** ARMENIA. 9910, Dec 16 at 1432, S Asian song at S8-S5, then talk in unID language. Aoki/NDXC shows TWR India, 300 kW, 100 degrees via Yerevan-Gavar, 1430-1445 Saturday in Haryanvi; weekdays in Hindi; Sundays in Mewadi. EiBi`s readme language list:
``HAR Haryanvi/Bangri/Harayanvi/Hariyanvi: India-Haryana (8m) [bgc]``
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOTSWANA. 4930, Dec 16 at 0046, JBA carrier, as VOA expansion to 24h service due to Zimbabwe appears still to be vigent; why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 11762 approx., Dec 15 at 2108, no carrier but S9 signal of extremely distorted Brazuguese. So for a change, it`s not RHC as Mark Coady and I first guessed. Nor is it RHC`s style of a single plodding scripted M announcer, rather lively W&M interchanges, and they`re talking about Brasil, not Cuba.
Therefore, it must be the RNA transmitter which is supposed to be on 11780, but totally out of whack --- nothing there as it has been active lately until 2200. The splatter field extends roughly 11740-11785. It is marginally more readable on the R75 in FM mode, and noise blanker also helps slightly. Much greater signal level than the other ZYs on 25m now, 11854.9 and 11934.9. RHC is not on yet, but by 2206 it has replaced RNA on 11760 with normal modulation in Spanish at S9+20. Will this happen again Dec 16? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. 15232, 15301, 15439, 15508, 15576, 15166, Dec 16 at 1420 and later, approx. spots of filthy spurblobs from 15370 RHC transmitter which sounds OK on fundamental. Yesterday I was hearing these during the following hour; and yesterday during the 1400 hour Wolfgang Büschel was monitoring RHC via remote SDR in NJ, without reporting any of them, but maybe not looking at the right frequencies. Something`s always wrong at RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9525.932, Dec 16 at 1426, JBA carrier, no doubt VOI currently on its upper-off-frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KIRITIMATI. 846.00, Dec 16 at 0656, very weak but steady carrier past 0700, not registering on the S-meter amid heavy 840 & 850 signals. Presumed R. Kiribati. I have not been seeing any routine loggings of this lately from the Victorians; so common that of no interest, or sporadically active? Nor from anyone deeper into North America like me (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORTH AMERICA. 6960-USB, Dec 16 at 0041, hard rock. Several logs of it as unID:
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,39273.0.html
including SSTV images such as ``Nobody tells the truth``, and Chris Smolinski assumes it`s Pee Wee (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1908 monitoring: not confirmed UT Sat Dec 16 at 0030 on WBCQ 9330v-CUSB, altho a JBA carrier could be it (9265 WINB is VP, 9395 WRMI better, 9370 WWRB best). Not confirmed, Sat Dec 16 at 1531-1600 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB as scheduled, on the UTwente SDR, only S Asian music and talk from CRI East Turkistan. Next:
Sat 2030v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND
Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW
Sat 2300 WRMI 11580 to NE
Sun 0200 WRMI 11580 to NE
Sun 0410v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND
Sun 1130 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW
Mon 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW
Mon 0400v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW
Mon 0430 WRMI 9955 to SSE
Tue 0030 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW
Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW
Tue 2030 WRMI 11580 to NE, 9455 to WNW, 7780 to NE
Tue 2130 WRMI 9455 to WNW [or #1909?]
Full WOR schedule via all media, and podcast access:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 7490.080, Dec 15 at 2114, WBCQ is S7 to S9+10 during `Financial Survival` conspiracy theories. It`s the backup transmitter running 30 kW as we learn later, following a disastrous fire which destroyed the original WBCQ-1 transmitter on Dec 10.
Allan Weiner was going to tell us all about it on his Friday night show, so I made a point of listening to it all on webcast, taking extensive notes, UT Saturday Dec 16 from 0100 on (7490). At 0040 check, 7489.80 itself was found to be a JBA carrier; 5130 not yet on but might have been better.
It`s a monologue by AW, with interjexions from others mostly off-mike in the studio. If this seem somewhat disjointed, I am presenting the info roughly in the order it came over.
Says this broadcast is on 7490 and 5130; with Angela, Scott and Timtron. AW is not feeling well, has had an atrial fibrillation [irregular heart rhythm] attack:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillation
which hits him about three times a year.
Disaster hit Sunday December 10, as it was snowing. Fire destroyed the #1 transmitter. There are five other transmitters, including the new #6 which is for 3265. One of the others is apparently a backup.
Last year`s fund drive with a goal of $500K raised only 4 or 5K$, but he`s grateful for that; paid part of the $6K cost for shipping the new transmitter from California.
He and the crew had just been rebuilding #1 the past three years. The renovation cost $50-80K. And it went back into service about 6 weeks ago, working fine. Originally a Harris MW-50, converted to a SW-50. Has very good efficiency of 90%, but a flaw.
Surrounding the tubes running 22 kv is a fiberglass ducting plenum, dating from the original unit 40 years ago, so deteriorated. It caught fire. Last Sunday signed on at 5 pm as usual for Marion`s Attic; by 6 pm, it was burning as AW walked into the transmitter building; turned off the HV. Fiberglass is made of explosive resins, impossible to put out. Caused extensive devastation, debris all over the building which contains two other transmitters.
Along with the atrial fibrillation, AW is on heart and blood pressure meds. This situation was not good for his conditions.
The #2 transmitter is for 5130; #3 is the backup 30 kW for 7490, which was untouched and soon switched on to resume broadcasting.
Fortunately the building did not burn down, which it could have; it has three-quarter-inch plaster which deflects heat. The wiring, power supply, etc., are OK; just that there is soot over everything which must be cleaned up, as electricity and soot=carbon do not mix!
He has been unable to get insurance for WBCQ, since it`s ``at the end of nowhere`` and as an international broadcast station a ``terrorist target``. Has tried to get insurance for ten years.
[Merriam-Webster Definition of plenum. 1b: an air-filled space in a structure; especially: one that receives air from a blower for distribution (as in a ventilation system)]
Plenum is an air ducting system, from the main blower to cool the two main tubes. He thinks this happened in a flash, as the fibreglass, which has metallic fibers (?) within it, broke down. It had only been on air for an hour when the ducting ignited. The blower kept running, fanning the flames.
He wants to replace this ASAP and needs to raise $20K to purchase another used SW transmitter. AW has one in mind, which apparently has already been converted from MW to bona fide SW, but will need further parts and work, and high shipping costs.
Frequent plugs for gofundme or contribute via the WBCQ.com website. Even JL has contributed via gofundme!!
WBCQ is not making a profit; depends on unpaid volunteers. AW says he has not raised rates since starting in *1998! (despite inflation), charging anywhere from $10 to $60 an hour depending on the amount of time purchased. This is to accommodate free-speech clients who he knows could not afford higher rates.
The 3265 #5 [6?] transmitter has the same plenum problem, so that is being replaced with half-inch teflon. Still waiting for a major client for it. Anyone else running a Harris transmitter with fibreglass plenum should take note and replace it before they have such a fire!
``Get this right, Glenn Hauser --- all the other transmitters are fine``. For this very reason, they are in two other buildings. (?? IF I did not get something right, it`s because no one tells me directly what`s happening.)
A new SW transmitter from Ampegon or CCA would cost $300K to $500K, out of the question. WBCQ has always relied on used equipment, converted for SW.
The replacement transmitter is of a different shape than the burned one; the building walls will have to be modified so it will fit, but this is doable.
Most work will be volunteer, but will pay a crew to clean up the building. Temp is now 4 degrees, minus wind chill. Not much work can be done until spring, but plans to have the new rig going by mid-summer, better than ever.
This was a chemical problem that no one foresaw. Harris cut corners by using fibreglass. ``Harris built a time-bomb``.
I was wondering if Allan would ever say anything about the 9330 transmitter, and why we can`t hear it. He does say it`s #4 in another building, and unaffected by the fire.
It`s now past 0200 when he starts to reply to e-mail, acknowledge some contributors. His benedixion starts at 0217 as the show is almost over.
Of course, we wish Allan and everyone at WBCQ the best, and good luck in carrying through on getting back to 50 kW on 7490.
John Carver, mid-north Indiana, sends his report on this same broadcast:
``Tonight's show started on time this evening. Listening on 5130 as 7490 was plagued with long, deep fades and coming in with the high point in the swing being S5. 5130 is not great this evening at S5-S7 but the fades don't seem to be as bad here.
Allan opened the show with the news of the 7490 transmitter fire. Angela, Dr. Becker and TimTron were in the studio with him. Allan is not feeling well, suffering effects of stress and the smoke from the fire. At 0108 the noise came up making it hard to copy. Allan said he was having some heart problems from the stress, smoke and not being able to breathe in the transmitter building while putting out the fire. Lots of details about the fire and the clean up.
It sounds like they're still running with one mic in the studio this week. Understandable with all that's been going on since last week's program. No insurance on the station as Allan states that the insurance companies consider the station to be a terrorist target.
Has started a Go Fund Me page to raise money to buy another transmitter. Has another transmitter in mind if they can raise the money. Transmitter would be shipped to a warehouse in Presque Isle and converted there and then moved to the station probably in the spring.
Transmitter for 3265 is being torn down and the fiberglass air ducting is being removed as this is what caused the two previous fires in the 7490 transmitter and the 3265 transmitter has the same fiberglass ducting in it.
Wants to raise at least twenty thousand dollars to defray the costs of another transmitter. New transmitter would cost three hundred thousand dollars.
No damage to the transmitter buildings or any of the wiring or other equipment contained there. Losing large hunks of the conversation in the fades. Signal has dropped to S5 and less now. As usual 5130 transmitter shuts down at 0202 right in the middle of a sentence. I know they're having all sorts of problems at the station but they really should fix that and leave 5130 on till the end of the program. John`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 11530, Dec 16 at 0652, WRMI with Brother Scare singing at S9+20, about equal to // 11580; so Radio Herwa International likely to ensue at 0700, and probably R. Biafra presued until 0530. There are extreme variations in reception of these in the nightmiddle, often JBA carriers (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 17775.017, Dec 15 at 1911, KVOH Spanish sermon is S9+20 and somewhat suptorted, but closer to frequency than last few days. Perhaps they saw my measurements of +150 Hz or so. No spur field detectable (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 12105, Dec 15 at 1917, WTWW-3 reactivated after several months! I bandscan past here just about every day and nothing until now. It`s S9+20 with ``Wish Upon a Star``, not exactly Xmasmx, but at 1920, KI4OSH from Fairview TN utters Xmas wishes, then to Armed Forces too; Ted ad for Icom transceivers, 1923 ``All Xmasmx all the time from WTWW``. Modulation is somewhat distorted, a pity for a music service, and carrier wobbles with BFO on. 2107 recheck, still on but faded drastically to S5-S7. More hams are making recorded Xmas greetings.
12105 was originally dedicated to ``Bible Worldwide` in a few strange languages such as Yoruba, but now there is reason to add it to my caradio BSR-1 memories in order to keep track of it. Xmasmx is the stuff Ted has been running on 5085 at night, and one would expect the same on WTWW-2`s day frequency 9930, but not.
The only other user of 12105, per NDXC/Aoki is RFA Burmese via Tinian at 1230-1430. As far as FCC is concerned, WTWW may use 12105 any time between 1400 and 0600 during B-17. See the schedule at
https://transition.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/B17FCC01.TXT
which among many other versions of B-17 info can be reached via
http://www.worldofradio.com
VP carrier still on 12105 at 0044 and 0053 Dec 16, but can`t hear any music or other modulation. Guess what: next check at 0651, I still get a JBA carrier, exciter? then Xmasmx about Santa Claus blasts on at S9 for a few seconds, and gone again. At 1359 Dec 16, the JBA carrier is presumably Tinian, tho FCC allows for a 30-minute overlap.
When was 12105 last logged from WTWW? April 2017, per the MARE Log Summary issued in late September. Searching my logs, I last had 12105 with dead air on May 13 and 16, no signal on May 20, 2017. IIRC, the Bibling had ceased quite a while before then.
The #3 transmitter is a different model than the others, and we concluded that when it broke, Ted couldn`t fix it. Or course the current 12105 activity could be from #2 transmitter, since it`s not on 5085 or 9930 when we are hearing 12105. 9475 is running as usual with SFAW. Only if we ever hear three WTWW frequencies at once, shall we know that all transmitters are operational (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
This report despatched at 1840 UT December 16
