STATION NEWS AND DX QUICK TIPS
March 20, 2021

Although the propagation numbers have been somewhat mediocre over the past week, there were still opportunities for signals to get through the noise.

Over the past 48 hours, I ran three WSPR beacons across a number of HF ham bands - each one at just 200mW, plus some time spent in receive mode logging beacons from other locations. Undoubtedly, the two best bands were the 40 and 30-meter amateur bands. Of course, the corresponding 41 and 31-meter international broadcast bands have also offered excellent reception opportunities. Take a look at my statistics from my low power transmitters on this map below from the PSK Reporter site (compiled by the VK7JJ website):

The VK3BVW WSPR spotted over a 48-hour period (Click on the map to enlarge)

Nameplate on the Fu Hsing broadcasting building.

TAIWAN - Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station

A note just received from Ron Howard (Asilomar State Beach, Calif., USA) today has an observation on this station.

9410 // 9774, 0832-1000* UT, on March 18 (Thursday). Tuned in looking for and expecting to find 0900*, but that didn't happen. Possibly a new schedule? In the past, it was only on Sunday they ran to 1000*, otherwise was 0900*; announcers in Chinese and playing a fair amount of Chinese songs; poor to very poor reception, as this is challenging DX for me; too weak to confirm ID, but the off frequency and being in parallel helps a lot. Really needs more monitoring to confirm what is actually happening with them.

Ron (CR-1, antenna: 30m long wire)

This small broadcaster is a difficult one to hear in most parts of the world. It is a government-run station operated by the Ministry of National Defence. It was founded in August 1957 and runs two networks: the first offers information for domestic listeners using AM and FM outlets. The second network uses shortwave to access mainland Chinese listeners with news of Taiwan (Republic of China).

There are three SW frequencies listed: 9410, 9774 and 15375 kHz. The two 31mb freqs can occasionally be heard here at Mount Evelyn, but the 19mb outlet has not been reported in a long time. The WRTH lists these outlets as 10kW. The Nagoya and EiBi lists say the transmitters are at Kuanyin. However, in the 2020 and 2021 WRTH, an editorial notes indicates that the location is unknown following a recent visit to the region. Strange!

Fu Hsing studios and administration

PHILIPPINES - Radio Pilipinas Reactivation

15190 Radio Pilipinas - Tinang. Thanks to Jose Ronaldo Xavier (Brazil) for reporting the reactivation of the frequency that had been off the air for quite a while; heard on March 19, with strong test tone at 1728 UT; at 1730, choral NA; prayer regarding COVID-19; ID + schedule + frequencies; special program, preempting regular programs; 1733-1815, with a speech by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte before the joint meeting of the National Task Force and Regional Task Force to end local communist armed conflict; anti-communist speech; flowing between English and Filipino/Tagalog. Noted // 9925 // 12120, both poor. My 10 minute audio of a portion of President Duterte's speech is posted at http://bit.ly/3c0avjc. (Ron Howard)

DX Notes from Mount Evelyn

Rigs: Yaesu FTDX3000 and Kenwood TS2000

Antennas: 100m horizontal loop, 30m vertical delta loop, 20m double bazooka

⭐⭐⭐ 4055 GUATEMALA. R. Verdad - Chiquimula. Reactivated again, a very weak signal in the atmospherics at 1115 with children's choir, talks and anncts. Another song at 1127, but I lost the signal by 1130. Good to see its return, Mar 18.

⭐ 4764 PERU. R. Huanta Dos Mil - Huanta. Lively Andean songs with whoops and shouts at 1105, and occasional anncts. It’s always a weak signal these days, Mar 16.

⭐ 4905 TIBET. PBS Xizang - Lhasa. Often difficult to copy here because of the powerful Chinese Voice of Strait on 4900. Noted with Tibetan talks at 1054, music at 1058, time pips and news at 1100. Fair to poor signal with the usual 4900 kHz side splatter, Mar 16.

5915 ZAMBIA. Zambia NBC - Lusaka. News in English at 1800, canned anncts 1817, wx report 1818. Into local languages 1820, fair signal and splash QRM from WLC Radio via Woofferton on 5910 kHz. Mar 16.

⭐⭐ 5899.89 INDIA. AIR - Delhi (Kingsway). Test transmission of 100kW txer and NVIS antenna at 1145 with lively Indian songs and occasional Hindi anncts. Weak signal and off at approx 1201, Mar 16.

⭐ 7210 CHINA. CRI - Urumqi. One of only two stations with an Esperanto service (the other being R. Habana). Happy songs at 1130 beamed to EAs, fair signal but heavy co-channel QRM from PBS Yunnan, Sound of Hope and the CNR jammer. // 9450 also heard but weaker there, Mar 16.

7605 UZBEKISTAN. R. Ranginkaman - Tashkent. Farsi to Iran at 1750 to s/off 1800, good signal, Mar 16.

9635 ENGLAND. R. Ndarason Int’l - Woofferton. Kanuari to Chad with commentary at 1825, African song at 1828, fair signal, Mar 16.

9925 PHILIPPINES. R. Pilipinas - Tinang. Live speech in Filipino (with many English words) at 1830, fair signal and // 12120 also heard, Mar 16.

⭐ 15780 BULGARIA. World’s Last Chance - Kostinbrod. Arabic to ME at 0700, NF (ex 17510). Weak signal and unidentified co-channel QRM (which could quite possibly be R. Vanuatu’s 4th harmonic!), Mar 16.

73 and have a great weekend everyone!

Rob Wagner VK3BVW