[HCDX]: G Hauser's Shortwave/DX Report 99-51

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

        GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-51, Nov. 11, 1999

{Items from this and all our reports may be reproduced and re-
reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages}

THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 1011: See topic summary at
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1011.html

WORLD OF RADIO ON WWCR: New time Sat 2030 on 12160 confirmed Nov 6.
Tim Gaynor says this is a better time to hear WOR in Australia.
>From Nov 15, WWCR-1 will cut 12160 back to only one hour at 1100-
1200, so from Nov 20, WOR Sat 1230 will be on 15685 instead.

WORLD OF RADIO ON WBCQ: Our new time of Wed 2200 on 7415 now conflicts
with VOA Botswana which conveniently closes at 2230. We invite
reports about the severity of the interference in various parts of
Europe, North America.

NEW WORLD OF RADIO STREAMING OPPORTUNITIES. Wed 2200 on WBCQ via
http://www.wbcq.com and a week delayed Sat 1930 UT on WPKN via
http://www.wpkn.org

WORLD OF RADIO AFFILIATE NOW HAS WEBSITE: WSUI, Iowa City:
http://wsui.uiowa.edu/ (Stephen Tulley, Iowa City)

UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL: Dear Mr.Hauser, As a newcomer to SWLing and
DXing, I must tell you how delightful I find your reports to be! Your
blend of pertinent information and sarcasm are truly refreshing. I
look forward to receiving each of your reports by hard-core-dx. Please 
continue the good work. (Michael Kallstrom, Professor of Music, 
ELECTRIC OPERA composer/performer, Department of Music, Western
Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101)
http://www.wku.edu/Music/Kallstrom.html

** ALBANIA. R. Tirana English to NAm: 0130-0145 on 6115, 7160;
0330-0400 on 7160 (Bob Thomas, CT, WORLD OF RADIO 1010) Have not
checked 0130 yet, but at 0330 7160 blocked by BBC Ascension, and
Tirana seemed to be on 6115 with poor modulation, adjacent
splatter (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** ARMENIA. V. of Armenia English is now: daily 2115-2145 on 9965,
4810; Sun 1000-1030 on 15270, 4810. 9965 has interference from China
(Eugene Gebreurs, RVI Radio World Nov 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** AUSTRIA [non]. I meant to follow up the report of first-day
1600 relay SNAFU. On Nov 1 at 1600, 17865 via Canada had French
rock music, typical fill; at 1606 started "Special edition of Report
from Austria" on worldwide prostitution. Special edition is code-
word for backup tape, either from Montreal, Sackville, Wien or
Moosbrunn, lacking the live feed. It was cut short around 1628 for
IS, and at 1630 the current Spanish program actually mentioning
November 1. Occasional subsequent checks found English at 1600 was
in fact the current day's program. So they finally got it going
(Glenn Hauser, OK)

** BELGIUM [non]. Unlike last week Nov 1, when RVI Radio World did not
appear UT Monday at 0400 on 11980 via Bonaire, the same transmission
Nov 8 did contain Radio World UT Monday; anyhow it is more reliable
UT Sunday 2230 on 13670 (Glenn Hauser)

** CHINA. 15070 is active! No, not BBC--- it's a China National Radio 
outlet, per a 1200 UT check Nov 3. I only wish one could get site info
from the Asian Broadcasting Institute. Signal level: SIO 444. Now you
know how happy I feel about having a big time receiver to twiddle the 
dials around (the SW8). [Later:] Glenn: I have once again checked up
on 15070 kHz at 12 UT and I am still hearing the China National Radio
domestic outlet which I heard last week. I just received Passport to
World Band Radio 2000 on Thursday and since there is no such listing of
this in the Blue Pages, this is a new station that has yet to be
reported or monitored anywhere. I'm curious as to whether anyone in
the Asian region is listening to it. Since 13 UTC is 7am CST, and you
may be in the sunrise path, check up on this for me. (Joe Hanlon in
Philadelphia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) Not heard until Nov 11 around 1230,
quite strong but fluttery with domestic service. Such propagation
paths vary widely. Perhaps just to spite BBC (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** COLOMBIA. Clandestine: Voz de la Resistencia, 6261.15, Oct 31
2215-2231* Tune-in to Spanish folk music, M&W announcers, talk, IDs;
TV theme music, including from "Dallas". S/off with anthem; fair.
Also heard Nov 1, 2, 4 at 2200 tune-in to 2229* (Brian Alexander, PA,
WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** COSTA RICA. RFPI had a computer motherboard failure Oct 29
preventing it from uploading Progressive News Network and other
programs, but will catch up on these when possible, perhaps by early
in the week of Nov 8. (It's also been several weeks since Weekly
Updates of program previews have been distributed or posted on
website.) Still waiting on high speed internet connexion via UFP.
RFPI cannot maintain a full stock of spare parts, but a donor has
recently povided an important spare tube, used but in good shape,
a 4CX15000. Regarding the 6975 cubical quad antenna failure: it is
36 feet on a side, with 4 loops separated by 15 feet. Because of its
size the supporting boom is not through the middle, but from the
top, with tension wires holding out the diamonds. The boom broke and
one element was lost as it swung inward colliding with the others.
A second backup antenna is also being built since the quad at 200
feet is so vulnerable to high winds. Hope to be repaired and 6975
back on by the weekend of Nov 12-13. Because of winter nighttime
propagation, 15049 may be reduced from 24 hours, perhaps turned off
around 0600. RFPI needs to hear from any listeners who can and do
listen to 15049 in the 0600-1200 period (James Latham and Joe
Bernard, RFPI Mailbag Nov 5 as monitored by Hauser Nov 10)

Occasional checks here find 15049 usually inaudible late at night,
in fact not even heard after 0500 Nov 11; but at 1230 recheck was
booming in. How I wish RFPI had a low-power SSB unit on 7 or 9 MHz
overnight. No mention on this week's Mailbag of 21460, which I
hope they still plan to revive. Major broadcasters are moving in
on the frequency, such as DW before and after 1500. But India has
moved off 15050. Our October Mundo Radial report aired again Thu
Nov 11 at 1405 (Hauser)

** COSTA RICA. AWR publicity continues to paint the sale of TIAWR as
a step forward for them, despite the fact that they are now
essentially inaudbile via Guatemala 5980. AWR never mentions to
whom TIAWR has been sold, perhaps out of embarrassment, because it
is such a waste: Dr. Gene Scott is now heard on 9725, and perhaps
other ex-TIAWR frequencies, such as Nov 8 1145 past 1300; music
but no ID break at 1200 -- Cahuita cannot stay TIAWR, so will it
become TIDGS? But has anyone ever heard an actual Caribbean Beacon
ID on 6090 or 11775? 9725 was // WWCR 5935 and KAIJ 5810, making it
painfully clear that much better things could have been done with
the Cahuita facility. Also DGS on 9725 at 2233 with Spanish
translation. I couldn't care less what the actual schedule be,
except for QRM it may cause. Strange coincidence: AWR's region
director for the Americas is named Greg Scott (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF
RADIO 1011)

** INDIA. on Monday 11/1 checked for AIR in EG with regional news 
after 1135 on 11620 but heard nothing but carrier... today, 11/2,
there it was with 5 min. of news read by male at 1135-1140 on 11620,
good signal here. Worth checking after listening to Israel's 5-min
news at 1130, if you dig regional news developments. (Joe Hanlon,
Philadelphia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** LIBERIA. R. Liberia reactivated on 5100, Oct 31 into Nov 1,
2103 [sic, means 2301?] -2403*. English news about Liberia, local
religious music, vernacular talk. IDs as Liberian Communications
Network, and R. Liberia. Variety of Euro-pops, Afro-pops. English
news at 2301. S/off with NA. Poor to fair but muffled audio. Not
heard on Nov 5 check (Brian Alexander, PA)

** MALTA [non]. V. of Mediterranean English is now: Daily except
Friday 1900-2100 via Russia 7440; Sunday 0900-1000 11770 via Italy
(Eugene Gebreurs, RVI Radio World Nov 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** NIGERIA [non]. Radio Kudirat, the pro-democracy station which
broadcast to Nigeria from shortwave transmitters in South Africa,
appears to have closed. It has not been heard since the end of
October. The Nigerian newspaper 'The Guardian' web site on 3rd
November had reported Nigerian political activist and Nobel prize-
winner Prof Wole Soyinka as saying in a statement issued in the United
States on 1st November that Radio Kudirat would be relocating "home".
"Radio Kudirat goes home, in order to play its role, from within, in
the attainment of this long-delayed objective," the paper reported
Soyinka as saying. Radio Kudirat, which also described itself as "the
voice of democracy", began broadcasting on 12th June 1996 under the
name Radio Democrat International, Nigeria. The name was changed to
Radio Kudirat in August 1996 in recognition of the late Kudirat
Abiola, wife of the late Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of the
cancelled 1993 presidential elections. Whilst the station used 
transmitters in South Africa, it is believed to have prepared its
programmes at studios in London, where it also announced an address
for listeners' letters. Sources: Monitoring research Oct-Nov 99 'The
Guardian' web site, Lagos, in English 3 Nov 99 (BBC Monitoring
Nov 10 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. R. West New Britain, which had been off the air
for at least a year, was heard again Nov 10 at 1000 on 3235 (Chris
Hambly, Australia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** RUSSIA. VOR WS in English: I know other frequencies are active,
but I only hear 7180 from 0200 (Bob Thomas, CT)

** RUSSIA. One more additional relay from St. Petersburg:

Radio Gardarika - Starting from November 12th
Weekly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday only 2015-2115 UT
5925 kHz (ND / nEU, CIS), 7330 kHz (222 degrees / cEU)
Please send any comments to pcd00342@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(Mikhail Timofeyev, St. Petersburg, WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** SOMALIA. Radio Gaalkacyo, broadcasting from the Puntland region of
Somalia, was heard on 4th November on 7012 kHz from 1600-1700 gmt.
The radio signed on with the following identification in Somali "This
is Radio Gaalkacyo, Puntland regional state government radio station 
(Somali: Halkani waa rediyo Gaalkacyo, Idaacadda Dowlad Goboleedka
Puntland), broadcasting in the 31 and 41 metre bands". The radio
carried a programme called "Xog-ogaal" (Inside Information) with
highlights the day's news events, followed by "Faqidaadda rediyowga",
a current affairs programme on economic, political, social, religious
and environmental issues in Puntland. Source: Monitoring research 
4 Nov 99 ((C) BBC Monitoring November 11 via Hauser)

** SUDAN [non]. Voice of Sudan 8000 // 9517, also noted on a new freq
9000 with very good reception. S.on at 16.O0 and went off at 18.00.  
I have to check 9000 if it is also on the air at 04.00 same as the 
other two Frequencies (Mahendra Vaghjee, Mauritius, Nov 10, WORLD OF
RADIO 1011)

** U K O G B A N I. Regarding the Sun 1600-1700 BBC hour when Concert
Hall is supposed to be on 17840 to Am breaking away from the AE
stream: Nov BBC On Air says Concert Hall at 1600, but it is actually
a 45-minute program, and started at 1615 Nov 7. Surely the
Millennium Concert from Durban with Ladysmith Black Mambazo Nov 21
will be a full hour from 1600. We had another screwup Nov 8 at 1857
via Sackville on 17840 trying to hear the last few minutes of The
Imposters. At 1857 someone started playing with the input feed,
switching from BBC to some other talk, then music, then WRN1 ID with
RTE closing, which was supposed to be on 13640 only, WRN1 promoting
upcoming R. Australia relay before cut off. Note: I do not go
looking for all these mistakes, but I keep encountering them while
merely trying to listen to scheduled programming! No one can depend
on 17840 for the BBC News at 1400 via Antigua. It always comes on
late, timed at *1402:30 Nov 8 (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** U S A. Spectrum noted starting at 0400 instead of 0406 UT Sun Nov
7 on WWCR 5070; this show would be about the ham code requirement.
Due to wrong old VOA CW starting at 0300, and late start of correct
tape, WOR did not start until 0332:45 and the last minute or two
were chopped off (Glenn Hauser)

** U S A. George McClintock has been checking at WWCR for the 7462
spur I previously reported and cannot hear it, but I have heard it
again, on four different receivers with a variety of internal and
external antennas, battery and AC power: Nov 11 at 1250 with Alex
Scourby on Brother Stair // very strong 7435. Distorted FMy audio, not
much carrier but enough to allow frequency measurement on the ATS-909,
actually on 7461.8. On the YB-400 I was also able to hear a matching
spur around 7408, obscured by Marti on 7405. WWCR ID finally came at
1306, both on the fundamental and the spurs. My question about why
27 kHz is a common separation for spurs was not meant to imply that
I get them often, but a number of previous instances have been at
this offset. In light of all the above, I am quite sure that these
are not receiver-produced but transmitted. 7461.8 also audible on
the DX-390 and even the old analog ICF-5900W with nothing but its
broken-off whip (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** U S A. The reason Marti switched from 5985 to 5980 was to allow
VOA English, Delano to Pacific, to resume 5985 for winter in the
1000-1200 period, as noted 1140 Nov 8. No Cuban jamming audible on
5985, but now the problem is splash from Marti, also Delano! 5985
replaces 9770, which had been excellent, but for VOA we still have
Philippines on 9760, including Communications World-A Sat 1136
(Glenn Hauser)

If you want to check on these and other broadcasts from VOA, and where
they're coming from, Paul Ormandy in New Zealand e-mailed me today and
gave me this Web address to try for:

          http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_w/schedules/freqsked.txt

(Joe Hanlon, Philadelphia)

** U S A. A lengthy chronology of the Hartman case, class-action
lawsuit against VOA over employment sex discrimination against women,
which has dragged on since 1977 and which could ultimately cost
taxpayers at least half a gigadollar, wiping out VOA's entire budget,
can be read at http://www.montanero.com/hartmanvusia/ (Gary A. Marco,
union steward at VOA, WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

** U S A. I've had a look at WGTG's records on the FCC website. They
show it is authorized to broadcast from two transmitters with the
following emission mode: "4.5K00R3E" -- that means single sideband
ONLY. Altho WGTG heavily promotes SSB, it still admittedly broadcasts
partly on regular AM, contrary to its license. BTW, with 50 kW as
PEP, it gets by with only 12.5 kW transmitter power theoretically,
far less than the 50 kW minimum for US SW stations. So whenever you
hear WGTG on AM, it's illegal (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1011)

hi glen hope all is well! first off fcc has looked at operation of
this station 5 times! fcc has made extensive field inspections / full
measurements with out us knowing about it! (get the 3 inch thick $ 200
dollar inspection package from the fcc via foia) we have four page
letter from fcc (on web page) clearing us of any and all violations 
we are authorized am / ssb (a form of "am") with carrier injection of
full (50 kw ) to do injection lsb/usb/ /dsb/isb/ my choice! of carrier
level setting and or mode of operation! i think wwbs has same! except
they use filter method?? i think you lack understanding of phase
shifting ssb (phase shifting between two side bands at a 30 hz rate/
slew) with dynamic carrier injection control tied into side band
generation looks and sounds just like full am but still side band at
any one point in time (meets the rules baby! ) at any 30 hz timing
point!!!!! so much for your shortwave knowledge its clear to me that
you do not know what your hearing! or even understand.... you see glen
with full true digital modulation anything can be done!!!!!! fooled
even you !!!! hey....look at our carrier see if you can find the
digital data stream.....hint ..... check the phase relationship
between programming phase shift (90 degrees) insertion and the
carrier!!!!!! i can send full text messages over the data stream and
you would not even know its there! from a remote place anywhere across
the globe i can read the transmitter operating values i.e plate volts,
current, power out etc!!!! or send you a greeting note..... a
shortwave email so to speak ..... if you have the equipment to decode
....... test your skills ....and your pals to try to find it!!!
([sic] Dave Frantz, WGTG, Nov 10)

All very interesting, but why do FCC records show ONLY R3E mode for
WGTG, which was my original point?? (Hauser)

** U S A. 7460 - WRMI @ 0320-35 UT suffering strong splatter from 
Norway-7465 and wobble jammer underneath. Unpleasant listening; Norway
may have to move to 7470 for the whole time period. Their signal was
free of QRM from WRMI (John Cobb, GA, Nov 3)

** WALES [non]. Previous advance info from Wales Radio International
about its B-99 schedule turned out to be totally wrong. NAm was
supposed to stay at 0200 UT Sat, on 9755 -- but when I checked Nov 6,
RCI was still on that frequency and WRI not on previous 9795 either.
Finally checked WRI website Nov 10 for Celtic Notes and found:
   Eu Fri 2130 6010
   NAm Sat 0300 9735
   AuAs Sat 1130 17650
So two of the times are one UT hour later, the other one UT hour
earlier, apparently for belated convenience of those Aussies and
Enzedders already on DST for a month (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO
1011)

        DROWNING IN RF POLLUTION

When I read the RIBOLD item "The HF Radio Spectrum is in Trouble in
the US" about digital transmissions via   "home phone networking", a
light went on in my head. It may explain the severe, broadband HF QRM
I have been experiencing for the past several months. It defies
anything I have encountered in 43 years of listening and 20 years of
Navy electronics.

It started as a series of carriers spaced across the spectrum from 2
to 29 MHz. What got my attention was QRM to WWV on all their freqs.
Not having a spectrum analyzer, I did a survey with my R71A, 80-foot
Windom, and 16/10 meter dipole. To my suprise, I found these signals
evenly spaced like markers every 500 kHz. The carriers were
unmodulated on the even MHz steps, but on the odd MHz intervals was a
sound like a swarm of mosquitoes, not unlike some of the Cuban
jammers. It hums like high-frequency AC full of harmonics. The MHz
carriers were slightly off the exact mark and the error increased
with frequency, for example: 2000.4, 4000.7, 8001.5, 16003, 29006 kHz.
All of the 500-kHz steps in between also had the humming sound of the
odd MHz steps. These signals reached maximum levels at 21 - 22 MHz,
reading S5 to S7 on my receiver.

At first all I could imagine was a computer, a radar, or some kind of 
cell phone equipment. But I still have it with my stepson's computer
off and we're a long way from any others. I noted the signals missing
during a local power outage following a storm on a battery operated
RFB-45. Now the signals seem more evenly spread across the bands; it
gave me some trouble with Radio St. Helena, and I have squiggly white
lines on low-band VHF TV with an indoor antenna. I even heard it on a
49-MHz cordless phone with the base station switched off.

I had recently received a telemarketing call from the phone company, 
wanting to tell me about the new "digital cable TV " service they were
offering. (I could almost hear the guy's jaw drop when I told him I
wasn't interested!) At the time it never dawned on me that this could
be the mysterious RF source; I didn't make the connection until I read
the article. Well, now I know where to start investigating, and if
proved correct, to complain. But I feel that SWLs like us will be
ignored, we'll just be s.o.l.  The amateur community has some pull
with the FCC, and if anything is done to protect the HF environment,
it will probably have to start there.

I'm afraid the article may be right - our hobby's days could be 
numbered. What can we do? Drowning in RF pollution, 

(John H. Cobb, Jr., Roswell, GA, Nov 5) 

        SPARKS EXHIBIT IN SAN FRANCISCO    
                               
The San Francisco Maritime Museum (located near Ghiradelli Square and 
the Aquatic Park) is now running an exhibit called "Sparks," a look at 
the history of maritime communications. Lots of great old radio 
equipment, reproduction of shipboard stations, and audio listening 
stations with tapes of actual spark transmissions, CW communications 
(including the last CW transmission from KFS this past July), and
audio memoirs from shipboard radio operators. There is an actual spark 
transmitter and receiver with key to use. There is also a Lowe HF-150 
receiver that visitors can tune along with tapes (selected by 
pushbutton) of the BBC, spy numbers transmissions, WWV, etc. that you 
can listen to as well. A most interesting look at the history of 
maritime communications, and the admission price is right---it's free. 
The exhibit runs through January. 73, (Harry Helms Nov 9)     ###



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