable till 2100v s/off (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time ----, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11735, Jan 17 at 1845, nothing audible from ZBC reactivated, as Manuel Méndez, Spain has reported a few minutes earlier including the sporadic Spice FM news in English at 1800. Nor can I detect it at 2045 before presumed 2100*v. Harold Frodge, Michigan had the same negative results today. DXLD archives show 11735 not reported since October or November. At least they no longer would have CCI from Brasil. 6015, Jan 18 at 0336, S9 YL talking, unseems Swahili like we hear now from Japan/Madagascar 9560; I even toyed with Romanian but no RRI here. Maybe Zanz dialect or something else, as ZBC is certainly here since 0254 per EiBi. Modulation break at 0339-0340, resumes with song and variety of OB voices (Outside Broadcast). LSB preferred to diminish 6020 ACI. Also on 6015 until 0345 is PBS Xinjiang, Urumqi in Kazakh but sun rose there 2+ hours ago (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn - Was listening at the same time as you! Ron --- 6015, ZBC Radio, 0340-0410, on Jan 18. Tuned in to catch the usual format at this time of brief chanting/song, always followed by YL with distinctive mention of "Zanzibar"; into segment of various excited reports ("Outside Broadcast'), which I have always believed to be sports(?) related (this segment is heard daily after the 0340 format), during which heard several clear mentions of "Zanzibar"; 0358 theme music (African drums); time pips and into the news. Sample of my reception today at - http://bit.ly/2FEzuc5 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific JBA MW carrier search, Jan 16 at 1330- 1340, barely preceding our LSR of 1342: 558-WSW-Fiji?, 693-NW, 702, 774-NW, 873-NW, 882, 972-NW, 1044-NW, 1413-NW, 1422-NW, 1557, 1566-NW (2), 1575-NW, 1602-NW. Those with no DF are either too weak/QRMed to tell, or maybe from both direxions. See also KOREA SOUTH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Dear Glenn, Hope you are having a great New Year. As far as DX is concerned, Idaho is at the edge of a bad DX area. However, one night on 1690, I did hear a classical station come in at S9 signal strength. Then it faded out in the morning back to a Texas religious broadcaster. What a positive listening experience this was! Do you have any ideas as to what this station may have been? Sincerely, Your fellow broadcaster and DXer, (Tom Roberts, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tom, Good to hear from you. Checking the NRC AM Log, there is no Texas station on 1690. Maybe a religious program originating there. Classical -- none with that format. I would be surprised if you are not getting one or both of the closest 1690s to you: KFSG Roseville (Sacramento))CA, ethnic ``Radio Bamdad`; and KDMT Arvada (Denver) CO, ``Money Talk``. The only other 1690s in N America are much further in GA, IL, MD, ON and QC. WMLB in Avondale Estates (Atlanta) GA was Voice of the Arts so that could be it, but as of August had been silent since May [March?] 2018. I`m not sure what its current status is but I think it has been sold. radio-locator.com now says it is off the air. You can read lots of reports about WMLB here: https://www.mail-archive.com/search?q=wmlb&l=irca%40hard-core-dx.com Only one of them from 2018 about signing off (Glenn to Tom, ibid.) Glenn, I have KSFG, Roseville and KDMT, Arvada. The classical music between midnight and 5 AM was coming right over the top of those tow stations. Fade in did not take place during a station ID which made impossible to log. Thanks for your information. I can always look to you for information on DXing that I may not have. Sincerely, (Tom, ibid.) I then delved further and forwarded the results to Tom, later summarized on WORLD OF RADIO 1966 (gh) A listener in Idaho has been hearing classical music overnight on 1690. Not his closest ones in CA or CO, and none known elsewhere in N America. GA might have done it, but has been off, still? Or format flip somewhere? (Glenn Hauser, WOR iog via DXLD) It’s a stretch but WMLB in suburban Atlanta (Avondale Estates) called itself “The Voice of the Arts” and played classical music. But it shut down its transmitter in May last year, although retained an internet streaming presence. Could it be back on the air? Stations have to relinquish their license after 365 consecutive days of dead air. Could this be temporarily back on air just to maintain ownership of the license? Still, Idaho is a long way from Georgia and a 10 kW day/1 kW night signal would have a hard time traversing that distance (John Figliozzi, FL, Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) According to the radio discussions group for Atlanta, WMLB 1690 has been heard testing in the past few weeks. https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?714594-WMLB-AM-1690-Testing (Wally Leisering, Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) Viz.: WMLB AM 1690 Testing 01-08-2019, 01:08 PM #1 1030khz 1030khz is offline WMLB AM 1690 woke up from the dead. I heard them testing between 1p and 4p yesterday (1/7/19) with music and announcements between music tracks announcing they were testing. They recently were granted an extension by the FCC to remain silent because they did not find a buyer for the facility since their sign off in March 2018. Perhaps dusting off the cobwebs to show a possible buyer? - Harry in Buford, GA 01-08-2019, 06:27 PM #2 Gregg. Gregg. is offline To avoid the FCC deleting a silent station, it has to go back on the air, at least temporarily, within a year. If it signed off in March 2018, this brief broadcast in January 2019, may just be to save the license. Perhaps it was a test drive for a future buyer, perhaps it was just to tell the FCC it was on the air. 01-08-2019, 09:58 PM #3 BarryATL BarryATL is offline I think they have to be on for a certain number of days to satisfy the FCC. If it was just a few hours, then it was probably for somebody kicking the tires. 01-09-2019, 11:59 PM #4 1030khz 1030khz is offline Driving by the Cheshire Bridge tower site where WMLB is multiplexed on to the shared tower, there was an unmodulated carrier on 1690 kHz. There was nothing heard while I was in the area (no announcements, no music). However, the signal quickly faded as I drove away. Overtaken by the stations on 1690 from Chicago and Toronto. So I presume WMLB was at their nighttime power of 1 kW. Harry in Buford, GA 01-10-2019, 11:58 AM #5 jabba17 jabba17 is offline Location The ATL, OTP 1 kW should carry farther than that... "When broadcasting over the radio, there are certain words we must omit. Like 'BEEP' and 'BUZZ' and 'GOBBLE-GOBBLE', by gosh we can't even say shhhhhaving cream!" 01-10-2019, 03:14 PM #6 DavidEduardo DavidEduardo is offline Location SoCal Groundwave at 1690 with the conductivity of the ATL area will cover a very limited area. http://www.americanradiohistory.com Broadcasting Magazine and Yearbooks, Billboard, Cash Box, R&R, Record World, Music & Media, Audio, Television/Radio Age, R&R, Duncan's American Radio, Popular Electronics, Studio Sound, Broadcast Engineering, db, and more. 01-11-2019, 05:59 PM #7 jabba17 jabba17 is offline Not up to Buford, sure, but I would expect more than a quick fade driving away from the tower. 01-12-2019, 12:06 AM #8 BarryATL BarryATL is offline It does. I live in the area and 1690 covers most of inside of 285 (except south) reasonably well when on night power (via DXLD) Tom, I think WMLB is more likely than any other explanation. It`s not that unusual for 10/1 kW stations to run 10 kW at night by accident (?), more so when they are ``testing``. 1 kW is certainly possible under good conditions. Altho none of the discussers mentioned they were playing classical music. Of course you could try contacting the station directly (Glenn to Tom, via DXLD) Dear Glenn, Yes, the expanded band licenses at 10 kW by day and 1 kW [night] would be hard to hear in Idaho with so many stations on the frequency. The farthest east I generally receive is stations from Texas on the expanded AM band. Thank you for your continued interest in this DX mystery. One might assume at these higher broadcast band frequencies, could there be some surprise skip occasionally? Of course, Europe over the ocean has picked up some of our stations on the expanded AM band. Maybe we just had a freak skip. Sincerely, (Tom Roberts, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It is not WMLB on 1690 kHz. It only has been heard testing locally in the Atlanta area for one day (7 January 2019) during the daytime. Probably showing a potential buyer the facility and coverage area. Musical selections varied but did not include classical. When I used to live on the west coast in Cupertino, CA, I remember hearing a Mexican university station that would play classical in the evenings in the expanded band. I think it was on 1690 kHz. Sorry I don’t recall the call sign or city either. So you may be hearing this in the western U.S. (Harry in Atlanta, Jan 21, WOR iog via DXLD) Back to square one. No, there is no known Mexican on 1690 (gh, ibid.) Glenn, You are correct in regards to Mexican stations on 1690. I have since jogged my memory and remembered that the university station I was listening to in the evenings while living in California was in fact XEUAC (“Radio Chapingo” from the city of the same name) when it was on 1610 kHz. BTW, that station has since gone silent on 1610 kHz back in September 2018, moved to 1130 kHz, and change call letters to XECHAP according to Wikipedia (Harry in Atlanta, ibid.) Dear Glenn, We used [to hear?] KXOL not reduce its power from Centerville, UT in the early days of the expanded band's creation. I've heard others not reduce power as well. What a delight it was to hear classical music instead of high pressure head banging and commercials. I guess we'll just have to leave it as a mystery for now. One of my many receivers is an ICOM 756 pro 3 utilizing a magnetic loop antenna along with my tuned Butternut. I do have a G5 RV horizontal which can be used as well. Nothing like the famous DXer Brother Howard has in California but I do the best I can with my Ham equipment (Tom Roberts, ID, DX Listening Digest) Location3: Ron uses no fancy antenna or high-end receiver, just a 100 -foot longwire on the beach and an Eton E1 portable (gh, DXLD) 1690 Atlanta is quite a distance from Idaho - being likely 2-hop to Idaho as well. At 0305 UT on 21 January (1905 PST local Sunday evening) in the southern Owens Valley of California (northern Mojave Desert) I am hearing soft Christian music with a children's theme and behind them looping east is Spanish - the latter from the CO station? About an 8 Hz SAH between them. [KDMT CO is not in Spanish, but 1650 is. There is no known 1690 in Spanish this side of ARGENTINA --- gh] I have heard the Roseville 1690 station frequently with a Russian language format (and various kinds of ethnic music/Russian talk -- the Sacramento, California area has quite a large Russian diaspora, I am aware). Is this Christian (in English) music on because it is Sunday evening local or a format change possibly(?). Now at 1916 PST/0316 UT they have a preacher talking about the Antichrist and Bill Gates, etc. Maybe them playing Christian classical (themed) music at the time when heard in Idaho? 73 (Steve McGreevy, CA, UT Jan 21, (rx. is a Sony ICF-SW7600GR and loopstick out in my yard outside the semi-Faraday shield house...), WOR iog via DXLD) If the dude who reported the classical music on 1690 has his frequency correct and he said "NOT CA nor CO," then the choice is three others only - maybe WMLK GA if 2-hop skip is good and they were testing with full daytime-power (10 kW) possibly, also. Skip at the top-end is always superior to the low-end generally (more "shortwave like" as we know). A mystery. We need monitors of 1690 WMLB GA to see what's going on. I don't DX much these particular frequencies seriously, unlike TP stuff --having heard a JBA 1611 kHz (Aus?) carrier frequently via the desert Bevs. last November. By the way, 1690 KFSG Roseville (or whatever calls they are now) seems of late to have a Christian format in many languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese -- the latter at about 2230 PT last night - Sunday local). They play all kinds of (Religious?) music also as noted yesterday. Generally strong here but the CO station mixes underneath with about a 5 to 6 Hz SAH but is usually weaker (and with a Spanish format) unless skip is long (by dawn). Hopefully this clear-up the 1630 or 1690 confusion and the "Mexican University" station queries (Steve McGreevy, - N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done real-time with traditional (non-SDR) receivers, WOR iog via DXLD) The thread then veers toward reminiscences of other Mexican cultural stations on X-band and SW; see MEXICO (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2263-USB, Jan 16 at 1348, JBA 2-way, unknown language. The 2-3 MHz band is a hugely underutilized resource since most maritime traffic has quit it, so any such signal is significant. My old Klingenfuss 2002 Guide did not show anything on this exact frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [and non]. 4959-USB, Jan 20 at 0707, weak intermittent 2 -way in unknown language; inadvisable vs AM carrier on 4960 which must be VOA São Tomé scheduled 0700-0730 daily in Hausa; but I am not hearing any such modulation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTFIED. utility, probably Turkish Defence Forces Radio, Jan.17 from 0925 on 5946 unknown kW / unknown to ???? Turkish USB, fair: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/unidentfied-utility-probably-turkish.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.16-17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5961.23, Jan 18 at 0710, JBA carrier. Worst local devices off so am fairly sure this is real, but nothing noticed here before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6990 KHz LSB --- Hi Glenn, I've heard these operators on 6990 KHz LSB and they have what sounds like vocal competitions to see who's the loudest. When you described them doing ahhh and EEEE sounds that sounded familiar. I heard them over the Christmas new year period but now they seem to be a bit quieter. Not sure if it's Japanese or maybe Indonesian. I believe it's Indonesian and pushing 30 over 9 to me in my evenings, I'll keep an ear out for them again, 73 (Tim Gaynor, NSW, Jan 20, WOR iog via DXLD) The times I have heard him around 06 UT with a good signal could not be from Indonesia (or Japan). I have only heard one guy so far. What you describe correlates with sounds in the 11.4-11.5 MHz range (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Some of us on the hfunderground chat boards have been logging and discussing a fellow that shows up on 6990 every so often and keys up with what sounds like chanting or some sort of meditative soliloquy. It's quite odd. Some of the words are plainly Japanese, but TDOA efforts had a New York state origination. Opinions are all over the place. I played a recording for former DoD linguist who thought Africa, and I personally think it's an autist with a bootleg radio setup. Others think it's a new type of numbers station (radio mcradioface, Jan 22, WOR iog via DXLD) Such as this with 17+ minute recording, the aaaaaahs not until 6+: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,49840.msg178654.html#msg178654 ``Chanting Pesky 6990 LSB 2148 UTC 5 Jan 2019 « on: January 06, 2019, 1534 UTC » Here's a recording of today's (5 Jan 2019) 2148 UTC transmission, from the beginning when he was whistling in the microphone: http://radiohobbyist.org/blog/mypics/6990LSB-2148Z-5JAN2019.mp3 Logged Chris Smolinski Westminster, MD`` (via gh, DXLD) Seem to be on 7000 kHz now (Tim Gaynor, NSW, 0645 Jan 22, WOR iog via DXLD) Others suggest it`s native-American chanting UNIDENTIFIED. EGYPT [sic] Mystery Egyptian Music Station Jan.18: 0900-0910 on 9400 unknown tx / unknown to ????, good signal https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/01/reception-of-mystery-egyptian-music_18.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News Jan.17-18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 12000, Jan 17 at 2025-2031+, S9-S5 of open carrier. Still on at 2110 but weaker. Nothing at all scheduled in EiBi or Aoki; and HFCC has only Vietnam, wooden? at 1100-1330 & 2200-2230. BUT, our prime suspect is CUBA where an RHC harmonic or unacknowledged fundamental shows up at other times. Also reminds me of the prolonged dead carrier on exactly 9000 heard a few days ago (and not now). Or 12000 could be an inband test/warmup frequency from some IBB site, none scheduled nearby. 12000, Jan 18 at 1533, S9-S6 mystery open carrier again; and again, and again, or maybe continuous --- 12000, Jan 19 at 1450, S9-S5 of dead air. 12000, Jan 19 at 2338, S3-S5 of dead air (no RHC on 6000) 12000, Jan 20 at 1537, S9+10/S8 open carrier for the fourth day in a row at various times. 12000, Jan 21 at 1558, no signal from open carrier as heard the past four days at various daytimes; nor on Jan 22 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1966: Thanks to Don Decaria, NF7R, for a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com Hi Glenn -- Thank you for the many years of enriching the lives of SWLs around the globe with your knowledge of our wonderful hobby -- PS You should sell RHC shirts with ``Something`s Always Wrong at RHC`` Ha! 73! (Ulis Fleming, Odenton MD, K3LU, with his QSL and other cards, and a check to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702) TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Thanks for your dedication to the listening hobby. Happy New Year! -- (Terry Colgan, Austin TX, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Glenn; I hope the new year will be good for you and yours. Best, (Bruce Miller Earle, with a generous PayPal contribution to woradio at yahoo.com) Here's what I consider is my yearly subscription fee. I haven't been listening as much lately, but I do read the i. o. group and hear the podcast from time to time. I hope this finds you well Glenn! (-Rodney Johnson, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ PACIFIC ASIAN LOG UPDATER Hello everyone: I recently completed the January 2019 edition of the Pacific Asian Log. This edition has many changes and updates for stations throughout Asia and the Pacific. The PAL has been posted on the Radioheritage website: http://www.radioheritage.net/ The link for the PDF version is at top center of the site's main page. You can also use an interactive version of the PAL by going through a couple of the site's internal links. The next update will be published in a couple of months. Corrections and updates from users are always welcome and can be sent to bportzer@comcast.net or portzerbt@gmail.com. First issued in 2001, The PAL lists medium wave and domestic shortwave broadcasting stations in southern and eastern Asia and the Pacific. it includes about 5000 stations in over 50 countries, with frequencies, call signs, locations, power, networks, schedules, languages, formats, networks and other information (Bruce Portzer, Jan 16, WOR iog via DXLD) AFRICA ON SW ----------------------- AER, Asociación Espanola de Radioescucha Onda Corta Redactor: Deogracias Lopez Ros B-18 shortwave schedules of African Stations http://aer.org.es/ (Rus-DX 20 Jan via DXLD) !!! Altho it contains some current info, also lists numerous inactive or deleted stations as if they exist (gh, DXLD) 2019 US-CANADIAN PATTERN REFERENCE IS AVAILABLE The 2019 US-Canadian Mediumwave Pattern Reference for all stations is now available. The download link is on the RADIO-TIMETRAVELLER site; The download is 52 MB. https://radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com Be sure to read the readme.txt file included in the zip. Lots of notes on usage and other things. INSTALLING The maps are HTML-based, so no regular install is necessary. Simply unzip the downloaded file and click on the individual map file to run. The map will open up in your web browser. They are self-contained, with image icons embedded right into the code. You must have an internet connection to view the maps. CHANGES FOR 2019 1. The previous 2016 map version became crippled due to Google's new precondition for all Google Map usage now requiring a user key. I have applied for and received the requested key. It allows a fixed amount of map-usage bandwidth. All maps should now display fully. Note: Google may throttle map-usage bandwidth based on excessive use. Whether this will happen is unknown at this time. 2. Skywave signal maps have been totally recoded for 2019. Many months of coding and testing were involved. Predicted signal levels are calculated in accordance with current ITU methods of recent years (1999 onward). The following new parametrics are now additionally considered in the skywave calculation: * Hourly transitional loss variance from sunset to sunrise. * Seasonal gain or loss, January - December. * Diurnal enhancement at the sunrise and sunset period. * Winter daytime skywave enhancement (only on maps created for times during the day). * Daily seasonal nighttime skywave enhancement. * Take off angle variances for stations at relatively close distances (experimental). 3. Colored plot (yellow) introduced for groundwave 0.1 mV/m level. 4. Small changes made to the map's title bar heading. 5. Unlimited, Daytime, and Critical Hours plots are at the 1.0 and 0.1 mV/m levels. Nighttime skywave this year is set at the 0.15 mV/m level. In all cases except for the nighttime graveyard stations, levels have been chosen to minimize pattern overlap and to more closely follow those which might be helpful to the mediumwave DXer. Included is a complete set of GoogleMap-based, HTML-driven maps which show the most current pattern plots of all licensed US and Canadian mediumwave broadcast stations from 530 to 1700 kHz. The set includes all frequencies for the indicated services: Unlimited, Daytime, Nighttime, and Critical Hours. Individual maps are grouped by channel frequency: 540, 550, 560, .. 1700 kHz, etc. Data for the plots in this offering is based on the current FCC and Industry Canada databases available at the time of its creation (January 16, 2019). Hope you enjoy! (Bill ``desertbilly``, SW Arizona, RADIO-TIMETRAVELLER https://radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com Jan 18, ABDX yg via DXLD) Thank You Bill, The NF8M site Maps were not pleasant :) My friends, These maps are wonderful. It really displays why you hear or not hear AM DX. Now if I could just get the Folder to work on my Google Bookmarks. Meanwhile, the Folder is on my Desktop and I can click then display the patterns of the frequency I am monitoring. Great tool. One of my favorites in the hobby. 73 (Art Jackson, KA5DWI/7 Near Prescott AZ, ABDX via DXLD) REVIEW OF LAST TRAIN TO HILVERSUM --- by Charlie Connelly Now a broadcaster in his own right and the author of a previous book on the shipping forecast, he proves to be an enthusiastic and entertaining guide to radio’s history, personalities and hallowed sites. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jan/19/last-train-to-hilversum-by-charlie-connelly-review-in-search-of-the-magic-of-radio (via Kim Elliott, WOR iog via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2019 WINTER SWL FEST SCHEDULE POSTED Details at http://www.swlfest.com (It’s tentative but at least we’re sure enough of things to put one out. Updates will be made as warranted. Hope to see YOU there!) (John Figliozzi, Jan 18, WOR iog via DXLD) 2019 EDXC CONFERENCE: ANDORRA January 3, 2019 --- The 2019 EDXC Conference will take place in Andorra, over the weekend of September 6th to 8th. We are still at the planning stages of organising accommodation, visits, talks and other travel arrangements. Full details will be given in due course, but please put the dates in your diary! We invite all EDXC members to the conference. As always, we extend a warm welcome to other DXers plus EDXC member organisations’ partners, significant others and any friends who may also wish to experience the fun of an EDXC conference and the opportunities to explore before, during and after the conference itself. Andorra is a small (468 sq km) and mountainous principality, nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. It will be exciting to hold an EDXC Conference in another new destination, especially a place where many of us may not have visited before. We would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all EDXC member organisations and individuals, to say a huge “thank you/merci/kiitos” to Kari and Jan-Mikael for their fantastic and successful work over the past six years in their roles as EDXC Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General. We (Chrissy and Christian) will try to match their shining examples of positive leadership as we take over the running of the EDXC for the next three years. Wishing you all good DXing and a happy and healthy 2019! Chrissy Brand, Secretary-General Christian Ghibaudo, Assistant Secretary-General https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/2019/01/03/2019-edxc-conference/ (via Rus-DX 20 Jan via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ WORLD RADIO DAY 2019 WEBSITE IS UP https://www.diamundialradio.org (Bennett Z Kobb, IEEE, Jan 19, WOR iog via DXLD) TIME PIPS CATALOG A revised and enhanced version of this document is now available at http://www.radiodxing.com/TimePipsCatalog20190119.xlsx The document is now in Excel spreadsheet format, as that permits the inclusion of links to audio clips, and graphics, and make updating easier. An explanation of the changes is contained in the "Intro" tab. (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, Blue Bell, PA, Jan 19, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) MIDNIGHT NATIONAL ANTHEMS Here are some stations which are their country's only one on the frequency. Reception of a midnight anthem would be nearly as good as an ID. 1630 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico 1640 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 1650 Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico 1670 Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Huixquilucan, Estado de Mexico, Mexico 1680 San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic 1700 Tecate, Baja California, Mexico I can vouch that the Mexicans on 1650 and 1670 air the XE anthem just before midnight per webstream monitoring (No luck hearing them yet, though). On a related note, is XEUT-1630 still running nonstop test tone after midnight? (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, nrc-am gg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See MEXICO ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also AUSTRALIA; BULGARIA; INDIA; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ UAE; UK; USA: WINB BES EXPO 2019: DRM receivers on display in BES Expo 2019 https://youtu.be/w5k0hl98vjs --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi Jan 18, dx_india yg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Parts of the U.S. Government are closed. However, because the information this site provides is necessary to protect life and property, it will be updated and maintained during the Federal Government shutdown. For critical weather information, please visit www.weather.gov. To learn more, see www.commerce.gov. :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2019 Jan 21 0128 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 - 20 January 2019 Solar activity was at very low levels under a spotless disk. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels on 14-15 Jan and normal levels on 16-20 Jan. A peak flux of 321 pfu was observed at 14/0005 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity was at predominately quiet levels with isolated unsettled intervals early on 15 Jan, late on 16 Jan, early on 17 Jan and late on 19 Jan. The isolated unsettled periods were due to influence from a weak, negative polarity CH HSS. During the period, solar wind parameters were generally at nominal levels. However, a slight enhancement was observed midday 17 Jan through early 18 Jan due to negative polarity CH HSS influence. During this time frame, total field peaked at 10 nT, the Bz component reached a maximum southward extent of -8 nT and wind speeds peaked at about 515 km/s. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 21 January-16 February 2019 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the outlook period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels on 21-25 Jan, 28 Jan-01 Feb and 07-16 Feb. Moderate to high levels are expected on 26-27 Jan and again on 02-06 Feb due to recurrent CH HSS influence. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 23-26 Jan, with G1 (Minor) storms conditions likely on 24 Jan, all due to influence from a recurrent, positive polarity CH HSS. Unsettled to active levels are again possible on 31 Jan-03 Feb due to influence from a recurrent, negative polarity CH HSS. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be at predominately quiet levels. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2019 Jan 21 0128 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2019-01-21 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2019 Jan 21 71 5 2 2019 Jan 22 71 5 2 2019 Jan 23 71 18 4 2019 Jan 24 71 25 5 2019 Jan 25 71 18 4 2019 Jan 26 71 10 3 2019 Jan 27 71 5 2 2019 Jan 28 71 5 2 2019 Jan 29 71 5 2 2019 Jan 30 71 5 2 2019 Jan 31 71 10 3 2019 Feb 01 71 15 4 2019 Feb 02 70 12 4 2019 Feb 03 70 8 3 2019 Feb 04 70 5 2 2019 Feb 05 69 5 2 2019 Feb 06 69 5 2 2019 Feb 07 69 5 2 2019 Feb 08 69 5 2 2019 Feb 09 69 5 2 2019 Feb 10 69 5 2 2019 Feb 11 69 5 2 2019 Feb 12 69 5 2 2019 Feb 13 69 5 2 2019 Feb 14 69 5 2 2019 Feb 15 69 5 2 2019 Feb 16 69 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1966, DXLD) ###