** ALBANIA. R. Tirana began a new broadcast in English April 25, at 2000-2030 on 13720 for North America, but also aimed across Western Europe and UK. Tuning in early, I feared it would not be making it as there was no signal and nothing else audible on 13 MHz band from European sites. But it popped on at 2000 with a good S9+20 signal, which I would rate at SINPO 44444; everything on this band has a problem with my neighbor`s TV set swish, but that is only my local obstacle. The TVI only bothered during slight fades of R. Tirana.
Began by announcing English schedule as usual in local time of UT+2; sounded like the first frequency mentioned for the ``2045`` broadcast was 7665 instead of 7465, but I wasn`t taping and can`t be sure. After the usual broadcasts, added brand-new schedule for ``Northern America, Tue-Sun 1500-1530 on 13750 and 2200-2230 on 13720``. Unfortunately, these times were specified as UTC, which they are not. Programming would consist of news, Albanian press review, Albania and New European Integration Process (or something like that), lite entertainment. Top news item was that Pres. Bush would be visiting Albania on June 10 as part of a European trip. It would be the first visit ever by a US president to Albania. (Well, acting president, anyway.) Daily Press Review at 2010 was about the resignation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, causing a government crisis. 2014-2018 played Albania`s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest [more about that elsewhere in DXLD], ``Hear My Plea``. At 2018 urged listeners to vote by SMS, if they are in eligible countries outside Albania; then a comment about NATO membership. Suddenly at 2019 some adjacent QRM cropped up from a strong carrier on 13725 with a tone test. The carrier remained on until 2029:30, but unmodulated after the brief tone. The QRM could be avoided by slight side-tuning. This was no doubt VOA Greenville tuning up/warming up for the Creole broadcast on 13725 which does not start until 2100. Is this really necessary? Why not do it starting at 2049? At 2022 and 2025 R. Tirana played a couple more songs. 2028, Goodbye, and anthem, but transmitter cut off before it finished, at 2028:30 or so. Audio quality was as usual rather lo-fi, as if thru an old phone line, more of a drawback during the music, but modulation levels were good. If you can also hear 7465 (inaudible here, hence the suggestion to add a much higher frequency), you may find that the programs are not the same, with 13720 carrying the previous day`s show, for logistical reasons. All in all, this and the new morning broadcast should be good alternatives to the evening broadcasts for North Americans to hear R. Tirana. Another change we suggested should now be in effect, English at 0145-0200 on 6120 ex-6115, to avoid Italy via Ascension on 6110; but at 0230-0300 still on 6115, both // 7425. On this occasion, with the MUF cooperating, reception here at 2000 would probably have been even better on the 15 MHz band, judging from a number of European and Mideast signals coming thru there; but not sure if R. Tirana can get a transmitter and antenna to go up to 15.7 MHz. Recently they have not had any broadcasts above the 9 MHz band. R. Tirana also started on April 25 a new morning broadcast to North America we suggested at 1300-1330 on 13750, which got some good reports from ENAm and Europe, and which I shall start monitoring on April 26. Of course, both 13 MHz frequencies should be much more reliable in Europe beyond the skip zone (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 25 April follow. Solar flux 77 and estimated mid-latitude A-Index 5. The mid-latitude K-index at 2100 UTC on 25 April was 1 (9 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [and non]. RAE still the victim of 3-way collision with Spain and Morocco. Monitored 15345 April 25 from 1939, just as RAE`s DX program in Italian was starting with ``DX`` in Morse a few times, really cutting thru the QRM. Then several DX news items, including Omdurman, Latvia, Kurdistan mentioned. This time, RAE was close to 15345, producing a rumble (low het) rather than an audible het in the 100-200 Hz range. This was combined with audio from the two other stations, Morocco in Arabic and Spain in Spanish, the two of which seemed to be very close but not quite zero-beat. Should have looked interesting on a scope. At first, RAE was actually on top, but still too much QRM to get much out of the DX news. Most of the audible QRM was in Arabic. At 1947 ``DX`` in Morse again as DX program concluded; tangos, including one that sounded like Gardel, 1955 RAE IS. Propagation now seemed to be favoring South America over Europe. So meanwhile I checked 15820 for LTA in SSB, and indeed it was audible aside weak WWCR, at 1952 and later. Not even a carrier, however, from LRA36 on 15476. After monitoring R. Tirana`s new 2000 UT broadcast, back to 15345 at 2032: RAE now in French mixing with ``Allah Akbar`` at roughly equal level. 2054, RAE IS mixing mainly with Arabic; 2103, Arabic was on top. And so it goes, as these three insist on using the same frequency at the same time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUIANA FRENCH [non]. DRM from TDF Montsinéry was missing again inexplicably, April 25 at 1935 check, no sign of it on 17870-17875-17880, tho CVC Chile 17635-17640-17645 and HCJB 15675-15680-15685 DRM buzzes were audible. TDF nominal schedule is 1300-2000. I often find them missing before 1400, and apparently they also close earlier than 2000 when they feel like it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. News from Dr Scott Becker at WBCQ: WORLD OF RADIO was airing again UT Sundays at 0300 on 9330-CLSB for the past four weeks while the time was available, but now that has ended. (Nobody told gh about it. In addition to UT Mondays at same time.) 18910 is to move back to 17495-CLSB at the beginning of May, including WOR Wednesdays at 2300. Also next week, the change by their MW station WREM from 710 to 780 is to take place, allowing it to operate not only daytime but at night with low power. And the company won the FCC auction last week for a new FM station on 94.7 (Glenn Hauser, April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Tornado came thru the area and tore up the power grid, so KAIJ is without power; don`t know for how long (George McClintock, KAIJ, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing audible on 9480 around 1930 April 25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. For the third time, I heard that extremely distorted squealing spur during the 0500 UT hour. Unlike the previous occasions, RN Flevo in Dutch was propagating, and thus was getting the brunt of the interference around 7310 at 0539 April 25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. DX Mix News says SW Radio Africa should be back on 11975 today Wednesday April 25, as it is scheduled Wed-Thu-Fri only, so I checked that plus 12035, 11810, 11775, all around 1805 --- none audible here, tho others in Europe were hearing all but 11975. It may not be until next week that 11975 comes back (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---[Start Commercial]--------------------- Preorder your WRTH 2007: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/redirect2.php?id=wrth2007 ---[End Commercial]----------------------- ________________________________________ Hard-Core-DX mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx http://www.hard-core-dx.com/ _______________________________________________ THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. 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