Monday, June 4, 2012

New clandestine radio to Fiji

** FIJI [non]. 11565, June 4 at 0829, I am alarmed to wake up and start the tape on pre-tuned frequency for much-anticipated new clandestine, Domo I Viti, which per WRN Broadcast would start today, Mondays only at 0830-0900 via Palau.

Amazingly strong signal to be Palau, immediately raising doubts about the site. Surely it`s really WHRI in South Carolina, which after all is the station registered in HFCC at this time, not WHR`s T8WH. First hearing closing of gospel huxter in English, Voice of Praise, from Clinton TN, then PSA for WorldVision.org vis AIDS in Africa. 0830 tone test, pause, and then Domo I Viti starts by 0831.

Nothing is in English except several references to Fiji Freedom & Democracy Movement, Australia. Presumably all Fijian, certainly nothing in Hindi or Tamil! Opening has talk over music until 0834 then just talk, 0836 bringing in someone on phone; 0839 host talks with music; 0842 mentions FF&DM again; 0855 ``South Seas`` sounding song. Tape ran out at 0859 but the click woke me up so heard 11565 cut off the air at 0900 sharp while the Fijian was still talking. It did start a minute late, after all.

Now, about the site: I researched all the antenna azimuths registered for WHRI, and found one of them is 245 degrees, which on another transmission is slewed +15 = 260, which happens to be the exact direxion of Suva from Cypress Creek; and 245 was already the registered azimuth from WHRI at 08-09 on 11565, so that works out just right. WHRI is more than twice as far from Suva, as Palau is, 7500 vs 3500 miles, but I expect this 250 kW transmission is just as effective as 100 kW would have been from Palau (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Thanks to our widespread advance publicity, many other DXers were listening, and all of their reports will appear in full in the next DX Listening Digest, 12-23. Some pertinent points:

Bryan Clark (Mangawhai NZ):
Glenn, I monitored the full broadcast which was entirely in the Fijian language. Frequent mentions of deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and the current PM military leader Commodore Bainimarama, as well as the current Constitutional Commission. Excellent reception here in New Zealand from opening at 0831 until abruptly cut around 0859 when I'd hoped there might be a contact given. But have traced the organisation website at
http://sites.google.com/site/fijidemocracyfreedommovement/
which is promoting the shortwave broadcast of "FDFM Radio in its first ever direct broadcast from Australia".

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