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[HCDX] V. of Biafra rediscovered



** BIAFRA [non]. Tuning around during a T-storm requiring internal antenna
only, I came upon a signal in African-accented English and with a very heavy
long-path echo on 15665, Friday Aug 24 at 2035 just as it was IDing as Voice of
Biafra International, Washington DC, and going from English to a local language
(Igbo or Ibo?). 2039 was back in English, talking about Calabar. Was otherwise
occupied for next quarter hour but retune at 2055 found them playing
instrumental multi-national anthem ``God Bless Africa``. (Which god??? Why?);
2058, ID again as V. of Biafra International, WDC, giving frequency as ``15.67
MHz in the 19 meter band? Goodbye, Biafra, and to you until our next broadcast,
good night.``

The last we knew, VOBI was on Saturdays only, for a while also Wednesdays, at
21-22 on 7380 via RSA, but this strong echoey signal on 15665 smax of a WHR
outlet; WHRA which is mainly aimed at Africa? No, WHRI closing ID followed
immediately at 2059, next frequency to be 13640 (which is the BBC relay). No
day(s) mentioned for this transmission, but I soon found it to be the only one
now mentioned, again with incorrect frequency! At
http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm 

``Voice of Biafra International (VOBI)
A SHORTWAVE Radio Broadcast Service
transmitting on 15.67 MHz (on 19 meter band)

at 2000 - 2100 Hours UTC (Universal Time [Coordinated]) 
equivalent to 9.00pm- 10.00pm Biafraland time

every Friday.
A project of Biafra Foundation,  and Biafra Actualization Forum.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The goal of VOBI is to provide and disseminate news and information of
relevance and pressing import to Igbo-Biafra, and to the rest of the world,
using SHORTWAVE Radio..
On September 1, 2001, the maiden broadcast was made.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please support VOBI. Send contributions and donations to:  
Voice Of Biafra International 
1629 K ST. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
TEL NO: 202 508 3795
FAX: 202 508 3759
Email: Biafrafoundation@xxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use the controls to operate the audio; OR, 
You may also use the MediaPlayer version by clicking on the link. (Click here
to download free Microsoft Media Player) 
We apologize for the audio quality which is affected by systemic and technical
limitations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please follow this link to the transcript (text version) of THE NEWS ANALYSIS
SEGMENT only of the Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts.

[new] Also available in transcript form: WOB (Women of Biafra) segment of the
Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) Broadcasts`` 

The above copied from website, most dated info of which is 2006y or earlier.
But just below are audio linx to three previous broadcasts and this latest one:
http://www.biafraland.com/aug2407.wma

Is this on the WHR schedule? Yes, on Angel 1, but incorrectly:
2000 Fr 0400 PM 0500 PM Monday - Friday VOBI Broadcasts Oguchi Nkwocha 17650 

So both the programmer and the transmission provider have it on the wrong
frequency! Note that it is really Friday only, tho the WHR schedule display as
usual is self-contradictory about this.

HFCC has it thus:
15665 2000 2100 46 HRI 250 87 5 250307 281007 D Eng USA HRI FCC 

But has it really been going on this frequency since 25 March and no one has
noticed until now? CIRAF 46 = West Africa from Western Sahara to Biafra. 87 is
the azimuth and 5 is the day of week. HFCC also shows 17650 on air at same time
on Fridays only; is this imaginary?

17650 2000 2100 10 HRI 100 260 5 250307 281007 D Spa,Eng USA HRI FCC 

I don`t find any DX reports of 7380 being heard since mid-April in Japan
Premium, altho DX Mix News Bulgaria was still showing it in May, DXLD 7-060:

``Voice of Biafra International
2100-2200 on  7380 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg to WeAf English Sat
(DX Mix News, Bulgaria, May 22 via DXLD)``

VOBI does not appear on the SENTECH schedule, but I am not sure it ever did
even when it was on 7380:
http://www.sentech.co.za/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=100&bid=25&btitle=Frequencies&meid=65

Searching the WHR site on VOBI turns up another transmission, which is not
mentioned on VOBI`s own site, this one via WHRA:

1915 Mo-Fr 0315 PM 0345 PM We VOBI Broadcasts Oguchi Nkwocha 13710

Note that in this case, WHR displays M-F with the UT, and Wednesday only with
the EDT listing, while just the opposite was the case with the incorrect
frequency, but correct time on Friday! Presumably the 1915-1945 UT one is
really on Wednesdays only, but no telling if 13710 is really the right
frequency.

About the long-path echo, which originally got me to stop and monitor the
frequency 15665: since Furman is roughly 1 kilomile from here, the LP echo must
be coming around from 24 kilomiles away (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)


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