2010 Clandestine Activity Survey

PRESS RELEASE

2010 Clandestine Activity Survey

During the year 2010 the activity of political clandestine stations broadcasting on shortwave has remained almost unchanged from last year and is now at 1092 WBHs (Weekly Broadcasting Hours). This is an increase of just 4 WBHs or 0.3% from 12 months ago.

The activity of clandestine station broadcasting to target areas on the Asian continent has decreased by 1.9% to 730 WBHs. On the American continent the activity has increased by 8.6% to 214 WBHs and on the African continent activity has remained almost unchanged at 148 WBHs.

The most active target areas worldwide are North Korea with 274 WBHs (+22 when compared with last year), Cuba with 214 WBHs (+17) and China P.R. with 189 WBHs (-37).

The number of active target areas worldwide has increased from 17 to 20. The new target areas are Malaysia, Uganda and Djibouti.
(Mathias Kropf-D, WDXC-UK Dec 19
(BC-DX # 995/Top News via wb, Germany)

Clandestine radio activity

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on / sign-off*

3480, AINDF, Wonsan, North Korea, 1055-1104, Nov 16. Korean strident talk, ballad at 1057 into orchestral music and ann 1100, music bit at 1102. Alternating talk by man and woman, fair // 4450-poor. (Barbour in Dxplorer)

3930.69/3931.07, Radio Voice of Kurdistan, Sulaimaniya, Northern Iraq, *0141-0320, Nov 21, 22, 24 and 28, sign on with non-stop Kurdish pop songs, no jamming, Singla S 9+10 dB, at exactly 0200 cut off in a song. Station ID by man in Kurdish: "Era Radyo Dengi Kurdistana", martial song about Kurdistan, 0203 ID by man again, female ID and proclamation about Democracy in Kurdistan, ID again mentioning just one frequency, 0205 orchestra music with big choir, 55444, but then Iranian jamming started, Kurdish talk and some amateur radio operator splatter, 52442(D’Angelo/FCDX and Petersen)

4870.03, Radio Voice of Kashmir, Kingsway, India, *0230-0240, Nov 21, Kashmiri announcement, songs, strong CODAR interference. SINPO 21221. Also heard much better at 1445-1510*, Nov 19, Kashmiri talk, mentioning Copenhagen, Pashto, Sindhi, Pakistan. Indian song, 1507 ID: "Radio Sedayee Kashmir", abrupt sign off, 45434. (Petersen)

4870.78, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Salah Al-Din, Northern Iraq, 0245-0335, Nov 17, Kurdish martial songs, 0254 ID by woman: "...... Kurdistan Irana" followed by a martial song, interference from CODAR and a strong tone which at 0259 became the Iranian jammer, 32432. Heard much better on // 3970. At 0330 the clandestine jumped to 4885followed by the jammer also disturbing R Clube do Pará. (Petersen)

4880, SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton, 1640-1644, Nov 14, English talks, SINPO 34343. (Mille)

7505, Free Radio North Korea, via Dhabbaya (p), 1202-1217, Nov 23. News in Korean, weak but clear. (D’Angelo/FCDX)

7530, Suaab Xaa Moo Zoo, via Taipei (100 kW 250 degrees). Daily 2230-2300 in Hmong to South East Asia. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22). Heard at *2230-2238, Nov 22. Chinese style song. Signal strength increasing to SINPO 15232. (Liangas)

7540, Denge Mezopotamya, via Simferopol, Ukraine (129 degrees), daily 1500-1900 (500 kW) and 1900-2100 (300 kW) in Kurdish to West Asia. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)

7590, Radio Free Sarawak, via Yangiyul, Tajikistan, *2230-2330*, Nov 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 27. Sign on with man speaking in Bahasa Malaysia, but lots of English words were used, mostly talks with numerous mentions of “Malaysia”, vocal selection. Several nice IDs, closing announcement at 2328 with "Radio Free Sarawak" and ann: “Bye-Bye”, tone. SINPO 34333. (D’Angelo/FCDX, Van Arnhem, Bueschel, Cássio, Herkimer, Ivanov, Kuhl in Dxplorer, Liangas, Petersen, Robic, Sellers, Wilkins in Dxplorer). This new clandestine was introduced in DX-Window No. 415. (Ed)

9345, Radio Bilal, via Samara, Russia (250 kW 188 degrees). Daily 1800-1830 in Amharic to East Africa, ex 1800-1900 B09. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)

9605, Voice of Asena, via Samara, Russia (250 kW 188 degrees), Mo/Fr 1730-1800 in Tigrinya to East Africa, ex Mo/We/Fr B09. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)

9605, Voice of Meselna Delina, via Samara, Russia (250 kW 188 degrees) Tu/Th/Sa 1730-1800 in Tigrinya to East Africa. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)

9960, Radio Bar-Kulan, via Meyerton (500 kW), *1556-1700*, Nov 26. Orchestra music, 1600 Horn of Africa song, ID in Somali, mentioned cities where Somali expatriates live, e.g. Stockholm, frequency ann,1601 time signal. Station ID, announcement, Call to Prayer, talk, report from a place with shouting people. Station ID, Horn of Africa music, SINPO 55444. Schedule thanks to Ritola who also told about the other broadcast to Somalia at 0500-0600 on 15750 via Dhabbaya, UAE (500 kW). (Petersen)

11530, Denge Mezopotamya, via Simferopol, Ukraine (300 kW 129 degrees) Daily 0500-1500 in Kurdish to West Asia. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)

11955, BVBN Radio Sadaye Zindagi, via Wertachtal, Germany (250 kW 090 degrees), 1600-1630, since Nov 12 in Dari to Western Asia, new frequency ex 11895. (Ivanov via BC-DX Nov 19). Heard at 1621-1629*, Nov 28, talk in Dari and music, poor to fair. (D’Angelo)

12130, Voice of Wilderness, *1300-1310, Nov 19, Korean program, moderate-good signal. (Van Arnhem).

13755, Voice of Tibet, via Dhabbaya, UAE (250 kW 070 degrees), 1330-1400 in Tibetan, ex 15430, via BABCOCK. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Nov 22)
(excerpts from DX Window 416)

Blog Logs - clandestine monitoring

Today's edition of Blog Logs, represent a sampling of clandestine loggings from the pages of DX Window. Our special thanks to Anker Petersen and the members of Danish Shortwave Club International.
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC // parallel frequency

Clandestines - via DX Window # 377

11500, Radio Free Chosun, via Gavar, Armenia, 1320, May 23, talks in Korean, light music, ex 12125, SINPO 342x3. (Liangas)

"When I was taking part in the student movement of the 1980s, the most encouraging thing was broadcasts towards South Korea from North Korea. We used to use the broadcast contents for our educational and propaganda materials. Of course, due to that activism, which was a National Security Law violation, I went to prison in the early 1990s". Lee Kwang Baik, the President of R Free Chosun (RFC), a lesser-known SW radio broadcast NGO in South Korea, explained his experience of executing a 180-degree turn from pro-North Korea social activist into North Korean democratization activist to Daily NK on Monday. He confessed, "In the mid-1990s, for the first time, I figured out that North Korea was not an ideal society, but a dictatorship in which the regime abused people’s human rights in the extreme just to maintain the system". In light of which, Lee introduced RFC’s goal, "North Korea should develop its economy through democratization and opening and reform. RFC is a broadcasting company to help North Korean people achieve this and to speak as a proxy for the North Korean people’s position and sentiment, so we named the organization RFC; not "Radio Free North Korea", but "Radio Free Chosun"". Chosun is how North Koreans refer to their own country.

Below is extracts of a transcript of the interview with Lee Kwang Baik:

- There are four civilian radio broadcasters for North Korea and also two foreign radio broadcasts like RFA and VOA targeting North Korea. What is the difference between you and them?

There are three different points. First, RFC has a distinct purpose: "North Korea should develop its economy through democratization and reform and opening", and we are striving to help North Korean people achieve it. Second, RFC is a broadcaster in which everyone, wherever they come from, can join our activities. Presently, North Koreans, South Koreans and Chinese cooperate on our goals. Third, RFC transfers overseas information by way of drama, so that North Korean people can understand easily and get it vividly.

- What are RFC’s representative programs?

We have "Episodes and Truth" that lets North Korean people perceive the truth of current issues, and a drama "Virtual Court of Kim Jong Il", that shows how extreme a dictatorship North Korea has, how terribly people suffer under the Kim Jong Il regime, and other hidden stories of the dictator. Additionally, we have also comments and statements in order to suggest
better directions for North Korea’s future.

- How many North Korean people do you think listen to RFC? How far away can North Korean people listen to it? Are you monitoring the broadcasting situation?

According to the results of InterMedia’s examination in 2008, the rate of those who had listened to RFC was around five percent, but we presume around one or two percent of people are listening to it. However, I think even this rate is significant. The first aim of RFC is to raise the listener rate to two or three percent in a few years. It is short wave radio broadcasting, so everywhere on earth people can listen to it. As long as jamming by the North Korean regime does not exist, it can be heard all over the country.

- You must want a lot from the South Korean government.

The government needs to support radio broadcasting with medium-wave frequencies, which are more stable than short wave ones, in order to lead North Korea to change itself, and it has to do so strategically, because of course the North Korean issue is a highly significant issue for the future of the Korean Peninsula. The state-owned Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) airs programs for the North Korean people at medium-wave, but it has to focus not only on transferring information but on having an interest in changing North Korean society. (The Daily North Korea Post via Sælaen in DXplorer)

11760, Voice of Oromia Liberation Front, via Wertachtal (500 kW, 135 degrees), Tu/Th/Su 1600-1630 Oromo to Ethiopia. New frequency since May 03, ex 11975. Broker WRMI and Media Broadcast. (Ivanov via BC-DX, May 15)

12050, Radio Biafra, via Skelton, UK, 1908, May 19, talks about politics in Nigeria, telephone calls to London and other places , mention on activism and non violence, mixed talks in Igbo and English, short mentions of Biafra, SINPO 45544. (Liangas)

Clandestines via DX Window 378
6518, Voice of the People, via Goyang, South Korea, 1905-1908, May 27, Korean talk, SINPO 35333 // 6600 . (Mille)

7520, Voice of Free Radio, via Tashkent, Uzbekistan (100 kW, 060 degrees), 1600-1700, ex 1600-1630 on 7530, Korean to North Korea as of Jun 01. Broker VTCommunications, UK. (Ivanov via BC-DX, Jun 02)

9895, Radio Voice of the People, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, 0443-0456*, May 29, interview in English about violence in Zimbabwe, local vocals and more talks until closedown ann including postal and electronic contact information plus website. Fair to good. (D'Angelo)

11500, Radio Dabanga. Received a non detailed QSL-card with a full detailed handwritten confirmation on it for a reception report sent to Press Now, Witte Kruislaan 55, 1217 AM Hilversum, The Netherlands. No veri-signer. (Fernández, via HCDX, Jun 07)

11530, Denge Mezopotamia, via Mykolaiv, Ukraine, 1552, Jun 03, Kurdish talks, music, good. (Bernardini)

13730, Radio Dabanga, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, 1531, Jun 03, many IDs and talks in Arabic, fair/good. (Bernardini)

15650, Miraya FM, via Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia, 1545, Jun 03, to Sudan, in English and "Simple Arab" as announced, talks, mail address, ID, fair/good, but fading. Broker IRRS. (Bernardini)

Clandestines via DX Window 379
3912, Voice of the People (presumed), via Kyonggi-do, South Korea, 0942-1008, Jun 10 and 15, Korean talks mentioning “Pyongyang”, slow instrumental music as a bridge to a some eloquent female talks. From 0955 strange noise sounding like a "strong wind" turninng to a near annoyed listening, until QRM SINPO 34333. (Otávio)


3930, Radio Voice of Kurdistan, 0152, Jun 06, Kurdish music and talk, at *0158 strong QRM unidentified, at 0200 a song of the Qur'an, ann and what appears to be an anthem, signal improvement, but the QRM is strong, SINPO 22332. (Freitas). Jamming! (Ed)

3985, Echo of Hope (tentative), Hwaseong, South Korea, 1002-1013, Jun 15, Korean talks, degrading, SSB QRM, same kind of noise heard on 3912, SINPO 2422. (Otávio)

6120, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze, via Yamata, 1403, Jun 12, for a long time now they have stayed with English on Friday. Heard with “Today’s News Flash”, items about North Korea, fair with no jamming. (Howard)

6300, RADS - R Nacional Saharaui, 2220-2232, Jun 12, many talks in Arabic and some music, SINPO 24342. (Slaen)

7395, Voice of People, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, 1701, Jun 20, Shona/Ndebele, ID, short African music and talk, SINPO 25332. (Freitas)

9895, Radio Voice of the People, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, *0358-0424, Jun 09, open carrier until sudden opening at 0400 with instrumental music, ID and frequency ann in local language followed by the same in English. After instrumental music, news in local language, mix of short vocals and other features. Good. (D'Angelo)

11500, Radio Dabanga, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, 1549-1605, Jun 14, conversation, whistle of a strong carrier, but disappears in narrow mode and 1 kHz above the frequency, seems an interview by telephone, 1605 ID, weak signal. (Freitas)

15412.0, Voice of Tibet, via Yangiyul, Tajikistan, noted carrier at 1324, Jun 12, along with strong Firedrake (non-stop Chinese music jamming) on 15410.0. Firedrake off at 1330, leaving Voice of Tibet in the clear on 15412.0. After 1335 Voice of Tibet was heard on 15414.0 with fair reception and Firedrake starting up again at 1335, again on 15410.0. At 1400* both Voice of Tibet and Firedrake suddenly went off-the-air. (Howard)

Blog Logs - Clandestine radio activity

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sing-on sign-off*

3912, Voice of the People, Goyang, South Korea, 1138-1222, Jan 27. Group singing, long talks in Korean with some music including orchestra version of "It is Now or Never". Poor although steadily improving with // 6518 having less noise and eventually at fair level and 6600 at threshold level at tune in but fair by 1215. (D'Angelo/FCDX)

3926.1, Voice of Kurdistan, North Iraq(tentative), 0345, Jan 15, Vernacular talk, 32432, jammed. (Slaen)

4450, AINDF, North Korea (presumed) 2229-2244, Jan 28. Korean talks, elation style music. Stronger than usual tonight, heterodyne generated with presumed Radio Santa Ana, SINPO 23222. (Otávio)

4876, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Salah Al-Din, Iraq (t), 0420, Jan 15. Vernacular talk, SINPO 11431, jammed. (Slaen)

4880.02, SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton, 1730-1805, Jan 21, English, ID 1732, local music, talks also in Vernacular, reports about Zimbabwe, no QRM (Jamming!) as mostly, but at 1730 QRM letter station. SINPO 33333. (Mille and Wiespointner)

5815, Al-Aqsa Radio Gaza, via ? , 2120-2125, Jan 22 and 27, Arabic political comments, 25332 // 5835 (44434). Both off at recheck 2157. (Petersen and Romero). 5815 not reported on other days! But cf. 6220 next page. (Ed)

5835, Al Aqsa Radio Gaza, via ?, 1810-2250, Jan 21, 27, 28, 29, 31, Feb 02 and 03, Arabic talks and interviews about Palestina, Ramallah, Kuwait, Yemen, America, Hamas, Iran, Iraqi regional elections and Kurdistan; sometimes was an ambulance siren heard and a phone talk with screeming woman, 2010 ID: "Al-Aqsa....", Arab vocal songs and choir, modulation poor at times, but mostly acceptable. Normally abrupt s/off in mid-sentence of a report at 2130*, but on Jan 21 was still on at 2250, 45444. (D'Angelo, Petersen and Romero)

Al-Aqsa TV run by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) will begin broadcasting from Beirut for one hour a day to develop its capabilities outside Gaza, local Naharnet website reported Jan 31. Hamas- Al-Aqsa TV station in Gaza was hit by Israeli troops during the 22-day Israeli war on Gaza, according to press reports that the building of the TV station has been completely destroyed, but the station continued to broadcast from a mobile TV unit. The Hamas-run TV station was established few years ago, it has been accused by Israel of inciting hate against Jews.

Earlier in January 2009, the French authorities prohibited Hamas TV channel Al-Aqsa from broadcasting to Europe, and the TV sources said they would start broadcasting programs to Europe via a Eurobird European Telecom satellite operated by Eutelast, a Paris based company functioning under French law. The TV station was accused of triggering young Arab speakers in Europe to attack their Jewish neighbors and reject European values.

Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV was prohibited as well from broadcasting in Europe by the French highest administrative court in 2005, because of its anti-Semite programs. (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/31/content_10741847.htm , Jan 31, via Romero)

Radio Solh, via VT Communications relay stations in Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates (5925 and 11675) and Rampisham, United Kingdom ( 9875 and 13830) cancelled all SW relays from Jan 26. (Ivanov via BC-DX Feb 02 and Petersen)

5975, Sudan Radio Service, via Kigali, Rwanda, 0311, Jan 14, English talks, news mentioning Sudan several times, ID. (Nigro, in DXplorer)

6220, Al Quds TV (meaning Jerusalem TV), via ?, 1600-1903, Feb 03, new relay of audio sound in Arabic with talks and music; despite good signal, the audio level is very low, 34332. Once again thanks to Zeidan for his invaluable assistance in identifying stations in Arabic. The station can also be heard and seen at http://www.qudstv.com/ . (Koie and Romero). Maybe same transmitter as was used on 5815 ? (Ed)

7430, Voice of People, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar (50 kW, 265 degrees), *1700-1757*, Feb 02, English and Vernacular talks towards Zimbabwe, new frequency since Jan 27, ex 11610. SINPO 33232. (Ivanov, via BC.DX Feb 02, Petersen)

7530, Voice of Free Radio, via Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1617, Jan 24, Korean talk and some slow pop music. According to WRTH 2009 this is a religious clandestine. Strange name for all that. Very poor signals. (Muick)

7530, Radio Xoriyo, via Samara, Russia (250 kW, 188 degrees), *1700-1730*, Mo Feb 02, Somali opening ann, 2 ID's, website: http://www.radioxoriyo.com/ (working OK in English and Somali), short muslim prayer and talk, another ID, new frequency since Jan 19 now on Mo and Fr, ex 11720 We/Fr. SINPO 45444. (Ivanov, via BC-DX Feb 02, and Petersen)

9000, Firedrake jammer going full-tilt-boogie against Sound of Hope at 1514-1600*, Jan 25; cf. 9450. (Muick)

9365, North Korea Reform Radio, via Orzu, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 1345-1400, Jan 26, Korean talk and song, closing ann and music. Thanks to J. M. Romero for tips! 35233. (Petersen)
9415, Democratic Voice of Burma, via Gavar, Armenia, 1455, Jan 25, Burmese with telephone interviews. Distorted audio from telephone, but signal very strong and otherwise clean with no jamming. (Muick)

9450, Sound of Hope, via Taiwan, 1440, Jan 25, Mandarin radio play and assorted music. Entertaining even if I had no idea what they were saying. One character in English on the radio play was looking for an international basketball team. Lots of audience laughter. Good signals with no jamming in contrary to 9000. (Muick)

9559.7, Voice of Democratic Alliance, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15330-1540, Jan 22 and 28, Kunama with some rapid-fire talk, reggae music and many mentions of Eritrea. Reception was fair and peaked to just better than good quite often, 23342. Frequency drifting +/- 600 Hz from nominal 9560. Heard // 7165. Website is www.erit-alliance.com and NOT .org as listed in WRTH 2009. E-mail addresses are on the website, however the first one listed needs to have "www." dropped from it. (Muick and Romero)
(DX Window #370)