GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-27, June 23, 1999 {Items from this and all our reports may be reproduced and re- reproduced only provided full credit be maintained at all stages} THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 994: See topic summary at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Wor994.html ALBANIA. On June 23 UT 0130, Radio Tirana's two NAm freqs, 6115 and 7160, were both very strong, but so severely distorted that I could not make out what was being said except for the frequent references to "Kosova". I seem to recall Radio Tirana being off the air for a few days a month or two ago. Apparently their transmitter woes are not over. (Ivan Grishin, Ont., WORLD OF RADIO 994) BOLIVIA. In the Swedish SWB, Kenneth Olofsson reports hearing Bolivia's R Emisora Ballivan (typo for Ballivian -- HK) in San Borja on 4788 Jun 4 2345-0100 close down with prgr El mensajero tropical. For your info, Glenn, an UNID SS was logged by Hill, MA, just after midnight UTC on 4788. (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, WORLD OF RADIO 994) CANADA. You'll never believe what I'm hearing on 6975 -- BBC WS, 2300 UT Sun June 20. Sackville relay missing from 6175, so must be a punch- up error onto RFPI's frequency, which they weren't yet using. Called the Sackville plant number listed in PWBR 99, 1-506-536-2690 (or 2691) and talked to tech on duty John Rose, who said there was an "interface error in the transmitter control system" (Joe Hanlon, PA) I was monitoring and BBC 6975 went off at 2313; 6175 did not immediately come up but it was on at recheck 2322. Frequency or feed mixups are all too common at Sackville, so keep the above number handy and do everyone a favor by advising them if you encounter something like this (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994) COSTA RICA. RFPI's 21460-USB is still down, but 15049-AM seems to be on longer hours. I believe it was all-night over the weekend along with 6975, and the last few days has still (or again) been on in the 1200 hour and onwards, with more default repeats of English but subject to a 15050 het from India. No Spanish heard until finally at 1313 June 22. While 15049 tends to be weakened mid-day and afternoons, apparently due to absorption, it's still loud and clear in the morning. (Glenn Hauser) COSTA RICA. RFPI isn't the only station here broadcsting in English. TIFC was fair with deep fades on 9644.7 at 1659 check June 23, ending a seemingly local program with contact info including E-mail address I couldn't catch. Then ID as "TIFC, international missionary radio, illuminating the pathway of your life" and more English after 1700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 994) CUBA. The commie dentro-cubanos have attacked another Miami station with heavy bubble jamming: Voz Cristiana, transmitted from Chile on 21500, as noted before and after 1700 June 21, burying VC underneath but no trace of jamming on VC's //21550 which is always stronger here, aimed at Mexico. Actually, tho I find their programming of no interest whatsoever, I'd be surprised if VC has any political content of concern to the dentro- cubanos. I suspect this is another instance of running jammers far beyond the necessary hours on a given frequency, i.e. 2100-2200 with R. Marti, Delano, on 21500, as previously reported. The Cuban commies are bringing not only shame upon themselves for being so lacking in self-confidence that they feel jamming is necessary -- but also derision for being so incompetent in carrying it out (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994) IRELAND. RTE has just this week started a special local evening time broadcast for the benefit of Kosovar Albanian refugees living in Ireland. The programming is intended to be mostly in Albanian. RTE is using two of its domestic Mediumwave frequencies for the broadcasts, 612 kHz from Athlone (100 kW) // 1278 kHz from Cork City (10 kW). I believe the special programmes are being prepared in RTE's Cork studios from material provided by Radio Albania, BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, and others. On-air announcement at 1800 UT, Monday 21 June, verified intended broadcast time. Converted to UT, it is indeed 1800 - 1930 UT. Also, the service is not time-driven: 100 minutes would be nearer the mark. The programme is officially called "Albanian Language Radio Service". It starts with a station ID in Irish and Albanian and proceeds to some short interviews with refugees in Ireland and then to mostly news and current affairs. There are very rare breaks for ethnic music. (Finbarr O'Driscoll, Ireland, June 22, REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCSTING) MEXICO. XERMX seems to be missing from 9705, let along 5985; several daytime checks the last few days, including June 23 1248 find no signs of their signal. And whatever became of their oft discussed and even more oft delayed plans to finally get their dormant 100 kW transmitter on the air? (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994) *LATER: RMI was back at 1430 check June 24 with ID in English, seems a better signal than before and on exactly 9705.0 (gh) NICARAGUA [non]. "Asi es Nicaragua" program heard at another time than Sat 2320 on TIAWR, 9725, Costa Rica, and I expect there are many more; Mon June 21 ending at 1125, a production of Advent-Estereo, Apartado 97, Managua; also outro for "Vistazo Internacional" of which "Asi" may be a subsection; productions for the Adventist satellite network (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 994) UKRAINE. Here is a comment about one item in GHDX 99-26 last week: >UKRAINE Most evenings since May 27 I have been hearing RUI Kiev on 17715 at 2100 in En, signal weak but in the clear, probably beamed east, Very likely to be a third harmonic of 5905 which in use at 1700-0200 with 254 degrees. (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, via Wolfgang Bueschel, WORLD OF RADIO 994) U K O G B A N I. BBC WS are still making last-minute changes to their long-published schedule. Sunday June 20 at 1730 on 17840, announced that World of Music, scheduled for 1930 would be at 1830, and Play of the Week would be at 1900 instead of 1830 -- something to do with cricket coverage, tho why not at all clear since it was scheduled at 1515-1730. Furthermore, Letter from America followed at 1731 tho on June 20 only it was supposed to be replaced by Britain Today. How can they think they are serving their audience better by not following their published schedule?? If BBC insist on broadcasting stupid ball games, they should always be on a separate frequency with no impact on the main streams (Glenn Hauser) U S A. Awful anti-Semitic rhetoric can be heard on some stations, such as WGTG 5085 Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 pm EDT. In fact, some of the exact wording heard there was also associated with the recent synagogue bombings in California (Loren Cox, KY, June 19, REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING) U S A. As soon as I noticed a sporadic-E opening tearing up OKC 4, 5, on up to ch 6, I turned the ATS-909 on FM and started tuning up with the whip antenna only. There was a skip signal on 89.3 with classical music, and before I had a chance to think about what it might be, up popped the ID on the RDS window : "WSCI" which is Charleston SC. Thank you, very much. Turned out to be carrying NPR syndicated classical //KOSU-91.7 but a satellite delay or two behind KOSU, until KOSU split at 1714 UT June 21 for local PSAs. Kept tuning and came upon some new OK RDS'ers -- 94.7 first displayed from memory WSCI, then switched to the correct "KQSR". And local KOFM 103.1 Enid even has it now with "KOFM" ID. I put these in quotes since a station can put anything they want on the RDS, not necessarily the legal ID, e.g. OKC 101.9's "TWISTER" (Glenn Hauser, OK) PROPAGATION The shortest night of the year is nigh, and checks of 13 meters June 20 showed: 0630, Dubai 21605 loud and clear; RFI on several fqs; 16m: RTBF via Germany at 07 on 17580 well over R. Australia co-channel; BBC 17640 audible but very poor at 0700; 0600 NRK on 18950 audible but fading at 0615; NHK 0600-0700 fair in English 17825 (Joe Hanlon, Philadelphia PA) Midsummer night and what am I doing? Not frolicking in the woods with nymphs, but bandscanning 13m at 0530+ UT June 22, which is 2300 LMT: 21790 V of Russia, English 21735 UAE, Arabic 21725 R Australia 21715 ? Qur'an? 21700 Dubai, English news 21660 BBC WS, English, best signal on band; Ascension at this hour? 21630 UAE, Arabic 21560 something 21470 music, BBC? 21460 S Asian lang, kept talking about Pakistan; other country names expressed in English. Kuwait? 21455 HCJB SSB 25820 - it's a different story on 11m, with the only known active ISWBC outlet, from France, but finally barely heard June 22 in the last few minutes until 1257* with weak, fluttery French (Glenn Hauser, OK ###