STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK - December 20, 2015

Photo courtesy of Yarra Ranges Leader Newspapers

STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK
December 20, 2015


 Hi Folks,

 I've been meaning to get this report out to you for several days now. However, we have been somewhat preoccupied with bushfires in our locality over the past 36 hours. 
Photo courtesy of Leader Newspapers

The next town to Mount Evelyn is Wandin North, about four kilometres (2.5 miles) to the east of where I live. Over the past week, we have had temperatures each day between 35˚ and 38˚C (95-100˚F).  Yesterday the local temperature reached 42˚C (nearly 108˚F). A grass fire broke out around 9am and then got into some bushland. Hot northerly winds quickly fanned the blaze and surged towards the town of Wandin North, forcing the main Warburton Highway to be closed for most of the day. There was much smoke to be seen from our property. Around 35 Country Fire Authority (CFA) units (all volunteer fire fighters) were called to try and manage the situation. 

 We received a steady stream of updated SMS messages on our cell phones and by the afternoon were told to leave the area. We packed a few important things and spent the time at my daughter's home. By 7pm, we were advised that the fire was at least contained but still not under control, and we decided to return home. By 2am, the high winds appeared to have subsided and and we could sleep easy. 

 This morning, it was hot again. 40˚C (104˚F) by lunchtime and very windy. In fact, the wind was swirling and changing direction constantly, making it extremely difficult for fire fighters to take control of the situation. A cooler southerly change arrived around 4pm. Finally, the rain arrived and the fire risk was eliminated.

 This is an early start to our fire season. January and February are usually the worst months, but the unseasonably hot weather here in December means we could well be in for a long, hot and difficult summer.

 So.......now, here's my report on recent DX monitoring, a little later than planned, but as they say - better late than never!
Photo courtesy of Yarra Ranges Leader Newspapers
Photo courtesy of Yarra Ranges Leader Newspapers

FROM THE LOG BOOK

4055   GUATEMALA. R. Verdad - San Esteban, Chiquimula. This station never ceases to amaze me with its 800w signal even making the distance to southeastern Australia in the summer season! It puts some other LA broadcasters to shame! Sure, it's not a strong signal, but on an atmospherically quiet night, it can be clearly heard, as on Dec 17 at 1005 with a female announcer presenting a talk, then anncts and followed by some classical music. The antenna must be in a very good location!

 4750   BANGLADESH. Bangladesh Betar - Shavar. Music selections and Bangla anncts at 1050, ID at 1100 and then news program. A slight mixing of CNR 1 underneath, but no sign of RRI - Makassar on this evening. Dec 17.

 4774.92   PERU. R. Tarma - Tama, Junín. Lively music and excited anncts at 1015, a weak signal on Dec 17.

 4875.1   BRAZIL. R. Difusora Roraima - Boa Vista, RR. Presumed to be this station although the signal was quite weak at 1024 and I struggled to make out any sustained and identifiable audio, Dec 17. Also noted on Dec 18 at about the same strength.

 4895   INDIA. AIR - Kurseong. First noted at 1134 with Hindi anncts and long Hindi vocals, fair reception and nice to hear it so early in the evening, Dec 17.

 4925.22   BRAZIL. R. Educação Rural - Tefé, AM. Another presumed station on this usual off-freq channel for the Brazilian. Weak at 1028 with a music program on Dec 17. I would not have heard these Brazilians at all had it not been for the very low level of atmospheric static on the band this evening. Also noted on Dec 18 and slightly stronger.

 5010   MADAGASCAR. R. Madagasikara - Antananarivo. Couldn't find R. Bata on 5005 kHz, but R. Madagasikara was quite a good signal, and today it was dead-on 5010 kHz for a change!! Dual announcers chatting in the Malagasy language and songs around 1950, Dec 17.

 5025   CUBA. R. Rebelde - Quivican. A great night for listening to this station with a good steady signal and low atmospherics. Usual good selection of music and chat from 0900 to past 1145, Dec 17.

 5820   MADAGASCAR. RTE Radio 1 - Talata Volonondry. A fair to good signal in English for the weekdays-only service to Af, with a political discussion at 1937, Dec 17.

 6090   ETHIOPIA. R. Amhara - Addis Ababa. a.k.a. Amhara State Radio. As I reported in my last Station News and the Log Book post, this broadcaster is still operating with its sign off around 2100 (today at 2103), but not just confined to the weekends, as noted on Dec 17 (a Thursday). Good signal with music and talk in the Amharic language.


7235   ENGLAND. IBRA Radio - Woofferton. First noted at 1942 in one of the many West African languages (scheduled as Tamajeq on Thursdays), then ID and into the regular Hausa service from 1945. Fair signal on Dec 17.

 7360   ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. Local summertime S-8 noise  levels could not defeat this transmission in French at 0605 with news. Beamed to SEu. Dec 17.

 7515   USA. WEWN - Vandiver AL. Songs in Spanish at 0615, poking through the local hash on Dec 17.

 9665   D.P.R.KOREA. KCBS - Kanggye. At 1110 this intrepid listener was copping a serious talking to from Pyongyang, no doubt with words of wisdom from the Kid President. At 1111, this listener decided there was "nothing to see here" and moved on…. Dec 12.

 13580   THAILAND. R. Mashaal - Ban Dung. Pashto service for the regions around and including Pakistan, at 0620 with a mixed program of regional songs and telephone talkback, fair on Dec 17.

 13695   FRANCE. RFI - Issoudun. French to CAf at 0629 with anncts and ID at 0630, then a news update. A weakish signal in the noise on Dec 17.

 13760   D.P.R.KOREA. VoKorea - Kujang. Martial music and French anncts at 0633, beamed to LAm. Fair signal on Dec 17.

 13780   IRAN. VOIRI - Kamalabad. Talks in Arabic service at 0636, beamed to ME, fair to poor signal on Dec 17.

 13820   IRAN. VOIRI - Kamalabad. A massive signal booming in at 0639 for the Albanian service to Eu. Same transmitter site at the broadcast on 13780 kHz, and same power output (500kW). Beam headings are significant! Some light hum on the audio. Dec 17.

 15495   GUAM. AWR via KSDA - Agat. Indonesian service at 1110, good signal with a talk program on Dec 18.

 15530.13   UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. BBC - Dhabayya. Opening of the daily 30-minute Somali service to EAf at 1103 with news. Fair signal and off-freq on Dec 18.

 15580   PHILIPPINES. FEBC - Bocaue. Good signal in the presumed / scheduled Sasak language to Indonesia at 1057 with concluding anncts , then piano music and IS till off at 1100, Dec 18.

 15690   SRI LANKA. R. Farda - Iranawila. Farsi talks at 1055, fair signal, Dec 18.

 15730   PAKISTAN. R. Pakistan - Islamabad. Urdu talk at 1045. Muffled audio and with room echo on the speaker's voice. Fair to good signal and I haven't heard this station in quite a while, Dec 18.

 15750   IRAN. VOIRI - Zahedan. Arabic tp ME at 1045, good signal, Dec 18.

 15760   SRI LANKA. R. Mashaal - Iranawila. Pashto talk program with many mentions of the Taliban at 1040, fair signal on Dec 18.

 17615   SAUDI ARABIA. BSKSA - Riyadh. Qur'an at 0945 beamed to SAs, good signal on Dec 13.

 17660   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. Kazakh programming at 0950, fair signal, Dec 13.

 17720   THAILAND. BBC - Nakhon Sawan. Dari service to Afghanistan at 0952, good signal, Dec 13.

 17745   ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. Weekends only service in Romanian to Egypt at 0954 until s/off 0956, a weak signal on Dec 13.

 17769.94   THAILAND. RFE/RL - Ban Dung. Russian to EAs at 0954 till s/off 1000, good signal but slightly off-freq, Dec 13.

 17775   ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. Weekends only service in Romanian to ME at 0955 till s/off after IS at 0957, poor signal, Dec 13.

 21510   IRAN. VOIRI - Kamalabad. News in English at 1030 to SAs. Big signal…..must be summer here! Dec 18.

 21550   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. Mass with English commentary at 0927 beamed to EAf, fair signal Dec 13.

 21560   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. Mass with Portuguese commentary at 0924, good signal on Dec 13.

 21570   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. Mass with  French commentary to WAf at 0920, fair signal on Dec 13.

 21580   ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. Weekends-only service to NAf in Romanian at 1002 with ID and news, fair to poor signal, Dec 13.

 21670.12   SAUDI ARABIA. BSKSA - Riyadh. Indonesian service, good signal but slightly off-freq at 0915 on Dec 13. Also noted on Dec 17 at 1000 and still off-freq at 21670.12 kHz.

 That's all I have time for tonight. Lots of things to do here, so I must get moving along.

 73 and have a great weekend everyone!

 Rob Wagner VK3BVW
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