DX LISTENING DIGEST 17-37, September 12, 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 1895 contents: Anguilla, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain non, Brazil, Cambodia non, Congo DR, Cuba, Ethiopia, Europe and non, Germany non, Guatemala, India, International Waters non, Korea South, Mongolia, Netherlands non, North America, Sa`udi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, USA, Zanzibar SHORTWAVE AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1895, September 12-19, 2017 Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 15770 [off the air, post-Irma] Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [1894 replayed] Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 9455 [off the air, post-Irma] Wed 1315 WRMI 9955 [off the air, post-Irma] Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v [confirmed] Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Fri 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB [confirmed] Sat 0630 HLR 6190-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1431 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio [not confirmed] Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 [should play, back on the air, and following] Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 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 [not back on air yet as of Sept 16] 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. Weak signal of R Afghanistan External Service Sept 5: from 1530 6100 YAK 100 kW / 125 deg SoAs English, no signal at 1600 from 1600 6100 KNG 250 kW / non-dir NEAs Korean KCBS Pyongyang-fair http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/weak-signal-of-radio-afghanistan.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. B17 CHINA as of 05-Sep-2017 via Cërrik Total number of requirement: 41 ; for ITU NOTIFICATION created by ITU HFBC -2017-09-05 14:33:10 FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF POWR AZIMUTH SLW ANT LANGUAGE ----+----+----+------------------------------+---+----+-------+---+-- 5960 2000 2100 27,28W 150 310 0 146 Eng 5960 2100 2200 27,28W 150 310 0 146 Eng 5970 1600 1800 28NW 150 330 0 146 Deu 5970 1800 2000 27SE 150 310 0 146 Fra 5985 0500 0700 37S,37NE 150 240 0 206 Ara 6020 0000 0100 7-10 300 305 0 217 Eng 6020 0100 0200 7-10 300 305 0 217 Eng 6020 0200 0300 7-10 300 305 0 217 Chn 6020 0300 0400 7-10 300 305 0 217 Chn 6055 1800 2000 37,46W 150 240 0 206 Fra 6175 2200 2300 37N 150 280 0 206 Por 6175 2300 2400 37N 150 280 0 206 Spa 6185 2000 2200 38W 150 193 0 206 Ara 7210 0500 0700 37S,37NE 150 240 0 206 Ara 7210 2200 2400 37NW 150 280 0 206 Spa 7215 2000 2200 38W 150 140 0 146 Ara 7220 0500 0600 38E 150 140 0 146 Eng 7220 1100 1200 28SE 150 0 0 925 Bul 7285 0900 1000 28E 150 0 0 925 Ron 7285 2000 2100 27N 150 310 0 146 Eng 7285 2100 2200 27N 150 310 0 146 Eng 7345 1200 1300 28S 150 0 0 925 Srp 7345 1500 1600 39NW 150 0 0 925 Tur 7360 1800 2000 27SE 150 310 0 146 Fra 7380 1600 1800 28NW 150 330 0 146 Deu 7385 1800 2000 37,46W 150 240 0 206 Fra 9460 0900 1000 28E 150 0 0 925 Ron 9555 1600 1800 38E 150 140 0 146 Ara 9565 1500 1600 39NW 150 0 0 925 Tur 9570 0000 0100 7-10 300 305 0 217 Eng 9570 0100 0200 7-10 300 305 0 217 Eng 9570 0200 0300 7-10 300 305 0 217 Chn 9570 0300 0400 7-10 300 305 0 217 Chn 9590 0500 0700 39E 150 140 0 146 Ara 11725 1600 1800 37S,37NE 150 240 0 206 Ara 11750 0600 0700 38E 150 140 0 146 Eng 11785 0700 0900 27N 150 310 0 146 Eng 11855 0700 0900 27 150 310 0 146 Chn 11920 1400 1600 46W 150 240 0 206 Fra 13665 1100 1300 27N 150 310 0 146 Eng 13670 1400 1600 46W 150 240 0 206 Fra (via Drita Çiço, RTSH Monitoring, Sept 7, DXLD) ** ANGUILLA. The Caribbean Beacon, Anguilla, had a good signal on 11775 kHz this afternoon until s/off on the frequency at 2207:19 UT, abruptly with no ID, etc. Looked for them then on their night frequency of 6090 kHz but not heard and not heard since. Battening down the hatches? Next SW broadcast transmitters in the path of Irma will likely be Cuba's and perhaps WRMI's (-- Richard Langley, NB, 0237 UT Sept 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, Sept 6 at 0552, Caribbean Beacon is off, as you would expect with huge Hurricane Irma hitting the island. Has Dead Doctor Gene finally met his match in an even bigger blowhard?? Richard Langley noted that the night frequency never came up after day frequency 11775 closed a few minutes after 2200 Sept 5. 11775, also CB absent, Sept 6 at 1241 check, uncovering a very weak carrier presumably listed AIR Tibetan/Nepali via GOA, or jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. HURRICANE IRMA: FEARS GROW FOR BRITONS IN CARIBBEAN http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41185042 "Two British territories in the Caribbean have suffered 'severe' damage from Hurricane Irma, the UK's Foreign Office has said. "Sir Alan Duncan said Anguilla received the hurricane's 'full blast' while the British Virgin Islands would need 'extensive humanitarian assistance'. "At least one death has been reported on Anguilla, according to local officials." ... "Josephine Gumbs-Conner, a barrister from Anguilla, claimed the UK's preparations for and response to the storm have been 'sorely lacking' "She said the island's essential services including hospitals and police stations, were now in a 'limping position', after the hurricane caused 'nuclear bomb devastation'. Whither The Caribbean Beacon? (-- Richard Langley, Sept 7, dxldyg via DXLD) Does Ms. Scott care for her Anguilla possession in any way? (You can guess my assumption.) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/06/government-accused-of-disgraceful-lack-of-aid-for-anguillans-hit-by-irma http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.4277147/duty-calls-radio-reporter-19-broadcasts-live-from-anguilla-at-the-height-of-hurricane-irma-1.4277182 (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) NO info about status of silent SW station! (gh) ** ANGUILLA. ANGUILLAN RADIO ANNOUNCER STAYS ON AIR AS HURRICANE IRMA TEARS ACROSS ISLAND --- Here And Now Hurricane Irma ravaged the small Caribbean island of Anguilla on Wednesday, killing at least one person and leveling buildings across the island. But it did not stop 19-year-old radio broadcaster Nisha Dupuis from doing her job. Video taken inside the studios of Radio Anguilla shows Dupuis (@DupuisNisha) calling out to listeners as hurricane-force wind rattles the building. Here & Now's Robin Young talks with her. This segment [only 1:38, noisy off-mike] aired on September 8, 2017 http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/09/08/anguillan-radio-announcer-irma (via Artie Bigley, Sept 8, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. ARGENTINE, 15475.976, LRA36, Radio Nacional [Arcángel] San Gabriel logged on remote Kiwi-SDR in Brazil on SDR.net.worldwide Set SDR option to AM narrow or USB, next to 15475.96 kHz Zoom-in, manual gain of 97dB, approx. S=6-7 at 1950 UT (in Brazil 16.50 local time) (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 5 via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Random reception of Armenian Public Radio on Sept 6: 0833-0903 on 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Armenian & off http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/random-reception-of-armenian-public.html Random reception of Armenian Public Radio on new freq 7520 kHz, Sept 8 0940&1005 NF 7520 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Armenian, ex 9580 & off at 1010 Again on air 1030 and off at 1040/again on air at 1100 and off at 1110 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/random-reception-of-armenian-public_8.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. Yerevan tests Mon 11th Sept 0230-2100 UT --- There will be a bunch of tests from Yerevan today, Monday, 11th September between 0230 (yes 0-two-3-0) and 2100 UT on 7530 kHz. Power 100 kW, directed to 192 Iran / Iran / Turkey. RRs appreciated (Christian Milling, Shortwave Service on WRTH Facebook page, 2130 UT, 10 Sept) Posted by: (alan.pennington, 2227 UT Sept 10, BDXC_UK yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) or probably on 7520, open carrier at 0925 UT, Sept 11 -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) Armenian Public Radio and Denge Kurdistan via Yerevan-Gavar, Sept 11 Armenian Public Radio 0604-0609 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg WAs Armenian, distorted & off air Denge Kurdistan 0700-0800 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg WAs Kurdish, strong and good audio //freqs 7520 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg, 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg WeAs http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/armenian-public-radio-and-denge.html Test broadcasts of Armenian Public Radio on 7320/7520 kHz, Sept 11 0230-2100 7520^ERV 100 kW / 192 deg WeAs Armenian, NOT on 7530 0929-0942 7320 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg WeAs Armenian, poor/weak signal ^NO SIGNAL 0630-0929, except 0700-0800 on 7520 kHz Kurdish Denge Kurdistan. Tests started at 0929-0941 UT & 0959-1011UT & continues xx59-xx11/xx29-xx41 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/test-broadcasts-of-armenian-public.html Test broadcasts of Armenian Public Radio 7520 on Sept 11 1409&1429 7520 ERV 100 kW / 192 deg WeAs Armenian, NOT on 7530 kHz. Test started at 0929 & continues xx59-xx11/xx29-xx41, not every hour http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/test-broadcasts-of-armenian-public_11.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) ** ASCENSION. Hi Glenn, The hum should now be fixed. Let me know if you think otherwise! Regards, (Chris Greenway, UK, Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I must reply: 5960, Sept 6 at 0555, African language with hum, i.e. Dandal Kura scheduled during this hour to Nigeria. Other ASC frequency, 6005 with BBCWS in English, is hum-free, so apparently moved it to 5960 or swapped transmitters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 5045, Ozy Radio, 1136-1215, Sept 11. Recently have only had below threshold level audio here, but today heard with their strongest signal yet; EZL pop songs; unable to recognize/ID any of them; usual "Waltzing Matilda" IS at 1146, 1159 and 1214, along with "Ozy Radio" IDs; 1200-1210 with the news; not readable, but could make out bits and pieces; still above threshold level at 1243. 6230-USB, VMW (Australia Weather West), 1230-1241*, Sept 11. Current marine weather and forecast, followed by current conditions for coastal locations (Carnarvo, North Island, Rottnest Island, etc.); ending with "V M W" ID; fair, even with QRN (static); readable. My audio at http://goo.gl/MU2BCB 5045, Ozy Radio. Sept 12, a day with very respectable reception from this low powered station; 1156-1436; strongest feature continues to be the old Radio Australia's "Waltzing Matilda," which were always well heard at 1156, 1206 (end of news), 1218, 1240, 1249, 1305 (end of news), 1337, 1348 (end of news, which mentioned "suburban Melbourne," etc.), 1357, 1406 (end of news - please listen to my audio) and 1417; sometimes able to make out the Dacelo novaeguineae; new email address - ozyradio @ gmail.com given with IDs; mostly playing pop songs ("Hooked On A Feeling," etc.); my local sunrise was at 1347 UT. With today's improved reception of Ozy Radio, also came improved signal from China (Beibu Bay Radio) on 5050, which caused some QRM for Ozy Radio, so was forced to listen in LSB for the best results. Considerable QRN (static) and only bits & pieces readable on my audio ending with Dacelo novaeguineae, Waltzing Matilda and "Ozy Radio" ID, at http://goo.gl/2krPf9 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Sent a report via email to ozyradio @ gmail.com , telling Craig about my listening to Ozy Radio today while parked at the beach. My "radio shack" picture that I sent him - http://goo.gl/TM7mmr which is where I string out my long wire antenna along the wooden fence that I park next to. Craig's nice reply came back in just five hours (Ron Howard, Sept 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: "G'day, Ron, Thanks for the reception report. It is amazing what 500 watts does. We now include the Australian Independent National news and also a 10 minute world round up. I bought a Pioneer shortwave car radio about 2 months ago, but I still haven't installed it. Maybe today. Thanks for your report and next time I'm in the states we will have a beer and throw a shrimp on the BBQ. Stay tuned, Craig Allen, Ozy Radio, 5045 Khz" (via Ron Howard, ibid.) ** BAHAMAS. 1540, ZNS1, Radio Bahamas, Nassau, New Providence. 1005 September 8, 2017. Female live Hurricane Irma coverage of Out Islands conditions. Presumed KXEL talker co-channel. On September 10 at 1004, gospel program but bad KZMP Spanish Christian co-channel, no doubt on full day power already (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISITENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN [non]. Iran / Bahrain broadcast from Iran IRIB external service has been heard carrying a broadcast to Bahrain identifying as Neda al-Bahrain (Call of Bahrain). It is using IRIB transmitters at 0900-1200 on 1224 kHz and 1700-2000 on 1080 kHz. Before and after the Bahrain programme, both frequencies carry IRIB Arabic programming as scheduled. The broadcast has a website http://www.nedaalbahrain.com which confirms the frequencies (Observations by Tony Rogers during August 2017 using the Kiwi SDR receiver in Oman, Sept BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) Per WRTH 2017: 1080 is 600/400 kW of VOIRI at Mahshahr; VOIRI 1224 is 400 kW at Kish Island (also a 1224 Radio Iran at Kerman with 50 kW). Neither VOIRI place is in the index of the Reader`s Digest Wide World Atlas, the top of my atlas collexion stack (should be demoted?), so am I am forced to search for them online? But first, how about the slick ME Map in the WRTH page 57? These would be much more useful if they showed at least major MW sites rather than the ever-diminishing SW sites only, leaving lots of blank areas. Aha, near Kuwait in Iran is Bandar-e Mashar [sic]; is that a SW site? Never heard of it. But in the International sexion we find that it is the one more commonly known as Ahwaz. Still no Kish Island, but on page 474, 1224 is attributed to Kerman with 600 kW --- atlas shows this city is in south-central Iran, closer to Oman than Bahrain and certainly not on an island. All this confusion is not totally WRTH`s fault, as Iran has failed to provide updated info to them. Now I finally search for Kish Island: Wikipedia says, altho caveat not entirely satisfied with its entry: ``Kish is a 91.5-square-kilometre (35.3 sq mi) resort island in the Persian Gulf off the southern coast of Iran. It is part of the Bandar Lengeh County in Hormozgan Province of Iran. Owing to its free trade zone status it is touted as a consumer's paradise, with numerous malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and resort hotels.[1] It has an estimated population of 26,000 residents and about 1 million people visit the island annually.[2] Kish Island is the third most visited vacation destination in Southwest Asia after Dubai and Sharm el-Sheikh.[3][clarification needed]`` Map shows it almost due east from Bahrain across the Gulf, and could certainly put a bigsig into the other island, but not a good spot to DX from with that huge MW transmitter upon Kish! BTW, as reflected in my propagation outlooks for Media Network Plus, Bill Hepburn`s maps show the Persian Gulf is a hotspot for extreme tropospheric propagation, so FM and TV DX in the area should be huge, if anyone were doing it (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1080, 1700, Call of Bahrain (Neda al-Bahrain) via Bandar-e Mahshahr, Iran. Split from IRIB Arabic at 1700, piano IS, into Call of Bahrain program (seemingly a repeat, heard earlier on 1224 kHz), ID; DRM noise from India quite noticeable until 1930 (# Muscat, Oman SDR) SIO 323 09/08 TR#* 1080, 2140, IRIB, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Iran. Middle Eastern-type music audible under Spain, found to be // IRIB Arabic on 7425 (# Northampton SDR) 211 26/08 TR# (Tony Rogers, Sept BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Hi, Radio Bangladesh iñ English heard at 1710 UT on 13580 with Islamic prayer, ident music, etc., with a sinpo of 54544 on my tecsun PL-660 with telescopic whip (Jon Collins, Birmingham UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9455, Sept 12 at 1320, JBA carrier; checking for possible WRMI, but this instead: only listed is BB in Nepali at 1315-1345 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. This morning I was pleasantly surprised to pick up the following SW station. I actually hear it every time I DX but just thought if I hyped it up it would be more interesting. I'm a little bored this morning! I think I need a job? Radio Mosoj Chaski, 3310, Cochabamba, in Spanish, at 1005, on 8 Sep. A song with several female singers played followed by a female DJ talking about music. A male announcer came on with a commercial or promo followed by the female DJ again. Fair-Poor. 60 Minute tape recorded on line somewhere on Boo Tube if you really want to listen to it, I didn't! (John Cooper, PA) (Located in beautiful Lebanon, PA which is located 12 miles East of Hershey, PA, The Sweetest Place on Earth, located 14 miles East of Reading, PA. As if you really care?) Have a great DX Day! Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BOUGAINVILLE [and non]. 3325, NBC Bougainville, 1133, Sept 6. Nice to hear a singing version of "Waltzing Matilda" here; cut off at 1200*, revealing RRI Palangkaraya. Sept 7, was a bad day here, with both NBC and RRI being about equal strength, causing a mess; NBC cut off at 1203*, leaving RRI in the clear. Normally NBC is considerably stronger, making their station more listenable. Sept 9, with overall very poor propagation: 3325, NBC Bougainville, 1137-1201*, Sept 9. Usual DJ in Pidgin playing pop songs; 1200 full ID along with frequencies; QRM from RRI Palangkaraya was light to moderate (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Hi Glenn, With 6060 free of Cuba, heard Brazil, on 6059.79 kHz (Super Rádio Deus é Amor), with religious songs, at 0430+ (Ron Howard, California, Sept 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4985, Rádio Brasil Central, Goiânia, 0612-0627, 11-09, Brazilian songs, Portuguese, comments, ID “Brasil Central”. Teletype stations interference. 21321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Reinante, Tecsun PL-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4985, Sept 12 at 0126, very poor music, presumed R. Brasil Central, and NO RTTY, which usually blox it totally; // 11815 is even weaker now. Wonder if Irma has something to do with the RTTY being absent? Never know whence it be. But Sept 13 at 0157, RTTY is back (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Weak to fair signal of Radio Transmundial, Sept 9: 1848 & 2028 11735*CAB 050 kW / 060 deg to BRA Portuguese & off 2100 UT * same time 11735 DOL 050 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili ZBC, NO SIGNAL! http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/weak-to-fair-signal-of-radio.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 9 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Am 08.09.2017 um 17:07 schrieb Shortwave Radiogram: > Another reason you might not be able to hear Shortwave Radiogram this weekend is solar events, which are forecast to affect radio communications. See the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center for updates. Here in Central Germany the signal from Kostinbrod on 9400 kHz was again very strong. http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2017-09-09.htm#SWRG Like "usual", a short AF dropout had been hidden. However, with the spelling check of the MFSK-32 text such things are quite fast to find. ;-) Also, again, look at the world of I-Q data, even a kind of stereo on shortwave. http://www.rhci-online.net/radiogram/SW_Radiogram_2017-09-09.htm#spectrum (roger thayer, germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURUNDI [non]. Again no signal of RPA Radio Publique Africaine via TDF Issoudun 1800-1858 on 15480 ISS 250 kW / 145 deg to SoAf Kirundi & French http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/receptioin-of-radio-itahuka-via-mbr.html (DX RE MIX NEWS #1028 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 12, 2017 via DXLD) ** CAMBODIA [non]. UNIDENTIFIED. 9700, Sept 7, good S9 to S9+10 signal in Khmer(?), strikes me as something new. Yes, nothing at all listed in latest HFCC, Aoki or EiBi at this time on 9700. Searching HFCC on Khm does not get many hits after 1300, in fact only KSDA on 11900 and IBB Saipan 12140, so maybe ex-one of those. But I`m not 100% certain it`s Khmer; could be some obscure related dialect beloved of the evangelical imperialists. Needs further monitorage (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Radio Free Asia: Schedule Effective 26 March - 28 October 2017. All times are UTC http://www.rfa.org/about/info/frequencies.html Khmer 1230-1330 9700 12140 (Ron Howard, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've a copy of Aoki Nagoya database of Aug 30 at 1400 UT in use. There is an entry of 9700 RFA Khmer already, and as reported last week, also 9615 VoA! Khmer from Tinang PHL 1330-1430 UT. Use now a unit from Tinian Isl in the Marianas from Sunday Aug 27 onwards: 2017-08-27 12:32:01 capture: AM 9700 (TIN) aRF KHME 2017-08-27 12:32:21 email: 1708271232@PHNO 9700aRFKHME.mp4 B u t, there is an alfabet sort problem, called 'aRF' keyboard glitch, and put 'sorted' on first line in row as aRF, BBC, RFA, RTG, RVA, VOA RFA Khmer, 1230-1330 12140 Saipan MRA, 9700 Tinian MRA. And too at ... sorted aVO ... VOA Khmer, 1330-1430 11695 Tinang PHL, 9615 Tinang PHL, 1575 Bangkok THA. 2017-08-27 14:02:01 capture: AM 9615 (PHT) aVO KHME 2017-08-27 14:02:21 email: 1708271402@PHNO 9615aVOKHME.mp4 What mean the lower case alphabet letter sort 'a' ? 73 wolfie (Wolfgang Büschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9700, Sept 8 at 1303, JBA carrier unlike yesterday, when Ron Howard and Wolfgang Büschel quickly identified this as indeed a new frequency for Radio Free Asia in Cambodian, here via Tinian, while now inaudible original // 12140 is Saipan. Nor heard at 1308 on another recent addition, 9615 Tinang, Philippines {rather, that is not until 1330 for VOA, as below}. Severe geomag storm but only temporary. Beefing up SW service at 1230-1330, since Cambodia is turning off FM relays (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New extended schedule of Radio Free Asia in Khmer 1230-1330 on 9700 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to SEAs addit. freq. 1230-1330 on 12140 SAI 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs as scheduled 1430-1500 on 7520 TIN 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs new addit.px 1430-1500 on 12140 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to SEAs new addit.px 2230-2330 on 13740 SAI 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs as scheduled 2230-2330 on 15275 TIN 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs addit. freq. And updated shortwave schedule of Voice of America in Khmer: 1330-1430 on 9615 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg to SEAs addit. freq. 1330-1430 on 11695 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg to SEAs as scheduled 2200-2230 on 5915 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg to SEAs as scheduled 2200-2230 on 9320 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg to SEAs as scheduled http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/new-extended-schedule-of-radio-free.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, Sept 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CAMBODIA [and non]. STATEMENT BY CEO JOHN F. LANSING ON THE CLOSING OF RFA'S PHNOM PENH BUREAU --- September 12, 2017 In recent days, the intimidation campaign by Cambodia's government against free speech has intensified. As a result, and out of concern for the security and safety of its journalists, Radio Free Asia (RFA) has made the difficult decision to suspend operations of its news bureau in Phnom Penh. [next story below] In this interconnected age of borderless news and information, the Broadcasting Board of Governors is committed to achieving our mission of informing, engaging, and connecting people around the world in support of freedom and democracy. There has never been a more important time to hold governments accountable for treating press freedom as a human right and a universal priority. The Cambodian government's actions have only strengthened our resolve to continue to respond to threats and harassment with accurate, factual reporting, analysis, and other vital information. We condemn this crackdown and again call on the Cambodian authorities to permit journalists to do their important work in safe, unfettered conditions; and to allow the programs of BBG networks back onto FM stations in the country. [link to previous call of 8/23:] https://www.bbg.gov/2017/08/23/statement-by-ceo-john-f-lansing-on-press-freedom-in-cambodia/ We salute the dedication and determination of the journalists of RFA, and independent media outlets in Cambodia who provide much-needed news and information to audiences eager for the truth (BBG PR via Hansjoerg Biener, Sept 12, DXLD) STATEMENT OF RADIO FREE ASIA’S PRESIDENT ON CAMBODIA === 2017-09-12 http://www.rfa.org/about/releases/statement-on-cambodia-09122017092506.html WASHINGTON – Libby Liu, President of Radio Free Asia (RFA), today issued the following statement about RFA’s decision to suspend in- country operations in Cambodia: After almost 20 years of bringing the Cambodian people independent, reliable and trustworthy news and information from inside the country, Radio Free Asia has regrettably been forced to close its Phnom Penh bureau. The government’s relentless crackdown on independent voices in recent weeks has made it impossible to keep the bureau open while guaranteeing the integrity of RFA’s journalistic mission. It has become increasingly apparent that Prime Minister Hun Sun has no intention of allowing free media to continue operating inside the country ahead of the 2018 elections. The government has instead seized on every opportunity to go after critics, political opponents, NGOs, and independent media committed to reporting the truth. Using a thin pretext of tax and administrative violations, authorities have closed independent radio stations carrying RFA, Voice of America, and Voice of Democracy. The government has forced The Cambodia Daily newspaper to close due to an extreme and punitive retroactive tax bill and has kept its manager, Mr. Steele, from leaving the country under threat of criminal charges. Authorities have been employing these same tactics against RFA, despite our full cooperation at every step to comply with all requests and our sincere efforts to register as a licensed media company. Nevertheless, they have resorted to false statements and increasingly threatening and intimidating rhetoric about RFA, made mostly through leaked documents on government mouthpiece media and random statements from different ministries. Facing down intimidation is nothing new for RFA. Our journalists and commentators have been threatened, jailed, and forced to leave the country to avoid arrest or worse. But recent developments have intensified to an unprecedented level, as Cambodia’s ruling party shamelessly seeks to remove any obstacle or influence standing in its way of achieving absolute power. Through the years, Cambodian journalists working for RFA have risked their lives to report on corruption, illegal logging, forced evictions, bribery, labor disputes, and rights abuses, among other important stories largely ignored by state-controlled media. Their hard work has helped to build the foundation of RFA’s investigative, in-depth journalism from the ground up and has earned us the trust of the Cambodian people -- to whom we also owe our heartfelt gratitude. The sacrifice and support of staff and audience alike reinforces the need for RFA to keep Cambodia’s citizens informed, so they possess a more complete and accurate picture of what’s happening in their neighborhoods, their towns, and their villages. We hope that the government will not persecute the individual brave Cambodians who worked with us in retaliation for RFA’s efforts to bring reliable free press to their countrymen and women. RFA stands resolved to stay true to its vital mission in Cambodia, now more than ever, to go forward shining a light even in the darkest of hours. RFA will keep reporting on the most important and censored issues and events inside the country -- and we will continue to broadcast and publish our programs, reports and content on shortwave radio, social media, and on our website. As history has shown, dictators may rise and force their will on nations, but the people will always seek truth in pursuit of freedom (RFA via gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. 650, Sept 7 at 0549 UT, adstring mentioning Saskatoon repeatedly, something called CPMA and promos for 650CKOM. Makes 52/minute = 0.867 Hz SAH with easily nulled weak WSM. I was looking for auroral conditions, hardly; and not KGAB WY either. 10 kW CKOM night pattern is north only, while day pattern has a minor lobe to south (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Bell Media Radio Launches New National Talk Radio Program – THE EVAN SOLOMON SHOW, Beginning September 5 --- Via Bell Media TORONTO (August 30, 2017) – Bell Media announced today a new national talk radio program, THE EVAN SOLOMON SHOW, airing on all of Bell Media Radio’s talk stations across the country beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5. - Airing weekdays at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT, the program features seasoned political journalist Evan Solomon (QUESTION PERIOD) bringing his passion for breaking news and storytelling to in-depth interviews with national and international newsmakers from the worlds of politics, sports, entertainment, and more. Listeners across the country will be encouraged to share their opinions on the biggest news of the day through calls, emails, texts, and social media. Beginning next week, THE EVAN SOLOMON SHOW airs across Bell Media Radio’s full slate of Talk Radio stations: CFAX 1070 in Victoria CKFR AM 1150 in Kelowna CKLW AM 800 in Windsor NEWSTALK 1290 CJBK in London NEWSTALK 610 CKTB in St. Catharines NEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto 580 CFRA in Ottawa CJAD 800 in Montréal – (From 3 to 4 pm only) “I’m very excited to launch this new, national forum for thought- provoking debate and discussion, highlighting compelling people who are making a difference in Canada,” said Solomon. “There’s nothing more important to a free society than public opinion, and this show will be a platform for Canadians to share their thoughts on the most pressing issues of the day, at home and around the world.” Based in Ottawa, Solomon adds THE EVAN SOLOMON SHOW to his role of National Affairs Specialist for Bell Media Radio. In addition, Solomon hosts CTV’s weekly political journal of record, QUESTION PERIOD, returning for a new season on Sundays at 11 a.m. ET beginning Sept. 10 (Sept CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. CANADA'S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE UNVEILED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA --- New $16M telescope an all-Canadian project between universities and National Research Council of Canada By Nicole Mortillaro, CBC News Posted: Sep 07, 2017 6:01 PM ET Last Updated: Sep 09, 2017 1:59 PM ET http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/chime-telescope-unveiled-1.4278807 (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Christoph Ratzer: Today (Sept 9) a short answer from Radio ICDI after 6 years, my EDXC country Nr. 199. Waterforgood have also details about their broadcast now on 6030. See https://waterforgood.org/radio-programs/ According to their website Water for Good’s Radio Station was commissioned and started broadcasting at a dedication ceremony February 22, 2007 and is currently transmitting programs on 6.03 megahertz. Congrats to two excellent verifications from very seldom heard stations /TN (Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin Sept 10 via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 11985, Sept 6 at 1237, soft jazz with piano and bass, hit by ChiCom echo jamming with flutter. HFCC blinders show nothing at all on 11985 at this hour, but Aoki reveals it`s RTI in Chinese from 100 kW Tamsui transmitter, 352 degrees this hour only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CNR1/Firedrake Jamming, 6105, in Mandarin, at 1040, on 8 Sep. Both CNR1 and Firedrake music can be heard jamming out Radio Taiwan International’s broadcast on 6105. This is the first time I have heard both playing simultaneously. CNR1 is primary with Firedrake heard beneath it. Fair (John Cooper, PA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 21695, 10/9 1005, Voice Of America, PHL-Tinang, QRM China Jammer Px, M, 32432. 73 da (N. Marabello, QTH Treviso, Italia, RX: SONY ICF- SW7600G, Ant.: esterna VHF orizzontale 100 , playdx yg via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 9800 via Kunming, Thu Sept 7 at 1312, // 9570 via CUBA, CRI English with a drama I don`t have the patience to try to get anything out of, but CRI must be diversifying its programming. What is it called and what is it about? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. 9570, Sept 8 at 1306 already, CRI English relay via CUBA during a drama, no news already; strange programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CUBA {since, hearing more dramas this hour} ** CHINA. 6035, PBS Yunnan (Voice of Shangri-la), Sept 8, noted cut off at 1202*. No BBS/Bhutan. 6125, CNR1, 1209-1252+, Sept 8. Preempted regular programs to provide live coverage of the closing ceremony of 13th National Games of China, held in northeastern China (Tianjin); these games started Aug 27; speeches and musical performers (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 11560, Firedragon (jamming station) at 1845. Caught in the act with Good signal here. Probably attacking RFA via Guam [sic] at this time. Sept 5 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Random reception of China National Radio 1 on Sept.6: 0810 & 0830 on 15040 unknown tx / unknown to EaAs Chinese & off http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/random-reception-of-china-national.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Normally to jam 15040 AIR 4-5 hours later (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Re: BBG - FY2018 Congressional Budget Justification https://www.bbg.gov/wp-content/media/2017/05/FY2018Budget_CBJ_05-23-17.pdf ``RFA relays via Voice of Hope, combined a mention of an ominous "Seagull Transmitter" - what can that be I wonder?`` No idea. "Sound of Hope": I proceed from the assumption that this refers to the operation shown in WRTH 2017 on pages 509/510. California addresses are typical for "regime change" broadcasting projects. So this one runs under a BBG budgetary title? What they are doing here can only spoil their journalistic integrity (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 12, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [non]. See USA: WRMI ** COLOMBIA. 5910.358, Nice Latin American folkloric music, of Alcaraván Radio, S=6 at 0527 UT Sept 12. I guess, nothing heard from CLM on 6010v at this hour. Checked on remote Rochester NY-US east coast SDR unit [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, Brazaville, 1810-1823, 09-09, French, comments. 14321. Also heard 1815-1856*, 10-09, French, comments, ID “Radio Congo”, “Le Congo”, female, male, songs. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Reinante, Tecsun PL-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. The government broadcaster in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now live streaming two radio services from its website at http://www.rtnc.cd They're labelled 'RTNC1' and 'RTNC2' on my media player. There's also a button for a live TV stream, though it isn't working yet (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, Sept 11, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The two live streams on the RTNC website (rtnc.cd) are now identified on the webpage as Radio Nationale (RTNC1) and Radio Kinshasa (RTNC2). (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online. Sept 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CRIMEA [non]. UCRANIA PLANEA AMPLIAR SU COBERTURA DE RADIO EN LA CRIMEA OCUPADA === 07/09/2017 La Comisión de Radiodifusión Estable del Ministerio de Política de Información tiene planes para ampliar la cobertura de la radiodifusión ucraniana en la Crimea ocupada. Así lo afirmó el secretario de Estado del Ministerio de Política de Información de Ucrania, Artem Bidenko, en el aire de Espreso. “Tenemos planes para un aumento adicional de la cobertura ucraniana en el territorio de la península”, dijo Bidenko. Según él, la señal de la torre de Chongar, construida en diciembre, alcanza Dzhankoy e incluso los suburbios de Sudak. “Dada la escasez de la potencia electica a disposición de las autoridades de ocupación, la señal de la torre de Chongar alcanza perfectamente Dzhankoy”, dijo Bidenko. Según él, aunque los ocupantes planean construir una torre cerca de Dzhankoy en 2018 para bloquear la señal de la torre de Chongar, la Comisión del Ministerio de Política de Información ya tiene planes para evitar la ampliación de la cobertura de la radiodifusión rusa. https://www.ukrinform.es (via GRA blog via DXLD) ** CUBA. New SW TX sites or not? Hi folks, This link was quietly forwarded to me by one of our members. http://fremy.be/radiodiffusion/index.php?radiodiffusion=Cuba&id=6&cat_id=3 Does anyone know anything about the supposedly new SW TX centres No. 5 & 6 or locate them? This is all new to me (Ian, Sept 10, shortwave sites yg via DXLD) See the Légendes des photos, for alleged "Feeders et antennes du centre OC n 6 à Chambas" and "Antennes ondes courtes du centre n 5 à Marti". What these pictures in fact portray are *mediumwave* facilities with big directional antennas. They're aiming at the USA, of course, and had in the past also been used by Radio Moscow, scaring the hell out of some people. Are there any indications for these "ALLISS antennas delivered by China" being more than plain fantasy? If not I would not waste further time on that. What also strikes my eye: "et même 6,2 km à Tbilisskaya [Russie]. Cette technique permettait à l'époque de protéger le centre émetteur en cas d'attaque, seul le site des antennes était fort visible par l'aviation." ??? What kind of fairytale is this? The transmitter buildings can clearly be seen within the antenna field. Quivicán: "De même conception que les centres émetteurs chinois de Geermu ou Kashgar [Chine et Turquistan de l`Est], il dispose de 5 émetteurs de 250kW" -- This is Soviet equipment, too, obvious already from the typical fixed dipole walls. Was very likely involved in the former Radio Moscow relays, other than the (now revived) 4765 kHz. "Radio Rebelde sur 5025 kHz" -- This comes from Bauta, the mentioned "1 x 50 kW (Bande tropicale)" "Radio Nacional de Venezuela dans l'attente de la construction du centre émetteur de la RNV à Calabozo dans l'État de Guárico au centre du Vénézuella (2 x 100kw)" -- Has this ever progressed beyond wishful thinking? (Kai Ludwig, swsites yg via DXLD) > TITAN San Felipe Quivicán, by BBEF Beijing, Made in China Not! Please, we must really avoid to mess anything into a meaningless mutter. Established knowledge is that the San Felipe / Quivicán station has been built at some point before 1990 with Soviet equipment, including the characteristic fixed dipole walls that can be seen in the satellite views. Arnie Coro once mentioned in passing that the 250 kW transmitters later got DCC circuits to save power. I can not remember that ever a complete replacement of equipment has been reported for this station. And that often mentioned Beijing-based company never showed 250 kW transmitters in its portfolio. Then there is Bejucal: 50 kW transmitters with a possibility for coupling two to a single 100 kW (such a pair could be counted and treated as a single unit). These are the Sneg transmitters Arnie Coro referred to time and again, for the now indeed reactivated 4765 kHz and the 90 mb outlet never put on air. Then there is Bauta, the station indeed completely refitted by BBEF. Six 100 kW transmitters for external transmissions and another transmitter to run 5025 kHz with 50 kW. Until starting to open up the Cuban side only acknowledged the existence of the Bauta station. But this has changed, Arnie Coro meanwhile provided schedules for RHC which detail the use of all three shortwave sites. And here's a newspaper report from 1981 about the Radio Moscow relays on mediumwave. Of particular interest is that most of this article could be a current report when updating station names and technical details. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19810407&id=myQeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0Y4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6705,934468 (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) ** CUBA. 15730, Sept 6 at 2328, RHC is suptorted in Kriyol = fraxured French. Something`s always wrong at RHC. 12090, Sept 6 at 2329, RHC S5 leapfrog mixing product of 11670 Spanish over 11880 English [resuming proper language unlike Spanish yesterday] another 210 kHz higher; no others found in the 12s. 6145, Sept 8 at 0612, RHC English is almost open carrier/dead air, but can barely detect some suptorted modulation; 6100 and 6000 are OK; 6060 somewhat distorted as usual. Something`s always wrong at RHC. Sept 9 at 0535, all RHC English on 49 m are undermodulated, but audible; 6145 at S9 to S7; 6100 & 6060 S9; 6000 S9+20/10; while the last of The Cuban Five, 5040 is fully modulated during news about Irma. 11760, Sept 9 at 1228, RHC Spanish with a report from Las Tunas about hurricane Irma: trees downed, major hotel out of contact, 500,000 without power in an apagón; but local radio remains on 24h, also accessible by some app. 1230 news theme and more about Irma, including 250 kph winds, Malecón in Habana flooding. But enough of that in two minutes: time for more railing about the bloqueo. So far, all the other weaker RHC frequencies on 6 and 9 MHz seem nominal, as well as heavy jamming on 9805 of Radio Martí, who just might be trying to be helpful about the hurricane. 5025, Sept 8 at 0534, R. Rebelde is S9+10 but just barely modulated; much better on 1620 kHz with normal modulation at 0559 check! At 1153, 5025 is still JBM --- even during a weather emergency, can`t manage to modulate this. Of course, the island is crammed with MW relays, many of them just to block gusanos (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Recorded Radio Rebelde overnight but with the modulation problem (comes and goes) and some local noise even towards the back of my property (power lines / street lights affected by moisture? -- it was raining), the recording session wasn't very successful. Now and then I could make out "Atención" but as my Spanish is next to non-existent, couldn't understand what came after that. Presumably a warning about Irma. Perhaps Glenn could translate what comes after "Atención" at the end of the attached clip. They were still on the air at 11:00 UTC when I checked before coming to the office (-- Richard Langley, Sept 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, your clip has a commemorative ad about the origins of Radio Rebelde, there is a guy calling "columna 2" saying "atención...." Saludos (Humberto Molina, El Salvador, ibid.) 5025, Sept 10 at 0022, R. Rebelde manages to modulate again, Huracán Irma report about impact on Cuba and SW Florida (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Check of Cuban Frequencies Last Night. Here in NB, around 0130 UT: 4765 - Radio Progreso: No signal 5025 - Radio Rebelde: Good signal and good modulation 5040 - RHC, Spanish: Good signal 6000 - RHC, English: No signal 6030 - Radio Martí jammer: Could be heard faintly 6060 - RHC, Spanish: Good signal 6145 - RHC, English: Mostly good signal; modulation problems ("thumping" sounds at times); briefly off air (for a few seconds) 0145 7365 - Radio Martí jammer: Could be heard faintly Radio Rebelde noted still on air at 1100 UT this morning. Several WRMI frequencies that I checked were also on air at 1100 (-- Richard Langley, 1241 UT Sept 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6060, Sept 10 at 1233, RHC with report from Cárdenas about Irma damage, on the Cadena Nacional de Radio y Radio Habana Cuba. (CNR may mean some or all of the major domestic networks have been merged.) 6000 is off; // 6100 but with usual CCCCCCI (Chinese communist Chinese language co-channel interference); 1238 on to the situation in la Florida (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Hurricane Irma traveled along the northern coast of Cuba, but did not veer away before it got to Habana area where the SW transmitters reside. They have been affected, as surveyed Sept 11 at 0137-0147, more wrong than usual: RHC Spanish: not on 11840, 11760, 9535, 6060, but still on 5040. RHC English: not on 6000 or 6145, but on 6165 instead, reversion to its ex-, by mistake or default? Site switch with old fq programmed? CRI Relay: not on 9580 (but still on Albania 9570) Jamming: none heard on 9490, Radio República via France, very good! None heard on 7365, Radio Martí, VG; on 6030, VG with lite pulsing Radio Rebelde: 5025 on, but just barely modulated as so often Radio Progreso: 4765 off 6165, UT Monday Sept 11 at 0212, `DXers Unlimited` is starting, but it`s an evergreen/generic/backup since Arnie says there can be no propagation report [when really needed], and he doesn`t even know whether this will be airing mit-week or weekend, after bottom of hour or top of hour respectively. First about some radio construxion project by LA8AK; then Q&A from RSA. 6165, Sept 11 at 0501, erroneous RHC English frequency is off, having been on at last check 0215. Now, NO other Cuban transmitters are to be heard: 6145, 6100, 6060, 6000, 5040, 5025. At 1247, no 5025, nor 6000, 6060, 6100, nor any on 9, 11, 13 and 15 MHz bands. CRI relay 9570 off, uncovering a JBA algo, presumably KBSWR in Indonesian. At 1421, 13740 CRI English relay is also off. When will any Cubans make a comeback? RHC website is replete with news about the hurricane, but nothing about RHC itself being off the air, or exactly what damage it sustained: http://radiohc.cu/ [and non]. Meanwhile, Radio Martí is loud and clear, 7365 at 0503, no jamming. 7405 is open carrier at 1245, but programming by 1249, and 9805 VG too with lite jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BBC is reporting that electricity is out across Havana. Status of the OCB Radio Martí transmitter on 1180 kHz in Marathon on Vaca Key? (Richard Langley, 1730 UT Sept 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11760 non-directional antenna outlet of RHC Spanish via Bauta center on air, Monday Sept 11 at 1745 UT, S=7-8 in MI and Rochester NY in eastern US remote SDRs, and also noted at S=8-9 level in Edmonton Canada Alberta. A lot of 'cronistas reportajes desde el pueblo cubano' per telephone line in 1730-1800 UT. Guitar music + canciones male singer + female singer group at 1753 UT. At 1757:18 UT break down in transmission, OFF air. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) 15140, RHC La Habana Bauta heard in Arabic around 1828 UT and further more French like 'Creole language' at S=9+20dB signal level, tremendous signal broadband 40! kHz, wideband 15120 to 15160 kHz, in peaks heard in Rochester NY and Edmonton Alberta remote SDR units. But suddenly at 1836 UT, TX BREAK DOWN totally, no Cuban signal any more, only co-channel Radio Oman in Arabic heard 'underneath' at S=4-5 level til 19 UT. Others in 19 mb at same 18-19 UT time slot: 15300 RFI ISS S=5 15315 R Sawtu Fulfulle ISS S=5 15390 REE Spanish S=4-5 15400 BBC En ASC S=4-5 15510 IBRA R via WOF S=4 15520 REE Spanish, stronger at S=7 level. 15555.245-usb peak, WJHR usb mode S=6-7 signal 15580 VoA BOT En S=7 15610 USA EWTN S=9+25dB strongest signal in 19mb 15700 VoA Lampertheim Amharic S=5 15710 tiny, probably WHRI threshold level ??? or spur ? 15785 VoA Amharic WOF S=4 15825 WWCR S=8 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) At 1933 UT NOTHING heard from RHC Bauta Cuba island on scheduled 15140 nor 15370 kHz. 73 wb (Büschel, ibid.) Now at 1947 UT when checked again, 15140 kHz RHC Bauta in English on air, local artists program and artists opera culture and museum reports, S=9+25dB excellent strong, but 40 kHz wideband again on 15120 to 15160 kHz. Nothing heard on 15370 kHz. 73 wb (ibid.) Checked in remote SDR units at Rochester NY, and Edmonton Alberta CAN. 2100-0400 7340 BEJ 050 / 110 SoAm Spanish, 2320 UT nil 2100-0500 9535 BEJ 100 / 230 CeAm Spanish, 2322 UT nil 2100-0500 11840 QVC 250 / 170 SoAm Spanish, S=9+20dB 2325 low modulated 2100-0200 11760 BAU 100 / n-d NCAm Spanish, S=9+25dB 2323 UT 40 kHz broadband (seemingly same unit of previous 15140 kHz outlet tonight) 2100-0400 13740 BAU 100 / 160 SoAm Spanish, 2326 UT nil 2300-2330 15730 BEJ 050 / 135 SoAm Creole , 2327 UT nil 2330-2400 15730 BEJ 050 / 135 SoAm Portuguese, 2338 UT nil 2300-0400 11670 BAU 100 / 130 SoAm Spanish, 2328 UT nil 2300-2400 11880 BAU 100 / 100 SoAf English, 2329 UT nil 2300-2400 11950 BAU 100 / 340 WNAm Spanish, S=9+20dB 2330 UT Mon-Thu "Mesa Redonda", 14 kHz wideband signal. 2300-0500 15230 QVC 250 / 160 SoAm Spanish, S=9+15dB 2332 UT low modulated 83 and 263 degrees CT2/1/0.8 2100-2400 5040 BAU 100 / n-d Cuba Spanish, 2315 UT Spanish, S=9 in Rochester NY-US, S=9+10dB 2344UT Transmitter sites: BAU=Bauta BEJ=Bejucal QVC=Titán-Quivicán San Felipe. Shortwave schedule of Radio Rebelde 2300-2400 [sic] 5025 BAU 100 / non-dir to Ce&SoAm 2317 UT Spanish, S=9 in Rochester NY-US, 2345 UT S=9+10dB stronger modulated than 5040 kHz Shortwave schedule of Radio Progreso 2330-0300 4765 BEJ 050 / non-dir to Cuba / Caribbean Spanish, 2320 and 2340 UT nil (Wolfgang Büschel, Sept 11, dxldyg via DXLD) Where did you get that schedule for 4765?? It`s 0030-0400 UT normally (one hour later in winter) (gh, DXLD) see Aoki Nagoya Japan database. wb (Büschel, ibid.) ** CUBA. Chex of RHC, Rebelde, Progreso and China relay frequencies, as these are not yet fully recovered from Irma: Sept 12: 0111, 5025 & 5040 VG; 4765 off; 6145 undermod; 6000 & 6060 off; 7340 off but algo is there; 9535 off; 9580 very good 0117, 11840 on along with parasites 11830 & 11850; also on, 11760 0140, 7340 definitely off 1316, 6000 & 6060 on, 6100 off 1320, 9535 & 9640 off, 9570 on; 11760 on, 15230 suptorted, 17730 on Sept 13: 0157, 5040 dead air; 5025, trace of JB modulation; 4765 off 0159, 6000 OK, 6145 undermod, 6060 off 0201, 7340 JBA carrier not RHC: in our evenings could be AIR Urdu via Mumbai, India; or Xinjiang PBS, East Turkistan in Kazakh 0204, 9535 S9 but undermodulated 0207, 11840 VG & weak parasites 11850 & 11830; 15230 S9+10 the SSOB by far but undermodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Havana Cuba heard for first time here since hurricane Irma struck the island this morning (12 Sept) on 6000 kHz with abrupt start at 0545 UT in English. Strong signal. Prior to this, strong carrier heard which hinted RHC was to return. Full hour in English 0600+. 73 (Alan Pennington, Sony 7600GR +telesopic Caversham UK, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) [general summary of the Cuban frequency situation] (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 13650, JAPAN, NHK World/R Japan, at 2345. M, W in Japanese, but in huge collision with CRI China via Quivicán, showing another Cuban broadcast still/back on. Both equal at times. Sept 11 11760, RHC at 2230. Some brief hurricane coverage in Spanish. Checking other RHC channels, have 11840 with S-9 carrier, almost no modulation; 15230 Good with low modulation, hum. 11760 Very Good, Sept 11 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 11635, Unidentified Numbers Station, presumed the one at 1800. Very strong open carrier, like some I've heard on RHC frequencies since Irma's passage. Last night, didn't hear anything on 49m frequencies used by RHC, tho Cuban frequencies 5040 and 5025 were active. First signal I've heard on numbers frequency in a cupla days. This local morning, nothing heard on 11435 after 1600, or 11530 during 1700 hour. 11635 signal undulating, strong S-9, Sept. 11 11635, Unidentified Numbers Station, at 2000. Open carrier for the entire hour, with numbers by Spanish female commencing at 2100. Digital tones added later as per HM 01 format. Went on to OC at 2145 and finally all off at 2155 Sept 11 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Nothing heard at 0512 UT on all scheduled frequencies, like 4765, 5025, 5040, 6000, 6060, 6100, 6145 kHz. Also jamming scratching on air on 6030 and 7365 kHz at S=8 signal level. But at 0526 kHz heard strong empty carrier on 6000 kHz, seemingly TITÁN Quivicán technicians on-air test their unit at S=9+30dB signal level heard in NY-US. At 0545 UT heard RHC in English with singer of classical music. Studio-6 on air. Seems a theatre, artist and opera report. 20 kHz wide signal, but carried contain also a small whistle tone of approx. 1200 Hz on audio spectrum. Surprise, and when checked 6145 kHz from Bauta at 0557 UT, was on-air too with S=9+10dB westwards signal too! At 0607 UT hurricane IRMA report on Florida and Georgia heard on 6000 and 6145 kHz. 5025 kHz Radio Rebelde Bauta also on air, when checked at 0603 UT, S=9+15dB signal strength in NY-US. Funny singer group and violine in between at 0606 UT. Checked on remote Rochester NY-US east coast SDR unit [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 1180, Sept 12 at 0145, I`m trying to detect whether Radio Martí in the Keys is still on the air. Even here, dominant are the Radio Rebelde jammers, an echo apart from 5025. There is a weaker station under, but I can`t make it // to Greenville SW on 7365, even considering they may not be synchronized. LSB required to avoid KFAQ IBOC peaking 1183 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9799.59, Sept 8 at 2221, JBM S7, presumably R. Cairo English until 2245, only significant signal on band from outside North America during geomag storm. 250 kW at 325 degrees USward still making it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, *0513-0525, 09-09, extremely weak, carrier and for moments some songs detected. 15321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo and Reinante, Tecsun PL-880, cable antenna, 8 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, Sept 11 at 0502, JBA carrier from presumed Radio Bata (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Dimtsi Hafash [Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea] heard on 840 kHz with relatively good signal here in Hungary parallel with 7175v kHz. Earlier it appeared on 837, and later on 845 kHz. The second channel on 950 kHz was absent tonight. Either the transmitters are so poor and unstable OR they are just escaping from Ethiopian jamming (Tringer László, mediumwave.info 5 Aug via Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) were the alt frequencies precise to .00? That would indicate they were deliberate changes (gh, DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. Dimtse Radio Erena via BaBcoCk Secretbrod on Sept 11 1700-1749 on 11965 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Tigrinya Mon-Fri 1749-1800 on 11965 SCB 050 kW / 195 deg to EaAf Arabic Mon-Fri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/dimtse-radio-erena-via-babcock.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Hi out there, I spent some time on the SDRs this night. I did not trace 5940 Ethiopia 1820-, also yesterday. Probably they changed times and/or frequency? 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Sept 8, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE [and non]. European Music Radio Relays: 16th September 2017: [Sat] 0800 to 0900 UT on 6070 KHz - to Western Europe via Ch 292 2130 to 2200 UT on 7490 KHz - to Central & North America via WBCQ 17th September 2017: [Sun] 0800 to 0900 UT on 9485 KHz - to Western Europe via MVBR 1900 to 2000 UT on 6070 KHz - to Western Europe via Ch 292 Internet Repeats on 17th September 2017: EMR will have this month`s transmissions via two streams running at the following times: 1500, 1700, 1900 UT http://nednl.net:8000/emr.m3u will be on 96 kbps /44 KHz stereo for normal listening http://nednl.net:8000/emr24.m3u will be 24 kbps / 22 KHz mono will be especially for low bandwidth like mobile phones (Tom Taylor, via Manuel Méndez, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** FIJI. 558-Fiji -- Bottom of the Hour Song Medley ID File review from last month's Rockwork 4 DXpedition has uncovered a 558-Radio Fiji One programming feature that may be helpful for those hoping to track down the exotic station -- a three song medley ID at 30 minutes past the hour. This song medley ID (followed by an apparent native language ID by the usual RF1 announcer) was noticed on both August 9th and August 19th at 1330 UT at the Rockwork cliff. Credit should be given for Bill Whitacre's assistance in determining this. During his San Souci DXpedition on August 9th (the same date at the MP3 linked below) he recorded an ID from 558-7BU at 1315, followed by the classic rock song "Urgent" by Foreigner. Although 558-Fiji was smothering the frequency 100% at 1315 at Rockwork 4, I was able to record one minute of the same "Urgent" song from 7BU at 1317, which was 13 minutes prior to the song medley ID on the MP3 below. Both 558- 7BU and the 558-Fiji medley ID were recorded using a "backup" 15" FSL antenna at the ocean cliff -- unfortunately without a very accurate start time written down at the beginning. The following 558-Fiji medley ID (and island choral music song, at near S9 level) were recorded on a Tecsun PL-380 Ultralight and 15" FSL antenna at 1330 on August 9th. https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/kbjssln9b4wtt58kt2bed7un9c4ytth9 73 and Good DX, (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), Sept 8, IRCA via DXLD) 558-Fiji Polynesian Choral Music --- After the Japanese-directed upgrade of the Radio Fiji One's transmitter and antenna on 558 kHz recently the station sounded very much like a South Pacific big gun last month at the Rockwork 4 cliff (even better than the old 639-Fiji signal, which most of us remember very well). Radio Fiji One plays a very diverse variety of traditional Fijian choral music, with such diversity that I've never heard them play the same song twice (except for the bottom-of-the hour song medley ID). After detailed file review I've compiled my own "Top Ten" list of 558- Fiji's Polynesian choral music, which may be of interest to those who miss the old 639-Fiji transmitter. All of these signals were received last month at the Rockwork 4 cliff with Ultralights and FSL antennas. I'm happy that Colin, Nick and some others have also been able to enjoy the station's improved signal recently (in addition to Tom and Chuck, my DXpedition partners last month).. 1) 1323z August 4 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ykjkqqfa59l7h2rfcedhudikwn8ayfye 2) 1323z August 8 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/ca7tpo195gua5eayhc46evv9ix29e9oz 3) 1318z August 8 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/6b2fxp2ai8p44t38fih4dn1meffzocxi 4) 1307z August 1 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vprj88dgl97t4lcp5tx23edh31gorfd0 5) 1330z August 9 (includes bottom-of-the hour song medley ID) https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/kbjssln9b4wtt58kt2bed7un9c4ytth9 6) 1302z August 2 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/f2lkogkmloww9vo6uehffdqenh7v8l0i 7) 1307z August 4 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/13ra6q2edyniegz3jnwii1nlu6dcoz05 8) 1313z August 8 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/tno4iqsiuaw1kx62i80y8rg722y15e4o 9) 1346 August 21 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/1a9ksarxibdhdbpof39dyds4fu8q9xlg 10) 1340 August 9 https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/97tt821sjvpw4msptf2vg42vb8dnwstl 73 and Good DX, (Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA), Sept 12, IRCA via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Very good signal of Radio France International on new frequency, Sept 7 1200-1230 NF 17815 ISS 500 kW / 198 deg WeAf Mandingo Mon-Fri, ex 15275 Sep 3 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/very-good-signal-of-radio-france.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. DWD Deutscher Wetterdienst on 2 frequencies in // Sept 11 2000-2025 on 5905 PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German CUSB, fair/good 2000-2025 on 6180 PIN 010 kW / non-dir to CeEu German AM weak to fair http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/dwd-deutscher-wetterdienst-on-two.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. European Music Radio will be back on air, Sept 16/17: 0800-0900 on 6070 ROB 025 kW / non-dir to CeEu English Sat AM mode 0800-0900 on 9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English 3rd Sun CUSB 2130-2200 on 7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sat AM mode 1900-2000 on 6070 ROB 025 kW / non-dir to CeEu English Sun AM mode http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/european-music-radio-will-be-back-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. [Re the new shortwaveradio testing 6160, 3975:] The HFCC zip file does not include an updated site.txt file to give details on the site ``WIS``. However, the schedule for the FMO shows the site as ``Winsen`` and the coördinates as 52N40-009E46. Plug those numbers into Google Earth and you get a site quite a distance from the Winsen which is at 53N22-010E13, SSE of Hamburg. But down near 52N40-009E46, to the east a bit, is a town ``Winsen an der Aller``. So, which ``Winsen`` is it? I`m guessing the latter, at least until I get a reply to my email to the station (Dan Ferguson, SC, Listeners Notebook, Sept NASWA Journal, retyped by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Thanks very much for the repost of Dan's. I do however wonder why Dan didn't make the post here first when he's a member of our specialist interest SW DX group. No confidence in our group? We've been the premier driving force in the SW DX community for the past 12 years in uncovering info pertaining to SW TX sites for the SW DX community as you know. For the record; one of our highly valued & helpful members quietly provided me this valuable info this week, which I was to repost later (when I had the time) with a request for more information. Anyway now would be a good time to expedite the topic. I'm informed the correct site is indeed: `Winsen an der Aller` As for more information: If any of our members based in Germany are able to provide more precise coordinates of this TX site or transmission antenna, we would be most grateful. If reposting please credit as: 'Shortwavesites YG membership' (not me, as it wasn't my research) Best regards (Ian - Shortwavesites via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Sunday 17 to Friday 22 September 2017: Special SW broadcasts from Radio DARC from the 24th IARU Region 1 conference in Landshut near Munich, Germany. (all via Moosbrunn) 1730-1800 UT: 13775 for Africa; 9790 E Europe / Russia / Middle East 1800-1830 UT: 6070 for C, N & S Europe; 9540 kHz for W Europe Reports are welcome to radio@darc.de (Sept BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Listening Post with Alan Roe listeningpost@bdxc.org.uk Hello, and welcome to Listening Post for September. Deutsche Welle Last month in Listening Post I referred to a couple of stations carrying radio plays/dramas. Another station that has a regular drama slot is Deutsche Welle. These stories fall firmly into the genre of educational radio drama and is very similar to the educational radio drama programme Theatre on the Air aired by Voice of Nigeria on Fridays at 1900-1930 UT (although the evening transmissions from 1800 to 1930 on 15120 kHz have now unfortunately not been heard for a while). The DW series which has been running and repeating for some years now is Crime Fighters. Crime Fighters is described as follows: Radio crime stories for Africa's youth. Join our detectives in their fight for truth and justice while gaining valuable perspectives on critical issues. Cyber crime, domestic violence, environmental pollution, human trafficking, terrorist recruitment, poaching, land grabbing and counterfeit drugs – this is a series that gets to the heart of what challenges young Africans. Continuing with Learning by Ear's tradition of successful educational radio dramas, Crime Fighters provides knowledge and information in an entertaining format. I listened to the episode on 26 July at 1650 on 15290 which was episode 4 of the eight-part series “The Radical Journey”. Here is the series plot and episode summary from the DW website: Series plot. A bomb explodes in a shopping mall in Kululaland and the young police officers Jude and Brenda are on the case. Soon they find out it was a suicide bombing, carried out by a woman. Even more shocking is her identity. The attacker is Zorah Kassim – just out of university and from a rich family. As the daughter of an influential politician, what could have been her reasons for the bombing? Was she forced to do it? Or did she do it willingly? Using different approaches and putting their own lives in danger, officers Jude and Brenda conduct an investigation that uncovers the mechanisms that make young people join terror groups. But the motive that guided Zorah in her “radical journey” turns out to be completely different Episode 4. Still undercover, Inspector Jude sneaks into a recruitment meeting of the terrorist group "Sword Sages". Can he find any link to Zorah, the suicide bomber? Meanwhile, Brenda talks to the suicide bomber's father Hon. Kassim again who does not seem to have a clean slate. Educational drama is always a little unrealistic as there is a message to be put across, so dialogue and so forth can be a little forced, but I did find this story to be fairly realistic and, more importantly, pertinent to today’s youth in Africa and quite hard hitting. Also, although I am not part of the target audience, the story was never- the-less very engaging and left me wanting to know how the story is going to end. I was also pleased to hear that the episode was introduced with a short summary setting the story in context and a brief recap to remind existing listeners of where the story had reached (or, in my case as a newcomer, it allowed me to quickly catch up on the story so far). Crime Fighters is aired Wednesdays and Sundays at 1650 UT. Until next time, good listening! (Alan Roe, Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GREECE. Reception of Voice of Greece on 9935 kHz, Sept 11 2020&2100 on 9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek tx#1 NO SIGNAL on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek tx#3 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/greece-reception-of-voice-of-greece-on.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) 9420 AWOL lots ** GUAM. TWR 3 September 2017 --- KTWR turns 40! September 5, 2017 KTWR QUICK FACTS 4,447 total broadcast hours in 2016, averaging 86 hours of programs a week. Broadcasts to 19 countries, including North Korea, China and Vietnam [?? Only 19? What do they not know about SW?] KTWR, our powerful shortwave station on Guam, is celebrating 40 years of broadcasting hope to Asia on September 5. The Guam team will have a celebration on September 26 to mark the occasion. “This is a big milestone for Guam and TWR,” said Grant Hodgins, KTWR station manager. “Being a part of sharing the gospel throughout all of Asia for 40 years means a lot of people have had the opportunity to hear the gospel. TWR not only shares the gospel so people can know their Savior, they encourage discipleship so that believers can grow and learn about being a follower of Christ.” Shortwave has the power to travel long distances, crossing geographical and ideological barriers, reaching into peoples’ homes and lives with the good news. For 40 years, God has been using broadcasts from Guam to transform lives, especially in areas where proclaiming the gospel is restricted or forbidden. In that time, KTWR has seen changes in staff as well as the equipment it uses to beam the good news to Northeast Asia and parts of Southeast Asia and South Asia. Full article here: http://www.twr.asia/features/ktwr-on-guam-turns-40 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4055, Radio Verdad is still off. Dr. Madrid wants to use a ham transmitter in the meantime, but can`t get it to work; may need some rewiring. Asks for help from hams. On Sept 8 he copied this missive to Magdiel Cruz along with some photos of the apparatus: ``Hermano Magdiel: Necesito ayuda urgente de algún radioaficionado que conozca bien el transceiver Yaesu FT-840. Necesito lanzarlo al aire con la señal de Radio Verdad, para mientras que nos reparan el transmisor principal dañado. EL PROBLEMA: Mi transceiver Yaesu FT-840 enciende normalmente, pero la pantalla se enciende y apaga intermitentemente. Eso indica que algo no está bien, pero no sé qué es lo que no está bien. El caso es que no transmite, a pesar de que ya le presioné el botón MDX para activar el modo de transmisión. Éste es el transmisor que estuve usando con anterioridad, pero lo dejé de usar. Ahora que lo quería utilizar, me da dos problemas: 1) No logro que transmita. La pantalla se enciende y apaga intermitentemente. 2) Encontré rotas las conexiones del audio y no sé en qué pines las debo conectar. En el transmisor hay un conector de 8 pines, pero el conector que tengo que encaja bien en él tiene sólo 6 pines. Un técnico me hizo una conexión, pero no sé si está bien. Espero la ayuda de los diexistas y radioaficionados, si usted pudiese comunicarles.`` He does speak English. If you can help him send to: radioverdad5 at yahoo.com (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Informamos a todos los amigos de la Estación Educativa Evangélica Radio Verdad que ya estamos en el aire por Internet con el mixlr, y agradeceremos mucho sus reportes. Nuestra dirección ya no es igual, puesto que se omitieron los guiones. Referente a nuestra transmisión por onda corta, estamos procurando sacar al aire un transmisorcito de 100 watts, para mientras que se repara el transmisor grande. De todo les informaremos. Por otro lado, ya estamos próximos a salir al aire con las transmisiones de Radio Verdad Transmundial, con la cual llegaremos a todo el mundo con mucha potencia. Vea el link más abajo, al final.---- ----- En Inglés - English We are informing all friends of the Educational and Evangelical Station "Radio Truth" that we are on the air by Internet with mixlr, and we'll appreciate your reports. Our address is slightly different; we have omitted the dashes. Referring our transmissions by short wave, we are on the effort to put on the air a small 100 watt transmitter, while we repair our big transmitter. We will inform you about all this. On the other hand, we are next to come on the air with Transworld Radio Truth transmissions, with which we plan to reach the whole world with much power.------- Éste es nuestro link directo para Radio Verdad Internet: This is our direct link for Radio Truth Internet: RADIOVERDADCHIQUIMULA on Mixlr Listen live: RADIOVERDADCHIQUIMULA is on Mixlr http://mixlr.com/radioverdadchiquimula/ (Dr. Édgar Amílcar Madrid, Manager and Director, Radio Verdad, Sept 12, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAITI. Pirate Radio Hunt is open! For years, the number of free radios, or pirates, has been steadily increasing. There are nearly 600 illegal transmitters in this small country. Despite the requests of the executive body of the executive body of the National Telecommunications Council (Commatel) to legalize the situation, nothing has been done. Last week no fewer than 6 Pirate Radio stations were closed by the institution. Most of these illegal stations were hosted on telecommunications sites in boutilliers, located on one of the summits south of Port au Prince. Conatel takes the opportunity to remind the owners of the telecommunications towers, the obligation to ensure that all equipment installed on their sites is duly authorized by Conatel. Violators will be punished. 14/8/17 (Radios du Monde via Sept Mediumwave News via DXLD) ** HAITI. SOLIDARITY MEETS SURVIVAL --- by Jim Thomas ``When you live in Port-au-Prince, you may not know the name of the place, but you`ve seen it many times. It`s the mountain top with at least ten different radio towers`` Those are the words of Gerard Schut, a global hiking trail expert from Italy. In 2015, he took on the Boutilliers Observatory trail, a 7.25 mile trek clinging to the perimeter of the Boutilliers summit. Boutilliers, which is five miles from the village of Petion-Ville, is the home to every AM, FM and TV signal that blankets the city of Port-au-Prince. . . http://www.w4uvh.net/boutilliers.pdf (illustrated 4-page article in September WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest, provided to us for open access by author Jim Thomas, DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio unit closure plan sparks protest By Express News Service | Published: 05th September 2017 08:06 AM | Last Updated: 05th September 2017 08:06 AM | A+A A- | DHENKANAL: The proposed plan to shut down the All India Radio unit at Joranda has met with stiff opposition from all sections of the society. The locals, meanwhile, have started gathering support for upgradation of the AIR unit which is situated at the international headquarters of Mahima . . . Dharma. http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017/sep/05/all-india-radio-unit-closure-plan-sparks-protest-1652683.html Yours sincerely, (via Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India, dx_india yg via DXLD WTFK? Not SW, of course (gh) ** INDIA. All India Radio's special transmission for "Mahalaya" Date : 19th Sept, 2017 (Tuesday) Time : 2225 UT (18th Sept 2017) to 0015 UT (19th Sept 2017) * some stations have late sign in & may continue past 0100 UT = 0355- 0545 IST "Mahalaya" is a special two hour transmission consisting of Sanskrit recitation & music orated by Late Shri.Birendra Krishna Bhadra. All India Radio has been broadcasting this program since early 1930's. Countdown of Indian festival of Durga Puja starts from the day of Mahalaya. Frequencies observed during past years : SW 4760 - Port Blair 4810 - Bhopal 4835 - Gangtok 4910 - Jaipur MW 531 - Jodhpur 549 - Ranchi 594 - Chinsurah (Kolkata) 603 - Ajmer 621 - Patna A 648 - Indore A 657 - Kolkata A 666 - New Delhi B 675 - Chattarpur 684 - Port Blair 711 - Siliguri 729 - Guwahati A 747 - Lucknow A 756 - Jagdalpur 774 - Shimla 801 - Jabalpur 810 - Rajkot A 819 - New Delhi A 828 - Silchar 846 - Ahmedabad A 891 - Rampur 909 - Gorakhpur 918 - Suratgarh 954 - Nazibabad 981 - Raipur 1008 - Kolkata B 1026 - Allahabad A 1044 - Mumbai A 1125 - Tezpur 1179 - Rewa 1215 - Delhi National Channel 1242 - Varanasi 1260 - Ambikapur 1296 - Darbhanga 1314 - Bhuj 1386 - Gwalior 1395 - Bikaner 1404 - Gangtok 1458 - Bhagalpur 1476 - Jaipur A 1530 - Agra 1566 - Nagpur 1584 - Mathura 1593 - Bhopal A Sign on observed by Jose Jacob at different times as follows: 2225 UT (3.55am IST) 4760, 4910, 531, 603, 666, 675, 747, 756, 801, 819, 828, 918, 1044, 1386, 1395, 1530. 2230 UT (4.00 am IST) 4835, 1404. 2245 UT (4.15 am IST) 4895 2250 UT (4.20 am IST) 846 2255 UT (4.25 am IST) 4810, 621, 648, 810, 954, 981, 1026, 1242, 1260, 1296, 1593. Please email your observations & receptions reports to : spectrum-manager@air.org.in Or, Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy) All India Radio, Room No. 204 Akashvani Bhawan, Parliament Street New Delhi 110001, India Or, Online at : http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Information/ListenersCorner/Pages/default.aspx Related : Come Mahalaya, Birendra Krishna Bhadra's recitation still default choice for All India Radio http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-come-mahalaya-birendra-krishna-bhadra-s-recitation-still-default-choice-for-all-india-radio-2020933 (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Sept 8, dx_india yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3325, RRI Palangkaraya. As August is over, they are no longer playing the patriotic/national song “Dirgahayu Indonesiaku” to close the 1200 Jakarta news relay. Instead on Sept 6, at 1225, ended the news with the patriotic song "Garuda Pancasila" (a.k.a.: "Mars Pancasila"), which was composed by Sudharnoto, with lyrics about the loyalty of all Indonesian people to Pancasila as the only ideology or philosophy of the Indonesian nation (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. 7268-LSB, Sept 6 at 0550, and several earlier random chex, nothing happening on the Hurricane Watch Net night frequency. Finally at 0605, VG signal from WF4H, calling for check-ins, with call-signs only, but no replies heard. Then he calls some specific stations, again without answers, such as KF4BY. Says this is a ``directed net``. Inviting any station with weather data for relay to National Hurricane Center. 0613 calls CM8GR, no answer. ARRL/FCC lookup for WF4H shows: Greenberg, Dwight A, WF4H, 5320 Shadwell Ave, Cocoa, FL 32926. You might think the HWN frequencies would really be hopping now, but most of the time there is nothing. 14325-USB, Sept 6 at 1229, very poor signal from unID HWN station with NHC conditions as of 12z: 185 mph across Anguilla, 918 millibars == 27.11 Hg inches. 20m is mostly dead during near-blackout. Say, hams really need a voice band halfway between 40 and 20 meters. The newish 30m band above 10100 is non-phone only. Give them another 200 kHz for that! 7268-LSB, Sept 7 at 0035, Hurricane Watch Net is active now, NCS sounds like N8VHL, but not sure of middle letter as he is unfonetik. Mentions in Ohio, so that correlates with ARRL/FCC lookup: MARCH, KEITH H, N8VHL, 17156 ROAD E, CONTINENTAL, OH 458319527. Rather than contacts, he`s broadcasting latest Irma advisory, eye 50 mi N of San Juan, moving WNW at 16 mph, barometer 26.99! 7268-LSB, Sept 11 at 0203, Hurricane Watch Net is being controlled by N8BHL, with latest Irma report: 78 mph gusts at Clearwater Beach; 105? max; position 27.3N/81.9W, 50 mi ENE of Fort Myers, moving 350 degrees at 14 mph; 948 mb = 27.99 Hg inches. As soon as he starts, so does ACI from someham in Houston on 7269.5-LSB. 7268-LSB, Sept 11 at 0504, Hurricane Watch Net is now hosted by KF5WDJ, asking for reports; no response, but while he is talking I hear some QRM, maybe deliberate jhamming. ARRL lookup shows: Overton, James D, KF5WDJ, 2812 W Shandon, Midland, TX 79705 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. DXing Hurricane Irma --- by "Steve Whitt (MWN Editor)" Very little information available regarding station outages etc across the Caribbean. One possible casualty might be ZBVI [780]. On line streams were dead and Facebook contributions had stalled. Yesterday 6/9. On Barbuda the storm has reportedly wiped out 90% of buildings and all telecommunications is down. Keep your radios on for stations along the Florida Coast. All stations are authorized to operate with max power and non-directional in case of emergency. This is possible during this coming weekend when Hurricane Irma makes US landfall. Current prediction suggest closest landfall in Florida might be Miami area, but if storm stays offshore then the Bahamas could be the target, Evacuations are taking place in both areas. 73s (Steve Whitt, UK, Sept 7, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Hurricane Irma DX target list Here is a list of stations to look out for if they are operating emergency daypower at night or non-directional antennas All of the following stations could boost their night power significantly under emergency conditions kHz DAY NIGHT 540 WFLF FL PINE HILLS 50000 46000 550 WAYR FL FLEMING ISLAND 5000 500 600 WBOB FL JACKSONVILLE 50000 9700 640 WMEN FL ROYAL PALM BEACH 7500 460 670 WWFE FL MIAMI 50000 1000 690 WOKV FL JACKSONVILLE 50000 25000 720 WRZN FL HERNANDO 10000 250 760 WLCC FL BRANDON 10000 1000 770 WJBX FL NORTH FORT MYERS 10000 630 810 WRSO FL ORLOVISTA 20000 400 820 WWBA FL LARGO 50000 1000 850 WFTL FL WEST PALM BEACH 50000 20000 940 WINZ FL MIAMI 50000 10000 950 WTLN FL ORLANDO 12000 5000 970 WFLA FL TAMPA 25000 11000 980 WDVH FL GAINESVILLE 5000 166 990 WDYZ FL ORLANDO 50000 14000 1000 WYBT FL BLOUNTSTOWN 5000 1010 WJXL FL JACKSONVILLE BEACH 50000 30000 1010 WHFS FL SEFFNER 50000 5000 1030 WONQ FL OVIEDO 45000 1700 1040 WURN FL BOYNTON BEACH 25000 1100 1050 WROS FL JACKSONVILLE 5000 13 1060 WIXC FL TITUSVILLE 50000 5000 1070 WNVY FL CANTONMENT 15000 28 1070 WFRF FL TALLAHASSEE 10000 1080 WHIM FL CORAL GABLES 50000 10000 1080 WHOO FL KISSIMMEE 19000 190 1110 WTIS FL TAMPA 10000 1140 WQBA FL MIAMI 50000 10000 1140 WRMQ FL ORLANDO 5000 8 1150 WTMP FL EGYPT LAKE 10000 500 1160 WEWC FL CALLAHAN 5000 250 1170 WAVS FL DAVIE 5000 250 1200 WJUA FL PINE ISLAND CENTER 50000 1000 1210 WNMA FL MIAMI SPRINGS 47000 2500 1250 WHNZ FL TAMPA 25000 5900 1260 WSUA FL MIAMI 50000 20000 1270 WRLZ FL EATONVILLE 25000 5000 1270 WTLY FL TALLAHASSEE 5000 110 1280 WDSP FL DE FUNIAK SPRINGS 5000 46 1290 WJNO FL WEST PALM BEACH 10000 4900 1300 WQBN FL TEMPLE TERRACE 5000 160 1310 WYND FL DELAND 10400 115 1320 WJNJ FL JACKSONVILLE 50000 5000 1330 WEBY FL MILTON 25000 79 1330 WCVC FL TALLAHASSEE 5000 1360 WCGL FL JACKSONVILLE 5000 89 1370 WOCA FL OCALA 5000 33 1390 WAJD FL GAINESVILLE 5000 51 1410 WQBQ FL LEESBURG 5000 88 1410 WHBT FL TALLAHASSEE 5000 18 1420 WDJA FL DELRAY BEACH 5000 500 1430 WTMN FL GAINESVILLE 10000 45 1430 WOIR FL HOMESTEAD 5000 500 1460 WQOP FL JACKSONVILLE 15000 5000 1460 WZEP FL DEFUNIAK SPRINGS 10000 186 1460 WQXM FL BARTOW 10000 155 1470 WWNN FL POMPANO BEACH 50000 2500 1480 WKGC FL SOUTHPORT 5000 34 1510 WWBC FL COCOA 50000 1520 WBZW FL APOPKA 5000 1530 WYMM FL JACKSONVILLE 50000 1550 WNZF FL BUNNELL 11000 57 1550 WAMA FL TAMPA 10000 133 1550 WRHC FL CORAL GABLES 10000 1560 WLZR FL MELBOURNE 5000 1570 WVOJ FL FERNANDINA BEACH 10000 30 1570 WTWB FL AUBURNDALE 5000 13 1580 WSRF FL FORT LAUDERDALE 10000 1500 1580 WTCL FL CHATTAHOOCHEE 10000 1580 WNTF FL BITHLO 10000 1590 WPSL FL PORT ST. LUCIE 5000 1600 WZNZ FL ATLANTIC BEACH 5000 89 1620 WNRP FL GULF BREEZE 10000 1000 1660 WCNZ FL MARCO ISLAND 10000 1000 1680 WOKB FL WINTER GARDEN 10000 1000 1700 WJCC FL MIAMI SPRINGS 10000 1000 During hurricane Irma look for those on the Atlantic coast 73 (Steve, ibid.) WBOB [600 Jax] was running 20 kW non directional during the storm (Jerry Kiefer, Orlando, FL, Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Android device, 12 Sept, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) Report on Channel 4 TV here in the UK, by a local on Anguilla, stated that all radio stations were off air and internet was down. Some mobile comms seems to be working. Serious damage throughout. 73 (Steve, ibid.) Turks & Caicos & hurricane Irma Ahead of Irma arriving in T&C (a few hours away) I tried to see how local stations were dealing with it. Some stations have no mention of hurricane on air or on their website/facebook or twitter e.g. religious station Faith FM 98.9 completely oblivious of hurricane. Do they just expect their listeners to pray for divine protection? Ditto for Radio Example of Christ 95.1 Tradewinds Radio 104.5; no mention of Irma on website, last tweet by station was in Feb 2017; only one facebook post mentions hurricanes but dated August 17! Syndicated news at top of hour comes from Washington DC even during a local emergency. Does have brief local mariners weather forecast at 3 minutes after the hour covering Irma, but nothing about emergency planning/response. Main music programming seems automated with no local element. The main T&C station Radio Turks & Caicos is returning a network error on its internet streaming and has just a handful of messages about Irma on its Facebook page. Not what I'd call comprehensive coverage for its listeners. Power 92.5Fm / Kiss FM seems to have got its act together (despite apparently automated music show) with pre-recorded hurricane watch on air every 30 minutes. They claim "More people listen to Power 92 than all other local Radio & TV Stations combined. We've been the #1 Station in Provo since 1980." They are also warning listeners that they may have switch to back-up generators (but no significant social media presence). But not sure if anyone actually is in the studio. 93.9 Island FM has a few recent posts on its Facebook; can't get live audio stream to work; useless one page website I'm not sure if R Vision Cristiana is on air but the island lacks a a suitable island wide MW broadcaster - to given the size of the island FM would do also. If I was on Turks & Caicos I think tuning into the radio would not be much help. 73s (Steve Whitt, ibid.) Hurricane Irma & Puerto Rico Reports (from Associated Press) today say that 70% of homes are without electricity in PR. One other report says 90%. The power company PREPA says nothing on its website about outages or hurricanes! It is being reported that it might take months to restore all power because PREPA has no money and not enough technicians. I'm having difficulty finding any information about radio stations affected by hurricane Irma. Does anyone have any news? 73s (Steve, ibid.) It seems like Caribbean Beacon-1610 has been off the last two nights. WSTX-970 [USVI] was heard here the 6th of September and tonight I listen to their webstream where they continuously reported of damages in Virgin Islands and the surrounded areas (Bernt-Ivan Holmberg, Sala, Sweden, Sept 7, ibid.) Impact of Hurricane Harvey on radio At the height, just nine Texas radio stations were silenced due to Harvey, scattered across the region, leaving others to step up and serve listeners. That's a far cry from during Hurricane Katrina when the FCC estimated about 100 broadcast stations [2006y document] were knocked off the air. Source: FCC September 6 (Steve Whitt, Sept 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, ibid.) Island 92 in Saint Maarten is off the air too, I think and so is their BVI sister station, Z Rock (105.1?), I think (Paul Walker, PA, NRC-AM via DXLD) If you have the ability to decide faxes and you want images, NMF Boston on 6340.5, 9110, and 12750 kHz and NMG New Orleans 4317.0, 8503.9 and 12789.9 kHz are good options for HF faxes and weather in the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, including regular satellite images, and of course you can check out the 'direct' APT satellite images from the NOAA birds around 137 MHz (If you've never done this before, there IS a learning curve so don't expect to be able to just 'tune in and decode' them!) If you insist on voice only, check out the US Coast Guard Weather broadcasts, from NMN on 4426/U 6501/U 8764/U 13089/U and 17314/U. And simulcast from NMG New Orleans on 4316/U, 8502/U and 12788/U (Ken Zichi, MARE Tipsheet Sept 8 via DXLD) Hurricane Watch Update - Solar Flare Shuts Down HF Propagation Posted: 07 Sep 2017 08:21 AM PDT http://cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2017/09/hurricane-watch-update-solar-flare.html The following update is from Hurricane Watch Net Manager KB5HAV. A solar flare is disrupting HF communications... NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory photo of solar flare that is currently disrupting HF communications.Update: Thursday, September 07, 2017 at 1100 AM EDT (1500 UT). Mother Nature is still not playing fair. We’ve had yet another solar flare which has caused another HF blackout. Hopefully, the frequencies will recover soon. Irma remains a powerful and deadly Category 5 Hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h). At 1100 AM AST – 1500 UT, Irma was located about 120 miles (190 km) southeast of Grand Turk Island. We are closely monitoring 2 additional hurricanes: José and Katia. There is an old saying, “Timing is Everything”. Amazingly enough, depending upon the course and timing of José and Katia, members of HWN “could” be working 3 landfalling hurricanes at once. José could affect the northern Leeward Islands Saturday or Sunday as a Category 2 Hurricane. Katia is forecast to make landfall as a Category 2 Hurricane late Friday evening-early Saturday morning somewhere between Veracruz and Tampico, Mexico. As a reminder, our Net will remain in continuous operation until further notice. Daytime operations on 14325 kHz [USB] will begin at 7:00 AM EDT – 1100 UT each day continuing for as long as propagation allows. Nighttime operations will be on 7268 kHz [LSB] starting at 6:00 PM EDT – 2200 UT and continue overnight. If propagation dictates, we will operate both frequencies at the same time. Note: Operations on 7268 will pause at 7:30 AM ET, and, if required, resume at approximately 8:30 AM ET. This will allow the Waterway Net to conduct their daily net. Any change in Net Operation plans will be noted here, on our website, the networks of 14300.00 kHz, and many additional amateur radio networks and media. As with any net activation, HWN requests observed ground-truth data from those in the affected area (Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Wind Direction, Barometric Pressure – if available, Rainfall, Damage, and Storm Surge). Measured weather data is always appreciated but estimated data is accepted. We will also be interested to collect and report significant damage assessment data back to FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane Center. In addition to collecting weather data for the forecasters at the National Hurricane Centers and reading the latest advisories, bulletins, and updates, we can also handle any emergency or priority traffic. Additionally, we are available to provide backup communications to official agencies such as Emergency Operations Centers and Red Cross officials in the affected area. As always, we are praying and hoping for the best yet preparing for the worst. Sincerely, Bobby Graves - KB5HAV Hurricane Watch Net Net Manager http://www.hwn.org Posted by: (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) And Glenn - 14325 had voices yesterday (Wednesday) around 1500 and again this morning at 0630. Unfortunately I couldn`t copy any of it, but maybe it's the hurricane network??? Nothing audible - except noise - on 7268 today though at 0630. 73 from (Noel Green, UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Much more Irma-related reports under USA and other countries this issue ** IRAN. I sent back the day before yesterday and today I resubmitted the reports for 2016 to both addresses and received the reply: Russian radio of Iran We ask changes for late But, unfortunately, we can not send QSL cards. Yours faithfully (via Dmitriy Yelagin, Saratovskaya oblast, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx" via Rus-DX Sept 10 via DXLD) In the last issue of "Rus DX" there was information that the Russian service "Voices of the Islamic Republic of Iran" confirms reports from its listeners. On the same day, he sent them an e-mail report on the reception of the evening broadcast in Russian at a frequency of 702 kHz. The next day the e-mail received the following message from the employees: "Good afternoon! Thank you very much for the reports and letters. Unfortunately, we can not send you QSL cards. We are waiting for the following letters from you! Yours faithfully, Parstoday Russian". It turns out that Iran in Russian as well as the last few years does not confirm the reports (Igor Kolke, Moscow, Russia / "rusdxplus", ibid.) See also BAHRAIN [non]! ** ITALY. Independent Italian stations heard this Sunday --- Hello, here is a list of Italian independent stations heard today Sept. 10th in Forlì, Italy. Daytime (0930 UT): 828 Radio Z-100 Milan (Milano), very weak 846 Challenger Radio (Villa Estense, Padova), excellent 1098 Media Radio Castellana (Castel San Pietro, Bologna), good 1206 Amica Radio Veneta (Vigonza, Padova), non stop folk music, good 1368 Radio One (somewhere in region Tuscany), weak 1476 Free Radio AM (Trieste), good 1584 Radio Studio X (Momigno, Pistoia), weak to good 1602 Baby Radio AM (Trieste), ex 1566 kHz, very weak On 1350 kHz, I AM Radio is currently transmitting with low power (about 8 W) due to transmitter fault. Receiver: Perseus. Antenna: 2 Wellbrook ALA-100 active loops (N-S, E- W) 73 (Fabrizio Magrone (Forli, Italy), MWCircle yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 3925, Thu Sept 7 at 1251, no signal from R. Nikkei 1, but still a signal from 3945, R. Nikkei 2 with music. I quickly check the // for each: 1 is on 6055 with other music, not on 9595. 2 is not on 6115, and 9760 occupied by CRI English. Aoki skeds show 3925 from 10 kW Nemuro site Mon-Thu until 1330, Fri until 1415, and Sat/Sun until 1200. But also: 50 kW Chiba-Nagara site at 64 degrees all the way from 2155 to 1500 daily, same // 6055 & 9595. WRTH says Nemuro stops 3925 at 0750, but until then are both sites running on 3925?? Bottom line is that 3925 should be on now. Per Aoki, 3945 scheduled until 1400 weekdays, 0900 weekends; 6115 only until 1000 weekdays, 0900 weekends; 9760 only until 0800 daily. WRTH agrees, except 6115 not closing earlier than 1400 anyday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also VANUATU ** KOREA NORTH. 9435, Voice of Korea, September 4, 2017, 1421–1427 in English. SIO 352. Music, talk. Considerable QRM, apparently jamming. Jamming is effective and possibly from China. Will attempt other times and frequencies later in the day (Vince Henley, Anacortes, WA, Equipment currently in use: Tecsun PL-380, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R8B, ICOM IC-R8600, Sony ICF-2010. Antennas are half-meter whip on PL-380, 1.2 meter whip on ICF-2010, and Alpha-Delta DX-Ultra installed broadside east-west, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Here we go again: this has been reported for years as self-jamming, as one would find by a bit of research. VOK may be well deserving of jamming, but think about it: no one is going to do that, certainly not closest ally China, nor #1 enemy USA. What really happens is that NK jamming of *other* stations on other frequencies is bleeding into their own transmitters, which are no doubt adjacent, from same site, adjacent antennas too. One way to confirm this, besides it being obvious, is to note the jamming going off at exactly the same time that VOK carriers go off. It is also the same grinding noise sound as heard against NK`s numerous clandestine targets (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. DEFECTORS PROVIDE RARE GLIMPSE OF ISOLATED LIFE IN NORTH KOREA --- Thomas Maresca, Special for USA TODAY Published 3:18 p.m. ET Sept. 5, 2017 [SW-pertinent excerpt:] . . .Kim Seung Chul, a defector who came to South Korea in 1994, also believes that information is key to changing his homeland. He founded North Korea Reform Radio in 2007, which currently broadcasts two hours a day of news, information and entertainment over shortwave frequencies. He also occasionally uses remote-controlled balloons to drop leaflets and other information into the country. . . https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/09/05/north-korea-defectors-provide-rare-glimpse-isolated-life/625916001/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. 5920, Voice of Freedom (ex: 6045). After going three days without any VOF, they have returned to this former frequency on Sept 7. Noted at 1119, plus subsequent checks. Thanks go to Hiroyuki Komatsubara, who confirmed he was also hearing them today at 0930. On former VOF frequencies: 6135, still being jammed with strong white noise; 5940 clear; 6020 with weak Vietnam and 6045 with pulsating noise jamming that has been here now for four days (causing considerable QRM for Tibet on 6050). 5920, Voice of Freedom (ex: 6045). Sept 8 was their second day here and still free of North Korea jamming; 1146+; fair-good. 5920, Voice of Freedom. Sept 9 with another day of no N. Korea jamming here and VOF with strong signal; in Korean at 1215 (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. 6680, Voice of the People, 1207, 9/4/17, in Korean. Man talking at some length. DPRK jamming audible under VoP. Fair (Mark Taylor, Lake Farm Park near Madison, WI, 9/4/17 (Labor Day), 1100–1615 UT. With Bill Dvorak, Carlie Fosythe and Neil Bartlett. Equipment: Tecsun PL880, Kaito K31 antenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Unknown frequency for them; typo for 6600 maybe? The transmitter could also have suffered a typo which is why we don`t ignore this (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 11660, OPPOSITION. Denge Kurdistan – Grigoriopol, MOLDOVA (presumed), 1304, 9/4/17, in Kurdish. Woman, most likely with news; later check with nice Kurdish music with improved signal. Fair initially, good later (Mark Taylor, Lake Farm Park near Madison, WI, 9/4/17 (Labor Day), 1100–1615 UT. With Bill Dvorak, Carlie Fosythe and Neil Bartlett. Equipment: Tecsun PL880, Kaito K31 antenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Unknown frequency for them; typo for 11600, maybe? The transmitter could also have suffered a typo which is why we don`t ignore this (gh, DXLD) Updated A17 schedule of Denge Kurdistan 0230-0500 on 7350 ISS 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0300-0500 on 7520#KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish #or alternative tx ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0500-1400 on 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0700-0800 on 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0700-0800 on 7520 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1400-1600 on 11600 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1600-1900 on 11600 ISS 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1900-2100 on 7320 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1900-2100 on 7520 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1900-2100 on 11600 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish * tx ERV started 3-5 minutes before the top on the hour http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/updated-17-schedule-of-denge-kurdistan.html ARMENIA, Denge Kurdistan via Yerevan-Gavar* Sept 5 0300-0500 on 7520 ERV#100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish #or alternative tx KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish // frequency 7350 ISS 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish 0700-0800 on 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish // frequency 7520 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish // frequency 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish 1900-2100 on 7320 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish // frequency 7520 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish * all started 3 to 5 minutes before the top on the hour http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/denge-kurdistan-via-yerevan-gavar-sept5.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) Reception of Denge Kurdistan via Yerevan-Gavar, Sept 8 0728 & 0800 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish & off at 0803 // freq 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, strong signal: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/reception-of-denge-kurdistan-via.html Denge Kurdistan via Yerevan-Gavar & Grigoriopol, Sept 9 0658&0809 9580 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish & off at 0811 UT 0659&0809 7520 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish & off at 0810 UT // freq 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, strong signal: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/reception-of-denge-kurdistan-via_9.html Denge Kurdistan via Yerevan & Grigoriopol, Sept 9: 1900-2100 on 7320 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Kurdish, very good 1900-2100 on 7520 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, very good 1900-2100 on 11600 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish, very good http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/denge-kurdistan-via-yerevan-grigoriopol.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 9 via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Kuwait back on AM on 15540 --- Is this news? 13650 is still in DRM. I was "off the bands" for a couple of weeks. Best Regards, (Wojtek Zaremba, Poland, 1802 UT Sept 7, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Oops - they switched back to DRM seconds [after] I pressed "send". Looks like they still have no clue about international broadcasting. BR, (Wojtek, 1804 UT, ibid.) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Kyrgyz Radio, Bishkek, 4010 kHz. QSL letter in Russian received from the second director of their radio Mr K. Imanaliev. My report was for 22 April 2017 and the reply was received on 13 July with the text (in Russian) "We confirm you listened to Birinchi Radio on 22 April 2017 in Russian at 23 h our local time on the frequency of 4010 kHz" (Rumen Pankov, B`lgariya, Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) September 7, 2017 from 1730 UT I accept the Kyrgyz radio in Russian at a frequency of 4010 kHz. Transfer of the "Day of the day". SINPO: 35333. Who knows how things are going with them confirmation of reports? In the village, I always take them for 3-4 points (at night). I've met reports that they confirm with a letter, but I do not remember where. I'll try to send a report to the addresses from the directory "Broadcasting at in Russian". The return came from the address kabarlar @ ktrk.kg The message went to public @ ktrk.kg (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", Rus-DX Sept 10 via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. [Re Radio Liberty new on 1386 kHz:] * 200 kW formerly used at AFN 873 kHz Frankfurt-Germany, Nautel transmitter (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX 8 Sept via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 640, XEJUA, Cd. Juárez, Chih., SEP 4, 1200 - National anthem in progress; ID at 1201:45 with call letters, power (5 kW), and slogan (new?) "La Caliente" - don't recall hearing this slogan before; went into music program hosted by Avril y David, but did not catch program name. Fair, mixing with KFI (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO; Drake R8, 4-ft box loop, International DX Digest, NRC DX News via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 709.93, Sept 7 at 0553, big het against KCMO et al., loops WSW, no doubt the off-frequency transmitter of XEDP, Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua. When heard around SRS, it`s the other transmitter site, not off-frequency. IRCA Mexican Log of 2015 said ``185 Hz low``, but now it`s only ~70 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Made a quick recording at 1200 UT. No TP signals noted except for time pips on 972. XEOX-1430 was in well with slightly revised slogan "ponte exa FM 106.5" so they have not fully moved to FM yet after all. The "ponte exa FM" is spoken by a female announcer and the "106.5" by a male announcer. // web stream at http://www.exafm.com/#!/ciudadobregon/home (Not heard in quite a while) XEREV-770 was on top of channel with "Los 40" slogan. XENT-790 was on top of the channel with Radio Fórmula programming and XE anthem. XEBCS-1050 was conspicuously absent. They are usually huge on this wire. Instead I had a weak signal from XED fighting with KTCT. Antenna directionality seemed to be just a bit compromised. Time to check the wire for breaks. 73 (Tim Hall, Chula Vista CA (near San Diego), Perseus SDR-IQ, 560 ft unterminated BOG aimed SSE(/NNW), Sept 5, ABDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEDX [-1010 Ensenada] and all other true Ensenada stations are gone from AM. Only XESS-620 and XESDD-1030 remain in Puerto Nuevo after multiple fraudulent moves. Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone (Tim Hall, CA, ABDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEJL-1300, Guamuchil Sinaloa --- They're coming in right now, with Grupo Chávez program hosted by a female announcer //web stream at http://grupochavezradio.com/radio/guamuchil-lajl.html (Tim Hall, CA, 0436 UT Sept 11, ABDX via DXLD) A few relogs tonight --- Perseus SDR-IQ, 560 ft. unterminated mini-BOG aimed SSE(/NNW), Dates/times UT. 730, XEX, Mexico DF. 9/11 0400 - Mexican anthem, "W radio deportes", not heard in ages. Usually 730 here is XESOS way on top of CHMJ and XEHB. 1150, XEUAS, Culiacán SIN. 9/11 0423 - Radio Uas with usual classical music, playing Ravel's Bolero //web stream. 1150, UNID, MEXICO. 9/11 0400 - Weak XE anthem under KAGO/KEIB. Pips about 20 seconds late. 1190, XEWK, Guadalajara JAL. 9/11 0400 - Mexican anthem, "W Radio Guadalajara." (Tim Hall, CA, 0609 UT Sept 11, ABDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO, 6185, Radio Educación, on Sept 11, happened to catch 0501*; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. RAYMIE`S MEXICO BEAT this week [including some DTV] [Re gh`s posts from DXLD 17-36:] I've certainly never heard of Radio Tzinaka either. They went on air from San Miguel Tzinacapan in Cuetzalan Municipality in 2012. http://ladobe.com.mx/2017/08/radio-tzinaka-te-necesita/ They sound like a prime target to get a community or indigenous concession. This is in the mountains of northern Puebla. As to the question of Radio Educación being a migrant, I strongly expect it to remain on AM via either the last radio service rule (which has kept several migrants alive as combos) or a move similar to what the CDI was able to pull off with its migrants in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Tuxpan Mich. — new concession, same service. ——— The big news of the day is...no news at all. With the Communications and Transportation and Legislative Studies Commissions of the Senate lacking presidents, Zoé Robledo, who chairs the Radio, Television and Film Commission, has said the Senate will not confirm a new IFT commissioner or select a new president on time. http://eleconomista.com.mx/industrias/2017/09/07/paralisis-legislativa-llevara-labardini-presidencia-ift That means that, falling back on Article 28 of the Constitution, the dean of the commissioners, Adriana Labardini, will be designated the IFT's president effective September 10. Her term as commissioner, however, ends in February, and she cannot be renominated. Additionally, only Labardini and Javier Juárez Mojica declined to seek the presidency of the agency, leaving the other five commissioners to contend for it (including current president Gabriel Contreras, who is seeking renomination). (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, Sept 7, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) I wonder how much power Radio Comunitaria Tsinaka is running? https://www.facebook.com/pg/RadioComunitariaTsinaka/about/?ref=page_internal (Jim Thomas, Springfield, MO, Sept 8, Making FM Dxing more fun than a barrel of monkeys! ibid.) It takes more time to build a TV station than a radio station, and the most transparent of all of 2017's bidders says their TV station will hit the air in nine months. http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/iniciara-operaciones-en-junio-tele-saltillo Tele Saltillo, a subsidiary of Grupo Zócalo, will receive its concession in December and plans to build transmission facilities on Calle Allende in the center of the city. This area has a general elevation advantage; its southern terminus is near Saltillo's TV tower farm, while the street already has one FM facility on it, https://www.google.com/maps/@25.4223743,-101.0013216,3a,77.1y,71.44h,134.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6vcIgABtIGFF8tK7OqRrjQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 XHEIM.* Studios will be housed with the Zócalo newsroom. In the long term, the plan is to consolidate into one building and share transmission facilities with XHKS-FM 104.9, with which the station maintains a relationship. The target date is June 13, 2018, the tenth anniversary of Zócalo expanding its newspaper to cover Saltillo. *The technical authorization for this was processed in 2016 http://rpc.ift.org.mx/rpc/pdfs/41742_160602232059_9386.pdf (and filed for in 2014), but the tower was here before then. (Raymie, Sept 10, ibid.) The Federal Telecommunications Institute has a new president as of this morning —*at least for a little while. While it's not the permanent solution that many wanted the Senate to confirm, there's no question that the new (and for all intents and purposes, interim) president is capable. Adriana Sofía Labardini Inzunza has been an IFT commissioner since the agency was created four years ago. Labardini, a Fulbright and Ashoka scholar, holds a master's degree in law from Columbia University and has been a communications lawyer for the past 16 years. She was the clerk (Secretaría Técnica) of the Cofetel commission between 1999 and 2003 and has advised Cofetel, Profeco and the Secretariat of the Economy in the past. Additionally, Labardini founded the nonprofit Alconsumidor, a consumer rights organization focused on telecommunications. A report in El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/cartera/adriana-labardini-esta-lista this morning says that the senators of the Communications and Transportation, Radio, Television and Film, and Legislative Studies Commissions will meet tomorrow to decide whether to reconfirm Contreras, who remains on board as a commissioner for the moment, or to select a new president. A shorter item in Alberto Barranco's column notes that the handicap facing contender Adolfo Cuevas Teja http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/columna/alberto-barranco/cartera/herencia-maldita is a perception of favoritism to some telecommunications providers and broadcasters (notably América Móvil is often mentioned here). Gabriel Contreras will remain on the commission, as his term as commissioner does not expire until 2020 (Raymie, Sept 11, ibid.) The earthquake off the Chiapas coast last week exacted the heaviest toll on Juchitán de Zaragoza, in the Istmo Region of Oaxaca. Juchitán has two stations (XHAH 90.1 and XHTEKA 91.7, co-owned) and receives stations from Salina Cruz. It also served as an opportunity for the Western Association of Community Radio Stations (ORC), whose geographic name is something of a misnomer with its representation of stations from Sonora to Tabasco, to prod the IFT to approve the concession application http://orcmexico.com.mx/2017/09/09/exhorto-urgente-al-pleno-del-ift-aprobar-la-radio-comunitaria-juchitan-zaragoza/ of a group seeking to operate a community station in Juchitán, Guna Caa Yuni Xhiña, A.C., which is an ORC member and is proposing transmissions in local indigenous languages (Raymie, ibid.) While it normally can take a long time to get this info on new stations, being in Mexico City means we know Violeta Radio's frequency, if not its callsign (yet). It will operate on 106.1 MHz, in the Article 90 reserved band. http://www.cimacnoticias.com.mx/noticia/lista-la-primera-radio-comunitaria-feminista-de-la-cdmx (It is worth noting that CIMAC - Comunicación e Información para la Mujer, A.C. - is one of the members of the concessionaire.) This frequency would have been made available as part of the same process that produced second-round migration. 69 frequencies were found open nationwide, but 22 of those were in the reserved band, so there were only 47 frequencies made available for migrants. (Raymie, Sept 12, ibid.) Residents of Chalco in the State of Mexico, southeast of Mexico City, will soon be in Contacto with the country's newest social community station. Comunicaciones en Contacto, Cultura y Bienestar Social, A.C. will operate the station, which becomes the sixth to set up shop in the eastern portion of the State of Mexico (Otumba, Neza with 2, Texcoco, and Amecameca all have stations). It looks like this is an ex-pirate, but not one of recent vintage. A "Contacto 100.5" was closed in Chalco in November 2005 http://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/ciudad/72392.html after being raided by the now-defunct Federal Investigation Agency, along with another pirate in the area. The connection between the two, beside the name, starts with Luis Fernando Martínez. A Luis Fernando Martínez Aguilar filed a comment on behalf of CCCBS http://www.ift.org.mx/sites/default/files/industria/temasrelevantes/consultaspublicas/documentos/03consultapublicafmasoccom.pdf in 2015 in favor of 400 kHz spacing, which was probably necessary to allow Contacto to operate legally with so many stations around it. The IFT's September 6 meeting, its last with Contreras as president, also tackled multiprogramming matters (and a bunch of irrelevant stuff). Of note: -Excélsior TV will hit 38 Imagen TV transmitters after the false start of some months ago. No timeshift channels are in the wings this time. -XHL will get Gala TV, perhaps allowing Multimedios León to stop carrying it. -Gala TV will replace Surestv in Coatzacoalcos. Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie Humbert, Sept 14, ibid.) ** MONGOLIA. 4895, Mongolian Radio 2. Has been on the air here very erratically; back again Sept 7, with decent level carrier, but am unable to catch any audio; 1131 and subsequent checking. Thanks to Hiroyuki Komatsubara for reporting "-1057- 4895kHz MONGOLIA Golden Radio, (Radio 2)" (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. 5985, Myanmar Radio, on Wednesday (Sept 6), heard repeat of the Monday program of "Say It In English" that dealt with the "train to Manchester"; started later than the Monday show, as it ended at 1247, instead of ending at 1232. So I can confirm the English language lessons are only on Monday and Wednesday! (Ron Howard, San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5985, Myanmar Radio, 1239, Sept 11. Special coverage of Philippines vs Myanmar AFF U-18 football/soccer match held at Thuwunna Stadium (Yangon); which preempted the usual Monday language lesson - "Say It In English." For those that are interested, Youtube highlights of today's game at http://goo.gl/A97xHi (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR [non]. 7530, Sept 11 at 1243, S7-S5 in Burmese; it`s RFA at 1230-1430 via TINIAN. I was checking for this, but no sign of it; it would have been a good idea to avoid that bihour anyway: ``ARMENIA. There will be a bunch of tests from Yerevan today, Monday, 11th September between 0230 (yes 0-two-3-0) and 2100 UT on 7530 kHz. Power 100 kW, directed to 192 Iran / Iran [sic] / Turkey. RRs appreciated (Christian Milling, Shortwave Service on WRTH Facebook page, 2130 UT, 10 Sept) Posted by: (alan.pennington, 2227 UT Sept 10, BDXC_UK yg via DXLD)`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Glenn, Thanks for the frequency input. I checked all the frequencies 0000-0200 UTC on September 7, 2017. 0000 UT 5960 - clear Note that a strong WRMI is on 5950 kHz. 5965 - clear 5970 - someone with S5 to S6 signal 6100 - clear 6105 - clear Note that a strong WWCR is on 6115 kHz. 6125 - clear. Same note from 6105 kHz. 6130 - someone with S7 to S8 signal 6135 - useless due to R. Santa Cruz Bolivia on 6134.829 kHz. 0030 UT 5960 - clear Note that a strong WRMI is on 5950 kHz. 5965 - clear 5970 - someone with S5 to S6 signal 6100 - clear 6105 - clear Note that a strong WWCR is on 6115 kHz. 6125 - clear. Same note from 6105 kHz. 6130 - someone with S7 to S8 signal 6135 - useless due to R. Santa Cruz Bolivia on 6134.829 kHz. 0100 UT 5960 - clear Note that a strong WRMI is on 5950 kHz. 5965 - clear 5970 - someone with S5 to S6 signal 6100 - clear 6105 - clear 6125 - clear 6130 - clear 6135 - useless due to R. Santa Cruz Bolivia on 6134.829 kHz. 0130 UT 5960 - clear 5965 - clear 5970 - someone with S7 to S8 signal 6100 - clear 6105 - clear 6125 - clear 6130 - clear 6135 - useless due to R. Santa Cruz Bolivia on 6134.829 kHz. Nauen wanted a quick decision so beginning Sunday, September 10, 2017 new frequency is 5960 kHz for 0000-0200 UT. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Kraig, 5960 should be OK, but the reason I avoided it was East Turkistan, which is off-frequency and could cause a het in some areas, especially if KBC cares about reception around Europe at that late hour. 5950 WRMI is always very weak here, aimed southward (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn, Thanks. KBC targets Europe during the 1400 UT broadcast. 73, (Kraig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just a reminder. The Mighty KBC switches from 9925 to 5960 kHz for 0000-0200 UT broadcast to North America beginning with the September 10, 2017 broadcast. On the "Forgotten Song" I feature a singer, songwriter born in Los Angeles, CA who last charted on the US Pop Charts in 1981. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, Help select new Mighty KBC frequency for ENAm. Options are follows 0000-0200 on 5960 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 5965 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 5970 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 6100 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 6105 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 6125 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 6130 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun 0000-0200 on 6135 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun But in MBR schedule as of May 4 The Mighty KBC from Sept 3 is: 2300-2400 on 6145 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to NoAm English Sat 0000-0100 on 6145 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to NoAm English Sun (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) GERMANY, New Mighty KBC frequency from Sept 10: 0000-0200 on 5960#NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm English Sun* * and deleted 6145 NAU 125 kW / 300 deg to ENAm 2300Sa-0100Su # co-ch same 5960 URU 100 kW / non-dir to EaAs Ch PBS Xinjiang http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/new-mighty-kbc-frequency-is-5960-khz.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why gh nix it 5960, Sept 10 at *0000, The Mighty KBC via Nauen, GERMANY on new frequency, ex-9925 which has not been propagating the last few weeks. 5960 is poor, fading from S8 to S3 in noise level and not really listenable, but hopefully will improve into autumn. May have to QSY again for B-17 depending on QRM. Once the ionosphere settle down, 7 MHz band might be better around the equinox, less noisy (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. Listener Feedback Prompts Programming Changes at VOCM You will notice some big changes when tuning in to VOCM radio this week. Station officials say the changes are based on listener feedback from the last few months. As of today, VOCM has brought music back as part of its programming format. VOCM’s Program Director Aiden Hibbs says “news and information will still be the main focus of the station,” but that “our listeners made it clear they also wanted a mix of music with that information.” Hibbs says the station is returning to its roots with a focus on “local programming.” He says mainland programs have been removed from the schedule altogether. Locally produced shows like Your Money with BDO and The Law Show with Butler Wills and Estates will move to better time slots on Saturday afternoon. They will also be posted as podcasts on iTunes and at VOCM.com. Hibbs says “VOCM’s long history and connection with the community is one the station values greatly” and was “the impetus behind the changes.” (Via Mike Brooker and Allen Willie, Sept CIDX Messenger via DXLD) WTFK? 590 kHz (gh) ** NEWFOUNDLAND [and non]. 2598-USB, Sept 12 at 0119 UT, roboyl with marine weather in English, S5 about equal the noise level. 2749-USB, Sept 12 at 0120 UT, roboyl with marine weather in French, S6 slightly stronger than 2598. Here`s the 2017 reference, to extract from too much info: Radio Aids Marine Navigation 2017 RAMN 2017 - Part 2 - Facilities Information http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/Marine-Communications/RAMN-2017/Part2#21 The last listed broadcasts` start times before the times above are: Table 2-6 - Labrador MCTS/VOK - Broadcasts Time UT Site Frequency or Channel Contents 0107 St. Anthony 2598J3E Radiotelephony Technical marine synopsis, forecasts and wave height forecasts for marine areas 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 235, 237 and 238. Ice conditions and forecast for the East Coast of Newfoundland, and the Labrador Coast, south of 54N. Iceberg Bulletin: Newfoundland Coast and Strait of Belle Isle. Table 2-24 - Sydney MCTS/VCO - Broadcasts Time UT Site Frequency or Channel Contents 0040 Port Caledonia 2749J3E Radiotelephony Technical marine synopsis and forecasts for marine areas 209, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 231 and 232. Wave height forecast for marine areas 209, 213, 214, 215 and 217. Notices to Shipping in areas Cape Breton Shore (covering Cabot Strait to Banquereau Bank), Gulf of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland South Coast, P.E.I. and Miramichi Bay. Notices to Shipping revising the position of every reported offshore exploration and exploitation vessel [Nothing about also being in French, unlike some other entries, so is this ID correct?] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. Message sent to CBC on 5 September: CKZN is still off the air. Has a decision on its future been made yet? Responses: "As far as I know the question has been asked but no decision has been made yet." (Terry Brett, transmitter technician) "I have inquired this morning and no decision has been returned to me." (Larry Wartman, Regional Supervisor, Transmission Operations, Atlantic Canada) (-- Richard Langley, NB, Sept 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Do these guys really believe that this is still an open case and any further action will be taken up in the hierarchy? (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. 7425, RNZI, 1130 on 6 Sept. The RNZI antenna situation reported by Glenn Hauser in August (apparently no switchover from NNE to NNW at 1057Z) continues with solid reception early mornings in northern Virginia well past 1130 and even until 1200. S9 +10, 55544, at 1130 on 6 Sept (Bob Dodt, Virginia. Equipment: IC-750, Alpha Delta SWL Sloper, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) For a change, RNZI was audible - not useable - on 9630 and 7425 yesterday and today. My guess again is that the path of this signal to the UK is now not as favourable as it once was. 73 from (Noel Green, UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA [and non]. 539.739, UnID, AUG 26, 0200 - Steady S5 signal above the noise floor. Per Tim Tromp in Michigan via the NRC Facebook group, "539.739 is real. I see this carrier when Nicaragua is really strong, usually only during good auroral conditions. I'd love to know who this is." Seemed to sign-off at 0401 UT. [Conti-NH] 539.859, NICARAGUA, R. Corporación, Managua, AUG 26, 0200 - Good; excited sports commentary. At 0400, jingle with time check, "Diez en punto." At 0501 sign off with choral national anthem (Bruce Conti, WPC1CAT, Nashua NH; WiNRADiO Excalibur, MWDX-5, variable termination Super/Ewe antennas 15 x 23-m 60 northeast and 15 x 23-m 180 south, International DX Digest, NRC DX News Sept 8 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 7255-, Sept 8 at 0611, no signal from VON, not on 9690-, which occasionally replaces it. Ordinarily I would confidently assume it`s off the air, but even over this low latitude path during a major geomagnetic storm, it simply may not propagate at all (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. Reception of Radio Dandal Kura International via BaBcoCk Woofferton 0700-0800 13810 WOF 250 kW / 165 deg WeAf Kanuri, ex DHA 250 / 255 deg http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/radio-dandal-kura-international-via.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 via DXLD) Radio Dandal Kura International via BaBcoCk Ascension, Sept 6 1800-2100 12050 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg WeAf Kanuri, very good signal: http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/radio-dandal-kura-international-via_7.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. A Fond Farewell to Pirate Radio Boston! [altho it`s fairly clear this one was not in Canada, here it is to keep it grouped with other SW pirates --- gh] Ever since May of 1992, when Pirate Radio Boston took to the shortwave pirate airwaves, the station was always a fan favorite in the northeastern part of North America. Station op, Charlie Loudenboomer, sometimes accompanied by his sidekick, Mr. Excellence, were the pirate station “run by DXers, for DXers” and always QSLing 100% for correct reception reports. Charlie claims, even during the times of FCC persecution, they were always on the air at least once a year for all 25 years. Pirate Radio Boston usually transmitted in the AM mode, using older ham equipment such as the Heathkit “Apache” and E.F. Johnson “Viking” and “Ranger” transmitters. Happy retirement, Charlie and friends! You will be missed (Chris Lobdell, Free Radio Scene, Sept CIDX Messenger via DXLD) With illustration of farewell QSL. OMG, I just realized Chris Lobdell has the same initials as Charlie Loudenboomer (gh, DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6770, Sept 13 at 0200, JBA carrier, perhaps the old- time-radio pirate, seldom heard here lately. From Chris Lobdell`s Free Radio Scene in Sept CIDX Messenger: ``Mystery of the Old Time Radio Station on 6770 solved? Many of us have heard the weak signals on 6770 AM playing old time radio shows. Signals are always quite weak and usually fade out rather quickly. They usually are heard best at sunrise and sunset. Who is this station and where is he located? This was posted back in January of 2016 and I never saw it. Just in case you didn’t either, here it is. "Old Time Radio is an "accidental broadcaster" of sorts. It is located inside of an old radio museum. The antenna is a several hundred foot length of Cat 5 network cable run along the back of each radio display so each radio doesn’t need an antenna to receive the program. The transmitter (home brew, unknown RF output) is attached to a small audio processor and gets its audio stream from a computer. Winamp is used to run the very large playlist over and over. Another program is broadcast on 770 kHz using a Ramsey Electronics transmitter. The similarity in frequencies (6770 and 770 kHz) is not coincidental. These frequencies were chosen to make them easier to remember believe it or not. The owner/curator of the museum lives nearby and listens to the stream from his house. He is not fully aware of how far this broadcast can be heard and I will not divulge the location of this museum to avoid him getting into trouble. I have spoken to him about the legalities but he wasn’t interested as he has "done this for a long time without anyone breaking down his door". I’m surprised these transmissions are being heard as widespread as they are." Posted by "Old Time Radio Fan" on the "30 Below" blog on The HF Underground. Next time you visit an antique radio museum, bring your shortwave portable along with you and you just might find the source!`` (via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. EARTHQUAKE felt in Enid: my chair and computer desk shake for a few seconds and the house creaks, Sept 8 at 0226:40 UT. USGS reports: 3.9 magnitude, 15 km SSE of Medford, Oklahoma, 2017-09-08 02:26:23 (UTC), 5.0 km deep --- so it took about 17 seconds to get here. This was less than a sesquihour before the big one off Mexico, 8.1; coincidence? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {later upgraded to 4.3!} ** OKLAHOMA. 90.1, Sat Sept 9 at 1310 UT, KUCO`s `Performance Oklahoma` is back after summer break, Kimberly Powell introducing concert recorded Sunday Feb 12 at 2 pm at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in OKC, of Brandenburg Concerto #3, by the newly formed Oklahoma Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra http://www.kucofm.com/programs/performanceoklahoma/this-week-s-program/ And later, Vivaldi`s The Seasons. The OVCO is based at Oklahoma City University, ``a standing conductor-less string orchestra``. First concert of this season will be Sept 17. Thanks to immigrant musicians interviewed, reminds us that OK is not a total cultural desert. Two-hour PerfOkla airs first UT Thursdays at 0100, repeated Saturdays 1300 UT on KUCO; and also UT Sundays 0100 on KWTU Tulsa, all available by webcasts; rarely some are ondemand temporarily. Here I have to hope for some morning tropo boost to get quiet stereo, and suppress KHCC Radio Kansas CCI fighting to capture 90.1 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. A bit o` area morning DTV tropo Sept 12 at 1440 UT: 21-1 with HSN, 21-2 SBN, but lose decode before can survey the remaining subchannels of 4 kW KTOU-LD OKC; SBN is listed as SonLife in W9Wi.com. Also has a CP to be 11 kW KTOU-CD still on 21. Also have decodes briefly from RF 28 = 44.1 Ion Tulsa market; RF 36, KUOK-CD 36-1 OKC (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Strong signal of Radio Sultanate of Oman, Sept 8 1400-1500 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu Arabic, instead of English 1600-2200 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg WeEu Arabic as scheduled in A17 http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/reception-of-radio-sultanate-of-oman-in.html (Ivo Ivanov, B`lgariya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Oman 15140 kHz Missing Sept 10th -- As of 1425 UT, there is not even a trace of a carrier from 15140 via Thumrait, Oman. Even in bad conditions, a carrier shows up on Utwente SDR and there's nothing I have noticed lately, without taking notes in the last 2 weeks or so, Oman has been fairly regular in signing on late (Paul Walker, PA, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) And so it goes ** PERU. 5980, Red Radio Integridad. Septiembre 7. 2314-2331 UT. Programa: “El camino de la vida”. Desde las 2323, canciones. A las 2330, hora local, identificación y devocional. SINPO: 44343. Desde las 2325 con SINPO: 33242 (Claudio Galaz; RX: TECSUN PL- 660; ANT: Hilo de 40 metros de largo; QTH: Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) Who doesn`t listen a bit longer for their slipping autocutoff ** PUERTO RICO. The strongest hurricane ever? Indeed it is in this region of the Atlantic. With a barometric pressure of 926 mb and sustained winds of 185 mph, Irma is something to deal with. Tell me about it. I live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The hurricane center is expected to pass 35 miles to our north. Apart from all other preparations, all my antennas are down and secured. Only a small vertical in my backyard will remain and we will see if it survives. For those in Florida, please prepare well. This is a serious and dangerous storm. Best 73s (Guido Santacana KP4FAR, Sept 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. 9730, RRI at 0130. Romanian folk music, M announcer. One of my favorite stations ever - multumesc mult, si naopte buna RRI! Over a lot of thunderstorm static, VG, Sept 6 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. Hi! In the 1961 movie "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea`` the submarine has precisely the same buzzing sound as the Russian buzzer UVB-76 on 4625 kHz. Have just watched the movie on film4 TV in the UK (Jon Collins, Birmingham UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. BBG CEO JOHN LANSING TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE HELSINKI COMMISSION Contact: Stacy Hope Phone: +1 (202) 225-1901 Stacy.Hope@mail.house.gov http://www.csce.gov http://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission http://www.twitter.com/helsinkicomm RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION FOCUS OF UPCOMING HELSINKI COMMISSION HEARING WASHINGTON-The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: THE SCOURGE OF RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION Thursday, September 14, 2017 9:30 AM Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 562 Live Webcast: http://www.senate.gov/isvp/?type=live&comm=csce&filename=csce091417 Russian disinformation is a grave transnational threat, facilitating unacceptable aggression by Russia both at home and across the 57- nation OSCE region. Russian disinformation helps support rampant violations of OSCE norms by the Putin regime, ranging from internal human rights abuses to military intervention in neighboring states to interference in elections in several countries. The hearing will examine Russia's efforts to spread disinformation, both domestically and abroad, as well as U.S. efforts to set the record straight with Russians, Ukrainians, and other speakers of Russian in the region. Witnesses will also discuss the effectiveness of U.S. counter-measures across a variety of platforms; whether resources available correspond to the threat; and whether coordination amongst key players within the U.S. Government at the Department of State, Department of Defense, and USAID, and with European partners is adequate. Finally, with German elections scheduled for September 24, one of the witnesses will highlight attempts by Russia to use NGOs and think tanks in Germany to try to influence the outcome. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: John F. Lansing, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Melissa Hooper, Director of Human Rights and Civil Society Programs, Human Rights First Molly McKew, CEO, Fianna Strategies ### The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent agency of the Federal Government charged with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental and military cooperation in 57 countries. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce. Broadcasting Board of Governors, 330 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20237 (BBG PA Sept 11 via Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. RT, SPUTNIK AND RUSSIA’S NEW THEORY OF WAR --- How the Kremlin built one of the most powerful information weapons of the 21st century — and why it may be impossible to stop. By JIM RUTENBERG September 13, 2017 https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/magazine/rt-sputnik-and-russias-new-theory-of-war.html Martin Steltner showed up at his office in the state courthouse building in western Berlin. Steltner, who has served for more than a dozen years as the spokesman for the Berlin state prosecutor, resembles a detective out of classic crime fiction: crisp suit, wavy gray hair and a gallows humor that comes with having seen it all. There was the 2009 case of the therapist who mistakenly killed two patients in an Ecstasy-infused session gone wrong. The Great Poker Heist of 2010, in which masked men stormed a celebrity-studded poker tournament with machetes and made off with a quarter-million dollars. The 2012 episode involving the Canadian porn star who killed and ate his boyfriend and then sent the leftovers home in the mail. Steltner embraced the oddball aspect of his job; he kept a picture of Elvis Presley on the wall of his office. But even Steltner found the phone calls he received that morning confounding. They came from police officers from towns far outside Berlin, who reported that protests were erupting, seemingly out of nowhere, on their streets. “They are demonstrating — ‘Save our children,’ ‘No attacks from immigrants on our children’ and some things like that,” Steltner told me when I met him in Berlin recently. The police were calling Steltner because this was ostensibly his office’s fault. The protesters were angry over the Berlin prosecutor’s supposed refusal to indict three Arab migrants who, they said, raped a 13-year-old girl from Berlin’s tight-knit Russian-German community. Steltner, who would certainly have been informed if such a case had come up for prosecution, had heard nothing of it. He called the Berlin Police Department, which informed him that a 13-year-old Russian- German girl had indeed gone missing a week before. When she resurfaced a day later, she told her parents that three “Southern-looking men” — by which she meant Arab migrants — had yanked her off the street and taken her to a rundown apartment, where they beat and raped her. But when the police interviewed the girl, whose name was Lisa, she changed her story. She had left home, it turned out, because she had gotten in trouble at school. Afraid of how her parents would react, she went to stay with a 19-year-old male friend. The kidnapping and gang rape, she admitted, never happened. By then, however, the girl’s initial story was taking on a life of its own within the Russian-German community through word of mouth and Facebook — enough so that the police felt compelled to put out a statement debunking it. Then, over the weekend, Channel One, a Russian state-controlled news station with a large following among Russian- Germans, who watch it on YouTube and its website, ran a report presenting Lisa’s story as an example of the unchecked dangers Middle Eastern refugees posed to German citizens. Angela Merkel, it strongly implied, was refusing to address these threats, even as she opened German borders to hundreds of thousands of migrants. “According to Lisa’s parents,” the Channel One reporter said, “the police simply refuse to look for criminals.” The following day in Berlin, Germany’s far-right National Democratic Party held a protest at a plaza in Marzahn, a heavily Russian neighborhood. The featured speaker was an adult cousin of Lisa’s, who repeated the original allegations while standing in front of signs reading “Stop Foreign Infiltration!” and “Secure Borders!” The crowd was tiny, not much more than a dozen people. But it was big enough to attract the attention of RT, Russia’s state-financed international cable network, which presents local-language newscasts in numerous countries, including Germany and the United States. A crew from the network’s video service, Ruptly, arrived with a camera. The footage was on YouTube that afternoon. That same day, Sputnik, a brash Russian-government-run news and commentary site that models itself on BuzzFeed, ran a story raising allegations of a police cover-up. Lisa’s case was not isolated, Sputnik argued; other refugee rapists, it warned, might be running free. By the start of the following week, protests were breaking out in neighborhoods with large Russian-German populations, which is why the local police were calling Steltner. In multiple interviews, including with RT and Sputnik, Steltner reiterated that the girl had recanted the original story about the kidnapping and the gang rape. In one interview with the German media, he said that in the course of the investigation, authorities had found evidence that the girl had sex with a 23-year-old man months earlier, which would later lead to a sexual-abuse conviction for the man, whose sentence was suspended. But the original, unrelated and debunked story continued circulating, drawing the interest of the German mainstream media, which pointed out inconsistencies in the Russian reports. None of that stopped the protests, which culminated in a demonstration the following Saturday, Jan. 23, by 700 people outside the Chancellery, Merkel’s office. Ruptly covered that, too. An official in the Merkel government told me that the administration was completely perplexed, at first. Then, a few days later, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, held a news conference in Moscow. Bringing up Lisa’s story, he cast doubt on the official version of events. There was no way, he argued, that Lisa left home voluntarily. Germany, he suggested, was “covering up reality in a politically correct manner for the sake of domestic politics.” Two days later, RT ran a segment reporting that despite all the official denials, the case was “not so simple.” The Russian Embassy called Steltner and asked to meet, he told me. The German foreign ministry informed him that this was now a diplomatic issue. The whole affair suddenly appeared a lot less mystifying. A realization took hold in the foreign ministry, the intelligence services and the Chancellery: Germany had been hit. Officials in Germany and at NATO headquarters in Brussels view the Lisa case, as it is now known, as an early strike in a new information war Russia is waging against the West. In the months that followed, politicians perceived by the Russian government as hostile to its interests would find themselves caught up in media storms that, in their broad contours, resembled the one that gathered around Merkel. They often involved conspiracy theories and outright falsehoods — sometimes with a tenuous connection to fact, as in the Lisa case, sometimes with no connection at all — amplified until they broke through into domestic politics. In other cases, they simply helped promote nationalist, far-left or far-right views that put pressure on the political center. What the efforts had in common was their agents: a loose network of Russian-government-run or -financed media outlets and apparently coordinated social-media accounts. After RT and Sputnik gave platforms to politicians behind the British vote to leave the European Union, like Nigel Farage, a committee of the British Parliament released a report warning that foreign governments may have tried to interfere with the referendum. Russia and China, the report argued, had an “understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals” and practiced a kind of cyberwarfare “reaching beyond the digital to influence public opinion.” When President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia visited the new French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the palace of Versailles in May, Macron spoke out about such influence campaigns at a news conference. Having prevailed weeks earlier in the election over Marine Le Pen — a far-right politician who had backed Putin’s annexation of Crimea and met with him in the Kremlin a month before the election — Macron complained that “Russia Today and Sputnik were agents of influence which on several occasions spread fake news about me personally and my campaign.” RT vans in a parking lot at the network’s studios in Moscow. James Hill for The New York Times [caption] But all of this paled in comparison with the role that Russian information networks are suspected to have played in the American presidential election of 2016. In early January, two weeks before Donald J. Trump took office, American intelligence officials released a declassified version of a report — prepared jointly by the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency — titled “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections.” It detailed what an Obama-era Pentagon intelligence official, Michael Vickers, described in an interview in June with NBC News as “the political equivalent of 9/11.” “Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election,” the authors wrote. “Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency.” According to the report, “Putin and the Russian government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.” The intelligence assessment detailed some cloak-and-dagger activities, like the murky web of Russian (if not directly government-affiliated or -financed) hackers who infiltrated voting systems and stole gigabytes’ worth of email and other documents from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. But most of the assessment concerned machinations that were plainly visible to anyone with a cable subscription or an internet connection: the coordinated activities of the TV and online-media properties and social-media accounts that made up, in the report’s words, “Russia’s state-run propaganda machine.” The assessment devoted nearly half its pages to a single cable network: RT. The Kremlin started RT — shortened from the original Russia Today — a dozen years ago to improve Russia’s image abroad. It operates in several world capitals and is carried on cable and satellite networks across the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. RT and the rest of the Russian information machine were working with “covert intelligence operations” to do no less than “undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order,” the assessment stated. And, it warned ominously, “Moscow will apply lessons learned from its Putin-ordered campaign aimed at the U.S. presidential election to future influence efforts worldwide, including against U.S. allies and their election processes.” On Sept. 11, RT announced that the Justice Department had asked a company providing all production and operations services for RT America in the United States to register as a “foreign agent” under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a World War II-era law that was originally devised for Nazi propaganda. Also on Sept. 11, Yahoo News reported that a former correspondent at Sputnik was speaking with the F.B.I. as part of an investigation into whether it was violating FARA. Russia has dismissed the intelligence-community claims as so much Cold War-era Yankee hysteria. Margarita Simonyan, RT’s chief editor, told me the allegations against the network smacked of “McCarthyism.” Still, Russian officials are remarkably open about the aims of RT and Sputnik: to “break the monopoly of the Anglo-Saxon global information streams,” as Putin himself put it during a visit to RT’s Moscow headquarters in 2013. Russia’s argument about RT’s rightful place in the American media landscape is not all that different from the one Roger Ailes made when he started Fox News: If you thought Fox looked conservative, he would say, maybe it’s because you were liberal. In Russia’s case, it’s: If RT looks biased, it’s because you live in a bubble of Western arrogance and hypocrisy. You’re the one who’s biased. Plenty of RT’s programming, to outward appearances, is not qualitatively different from conventional opinion-infused cable news. RT America’s current roster of hosts includes the former New York Times correspondent Chris Hedges, Larry King and the former MSNBC star Ed Schultz, who told me that the network allows him to cover news that may not otherwise “get the proper attention that we think it deserves.” (And, he added, “the health care is outstanding.”) Its fans point to its coverage of political perspectives that aren’t prominent on mainstream networks — voices from the Occupy movement, the libertarian right and third parties like the Green Party. The network has been nominated for four International Emmy Awards and one Daytime Emmy. This makes RT and Sputnik harder for the West to combat than shadowy hackers. You can tighten your internet security protocols to protect against data breaches, run counterhacking operations to take out infiltrators, sanction countries with proven links to such activities. But RT and Sputnik operate on the stated terms of Western liberal democracy; they count themselves as news organizations, protected by the First Amendment and the libertarian ethos of the internet. So over the past decade, even as the Putin government clamped down on its own free press — and as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, the U.S.-government-run broadcasting services, were largely squeezed off the Russian radio dial — RT easily acquired positions on the basic cable rosters of Comcast, Cox, Charter, DirecTV and Fios, among others. The network’s offshoots — RT UK, RT Arabic, RT Deutsch, RT Español — operate just as freely in other countries (though British regulators have reprimanded RT UK for content “materially misleading or not duly impartial”). Macron might have grumbled about RT to Putin, but France is not standing in the way of RT’s plans to start a new French channel. By standard media-industry metrics, RT is relatively small. Numbers that RT commissioned in 2015 from the polling firm Ipsos showed it was watched, weekly, by eight million people in the United States, placing it among the top five foreign networks here and in Europe. (Ipsos also found RT was it is watched by 70 million per week globally; the BBC, using a different polling firm, says its own audience is 372 million per week.) But American television measures itself by the Nielsen ratings, which RT doesn’t pay to be measured by. Nielsen shows Fox News with an average audience of 2.3 million people nightly, MSNBC with 1.6 million nightly and CNN with more than one million nightly. It’s a good bet that if RT thought it would rank anywhere near them, it would pay to be rated. But the ratings are almost beside the point. RT might not have amassed an audience that remotely rivals CNN’s in conventional terms, but in the new, “democratized” media landscape, it doesn’t need to. Over the past several years, the network has come to form the hub of a new kind of state media operation: one that travels through the same diffuse online channels, chasing the same viral hits and memes, as the rest of the Twitter-and-Facebook-age media. In the process, Russia has built the most effective propaganda operation of the 21st century so far, one that thrives in the feverish political climates that have descended on many Western publics. In April, I went to visit Dmitri Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, at his Kremlin office. Peskov, who is 49, works in the presidential administrative headquarters, a prewar building with a grand facade but cramped hallways and offices inside. He has been a spokesman for Putin since Putin first took office in 2000 and is almost always hovering on the edge of the frame in Putin’s photo ops, whether it’s at a gathering of international heads of state or as the president is positioning his pads for a star turn in an exhibition hockey game. The whole presidential-press-attaché-as-celebrity thing is finally starting to hit Russia — Peskov’s lavish wedding to a former Russian Olympic ice-dancing gold medalist in 2015 made the tabloids — but his work look is more Politburo than Paul Smith. He has bushy reddish- brown hair and a mustache, and always appears to be suppressing a sly smile, even when he is frowning. When I asked Peskov what Putin meant by RT’s mission to “break the monopoly of Anglo-Saxon global information streams,” he went into something of a dissertation, speaking in English with obvious relish and little room for interjections. “The whole trend of global media was set by Anglo-Saxons,” he began. “It’s like the first conveyor belt. It was created by Mr. Ford in the United States.” (It wasn’t, but Ford was the first major manufacturer to use the technology on a grand scale.) But now, he went on, “the conveyor line is not only working in G.M., in Ford — it’s also working in Citroën, in Renault, in Mercedes-Benz, in Toyota, everywhere in the world.” Something like the dissemination of Ford’s conveyor belt, he said, was now happening in media; the sort of global news networks the West built were being replicated by Russia, to great effect. What was making “the whole story successful,” he said, “is a tectonic change of the global system that all of a sudden started to develop 10 years ago.” The transformation and acceleration of information technology, Peskov said, had unmoored the global economy from real value. Perception alone could move markets or crash them. “We’ve never seen bubbles like we’ve seen in the greatest economy in the world, the United States,” he said. The same free flow of information had produced “a new clash of interests,” and so began “an informational disaster — an informational war.” Peskov argued that this was not an information war of Russia’s choosing; it was a “counteraction.” He brought up the “color revolutions” throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which led to the ousters of Russian-friendly governments in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan in the mid-2000s. Russia blamed American nongovernmental organizations for fomenting the upheavals. But now, Peskov argued, all you might need to shake up the geopolitical order was a Twitter account. “Now you can reach hundreds of millions in a minute,” he said. By way of example, he pointed to “this girl, from show business, Kim Kardashian.” Kardashian is among the most popular people in all of social media, with 55 million Twitter followers, nearly 18 million more than President Trump. “Let’s imagine that one day she says, ‘My supporters — do this,’?” Peskov said. “This will be a signal that will be accepted by millions and millions of people. And she’s got no intelligence, no interior ministry, no defense ministry, no K.G.B.” This, he said, was the new reality: the global proliferation of the kinds of reach and influence that were once reserved for the great powers and, more recently, great media conglomerates. Even Peskov sounded slightly amazed considering the possibilities. “The new reality creates a perfect opportunity for mass disturbances,” he said, “or for initiating mass support or mass disapproval.” One way of looking at the activities of Russia’s information machine is as a resumption of the propaganda fight between the United States and the U.S.S.R. that began immediately following the Second World War. In the late 1940s, the Marshall Plan, the herculean development project helmed by Secretary of State George Marshall, flooded postwar Europe with money and advisers to help rebuild cities, advance democracy and form an integrated economic zone. Joseph Stalin immediately saw it as a threat — and saw propaganda as one of his best weapons to contain it. In 1947, Stalin formed the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform), a Belgrade-headquartered forum to coordinate messaging among European Communist parties. Cominform used Communist newspapers, pamphlets and posters to paint the Marshall Plan as an American plot to subjugate Europe. A representative Soviet poster distributed in Vienna showed an American — identified by American-flag shirt cuffs — offering aid packages with one hand while plundering Austria’s gold with the other. Radio Moscow — the state-run international broadcaster — and Soviet- supported newspapers throughout Europe accused the “imperialist” United States of pursuing a plan of “dollar domination” to make the Continent dependent on American goods and services, and of conscripting local youth to fight American proxy wars elsewhere. Writing in The New York Times that year, the correspondent Anne O’Hare McCormick recounted false reports in the Red Army newspaper in Vienna that the locals were afraid to walk the streets at night lest American soldiers rob and mug them — propaganda, she wrote, that “may not convince, but it adds to the confusion between truth and falsehood and fosters that darkness of the mind in which dictatorships operate.” In a 1947 letter to George Marshall’s undersecretary, Robert A. Lovett, William C. Chanler, a wartime Defense Department official, urged a response, warning that “we are making the same mistake that was made with Hitler.” For the counterinformation campaign, the U.S. government enlisted journalists, including the Washington Post Pulitzer winner Alfred Friendly and the Christian Science Monitor’s Roscoe Drummond; Hollywood filmmakers; and the top marketers of Madison Avenue, including McCann-Erickson and Young and Rubicam. The new effort — which eventually fell under a new United States Information Agency — produced upbeat posters with slogans like “Whatever the weather, we only reach welfare together,” which offered a bright contrast to the Communists’ anti-Marshall Plan messaging. Operating on the theory that local voices would have more credibility than American ones, it fed news to foreign reporters about how well the Marshall Plan was progressing in their countries and recruited top European directors to produce hundreds of news features and documentaries that promoted “Western values” like free trade and representative democracy. America went into the propaganda war with distinct advantages. At the time, the Marshall Plan was pumping $13 billion into Europe, while the Soviets were taking $14 billion out in the form of reparations and resource seizures; America’s image abroad was as squeaky clean as it would ever be. “This was the time when finally the United States came of age as an international power — when it still had its virginity, as it were,” David Reynolds, a Cambridge University history professor, told me. RT International’s newsroom in Moscow. James Hill for The New York Times [caption] America’s midcentury propaganda success set the tone for the decades to come. It was not entirely a matter of America’s having a better story to tell, and savvier storytellers, than the Soviet Union did. Soviet propaganda did, in fact, work on the people it reached. A controlled study conducted by a professor at Florida State University in 1970 found that Americans who listened to Radio Moscow broadcasts developed more open attitudes toward the U.S.S.R. than those of average Americans. The problem was that very few Americans did hear Radio Moscow: It was available only on shortwave radio and on a handful of American stations — including WNYC in New York — reaching less than 2 percent of the adult population in the United States as of late 1966. Meanwhile, Voice of America, the United States’ equivalent service offering a mix of news, music and entertainment, was reaching 23 percent of the Soviet adult population by the early 1970s. Later studies found that up to 40 percent of the Soviet Union’s adult population listened to “Western broadcasting” of one sort or another, in spite of aggressive Soviet signal-jamming efforts. And unlike the Soviets, the United States benefited from the existence of a vast ecosystem of nongovernment media that, even when it crossed swords with the American government, still reflected an American outlook and implicitly promoted American cultural values. The first international, 24-hour networks to come online in the 1980s, like CNN, were American, and they provided their audience — which eventually included many behind the Iron Curtain — an unsparing view of the last days of Communism: student protesters staring down tanks in Tiananmen Square, protests and strikes in Poland, East Germans exulting on the ruins of the Berlin Wall. When Mikhail Gorbachev signed his resignation, ceding power to the new presidency of Boris Yeltsin in the last official act of Soviet Communism, he invited CNN to capture the moment in his Kremlin office suite. Finding his own pen out of ink, Gorbachev turned to the CNN president at the time, Tom Johnson, who lent Gorbachev the Mont Blanc he had in his breast pocket. After making sure the pen wasn’t American-made, the last Soviet leader used it to sign one of the most important documents in Russian history. “You have built your empire better than I built mine,” he told Johnson. Mikhail Lesin, too, wanted to build an empire. Around the time of the Soviet Union’s dissolution, he was in his mid-30s, running Video International, an early big Russian ad firm, of which he was a founder. Video International was credited with bringing modern, American-style techniques to Yeltsin’s 1996 re-election campaign, and after Yeltsin’s victory, the president rewarded Lesin by placing him in charge of his presidential communications operation. Lesin was a sharp-witted hard drinker who was concerned about Russia’s image in the world. He had a vision for an international network that would familiarize Russia in the same way that CNN familiarized America. But the chaos of the later Yeltsin years, in which the ruble collapsed and Yeltsin’s government foundered, made such a thing impossible. Lesin found a more receptive patron in Putin, who succeeded Yeltsin in 1999. Putin — who, as a deputy in the St. Petersburg mayor’s office half a decade earlier, once chauffeured Ted Turner around the city — was an attentive student of the power of television. At times, he could not contain his frustration with the way the foreign media covered Russia. “All they can talk about is crisis and breakdown,” he complained to a nationalist youth group in 2005. That year, with the Russian economy rebounding thanks to strong oil prices, Lesin and Alexei Gromov, Putin’s press strategist, secured the approval and financing to start the network, which they called Russia Today. To run the new operation, they hired a 25-year-old TV reporter named Margarita Simonyan. President Vladimir Putin speaking with RT journalists in Moscow in 2013. James Hill for The New York Times [caption] When she heard she got the job, “I almost fainted,” Simonyan told me recently. We were sitting on plush couches on an exclusive, dimly lit floor of Voronezh, a fashionable restaurant in the Khamovniki district in central Moscow. “Dr. No,” the James Bond film about a plan to disrupt the American space program, was on a TV screen opposite us. Before us was a spread of venison, oysters and shrimp, themselves an unsubtle statement: They were imported from Russia’s far east, a menu adjustment in response to the sanctions and countersanctions that had cut off Western food imports. Simonyan, who is now 37, is petite with a wide face, dark hair and green eyes. Her name appears more times in the declassified U.S. intelligence assessment than anyone’s besides Putin’s, but she seems a somewhat unlikely candidate for an American national-security threat. When the report dropped, she wrote on Twitter: “They are kidding, right?” At the restaurant, she told me: “I never planned to be a part of a weapon. I have two children, and I’m very, very peaceful. I don’t like wars. Any wars.” Simonyan grew up poor in Krasnodar, a southern Russia river town, and was 11 when the Soviet Union collapsed. “We adored the fact that we are now going to be like America and taught like America and to be even patronized by America and be America’s little brother,” she told me. “It didn’t feel in any way humiliating or contradictory to the Russian pride.” Her infatuation with the United States led her to apply for a slot in a new State Department “future leaders” exchange program, which placed top students from the former Soviet Union in United States high schools to “ensure long-lasting peace and understanding between the U.S. and the countries of Eurasia.” For one academic year, she attended a public high school in Bristol, N.H. “She was fascinated with news,” Patricia Albert, whose parents hosted Simonyan, and who remains close with her, told me. “Maggie,” as the family still calls her, would sit transfixed every night when she joined them on the couch to watch the local news, “60 Minutes” and “CBS Evening News With Dan Rather.” But she also came to resent some of her American classmates for what she viewed as their sheltered naïveté. “?‘Do you have dogs?’ I remember that,” she told me. “I still have a letter I wrote to my parents saying, ‘I can’t believe they are seriously asking me whether we have dogs.’ They were grown-ups — 18- year-olds — in a normal high school in New Hampshire, which is supposed to be a sophisticated place.” Back home in Krasnodar, her view of the United States, like many Russians’, started to curdle after the 1999 NATO bombing campaign against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia, with which Russian had strong ethnic, cultural and political ties: “Our Slavic brothers and sisters,” she told me, leaning forward for emphasis. “You bombed them with no permission, with no reason,” she said, “and in one day you lost Russia.” As a journalism major at Kuban State University, Simonyan landed an internship and, quickly thereafter, a correspondent position at a local TV station. Her patriotism and feel for the American-style production techniques she had seen on TV in New Hampshire — which had not yet come to Russia — helped her rise quickly through the ranks of state journalism. She covered the brutal Chechen military campaign in 1999 and 2000 that helped solidify Putin’s political standing as he ascended to the presidency, and the 2004 Beslan school siege, which earned her the government’s “Strengthening the Military Commonwealth” medal. When she took the helm of Russia Today the following year, Simonyan modeled the new network on CNN and the BBC, and she hired TV consultants from Britain to help give Russia Today a modern cable-news look and feel. (The RT studios in Moscow, when I visited them this spring, were as state-of-the-art as any I’d seen in the United States.) “Nobody in Russia had experience of that kind,” Simonyan told me. “Twenty-four-hour news had not been established yet.” One of her employees, Andrey Kiyashko, who started at RT in his late teens, told me: “CNN, BBC — we were watching it and taking notes on how to be broadcast journalists.” At the beginning, the network’s mission was to reverse the global view of Russians “as bears that roam the streets and growl,” as Lesin put it in an interview in 2001. (Lesin was found dead in a Washington hotel room in 2015. The city’s medical examiner attributed his death to blunt trauma to the head. While the incident remains the subject of much speculation, federal investigators have said they believe Lesin’s death followed a prolonged bout of heavy drinking.) An early BBC content analysis found nothing all that remarkable in the network’s Russia-centric coverage and noted that it even included criticism of the Russian bureaucracy. Russia Today — incorporated as an independent company with state financing — was getting into hotels and even American cable systems. But three years into its existence, the network still had not gained much notice or had much discernible impact abroad. Simonyan says he concluded that the network’s mission of solely focusing on Russia needed revising. “We had basically too much Russian news,” she told me. So in 2008, Russia Today began to reposition itself. The network was reintroduced with a new name, RT, and hired McCann — the same American advertising firm that once helped the United States sell the Marshall Plan. It soon debuted a new satellite channel in the United States, RT America. Instead of celebrating Russia, Simonyan’s network would turn a critical eye to the rest of the world, particularly the United States. As Peskov sees it, the idea was: “Why are you criticizing us in Chechnya and all this stuff? Look at what you are doing there in the United States with your relationship with white and black.” He went on: “RT said: ‘Stop. Don’t criticize us. We’ll tell you about yourself.’?” With that, he said, “all of the sudden, Anglo-Saxons saw that there is an army from the opposite side.” RT’s new slogan, dreamed up by McCann, was “Question More.” RT America set up shop in a glass-fronted office building in Washington a block and a half east of the White House. The new network promised to feature stories that “have not been reported” or were “hugely underreported” in the mainstream media, Simonyan told The Times in 2010. In line with the Marshall Plan dictum that natives have more credibility than foreigners, it was staffed by American hosts: an incongruous mix of telegenic, ambitious but inexperienced broadcast journalists like Liz Wahl, whom RT recruited from the local television station in the Mariana Islands, and later-career itinerant expats like Peter Lavelle, a banker-turned-reporter who previously worked as a stringer for United Press International’s Moscow bureau and contributed to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. From early on, the channel’s interviews highlighted Sept. 11 “truthers,” who believed the Sept. 11 attacks were an inside job, including Alex Jones, whose segments, ranging freely across the broader spectrum of conspiracy theories — from Osama bin Laden’s staged death to the all-powerful machinations of the Bilderberg Group — became regular occurrences on the network. When I asked Simonyan about the Sept. 11 conspiracy theories, she replied: “Some guy in the states who worked for us — he doesn’t have that position anymore — was a bit into that. I didn’t pay any attention to that. When I did, I almost killed everybody.” But, she said, it went with the territory. “We do have our mistakes sometimes, like The New York Times does, like everything does,” she said. “We correct them.” To the extent that RT had any clear ideological bent, it was a sort of all-purpose anti-establishment stance that drew from both the anti- globalization left (the network hosted a Green Party debate) and the libertarian right (it lavished attention on the Rand Paul movement). Its news coverage emphasized poverty and racial injustice, and it found its breakthrough story in the Occupy Wall Street protests. As Wahl, who quit RT in 2014, wrote later in Politico Magazine, “Video of outraged protesters, heavy-handed police and tents pitched in parks portrayed America as a country in the midst of a popular uprising — it was the beginning of the inevitable decline of a capitalistic world power.” The coverage, which earned RT one of its International Emmy nominations, brought the network into alignment with Julian Assange, whom Simonyan brought on to host an interview show that ran for a dozen episodes in 2012. At the time, state journalism back in Russia was enjoying a kind of renaissance under Dmitri Medvedev, who was elected president in 2008. (Russian presidents are limited to two consecutive terms; Putin endorsed Medvedev as his successor and served as his prime minister before returning to the presidency.) The main Russian international news service, RIA Novosti, hired journalists from The Moscow Times, Agence France-Presse and Reuters, following the philosophy that Russia served its interests best by providing traditional warts-and-all news, with a Russian voice and perspective. “There was no talk about censorship,” Nabi Abdullaev, a former Moscow Times deputy chief editor who oversaw RIA Novosti’s foreign-language news service, told me. “All they wanted from me was quality professional standards in reporting; that was it.” But that all changed shortly after Putin’s presidential re-election in 2012. The following year, with no warning, Putin signed a decree effectively bringing together RIA Novosti and Voice of Russia, the broadcast service previously called Radio Moscow, under the umbrella of a new organization called Rossiya Segodnya. The Kremlin appointed as its manager Dmitry Kiselyov, state television’s most popular host, known for homophobic rants and his taste for conspiracy theories. Kiselyov went to greet the shocked staff a few days later, delivering a speech that one staff member surreptitiously recorded and posted to YouTube. “Objectivity is a myth,” Kiselyov said. “Just imagine a young man who puts an arm around the shoulder of a girl,” he went on, “and tells the girl, ‘You know, I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time that I treat you objectively.’ Is this what she’s waiting for? Probably not. So in the same way, our country, Russia, needs our love. If we speak about the editorial policy, of course, I would certainly want it to be associated with love for Russia.” Journalism, he said, was an instrument of the country. Three weeks later, Kiselyov announced that Margarita Simonyan would serve as the new organization’s editor in chief. Simonyan renamed RIA Novosti’s international branch Sputnik — “because I thought that’s the only Russian word that has a positive connotation, and the whole world knows it,” she told me. Kiselyov presented it as a defensive weapon, saying it was for people “tired of aggressive propaganda promoting a unipolar world” from the West. Meanwhile, Simonyan made new plans for RT that included expansions in Britain and Germany. Together, RT and Sputnik would be the nucleus of an assertively pro-Russian, frequently anti-West information network, RT in the mold of a more traditional cable network and Sputnik as its more outspoken, flashy younger sibling. At the time, Putin was angry about pro-democracy protests that had attended his re-election, which RIA Novosti had covered. But the Russian leadership was also thinking about information strategy in new ways. In early 2013, Valery Gerasimov, a top Russian general, published an article in a Russian military journal called VPK. Gerasimov had observed Twitter and other social media helping spark the Arab Spring. “It would be easiest of all to say that the events of the ‘Arab Spring’ are not war and so there are no lessons for us — military men — to learn,” he wrote. “But maybe the opposite is true.” There were new means through which to wage war that were “political, economic, informational,” and they could be applied “with the involvement of the protest potential of the population.” Russia’s military doctrine changed its definition of modern military conflict: “a complex use of military force, political, economic, informational and other means of nonmilitary character, applied with a large use of the population’s protest potential.” Military officials in America and Europe have come to refer to this idea alternatively as the “Gerasimov doctrine” and “hybrid war,” which they accuse Russia of engaging in now. When I asked Peskov about those charges, he shrugged. Everyone was doing it, he said. “If you call what’s going on now a hybrid war, let it be hybrid war,” he said. “It doesn’t matter: It’s war.” In the weeks after the 2016 election, the American political debate was overtaken by suspicions that Russia had played a role in the election in a significant way. There were the hacks of the D.N.C. servers, which intelligence agencies pinned on Russia well before Election Day. But there was also a sense that Russia’s media and social-media machinery had contributed to the informational chaos — the fake news and conspiracy theories that coursed through social- media feeds — that characterized the final stretch of the election, to, it turned out, Trump’s benefit. In a handful of cases, picking through the tangles of information, true and otherwise, that shaped the election, it was possible to isolate a single strand that could be traced to Russian news sources. One of the most striking cases came in late July 2016, when Sputnik and RT reported that thousands of police officers had surrounded a NATO air base in Turkey amid rumors of a coup attempt — a report that turned out to be exaggerated (there was a planned, peaceful demonstration, and the police were there to secure the area in preparation for a visit the next day by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff). Three internet-security analysts, now working together at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund, followed the story’s progress through the social-media landscape. Within the first 78 minutes, a large number of Twitter accounts — many of which they identified as pro-Russian bots — picked up the flawed story and blasted it out in some 4,000 tweets, one of the researchers, a former F.B.I. agent named Clinton Watts, testified before the Senate last spring. Nahed Al Ali, an anchor for RT Arabic, reading a news bulletin in the RT Arabic studio in Moscow. James Hill for The New York Times [caption] Some of the accounts added the hashtag “#Benghazi” and warned that thousands of Muslims were on the brink of acquiring the nuclear weapons held at the NATO base. Others included “#TrumpPence16” hashtags, along with words like “America,” “Constitution” and “conservative.” Large numbers of the tweets included accusations that the “MSM” — mainstream media — wasn’t covering the attack. The RT story racked up thousands of shares on Reddit and was picked up on David Duke’s webpage. About two weeks later, in an interview with Jake Tapper of CNN, Trump’s campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, said: “You had the NATO base in Turkey being under attack by terrorists.” He claimed the media had ignored it. Watts told me: “That’s when we were like, ‘Whoa, this is a whole new level.’?” But such clear-cut instances were rare. In other cases, the network simply nudged along existing or nascent conspiracy theories: about Hillary Clinton’s health, about a Google plan to rig the election for her, about stock conspiracists’ obsessions like the Rothschild family, the Bilderberg Group and the Illuminati. In general, the social-media matrix is so opaque, with anyone able to set up an account under any persona, that “you can only crack a piece of it,” Watts’s colleague J.M. Berger told me. After the D.N.C. staff member Seth Rich was, according to the police, murdered in a botched robbery attempt on July 10, one of the first inklings of the conspiracy theory that continues to swirl around his death — that he might have been behind the leaked D.N.C. emails that WikiLeaks distributed that summer — was a video posted to YouTube on July 29 of the American RT host Lori Harfenist wondering aloud: “No one in the media is reporting that one of the D.N.C.’s employees who had ready access to the email servers was just mysteriously murdered in the middle of the night?” But far-right media outlets, and the Republican presidential nominee, had spent the election trafficking in baseless conspiracy theories, too. As Simonyan pointed out to me, “Fox raised similar questions” about Rich’s death. And RT’s coverage of Trump had not been wholly uncritical. Chris Hedges, the former Times correspondent, said Trump had “a penchant for lying and deception and manipulation,” and Ed Schultz pleaded with his guests: “Who’s going to stop Donald Trump?” Even the declassified intelligence assessment seemed to struggle to describe what, exactly, made the Russian outlets’ influence on the election so nefarious. It described RT and Sputnik as sitting at the center of a sprawling social-media network that included “third-party intermediaries and paid social-media users, or ‘trolls.’?” But it provided no detail about how that might have worked. The best illustration I was able to find came from John Kelly, the founder and chief executive of a social-media marketing and analytics firm called Graphika. Kelly has been studying the movement of information online since 2007, when, as a communications graduate student at Columbia University, he became interested in the social dynamics of political blogs: the ways in which different sites found and related to one another and amplified one another’s work. He taught himself how to code and developed a program to quantify and map the flow of information within the blogosphere. That led to work on State Department-financed projects at the Berkman Klein Center of Harvard University, mapping the blog networks of Iran and, later, Russia. As the gravitational center of online conversation shifted from blogs to social-media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, he studied those too. Eventually he built a searchable database that captures millions of social-media interactions, stores them and analyzes them to determine social neighborhoods in which users share ideologies and interests, which he now mostly uses for private clients. Shortly after the election, academic and corporate clients hired him to track the proliferation of “fake news” — that is, unequivocally false content. He confined his search to social accounts that shared fake news at least 10 times during the last month of the campaign. This September, in his airy, loft-style office suite on the West Side of Manhattan, he called up the results of the study on a laptop screen. They were visualized as a black sphere on which each of the 14,000 fake-news-spreading accounts appeared as a dot, grouped and color-coded according to ideological affiliation. The sphere was alive with bursts of purple (“U.S. Conservative”), green (“U.S. Far Left”), pink (“Pro-Russia/WikiLeaks”), orange (“International Right”) and blue (“Trump Core”). Within the fake-news network, Kelly explained, RT was high on the list of most-followed accounts, but it was not the highest — it ranked No. 117 out of roughly 12,000 accounts he was tracking. Its website was the 12th-most-cited by the fake-news consumers and purveyors — ahead of The New York Times and The Washington Post but behind Breitbart and Infowars. What was more interesting was who followed RT. It drew substantially from all quadrants of Kelly’s fake-news universe — Trump supporters and Bernie Sanders supporters, Occupy Wall Streeters and libertarians — which made it something of a rarity. “The Russians aren’t just pumping up the right wing in America,” Kelly said. “They’re also pumping up left-wing stuff — they’re basically trying to pump up the fringe at the expense of the middle.” Nearly 20 percent of the fake-news-spreading accounts, Kelly’s analysis determined, were automated bot accounts, of the sort the American intelligence assessment claimed were working in tandem with RT and Sputnik. But who was operating them was unclear — and regardless, they were far outnumbered by accounts that appeared to belong to real human beings, reading and circulating content that appealed to them. In this paranoid, polarized and ill-informed subset of American news consumers, RT’s audience crossed all ideological boundaries. In January, just a few days after the release of the declassified intelligence report, RT hosted a party in New York. The occasion was the United Nations’ decision to add RT to the internal television system in its Turtle Bay headquarters. For nearly any other broadcaster, this would have been a minor achievement, but in Moscow, it was considered a coup and a rebuke of U.S. intelligence. There were 20 channels in the U.N. system, and as the network saw it, counting RT among them was a new testament to its influence: It was sharing a small dial with BBC World and CNN International, at the heart of the diplomatic world. RT flew in several members of its leadership team from Moscow for a ceremony and held a cocktail party in the lobby of the General Assembly building, with hot plates and canapés of shrimp dumplings and meatballs and ham. Giant banners proclaimed “RT: Member Broadcaster of the United Nations In-House Network.” After some mingling, the crowd moved into an auditorium with long pressboard tables and the standard-issue U.N. headsets and digital clocks. A number of officials gave speeches, including Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., who would die suddenly in the Russian Mission in New York the following month. (The cause of death was withheld according to diplomatic protocol, though the New York police told The Times they did not suspect foul play.) Alexey Nikolov, RT’s director general, also addressed the group. Nikolov is bald with a kindly face and a lilting voice. He began by explaining that he was reading from notes because he was emotional. His speech was about his mother, who grew up under Stalin. She was orphaned at 3, “when she was thrown out of her apartment in the middle of Moscow winter together with her brother, when their parents were arrested by the N.K.V.D., the Stalin secret police,” he said, speaking haltingly. “My grandfather, her father, as she only found out many years later, was tortured and executed. And my grandmother, her mother, died in a labor camp. And similar stories happened to millions of my compatriots back in the 1930s.” He was building toward something. “What I see today is more and more frequently people produce the highfalutin talk about using the word ‘propaganda’ that eerily echoes those dark days of the Soviet era, when even thinking their own thoughts, not to mention speaking or printing them, was a crime.” People, he declared, “must have the right to know different news, coming from different sources, and then make their own judgment.” It was an addendum to “Question More.” Yes, question more, but also consider more — more news sources, more versions of reality. It’s a point that you really can’t argue with: Of course everyone should be open to other perspectives and different takes on the news. In large part, this is why outlets like RT and Sputnik have proved so vexing to the West — and especially so in the United States. The far-right media, and even the president, have embraced what a couple of years earlier might have been the fringe of political discourse. Their financing aside, how exactly do you draw a line between RT and Sputnik and, say, Sean Hannity, the Fox News host and confidant of the president of the United States, who has also trafficked in conspiracy theories about Seth Rich and mysterious illnesses possibly afflicting Hillary Clinton? Or Infowars, Alex Jones’s paranoid media empire, to which Trump gave an interview during the campaign? It’s hard to imagine Russia’s state-backed media getting any traction in the United States if there wasn’t already an audience for it. For some subset of Americans, the intelligence report singling out RT and Sputnik was just another attack from the supposed “deep state” that Breitbart, for instance, had been fuming about for months — and it was less than surprising when, this spring, Sputnik hired a former Breitbart reporter, Lee Stranahan, to start a radio show in Washington. As Stranahan told The Atlantic, though his paycheck might now come from the Russians, “Nothing about it really affects my position on stuff that I’ve had for years now.” When I asked Simonyan recently what she made of the proliferating attempts to map RT’s influence in the Russian information network that United States intelligence agencies describe as a hybrid-war machine, she replied by email: “These projects simply blacklist all reporting, including by American media, as some pro-Russian campaign if any facts or views in them don’t support the right kind of narrative.” At the moment, she said, that narrative was: “All world problems are Putin’s fault.” In her view, “it’s the sad history of McCarthyism repeating itself.” (These were arguments that echoed Trump’s own.) It also reflected the genius of “Question More”: Every attempt to contain or counteract the Russian state-backed media’s influence simply validated it. Churkin, the ambassador, acknowledged as much at RT’s U.N. ceremony. As he stood to speak, he seemed to be almost bouncing on the soles of his feet, delighted at RT’s newfound prominence. “Everybody watches them,” he said. “Diplomats do it, ambassadors do it, foreign ministers do it, heads of state and government do it.” In an oblique allusion to the recent American intelligence report, he noted that some people had been criticizing the network, but perhaps this was not such a bad thing. Grinning, he said: “They sound as if they are P.R. representatives of RT.” Jim Rutenberg is The New York Times’s media columnist and writer at large for the magazine. Jaclyn Peiser contributed reporting from New York and Alexandra Odynova contributed reporting from Moscow. Listen to Jim Rutenberg discuss how the Kremlin built one of the most powerful information weapons of the 21st century on “The Daily” podcast. 211+ Comments [q.v.] © 2017 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) I'm glad this story is making it out into the broader audience. RT/Sputnik are not just "alternate " sources for news, but an arm of the Russian military's hybrid warfare. Experienced first hand by many nations bordering on that country, and full of fabrications, half- truths and outright lies. A far cry from the "good old days" of Radio Moscow. 73, (Walt Salmaniw, BC, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. HISTORY OF DX AND RADIO =========== Data are published as the material is received. We hope for your participation in the section. 1990 year. ------------- Journal. "Radioluybitel 2/91". The author is Pavel Mikhailov. DX-editor of the World Service Moscow radio. Very delicious first pancake [sic thruout] Notes from the first in the history of the USSR conference radio DX- Sith. From December 6 to 9, 1990, in Leningrad, the first in the history of Soviet radio amateurship was the conference of the DX- talent - lovers of long-distance radio reception. Guests from Finland and Belgium took part in it. Before I tell you about how this historic meeting passed without any exaggeration, I would like to briefly remind the readers of the magazine of the very uneasy gloomy "biography" of the Soviet DX. In the twenties of this century, when radio instead of "Morse" suddenly began to speak in a living human voice, and the authorities published the famous "Law on Freedom of the Air," which allowed all private individuals to have radio receivers, a real radio beacon began in the country. Books, so I will not dwell on the "boom" in detail. Radio amateurs collected literally from the "foot" materials the simplest detector receivers and listened to the ether that was close and available all day long. Broadcasting stations in those years were very interested in how they were heard in different regions of the country, and willingly received letters from the listeners with messages about the reception. As a token of gratitude for such reports and as an incentive to further ethereal vigils, radio station receivers sent listeners cards with a thankful text, which were the prototype of QSL cards, widely known at the present time. A lot of literature was published for the listeners: from technical descriptions in radio amateur magazines to special "Guidebooks on the air." Two words about these publications. "Guides" were published annually and represented a list of radio stations in the world, arranged in order of increasing their working frequencies. The name of the radio station, the country, the time of work, the language of broadcasting were also indicated. sometimes reported the power of the transmitters. The constant author of these "Guides" was one of the most active fans of long-distance broadcast reception. V. Chumakov is the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Radio Front", whose legal heir considers Itself is the current magazine "Radio". In the spring of 1937, the "vigilant collective" of the editorial staff of the "Radio Front" concocted slanderous denunciation of the repressive and punitive organs with Chumakov's accusation in all mortal sins: there was also "aiding international fascism and world imperialism by involving Soviet citizens in listening to subversive radio propaganda" (this concerned his publications on long-range reception), and "squandering the people's property" (Chumakov helped the needy to purchase decommissioned radios). Unfortunately, to this day it is not known how the future fate of Chumakov developed (most likely he was shot), but with a long reception in the USSR was "safely" done away with great joy of those who were panic-stricken that with the waves of the ether Soviet citizens, whose ideological virginity had been so selflessly guarded, would be able to join the independent information about life abroad, with the interpretation of events that went against Stalin's propaganda. A little earlier - in 1937 - the bodies of the OGPU-NKVD established so-called "black post offices", where perusal, selection and censorship of letters of citizens of the USSR occurred. In these "cher- (which functioned until 1988 inclusive), both domestic and international correspondence were checked for content, those who dared to write abroad, let alone foreign radio stations, immediately fell under the definition of "unreliable" and were automatically suspected of espionage the use of enemy intelligence services ... Soviet "amateurs" were also among the "unreliable": they not only listened to foreign radio, but also tried to inform "there" about the quality of the reception - "a crime!" Many have gone through these difficult trials just to get the cherished QSL from some radio of Algeria or the radio of Indonesia! We were called to talk to "very serious institutions," where they "sincerely and ardently" argued that in Algeria behind each palm sits a CIA resident who only waits for letters from Soviet radio amateurs to immediately recruit them. Shipped by the imperialist special services: they are teeming with them, so there should never be letters and messages about admission there! ... And those who did not agree with the "strong arguments" of this "law enforcement" body were expecting trouble: many students were expelled from higher education institutions and Some have lost their jobs, even if it was not associated with any secrets. "Scared, blackmailed, squeezed. (Continued in the next issue)(Rus-DX Sept 10 via DXLD) ** SAINT MARTIN. CARIBBEAN --- Radio France launched a temporary station Sept. 10 for residents of the Caribbean islands of St. Martin and St. Barthelemy affected by Hurricane Irma. "Urgents Info Îles du Nord" broadcasts in French, Creole and English from studios in Paris. It transmits on 91.1 MHz in St. Martin, according to the French magazine Telerama, which said there had been technical problems with the transmitter planned for St. Barts. An audio stream is available at http://chai5she.cdn.dvmr.fr/fbevenementiel-lofi.mp3 http://www.telerama.fr/radio/urgence-info-iles-du-nord,-une-station-ephemere-pour-les-sinistres-des-antilles,n5199817.php (Mike Cooper, GA, Sept 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Story also deals with the problem of contrevérités == fake news? See also SINT MAARTEN below (gh) ** SAUDI ARABIA. UNIDentified with Arabic music, mentioned BSKSA in Arabic on Sept 11 from 0800 on 11745*unknown tx / unknown to ???? Arabic, mentioned Idhaa-tu Tibazan: * strong QRM 11750 EMR 500 kW / 080 deg to CeAs Turkish TRT Voice of Turkey Videos will be added later today -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) Sept 11, This has been identified (on WRTH Facebook page, thanks to Tarek Zeidan & Mauno Ritola) as a new Saudi Broadcasting Corporation service for troops in the southern part of the Kingdom, Al-Azm Radio. Their Twitter page is at https://twitter.com/alazm_radio and this gives their frequencies as 549 & 747 kHz; 94.9, 99.0, 107 MHz FM and 11745 kHz and cites their broadcasting hours as "10am to 8pm KSA time" [0700-1700 UT]. Some of this info, such as the satellite details, is in image form so needs an Arabic speaker if further clarification is needed (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) UNID station probably BSKSA/Radio Tibazan on Sept 11 0818&0959 11745*unknown tx / unknown to ???? Arabic & clear ID at 1000 *till 09 QRM 11750 EMR 500 kW / 080 deg CeAs Turkish Voice of Turkey *from 09 QRM 11750 EMR 500 kW / 120 deg N/ME Arabic Voice of Turkey http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/unidentified-stn-probably-bsksaradio.html UNIDentified station probably BSKSA/Radio Tibazan, Sept 11 1459 & 1608 11745 unknown tx / unknown to ???? Arabic very good signal 1700 & 1800 11745 unknown tx / unknown to ???? open carrier/test tone http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/unidentified-station-probably.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) See also YEMEN ** SINT MAARTEN [and non]. With Hurricane Irma rampaging through the Caribbean I am wondering how many radio stations have been knocked off the air. It looks like many islands have had major damage and I have seen TV footage of one large tower on Barbuda flattened. The Valley Anguilla was hit as were the stations on St Martin/St Maarten and it sounds like they are all off. Let us hope all the people are safe as the stations can be rebuilt. Puerto Rico is next unfortunately. – (Shawn Axelrod VE4DX1SMA, Winnipeg MB Canada, Remember on a Clear Day You Can Hear Forever, NRC Am mailing list Sept 6 via DXLD) ** SLOVENIA. SVN 918 kHz switched off --- Hi! Radio Slovenija´s transmitter in Domzale 918 kHz was switched off for financial reasons on September 4th, 2017 at 1205 Local Time. Here´s the info I got from the engineer at Domzale: ``Hello, Patrick! It's true, yesterday at 12:05 locally we switched- off our central MW transmitter (918kHz), mainly due to economical reasons. I'm afraid that it will stay switched off in the future, but - for now - in a stand-by mode (ready for transmission in a short time, if necessary). Our FM and DAB+ network is already sufficient for practicly complete coverage of the country, plus there are other ways of delivering programme to our listeners abroad. This fact, relatively high costs of energy and maintenance, and diminishing audience of listeners on MW band led to the decision to cease with transmission on 918 kHz. That said, a few other MW transmitters will continue to operate - on location Beli Križ (549 & 1170 kHz) and Murska Sobota (558 / 648 kHz). These are transmitters with lower power output and smaller coverage, transmitting mainly radio programme for Italian and Hungarian minorities in Slovenia. Best Regards, Primož`` 73, (Patrick Robich, MWCircle yg Sept 5 via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, S.I.B.C. at 1145 playing oldie song, “Make Me Lose Control” by Eric Carmen, 1153 Bible devotion by woman, 1156 hymn, 1157:40 suddenly off in midst of hymn with no ID. - Fair, Sept 6 (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, listening in my car, parked on a backcountry road. CommRadio CR-1a and Sony AN-1 active whip antenna. Editor of World English Survey and Target Listening, available at http://www.odxa.on.ca dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545, SIBC, 0449-0457*, Sept 11. In Pijin; pop songs (Sting - "Fields Of Gold," etc.); cut off as their signal was improving (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. Re: [dxld] Log Unid 7700 --- I think Warsan Radio was on 7750 when checking Sep 9th. Didn't write down the time, it was +/- 1700 UT. USB with a tiny carrier. I wish I had stopped to check 7700 ;-). 73 (Jari, Kuusankoski, Finland, Savolainen, Sept 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yesterday presumed Warsan was OK on 7750 kHz with AM/U, while another station signed on at 1537 and off at 1957 with AM, but way too weak even to be sure about the language. 73, (Mauno, Finland, Ritola, 1419 UT Sept 11, ibid.) I don't believe the transmitter I heard was the one of Warsan Radio neither the one of Puntland Radio One as suggested by others before, as it was straight AM. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, ibid.) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Strong signal from 7730, but dropped audio or choppiness, making it unreadable. What I do hear must be live, as BS speaks about the hurricane activity. // 7780 (fair/good), 7570 (excellent), and 5890 (good), 5850 (very good). You can flee the hurricane, but you can't flee sin. On Sept 21-23, BS will welcome you in South Carolina, etc., etc. Back to losing the audio feed again at 0515 UT, now back again. Wonder whether this is all weather related or not? 73, (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Sept 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) All WRMI except 5890 = WWCR (gh) Bro Stair continues to be the best signal on 41m on 7355 at 0630++ [WHRI], while WRMI is also fair now on 7730 (I think I'm right with that frequency). 73 from (Noel Green, UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. 17715 REE en el aire --- Amigos, ha vuelto al aire para Sudamérica los 17715 kHz, siendo las 1935 la evalúo con un 45544. Atte (ce3BBC, Hugo López C., Santiago de Chile, 6 Sept, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) Re: [NoticiasDX] REE, sin señal en 17855 y 17715 REE tiene averiado un transmisor 5 Septiembre 2017 15:08 En respuesta a un correo mandado por la AER a la Secretaria Técnica de Radio Exterior de España en el que se preguntaba por los fallos de emisión en los transmisores para América, está es su respuesta: ``Saludos desde España, Desde el pasado mes de agosto permanece averiado el transmisor utilizado para emitir en la frecuencia de 17855 kHz. Los materiales necesarios para su reparación han sido solicitados de manera urgente para ponerlo en funcionamiento lo antes posible. En cuanto a las emisiones a través de la frecuencia de 17715, hemos tenido algunos problemas en los últimos días pero ya han sido solucionados y se emite con normalidad a través de esa frecuencia Gracias por su interés. Saludos`` (via Pedro Sedano, Madrid, España, COORDINADOR GENERAL, ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE RADIOESCUCHA (AER) noticiasdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on 11905 kHz Fair signal this evening at 0135 UT here in NB using Eton Grundig Field BT with just its whip antenna indoors. Program of presumed Hindi vocals. Dug out a QSL card I received from the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon ("The most powerful Commercial Radio Station in Asia") with a postmark date of 13 March 1965. Back then, as a teenager, I had a Knight Kit 2-tube Span Master regen receiver. Fond memories. Also, good signal from All India Radio on 11670 kHz at 0234 UT in presumed Pashto overpowering Radio Habana on the same frequency. – (Richard Langley, UT Sept 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11905, Sept 12 at 0114, SLBC S1 carrier, but I can make out the final resounding pip of the mis-timesignal at 0115:06.5 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. Fair to weak signal of Radio Omdurman, Sept 10 0530 & 0620 on 7205 ALF 100 kW / 210 deg to CeAf Arabic http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/fair-to-weak-signal-of-radio-omdurman.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 9 via DXLD) Over here I don`t think I can hear it as late as 0620, but Sept 15 at 0546 I do still have a JBA carrier (gh, OK, DXLD) ** SYRIA. Members, Again through WRTH Facebook and in particular Rawad Hamwi from Saudi Arabia I have had news (slightly surprising) that Syrian Radio has just started broadcasting Sout Al Shabab FM from the main Adra transmitting site on 666 kHz. The situation is obviously fluid but it seems that the Assad regime is confident enough to be willing to use both high power units at Adra and fund the running costs! 73 and 88 (Dan Goldfarb, Sept 6, mwmasts yg via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. 7445, RTI at 1100. Opening, news by W to "Hear in Taiwan". Better than usual reception. After 1130, had traditional Chinese music. PR China came on with jammer early (1155), preparing to jam upcoming Chinese service of RTI commencing at 1200. Fair/Good, Sept 6 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. Keith, I can`t find a place to listen to the half-- hour Media Network+ The last one here is July 8: https://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/PCJ+Media+Media+Network+Plus Can you refer to some other accessible archive including the latest? Please confirm you are still producing that show and with my propagation. I see in the WRMI server you have a new MN+ file for 60 minutes which is really Happy Station. 73, (Glenn to Keith Perron, Sept 6, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, The programs now are being uploaded to a different service, which at the moment is only available through the PCJ Radio phone app. (Keith to Glenn, via DXLD) OK. Could you just put them on your own website, at least temporarily, so anyone can hear them? (Glenn to Keith, ibid.) ** TAIWAN [non]. Re: PCJ Radio International Special Transmission 10/11 SEP17 --- Keith Perron has posted this update about this weekend's Happy Station broadcast via WRMI: Happy Station Show UPDATE - Hurricane Irma Sep 7 at 2:17am Just to inform you everything is on schedule for September 10 and 11. But there could be a break on the transmission, because of Hurricane Irma is on track to pass right over our relay in Okeechobee, Florida. If this does happen and we lose transmitter power we plan to repeat the program a week later. The times and frequencies will remain the same. Let's keep our fingers crossed. https://www.patreon.com/posts/14260878 (via Keith Perron on Twitter)(via Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) In fact it could not air, so try again UT Sept 18 (gh) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Morning log of Taiwanese SOH Chinese outlets towards China mainland, very few stronger 100 kW in use, but most of these S=3 to S=7 signal level in 100 Watt amateur radio gear strength level. [I assume the precise frequencies are by wb, not NDXC --- gh] A17 Shortwave Frequency list, acc Aoki Nagoya Perseus userlist table. 7309.973 S=3 0420 0000-2359 SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 7730.061 S=4 0340 1600-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9155.018 S=5 0342 0800-2255 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9180.022 S=6 0343 2213-1711 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9200.181 S=4 0344 2151-1530 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9230.026 S=8!0345 0054-1610 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 9279.834 S=5 0347 2212-1711 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9320.006 S=7 0348 2357-1646 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 9539.963 S=7 0351 2215-1800 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9634.866 S=8 0352 2140-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9729.904 S=8 0354 2105-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9849.955 S=8 0400 2130-1600 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 9919.958 S=5 0402 2150-1700 SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 9970.198 S=8 0404 2147-1702 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 10819.888 S=5 0406 2140-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 10869.957 S=3 0408 2103-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 10959.987 S=7 0409 2130-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11070.062 S=4 0413mx 2210-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11099.841 S=6 0425 2200-1610 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 11150.150 S=3 0427 2150-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11300.086 S=5 0428 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11409.961 S=3 0429 2120-1715 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11440.005 S=6 0430 2041-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11459.879 S=6 0431 2100-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11499.820 S=7 0433mx 2030-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 also 9519.985 S=9 0350UT CHN PBS Nei Menggu Chinese 9749.974 S=9 0356UT CHN PBS Nei Menggu, Mongolian CNR8 9779.990 S=6 0357UT CHN PBS Qinghai, Chinese easy listening mx 9834.922 S=6 0358UT CHN PBS Xinjiang(tent), Urumqi, Chinese Sept 7 noted in remote SDR units at Hiroshima / Nagoya in Japan. [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 7) dxldyg via DXLD Hello Wolfie and Glenn, Thanks for this current list of SOH, etc. transmissions. I'll try to see what - if anything - I can hear from this one later this afternoon. But the local noise levels are high, and I wonder if any but the strongest (100 kW) are likely to be audible here. I would guess that I'm more likely to hear jamming. SOH has been audible in the past occasionally, but not lately. Thanks again Wolfie. 73 from (Noel Green, UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. 11507, Sept 10 at 1256 past 1301, JBA carrier, presumed V. of Tibet via TAJIKISTAN on signature split frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TAJIKISTAN, Reception of Voice of Tibet, Sept 11: 1235-1305 on 15527 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan 1300-1305 on 11507 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/reception-of-voice-of-tibet-in-tibetan.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 11 via DXLD) ** TURKS & CAICOS. Hurricane Irma radio coverage [and non]: See INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non] ** U A E. Trans World Radio Africa via BaBcoCk damaged tx Al-Dhabayya on Sept 10 1300-1315 on 17680*DHA 250 kW / 230 deg to EaAf Afar Thu-Sun, strong plus big hum. *same damaged transmitter is used for transmission of Deutsche Welle after 15 minutes: 1330-1430 on 13725 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs Dari & Pashto, strong plus big hum http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/trans-world-radio-africa-via-babcock.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, via DXLD) ** U K [non]. In my local morning I have been hearing increasingly good signals from the BBC on 7345 till 0700, and then 9440 and 9915 after 0700. These are all ASCENSION, of course. But for some reason 7305 at 55 degrees is very poor until 0700 from the same site. 73 from (Noel Green, UK, Sept 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. Updated SW sched BBC new language services, Sept 5: Korean service are set to launch from this autumn; others will be started later. 1530-1830 5810 TAC 100 kW / 068 NEAs (No.Korea) Korean, ex 1500-1900 1530-1830 9940 TSH 300 kW / 002 NEAs (No.Korea) Korean, ex 1500-1900 1700-1800 9585 SCB 100 kW / 195 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* 1700-1800 11625 KCH 300 kW / 163 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* 1700-1800 15720 WOF 250 kW / 122 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* 1930-2030 6155 DHA 250 kW / 230 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* 1930-2030 9780 SLA 250 kW / 240 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* 1930-2030 17745 ASC 250 kW / 070 EaAf Amharic, Afan Oromo & Tigrinya* * 15-minute news in each language and also current affairs programme, followed by a 5-minute BBC World Service Learning English programme from Monday-Friday. http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/updated-shortwave-schedule-of-bbcs-new.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) ** U K. Member JIM FARRANT regularly drives along the A356 in deepest Dorset and tells us “After a pause of three years following the initial demolition of some of the towers at Rampisham Down, the last of the giant lattice structures have been demolished this week. I noticed that the skyline on my daily journey to work was somehow different, and a check on the West Dorset District Council Planning website confirmed that permission for the redevelopment of the site has now been granted. Shortwave transmissions to the world from Rampisham have been silent for a long time, (it has not been listed as a working site in 'Broadcasts in English' for many years), and the vast wire arrays were removed not long after it closed down, so all that now remains are a single pylon that carries a few VHF and UHF repeaters and a modern guyed mast with more of the same. Nevertheless the towers have been the half-way marker on my journey twice a day from home in Crewkerne to work in Dorchester and the amount of tower that I could see or could not see under the clouds was a good indicator of the weather forecast! Ironically development of the site for a solar panel farm was not permitted because of the sensitive grassland habitat so the solar panels now live on the opposite side of the road, but the original Planning Consent required the demolition of the towers, so down they came! It’s sad to see them gone, and still more sad to see them lying on the ground and waiting for the scrap man's cutting torch. The felling of the towers featured on the local television channel but readers of Communication further afield may be interested to learn of this final chapter in the history of Rampisham.” Such is the way of the world in the name of progress. No doubt some us will remember the visit made by a group of BDXC members some ten or fifteen years ago to Rampisham when it was a name known worldwide. There was a definite thrill in walking through the transmission hall knowing that there were listeners all around the world benefiting at that very moment from the engineering in this small Dorset village. Does anybody have any photographs of that visit? If you look at StreetView you can see the aerial farm in what appears to be all its glory (Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U K. Well done to MIKE BARRACLOUGH who is able to answer a question raised last month, and he says, in reply to Jonathan Kempster, that “The 50 kilowatt transmitter at Orfordness was first used for the BBC World Service broadcasts to Rhodesia from Francistown (in what was then Bechuanaland, now Botswana) and was installed there in December, 1965. The transmitter was later returned to the Diplomatic Wireless Service site at Crowborough as a reserve transmitter for World Service broadcasts, then installed at Canewdon, Essex as an additional jamming transmitter for broadcasts from the Mebo 2 (Radio North Sea International, or Radio Caroline as it was temporarily re-named for the election) for a short time starting on election night in 1970. Many documents on the 1970 jamming of RNI, for a short period Radio Caroline, including the reasons for reinforcing it with the 50 kilowatt Continental, are available at the Public Records Office and have been published in Offshore Echos http://www.offshoreechos.com One of the engineers who installed the transmitter at Canewdon, one of three sites considered, was Harold Robin. Not long after the election the transmitter was switched off and the jamming continued just using the BBC 10 kilowatt ex-Brookmans Park transmitter at Beacon Hill until RNI sailed back to the Dutch coast. Having been returned to Crowborough it was later used for the initial test broadcasts from Orfordness. More on this transmitter can be found at http://www.rossrevenge.co.uk/tx/othertx.htm There was public discussion, including in the House of Commons, of this second jamming transmitter at the time, particularly as it was causing interference to local radio and television. The local MP Sir Bernard Braine raised the matter” (Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U S A. 5000, Sept 8 at 1318, WWV is audible here with propagation, but poorly. 10000 not making it, and in fact there are hardly any Asia/Pacific signals on 49, 41, 31 or 25m. An hour later at 1418 on 5000 I copy the info: Solar Flux for 7 Sept = 129, planetary A index 38; K index at 12 UT Sept 8 = 5. Past 24h: G4, R3 blackout, S2; next 24: G3, S2 . . . She`s cut off before finished at 1418:45 as too much info to fit into the 45-second slot! Here`s the e-mail version: ``:Product: Geophysical Alert Message wwv.txt :Issued: 2017 Sep 08 1200 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # # Geophysical Alert Message # Solar-terrestrial indices for 07 September follow. Solar flux 129 and estimated planetary A-index 38. The estimated planetary K-index at 1200 UTC on 08 September was 5. Space weather for the past 24 hours has been severe. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G4 level occurred. Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level occurred. Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be strong. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G3 level are expected. Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level are expected. Radio blackouts reaching the R2 level are expected.`` 10000, Sept 8 at 2016, WWV announces every hour during this minute that since 2150z 6 September, the 25 MHz antenna is now a vertical configuration and will remain so till further notice (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6993, Sept 10 at 0002, JBA carrier as almost always audible from presumed WH2XWF, experimental 164-watt transmitters with several locations in Florida, to study ionospheric disturbances, never IDing, nothing but dead air. We`ll see if this gets blown or flooded off 6993, Sept 12 at 0133, no JBA carrier from presumed WH2XWF, the Florida ionospheric study transmitters, so maybe Irma-caused. But Sept 13 at 0200 the JBA carrier is reaudible. No pirates (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 14238-USB, Sept 9 at 2136, ``Route 66 on the Air, special event station in San Bernardino, California``, CQ/QRZ a few times without giving call or getting replies; eventually, it`s W6C, one of the one-by-ones for this, but has ACI from stronger 14235-USB, Jim in Barstow, W6E, so that must be a Rt 66 station too with such a call, tho not mentioning it; QRMing each other. More info: http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=15 with a frequency table including 14266 on 20m; so much for that. Event runs Sept 9-17; finally found a call-sign roster under QSL info page: http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=27 Further down, about 14228 someone is calling CQ Contest without saying what contest (Glenn Hauser, OK, ex-Route 66 thru Santa Rosa NM, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I am quite sure this would be the WAE(Worked All Europe) contest, SSB version, which is the major phone contest going on this past weekend. Too bad it coincided with the horrible CME-caused conditions. FYI, if you are not already aware of it, a complete listing of all ham contests, the WA7BNM Contest Calendar, can be found at . Best wishes, (Saul Broudy (W3WHK), Philadelphia, PA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SPECIAL EVENT STATION OF THE MONTH VOA Bethany Relay Station 73rd Anniversary – WC8VOA 23 Sept – 1300–2100 UT West Chester Amateur Radio Association Suggested Frequencies - 14275 14250 7285 7225 kHz. QSL via West Chester Amateur Radio Association, 8070 Tylersville Road, West Chester, OH 45069 (via Skip Arey, Ham Radio Report, Sept CIDX Messenger via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** U S A. 15185, Sunday Sept 10 at 1942, very strong signal in English, but soon into French: oh it`s just VOA with a language lesson, topix: ``would``, ``used to``. See http://voalearningenglish.com New frequency? No, HFCC shows it`s all-A17, but Sunday only at 2030- 2100, 250 kW, 94 degrees from GB (also Sat in Hausa); and then found // 15730. 15185 succeeds 17530 on exactly the same parameters daily until 2030 in French (so why not just extend 17530?) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 13605, Sept 10 at 1310, Radio Martí is playing Jesus-praise song in English! What the hell is going on there? 1312 segué to another one and also on // 7405, lite jamming, while none audible on strong 13605. Have the pentecostals taken over RM? Used to broadcast Catholic masses, equally violating Separation of Church and State (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Terry, Hope you came thru all this OK! Will look forward to your obs when possible about station outages, anomalies, in FL, Cuba. Can you tell whether Marathon 1180 is on/off the air, or have any media news about it? 73, (Glenn to Terry Krueger, Sept 11, via DXLD) Some property damage here. No power and possibly for up to a week. Spent most of the day cutting up neighbor's tree debris that landed in my yard. Portable generator but freezer food for only so long. No internet or wifi except spotty cell here. Unpleasantly hot. No DX as a result. Suspect Martí held up. The site was upgraded from my early 80s visit when it was still in the Cold War portable trailer. Cheers (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 11, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Can only hear Rebelde jammers here as usual on 1180, See CUBA [and non] (gh, ibid.) NOTE: I got a message from Bob Wilkner today that he is safe (Rick Barton, AZ, Sept 12, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Pómpano Beach ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: confirmed Wednesday Sept 6 at 1030 on WRMI 5850, VG S9+30/10; but JBA carrier on // 9455. Not confirmed Wed Sept 6 at 1315 on WRMI 9955, which is a JBA carrier during blackout. Next: Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v-AM to WSW Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW 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 Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0315v 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: not confirmed Wednesday September 6 at 2100 on WBCQ, 7490v-AM, which is a JBA carrier on portables G8 and PL880, during propagation disturbance and I am away from web check. Confirmed Wed Sept 6 at 2330 on S9 WBCQ, 9329.957V-CUSB, back to the lower side. Next: Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW 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 Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0315v 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: confirmed Thursday September 7 at 2330 on WBCQ 9330.0v-CUSB, fair. Also confirmed Friday September 8 at 2330 on WBCQ 9330.0v-CUSB, poor. Not confirmed the Sat Sept 9 1431 on HLR 7265-CUSB; via UTwente, nothin` but noise. Next: Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0315v 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: confirmed Sat Sept 9 at 2257, the 2230 on WBCQ, 9330.0v-CUSB, poor. Also confirmed Sat Sept 9 at 2300 on WRMI 11580, VG, preceded by two notes of the Family Radio IS after the WRMI ID. Missed checking at 0200 UT Sept 10. Confirmed UT Sun Sept 10 at 0333 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, MO, fair at the Lithuania item 17 minutes in, so started circa 0316. 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: Ivo Ivanov: GERMANY, Poor signal of HLR relays on 9485 CUSB, Sept 10, World of Radio #1894: 1030-1100 9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sun http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2017/09/poor-signal-of-hlr-relays-on-9485cusb.html Confirmed here Sunday Sept 10 at 2330 on WBCQ 9330.05v-CUSB, fair. Also confirmed UT Monday Sept 11 from 0305 on Area 51 webcast; also on WBCQ which I measured during JL, very poor at 0246 on 5130.309. Also confirmed UT Monday Sept 11 at 0330 on WRMI webcast of 9955, presumably still unbroadcasting on SW. Next: Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW [if back on] WORLD OF RADIO 1894 monitoring: confirmed Monday Sept 11 at 2330 on WBCQ, 9330.034v-CUSB, very poor. Also confirmed Tuesday Sept 12 at 2355 on 9330.04v-CUSB, good (WOR 1895 was not quite ready). WORLD OF RADIO 1895 contents: Anguilla, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain non, Brazil, Cambodia non, Congo DR, Cuba, Ethiopia, Europe and non, Germany non, Guatemala, India, International Waters non, Korea South, Mongolia, Netherlands non, North America, Sa`udi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, USA, Zanzibar WORLD OF RADIO 1895: WRMI is off the air due to power outage caused by Hurricane Irma, maybe restored by Sunday Sept 17. We retain the full WOR schedule here to be ready whenever it return: Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW, 15770 to NE Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455 to WNW Wed 1315 WRMI 9955 to SSE Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v-AM to WSW [presumably first broadcast this week] [no, 1894 replayed so 2330 was first] Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW Thu 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW 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 Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE Sun 0315v 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 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 11580, WRMI, 2225-2331, Spanish, RAE, discussion with personnel of the various Radio Nacional stations in Argentina; at 2300 English ID, then gh with WORLD OF RADIO 1889, recorded August 1; 2330 Hobart Radio International; very good 8/5 (Pamela Prodan, Wilton ME, YachtBoy 400PE, Loggings, Sept NASWA Journal via DXLD) That was a Saturday of course with WOR at that time. The previous hour on weekdays is RAE in Italian, so a bonus in Spanish? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No: see below 9395, 9455, 7780, 7730, 7570, 5850, Sept 6 at 1248, no signals from WRMI during severe geomagnetic storm, but some could also be off the air. 9955 is JBA carrier, 11580 algo probably FE station, 11825 Chinese ditto, 15770 VP carrier. (Instead of blasting in, The Power Hour, poor S8 on 7490 from WWCR.) At 1306 I do get JBA carriers on 9395 and 9455 from WRMI. WWV reported at 1245: ``Space Weather Message Code: SUMX01 Serial Number: 115 Issue Time: 2017 Sep 06 1245 UTC SUMMARY: X-ray Event exceeded X1 Begin Time: 2017 Sep 06 1153 UTC Maximum Time: 2017 Sep 06 1202 UTC End Time: 2017 Sep 06 1210 UTC X-ray Class: X9.3 NOAA Scale: R3 - Strong Comment: Source was Region 2673 NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: Area of impact consists of large portions of the sunlit side of Earth, strongest at the sub-solar point. Radio - Wide area blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication for about an hour``. 7570 at S9+20, 7730, 7780, 9395, 11825, Sept 6 at 2324, open carrier, dead air on all these WRMIBS frequencies. Other programming survives on 9455, 11580, 5850, 5950. 9396, Sept 7 at 1308, rapid RTTY QRM again to 9395 WRMI with `The Power Hour` 9955, no jamming, Thu Sept 7 at 1324, WRMI with `Informativo G24`, wrapping up another report about the ``situación de caos en Buenaventura``, Colombia with a paro of maestros, teachers` strike as heard last time I ran across it, and which research showed started (and ever ended?) last May. Is this new; or an old show rerun? Yes! In fact the current/latest file on the WRMI System C server is dated May 24, so ever since then, they have been replaying that old show! Did the program soon crash out of existence, or simply not manage to upload a new one every week? One of the unknown bonus repeats replaced WOR, Thursday at 1130, but was then re-replaced by RAE in Portuguese, so G24 was shifted to 1300. Then from 1326 into outro loop of program promotion, including canned WRMI IDs by Dino twice, plugging their 92.9 outlet on Colmundo en Colombia, also Radio Internacional, España, and all over the hemisphere on WRMI, ``99.5 kHz``!! They promote SW but obviously don`t understand the first thing about it. And only time given is the original ``miércoles a las 9 pm`` --- which no longer exists, replaced by `Creciendo en Gracia`. And no others on the sked, so it looks like the Thu 1300 is an overlooked vestige of a gone-show which should have been removed. Blurb about Informativo G24 still exists near the top of http://wrmi.net/index.php/programming/ After a gospel-huxter break at 1330, and 1344 fado fill, Thu Sept 7 at 1345, yet another replay of Jeff`s July aircheck of 21525 for less than 4 minutes, instead of a truly produced `Viva Miami`. Altho Jeff no doubt now has more pressing Irma matters on his mind, I`ve notified him about both these anomalies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Most WRMI frequencies were JBA or off(?) this morning during severe geomag storm of another kind (gh) 5850, Sept 8 at 0538, WRMIBS is only S7 to S5, attenuated by geomagnetic storm from usual inboom. Usually very strong all night 7730 and 7570 are JBA carriers. Remember that WRMI expects to lose power when Irma is closest, but may remain on 9455 only. Lake Okeechobee was predicted to flood/overflow, but that affects the south end and WRMI is on the north side {in such case it would be nice if WRMI could pre-empt Oldies or whatever and give us some live coverage of the situation} 9955, Fri Sept 8 at 1345, WRMI is still playing the 21525 aircheck in a `Viva Miami` slot (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hurricane Irma Florida: Areas Near Lake Okeechobee Ordered To Evacuate --- The same area was hit in 1928 by the Okeechobee hurricane. The dikes failed then and at least 2,500 people drowned. By Associated Press (Patch National Staff) - Updated September 8, 2017 12:04 pm ET BELLE GLADE, FL — Communities around the southern half of Lake Okeechobee are under a mandatory evacuation order because Hurricane Irma's powerful winds will push water over the Herbert Hoover Dike, federal authorities said. Irma will not compromise the structural integrity of the dike though, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told Florida Gov. Rick Scott. The seven cities under mandatory evacuation orders are South Bay, Lake Harbor, Pahokee, Moore Haven, Clewiston, Belle Glade and Canal Point. The same area was hit in 1928 by the Okeechobee hurricane, which made landfall with 145 mph winds. The dikes failed then and at least 2,500 people drowned, most of them farmworkers and their families. More than 1,700 buildings were destroyed by that storm (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Note: WRMI near the town of Okeechobee is NORTH of the Lake (gh) WRMI PLANS FOR HURRICANE IRMA: WRMI have just written on Facebook: Hurricane Irma: Thank you to all of our listeners who have inquired about our hurricane plans. At the moment (early Wednesday local time), it appears that the eye of Hurricane Irma will come right over or very close to Okeechobee by Sunday or Monday. We will stay on the air as long as possible and as long as it's safe. Our transmitter building is quite prepared to withstand most hurricanes, and our antennas have survived many hurricanes in the past with little damage. However, electrical power generally goes out during or after most strong hurricanes, and our generator will only power our lights, computers and air conditioning. Unfortunately we don't have enough generator power to operate 14 x 100-kilowatt transmitters. So if the power goes out, we are off the air. We may have enough power to maintain one frequency on the air even during a power outage, and it looks like this will probably be 9455 kHz. At the moment, our Internet is down, but we hope it will be back up soon, although it could go out again later. We'll keep you informed as best we can. Thanks again for your interest (via BDXC-UK yg 1438 UT Sept 6 via DXLD) 15770, Sept 9 at 2143, WRMI fair S9 with World Music, familiar Greek- sounding tune; maybe just in pause because at 2148 recheck now it`s in Italian and // 9455. Current schedule now shows two Italians Sat: 2130 Made in Italy; 2145 Startrek Italy, a new one. Didn`t listen long enough to figure out what it`s really about. Is it on the Programming page? Yes: ``Star Trek "Journey to the History of Music" Since 1999, born from the concept of Andrea Mangiarotti, the title is inspired by the Classical Series of Telefilm, the difference that we will make a Journey into Music History and the Italian Movie History. news..ecc. (Talk & Music in Italian language) Reference Site Show: http://startrekonline.org Reference Site DJ: http://andreamangiarotti.it WRMI airtime: 2145-2200 UTC Saturday on 15770 kHz`` [only] 11580, Sat Sept 9 at 2258, WRMI is wrapping up `La Rosa de Tokio`, historical media program from Argentina, not Japan. Someone had reported hearing RAE in Spanish during this hour, easily confused with the Argie accents. But LRT is scheduled only on 5950, while 11580 at 22-23 Sat & Sun is blank, and M-F that hour on that frequency is RAE in Italian, not Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7780, Sept 10 after 0001, WRMI instead of BS by TOM presents a different kind of BS by some ``professional`` DJs gabbing at a ``Backyard BBQ``, spinning some discs, apparently live, briefly serious for an Irma update, the closest to breaking news we are getting about that from a FL SW station, even tho this apparently originates with as, IDed in passing along with WRMI International, WMEX-LP, 105.9, which is 41 watts in Rochester NH. Sufficient signal on the NE antenna altho weaker than 7570 with TOM and 7730 with Wavescan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Great signal here in NB. The last "special" broadcast from WRMI before the Irma-caused power outage. According to announcements, the program originated from Bob Gilmore's home (and studio) in Shelton, Connecticut. In addition to WMEX, the program also went out on "Rewind Radio" and "70s Radio," presumably Internet stations. "Totally 70s Radio Network" also mentioned (-- Richard Langley, dxldyg via DXLD) Update Re: WRMI plans for Hurricane Irma Dear WRMI Friends, Colleagues and Clients: I am writing this at 0400 UT Sunday, September 10. Here in Okeechobee the winds are starting to pick up as Hurricane Irma heads to Florida. The exact path of the hurricane continues to change somewhat, but it appears that the eye of Hurricane Irma will be passing a bit to the west of us, but we will still receive tropical storm force winds which are to the east-northeast of the storm. We will remain on the air with all of our transmitters as long as possible. However, once the winds get to a certain strength, our transmission lines will start flapping around and arching, which could cause serious damage to the transmitters and components. If that occurs, we will probably shut the transmitters down in order to avoid equipment damage until after the storm passes. Our transmitter building itself is quite strong, and several members of our staff will be staying inside the building. But the hurricane could of course do damage to our antennas. We will hope for the best. After the hurricane passes and winds die down, we would hope to be able to resume transmissions if we have electricity. However, realistically, we know that power outages generally occur in these situations, and they may last from hours to days or even weeks. We have a generator at our transmitter site, but it is designed to maintain our control room, lights and computers operational; it is not large enough to maintain our high-power transmitters on the air. So if the commercial power goes out, we will be off the air. We may be able to maintain one transmitter on the air at low power; this will likely be 9455 kHz, and this may not be possible until after the storm passes and the winds die down. If our Internet service remains functional, we should be able to maintain our live stream operational. This is the programming that is on 9955 kHz shortwave. You can hear it on our webpage, www.wrmi.net. Click on the audio player on the lower right side of our home page. You can also hear this stream on services such as TuneIn, Streema, Radio Garden, etc. (Just search for WRMI.) We will try to keep everyone up to date on our status via our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/wrmiradio Thank you to everyone who has been contacting us with your thoughts and prayers. We look forward to being able to resume normal operations as soon as possible. Best regards. Jeff White General Manager WRMI Radio Miami International 10400 NW 240th Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972 USA Tel +1-305-559-9764 Fax +1-863-467-0185 http://www.wrmi.net (WRMI Radio Miami International Facebook page, Sept 10) (via Alan Pennington, 1035 UT Sept 10, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) 7570 // 7730, Sept 10 at 1247, WRMIBS with double audio, seems two completely different streams rather than one delayed. One is slightly louder than the other. Louder is generic contact info announcement. Also same on 15770 at 1252, but 9980 WWCR version, still a poor signal, has only one, the underaudio as on WRMI. So the double audio problem must be at WRMI rather than Walterboro. At 1320 I`m checking 11825 // 11580, when Brother HyStairical is re-re-re-re-replaying the hateful attack upon yours truly from a sesquiyear ago, about Napoleon not ruling Michigan; then plugs Pentecost Sunday coming up on June 12 --- not this year! On FB, Jeff has said if WRMI loses power, only enough generator to run the building and part of one transmitter, probably the one on 9455 (Oldies and // various others) but will keep streaming 9955. Even if power is not lost, when winds reach a certain velocity, will have to close down because of antenna wires shorting/arcing which would damage the transmitters. At 1820 Sept 10 I survey the WRMI frequencies: NOT audible even a carrier now on: 9395, 9455, 9955, 11580, 11825, 15770, but definitely still on 21525 with R. Africa network. However, other US stations are very weakened: 15825, 13845, 12160, 9980, 9475. We have storms not only in the troposphere, but ionosphere. WRMI *could* still be transmitting, but blacked out. WWV had just reported: ``Space Weather Message Code: SUMX01 Serial Number: 117 Issue Time: 2017 Sep 10 1813 UTC SUMMARY: X-ray Event exceeded X1 Begin Time: 2017 Sep 10 1535 UTC Maximum Time: 2017 Sep 10 1606 UTC End Time: 2017 Sep 10 1631 UTC X-ray Class: X8.2 Location: S09W90 NOAA Scale: R3 - Strong Comment: Flare originated from Region 2673, currently located just behind the west limb. NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: Area of impact consists of large portions of the sunlit side of Earth, strongest at the sub-solar point. Radio - Wide area blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication for about an hour`` BTW, a 2-hour `Happy Station` special has been planned by PCJ Radio International for UT Monday September 11 at 0100-0300 on WRMI 7570, if it`s still on; if not, will run it next week at same time. Keith Perron says, ``There will also be a special program inside the program, which will have a lucky draw of two Sangean receivers. But you will need to tune in to find out more`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI still on the air at 2000 UT at least on some frequencies. Noted here in NB on 11580 kHz but very weak (SW fadeout?). Also noted on 15770 kHz using the U. Twente SDR receiver (Richard Langley, Sept 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI 11580 kHz recovered to S9 (with significant fading) here in SW Michigan at 2030 UT but the carrier drops periodically for a second or so. Feedlines arcing in high winds? Uh oh, dropped and stayed off at 2032. 73, (Andy Robins, Kalamazoo, Michigan USA, IBID.) 9395, 9455, 9955, 11580, 11825, 15770, 21525, Sept 10 at 2035, all WRMI transmitters are OFF, and remain off at further chex into UT Sept 11 as Hurricane Irma pulls by to the west of Okeechobee, too close for comfort if not a direct hit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just posted on WRMI's Facebook page: "2140 UTC Sunday, September 10 - The winds are extremely strong here in Okeechobee. Our generator went out twice, but is back on at the moment. Our live stream is still working at www.wrmi.net. It is still light outside, and we can see that several poles holding our transmission lines have fallen down or are leaning downward. There could be some major damage in the antenna field, but we won't know until the storm passes and the morning light arrives tomorrow." 73, (Andy Robins, Kalamazoo, Michigan USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The moment they lost mains power, even before they could decide to turn off the transmitters as a precaution. Let's document also this Facebook post: ``2045 UTC Sunday, September 10 - About 15 minutes ago we had sudden tropical storm force winds at the WRMI transmitter site in Okeechobee and our electrical power went down. We have a generator to power the control room and essential operations, but all transmitters are off the air. However, you can still hear our 9955 kHz programming on the audio player on our webpage, www.wrmi.net and via services such as TuneIn, Streema and Radio Garden. We'll have more information here on Facebook as the hurricane develops.`` Any word from the Florida Keys? Radio Martí 1180 kHz etc., etc.? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) UT Sept 11 at 0135, OFF: 5850, 7570, 7730, 7780 (so No Happy Station special, postponed until next week), 9395, 9455, 9955, 11580. However, there is a JBA carrier on 5950, typical of WRMI but now probably Iran in Tajik co-channel. (BTW, HFCC shows RMI in Spanish via TDF on 5950 at 02-05: must be alternative to 9490 for Radio República.) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5850, Sept 11 at 0501, WRMI is off, and so are all higher frequencies including 9455 which might have been kept on. At 1250 UT Sept 11, all WRMI transmitters are off. Here`s the latest from WRMI via FB: ``1430 UTC Monday, September 11 - Hurricane Irma has done extensive damage at WRMI in Okeechobee, Florida. Two antenna towers are down and many poles holding transmission lines are also down. Power went out at around 2030 UTC Sunday, and it may not be restored for days. Meanwhile, all transmitters are off the air. Our Internet service is also down, which means that our live stream is down as well. All of our staff are OK. We'll try to provide more information later today here on Facebook. Thanks for all of your messages of support`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No signal detected on either 9395 or 11580 kHz this morning at about 1100 UT when checking just before I left for work. P.S. Florida Light and Power website unreachable; must be overloaded. Have been monitoring WINK News (WINK based in Fort Myers and serving the southwest part of Florida where we frequently holiday) -- providing good continuous live TV coverage of the hurricane http://www.winknews.com also being simulcast on WINK-FM, 96.9 MHz; Arrow, 94.5 MHz; and Fox News Radio, 92.5 MHz; apparently no AM relay. They occasionally make the point that many people without power are relying on the radio simulcasts to stay informed about conditions (-- Richard Langley, NB, Sept 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI Hurricane Update --- Dear WRMI Clients, Listeners and Friends: Yesterday evening, Hurricane Irma passed very close to Okeechobee, and tropical storm force winds hit our transmitter site. I'm happy to say that the transmitter building and the transmitters themselves survived with no major problems. In the antenna field, one of our 44-degree antennas beaming up the East Coast of North America and over to Europe and the Middle East was knocked down, and may not be repairable. Fortunately, we have four other antennas beaming in the same direction, so we can continue those transmissions when the power comes back on. There are also about 20 telephone poles holding our transmission lines that are down or leaning, and they need to be repaired. At this point, Florida Power & Light has no estimate of when power will be restored to our site. It could take days, or possibly even weeks. But we should have a better idea about this within the next few days. In the meantime, all transmitters are off the air, although our webstream with the 9955 kHz programming is operating. You can find it on our webpage, www.wrmi.net. There is an audio player in the lower right corner which you can click on to hear the programming. This stream is also carried by TuneIn, Streema, Radio Garden and other similar services. So please continue to upload your programs to our FTP servers as usual. For WRMI clients, please be assured that we will put a credit on your next invoice for any of your programs that do not air on shortwave. We do have a generator at our transmitter site which powers our control room, offices, lights and computers. Unfortunately it is not powerful enough to operate our fourteen 100,000-watt transmitters. All of our staff are safe. Half of them were at the station during the storm (with some of their pets as well; we had two dogs, a bird and a turtle), and the others stayed in their own homes throughout the area. I want to thank everyone who has called, e-mailed and sent messages with their prayers, best wishes and offers of assistance. We greatly appreciate all of them, and I will attempt to answer all of these messages personally in the coming days. The hurricane has dealt us a serious blow, but we will recover quickly and we'll continue to broadcast your programs to shortwave listeners around the world. Thanks for your confidence in WRMI, and I will update you when we have more news (Jeff White, General Manager, 2304 UT September 11, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1730 UT Tuesday, September 12 - Florida Power & Light has announced that most customers in our part of Florida should have their power restored by the end of this coming weekend -- that is, by Sunday, September 17. So there is light at the end of the tunnel! La compañía de electricidad local ha anunciado que la mayoría de sus clientes en nuestra parte de la Florida deben tener servicio de nuevo para el próximo domingo, 17 de septiembre. Así hay esperanza! (WRMI FB via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Glenn: We have 9395 kHz on the air at very low power on generator. Will be 24 hours a day. Would appreciate reports (Jeff White, WRMI, 2327 UT September 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Florida Power & Light Company has announced that most customers in our part of Florida should have electricity restored by the end of this coming weekend -- that is by Sunday, September 17. So we hope to be back on the air here at WRMI by that date or before. Meantime, we have one frequency on the air at very low power using our generator: 9395 kHz. This will be on 24 hours a day with regular programming. We are making repairs in the antenna field so that by the time electricity returns, we will be ready to resume our full schedule of operations. (Jeff White, WRMI Radio Miami International 10400 NW 240th Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972 USA Tel +1-305-559-9764 Fax +1-863-467-0185 http://www.wrmi.net 0033 UT September 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9395, Sept 13 at 0051, WRMI QRP transmitter is surprisingly good; I don`t have to strain to hear it, during Oldies, 0052 ID by Bob, more Oldies, peaks S9, fades to S7; RAE is in luck to be on this sole WRMI frequency, 0117 with tango but a bit weaker S8-S5, and weakening more during the hour to 0156, still audible. So what is the power? Meanwhile there is still pulse jamming by Cuba against nothing on 9955, Sept 13 at 0203 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [to be continued; power back on Sept 14 and other frequencies started comebacks, but hindered by lots of feedline and antenna damage] ** U S A. Uncle Bill's Melting Pot moves to Sundays on WBCQ 7490 Today, September 7, will be the last Thursday broadcast of Uncle Bill's Melting Pot on WBCQ 7490 kHz. We are then moving to Sundays, 2200-2230 UT (6:00-6:30 pm Eastern Time US) on 7490, right after Marion's Attic, another wonderful show that plays recordings from the 1890s to the 1950s. We think our listeners are mutually compatible and look forward to the change. WBCQ's schedule stays keyed to US time, so when the time changes, UT will change to 2300-2330 Sundays but stay at 6:00-6:30 pm Eastern). Our first Sunday broadcast will be September 17. (William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer Tilford Productions, LLC 5713 N. St. Louis Av Chicago IL 60659-4405 email: bill@tilfordproductions.com phone: 773.267.6548 website: http://www.tilfordproductions.com Sept 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5130.316-AM, UT Thu Sept 7 at 0132, this WBCQ is poorly audible in noise tho hitting S9+10, with another `Allan Weiner Worldwide` playback, as he mentions WHVW. Still on the air this weeknight only, as originally filled by BS knocked off 7490 by Hal Turner who remains there after BS cut back (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Show started on time this evening. Allan is back at the helm this week so must be feeling better. Dr. Becker came in during Allan's talk about his illness and stayed for the rest of the show. This show is airing on the nineteenth anniversary of the station. Very same day of the week and time of day. Then some talk about the various storms out there both solar and terrestrial. Even while ill Allan continued to work on the 3250 transmitter. He managed to get it up to full power last week but blew a capacitor. That has been repaired now. Allan said that if he can get hold of TimTron before tomorrow and if Tim is going to do the second half of his show live he will try a test broadcast on 3250 tomorrow evening at eight o'clock. Reading of email started at 0059. Show finished at 0125 and Allan played a short piece of music for another minute or two (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana, UT Sept 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5130.3, Sept 9 at 2320, JBA carrier from WBCQ, and nothing on 3250, which Allan was maybe going to test tonight, allegedly requiring 5130 to be off. I do find a carrier on 3252, varying down to 3251.8 as I listen, so probably a NRDie (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ 5130. Very poor signal from 2300. No TimTron Worldwide but carrying Pirate Joe's Shortwave Saturday Night (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana, 2313 UT Sept 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Switched to TimTron Worldwide at approximately 2322, I think. Signal got worse and is impossible to copy at the moment (John Carver, 2325 UT, ibid.) I'm sorry Glenn. Reading about the differences in the 5130 transmitter and you asked if they were trying another transmitter. I thought I'd reported that recently they had three weekends in a row that had problems with the transmitter. One night it never came up at all. Next night it was an hour late coming up. Three other times the service went off the air a couple hours early because the transmitter went down. Have no idea what was done to it but it was surely worked on at least. Have heard nothing about it being changed out for another transmitter. The second hour of TimTron Worldwide didn't air anywhere. Larry ran some Firesign Theater on 5130 and when I checked there was nothing on 3250 which was to be expected if 5130 had to be off air for 3250 to broadcast. Sorry if I forgot to mention about 5130 to you before (John Carver, 0205 UT Sept 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aside from the reported transmitter troubles, when there is an abrupt shift in stable frequencies it raises the possibility that a different transmitter is being employed. Either that or the original transmitter got a workover, or a kick to bump it up (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490v-AM, Sept 11 at 0503, no signal from WBCQ. Is `The Other Side of Midnight` gone again? Had been 04-07 UT Sun & Mon only, for a few months, yet never made it to the online schedule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ will be testing our new 3.250 MHz service this evening, from about 0000 to 0200 UT September 12. Reception reports are most welcome and can be sent to wbcq@wbcq.com (via Allan Weiner at WBCQ) Regards, (Larry Will, 1810 UT Sept 11, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Larry/Allan, Pretty steady S7-S8 here in upstate NY (I know not very helpful --- too close!) playing what sounds like a Talking Heads tune. (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Eton E1-XM, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, 0007 UT Sept 12, ibid.) S5-9 here in SW Michigan with some QSB. 73, (Andy Robins, Kalamazoo, Michigan USA, Icom R-75 w/PAØRDT active whip, 0019 UT Sept 12, ibid.) Took some fiddling with the antenna tuner and the pre-selector here in mid-North Indiana. Signal is hopping around from S7 to S9 but the audio is a little muddy. Can copy without any major problem (John Carver, 0036 UT Sept 12, ibid.) More fiddling with the antenna tuner and have the peaks up to 10 over now. Slight improvement in audio but still a little muddy. In general a much better signal than what we've been getting on 5130 (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana, 0054 UT, ibid.) My catch at El Salvador, Central America: 3250 kHz WBCQ The Planet, Monticello, Maine, USA 0119 UT 12 09 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBgC_13QiLo (Humberto Molina, dxldyg via DXLD) Excellent signal here in NB even indoors using a portable with a whip antenna although the audio cuts out for a few seconds every now and then. Because we are so close to Monticello and receive signals off the back of the antenna beam, WBCQ is often difficult to hear here on higher frequencies. Here are the signal strengths at 0145 UT of audible 90-metre-band signals on the Eton Grundig Field BT, which has a maximum signal strength indication of 5: 3185, WWRB: 2/5 3215, WWCR: 3/5 3250, WBCQ: 5/5 3330, CHU : 3/5 Also recording the test using a Tecsun PL-880 outdoors with a 7-metre wire antenna (Richard Langley, 0158 UT Sept 12, ibid.) Inaugural transmission using another MW50 transmitter as hinted at in this FCC application: https://swling.com/blog/2017/03/wbcq-files-application-for-a-new-transmitter-and-antenna/ Transmission included test tones, modulation adjustments, music including "Shortwave Radio" by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and various bits of silliness. Variously identified the broadcast programs as "Radio Timtron Worldwide" and the "Lumpy Gravy Radio Show." Audio cut out briefly from time to time. Said they were having trouble with their Internet connection. Using Internet to connect the studio to the transmitter? Furthermore to their Internet problems (for "Radio Timtron Worldwide"), buffering problems were obvious as small segments of the audio sometimes got repeated (Richard Langley, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, ibid.) 3249.99, Sept 12 at 0108, WBCQ test of new frequency / transmitter, as warned at 1810 previously by Larry Will: S9 to S7 with sea chanty? 0110 announcement and dead air. 5130 is off as it has to be during 3250 tests on same antenna; unexpectedly, 3250 is better now than 5130.3 had been lately. At 0122, S9+10 peaks with music. Compared to neighbors at less than half the distance: 3215 WWCR is S9+40; 3185 WWRB is S9+30. Checked next night during same hour, 3250 not on (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7505, Sept 7 at 0130, no signal from WRNO, gone again. BTW, I see a log in the Sept NASWA Journal by Cichorek NJ, of WRNO, July 10 [UT Monday] at 0239-0258 with Classic Radio Theater, SF play from 1950y. I`ve never run across any such secular programming on the current WRNO. And did they stop sticking in newsbits from DW? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7505V, Sept 11 at 0142, WRNO is still AWOL; when did anyone hear it last? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7505v, Sept 12 at 0142, WRNO is still AWOL, and still still Sept 13 at 0201 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3185 WWRB & 3215 WWCR, Sept 8 at 0549 still have good signals while the higher ones, even 4840 WWCR are hit by near- blackout, poor S5 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5935, Sept 6 at 0556, WWCR is very poor about S7, while 5890 is inaudible, off? 4840 and 3215 remain very good. WWV report at 0600: ``Geophysical Alert Message # Solar-terrestrial indices for 05 September follow. Solar flux 121 and estimated planetary A-index 12. The estimated planetary K-index at 0600 UTC on 06 September was 2. Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate. Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level occurred. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be strong. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G3 level are likely. Solar radiation storms reaching the S1 level are expected. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are expected.`` 4840, Sept 10 at 0024, big humwhine over ``patriot`` talk stuff, just like last UT Sunday during this hour, also crackle. Horrible modulation no one in his right mind would try to listen to, from WWCR; who cares? 7520, Sept 12 at 0141, WWCR is blasting in at S9+60, one of the strongest non-local signals registered on the NRD-545 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5980.005 kHz single spur of 45.005 kHz apart distance, noted of both WWCR signals in 49mb, fundamental 5889.995 kHz/S=9+10dB and 5935.00 even/S=9+25dB. Nothing heard on lower symmetrical 5845 kHz though. At 0530 UT. Checked on remote Rochester NY-US east coast SDR unit [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5829.986, WTWW sermon, S=9+20dB strong, but LOW modulated at 0532 UT. Checked on remote Rochester NY-US east coast SDR unit [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Büschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Seems WTWW is always slightly off-frequency-low, which I seldom bother to document (gh, DXLD) WTWW elevation --- re: ``WTWW remained on. I wonder how far above ``the banks of the Upper Cumberland River`` [gh] WTWW transmitters are on a hill and will probably never get flooded. (George McClintock, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9475, WTWW at 1520. Found with OC, waiting for something to happen at BoH, but at 1540, still just open carrier. S-9, solid, Sept 10 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 15530, Sept 10 at 2040, S7 gospel huxter in English. Contradicts WHRI`s HFCC A17 registration that this usage at 2000-2200 Sundays only, 250 kW at 47 degrees, would end on 03 September (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 17775, Sept 12 at 1427, KVOH carrier with heavy vibration vs BFO and somewhat distorted in AM Mode (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 620, Sat Sept 9 at 1209 UT, stupid football talk, about 7 seconds ahead of 640 KWPN OK; surely ESPN via KTAR Phœnix AZ, as also loops WSW and usually heard, despite own schedule at http://arizonasports.com/arizona-sports-987/ to which 620 AM is a mere unmentionable appendage, claiming programming from 12 to 7 am MST Saturdays is merely generic `Arizona Sports` rather than ESPN national network (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 870, Sept 7 at 0558 UT, KAAN Bethany MO is still running day facility at night, audible with WWL nulled, as ``Regional Radio``, promo some contest with text(?) number 67760; IDs as ESPN AM 870 and FM 103.7 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 920, KYFR, IA, Shenandoah – Granted STA, U3 2500/2500 (night pattern 24 hours); cannot switch between day and night facilities (AM Switch, NRC DX News Sept 18, published Sept 10, via DXLD) ** U S A. 950, KPRC, TX, Houston – Granted STA, U1 5000/1250, Harvey- related flooding (AM Switch, NRC DX News Sept 18, published Sept 10, via DXLD) ** U S A. Question on the WFLI website? Artie, Thanks so much for your interest. Our site is not set up yet, but, WFLI is streamed through TuneIn. Search WFLI and you should find it very easily. Highest regards... Mike Powers Operations Manager WKWN/WFLI Glenn, HERE IT IS: https://tunein.com/radio/WFLI-1070AM-The-Legend-s28777/ ``WFLI 1070AM The Legend - tunein.com Listen free online to WFLI 1070AM The Legend - Chattanooga, TN. 50,000-watt news-talker in Chattanooga, Tennessee.`` (via Artie Bigley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1090, Sept 7 at 0602 UT, KEXS Excelsior Springs MO daytimer is finally off in the nightmiddle, reverting 1090 dominance to Brother Scare on KAAY, abetted by Alexander Scourby, ``the voice of god``. 1090, Sept 7 at 1222 UT, gospel huxter in English denouncing women in the ministry or any other role not subservient to husbands, none of this 50-50 equality stuff. He knows it`s not p.c., but God so ordains, so there! This is not from NE so not Catholic KEXS, rather KAAY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1120, Sept 7 at 1225 UT, nulling KMOX finds no Spanish from 10 kW daytimer KETU Catoosa OK, which ought to be on by now (September official FCC sunrise: 1200 UT; October 1230 UT), and is regular during full daytime, just noted yesterday. Its sign-ons have long been irregular. Instead an English station talking about Oral Roberts University --- which is Tulsa, so KETU now in English?? No, goes on to mention something ORU is doing ``here in central Austin``, i.e. 5 kW KTXW Manor TX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1160, Sept 7 at 1228 UT, Spanish M&W discussion looping NE/SW, soon fades out, but KFAQ IBOC 1157 is apparently off for a change with weaky 1170. Presumed 5 kW KCTO Cleveland MO, La Raza; rather than 10 kW KRDY San Antonio TX, Radio Luz religious. However, KCTO day and night patterns aim north from Kansas City market, while KRDY is broader to its NW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1190, Sept 7 at 1229 UT, English references to Fayetteville and Fort Smith, so KREB, 5 kW daytimer, Bentonville-Bella Vista, but address in Fayetteville AR. Don`t think I`ve heard this one before. Separable from KDMR Kansas City MO EWTN with RCC talk in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Stations informing the FCC that they are silent: 1440, KTUV, AR, Little Rock – Silent Aug. 28, Hurricane Harvey-related flooding. Odd, as there hasn’t been Harvey-related flooding in Little Rock. Station has same owners as KOLE-1340 [Port Arthur] and reported KTUV’s silence in identical language; maybe a cut-and-paste error? Had been off with transmitter problems before (David Yocis, AM Switch, NRC DX News Sept 18, published Sept 10, via DXLD) ** U S A. 1490, Sept 7 at 1242 UT, ads for Carthage and Joplin, so KDMO Carthage MO; at 1240 UT in the Graveyard jungle, an ID in passing sounded like KAWG. Closest fuzzy match in the Log would be KVWC Vernon TX which is just across the OK border in the opposite direxion (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1520, Sept 7 at 1245 UT, soul music mixing with KOKC, inseparable by nulling and making slow SAH, surely all three traits of KYND Cypress TX, 25 kW Houston market daytimer, not underwater. NRC AM Log gives current format as UC:OLD/TLK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1540, Sept 7 at 1247 UT, Galveston weather and Jerry Jay signing off his show until 6 am tomorrow with Black-Eyed Peas. So KGBC is operable too post-Harvey; not sure how long it may have been offed. 1248 UT overcome by much closer, but unfavorably direxional 32 kW KZMP University Park (Metroplex) with ESPN Deportes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1600, LOUISIANA, KLEB, Golden Meadow. 1011 GMT September 10, 2017. Right at tune-in, male canned "You're listening to the Ragin' Cajun, KLEB, Golden Meadow." Into Zydeco accordion track. WAOS Mexi- tunes co-channel (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISITENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hurricane Irma: Guide to storm prep in Delray Beach http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local/hurricane-irma-guide-storm-prep-delray-beach/kXUwDt6OrJyDWVkCBYU5II/ . . . » Listen to city radio for updates. The city’s radio station, 1620 AM, will operate during the storm, giving up-to-date information pertaining specifically to Delray Beach. The city also recommends you follow their social media platforms for updates. . . (via Artie Bigley, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) Strangely enough, no callsign given; IRCA TIS list shows: 1620, WQFL416, FL, Delray Beach, Palm Beach County, City of Delray Beach (501 W Atlantic Ave), 26.462500, 80.079167, 08/09/16 http://www.ircaonline.org/editor_upload/File/TIS_2016.pdf (via Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** U S A. 1650, FLORIDA, (TIS) WQQJ297, Tampa. 1110 September 10, 2017. Partial generic compu-man loop, but compu-man inserted with "Attention motorists... Sunshine Skyway [Bridge]... I-75... is closed to all traffic. Please use an alternative (sic) route." Points almost E/W, so presumably the usual westernmost I-275 Tampa transmitter, not the one (once active?) with different calls on the north side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Florida Low Power Radio Stations: https://sites.google.com/site/floridadxn/florida-low-power-radio-stations (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Irma radio coverage --- Many radio stations are unable to respond to situations like hurricane Irma because they have no local broadcast personnel anymore due the spread of syndicated satellite programming. Naturally we'd expect regular news/talk stations to cope (e.g WIOD 610 Miami) but some other stations are making a special effort. For example Orlando Sentinel reports: RADIO WILL PROVIDE CRUCIAL WAYS TO FOLLOW HURRICANE IRMA. News 96.5 WDBO is offering continuous coverage with a singular focus on Hurricane Irma. "We've even brought in additional reporting staff from out of Florida ahead of our airports shutting down this afternoon," news director Joe Kelley said by email Saturday. Genesis Communications, which owns and operates AM 820 News WWBA in Largo and AM 1060 News WIXC in Titusville, will deliver continuous coverage of the hurricane' s impact on Florida. Genesis also will provide constant updates through its digital web publication, News Talk Florida. "This is a very dangerous situation," said Steve Kyler, director of content. "Our obligation is to keep residents and visitors updated with the latest news and information. " Genesis said its stations cover 80 percent of the state's population. (At time of writing, South Florida evacuation has ended, and overnight curfew in Miami is due to be imposed. Thousands of homes are already without power) (Steve Whitt, UK, 1933 UT Sept 9, MWCircle yg via DXLD) By Scott Fybush - September 9, 2017 Hoping these all survive, sending very best wishes to all people affected by the terrible weather. SITE OF THE WEEK SPECIAL: THE TOWERS OF FLORIDA https://www.fybush.com/site-20170909/ (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Linx to his numerous previous SOTWs concerning FL stations, by region, not including any Keys (gh, DXLD) FLORIDA: HURRICANE IRMA SPECIAL BROADCASTS Many radio stations (even the big news talkers) lack the resources to cover the hurricane 24/7. For example last night WIOD in Miami dropped overnight George Noury and simulcast audio off NBC News 6 TV. The Orlando Sentinel reports imminent TV simulcasts Many locals have lost power, and others soon will," a reader says. "If possible, please place a list of Central Florida radio stations who plan to simulcast weather and news broadcasts from local TV." Here's what I have, and expect updates: WESH-Channel 2: Magic 107.7. WKMG-Channel 6: CBS Radio plans to simulcast the CBS TV affiliate early this evening. Those stations are AMP 101.9, MIX 105.1 and SUNNY 105.9. WKMG also will be on WOLF 103.1. WFTV-Channel 9: The Cox-owned TV station is on these Cox radio stations: WCFB 94.5, WDBO 96.5, WMMO 98.9, WPYO 95.3, WWKA 92.3, ESPN 580 AM and 107.3 Solo Exitos (Spanish). In Brevard on WA1A.com, NAShFM1027.com, 95ROCKBrevard.com and SportsRadio1560.com. In Volusia off and on simulcast on WHOG (the "HOG" 95.7 FM), WVYB (the "VIBE" 103.3 FM), WKRO ("Coast Country" 93.1 FM), WLOV (99.5 FM) and WNDB (1150AM & 93.5FM). News 13: As the hurricane moves into the area, viewers will be able to hear La Nueva AM 990 WDYZ, 1520 AM WBZW, 94.9 FM & 950 AM WTLN, 105.5 FM & 660 AM WORL and 1060 AM WIXC. These latter stations were on my earlier list of target stations who might be using higher night power under emergency conditions, perhaps for one night only. If you hear these you probably won't get local identifications - just TV audio. PS: the only transmitters I've heard being taken out by Irma were two weather service broadcast stations in the Keys; Sugarloaf Key (162.400 MHz) and Tea Table Key (162.450 MHz) (Steve Whitt, UK, MW News editor, 1544 UT Sept 10, MWCircle yg via DXLD) IRMA KNOCKS MIAMI PUBLIC RADIO STATION OFF THE AIR New York Post-19 hours ago MIAMI — Hurricane Irma knocked South Florida's only public radio station off the ... Most commercial radio stations in Miami are simulcasting local TV newscasts. http://nypost.com/2017/09/10/irma-knocks-miami-public-radio-station-off-the-air/ MIAMI — Hurricane Irma knocked South Florida’s only public radio station off the air Sunday afternoon. WLRN tweeted that it was no longer broadcasting at 1:22 p.m. Editorial director Alicia Zuckerman said that the storm damaged the station’s transmitter, and that it was too dangerous for workers to venture outside and fix it. Engineers are doing what they can indoors, she said, and restored the station’s online streaming service after it also got knocked out. “It’d be nicer to be on the air right now, but if you saw the conditions we are under then you would be pleased with the response,” Zuckerman told The Post. Most commercial radio stations in Miami are simulcasting local TV newscasts (via Artie Bigley, WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO’S BLANKET COVERAGE OF HURRICANE IRMA RBR-TVBR September 11, 2017 https://www.rbr.com/radios-blanket-coverage-of-hurricane-irma/ Radio has had a definite weather theme lately, first with Hurricane Harvey and then Hurricane Irma. Coverage of Irma by Florida stations was virtually wall-to-wall. Here’s a brief rundown of their broadcast activity as of Monday morning… iHeart Media: • News/Talk WFLA Tampa began its “Operation StormWatch” coverage on Saturday, simulcasting across all of the company’s Tampa FMs. • In Miami, News/Talk WIOD’s wall-to-wall coverage is simulcasting on CHR “Y100” WHYI, Classic Rock WBGG, Sports WINZ, and Urban WMIB. • Spanish contemporary WZTU is simulcasting coverage from “Telemundo 51” WSCV-TV. • The company’s stations in Orlando, Sarasota, Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville joined forces to provide wall-to-wall coverage. Cox Media Group: • Miami stations broadcast TV partner WSVN-TV’s audio. • In Tampa, CMG’s studios were closed on Sunday but carried audio from TV partners. • The company has also been preparing for the storm’s impact in Georgia. CMG is headquartered in Atlanta and owns radio, TV, and newspaper assets there. Entercom: • In Miami, Entercom’s daytime WAXY received FCC approval to broadcast around the clock. • Entercom had corporate staff on standby to come to Miami on Tuesday. • All four of the company’s stations were simulcasting audio from a local TV partner. Beasley Media Group: • Clusters in Ft. Myers and Tampa had round-the-clock storm coverage. • In Ft Myers, WXKB, WJPT, WRXK and WWCN simulcast coverage from TV partner “NBC TV2” WBBH-TV with local cut-ins from Beasley’s own team. • As of Monday morning, all of Beasley’s Ft. Myers FM stations were off the air, due to major flooding at their studios. • Beasley stations in Boca Raton were also off the air, including two having problems getting programming to the transmitter site. • In Tampa, all Beasley stations were on the air Monday morning, except for WLLD. • All of Beasley Tampa’s English-language stations began wall-to-wall news coverage Saturday at midnight. CBS: • In Miami, CBS Radio’s WQAM, WPOW, and WKIS were simulcasting TV coverage on Sunday. Univision: • Univision Miami planned continuous coverage through the storm and its aftermath, simulcast on UnivisionMiami.com, Facebook Live, and its local radio stations including WAMR, WAQI, WQBA and WRTO. Sun Broadcasting: • Ft. Myers stations – WFSX, WXNX and WARO – were also carrying TV coverage. Genesis Communications and Charter Communications: • The two companies teamed up to provide radio coverage throughout the state. Genesis’ AM 820 News, WWBA Tampa, and AM 1060 News WIXC Melbourne-Titusville carried the all-news cable channel Bay 9 News to supplement their local reporting over the weekend (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Hurricane Irma’s winds temporarily blow WIOD down [sic] the dial === By Howard Cohen September 12, 2017 4:10 PM http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article172894841.html Update: WIOD went back on the air at its regular 610 AM frequency Wednesday morning [Sept 13] Larry King remembers when he was on hurricane duty at the start of his broadcasting career in the early 1960s on WIOD 610 AM. “We were the only station with a generator so you either listened to us or heard nothing,” he told the Miami Herald in April when he visited the site of WIOD’s former studios in North Bay Village. “I would take the mic, walk it downstairs and say, ‘I can give you the latest report on the hurricane but why don’t we listen to it?’ I stick my hand out the window. ‘The wind’s going 100 miles-per-hour, all the trees are blowing.’ Boy, those were some wild days.” Today, WIOD is part of the iHeart Radio conglomerate and its studios are in Miramar. But the station still uses its transmitter in North Bay Village. Some 60 years later, King wouldn’t have been able to pull his hurricane sound effects stunt for listeners. Hurricane Irma blew out the transmitter in North Bay Village during the height of the storm on Sunday and the station went silent. The station is once again broadcasting for radio and online on iHeart.com and the iHeart radio app. If you want to hear WIOD on radio, you’ll have to temporarily spin your way a bit right on the AM dial. For the time being, head over to WINZ 940 AM. “We do have technical problems with our transmission on 610. We are currently broadcasting on 940 WINZ,” the station said in a Facebook message chat. WIOD — its call letters stand for “Wonderful Isle of Dreams” — will resume broadcasting on its longtime 610 frequency but no ETA yet. Repairs are ongoing, WIOD said (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Long List Of Stations Off The Air Courtesy Of Irma By Radio Ink - September 12, 2017 https://radioink.com/2017/09/12/long-list-stations-off-air-courtesy-irma/ The FCC is reporting the number of radio stations off the air due to Hurricane Irma to be in excess of two dozen. Meanwhile, the Commission has included 18 counties in Georgia and three in Alabama in its Disaster Information Reporting System, in addition to those in Florida. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau reports at least 26 full-power radio stations and FM translators off the air: Miami: iHeartMedia’s “News Radio 610” WIOD and sports sister WINZ (940). West Palm Beach-Boca Raton: iHeartMedia’s talk “Real Radio 94.3” WZZR; Alpha Media’s AC “Sunny 107.9” WEAT; JVC Media’s talk WSWM (900); and the Seminole Tribe’s ethnic WTIR, Brighton Reservation (91.9). Ft. Myers-Naples-Marco Island: iHeartMedia’s classic hits “95.3 The River” WOLZ; iHeart’s rhythmic CHR “105.5 The Beat” WBTT; iHeart’s “Cat Country 107.1” WCKT; and Starboard Network’s religious WMYR/WCNZ (1410/1660) and its Ft. Myers-licensed translator W294AN at 106.7 FM. Orlando: iHeartMedia’s tropical “Rumba 100.3” WRUM; JVC Media’s country “103.1 The Wolf” WOTW; and the Orlando-licensed W227CP at 93.3 FM that airs Central Florida Educational Foundation’s gospel “G- Praise” format. Ft. Pierce-Stuart-Vero Beach, FL: Cumulus Media’s “95.9 Rock” WROK-FM and iHeartMedia’s classic hits “Oldies 103.7” WQOL. Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, FL: Cumulus Media’s CHR “A-1-A 107.1” WAOA-FM; Cumulus’ country “Nash 102.7” WHKR; and Cumulus’ “Sports Radio 1560 The Fan” WLZR. Gainesville-Ocala: JVC Media’s CHR “Q-92” WFMQ; JVC Media’s country “US-102.3” WXUS and JVC Media’s talk WYCG (104.9). Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL: the Lakeland, FL-licensed W300CL at 107.9 FM which relays Central Florida Educational Foundation’s contemporary Christian “Z-88” WPOZ from Orlando. Tallahassee: the Bloxham, FL-licensed W222AW at 92.3 FM which simulcasts Faith Radio’s Spanish-language religious “Radio Fe 1070” WFRF (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) WE WILL REBUILD; IF YOU CAN FIND US By Lance Venta on September 13, 2017 1 Comment Hurricane Irma decimated many broadcast facilities as it moved up Florida and into Georgia. The FCC stated on Tuesday that at least 51 stations or translators were off the air (a few others are not even listed here) due to flooding or other damage caused by the storm. While some of these stations have since returned, what has quickly struck out is that not a single one of these stations has acknowledged being off (or in one case where they moved temporarily) on their websites. Some of them have posted notices on Facebook directing listeners to stream the stations if possible. . . [examples follow] https://radioinsight.com/blogs/lance/119720/will-rebuild-can-find-us/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Oh wow, I shoulda notified all of you. 97.3, WSKY Micanopy/Gainesville FL & 98.5 WKTK Crystal River had been simulcasting the last few days, getting the word out (via callers) as to who has gas, electricity, etc. Radio is coming through big time, at a time when many were without cell service. The hosts have been very upbeat/positive (sometimes quashing the grumblers calling in), and having an excellent sense of humor when it's needed the most. WKTK was playing music this evening, so the simulcast might have ended. If you can grab a WSKY stream (not the TV in NC!), listen for compelling radio (for a change). c d (Chris Dunne, of Pembroke Pines, after? hunkering down in Ocala FL, Sept 14, WTFDA Forum via DXLD) ** U S A. THE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN REALITY AND FCC MEDIA OWNERSHIP REGULATIONS --- Opinion #Regulation Sep 6, 2017 @ 12:12 PM Steve Pociask, Contributor --- I cover regulatory policies that affect consumers and the economy. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevepociask/2017/09/06/the-divergence-between-reality-and-fcc-media-ownership-regulations Robert Kyncl, global head of content at YouTube Inc., speaks during the company's unveiling of the new television subscription service on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg [caption] The Internet revolution is changing our lives in terms of how we shop, where we work, how we bank, how we communicate and get local news, and where we receive music and video content. However, while there has been an explosion of local news and content sources online, the regulations that govern related markets have been very slow to change. As I will explain, this regulatory inertia has a real impact on consumers. Many decades ago, the average community might only have local news coverage coming from a handful of radio broadcasters, TV broadcasters and maybe a city newspaper or even two. Back then, cross-ownership of broadcasters and newspapers raised some concerns with regulators and policymakers, who saw the potential for anticompetitive risks stemming from increased market concentration in the distribution of local news, music and TV programming. As a result, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the chief regulator for the TV and radio broadcast stations, kept a watchful eye on market structure and concentration. Their decades old concern was that having only a few broadcasters per market would lead to too few “voices” in the community from which consumers could get their news and content. While the FCC began imposing cross-ownership rules as far back as the early 1940s, various market ownership rules remain today. For one example, a single TV or radio station cannot own a newspaper in the same market. Additionally, regardless of the number of stations in the market or their specific market shares, a major top-4 TV station is barred from merging with another top-4 station. Similarly, any cross- ownership between stations is prohibited unless there are more than 8 local TV stations in the market (the so-called 8-voice test). The idea was that these cross-ownership regulatory prohibitions would “preserve localism” and give consumers alternative “voices” – essentially, the rules were designed to give consumers access to many sources for news and information. That was fine for the 1940s. The problem, however, is that these rules are comically stuck in time, ignore basic economic principals, leave consumers worse off and work to undermine the preservation of localism – the very thing that these rules were set out to preserve. The FCC’s 8-voice test is completely arbitrary and a stellar example about how poor these rules are; it is not supported by any well- accepted economic theory or by any empirical evidence. The fact is that the FCC does not know what the correct number of broadcasters should be in any given market (a concept sometimes referred to as the minimal efficient scale). That determination is the role of competitive markets. What we do know is that less populated and concentrated markets require fewer stations in order to attract enough ears and eyes to justify advertiser support. The current cross-ownership rules make it much harder for broadcasters to achieve the economies of scale that would allow them to operate profitably and most efficiently. Because these rules may require more broadcasters than a local market can support, it paradoxically puts more broadcasters out of business, which means consumers are made worse off and localism is undermined. In addition, the FCC is responsible for regulating more than TV and radio broadcast stations. Their jurisdiction includes Internet services, as well as wired and wireless telecommunications, satellite, cable and other services – all of which compete for the same eyes and ears of consumers. At the same time, the Internet doesn’t count as a single voice under the 8-voices test. Yet, the FCC cross-ownership regulations have seemed to have missed this obvious fact. President and CEO of the American Consumer Institute (ACI) Center for Citizen Research. For more information, visit http://www.TheAmericanConsumer.org and follow him on Twitter @ConsumerPal. (via Indiana Radio Watch via John Carver, DXLD) ** VANUATU [and non]. 3945.00, Sept 7 at 1252, R. Nikkei not off- frequency and in Japanese, no sign of Vanuatu; 7260 at 1306 has the usual off-frequency-low JBA carrier, presumed Vanuatu (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. Reception of Vatican Radio Holy Mass on Sept.8 1130-1200 on 15595 SMG 100 kW / 107 deg to N/ME English Fri 1130-1200 on 17590 SMG 100 kW / 112 deg to N/ME English Fri http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/good-signal-of-vatican-radio-holy-mass.html (Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, September 8-9 via DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS BRITISH. ZBVI 780 is off but miraculously their 300 foot tower IN Baughers Bay, Tortola is still standing (Paul Walker, 0323 UT Sept 11, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** YEMEN [non]. Re: YEMEN/SAUDI ARABIA - DXLD Sept 5 - SW transmission Discussion http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1736.txt Any further enlightenment/discussion welcome (Ian, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Well, what do you want to clarify? One thing is the current state of SWBC facilities in Saudi Arabia. It appears that transmissions are now shared between two facilities, a completely new station near Jeddah, built by Continental, and new equipment at Riyadh, delivered by Ampegon. And HFCC does not appear to be a source to find out about this. Another story is 11860 kHz. I fear it is a successfully established propaganda narrative that this is "Republic of Yemen Radio". Such an ID may be presented (and could qualify the whole thing, in old-time terms, as a black clandestine), but all further questions remain unanswered: Where is this program being produced, where are the editorial offices, who is in control of the program content? Any kind of evidence on these essential details? I also wonder if BBC Monitoring now strictly confines all its findings about such matters to its paying customers or just does not care about these things anymore. Indeed one could say that this 11860 kHz signal is just irrelevant, but I suspect that it is not the whole story. And further research is hindered by the circumstance that it can not be done from Europe: Most DTH satellite services for the Middle East use spot beams that prevent a reception here (Kai Ludwig, shortwave sites yg via DXLD) These are just some of the very questions I have. And I too have been wondering if this station was as speculated; a Black Clandestine. Surely some of the Arabic language DXers who've been listeners to Middle Eastern SW radio stations for the past 2 decades or familiar with program from San'a & Aden would have idea from the difference in memory recalled programming of these stations to the present station on 11860 kHz? There's probably some archived Youtube recordings to compare out there, but probably all too brief? (Ian, ibid.) There was a discussion some 2? years ago in Oct 2015 in this yg, about support the two fractions of Yemen radios: Saudi-Arabia and most Muslim countries, Sunnis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Islam and Iran, Shiites https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia_Islam It was about the support for the elected leader of Sana'a Yemen and the rebel coup leader, who is supported by Iran. Saudi Arabia can pay for the service on the shortwave 11860 kHz channel from the petty cash. wolfie df5sx, (Wolfgang Büschel, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) The big thing going on here. Thus I'm so surprised that no professional monitors care for this matter, unless they now keep all their findings for themselves. > According to an online source the pro-Hadi transmission on shortwave is from Aden Which source in fact, how trustworthy is it? The possibility that this is plain fake news must certainly be considered. And here's the latest development (do they meanwhile call Yemen "the southern part of the Kingdom"...???): (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) Re: SAUDI 11745 Republic of Yemen Radio with echo, Sept 6 0300-0900 on 11860 JED 050 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic 0900-1800 on 11860 unknown tx / unknown to N/ME Arabic http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/republic-of-yemen-radio-via-two.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 via DXLD) So the echo briefly before 0900? (gh) ** ZANZIBAR [non-log]. 6015, ZBC Radio. Had not checked on this one for a long time, but thanks to an alert from Bill Bingham (RSA), indicating he believes he last heard Zanzibar here about July 20, I randomly checked 0300-0415, on Sept 11, only to confirm Bill's observations - no trace of any signal here! So seems ZBC has indeed been silent for quite some time on this frequency. African conditions not all that bad today, as clearly heard Voice of Hope (Zambia), on 9680, at 0504+, in English and was semi-readable. So I think if Zanzibar had been on the air, I would have had something on 6015, no matter how faint (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ZBC still active on 11735 until 2100v*? (gh, ibid.) ** ZANZIBAR [non]. BRASIL, Surprisingly reception of Radio Transmundial in Portuguese on Sept 6: 2024 & 2054 11735*CAB 050 kW / 060 deg BRA, good signal & off at 2059 * NO SIGNAL 11735 DOL 050 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili Zanzibar Broadcasting Corp http://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/09/surprisingly-reception-of-radio.html (DX RE MIX NEWS # 1027 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, Sept 7, 2017 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific JBA MW carrier search September 9 at 1155- 1207: 1548, 828, 882, 1512 from WSW. 1098 from west. At 1204 also surprised by a carrier on 1449 from WSW, or rather less than 1449 so probably a US 1450 off-frequency or a local device. Nothing more than 5 kW on 1449 from Australia/NZ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1480-, Sept 9 at 0602 UT, something is off-frequency to low side, low het vs KBXD TX Spanish gospel huxter, this one with music in English; loops roughly WNW/ESE, implying WBBP Memphis TN, 5000/41 U1 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1629.91, 1107 GMT September 10, 2017. Who's hetting KKGM here? Points N/S, fairly weak, measurement approximate (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. But another observation was more interesting. As reported by Ivo Ivanov in the past, there's a station playing Arabic or similar music on 7700. Tonight I was able to catch some audio via a SDR in Belgium. Carrier with undefinable bits of modulation at 1820, but at 1830 slow song in Arabic, sign-off must have been already around 1845, after a few minutes of dead air. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Sept 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7700 has also been used by Europirates (gh, DXLD) Thorsten, If I remember correctly, 7700 is (might be) a Somali government station of some kind, Warsan Radio, altho I believe also that Warsan's frequency was 7750, not 7700. I logged that station in July 2016 (Bruce Churchill, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 9610, at 1115. Strong OC, CRI underneath. Loud beep tone at 1119. Carrier good S-9, not sure what is going on here. Recheck had only the weaker station at S-4 level. Sept 6 (Rick Barton, AZ, Equipment used was RS SW-2000629 and outdoor vertical wire, Grundig Satellit 750 and outdoor Slinky; Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic 7000, stock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Greenville testing/warming up for Vatican relay in Spanish from 1130, which surely you would have heard by then, violating Separation of Church and State (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 11410-USB, Sept 6 at 1245, presumed Indonesian QSO pirates, spirited talk but no singing, whistles, tones, talking over each other. Often there are multiple channels heard in the 11.4-11.5 MHz range, but the only one this time. 25m is dominated by E Asian signals, hardly anything from nearby. RHC 11760 with heavy CCI from CRI English SE out of Kunming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 12331-USB, Sept 10 at 1305, 2-way poor in language, sounds sort of Greek, in maritime band (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13560, Possible pirate? 1405, 9/4/17, in English. Man and woman in indistinct talk; later an old time radio program. No information available in EiBi, Aoki or HFCC. Poor (Mark Taylor, Lake Farm Park near Madison, WI, 9/4/17 (Labor Day), 1100–1615 UT. With Bill Dvorak, Carlie Fosythe and Neil Bartlett. Equipment: Tecsun PL880, Kaito K31 antenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) part 15 frequency ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Again this week no new contributions to be thankful for, not necessarily in US funds via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com or by MO or check in US funds on a US bank to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (WORLD OF RADIO 1895) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ SHORTWAVE GOLD Mike Barraclough writes: Mikes Movies has uploaded Shortwave Gold, a two part series to YoouTube. Part One features 27 minutes of shortwave recordings he made from a Vega 206 in the 80's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAOw9Xu-hqs (Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) AM DX AID - WEB SITES, LIVE STREAMS AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR (MOSTLY) WESTERN US AND CANADA [1 Attachment] 1 Files 247KB XLSX Thall_Radio_Links_West_20170905.xlsx Attached is a spreadsheet containing as many links as I could find for AM station web sites, live streams and Facebook pages in the following states and provinces: - All 22 continental states west of the Mississippi, plus AK and WI - All 7 western Canadian provinces and territories plus ON I've collected this data over the past 2 months so it should be pretty useful. Additions/corrections welcome. I'll work on Mexico next. DISCLAIMER: Web sites continue to change (mostly due to ownership changes, but occasionally due to rebranding), and stations often do a terrible job of maintaining these pages (forgetting to add keywords and tags to make their CURRENT web site show up first in search engines, failing to take down PREVIOUS web sites and FB pages, etc.). I've tried to note if a web site or FB page is particularly "stale" or otherwise problematic. Hope folks find this useful. I find it makes it very easy to check the live streams while DXing with the Perseus. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ABDX/attachments/1022013169 73 (Tim Hall, Sept 6, ABDX via DXLD) frequency order, 2223 entries! CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ MONTREAL CIDX BARBECUE This year’s is now in the books. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to making it another success. We were particularly pleased to have some out of town CIDXers participate again this year including John Fisher and Eric Cottrell from Massachusetts and CIDX VP Mickey Delmage who incorporate a Montreal stop-over into his eastern Canada vacation this year in order that he could attend the event. We were also pleased to have a special guest in attendance; Amanda Dawn Christie, http://www.amandadawnchristie.ca/ an artist working in film, video, performance, photography, and electroacoustic sound design, but to radio enthusiasts, perhaps best known for her film “Spectres of Shortwave”, an experimental documentary film about the Radio Canada International shortwave radio towers in Sackville, New Brunswick. She captured images on 35mm film accompanied by personal stories told by people who lived near the towers. Others in attendance at the barbecue included Alan Roberts, Stan and Sharon Asher, Beta Wayne, David Asselin, Jim Hay, Janice Laws, Wojtek Gwiazda, and Gilles Michaud. We must also thank CIDX member Gilles Letourneau of Montreal for setting up a live YouTube broadcast from the barbecue this year. His two-hour broadcast reached CIDX members and other radio enthusiasts, over 100 in total, literally around the world, who were able to see the goings-on live streamed and interact with us via a chat room. You can watch the full broadcast on Gilles’ “OfficialSWLChannel” on YouTube. It’s also this month’s YouTube Video in the HQ Report. YouTube Video of the Month Live Shortwave Radio Show – CIDX Montreal BBQ – August 19, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb5A6nO8SIE CIDX Montreal member Gilles Letourneau offered up his services and technical know-how to create a special event at this year’s annual Vernon Ikeda Memorial CIDX Barbecue. Through his YouTube channel , Gilles hosted this two-hour broadcast live on- line from the event. He interviewed many of the participants at the barbecue and welcomed over 120 viewers from around the world on the channel who watched in and interacted with everyone through the chat room. To date the broadcast has received over 1,400 views and succeeded in bringing CIDX to the attention of many shortwave radio enthusiasts around the world, even resulting in some new CIDX members. Thanks to Gilles for his efforts. If you weren’t there live, take some time to view the video. It’s almost as good as being there! (Sept CIDX Messenger via DXLD) 50TH EDXC CONFERENCE IN TAMPERE Alan Pennington reports from Finland [Hi Glenn, Yes, it’s fine to use my Tampere report in DXLD. However, as there are references in the text to some photos, maybe you’d prefer to link to our club website – the report was uploaded there this afternoon http://bdxc.org.uk/edxc17.pdf The website version includes some additional photos at the end that didn’t make it into the print or pdf versions of September’s ‘Communication’. There will be a Part 2, covering the road trip 12 of us from the conference made north by car through Finland, then Sweden to Nordkapp in Norway and back. 73, Alan Pennington] The 2017 European DX Council (EDXC) conference was held in Tampere, Finland between 18th-20th August, hosted by the Finnish DX Association (FDXA) (Suomen DX-Liitto (SDXL) in Finnish). Local FDXA member club is the Tampere DX-listeners club (TreDXK). Both EDXC and TreDXK, were celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, having been founded in 1967. On 6th December this year, Finland will also celebrate 100 years of independence from Russia. So lots to celebrate! Helsinki Central railway station. Risto outside FDXA office in Helsinki [captions] Those delegates staying in Helsinki on the day before the conference started were kindly invited on a short walking tour of some of Helsinki’s city centre attractions, led by Risto Vähäkainu of the FDXA, which ended with some welcome local refreshments at the FDXA office in Annankatu. The city of Tampere is in southern Finland, a 160 km 90-minute express train ride north of the capital, Helsinki. It is sited between two lakes which are linked by the Tammerkoski, a 1 km channel of rapids whose power was harnessed by the textile industry in the 19th century, and whose heritage red brick mills still line its banks. As a result, the city is often compared to Manchester (UK), but today the old industries have gone, and it is a thriving modern technology and university city, the third largest in Finland with a population of around 220,000. The conference venue was the modern Varala Sports Institute https://varala.fi sited in a lakeside forest, 3 km from Tampere city centre. Before heading to the conference venue from the railway station, Chrissy, Dave and myself visited two of Tampere’s museums: The Lenin Museum http://lenin.fi/?lang=en and the Spy Museum http://www.vakoilumuseo.fi/en/spy-museum/ Whilst the Spy Museum did have some radio-related exhibits, more impressive was The Lenin Museum, housed in the building in which Lenin first met Stalin in a secret meeting of Bolsheviks in 1905, so claiming to be the birthplace of the Soviet Union. The museum was established in 1946, when Finland and the Soviet Union had close friendship. The exhibits are both serious, balanced and sometimes humorous, e.g. take a selfie with Lenin and Stalin on their motorcycle and sidecar! At the museum shop (also online) you can buy Soviet era posters, model Lada cars, Leonid Brezhnev earrings or Karl Marx dolls! The conference opened Friday afternoon with the traditional flag raising ceremony and welcoming address in the sunshine outside the entrance of the Varala Institute. Around 120 delegates (and some partners) attended the conference over the weekend, some from Finland just on Saturday as the event also doubled as the FDXA’s Summer Meeting. Apart from Finland, there were delegates from 12 other countries, namely Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Sweden and United Kingdom. In the first talk in the auditorium, Anker Petersen from Denmark, told of the formation of the EDXC and its early history, illustrated with some photos of the first meeting 50 years ago. The idea for the EDXC originated in Norway, but the EDXC was actually founded in Anker’s house near Copenhagen on 4th June 1967 with representatives from Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden there. Anker was its first Secretary General, to be succeeded by Claës-W. Englund from Sweden later in 1967. At first, each country selected one EDXC representative – this changed to each member club having a representative in 1969. In the heyday of DX clubs, Anker told us there were 116 clubs listed in the 1966 WRTH, though 54 of those were from Sweden! He also described the work of one of the early committees set up in 1968 - the EDXC Reception Report Committee - who sent questionnaires to 50 worldwide radio stations to establish what information the stations found most useful in listener reports, their replies to be the basis of the EDXC Reporting Guide. Following a break for dinner, Risto Vähäkainu, a former EDXC Secetary- General himself, continued telling us of the EDXC’s history. By accident, this 50th conference coincided with the 50th anniversary year as a conference had been held every year since 1967, apart from in 2004. EDXC Secretary-Generals had usually held office for 1-2 years, but Michael Murray from the UK held the office for a 16-year term (1979- 1995). A brief history of the EDXC listing all the past conference venues and officials is at: https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/history Finland has hosted the most EDXC conferences in the past 50 years (6) - past conferences were held here in 1971, 1987, 1992, 2002 and 2008. The most well-attended conferences had also been held in Finland, in Espoo in 1987 and in Tampere in 1992, with nearly 300 delegates at each! Next, top Finnish DXer, Jim Solatie (left) took us on a visual and audio DX journey around the world, accompanied by a rather difficult quiz, having first mixed the audience into teams of three. It disproved the theory three heads are better than one. It did help to have a knowledge of MW DX for the quiz and the winners certainly deserved their prize! The evening ended in true Finnish summer style, down by the lake, with sauna and lake swimming for those who wanted, and chat until late over beer, wine and barbecued sausages! I was surprised to see an original 1964 Radio Caroline T shirt being worn at the barbecue, by Antti Marvia (right) The Saturday morning session in the auditorium focussed on AM listening and was hosted by Ismo Kauppi. He introduced director of SDRplay Ltd, Jon Hudson who presented his company’s range of Software Defined Radios (SDRs) to us. SDRs are receivers in which traditional radio components are replaced by software run on your computer. The company currently have three products (they call Radio Spectrum Processors or RSPs): RSP1, RSP2 (photo right) and RSPpro (the latter identical to RSP2 but in a rugged steel case). You just need a computer and antenna to operate. They are true general coverage receivers: RSP1 10 kHz-2 GHz; RSP2 1 kHz-2 GHz enabling you to visualize up to 10 MHz bandwidth on screen, use brickwall filters, have multiple VFOs, record large bandwidths (up to 10 MHz) and record and playback. He said the company had sold around 20,000 RSPs in the past 3 years. The RSPs come with SDRuno software, though they work with all popular SDR software such as HDSDR. Full details on their website: http://www.sdrplay.com/ Then active Finnish MW Dxer Tapio Kalmi spoke about AM DXing in the Information Age, introducing us to various data sources useful to AM DXers. One such resource is the KOJE online lists http://www.tapiokalmi.net/dx/koje/koje1.html which Tapio edits. KOJE is short for “kuultavissa olevat jenkit” and was a list began in 1978 which has now migrated online showing all North American MW stations (including Greenland and Bermuda) that can be heard in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Similar lists are prepared for Hawaii and Mexico. Tapio’s homepage has lots more useful links to tools to aid the MW DXer, such as propagation reports, aurora charts and Greyline map – see: http://www.tapiokalmi.net/dx/am/ He told how he heard Maldives on 1449kHz in February 2014 aided by the Greyline map. His presentation is online at: http://www.tapiokalmi.net/dx/am/EDXC2017_Tapio_Kalmi_AM_DXing_at_Information_Age.pdf The final talk on Saturday morning was about Space Weather by Kirsti Kauristie from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. She explained the latest research into the layers in the ionosphere affecting radio reception, looked at solar cycles past and future and why forecasting space weather is so difficult! I have to admit, some of her talk was over my head, but was listened to keenly by the scientists in the auditorium! After lunch, the Finnish DXers celebrated 50 years of the Tampere DX Club. The still very active TreDXK club has published its Kantoaalto (Carrier Wave) bulletin for 42 years and has a QRM-free DX cabin in Niihama, southern Finland. Matti Karstinen and Jarno Fält received FDXA awards at this afternoon session, especially for work with this DX cabin, which apparently can be accessed remotely. Congratulations to TreDXK on their 50th anniversary! Above: City of Tampere and lakes, with TV tower, viewed from Pynikki Observation Tower. [caption] Meanwhile, the non-Finnish speakers enjoyed a coach trip to visit some sights in the city of Tampere. We set out in a torrential shower as the coach first took us to a high ridge, where we enjoyed a good view over the city. We then stopped at the nearby transmitter site and tower used by local Pispalan Radio (729 kHz and FM) which we would learn more about in a talk on our return to Varala. The tower was originally used in the manufacture of lead bullets! Our guide, Risto, then took us a short walk by the rapids in the city centre including the former site of 3NB, Finland’s first regular broadcasting station. Tampere Radio made its first broadcast in November 1923, and moved a year later to a wooden cabin sited next to the Tammerkoski rapids, its aerial wire stretched over the fast- flowing waters. Already in 1924, it was heard over 1000 km away! Many of the pioneers at Tampere Radio would later work at YLE when they opened their station in Tampere in 1930. Next stop, Tampere Cathedral, built in the National Romantic style and completed in 1907 where we were able to view its stunning interior with frescos and stained glass by artist Hugo Simberg. Another radio site was our final stop, where we climbed the 26 m high Pynikki observation tower, which gave a great view of Tampere city and its lakes. The Pynikki Ridge was the site of Tampere’s former YLE’s MW station which began broadcasting in 1930. There is a modern guyed communications mast still next to the tower, but sadly it’s not a MW aerial nowadays, as YLE Tampere left MW 1421 kHz in the 1970s. Returning to the conference centre, we heard Pasi Komsi, director of Tampere-based Pispalan Radio, talk about his station, which plays old- time Finnish music, much of it from the 1920s and 30s. It broadcasts across Tampere on 99.5 MHz with 100 W and also has a MW licence for 729 kHz. Pasi said that it was the first private station in Finland to get a permanent MW licence for 80 years (SWR in Virrat is only part- time). Initially the AM transmitter was radiating 20 Watts and could be heard up to around 100 km, but the transmitter has burnt out and currently there is no money to repair it. The station is run as a hobby but still has to pay royalties, so funding is difficult. When we visited the transmitter site earlier in the Pispalan district of Tampere we could hear the 729 frequency, although it was only audible in close proximity to the tower supporting the aerial - maybe up to 150 m away. Programming is automated with IDs between every song. You can listen online at http://www.pispalanradio.fi and it has on occasions been relayed on SW. FM enthusiast Jukka Kotovirta reviewed the 2017 FM DX season in which the best DX openings had been in June when loggings had “sky- rocketed”. Since June, 2017 had been fairly flat, so was only voted an average year in the end (in recent years 2010 was judged the best season, 2014 the worst). June 2017 coincided with 8-10 day DX camps on Utö island (SW Finland-7 DXers) and further east at Poroniemi near the Russian border (3 DXers) which enjoyed openings almost every day to Europe with also “double- hops” to North Africa, Middle East, Russia and even China (double hops increase the distance heard: Yining FM 90.5, China is about 4000 km from Poroniemi!). Jukka also told us about the phenomenon of “e-cloud to e-cloud hops” as well as some Sporadic E theories. His entertaining talk had many recordings of DX catches to drool over! There is a blog about the DX camps with photos at: http://utofmdx.blogspot.co.uk/2017/ Right: Vesa-Jussi Rinkinen and Tapio Kalmi at Poroniemi [caption] The Saturday session concluded with two quizzes – the first involved IDing some of the best 2017 FM DX catches from audio clips, the second IDing radio-themed songs and their artists from audio snippets. Dave came second in the ID quiz, Alan joint first in the song quiz (though losing on the tie-breaker). So definitely not a case of Great Britain “nul points”! On Saturday evening the EDXC Banquet began with a welcoming drink and speech from the Mayor of Tampere. The proceedings were expertly compered by Vesa-Jussi Rinkinen and after the excellent meal, traditional FDXA banner awards were presented to their active board member Ismo Kauppi and to overseas DXers Tibor Szilagyi, Toshi Ohtake and Dave Kenny and Alan Pennington. The special award of FDXA (given for extraordinary work for FDXA and the DX community) was awarded to Torre Ekblom, long-time ambassador for DX, living and working in Sweden, Denmark and Holland, who started DXing in 1952 in Helsinki and was a founder of the EDXC. The evening concluded with the traditional fun auction, hosted by Jukka Kotovirta and Jarmo Salmi where some bargain radio-related items, including receivers, aerial wire, novelty radios, coins, books and stamps were sold to the highest bidder! On Sunday morning, Kari Kivekas (Secretary-General) presented an update on the EDXC, together with Jan-Mikael Nurmela (Assistant Secretary-General). After reading out greetings to the conference from around the world we heard that the EDXC blog now has a new mobile- friendly layout at: https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/ The EDXC Facebook page is growing, now with 666 ‘likes’. Historic material has been received from Torre Ekblom (Finland) and Anker Petersen (Denmark), both of whom were at the first EDXC meeting 50 years ago in 1967. This will help in the writing of an EDXC history, but a writer is needed still. At 10 am, delegates stood for a minute’s silence in memory of those killed and injured during the attack in the Finnish port of Turku on Friday 18th August. The Finnish flag outside the conference venue was flown at half-mast also, in common with flags across the country. Further EDXC topics also discussed included the proposed EDXC radio programme, the future management of the EDXC (Kari and Jan-Mikael have been in their roles since 2013), a DXers’ ‘Hall of Fame’ and the venue for the 2018 conference – suggestions were Vienna/Bratislava, San Marino and Monaco. Member clubs were asked to consider these topics and respond to Kari. Mika Mäkeläinen next gave an enlightening talk on “How to get a QSL from a Chinese station”. This considered the best source for addresses and email addresses of stations in China, how to trace website registrants, Foreign Affairs Offices in China and social media in China (Weibo and Wechat). He showed us a QSL he’d received in the mail from Hengyang PBS, actually in a wooden box (see below)! And Mika (left) made video contact with friend Liu Hengyi at Anhui Radio (936 kHz) on his mobile ‘phone so audience members could see her and ask questions! Remember Mika has an excellent article on “How to Identify Chinese radio stations” online at: http://www.dxing.info/articles/identifying_Chinese_radio_stations.dx Dan Goldfarb then updated us on progress on his impressive project documenting all medium wave masts around the world (with transmitters > 1 kW), including their coordinates. There are two very detailed spreadsheets for active and inactive (or closed) transmitter sites. The project, now in its 6th year, of course relies on reliable input from DXers around the world. There is a Yahoo Group: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mwmasts/info and the main website from where you can access the spread sheets is: https://mwmasts.com/ Toshi Ohtake from the Japan SW Club (JSWC) gave a very informative talk on Radio Listening in Japan: Past Present and Future. Toshi, born in 1937, began his radio listening in the 1950s and his talk included details of the “BCL Boom” in the mid-1970s and early 1980s in Japan. Today the JSWC has 350 members, but peaked at around 1600 members during this boom. The club is the 2nd oldest in the world and celebrates its 65th anniversary this year. It was interesting to see the club’s DXpeditions in local parks, where members make great DX catches in electrically quiet locations reachable by public transport, but still not far from home. Toshi’s talk was sadly the final one of the conference and the ceremony to lower the flags and bid farewell to everybody followed. A wonderful 50th EDXC conference had ended, with thanks due to all the organisers from FDXA, TreDXK and EDXC in Finland. The FDXA website now includes some of the conference presentations and the programme, with history of Radio Tampere etc. Plus some conference photos, at: http://sdxl.fi/edxc/ Above: Delegates outside Varala Institute at the close of the conference [caption] Twelve of us then began our 5-day road trip north in three cars, through Finland, Sweden and Norway, with most northerly point reached, Nordkapp above the Arctic Circle. Our first destination on this road trip north was Scandinavian Weekend Radio’s studios and transmitter site, near Virrat, a two-hour drive north of Tampere (see photos front and back pages). (Alan Pennington, Sept BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See BAHRAIN [non]; KUWAIT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB See SLOVENIA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See CUBA [non]; USA 1160 both re KFAQ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See MEXICO; OKLAHOMA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CROSS COUNTRY WIRELESS SDR-4+ SPECIAL EDITION GENERAL COVERAGE RECEIVER The SDR-4+ Special Edition brings all the changes together in one high performance SDR receiver combining a high IP3 push pull RF amplifier and switching mixer with improved RF filtering and a new low distortion and noise IQ amplifier http://www.crosscountrywireless.net/sdr-4.htm (Tony Molloy, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WHY DO WE RELY ON RADIOS DURING STORMS AND EMERGENCIES? https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/9/16271110/radio-cellular-technology-emergency-broadcasts-storms-hurricane-explained (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) HERE'S WHERE COLD WAR 'NUMBERS STATIONS' BROADCAST SPIES' SECRET CODES WIRED --- If you tuned into just the right shortwave radio frequency in the 1970s, you might hear a creepy computerized voice reading out a string of numbers. . . https://www.wired.com/story/heres-where-cold-war-numbers-stations-broadcast-spies-secret-codes/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Viz.: If you tuned into just the right shortwave radio frequency in the 1970s, you might hear a creepy computerized voice reading out a string of numbers. It was the Cold War, and the coded messages were rumored to be secret intelligence broadcasts from "number stations" located around the globe. Photographer Lewis Bush is obsessed with these stations to “an almost irrational degree" and hunts them down in Shadows of the State, featuring 30 composite satellite images of alleged number stations from Germany to Australia. The series took two years and endless research. “It’s a difficult project to quantify in terms of man hours wasted on it,” he says. Numbers stations go back as far as World War I. During the Cold War, there were hundreds of secret broadcasts. Intelligence agencies sometimes started a transmission with a bit of music (one UK station was dubbed the "Lincolnshire Poacher" because it began with a few notes from an English folk song), then recited the code five numbers at a time. Operatives with the key listened and transcribed top secret messages. By the '70s, regular folks were picking up the frequencies on ham radios and geeking out on their possible meanings. Numbers stations even found their way into pop culture, with references in TV shows like The Americans, movies like Vanilla Sky and songs by Moby. Evidence suggests number stations are still used in countries like Cuba and North Korea. “If you’ve listened to some of the transmissions, it’s slightly like listening to a voice from the past, and yet these things are still broadcasting,” Bush says. “So while on the face of it the Cold War has been over for decades, these stations are a reminder that it continues to rumble on below the surface in all kinds of ways.” Bush read about the stations online in 2012 and began tracking them down, but got distracted with other work. The project languished on a hard drive until two years ago, when a curator asked him to submit a project for a show. He picked up where he left off, triangulating possible locations from research done by radio enthusiasts, hints in Cold War memoirs and information in declassified documents. “I’m not sure if it’s ever happened that you find a smoking gun for one of these sites that absolutely says ‘Yes, this is where a number station is originating from,’ but there are some that come quite close,” he says. Once Bush locked into the general location, he often spent hours scouring Google Earth for transmitters and sites of former transmitters, keeping an eye out for clues like antennas, discolored grass, and metal rods poking out of the ground. “You can compare year by year, see what’s changing, or if in winter something is revealed by trees losing their leaves,” he says. When Bush finds what he believes to be a station, he takes up to 50 close-up screen grabs and stitches them together in Photoshop to create one high-resolution image. He also listens to frequencies where broadcasts supposedly still happen on radio listening software, taking screen shots of the software's spectrograms, graphics depicting the sound spectrum. The final images try to visualize something largely intangible. No government has ever confirmed the existence of numbers stations, and Bush himself isn't completely certain of their locations. No one can be sure what these scratchy codes really are. And that's precisely what makes them so intriguing. Shadows of the State will be published by Brave Books in December 2017. Bush is also raising funds on Kickstarter for an interactive companion website (via DXLD) with Slide show of 9 starting with aerial transmitter site captioned 1/9 This site in Kajung [sic], North Korea is thought to be the main transmitter [sic] for Voice of Korea, the secretive state`s foreign broadcaster, which broadcasts numbers traffic alongside its main programs. LEWIS BUSH photo WTFK? NK is not known as a numbers source currently. Also views of Cyprus, Cuba, Poland, shortwave spectrograms . . . (gh, DXLD) TIP FOR GETTING PAST ANNOYING ADS WHEN LISTENING TO WEB STREAMS Most stations with web streams can be heard via tunein.com, and some stations use tunein.com as their main streaming site. This can be frustrating while DXing, because almost every time you pull up another station on tunein.com, you're subjected to a 30-second ad (sometimes even 2 of them!) that can't be turned off. HOWEVER... You can get around this as follows (this works for Google Chrome; I assume a similar solution may exist in other browsers): - Open the station's web stream and let the ad start playing for a split second. - Right click the tab (at the top of the browser) and select the "Duplicate" option. - Quickly close the original tab. When the duplicate tab opens, tunein.com perceives that the ad has already run, and doesn't play it again. So you can listen to your station right away, instead of sitting through the same ad over and over. This is a big time-saver! Try it with this URL: https://tunein.com/radio/La-Uni-K-1057-FM-s284784/ 73 (Tim Hall, CA, ABDX via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES -- GEOMAGNETIC SUMMARY AUGUST 2017 Via Phil Bytheway – Tabulated from email status daily (K = 0000 UTC). Flux A K Space Weather 1 74 6 1 no storms 2 74 5 1 no storms 3 75 12 4 no storms 4 74 23 3 no storms 5 74 16 3 no storms 6 74 13 2 no storms 7 73 5 1 no storms 8 71 5 1 no storms 9 72 4 2 no storms 10 71 5 2 no storms 11 70 7 2 no storms 12 70 11 3 no storms 13 68 7 2 no storms 14 73 5 2 no storms 15 74 4 1 no storms 16 77 6 2 no storms 17 77 29 4 minor, G1 18 80 21 3 minor, G1 19 87 31 4 minor, G1 20 86 22 3 minor, G1, R1 21 87 10 3 no storms 22 90 22 3 moderate, G2 23 85 25 3 minor, G1 24 79 11 1 no storms 25 81 5 2 no storms 26 78 5 1 no storms 27 78 10 3 no storms 28 82 4 1 no storms 29 84 10 3 no storms 30 87 5 0 no storms 31 92 31 3 minor, G1 Sx – Solar Radiation Storm Level / Gx – Geomagnetic Storm Level / Rx – Radio Blackouts Level (NRC DX News Sept 18 published Sept 10 via DXLD) DON`T YOU BELIEVE INTERNET SHORT-CUT PROPAGATION PREDIXION GIMMIX Lou, VK5EEE sent this, which I edited: "Do not believe modern-day short-cut internet-gimmicks such as this (he included a reference to an online tool predicting propagation titled "HF Conditions"). "Have a listen to the propagation beacons, tune around the bands! Remember there is NO SUCH THING generally speaking as a GLOBAL HF one- size-fits-all-situation in spite of the modern trend to paint that picture into their systems. Part of the world is in darkness, part in light. There are many grey areas. The K index varies from location to location. East-West and North-South paths are affected differently by events. "Nor should we rely on advanced real-time programs such as VOAProp by G4ILO. While useful, these also give sometimes wildly false readings. For example, as I write this, bands including 10m are having great propagation to all of America and to Asia, and perhaps to other places too, while showing that even with 4 kW and a big high up Yagi at most S1 signals from a few isolated places north of Australia would be possible. NOT. I just need to tune in to 28200 to hear all the beacons coming in so nice and clear and they are running 100 W to simple Ground Plane antennas. "What does the Australian government have to say about conditions right now on the SWS website? 'Disturbed!' "Again we may be tempted to take that at face value. 20-10m has not been open much from VK in recent times with very low solar flux and no sunspots at times. However right now, 10m is open. 12m is open, 15, 17 and 20m. Little activity but the beacons are clear, and Costa Rica booming in on SSB on 20m even though the local time here is high noon with the Sun high in the sky. "If we look at the regional T index map, http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/1/6/1 "we see that in Australia and New Zealand conditions are actually enhanced. "If we look at the world map, http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/9/1 "we see that conditions in most of the world are ENHANCED, most of the rest is NORMAL and only a few areas in parts of the Central Pacific and near to the North Pole (parts of Canada, part of Greenland) and northern Siberia are depressed. So why is there so much alarm and DEPRESSED shown as a 'one size fits all' on simple condensed gimmicks? Well, it is true for those few parts of the world. And somewhere the K index is indeed 8, somewhere it is worse, somewhere better. "Bear in mind that while over today and tomorrow there is a possibility or even a probability of short wave fade-outs (not worldwide but generally on the Sun side of the earth) but the Solar Activity being high to very high means that when there is not a fadeout conditions are most likely to be enhanced! We should be SO HAPPY that solar flux is now well above 100, as that means HF openings occur on higher bands more often. "With the current predicament of those few radio amateurs who are not hampered by various distractions, the LOCAL NOISE levels are prohibitive on lower frequencies. When bands above 20m open up, we should not be scared off by a glance at the RED/POOR prediction and miss out on all the easy DX with simple antennas and low noise to be had while the higher HF bands are wide open. Let us not forget the IBP beacons, and to tune around and call CQ even when predictions would encourage you do to otherwise." Lou makes some excellent points. The various propagation models used in the tools for predicting HF success are based on mean predicted sunspot numbers for the month, and cannot predict real time HF propagation. Lou included this URL: http://30cw.net/ (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 36 ARLP036, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA September 9, 2017, To all radio amateurs via DXLD) MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE On Sept. 6th, huge sunspot AR2673 unleashed a decade-class solar flare, registering X9.3 on the "Richter Scale of Solar Flares." Space Weather News for Sept. 6, 2017 http://spaceweather.com https://www.facebook.com/spaceweatherdotcom X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: On Sept. 6, 2017, at 12:02UT, active sunspot AR2673 unleashed an X9.3-class solar flare--the strongest solar flare in more than a decade. The explosion also hurled a CME into space, and possibly toward Earth. Analysis of the event is still underway. Visit Spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com) for updates and more information about the historical context of today's remarkable flare. Remember, SpaceWeather.com is on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/spaceweatherdotcom http://spaceweather.com/ Above: The extreme ultraviolet flash from today's X9-class flare as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. More snapshots of the flare may be found in the Space Weather Photo Gallery http://spaceweathergallery.com/ (via Dario Monferni, Sept 6, playdx yg via DXLD) SOLAR FLARES INTERFERED WITH RADIO NETWORK’S ABILITY TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT HURRICANE IRMA space weather An M8.1 solar flare on Sept. 8, 2017. Image: NASA Kate Lunau Sep 8 2017, 6:20pm https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/5997ea/solar-flares-interfered-with-radio-networks-ability-to-warn-people-about-hurricane-irma “It’s sad, knowing you’re trying to get the information out, or maybe someone out there is trying to talk back to you." A series of massive explosions on the Sun caused a radio network designed to warn people of hurricanes in remote regions, including the Caribbean, to go on the fritz during the time period when it would have been issuing information about Hurricane Irma, both the manager of the network and a NOAA representative confirmed to Motherboard. Solar flares like the ones reported this week are known to interfere with high frequency radio signals. "When that solar flare happens, it's like static frying," Bobby Graves, Net Manager for Hurricane Watch Net (HWN), told me over the phone. This group of licensed amateur radio operators, based across North and central America and the Caribbean, works with the National Hurricane Center to disseminate information about storms. When a solar flare happens, "it's like they just turned the radio off," Graves, who lives in Brandon, Mississippi, told me. Bob Rutledge, lead forecaster at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, confirmed receiving "isolated" reports from the Caribbean about radio blackouts related to the series of solar flares observed on the Sun this week, including from HWN. "It's truly a complete [radio] blackout," Rutledge said. "That signal can't get through." HWN also gathers data from people on-the-ground and sends the information back to the NHC in Miami, according to Graves. He said that blackouts this week lasted from 20 minutes to up to four hours. Geomagnetic storms make everything sound "gurgly," like you're talking "underwater" "It's sad, knowing you're trying to get the information out, or maybe someone out there is trying to talk back to you," Graves told me. Radio operators have to wait out the solar storm, and "hopefully [the people] still there when the frequency is recovered." Starting on September 4, a series of solar flares belched radiation and solar plasma at Earth—including three of the largest and most powerful types of solar flare, which are called X-class, Rutledge told me. (Many more were M-class, a lower designation.) One was an X9.3 flare, the largest recorded in about a decade, according to NASA. NOAA's space weather agency issued warnings for geomagnetic storms, which are major disturbances in our planet's magnetosphere that can meddle with all kinds of technologies we rely on, including satellites, radio communications, and GPS signals. According to Graves, these storms make everything sound "gurgly," like you're talking "underwater." Advertisement Rutledge told me that the worst of the geomagnetic storm's effects are now "in the rearview mirror." It's impossible to predict this perfectly, he said, "but I think we're at the end." No major impacts have been seen on the North American power grid, Rutledge noted, which can be vulnerable: A particularly bad bout of space weather caused the entire province of Quebec to black out in 1989. In the years since, governments like the US and Canada have been assessing the risk to infrastructure from solar storms with an eye to making it more resilient. Agencies like NOAA, NASA, and Natural Resources Canada are responsible for putting out space weather forecasts to provide advanced warning. Read More: How Space Weather Can Influence Elections on Earth Induced electric currents related to geomagnetic storms can also cause corrosion in oil pipelines, Rutledge said, as well as problems with GPS navigation signals, another worry. A geomagnetic storm like this likely would have "degraded" the precision of GPS signals in some places, he said, and reports of disturbances could still come in. I phoned Ljubomir Nikolic, space weather forecaster for National Resources Canada. He told me that no reports of disturbances have been submitted there, but he also said it's possible reports are still to come, as the storm's effects are ongoing and private companies like satellite operators might take a few days to alert his department to outages. As for what's next, Rutledge told me we could see more solar flares over the next day or two, but we probably won't see anything as explosive as what was observed earlier this week. As the active region of the Sun rotates from view, it won't be a concern anymore. For Graves and his network, not to mention people in the Caribbean who they're attempting to reach, this bout of bad space weather can't pass too soon (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2017 Sep 11 0813 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 04 - 10 September 2017 Solar activity was at moderate to high levels. Moderate levels were observed on 09 Sep while high levels were observed for the rest of the period. Region 2673 (S09, L=119, class/area Dkc/1060 on 08 Sep) quickly overtook Region 2674 (N14, L=103, class/area Fhc/930 on 03 Sep) in terms of area and magnetic complexity. Region 2673 maintained a very active beta-gamma-delta magnetic group from 04 Sep until it rotated onto the western limb on 10 Sep. This region managed to produce a total of 54 C-flares, 26 M-flares, and 4 X-flares. On 04 Sep, there was an M5/3b flare (R2-Moderate) at 04/2033 UTC with an associated 2100 sfu Tenflare, Type II (estimated velocity 1,472 km/s) radio sweep, and an asymmetric full halo CME first observed in SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery at 04/2048 UTC. On 06 Sep, there was an X9/2b flare (R3-Strong) that occurred at 06/1202 UTC with an associated 14,000 sfu Tenflare, Type II (estimated velocity 1,765 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps, and an asymmetric full halo CME first observed in SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery at 06/1224 UTC. On 10 Sep, an X8 flare (R3-Strong) occurred at 10/1606 UTC with an associated 1,900 sfu Tenflare, Type II (estimated velocity 928 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps and an asymmetric full halo CME first observed in SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery at 10/1600 UTC. A magnetic crochet was observed on solar-facing magnetometers during the X8 flare as well as an EIT wave propagating across the solar disk in SDO/EUV 193 imagery beginning at 10/1557 UTC. The CMEs observed on 04 and 06 Sep was determined to have Earth-directed components. The 10 Sep CME had an estimated plane-of-sky speed around 2,100 km/s; however the bulk of the CME was not Earth-directed. Analysis is still on-going for the event. The M5 flare on 04 Sep and X9 flare on 06 Sep caused an enhancement in the greater than 10 MeV proton flux above the 100 pfu (S2-Moderate) threshold. The enhancement reached the 10 pfu (S1-Minor) threshold at 05/0040 UTC, crossed the 100 pfu threshold at 05/0715 UTC, reached a maximum of 844 pfu at 08/0035 UTC, crossed below the 100 pfu threshold at 08/0620 UTC, and ended at 09/0005 UTC. Another enhancement in the 10 MeV protons and 100 MeV protons occurred with the X8 flare on 10 Sep. The greater than 10 MeV protons increased above the 10 pfu threshold at 10/1645 UTC, crossed the 100 pfu threshold at 10/1705 UTC, and crossed the 1000 pfu (S3-Strong) threshold at 10/1840 UTC. The 100 MeV proton event above 1 pfu began at 10/1625 UTC and reached a maximum of 68 pfu at 10/2215 UTC. The greater than 10 MeV protons are currently above the 1000 pfu threshold at the time of this report. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels throughout the period with a maximum flux of 15,800 pfu observed at 04/1805 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to severe (G4) storm levels. Solar wind parameters began the period under the diminishing influence of a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) from 04-06 Sep. Solar wind speed ranged from 430 to 680 km/s with total field between 3-9 nT. The geomagnetic field was at Quiet to G1 (Minor) storm levels on 04 Sep and quiet to active levels on 05-06 Sep. Late on 06 Sep, the first of two CMEs were observed. The first CME, associated with the M5 flare on 04 Sep, was first observed passing the DSCOVR spacecraft at 06/2308 UTC. Total field increased to 16 nT at 06/2324 UTC and solar wind increased to a maximum of 610 km/s at 06/2309 UTC. The Bz component was mostly north for this event with minor fluctuations to -10 nT. Then on 07 Sep, the second CME reached the DSCOVR spacecraft further increasing total field to a maximum of 34 nT at 07/2254 UTC while the Bz component deflected southward for nearly 5 hrs. reaching a maximum of -32 nT. Solar wind increased to a maximum of 842 km/s at 08/0848 UTC before slowly decreasing to near 530 km/s by 10 Sep. Total field increased once more at 08/1121 UTC to a maximum of 18 nT while the Bz component went southward to a maximum of -17 nT. The Bz component stayed mostly negative throughout the rest of the day on 08 Sep. Geomagnetic sudden impulses of 21 nT (Fredericksburg magnetometer) were observed at 06/2348 UTC and 70 nT at 07/2304 UTC with the arrival of both CMEs. The geomagnetic field responded with quiet to G4 (severe) storm levels on 07 Sep, active to G4 (severe) storm levels on 08 Sep, quiet to unsettled levels on 09 Sep, and quiet to active levels on 10 Sep. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 11 SEPTEMBER-7 OCTOBER 2017 Solar activity is expected to be at R1-R2 (Minor to Moderate) levels on 11 Sep as Region 2673 rotates further around the west limb. A decrease to very low to low levels is expected from 12-21 Sep. Another increase to R1-R2 levels is likely with the return of old Region 2673 on the visible disk on 22 Sep-05 Oct followed by a decrease to very low to low levels on 06-07 Oct. The greater than 10 MeV proton event in progress is likely to continue through 14 Sep while the greater than 100 MeV proton event is likely to drop below the 1 pfu threshold by 12 Sep barring any further enhancements. There is a chance for another greater than 10 MeV proton event above the 10 pfu (S1-Minor) level from 22 Sep-06 Oct due to the return of old Region 2673 to the visible disk. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 11-12 Sep, 14-20 Sep, and 28 Sep-07 Oct due to CH HSS influence. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 11-17 Sep and 27 Sep-02 Oct with G1 (Minor) levels likely on 13-16 Sep and 27-29 Sep due to recurrent CH HSS activity. G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm levels are likely on 13 Sep due to a combination of CH HSS activity and the possibility of a glancing blow enhancement from the 10 Sep CME. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2017 Sep 11 0813 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 2017-09-11 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2017 Sep 11 85 10 4 2017 Sep 12 83 12 4 2017 Sep 13 81 40 6 2017 Sep 14 84 34 5 2017 Sep 15 83 30 5 2017 Sep 16 83 20 5 2017 Sep 17 83 10 3 2017 Sep 18 84 5 2 2017 Sep 19 85 5 2 2017 Sep 20 85 8 3 2017 Sep 21 88 5 2 2017 Sep 22 90 5 2 2017 Sep 23 92 8 3 2017 Sep 24 95 5 2 2017 Sep 25 98 8 3 2017 Sep 26 105 5 2 2017 Sep 27 110 20 5 2017 Sep 28 115 20 5 2017 Sep 29 120 20 5 2017 Sep 30 125 18 4 2017 Oct 01 125 15 3 2017 Oct 02 120 12 3 2017 Oct 03 115 8 3 2017 Oct 04 110 5 2 2017 Oct 05 100 5 2 2017 Oct 06 95 5 2 2017 Oct 07 90 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1895, DXLD) GLENN`S PROPAGATION OUTLOOK FOR MEDIA NETWORK PLUS AS OF SEPT 14, 2017 Keith, From Spaceweather Services Australia, the global HF propagation forecast thru Sept 16: normal at low latitudes, normal to fair at middle latitudes, fair to normal at high latitudes. From Spaceweather South Africa thru September 16, magnetic conditions minor storm to active; shortwave fadeouts unlikely, MUF unstable. From Met Office UK thru September 17: solar activity very low. Geomagnetic activity Unsettled to G1/Minor Storms (K index of 3-5) through September 17); most likely on the 16th. From F K Janda in Prague, Geomagnetic field will be: quiet to active on September 15, 17 - 18, 23, 26 - 27, 30, October 1 active to disturbed on September 16, 28 - 29 quiet to unsettled September 19, 22, 25, October 2 - 4 quiet on September 20, 24 mostly quiet on September 21 From Space Weather Canada, the magnetic activity forecast: greatest DRX nanoteslas in the polar, auroral and subauroral zones September 16, 27 and October 4. From the Space Environment Predixion Center, China: planetary A index declining from 26 September 15, to 3 on September 21, up to 22 on the 27th. 10.7 cm solar flux rising from 64 September 15, to 88 on the 23rd to 25th. From SWPC in Boulder: Solar flux rising from 83 on September 15 to a peak of 125 September 30 and October 1. Geomagnetic field unsettled to active September 11-17 and 27 to October 2, with G2 moderate to G1 Minor levels likely thru September 16 with A and K indices declining to 30 and 5 on the 15th. Another peak to 20 and 5 on September 27 to 29. Lowest A`s and K`s of 5 and 2 or 8 and 3 on September 18-26. William Hepburn`s VHF UHF DX Maps show extreme tropospheric ducting along the east and west coasts of Baja California September 16 and 17; increasingly off the northwest coast of Africa at least thru September 19; As we are entering equinoxial conditions, All week at least thru the 19th as follows: across the central and eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea; the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea; between Mozambique and Madagascar, and off the northwest coast of Australia: all week (via DXLD) ###