I write this as I wait to move house soon – probably in 6 weeks or so.
As far as DXing goes, a move could not come at a better time because of the horrific RF interference I mention below. I’ve not been able to identify it – if I could I’m not sure that I’d be able to do anything about it anyway.
So – I’m going to buy an RFI ’sniffer’ to take with me when choosing prospective new dwellings. The estate agent will no doubt think I’m completely nuts. I don’t care.
And – as it happens – I’ve discovered some pretty horrendous sources of RFI within my existing place: despite the fact that I’m pretty careful in trying to minimise it. I never buy switched mode power supplies, for example.
But I discovered a power supply supplied with a quite expensive Pico ‘internet radio’ – it cost £150, but the power supply that comes with it is cheap and nasty and causes massive interference throughout the house. And probably several other houses too. It’s also undoubtedly ‘legal’. Whether the authorities would acknowledge it as a source of interference, I don’t know. But I’ve now thrown it away.
So although we read lots about mains borne RFI through home networking devices that, sadly, is not the end of the story.
If you escape that particularly devastating hobby-wrecker there are many more modern devices which are almost as capable of ruining this fine hobby.
Trouble is – things are likely to get worse, not better.

Well, it had to happen I suppose …

The blight of any DX’ers hobby has struck me. Horrendous and persistent interference across just about all the shortwave bands, starting at about 1.9 Mhz , and still in evidence up to about 13 Mhz.

What is it? Haven’t got a clue, except I’m fairly sure that it’s not the dreaded ‘networking over the mains’ phenomenon which really is a major threat to the hobby. I’ve listened to some examples online, doesn’t sound like that. It’s got a distinctive tone at its heart, accompanied by what sounds like bursts of data.

And, sadly, I’ve no doubt that in terms of the law it’s probably not ‘illegal’. The standards applied to all kinds of modern appliances seem incredibly lenient and biased towards the user, not the DX’er.

The only crumb of comfort is that I’m due to move house soon, so will escape this nightmare.

Sad thing is .. if I wasn’t .. that would be the end of my hobby for good.

Is that fair?

BOTSWANA   VOICE OF AMERICA  4,930  2048GMT   EE  34333  18-JUL Chirpy African style DJ, lovely African MX  (SG)

CHINA   CHINA NATIONAL RADIO  4,800  2040GMT   UU  33223  18-JUL Long Talk by OM in Chinese Language  (SG)

CUBA   RADIO HAVANA  6,060  0608GMT   EE  44433  19-JUL Extended news bulletin – plug for website  (SG)

CYPRUS   CYPRUS BC  5,930  2315GMT   GR  44444  18-JUL Discussion programme in Greek.  (SG)

EQUATORIAL GUINEA   RN GUINEA ECUATORIAL  6,250  1945GMT   UU  33222  26-JUL Long speech by OM in vernacular language, then African-style language  (SG)

ERITREA   VOICE OF BROAD MASSES OF ERITREA  8,000  0433GMT   AA  34333  24-JUL Long talks in, I think, Arabic interspersed with short bursts of local music  (SG)

GABON   RADIO TV GABONAISE 1  4,777  1849GMT   FF  32222  01-MAY OM with frequent mentions of ‘Gabonaise’  (SG)

GERMANY   PAN AMERICAN BC  15,205  1415GMT   EE  24222  04-MAY Poor reception, but carrying ‘Back To Gospel Hour’. Sign off 1430, with no announcements  (SG)

KOREA, NORTH   VOICE OF KOREA  7,570  2132GMT   EE  34333  30-APR Frequent ID’s as follows: ‘This is Voice of Korea’ without a ‘the’. Song called ‘The Bosom of the General Is The Cradle of our Life’!! Poor Audio, buzz on transmission occasionally (SG)

MADAGASCAR   RADIO NEDERLAND WERELDOMROEP  7,425  1957GMT   EE  24333  18-JUL Newsline News Programme, ID ‘ Radio Netherlands Worldwide’.  (SG)

MAURITANIA   RADIO MAURITANIE  4,845  2045GMT   AA  44333  18-JUL Prolonged Arabic chanting,  (SG)

MAURITANIA   RADIO MAURITANIE  4,845  2200GMT   AA  44333  23-JUL News in Arabic, many clear ID’s of ‘Mauritanie’.  (SG)

MOLDAVA   RADIO PAYEM E-DOOST(BAHAI)  7,480  1826GMT   PE  44444  01-MAY Long speech by guest with female presenter. Website mentioned; www.bahairadio.org Buzz on audio at times (studio problem not transmitter!) (SG)

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES   VOICE OF AMERICA  17,550  1915GMT   FF  24222  26-JUL Jazz programme, then ID at 1930 “Voici La Voix de L’Amerique” followed by News  (SG)

SOUTH AFRICA   BBC WORLDSERVICE  3,255  2059GMT   EE  24332  18-JUL ID, News 2200  (SG)

SPAIN   ONDA CERO RADIO CATALUNA  540  0203GMT   SS  22222  26-JUL Many clear ID’s and jingles after news. “If Tomorrow Never Comes” by Ronan Keating. Light Pops 734 Miles (SG)

SYRIA   RADIO DAMASCUS  9,330  1854GMT   GG  44434  01-MAY German sevice, full ID ‘Radio Damascus’, then into French Service at 1900 Really terrible tone on audio (SG)

TAJIKISTAN   TAJIK RADIO 1  4,635  2313GMT   TA  33222  26-JUL Russian Style Music – non stop.  (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM   BBC RADIO JERSEY  1,026  1445GMT   EE  22332  04-MAY Request show – mentions of ‘St. Helier’ and St. Brelade.  (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM   BBC SOMERSET  1,566  0520GMT   UU  32443  24-JUL Review of local papers and ID ‘BBC Somerset News Headlines’  (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM   BLAST 1386, THAMES VALLEY UNIVERSITY  1,386  0845GMT   EE  22322  27-JUL ID ‘Blast 1386′ into news, programme trail for Wednesday afternoon programme out of News  (SG)

UNITED STATES   RADIO MARTÍ  6,030  0450GMT   SS  24322  17-JUL Spanish Programming, ID at 0459 – ‘Radio Marti’.  (SG)

This report was generated by Shortwave Log.
http://www.shortwavelog.com

ALGERIA NAT.R.OF SAHARA ARABD REP. 6,300 1939GMT AA 44444 18-APR
Arabic Music, full ID at 2002 followed ny news (SG)

BRAZIL RADIO GLOBO 11,805 2024GMT PP 23232 18-APR
Excited presenter taking phone calls. Destroyed by interference from R.
Romania Int at 2030 (SG)

CHAD RADIODIFFUSION NATIONALE TCHADIENNE 4,905 2048GMT FF 44333 18-APR
DJ playing excellent African music, several ID’s (SG)

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES VOA 17,550 1945GMT FF 13322 18-APR
News and commentaries on events in Africa. At 1958, ID, then French pop music programme with (I think) ‘Bel Monte’. (SG)

UKRAINE RADIO UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL 7,510 2105GMT EE 55544 18-APR
Programme about Ukranian culture and the difference between Ukranian and Russian speakers in the country. (SG)

ASCENSION ISLAND (U.K.) COTTON TREE NEWS RADIO 9,525 0731GMT EE 34333 16-APR
News read by Edward Kambu incl. speech given by US Ambassador Perry talking
about clean water and energy needs of Sierra Leone. ‘You’re listening
to news from CTN’ (SG)

CHILE VOZ CHRISTIANA 15,410 2032GMT PP 34333 16-APR
Good pop music with Latin flavour, DJ pretty anonymous but did take a couple
of phone calls from listeners. ID for service as ‘Sua A Voz. ID with News
at 2100 ‘CVC Noticias’. (SG)

CHINA CHINA NATIONAL RADIO 4,750 2225GMT UU 24232 10-APR
(SG)

NORWAY SW RADIO AFRICA 12,035 1830GMT EE 32332 13-APR
Heated discusion between female presenter and callers on phone-in about
post-election violence. Severe splatter from freqs above and below. Short
burst of music and s/off 1859 (SG)

ROMANIA RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL 15,220 1235GMT EE 34222 12-APR
Romanina cultural buildings and the history of the Internet (SG)

SOUTH AFRICA IRIN (UN) RADIO 15,170 0725GMT FF 24333 14-APR
Relay of Radio France International African Service. Audio breaking up
(as if bad digital link) for a while, abrupt off at 0759 (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM FOREST OF DEAN RADIO (COMMUNITY STN) 1,521 1730GMT EE 22332 12-APR
Eddie Kendrick and Daniel Meek interviewing band (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM RADIO ALGERIENNE VIA UK 7,150 2210GMT AA 44444 13-APR
Long talk by OM and Arabic Music. // 9710, which was considerably worse
signal (SG)

IRAN VOICE OF ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN 7,260 1900GMT FF 55555 09-APR
French to Arabic language lesson and news summaries. (SG)

IRELAND BBC RADIO ULSTER 1,341 0715GMT EE 34333 07-APR
Travel News & ID “BBC Radio Ulster Travel News” (SG)

KUWAIT RADIO KUWAIT 15,110 0618GMT EE 24222 08-APR
‘Kuwait inthe International Arena’ (SG)

SOUTH AFRICA RADIO SONDER GRENSE 3,320 1830GMT AK 24222 09-APR
Discussion in Arfikaans. Heavy QRN (SG)

UNITED KINGDOM TAY AM 1,584 1950GMT EE 33434 09-APR
Country Music Show. No news scheduled at 2000! Distance to my QTH 331 miles!
(SG)

ASCENSION ISLAND (U.K.) COTTON TREE NEWS 9,525 0712GMT EE 34233 06-APR

Health Minister comments on case of yellow fever in Sierra Leone
Severe levels of noise making audibility difficult (SG)

EGYPT WADI EL NIL (NILE VALLEY RADIO) 9,250 1714GMT AA 34434 06-APR
Full Station ID at 1715. News Items then into Arabic Music. (SG)

IRAN VOICE OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION 7,165 1609GMT TU 54544 06-APR
News & Commentary – mention made of Iran’s nuclear programme (SG)

CHINA CHINA RADIO INTERNATIONAL 11,690 1604GMT FF 55555 06-APR
News in French followed by analysis (SG)

MALI R.MALI 9,635 0819GMT VN 24232 06-APR
Long rambling speech by OM in local language plus local music (SG)

UNKNOWN RADIO CALYPSO 6,270 0815GMT EG 34333 06-APR
DJ playing Europops – announces testing new antenna calypso104@hotmail.com
(SG)

This report was generated by Shortwave Log.
http://www.shortwavelog.com

BOLIVIA RADIO YURA 4,717 0130GMT SS 23222 04-APR
Very Ethic Bolivian Music, ID ‘Radio Yura’. Generally poor reception, much
static (SG)

BOLIVIA RADIO YURA 4,717 2333GMT SS 23222 04-APR
OM & YL almost continual speech, sounds like dramatisation or story. Much
echo used, frequent mentions of ‘Yura’ (without the ‘Radio’ on the front).
(SG)

BRAZIL R.BRASIL CENTRAL 11,815 2311GMT PP 34333 04-APR
Many clear ID’s, LA Pop Mx (SG)

BRAZIL RADIO ANHANGUERA 4,905 0140GMT PP 24232 04-APR
LA Music and canned announcements (SG)

BRAZIL RADIO APARECIDA 6,135 0125GMT PP 32332 04-APR
Religious material – woman phone-in caller endlessly repeating ‘Ave Maria’!
(SG)

BRAZIL RADIO BRASIL CENTRAL 4,985 0047GMT PP 43333 04-APR
Several ID’s, LA/Portuguese Pop Mx, some CODAR QRM but powerhouse signal!
(SG)

CHINA CHINA RADIO INTERNATIONAL 7,160 2010GMT EE 43444 04-APR
News and commentary: commentary on the NATO summit in Romania and Chinese
Ching Mi festival (SG)

COLOMBIA VOZ DEL GUAVIARE 6,035 0105GMT SS 42333 04-APR
Many commercials, lots of echo and frequent ‘La Voz del Guiviare’ Id’s.
(SG)

IRAN VOICE OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION 6,205 2011GMT EE 54555 04-APR
The story of Joseph – the Christian biblical character. Good quality audio.
(SG)

MADAGASCAR RADIO NEDERLAND WERELDOMROEP 7,425 2045GMT EE 32333 04-APR
Programme is called ‘Bridge to Africa’ presented by a man and a woman. (SG)

TAJIKISTAN RADIO TAJIKISTAN 4,635 2320GMT TA 22232 04-APR
Strange ethnic music – barely audible above noise. (SG)

This report was generated by Shortwave Log.
http://www.shortwavelog.com