Path: news.cs.tut.fi!news.funet.fi!lgw!news.funet.fi!not-for-mail From: mrodrigu@conicit.ve (Manuel Rodriguez T. (Hosp. Militar)) Newsgroups: sfnet.harrastus.dx-kuuntelu Subject: Tropical Tuning #32 Date: 23 Dec 1994 22:19:46 +0200 Organization: Finnish University and Research Network Lines: 516 Sender: daemon@news.funet.fi Distribution: sfnet Message-ID: <9412231928.AA23166@dino.conicit.ve> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.funet.fi Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit To: patrick.mcdonald@f605.n713.z3.fido.zeta.org.au, moore@acc.mcrest.edu, 71311.2677@CompuServe.COM, 73737.3453@CompuServe.COM, 76635.615@CompuServe.COM, rko@cs.tut.fi, 73042.3644@CompuServe.COM, 76477.1665@CompuServe.COM, avolk@BLABEL.PPP.INFORMATIK.UNI-MUENCHEN.DE, jkearman@arrl.org, hermod.pedersen@swedx.ct.se, 0003382983@mcimail.com, swl-l@cuvmb.bitnet, rec-radio-info@stat.com, zap@hacktic.nl, nieuw@nioz.nl, tijoma@uta.fi, r.dangelo3@genie.geis.com Cc: dx-kuuntelijat@nic.funet.fi, PAYRAS@sara.cc.utu.fi, jeo@nesterc.neste.fi, andy.sennitt@almac.co.uk, DURHAM%TRANSY.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu, RMCVICAR@mhs.hcjb.com.ec, kmacharg@mhs.hcjb.com.ec, 101042.1210@CompuServe.COM, 71163.1735@CompuServe.COM, gst@gagme.wwa.com, Larry.Nebron@pcgfx.com, diego@pinos.com, 72700.31@CompuServe.COM, 70760.3540@CompuServe.COM, JimRenfrew@aol.com, jann.larsson@swedx.ct.se, anders_hultqvist@online.Idg.se X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL21] Content-Length: 23293 ************************************************************** TROPICAL TUNING NUMBER: 32 DECEMBER 23, 1994 ************************************************************** ______________________________________________________________ INDONESIA 5030,4 KHZ? ______________________________________________________________ FROM: WIAN STIENSTRA Date: 12-07-94 20:18 Hello Jorma, JM> Does anyone have information about an unidentified Indonesian radio station on 5030,4v kHz? There has been discussion about this station as well on the FIDO Shortwave Group. I don't believe a location has already been determined, despite monitoring by David Martin in Australia (anyone, correct me if I am wrong). The first time I saw it reported, it was by Mark FROM: THOMAS ROACH Date: 12-08-94 13:03 Heard this signal today at 1153 UTC on 5030.373 kHz. Female was singing slow ballad. No idea who it is. The Malaysian was there at 5029.959 kHz. QTH here is San Jose, CA. FROM: RICHARD CRISP Date: 12-18-94 03:58 I have logged RTM Sarawak (Malaysia) on 5030 from Taiwan, but have not logged the Indonesians there. Are you all sure they are indonesian and not Malaysian? FROM: JORMA MANTYLA Date: 12-19-94 14:39 Yes, several Finnish dx'ers have heard both stations at the same time. Malaysia is a little bit below 5030 while this mysterious Indonesian station can be heard at the same time on 5030,4 kHz. The station has been hear sometimes at 1300 with RRI news - so it is 100% sure from Indonesia, but local ID is very unclear and bassy. ______________________________________________________________ VOICE OF MAYLAYSIA ______________________________________________________________ FROM: BEN KREPP Date: 12-07-94 17:41 Scott Gennari writes: > Anyone have any luck hearing VO Malaysia in North America? I've > tried some of the freq/times lisy^Hted in PWBR but no joy. The Voice of Malaysia is a pretty tough log in most of North America. From your QTH in Hawaii, you should have a better shot, but it still won't be easy. Based on my own DX-ing experience from Hawaii, the best time to try to bag the VoM is at 0555 UTC sign on for their English language broadcast. The VoM uses several frequencies at this time; in September 1993, the only one that was getting through was 15295 kHz. Unfortunately, this frequency was usually marred by co-channel QRM from Radio Moscow. Here in New England, the 1200-1300 UTC broadcast in Indonesian sometimes makes it through on 9750 kHz (or is it 9570 kHz - I don't have my copy of the WRTH at hand at the moment). They also use a 49 meter band frequency for this broadcast, which has also been known to make it this far east. Check the WRTH for the frequency - its 6185 or something like that. FROM: RICHARD CRISP Date: 12-10-94 14:33 Scott, I get the Malaysian and Indonesian stations from Cupertino, Ca (near San Francisco) only during the morning greyline. But they are there nearly every morning. I am not sure if I get VO Malaysia, I'd have to check my records and am writing this as a I heard off to the airport for yet another trip, so I can't say for sure which of the several Malaysians and Indonesians I get. Frequencies that I generally receive are 5005 which I recall was Malaysian, 7295 which is definitely Malaysian and is in English and 4753.6 which I think I remember as being Indonesian. Tom Roach, one of my local friends, is pretty diligent about logging the SE Asian tropicals, so you may want to ping him for advice. I would think your QTH being in Hawaii would permit good reception, my worry is that they sign off not logng after the sun rises here, so maybe they are already down when you get the morning greyline? The approximate times I log them is between 1200 and 1400 utc. FROM: CHUCK RIPPEL Date: 12-11-94 23:05 I am sitting here listening to RTM (Sarawak) on 4.895 // 5.010. It's a bit of a hard listen but possible. ______________________________________________________________ HAWAIIN DX? ______________________________________________________________ FROM: STEVE BYAN Date: 12-09-94 17:16 In his talk to the Boston Area DXers on DXing in Hawaii, Ben Krepp pointed out that Hawaii is antipodal to south-central Africa. This makes for excellent reception of stations from that area, especially near dawn or dusk at the transmitter site.He also reported good reception of the Papua New Guinea stations. I would think that you should also be able to hear most of the South Pacific countries like Tahiti, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, etc. ZIMBABWE DAYTIME FROM: RALPH BRANDI Date: 12-09-94 04:18 I've been listening to Radio 3 on 3396 for the past half hour, and in that time I've heard the announcer give the shortwave frequency twice (although he may have got it wrong; I keep hearing him say 396 MegaHertz, though I may just be missing the "3 point" at the beginning. Anyway, right after announcing that, he's announced that at 7:30 local time (5:30 UTC), they switch to 7.285 MHz. Wouldn't that conflict with Afrikaans Stereo at that hour? FROM: RONWILENSK Date: 12-10-94 15:35 New station officially went on the air on 5 December 1994 at a dedication ceremony attended by His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. Robert G. Mugabe. Station was supplied by Technology for Communications Internation (TCI) of Sunnyvale, California and was installed by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation engineers, who received training both in the United States and on-site. Transmission facilities consist of two TCI Model 615-2-100 log-periodic antennas and two Continental Electronics 418E 100kW shortwave transmitters. Station is located at Guinea Fowl near the town of Gweru in the center of Zimbabwe. FROM: Date: 12-12-94 04:28 I tuned in a night or two ago, just to see what I could hear, and wound up with Afrikaans Stereo dominant, a second station that sounded Russian or other Slavic underneath, and *possible* western pop music from Zimbabwe underneath that, although with the other two babbling on, it was hard to tell. Hate to think what it's like in southern Africa.... ______________________________________________________________ LOGGINGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: NICHOLAS RIAN GRACE Date: 12-07-94 13:30 QTH: Downtown Washington, DC Nick Grace C. (KA1UXT) Receiver: Kenwood TS-440S Antenna: 160m dipole up 50' Radio of the Provisional Government of the National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge clandestine) 5407.79 kHz at 1205 to 1223 UTC fade out on 7 Dec 1994. SIO:222 Weak signal. Woman & man w/ long talks in presumed Khmer. Instr mx @ 1212 definitely Cambodian. No ID's heard, but frequency & format make this tentative. Radio Internacional (Dominican Republic) 4930.60 kHz at 0214 past 0300 UTC on 5 Dec 1994. SIO:333 Om w/ evening pgm "Canciones de Recuerdo." Lots of 'sintonias' from Colon and Guadelupe. ID is definite, but I have no info on this station. Is this R. Amanecer International?? Unidentified (South or Central America) 5019.85v kHz at 0145 to 0207 UTC sudden sign off on 5 Dec 94. SIO:433 Slight het QRM. Lots of merengues played and then cut near end. Silence, then more music. No IDs, but excellent signal. Transmission cut off at 0207. Does anyone know of a contact address for the Khmer Rouge in Washington, DC (or anywhere, for that matter)? I would like to possibly drop by and play the tape I made to them to try to get the QSL ball rolling for this one. FROM: DON MOORE Date: 12-12-94 21:38 The original message must have gotten a flat tire on its drive down the info superhighway. Although sent Dec 7, it just arrived in my e- mail box this afternoon, Dec 12. Anyway, < 2. Radio Internacional (Dominican Republic) < 4930.60 kHz at 0214 past 0300 UTC on 5 Dec 1994. SIO:333 Sorry, it's in Honduras not the Dominican Republic. Radio Barahona in the D.R. used to be active here until last spring. They went inactive about the time Radio Internacional popped up. This station is listed on 1220 MW in the 1994 WRTH. < 3. Unidentified (South or Central America) < 5019.85v kHz at 0145 to 0207 UTC sudden sign off on 5 Dec 94. This would be Ecos del Atrato in Quibdo, Colombia. It's a part of the CARACOL network, so CARACOL IDs will be heard, too. FROM: ANDY SENNITT Date: 12-13-94 09:21 And on 4930.6 in the 1995 edition :-> Unfortunately, Radio Barahona is still listed there as well.... FROM: JORMA MANTYLA Date: 12-14-94 12:31 Hmm... Ecos del Atrato should be 5020,0 kHz while Radio Horizonte, Chachapoyas, Peru has been on 5019,9 kHz (according to my Icom R71E which has 0,1 kHz frequency accuracy). However, Horizonte usually has sign off at around 0030 UTC. ______________________________________________________________ LATIN LOGGINGS FROM SCAND ______________________________________________________________ FROM: JORMA MANTYLA FINLAND Date: 12-12-94 09:32 QTH: Kangasala. Rx: Icom IC-R71E + 3 x Beverage-antennas. Here are some of my latest latin loggings which might be of interest: 3205 10.12. 2350 ZYG861 R Ribeirao Preto. 3289,8 4.12. 0505 HCPV6 R Centro, Ambato. 4995,8 10.12. 2245 OAZ4G Radio Andina w huanyos & ads. 5054,6 often 0530 TIFC Faro del Caribe now easily heard on this split frequency, only slight QRM from Cayenne 5055. 6018,3 10.12. 0525 OAX4Q Radio Victoria w religious px & id & promo 0525. They use the beginning of Beethoven's 5th as interval signal. 6135 26.11. 2330 CP32 Radio Santa Cruz. ______________________________________________________________ LATIN STATION ON 4779 KHZ ______________________________________________________________ FROM: GREG RENNER Date: 12-12-94 03:16 To anyone I have heard a station on 4779 a couple of times at around 2 UTC. The most recent day being UTC December 12 with sign off at 223 UTC. There are frequent mentions of Guatemala and the talk as near as I can understand it is Religious in nature. The station signed off playing "How Great Thou Art". I hear an ID something like Radio Couatong or the like. Y looked in both Passport and WRTH and find nothing similar for Guatemala Any ideas out there? FROM: MARIE LAMB Date: 12-17-94 05:35 If it's what I think it is, it isn't in the current issues of WRTH or Passport because it came on the air after both of those books came out. Perhaps it made it into the new WRTH, which should be available in a few weeks in North America. I think that what you heard is a new station from Guatemala called Radio Cultural Coatan, which has been mentioned on the net and on some of the DX shows, along with the December 1994 NASWA Journal. FYI, I will quote what was mentioned about it in the Journal, which was quoted from a logging by Jerry Berg in issue #1294 of Numero Uno. I hope nobody will mind, especially since I know Jerry and plenty of NASWA and NU folks. "GUATEMALA--4780, R. Cultural Coatan, now noted on this frequency, signing on at 1100 [UTC]. Partial ID copied is 'TG--, Radio Cultural Coatan, 4780 kHz onda corta, banda de 60 metros...desde San Sebastian Coatan, Huehuetenango, Republica de Guatemala, Centroamerica.' Guitar ballads and talks in Indian dialects were heard. (Berg NU #1294)" Hope this helps! ______________________________________________________________ SAN ANDRES ISLAND HEARD ______________________________________________________________ FROM: DON MOORE Date: 12-13-94 17:48 The apparent second harmonic of a medium wave station on San Andres Island was heard here last night (UTC 12/12). San Andres is a small group of Caribbean islands that form a province of Colombia, although they are closer to Nicaragua than to Colombia. The station was La Voz de las Islas and it was heard on 2200 kHz from 0315-0411 UTC (when I tuned out). Programming was non-stop tropical music with one or two rock songs thrown in. The only break in music was for canned IDs at 0330 and 0400 as "La Voz de las Islas ... Frecuencia Colombiana en la altamar". The signal had looooong deep steady fades, varying from almost inaudible to almost 100% readable over periods of four to five minutes. (The IDs fortunately coincided with peaks!) I said this was an apparent harmonic as the 1994 WRTH lists this on 1110 MW, and, indeed, they announced 1110 MW. However, their MW signal would have to be on 1100 in reality to produce a harmonic on 2200 kHz. An unidentified domestic (US) harmonic was also heard on 1760 kHz with NFL football. I checked the probably fundamental of 880 kHz, but it was not parallel to either station coming in on 880 (one of which was WCBS). ______________________________________________________________ LOGGINGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: THOMAS ROACH Date: 12-15-94 13:53 San Jose, California; not Costa Rica :-( I looked for these stations on 15 Dec (UTC). Results: [ID's shere guesses based on Passport '95; anybody with better ID's encouraged to share their knowledge.] 0116 UTC 5020.000 male announcer heard; very weak. NO station at 5019.9 was detected. 0117 UTC 5019.795 music heard. .... other stations heard between 0120 and 0200 UTC were: 5025.000 probably R. Quillabamba (??!) 5046 USB spy lady reading numbers in English; reads three numbers, pauses, then two numbers. Probably for new American spies who thanks to our educational system can no longer remember five numbers at a time. 5049.782 R. Jesus Gran Poder (Quito) ? 5054.576 (driftes to 5054.581) male announcer; Spanish? 5054.988 pop music (not Latin); could this be RFO Guyane? also: 5010.300 at 0131 UTC possibly Escuelas R'Fonicas (Riobamba) 5075.077 Caracol, Colombia FROM: MARIE LAMB Date: 12-17-94 05:54 : < 5054.988 pop music (not Latin); could this be RFO Guyane? Possibly. I know I've heard them in recent weeks in French, but at a later hour as I recall. ______________________________________________________________ MORE LOGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: NICHOLAS RIAN GRACE Date: 12-16-94 12:21 All logs received December 16 1994 with 160m dipole and Kenwood TS-440S in Washington, DC. 6642.55 USB and LSB at 0941 UTC, SIO:333. Two men conversing in Creole or another vernacular, definitely out of band though. Of note, however, was their buddy broadcasting 5 second clips of American pop hits and jumping back and forth between USB and LSB. Gone by 1030. Radio Abaroa (Bolivia) 4712.54 kHz drifting up, at 1000 UTC, SIO:322. Long Cumbias. Announcer came at 1017 and ID'd. Transmitter drifting up 2 hertz every 5 minutes! Unidentified (Possibly Bolivia) 4549.39 kHz at 1015 to 1030 UTC, SIO:322. Classical music and male announcer. After a song ended at 1030, I heard their carrier, but couldn't detect any audio at all. No ID's heard. Radiodifusion Tropico has been logged around here in the past. Unidentified (Asia) 4119.04 kHz at 1027 UTC, SIO:243. Very watery signal. Lots of marching anthem-like music. Male and female announcers with what sounded like Korean. Possibly parallel to Voice of the National Salvation on 4450 kHz. Voice of Myanmar (Tentative) 4725.00 kHz at 1126 UTC, SIO:131. Threshold reception, just barely there. Pop music until 1130 when a woman came on in an unidentified language. A traditional song was played as a segway on the half hour. Faded out by 1145. ______________________________________________________________ TROPICAL BAND LOGGINGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: NICHOLAS RIAN GRACE Date: 12-16-94 02:20 Loggings from Nick Grace in Washington, DC with a Kenwood TS-440S and a 160m dipole hidden above the sidewalk. All from December 14 1994. Radio Altura (Cerro de Pasco, Peru) 3339.94 kHz at 1010 UTC, SIO:434. Excellent signal! Program of huaynos with male announcer. Lots of canned IDs. Good to hear them this well, they usually play great songs. Radio Huanta 2000 (Huanta, Peru) 4752.79 kHz at 1021 UTC, SIO:322. Huaynos and lots of ID's and time checks. Program was in Quechua. Radio Baha'i (Otavalo, Ecuador) 4949.86 kHz at 1051 UTC, SIO:322. Quechua program. Bad room ambience. Played San Juanitos and Albazos. My roommate is from this city, so I had to wake him up! Glad to finally log this station. Unidentified (?? Possibly Bolivia ??) 6238.00 kHz at 1111 UTC, SIO:221. Program in Spanish with male and female announcers, but audio threshold. Some insturmental music was played, but it sounded classical. Possible ID heard with "Radio ..." but signal too weak. They seem to be on every morning, but reception is not too good here. Logged this one again this morning (December 16) from 1040 to past 1130 UTC with a stronger signal: SIO-333! Many time checks by male announcer and lots of Carnavalitos (from northern Peru). The only ID I heard was "!Esta en La Perla!" Only mention of region was "Amazonia." After 1100, program changed to pop music. Is La Voz del Alto Mayo still active? They used to be on 6237.4 kHz... ______________________________________________________________ RADIO THAILAND ______________________________________________________________ FROM: Date: 12-16-94 23:13 While listening to 40 meters I have found another R.Thailand Freq. it is 7285 khz and there was an ID in English at 1115Z when an OM announced that the following broadcast would be in Khmer.The OM also said the station was at Udorn.This is the the strongest station on the band by far outside of the USA.Rig is an Icom 735 to a G5RV at 50ft.I think this is 500KW also used by VOA. FROM: MARIE LAMB Date: 12-17-94 06:16 True. This wasn't in the 1995 Passport because the new international service using the transmitters at the VOA Udorn Thani site wasn't yet ready when we went to press. Also, they've had a few frequency changes since they went on the air a few months back. Presumably, our colleagues at the WRTH will have this in their new edition, which will be out soon. WorldScan Contributor, Passport to World Band Radio ______________________________________________________________ RECENT LOGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: WIAN STIENSTRA Date: 12-18-94 11:58 Here are some logs I made over the weekend. Hopefully they are of interest. 5050 1828-1832 TZA R Tanzania, 16/12. EE discussion on peace in Africa. Into new programme 1831, with ID as 'Radio Tanzania' 23222 6025 0037-0042 BOL R Illimani, 18/12. LA pops, SS frequencies, ID and slogan by man 0038 (tent. slogan 'Radio Illimani, Voz Mundial de la Rep<'u>blica Boliviana'. Clear channel, but plenty splatter from 6020 and 6030! Poss. //4945 not heard 23222 6050 1836-1850 NIG R Nigeria Ibadan, 16/12. Amazingly good signal on clear channel w/ echoed ann's in a vernacular language over -ju music. Plenty mentions of 'Radio Nigeria Ibadan'. EE ID and jingles 1841, then an EE DJ took over with more 34444 My logs were made with a Lowe HF-225 and a 12 metre longwire, in a rather noisy suburbian location. Feedback and reproduction welcome! ______________________________________________________________ RFO NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA ______________________________________________________________ FROM: DON MOORE Date: 12-19-94 17:37 Confirming Marie Lamb's response on these stations. To my knowledge RFO Noumea hasn't been reported to any SW bulletins for several years and has supposedly been inactive. Any Aussie or New Zealand DXers who can confirm this? As to Tonga, yes, their antenna came down in a typhoon a few years back and the SW is a very low priority. As to Cooks Islands, DXer Guy Atkins visited them about two years ago and there was absolutely no interest in returning to SW. In fact, I think he said the transmitter had been cannibalized for parts. However, Vanuatu is back on SW. There were some reports not long ago of an unidentified station with Aussie country music on 3330 kHz mixing with CHU. Pennsylvania DXer Dave Valko has just returned from a trip to Australia and he reports in Fine Tuning that this is Vanuatu reactivated. I had heard on Media Network a while back that they were installin some new transmitters in Vanuatu, and I think at a different transmitter site than the old one. ______________________________________________________________ LOGGINGS: INDIA, CHINA, ETC ______________________________________________________________ FROM: JORMA MANTYLA Date: 12-19-94 15:59 EUROPE 5940 17.12. 1606 R Metropolis, Praha, w test and asking for reports. AFRICA 4775 15.12. 1555 TWR Swaziland. JM ASIA 3295 17.11etc -1742*AIR Jaipur w local id at s/off. 4775 18.11. 1225 AIR Imphal "This is All India Radio Imphal" very clear local ID in English. Where are Guwahati and Panaji? On some afternoons this frequency is empty and sometimes I have heard only 1000 Hz test-tones with no ID. AIR testing new transmitters and sites? 4950 16.12. 1215 Voice of Pujiang, Shanghai //3280 w programming to Taiwan. Better here, weak 90 mb. 6185 16.12. *0955-China Huayi Broadcasting Company, w interval signal and s/on over XEPPM. 11835 17.11. 2015 R Thailand, Udorn Thani, w local ID in English and then in French to Europe. SOUTH AMERICA 4785,6 17.12. 2150 HJLW R Super, Ibague, used only "Radio Super" id, no mention of Ecos del Combeima. Name changed? ______________________________________________________________ TROPICAL BAND LOGGINGS ______________________________________________________________ FROM: WILLIAM MERRILL Date: 12-20-94 23:43 5055 1130-1150 Spanish. tentatively Faro del Caribe, Costa Rica. ID at 1145 they gave freqs (// w mw) and I heard "Costa Rica" for sure; but expecting to hear "Radio X" missed this name, which I got from WRTH. Signal excellent; minor key vocals with title and artist announced between songs; religious program after 1145. 4845 1155-1203 R. Kekchi, Guatemala. Wishes for a Feliz Navidad and clear ID at 1200, w Xmas music. American Christmas music. Then in Kekchi and Spanish. 4900 1203-1220 Chinese. unID. Vocals accompanied by flute, string ensemble; announcements in Chinese. Heard about 4 songs, similar to Chinese pop over R. Chi Int. WRTH showed inactive, winter-only on this freq, for r. Haixia 2 service to TWN; unable to copy any // freqs however. UTC + 8 would give Fuzhou, China dark with my sunrise. Voice indistinguishable by 1217; music deteriorating 1220. DX440, 50' copper outside Arlington, Mass. ______________________________________________________________ Editor: Manuel Rodriguez Lanza e-mails: mrodrigu@conicit.ve manuel.a.rodriguez@spacecom.uunet.ve Address: P.O.Box 65657, Caracas 1066-A, Venezuela. Tel: +58 (14) 258359 (cellular)