[IRCA] Mostly Mexican MW DX to Enid OK, March 14-20, 2014

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

These logs are excerpts from my daily all-band reports, mainly SWBC, also VHF/UHF, sometimes utility, ham, which may be found in several archives without much delay, such as
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=Hauser

And compiled weekly along with extensive news from many other individuals and publications in DX LISTENING DIGEST:
http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html

All my MW DX reports starting August 2011 are archived in this forum with open access:
http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?6543-MW-DX-from-Enid-OK-by-Glenn-Hauser/page21

All times and dates strictly UT. Rx: mostly DX-398 with internal antenna only; or Sony SRF-59 as specified; Nissan stock caradio as specified; FRG-7 with E-W longwire as specified

Last week my single post showed up more than once on some lists. I don`t know why, and I am not doing it!

** MEXICO. 540, March 18 at 1201 UT, XE NA, 1202 ``Los 40 Principales`` produced ID, so XEWA San Luís Potosí SLP; atop the QRM, but still can`t believe this is anywhere near original power of 150/150 kW any more, as still in Cantú, WRTH, IRCA. IRCA Mexican Log, BTW altho agreeing on the slogan/format, also says it relays XEW 900; I don`t think that`s Top 40, tho also no longer a dominant signal, unbelievable ``250/250 kW``. Eastern Mexico beyond the border is still on CST until April 6; thus the NAs at 6 am local = 12 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UNIDENTIFIED: 1700

** MEXICO. 570, March 18 at 1202 UT, XE NA, 1203 ID as XEBJB with address in Monterrey NL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. 720, March 18 at 1206 UT, full ID for Saltillo, Coahuila station, i.e. XEDE, 8/0.25 kW per Cantú, still mixing with WGN; probably just after XE NA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. 860, March 18 at 1208 UT, between songs gives quick phone number, ``llámenos``; romantic music, 1212 PSA string starting with ``un minuto contra el cáncer`` with a website http://unminuto.com which forwards to http://1minuto.org sponsored by INCan = Instituto Nacional de Cancerología --- then something in Monterrey, federales for some Consejo, and the Senado; jingles I can`t understand but one sounds like ``Radio A``. Cantú shows it`s XENL, R. Recuerdo, Monterrey NL, 5/2 kW. Has overcome QRM including nearby KKOW KS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. UNIDENTIFIED. 1700, March 18 at 1245 UT, as I am monitoring KKLF Richardson TX, which has just flipped from 24/7 comedia en inglés to Tejano, I am very surprised to hear some unmistakable notes of the Mexican NA, ``Mexicanos al grito de guerra`` mixed with the music from KKLF. No Mexicans are known on 1700 except in BCN, which funxions as a US station with sports in English, and this is not from the west. Quarter-hour is also a very odd time for any Mexican to be national-antheming, unless it`s signing on/off. 

Conceivably a US Mexican-format station might play it (inconceivable that any Mexican would ever play the SSB even if it programs in English), but strongly suspect we have a new XE on 1700! KVNS Brownsville is coming in well even later than this, so Mexico westward from that longitude should also be propagable (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1713, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. 1700 new station: re my unID heard with Mexican anthem at 1245 UT, Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla in the DF writes: ``Hola Glenn, estoy nuevamente escuchando música mexicana [KKLF] en los 1700 kHz por detrás de la texana en inglés [KVNS]. 

Me informa mi amigo Héctor García Bojorge que, de acuerdo a la página del Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones de México hay el registro de una radiodifusora permisionada con el indicativo nominal XEFCSM ubicada en Mérida, Yucatán con autorización para emitir con 50 kW en el día y 1 kW en la noche. La fecha del permiso es a partir de abril del 2013 [sic] y está a cargo de la Fundación Cultural para la Sociedad Mexicana, A.C. Quizá sea esta emisora que esté realizando pruebas. El permiso para XEFCSM es en los 1700 kHz. Enviado desde mi iPad. Saludos, Julián``. 

Mérida sunrise/sunset currently: 1203/0009 UT. I asked our correspondent in Yucatán about this, and he promptly replies March 19:

``Estimado Sr. Hauser: Posiblemente se trate de pruebas de una emisora católica (ver 
http://www.thestationofthecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Travel_Guide_111513.pdf
aunque recordemos que el gobierno mexicano ha sido muy restrictivo por lo que es probable que esté a nombre de una asociación civil (A.C.) y no asociación religiosa (A.R.); algunas organizaciones religiosas en el pasado se investieron de agrupaciones culturales a fin de operar sin acoso gubernamental en el pasado. 

En el cuadrante (dial) en Mérida la mayoría de las estaciones están en la onda media en frecuencias bajas y medianas y la mayoría de los receptores solo llegan a 1600 o 1650 a lo mucho (me parece que tengo por ahí uno que llega a los 1700 tal vez; es algo viejo y voy a verificarlo). 

Hace algún tiempo estuve conversando con la locutora Alma Estrada de Radio María y nos comentó que su estación dejó de rentar una frecuencia de 930 kHz XEUL debido a que pretendía migrar en Cadena Rasa Yucatán a la FM (cosa que al parecer no han completado y han tenido problemas con algunas frecuencias de AM y FM en su transmisión según le pregunté a una de sus locutoras) y luego rentaron 760 kHz XEYW al Grupo Rivas, aunque recientemente al parecer dejaron de hacerlo pues ya no se escucha. De todas maneras me he puesto en contacto con la locutora a ver lo que me contesta; apenas me diga le respondo. Atte.: Ing. Civ. Israel González Ahumada, M.I.``

That Catholic Radio Update Travel Guide dated November 15, 2013, does include this: ``Mérida, Yucatán XEFCSM † 1700`` the dagger meaning ``not on air yet, but may soon be`` and another symbol, an `m` with a tail, signifying Radio María (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1713, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** MEXICO [and non]. 1700, March 20 at 1240-1250 UT, I am closely monitoring for signs of XEFCSM, after hearing the Mexican national anthem yesterday at 1245 under KVNS and KKLF --- but no sign of it today. At this hour, on this day, conditions from north are more favorable, with KBGG Iowa and KKLF mixing more than KVNS.

Explaining my [sic] about a 2013 licensing date for XEFCSM, Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla says, ``Glenn, efectivamente el permiso para esta emisora es a partir del 30 de abril del 2013 al 29 de abril del 2025, es decir lleva casi un año de haber obtenido el permiso, saludos, Julián``. 

So it`s been almost a year since then. I also summarize what he said earlier: Authorized for 50 kW day, 1 kW night. Licensee is the Cultural Foundation for Mexican Society (whose initials in Spanish match the callsign XEFCSM). However, Catholic Radio Update claims it as one of their own, in the Radio María group, which is why I assumed on WORLD OF RADIO that the `SM` refers to ``Santa María``. The CRU Catholic Travel Guide station listing previously linked shows several others in Mexico with obviously related calls, all on FM:

MEXICO (In Spanish) 
Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua XEWR        1110 
Cuernavaca, México       XHFCSM † .  94.1 
Culiacán, Sinaloa        XHFCS .     90.3 
Guadalajara, Jalisco     XELT .       920 
Mérida, Yucatán          XEFCSM † .  1700 
Puebla, Puebla           XHPBP † .  106.7 
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco XHFSM .    100.7 
San Luís Potosí, SLP     XHCSM † .  107.9 
Villahermosa, Tabasco    XEVA .       790 
Villahermosa, Tabasco    XHVA .      91.7  

The daggers indicate ``† Station is not on the air but may soon be`` and another symbol which won`t copy means all except XEWR are with Radio Maria. 

Overt religious, including Catholic broadcasting is supposedly prohibited in México, which makes their radio and TV dials a breath of fresh air compared to the USA, but gospel huxters are working around this obstacle. If there were no restrixions, you can bet that there would be dozens/hundreds of such stations, not just the dizaine above.

Israel González Ahumada`s comments said: remember that the Mexican government has been very restrictive, so it is probable that this station is registered as a civic association, not a religious association. Several religious organizations in the past invested in cultural groups in order to operate without governmental harassment.

Anyhow, further monitoring of 1700 is essential! I`ve yet to see any other logs of XEFCSM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic carrier search, March 17 at 0131-0135 UT: I`m mainly trying the new PL-880 on SW, but altho it can tune in 9 kHz steps on MW, detecting TA carriers is easier on the DX-398 with offset BFO, so back to it: 541, 891, 909, 1044, 1053, 1152, 1206, 1215, 1503, 1512, 1521. Especially strong is 1521, but still can`t peel off any Saudio next to 1520 KOKC it hets (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Pacific MW JBA carrier search March 18: 774 kHz at 1207, 1215, and 1237 UT; 594 kHz at 1215 UT; both likely Japan; 1053 kHz at 1217 UT, likely Korea; and 1215 kHz at 1218 UT. 

1215 is an unusual one for TP: checking WRTH 2013, highest powers are two 50 kW in China and one in Thailand; no hi-power Japanese or Koreans. BTW, the Asia/Pacific frequency list on page 536 lacks the `1224` entry below 1215, starting over with AUS after the last 1215, TWN. So write it in. Enid sunrise today 1238 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

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