[HCDX]: DX Listening Digest 00-11 Jan 21

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

	DX LISTENING DIGEST 00-11, January 21, 2000
		EDITED BY GLENN HAUSER

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

** ANGUILLA. Dr Gene Scott was still blasting away the entire 25 
meter band with modulation-spike spurs, Jan 21 at 2139 check, audible 
all the way from 11600 to 12040, and worse the closer to 11775. If he 
had any respect for hundreds of other broadcasters, not to mention 
millions of listeners, he would turn this thing off until and unless 
it is fixed. After all, it is totally redundant, as he has EIGHT 
other simulcasting SW transmitters going in North America! (Glenn 
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** AUSTRALIA. Two RA programs are returning from summer vacation 
Monday Jan 24: The World Today, Mondays at 0210 and 0410; Sandy 
McCutcheon and Australia Talks Back at 0910 only (Roger Broadbent, RA 
Feedback, 2128 Jan 21 on 21740 via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** CANADA. As for the STARF strike [at CBC, RCI Montreal], it's still 
going on. Negotiations continue, but there's nothing coming out of 
the talks in the way of news. Did I mention before that the union has 
a website, at http://www.starf.qc.ca? Press releases are posted on 
the site...but it's all in French. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, Jan 21, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CANADA [non]. WRVJ, 91.7, Watertown NY, heard carrying CBC Radio 1 
from Ottawa, complete with Ottawa weather and traffic, //CBCK 107.5 
Kingston. Not a fulltime CBC relayer; back to NPR later in evening, 
and presumed to still have some stereo music (unID contributor to Jan 
FMedia, via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** COSTA RICA. A new RFPI Mailbag first appeared Fri Jan 21 at 2000 
on 15049, 25930-USB, and should repeat 8 and 16 hours later; and 
again Sat 1830, Tue 1930 plus. Staff are busy with current annual 
board meeting, so current volunteers Thomas Voelkner and Megan --
co-hosted quite well. Thomas explained that 6975 had been off because 
one element in the antenna broke during a heavy storm. There was some 
delay in coming back, since FM stations on Irazu Volcano also had 
damage and engineers were busy. Finally, James Latham came up with a 
temporary solution which may actually be providing stronger signals 
than before (Notes by Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ECUADOR. There's a coup d'etat attempt in Ecuador. It started at 
the verry early hours (local time) of today Jan 21st 2000. It started 
when the high representants of the CONAIE (Spanish abbreviation for 
the Indigenous National Confederation of Ecuador), and some second 
class members of the Ecuadorian Army (colonels, lieutenants, etc.), 
took over the National Congress and tried to establish a facade 
government. I am checking out the Ecuavisa TV network (actually with 
all over info from Quito and Guayaquil) thru my cable system. 
Sequence of events follows: 

1930 UT I just came from university. I came to know about the coup 
after I watched a breaking news service from a local, Peruvian 
network. Then switched to Ecuavisa and getting info from it. 

2030-2045 UT Ecuador president Jamil Mahuad gives speech. For me, one 
of the most intelligent speech ever given by a Latin American 
president. He said he wouldn't give up the office and he wouldn't 
accept the proposition made by the Army to give up office. Checked 
thru Ecuavisa. 

2050 UT Checked HCJB at 15120 approx., lower than usual. YL announcer 
reading info from international services (EFE, AP, UPI, etc). Even 
read a US State Department document, a reaction of the US about the 
situation in Ecuador. SINPO 33433 (much weaker than the S-4/5 
received here in Lima). Well, I have to go back to the university 
(how terrible!!!) Later will check tropical bands. Maybe the CONAIE 
is running a clandestine station. Greetings from Peru. (Moises 
Corilloclla, hard-core-dx Jan 21)
 
** ECUADOR. 9745, HCJB carrying a special news broadcast devoted to 
the ongoing political crisis in Ecuador in English at 0000 as I type 
this up. Allen Graham is on the scene and is being interviewed by
Curt Cole. Excellent coverage and a station worth keeping an ear on.  
(Hans Johnson, FL, Jan 22, Cumbre DX Special via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ECUADOR. Upon inquiry from Chris Hambly I checked earlier Friday 
at 1900 on 17660, and programming seemed to be normal then. 
Propagation above average with 21455-USB booming in. At 0100 another 
live report on the situation, saying they would devote more than the 
half-hour to it, including part of the president`s speech. 9745 had 
bad adjacent from 9750, 12015 better. Normally HCJB does not have 
news every hour, but should at least repeat this at 0400? (Glenn 
Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** EGYPT. R. Cairo, 9990 (``triple nine oh``) with good if not 
outstanding modulation, Jan 21 from *2115 in English; unfortunately 
tape snagged on opening theme. Gave program summary in local time, 
going past 2400. 2209:30 began ``You Ask, We Answer`` about Egyptian 
Philatelic Society, with addresses in Cairo and Alexandria, founded 
in 1929y. Perhaps Armenia found the competition too much, so moved 
its English to end at 2115 ;)(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** FALKLAND ISLANDS [non]. BBC Calling the Falklands, 11680, Friday 
Jan 21, caught closing at 2143-2144:30*, flutter, echo, but good 
signal, back Tuesday at 2130; splatter from Anguilla 11775. 11680 is 
direct from UKOGBANI. Maybe that is adequate, but I`ve never 
understood why they don`t use Ascension to be sure (Glenn Hauser, OK, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** GERMANY. DW`s West African service in English at 2100 is very good 
here not only on 15410, but also on 9615, as noted Jan 21 at 2136; 
unfortunately, the subject was silly ballgames in Africa (Glenn 
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** JAPAN [non]. Renowned LA DXer Takayuki Inoue [Nozaki] is 
interviewed on this week`s Radio-Enlace on Radio Nederland, in 
Spanish of course, at a meeting a few months ago in Peru, from about 
:10 to :20 past the hours, heard first at 2310 on 15315, 11730. Next 
airing after this is posted is UT Sat 0210 on 9845, 6165. Repeats 
also on alternate Sunday broadcasts. The schedule is on our website, 
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/#SECCION Stay tuned for our 
DX report immediately following the interview. And starting before 
TIN, around the top of the hour is an interview with the director of 
R. Cusco, 6195 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MONGOLIA. Following the postings of this earlier this week I 
decided to check 12084.8 kHz at 1200 UTC today (21/01/00) and found 
Voice of Mongolia with very good signal except for hum on audio. The 
hum was removed with my DSP software. Recordings of today`s reception 
are on the latest loggings pages of the Online DX Logbook website 
73's (Graham Powell, Webmaster for the Online DX Logbook, The most 
up-to-date Shortwave and Tropical Band Loggings are always on the 
Online DX Logbook at:-  http://www.dxsheigra.freeserve.co.uk (Powell, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** NICARAGUA. Acc. to a personal letter dated Nov. 26, 1999, from Sr. 
E. Mercado P., Director Radio Miskut, the station has been off the 
air [5770] since July 1999. The reason is the failure of power supply 
unit of the transmitter. Two parts, ``Fets Q1, IRF 451, 3n5c, 9315G`` 
(which seem to be transistors as seen from attached photocopy of xmtr 
manual) have been damaged; therefore, they are looking for the parts, 
but without success in Nicaragua or in Central America. They 
appreciate the parts or entire power supply module of MSR 6214. (I 
found out that there are few electronic parts shops in Tokyo which 
deal with US transistors. Can anyone help to reactivate the station?) 
They are now operating on FM with 20 watts, hoping to increase power 
to 100 or 200 watts to cover suburbs of Puerto Cabezas (Tetsuya 
Hirahara, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo Jan 9 via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SLOVAKIA/TURKEY. RSI in English at 0100 is QRMed by Turkey not 
only co-channel on 7300, but also adjacent channel 9445 to RSI on 
9440 (Bob Thomas, CT, Jan 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U K O G B A N I. Those who do not normally follow BBC`s Off the 
Shelf (such as myself) may want to make a point of listening during 
the next fortnight. The week of Jan 24, Tom Baker reads The First Men 
in the Moon, by H G Wells; then the week of Jan 31, John Sharian 
reads Return to Earth, by Buzz Aldrin. Each in 5 parts, on AE stream 
M-F 0820 and 1945, Tue-Sat 0445; Af M-F 2105; As 0145-E, 1545-E, 1730 
(Glenn Hauser, info from BBC On Air via Chris Hambly, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST)

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS, AND MEASURING FREQUENCIES ON THE ATS-909 
(C) 2000 Glenn Hauser

There was a discussion recently on one of the newsgroups about the 
merits of giving SW frequencies to 1 or 2 decimal places. I must 
agree with those who say it is useful and significant to do so! A 
station?s off-frequency is as much a signature as the language it is 
using, and if capable of measuring it, receivers and DXers should do 
so and report it. One must be sure one knows what one is doing, 
however. Some receivers with seemingly precise digital readout may be 
misleading.

In any event, the concept of ``significant digits`` is important, as 
I learned in college physics (or math) sesquidecades ago but which I 
never see mentioned in connexion with SW frequencies. 

Basically, the final digit of a number, whether to the left or right 
of the decimal, should be taken as approximate unless followed by a 
zero. Thus: if one is sure a station is on exactly 9371, one may say 
9371.00, but if it could be 9370.95 or 9371.05 one must only give it 
as 9371.0. If one said only 9370, that would actually mean it could 
be some tenths of a kHz above or below, tho we commonly assume `even` 
frequencies are more exact.

Even with the ATS-909, which I am now using, one may measure 
frequencies with some precision. The following applies to my 
particular 909, and ``offsets`` upon others may differ ? indeed, I 
hope some are lucky enough to have them with no offsetting, as this 
is a nuisance.

To measure an AM signal, first punch up WWV or some other frequency 
you are SURE is exactly on frequency. Then switch to LSB or USB (does 
not matter which, but keep it the same throughout the process).

The detent fine-tuner on the upper right side of the receiver has 25 
clicks per kHz while in LSB/USB. That means each click equals 40 Hz. 
On my 909, I always have to run it about 10 to 12 clicks upward to 
zero-beat. It is that far off, and the amount varies for unknown 
reasons seemingly unconnected with warmup. So if the unknown signal 
also needs the same amount of clicks to zero-beat as WWV, you may 
conclude they are both on the even frequency. 

The offset does not hold, so you have to go to AM, switch to LSB/USB 
each time, and count the clicks, each time you change frequency. Go 
back to the frequency to be measured by turning off LSB/USB and 
punching it in again (or if very close to WWV or the standard, 
up/down 5 kHz steps work).

If it is somewhere between 5 kHz steps, you will need to punch in the 
nearest kHz, such as 9371, before you switch to LSB/USB and count the 
clicks.

Note: especially as the receiver wears, it may slip a click, i.e. no 
change in pitch. So do it slowly at least twice to be sure you have 
not missed a click.

Go to the number of offset clicks you have previously determined. 
This will make the receiver actually tuned to the ``even`` frequency. 
If there is a beat, rather than a zero beat, this means the unknown 
frequency is in fact ``off``. Now count the number of clicks up or 
down it takes to get a zero-beat on it. 40 Hz steps are really rather 
wide, and it may well fall half-way between clicks, in which case you 
cannot get a beat lower than 20 Hz, which sounds like a rapid 
pulsing, called subaudible heterodyne. By toggling back and forth 
between clicks you may be able to determine which one it is closer 
to, if you are clear which way is up!

Now you simply multiply the number of clicks up or down by 40 and you 
get the number of Hz between the kHz where the station lies.

Depending on the offset, you can try doing it both from the next 
higher and next lower kHz, and see how closely they match. You may 
also repeat the entire process using the other sideband for 
additional comparison or confirmation.

Of course, while you are doing all this, you cannot concentrate on 
what the station is saying, unless you have it on a second receiver.

An additional complication, which I have not quite figured out how to 
deal with, is that when the display goes from one kHz to the next, 
there seems to be a greater than 40 Hz jump. So avoid measuring 
across this boundary. Perhaps someone else can go into this.

So if WTJC, for example is on 9370.8, you would find that it is about 
5 clicks (40 Hz x 5 = 200 Hz) below the true position of 9371.00. 

And I once reported on R. Africa, 15184.88, when I had 3 clicks below 
15185 (40 Hz x 3 = 120 Hz), but I realized that the last digit could 
really be 7, 9, or maybe even 5 or 6 when measured with more 
precision than this method is capable of. Thus significant digits 
need to be understood (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)       ###

DIGITAL SHORTWAVE TESTS JAN 24-28

Here's a chance to hear what a digital shortwave tranmission will 
sound like on a conventional shortwave radio!

Barry Hartley, who passes on this info from Adrian Sainsbury, 
comments that it sounds a bit like jamming!  Lets hope we dont have 
QRM problems when digital SW broadcasting gets underway, hopefully 
next year.

The BBC are conducting field tests in Sydney next week Monday 24
through Friday 28 January to monitor digital transmissions.

Stations transmitting in the DRM format for the trials will operate 
the following daily schedule:

Sackville 17875kHz 2032-2059 UTC (but I think Sydney mornings M-F)
Sackville 17875 at 2102-2129 UTC (Sydney days as above)
Bonaire   11715 at 0702-0729 UTC
Rampisham 11730 at 0732-0759 UTC
Bonaire    9820 at 0802-0829 UTC
Rampisham 11730 at 0832-0859 UTC
Bonaire    9820 at 0902-0929 UTC

(Bryan Clark, NZRDXL via Guillermo German Bazrrionuevo, Brasil, 
radioescutas, Jan 21 via DX LISTENING DIGEST)                 ###


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