STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK - December 10, 2017

STATION NEWS AND THE LOG BOOK

December 10, 2017

STATION NEWS

AUSTRALIA
Jose Jacob in the WRTH Facebook group reports hearing some Trans World Radio programming on 12040 kHz between 1330 and 1445 UTC in Hindi, Bangla, English and other languages. However, the transmissions are coming from Reach Beyond Australia through the Kununurra transmitter site and appear to be an additional unlisted service from RBA.

BRAZIL
Quite a few listeners have now reported hearing Rádio Nacional Amazônia back on-air on 11780 kHz after an absence of many months. Technical issues and breakdowns relating to the transmitter and power supply, plus a reluctance by the station to spend money getting the problems fixed has meant that Brazilian listeners in many parts of the country have been without RNA programming. However, reports in the past week indicate that the station is now back on air, although perhaps not at full power. The service appears to be intermittent as well. Keep a watch out for this one.

NEW ZEALAND
R. New Zealand International have been forced to make several changes to its service just over a month into the start of the B17 transmission season. Here are the details:

0459 to 0758 on 13730 to the Pacific - Daily as of December 1
1259 to 1650 on 7430 to the Pacific - Daily as of December 6
1651 to 1758 on 7430 to the Pacific - Saturdays only as of December 9

FROM THE LOG BOOK

There have been some good reception conditions in the past few days and some interesting stations were logged here at Mount Evelyn. In addition, there was an unusually early opening to Africa up on 17 mHz this morning around 1945 UTC (6:45am AEDT). Although the three signals there in the 16mb were weak, it is a sign that summer is really starting to kick in here!

👍 4765.04   TAJIKISTAN. R. Tajikistan - Yangi Yul. A weakish signal with talk in the Tajik language at 1859 (Tajik sounds like and is related to Dari or Farsi with the occasional mix of Russian sounding words). A local music program with strong West/Central Asian influences were heard at 1905. Dec 8.

4885   KOREA REP. Echo of Hope - Goyang. Korean ID at 1854 and chimes at 1854, then into a song, strong signal, Dec 8.

4930   BOTSWANA. VoA - Moepeng Hill. Heavily accented English voices in a discussion program at 1850, fair signal, Dec 8

👍 4965   ZAMBIA. Voice of Hope Africa - Makeni Ranch. American preaching at 1840, fair signal but with strong atmospheric static. Finally signed off in the middle of a song at 1903, followed by a test tone, Dec 8.

👍👍 7120   SOMALILAND. R. Hargeisa - Hargeisa. Somali discussion/interview program at 1920. Groovy Horn of Africa songs with electronic influences at 1931. On late past the listed 1900 s/off. Fair signal mixed with heavy summer atmospherics, Dec 8.

❗👍👍 7205   SUDAN. Republic of Sudan Radio - Al Aitahab. African music program and Arabic anncts at 1950 and heard quite well under heavy QRM from AWR-Nauen with its Tachelhit service to NAf. But at 2000, a big RFI-Issoudun signal signs on and that makes it impossible to hear Sudan R. at my location. Dec 8.

👍 11735   ZANZIBAR. Zanzibar BC Radio - Dole. Swahili anncts and East Afro songs at 2010, a weak signal on Dec 8, and certainly not at the same strength that it was several years ago. Pity!

👂 11745   SAUDI ARABIA. Al-Azm Radio - Location believed to be Jeddah but this is unconfirmed so far. Arabic service for the Saudi Army at 0730, a mix of songs, interviews and anncts, weak signal on Dec 9. And again later on Dec 9 at 1910 with Arabic songs and a long talk at 1920, a fair to weak signal again.

15140   CUBA. R. Habana - Bauta. English to WNAm at 2020 with music, news commentary at 2030. Very weak signal at first but became stronger over the next 20 min. This band is now starting to open up earlier in my morning sessions (7:30am local AEDT) as summer takes hold. Dec 8.

❗🌟🌟 17570   MADAGASCAR. AWR - Talata-Volonondry. Heard with a weak signal in the Mòoré language at 2017, preaching and occasional musical interludes. ID and address given at 2026. Classical piano music at 2028 before the s/off at 2029. Dec 9. Mòoré (a.k.a. Mossi and other names) is a language spoken in Burkina Faso by about 6 million people and is considered to be one of the official languages of that country.  But Mòoré can also be found in parts of Mali, Togo and to a lesser extent in Benin and the Ivory Coast, where it is spoken by around 60,000 inhabitants. Mossi is the name of a people living in central Burkina Faso, mostly in villages in the Volta River basin. To my knowledge, Adventist World Radio is the only station on shortwave currently broadcasting in the Mòoré language!

❗🌟🌟 17640   MADAGASCAR. MWV African Pathways R. - Mahajanga. Weak and fluttery signal at 2010 in English beamed to CAf. Heavily accented African speaker with preaching, clear ID and frequency annct at 2014. First time heard this summer, Dec 9.

❗🌟🌟 17800   SOUTH AFRICA. AWR - Meyerton. Service to WAf in the Fulfulde language at 1945, full ID and frequency anncts at 1957, theme music and English ID at 2000 before the carrier off. Weak signal and the only station heard on this band at this time (6:45am AEDT), Dec 9.

73 and have a great weekend everyone!

Rob Wagner VK3BVW

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