Some Recent Loggings

[VK3BVW]

Some logs from recent days:

5915   ZAMBIA. ZNBC - Lusaka. Now that R. Rwanda has gone for good, I get my African fix from ZBC. Usually a great signal in my mornings, and noted on May 17 at 2145 in a local Zambian language with talkback program.

5995   MALI. RTV du Mali - Bamako. The usual problem of a strong carrier but weak audio at 2125. Long talk past 2130 in the Bambara language (or similar) with plenty of French words sprinkled throughout. Finally heard a groovy Malian song backed by flutes and drums at 2132. Signal comes via the short path across Africa, Madagascar and the southern Indian Ocean. Gets flattened at 2155 by the CNR 1 Jammer intended for VOA's Mandarin s/on at 2200. May 17.

***** 6070   CANADA. CFRX - Toronto. Very pleasing to hear this for the first time this winter DX season with Sunday morning chit-chat at 1015, then a string of adverts, ID for MW CFRB 1010 at 1030, TC as 6:30am, traffic and weather reports, then more chit-chat. Its listed 1KW non-directional signal was doing well with no QRM on the channel until around 1040 when co-channel VoKorea faded in. CFRX faded out by 1050 (6:50am Toronto time), May 17.

6080   BOTSWANA. VOA - Moepeng Hill. English to Africa with a discussion program on Middle East affairs at 1945, good signal but with co-channel and slightly off-frequency QRM het from R. Belarus with their Belarusian service to EEu, May 17.

6100   BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. R. Serbia Int'l - Bijeljina. Jazz program in the English service at 2115. Entertaining program with great music, but heavy QRM from CRI's co-channel Arabic service, May 17.

6185   MEXICO. R. Educación - Mexico City. First noted at 0440 with a weak inconsistent signal (fading in and out) and a talk program. Outro music to end the program, then a series of anncts. Music and ID and s/off around 0500. The carrier remained on till 0503. This station is usually only heard at this time here in mid-winter, just before it's scheduled s/off. It was strange that I could not hear the Brazilian on 6180 after Romania's s/off at 0457 on May 19.

There are lots more logs on the MEDXR blog, too many to list here.

Also some news that R. Vanuatu is having ongoing transmitter problems, and currently operating on much reduced power.

http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/station-news-and-log-book-may-22-2015.html

Have a great weekend everyone!, Rob VK3BVW

[Pigmeat]

Nice catch on CFRX!

CFRX used a 50 foot vertical years ago. I don't know what they're using since they reappeared on SW a couple of years back, but it's a vast improvement. They're nearly an around the clock catch for me these days.

The folks at Radio Educacion have never stuck to a tight schedule. You have to check the frequency to be sure. The Brazilian on 6180 has been weak or missing entirely at my locale. Summer noise is ramping up here, they may not have the power to make it over the static.

I've noticed the VOA on 6080 has been the victim of a bubble jammer the past couple of nights. Hard to tell who might be doing the jamming.

BTW, as far as I know Radio Educacion on 6185 is still broadcasting from the city of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico. That could have changed.

Keep an ear out for Sudan on 7205. It's been armchair copy for the past week here.

[VK3BVW]

Great, thanks for all the feedback. Yes, CFRX has always been hard work, but providing the frequency is clear in their mornings (our evenings) in winter, and there's no adjacent channel powerhouse broadcasters, then they seem to make it over here occasionally....but not regularly.

OK on Mexico - The Domestic Broadcasting Survey is listing this as Mexico City, which is further north of Veracruz. But I'm not sure.

When Sudan 7205 is operating, we usually get it in our mornings at 2000 UT (6am local)...another station for that African fix I need!! 

Rob