Saturday, October 18, 2008

Shortwave blog bytes

More news "bytes" from the world of shortwave radio

Argentina
From October 19th, the local time in Argentina will be modified in some Provincies and the country will have two local times.UTC = -3Catamarca, La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Juan, San Luis,La Pampa, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur.UTC = -2 Jujuy, Formosa, Chaco, Tucuman, Santiago del Estero, Misiones, Cordoba, Corrientes, Santa Fe, Entre Riosand Buenos Aires. (Gabriel Ivan Barrera/playdx2003)

Listen to my new audio clip of RAE Argentina, on 15345 KHz in French language with interval signal. www.hb9gce.ch/RAE_20081015_2000_15345.mp3
(Stumpf Carl Andreas/HCDX)

Australian DX Report - episode 121
A new episode, no. 121, of the AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT audio shortwave news magazine is now available.

It includes a propagation report, monitoring notes, schedule changes, advance B08 schedules, and news about international broadcasters.

It's 13 mins 20 secs, and is at
http://airm.edxp.org/

The "AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT", is a free service of the ELECTRONIC DX PRESS RADIO MONITORING ASSOCIATION and contains professionally compiled information about world shortwave broadcasting, with monitoring research.

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly (streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embedded mini-player. Podcasts, iTunes capability, full RSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 121!
(Bob Padula, Australia)

Bolivia
6075, Radio Causauki Coca, (presumed)1008-1015. Very noisy this morning, but noted a male in Spanish language comments here until 1015 when the noise over powers the signal. Perhaps an earlier logging would have produced better results? (Chuck Bolland, October 16, 2008)

China
7105 PBS Nei Menggu, Hohhot, heard 17 Oct. at 23.40. Mandarin commentary and soft music, 23.59 with a deep-voiced OM annxer with full ID, mentioning Hohhot and Nei Menggu and suddenly off at 23.59:30. BBC in English to Cyprus popped up on the hour at 00.00. According to EiBi, these guys are supposed to be on until 0600. Strange, but definitely heard. Went and sifted through their website for email addies and found these two: imbs@tom.com and imbs@163.com . Sent an email report off to both of them, and nothing was bounced so they may both be good. I will post if I get any replies. Lots of things happening this Thursday/Friday, so not as much time for DX as I had hoped.(Albert Muick, Afghanistan/HCX)

Europe on shortwave
Here are my most recent logs for October 2008. All times are UTC, and Frequencies in kHz. All are English, unless specified otherwise...

October 4, 12:00-12:59 UTC Polish Radio English 9525, SINPO 45334 NEWS, Europe East, Chart Show (Polish Pop Scene)
October 12, 1200-1259 UTC Polish Radio English 9525, SINPO 55445 NEWS, Europe
East, In-Touch (Listener Letters)
October 12, 1300-1327 UTC Radio Prague, Czech Republic 13580, SINPO 55545
October 12, 2200-2255UTC Radio Romania International 9790, SINPO 55545

Note: Polish Radio is an excellent verifier for correct reports, even to listeners outside of Europe! E-Mail reports to: english.section@polishradio.pl
(Tim Marecki, FL/ptsw)

60 Meter Band-Scan
5040 All India Radio (AIR) Jeypore Tlk in Indian lang. at 1143.
5010 AIR Thiruvananthapuram Same as above.
5005 Radio Nepal(??) Decent carrier at 1144 but lcl noise was right on top.
4990 AIR Itanagar M tlk in Indian lang. at 1144.
4970 AIR Shillong?? Strong carrier and only poss. audio at 1144.
4940 AIR Guwahati Indian mx at 1145.
4920 Xizang PBS Strong at 1146.
4905 Xizang PBS //4920 at 1146.
4869.93 RRI Wamena Mx at 1146.
4835 AIR Gangtok?? Fairly weak carrier at 1147 but a signal here.
4810 AIR Bhopal?? Just a carrier here as well at 1147.
4795 UNID. A carrier here at 1147 but may be nothing.
4975 UNID. Carrier at 1148.
4760 AIR Pt. Blair?? Sounded like vcl mx at 1148.
4965 AIR Shimla?? Carrier at 1155.
(Dave Valko, PA/12 Oct 08/Cumbre DX)

Indonesia
9525, Voice of Indonesia, 1003-1015 A welcomed return to this frequency (9525.00 KHz). At tune in, noted a few minutes of World News. This was presented by a female in the English Language. At about 1007, she gives ID as, "you are listening to ... from the Voice of Indonesia". At 1016, canned promos and ID ending the news. Although the program was in the English language, there just wasn't enough fidelity with the signal to get any type of copy. At 1024 the female gives ID and URL for VOI.

The signal was poor with a lot of fading type noise during the period. Note: Checked back at 1055 and found that they had moved up to 9525.95 KHz vice 9525 KHz which they were using at 1000 UTC. This caused me to wonder? What was the reason? Was the shift due to a malfunction or were they trying to get away from interference? At 1100 Romania takes over 9525 KHz with their strong signal. I can still hear Indonesia, but only weakly. Chuck Bolland, FL October 18, 2008)

9680, RRI Jakarta Programa Lima, 1019-1030. General conversation program here. At tune in, noted two females and a male in Indonesian language coversation. The girls seemed to be having fun judging from the tone and laughter of the talking. Signal was fair. (Chuck Bolland, FL October 18, 2008)

Romania
9790 After month and more with sound only one "bou-u-u-u", finally is rising good signal of RRI in Russian, noted on Oct 8 at 1350 UT on 9790 kHz and on Oct 10th at 0450 on 9555 kHz giving the details of contest with (!) final date for taking part Sept 30th, 2008 under the title "Danube" /Donau.

BTW on Sundays in last 10 minutes of their prgrs there is a DX program in Russian.(Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 12)

Checked the schedule of the new 100 kW Continental transmitter unit at very old Romanian shortwave site at Saftica [former Radio Espana Independiente site during Franco dictatorship] too, tonight Oct 14th:

7210 kHz noted RRI in Ukrainian at 1500-1527 UT, powerful here in Germany 54444, and superb audio quality, never heard on this former limited 20/50 kW units in the past.

Break between 15.27:10 and 15.28:25 UT.

6135 kHz noted RRI in Serbian at 1530-1557 UT, powerhouse S=9+10 dB on 6135
kHz.

9620 kHz transmitter is on the air at 1600 UT, powerful S=9+20 dB signal, BUT NO audio feed of the Italian service.

So I guess 2nd step of shortwave modernization at Romanian sites Galbeni, Saftica has been completed.And Tiganesti 300 kW Continental site will follow soon, and will be ready on Oct 26th, when B-08 winter schedule starts.

Google Earth imagery: Saftica site
ROU Saftica site, old Espana Independiente 20/50 kW
44°38'16.00"N 26°04'27.85"E
4 curtains in G.E. visible, and also additional revolving antenna like
Swedish Algon.
(wb, Germany/HCDX)