[HCDX]: Hauser's SW/DX 99-27

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

        GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-27, June 23, 1999

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

THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 994: See topic summary at
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Wor994.html

ALBANIA. On June 23 UT 0130, Radio Tirana's two NAm freqs, 6115 and
7160, were both very strong, but so severely distorted that I could not
make out what was being said except for the frequent references to
"Kosova". I seem to recall Radio Tirana being off the air for a few
days a month or two ago. Apparently their transmitter woes are not
over. (Ivan Grishin, Ont., WORLD OF RADIO 994)

BOLIVIA. In the Swedish SWB, Kenneth Olofsson reports hearing Bolivia's
R Emisora Ballivan (typo for Ballivian -- HK) in San Borja on 4788 Jun 4 
2345-0100 close down with prgr El mensajero tropical. For your info, 
Glenn, an UNID SS was logged by Hill, MA, just after midnight UTC on 
4788. (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, WORLD OF RADIO 994)

CANADA. You'll never believe what I'm hearing on 6975 -- BBC WS, 2300
UT Sun June 20. Sackville relay missing from 6175, so must be a punch-
up error onto RFPI's frequency, which they weren't yet using. Called 
the Sackville plant number listed in PWBR 99, 1-506-536-2690 (or 2691)
and talked to tech on duty John Rose, who said there was an "interface
error in the transmitter control system" (Joe Hanlon, PA) 

I was monitoring and BBC 6975 went off at 2313; 6175 did not immediately
come up but it was on at recheck 2322. Frequency or feed mixups are all
too common at Sackville, so keep the above number handy and do everyone
a favor by advising them if you encounter something like this (Glenn
Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994)

COSTA RICA. RFPI's 21460-USB is still down, but 15049-AM seems to be on
longer hours. I believe it was all-night over the weekend along with
6975, and the last few days has still (or again) been on in the 1200
hour and onwards, with more default repeats of English but subject to 
a 15050 het from India. No Spanish heard until finally at 1313 June 22. 
While 15049 tends to be weakened mid-day and afternoons, apparently due 
to absorption, it's still loud and clear in the morning. (Glenn Hauser)

COSTA RICA. RFPI isn't the only station here broadcsting in English.
TIFC was fair with deep fades on 9644.7 at 1659 check June 23, ending
a seemingly local program with contact info including E-mail address
I couldn't catch. Then ID as "TIFC, international missionary radio, 
illuminating the pathway of your life" and more English after 1700 
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 994)

CUBA. The commie dentro-cubanos have attacked another Miami station
with heavy bubble jamming: Voz Cristiana, transmitted from Chile on
21500, as noted before and after 1700 June 21, burying VC underneath
but no trace of jamming on VC's //21550 which is always stronger here,
aimed at Mexico.

Actually, tho I find their programming of no interest whatsoever, I'd
be surprised if VC has any political content of concern to the dentro-
cubanos. I suspect this is another instance of running jammers far
beyond the necessary hours on a given frequency, i.e. 2100-2200 with
R. Marti, Delano, on 21500, as previously reported. The Cuban commies
are bringing not only shame upon themselves for being so lacking in
self-confidence that they feel jamming is necessary -- but also derision
for being so incompetent in carrying it out (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF
RADIO 994)

IRELAND. RTE has just this week started a special local evening time
broadcast for the benefit of Kosovar Albanian refugees living in 
Ireland. The programming is intended to be mostly in Albanian.
RTE is using two of its domestic Mediumwave frequencies for the
broadcasts, 612 kHz from Athlone (100 kW) // 1278 kHz from Cork City
(10 kW). I believe the special programmes are being prepared in RTE's 
Cork studios from material provided by Radio Albania, BBC World Service,
Deutsche Welle, and others. On-air announcement at 1800 UT, Monday 21 
June, verified intended broadcast time. Converted to UT, it is indeed 
1800 - 1930 UT. Also, the service is not time-driven: 100 minutes would 
be nearer the mark. The programme is officially called "Albanian 
Language Radio Service". It starts with a station ID in Irish and 
Albanian and proceeds to some short interviews with refugees in Ireland 
and then to mostly news and current affairs. There are very rare breaks 
for ethnic music. (Finbarr O'Driscoll, Ireland, June 22, REVIEW OF
INTERNATIONAL BROADCSTING)

MEXICO. XERMX seems to be missing from 9705, let along 5985; several
daytime checks the last few days, including June 23 1248 find no signs
of their signal. And whatever became of their oft discussed and even
more oft delayed plans to finally get their dormant 100 kW transmitter
on the air? (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994)

NICARAGUA [non]. "Asi es Nicaragua" program heard at another time than
Sat 2320 on TIAWR, 9725, Costa Rica, and I expect there are many more;
Mon June 21 ending at 1125, a production of Advent-Estereo, Apartado 97,
Managua; also outro for "Vistazo Internacional" of which "Asi" may be
a subsection; productions for the Adventist satellite network (Glenn
Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994)

UKRAINE. Here is a comment about one item in GHDX 99-26 last week:

>UKRAINE   Most evenings since May 27 I have been hearing RUI Kiev on
17715 at 2100 in En, signal weak but in the clear, probably beamed east, 

Very likely to be a third harmonic of 5905 which in use at 1700-0200 
with 254 degrees. (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, via Wolfgang Bueschel,
WORLD OF RADIO 994)

U K O G B A N I. BBC WS are still making last-minute changes to their
long-published schedule. Sunday June 20 at 1730 on 17840, announced
that World of Music, scheduled for 1930 would be at 1830, and Play of
the Week would be at 1900 instead of 1830 -- something to do with
cricket coverage, tho why not at all clear since it was scheduled at
1515-1730. Furthermore, Letter from America followed at 1731 tho on
June 20 only it was supposed to be replaced by Britain Today. How can
they think they are serving their audience better by not following 
their published schedule?? If BBC insist on broadcasting stupid ball
games, they should always be on a separate frequency with no impact on 
the main streams (Glenn Hauser)

U S A. Awful anti-Semitic rhetoric can be heard on some stations, such
as WGTG 5085 Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 pm EDT. In fact, some of the
exact wording heard there was also associated with the recent synagogue
bombings in California (Loren Cox, KY, June 19, REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL
BROADCASTING)

U S A. As soon as I noticed a sporadic-E opening tearing up OKC 4, 5, 
on up to ch 6, I turned the ATS-909 on FM and started tuning up with
the whip antenna only. There was a skip signal on 89.3 with classical
music, and before I had a chance to think about what it might be,
up popped the ID on the RDS window : "WSCI" which is Charleston SC.
Thank you, very much. Turned out to be carrying NPR syndicated 
classical //KOSU-91.7 but a satellite delay or two behind KOSU, until
KOSU split at 1714 UT June 21 for local PSAs. 

Kept tuning and came upon some new OK RDS'ers -- 94.7 first displayed
from memory WSCI, then switched to the correct "KQSR". And local KOFM
103.1 Enid even has it now with "KOFM" ID. I put these in quotes since 
a station can put anything they want on the RDS, not necessarily the
legal ID, e.g. OKC 101.9's "TWISTER" (Glenn Hauser, OK) 

PROPAGATION

The shortest night of the year is nigh, and checks of 13 meters June
20 showed:  0630, Dubai 21605 loud and clear; RFI on several fqs; 16m:
RTBF via Germany at 07 on 17580 well over R. Australia co-channel;
BBC 17640 audible but very poor at 0700; 0600 NRK on 18950 audible but 
fading at 0615; NHK 0600-0700 fair in English 17825 (Joe Hanlon, 
Philadelphia PA)

Midsummer night and what am I doing? Not frolicking in the woods with
nymphs, but bandscanning 13m at 0530+ UT June 22, which is 2300 LMT:

21790 V of Russia, English
21735 UAE, Arabic
21725 R Australia
21715 ? Qur'an?
21700 Dubai, English news
21660 BBC WS, English, best signal on band; Ascension at this hour?
21630 UAE, Arabic
21560 something
21470 music, BBC?
21460 S Asian lang, kept talking about Pakistan; other country names
      expressed in English. Kuwait?
21455 HCJB SSB  

25820 - it's a different story on 11m, with the only known active ISWBC
outlet, from France, but finally barely heard June 22 in the last few
minutes until 1257* with weak, fluttery French (Glenn Hauser, OK   ###


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