lunedì 28 febbraio 2011

Glenn Hauser logs February 26-27, 2011

** BULGARIA. 15700, Sunday Feb 27 at 1457, I am always amused when I hear a bit of Lalo Schifrin`s ``Mission: Impossible`` theme on R. Bulgaria, some episodes set in that country thinly disguised. It`s amid the DX program in Bulgarian with items about YFR via Sri Lanka, Libya, R. Free Sarawak via Palau (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CHINA. 17495, fluttery Feb 27 at 0029 pop music, sounds Brazilian, so might be something interesting; but at 0031 announcement in Chinese. Different Chinese stronger on 17645 at 0032. The real story emerges from HFCC and Aoki listings:

17495 is CRI via Beijing site at 0000-0300 in Cantonese first hour, rest Amoy, 500 kW, 193 degrees. 17645 lists only VOA Mandarin at 0000-0100 via Tinang, PHILIPPINES, 250 kW, 349 degrees, but *jammed, probably CNR1 being heard here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CUBA. Another day, another anomaly on RHC: Feb 27 at 0554 I notice that 6150 is open carrier, while the other English frequencies are musical, 6010, 6050 and barely-audible on the other side of Spain, which has not quite signed off, 6060 aimed toward Europe.

RHC`s Sunday-morning mode again in effect, i.e. certain frequencies off, even tho the ``Aló, Presidente`` channels were not on to replace them. These were off at 1445: 12040, 13680, 13750, 15370, 17750.

These were on at 1445: 11760, 13780 with `En Contacto` in progress, missed first dekaminute. Will next repeat be an hour+ later again than 2240? Reading another listener essay on the topic ``¿Qué le ha traído a Vd. el diexismo?``, by Daniel (not Camporini) in Argentina. Then `info-postal` quick acknowledgments of a few reception reports, ended at 1449 in time for some RHC promos before doctor show.

These were on at 1531, 1534 with RHC: 11730, 15120, 15360; and 11760 open carrier presumably after switch to Esperanto but not confirmed, 1533 resumed with RHC `news`. Not on: 11690 or 15370; not on either, 11680 which other days of week has RNV at 15-16. 15120 however, was on obliterating any signal from Nigeria; usually RHC has it off before 1500, VON-time.

Still no 13750 or 17750 El Hugazo at final check 1723 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** GUAM. 11690, in absence of RHC since it`s Sunday and there is no `Aló, Presidente`, another weak signal losing out to perpetual RTTY on the low side, Feb 27 at 1534, music I tentatively qualified as ME, but not quite, listed as KSDA in Kannada at 1530-1600, 100 kW, 285 degrees from Agat (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
 
** GUATEMALA. 4052.5-, trying to hear R. Verdad`s eleventh anniversary show, Feb 27 at 0138, but not making it, so I bring up the webcast via
http://www.radioverdad.org --- just in time! As they are reading my greeting in translation, then one from Manolo de la Rosa of RHC. Reconfirms they are now running 210 watts, and that Satan was responsible for the breakdown of part of their 500 watt transmitter in December. 0147 played the ``Himno a R. Verdad``, also on website via http://www.radioverdad.org/node/164

0157 another greeting from Rafael Rodríguez in Bogotá, and more studio discussion between Dr. Madrid and another announcer, as they introduced more staff members, one of whom was sick and could not be there for the celebration.

By 0549, 4052.5- had become audible, hymn with piano, S9+12, some het from 4050. Earlier, Dr Madrid replied by e-mail Feb 25 to my greeting:

``Dear Glenn: Thank you for your new report, and congratulation for our anniversary.
 
Our present current power is 210 watts. Engineer Ralph Borthwick just informed me today that our two other PA amplifier modules are working fine already. We just need them to be sent to Guatemala, and probably have to pay a large amount of tax again for them. As soon as I receive one of those two modules, we'll raise power up to probably 500 watts or more.
 
We have the crystal on hand for changing into 4055 kHz, but we don't have the equipment to measure the exact frequency for the time of changing the crystal. Whenever we do it, we'll inform you.
 
Our transmitter, with only one PA amplifier module, is operating very fine, and the strength power is very high. However, we are facing a constant trouble: The Control Card is working badly, and we have to wait from two to three hours every time we put the power on, and the radio frequencies raise up so delayed. The card is stuck in its sockets, and I am afraid to force it out, because that may cause some damage, and we could go off the air for a long time again. So, I prefer to continue with such a difficulty. And, electricity fails many times in Chiquimula, and a slight failure will put our transmitter off the air for about three hours every time it happens. May God bless you, Dr. Édgar Madrid, Radio Verdad`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** LIBYA. Poor propagation impeded reception of VOAFTGJ on Feb 27: at 1425, no 21695 audible, and only weak signal on 13m was 21630, i.e. BBC Hausa via PORTUGAL; no Spain. 1428, can make out a carrier on 17725, but undermodulated and beneath bubble-jamming from my cable DTV converter module. 1459, now 21695 is audible with music, much better than 17725, but it`s time for `real news` from Tripoli, as Christiane Amanpour, ABC-TV has been allowed in to interview two of MAQ`s sons, so over to KOCO-7. 1556 check, 21695 again, now S9+8 with JBM music, about the same as 17725 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MOROCCO. 15341v, RTM is still here at 1537 Feb 27, not yet switched to 15345v. Nominal QSY time used to be circa 1500, but really when they get around to it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. Tulsa monitoring: Bruce Winkelman there found KGTO-1050 dead air, open carrier, all morning Feb 26, but had resumed when I tuned in at 1945 UT, KGTO ID with good-time oldies.

At 1720 UT he found 1270, 1530 and 1570 not in //, with different Spanish music; but at 2105 UT, 1570 and 1270 seemed // to me, switching back and forth on one caradio, while 1530 was buried by KOKC splash. He and I agree that 1120 KEOR remains off the air for weeks (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** RUSSIA. 9840, VOR English to WNAm via Pet/Kam, DVR sometimes makes it here, sometimes not. Feb 27 it was good at 0600, much better than 9855 Vladivostok which also seems weakerly modulated, and an echo apart. However, 9840 was atop some lite CCI, presumably R. Rossii, Moscow site which they have foolishly scheduled to collide between 05 and 07. This should get worse further east (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENIG DIGEST)

** SARAWAK. Malaysia makes het-DXing easy by offsetting several of its frequencies, e.g. 5965v and 6050v. Feb 27 at 1420 I am also hearing a het on the hi side of some much stronger Chinese on 7270. On Feb 23, Ron Howard in California had measured Wai FM on 7270.48v at 1113, // 11665. Pulling any identifiable audio here is another matter. The Chinese at 14-15 is jamming against V. of China, Taibei, per Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 2390, WWRB, Feb 27 at 0027 preacher talking about Yahweh, VG signal, much better than // 5050, but 2390 accompanied by buzzy envelope out to 2375-2405, worst peaks circa 2380 and 2400. This happens at times to WWRB on 9385, presumably same transmitter. 2390 still not on all-night, at 0550 check, probably closing at 0500.

Dave Frantz`s latest Feb 26 comments to me:

``Greetings: Some tidbits: Most everyone by now owns a digital shortwave radio that can tune the 2390. We are receiving GREAT reports. We are VERY pleased. Don't forget the 2.390 MHz, 340 degree rhombic antenna is almost 200 feet high; trying to use a rhombic  antenna less than 160 feet high is a waste of time on these frequencies. We are changing 5050 antenna to our 045 degree rhombic, in anticipation of the longer daylight hours coming up.

WWRB has come a L-O-N-G way from our first station in Georgia [WGTG], that's for sure. In a nutshell, We have WISED UP. It took some time, but we no longer allow ourselves to be taken advantage of.
 
We  have been concentrating on the Aviation side of the house for the last 5 years: What would you concentrate on? A one hour program on shortwave for $80.00 per hour [if you`re lucky], or ---

Fly all day long, 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, watching the world go by, inspecting a pipeline or powerline &/or right of way, for $300.00 per hour and get this: GET PAID!!

Our Patrol aircraft are booked solid, adding two airplanes next week.
To see one of our Patrol aircraft visit:
http://www.wa4sze.com That airplane 59Q can stay in the air for OVER 10 hours!``

In his YouTube video, I see that in his pilot`s uniform, Dave has four bars on each shoulder. What rank is that, as a civilian? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###