domenica 4 novembre 2012

Glenn Hauser logs November 2-3, 2012

** ALBANIA. 7465, Nov 2 at 2057, weak signal with talk rather than R. Tirana IS; must be tail of 2030 German service now scheduled just before English. 2100 opening English with correct times for both English broadcasts.

6100, Nov 2 at 0227 R. Tirana carrier is on, not earlier; 0228 IS, 0230 sign-on English with schedule of: to UK 2100-2130 Mon-Sat on 7465, NAm 0230-0300 Mon-Sun on 6100. Well, almost correct: the 0230 is UT Tue-Sun. See also USA: 7465 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ALGERIA [non]. 7295, VG Nov 3 at 0526 tuneby, surprised to hear English on RTA relay via FRANCE. Heavy accent, but is talking about Islam, some African country (Algeria itself?) with low economic index; 0529 finishes his comments and back into Arabic by another speaker. I suspect this is a fluke, not likely to be a regular English segment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ARGENTINA. 11711, Nov 3 at 0139, RAE has fair signal but just barely modulated, Japanese? This plus all the QRDRM from India 11710-11715-11720 make it a total loss (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** BRAZIL. 4885, Nov 3 at 0535 with music, presumed the OBOB, R. Clube do Pará, which has the strongest, most reliable 60m signal from S America, at least among those which are on all-night. CODAR bothered, but diminished a little at 0540. Aoki lists power for Pará as only 2 kW but I`ll go with the 10 kW in WRTH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CANADA. 540, Nov 3 at 1236 UT, temps are rising at `Saskatchewan Weekend`, i.e. CBK Watrous; Spanish nulled, probably XETX rather than XEWA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CANADA. 9625, Nov 3 at 0506, CKCX-SW survives another day of revoked activity, `O, Canada` by band, open carrier and tone. On again at 1338 check during political discussion, no doubt `The House` from CBC Radio 1 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CHINA. 11635 & 11640, Nov 3 at 1224, hyper CNR1 programming on both, probably as jammers; B-12, IBB Chinese via Thailand is scheduled on 11635, but 11640 has CRI Chinese via Xian in HFCC. Sometimes CRI is spoilt by jammed services moving in co-channel, forcing the ChiCom to jam themselves as well (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CUBA. 9517 & 9563 approx., Nov 3 at 1227, spurblobs with buzzing presumably emanating from 9540 RHC transmitter equally amid, which has done this several times before. Fortunately, 9540 is weak here and the spurs even weaker. Still audible at 1340 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** EAST TURKISTAN. 12015, Nov 3 at 1221, CRI English with talk about Beijing subway, zombie walks. Little else is making it from E Asia on 11 MHz or higher bands in depressed propagation, SF=97, but Kashgar in C Asia propagates quite differently; aimed 173 degrees, and could even be long path. Not a good frequency, tho, occupied by much closer RTTY all day here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CHINA

** IRAN. 17650, Nov 3 at 1314, VIRI Arabic service with OK modulation for a change, fair signal and no CCI from CRI French via EAST TURKISTAN, as has been the problem, tho trace of that might be causing slight SAH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** JAPAN. 9595, Nov 3 at 1337, R. Nikkei in English, an American-accented musician interviewed by Japanese-speaking interviewer. Not clear if translation was involved too. Apparently a pianist per music to follow. 6055 checked earlier, again had that new CCI from the bullying ChiCom (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. 15575, Nov 3 at 0138, open carrier, fair signal. Nothing scheduled, but suspect warmup from KBSWR which attempts to broadcast to North America at 0200-0300, not in English, but Spanish. Need to check that after 0200 when propagation is much more likely than at 1200. Meanwhile, the new 01-02 Spanish relay via Guiana French to South America was sufficient on 11635, inaudible on direct 11810.

15575, seeking the sole KBS English to NAm now, direct at 12-13, but Nov 3 at 1217 there is nothing to be heard here, not even the collidee, whilst NHK English is quite good on 15190 via GUIANA FRENCH, the route KBS should have followed too. At this hour, 15 MHz is only open from southerly paths (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 960, UT Sat Nov 3 at 0500-0505, KGWA silent period occupied by one ABC news, then another one making slight echo, presumably KMA IA and WERC AL. Which stations dominate the Fox hole from one night to the next vary greatly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. 1120, Fri Nov 2 at 1850 and 2058 UT chex, KEOR is back on with Mexican music. Never any IDs or announcements at all heard.

Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, also reports it Nov 1 in UT -5: ``Hi, Glenn. Tuning past 1120 during that time (1610-1645CDT) found presumed KEOR with non-stop Spanish language vocals. Just checked (1720-1729CDT) 1120 after my walk and found OC only for a few minutes, the carrier cut off at 1726CDT for a minute then back on with Spanish vocal music.

Watching the S-meter, it appears that someone is actually "at the controls"? When I tuned in at 1720CDT, the S-meter on the R8 showed S9+15 and steady; when the music returned 1727CDT it was at S9+20 for a few seconds then dropped to a steady S8, quickly back to S9+20. Carrier abruptly off at 1729CDT leaving a weak KMOX. Still off as I finish this at 1735CDT. I'll keep watching 1120 as I can.``

The strength surges on 1120 may indicate KEOR is working on implementing their CP to increase power from 2 kW day to 10 kW day/7 kW critical hours. CPs for both the daytime and CH show same pattern with a broad major lobe slightly west of south, i.e. covering Tulsa, and a minor lobe in the opposite direxion, but with deep nulls toward St Louis, and apparently Portland. Axually, it`s the same as already in use for 2 kW daytime; we are off the side, but still considerable signal toward Enid.

FCC ``AM silent stations, silent over 2 months AS OF: 11/1/2012`` at
http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/audio/newsite/docs/silentAM.html
Shows only these two in Oklahoma:
1120 AM KEOR CATOOSA OK       6/1/2012 3651
1340 AM KJMU SAND SPRINGS OK 11/7/2011 47101

I added the missing frequencies in this otherwise handy list. Morning of Nov 3, various chex between 15 and 17 UT found KEOR off the air again, altho at the earlier time a weak signal was audible, presumably skywave remnant of KMOX. Bruce Winkelman also tells me:

``I worked in Tahlequah yesterday and checked 1490 both ways; no sign of KBIX either around 0800CDT 31OCT12 or around 1930CDT 31OCT12. My route on the Muskogee Turnpike to State Highway 62 takes me within 4-5 miles of the KBIX transmitter site per RadioLocator so surely 450 watts would be heard. I'll keep checking 1490 periodically from here in Tulsa as well as on future trips to the 'quah but it looks like it's silent. No sign of KBIX-1490 this afternoon while running last-minute errands around town 1610-1645CDT 01NOV12. Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, OK, R8, Par EndFedZ sloper``

He was checking KBIX 1490 Muskogee because there was a question whether it`s on the air. NRC AM Log 2012 shows unlike most graveyarders with 1 kW, it`s licensed for only 450 watts day and night, 24 hours // The Sports Animal, Tulsa, and with the YSR network. Nothing about it being silent (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ROMANIA. 15170, Sat Nov 3 at 1312, poor signal but RRI in the clear with novelty song in Romanian. REE CR relay takes Saturday mornings off 15170, saving up airtime for additional afternoon/evening silly ballgames (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SOMALILAND. 7120, Nov 3 at 0402 check, R. Hargeisa is still audible with HoA music. I am rather perplexed by some reports from Europe of hearing this almost until 0500 UT, as in North America it`s gone by 0430 at the latest. Both Europe and NAm are on roughly the same path across the sunrise terminator (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SUDAN [non]. 7315, Nov 3 at 0528, R. Dabanga has just come on as a minute earlier I was surprised to find R. Rossii, Magadan without ACI on 7320. Now, it`s essentially blocked by much stronger signal via VATICAN which nominally starts at 0400, presumably still R. Tamazuj for the first semihour, then Dabanga. Perhaps there has just been a brief break in transmission (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 15420-CUSB, Sat Nov 3 at 1403 it`s fun to vary the SSB tuning and hence the pitch of Brother Scare`s opening organ music for Sabbath services, until he starts pontificating at 1408. Not much carrier here to mar the pitchplay, unlike other US outlets (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SWAZILAND. 5995, UT Sat Nov 3 at 0400 as soon as the 5994 spurblob goes off (see UNIDENTIFIED), an African language is audiblized here, maybe Swahili, plus music? No, Nyanja, says HFCC, TWR Swaziland, 0400-0445 on Sat & Sun only, 100 kW, 5 degrees from Manzini (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TURKEY. 17755, Nov 3 at 1316, VOT German with `Frage des Monats`, etwas über Istanbul, a new one for a new month, and enjoyed some Turkish pop music fill on good signal obviously intended for no further than Germany; 1323-1326* VOT IS identically reiterated, with English-only IDs between.

If only they would also put the following hour in English on this frequency, it would be good for us too! But I then retune to scheduled 12035 for 1330 English, waiting for it to come up, and give up at 1336 when nothing at all is audible. It makes no propagational sense to drop 5.72 MHz between these two adjacent broadcasts to nearby parts of Europe. And I continue to wonder if the English hour is really somewhere else (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U K. 5790, Nov 3 at 0518, BBC in Arabic has QRM from another station making SAH of about 5 Hz. Seemed like there was weak non // audio, but the only explanation in HFCC is that Woofferton is running two 250 kW transmitters here between 04 and 05, i.e. 03-05 at 126 degrees, and 04-07 at 184 degrees, both with Arabic; except by 0518 the other must have stayed on late, and furthermore should be synchronized (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 5000, Nov 3 at 1218, checking the WWV propagation minute: the robofem must have been napping, as the K-index of 0 is quoted for 09 UT, not 12 as would normally be the case in 3-hourly updates. She also adamantly refuses to repeat any of the critical numbers, tho there is plenty of time to do so, despite unpredictable selective fade/distortion which can prevent accurate copy of certain syllables. Thus I am not sure if the Ap was really 9 for yesterday, but solar flux was 97, not good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [and non?]. 7465, UT Sat Nov 3 at 0141, VOA Spe-cial Eng-lish also has fast rippling SAH from another carrier. Nothing else scheduled, unless ALBANIA has left its carrier on past 0100*. This VOA is UT Tue-Sat only at 0130-0200 via Greenville. Or possibly a second Greenville transmitter was on by mistake (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1641 monitoring: 5110-CUSB, UT Saturday Nov 3 at 0134, AWWW is still going with his closing prayer, // 7490-AM and 9330-CUSB; on 5110 only, after about 4 syllables of Brother Scare as on 7490, WOR 1641 starts at 0137; sufficient reception.

Next: UT Sunday 0400 on WTWW-1 5745. Possibly also on WTWW-2 5085 sometime after 0100.

After reversion to standard time, on WRMI 9955: Sunday 0900, 1630 UT, Monday 0600, Tuesday 1200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 7506.4, Nov 3 at 0141, WRNO is back to full strength, but modulation of gospel huxter is suppressed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 5051, Nov 3 at 0143, WWRB retains offset frequency, why? And is not cutting off and on the air, or in strength, unlike last night during WORLD OF RADIO; and // 3195 now during `Unshackled` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 7385, UT Sat Nov 3 at 0403, `DXing with Cumbre` is underway from WHRI; seems they have activated a number of formerly imaginary SW airtimes, but all may change again after DST is over (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LITENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1480, Sat Nov 3 at 1245 UT `Better Horses Radio`, chex at
http://www.betterhorsesnetwork.com/betterhorsesradio/index.htm
as on KQAM Wichita at this time; also on KCMO, KGYN and quite a few others; originates in Ottawa KS.

Was looking for signs of rebuilt KBXD 1480 Dallas TX supposed to be testing; there was a brief tone from some CCI (or KQAM itself) at 1245; and a promising open carrier at 1259, but that turned out to be dead air from KQAM too, then Fox ``news`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1530, Nov 3 at 1308 UT, market reports for Kansas from USDA, extended forecast from Kansas Ag network, i.e. KQNK Norton (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1600, Sat Nov 3 at 1250 UT, interesting discussion about life on Mars; late Arthur C. Clarke thought he saw tree-like growths from early explorer images. Turns out to be C2CAM at a rather late time, closing hour at 1257 to continue same guest next hour; but there is no next hour here. 1258 political ads including for county clerk, Albuquerque, 1300 CBS News, 1306 another talk show about home repair vs storm Sandy.

Already at 1250 had het from off-frequency KMDO Fort Scott KS; and by 1306 QRM is growing from KRVA TX in Vietnamese. C2CAM website says it`s on KIVA 1600 Albuquerque until 6 am MT on Saturdays, only until 4 am on otherdays. But 1300 UT = 7 am MDT for the last time today. KIVA website confirms it has CBS News and C2CAM starting at 11 pm or midnite local (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** VIETNAM [non]. 7345, Nov 3 at 0527, Vietnamese with very poor signal from VOV relay via Woofferton UK to WNAm. Quality varies greatly from night to night as to be expected over a hi-latitude path, unlike closer and lower Sackville had been on 6175 or even 9555 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Nov 2 at 2045, RTZ/ZBC has poor signal with singing, later hilife music, but cut off abruptly at 2056:52*. What`s the big hurry? Prevents any good-night or sign-off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 580, Sat Nov 3 at 1235, neatly in nulls of WIBW and XEMU, i.e. from approx WNW/ESE is a car-repair call-in show. KJMJ Alexandria LA looks likely from the maps, but it`s a Radio Maria. Also unfitting KSAZ in Arizona. Maybe KUBC in Montrose CO? Cannot find a simple program schedule at
http://coloradoradio.com/ tho they proclaim months in advance when they and sibling stations will be carrying stupid ballgames. KRFE in Lubbock is AC. WILL in IL might have such a show, but bad pattern for here. No, WILL is in WESAT from NPR, Car Talk not until 1400 UT, and there were no Tom & Rays to be heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 5994 & 6076, Nov 3 at 0228, the spurblobs are already on, and around the same frequencies as 23 hours earlier, both approx., as there is no carrier to pinpoint. Not very strong at first, but at 0357 check they have built up, still no modulation to try to identify, and both go off at 0400:04*. Again nothing to be found on the midpoint, 6035. Due to the precision of the close-down timings, suspect it is some major broadcaster extremely out of order.

In case this originate on 5995, note that an IBB Caucasus service, 250 kW, 355 degrees from KUWAIT is on 5995 at 0300-0400; see also SWAZILAND, which followed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 6925-USB, Nov 3 at 1211, weak pirate talking about a million dollars, super-PACs, original lewd implication of tea-bagging; 1212 ``Addams Family`` theme (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED. 15488, Nov 3 at 1254, unlike Nov 2, no spurblob audible today, nor earlier in the hour, but propagation is poor to absent from Asia, east and west (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)