Shortwave Listings for July 2014

Here are this month’s logs. All times are in UTC. Double capital letters are language abbreviations (SS = Spanish, RR = Russian, AA = Arabic, etc.). If no language is mentioned English (EE) is assumed.

ALGERIA — Radio Algerienne, 7295 via France at 0600 with a sign on in FF and into news. Went into AA at 0605. (Sellers, BC)   

ARGENTINA — Radio Argentina al Exterior, 15345 at 2215 with SS talks. (Brossell, WI)

ASCENSION — BBC South Atlantic Relay Station, 9915 at 2101 with world news. (Brossell, WI) 21630 at 1417 with what sounded like sports play-by-play. (Sellers, BC)

AUSTRALIA — Radio Australia, 21740-Shepparton on same-sex couples there. (Brossell, WI)

ABC Northern Territories Service, 4835-Alice Springs with a news bulletin at 1300. (Brossell, WI)

AUSTRIA — Radio Austria International, 6155 at 0559 with Blue Danube IS, ID in GG, EE and SS before 0600 sign on, 21725 at 0518 with an interview of a PNG official. (Sellers, BC) 9690 at 0208 with M/W talk in (l)  Urdu until CRI’s sign on via Nobeljas opened in CC at 0215. (D’Angelo, PA)

BANGLADESH — Bangladesh Betar, 4750 with talks in Bengali at 1310. (Brossell, WI)

BOLIVIA — Radio Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, 6134.8 at 2348 with M and serious-sounding SS talk ending around 2352, then another M with anmts, then a jingle ID, f/by music. (D’Angelo, PA)

BRAZIL — (all in PP – gld)

Radio Difusora Roraima, Boa Vista, 4875 at 0340 with anmts. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Difusora de Macapa, Macapa, 4915 with an ID at 0030 then talks. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Brazil Central, Goiania, 4985 with talks at 0053. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Nacional da Amazonia, Brasilia, 6180 with talks at 2210. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, 9629.7 at 2226 with several anmts prior to an ID f/by a music pgm hosted by M, 11854.8 at 0037 with music and two men discussion, more vocals before TOH, then ID and several anmts. (D’Angelo, PA)

Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo, 9645.4 at 0639 with Brazilian music. (Sellers, BC)

Super Radio Dues e Amor, Curitiba at 0140 with a shouted conversation by several, ID at 0200 TOH and several anmts by M. (D’Angelo, PA)

Radio Gaucha, Porto Alegre, 11915 at 0220 with M talk, anmts and discussion by several others. (D’Angelo, PA)

CANADA — Bible Voice Network, 15335 via France at 1735 with talks in (l) Oromo. (Brossell, WI)

CANARY ISLANDS — Horizon FM, Tanerife, 6255 at 0230-0305 with a pgm of recent pops. The DJ (Andy) has QSL’d and confirms the site. He should know, since he’s the only operator. Frequency usage has varied, operates 24 hours per day. This one may be active only temporarily so you’d best act now. Reports go to studio@horizon.fm. (Perry, IL)

CHINA — China Radio International, 6020-Shijiazhuang with SS talks at 2150, 6175 via Albania at 2213 with talks in PP and EE sound bites, 9640-Kashi with SS talks at 2215, 9860-Kashi in (l) Esperanto at 2231. (Brossell, WI) 9435-Kunming at 0037-0100* with M/W in Mandarin, light vocals and ID with frequency anmts at 0057 closing. OC continued to TOH, 9710-Kashi at 0236-0300* with M/W in SS f/by music selections, closedown ID and anmts by another M. (D’Angelo, PA)

China People’s Broadcasting Station (CPBS), 9775-Beijing in Mandarin at 2227, Voice of the Strait, 4940-Fuzhou, in Mandarin at 1312. (Brossell, WI)

COLOMBIA — Al Caravan Radio, Puerto Alegre, 5910 at 0621 in SS with an ID and a ballad. (Sellers, BC)

CUBA — Radio Progresso, 4785 at 0410 with SS talks. (Brossell, WI)

DJIBOUTI — Radio Djibouti, 4780 in (l) Afar at 0337. (Brossell, WI)

ENGLAND — BBC, 5875-Woofferton at 0320 with M/W hosting pgm of news features in AA; several nice IDs and a jingle at 0359 close, 7305 via Gavar (Armenia) at 0253-0259 with W hosting pgm on news events in Africa, ID and pgm highlights at 0258 and carrier cut. (D’Angelo, PA) 21470 at 1426 in Somali. (Sellers, BC)

EGYPT — Radio Cairo, 11905 at 0334-0439 with W in AA hosting pgm of domestic vocals, news and return to vocals at 0405. (D’Angelo, PA)                                                  

FRANCE — Radio France International, 15395 at 1445 with talks in (l) Farsi. (Brossell, WI)

GERMANY — Deutsche Welle, 7425 at 0437 discussing an Ebola virus outbreak in Africa. (Sellers, BC) 9800 Rwanda Relay on Nelson Mandela at 2135, 12070 Rwanda at 2155 on the use of Viagra in Italy, 15700 in (l) Swahili at 1502. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Oomrang, 15215-Nauen at *1559-1658 with OC, brief instl before EE ID and anmts about their annual pgm, then interviews with locals and translated into EE. This annual broadcast is always interesting, but unfortunately it wasn’t nearly as strong as last year. (D’Angelo, PA)

Atlantic 2000 International, 9485 at 0730-0800* poor but readable with pops, many IDs and requests for reception reports to atlantic2000international@gmail.com. No sign of them at 0800 on 7310. (Nikolich, IL)

GREECE — ERT, 7475 at 0200-0302* casually listening to this one with its usual selection of Greek music and M hosting in GG. But it was suddenly terminated at 0302, //9420 cut off at the same time. No sign of 11645. (D’Angelo, PA) 11645-Avlis at 0322 noted here at 0322 to past 0425 with Greek pops. Poor to fair with some very deep fades, //7475 and 9420 were very good. (D’Angelo, PA) 9420 at 2137 with hip-hop things and anmts in Greek. (Brossell, WI)

GUATEMALA — Radio Verdad, 4055 with instls at 1141. (Brossell, WI)

INDIA — All India Radio, 9445-Bengaluru at 2140 with subcontinental music, 9690-Bengaluru at 2314-0004 with a nice mix of Indian vocals, f/by a W ancr for the General Overseas Service, then news in EE. More Indian instls at 2340 to 0000 when a W gave the ID, f/by another newscast,11620-Bengaluru at 0144 with a nice pgm of music and W hosting in (l) Urdu. Pgm seemed to end at 0202 f/by dead air until the music resumed at 0214. (D’Angelo, PA)

Athmik Yatra Radio, 15285 via Nauen in (l) Kotwali at 1431. (Brossell, WI)

TWR India, 7280 via Pridnestrovie at 0109-0130* with W ancr in (l) Bhojpuri, the TWR IS at 0114, and opening in Dzonka. ID and sign off anmts and close at 0129. (D’Angelo, PA)

IRAN — Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, 6060 at 2230 with songs and anmts in AA, 9590 at 2221 with final anmts in (l) Bosnian, f/by piano IS, 9860-Kalamabad at 0237 with talk by M in SS with brief musical segments, closed with instl piece at 0322, Voice of Justice, 11770-Sirjan with M/W ancrs in EE, ID at 0345, f/by news analysis. (D’Angelo, PA)

ITALY — Italian Radio Relay Service (IRRS), 9510 via Tiganesti (Romania) at *0900-1000* commorating the 50^th anniversary of Radio Caroline with several IDs and multiple DJs. They were playing cool clips of the station, including SOS calls and clips of when Britain raided the ship, many weather forecasts of choppy seas and high winds. One of the coolest shortwave broadcasts I’ve heard in years. (Nikolich, IL)

JAPAN — Radio Japan, 9770 with news in EE at 0502. (Brossell, WI) 13640 via UAE at 0505 with M/W and news. (Sellers, BC)

KUWAIT — Radio Kuwait, 15540 at 2046 with pops, ID at 2050 f/by a news update, back to pops at 2057 then closedown anmts. (D’Angelo, PA) 21450 at 1415, music and talk in AA. (Sellers, BC)

MADAGASCAR — Radio Madagasikara, 5020 at 0345 with talks in (p) Malagasy. (Brossell, WI)

MALAYSIA — RTM Sarawak FM, 11665 at 1205-1230 with a great signal; pop, rock and Malaysian things hosted by a W. (Nikolich, IL)

MICRONESIA — The Cross, Pohnpei, 4755 at 1125-1157 with anmts by M, mention of an FM frequency at 1138, then into a series of hymns in both ballad and pop formats, off abruptly at 1157. (Nikolich, IL)

MOROCCO — Radio Medi Un, 9575-Nador at 2220 with news in FF) 2306-0002 with M/W and news in FF, f/by pops and long stretch of musical selections, ID by W at 2347, then ruined by CRI via Albania sign on. (D’Angelo, PA)

NICARAGUA — El Buen Pastor, 8989u in SS at 0000 with a male preacher in SS. Very weak. (Coady, ON)

NIGERIA — Voice of Nigeria, Ikorodu, 15120 at 2136 with long talk in (p) Hausa, f/by W with anmts, tribal vocals. Was gone by 2201 re-check. (D’Angelo, PA)

NORTH KOREA — Voice of Korea, 7570 at 1314 with M a long list of newspapers around the world which had mentioned the “Dear Leader”. Poor, and //9435 and 11710. (Sellers, BC) 11710 at *1300-1330 with sign on and “Song of General Kim Il Sung”, IS and IDs by W and M, ID and into NA and patriotic songs. News by M at 1309. (Nikolich, IL)

OMAN — Radio Sultanate of Oman, 9500 at 0019 with AA talks. (Brossell, WI)      

OPPOSITION — Sound of Hope 6240 (Taiwan to China), 1327 with opera and anmts in Mandarin. (Brossell, WI) 

Radio Free Chosun, 9975 (South Korea, via Philippines to North Korea), in KK at 1450. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Impala, 17540 (via Madagascar to Rwanda), at 1730-1755* pgm of local music with periodic IDs in Kinyarwanda, EE and vernacular. Pgm closed at 1755 after a song. (D’Angelo, PA)

Radio Tamazuj, 15535 (via Vatican to Sudan), in AA at 1510. (Brossell, WI)

PHILIPPINES — Radio Veritas Asia, 15320 at 1506 in (l) Tagalog,  15335 in (l) Tagalog at 2311. (Brossell, WI)

PIRATES — Wolverine Radio, 6940 at 0102 with various numbers containing the word “waiting”. SSTV/FAX at 0201, 6950 at 0112 with various songs containing the word “tonight” including big band and swing music, also rock. (Hassig, IL)

The Crystal Ship, 6876 at 0014 with rock, parody bits, ID, then more rock and comedy bits. (D’Angelo, PA)

Undercover Radio, 1720kHz at 0339 with Dr. Benway saying hello to the Michigan MARE group and reading emails  to undercoverradio@gmail.com, 6925 with Benway talking about t-shirts for the Wounded Warrior project and a story about colonizing a new planet. (Hassig, IL) 6925 at 0250 with talk, IDs and rock. Also 6935u at 0127-0206* selling t-shirts. Giving email and mentioning that Box 293, Merlin had been closed. (D’Angelo, PA)

Radio Ronin (relayed by XFM), 6940 at 0207 with IS of the first few bars of ‘Satsifaction” over and over then various Motown things. radioroninshortwave@gmail.com. (Hassig, IL) 6925 at 0132 with rock, “Satisfaction” repeated for several minutes, then more rock. (D’Angelo, PA)

Rave On Radio, 6925u at 0308 with rock. raveonradio@gmail.com . (Hassig, IL)

WHYP Radio, 6925 at 0005-0107 with an old WLIS pgm, f/by station ID at 0012, parody sings and one for DX Survivor. Uses whypradio@gmail.com. (D’Angelo, PA)

Radio Blah Blah Blah Blah, 6949 at 0115 with rock, blues, country. (D’Angelo, PA)

XFM, 6940 at 0305 with talk about visiting England and interviewing people in the pirate scene there. (Hassig, IL)

Pseudo Radio, 6925 at 0002-0016* with M and ID f/by punk rock and numerous IDs. Reports requested to the Blue Ridge Summit address. (D’Angelo, PA)

Captain Morgan, 6925 at 0128 with various blues, Twilight Zone theme, ID and off at 0147. I sent a report to captainmorganshortwave@gmail.com. (Hassig, IL)

Renegrade Radio, 6925 at 0206, but weak and barely above the noise floor with Hawaii 5-0 theme and other numbers. renegadeshortwave@gmaail.com. (Hassig, IL)

Radio Appalachia, 6935 at 0055-0112* with country things and M talking periodically, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. (D’Angelo, PA) 6935 at 0100 with AC hum at times and over modulation with some splatter and some religious songs. (Hassig, IL)

Channel Z, 6150.5 at 0048-0111* with DJ Andy Walker and things from the 1950s, 60s and 70s with EE talk, Blue Ridge Summit address and email of channelz@gmail.com. (D’Angelo, PA)

Cool AM Radio (relayed by Blue Ocean Radio), 6925u with various songs. coolamradio@hotmail.com. (Hassig, IL)

Artems World of Music, 6925u at 0303 heard immediately after Cool AM Radio, (Hassig, IL)

ROMANIA — Radio Romania International, 11710 at 0455 ending EE with schedule and address. (Sellers, BC)

RUSSIA — Radio MTUCI, 25900-Mosccow at 1310 with W in RR hosting pgm of music, quick ID at began with “Iron Maiden” numbers. (D’Angelo, PA) 1428 with rock, conversations and call-ins. (Brossell, WI)

Voice of Russia, 5900-Irkutsk in Mandarin at 1320, 6135-Irkutsk in Mandarin with ID and address at 1258. (Brossell, WI)

SAO TOME — VOA Relay, 9815 with talks in FF at 2122. (Brossell, WI)

SAUDI ARABIA — BSKSA, 11915 at 2240-2301* with long AA talk, f/by recitations and carrier off. (D’Angelo, PA) 21505 at 1425 with AA phone interview. (Sellers, BC) 17615 at 1510 with Qur’an recitations. (Brossell, WI)

SERBIA — International Radio of Serbia, 6100 at 2201 with W doing news. (Brossell, WI)

SOLOMON ISLANDS — SIBC, 9545 at 0701 with M/W and EE anmts and promos, W reading headlines. (Sellers, BC) Readable level in EE with W interviewing a government official, mentions of “Honiara” and an ID at 0830.  (Nikolich, IL)

SOMALIA — Radio Hargeisa, 7120 at 0340 with M and Somali talk, f/by vocals, ID and news at 0400. (D’Angelo, PA) 0350 with talks in Somali. (Brossell, WI)

SOUTH AFRICA — Channel Africa, 6155 at 0400 with a W doing African news. Off abruptly at 0405. (D’Angelo, PA) 15235 with report on Mandela. (Brossell, WI)

SOUTH KOREA — KBS World Radio, 9805 at 2222 with talks in (l) Indonesian. (Brossell, WI) 11810-Kimje, 11810 at 2212-2300* with EE interviews, ID and two W opening the Saturday mailbag pgm, closed with some DX tips.  (D’Angelo, PA)

SPAIN — Radio Exterior Espana, 6055 at 0006 with news pgm highlights and M with sports report. (Coady, ON) 21540 in SS with a speech and QRM from co-channel Radio Kuwait, 21610 in SS at 1423, //21540, 21640 with talk and opera at 1419. (Sellers, BC) 17850 with live sports coverage in SS. (Brossell, WI)

SRI LANKA — Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp., 11905-Trincomalee at 0119 with lively vocals and W ancr in Hindi. Radio Cairo’s carrier came on at 0157 but no audio materialized by 0215 tune out. (D’Angelo, PA) 0130 in Hindi with W talk and W vocals. (Coady, ON)

SWAZILAND — 9500-Manzini (p) at 0520 with snippets of EE talk, but gone by TOH and lost in noise. (D’Angelo, PA)

TAIWAN — Radio Taiwan International, 5010 in Mandarin at 2225, 9680 in Mandarin at 1534. (Brossell, WI)

TURKEY — Voice of Turkey, 9700 in (l) TT at 0509. (Brossell, WI) 12035 at 1355 with mailbag pgm in EE. (Sellers, BC)

UNITED STATES — Voice of America, 6045 Thailand Relay in Mandarin at 1210, 9545 Philippine Relay in Mandarin at 2216, 9605 Philippines at 1450, 9800 Philippines in Korean at 1950, 15255 via Ascension in (l) Bambara at 2133. (Brossell, WI)

Radio Free Asia (p) 9480 Kuwait Relay at 0107-0158* with long talks in (l) Uyghur, carrier off at 0158 after a brief anmt. (D’Angelo, PA) 21700 Northern Marianas Replay at 0517 with W in Mandarin under a much stronger Firedrake jammer. (Sellers, BC) 9835 Lampertheim Relay at 2228 in (l) Tibetan and 9915 Northern Marinas Relay in Mandarin at 1652. (Brossell, WI)

Adventist World Radio, 9770 via Austria at 2023 in (l) Dyula, 15480 via Madagascar in AA at 2010 and 15735 in (l) Nepali at 1521. (Brossell, WI)

Trans World Radio, 4775 at 0345 in (l) Lomwe and 15755 in Hindi at 1412. (Brossell, WI)

PCJ Radio International, 7730 via WRMI at *0137-0230 with their 5^th anniversary pgm, various talk segments, listener feedback, prize offerings and QSL info. (D’Angelo, PA)

VATICAN — Vatican Radio, 7360 at 0459 with EE sign on at 0500 with a song and intro for the African Service, f/by pgm line-up,11625 at 0628 with IS, EE sign on of African Service at 0630, 11890 via Philippines at 1358 with repeated IS. Off at 1400. This would have been their VV service. (Sellers, BC)

ZAMBIA — ZNBC, 5915 at 0342 in a local language with African rhythms and M with brief talk at 0335, bird calls and W talk. (Coady, ON)

That does it for this time. Thanks to: Harold Sellers, Vernon, BC; Mark Coady, Peterborough, ON; Rich D’Angelo, Wyomissing, PA; William Hassig, Mt. Pleasant, IL; Ralph Perry, Wheaton, IL; Bob Brossell, Pewaukee, WI; and Mike Nikolich, Lake Barrington,

THE QSL QUEUE

This new (and maybe occasional) feature highlights those broadcaster bad guys who are sooo reluctant to observe the time-honored custom of providing QSLs in reply to accurate reception reports from listeners. If you have a “hit list” of six to eight stations; those nasty, uncaring, lazy, mean ones - send me a list of them with notes on how many unsuccessful attempts you’ve made and/or how long you’ve waited and I’ll include them here. The first reporter stepping up to the plate is Bob Brossell, (WI) who has several nasty candidates on his list, including: Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, Brazil, which has not replied to his original report nor through 16 weeks of follow-ups, Radio Roraima, Boa Vista, Brazil, has ignored his report for 25 weeks and (so far) through 10 email follow-ups, Cuba’s Radio Progresso, which has ignored 12 email reports since the original 24 weeks ago and that’s despite another well-known Cuban radio personality’s promises to help. Bob’s unhappy list continues with Voz Misionaria, Cambouiu, Brazil, which remains silent after nine weeks and Sichuan PBS, Chengdu, China, continues to thumb its nose after 16 weeks and 4 weeks after a follow-up. Ah, the trials of the QSL hound. You have to empathize with Casper Gutman!