sabato 27 giugno 2009

Glenn Hauser logs June 26-27, 2009

** CHINA. Firedrake check June 27: at 1319 just barely audible on 8400, 9000; at 1320 JBA on 14420; at 1321 poor on 13970, but significantly better than the others (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CUBA. Hardly a day goes by without some self-inflicted discrepancy at RHC, and there were several June 27: at 1250 during PreLa`s week in review, continuous rapid audio breakup amounting to a crackle on 9600, while no such problem on // 11760.

At 1304 I found exactly the same on 13680, no doubt the same transmitter moved up from 9600. 13760 and 13780 no problem, but the leapfrog on 13880 also had the breakup. By 1350 the crackle on 13680 had upcleared.

At 1322, the reverse leapfrog on 13580 was about as strong as R. Prague in English making it unlistenable.

At 1317 found audio on 11760 somewhat rough like a lo-quality internet feed, but not breaking up, in report about a Cuban aid brigade in Copán, Honduras.

At 1335 noticed that 13760, by far weaker than 13680 and 13780 from different site, had an echo when the signal faded briefly. That could either be long-path, or receiver overload cross mod from nearby 13780. 13760 also suffers from co-channel audio, SAH from VOK in English underneath, Commies vs Commies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. With antenna pointed toward Tulsa, June 27 at 1445 UT, now no sign of KJRH on analog 2, so Nightlight must have been turned off as scheduled sometime June 26, when I was still seeing it (I think) at 1351 UT. Originally KVOO-TV, then KTEW for a while. Era-ending whimper, not bang. KOCO-5 OKC continues with the NAB DTV loop (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U S A

** OKLAHOMA [and non]. My local, KGWA, 960, Enid, with open carrier after Jim Bohannon, during news on the hour, 0502 UT June 27, allowing me to detect a 2.4 Hz subaudible het and something sounding like Spanish, so most likely XEK in Nuevo Laredo. This was on a fixed-position radio, so I got a portable to try to null KGWA carrier further, but before I could, modulation blasted on again at 0505 after the news hole, and I do mean hole, but no loss as it would have been Fox! This behavior is not unusual for KGWA, where no one is paying attention, it being a mere unattended appendage of KOFM, so I may have many more chances (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** RUSSIA. What a shame that Voice of Russia, which gives North America only ONE frequency in English at 0400-0600, is running a transmitter with muffled and distorted modulation. Despite big signal, S9+20, 13775 via Vladivostok could be so much crisper and clearer. If it had been, I would have kept listening to some great Orthodox music at 0533 UT Sat June 27 instead of ontuning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TAIWAN. RTI Japanese service, 9735, June 27 at 1254 in open carrier between transmissions, but that didn`t stop the buzzy spurs from marring 9730 China and 9740 BBC Singapore, this time at exactly same pitch meaning that 9735 itself was not off-frequency for a change. 1256 modulation resumed on 9735 with a song (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. There was a long Es opening the afternoon of June 26, with Nightlight seen on and off for hours on channel 4 from the east, but never well enough to catch an ID if there were any, and numerous stations are running it there. Earlier, WPBT-2 Miami in again with NL and IDs in between repeats plugging Comcast, such as 1700 and 1725 UT. I also had a weak DTV signal on 3 at times such as 2240, but never enough to break thru. Most likely WBRA in Virginia. And weak DTV on 6 at 2332 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. WWRB, 18770, fading in and out at 1954 June 26, weak signal with Brother Scare, 2 x 9385 tnx to sporadic E.

I urge others to hunt for harmonix of US SW stations during this Es season. WWRB seems to be the prime radiator, and 18+ MHz a prime range. I`m not going to figure out all the possible second harmonix of 9 MHz stations in the daytime, but frequent thorough bandscans 18-25 MHz at least could be productive.

WYFR with its dozen Okeechobee transmitters would seem a good target in much of the USA beyond the short-skip zone from the Floridic appendage, but I can`t recall ever hearing a WYFR harmonic, where suppression must be well-managed.

Most stations` lower fundamentals are not on the air in the daytime, but Es also happens in the evening, even late at night when you would expect 18+ MHz to be dead.

Here are the most likely frequency ranges; keep your calculator handy:
17235-18585 = 3 x  5745-6195
18530-19960 = 2 x  9265-9980
21945-23190 = 3 x  7315-7730
22980-24780 = 4 x  5745-6195
23020-24320 = 2 x 11510-12160
27140-27690 = 2 x 13570-13845
27795-29940 = 3 x  9265-9980
28725-30975 = 5 x  5745-6195
29260-30920 = 4 x  7315-7730
30210-31650 = 2 x 15105-15825

Note the overlaps, so once you hear something, you may need to try more than one divisor, and then match up the audio on the fundamental.

WEWN, despite its other problems, is seldom audible on harmonix, but check for these, only a partial list emphasizing daytime:
22665 05-13 S
23040 15-17 S
23060 12-15 E
23100 13-22 S
24100 11-15 S
31220 15-24 E

Sackville is another possibility, as are nearby Latin American outlets, even the low-power ones, which may have poor harmonic suppression (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [non]. 15315, Harold Droning with VG signal June 27 at 0048 UT check, first day of a 2-week test until July 11 via Bonaire, as if he needs any more transmitters radiating flawed theology, unfazed by the world continuing to exist, abolishing churches, wacky even to mainline Christians; could easily be mistaken for WYFR.

Well, it proves that Bonaire can still broadcast in English with a fine signal into North America, even when aimed oppositely, as long as it`s not RNW programming! Per MN blog, this is 2229-0100 to Brazil at 133 degrees, and another test on 15580 at 0001-0158 to W S America at 180 degrees, unchecked yet here.

So 15315, the frequency beloved of RNW Spanish listeners in South America, is not gone forever, just reborn with slightly different programming as this once proud site sells out to the dregs. Yes, the end is nearer for Bonaire as an RNW relay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** VATICAN. 15595, June 27 at 0538 with Latin mass, better than // 11740, a mid-summer treat (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###