[HCDX] Glenn Hauser logs August 14, 2008

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

** CHINA. Firedrake colliding with WINB, 13570, Aug 14 at 1328, and about equal level with Harold Camping YFR relay. Don`t recall FD on this frequency before. May be another hit-and-run by Sound of Hope, and could be gone tomorrow. 1403 recheck, WINB only. 

Firedrake 12040 and 11990 are normally a pair with 12040 stronger, but Aug 14 at 1325 check, 11990 was much stronger. Again suggests that different sites are in use, and changing comparative strength due to propagation variations, tho it could also be transmitted azimuths or powers for some reasons known only to SARFT. Per Aoki, victim on 11990 is VOA via Novosibirsk, and 12040 VOA Tinang (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** CUBA. Tuned in 6180 at 0458 UT Aug 14: no RHC audible, probably closed a few minutes earlier but VOA Greenville open carrier, and 0459 VOA sign-on and English. VOA typically runs warmup carrier as much as 15 minutes before modulating, so that probably still overlaps RHC.

Slight correxion to my previous report: RHC stays on 6000 until 1400, not 1300, as noted at 1322 Aug 14. Monitored 1400 frequency announcement again Aug 14 on 15370, and it was exactly the same as always, still mentioning defunct 9550 and 11805, and not mentioning new 15120, 15360. 

>From slight variations and occasional slips, I am almost positive this announcement is read live from script every day, so updating it should be easy, no excuse that they have to get around to making a new recording for automation to play, as in the case of HCJB wrong announcements lasting for months, years.

Reading between the lines of Arnie Coro`s attack on me as ``credibility down the drain`` by a crude misrepresentation of what I had really said, which anyone can re-read, I think this is the cause of his ire:

RHC does not want to lose face by admitting that they made a big mistake in colliding with VOA for two hours a night during four+ months. They do not even want to mention VOA in any way. Which, I remind you, Cuba deliberately jams with noise, bubbles, during VOA Spanish broadcasts, which are separate from R. Martí. No Cuban broadcasts, of course, get any deliberate jamming by the U S A.

Assuming they were aware of the collision from the outset, and there is no excuse for not being aware of it, as I for one pointed it out as soon as it started, it may well be that they were playing a game of ``chicken`` with VOA, hoping VOA would give in first and move elsewhere. Chicken is a game played in many other cases with many other stations when there is a collision caused by mistakes in frequency planning, or lack of coördination. 

However, as I pointed out early on, since the VOA target is West Africa on an eastward beam from Greenville, and RHC`s target is Central USA on a NW beam from Habana, in all probability VOA was suffering much less QRM (if any) in its target than RHC was in its own target (Greenville off the back at this distance is still very potent, while RHC was aimed nowhere near West Africa), and VOA couldn`t care less whether they are heard well inside the USA --- indeed, per Smith & Mundt, would prefer not to be!

So when they finally decided to move, RHC crafted this cover story --- changing antenna patterns, and propagation being the reason. It just so happens that Spanish ends at 0500 and English ends at 0700, so by swapping 6140 and 6180, the latter frequency just happens to go off the air now two hours earlier and doesn`t collide with the unmentionable VOA!

However, my quick observations of what was really going on ruined the cover story, so Arnie makes accusations against me again to try to draw attention away from the real issue.

The funny thing is, I am quite happy about the change, since that leaves both VOA and RHC in the clear on separate frequencies, as they should always be (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. RNGE, 6250, Aug 14 at 0546 DJ mentioned R. Malabo as he talked over lively song. Also checked 15190 24 hours later than previous report, 1510 UT Aug 14, and no sign of anything (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SWEDEN. I may complain about the lack of music on R. Sweden, but I must say for a daily half-hour show, they really do a fine job of putting together an entertaining and informative magazine of news and features in English. The announcers have a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, which ensures a friendly image for Sweden. Lately I have found it convenient to listen to the 1430 UT relay via Sackville 15240, reliably good reception too. It would be more convenient in the Central timezone if it were an hour earlier. The 1230 broadcast on 15240 direct is usually audible but understandably not as well as Sackville two hours later. Since all the other Nordic countries have abandoned English broadcasts, and even shortwave altogether, one wishes that R. Sweden covered the other countries too, but with only half an hour a day, one cannot blame them for concentrating on their own (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###


      

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