[HCDX] Glenn Hauser logs November 21-23

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

** ALBANIA [and non]. Trying again to hear R. Tirana`s NAm service on new B-07
frequency 9915, Nov 22 at 2104, but could barely detect a carrier under high
noise level in this range, which is also subject to desensitization by
super-strong Pastor Pete Peters from WWCR 9975. That overloads the receiver
also risking cross-modulation on other 9 MHz stations if attenuation is not
applied. But R. Tirana with fair signal on 7430 at 2107, so again the European
service makes it while the NAm does not. I am sure RT would like to know how
well 9915 makes it into the east coast, as would I (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

** ANTARCTICA. Looking for LRA36, Nov 22 around 2000, not audible, but
rechecked at 2046 could barely hear some music on 15476, not 15475. 2101 some
talk mentioning Esperanza, and more music which was cut off in progress at
2102:15 and the carrier off a few seconds later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** CHINA [non]. An undermodulated discussion in English about e/immigration
from/to Ireland caught my ear on 13630, Nov 22 at 2036. Shortly later it became
clear this was just CRI, as the topic became the first Irish study center in
China. It`s 111 degrees from Bamako, Mali.

On 7285, Nov 22 at 2128, sports report in American English had me guessing;
another non-African VOA service not // African service on 6080? After 2131,
Chinese-accented woman joined in, about computers. Apparently the
domestic-cum-external hour from CRI, in scheduled relay via Cërrik, Albania
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CHINA [and non]. 9355, Nov 22 at 2013, Firedrake fairly good, but QRM from
WYFR in German altho really targeted at RFA in Chinese via Saipan. Fortunately,
Firedrake VG in the clear on 9455 at 2106, also against RFA Chinese via Saipan
but RFA inaudible on either frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CUBA. Sat with BFO on 5955 from 2255 UT Nov 21 to see what would happen with
Radio República and the DentroCuban Jamming Command. At about 2257:30 the first
signs of jamming were heard and built up steadily to full level at 2300 as more
transmitters were added, but never any sign of RR carrier on 5954 by 2302 when
I quit. Well, at least this ties up some jammers which might be doing more
damage elsewhere (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CUBA. This is hardly news, but RHC still doesn`t have its act together. Nov
22 at 2028 on 11800 I heard the outroduxion of the Portuguese service at 2000,
claiming it was on 17750. I quickly punched up that frequency on another
receiver, but nothing heard. At 2029, 11800 introduced the RHC Arabic service
(for all those Arabs in the Caribbean, never mind Europe, Africa and the
Mideast; rather like Taiwan, q.v. broadcasting in French to Greenland.) At 2032
tuned over to 11760 to reconfirm RHC`s English service, which does not exist
according to their own schedule. There it was, but with heavy ACI from WHRI
11765, and // 9505. 11760 was running a good two seconds behind weaker but
clearer 9505! Could Arnie explain how that happens? Strange. The 2030-2130
English broadcast was originally for Europe, but apparently due to lack of
suitable antenna, they don`t say where it`s for, but presumably North America.
Aoki shows broadcasts before/after this hour on both frequencies as 100 kW
non-direxional

I see that both Aoki and EiBi do not list this 2030-2130 English broadcast on
either frequency, leaving a gap during that hour. Apparently they prefer to
believe the disinformative schedule from RHC itself than my repeatedly reported
reconfirmation by monitoring that this transmission exists! Geez; why do I
bother? Well, those who do read my reports have the correct info about this
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ECUADOR [non]. 12025, VG signal in Arabic at 2143 Nov 22, but at 2144:30 cut
to RCI IS and IDs for a semiminute until 2145* This is one of those
multi-layered gospel huxter services, which HFCC classifies as HCJB via Merlin
via Sackville, 250 kW, 73 degrees to CIRAF 37 and 38NW, i.e. Iberia, Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Libya. This confusing transmission is missing from Eibi, and
Aoki has A07 info as via Rampisham. It does switch sites depending on season,
so tnx to RCI for leaving no doubt about it currently.

Let us approach identifying this from HCJB. This page makes no mention of
Canada as one of the relay sites they use, but UK is mentioned:
http://www.hcjb.org/mass_media/radio/broadcast_sites.html

This schedule, besides being out of date and linked as ``international
shortwave`` does not mention any Arabic nor anything but Pifo site:
http://www.hcjb.org/docs/radio/HCJB_A07_Sched.pdf
No, you get nothing if you change A to B! 

Where do you find a COMPLETE HCJB SW schedule including relay sites? Not from
them directly, it seems. Try searching the site on Arabic, and you get 53
articles going back a few years, but I just want to know what this 2100 UT
broadcast is. No, I am not going to go thru all 53 of them, but something looks
familiar at #50 from 8 April 2005, in part:

``HCJB World Radio reaches across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe with
Christian Arabic programming aired via shortwave, satellite and local stations.
The Radio Al Mahabba (Radio Love) Arabic satellite network airs programs
direct-to-home 24 hours a day.`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** EGYPT [and non]. Checked R. Cairo`s European frequency 6250, Nov 21 at 2237
to see whether reactivated Equatorial Guinea is colliding with it. No sign of
the latter, so maybe confined to local mornings if still on the air as reported
recently. Cairo was playing Arab music, pausing at 2237 for the YL announcer to
close the English service until 2115 the next day; her modulation on mic was
more distorted than the music before and after. No further announcements were
made, as music kept playing until 2245 brief tone and off. Surely a better
signal even here than the so-called North American service from 2300 on 9465,
often inaudible with low MUFs.

Since I was monitoring T-giving afternoon at a time I usually don`t, I checked
to see how early R. Cairo could be heard on 48m. Nov 22 at 2039 it was
definitely there, but marred by slightly off-frequency 2-way SSB, which is
after all, what belongs in this frequency range. 6290 in Arabic was also barely
audible. Checked 6250 again just before 2115, and timesignal, six seconds late
compared to WWV, so why bother? And opening English with age-old Cairo theme;
what`s the name of it? Again no sign of Equatorial Guinea on 6250, and Brian
Alexander says he heard it in the morning only on Nov 17. That may have been a
special temporary reactivation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ETHIOPIA [and non]. Nov 21 check of jamming against DW Amharic: earlier in
the 1400 UT hour, just noise on 15645 and 15660, but at 1452 around 15645 there
were oscillating tones, and less so but detectable on 15660. Already at 1456
the jamming went off 15645. As usual, DW itself was audible only on 15660.

DW, 9690 via Kigali, 295 degrees, English to WAf, Nov 22, after news about
Uganda at 2016, at 2019-2023 interviewed the head of DW`s Amharic service,
Ludgar Sadowski (sp?) about the recently started Ethiopian jamming. Among the
points: it was first detected by DW`s in-house monitors on Nov 11 against the
service`s two frequencies [WTFK? 15640, 11645], and `yesterday` also against
the third [15660]; and there is also jamming against 3/5 of the VOA Amharic
frequencies. The jamming will ultimately backfire, but DW is not pointing
fingers at who is behind it; however, DW Intendant Bettermann has written to
the Ethiopian ambassador in Berlin asking him to look into it. There has been a
clampdown on press freedom in Ethiopia since the elexions of May 2005. 

As usual, DW makes you go thru multiple steps until you finally find their
current English SW radio PROGRAM (as opposed to frequency or transmission)
schedule. Saving you the trouble, here it is:
http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_pdf/0,,2530152,00.pdf

Which however does NOT show the frequency I was listening to, 9690, but rather
ex-9735. It does show that the program was the 25-minute (short) version of
Newslink. I am looking for the audio file to reference. Back on the
audio-on-demand page, however, checked after 2300 UT, already replacing the
2005 edition, we get the 2105 UT edition of Newslink, which does NOT include
this story which should have started about :14 minutes into the file. Also, you
have to choose the real version if you want to be able to move immediately into
the file, not the mp3 or wm versions, altho the latter show the length of the
file and the embedded real player does not. What a mess and a waste of time
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** GERMANY. Jamming of Amharic: see ETHIOPIA [and non]

** INDONESIA. Nov 21 not so good a day for 60m Indos, but RRI Serui was still
audible, unlike the others, just music at 1415. I have seen reports of this as
4606, so I measured it to 4604.9 or so (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
See also LIBERIA [non]; USA WHRA

Solar-terrestrial indices for 20 November follow. Solar flux 70 and
mid-latitude A-index 24. The mid-latitude K-index at 1200 UTC on 21 November
was 4 (59 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate.
Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level occurred. No space weather storms are
expected for the next 24 hours (SWPC via DXLD)

** LIBERIA [non]. Star Radio, via Ascension, 9525, Nov 21 at 0703 with YL
reading news about Liberia; modulation was somewhat muffled, not what I would
expect from VTC/Merlin. Also weak het from 9526, but not really a problem,
presumably Indonesian carrier already on. The next morning, Brian Alexander
heard Radio Okapi instead of Star, quite a mixup? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. XEYU, Radio UNAM is usually on when checked lately, such as Nov 22
at 2026 with classical vocal music, somewhere between 9599.2 and 9599.3, atop
whatever was hetting from 9600.0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SEYCELLES [non]. Strong Arabic signal on 9550, Nov 22 at 2013 I first
assumed was RHC until I found Cuba really opening their Arabic at 2029 on
11800, just as 9550 was going off at 2030. So looking that up, I find it`s
really FEBA via Kigali, 30 degrees to the ME daily at 1900-2030 (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also SPAIN

** SPAIN [and non]. REE`s main frequency to NAm, 9630, marred by BBCWS in
English underneath, Nov 22 at 2015; BBC was // if not exactly synchronized with
15400 and 17830 Ascension, whilst 9630 is Seychelles at 270 degrees until 2100.
I wonder why BBC continues from its Seychelles site, while FEBA found it too
costly to continue theirs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SRI LANKA. 7595 with something in Central Asian language, Nov 21 at 1447,
and giving a www at 1451; RTTY QRM on high side. EiBi and HFCC say it`s R.
Liberty in Tajik via Iranawila, 348 degrees, so also favoring NAm (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TAIWAN [non]. R. Taiwan International, 13695 // 11665, in French news
headlines, constantly interrupted by bits of music, as if giving the news
straight would be too boring! Both are via WYFR: 11665 is 44 degrees to Europe,
while 13695 is 355 degrees for Canada east of 90W plus Greenland. Not too many
broadcasts in French to Greenland, I expect. Thank you, RTI (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [and non]. With so many new immigrants, legal or otherwise, in the
USA, who need to learn English, why not convert the VOA into another Radio
Canada Internal? VOA already has Special English on Greenville 11975 aimed at
Africa but plenty strong back here in the heartland, as noted Nov 22 at 1950.
This would doubtless give VOA a higher profile inside the country, which is
apparently what RCI was looking for. Only a slight change in name would be
necessary, Voice of Americans, or Voice of American English.

African Beat was inbooming on 13710, Nov 22 at 2037 giving phone and e-mail
addresses. During this hour only, 13710 is via Botswana, 350 degrees.

During the next hour are other music programs for Africa, but on different
frequencies. 15580 Greenville at 21-22 only is primary, unless MUF and skipzone
do not cooperate, but also heard it not exactly synchronized on 6080, at 2108
Nov 22, which is São Tomé at 335 degrees; quickly tuned out when they talked
about America Idol. Who cares? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For RFA
non-logs, see CHINA; R. Liberty: SRI LANKA

** U S A. AFN, 7811-USB, Nov 22 at 2122 was still/again cutting out more than
in, during feature about Thanksgiving from census.gov, and still cutting out,
somewhat less, during Clark somebody`s talk show about VOIP. Isn`t anybody
responsible for this transmission paying attention? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. WHRA, 7520, Nov 21 at 2219 had some weaker CW on 7519 needing no BFO
other than WHRA carrier. Cadence sounded like cut numbers, groups of 5, but did
not make sure of this. I did hear `AR` run together which I don`t think is part
of usual spy letters messages. 

WHRA used to be on 11765 at the same time, but now it`s WHRI scheduled, Nov 21
at 2226, 315 degree azimuth close to usward, and huge signal accompanied by
noisy sidebands, especially during music. By tuning to 11760 or 11770 one hears
a continuous noise much like DRM, as if there were separate carriers; wonder
what it looks like on a scope. Later at 2253 some speech was little better,
since even during pauses there was background modulation keeping the sideband
hash going.

Checking WHRA, 11785, Thu Nov 22 at 1939, found that contrary to online
schedule, it is not in English, but some unID tonal African language! Another
clandestine broadcast? Maybe just missionary, as variations of ``kristian``
heard periodically, also mentions of Darfur. Tuned in at 1939 with YL talking;
1944 primitive and distorted music break; more talk, 1952 chanting with rustic
musical instruments. Did not catch anything resembling an ID until 1958 when
WHR announced in English QSY to 7520. The online schedule as of Nov 22 just
shows for M-F during this hour:

1908 Mo-Fr 0208 PM 0245 PM Music Lesea Productions 11785
1945 Mo-Fr 0245 PM 0300 PM Moments in Bible Prophecy Ray Shockley 

So I am fairly sure it was neither of these; even if Shockley broadcasts in
unID African tonal language, it was already going before 1945. So what is
this?? Whatever it is, I suspect it is ruining reception of V. of Indonesia`s
French service in Europe during this hour, right? If they are still on 11784.9
instead of 15150v or 9526v (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 9265, Nov 22 at 2013 man speaking over PA about Yahweh; no ID, but am
101% certain this was WMLK as scheduled. The modulation level is no longer very
poor, but fair, and definitely not yet good. Off when rechecked sometime after
2100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. WBCQ couldn`t find the new WOR 1383, so started to play some other
program on 7415, UT Friday Nov 23 at 0030. We had to phone it in, but that
didn`t start until about 0035, and we were cut off at 0100 before the
late-starting program was over. During the first several minutes there was also
crosstalk, evidently the operator on another line or on open mike discussing
this with someone else. It`s always something, with WBCQ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 6855.0 AM, 5-digit Spanish YL numbers on AM, Nov 22 at 2117,
S9+25, in the clear tnx to WYFR`s evacuation to 6875, which at the time was
only S9+20, in English. Recheck at 2137, 6855 still going with numbers, or
maybe repeat of previous transmission. She has a sing-songier style than some
of the other numbers broadcasts, such as:

12180, still no WWRB, but 5-digit Spanish YL spy numbers on AM, Nov 22 at 1936
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 11805, Nov 22 at 1958, carrier with a variety of different tones,
lo and hi, a few seconds each, thru hourtop until off at 2001:30 as splash from
RHC Portuguese 11800 was building up. Per online skeds, the likely source is
SENTECH Meyerton, following the scheduled 1900-1957 relay of RNW in English at
15 degrees, right? Would SENTECH do something like this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) ###


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