shortwave summary: dec 2005

Here are assorted reception reports from my December 2005 trip to upstate New York. These receptions were often just a few minutes long to determine the SIO code, content, and station identification.

21 Dec 2005:
* 0355 UTC: 6000 khz (Radio Havana Cuba): Arnie Coro's DXers Unlimited show. When I'm in California, 6000 khz is usually only usable for Radio Havana Cuba between 0500-0700 UTC. It's nice to have good reception of RHC at this time. SIO 534.

* 0359 UTC: 9790 khz (China Radio International): Signing off. SIO 544.

* 0404 UTC: 5000 khz (WWV/WWVH): WWV SIO 555. WWVH SIO 353. I didn't expect to receive WWVH here.

* 0428 UTC: 7270 khz (unknown): French language announcement preceding a song: acoustic guitar with vocals. SIO 333. Couldn't find a match for this frequency at hfradio.org.

* 0438 UTC: 6165 khz (unknown): Should be Radio Netherlands in English; sounds like German or Dutch. SIO 555. Could it be Hrvatska Radio from Croatia? Update: Radio Netherlands isn't currently broadcasting on this frequency at this time. That's unfortunate, because it was one of my favorites during 0400-0500 UTC.

* 0441 UTC: 5025 khz (unknown): Spanish. "El Salvador", "Guantanamo", could be talking about Cuba, "Habana" frequently mentioned. Is this Radio Havana Cuba's 60-meter transmission? SIO 444. Couldn't find a match for this frequency at hfradio.org.

* 1530 UTC: 15680 khz (cbc.tv): Music. Sounds like Australian accents. Last song reminded me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's summer for Christmas in Australia. Contest quiz question is bible-based. Postal address is in Queensland. SIO 433 (some fading).

* 1541 UTC: 13655/17820 khz (Radio Canada Intl): Talking about a jewish musician based in Montreal. The musician operates a sampler; name is Josh. Mentioned layering samples in the same key and tempo. SIO 333 on 17820 khz, SIO 555 on 13655 khz. (After a quick web search, I think this might be about Josh "socalled" Dolgin).

* 1547 UTC: 3330/7335 khz (CHU): Time station in Ottawa, Canada. SIO 544 on 7335 khz, SIO 444 on 3330 khz. Much stronger reception than I get in California.

* 1813 UTC: 13650 khz (unknown): French. Talking about product exporting. SIO 555.

* 1818 UTC: 15565 khz (unknown): French. SIO 555. Same signal is on 17690 khz.

22 Dec 2005:
* 0243 UTC: 5950 khz (Taiwan Radio Intl): SIO 555.

* 0245 UTC: 6010 khz (Radio Sweden): SIO 422 - noise from 6005 khz. Difficult listening. I have heard from this station before but only rarely.

* 0252 UTC: 7415/9330 khz (WBCQ The Planet): SIO 454.

* 0304 UTC: 9690 khz (China Radio Intl): Low-quality audio; news in American english frequently mentioning China.

* 0407 UTC: 9575 khz (Voice of America): Heifer International aims to end hunger and poverty. Sponsor a farm animal for poor families around the world. Started in 1944. Chicken, bees, goats, cows, etc. 800 million malnourished people on earth (that's depressing). SIO 433.

* 2212 UTC: 5070 khz (WNQM): Discussing history of radio. Playing a comedy skit. "Golden age of radio theater." Religious commercials. SIO 545.

23 Dec 2005:
* 0308 UTC: 7180 khz (Voice of Russia): www.vor.ru/world.html - some transcripts available. "Thank you for joining us on the Internet." SIO 434.

* 0320 UTC: 6035 khz (Voice of America): Weather reports for Nigeria, Tanzania. This is a VOA broadcast to Africa. SIO 312.

* 0322 UTC: 6100 khz (Deutsche Welle): German. Talking about Afghanistan, Taliban, Al-Qaeda. SIO 555. Same signal on 6145 khz, but that has a bit more high squealing noise (SIO 545).

* 0330 UTC: 9790 khz (China Radio Intl): China is embracing Christmas; it's not a foreign holiday anymore. SIO 444.

* 0337 UTC: 6175 khz (Voice of Vietnam): Federal judge James Robertson resigned to protest George W. Bush's use of domestic spying. Pronunciation of English words is sub-par. SIO 444.