Albanian DXing
7465. Much better propagation in summer schedule looming. Radio Tirana Shijak in French language at 1745, played lovely folk music. Signal S=9+20dB powerful transmission.(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 22)
9860 Radio Tirana in Albanian. Noted with news until 2341, May 24. Surprisingly strong signal S=9+30dB. \\ 7425 S=8 signal at 2350. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 24/BC DX 965)
Antarctica monitoring15476.0, LRA36 (presumed), 1447-1509*, May 26. Clearly in Spanish. Pop songs. Signal poor to very poor by sign-off. Even with no ID, I think this must be the (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach,
CA/Cumbre DX)
Aussie ham on SW/HF QSLing
Episode 28 has a nice 10-minute segment on SW/HF QSL collecting by an Australian amateur radio operator. Starts up about five or six minutes into the program. His more recent cards are quite current - cards from NHK and Radio New Zealand are both seen in this segment, as well as some older cards from the 1980s. (Bruce Jenner/ptsw)
Aussie monitoring
2310 VL8A, Alice Springs NT, 2125-2130*, 22 May'10, cf. \\ 2485; 15231, but even worse than VL8T.
2325 VL8T, Tennant Creek NT, 2123-2130*, 22 May'10, cf. \\ 2485; 15231.
2485 VL8K, Katherine NT, 2122-2130*, 22 May'10, English, Australian country songs. SINPO 25331. (Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 24/BC DX 964)
Bangladesh transmitter views via Google EarthBest view of Kabirpur & Shavar shortwave transmitter sites to date with latest GE imagery.
(Ian Baxter-AUS, SW TXsite May 19)
Dhaka Mirpur 1170 kHz 10 kW
23 46 49.38 N 90 21 26.06 E
Kabirpur 11 SW curtains, 4 MW masts
24 00 27.63 N 90 15 13.24 E
Chittagong Kalurghat 873 kHz 10 kW
22 22 32.69 N 91 50 53.59 E
Belarus scheduling
Radio Belarus on-air time schedule puzzles me still.
Noted signals this morning May 20th at 1000-1100 on 6010 6040 6070 7235, and 7280 kHz too.
Belarus seemingly schedule in A-10 season at 0300-0800* UT and 1500-2100, 7265 missed on May 16th again. In 0300-0800 slot noted 6010 6040 6070 7235, and best on 7280 kHz. 6040 and 7280 still on air at 0806. Nothing on 6115 kHz anymore. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 16/20/BC DX 965)
Bulgaria adjust frequency
Frequency change of Radio Bulgaria in Russian from May 30:
2300-2400 new freq 7300 PLD 170 kW / 045 deg to CeAs, ex 7400 (DX Mix News #626)
Ethiopia jammingJamming fleet of Ethiopia against Voice of America 1730 Oromo, 1800 Amharic, 1900-1930 Tigre. 11925SAO/WER 13870 WER/NAU 13630BOT (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 24)
7110 Radio Ethiopia-Home Service, Geja Dera, 1507-1528, 23 May'10, Vernacular,. Talks, noted on parallel 9704.2; 15341.
9559.8 Radio Ethiopia-External Service, Geja Jawe, 1433-1456, 22 May'10, Arabic. Talks to Horn of Africa song. Noted on parralel 7165 rated SINPO as 35343, 34343, adjacent interference.
9704.2 Radio Ethiopia-Home Service, Geja Dera, 1239-1257, 23 May'10, Vernacular, talks, same menu at 1345. Parallel 7110, SINPO 25443. (Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 24/BC DX 965)
Guinea on 49004900 Our station Familia SW just began broadcasting intermittently at the end of March. We had some equipment challenges and we have them repaired a week ago and now we can now have nightly stabile broadcasting. We are using what is called Low Power Short Wave. We use a
1000 watt transmitter built by HCJB Radio in the US. As far as I know there are only 3 stations like this in the world. The specifications say that our strongest signal would reach a 400 kilometre circumference around the antenna at midnight. We are using an antenna that is 40 meters X 60 meters - most being buried in the ground and reflecting upwards. It is a unique design.
Our goal is to broadcast in the languages of the country we originate in. That would be French, Pular and Maninka for the beginning. We are beginning from 6pm to midnight during our beginning period. There is no electricity where we are located, so we are using solar and wind generators. Having enough energy for our transmitter and air-conditioner is proving one of our larger challenges.
Thank you for letting us know we are being heard "out there". Mme Colette Baudais, Directrice Generale Familia FM. (via Jari Savolainen-FIN, DXplorer, May 17/BC DX 965)
4900 Familia FM, Conakry, 1937-2226, 21 May'10, Vernacular, African songs and traditional music. Talks to interviews running at 2200, no news at 2210, SINPO 15332. Better at 2200+, with a stronger QSA. It was found much better the next day, 22nd May, at around 2200.
7125 Radio Guinee, Sonfonya, 2133-2152, 21 May'10, Verancular, talks, SINPO 35444.
Sole audible BC stn 7100-7200.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 24/BC DX 965)
South Africa on 4880
4880 Surprised to find Channel Africa on unscheduled 4880 kHz last night at 2230. In Swahili (I think) followed by French at 2300-2355 and English from 0000 (including the same sequence of languages they carry in their scheduled broadcasts). Couldn't stay awake to check further into the night! Fair strength signal on a clear frequency with moderate fading here - SIO 353.
Channel Africa is not scheduled on their own or Sentech's website at this late hour. Meyerton does use 4880 of course for SW Radio Africa but earlier in the evening.
Wondered if this was just a test or maybe Channel Africa is extending broadcasts with the World Cup in South Africa approaching in June? (Alan Pennington-UK, BrDXC-UK May 17/BC DX 965)