DX LISTENING DIGEST 17-19, May 10, 2017 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 2017 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 1877 CONTENTS: *DX and station news about: Andaman Islands, Argentina, Australia, Bhutan, China, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea and non, Europe, France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kashmir, Korea South, Kurdistan non, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Netherlands non, New Zealand, North America, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Vietnam SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1877, May 11-17, 2017 Thu 2130 WRMI 11580 [confirmed] Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Fri 2230 WRMI 11580 [confirmed canceled] Fri 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Sat 0630 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1431 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 [NEW, unconfirmed yet] Sun 0310v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v-AM Area 51 Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 9455 Tue 1300 WRMI 11580 [NEW] Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 9455 Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 9455 Wed 1315 WRMI 9955 Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: Tnx to Dr Harald Gabler and the Rhein-Main Radio Club. http://www.rmrc.de/index.php/rmrc-audio-plattform/podcast/glenn-hauser-wor ALTERNATIVE PODCASTS, tnx Stephen Cooper: http://shortwave.am/wor.xml ANOTHER PODCAST ALTERNATIVE, tnx to Keith Weston: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlennHausersWorldOfRadio NOW tnx to Keith Weston, also Podcasts via 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 NOTE: I have *resolved* to make DXLD leaner, more selective, as I seriously need to reduce my workload, much of which has been merely editing gobs of material into presentable form. This makes it even more important to be a member of the DXLD yg for additional material which may not make it into weekly issues (gh) DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location, and say something about why you want to join. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN. Reception of Radio Afghanistan External Service May 10 1530-1635 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs English/Urdu/Arabic & off 1635-1730 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs Arabic/Russian, NO SIGNAL http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-radio-afghanistan-external.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA [non]. 5850, WRMI relay 2255-2310 OM repeatedly IDs & mentions regular programming resumes at top of the hour; kind of a verbal interval signal. At 2300, music heard then YL IDs as R Tirana also giving address. OM begins English news at 2301. News ends at 2307 followed by press review. Good on 5/4 (Don Hosmer, West Branch MI, ICOM IC-7200 + 102' & 51' G5RV dipoles, MARE Tipsheet 5 May via DXLD) 5850, May 4 at 2300, R. Tirana via WRMI, opening news is all politix including PM meeting opposition to resolve political crisis; civil disobedience, protests; 2307 press review; recheck just before closing another talk feature rather than music until 2328 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5850, May 8 at 2258, WRMI is already on with ID loop by Biermann, and some music which I guess amounts to their IS, presumably what Ivo has also heard preceding some other transmissions. This assures they will be up and running in time for R. Tirana relay to start at 2300 sharp, which it does with sign-on mentioning now hearing it only on internet. Program preview includes sports so this is correctly the Monday file; Clara does the news, about EU progress; congrats to newly elected president of Albania. Good reception but not enough to overcome some storm noise (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Question --- Hello Drita, I hope you are well. Pouring rain here on the East coast of the USA. Will Radio Tirana be issuing QSL cards for reception reports of broadcasts via the WRMI relay? I miss hearing your signal from Albania. With sincere best wishes, John Fisher, 16 Middlesex St, #9, N. Chelmsford, MA 01863, USA, May 5 via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana, DXLD) Why not? (gh, DXLD) Hello Drita, Thanks for your mail. Dry and cool here today, but more rain tonight. I did not see an answer to my question about the QSL's. Perhaps the mail got cut off. Could you please resend it. I would like to let my radio club know. I hope people will let you know they are listening. Take care and be well, John (via Drita, May 9, DXLD) She still doesn`t answer the Q (gh, DXLD) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. 4760, AIR Port Blair (presumed). Nicely above threshold level audio 1205, on May 9, with sub-continent music/singing. Recently has been doing fairly well. Wolfie's May 9 log: "4759.999 IND AIR - probably Port Blair location, S=9+5dB signal noted in Delhi India, at 1508, and male in Hindi at 1522 UT." (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also INDIA & SIKKIM ** ANGOLA. 4949.75, Rádio Nacional de Angola, Mulenvos, 1901-1950, 06- 05, Portuguese, news, comments about Angola. 14321. Also 2305-2312, 06-05, Portuguese, comments: "O pacto social". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. LRA36 absolut an der Grasnarbe, keine Audio aufzunehmen ANTARKTIS Argentinisch, 15475.969, Radio Nacional LRA36, nur der String zu sehen, aber absolut kein Signal um 1930 UT zu hören, S=3 oder -108dB an der Grasnarbe. 73 wb, hört Köln vv Bremen am Kopfhörer ... auf Sport_1, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wolfie, Tnx for even copying some of your German language postings, but Google and I are having trouble translating Grasnarbe? -- Scarlet grass?? (Glenn to Wolfie, via DXLD) Grasnarbe, is 'under threshold', 'under grasland level" ... o n l y signal string visible, nothing to listen so far .... but poor and tiny -108 dBm last UT nighttime (wolfie, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36 R Nac Argentine Antarctica --- 15475.970 kHz noted only string visible UNDERNEATH threshold, only S=2 or -113dBm level, no audio signal so far. On May 8th at 1930 UT in western England SDR remote unit. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA [non]. 9395, USA, RAE Argentina via WRMI in English 0146 UT May 3. Multi language ID at 0153 with mention of WRMI relay and request for reports for special numbered QSL cards. WRMI ID and pop music from 0155. Excellent. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395, May 4 at 0120, checking RAE ATTW via WRMI, during interview about architecture. Recheck at 0135 to hear the multi-lingual ID, song; 0138 MLID again! and talk about dinosaurs at a provincial park in San Juan; 0148 another MLID, song; 0151 MLID; 0152 headlines: selling Argentine products in China by e-commerce; president to visit on Monday; tax collexions in April up 24% by 786 gigapesos; 0153 the fifth MLID this hour during my sporadic monitoring, and sign-off with SW schedule, P O Box 555, 1000 WAF Buenos Aires address for reports (and Fernando utters ham-like fonetix ``whisky-alfa-foxtrot``). 0156 back to WRMI Oldies music but no ID break. (I wonder how long their playlist is; everything sounds familiar). Meanwhile, I received a very nice personal reply from RAE`s director Adrián Korol, who remembers me from my Spanish DX reports on Espacio Diexista - Radio Enlace from Radio Nederland. He says I will be receiving the #001 special QSL for inauguration of the WRMI relays. The first broadcast I heard on UT May 2 was a week-old test file they had sent to WRMI, which explains the lack of new news, and the May 1 Madres de Plaza de Mayo demonstration would be covered subsequently. He agrees the dozen multi-lingual IDs were excessive, and they have plenty of other bumpers which could be inserted. He took over in February when the SW service was already off. The transmitter needs two new tubes, which are expensive and have to be imported. He credits the director of RNA with deciding to support the external service, which had largely been neglected. Good listener response to the WRMI relays has already been coming in. I`ll be publishing his complete reply in Spanish [alrready in 17-18]. It`s great to have someone running an international service who actually has experience as a SW listener and DXer. And of course, Argentina is the ONLY South American country with an external SW service, even in English, with only one other in all of Latin America, Cuba of course (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Brian, Thanks for the follow-ups. Shortly later I did mention the QSL #001, so it`s no secret. Good for you with #002 and helping out RAE. I have one of their old QSLs, but I don`t suppose it`s anything unusual. (Glenn to Brian D Smith, via DXLD) Glenn, Congrats on snaring the #001 RAE QSL! And like you, I didn't really think my 1974 blue-and-white QSL was anything special either, but I guess they were just surprised and delighted that I still had it after all these years. Thanks again, and I'll be in touch if I hear any other news that might be of interest to your audience. 73, (Brian, W9IND, May 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now WRMI skedgrid shows additional times and frequencies for RAE Relays: M-F 2200-2300 Spanish not only 5950 southwards, but 11580 to NE; Tue Sat 0100-0200 English not only 9395 to WNW but also 11580 to NE [BUT NOT YET!]; and Spanish Tue-Sat 08-09 on 5850 to NW across USA, strange for Spanish, but that`s what it says, unconfirmed yet (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) USA, Additional transmissions of RAE Argentina to the World via WRMI from May 9 0100-0200 on 11580 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu English tx#09 Tue-Sat // 9395 tx#06 0800-0900 on 5850 YFR 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm Spanish tx#12 Mon-Sat [sic] without // freq 2200-2300 on 11580 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Spanish tx#09 Mon-Fri // 5950 tx#14 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/additional-transmissions-of-rae.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395, May 11 at 0059, WRMI ID in Spanish by Rubén Guillermo Margenet in Argentina, and into RAE ATTW relay in English, good. Still NOT // 11580 as on the sked grid, but instead `Sounding the Alarm` apocalypticism (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. 12125, FEBC in (presumed) Amharic, 1630 UT May 6 with "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Interval Signal then talk. Fair with CODAR. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 6230-USB, VMW (Australia Weather West), 1333, May 5 (Friday). Marine conditions today and "forecast for Saturday"; heavy Sound of Hope (Taiwan) QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Dearly beloved, we come together to reflect upon RA Shepparton --- Received a message from Nigel Holmes today with photo showing the Broadcast Australia property at Shepparton North up for sale. Here the listing that I found with a little research following on from Nigel's email. http://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-vic-shepparton+north-502377630 Some reasonable pics in above link. Nigel commented wondering if Babcock is interested. Dave Porter, would you like to ask any of your former employee mates if the Babcock company is interested; also indeed if any of the other broadcast engineers that are members of our group if any of your employer broadcasting organisations are interested in purchasing this site. I suspect the Australian government might have some influence of who purchases it (if it's for another broadcaster, as was the case with Darwin some time ago). 73s (Ian, May 7 shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Main page linked above has aerial photo clearly showing transmitter building with all the feedlines going out to antennas ranging from northwest to east. Another one is a closer-up from directly overhead. And says nothing about this having been a SW station!: ``Significant Land Banking Opportunity CBRE Agribusiness is pleased to present for sale 490 Verney Road, Shepparton North. Strategically positioned in Shepparton’s northern growth area, the property offers a large scale grazing opportunity with land bank potential. Key features of the offering include: - Significant and strategic 229* hectare landholding set across five freehold Certificates of Title - Located moments from the Shepparton Town Centre (5* minutes) and just over two hours from the Melbourne CBD and Melbourne’s International (Tullamarine) Airport - Situated opposite the highly regarded Goulburn Valley Grammar School - Extensive road frontage of over 3,300* metres including Goulburn Valley Highway (417* metres), Verney Road (1,286* metres) and Grahamvale Road (1,606* metres) - Access to irrigation with 12ML* high reliability water entitlement - Two constructed irrigation channels - Future Urban Development Opportunities (STCA) - Site adjoins Low Density Residential and General Residential Zoned land to the west *approximately SHEPPARTON NORTH, 490 Verney Road, Shepparton North, Vic 3631`` (via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Senate Committee - ABC SW Sites This missed my attention: And submissions closed. Only 39 submissions received & only one from a Pacific foreign nation. http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Shortwaveradio/Submissions I'm thinking if someone wanted to quickly do a submission by Tuesday that it might still be considered or read - maybe. It's interesting that Broadcast Australia decided before the federal senate enquiry outcome to list the Shepparton property for sale, but perhaps not surprising (Ian, May 8, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Here is the complete list of submissions, with linx to their pdfs. I have looked at the ones marked *** and recommend they be read. Also &&& which I have not read (but some such as Vanuatu have already been published/publicized). I don`t know about the various ones from individuals not recognised. All the ones I have seen are about whether SW should be restored, not interest in buying the property (gh) 1 Mr Julian Lawrence (PDF 65 KB) 2 Name Withheld (PDF 57 KB) 3 Mr Richard Wiltshire (PDF 101 KB) 3.1 Supplementary to submission 3 (PDF 39 KB) 3.2 Supplementary to submission 3 (PDF 42 KB) 4 Mr Darryl Fallow (PDF 75 KB) 5 NT Farmers (PDF 160 KB) 6 Mr David Alford (PDF 44 KB) 7 *** Tecsun Radios Australia (PDF 242 KB) 8 &&& Regional Development Australia Northern Territory (PDF 363 KB) 9 Mr Roger Cragg (PDF 361 KB) 10 Mr Rick Morris (PDF 22 KB) 11 Mr Stephen Coleman (PDF 189 KB) 12 Mr Garry Page (PDF 30 KB) 13 *** Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) (PDF 319 KB) 14 *** Australian Radio DX Club (PDF 72 KB) 15 &&& Government of the Republic of Vanuatu (PDF 2269 KB) 16 &&& ABC Friends National Inc. (PDF 233 KB) 17 Mr Mathew McKernan (PDF 1346 KB) 18 Mr Peter Marks (PDF 59 KB) 19 Mr Richard Nowak (PDF 44 KB) 20 Mr W Andrew Miller (PDF 31 KB 21 Mr Trevor Bird (PDF 76 KB) 22 Mr Frank Fedrick (PDF 71 KB) 22.1 Supplementary to submission 22 (PDF 70 KB) 23 Mr Peter Parker (PDF 61 KB) 24 Ms Roslyn Miles (PDF 49 KB) 25 Mr Frank Holden (PDF 43 KB) 26 Mr John Rich and Ms Kathryn O'Brien (PDF 1746 KB) 27 Mr Rodney Champness (PDF 3900 KB) 28 Mrs A Peacock (PDF 5440 KB) 29 Mr John Faulkner (PDF 1892 KB) 30 Mr Tony Falla (PDF 48 KB) Attachment 1 (PDF 186 KB) Attachment 2 (PDF 114 KB) 31 Mr Alan Hughes (PDF 2014 KB) 32 Mr Michael Butler (PDF 70 KB) 33 Mr Dan Van Roy (PDF 36 KB) 34 Mr Michael Payne (PDF 48 KB) 35 Mr Graeme Dobell (PDF 216 KB) 36 Mr Stephen Dowding (PDF 676 KB) 37 Mr David Stuart (PDF 58 KB) 38 Mr David Hewitt (PDF 259 KB) 39 *** Australian Broadcasting Corporation (PDF 364 KB) Here are a couple brief excerpts from #39, the ABC`s justification for abolishing SW: ``This submission addresses the implications of the proposed amendments to the ABC Act and sets out the reasons the ABC strongly opposes the enactment of this Bill. If this Bill were to pass it would: ? impinge on the independence of the ABC by directing the Corporation to utilise certain broadcast technologies that have limited and diminishing audiences ? impose significant cost on the Corporation in the ongoing maintenance of the same transmission services ? oblige the ABC to deliver language services that have not been provided for in the past, at significant cost. The ABC’s decision to cease its remaining shortwave services was well considered, based on a careful assessment of the limited utility of shortwave technology in Australia and the region. In contrast, the Bill indicates a lack of understanding of shortwave technology, of the services provided by the ABC, and of the broader context of the ABC’s decision to cease these services.`` (via Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) > And submissions closed. Only 39 submissions received [...] > I'm thinking if someone wanted to quickly do a submission by Tuesday Which Nigel did, in his submission #40 accusing Broadcast Australia of "poor maintenance" of the Alice Springs transmitter, a remark I have so far not seen made in public. The question is now if a reactivation of the Shepparton facility would still be possible at all, at least at reasonable cost. Note what exactly they have put up for sale: A property for "Commercial Farming, Land/Development`` with "Future Urban Development Opportunities". Not a transmission facility anymore (Kai Ludwig, May 10, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ABC OPPOSES BILL TO RESTORE PACIFIC SHORTWAVE SERVICE --- Radio NZ The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has made a Senate submission opposing a bill which would force it to restore its shortwave services for the Northern Territory and the Pacific. The bill was introduced by South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon after the ABC switched off its shortwave transmitters in late January. The ABC is opposed to the bill and said in its submission that its passing would impinge on its independence by directing the ABC to use broadcast technologies for diminishing audiences and at significant maintenance costs. ABC's Melbourne offices Photo: Wikimedia Commons [caption] The ABC also said that in the bill there were factual errors and misconceptions, including the figures for the actual cost of the services. The bill said that the cost of the services was $US1.4 million but the ABC said if the Bill was enacted, the total transmission cost would be closer to $US3 million per annum, with costs of $US 880,000 for the domestic services and $US2 million for the international services. It also said while it had received numerous submissions from pressure groups, politicians and members of the public since switching off its shortwave service, it had only got complaints from 20 listeners. The ABC said it believed that the limited response from individual audience members in affected regions bears out the weight of evidence it used in making its decision to cease these services. Posted by: (Mike Terry, May 10, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO IN THE BUSH: SPECIAL REPORT Radioinfo.com Tuesday 09 May, 2017 alt Image: ACMA What radio content do Aussies in remote areas listen to and why? Are their listening habits different from people in regional and metro areas? Radio in the bush explores the radio listening habits of people living in remote and very remote Western Australia (WA). The ACMA undertook the research in 2016 to examine the role of AM radio in the contemporary communications environment. Highlights of the report include: Radio rules in the bush — remote Western Australians spend significantly more time listening to the radio (13.9 hours in any given week) than does the nation as a whole (8.6 hours). AM radio on the road — residents of remote WA spend 6.9 hours listening to AM radio each week, more than double the regional and national levels (three hours each). For almost two-thirds of this time (4.5 hours), they’re tuned to AM radio while in the car—compared to an hour nationally and just under an hour (0.9) regionally. Local ABC radio a key community service — 62 per cent of remote Western Australians would tune in to local ABC radio to get up-to-date information in an emergency, after the Bureau of Meteorology (74 per cent), and fire and emergency services (72 per cent). The most commonly reported sources for local news include the local print newspaper (52 per cent), social media (40 per cent) and local ABC radio (38 per cent). Radio in the bush — A study of radio listening in remote Western Australia is available on the ACMA website. Read more at: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/radio-bush-special-report © Radioinfo.com.au Posted by: (Mike Terry, May 10, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Joysticky [sic], will be on air at 1000 UT with the program "Charlie-Prince-Show" on 7330 kHz via Moosbrunn, Austria web: http://radiojoystick.de/frequenzen/ "Since 2013 we broadcast via Media Broadcast. The transmitters are located in the small town of Moosbrunn near Vienna, broadcasting our shows on every first Sunday of each month at 12:00 h German time with 100 kW at 7330 kHz on shortwave to Western Europe" (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, May 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7330, Radio Joystick, Prince-Charlie-Show, Moosbrunn, *1000-1100*, 07- 05, ID “Prince-Charlie-Show”, pop songs in English, German, comments. 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, ibid.) ** BANGLADESH. 4750even, (tentative) Bangladesh Betar, Shavar, Dhaka, irregular, started after transmitter break down again at 1523 UT, S=9+30dB, male announcer in Bengali [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 9, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** BARBADOS. B., L. (1 July 2011). "CBC moving transmitter site to the Belle" http://news.barbadostoday.bb/barticlenew.php?ptitle=CBC%20moving%20transmitter%20site%20to%20the%20Belle&article=7809 The Barbados Today https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Barbados_Today&action=edit&redlink=1 Retrieved 4 July 2011. The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation`s transmitter site, now in Lazaretto, Black Rock, is shifting to the Belle, St. Michael. This comes as the Lazaretto site, which houses two transmitter towers, is being taken up by the University of the West Indies' Cave Hill campus for expansion (mwmasts yg via DXLD) Re: BARBADOS: Active MW list --- Okay, found it. The new site for the CBC 900 kHz is Belle Pumping Station Rd, Belle, St. Michael, Barbados. Precise location is: 13.118297 -59.592115 on GE, 2 mast array. Probably became active around 2012 from this site (Ian, Australia, May 7, mwmasts yg via DXLD) Ian and other members, Superb work here. Thank you. I note with particular interest the preservation of a two mast array when the site was moved. This supports my idea that the engineers still regard the existence of Maracaibo in Venezuela as a station which needs protection. Having moved the initial site to Inactive or Closed I have now entered the new site in Active. 73 and 88 (Dan Goldfarb, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL: 5990, R. Senado De Brasília DF, calypso music, 0152 4/30 (Mike Vitale, Pinckney MI, DX-394 & S40a + Godar FXM vertical antenna, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) No ID? Probably RHC on wrong frequency instead of 6000. However, Wolfie and I were hearing that the next day, UT May 1. R. Senado never heard here in evenings; there was one report of it weeks ago in the morning, but doubt it`s ever on now, as RNA/RNB are unable to broadcast with electricity turned off (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 15190, Rádio Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte, 1940-2008, 06- 05, Brazilian songs, id. "Rede Inconfidência de Rádio", "Em boa compahia, nas ondas de Rádio Inconfidência", "5 y 2, Inconfidência, apresentando...". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURUNDI [non]. FRANCE, Radio Publique Africaine via TDF Issoudun on May 3 [Wed as is May 10 below] 1800-1832 on 15480 ISS 250 kW / 145 deg to SoAf Kirundi 1832-1858 on 15480 ISS 250 kW / 145 deg to SoAf French http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-radio-publique-africaine.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, May 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) FRANCE, Reception of Radio Publique Africaine via TDF Issoudun, May 10 1800-1858 15480 ISS 250 kW / 145 deg SoAf Kirundi only, without French Problem in TDF Issoudun, interrupting the audio signal throughout the program http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/problem-with-reception-of-radio.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 2749-USB, May 7 at 0112 UT, marine weather by YL in French at S7. Didn`t really expect to hear it under summer noise conditions, but just after sunset here so darkish path exists. Per http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/Marine-Communications/RAMN-2015/Part-2-Atlantic-Facilities-Information starting at 0040 it`s VCO Sydney NS from Port Caledonia site, but doesn`t say they transmit any French (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. Dear DX-friends. here are my latest night tips heard in Skovlunde on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire. Best 73, Anker Petersen 6070.00, 0140-0150 11.5, CFRX, Toronto, English talk about prices, splashes [from, or to?] Cuba 6060, 34333, AP-DNK 6134.84, 0150-0155 11.5, BOLIVIA, R Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Spanish talk, QRM Aparecida, 23222, AP-DNK (Pubblicato da Giampiero Bernardini a maggio 11, 2017, playdx blog via DXLD) I find that CFRX is always slightly off to the low side. Such as May 12 around 1250, when it was also making a fast SAH with presumed North Korea, could well be -15 Hz. Wolfgang Büschel had measured CFRX on 6069.985 as of May 1 at 0616. I`m afraid that Anker`s logs default to .00, implying a much higher degree of accuracy for items which are not really measured to two decimal places, and should merely be reported as e.g. ``6070``, rounded off. If 6069.985 was the exact frequency, rounding to two decimals would be 6069.98, and to one decimal, 6070.0 but NOT 6070.00. If one is not even bothering with this, ``6070`` would be sufficient, and no one would object that it is incorrect. I`ve seen the same thing from some other reporters, all of whom I suspect are turning over logging chores to some program which does not employ logic, does not understand the concept of significant digits, and auto-completes anything lacking other digits after the decimal, with 00. I am not picking on Anker in particular, who has just provided the latest example. So his logs with any numbers but 00 after the decimal may well be accurate, like e.g. BOLIVIA, but not necessarily so if they show .00. This is NOT helpful! Use a logging program if you must, but override it when called for (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CANADA. 7850, CHU Ottawa Canada time signal noted at 0150 UT in Middle East Doha Qatar SDR unit, S=8 signal strength under night dark path via North Atlantic ocean. Log in remote SDR unit at Doha Qatar ME, on May 5th at 0150-0215 UT. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 5) ("Wolfgang Bueschel", dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 'The mountain can't breathe': RCMP radio tower on sacred Nahanni Butte site could be removed --- Tower covers sacred hole in mountain that 'holds the Dene Nation together,' chief says By Hilary Bird, CBC News Posted: May 08, 2017 5:00 AM CT Last Updated: May 08, 2017 7:12 AM CT http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nahanni-butte-sacred-mountain-1.4103047 (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) Dene – is that related to Dineh = Navajo?? Athabascan? WTFK? Never mentioned, of course. Anyhow not concerning broadcasting. Due to the tremendous genocidal injustices to the First Nations of North America (altho less so in Canada than USA), we tend to give them a pass out of respect for their own religious beliefs. But for the truly Rational, this is no more worthy an excuse than believing in Christian gospel huxters, sorry (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 6110.285v, May 4 at 1237, wavering carrier in Chinese vs weaker one on 6110.0, i.e. CNR1 jamming against VOA Chinese via Thailand, making big het too. 6110.145v, May 10 at 1235, CNR1 jamming vs VOA Chinese via Thailand. A confusing situation here. In AM mode I get a SAH on 6110.0 itself, and hear a het of about 290 Hz, wavering slightly between D and Eb above middle C. However, with BFO on, I get a carrier zero-beat circa 6110.145. All gone by 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non?]. 7300, May 10 at 1254, orchestral music, 1256 Chinese announcement, fair with flutter. But unsure whether it was RTI as scheduled 1000-1300, or more likely *CNR1 jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 13690, CNR1 at 1308 in Mandarin jamming the VOA via Saipan in Mandarin with a woman with excited talk and a number of promos – Very Good May 4 13710, CRI at 1455 with a man and woman with talk about documenting a child’s development on “Roundtable” and off at 1457 – Fair May 4 13890, CNR1 at 1126 // 13830 in Mandarin jamming the Sound of Hope via Taiwan in Mandarin with a woman interviewing a man then a number of ads and promos to 1+1 time pips at 1130 and into a man with possible news headlines – Good May 4 15250, CNR1 at 1119 // 13830 in Mandarin jamming the VOA in Mandarin via the Philippines with two women with excited talk – Fair to Good May 4. 9680, CNR1 at 1108 // 11640 in Mandarin jamming RTI in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk – Poor May 5 13920, CNR1 at 1120 in Mandarin jamming the Sound of Hope via Taiwan in Mandarin with a number of promos then two men with talk at 1122 – Good May 5. 15110, THAILAND, VOA at 1326 in Mandarin with a program of English sound bytes translated by a woman and into US pop music – Fair mixing with CNR1 jammer May 6 15110, CNR1 at 1326 in Mandarin jamming the VOA via Thailand in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk and promos and 1+1 time pips at 1230 – Fair over VOA May 6 15245, CRI (via Kashi) at 1540 // 11610 with a man and woman discussing medicine and hospitals in China – Fair May 6 15250, CRI (via Urumqi) at 1602 with a man with “CRI news” - Fair May 6 – This is beamed to the Middle East while 15245 heard in the previous hour was beamed to Europe. I guess having multiple transmitter sites means you don’t have to change antennas. Don’t we all wish every international broadcaster had unlimited financial resources to be able to have this set up. 15275, TAJIKISTAN, RFA at 1332 in Tibetan with a man and woman with talk and guitar instrumental music bridges with CNR1 jammer barely heard underneath – Good May 6 15040, CNR1 at 1156 // 13830 in Mandarin jamming AIR in Mandarin with a man and woman with excited talk – Poor and noisy May 7 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA yg via DXLD) Battle on 15110 at 1320 --- 15110 - THAILAND - VOA Thai relay with man in Mandarin battling CNR jamming to a draw, at least here in ECNA. Jamming consisted of man and woman talking in Mandarin followed by musical fanfare and other announcements. SINPO 42533 at 1320 on 4/9/17 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Eton E1-XM, Alpha-Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15040, May 10 at 1247, CNR1 echo jamming vs All India Radio`s only Chinese broadcast. Poor, poor, PR China, so afraid of letting its people hear what their neighbor has to say to them. Strangely, Aoki misses flagging this one as *jammed, just the // 11845 and 17705. Also Tibetan of course, but also most of AIR GOS ENGLISH frequencies, according to Aoki are *jammed, as far too many Chinese now understand English! 7270, 9445, 9690, 9705, 9910, 11580, 11620, 11670, 11710, 11935, 13605, 13695, 13720, 15030, 15410, 15770, 17670. Bully! Meanwhile, China blasts India with clear SW broadcasts in five languages (Bengali, Chinese, English, Hindi, Tamil) at multiple times on multiple frequencies, also on MW; and makes unnecessary co-channel interference to AIR domestic broadcasts. Bully!! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait, 1500, May 6 (Saturday). After the time pips, briefly in Chinese until the start of the Sat. only "Focus on China" program in English; singing "Voice of Strait, Focus on China" jingle; news items were unreadable, as there is too much daylight now. My sunrise was at 1308 UT, so will have to wait till later in the year to have readable reception again (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Hi all, nice reception this night: 5979.0, Gannan PBS, Tianshui, 2250 UT May 7, sign on with local music, ID by YL in Chinese, national anthem at 2254, SIO: 232. SDR Perseus + Loop ALA 1530 (Franck Baste F4LKC, (France) dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 6035, PBS Yunnan (Voice of Shangri-la), 1146- 1201*, May 9. A few brief announcements in Chinese; classical waltz music (Johann Strauss II - An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 [a.k.a.: "The Blue Danube Waltz"], etc.); much stronger signal than usual. Last year often heard BBS (Bhutan) here till after 1200, but they have not been heard for a while now, so assume with an earlier sign off time now? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. [re 17-18:] Dear Glen[n], RADIO FURATENA broadcasts from CHIQUINQUIRA, Department of Boyacá, frequency 1060 kHz AM, with 10 kW of power (Luis Hernando Cardozo, HK3MIZ, Bogotá, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I then go back and pull out the full thread in the RealDX yg about the off-frequency Colombian: 1060.290 Spanish - Colombia? MP3 433 KB 1060 nov 9 2015 at 0928.mp3 The audio is weak on this off-frequency station, but I can understand some words. Unfortunately, none of them give me an ID. Perhaps the really good Spanish speakers can make me happy. It's from 0927 and 0931 UT on 9 November 2015, from Newfoundland. The carrier appeared sometime between the end of a file at 0832 and the beginning of a file at 0857 (Chuck Hutton, April 22, RealDX yg via DXLD) Hi Chuck, Fredrik says he heard Radio Furatena and this could be the right one. There is a telephone number at 01'22" "pedidos al teléfono 726-xxxx" also the telephone number of the radio station begins with 726. Six seconds before, there is also another possible hint, if it's not autosuggestion :-) there is a mention of "Plaza de Mercado" this could confirm that we are in Chiquinquirá. 73 (/Valter Comuzzi, Italy? April 23, ibid.) Good points, Valter and Fredrik. It's a nuisance that there is no clear ID, but I do think this is Furatena. The phone number is good evidence. I visited the station years ago, and they are very friendly. Don Moore heard Radio Furatena from Villa de Leyva (semi-local reception) end of January last year on 1060.285. Early February, from Salento, north of Armenia, he heard Radio Surcolombiana on 1060.23, in the morning and at night, local time (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, April 23, ibid.) I had Surcolombiana on 1059.985 in October last year and on 1059.981 in January this year so they seem to do some "travelling" there. Kind regards (Jan Edh, Sweden, April 23, ibid.) To the researchers (Fredrik, Valter, Henrik, and Jan): good job. I wish there was an ID but the other evidence points directly at Furatena. I also could not get the entire phone number (Chuck Hutton, ibid.) ** CUBA. 6145, May 4 at 0552, RHC English is S9+10 but just barely modulated, so I check the remainder of The Cuban Five: 6100 S9+10/20 with sufficient mod; 6060 loud and splattering over 6070 CFRX; 6000 S9+10/20 undermodulated; 5040 very good. 5990, May 7 at 0058, CRI relay is still going with music, while 6000 prior to RHC English is already on with carrier, so not the same transmitter, not explaining howcome 6000 service wound up on 5990 last week (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I guess the five transmitter units at Titán are not strictly organized to use same unit every hour, every day of the year, for each broadcaster CRI and/or RHC. There are electrical and equipment limitations and repair work need to be done ... in between. According the previous EXCEL Files given in 2014 to 2016, Titán organization: CRI uses normally TX1 and TX5, at 23-01 UT TX5 01-05 UT TX1 12-16 UT RHC uses normally TX# 2, 3 and 4. RHC uses the Titán transmitters variable timing too TX1 Do 4 hrs TX2 Lu-Sa 8 hrs Do 4 hrs TX3 Lu-Sa 8 hrs Do 12 hrs TX4 Lu-Do 10 hrs TX5 Lu-Do 4 hrs 73 wolfie (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 9268, May 7 at 0103, 4x/second Cuban pulse jamming QRMing 9265 WINB which isn`t even in Spanish; stray? 9530, May 7 at 0110, VP S6 signal, with two receivers, can barely make // music on 4765 R. Progreso, of which 9530 is second harmonic. Usually at least a JBA carrier on 9530 evenings (0030-0400 the 4765 schedule), suspected to be this. 13740, May 8 at 0311, RHC Spanish is rather distorted and only S5-S2, // 7340 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 11530, May 10 at 1734, open S9 carrier, as usual for extended periods out of the HM01 spy numbers transmitter --- except it`s not open: undermodulated rock music in Spanish, not // 11760 the only RHC on the air at this hour. Not cross-mod either as does not go away with attenuation, disabling preamp. 1736 quick Spanish announcements by YL with phone numbers, apparently a request show; song; 1740 caller briefly on air, phone numbers again, far too fast to copy, more music. But 1744 abrupt cut to digibleeps and then 5-digit SS YL spy numbers start with 54483, bleeps and alternating in usual format. Guess is R. Rebelde, but no // 5025 audible at midday if it is even on air. Could be any other Cuban network or station. 1815 recheck, 11530 is off, and now the spybleeps and numbers are on 11635, no music (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 15230. RHC. Mayo 7 [domingo]. 1335-1349 UT. Programa “En Contacto” con la información del manejo de la señal de RHC por ondas cortas, FM y Televisión Digital Terrestre, junto con la lectura de informes provenientes de esta última, luego entrevista de un locutor de una emisora dependiente del Ministerio de Educación que poseía el indicativo CMOX en Ondas Cortas, así como los cambios de la radiodifusión en el periodo revolucionario y como aquella radioemisora impactó en el desarrollo de Radio Habana Cuba. A las 1346, informe sobre el clima solar por CO2KK, segmento QSL en el aire, aviso acerca de la pertinencia de la radio y despedida del programa a las 1349. SINPO: 55444. 15730. RHC. Mayo 7. 2328-2343 UT. Servicio en esperanto. Desde las 2328 hasta las 2330 identificación de la emisora. A las 2330 presentación del servicio. Luego informaciones. SINPO: 35343, aunque desde las 2335 con SINPO: 35232 hasta las 2341 con SINPO: 25211, captándose solamente la portadora al aire con mucho ruido ambiental (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ?? Supposed to be at 2230 and so reported last Sunday (gh, DXLD) 17730. RHC. Mayo 7. 1500-1506 UT. Luego del cierre de la emisión en español, se emite la ID de RHC en esperanto, la presentación del mismo servicio hasta las 1502. Y portadora abierta hasta las 1506. SINPO: 45444 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. 9490, UT Monday May 8 at 0254, Radio República closing program `Encuentro Informativo` (or was it `Frecuencia Informativa`?), via FRANCE, well atop wall-of-noise jamming. Announces schedule as lunes a viernes 9-11 pm, sábados y domingos 9 pm- medianoche [EDT = UT -4], so extended an hour tonight, despite registration for Japan relay eastward from Germany starting at 0300! But In the next few minutes I can`t detect that on 9490 while NHK is inbooming on 6105 westward from France. So does the latter hold off an hour on weekends only? Back at 0257, a brief talk `Palabras a la juventud venezolana`, so opposition to that country`s regime is tacked on to Cuba`s. 0300 full ID and theme music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I'm almost ready to buy a DTMB converter box. Any suggestions? Are there any Cuban DTV stations running enough power to be likely to make it to SC? (Doug Allen, K4LY, Inman, SC, May 5, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Doug, that is our issue here. I don't think it's legal to buy one at this time. Note the synopsis & comments: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GClk0xmhI4k BTW, I'm not sure if any Cuban TV station, analog *or* digital, would have enough of a signal to make it up there to SC. If their system used channels 2-6 like our ATSC, that would be different, as E skip could bring you a signal. But alas, 2-6 will not be used there. cd (Chris Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, ibid.) I have been in communication with Eric that lives in Cd. Habana. He is a member of the WTFDA Forums and gets on the Forums when he is at work, generally on his lunch break. His family does NOT have internet because it is so expensive to have internet at home, in Cuba --- or, pay $2.00 per hour at the internet cafe - sounds cheap to us but is really very expensive to the Cuban wage. (And on a side note to that, the internet cafés have to see the user's ID card (drivers license or official ID card) and that is linked to the user account. They (Cuba) can track the user's internet activity and if they see a lot of tracking to US websites, they can cut their internet use off.) Anyway, Eric and I PM each other through the Forums, very similar to emails. He has offered to help me get a couple DTMB boxes and get them sent to me. He has a friend from the US that goes to Cuba periodically and he said he will give the boxes to his friend. His friend will get them shipped to me when he returns to the US. So I am waiting on word of the status of available DTMB STB's and also the latest news on progress with DTV in Cd. Habana. He is also suppose to let me know about getting money to his friend. I want to get one box for CD and one for Ryan. Not sure if any other dxers in the southern states would be interested in trying to get Cuban DTV stations. FYI. Stay tuned. Making FM DXing more fun than a barrel of monkeys! (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) I appreciate that, Jim. Keep me apprised. Does anyone here know a lawyer or someone who could comment on the potential legal issues of buying a DTMB box from Cuba? (Since they don't seem available direct from China.) (Ryan Grabow, Fort Myers FL, ibid.) I don't believe it is illegal to purchase a DTMB set-top-box from a retailer in Cuba. The set-top-box is a receiving only device that does not require a license to watch and/or to record over-the-air signals. As far as I know in this point in time, DTMB in Cuba are only broadcasting on band III (UHF). The plan is to put one DTV transmitter in each capital province with up to eight standard definition channels. Band I (VHF-Low) is not being used at this time because of the active analog transmitters in eight zones. Once the analog TV blackout occurs in 2021. Then the government could put DTV on this band because UHF is proving difficult in certain provincial capitals due to tall buildings and high environmental signal-to-noise interference from other urban wireless services. Zones: 1. Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Isle of Youth 2. Pinar del Río, Matanzas 3. Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus 4. Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, Las Tunas 5. Holguín, Guantámamo 6. Granma, Santiago de Cuba Plus to make matters worse, vintage 300 twin lead is being used on the UHF antenna to the DTV converter box(s). Locals call twin-lead wire and coaxial cable - downspout or downpipe. For Doug in SC, you might get tropo from Havana coastal transmitter towers via Tr over 830 miles distance. Just keep checking the Hepburn tropospheric ducting forecast DX maps. http://dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html When Jim acquires these Chinese DTMB STB, there should be no issues with the AC plugs because the input voltage to the unit can range from 90 to 250 VAC with frequencies at both 50 and 60 Hz (GACTVDX, Easton PA, May 6, ibid.) With the visit of former President Obama to Cuba in 2014 & 2015, there were some bi-lateral US travel & business rules that took effect in January 2015. One of them is a US traveler to Cuba can return with up to $400 worth of Cuban merchandise, which doesn't include the limit of $100 for Cuban cigars and rum. SO CD and Ryan could technically, board a plane to Cd. Habana for a weekend, buy up to $400 each of DTMB STB's, and bring them back to the US. THEN they could rip the rest of us off with an outrageous price for the extra STB's they bought. Obviously they would keep one or two of them for themselves. https://thinkprogress.org/beyond-cigars-more-americans-can-travel-and-sell-goods-to-cuba-starting-friday-cc995e05cf32 (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) I did more research and found that there seems to be two Band II transmissions on digital channel 13. Both are using 6 MHz channel bandwidth, not the default standard at 8 MHz. The first one is in Salón, Artemisa province, the second in Dos Hermanas, Cienfuegos province (GACTVDX, PA, May 7, ibid.) Back around 2005 down in the Keys, I was viewing ch 13 Tele Rebelde (Jacan/Matanzas), and briefly under the signal was a set of color bars, with ID something like SALON.CUBA --- To have color bars at around 8 pm is definitely suspect; even back then (in analog) it had to be some test or other. If I can find it, I can send attachment. cd (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) Cuban DTMB tuners are beginning to show up on Alibaba, a Chinese based online wholesaler. Here is one of the boxes being offered on their website where the seller lists a minimum purchase of only 1 box is required. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2016-Cuba-Market-DTMB-T-Receiver_60478172612.html I've never purchased from them before, however there are guides online on how to. They are a wholesale site, so its not straightforward like eBay or Amazon from what I've heard. DX Radios: Sony XDR-F1HD Sony XDR-S10HDiP Tecsun PL-390 (spunker88, Northern NY, May 7, ibid.) On that page, it looks as if you still have to purchase a "set," i.e., a minimum of 20 STB's. Maybe I am misinterpreting. cd (Chris Dunne, ibid.) I did find a DTMB box for sale through DH Gate, $71.04 for one box. Direct from China, lowest amount for shipping is $50.00 for each unit!!! UPS was $70, Fedex was $100. And yes, they will ship to the USA. IF I ordered today, estimated delivery June 4th. However, since it would be coming direct from China, it *may not* be compatible with the Cuban DTMB market (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) Jim, did that DTMB STB for sale on DH Gate have multi-language support, English? Look at the specification sheet data because it might only display functions in the Chinese language. The good thing about the DTMB standard is you can take it mobile, portable with 12 VDC. When the 4K DTMB STB's hit the Cuban market you will see a flood full of the Standard, High definition STB on eBay. But I don't want to wait until that happens. I like to get my hands on one as soon as possible (GACTVDX, PA, May 7, ibid.) Don't forget --- Cuban DTMB uses NTSC 6 MHz channels. Chinese DTMB does not (Raymie Humbert, AZ, ibid.) The *first* one I found on DH Gate did not have a variety of languages, all Chinese, even on the remote. I went back and checked it. Then, I saw they were also selling this particular one. It is made for the Brazil & Phillipines markets and I understand that Brazil was pitching their ISDB-t standard to Cuba. Did they go with that ISDB-t format or a different scheme? And I see that you can order one unit with free shipping for $31.55 (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) Jim, Cuban digital TV is DTMB-T not ISDB-T (GACTVDX, May 9, ibid.) OMG, I knew that! Don't even ask me WHY I was looking at ISDB-T receivers ?????????? Ouch, I think a major senior moment there. Anyway, the WTFDA forums member from Cd. Habana that I have been talking to sent me an email today and told me that the DTMB units in Cuba come as HD units or SD units. He said the stores are having a hard time keeping HD units in stock, but there are a ton of the SD units, IF the DXers would settle on SD units?? The SD units are selling for $26-33 each (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, May 10, ibid.) Jim, I am interested in knowing the makes & models of the set-top- boxes, both HD & SD that are being sold in stores in Cuba. Can you ask the Havana WTFDA member if the stores are selling portable DTMB TV's. If they are, is there an external antenna connector on them. If so, what type, female 'F', SMA, etc. I want everyone to know that Cuba has not authorized their DTV services on VHF-Low (54-88 MHz). It starts on TV-7 up to UHF 51. Since the analog shutdown is planned for sometime in 2021, we have at least four years to grab Es on Band I. From what I have gathered, the DTMB-T digital transmitters are 1 kW models. So, it's going to be a real challenge to grab tropo from across the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico on the majority of the days. Only way will be when the Hepburn maps show a strong yellow color condition (5) or higher will it be possible. Well, a standard definition (SD) DTV set-top-box is better than none at all. Actually, it will be a better choice technically for weak signal DX'ers anyways compared to a 4k or HD standard. Ask the member if is legal for him to send them out of Cuba via post. Make sure he asks multiple agencies and for him to get the permission in writing and signed with a signature. I don't want to see one of our members in violation of the law. Once that is cleared, I will take two units. Last edited by GACTVDX; 05-10-2017 at 09:58 AM (GACTVDX, ibid.) ^ Only 1 kW???? That could kill any DX chances at all. I never gave a thought about that (Chris Dunne, FL, ibid.) GACTVDX, PM your email address to me. I think you sent it to me once before but I can't find it. I think I will get you in touch directly with Eric. You have a lot of questions. I just acquired his email address and it is okay for any WTFDA member that wants to send him an email, rather than using the PM function (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) To All: If anyone needs to contact me on email, it is: Daetsort @ Yahoo .Com [spaces added to prevent spamming] (GACTVDX, ibid.) 1 kW transmitter output. The effective radiated power is much higher - - probably 20-30 kW. Which still isn't big but not impossible. It is COFDM so more tolerant of interference than ATSC (Doug Smith W9WI, TN, ibid.) 1 kW is pretty low, but DX does funny things. Just two nights ago I logged 2.7 kW W40CU-D from St. Petersburg. Hadn't seen the thing in years. And none of Tampa's full-powers were decoding at the time! And being COFDM increases the odds too. You should certainly be able to see something from the Keys, Chris. And I'm fine with an SD box, BTW. It's all the same to my logbook (Ryan Grabow, FL, May 10, ibid.) To All: Who would like to have a standard definition (SD) Digital Multimedia Broadcast Terrestrial (DTMB-T) set-top-box? For now, I just want to get a rough figure count. If you missed my previous post, I will say it again. Cuba does not use VHF-Low band channels 2-6; don't expect to receive Es (GACTVDX, Easton PA, ibid.) ** CUBA. The e-skip season kicked off this morning with the usual Cubans on all low-VHF analogs. 2 CMBA Havana 3 CMEC Santa Clara 4 CMBR Havana 5 CMEA Santa Clara 6 - unknown battling local WLFM-LP, likely Havana Click image for larger version. Name: IMG_5507.JPG Views: 11 Size: 136.4 KB ID: 20296 Name: IMG_5508.JPG Views: 12 Size: 169.4 KB ID: 20297 (crazymonkey, Akron OH, May 6, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Your analog TV-6 was Cubavision in Televilla, assigned callsign CMBC with 129 kW with a zero offset. Here is a picture of the transmission antenna tower. It is located 4.5 miles northwest of Jose Marti International Airport. http://forums.wtfda.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=18696&d=1459087578 (GACTVDX, ibid.) I think you're correct. There are some weaker channel 6's in Cuba and a Franken FM in Miami, but those are doubtful. It's hard to get a clear video over local WLFM-LP. Havana always seems to be weaker than Santa Clara. I've seen Camaguey on channel 4, which I've been able to ID based on the sports programming. Channel 4 in Havana usually appears when I see Tele Rebelde on channel 2, but that's always weak, and I haven't gotten any ID other than references to Cuba. Maybe some day the e-skip will deliver stronger signals from Havana (Andrew, My TV and FM DX Photos from Akron, Ohio: https://www.flickr.com/photos/133179000@N04/albums ibid.) ** CZECHIA [non]. USA, 9955, R. PRAGUE. Mayo 8. 0300-0326 UT. Vía WRMI. Servicio en inglés. Especial sobre el compositor barroco František Jiránek que pertenece al siglo XVIII. SINPO: 45444 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** EAST TURKISTAN [non-logs]. 4850, 4980 and 5060, PBS Xinjiang, on May 9, made their seasonal change away from these frequencies; now these three frequencies are in the clear. Thanks to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for this additional info: May 10: "No signal(QSY): 3950, 3990, 4500, 4850, 4980, 5060 kHz, QSY to High Band" and also for the schedule from last year, which is probably still good: Summer Schedules (last year 2016): May --- > November ------------------------------------------------------------------ Uighur: 2300-1800 (Tue: 0800-1100 off air) 6120 2300-0300, 1200-1800 7205 2300-0230, 1400-1800 7275 2300-1800 9560 0300-1200 11885 2300-1800 13670 0230-1400 Chinese: 2300-1800 (Tue: 0800-1100 off air) 5960 2300-0300, 1200-1800 7260 2300-1800 7310 2300-0300, 1400-1800 9600 0300-1400 9835 0300-1200 11770 2300-1800 Mongolian: 2300-1800 (Tue: 0800-1100 off air) 6190 2340-0330, 1230-1800 7230 2340-0330, 0530-1030, 1230-1800 9510 0530-1030 Kazakh: 2300-1800 (Tue: 0800-1100 off air) 6015 2330-0300, 1200-1800 7340 2330-1800 9470 0300-1200 Kyrgyz: 2300-1800 (Tue: 0800-1100 off air) 9705 0330-0530, 1030-1230 11975 0330-0530, 1030-1230 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9799.63, Radio Cairo (presumed); 2118, 29-Apr; M in English interspersed with Arabic music. SIO=452 with muddy audio, only catch a word here & there (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0501-0516, 07-05, songs. Very weak, barely audible, best on LSB. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. RE 17-18, USA: Tony Alamo dies --- Glenn, Thanks for the news update. First heard Tony's SW program back in April, 2008, via Radio Africa, on 15190, from Equatorial Guinea. Over the years both you and I often reported hearing his programs, even long after his conviction and his being sent to prison. Not sorry to learn he is finally gone! A few brief 2012 audios from my collection: http://goo.gl/ZqmtVb and http://goo.gl/ioj0yz (Ron Howard, May 5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PLUS MORE Alamo material from DXLD 17-18 USA on WOR 1877 ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. Reception of Radio Xoriyo Ogaden via MBR Issoudun, May 9: 1600-1630 17630 ISS 500 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Somali Tue/Sat + jamming http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-radio-xoriyo-ogaden-via.html (DX RE MIX NEWS #1006 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, May 10, 2017 via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Dear EMR Listeners, Due to personal reasons EMR will be back on the air sometime later this year. All the best! (Tom Taylor, European Music Radio: website: http://www.europeanmusicradio.com email: emrshortwave@gmail.com May 5, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Pori - Preiviiki - 10 years on --- Jan 1st, 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the last SW transmission from this site. And at least as of 2015 this SW TX site still has its SW masts & antennas in place. Why I focus on this site today is due to recent Google Earth hi-resolution aerial imagery that was taken in 2015, on August 18th to be precise, that shows in great detail the curtain arrays, feeders & other site features, never previously available. Worth a look & a message post I thought. Enjoy. TX building is here: 61.484153 21.581068 (Ian, May 7, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Not yet. Digita had tried to find new customers after YLE left and set up a subsidiary called Digi Waves as holder of a broadcasting licence, necessary for transmitting programming of customers without such a Finnish licence. From 21 Nov to 5 Dec 2007 they ran tests for Family Radio (1800-1900 on 6125, 1900-2000 on 6130 and also // 963). On 19 Feb 2008 relays of "The Overcomer" commenced (1500-1700 on 9595, 1900-2100 on 6060), via what Stair called "Finland`s former tool in the Cold War". I don't have in my files when these Brother Scare transmissions ceased and if perhaps further shortwave relays followed. But so much can be said that the last ever shortwave transmissions from Preiviiki took place not before March 2008. >> And at least as of 2015 this SW TX site still has its SW masts & antennas in place. But the transmitters went away at some point between 2008 and 2012, being moved to Issoudun where they replaced vintage ca. 1972 units. No further word about what became of the Preiviiki facility after transmissions on mediumwave ceased, too, on 15 April 2013 (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) Hi Kai, Thanks for correcting me on final transmissions. I thought I had accounted from the Family Radio tests in the date I had in my Excel File, but I obviously didn't despite my non-descript note of the Family Radio test transmissions after YLE left the SW airwaves from the site. I couldn't remember 'The Overcomer' transmissions, so thanks very much for these details & the tx move info. I'll list the Last transmission date as something like late Feb 2008 with the date/freq of The Overcomer test txions in notes. Thanks again for that Kai - very helpful :-) (Ian, May 10, ibid.) ** FRANCE. Allouis 162 kHz http://radioforum.foren.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,1269879,1420479#msg-1420479 Apparently summarizing French sources as follows: No broadcaster has filed a serious application for using 162 kHz, so the carrier will remain silent, i.e. without program audio in AM. For the plain time signal application the output has now been adjusted to 1100 kW, with wrist watches for this system being mentioned as primary reason for still running so much power (Kai Ludwig, May 10, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Re: LW/MW in Europa - Überblick und Abschaltungen # geschrieben von: Radio10 Datum: 10. Mai 2017 17:15 Der Sender Allouis auf 162 kHz bleibt still. Trotz Ausschreibung für neue Anbieter kam es zu keiner seriösen Bewerbung. Die Sendeleistung wurde zurückgefahren auf immer noch 1100 kW. Das hatte ich auch schon am S Meter festgestellt da de Zeiger von 9 auf 7 gesunken war. (Analog Radio 1973 von Blaupunkt). Das Signal wird auch für Armbanduhren verwendet. Interessant wäre mal zu wissen wie eine Antenne für 162 kHz in einer Armbanduhr aussieht. Bei Bahnhofs oder Wanduhren ist doch viel mehr Platz für eine Spule mit ca 300 Windungen (via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Reception of Radio France International on May 4 0600-0700 on 11905 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg to WCAf English http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-radio-france-international.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, May 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13740, May 7 at 1910, tune-in to RFI, the last few words of Macron`s victory speech, and the first news I get that Le Pen was defeated, apropos direct from Issoudun during this one-hour broadcast; on the BST-1 caradio at Helena OK, which had stored 13740 as memory #52 for other stations (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RFI Election Results in English --- Fair to good reception of RFI in English on 11905 kHz from 0600 to roughly 0700 UT today, 8 May, using the U. Twente SDR receiver with a special edition of "Paris Live" on the results of the final round of the French presidential election. This was recorded as was the earlier edition on the results of the first round. Both will be archived once I return to the mainland (Richard Langley, HI, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A recording of this program and the special program with the results of the run-off round of the election archived here: https://archive.org/details/RadioFranceInternationale11.905MHz24April20170600UTC and here: https://shortwavearchive.com/archive/radio-france-internationale-results-of-first-and-second-rounds-of-presidential-election-april-24-may-8-2017 (Richard Langley, May 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Reception of DWD Deutscher Wetterdienst, AM mode May 9-10: 2002-2030 6180 PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German, QRM CRI on 6185 0602-0630 6180 PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German-fair/good signal http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-dwd-deutscher-wetterdienst.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Re: NPR Berlin --- For the time being, NPR created the impression that they have no other arrangement in the pipeline but just expect a third party ("local operator") to take the distribution costs for them, prompting comments like "typical US corporate behaviour". Anyway they have already surrendered their own licence, so if no arrangement (for which I see no other possibility than leasing airtime for cash from the "local operator") can be achieved, they're out. In the meantime: Deutsche Welle strives for domestic dissemination, via cable and DVB-T2 with its TV programs in English, Arabic and Spanish. http://www.medienkorrespondenz.de/politik/artikel/auslandsfernsehkanaele-der-deutschen-welle-bald-auch-im-inland-zu-sehen.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. Fun catch --- One early result from playbacks of the recent Desert DXPedition [eastern Utah??]: 353 kHz, "LLD", LANAI HI, On a 2200-ft Beverage at 255 degrees, into a Perseus SDR. Cheers! (Mark Durenberger, May 7, NRC-AM via DXLD) Nice! I've never experienced Beverages of that length. Mine are almost exclusively BOGs. I don't have the real estate for 2200' Beverages in Masset, but potentially could at Rose Spit, 25 km from my QTH up there. Would be fun! 73 (Walt Salmaniw, IRCA via DXLD) ** INDIA. 4870.25, AIR (Delhi-Kingsway), on May 8, with open carrier at 1322; started audio at 1326 with subcontinent music/singing (not AIR IS); weak; scheduled to be in Nepali; RRI Wamena (Indonesia) continues their month+ long silence, which was last heard on 4869.88. [non-log] 4895, AIR Kurseong, noted off the air both May 7 & 8. 4970, AIR Shillong, on May 8, with another day of strong audio, but QRM from OTH radar (4920-4975); 1239 pop music show with DJ in English talking about the bands/singers; 1315 ended show with usual local ID. [non-log] 5050, AIR Aizawl, as of May 8, has not been heard for a while now (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4895 [non-log], AIR Kurseong, off the air again May 9. 4970, AIR Shillong, on May 9, with yet another day of strong audio; 1230 news feed in English from Delhi. My five minute news audio at http://goo.gl/JZf8WY Fairly readable, which is a very nice change from their past low modulation. Wolfie's reception: "4970.017 IND AIR Shillong, S=9+20dB, female presenter in progress at 1410 and 1425 UT on May 9." RE: my "non-log" of AIR Aizawl: thanks to Wolfie, who provided this info on May 9: "5050even IND AIR Aizawl, Mizoram, rather tiny signal in Delhi remote SDR. S=7-8 at 1419 UT." So I am not hearing them underneath a strong Guangxi Beibu Bay Radio (China). In the past I had no problem hearing AIR mixing with BBR, so Aizawl must have come down significantly in power? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS and SIKKIM [non-log]. 4895, AIR Kurseong, remains off the air as of May 10 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: California AIR reception 4870.273 ...x.275, AIR Delhi Kingsway, checked on remote Perseus unit at Delhi India. At 1400 UT on Tue May 9, S=9+30dB, subcontinental music orchestra and singer. 4970.017, AIR Shillong, S=9+20dB, female presenter in progress at 1410 and 1425 UT on May 9. 5050even, AIR Aizawl, Mizoram, rather tiny signal in Delhi remote SDR. S=7-8 at 1419 UT. 5009.996, AIR Thiruvananthapuram, Muttathura, Kerala transmission S=9 at 1423 UT on May 9. 4950.010, Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, talk on Pakistan many times, S=9+25dB powerful at 1427 UT on May 9. 4920.002, AIR Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Hindi program, S=9+20dB, 1429 UT. 4910.004, AIR Jaipur, Rajasthan, different local program, phone-in program in Rajastani? much powerful S=9+30dB at 1430 UT on May 9. 4835even, AIR Gangtok, Sikkim, smooth sweet music singer, S=8-9 fair 0441 UT on May 9. 4809.998, AIR Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, S=9+20dB, smooth mx program. 1450 UT on May 9. 4799.997, AIR Hyderabad, Telengana, weak signal underneath heard (?), but totally covered by CNR1 Golmud Qinghai, S=9+25dB at 1506 UT. 4759.999, AIR - probably Port Blair location, S=9+5dB signal noted in Delhi India, at 1508, and male in Hindi at 1522 UT. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 9, dx_india yg via DXLD) 7289.994, Early time signal of AIR Thiruvananthapuram, scheduled 0230- 0930 UT in Hindi. Carrier was on air already at 0218 UT. S=9+20dB across Indian Ocean propagation path. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 5) Posted by: ("Wolfgang Bueschel", dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 7505.003, AIR Delhi Kingsway, Nepali service S=9+25dB powerful signal, 11 kHz terrible audio quality, rather strong carrier, but proper audio strength heard on two symmetrical spurious frequencies accompanied on 7471.5 and 7538 kHz, spurs 33 kHz distance away. S=9+10dB strength, 8.5 kHz wide spurs. And hit by co-channel heard at 0200 UT on May 5th: [original time?] 7504.976, USA, S=9+10dB signal of WRNO at 0202 UT. Log in remote SDR unit at Doha Qatar ME, on May 5th at 0150-0215 UT [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 5) ("Wolfgang Bueschel", dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRNO should have `hit` it already from circa *0100, not *0200 (gh) ** INDIA. 11560, AIR via Bengaluru site at 1510 UT May 7 in Pashto with music and talk. English News At Nine at 1530. Test tone at 1545, then off. Good. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 13695. AIR. Mayo 7. 1915-1945 UTC. Servicio en inglés. Música instrumental tradicional. A las 1929 identificació n de la emisora, y luego música de filmes. A las 1944, se dan datos y frecuencias del servicio. Además el audio se encuentra sobre modulado. SINPO: 55444 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9525, Voice of Indonesia, 1357 UT May 2 with English sign off and contact information before going into Indonesian programming just past 1400. Poor but readable. Also noted May 3 with English programming at 1300. Fair for over half a hour. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. New Internet station The Beatles Channel -------------------------- -------------------- --- ------- ------- The Beatles will have its own 24-hour radio station. Broadcasting company SiriusXM announced the creation of a new radio station, entirely devoted to the band The Beatles. Its launch will be held on May 18, 2017, reports NME. The radio station called The Beatles Channel will broadcast around the clock. In addition to the songs of the Liverpool Four, there will be special program slots on the air with famous fans of Beatles, quizzes and concert records. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were very impressed with the news. "I still remember what excitement we experienced when we first heard our music on the radio. I do not think that one of us could imagine that after more than fifty years we will have our own radio station. The station will have everything, eight days a week," McCartney said in an official statement, and Starr added: "Now you can listen to The Beatles at any time of the day." Intermedia.ru http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__65463/ (via Rus-DX May 6 via DXLD) SiriusXM, so INTERNATIONAL VACUUM too?? ** IRAN. 7425even, IRIB Tehran in Arabic, via Zahedan broadcast center site. Scheduled 1730 to 0230 UT, S=9+45dB POWERHOUSE audio signal. 24 kHz wideband signal at 0212 UT on May 5. Log in remote SDR unit at Doha Qatar ME, on May 5th at 0150-0215 UT. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 5) ("Wolfgang Bueschel", dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. SUMMERHILL RADIO MAST BEGINS LONGWAVE GOODBYE Local Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has said that he understands, that despite the decision of RTE to continue transmitting on the long wave 252 frequency until 2019, the mast at Summerhill is coming to the end of its life anyway. “The mast at Clarkstown, Kilcock (near Summerhill) has been mired in controversy since it was built nearly 30 years ago. For many years Atlantic 252 was transmitted from here to a UK audience and, in more recent years RTE Radio 1 transmits from here. I understand that the mast is coming to the end of its life and informed sources tell me that the mast will be lucky to last until 2019. “Contrary to what has been officially said before, I understand that there is no further use envisaged for this mast, which is basically out of date technology. Although there was a big campaign in the UK to retain the long wave service, in truth it can be difficult to listen to in large parts of the UK. “I will be expecting RTE to completely remove the Clarkstown mast when the 252 service comes to an end and that our emigrants will be served by a proper radio service that is actually listenable. If the mast has technical problems or weather damage I believe that it is highly unlikely that it would be repaired. I hope that this news will come as a relief to local residents who are genuinely stressed out about this mast”, he said. The mast has been a cause of huge concern for residents since it was erected almost 30 years ago; Residents say it has not been commercially viable for a long time and should have been taken down by now. One local resident said the planning permission is due to expire in May and they want to know if 2RN (RTE Networks) are going to apply for retention and it they don’t what are they going to do with the mast. Residents in the vicinity of the mast want assurances that when it stops transmitting that it won’t be used for anything else and will be taken down (Meath Chronicle via Ivan Tallon 12 Apr via May BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. 9490, May 5 at 0422, NHK Japanese via GERMANY is marred by Cuban pulse jamming at about equal poor level, left over from R. República via France on same frequency which presumably stops at 0300 when Japan starts. see also CUBA [non] 11685, May 9 at 1334, fair signal sounds Japanese vs perpetual RTTY from NAA on the hi side. Aoki shows it`s really the Bengali half- sesquihour from 1300, NHK World Radio Japan via SINGAPORE (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [non]. INDIA, Strange frequency of Voice of Kashmir / Sedoye Kashmir on May 9 1430-1530 NF 6100*DEL 100 kW / non-dir SoAs Kashmiri, instead of 6030 *0730-0830 on 6100 DEL 250 kW / 134 deg SoAs Kashmiri in summer A-17!! Today from 1530 no signal of R. Afghanistan External Service on 6100 1530-1730 on 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs English/Urdu/Arabic/Russian http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/strange-frequency-of-voice-of-kashmir.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. [re 17-18:] That's right, Mauno - for decades the broadcasts in Korean are with 48 minutes duration! Another notice, the programs in Korean - one via VOK and another of Home Service for example on 6100//9665//11680 //etc, are different programs, so in the list ]below[ has to read without "KCBS" and please compare at 1430- 1518 UT, 73s, (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Rumen, thank you, but the quoted schedule is not from my material, I don't know, where Wolfie has taken it. 73, (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) ** KOREA NORTH [and non non]. 15180 at 1250 May 10 --- KOREA (DPR) - Voice of Korea, Kujang heard with man and woman speaking alternatively in Korean beginning at 1250 and continuing past 1300. Strong signal beamed to Latin America with audio apparently impeded by industrial noise, transmitter issues or jamming. (Does anyone jam North Korean broadcasts?) SINPO - 45233 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Eton E1-XM, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) North Korea jams North Korean broadcasts. It`s been this way for ages --- jamming transmitters/antennas must not be sufficiently isolated from broadcast equipment right next to them, so the jamming noise bleeds into the broadcasts. Serves them right! (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** KOREA SOUTH. 5857.5, HLL2 Seoul, 1311, May 5. In English with weather conditions at different observatories around the country; providing wind direction, wind speed in meters per second, air pressure in hectopascals and temperature in Celsius; as usual the audio sounded somewhat muffled, but good signal strength (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. 15575, KBS World at 1313 with a man with “Welcome to the Thursday edition of Seoul Calling on KBS World Radio” and into a man and woman with various stories from the Korean peninsula – Good May 4 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA yg via DXLD) 15575, May 4 at 1325, KBS World Radio is starting to show up for its summer-season peak, English to North America at S9-S7 with choppy fading, also vs my HNL. Only May-August or so do we have a chance of hearing it as they stay on this unpropagating frequency all winter. Aoki still shows azimuth as 81 degrees from Kimjae, i.e. way south of North America, aimed right at Honolulu and Santiago, which also helps explain why this puts a much better signal into Chile. Or is it? 13-14 English, 14-15 Korean, and also a 00-03 UT broadcast on 15575 are now in HFCC as 40 degrees to CIRAF 1, 2 and 6, i.e. only Alaska, NW Canada, and western third of conterminous USA. This beam crosses USA from Vancouver to Matamoros, only about 6 degrees away from Enid (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15575, KBS. Mayo 7. 1349-1400 UT. Espacio de KPOP comentado en inglés con algunas novedades de las girls y boybands hasta las 14. SINPO: 45343. 15575, KBS. Mayo 7. 1400-1430 UT. Presentación de la emisión en coreano, luego una mujer da informaciones. A las 1409 identificación de la emisora. A las 1410, música de balada, luego se escucha a una mujer hablando en coreano. A las 1418, nuevamente una balada, con una pequeña presentación de una balada trot a las 1423 hasta las 1426 y luego comentarios. SINPO: 45444 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** KOSOVO. Kosovo on 549 kHz --- The last MW transmitter in Kosovo is Prishtine on 549 kHz. It is still active and it relays Radio Kosova 1. Not listed in WRTH. Reported by Boris Bielik and David Kriz, two members of the Czechoslovak DX Club (CSDXC) traveling in that area (Karel Honzik, CZECHIA, May 10, mwdx yg via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 7350, May 4 at 0412, Denge Kurdistane with talk at S9+10. Ivo says this recently replaced 11600 for the 0230-0500 segment, and is via Issoudun, FRANCE site, not Pridnestrovye nor B`lgariya. 7350, May 8 at 0241, nice songs from the PKK terrorists, S9+20. This is now the best time (0230-0500) for us to hear Denge Kurdistane, via FRANCE off the back, as the broadcasts in our mornings on 11600 just aren`t making it like they did in winter (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MOLDOVA, Extended transmission of Denge Kurdistan from May 9: 1930-2100 on 11600 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex till 2030 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/extended-transmission-of-denge.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. 15540, Radio Kuwait 1757 UT May 1 popped up in (presumed) Russian then National Anthem to 5 plus 1 time pips 1800 English sign on with time check National Anthem then announcement for MW, FM and shortwave frequencies (mentioning incorrect 25 MB for 15540 kHz) followed by "Biography of The Holy Prophet". At 1814 mention of reception reports welcomed then relay of FM playing western pop music. A PSA about the dangers of overloading one`s vehicle. Excellent. Also noted missing May 4 when I check at 1804 UT but Excellent on May 2 and 5th. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15540, Radio Kuwait; 1945-2003+, 4-May; English feature on the importance of mothers in child development; English pop music; traffic violation PSA from the Dept. of Pubic Relations & Moral Guidance of the Dept. of the Interior; full ID at 2001+ with QSL info & said on 963 kHz, 93.3 MHz & 15540 kHz. SIO=3+53+ (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Kuwait in Arabic after 2100 UT --- 15540. May 4 at 2054, Radio Kuwait, Kabd, in English. Man announcer talks; 2059 ID and IS. 2100 IS and female announcer talks in Arabic language; 2117 A brief Arabic song; Radio Kuwait with a very poor transmission, today, 25442 (yesterday, May 3, 45444, surprise!). Important: No have schedules (Aoki, EiBi or HFCC) about Radio Kuwait in Arabic, after 2100UT, yet. Transmission at 2100-2118 with abrupt ends (DXer: José Ronaldo Xavier, Location: Cabedelo-PB, Brazil, RX (s): Degen DE1103 & Tecsun S-2000, Antenna: Longwire, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) I`m sure this is merely sloppyration, not a deliberate Arabic service (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15540, May 5 at 2052, R. Kuwait news headlines in English, 2056 more western pop music, 2100 timesignal, a bit more music and off. I think they missed the national anthem? Good on BST-1 caradio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here is the sign on at 1800 UT May 6th on 15540 kHz as heard here in Central Alberta. 73 (Mick Delmage, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop Attachment(s) from Mickey Delmage | View attachments on the web 1 of 1 File(s) Radio Kuwait 15540 kHz May 6 2017 1800 UTC.mp3 Posted by: (Mickey Delmage, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Someone forgot to change 25 mb to 19 mb in their frequency announcement (Don Moman, ibid.) Yes, and I checked other recordings from this week and they also say 25 mb. I wounder if the announcer even knows what shortwave is? 73 (Mick, ibid.) It was ever thus, for years & years before the latest hiatus. Could it also be a canned ID so not really reading the same mistake over and over anew? {Not that that`s any excuse} (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) 15540, May 6 around 1930, R. Kuwait with stories in English about the PBUH fellow, as I was hoping for some music to lull my nap. Good signal far outstripping JBA North Americans on 15825, 15770, 15610, 15555, also better than Spain on 15520, 15390 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15540. May 6 at 2031, Radio Kuwait, Al Kabd, in English. All songs, variety songs (It looks like we're in front of an American broadcaster!); 2050 ID and man announcer talks news; 2055 A song; 2059 Man talks, ID, frequency schedule and IS (A short piece of National Anthem). Broadcasting with very good signal and modulation, 45544. DXer: (José Ronaldo Xavier, Cabedelo-PB, Brazil, RX (s): Tecsun S- 2000, Antenna: Longwire, HCDX via DXLD) [repeating old news prior to the SW reactivation:] http://www.radioworld.com/global/0007/ampegon-to-update-shortwave-transmitters-for-kuwait-radio/338855 Radio World December 21, 2016 --- Swiss-based company Ampegon has accepted a contract from Al Rashed to handle the upgrade of five analog shortwave transmitters that are more than 20 years old for the Kuwait Ministry of Information in Al Kabd station. The five transmitters were originally installed between 1992 and 1995. Ampegon will refurbish all of the transmitters, and in addition upgrade three of them to full digital DRM integration and converted to the new transmitter control system UCS; this will include new motor drives within the tuning circuits. Work on the transmitter is expected to start in January 2017 (via Wolfgang Büschel, May 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 5130, Sedaye Zindagi. Translated from Dari as Voice of Life re-activated on 11/4 at *1550-1750* with talks & religious songs, a Christian program (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF2001D, Folded Marconi ant 16 meters long own made), May Australian DX News via DXLD 17-18 via WORLD OF RADIO 1877) KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, 4010.220, Bishkek Birinchi R1 from Krasnaya Rechka, powerhouse S=9+30dB, phone-in program in Kyrgyz language, at 1407 UT on May 9. Nothing seen/visible on 4819v nor 5130v kHz at this hour. But at 1527 UT on May 9 heard 'Radio Sedaye Zindagi' religious program in Pasto in progress on 5129.976 kHz. S=9+15dB signal behind Afghanistan into Delhi India rx. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 9, dx_india yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) Yes, only China heard on 4820 kHz. I checked my file from the end of March and also then KGR was there only in the morning, so maybe reduced schedule? And what is noteworthy, it was NOT // with Birinchi Radio 4010 kHz. Attached 0100 ID, which I can't match with any network name given in the WRTH. Sounds like "Karast Radyosu" or similar? Anyone more familiar with Turkic languages here? (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) Dmitry Mezin could ID it as Kyrgyz Radyosu, so it is the 2nd network. Hopefully someone can now confirm, that 4820 kHz is still on even on mornings or off completely (Mauno Ritola, May 10 ibid.) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, Radio Nasionaly Malagasy, Ambohidrano, 1930-1935, 06-05, comments, songs. 13221 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not reported lately in the morning circa 0230, and widely variant; still on then? (gh, DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR [and non]. 11825, May 4 at 0421, MWV African Pathways Radio playing neat reggae music, S7 with deep fades to S3 during English hour; 0424 `This Day in History` feature for 4 May, from Kent State killings of students to International Respect for Chickens Day, but always leading up to an irrelevant Bible verse. 0429 on to a `Creation Moment` about pain management, concluding that medicine doesn`t matter because pain is caused by sin. Enough of that crap. We can only pray that Africans don`t fall for it. 11825, meanwhile, an understation of NHK IS starts at *0425. That`s 300 kW Yamata direct prior to Chinese at 290 degrees from 0430 to 0500. 11825, May 5 at 0410, the African Pathways Radio hour from Madagascar World Voice via Mahajanga, is instead dead air at S9+5 fading to S7; 0411 modulation cuts on --- but in Arabic, not English! Talk. 0417 back to dead air for a seminute, then some music; 0420 talk again, then more dead air. 0427 a few words of Arabic, more silence as the NHK IS is again audible underneath; 0431 music cuts on. With only a few languages and a limited schedule on two transmitters, you`d think MWV could manage to match them up properly. Anyhow, 25m propagation all the way from Mad is VG tonight (Glenn Hauser, OK, via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked 0330 to 0455 UT slot this morning in Delhi, Doha Qatar, southern Germany and various places like Hiroshima, Tokyo, Kyoto, Ishikawa, Nagoya, etc. in Japan. WCB Mahajanga-MDG: 0300 0400 15515 INDIA ENGLISH 0400 0500 11825 AFRICA African ENGLISH 0400 0500 17530 S. CHINA CHINESE 11825, WCB, Mahajanga-MDG at 0430 UT heard in rather poor S=5 signal in Doha Qatar and Delhi sidelobe, but ENGLISH! Program is meant to central all Africa and at 295degrees towards West Africa. At 0443-0447 UT heard modern religious prayer songs in English. S=7 in southern Germany. But their other WCB MWV Chinese language service at same time slot in 16 meterband on 17530 kHz gives S=7-8 signal in Doha Qatar, and eastwards much stronger in Delhi India at proper S=9+20dB, S=9+ in various SDR remotes in Japan. at 0440 UT. WCB MWV Frequency selection of 17530 kHz channel is rather poor. Adjacent Chinese services on 17540 and 17520 kHz are mostly 20 kHz wideband signals. Otherwise there are a lot of fq range channels FREE at 04-05 UT time slot. 17530 kHz suffers by adjacent CRI Hakka service at 0400-0500 UT from Kashgar western China border broadcasting center outlet at 0451 UT, latter on 17540 kHz which is S=9+40dB in Delhi India. And another adjacent 17520 kHz suffer in use by MRA Saipan RFA Mandarin + accompanied Chinese jamming, like S=9 in Japan. In 03-04 UT slot WCB MWV Mahajanga-MDG signal in English propagate excellent via Indian Ocean on 15515 kHz, heard a S=9+20dB signal at 0335 UT in Delhi India remote post. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, May 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR [and non]. 11650, May 5 at 0415, S9+25 peaks via Talata site, R. Tamazuj ID in Arabish, with phone SFX, repeated IDs, song; accompanies also VG but defective signal from the other Madagascar site MWV, q.v. 0421 also // weaker 9600 running 6 seconds behind 11650. For the morning broadcasts, HFCC, Aoki and EiBi almost agree: R. Tamazuj: 0330-0429 9600 Vatican, 11650 Madagascar. R. Dabanga: 0430-0530 9600 Vatican, 11650 Vatican, 13800 Madagascar So if I had checked 11650 after Dabanga took over, it should have weakened, and no longer be out of synch with 9600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 800, May 4 at 0449 UT, XEROK music blasting over KQCV OKC like a cannon. I really think it must have ramped up to full power lately of 50 kW ND, which means it`s probably tearing up KQCV in parts of OKC as well, outside its main lobe, supposedly protecting XEROK. Seems like I have a pipeline from the WSW, with 1020 KCKN also inbooming, but I really think it`s the stations, not propagation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Raymie Humbert, AZ, replies to my previous logs of no FM for XEROK: ``That makes a lot more sense. Grupo Siete Comunicación is the full name of the company (speaking of which, their own site doesn't list XHEOB-FM, a common head-scratcher...)`` (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. 6185, UT Monday May 8 at 0324, XEPPM playing music, not // MW stations with `La Hora Nacional`. Is Radio Educación SW exempt? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week [not including DTV] Awoo! Awoo! Sonora's religious wolf is ON THE AIR! http://www.alcancetv.com.mx/radio/ XHAGP-FM "Radio Alcance, La Poderosa" is now pumping out 1 kW to the Agua Prieta-Douglas area [tagline:] Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, May 11, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 7459.9, May 9 at 2059 UT, Radio Free Asia, via Ulaanbaatar transmitter, sign on with English ID, Korean program, SIO: 343 (Franck Baste, France, Perseus + Loop ALA 1530, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. From May 1 again no signal of Radio Medi 1 on 9575 kHz 0000-2400 on 9575 NAD 250 kW / 110 deg to NoAf Arabic/French http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/from-may-1-again-no-signal-of-radio.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, May 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Has suffered short or long outages before but always came back (gh) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. 9925, May 7 at 0057, reactivated summer frequency for The Mighty KBC via Nauen, GERMANY. No more worries about clashing with Cuba on 6145. Starts out at S9 but steadily weakening. At 0125, S5-S7; 0135 S4-S5, weaker than 9935 & 9420 Greece. Yet another European further south and more power, ROMANIA keeps to S9+30 on 9730 in French, S9 on 9790 in Romanian, but both mostly music. At 0125, 9730 is still 30 over. KBC anyhow should improve into summer on the average. Not only that but scheduling means it competes with several American music programs, mostly bigger-signaled; see U S A (Glenn Hauser, OK, via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mighty KBC not a good start on 9925 --- Mighty KBC May 7, 2017 0000-0200 UTC 9925 kHz via Nauen, Germany. 0000 UT "Dave Mason Show" S7 to S9 with deep fades. 0003 S9 to S9 +20dB still with deep fades at times. 0038 signal falls to S5 to S8. 0100 "Bureau of Standards" message signal S6 to S8. 0119 signal falls to S3 at times. 0130 digital text. 0136 barely hearing. 0142 UT completely gone. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just to show how perverse HF propagation can be, The Mighty KBC put an excellent signal on 9925 kHz into southwestern Michigan from 0000 to 0045 UTC, when I had to move on to other things. I was using the Tecsun PL-880 with its whip antenna indoors. Their former frequency, 6145 kHz, was hardly ever strong enough to allow this, even in the dead of winter. There was some modest fading last night but nothing that got in the way of "armchair copy," which it literally was. 73, (Andy Robins, Kalamazoo, Michigan USA, ibid.) Andy, Yes, but both Kraig and I found it fading down markedly during the following hour and you might have too (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. Just arrived in Kona, Hawaii, after a week in Honolulu (for an ION meeting). Arm-chair copy of RNZI on 13840 kHz at 0420 UT. Shortly after the top of the hour there was a special report on the cyclone impacting Vanuatu -- a current example of why RNZI needs to continue to service the Pacific on SW (-- Richard Langley, NB, May 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Vanuatu's northern islands hit as Cyclone Donna moves west http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/330122/vanuatu%27s-northern-islands-hit-as-cyclone-donna-moves-west (via Mike Terry, May 5, dxldyg via DXLD) The How to Listen page as linked in the article has been amended for part of the SW schedule, checked 2251 UT May 7: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/listen UTC 1836-1950 9700 AM CYCLONE Warnings 9760 DRM Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun - Fri 1859-1958 9700 AM Pacific Sat 1951-2050 11725 AM CYCLONE Warnings 11690 DRM Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun - Fri It seems to imply that for the Warnings, two transmitters are back on the air, one in AM, one in DRM. Is this correct??? Or is one of them for warnings, the other with normal programming? Or is it really only one or the other? The layout is totally confusing (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here in Kailua-Kona on the west coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i at our holiday house, RNZI has a good-level AM signal on 11725 kHz at 1940 UT using the Tecsun PL-880 with its whip antenna. There is also a loud noise signal on 11690 kHz. Don't know for certain that it's a DRM signal but perhaps. (There is a lot of RFI from the house.) The noise signal is at 20 dBµ whereas on 11680 and 11700 it's just background noise at 1 dBµ. I do have an SDRPlay receiver with me and will try to set it up to get a waterfall later on to confirm any DRM signals. (Richard Langley, May 9, ibid.) as of 2053 UT May 10 the How To Listen sked had been changed to: 1651-1835 9700 AM CYCLONE Warnings 6115 DRM Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun - Fri 1836-1950 9700 AM CYCLONE Warnings 9760 DRM Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun - Fri 1859-1958 9700 AM Pacific Sat 1951-2050 11725 AM CYCLONE Warnings 11690 DRM Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga Sun - Fri (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7425, RNZI armchair level here at 0758 with Cyclone Donna Advisory for Vanuatu. Winds near center 185 km/hr gusting to 265 km/hr, a Category 4 cyclone. Time pips and man announcer with "RNZI News at 8" at 0800. Item about sports figures using cocaine, local fires, freedom campers in Christchurch, opening of duck hunting season, 400+ migratory birds found dead in TX, etc. Item by woman on submitting complaints against RNZI followed by local weather by man to 0804 and program announcements to 0805. Nice to have RNZI hanging in there with decline of SW stations worldwide! Posted by: ("Bruce Churchill", CA, May 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13840, May 8 at 0313, good S9+5 interview about the French elexion, from RNZI, ex-15720, better than it was usually heard on that band which is now dead. 13840 now scheduled long hours, 2051-0458 daily (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 7255, 4 May. No sign of VoN tonight on 7255 as of 0605. At this QTH usually has an S-4 signal at least from 0555 carrier and IS (Bruce Churchill, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. Radio Dandal Kura Int via BaBcoCk, May 10: 0500-0600 on 5960 ASC 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAf Kanuri 0600-0700 on 7415 ASC 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAf Kanuri 0700-0800 on 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg to WeAf Kanuri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/radio-dandal-kura-int-via-babcock-may-10.html 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. The Crystal Ship showed up on CHU`s inactive frequency, 3330! With songs about time, ha ha. Presumably will defer to CHU once it`s reactivated, UT May 10 several reports between 0113 and 0214, not by me: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,34763.0.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6888, PIRATE, Unknown Name Radio Network, 0000, 5.6.17. [May 6, 2017] Jumped up here from 6880, then back and forth before settling on 6888. Initially very weak music, which came up at 0008 with similar electronic music as earlier on 6880 (Mark Taylor, Madison, Wisconsin. Equipment: Perseus, SDRPlay, RTL2832 V3 dongle for SDR’s; E1, Satellit 800, PL 660, and various other portables for physical radios; 40 meters dipole, 100’ long wire, Mini whip, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 6880, May 9 at 0049, pirate screaming at S9+10 but noisy. Unknown Name Radio Network, of course per a couple logs: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,34763.0.html wherein the title of what I heard can be read (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6940-USB, May 7 at 0100, DJ Dick Weed, Radio Free, What-ever ID, at S8 about = noise level. No other pirates heard this hour, and 6940 is off by 0141 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. YHWH: 7615/AM, 0327-0334+, 29-Apr; Yahweh dude ranting about idol worshipping, war mongering, scandalous lying politicians, globalists, “burn you flags”. S6 copiable peaks +++ [same] 0305-0310+, 1-May; “Yahweh” dude. Copiable peaks in the QRN. He was on last night, but uncopiable (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7615-AM, May 4 at 0410, Station YHWH is on, very poor at S8. Other reports indicate he starts at 0230, but that may vary. 7615, May 5 at 0409, YHWH is on at S9-S7. His regular schedule is certainly facilitating rebusting, but maybe correctly assumes FCC is otherwise preoccupied (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good reception tonight from 0240 tune in. I do note a digital signal spanning 7617.2 to 7619.2 approximately. It's intermittent white noise sounding and last for 3 to 5 seconds each time. Not a huge issue, but does mar reception. 73 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, May 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7615-AM, May 8 at 0230 no signal yet, but 0238 recheck, Station YHWH now underway, poor at S5-S8 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7615, USA [sic] (pirate) YHWH, 0430. In progress. the usual. Reception all over the map ranging from VG to poor, each for long periods of time. May 8 (Rick Barton, AZ, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hearing YHWH right now on 7610 (just off from former 7615). Giving the callsign YHWH as I write this (0408Z). Very strong signal here. I got fooled, checking 7615 all night and mistakenly had my attenuator on. When I turned off attenuation, I could hear YHWH via ACI splatter. 73 and Good Listening (Rick in Arizona Barton, UT May 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Rick, You must be much closer to his transmitter than I am. May 9, at 0250, realized that ex: 7615 was silent tonight, so tuned down and also found him on new 7610, with his unmistakable voice, but unreadable; very poor. Still on at 0348 and still very unreadable. Had been on ex: 7615 for a long time (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7610! *new frequency, USA (Pirate) YHWH. 5/9, 0400. Caught in progress after checking 7615 and hearing him via ACI splatter. Ten Commandments of Yahweh lecture. Tuned out but did rechecks including just before 0500. Just after 0500, recheck showed them off, so i will call it: their/his closing time was 0500. Good. May 9 (Rick Barton, AZ, Logs from the patio table with (unless otherwise stated) RS SW-2000629, 20' wire and Longines "World Traveler" portable with stock whip, ibid.) It is Yahweh or the Highway on 7615 right now. It came on at 0300 and with fair signal here in Arizona. 73 and Good Listening! (Rick in Arizona Barton, May 10, ibid.) Going strong at 0422. Not as good as some nights, but a decent S6 signal. Anyone else notice the intermittent digital noise above the channel? 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, ibid.) A record for YHWH? Tuned in YHWH a few hours ago, and on rechecking, it's still on the air at 0537 (past 10:37 PM local). Signal strength is quite good, but modulation is very low, almost barely audible. I did note a little squiggle in the carrier a few minutes ago. It was 50 to 100 Hz higher, and I could see the waterfall shift suddenly down in 2 steps, back to the nominal 7615.0 MHz. I don't recall whether they've ever stayed on the air so late. I'll leave the recorder going in the meantime to ascertain sign-off time. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, May 11, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. 1000, May 4 at 0446 UT, KTOK OKC with Dodgers baseball play-by-play, and not the OKC farmteam, because an ad for Southern California Toyotathon is then inserted, in the bottom of the eighth, just before midnight here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1420.0, May 10 at 1224 UT, CBS Sports Radio // 1390 KCRC Enid, of which this is the long-standing spur. Usually it makes an audible het with real 1420 stations, but either accidentally or deliberately, KCRC has tightened up the spur so that now it only makes a fast SAH. Ditto the other one on 1360.0. Also makes it harder to detect the second-order much weaker spurs at 2 x 30 kHz above and below, i.e. 1330 & 1450 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Slight level-1 tropo enhancement over eastern OK into KS (not including OKC), with a number of Bad bars, but a few DTV decodes, starting at 1407 UT May 6: RF 31 from Derby (Wichita) KS: 31-1, KDCU-DT with Univisión; no other subchannels RF 45 from Wichita KS: 3-1, KSNW-DT 3-2, Telemun[do] 3-3, ION [strange, main channel only, then] 3-4, Justice This matches market 105 at https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php except he may now remove the (soon) from Justice. Would exactly the same lineup be on other Kansas State Network stations? KSNW will be repacked to channel 15, which means same as KTBO ``14`` OKC, which would once have been a too-close no-no. Hope it`s enough to QRM the worthless TBN signals this far. Also interesting that I am getting this rather than another RF 45, KOTV-DT in Tulsa as other Tulsa channels are in. RF 20 from Muskogee (Tulsa) OK: 19-1, KQCW-DT, no other subs RF 28 from Okmulgee (Tulsa) OK: 44-1, KTPX-TV, Ion, presumably with the 4 other subs, not checked. No repacking info, so this one to go off. BTW, it`s strange to see r-e pulling three Joplin MO LD stations into the Tulsa market #63. Maybe like the Enid listing for RF 48, KUOC-LD, these are fantastic. KUOC is apparently on the air, but from a tower on western outskirt of Tulsa (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman, 1420 UT tune in with relay of 90.4 Oman FM playing western pop music with a very excited DJ talking about the upcoming weekend. FM Imaging about "The Nation`s Station" and program "Connected". Call to prayer at 1442 for Muscat and suburbs and to note that Radio Oman notes call to prayer for this area only and listeners in other areas (shortwave) are to note proper time for their area for prayer. Back to pop music then into Arabic programming (news) at 1500 UT, Very Good. 73 (Mick Delmage, Central Alberta, Perseus SDR, Wellbrook loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) date? ** PAKISTAN. New 100 kW transmitter at Larkana. Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has up-graded its 12-year old 10 kW medium wave transmitter with a new 100 kW transmitter in Larkana enabling listeners to get stronger and clearer transmission in Larkana and beyond. Meanwhile, transmission from 100 kW medium wave transmitter at PBC Mirpur [Azad Kashmir] has also been ensured at optimum power to counter Indian propaganda. Lately, India escalated media warfare against Pakistan through its radio stations operating from the Indian Occupied Kashmir. The old 100 Kilowatt medium wave transmitter of PBC Mirpur [936 kHz] procured in 1996 was operating on low power due to aging and complex technical defect. A technical team of the PBC engineers rectified the fault and now transmission covers areas across Line of Control (PBC Pakistan Broadc. Corpor. web site 10 April via mediumwave.info, via BDXC-UK "Communication" magazine May 2017 via BC-DX 7 May via DXLD) Former PAK_PBC Mirpur 936 kHz 10 kW, no mediumwave tall antenna location known yet. But close to PBC Mirpur Azad Kashmir Radio broadcasting house. Two lower masts of FM transmitter visible. Sector F-3, Kotli Road, Mirpur (AJK) Azad Kashmir, 33 08 13.73 N 73 46 41.80 E (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 6, BC-DX 7 May via DXLD) ** PANAMA. FM Es target in Panamá! Panamá has their first 100 kilowatt FM station!! Well, almost 100 kilowatts. ASEP in Cd. Panamá just released their 1st quarter 2017 radio documents and posted them on their website. There were 15 license modification permits issued in the first quarter, mostly transmitter power adjustments or antennas being relocated. All of the changes have been updated in the WTFDA FM database. Panamá is trying to avoid the radio chaos of their neighbors to the north by not releasing new station licenses. No new stations in Panamá - it's just not happening now. AND the BIG NEWS was --- on January 16, 2017, ASEP authorized a station that wasn't even 20 kilowatts to increase to almost 100 kilowatts, becoming the first and most powerful FM in all of Panamá. 96.7 HORDC-2 in El Valle, Coclé (east of Cd. Panamá) was granted a license to go to 99.701 kilowatts. HORDC-2 is a relay of 96.5 HORDC Cd. Panamá, known as "TVN Radio". The 96.7 TVN relay leap-frogged past runners-up 102.9 HOBM Cd. Panamá at 82 kilowatts and 90.1 HOTMA Cd. Panamá with 54 kilowatts. Now there's a real Es target for our Southern US FM dxers! Here's their web-link, if you care to check them out... http://radio.tvn-2.com/ And just for kicks, I've attached a *bottom of the hour* station break mp3 recording (about 4 minutes) - recorded this afternoon from their web-stream. And if that isn't enough FUN, I've put a *scenario* map together of WHAT IF..... what if some of our recognizable FM dxer buddies were to catch the 96.7 TVN Radio signal via Es this summer? What kind of distance would they be looking at? Take a look at the map and you'll know who we're talking about. Attached Images Attached Images File Type: jpg 96.7 map.jpg (500.3 KB, 20 views) Attached Files File Type: mp3 96.7 TVN Radio 5-07-17.mp3 (1.56 MB, 2 views) Last edited by Jim Thomas; 05-07-2017 at 09:03 PM (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Making FM Dxing more fun than a barrel of monkeys! WTFDA Forum via DXLD) Map shows under 1500 miles to four LA, SC, FL DXers (gh, DXLD) "C" here....96.7 is an I-Block freq. here; it'll have to do a number on WPOW for me to pull it off. Juan (Iowacane) in Ft Pierce has logged a 96.7 in Venezuela---he and Ryan G. would be the closest. (96.9 Fort Myers doesn't use I Block---yet.) cd (Chris Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, ibid.) See also PUBLICATIONS ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang, 1207*, May 8. Suddenly off after the news in English and promo; poor. 3275, NBC Southern Highlands (presumed), 1208 to past 1318, May 8. Only hearing an open carrier here; has not been heard for quite a while. Dave Valko was also tentatively hearing them today at 1315, via remote web receiver in Collie, Australia. He did have some weak audio, with language and format sounding right to be NBC. 3260, NBC Madang and 3275, NBC Southern Highlands both silent on May 9, at 1202; unlike yesterday`s receptions; today with unique conditions, as the lower powered Korean station on 3220 was unusually strong today (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4955, R. CULTURAL AMAUTA. Mayo 2. 2307-2318 UT. Avisos comerciales de cooperativas de ahorro y luego un programa hablado en quechua con anuncios. SINPO: 45444. (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 40 metros de largo, QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 5025, R. QUILLABAMBA. Mayo 2. 2250-2306 UT. Avisos de procesiones y actividades de parroquias católicas durante la semana y luego música de hauynos serranos. Identificació n a las 2306. SINPO: 55444. 5025, R. QUILLABAMBA. Mayo 3. 2258- UT. Música de hauynos. Identificación de la emisora a las 2304 y avisos comerciales. SINPO: 45343 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 40 metros de largo, QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 5980. R. CHASKI. Mayo 4. 0025-0038 UT. Al parecer no hay transmisión en aquella frecuencia o el ruido ambiental la tapa de modo completo (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL 660; ANT: Hilo de 40 metros de largo, QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 11850, poor May 9 at 1336, harmonious hymn melody, surely RCC Christian, as R. Veritas Asia via Palauig is scheduled this hour in Vietnamese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA [and non]. 9510, May 8 at 0248, two VP signals about equal at S7, one JBA Spanish mailbag // inbooming 9730 RRI at 0200-0300, and HFCC shows the other is AWR at 0230-0300 in Punjabi via AUSTRIA, following Urdu on same, so the whole hour is shared/colliding, Galbeni at 245 degrees and Moosbrunn at 94 degrees. At 0249 RRI goes to music, easier to match (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 7345, Radio Sakha, via Yakutsk, 1040-1101, May 4. Chatting on the phone in assume Yakut; brief English: "We are on the air"; 1056 ID ("Radio Sakha") and ads in Russian; 1100 usual IS with Jew's harp (khomus); 3 time pips and into the news till covered at 1101 by strong CNR1 (China) sign on. They broadcast in Russian, Yakut and Evenki languages. 7295 remains unheard. Thanks to feedback from Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan), on May 3: "7295kHz RUSSIA Radio Sakha, still off air," with "7345kHz RUSSIA Radio Sakha, strong signal," both at 1057. In the past they always gave their ID religiously at xx:50, but recently noted more often than not about xx:55-xx:57. My 5+ minute unedited audio at http://goo.gl/GhTNjt Google translation of today's NVK Sakha's programs: 06:00 [2100 UT] Dojdum djono (Anabyr TV) 06:30 Dojdum djono (Verkhnevilyui branch of TV) 07:00 New day 10am Saha Cire 10:15 Dojdum djono (Nyurba TV) 10:45 Aiylgy 11:45 In the frame - republic 12:30 Dojdum dyono (Taatta TV) (on yak.yaz.). 1:00 pm Keepers of time 1:30 pm Saha sire-Yakutia 14:00 Etherair-Saha radio 3pm Aal-luk weight 3:30 pm Dojdum djono (Suntaar TV) 15:45 Poems by S. Danilov (on yak.yaz.). 4pm Prospekt "Vesna" 5pm CURRENT. 6pm Saha Cire 18:15 News from Parliament 18:30 The sun (on yak.yaz.). 18:45 Aal-luk weight 19:30 [1030 UTC] In the thick of life (on yak.yaz.). 20:30 [1130 UTC] Saha sire-Yakutia 9pm Prospekt "Vesna" 22:00 TV Sports 22:30 [1330 UT] Saha sire-Yakutia http://goo.gl/2M6UzB (Ron Howard, oceanside at Pacific Grove, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. PROBLEM. MAIL OF RUSSIA AND WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE. According to many DX-listeners, in Russia the delivery of letters and QSL-cards from foreign radio stations has sharply decreased this year. In addition, it is impossible to make a claim. Mail in Russia is not responsible for simple correspondence. Only registered letters can be tracked. Now every letter or QSL card is a holiday. If this trend continues, then the number of radio amateurs in Russia, which, listen to foreign stations will be reduced. But, as they say, hope dies last (Anatoly Klepov, Moscow, Russia, Rus-DX 7 May via DXLD) Letters, parcels and postcards from abroad will first be sent to Yakutia. As it became known to Kommersant, FSUE Russian Post from January 1, 2017 takes extraordinary measures to regulate the flow of simple small packages - these are often used to deliver purchases from foreign online stores ... The Post of Russia informed postal administrations of the member countries of the Universal Postal Union that from January 1, 2017 incoming written correspondence should be delivered to the International Postal Exchange (MMPO) in Mirny. This is due to the "optimization of the logistics network," said in a letter dated December 5 from Deputy Director General of FSUE Russian Post Sergey Malyshev (a copy is from Kommersant). Under the definition of incoming mail correspondence, which is mentioned in the letter, all letters and postcards from abroad, as well as customized and simple small packages weighing up to 2 kg, were explained to "Kommersant" by an interlocutor familiar with the situation. According to the press service of the Russian Post, "MMPO in Mirny serves as an alternative entry point for unregistered mail from foreign postal administrations that do not wish to act in accordance with the procedures approved by the Post of Russia." The innovations will not affect EMS express parcels, parcel post, and delivery between the countries of the Eurasian Economic Community, specified in FSUE ... This, in particular, will allow "to deal with opaque mail flows coming to Russia from Southeast Asia not directly, But through a number of countries in Europe and the CIS "... What are the tariffs for unregistered small packages after processing in Mirny, on the "Post of Russia" they do not say: it will be discussed with foreign postal administrations ... The postal administration of the sender has a duty to deliver to MMPO, after that, Russian Post's planes will export international mail from Mirny, the source of Kommersant, who is familiar with the activities of Post of Russia, supposes. Hypothetically, postal companies can work through Mirny, but in fact it is a prohibitive action aimed at limiting parcelling traffic from China, he believes. "This is an attempt to raise prices for international incoming correspondence with investments," the source of Kommersant believes ... http://avmalgin.livejournal.com/6658650.html + Photo. The test of permafrost is just what your product ordered abroad needs. City Mirniy. Everything is ready to receive international correspondence. http://avmalgin.livejournal.com/6658650.html (RusDX, ibid.) See also TAIWAN ** SAINT HELENA. ST HELENA RADIO STATION CELEBRATES 4TH ANNIVERSARY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc-iPgN5O4Y SAMS radio 1 celebrated their 4th Anniversary of being on air on Monday the 13th February 2017. The day included live shows from 7am to Midnight. The day was more special given the fact that it was also World Radio Day. Here's a little video of what went on in the Studio during those 17 hours. Mit Gruss, (Herbert Meixner via A-DX via SW Bulletin May 7 via DXLD) ** SERBIA. Serbia on 1602 kHz --- Now it was confirmed that the (most probably) last active Serbian MW transmitter is Sjenica (Syenitsa) on 1602 kHz with Beograd 1. It was confirmed a couple of days ago by a group of DXers from Czechia and Slovakia travelling in Sjenica area. They heard this transmitter before also in their home countries (Karel Honzik, CZECHIA, May 8, mwmasts yg via DXLD) Many thanks, Karel! The Sjenica transmitter is audible around 19 UT here in Salzburg, talk, local music, ID as ``Radio Beograd``. QRM from a Greek transmitter, Spain and Seagull are very low on my Middle East Beverage. 73 (Christoph Ratzer, May 8, -- http://ratzer.at http://remotedx.wordpress.com mwcircle yg via DXLD) Members, Thanks to Ydun and MediumWave Info for the news that 1602 kHz is in use in South East Serbia. This will suggest that like Lithuania there is a need to reactivate Serbia as a country on my Active spreadsheet. In the article from Karel Honzik there is clear mention of Sjenica as the site for the broadcasts. In common with mwlist I have entered the mast at Leskovac in my Inactive or Closed spreadsheet. The two locations are 161 km apart. Needless to say my searches around 43 16 30N 20 00 00E for any trace of a mast in Sjenica failed to reveal a mast there. Further support for Leskovac comes from ITU records. Unless a member can provide evidence of a site in Sjenica, I will assume that in fact the Leskovac site has been reactivated. This is good news. I do not know if the station will stay on air for long. 73 and 88 (Dan Goldfarb, mwmasts yg via DXLD) A situation on the channel is complicated by sporadic evening operation of another Serbian station, pirate in that case, observed on 1600 kHz mainly (Vaclav, ibid.) A photo of the Sjenica transmitter site is here: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5028290.jpg Thanks to David Kriz who provided us with this link. The group of DXers has their own pictures too (Karel Honzík, ibid.) The case continues, here is the link where you can see the mast and the Radar Centre of Sjenica (Syenitsa) on the left: https://goo.gl/maps/rG3biWuYx9n Thanks to Boris Bielik and David Kriz, two traveling DXers reporting from Sjenica, Serbia for RADIO, a monthly magazine of the Czechoslovak DX Club (CSDXC). (Karel Honzíl, Czechia, May 9, mwcircle yg via DXLD) ** SIKKIM. 4835, AIR Gangtok (presumed), 1240, May 9, during a brief check here, was able to hear an announcer, so just above threshold level audio; is rare that this gets up to this level, so an outstanding day for subcontinent reception. Wolfie's reception: "4835even IND AIR Gangtok, Sikkim, smooth sweet music singer, S=8-9 fair 1441 UT on May 9." (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS and INDIA ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, SIBC, 1146-1200, May 10. DJ in Pijin; pop songs; several commercial announcements in English and Pijin for "Telekom"; usual evening devotional and full ID ("closing down for the day") and NA. 1200-1201: open carrier (dead air), till start of extended broadcast till 1246*, with pop songs. As recently noted, today also had no frequent IDs for "Wantok FM," but instead brief generic spots for "fun radio," "best radio," etc., without any specific station ID. So is this still a Wantok FM relay? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Digital communications (not) in South Africa. http://newsletters.mybroadband.co.za/lt.php?c=1271&m=1332&nl=11&s=55c88f4933cc859dd88041c4990c3575&lid=62595&l=-https--mybroadband.co.za/news/columns/209486-this-is-what-completely-useless-looks-like.html (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, May 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) THIS IS WHAT COMPLETELY USELESS LOOKS LIKE Rudolph Muller 8 May 2017 104 Comments 786 shares If you want to see what a completely useless government department looks like, look no further than South Africa’s Department of Communications. If it was not for the department, we would all have enjoyed faster, cheaper, and more pervasive broadband years ago. The ANC-government-run department has been at the forefront of stifling telecoms innovation and ensuring we lag behind the rest of the world. It started before the ANC took power, when it threatened to revoke the cellular licences granted to Vodacom and MTN. While this did not happen, the government did provide Telkom with a decade-long monopoly in the fixed-line market. When self-provisioning was set to kick in, former Minister of Communications Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri would have nothing of it. It took a legal battle by Altech Autopage Cellular to force the government to allow companies to build their own networks. It did not stop there. Matsepe-Casaburri announced in 2007 that all undersea cables landing in South Africa must be majority-owned by SA companies. This would have blocked the SEACOM and EASSy cables, and protected Telkom’s SAT3/SAFE monopoly on international bandwidth. This failed, SEACOM landed, and international bandwidth prices plummeted. Digital Migration Mess These actions, however stupid, can at least be attributed to a misguided belief that the state should do everything for its citizens and make money from it. But when it comes to the government’s handling of digital migration – and handing spectrum to operators – its incompetence is staggering. A process which should have been completed in 2011 is still dragging on, with no end in sight. The breakdown below clearly shows how useless the South African government has been over the past 16 years: 2001 – The Minister appoints the Digital Broadcasting Advisory Board. It investigates digital terrestrial TV standards. 2004 – Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said they will pilot a policy framework for digital migration. 2006 – Matsepe-Casaburri said the Digital Migration Strategy is a priority area and will be concluded later that year. 2006 – SA commits to meet an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) June 2015 deadline to switch to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting. 2007 – Cabinet approves the digital signal be switched on in November 2008. The analogue signal should be switched off in November 2011. 2009 – Minister Siphiwe Nyanda said progress has been made to meet the November 2011 deadline. 2010 – Trouble starts as the deadline approaches. Nyanda disbands the Digital Dzonga due to potential conflict of interest with council members. 2011 – The analogue signal switch-off deadline is missed. December 2013 is the new deadline. 2013 – The December 2013 deadline is missed. The ITU’s June 2015 date is the new deadline. 2015 – SA misses the June 2015 deadline. 2016 – No clear guidance on when the analogue signal will be switched off. 2017 – The Department tells Parliament it could miss the new 2018 deadline for digital migration due to “supply chain management irregularities”. The digital migration process is an absolute mess, delaying the availability of faster and cheaper broadband in South Africa. The reasons for the mess are numerous, including: Changing the communications minister often. Employing incompetent people in the department. Consistent problems and political in-fighting. A major contributor to the mess was President Jacob Zuma replacing the most competent communications minister we’ve had – Yunus Carrim – in 2014. If you ask the Department of Communications about the delay, it will tell you “supply chain management irregularities” and “collusion issues” are to blame. Whatever the reason, this utter mess is a case study on the effects of an incompetent government. To rub salt in the wounds, the latest ICT Policy White Paper proposes that all unassigned high-demand spectrum be set aside for a Wireless Open Access Network. This half-baked plan will further delay the assigning of new spectrum to mobile operators. The shortage of spectrum means that the roll-out of LTE and LTE-A is held back, and the cost of providing good coverage and service levels remains high. This is an opinion piece. Now read: South Africa to miss digital migration deadline – again (via DXLD) about DTV and broadband only? ** SRI LANKA. 15255, May 4 at 1324, South Asian song at S9-S7. This is AWR at 1300-1330 in Bengali, then 1330-1400 in Kok Borok, both 125 kW at 25 degrees from Trincomalee. Always fun to get these virtually trans-polar signals better than lower latitude ones. According to EiBi`s language listings, Kok Borok, a.k.a. Tripuri, is spoken by 800 kiloindians (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15499.994, AWR ETHiopian service in Oromo and Amharic languages heard at 03-04 UT, noted also in Qatar and Delhi remote SDR installation, S=9 strength at 0350 UT, HoA music at 0357 UT. Scheduled AWR daily at 03-04 UT via SLBC relay at Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, May 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, May 6 at 0115, tune in just in time to poor but improving SLBC carrier, to hear mistimesignal ending at 0115:20 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, May 7 at 0113, SLBC carrier already on at S2, but not too noisy this band; JBA talk from 0114:46, JBA music from 0115:35 but could not make out any mis-timesignal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN: 7205 May 10 at 0210 UT, Sudan Radio, Al Aitahab, sign on with Koran, low audio, SIO: 333 (Franck Baste, France, Perseus + Loop ALA 1530, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN SOUTH [non]. FRANCE, Reception of Eye Radio via TDF Issoudun on May 3 1600-1900 on 17730 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Arabic/English http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-eye-radio-via-tdf-issoudun.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, May 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Reception of Eye Radio via TDF Issoudun on May 9 1600-1900 on 17730 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Arabic/English http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-eye-radio-via-tdf-issoudun_9.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. 12030, RUSSIA-ASIA, Radio Russia at 1111 in Russian with a man and woman with talk with mentions of “Rossia” - Fair to Good May 4 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA yg via DXLD) R. Russia was thought to remain silent on SW despite numerous Irkutsk entries in HFCC: 12030 1000 1200 43,44,49 IRK 250 180 0 218 1234567 260317 281017 D Rus RUS RRS GFC 2611 12030 1100 1130 46-48,52,53 SAO 100 76 0 156 7 260317 281017 D 16000 Fra STP IBB IBB 222 12030 1200 1300 43,44,49 IRK 250 180 0 218 1234567 260317 281017 D Rus RUS RRS GFC 2612 Rossii not in Aoki or EiBi, only the VOA French 12030 during the time reported, but May 4 was Thursday, not Saturday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Radio Taiwan International" (RTI) on new 12030 kHz in RUSS (ex 11985 kHz). Time: 1100-1200 UT. http://russian.rti.org.tw/listening/?recordId=1017 73! (Vasily Gulyayev, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Says it started 24 April for the Far East (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** THAILAND. 8743-USB, Bangkok Meteorological Radio, 1316, May 5. In English; marine weather for shipping; ending with their address: "Telecommunication and Information Technology Bureau, 4353 Sukhumvit Road, Bangna District, Bangkok, Thailand 10260"; 1319 IS. My readable audio at http://goo.gl/mwoDx2 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. 11507, May 9 at 1327, JBA carrier. This has been a Voice of Tibet frequency via Tajikistan, as are any carriers ending in exactly 2, 3, 7 or 8 likely to be. However, the latest sked revision I find from Ivo mentioning 11507 was way back on March 11 when it was shown for the 1230-1235 segment only during the 12-14 UT transmission. However2, Aoki as of May 4 shows 11507 twice, and this fits for now: 11507 VOICE OF TIBET 1300-1330 1234567 Chinese 100 95 Dushanbe- Yangiyul TJK 3829N 06848E VOTi a17 11507*VOICE OF TIBET 1200-1210 1234567 Chinese 100 95 Dushanbe- Yangiyul TJK 3829N 06848E VOTi a17 11510 also bears a JBA carrier, in all probability the CNR1 *jammer of VOT, which should be in Tibetan at this hour, with Chinese only at 1200-1230. 15527, May 10 at 1250, JBA carrier, signature split-frequency of Voice of Tibet via TAJIKISTAN, and confirmed by Aoki listing as of May 4 showing this at 1235-1305 in Tibetan, then another semihour on 15528, both of which are subject to frequent changes. Would be jammed by CNR1 on 15525 or 15530, but not detected now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Updated summer A-17 schedule of Voice of Tibet: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/updated-summer-17-schedule-of-voice-of.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Updated summer A-17 schedule of Voice of Tibet, May 10 1200-1210 on 11507 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese 1210-1230 on 11513 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese 1230-1235 NF 15533 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 15517 1235-1305 on 15527 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1300-1310 on 11513 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, new addition 1305-1315 NF 15522 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 15528 1310-1330 on 11507 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, new addition 1315-1335 on 15528 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1335-1400 NF 15537 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 15517 1400-1405 on 15565 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1405-1410 on 15560 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1410-1430 on 15565 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to CeAs Tibetan 2300-2310 on 7492 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, new addition 2310-2330 on 7493 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, new addition 2330-2400 on 7497 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, new addition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbKG5BhGBMk&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMKvAwcVLE&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6mfS6vGvVo&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taviVL81HSc&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qxlg-xUs-s&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3IPFmTBGP0&feature=youtu.be ??????????? ?? Observer ? 10:19 PM (Bulgarian DX blog via DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. 13830 kHz. - TAJIKISTAN - Radio Free Asia via Dushanbe with man and woman speaking in Tibetan (confirmed with Internet transmission) at 1325 to past 1335 on 5/10/17. Poor reception with heavy static in ECNA; SINPO - 25232 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Eton E1-XM, Alpha-Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGESET) ** TONGA. 1017 kHz (tentative), Tonga Broadcasting Commission heard from KiwiSDR in Tauranga NZ mixing with NewstalkZB in Christchurch. Typical nighttime MW fading pattern. Program in Tongan appeared to be a church service of some type with what sounded like a children's choir and man talking from 0644 tune to 0730 (1944 Sunday evening Tongan time). After 0730 a woman and man talking in Tongan until 0744 tune out. S-2/3 with periodic fade-outs and dominance of NewtalkZB. Easy to discern the Tonga program when mixing because of language and choir singing (and very little music from NewstalkZB). Language cross- checked with Radio Tonga online stream after 0730. Posted by: ("Bruce Churchill", May 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. 9770 & 9870, May 7 at 0108, no signals from VOT in Spanish. Both transmitters must be off the air, since e.g. Romania is inbooming on 9790, 9730. Recheck at 0137, now both are on at S6-S8 and S6-S7 respectively (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9515, May 8 at 0303, VOT with news in English about Cyprus; voters *are heading to the polls in France*, to close at 7 or 8 pm local time --- so this is obviously olds rather than news, as the elexion has already been won by Macron. Previously TRT has admitted to repeating `news` in the broadcasts after final daily update at 1830. Fortunately there is not much of it, one more story about a Turkish wrestler winning a gold medal at a tournament in Serbia, 0306 outro news, intro `Legends of Anatolia` starting with the hometown on the Black Sea coast of the original self-mutilating Amazons (and we thought they were Greek?); 0318, `Question of the Month` which I am not going to quote here, 0320 music. VOT is S9+25 here, and JBA carrier on // 6165 eastward, so summer conditions are underway (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRT Emirler intermodulations, 9460 Turkish and 9840 / 9785, and 9635 kHz towards western Europe, April 30. As every year noted in 2014, 2015, and 2016 May / June season months. unid 10220.07 kHz Sport-Reportage (Farsi???) mode=A3 35dB+V / S9 TRT Emirler Intermodulations: 10220.037 kHz at 1730-1830 UT April 30. Spur-Intermodulations Differenz 380.008 kHz auf die Fundamentals 9840.029 kHz Deutsch mit Grusssendung: Bernd Seiser Ottenau. 1730-1830 9460.021 kHz TRT Turkish language program. 16-21 UT. Und ein kleiner Peak auch bei Symmetrical auf 9080.013 kHz. Moegliche Fundamentals fuer Intermodulations-Kalkulationen: 9840 1730 1830 28 EMR 500 310 -8 205 Deu TRT 11120 9785 1830 1930 27,28 EMR 500 310 0 205 Eng TRT 4477 9635 1930 2030 27,28W EMR 500 300 0 205 Fra TRT 4474 and 10110.037 kHz at 1830-1930 UT, Difference 325.008 kHz. 9135.013 kHz symmetrical 9785 1830-1930 27,28 EMR 500 310 0 205 Eng TRT 4477 also TRT English on 9785 kHz with smaller Intermodulation, fundamentals 9785.029 and 9460.021 kHz. Heard in Dave's remote SDR between Birmingham and Liverpool in West England. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 30, BC-DX 7 May via DXLD) ** U K. BIRMINGHAM DAB CAPACITY a516digital [source] An industry leader has called on Ofcom to give Birmingham an extra local DAB multiplex now that existing capacity has been filled. The city currently has access to over 70 digital stations on DAB, through three national multiplexes, 1 local DAB multiplex and 1 small- scale DAB multiplex, which has limited coverage. At an industry event in Birmingham on Wednesday, Matt Deegan, from multiplex operator MuxCo said additional capacity would provide listeners with a fresh variety of stations. He told delegates: "Birmingham is a thriving media market and its current multiplex is full. It is unfair that whilst London has three local multiplexes offering a fantastic array of stations, Birmingham has just one city- wide multiplex. A second multiplex would open up competition for local businesses and provide listeners with a fresh variety of new services." The request for more capacity comes nearly four years after the West Midlands regional multiplex was closed down, forcing regional stations to take capacity on local DAB multiplexes. A similar request for more capacity was made recently in Manchester, which also faces a limited capacity problem. Meanwhile RTÉ's David Timpson confirmed that Birmingham was one of the locations it was planning to launch a service via small-scale DAB to reach the local Irish Diaspora. RTÉ has spent the last few years in regulatory deadlock over the distribution of its services on UK digtal radio multiplexes, but says it continues to work with Ofcom on the matter. a516digital --- News and information about UK digital terrestrial TV (Freeview), free-to-air satellite, digital radio ... Posted by: (Mike Terry, May 4, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ** U K. BBC DRAWS CURTAINS ON SHOW THAT TOLD HORRORS OF LANKA WAR K R A Narasiah http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/bbc-draws-curtains-on-show-that-told-horrors-of-lanka-war/articleshow/58466508.cms The BBC on April 30 finally drew the curtains on Thamizhosai - a popular Tamil show that lasted three quarters of a century. | TNN | May 2, 2017, 10.45 AM IST Thamizhosai's producer S Sivapadasundaram (L) with writer Chitti Sundararajan. Thamizhosai's producer S Sivapadasundaram (L) with writer Chitti Sundararajan. [caption] The BBC on April 30 finally drew the curtains on Thamizhosai - a popular Tamil show that lasted three quarters of a century. Originally called 'A news letter from Ceylon', it was launched on May 3, 1941, as a propaganda machinery of the British to report on the Second World War in Sri Lanka - which was then a British Colony. But the later years saw it metamorphose into a favourite among the Tamil diaspora, not only for introducing Tamil culture to the world, but also for reflecting major predicaments faced by the community including those in Sri Lanka. Thamizhosai was the brainchild of S Sivapadasundaram, a former editor of the Sri Lanka's popular Tamil periodical Eezha Kesari and a journalist who was equally proficient in Tamil, English and Sanskrit. The service was eventually broadened to include music, drama and interviews in Tamil. Initially started as a half-an-hour weekly programme, Thamizhosai grabbed the coveted 9:15pm to 9:30pm slot after it was highly appreciated by Tamil speaking people across the world. It was later that Sivapadasundaram named it Thamizhosai, after Subramanya Bharati's famous poem on Tamil, in which the poet says "the sweet sound of Tamil must be made to be heard all over the world". Sivapadasundaram was known for his skills in broadcasting. His articulation was so well known that All India Radio Madras Station engaged Sivapadasundaram for live broadcast for the funeral processions of K Kamaraj and C N Anndurai. After settling in Madras, Sivapathasundaram became a close associate of writer Chitti Sundararajan and started researching on Tamil novels and short stories. Described as "the Beaumont and Fletcher of Tamil literary criticism" together they published their two magnum opuses: 'The Tamil Novel: A Century of Growth' (1977) and 'Tamilil Sirukathai - Varalaarum Valarchiyum' (1989). Both became the basic source for many researchers. Both the writers felt the necessity for an organisation that would help researchers in delving deeper into Tamil culture. For Tamils, BBC Thamizhosai was one such platform that gave them the exposure to voice such concerns about their culture. Popularity of the programme rocketed during the Sri Lankan Civil War. This was a time when the channel extensively reported on the war, showing the world the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. As a part of its Human Rights programme in 2002, 'Tamil as Manudam Vellum (Humanity will win)', a 20-part series on human rights issues in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka was broadcast in Thamizhosai. Journalist Sampath Kumar was roped in for the series. Extensive interviews and on the spot studies resulted in its great success. Thirumalai Manivannan, then the editor of this section said "This is the first time in recent years that a Tamil journalist has gone so extensively into the war- torn north and east of Sri Lanka and reported the conditions there." Despite the many laurels the programme won, it is a pity that such shortwave transmission had to fold up due to severe competition from various sources available for information (via Mike Cooper, GA, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Nakhon Sawan closure (Re: HONG KONG: BBC Tsang Tsui - Wavescan NWS42 The latest edition of the Australian DX News alerted us to the fact that the BBC has closed its East Asia Relay Station at Nakhon Sawan in northern Thailand. Additional news reports about the closure of this important BBC shortwave relay station have subsequently circulated widely on the internet. According to a news release issued by the BBC in London, the last day of operation for their relay station in Thailand was December 31 last year, at the end of their lease which was not renewed. The BBC states that they have not been able to come to an agreement with the Thai government over programming issues, but in any case the BBC has now closed the station due to financial difficulties. Even this station has been completely silent right throughout this year thus far, the closure of this important BBC shortwave station seems to have largely escaped the attention of the international radio world. In our program today, we plan to present the story of this BBC Far East Relay Station during its nearly ten year operation from Hong Kong, and in a coming program, we plan to present the story of their subsequent station in Thailand. .. (via Ian, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ?? DXLD readers and WOR listeners were ``alerted`` to Thailand closure over two months ago (gh, May 7, DXLD) >>> According to a news release issued by the BBC in London <<< Have they really issued one? http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/search?tag=World_Service shows no such release. And the AFP report that broke these news *) only quoted a "statement" which rather implies an individual response to an AFP enquiry. So it seems that without the AFP research the BBC would not have given any statements about this closure at all. *) http://www.france24.com/en/20170308-bbcs-thai-transmission-towers-fall-silent-junta-talks-falter >>> but in any case the BBC has now closed the station due to financial difficulties. <<< Source?? >>> Even this station has been completely silent right throughout this year thus far, the closure of this important BBC shortwave station seems to have largely escaped the attention of the international radio world. <<< Which just says everything. Almost all former NAK transmissions of English programming are gone since New Year's Day. Yet not a single report or question about this have been seen anywhere. This speaks a very clear language. It can hardly be a surprise at all that under these circumstances the BBC keeps the affected frequencies of programming in other languages on air from third-party facilities and otherwise has, it seems, simply done with this (Kai Ludwig, May 4, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Shouldn't BBC be more worried about the potential listeners of these transmissions in the target areas? Listeners, who want listen to BBC news etc, but have no or only intermittent Internet access and who don't subscribe to hobby mailing lists or social media applications of the "international radio world"? And who possibly aren't much reached in audience research (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) Thanks, Kai, The France 24 article painted a revealing picture of the problems between the BBC & the Thai junta. Previously the last I heard was that talks had broken down, but I don't know if any further news has surfaced since regarding BBC vs Thai government talks or what communications have recently occurred between the BBC & VT Communications & I didn't think any definite decision had been made as yet by the BBC/VT Comms to close/scrap the station (even though the lease had expired). I assumed the SW TX site was just sitting in mothball status for the time being. Re the AP Wavescan article I wasn't previously aware of financial issues. Any further news would be appreciated such as if any of the equipment at the station had been removed, etc. Ian FROM: Dave Porter Re the piece today remember that VT Comms sold out to Babcock Communications in about 2009. The last part of this document is incorrect (Wavescan article HK & THAI). Yes, the EARS station was closed but the two MCSL B6126 senders were removed to England, in fact into storage at Orfordness. The Thailand site was built with new Thomson senders. The ORF ones were used as "unofficial`` donors for spares to keep the BBC B6126 senders in operation at SKC, SEY and CYP. I say unofficial, as we could not get official permission from BBC HQ for the release of the parts, but as engineers we did it on the QT for our mates who were struggling with procurements. 73 (Dave ex. WOF and ORF, ibid.) Re: Nakhon Sawan closure --- I would have to search for the original source, but when VOA had terminated English to Asia a few years ago word was that they first did some research to find out if there is still a remaining audience. No evidence of any could be found, so they pulled the plug. It would of course be interesting to learn the details about the decisionmaking process that, it seems, led to the closure of the Nakhon Sawan site. Perhaps they even flew a kite by deliberately not booking substitutes for the affected frequencies of English programming. But I have no sources to find out. No contacts who dare to say more than "this is no sexy story", and experience shows that it is a complete waste of time to approach the BBC Press Office with such detailled questions from Germany (Kai Ludwig, May 10, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** U S A. 2097.3-CW, May 8 at 0316, beacon A is JBA apparently every 10 seconds, but some of them are missed in noise level; from Quartzsite AZ. This thing is apparently always on, and ought to go further than here in quiet night-path conditions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6739-USB, May 9 at 0610, ``This is Pastrami`` with a US military crypto-message, the usual reverb on the audio to make it sound more mysterious. All letters are fonetik, and copied correctly on the second reading if not the first. To start, header is thriced: ``EADEBQ, stand by`` Then the full message which starts with the same group. I don`t notice any pauses denoting groups of 5 or whatever. Note that only a few numerals are interspersed: ``EADEBQPCAJYSDSWHOVYZ2LUKVRLQX2 – this is Pastrami, out`` at 0612. Then resumes with a different message in same format starting ``EAKB45, message follows`` etc., etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 17-18, Armed Forces Day May 13 specials: Hello again, Glenn, I promised to pass along any additional information I happened to receive, so I thought you might be interested in these additional historical notes, courtesy of the Potomac Valley Radio Club: "1974 was the last year that NSS was active on Armed Forces Day. Daily NSS military HF comms continued for a few more years but was definitely QRT prior to 1978." So it's been about four decades since NSS has appeared on HF. 73, (Brian, W9IND, D. Smith, May 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Along with info from DXLD 17-18 ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND MILITARY/AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TEST IS MAY 13 ZCZC AX04 QST de W1AW Special Bulletin 4 ARLX004 From ARRL Headquarters, Newington CT April 27, 2017 To all radio amateurs SB SPCL ARL ARLX004 The US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard will sponsor the traditional military/amateur radio communication tests on Saturday, May 13 to mark the 66th annual Armed Forces Day (AFD). Armed Forces Day is May 20, but the AFD Crossband Military-Amateur Radio event will take place a week earlier in order to avoid schedule conflicts with those attending Hamvention. Complete information, including military stations, modes, and frequencies, is available on the US Army MARS website at, http://www.usarmymars.org/home/announcements The annual celebration is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication between radio amateurs and military stations (authorized under Part 97.111 of the Amateur Service rules). It features traditional military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, practice using legacy interoperability waveforms, and the opportunity for participating hams to utilize more modern military modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). Military stations and Amateur Radio stations are authorized to communicate directly on certain 60-meter interoperability channels 5330.5, 5346.5, and 5371.5 kHz. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and shortwave listeners a chance and a challenge to demonstrate individual technical skills and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station. QSL cards will be available for stations successfully contacting participating military stations. The Armed Forces Day message will be transmitted via Military Standard radioteletype modes (MIL-STD 188-110A/B). Software is available to demodulate the military serial PSK waveform, and detailed instructions can be downloaded from, http://www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html Utilizing this mode with soundcard equipment can be challenging; review the instructions carefully. A short practice transmission will be sent at 1930 and 2330 on May 6, 7, 10, and 12 on 13.5065 MHz USB and 17.4430 MHz USB. Military FSK is Baudot at 850 Hz, 75 baud, low mark, and 2000 Hz center. Most RTTY programs can be set to decode this mode. To achieve low mark while receiving in USB, select reverse shift. QSL cards are available for individuals that receive the Armed Forces Day test message. To receive a card, copy the printed text of the test message as received from the military station, and include it in your report. No attempt should be made to correct possible errors. Stations copying Armed Forces Day messages transmitted from US Army and US Navy stations and requesting a QSL card, can complete the QSL report form online at, http://www.usarmymars.org/ Stations copying the Armed Forces Day message transmitted from US Air Force stations and seeking a QSL card should send a request to Armed Forces Day Celebration, Chief, Air Force MARS, 203 W. Losey St, Scott AFB, IL 62225. Include a transcript of the received text, time observed, frequency observed, military station call sign, your full name and Amateur Radio call sign (if applicable), full mailing address (including ZIP code). Stations with Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) capability can contact a military station on specific half duplex crossband channels established for this purpose. ALE is a selective calling and linking method utilized by government, military, and amateur radio communications. Military stations will scan and receive certain amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies and transmit on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military frequency at 30- to 90-minute intervals. Amateur stations may scan military frequencies and monitor the soundings to build the LQA database or select the channel manually. Amateur stations will call military stations using ALE selective calling on one of the paired cross band channels (via Paul Dobosz, MARE Tipsheet 5 May via DXLD) ** U S A. 10000, May 4 at 0414, WWV is making this announcement every hour (and perhaps at other times, also on WWVH), not verbatim: NWS Atlantic and Pacific High Seas and Storm Warnings on WWV and WWVH are scheduled to be discontinued on October 1, 2017. Comments or issues about this should be sent not later than May 31 to nws.issues@noaa.gov --- Rechecked at 1214 and 1514 May 4, I copied this once as nwws, not nws; not sure what the automaton says. 10000, May 6 at 0116, WWV again with robotic announcement about plans to drop the High Seas weather info in October. Last time I ran across it was at :14 past an hour. Again May 6 both at 0414 & 0416 on 5000: refers to http://www.nist.gov/wwv where we find the text of the announcements: ``NOTICE: The National Weather Service Atlantic and Pacific High Seas and Storm Warning announcements as broadcast on WWV and WWVH are scheduled to be discontinued on October 1, 2017. Questions, comments or issues concerning this action should be emailed to NWWS.Issues@noaa.gov (link sends e-mail) no later than May 31, 2017, with the words "MARINE WARNING" in the subject line.`` Here`s the schedule/format of WWV and WWVH: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-services/wwv-and-wwvh-digital-time-code-and-broadcast-format (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Some interesting notes and stats on WWV's transmitted time signals. Hi, While calibrating my Softrock Ensemble II LF receiver, using HDSDR at 5 MHz, I've noted some interesting things about their modulation patterns. It's probably documented on their site, but I never noticed. And without the waterfall display I never would have figured it out just from listening to them. Here is what I noticed. 1. The little low frequency "second" boop is at 100 Hz. 2. The Beep after the voice time announcements is 1 KHz. 3. The transmitted tone after each voice announcement is 45 seconds long. 4. The transmitted tone after each voice announcement switches between 500 Hz and 600 Hz on alternate minutes. -- 73 de (Phil, KO6BB, Atchley, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. 15730, May 6 at 1941, open carrier steady at S9+5, GB already warming up for the 2000 VOA French to Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA Radiogram, 6-7 May 2017 --- VOA Radiogram this weekend is mostly MFSK32, with some MFSK16 if reception is difficult. Patch the audio into your PC and use Fldigi to decode the funny noises into text and images. Or place the radio's speaker near an Android device and decode using the TIVAR app. Minutes into the half-hour show: 1:49 Program preview 2:55 Nearby star system similar to ours* 7:30 IS radio still on air in Afghanistan despite bomb* 15:57 DW award to White House Correspondents' Association* 20:41 MFSK16: Application for DRM HF station in New Jersey 23:05 MFSK32: Closing announcements* * with image More information and transmission schedule: http://voaradiogram.net/post/160339278092/voa-radiogram-6-7-may-2017-to-nearby-star (Kim Elliott, May 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA HOSTS DISCUSSION ON OBSTACLES FACED BY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - The GW Hatchet https://www.gwhatchet.com/2017/05/04/voa-hosts-discussion-on-obstacles-faced-by-international-students/ (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1876 monitoring: confirmed first SW broadcast Thursday May 4 after 2130 on WRMI 11580, fair. Also confirmed Thu May 4 at 2330 on WBCQ 9330.44v-CUSB, fair-good. Also confirmed Friday May 5 at 2230 on WRMI 11580, good. Until 2229:30, 11580 had been in Spanish, a DX program? interrupted for ID. Suspect it was Actualidad DX from RAE, Argentina as now relayed on 5950 M-F at 22-23, but not supposed to be on 11580; except in past, 5950 was running // 11580 for this entire hour. Also confirmed Fri May 5 at 2330 on WBCQ 9330v-CUSB, fair on the G8 during the Tri State Music Festival Parade in downtown Enid. Next: Sat 0630 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1431 HLR 7265-CUSB to WSW Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sun 0310v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 to SSE Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW WORLD OF RADIO 1876 monitoring: confirmed Saturday May 6 at 1431 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB via UTwente SDR in Holland, noisy signal but completely readable and no QRM from China! Off at 1500* sharp, when then a trace of CRI theme. Quite an improvement over inaudibility last few weeks. East Turkistan must be too much over daypath now at this hour. Axually tuned in at 1427 to hear the ending of my propagation outlook for Media Network+. Keith says relaunch of website http://pcjmedia.com has been delayed, but podcasts of previous programs are still accessible. WOR 1876 also confirmed Sat May 6 at 2230 on WBCQ 9330.0v-CUSB. Also confirmed UT Sunday May 7 at 0329 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, 5 minutes in about Albanian webcasts, Tirana mayor, so started circa 0324. Next: Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 to SSE Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9485, Hamburger LokalRadio, Goheren, 1000-1100, 07-05, English, news and comments, ID, “Hamburger LokalRadio, at 1030 Glenn Hauser’s program “World of Radio”. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO 1876 monitoring: confirmed Sunday May 7 at 1030-1100 via Hamburger LokalRadio, GERMANY, 9485-CUSB, by Manuel Méndez in Spain, 24322. Also confirmed Sunday May 7 at 2338 on WBCQ 9330.0v- CUSB, fair. Also confirmed UT Monday May 8 starting at 0300:37 on Area 51 via WBCQ 5129.82-AM, S9+10 but noisy band. Also confirmed UT Mon May 8 at 0330 on WRMI 9955, S6 poor. Next: Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW WORLD OF RADIO 1876 monitoring: confirmed Monday May 8 at 2331 on WBCQ 9330.0-CUSB, fair-good. Also confirmed UT Tuesday May 9 at 0030 on WRMI 7730, very good. Also confirmed good S9+10 May 9 ending at 1328 on WRMI 11580, NEW TIME I only discover by accident, Tue 1300, and indeed now on the WRMI skedgrid, which has also added another one, UT Sunday 0200 on 11580, which should be a convenient Saturday-evening time for many. Also confirmed Tue May 9 at 2130 on WRMI 9455, presumably // the JBA carrier on original 15770. Also confirmed UT Wed May 10 at 0057 ending the 0030 broadcast on WBCQ 9330.00v-CUSB (carrier drifts down to 9329.98 one minute later, and to 9329.93 by 0106). Next: Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW WORLD OF RADIO 1876 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday May 10 at 2100 on WBCQ 7490 webcast; also confirmed Wed May 10 after 2330 on WBCQ 9330.0v-CUSB, fair. WORLD OF RADIO 1877 ready for first airings May 11: CONTENTS: Andaman Islands, Argentina, Australia, Bhutan, China, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea and non, Europe, France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kashmir, Korea South, Kurdistan non, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Netherlands non, New Zealand, North America, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Vietnam Thu 2130 WRMI 11580 to NE Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Fri 2230 WRMI 11580 to NE [probably canceled] Fri 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 0630 HLR 6190-CUSB to WSW Sat 1431 HLR 7265-CUSB to WSW Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE [NEW] Sun 0310v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 to SSE Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455 to WNW Tue 1300 WRMI 11580 to NE [NEW] Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9455, May 4 at 1246, this WRMI is off, since 9395 and 9955 are good at S9+10. 9395, UT Saturday May 6 after 0000, I`m hearing `Jazz from the Left` on this WRMI, but not on incomplete sked, showing Oldies except Mon Countdown to Xmas Radio, and Fri Voice of the Report of the Week. Perhaps there are further variations this hour otherdays. As soon as I discover WOR at new time after 1300 Tue May 9 on 11580, I consult the WRMI skedgrid and then post this ASAP to the DXLD yg: Major changes to the WRMI schedules at http://tinyurl.com/WRMIfqs Concerning 11580: 0000-0100 11580 Slovakia, Slovak & English & 5850 still daily 0100-0200 11580 Argentina in English & 9395 Tue-Sat so delete all other 11580 programming including DX shows at 01-02 Tue- Sat; maybe maintaining old programming 01-02 Sun & Mon on 11580? 0200-0230 11580 Ukraine Tue-Sat only; add NEW WORLD OF RADIO on UT Sun, Wavescan Mon 0230-0300 11580 Prague English still daily 1300-1330 11580 New lineup: Mon Wavescan, Tue NEW WORLD OF RADIO, Wed Frecuencia al Dia, Thu Studio DX, Fri IBC Radio 2200-2300 11580 Argentina Spanish M-F & 5950 (no more WOR Fri 2230, tho it still showed last week) Some other changes: 0730-0800 5850 & 7730 Sat VOA Radiogram 0800-0900 5850 Argentina in Spanish Tue-Sat HOWEVER, checked Wednesday May 10 at 0132, 11580 is NOT carrying RAE in English, which remains on 9395 only, but instead still with the previously scheduled hour from PCJ Radio International (NOT, just `Media Network Plus`) So maybe the Tue-Sat 01-02 RAE on 11580 will go into effect later? The skedgrid page is contradictory, showing new RAE in the frequency section, and all the other old shows in the program section. It turns out this hour is axually running one of several programs in the PCJ stable, `The Stuph File` with Peter Anthony Holder interviewing a woman about her ``Grateful Dread [sic] Public Radio``, of which I had never heard. Mentions GDPR99.com? That goes nowhere, but fortunately I soon find it as Revolution 99 from Nashville TN with no transmitter of its own: http://gdprnashville.org/ PEACE-PROGRESSIVE ACTIVIST NetRadio for the PEOPLE’S REVOLUTION Program schedule, in alfabetical order, not by time! http://gdprnashville.org/?page_id=642 Oh, here`s the grid schedule: http://gdreadradio.net/?page_id=1242 Also linx to the Trump Resistance Movement https://www.facebook.com/TrumpResistanceMovement/ and already plenty about the latest Trump/FBI scandal. 0143 ad for `Let`s Be Fair`; then fundraiser for The Stuph File from Montreal; 0157 closing with affiliate list, PCJRI ID and finished. Website http://pcjmedia.com is still not reconstructed, but the one link leads to an audio archive, no Stuph Files recently, but searching on Stuph leads to the latest episode #0403 dated May 7, 2017: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/92247 But the content of it does not match what I was hearing. See also http://www.peteranthonyholder.com/ (Glenn Hauser, May 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490, UT Saturday May 6 at 0006, WBCQ with rock music, not normally what `Allan Weiner Worldwide` plays rather than monologs and phonecalls. Soon known why, as cosmikdebris and Jane are subsituting while Allan is away. Recheck at 0112, a couple of WBCQ ID jingles, then some more music riffs repeating but not identical. Must be having problem with webfeed from Larry`s studio in the 301 area code; then some blues music, still not joining Brother Scare yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tonight's AWWW --- Guest hosts Larry and Jane Will started on time. Allan is at the fest in New Hampshire and was to call in if he had time. Mostly music for the first forty some minutes except for a repeat of your report on Tony Alamo. Interesting phone call from Ramsey that touched on several topics and eventually morphed into a discussion of what had to be done to broadcast a show live on WBCQ. Larry gave a very nice tutorial on how to do it and in the middle of the call there was a brief outage at 0109 and another at 0111. Then a brief voice over by Larry, dead air, two IDs then into music that kept stopping and starting and didn't straighten out till 0116. Dead air and then another ID then dead air till 0118. More music till 0120 when another ID popped up then back into different music. ID at 0122 over the music then music fadeout. Then new music started and stopped. ID at 0123, then dead air. Music stopping and starting at 0124 continuing on till 0127. Dead air then some interrupted canned bits. Another ID at 0128 then into Brother Scare at 0129. Very ironic. A very nice tutorial by Larry on how one could broadcast live on the air and then the show became an example of why one shouldn't (John Carver, Mid- North Indiana, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, much going to be happening at the BCQ's this summer. Transmitter installation and refurbishment, improvements to the antennas, audio chains and studios. Shortwave rules. As more and more countries dump their shortwave broadcasts, we pick up more and more listeners. Free speech radio lives at WBCQ. You be well, and thanks for all you do (Allan Weiner, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will look forward to 3250 being on the air (or maybe a higher frequency for summer?). Tnx for keeping WOR going on WBCQ (Glenn to Allan, via DXLD) 5129.82, WBCQ Monticello ME (presumed); 0124-0130+, 6-May; Blood & guts & fire & brimstone religihuxter about the destruction of America & said that I have been living a lustful, sinful, passionate lie [sic]. Well, at least I’m lustful and passionate! Bro. HyStairical interrupted at 0130. B.S. now listed 01-04, so apparently no more Jean Shepherd — bummer. SIO=353 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5130 Area 51 --- Once again this evening WBCQ had internet problems. Was playing a rerun of the second Michael Ketter show when near 0330 the audio dropped out. Dead air and then an ID and then more dead air and then switched to Brother Scare. It would seem that they could restrict uploading of programs to the morning and early afternoon when only two transmitters are running and sharing the feed for Brother Scare. System shouldn't overload then unless that would also interfere with their MW and FM stations (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana 0342 UT Sunday May 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490, May 8 at 2303, WBCQ with ``Send in the Clowns`` song, presumably within `Furthermore 29-54` as scheduled this semihour on Mondays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A bunch of music shows insist on competing with each other UT Sunday at 0100, May 7: 9395, at 0102 May 7, WRMI-5, with ``Heartache``. I think I have heard this song several times on random tuning of 9395; sparse playlist? Back to Oldies channel, since RAE Argentina to the World is UT Tue-Sat only during this hour. 5085, at 0105 May 7, WTWW-2 with `Theater Organ from the Ozarx`, Bob Heil playing ``Downtown``. This is my first choice so I put it on the superior speaker of the PL-880 which also doesn`t need much antenna extension to capture this bigsig. By 0132 he`s playing ``Spanish Flea`` and doesn`t finish until 0135. 4840, at 0106 May 7, WWCR-3 with `Talking Machine Show` playing a 107- year-old song with consequent low fidelity, but that`s what it`s all about. 3215, at 0107 May 7, WWCR-1 with `Martha Garvin`s Musical Memories`, hymns belted out with self-accompaniment on piano. All of these surpass the weakening rock music on 9925, The Mighty KBC; not to mention ROMANIA with two more music channels (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9930, WTWW Lebanon TN (presumed); 2105-2117+, 29-Apr; Ted Randall program re FRS, GMRS, CB, CB outbanders, 28 MHz beacons, etc. SIO=433+ with 9935 Greece(presumed) splash +++ [same], 2048, 1-May; Ted Randall suggested I tune in to Scriptures for America for “accurate Bible interpretation”. SFA is hosted by Permanently Planted Pastor Pete Peters. Ted just lost all credibility (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow- tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9475, WTWW Lebanon TN (presumed); 2038, 1-May; Patently Preposterous, Petal-Pushing Pastor Pete Peters lecturing about pain (didn’t mention the pain of listening to religihuxters); PPP-PPPP said, “Pastor Peters is still in the saddle, riding high.” SIO=4+54 peaks, fady +++ [same] 2136, 2-May; missing (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12105, May 7 at 0116, S9+25 of dead air from WTWW-3 which is often the case at this hour; why not? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5830, May 10 at 0547, WTWW-1 is S9 but just barely modulated. 9930, May 10 at 1818 and still/again at 1853 check, WTWW-2 is a bigsig of dead air instead of Dave Ramsey. The other two are modulating English SFAW. One has the impression that the person running this station can`t stand to really listen to it either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9265, WINB Red Lion PA; 2056-2103+, 1-May; Religihuxter with small but enthusiastic audience repeaters, ameners & hallelujahers. Cutoff in mid-huxter at 2059:40 for full ID; ToH into new religihuxter program from Grantsville PA. Huxter said he was going to talk about “Christian mind-control”; said “The world is not going to end.” He didn’t mention any source for this pronouncement; then went into a political tirade. SIO=3+53 with muted audio during first program and ID, then crisp after ToH (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' & 60' RW + 125' bow-tie, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Weak signal of WINB Red Lion in 1930-2030 UT slot on May 3 1930-1945 on 9265 INB 050 kW / 242 deg to MEXI English Mon-Fri 1945-2000 on 9265 INB 050 kW / 242 deg to MEXI Eng/Spa Mon-Thu 1945-2000 on 9265 INB 050 kW / 242 deg to MEXI English Fri 2000-2030 on 9265 INB 050 kW / 242 deg to MEXI Spanish Wed http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/weak-signal-of-winb-red-lion-in-1930.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, May 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 9265V, May 8 at 0251, WINB in music, with big wobble on frequency as occasionally happens to it, like ex-13570 did too. Also marred by the Cuban-style 4-pulse-per-minute jamming circa 9267 (and which I am also hearing in the hamband around 7192) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TONY ALAMO died: see EQUATORIAL GUINEA above and USA 17-18 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1877) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, Hope you are well. Wondering if you know any of the details of the fire at WMLK. Drove by the other day and it looked like the transmitter building was quite damaged (Allan Weiner, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Allan, No further info on WMLK besides what I have put in DXLD a few weeks ago. Except this, new photo posts on their FB which seems to be the source for any updates: https://m.facebook.com/www.wmlkradio.net/ (Glenn to Allan, via DXLD) Viz.: FB May 5: WMLK Radio --- Both storage buildings now down! Next will be clean up, and removal of debris! Progress! The removal of the two storage trailers has begun today 4/4/17 The new transmitter building will be installed in their place. Image may contain: sky, tree and outdoor Image may contain: indoor Yesterday at 5:35pm Public 1 Comment Full Story Yesterday at 5:35pm Public Gaudencio Rillera Alcantara Wow! Manifestation of the progress of YAHWEH's end - time Ministry. Let us triumph in the work of His hands Today at 1:49am (via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, in case you haven't seen it, the FCC application for the HF station at the Alpine Tower in NJ: https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/104112444521024/TURMS%20TECH%20-%20FCC%20Form309%2004-11-2017.pdf The New York-based applicant, Paolo Cugnasca, is involved in finance and philanthropy. He is a co-inventor on patents for forestry derived products. I believe he is or was part of a beverage business called Vertical Water, made from maple trees (Benn Kobb, May 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checking first few pages of 136 pdf: Application by Turms Tech LLC, c/o EMCOR, 420 Lexington Ave, #2455, New York NY 10170, phone 212 982- 1910; primary business of which is broadcast and data services, for an international broadcast station with a VTE 10 kW DRM transmitter using a 6-element yagi antenna on 9.65, 11.85, 13.720, 15.450 MHz, 24/24 hours, near Alpine in Bergen County NJ, at 40-57-40.38, 73-55-23.97. Paolo Cugnasca is president; Gianantonio Bulgheroni is director, the latter admittedly an alien of Italian nationality. Dated 11 April 2017. It will be interesting to see whether FCC grant a CP for this oddity; is a DRM transmitter of only 10 kW even eligible? (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wednesday, May 3, 2017 FCC CONSTRUCTION APPLICATION FOR DRM TRANSMITTER IN NEW JERSEY Turms Tech LLC has applied for a license for a 10 kW DRM transmitter to be located in Alpine, New Jersey with the antenna on an existing radar tower. We will report further on this as information is available, but at this point it looks like their target is Europe and the Middle East with "broadcast and data". This tower is adjacent to the famous "Armstrong Tower" used by Edwin Armstrong during the early days of modern FM radio. Thanks to our astute DRM Brother Benn for this historic tidbit! [illustrated] http://drmnainfo.blogspot.com/2017/05/fcc-construction-application-for-drm.html (via Kim Elliott, VOA Radiogram May 6-7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) ** U S A. 540, May 5 at 2056 UT on caradio, KDFT Ferris [Metroplex] TX in Spanish giving a 214 AC number, and somewhat above KWMT IA, on daytime groundwaves via caradio about 15 miles north of Enid (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 690, May 4 at 0556 UT, one minute of Fox News Radio, ``Mighty 690, KGGF, Coffeyvile KS`` ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1020, May 4 at 0446 UT, KCKN Roswell NM in Spanish sermon from WWRV 1330 NYC is S9+30, blowing away semi-local KOKP Perry OK. Jerry Kiefer, FL, who used to be with KCKN, replied to my previous log of April 28: ``Greetings Glenn, Quick comment on KCKN. They might be running non directional at the moment. The night pattern throws 40 watts in your direction and the day pattern less than 500. Either could be screwed up. Not being in the loop anymore that's the only thing I can offer. Take care`` This signal is no 500 or 40 watts. How about 50,000, ND? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WRCA back on 1330 --- John Williams sent me a clip from Thursday morning of an unknown station on 1330 with an unfamiliar HD2 call. It was there again this morning with an ID at 0403, but again not really good enough. However I could make out a 96.9 or possibly 96.1. It played uninterrupted popular music otherwise - after the ID was "Breathless`` by the Corrs. Given the strength of the signal, I considered WRCA might be back on, and sure enough that is what it is. WBQT-HD2. Wikipedia says that it is testing and "temporarily simulcasting" WBQT-HD2 known as "Irish 96.9". Radio Insight reports a transmission as long ago as 12th April. In the time that WRCA has been off air, the channel has not provided a great deal of interest here. 73 (Andrew Brade, UK, May 5, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Good detective work, Andrew. Noted here at 0300 today with Celtic fiddle music and "WBQT HD2" ID (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, May 6, ibid.) Hello, Andrew, Reassuring to read your observation I was thinking the same. Poor Latin America with the North flag here in Sunny Carlisle. John Faulkner has been in Cornwall and says Brazil in particular coming through soon after 2100 GMT. How are the LA signals over your way in recent weeks? Are they getting through to Troon, Paul and Hemel Hempstead, John? Best wishes (Barry:-) Davies, Carlisle UK. Lat. 55.0119N, Lon. 02.9672W, ibid.) WRCA = Watertown MA, 25/17 kW U4, in NRC AM Log as of last August, was Ethnic/brokered, address in Cambridge MA, NSP with $tereo, but no indication of IBOC on this AM channel itself. Both day and night patterns broadly out ENE into the Atlantic, so more DXed in Europe than the rest of North America, or even western Massachusetts? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1480, May 4 at 1208 UT, song in Spanish about María with various rhymes such as fría; after a ``Tally-ho!`` as in Bollywood, 1211 UT English announcement, paraphrased, ``KBXD, 50,000 watts covering North Texas and as far as Oklahoma City to the north, Waco to the south. If you would like to rent this station, please call John Hammond, 972-904-5904``. Same music resumes in a loop, 1216 UT same announcement again. So Radio Namaste is gone. Wonder why they couldn`t make it? Rather enjoyed their music and Hinglish chat. I question how much of a signal they put into OKC on daytime groundwave when really 50 kW. This daytime coverage map http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KBXD-AM&h=D has OKC just inside its outer ``fringe`` contour, whatever that amount to. Night map of only 1900 watts shows a deep notch toward OKC and five others in a ``flower`` pattern; you couldn`t even hear it in Plano http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KBXD-AM&h=N Radio locator also claims its format is still gospel music! This time no off-frequency het with KQAM Wichita, closer to 1480.00. 1480, May 10 at 1220 UT, ``This is KBXD, Dallas`` ID loop with percussion repeating every 9 seconds --- a DXer`s dream! No more longer loop offering station ``for rent``. Does this mean they got a bite but not yet digested? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1530, May 4 at 0600 UT, WCKY in dead air interrupted by bits of Brother Scare who was already on the previous hour; finally 0604 UT cuts back on without breaking up. Meanwhile I could hear an understation in Spanish, probably KGBT among several other possibilities (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1590, May 4 at 0558 UT, Bing Crosby song, 0600 UT ``WAIK, Galesburg IL`` ID and back to another oldsong. NRC AM Log 2016-2017 had it as NWS/TLK/SPT, 5000/55 watts U4 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1630, May 7 at 0129 UT, S9+15 of dead air, loops for KKGM Fort Worth TX, my closest and usual dominator. By 0132 UT I make out a bit of music, maybe KKGM just barely modulated. Format is gospel. Sounds like English, so not KRND WY; 0143 UT now some talk under, presumably KCJJ IA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1700, May 7 at 0129 UT, Spanish play-by-play of a game involving a pelota, mentions Colombia, so KKLF Richardson TX ``Banda 13`` is a sports station at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Glenn - Grab your sweater - we're celebrating a major victory and honoring our favorite neighbor. Yesterday, thanks to you, Congress approved federal funding for public media for the next five months - the end of the current fiscal year. You saved public media funding -- just like Fred Rogers did 48 years ago when he testified before Congress. But the President is still proposing to eliminate public media funding for next year. Let's make today a beautiful day to remind everyone that we will continue to protect public media funding. Here's how you can get involved today: Snap a picture in your favorite sweater or cardigan. Share your picture with an explanation of why public media matters to you at http://protectmypublicmedia.org/beautiful-day-upload/ OR post your photo on our Facebook wall or Twitter with the hashtag #ItsABeautifulDay. It's always a beautiful day when we can come together for a cause we care about. Thank you for being our neighbor, (Cait Beroza & the Protect My Public Media Team, May 5, via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Someone we all know --- Presume you saw this, but just in case: 'PAEDOPHILE ADVICE' ON ARIZONA RADIO STATION CAUSES FURY 10 May 2017 From the section US & Canada Image copyright KVOA --- Image caption Mr Lotsof (left) defended his position over child pornography to KVOA reporter Zack Briggs An online petition has been launched by residents of the town of Benson in the US state of Arizona against a radio station which broadcast advice late at night on how to hide child pornography. Statements aired by the station over a two-year period gave tips on how to disguise viewing such images. The petition accuses the station of broadcasting "a sickening message". Cave 97.7 FM owner Paul Lotsof has publicly stated he disagrees with Arizona's laws on child pornography. . . http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39869769 Regards, (via Chuck Albertson, Seattle, DXLD) KAVV 6 kW Benson AZ (gh) ** VANUATU. Today Vanuatu noticed on Don Moman's remote receiver with weakening signal at 0828 and completely off 2 minutes later. Maybe due to the cyclone Donna. Back at 0836. 73, (Mauno Ritola, May 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Presumably frequency as below 7259.96, R. Vanuatu, 1310, May 10. Not heard for the last few days, but decent reception today; seemed reports relating to tropical cyclone Donna; 1332 clear ID "Radio Vanuatu, Voice of Bong Yumi" (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN [non]. 7305, May 6 at 0146, Vatican Radio relay in Spanish is underway, following open carrier as early as 0132 from Greenville B. So this SW service has not yet been canceled, altho it was AWOL last time I checked, May 3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [non non] Upcoming frequency changes of Vatican Radio from May 7 0040-0100 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Hindi till Sep 2, ex 9515 0040-0100 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Hindi on air from Sep 3 0100-0120 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Tamil till Sep 2, ex 9515 0100-0120 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Tamil on air from Sep 3 0120-0140 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Malayalam till Sep 2, ex 9515 0120-0140 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Malayalam on air from Sep 3 0040-0100 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Hindi till Sep 2, ex 9515 0040-0100 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Hindi on air from Sep 3 0100-0120 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Tamil till Sep 2, ex 9515 0100-0120 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Tamil on air from Sep 3 0120-0140 NF 11730 SMG 250 kW / 086 deg Malayalam till Sep 2, ex 9515 0120-0140 on 9515 SMG 250 kW / 090 deg Malayalam on air from Sep 3 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/upcoming-frequency-changes-of-vatican.html (DX RE MIX NEWS #1006 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, May 10, 2017 via DXLD) ** VATICAN. Pope: 'Vatican media reform must embrace the challenge of change' http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/05/04/pope_vatican_media_reform_must_embrace_the_challenge_of_ch/1309989 [audio also available; SW-pertinent excerpt only:] ``. . .He said that through the years Vatican Radio has become an ensemble of portals and “must be reshaped according to new models so it can conform to modern technologies and to the needs of our contemporaries”. And regarding the Vatican’s radiophonic service, the Pope had special words of appreciation for the efforts being made in consideration of countries that are not technologically developed – “I think of Africa” he said – praising the “rationalization of Short Wave frequencies that have never been dismantled. . .`` (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) "Vatican Radio also will need to be "rethought according to new models" and updated with new technologies to meet the needs of today's listeners. However, the Pope emphasized efforts were being made to "rationalize" short-wave radio broadcasts for countries, like those in Africa, with little access to modern technology.." Full article here: https://www.catholicregister.org/faith/item/25071-we-must-not-be-afraid-of-media-reform-pope-tells-vatican-office Posted by: (Catholic News Service By Carol Glatz May 4, 2017 via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Another report on the speech here: Pope Francis made a point of saying that short-wave radio broadcasts would still be available for the benefit of “countries with limited technological means.” He added—and repeated—that short-wave transmissions “have never been abandoned. https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=31482 Mike (Posted by: barraclough, ibid.) ** VIETNAM. 7906-USB // 8294-USB, Ho Chi Minh Radio Coast Station, *1305-1311*, May 5. Starts and ends with the usual tones; in Vietnamese; started with ID and then marine conditions; both fair. Ho Chi Minh Radio is the most powerful coastal station, so is usually well heard (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. USA. 9729999,36 [sic] May 8 at 2114, Voice of Vietnam, Furman-SC, in Spanish. Woman announcer talks news; 2117 Comments about vietamese economy; 2122 Social life in Vietnam; 2127 Ends of programming. Broadcasting S9+20 (DXer: José Ronaldo Xavier, Cabedelo- PB, Brazil, RX (s): Tecsun S-2000 & Twente WebSDR, Antenna: Longwire, HCDX via DXLD) ?? we are not aware of any such broadcast, WHRI relay at 21 on 9730 with VOV Spanish. An error somewhere in this? Not in HFCC, but in Aoki we see that 9730 is a VOV frequency but direct, and with a gap at 2100-2130 between French and English. However, WRTH does show VOV Spanish direct at 2100-2130 on 9730. As for the exact frequency, I think he must be over- or mis-interpreting the Twente SDR display 73, (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn. I'm listening to VOV now, May 9 at 2107 UT, in Spanish, by TwenteSDR, on 9730 kHz, with very good signal and modulation (live streaming or via WHRI transmission?). Also heard on 7280, but with strong interference by CRI in English, on 7285. See attached image. Greetings, (José Ronaldo Xavier, Alinhar imagem, to gh, via DXLD) JRX, O, I forgot to check for it today. If it were WHRI it would be easily audible here, but I don`t think so. So this frequency display is in Hz, not kHz (Glenn to José, 2153 UT May 9, ibid.) I do remember to check it May 11 at 2100+, no signal on 9730, so certainly not via WHRI. I guess that was a guess? As I don`t know of any listing for a WHRI relay on this frequency either (Glenn, ibid.) ** VIETNAM [non]. USA. 7315. VOV. Mayo 8. 0030-0357 UT. Via WHRI. Servicio en español. Informaciones sobre las actividades de la vicepresidenta de Vietnam, celebraciones en una localidad del norte, emisión de un programa especial sobre Ho Chi Minh en Egipto, actividad cultural vietnamita durante una celebración primaveral en Bélgica, refuerzo a la cooperación entre Vietnam e Italia. A las 0040 se dan informaciones acerca de las elecciones en Francia, sobre la marina de Libia que salvó a 129 inmigrantes. A las 0043, se emite el segmento: “Cultura vietnamita” dedicado a la entrevista a un músico tradicional del que destaca la interpretació n de un violín de 3 cuerdas. A las 0049 se inicia el segmento: “notas musicales” dedicado a una cantante de pop vietnamita. SINPO: 44343, aunque desde las 0053 el SINPO pasa a: 45444 (Claudio Galaz, RX: TECSUN PL-660; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. ALGERIA, 1550, Radio Nacional República Arabe Saharaui, Rabuni, 2005-2012, 06-05, Arabic, comments. 13221 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun PL-880, Sangean ATS-909X, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN [non]. Reception of Republic of Yemen Radio on May 10 0900-1758 on 11860 unknown tx / unknown to N/ME Arabic 1752-1758 on 11860 unknown tx and Jeddah tx, with echo 1752-2300 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/reception-of-republic-of-yemen-radio-on.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. [Re 800 kHz, COLOMBIA or was it Bonaire in DXLD 17-18:] Glenn, Doh! How did I miss that one in the WRTH? I must have been looking right at it, but it was hidden in plain sight! There was definitely an FM reference. I ruled out "RTM" as the time as it sounded very clearly as "RCN", but I've been wrong before. I may have to listen to the podcast of that program on TWR (shudder) to see if they give that ID at 15 minutes past. I found a series of TWR FM outlets on the web page that included 103.7 in Bogotá, as I recall. Thanks for your help. A rare night for me with CKLW off, not sure when I'll get the chance again (Jim Renfrew, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 930 UNIDENTIFIED 1001 May 7, 2017. The mystery Oldies that points N/S continues. The Eagles "Desperado" into The Hollies "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)", faded back up at 1022 with Donna Summer "She Works Hard For the Money" into Chuck Berry "My Ding-a- Ling" then mostly lost to WFXJ. On May 8, 1007 The Main Ingredient "Everybody Play the Fool" segued to The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" and lost as usual to WFXJ as sunrise approaches. Presumably not WMGR, Bainbridge, as they are variously listed as flipping to Contemporary Christian from the first of the year (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6105.0, May 8 at 0233, intriguing JBA carrier a semihour before the bigsig from Japan via France comes on. No major broadcasters scheduled now in HFCC, but Aoki reminds us of the two Brazilians supposedly/once on the air at this hour, R. Canção Nova and R. Filadélfia; WRTH 2017 thought the latter was the active one (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1877: Glenn Hauser, Thank you for continuing to produce World of Radio. I find the program extremely helpful for learning about unique programming, such as Bye, Bye Sitkunai, and Radio Öömrang. Being relatively new to shortwave, I greatly appreciate getting notified, in advance, by your program about broadcasts like these without needing to sift through SW-related message boards. WOR also keeps me very entertained for a half hour every week during my job as a self-driving car test driver. Enclosed is a check ``from a US bank in US funds`` for $[a power of 2]. Please consider it a contribution to World of Radio as well as a token of my appreciation for the show`s ongoing existence. Thanks (Christopher James Gordon, Los Altos CA) TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FUTURELY: Glenn, having gleaned many good DX tips from your podcasts, I am sending you a contribution by check in support. Please continue. Thanks and 73, (Art Peterson, Richmond CA) Thanks also to John Cimisi, Springfield Gardens NY, for a check to PO Box 1684, Enid OK 73702. One may also contribute via PayPal, not necessarily in US funds to woradio at yahoo.com PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ EiBi English Extracts New as of May 1, 2017 in the Schedules section of www.kg4lac.com 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, May 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) https://www.kg4lac.com/KG4LACItems/Schedules/KG4LACItems.htm BROADCASTS IN ENGLISH COVERING THE A17 SUMMER SCHEDULES Extra copies available while stocks last: UK £3, Europe £4, €5 or 5 IRCs. Rest of World £5 $US6 or 6 IRCs. RADIO STATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (26th edition) **NEW edition for 2017** BDXC’s guide to MW, FM and DAB radio across the British Isles, by frequency and station name. PRICES (include postage): UK £4, Europe £7, 10 Euros or 7 IRCs; Rest of World £8, $US 12 or 8 IRCs. SPECIAL OFFER: TWO COPIES only UK £7; Europe £10 or 15 Euros. Please send all orders (UK cheques/ Postal Orders payable to “British DX Club”) to: British DX Club, 19 Park Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6PF ($ or € - cash or Paypal only). All prices above include postage. Paypal payments to bdxc@bdxc.org.uk Payments also welcome by bank transfer at no extra cost - please email for details (May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) CENTRAL AMERICAN FM NEWS IN THE WTFDA FM DATABASE IF you haven't been to the WTFDA FM database recently and seen all the new bells and whistles that the database web-team have installed, you need to hustle on over there: http://db.wtfda.org Currently the Central American FM database count stands at: Country - station count Belize - 74 Costa Rica - 71 El Salvador - 261 Guatemala - 453 Honduras - 798 Nicaragua - 354 Panamá - 186 Belize - has all current transmitter powers, but is missing antenna heights and exact tower co-ordinates. The tower height numbers currently listed in the WTFDA FM database are estimates. Costa Rica - CNR, the license authority in Costa Rica, recently updated all of their license information on their website. This allowed us to completely update ALL FM radio stations in Costa Rica, so the transmitter powers, antenna HAAT and co-ordinates are up-to- date. El Salvador - In January of this year, INFOUTIL, the document management wing for all El Salvadorian government departments, updated their broadcast license documents. Those documents are uploaded to their website and available to the public. ALL FM radio stations in El Salvador listed in the WTFDA FM database are complete with technical data. Guatemala - This is the country that is the can of worms out of the bunch. Right now the Guatemala FM listings in the DB are the best we are going to get. We are slowly confirming tower locations for the major radio stations in various cities, but that is taking some time. We were actually able to pull together all the data to confirm ALL of the FM stations in Cd. Guatemala, their transmitter powers, antenna HAAT and co-ordinates. Those have been updated in the database. At least we have those ready for Southern US FM dxers, looking for Guatemala signals. I was just told this week via email from a reliable source to back off of the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT), in requesting technical information for their list of FM radio stations. The SIT is the broadcast license authority in Cd. Guatemala. I was told to follow up in September or October of this year, as things might be loosening up by then. My request for technical data by the SIT in early March of this year generated a 30 page *ticket*, which was sent back to me as confirmation they had received my request for technical data for the WTFDA FM database. Currently my requests are in a hold pattern. As I have mentioned before in other threads on the WTFDA Forums, the SIT has been put through the wringer over the past 15 years, because of their own doing. We won't air the laundry here - but sanctions were imposed upon the SIT and certain members of the government, after a lengthy investigation by a division of the United Nations. The charges were in connection to abuse of local radio stations (Mayan and other indigenous groups). These were radio stations that didn't hold broadcast licenses issued by the SIT, but they were actually broadcasting. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on then, during the mid 1990's. It appears the government is starting to get that somewhat behind them. The UN investigatory division completed a follow up review in March 2015. On all original charges, the score straight across the board was: FINAL OVERALL RATING - PARTIALLY SATISFACTORY. Sounds like a work in progress. NOW the SIT is facing a set of NEW charges of irregularities in assigning radio frequencies to applicants (evidence of favoritism to certain broadcast groups). Thus we WAIT to get any new technical data from Guatemala. *** This is just a reminder to dxers that can hear FM radio stations from Guatemala. The SIT does NOT license any radio stations below 88.1 MHz. IF you hear a Guatemalan FM station on 87.5, 87.7, or 87.9, it is an unlicensed station and is either from an indigenous group or is a religious station. I have the complete list of unlicensed FM stations from Guatemala. IF you are curious about something you have heard and suspect it to be an unlicensed station from Guatemala, feel free to PM me about it. We contemplated adding those to the WTFDA FM database, but decided not to. It would open up a can of worms the database web- team felt would turn into a nightmare. Honduras - Honduras has turned into the bright spot in the entire group. Honduras is right at 80% complete with accurate technical data. We were able to get connected with someone that works in the Conatel office in Tegucigalpa. The person actually will email PDF copies of the FM licenses as we request them. The Honduras listings are looking good for anyone that has the opportunity to get an Es opening to that country. Honduras is OFFICIALLY at 800 FM radio stations, as we just received documents for new licenses this week. When will they stop with the dial crowding? Conatel is currently running three, two-man engineer teams country wide, making two week sweeps of assigned areas. Their mission is to check for broadcast irregularities and notify stations to *get their act together*. Nicaragua - The Superintendencia General de Electricidad y Telecomunicaciones (SIGET), the license authority in Nicaragua, updated their online FM license documents in October 2016. ALL of the FM radio station listings for Nicaragua in the WTFDA FM database are up-to-date. Panamá - Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Públicos (ASEP) is the public document management division for the Government of Panamá. They are in charge of maintaining a web presence and uploading documents for public viewing, which includes radio licenses. All of the FM radio licenses were current when Panamá was added to the WTFDA FM database. Last year (Summer) Panamá went through a major shuffle in frequency assignments on FM. I think it will take 2xEs for most FM dxers to have a chance at snagging any stations from there. [but see PANAMA above!] There is your WTFDA FM database update for Central America, as it stands this week. Mike B. was nice enough to put this section of the Forums together, for the benefit of those that can regularly receive Central American FM during the Es season, which is just starting. In the future, you will be seeing updates for the Caribbean islands that are in the WTFDA FM database, as well as individual country updates for México and the Central American countries, as needed. Last edited by Jim Thomas; 05-07-2017 at 01:29 PM. Reason: Additional information (Jim Thomas, Springfield MO, originally May 6, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) I thought I would post a follow-up to FM news in Guatemala. I really didn't expect to hear anything on the status of FM radio stations in Guatemala, in view of what is going on there right now. This could actually be quite big news for the WTFDA FM database. I received an email today from Jorge Lopez-Bachiller Fernández, who works as a consultant with the Public Information Office at the SIT in Cd. Guatemala. He is actually based in Cd. Guatemala. I had been in communication with him over the past several weeks, seeking his assistance in getting technical information for the WTFDA FM database. In his email, he told me he has been working behind the scenes the past two weeks, trying to learn who it is we should be in contact with at the SIT to get the information needed for the database. He gave me the correct email address to send the *Petición de Información* and also presented a format I should use to request the information, so there wouldn't be any confusion. His suggestions were followed and the email was sent, with Jorge copied on the email. He replied it was perfect and that we should be hearing something within 7 days. IF NOT, to let him know and he would *kick someone* :-) He said he has been to the database a couple times and looked around and likes what we are doing. Stay tuned (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, ibid.) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Good evening from Sweden. This issue is a little late due to me attending the annual ARC/SWB convention in Jönköping. This time it was a joint meeting with SDXF with their annual meeting and the DX Parliament. All in all about 40 DX-ers were present. As always it is really nice to meet people you normally only have contact with via mail. During the meeting Arctic Radio was transmitting on 1593 kHz with about 250 watts from an old military radio bus. I managed to hear the station down here in Ängelholm on Friday evening at 2000 UT playing the old song "Just walk on by" with Leroy van Dyke. The signal was quite strong for about 5 minutes before going away completely here. Finally, many thanks to those who arranged this joint meeting. Keep on …. ============= R e d a k t i o n: Thomas Nilsson ARC/SWB convention in Jönköping May 6-7. One of the highlights from this year's convention was a lecture by Hans Östnell regarding Ultralight DX-ing. He showed a few portable radios suitqable for this type of DX-ing like like the Tecsun DSP Ultralights PL-310, PL-380 and CCrane. Also his hone-built FSL (ferrite sleeve loop) antenna was a masterpiece. At the end he played up a few very impressive recordings of far away stations. The quality was amazing. Hans, thanks for a very interesting lecture. Another interesting lecture was held by the Swedish radio amateur Staffan Börjesson (SM6DOI) about large antennas for low band DX-ing. His work with antennas led to the start of an own company, Lannabo AB, dealing with sales of his self constructed antennas like Lannabo Axtorp 3.5/1.8 MHz Vertical antenna, Lannabo Torp 14-30 MHz Vertical Dipole antenna, Lannabo Lii 14-30 MHz Log Periodic antenna and Lannabo Wallby 6-30 MHz Discone antenna. More info at http://www.lannabo.se The lecture concentrated about his work with long beverages for 160 m ham band operation. Arctic Radio Jönköping är en lokalradiostation som sänder på 1593 kHz från Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola med start fredagen den 5 maj kl. 21:00. Bilden visar sambandsterrängbil, typ SBTGB9333 varifrån sändningarna kommer att ske. Ekipaget består av en terränglastbil med påbyggt radioskåp. Sändare: 1.5-30 MHz 400W, Standard Radio SST400. Man hoppas få ut 250 watt ERP (samma som i Morokulien). Programmen kommer att sändas lördag och söndag med intervjuer m.m.från konventet och medlemmar från SDXF. Sändningarna kommer att fira att SR P4 Radio Jönköping fyller 40 år i år. Man kommer även att berätta om gamla mellanvågsradion i Jönköping 1594 kHz (Köpenhamnsplanen ändrade till 1593 kHz) som startade sändningarna 1924 (/Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin May 7 via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ LATCHING ON TO THE ATLANTIC STANDARD: 4 U.S. STATES PONDER SWAPPING TIME ZONES --- State representatives in Maine and New Hampshire already show support for change By Connell Smith, CBC News Posted: May 04, 2017 9:00 AM AT Last Updated: May 04, 2017 9:00 AM AT http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-england-time-zone-1.4097674 The New Hampshire house of representatives has passed a bill to move the state to the Atlantic time zone if Massachusetts does the same. The New Hampshire house of representatives has passed a bill to move the state to the Atlantic time zone if Massachusetts does the same. (State of New Hampshire Agencies) Related Stories Debate over daylight time continues as most of Canada springs forward this weekend Daylight saving time 2015: Coping with the snooze you lose MPI saw 20% spike in crashes after daylight time change in 2014 Four New England states, including Maine, are considering a move to the Atlantic time zone. State representatives in New Hampshire and Maine have already approved the change, which would be contingent in each case on Massachusetts doing the same. That state's legislature has appointed a commission to study the matter. In Maine, where a time zone bill cleared the senate this week, the change would also be contingent on the results of a statewide referendum, Representative Carol McGuire, a Republican, co-sponsored a New Hampshire bill to have the state adopt Atlantic standard time. "I hope to be on the same time with you sometime soon," McGuire said when contacted by CBC News. The bill is now before the senate. Synchronized watches "Most people like the idea," McGuire said. "And since we have better than 100,000 people that work in Massachusetts, we decided it would be a good thing if we were at the same time zone they were." The proposals approved by Maine and New Hampshire lawmakers would dispense with daylight saving time. In Rhode Island, Blake Filippi, the house minority whip, introduced a bill in February that would move that state to Atlantic time and also be contingent on Massachusetts abandoning Eastern standard time. State Representative Blake Fillipi has introduced a bill to move Rhode Island to the Atlantic time zone if Massachusetts does the same. (Legislature of the State of New Hampshire) Filippi said people in his state are tired of seeing darkness at 4:20 p.m. on December afternoons. Most people he has talked to support the idea, he said, but there are concerns about children going to school in the dark in the morning. "We have got to have later school start times," he said. Maine is at the eastern edge of the Eastern time zone, which extends roughly 1,600 kilometres westward, almost to the Michigan's border with Wisconsin. Maine tourism operator Bruce Gillett said he supports the switch to Atlantic time but also wants to hold on to daylight saving time. "I don't like waking up in the summer at 5 a.m.," said Gillett, who runs a vacation rentals business. "I'd rather get up an hour later. And I also don't like feeling sleepy at 8 o'clock at night." 'Most people like the idea.' - Carol McGuire, state representative in New Hampshire In Massachusetts, a special legislature-appointed time zone commission is studying a possible move to Atlantic time. While such a move could place at least four of the six New England states in the same time zone with the Maritimes, with the lawmakers' apparent opposition to daylight saving, it would only be for part of the year. "The transition from regular time to daylight saving time is dangerous and uncomfortable and nobody likes it," McGuire said. "We think it's better that way. And I suspect that if we switch over you [in the Maritimes] might do the same, but that's your choice, of course." (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) So which two N.E. states would stay on Eastern? CT & VT? Or CT & RI? Any such combination would be inconvenient in these small states with lots of cross-border commerce into MA. And cannot imagine CT not being on same clock as NYC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See CUBA!; OKLAHOMA; SOUTH AFRICA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See AUSTRALIA; KUWAIT; NEW ZEALAND; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ USA VOA DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See UK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See USA: WRCA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RFI FROM LAMPS In response to David Crystal’s previous comment about LEDs, IAN BROOKS has responded and says: “I agree with David Crystal and Jonathan Kempster re RFI from LED bulbs. I have a low-voltage LED bedside lamp from Lidl which has a switch-mode PSU in the 13A plug. I have to switch it off at the mains to prevent RFI. Although filament lamps are becoming scarce, bulbs with halogen capsules inside still seem to be available and are marketed as Eco-bulbs, although the saving on electricity is only about 30%. I don't know whether 240V LED bulbs contain built-in switch-mode supplies, but many 110V ones seem to consist of a bridge rectifier, a device for suppressing mains spikes and a current- limiting resistor feeding a series-connected chain of surface-mounted LED modules. See http://www.instructables.com/id/Repair-Dead-COB-LEDLight-Bulbs/ for more details and technical information. (May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) REMOTE SDR MONITORING STATION IN BULGARIA - FIRST TESTS This weekend we conducted some preliminary tests of our remote SDR monitoring station. Here are three video recordings of reception with our Afedri SDR-Net and inverted V antennas for 40, 31, 25 and 19 meters band: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/05/remote-swl-monitoring-station-first.html -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, May 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This weekend May 5-7 we conducted some preliminary tests of our remote SDR monitoring station in Patresho village, near Troyan, Bulgaria. Here are three video recordings of reception with our Afedri SDR-Net and inverted V antennas for 49/41, 31, 25 and 19 meters band. More three beverage antennas will be added soon (DX RE MIX NEWS #1006 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, May 10, 2017 via DXLD) PERSEUS V5 FUTURE To make things more clear about the V5 future, I've made a couple of promises and I will maintain them releasing a final software version as soon as I can. I'm guilty and I apologize if already didn't. After the promises will be maintained I think I will definitely quit any development of the software for the Perseus receiver and dedicate all of my time again to new hardware designs. 73, (Nico Palermo via Perseus_SDR, via SW Bulletin May 7 via DXLD) View from Mudsock Heights: IF YOU LOSE POWER AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, IT CAN ENRICHEN [sic] YOUR LIFE * By Dennis E Powell, Columnist http://www.athensnews.com/opinion/columns/the_view_from_mudsock_heights/if-you-lose-power-at-just-the-right-time-it/article_ffb86db8-3350-11e7-ab33-07146faec1d7.html This is being written last Monday night. Several hours after the storms of earlier in the day passed, the sun shining, the birds singing, and all apparently right with the world, the electricity went out. Because there is no cellular telephone service in my part of the county, this necessitated a drive much of the way to Athens to register a report with the power company. The power company's outage report line is the first entry in my cellular phonebook. Having driven far enough to submit my request for a power innage, I drove the rest of the way to town, though my evening assignment, at the Athens City Building, wasn't for nearly three hours. So I made a few pictures that seemed to show that the closure of the U.S. 33 West ramp from East State Street was having little if any effect on commuters. Then I wandered around uptown. I remembered I needed a new set of Aquila Nylgut strings for my baritone ukulele, so I stopped in at Blue Eagle and got some, and Frank and I discussed how it is always the first wound string that breaks and how this always happens not when the instrument is being played but when it is resting in its case. This is a mystery. Walking down Court Street I ran into my friend Brad McCartney, and we shot the pleasant late afternoon breeze for a few minutes. Continuing south on the newly nearly deserted street, I saw a young woman sitting cross-legged near Scripps Hall, surrounded by oodles of broken branches. She had headphones and a notebook computer, so maybe she hadn't noticed that something, wind I'd guess, had wreaked havoc all around her. There was a little time before I needed to go photograph the area's talented young people and the lovely banners they had designed and were going to present at the City Council meeting, and I, a bit peckish, thought I'd go to Donkey Coffee and purchase something healthful and nutritious to eat. I got a tasty blueberry muffin instead. Photographing the children went nicely and I headed home. American Electric Power having left my request unfulfilled, I wondered how I might spend the rest of the evening, which would normally have involved letting the television suck my brain out through my eyeholes. The evening was (and as I write this, is) cool, with a bit of wind passing through the open windows, so there was no panic, as there is when the power disappears in the dead of winter or in the 100-degree summer - both of which I have experienced. But there was no fire to build, no need to think of a reason to drive to town for a few hours in some place air-conditioned. Instead, I remembered that just a few days ago I had pushed the battery-charge button on one of a couple shortwave radios I have around here, this one a decade-old C. Crane CC Radio SW. It has a big speaker and a pleasant sound, though it's not the sort of radio you get to dig faint signals out of the mud. It is just right for such an evening as this. So I brought it to the living room, extended its built-in antenna, and fired it up. Shortwave radio is like Forest Gump's mama's box of chocolates, and that's part of its appeal. Poking around the dial I find some Ohio shortwave amateurs putting on a bit of a panel show, passing the mic metaphorically from one to another. Because they are shortwave amateurs, all they talk about was their shortwave equipment. The power is out all over the neighborhood, so there is not a single static scratch, no 60-Hz whine of interference. And the ionosphere seems stable, no fading in and out of signals. Heading up the dial, I find a station in accented but easily understood English. I have to listen for a while before I learn that I am listening to Radio Romania International. That broadcast ended, so I retune and find a cranky man and a cranky woman who are discussing how awful things are and how the only thing you can count on is gold. Moving along, I find an impassioned man with a deep Southern accent. He, too, is discussing how awful things are - and how they soon will be especially awful for those who put their trust in gold or other things of this world. There is a broadcast from somewhere - from the accents I'd guess the Caribbean or Africa - that features a man and woman talking spiritedly and sweetly about English idioms. Now I'm listening to the Argentine national shortwave service, which had a talk program in English though they've switched to Argentine music. It's nice enough, but it is time to explore a little more. Ah! CHU Canada, the northern equivalent of the U.S. WWV time station, informs me that my watch, set Saturday, is still spot on. Here's one that's clearly Arab, but I can't really tell much more than that. Music is being played, and it is evocative of elaborate dance. It sounds ancient and wonderful. And here's a familiar signal, Radio Havana Cuba discussing May Day and how it's the 56th anniversary of Radio Havana Cuba and how Raul Castro today detailed the wickedness of the U.S. - another Obama foreign- policy triumph. It's been a satisfying evening, among the most satisfying I remember. Here I am, by the light of a little LED flashlight and the screen of the ancient iPad on which I'm writing this, happy as a cartoon bear with a new roll of Charmin. I do hope the power comes back. Just not tonight. Tomorrow, maybe. Or the next day. (Note: Just as I set this to email itself eventually to the Athens NEWS, minutes after I was done writing, the power came back on. And it really was a little disappointing.) Editor's note: Dennis E. Powell's column appears on Mondays. You can reach him at dep@drippingwithirony.com (Via Mike Cooper, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HOW TROPOSPHERIC DX WORX Pure water-only paths peak during the day when there is the greatest difference in temperature between the cooler water and the heated air above. I see that every late spring + early summer here in Niagara with almost daily ducts forming across the lake (Lake Ontario) to the other end - Watertown, NY, 200 miles - between 12 noon & 6 pm. However, for those further inland, it may appear the other way around. For example, if you look at the Gulf Tropo forecast maps, the strength peaks during the day over the water, but the aerial coverage spreads at night - deeper inland as it combines with the radiational cooling area developing over land. There are 2 way to strengthen an inversion.. 1) Cool the air below. Ex : A) nighttime radiational cooling of land. B) behind a cold front. C) any cold air advection on land. 2) Heat the air above. Ex: A) daytime heating of air over cooler water. B) ahead of a warm front. C) subsidence aloft - air aloft heating as it descends in a high pressure system. D) any warm air advection aloft (Chinooks, etc). wrh (William Hepburn, Ont., a meteorologist, WTFDA gg via DXLD) SPORADIC E FREQUENCY COVERAGE Although normally associated with six and 10 metres, the effects of a Sporadic-E event can often be seen from 7 MHz upwards. As we said earlier, it’s May, and at last the Sporadic-E season is under way! There have been several openings across Europe and some paths hooking into parts of the UK, especially on 10m and 6m. The general rule for operating this mode is to start checking the beacons and clusters for signs of activity. As well as 10 metres, a six metre beacon list can also be found on the RSGB website. It is often the case that the longest DX paths are when the band first opens, since the Sporadic-E layers gradually descend with time. The peak times are late morning and late afternoon/early evening. (RSGB propagation via DXLD) Remember, you can get a new and revised 45-day forecast for solar flux and planetary A index daily, usually after 2100 UTC from NOAA at, ftp://ftp.swpc.noaa.gov/pub/forecasts/45DF/ . Dr. Tamitha Skov released a new space weather video commentary yesterday: http://bit.ly/2pdyRv7 Bob Kile, W7RH of Las Vegas, Nevada noticed a nice sporadic-E 6 meter opening on May 3: "Spring is here and so was the first sporadic-E propagation on 6m for the season. There were openings on 6m from the SW to mid-west on May 2nd and 3rd. I happened to be listening on May 3rd when the band opened up at about 00:00 to the mid-west. Beacons were copied in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. I could not hear the guys in California but a few in southern Arizona could be heard at times. "Stations worked were in West Texas, Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado. Of special note two stations in Cheyenne, WY WY7HR and WY7KY were solid copy for several hours when the band finally closed about 0200 UTC." Bob at his home QTH is using a 3 element Yagi on 6 meters mounted low on his patio. But I think more interesting is his HF remote base station literally in the middle of nowhere in the Northern Arizona desert, a good distance northeast of Seligman, and approximately 240 miles from Bob's home in Las Vegas. You can check his QRZ.com listing or http://w7rh.net/ for a deeper rundown (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 18 ARLP018 From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA May 5, 2017, To all radio amateurs, via DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2017 May 08 1530 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 - 07 May 2017 Solar activity was at very low levels with only B-class activity observed. On 04 May, an episode of large-scale magnetic reconnection was observed in the NE quadrant with a subsequent slow-moving CME off the NE limb, first observed in LASCO C2 imagery beginning at 04/1900 UTC. Analysis, and follow on WSA-Enlil model output of the CME, suggested an arrival at Earth early to midday on 10 May. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 01-04 and 07 May and normal levels on 05-06 May. Geomagnetic field activity was at predominately quiet levels throughout the period. Isolated unsettled to active periods were obsevered late on 04 May and early on 05 May due to weak effects from the 30 April CME. Isolated unsettled periods were observed on 07 May due to sustained southward Bz. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 08 MAY - 03 JUNE 2017 Solar activity is expected to be very low with a slight chance for C-class flare activity throughout the outlook period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is likely to reach high levels on 08-09, 13-15, 17-20, and 24-31 May with very high levels likely on 21-23 May. Normal to moderate flux levels are expected for the remainder of the period. Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm levels on 17 and 21 May with G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels likely on 22 May due to the influence of mulitple, recurrent CH HSSs. Active conditions are likely on 10-11 May due to effects from the 04 May CME with additional active conditions possible on 16, 18 and 20 May due to CH HSS influence. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2017 May 08 1530 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2017-05-08 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2017 May 08 72 8 3 2017 May 09 70 5 2 2017 May 10 70 15 4 2017 May 11 70 15 4 2017 May 12 72 10 3 2017 May 13 72 5 2 2017 May 14 72 5 2 2017 May 15 75 8 3 2017 May 16 80 15 4 2017 May 17 80 30 5 2017 May 18 80 15 4 2017 May 19 80 8 3 2017 May 20 80 15 4 2017 May 21 80 30 6 2017 May 22 80 20 5 2017 May 23 80 10 3 2017 May 24 77 8 3 2017 May 25 77 5 2 2017 May 26 77 5 2 2017 May 27 77 5 2 2017 May 28 75 5 2 2017 May 29 75 5 2 2017 May 30 75 5 2 2017 May 31 75 5 2 2017 Jun 01 75 5 2 2017 Jun 02 73 5 2 2017 Jun 03 72 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1877, DXLD) GLENN`S PROPAGATION OUTLOOK FOR MEDIA NETWORK PLUS AS OF MAY 11, 2017 Keith, From IPS in Australia, the global HF propagation forecast thru May 13: normal at low and middle latitude bands; normal to fair in high latitudes. From Spaceweather South Africa thru May 13: magnetic conditions unsettled, to quiet; shortwave fadeouts unlikely; MUF unstable. From Natural Resource Canada, the long term magnetic activity forecast: greatest DRX nanoteslas on May 19 in the polar and auroral zones, May 20 in the subauroral zone. From F K Janda of the Czech Propagation Interest]ed[ Group, the Geomagnetic field will be: quiet to active on May 12, 19 - 21 mostly quiet on May 13, 16, 25 - 30 quiet on May 14 - 15, active to disturbed on May 17 - 18 quiet to unsettled May 22 - 24, 31 From SWPC in Boulder: Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G2 (Moderate) storm levels on May 17 and 21 with A and K indices reaching 30 and 6, or 5. Lowest A`s and K`s of 5 and 2 on May 13, 14, and 25th to June 3rd. Solar flux rising from 72 May 12 to a peak of 80 on May 16-23, down to 72 again by June 3. RSGB says: Although normally associated with 28 and 50 MHz, the effects of a Sporadic-E event can often be seen from 7 MHz upwards. There have been several openings across Europe. Often the longest DX paths are when the band first opens, since the Sporadic-E layers gradually descend with time. The peak hours are late morning and late afternoon/early evening. William Hepburn`s VHF UHF DX maps show extreme tropospheric ducting: along the central west coast of Mexico starting May 13 as always, all week: off the west coast of Africa around Cabo Verde and along the coasts of Angola and Namibia. Across all the seas around the Arabian peninsula as far as India; and from May 15 along the east coast of India, and south of Japan on May 12 (via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ COME SEE ME ON BROADWAY THIS SUMMER! Friends, I have some good news to share with you. This past week, at a press conference at Sardi's in New York's Times Square, the Shubert Organization announced my Broadway debut -- the upcoming world premiere of the one-man show I've written and will perform -- THE TERMS OF MY SURRENDER. It will run for 12 weeks only, beginning July 28th at the Belasco Theatre -- just blocks away from Trump Tower. Needless to say, I'm excited about this! A few weeks ago I mentioned on Facebook that I've been on a creative tear since Trump's appointment by the Electoral College. I proposed then that we fight Trump on four fronts: 1) Mass citizen action; 2) Run candidates who can win; 3) Tie him up with court orders and injunctions; and, my personal favorite -- 4) Form an Army of Satirists with the belief that we can bring him down with humor, comedy and ridicule -- simply because his awfully thin skin just can't take it. I committed to doing everything I could, in every venue open to me -- film, television, books -- but I also decided it was time for me to try something new, something different. Change it up because the old ways no longer work. But a million women (and men) in the streets - that works. Descending en masse on airports when the Muslim ban was announced - that works. Flooding congressional phone lines and town halls - that works. Bold, brash, out of the blue ideas are exactly what we need. So here's my contribution: I've written a one-man play, a piece of original theater that I will perform on Broadway this summer to people visiting from Iowa to Oregon to Virginia (and for those who call New York home). It's not "Cats" or "Mamma Mia!" but it is live, it's on a stage and I'll be saying and doing things each night that I've been wanting to say uncensored for some time. And I'll be doing it in the city that is the seat of corporate power, the headquarters of Wall Street, the epicenter of our media and that wonderful home of free expression we call the American theater. This show will be subversive and funny and it'll be unlike anything I've ever done. I think you're really going to like it! My director is the great Michael Mayer. He won the Tony Award for "Spring Awakening" and has directed so many great plays on Broadway: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", Green Day's "American Idiot", two Arthur Miller revivals, "Funny Girl" in London and the Metropolitan Opera's current production of Verdi's "Rigoletto". He's an amazing artist and director. The rest of my production team includes set design by Tony winner David Rockwell ("Falsettos", "Kinky Boots"), lighting design by four- time Tony winner Kevin Adams ("Hedwig"), and sound design by two-time Tony winner Brian Ronan ("Book of Mormon", "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"). My producer is the legendary Tony winner Carole Shorenstein Hays, the woman who produced all of August Wilson's plays, plus "Doubt", "Proof", a couple of amazing Tony Kushner plays, among many others. I hope you can come! It would mean a lot to me. You can get tickets right now, here at Telecharge for as low as $29. I've personally wanted to do something in the theater for a long time. And I'll tell you, this feels the way I felt when I made my first film, "Roger & Me" -- trying something new and original and a fresh jolt to the American consciousness. That's what I think - hope - this one-man show is going to do. Wish me well! Come see it! And thanks for all your support over the years! (Michael Moore, May 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###