Showing posts with label Breaking news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breaking news. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2008

BREAKING NEWS - Armed Forces Network reported on new 14,000 kHz

The following is an exchange of emails concerning Armed Forces Network popping up on 14, 000 kHz. It is possible, this new frequency is as a result of the ongoing RIMPAC maritime exercise. AFN, in the past has brought up programming on a new frequency during an exercise. See posting for RIMPAC touted as Largest Maritime Exercise in World at Milcom Monitoring, posted 16 July, 2008 at
http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/search?q=rimpac
Gayle VH

Greetings fellow shortwave aficionados. I have a great copy on Armed Forces Network here in Kansas City USA, on LSB 13997, UTC 0300 July 18. This is mew to me, I'm not a hard core utility listener, but I often drop in here for 20m CW Ham, and I've never heard this broadcast here before. It is coming from due west of my location. Could this be Guam on an different
freq? Anyone else copy this?
Thanks!
Ron Hauser
Kansas City USA

Ron.
It might be Guam, I can hear it at the moment, and I am not far away, in
South Australia.

It is on 14000.00 kHz, LSB.

Eddy Waters
South Australia.

Hi Eddy, thanks for the listen... I agree it is on 14.000 LSB, my ham receiver has better resolution on frequency. I'm looking at an azimuth map... I have two antennas, one is a moxon due west the other is a long dipole with lobes NW/SW/NE/SE. It is definitely stronger on my due west,not NW/SW. Would you be able to tell the difference in azimuth between Hawaii and Guam from your QTH? Guam is NW of me, so it should be Hawaii which is due west of me. I am copying 15 MHz WWV in Hawaii right now too.I don't see anything else on the web to say this is a freq for AFN.
Ron Hauser

Ron.
Guam is at 8 degrees from me, Hawaii at 57 degrees.The signal at 57 degrees seems to be maginally better than the one at 8 degrees.In other words, Hawaii is the more likely location in my opinion.
Eddy.
(They are talking about baseball i think.)

Yep, the stuff that is tagged ESPN Network is sports network stuff that is on broadcast AM all over the US. I tuned around to see if the same actual show is on a local station, which would be ironic to hear it on shortwave from Hawaii and also local BCAM.
Thanks for listening.

Hi,
in 2000 the USN used 14000 kHz (USB) from their NAS Sigonella, Sicily in Italy for an AFRTS feeder.

See a explaining and detailed QSL letter:
http://freenet-homepage.de/dl8aam/QSL_AFRTS-14000kHz_h.jpg

Interesting is (these feeders are) "in existence for a limited time until a new technology, which is currently tested, allows for reception of AFRTS via satellite" - that was 8 years ago ;-))

But hopefully they will do their HFs test for "ever", as I often just enjoy to listen and QSL them :-)

And nowadays these USN relays are nearly the only possibility to get these NAS and "radio countries" QSLed. But maybe - hopefully - the US MIL (and other nations too) will change
their QSL policy again some day in the future. I remember the good old times when I started this great hobby back in the 80s, when nearly "all" of these MIL COMSTAs have even own printed QSL cards for us "(very) ill persons".

I think there were and there are absolutly no security risks in doing that, and I'm sure there are clever persons in the "MIL" services knowing that. The "bad people" even know all about the
"signals" in any case (often more as "we") and they are no QSL-hunters.

I think QSLing is a way of public relations, to transfer a kind of positive feelings into the "public". But maybe our scene is too small for them just to think about it today... ... and not many of us
try to get QSLs from them (as we "know" they do not QSL noways), so maybe that let them think that there is no interest in this topic these days.

But that do not hold me in sending each week a lot of eRRs to many "stations" for each new Reach flight, USCGC, MARS, WGY, TnZnnn & "GOV" station logged...hi

Hoping they might will re-think this "no-QSL policy" when they get again more reports ? The hope die at the very last. And sometimes you are even lucky, sometimes...
73, Tom - DL8AAM
(Source: UDXF yg/Larry Van Horn, Milcom)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Breaking News: Back to Battle in Chad

Chad - Rebels take third town
Chadian rebels claimed to have taken the town of Biltine, some 750 kilometres from the capital of Ndjamena, their stated objective, on Monday. Biltine is the third town rebel forces have taken since their offensive against President Idriss Deby’s government began on 11 June. Additional story at: Radio France International website: www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/102/article_714.asp

Chad town 'under attack by Sudan'
The Chadian government has accused Sudan's army of attacking a town on their border after days of rebel raids. Communications Minister Mahamat Hissene told the BBC that the garrison town of Ade had been attacked by ground troops supported by helicopters. Mr Hissene said the fighting was continuing and confirmed a rebel raid on the smaller town of Am Zoer. Last month, Sudan accused Chad of helping a Darfur rebel group attack a city just outside the Sudanese capital.
Additional story from BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7459025.stm

Chad accuses Sudan of attacking eastern border
By Finbarr O'Reilly
Reuters
Tuesday, June 17, 2008; 8:22 AM
ABECHE, Chad (Reuters) - Chad accused Sudan's army of attacking a town on its eastern border on Tuesday and blamed its neighbor for Chadian rebel raids which have disrupted international aid operations to help thousands of refugees. Additional story from Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061700695.html

Chad Rebels Vow to Push on Despite Peacekeepers
VOA News http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-06-15-voa22.cfm

Rebels advancing on Chad capital
Radio Netherlands Worldwide News reports: Rebels in Chad are continuing their march towards the capital N’Djamena.The move follows heavy fighting around the city of Goz Beida, 75 kilometres from the Sudanese border. The rebels, who want to overthrow President Idriss Deby, are threatening to occupy the capital within a few days. Radio Nationale Tchadienne is normally well heard in Europe in the evenings on 4905 kHz. This is a frequency worth monitoring in the coming days.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Current shortwave schedule

Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia
4905 / (check 7120 kHz)
0427-0730 UTC 4905 kHz (French, Arabic, vernaculars)
1600-2130 UTC 4905 kHz (French, Arabic, vernaculars)
1700 Arabic news
1900 French news
Station identification as; "Tchad"
(Source: DBS Survey 2008)

Recent loggings of Chad on shortwave
All times UTC *sing-on sign-off*

7120, Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia; 2225-2232*, June 14, African music. Sign off with national anthem. Poor in noisy conditions. (Brian Alexander, PA/June 15)

7120, Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia; *0433-0505, June 15, abrupt sign on with local African music. French announcements. Local choral music. Poor. Weak at sign on under a strong BBC but slowly improved to a fair level by 0445 but mixing with co-channel BBC. (Brian Alexander, PA/June 15)

7120, Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia; 0450-0530, June 14, local African music. French talk. Poor to fair mixing with co-channel BBC. (Brian Alexander, PA/June 14)

4904.97, Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia; 0431-0450, May 29, local Afro-pop music. French talk. Fair to good. (Brian Alexander, PA/May 29)

4905, Rdif. Nationale Tchadienne, N'Djamena-Gredia; 0550-0601. French service. Native tribal music with lots of drumming and mentions of Chad. Into Middle Eastern language language at 0600. Signl S7/fair. (J Wood, TN/May 08)

Additional coverage on Chad from Shortwave Central Archives:
Blog Logs
Chadian national radio operating from temporary studio/Feb. 2008
Chad radio and TV back on the air/Feb. 2008
Breaking News: National Radio destroyed in Chad/Feb. 2008
Rebels put Chad off the air/Feb 2008
Hot Spot DXing: Chad/Feb. 2008

Monday, May 12, 2008

BREAKING NEWS: Earthquake in China - following by shortwave radio


Strong Quake Hits SW China
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. Monday, the State Seismological Bureau (SSB) said.
The epicenter of the quake was located at 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude, the bureau said.
Update from China View: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

Thousands Dead After Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Rocks Central China
CHONGQING, China — A massive earthquake struck central China on Monday and state media reported that as many as 7,600 people were killed in a single county while nearly 900 students were trapped under the rubble of their school.
More from Fox News at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355036,00.html

'Hundreds buried' by China quake
Almost 900 students are buried after an earthquake measuring 7.8 caused a building to collapse in south-western China, state media reports. President Hu Jintao urged "all-out" efforts to rescue victims of the quake, which hit 92km (57 miles) from Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital. Additional news from BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7395496.stm

'Thousands dead' in Chinese quake
At least 7,000 people are killed by a strong earthquake in the south-western Chinese province of Sichuan, according to state media.
BBC News update: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Devasting quake in China
The earthquake that hit China's southwestern Sichuan killed more than 8,000 people in that province alone, state media said. Continued story from
Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/

Global Bloggers on China Quake from Global Voices:
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/05/12/china-78-scale-earthquake-felt-across-most-of-china/

VOA News coverage:
http://www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm

Sky News coverage with text and video:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/home

China Radio International - A08 English service
Effective: 30 March - 26 October 2008
All times UTC
Target areas: af (Africa) am (Americas) as (Asia) ca (Central America) eu (Europe) me (Middle East) na (North America) pa (Pacific)

0000-0057 6020na 6075as 6180as 7130eu 9570na 11885as 13750as 15125as

0030-0100 11730as
0100-0127 11730as

0100-0157 6020na 6175as 9470eu 9535as 9570na 9580na 9790na 11870as

0200-0257 11770as 13640as

0230-0257 15435me

0300-0357 9690na 9790na 15110as 11770as 13750as 15120as 15785as

0400-0457 6020na 6080na 13750as 15120as 15785as 17730as 17855as

0500-0557 6020na 6190na 11880as 15350as 15465as 17505me 17730as 17855as

0600-0657 11710af 11870me 11880as 13660as 15140me 15350as 15465as 17505af/me 17540as 17710as

0700-0757 11880as 13660as 13710eu 15350as 15465as 17490eu 17540as 17710as

0800-0857 11620as 11880as 13710eu 15350as 15465as 17490eu 17540as

0900-0957 11620as 15210pa 15270eu 15350as 17490eu 17570eu 17690pa 17750as

1000-1057 6040na 11610as 11635as 13590as 13620as 13720as 15190as 15210pa 15350as 15390as 17490eu 17690pa

1100-1157 5955as 6040na 11650as 11660as 11750na 11795as 13590as 13620as 13650eu 13720as 13645as 17490eu

1200-1257 5955as 9460as 9600as 9645as 9730as 9760pa 11650as 11660as 11690as 11760pa 11980as 13645as 13650eu 13790eu 17490eu

1300-1357 5955as 9570na 9650na 9730as 9760pa 9765as 9870as 11660as 11760pa 11980as
13610eu 13755as 13790eu 15260na 15440aca

1400-1457 5955as 9765as 9870as 11675as 11765as 13685af 13710eu 13740na 13790eu 17630af
1500-1557 5955as 6100af 7160as 7325as 9800as 9870as 11965eu 13640eu 13685af 13740na 17630af

1600-1657 6100af 6180me 9570af 9760me 11900af 11940eu 11965eu 13760eu

1700-1757 6100af 6145eu 7130as 7265me 7315me 7335eu 9570af 9595eu 11900af 11940eu
13760eu

1800-1857 7120eu 9600eu 13760eu

1900-1957 7295af/me 9435af/me

2000-2030 7160eu

2000-2057 5960eu 5985af 7190eu 7285eu 7295af/me 9440af/me 9600eu

2100-2127 11640af 13630af

2100-2157 5960eu 6135eu 7190eu 7285eu 7325af 9600eu

2200-2257 7175eu

2200-2300 9590as

2300-0000 5915as 5990am 6145na 7180as 910as 11690as 11970ca

DRM services/English
2300-0000 9800ca 11640af 13630af
(Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager/Monitoring Times-SW Guide)

China - Xinjiang XJBS - summer schedule from May 4
All times UTC
2300-1800 Uighur: (not Tu. 0800-1100)
13670 2300-1800
11885 2300-1800
9560 0300-1200, 6120 2300-0300, 1200-1800
7275 2300-1800

2300-1800 Chinese: (not Tu.0800-1100)
11770 2300-1800
9600 0300-1400, 7310 2300-0300, 1400-1800
7155 2300-1800
5960 2300-1800

2330-1800 Kazakh: (not Tu.Th.0800-1100)
9470 0300-1150, 6015 2330-0300, 1151-1800
7340 2330-1800

2330-0330?0530-1030(Tu.Th.0800)?1230-1800 Mongolian:
6190 2330-0330, 1230-1800, 9510 0530-1030
7230 2330-0030?0530-1030?1230-1800

0330-0530?1030(Tu.Th.1100)-1230 Kyrgys:
9705 0330-0530, 1030-1230
11975 0330-0530, 1030-1230
(de Hiroshi; Sei-ichi Hasegawa-JPN, NDXC HQ May 2/ WWDXC Top News-BC-DX #859 via wb, Germany)

Blog Logs via China
CNR1-CPBS Geermu 4800, 2234-2245. Mandarin chat seguence from male/female announcers. Presumed ad string at 2245. Signal poor-fair under CODAR. Better on // 4460-Beijing. (S Barbour, NH)

Voice of Pujiang (presumed) 3280, 1146-1202. Vernacular programming with announcer's unidentified language. Signal weak under band noise with occasional music bits at 1155. Signal pips at 1200, followed by announcer. Possibly // 4950; weak at imagination level. Poor signal. (S Barbour, NH).

9880, China Radio International, 1045-1058, Noted a male and female in Mandarin Language comments here.Can hear a second signal under CRI consisting of just music which could possibly be someone's station interval signal. It goes off at 1048 while CRI continuesin comments. At 1056 the station stops for their usual4 minutes of silence before they go into the next hour. Signal was fair. Nothing came of the earlier music under CRI. (Chuck Bolland, FL May 12, 2008)

11635, China Radio International, 1030-1056, At 1030, hoping to hearTaiwan on this freq, instead there was CRI broadcasting in English. I suppose their (CRI's) intention is to block Taiwan? Anyway, noted news, and comments along with imitation Western Style music.Although CRI was dominating the freq, at about 1047, I could hear Taiwan fading in under CRI's signal. At 1055 full ID and schedule before signing off. CRI signal noted as fair. (Chuck Bolland, FL May 8, 2008)

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Breaking News: National Radio destroyed in Chad

Published: February 03, 2008 10:41 AM
NDJAMENA (AFP)--The main market in Ndjamena and the national radio station were destroyed Sunday by fires and looting, witnesses told AFP, as fighting raged between rebels and government forces in Chad's capital. One witness said: "The public market was partly set on fire in the morning after a helicopter (belonging to government forces) fired a rocket at rebels."
Additional coverage at Smart Money:
http://www.smartmoney.com/news/on/index.cfm?story=ON-20080203-000172-1041

NDJAMENA (AFP) - Fierce fighting with tanks and helicopter strikes rocked the Chad capital for a second day Sunday as rebels surrounded President Idriss Deby in his palace and hundreds of foreigners fled the country.

With international aid organisations reporting bodies in the streets and hundreds of people wounded, anti-tank and automatic weapons fire was heard around the presidential palace, where Deby has been holed up since Friday.
Extended coverage via AFP:
http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/080203155352.93iwfts4.html
Chad state radio put out of action by looters
Chad state radio went off the air on Saturday as rebels advanced into the capital, opposition leader Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh said. He made the claims in a telephone call from the central African nation’s embattled capital, N’Djamena. Saleh said rebels had entered the city and shooting that had erupted in the morning appeared to have died down. He said there were no soldiers in his neighbourhood and the state broadcaster had gone off the air in the morning.
(Source: Press Association)

Update 1645 UTC Sunday 3 February: More fighting is reported in N’Djamena. AFP reported this morning that government helicopters had attacked a column of rebels in the south of the city heading towards the main radio station. No broadcasts were monitored yesterday evening on 4905 kHz, which had been putting strong signals into Europe in recent days (see attached comment from Dr Derek Lynch).
On Sunday afternoon, the AFP news agency reported that the radio station had been “destroyed today by fires and looting.” Witnesses said the radio station had been pillaged by a mob that smashed broadcasting equipment and made off with computers. That suggests it was put out of action rather than totally destroyed.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)



You Tube Videos of fighting in Chad
In the absence of TV reports from Chad, I came across some videos posted on YouTube by members of Stop Genocide Now, who were at a hotel in N’Djamena, Chad, as the rebel forces entered the city. The group have now been evacuated. These are very high quality videos.
Fightiing in N'Djamena Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
(Source: You Tube/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)