Friday, January 31, 2014

Frequency Update - International Shortwave Broadcast Guide: February 1, 2014

The following is the fourth schedule update for the 2013-2014 Winter - International Shortwave Broadcast Guide. The 684 page Teak Publishing shortwave radio hobby e-book can be purchased at Amazon.com for US$4.99. The e-book is available at:
http://http://www.amazon.com/International-Shortwave-Broadcast-Winter-2013-2014-ebook/dp/B00H8X7LHM/

All time references are UTC and frequencies are in kHz (kilohertz) // indicates a parallel frequency. Frequencies are an update from those in the e-book. Broadcast are daily unless otherwise indicated.

County/Station
Language
Hrs/freq/info

Belarus, R Belarus
German
0700-0800  6005 (additional time/frequency)
0800-0900  6005eu (additional time/frequency)

Canada, Bible VO BCN
Farsi
1530-1700  11600as (additional time/frequency, effective from Jan.22)
1700-1730  11600as (additional time/frequency,effective from Jan. 22)
1800-1830  12150as delete entry

China, VO Jinling
Chinese
1230-1600  5860as (ex 1440-1705)

Clandestine, R Inyabutatu
Kinyarwanda/Kirundi
1600-1700  17870af (effective from Jan 18, ex 15310af, 1700-1800 Sat)

Clandestine, R Medrek/R Forum 
Arabic
1800-1900  Sat  11720af (ex 1700-1800 thas Tigrinya  11720af (effective Jan. 25, possibly a replacement name from former Voice of Forum of Eritreans)

Clandestine, R Shoroug/R Sunrise
Arabic
1600-1700  mtwhf  11610af (transmission cancelled)

Clandestine, JSR Shiokaze/Sea Breeze
Revised schedule/updates from January 16 / NF new frequency
1330-1430 NF 5985 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5910 Japanese Mon/Wed/Thu
1330-1430 NF 5985 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5910 Chinese/Korean Tue
1330-1430 NF 5985 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5910 English Fri*
1330-1430 NF 5985 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5910 Korean/Japanese Sat
1330-1430 NF 5985 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5910 Japanese/Korean Sun
1600-1700 NF 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5975 Japanese Mon/Wed/Thu
1600-1700 NF 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5975 Chinese/Korean Tue
1600-1700 NF 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5975 English Fri*
1600-1700 NF 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5975 Korean/Japanese Sat
1600-1700 NF 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg to KRE, ex 5975 Japanese/Korean Sun
*confirmed on Jan.17 and 24, very good signal in Sofia on both frequencies.

Germany, Missionswerk Friendsstimme
German
0530-0545  mtwhfa  3985eu (additional time/frequency)
0630-0645  Sun 3985eu (additional time/frequency)
1100-1115 3985eu  // 6005eu  7310eu  (additional time/frequency)
1730-1745  mtwhfa  3985eu  6005eu (additional time/frequency)

Germany, R 700 Kurzwellendienst
German
0500-0530 3985 (ex 0500-0600)
0530-0545  Sun 3985eu (additional time/frequency)
0545-0600 3985eu (additional time/frequency)
0630-0645  mtwhfa  3985eu (ex 0600-0700)
0645-0700 3985eu (additional time/frequency)
1000-1100 3985eu (delete // 6005eu 7310eu
1115-1200 3985eu //  6005eu  7310eu (ex 1100-1200)
1300-1400 3985eu  // 6005eu (delete 7310eu)
1400-1500 3985eu  // 6005eu (delete 7310eu)
1500-1600 3985eu  // 6005eu (delete 7310eu)
1600-1630 delete hour
1600-1700 delete hour
1730-1800  Sun  3985eu  6005eu (ex 1700-1800)
1900-1930 delete hour

Germany, Evangelische Missions-Gemeiden
Russian
1500-1530  Sat  11995eu (ex 1100-1130 Sat 13760eu)

India, AIR/External Svc
English
0000-0045  DRM  13605as (ex 11645as) delete 11645as from regular 2245-0000 broadcast)
1000-1100  DRM  17895pa (additional time/frequency, delete 17895pa from 1000-1100 broadcast)
2045-2230  DRM  11620pa  (ex 9950eu) delete 11620pa from regular 2045-2230 broadcast
2245-0000  DRM  13605as (ex 11645as) delete 11645as from regular 2245-0000 broadcast)
Chinese
1145-1200  DRM  15795pa (additional time/frequency)
1200-1315  DRM  15795pa (additional time/frequency)
Russian
1615-1715  11620eu // 9595eu
1615-1715  DRM  15140eu  (additional time/frequency

New Zealand, R New Zealand Intl
English
2051-2100  DRM  15720pa (ex 17675pa)
2100-2150  DRM  15720pa (ex 17675pa)

Russia, Tatarstan Wave/R Tatatarstan
Russian/Tatar
0410-0500  11790eu (transmission cancelled)
0610-0700  9895as  (transmission cancelled)
0810-0900  12095eu is the only remaing broadcast hour

Russia, VO Russia
English
0800-0900  DRM  9625eu (ex 11635eu)
1000-1200  DRM  9560as (ex 21800as) // 9625eu
1200-1500  DRM  9625eu (additional time/frequency)
1300-1400 9560as (delete)
French
1700-2000  DRM  6125eu (additional time/frequency)
German
0800-0900  DRM  9625eu  (delete entry)
0900-1200  DRM  9625eu (additional time/frequency)
1200-1500  DRM  9625eu (delete entry)

Serbia, International R Serbia
English
1400-1430 9635eu (delete entry)

UK, BBC World Service
English
1100-1130 15400af  //  17830af  (additional frequencies)
1100-1200   21470 (delete)
1130-1200 15400as // 17640as  17830as (additional frequencies)
1200-1300 17640af (additional frequency)
1300-1400 17640af (additional frequency)

USA, VO America 
English
1500-1600 9900as (additional frequency)

USA, WHRI Cypress Crk SC/Overcomer Ministries
English
0600-0800  7520eu  (additional time/frequency)
1000-1200  11565pa (additional time/frequency)

Vatican City State, Vatican R
German
1745-1800 3985eu  6005eu  (additional time/frequency)

****************************
Legend
Days:
m (Monday)
t (Tuesday)
w (wednesday)
h (Thursday)
f (Friday)
a/Sat (Saturday)
s/Sun (Sunday)
DRM  Digital Radio Mondiale

Target Areas:
af (Africa)
as (Asia)
ca (Central America)
do (domestic)
eu (Europe)
me (Middle East)
sa (South America)
va (various)

QSL Report: February 2014


A new series of 2014 Radio Prague QSL cards may be viewed at: www.radio.en/ru/static/qsl/qsl-2014
QSLs are issued for reception via the Internet at: http://www.radio.cz/en

Australia
HCJB Global Australia, 15490 kHz. E-QSL. Received in four days for program details to: english@hcjb.org.au  (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

Austria
OEH8101-Österreiches Rotes Kreuz, 3630 kHz. Full data QSL card. Received in 426 days via OE8SPW (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

Bulgaria
Bible Voice Broadcasting via Kostinbrod, Bulgaria, 9635 kHz. E-QSL in three months for program details to: mail@broadcasting.org. (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

Canada
CFRX Toronto 6070 kHz. Full data QSL card, signe dby Steve Canney-VA3SC. QSL address: Ontario DX  Association, 1831 Waterdown Rd., Burlington, Ontario L7P 5A2 Canada. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Clandestine
Oromo Voice (targeted to Ethiopia) 17850 kHz. Transmitter via Issoudun, France. Email response from Fekadu, stating my report was valuable to them and requesting future report. Received in 21 minutes from
my initial email to: info@oromovoice.org for the January 8 broadcast.  (W. Craighead, KS)

Colombia
Alcaravan Radio, 5910 kHz. E-QSL with photo of station, from Rafel Rodrigues. Received in 12 hours
for mp3 files to: rafaelcoldx@yahoo.com (Fracesco, Italy/playdx) You Tube audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVO-cXDiUl8

FM

Estonia-Raadio Elmar Tartu 88.50 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified, with illegible signature as part of Chief Editor. Station address: Õpetaja (A, 51003 Tartu, Estonia. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Estonia-Nõmme Raadio, Tallinn 99.30 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified. Report sent to:
Pärnu mnt 326, 11611 Tallinn, Estonia. Address on card noted as Jaama 1 A, Tallinn, Estonia. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Estonia-Raadio Rin FM, Tartu 104.70 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified. QSL address:
Vooru 165-7, 50115, Tartu, Estonia. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Finland-Bassoradio 102.40 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified, plus enclosed a funny children's painting. Received in two weeks. Station address: IO Kustantajqpalvelut Oy, PL 115, Forssa, Finland. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Finland-Radio City, 99.40 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified. Received in 10 weeks. Station address: Tallberginkatu 1 C, 00180 Helsinki, Finland. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Finland-Radio Dei, Helsinki 89.00 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified, plus a promo card
enclosed. Received in two weeks. Station address: Ilmalalankuja 2 i, 00240 Helsinki, Finland.
(Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Switzerland-Radio Swiss Pop 227.360 MHz. (DAB Ch 12 C). Prepared QSL card returned as verified in
seven weeks. Station address: Swiss Satellite Radio, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen - SRF, Novaratrasse 2, Postfach, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Switzerland-Stimme Russlands 202-928 MHz (DAB Ch 9 A) Received in six weeks for program details sent to the German service page on the Voice of Russia website at: http://german.ruvr.ru/ (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

France
F5ZWE Propagation Beacon 28242 kHz. Full data QSL card. Received in seven days via F6ITD (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

Radio Joystick via Issoudun, France, 7330 kHz. E-QSL in one day from Charlie Prince. Program details to: radiojoystick@gmail.com (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

TDF/Radio Algerienne via Issoudun, France, 7295 kHz. No data QSL signed by Kathy Steffen. Received in eight months for report and mint stamps for return postage. QSL zddress: 92541 Montrouge Cedex, France. (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

Germany
Atlantic 2000 International 6005/9480 kHz. E-QSLs received in seven days for program details sent to:
atlantic2000international@gmail.com (Christian Ghibaudo/HCDX)

Atlantic 2000 International via MVBR, 9480 kHz. Special 31st Anniversary QSL card for e-report. Received in four weeks for program details to: atlantic2000international@gmail.com atlantic2000international@gmail.com

PCJ Radio International 5955 kHz.E-QSL from Victor Goonetilleke. Received in three days for program details sent to:  pcjqsl@pcjmedia.com (Christian Ghibaudo/HCDX)

Ichtys Radio via HCJB Weenermoor, Germany 3995 kHz. Full data E-verification from Sven Tasche and Debby Tasche-Wolf. Received in one day for program details to: kontakt@ictys-radio.de (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

Ireland
Church of the Holy Redeemer Bray 27631 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card signed by Felicity Walsh, Parish Secretary, and stamped. Received in six days. QSL address: Holy Redeemer Parish, Parish House, Herbert Road, Bray, Co. Whitlow, Ireland. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

Our Lady of Consolation Church Donnycarney, 27687 kHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified. Received in nine days. QSL address: Parachial House , 5 Malahide Road, Dublin 5, Ireland.  (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

SS Mary & Peter Church Arklow, 27631 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card signed by Margaret Redmond and stamped. Received in seven days. QSL address: The Parish Office Árus Lorcáin, Castlepark, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

Italy
Radio Maria Italia 92.5 FM. Full data QSL card signed by Giampiero Bernardini, QSL Manager. Received in 96 days for details sent to: qsl@radiomaria.org (Christian Ghibaudo/HCDX)

Lithuania
NHK/Radio Japan relay via Sitkunai 6165 kHz. Full data QSL card, unsigned. Received in 72 days for report to the NHK Russian service. Address: Tokyo 150-8001, Japan (Luca Botto Fiora/RUS-DX)

Medium Wave


Cyrpus (Northern Cyprus) Bayrak Radio & Television Corporation, 1098 kHz AM. Verification letter from Mustafa Tosun, Department Head of Transmissions. Received in 9 years ! Heard this station in Samos Island, Greece. My third report follow up forwarded in January 2012 was answered in May 2013 with a nice QSL card, letter, and large packet of tourist information. Station address: Dr. Kuçuk blv, Levkosa, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Germany-Deutschelandfunk, 153 kHz AM. E-QSL. Received in two months for program details to: hoerereservice@dradio.de (Artur Fernandez Llorella/playdx)

Germany-Antenne Saar (SR) 1179 kHz AM. Verification letter  from Guenter Gehring gehring@sronline.de QSL address: SR   Funkhaus Halberg D-66100 Saarbrucken, Germany. Report sent to: info@sr-online.de Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France/playdx)

Latvia- Radio Merkus 1485 kHz AM. Verification letter from Raimnonds Kreicbergs, Radio Merkus Director. Received in 14 days for e-report to rni@apollo.lv (Kurt Enders, Germany/HCDX)

United States-WDEV, 550 kHz AM. The Friendly Pioneer/Voice of Northern New England. Full data verification letter, with illegible signature as Manager. Received in 60 days for program DX Test broadcast details to wdev@radiovermont.com QSL address: 9 Stowe Street, (or P.O. Box 550) Waterbury, VT 05676 USA. (Frank Hillton, Charleston, SC) Website: www.wdevradio.com 

Mongolia/Russia
Received two QSL cards from Voice of Mongolia, for Russian programming via transmitters from Voice of Russia on 999 kHz AM (Grigoriopol Prednestrovie) and 657 kHz AM (Grozny, Russia). Cards are color scenery cards or camel herders and drawings of Mongolian population. Two reports to:  rom.russian@yahoo.com (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia/RUS-DX 746)

Russia


GTRK Buryatia Ulan Ude 6195 kHz. E-QSL with photo of station from Lyudmila Moiseeva-Chief of Broadcasting Service. Received in 14 days for report to: 7 - Ulan Ude 670000, Russia (Luca Botto Fiora/RUS-DX)

Trans World Radio via Irkutsk 12055 kHz and via Novosibirsk 7300 kHz. Full data E-QSLs from S. Franklib Abraham. Received in 44 days for report to: fabraham@twrindia.org (Luca Botto Fiora/RUS-DX)



South Africa
AWR Africa via Meyerton, 11840 kHz. Full data QSL. Received in 86 days to program details to: wavescan@awr.org (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France/playdx)

Spain
Radio Vitoria 1602 kHz AM. Special E-QSL received for station's last transmission. Details to radio_victoria@eitb.com (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain/HCDX)

Uganda
Dunamis Broadcasting, Mukano 4750 kHz. No data photo/map. Received in 26 days from HAGCM in
Canada for e-report and MP3 recording sent to dunamis4.750@hotmail.com. Reply from Heather
Paterson heather@biblevoice.org. Heather forwarded my report o the main presenter at the Ugandan station and two weeks later I received a reply from dunashortwave@outlook.com. Heard this station on Sheigra Dxpedition, Oct. 2013. (Alan Pennington, UK/BRDXC-UK Comm)

United Kingdom
Radio Taiwan International, 7325 kHz. Full data QSL signed by Valentin. Received in 91 days for program
details to french@rti.org.tw (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France/playdx)

Sudan Radio Service, 17745 kHz. E-QSL received from Angela Wangechi in one day. Program details to:
awangechi@sudanradio.org (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

Thames Coast Guard, 2187.5 MHz. Prepared QSL card returned as verified with signature and station
stamp. Received in seven days. QSL address: HM Coastguard, Thames MRCC, east Terrace, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex CO14 8PY, United Kingdom. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

United States
Ecos del Torbes via WRMI, 9955 kHz. E-QSL received in 13 days for details sent to:  qslconfirmacion@gmail.com (Christian Ghibaudo/HCDX)

NMC11-USCG Group Humboldt Bay, CA 2670 kHz. No data prepared QSL card returned, plus email stating the broadcast was from the Coast Guard Group/Air Station Humboldt Bay in McKinleyville. Received reply in one day. (Martin Foltz, CA/UDXF)

NPD-NAVMARCORMARS- Millington, Tennessee 14.483.5 MHz. Veridied an AFD 2013 reception with a no-data QSL card in 67 days from A.H. Hilliard W4GMM. QSL address: 4237 Beacon Street, Memphis, TN 38128 USA. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

WQQK643-1700 kHz AM. Received a Happy Valley folding card, signed by Edith Foteff, Community
Liaison. Received in 150 days. QSL address: 16000 SE Misty Drive, Happy Valley, OR 97086 USA. This is my 3,037 medium wave QSL verification. (Patrick Martin, Seaside, OR)

Uzbekistan
Trans World Radio India via Tashkent 7505 kHz. E-QSL and letter from S. Franklin Abraham. Received in 67 days for e-report anf MP3 to: fabraham@twrindia.org (Luca Botto Fiora/RUS-DX)

Utility/Propagation Beacon
USA-K4JEE/ B HF Beacon 28254.5 MHz. Full data card. Received in four weeks. QSL address: Ronald G. Lardner, 5121 Doyle Dr., Louisville, KY 40216 USA. (Norbert Reiner, Germany/playdx)

USA-W4TIY Beacon 28272. MHz. Full data card. Received in eight months. QSL address: Paulding Amateur Radio Club, Inc., P.O. Box 2253, Dallas, GA 30132 USA. 5121 Doyle Dr., Louisville, KY 40216


Utility/Ship Traffic
3FUA7-City of Rotterdam (Ro/Ro Cargo Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz MMSI 372002000. Full data prepared
verification letter returned as verified in 32 days. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

C6PX5-Ocean Sprite (Standby Safety Vessel) 3.187.5 MHz. MMSI 308583000. Full data prepared verification letter returned as verified in 378 days. (Andy, Germany/UDXCF)

LACH7-SKS Segura (Oil/Chemical Tanker) Full data prepared QSL card returned as verified. Received in 212 days. QSL address: Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skipsredrei AS, Foke Bernadottesvei 38, 5147 Fyllingsdalen, Norway. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF)

LASE-KV Scotland W 342 (Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 257736000. Full
data prepared verification letter returned as verified in 61 days. Position of the ship was in the Barents Sea. This is my first Norwegian Coast Guard vessel confirmed. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

MPPH5-Grampian Hunter (Standby Safety Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 232952000. Full data prepared
verification letter returned as verified in 74 days. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

OUHW2-Sea Energy (Crane Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. Full data prepared verification letter returned
as verified in 31 days. Ship position in Skaerbaek, Denmark (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

OULA2-Dana Sirena (Ro/Ro Passenger Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 220174000. Full data prepared
verification letter returned as verifiedin 21 days, plus a info sheet on the ship. (Andy, Germany/
UDXF)

SFKH-Icebeam (Research/Safety Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 66313000. Full data prepared verification
letter verified returned as verified in 71 days. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

YLRS-Valpas (Latvian Coast Guard Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 275093999. Full data QSL, plus a prepared
verification letter returned as verified in 24 days. Received in 24 days in an official Latvian Navy Coast Guard envelope. Noted this ship's position was in the Port of Latvia-and this is my first Latvian Coast Guard
vessel confirmed. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

WDB3161-APL China (Container Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz. MMSI 369247000. Full data prepared verification letter.  Returned as verified in 88 days for a report to the Port of Oakland. SASE enclosed with report, which was used for the reply. SHip position in the Port of Los Angeles. (Martin Foltz, CA/UDXF)

ZDLS1-RRS Ernest Schackleton (Research Vessel) 2.187.5 MHz.MMSI 740357000. Full data prepared
verification letter returned as verified in 47 days, plus a personal letter and CD with selected photos
taken of Antarctica and North Sea. (Andy, Germany/UDXF)

QSL Address/Email and Veri Singer Updates

Brazil
Radio Caiari via Porto Velho Rondonia radiocaiari@gmail.com
Rua Das Criancas 4646, Barrio Areal sa Floresta, CEP-76806-440 Porto Velho
Rondonia, Brazil
Radio Difusora Macapa, Juliana Alves Coutinho-Gerente, Rua Candido Mendes 525 Centro, CEP-68900-100 Macapa, Amapa, Brazil
Voz Missionaria, Rua Joaquin Nunes 241, Centro, Camboriu, SC CEP-88334-000, Brazil

China
Voice of Pujiang, Qian Xioyan victor.pujiang@gmail.com

Euro Free Radio
Blueman Radio bluemanradio@hotmail.com
Die Technishe Man PB 65, NL-7260 AM Ruurlo, The Netherlands
Free Radio VIctoria freeradiovictoria@hotmai.com
Gouden Star Radio sunnyradio@hotmail.com
MRF Radio mrfradio@hotmail.com
Mustang/Pony Radio mustangradio@live.nl
Nord AM nordam@shortwaveservice.com
Odynn shortwaveman@gmail.com
Radio Alice radioalice@hotmail.com
Radio Altrex radioaltrex@live.nl
Radio Casanova radiocasanova@hotmail.com
Radio Flying Dutchman Shortwave rfdshortwave@gmail.com
Radio Gloria radiogloria@aol.com
Radio Luxemburg radioluxemburg@live.com
Radio Malaisy, SRS Germany, PF 101145, DE-99801 Eisenbach, Germany
Radio Marabu info@radiomarabu.de
Radio Merlin International radomerlin@blueyonder.co.uk
Radio Monique monisound@hotmail.com
Radio Norton radio.norton@hotmail.com
Radio Odynn shortwaveman@hotmail.com
Radio Power Liner radiopi@live.nl
Radio Scotland International radioscotland@hotmail.com
Radio Tango Italia libertango58@libero.it
Rock Live Radio forstarbeiten@gmx.de
Scandinavian Weekend Radio
Box 99, FIN-34801 Virrat, Finland
Vechte Welle info@emsvechtewelle.de (Mathias Volta)

Canada
CFRX, Steve Canney, QSL Manager CFRX@ymail.com

CHA/Time/Frequency Station, Raymond Pelletier, Technical Dept.
1200 Montreal Road, Blvd M-36
Ottawa, Ontario K1A OR6 Canada

Malaysia
Radio TV Malaysia/Kajang
Zulkifli Bin Abrahim, Techinical Network RTM zulrahim@rtm.gov.my

Peru
Aroma Cafe Radio
Avenida Marginal
Salida a Satipo
c/o Centro Medico Virgen de Guadalupe
Calle Miguel Grau 120 Pichanaki
Provincia Chanchamayo
Departamento de Junin

Russia
Russian State Time & Frequency Service
Institute of Metrology for Time & Space (IMVP)
GP- "VNIIFTRI"
Mendeleevo 141570
Moscow Region
Russia

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Veri Signer, J. Henanayake

United States
Eternal Good News (via WHRI) gabry@juno.com (or) George Bryan gabry@cox.net
P.O. Box 5333, Edmond, OK 73083 USA

Maravillosas Palabras de Vida (The Salvation Army) via WRMI International
Major Pauline Elder, Audience Correspondent for Radio Ministries
WRMI International
P.O. Box 526852
Miami, FL 33152 USA

Radio Prague via WRMI International
espanol@radio.cz (or) cr@radio.cz

WINB Veri Signer, Hans Johnson
(QSLs/ship photo by Gayle Van Horn)

Amateur Radio Special Event Calendar: February 2014


Events open to amateur radio operators and shortwave listeners. QSLing information included in postings

February 1
Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club. Commemorating Groundhog Day. 1400-2100 UTC, K3HWJ, Punxsutawney, PA. Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club. 14.330 7.225 147.390. Certificate. Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 3, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. www.punxyclub.com


February 1-4
Buddy Holly Memorial/55th Anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly 0000-2359 UTC, W5B, Lubbock, Texas.Lubbock Amateur Radio Club. 18.150 14.260 7.260 3.860.  QSL. W5B, 109 N Pontiac Ave, Lubbock, TX 79416. www.amcrc.com/w5b

February 1-2/ February 7-10/ February 14-23
France-TM11, (Special Event). Look for special event station TM11AAW to be on air February 1-2nd, 7-10th and 14-23rd. Activity is to celebrate the 11th Antarctic Activity Week. Operation will be made by François, F8DVD, from his QTH of Mâcon in the east part of France, 60 km, North of Lyon. The new reference for WAP program is 245. Activity will be on 40-10 meters, mostly SSB. QSL via F8DVD, by the Bureau or direct (SAE + 1 new IRC or 2 USDs) to: François Bergez 6, rue de la Liberté F- 71000
MACON FRANCE. E-mail: a.pole@laposte.net  For more details, visit: http://tm11aaw.monsite-orange.fr (or) http://www.qrz.com/db/TM11AAW

February 1-28
In Loyal Memory of JY1 King Hussein of Jordan
0000-2359 UTC, KB9GSY, Hammond, IN. Arab QRZ Club. 14.250; All bands, all modes. Certificate. Ayman Azar, 4421 Clark Ave, Hammond, IN 46327. Arab QRZ Club and Its members will make QSOs on all bands, all modes. Stations will be participating and signing with their own country issued personal call signs but will mention that they are with the Special Event Station. All stations participating world wide, will have their call sign posted on our website www.arabqrz.com. A certificate will be issued for any station that makes five contacts with participating stations. arabqrz.com/visitors.htm

February 5-10
Washington Sportsman Show
1400-1600, W3S, Washington, PA. Washington Amateur Communications. 14.205 7.205 3.905. QSL. Bill Steffey, 401 Bells Lake R, Radio Hill, Prosperity, PA 15329. Washington County Sportsmen Show held in February at the Washington Crown Center Mall in Washington PA with everything sports - sponsored by the Washington County Sportsmen and Conservation League. With an exhibition of the 'sporting' side of Amateur Radio, showing the various aspects of Ham Radio. wacomarc.org

February 6-9
Morocco-5C, Ruggero, IK2PZC, will once again be active as 5C2P between February 6-9. Activity will will be on HF bands using SSB and RTTY. He will also be in the CQ WPX RTTY Contest (February 8-9th). QSL via IK2PZC.

February 6-18
Honduras-HR. "The Daily DX" reports that John, NO7B, will be active as HR2/NO7B from Javier/HR2J QTH in Honduras between February 6-18th. Activity will be on 80-10 meters (possibly 160 and 6 meters). QSL via NO7B.

February 8
National Weatherman's DaySpecial Event Station
400-2100 UTC, W5QX, San Angelo, TX. San Angelo Amateur Radio Club. 14.240 146.940 PL 103.5. Certificate. SAARC, PO Box 4002, San Angelo, TX 76902. www.w5qx.org

February 8


Valentine's Day Special Event
1500-2100 UTC, AB5ER, Romance, AR. North Central Arkansas Amateur Radio Service. 28.400 21.350 14.250. Certificate. North Central Arkansas Amateur Radio Service, PO Box 911, Judsonia, AR 72081. Valentine's Day Special Event Station from Romance, Arkansas. For special event certificate send 9x12 SASE with QSL card If you prefer send a QSL and $2.00 and we will provide postage and envelope with Love stamps and postmarked at the Romance Arkansas Post Office Up to April 30, 2014. All contacts will be uploaded to LOTW.



February 8-9
Celebrating the Birth and Birthplace of Thomas Edison
1500-2100 UTC, NI8G, Milan, OH. The Thomas Edison Memorial Radio Club. 28.370 21.270 14.270 7.270. Certificate & QSL. Jack Hubbard, 13113 River Rd, Milan, OH 44846. SASE required; e-QSL available.

February 14
Green Valley Amateur Radio Club Valentine's Day Special Event
1600-2100 UTC, WE7GV, Sahuarita, AZ. Green Valley Amateur Radio Club. 14.246 14.244 14.242. Certificate & QSL. Green Valley Amateur Radio Club, 601 N La Canada Dr (SAV), Green Valley, AZ 85614. The ladies of the Green Valley ARC will be operating from the Discage Antenna at the Titan Missile Museum gvarc.us

February 15-15
George Washington Birthday Special Event
1600-1600 UTC, K4US, Alexandria, VA. Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club. 14.240 7.240 7.040. Certificate. K4US, Box 7234, Alexandria, VA 22307. Certificate will be available through the website once call signs have been uploaded. SASE (8/10) to MVARC, Box 7234, Alexandria, VA 22307 if mailing desired. www.mvarc.org

February 15
Battle of Aberdeen
500-1700 UTC, K5A, Aberdeen, MS. Monroe County Amateur Radio Club. 14.330 14.320. QSL. Jim Buffington, K5JIM, PO Box 52, Aberdeen, MS 39730. Commemorates the Battle of Aberdeen (Mississippi) in the US Civil War.

February 15
Annual "Freeze Your Keys" 
1400-2200, W0EBB, Leavenworth, KS. Kickapoo QRP Amateur Radio Club. 14.325 14.065 7.240 7.035. QSL. Gary Auchard, W0EBB, 34058 167th St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Operating from Weston Bend State Park Missouri. Please SASE for QSL card. May operate on other bands if open. www.qrz.com/db/w0ebb


February 15-16
Activating Mount Dora Lighthouse USA-1407 on the 140 Anniversary of the First Settlers to Mount Dora, Florida
500-0200 UTC, N4N, Mount Dora, FL. Area Amateurs. 40 20 15 10 meters; CW, SSB & PSK31 as conditions allow. QSL. Carol Scoglio, KA4WJR, 31 Lake Wood Cir, Ocala, FL 34482. Mount Dora Lake Lighthouse-USA-1407 is the only inland freshwater lighthouse in Florida. It is a working navigational lighthouse for the Port of Mount Dora on Lake Dora in Lake County, Florida. Mount Dora was 1st settled 140 years ago - in 1874 by the Simpson Family. See qrz.com webpages for N4N or KA4WJR. Our website:146970.com/lighthouse. QSL via eQSL or Direct ONLY. SASE with a BUSINESS SIZE #10 envelope. 146970.com/lighthouse


February 21-24
56th Annual Daytona 500 - Speedweek
200-0300 UTC, N4DAB, Daytona Beach, FL. Daytona Beach CERT Amateur Radio Club. 80m-10m CW SSB Digital 6m CW SSB Digital. Certificate & QSL. Stephen W. Szabo, WB4OMM, 536 Central Park Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32127. Daytona Beach CERT Amateur Radio Club. HF and 6 m; CW SSB DIGITAL (PKS31, RTTY, JT65). Steve Szabo WB4OMM, 536 Central Park Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32127. Several stations participating and on the air simultaneously. Primary operating hours 0900 to 2400 each day local time as operators are available. Frequencies announced via spotting networks as station activate, and posted on the club website. QSL card and Commemorative Certificate available. QSL Card: Your card with a SASE for direct, or via the bureau. Certificate information will be published on our web site www.daytonacert.net as costs and permissions (logos) are confirmed. For more information, contact Steve WB4OMM at: wb4omm@arrl.net www.daytonacert.net

February 22
69th Anniversary of the Battle for Iwo Jimi
1500-2200, W0FSB, Waterloo, IA. Five Sullivan Brothers Amateur Radio Club. 21.240 14.240 7.240. Certificate & QSL. Five Sullivan Bros ARC, 3186 Brandon Diagonal Blvd, Brandon, IA 52210. For QSL card: Send card and #10 SASE; For Certificate &QSL: Send QSL, address label and 3 Forever stamps; For eQSL & Certificate: Send eQSL, then an email, requesting a .jpeg file of the certificate that you can print yourself www.qrz.com/db/w0fsb

February 22-23
George Washington's Birthday
0001-0001 UTC, WS7G, Moses Lake, WA. Columbia Basin DX Club. 18.135 14.250 3.850. QSL. Brian J. Nielson, 11650 Road 1 SE, Moses Lake, WA 98837. w7bjn@nwi.net

February 26
Snow Bird Field Day
1521-2121 UTC, W7ASL, Mesa, AZ. Sun Life Amateur Radio Club. 21.440 18.158 14.340 7.290. QSL. Earl Palmer, N7EP, 560 S Rosemont, Mesa, AZ 85206. The control operator for this event is N7EP. QSL via SASE to N7EP, Earl Palmer, 560 S Rosemont, Mesa Az 85206. www.sunlifearc.webs.com

IOTA Events/ Islands on the Air Events

February 1-15

Mauritius-3B8, Jean-Paul, HB9ARY, will once again be active as 3B8/HB9ARY from Mauritius. Activity will be on all HF bands, 160-10 meters, using mainly SSB, but some CW on 160m. QSL via NI5DX.

February 1-16
Dave, K3LP, has announced that he will be on an Australian Get-Away Trip after his Dubai, UAE, trip.
Look of him to sign VK/K3LP (VK2/VK3/VK7) from the following location:
February  1-4  - Cairns, Australia - Great Barrier Reef trip
February    4  - Voyager of the Sea; Royal Caribbean
February    6  - Melbourne, Australia
February    9  - Adelaide, Australia
February 10-11 - Hobard, Tasmania
February 13-15 - Sydney, Australia
QSL via K3LP. For more details and updates, visit Dave's Web page at: http://k3lp.com

February 1-18
Tanzania-5H. The "DX-World.net" is reporting that Sam, F6AML, will once again be active as 5H1Z on another IOTA tour from the following Tanzanian islands. Zanzibar Island (AF-032),Mafia Island (AF-054), Kilwa Kisiwani Island (AF-074) and Songo Songo Island (AF-074) and Karange Island or Yambe Island (AF-087). Activity will be on 40-10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via F6AML.

Februay 3-10
Kangaroo Island-OC-139.  Andy, VK5MAV, will once again be active as VK5MAV/p from
Kangaroo Island (WLOTA 0869). Activity will be holiday style on 40-10 meters using mostly CW. For direct QSLs, read details on QRZ.com. If you are not in a rush, all QSLs will be sent via the QSL Bureau six-seven months later. Free of charge! Logsearch and QSL requests are also via the ClubLog OQRS system.

February 5
Hawaii-KH6, (Special Event/Satellite). Tom, NH6Y, announced that he will be on from Hawaii (WW Loc. BL10) during the week from Febuary 5th as W1AW/KH6.

February 6-18
Honduras-HR, "The Daily DX" reports that John, NO7B, will be active as HR2/NO7B from Javier/HR2J QTH in Honduras. Activity will be on 80-10 meters (possibly 160 and 6 meters). QSL via NO7B.

February 8-13
AF-019, Gerhard, OE3GEA, will be active as IG9/OE3GEA from Lampedusa Island. Activity will be on CW only. QSL via his home callsign.

February 15-16
Bonaire-PJ4. Operators Martin/W1MD and possibly others (from the FCG and YCCC) will be active as PJ4X during the ARRL DX CW Contest as a Multi-2 entry. QSL PJ4X via LoTW or direct to W1MD. Look for operators to be active outside of the contest with their own individual callsigns (homecall/PJ4).
QSL via their home callsign.

February 8-22
Martinique-TO4, Operators Yves/F5GN and wife Francoise/F4BMR, will be active as TO4YL from Martinique. Activity will be on 160-10 meters. QSL via F5GN.

February 19-21 / February 24-March 11

Ascension Island-ZD8. Werner, DJ9KH, informs OPDX that he will once again be active as ZD8D from Ascension Island (AF-003).  For a more or less holiday-style-expedition. He states, "this expedition will start in Cape Town, South Africa, on board the RMS St. Helena. After a two days stop on St. Helena, where I hope to be QRV with a ZD7-callsign (Feb. 19-Feb. 21), me and my wife will arrive on Ascension Island on Feb.24th. Activity will then start as soon as possible with a special focus on 160-40 meters. Werner mentions, "After having a lot of fun with CW on my 2013 A35WH – expedition, CW will be the preferred mode. We are also prepared for 60m and 6m." He will also be in the ARRL DX SSB Contest (March 1-2) as a Single-Op/Single-Band (possibly 10m). QSL via DL9HO. During the second week, they will have a second operator join him. Axel, DK9BDN, will visit them and help them, especially on CW. DK1IP will be the pilot station for Werner in Germany. The ZD8D Web page www.zd8d.de will be updated soon with all the information. You can use the ZD8D Online QSL Request System to get your ZD8D card(s). The OQRS is available for direct and Bureau cards.

February 19 - March 25
St. Kitts-V4. John, W5JON/V47JA, informs OPDX that he will be active once again from his vacation home in Calypso Bay, St. Kitts (NA-104, WW Loc. FK87SG). Activity will be on 160-6 meters (incl. 60m) using SSB. He will also be active during the ARRL International DX SSB Contest (March 1-2) as a
Single-Op/All-Band entry. Equipment is a Kenwood TS-590S and Elecraft KPA500 Amplifier. Antennas include: a 80-10m Multi-band Dipole, and metal roof mounted S9, 18' and 31' Verticals and 3 element Yagi for 6m. Also, wife Cathy, W5HAM, will occasionally operate as V47HAM. ALL QSLs go to W5JON direct or via LoTW. NO Bureau QSLs.

February 21-26
Timoteo Dominguez Island-SA-057.  Members of the Radio Club Uruguayo and the  Uruguay DX Group will activate Timoteo Dominguez Island, in the Colonia  Department IOTA Group, Uruguay, as CW5F. Operators mentioned are Jorge/CX1SI, Gustavo/CX2AM, Oscar/CX2FR, Wilson/CX2RU, eto/CX3AN, Julio/CX4AAE, Luis/CX4AAJ, Mario/CX4CR, Rainer/CX8FB and Ghis/CX5DNT/ON5NT. QSL via ON5NT, direct or by the Bureau.

February 21-March 10
Dominica-J7, Brian, K1LI, will once again be active as J7Y from Dominica (NA-101). Activity will mainly be focused on the low bands outside of the ARRL DX SSB Contest (March 1-2).QSL via his home callsign.
(ARRL/OP 1143/1144/1146/1147)



VOA Radiogram: February 1-2

Hello friends,

Last weekend's experiment with the two simultaneous MFSK16 streams on one broadcast channel worked well, for the most part, according to your reports. Perhaps a future software application will simplify the decoding of simultaneous digital signals.

This weekend, we will do another experiment with simultaneous streams. It will involve MFSK32 text transmitted on a center audio frequency of 1500 Hz, and an accompanying MFSK32 image centered on 2100 Hz.

You can decode the two streams sequentially from your recording. Or you can run two instances of Fldigi, following this procedure:

1) In both instances of Fldigi, turn the RxID on (green).

2) An RSID for MFSK32 at 2100 Hz will be transmitted, moving both instances of Fldigi to an audio frequency near 2100 Hz.

3) On the second instance of Fldigi, turn the RxID off.

4) An RSID for MFSK32 at 1500 Hz will be transmitted, moving your first instance of Fldigi back to an audio frequency near 1500 Hz.

5) A VOA News story will be transmitted, with the text at 1500 Hz, and the image at 2100 Hz. You will probably notice mixing products on the waterfall when both streams are transmitted simultaneously. Do these mixing products have an adverse effect of the decoding of the text or image?

6) After the dual MFSK32 transmission, you can turn off or minimize your second instance of Fldigi.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 44, 1-2 February 2014:     

 1:42  MFSK32: Program preview
 3:19  MFSK32: China moon rover with image
 6:56  MFSK32: Same story and image transmitted simultaneously
 9:51  MFSK32: Al Jazeera reporters in Egypt, with image
15:26  MFSK32: Washington Auto Show, with image
23:18  MFSK64L: Beehive Radio in Cambodia
26:22  MFSK32: Beehive Radio logo
28:08  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

A few additional notes:

Turn off the AFC. Many VOA Radiogram listeners recommend turning off the AFC (lower right corner of Fldigi) for best decode, especially in unattended receiving situations.

The VOA Radiogram broadcast Saturday at 0930 UTC is not bringing many responses. Reception in Europe is probably deteriorating as we approach spring. On the other hand, reception all the way to the west cost of North America has been very good. The problem is that 0930 UTC is the middle of the night in North America. So I would suggest unattended reception for later retrieval.

One way to accomplish this is the Audacity audio recording/editing software. Audacity has a useful timed recording function: Transport > Timer Record.

Of course, you have to keep your receiver on all night, unless your receiver also has a timer.

You can also decode VOA Radiogram while you are asleep using the Fldigi File > Text Capture function. If you do not want a night's worth of mostly random characters taking space on your hard drive, you can also go to the receive pane of Fldigi, copy the text from VOA Radiogram, and paste it to a text editor. The MFSK images will be in the folder \fldigi.files\images.

This weekend's experiment with two simultaneous digital streams might not lend itself to unattended reception. You can run a second instance of Fldigi with the RxID off and the center frequency pre-set to 2100 Hz, but the audio frequency as received might not be exactly at 2100 Hz.

The Mighty KBC, kbcradio.eu, based in the Netherlands but using transmitters in Germany, will broadcast a minute of MFSK32 this weekend: Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC on 7375 kHz (Saturday evening 8:30 pm EST). The center audio frequency is the usual 1500 Hz. Reports to themightykbc@gmail.com .

I will try to answer your reception reports from last weekend before the end of this coming weekend. Your reports are very helpful and much appreciated.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

voaradiogram.net

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Blog Logs

A sampling from shortwave monitoring. Contributions are always welcome to: teakpub @ brmemc.net

All times UTC/ frequency in kHz (kilohertz) // parallel frequency
* Sign-on  / Sign-off *
English unless otherwise indicated

Logs edited for clarity


Albania
7360, China Radio Int'l relay via via Cerrik 1944. French service including Beatle's Hey Jude tune. French/Chinese language lesson program. Observed poor signal quality. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

7464.976, Radio Tirana via Shijak. 0040. Only tiny S-3-4 signal on back signal of North American service in Albanian. Distorted by utility digital mode 7465.7 to 7474.5 kHz. (wb, GermanyWWDXC Top Nx)

9570, China Radio Int'l relay via Cerrik 0058. "CRI" identification, followed by portions of a Chinese language lesson program. (Frank Hillton, SC)

Argentina
11710.9 RAE 0205. English music feature to station ID at 0209. Station ID as, "International Service of Argentine Radio." SIO 333 with noted interference. Additional log 0431 in possibly Chinese (or Japanese ?) with Afro and Latin music. Time pips at 0230 to "RAE" identification. SIO 343 (Harold Frodge, MI/MARE 766).

Australia
4835, VL8A Northern Terr. SW Svc/Alice Springs 1315. Announcer duo presented English folk/country countdown music program. References to Ernest Tubb as a  "troubador." SIO 333 // 2325 VL8T Tennant Creek // 2484 VL8K Katherine was fair, though it is usually the weakest signal. (Harold Frodge, MI/MARE 766)

15525, HCJB Global Australia/Kununrra Australia 2230. Station sign-on signal as "HCJB" followed by Asian language program (Mandarin ?) Poor signal conditions (Vance/MARE 766)

11700, HCJB Global Australia/Kununrra Australia 1157-1215.* Male announcer in listed Rawang service with religious talk and text. Music ballad at 1209. Brief mentions from announcer at 1212 with wind instruments. Station identification announcement in English and off at 1215. Signal fair at best. (Scott Barbour, NH)

Bangladesh
15105, Bangladesh Betar 1230-1240. Sign-on station identification to 1231. Newscast beginning with "Salaam Alekum" to 1238 into an English feature on Bangladesh trade. SIO 3+44 with raspy buzz interference. (Harold Frodge, MI?MARE 766).


Canada
6160, CKZN St. John's Newfoundland 2116-2123+. Performance Hour in English  interview with musician Richard Neville and references to Labrador. SIO 3+43+; 1200-1210+. Subsequent monitoring 1210 with CBC News to weathr for "the Island." (Harold Frodge, MI/MARE 766)

6160, CKZN St. John's Newfoundland 1215. CBC program including interview with a shipwreck diver's new book to 1230 newscast. Fair signal. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada)

China
9410, CNR-5 Beijing, 1126-1135. Recorded speech of animated speaker. Studio announcer at 1129 with ballad through 1130. Station ID over the music at 1132. Good signal quality (Scott Barbour, NH)

Clandestine
15370, ESAT Radio via Bulgaria 1700. Amharic service. Carrier noted on before 1700. Music and announcements, possible station ID. Assumed newscast for very good signal noted with some dual-path echo. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada)

Egypt
9720, Radio Cairo 0212-0217. Koran readings with announcer's translations. Signal distorted, the modulation was enough to hear. Signal pips to :15, and news script. SINPO 4+4452 degrading to )=1+ during the news. (Zichi/MARE 766).

Germany
9705, Voice of America via Lamperheim, Germany 1717. Kurdish service with female host. Clips of taped English comments concerning the Syrian peace talks in Switzerland. Fair signal quality. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

Indonesia
4750 (Sulawesi) RRI Makassar 1146. Indonesian program with text and phone calls. Music tunes and newscast at 1200 // 3325. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

Kuwait
9370, VOA-Deewa Radio 1650. Pashto service with announcer's talk and text. Audio clips of English speech including mentins of "refugees." Very poor signal under Overcomer Ministries from WWRB. 15540, 1800 with English sign-on with ID, followed by marching band music and program about Islam at 1801. Poor signal quality. (Harold Frodge, BC Canada).

Liberia
4760, ELWA 2235-2248. Religious program's focus on missionaries in Africa. Mentions of Middle East and Islamic/Christian conflicts. SIO 2+53 (Harold Frodge, MI/MARE 766)

Malaysia
7295, RTM Trax FM 0030. Noted with Malaysian pop music. Noted on 9835 RTM Sarawak FM Radio with unstable modulated audio feed (or transmitter fault ?) Brief breaks 0057 between from Sarawak to K-L Kajang transmitter site center ? Audible on 11665 but different RTM Sarawak service with much better audio feed at the same time. No audio breaks, S=9+5dBm at 0100. (wb, WWDXC Top Nx)


Micronesia
4755.5, The Cross Radio 1147. Several Christian songs to station's sign-off at 1157. Very poor signal. (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

North Korea
11735 Voice of Korea 0412-0419+. Commentary on "Inter-Korean relations." SIO 353 // 13760 SIO 1+33 with buzz interference // 15180.(Harold Frodge, MI/MARE 766)

Swaziland
3240, TWR-Africa 0340. Tune-in for English ID, followed by two plays of station interval signal. (Wolfish/MARE 766)

4775, TWR Africa 0358-0405. Signal off briefly for antenna adjustment, return with German service programming. Bits of swiper interference.(Zichi/MARE 766).

Taiwan
7445, Radio Taiwan International 1143. Male/female duo in discussion, followed by a few music tunes. Closing with, "you are listening to Radio Taiwan International." Poor signal quality (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Review:World Radio TV Handbook 2014



World Radio TV Handbook 2014

Review by Gayle Van Horn, Teak Publishing

The 2014 World Radio TV Handbook, the most comprehensive reference book for global broadcasting, have recently released their 68th edition.
This year, as in past editions, begins with receiver reviews including the CommRadio CR-1, an impressive table top receiver that offers a good deal of functionality in a small, light and portable package, as well as remarkably good performance. Additional reviews include the AOR AR6000. Noted as a “super wide-band multimode receiver,” it is observed as having the widest frequency coverage of any previously reviewed receiver by WRTH.  An overview of the WinRadio Excalibur Ultra software defined radio, concludes it is the best SDR radio, and ultimately the best receiver, presently on the market. Additional reviews focus on the AOR AR8200D, Youkits FG-01 Mk II and the FunCube Dongle Pro.+
Jerry Berg follows the rise and fall of the first global medium in his feature, The History of Shortwave Broadcasting in a Nutshell. Radio nostalgia fans will bask in the early years of shortwave in it’s heyday.
Well-known DXer and broadcaster Victor Goonetilleke reflects on names that resonate with listeners and DXers worldwide, and the changes in the broadcasting scene. Broadcasting in Sri Lanka, is a well-written feature beginning with the early years of Radio Ceylon. Sri Lanka occupies a unique place in the history of international broadcasting.
Freelance writer, traveler and Dxer, Hans Johnson, reprises his features role with an interesting story, Voice of Vietnam. Hans takes the reader behind the scenes of the Voice of Vietnam’s history from Ho Chi Minh’s inaugural transmission in 1945, to today’s large external service and relay broadcast. Broadcasting is alive and well from the Voice of Vietnam.
Digital Future, delves into what hobbyist might see in the digital future. High goals, big plans and many elements that have yet to be achieved. Does the world need a digital radio broadcasting standard ? The writer will tell you “we do not envisage the wholesale replacement by digital technology for many years.” However, the dust of digital electronic revolution has yet to settle.
HF Broadcasting Reception Conditions Expected During 2014, begins with the Cycle 24 Reaches Its Peak. This year’s predictions are for a low interference between stations, and an improved reception on the HF broadcasting bands. Most Suitable Frequencies 2014, can assist in your monitoring sessions.
The National Radio section, list domestic radio stations which broadcast to a national listening audience on medium wave, shortwave and FM. Listings are arranged by country and include frequencies, transmitter locations, kW, station contact information and website/email information if applicable.
International Radio, contains stations broadcasting to an international audience. Similar to the latter, this section includes frequencies, transmitter locations, kW, contact information and website/email contacts.
Politically-motivated broadcast are covered in the eight page section, Clandestine and Other Target Broadcast. Programs are produced by groups opposed to the government of the target country, while the Other Target Broadcast, are produced by non-government or perhaps a government organization, that target broadcast to regions of conflict. A one-page listing of Religious Broadcasts Cross Reference Table closes this section.
The Frequency List covers a by-frequency of LW and medium for Europe, Africa and Middle East, and a by-frequency medium wave listings for Asia and Pacific (excluding the Middle East), Central America, Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, and South America (excluding Brazil).
Shortwave Stations of the World are listed by-frequency from 2325 kHz - 26060 kHz.  The International Broadcast section list by-hour listings in English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish, followed by a one-page DRM Broadcast, and Terrestrial Television.
Closing on this year’s edition is an extensive reference section of country indexes and codes, world transmitting sites, radio clubs, book abbreviations, and domestic SW transmitter sites.
Standard Time & Frequency Transmissions contains schedules and contact information for worldwide time/frequency stations including WWV, WWVH, CHU and more.
The World Radio TV Handbook 2014, as in previous editions, sets the gold-standard in radio reference for the global radio audience. It remains the very best and authoritative annual guide, and should compliment every listening post.
For ordering information, please consult: http://www.wrth.com/ 



China's Soft Power in the Middle East

Joseph Braude

China’s Arabic-language television and radio outreach efforts don’t compare to America’s in traditional measures like audience size. But sometimes how many people are tuning in isn’t as important as who is tuning in.

Published on January 20, 2014
Ratings matter to commercial radio and television because the size of the audience determines the price of sponsors’ airtime. But should they also matter to government-backed foreign broadcasts, which do not sell ads? In Washington, the Arabic-language television network Alhurra and its sister radio channel, Sawa, receive funding from the U.S. Congress to present America to the Arab world. They publish an annual performance review that quantifies success largely in terms of “audience weekly reach,” now estimated at 35.5 million. Their data comes from corporate research by the Gallup Organization and analysis from firms such as Nielsen, which tracks everything from Sunday Night Football viewership to how many Americans play video games.

These survey companies would presumably be unimpressed, for example, by government-backed offerings out of Beijing like the 45-minute documentary about the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, which aired late last year on the Arabic service of Chinese Radio International. Perhaps a mere 5,000 listeners tuned in online via the CRI Web site, alongside however many shortwave radio enthusiasts who picked up the aerial signal from its source in Albania. The program featured a synthesized keyboard soundtrack, a lean script, interviews with Chinese language teachers in two Arab countries, and musical interludes by a Beijing rapper (whose lyrics were untranslated).

Additional story at The American Interest
http://www.the-american-interest.com/articles/2014/01/20/radio-beijing-in-the-middle-east/

Monday, January 27, 2014

Retro Radio Dial Japan 1953


Japan is in just its first year of independence following the end of the Allied Occupation, its Bonin, Volcano and Ryukyu Islands to the south remain under American control, and yet a comprehensive web of radio
networks is in operation and newly established private commercial radio stations are rapidly spreading.

It's 1953. The FEN Far East Network from Tokyo is one of the strongest signals on the AM dial and the NHK Overseas Service is using powerful shortwave transmitters to carry the vision of a new Japan to the world.

The area is full of tension. Soviet troops gaze across a narrow sea lane into Northern Japan and American forces stare back in return as the cold War between the USSR and the West intensifies. On the nearby Korean peninsula, a long war ends in armistice, but not peace.

In this time, Japanese listeners were entertained and informed by the rapidly growing number of radio stations, and Japanese inventors were about to unleash the transistor radio, small and cheap radio sets that let millions of Japanese take their music, news, information and entertainment on the road, in their coats, on their bicycles, into schools, factories, and all over Japan.

Retro Radio Dial Japan is the latest in this fascinating series that takes a look back at the world's radio dials 60 years ago.

Recent additions include Brazil, South Asia and South East Asia whilst the feature on North Asia has been revised.

Radio Heritage Foundation
The Global Radio Memories Project
Connecting today's people with yesterday's radio
(Jan 23 2014 Media Release, Radio Heritage Foundation,HCDX)
(BC-DX/Top Nx 1147)

Additional DRM transmission from All India Radio

DRM transmissions from AIR Bengaluru - Bangalore.

New DRM transmissions is monitored  from AIR Bengaluru from 19 Jan 2014 are as follows:
1000-1100 UT 17895 English to Australia and New Zealand 
1145-1315 UT 15795 Chinese
2045-2230 UT 11620 English to Australia, New Zealand
2245-0045 UT 13605 English to NoEaAsia

These new DRM frequencies are specially announced in at sign on / sign off in the English transmissions. Additional DRM broadcasts from this station at other timings in External Services of AIR may be forthcoming.

1315-1415 UT 11740 Dari
1415-1530 UT 11740 Pushto now via Bengaluru 500 kW (ex Panaji 250 kW)

The following also noted back on air after some months 1615-1715 11620 Russian,// 15140 kHz in DRM mode.

Reports to:
sptairynk@rediffmail.com with copy to spectrum-manager@air.org.in

Updated full schedule is in:
http://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm
(Jose Jacob-IND  VU2JOS, www.qsl.net/vu2jos

AIR External Services latest changes, to DXindia and DXsoasia.

9870kHz 500kW  Bengaluru  1245-1740UT  (Vividh Bharati)  DRM tests

I don't believe proper Bangalore site, as listed already, no DRM mode heard sofar, but instead one of the rather Panaji faulty transmitters in AM mode on air, on exact 9869.982 kHz at 1640 UT Jan 21. Also, AIR Hindi transmission heard on 7249.980 kHz from faulty unit at Goa Panaji site. Very unstable and oscillating audio transmissions. 

Both transmission 7250v and 9870v hopp up/down few Hertz too.
(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 21)
(DXindia Jan 20/21/BC-DX/Top Nx 1147)

Anti-Cuban station from Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Dear amigo Michael,
Just read the discussion about a now defuncty station in the TopNews Bulletin, and could not resist to tell the amazing story that follows.

Some time when the US sponsored anti-Cuban station known as La Voz del Cid was still on the air, a team of Radio Rebelde's sports commentators and an engineer from the station traveled to Guatemala City to broadcast a sports event that was going to take place in that Central American nation.

They went early to the stadium and installed the solid state portable audio mixer with its two commentators positions, hooked it up to the two phone lines that connected to the local phone company in order to send the audio signals to Cuba on one 4 wire circuit and with the other two wire circuit keep in touch with the Radio Rebelde Master Control in Havana.

But they could not make that hookup that had worked very well at many different locations to operate properly. They complained on the two wire direct line to Havana that there was a very loud audio signal in Spanish that leaked through without the possibility of removing that audio at all. They placed the telephone mouthpiece next to the local monitor at the mixer board and it was then that we realized that the audio was the infamous "program" from La Voz del Cid.

We asked the engineer to look around the stadium for towers or masts with an antenna hanging between the two and a ladder type open wire transmission line coming down from the center of the antenna...

Sure enough, from the top row of the grand stand of the stadium they could see the two steel masts that supported the antenna of the short wave station used by La Voz del Cid, the cause of the interference to the audio mixer board.

The highly capable engineer always carried in his tools kit and accesories ferrite ring cores (toroids) so he proceeded to place them at the proper places (microphone input, telephone lines input and output and the headsets of the commentators ... in order to remove the RF coming into the equipment from the nearby short wave station.

So, they were able to broadcast the sports event and the Cuban audience was very happy with the transmissions...

Of course that it was very interesting to learn, first hand, that the "clandestine" station was located not far from the center of Guatemala city, operating under the protection of the government of that country at
the time.

73 and DX
Your amigo in sunny La Habana  Cuba
Arnaldo (Arnie) Coro
Host of Dxers Unlimited radio hobby show
Radio Havana Cuba
(Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich-CUB, via pres Michael Bethge-D wwdxc Jan 18)

La Voz del CID recording:
http://www.hueppelshaeuser.de/radios/Clandestine84_LVdelCID_hm.m3u
http://www.kurzwelle-historisch.de/qsl/qsl_Clandestine84_LVdelCID_hm.html
(Manfred Hueppelshaeuser-D)
)BC-DX/Top Nx 1147)
QSL/Gayle Van Horn/Teak Publishing)

Freedom at Midnight: The Pakistan Radio Story

Freedom at Midnight, is the title of a book researched and written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre and it tells the story of the partition of India into the two heavily populated countries, India and Pakistan.  This book, with its meticulously detailed and factual information, presents the story of partition at midnight between Thursday August 14 and Friday August 15 in the year 1947. 
            This critical occasion ended the rule of the British Raj in India, and it provided independence for two nations; the ancient and historic India now in its new form as the Union of India, and the equally ancient though very new Dominion of Pakistan with its two territories, West & East Pakistan. 
            Back in 1947, in West Pakistan as it was or just Pakistan as it is now, there were only two radio broadcasting stations on the air: VUL Lahore with 5 kW on 1086 kHz and VUP in Peshawar with 10 kW on 1500 kHz.  However, in addition, three more clandestine stations were on the air; in Karachi, Peshawar, and in the border area between the two countries.  This is the radio story for today here in the AWR DX program Wavescan, and we take these stations in chronological order.   
            Back about one and a half years before the epic events of Freedom at Midnight, there was a man from Pilibhit up near the border with Nepal, by the name of Tahir Husain.  He owned a radio shop in Delhi.  He agreed to assemble a radio transmitter together with a power supply and this radio broadcasting equipment was smuggled in three large fruit baskets into a house in Peshawar occupied by Sardar Abdur Rab.
            On April 24, 1946, this new clandestine radio broadcasting station was activated in the 70 metre band (4285 kHz) in another home in Peshawar.  The programming that was broadcast over this mini radio station was intended to influence the vote in a coming local political election.  The station was moved several times within Peshawar in order to avoid detection, and its short life span ended when the elections were over shortly afterwards.
            More than a year later, another unusual radio station was inaugurated in Karachi in anticipation of the official recognition of the new Pakistan, in Freedom at Midnight.  This semi-official semi-clandestine station was set up in Karachi with the approval of personnel serving in the government of the Sind Province.
            The transmitter for this temporary radio station was assembled from equipment procured from junk shops in Karachi and it was installed in the Ack Ack army barracks at Malir on the eastern edge of Karachi.  The first test broadcast from this new and temporary radio station took place on August 5, 1947, a little over a week in advance of the critical Partition Day. 
            Five days later, this station launched into a schedule of regular broadcasting.  Then, on August 14 and 15, the station presented a series of broadcasts in honor of Independence Day with live programming made up of official speeches, commentaries and music.
            Ten days later again, the station was closed.  This temporary semi-official semi-clandestine station that was established illegally in Karachi during the last few days of authority under the Indian government was now declared illegal under the new government of Pakistan.  It was no more.
            On Thursday August 14, the All India Radio station A. I. R. VUL in Lahore with 5 kW on 1086 kHz was on the air with its regular slew of normal programming.  At 11:00 pm on that fateful night, announcer Zahur Azar made his final station announcement under All India Radio.    
            Then exactly at midnight, he played the new identification signal for the new Pakistan Broadcasting Service.  This same announcer, Zahur Azar, then gave the opening identification announcement for the Pakistan Broadcasting Service Lahore, a station with no official call letters at the time.  The opening announcement in English was followed by a similar announcement in Urdu, the now official language of Pakistan, by Mustafa Ali Hamadani.
            Similar transition programming took place at the AIR relay station VUP in Peshawar, with its 10 kW on 1500 kHz.  Soon after 11:00 pm on August 14, Yunus Sethi made the final announcement on behalf of All India Radio.  Soon after midnight, the opening announcement on behalf of the Pakistan Broadcasting Service was made in the Urdu language by Aftab Ahmad Bismil and this was followed by a similar announcement in the Pushto language by Abdullah Jan Maghmoom.
            Quite soon after Partition, Pakistan and India entered into an armed conflict over the Princely State of Kashmir, and as part of the Pakistani war of words, a mobile shortwave station was quickly assembled and inaugurated.  An old World War II communication transmitter at one-half kW was procured from a junk dealer, repaired, and installed with other equipment onto an army truck.  A second truck carried the power generator. 
            This mobile shortwave broadcasting station, installed into two trucks that were previously Indian army vehicles, made its first test broadcasts on a tropical shortwave channel on April 10, 1948.  A schedule of regular programming began almost a week later, on April 16.
            Radio AKR, Azad Kashmir Radio, meaning Free Kashmir, moved around at times in the edges of Kashmir to avoid detection, and soon afterwards it was lodged behind a grove of pine trees at Trarkhel, a small village some 25 miles from the border.  The small village of Trarkhel, as it was at the time, was a temporary capital for Pakistani Azad Kashmir.  A temporary room was built at this isolated country location into which the studio equipment was transferred.
            The one-half kW tropical band shortwave transmitter of AKR Radio was heard with a clear signal in Peshawar, Lahore and Srinagar, and reception reports were received from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.  In July, the Indian forces bombarded AKR Trarkhel, but without inflicting any real damage.
            During the following year, a set of more professional equipment was obtained, the location for the same old original one-half kW tropical shortwave transmitter was changed, and AKR Trarkhel was re-dubbed Rawalpindi 3.  At the beginning of the following year 1949, Pakistan was allocated radio callsigns within the range APA - ASZ.  Thus it was that the original VUL Lahore became APL, and VUP Peshawar became APP.  New callsigns were given also to Karachi, APK, and to Rawalpindi, APR.

            The information in this opening feature in Wavescan today was assembled from many different sources in many different countries, including from the new book, A History of Radio Pakistan, researched and written by Nihal Ahmad and published by Oxford University Press. 
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 257 via Adrian Peterson) 

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins


Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2014 Jan 27 0540 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 20 - 26 January 2014

Solar activity was at very low to low levels during the period. The week began with five C-class events on 20 January, four of which were produced by Region 1959 (S24, L=239, class/area Eai/220 on 21 January). The largest flare of that day, and the first six days of the period, however, was a C3/Sf produced by Region 1963 (S06, L=216, class/area Cso/060 on 21 January) at 20/2249 UTC. From 21-25 January, only five C1 to C2 class flares were observed while very low levels were observed on 23 January. January 26th brought an increase in activity when a C6 event was observed at 26/1013 UTC from Region 1960 (S15, L=238, class/area Hkx/270 on 22 January). A C3 x-ray event was observed earlier at 26/0616 UTC from behind the NE limb and shortly after, a C1 x-ray event was observed at 26/0838 UTC from behind the SE limb. Associated with the C1 event were Type II (839 km/s) and 10cm (200 sfu) radio signatures. The activity from behind the east limb appeared to originate in the vicinity of old Regions 1946 (N09, L=103) and 1944 (S09, L=101). 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels. Moderate levels were observed on 20 January. 

The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels. The period began with solar wind speeds near 300 km/s and total field measurements around 4 nT. Subsequently, the geomagnetic field was at quiet levels on 20 January. By 21 January, total field began to increase to a maximum of 487 km/s while the Bz component fluctuated between +/- 6 nT. Solar wind speed increased to a maximum of 605 km/s at 22/0846 UTC as a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream became geoeffective. The geomagnetic field responded with quiet to unsettled conditions on 21 and 22 January. Solar wind speed declined to background levels by 24 January resulting in mostly quiet conditions with isolated unsettled levels from 23 January through the end of the period. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 27 January - 22 February 2014

Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels overall. Moderate to high levels are possible from 27 January through 09 February with the return of old Regions 1946 and 1944. 

The greater than 10 MeV particle flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to remain at background levels during the forecast period. The threat of a solar energetic particle event is expected to be greatest between 03-10 February as old Region 1944 crosses the central meridian into a more potentially geoeffective position. 

The greater than 2 MeV particle flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at low to moderate levels through most of the period, with the exception of 03-05 February when a chance for high levels are expected due to recurrence. 

The geomagnetic field is expected to begin the period at quiet to unsettled levels, with a chance for active periods on 27-28 January, in response to a small coronal hole high speed stream. By 29 January, a return to mostly quiet conditions is expected. Recurrent high speed solar wind streams are expected to bring unsettled conditions with a chance for active levels on 07-08 February and
17-18 February. Mostly quiet conditions are expected to prevail for the remainder of the period in the absence of transient features. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2014 Jan 27 0540 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2014-01-27
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2014 Jan 27     140           8          3
2014 Jan 28     155          12          4
2014 Jan 29     160           5          2
2014 Jan 30     180           5          2
2014 Jan 31     200           5          2
2014 Feb 01     205           5          2
2014 Feb 02     205           5          2
2014 Feb 03     205           5          2
2014 Feb 04     200           5          2
2014 Feb 05     200           5          2
2014 Feb 06     200           5          2
2014 Feb 07     200           8          3
2014 Feb 08     180           8          3
2014 Feb 09     170           5          2
2014 Feb 10     150           5          2
2014 Feb 11     130           5          2
2014 Feb 12     130           5          2
2014 Feb 13     125           5          2
2014 Feb 14     125           5          2
2014 Feb 15     125           5          2
2014 Feb 16     130           5          2
2014 Feb 17     130           8          3
2014 Feb 18     135           8          3
2014 Feb 19     135           5          2
2014 Feb 20     135           5          2
2014 Feb 21     135           5          2
2014 Feb 22     135           5          2
(NOAA)