DX LISTENING DIGEST 19-17, April 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 1979 contents: Alaska, Argentina, Asia non, Australia non, Bulgaria, Colombia, Cuba and non, France, Hawaii, International, Ireland, Japan/Korea North non, Mongolia, Netherlands non, New Zealand, Oman, South Carolina non, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkey, USA, Venezuela non, Zambia, unID, IRCA Convention; sporadic E season; propagation outlook WORLD OF RADIO SCHEDULE: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.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. ** ALASKA. 9580, KNLS religious station, April 20, 2019, 1427–1432 in English. SIO 555. Movie review, Carl Mann with SWL talk. Frequency description, definition. Origin of “Hertz.” OM and YL announcers, pop religious music. Excellent signal (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 April 21 via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) The full A-19 schedule from KNLS website: KNLS TX 1 UT Freq Azm Lang Target 0800 9695 270 ENG Pac. Rim 0900 9695 300 RUS E. Rus 1000 9580 270 ENG Pac. Rim 1100 9580 300 RUS E. Rus 1200 9795 270 ENG Pac. Rim 1300 9740 300 CHN N. China 1400 9580 270 ENG Pac. Rim 1500 9730 300 RUS E. Central Rus KNLS TX 2 0800 11885 285 CHN E. China 0900 11885 285 CHN E. China 1000 9685 285 CHN E. China 1100 9685 285 CHN E. China 1200 7355 270 ENG Pac. Rim 1300 7395 300 CHN N. China 1400 7355 300 CHN N. China 1500 9760 300 CHN N. China (English cited by gh on WORLD OF RADIO 1979, via DXLD) We have two 100 kW transmitters and two antennas in Anchor Point. Both transmitters are from Continental Electronix. One is a model 418 F and the other a 418 G. They are similar in design, but the 418 G is fully automatic and uses digital control circuit and servo systems. The 418 F is analog. Each cost about a million dollars. Their cooling system is water. As for the antennas: they`re made by TCI Communications and are 4 x 4 x 4 curtain types, meaning each has four dipole elements by four stax by four arrays. All three have a horizontal polarization They`re capable of 5 to 12 MHz only. KNLS is powered by commercial power. In order to operate one 100 kW transmitter, the power should be able to deliver at least twice the power, or 200 kW. The excess is used for motor blowers, a water pump and other ancillary equipment (Paul Ladd, Senior Correspondent at World Christian Broadcasting, banquet speech at Winter SWL Festival, via Listener`s Notebook, April NASWA Journal, retyped by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MADAGASCAR ** ALGERIA. Radio Chaîne 3 Algérie 252 kHz. How wonderful that radio stations remained on the long waves, which can please radio listeners. And not only its citizens, but also for 5000 km. And this is despite the fact that the books indicate the distribution of 1-2 thousand kilometers. And in fact, you can hear it in Europe and Asia, as well as in North America, the USA and Canada. It is a pity that our vast country has finished the history of this range. A small network of synchronous radio stations, was able to embrace the entire country, accessible by broadcasting. But alas ... this did not happen. So we have to talk about foreign broadcasters. Radio Chaîne 3, was built April 26, 1926 during the French colonization. The radio station broadcasts 50 kilometers from the capital Algiers. The exact coordinates of the antenna at 252 kHz: N36 33.963 E2 28.831 Transmission power 1500 kW day and 750 kW at night Day off in Algeria is Friday and Saturday. And therefore, the weekend disco starts on Thursday from 2200 to 0300 (0:00 - 5:00 Msk). The music program is called: "Sound System". Leads her for many years DJ: Lefgoum Lefki. Despite his advanced age, he is quite popular in the country, especially in youth circles. We offer you a partial broadcast from April 19, 2019, with this program. Recorded via satellite Hotbird 13E. https://vk.com/radioreceiver?w=wall-163779953_25745%2Fall (via RUS-DX 21 April via DXLD) ** ALGERIA [non]. 9655, April 21 at 2152, French, not Arabic and certainly not Qur`an from RTA relay via FRANCE, contrary to this: ``SWLDXBulgaria News April 6-7 (publications ?19126-?19150) Reception of Telediffusion d'Algerie on April 6: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-telediffusion-dalgerie-ib.html 2100-2159 9655 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg to CEAf Arabic Holy Quran px`` About equal to another French signal on 9650, GUINEA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I noted in an earlier report, the 2100-2200 UT broadcast on 9655 kHz, while IDing at the start of the hour as Qur`an Radio sometimes includes a roughly 10 minute French newscast and not always near the start of the hour (-- Richard Langley, NB, WOR iog via DXLD) 6125, April 25 at 0535, S7-S9 song, choral almost hymnic, mixed with talk in French. Now scheduled here is TDA via FRANCE, and certainly not the Qur`an service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. 6090, University Network (presumed); 0120, 4/23; Past Manifester of Prominent Mammaries Pastor Melissa waxing about Samuel. S9 peaks with usual hum & whistle. 11775, University Network (presumed); 1916, 4/20; Robustly Behootered Rev. Barbie Requesting Banquet advice; “What shall we eat & what shall we drink? God knows what you want.” S9 peaks with usual hum & whistle + rat-a-tat burst (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, 1730-1748, 16-04 [Tue], extremely weak signal here in Reinante, songs, barely audible and only on USB (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) LRA 36 on air now --- 15476, LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, 1805-1823, 23-04 [TUESDAY], non stop songs. Extremely weak, barely audible and only on USB (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 15475.91, Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, Spanish, 23/04 1856. Dialogue between two ladies talking about generalities, a happy communication (the well-known announcers of the station). Short space of instrumental music. 25542. Rx: KiwiSDR, Ant.: PA0RDT Mini Whip, (Rudolf Grimm, PY2-81502 SWL, São Bernardo SP, BRAZIL http://dxways-br.blogspot.com YouTube Channel: GrimmSBC, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) LRA36 on a Thursday --- seemingly LRA36 15476 (carrier & USB) also is active on Thursdays; while writing this I am listening to it via a KiwiSDR in Argentina at 1535 UT. Nothing yesterday (Wednesday); also active this past Tuesday. vy73 (Harald DL1AX Kuhl, Germany, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Argentina’s Media Crisis --- El Ciudadano 18.4.2019 via Arnaldo Slaen, Grupo Escucha Argentino fb, translation Christer Brunström, ARC According to elciudadanoweb, Radio El Mundo has closed and fired all its 60 employees. The management of Difusora Baires S.A. has returned the licence for AM 1070 to ENACOM and sent notices to all workers that they are no longer needed. ”We demand that ENACOM does not accept this decision and that the station continues on the air in order not to lose jobs”, said Nadia Vilela, a representative of Sutep, the trade union of people working in the radio industry, during a meeting at the Ministry of Labour with representatives of Difusora Baires S.A. (belonging to the Disney Group), owners of Radio El Mundo and who have decided to return the licence to ENACOM, close the station and fire all the 60 workers. “We don’t want any more jobless people on our streets as some 60 families are now left without an income”, Vilela told Realpolitik. “The station was closed for the simple reason that the entire workforce was fired and Radio El Mundo no longer exists”, she added. The union is now looking for a reprieve. The current state of the media is alarming. Radio América has closed and Radio Rivadavia went bankrupt. “The government does nothing to improve the situation in these difficult economic times” Vilela complained (ARV mv-eko 23 Apr via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [and non]. Argentina DX Files - If you want to see what the MW and LW band sounds likes in south-central Argentina, I have uploaded some SDR files recorded in Bariloche and Neuquen a few weeks ago. See the subfolders for each location in my shared Google Drive folder. The "About" article gives specifics about equipment, antennas, directions, etc. https://drive.google.com/open?id=17XXTi0w5hzzNmC60kjm6WiNTXEnvNloX (Don Moore, MARE Tipsheet 18 April via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. 9300, April 19 at 1328, JBA talk. Aoki/NDXC shows the complex schedule of TWR India, via Yerevan-Gavar site, this 1315 quarter-hour on day 6 = Friday as in the Kur language, shared with San, Mun and Kui depending on the DOW. Full name of language per WRTH is Kurukh, which was on 9365 in B-18. EiBi language list shows: ``KUR Kurukh/Kurux: India-Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, W. Bengal (2m) [kru]``. Recently this was on 9330 by punchup mistake; not a good idea with the Superstation imminent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. RADIO FREE ASIA ANNOUNCES RADIO PIONEER QSL #5 MAY 2019 Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces the 5th design in our ‘radio pioneer’ QSL card series Lee de Forest, 1873-1961, was an American inventor with over 180 patents who described himself as the Father of Radio. His is best known for his 1906 invention of the 3-element "Audion" vacuum tube which was a significant contribution to making radio broadcasting possible. He is also well-regarded for his influences on the development of long distance telephone lines and talking motion pictures. This is RFA’s 70th QSL design and is used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from May – August 2019. RFA’s Radio Pioneer QSL #5 – Lee de Forest Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin (including the Wu dialect), Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a ‘surrogate’ broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at www.rfa.org. RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience. Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to: Reception Reports Radio Free Asia 2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20036 United States of America (via Rich D`Angelo, NASWA iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 1584 kHz, 4VL/t Cunnamulla QLD - I'd heard that this translator had converted to FM. Much to my surprise, I received it on the 20th April 2019 (during the wee small hours). So, this translator either has been re-activated or it never left AM. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/8aPu4Q5al_M (- Geoff Wolfe, Numeralla NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. A-19 schedule of Reach Beyond Australia in English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-19-schedule-of-reach-beyond-australia.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. Upcoming from Unique Radio broadcasts to North America via WINB Unique Radio From April 30th 2019 Tuesdays 2100 to 2130 UT Fridays 1800 to 1900 UT Saturdays 1730 to 1800 UT All on 9265 KHz AM --- Good listening (Aussie Tim, Unique Radio, Gunnedah NSW, Australia, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) What programming? Sounds of Your Life? (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio Australia shortwave services may be dead, but the medium is alive and well on the continent. Reach Beyond Australia is on shortwave, but with its Christian programming largely in foreign languages, it really isn’t seen as representing Australia on the shortwaves. But there are other private Australian stations that are broadcasting and more are planned. And while these stations are not a replacement for Radio Australia’s international transmissions or the defunct (for the moment) Australian Broadcasting Corp. domestic service, they do have various goals and share certain characteristics. Full article here: https://www.radioworld.com/global/australia-shortwave-voices (via Mike Terry, WOR iog; and via Artie Bigley, DXLD) by Hans Johnson ** BHUTAN. 6035, BBS, on April 21 (Sunday), with longer than usual broadcast; at *1139 heard PBS Yunnan (FM99 relay) suddenly starting to broadcast as they normally do at this time, which completely blocked reception of BBS. From 1225 to 1240, heard underneath a much stronger PBS Yunnan, the BBS Sunday phone in program in vernacular; mostly children callers with their solo singing; in past years, had often noted this particular call in singing show on Sundays; BBS went off the air close to 1244. My audio, with child on the phone and singing, at http://bit.ly/2PnYneT (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11780, April 23 at 1427, RNA with YL hosting call-in, 11:27 timecheck, S9+10. Unusual to be so audible at this daypart rather than afternoon/evening. I check for other ZYs on 25m: 11815 has a het, one of which is likely RBC, vs Yamata and/or Urumqi; 11855.7, JBA carrier is certainly R. Aparecida. AFAIK, the only other Brazilian still active on this band is 11895, Super Rede Boa Vontade (RBV), Porto Alegre, often reported in European evenings, but I *never* hear it when I`m tuning earlier or later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. SECRETLAND, Additional freqs via SPL Secretbrod in HFCC, inactive at present https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/additional-frequencies-via-spl.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Brother HySTAIRical TOM on new frequency via SPL Secretbrod 2000-0300 NF 6055 SCB 050 kW / 306 deg to ENAm English, ex 5900 -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, 2009 UT April 22, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) No, at 0249 April 23, BS is still on 5900, S9/+10; altho there is a JBA carrier from something unlisted on 6055, far too early for Japan. (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) 5900, April 23 at 0249, TOMBS at S9/+10, and not on 6055 new frequency as Ivo Ivanov had reported April 22 for 2000-0300, altho I have a JBA carrier on 6055 from unknown source, nothing listed and far too early for Japan at noon. Ivo reaffirms that Brother HyStairical was on new 6055 earlier by 2100, and Stephen Wood in New England had him yesterday April 21 at 2130 on 6055. So unknown yet what time they really switch to 5900 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] And still to be heard at 0328 UT in Victoria at weak level, but clearly BS. 5900. 73 (Walt Salmaniw, BC, ibid.) Tuned back to 5900 and noted an OC which continued until 0401:20 and off. BS up to the TOH, I suppose, 0400, and not scheduled 0300 (and 6055).(via Don Moman's SDR....sure a lot of lightning static now, though!)(Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) From 2000 & 2100 April 22 BS is on 6055, and nothing on 5900 (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, ibid.) Had Brother Stair here, 6055, at 2130 on April 21. Signal was weak with heavy static. Audio was at threshold level but it was definitely him. Perseus SDR (Stephen C Wood, MA, ibid.) ** BULGARIA. UTILITY, Reception of LZW Varna Radio on April 18: 0704&0708 on 3740 USB mode English/Bulgarian, fair https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-lzw-varna-radio-on-april-18.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CAMEROON. There is an interesting article/podcast by R France Int entitled "Radio Taboo Cameroon: Using airwaves 'to fight isolation'". "Issa Nyaphaga, the dynamic founder of Radio Taboo, a solar-powered community radio station based in the centre of Cameroon, where 70 percent of the equipment is recycled or donated told RFI English: “Access to information is power, education is power”." Full article and pictures at: http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20190319-radio-taboo-cameroon-uses-airwaves-fight-isolation and much more information at the R Taboo website at: http://www.hitip.org/radio-taboo-community-radio (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Radio Canada International film For anyone in the GTA Greater Toronto Area I happened to see this in today's Toronto Star Events listings: Spectres of Shortwave/Ombres Des Ondes Courtes is the first feature-length documentary by Canadian filmmaker Amanda Dawn Christie. Taking place over seven years, this film tracks the gradual dismantling of Radio Canada International's 113-metre tall shortwave towers in Sackville. N.B. Wednesday, 6:30-9 p.m. [EDT = 2230 UT Wed April 24 to 0100 UT April 25] $7. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W. Toronto (Jeff VA3QSL Richardson, April 19, ODXA iog via DXLD) Highly recommended. Amanda screened it for us at the Winter SWL Festival in 2018. Tears your heart out to see how the CBC gave up on all the good will they had built up over the years (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) SPECTRES OF SHORTWAVE am 24. April 2019. RED FMO Frequency Management Organization, via RRTM Telecom Tashkent Uzbekistan bcast center. Morgen, Mittwoch, 24. April 2019 wird ab 23 Uhr UTC "Spectres of Shortwave" in der Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario, Kanada im Kino gezeigt. Wie ueblich bei Ihren Performances wird Amanda Dawn Christie die Tonspur des Programms auch ueber Kurzwelle ausstrahlen: April 24 ab 2300 UTC bis 0100 UTC am Folgetag auf 7595 kHz via Tashkent Richtung Europa. "Reine Nachtschwaermer Angelegenheit". Darum geht's: "Spectres of Shortwave / Ombres des ondes courtes is the first feature-length documentary by veteran Canadian artist and filmmaker Amanda Dawn Christie. Shot over seven years, the film follows the gradual dismantling of Radio Canada International's 113-metre tall shortwave towers in Sackville, New Brunswick. While built to relay broadcasts around the world, over their seven decades of operation the towers became notorious locally after repeated instances of ghostly voices emanating from unconventional household objects. Such stories form part of the film's rich soundscape, also constructed using contact mics on the towers. Produced as both a single-channel film as well as a radio documentary, Spectres of Shortwave / Ombres des ondes courtes will be presented simultaneously in the Toronto cinema space at the same time it is broadcast over the airwaves of an international shortwave station." (Christian Milling-D, A-DX ng April 23 via BC-DX April 24 via DXLD) SPECTRES OF SHORTWAVE --- I am hearing just barely audible here in Alberta on 5130.56 kHz. If I did not know the audio from seeing the film myself I would not be able to detect the information aired at the moment. 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park Alberta, KIwi SDR via VE6JY, Wellbrook Antenna, 2337 April 24, WOR iog via DXLD) Good on 5130 kHz in Montreal, fair on 3265 kHz, and yes, it's off to around 5130.5 (Gilles Letourneau, 2355 UT, Get Outlook for Android, ibid.) Not FB, but twitter is where ADC has publicized Spectres of SW https://twitter.com/magnet_mountain As tipped by roger in germany. Maybe she will have more to say about this SW broadcast (Glenn Hauser, WOR iog via DXLD) The “Spectres of Shortwave” program heard very nicely from VK6QS site near Perth on 7595 – armchair level, SINPO 55555, from tune in at 2320 to 2332. At 2335 switched to the PY1EME site on Atlantic Ocean Island near Rio de Janeiro and the 7595 program was heard at SINPO 34433 level, but improving over time to SINPO 44444 by 0100*. The commentary ended at 0038 and the sound effects including the towers at Sackville coming down lasted to 0055. At 0055 there was a summary of RCI history and program credits followed by the RCI interval signal repeated twice and carrier off at 0100 sharp. Even though I saw this originally at the SWL Fest in 2018, it was still an emotional experience hearing it again. A truly remarkable event! (Bruce Churchill, CA, WOR iog via DXLD) And good reception using the U. Twente SDR receiver. Transmitter was already on by 2255:37. First audio at 2259:55 and transmitter off at exactly 0100:00 UT assuming recorded file timings correct. Note transmitter was off the air for a few seconds at 2302:20; just a brief anomaly (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. Radio City on air --- ROMANIA, 9510, Radio City via IRRS Nexus, Saftica, *0800, 20-04, "This is IRRS in Milano signing on", "Radio City the Station of the Cars..., "Radio Ciudad La Voz de los Coches", pop songs and comments in English. 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, WOR iog via DXLD) ROMANIA, Reception of Radio City via RADIOCOM Saftica on April 20 0800-0900 9510 SAF 100 kW / 300 deg to WeEu German Sat, fair signal https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-radio-city-via-radiocom_20.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9355, Unidentified Firedragon broadcast at 1700. Is it Radio Free Asia via Kuwait relay? No, it is crash boom bang and screeeeee. At signal level - Fair/Good Apr 21 13640, CRI (Jinhua) at 2255 with pop music, ID and W in Japanese on the hour (2300), then female vocal music. Wondering if this choice of frequency was related to SOH Mandarin + Cantonese service also here during this time - Very Good Apr 17 9940, CNR 1 at 1525. M in Chinese and ID with pips at BoH. Broadcaster used as jammer as RFA Kuwait should actually be here now - Fair/Good Apr 16 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750, Hammarlund HQ-200, RS SW-2000629, with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 11540, CNR1 at 1240 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Mandarin via Kuwait with excited news coverage and promos – Weak Apr 19 11785, PHILIPPINES, VOA at 1241 in Mandarin with a news magazine with English sound bytes – Weak but audible under CNR1 jammer Apr 19 15165, CNR2 possibly the outlet used here at 1338 // 1178, 15275, and 15470 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a telephone interview between two men – Fair Apr 19 15165, THAILAND, VOA at 1339 // to the weak signal under CNR on 11785 in Mandarin with a man with talk – Poor under CNR jammer Apr 19 15275, CNR2 possibly the outlet used here at 1335 // 11785 and 15470 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Mandarin via Tajikistan with a telephone interview between two men – Fair Apr 19 15470, CNR2 possibly the outlet used here at 1325 // 11785 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Mandarin via Tajikistan with a telephone interview between two men – Fair Apr 19 – There were no tell-tale 1+1 time pips at 1330 nor excited news coverage or promos which makes me believe that the Chinese authorities were using a different CNR feed as jammer fodder this morning (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. CNR1 Jamming for Sound of Hope, 16300 kHz - April 20 0815 UT (SIO: 353) // with 17170, 16600, 16160, 16100, 15970, 15920, 14920, 14850 and 14775 kHz! Rx: Icom IC-756 pro III, Ant: Vertical + 45m Long Wire. 73's (Franck Baste (St Bonnet de Rochefort, France), F4LKC, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 11640, April 21 at 1333, CNR1 with Sunday-evening cultural show playing contemporary Western classical orchestral music, S7-S9 with flutter // 11785. Aoki/NDXC pinpoints site for this 11640 jamming as Kashi-Saiba in EAST TURKISTAN, 10-14 scheduling matching that of Radio Taiwan International in Chinese on 11640 (which I am not hearing at all). Kashi/Kashgar of course also radiates countless ``legitimate`` CRI transmissions. 11440, April 21 at 1330, very poor mix of two carriers, seems matching 11785, i.e. CNR1 jamming as per Aoki/NDXC, vs Sound of Hope via Maoli site, Taiwan. 10960, April 21 at 1336, JBA music. Aoki/NDXC has this as a Sound of Hope relay of RFA during long hours in Chinese, from Pingtung, Taiwan site, rather than Maoli for many others of SOH iself; but this could more likely also be CNR1 jammer. In a complete bandscan from 10.9 to 15.0 MHz, these two are the only WOOB jam frequencies found (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 13640, CNR1 at 1139 // 11640 and 11785 in Mandarin jamming the Sound of Hope in Mandarin via Taiwan with a man and woman with excited news coverage – Very Good Apr 18 13835, CNR1 at 1200 // 11640 and 11785 in Mandarin jamming RFA in Tibetan via Tajikistan with a man and woman with excited news coverage and promos – Good Apr 18 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) So did you hear anything from the jamming targets? (gh) ** CHINA. 7470, CNR1 at 1108 // 11640 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via Thailand with a man and woman with excited news coverage – Good Apr 20 9460, CNR1 at 1128 // 7470 and 11640 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with a man and woman with excited news coverage – Fair to Good Apr 20 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. CNR-1 Jamming vs Sound of Hope Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, April 21 0800-0900 on 17760 unknown kW / unknown to EaAs Chinese, very good https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/cnr-1-jamming-vs-sound-of-hope-xi-wang.html CHINA vs. PALAU, CNR-1 Jamming vs WHRI T8WH Angel 3 on April 21: 1000-1100 on 9930 unknown kW / unknown to EaAs Chinese, fair/good 0900-1200 on 9930 HBN 100 kW / 318 deg to EaAs English, weak/fair https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/cnr-1-jamming-vs-whri-t8wh-angel-3-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 13570, CNR 1 (broadcaster used as jammer) at 1600 Pips, familiar program with M in Chinese, talking over music bed of soft music played on stringed instrument. Clearly NOT Radio Free Asia listed for the frequency - Very Good Apr 23 11610, CNR 1 (broadcaster used as jammer) at 1600 Pips, familiar program with M in Chinese, talking over bed of soft music played on stringed instrument. Overpowering signal, and NOT Radio Free Asia listed for the frequency - Excellent Apr 23 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000), RS SW-2000629, ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 11500, CNR1 at 1059 in Mandarin jamming the Sound of Hope in Mandarin via Taiwan with a man with excited promos to 5+1 time pips at 1100 and off – Very Good Apr 24 – I just happened to stumble across this one while moving from 31 to 25 meters. The Sound of Hope is a regular user of this frequency among a host of other out of band frequencies. The secret for them is to keep changing frequencies to stay one step ahead of the Chinese authorities' attempts to jam them. I would assume their audience is aware of this cat and mouse game and must keep a large bank of frequencies in memory to make tuning easier. 11785, CNR at 1110 // 11825 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with brief folk-like vocals and two men in a casual interview – Good Apr 24 – With the music noted it could been CNR3 (The Voice of the Music) or CNR12 (The Voice of the Entertainment) as the feed for today`s jamming. 11825, CNR at 1112 // 11785 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with two men in a casual interview – Good Apr 24 Coady-ON – With the music noted it could been CNR3 (The Voice of the Music) or CNR12 (The Voice of the Entertainment) as the feed for today`s jamming (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4 or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. 5050, Beibu Bay Radio, 1400, April 18. Brief intro in English ("B B R Evening News"), followed by news in Vietnamese. 5285-USB, VC01, 1418, on April 18. Chinese military numbers station; in Chinese, reading out numbers; fair reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CHINA. Nanjing: SW - Voice of JinLing - Part 2 Update from year 2015 --- Following on from member communications in 2013 re Nanjing, China MW/SW site locations. The old Nanjing SW antenna site has been dismantled/demolished somewhere around the year 2015. Approx [sic] location was: 32.037308 118.722706 (5860 kHz) Wolfy mentioned a new site (Laoxiwang) found in 2013 (year) around here: 31.868006° 118.671694° <--- A MW antenna. With recent & historical imagery I'm fairly certain the new replacement antenna at new Laoxiwang site; a phased horizontal dipole array for 6200 kHz SW is located here: 31.865081° 118.674008° (G. Earth). I suspect it became operational c2014 (Ian, April 18, SWSites YG via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 2940.132, April 23 at 0556 UT, music detectable on ~S9 signal better than usual, but storm noise level peaks S9+20. Of course, it`s HJNT, Radio Huellas, Cali, long-running second harmonic of 1470.066 as already identified elsewhere, but I would still like to hear an ID, myself (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO [Republic of]. 6115, Radio Congo (presumed), 0534-0544, on April 18. In French; almost no "RN2 (Japan) QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CONGO. 6115, VP signal S5-S8 at 0534 UT April 25; almost sure it`s Brazzaville in French, while it`s too early for the other 6115, Nikkei Japan at 14:34 local time some 4-5 hours before sunset (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, 1750-1804*, 17-04, vernacular comments, religious songs. Extremely weak, best on LSB. 13311. Also 1745-1804*, 20-04, Vernacular comments. Extremely weak, best on LSB (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. Cuba Discussion --- Hi Glenn, I really enjoyed the dialog on Cuba published in the DXLD 19-16. Great forum. If the following has enough context, feel free to add it to the discussion. In any case, I thought it might. The discussion reminded me of my uncle John Hoover and his experience with the U.S. State Department in the 1950’s. Not that it relates to any particular view stated so far, but it reminded me of the impact of AM radio ‘on the ground’ in Cuba in the past, at least as my uncle saw it during his time in there. He worked in Venezuela, later in Haiti and the Dominican Republic when Papa and Baby Doc’s thugs were offering bags of money for whatever corrupt silence they could purchase. Really. Later he served in Cuba toward the end of that country’s mismanagement by its government of gangsters. As an adult I visited with my uncle John outside of D.C. where he’d retired. Among other things, and in the attempt to understand Communism from his perspective, I asked what the differences were in Cuba pre- and post-revolution with regard to the common people and their daily life as he’d witnessed it from an insulated but ‘informed’ station. He paused for a moment and then related that how before Castro’s regime, when he and embassy staff or locals might be having drinks in the late afternoon out on the patios and verandas of Havana’s hotels, there would almost always be ten or fifteen ragged kids hanging out, popping out from the bushes and shrubbery, hoping for the lucky coin from a rich American tourista, and getting chased out by the hotel staff from time to time. He recounted that before Castro, none of the kids had shoes, but most or many had inexpensive, pocket-sized transistor AM radios, which only had recently become widely available in the late 50’s. He then told me that after the revolution, each and every one of those kids had new shoes and decent clothes, but every single AM radio had been confiscated or was being hidden from the authorities of the new regime. Be it communist or fascist, totalitarianism employs the same tactics. Thank goodness journalism isn't under attack here in the USA. ps -Thanks GH for decades of accurate and detailed publishing and journalism! (Robert McEntee. Austin TX, April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cuba chose the Soviet-style socialism in which not only economic planning and management were/is rigid but they also concentrated more to get some sort of education and culture to all citizens. In western countries people hardly want to understand that most people were grateful to lift them out of absolute poverty while this never happened in former communist African countries. But, most of the people had/have no idea the economic price have to pay for the malfunctioning of those planned economies; they lived in a bubble thinking that that system works. In the case of Hungary, the accumulation of large external debt and the inability to pay contributed to the erosion of the system. Nobody, even party apparatchiks knew the exact amount of foreign debt until the end of that system. By now it became clear that that system doesn't work. Cubans also know, we offered not only our help but suggested them to do changes before it is too late. They haven't done enough despite all of their socialist allies transformed. If Cuba continues on this way the system will collapse onto itself and who knows who will be buried under. In Hungary the North-eastern heavy industrial belt (because factories closed and their employee became redundant). That region couldn't stand up onto its own feet until today. Then, the losers are also the disabled people (westerners are also likely to forget this, I never read this in the economic literature and neither elsewhere), then artists, writers, film makers working in the high-art field, publishers of high-literature, then librarians, cultural event-organisers/managers, classic music performers, staff in theatres. Of course the education sector and healthcare was also among the losers. I predict that these people will lose the most in Cuba too, that's highly probable. Only commercial artists and their publishers/film-makers have a chance to survive. Nobody shall be an illusionist that the market force will step in to balance this or the nonexistent rich will donate their wealth for such a charity purpose. They will not. They are/will be not Warren Buffett nor Melinda & Bill Gates doing charity from their wealth. These newly born riches want to enjoy their wealth and not spend it onto others. I don't have an illusion that this will happen in Cuba sooner or later. This was played out everywhere in the former Eastern Bloc countries except Germany, but Germany is a special case... In Cuba I think the state hardly will have enough resources to maintain quality programming in the radio scene. If the state will have to allocate its money elsewhere for competing needs it will be easier to downsize the above-mentioned sectors making them losers. So, guys, enjoy quality programming while you can and then prepare to say goodbye to them sooner or later (Tibor Gaal, Budapest, Hungary, April 24, WOR iog via DXLD) ** CUBA. Audio en vivo: Radio Martí Titulares - Cuba raciona la electricidad por provincias - abril 22, 2019 Associated Press Cubanos esperan en la oscuridad el restablecimiento del servicio eléctrico durante un apagón. (Archivo)[caption] Sintomas de reducción energética se sienten ya en el centro de Cuba tras la decisión de las autoridades de recortar el consumo eléctrico del país a partir de esta semana a fin de evitar apagones masivos. Un despacho del periódico Invasor, en Ciego de Ávila, indicó este fin de semana que luego de una videoconferencia de la Unión Eléctrica con las provincias del país se orientaron las limitaciones. En el caso de esta provincia la reducción será de un 10% del gasto de corriente. . . https://www.radiotelevisionmarti.com/a/cuba-raciona-la-electricidad-por-provincias/236980.html (via gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. 15370, Radio Habana Cuba (presumed); 2117-2120+, 4/12; S25 OC; “Free” power day in Cuba? (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Progreso Back On Tonight --- [Edited Message Follows] [Reason: Edited to correct the UTC date of reception. It was 17 April ADT but 18 April UTC.] Noted at 0137 UT on 4765 kHz tonight (18 April UT) here in NB. Good signal -- at least as good if not better than Radio Rebelde on 5025 kHz. But, of course, with CODAR accompaniment (-- Richard Langley, 0142 UT April 18, WOR iog via DXLD) This evening (19 April UT), Radio Progreso was already on the air by 0100 UT. Didn't catch the actual s/on. So, could have been the usual 0030 UT s/on (-- Richard Langley, ibid.) From my recording, the audio ended with the last bar of the national anthem at 0402:01 UT. And transmitter s/off indicated by drop in audio noise level at about 0403 UT (-- Richard Langley, April 19, ibid.) 13739.240, April 19 at 1330, RHC knocked itself off-frequency today, as you never know whether it will stick to 13740.00. // 13700 is still accompanied by weak parasitic spurs approx. 28.3 kHz above and below. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15140, April 20 at 1240, RHC is S9+10 of dead air, while 15230 successfully modulates. Something`s always wrong at RHC. See also EAST TURKISTAN 7380, April 20 at 2101, strong open carrier, off in less than a minute. Must be RHC transmitter check, an hour ahead of the 22-24 UT broadcast. 12000, April 21 at 1314, RHC music at S4-S5 on this second harmonic of 6000 which is S9/S9+10. Wolfgang Bueschel points out that when 11700 and 11850 are both on the air, 2200-0500, they can produce a leapfrog mixing product on 12000. Something`s always wrong at RHC. In the past, 12000 has also been an intentional fundamental of RHC, but not currently. 15230, April 21 at 1317, RHC is JBM here, while 15140 is OK. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 15370, April 21 at 2158, RHC Spanish, S9+40 but distorted, more so than // 11760 with degraded program audio. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5900, April 22 at 0541, LA music poor S9, undermodulated. Something new from Bulgaria? No! It`s a new leapfrog from RHC, // 6100 over 6000, which are S9+40 and S9+30 respectively, another 100 kHz lower. This means that 6100 and 6000 now have to be from the same transmitter site among the three employed by RHC. Contrary to Ivo: 0500-0600 on 5040 BAU 100 kW / 083&263 to Cuba English 0500-0600 on 6000 QVC 250 kW / 010 deg to ENAm English 0500-0600 on 6060 BAU 100 kW / 010 deg to ENAm English 0500-0600 on 6100 BAU 100 kW / 310 deg to WNAm English 0500-0600 on 6165 BAU 100 kW / 340 deg to WNAm English Recently it had been clear that 6000 was the odd one out, often closing earlier than the others, but now 6000 must be Bauta, or 6100 must have switched to Quivicán. Another way to compare sites is whether there be an echo between different frequencies, but I have been reluctant to draw such conclusions as a slight delay could also occur between receivers due to DSP. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6000, April 23 at 0601, this RHC English is off again, like 5040, while 6060 continues VG; 6100 & 6165 are sufficient but undermodulated. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 6000, April 24 at 0600, RHC English S9+10 but suptorted; 6100 S9+20 undermodulated; 6165 weak S8-S9 just barely modulated; while only 6060 is any good, S9+20; and 5040 is off. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 12000, April 25 at 1336, RHC S5-S6 // 11760, and 6000, of which this is the second harmonic. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 9580, April 24 at 0149, CRI English relay is S9+10/20 but just barely modulated; // 9570 via ALBANIA is weaker but louder, not unusually. Something`s always wrong at RadioCuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. 5980, April 23 at 0250, surprised to find strong S9+20 signal in Spanish here, discussing baseball, a staple of Radio Martí --- but it`s *not* // 6030, 7335, 7365! Could it be RHC or WRMI on a new frequency? No //s there either. 0253 topic changes to Cannes Film Festival; something from Europe? Surely not Spain, or even France. 0256 plugs noticiero lunes a viernes from Radio Televisión Martí, and more IDs for RTVM, including a secure web address for access anywhere in world (i.e. Cuba) if you erase your history when finished. Sure wish I could have copied that; what is it? 0259 once again mentions `Noticiero TV Marti` and cuts off at 0300. So we have a secret? new transmission from Greenville not of RM but of TVM soundtrack, starting when, and regular, or experiment? NO jamming, altho Cuba does ramp up 5980 noise well before nominal *0700 of RM. Such an adjacency to 5985 would be unacceptable if WRMI were on there from 0200 as registered available, rather than really not until *0330. 5980, April 24 at 0152, TV Martí is already on after finding it last night until 0300*, so is it a 2-hour span? The jammer noise has already found it, underaudible. And yes, while this is talking, the original Radio Martí frequencies are musicking and NOT //: 6030, 7335 and 7365. Then I go looking at the website and find this notice, affirming that I had discovered the new TV-on-SW service on its first night, local April 22; it`s 5 hours long, M-F 22-03 UT Tue-Sat, which means it blots any chance of R. Chaski, Perú if it is still active until 00* or 01*? April 24 at 2308, there is TVM already but this early poor S5-S8. https://www.radiotelevisionmarti.com/a/televisi%C3%B3n-mart%C3%AD-podr%C3%A1-escucharse-en-onda-corta/237060.html ``Televisión Martí podrá escucharse en onda corta --- abril 23, 2019 --- Noticiero Radio Martí logo - Compartir - Ver comentarios La Oficina de Transmisiones a Cuba (OCB) estrenó el 22 de abril una nueva alternativa para acceder desde la isla a la programación de Televisión Martí. Desde las seis de la tarde hasta las once de la noche, de lunes a viernes, los noticieros de Televisión Martí podrán escucharse en la radio por onda corta en la frecuencia de 5980 KHz. Tomás Regalado, director de OCB, dijo que se trata de una iniciativa histórica que sirve para cumplir con la misión de llegar a todas partes de Cuba. “Esto nos da una oportunidad de diseminar el mensaje de Televisión Martí no solamente a través de las ondas de satélite, de la Internet, de “El Cañonazo” y los DVDs que estamos enviando, sino también a través del sonido. Las bandas sonoras de la televisión se van a escuchar en la onda corta”, dijo Regalado.`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. BFBS Akrotiri on Shortwave (Year 1991) [continued] CORRECTION & UPDATE re BFBS SW transmissions from Cyprus in 1991. Thanks to considerable perseverance & research by Bill Harms & investigations from Wolfie using GE imagery, we have resolved a SW transmitter site misconception regarding the 1991 BFBS SW broadcasts. Whether information is one week old or in this case 28 years old, sourcing & resolving correct transmitter site information for our records pertaining to SW TX sites is an important activity & challenge for our group members & the wider DX community to pursue. This is also an example where scanning & publishing QSL letters that contain technical information can be of benefit to others, even if the recipient of the QSL doesn't have an interest in such valuable details. The following is republished material from Glenn's DXLD 19-15. April 2019. (Ian) CYPRUS. [continued from last issue] Re: BFBS Akrotiri on Shortwave Hi Glenn, You can inform Bill that all the above SW broadcasts were from the BBC East Mediterranean Relay Station, Zyyi. [...] Dirty little secret about QSLing: don`t expect anybody at stations to care as much as you do about accurate details. They are not legal documents (gh, DXLD) So true, Glenn :-) (Ian, April 21, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Re: BFBS Akrotiri on Shortwave (Year 1991) --- Hi All, I was following this discussion on shortwave from Cyprus for a while, but it now comes to a point, where my little evidence might help... A few years ago I was on Cyprus, in the eastern town of Agia Napa, close to Cape Greco. Besides some SDR-recordings of the spectrum of long- and mediumwave signals, I made a one-day-tour by car visiting (& photographing) all those transmitter sites. The pictures from Zyyi, Cape Greco, and Lady Beach (not sure on the name) still remain unpublished on my hard disk, whereas some of my pictures from Akrotiri have found their way to the public via my home page http://utilityradio.com/stations/asia/cyp/cyp-33.htm Yes, this is a very big station of the British forces, and there is surely enough transmitter / antenna capacity for beaming a rotatable log periodic to some place in Arabia. Maybe I will pick all the other station's pictures to the 'shortwavesites' page soon... 73, -rainer- --... ...-- .- .-. -.- (Rainer Brannolte Castellumstrasse 60 55252 Mainz-Kastel Tel.: 06134 21546 http://www.utilityradio.com April 22, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Rainer, That is an interesting comprehensive report of the transmitter sites. I understood that the British Forces transmit many utility signals from Akrotiri. I assume it would not be difficult to convert one of the transmitters to broadcast the BFBS programs (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) > US propaganda Arabic Radio Sawa 990 kHz 600kW stn still on air from > easterly tip Cape Greco. With the emphasis to be put on "still". The yearly budget document from USAGM just confirmed again that anything except FM transmitters in Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan is to be turned off during the next months. No FM elsewhere and no 990, 1431, 1548, 1593 kHz anymore. It could be speculated that 1548 kHz will rather be switched to Radio Farda, at present using 1575 kHz in Abu Dhabi for a rip-off tariff. By the way, it seems that the nasty P-word should not be dismissed too quickly here. Recent attempts "to make it relevant for the first time" included the replacement, i.e. firing, of a number of Alhurra staff. And one report hints that with the new team a hardline stance has been established. > He stated that "the transmitter is located adjacent to the Akrotiri > salt lake in the south of Cyprus and uses a specially designed USB > drive into a 10 kW transmitter. The aerial is a Log periodic array > which is directional toward the Gulf." [...] > I am curious about what your views are about this. Is there a confusion of some internal feeds with the broadcasts? Listen to this, from 22:00: http://jonathanmarks.libsyn.com/mn10011991-bbc-to-the-gulf Anyway the broadcasts were no single frequency affair, and frequencies up to 21 MHz suggest that at least some of these transmissions came from England itself. And the output of a 10 kW USB utility transmitter would be clearly distinguishable from a 250 kW full carrier AM broadcast-grade transmitter. So memories and, if kept, notes from monitors would be to consult here (Kai Ludwig, Apr 22, ibid.) Lady's Mile Beach or also referred to as Zakaki, where BBC 639 and 720 kHz still are operating (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) ** EAST TURKISTAN. 13575, April 20 at 1242, soft song with guitar, maybe in Chinese, since by 1255 it`s CRI saying ``do svidan'ya``, about to close Russian service, 500 kW, 308 degrees for Europe this hour only. At S9 it`s the second SSOB after Cuba back on 13740.0 today (and 13700 not on yet). 15410, April 22 at 1419, Chinese at S5-S8 with flutter, OOFSOB, stronger than similar signal on 15590, CRI English. Aoki/NDXC shows 15410 this hour only is CRI Chinese via Kashi-Saiba site. Per HFCC both are on 500 kW 308-degree beams, but 15590 is Urumqi instead. 15110, April 22 at 1419, also Chinese at S7-S9, but not // 15410 since this is CNR1 jamming or VOA Chinese this hour only via Philippines. 9180, April 22 at 1432, Chinese at S3-S6 seems // 15110 and not 15410, i.e. CNR1 jammer here vs Sound of Hope, Taiwan. This is the only WOOB jammer found in a 9.0-15.0 MHz bandscan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. Radio Akhbar Mufriha via Woofferton & Ascension, April 20 2100-2115 on 7300 WOF 250 kW / 170 deg to NoAf Tachelhit Daily & 2115-2145 on 7300 WOF 250 kW / 170 deg to NoAf Arabic & dialects 2145-2215 on 9530 ASC 250 kw / 027 deg to WeAf Hassinya Thu-Tue: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/radio-akhbar-mufriha-via-woofferton_21.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Question about: ERTU Al Barnameg al Aam in Arabic --- Ivo, is it possible to hear this channel on 819 kHz on your location? Here in Hungary (Budapest, or on my former location in Magyarlak in West Hungary) 819 kHz (Batrah) can be heard on late nights including the ERTU Quran al-Karim channel of 864 kHz (Santah transmitter) but not the upper frequencies of Egypt. Sometimes 621 kHz (Batrah transmitter) also a guest here also at late nights but it is rare (Tibor Gaal, Budapest, Hungary, WOR iog via DXLD) Dear Tibor, Strong signal on 819 kHz here, with hum of tx, video will be uploaded tomorrow (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, April 20, ibid.) Reception of ERTU Al Barnameg al-Aam, April 20: from 2200 on 819 Batrah 1000 kW Arabic HQ, good signal https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-ertu-al-barnameg-al-aam-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0530-0550, 20-04, after about 10 days that seems to be out of air, today on again, open at about 0530 with songs, probably religious songs due to Easter. Extremely weak, barely audible. But 21-04 seems to be out again (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 5005, April 25 at 0538 music at S4-S6, presumed Bata, same time as hearing 6115 presumed Brazzaville (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. Reception of Radio Sinit Eritrea via MBR Issoudun on April 20: 0500-0600 11660 ISS 250 kW / 123 deg Tigrinya/Arabic Sat, fair/good https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-radio-sinit-eritrea-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Subject: Easter radio report --- Happy Easter to you all. In the new Hans Knot International Radio Report this time a number of unique photos by Bruno Brandenberger (Mebo II) and Ton Droog (Laissez Faire). Also a search for the history and origin of the DCR broadcast ship Lucky Star. I've news about the DVD Pirate Radio, taking back the airwaves and the content of the new Offshore Echos Magazine. In this issue too, I'm thinking about a few people who have unfortunately left us. And there are also new episodes of the sequel series on Spanish politics and offshore radio and the history of Radio Luxembourg by Phil Champion. You can download the report here: http://www.hansknot.com/reports/hans%20knot%20int%20radio%20report%20-%202019-05.pdf (via Mike Terry, April 20, bdxc-news iog via DXLD) Hans Knot publishes this regularly, free to sign up (Mike Terry, ibid.) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS [and non]. HISTORIA DE LRA60 RADIO NACIONAL ISLAS MALVINAS --- 02/04/2019 Por: Alejandro Alvarez lu8ydnqn@gmail.com https://gruporadioescuchaargentino.wordpress.com/2019/04/02/historia-de-lra60-radio-nacional-islas-malvinas/ (GRA blog via DXLD) The complete text was in DXLD 19-15, but here is the original including many illustrations (gh, DXLD) ** FRANCE. Two inactive clandestine broadcasts via MBR Issoudun&TDF Issoudun https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/two-inactive-clandestine-broadcasts-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 22-23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. New clandestine broadcast via TDF Issoudun from April 15: 1700-1730 on 13660 ISS 500 kW / 135 deg to EaAf Sun/Tue/Thu WRMI broker https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/new-clandestine-broadcast-via-tdf.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 18, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) but the name of it remains unknown in the above link! Aoki/NDXC shows: 13660 1700-1730 F x S Kir Issoudun 135 EiBi too: 13660 1700-1730 247 XUU Unknown Station EAf /F (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Jeff White explains, so it`s not really clandestine, and does not specify language(s); and days of week contradict previous info: (gh) This is the same program we have to West Africa at 1930 Mon/Wed/Fri on 11860. It goes out at 1700 on Mon/Wed/Fri on 13660 to East Africa. The program is Alameda Bible Fellowship, and the same program is on various times per week from Okeechobee to other targets in English and Spanish. Website is searchinghisword.com Email is oneaccordonemouth@gmail.com (Jeff White, General Manager WRMI Radio Miami International 10400 NW 240th Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972 USA Tel +1-305-559-9764 Fax +1-863-467-0185 www.wrmi.net WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) ** FRANCE. Radio France International in Mandingo & Fulfulde, April 21 1200-1230 on 13720 ISS 500 kW / 200 deg to WeAf Mandingo Daily, good 1300-1330 on 13720 ISS 500 kW / 200 deg to WeAf Fulfulde Sa/Su, good Other programs of Radio France International in Mandingo & Fulfulde: 0800-0830 on 15455 ISS 500 kW / 198 deg to WeAf Mandingo Mon-Fri 1700-1730 on 13720 ISS 500 kW / 200 deg to WeAf Mandingo Sat/Sun 1730-1800 on 13720 ISS 500 kW / 200 deg to WeAf Fulfulde Sat/Sun https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/radio-france-international-in-mandingo.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, April 18 0650&0659 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 *Arabic/Serbian news and transmitter switches off at 0706UT. https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_18.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz, April 19 0651&0710 on 9420 AVL 150 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek*tx#3 *Arabic/Serbian nx and transmitter switches off at 0721UTC https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-voice-of-greece-on-9420_19.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 18-19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Plus many more of his logs of it closing around 0700 thus (gh) ** HAWAII. 5000, April 24 at 1250, WWVH with new hourly announcement about some US military exercise, but JBA under WWV; I quickly switch to 10000 where the two are about equal but can`t really copy it with additional QRM from LSB intruder sounding Spanish. At 1252 WWVH is still announcing its phone number, implying, why are you trying to hear us on a SW radio?? BTW, many years ago, I offered to provide a daily hot-DX tip during a WWV minute, but they weren`t interested! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See USA WWVH, Kekaha, 15000 kHz - April 19, 0625 UT. Time by YL, ID at 0629 (SIO: 252) Rx: Icom IC-756 pro III, Ant: Vertical + 45m Long Wire. 73's (Franck Baste (St Bonnet de Rochefort, France), F4LKC, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non-log]. 3325, Voice of Indonesia, via RRI Palangkaraya, 1305 & 1349, on April 17. Good level carrier. A brief check at 1359, on April 18, found no signal at all; recently had been regularly heard with only a carrier, but that was absent today. Hope they are working to fix the transmitter! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) On my Benmar Nav. 555A (DFing toward 280 deg. az.) in the radio room, The Voice of Indonesia coming from southern Borneo and (once) broadcasting a program in English 13-14z and also well heard here in eastern California and by Ron Howard by-the-great-sea, and others, is running just dead-air/OC since the beginning of April and to this morning (19 April 2019 - 1345 UT beg.). Since this began it also seems the strange ~3326 "W34D" beacon that had been hetrodyining the twins of Bougainville and Borneo clashing and 1 kHz hetted by that beacon. Now, after PNG signs-off (under the VOI OC now about 1201z) the open carrier of the presumed VOI is strong but only dead-air, but NO beacon either - again, this beginning about 01 April I think. Why is the 3325 VOI from Borneo Island (~10kW) open-carrier going nearly all of April now? PNG is underneath it until just past 1200z creating a low-rumble het. The VOI - OC is quite strong most mornings at sunrise (April) thanks to SR enhancement on the Benmar 555A's DFing loopstick and DOES null toward 280 degrees azimuth - same as the VOI when with audio modulation. SW7600GR/SSR-1/R-1000/Benmar Nav. 555 DFing rx. below 4700. 73 (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done so much it leaves me little time to join the 20 other radio clubs I'd like but yet no time for, so I audio-record instead, April 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Way behind in commenting on postings due to end of term and setting exams and other mundane academic matters getting in the way of SWLing. ;-) A little disappointed in the dumbing down of the VOA item on imaging the black hole in M87. Calling it a photograph conjures up (for the general public) an optical image whereas it was a radio-wave image constructed from VLBI observations. Perhaps I'm being a little too sensitive as I did my Ph.D. research on the geodetic application of VLBI including the use of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory just a stone's throw (well maybe slightly longer) from Steve McGreevy's location on the "shores" of Owens (Dry) Lake. My commentary on the image here: https://www.gpsworld.com/gps-takes-into-account-mysterious-black-hole-time-warps/ (-- Richard Langley, Apr 19, WOR iog via DXLD) ** IRAN. 13735, April 22 at 1417, S6-S8 of dead air --- HFCC shows it has to be VIRI in Russian at 1320-1420, 500 kW, 336 degrees also USward from Sirjan. Was the whole hour dead, or finished a bit early? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. Google 'disables' Press TV's YouTube account http://www.irna.ir/en/News/83284610 Tehran, April 19, IRNA - Google has blocked PressTV and HispanTV's access to their official accounts on the technology company's platforms, including YouTube and Gmail, without prior notice, citing "violation of policies". "Your Google Account was disabled and can't be restored because it was used in a way that violates Google's policies," Google said in a message that appears after PressTV tries to log into its account. According to the PressTV's website, the YouTube channels are open to public view for now, but the administrators cannot publish any new content. Google has so far refused to provide any explanation for disabling Press TV's account. This is not the first time that Google is blocking Press TV's YouTube channels. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting says 'a coordinated move to block its channels on social media platforms amounts to a clear example of censorship.' The original YouTube channel was established in December 2009, and closed in September 2013. A new channel was then opened, but it was shut almost two months later. Another channel was opened, but it suffered the same fate after five months. The fourth channel, however, remained active with over 270,000 subscribers until it was closed today without any prior notice for what Google calls "violation" of its terms and policies. Google Support says it may not provide any prior notice "in some urgent or extreme cases". However, it has yet to explain for what "urgent" case it has "disabled" PressTV's account. Google has also deprived PressTV of its News service. International lawyer Barry Grossman told PressTV in an interview that the act of shutting down PressTV's Google account is nothing but a direct threat from the United States to the freedom of speech. The Google ban seems to be in line with the US government's stepped-up pressure on Iran and an all-out propaganda campaign against the country, which includes targeting Iranian media. In January, Press TV anchor Marzieh Hashemi was detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri. The journalist, a 59-year-old American-born Muslim convert who has lived in Iran for years, was jailed in the US for days and later released on January 23 after some 10 days of detention without charge. A US federal court failed to indict the journalist, who was arrested as a material witness in an unspecified criminal proceeding, of any crime. Hashemi's detention prompted condemnation in the US and abroad, sparking rallies in several countries, including the United States. While in detention, she was forced to remove her hijab and was only offered non-halal food. 9191**1424 Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** IRELAND. RTE 252 LW to continue for 2 more years after antenna upgrade --- Fine Gael Press Office, ildegarde Naughton TD, Galway West Thursday, 25th April 2019 Major antenna upgrade will ensure transmission of longwave radio continues – Naughton Upgrade works will ensure that the transmission of longwave radio continues for the Irish diaspora, a Fine Gael TD has said. Chair of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, Hildegarde Naughton, welcomed RTE’s decision to undertake significant remedial works on transmission equipment which will guarantee the continuance of the longwave service for a minimum of two years. Deputy Naughton said: “The maintenance of long wave radio for the Irish diaspora is a significant concern to the Committee. “The UK regulator, Ofcom, will not grant RTE, as a non-UK broadcaster, the necessary licence to broadcast on digital in the UK at this time. “After engagement between the Committee and RTE, I received a letter from the Director General of the national broadcaster committing to maintain service into the future. “The antenna upgrade requires bespoke manufacturing from a specialist supplier based in Canada and delivery of this element is expected by mid-September. “The relevant mast at Summerhill is 248 metres in height and is a high-risk work environment. “I am told that the weather, and more particularly wind speeds, will be the main determining factor on the commencement and the duration of the works. “Unfortunately once this remedial work commences, the long wave service will have to be temporarily suspended. “I understand that it will be out of commission for approximately ten weeks, but RTE has said it will endeavour to complete the works as quickly as possible. “I welcome the efforts being made to continue this service, which serves as an invaluable link between the diaspora and home. “However I intend to work with the committee to explore other longer term alternative solutions to ensure this service continues,” Deputy Naughton concluded. ENDS 25 April, 2019, 5:12 pm (via Wireless on Flirt FM on Twitter 25 April) (Originally, RTE Longwave was to close in June 2019, but RTE was then hoping to be able to broadcast on DAB in the UK - Alan) (Via Alan Pennington, bdxc-news iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Hildegarde Noughton [pronounced nokton], Chair of the Oireachtas [pron: eroktas] Communications Committee, relays info from RTE that the Longwave transmitter on 252 kHz is getting a 2 year reprieve and that antenna improvements are on the way. The Oireachtas is the combined legislature including the Senate and the Dail [pron: Doyle] or House of Reps. Ms. Noughton is a member of the center-right Fine Gael [pron: finna gale] - the dominant party in the current Government. Her press statement is here: http://www.hildegarde.ie/longwave-radio-to-continue-for-the-benefit-of-diaspora-naughton/. By the way, there are both European and local elections in May, and this might be a factor in the timing of the announcement. RTE has had some pushback over its plans to abandon LW altogether. Though I would support retention of RTE LW (given that all the MW outlets are gone), I have to admit that even in the UK and Holland, RTE now suffers bad interference from French language RTA 3 in Algeria. But it does well in Iceland (as checked on SDRs). On its own, the LW cause may be lost. However, it gains political potency when bundled with other issues affecting alienated rural communities in the West and Northwest, as well as their relatives in the UK (Dr Derek Lynch, Ireland, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [non]. 11695, SINGAPORE, NHK World Radio Japan at 1111 with their English service with a man with barely audible talk then brief violin music bridge at 1113 and a man and woman with talk then soprano vocals music bridge at 1116 and a woman with talk and Japanese pop vocals at 1126 re-check – Too Weak to discern what was being said Apr 20 NHK Radio Japan in English, whether from Singapore or Japan, is usually just too weak for us in Eastern North America. In fact, their English service hasn't been heard well here in years. Rick Barton and Harold Sellers (in Arizona and British Columbia respectively) are in much better locations to hear their English service well enough. There was a time when living on the left coast of the continent was a disadvantage but not any more (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) ** JAPAN [and non]. 13650, NHK World/Radio Japan at 2255 with NHK familiar tuning signal, but buried under steady and super strong carrier Radio Havana site which will be relaying CRI in Portuguese at the ToH. My observation at the moment is the RHC broadcasts scheduled to commence at 2300 are all coming on the air at 2253. But, "something's always wrong" there. Monitored on Sangean ATS-909X and 8' extension to the stock whip. Indeed, it WAS CRI via Cuba relay, so they win today's edition of "Battle of the Bands" on this frequency. Apr 23 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 2850, KCBS, 1300 Long monologue with M in Korean to vocal music, but not the usual super sappy saccharine music heard here - Fair; Fading Apr 20 2850, KCBS at 1230. Symphonic orchestra, male tenor vocalist this time (not the usual soprano), but still, the sappy soppy vocal, presumably singing of the works and the wonders of the Great Leaders Il Sung, Jong-Il and Jong-Un - Good Apr 19 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000) & 750, Hammarlund HQ-200, RS SW-2000629, with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. Pacific Rim Realm and Korean Peninsula DX observations: [see also INDONESIA; JAPAN] [Hello WoRlders all over this totally fascinating planet Earth, and all of our own radio affairs as we DX and listen to them pale in consideration of the huge scale of natural radio from the Magnetosphere, so it all puts it in perspective (just to me but others I hope also) that all peoples are the same despite superficial differences, as we all (unfortunately) perceive them through the fog of our (my) own understanding. Ahh well, that is life. But not being much of a believer in the hive-mind/think-alike (but fractured into thousands of piece too) phenomenon, and so I am a staunch egalitarian and individualist too, against many trends these days, evidently. Radio did it to me at age 9 a hundred countries and 7 inches of dial coning magically on indivisible waves electrickling into the metal 'probe' sticking up by the wall near the neighbor's big Zenith, I noticed and mused about... It all kind of hugely changed my life from then on.] Finally, I Hope my comments about Cuban affairs/RHC didn't ruffle too many thick feathers. last week - I appreciate many views. :-) On to some DX observations over the previous week when I could arise early for a change (hard these days)... Quite conversely, the "dread air" of the heavy North Korean (KRE) layers of multi-megawatt ERP jamming of South Korean broadcasts. This has always fascinated me since my father - USAF Ret. Major, explained the Korean Peninsula situation (he saw it all in '51). And an early 80s pen pal, John, now living in KOR) whom I met via HCJB's pen pal list about 1980, we always loved to do spoofs on cassette of Radio Pyongyang on the once infamous frequency of 9977. Big and strong pre-dawn for hours with hilarious and also some ominous output, and the music... 2850, 3320 and others fill this in nicely today with their Juche Top-100 (of 100) tunes ever repeating through the years past. All of this made me more fascinated by the huge EM output of AM mode broadcasting overlayed by the huge EM output of the jammers. This all makes any Cuban output teeny in comparison. Do the blackouts of Pyongyang help contribute great gobs of AC power toward the EM output? 4450: // 6600, is strong and this morning (19 April) at about 1350 was quite audible Korean above the three-layered (very weird sounding jammers) grinding away mostly below the audio this morning. Back on 14 April, the jammers were winning at the same time period (indicating varying skip lengths!). 6350: Echo of Hope (KOR) jammed by KRE as usual - both strong at 1445 - 19 April. 6400 KRE - KPBS // 3320 (3320 was stronger than the 3325 VOI OC by sunrise at 1345 to past 1410 UT both 16/19 April. On desert (totally green now!) walks after 1600, I listen to KCBS 9665 for entertainment, contemplation and wonderment. I imagine a blacked-out Pyongyang with the Juche Flame lit only, but also few dim-lights where the KimPartyOfOne Brass dance with their mistresses... SW7600GR/SSR-1/R-1000/Benmar Nav. 555 DFing rx. below 4700. 73 (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done so much it leaves me little time to join the 20 other radio clubs I'd like but yet no time for, so I audio-record instead, April 20, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 6070, R. Shiokaze very good and totally clean of jamming (did KRE run out of transmitters?) but not // 5920 that was under two signals in (I think) Mandarin or Korean - I can tell the two apart but not in the mess of 5920) - 1350- Off after 1400 6055; R. Nikkei-1 Japan has QRM underneath but way down, and RN1 is not as strong nearly as Shiokaze 6070 too. Unknown what lang is under Nikkei-1 but too weak and maybe a 4 Hz SAH in there. 1403 - 16 April. After 6070 Shiokaze signs-off 6075 comes alive with two CNR jammers atop something else. - around 1402-1405z on both 16 and 19 April 2019. SW7600GR/SSR-1/R-1000/Benmar Nav. 555 DFing rx. below 4700. 73 (Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my DXing is done so much it leaves me little time to join the 20 other radio clubs I'd like but yet no time for, so I audio-record instead, April 20, WOR iog via DXLD) JAPAN, Reception of JSR Shiokaze Sea Breeze via Yamata on April 18 1600-1700 on 5935 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg NEAs English Thu, fair, co-ch at same time 5935 LHA 100 kW / 085 deg EaAs Chinese PBS Xizang, weak 1600-1700 on 6165 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg NEAs English Thu, BUT blocked at same time 6165 URU 500 kW / 270 deg N/ME Turkish China Radio Int. https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-jsr-shiokaze-sea-breeze.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 18, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) 6070, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze. Strange happenings here! Thanks to info provided by Dan Sheedy (Calif.): "1st time for me: 6070 Shiokaze w/ usual NK pulse jammer yesterday [April 17] @ 1303+, but a few minutes later, it was KCBS (//2850, etc.) on 6070 instead, back to pulse jam by 1311 or so --- those NK techs hitting the wrong button or what?" On April 21, tuned in to 6070, at 1307, and heard the same as Dan did, even with the jamming programming ending right at 1311, after which Shiokaze was free from any jamming. Needs more monitoring! My audio at http://bit.ly/2VgfNPW (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) 6070, JAPAN, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze at 1300. W in Japanese over soft music. Nothing unusual heard here, i.e., a KCBS over broadcast (jammer). (Conventional jamming may have been present but not audible here) - Very Good Apr 23 9685, TAIWAN, Nippon no kaze/il bon ue baram (Japan Oppo via the relay site) at 1530. M with monologue in Korean, then W. Pop/rock music towards ToH, then W over soft music and off - Good Apr 22 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, Grundig Satellit 205(T.5000), RS SW-2000629, ATS-909X with various outdoor wires. 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) 6070, April 25 at 1303, Shiokaze sounder under CFRX, and similar on 5920, the two current frequencies for Seabreeze in English only on Thursdays, both very poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Summer is definitely on its way. KBS just barely audible on 15575 at 13 UT. Yet VoK is still much stronger on 11710 (Andy Reid, Ont., April 19, WOR iog via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. FRANCE, Reception of Denge Welat via TDF Issoudun, April 25: 0230-0500 on 9525 ISS 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish, very good https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-denge-welat-via-tdf.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. R Kuwait heard in Urdu on 15515 (AM mode) from 1635 tune-in on Thursday 18 April until 1800 sign-off on new/wrong frequency - this is normally scheduled on 15540 kHz. Signed-off at 1800 with National Anthem. R. Kuwait back on 15540 today (19 April at 1645 tune-in) for Urdu service scheduled 1600-1800 (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, WOR iog via DXLD) Odd frequencies of Radio Kuwait in 16/19/25/31mb, April 24: 0500-0800 on 15529.8 KBD 250 kW / 310 deg WeEu English in AM mode 0945-1325 on 15109.8 KBD 250 kW / 310 deg WeEu Arabic GS DRM mode 1000-1200 on 17759.8 KBD 250 kW / 084 deg SEAs Filipino - AM mode 1045-1325 on 9749.8#KBD 250 kW / 286 deg NEAf Arabic GS- AM mode 1355-1600 on 11629.8*KBD 250 kW / 230 deg CeAf Arabic HQ- AM mode # co-ch QRM 9750.0 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg EaAs Japanese NHK RJ, weak * co-ch QRM 11630.0 LIN 100 kW / 286 deg EaAs Kazakh CNR-17, strong https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/very-odd-frequencies-of-radio-kuwait-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of MOI Radio Kuwait in 25mb DRM, April 25: 0500-0800 on 11969.8 KBD 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAs English DRM https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-moi-radio-kuwait-in-25mb.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. Our facility is near the city of Mahajunga [sic] in the northern part of that country. We have two transmitters and three antennas there. The transmitters are both Model 418 G from Continental Electronix. The three antennas are also 4 x 4 x 4. One difference is the capability of our antennas. Two are capable of 9-17 MHz [sic, obviously -18] the other 5-12 MHz. Madagascar World Voice is powered by a generator. Electricity is not consistent on that part of the island, and many areas have none. We have a 500 kW generator. It consumes about 35 gallons of diesel fuel per hour of operation at full load. When two transmitters are running at the same time, the generator is 70% loaded (Paul Ladd, Senior Correspondent at World Christian Broadcasting, banquet speech at Winter SWL Festival, via Listener`s Notebook, April NASWA Journal, retyped by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ALASKA Again frequency change of WCB Madagascar World Voice MWV Palavra Alegre: 2100-2200 NF 11965 MWV 100 kW / 265 deg to SoAm Portuguese tx#3, ex 9765, re-ex 11965 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/again-frequency-change-of-madagascar.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 11665, Wai FM, 1409*, on April 17. Cut off in mid-song. Back to normal schedule. Thanks very much to Dan Sheedy for his input regarding this station! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) Weak signal of RTM Wai/Limbang FM on April 21: from 1320 on 11665 KAJ 100 kW / 093 deg to SEAs Malaysian https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/weak-signal-of-rtm-wailimbang-fm-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVES. Former Male 10 kW unit site at main island 04 10 18.02 N 73 31 01.55 E til approx. April 2017. Now erected at Thilafushi island, see recent picture of 17 April 2019. Moved 9.8 kilometers distance westwards approximately in G.E. from my guess only, some mast visible at 04 10 58.36 N 73 25 54.89 E and - probably - MLD_Thilafushi_10kW_1449kHz_2019Apr17__04 10 58.03 N 73 25 47.52 E but masts / installation not clearly visible in G.E. / G. Maps. 73 wolfie wwdxc germany (Wolfgang Bueschel, dxldyg via DXLD) Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2019 Subject: VOICE OF MALDIVES Images from Thilafushi island of the Voice of Maldives, taken earlier this afternoon, 17 April 2019. Regards (Sarath 4s5sl via wb, ibid.) ** MALI. 5995, Radio Mali, Bamako, *0557-0610, 17-04, open with Vernacular comments, tuning music and id. “Vous ecoutez la Office de Radiodiffusion Television du Mali emettant de Bamako...”, Vernacular comments. 35433. Also *1800-1850, 17-04, open with tuning music, id. Vernacular comments, African songs, some comments in French, “ORTM, la passion du service public”. 44444. (Méndez) 9635, Radio Mali, Bamako, 1745-1759*, 17-04, Vernacular comments, African songs, tuning music, close and open on 5995. 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) Radio Mali, Bamako, 9635 kHz - April 20, 0857 UT (SIO: 242), local song, ID at 0900: "Vous écoutez la radio nationale du Mali", news "Mali actualités" and ID at 0903: "Radio Mali à Mopti 94.4 MHz" Rx: Icom IC-756 pro III; Ant: Vertical + 45m Long Wire. 73's (Franck Baste (St Bonnet de Rochefort, France) F4LKC, WOR iog via DXLD) [non] It is interesting why ORTM advertise Mopti relay. It were good to know if other FM relays are advertised? Here in Hungary it became a habit of radio stations to advertise their FM frequencies not where the relay located but they select a town and they say that "you can hear using X town on Y MHz). For a radio enthusiast you have a task to find out where the relay is coming from. Before commercial radiostations flooded the air the state-owned radio advertised the location of the relay stations and told the frequency saying "you can listen us, for example, in the covered area of Komádi relay station". But nowadays even state-owned radio stations changed their habit to go with the commercial radiostations` herd and going after them like sheeps or goats in the flock (Tibor Gaal, Budapest, Hungary, ibid.) > It is interesting why ORTM advertise Mopti relay. It were good to know if other FM relays are advertised? Yes. At least it used to be so in the past during hours with no live talk shows or other talk-centered formats scheduled, f.e. last two hours in the evening or after the long morning news in Bambara after 0800. Lengthy pieces of traditional music, which is a kind of story-telling usually consisting of long instrumented voice-parts and instrumental parts, which where interrupted now and then by random prerecorded FM-frequency announcement of the same pattern "Radio Mali à [any town] sur XXpointX Megahertz". There were quite a lot of different ones when I listened about five or ten years ago, but SW frequencies I remember only being given within the lengthy station announcements/IS just before or after the frequency changes, also prerecorded. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, ibid.) 5995, April 23 at 0601, no signal from ORTM, which some days has been running well before 0600. So continues unreliably. Also reports indicate that the two CRI relay transmitters are off again after their revival a few weeks ago. Is anyone hearing those? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, ORTM Bamako, 5995, is present this morning (24 April), sign on at 0558 UT, French ID by YL, news (SIO: 333). 73's (Franck Baste, St Bonnet de Rochefort - France (IC-756 pro III , 40m. LW), WOR iog via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. Re 19-16: "XESURF-AM 540 Tijuana...This 100-watt station..." I highly doubt this to be true. Ever since its original inception circa 1990s, this station has put a solid signal into L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, well away from a seawater path. Day and night signals are the same; XESURF rides certainly on top of anything else that may bleed in at night on 540. My guess is 5kW, ND, fulltime. The station was originally built as a Mexican place-holder for its NARBA-approved status, 540 as a Mexican "clear channel" frequency. For the first year or so it was a daytimer, later going to fulltime operation; I believe the first call letters were XETIN. The station went on-air as a response to Saul Levine's U.S.-licensed 540, which covered SoCal with 25 kW days/360 W nights from Hesperia, near Victorville. Back then I recall 540 as an all-day battle on the west side of L.A., between the two local-quality signals. Before long, Saul made a deal with the Mexican 540, to simulcast his Hesperia programming. The signals were synched, and 540 effectively blanketed SoCal, by way of the two signals. Eventually the Hesperia signal was shut down, and Saul programmed 540 with a rotating plethora of formats, sometimes also simulcasting his L.A. AM flagship on 1260 (currently KSUR "L.A. Oldies"). "Radio Zion" has indeed held forth now for several years, using call letters left over from one of Saul Levine's previous "K-Surf" incarnations. Through it all, the signal has remained consistent; again, my money is on 5 kW (-- GREG HARDISON, April 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. More info on the fate of XEPRS-1090. Surprise! (Not). No one is willing to pay the ridiculously high lease payments that BCA was paying for XEPRS-1090, XHPRS-105.7, and XEPE-1700. Some of XEPRS' talent is rumored to be in negotiations with struggling competitor KWFN-97.3, a weak FM station owned by CBS-Entercom that took over the Padres broadcasts a while back. https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2019/apr/12/ticker-curtain-closes-scott-kaplan-mighty-1090/# 73 (Tim Hall, April 18, ABDX yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. [Re gh log/non-log of XETNT 650 Los Mochis, Sinaloa:] XETNT should never have stayed on past a year; it was not the Mochis station with a continuity obligation. (That would be 540 XEHS-AM, on the air for the benefit of 27,552 people.) On the other hand, XEGS [sibling station, 610 Guasave] is continuity obligated. More than 21,000 people depend on it for their only radio service. Most continuity obligation stations are on low frequencies. There's still the chance, of course, someone wants to run a social AM radio station and assumes the continuity obligation. That's happening with XEEJ Puerto Vallarta, which will soon yield to a new station XECSBK on 650. Other frequencies that are part of continuity obligations are being advertised the same way (Raymie Humbert, AZ, April 26, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) XETNT definitely heard April 29 (gh) ** MEXICO. Lengua maya se impulsará a través de la radio en Yucatán 20/03/2019 https://gruporadioescuchaargentino.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/lengua-maya-se-impulsara-a-traves-de-la-radio-en-yucatan/ 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, https://laverdadnoticias.com/yucatan/Mauricio-Vila-Dosal-trabajara-para-el-campo-de-Yucatan-20190312-0190.html 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. Resultado de imagen para XHYUC 92.9 Yucatán FM [caption] 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 via GRA blog via DXLD) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week, including DTV = TDT This week, dissatisfied employees of shuttered Hidalgo del Parral radio station XHEAT continued to apply pressure on concessionaire Adalberto Gutiérrez Meléndez to get the back pay they are owed. José Guadalupe García Alvídrez, who heads the STIRTT local for Parral and Jiménez, says that in 2011, Gutiérrez and Multimedios Radio entered into a 10-year operating agreement. http://www.elmonitorparral.com/notas.pl?n=113094 However, the relationship unexpectedly ended (in no small part likely due to the expiration of XHEAT's concession without renewal). They are going after Multimedios as well, since Multimedios paid Gutiérrez Meléndez much of the money used to pay workers. And Gutiérrez Meléndez has refused to show up. https://www.eldiariodechihuahua.mx/estado/cierra-la-primera-radiodifusora-de-parral-exempleados-en-huelga-exigen-finiquito-20190417-1503763/ (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, April 19, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) The Sound of Hope? Mexico’s 10th Indigenous Station is…Christian INEGI statistics tell us that 702 people live in San Felipe de la Peña, a tiny town in the municipality of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, Oaxaca. More than 35 kilometers from the municipal seat of Tuxtepec, the signals of Tuxtepec’s own stations are fuzzy here. The town is on the fringe of XHUH and XHXP, out of reach for XHTXP, not likely to receive the Tuxtepec CORTV transmitter. More reliable signals come from Loma Bonita’s XHCORO and three stations across the river in Veracruz: XHOTE, XHRN, and XHSAV. Soon, they will be joined by a newly awarded local station, XHSIAB-FM 107.3, an indigenous station owned by Un Sonido de Esperanza, A.C. approved by the IFT on February 20. It is an unlikely place for Mexico’s newest indigenous radio station, even if 81.91 percent of the population is indigenous. It is an unlikely place for any radio station. But if you drive through the town on Mexican Federal Highway 147 —*and don’t blink, because the part of the highway through town is just 500 meters long —*as you hit the eastern edge, you’ll see a little church complex for the Iglesia Evangélica Bethel. But you’ll also see a tower sticking up from beyond the wall. A tower with four FM bays on it. https://goo.gl/maps/4uwjvTtfdh8NATrS6 This is Radio Embajador, https://www.facebook.com/101.1FMRadioEmbajador/ which was started up in 2008 as a pirate on 101.1 MHz to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the church’s establishment in 1988. (It is one of several similarly named stations in the region; in Ayotzintepec, a “Radio Embajador” on 101.4 last month finally realized what ITU region it’s in and moved to 101.5.) The name comes from the Ministerio Evangélico Embajadores de Cristo (Ambassadors of Christ Evangelical Ministry), constituted in 1994 in Tuxtepec. In 2016, the group filed a formal station application with the IFT and ceased pirate operations. In April 2018, Víctor Campos Primo, who appears to be a pastor at the church, commented on a post, “We’ll be on soon; we’re awaiting the concession and if they don’t give it to us, we’ll go back on the air like we were.” Account activity was minimal until March 15, when the station announced, “We’ll be on the air within a month at the latest”. It seems extremely likely, given the size of the town and the fact that Un Sonido de Esperanza was the only filer for the area that I had record of, that XHSIAB-FM is indeed Radio Embajador. (I’m hoping for further confirmation.) However, XHSIAB’s award is troubling to me in that an indigenous concession has been issued to a religious station. My recently published list of religious stations in Mexico included three community stations. One, XECSCGU-AM 1620 Guachochi Chih., is not in operation yet. Of the other two, XHSCCF-FM in Tlacolula de Matamoros has a membership with a community station association (RRCI), while XHIXMI-FM in Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo, is rarely considered a community station by other community stations (sorry, XHSCBZ, you were not the first in Hidalgo). But this is the first time an indigenous station has ever been tagged as religious. To be clear, the sample size is small. This is just the 10th social indigenous radio station to be greenlit. Three stations carried over from the pre-LFTR era and accredited their operation as indigenous: XHJP, XHTFM, and XHBAK. The IFT has since awarded, in order, XHTUT, XHSBE, XHOCU, XHSIAA, XHSIAE, and XHSIAC. (Of the template-called stations, only XHSIAC is on air on its assigned frequency; XHSIAA still has not moved from 92.5 and XHSIAE has yet to move from 104.1.) Article 67, section IV of the LFTR explains the criteria for indigenous concessions: “Social indigenous concessions may be awarded to the country’s indigenous peoples and communities, in accordance with the guidelines that the IFT shall issue, and shall have as their goal the promotion, development and preservation of their languages, their culture and their knowledge, promoting their traditions and internal norms, and under principles that respect gender equality, permit the integration of indigenous women in reaching the objectives for which the concession is sought and other elements that constitute indigenous identities and cultures.” Will a Christian station be able to meet that bar? (Raymie, April 21, ibid.) First on the Mexico Beat: Eight Unawarded Callsigns From time to time, I scour transparency requests for interesting radio information. Request 0912100026819 was one of those. It was a filing asking for information on pending community and indigenous stations in Michoacán. While we know of all the filings thanks to prior requests, the IFT dropped a surprise: callsigns for seven radio stations! Note that no concessions have yet been approved. AM Four of them are AM stations, and three of those are in the running to be the first ever indigenous award on AM. XECSIA (Comunidad Ajuno at Pátzcuaro), XECSIC (Comunidad Acachuen at Morelia) and XECSIB (Comunidad Tarecuato) open a new template range. All of the stations are planned for Article 90 reserved band (expanded band). Also for the X-band is XECSCZM, a community AM station for Barcom Zinapécuaro, A.C., at Zinapécuaro. This is the second station known to have been assigned a 7-letter callsign after XECSCGU. These stations come from the 2018 PABF, while the six-letter CSC/CSI template calls stations come from the 2017 PABF. XECSDA-AM also comes from the 2018 PABF, and while it will be X-banded, it has a callsign from an untyped social station. This station will serve Zacapu, Jiménez, Panindícuaro, Coeneo, Purépero and Huaniqueo. The applicant, Radio Cultural de Villa de Carbón, A.C., owns an almost-community social station, XHPMI-FM Peñamiller Qro., and takes its name from a pirate operation at Villa del Carbón, State of Mexico (which I believe they once filed for but do not have an application on file right now). FM One FM callsign is known. XHSCBJ-FM, to be located in the reserved band, will be the station of La Tarasca de Maravatío, A.C. at Maravatío. No callsign info was provided. TDT The race is on between at least two applicants from the 2017 PABF who could make history with the first community television station in Mexican history. Echais 88, A.C., wants to serve Purépero and is awaiting the award of its station XHCSAC-TDT. XHCSAD-TDT would be in Cherán and Paracho, owned by Centro de Estudios de la Comunicación y la Cultura Indígena, A.C. Last edited by Raymie; 04-24-2019 at 05:57 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, April 24, ibid.) ** MONGOLIA. Radio Mongolia Pr3, 7260 kHz - April 21, 2300 UT, Sign on with interval signal (SIO: 242) Rx: Perseus SDR, Ant: Loop ALA 1530. 73's (Franck Baste (St Bonnet de Rochefort, France) F4LKC, WOR iog via DXLD) 7260, Mongolian Radio P3 (FM100.9 relay). Recently heard with better than normal reception. Thanks to Hiroyuki Komatsubara's "Now On The Radio DX" for info: "It seems that their program guide has been updated to a new one"; daily schedule at Mongolian site http://bit.ly/2VjlexD (Google translation to English). April 23 (Tuesday), at 1148, tuned into "Radio Karaoke Entertainment" in vernacular; phone call-in program with the callers singing; some singing with either the station's background music or just the caller singing with no music at all. My audio at http://bit.ly/2L1dU5J Ulaanbaatar sunset was at 1154 UT (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Re: Mongolian Radio P3: 7260 kHz traced around 1200-1206 UT on Wed April 24, used two remote SDRs 1 - New Delhi India only: PBS Xinjiang Urumqi heard in Chinese, S=9+20dB, -74dBm but on lower side 7259.990 kHz some few 10 Hertz down, and 2 - in Nagoya, Hiroshima, and at Tokyo units, all in Japan FEAsia. probably Ulanbataar Mongolian Radio ? ???????? ? S=9+10dB signal on even 7260.000 kHz, listen to the recording taken at 1204-1206 UT, seems a phone-in interview program. Urumqi Chinese program heard tiny underneath, far in background. ps. now at 1225 UT a singer pair performed, light pop music local Asia feeling. 73 wolfie df5sx [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 24, BC-DX April 23 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. GERMANY: 5960, The Mighty KBC with Dave Mason show with the usual oldies on "Radio, but not as we know it" show (such a good slogan!). 0100 into Uncle Eric's Giant Jukebox with more oldies & ads in English & Dutch & dedication to someone who recently lost a dog. The digital minute at 0130, which included an image of tulips from Texas: Germany5960.png Several announcements that on May 4 they're moving to 9945 kHz again for the 'summer'. 4554+4+, THIS close to all 5s not quite as strong as last week, but my local QRM was subdued again to the point that I didn't need the noise phasing! *0000-0200* 14/Apr (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, MARE Tipsheet 18 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Should be 9925 as in previous May-August seasons (gh, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. 9700, April 22 at 0534, VG S9+10/20, SSOB in English, BBCWS programme relay about waste management. RNZI QSY from 9630 as I recommended due to Brasil 9630.50v het --- but which tonight is a JBA carrier all by itself. Schedule now shows this as first day of new frequency, 0459-0658, and no other changes: https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/listen For a fleeting moment at tune-in, I wondered if this were Romania, which has been here in past. It`s still sked on 9700-AM for 0600-0630 German, which could well be a collision problem, unchecked here yet. (RRI 0530 English is on 6015, 7325-DRM, 15410, 17760). 9700, April 23 at 0604, RNZI L&C in news, and no CCI audible from Romania in German this semihour only. Of course for us, propagation from S Pacific is much superior than from Europe (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. Reception of Voice of Nigeria in DRM mode, April 20 1630-1900 on 15119.9 AJA 250 kW / 007 deg to NoAf English DRM https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-voice-of-nigeria-in-drm_21.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would have overlapped WINB DRM 15115-15120-15125, at 1100-1700, except this was Saturday with WINB M-F only. On a weekday, DRM tuners please check 1630-1700 what happen when they collide: knocking each other out or some kind of mixture? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6930-USB, April 19 at 2228, rock/rap music, het maybe local notched, past 2235, S8. More unID logs here, maybe Radio Gaga until 2238* https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,53066.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Pirates: RADIO GAGA: 6925/USB, 2157-2219:44*, 4/20; Marijuana-themed programm; From tune-in, rural & occidental tunes apparently titled, It’s All Going to Pot & Do You Wanna Mara Juana; 2203 Jerry Lee Lewis intro to old reefer & drug PSA; 2206 interviews with apparent stoners; 2210 song about Yogi the wanking bear & Suzy the kinky bear; 2215 more MJ bits including Hindi-accented dude, Bevis & Butthead & Paul Harvey. 2219:16 ID & promo for a special QSL. SIO=344- till about 2213 then dropped off some; buzz burst QRM (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6965-USB, April 21 at 0030, songs at S9+10, and at 0032 as expected, ``Wolverine Radio`` ID, still going past 0100+. Many more logs here covering 0015-0121: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,53129.0.html Not so obvious theme tonight seems to be ``vocal expression``, ending with SSTV image of girl whispering into another`s ear (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. The Saipan Shortwave Station under Christian Science On this occasion here in Wavescan, we pick up once again the story of shortwave station KYOI on the island of Saipan at the time when it was transferred from the commercial company Marcom on Saipan to Christian Science in Boston Massachusetts. Negotiations between Marcom and Christian Science began in August 1986, and at the time, Christian Science announced that they intended to install a second 100 kW shortwave transmitter and two additional antenna systems. The effective date for the transfer from Marcom to Christian Science, Herald Broadcasting, was the last day of the year, December 31, 1986, though Christian Science did not announce this transition until March 15 of the following year (1987). However, a few days before the transfer took place, would you know it, a typhoon swept through the area, though damage to the station was minimal. Then a few months later, in October (1987), another typhoon swept through the area and this time the damage was sufficient to knock the station off the air. When the station did return to the air, one international monitor stated that the poor audio quality was “shocking”. Initially, programming from the new KYOI under Herald Broadcasting was a continuation of the same programming as before; that is Rock Music and information in English and Japanese as produced by the Drake Chenault Company in Los Angeles California. Audio Insert Station announcement and music style Then in December (1987), Herald Broadcasting announced that a change in format would soon be introduced, a mixture of the original KYOI style, interspersed with Christian Science programming from Boston. The new style double format was introduced a few weeks later on January 4 (1988), and the Christian Science programming was fed direct from their studios in Boston, in parallel with the broadcasts from shortwave WCSN in Maine. However, there were difficulties for a while with the satellite feed, and when this was worked out a month later, the entire programming over KYOI on Saipan became a tandem relay in parallel with WCSN. In May of the following year (1989), there was a reduction in the level of on air programming from KYOI as preliminary work began for the installation of an additional new transmitter and the erection of two additional antenna systems. However, on July 3 of the same year (1989), station KYOI was closed down for an estimated four months so that the work could be completed satisfactorily. However, as things turned out that was in fact that was the last day that the Saipan station was on the air under the old callsign KYOI, Monday July 3, 1989. Herald Broadcasting announced that when the time came for the station to return to the air with its additional transmitter and antennas, it would be under a new callsign KHBI, standing for Herald Broadcasting International. Yes, this Saipan shortwave station did indeed return to the air as planned and it was reopened again on November 6, 1989, under the proposed new callsign KHBI. The additional new transmitter was the same model as the three year old original transmitter, a 100 kW Continental 418D-2E. The station coverage area was considerably augmented with now the two transmitters and three antenna systems. Give four more years, and two more typhoons rolled through the Northern Marianas, in the Autumn of 1994. In a letter from Engineer Ed Evans, who was Senior Station Manager for the Herald Broadcasting Network at the time, he stated that in spite of the two blasts from the two typhoons, shortwave station KHBI withstood the onslaught particularly well. The station was off the air for one day only, Ed Evans stated, due to antenna damage. He also said that KHBI provided several antenna parts to enable the other shortwave station on the island, the Christian KFBS, to make a similar quick recovery. However, change was on the way once again. On September 29, 1996, a newly organized shortwave broadcasting unit of the United States government called Radio Free Asia RFA, with its headquarters offices and studios in Washington DC, began a series of broadcasts from station KHBI on Saipan. Initially, these broadcasts that were beamed to Asia were described as experimental. However, a few months later, in early 1998, this experimental series of broadcasts became a regular and permanent feature, therefore seeming to indicate once again a new direction for this important shortwave station. Yes, there was indeed a new direction for KHBI. On July 6 of that same year 1998, RFA took over the operation of the station; then Herald Broadcasting announced that they had reached an agreement with RFA for the sale of the station which became effective on August 31 (1998). However, as part of the sales agreement, station KHBI would continue a part time relay of Christian Science programming. According to a publication of the British DX Club, Christian Science programming was still on the air over their erstwhile station RFA Saipan, one year later. That date though, August 31, 1999, turned out to be the final day for the relay of Christian Science programming from the Saipan station which was now under the ownership of Radio Free Asia. During the twelve years under Herald Broadcasting, station (KYOI)-KHBI was a reliable verifier of listener reception reports, though they ever only printed one QSL card. The KHBI QSL card in full color presented a photograph of the KHBI building and an antenna tower. Blank QSL cards were sent out to listeners by the hundreds. Listeners filled in the usual reception report details and returned the completed cards in an envelope to the station in Saipan. Station personnel then checked the details, rubber stamped it as verified, and posted the self addressed QSL card back to the listener. On the next occasion, we will present the story of this strategically located shortwave station under its current ownership, Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan March 24 via DXLD) The Saipan Shortwave Station Under Radio Free Asia The strategically located shortwave station at Agingan Point on the southwest coast of the small Pacific Island of Saipan has been on the air for the past third of a century. The original concept for the station was the brain child of the Pacific radio entrepreneur Lawrence Berger who initially proposed to co-site a commercial shortwave station with his mediumwave station KUAM on the island of Guam. The concept of establishing a commercial shortwave station in the Marianas Islands was subsequently transferred from Guam to the island of Saipan, and in December 1982, a new station KYOI was inaugurated with programming in Japanese and English beamed to Japan. The enthusiastic shortwave boom in Japan during the era of the 1980s began to subside, and thus the commercial venture KYOI was not a financial success. The station was then sold to Herald Broadcasting of Christian Science in Boston Massachusetts who installed a second shortwave transmitter and a second antenna system, and they operated it under a new callsign KHBI. This was now the third callsign in this sequence, KUAM KYOI and KHBI. A newly organized radio unit in Washington DC, Radio Free Asia RFA, developed an interest in the Saipan radio station for shortwave coverage into several of the countries in Far Eastern Asia. Initially they took out an experimental relay of programming over the Herald Broadcasting station KHBI on the island of Saipan. That was on September 29, 1996. Experimental RFA transmissions over KHBI gave way to regular scheduling early the next year (1997). Then in the middle of the following year (1998), Christian Science in Boston announced that they had reached an agreement with RFA for the sale of the station, and that was ultimately finalized a year later on August 31, 1999. At the time of the transfer of ownership from Herald Broadcasting to RFA Radio Free Asia, plans were already underway for the installation of a third transmitter and a third antenna. The first two transmitters, both at 100 kW, were manufactured by Continental (Model 418D-2), and under Herald Broadcasting they were upgraded to the Model No 418E. The new Radio Free Asia installed an additional 100 kW Continental which was designated as Model 418F. All three of the antennas are slewable curtains (Model 611) with passive reflectors manufactured and installed by TCI in California. The electrical power supply for the Saipan radio station comes from the commercial island grid, and any need up to 5 megawatt is available. However, a back up Caterpillar power generator can provide 800 kW during offages of the commercial grid. Radio Free Asia also indicated that they wished to retain the services of the previous staff who had maintained the operation of the station. In addition, they agreed also to continue the broadcast of Christian Science programming over the station for a period of 1 year under its new ownership, and ultimately this came to an end one year later. On April 13, 2000, Radio Free Asia transferred the lease of the land in Saipan upon which the station had been built to IBB, a legal holding body for other American shortwave stations, including the Voice of America. However, the operation of both shortwave stations, Saipan and Tinian, was sublet to a commercial company, Rome Research Corporation, in 2006. Up until its destruction by Supertyphoon Yutu at the end of October last year (2018), the Saipan shortwave station was operated conjointly with the shortwave station on nearby Tinian Island as the Robert E. Kamosa Transmitting Station. Robert E. Kamosa, after whom the double station was named, had served in the engineering section of the Voice of America. He died from disease in 1999 at the age of only 56. The combined stations on Tinian and Saipan have been operated as a single unit with the main office at the Saipan station. This total station is operated without callsign as are all other similar stations, such as VOA and Radio Free Europe. QSL cards for the broadcast of programming from both Tinian and Saipan have been readily available in times past from both Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America. In fact, Radio Free Asia does not maintain a panel of international radio monitors to provide propagation reports on its shortwave coverage. Instead, they depend entirely upon listener reception reports within their target areas for this collective information. In an endeavor to encourage widespread listener reception reports, RFA offers a new QSL card for each quarter of the year. And yes, there are indeed some international radio monitors who have collected each of the 69 QSL cards that RFA has so far offered. As mentioned here in Wavescan previously, the strongest wind storm to ever strike an American territory hit the Northern Mariana Islands on Wednesday October 24 last year (2018). This massive storm, Typhoon Yutu, with wind gusts up to 219 miles per hour and sustained winds at 180 miles per hour, was also described as Earth’s strongest storm during the past year 2018. As a result of this horrendous impact, the twin Voice of America shortwave stations on both islands, Saipan and Tinian, sustained such massive damage that they were rendered inoperable, for a considerable period of time. In fact, the damage was so great that the entire future of these two huge shortwave stations has been in jeopardy. However, we now know that on February 22, (2019) one of the Saipan antennas came back on the air for 11 hours daily, carrying RFA Korean for 5 hours and Mandarin for 6 hours. And we understand that engineers are continuing to reconstruct the other Saipan antennas as well as those on Tinian. At the beginning of this mini-series of topics on the story of the Agingan Point shortwave station on the island of Saipan, we mentioned that this station had been identified with three or four different callsigns. Yes, and that statement was almost accurate! The original location for this projected shortwave station had been on the island of Guam under the callsign KUAM. The concept for the installation of that projected commercial station was then transferred to the island of Saipan, and when it was erected, it was given the callsign KYOI. When it was sold to Christian Science, they changed the callsign to KHBI. The three callsigns that we referred to initially were KUAM KYOI and KHBI. And what was the possible fourth callsign that we alluded to? Well, it was not exactly a callsign, it was more of an identification for the station. When the American government bought the station, it was under the ownership of Radio Free Asia RFA, and it was then frequently identified as RFA Saipan (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan April 7 via DXLD) The relay stations on Tinian & Saipan, Northern Marianas are back on line. EiBi & Aoki show no EE from MRA. Broadcasts from Marianas, extracted from 4/14 EiBi: 0030-0130 15700 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Burmese 0300-0500 17690 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) CC 0400-0500 21505 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) CC 0600-0700 13790, 17810 (Tinian) Radio Free Asia CC 1000-1100 21455 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Tibetan 1100-1200 15195 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Lao 1230-1300 6085 Radio Vaticana (Tinian) CC Sat 1230-1330 11805 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Burmese 1300-1400 13690 Voice of America (Saipan) CC 1330-1430 11805 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Burmese 1400-1500 13575 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) CA 1430-1500 12140 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Khmer 1500-1700 9850, 11985 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) Korean 1500-1600 13720, 13790 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Tibetan 1600-1700 11610 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) CC 1700-1900 9990, 11985 (Saipan) Radio Free Asia KR 1900-2100 9355 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) CC 2100-2200 11945 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) Korean 2230-2330 15275 Radio Free Asia (Tinian) Khmer 2300-2400 15555 Radio Free Asia (Saipan) CC (MARE Tipsheet 18 April via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 92.9-WBFM, April 24 at 1958 on caradio, ``-KC`s rock alternative`` non-ID with CCI. This is no doubt another translator in OKC, per WTFDA FM Database, audiblizing the HD-2 of 92.5 KOMA, i.e. K225BN, 200 watts at 267.7 meters HAAT, format Modern Rock, slogan allegedly ``The Edge``: vs the only other Okie on 92.9, 100 kW KBEZ Tulsa, ``The Drive``. This is an increasingly employed workaround to get a subsidiary ``HD`` format onto a real open FM radio signal. Per coordinates, K225BN is on exactly the same tower as 95.3 K237GE making KOKC 1520 an FM station, also audible at same marginal level - -- but how about in OKC itself where that`s adjacent to 95.1 100 kW KQCV-FM gospel huxter also serving the OKC market, from Shawnee CoL? Axually its site is beyond Shawnee, east of Seminole so it puts as much signal into Tulsa as OKC, but is also easily heard in Enid vs Wichita (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. RF 21, April 25 at 1454 UT, KUOT-LD, 4 kW ERP, OKC, DTV briefly decodes with slight tropo enhancement, I hurry to 21-6 to try to identify this subchannel. Only KUOT on all PSIPs; and no bug on it, but infomercial with link: teamlifestyle.com which forwards to: https://www.asarx.tv/ not very helpful. W9WI.com shows 21-6 as ``Revn`` (Revelation?) http://www.w9wi.com/web/tv-channels/21-mx.html but the others don`t match my last log as in DXLD 19-15 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 9620, Radio Oman, Muscat, 1420-1429, 20-04, pop songs in English. 43433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) 9620, Radio Sultanate of Oman, Muscat, 1408-1820, 24-04, open at about 1408 with pop songs in English, song in Spanish, ID "Radio Sultanate of Oman, FM" "Your Nation Station across the country". Most days out of air at this hour and only heard India. Slight QRM from All India Radio on the same frequency. 33433 ((Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Radio Sultanate of Oman on new frequency in 31mb, April 20 1400-1500 NF 9620 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu English, ex 15140 1500-2200 NF 9620 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic, ex 15140 From 2200 no signal on registered 9740; 11770; 12015 & 15355 kHz! Co-ch from All India Radio; Voice of Turkey; PARS TODAY VIRI IRIB till 1500 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Sindhi 1500-1600 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Baluchi 1615-1730 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Farsi 1730-1945 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to N/ME Arabic 1945-2030 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to NWAf French 2023-2120 on 9620 SIR 500 kW / 298 deg to SoEu Spanish 2030-2125 on 9620 EMR 500 kW / 105 deg to SEAs English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/radio-sultanate-of-oman-in-english.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of Radio Sultanate of Oman RSO in 31mb, April 24: 1400-1500 NF 9620 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu English, very good 1500-2200 NF 9620 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic, very good Co-ch of All India Radio, PARS TODAY VIRI IRIB and Voice of Turkey till 1500 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Sindhi 1500-1600 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Baluchi 1615-1730 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to WeAs Farsi 1730-1945 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to N/ME Arabic 1945-2030 on 9620 ALG 250 kW / 282 deg to NWAf French 2023-2120 on 9620 SIR 500 kW / 298 deg to SoEu Spanish 2030-2125 on 9620 EMR 500 kW / 105 deg to SEAs English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-radio-sultanate-of-oman.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Radio Sultanate of Oman RSO in 31mb after 2200 UT, April 24 2200&2300 on 9620 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic, very good Probably until 0200 UT, instead of several frequencies registered: 2200-2400 on 9740 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic 2200-2400 on 15355 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic 0000-0200 on 9500 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic 0000-0200 on 9650 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/radio-sultanate-of-oman-rso-in-31mb.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE. There is an interesting article/podcast by R France Int entitled "The power of radio during British-mandated Palestine". "On 30 March 1936, the British High Commissioner of Palestine, Arthur Wauchope, inaugurated the Palestinian Broadcasting Service, the PBS. It was the second broadcaster to be established in the Middle East, after Radio Cairo in 1934, and featured programmes in Arabic, Hebrew and English. It covered the region of Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, as well as parts of Egypt. The new transmitter was in Ramallah and the broadcasting offices were in Jerusalem." Full article and pictures at: http://en.rfi.fr/middle-east/20190329-power-radio-during-british-mandated-palestine (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, WOR iog via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Tarma extended broadcast on 4775 kHz (0300 UT and later). Perhaps, anniversary or something else. Good signal near Moscow on Degen 1103, built-in whip 25.04.19. 2504201930106 DX 4775 kHz – Radio Tarma extended broadcast https://youtu.be/F38nhK5ZyNY 0222–0234 UT. Received in Moscow region 25.04.19 on Degen 1103, built-in whip 60 cm. 73, (Eduard Korsakov, WOR iog via DXLD) just music on clip, no ID or any talk (gh) ** PHILIPPINES. Reception of Radio Pilipinas PBS in, April 24: 1730-1930 9910*PHT 250 kW / 283 deg to N&ME Filipino, plus co-ch AIR 1730-1930 12120 PHT 250 kW / 283 deg to N&ME Filipino, good signal 1730-1930 15190 PHT 250 kW / 283 deg to N&ME Filipino, fair signal *1745-1945 9910 BGL 500 kW / 240 deg to EaAf English All India radio Wrong frequency announcement: 9925(winter), instead of 9910 kHz(summer) https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/reception-of-radio-pilipinas-pbs-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. 6015, Radio Romania International, 0528, on April 18. Ex 6080; their IS followed by programming in English (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 9555, SBA, 2230, 4-17-19. Male vocal followed by man in Arabic with slow delivery and background music. Sounded like a religious or spiritual message. Background was the title soundtrack from the 1959 movie, "A Summer Place" written by Percy Faith. Seems an odd combination. SIO 444 (Ed Cichorek, NJ, Equipment: R75, SW8, MFJ956; swl 4-50 wire, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 17895, SBA at 1343 // 17615 (Weak to Fair with heavy fading) in Arabic with a man with talk and a child singing – Weak to Fair with heavy fading Apr 19 – These frequencies plus a separate Arabic program from SBA on 17705 were the only signals on the band this morning (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) SBA = Saudi Broadcasting Authority, a.k.a. SRI = Saudi Radio International, per WRTH 2019; however website and email use sbc (gh) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. Sentech (South Africa) - an operator who at the end of March 2019 ceased use the HF radio center in Meyerton. Yuarovsky's broadcasts were broadcast through him. Channel Africa and Radio Sonder Grense, as well as some foreign stations. Nevertheless, three farewell reports were answered to me. Frequencies 12040 (VoA), 9850 (AWR) and 17760 (Amateur R Today) kHz. Signature - Sikander Hoosen, High Frequency Coverage Planner, Sentech SOC Ltd. Sent a report to him on hoosens [at] sentech.co.za, waited for a response for 21 days. On three eQSL-kah - interesting views radio center outside and inside. Pictures: http://dxsignal.ru/qsl/new/Sentech_190415_QSL1.png http://dxsignal.ru/qsl/new/Sentech_190415_QSL2.png http://dxsignal.ru/qsl/new/Sentech_190415_QSL3.png (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia / “open_dx” via QSL World, RUS-DX 21 April via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. The story of the large double shortwave station located near Meyerton in South Africa which is due to close today According to the latest available information, the huge double shortwave station located near the small town of Meyerton in South Africa is due to close today, Sunday March 31, (2019). The stated reason for the termination of this massive shortwave station, one of the largest in the world, is due to insufficient clientele choosing to broadcast to Africa and beyond from its bevy of shortwave transmitters and antenna systems. Apparently the withdrawal of the BBC London from its use of Meyerton as one of its African relay stations was the proverbial last straw that broke this African camel’s financial back. Back in 1964, SABC, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, procured a tract of land containing 1250 acres south of Johannesburg in a hilly country area due east of the town of Meyerton for the construction of a new shortwave broadcasting station. In reality, two shortwave stations were constructed on this large property on Marlin Road; one at the northern end, and the other at the southern end. The northern location was planned as the high power station with transmitters rated at 250 kW and 500 kW for international coverage, almost worldwide; and the southern station was planned for domestic coverage in South Africa, as well as for regional coverage of other nearby African countries, with transmitters rated at 100 kW. During the following year on October 27 (1965), Prime Minister Dr. H. F. Verwoerd officially opened this new double shortwave station, which was named in his honor, as the H. F. Verwoerd Shortwave Station. At the time of the opening ceremony, just one transmitter at 250 kW was ready for active service, though three more similar units were installed and taken into service during the following months. Over a period of the next 15 years, a total of 17 shortwave transmitters were progressively installed at the two locations, together with a total of 49 antenna systems. At the height of its capability, the high powered northern shortwave station contained 15 active transmitters at 250 kW and 500 kW, together with 40 antenna systems, mainly curtain antennas. Likewise, the lower powered southern site contained 8 active transmitters at 100 kW and 9 antenna systems, mainly log periodics. Two transmitters, one at each sub-location, were kept in standby mode. The feeder lines running from the transmitters at the northern station exit the transmitter building via two tunnels, each 8 feet square. In this way, the feeder lines are protected from harsh weather patterns. The feeder lines are made up of ½ inch copper tubing, and 40 miles of this tubing are used in total at the two stations. This powerful shortwave station consumes a massive 6 megawatts of electricity. The studios and offices for the external services of SABC, the South African Broadcasting Corporation are housed in an office building in central Johannesburg, some 40 miles north of the transmitting stations. Under the management of Radio South Africa RSA, a total of 50 international radio listeners in different parts of the world served as regular monitors on behalf of this shortwave service. Audio insert Radio South Africa RSA: Bird call, opening announcement English National Anthem, OTS time call Opening announcement, SW channels, programming Radio South Africa transferred the double shortwave station at Meyerton to a commercial radio organization, Sentech, in November 1996. Since then Sentech has operated the station as a commercial venture, with many international radio organizations reaching their international audiences via this shortwave station at Meyerton. Over the intervening years, many international radio organizations have taken out a relay of their programming via this double Meyerton shortwave station, such as for example: The BBC in London, Voice of America in Washington DC, Radio Canada International in Montreal, Radio Netherlands in Hilversum Holland, and Radio France International in Paris. Other stations that have also utilized the Meyerton station have included Trans World Radio and Adventist World Radio, as well as Channel Africa and Radio Sonder Grense in South Africa itself. Audio Insert Percussion theme, Channel Africa announcement in English, programming intro In earlier times, RSA in Johannesburg issued colorful QSL cards that featured animal life and country scenes in South Africa. Radio monitors worldwide would describe these QSL cards as some of the most beautiful QSL cards in their collection. After the shortwave station was sold off to Sentech, they also issued a set of colorful QSL cards, eight in number, from their corporate office in Honeydew, a suburb of the large regional city Johannesburg. The QSL cards from Sentech were signed by Kathy Otto, who was very cooperative with the international radio audience, and each card identified the organization that was on the air via the Sentech shortwave station. Thus, it was possible in earlier times to receive two QSL cards for the one reception report, the origination program studio and the Sentech shortwave station itself. So what will happen to this major double shortwave station at Meyerton in South Africa? It is too early yet to know for sure. Perhaps the land will be bought by local farmers, but what will happen to the major but now aging items of electronic equipment? Only time will tell (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan March 31 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 5900, April 20 at 0327, TOMBS is S9+10/20, // not synchro with 7570 WRMI, non-BS speaking English. On this frequency surely it`s BULGARIA, altho as of April 5-6, Ivo had reported: SECRETLAND Brother HySTAIRical TOM is no longer on shortwave via SPL Secretbrod effective from March 31 1500-1700 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu English 1700-2000 on 9400 SCB 100 kW / 126 deg to N/ME English 1800-2000 on 6000 SCB 050 kW / 030 deg to EaEu English 2000-0300 on 5900 SCB 050 kW / 306 deg to ENAm English https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/brother-hystairical-overcomer-ministry.html as of April 20 also shows all the SCB relays as inactive including 5900 between 2000 and 0300 (not 0300+). So what is the span now? It`s always changing, going & coming. On the contrary, current EiBi shows no BS on 5900 but rather: 5900 0300-0315 G Bible Voice Dardasha-7 A ME /BUL-s 5900 0315-0330 G Bible Voice Dardasha-7 A ME /BUL-s On the contrary2, while NDXC/Aoki says: 5900 0200-0215 BUL BIBLE VOICE BCN Radio Da Ara Kostinbrod( 1-7 5900 0215-0230 BUL BIBLE VOICE BCN Radio Da Ara Kostinbrod( 1-7 But also with x for off the air: 5900 2000-2100 BUL x The Overcomer Ministry Eng Kostinbrod( 1-7 5900 2100-2200 BUL x The Overcomer Ministry Eng Kostinbrod( 5-3 5900 2200-0200 BUL x The Overcomer Ministry Eng Kostinbrod( 1-7 HFCC A-19 has 5900 available 24 hours from ``Sofia`` aimed toward W Europe and USward: 5900 0000 2359 27,28,29,38 SOF 250 306 0 618 1234567 310319 271019 D 5000 Eng BUL NEW SPC 8044. Overcomer Ministry`s own schedule not updated since February! has 5900 Bulgaria at 2000-0300 not for NAm, but Europe/Middle East/Israel (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SECRETLAND Brother Stair is on air via Secretbrod [BULGARIA], April 21 1400-1600 on 11600 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu English, confirmed 1600-1945 on 9400 SCB 100 kW / 126 deg to N/ME English, confirmed 2000-0300 on 5900 SCB 050 kW / 306 deg to ENAm not on air April 21 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/brother-stair-is-again-on-air-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 21-22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SECRETLAND, More frequencies of Brother Stair TOM via SPL Secretbrod, April 22 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/more-frequencies-of-brother-stair-tom.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 22-23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi All, I'm currently hearing a strong signal from Brother Scare on 6015 kHz at 1500 UT, which according to their now updated schedule on the overcomer ministry website, is coming via Broadcast in Germany and on air from 1400 to 1600 UT. https://overcomerministry.org/radio-schedule/ 73 for now, (Alan.gale, Apr 24, WOR iog via DXLD) See also BULGARIA Bulgaria 5900 Eur, Middle East, Far East Daily 0200-0400 9pm-11pm EST [sic] 6000 Europe, Middle East Daily 1500-1700 10am-Noon 6005 Eur, Middle East, Asia Daily 2000-0400 3pm-11pm [6055?!] 9400 Eur, Russia, Middle East Daily 1600-2000 11am-3pm 9700 Middle East, Africa, Asia Daily 1700-2000 Noon-2pm 11600 Eur, Middle East, Far East Daily 1400-1700 9am-Noon 11700 Asia, Africa, Far East Daily 1500-1700 10am-Noon WINB (DRM RADIO) 7315 Europe Daily 0700-0900 2am-4am 9265 Europe Daily 0900-1100 4am-6am (from Overcomer website via gh, DXLD) SECRETLAND, Brother Stair via Secretbrod, updated https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/updated-schedule-of-brother-stair-via.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. 9690, April 22 at 2201, 2218, REE is still in Castilian instead of English even tho it`s Monday. I guess they haven`t got over Easter yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 11670, REE at 2230. Time pips, to talk by W in Arabic. Monitored on Sangean ATS-909X and 8' antenna extension. At 2254, suddenly buried by M in Spanish and ID from Radio Havana Cuba, not scheduled here until 2300. But then, "something's always wrong" - Good Apr 23 (Rick Barton, Arizona SW Logs, 73 and Good Listening....! -rb, WOR iog via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. I do hope that Victor Goonetilleke is safe with the Easter carnage in Sri Lanka today! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, April 21, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) Victor on Facebook yesterday: MY FRIENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD. MY FAMILY IS SAFE. HOWEVER WE ARE ALL VERY SAD ABOUT THESE ACTS OR TERROR. THANKS FOR ALL THE CALLS AND CONCERNS. WISH OUR COUNTRY WELL. THANK YOU His profile is public; you should also be able to view it without having a Facebook account though it will ask you to consider having one. https://www.facebook.com/victor.goonetilleke.5/posts/10155926979901493 (Mike Barraclough, April 22, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. Re: [WOR] DX Listening Digest 19-15 The unID station reported as heard on 1548 kHz at 1530 UT may be AWR via Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. However it is not clear in the recording. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, India, WOR iog via DXLD) That was in the Hong Kong DX-pedition report (gh) ** SUDAN. 7205, April 19 at 0320, singing and drumming at S9, 0329 Arabic talk mentioning Sudan, 0334 instrumental music. Sudan Radio, domestic service frequency, no doubt under new management. Beware, that Aoki shows an overlap of Sudan starting at 0210, and PBS Xinjiang, Urumqi, East Turkistan, in Uyghur until 0257. EiBi, OTOH shows only a 3-minute overlap, *0257- and -0300* respectively. [and non]. 7205, April 20 at 0325, R. Omdurman again fairly audible; and also carriers from the Eritreans on 7180, 7140 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN SOUTH [non]. MADAGASCAR, Clandestine Eye Radio via Malagasy Global Business S.A. will be on shortwave until May 1 & then it will leave shortwave 0400-0500 on 7340 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri 1600-1700 on 15410 ISS 250 kW / 139 deg to EaAf Juba Arabic* Mon-Fri * including other langs English/Dinka/Nuer/Shilluk/Bari/Zande/Lutoho https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/eye-radio-will-be-on-shortwave-until.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 22-23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? But neither transmission cited is via Madagascar (gh, DXLD) ** SURINAME. Radio Apintie 4990 kHz (Paramaribo Suriname Tropical band 60 meters) Woman and Men Talks. (Very good sing) Received in distance 2305 KM in 1019 UT and 0954 UT Day 03 Apr. 2019 Report reception send to: Snandkumar@apintie.sr https://youtu.be/EG7mY0kl52o RX: Yaesu FRG 8800, Antena: DS SWL DL Dipolo Symmetrical 42 Meters + Balun + 15 Meters Coaxial (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova Xavantina MT, Brazil, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND [and non]. Re: ESWATINI {ex-Swaziland} Reception of Trans World Radio Africa in 49mb & 31mb, April 17 1700-1730 6100 MAN 100 kW 003 deg SoAF Yawo Daily, good signal 1745-1815 9475 MAN 100 kW 005 deg EaAF Swahili Mon-Sat, good reception of Trans World Radio Africa in 25mb & 22mb April 17 1530-1545 11820 MAN 100 kW 013 deg EaAF Juba Arabic Mon-Fri, very good 1557-1627 13580 MAN 100 kW 013 deg SoAF Kirundi Mon-Fri, very good Reception of Trans World Radio Africa in 31mb April 17 1630-1700 9500 MAN 100 kW 013 deg EaAF Oromo Wed/Thu, good 1802-1832 9500 MAN 100 kW 013 deg EaAF English Mon-Fri, good (Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 18) 7314.982, TWR Africa via TWR Manzini SWZ relay site, started Lomwe language service at 1419 UT on April 23, poor S=6 signal propagation via dark gray Indian Ocean path into Brisbane Queensland remote SDR unit. Co-channel QRM by 7315even CNR2nd national program of China mainland, Xianyang #594 site, S=8 strength, traced also in Brisbane Australia. 6024.988, TWR Africa via TWR Manzini SWZ relay site, English at 1423 on April 23, poor S=5 signal. Co-channel QRM by 6025even PBS Xizang Tibetan national program sce from Lhasa Tibet site of south-western China mainland, S=7-8 strength, heard also in Brisbane Australia. 9584.981 kHz TWR Africa via TWR Manzini SWZ relay site, Malagasy language service at 1503 on April 23, poor S=5-6 signal. Co-channel QRM S=8-9 signal from China mainland, CRI Japanese from Xianyang site #594 at 1506 UT, S=8 sidelobe signal heard also in Brisbane Queensland remote SDR. 9474.982, TWR Africa via TWR Manzini SWZ relay site, Swahili language East/Ce Africa sce at 1750 UT on April 23, proper backlobe S=9 signal noted in Moscow Russia remote SDR access. 9499.992, TWR Africa via TWR Manzini SWZ relay site, Somali language service at 1511 on April 23, poor and tiny S=5-6 signal. Co-channel QRM S=9 signal from China mainland, CNR1 Chinese from Shijiazhuang site #723 at 1512. 9499.984, little different frequency measured later at 1650 UT on April 23, S=9+10dB stronger signal in Qatar site. Maybe differs now due of antenna s l e w operation of TWR Africa towards Oromo language land, at Manzini ? Co-channel low level of RRI Tsiganeshti Romania French on 9500 kHz. 9499.984, TWR Africa from Manzini towards Oromo language at 1756 April 23, noted backlobe S=6 signal only - at Moscow Russia remote Perseus unit. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 23, dxldyg via DXLD) und heute Nachmittag 24. April auch noch: 11819.976, TWR Africa in Arabisch Juba-Version, aus Manzini, hier in der Schweiz St.Gallen / Säntis Perseus remote gehört: 1540 UT 1530-1545 UT. Mon-Fri, um 15.43.55 UT Guitar musik und Sänger Chor bis 1544:05 UT, dann Final Ansage - 1545:00, IS, und TX ausgeschaltet um 1546:04. 13589.973, TWR Africa aus Manzini in Kirundi Sprache S=9+15dB, Mon-Fri, um 1606 UT. Gleich daneben VoA auch in Kirundi Sprache requestet, auf 13630 kHz S=8-9 um 1308 UT aus Sao Tome Relay. 73 wb (Bueschel, ibid.) So from the above, TWR Swazi is consistently off-frequency to the low side, ranging from 8 to 27 Hz, the greater offsets generally correlating with the higher frequencies. Why is it that so many professional radio stations are thus, uncorrected, while amateur monitors are easily able to pin them down? Also, why is it that more stations seem to be off-frequency-minus than plus? (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. (tentative): 11150 kHz, SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, Guanbo Dientai (tentative), Chinese, 18/04 2334. Male and female communication. Interview. Instrumental music. 35333 (RG). TAIWAN: 12210 kHz, SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng, Miaoli, Chinese, 18/04 2320. Male and female communication. Instrumental music. 35443 (Rudolf Grimm PY2-81502 SWL, São Bernardo SP, BRAZIL, http://dxways-br.blogspot.com YouTube Channel: GrimmSBC HCDX via DXLD) What is your basis for choosing SOH over CNR1 jamming of it?? (gh) Summer A-19 of Sound of Hope Xi Wang Zhi Sheng https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/summer-19-of-sound-of-hope-xi-wang-zhi.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. 9560, April 22 at 1429, S3-S5 open carrier, soon starting upbeat theme music and Japanese announcement. Aoki shows Furusato no Kaze for North Korean abductees, from Tamsui district (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Target: CHINA/TIBET: Voice of Tibet via Dushanbe 7494 kHz - April 21 2300 UT - Sign on, Tibetan talk by YL (SIO: 333); 2300 to 2302 on 7494; 2302 to 2335 on 7484 (CNR1 jamming sign on at 2335 on 7485 kHz and sign off at 0000); 2335 to 0000 on 7491 kHz. Rx: Perseus SDR, Ant: Loop ALA 1530. 73's (Franck Baste (St Bonnet de Rochefort, France) F4LKC, WOR iog via DXLD) ** TURKEY. 9830, April 19 at 2233, no signal from VOT English to North America; surely would be audible if on, like 9420 Greece at S9+25! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Voice of Turkey on very odd frequency 9655.7 April 20: 0900-0955 11750.0 EMR 500 kW / 120 deg N/ME Arabic, very good signal 1000-1055 9655.7 EMR 500 kW / 072 deg CeAs Georgian instead of 9655.0 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/trt-voice-of-turkey-on-very-odd_20.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Voice of Turkey on very odd frequencies, April 21: 0830-0955 11795.7 EMR 500 kW / 105 deg Farsi, instead of 11795 Apr 20 1000-1025 9855.7 EMR 500 kW / 032 deg Tatar, instead of 9855 Apr 20 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/voice-of-turkey-on-very-odd-frequencies.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9830, April 22 at 2207, NO signal from VOT English to North America, yet another failure. This time I check the three frequencies scheduled in previous hours in case its transmitter be stuck overtime elsewhere ---- 9620, 9635, 11615 --- but nothing on those either. 9830, recheck April 22 at 2343, NOW it`s on with Turkish songs, S9+10/20, and as expected 2351 GERMAN very brief headline(s), sign off giving two phone numbers, nothing about frequencies! and 2352 into IS music; 2356 stops and restarts, shortly ID in another language, Portuguese? music and cut off 2358* --- just as if this were a completely normal transmission. Now I`m guessing the sloppyrator at Emirler thinx they are supposed to run 9830 at 23-24 UT with whatever program come over the feed from Ankara, instead of 22-23 UT; confused about summer timing? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Turkey 9830 No Show --- At least here in upstate NY. 8 minutes into what should be an English language broadcast to NA, there is nothing on frequency (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, 2209 UT April 23, WOR iog via DXLD) It happens often Turkey is not on the air on 9830, last week two days they were missing, checked Spain 9690 to make sure was not propagation but Spain was good (Gilles Letourneau, ibid.) 9830, April 23 at 2242, again no signal from VOT during English hour to North America. Well, there`s always German in the next hour? NO, none of that either today at 2302 and 2330 chex. Do any other VOT broadcasts have this dismal track record, or is it just a zzzzzzzzz middle-of-the-night thing at Emirler? Last year someone suggested that instead of professional operators, TRT was employing kids from the neighborhood for this task; no kidding? 9830, April 24 at 2228, VOT English is back on, but poor S6-S9. And no German after 2300. 15450, April 24 at 1323, VOT English JBA at sign-off mentioning correct frequency and maybe correct time too; and pulling the plug immediately. Will this 1230 broadcast USward ever build up to listenable level here? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Turkey EMR 500 kW on very odd freqs April 24 0500-0655 13765.7 / 210 deg CEAf Ha/Sw, instead of nom.13765.0 0830-0955 11795.7 / 105 deg WeAs Farsi, instead of nom.11795.0 1000-1025 9855.7 / 032 deg CeAs Tatar, instead of nom. 9855.0 https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/voice-of-turkey-on-very-odd-freqs.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. 17640, April 19 at 1557, BST-1 caradio lands on B-B-C- chimes, frequency still in memory for when MWV used it in B-18. Should have been listenable for this 1-hour of BBCWS in English via ASCENSION to Africa. 12065, April 25 at 1338, something in English, CRI? No, not // Cuba 9570. Listed as BBCWS via SINGAPORE this hour only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I checked 2097.3 for the signal [beacon A, somewhere in SW USA] on several SDRs and was able to copy it on KA7U, VE6JY, VE6HFD, VA6OK and a few more. It was the strongest on VE6JY at S8. Receivers using the Wellbrook loops do very well. It was during darkness hours when I checked for the signal (Joe Caberlin, VE1EJ, Ont., 9 April, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 13565-CW, April 22 at 1412, K6FRC beacon from Patterson, California is JBA vs CODAR. I check the 13550-13570 HIFER band just about every day, and this is the first time K6FRC or any other beacon has been detected since Feb 20 and before that Dec 19. Notice how close these are to two-month intervals, so I wonder if K6FRC be only sporadically active. How about all the others listed --- on and not propagating, or off? That other Californian, with 100 kW, KVOH would surely be audible if on 13 MHz band now instead of stuck 4+ MHz higher on 17775; but target is beyond OK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWV/WWVH DoD MARS Broadcasts Have Begun --- Here in NB, I noted the new DoD MARS announcement over WWV/WWVH yesterday (20 April) evening at 2210 UTC from WWV on 10 MHz. The current announcement is for the upcoming Wisconsin Army National Guard exercise SIMCOM Vital Connect Wisconsin 2019 (SIMCOM-VC 2019). This specific Web page has been set up for reception reports (and a survey of WWV/WWVH use): http://www.dodmars.org/home/wwv-survey. The main page, www.dodmars.org, is announced during the broadcast. Some information on the DoD MARS broadcasts is now on the WWV/WWVH Web page: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/radio-stations/wwv (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) see HAWAII ** U S A. 4000/USB, U.S. Army MARS net; 0025, 4/18 (Frodge-MI) 4017/USB, U.S. Air Force MARS net; 0105, 4/17 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. U.S. Broadcaster Under Scrutiny for Disseminating Autocratic Propaganda --- A Western voice has tilted toward post-Soviet authoritarian leader in Central Asia, say diplomats and the network By Jessica Donati April 25, 2019 5:30 a.m. ET WASHINGTON — Federal officials are scrutinizing the U.S. government’s Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty news service, established to promote democratic values abroad, after complaints it has distributed foreign propaganda favorable to authoritarian regimes in Central Asia, according to the network, its employees and an internal State Department memo. State Department officials sent a six-page memo to the leaders of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty earlier this year criticizing a pro-government stance by the service’s Tajikistan... To Read the Full Story subscribe https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-broadcaster-under-scrutiny-for-disseminating-propaganda-11556184602 (via David Cole, OK, DXLD) ** U S A. Televisión Martí (not R Martí) is on shortwave from April 23 2200-2400 on 5980 Greenville GB 250 kW to Cuba Spanish Mon-Fri 0000-0300 on 5980 Greenville GB 250 kW to Cuba Spanish Tue-Sat https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/television-marti-not-rmarti-is-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CUBA [non] ** U S A. Updated A19 shortwave schedule of GH's World of Radio https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/updated-summer-19-shortwave-schedule-of.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: bandscan finds surprise new time on WRMI 9955: Friday April 19 at 2226, S9+20, so started at 2200, and now showing on the skedgrid. This becomes the first US SW broadcast as long as I produce new shows in time. Also confirmed at next-newest time, UT Saturday April 20 at 0130 on WRMI 7780, fair with some SSB ACI [WORLD OF RADIO 1979] Confirmed Saturday April 20 at 1130 on WRMI 9955, VG S9+10/20 Not confirmed Saturday April 20 at 1431 on HLR 9485-CUSB --- no signal detectable via UTwente, just splash from 9490 Confirmed Saturday April 20 at 2100 on WRMI 9955, S7-S8; after IS & ID loop, but WOR opening is again upcut: automation misaligned Note: Unique Radio website says it is off the air until resuming Friday April 26. Next: 0030 UT Sunday WRMI 7730 0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0315] 0830 UT Sunday WRMI 5850 5950 7730 [some canceled?] 1030 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-USB NSW [resumes April 29] 1815 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions, April 30+] 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [or 1979?] 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW; or 1979?] [it appears we will now be running on a Friday-to-Thursday cycle, so freshest new airings are on weekends] WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: confirmed UT Sunday April 21 at 0030 on WRMI 7730, VG S9+30. Also confirmed UT Sun Apr 21 at 0327 about 4 minutes into, so started circa 0323 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, S9+20. 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-USB NSW [resumes April 29] 1815 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions, April 30+] 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [or 1979?] 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW; or 1979?] WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: confirmed Sunday April 21 at 2130 on WRMI 7780, very poor S7-S8. Also confirmed UT Monday April 22 at 0130 on WRMI 9395, VG S9+10/20; preceded at 0129 by very outdated ID as ``Son-power Radio on 5850, 7475, 9395``! Also confirmed UT Monday April 22 at 0230 on WRMI 7780, fair Also confirmed UT Monday April 22 from 0302 on Area 51 webcast --- but checking WBCQ 5130.42v at 0320, vs storm noise from Kansas, S9+10 of dead air! Was entire WOR thus? Recheck webcast and still running OK there. Also confirmed UT Monday April 22 after 0330 on WRMI 9955, poor S6-S7. Next: 1815 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions, April 30+] 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [or 1979?] 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW; or 1979?] Re WORLD OF RADIO at 0300 UT Monday April 22 on WBCQ, John Carver replies: ``Glenn. Yes. 5130 was dead air for WOR and Hobart Radio. Nothing after John Lightning ended his show. John`` WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: confirmed UT Tuesday April 23 at 0100 on WRMI 7780, fair. Next: 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [or 1979?] 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW; or 1979?] WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday April 24 at 2100 on WRMI 9955: once again upcut from ID & IS runup, ``--- with World of Radio 1978 ---`` I wonder who`s that talking? Good signal, much better than simulcast by 7490v WBCQ, so weak on the PL-880 with reelout, that I can`t determine how many seconds apart. Next: 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [or 1979?] 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW; or 1979?] I do plan to record next WOR 1979, late UT Thursday. WORLD OF RADIO 1978 monitoring: confirmed UT Thursday April 25 at 0100 on WRMI 7780, fair S7-S9 --- the last airing of this episode on the WRMI cycle. WOR 1979 completed by 2242 UT Thu Apr 25. WORLD OF RADIO 1979 contents: Alaska, Argentina, Asia non, Australia non, Bulgaria, Colombia, Cuba and non, France, Hawaii, International, Ireland, Japan/Korea North non, Mongolia, Netherlands non, New Zealand, Oman, South Carolina non, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkey, USA, Venezuela non, Zambia, unID, IRCA Convention; sporadic E season; propagation outlook The shortwave broadcasts should be: 0930 UT Friday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW 2200 UT Friday WRMI 9955 [NEW] 0130 UT Saturday WRMI 7780 0629 UT Saturday HLR 6190-CUSB Germany 1000 UT Saturday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [April 27, alt weeks] 1130 UT Saturday WRMI 9955 1431 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 [some canceled?] 1030 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-USB NSW 1815 UT Monday IRRS 7290 Romania 0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 0800 UT Tuesday Unique Radio 5045-USB NSW [2 editions] 2100 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v 0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 [it appears we will now be running on a Friday-to-Thursday cycle, so freshest new airings are on weekends] Full schedule including AM, FM, webcasts, satellite, podcasts: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ WBCQ: ** U S A. 9330, WBCQ, Monticello ME; 2050-2105+, 4/14; The ever-so inspirational Bro. HyStairical sed; “When I die, Jesus will come, and that will be the end of the world, and it’s coming soon.” “If you want to get rid of the drug problem, close all the pharmacies.” Sed he wasn’t against Trump, but proceeded to accuse him of just about all iniquities. +++ [same], 2050-2104+, 4/15; B.S. sed “they’ve” found the original site of the Garden of Eden. (“They” say a LOT of things.) I was hoping this might lead into his 6000-year-old universe bit, but alas not. No comment about Notre Dame. Maybe tomorrow when he’s had a chance to put it into last days context. It must be a sign! WBCQ ID insert at 2200:21. SIO=3+53 fady (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330.14v, April 19 at 1327, WBCQ still with TOMBS, not the 500 kW Superstation, which per John Carver, Allan Weiner said on `Worldwide` last Friday night, would start testing in the coming week on 9330 or 7490, to be announced in his Twits. QRX. No doubt it will be on 9330.000 and not with Brother HyStairical, we can only hope. Bring on the flat-earthers! I missed this week`s AWWW on WBCQ, UT Sat Apr 20 at 0000 UT, but John Carver fills us in: ``Tonight's show started on time on 7490 after some dead air and fill music. Allan and Angela in the studio talking about the IRS. First phone call at 0005 followed immediately by a call from Dave in Indiana at 0007 continuing the discussion about the IRS. Allan maintains that the IRS is illegal and wasn't ratified by all the states. Allan is a little riled up this evening and goes into a rant. At the height of the rant while he's waving his arms he manages to hit Angela who's sitting next to him. Phone calls are hot and heavy this evening. Ramsey calls at 0031. He gets Allan to state that he's been seeing doctors this week and he's doing fine. reading of emails at 0053. Closing prayer at 0059. Show was off the air at 0101 with no talk of the station this evening. 7490 was off the air at 0102 after a bit of music. John, Mid-North Indiana`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490+, UT Sun Apr 21 at 0100, Pirate Joe opening his `Shortwave Saturday Night` on WBCQ, previewing topix in next three hours, says he is on 7490 & 3265, the latter, as always, barely audible here. Much needed left-wing counterpoint to AW; at 0125 he`s finishing the ``14 points of fascism``, alluding to how much those apply to Drumpf`s America. 5130.443, UT Sun Apr 21 at 0108, WBCQ S9+10/20, better than usual on this frequency; Larry Will & Jane with `Lumpy Gravy Show`, also claiming to be on 3265! But this was ``live April 19 on 3265`` i.e. the night before, UT Saturday, according to further comments altho not on the WBCQ program schedule other than now, his regular spot on 5130v; also makes left-wing comments. Too much going on as usual on Saturday nights: not only these two, but Mighty KBC, Wolverine Radio (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. 5130.5, April 24 at 2310, JBA carrier yet stronger than the JJBBA carrier on 3264.9 which is about equal to the JBA carrier on 7595 from UZBEKISTAN. These WBCQ and Tashkent frequencies are the ones indirectly publicized on disgraced FB by Amanda Dawn Christie for audio track of her `Spectres of Shortwave` film about the destruxion of RCI Sackville, now also at 2300-0100 UT being screened in Toronto, but none any good here. Something wrong with this scenario? The other `BCQs on 7490+ and 9330+ are quite stronger but tied up with other programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. From the Isle of Music, April 28-May 4, 2019: Part 1 of 2 Parts: We discuss the book "Las Oscuras Leyendas de Chano Pozo" with its author, Ricardo Oropesa, while listening to some important recordings by Chano. Fascinating history plus important music. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UT on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Sofia, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK) Station website: www.spaceline.bg 2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UT (New UT) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9 PM EDT in the US). Station website: www.wbcq.com 3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UT and Saturday 1200-1300 UT on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany. Station website: www.channel292.de Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, April 28 and 30, 2019: By popular demand, we are repeating Episode 109, which is dedicated to the music of Haiti. The transmissions take place: 1. Sundays 2200-2230 UT (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe 2. Tuesdays 2000-2030 UT on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. Thanks for all you do for radio! (William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer, Tilford Productions LLC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI WRMI: ** U S A. 5850, WRMI, FL, Okeechobee with IS in progress as my recording started, into SW Radiogram #95 with the usual mix of digital text & photos on an analog SW signal, this week including stories about: the Int’l Space Station is brimming with bacteria; the First photo of black hole; Solar cycle 25 predicted to be similar to cycle 24. Interesting bits of tid including: "We expect Solar Cycle 25 will be very similar to Cycle 24: Another fairly weak cycle, preceded by a long, deep minimum," said panel co-chair Lisa Upton, a solar physicist with Space Systems Research Corp. "The expectation that Cycle 25 will be comparable in size to Cycle 24 means that the steady decline in solar cycle amplitude, seen from cycles 21 to 24, has come to an end & that there is no indication that we are currently approaching a Maunder-type minimum in solar activity.” Then this weeks images, including: WRMI5850A.jpg photo from a Deutsche Welle Cherry blossoms film about alternatives to in Bonn, Germany slash-and-burn farming in Belize WRMI5850B.jpg Rainbow seen across the Sculpture of the Yosemite Valley in front performer Cardi B at the of El Capitan in Yosemite Brooklyn Museum Nat’l Park in California At BoH, a Tecsun Australia ad & Ian McFarland ID into World of Radio #1977, with the usual mix of radio news including items about: RHC frequencies as observed, R Cairo's presumed English sked & mention that R Guinee has been heard in English Sundays 1830-1855 on 9650 & mention of the V of Korea at 1330 on both 9435 & 11710 heard with good signal in OK, among other items. Lively music to ToH & Bob Zanotti ID which as usual was cut short by plugpull. 4+554+4+ 0755-0900* recorded as I slept, 14/Apr (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, MARE Tipsheet 18 April via DXLD) Could someone awake confirm whether Sunday 0830 WOR still be on three frequencies, also 5950 & 7730? (gh) 9395, Supreme Master TV (via WRMI) at 0300 with Vietnamese female vocals and a woman at 0303 talking with the singer and a man and woman with talk in Vietnamese then mentioning their thanks in English to the Supreme Master and a man and woman with ID at 0306 with website for schedules – Very Good Apr 18 – The main person behind Supreme Master TV is Ching Hai a Vietnamese-American woman who developed the Quan Yin method of meditation (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) 7780, WRMI Radio Miami Int’l; 2326-2339+, 4/20; Tuned in to presume Terry Blalock; 25 huxtergasms in 3 minutes! WRMI spot at 2329:30 into Hobart Radio Int’l; gave WRMI & FM freqs; 2333+ into HRI World News; a man stole a chain saw by stuffing it into his pants--not one mention of Trump! then music--new wave? SIO=3+53 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Updated A19 shortwave schedule of Shortwave Radiogram https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/updated-summer-19-schedule-of-shortwave.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Shortwave Radiogram, 19-21 April 2019 Hello friends, Too late for last weekend's email, I was informed that the Friday 2030-2100 UT broadcast of Shortwave Radiogram was replaced in the WRMI by a religious program. WRMI has provided this replacement time slot: Friday at 1300-1330 UT on 15770 kHz. This is directed to Europe. See the new transmission schedule below. I am still exploring opportunities for a transmitter closer to Europe. In the meantime, the Sunday 2330-2400 UT broadcast on 7780 kHz from WRMI has lately been heard and decoded well in Europe, Unfortunately, the hour is not convenient for most Europeans. Some listeners in Europe try "unattended reception": radio and Fldigi, or radio and recorder, running all night. Audacity's timer record feature can also be helpful. The Saturday 0230-0300 UT transmission from WINB is also often received in Europe. Due to the peculiarities of WINB's audio, the RSIDs often do not change Fldigi's mode. One solution would be to use a recorder, then manually change modes when decoding from the recording. Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 95) are provided by 2010DFS in Japan (Sunday 0800 on 7730 kHz, received in Japan and decoded despite co-channel interference), Ralf in Germany and Scott in Ontario (both Sunday 2330 UT). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany. [each linked] Because of reception in Japan this spring during the 0800 UT broadcast, this weekend we will transmit some Japanese text in MFSK32. Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 96, 19-21 April 2019, in MFSK modes as noted: 1:41 MFSK32: Program preview (now) 2:49 Japanese text* 6:32 KNL Networks worldwide shortwave mesh network 9:56 MFSK64: Pocket sized VLF antenna?* 14:19 This week's images* 27:25 MFSK32: Closing announcements * with image(s) Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net And visit http://swradiogram.net Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram (visit during the weekend to see listeners' results) Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304 Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule UT Day UT Time Frequency Transmitter Friday 1300-1300 15770 kHz WRMI Florida Friday 1500-1530 15120 kHz DRM WINB Pennsylvania Saturday 0230-0300 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania Sunday 0800-0830 5850 kHz 7730 kHz WRMI Florida Sunday 2330-2400 7780 kHz WRMI Florida Slow Scan Radio is taking some time off until early May. Then it will transmit SSTV images and text modes Saturdays at 1300-1330 UTC on 6070 kHz and 7440 kHz via Channel 292 in Germany. The website is http://www.slowscanradio.com Reception reports to x@xdv.me. The Mighty KBC transmits to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UT (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 5960 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK is at about 0130. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ “This is a Music Show” is the newest addition to digital modes via analog shortwave. Most of the show is a music show, but the host transmits some MFSK text and image near the end of the broadcast. It’s transmitted on WRMI, 5850 kHz, Thursday 0100-0200 UT (Wednesday evening in the Americas). Also look for a waterfall ID at the beginning of the show. New York and Pennsylvania NBEMS nets. Most weekends, as KD9XB, I check in to the New York NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software) net Saturday at 1200 UT on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1200 UTC on 3583 kHz USB (with out-of-state check-ins now starting at 1130). Check-ins are usually in Thor 22, and messages are in MFSK32 (PA NBEMS is experimenting with Thor 50x1 for messages). Messages generally use the Flmsg add-on to Fldigi. If you are a radio amateur in eastern North America, feel free to check in. Outside the region, use an SDR in the eastern USA to tune in and decode. You do not need Flmsg to check in, and most of the messages can be read without Flmsg. If you can decode the net, send me an email to radiogram@verizon.net, or tweet to @SWRadiogram, and I will let them know you are tuned in. Thanks for your reception reports! Kim Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB Producer and Presenter Shortwave Radiogram Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom (via Mike Terry, April 19, WOR iog via DXLD) Sonogram: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nxqm7mezab9wcgg/2019-04-19_SWRG96_15770kHz_WRMI.png?dl=0 ????? = Furorida-shu = Florida-state = Florida-Bundesstaat https://legendsoflocalization.com/the-problem-with-l-r-and-other-letters-in-japanese-translation/ [It’s pretty well-known that Japanese speakers have trouble with Ls and Rs – in fact, it’s been part of the Japanese stereotype for close to a century now. There’s even a common phrase on the Internet that mocks the Japanese L/R problem: “Engrish”.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The new time slot for the SWRG is already listed in the Japanese AOKI, but with the wrong target. 87° would be Africa, but that XMTR9-QRG was already changed months ago to 44° for NA / EU / ME. List source: userlistAOKI.txt, file date 2019/04/19 15:20 kHz: 15770 UTC/PSN: 1300-1330 Days/PI: 5 (Fr) Language: English Station: WRMI Radiogram Country: USA (United States) Transmitter: Okeechobee9 Latitude: 27.4583 (27N27'30") Longitude: -80.9333 (80W55'60") Modulation: Power (kW): 100 Target: 87° <==== 44° NA/EU/ME !!! Distance: 7858 km Bearing: 290° Notes: RMI a19 Details: 19 m from United States QTH locator: EL97mk89ax Remarks: Distance and bearing for Petersberg, 11.96/51.55, JO51xn52ea Here is an update of a self-created map, so as not to lose the overview https://www.dropbox.com/s/m3e7oejaxnvx4i8/2019-04-19_WRMI_azi.png?dl=0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ?????????! (roger thauer, germany, WOR iog via DXLD) WRMI 7780: From my recording last Sunday evening, 21-22 April UT (again, mostly weak signal for the first three hours or so; reception improved significantly later as dusk approaches): 1900 Brother Stair 2000 His Prayer for You 2015 Ask WWCR (with Brady Murray and Jerry Plummer discussing reception reports and upcoming NASB meeting; repeat of last week; instead of Viva Miami in this time slot) 2030 Reserve Military Retirement 2100 Wavescan (#530) 2130 World of Radio (#1978) 2200 Bob Biermann's Your Weekend Show 2300 Full Gospel Broadcast (tape bleed through on screams) 2330 Shortwave Radiogram (#96) 0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak 0030 Radio Slovakia International in English (no news; special Easter show) 0100 Wavescan (#530) 0130 Through the Cross Ministry with Pastor Chuck 0200 Radio Prague in English (Sunday music show featuring Easter folk music) (-- Richard Langley, WOR iog via DXLD) And 0230 WORLD OF RADIO, after Richard always quits (gh) ** U S A. Radio Prague International, via WRMI, April 23, 2019, 0200 UT, in Spanish, program opens with the identification of Mrs. Ivana and then a report on the Czech Easter traditions of Resurrection. Also an interview with a Czech musician in Spanish. Bad poor sign with generosity an S2. But improving S3 at 0235 when it remains in the Air in the same frequency Radio Slovak International, which also addressed the theme of folklore traditions. Receiver Tecsun PL 660 Long Wire antenna (HFrías, CHILE, WOR iog via DXLD) WTFK?? WRMI transmission grid shows 9395 for these two at 0200-0300, but in English? Not accounted for in System program grids below. Prague at 0200 also shown on 7780. While 9955 has them both in Spanish at 0200-0300. Hector eventually confirms it was 9955 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHERSW OTHER: ** U S A. 7505v, April 20 at 0324, WRNO back on for a change, in English, S7-S9 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5085, April 22 at 0132, WTWW-2 with S9+40 of dead air; awaken, Ted. 9475-, April 23 at 0248, WTWW-1 still on day frequency as well it might be, still blasting in at S9+40, while night frequency 5830 is vacant. But by 0558, 5830 is still off and 9475 has faded to JBA carrier, still at 0623 final check. At 1404, 9475 is the one, probably having run all night. SAWA WTWW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9475, WTWW Lebanon TN (presumed); 2040, 4/23; Perniciously Pig-headed & Permanently Passed Pastor Pete Peters; “Ministers are stupid.” and a couple of minutes later, “We’ve got to cut each other some slack.” (The Church of Slack would agree.) SIO=454 peaks, fady (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ---- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time. ----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5830, April 24 at 1837, JBA carrier from WTWW-1 at midday, checked here after finding 9475 AWOL --- good news for Swaziland, but not for the dead racist in Laporte. Ted does it again! But surely not sabotage (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5890, April 23 at 0553, dead air at S9-S6: it`s Tuesday, time for the weekly anomalies from WWCR; this time 5890 is quite weaker than 5935 with DGS modulation at S9+10/20. What about the other two transmitters? 4840 is also modulating with something, S9+20; while 3215, supposedly silent at this hour, is S9+20 of open carrier. Is WWCR doing this deliberately for some reason, wasting hundreds of kW, or some glitch in automation programming, turning on two extra transmitters when they are not supposed to be running? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re KVOZ 890: FCC's CDBS http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=6429 (Wayne Heinen, nrc-am gg via DXLD) Which still does not reveal we are really talking about the Laredo market, not even a zipcode clue besides McAllen`s (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 1060, April 19 at 0504 UT on the R75 with E-W longwire, Mexican music, not so eclectic as to be expected from XEEP CDMX but the SW 6185 is already off. Switching to the DX-398 for DFing at 0544 UT, now it`s WSW/ENE so that rules out XEEP and points to KIJN Farwell TX; now I am suspecting the songs are of praise, especially with keywords Vida, Viva, Santo and Gloria. Trouble is, KIJN is a 10-kW direxional daytimer! But it`s well-known as a longtime cheater running at night, In Jesus` Name -- WWJD? SS but not religious beyond in almost same direxion is KXPL El Paso TX, another 10 kW daytimer ND, but not such a cheater. There are other USA SS on 1060 in NRC AM Log, none of them likely here and none religious, in CA, NV, NC, NC (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1420, April 19 at 0550 UT, super-hype voice actors (SHVA) in Spanish with promos or ads, Mexican music, 0557 automated TC for 12, 56 = CDT. Something (else?) here in the mix is enough off-frequency to produce a LAH. I am enjoying the perhaps temporary absence of loud local KCRC Enid spur on 1420v, while on alternate transmitter following power outage/surge? Cannot copy ID at 0601 UT other than FM frequency 103.3 or 106.3. Loops NW/SE so that rules out Mexico. No Coloradans on 1420, but the closest likely is KBHS Hot Springs AR, more like ESE, in NRC AM Log as U1 5000/87 watts, SS but its La Zeta FM as 105.5. Has there been a change? Bingo! in the WTFDA FM Database: ``K292HG KBHS-1420 106.3 HOT SPRINGS AR USA 0.25 0.25 0.0 0.0 34-27-19 93-03-26 Silent //KZNG 1340. KBHS is silent`` -- silent no more. Altho there could have been a format flip since it went to press 8+ months ago (and now sold out), NRC AM Log has only other SS on 1420 in FL, FL, ID, none likelier here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re: KLIV & Bob Kieve --- Glenn, Another interesting fact about Bob Kieve is that he gave the first newscast at the sign-on of the Harvard student station, WHRB. WHRB was of course a carrier-current operation at its commencement, in December, 1940, and began its FM operation in June, 1957. Bob gave a very fine talk about the station's early history - and his own personal history - at the 75th anniversary gathering of WHRB alums in 2015 (And as you may recall, I'm one of those.) (Ben Dawson, WA, April 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1630, April 19 at 0605 UT, Mexican music loops NNW/SSE, mutually nullable with KCJJ Iowa, making a medium SAH. The only such Unitedstatesian is KRND, Fox Farm WY to the NW, confirmed by 0610 UT with its known identity ``La Jota Mexicana`` IDs in passing. But where is my closest 1630, KKGM Fort Worth TX? No sign of it in the mix, off? It`s a gospel huxter in English, with a lot of music. I am hearing such a format at 1323 UT recheck. Always helpful to tune LSB to minimize local 1640 KZLS, especially on the way to FTW, and oppositely to Fox Farm. Fox Farm cannot be found on the regular Rand McNally atlas, and not even on the 2013 large-scale version, nor in their indices! (There is Foxpark, SW of Laramie). Thus I am forced to seek its location online. Fox Farm is a suburb of Cheyenne. Yet KRND address, per NRC AM Log, is way off in Broomfield CO, between Boulder and Denver! Studio? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Licenses cancelled: 4-15-19: WDND-1620 South Bend, Indiana 4-17-19: KAIR-1470 Atchison, Kansas (Dennis Gibson, April 18, Sent from my iPad, ABDX yg via DXLD) FCC Report 4/21 - RadioInsight - Deletions https://radioinsight.com/headlines/176288/fcc-report-4-21/ After being Silent since November 2017, the FCC has deleted the license of KNZA Inc's 1470 KAIR Atchison KS for being off the air for more than a year. Artistic Media Partners has surrendered the license for Silent 1620 WDND South Bend IN. Its Construction Permit for 93.9 W230DE South Bend was also deleted as the translator application was to be permanently tied to WDND (radioinsight.com via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. KJAV 104.9 McAllen TEXAS simulcasting XEPRS 1090 Rosarito Baja California (Norte). Format mostly hits of the 80s and 90s, djs in English and Spanish, 1555 CDT [2055 UT] ID "KJAV 104.9 McAllen TEXAS and 1090-AM San Diego, California" (Steven Wiseblood TX 4/19, ABDX yg via DXLD) [with lots of comments] It's a temporary situation while the owners look for anyone dumb enough to pay the exorbitant monthly lease payments that BCA was paying --- or even half that much (no one has taken them up on that offer!). 73 (Tim Hall, CA, ibid.) As I understand it, the leasing fee is 100k per month? (Steven Wiseblood, ibid.) ** U S A. Classical music another casualty of RGV Public Radio 88 FM’s Sale --- By Dayna Reyes - April 21, 2019 254 https://riograndeguardian.com/classical-music-another-casualty-of-rgv-public-radios-sale/ HARLINGEN, RGV – It is not just National Public Radio and local news that will be lost when RGV Public Radio 88 FM ceases to operate. Mario Muñoz’s classical music show “New Edition” will also be lost from the airwaves. It is a one-of-a-kind production in the Rio Grande Valley. “It is very sad that the Valley will be losing this program,” said Max Horowitz, a New York-based music promoter who has provided albums and artist interviews for Muñoz’s show for many years. Max Horowitz [caption] “Programs such as Mario’s can only be found on non-commercial radio. To not have a non-commercial radio station that plays music in your market, means it is next to impossible to hear several genres of music.” The Diocese of Brownsville is selling 88.1 and 88.9 FM to California-based Immaculate Heart Media. The new buyers plan to air religious programming, meaning NPR, local news provided by the Rio Grande Guardian, and music shows such as “New Edition” will be lost to the Valley. “I have run the classical music show for the past five years,” Muñoz said. “The 30-minute show goes out at 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday. We feature selections from the newest classical music CDs, providing commentary about the music and interviews with the performers and composers.” In addition to Muñoz’s classical music show, the airwaves will also lose Chris Maley’s blues music show, “On The Road Side.” The sale of 88.1 and 88.9 FM is going through now. A notice from the Federal Communications Commission announcing the sale has been pinned to RGV Public Radio 88 FM’s offices in Harlingen for the past week. The station is likely to go dark in late May. Like Maley, Muñoz has been a fixture at 88 FM for decades. He started his classical music show five years ago. However, Horowitz has been providing CDs and albums for the radio station for a couple of decades. Horowitz runs Crossover Media, which promotes artists in a number of musical genres, including classical, jazz, world, and singer-songwriter, film scores and Broadway shows. “We celebrate our 25th anniversary this May. We do media promotion for music artists, their album releases and related activities, such as touring. We like to work in a very thorough and holistic way. We are probably a pretty unique platform. If it is outside the normal, we can handle it,” Horowitz said. Horowitz said he has been working with Muñoz since almost the beginning of Crossover Media. Mario Muñoz edits a news story in the RGV Public Radio 88 FM studios in Harlingen, Texas. “Mario is a great guy and a very valuable part of the classical music world. He has been a fixture at the radio station. We reach out to many radio stations worldwide. It has been a great relationship for almost the whole time we have been in business. He is very open-minded, we have done a number of artist interviews with him and he is very easy to work with.” Although music lovers can these days likely find their favorite artists online, Horowitz said radio stations provide a valuable resource for artists. “When an artist is going on tour, it is important to be able to connect with the local radio station, TV station, the local newspapers. It is important to have a local radio output. Besides, many people rely on it when they are driving to and from work.” Horowitz said he has talked to Muñoz about New Edition continuing online. Muñoz said he does not want the show to end and is in talks with the Rio Grande Guardian about having the show continue in a digital format. “This is the only show of its kind in the Valley,” Muñoz said (via Kevin Redding, ABDX yg via DXLD) And this is about only 30 minutes a week; GFB there should have been a full-time classical station. So what stations are these, anyway? KHID 88.1 McAllen, KJJF 88.9 Harlingen (gh, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Spectres of shortwave via RRTM Telecom Tashkent, Apr 24 2300-0100 7595 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg WeEu English/French, very good: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/spectres-of-shortwave-via-rrtm-telecom.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 24-25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. Special programmes from Vatican R over the Easter period https://www.vaticannews.va/it/epg.html#events Friday 19 April: 1900-2030 UT From the Colosseum, Via Crucis presided over by Pope Francisdal Colosseo * 7360 English commentary * 9705 French commentary * 9800 Arabic commentary * 11630 Portuguese commentary Saturday 20 April: 1820-2110 UT From the Vatican Basilica, the Easter Vigil presided over by Pope Francis. * 7315 Chinese commentary * 7360 English commentary * 9705 French commentary * 9800 Arabic commentary * 11630 Portuguese commentary Sunday 21 April: 0750-0940 UT From St. Peter's Square, Holy Mass on Easter Sunday presided by Pope Francis * 13815 English commentary * 15430 Arabic commentary * 15490 Portuguese commentary * 15575 French commentary Sunday 21 April: 0957-1020 UT From the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Urbi et Orbi Blessing imparted by Pope Francis. * 13815 English commentary * 15430 Arabic commentary * 15490 Portuguese commentary * 15575 French commentary (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, April 18, WOR iog via DXLD) 9705 and 9800 kHz audible here in NB (— Richard Langley, 1924 UT Fri April 19, ibid.) I'm so impressed with Don Moman's Alberta SDR. Absolutely zilch into Victoria, but at Don's, all the frequencies (except 41 m) are well heard. Listening to the French broadcast on 9705 now at 1926. Very good level (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, ibid.) I am cheating, listening on line to Radio Vaticana Channel 9 (English commentary), but recording the 7360 kHz English commentary using the U. Twente SDR receiver. There were many oblique and not so oblique references to the treatment of refugees around the world including mentions of the deaths of migrants and the building of walls. Mr. Trump were you listening? I doubt it (-- Richard Langley, 2021 Apr 19, ibid.) Nice classical music at the conclusion of the program. Piece by Michele Mascitti. You don't often hear him (-- Richard Langley, 2033, ibid.) 9705 > 9800 > 11630, 1957 UT April 19, JBA carriers on frequencies publicized for ``Good Friday`` special from Vatican Radio, a different language on each but for Africa only and totally useless here. Ditto Saturday April 20 at 1857 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Vatican Radio with Good Friday “Stations of the Cross” celebration from the Colosseum in Rome at 1901 from KiwiSDR in Bay of Islands NZ. French commentary on 9705 with SINPO 55555 – beam must have been to Africa given the strong signal and woman with opening announcements in French mentioning several countries in Africa (all former French colonies). Classical interludes at beginning and end (1901-1905 and 2020.5-2025) were Concerto A 6 in G Major, Opus 7 No. 11:1 by Camerata Anxanum (at least according to the Shazam App, Hi!). The celebration of the 14 Stations of the Cross started at 1912 with a choir singing and Latin liturgy by men and women with French commentary. Pope Benedict gave his homily at 2011 followed by the Papal Benediction. Closing announcements in French at 2017.5 ending with the usual “Laudetur Iesus Christus” and into the closing music at 2020.5. Sign off was at 2025. Could not hear the 7360 English commentary from either NZ or Alberta at 1900 (Bruce Churchill, CA, April 19, WOR iog via DXLD) [non] I believe it's Catholic-programmed WHIC/1460 in Rochester, NY, that calls itself, "The Station of the Cross". Now THAT's Marketing! (Greg Hardison, ibid.) Yes, Walt, when Nigel Pimblett and I were at the Moman site a few weeks back, we had audio from Radio Kyrgyzstan on 4010 kHz and Nigel checked SDR sites closer to central Asia and nothing was better than what we heard at Don's. When conditions are good, not much can beat the reception at VE6JY site on weak stations. 73 (Mick Delmage, AB, WOR iog via DXLD) "Could not hear the 7360 EE commentary from either NZ or Alberta at 1900" --- 7360 signed on late at 1901:11 UT with initial audio 10 seconds later. S/off 7360 within a couple of seconds of 2015. Then this frequency came back on at 2100 for Vatican Radio's Portuguese program for Africa. At the start of the English commentary, there was no mention of shortwave, only "various Vatican Media channels." "Concerto A 6 in G Major, Opus 7 No. 11:1 by Camerata Anxanum" But the composer was Michele Mascitti as I mentioned earlier. "Pope Benedict gave his homily at 2011 followed by the Papal Benediction." --- No, they didn't drag Pope Benedict out of retirement for this. ;-) Pope Francis did the job (-- Richard Langley, NB, ibid.) Thanks for the correction, Richard – my face is red for not doing basic papal check! Even being non-Catholic is a bad excuse! ?? Learned a new composer as well – I’m a classical music listener but this was a new composer for me. I any case the piece was beautifully done and quiet appropriate for the occasion (Bruce Churchill, ibid.) 7360 - In here at 1935 with English commentary by YL & OM. Some of Latin mass heard in background. Signal is very poor with only occasional audio peaks over the noise floor (Stephen C Wood, E. Dennis, MA, Perseus SDR, 30 x 15 terminated superloop antenna, April 20, WOR iog via DXLD) 9800/11630 kHz Sondersendung Radio Vatikan? 2020 UT Am 20.04.2019 um 22:23 schrieb Reinhard Weiß: > Auf 9800 und 11630 kHz wird gerade eine Messe übertragen. > Radio Vatikan? Nichts in den Listen. https://www.vaticannews.va/de/epg.html# 20/04/2019 Veglia Pasquale 20:20 - 23:10 Dalla Basilica Vaticana, Veglia Pasquale presieduta da Papa Francesco. CH3 ????? ????? - Middle East: kHz 9800 SW (Vaticannews-Youtube) CH4 Commentários em Português - Africa: 11630 SW SAT: HispaSat-SES5 LG port (Vaticannews-YouTube) CH7 Commentaires en Français - Africa: 9705 SW SAT: HispaSat-SES5 LG fra (Vaticannews-YouTube) CH9 Commentary in English - Africa: 7360 SW SAT: HispaSat-SES5 LG ing (Vaticannews-YouTube) CH11 ???? - Asia: 7315 SW (Vaticannews-YouTube) (roger, WOR iog via DXLD) Very good signal on all 5 frequencies: 1825-2055 on 7315 Chinese, 7360 English, 9705 French, 9800 Arabic & 11630 Portuguese. Videos will be added tomorrow (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2128 UT April 20, WOR iog via DXLD) 9705, Vatican Radio at 2015 in French with a program on the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ with choral singing and organ music and a man with commentary and the Pope with prayers in Latin at 2023 and a brief choral hymn at 2025 then more prayers by the Pope in Latin with bell ringing – Very Good Apr 20 – This must have been a special program for the Easter Tridium as English is normally scheduled from 2000 to 2030 and French from 2030 to 2100. They were also noted on in Latin after 1900 when they are not scheduled to be on, at all (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Drake SPR-4, Kenwood TS440S, or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 meter off centre-fed dipole (OCFD) or Alpha Delta DX-LB inverted vee dipole, ODXA iog via DXLD) VR live from Vatican Basilica, Veglia Pasquale, April 20 1825-2055 on 7315 SMG 250 kW / 068 deg to EaAs Chinese, very good 1825-2055 on 7360 SMG 100 kW / 175 deg to WCAf English, very good 1825-2055 on 9705 SMG 250 kW / 206 deg to WeAf French, very good 1825-2055 on 9800 SMG 250 kW / 107 deg to N/ME Arabic, very good 1825-2055 on 11630 SMG 100 kW / 234 deg to NWAf Portuguese, good: https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/vatican-radio-live-vatican-basilica.html VR live from St. Peter's Square, Holy Mass on Easter Sunday, April 21 0750-0940 on 13815 SMG 100 kW / 175 deg to WCAf English, fair 0750-0940 on 15430 SMG 250 kW / 121 deg to EaAf Arabic, good 0750-0940 on 15490 SMG 100 kW / 234 deg to NWAf Portuguese, good 0750-0940 on 15575 SMG 250 kW / 206 deg to WeAf French, weak https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/vr-live-from-st-peters-square-holy-mass.html VR live from Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Urbi et Orbi, April 21 0955-1020 on 13815 SMG 100 kW / 175 deg to WCAf English, weak 0955-1020 on 15430 SMG 250 kW / 121 deg to EaAf Arabic, good 0955-1020 on 15490 SMG 100 kW / 234 deg to NWAf Portuguese, fair 0955-1020 on 15575 SMG 250 kW / 206 deg to WeAf French, weak https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2019/04/vr-live-from-central-loggia-of-st.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News April 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Vatican Radio, 1935-2025*, 19-04, Special Easter Holy Friday program “Via Crucis”. 7360, Santa Maria di Galeria, English, “Via Crucis” and classic music. 35433 9705, Santa Maria di Galeria, French, “Via Crucis” and classic music. 45444 9800, Santa Maria di Galeria, “Arabic, “Via Crucis” and classic music. 35433 11630, Santa Maria di Galeria, Portuguese, “Via Crucis” and classic music. 35433. (Méndez) Vatican Radio, *1820-2005, 20-04, Easter Vigil program 7315, Santa Maria di Galeria, Chinese. 45444 7360, Santa Maria di Galeria, English. 45444 9705, Santa Maria di Galeria, French. 45444 9800, Santa Maria di Galeria, Arabic. 35444 11630, Santa Maria di Galeria, Portuguese. 35444. (Méndez) Vatican Radio, 0820-0850, 21-04, Holy Mass Easter Sunday 13815, Santa Maria di Galeria, English. 44444 15430, Santa Maria di Galeria, Arabic. 34444 15490, Santa Maria di Galeria, Portuguese. 24322 15575, Santa Maria di Galeria, French. 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Reinante and Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DXLD) Re: [WOR] Vatican R special Easter programmes On 20 April, Vatican Radio signed on late with the English commentary of the Easter Vigil ceremony on 7360 kHz at 1823:10 UT as noted using the U. Twente SDR receiver. Excellent reception at least after the first minute or so when the Voice of Turkey was still on the frequency in French. Featured Bible readings in multiple languages, including English. Transmitter signed off within a couple of seconds of 2100. On Easter Sunday (21 April), Vatican Radio signed on late (again) with the Holy Mass with English commentary on 13815 kHz at 0756:46 as noted again using the U. Twente SDR receiver. Included Bible readings in multiple languages including Chinese. Noticeable flutter in the audio (at a rate of (several times per second) especially when ambient sound being picked up rather than in the commentary. Otherwise, a very good signal. The transmitter stayed on the air between the conclusion of the mass and the beginning of the Urbi et Orbi Blessing with a classical music interlude. Transmitter signed off within a second or two of 1020 UT (-- Richard Langley, UT April 22, WOR iog via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Radio Minuto en Barquisimeto al borde de apagar definitivamente sus transmisores --- 06/04/2019 https://gruporadioescuchaargentino.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/venezuela-radio-minuto-en-barquisimeto-al-borde-de-apagar-definitivamente-sus-transmisores/ Radio Minuto, que opera en la banda 790 AM, está al aire desde el 14 de septiembre de 1989 Resultado de imagen para radio minuto, barquisimeto [caption] La situación en Venezuela para los medios de comunicación se complica cada día más. El cerco gubernamental, la persecución y el asedio a los trabajadores y dueños de periódicos, emisoras de radios y canales de televisión independientes, son cada vez más encarnizados. A esto se le suma los continuos y prolongados apagones, que menoscaban el trabajo reporteril y los equipos. El destacado comunicador social Freddy Andrade Alvarado, locutor desde 1965, a través de una entrevista telefónica, reveló que Radio Minuto, emisora de la cual es director, atraviesa una grave situación “al borde de un cierre técnico”. Aseguró que debido a los cortes eléctricos, esta emisora ha quedado fuera del aire pese a disponer de una planta eléctrica propia, que funciona a gas, “pero conseguir que nos vendan ese vital recurso, - aunque sea bachaqueado -, es cuesta arriba”. Actualmente Radio Minuto solo opera en tres bloques de trabajo: Se enciende a las seis de la mañana y se apaga a las nueve; luego repiten el procedimiento a las doce del mediodía hasta las tres de la tarde y por último de cinco de la tarde a siete de la noche, “eso para no gastar las dos bombonas de gas disponibles con la que opera la planta eléctrica. La bombona en referencia solo tiene capacidad para durar 18 horas, lo que indica que se agota a los tres días de trabajo, y solo se puede conseguir su sustitución en el mercado negro “a un precio exorbitante”. Resultado de imagen para radio minuto, barquisimeto [caption] La planta eléctrica de Radio Minuto está localizada en el sector El Manzano, un sector montañoso del municipio Iribarren, por tanto, “hay que rezarle a todos los Santos que haya fluido eléctrico en la zona, para poder transmitir desde los estudios en el Centro Comercial Venrol de Barquisimeto. “De no coincidir que haya luz en ambos sectores, la radio permanece apagada. Comenta el locutor, que la planta ciertamente cuenta con una batería que cuesta 150 dólares su reemplazo, más el aceite, - que ya es incomprable -, para el motor que utiliza el generador de emergencia, más el gasoil que tampoco lo venden, si no es con una serie de trámites. En resumen, es un caos total poder operar una radio en Venezuela, por tanto, no sabemos hasta dónde o hasta qué momento nos obligarán a apagar los transmisores definitivamente”. A parte de esta calamidad, se agrega el trágico retiro de los anunciantes y patrocinantes, mientras se sigue cancelando nómina completa porque Andrade entiende que los trabajadores no tienen culpa de la crisis, enfatizando que en 51 años en el mundo de la radio, “es primera vez que veo una situación tan adversa y complicada. Es un escenario catastrófico en donde todas las emisoras de Lara, están inmersas”. Hace poco, durante el apagón nacional de seis días, Radio Minuto estuvo fuera del aire, lo que generó pérdidas económicas que aún no se han podido contabilizar, aunado al daño en uno de los transmisores que sufrió pérdida total y su reposición significa una cuantiosa inversión en divisas norteamericanas. Radio Minuto, que opera en la banda 790 AM, está al aire desde el 14 de septiembre de 1989, y hoy es patrimonio para los larenses. Es la única emisora con tres noticieros diarios de una hora con periodistas colegiados. Como reconocimiento a la trayectoria de este medio, ha obtenidos todos los premios periodísticos existentes, tanto regionales, municipales y gremiales, pero el más valioso es el aprecio y la preferencia del pueblo larense (El Tiempo Latino via GRA blog via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 9955, UT Sun Apr 21 at 0115, WRMI cutting off `Ask WWCR` [sic], before it quite finishes in order to start `Acontecer Venezolano`, which is incredibly the only ``clandestine`` broadcast concerning this country. Host starts making the case that there is a schism between the Maduro faxion and the harder-line Chavistas about how to proceed; and that US & Russia together are trying to organize some kind of transition. Is he imagining all this? Altho this show has been on WRMI for a long time, there is no mention of it on the Programming page! At least not to be found by searching the text, rather than images. Only two scheduled times on the grid, UT Friday 0000-0015 & UT Sunday 0115-0130, both on 9955. I`ve not caught name of the guy who does it, but obviously safely in exile (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, R. One/ZNBC1, April 17, noted off the air after checking at 0254+. April 18, on 5915, from 0311+, finally back with their normal format; 0415 distinctive GOtv promo; 0421 brief call of the fish eagle, along with brief music before the start of the news (vernacular); 0459 ad and into the news in English (unreadable). Thanks very much for the feedback from Bill Bingham (RSA). Always appreciate his observations and comments! 9680, Voice of Hope Africa, on April 18, with a brief check at 0523; religious songs; thanks to Rich D'Angelo for the reminder about // 11680, which was heard with strong KCBS Pyongyang QRM on frequency (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific JBA MW carrier search, April 25 at 1146- 1152 as I happen to awaken just at LSR 1145: 864, 882, 1035, 1548, 792, but by far the strongest is 1098 from west, the all-night open carrier from V7AB, Marshall Islands. The others are too weak for a definite DF, but probably from WSW = S Pacific rather than NW = E Asia (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5990, April 24 at 0559-0602*, S9+10 open carrier. Nothing scheduled now but reminiscent of China-via-Cuba on 5990 at 23 -01. If one were foolish enough to believe HFCC, it could be RRI Menado, Indonesia in English! Or CNR in Tibetan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. [WOR] Indonesian (?) hams (?) chanting on 6999.95 kHz This was recorded using a KiwiSDR in Bandung, Indonesia on 24.04.19 at about 1004 UT on 6999.95 kHz using LSB. The recording is about six minutes long, and the first minute or so has some re-tuning as I looked for the best frequency. Does anyone have any more information about this type of chanting? (Bruce (Florida, USA), April 24, WOR iog via DXLD) No additional info, but some of us on the HF Underground chat board have heard the guy plenty, I even had the guy once down on 80 meters. (radio mcradioface, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 14270-USB, April 20 at 2150-2155, simplex DX contacts, pileups alternating with the target station, frenetic pace with heavy French? accent. Maybe gives his own call occasionally but cannot understand it, HB9- or HP9? His would-be contacts, all Americans, never utter his call, just their own, a sorry breach of etiquette. One should not have to search a DX cluster for ID, but I give up after seeing nothing current on this frequency. Bye-bye (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1979: Dear Mr Hauser, I listen to your broadcast `World of Radio` via WRN on the Astra satellite 18 degrees East. I can receive it via WRMI too, but the signal is not every time good enough to make a recording. As English is not my mother tongue, I have to listen several times to the broadcast to get all of the informations. I really appreciate your work for shortwave listeners worldwide. I therefore send you [some Euro notes] to support your effort. Yours sincerely (Arnold Heiles, March 27, Heinerscheid, Luxembourg, in a letter with a Lux. stamp commemorating Miami University) Hmm, notes may have to remove UKOGBANI from the map (gh) TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Thanks to Ron Howard for a check in US funds on a US bank to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702. along with a map showing Asilomar State Beach, part of Pacific Grove, on the Monterey Peninsula; letter with a Liberty Ship stamp Here`s a bit to help out DXLD World HQ --- thanks for keeping DXLD in the forefront of reliable DX info. Cheers from (kinda close to) the beach (Dan Sheedy, Encinitas CA with a generous check to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702) Hey Glenn - hang in there, you top DXer with your gift to the WORld with WOR/DXLD, honestly. In Peace and keep the DX faith, SpM (Steve McGreevy, CA, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Dear Mr Hauser, Enclosed is a contribution towards the work you put into DXLD and World of Radio each week. Both the digest and radio program/podcast are loked forward to each week. Thank you for continig to produce these alable resources! Sincerely (Roert W Gruska, Glendale NY, with PMO to Box 1684, Enid OK 73702) I've enjoyed listening to World of Radio for many years. I get the podcast these days. Keep up the good work! (Scott Walker, New Cumberland PA, with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Thanks to Joe Caberlin (pronounced KAYBURLYNN), VE1EJ, Port Colborne, Ont., (ex-Chester NS) for a ``small donation toward your shortwave news``, to Glenn Hauser, PO Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 USA (with three commemorative stamps on an aeronautical theme, but no denominations --- is Canada Post doing ``forever`` postage too?) I've been enjoying World Of Radio for many years, off and on, and now have the podcast. Thanks, from (Flor Lynch in Ireland with a contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Thanks GH for decades of accurate and detailed publishing and journalism! (Robert McEntee. Austin, TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ALAN ROE`S HITLIST Hi Glenn, My latest Hitlist update. http://www.w4uvh.net/hitlist.htm 1) IRAN - IRIB: Deleted link to obsolete Listeners Special old archive (page no longer found). Current archive link is still valid. 2) Netherlands - Studio 52: [NEW] Added station links 3) New Zealand - RNZ: Update to UTC offset notations. 4) Russia - R Rossii: Updated link to programme schedule 5) South Sudan - Eye R: Deleted link to SW freqs (page no longer found) [supposedly going off air after April per Ivo --- gh] 6) Syria - R Damascus: Deleted alternate link to downloads (only one episode from 2017 was listed there) 7) UK - BBCWS: Update to link to BBC online progs 8) USA - WRMI: Updated links to programme schedule grids (old 9955 kHz grid no longer being updated) Unless there's a major change anywhere, the next update will be in late May. Best wishes and 73 ((Alan Roe, April 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) International Frequency Information Circular (Terrestrial Services). ITU - Radiocommunication Bureau. BR IFIC Nº 2893. Special Section. GE84/275 Index. https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/terrestrial/brific/BRIFIC/SpecialSection/GE84/GE84_275.pdf https://vk.com/vcfm2014 (via RUS-DX 21 April via DXLD) LIST OF AM STATIONS I have available on my Google Drive an Excel file of the active licensed AM Broadcast stations in October 2018. The Excel file is based on a spreadsheet developed by Bob Colyard of DXWorld.com for the FMBC FCC Database, in which I then loaded the AMBC FCC Database in October. (Bob passed away last year). Plug in your Latitude and Longitude (+ values in North America) and you will get direction and distance info. I plan to update it again this October. It works real nice with the Pattern Maps that DesertBilly recently put together for everybody. Again, I plan to update it in October. Use it to your benefit. Let me know if you want a FMBC FCC Database that I updated this month. Links to AMBC Database: AMBC Database Excel Zipped: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PjGLEV8jL2-rZrworl9IHYBCahqFfSty/view?usp=sharing AMBC Database Excel File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14rIvazbXZ-upj5-S_TorNt3D6wD48Czf/view?usp=sharing Email me ( ka5dwi@yahoo.com ) and I will send you a link to the FMBC FCC Excel Database I just built. 73 (Art KA5DWI Jackson, ABDX yg via DXLD) Want Your AM To Succeed? Put It On FM https://radioink.com/2019/04/03/want-your-am-to-succeed-put-it-on-fm/ (via Kevin, Crump, TN, Redding, Apr 19, ABDX yg via DXLD) + Comments WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ International Marconi Day celebrates the huge part Guglielmo Marconi played in the invention of radio. IMD is a 24 hour amateur radio event that is held annually to celebrate the birth of Marconi on 25 April 1874. The event is usually held on the Saturday closest to Marconi’s birthday and in 2019 it will be held on 27th April. The purpose of the day is for amateur radio enthusiasts from around the world to make contact with Historic Marconi Sites using communication techniques similar to those used by Marconi himself. http://gx4crc.com/gb4imd/ (via Mike Terry, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) spark gap? MUSEA +++++ Anniversary of Titanic Sinking: The Wanamaker Radio Stations - 1 It was at 11:40 pm on Sunday night April 14, 1912, now 117 years ago, that the new passenger liner, Titanic, on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic struck a large iceberg and sank south of Newfoundland, just two and a half hours later. More than 1,500 people lost their lives in the freezing water in this tragic event that has stirred the compassion of people all around our world ever since. The first ship to reach the devastated scene was another passenger liner, the Carpathia, which arrived three and half hours later and rescued more than 700 people, most of whom had been fortunate enough to find space in one of the lifeboats. The wireless operator aboard the Carpathia at station MPA was Harold Cottam, and he was completely involved for almost five full days in the transmission of Titanic news and information to the United States. Assisting Harold Cottam at MPA on the Carpathia was Harold Bride who was the Junior Wireless Operator at MGY on the Titanic. Bride had been washed off the Titanic as it began to sink, and he found safety, first on an upturned lifeboat, and then with others in a righted lifeboat. One of the main wireless stations in the United States that received the Morse Code information from the Carpathia was station WHI on top of the Wanamaker Store in New York City. There were three experienced wireless operators at this station at the time; the now well known David Sarnoff as a Marconi Executive, Jack Binns who was Station Manager and just on his third day of employment at the station, and J. H. Hughes, already an experienced Marconi operator. The very successful American entrepreneur, John Wanamaker, opened his first store at Oak Hill, on the corner of 6th and Market Streets in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, in 1861. Fourteen years later, he purchased an abandoned railway station on Chestnut Street in the center of the same city, Philadelphia, and there he opened his second departmental store. Then 35 years later again (1910), John Wanamaker demolished this railway building stage by stage, and and he had a new super departmental store constructed on the same site, and all the while his store remained open for regular business. This new building was quite extravagant, with its own Post Office, child size monorail, Dairy Bar, and a Medical Office with a doctor and nurses on duty. As a major item of public appeal, Wanamaker bought a huge pipe organ for installation in his Philadelphia store, the largest ever made some say, that had been on display in the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. It took 13 railway freight carriages to convey this massive organ with all of its parts to Philadelphia. When installed, the organ occupied its space 7 storeys high, with 6 key boards, 729 stops, and also a massive 28,750 pipes ranging in size from ¼ inch to 32 feet long. The pipes alone weighed 287 tons. The Wanamaker Organ was first played on June 22, 1911, at the exact time when King George 5 was crowned in Westminster Abbey in London. At the same time as the organ was being installed, so also was a powerful communication wireless station. The transmitter and operating desk were enclosed in a special room with double walls for sound proofing, and with a glass window for public observation. When in operation, there was a huge blue flash from the rotary spark gap, together with earsplitting thunder that sounded like the loud shot from a large gun. The 1,000 feet long antenna was installed on the roof and it stretched from Market Street to Chestnut Street. The callsign for this Wanamaker communication station was originally HE, though subsequently it became WHE when the initial letter was granted to officially identify an American wireless station. On April 24, 1922, the studio for a radio broadcasting station was installed on the 2nd floor of this same building, next to the Egypt Hall. The transmitter for this station was installed on the 11th floor and it was on the air initially on 833 kHz with 500 watts under the call WOO. Again, the antenna was on the roof of the building. Over a period of time, station WOO occupied several different channels in what became the standard mediumwave band, though 590 kHz was its best known and longest occupied frequency. There were many occasions when radio station WOO broadcast the music from the Grand Organ to their many listeners. Radio station WOO was on the air for a period of 6 years, and it signed off for the last time just before midyear 1928. By that time, the electronic equipment needed to be renewed; and in any case, there was already a host of other mediumwave stations on the air in the area. The Wanamaker station had thus outlasted its usefulness as an advertising mediumwave for the Wanamaker Store in Philadelphia. The callsign WOO was subsequently re-issued to an AT&T shortwave communication station at Deal Beach in New Jersey, during the following year (1929); and soon afterwards, AT&T transferred the usage of that callsign to their subsequently better known station at Ocean Gate, also in New Jersey. The Wireless Engineer who installed the Marconi equipment for the longwave communication station HE-WHE in the Wanamaker Store in Philadelphia was the 26 year old Thomas Appleby. He tells the story that there was a pretty young store employee whose daily duty was to bring up to the wireless office, messages requesting certain goods to be sent over from the Wanamaker Store in New York. After a while, young Thomas Appleby requested a date with this girl, and a friendship developed. For some time, Thomas’ mother had been trying to get her son to visit the home of one of her friends, who had a daughter she wanted her son to meet. One evening, young Thomas mentioned to his family at home that he now had a new girl friend. “Who is she?”, his mother plied. “Laura Graves”, Thomas replied. “Why“, said his mother, “That’s the girl I have been wanting you to meet!” Yes, they married. This has been Part 1 in the two part story of the Wanamakers radio stations, and when we present part 2 next week, we will tell the story of the other Wanamaker store in New York, and subsequently its participation in the wireless events associated with the tragic sinking of the Titanic. Ancient DX Report 1918 - 1 The year 1918 was a very decisive and concentrated year in the history of human events upon planet Earth. The deadliest war in the entire history of civilization up until that time came to an end; one of the very worst contagious plagues the world has ever experienced had its earliest beginning during this era; and rapid electronic communication began to explode around the globe during this same epoch. It is estimated that up to 100 million people worldwide died from the plague that is known somewhat inaccurately as the Spanish Flu. Some reports state that it had its earliest origin with a single case in the American state of Kansas in January (1918). The first oceangoing concrete steamer SS Faith was launched at Redwood City California on March 14. Its first voyage was to Honolulu, though subsequently it carried cargo to various destinations in the Pacific and the Atlantic. Seven days later, the German Big Gun began shelling Paris, 71 miles distant, with shells that traveled at a speed of 3681 miles per hour, reached a height of 25 miles, and then landed on Paris 3 minutes later. By this time, Paris had moved 50 miles due to the rotation of the Earth. Exactly one month later on April 21, the famous German aviator Captain Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, the Red Baron, was killed in action over France. At the age of just 25, he had been credited with the confirmed shooting down of 80 enemy planes, and possibly another 20 that were not officially confirmed. On May 20 (1918), the small town of Codell in Kansas was hit by a third tornado, each of which struck the town on the exact same day three years in a row. On July 17, all seven members of the Russian royal family were executed in Ekaterinburg. On July 22, a lightning strike in Utah’s Wasatch National Park killed 504 sheep. On October 21, Miss Margaret Owen of New York City set a world typing speed of 170 words per minute for one minute on a manual typewriter. News reports state that more than 1,000 Pilot Whales were stranded on Long Beach in the Chatham Islands, 500 miles east of New Zealand. This was the largest ever mass strandings of whales anywhere in the world. On the wireless scene, two high powered American longwave stations were under construction during the year 1918, one at Annapolis Maryland and the other at Bordeaux in France. The major electrical equipment at NSS the Annapolis station consisted of two arc transmitters at 500 kW each, and an antenna system suspended on four towers standing 600 feet tall. The receiver facility for navy station NSS was located at Cheltenham, also in Maryland. This new high powered station made its first transmission on August 6, though work on the corresponding station in France was suspended for a year or two due to the subsequent Armistice in Europe. According to a historical bulletin from the United States navy, a submarine submerged at a depth of 21 feet in 1918 was able to hear radio messages from land based stations in Europe and the United States. The American Major Edwin Armstrong developed the circuitry for a new radio receiver with superheterodyne tuning as a result of his experimental radio research while in France. On September 22, wireless traffic from station MUU, the Marconi station in Carnarvon in Wales was first heard in Australia at station AWY in the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga. On December 19, the trans Pacific radio service from San Francisco to Hawaii and Japan was reopened; and likewise, the radio service between San Diego in California and Peking (Beijing) in China was inaugurated. A new high powered wireless communication station LCM was opened at Stavenger in Norway in April. Test transmissions from a Dutch wireless station in Indonesia were heard in Holland; and on December 3, the trans Atlantic communication service between Clifden in Ireland and Glace Bay in Canada was also reopened. It was observed that military personnel at many different locations in what had been war zones began firing up radio transmitters for the broadcast of entertainment programming after the November 11 (1918) Armistice at the end of World War 1. At 7 pm on Christmas Day, an American submarine chaser in the central Atlantic presented an hour long recorded music concert over its wireless transmitter for the benefit of other ships in the squadron. Then, the wireless operator aboard the USS Algonquin in the same fleet received approval to broadcast a live concert from his ship, provided by the ship’s brass band. This information about radio broadcasting from ships was contained in a letter that Ensign Sanford Lawton wrote to his parents. Ensign Lawton was the commander of a submarine chaser in that fleet. Lawton’s parents passed the letter on to the Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican and they printed the letter in its entirety in their edition dated January 10 (1919). More about the radio scene at the end of World War 1, coming up soon here in Wavescan (Adrian Peterson, IN, script for AWR Wavescan April 14, 2019 via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ INTERNATIONAL RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA, SEPT IN SEATTLE (from 19-17 on WORLD OF RADIO 1979) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ Fleeton, VA - April 13 - 16, 2019 About 10 days ago I was on Virginia’s ‘northern neck’, near Fleeton, VA, on the Chesapeake bay with a 160’ DKAZ aimed at 130 deg. The following webpage captures what I’ve been able to review of Perseus wav files so far: http://realmonitor.com/am_logs_we9.php Highlights were Ecuador-1510, Paraguay-920 and Guatemala-1570. The lame-looking log of South Africa on 828 kHz is backed up by a webstream // log at 2345 on April 13 with both my radio and the webstream playing the Police’s “Every Step You Take.” Unfortunately, I was not recording at the time (Bill Whitacre, Alexandria, VA, April 22, nrc-am gg via DXLD) AIH98 DXpedition in Lapland: Hot catches from Down Under in -30 degree weather Mika on DXpedition AIH98 [caption] This AIH98 DXpedition was already the third of the season for both of us. Reception of stations from the Americas was miserable, but at least we got some nice catches from Australia and Southeast Asia. Especially March 6th offered loads of X-band stations from Down Under. The sun was a bit restless so we enjoyed nice northern lights on several nights. To the AIH98 DXpedition report (March 17, 2018) My third Lapland DXpedition of the season was saved by a couple of nice openings to Australia. Neat catches were made also from Southeast Asian countries, especially Thailand. However, the Western Hemisphere was a major disappointment, as hardly anything of interest was heard from the Americas. The ongoing DX season became quite exceptional personally, because this was already the third time that I visited Lapland since last winter. On this occasion I didn't burn any vacation time, but I was actually on an unpaid book leave. When Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un ended their failed summit in Vietnam, I made the last adjustments to the manuscript of my book Kimlandia. My six-month book project was finally over, and I needed a relaxing break. What could be a better way to unwind than going on a DXpedition to Lapland? As soon as I had emailed the finishing touches to my publisher, I traveled with Jim Solatie up to Aihkiniemi, where we were together just three months earlier on DXpedition AIH88. This solar minimum is precious time for AM DXers, and in the meantime in December and January Jim had spent three more weeks DXing in Lapland! [MUCH MORE, and illustrated]. . . http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/aih98rep.htm (via DXLD) Macau, China Daytime DX Band Scan and MP3's on April 3 Gary DeBock Apr 20 #353 Any DXer who makes an overseas trip to an area with a huge number of MW broadcast stations will immediately be confronted with a tricky problem -- since all of the stations are unfamiliar, how do you determine what is good DX, and what isn't? The first step would be to run a daytime DX band check, and determine which stations are your locals. In downtown Hong Kong even this is tricky, however, since the RF noise level at the base of the high rise buildings is typically off of the charts. You can receive the Hong Kong mega-pests, but little else. In order to run a decent daytime DX band scan it was necessary to get away from the downtown Hong Kong RFI zoo, and set up at two different salt water-enhanced venues that would provide a decent analysis of weak daytime DX signals. The first site chosen for this mission was the ex-Portuguese enclave of Macau, located about 50 miles west of downtown Hong Kong across a very expensive new bridge -- built at great cost by the Beijing government in an attempt to encourage Hong Kong citizens to feel patriotic about being forced to come under one-party Communist rule in 1997 (good luck). Macau has no local MW stations, and survives as a "Special Administrative Region" in China because of revenue from huge gambling casinos, where ultra-rich Mainland and Hong Kong visitors can indulge in a practice essentially forbidden in both home areas. It also has some old Portuguese buildings visited by tourists, but this industry pales in significance to the 24/7 gambling activity, which Beijing is pleased to tolerate as long as it gets a huge cut of the profits. While my wife, her brother and her friend went off to see the old Portuguese buildings I was able to sneak off for an hour of Daytime DXing at the polluted Macau waterfront, where industrial chemicals from various Chinese factories seemed to have found their permanent home. Ignoring the yellowish tinge and weird smell of the harbor water I pulled out my 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave SSB model and was able to record all the daytime DX signals up to 756 kHz -- before my wife and the others dragged me off to a rather lackluster lunch in the overpriced tourist district. With many solid Daytime DX signals received from both Taiwan and the Philippines over hundreds of miles at 2 PM I was at first convinced that the industrial pollutants in the foul-smelling Macau harbor were somehow providing a killer propagation boost in addition to salt water enhancement, although this hypothesis went down in flames a couple of days later when an ocean side cliff on the southeast tip of Hong Kong island (Cape D'Aguilar) provided Daytime DX results that completely blew Macau out of the (polluted) water. Macau was a nice place to get oriented for future DXing, though, and get used to the bizarre idea of chasing DX from both Taiwan and the Philippines in bright sunlight around the middle of the day. Best catch would have to be the 1 kW Philippine station 639-DZRL, with a fair signal across 550 miles of salt water at 2:25 PM local time! 540 CNR1 Danzhou, Hainan? 10 kW Weak with CNR ID at 23 seconds, followed by music at 0557 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/srasvu9tn2ktsp2pqf6733g2plowrbmc 567 RTHK (3) Golden Hill, Hong Kong 20 kW Local pest with English-language format including 6 time pips at 0600 TOH on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/sa65kixhe4fi7ejutkhd145x5znyma9v 594 Fu Hsing BS (Taiwan Synchros) Fair level with female Mandarin speech at 0605 on 4-3; trace of probable Philippines underneath https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/pxadq6pcjb6gpix21ox1v55eazswtgj4 603 DZVV Vigan, Philippines 5 kW Ideally positioned at the northern tip of Luzon, with mix of English and Tagalog at good level at 0607 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/nrm1yu93n8uquf3d67cxkdzqaanwagk8 612 Zhuhai Diantai Zhuhai, China (Power Unknown) Guangdong local Mandarin station with various ID's as "High FM" by whispering female from 10-27 seconds in the recording at 0610 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/trqclqlz7ha4g2c06ehp38y616e0ax4y 621 RTHK (Mandarin) Golden Hill, Hong Kong 20 kW Another local pest with Mandarin programming at 0614 on 4-3, as opposed to the usual English or Cantonese programming on other HK stations https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/6i1oywwrascxy8ff93mbwfjqb1mxx4yc 630 Taiwan BC Sungling, Taiwan 10 kW Presumed the one with music and speech in Chinese dialect (not Mandarin) at 0617 on 4-3; the other Taiwan station has a news format https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/n7tllfm63ki5yuybnvtixyb93s7psgm5 639 DZRL Batac, Philippines 1 kW Ideally positioned at the northern tip of Luzon, this low powered station managed a fairly decent signal across 550 miles of salt water at 2:25PM local time (0625 UTC on 4-3) https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/o7bqdkphbzkjp64ckdqak1oky2fxil0r 648 Guangdong Weixing Guangbo Guangzhou, China 50 kW Strong with male speech at 0630 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/6yi924a960frbhgerfq8c00y4hi1nivu 675 RTHK (6) Peng Chau, Hong Kong 10 kW Yet another Hong Kong local with Mandarin speech at 0631 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/xna4cugs13nb8emabsh5u6yk4mntxrlw 693 Han Sheng BC Taiwan Synchros 10 kW/ 10 kW Presumably the only Mandarin broadcasters within daytime DX range with fair signals at 0635 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/1dz0b07d7ozfiylsh2pt4p3puv616i8o 702 CRI News Radio Zhuhai, China (Power Unknown) Semi-local Mainland station with strong Mandarin male-female conversation at 0636 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/uebzspe8by9w3ze3067ybfp6gup58pgx 711 V.O. Kuanghua-UnID Philippines This is a wild one. The male Mandarin speaker is almost certainly the 250 kW Voice of Kuanghua in Hsinfeng, Taiwan, but there is also a dominant Tagalog radio drama from an UnID (one of four) Philippine stations https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/obqx6nr2dszi16lgejm7s90x05blrfap 720 UnID-Philippines Weak Tagalog format all alone at 0640 on 4-3, but tough to dig out identity clues https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/g0fut00i6j3u78focx4jxws5dffoqigt 738 BEL2 Penghu, Taiwan 100 kW The overwhelming star of the daytime DX session-- an awesome S9 signal with Mandarin Chinese music and speech over a 7 minute period at 0648 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/v6nvygtnvlaw5xtqzm77um4gkuyzitp8 747 CNR1 China Synchros (Shanwei 10 kW?) S9 level Mandarin speech and music // 756 at 0652 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/22n1gpv3elep64y7ck5w6l3akutdwfwv 756 CNR1 China Synchros (Guangzhou 50 kW/) S9+ level female Mandarin speech and music // 747 at 0655 on 4-3 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/jap0rn5kzzpezacc9wtyclr1kx86dpnc All recordings made with a stand alone 7.5 inch loopstick C.Crane Skywave SSB Ultralight on the Macau, China waterfront. 73 and Good DX, (Gary DeBock (DXing in Hong Kong and Macau from April 2-9), IRCA iog via DXLD) For those curious about the Hong Kong and Macau DXing environment in Southeast China, I have attached a map showing the exact location of all four DXing sites used in the recent Hong Kong trip. Hong Kong and Macao are both "Special Administrative Regions" of China, supposedly under a "One Country Two System" status (which was supposedly set up to attract Taiwan to reunite with the Mainland, but now seems to have backfired in that aspect). There is a new bridge between Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai, built at great expense by China in the dubious hope of making Hong Kong citizens feel happy to be connected to China by a new highway route. All of my long range DX (Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa) was received around sunrise by sticking a 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave Ultralight outside the window of our 15th floor apartment in a high rise building in Shatin, well away from any salt water. A single Hong Kong waterfront sunset skip DXing session was held in Olympian Park, on the eastern side of Hong Kong island. In addition, a single Daytime DX trip was made across the long new bridge to Macau, and another single trip was made by hiking an hour in the subtropical heat to the awesome Cape D'Aguilar, a plunging ocean side cliff fully equal to Oregon's Rockwork. This phenomenal location was providing S9 daytime DX signals from both Taiwan and the Philippines, at ranges of over 500 miles. 73 and Good DX, (Gary DeBock (DXing in Hong Kong from April 2-9) IRCA iog via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FCC Wants Your Input on Digital-Only AM Proposal Should the commission give U.S. stations on the AM band the option to transmit solely in a digital format? https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/digital-radio/fcc-wants-your-input-on-digital-only-am-proposal (via Kevin Redding, Crump, April 22, ABDX yg via DXLD) Anyone know from first-hand experience which stations in Michigan are currently operating in HD? Sources I've found such as hdradio.com seem to be outdated/inaccurate. I found an interesting article about mobile HD radio. I found this line encouraging: "On the HD Radio product side, Xperi says 60 million HD Radio receivers are now on the road." https://www.radioworld.com/show-news/nab-show/xperi-explores-hybrid-radio-at-nab (Tom Doerr, MARE Tipsheet 18 April via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See MEXICO; OKLAHOMA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See KUWAIT; NIGERIA; SOUTH CAROLINA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [non]; USA: SWRG, WINB RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ Guglielmo Marconi Today is the birthday of Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, born in Bologna, Italy, in 1874. He wasn't a very good student, but he was interested in electricity and the work of Heinrich Hertz, who had pioneered the production and detection of electromagnetic or "radio" waves. Marconi began building his own equipment in the attic and conducting experiments when he was 20 years old. He wanted to improve on wireless telegraph technology, to make it more practical and able to transmit over longer distances. In 1895, he moved his equipment outdoors and was able to transmit over a hill, at a distance of just under a mile. Six years later, he sent and received a signal across the Atlantic Ocean. The two radio operators aboard the Titanic were employees of Marconi's corporation, and the British Postmaster General praised the new technology's role in the rescue of survivors, saying, "Those who have been saved, have been saved through one man, Mr. Marconi ... and his marvelous invention." Credit for the invention of radio comes down to a series of patent battles, and Nikola Tesla was Marconi's chief competitor. Tesla was ready to transmit a signal over 50 miles in 1895, but a fire destroyed his lab and all his work before he could carry out the test. Much of Marconi's work was performed using 17 components patented by Tesla, but Marconi's company had a higher profile, due in part to his family connections to the English aristocracy, and Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie were his backers. Tesla's patents were overturned in favor of Marconi's in 1904, and Marconi received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1911, but in 1943, the Supreme Court upheld Tesla's original patent (via Bruce Earle, April 25, DXLD) CHEATERS Someone complained and a very low power cheater, a daytimer on at night, got caught by the FCC. I’d like some opinions about reporting cheaters. Do they give us opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise have more often than covering up a station we want to hear? Have any of you ever complained? I’ve complained about cheaters three times and the FCC took action on all of them right away. All were day power and pattern at night, not a daytimer on at night. One resulted in a phone call from a Field Engineer telling me one was taken care of. He said they’re very interested in catching cheaters and encouraged me to call if I heard another one. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-357060A1.pdf [example: dated Apr 16, 2019, NOTICE OF VIOLATION to WPSO, New Port Richey FL 1500 kHz --- gh] Sent from my iPad (Dennis Gibson, WB6TNB, April 18, ABDX yg via DXLD) Re: [irca] Problems with Automation -- WAS Cheaters I object to this entire thread. Broadcasters had [sic] the term “cheater” and rightly so. More often the explanation is a failure of the automation programming, a fault in the transmitter or antenna itself that is awaiting attention, etc. These failures often provide opportunities for DX’ers to log stations that would otherwise not be possible. They should be welcomed, not the source of anger. Obviously, if a problem persists for a long period of time (weeks or months not days) then it would be perfectly appropriate to report it to the station manager, chief engineer, etc. Most stations would appreciate the heads-up and act to get the problem corrected. As a former CPC, I can tell you that the overzealous reporting, complaints to the FCC, and accusations of wrongdoing by DX’ers have given our hobby a bad name with many broadcasters. The FCC’s enforcement bureau is woefully underfunded, and poorly staffed. Congress has allowed this agency to become a paper tiger, staffed by industry-friendly political appointees, rather than career government employees who are committed to their job. If you want to get mad at someone, blame the political parties, who have bent over backwards to serve the wireless companies at the expense of virtually every other service. Properly funded and staffed, the FCC would never require the help of hobbyists to enforce their own rules. My HOA likes it when people point out problems in the neighborhood too—it means they don’t have to do their required inspections and saves them money. The developer pays good money for that service. We as taxpayers, pay good money to have our airwaves regulated. The FCC hasn’t been doing that job in decades. 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, 121 Mayfair Park, Maylene, AL 35114 EM63nf, Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Look for sporadic E openings as we get into May on HF, VHF; general info (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2019 Apr 22 0049 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 15 - 21 April 2019 Solar activity was very low throughout the period. Region 2738 (N06, L=301, class/area-Hhx/400 on 17 Apr) produced several B-class events including a B8 flare at 20/0050 UTC. Region 2739 (N05, L=258, class/area-Cro/20 on 18 Apr) was inactive and stable during its migration across the solar disk. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (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 15 April with moderate levels observed throughout the remainder of the reporting period. Geomagnetic field activity reached unsettled levels on 15-16 April due to coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) influence. Quiet conditions were observed throughout the remainder of the reporting period. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 22 April - 18 May 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 high levels on 02-12 May with normal to moderate levels expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on 27 April and 01-02, 07 May in response to several recurrent, negative-polarity 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 Apr 22 0049 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 2019-04-22 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2019 Apr 22 69 5 2 2019 Apr 23 69 8 3 2019 Apr 24 69 8 3 2019 Apr 25 69 8 3 2019 Apr 26 69 5 2 2019 Apr 27 69 12 4 2019 Apr 28 69 8 3 2019 Apr 29 69 5 2 2019 Apr 30 69 10 3 2019 May 01 69 14 4 2019 May 02 69 12 4 2019 May 03 72 8 3 2019 May 04 76 5 2 2019 May 05 76 10 3 2019 May 06 77 12 3 2019 May 07 78 14 4 2019 May 08 78 8 3 2019 May 09 78 8 3 2019 May 10 78 8 3 2019 May 11 78 5 2 2019 May 12 78 5 2 2019 May 13 78 5 2 2019 May 14 78 5 2 2019 May 15 78 5 2 2019 May 16 78 5 2 2019 May 17 76 5 2 2019 May 18 72 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1979, DXLD) ###