STATION NEWS AND THE LOGBOOK - No. 3

Snow Greenery - Mount Donna Buang (30 min from Mount Evelyn)

STATION NEWS AND THE LOGBOOK - No. 3

STATION NEWS:

REBELDE REBELS!
R. Rebelde - Bauta. I was travelling across the 60mb on July 11 and was surprised to find R. Rebelde - Bauta way off frequency, sitting on 5049.23 kHz (normally 5025 kHz) just after 1100 with chit chat, discussions and canned announcements. Occasional music selections and plenty of "Buenos Dias" sprinkled throughout the program. It was a booming signal until f/out around 1200. This seems like a frequency blunder. Apparently it was just a "one night stand"! Oh, Cuba! You're such a tease!! However, the Peruvian station on 5024.8, R. Quillabamba in Cusco, was producing a very nice signal at the same time due to Cuba's vacancy. This saw the frequency clear for the Peruvian to produce a great signal into Mount Evelyn. Quillabamba always offers wonderful music programming, so it's a pity they have to share this freq with Cuba. Note to R. Rebelde: Can we have some more of these frequency stumbles please?

Here's a short excerpt of R. Rebelde on 5049.23 kHz on July 11:
CALLSIGNS NOW OK ON FACEBOOK
There are quite a few MEDXR readers who have amateur or SWL callsigns. So, you'll be pleased to hear this news. It comes from a number of sources and has been confirmed by a ham who works for Facebook and who rewrote the code to allow the changes to your profiles:

To all Amateur Radio Operators: Facebook is now allowing Hams to add their callsign to their profile. If you want to do it, here's how it's done:

- 1st) Open up "Settings".
- 2nd) Under "General Account Settings", on the line that says "Name", click "Edit".
- 3rd) Enter your callsign in the space marked "Alternate name".
- 4th) Check the box for "Include this on my timeline".
- 5th) Save these settings by entering your Facebook password in the box marked "Password.
- 6th) Click on the box marked "Save Changes".
- Now return to your Main page and your callsign will appear under your name.
(via QRZ NOW)

SWRA CALLS IT QUITS
A note on the website of SW Radio Africa (posted July 17 by Gerry Jackson) says that TODAY - July 18 - will be the last time that the station operates on the shortwave frequency of 4880 kHz. After 12.5 years of operation, they have decided to opt for broadcasts to "continue on our website, via Channel Zim through TV decoders, and by various other forms of new media." This does not come as a surprise really, as reports of changes have been circulating for several years now. Still, it's sad to see another signal disappearing from the tropical bands, especially as there are so few African stations broadcasting on shortwave these days. You can read the full announcement at:

 http://www.swradioafrica.com/2014/07/17/swra-shortwave-broadcasts-to-end/

FROM THE LOGBOOK:


5011.07  MADAGASCAR. R. Madagascar - Ambohidrano. At 1930 with a fair signal, discussion program in Malagasy. Bit higher in freq that usual today! July 14.

 6088.87  IRAN. VOIRI - Kamalabad. Unusually sloppy off-freq operation (nom. 6090 kHz) at 2250, the Tajik service to CAs for Ramadan, July 17.

6185   CHINA. China Huayi B.C. - Fuzhou, Fujian. Pop songs at 1055, time pips and ID at 1100, then into more pops. Fair on July 17.

6185   UNIDENTIFIED. Spanish speaker at 1100 with possibly news then into music (sounding sort-of Mexican in style) at 1115. More talk at 1118. Could this be XEPPM R. Educacion at an unscheduled time (its usual s/off is around 0500 isn't it?) or something else?  Weak under China Huayi and faded by 1145. Also monitored on the Lexington Kentucky remote receiver where the signal was a tiny bit stronger (and in the clear with no Chinese QRM). 

 9400  PHILIPPINES. FEBC - Iba. At 1035 in Mandarin with easy-going preaching. Fair signal but heavy fading, propagation conditions not good on July 17.

9820   CHINA. Beibu Bay R. - Nanning. Weak signal in Vietnamese (Sat/Sun) magazine style program and occasional pop songs at 1115, heard under both CNR 2 and R. Havana. Runs Thai on weekdays at this time, July 13.

 11880  CUBA. R. Havana. At 2310 with the African service in English, weak signal on July 17.

 73 and have a great weekend everyone!

 Rob VK3BVW

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