** SWEDEN. (17.2 kHz VLF), it`s United Nations Day, Oct 24, 2020, and
time for another broadcast of SAQ in Grimeton, Sweden, 200 kW via the
historic Alexanderson Alternator.
https://alexander.n.se/saq-grimeton-transmission-on-october-24th-2020/?lang=en
I know I can`t get it direct, so monitor the event via their live
YouTube stream which was to start at 1430 UT. After breakfast, I bring
it up at 1449. A woman MC is speaking but we can`t hear a word she
says, drowned out by the huge noises of the machinery. And there is no
captioning. Perhaps in Swedish so I could not understand her anyway.
But as a camera wanders around, we have great views in the hall, not
only of the AA but associated stuff, huge control panels with lots of
switches and meters. At 1451, we can barely hearsee a test
transmission as the relays are clicking and flashing, VVV DE SAQ.
1453, a man is talking but again unhearable; at 1454 a full test ID,
VVV VVV VVV DE SAQ SAQ SAQ. 1456, camera goes outside for a quieter
view of the antenna towers, 1457 back inside, still noisy. The few
people in the hall are not masked, but some are wearing ear mufflers.
1500, the official transmission starts as we see the operator keying
with his right hand. Cannot hear it! But sporadic views of the readout
on a nearby laptop. Website says ``We are proud to announce that this
year’s message has been composed by Anders Tegnell – Chief
Epidemiologist Public Health Agency of Sweden.`` I notice one error in
the display, missing a dit, ``ewidemiologist``. This runs until 1509.
Of course he is warning about COVID-19.
Disappointingly, at no time during the broadcast could we see any
motion by the AA, just its huge black casing. Noise starts to
diminish; 1511 finally we have a view of AA shafts still spinning,
running down? Some of these look cupric, while exteriors are all
painted black. 1511.5 a bell rings. 1512 can overhear a bit of
conversation in Swedish, again at 1516. 1518 noise finally stops
completely, turned off.
A concert of song by soprano and keyboard accompaniment has been
scheduled for 1520. At 1527 several audience members start to take
their seats --- do not see any masks. MC speaks off-mike. Mike for
singer appears to be for PA in the very echoey hall, not direct
connect to camera, so we are picking them up out of the loudspeakers,
never a good idea. Most of the songs seem to be in Swedish, but at
1545, one in English which I still cannot understand. YT shows only
400 viewing, but declining toward 300 as time goes on. Music ends at
1558; back outside at 1559 for another view of the towers and a
fountain; finishes at 1601*. I assume this sesquihour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OErGFaT1esI
will remain available indefinitely for later audioviewing, just like
the previous half-sesquihour from July 5, 2020 which then started
autoplaying unbidden.
Meanwhile I was observing the live ``top chat`` sidebar, indicating
lots of people were trying to hear 17.2 kHz, some successfully, or at
least via UTwente. A few selected items:
``Pop Tibi: yes the frequency drifts a bit, depending on the load on
the alternator's driving motor
David J.C. CORTVRIENT: NO MASKS 😬 be carrefull PLEASE
David Newkirk: Long live the UN! Long live SAQ!
David Newkirk: Karl-Arne: How much mains power v VLF output?
David Newkirk: Radio as Art, and now Art after Radio.
Glenn Hauser: Tnx for streaming this as far as Oklahoma. Hello, David
Newkirk
Phil Erickson: @Glenn Hauser --- Thanks for decades of DX and SW
listening reports - still receiving through WOR. W1PJE
David Newkirk: Hi, Glenn!
World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station: Stay tuned for a concert with
live music, when Anna-Louise Ekman perform beautiful tones in the
transmitter hall. Later on, we will also start the laser art work
"Transmission". [I missed that!]
World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station: Due to the non working
microphone, Managing Director Camilla Lugnet´s speech will be posted
in the comments after the transmission.``
This ended just in time for me to catch Independent Lens, which I also
recommend if you can find it via PBS:
``Independent Lens - Feels Good Man #2202 - OETA WORLD - DESCRIPTION:
Follow artist Matt Furie, creator of the comic character Pepe the
Frog, as he begins an uphill battle to take back his iconic cartoon
image from those who use it for their own purposes [such as Alex
Jones]. Duration: 1:26:46`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 2057 monitoring: slept thru Sat Oct
24 at 1130 on WRMI 9955 - did anyone hear it?
Confirmed, Sat Oct 24 at 1318 the 1300 on WRMI 15770, S9+10 but with
hum, and modulation rather than signal seems to be fading down at
times. Next:
1930vUT Saturday WA0RCR 1860-AM
2300 UT Saturday WRMI 7780 to NE
0300vUT Sunday WA0RCR 1860-AM [nominal 0315; as late as 0400]
0030 UT Monday WRMI 7730 to WNW
0130 UT Monday WRMI 7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday WRMI 7780 to NE, 5800 to SSE
0300vUT Monday WBCQ 6160v Area 61 to WSW
0330 UT Monday WRMI 9955 [jammed?] to SSE
1800vUT Monday IRRS 7290 Bulgaria to WNW, 594-Italy
0100 UT Tuesday WRMI 7780 to NE
0330 UT Tuesday WRMI 5800 to SSE
2100 UT Wednesday WBCQ 7490v to WSW
2200 UT Wednesday WRMI 9955 to SSE [jammed?] [NEW]
0100 UT Thursday WRMI 7780 to NE
Full schedule including AM, FM, webcasts, satellite, podcasts:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
Contributions to support these non-commercial services may
be sent via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com -
not necessarily in US funds
One may also contribute via money order or check in US funds
on a US bank to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. 9395, I have not yet rechecked this WRMI myself, fortunately
not affecting WOR, but on the WOR iog October 24:
``Subject: [WOR] WRMI 9395 kHz Update ---- As posted to the WRMI FB
page: "0530 UTC Friday October 23 - Update on WRMI Transmitter 6 (9395
kHz). Our engineers repaired the capacitor problem and we were able to
get the transmitter back on the air. Unfortunately it appears that the
power surge which caused the initial problem also damaged something in
the modulator section, which means the audio is extremely distorted.
They are continuing to track down that problem. In the meantime, we
are moving the programs that are normally on 9395 kHz from 2200-0100
UTC over to the nearby frequency of 9455 kHz, and we are extending our
schedule on 9955 kHz to 1200-0400 UTC." -- Richard Langley``
Bob Biermann, GA, replies: ``I have been on the phone, and this one is
not going to be easy to fix. Many of the parts are no longer
available, and it may take a reworking of the audio section. For those
that think that these units are easy to fix, or can be affordably
replaced, they can’t. This type of problem may take a few days to a
few weeks to resolve`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. 4980, Oct 24 at 0535, no trace of WRMI, and not for some
time, I realize as I ponder the JBA carrier on 5040. Altho not on its
skedgrid, WRMI had been running 4980 QRP, maybe exciter only,
sometimes with music modulation detected (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
** U S A. 5085, Oct 24 at 0533, WTWW-2 with S9+40 of dead air, along
with JBA parasitic spurs about 5072 & 5098 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
UNIDENTIFIED. 5040, Oct 24 at 0534, JBA carrier in absence of RHC
which has been off all evening. May be same one heard at 0030 which
could have been India, but certainly not now. Not Vanuatu either.
Possibly RHC with exciter only of a few watts; some utility; or who
knows? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)
This report dispatched at 1839 UT October 24
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/article.php?story=20201024191503325