A bit of China today, and also a brief (~1543-1550UT) pre-sunrise enhancement that had a number of odd Japanese high band channels popping up; unfortunately, quite a number had only "near-imaginary" audio which couldn't really get past the splatter, so didn't count. In addition, NHK2 signed off again today at 1440UT (New Year's Day already in Japan, more important things to do), so the good carrier strengths after that time didn't translate to audio.

pretty darn good audio (all of it understandable by a native speaker, at least briefly):

972 HLCA 1540UT

Reasonable audio at times during the period (much of it understandable by a native speaker, though often battling with splash or noise):

594 JOAK 1601UT

1566 HLAZ man in Chinese 1547UT (reprises at weaker strength with Russian at 1633UT, and Korean at 1723UT also noted)

1593 CNR1 //945 1549UT

not so reasonable audio, occasional words or phrases in splash or noise could be understood by a native speaker:

945 CNR1 //1593 1545UT

1422 JORF man in Japanese 1546UT

1575 VoA, ID by man 1600UT

Burbles in the splatter and noise (if lucky, language might be guessed at by cadence of talk, or parallel established by changes in talk or music)

1017 island vocals 1515UT, likely Tonga

1098 CNR1 //6175 1538UT

1269 HBC synchros //1287 1545UT

1287 JOHR man talking, Japanese intonation 1545UT //1269

1494 overexcited woman talking, Japanese intonation 1550UT

Strongish het, no or "near imaginary" audio (either undermodulated or ravaged by splatter)
603 693 702 738 747 774 828 873 756 864 918 936 1017 1089 1107 1116 1134 1242 1314 1332 1368 1386 1431 1449 1458 1485 1503 1512 1539 1557 seemed to be Asian;
702 738 1098 seemed to be DU

best wishes,

Nick

Nick Hall-Patch
Victoria, BC
Canada