Mount Evelyn DX Report: A20 - 100+ NEW FREQUENCIES MONITORED

A20 TRANSMISSION SEASON

100+ NEW FREQUENCIES MONITORED

The new A20 transmission season began last weekend. I have been very busy scanning the international shortwave bands, checking out what has changed since the start of this new season. And, as expected, there has been much movement across the spectrum by most of the major players. Below is a list of some early observations made during the past few days.

Where possible, for each item I have tried to identify the former frequency used in the B19 season. But this can be quite hard at times because schedules can be complex, or drastically changed by the broadcaster, making it difficult to arrive at direct comparisons. There are well over 100 frequency changes observed below, so if you are missing your favourite station, then it maybe listed below!

Additionally, in my travels across the bands, I observed several interesting signals that were not on new frequencies. These include 5995 kHz Radio Mali, 11780 kHz Radio Nacional Amazônia - Brasilia, and Radio Brazil Central - Goiâna. Although these stations are more regularly heard in other parts of the world, in recent years, they have become increasingly difficult to catch in southeastern Australia. They were all heard on a day when there was an eight-hour power outage maintenance schedule. It sure makes a difference when the noise is down!

Equipment: Yaesu FTDX3000 transceiver, double bazooka dipoles for 3.5, 7 and 14 MHz, and an inverted-vee dipole for 10 MHz.

Abbreviations:
NF = New frequency for the A20 transmission season
QRM = Interference from another station
// = The same broadcast simultaneously on another frequency i.e. in parallel.

5875 THAILAND. VoA - Ban Dung. Mandarin to EAs at 2200, fair signal with CNR 1 jamming, NF (possibly ex 7445), Mar 30.

5890 THAILAND. Deewa Radio - Ban Dung. Pashto to AFG at 1710, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

5910 ROMANIA. RRI - Saftica. Ukrainian to EEu at 1715, fair signal, NF (ex 5955), Mar 31.

5930 FRANCE. R. Algerienne - Issoudun. Qur’an service in Arabic at 2211, good signal, NF (ex 6040), Mar 30.

5930 SAÕ TOMÉ. VoA - Pinheira. English to WAf at 1717 to s/off 1730, fair signal, NF, Mar 31.

5945 ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. English to WEu at 2215, good signal but with co-channel QRM CNR 1 at equal level, NF, Mar 30.

5955 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela.English WS to SEAs at 2217, good signal, NF (ex 7300), Mar 30.

5960 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. Turkish to ME at 1720, good signal but with co-channel QRM PBS Xinjiang, NF (ex 6120), Mar 31.

5965 PHILIPPINES. VoA - Tinang. Khmer to SEAs ar 2219, fair signal, NF (ex 5880), Mar 30.

5970 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. Dari to AFG 1725, fair to poor signal, NF (ex 6090), Mar 31.

5985 VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. Mandarin to EAs at 2221, good signal, NF (ex 7410), Mar 30.

⭐⭐ 5995 MALI. RTV Mali - Bamako. French anncts and Nth African music at 2223, a weak signal but easily identifiable. Power outage resulted in no noise on this day, enabling us to hear this one. Not heard here at this time in years. Mar 30.

6015 ENGLAND. World’s Last Chance - Woofferton. Arabic to NAf at 2232, fair signal, NF, Mar 30.

6040 BOTSWANA. VoA - Moepeng Hill. Shona to Zimbabwe at 1730, fair signal, NF and // 4930 kHz, Mar 31.

6060 CHINA. CRI - Kunming. English to SEAs at 1733, very good signal, NF, Mar 31.

6080 BOTSWANA. VoA - Moepeng Hill. English to Af at 1825, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.

6090 SAÕ TOMÉ. VoA - Pinheira. English to WAf at 1736, weak signal and co-channel QRM from R. Amhara, NF (ex 6080), Mar 31.

6100 BULGARIA. BBC - Kostinbrod. Farsi to Iran at 1742, fair signal but co-channel QRM from KCBS-Kanggye, NF (ex 5910), Mar 31.

6180 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to SAs at 2304, fair signal, NF, Mar 30.

6180 SAÕ TOMÉ. VoA - Pinheira. French to Af s/on 1830, good signal, NF, Apr 2.

7205 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. English WS to As at 2238, fair signal, NF (ex 5960), Mar 30.

7215 CHINA. CRI - Kunming. Mandarin to Indonesia at 2240, fair signal. Appears to be a new service at this time, Mar 30.

7215 CHINA. CRI - Xian. Swahili to EAf at 1746, good signal, NF (ex 7245), Mar 31.

7235 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Hausa to WAf at 1835, fair signal, NF (ex 7435), Apr 2.

7275 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Hausa to WAf at 2244, weak signal and co-channel QRM from CNR 1 at equal level, NF, Mar 30.

7275 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. English to NAm/Eu at 0325, fair signal, NF (ex 6125), Mar 31.

7300 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Esperanto to SAm at 2247, fair signal, NF (ex 7315), Mar 30.

7300 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. German to Eu at 1755 to 1820, fair to poor signal, NF, Mar 31.

7305 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. Amharic to EAf at 1840 to s/off 1850, w/days only, fair signal, NF (ex 9600), Apr 2.

7310 ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. English to WEu at 2250, fair signal, NF, Mar 30.

7325 ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. English to EAs at 2252 to s/off 2257. good signal, NF. Mar 30.

7325 SAÕ TOMÊ. VoA Pinheira. Kinyarwanda service to EAf at 0400 with news, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

7325 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Albanian to Eu at 1845, fair signal, NF (ex 7305), Apr 2.

7335 CHINA. CRI - Shijiazhuang. Spanish to SEu at 2255, fair signal but co-channel QRM from R. Marti, NF, Mar 30

7360 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. French to EAf at 1805, good signal, NF (ex 9620), Mar 31.

7370 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Bosnian to Eu at 1808, fair to poor signal, NF (ex 6110) and currently the only service offered in Bosnian, Mar 31.

7540 THAILAND. Deewa R. - Ban Dung. Pashto to AFG at 1815, excellent signal, NF (ex 7530 - Kuwait), Apr 2.

9310 THAILAND. Deewa R. - Ban Dung. Pashto to AFG at 1811, very good signal, NF (ex 9370), Mar 31.

9360 KUWAIT. R. Free Asia - Umm al-Rimam. Mandarin to EAs at 1815, fair signal under strong Firedrake jamming, NF, Mar 31.

9410 UAE. BBC - Dhabayya. Arabic to EAf at 0412, weak signal and NS (ex Al Seela), Mar 31.

9410 SAÕ TOMÉ. BBC - Pinheira. English WS to SAf at 0649, fair signal, NF, April 3.

9450 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Hausa to WAf at 1818, very good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9460 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. Turkish to Eu at 1820, good signal, NF (ex 5980), Mar 31.

9470 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to Eu at 0120, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9480 THAILAND. VoA R. Ashna - Ban Dung. Pashto to Iran at 0130, weak signal, NF (possibly ex 12140), Mar 31.

9480 CHINA. CRI - Xian. French to Eu at 1823, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9490 BOTSWANA. VoA - Moepeng Hill. French to Af 1832 to s/off 1900, NF, Apr 2.

9500 ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. Romanian to SEu at 1825, very good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9505 SUDAN. Voice of Africa - Al-Aitahab. Horn of Africa songs and Hausa anncts at 1827, fair signal, Mar 31.

9515 CHINA. CRI - Shijiazhuang. Czech to WEu at s/on 1900, weak signal, NF (ex 7325), Apr 2.

9525 CHINA. CRI - Beijing. Russian to EEu 1905, good signal, NF, Apr 2.

9535 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to SAs at 0133, weak signal, NF, Mar 31.

⭐ 9545 SOLOMON IS. SIBC - Honiara. Chat in the local Pinjin language at 0417 and island music at 0419, canned adverts in English at 0422 including “Pacific Supplies, Honiara”. Then back into Pijin at 0425. Fair signal, Mar 31.

9560 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Mandarin to SAs at 0135, weak signal, NF, Mar 31.

9560 CHINA. CRI - Beijing. Russian to CAs at 1830, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9570 ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. German to WEu at 1833, good signal, NF ex 6180?), Mar 31.

9580 CUBA. CRI - Quivican. English to ENAm at 0138, fair signal and no sign of co-channel KBS to Japan. NF, Mar 31.

9600 CHINA. CRI - Beijing. English to Eu at 1836, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9610 GERMANY. Bible Voice - Nauen. Farsi to Iran at 1840, excellent signal, NF, Mar 31.

9610 ROMANIA. RRI - Tiganesti. Spanish to NAf at 1915, good signal, NF, Apr 2.

9620 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Spanish to SEu at 0141 to s/off 0250, weak signal, NF, Mar 31.

9670 CHINA. CRI - Beijing. Farsi to Iran at 1842, fair signal, NF, Mar 31.

9675 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to Eu at 0149 to s/off 0159, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.

9695 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Urdu to SAs at 0150 until s/off 0157. Weak signal, NF, Mar 31.

9705 TAJIKISTAN. R. Free Asia - Dushanbe. Tibetan to EAs at 0158 to s/off 0200, English ID before s/off. Good signal and no jamming heard, NF, Mar 31.

9720 NTH MARIANA IS. R. Free Asia - Agingan Point. Mandarin to EAs at 1920, barely audible under huge Firedrake din, NF, Apr 2.

9765 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Pashto to Afghanistan at 0202, weak signal, NF (ex 7350), Mar 31.

9770 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. Turkish to CEu at 0430 with news, excellent signal, NF (ex 9700), Mar 31.

9775 ENGLAND. R. Ndarason Int’l - Woofferton. Kanuri to Chad at 1850, fair signal, NF (ex 9635), Mar 31.

9790 CUBA. CRI - Quivican. Cantonese to WAm at 0434, very good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9790 FRANCE, RFI - Issoudun. French to WAf at 1923, fair signal, NF, Apr 2.

9800 ENGLAND. World’s Last Chance - Woofferton. Arabic to ME at 1853, very good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9810 FRANCE. Koode Radio Int’l - Issoudun. Fulfulde to WAf at 1925 to s/off 1930, fair signal, NF (ex 6180), Apr 2.

9815 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Mandarin to SAm at 0205, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9815 SAÕ TOMÉ. VoA - Pinheira. Kinyarwanda service to EAf at 0440 with interview program. Scheduled for w/days only, fair to poor signal, NF (possibly ex 9885), Mar 31.

9815 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Mandarin to SAm at 0202, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.

9820 ENGLAND. KBC World R. - Woofferton. Russian to EEu at 1854 to s/off 1900, very good signal, NF (ex 6040), Mar 31.

9820 THAILAND. VoA - Ban Dung. Kurdish to ME at 1940, fair signal, NF (possibly ex 9750 - Biblis), Apr 2.

9825 USA. WHRI - Cypress Creek, SC. American preaching to ME at 0450, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

9840 UAE. Deewa R. - Dhabayya. Pashto to AFG at 0208, weak signal, NF, Mar 31.

9855 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. English to Eu at 1945, weak signal and the usual telephone sounding audio quality. Classical music selection on a piano sounded positively honky-tonk! NF (ex 6040), Apr 2.

9880 ARMENIA. BBC - Gavar (Yerevan). Pashto to AFG at 0212, fair signal, NF (ex 7445 - Woofferton), Mar 31.

9880 MADAGASCAR. MWV - Mahajanga. Russian to EEu at 1800 to s/off 1857, good signal, NF (ex 9885), Mar 31.

9880 TURKEY. VoT - Emirler. French to WAf at 1950, very good signal, NF (ex 9625), Apr 2.

9885 SAÕ TOMÉ. VoA - Pinheira. Shona to Zimbabwe at 0452 to s/off 0500. Weak signal, NF (ex 7255), Mar 31.

9900 IRAN. VoIRI - Zahedan. Al-Quds TV programming in Arabic to ME at 0518, weak signal, NF (ex 7380), Mar 31.

9920 THAILAND. R. Thailand - Ban Dung. English to Eu at 1955, German at 2000. Very good signal, NF (ex 7475), Apr 2.

11650 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Urdu to SAs at 0230, fair signal, NF, Mar 31.

11660 ENGLAND. BBC - Woofferton. Hausa to WAf at 0645 to s/off 0700, weak signal, NF, Apr 3.

11705 KUWAIT. R. Free Asia - Umm a-Rimam. Tibetan to EAs at 0234, fair signal and co-channel QRM from CNR 1 jammer, NF, Mar 31.

11745 NTH MARIANA IS. R. Free Asia - Agingan Pt. Tibetan to EAs at 0242, fair signal with co-channel QRM from CNR 1 and a strong Al-Azm Radio signal, NF, Mar 31.

⭐⭐ 11780 BRAZIL. R. Nacional Amazônia - Brasilia. Portuguese anncts and Brazilian music selections at 0250 to s/off 0301 mid-song. I haven’t heard this one for ages at this time of day (1:50pm AEDT). Fair to poor signal, Mar 31.

⭐⭐⭐ 11815.03 BRAZIL. R. Brazil Central - Goiâna. Brazilian pops and ballads at 0309 (1:09pm AEDT). A weak signal but easily confirmed via the Pardinho Kiwi SDR. I haven’t heard this outlet in years! So nice to catch it on Mar 31.

11825 ROMANIA. RRI - Galbeni. English to SAs at 0315, weak signal, NF (ex 9820?), Mar 31.

11860 SAUDI ARABIA. Republic of Yemen Radio Sana’a - Riyadh. Arabic anncts, talk and background music at 0322, frequent mentions of Sana’a. Fair signal, Mar 31.

11875 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. Farsi to Iran at 0340, excellent signal, NF (ex 6095), Mar 31.

11895 NTH MARIANA IS. R. Free Asia - Agingan Pt. Mandarin to EAs at 0345, fair signal with CNR jamming, Mar 31.

11905 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Arabic with “Voice of Palestine” propaganda programming at 0350. Excellent signal and slight co-channel QRM from CNR 6 Amoy service, NF, Mar 31.

11925 SRI LANKA. AWR - Trincomalee. Cantonese to EAs at 0145, weak signal, NF (ex 17650 - Agat, Guam), Apr 2.

12000 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. English to SAs at 0352, good signal, NF, Mar 31.

12015 VATICAN. Vatican R. - SM Galeria. English WS to CAf at 0640, fair signal, NF, Apr 3.

12035 THAILAND. Deewa Radio - Ban Dung. Pashto to AFG at 0354, fair signal, NF, Mar 31.

12095 OMAN. BBC - Al Seela. English WS to ME at 0356, weak signal, NF (ex 7285), Mar 31.

13580 MADAGASCAR. BBC - Talata Volonondry. English WS to EAf at 0635, fair signal, NF, Apr 3.

13685 IRAN. VoIRI - Sirjan. Swahili to EAf at s/on 0250, weak signal until f/out 0315, NF (ex 13680), Apr 2.

13765 TAJIKISTAN. R. Free Asia - Dushanbe. Tibetan to EAs at 0228, weak signal with noise jammer, NF, Apr 2.

15140 CHINA. CRI - Beijing. Mandarin to SAm at 0210, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.

15260 CHINA. CRI - Kashi. Tamil to SAs at 0215, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.

15410 SRI LANKA. AWR - Trincomalee. Kazakh to CAs at 0220, weak signal. NF - is this a new service in this language for AWR? I can't seem to find the use of Kazakh in recent years. Apr 2.

15590 THAILAND. R. Thailand - Ban Dung. English to NAm at 0224, then into Thai at 0230, weak signal, NF (ex 13750), Apr 2.

17640 CHINA. CRI - Xian. Russian to CAs at 0230, weak signal, NF, Apr 2.