WORLD OF RADIO #1299, produced December 28, 2005 by Glenn Hauser [for full credits listen to show or consult recent DXLDs] *11 meter band sporadic E openings bring KOA Denver relay on 25950 to Montreal at noon *WWV announcement about leap second was moved from minute 4 to minute 16 every hour; also on WWVH at 47 past the hours; actual leap second at 2359:60 UT Dec 31 *WWRB says new VORTAC licensed at Manchester, WQEB572; Air Transport Communications will be purchasing WWRB shortwave ``this year`` *Pirate from North America, V. of the Islands, 1541-1602, 1625-2200 UT Dec 24 on 13887.84 varying to 13880; also to be on Dec 31 and Jan 1, 30 watts AM, with 2-element beam to Europe *1710 kHz favorite for pirates, including R. Top Inter, Hyde Park MA, near Boston with Haitian format, heard as far away as Ontario; measured on 1709.976, and that carrier heard in Finland *Also on 1710, WENJ, a part-15 station in Edison NJ *CHWO Toronto celebrating its 5th anniversary on 740, UT Jan 8 for 24 hours, special QSL, from Brian Smith, am740 @ rogers.com [later changed to the EST date Jan 8] *Mexico City 49m open to Spain as late as 0940, R. Mil, 6010, and now streaming via http://www.radiomil.com.mx *R. UNAM, returning to SW 9600: antenna and transmitter installed, but waiting to replace a tube; might begin testing before yearend [no]. Don`t assume Spanish on 9600 is XEYU; Cuba scheduled there 00-02, and heard at unscheduled time 1909, special with Fidel *Radio Republica, Cuban clandestine: WRMI hasn`t a clue about where new frequencies come from, ``someone is helping them out``. Jamming has increased, including 5965, despite RHC also on frequency, so Cuba is jamming itself. 6135 from 22 had religious programming. Likely from somewhere in Europe: 7110 from 0200 also has Cuban bubble jamming so Cuba is jamming in their own hamband (and ours). Maybe from Portugal? [Sines tech denied] *R. Oito de Setembro, Sao Paulo, plans to put 1 kW on 2490 in January. R. Timbira, Maranhao, to resume SWBC, once state government approves; had been on 4975 and 15215 *Exotic beacon, IPA on Easter island, being heard in Michigan at 0420 on 280 kHz, call repeated in code *ICE flights from Christchurch NZ to McMurdo, Antarctica, monitored on 9032 *Summer holiday time down under: RNZI mostly relaying National Radio; normal news service resumes Jan 9, other languages Jan 16; Dateline Pacific not until Jan 23 *R. Chimbu, 3355, Papua New Guinea, off the air due to theft of equipment *New Year`s Eve special on R. Japan, ``56th Red and White Yearend Song Competition Festival``; some frequencies from Japan: 9750 and 11815 from 1030 until 1445; from 1500 9835 and 7140; best in North America, 11705 via Canada from 1300 to 1730 *Wavescan from AWR resuming Jan 1, on Sundays, full schedule via Guam and UAE; produced in Singapore *World of Radio 1299, woradio at yahoo.com or P O Box 1684, Enid, OK 73702, USA. Much more at http://worldofradio.com *When is WOR on World Radio Network? to North America Sat & Sun at 1830 UT = 11:30 am MST; Sun also 0930 UT = 2:30 am MST. And to the rest of the world, Sats at 0900 UT *Thanks for financial support via PayPal go to Wayne Bastow, Australia *Bangkok Meteorological Radio, Thailand, on 8743-USB 1224-1247 heard in NH; weather in Thai and in English, and interval signals between *V. of Islamic Republic of Iran does not broadcast in Persian on SW, neither domestic nor external service, so if you hear Persian, you can be sure it`s NOT Iran, tho they do use related Dari and Tajik *English from Iran heard in Quebec as early as 1925 on 6010 *V. of Joy, in Oct via Sackville on 9530, is back in Jan, now via FSU, Sat only from Dec 31, 14-15 on 6220; reports welcome to voiceofjoy @ comcast.net Was also on Dec 26, but clashed with Mystery Radio on 6220, Europirate *DRM tests on 26 MHz from London area: 26000 at 2300 with WRN/Arqiva, Croydon; others on 26080, with variety of stations including BBCWS and `Kiss FM`, 200 watts from Crystal Palace; Arqiva/Croydon is 400 W on 26000 with 2 at a time, BBCWS and WRN; SW Magazine for Dec claimed near vertical incidence skywave is being used for DRM on 26 MHz. This is incorrect: WRN confirms is groundwave only, and skywave is limited as much as possible. DRM power 1.7 kW for WRN, vertically polarized, not aimed upwards *Alfa Lima International, pirate in Holland, more active on 15073v; see http://www.alfalima.net and check the chatroom there; QSL for rp to ALI, P O Box 663, 7790 AR Hoogeven, Netherlands *On 1665 kHz in Europe, is intermod from Saar on 1179 and 1422 kHz *R. Slovakia International Spanish desk explains will continue at least until March with partial funding; no director pending outcome of summer elexions *Best wishes to Juhani Niinisto, leaving YLE Radio Finland; some familiar former SW voices can be heard on the English TV webcast *Tunisia`s MW external channel 963 off the air, still on FM 92 *US Postal rates going up Jan 8: internationally, postcards 75c except 55c to Canada, Mexico; one-ounce airmail letter 84c, except Canada & Mexico 63c; IRCs to $1.85 [Canadian rates also going up] *Funny videos involving radio: http://tinyurl.com/ayghh and http://tinyurl.com/ag2wy *North American Shortwave Association new website http://www.naswa.net *Last minute news: CRI has even more new 500 kW on air, from Beijing site; see full schedule in DXLD 5-225 *AWR has one transmission now via Wertachtal, Germany, daily 20-2030 on 7110, 250 kW in Farsi to Iran, for QSL site collectors *R. Republica reconfirmed Dec 28 at 2200 on 6135, weaker than usual *Propagation outlook from Boulder Dec 27; flux range 100-80 [not A & K indices again, as I misspoke: you know what I mean?] *With best wishes for 2006, Glenn Hauser, here, concluding World of Radio 1299 ###