10/02-2008
OKLAHOMA
Mid-day MW bandscan from Carrier, OK.
I meant to do a low-noon MW bandscan close to Solstice, when residual skywave
is possible, but did not get around to it until Feb 4, and by then it was
almost too late. But I also wanted to check out what makes it by groundwave on
my new caradio, not confused by skywave. I expeditioned a few miles NW of Enid
to a spot near the junxion of State Hwys 45 and 132 SE of Carrier, where there
is a brief stretch with no adjacent powerlines. On caradio with whip on fender,
no DFing possible.
Main reference is the 2007-2008 NRC AM Log. Here is some of what I noted,
skipping most strong and regular signals, between 1815 and 1905 UT, local mean
noon being at 1832:
1700: at 1819 ``La Indomable, mil setecientos, es La Grande``. Spanish
dominating an English station, fading in and out. Unlike most of the logs
below, this is probably skywave, from KBGG Des Moines, listed with ``La
Grande`` but not ``La Indomable`` slogan.
1690: at 1820, sports talk. Does not fit for Colorado with All-Kids, or
Illinois with news/talk, but surely one or the other. Format changed?
1670: at 1820, weak distorted audio. May be Enid talking house.
1660: checked this first at 1815, as KXTR Kansas City is easy to recognize with
classical, and often audible later in the afternoon when skywave has kicked in,
but not now: ESPN station was dominating with ads for a CPA `downtown`, phone
241-9187 and 281-1003, atop KXTR classical with a SAH; 1818 CNN News; 1825 ID
as ``1660 ESPN``. Those phones check for a CPA in Fargo ND, so certainly noon
skywave from KQWB at well over a megameter.
1650 & 1630 blocked by splatter from local KFXY 1640.
1620: at 1821, sports news, good signal. Presumably KOZN Bellevue NE.
1610: at 1822, NWS relay with noise, cut off amid weather info, back to usual
loop of local area attraxions around Great Salt Plains, TIS. This makes it into
parts of Enid itself if noise is low enough.
1600: at 1823, at least two stations under dominant KUSH Cushing OK.
1570: at 1825, two stations, C&W probably KNDY Marysville KS; EZL probably KZLI
Pryor OK, or KTAT Frederick OK.
1540: at 1826, Rush, over another talker. There are two Kansans here, Parsons
being the talker, tho KXEL IA might have been in the mix by skywave.
1500: at 1827, preacher. Must be KPGM Pawhuska OK
1440: at 1828, weak Spanish, presumably KTNO University Park TX (Metroplex), 15
kW, but CP for 50 in daytime; IBOC QRM, probably from Tulsa KTBZ 1430 ``The
Buzz``, 25 kW.
1420: at 1828, local political ad for Lone Wolf, ``Country 1420, KTJS``, midday
report, from Hobart OK; IBOC QRM here too on what used to be a clear station on
its fringe. (Quite a number of other small-town stations in OK & KS were doing
local noon news hours; good to hear these still exist.)
1370: at 1829, nothing heard; was expecting usual KGNO Dodge City KS.
1360: at 1830, Ave Maria Radio, devotional by a priest. Two possibilities are
listed on this frequency with EWTN! KAHS El Dorado KS, and KDJW Amarillo TX.
1831 into talk show ``The Doctor Is In``, YL with Catholic-oriented advice,
877-573-7825. Continuous hum on audio.
1320: at 1832, Radio Oklahoma, weather, ``Newstalk 1320``, so KCLI Clinton;
back to Rush; over lo rumble, somebody off-frequency.
1260: at 1834, soul-ish music, but must be KWSH Wewoka, C&W listed.
1250: at 1835, Spanish, so KKHK Kansas City KS; [WREN Topeka missed].
1240: at 1835, slow SAH of 1 Hz or less between KADS Elk City OK and KFH
Wichita. For many years, KADS was off-frequency with an audible het.
1210: at 1836, Oklahoma news, from KGYN Guymon. Day pattern is non-direxional
so reaches Enid without cheating.
1200: at 1836, trace of a SAH, I suppose between WOAI TX and KFNW ND altho WRTO
Chicago or KYOO Bolivar MO might be involved.
1190: at 1836, ``AM 1190 KVSV``, Beloit KS, farm news.
1180: at 1837, Spanish, therefore KYOZ Bellevue NE.
1110: at 1838, KFAB Omaha NE, VG signal with Rush, and IBOC sidebands blocking
1120 and 1100.
1070: at 1838, semi-local KFTI Wichita, Paul Harvey at Page 3, so must have
started around 1830. (I`ve noticed he is no longer between 1800 and 1830 on
KRMG 740 Tulsa, either.)
1060: at 1839, fast SAH. Closest are Springfield MO and Van Buren AR; none of
the three Texans are very close. Would settle for Pierre SD. Needs further
checking, but KFTI 1070 can be a problem.
1040: at 1841, Rush from WHO Des Moines IA.
1030: at 1842, no IBOC heard, missing from WHO? Two stations, news / talk over
music, possibly Spanish. KBUF Holcomb KS surely the former, tho KFAY
Farmington/Fayetteville AR possible. Is KWFA Tye TX (Abilene) on yet? Does 50
kW KCTA Corpus Christi have any Spanish? Went back and checked this at 1857:
talking over hymn, 1858 tentative ID for KWFA.
1010 & 990: at 1843, blocked by IBOC from KTOK-1000.
970: at 1846, religion, KCFO Tulsa or KHVN Fort Worth; far enough from local
KGWA 960 to pull something past it.
950: at 1846, religion, no doubt KJRG Newton KS, ditto.
940: at 1844, trace of something under WKY-930 splash, probably KIXZ Amarillo
which I have heard before somewhat west of Enid; no Kansans.
880: at 1845, plug for KRVN.com Lexington NE, mixing with a weaker station,
probably KJOJ Conroe TX, (which is Vietnamese, but not enough audio to tell).
850: at 1846, Paul Harvey, so KOA in usual pre-noon timeslot; slow SAH with
talk station, no doubt KJON Carrollton TX, hijacked from Anadarko OK, but at
least that benefits KOA here.
840: at 1846, something there, but an unexpected line noise peak here, surely
KTIC West Point NE, previously heard daytimes when it was something else.
Rechecked at 1905, ad for Nebraska lottery.
830-730: due to noise and running out of time, skipped over, but nothing
unusual expected.
720: at 1847, ad for Grand Central Station episode on The American Experience,
WTTW, so definitely WGN. Of all the Chicago `clears` this is the only one still
with a clear daytime shot to OK at well over a megameter, certainly by
groundwave tnx to our excellent conductivity. Fortunately KSAH Universal City
(San Antonio) TX does not bother in the daytime like it does at night, constant
SAH battling with WGN.
710: at 1847, Rush mixing with another talker. Per NRC AM Log, KGNC Amarillo TX
is the one with Rush, not KCMO Kansas City.
700: at 1848, ads in English mixed with Asian language, 214 area code, so KHSE
Wylie TX (Metroplex), blocking any hope of WLW daytime.
680: at 1849, rodeo talk about NFR, presumably KFEQ St. Joe MO.
670: at 1850, religion, from KLTT Commerce/Denver CO, another long-haul daytime
groundwave which can also be heard within Enid given low-noise location; trace
of something else, presumably WSCR Chicago, which as WMAQ used to make it
clearly on cold winter days` groundwave.
660: at 1851, KSKY Dallas, talk, with IBOC from WWLS-640 bleeding over here 20
kHz up.
650 & 630: ruined by WWLS IBOC; WSM and KHOW might otherwise make it.
620: at 1852, KMKI Disney Radio, Plano TX, music.
610: at 1852, KCSP Kansas City, sports, marred by IBOC from KMKI.
600: at 1852, two weak stations with SAH, probably WMT Cedar Rapids IA and KTBB
Tyler TX. This is a relatively clear frequency for daytime DX.
590: at 1853, KXSP Omaha NE with sports, over something else, probably KLBJ
Austin TX.
570: at 1853, usual mix of KLIF Dallas over WNAX Yankton SD. Unfortunately
almost co-linear and can`t null out one or the other.
560: at 1854, Rush, presumably KWTO Springfield MO, seems with IBOC QRM; is
that KLIF 570 now? No IBOC heard on 580, with WIBW strong.
550: at 1854, KFRM Salina KS, very strong as usual, but with something else
underneath; KCRS Midland TX heard previously, but KLLV Breen CO might be
possible now.
540: at 1855, usual mix of KDFT Ferris (Metroplex) TX in Spanish over KWMT Fort
Dodge IA in English.
Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST yg (9/2-2008) |
03/02-2007
CUBA
45 YEARS RADIO HAVANA CUBA
On the event of Radio Havana Cuba's 45 anniversary celebrated on May 1st, 2006, here is a report by Arnie Coro, radio amateur CO2KK, host of the twice weekly programme "DXers Unlimited" of Radio Havana Cuba, on the early days of RHC:
According to my research, the history of Radio Havana Cuba goes back as early as 1959. A Cuban delegation designated by the Revolutionary Government was attending an International Telecommunications Union World Administrative Conference that was sessioning in Geneva, Switzerland, at the Palais des Nations, the United Nations' main building in that Swiss city. Senior Engineer Carlos Julián Estrada Castro, one of my mentors, was there and he told me that one day the members of the Cuban delegation received a call from the Cuban Embassy at the United Nations organizations in Geneva. A diplomatic cable from Havana instructed the members of the delegation to find out about the possibilities of starting a Cuban international short wave radio service.
Engineer Estrada, who was very experienced in matters related to the use of the short wave radio spectrum, realized that right there in Switzerland; there was a world famous radio transmitter factory, the Swiss firm Brown Boveri Corporation. Estrada and other members of the Cuban delegation to the ITU Conference contacted Brown Boveri, and soon found out a very interesting information. Brown Boveri had several short wave transmitters ready to be shipped to a country in Africa, I believe it was Ethiopia, that had suddenly refused to receive the two 100 kilowatt and two ten kilowatt transmitters.
Estrada wired Havana, and in a few days, by the end of 1959, the deal was completed, and that's how Radio Havana Cuba received its first four transmitters, brand new from Switzerland, and they came together with several antenna systems that were included in the sale. About one year later, by the end of 1960, the Bauta transmitting station, about some 30 kilometers to the West of Havana was under construction.
By early January of 1961, one of the Brown Boveri 10 kilowatt transmitters was installed at a small provisional shed, used by the construction workers that were building the transmitting station. There were no steel towers to put up an antenna for the transmitters, so Engineer Jose Antonio Valladares talked to the local power utility and obtained six wooden poles, and he asked for the tallest ones that they had available. Valladares, who is Cuba's most experienced antenna specialist, knew very well that he needed no less than 20 meters to
install a dipole antenna for the 25 meter band that will put out a good signal to the Americas, but the wooden poles were only about 13 meters high.
Then someone at [sic] brought up the idea of making a taller mast by putting two poles into the ground and inserting a third one about half way in between the two lower ones. Using typical power company equipment and hardware, the two first masts that the station used went up, and in less than a week they were ready to support a full wave dipole antenna. Power had to be brought to the provisional building so that the 10-kilowatt transmitter could start operations, and because there was no link with the Radio Progreso downtown Havana studios, someone suggested installing a tape recorder and player right next to the transmitter.
Tests began by the first and second weeks of February of 1961 and on the 24th of February of that year, Onda Corta Experimental Cubana, the Cuban Experimental Short Wave went on the air with a one hour long program in Spanish that was repeated several times during the evening. All of us involved in the setting up of the station were delighted when we began to receive reports from friends in Latin America, Canada and the United States. The provisional installation was working quite well indeed, as we proceeded to install the second 10 kilowatt
transmitter and the first 100 kilowatt transmitter as the main building of the Bauta station was almost completed.
Why Cuba wanted to have the station on the air as soon as possible and with the best equipment available was something quite logical, we all knew that an armed invasion against our nation was in the works, and that having a short wave station on the air meant that the world could be informed directly about what was really happening. The period between the 24th of February and the 15th of April of 1961 saw engineers, technicians, electricians and the antenna crews working at a hectic pace to try to have all the equipment on the air and with the new antennas that had to be installed.
Engineer José Valladares was in charge of the design of several antennas, and of supervising the installation of the ones that were bought to Brown Boveri, he had among his crew a very young at that time radio enthusiast, that had just completed his senior high school and a radio and television training course. Yes, I was one of Valladares` pupils, at age 18, and you cannot imagine how much he taught to all of us that were fortunate to work with him and the other
senior engineers in charge of the project. On the 15th of April of 1961 everyone in Cuba learned about the air raids to three Cuban Air Force Bases, a prelude of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
It was one day later, at the burial of the martyrs of the Revolution that were killed during the air raids that Fidel told the world about the existence of what was going to be Radio Havana Cuba. A day later, April 17th the infamous 25O6 Brigade organized, trained and supplied by the US Central Intelligence Agency, began landing at the Bay of Pigs, and immediately was challenged by the Cuban Rebel Army and militia troops that brought them to a total defeat in less than 72 hours. During the whole time that the invasion lasted, our experimental short wave station was on the air 24 hours, telling the world what was happening and providing to the many friends of the Cuban Revolution up to the minute information of what was happening in the Zapata swamp, the isolated area of Cuba carefully selected by the CIA for the landing of the mercenary forces.
The battle reports went on the air from the very Stara [start?] of the military operations against the invaders, and the last one, telling the world about the outstanding victory of the Cuban people was repeated many times, so that everyone could pick up our broadcasts. Sí
amigos, a few days later, on May Day, the first day of May of 1961, Cuba celebrated its victory over the CIA forces sent to invade our nation, and it was precisely on that day that our station went on the air, for the first time, using the name of Radio Havana Cuba.
A very small group of people were involved in the start up of Radio Havana Cuba, we worked up to 18 hours a day to try to finish installing the complex equipment. Never before Cuban engineers had worked with such powerful transmitters, as the only two high power AM
band broadcast transmitters that existed here were a pair of 50 kilowatt Westinghouse model 5OHG2 transmitters owned by Radio Progreso and Circuito CMQ National Networks. The first 100 kilowatt Brown Boveri was ready to operate just a few days before the Bay of Pigs
invasion, and it did play a very important role in making known to the world what was actually taking place at the Zapata swamp battlefield.
A few months later, the Bauta transmitting station phase one was completed, and we started to broadcast regularly in both Spanish and English, adding shortly after Portuguese and French. Several years later two new Russian built SNIEG transmitters were added to Bauta, as
well as more antennas to make it possible to broadcast not only to Latin America, the Caribbean and North America, but also to Europe. Sí amigos, the history of Radio Havana Cuba is full of very interesting anecdotes. This program today is my humble tribute to all of those who are no longer with us, having passed away since the station first went on the air, and who make possible that Cuba's voice may be heard all around the world.
With Courtesy to Arnie Coro CO2KK, Dxers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba (Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD 7-014 (2/2-2007)
|
26/12-2006
ANGOLA
Radio is the most powerful medium of communication in Angola with approximately 80 per cent of country listening (HRW, 2004). In 2000, Angola had 21 AM radio stations, six FM stations, seven shortwaves, and 815,000 radio sets (World Factbook, 2006). As part of the MPLA's
campaign strategy for the 1992 elections, the government allowed "trusted businessmen" to create four private radio stations in Luanda, Benguela, Cabinda, and Lubango (Expresso, 20 December 2003).
Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) is a 24 hour state-run radio station with a monopoly of national radio broadcasts. It is the only broadcaster to offer programmes in indigenous African languages such as Bantu.
The equipment used by RNA is "fairly advanced" with new computers and internet connection in Luanda (IMS, MISA, and AMARC, 2003). In Luanda, the news department has 60-65 reporters. The director-general, Manuel Rabelais, is also the social communications minister. Journalists claim the government favours RNA in the allocation of new broadcast frequencies (HRW, 2004). RNA tends to pay close attention to official activities, but seldom reports on opposition initiatives and almost never with any depth (Lusa, 15 August 2000). The station
recently has become more open to debate and call-in programmes, but cuts off programmes when guests or callers comment on sensitive issues.
RNA has five stations. The two with the widest reach are Canal A and Radio Cinco.
RNA's home page calls Canal A the "standard-bearer" of the RNA group. The station broadcasts nationwide via several frequencies: 93.5 FM; 944, 1088, and 1367 AM; and 4950, 9720, and 11955 shortwave. Its"Manhã Informativa" [Morning News] programme from 0600 to 0900 daily includes a question-and-answer session with a public official every morning and an in-depth treatment of the news items that are likely to feature prominently during the day, but according to Angolense, the programme is "little more than a menu serving the government's daily agenda" (15-22 February 2003). News bulletins air at 1300 and 2000 local time daily. The popular "Tendências e Debates" - a call-in interview programme featuring a panel of experts from 0930 to 1200 on Saturdays - is a response to Radio Ecclésia's popular call-in debate programme, according to HRW.
RNA's Radio Cinco broadcasts only sports news on 94.5 FM. It can be heard in Benguela, Lobito, Huambo, Namibe, Cabinda, Uige, and Dundo (HRW, 2004).
RNA's three other stations broadcast only in Luanda.
Radio Luanda is a news and information station broadcasting on 99.9 FM and 1010 AM.
Radio FM Stereo plays only music on 96.5 FM.
Radio Ngola Yetu, a popular station focusing mainly on sports, targets Angolans who speak indigenous languages. The station also airs programmes in Portuguese, French, English, and Lingala. It broadcasts on 101.4 FM, 944 AM, and 3375 and 7245 [sic] shortwave.
RNA also broadcasts nationally via Emissora Provincial Cuando-Cubango- Menogue on 4780 shortwave; Emissora Provincial da Huila-Lubango on 4820 shortwave; Emissora Provincial do Namibe on 5015 shortwave; and Emissora Provincial de Benguela on 5043 shortwave.
Roman Catholic Radio Ecclésia is an FM station launched in 1954. RE initially had a licence to broadcast nationally but had to stop operating when the MPLA government confiscated its assets in 1978. In 1997, RE began broadcasting again in the Luanda area only. It has been seeking a licence to broadcast nationally but the government repeatedly has refused. Radio Ecclésia broadcasts 24 hours a day on 97.5 FM in Luanda and currently employs some 36 journalists, including 11 correspondents located in several provinces.
RE is known for giving "space to a wide range of opinions from politicians and civil society" and to reports on "controversial" government actions (HRW, 2004).
Lisbon-based weekly Expresso said that "daring and irreverent" RE has the advantage over state-controlled media because it allows citizens [to] criticize government on the air, particularly during its popular call-in programmes (20 December 2003).
Lisbon-based newsletter Africa Monitor said the government "fears" Radio Ecclésia and perceives it to be "the most bothersome" source because of its "critical independence" (8 August 2003).
Luanda Antena Comercial (LAC) was the country's first private radio station, founded just before the 1992 elections with alleged discreet financial support from the MPLA to assist the party during the election campaign. Privately owned Luanda weekly Agora reported that
despite LAC's recognized efforts to remain independent, the station has become more controlled by the government (15-22 July) and its reports are often nearly identical to state-run RNA's. The station is directed by Luisa Fancony and it broadcasts on 95.5 FM from 0600 to
0100 daily in Luanda only. Listeners also can access programming from its website, http://www.ebonet.net/lac/
Other private radio stations:
Radio Escola and Radio CEFOJOR (Journalists Training Centre) operate in Luanda and are designed to train new professionals and young radio journalists, respectively (HRW, 2004). Four other local private radio stations broadcast in the country: Radio Morena and Radio Benguela broadcast only in Benguela, Radio 2000 broadcasts only in Lubango, and Radio Commercial de Cabinda broadcasts only in Cabinda. HRW says these radio stations "seldom"
broadcast material critical of the government and the only critical voices come from people airing their views on the radio.
UNITA's radio station, Radio Despertar, has been waiting for government permission to start broadcasting since February 2004, but the party reportedly does not expect the government to allow the station to begin broadcasting before the upcoming elections (Agora, 11-18 September 2004). The station will be directed by Alexandre Neto Salombe, a journalist who has worked for RNA in Huila and Huambo and also for Radio Ecclésia and LAC (Angolense, 23-30 September). It will broadcast on 91.0 FM and its studios will be in Viana, on the outskirts of Luanda (4 September).
Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 14 Dec 06 via DXLD 6-187 (19/12-2006) |
