B C D X . O R G

Thanks to the timely tip from Glenn Hauser, I was able to record a local ID from the Caribbean Beacon. It appears that the local broadcast was stopped right after the local 12 o’clock ID and time check at 1601:30 UTC. Thanks Glenn!

Caribbean Beacon local ID audio

Female announcer with “.. listening to the Caribbean Beacon Radio, the time is now 12 o’clock …” heard underneath Pastor Melissa Scott.

** ANGUILLA. I have accomplished the impossible: I have heard a local ID on the Caribbean Beacon! Normally it`s 24/7 DGS/PMS with no local breaks built in or ever exercised. Here`s how I did it:

May 26 at 1329 tuned in 11775 to hear a hefty mix of three audio sources. On the bottom, something in Chinese, which disappeared at 1330. That`s CNR1 jamming against All India Radio`s Tibetan service via Goa, which also ends at 1330.

That left not one, but two preachers in English mixing at about equal level. One was certainly PMS, // WWCR 13845 where she was alone (almost, except for a bit of crosstalk), inbooming tnx to sporadic E.

The other: an OM with a Caribbean lilt to his accent. At 1332 his show was upwrapping so I strained to make out what was being said vs all the PMS QRM. Local YL announcer came on, said his next appearance would be Friday at 9-9:30 am, time check for 28 before 10, and ID!!!! “This is the Caribbean Beacon Radio“, and into next preacher, a YL.

Recheck at 1359: still a mix, jazz at the moment from the PMS service, and YL preacher, outroing at 1400; 1401 local live YL announcer again with C. B. ID, and saying “Music to Live By“ would come next, and then three other shows named starting at 10:10, 10:15 and 10:30, and into the music filling a bit of unsold time.

How could this happen? The Caribbean Beacon local audio, presumably what was supposed to go out only on 1610 kHz, was just about equal level to PMS, so not bleedthru like we get on WWCR, with the unwanted audio very much in the background. Probably not a transmitter problem, but someone left a pot open on the audio mixing board. How long would it last? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Radio Fana, Ethiopia – 6,110 kHz, 0301 UTC, 19-May-09

CFRX, Toronto – 6,070 kHz, 0800 UTC, 19-May-09

5914.99 ZAMBIA ZNBC Radio 1 Lusaka *0244-0405 Sign-on with Call of the Fish Eagle IS until 0256 then singing with drums. Off frequency BBC Meyerton on 5914.98 kHz at 0257 spoiling signal. Audible under BBC with enthusiastic male speaker in lang from 0400. Re-tuned at 0328 as BBC left the frequency leaving ZNBC with nice Hi-life type vocal, talks by excited DJ between musical clips. DW Rampisham sign-on at 0400 at equal levels. ZNBC dominant over DW from shortly before 0415 Lusaka sunrise until 0450 or so when DW became dominant. Lively announcer talking with other speakers. Poor to fair signal; 4/13(Jordan-TN)

6089.95 BRAZIL (t) R Bandeirantes Sao Paulo 0211 Anguilla off leaving Bandeirantes, poor with non-stop Portuguese, alone on channel until Radio Amhara signed on at 0254 and overpowering Brazil by 0300; 4/24 (Jordan-TN)

6090 ETHIOPIA Amhara State Radio *0254 initially poor, but strengthening rapidly from 0300 to good levels by 0310, dominating co-channel R Bandeirantes with Anguilla off. Very nice popular Ethiopian instrumental and vocal selections with woman announcer in unid language between most songs. A couple mentions of Amhara then Radio, 3 time pips on the top of the hour over currently playing musical selection, by which time signal had faded significantly. This is listed as being in Oromiya which is surprising as Amharic is the language of Amhara State. No “Radio Amhara” ID heard, ID’s appear to be “Amhara ….. Radio” with a word or two between. Anguilla back at 0406, darn. Many thanks to Pastor Melissa Scott for allowing this nice window to Africa!; 4/24 (Jordan-TN)

6110 ETHIOPIA R Fana Addis Ababa 0303 electronic music, ethnic vocals, female speaker between selections in lang, with low level, distorted audio. Electronic music bridge at the top of the hour then Radio Fana ID by man, then possible news. Poor to good signal, alone on channel; 4/21 (Jordan-TN)

6159.986 CANADA CBC St. John’s 0912 monitoring from 0330 with carrier only, finally hints of audio beginning 0912 with song Sam I Am song as signal suddenly started strengthening rapidly to a very nice peak. Labrador Morning program with Tony Dawson, “17 and a half minutes past 6′oclock” TC. Marine Weather forecast for Labrador waters, seems they have lots of blowing snow to look forward to. Starting to rapidly fade from 0920 and audio disappeared around 0945. Vancouver on 6159.975 never strengthened enough for audio; 4/17 (Jordan-TN)

6160 UNID 1001 station turning transmitter on at 1001 UTC exactly co-channel CBC Vancouver on 6159.972, but much stronger and drifting upward. Despite moderate signal level, only threshold talk by man heard until audio faded completely by 1010. Drifting to 6160.0 by 1013 and up to 6160.03 by 1058 when powerhouse R Nederland Bonaire signed on 6165 kHz. This could possibly be R Rio Mar?, last reported at LA SW Logs on July 08; 4/17 (Jordan-TN)

6164.99v BOLIVIA (p) R Logos Santa Cruz *1009 – transmitter on 6164.97 at sign-on and drifting upward. Very poor but slightly improving by 1015 with low-key talk by man in Spanish, audio faded by 1030 as signal faded. Drifted up to 6164.995 kHz by the time R Nederland Bonaire signed on with IS at 1058; 4/17 (Jordan-TN)

7110.01 ETHIOPIA R Ethiopia, Geja, *0256 – transmitter cut-on with programming in progress, possible news at top of the hour into magazine type news program, inter-spaced with electronic music bridges, occasional electrified Ethiopian afropop vocals. Identification and frequencies just before the top of the hour, 3 bells, Ethiopia Radio ID by woman; 4/17 (Jordan-TN)

Nice Papua New Guinea morning with the following noted, all variously peaking between 1115-1145 UTC. Most stations were carrying the Talkback phone-in show, with calls from many parts of Papua New Guinea. Most of the stations carrying the Talkback program also played the National Anthem at 1158 UTC. Best signal was Radio New Ireland on 3,905 kHz.

3219.975 R Morobe – pop music, talk. Poor
3235.0 R West New Britain – reggae flavored music. Poor-fair
3259.995 R Madang – // Talkback program. Fair
3274.992 R Southern Highlands – woman and man talk in lang. Poor
3289.998 R Central – // Talkback program. Poor-Fair
3304.99 R Western – // Talkback program. Poor
3314.998 R Manus – // Talkback program. Fair-Good
3325.0 R Buka – // Talkback program. Fair-Good.
3334.97 E East Sepik – // Talkback program. Fair-Good
3364.984 Milne Bay – // Talkback program. Poor-fair.
3905.004 R New Ireland – // Talkback program. Good.

I assume these are currently the only PNG’s active, no sign of any stations at all on the other frequencies. The Perseus recording was set too high to check for NBC Enga on 2410 kHz.

5914.99 ZAMBIA ZNBC Lusaka 0230-0405 transmitter turned on at 0230, broadcasting a 1 kHz tone from 0231 until 0241, then “Call of the Fish Eagle” IS until an off-frequency BBC via Meyerton on 5914.98 from *0257-0332* in listed Swahili spoiled the signal. Not very nice of them. ZNBC clear from 0332 with a very poor signal but improving toward the top of the hour as the sun was rising over Lusaka. It was not to be as an on-frequency DW via Rampisham in listed Russian signed on at 0400 again spoiling the signal, although by this time ZNBC had strengthened enough to give it a run for its money; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

5990.4v ETHIOPIA R Ethiopia Geja 0248-0430 transmitter turned on at 0248 on 5990.32 kHz and drifting upward 200 Hz to 5990.52 kHz by the time I lost the carrier in the noise floor after 0515 UTC or so. Weak with no audio heard except during 0320-0340 period when music was heard // 7110v; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

5995 MALI (p) Mali Radio Bamako 2235-0000* snippets of audio noted from 2235, better from 2330 with female announcer in French, pop African vocals, male at 2358 with possible sign-off announcements, likely NA then transmitter off as RHC on 6000 devastates this frequency; 4/10 (Jordan-TN)

5995 MALI (p) Mali Radio Bamako *0548-0800* transmitter on at 0548 with local vocal with drums and stringed instruments, female at 0600 with greetings then back into interesting ethnic vocals. Audio beginning to fade from 0615, but carrier hung in long enough to verify 0800 sign-off. Cuba slop on high side until 0701, by which time Mali has faded way down; 4/10 (Jordan-TN)

6024.96v UNID *0419 – Noticed a transmitter here from 0419, initially on 6024.966 and slowly fading down to 6024.952 kHz. Carrier only, too weak for audio, slight peak from 0530 and fading rapidly from 0630, into noise floor by 0700. Could this be FRCN Enugu?; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

6110 ETHIOPIA R Fana Addis Ababa *0253-0500 transmitter on at 0253, poor with possible IS from 0257, beginning to rapidly improve from 0318 with excellent ethnic vocals with announcer in presumed Amharic until the top of the hour. Nice Radio Fana ID at 0400 then possible news by male speaker until 0408 as signal began to slowly starting to fade. Back to music then into monologue by male from 0414. NHK via Sackville ends the party at 0500 and by the time she vacates frequency at 0528, Fana is just a very weak carrier bobbing along slightly above the noise floor; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

6165 ZAMBIA ZNBC R. 2 Lusaka 0357-0430 R Nederland via Bonaire vacating frequency at 0357 leaving Zambia in the clear with weak threshold signal, rapidly strengthening just before 0414 transmitter sunrise. 0408 with man and woman announcers with “news today” in heavily accented English until 0416 then into vocal. Reception marred from 0417 by strong carrier from Chad transmitter coming on 6165.14 and drifting down until co-channel ZNBC; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

6165 CHAD RNT N’Djamena 0417-0459 transmitter turned on at 0417 on 6165.14 and rapidly drifting downward to 6165.0 by 0427 when they began modulating with very good signal. 0427 with Balafon interval signal, La Tchadienne National Anthem precisely at 0430, man in French with ID at 0431 “Ici N’Djamena, Office Nationale de Radiodifusion et Télévision du Tchad”, frequency announcement. Hi-life vocals from 0432 to 0450, then lively male chatting over music for a few minutes. Talks by man and woman from 0452 until reception ruined at 0459 when R Nederland via Bonaire returns to this frequency. Good strong signal, slightly distorted modulation except during music. I guess we must be thankful for the one hour respite we get from Bonaire allowing for a nice prime-time window to Africa; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

6250 EQUATORIAL GUINEA R Malabo Malabo *0538-0630 on in mid-song with back to back pop dance music until 0603, female in Spanish with Radio Malabo, then male with with some sort of monologue during fading signal. Signal initially pretty good but useless by 0630. Occasional utility QRM on high side; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

7110.1v ETHIOPIA R Ethiopia Geja 0258-0450 transmitter on at 0258 on 7110.11 and slowly drifting downward. I couldn’t verify modulation until beginning 0318 as signal strengthened rapidly with very nice local instrumental music, male and female announcers in presumed Amharic from 0330, magazine style format with musical interludes, mentions of Addis Ababa, Ghana. Vocal from 0405 by which time the transmitter had drifted down to 7110.06. A second transmitter came on at 0406 on 7,110.01 and then the original transmitter dropped off after 15 seconds or so of simultaneous broadcasting. While the signal had faded somewhat, it was clear this second transmitter has slightly better modulation and is relatively stable. Strangely enough, they switched back to the original transmitter on 7110.06 at 0439, which is much weaker, and then back to stronger 7110.01 at 0443! This is not the case of the transmitter suddenly jumping 50 Hz as both transmitters are clearly overlapping 10 seconds or so. Station really hanging in there, didn’t totally loose audio until about 0530 UTC, and the carrier still bubbling around the noise floor at 0610, well over 2 hours after sunrise at the transmitter! If I wasn’t experiencing stronger than normal electrical QRN on this frequency, this would have been an excellent signal at times; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9335 KOREA NORTH Voice of Korea Kujang 1311-1400 English with male and female presenting news items, fair to poor with significant fades and moderate noise. Not intelligble by 1400. LSB best due to WEWN on 9340; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9400 PHILIPPINES 9400 (t) FEBC, Iba, Apr 11, 1311-1330 – Chinese with woman in monologue, religious vocals, flute music at the bottom of the hour by which time the signal had faded from almost fair to very poor. Not // 9430; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9430 PHILIPPINES (t) FEBC Bocaue 1311-1330 Chinese with man in monologue, religious music, rapidly fading down at 1325. Format fits but not // 9400. Does FEBC broadcast seperate audio streams on 9400 and 9430?; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9524.98 INDONESIA Voice of Indonesia Jakarta-Cimanggis 1311-1400 – Good signal a tune in, English service with woman reporting on elections in Indonesia noting Indonesia is one of the largest democracies in the world. “Voice of Indonesia, the sound of dignity” ID, “news and events”, pop vocals. Had faded down a bit by the time a slightly weaker presumed CRI Shijiazhuang signed on 9525.0 at 1357; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9559.5v ETHIOPIA (p) R Ethiopia Geja 1311-1428 strong carrier putting a huge het on R Australia 9560. Drifting back and forth between approximately 9559.3 and 9559.7 kHz, sometime rapidly. Australia left the channel at 1358 leaving this one in the clear. Stringed instrumental, very weak. Talk by man after top of the hour, pop music at 1415, no further audio noted after 1420. Poor; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9645.28 BRAZIL R Bandeirantes Sao Paulo 2225 In the clear from with PP monologue by M, sounded sports related, until 2318 UTC when likely RVA Philippines on 9645 causing a strong het on LSB until 2357*. In the clear again and slightly improved with Bandeirantes mention right after the top of the hour; 4/4 (Jordan-TN)

9704.196 ETHIOPIA (p) R Ethiopia Geja 1311-1428 poor, man with monologue until 1330, pop vocal, threshold audio then fading down, woman noted speaking from 1345. Transmitter stable, frequency wide open. I had moderate local electrical QRN on this frequency, otherwise may have been able to positively ID. I’m surprised Ethiopia was propagating to Memphis during this period; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

9719.99v PERU R Victoria Lima 2225 poor at tune-in with typical La Voz de la Liberación programming, very excited SS preaching with lots of yelling. Improving greatly toward 0000 UTC, leaving the preaching at 2356 for studio announcement, back to preaching then a longer studio break at 0003 with M announcer with clear R Victoria mention and many LV de la Liberación mentions. Back to preaching at 0019 UTC. Fair to good peaks after 0000 UTC, slowly drifted down 4 hz to 9179.986 kHz by 0052 tune-out; 4/4 (Jordan-TN)

9818.916 BRAZIL (p) R 9 de Julho Sao Paulo 2225 initially very poor signal with just snippets of LA ballads peaking above the noise. Improving after 0000 UTC with 2 M speakers in PP with chatter. Local QRN spoiling the signal; 4/4 (Jordan-TN)

11735 ROMANIA R Romania Int. Tiganesti *1658-1713 Interval Signal, English at top of hour announcing service for Western Europe. Nice signal; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

11835 MADAGASCAR R Nederland Talata Volonondry *1359-1557 time pips at 1400, English service “This is Radio Netherlands Worldwide” into news. Poor to fair in USB to avoid WYFR, steady signal throughout, slightly better by sign-off; 4/10 (Jordan-TN)

12095 UK BBC Rampisham 1630-1659 audio suddenly fading up right at 1630 with BBC World Service in English with sports news, multiple good peaks and deep fades before 1659*; 4/11 (Jordan-TN)

** AUSTRALIA 6020, R. Australia, Shepparton, 23 Feb, *0900-1315; a few bars of Waltzing Matilda IS into Pidgin service. English service at 1100 lasting until tune-out. Good signal throughout except during the 1228-1314 UTC Vatican Radio via Philippines. No sign of R Gaúcha during the 0700-1315 UTC recordings. (Jordan-TN)

** BOLIVIA 6024.99v, (tent) R Patria Nueva, La Paz, 23 Feb, 0850-1134 fade-out; weak carrier-on at 0850, unsure if modulated. Signal slowly increasing until peaking from 1030 to 1045 UTC, coinciding with sunrise in La Paz. Threshold audio with woman speaking is possible Spanish, best in LSB to avoid R Marti mess on 6030. Fading until the carrier finally dropped below noise floor at 1134 UTC. Transmitter slowly drifted downward to 6024.98 kHz at fade-out. (Jordan-TN)

** CANADA 6030, CFVP, Calgary, 23 Feb, 0613-0645; Barn Dance Saturday Night show, country music, a few ads, multiple “Classic Country AM 10-60″. Rather weak but nicely readable and stable signal in the UTC Monday morning UTC absence of R Marti. (Jordan-TN)
Continue reading SW Logs – 23 Feb 2009

60 mb Survey – August 25, 2007 – 0254-1230 UTC
190 kHz span: 4,727 – 4,917 kHz
QTH: Memphis, TN USA (35.106764,-89.898027), Sunrise: 1127 UTC
Receiver: RFSpace SDR-14
Antenna: Wellbrook ALA-100 Loop (60/240°, 3m x 9m, elevated 1m)
Accessories: GAP Hear IT DSP, Datong FL3, Ratzlaff 2.25 mHz High Pass Filter

4739.71v VIETNAM (p) R Son La, San La, 25 AUG 1145 – Presumed the one here turning the transmitter on at 1145. Only bits of occasional barely threshold audio noted, transmitter drifting +/- 200 Hz, with occasional sudden jumps of 5 – 8 Hz. Signal faded below noise floor by 1225 UTC. (Jordan-TN)

4746.87 PERU (t) R Huanta 2000, Huanta, 25 AuG *1024 – Very tentative. Only threshold audio noted from 1050 to 1105, monologue by female then man after 1100, likely religious. Huanta 2000 previously logged *0913 on 4754.97 kHz Aug 15. (Jordan-TN)

4749.96 INDONESIA RRI Makassar, 25 AUG 0828 – rising above noise floor at 0828 and improving rapidly. Bits of audio first noticed around 0915, better by 0940 with pop vocals. Announcement by man at 0955 then Islamic evening call to prayer, announcement by woman at 1002, then return to Koranic recitatation at 1004 during excellent sunset at transmitter enhancement. Much weaker but still useable at 1230 tune-out. Best in LSB to avoid presumed PBS Qinghai carrier, very slight CODAR QRM. (Jordan-TN)

Continue reading SWBC Logs – August 25 – 60 mb survey – 4,727 to 4,917 kHz

4754.97 PERU R Huanta 2000, Huanta, Aug 15 *0917 – Noticed this one signing on at *0913 on 4755.01 kHz, but dominated by Campo Grande, Brazil. Checked back at 1054 ’sunrise at transmitter’ enhancement and all alone with many mentions of Huanta and Peru by male and female announcers and lots of sound effects, although overall poor due to static. Transmitter drifted downwards until finally settling on 4754.97 around 1035. (Jordan-TN)

4769.97 NIGERIA R Nigeria, Kaduna, Aug 15 0416 – Transmitter switched on at 0416, but only threshold audio detectable by 0428 due to poor modulation despite S6 to S7 signal. Signal suddenly rising to S8-9 with improved audio exactly at 0513 ’sunrise at transmitter’ enhancement lasting until 0523 before beginning to deteriorate, with news type monologue by male in presumed Hausa. Audio back to barely threshold levels by 0540 and carrier finally dropped below noise floor at 0730. (Jordan-TN)

4781.5v BOLIVIA (p) R Tacana, Tumupasa, Aug 15 , *0959 – presumed. Transmitter switched on at *0959 on measured 4781.46, drifting upward rapidly. Transmitter off at 1016 and then back at 1027 UTC, but only threshold audio noted by R Coatán 4779.96 *1030 sign-on with massive signal. (Jordan-TN)

Continue reading SWBC Logs – August 15, 2007

5909.99 COLOMBIA Marfíl Estéreo, Lomalinda, Aug 16 1020-1040 – female DJ playing ballads and romantic vocals, with TCs,IDs and chatter between songs. Good in LSB with 1.8 kHz filter to avoid UTE centered around 5912 kHz. (Jordan-TN)

5939.20v PERU R Melodia, Arequipa, Aug 16 0332-1157. Melodia present during the entire recording, drifting back and forth between 5939.27 to 5939.29. Signal improved close to 1103 sunrise at transmitter with Huaynos and indigenous music. Began fading not along after 1120 Memphis sunrise. Poor. (Jordan-TN)

5952.41 BOLIVIA (p) Em Pio XII, Siglo Veinte, Aug 16 *1004 – presumed this the one switching the transmitter on at *1004. Threshold audio noted from 1100 with male announcer. Extremely poor on both sidebands due to slop from adjacent channels. (Jordan-TN)

Continue reading SWBC Logs – August 16, 2007