GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-34, August 12, 1999 {Items from this and all our reports may be reproduced and re- reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages} THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 999: See topic summary at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Wor999.html ** U K O G B A N I [non]. Following up our previous GERMANY report of August 8, rechecked BBC Antigua 17840 Tuesday August 10 at 1457-1510, and found no trace of Portuguese co-channel, so perhaps it was a one- time punch-up error (standard rant about why are there so many operational mistakes at SW stations?). But BBC had a one-minute transmission break at 1459, and about three minutes of dead air at 1500-1503 (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** U S A. Scanning the 31mb at 1750 UT Aug 9, the best signal above 9500 was VOA on 9770, with Talk to America. Original A99 IBB frequency sked says this is 250 kW Philippines beamed 21 degrees, right toward us, but surprisingly propagating this well in summer daylight, 1150 LMT. At 1755 UT went to "International Public Service Announcement" about a woman in Florida who had abducted her two children, complete with descriptions of all three. Is this a regular fugitive-alert spot on VOA? You know you've made it when VOA is on your worldwide trail! Strangely, gave 1-800 number to call -- remember the fuss the FCC once made about such numbers being given on WWCR tho for domestic use only? But VOA still maintains the fiction that it's for external comsumption only (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** U S A. Tho it supposedly started a few weeks ago, Aug 11 was the first chance I had to check out "Off the Hook" on WBCQ, UT Wed 0000 on 7415 -- only to find a series of fiascos: Al Weiner promo tape of prime time available M-F 5:30-7 pm EDT; phone 207-985-7547 or wbcq@gwi.net; music instead of talk; 0005 op announced that OTH had a technical delay; 0008:30 supposed to join it late, but it was music with IDs as "Star 99.9", DJ reading love note to Jennifer from Silly Goose; 0011 WBCQ op announced it wasn't OTH, but kept with the wrong feed anyway, and 0015 another Star 99.9 ID which per the old FM Atlas XVII is WEZN Bridgeport CT. 0018 cut to talk program, maybe really OTH, about what it's like in prison. At 0021 audio started fading into noise, and was nothing but noise by 0024 when WBCQ finally dumped out of it with another apology, replay of AW time for sale promo, 0026 WBCQ playing own music fill with Verve and rock music fill continued until B.S. at 0100 (Glenn Hauser, OK) ###