From the Logbook....

Although geomagnetic storms played havoc with HF radio reception for much of the week, there was a brief respite over the last couple of days with conditions picking up significantly. As a result, some nice DX was monitored, including Voz Missionaria, Radio Republica, Alcaravan Radio, RTV Mali, Wantok Radio Light, and the 1kW CFRX (which I haven't heard for many years!!). I hope there's something here of interest for you, too.

5910   COLOMBIA.  Alcaravan Radio - Puerto Lleras. Fair signal at 0745 with earnest talks. Time pips at 0800, ID and into religious programming. Ballad at 0810. May 15.

5939.95   BRAZIL.  Voz Missionaria - Camboriu. First noted 0650 with a long religious talk that seemed to ignore the top of the hour. Then a Portuguese religio/pop ballad at 0709. Then an ID while a second ballad was played. Another ID at 0728. Poor signal on May 17. Also noted // 9665 but that channel was barely audible at that time.

5965   COSTA RICA.  REE - Cariari. Especially strong today as we approach the depths of winter, Spanish discussion program 0615, May 17.

5995   MALI.  RTV Mali, Bamako at 0645 via long path. The carrier is strong but the audio always seems to be down somewhat. French anncts and songs from the Sahel. Best signal in weeks, but that's not saying much! Still....I'll take anything! Gone by 0705. May 16.

6070   CANADA.  CFRX - Toronto.  Numerous adverts at 0720. Relays CFRB 1010 MW, and

heard two mentions of "1010" at 0722 and 0725. Talkback program. Another advert string at 0731, then back into chat. At 0750, some phone-in thing called "LoveLine" (or similar!).  News and traffic update at 0800 called the "1010 Update, with the temperature now at 13 degrees…." Fair level, in the clear but with electrical and thunderstorm noise, so listening was challenging. I haven't heard this station in years!!! May 16.

6090   ANGUILLA.  Caribbean Beacon. English religious programming 0628, address given and then pop music (!). Only fair at this time, often stronger when a little later, say past 0700. May 17.

6765.1   THAILAND.  Bangkok Meteorological Radio. English ID and frequencies at 1220 in USB, then weather in Thai, and a music-box interval signal before more information and reports. Puts in quite a strong signal for a 1kW transmitter. Nothing heard on the alternate 8743 kHz though on May 15.

7315   USA.  WHRI - Cyprus Creek.  Playing continuous ballads and c+w music from 0210 without anncts. Peaked at 0208, then back down in the mud several minutes later. Ebbed and flowed for the remainder of the listening period. English ID, bible and World Vision adverts at 0229, then back into music 0232. Gave it away to have lunch at 0235!! So why is this logging significant? Well, it reflects the changing and pronounced winter DX season we experience at this time as we head into the depths of winter in south eastern Australia. Indeed, nothing else on the 41mb at that time! But this may change, too. We shall see. May 16.

7325   PAPUA NEW GUINEA.  Wantok Radio Light - Port Moresby.  "Back to the Bible" program at 1245. A fairly good signal but I found it easier listening on USB due to heavy splash from a blockbuster CNR2 signal 10 kHz away on 7315! At 1300, it gets flattened by the co-channel CRI Japanese service May 15.

7350   CHINA.  CRI - Kashi. One of only two stations to currently fade out before this band closes up completely in our late morning at 0045 with English. The other broadcaster is R. Marti - Greenville on 7365. Both are pretty weak by this time and gone before 0100. May 16.

7505   TAJIKISTAN.  VoR - Dushanbe. Noted at 1313 in Hindi to SAs with a news and commentary program. Fair strength but easily copied because of its clear channel.  NF ex 7585 (which was used at the beginning of the A13 season).  May 15.

9435   ARMENIA.  VoR - Yerevan. Spanish to SAm at 0110. NF and can be heard right through the day till 0500 s/off with a good signal. May 16.

9490   FRANCE.  R. Republica - Issoudun. Used to be transmitted from Montsinery, French Guiana but now that's closed down they are using Issoudun for this service. Excited Spanish programming, rallying the Cuban people and occasional music, first noted at 0120 and monitored right through to s/off 0200. Full ID and freq annct at 0155 and again at 0159 as "Aqui Radio Republica, la voz del Derectorio Democratico Cubano…." along with some rooster crowing and music.  Fair to poor signal throughout but with no jamming heard here on May 16.

9700   NEW ZEALAND.  RNZ - Rangitaiki. English to the Pacific 1200, NF ex 9655, May 15.

11860   SRI LANKA.  Voice of Wilderness - Trincomalee. S/on 1300 with what sounded like some horn/bugle instrument, then an ID in Korean. At 1303, a Korean version of Amazing Grace - which was interesting! Then onto religious talks with background music. Fairly good signal but degraded slightly by co-channel Cuba. May 15.

12120   PHILIPPINES.  VoA - Tinang. S/on 1400 for English to SAs on weekdays only. NF ex 7540, poor signal with QRM for the first three minutes from FEBC, which was dragging its heels getting off the freq from their previous transmission. May 15.

15340   AUSTRALIA.  HCJB - Kununurra. Now here in Hindi at 1330, NF ex 15400. May 15.

15490   PAKISTAN. R. Pakistan - Islamabad. S/on 0046 in the middle of an announcement. Hosted by Darth Vader - deep, gravelly vocal quality - thanks to an appalling modulation. Then we were treated to the Qur'an which was prayed inside a cardboard box (or so it sounded!). While it may be reasonable for our Muslim friends to demonstrate consternation towards those who disrespect their beliefs, surely their national broadcaster could show a little more respect themselves by broadcasting the sacred texts with a clean audio quality! Anyway….. no sign of them operating on 15590, 17710, nor 17895 despite listings for these in HFCC and Aoki. May 16.

And finally.......

For those of you interested in QSL history, here are some images of a QSL from CFRX for my reception back on May 23, 1971. I think the receiver at that time was a Lafayette HA230, 9 valve unit. My name and address have been obliterated purposely from the QSL.

I'd love to hear from you if you have any comments or feedback on the Mount Evelyn DX Report blog. Just leave your comments below, or on the Facebook page where the Blog Alert was posted.

Have a great weekend everyone, hopefully with some good DX!!

73

Rob VK3BVW