Return of RRI Nabire and Radio Vanuatu with outstanding reception

[Ron - Calif.]

INDONESIA. 7289.93, RRI Nabire Pro 1, on Mar 8; very pleased to find them back on the air again after being
absent for a while; just in time for the start of Ramadan (Mar 10 - Sunday); decent reception, but after 0900 the
usual QRN.

0832-0910 UT: The normal programming of mostly EZL songs and announcers.

0910-0916: Islamic Shalawat Tarhim prayer, before the call-to-prayer.

0916-0920: The distinctive Maghrib (sunset) call-to-prayer. Right on time!

0920 till suddenly cut off 0929*: EZL songs.

My audio of a portion of one minute of the Shalawat Tarhim prayer and one of music -
https://app.box.com/s/l7osk5ajdlh7hveszijffl4whealkx8y .

Nabire Islamic call-to-prayer times for March 8:

Fajr - dawn                  04:49  (1949 UT)
Dhuhr - after midday   12:12  (0312 UT)
Asr - afternoon            15:14  (0614 UT)
Maghrib - sunset        18:16  (0916 UT)
Isha - nighttime            19:24  (1024 UT)

VANUATU. 7260, R. Vanuatu, Mar 8. Unusually good; very enjoyable, very readable reception; 0645-0735 UT.
Here are a few highlights:

0652: Item in Bislama about the upcoming Solomon Islands April 17th general elections
(news story - https://www.sibconline.com.sb/17th-of-april-2024-for-joint-elections/ ).

0700+: Series of PSAs
(UN Commission on the Status of Women [ https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women ],
national referendum, health center, etc.)/ID with frequencies (SW 7-2-6-0)/news (report of "low pressure system" causing rain,
criminal activity report, etc.)/sports/weather. My audio - https://app.box.com/s/br153c1zdibqsfqjc7lnbxdgryc5qtlo .

Ron
Asilomar State Beach, Calif. (near Monterey)
CommRadio CR-1 (very pleased today with the performance of my replacement radio), external antenna: 100 ft. long wire

[Ron - Calif.]

INDONESIA. 7289.93, RRI Nabire Pro 1, on Mar 10; after being off the air yesterday (0806+ UT) for one day,
returned today; 0809-0931 UT; the normal programming of mostly EZL songs and announcers; *0841, unusually
strong QRN today; brief ham QRM calling CQ with no replies; mostly poor reception; 0910-0920, the normal
Islamic segment; at *0931, assume blocked by start of CRI.

VANUATU. 7260, R. Vanuatu, March 9. Still with above average reception; at 0832 UT, program in Bislama about
International Women's Day, which was observed yesterday.

March 10 - R. Vanuatu off the air 0755+ UT, on all their known frequencies.

Ron
Asilomar State Beach, Calif. (near Monterey)
CommRadio CR-1, external antenna: 100 ft. long wire 

[Ron - Calif.]

INDONESIA. 7289.93, RRI Nabire Pro 1, on March 11, with well above average reception:

0808+ UT: The normal programming of mostly EZL songs and announcers.

After 0900+: No longer EZL songs, but as it is now Ramadan, changed musical format to Middle Eastern/Islamic
influenced music/singing,

0911-0917: Islamic Shalawat Tarhim prayer, before the call-to-prayer.

0917-0921: The distinctive Maghrib (sunset) call-to-prayer.

0921 till started to mix with stronger CRI at 0931.

My audio -  https://app.box.com/s/vlgz03w80355u1whp9bn6y533azp67vw .

VANUATU. 7260, R. Vanuatu, 0734-0805 UT, March 11. Program in Bislama about the constitutional referendum; series
of speakers all talking about "information" ("information is power . . . access to information . . . free information," etc.); fair
reception and mostly readable.

Ron
Asilomar State Beach, Calif. (near Monterey)
CommRadio CR-1, external antenna: 100 ft. long wire

[Ron - Calif.]

INDONESIA. 7289.93, RRI Nabire Pro 1, on March 12, again with above average reception:

0810-0858 UT: Several announcers chatted; assumed the start of some special Ramadan programming, as it
was not the normal non-stop EZL songs, but today only played a few brief Middle Eastern/Islamic influenced
music/singing.

The usual pre-call-to-prayer Islamic Shalawat Tarhim prayer was NOT aired today; very rare for it not to be played!

0915-0919: Only provided the distinctive Maghrib (sunset) call-to-prayer.

0919 till started to mix with stronger CRI at 0931; Middle Eastern/Islamic influenced music/singing; announcers
mentioning "Ramadan" several times.

Checked 3344.85 kHz. (RRI Ternate) for any reactivation activity for Ramadan, but nothing heard; in past years it did
broadcast for Ramadan.

VANUATU. 7260, R. Vanuatu, 00606-0720 UT, March 12. Another day of very decent reception; mostly readable.
Here are a few highlights:

0612: Nice song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," sung by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole. (Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I )[I know that Shazam is a popular application for IDing song titles, but I have never used it. If I cannot ID the song by hearing to the words, I don't worry about it] 

0631: The often heard multi-language service messages; segment intro and exit with distinctive indigenous drums; today
with probate info for a person deceased from Santo Island, Sanma Province; interested parties can contact the public solicitor's office in Santo, call 33825. My audio - https://app.box.com/s/qq07v4887i82q27y5d7giz3lk8qwevak .

0700-0717: News/sports/weather in Bislama, with several sound bites in English (items about Air Vanuatu and Australia; "cricket" and "football"; "rain," etc.).

Ron
Asilomar State Beach, Calif. (near Monterey)
CommRadio CR-1, external antenna: 100 ft. long wire