[HCDX] Glenn Hauser logs October 24, 2008

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

** ANTARCTICA [and non]. I knew it would be a good day for LRA36, when I tuned in Africa Numéro Un, 15475, Oct 24 at 1834 and heard a continuous het from 15476. At 1900, ANO started news in French for a semiminute about Mauritanie until its laggard engineer turned off the modulation and a few seconds later, the carrier. During that brief period, despite some hum from Moyabi, I could tell that 15476 was playing music. Then LRA36 was on its own against the noise level, but no QRM whatsoever from other broadcast stations. There were occasional Bronx cheers from some kind of ute, and LRA36 carrier dropped off a couple times for a split second.

First I made sure the frequency was really 15476, or rather very close to it. Initially Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel was playing guitar music mixed with some talk. At 1929 announcement by YL following some more music, but too weak to copy. I then spent some time on the ATS-909 trying to decide whether modulation was on USB or LSB or both. Not certain because it was so weak, but seemed to be as much LSB as USB, in keeping with some recent reports, contrary to others. Maybe the proportion varies day to day? 1939 another YL announcement; by 1955 it was weaker and finally gave up for today.

Altho I never could copy a definite ID this time, I am positive this is what I was listening to, from previous experience, and above all because of its unique frequency. I wish other monitors would be as careful, for I occasionally see a report of this logged before 1900. 

Some advice: if you think you have LRA36 before 1900, you need to explain how you were able to separate it from the incomparably stronger signal 1 kHz away, ANO Gabon. Was Gabon unexpectedly off the air? Could you employ extremely tight selectivity or notching? Were you sure what you were hearing was not in French? Gabon has an enormous propagational advantage as well, from the Equator. Did very strange propagation give Antarctica an edge instead? But why try to log Antarctica before 1900 anyway when you can listen after 1900 without the QRM?

LRA36 would have been blown away for the rest of its three hours, five days a week, a few seasons ago, if CVC Chile had gone ahead with its plan to grab 15475. We spearheaded a successful effort to persuade CVC to go elsewhere. It was another case of the big boys thinking a frequency is open because the little ones don`t make the least effort to register their usage with HFCC, and furthermore can`t conceive of changing frequency themselves, for licensing or technical reasons. 

Surely the management of LRA36 is aware by now from numerous DX reports (or by turning on a radio themselves?) that Gabon is covering up one third of their transmissions. If they can`t change frequency and can`t get Gabon to move or close one hour earlier, why doesn`t LRA36 simply shift its own broadcasts one hour later? Another station which doesn`t really understand the basics of what`s necessary to be a successful SW operation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ARGENTINA [and non]. RAE vs Morocco on 15345v: Oct 24 at 1904 while Antarctica was appearing on 15476: Morocco in Arabic dominating, the two maybe 150 Hz apart, and hard to tell which was which, but more modulation from Morocco, tho both are undermodulated. By 1946 the het was stronger as RAE was evidently gaining by comparison.

RAE was off for a sesquimonth recently, and did they take the opportunity to make any improvements? No, when they came back, same old variable frequency colliding with Morocco. Neither of these participates in HFCC, but surely RAE management has heard by now from numerous listener complaints, that Morocco is blocking them in the European target languages. Yet all they do is change transmission times by one hour depending on the local clock when what they need to do is change frequency. Not vary by 200 Hz, but CHANGE 5 or 10 kHz to get away from the collision. Some complimentary consultancy: in B-08 every 5-kHz channel from 15335 to 15360 should be clear for all the hours RAE is presently using 15345 to Europe, 17-23 UT if not more. A simple switch to 15350 should do the trick, or should I say, forcing the transmitter to vary more than it usually does. Anyone want do donate a new crystal? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** AUSTRALIA [non]. WRMI, 9955, Friday Oct 24 at 1939, fair-poor with no jamming, discussion of nervous system; per WRN schedule it`s Radio Australia during this semi-hour. The 18-21 UT stations on WRN to North America weekdays, when WRMI is still relaying it are, half an hour each: Ireland, Prague, Sweden, Australia, Poland, Korea. From Nov 3, with the end of DST in North America, both WRMI and WRN should move all this one UT hour later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENINGN DIGEST)

** BIAFRA [non]. V. of Biafra International, via WHRI, again this Friday Oct 24 opening early from 1959 on 15280, The Orator ``bringing you matters of interest to Biafra`` and at least twice claiming to be ``transmitting on the 15.67 MHz frequency in the 19 meter band``, before and after playing ``God Bless Africa`` anthem in usual opening; 2006 into news by another speaker with heavy accent. VOBI HQ hasn`t a clue what frequency they are really on, so pity the poor listeners. In previous seasons I have heard them announce ``15.67`` which was never in use, tho in B-08 will supposedly be 15665. BTW, when rounding numbers, if halfway between an even and an odd one, you are supposed to go to the even one, not the odd one; but deliberate rounding is unacceptable with SW frequencies, whether or not your listeners have digital readout. 15280 signal was strong, much better than last week, but with a bit of echo, probably backscatter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
 LISTENING DIGEST)

** COSTA RICA. REE HQ in Madrid has been notified that at least two of its Cariari relay frequencies have been one kHz off for many months, but so far no fix. Oct 24 at 1847 check, still 11814 instead of 11815, undermodulated talk in Spanish with barely audible het from something on 11815. The other one is 5964 at night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Have not been making regular chex of R. Africa on 15190, but per reports seems to be on most of the time. It was on Oct 24 at 1916 with undermodulated preacher in English; at 1945 another preacher, more distorted than undermodulated, talking about scarlet dyes. Usual good signal, anyway, comparable to Nigeria on 15120 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** GERMANY [non]. Nemetskaya Volna, VG and synchronized on both 15420 and 15700 via Rampisham UK, Oct 24 at 1409 giving contact address in Kiev, Ukraine --- does that mean DW Russian service is not allowed to have a mail drop within Russia? In B-08 this 1400 transmission moves to 1500 via Woofferton on 11720.

Also heard DW in Russian on 11885 via Woofferton, at 1854 to 1859:30*

15620 very good in tonal African language, probably Hausa, Oct 24 at 1832, enthusiastic dialog, drama? With village sounds, bits of hilife music, laughing, children`s voices. Yes, this is DW via Portugal at 18-19. In B-08 this broadcast moves to 9430 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** GUATEMALA. R. Verdad hoped to be back on the air by Oct 20, with replacement 600V transistors burned out by a lightning bolt, but still nothing on 4052.5 at 0545 check Oct 24 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** INDONESIA. VOI, day 10 on 9526, Oct 24 at 1342 check with YL ID and slogan, ``Voice of Indonesia, the sound of dignity``, music. Good signal as always but hummy. Fingers crossed things will not change in B-08 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** IRAN. On 15555, heard a rather strange combination, Qur`an at 1333, and Japanese talk at 1349 Oct 24. I wonder how many Japanese are Moslems? Doesn`t matter. What else but VIRI? At 1401 YL was still speaking in Japanese, and Iran was being mentioned. Lower modulation than neighbors like 15550 VOR, but quite intelligible. Sirjan site is scheduled 1330-1430 in Japanese at 60 degrees. Mideast/SW Asia propagation was quite good this morning. In B-08 this transmission moves to 9905. Was PWBR `2008` any help; only with a lead, since it erroneously shows VIRI in unID language on 15555 ending at 1330 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** IRAN [non]. 17670 with pop vocal music in presumed Farsi, Oct 24 at 1404, good signal, better than Solh on 17700. It`s Radio Farda, as soon IDed; via Wertachtal at 14-15 only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** JORDAN. 9830, station with Arabic music, Oct 24 at 1853, would have been good but for constant RTTY QRM as always on this frequency. Presumably R. Jordan, only thing scheduled, 1745-2000 at 300 degrees for Europe but onward to us; in B-08 extends to 2100. This is the best we can do since Jordan quit broadcasting in English in our mornings on 11690, another RTTY frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** KUWAIT. Those further east report good reception of R. Kuwait`s English broadcast at 18-21, but not here. Checked 11990 several times on Oct 24, but only poor, at 1842 in talk, not even sure it was English instead of Arabic which sometimes substitutes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTEING DIGEST)

** RUSSIA [and non]. 7200 with heavy SAH of about 6 Hz, between a station in Russian with pop music, and unID language. Russian must be Yakutsk at 45 degrees, on very long hours, and the other R. Bulgaria, scheduled in German during this semihour at 295 degrees, so neither is aimed here, but both cross somewhere in North America when extended. Yakutsk is also the one that used to motorboat, but not currently (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SAUDI ARABIA. 17660, BSKSA in French at 1415 Oct 24 ending Courrier des Auditeurs (letters from listeners), with E-mail address; fair with flutter.

Oh, oh, the big buzz is starting up again from some BSKSA transmitter(s) --- Oct 24 at 1510 there it was on 15435 mixing with Arabic talk, soon into Qur`an. At this point, the Arabic was still intelligible if one wanted to put up with the buzz, which months ago grew and grew until nothing else was audible, yet they kept this mess on the air until officially notified by monitors abroad, rather than Allah (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SYRIA [and non]. 9330, Oct 24 at 1852 while WBCQ`s weekday 18-19 broadcast of some financial program was still running, with big hum, but also detectable het, WBCQ being slightly off-frequency to low side, yet transmitting in CUSB, not CLSB. At 1908, WBCQ was gone leaving an S9+10 carrier on 9330, but very low modulation in talk, maybe French? Yes, that`s scheduled this hour per DXLD 8-114. If modulation were up to par, would have been readable. R. Damascus frequency was on 9330.0 as far as I could tell compared to Wichita 1330.0 on the FRG-7. At 1947 recheck, nothing on 9330, so Syria must have gone off, perhaps at 1945 for a half-sesquihour instead of full-hour transmission? R. Damascus fan Kris Janssen in Belgium says the former English broadcast at 2000 has been off SW for some time, but still on satellite, with SW resuming for the second English broadcast at 2100, that not checked here yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [non]. 15760, Oct 24 at 1828 with nice classical piano concerto fragment, 1830 announcement in uncertain language, giveaway YFR IS and music. Then looked up, it`s Family Radio in Turkish via Woofferton. I wonder how many Turx care about the Biblical interpretations of non-ordained Protestant Brother Harold Camping? Doesn`t matter. They will be regaled by him in translation  nonetheless (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** VENEZUELA [non]. RNV, 11680 via Cuba, Oct 24 at 1507 in Spanish, rumbling co-channel QRM, no doubt usual overlap with VOT in Turkish to Europe until 1530. In B-08 TRT moves way down to 5980 and one hour later at 1400-1630, so that will resolve that problem. Then another will arise, possibly worse, BBC via Rampisham to Africa on 11680 starting at 1500. As an outlaw nation, Venezuela refuses to register its transmissions with HFCC, or even accurately on its own website, so BBC/VTC, not paying any attention to DXLD, are probably unaware of the impending collision, as RNV does not habitually make any schedule changes coinciding with A/B seasons either, so is likely to remain as is.

15290 on with big open carrier at 1858 Oct 24, 1911 recheck RNV via Cuba in Spanish. 1958 ending ``De Primera Mano`` commentary by someone named Vladimir [no, not Lenin, but an alive Commie], and sign-off with contact info, Apartado 3979, Caracas 1010, Venezuela, or canalinternacionalrnv@xxxxxxxxx --- 1959 open carrier for a few seconds and off.

This 1900-2000 transmission is the one they have wrongly announced and webdisplayed for 3 sesquiyears as at ``11 am for San Francisco on 13740``. Why S.F. and not L.A.? Probably Cuban antenna is traditionally aimed at the former, originally for RHC itself, but if I were aligning it, would be at 300 degrees, splitting the 4-degree difference between the two cities. In any event, puts huge signal into OK not far off the path.

Then tuned up to 17705 for next RNV broadcast, but not checked until 2006 when it was going with much weaker signal by YL in broken English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. SW Radio Africa, 12035 via Rampisham UK [tho Kvitsoy, Norway was also available], Oct 24 at 1837, fair in interview between studio announcer and someone in an outdoor location with background noises, not in English, so Ndebele or Shona, but at 1839 they were conversing in English about developments in Angola and Mozambique. 1840 ID as ``Newsreel on S-W Radio Africa``, gave website, on to food shortage demonstrations in Zimbabwe, arrest and imprisonment of some involved. Best I`ve heard it in some time; scheduled 17-19 UT, but in B-08 switching to 11745 via Woofferton. Note: the ID says the letters S-W, never the word shortwave, nor the word southwest, as some have assumed it means (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 17540, Oct 24 until 1329* what I took to be ``Merlin music`` often heard on tests, but I see that Prague was scheduled here in English from 1300. Then tuning down to 19m, at 1330 heard same music on 15760 for another minute until 1331*, no announcements. That`s scheduled for a US client of VTC via South Africa M/W/F at 1300-1330, namely SSIRI for Sudan. In B-08 the 15760 transmission moves to 15250, per SENTECH schedule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###


      

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