DX LISTENING DIGEST 19-13, March 25, 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 2019 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 1974 contents: Antarctica, Australia, Bangladesh, Brasil, Cuba, Eritrea non, France, Germany, Japan/Korea North non, Laos, Malaysia, Mali, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, South Africa, South Carolina, Spain, Turks & Caicos, UK, USA, Uzbekistan; HFCC schedules; and the propagation outlook WORLD OF RADIO 1975 contents: Angola, Antarctica, Australia, Bangladesh, Congo DR, Cuba, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea non, Indonesia, Kuwait, Laos, Mali, New Zealand, Oklahoma, Philippines non, Romania, Suriname, UK and non, USA and non, Zambia, Zanzibar, unidentified 12031; and the propagation outlook Larry Will wrote: ``On 3265 via WBCQ at 0223 UTC March 30. First airing?`` Must be; tnx, Larry! Ad-hoc, confirmed here at 0242 check on 3264.9, recognizable but JBA and vs increasing line noise level bothering here; it`s always something. The other shortwave broadcasts should be: 0729 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany 1000 UT Saturday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [alt weeks, April 13] 1130 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 1531 UT Saturday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM 2100 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 0030 UT Sunday WRMI 7730 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0315] 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 5950 7730 1030 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany [ex-1130] 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 0130 UT Monday WRMI 9395 0230 UT Monday WRMI 7780 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 0930 UT Monday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW 1800 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania [ex-1900] 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions] 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 1030 UT Wednesday WRMI 5950 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0000 UT Thursday WRMI 7730 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [it is unclear when 1976 will start airing, as 1975 has unavoidably begun 4 days late; stations please replay latest available edition if necessary] 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. WORLD OF RADIO and DX LISTENING DIGEST delays: ============================================= As you may have noticed, I have been producing these every week now for many years without a break. It`s been my pleasure and passion to do so. But I have been rather ill the past week, as some medical issues are catching up with me, cutting into the very long hours I needed to spend editing and typing at the desktop (in the long run, this may be a good thing...) I was already running about a week behind in completing a DXLD issue after it was used as content for a WOR edition, while ideally, as once was possible, it would be complete or almost complete by recording time. As of early UT April 3: DXLD 19-12 material as on WOR 1974 is still in raw unedited form, not ready for publication. I am finishing 19-13 first to avoid falling further behind; and planning on completing 19-12 later on the side when possible. I know stations and listeners depend on and expect a new edition every week but for the time being, I must ask people to stand by. Stations please just repeat 1974 until 1975 is notified or uploaded, etc. One thing I can still do is DX, as I was already DXing while on the bed most of the time! I will try to keep producing my log reports without too much delay. Thanks for your understanding --- (Glenn, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) NOTE: with some exceptions, this issue mainly covers material dated March 19-25, altho not published until April 3 ** ALASKA. Concordia transmission artist launches a high-frequency project ­ in Alaska Amanda Dawn Christie will use the world’s most capable high-power, high-frequency transmitter to send art around the world and into outer space https://www.concordia.ca/news/stories/2019/03/21/concordia-transmission-artist-launches-a-high-frequency-project-in-alaska.html (via Mike Terry, March 22, WOR iog via DXLD) Ghosts in the Air Glow: https://www.ghostsintheairglow.space/#home-section (-- Richard Langley, ibid.) The scheduling is confusing, regarding UT days vs local days. And all the frequencies are TBA, evidently chosen on short notice as typically with HAARP (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Personal message from Amanda: "yes, I’m aware of the date confusion, it was a real rush to get the site up; right now I’m at the radio science operations centre focusing on getting the SDR reception and live streaming sorted before the end of the day. That’s the priority right now. Then I’ll fix the dates and add the frequencies after this has been solved. possibly as late as Sunday." (-- Richard Langley, 1839 March 22, ibid.) ** ALBANIA [non]. 9395, March 21 at 0136, R. Tirana, English via WRMI, but no longer // on 5950 where some steel drum music is playing ``Love Is Blue``, then song in French, so World Music fill? I was expecting this, since on UT Monday, 5950 was no longer // 9395 either for WOR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA. RTA Algiers, coming Quargla shortwave site soon, to be erected by Ampegon Thurgi Switzerland / Schifferstadt Germany technician. towards southwesterly Sahel Mali, W African states > re Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash Subject: DX Listening Digest 19-11 March 11 ``ALGERIA. I believe the three masts referenced by Wolfgang Bueschel in DXLD 19-10 are for the LW transmitter at Ouargla (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., dxld) inactive on 198 kHz (WRTH 2019)`` Chuck is flawed in his assessment. RTA Quargla LW site has been erected some 22 years ago! Longwave installations have nothing to do with the RTA short wave center plans at Bechar and Quargla. 3 SW masts and the 49 to 19 mb curtain antennas erection is finished and ready at Bechar location now, but Google Earth images show not that progress in Quargla location yet. https://goo.gl/maps/c2Nj5m6DHst RTA Algiers, coming Quargla shortwave site soon, to be erected by Ampegon Thurgi Switzerland / Schifferstadt Germany technician. towards southwesterly Sahel Mali, WeAF states. Same construction of new sw center towards south-eastern SAHEL erected in past 2 years at Bechar location. RTA shortwave transmissions - Wooden requests - in HFCC.org season schedules appeared regularly in past 13 years since 2006 year. But never came real on air on SW 49 to 19 mb from Algerian soil, but released via TDF Issoudun France brokery INSTEAD. 73 wb (Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) Wolfie, Tnx for clarification. But it is OUARGLA, not QUARGLA, per WRTH; also in HFCC ORG not QRG. Unless there are two separate locations with almost same name (Glenn to wb via DXLD) Okay, also spell is different French Ar/Fr translation- here is the first ITU appearance of location entries ;10-JUN-2010: add: ORG Ourgla [sic], ALG 31N55 005E04 ;10-JUN-2010: add: BEC Bechar, ALG 31N34 002W21 vy73 wolfie (Bueschel, DXLD) Here it is correctly rendered: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouargla (gh, DXLD) ** ANGOLA [non-log]. 4949.74, R. Nacional de Angola, on March 25, clearly off the air (0237 & 0313); unusual for them to be silent (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** ANGUILLA. 6090, University Network; 0251-0301+, 3/19; Robustly Behootered Rev. Barbie appealing to her brethren & sisteren; 0254 “Get on the phone” break to 0300 Decidedly Deceased Dead Dr. Gene with a tale about a fellow of another faith chastising him for taking communion on TV. S20+ peaks with whistle & strong hum (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11775, Sunday March 24 at 1814, ``Clap Yo` Hands`` gospel tune, a welcome respite from PMS pontificating, but she`s back already at 1816 saying ``Good Morning`` to some congregation in California. Are they listening to The Caribbean Beacon? BTW, don`t expect MW 1610 to come back as it was operating in violation of low-power limitations (never mind there is no such restrixion in Canada) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, 1255-1408, 21-03, carrier detected here in Reinante, Lugo, via SDR Kiwi Pardinho, Sao Paulo, 15475.97, fair signal, Spanish, male and female with Argentinian accent talking about the daily life in Base Esperanza, "Estamos preparados para celebrar el aniversario de la base...", "Mandamos un saludo a todos los oyentes...", female: "Aqui en Base Esperanza, feliz aniversario para vos tambien..", music, ID “Seguimos con el programa Compartiendo Esperanza en la frecuencia de 15476 kHz, lra36@hotmail.com” Strong fading (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) JBA carrier definitely here as late as 1415 today, 15475.972 (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) viz.: 15475.972, March 21 at 1307, JBA carrier, 1312 fading, 1324 still, 1405-1414+ still. I have no doubt this is LRA36 on signature off-frequency, first reported as reactivated March 19 at 1320 by Rudolf Grimm, Brasil, i.e. earlier schedule than last known which was M-F 14-15. Soon confirmed on 15475.97 by Manuel Mendez using the São Paulo remote, and cutting off at 1406 or 1407 that day. It seems Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel usually comes back around this time of year, presumably as a new or returning crew is there to overwinter after a summer vacation. While the programming received here is rather unsatisfying (nil), it`s always fun to get at least a carrier, and as I also like to point out, the path from Base Esperanza to Enid is mostly overwater: across east Pacific and Gulf of Mexico, while further east in N America it`s mostly overland along the length of the Andes, bad for bounces, and further west, across the length of Mexico (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) March 19-22, negative from my side, nothing heard of LRA36 when traced on various SDR's in Brazil, Paraguay, Florida, Massachusetts, England, Belgium, nor Riviera Italy (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 22 via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Test broadcast of Voice of Armenia in 31mb, March 21 0600-0700 on 9910 ERV 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME, very good [what languages??] Summer A-19 changes of Trans World Radio India via CJSC Yerevan https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/test-broadcast-of-voice-of-armenia-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 19-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Monitoring: March 15th (Friday), hosted the Path to Truth program from 1640 UT on MW 864 kHz, and the Voice of Rescue program from 1846 UT, MW 1350 kHz. Both programs are in Russian. From March 31, the program "Wavescan" (one of the world's leading HH [??] programs in the world) will be heard from a transmitter in Armenia from 1600 UT at a frequency of 9490 kHz in English (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, RusDX 24 March via DXLD) ** ASIA [non]. RFA Broadcast Frequency Schedules Effective Mar 31, 2019 through Oct 26, 2019 Burmese 1230-1330 7530 13630 1330-1430 7530 Cantonese 1400-1500 FNP (frequency not promoted) Khmer 1230-1330 9700 Korean 1000-1100 1566 1500-1700 1188 5850 7540 1700-1900 1188 9990 11985 2100-2200 9540 11945 Lao 0000-0100 9940 Mandarin 0300-0400 11570 11895 11985 17690 0400-0500 11895 13750 17690 0500-0600 11895 17690 21690 0600-0700 11895 13790 17690 17810 1500-1600 9940 13810 15475 1600-1700 7370 11610 13570 13810 1700-1800 9355 9965 1800-1900 9355 9965 11745 1900-2000 1098 9355 9720 2000-2100 1098 6080 9355 9535 2100-2200 1098 7435 9685 2300-2400 9535 9720 15555 Tibetan 0100-0200 9370 9390 9510 11705 13765 0200-0300 9370 11705 11745 13765 FNP (frequency not promoted) 0600-0700 15720 17670 21690 FNP (frequency not promoted) 1000-1100 13800 15330 1100-1200 13835 15265 15470 17640 1200-1300 11540 13835 15470 17690 17720 1300-1400 11540 13835 15275 15470 17860 1500-1600 9355 12110 2200-2300 7505 9370 FNP (frequency not promoted) 2300-2400 5965 9555 9875 Uyghur 0100-0200 9350 9445 9780 11640 11790 1600-1700 9355 9480 11675 15700 (via Rich D`Angelo, NASWA iog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. PROPAGATION --- 1080 kHz, 6IX Perth WA. Rarely heard on the east coast as 1080 dominated by 2MO Gunnedah & then you have Hobart & Auckland to contend with. Heard on 23rd March 2019 at roughly 4 am AEDST [17 UT] Youtube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stUIljfdQy0? Jingle ID is at 1:35 into the clip "Forever Classic 6IX" - Cheers (Geoff Wolfe, Numeralla NSW, Australia, Icom R-8500 + 100m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3105 km = 1929 statute miles ** AUSTRALIA. Re: [WOR] Unique Radio LSB --- Hi Glenn, there should be no carrier. Kind regards (Tim Gaynor, Unique Radio, March 25, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) Unfortunately the transmitter is not capable of compatible AM /SSB, but that would be the ultimate mode in my opinion. April 1ST we're going USB to see if we can cover any outback areas with Codan transceivers and receivers only capable of USB. Best regards (Tim Gaynor, Unique Radio, Gunnedah NSW, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 5055, Radio 4KZ, from 0912+, on March 19, with pop songs (Bobby Goldboro with "Honey," Willie Nelson singing "On The Road Again," Carole King with "Sweet Seasons," etc.). BTW - Ozy Radio (4835), as of March 22, remains unheard by me (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) 5055, March 22 at 0950 weak music at S2-S4 from 4KZ; unfortunately awake now, I also check 5045 for Unique Radio during a scheduled airing of WORLD OF RADIO. All I can get there is a JJBBA carrier, but at least that implies mode is reduced carrier LSB rather than straight suppressed carrier LSB, a distinxion Tim has never explained. Now on Sat & Sun there will be plenty of chances to hear WOR on stronger stations (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5055, Radio 4KZ, on March 24 had a first for me here, to hear a non-musical segment; 0911-0932, with a comedy/drama presentation, with laughter once in a while; "Tune in the same time next week for . . . Australia's old time comedy station . . ." (Sunday only?); 1002, news/sports, with break for "health service" ad at 1005; weather; into variety of songs (Dave Dudley with "Cowboy Boots," etc.); later at *1015, covered by strong OTH radar (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. The Bangladesh government has blocked Al Jazeera's English news website hours after it published an article on 20 March detailing the alleged involvement of the country's most senior security and defence figure in the disappearance of three men as part of a business dispute involving his wife. The article, which focused on the role of Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's security adviser and head of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the country's military intelligence agency, was published on the afternoon of 20 March, Bangladesh time. By the evening, most readers in Bangladesh could not access the website. The piece was done by Al Jazeera's award-winning Investigation Unit. More here. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/bangladesh-blocks-access-al-jazeera-news-website-190322083809377.html (via AIB Media Industry Briefing via DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Starting March 15th, 2019 or eventually earlier, the broadcast in English at 1745-1900 and later in Bengali is already on 4750 replacing 13580. Confirmed on 15, 16, 17 & 18th of March the following around 1500 in Bengali (whether is relay of NHK?), 1530-1545 in English, followed by Bengali till 1710, next test tone till 1742 when the known from the 70s IS and program in English (anyone remember great concert in NY in the 70s to help Bangladesh & the song from George Harrison?) (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, 19 March 2019, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4750, Bangladesh Betar (now not carrying their Home Service as usual, but temporarily with only the External Service), at 1230, on March 22, noted in English till 1300 test tone; at 1309, test tone off and start of assume Nepali programming; as usual, mixing with CNR1. Thanks very much to info from Hans Johnson on Facebook WRTH. So are all the former External Service frequencies down? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) 4750 kHz exact fq, refurbished/repaired Thales/Ampegon TX unit at Dhaka-BGD, heard with test tones at 12.15-12.22 UT, when listened to Uwe's SDR unit in eastern Thailand location, today March 25. S=9+30dB signal strength, and accompanied by 7 (seven) tone string peaks either sideband symmetrically: +/- strange 150, 250, 350, 350, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz distance apart. WORLD OF RADIO 1975, 4750, Bangladesh Betar, on March 25, still carrying only the External Service, preempting the usual Home Service; 1216, with test tone, till IS at 1229; at 1230, assume started English, but with CNR1 QRM. Tuned in to check for the Monday only, SAARC news bulletin in English, but clearly that was preempted (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) 4750 kHz exact fq, refurbished/repaired Thales/Ampegon TX unit at Dhaka, heard with test tones at 1215-1222 UT, when listened to Uwe's SDR unit in eastern Thailand location, today March 25. S=9+30dB signal strength, and accompanied by 7 (seven) tone string peaks either sideband symmetrically: +/- strange 150, 250, 350, 350, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz distance apart [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) Hallo Wolfgang, der Bangladesh Betar Sender hat seit ca. 2 Wochen seine Mucken. Vor 5 Tagen ein breitbandiges Signal von fast 20 kHz, gleich optisch N-FM. Jetzt starker Brummton ... (Uwe Volk-THA, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25 via wb, dxldyg via DXLD) Yes, when tuned-in around 1908 UT heard heavy BUZZ tone again of Betar Shavar scheduled 0600-1715 UT. Various BUZZ strings visible on Perseus screen display, as 50, low level 100 suppressed, 153, 254, 356, 458, 1000, 1262, 1363, 1572, 1673, 1775, 1880, 2000, 3030 Hertz distance apart either sideband. Now at 1914 UT the international program - mentioned in WRTH 2019 as Bengali service 1915 till 2000 UT, on 13580 kHz shortwave in 22mb, but heard on 4750 kHz today March 25 instead. Time pips exact, last pip tone at 1915:00 UT start, ID by female announcer, flute/drums like AFG/Persia Dari service incentral Asia. S=9+30dB or -44dBm in eastern Thailand on Uwe's remote receiver installation. English scheduled ex13580 kHz, daily at 1715-1900 UT in WRTH 2019 international book section [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035, BBS, on March 22, at 1136, with pop (western) songs; cut off in mid-song at 1138*; then at *1140, the usual sudden start up of PBS Yunnan, with FM99 relay, already in progress (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Olá, Glenn! Venho informar que continuo firme como ouvinte de ondas curtas. Também como colaborador de programa que fala sobre o dexismo. Com a saída da Rádio Transmundial das ondas curtas, tenho colaborado somente com o programa Encontro DX, da Rádio Aparecida. O programa vai ao ar todos os sábados, às 2200, no Tempo Universal, pelas frequências da emissora paulista. Minhas participações têm sido bem atuais. Veja a minha última colaboração aqui: https://youtu.be/tsuvaslJOUA 73s! (Célio Romais, Porto Alegre, Brasil, March 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Célio, Ótimo e parabéns! (Guilherme Glenn, via DXLD) WTFK? It seems the WRTH 2019 has expunged all Aparecida frequencies, a bit prematurely. Had been V: 5035, 6135, 9630, 11855, and also via 9 de Julho on 9820v; some or all of them sporadic (gh, DXLD) 6134.86, 0405-0410 24.3, R Aparecida, Aparecida, SP, Portuguese ann, Brazilian songs, 25232 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) RSC Bolivia apparently inactive on almost same offset, or off earlier (gh, DXLD) ** BULGARIA [and non]. Ansonsten: http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-03-23.htm#KBC http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-03-23.htm#SSR http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-03-23.htm#SWRG http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2019-03-23.htm#TIAMS etc. (roger, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CAMEROUN [non]. LWF Sawtu Linjilia Voice of Gospel via MBR Issoudun, March 25 1830-1900 9800 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg WCAf Fulfulde Mon-Thu, very good 1830-1900 15315 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg WCAf Fulfulde Mon-Thu from Apr 1 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/lwf-sawtu-linjilia-voice-of-gospel-via_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANARY ISLANDS [non]. Coast FM Canary Islands --- Coast FM broadcasts 24/7 on FM to Tenerife and Gran Canaria and currently has a relay on 6230 kHz which putting an excellent signal into North East Kent at this time 1510 UT // to web stream at http://www.coastfmradio.com (John Hoad, UK, March 25, bdxc-news iog via DXLD) via IRELAND? ** CHINA [and non]. 11660 - THAILAND (tentative) - VOA, Udon Thani with armchair copy of M/W in Chinese, jamming deep in background at 1220 to past 1300 and continuing. Handoff scheduled to Tinang at 1300 but noted no such change so maybe these (11660/11900) are the jammers with VOA in background? Hangs in there until 1350 fade out. SINPO 54544 (// 11900) 11900 - PHILIPPINES (tentative) - VOA, Tinang // 11660 also with jamming suppressed. But also see 11660 above; off at 1300. SINPO 34433 (John Figliozzi, Monitoring this morning (3/20/19) from Sarasota, FL using a Lowe HF-150 / BoniWhip, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 7546, March 24 at 1438, a JBA carrier is here apparently as additional jamming to VOA Cantonese via Philippines at 13-15, hit directly by CNR1 jamming on 7545 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9455. 22/3/2019, 1946-1955, CNR1, xx-CHINA Jammer/Firedrake: música tradicional chinesa, sem intervalos. Recepção boa, 45444 (JRX_José Ronaldo Xavier, SWARL Callsign PR7036SWL, Receptor (es): ICOM IC-R6 & Tecsun S-2000, Cabedelo-PB, Brasil (UTC-3), WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 15425, China National Radio One at 0000. Woman in Chinese followed by man, then woman, Chinese language programming. Broadcast used as a jammer to interfere with Chinese language service of Voice of America (via the Philippines) at this hour. Monitored on ATS-909X, 9' vertical antenna - Solid S9 Plus Mar 20 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 4900, Voice of Strait, on March 20, at *0953, start of their audio; program already in progress. 4940, Voice of Strait, on March 20, at *0953, start of their IS; 0954, ID and into classical western music (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 7435, March 24 at 1440, popsongs in Asian language, then announcement in Russian, i.e. CRI as scheduled this hour only in Russian, 37 degrees from SZG site, i.e. toward DVR and onward USward, still the SSOB except for 7490 WWCR blaster (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, Brazzaville, 1730-1833*, 20-03, French, comments, African songs. 13321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, 6210.2, 1750-1801*, 19-03, Extremely weak, only carrier detected (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 6210.2, Radio Kahuzi, Bukaku, 1724-1747, on air, religious songs, vernacular comments, African songs. Weak, but clear. 14321. Habitual close at about 1800 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, March 24, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. 2859.812, March 21 at 1153, JBA carrier, suspected the known active second harmonic of 1430, Radio San Carlos, as IDed recently by Jay Novello, NC, but without a precise measurement. In *2017y* I reported: ``COSTA RICA. 2859.82, Jan 18 at 0049, JBA carrier on the signature off-frequency of R. San Carlos, Ciudad Quesada, 2 x 1430v as previously identified``. Now at 1155 I have no signal on 2940+, indicating that harmonic is considerably east from here even tho our sunrise is not until 1234; and a carrier on 2960 as if Mobile 1480 x 2 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6100, --?-- R Havana Cuba (presumed the one) at 0600 with strong open carrier and some audio hum. Same story on // 6060. English programming should be here at this hour, but only the AM carrier. I tuned out after 0630. Frequent recheck showed zilch, until 0700, with W in Spanish. I'm looking at a schedule that shows they are not supposed to be on the air now, and, on cue, they suddenly went off. "Something's always wrong....". Signal - Very Good Mar 18 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000), RS SW-2000629, with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) Shortwave schedule of Radio Progreso --- 0030-0400 4765 BEJ 050 non-dir to Cuba Caribbean Spanish, ?? or 0130-0500 UT instead ? Nothing on air on that channel at 0141 UT on March 22. Actual Bejucal 4765 kHz schedule time range isn't easy to check for central European listener, midst in our deep night here. 5040 kHz RHC Bauta English at 0520 UT English 05-06 UT this morning noted on remote SDR in Edmonton Alberta Canada at 0530 UT: 6060 kHz 10 degr azimuth signal aimed at New York eastern US was BEST well modulated strong signal, others also strong S=9+40dB level, but lower modulated and not so audio-well sounded on 5040 kHz, and all three a bit muffled: 6000, 6100, and 6165 kHz. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) 5040, March 20 at 0548, RHC English is now running in the 05-06 hour on this frequency; other // English: 6165 has resumed instead of 6160 yesterday, good S9+10/20; 6100 is splattering; 6060 not so strong with Qur`an audible under from Algeria via FRANCE at 04-06; by 0553, 6000 is S9 of dead air. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 5040, March 21 at 0547, RHC English with mid-week Mailbag, good; but just barely modulated on: 6100 S9+40, 6000 S9+10/20, 6165 poor S8/S9+10; while 6060 is sufficiently modulated but a bit muffled at S9+20 with the Algerian CCI. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 13728.288, March 21 at 1327, JBA spurcarrier from RHC 13700, matched on the low side by another on 13671.712, i.e. exactly plus and minus 28.288 kHz. Something`s always wrong at RHC; but less wrong than a bunch of loud FM spurs would have been, missing for some weeks now. 12000, March 22 at 0129, RHC English at S7-S8 on this second harmonic of 6000. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9720, RHC at 2320 with a man talking about the US still maintaining a policy that businesses and industries that were nationalized in Cuba in 1960 belong to the companies that previously owned them and there will be no negotiations of this – Fair to Good with fading Mar 23 – RHC is apparently scheduled in French at this hour. They can't even get their own schedules right! 15140, RHC at 1353 // 13700 (Fair) and 15230 (Very Good) in Spanish with a man and woman with talk about “Mexico” and “Cuba”- Very Good Mar 23 – Thanks, RHC, for continuing to show no respect for your fellow shortwave broadcasters and obliterating Radio Sultanate of Oman who have registered this frequency for years with the High Frequency Coordination Conference (HFCC) while you continue to refuse to register any of your frequencies! Just how many frequencies do you need to cover the western hemisphere, anyways? (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles (OCFD), ODXA iog via DXLD) 6165, March 24 at 0526, RHC English is S9-S8 but just barely modulated; 6100 S9/S9+10 and JBM; 6060 good mod S9+20 vs Algerian Qur`anRM via FRANCE; 6000 S8 and suptorted; 5040 rough modulation S9+10/20. Arnie Coro now in his other program as ``science editor``, `Breakthru` spoken at normal pace by more or less normal voice; suspected an old repeat recorded some time ago (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13756.582, Sunday March 24 at 1449, since all the QRDRM from WINB 13750-13760 is silent weekends, I seek out the second-order spur from RHC 13700, whose first order spurs are easily detected at plus and minus 28.288 kHz, thus x 2 would be 56.576 --- close enough, 6 Hz away! margin of error or may well fluxuate that much from day to day. I finish the measurement just in time before 13700 and its parasites all disappear at 1455*. The first-orders were also in but not remeasured today. If, as Ken Zichi alleges, DRM reception cannot tolerate the least bit of QRM, this tiny spur should be enough to ruin WINB when it`s on, even tho I could not detect it then (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 4765.02, 0330-0335 24.3, R Progreso, Bejucal, Spanish ann, Cuban pop songs, 35243 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) I am wondering if AP`s frequency readings are slightly askew to the plus side, as he also has Mali on 5995.02, Brasil on 6134.86, Eritrea on 7104.04, 7180.03 (gh, DXLD) When searched the Radio Progreso Bejucal 4765 kHz schedule, this morning traced here in southern Germany tonight TWICE at 0100 UT and 0322 UT tuned-in, Radio Progreso Bejucal transmitter was ON AIR. So seemingly now daily 0030-0400 UT scheduled regularly [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. 6060, March 25 at 0548, RHC S9+20 of dead air, clearly audiblizing Algeria in Arabic via FRANCE, slow SAH of 52/minute = .87 Hz. What of the other RHC English frequencies: 6100 is off; 6165 S9 of dead air or maybe JBM; 6000 S3 undermodulated; at 0553, 5040 is S9+10/20 of dead air too. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 13779.24, March 25 at 1341, RHC has knocked itself way off-frequency today as happens to this 13780 transmitter occasionally, S9/+10. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 6000, March 25 at 2311, RHC with extremely broken up modulation, like alternate syllables, for `Mesa Redonda` alternative program, which is loud and clear on its only // 11950. By 2330, 6000 has been turned off while 11950 continue. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 5990, March 25 at 2313, CRI relay is S9+10 but JBM. Something`s always wrong at RadioCuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4765.00, March 26 at 0217, Radio Progreso is almost on-frequency, no more than 2-3 Hz high compared to 5000 and 5025; contrary to someone`s report of it on 4765.06 which is about the spot for Tajikistan, which Cuba completely blox here, not even a het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. Radio OZ-Viola --- Fair reception on 5825 kHz today (23 March) using the U. Twente SDR receiver from just before 1300 UT with interval signal until 1505 sign-off. Weakish with occasional deep fades but listenable for the most part. Mostly jazz and blues music and even a Christmas carol (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** DENMARK. 5840, World Music Radio, Randers, 1700-1720, 24-03, Latin American songs, pop songs in English, ID “World Music Radio”. 15321. 15805, World Music Radio, Randers, 1104-1235, 24-03, pop songs in English, some Brazilian songs, ID "WMR, World Music Radio", ID in Portuguese, songs in Spanish, song “Bésame mucho”. 45434 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. MINISTRY OF EVIL: TONY ALAMO --- all four one-hour episodes have now run on Sundance TV, and available: https://www.sundancetv.com/shows/ministry-of-evil All four are scheduled to replay on the cable channel itself, Saturday March 23 at 15-19 UT (and maybe 3 hours later on western feed) (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 7140, Voice of the Broad Masses, Asmara, 1711-1720, 19-03, Vernacular comments. Ham interference. 22322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 7140.04, 0410-0415 24.3, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, P1, Tigrinya interview, 25232. 7180.03, 0415-0420 24.3, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, P2, Afar talk, 15131 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 6090, Amhara State Radio, March 25, with Anguilla off the air; Iran conveniently went off at 0257*, while Ethiopia had *0258, with their IS; very faint, even with Anguilla silent (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Reception of Radio Xoriyo Ogaden via MBR Nauen on March 23 1600-1630 11970 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg EaAf Somali Tue/Sat, very good 1600-1630 17630 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg EaAf Somali Tue/Sat, from April 6 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/reception-of-radio-xoriyo-ogaden-via_33.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY, Voice of Oromo Liberation via MBR Nauen on March 24 1700-1730 9610 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg to EaAf Afan Oromo Sun, very good 1700-1730 15420 NAU 100 kW / 144 deg to EaAf Afan Oromo Sun March 31 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/voice-of-oromo-liberation-via-mbr-nauen.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Slow Scan Radio #31 Am 22.03.2019 um 13:25 schrieb Shortwave Radiogram: > Slow Scan Radio transmits SSTV images and text modes Saturdays at 1300-1330 UT on 6070 kHz and 7440 kHz via Channel 292 in Germany -- according to the latest schedule information I have. The website is http://www.slowscanradio.com Reception reports to x@xdv.me Slow Scan Radio #31 with confusion potential, not just for FLDIGI. ;-) With no full RSID support, it's nearly impossible to properly decode everything in real time. Here is a graphical overview, a kind of storyboard, what happened: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mhmh4k4mn0ddgpy/2019-03-23_SSR31_ch292.png?dl=0 However, some other (music) program was running on the 7440 kHz. But I was too busy with the "data fight" on 6070 kHz (roger thayer, germany, WOR iog via DXLD) See also BULGARIA [and non] ** GERMANY [non]. DW-RADIO - Schedule A-19 - Subject to change Short Wave Frequencies - valid from March 31st to October 26th, 2019 Schedule of March 11th, 2019 Language Time/UT Freq Transmitter Target Area Valid fr - to Weekday AMHARIC 1600-1700 13770 DHABAYYA Ethiopia 310319-261019 daily AMHARIC 1600-1700 15275 ISSOUDUN Ethiopia 310319-261019 daily DARI 1330-1345 11725 DHABAYYA Afghanistan 310319-261019 daily DARI 1330-1345 13660 DHABAYYA Afghanistan 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 0630-0700 9830 SAO TOME Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 0630-0700 11800 ISSOUDUN Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 0630-0700 17800 MADAGASCAR Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1300-1400 9830 SAO TOME Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1300-1400 11980 SAO TOME Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1300-1400 17800 ASCENSION Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1800-1900 9830 SAO TOME Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1800-1900 11800 ISSOUDUN Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1800-1900 15200 ISSOUDUN Africa (we) 310319-261019 daily HAUSA 1325-1530 15195 ISSOUDUN Africa (we) 060419-180519 Sat (Football) HAUSA 1325-1530 17840 ASCENSION Africa (we) 060419-180519 Sat (Football) PASHTO 1345-1400 11725 DHABAYYA Afghanistan 310319-261019 daily PASHTO 1345-1400 13660 DHABAYYA Afghanistan 310319-261019 daily SWAHILI 1000-1100 15275 MADAGASCAR Africa (ea) 310319-261019 daily SWAHILI 1000-1100 17710 MADAGASCAR Africa (ea) 310319-261019 daily For further information please turn directly to: DEUTSCHE WELLE Customer Service 53110 Bonn Germany Tel.: +49.228.429-4000 Fax: +49.228.429-154000 Email: Internet: (DWL Bonn, via Michael Bethge-D, wwdxc March 22) (via BC-DX 24 March via DXLD) ** GREECE. Voice of Greece Orthodox Liturgy Annunciation on 9420 kHz on March 25 [sic = UT Monday, rather than Sunday morning] 0815&1010 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg WeEu Greek tx#3 & off air at 1033 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/voice-of-greece-orthodox-liturgy.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Summer A-19 schedule of Voice of Greece but only via tx#3 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/summer-19-schedule-of-voice-of-greece.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1800-0700 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek^ not daily & 0700-1800 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek^ very rarely ^4-5 minutes news bulletin Mon-Fri in Arabic/Serbian 0650-0700, Spanish 0805-0810, Russian 0905-0910, Romanian 1005-1010, Polish/Albanian 1050-1100, English 1200-1205, Greek between. Other frequencies of Voice of Greece in HFCC Database 0000-0700 on 9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 0000-0700 on 9915 AVL 100 kW / 105 deg to SoAs Greek 0300-0700 on 7430 AVL 100 kW / 182 deg to NoAf Greek 0300-0700 on 7450 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 0300-0700 on 7475 AVL 100 kW / 105 deg to SoAs Greek 0300-0700 on 11645 AVL 100 kW / 182 deg to NoAf Greek 1800-2300 on 7475 AVL 100 kW / 045 deg to EaAs Greek 1800-2400 on 9915 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 1900-0300 on 7430 AVL 100 kW / 105 deg to SoAs Greek ??????????? ?? Observer ? 1:22 PM (via DXLD) All inactive (gh) ** GUINEA. 9650, R. Guinea, Conakry; 2353z French, zouk rhythmic pop music, African highlife vocals, announcement by M French 2355z, African vocal rhythmic pop music with accordions. Very good signal. ID M in French 0000, ads with announcements 0002z. News headlines with mention of Mozambique (Steve Wiseblood, RGV TX, 3/20-21, WOR iog via DXLD) 9650 - GUINEA - Conakry on tonight well past usual random “hot” early s/offs and 0000 scheduled s/off. W. African vocals to 2359, M in French still going at 0022. SINPO 45233. Off suddenly at 0025 mid song (John Figliozzi, NY, UT March 21, ibid.) 9650even, R Guinea, Sonfonia played exciting W African music, French language talk by male, at 0725 March 25, S=9+10db or -62dBm proper signal from West Africa into southern Germany [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INDIA. 9950, March 22 at 0130, VP S2-S4 with ME or S Asian music. Listed as AIR in Nepali at 0130-0230, 500 kW, 35 degrees from Bengaluru. Weak 9955 WRMI is not a problem now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3325, Voice of Indonesia, via RRI Palangkaraya, on March 22, from 1329+. Better than normal reception; fairly readable, in English; frequent IDs (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) My brief audio attached. 3325: VOI - Indonesia peaking in-strength at 1357z (almost semi-armchair!) with soft music and a lady-announcer in English saying “thank you for listening”… “Voice of Indonesia English Language Program” … and ending that segment with lovely classical music until 1400z switch into unID S Asian (or Indonesian language) with (I think) news mentioning “Indonesia” frequently. Very fine s/n ratio on the Benmar 555A’s loopstick inside my radio-room *vastly compared* to the noisy (galvanic) end-fed short-wires on the R-1000 (20m wire) and the Drake SSR-1 (6m wire) that had town AC noise. I could put a partial loop-stick null on the VOI at about 280 deg. azimuth. Very fine s/n ratio on the Benmar 555A’s shielded DFing loopstick inside my radio-room *vastly compared* to the noisy (galvanic) end-fed short-wires on the R-1000 (20m wire) and the Drake SSR-1 (6m wire) that had town AC noise. I could put a partial loop-stick null on the VOI at about 280 deg. azimuth. By near-sunrise, the VOI 3325 peaks in-strength now stronger than 3320 KRE as has been the case for the past two weeks (all throughout March toward dawn I also hear a CW beacon about 3326 sending repeatedly: “W34D” putting a 1 KHz het on the NBC/VOI signals). (Steve McGreevy, March 25, N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com --, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) Hi Steve, Happy to find I was not the only one enjoying the nice reception of Voice of Indonesia, via RRI Palangkaraya (3325 kHz), today (March 25). Noted "Commentary" at 1310, about the importance of the upcoming "general election" (April 17). Heard "Today In History" (1314-1318), with three items - this date in 1957, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg sign the treaty in Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the Common Market; this date 1971, Pakistani military action "Operation Searchlight"; this date 1975, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was murdered; is not often that I can make out all the items given in "Today In History." With the importance of this election being held on April 17, will there be more SW activity from Indonesia? Currently I'm only hearing VOI and Pro 1 RRI Nabire (7289.92).(Ron Howard, California, ibid.) 7289.92, Pro 1 RRI Nabire, 0759-0908*, on March 24. Heard “Rayuan Pulau Kelapa” (Solace on Coconut Island, a.k.a. song of Coconut Island - SCI), the theme music intro to the news, which I have not heard in a long time; news; followed by long monologue; EZL music; 0905, start of reciting from the Qur'an, till suddenly cut off (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Radio Ranginkaman via ENC-DMS via Grigoriopol, March 22 1730-1800 on 7560 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Farsi, good signal 1730-1800 on 7580 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Farsi from March 31 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/radio-ranginkaman-via-enc-dms-via_23.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. Special event amateur call marks 100th Anniversary of first voice transmission across the Atlantic Southgate 22 March 2019 On Tuesday 19th of March 2019, the Marconi '100 Years Celebrations' in Ballybunion marked the 100th anniversary of the first voice radio transmission across the Atlantic. The first voice transmission across the Atlantic in an East to West direction took place between the former Marconi Radio Station in Ballybunion, County Kerry in Ireland and Louisbourg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in Canada. The historic event occurred on 19th March 1919 and used the call "YXQ". Marconi’s daughter Princess Elettra, her son Prince Marconi & his wife Princess Victoria were also present to mark the anniversary. More info... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2019/03/100th-anniversary-of-first-trans.html http://www.southgatearc.org/new (via Mike Terry, March 22, WOR iog via DXLD) SO what was it? EI-100-XYQ [sic] (gh, DXLD) ** JAPAN [and non]. 3945, March 21 at 1159, R. Nikkei 2 in Japanese and a second signal about 8 Hz apart making SAH with some modulation. Could it be Vanuatu? NO, per Aoki, if that were active, the hours would be 0700-1015. Instead now Echo of Unification, North Korea is also on 3945 at 12-14, overlapping RN2 at 10-14 M-F. 3945 is now much stronger than 3925, presumed RN1 on a 10 kW. But WRTH 2019 shows both as 10 kW, 3925 being Sapporo, while NK is 100 kW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KAZAKHSTAN. Kazakhstan renames capital; social media outraged ?If you thought that the UK is the only country suffering from national divisions, spare a thought for the citizens of Kazakhstan. In case you missed it, the day after the President for the last 30 years, Nursultan Nazabayev, stood down, Parliament passed a motion renaming Astana, the capital city, as Nur-Sultan. Social media across the world’s ninth largest country lit up as Kazakhs absorbed the news. According to BBC Monitoring, Facebook user Bakhytnur Otarbaeva, wrote on 21 March: "Good morning everyone. I am scared of reading the news. Is our country still called Kazakhstan?" BBC Monitoring provided a digest of comments from across the country, including: user "Lyazzat Atwood" who wrote: "It's horrible. I can't believe it." Another, "Aman Musagulov" wrote: "It is like a Borat film sequence." Will the country’s media be renamed as well? We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, our picture shows the Kazakh Media Centre in Astana. No, sorry, Nur-Sultan (AIB Media Industry Briefing via DXLD) Why not compromise with, say, Alma Ata? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH & SOUTH [and non]. KOREAN PENINSULA: KRE/KOR jamming and non-jamming transmitters observations below 6600 kHz [Edited Message Follows][Reason: finalfinal frequency correction] Monday 18 March 2019 report: This was the pre-dawn to sunrise period I did the most observations during (generally quite strong signals on all of this unless noted otherwise): 972: HLCA - KOR quite strong this morning (18 March) with big het on 970 and male chatting in Korean. 1566: HLAZ - KOR with amazingly strong signal peaks (18 March) with their Japanese religious programming, but deep QSB - this between 1310 until pattern change toward China about 1344z. 2850: KRE (KCBS) with its usual long-time dismal/droll music and oft-strident ranting in Korean. Generally not // 3320 (KPBS), but I did note a // to 3320 - one time for a 1/2 hour earlier in March (toward local-dawn at about 1430z) when they had too-distorted audio and their audio was cutting on and off. 3320: KRE (KPBS) usually not // 2850 and this transmitter has similar type programming to 2850 overall (hereby one gets a choice of the always interesting sounding KRE output!) 3910: female in Korean with buzz-jammer - the audio is // 4557 and 6600 also. 3925: JPN: the long-time Radio Nikkei-1 JPN is weaker than the 3930 jammer-mess just above it (the Korean jammers must be causing a lot of QRM in R. Nikkei’s primary coverage region!). 3930: KRE-jammer-mess probably jamming KOR 3945: Two stations mixing - likely R. Nikkei-2 JPN and someone else - (perhaps the “Echo of Unification” KRE indicated in 2018 WRTH). R. Nikkei-2 JPN is the weaker one underneath in JJ. About a 10 Hz SAH between them (Poor Radio Nikkei!) Additionally, I couldn’t find a // of the audio from KRE to any other frequency. 3985: KRE/KOR - man and woman speaking in Korean (KOR) under the (KRE) jamming. Not // any other audio heard. 4500 jammer mess (KRE jamming KOR again), a longtime thing. 4558: listed as 4557; I swear it is closer to 4558 but a very broad jammer - when the Korean audio from KOR surfaces above the jammer, it is // 3901 and 6600. 4885: Unjammed(!): (listed) “Echo of Hope” (KOR) with a lot of talk in much-calmer Korean (non-ranting). (This on 18 March 2019 at 1228) 6600: KRE jamming KOR programming of the (listed) “Voice of the People” - interestingly, over on this side of the Pacific, the “VoP” audio from KOR actually overcomes the KRE-jammer(s) and is quite clear often, their audio being // 3910 and 4558. Always strong between 1200z onwards to local sunrise (about 1430z now in mid-March). ————— Final (dawn-time report on Mon. 25 March 2019 - 1355 - 1415 UT): KOR/KRE and other Asians/Pacific Rim: 3320, KRE with the usual North Korean programming of dismal/morose-sounding music and singing (whether soft or their operatic type) - not // 2850 which also has morose-singing and ranting - both slightly audio-distorted compared to time ago. 4880: unID in what sounds like Korean, unjammed, misc. talk and quite strong at 1415z (nothing listed on the B18 HFCC list but I don’t have the A19 list here, yet). On 25 March, I noted a similar situation between KRE and KOR per the 18 March report above. Miscellany: The “motorboat” OTH-b radar on centered on 4630 and a few other freqs. this past month (and other near 4600 kHz but with gaps) *very definitely* nulls at 280/100 deg. azimuth on the Benmar 555A’s rotatable-loopstick - this at 1415z - 25 March. BUT, it is beginning to fade-out at this near-sunrise time UNLIKE the signals coming from the Pacific direction (KRE/KOR/Voice of Indonesia, etc.). Just as 5000 WWV is fading out, SO are the ~4600 kHz area motorboat buzzers at about ~50 Pulses-per-second (PRR) rate. I’d surmise it is to the east/north-east (i.e. in NA!) and NOT way out in the Pacific Ocean, also judging by the slow fading rate indicative of ONE-HOP max. QTH: Keeler, California - northern Mojave Desert RXs used: Benmar Navigator 555A and its DFing shielded loop-stick (always the best s/n ratio) / Kenwood R-1000 and 20m end-fed wire / Drake SSR-1 and 6m wire / Sony-ICF-SW7600GR and its whip / Realistic DX-200 and AN-200 loop for the MW receptions). That’s it for this time. 73 - (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- WOR iog via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Radio Kuwait in DRM mode in English at 1830 UT. Back after after a long absence. Signal strength improving slowly (Kevin Ryan, 1859 UT March 25, bdxc-news iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) 15540 ** LAOS. 6130, Lao National Radio, at 1200, checking on March 19 & 22, heard unique gong/bell that they ring slowly 7 times (7:00 PM their local time), followed by choral anthem. Was able to hear them faintly, but can confirm they still have the usual format; otherwise unusable. For many people, 1200 is the best time to confirm it is LNR. On Facebook (UNION OF ASIAN DXERS), a comment by Victor Goonetilleke about my LNR posting: "yes they were off when we checked Dec Jan and heard they were repairing. Great to have them back and for that matter any station back" (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) I just discovered that LNR Vientiane is back on SW 6130 kHz // 567 kHz, maybe active for a couple of days already. Strong signal! Best wishes, (Uwe Volk, Thailand, March 24, via wb, dxldyg via DXLD) 6129.987 kHz exact measured Lao National Radio, Vientiane, men talk in Laotian, S=9+35dB or -38dBm. Little QRM by cochannel PBS Xizang Lhasa Tibet in Tibetan language - latter on even 6130 kHz and 13 Hertz deep BUZZ tone heterodyne; at 1205 UT on March 25. \\ LNR Vientiane 567 kHz, S=9+20dB mediumwave mixture of two stations both equal strength level [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 6050, ELWA Radio, Monrovia, 0655-0707, 20-03, English, religious comments. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) ** MALI. Mali missing for the last three days. Best 73,s (Manuel Mendez, 1128 UT March 22, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) A good signal here in NB on 9635 kHz when started recording at about 1745 UT. Talk in seemingly a mixture of Bambara and Arabic with a few musical pieces. No English or French heard up until abrupt sign-off at 1859:29 just before RFI comes up on the frequency. Switched to recording 5995 kHz after this but nothing heard and no carrier detected using the U. Twente SDR receiver over the next hour or so (-- Richard Langley, 1910 UT March 24, WOR iog via DXLD) 9635, Radio Mali, Bamako, 1350-1501, 25-03, vernacular comments, female, mentioned "Bamako", "Mali", African songs, ID in French at 1444: "Radio Mali, FM, ... MHz." Weak. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) But CRI via Bamako is not on air today (Ivo Ivanov, 1521 UT March 25, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) 5995, Radio Mali, Bamako, 2035-2050, 25-03, African songs, ID "Radio Mali". Interference from Romania on 5990. 32432 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 5995.02, 2120-2130 25.3, R Mali, Bamako back, French talk about Mali, Afropop, 45444 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, my latest loggings from Skovlunde on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, wbradio yg via DXLD) Later: I measure very close to 5995.000; recalibrate? (gh) 5995, March 25 at 2313, something here between the two defective Cubans on 5990 & 6000 in S7-S9 talk, maybe French, R. Mali as reported today by others. You never know whether it will be on or off, on 5995 or 9635 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6185, Radio Educación, Ciudad de México, 0545-0630*, 21-03, songs in English, at 0601 anthem and identification: “Radio Educación en el Día Mundial del Síndrome de Down, Radio Educación, 1060 AM...”, Mexican songs. No RFI news today. 15321. Also 0553-0620*, 22-03, songs in Spanish, song “Ansiedad” by Nat King Cole at 0607 anthem, identification: “Seis emisoras, una sola vocación, 1060 AM, Ciudad de México, 107.9 FM Mérida, 104.3 FM, Hermosillo, 96.5 FM, Ciudad de Mexico, 95.3 FM, Morelia, y Cultura México, señal internacional en onda corta para todo el mundo, seis emisoras, un sólo espíritu, Radio Educación, Servicio Nacional de Comunicación Cultural, servir a más es servir mejor”, classic music, at 0609, Spanish, Radio France International news, “Esto es Radio France Internacional”. 25322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) RFI made gender transition? ** MEXICO. A fin de difundir y promover las acciones que el gobierno realiza en pro de la cultura y la preservación de la lengua maya en Yucatán, el Instituto para el Desarrollo de la Cultura Maya (Indemaya) firmó un convenio de colaboración con la radiodifusora XHYUC 92.9 Yucatán FM, del Instituto Mexicano de la Radio (IMER). Asimismo, se promueve y fortalece los derechos del sector, para que pueda elegir lo que le permitirá mejorar sus condiciones de vida, de acuerdo con su cultura y expectativas, añadió. El Indemaya se encargará de proponer a quienes conducirán el programa y de elaborar el contenido, respetando los lineamientos y estándares de calidad establecidos por la radiodifusora. Durante el encuentro, el director de la dependencia, Eric Villanueva Mukul, y la gerente del medio, Alejandra Patrón Loret de Mola, signaron el acuerdo cuyo objetivo es realizar la producción y transmisión del programa Xik’naal T’aano’ob (Palabras que Vuelan), que se emitirá cada jueves de 10:00 a 10:30 horas, en formato grabado. El documento firmado tendrá vigencia hasta el 31 de diciembre del año en curso, con esta iniciativa. Con esto, los yucatecos conocerán lo que hace la administración estatal, a través de los diversos programas y acciones que ejecuta o coordina el Instituto, en beneficio de la población maya de Yucatán. Asimismo, se promueve y fortalece los derechos del sector, para que pueda elegir lo que le permitirá mejorar sus condiciones de vida, de acuerdo con su cultura y expectativas, añadió. El Indemaya se encargará de proponer a quienes conducirán el programa y de elaborar el contenido, respetando los lineamientos y estándares de calidad establecidos por la radiodifusora (La Verdad) Más de México: Etnias y familias de los pueblos originarios de Sonora y otras entidades del país, se concentraron en las instalaciones del Instituto Nacional Para los Pueblos Indígenas (INPI) para celebrar el aniversario número 23 de la radiodifusora indigenista XEETCH, la Voz de los Tres Ríos. Fue en los patios de la radiodifusora donde se dieron cita las autoridades de los tres niveles de gobierno, entre ellos la subdirectora Nacional del INPI; José Antonio Cruz Casas, titular de la Cedis; la diputada federal, Hildeliza Gonzales Morales, y los alcaldes del sur de Sonora. Más de 20 mil personas se concentraron en esta fiesta a la que asistieron los representantes Mayos de Sonora y Sinaloa, Guarijios, Yaquis y Seris, y como invitados especiales los Rarámuris de Chihuahua, además otros grupos de Nayarit y Baja California. Miles de asistentes pudieron disfrutar de esa fiesta pluricultural donde se muestran y exhiben la música popular de los grupos de las etnias asistentes, además de las danzas que muestran la cultura de sus pueblos originales y que se siguen fomentando para las nuevas generaciones. La radiodifusora indigenista la dirige Rita Amarillas Anguamea, y desde las oficinas promueve la cultura de su pueblo, realizando un trabajo que se muestra en el evento que aglutinó a muchas personas que se contagian por de los usos y costumbres de las etnias. En el evento se exhibieron artesanías, gastronomía, medicina tradicional, música y danzas del pascola y venado, matachín, así como una gran concentración de imágenes de los santos patrones de los pueblos de la región, encabezados por la Santísima Trinidad y el Espíritu Santo. Las autoridades presentes observaron la gran riqueza cultural que se concentra en las afueras de la radiodifusora en esta fecha especial en que miles de familias, niños y jóvenes participan admirando las danzas y comprando un presente para llevar a casa (Tribuna) (via Conexion Digital 24 Mar via DXLD) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this fortnight Mar 12-25 incl. DTV/TDT Radio Boomtowns: Chilpancingo 88.7. 92.5. 98.1. 107.9. At some point, 101.9. And, apparently, at least one other frequency. No city in Mexico has a backlog of unbuilt radio stations quite like Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero. A History Radio came to Chilpancingo relatively late, with the establishment of XELI 1580 "Voz del Sur". That station, owned by Hermilo Castorena Noriega, began broadcasting May 26, 1961. It would not be alone on the regional dial for long. On December 12 of the same year, transmissions began for a second station in Tixtla de Guerrero, Andrés Peyrón González-owned XEPI 1250 "La Voz de Guerrero desde Tixtla". XEPI would become noteworthy after Peyrón's death for the role his widow, Cristina, took in running the station. However, XEPI identified strongly as a Tixtla-based station for decades. By the early 80s, the Chilpancingo area still had only those two stations. Two events took place in this decade that would have significant impacts on the regional dial. May 4, 1982, brought the launch of what is today the oldest pirate station in Mexico. Then known as Radio Universidad-Pueblo and today as Radio Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero (complete with FM pirate on 90.7!), XEUAG was the first noncommercial station in the entire state. The university had desired a station for the years but faced obvious and heavy-handed political interference. Even after getting on the air, of course, it would be harassed for years by the SEP and unidentified jammers. The very next year would bring another station to town: XEGRO 870 "Radio Guerrero", the seed of what is today Radio y Televisión de Guerrero. RTG still is an AM-heavy broadcaster, having opted not to migrate any of its stations and only running two FMs (XHGRC Acapulco and XHZTA Zihuatanejo). The nineties were the decade of bigger changes for Chilpancingo radio. On April 26, 1991, XECHG-AM 680 was approved, and XECHH-AM 650 and XEZUM-AM 1050 followed in 1993. XECHG, XECHH and XELI would become AM-FM combos in 1994. (XHCHG-FM started on 97.9 and later relocated to 107.1; it's now a pending A90 clear.) In five years, Chilpancingo went from having no FMs and three legal radio stations to three FMs and six legal radio stations. In 2006, Cristina Peyrón died, setting the stage for XEPI to leave Tixtla for Chilpancingo. In 2008, the station did just that, relocating to 990 kHz with a substantial power boost and a new tower site that would also be used for FM migration. The station was also sold to the Amilpas García family. (Cenobio Alfonso Amilpas Godínez was one of the investors in Tecnoradio before he and Carlos Lara Sumano exited the company.) It's now XHEPI-FM 99.7, an Audiorama station operated in tandem with XHCHG. Chilpancingo may have six legal radio stations now, but within a few years, that number will be either 11 or 12. The IFT-4 Stations: XHPCHI and XHPCPG IFT-4 brought two Class B1 assignments to the city in the form of Centrado Corporativo's XHPCHI-FM 92.5 and XHPCPG-FM 98.1, the only Grupo Imagen victory in the auction. It's unfortunate to say, but neither station is on air yet. In the case of Centrado, not a single IFT-4 station from the old Acustik folks has taken root, including the FMs owned by Centrado Corporativo. XHPCPG has approved technical parameters but is yet to show up. XHPECP, Fórmula's Wolf Impulso a la Música Mexicana came out the winner of the Chilpancingo permit forest last year and received the city's first social station, XHPECP-FM 88.7, for its trouble. None of the Radio Fórmula social wolf stations (from IMM or Música de mis Recuerdos) have hit the air yet. XHSCAS, On the Move Chilpancingo's forthcoming community station is an operating ex-pirate with years of experience and one federal raid under its belt. Digital con Sentido Social 106.3, A.C., was awarded XHSCAS-FM 107.9 last year. The station, known for its Notisur newscast, was raided by the PGR in 2016. And In the Pipeline... From the 2018 PABF, the FM application from Voz de Transformación, A.C., was approved on February 20. It likely includes Chilpancingo, along with Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Lázaro Cárdenas Mich., La Paz BCS and San Felipe BC. (Hunch: PSR wolfpack.) Also in the pipeline is an application from an older PABF: Jorge Erik Reyes Montes de Oca (Voz de Chilpancingo), the last applicant left for the 101.9 frequency (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, March 12, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Radio Tamaulipas No Se Escucha A sad and sorry excuse for a state radio network How We Got Here On October 23, 1983, XHVIC-FM 107.9 began transmitting to Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, and one of Mexico’s first state radio networks was born. Radio Tamaulipas was, in its heyday, the model for other states to follow. Good programming, great statewide coverage on high-power transmitters, a healthy amount of repeaters. When XHVIC came to air, it marked the return of FM radio to the Tamaulipas state capital after the failure of XERCM, and it was the only FM radio station for the city for another decade. It would not be until 1994 that XHVIR-FM was approved. In 1991, the state began building a robust network of repeaters, and with high power assignments close to the US, the network immediately and frequently showed up in DX logs. High-power flamethrowers like XHLDO 88.9 in Nuevo Laredo, XHMTO serving Matamoros (then on 103.1 MHz, moving to 92.3 in 1998), and XHTPI 90.9 in Tampico began to make their rounds in the pages of the VUD. However, it’s been a long time since Radio Tamaulipas showed up for any DXer. Fred Nordquist bagged one of the 90.9 stations (Tampico or Villagrán) in 2006, and that kind of seems to be it. Radio Tamaulipas has kept operating, but only reliably for listeners in the capital city. The result is frequencies that are quite empty across the state, permits and concessions that the state seems to have little desire to actually put to use. In 2011, Martín Jaime López García wrote a dissertation about radio in Ciudad Victoria for his doctorate in communications from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Spain). What’s odd about this document is that many of the frequencies and callsigns are incorrect. But if his work is any indication, we get a sense of what’s gone so wrong. Here is the summary that he gives of the condition of the network at the time. ``In Tampico, pretty much all of the transmitting equipment was stolen, and the station has been off the air for six years. The repeater at Matamoros met the same fate and has been off the air for seven years. At Villagrán, there’s no satellite pickup, so the transmitter receives Ciudad Victoria off air. When the Ciudad Victoria transmitter in the Sierra Madre Oriental is affected by high winds or thunderstorms, it goes off the air and takes Villagrán with it. San Fernando [note: the one truly lost permit in the network] has been back on the air for six months after five years off the air because it became difficult to find parts to repair the transmitter, but the station transmits at low power and can only be heard in the town of San Fernando itself. With the exceptions of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Mante, which operate at acceptable levels of service, the remainder of the frequencies of Radio Tamaulipas have serious deficiencies in their transmissions, requiring the replacement of equipment that has reached the end of its useful life.`` Some of this information appears to be correct. The Coverage Viewer does tell us that 30 kW Class C XHVIC-FM is atop a mountain. However, not all of this appears to be accurate. We’ve talked at length about why XHTPI is out of service. The proximate cause is, apparently, that a pickup dish fell off an auxiliary tower. The long-term cause is that the old Tampico civil hospital is a crumbling urbex site requiring either long-delayed restoration or total demolition. And even the transmitters identified by López García in 2011 as operating have faced problems. A 2015 letter to the state office of the National Electoral Institute from Radio Tamaulipas says that XHMAE-FM, 94.9 in Ciudad Mante, went off the air August 25, 2015, due to technical problems at the transmitter compounded by the difficulty of seeking replacement parts. https://portalanterior.ine.mx/archivos3/portal/historico/recursos/IFE-v2/DEPPP/DEPPP-ComiteRadioTelevision/DEPPP-ComiteRadioTV-Sesiones/2015/ORD_22octubre/2i_XHMAE-FM_Fuera_del_aire.pdf In 2016, while noting that only Radio UAT and Radio Tamaulipas had coverage of a gubernatorial debate, El Mañana complained that the two stations broadcast at low power and had poor signals. http://elmanana.com.mx/noticia/99854/Primer-debate-a--la-gubernaturaElecciones-Tamaulipas-2016.html For XHNLR-FM 104.9, whose permit expired on a late renewal, that’s understandable. It broadcast with 17 watts. But for XHLDO, which nominally has 15 kW ERP, that’s not. And more recently, it appears XHLDO went silent sometime during the second quarter of 2018. Why It Matters To say that Radio Tamaulipas’s absence is significant would be an understatement. The Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas has radio stations, too. But outside of Ciudad Victoria, they are Class D stations on expired permits. In 2018, the UAT filed for a new FM radio station at Tampico, but that still leaves listeners high and dry in Mante, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros. If the UAT and Radio Tamaulipas both go silent, none of those cities will have Mexican public radio. Given the imminent demise of Rio Grande Public Radio serving Harlingen and McAllen, public radio could well be completely missing on both sides of the river in the upper and lower valley. Special consideration must be given to Ciudad Mante, which has a suffocating commercial monopoly. Take away the UAT and state networks and the Mante radio dial becomes 100 percent controlled by Organización Radiofónica Tamaulipeca. Additionally, the stations in Soto la Marina and Tula provide critical local service. Soto la Marina has no other radio stations (though IFT-8 may change that). Tula, which is cut off from the rest of the state and is the only area entirely dependent on AM (on paper) for reception, has no FM radio service — making it one of the dozens of localities with a population over 10,000 to lack it according to a 2018 IFT study. Esteros is outside of the Tampico area and should be able to receive Tampico FMs. Villagrán is home to the XHLRS-FM transmitter site. San Fernando, which is the one place the state network has totally abandoned down to the legal level, is now one of the five largest communities to lack FM radio service as the result of the expiration of the concession of commercial XHSFT-FM 103.7. Where From Here? In 2018, according to its own website, the Sistema Estatal Radio Tamaulipas was allotted a budget of 9.7 million pesos. Two-thirds of that went to “personal services”, i.e. payroll. That budget was an 11.8 percent increase over 2017. In August 2017, Radio Tamaulipas was split off from the press and public relations division of the state government, as part of reforms to meet new IFT requirements of public radio stations. The 2019 state budget, which was published in late December, gave the agency 21.5 million pesos. This was the exact figure that Governor Francisco Javier García Cabeza de Vaca specified in his budget request to the state legislature. Even considering that the value of the peso in US dollars has diminished, this is quite the increase, far outpacing the modest bump in the total state budget. Hopefully some of this more than doubling of the budget will go to much-needed network improvements. That said, any improvement of the state network may still leave out one transmitter: XHMTO-FM is not listed on the Radio Tamaulipas site with all the other transmitters. A more worrying problem is that Radio Tamaulipas, since the 2017 reorganization, has not had a defined leadership. In its annual audit, the state Superior Auditor found that, despite well over 30 days passing since the split, no governing board had been installed. The leader of Radio Tamaulipas according to documents, Juan Carlos Ayala, was in the post prior to the reorganization, beginning the job on October 15, 2016. I have contacted him and await a reply. Giving Radio Tamaulipas the love it needs will likely necessitate the overhaul of the equipment at all the transmitter sites. The Tampico station must be relocated. (And while we’re at it, get rid of XEERO and XEVIC which don't provide significant additional coverage or listeners.) For Tula, find room for an FM. Try and get back into San Fernando. It’s hard, but not that hard. In Related News... Public broadcasting stations have clauses in their concessions that require them to meet guidelines set forth in the LFTR to ensure that they remain public. Clause 11 or 12 (varying based on the concession) requires public broadcasters to ensure the following principles: editorial independence, financial autonomy, citizen participation, clear transparency rules, defense of programming, financing options, full technological access, and rules for the expression of ideological, ethnic and cultural diversity. The Tamaulipas state network’s compliance with these Article 86 rules came up at the January 23, 2019 IFT Pleno meeting. While the commission voted 6-1 to certify Radio Tamaulipas as compliant, Commissioner María Elena Estavillo Flores voted no, saying that the state network had not complied with those conditions and that “here I don’t think they’re understanding correctly the role and mission of public media”. http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/conocenos/pleno/sesiones/ordinaria/i-ordinaria-del-pleno-23-de-enero-de-2019/verpubestiord230119_1.pdf In identifying specific issues the state network has, she noted the following: -The state network is not assigned to a secretariat of the state government and is placed directly under the Governor. -It appears that the creation of Radio Tamaulipas served as an immediate substitute for the Governor’s Office of Social Communication. -The mission statement of Radio Tamaulipas, according to its website, defines the mission as “broadcasting information, cultural material, entertainment programming,” and most worrisome of all, “promoting the values and activities of the state government in an efficacious and efficient manner”. Public media outlets should not serve as outlets to promote the actions of the state government. A Final Note At the end of January, I filed a transparency request with the Sistema Estatal Radio Tamaulipas, which evidently has either not seen a request at least since May 2016 or does not answer them at all. I sent a second email yesterday through the website contact form and have yet to receive an answer. My request has gone unanswered longer than the 30-day statutory deadline to reply—a deadline that has never been an issue in all of my IFT requests. While I awaited this period, I was alerted to the existence of a new religious pirate radio station in Tampico. This station was being started up by Pan de Vida Ministerios. Sure, it was snoozeworthy in most ways. But it was Vida FM 90.9. Knowing XHTPI-FM had been out of commission for quite a few years, I asked directly what was going on. And I happened to be the first person to inform Natán de los Reyes, who is the head of the ministry and the new radio station, that 90.9, which someone had suggested to him because it was empty, was not exactly empty. He had no idea that Radio Tamaulipas had the frequency. That, in my opinion, wasn’t a strike against him, but instead against this state government that cannot keep stations on the air. I suggested to him that he find a community radio association and file for a new station the right way, and told him that if he really wanted to get on the air, 106.3, 107.1 and 107.9 were just cleared and in the reserved band… But what’s sad is that nobody might ever have noticed. The signal tests that Vida FM had done on 90.9 probably were the first broadcasts on that frequency in Tampico in years. Nobody has held Radio Tamaulipas to account for its failure to maintain its network. Nobody has cared. Radio Tamaulipas may be a flawed venture, but the failure of the state government to operate the concessions that it has and maintain a taxpayer-funded investment in cultural and public broadcasting, across multiple administrations (in the case of Tampico, spanning the terms of Governors Eugenio Hernández Flores, Egidio Torre Cantú, and now Francisco Javier García Cabeza de Vaca), is sad. (Raymie, March 12, ibid.) First on the Mexico Beat: Not Just Nothing The IFT put up two more concessions and with them callsigns and frequencies for recent station awards. XECSBK-AM 650 B Puerto Vallarta, recycling the frequency of the old XEEJ, will be owned by Carlos Martínez Macías, the losing applicant for XHPVT-FM in 2018. Martínez Macías is a local journalist. But he pales in comparison to who's behind the other award. At first, Radiodifusión Social Comunitaria de Durango, A.C., is a yawner of a new concessionaire, having picked up XHDGD-FM 91.3 AA at Ninguno, Durango. But RSCD is not nothing, despite the name of its locality. There are three reasons to be interested in this station: -Ninguno is in the city of Victoria de Durango on the northeast edge. It is the first new FM award for the Durango metro in years (though the state government is hot on its heels) and the first non-educational social station for the state capital (which has the permit limbo-killed XHITD, plus XHUNES and XHUAD). -Despite the name, XHDGD is a social station—not social community. -The person who signed the concession is one Maribel Aguilera Cháirez. When I see people sign concessions, I always try and look them up. Some names don't go anywhere, or to lawyer's offices. But Aguilera Cháirez isn't a nobody. She's a sitting Morena federal deputy, elected last year from Durango's third district (Guadalupe Victoria). http://sil.gobernacion.gob.mx/Librerias/pp_PerfilLegislador.php?SID=&Referencia=9223019 (Ninguno is not in her district; it is in the fourth district.) She was an alternate federal deputy in the LXI Legislature (2009-12) and also served a term from 2007-10 in the Durango state legislature. Both were under the auspices of the PRI. There are no clues as to what programming XHDGD will have (Raymie, March 12, ibid.) Unique is a good word to describe what appears to be an imminent sign-on in Puebla. XHPCZA-FM 88.3 Chignahuapan-Zacatlán Pue. will sign on soon. It already has its social media up and will be Única FM 88.3 (pop). This 3 kW Class A station, owned by Óscar Mario Beteta Vallejo, is HD-required and will serve an estimated 120,000 listeners in Zacatlán, Chignahuapan and other communities in northwest Puebla. The transmitter is east of Zacatlán, with studios and offices in town. It is the first commercial station to broadcast from Zacatlán, a town of more than 33,000 whose only previous local station was state network component Zacatlán FM XHZTP 105.3. It is also the first commercial radio station for the entire region: the Coverage Viewer says the only other station receivable in Zacatlán was Radio BUAP Chignahuapan (XHCHP-FM 104.3). This is the first of two stations for Beteta. The other is XHPHOL-FM 93.5 Holbox Q. Roo (Raymie, March 12, ibid.) TV DXers, make some room on your logs. The terms of Comband's television leap have been released, and XHMVS-TDT is a reality. http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/conocenos/pleno/sesiones/acuerdoliga/pift20021976.pdf MVS will pay over 61 million pesos to the IFT. They will be required to maintain one pay service and one broadcast service, at least for now. The XHMVS calls are on the proposed spectrum concession which MVS will ultimately approve (Raymie, March 13, ibid.) First on the Mexico Beat: Coverage Spotlight: XHFAMX-TDT The Unidad de Espectro Radioeléctrico is hard at work, currently in the middle of an update to the IFT Coverage Viewer. The update fixes a few omissions, gets the XHNUC shadows right, and adds or modifies entries for, so far, at least 7 TV and 27 FM stations with heretofore unseen details (plus a number of stations that we had through tech sheets that were not in the CPCREL). The catch? You can't view these coverages without manually entering the URL for the KMZ—and hoping there's one on file. The first one I'm going to share with you is a station that's been highly awaited and will break with a pattern in the capital. This is XHFAMX-TDT 28 (VC 8) Mexico City. [illustrated] XHFAMX-TDT will broadcast with 240.276 kW ERP from a transmitter 106 meters up the tower at Grupo Radio Centro's Villa Alpina FM site in Naucalpan (in the State of Mexico). (The HAAT is around 520 meters, working with HAATs for stations like XHFAJ that are up there.) There has never been a television station there before. The antenna is directional at a bearing of 80° to the northeast. This station should give good coverage to most of the Mexico City metro and a few other areas (namely, Tizayuca, Hidalgo), except for areas to the east that are shaded by terrain, primarily in the eastern hook of the State of Mexico. Chiquihuite and Tres Padres also create a major shaded area in Coacalco and Ecatepec that should be a priority for a shadow (Raymie, March 14, ibid.) The climate appears more favorable for a religious radio legalization than ever. The topic came up again this week as President López Obrador ordered SEGOB to prepare a proposal to modify the Ley de Asociaciones Religiosas y Culto Público to permit religious ownership of radio and television stations. https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mexico/politica/amlo-pretende-dar-a-la-iglesia-canales-de-tv-y-radio-para-moralizar-al-pais-iniciativa-reforma-ley-de-asociaciones-religiosas-y-culto-publico-religion-catolica-3182093.html After yet another meeting with the president, Arturo Farela, head of the National Brotherhood of Christian Evangelical Churches (Confraternice), said that the proposal will either allow outlets for all faiths or potentially one religious outlet. "In Mexico, it's easier to run a pornographic channel than it is for channels to exist that transmit principles and values, love of family, love of country, love of institutions. I believe it is time to give liberty to all religious faiths," Farela stated, adding, "We don't preach a religion, we preach a God who reveals the Bible—which does not speak of any religion. Religion is a matter of man. The Bible is a living word that transforms mankind, and the President knows it. That's why we want to participate in all the mass media in which we are allowed." Some legislators, however, https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mexico/politica/legisladores-rechazan-propuesta-de-amlo-para-evangelizar-con-television-3183103.html are not as convinced as the president, sharing concerns about the compatibility of religious broadcasters with the "lay state" specified in law. The head of the PRD caucus in the Chamber of Deputies, Verónica Juárez Piña, says that the proposal would violate the secular state provided for by the Constitution. Martha Tagle of Movimiento Ciudadano noted that "the president has the right to hold the religious beliefs that he wants like any other Mexican, but he does not have right to impose his beliefs on the rest of the country". Among the notable dissenters were two commission heads in the Senate (Raymie, March 14, ibid.) First on the Mexico Beat: Coverage Spotlight: A Two-Fer Late last year, the IFT made two class changes for noncommercial radio stations in major cities. The moves brought XHTYL-FM Monterrey, a 2010-vintage community permit station and a Class D, to Class A, and bumped XHUIA-FM Mexico City, the pilot 400 kHz station used in the IFT's own testing, to Class B1. Those facilities entered the Coverage Viewer this week, though neither station is maximizing on ERP. XHUIA-FM goes to 10 kW, retaining its transmitter location on the campus of the Universidad Iberoamericana. The antenna height has not changed. The Ibero had been seeking 10 kW for years; it's mentioned in articles from 2012 and 2015. XHTYL-FM sheds its 20 watts for 600, still enough to result in a major improvement to the station's facilities but not enough to make it a full-market station. (It covers 2.3 million people now, whereas XHJD at 98.9 reaches 4 million.) The stick is in the same place, but slightly lower, at 26 meters. Part of the problem is that the transmitter remains in Col. Tierra y Libertad and everything north and east of Topo Chico is shaded (Raymie, March 15, ibid.) For the fourth time this year, a Mexican journalist is murdered, and for the fourth time this year, it's someone with ties to radio. https://www.animalpolitico.com/2019/03/matan-periodista-sonora/ Santiago Barroso was shot and killed outside his home in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, last night. Barroso ran a news site Red 653, contributed to the weekly Contraseña magazine, and hosted a news program on XHEMW-FM Río Digital 91.1.* Barroso was 47. *Correcting an evident error made in migration, XHEMW and XHLBL swapped formats around February 21, with Radio Centro moving to 93.9 and Río Digital to 91.1. XHEMW does identify as "XHMW-FM" in IDs (Raymie, March 16, ibid.) First on the Mexico Beat: Coverage Spotlight: Taking It To The MAX One of the new IFT-4 stations to appear in the Coverage Viewer update has one of the strangest signal patterns I've seen. It's XHPMAX-FM 100.5, which will be a Grupo Turquesa station for Temax, Yucatán. (It's one of two stations for Temax as a result of the auction; XHPTEM-FM 104.3 is a no-show.) The station will serve nearly 45,000 people in Temax, Cansahcab, Buctzotz, Dzidzantún, and other localities near the midway point between Mérida and Tizimín. XHPMAX, however, is going to be a head-scratcher of a facility in two ways. [illustrated:] The first is evident from the coverage pattern. The transmitter is not dead-center on the frame (and keep in mind that Yucatán is a flat state: the highest elevation is a mere 210 meters above sea level, which is the lowest high point of any state). Instead, it's an incredibly directional facility (65°) with a stick placed just outside of the town of Suma de Hidalgo. It's so directional that the center of town, to the southwest, isn't even in the contour. The station is also unusual as being an out-of-class facility. This is a Class AA radio station, but the ERP is listed as 8.687 kW—higher than the class limit of 6. It's also out-of-class in height. Assuming there's not a valley, the 132-meter tower being built by Turquesa at Temax is above the HAAT maximum of 100 m for Class AA. Turquesa is also building another facility with minor contour overlap that is also directional, though not quite like XHPMAX. XHPTUN-FM Tunkás Yuc. (5.998 kW, 100 m antenna height) will have its stick to the east-southeast at Dzitas, with directionality pointing the signal at Tunkás. That station will serve 12,292. And in Quintana Roo, XHPTLM-FM 93.5 will be heavily directional to the southwest from a stick at Puerto Aventuras—in the municipality of Solidaridad. (It's only slightly above class at 25.147 kW, similar to XHPCHQ.) That's despite Turquesa owning a repeater facility and site in-town. What's going on? Last edited by Raymie; 03-17-2019 at 09:41 PM. Reason: Corrected description of XHPTLM pattern (Raymie, March 16, ibid.) They'll be communicating to help in Calvillo. The ORC announced that another of its members, Calvillo, Aguascalientes-based Comunicar para Ayudar, A.C., was greenlit for a community station on March 6. https://www.facebook.com/radioscomunitariasdemexico/photos/a.987859667919176/2192792820759182/?type=3&theater The meeting notes from that Pleno session are as yet unavailable. ——— First on the Mexico Beat: Coverage Spotlight: COzy in Matehuala I would have to say the IFT-6 station that has received the least attention is XHCOSL-TDT 33 Matehuala, owned by Comunicación 2000 (XHSLV San Luis Potosí). It's the last IFT-6 station without a known virtual channel (excluding some of the longer Telsusa ones) though 10 is obvious. The Coverage Viewer update, however, included technical parameters for this station: [illustrated] XHCOSL's site is new for broadcasting. TV Azteca is located in-town and Televisa off to the northeast, while the IFT-6 station will go on the air with 60.017 kW (22 m antenna height) to serve 113,800 viewers. The FM stations are also all closer to town. However, there is already some sort of telecommunications facility at this mountaintop site (Raymie, March 17, ibid.) Today is a federal holiday — observing Benito Juárez's birthday — so it's perfect timing to chew through a nugget we got late last week in an otherwise unremarkable column on religious radio. That column was by Javier Orozco Gómez in El Sol de México. https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/analisis/antena-iglesias-y-transnacionales-apego-a-la-ley-3189622.html Orozco warns that some religious beliefs, particularly those that do not recognize state symbols, might have trouble with provisions like broadcasting the National Anthem. But he also mentioned a legal case that I do not think had ever been divulged. The case took place last year in telecommunications court, involving Reflexiones Radiofónicas, A.C., an applicant for a station at Comalcalco, Tabasco. Reflexiones, it turns out, had filed for a permit in about 2010. The column says that Reflexiones is headed by a religious minister and thus ineligible to be awarded a station. That would appear to be correct. The legal representative is one Eleazar Leyva Izquierdo. Searching his name immediately brings up three details. One is a Facebook post from the "Christ is the Answer" Baptist Church, from 2015, inviting followers to listen to Pastor Eleazar Leyva Izquierdo's radio show from 7-9am on 99.5, "La Radio de Reflexión Cultural de Tabasco". Said station is a pirate, also known as "La Doble R"; its Facebook page is one click away from that post, too. Their most recent post, from last month for an event to learn more about the station and about Reflexiones Radiofónicas, ties a nice, pretty bow on everything. The last one is the application to constitute that Baptist church as its own religious association, http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5362347&fecha=02/10/2014 which was published in the DOF in 2014, listing Leyva as the "Ministro de Culto". So yeah, good call by the court (Raymie, March 18, ibid.) Low-V Hijinks One of the questions I've gotten from DXers is "wait, really?" The combination of the 2018 repack authorization for Canal 51 to channel 2 and last month's court-ordered approval of a broadcast service on the channel have had people wondering, "wait they're actually building low-VHF now? Why so long?" I wanted to explain why this has taken so long and why VHF may truly be the home of the most interesting developments in Mexican television. The Analog Days When Mexican television first became a thing, on the night of August 31, 1950, it did so on channel 4. A high-VHF station, XELD-7 in Matamoros, was the third ever built, signing on September 15, 1951. The wait for a UHF television station, however, would be much longer. On December 23, 1963, the only Mexican city ever describable as a UHF island got its first television station. XHS-23 Ensenada probably was on the U dial out of necessity and due to station spacing issues. When analog ended, Ensenada had managed to secure drop-in 2 and 13 (used by TV Azteca), but its other stations were 17, 23, 29 and 57. Mexican UHF development was very slow indeed. The next U was in Mexicali: XHBM-14, which was approved in 1969. (Tijuana had two Us approved that would each take more than a decade to get going: XHAS-33 was initially approved in 1968 but began broadcasts in 1981, while XHBJ-45 ended up having a different applicant selected and started broadcasts in 1989.) In Mexico City, the concession for XHTC-16 was approved in 1964, but that station's lengthy history would see it move to 28 in the 80s, probably in order to allow land mobile services. (16 would not be home to another Mexican TV station until digital.) The eighties, however, saw finally movement on the U front. In 1980, XHIJ-44 signed on in Ciudad Juárez, joined by XHTRM-22 Mexico City and XHMNL-28 Monterrey in 1982. More stations filtered in over the course of the decade, including more network repeaters like XHWDT Cd. Allende Coah. By the end of the analog era, however, 10 states still had no main TV stations on UHF, and Mexican policy had created a series of VHF drop-ins requiring channel adjustments (XHWX, XHMEN, XHIMT to name a few). Digital Planning With VHF stuffed, only one station was assigned a VHF digital frequency from the start. That was XHMTA-TDT 12 in Matamoros. By the end of the analog era, only two more had been approved, both intermittent operation/flash-cut cases: XHUS-TDT 8 Hermosillo and XHAMO-TDT 11 Colima (since moved to 30). The superior-for-digital UHF band was not that full in most places and straight up empty in others. There was room for almost everyone on UHF. But when the analog era ended and repacking created additional constraints on UHF station space, suddenly there was room pretty much everywhere on UHF. Low-V was empty, but it was also inferior. We've seen a parade of new high-Vs in the months since. IFT-6 awarded three (XHQMGU 9, XHROSL 10 and XHTDMX 11). The SPR holds seven unbuilt high-Vs on channel 13. Also on the band are 7: XHFGL*, XHLAZ*, XHTUG* 8: XHCPAF* 9: XHPBLM 10: XHFE* 11: XHPBDG**, XHPBGZ, XHPBHU*, XHPBQR, XHPBTP*, XHPBZC 13: XHPBMZ *Unbuilt or not on air **Permit discontinuity of XHUNES-TDT The fact that even in Mexico City there's room on VHF should indicate the magnitude of what's still available below channel 14. Some low-V assignments have been made available in recent PABFs; we'll see which is the first to be built. We'll also see how many people have low-V reception problems—and hopefully, this summer, we'll see some skip (Raymie, March 20, ibid.) ^ Just keep us posted, as I know you will. Mexico City being 1,275 miles from me, it needs to be a strong low-V to make it here via E-skip. Kinda surprised that Cd de Mexico hasn't been allocated a hi-V first. Just like the TV stations that are moving to low-V in our FCC repacking, I foresee a similar reaction in Cd. de México, when XHMVS begins, and most OTA antennas aren't low-V-ready: "¡No la veo!" cd (Chris Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, March 20, ibid.) XHTDMX exists. A 13 allocation is on the docket as well; it's a social station and it's one of the few PABF publications where the callsign is public (XHPBCD-TDT). (Raymie, March 20, ibid.) Inside the IFT Continuity Study Without any publicity, the IFT in December published the results of that AM continuity study I'd been looking forward to for so long. Here are some highlights: Three Fewer Obligations of the Existing Set The study was good news for XHBAC, XHIE, and XHCSI. These stations had continuity obligations that now will fall to XEPAS, XEWA, and XEGS, respectively, and they will get to migrate. It was not good news for the other 58 stations (now 57, see below) which must remain on the air to serve people without any other service. The size of that population ranges by station. For XEWA-AM/San Luis Potosí, it's more than 260,000. The largest totals after XEWA belong to XEMIT (119,692) and XESRD (75,970). Then there is the world of the truly ridiculous. XEFX Guaymas, Sonora, and XEHW Chametla-Mazatlán, Sinaloa, must remain on the air to each serve an unserved audience of five people. Only 230 people are dependent on XEGIK-AM Monclova-Frontera, Coahuila, for their only service, and 333 on XESH-AM Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León. 388 people only receive the transmissions of XEERG (formerly XEDD) Montemorelos, Nuevo León, a station that cited costs incurred from its continuity obligation in its application to sell to Multimedios. The study also included calculations of what portion of their total AM coverage by population is dependent on that station. XESRD, again, took center stage; more than half of its listener base, 54.557 percent, cannot receive any other stations. Indigenous station XEPET-AM is the only station for 26.47 percent of its coverage of more than 340,000. Also above 20 percent were XETX and XESW. And Three New Continuity Obligations Of the 41 second-wave migrants, three will be assessed continuity obligations. They are XEABCA, XEK, and XEPA. With the exception of XEK, the otherwise unserved audience levels are among the lowest in the study: 11, 1,127, and 59, respectively. The other 38 stations will shut off. A New Wrinkle Page 20 of the study includes a very interesting idea indeed. The IFT is trying to get other broadcasters to assume the continuity obligation by continually advertising the continuity frequencies as noncommercial stations. This will first be felt by 28,075 people currently receiving XEEJ-AM 650 Puerto Vallarta. The IFT recently awarded 650 as a new station, XECSBK-AM, to Carlos Martínez Macías. As a result, XEEJ will cease operations, and the new XECSBK will assume the liability of being the only radio service for those listeners. Additional and unusual regulatory considerations were discussed as a result of the poor dropoff rate for continuity obligations: -The idea that television service could satisfy the need for a locality to be served. If this were to be implemented, for instance, if the five people receiving XEHW also received a television station, XEHW would not have a continuity obligation and could leave the air. -The idea of establishing minimum percentages of listeners that could go unserved, which would allow stations like XEFX and XEHW to leave the air because five people is a small percentage of the total listener base. -Promoting the establishment of new stations to fill these gaps in service, including noncommercial (public and social) stations. Last edited by Raymie; 03-21-2019 at 01:57 AM. Reason: Corrected the date of publication of the study (Raymie, March 20, ibid.) There is one less radio station in Mexico today after XHEAT-FM Hidalgo del Parral, Chihuahua, ceased operations at 12:01am this morning. http://parral.oralequechiquito.com/2019/03/21/desaparece-la-primera-estacion-de-radio-en-parral-xeat/ As XEAT, the station was the first in Parral, beginning transmissions in July 1935. (The concession was issued December 27, 1941 to Jorge Pérez, who soon after died and left the station to Dolores Porras Vda. de Pérez.) While it had a Multimedios Radio http://parral.oralequechiquito.com/2019/03/21/desaparece-la-primera-estacion-de-radio-en-parral-xeat/affiliation and format, the station was owned by Adalberto Gutiérrez Meléndez, as it had been since July 24, 1984. The concession had expired in 2016. The station had been grupera La Caliente before switching formats with higher-powered, MM-owned (and still alive) XHHPR-FM last year. Arely Patiño was the final voice heard over XHEAT. The station's closure will leave seven people out of work (Raymie, March 21, ibid.) More radio station concessions, that's what's coming from the IFT's March 6 meeting: Permit Forests The IFT discussed six permit forests but only cleared two. One is Montemorelos, Nuevo León. The other is Tulancingo, Hidalgo. Tulancingo came away with good news for the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, which received another concession for its trouble. This completes the radio network at this time. Reading the notes, I think concessions also were approved for the two social applicants, Fortalaetia, A.C. and Grupo Independiente de Mujeres de Mixquiahuala, A.C. There were also two requests for Montemorelos, Nuevo León: Fundación Cultural de la Sociedad Mexicana and José Armando de la Cruz Rodríguez. de la Cruz should have the edge on FCSM. Outside of Forests The IFT also awarded a bunch of other stations: Valores y Tradiciones de mi Tierra, A.C. —*Los Ramones, Nuevo León Fundación de la Radio Cultural, A.C. — Río Verde, San Luis Potosí Comunicar para Ayudar, A.C. — Calvillo, Aguascalientes (community) Radio Comunicación Purépecha, A.C. —*Los Reyes, Michoacán (social, TDT) and three AM stations (localities not known as they have more than three applications in the hopper) Radio Tonatiuh, A.C. — Valladolid, Yucatán Other Matters -XHCDO is getting another sub, probably Foro TV. -Station sale: XHJF-FM to XEJF, S.A. de C.V. XHSDD-TDT to Comunik, S.A. de C.V. -Share sale in XHIW-FM Uruapan, Michoacán -Two concession renewals for Radio Fórmula combos, alongside two TDT renewals and an omnibus of technical changes. In re XHSDD: Searches reveal a "Grupo Comunik, S.A. de C.V." associated to XHDH-FM Cd. Acuña. It's owned by Jorge M. César González, former CIRT Coahuila head, who apparently also had his name on state advertising contracts with Telesistemas de Coahuila, the former concessionaire. ——— In other news, the IFT today formally delivered the social community concession for the new station at Santiago Juxtlahuaca, Oax., to be operated by Abrazando a los Pueblos Juxtlahuaca, A.C. The station brought much more than someone to sign the paperwork: there were speeches in Triqui and even a Mixteca dance show! http://www.ift.org.mx/comunicacion-y-medios/comunicados-ift/es/el-ift-entrega-titulo-de-concesion-radio-comunitaria-en-oaxaca-comunicado-132019-21-de-marzo Last edited by Raymie; 03-22-2019 at 04:57 PM. Reason: Corrections and added the XHSDD sale (Raymie, March 21, ibid.) It's taken them a while, and they still aren't up and running, but when XEXW-AM 1300 begins its migration as the last such station in Nogales, it will become 90.3 La Más Chingona XHXW-FM. The controversial (but apparently successful) grupera brand will expand to its third station after launching on XHVSS-FM Hermosillo last year and being later implemented on XHESO-FM in Ciudad Obregón. An announcement was made by an employee on February 26. https://www.facebook.com/marin.leon.357/posts/267604850826076 (Raymie, March 24, ibid.) Yet again, a journalist was murdered, and yet again, there's a radio connection. https://www.animalpolitico.com/2019/03/asesinan-al-periodista-deportivo-omar-camacho-en-sinaloa/ Omar Iván Camacho wrote about sports and also was a regular contributor for XHJL-FM Guamúchil, Sinaloa. He was found dead with blunt trauma to the head last night in the municipality of Salvador Alvarado (which contains Guamúchil). Camacho had been reported missing after he left yesterday morning to cover a baseball event and could not be reached by his family. Camacho was 35. ——— In an interview with Grupo Radio Centro, Jenaro Villamil described what he took over at the SPR as a "damaged" agency. https://cirt.mx/jenaro-villamil-recibimos-un-spr-damnificado/ He noted that while Canal Catorce had good programming, it was a "cash register" for the institutional campaigns from the office of the president. ——— ORC has published callsign and frequency information for Comunicar para Ayudar, A.C., Calvillo, Aguascalientes. The station will be XHSCCH-FM 101.3. This is the highest callsign in the template range to date, supplanting last year's award of XHSCCF-FM in Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oax. Last edited by Raymie; 03-25-2019 at 02:54 PM. [tagline:] Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie, March 25, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5985, Myanmar Radio, 1155+, on March 22, with live coverage (TV audio feed), in vernacular, of the football/soccer match between Myanmar (under 23) and East Timor (aka: "Timor-Leste") U23; played at the Thuwunna Youth Training Center Stadium (Yangon); musical interlude at half time and back to live coverage at 1230. 6165, Thazin Radio [non-log], 1420-1440, on March 18. Supposedly in scheduled English 1430-1500, but only China heard here; no trace of any other station. Has anyone heard their English segment recently? 5985, Myanmar Radio, on March 24, at 1205. Live coverage (TV audio feed), in vernacular, of the football/soccer match between Myanmar (under 23) and Macau U23; played at the Thuwunna Youth Training Center Stadium (Yangon). 5985, Myanmar Radio, on March 25, at 1139. Live coverage (TV audio feed), in vernacular, of the football/soccer match between Myanmar and Indonesia; played at Mandalar Thiri stadium, in Mandalay; preempting regular programming. Tuned in to check on the Monday edition (also carried on Wednesday) of "Say It In English" language lesson, but clearly that was preempted YouTube highlights of today's "International Friendly Match" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVZep1qQE_k (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) 5914.983, Myanmar Radio from new capital Nay Pyi Taw. Noted exact 1000 Hertz test tone at 2320 to 2325 UT, strings visible either sideband, then empty carrier, TX still on air S=9+30dB or -49dBm in eastern Thailand on Uwe's remote receiver installation. Underneath co-channel CRI Kashgar in English, but covered by MMR carrier at 2326 to 2330 UT, then daily Myanmar Radio program start, in Burmese language [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. HOLLAND/POLAND, New entry in A-19 Radio Onda ASBL and Polish Radio Warsaw https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/new-entry-in-19-radio-onda-asbl-and.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 0000-2400 6030 MRT 001 kW / non-dir to WeEu Portuguese Radio Onda ASBL ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:15 PM (via DXLD) Onda ASBL? What in the world is that? Where is MRT? I find it only in the HFCC site list as: MRT Margraten HOL 50N48 005E48 So like so many Germans, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland --- Holland also has a licensed lowpower private SW station --- but on the air 24 hours, or at all? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. A decent signal here in NB this morning (23 March) around 1050 UT on 7330 kHz relaying RNZ National with a recorded live concert ("Heart, Live At The Royal Albert Hall" according to their schedule). Good reception possibly due to almost grey line over the pole given the PNG beam direction or just sidelobe across the Pacific and good propagation? (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) I think anything but shortest-path direct great circle HF reception is extremely unusual [or direct opposite long path sometimes]. There are always sidelobes or slightly off-mainlobe signals, so the outgoing azimuth is unlikely to lead to skewed propagation path (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) 11725, March 20 at 0559, no signal from RNZI as still scheduled here for two hours, 0459-0658. Nothing on 7330 or 9765 either, nor anywhere else in quick bandscans of 7, 9, 11, 13 MHz. If anything propagate on 25m at this time, it`s RNZI, the OSOB, or at least the SSOB way beyond some Brazilian, so it`s hard to believe NZ be on the air at all tonight. This is far from one of their scheduled maintenance breaks. 11725, March 21 at 0552, is back on as OSOB S7-S9, interview with Sri Lankan about terrorism there vs Christchurch. 11725, March 25 at 0530, JBA carrier, presumed RNZI. When even this trans-equatorial station is not propagating, inbooming, the OSOB or SSOB, we know propagation is absolutely pitiful; at least it does appear to be on the air still (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. A-19 frequency changes of Radio New Zealand Pacific https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/a-19-frequency-changes-of-radio-new.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [language given as English thruout, ignoring otherbits --- gh] AM mode Daily 2059-2258 NF 11725 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific, ex 13840 2259-0458 on 13840 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific 0459-0658 NF 9630 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific, ex 11725 1259-1650 on 5980 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific AM mode Mon-Fri 0659-0958 NF 5945 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific, ex 7425 0959-1258 NF 5945 RAN 100 kW / 325 deg to NoWePac/PNG, ex 7425 AM mode Sat/Sun 0659-1258 NF 5945 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific, ex 7425 DRM mode Sun-Fri 1651-1835 on 6115 RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa 1836-1850 NF 7285 RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa, ex 6115 1851-1950 on 9760 RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa 1951-2058 on 11690 RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:16 PM (via DXLD) By labeling the above ``changes``, implies there may be more transmissions omitted which are not changes. But this looks like it should be complete (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 7254.940, Voice of Nigeria Abuja, poor signal of S=4-5 threshold (compared to Sonfonia Guinea 9650 at same time 0730 UT), similar tiny signals today also in NJ, MI, and Cape Canaveral US states [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) Fair signal of Voice of Nigeria in 31mb, March 25 1630-1900 on 9689.9 AJA 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/fair-signal-of-voice-of-nigeria-in-31mb.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Drunken DJ Radio Pirate 6960-USB --- Since I tuned in at 0249, very powerful signal with frequent IDs and playing requests, including mine for Bohemian Rhapsody at 0305. Excellent and strong modulation for the music, while the voice-overs are much more telephone quality. Nice to hear them back! 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, 0306 UT Mar 24, WOR iog via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6880-USB, March 24 at 0010, hard rock music at S9/+10, 0015 YL ID ``Best of shortwave radio at Mix radio International``. I couldn`t help but notice that this was stronger than licensed WBCQ 5130.48v at S9, incomparably better than JBA 3264.9v, altho about equal to 7490.18v. NO entries this date for it at HFU, but tacked on to logs starting March 23: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,52174.15.html Also reports of same on 15170: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,52158.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6929-USB, March 25 at 2319, S6-S8 pirate DJ mixing with music; 2320 ID as ``Evergreen Radio, on the air for your pleasure`` and some bluegrass; 2326 Johnny Cash; 2348 Irish song with fiddle until stops at 2346 and still off at 2349. More logs here covering the same span: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,52276.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 930, March 21 at 1249 UT, as I am trying to null WKY for anything else, notice extended self-promos by YL in Spanglish for ``WKY Deportes, la casa de deportes de Oklahoma City, 930-AM, una estacion de Cumulus Media``. The call letters are always pronounced in English, evading their cumbersome renderings, all as ``foreign`` letters into Spanish. WKY will also not he$itate to run commercial$ entirely in Engli$h (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENIG DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 90.1, March 27 at 1500 UT, Classical KUCO-FM manager Brad Ferguson, after Stardate, in pledge drive, says this is the first full day they are on full power from new transmitter, 100 kW ERP, new processor and antennas; and want reports about improved reception. He asked me directly how it is in Enid. Transmitter power is 38 kW. I checked around 19-20 UT as I was driving around. Altho the signal seemed somewhat stronger overall, I had to tell him: still picket-fencing still subject to Vance aircraft multipath Doppler flutter still blocked by noise at traffic signals still not breaching stereo threshold, tho caradio shows ST; it blends rather than separates unlike 91.7 KOSU, 92.5 KOMA and many other OKC stations rock-solid Later he explained that KUCO had been running only 20 kW ERP from old transmitter; that side-mounting antenna on mast has been positioned for max lobes up I-44 to the NE and down I-35 to the S. No doubt that makes sense demographically. So away they go! That explains why there is not much improvement here to the NNW, still a need for a translator, if it could get a perfect signal input, perhaps from the feedline to KBCW and KCSC relays. EARLIER as installation was underway, Chris Stevens of RFSolutions wrote, ``Once this is complete it will be pretty much the top of the line radio site in terms of power, efficiency and technology. We are running the best processors you can get into the best transmitter you can want. Add in the efficiency of liquid cooled and it’s a perfect combination with remote control capabilities that Captain Kirk would be jealous of`` (Glenn Hauser, Enid, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 95.3-WBFM, March 22 at 2035 UT, in a quick bandscan while parked on the south side of a store in downtown Enid, something new, talk station, soon IDed as KOKC, and then dual ID with 95.3 FM getting top billing over 1520. Now that KOKC can pretend to be an FM station, even less chance they will ever get 1520 restored to 50 kW. Seems to be too strong for a translator, as the other ones in OKC just don`t make it here over 100 km away. No, it *is* a translator per WTFDA FM Database: K237GE, relaying KOKC-1520 on 95.3 OKLAHOMA CITY OK 0.25 0.25 0.0 0.0 35-32-51 97-29-30 TALK KOKC NEWSTALK 1520`` The zeroes mean HAAT at ground level; rather, not calculated; FCC shows: ``K237GE OK OKLAHOMA CITY FX LIC Licensee: SCREEN DOOR BROADCASTING, LLC Service Designation: FX Translator Station (retransmits signal, different channel than main station) Channel/Class: 237D Frequency: 95.3 MHz Licensed File No.: BLFT-20180913ABF Facility ID number: 143059 CDBS Application ID No.: 1792128 This station relays KOKC (AM). Technical Data Links & Maps 35° 32' 51.00" N Latitude 97° 29' 30.00" W Longitude (NAD 27) 35.547500 -97.491667 Polarization: Horizontal Vertical Effective Radiated Power ERP): -0.25 0.25kW ERP Antenna Height Above Average Terrain: 0. 0.meters - Calculate HAAT Antenna Height Above Mean Sea Level: 658. 658.meters AMSL Antenna Height Above Ground Level: 314. 314.meters AGL`` Screen Door Broadcasting? Surely not the same company owning KOKC 1520. OKC is pretty flat so AGL will be close to AAT, 1030 feet. So it must be on some big TV/FM tower, accounting for its coverage with only 250 watts. But its 60 dbu service contour shows from the NE OKC antenna farm it does reach Edmond, but not Moore or Norman. As I drive away from what must have been a hotspot in Enid, signal gets very unreliable (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 101.5-WBFM, circa 2040 UT March 22, KOCD Okeene is still totally off the air, not even 7 seconds now and then (Glenn Hauser, Enid, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang (Maus Blong Garamut), random checks 1035-1158*, on March 24 (Sunday). Usual religious programs (songs and sermons in Pidgin) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 15640 // 17700 // 17820, R. Pilipinas, on March 25. Brief check at 0244; in English ("DFA Online, news and events from different Philippine embassies and consulates around the world"); mostly poor, with 17700 being the strongest (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES [non]. 9700, 2357 UT March 21, S9 open carrier. Promptly as soon as it is March 22 at 0000 [not March 21 as in original report], RVA IS once, rustic percussion SE Asian music and Radio Veritas Asia sign-on in language like Thai/Lao, but what is it? Everyone agrees it`s a relay via SMG VATICAN, but lang. is abbr`d as KC in Eibi, kac in Aoki/NDXC --- and LAT in HFCC! Well, this is certainly not Latin tho bits may creep in since it`s RCC programming. WRTH 2019 will spell out the full language name if I can find a match to time and frequency: Kachin, of course, and it`s the *only* RVA broadcast left on SW via anywhere according to this on page 486. And HFCC prolongs same for A-19. Question is, how much longer current pope will allow SMG to continue to exist at all, contrary to his ``let`s get modern`` anti-SW stance. As for Kachin, EiBi says it`s spoken by 900 kilomyanmarianese, a.k.a. Jingpho. Apparently it is the only remote ministry of RVA which wanted to continue on SW. Those Kachins must really be into SWLing! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. HOLLAND/POLAND, New entry in A-19 Radio Onda ASBL and Polish Radio Warsaw https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/new-entry-in-19-radio-onda-asbl-and.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 0800-1430 7415 WWA 010 kW / non-dir to EaEu Polish Polish Radio Warsaw 0800-1100 7430 WWA 010 kW / non-dir to EaEu Polish Polish Radio Warsaw ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:15 PM (via DXLD) Of course, Poland has been gone from SW too, but Warsaw coming back with 10 kW?? (gh, DXLD) ** ROMANIA. 7215-7220-7225, March 25 at 0536, DRM noise at S6-S7; I can only conclude it`s RRI Galbeni as scheduled this hour in Romanian, 285 degrees to W Europe, supposedly NOT in DRM per HFCC B-18 and WRTH 2019 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. RRI English A19: WESTERN EUROPE 0530 – 0600 6080 7325 (DRM) 1100 – 1200 13750 15130 1700 – 1800 11850 9760 (DRM) 2030 – 2100 6170 7315 (DRM) 2200 – 2300 5945 7310 SOUTH-EAST AFRICA 1100 – 1200 15320 17670 NORTH AMERICA (East Coast) 2030 – 2100 11850 13650 0000 – 0100 6040 7375 NORTH AMERICA (West Coast) 0300 – 0400 6040 7375 JAPAN 2200 – 2300 7325 9790 INDIA + AUSTRALIA 0530 – 0600 15410 17760 INDIA 0300 – 0400 11825 9740 (DRM) You can also listen to RRI’s English language programming live over the internet using the same SW broadcast schedule given above. All you need to do is go to the “RRI Live!” section in the top-right of our website, choose channel “1” for English and then select your desired audio format (WMA, MP3 or ACC). RRI and social media RRI can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Google+, Flickr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, SoundCloud and Instagram. RRI programs are also available on TuneIn (Radio Romania International 1) RRI via satellite You can also listen to Radio Romania International's English programmes via satellite -Eutelsat 16A- on 11,512 MHz, vertical polarisation, azimuth 16 degrees East. Symbol rate: 29,950 MSym/s, Standard: DVB-S2, Modulation: 8PSK, Audio PID 510. The satellite transmits the unencrypted signals of RRI's channels. Eutelsat 16A covers Europe, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, part of European Russia, areas in the Arabian Peninsula and part of the Caspian Sea region (via Richard Lemke, Alberta, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RÚSSIA, 4625-USB. 23/3/2019, 0150-0157, The Buzzer, Naro-Fominsk-RUS. Após alguns dias sem sinal por aquí, retorna com recepção satisfatória, 35553 (JRX_José Ronaldo Xavier, SWARL Callsign PR7036SWL, Receptor (es): Degen DE1103 & Tecsun S-2000, Cabedelo-PB, Brasil (UTC-3), WOR iog via DXLD) BION, I think I have never heard this notorious buzzer. Must pay more attention to 4625 beyond my habitual 60m bandscanspan (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. The Irkutsk Department of Roskomnadzor recommended minimizing or completely excluding songs from the radio station that mention tobacco use. According to experts, this will reduce the risks of bringing broadcasters to administrative responsibility - fines for violating federal law protecting citizens from exposure to tobacco smoke. This was during a round table with media representatives of Bratsk told the head of the department of control in the field of mass communications of the Territorial Directorate of Roskomnadzor Natalia Kuchina. She recalled that, according to the current legislation, in television programs and artistic works about the scenes in which tobacco is used, the viewer is either warned by social advertising about the dangers of smoking, or the process of using tobacco is hidden by means of installation. This is required by law. However, for music and other audio works, such warnings are not regulated by law. Meanwhile, the administrative penalty for demonstrating tobacco products or the process of tobacco use is spelled out in the Administrative Violations Code, including with respect to radio programs. Thus, any song that mentions tobacco use can potentially be considered as violating the law "On protecting the health of citizens from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and the effects of tobacco consumption." - There are a large number of modern songs in which smoking is not something that is sung, but is considered in a positive way. These are modern, let's say, singers whose works cause many questions not only under this legislation, and on which complaints are received periodically both to us, and the Ministry of Culture, and the Interior Ministry, and the prosecutor's office, ”said Natalia Kuchina. Natalia Kuchina noted that without warning, tobacco use can be demonstrated if this process is an integral part of the artistic intent. At the same time, the concept of "artistic design", according to the representative of Roskomnadzor, is not contained in any legal act. Andrey Vasilyev, tkgorod.ru http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__72689/ (via RusDX 24 March via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Digital broadcasting is so far unavailable for most people in Russia because of the high cost of the receivers, but you can adjust the launch of their devices for a lower price. This was stated by the lecturer of the Institute of Radio Electronics of Ural Federal University Mikhail Samarin to journalists, a REGNUM correspondent reports. “Digital broadcasting is a promising technology. But the receivers themselves are still quite expensive. Cost from 200 dollars for a piece. But you can build an analogue that will cost 1,300 rubles. The difference is dozens of times!”, - said the scientist. If the devices will remain expensive, their cheap counterparts may be in demand: “The technology was launched back in 2010. We need to move from below, ”Samarin is sure. Recall that in Russia the format of digital radio is still rather unknown. However, in Norway, since December 2017, all radio stations broadcast only “through a number”. This transmission format provides better sound quality and allows you to accommodate a larger number of channels. In Russia, the State Commission on Radio Frequencies has already allocated frequencies for such a digital radio, and there is also its own standard for digital radio, RAVIS. However, while on the "digital" is only a test broadcast. regnum.ru http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__72674/ (via RusDX 24 March via DXLD) about DAB ? ** RUSSIA. SW USSR lovers ------------------------ In Russian. I met an interesting video about the oldest short-wave Nizhny Novgorod. To whom it is interesting to download this link: https://yadi.sk/i/0RDXD-BQQMwT3g (Pavel Ivanov, Belgorod, Russia / “deneb-radio-dx” via RusDX 24 March via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Summer A-19 registered frequencies of BSKSA via non-dir antenna https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/summer-19-registered-frequencies-of.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 0000-1200 on 7410 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 0230-0530 on 9800 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 0600-1400 on 13610 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 0600-1100 on 13780 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 0900-1500 on 9675 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 1200-1400 on 13785 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 1400-1800 on 9650 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 1400-1800 on 9790 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 1900-2300 on 7425 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 1430-1730 on 9655 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh B-18 frequencies of Radio Riyadh and General Service via non-dir antenna are: 0000-0600 on 7410 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 0600-1200 on 13780 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 0900-1800 on 9650 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh 1200-1400 on 13785 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 1400-1800 on 9790 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic BSKSA "General Service" 1800-2400 on 7425 RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran Radio Riyadh ??????????? ?? Observer ? 1:24 PM (via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 7285, March 20 at 0557, doomed R. Sonder Grense partly in English, some Afrikaans. My impression is that clips in English are not translated, expecting all Afrikaaners to understand English as well. Not unusual to hear English on this, facilitating reception reporting before it self-destruct (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 7230, March 25 at 0537, S4-S6 in English, listed Channel Africa, all the way from 05 to 12 UT M-F, 100 kW at 5 degrees, its last few days on the air, stopping March 27 or 29? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) March 24 is final day of SARL via Meyerton 08-09 UT on 17760 (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, WOR iog via DXLD) --- At the end of this poorly modulated transmission a confirmation for the closure of the station has been given. After the crude switch-off sounds the carrier stayed on for another two minutes until moments before or after 0900 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. SABC apologises after radio stations go silent iol.co.za By Songezo Ndlendle Johannesburg 15 March 2019 https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/sabc-apologises-after-radio-stations-go-silent-19904205 The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has apologised to the public after several of its radio stations went offline on Friday morning. SABC spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said: “The SABC would like to apologise to the public for the break in transmission which occurred last night at 8:07 pm, affecting several of the SABC’s radio stations.” She said the break in transmission was due to a power failure at the Sentech tower, which is the SABC’s signal distributor based in Brixton, Johannesburg. “Unfortunately the SABC’s standby generator failed to kick in immediately, however power was restored approximately 40 minutes later. The SABC is working with Sentech to ensure that such technical challenges do not occur in the future or the next time there is a power outage,” said Mthembu. Meanwhile, South Africa's state-owned electricity utility Eskom said it would implement Stage 2 rotational power cuts or load shedding from 8 am to 11 pm due to a shortage of capacity. Eskom generates, transmits and distributes approximately 95% of the electricity used in South Africa and about 45% of power used on the African continent, but has struggled to meet demand. Stage 2 requires 2,000 MW of power to be rotationally load shed nationally at a given period to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout (via Mike Terry, March 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA [non]. Beacon transmission. Dear friends! We are now on with our Beacon transmitter from Europe. The frequency is 6342 kHz. It will be on to at least 08 UT tomorrow. We will be on quite regularly in the coming days with this sched: 1900-0800 UT. Check at our website http://www.radiopirana.com where we will have a sign of if it is ON or OFF. By the way at our website you can also hear how a few of our listeners in Brazil, Chile, USA and New Zealand heard our transmissions from our South American QTH lately. 73' Jorge (Jorge R. García rpi@radiopirana.com www.radiopirana.com March 23, --- Denne e-posten har blitt sjekket for virus av antivirusprogramvare fra Avast https://www.avast.com/antivirus Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 6115, WWCR Nashville TN (presumed); 2205, 3/19; Bellowing Sanctimony Bro. Stair with an extremely enthusiastic audience, asking God to keep out anyone who would come thru his door to kick him. S30 peaks (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Summer A-19 changes from Rei from March 31 1800-2300 NF 11670 # NOB 200 kW / 161 deg to WCAf Spanish M-F ex 15390 1800-2300 NF 12030 # NOB 200 kW / 110 deg N / ME Spanish M-F, ex 15520 # 30 minutes Russian Mon-Fri 1800-1830UT and Arabic Mon-Fri 2230-2300 UT (SWLDXBulgaria News March 17-18) These ``changes`` are in comparison to A-18, not what they have been running in B-18! At least mentions Arabic I am hearing. But would not both shift one real UT hour earlier? (gh, DXLD) Yes, Arabic confirmed at 2130 Tue April 2 (gh) ** SUDAN. 7205, Sudan Radio, Al Aitahab, 1640-1655, 19-03, Arabic comments. 15321. (Méndez) 9505, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, 1655-1710, 21-03, East African songs, French, comments, ID “La Voix de L’Afrique”. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) Good signal of Voice of Africa Sudan Radio, March 25 1600-1630 on 9505 ALF 100 kW / 210 deg to CeAf Arabic 1630-1715 on 9505 ALF 100 kW / 210 deg to CeAf French 1716-1800 on 9505 ALF 100 kW / 210 deg to CeAf English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/good-signal-of-voice-of-africa-sudan_25.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non] and SUDAN SOUTH [non]. Summer A-19 changes of Radio Tamazuj and Radio Dabanga https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/summer-19-changes-of-radio-tamazuj-and.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Tamazuj 1500-1530 NF 15400 ISS 250 kW / 139 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic, ex 15550 Radio Dabanga 0430-0500 NF 7315 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic, ex 9600 1530-1600 NF 13700 ISS 250 kW / 139 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic, ex 15150 ??????????? ?? Observer ? 12:17 PM (via DXLD) Presumably a few more unchanged transmissions continue (gh) ** SURINAME. Station noted from 2315 on 4990 kHz with M and F announcers in what could be Dutch. Fair signal. On the SAL-12 antenna, best signal is to the SE, which would be consistent with Suriname. From about 2325, a different male announcer in a different language. Two mentions of "Suriname" and one possible mention of "Apintie." Drake R-4C with Sherwood mods into Sherwood SE-3, SAL-12 antenna (Art Delibert, Maryland, 3/20/19, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) Check their webstream maybe? http://www.apintie.sr/radio#contact (Paul walker, WY, ibid.) Good idea. Thanks. Yes, the signal on 4990 matches the webstream from R. Apintie, except that the webstream is considerably delayed. So it's definitely Apintie. (At the moment -- 0139 hours [March 21] -- they seem to have lost the audio feed to the SW transmitter again! Carrier remains on the air.) Audio stream is back, and I heard a clear ID for "Radio Apintie" by male DJ on 4990 kHz at 0149 hours (Art, ibid.) 4989.986 kHz, R Apintie in Dutch/Surinamese vernacular mixed. 0059 UT. S=7-8 or -82dBm fluttery signal. March 21. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, dxldyg via DXLD) S4-S6 dead carrier 4990 here 0229-0240+. Something must have changed as had been a struggle to get any trace of it. Hope they will resume modulating. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR iog via DXLD) Same here. Maybe the engineer went home for the night (Art, 0306 UT, ibid.) Hi Glenn, Info from Dave Valko (March 20): ".... found a beautiful signal on 4989.97... it turned out to be R. Apintie. I thought they were gone. Really nice signal with 100% copy. Man DJ with a lot of Dutch talk and many many "Goedemorgan"s. Took a couple phone calls. Now playing an ad for internet service provider. Oh, first tuned in about 0943. This was the best I've heard them since their heyday, without a doubt. I don't know if they revamped their transmitter or just improved propagation to eastern South America...." Dave's excellent audio at https://app.box.com/s/8pha9l0687rrqcdreoqg2o2oodo87pac (via Ron Howard, Calif., WOR iog via DXLD) 4990, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo (presumed), 0601-0620, 21-03, songs, some of them in English. strong carrier but very weak audio. 15311 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable anenna, 8 meters, ibid.) Checked on Puerto Rico Kiwi SDR - very strong carrier but no audio at 0651 UT on 4990. 73 (Tony VK2IC Magon, WOR iog via DXLD) Yes, from 0640 to 0728, only carrier, no audio, but now, at 0733 audio goes on and off various times, some minutes on and some off. Mar 21 (Manuel, ibid.) 4989.983, March 21 at 0229-0240+ open carrier at S4-S6, and still at 0544, S6-S5 when measured. This has already been identified as reactivated R. Apintie, first reported by Arthur Delibert, Maryland at 2315 March 20. Something must have changed, as it had always been a struggle to get even a JBA carrier from it here. But Art also noted the modulation // webstream had been intermittent. Perhaps they would resume for the morning broadcast, audible by sunrise 0944 per Ron Howard. Manuel Méndez, Spain was already hearing songs again by 0601, very weak modulation but strong carrier. Yet he says, ``from 0640 to 0728, only carrier, no audio, but now, at 0733 audio goes on and off various times, some minutes on and some off``. WRTH 2019 has it as irregular (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4990, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, 0601-0750, 21-03, songs, some of them in English, comments, probably in Dutch, strong carrier but very weak audio, for moments only carrier and audio goes on and off various times, some minutes on and some off. 15311. Also 0605-0645, 22-03, songs in English, Dutch, comments. 15411 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 4990-, March 22 at 0127, presumed R. Apintie about S5 with undermodulated music. Various chex 24 hours later detect a JBA carrier, far too weak to evaluate modulation, and lighting storms are closing in on us from the TX Panhandle (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4989.98, R. Apintie (presumed), 0540, on March 22. Pop songs (Irene Cara with "Flashdance What A Feeling," etc.); above threshold level audio, but rather weak. Thanks very much to Arthur Delibert and Dave Valko for the alert that this is doing so well (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) Radio Apintie, 4990 with nice S3 signal (and audio), occasionally peaking to S4 into SW England KiwiSDR at 0531 tune 23 March. Signal was good enough for Shazam to 100% ID the pop tunes: 0531 "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown, 0534 "Dancing on the Floor (Hooked on Love)" by Third World, 0539 "Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson, 0544 "Careless Whisper" by Tamia, 0549 “Contagious” by Mr. Biggs & The Isley Brothers, 0552 “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” by New Kids on the Block, 0558 “Crazy” by K-Ci & JoJo, 0602 “Betcha By Golly, Wow” by the Stylistics. At 0543.5 a man announcer with ID “Radio Apintie, The Happy Station”. 0557.5 commercial with woman announcer and music. 0609 man announcer with ID “Radio Apintie, Your Station”. Significant noise and ute QRM during this period. After 0600 signal improved to mostly S4 but 2-way SSB QRM increased as well. Thanks to Dave Valko for the heads up on reactivation of R. Apintie. I agree with Dave there must have been work done on the transmitter as the signal into W. Europe is the best I have heard in recent years (Bruce Churchill, CA, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND. ESWATINI(non), Summer A-19 changes of Trans World Radio Africa: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/summer-19-changes-of-trans-world-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 19-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Shortwave broadcast of "Taipei Meteo". According to the letter from the station, Central Weather Bureau is transmitting the shortwave weather broadcast "Taipei Meteo" as follows: Frequencies: Mt. Wufen (Xinpei) 8117 kHz USB_mode 250W Qigu (Tainan) 5170 kHz USB_mode 250W Operating hours: 24 hrs continuously. Contents: In Chinese. 1. Sea Weather Information around Taiwan every 3 hours. 2. Meteorological summary and 3 days Fishery Weather Forecast every 6 hours. 3. Typhoon information in the north west Pacific. 4. Typhoon alert every 1-3 hours when typhoon appears. Reception Reports in Chinese or English are verified by A4 size QSL. Return postage is not required. Reports should be addressed to: SSB Shortwave Weather Broadcast Group No.4 Central Weather Bureau, MOTC 64 Gongyuan Road, Taipei 10048 Taiwan URL: E-mail: Tel: +886 2 23491070 Fax: +886 2 23491079 Both stations signal audible in Japan in the night hours (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan; via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 23) (BC-DX 24 March via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 9470, RTI, Tamshui In Chinwaw //9680 & 11985. Very tight window with F-G signal from 1220 tune in till 1228 fade out. SINPO at peak 35333 (John Figliozzi, Monitoring this morning (3/20/19) from Sarasota, FL using a Lowe HF-150 / BoniWhip, WOR iog via DXLD) There was no jamming? In that case you may have been hearing CNR1 jammers instead, unless you got specific RTI IDs or ruled out CNR1 by other //s (gh) ** TAIWAN. March 25, 2019 (Time in UTC) Rx: KiwiSDR (PY2-81502 SWL, São Bernardo) Ant.: PA0RDT Mini Whip 16100, TAIWAN: SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, Miaoli, Chinese, 25/03 1330. Male communication. 25542. Tx from Miaoli to China. 16300, TAIWAN: SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, Pingtung, Chinese, 25/03 1340. Male and female communication, instrumental music, ID 35543. Tx from Pingtung to China. 16600, TAIWAN: SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, Miaoli, Chinese, 25/03 1350. Male communication, interview (phone-in). A song in Chinese language. 1400 time pips and sign-off. 35543. // signal with 16300 kHz. (Rudolf Grimm PY2-81502 SWL, São Bernardo SP, BRAZIL http://dxways-br.blogspot.com YouTube Channel: GrimmSBC, HCDX via DXLD) Rudolf, ??? Was there No jamming? How do you know you were not hearing powerful CNR1 jammers instead of 100-watt SOH nuisance transmitters? Are you not aware that in NDXC/Aoki, a mere (*) indicates jamming without any further listing of it? 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hi Glenn, your questions are correct, but again I inform that on this listening time, there wasn't observed the known jamming presence on these three frequencies. 73, (Rudolf Grimm, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? ** TAJIKISTAN. 4765.051, Tajik Radio Dushanbe Yangi Yul, S=8 or -72dBm, local Central Asian Turk states music played, 2315 UT on March 25, listened in eastern Thailand on Uwe's remote rx installation. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Voice of Turkey: Off Frequency Problems Continue. Why? Again, VoT is off frequency for its Spanish-language broadcast this afternoon (22 March noted at at 1750 UT): 9495.706 kHz rather than 9495.000 kHz. There might be slight distortion in the audio at times, too. Signal spills over to QRM Voice of Africa on 9505 kHz (-- Richard Langley, NB, WOR iog via DXLD) TRT Voice of Turkey in German on very odd frequency 5945.7, March 22: 1830-1925 5945.7 EMR 250 kW / 310 deg German, instead of 5945 March 21 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/voice-of-turkey-in-german-on-very-odd.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Turkey on odd frequencies 11795.7 & 11976.7 kHz, March 25 0930-1055 11795.7 EMR 500 kW / 105 deg WeAs Persian, instead of 11795 1300-1325 11965.7 EMR 250 kW / 072 deg CeAs Turkmen, instead of 11965 1330-1425 13685.7 EMR 500 kW / 072 deg CeAs Uyghur, but without video https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/voice-of-turkey-on-odd-frequencies.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5960, March 25 at 2314, zero signal from VOT English to North America; no doubt an Emirler sloppyrator has again failed to bring up frequency on time. Now what were the preceding ones where it might still be running? I don`t have the list handy, but there is a JBA signal on 9610, and none on 5980; uplooked later the others could be 6120, 9625. Recheck at 2327, *now* 5960 is on at S7-S9 with music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. 6100, Test Broadcast – Woofferton (Presumed), 0105, 3/21/19. Encompass (former Babcock) music loop until 0107, 1 minute break then loop restarts for 2 minutes, stops 1 minute and repeats. Fair (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 March 24 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Interesting Things About Upcoming A19 BBC Transmission Schedule Hi. Just for giggles I took a look at the upcoming BBC Short Wave Broadcasting Schedule 'A19' which starts on March 31st at: http://hfcc.org/data/a19/ 1) Transmissions are scheduled from 14 short wave transmitter sites, in the following countries. Armenia, Ascension Island, Austria, Bulgaria, Madagascar Island, Moldova, Oman, Philippines, Sao Tome Island, Singapore, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan. a) Dropped is Meyerton, South Africa, which was on the B19 schedule. 2) The most active short wave transmissions will be from the Dhabbaya (dha) site in the United Arab Emirates with 71 scheduled transmissions. I have added the transmitter designations as its listed in the WRTH in case someone wants to look up actual transmitter site. UAE (dha)=71, Oman (sla)=55, Ascension Island (asc)=41, Singapore=37 (sng), UK (wof)=24, Armenia (erv)=10, Madagascar (mdg)=10, Bulgaria (sof)=8, Austria (mos)=6, Uzbekistan (tac)=8, Moldava (kch)=1, Philipines (phl)=1, Sao Tome (stp)=1, and Tajikistan (tjk)=1. I did not attempt to break any statistics down further by language, or target areas. I wanted to determine how many transmitter sites, and the amount of transmissions from those sites that the BBC will be using starting March 31st. Have fun with DXing. 73 de (Chuck Gessner W3ON, March 23, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** U S A. 2097.3-CW, March 24 at 0310, beacon A clearly audible, one Morse letter every dekasecond. Based on some references, we have been attributing this to Quartzsite AZ, but Steve McGreevy in the Mojave says it definitely is not, unknown exactly where but in Q. only a skywave signal is received (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 2097.3 is the famous "A" beacon, located somewhere in the desert southwest. Details on the various unlicensed beacons: https://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/index.php/High_Frequency_Beacon Logs: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/board,9.0.html (Chris Smolinski, Black Cat Systems, Westminster, MD USA, http://www.blackcatsystems.com WOR iog via DXLD) ** U S A. The administration of US President Donald Trump in his application to the budget for 2020 proposes to discontinue the work of the three services of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE / RL) - the Georgian, Tatar-Bashkir and North Caucasian services. In addition, it was proposed to reduce the total cost of broadcasting to foreign audiences by 22%. It is reported by Radio Liberty. According to the budget request, the budget of this media company can be reduced from $124 million in 2019 to $87 million in 2020. In addition, the White House proposes to reduce the cost of the Radio Liberty Balkan service, ceasing its activities in Montenegro and Macedonia. "Last year, RFE / RL reached a weekly audience of 34 million people on the Internet, on television and radio. This is 30% more compared to the previous year. This is evidence of the growing need for objective journalism in Russia, Iran, Pakistan and all RFE target countries / RL, ”said Acting Corporation President Daisy Sindelar. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty now works for 22 countries in 26 languages. “The company's mission is to promote democratic values ??and institutions by addressing the audience of countries in which press freedom is restricted by power or has not yet become the norm of public life,” Radio Liberty reminds. In general, the budget application of the Trump administration is the largest in US history. It includes $4.7 trillion of expenses, including an increase in defense funding by $750 billion and raising $8.6 billion to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Proposals to the budget still have to consider the US Congress. In 2019, congressmen approved RFE / RL financing in the amount of $124 million, while President Trump offered to cut corporate expenses to $91 million. Belaruspartisan.by http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__72718/ (via RusDX 24 March via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) USAGM budget request supports modernization and strategic priorities --- Mar 18, 2019 https://aib.org.uk/usagm-budget-request-supports-modernization-and-strategic-priorities/ The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) today released its detailed Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, seeking $628 million to support key U.S. foreign policy goals, maximize impact and continue modernization initiatives while accommodating current spending constraints. “Through unprecedented collaboration between the five USAGM networks and a strategic focus on language-based programming rather than national boundaries, we successfully meet the demand for accurate, compelling journalism that impacts lives and communicates America’s democratic values to our growing global audience,” said USAGM CEO and Director John F. Lansing, adding, “Our work is more important than ever.” USAGM is in the midst of a significant multi-year transformation effort designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency and to increase its impact on the audiences it serves worldwide. This undertaking aligns with the Administration’s National Security Strategy and the President’s management priorities of effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability, and advances USAGM’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. The agency’s portion of the President’s FY 2020 Budget request will build on recent strategic investments, including: Continuing to build VOA365, the new 24/7 Persian-language global network led by Voice of America (VOA) in cooperation with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Radio Farda; Creating a global Mandarin-language digital network, with collaboration between VOA and Radio Free Asia (RFA); Expanding Russian-language content through Current Time; Reaching critical audiences in Central and South America, particularly Venezuela; Developing refugee-focused programming and broadcasts; and Continuing the dynamic transformation and modernization of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Television and Radio Martí) and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN). In FY 2018, USAGM reached a record weekly audience of 345 million across radio, television and the internet-a 24 percent increase from the FY 2017 audience of 278 million. This growth continues the agency’s upward trend in audience reach in recent years, reflecting both the quality of USAGM content and its duty as a trusted source of news and information in a complex global media environment. Additional information regarding USAGM’s budget submission can be found in the Fiscal Year 2020 Congressional Budget Request. (Source: USAGM press release via AIB Media Industry Briefing via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** U S A. 15740, March 20 at 1919, S9 of open carrier, no doubt Greenville-B warming up for *1930 broadcast on 15730, which is currently occupied by very weak VOA French via BOTSWANA. Sure enough, 15740 cuts off at 1929* and almost immediately same bigsig comes up on 15730, 1930 VOA French modulation applied. 15740, March 23 at 1832, S9+10 open carrier, no doubt VOA Greenville-B warming up for 1930 site/frequency switch to 15730 in French as heard March 20 --- but almost an hour ahead of time; are they burning 250 kWh for this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1974 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday March 20 at 1030 on WRMI 5950, fair S9. Also confirmed Wed Mar 20 at 2100 on WRMI 9955, fair; and 2.5 seconds later on WBCQ 7490.2v, poor. Also deconfirmed NOT on WRMI 7780 now, rather German from RAE contrary to WRMI`s contradictory schedule, altho on Thursdays, VORW does replace RAE. Can`t tell what`s on 5950. Also confirmed UT Thu Mar 21 at 0000 on WRMI 7730, VG interrupting some other audio right up to 2400. I am not upcut at the end as I have compensated for it by concluding, ``--- next week; I say, next week``. Also confirmed UT Thu Mar 21 at 0100 on WRMI 7780, fair S7-S9. Next: 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW 0729 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany 1000 UT Saturday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [March 30, alt weeks] 1130 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 1531 UT Saturday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM 2100 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 0030 UT Sunday WRMI 7730 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0315] 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 5950 7730 1130 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 0130 UT Monday WRMI 9395 0230 UT Monday WRMI 7780 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 0930 UT Monday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW 1900 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 [or 1975?] 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 [or 1975?] 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [2 editions; ex-0900] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, Reception of World of Radio via HLR on 6190 CUSB, March 23 0734-0803 6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat, weak to fair https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/reception-of-world-of-radio-via-hlr-on_23.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1974 monitoring: barely confirmed JBA to poor, Sat Mar 23 at 1132 on WRMI 9955; confirmed S5-S4 Sat Mar 23 at 2100 on WRMI 9955. Also confirmed UT Sun Mar 24 after 0030 on WRMI 7730, S9+30. Also confirmed UT Sun Mar 24 at 0331 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, about 5 minutes in, so started circa 0326, S9+30. Also confirmed UT Sun Mar 24 at 0856 check the 0830 on WRMIs, all three good and clear: 7730, 5950, 5850, with 5950 softer-sounding as usual. Next: 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 0130 UT Monday WRMI 9395 0230 UT Monday WRMI 7780 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 0930 UT Monday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW 1900 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 [or 1975?] 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 [or 1975?] 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [2 editions; ex-0900] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, 7265, Hamburger LokalRadio, Goehren, 1130-1215, 24-03, English, Glenn Hauser’s program “World of Radio”, at 1200 Spanish, program “Radio Tropical, Mundofonía” 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) WORLD OF RADIO 1974 monitoring: confirmed Sunday March 24 at 2133 on WRMI 7780, very poor. Also confirmed UT Monday March 25 at 0130 on WRMI 9395, S9+10 (and again not on 5950, music). Also confirmed UT Monday March 25 at 0230 on WRMI 7780, poor. Also confirmed UT Monday March 25 at 0307 the 0300v on Area 51 webcast; WBCQ 5130.40v a JBA carrier at 0323 Also confirmed UT Monday March 25 after 0330 on WRMI webcasst; 9955 a JBA carrier Also confirmed UT Tuesday March 26 at 0030 on WRMI 7730, very good Also confirmed UT Tuesday March 26 at 0100 on WRMI 7780, poor. Next: 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [2 editions; ex-0900] 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 WORLD OF RADIO 1975 may be delayed more than usual! And so is DXLD 19-12 upon which 1974 was based. WORLD OF RADIO 1974 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday March 27 at 2100 on WRMI 9955, fair vs storm crashes up to S6; also one second later on WBCQ 7490+ at S5-S7. Also confirmed UT Thu Mar 28 at 0100 on WRMI 7780, good S9+10/20 better than usual on this NEward frequency. Due to medical distraxions I could not get WOR 1975 prepared and recorded until Friday March 29, availablized on website at 0200 Mar 30 WORLD OF RADIO 1975 contents: Angola, Antarctica, Australia, Bangladesh, Congo DR, Cuba, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea non, Indonesia, Kuwait, Laos, Mali, New Zealand, Oklahoma, Philippines non, Romania, Suriname, UK and non, USA and non, Zambia, Zanzibar, unidentified 12031; and the propagation outlook Larry Will wrote: ``On 3265 via WBCQ at 0223 UTC March 30. First airing?`` Must be; tnx, Larry! Ad-hoc, confirmed here at 0242 check on 3264.9, recognizable but JBA and vs increasing line noise level bothering here; it`s always something. The other shortwave broadcasts should be: 0729 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany 1000 UT Saturday Unique Radio 5045-LSB NSW [March 30, alt weeks] 1130 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 1531 UT Saturday HLR 9485-CUSB Germany 1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM 2100 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 0030 UT Sunday WRMI 7730 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0315] 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 5950 7730 1030 UT Sunday HLR 7265-CUSB Germany [ex-1130] 2130 UT Sunday WRMI 7780 0130 UT Monday WRMI 9395 0230 UT Monday WRMI 7780 0300vUT Monday WBCQ 5130v Area 51 0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 0930 UT Monday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW 1800 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania [ex-1900] 0030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7730 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions] 2030 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 1030 UT Wednesday WRMI 5950 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0000 UT Thursday WRMI 7730 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [it is unclear when 1976 will start airing, as 1975 has unavoidably begun 4 days late; stations please replay latest available edition if necessary] Full schedule including AM, FM, webcasts, satellite, podcasts: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Note European DST affecting WOR times, including: IRRS via Romania, Monday 1800 ex-1900 on 7290. WORLD RADIO NETWORK, Sat 1600, UT Mon 0130 on all services (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI: ** U S A. 5950, March 21 at 1207, WRMI with VOA news about Brexit, 1208 Bob Biermann plugs his `YWS`, 1209 Oldies. You never know exactly when VOA news will show up on WRMI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9955, Radio Libertad in Spanish via WYFR [sic], Okeechobee, FL. March 24, 2019, 0025–0037. SIO 555. Listed target is SAM. OM with talk, apparently a sermon (Vince Henley, Anacortes, WA, U. S. A. Equipment in use: WiNRADiO G39DDCe SDR, ICOM IC-R8600, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R8B, SDRPLAY RSP Duo, TECSUN PL-880. Antennas: whip on PL-880 and Alpha-Delta DX-Ultra installed broadside east west at 30 feet for all others, NASWA Flashsheet March 24 via DXLD) This was not R Libertad. During DST season on WRMI it is at 2315-2400, a real UT hour earlier and jammed to smithereens; consulting outdated sked?? Who says target is S America? Of course, it`s Cuba (gh, DXLD) From my recording last Sunday evening, 24-25 March UTC (weak signal with some SSB QRM for the first hour or so; reception improved subsequently): 2015 Viva Miami (Jeff talks to Tracy Williams (?) about SWLing in the studio at Okeechobee) 2030 Reserve Military Retirement 2100 Wavescan (#526) 2130 World of Radio (#1974) 2200 Bob Biermann's Your Weekend Show 2300 Full Gospel Broadcast 2330 Shortwave Radiogram (#92) 0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak 0030 Radio Slovakia International in English 0100 Wavescan (#526) 0130 Through the Cross Ministry with Pastor Chuck 0200 Radio Prague in English (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) 5950, March 26 at 0222, WRMI in strange language, Albanian? Seemed to mention Tirana, then obviously Supreme Master TV as she goes into Englishish. Indeed, WRMI skedgrid now shows this all the way from 02 to 07 on 5950. Does anyone axually listen to SMTV and get anything out of it? It still sounds like a cult to me and unpredictably multi-lingual, spending large gobs of time telling us about various cable TV channels it`s on, greatly diminishing what SW audience it might accrue (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ: ** U S A. 7490.17, UT Sat March 23 at 0006, tune in to WBCQ as `Allan Weiner Worldwide` says he doesn`t have the heart to keep doing the show, but does so anyway, attacking all Democrats in congress as socialists & communists. And complains that some programmers are failing to pay their bills or get their programs in, even tho he is practically ``giving away the station`` with income barely covering electricity costs. He`s in a terrible mood, and I can`t take it any more, so perhaps John Carver will file a fuller report. Yes: ``Tonight's show started a bit late on 7490 after a period of dead air. Theme song ran most of the way through without any voice overs. Theme stopped then started over again with Allan commenting that he shouldn't do it but was going to do a show. Said he was too upset to do a show. Angela and Tom in the studio with him in Maine. Allan says he's in a terrible mood. Phone call at 0007 from Freddie trying to cheer Allan up. Allan goes on at length about the state of the country, being overwhelmed with bills, programmers not paying their bills, programmers paying with bad checks. States again that he shouldn't have gone on the air this evening. Says he's fed up with everything. No money, no appreciation for what he does, increased taxes and fees. Says that cellphones have turned the younger generation into the BORG and are dragging the rest of us in that direction. Is upset that the country voted in a jerk ass congress. Says that he's had it. Power company has informed him of another coming rate hike. Says he is in a battle with entropy. Regrets that he insisted that wherever possible jobs in the superstation construction be given to locals as he was trying to improve the local economy. Says there has been shoddy work, over charging etc. Stated that the new transmitter is installed and the transmission lines are installed and everything is just waiting for the antenna to be finished. Says that testing should begin in mid April. [WORLD OF RADIO 1975] Another phone call at 0034 from Pirate Joe asking what's wrong with Allan this evening. Lots of statements from Allan about Republicans, Democrats, congress, the state of this country. He posited that people running for election should be required to take intelligence tests. More cellphone jabs and jabs at their users. The decline in radio listening, decline in station revenues. He started yelling, pounded on the desk saying that he was mad as hell and he wasn't going to take it anymore. He repeated this several times and then I lost the signal at 0043. Found a signal on 9330 which surprised me. Allan was still talking with Pirate Joe. Tom noticed that 7490 was off the air and left to check it. He returned and said that the 7490 transmitter had blown a breaker. Allan said that his bitching and moaning must have blown the breaker. Told Angela that was the first time that had ever happened. He seemed to mellow some then and started reading emails at 0051. Most emails were sympathetic to Allan's situation. Phone call at 0053 trying to assure Allan that he was not alone in his sentiments. Another phone call at 0058 supporting Allan then reading of emails continued. Closing prayer at 0102 and show was off the air at 0106. Brief period of music and then into the dulcet tones of Brother Scare. John, Mid-North Indiana`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Classical music on Shortwave --- GERMANY, USA. Radio Tumbril is a new station being aired on Channel 292 and WBCQ with a one-hour programme (titled "Encore") of Classical Music - it is being aired as follows: Channel 292: 6070 kHz: 1500-1600 UT Sunday. Repeated 1900-2000 UT Friday WBCQ: 7490 kHz 0000-0100 UT Monday (20:00-21:00 EDT Sunday) (Not yet showing on the WBCQ website) https://www.tumbril.co.uk (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, March 17, WOR iog via DXLD) Uninformative home page but does link to a very slow-loading playlist for 24/3/09 [sic; just 10 years off]. As an advocate of more (any!) classical on SW, I was sure to intune this, UT March 25 --- but I`m at the computer so, apologetically, listen to WBCQ webcast first. It`s not stereo, and considerable distortion level, disappointingly. Announcer introduces as Brice Avery. Unfortunately it`s on at the same time as 60 Minutes and The Simpsons, two must-sees on American TV, which I doubt he took into account when scheduling. At 0035 retune-in, I`m hearing Smetana`s Moldau, and yes, it is in the middle of this playlist. At 0045, I`m on 7490.17v direct, and find less distortion, at least not the same kind as on webcast, but the usual slight selective fading, and also staticrashes (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490.155V, March 25 at 0539, variety of music, singing ID for WHVW, romantic song, plug ``two hours of classical music at 6-8 Monday-Friday, on WHVW, the best station in the nation``; Alabama Bound. S9 but HNL. Very unusual for Pirate Joe`s station or anything to keep this WBCQ transmitter on so late; maybe a test or ad-hoc. I think he has been running WHVW a lot thru 3264.9, virtually inaudible here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHER: ** U S A. 9260-9270, March 20 at 1158, WINB hybrid DRM VG here, presumably just before closing on new schedule. Is this the 15 kW transmitter for DRM tests, or the main transmitter normally in AM on this frequency? Now can`t hear it wobbling as when in AM mode. Same again March 21 at 1150 check, DRM noise only 9265-9270, other tones 9260-9265. 13750-13760, March 21 at 1413, WINB hybrid DRM is JBA, altho I think it was loud earlier; reduced power? 13750-13755-13760, Monday March 25 at 1341, no DRM from WINB; what happened? No Cuban spur audible either today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5829.986 kHz, WTWW English, call-in program tonight, signal not clean, BUZZ listened and seen on SDR screen on 60 / 120 / 180 Hertz apart distance, both sidebands symmetrical. S=9+25dB in MA US state. 0111 UT on March 21. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. 1000, March 21 at 1301 UT, slow SAH vs KTOK OKC I associate with KKIM Albuquerque, but no, it`s ``ESPN Radio``, therefore still WMVP Chicago, where official FCC sunrise was 1200 UT, ABQ not until 1315 UT (April: 1115 & 1230 respectively) and today 1234 here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1030, March 21 at 1303 UT, ``The station you can always count on for real country, always, all the time`` but no real ID heard; at least there`s no 6 minutes of news on the hour, whew! Obviously KCWJ Blue Springs MO, address in Independence (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1480, March 21 at 1255 UT, KBXD Dallas, Vietnamese still audible, but losing out to KQAM Wichita in English. Jerry Kiefer, who used to work for KBXD, confirms: ``Greetings, Ole famous sage! A quick check with Mike Van Hooser, still the engineer of record at KBXD, and yes, they are the voice of Vietnam around the clock in the Metroplex, not so much at night with their pattern aimed just at you`` --- meaning I assume, their local coverage is degraded (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Another KBXD note: at 10 pm mountain/11 pm central tonight [0400 UT Friday] I heard them launch into a broadcast from VOA in Vietnamese. There was no mistaking the VOA jingle and voiceover intro and I'm pretty sure the language was Vietnamese (Paul Walker, Laramie WY, 0529 UT March 22, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. {automatic translation} 15640 kHz DRM Test from RRTM RED Telecom Tashkent Uzbekistan-bcast-center on March 20. We did not have that yet, just the planned regular broadcast next week, March 26, 1430-1500 UT. The test failed today {March 20} because there were problems with the antenna. If necessary, try again tomorrow March 21 at the same time. (Christian Milling-D probably broker of this special transmission from Tashkent to DRM Convention held in Spain then, wb. March 20, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, Zambia NBC, Radio 1, 1830-1845, 21-03, vernacular comments, African songs. On air after various weeks inactive. 24332. 5915, Zambia NBC, Radio 1, Lusaka, after various weeks inactive, now on air, 1830-1840, 21-03, vernacular comments, African songs. 24332 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) Zambia’s ZNBC1 is on now (2245 UT) with a clear S4 signal and parallel to their (lagging) webstream with local music and female DJ talk in local language (Jay Novello, Wake Forest NC, March 21, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1971, DXLD) 5915, R. One/ZNBC1. Thanks to the original alert from Manuel Méndez and follow up report from Jay Novello, that this is reactivated, after being silent, I believe, all of 2019. Of course I wanted to check this out, as it is one of my favorite stations, so tuned in expecting the previous schedule/format to still be the same. Not so! In past years 0240-0250 was always the IS of the call of the African fish eagle, but March 22, tuned in at 0232, to hear repetitive, non-stop pop African music already here; 0253, cut off audio and only heard a loud hum, till 0257 hum off; African singing; 0300, here is the IS of the African fish eagle, but played not for ten minutes, but only for about one minute; in vernacular; 0401, brief IS and music before the news; later checked at 0420, only to find they were off the air (earlier than their former sign off time). Clearly needs more monitoring to tell what the regular schedule/format will be. Great to have them back again! Seeing as 5915 is reactivated, wanted to see if there was any chance that Radio Two/ZNBC2, which has been silent for a long time now, had also come back to life; checking 6165, from 0240+, but didn't hear anything underneath Cuba. 5915, R. One/ZNBC1. On March 23, tuned in at 0213, to find them already broadcasting; so seems no longer with the former *0240, but when is their sign on now?; reception today much better than yesterday; mostly announcers chatting, with some pop African singing; 0258-0301, IS with the call of the African fish eagle. Heavy QRN (static), but Zambia cutting through it alright. My audio at http://bit.ly/2JJLsVc ending with the call of the African fish eagle IS (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) Hi Ron, 5915, ZNBC1, Lusaka. Mar 24, 2019, Sunday. 0215-0242. Already on air when I tuned in at 0215. OM’s talking and Afro music. It will be rather uncomfortable to pin down an exact start time from here in RSA because of the awkward time, presumably around 4 am or earlier (local) in this zone. Will have to check late at night to see if they may have gone 24H. Reception varying from fair to complete fade-out. Jo’burg sunrise 0413 (Bill Bingham, Jo'burg, RSA, Drake R8E, Sony ICF 2001D, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) 5915, Zambia NBC Radio 1, Lusaka 1920-1940, 23-03, vernacular, comments, African songs, at 1930 some comment in English and other in vernacular. 14321. Also 1715-1807, 24-03, vernacular comments, African songs, at 1800 English, ID “Zambia Broadcasting Corporation, news in English. 25322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 5915, R. One/ZNBC1. On March 25, tuned in at 0141, to find them already broadcasting; announcers in vernacular and a lot of repetitive African pop singing; after 0200, best in LSB, due to strong 5920 sign on. My local sunset was at 0222 UT. So we sill don't know their new schedule (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA, 11735, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, Dole, 1750-1815, 20-03, Swahili, comments, African songs. No English news at 1800 today. 13321. Also 1756-1809, 21-03, Swahili, at 1759 tuning music, 1800 time signals and today English: “This is Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, here the news...”, news in English. 13321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain. Log in Reinante, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 6015, ZBC Radio. It was back on Feb 17, that I reported "tuned in at 0250, waiting for their sign on. A long wait! Suddenly come on at *0330"; on March 22, again checking for their starting time and yes, it was also at *0330, with program already in progress; at times almost fair reception. Is this really the new starting time? Formerly started about 0300. 6015, ZBC Radio. On March 23, tuned in close to 0330 and yes, they just started broadcasting then; usual format, with decent signal strength, but adjacent QRM. My audio at http://bit.ly/2HDkdKu (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) 6015, ZBC Radio, Dole. Mar 24, 2019 Sunday. 0255-0416. Nothing heard at 0255. Actual sign on time uncertain because of lousy propagation in this part of the world, but at 0330 a YL was talking in Swahili and playing Afro music; not sure if it was Spice FM. Mention of “Dar es Salaam” at 0335 and at 0338 it sounded like news read by YL. Usual ZBC jingle at 0339. Mentioned “Zanzibar” at 0340 and 0358, followed by what sounded like a new jingle. Drumming at 0359, 5+1 time pips at 0400 (almost spot-on), ID and talk by YL, into (presumed) news with mentions of Zanzibar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Nairobi. Tuned out at 0416. No Koran recitation heard this morning. Reception varied from good to complete fade out, just like Zambia, presumably down to poor local propagation. Also spoiled by severe QRM from adjacent 6020. Jo’burg sunrise 0413 (Bill Bingham, Jo'burg, RSA, Drake R8E, Sony ICF 2001D, WOR iog via DXLD) 6015, ZBC Radio. On March 25, suddenly on at *0327, with program already in progress; so there is some variation with their starting time (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific JBA MW carrier search, March 21 at 1236- 1245: 594, 774-NW & WSW, 828-NW, 882-WSW, 972-NW, 1098-W, 1422-NW, 1548-WSW, 1566-NW. Very likely sources of all these from Australia, Pacific and East Asia should be obvious. Should have started earlier before LSR 1234 UT, while I was trying to get back to sleep, but finally upgave and intuned (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 2940.132, March 25 at 0609, trace of modulation, vs staticrashes, second harmonic of something on 2940.066v. I`ve already mentioned the likeliest, but no reports received from anyone who can ID it for sure, and the spring storm season is no help (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6175, March 22 at 0527, hilife music, good S9+10/20, 0528 African language announcement past 0530+, seems with French influence. Cannot find anything listed now except HFCC has a wooden entry for NHK direct from Japan in multiple languages between 04 & 07. Not in Aoki or EiBi, nothing scheduled 0400-0900. Possibly VOA Botswana failed to turn off at scheduled 0400*? 6175, March 23 at 0528, no signal here unlike 24 hours ago a French-influenced African language. Likewise March 24 at 0525 check. Something getting a head start on A-19? Nothing scheduled then either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWNIA: 11955, 1946-2000:09*, 3/20; English robodroner Bible reader; plugpull without ID; A19 gunjumper? SIO=353 peaks with QSB to zilch. AWR uses 11955 but nothing in English for B18 or at this hour. HFCC A19 shows AWR via Nauen at this hour but in “Shi” (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNKNOWNIA: 11955, *1930:50-2000:02*, 3/22; On abruptly but only mumblage in the QRN; 1938 improved to “can-tell-it’s-English” with droning (almost robo) religihuxter; 1944 better peaks, O=2; 1957 fell off a bit; 1959 mentioned “Living Water” -- possible program name? (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) nothing here next days (gh) UNIDENTIFIED [and non]. SPAIN [and non]. 12030, March 26 at 1819, REE has heavy QRM from an extremely distorted and wide signal from 12021 to 12039 approx. At first I suspect a Noblejas transmitter is acting up again, but the ``modulation`` does not match up to REE-AM in the midst of it. What else could it be? WEWN has also broken down like this in past. But there own much weaker Spanish on 12050 sounds OK, and there is no spur match on 12070 or anywhere. At 1923, 12050 has two weak stations with a slow SAH, i.e. WEWN and Ndarason/Ascension. By 1922, REE is somewhat overcoming the QRM, another indication it`s not self. Maybe a totally different station mistuned to the wrong frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DX LISTENING DIGEST) also heard as early as 13 next days, but gone by March 30 (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 13840, March 21 at 1411 open carrier and off. Nothing scheduled now, but I notice HFCC B-18 has an imaginary English broadcast, 250 kW, 330 degrees from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, toward western Europe, at 15-18! One can hope; same is still in HFCC A-19 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15540, March 21 at 1316-1323+, S5-S6 carrier, maybe trace of modulation?; nothing listed here between 11 and 16. And not much is propagating besides Cuba on 19m, but Antarctica is (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1974: Thanks to Gerald T. Pollard, NC, for a generous quarterly seasonal cheque to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1975: Thanks to Mike Cooper, GA for a generous check in US funds on a US bank to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Thanks to Steve McGreevy, CA for a generous contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com Thanks to Chuck Ermatinger for two more contributions via PayPal Thanks to Jeff Murri for another contribution via PayPal PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WORLD OF RADIO SCHEDULE UPDATED FOR A-19, DST http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WORLD OF RADIO HITLIST UPDATE Hi Glenn, My latest Hitlist update. http://www.w4uvh.net/hitlist.htm It's been some time since I performed a comprehensive review of the links - this update includes part one of that review. 1) Podcast aggregator - WRN: Updated links from Babcock to Encompass 2) Australia - R Australia: Deleted link to Keys of Music (podcasts all deleted) 3) Australia - Unique R: Updated link to podcasts 4) Australia - Hobart R Int: Added link to podcasts 5) Austria - TWR Europe: Added links to programmes/frequencies 6) Brazil - R Clube do Para: Deleted link to programme schedule (no longer found) 7) Brazil - R Nac de Amazonia: Updated link to programme schedule 8) Brazil - R Nac de Brasilia: Updated link to programme schedule 9) Canada - BVB: Corrected link from freq list to prog list 10) China - CTB: Added alternative link to Holy Tibet podcasts 11) Croatia - HRT: Updated link to HRT Live 12) Egypt - R Cairo: Removed links to archived programmes (pages no longer found) 13) Falklands - Falklands R: Updated links to frequencies and programme schedules 14) France - R France Int (Eng): Removed obsolete link to frequencies 15) Germany - Channel 292: Added links to From The Isle of Music, Uncle Bill's Melting Pot and Encore (all also listed under WBCQ) 16) Germany - DW: Added link to Facebook page 17) India - AIR: Updated link to Home page 18) India - AIR: Removed incorrect link to AIR Ragaam service daily cuesheet 19) Korea, North - R Pyongyang: Updated link to home page 20) USA - WBCQ: Added link to Encore (also listed under Channel 292) 21) USA - WRNO: Removed obsolete links 22) Update to UTC offset notations for Cuba The next update will be at the end of March, and will include part two of the comprehensive review of links. Best wishes and 73 (Alan Roe, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO HITLIST UPDATE Hi Glenn, My latest Hitlist update, which also concludes a comprehensive review of the various links started last week. http://www.w4uvh.net/hitlist.htm 1) Australia - Reach Beyond: Updated links to new A19 frequency and programme schedules 2) Morocco - Medi 1: Updated link to live stream 3) Nigeria - VoN: Update to link to home page 4) Taiwan - PCJ Radio: Removed link to home page (as seems no longer existing); updated links to on-demand/archived programmes 5) Ukraine - RUI: Updated link to live stream 6) UK - EMR: Now shown as an archived website (ie no longer active). Tom Taylor, RIP. 7) Update to UT offset notations for Croatia, Germany, Greece, Romania, Spain, and USA Unless there's a major change anywhere, the next update will be in late April. Best wishes and 73 (Alan Roe, March 30, DXLD) AOKI A19 PREVIEW http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/ #Aoki #A19 Preview http://www1.s2.starcat.ne.jp/ndxc/pc/ad/nxa19.zip (https://vk.com/dxing)(via RusDX 24 March via DXLD) 404 not found (gh, March 31, DXLD) A Guide To Vagabond DXing, By Don Moore Ever since I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras in the early 1980s, Latin America has been my primary focus for both DXing and traveling. So when I retired in 2017, my main goal was to begin taking long annual trips . . . and I do mean long. From October 2017 to May 2018, I traveled through Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia visiting about fifty different towns and cities. Read the full story here: https://swling.com/blog/2019/03/radio-travel-a-complete-sdr-station-for-superb-portable-dxing/ (Don Moore via The SWLing Post via SWB March 24 via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM broadcasts directed to DRM General Assembly Meeting in Spain via Media Broadcast Nauen on March 26-27 1000-1100 on 13670 NAU 100 kW / 210 deg to CeEu English DRM Mighty KBC via ENC-DMS Woofferton on March 26-27 1200-1300 on 11780 WOF 100 kW / 158 deg to CeEu English DRM WINB Radio 1500-1600 on 11790 WOF 100 kW / 158 deg to CeEu English DRM WINB Radio [I don`t think this was WINB programming; rather BBCWS content as publicized by Hans Johnson, WINB ---- gh] via RED Telecom Tashkent on March 26 1430-1530 on 15640 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg to CeEu English DRM UNID prgr. https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/03/drm-broadcasts-directed-to-drm-general.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SHORTWAVE RADIO MEETING OF 2019 Dear friends, here follows an updated list of the major shortwave and radio meetings of 2019. best 73's Risto Vähäkainu FDXA Dates: March 31-April 2 Location: Lausanne, Switzerland Description: Radiodays Europe 2019 -conference More info: https://www.radiodayseurope.com/radiodayseurope.jpg Radiodays Europe, C/o Anders Held, Swedish Radio, SE-105 10 Stockholm, Sweden. Dates: May 3-5 Location: Jönköping, Sweden Description: DX-Parlamentet 2019, the annual meeting of the SDXF together with the meeting of Arctic Radio Club (a club specialized in MW DXing) Organization: The Swedish DX-Federation (SDXF) More info: Dates: May 9-10 Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA Description: Annual NASB Conference, hosted by TWR International Organization: National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters More info: Dates: May 17-19 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Organization: Dayton Hamvention Expected attendance: 20000 More info: Dates: June 21-23 Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany Description: Ham Radio, biggest annual hamfest in Europe Expected attendance: 20000 More info: Dates: July 6-20 Location: Döbriach, Austria Description: DX-Camp of ADXB-OE More info: Dates: August 2-3 Location: Tlaltenango, Zacatecas Name: 25th Mexican DX Meeting (2019 edition) Description: The annual Mexican meeting, "Grupo Diexista México". International SW stations, DX club and Dxers around the world Welcome! More info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiexismoExtremo/ Contact, local organizer: Mr. Ivan Istlahuaca Alejandro Carlos, E-mail: sivanr77_necaxa@hotmail.com Dates: August 2-4 Location: Kisakallio Sports Institute, Lohja (60 kms west of Helsinki) Description: The annual summer meeting of the Finnish DX Association Expected attendance: 100 More info: http://www.sdxl.fi rv at sdxl.org Dates: August 31-September 1 Location: Tokyo, Japan Description: Big ham fair with a SW sector (Japan SW Club stand & lectures) Organization: Tokyo HAM Fair sponsored by JARL Expected attendance: 30000 More info: ohtaket at live.jp Dates: September 5-7 Location: Tukwila, Washington, USA (near Seattle) Description: IRCA Convention More info: Dates: September 6-8 Location: Golden Tulip Andorra Fenix Hotel, Andorra Description: Annual European DX Conference Organization: European DX Council Expected attendance: 50 More info: http://www.edxc.org Dates: September 6-11 Location: Berlin, Germany Name: IFA Internationale Funkausstellung Description: Consumer Electronics Fair - Including Radios More info: Dates: September 12-17 Location: Amsterdam, Holland Description: IBC 2019, conference and exhibition More info: Dates: October 8-10 Location: Kanyakumari, India Description: Ham Fest India 2019 More info: (March 24, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ Skip daylight saving time. Keep standard time all year. - The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/skip-daylight-saving-time-keep-standard-time-all-year/2019/03/21/ae10002c-49b3-11e9-8cfc-2c5d0999c21e_print.html?noredirect=on By Letters to the Editor, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) had it backward in their March 17 Sunday Opinion essay, "Make daylight saving time permanent." Keeping standard time all year is the best way to avoid clock-changing mania. I believe the momentum is there, but this would be the right direction. Their arguments were not convincing: Increased visibility for commuting drivers in the evening conversely creates decreased visibility in the morning. The U.S. Transportation Department does not advocate daylight saving time, only a uniform policy. Obese adults and inactive children should not blame either the sun or the clock. Where are personal responsibility and proactive parenting? The claim for energy savings is made irrelevant because of technological advances since World War I. Nature already provides for longer daylight hours in varying summer seasons around the globe. There is plenty of fake news. We don't need fake time. This November is our chance to stop this outdated practice, align with reality and keep standard time all year. Catherine Evans, Hagerstown, Md. (c) The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See CUBA; KUWAIT; NEW ZEALAND; ROMANIA; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ USA WINB; UZBEKISTAN; CONVENTIONS & CONFS DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See RUSSIA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV see also MEXICO ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Winter Racks Up Repack Delays March 19, 2019 6:00 am https://insidetowers.com/cell-tower-news-winter-racks-up-repack-delays/ Experts say the TV channel repack is getting more complicated as winter drags on and delays are inevitable, coming into spring and summer. Phase 1 ended in late November with 143 stations moving without much delay, Inside Towers reported. However winter weather has caused headaches for tower crews and delays in Phase 2, with about 114 station moves due to be completed by April 12, reports TVNewsCheck. In addition, many of the stations in the middle phases have interference dependencies, meaning if a station in Phase 3 moves late, that delays a move for another station in Phase 4. By contrast, there were no interference dependencies in Phase 1. Stations facing delays were simply moved to a later phase, said Dennis Wallace, Managing Partner of RF consulting firm Meintel, Sgrignoli & Wallace, LLC. “You had a year and a half to move 150 stations,” says Wallace. “Now you’re going to move 150 every 30 to 60 days, which I think is pretty unrealistic. I think the wheels come off the wagon here in Phases 3 and 4,” he tells TVNewsCheck. Some delays may be solved by the FCC granting certain stations STAs to operate at lower power, according to Wallace, “But at some point, they reach a scenario where a station can’t transition, and operating with an interim facility is not an option.” Vendors prepared for the spike in equipment demand, but winter weather and the tower crew shortage, limits how much work gets accomplished. Jampro Antenna President Alex Perchevitch said, “People are looking around for crews, and when they’ve found them, the weather has not been very accommodating.” Only between 15 to 20 tower crews are qualified to work on tall broadcast TV towers which can range from about 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Stainless, the prime tower contractor for Sinclair Broadcast Group and other large television groups, has five crews. It’s bringing in additional crews from Europe, for a total of eight crews by summer, according to the account. Stainless normally loses 20 percent of its work days in a year to weather issues like rain, snow, ice and high winds. But it’s lost roughly double that so far this year nationally, according to Stainless Business Development Manager Don Doty. “All of the top-tier tower contractors are being impacted; we’re all having to deal with this,” says Doty. “It’s beyond anybody’s forecast. In some places, we’re only working two days out of the week for weeks and months at a time.” The company’s equipment takes days to set up and take down. “And it’s not like we can leave a project and come back when the weather breaks; we have to finish a job before we can go to the next one,” Doty explains. “In Phases 4, 5 and 6 there is not much wiggle room,” Doty says. “We wanted to go in ahead of the curve; we wanted some flexibility. Now we’re being pressed.” Dielectric Sales Director Jay Martin, says broadcasters are working to meet the repack deadlines, even hiring special helicopter construction companies in some cases to help remove and install antennas. But bad weather has been delaying many Phase 2 projects, he says. Martin fears further issues this summer in Phases 4 through 6. “I think that’s when it begins to fall apart, between August 2 and October 18,” Martin emphasizes. “In that period, you either go on the air or you go dark.” Comments? Email Us. March 19, 2019 (via Andy Reid, Ont., WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ MY PL-880 ANNIVERSARY March 13 marked the fifth anniversary since I got this radio, and have used it almost every day when I need a good portable either in the house or around town. I use it probably more on FM than SW, and don`t use it much for MW. Only rarely plug in an external antenna. Often it`s for a quick check of // SW frequencies to other radios. The following problems have developed, not necessarily in order as I did not keep a record: telescopic whip antenna mounting loose, won`t stay in any position (this seems to happen with all my portables sooner or later). But despite tiny top stem, have managed not to break it and only slightly bend it. Has been extended and collapsed countless times. main tuning knob goes haywire both on FM and SW: can`t step up or down reliably, jumps all over the place. This is the major annoyance. Can it be fixed? Once I have a frequency, better lock it in. Fine tuning however is still OK, but too slow unless needed. sensitivity level jumps down and up on some frequencies some buttons hard to engage, but no failures yet zipper pouch fraying but still usable speaker grill is unsightly from body oil handling, no doubt clock gains, very gradually NOT a problem, however is the Lithium Ion battery, After five years, the original is still recharging very reliably. For quite a while it seems I had not been fully charging it for several hours, but when I do it lasts much longer. No way to tell when charging is complete. Or wait --- maybe there is: just left it in even longer and discovered it no longer flashes CHG, so maybe that mean it`s full. Is there a risk of overcharging? Would be convenient to do it while I am out, or overnight, but should I be concerned about fire hazard with this one? Never noticed any sign of over-heating. Barely visible on the radio case is 18650 battery designation, but the one that came with it does not bear that number at all; instead: ``TECSUN Li-Ion Battery/Akkumulator 3.7V 2.0Ah 7.4Wh Lot 2013-10`` and do-not-throw-in-trash icon. So is it really the same thing? O, partly legible, case adds ``Be sure to replace with indicated battery --algo--``. I read somewhere that this battery is easily accessible when needed at Walmart, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On the charging issue, my experience with the Tecsun PL680 indicates that it is better not do it overnight. I did it with the PL680 and found it the next day inoperative. Even the clock was out. It still remains that way. Resetting did not solve anything and the circuit has surface mount components that I am not prepared to handle specially without a repair manual. 73s (Guido Santacana KP4FAR, WOR iog via DXLD) Guido, Makes me wonder if you fried the battery. I did that on my PL-880. I purchased a new battery and I was good to go - although I was out $10 (David Provost, ibid.) David, I tried new batteries but to no avail. Something did fry though. It seems that a surface mounted tiny capacitor burned up and in the process took out something else. The radio is now stored disassembled and waiting for a service manual or good schematic. In the meantime, my Degen 1103 came to the rescue as my bedside radio. 73s (Guido, ibid.) NEW KIWISDR IN NEW JERSEY Hi Glenn, I'm Greg Wasik located in Hudson, MA. Been a fan of your World of Radio broadcast/podcast for many years. Always been interested in shortwave and ham radio (K1YW). Also I wanted to mention that a friend of mine and I have put online a kiwi sdr that you or others may find interesting. It has a beverage antenna 500+ feet in length and also selectable high pass filter and preamp for improved shortwave reception (mostly below 10 MHz). It receives lots of NDBs, and European long wave stations as well. Check it out at http://kiwisdr.njctech.com (Greg Wasik, K1YW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ COASTAL ENHANCEMENT and CHORDAL HOPS [Edited Message Follows] [Reason: typos as usual my clutzy fingers and too hasty click of post btn so corrrexioniones aqui...] Thank you, Sir Ron of proving once again the wonderful "coastal-enhancement effects" of DXing anything from ELF to past VHF by the sea, as seawater -- being very-high conductivity, acts like an EM conduit to hertzian-mode transverse EM waves, and as such, being right spot on the beach within a few wavelengths actually can, from Point Reyes signal comparisons between Pt. Reyes North Beach and Elda Drive, Terra Linda-locations in Marin County, CA 1982 to 1986 DXing, I can say the potential signal enhancements can be as much (LF to MF particularly - maybe 40 (yes 10,000X s/n) 40 dB stronger, I declare! 353 MPH Maui - big NDB was 40 dB and maybe up to 43 dB stronger at Abbotts Lagoon PRNS -- north CA **compared to** same DX-ing-times at Elda Drive, San Rafael. Thusly, your superior DX catches combined with lovely Cypress Tree fence-wire location and a hot receiver the Eton, you're gonna get 'am like no others, no ego there, just science-fact from my own coastal DX at PRNS and Big Island loop/BEV(!!!) phased Bevs. in Hawaii = (OMG!!!!!) DXing experiences 82/HI-86to91/ to 2010 last time at the coast / for a while. Danke for your reports. I will soon upload a cool report of KOREAN jammer and broadcasting below 6600 kHz report as ascertained earlier this week of jammers and AM-mode broadcasts within and without the jammers on the Korean Pen, coming as soon as I get time this weekend to do so. 73 mate, (Stephen Mcgreevy with crazy typoes from this dyslexic DXing dude... bye for now DXLDers from the boondock town of CA - Keeler. ;-) -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done real-time with traditional (non-SDR) receivers --, WOR iog via DXLD) Other thoughts about trans oceanic DX --- consider the ocean up to Ionosphere "hop" the least attenuated kind - a sort of wave-guide of the ocean of high conductivity and the ionosphere creates a vastly superior propagation path in comparison to the inland mode whereby the oceanic-ionosphere waveguide abruptly terminates at any land mass, there-by the prop. mode then depending upon a skip upon the (more attenuating land-mass before skipping off that land back up to the ionosphere to complete another "hop" / or so it goes. Over 3000 mmhos oceanic water skip/reflection upon sea-water and back to the ionosphere, the 3000 mmhos conductivity is like a wonderful "mirror" for EM compared to a landmass hop (worst being craggy mountains of lava and granite, and the most best land-skip being a fresh water lake, and then truly wonderful being a salt-water body like Hudson Bay (for superb TA DX to MB, Canada for instance). [What about if Hudson is frozen and craggy? --- gh] So if a skip to Earth from ionosphere comes to a lake or sea water body (even inland or as a bight or like Hudson Bay/Baltic-Sea/Black Sea/as some examples etc. are), it is stronger to skip back to the ionosphere off of those salt-water bodies in comparison to a skip off a more attenuating mountainous/craggy/absorbing landmass that yes - more *absorbs* the EM wave signal rather than reflecting it back to the ionosphere so well as the ocean. Think 40 dB enhancements - less as one goes inland by far - even flat land, go figure! An observed "real world" example is MONGOLIA 164 kHz from Ulan Baator in my DXing observations: -- Huge gorgeous sig in Chongqin, China/ship deck (ICF-SW7600GR loopstick for N/S reception - quiet armchair sig. on the on-Yangtzee River ship) on the (Century Cruises) boat-top-deck back on 16 Nov. 2013 at dawn 2200z sign-on of them (one hop max there) with exotic wonderful Ulanbator programs and music, but this signal - non directional of 500 kW on 164 kHz, does **not** radiate well to WCNA cuz it is too far **inland** in the Asian landmass, and so the FIRST land-hop NE (over the north-Pacific) -ward toward WCNA (at 1400 mile/2100 km point land-hop in Asia, usually) hits rugged MOUNTAINS there in Asia, and *not* any salt water/ocean, so it is really weakened toward the WCNA on subsequent "skips" compared to the (former) coastal Russian LWBCers are/or were nowadays. This applies to MF TP/TA DX, of course also, but as the frequencies go higher into HF, the vast differences between LF of 40 dB coastal enhancement compare to maybe 20 dB or only 15 dB enhancements at HF (even 4 MHz), say, due to higher skip angles off the ionosphere and also lesser land-mass signal skip attenuation / and also station/transmitter antenna employment of horizontally polarized antennas to send the signals vs vertical pol like on MW, all contribute to the lesser HF signal differences (although still substantial!) between coast and inland in comparison to (repeating) LF and MF low-angle skip sigs. So in essence, LF has the biggie difference of the Ocean-ionosphere waveguide over ocean vs. landmass/trans-continental skip paths. It all fits if you see this. Just humble thoughts as I get this typoed wording out so I don't forget it all. Sorry about typos but I can't type very well if the thoughts pour forth like DX book writers, I guess. Anyway, EMF stuff and rayyydeeo is the binding reason everybody is here at DXLD/WOR, no? 73 for the bit, steve - N6NKS -- N6NKS - http://www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done while living on Earth... ... and before I forget this: the ionosphere-skip model we all figure upon (of one and two hops being 1400 miles/2100 km and twice that, etc.) - (for LF / MF typically) - falls apart for CHORDAL-HOP propagation modes - (or the EM wave just skipping along or "bumping along" the bottom of the ionosphere rather than taking the classic skip refraction back toward Earth's surface as we generally assume. Another Hawaii 1986 example. In Hilo in Oct. 86 (Kenwood R-1000, two wires/phasing-unit), I normally observed most nights that coastal MW stations dominated from WCNA (or WCSA if auroral conditions dominated, as would be assumed) - BUT, one extraordinary evening, 1250 WREN Topeka, KS totally-dominated the frequency and the co-channel 1250 stations from WCNA were **way weaker** (under) WREN. Amazing! ((One Au night, 1180 CHILE blasted-in (usually Montana and US stations dominated. (1180 Chile S9+10 in Hilo on one night, maybe = CHORDAL and Auroral cx too?)) For that night in Hilo, WREN 1250 was the biggie! They do [did] direct a big-pattern toward HI, but usually Santa Barbara (or closer to WCNA stations) were atop the frequencies most nights until WCNA sunrise, then fade-outs ensue. This means maybe CHORDAL-HOPS (cloud to cloud for Es and the signal at MF/LF/HF bumps or just refracts at the same skip-angle just enough to ride under the ionosphere until a place where the wave is refracted back toward Earth (at an "unusual" point!) These conditions were allowing 1250 WREN to dominate. // Conversely, anyone DXing MW in Topeka, KS or nearby would likely have had a wonderful "Hawaiian opening" and heard maybe 650 KORL/830 KIKI/etc. enhanced by a large amount (new catches!) and wondering why HI came in so fine to fill their logs, for once. This note is to point out that *chordal-hops* play into MF to HF propagation in the big picture, to be observed all the time, and are playing a big role in everyday DXing receptions, whether we know it or not. 73 again, (Steve - N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com, WOR iog via DXLD) sri, gh could not help but correct some more typos (gh) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2019 Mar 18 0333 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 11 - 17 March 2019 Solar activity was very low throughout the period. Region 2734 (N09, L=60, class/area=Cro/60 on 06 Mar) briefly contained spots early this period, but was quiet. A slow-moving CME off the east limb observed early on 12 Mar was determined to have a possible earth-directed component with an early 17 Mar arrival, based on ENLIL model output. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 11-12 Mar. Geomagnetic field activity reached G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels early on 17 Mar, likely due in part to the arrival of the 12 Mar CME. Quiet to active conditions were observed on 16 Mar and quiet or quiet to unsettled conditions were observed throughout the remainder of the period. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 March - 13 April 2019 Solar activity is expected to be very low 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 reach very high levels on 29-30 Mar with high levels expected on 27-28, 31 Mar and 01-07 Apr. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 27-28 Mar and active conditions are expected on 26, 29 Mar and 12 Apr, all due to the influence of multiple recurrent CH HSSs. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2019 Mar 18 0333 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 2019-03-18 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2019 Mar 18 69 8 3 2019 Mar 19 69 5 2 2019 Mar 20 69 10 3 2019 Mar 21 69 5 2 2019 Mar 22 69 5 2 2019 Mar 23 69 5 2 2019 Mar 24 69 5 2 2019 Mar 25 69 5 2 2019 Mar 26 69 12 4 2019 Mar 27 69 30 5 2019 Mar 28 69 28 5 2019 Mar 29 70 15 4 2019 Mar 30 71 8 3 2019 Mar 31 71 5 2 2019 Apr 01 71 5 2 2019 Apr 02 71 8 3 2019 Apr 03 71 8 3 2019 Apr 04 71 5 2 2019 Apr 05 71 5 2 2019 Apr 06 71 5 2 2019 Apr 07 71 5 2 2019 Apr 08 71 5 2 2019 Apr 09 71 5 2 2019 Apr 10 70 5 2 2019 Apr 11 69 5 2 2019 Apr 12 69 15 4 2019 Apr 13 69 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1974, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2019 Mar 25 0105 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 18 - 24 March 2019 Solar activity was low throughout the period. Region 2736 (N08, L=284, class/area-Eki/420 on 22 Mar) produced multiple C-class events including a C5 flare at 21/0312 UTC. Region 2735 (N03, L=259, class/area-Cro/20 on 19 Mar) provided multiple, low-level, B-class events early in the period before decaying to plage on 22 Mar. An asymmetrical, full-halo CME was observed in SOHO/LASCO coronagraph imagery starting at 20/1100 UTC and was determined to have an earth-directed component. No additional earth-directed CMEs were observed. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 19 and 24 Mar with moderate levels observed throughout the remainder of the reporting period. Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels on 19 Mar with quiet conditions observed throughout the remainder of the period, under a nominal solar wind environment. A sudden impulse summary was issued at 24/2151 UTC for what is believed to be the arrival of the 20 Mar CME mentioned above. A 17 nT deviation was recorded at the Boulder, Colorado magnetometer. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 25 March - 20 April 2019 Solar activity is expected to be very low between 25 Mar-07 Apr. Low levels are expected between 08-20 Apr due to the return of Region 2736. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 27 Mar-07 Apr with normal to moderate levels expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on 27-28 Mar and 12 Apr due to influence from multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2019 Mar 25 0105 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 2019-03-25 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2019 Mar 25 73 15 4 2019 Mar 26 71 8 3 2019 Mar 27 70 12 4 2019 Mar 28 70 12 4 2019 Mar 29 70 8 3 2019 Mar 30 70 8 3 2019 Mar 31 70 5 2 2019 Apr 01 70 5 2 2019 Apr 02 70 8 3 2019 Apr 03 70 8 3 2019 Apr 04 70 5 2 2019 Apr 05 70 5 2 2019 Apr 06 70 5 2 2019 Apr 07 71 5 2 2019 Apr 08 74 5 2 2019 Apr 09 75 5 2 2019 Apr 10 75 5 2 2019 Apr 11 75 5 2 2019 Apr 12 75 15 4 2019 Apr 13 75 10 3 2019 Apr 14 75 5 2 2019 Apr 15 75 5 2 2019 Apr 16 75 5 2 2019 Apr 17 75 5 2 2019 Apr 18 75 5 2 2019 Apr 19 74 5 2 2019 Apr 20 72 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1975, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2019 Apr 01 0125 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 25 - 31 March 2019 Solar activity was very low throughout the period. Region 2736 (N08, L=284, class/area-Eki/420 on 22 Mar) produced low level B-class flare activity after its rotation around the west limb. Region 2737 (N12, L=059, class/area-Bxo/10 on 31 Mar) emerged on the disk but was inactive. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CME) were observed. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels throughout the reporting period. Geomagnetic field activity reached active levels on 31 March and unsettled levels on 26-28 March due to influence from multiple, negative polarity coronal hole high-speed streams (CH HSS). Quiet conditions were observed on 25, 29-30 March. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 April - 27 April 2019 Solar activity is expected to be very low on 01-05 and 20-27 April. Low levels are expected between 06-19 April due to the return of Region 2736. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 01-07 April with normal to moderate levels expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on 12 April due to influence from a recurrent, negative-polarity CH HSS. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2019 Apr 01 0125 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 2019-04-01 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2019 Apr 01 70 10 3 2019 Apr 02 70 8 3 2019 Apr 03 70 10 3 2019 Apr 04 70 10 3 2019 Apr 05 70 8 3 2019 Apr 06 70 8 3 2019 Apr 07 70 10 3 2019 Apr 08 70 5 2 2019 Apr 09 70 5 2 2019 Apr 10 70 5 2 2019 Apr 11 69 5 2 2019 Apr 12 69 15 4 2019 Apr 13 69 8 3 2019 Apr 14 70 5 2 2019 Apr 15 70 5 2 2019 Apr 16 70 5 2 2019 Apr 17 70 5 2 2019 Apr 18 70 5 2 2019 Apr 19 70 5 2 2019 Apr 20 70 5 2 2019 Apr 21 70 5 2 2019 Apr 22 70 5 2 2019 Apr 23 69 5 2 2019 Apr 24 68 10 3 2019 Apr 25 69 8 3 2019 Apr 26 69 5 2 2019 Apr 27 70 8 3 (SWPC via DXLD) ###