GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-51, Nov. 11, 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 1011: See topic summary at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1011.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WWCR: New time Sat 2030 on 12160 confirmed Nov 6. Tim Gaynor says this is a better time to hear WOR in Australia. From Nov 15, WWCR-1 will cut 12160 back to only one hour at 1100- 1200, so from Nov 20, WOR Sat 1230 will be on 15685 instead. WORLD OF RADIO ON WBCQ: Our new time of Wed 2200 on 7415 now conflicts with VOA Botswana which conveniently closes at 2230. We invite reports about the severity of the interference in various parts of Europe, North America. NEW WORLD OF RADIO STREAMING OPPORTUNITIES. Wed 2200 on WBCQ via http://www.wbcq.com and a week delayed Sat 1930 UT on WPKN via http://www.wpkn.org WORLD OF RADIO AFFILIATE NOW HAS WEBSITE: WSUI, Iowa City: http://wsui.uiowa.edu/ (Stephen Tulley, Iowa City) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL: Dear Mr.Hauser, As a newcomer to SWLing and DXing, I must tell you how delightful I find your reports to be! Your blend of pertinent information and sarcasm are truly refreshing. I look forward to receiving each of your reports by hard-core-dx. Please continue the good work. (Michael Kallstrom, Professor of Music, ELECTRIC OPERA composer/performer, Department of Music, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101) http://www.wku.edu/Music/Kallstrom.html ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana English to NAm: 0130-0145 on 6115, 7160; 0330-0400 on 7160 (Bob Thomas, CT, WORLD OF RADIO 1010) Have not checked 0130 yet, but at 0330 7160 blocked by BBC Ascension, and Tirana seemed to be on 6115 with poor modulation, adjacent splatter (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** ARMENIA. V. of Armenia English is now: daily 2115-2145 on 9965, 4810; Sun 1000-1030 on 15270, 4810. 9965 has interference from China (Eugene Gebreurs, RVI Radio World Nov 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** AUSTRIA [non]. I meant to follow up the report of first-day 1600 relay SNAFU. On Nov 1 at 1600, 17865 via Canada had French rock music, typical fill; at 1606 started "Special edition of Report from Austria" on worldwide prostitution. Special edition is code- word for backup tape, either from Montreal, Sackville, Wien or Moosbrunn, lacking the live feed. It was cut short around 1628 for IS, and at 1630 the current Spanish program actually mentioning November 1. Occasional subsequent checks found English at 1600 was in fact the current day's program. So they finally got it going (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** BELGIUM [non]. Unlike last week Nov 1, when RVI Radio World did not appear UT Monday at 0400 on 11980 via Bonaire, the same transmission Nov 8 did contain Radio World UT Monday; anyhow it is more reliable UT Sunday 2230 on 13670 (Glenn Hauser) ** CHINA. 15070 is active! No, not BBC--- it's a China National Radio outlet, per a 1200 UT check Nov 3. I only wish one could get site info from the Asian Broadcasting Institute. Signal level: SIO 444. Now you know how happy I feel about having a big time receiver to twiddle the dials around (the SW8). [Later:] Glenn: I have once again checked up on 15070 kHz at 12 UT and I am still hearing the China National Radio domestic outlet which I heard last week. I just received Passport to World Band Radio 2000 on Thursday and since there is no such listing of this in the Blue Pages, this is a new station that has yet to be reported or monitored anywhere. I'm curious as to whether anyone in the Asian region is listening to it. Since 13 UTC is 7am CST, and you may be in the sunrise path, check up on this for me. (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) Not heard until Nov 11 around 1230, quite strong but fluttery with domestic service. Such propagation paths vary widely. Perhaps just to spite BBC (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** COLOMBIA. Clandestine: Voz de la Resistencia, 6261.15, Oct 31 2215-2231* Tune-in to Spanish folk music, M&W announcers, talk, IDs; TV theme music, including from "Dallas". S/off with anthem; fair. Also heard Nov 1, 2, 4 at 2200 tune-in to 2229* (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI had a computer motherboard failure Oct 29 preventing it from uploading Progressive News Network and other programs, but will catch up on these when possible, perhaps by early in the week of Nov 8. (It's also been several weeks since Weekly Updates of program previews have been distributed or posted on website.) Still waiting on high speed internet connexion via UFP. RFPI cannot maintain a full stock of spare parts, but a donor has recently povided an important spare tube, used but in good shape, a 4CX15000. Regarding the 6975 cubical quad antenna failure: it is 36 feet on a side, with 4 loops separated by 15 feet. Because of its size the supporting boom is not through the middle, but from the top, with tension wires holding out the diamonds. The boom broke and one element was lost as it swung inward colliding with the others. A second backup antenna is also being built since the quad at 200 feet is so vulnerable to high winds. Hope to be repaired and 6975 back on by the weekend of Nov 12-13. Because of winter nighttime propagation, 15049 may be reduced from 24 hours, perhaps turned off around 0600. RFPI needs to hear from any listeners who can and do listen to 15049 in the 0600-1200 period (James Latham and Joe Bernard, RFPI Mailbag Nov 5 as monitored by Hauser Nov 10) Occasional checks here find 15049 usually inaudible late at night, in fact not even heard after 0500 Nov 11; but at 1230 recheck was booming in. How I wish RFPI had a low-power SSB unit on 7 or 9 MHz overnight. No mention on this week's Mailbag of 21460, which I hope they still plan to revive. Major broadcasters are moving in on the frequency, such as DW before and after 1500. But India has moved off 15050. Our October Mundo Radial report aired again Thu Nov 11 at 1405 (Hauser) ** COSTA RICA. AWR publicity continues to paint the sale of TIAWR as a step forward for them, despite the fact that they are now essentially inaudbile via Guatemala 5980. AWR never mentions to whom TIAWR has been sold, perhaps out of embarrassment, because it is such a waste: Dr. Gene Scott is now heard on 9725, and perhaps other ex-TIAWR frequencies, such as Nov 8 1145 past 1300; music but no ID break at 1200 -- Cahuita cannot stay TIAWR, so will it become TIDGS? But has anyone ever heard an actual Caribbean Beacon ID on 6090 or 11775? 9725 was // WWCR 5935 and KAIJ 5810, making it painfully clear that much better things could have been done with the Cahuita facility. Also DGS on 9725 at 2233 with Spanish translation. I couldn't care less what the actual schedule be, except for QRM it may cause. Strange coincidence: AWR's region director for the Americas is named Greg Scott (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** INDIA. on Monday 11/1 checked for AIR in EG with regional news after 1135 on 11620 but heard nothing but carrier... today, 11/2, there it was with 5 min. of news read by male at 1135-1140 on 11620, good signal here. Worth checking after listening to Israel's 5-min news at 1130, if you dig regional news developments. (Joe Hanlon, Philadelphia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** LIBERIA. R. Liberia reactivated on 5100, Oct 31 into Nov 1, 2103 [sic, means 2301?] -2403*. English news about Liberia, local religious music, vernacular talk. IDs as Liberian Communications Network, and R. Liberia. Variety of Euro-pops, Afro-pops. English news at 2301. S/off with NA. Poor to fair but muffled audio. Not heard on Nov 5 check (Brian Alexander, PA) ** MALTA [non]. V. of Mediterranean English is now: Daily except Friday 1900-2100 via Russia 7440; Sunday 0900-1000 11770 via Italy (Eugene Gebreurs, RVI Radio World Nov 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** NIGERIA [non]. Radio Kudirat, the pro-democracy station which broadcast to Nigeria from shortwave transmitters in South Africa, appears to have closed. It has not been heard since the end of October. The Nigerian newspaper 'The Guardian' web site on 3rd November had reported Nigerian political activist and Nobel prize- winner Prof Wole Soyinka as saying in a statement issued in the United States on 1st November that Radio Kudirat would be relocating "home". "Radio Kudirat goes home, in order to play its role, from within, in the attainment of this long-delayed objective," the paper reported Soyinka as saying. Radio Kudirat, which also described itself as "the voice of democracy", began broadcasting on 12th June 1996 under the name Radio Democrat International, Nigeria. The name was changed to Radio Kudirat in August 1996 in recognition of the late Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of the cancelled 1993 presidential elections. Whilst the station used transmitters in South Africa, it is believed to have prepared its programmes at studios in London, where it also announced an address for listeners' letters. Sources: Monitoring research Oct-Nov 99 'The Guardian' web site, Lagos, in English 3 Nov 99 (BBC Monitoring Nov 10 via WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. R. West New Britain, which had been off the air for at least a year, was heard again Nov 10 at 1000 on 3235 (Chris Hambly, Australia, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** RUSSIA. VOR WS in English: I know other frequencies are active, but I only hear 7180 from 0200 (Bob Thomas, CT) ** RUSSIA. One more additional relay from St. Petersburg: Radio Gardarika - Starting from November 12th Weekly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday only 2015-2115 UT 5925 kHz (ND / nEU, CIS), 7330 kHz (222 degrees / cEU) Please send any comments to pcd00342@mail.admiral.ru (Mikhail Timofeyev, St. Petersburg, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** SOMALIA. Radio Gaalkacyo, broadcasting from the Puntland region of Somalia, was heard on 4th November on 7012 kHz from 1600-1700 gmt. The radio signed on with the following identification in Somali "This is Radio Gaalkacyo, Puntland regional state government radio station (Somali: Halkani waa rediyo Gaalkacyo, Idaacadda Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland), broadcasting in the 31 and 41 metre bands". The radio carried a programme called "Xog-ogaal" (Inside Information) with highlights the day's news events, followed by "Faqidaadda rediyowga", a current affairs programme on economic, political, social, religious and environmental issues in Puntland. Source: Monitoring research 4 Nov 99 ((C) BBC Monitoring November 11 via Hauser) ** SUDAN [non]. Voice of Sudan 8000 // 9517, also noted on a new freq 9000 with very good reception. S.on at 16.O0 and went off at 18.00. I have to check 9000 if it is also on the air at 04.00 same as the other two Frequencies (Mahendra Vaghjee, Mauritius, Nov 10, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** U K O G B A N I. Regarding the Sun 1600-1700 BBC hour when Concert Hall is supposed to be on 17840 to Am breaking away from the AE stream: Nov BBC On Air says Concert Hall at 1600, but it is actually a 45-minute program, and started at 1615 Nov 7. Surely the Millennium Concert from Durban with Ladysmith Black Mambazo Nov 21 will be a full hour from 1600. We had another screwup Nov 8 at 1857 via Sackville on 17840 trying to hear the last few minutes of The Imposters. At 1857 someone started playing with the input feed, switching from BBC to some other talk, then music, then WRN1 ID with RTE closing, which was supposed to be on 13640 only, WRN1 promoting upcoming R. Australia relay before cut off. Note: I do not go looking for all these mistakes, but I keep encountering them while merely trying to listen to scheduled programming! No one can depend on 17840 for the BBC News at 1400 via Antigua. It always comes on late, timed at *1402:30 Nov 8 (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** U S A. Spectrum noted starting at 0400 instead of 0406 UT Sun Nov 7 on WWCR 5070; this show would be about the ham code requirement. Due to wrong old VOA CW starting at 0300, and late start of correct tape, WOR did not start until 0332:45 and the last minute or two were chopped off (Glenn Hauser) ** U S A. George McClintock has been checking at WWCR for the 7462 spur I previously reported and cannot hear it, but I have heard it again, on four different receivers with a variety of internal and external antennas, battery and AC power: Nov 11 at 1250 with Alex Scourby on Brother Stair // very strong 7435. Distorted FMy audio, not much carrier but enough to allow frequency measurement on the ATS-909, actually on 7461.8. On the YB-400 I was also able to hear a matching spur around 7408, obscured by Marti on 7405. WWCR ID finally came at 1306, both on the fundamental and the spurs. My question about why 27 kHz is a common separation for spurs was not meant to imply that I get them often, but a number of previous instances have been at this offset. In light of all the above, I am quite sure that these are not receiver-produced but transmitted. 7461.8 also audible on the DX-390 and even the old analog ICF-5900W with nothing but its broken-off whip (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** U S A. The reason Marti switched from 5985 to 5980 was to allow VOA English, Delano to Pacific, to resume 5985 for winter in the 1000-1200 period, as noted 1140 Nov 8. No Cuban jamming audible on 5985, but now the problem is splash from Marti, also Delano! 5985 replaces 9770, which had been excellent, but for VOA we still have Philippines on 9760, including Communications World-A Sat 1136 (Glenn Hauser) If you want to check on these and other broadcasts from VOA, and where they're coming from, Paul Ormandy in New Zealand e-mailed me today and gave me this Web address to try for: http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_w/schedules/freqsked.txt (Joe Hanlon, Philadelphia) ** U S A. A lengthy chronology of the Hartman case, class-action lawsuit against VOA over employment sex discrimination against women, which has dragged on since 1977 and which could ultimately cost taxpayers at least half a gigadollar, wiping out VOA's entire budget, can be read at http://www.montanero.com/hartmanvusia/ (Gary A. Marco, union steward at VOA, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) ** U S A. I've had a look at WGTG's records on the FCC website. They show it is authorized to broadcast from two transmitters with the following emission mode: "4.5K00R3E" -- that means single sideband ONLY. Altho WGTG heavily promotes SSB, it still admittedly broadcasts partly on regular AM, contrary to its license. BTW, with 50 kW as PEP, it gets by with only 12.5 kW transmitter power theoretically, far less than the 50 kW minimum for US SW stations. So whenever you hear WGTG on AM, it's illegal (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) hi glen hope all is well! first off fcc has looked at operation of this station 5 times! fcc has made extensive field inspections / full measurements with out us knowing about it! (get the 3 inch thick $ 200 dollar inspection package from the fcc via foia) we have four page letter from fcc (on web page) clearing us of any and all violations we are authorized am / ssb (a form of "am") with carrier injection of full (50 kw ) to do injection lsb/usb/ /dsb/isb/ my choice! of carrier level setting and or mode of operation! i think wwbs has same! except they use filter method?? i think you lack understanding of phase shifting ssb (phase shifting between two side bands at a 30 hz rate/ slew) with dynamic carrier injection control tied into side band generation looks and sounds just like full am but still side band at any one point in time (meets the rules baby! ) at any 30 hz timing point!!!!! so much for your shortwave knowledge its clear to me that you do not know what your hearing! or even understand.... you see glen with full true digital modulation anything can be done!!!!!! fooled even you !!!! hey....look at our carrier see if you can find the digital data stream.....hint ..... check the phase relationship between programming phase shift (90 degrees) insertion and the carrier!!!!!! i can send full text messages over the data stream and you would not even know its there! from a remote place anywhere across the globe i can read the transmitter operating values i.e plate volts, current, power out etc!!!! or send you a greeting note..... a shortwave email so to speak ..... if you have the equipment to decode ....... test your skills ....and your pals to try to find it!!! ([sic] Dave Frantz, WGTG, Nov 10) All very interesting, but why do FCC records show ONLY R3E mode for WGTG, which was my original point?? (Hauser) ** U S A. 7460 - WRMI @ 0320-35 UT suffering strong splatter from Norway-7465 and wobble jammer underneath. Unpleasant listening; Norway may have to move to 7470 for the whole time period. Their signal was free of QRM from WRMI (John Cobb, GA, Nov 3) ** WALES [non]. Previous advance info from Wales Radio International about its B-99 schedule turned out to be totally wrong. NAm was supposed to stay at 0200 UT Sat, on 9755 -- but when I checked Nov 6, RCI was still on that frequency and WRI not on previous 9795 either. Finally checked WRI website Nov 10 for Celtic Notes and found: Eu Fri 2130 6010 NAm Sat 0300 9735 AuAs Sat 1130 17650 So two of the times are one UT hour later, the other one UT hour earlier, apparently for belated convenience of those Aussies and Enzedders already on DST for a month (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1011) DROWNING IN RF POLLUTION When I read the RIBOLD item "The HF Radio Spectrum is in Trouble in the US" about digital transmissions via "home phone networking", a light went on in my head. It may explain the severe, broadband HF QRM I have been experiencing for the past several months. It defies anything I have encountered in 43 years of listening and 20 years of Navy electronics. It started as a series of carriers spaced across the spectrum from 2 to 29 MHz. What got my attention was QRM to WWV on all their freqs. Not having a spectrum analyzer, I did a survey with my R71A, 80-foot Windom, and 16/10 meter dipole. To my suprise, I found these signals evenly spaced like markers every 500 kHz. The carriers were unmodulated on the even MHz steps, but on the odd MHz intervals was a sound like a swarm of mosquitoes, not unlike some of the Cuban jammers. It hums like high-frequency AC full of harmonics. The MHz carriers were slightly off the exact mark and the error increased with frequency, for example: 2000.4, 4000.7, 8001.5, 16003, 29006 kHz. All of the 500-kHz steps in between also had the humming sound of the odd MHz steps. These signals reached maximum levels at 21 - 22 MHz, reading S5 to S7 on my receiver. At first all I could imagine was a computer, a radar, or some kind of cell phone equipment. But I still have it with my stepson's computer off and we're a long way from any others. I noted the signals missing during a local power outage following a storm on a battery operated RFB-45. Now the signals seem more evenly spread across the bands; it gave me some trouble with Radio St. Helena, and I have squiggly white lines on low-band VHF TV with an indoor antenna. I even heard it on a 49-MHz cordless phone with the base station switched off. I had recently received a telemarketing call from the phone company, wanting to tell me about the new "digital cable TV " service they were offering. (I could almost hear the guy's jaw drop when I told him I wasn't interested!) At the time it never dawned on me that this could be the mysterious RF source; I didn't make the connection until I read the article. Well, now I know where to start investigating, and if proved correct, to complain. But I feel that SWLs like us will be ignored, we'll just be s.o.l. The amateur community has some pull with the FCC, and if anything is done to protect the HF environment, it will probably have to start there. I'm afraid the article may be right - our hobby's days could be numbered. What can we do? Drowning in RF pollution, (John H. Cobb, Jr., Roswell, GA, Nov 5) SPARKS EXHIBIT IN SAN FRANCISCO The San Francisco Maritime Museum (located near Ghiradelli Square and the Aquatic Park) is now running an exhibit called "Sparks," a look at the history of maritime communications. Lots of great old radio equipment, reproduction of shipboard stations, and audio listening stations with tapes of actual spark transmissions, CW communications (including the last CW transmission from KFS this past July), and audio memoirs from shipboard radio operators. There is an actual spark transmitter and receiver with key to use. There is also a Lowe HF-150 receiver that visitors can tune along with tapes (selected by pushbutton) of the BBC, spy numbers transmissions, WWV, etc. that you can listen to as well. A most interesting look at the history of maritime communications, and the admission price is right---it's free. The exhibit runs through January. 73, (Harry Helms Nov 9) ###