Thursday, March 31, 2016

Revised Radio Australia Summer Schedule



Radio Australia

Effective: 03 April 2016 - 29 October 2016

All times UTC

Target Areas: pa - Pacific  va - Various (Asia & Pacific)

English
0000-0100 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0100-0200 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0200-0300 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0300-0400 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0400-0500 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0500-0600 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0600-0700 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0700-0730 17840va
0700-0800 15415pa
0730-0800  Sat/Sun  15240va  17840va
0800-0900 15240va 15415pa  17840va
0900-0905  Sat/Sun  9580va  12085va
0905-1000 9580va  12065pa 12085va
1000-1030  Sat/Sun  9580va  12065pa  12085va
1030-1100 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1100-1200 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1200-1300 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1300-1400 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1400-1500 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1500-1600 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1600-1700 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1700-1800 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1800-1900 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1900-2000 9580va 12065pa   12085va
2000-2100 9580va 12065pa   12085va
2100-2200 15240va 15415pa   17840va
2200-2300 15240va 15415pa  17840va
2300-0000 15240va 15415pa   17840va

French
0900-0905  mtwhf   9580va   12065pa   12085va

Tok Pisin
0730-0800  mtwhf   15240va   17840va
1000-1030  mtwhf   9580va  12065pa  12085va
(G Baxter/R Australia-30 March 2016)



Sunday, March 27, 2016

Isle of Music program schedule for March 28



On Monday, March 28, we'll do an extended session (interview plus music) with Cuban Jazz saxophone phenomenon Carlos Miyares, who has his own project in addition to his work with Chucho Valdés. Also, the final part of the concert music album Piñera Concertante and some vintage 70s Cuban Rock from Mirta y Raúl.

*** Every Monday night from 8pm-9pm EDT in the Americas (Tuesday morning from 0000-0100 UTC in the rest of the world) on the short waves on WBCQ The Planet, 7.490 MHz: From the Isle of Music, a new radio program dedicated to the music of Cuba – Jazz, Fusion, Timba, Nueva Trova, Son, Classical, Folklorica, interviews with musicians, even a little history of the music now and then. Partly in English, en parte en español.
(Bill Tillford/Tillford Productions)

Friday, March 25, 2016

2016 Teak Air Show Guide Now Available

Every year, from March through November, millions of people hit the road to watch the excitement and thrills as military and civilian flight demonstration teams put their high performance aircraft through the paces to entertain the crowds and perform at air shows all over the world. Anyone who has attended one of these events will tell you it is thrilling to watch the close quarter flying of the Blue Angels delta formation or the hair-splitting maneuvers of the Thunderbird opposing solos.
While attending the show and enjoying the sights and sounds is an exciting experience that is only half the fun. You can add another whole dimension to that visual experience by monitoring the performing teams’ radio communications.
With a radio scanner in hand you will experience a whole new perspective of the show that few of the attendees will ever experience – pilot audio from the aircraft cockpit. While everyone else at the air show is just watching and listening to the public address system narrator, you’ll be able to hear what’s happening inside the cockpit, up in the tower and on the ground with the hundreds of players that keep these screaming, state of-the-art air machines thundering through the skies.
But you can’t tell the players without a program, and to indulge in the craft of monitoring the air show experience you need a current and well researched list of frequencies that the various performers may use during their performances.
In our new expanded 2016 Teak Air Show Guide e-Book, former Monitoring Times Editor and Milcom columnist Larry Van Horn - N5FPW, delivers the hundreds of frequencies you’ll need to monitor the action if you’re within receiving distance of any air show in 2016.
From the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, military parachute and search and rescue demonstration teams, to a wide variety of other military and civilian demonstration teams from the U.S. and abroad, Larry has updated the list of frequencies each unit has used. Now you can bring the excitement you see at the show to your ears. Listening to the nonstop action at the air show on dozens of radio frequencies is part of the real fun of being there.
But wait, there’s more! Larry also tells you which scanners work best at the air shows, what features you’ll need and which models can cover the military as well as civilian frequencies used at these events. There is also a chapter on tips for enjoying a great day at the air show.
You will also get frequency lists for other possible frequencies that may be used at the air show including GMRS, Family Radio Service (FRS), DoD Intra-Squad Radio frequencies, and even Civil Air Patrol VHF/UHF frequencies and updated call signs. We also include in this eBook an up-to-date air show Internet resource guide and new frequencies/ listings for overseas military and civilian aeronautical demonstrations teams.
Finally you will get the latest air show schedules for the Navy Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, and the Army Golden Knight Parachute Teams. We include with each show location, the Internet link for each show, and the latest aero frequencies for each facility hosting a show, when known. This schedule information only covers the United States and Canada.
This is the 17th edition of this popular frequency monitoring guide published by the author. The first fourteen editions appeared annually each March in the pages of the former Monitoring Times magazine and were one of the most popular features carried in the magazine. This edition of the Teak Air Show Guide is now weighs-in at 197 pages and it is the most comprehensive collection of air show information and frequencies ever published for the radio listening hobbyist.
The 2016 Teak Air Show Guide is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVLCGU4. The price for this third e-Book edition is still only US$3.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.
When the T-Birds, Blue Angels, and all the other precision flight teams are in the air, Larry has all the frequencies you need to hear them on the air in this new e-Book from Teak Publishing!
Here are a couple of the 5-Star Amazon reviews on the 2015 Teak Air Show Guide.
Totally thrilled to prep with the latest edition By Edward Sikora
Whether you're new to this hobby (as I was 2 years ago) or experienced you need reliable resources of information and frequencies. When I started, I was sure I could find my answers on the internet. I didn't think a book would be very useful or up to date. Five air shows later, I'm totally sold on this book. I'm delighted and excited to have the latest copy to prep for upcoming shows. It's a highly detailed road map to where the good stuff is. I haven't found any other resource that even comes close. What a masterpiece of organization and reliable information. This book provides so many answers where the rest of the internet gives you too little, too late. This book is totally awesome! - KB2OB Ed NJ
Air Show scanner GO TO GUIDE By Kevin Burke
Larry has been THE go to guy when it comes to air show frequencies for years, but you need more than just a bunch of numbers to enter into a scanner. No problem if you have this book, Larry tells you what your scanner has to be capable of, in order to open your ears to all there is to hear at an air show
Frequency updates, correction and late additions between editions of this e-Book will be posted on his Milcom Monitoring Post blog at http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/.
For a complete list of all the authors books, go to his Amazon authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.
You do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.
For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – the Milcom Monitoring Post blog(http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), the Btown Monitor Post blog (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/), and the Shortwave Central blog (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.
You can learn more about the author by going to his author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.

Phone company blocks access to Radio Tamazuj website


A telecommunications company in South Sudan has cut off access to the website of the news service Radio Tamazuj, according to Vivacell customers. The company is part-owned by South Sudan's ruling party SPLM.A user of Vivacell's data service in South Sudan today explained that his browser told him that the Radio Tamazuj website “might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.” The user had no problem accessing another news website commonly visited by South Sudanese readers.

Another reader of the Radio Tamazuj website said he noticed the problem last night while trying to use Vivacell data to connect to the site. His web browser told him that the “server can't be found,” while other websites loaded fine. The same user also said he had no problem accessing the website from the MTN network.Users of wifi networks in South Sudan, many of which are connected to the Internet by satellite connections known as 'VSAT', are still able to access the website.Radio Tamazuj's broadcasts on shortwave radio are unaffected and will continue uncensored. The radio station announced recently plans to expand its broadcast airtime.Facebook users reported they could still access Radio Tamazuj's news via the radio station's Facebook page. Fans expressed frustration with Vivacell. “I cannot access with Vivacell,” said Felix. “Vivacell is the most poor in connection and very very slow. Discouraging,” said Jahim.Customers also complained of recent rate hikes introduced by Vivacell after the devaluation of the South Sudanese pound.Customer Adraako Helen said, “Too slow and bundles has express speed of getting used without being used.” Dan Njuguna commented, “Do people still use vivacell data?? I quit that weeks ago when I realized it was the slowest and most expensive!”Ties to Lebanese company,

SPLMVivacell is majority owned by Lebanon's Fattouch Investment Group. A minority stake is held by the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), whose investment in the company predates the independence of South Sudan.News reports from 2009 revealed that SPLM owned up to 25% of Vivacell through Wawat Securities Limited. Additional information about the party's investment was disclosed in a leaked investigation report that President Salva Kiir had ordered the party undertake in 2013 against its former secretary-general Pagan Amum.

The investigation report described Wawat Securities as an “investment arm” of SPLM, explaining that Wawat took 25% of the shares in Vivacell and Fattouche Investments Group Holdings Ltd took 75%, according to a framework agreement between the two parties.However, the investigation report was unclear about the percentage of Vivacell shares currently owned by SPLM, referring to other evidence indicating the SPLM's holding in Vivacell may actually be significantly smaller than 25%. The report noted also that SPLM leased land to Vivacell at a “symbolic rate” close to 0 pounds per square meter.Phone company blocks access to Radio Tamazuj website | Radio Tamazuj
(HCDX)

Radio Tamazuj to increase broadcast time, news output
JUBA (18 Mar.)Shortwave broadcaster Radio Tamazuj, which produces news and programmes for South Sudan and border areas of Sudan such as the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile state, plans to double its airtime and increase news output starting 27 March.The station, which has historically dedicated about half of its daily airtime to news coverage, plans to introduce additional programming focusing on peace-building, reconciliation, justice, political topics and local governance as well as programming for women and children.In collaboration with other media houses, the station also aims to improve media access for war victims, widows, the war disabled and war wounded, orphans and others who have suffered through the ongoing civil war in South Sudan, according to a proposal shared by the station recently with the National Editors' Forum in South Sudan.

Radio Tamazuj markets itself as a radio for “all communities,” according to its on-air branding. The station broadcasts in Arabic, using mutually intelligible dialects spoken widely in Sudan and South Sudan.Starting from 27 March the station will air programmes from 6:30 to 7:30 on 11650 kHz on the 25 meter band and 9600 kHz on the 31 meter band, and 15150 kHz and 15550 kHz on the 19 meter band each evening from 17:30 to 18:30. This represents an increase from one hour daily airtime to two hours daily.

Radio Tamazuj is among the fastest growing radio stations in South Sudan, according to a survey carried out in five counties in 2015, which found that more than 20% of the station's listeners were new listeners, more than any other station.Another survey carried out the same year in the Malakal PoC found that about half of radio users listened to Radio Tamazuj, making it nearly as popular as the UN Radio Miraya, in spite of significantly shorter broadcast hours. Forcier Consulting, which carried out the survey, reported, “Those with access to a radio most commonly listen to Radio Miraya (74%) and Radio Tamazuj (49%).” This represented growth of more than 100% compared to a baseline survey done in August 2014, less than six months prior.Radio Miraya is the country's largest radio by listenership, owing to its wide network of FM repeaters, but shortwave radio is the only option for people in areas where FM coverage is limited or non-existent. In Raja County, for example, a survey carried out last year found that only 39% of people had even heard of Radio Miraya, compared to 59% for Radio Tamazuj.Similarly, Forcier's research in Leer County, where the popular Naath FM has been off-air for most of the last two years, showed that shortwave stations Radio Tamazuj and Voice of America were fall-back options for listeners in the conflict-stricken area. About one in five people were aware of Tamazuj, equivalent to about half of the Arabic-speaking population.

Radio Tamazuj's upcoming expansion aims to serve listeners in such unreached places as well as provide an alternative to FM coverage in areas without independent radio stations. In Warrap State, for example, where the state-run Kuacjok FM reaches only parts of the state and functions only three hours per day, Radio Tamazuj will offer state-wide broadcast coverage and access to uncensored information.Meanwhile, Forcier's research report, which was made public earlier this week, shows a declining role for the state-run Radio Juba, with weekly listenership in Juba at only 17% compared to 23% in 2013.By contrast, Eye Radio, which is based in Juba but also launched FM repeaters in several state capitals last year, showed strong growth in the FM market, with its weekly reach in Juba rising from 22% in 2013 to 48% in 2015.

The radio's parent organization Eye Media this week also launched a trial issue of a new newspaper, The Eye (pictured below), which was distributed free of charge.Other new newspapers to appear in Juba this past month include Daily Vision newspaper and Dawn Arabic newspaper, which is financially backed by South Sudan's National Security Service, according to a media source in Juba.  https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/radio-tamazuj-increase-broadcast-time-news-output
(HCDX)

North Korean regime intensifies signal jamming against foreign radio broadcasts


North Korea has been from the beginning of March continually signal jamming radio broadcasts on the shortwave frequency used by the South Korean non-profit broadcaster Unification Media Group (UMG). Given the present situation, in which North Korean residents might be influenced by outside information condemning the regime and explaining the purpose of the sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the regime has showed the will to block sources of outside information that might cause unrest. The shortwave frequency band in question, 7515Khz, has been actively jammed starting on March 1st making it extremely difficult for North Korean listeners to tune in.

On the 15, UMG organization began using three receivers to test out reception at that and adjacent frequencies on a daily basis and was able to confirm that the exact signal is being jammed. The blocking effort is being concentrated on the time period from 10pm- midnight. Specifically, from 10-11pm the jamming is very strong. The signal jamming is undetectable from midnight to 1am. The signal blocking became weaker at midnight on March 15, from which point onward the entire three hour broadcast was audible. Starting on the 17, UMG moved the frequency, but the jamming operators seemed not to notice because the interference continued on the old wavelength. Unification Media Group estimates that the North Korean authorities are the responsible party. From the very outset of the consortium's radio leg, which dates back to December 2005, the regime has frequently looked for ways to jam its frequencies.

While sporadic jamming has been common over the past decade, it has had limited impact on receivers. However, starting from March of this year, stronger jamming signals have been deployed. The result: fuzzy reception and sometimes even completely blocked signals. This is the first time that such a strong jamming effort has been continuously maintained. “This is the strongest signal jam in the last few years.  As the regime is pushed into further isolation by the strongest round of sanctions yet, they have become concerned that the residents will be awakened by exposure to outside information,” Unification Media Group (UMG) President Lee Gwang Baek said. “North Korean authorities can not signal jam at high strength across multiple channels, so right now, the most effective thing to do would be to expand our frequencies and signal strength. We need direct [South Korean] government assistance to do that.” If the government grants permission for civil society organizations broadcasting to North Korea to use the former's powerful and far-reaching medium wavelengths to transmit radio content to North Korea, the broadcasts would be able to reach far more people despite the jamming attempts.

About this, National Intelligence Service First Deputy Director Yeom Don Jae said, “The regime’s efforts to block radio signals from South Korean civic groups is actually confirmation of the potency of these broadcasts. This will cause considerable agitation for the listeners who have become accustomed to tuning in to foreign radio.” He added, “Therefore, we need to let the North Korean residents know about this situation and use the strength of the regime as a weapon against them. We need to use multi-dimensional methods to pump the North full of information.” UMG currently broadcasts from 10pm-1am nightly on shortwave frequencies via a transmission station in Dushanbe, Tajikstan.

This content is rebroadcast daily from 3-5:00am on AM and FM frequencies via towers in South Korea’s Gangwon Province; however, these channels are borrowed from other private broadcasters and therefore limited in range and potency relative to those allocated by the government.
(HCDX)

Avoiding Misinformation About Disinformation

Mar 24, 2016

by Kim Elliott
U.S. Senators Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, and Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, have introduced the "Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act” (S. 2692). It proposes a “whole-of-government strategy for countering foreign propaganda and disinformation.” According to Senator Portman, “the bill would establish the Center for Information Analysis and Response, led by the State Department, but with the active participation of the Department of Defense, USAID, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the Intelligence Community, and other relevant agencies. The Center will develop, integrate, and synchronize whole-of-government initiatives to expose and counter foreign disinformation operations and proactively advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests.”
To read more, and it's relations to international broadcasting, refer to: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/avoiding-misinformation-about-disinformation

VOA Radiogram weekend schedules

Hello friends,

Propagation last weekend was difficult on Saturday, especially within North America. Fortunately, it improved by Sunday.

If you are new to the program, note that Fldigi automatically saves decoded images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ probably within your C:\Users hierarchy. Operating systems other than Windows may have different folder names. When sending reception reports, please attach those png files.

VOA Radiogram this weekend  is all in MFSK32 except for the new VOA Radiogram transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000  under the closing music. The only frequency change is Saturday at 0930-1000 UTC: 26 March is the last day for 5865 kHz; effective 2 April, 5745 kHz will be used during that broadcast.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 156, 26-27 March 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:34  Program preview
  2:39  Efficient internal combustion engine*
 9:00  Crop wild relatives for food security*
15:05  Rare flower blooms at US Botanic Garden*
19:49  Urban birds are smarter*
24:10  Closing announcements*
Olivia 64-2000 transmission schedule under closing music.

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz (Changes to 5745 kHz effective 2 April.)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute Saturday at about 0220 UTC (lately it has been after 0225 UTC) (10:20 pm EDT or later) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . The KBC North America broadcast is Sunday 0000-0300 UTC (Saturday 8-11 pm EDT)
on 6040 kHz.

DigiDX this weekend is all in MFSK32, except for some MFSK128 in German.  Consult www.digidx.uk for any updates:

Date
Time
Frequency
Transmitter
Friday, 25 March
2000-2030 UTC
3985 kHz
Radio 700, Germany
Saturday, 26 March
2000-2030 UTC
6070 kHz
Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March
1100-1130 UTC
6070 kHz
Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March
2330-0000 UTC
11580 kHz
WRMI, Florida

Thanks for your reports.  I’m now compiling the gallery from program 153 and will try to begin sending them out this weekend.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (active especially before/during/after broadcasts)

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Isle of Music programming for March 21


March 21 in the Americas (March 22 in Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania), our very special guest will be Ivan Acosta, leader of the Jazz ensemble Grupo de Cuba Somos in Santiago de Cuba, along with three songs by his ensemble. Also, more of Piñera Concertante, some vintage 1970s hits by Los Latinos and Grupo Los Llamas and some Timba from Dayron y El Boom.

*** Every Monday night from 8pm-9pm EDT in North, Central and South America (Tuesday morning from 0000-0100 UTC in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania) on shortwave on WBCQ The Planet, 7.490 MHz: From the Isle of Music, a new radio program dedicated to the music of Cuba – Jazz, Fusion, Timba, Nueva Trova, Son, Classical, Folklorica, interviews with musicians, even a little history of the music now and then. Partly in English, en parte en español. "Like" our page to keep informed about what we will bring you. (For those without shortwave or outside of viable signal range, there are also a couple of ways to stream the frequency via Internet; see the instructions in our NOTES section).

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Relays ... and more


Relays from EMR, FRSH, Atlantic 2000, Superclanradio & HLR

European Music Radio Relays on 20th of March 2016:
08.00 to 09.00 UTC  on 7265 & 6070 KHz  Tom Taylor & Tony Currie Mail Box (from February 2016)
09.00 to 10.00 UTC  on 6045 & 9485 KHz  Tom Taylor & Tony Currie Mail Box (March 2016)
19.00 to 19.30 UTC  on 6070 KHz              Tony Currie Mail (March 2016)
EMR Internet Repeats on 20th of March 2016:
EMR will have this months Transmission via two streams running at the following Times:16.00, 18.00, 20.00 UTC
http://nednl.net:8000/emr.m3u will be on 96 kbps /44 KHz stereo for normal listening
http://nednl.net:8000/emr24.m3u will be 24 kbps / 22 KHz mono will be especially for low bandwidth like mobile phones.

FRS-Holland on 20th of March:
From 08:52 UTC on 9300 & 7700 kHz throughout the day and 6070 kHz in the afternoon -
email: frs@frsholland.nl

Atlantic 2000 on 20th of March:
 0900 to 1000 UTC on 7310 kHz --- 1200 to 1300 UTC on 6070 kHz --- 2000 to 2100 UTC on 6070 kHz
also at the same time on our webstream via
http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr
Reports to : atlantic2000international@gmail.com

Superclanradio on 20th of March::
0900 to 1000 UTC on 6070 KHz - email: superclanradio@yahoo.com

Sunday's HLR:
10.00 to 13.00 UTC on 9485 kHz - email:    redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de  Thank you!
HLR FM-DAB+ Program via the Internet :    www.hamburger-lokalradio.net  Daily 24 h

 
Channel 292 are Transmitting every day and night with many Programmes on 6070 KHz

For outside the listening area please try the Twente/Netherlands Web RX at http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

Good Listening!
73s,  Tom


European Music Radio:
website: 
www.europeanmusicradio.com
email:     
emrshortwave@gmail.com

Friday, March 18, 2016

Broadcasting in Russian handbook now available



Special thanks to Alexander Beryozkin. I received my copy today, of Broadcasting in Russian. Packed with loads of information - and I highly recommend it !
Gayle Van Horn

Russia
The 19th edition of the popular "Broadcasting in Russian" handbook, edited by St. Petersburg DX Club, has been recently released. The handbook features all radio stations transmitting programmes in the Russian language in AM bands (on long, medium and short waves) at present, both from Russia and abroad.

Station listings include frequency and program schedules, transmitter location and power, target areas, postal addresses, phone/fax numbers, Web sites, social network pages, e-mail addresses as well as QSL policy info. The schedules are generally valid until March 27, 2016 (i.e. during B-15 broadcasting season).

The handbook is in Russian and distributed as a hard copy only. Volume is 64 pages of A5 size.

Please address your purchase requests and questions to St. Petersburg DX Club:
Alexander Beryozkin
P.O.Box 463
St. Petersburg, 190000
Russia

or by e-mail: dxspb@nrec.spb.ru

The price is 5 EUR or 6 USD (including delivery by registered mail). Your comments and suggestions regarding the handbook contents are always welcome.
(Alexander Beryozkin, St. Petersburg DX Club, RUSdx Dec 27)

Weekend relay schedules


All times UTC

Radio City transmissions:
Friday March 18, 1900-2100 via IRRS on 7290 kHz and via Challenger Radio on 567, 846 and 1368 kHz in Italy. Program is repeated Saturday March 19, 0900-1000 on 9510 kHz.
Saturday March 26, 1300-1400 - a different program via Hamburger Lokalradio on 7265 kHz.
Every Saturday evening yet another program via Radio Merkurs, Riga, Latvia at 2000-2100 (during "summer time" period at 1900-2000 on 1485 kHz.

Saturday - Hamburger Lokalradio
0700-1100 on 6190 KHz
1100-1600 on 7265 KHz

Sunday Hamburger Lokalradio
1000 to 1300 on 9485 kHz

Radio Six
Saturday March 19 on Channel 292 between 1200-1700 on 6070 kHz
Radio Six Schedule:
1200-1300 Behind The Tracks with Susan Fisher
1300-1400 The Kenny Tosh Revival Show
1400-1600 Saturday Sounds with Tony Currie (live)
1600-1700 John Cavanagh's Soundwave

Hobart Radio International
Channel 292 - 6070 KHz - 1900-1930, Saturday's (Europe)
Radio 700 - 7310 KHz - 1500-1530, Sunday's (Europe)

WRMI
9955 KHz - 0430-0500, Sundays (North, South America, India)

WBCQ
5110 KHz - 0430-0500, Mondays (North America)
FM in New Zealand*:*
World FM - 88.2MHz - 0330-04.00, Thursday's (Tawa, New Zealand)
Soundwave FM - 107.7MHz & 87.8MHz Sunday's (Napier, New Zealand)

European Music Radio Relays on March 20
08.00-0900 on 7265 & 6070 kHz Tom Taylor & Tony Currie Mail Box
(from February 2016)
0900-1000 on 6045 & 9485 KHz Tom Taylor & Tony Currie Mail Box
(March 2016)
1900-1930, on 6070 KHz with Tony Currie Mail (March 2016)

Good Listening!
73s
Tom Taylor
European Music Radio:
website: www.europeanmusicradio.com
email:    emrshortwave@gmail.com

Vintage Radio: The Life, Decline and Possible Rebirth of AM



by Paul Litwinovich

Last month we looked at contributions to the art made by amateur operators, in particular advancements in Amplitude Modulation, or AM, and how it came to give radio its voice. This month, we will look a little deeper into AM, its history, how it works, the corporate politics at its heyday and where it is going.
In the beginning, there was Morse code. After the discovery of radio waves and how to create them, came the question of how to use them for communication. If a transmitter could be switched on and off with a telegraph key, then it could transmit long and short bursts of radio waves corresponding to the long and short dashes and dots of Morse code.  

VOA Radiogram weekend schedule

Hello friends,

In most of the United States and Canada, VOA Radiogram is now one hour later by local time because of the change to daylight time. The UTC times remain the same (see schedule below). Effective 2 April, the Saturday 0930 UTC broadcast changes to 5745 kHz.

VOA Radiogram this weekend will include an 8-minute stretch of Olivia 64-2000. Let’s hope for poor reception – or create poor reception conditions – to give the Olivia 64-2000.

VOA Radiogram reception and decodes were very good last weekend. Here’s an example by Alessandro in Italy, 13 March 2016, 1930-2000 UTC, 15670 kHz:


Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 155, 19-20 March 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:32  Program preview
 3:01  NASA plans large fire on spacecraft*
 7:26  Rotten tomatoes produce renewable energy*
11:54  Olivia 64-2000: Legislation to counter propaganda
19:48  MFSK32: Over the horizon radar in amateur HF bands*
25:04  Early General Electric shortwave broadcasting*
27:05  Closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 (5:30 am EDT) 5865 kHz (will change to 5745 kHz effective 2 April)
Sat 1600-1630 (noon EDT) 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 (3:30 pm EDT) 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at about 0220 UTC (10:20 pm EDT) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reception reports for KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . KBC is determining whether it will have enough sponsors to maintain its broadcast to North America, currently at 0000-0300 UTC on 6040 kHz.

DigiDX will transmit MFSK32, and some MFSK128L, this weekend:

Friday 18th March: 2000-2030UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 1100-1130UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 1230-1300UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 2330-0000UTC - 11580kHz (WRMI, Florida)

Another DigiDX transmission Sunday at 0030 UTC on 6070 kHz (via Germany) will be in Olivia 64-2000, with some MFSK16 at the end. For listeners in the Americas, it will be interesting to see if these digital modes will decode under CFRX in Toronto, also on 6070 kHz.

Visit http://www.digidx.uk/ for any updates to this schedule.

Thanks for the VOA Radiogram reception reports last weekend, including several from new listeners. I finally sent out the MFSK gallery from program 135 (Halloween weekend!) last weekend. I’m now compiling the gallery from program 153 and hope to send that out in the next few days. 

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active before, during and after the broadcasts)

Free Radio Service-Holland set for March 20 broadcast


(via playdx)
On Sunday March 20, 2016, FRS-Holland will hit the shortwave airwaves.

Programmes will last all day and begin at 08:52 UTC/ 09:52 CEST with no less than five hours of music and information. FRS will offer you a varied offer of progarms and no doubt it will be worth your while to tune in our way.
A Sunday full of music, information and radio related items....the 'old fashioned' true sound of short wave free radio. Frequencies will be 9300 and 7700 kHz throughout the day and 6070 kHz in the afternoon.

Tune in! Go tell your friends...
For more details refer to: www.frsholland.nl

May we take this opportunity to tell you that any mail or snail mail is more than welcome. Remember your support (letters, mails, reception reports) is our reward and thus very important. Without support the motivation to produce an FRS Sunday with all the ingredients would be much less. It's the listeners that keep us going...please keep that in mind.

We'd like to focus on the subject of reception reports. In recent months we have been aware that there's a great difference in the quality of reports. Some reports are well written and contain all the 'elements' any report should include (including various programme details). Unfortunately we also receive two or three line reports in which some 'elements' are completely missing. We'd like to stress, that we very much like to issue our QSL cards but not in the case that reports are incomplete! In this way we would refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_report. It is very simple!  Especially some of the  listeners should be aware that details doesn't mean 'presenter' or 'pop music' but the name of the presenter, show and record/artist.

Thanks for reading this mail...we very much hope to 'meet' you on Sunday March 20th on the short wave bands!!
73s
Peter Verbruggen (on behalf of the entire FRS crew)

Monday, March 14, 2016

Isle of Music program preview for March 14



Starting March 14 we will be at 0000-0100 UTC Tuesdays (8-9 PM EST Mondays in the Americas)

March 14 in the Americas (March 15 in Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania), our special guest will be Leo Garcia, leader of Timbalive, which just released a new Timba album, Gasolina de Avion; we'll converse with him and play some music from the album. We'll also play a new single by Haila Maria Mompie. We'll also share more of the Cuban Classical album Piñera Concertante, a great new Jazz release by Cesar López & Habana Ensemble, and some traditional music by Ecos de Tivoli.

*** Every Monday night from 8pm-9pm EST in North, Central and South America (Tuesday morning from 0200-0300 UTC in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania) on the short waves on WBCQ The Planet, 7.490 MHz: From the Isle of Music, a new radio program dedicated to the music of Cuba – Jazz, Fusion, Timba, Nueva Trova, Son, Classical, Folklorica, interviews with musicians, even a little history of the music now and then. Partly in English, en parte en español. “Like” our page to keep informed about what we will bring you. (For those without shortwave or outside of viable signal range, there are also a couple of ways to stream the frequency via Internet; see the instructions in our NOTES section).

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC
website: www.tilfordproductions.com

New SDR available from India


Have you ever wanted to listen to HF bands from India ? Don't have a HF receiver and antenna? Out of town and miss listening to the bands ? Or just trying to test your new transmitter?

Your needs have been answered !

We are proud to introduce to you, South Asia and India's first WebSDR!, a mirror to your own transmissions ! (A WebSDR is a Software-Defined Radio receiver connected to the internet, allowing many listeners to listen and tune it simultaneously)

The web service will be available to all via http://www.websdr.in/ from March 13th! (running on testing mode now) We have a 30 user limit now. If u are not able to access, refresh window.

Current Hardware is a LinuxMint server with VUSDR from Dr Naidu. Antenna is an Inverted V at ~45m MSL Currently this is in the testing mode and we are planning to add more bands and spectrum later.

Chrome browser is working with android perfectly, iOs Safari will work only on mobile mode of site and also needed to be enabled "iOS audio start" button which comes near to the Waterfall
Linux/Windows users: Select HTML5 and if audio wont come up. Check whether the audio device is busy on playing music or some audio application. Android app PocketRxTX support is coming up
Mac: Not tested so far
Default configuration of the site is done to 7070LSB for PC users, Mob-site configuration yet to do :)
 Our team :  Ragav VU3VWR,SureshVU2XSK,Kaviyarasu, Myself VU2XPK and Saro VU3OBR  
Hope you will like it, expecting your feedback's!
  
Thanks and 73,
 Sinosh Pushparajan

SIARS (South India Amateur Radio Society)

More Shortwave Stations on Guam

Coast Guard Radio/NRV circa 1960
Due to its isolated location in the western Pacific, the island of Guam was home to several shortwave stations in the era before the Pacific War; and in the postwar era, even more shortwave stations were installed.  In addition to those already mentioned in previous editions of Wavescan, we focus attention today on another cluster of post-war shortwave stations on Guam.
            Soon after the American forces regained the island towards the end of the year 1944, work began on the construction of a communication station for the American Coast Guard.  This new facility, under the callsign NRV, was installed on Cabras Island, a long fingerlike peninsula projecting out from the northern shore of Apra Harbor.
            A Loran navigation station was built at this extended location, and the Coast Guard radio station occupied a small corner in a two storeyed Elephant Quonset Hut.  A 24 hour watch was kept by four radio men, each on duty for a period of six hours.
            Twenty years later, that is in 1965, the NRV Coast Guard communication station was transferred  from Cabras Island into ground level rooms in Building 150 in the Naval Communication Station NPN at Finegayan.  The transmitters in use for station NRV were part of the naval transmitter complex at Barrigada, and generally speaking NRV communicated via one of the 1 kW AN/FRT-70 transmitters.
            Ten years later (1975). Coast Guard NRV moved upstairs in the same Building 150, a location that is still in use to this day.  Soon afterwards, the Coast Guard station in the Philippines began the  remote control of some of the transmissions from NRV Guam.  Then beginning in 1994, Guam was remoted by Coast Guard NMO in Hawaii, and also by NMC Point Reyes in California.  The use of Morse Code was dropped during the next year, on April 1, 1995.
            Over the years, QSL cards and letters have verified reception reports from listeners who have been fortunate enough to tune in to this interesting and historic communication station.  
            During this same era of recovery after the end of the Pacific War, an American forces  mediumwave AFRS station was inaugurated under the callsign WXLI, with 50 watts on 1380 kHz.  This station was launched in October 1944.
            Then three months later, in January of the following year (1945), the power level was augmented to 325 watts on the the same mediumwave channel.  At this stage, AFRS Guam announced that a shortwave outlet for the same programing would soon be introduced.
            On March 18 (1946), more than a year later, shortwave test broadcasts were noted in the United States with a relay of programming from this AFRS mediumwave WXLI in Guam.  These AFRS relays on shortwave were transmitted from the newly revived naval radio station NPN, which was on the air during that era under the tactical callsign KU5Q. 
            The studios for AFRS WXLI mediumwave and U. S. Navy NPN-KU5Q were co-sited on Mt. Aluton, a few miles south west from Agana.  During this era, there were many joint relays of AFRS programming on both mediumwave WXLI and shortwave KU5Q.
            It was at this stage that a mobile broadcasting van was introduced to the radio scene on the island of Guam.  This new radio van was operated by the Army Air Force at Harmon Field, and it operated under its own callsign. KU5Q1.  The usage of a callsign would suggest that the vehicle also contained a mobile transmitter, which in those days would have operated on a shortwave channel just above the mediumwave band.    
            For the past dozen years or more, AFRTS Radio in Guam has been on the air on shortwave again, and via the transmitters of the same NPN at Barrigada, near Agana.  This program relay has been listed on two shortwave channels as shown in the WRTVHB, 5765 kHz and 13362 kHz, at 3 kW on each channel.  A few QSLs for these program relays have been issued, mainly to listeners in Pacific Rim countries, and also to several countries in Europe. 
            Another communication station of interest on the island of Guam was installed by RCA soon after the end of the Pacific War.  Initially, two transmitters at 1 kW each were installed and these were allocated the callsigns KUJ and KUK.  These transmitters were manufactures by RCA in the United States and they were identified as model P.  The antenna beamed on San Francisco was a 730 feet long diamond shaped rhombic. 
            In the 1970s their equipment was upgraded, and they were then using half a dozen transmitters at 20 kW, and three more at a lesser power level.  An additional callsign came into use at this time, KUL.
            RCA on Guam has operated with offices and communication control at San Vitores Road in Tamuning, and at Ada Plaza on the corner of Saylor and Aspinall Streets in Agana.
            For a couple of years (1952 & 1953), RCA Agana was on the air with the relay of programming beamed to China on behalf of a California based organization that was identified as Radio Free Asia.  The Guam relay picked up the programming off air from California and it was rebroadcast on 9490 kHz.
            In 1949, an international radio monitor in the United States noted RCA Guam on 15476 kHz with the transmission of phone calls from American servicemen on the island.
            Over the years, QSL cards have been issued by both RCA Guam and Radio Free Asia Guam, verifying their respective transmissions.
            The second generation Globe Wireless in California also maintained their own maritime communication station on the island of Guam.  The transmitter station was located at Yona, and the receiver station was located at Talofofo. 
            Globe Wireless KHF on Guam was a low power operation that was functioning for maybe a score of years, until Globe closed most of its facilities worldwide and sold off to a satellite provider.  The Globe Wireless KHF email QSL card was indeed a very attractive card in full color.
            More about the radio scene on Guam in coming editions of Wavescan.

 (AWR-Wavescan/NWS 368 via Adrian Peterson)

All India Radio website introduces new section for Listener's Corner


All India Radio has introduced a new section "Listeners Corner" in their website allindiaradio.gov.in


Listeners will now have to register one time to submit feedback/reception reports online, e-qsl's will also be available in future.

Direct link for Listeners Corner : http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Information/ListenersCorner/Pages/default.aspx

Following features are available in the Listeners Corner section :

- Information On AIR’s Digital Transmission (Both In Medium Wave & Short Wave)
- External & Home Frequency Schedule
- Information on AIR’s DTH Channels
- Reception Report/ Feedback from Listeners along with mandatory one time Listener - Registration
- List/ Link of Channels available through Live Streaming
- Mobile Apps with link for various AIR Channels

Last three links will be activated very soon.
Do let us know if you want any other feature/facility to be added in the listeners corner section.
(Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi, New Delhi, India)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins


Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Mar 14 0430 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 07 - 13 March 2016

Solar activity reached low levels on 08-09 and 12 March. The largest event of the period was a C3 flare from Region 2519 (N05, L=007, class/area=Cso/80 on 13 Mar) at 09/1250 UTC. Very low levels of solar activity were observed throughout the remainder of the period. No coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed in coronagraph imagery were determined to be Earth-directed. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 07-11 Mar and decreased to moderate levels on 12-13 Mar. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels early on 07 Mar due to the influence of a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Activity levels subsided to quiet to unsettled levels on 08 Mar and quiet levels by 09 Mar. Quiet to unsettled conditions were observed on 10 Mar and continued into early on 11 Mar when the co-rotating interaction region (CIR) ahead of a positive polarity CH HSS caused G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions. As the CH HSS progressed, conditions tapered down to active levels early on 12 Mar and into quiet to unsettled for the remainder of the day. Activity continued to subside with only quiet conditions observed on 13 Mar.  

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 March - 09 April 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a chance for C-class flares throughout the forecast period. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 16-21 Mar and 04-06 Apr. Moderate levels are expected on 22 Mar-03 Apr and 07-09 Apr. Normal levels are expected on 14-15 Mar. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) storm levels on 15-16 Mar and 02-03 Apr due to the influence of a negative polarity CH HSS. Active conditions are expected on 17 Mar and 08 Apr. Unsettled conditions are expected 18 Mar and 01, 04, 07, 08 Apr. Quiet conditions are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period under a nominal solar wind regime. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Mar 14 0431 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 2016-03-14
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Mar 14      93           5          2
2016 Mar 15      90          25          5
2016 Mar 16      90          22          5
2016 Mar 17      90          12          4
2016 Mar 18      90           8          3
2016 Mar 19      95           5          2
2016 Mar 20      95           5          2
2016 Mar 21      95           5          2
2016 Mar 22      90           5          2
2016 Mar 23      90           5          2
2016 Mar 24      95           5          2
2016 Mar 25      95           5          2
2016 Mar 26      95           5          2
2016 Mar 27      95           5          2
2016 Mar 28      95           5          2
2016 Mar 29     100           5          2
2016 Mar 30     100           5          2
2016 Mar 31     100           5          2
2016 Apr 01      95           8          3
2016 Apr 02      95          30          5
2016 Apr 03      95          25          5
2016 Apr 04      95           8          3
2016 Apr 05      95           5          2
2016 Apr 06      95           5          2
2016 Apr 07      95           8          3
2016 Apr 08      95          12          4
2016 Apr 09      95           8          3
(NOAA)