Mount Evelyn DX Report: STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK

STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK

May 27, 2017

STATION NEWS

CHINA
There have been a few new frequencies appearing for CNR and PBS Xizang stations over the past week. Renovations at transmitter sites are being carried out on normal frequencies, so some alternative channels have been brought into service. I have noted some of these below in this week's log book. The Aoki frequency list has just confirmed a schedule for PBS Xizang on these frequencies:
Mandarin:
7240kHz - S/on 2000-2400, then 15680kHz at 0000-1357, and 7240kHz at 1358-1805 s/off
Tibetan:
7385kHz - S/on 2100-2400, then 13870kHz at 0000-1230, and 7385kHz at 1230-1805 s/off

COLOMBIA
Many long-time DXers will remember Radio Sutatenza in Bogota, operating on 5075, 5095 and 6075 kHz up until the early 1990s when it was forced to close due to financial problems. This station also transmitted on a number of mediumwave outlets in Bogota, Cali, Barranquilla, Magangue, and Medellin. It's primary focus was educational broadcasting, especially to rural communities throughout the country. A website has been set up to remember the work of R. Sutatenza, and it has several interesting videos. Although written entirely in Spanish, Google Translate does a pretty decent job of interpreting the texts. The link is: http://proyectos.banrepcultural.org/radio-sutatenza/

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
A few DXers have noted that the NBC (R. Milne Bay) station at Alotau on 3365 kHz has returned to the air over the past week, after having been missing for nearly 12 months. I first noted it on May 24 at 1105 with commercial pops and PNG local songs. Very heavy atmospherics on this night made listening difficult and announcements virtually unintelligible. Seemed to be a mix of English and Tok Pisin. No clear ID on that occasion, but it had to be Milne Bay. It was slightly off frequency at 3364.97 kHz. The only other PNG station on that night was a very weak 3260 R. Madang. Then on the following night (May 25), Alotau was again heard, but this time with a slightly better signal at 1035. Local news noted at 1100. Mainly English heard on this night. A clear ID and TC for "19 past 9" at 1119 UTC. At 1127, there was a recorded message from the National Disaster Centre on what to do in the event of an earthquake. There were occasional breaks in the audio of between 10 and 30 seconds, but carrier still remained on during those short silent periods. Interestingly, the other PNG stations on 3260 and 3325 (Bougainville) were also heard but much weaker than Milne Bay on May 25.

Polling for the upcoming PNG national election begins on June 24 and closes on July 8. Ron Howard writes: "Will NBC history repeat itself? It will be remembered that during the last national general election (2012), NBC had a special broadcast to cover the election on 6040 kHz. My audio from back
then at: http://goo.gl/26n1nn. So towards the end of next month, I will be looking around for PNG to be on a not so usual frequency."

RAMADAN
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is observed as a time of fasting from dawn until sunset. It is considered a spiritually important time by our Muslim brothers and sisters. This year, Ramadan has taken place between May 27 to June 24. During this time, broadcasters in the Islamic world are worth watching for additional services or extended schedules. In the past, I have noted Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and R. Hargesa all operating at different times to their normal schedules.
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VOIRI) are expected to extend several of its broadcasts to parts of the Islamic world:
1930-2300 on 7315 to Central Asia in Azeri
2200-0100 on 9630 to the Middle East in Arabic
2300-0300 on 7410 to Central Asia in Azeri
2330-0030 on 7285 to Middle East in Kurdish
0030-0130 on 9760 to Middle East in Turkish

FROM THE LOG BOOK

As noted from my recent posts on May 7 and May 20, I am continuing to research autumn and winter propagation on the lower frequencies between 5000 and 10000 kHz during my early to mid afternoons. I have completed seven mini DXpeditions out into the bush, monitoring a variety of stations in this part of the shortwave spectrum. More observations are coming as we get into winter here in south eastern Australia. A few additional frequencies have been unearthed since those two earlier posts and appear below.

5040 CUBA. R. Habana – Bauta. Fades in some days just after 0400 with Spanish till 0500 then into English. However, on May 26 it was still running Spanish at 0515 in // with 6100 kHz.

5900 BULGARIA. Bible Voice – Kostinbrod. Arabic to ME at s/on 0315 till s/off 0330, weak signal, May 24.

5925 VATICAN. Afia Darfur R. – SM Galeria. Arabic to EAf at s/on 0300 till s/off 0330, fair signal, May 24.

5975 AUSTRIA. R. Japan - Moosbrunn. S/on 0500 in English to WEu, good signal, May 22.

5985 USA. R. Taiwan Int’l – Okeechobee FL. Noted at 0325 in Spanish to CAm, scheduled s/off 0400, fair signal, May 24.

6040 TURKEY. VoTurkey - Emirler. S/on 0400 in Turkish to ME, weak signal at first, but improved later, May 22.

6125 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. IBRA R. - Dhabayya. Heard weakly at 0245 in Dari to Afghanistan, May 22.

6180 SAO TOMÉ. VoA – Pinheira. S/on 0530 in French to WAf with news, weak signal before s/off 0600. Scheduled for weekdays only. May 26.

7230 STH AFRICA. Channel Africa – Meyerton. F/in 0515 to past 0600 in English to SAf weekdays only. Weak signal and heard only occasionally, and runs // 15255 also heard at better strength, May 26.

7254.93 NIGERIA. VoNigeria - Ikorodu. S/on just before 0600 in Hausa to WAf with a fair signal, May 26.

7259.91 VANUATU. R. Vanuatu – Port Vila. I have been watching the f/in times of this one over the past three weeks. Most days, the f/in is after 0330 with a fair signal. However, there has also been some occasional and rather erratic reception from 0200 (my local midday) with a very weak signal, as on May 24. This early reception has been observed in no-noise bush and forest locations on a 25-35m long wire.

9490 FRANCE. R. Republica - Issoudun. On weekdays, this signs off at 0300, clearing the channel for R. Japan to s/on at 0300. But on Sundays and Mondays, R. Republica extends the service by one hour to s/off 0400. This results in a clash and heavy interference between the two stations. May 22.

9700 CHINA. CNR 16 - Dongfang. Voice of Rural China, temporary NF while repairs to the 720 kHz MW outlet, first noted on May 21 at 1336, fair to poor signal and deteriorated after 1400.

15255 STH AFRICA. Channel Africa - Meyerton. English to Sth Africa with news at 0600, fair signal on May 26.

15680 CHINA. PBS Xizang - Lingshi. Another Chinese temporary NF while repairs/renovations are underway. Noted at 0325 with children’s program, then a speech at 0330. Scheduled here until July 15, fair to poor signal on May 21.

17780 CHINA. CNR 16 - Dongfang. Voice of Rural China programming at 0310 with news. Good signal on this temporary NF (scheduled until June 10) while repairs are carried out to the MW outlet of 720 kHz. May 21.

17875 CHINA. CNR 10 - Dongfang. Interesting use of this temporary shortwave NF (until June 30) for the Voice of the Elderly MW service on 1053 kHz MW while renovation of the AM txers is taking place. Noted at 0250 with Chinese classical songs. ID at 0300, then an interview program. A fair signal on May 21.

I've made a little YouTube video on my last mini DXpedition earlier this week.