B17 - MANY FREQUENCY CHANGES!

B17

MANY FREQUENCY CHANGES!

WOW! There have been some massive schedule changes since the new B17 transmission season began last weekend. I have been checking out some of these over the past five days and that has kept me really busy! The main receivers I used this week were the Yaesu FTDX3000 transceiver and the Yaesu FRG100 receiver. The most used antennas this week for monitoring were a 58m (190 feet) horizontal loop and a 7 mHz coax (double bazooka) dipole. One listening session was conducted using a 13.8v SLA battery in place of the regular mains power.

Here's a sample list of 92 changes I have noted so far.

5840   MARIANA IS. VoA - Tinian. Korean to EAs at 1215, NF and a fair signal, Oct 30.

5875   ENGLAND. BBC - Woofferton. English to WAf at 2006, NF (possibly ex 9915), fair signal, Oct 31.

5890   UZBEKISTAN. BBC - Tashkent. Burmese to SEAs at 1330 s/on fair signal, NF (ex 9585), Oct 30.

The Yaesu FRG100 in use for this week's listening.

5890   KUWAIT. R. Free Asia - Umm al_Rimam. Mandarin to EAs at 2010, NF  but severe co-channel QRM from Firedrake-style jamming, Oct 31.

5895   TAJIKISTAN. BBC - Dushanbe. Korean to NEAs at 1615, new service, fair to weak signal, Nov 1.

5905   FRANCE. R. Algerienne - Issoudun. Arabic at 2102 with national anthem, anncts and Qur'an prayers. NF to NAf, fair signal, Oct 30.

5930   ROMANIA. RRI- Tiganesti-Saftica. Serbian to EEu at 2040, NF (ex 5910), fair signal, Oct 30.

5935   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. S/on 2220 with the Indonesian service, NF and a weak signal, Nov 2. 

5955   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. Japanese to EAs s/on 2055, NF (possibly ex 7355), fair signal and poor audio, Oct 30.

5965   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Korean service to EAs at 2110, NF (ex 11790?), poor signal, Oct 30.

5980   TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. Turkish to Eu at 2155 until s/off 2200, NF (ex 9460) and // 6120 also heard and also NF for this time period, Nov 2.

5985   JAPAN. R. Japan - Yamata. S/on 1100 in Russian to EAs, NF (ex 7355), very good signal, Oct 31.

6075   JAPAN. R. Japan - Yamata. Indonesian service at 2150 until s/off 2200, NF (ex 9560), weak signal on Nov 2.

6090   CHINA. CRI - Kunming. English to somewhere….! at 1752, NF (ex something…!), very strong signal, Nov 1.

❓❓ 6090   PHILIPPINES. Vatican R. - Palauig. Mandarin to EAs at 2215, NF (I suspect this might be ex 11900), weak signal and co-channel QRM CNR 2. I don't know why they would pick this freq when CNR 2 has been here for ages! Nov 1.

6120   TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. Turkish to NAf and ME at 2145, NF (ex 5960), weak signal but readable, Nov 2.

❓❓ 6155   USA. KNLS - Anchor Point AK. S/on 1300 in Mandarin to EAs, NF (ex 9655). Fair signal but not a wonderful choice as CNR 2 sits here till 1600 and causes a strong het. Oct 30.

❓❓ 6180   ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. German to WEu, NF (ex 7220) but not DRM mode (contrary to the latest HFCC registration), ID at 0653, good signal. However, the // 7235 appeared to be the DRM outlet. Nov 2.

7205   GERMANY. AWR - Nauen. Tachelhit service to NAf at 1940, NF (ex 11955), fair signal but co-channel QRM from a weaker unidentified station, possibly Rep. Sudan Radio?, Nov 2

😠 7220   FRANCE. R. Taiwan Int. - Issoudun. Russian to EEu at 1726, NF (ex 11955). Fair signal but a big clash with CRI-Xian, which has also moved here for their Cantonese service. Both signals at equal strength here at Mount Evelyn, But checking the European remote SDRs, CRI is also causing heavy QRM to this chosen RTI frequency. Nov 1.

😱 7260   CHINA. CRI - Xian. Japanese to EAs at s/on 1100, NF (ex 11620), good signal but heavy co-channel QRM from R. Vanuatu 7259.93 kHz and to a lesser extent PBS Xinjiang-Urumqi, Nov 2.

The Yaesu FTDX3000 was the other rig used for
monitoring work this week

7300   SOUTH AFRICA. BBC - Meyerton. French to SAf at 1805, NF (I think this might be ex 5930), fair signal with OTH QRM, Nov 1.

7315   UAE. R. Taiwan Int - Dhabayya. French to WAf at 1958 with station ID until s/off 2000. This is a 1-hour service beginning at 1900. NF (probably ex 9895), fair signal, Nov 2.

7315   FRANCE. R. Algerienne - Issoudun. Arabic to NAf with Qur'an at 1953 to s/off 1959, NF (I suspect this is possibly 12060), fair signal but heavy QRM from a co-channel unid station that also s/off 1959, Oct 31.

7325   CHINA. CRI - Shijiazhuang. Czech to WEu at 1900-1930, NF (ex 9515), big signal and // 7415 also heard, Nov 2.

7355   USA. KNLS - Anchor Point AK. Mandarin to EAs 1749, NF (ex 9920), fair to good signal, Nov 1.

7355   NEW ZEALAND. RNZI - Rangitaiki. English to Pacific 1328, NF (ex 5980), excellent signal, Oct 30.

7355   USA. KNLS - Anchor Point AK. Mandarin to EAs at 0820, NF (ex 11885), very good signal, Nov 1.

7365   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. English 2000-2030, then French at 2030 to CAf, NF (ex 7360), good signal, Oct 31.

7370   USA. KNLS - Anchor Point AK. English to SEAs and NEAs at 0830, NF (ex 11870), very good signal, Nov 1.

7370   USA. KNLS - Anchor Point AK. Russian to NEAs at 1741, NF (ex 9655), good signal but some splashy QRM from Romania 7375, Nov 1.

❗👉 7375   FRANCE. R. Algerienne - Issoudun. Arabic to NAf at 1820, NF (ex 13820), fair signal but co-channel QRM from Romania with their Romanian service which has also moved here for B17. European remote SDRs indicate that this is a problem for Eu listeners as well. Someone needs to move! Nov 1.

😊 7380   GERMANY. Gospel for Asia - Nauen. S/on 2330 in what sounded like a minority Indian subcontinent language, NF (ex 9510). Weak signal and it faded by 2345. It's tough to identify the languages used by this station. There are more than 110 languages transmitted, many of them are largely unknown in the west, each one is only 15 min, and there are different languages every day, some transmitted only once or twice a week. Interesting! The schedule on GFA website is long out-of-date and given in Indian Standard Time. Nov 1.

7530   UZBEKISTAN. BBC - Tashkent. Korean to NEAs at 1612, new service, fair to weak signal, // 5895 also heard, Nov 1.

9455   NTH MARIANA IS. RFA - Agingan Point. Mandarin to EAs at 2130, clear ID at 2135, NF, fair signal with light Firedrake-style jamming, Nov 1.

9480   GERMANY. R. Ashna - Lampertheim. Pashto to WAs, NF and very good signal, Nov 1.

9515   GERMANY. VoA - Biblis. Kurdish to ME at 1935, NF (ex 6170), fair signal and // 7225 also heard but much weaker there, Nov 2.

9595   INDIA. AIR - Delhi (Khampur). Russian to EEu at 1620, NF (ex 11620), excellent signal, Nov 1.

✅ 9600   MADAGASCAR. Voice of the People of Somaliland - Talata-Volonondry. Somali to EAf at 1926 to s/off 1930, NF (ex 7325), good signal, Oct 31.

9610   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Amoy to EAs 1225, good signal and NF (ex 9475), Oct 30.

9635   FRANCE. RFI - Issoudun. French to CAf at 2045, NF and very good signal, Oct 31. 

9660   VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. Portuguese to NWAf at 2110, seems to be an additional transmission in this language at this time, very good signal, Nov 2.

9690   SPAIN. REE - Noblejas. Spanish to NAm at 2018, NF (ex 17855 from A17), good signal with footy match, Oct 31.

9720   SRI LANKA. AWR - Trincomalee. Javanese to Indonesia at 2240 until s/off 2300, NF (ex 15320 via Agat in A17), huge signal on Nov 1.

9770   AUSTRIA. AWR - Moosbrunn. Farsi to WAs at 1645, NF (ex 15150), excellent signal, Nov 1.

✅ 9775   ENGLAND. R. Sama (IBRA) - Woofferton. Arabic to ME with ID and website at 1740, NF (ex 15260), very good signal, Nov 1.

9785   FRANCE. DW - Issoudun. Hausa to WAf at 1808, NF (possibly ex 13810), fair signal but heavy QRM from RNZL's DRM transmission on 9780, so DW was best heard in USB, Nov 1.

😠 9790   PHILIPPINES. VoA - Tinang. Mandarin to EAs at 1040, NF (believed to be ex 11825), very good signal….and so with the CNR jamming! Oct 31.

9810   MADAGASCAR. WCB/KNLS New Life - Mahajanga. Russian to EEu at 1946, NF (ex 9720), fair to poor signal, Nov 2.

9840   AUSTRIA. AWR - Moosbrunn. Hausa to WAf at 1917 until suddenly off mid-sentence at 1926, NF (ex 11955), very good signal, Oct 31.

9850   FRANCE. AWR - Issoudun. Ibo service to WAf, s/on 1930, NF (ex 11885). Good signal, Oct 31.

❗✅ 9860   NTH MARIANA IS. R. Free Asia - Tinian. Korean service at 2137, NF and no jamming (!), fair to weak signal, Oct 30.

9910   ARMENIA. TWR India - Yerevan-Gavar. Service to SAs at 1250 in a minority South Asian language (listed from old schedule as Mundari on Mondays). Then into the Kharia language with clear ID and anncts. NF (believed to be ex 12055), excellent signal Oct 30.

9915   NTH MARIANA IS. R. Free Asia - Tinian. Korean to EAs at 1630, NF and a fair signal, Nov 2.

9940   PHILIPPINES. VoA - Tinang. Mandarin to EAs 1210, NF, strong signal and QRM CNR 1, Oct 30.

9940   PRIDNESTROVIE. TWR Africa - Kichinev. Somali to EAf at s/on 1630, NF (ex 15105), excellent signal, Nov 1.

9975   GUAM. KTWR - Agana. Mongolian to EAs at 1100, NF (ex 12120), excellent signal, Oct 31.

9975   THAILAND. VoA - Ban Dung. Korean to EAs at 2023, NF (possibly ex 7365), very good signal and no jamming (!), Oct 31.

11610   NEW ZEALAND. RNZI-Rangitaiki. English to West Pacific/PNG at 1200, NF (ex 7425), good signal, Oct 30.

11610   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Vietnamese to SEAs at 2215, NF (ex 15630), weak signal, Oct 31.

11630   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. S/on 1230 in Cantonese to EAs, NF (possibly ex 12105), fair signal Oct 30.

11660   PHILIPPINES. VoA-Tinang. Mandarin to EAs at 1150 to s/off 1200, NF, good signal and also good QRM CNR 1 jamming, Oct 30.

11685   SPAIN. REE - Noblejas. Spanish to WAf at 2015, NF (ex 15390 from A17), poor signal, Oct 31.

11690   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Mandarin to EAs at 1110, NF (ex 11750?), excellent signal, Oct 31.

11720   MADAGASCAR. AWR - Talata-Volonondry. Swahili to EAf at 1713, NF (ex 11790), weak signal, Nov 1.

The 7 mHz inverted vee dipole used for monitoring new frequency observations this week, plus some other antennas here at Mount Evelyn (click on the image for a closer look....they are a bit hard to see against the backdrop of trees!).

11800   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Indonesian to SEAs at 2205, NF (ex 15320), fair to weak signal with co-channel QRM RRI-Tiganesti, Oct 31.

11825   SRI LANKA. AWR/KSDA-Trincomalee. Korean to EAs at 1220, fair signal, NF (ex 9610??). Oct 30.

11825   USA. WHRI - Cypress Creek SC. English to Aus/NZ at s/on 0859, Midnight Cry Ministries programming, NF (ex 13690), huge signal on Nov 1.

11830   THAILAND. VoA - Ban Dung. Oromo to EAf at 1756, then into Amharic at 1800, NF, good signal but accompanied by some heavy-duty jamming, Nov 1.

11850   SOUTH AFRICA. VoA - Meyerton. English to Sudan 1635, NF (possibly ex 11985), (Mon-Fri only) weak signal, Nov 1.

11880   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. English to SAf at 2003, NF (ex 9800), weak signal and tinny audio, Oct 31

11905   GUAM. KTWR - Agana. Mandarin to EAs at 1030, NF (probably ex 12120 or 13710). Very good signal, Oct 31.

11930   USA. R. Marti - Greenville NC. Spanish to Cuba at 2209, NF (ex 11930??), fair signal, Oct 31.

✅ 11945   MADAGASCAR. MWV R. Feda - Mahajanga. Arabic to ME at 2030, NF for this time period (ex 13710), fair to weak signal, Oct 30.

11980   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Mandarin to EAs at 2240, NF (ex 15215), weak signal, Oct 31.

11995   SINGAPORE. BBC - Kranji. Burmese to SEAs at 1330 s/on, fair signal, new site (ex Tashkent from A17). Runs // 5890 via Tashkent also heard. Oct 30.

12075   BOTSWANA. VoA - Moepeng Hill. Bambara service to WAf at s/on 2130, NF (perhaps ex 11900??), weak signal, Oct 30.

12095   SOUTH AFRICA. BBC - Meyerton. English to EAf at 1640, NF (ex 6190?), weak signal, Nov 1.



👍👍12150   TAJIKISTAN. Voice of Khmer M'Chas Srok - Dushanbe. S/on 1130 in Khmer to SEAs. NF (ex 17860), very good signal but with slight co-channel QRM from a much weaker Sound of Hope-Taipei slightly off-freq at 12150.15 kHz (creating a het with Srok). The broadcast is Thurs and Sun only. Nov 2.

13610   ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. Arabic to ME at 1320, s/off 1326, NF (ex 17610), fair signal, Oct 30.

13660   OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. At 0845 with Dari service to Afghanistan, into Pashto at 0900. Fair to poor signal with a bad transmitter hum. NF (ex 17720) and // 15310 also heard, Nov 1.

13685   FRANCE. RFI - Issoudun. French to WAF at 1721, NF (ex 17620), weak signal, Nov 1.

13830   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. Mandarin to EAs at 1155, NF (ex 17870), weak signal, Oct 30.

15180   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan.  Indonesian to SEAs at 1245, NF (ex 17670), fair to weak signal and tinny audio, Oct 30. 

15215   GUAM. KSDA/AWR - Agat. Mandarin to EAs at s/on 2300, NF (ex 15625), fair to weak signal and // 17520 also heard, Oct 31.

15275   SRI LANKA. DW - Trincomalee. Amharic to EAf at 1650 to s/off 1700, NS (ex Nauen in A17), fair signal, Nov 1.

15300   FRANCE. R. France Int. - Issoudun. Portuguese to SAf/Angola at 1716, NF (ex 21690), weak signal, Nov 1.

👇 15315   UAE. BBC - Dhabayya. Arabic service at 0555, NF (ex 12015), fair to poor signal with noticeable txer hum. Changes to Al Seela for the continuation of the broadcast at 0600, where it was a weaker signal but no audible hum. Oct 31.

15580   SAO TOME. VoA - Pinheira. Amharic to EAf at 1705 (Mon-Fri only), NF and weak signal, Nov 1.

😁😊👍 17530   TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. In this era when services are being reduced, it's nice to see a new service being introduced. Noted in Malay to SEAs at 0535 to s/off 0554, excellent signal, Oct 31.

17650   ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. English to WEu at 1235, NF (possibly ex 13770), weak signal, Oct 30.

👍 17760   KUWAIT. R. Kuwait - Sulaibiyah. Filipino service at 1015 with news, weather and pop songs. NF (ex the formerly registered 21580), fair signal Oct 31.

There are still more changes to station schedules that I need to find, so I'm planning to locate some of these this weekend. 

You can follow my monitoring updates in real-time on Twitter - @robvk3bvw

73 and have a great weekend everyone!

Rob Wagner VK3BVW

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