I paid a brief visit to Masset this past week and during this time, I spent
a fair amount of it checking the various AWR transmissions from numerous
sites. Here is a selection of what was heard (and not). All of these,
outside of Guam, cease on October 26th. I'll especially miss the Volondry,
Madagascar AWR transmissions, as reception was virtually always very good.
Any errors are mine alone! 73, Walt Salmaniw
GERMANY 11960, 0302-, AWR Tigrinya Oct 16 Excellent reception in Tigrinya
from Nauen. The only other 03:00 transmission from AWR is a local
broadcast from Madagascar in Malagasy on 6065 kHz. I can see the carrier,
but that's about it from Masset. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
AUSTRIA 11955, 1800-, AWR Arabic Oct 16 Good reception in Arabic to North
Africa. The other listed AWR transmission is on 9900 in Korean from Guam
(100 kW/318 deg), but this one is poor/fair, as there seems to be cochannel
interference (?jamming) and a rumble. Also perhaps it's Radio Cairo's sick
transmitter (that one in Turkish). (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
GERMANY 9780, 2000-, AWR French Oct 15 Fair reception with IS and English
announcement into French programming to North Africa // 9555 (Nauen as
well 250 kW/185 deg) a little weaker. Also on at 20:00 with AWR
programming is 11955 in Dyula language to West Africa at good level
although with a transmitter whistle (Moosbrunn, Austria with 100 kW/210
deg), 11800 in Moore language to West Africa at good to very good level
(Nauen, Germany 250 kW/200 deg), and 9900 in Korean, very poor (Agat, Guam
with 100 kW/315 deg). (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
GERMANY 11790, 2030-, AWR Yoruba Oct 15 Fair reception with IS and English
AWR ID into Yoruba language to West Africa. At same time, French to West
Africa at good to very good level via Moosbrunn, Austria on 15440 with 100
kW/210 deg. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
GERMANY 12040, 2113-, AWR Nigerian Pidgin Oct 18 Very good reception,
although somewhat weak modulation with many English words, giving AWR
address with POB in Nigeria. The only other AWR transmission this half
hour is via Guam in Mandarin at fair level on 11750 (100 kW/315 deg). At
21:30, 12040 switches to Twi language. Interesting that the best SNR
reception is on my 110 deg DKAZ, which just might be off the back end of
the antenna, or via LP otherwise. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
GERMANY 12040, 2100-, AWR Nigerian Pidgin Oct 15 OC with a bit of a buzz,
then AWR sign on at 21:00 with fanfare and announcing Pidgin broadcast.
This is Nigerian Pidgin. Fair to good reception. At same time, 11750 from
Guam (100 kW/315 deg) is in Mandarin but only very poor. (Salmaniw,Masset,
BC)
GUAM 12060, 1530-1559, AWR Tibetan Oct 18 Most days it's in English, but
scheduled in Tibetan on Fridays and Saturdays. Fair reception with
somewhat muddy audio (the speech component). Lots of Tibetan sounding
music. Fair reception. Sign off announcement in English From the
beautiful Pacific island of Guam, this is Adventist World Radio the Voice
of Hope. Now concluding our educational and inspirational program at (?)
100,000 Watts... (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
MADAGASCAR 11850, 1755-, AWR Kiswahili Oct 16 Superb reception (as is so
often the case from Volondry to Masset) with a lovely presumed Swahili
female choir. Listed in the AWR schedule as 'Kiswahili'to East Africa.
Music sounds a lot like Pacific Islands music! To 17:59 without any
announcement, then transmitter cut. During the 17:30 half hour, also heard
were the following AWR transmissions: 17570 in Masai to East Africa at
good level via Nauen (250 kW/115 or 155 deg depending on source...latter
makes more sense), 17725 in Oromo at good level via Nauen (250 kW/145 deg)
to East Africa. Nothing heard on the scheduled Korean broadcast from
Trincomalee on 15530. We now know that the site has been down since late
September. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
MADAGASCAR 11875, 1630-, AWR Somali Oct 15 Unfortunately, a bit of a mess
here due to cochannel CRI Urumqui in Russian. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
MADAGASCAR 11875, 2200-, AWR Vietnamese Oct 15 Superb reception from 22:00
in Vietnamese with a preacher speaking. From Volondry, Madagascar with 250
kW/50 deg. At this hour, also in Dayak to SE Asia on 15320 (poor to fair)
via Tashkent. Mandarin on 9490 (poor to fair) via Tashkent with 100 kW/76
deg, 15625 via Guam (very poor) with 100 kW/330 deg. English 1/2 hour is
not on today despite their schedule of Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday via
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Confirmed by several Indian region SDRs. At
22:30, Javanese is listed on 15320 from Tashkent, but only a carrier is
seen. Too weak for any audio. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
MADAGASCAR 17730, 1613-, AWR Marathi Oct 15 Best AWR transmission during
this half-hour with lovely Indian music with many mentions of AWR. Not
quite armchair copy but close. AWR is closing most of their broadcasts
after the A24 season ends on October 26th. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
MADAGASCAR 17790, 0550-, AWR Arabic Oct 17 Interesting to listen to this
frequency. Good to very good level to before the top of the hour. The
transmitter cut, and within a minute, on came Nauen with an equally good
level (250 kW/200 deg) with AWR fanfare and into French. //for French was
15220 (250 kw/200 deg) also from Nauen. At the same 06:00 hour, Arabic was
superb on 15560 (100 kW/75 deg) via Moosbrunn, Austria. That was a much
more orderly transition compared to the mess on 17515 before and after
02:00!. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
SRI LANKA (NON) 15625, 2308-, AWR Oct 15 No sign at all from AWR
Trincomalee and confirmed that they were not broadcasting in listed
Mandarin via several SE Asian SDRs. The only other AWR transmission during
this time period is in Khmer on 9700 via Tashkent which is only very poorly
heard in Masset. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
TAJIKISTAN 15515, 0200-, AWR English Oct 17 English is transmitted after
the Chinese dialects between 01 and 02 via Tashkent. However, about 14
minutes before the TOH, presumed Dushanbe came on with a very dirty
transmitter on 1514.89 causing quite a loud hum. The OC remained past the
TOH and didn't leave the channel clear until 02:12. Under Tashkent, one
can easily hear the AWR fanfare and announcing English as the next program,
with Tashkent in Chinese dialect continuing until 2 minutes past the TOH
(02:02). Not a pleasant listen due to the clash. Also someone is sending
CW intermittently on 15513 kHz, starting with 'VVV'. Perhaps my
assertion that the off-channel transmitter was from Dushanbe is incorrect.
Sometime before the BOH (I checked and it was 02:12), that trasmitter cut,
so perhaps it was actually Tashkent all along. Still, the Dushanbe
transmitter is VERY dirty with audible medium pitched whine, as well as a
low frequency warble. Preaching until about 02:45, and then music with a
South Asian bent. At 02:57 the usual AWR multi-lingual IDs, and just
before 03:00, announcing that the following program would be in English.
No, the transmitter cut a few seconds after 03:00. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
UZBEKISTAN 15515, 0100-, AWR Min Nan Chinese Oct 16 Excellent reception via
Tashkent (listed, although I really wonder with how strong the signals have
been both last night and tonight). Listed in Min Nan Chinese which sounds
quite a lot softer than Mandarin. Easier on the ears! At 01:30, AWR
fanfare and in English, announced the following program in Cantonese (also
much less harsh compared to Mandarin). Sources list the same site, but at
100 kW but with same azimuth. (Salmaniw,Masset, BC)
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