STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK - April 29, 2016


STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK
April 29, 2016

STATION NEWS

KUWAIT
My thanks to Rickie Matthews for drawing my attention to a new short video on the IBB transmitting complex in Kuwait. Titled Farewell to IBB Kuwait Transmitting Station and compiled by Gaines Johnson who has worked at the site for the last 10 years, the video provides a quick look at the current antenna and transmitter setup. The film is in two parts, the second section being a short skit (which you could probably take or leave!!)  Johnson is the same man who produced the excellent and longer YouTube video IBB Kuwait - 20 Years of Broadcasting History (which I posted here last year).

 NEW BROADCASTER FOR SOUTH SUDAN
Eye Radio has been launched and appears to have been quite widely heard over the last few days. There was an article/post on the Radio Tamazuj website entitled Eye Radio launches nationwide shortwave broadcasts, with transmissions appearing to commence on April 26. The schedule is: 0400-0500 UTC on 11730 kHz and 1600-1700 on 17730, apparently in Arabic and English. Note: the times listed in the article are Sudanese local time.

 RADIO BIAFRA
I was pleased to hear Radio Biafra on 11700 via the Kostinbrod (Bulgaria) transmitter site. I noted what sounded like hymns at 1803, a male announcer in English at 1805 (distorted and muffled audio) and a telephone interview (clear audio) at 1812 with many mentions of the political situation in Nigeria. Occasional breaks in the audio but the carrier remained throughout, until around 1820 when the audio disappeared completely. Audio back on at 1829 with the telephone speaker still hammering away at it. At 1859, the studio announcer returned with distorted audio, then the audio disappeared again at 1900. Apr 26.

FROM THE LOG BOOK

I'm still noting a few new frequency changes for the A16 transmission period, along with some general DX loggings.

5010.91 (approx!) MADAGASCAR. R. Madagasikara - Ambohidrano. Light music and chat programming in the Malagasy language at 1745. Usual wobbly carrier but seems even more so today (check out the carrier in SSB and listen to it bounce around on the spot), fair signal on Apr 26.

7250   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. S/on 2040 for the 20-min service in Arabic to NAf. NF (ex 6070) and one hour earlier for A16, fair signal on Apr 18.

7595   UZBEKISTAN. North Korea Reform R. - Tashkent. Noted here on Apr 18 at 2105 with Korean programming. NF (ex 7510 or 7505 kHz), fair signal.

9635.36   BRAZIL. R. Bandeirantes - Sao Paulo SP. From last month's logging, now confirmed as this station, and according to some Brazilian DXers it was reactivated in late February. Originally the word was they ran out of funds for the shortwave outlets, so they must have found some money….perhaps a few coins from down the back of the sofa?? Music, anncts and talk at 0725, fair tho poor signal on Apr 19.

9645   JAPAN. R. Japan - Yamata. 30-min English service to Oc at 1930, now here (ex 1000 UTC !). This is a bit early for Australia being 5:30am…..in winter!! But it's a good time for New Zealand and western Pacific islands. Poor frequency choice, too. It's a good signal but with moderate to heavy co-channel QRM from CRI's French service to WAf. So much for HFCC coordination!! At 2000-2100, it changes to Japanese for Oc. April 18.

9645   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. S/on 2040 for 20-min service in Arabic to ME, fair signal and heavy co-channel QRM from R. Japan's Japanese service to Oc, Apr 18.

9710   VATICAN. R. Japan - SM Galeria. 30 min English service to WAf at s/on 1930, good signal and seems to be a new service at this time, Apr 18.

11700   SWAZILAND. TWR Africa - Manzini. Oromo service 1730-1800 weekdays, NF (ex 11660) and fair signal on Apr 26.

11885   BULGARIA. Dimtse R. Erena - Kostinbrod. Now here for A16 (ex 11845) daily at 1700-1730 in Oromo, and 1730-1800 in Arabic. Good signal on Apr 26.

12075   BULGARIA. End Times Coming - Kostinbrod. English to ME at 1825, ID and address at 1830, then s/off 1832. NF (ex 11600) and a good signal on Apr 26. 

13710   ALBANIA. CRI - Cerrik. S/on 0700 with English to Eu, NF (ex 11785), very good signal Apr 19.

15105   MOLDOVA. TWR Africa - Kishinev. Caught the last five minutes of the Somali service at 1655 till s/off 1700, NF (and probably ex 12025), good signal on Apr 26.

15245   FRANCE. Voice of Eritrean Forum/R. Medrek - Issoudun. Noted at 1707 with Tigrinya service, NF (ex 11720). Scheduled 1700-1800 on Sun/Tues/Fri/Sat in Tigrinya, and in Arabic on Wed, good signal Apr 26.

15315   FRANCE. R. Sawtu Linjilia - Issoudun. A weak signal at 1840 with religious programming in the Fulfulde language to WAf, NF (ex 9800), Apr 26.

17540   CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to SAs at 0705, NF (ex 15185), fair signal on Apr 19.

NEW DOMESTIC BROADCASTING SURVEY - DBS-18

It's here again! The fabulous DBS for 2016 from Anker Peterson and the Danish Shortwave Club International. Here are the details:

The 59 years old DSWCI, which counts experienced DX-ers in 33 countries all over the world as members, will in April issue 
the 18th  Edition of its annual Domestic Broadcasting Survey. This survey is divided into three parts:

 Part 1: The 44th  edition of the Tropical Bands Survey covering all ACTIVE broadcasting stations on 2300 - 5700 kHz, including clandestines.

 Part 2: Domestic stations on international shortwave bands above 5700 kHz broadcasting to a domestic audience. 

 Part 3: Deleted frequencies between 2 and 30 MHz which have not been reported heard during the past five years, but may reappear.

This new Survey is based upon monitoring by our members, many official sources and DX-bulletins. A16 schedules are included when available. About 65 domestic shortwave stations frequencies have left the bands. In order to make the DBS reliable, our own monitors around the world have checked throughout the period April 2015 – March 2016, if each of the 500 station frequencies is on the air.  ACTIVE stations are marked with an A (”Regular”), B (”Irregular”) or C (”Sporadic”) in the list.   D means ”Likely inactive”. 

 A unique feature is the right column called ”Last log”. It shows the last month and year before DBS deadline on March 31, 2016   when the particular station was reported logged by a DX-er somewhere in the world. This is another way of indicating the current audibility of the station. To avoid inactive stations in this DBS, most frequencies which have not been heard during the past year, have been deleted and are moved to Part 3. No other frequency list has this feature!

 Other useful features for easy identification (ID) are the parallel frequencies and reference to Station ID slogans.

 Four sample extracts from the DBS-18 are shown on the next page. Reviews can be found on www.dswci.org 

All buyers of DBS-18 will get a username and password to the monthly updates on the tropical bands published as "Tropical Bands Monitor" on our website. The similar, historical data from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are available to anybody at  www.dswci.org/tbm .

 The 18 pages A-4 size DBS-18 is available by e-mail as pdf-format (about 350 kB). 
A limited number is also available printed on paper for the last time, because the DSWCI is dissolved at the end of 2016! 

 Both are sold by the treasurer until December 01, 2016:

 DSWCI, 
c/o Bent Nielsen, Egekrogen 14, DK 3500 Vaerloese, DENMARK 

 E-Mail edition: DKK 30,00 or USD 5.00 or EUR 4,00 or GBP 3,00 or  IRC 1.

 Printed edition: DKK 60,00 or USD 10.00 or EUR 8,00 or GBP 7,00 or IRC 2. 

 Payment by cash notes are  accepted  and  welcome, whereas checks and postal money orders are not accepted.
DSWCI’s Bank is Danske Bank, 2-12 Holmens Kanal, DK-1092 Copenhagen K.
BIC/SWIFT : DABADKKK.      IBAN: DK 44 3000 4001 528459. Remember to pay all cost!
Danish buyers please use: Reg. 3001- konto 4001528459.

 If you have EURO as national currency, you are advised to pay to our representative in Germany, Andreas Schmid.

 Andreas Schmid, Lerchenweg 4, D-97717 Euerdorf, Germany. E-mail: schmidandy@aol.com 
Targobank, Düsseldorf, BLZ: 30020900.  BIC: CMCIDEDD.  IBAN: DE07 3002 0900 5200 087693.

 If you want to pay via PAYPAL, you have to contact Andreas Schmid, before you send your payment.
Payment via PayPal only in US$ currency and only for persons, living outside the European Union (EU).
73 and have a great weekend everyone!

 Rob Wagner VK3BVW


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