THE HAMRADIO DOT COM

Propagation has been very interesting last two weeks. Not very good always, but we’ve got some interesting openings like a long opening to Honduras on the 23rd Dec, shorter to Mexico City on the Christmas Eve and then nice condx to Caracas on the 25th. On the 26th I noticed that my antenna (which is at the remote station) was broken, seems that it went broken at night of 26th.

North America

1130 22.12. 0000- USA: KTCN Minneapolis MN.
1150 23.12. 0500- USA: WHBY Kimberly WI. Previous morning even better. In Europe Radio Sonora from Guatemala was heard here.
1290 24.12. 0100- USA: WKBK Keene NH. 3rd time this season.
1300 24.12. 0100- USA: WGDJ Rensselaer NY.
1320 24.12. 0400- USA: WLQY Hollywood FL.
1640 24.12. 0401- USA: WTNI Biloxi MS. Ads and IDs in the sports px. Good signal and nice state. New one for me. [.178].
1670 23.12. 0559- USA: WPLA Dry Branch GA. Another new one. [.011].

Central America

1190 24.12. 0458- CUB: CMKC R Revolución, Chivirico, Santiago de Cuba.
1280 24.12. 0400- CUB: CMKW R Mambí, Santiago de Cuba. I noticed a station few Hz below NotiUno with certain “Cuban audio”. Station was fading with NotiUno very badly but after some careful listening I could understand the ID which was something like: “Radio informatico de Cuba … CMKW Radio Mambí … Santiago de Cuba..”. Fellow DXer JMS confirmed my hearing and told that JPR has heard this few times (even there are no loggings in OLL).
1300 23.12. 0628- HND: HRLH CCI Radio, Tegucigalpa. This was heard over half an hour with split [1299.970] same time with HRVC 1390. I couldn’t find real ID from my files but identity of this religious station seemed to be quite certain. Anders Hulqvist in Sweden heard this last year also with HRVC. Many other DXers in Sweden and at least PUL/R in Finland, received this same time. By my suprise they replied to me quickly writing that yes, it is their programme. I’ve heard a programme which was originally a cermon of American pastor Adrian Rogers called “El Amor Que Vale” (or “Love Worth Finding” in English, see comment of Henrik Klemetz below). One of the highlights in 2013 for sure!
1390 23.12. 0631- HND: HRVC La Voz Evangélica, Tegucigalpa/Sta Rosa de Copán. Good solid signal over half an hour. Talk programme with good IDs. [.997]
1470 24.12. 0557- MEX: XEAI R Fórmula, México DF. Excellent IDs and national anthem.
1570 24.12. 0600- MEX: XERF La Poderosa, Cd. Acuña. “La Poderosa” and national anthem. Split was old [.004]. Also XEUR 1530 came somehow but too weak for reception report.
1620 23.12. 0400- VIR: WDHP Frederiksted, St Croix. “You’ve been listening to WDHP…” [.990].

South America

1340 25.12. 0428- VEN: YVNE R Uno, Caracas. Long and good signal with music px. Counted seconds to Christmas. Three new Caracas stations this morning: YVNE, YVXD and YVUD. Now I have heard 45 different YV stations on Mediumwaves (2012-2013).
1370 25.12. 0425- CLM: HJBO Emisora Minuto de Dios, Barranquilla.
1390 22.12. 0459- PRU: R Fé, Chiclayo. Thanks to HK for help with this split [.066] which I heard already in September (24.9.). Henrik had eg. good audio clip of time announcement of this station, which was identical to what I heard. Faint ID here too. Station is closing down just after 05Z.
1460 22.12. 0702- CLM: HJJW Emisora Nuevo Continente, Bogotá. Also strong Columbians 1590, 1580, 1550, 1520, 1490, 1450, 1410, 1400, 1340, 1250, but nothing new or more interesting.
1490 25.12. 0426- VEN: YVXD La Dinámica, Caracas. [.013] Same time also Llanerísima [1429.906], but possible ID is too weak.
1550 23.12. 0701- CLM: HJZI G12 Radio, Bogotá. At first couldn’t understand the ID (“Esta es he doce radio … 1550 AM … HJZI…”). Heard also 22.12. at 0502Z.
1590 23.12. 0700- CLM: HJIP BBN, Envigado. Lately heard in the many mornings.
1590 25.12. 0359- VEN: YVUD R Deporte, Caracas. [.997].

Some new ones:

600. HJJM Radio Auténtica, Cali 660 kHz

Radio Auténtica is not the most common Colombian, only heard it twice this season on this interesting frequency. They replied in one day via Facebook. My 600th QSL!

601. CFCB Corner Brook NL 570 kHz

This 1kW transmitter has been heard regularly during the NA openings opf this season. I sent my report to Richard King, who confirmed my VOCM receptions earlier and he verified my report quickly.

602. WCCO Minneapolis MN 830 kHz

At my QTH the most common US station in this channel is WCRN, but I was able to hear WCCO in November. I sent an email to their address mentioned on website (newstips@..) and by my suprise I got a quick replay from Colin Smith (Anchor/Reporter) and then later another replay from Adam Carter (News Anchor/Reporter). With Adam I wrote few times – as usual we were talking about icehockey (Minnesota Wild)!

603. WSTX St. Croix VI 970 kHz

I have heard this station from US Virgin Islands 3 times this season. My earlier email was not answered. I found the owner of the station, Kevin A. Rames, and emailed my report to his company’s email address – he is an attorney. Kevin replied quickly with a nice email and said that WSTX AM and FM (Caledonia Communications) is a family owned radio station. He is planning to give the radio station to his son when he graduates. This email was a nice suprise and was a new country verified.

December has been a bit dissapointing condition-wise, but there has been a couple of interesting nights (4th and 16th). Particulary the 16th of December was interesting: it sounded first like another poor night with weak mix condx until around 0700z the band peaked to Peru. With identified stations I heard some interesting UNIDs, like a wobbler religious station on 920, which is probably Radio Vision Cristiana from Peru.

As per today looks like that condx to NA are peaking around Christmas Eve.

Europe

567 5.12. -0400 RUS: R Volgograd, Volgograd. Local ads and wx for Volgograd oblast.
585 5.12. -0400 RUS: R Rossii, Perm. Local ads to Perm then after local ID and then Moscow news.
684 5.12. 1600- RUS: R Radonezh, Sankt-Petersburg-Olgino.
765 5.12. -0400 RUS: R Karelii, Pedaselga. Also ID: “Radio Rossii, Karelii”.
918 20.12. 1410- RUS: R Pomorye, Arkhangelsk. “V efire Radio Rossii, Pomorye”.
1287 16.12. 1410- RUS: R Vaynah, Groznyj. “Radio Rossii, Radio Vaynah”.
1314 16.12. 0000- ROU: R Oltenia Craiova, Craiova. “Aici Craiova, Romania”.

Iberia

639 5.12. -0630 E: RNE1 Galicia, La Coruña. “Provincia de Lugo”.
648 5.12. -0630 E: RNE Extremadura, Badajoz.

Asia

1143 20.12. 1530- IRN: IRIB R Iran, Yasuj. No local. New TX as it has not heard before?

North America

570 20.12. 0231- CAN: CFCB Corner Brook NL.
580 20.12. 0730- CAN: CFRA Ottawa ON.
610 20.12. 0259- USA: WIOD Miami FL.
1200 5.12. 0700- CAN: CFGO Ottawa ON.

Central America

970 16.12. 0704- VIR: WSTX St. Croix VI. Mixed language Jingle Bells. I have not got QSL for my earlier report. Also 640 Guadeloupe was heard.

South America

660 16.12. 0701- PRU: OCX4R R La Inolvidable, Lima. Heard about 5 minutes with good reception. ID followed by short guitar tune.
730 16.12. 0700- PRU: OAX4G RPP Noticias, San Isidro, Lima. Outstanding signal.
770 16.12. 0704- VEN: YVKK R Nacional de Venezuela, Valencia. Faded with RCN, which has 3Hz difference to this.
890 16.12. 0659- CLM: HJCE Radio Continental, Bogota. Frequency is now upper than it used to be [.060]. Todelar.
890 20.12. 0601- CLM: HJPM R Galeón, Santa Marta. Together with America the most common here.
890 16.12. 0059- VEN: YVLW R América, Valencia. [.002].
900 16.12. 0700- VEN: YVMD R Venezuela “Mara Ritmo”, Maracaibo.
1020 16.12. 0700- VEN: YVMX R Calendario, Maracaibo. Earlier this season I have heard this twice with “Continente” IDs, now ID was “Radio Calendario”.
1120 4.12. 0600- CLM: HJKQ Bésame, Tunja. “Esta es Bésame Tunja, 1120 AM, Radio Apasionada”.
1240 4.12. 0632- UNID: Radio Maria. Maybe from Colombia. Dominican is another option, probably not from Peru [.998].
1250 4.12. 0600- CLM: HJCA Capital R, Bogotá.
1320 4.12. 0559- CLM: HJNV La Cariñosa RCN Radio, Girardot.
1370 4.12. 0604- VEN: YVSV R Nacional de Venezuela, Acarigua.
1380 4.12. 0700- CLM: HJMM Vida AM, Valledupar. “Radio Lluvia” also here.
1420 4.12. 0557- CLM: HJBH R Magdalena, Santa Marta.
1520 4.12. 0600- CLM: R Lluvia, Bogotá. = Libertad. If I understood correclty, Lluvia was broadcasted between 3.-8.12. via several stations. In Bogota also via 1130 Vida.
1560 4.12. 0701- CLM: HJXZ Santa Maria de la Paz R, Medellín. Aviamento 1530 also heard.

Utily stations

570 20.12. 0930- NOR: LF4J Norsky Hydro / Brage. Voimakas läpi yön ja aamun.

Again some QSLs have arrived.

593. – 595. SER Radio Coruña 1080, SER Radio Pontevedra 1116, SER Radio Valladolid 1044
SER stations have been like a black hole for me. Earlier this year I got zero replies to my email reports. Now I tried Facebook and got immediately 3 replies! I think success rate was 75 % (3 out of 4).

596. HJLR Caracol Radio, Pasto 1280
Puerto Rico is often blocking this frequency, but in November I was lucky to catch this Caracol. Claudia Ortega Sarria, Directora de noticias replied quickly.

597. Radio Libertad 620, Cabimas 620
I heard this rare Venezuelan in September. Reception was quite good. I don’t know if this has ever heard in Finland before. From internet I found Colombian DXer who had got QSL from Libertad. I emailed to him and got some v/s information. I also got similar email contact from Henrik Klemetz. By my suprise two months after my email to Antonio Contin, he replied and confirmed my reception. He also promised to send me something in mail. This is certainly my catch of 2013 together with Bolivian Radio Urkupiña.

598. WMSW Radio Once, Isabela 1120
They confirmed my report on Facebook.

599. ZYK766 Rádio Iguatemi, São Paulo 1370
Osmar Zini replied quickly. My second Brasilian QSL in 2013.

Some QSLs have arrived after I sent a bunch of reception reports.

584. NHK via Sitkunai, Lithuania 1386 kHz
I noticed that I have no QSL from Lithuania (post-USSR). So I emailed a report to NHK Russian department via their web page. They confirmed by email and probably will send a paper QSL later.

585. Radio Khvylia, Vinnitsya 1377 kHz
Short Ukrainian email confirmed my report. This is a new local station from Ukraine.

586. BBC R Cornwall 630 kHz & 95.20 MHz
I sent them an email last summer for my FM-reception, but got no replay. Now after hearing them twice on AM, I sent another email and got quick response confirming my both reports.

587. BBC Radio Jersey 1026 kHz
This was heard same time than I heard Cornwall for the first time. Jon Gripton confirmed via email.

588. BBC Hereford & Worcester 1584 kHz
This one has not replied earlier but now Howard Bentham, Breakfast Presenter confirmed my report.

589. AIR Suratgarh 918 kHz
590. AIR Rajkot 1071 kHz
K.C. Sharma of GOS confirmed my reports quickly. Rajkot is regular here but Suratgarh I have heard only once.

591. WLAM Lewiston ME 1470 kHz
The most common US station on 1470, but I didn’t get any reply via email last winter. Now they verified my report quickly via Facebook.

592. OAX4N Radio Bacán, Lince Lima
This was heard in the 4th of October this year. They replied quickly with a scanned mail … via email 🙂

WLAM 1470 QSL

Late November produced some nice US openings. Nothing spectacular but I was able to catch few new USA/CAN-stations to me (CFCB, CHKT, WKAT, WNSW, KCKK, WWRU are new ones I think). The biggest suprise was to hear KBRW Barrow from Alaska at 0500Z. Last winter I heard this during the daytime.

North America

540 28.11. 0300- CAN: CBT Grand Falls NL. TIK
570 26.11. 0530- CAN: CFCB Corner Brook NL. Slogan “Local news now”. TIK
680 27.11. 0500- ALS: KBRW Barrow AK.
680 26.11. 0429- CAN: CFTR Toronto ON. TIK
680 26.11. 0602- CAN: CJOB Winnipeg MB. TIK
730 26.11. 0400- CAN: CKAC Montréal QC. All night. TIK
830 26.11. 0700- USA: WCCO Minneapolis MN. TIK
830 26.11. 0200- USA: WCRN Worcester MA. TIK
850 26.11. 0404- USA: KOA Denver CO. Fox News Radio. TIK
850 26.11. 0229- USA: WEEI Boston MA. TIK
970 26.11. 0500- USA: WDAY Fargo ND. TIK
1000 26.11. 0630- USA: KOMO Seattle WA.
1010 28.11. 0600- CAN: CFRB Toronto ON. Also WINS.
1050 28.11. 0200- CAN: CHUM Toronto ON. TIK
1100 26.11. 0400- USA: WTAM Cleveland OH. Also 28.11. TIK
1110 28.11. 0501- USA: WBT Charlotte NC. TIK
1160 28.11. 0700- USA: WYLL Chicago IL. TIK
1170 28.11. 0200- USA: WWVA Wheeling WV. TIK
1280 28.11. 0159- USA: WNAM Neenah-Menasha WI. “Thanks for listening to America’s Best Music, 12-80 AM WNAM…”. TIK
1290 28.11. 0200- CAN: CJBK London ON. TIK
1290 26.11. 0059- USA: WKBK Keene NH. Heard also 28.11. 0300z with ID “wkbkradio dot com”. TIK
1300 28.11. 0300- USA: WGDJ Rensselaer NY. Later in the morning WOOD and tentatively gospel station WJMO. TIK
1320 26.11. 0203- USA: WILS Lansing MI. TIK
1330 26.11. 0400- USA: WRCA Watertown MA. Läpi yön. TIK
1360 26.11. 0301- USA: WKAT North Miami FL. Only ID heard. Nice buzz in the frequency but mostly only WDRC IDs. TIK
1430 28.11. 0259- CAN: CHKT Toronto ON. “CHKT Fairchild Radio”. TIK
1430 28.11. 0300- USA: WENE Endicott NY. 3 stations IDed in 20 seconds. Fox Sports Radio. “WENE Endicott”. TIK
1430 28.11. 0300- USA: WNSW Newark NJ. “AM 14-30 WNSW”. TIK
1460 28.11. 0400- USA: WHIC Rochester NY. EWTN. TIK
1470 28.11. 0231- USA: WLAM Lewiston ME. “The Oldies Channel”. WLAM IDing also “WCSH News Center”. Also ESPN station heard. TIK
1500 28.11. 0500- USA: WFED Washington DC. TIK
1510 26.11. 0303- USA: KCKK Littleton CO. “AM 15-10 and 93.7”. TIK
1520 26.11. 0401- USA: KKXA Snohomish WA. Together with WWKB. A bit later on 1570 most likely XERF. TIK
1540 28.11. 0300- USA: WDCD Albany NY. Together with CHIN. KXEL IDs at 0700Z. TIK
1580 28.11. 0303- CAN: CKDO Oshawa ON. Christmas song format. Heard still at 0730Z. TIK
1660 28.11. 0300- USA: WWRU Jersey City NJ. 1700 2 x USA, 1690 3 x USA, 1680 1, also 1670 ja 1650, but no IDs.

Central America

1060 26.11. 0359- CUB: CMDL R 26, Matanzas. Not QSLed yet. TIK
1530 25.11. 0659- PNR: R Avivamiento, Panamá. Now heard few times lately. 25th very very strong with extremely bad audio.
1660 28.11. 0300- PTR: WGIT Faro de Santidad, Canovanas PR.

South America

1190 25.11. 0603- VEN: YVZD R Cultural del Táchira, San Cristóbal.
1380 25.11. 0558- CLM: HJMM Vida AM, Valledupar. Much better signal than in October. TIK
1390 25.11. 0556- VEN: YVZO R Lumen, Maracaibo. TIK
1590 25.11. 0600- CLM: HJIP BBN, Envigado. TIK