Monitoring Hurricane Gustav

You can get the latest hot freq info and Internet audio streams on the emergency down on the Gulf from hurricane Gustav at our sister blogs...

Milcom Monitoring Post
http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/

Btown Monitoring Post
http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/

If you have something to share contact us at the email address in the masthead.

Best of the Best - Weekend DX shows on shortwave

This afternoon, we continue our focus of the Best of the Best radio DX shows, and bring our readers whats on this weekend. Plenty of news, tips, and updates from the world of shortwave. Thanks to all the blog readers asking for more programing info. The following post for Saturday and Sunday shows are rated as Best of the Best from Shortwave Central and Milcom Monitoring blogs. Enjoy! Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC

Saturday August 30

0000 Allan Weiner Worldwide WBCQ 7415, 15420

0130 Wavescan WRMI 9955

0235 DX Programme, Radio Bulgaria 9700, 11700

0430 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 7315

0800 DX Partyline, HCJB 11750

1030 DX Partyline, WRMI 9955

1210 World Wide Friendship, KBS World Radio 9650

1230 DXing with Cumbre, WHRA 15710

1250 DX Corner, Voice of Turkey 15450 (bi-weekly)

1300 Partyline, HCJB 15540

1430 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 11785

1530 World Wide Friendship, KBS World Radio/WRN

1830 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 11785

1845 DX Partyline, IRRS 7290

1930 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 9495

2030 World Wide Friendship, KBS WorldRadio/WRN

2055v Dxers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 9505, 11760

2220 DX Corner, Voice of Turkey 6195 (bi-weekly)

2315 DX Partyline, WRMI 9955

2330 DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 9550

Sunday August 31

0018 The World on the Radio Dial, Radio Ukraine 7440

0020 Radio Waves, Radio Exterior de Espana 6055

0100 Radio Weather, WHRI 7315

0130 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 7315

0135v Dxers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6180

0145 Ask WWCR, WWCR 5070

0200 Australian DX Report, WWCR 5070

0215 DX Partyline, WWCR 5070

0230 DXing with Cumbre, WHRA 5850

0230 Worldwide Friendship, KBS World Radio/ WRN

0240 Worldwide Friendship, KBS World Radio 9560

0318 The World on the Radio Dial, Radio Ukraine 7440

0320 DX Corner, Voice of Turkey 5975, 7325 (bi-weekly)

0335 DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6180

0400 DX Partyline, WRMI 9955

0500 DXing with Cumbre, KWHR 11565

0530v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6060, 6180, 9550, 11760

0830 Wavescan, WRMI 9955

0930 Radio Weather, WHRI 5875

0930 Worldwide Friendship, KBS World Radio/ WRN

0945 Ask WWCR, WWCR 5070

1000 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 7385

1030 DX Partyline, WRMI 9955

1100 Wavescan, WRMI 9955

1430 DXing with Cumbre, WHRI 11785

1700 Ask WWCR, WWCR 12160

2000 This Week in Amateur Radio International, WBCQ 7415

(Source: Media Program/ODXA August 08)

Blog Logs

All times UTC *sign-on sing-off* // parallel frequency

Bangladesh

4750, Bangladesh Betar, 1309-1335, Aug 28, in vernacular, subcontinent music and songs, child with ad along with singing jingle, several "Bangladesh Betar" IDs, very light QRM, cannot imagine my getting much better reception than this. (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1)

Bolivia

4796, Radio Mallku, Uyuni. August-27 Spanish 2224-2250 seems a news` comentaries program with some outside talks, 2230 canned anmts with much voice reverb effect, maybe ads. Despite the S=3 signal level, was hard to comprehend details principally by 4800 Chinese QRM, SINPO 32433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Brazil/playdx)

6080.47, Radio San Gabriel, 0945-1015 With continous mixing with HCJB,noted San Gabriel with plenty of canned promos and ID's. Even so, very difficult topin them down because of fading in and out with the stronger HCJB. The signalfrom Gabriel was poor to threshold. The frequency of 6080.47 is not the exactfreq that Gabriel is using, but it is the best heard frequency. Gabriel is actually on6080 KHz and with the mixing of HCJB, tuning up slightly gives better results.(Chuck Bolland, FL August 26, 2008)

Brazil
4845.25 Radio Cultura Ondas de Tropicais 0924. Choral national anthem in progress at tune-in. Full canned Portuguese station ID announcementby announcer with greetings at beginning and end, then into English pop song. Good. Usual utility station here was off during the ID fortunately!! (29 August)(Dave Valko, PA/HCDX)

6080.05 Radio Anhanguera, Goiania (presumed) 0934 Brazilian music with male announcer in Portuguese between songs. Commerical block at 0945, but seemed to be mixing with HCJB. Five minutes later it appeared Novas de Paz showed up and was dominating the frequency. (29 August)(Dave Valko, PA/HCDX)

Clandestine
6020, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, Japan, 1420-1430*, Aug 29, ex: 6015, mostly in French (a new language for them), with French IDs, sign-off announcement all in English, good reception, no jamming. A little over a month ago they moved from 6020 to 6015 to get away from the jamming, but recently I noticed the jamming had followed them to 6015, so was time again to move (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1)

India
5040, AIR Jeypore, 1337-1349, Aug 29, in English and vernacular, sports pogram, "This program is brought to you by the Department of …, Government of India", poor-fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1)

Laos

4412.58v, Lao National Radio - Sam Neua (presumed), 1222-1231*, Aug 28, parallel to 6130 (at 1224, 1226 and 1227 had distinctive brief musical selections that clearly matched up), 1230 no longer parallel, woman gives assume the sign-off announcement, no choral Anthen today. So their format does change a little from day to day. (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1)

Nigeria

15120 Voice of Nigeria (Ikorodu). 1920-1940. 23 Aug 08. English. fro pop music program. S3/Poor. (Joe Wood, TN).

Peru

5039.25, Radio Libertad, 1048-1105, Was very surprised to hear this at this late time. At tune in, noted Huaynos and other types of music. As the time slides away, sodoes the signal with it fading into the noise and then popping up again. At the end of thesong, a male in brief Spanish Language comments. This followed with more music.Sunrise is schedule in Fort Myers which is 100 miles west of me, for 1058 UTC, sowe are definitely in the "gray zone"at the present time here in Clewiston, but only for acouple more minutes. At 1100 other noisy stuff starts clogging the frequency covering overLibertad's signal, which was poor to nil anyway during the period. Signal is almostgone for the day at 1104 UTC. (Chuck Bolland, Fl August 28, 2008)

Pirate

6925USB Sycko Radio. 0243-0250. 16 Aug 08. English. ID as “Sycko Radio69-25,” “Old McDonald had a Farm,” and not much else readable. Poor.(Joe Wood, TN).

Tanzania

11735 Voice of Tanzania-Zanzibar (Dole). 1940-2041. 23 Aug 08.Swahili. Nice program of Desert music with brief announcements by YL. Mentionof “Dar Es Salaam” at 2000 and into news. Back to music at 2045. Slight QRMfrom Radio Romania on 11735. S5/Fair. (Wood, TN).

Radio St. Helena QSLs continue to come in

11092.5 Full data 40th Anniversary QSL in 8 months, signed by Laura Lawrence. Card #188 dispatched from St. Helena on 080808. There seems to be a lot of 8's in this report. If I'm right, this is also my 8th QSL from this station ...
(Mick Delmage-Alb-CAN, DXplorer Aug 22)

11092.5 Full-data 40th Anniversary QSL signed by Station Manager Laura Lawrence finally rcvd in 251 days. Card is slightly different than previous cards with three photos of station announcers in lower right corner and 40th Anniversary of broadcasting and 10th Anniversary of SW broadcasts mentioned under the ZD7RSD call sign. Will submit this to Sights & Sounds.
(Bruce W. Churchill-CA-USA, DXplorer Aug 22)
(Source: WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #875)

Australian DX Report # 114, available for download

A new episode, No. 114, of the AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT audio shortwave news magazine is now available.


It includes monitoring notes, schedule changes, and propagation notes.

It's 13 mins 20 secs, and is at

http://airm.edxp.org/

The "AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT", is a free service of the ELECTRONIC DX PRESS RADIO MONITORING ASSOCIATION and contains professionally compiled information about world shortwave broadcasting, with monitoring research.

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly (streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embedded mini-player. Podcasts, full RSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 113!

Bob Padula,
Melbourne

Radio Sweden plans special broadcast September 3

On Wednesday, 3 September Radio Sweden will be celebrating its 70th birthday with special broadcasts, a panel discussion, and live music. The first English broadcast of the day, at 1230 UTC, will be a live programme from Studio 5 at Broadcasting House in Stockholm. Radio Sweden will be looking back at some of the major stories it has covered over the years, and talking with many guests, including some well-known Radio Sweden voices from the past.
That will be followed by a special panel debate in Swedish with a number of cultural and media personalities. The 1400 UTC Swedish broadcast will also be live from Studio 5.
The entire special programme, from 1230 to 1630 UTC, will be carried live in a special web broadcast. Listeners in North America can hear the 1230 English broadcast on 15240 kHz shortwave.
(Source: Radio Sweden/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Ecuador orders broadcasters to transmit government programs

Ecuador has ordered television and radio stations to transmit government programmes that inform the public about a plan to reform the constitution that will bolster President Rafael Correa’s powers. In a letter, the education ministry told the country’s media watchdog to enforce a law that obliges private radio and television stations to broadcast up to one hour of state-run educational programming every day. It was not clear what sanctions broadcasters could face if they do not transmit the spots.
Short programmes will be broadcast three times a day, sometimes during prime-time, and would likely help Correa rally support before the 28 September referendum for a constitution that would give him greater sway over the economy. The leftist leader is inching closer to the 50 percent majority he needs to pass the reform, recent polls show. “We consider the broadcasting of the proposed constitution crucial for the citizens’ education,” the ministry said in the letter. The ministry said programmes should start today.
Some broadcasters said they feared the government could use the programmes for electoral purposes, and were evaluating whether to obey the order. ”I’m talking to the owners of concessions and they think it is a very odd (order) amid an electoral process,” Nicolas Vega, the head of an association of private television stations told Reuters. “We are still evaluating the order.”
Correa launched a public television and radio station this year and already broadcasts messages to the public via private TV and radio stations several times a week. Opposition politicians say Correa wants to increase state intervention in the media and accuse him of seeking dictatorial powers via the proposed constitution, which allows him to run for reelection once after one term.
Correa, who took office last year with a pledge to wrench power from old elites, has clashed repeatedly with the media. He accuses journalists of bias against him and says they protect the interests of economic groups opposed to his government. The 44-year-old US-trained economist, who is sometimes criticized for his abrasive style, even ejected a journalist from one his radio shows last year.
In July, Correa seized two national broadcasters as part of a mass confiscation of more than 200 companies owned by a local business group over a debt dispute with the state stemming from the late 1990s. The confiscation raised fears of state intervention in the media but was cheered by many in Ecuador who blame the companies for a decade-old banking collapse. If approved, the new constitution would bar bank owners from holding stakes in media outlets.
(Source: Reuters)
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Myanmar: Cyclone survivors look tor radio

Squatting on the floor of his hut in the cyclone-affected Ayeryarwady Delta, Kyaw Kyaw gingerly adjusts his radio to hear the latest news from Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s newly established capital. “Radio is now part of our life,” the 30-year-old said. “We don’t pass a single day without listening to the weather report.”
In post-cyclone Myanmar, much of which is still reeling from the effects of Cyclone Nargis, such a response is not difficult to understand. The category four storm left nearly 140,000 dead or missing when it pummelled coastal areas on 2 and 3 May, and most residents complain they had little or no warning.
Almost four months on, reports continue to suggest that the authorities failed to adequately inform the delta’s 4.2 million inhabitants of the storm’s true severity on Naypyidaw Myanmar Radio - the country’s only state-owned AM radio station and the only radio accessible in the delta.
This prevented many from seeking adequate shelter sooner, adding to the loss of life and property, say residents. Radio has long been an important source of news and information in Myanmar, and many listen in for news of relief and recovery efforts.
Kyaw Kyaw, with two other families, purchased a US$5 radio - allowing them to listen to weather broadcasts - an activity they now recognise could well save their lives in future. However, most residents do not have a radio of their own - a fact prompting a number of private donors to quietly distribute cheap Chinese-made radios to cyclone survivors, though the distribution is largely without government approval.
Why radio?
Tint Naing, a driver from Daedayal Township, told IRIN radio was cheap and convenient, and required no more than a few batteries. Even if electricity is available, purchasing a TV is simply out of the question, he said, and transport costs to remote parts of the delta can drive up the price of a newspaper or magazine to as much as $1 a copy - a high price given his income of just $30 per month. In any case, newspapers and periodicals not only arrive late but are inaccessible to the many people who are illiterate.
Some also sees radio as a more objective source of information: “I like to listen to both state-owned and foreign [Burmese programme] radios like BBC and VOA (Voice of America),” said Lwin Maung, a 32-year old fisherman in Kunchangone who often tunes into the latter’s regular Burmese broadcasts.
“I want to compare,” said another resident, who regularly listens to the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) , which is broadcast from Norway and is largely critical of Myanmar’s military-led government.
Currently, delta residents can only access Naypyidaw Myanmar Radio, which is available nationwide and broadcasts programmes on the relief and recovery effort, as well as weather forcecasts three times a day. The country’s only two FM stations - in Yangon and Mandalay - have only limited coverage and cannot be heard in the delta.
(Source: IRIN News/R Neterlands Media Network Weblog)

Recent loggings of Myanmar
All times UTC

5985 at 1443- UT, Myanma Radio Aug 21 Very strong reception this morning, with frequency bang on 5985 rather than the usual off frequency. Local music. Not in English during this time. Non-stop local music until 15:04 when announcements in local language. Finally went into English at 15:30. Still at good level, but with lots of adjacent splatter (on both sides).

9730.13 at 1431- UT, Myanmar Radio Aug 21 Very good reception with mentions of Myanmar. Over cochannel CRI. Indigenous language. I listened the following day and noted them at very strong level, but this time on 9730.76 kHz at 1427 UT.
(Walt Salmaniw-BC-CAN, DXplorer Aug 22)

5985.0 at 1533-, Radio Myanma, on Aug 27. Excellent reception with lovely local music for the past hour. Didn't notice any ID or IS at 15:00, but when rechecked at 15:34, English news in progress with local news....General this and General that meeting with officers and presenting stationary, etc. ID at 15:37, 'This program is coming to you from Myanma Radio', then into weather and news headlines. Gone when I rechecked after16:00 UT.(Walt Salmaniw-BC-CAN, DXplorer Aug 27)
(Source: WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #875)

Blog Logs - A closer look at Africa

The following logs, represent what DXers and monitoring from African stations on
shortwave. What are you hearing, blog readers?
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on sign-off*

Burkina Faso
5030, Radio Burkina, 2345-0002*, Aug 21-22.French talk. Sign off with national anthem at 0000. Weak. Signal Poor withsplattter from Cuba 5025. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Chad
4905 RD. Natle. Tchadienne, Grevia, 1702-..., 12 Aug, Arabic, news, and still in this language at 1800; 45433 but improved later.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 14) (WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

Djibouti
4780 Radio TV de Djibouti, Arta, 1842-2040, 14 Aug, Vernacular,talk prgr, phone-ins,..., songs at 2030 when fluttery; s/off at 2100;SINPO 55343.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX Top News Aug 19)(WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

Equatorial Guinea
15190 Radio Africa, Malabo, 1905-1912, August 18, English,long religious talk by male in English, Identification by male as:“...in Radio Africa....”. SINPO 24432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina)

5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2215-2258*,Aug 22, Spanish talk. Afro-pop music. Sign off with national anthem at 2255. Threshold signal at tune-in but improved to a fair level by sign off. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Ethiopia
7110 Radio Ethiopia, *0259-0325, Aug 15, short IS on electronic keyboard.Chimes at 0300 & Amharic talk. Short breaks of techno music. Some Horn of Africa music at 0303. Afro-pops. Fair. Very weak \\ 5990, 9704.18.(Brian Alexander-PA-USA, HCDX Aug 15)

Guinea
7125 Radio Conakry, Conakry-Sofon. Aug 17 French/local dialects 0904-0917
Announcer talks to musical bridge returning to talks. Voice and percussion music with a long instrumental session to announcers and 0916 to musical bridge. Poor signal at SINPO 24432.(Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-BRA. HCDX Aug 17)

Madagascar
5010 Radio Nasionaly Malagasy, Ambohidrano, 1334-1423, Aug 13. Program in French or a similar sounding vernacular, playing Hi-life music/singing and calypso type songs. Began with light All India Radio nterference, but gradually dropped out. Recently have often checked this frequency and only found AIR here until today, so this was a nice surprise. A change to their schedule? (Kouji Hashimoto-JPN, JPNpremium Aug 15)(WWDXC Top News/Bc-DX # 874)

Mali
7284.5 Radio Mali silent today, 12 Aug, but active on 9635.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 14)(WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

Mauritania
4845 & 7245 Radio Mauritanie, Nouakchott. Still inactive on these HF frequencies, but does remain active on \\ 783.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX Top News Aug 14)(WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

7245 Radio Mauritanie, Nouakchott, finally reactivated as checked at around
1500 on 18 Aug; 4845 also active.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 18)((WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

Nigeria
15120 Voice of Nigeria, Lagos, 1915-1922, August 18, English.Announcers talk to brief news items, music and return to announcer. SINPO 24332. (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina)

Zambia
13650 Radio Christian Voice verified once again with a full data logo card in 116 days direct from Zambia indicating that the transmitter is a Continental 418F. Postal mailing address is Radio Christian Voice (Zambia) Ltd., Private Bag E606, Lusaka, Zambia. (Rich D'Angelo-PA-USA, DXplorer Aug 19) ((WWDXC Top News/BC-DX #874)

13590, CVC Lusaka, 1126-1140, Aug 19, English. Easy-listening music over un-identifiedco channel interferrence. Station is presumed top be China's CRI. CVC promos at 1130, followed by announcers banter. Signal poor. (Scott Barbour-NH)

DXers Unlimited - mid week edition August 26-27

By Arnie Coro, VO2KK

Hi amigos radio-aficionados !!!! Welcome to the mid week edition of your favorite listener oriented radio hobby show VIA SHORT WAVE, also visible at our website on World Wide Web too by going to http://rhc.cu ...

I am Arnie Coro, radio amateur CO2KK, your friend here in Havana and host of this twice weekly program, entirely, absolutely devoted to our wonderful and fascinating hobby ...RADIO...

At the moment that you are hearing this program radio amateur operators in four Caribbean nations are already providing emergency communications as Hurricane Gustav,the seventh storm of this season is moving towards Haiti and Cuba. Amateurs in the Dominican Republic,

Haiti, Jamaica Cuba with the help of operators in Mexico, Honduras , Guatemala and the United States will be handling any emergency related traffic, and also providing the national weather services with the most up to date data registered at their locations.

Cuban amateurs in particular have already deployed portable stations at several remote locations in the mountains of eastern Cuba, where past experience has shown that rivers overflowing their banks due to the heavy rains that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes.

You can pick up hurricane related amateur radio communications on the 20, 40 and 80 meter bands.

The Cuban emergency nets operate on 7045, 7060 to coordinate with Mexico, 7080 and 7110 on 40 meters and at night stations operate on 3740 kiloHertz on the 80 meters band. The Hurricane Net frequency on 20 meters is 14325, and it is active whenever a tropical storm or hurricane is near land.

And NOW, after this Hurricane Gustav update here is the rest of menu for today amigos...

Item one: Yes , an extremely low parts count amateur radio transmitter that works nicely and is even simpler than the ONE PLUS ONE rig we described here recently... this one is still simpler and I already have made several CW radiotelegraphy contacst with it...

Item two: The ONE PLUS ONE rig continues to bring in feedback from Dxers Unlimited’s fans...

A Canadian listener sent me an enthusiastic e-mail about his success with the simple ham radio rig, and he is going to add a keyer to it...

Item three: Antenna topics section will be devoted today, again, at the request of several listeners , to the half square for the two meter band, an antenna that you can homebrew using readily available materials ...

Our popular you have questions and Arnie answers them section , la NUMERO UNO, the most popular section of the program will deal today with the design of new buildings and how architects and engineers seem to be forgetting that people using those buildings do want to listen to the radio too !!!

And as always at the end of the show, Arnie Coro’s Dxers Unlimited’s HF propagation update and forecast will provide you with short wave radio’s must up to date information in an easy to understand way, so that you can enjoy radio a lot more...

Jose Costa Pupo is my sound engineer here today, we are working here at RHC studio number 6

The ONE PLUS ONE, the amateur radio transmitter built using just one integrated circuit and one NPN power output transistor has proven to be quite a success among Dxers Unlimited’s fans that are also amateur radio operators...

The straightforward design can be implemented using the very easy to assemble so called ¨¨dead bug¨¨ type of construction, that is by just gluing the integrated circuit and transistor upside down , with the connecting legs facing up, to a piece of copper foil printed circuit board.

The pc board acts as a ground plane to which you solder the parts that connect to ground, and wiring is extremely simple, not requiring artwork or the messy chemicals needed for the production of homebrew printed circuit boards...

My prototype ONE PLUS ONE , is now operating on the 40 meters ham band, thanks to a friend that gave me a nice quartz crystal that resonates very near to the lower edge of the band, on 7006 kiloHertz...

The 40 meters band version of the ONE PLUS ONE, keys very well, and is providing about 3 watts output into my wideband FAN DIPOLE antenna...

So far I have made just a few contacts with stations in the United States and Canada, no Europeans or Asian stations yet, but the reports received tell me that as soon as HF propagation conditions get better, the little rig is going to bring in some nice transatlantic DX too.

NOW, let me tell you what happened last Sunday... a friend visited me, and saw the ONE PLUS ONE, and I had no choice but to give him a 7400 digital integrated circuit that I had removed from an old computer card, and also provide him with a few more parts to complete the kit of components for his ONE PLUS ONE.

He went home and Monday evening, he was on the phone asking me to tune around 7050 kiloHertz because his ONE PLUS ONE was already on the air...

We had a nice two way CW QSO using ONE PLUS ONES at both ends, and then he asked if I could design a circuit that could beat the ONE PLUS ONE , that is, using still fewer electronic components...

Well Orlando, I told him, I think it can be done...

And late Monday evening I had the one transistor , 2 resistors, 1 fixed and 1 variable capacitor rig on the air on the 40 meters band...

YES amigos, you heard it right, just one transistor, two carbon resistors, one disk ceramic capacitor, a variable capacitor from an old radio, plus a quartz crystal and a homebrew coil wound on an empty pills plastic container....

The rig was also wired dead bug style on a small piece of PC board,and the tests were carried on by powering it from my workbench variable voltage power supply...

In this case , and once again I used a transistor that was removed , that is recycled, from a dead computer MFM legacy disk drive , and the coil form was a discarded medicine pills plastic container... plastic of course....

I wound 20 turns of no 20 enamelled wire, with a tap at 7 turns for the transistor and then wound a 4 turn link on top of the bottom of the 20 turns coil...

When connected to the CO2KK broadband antenna, via the antenna tuner, the little rig moved the power meter needle to around 1.5 watts, and sure enough, a Cuban station heard my CQ and came back to me during this first test...

So, now you know that with still fewer parts one can make a useable ham radio transmitter....

No amigos it won’t be a record breaker, and I am afraid that you won’t win a DX contest with it, but, its so easy to build and to operate that I am sure many of you will like to have the circuit diagram and building instructions for the ONE T ONLY rig, a single one power output transistor rig that so far I have tested on 160 80, 40 and 30 meters ... and of course that I will send you the complete set of data for winding your coils for those 4 bands...

Send your request for the ONE T ONLY single transistor amateur radio transmitter to inforhc at enet dot cu, again , it´s very easy to remember, inforhc at enet dot cu, and don’t forget to include a signal report and comments about the show, as well as any suggestions or new ideas you may want to include in our program...

If you are not yet in cyberspace,send your request via AIRMAIL to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana , Cuba....
.........
The now becoming more and more popular among HF bands Dxers… The HALF SQUARE vertical wire antenna can be easily adapted for the 2 meter amateur band. The 2 meter HALF SQUARE is very easy to homebrew, and among its significant advantages is the fact that if you go exactly by the measurements provided by us, you won’t need a VHF standing wave ratio meter to adjust it...

Of the more than twenty HALF SQUARE two meter band antennas built here by radio amateurs, not a single one has required absolutely any adjustments...but as a precaution we have always checked them using a professional standing wave ratio meter and antenna analyzer, the fact is that they all came up with a very low standing wave ratio...

The two meter band HALF SQUARE is fed using 50 ohm coaxial cable and an easily built coaxial choke balun to decouple the antenna from the coaxial downlead...

The two vertical elements of the antenna are 56 centimeters long each, and the horizontal wire that connects them is 94 centimeters long...

The center of the coaxial cable connects to the base of one of the two vertical elements,

and the braid or shield of the coaxial cable connects to the horizontal wire that goes to the base of the other vertical antenna.

I have used properly painted plywood as the support for the antenna, but it is better to use white PVC pipe, because it will last longer.

The plywood supported version of the HALF SQUARE for two meters was the first prototype and we had to use it during one of last year’s hurricane, when our Radio Club was asked to provide communications at a location where the sea wall usually is jumped by huge waves and that part of the city floods in a very short period of time...

As always, with all Dxers Unlimited’s radio hobby projects, complete, detailed building instructions are freely available, and you can be sure that each and every circuit and antenna mentioned here at our Dxers Unlimited program was fully tested before it was made available to our worldwide audience...

As a very good friend and long time listener of our show likes to say, you can’t go wrong with Arnie’s radio hobby projects because if you happen to have any doubts, by just sending an e-mail to inforhc at enet dot cu or an AIRMAIL postcard or letter to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana , Cuba, I will provide you with a fast reply that will clear up your possible doubts...

The HALF SQUARE two meter band antenna, a very easy to homebrew almost 5 dB gain antenna for your handie-talkie or fixed table top rig, is made using no 10 or no 8 copper wire, a length of PVC pipe and a length of 50 ohm coaxial cable with the antenna connector soldered at one end...If you want to learn more about one of the lowest cost and easier to build 2 meter band vertical antennas...then just send an e-mail to inforhc at enet dot cu or an AIRMAIL postcard or letter to Arnie Coro , Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba...
.....

Yes amigos ! Architects and engineers should learn more about radio and TV reception problems that people living in the buildings that they design are having .

According another a very good friend an long time Dxers Unlimited listener from Toronto, Canada , the newer office buildings built there in the past 5 years , do provide a lot of facilities but radio reception inside them is almost impossible, and the same holds for TV sets.

The problem with AM reception can be traced to the use of so called energy saving fluorescent lamps, each of them a wideband pulse transmitter that wipes out reception over a wide band of frequencies...

Short wave receivers , even when located close to the big picture windows are also victims of the many electronic gadgets that form part of the newer buildings,like thermostats, elevator control systems, alarm systems, fire warning systems etc..

And don’t think that office buildings are the only ones where radio reception is becoming next to impossible, modern hotels or those that have recently rebuilt , as well as apartment buildings also have similar problems, as more and more people own home computer systems that use switched mode power supplies, capable not only making a lot of RF noise but also capable of actually distorting the power line waveform beyond recognition, not to mention the terrible spikes generated by the high current devices controlled using state of the art semiconductors....

Not too long ago, a well known Cuban architect was telling me about the so called “intelligent buildings” and I asked him a question that left him scratching his head....

My question was if among the virtues of the “intelligent building” was wiping out their users possibilities of receiving radio and TV signals....You should had seen his face… I certainly left hime thinking !!!

And now amigos, as always, at the end of the show, here is Arnie Coro’s Dxers Unlimited’s propagation update and forecast...

Solar flux still at extremely low levels , solar activity was very low during the whole week and will stay at that level during the next several days... The slow transition to the equinoctial season is now in progress, and you will soon notice that the higher frequency bands will start to behave a lot better as we approach the autoumn equinox...

Best bands for daytime listening continue to be 19 and 16 and , with 16 meters showing a marked improvement during the past several days...

For radio amateurs, 20 metersand also 17 meters will be the best bands to operate during the local daytime hours, with 40 meters providing nice DX even late in the evening...

Solar flux was very near 65 units on Tuesday, and the A index was 2.... I hope to see you at the weekend edition of the show and if you are a radio amateur operator be looking for CO2KK, my ham radio station on the air with the ONE PLUS ONE CW rig very near to 70060 kiloHertz during my local evening hours, from 0200 to 0400 UTC...

Maybe we will soon have a nice two way QSO on 40 meters with the little homebrew wonder transmitter.

And don’t´forget to send me your signal reports and comments about the program amigos !!!

Send mail to inforhc at enet dot cu, or VIA AIR MAIL to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2008 Aug 26 2251 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
18 - 24 August 2008

Solar activity was very low. No flares were detected. The visible
disk was spotless.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during 19 - 24 August.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from unsettled to minor storm levels on 18 August with major to severe storm periods observed at high latitudes. Activity decreased to predominantly quiet to
unsettled levels during 19 - 21 August, though active to major storm periods were observed at high latitudes on 19 August. Activity decreased to quiet levels during 22 - 24 August. ACE solar wind data indicated a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream commenced on 18 August. Velocities increased to a maximum of 660 km/sec at 18/1353 UTC, then gradually decreased during the rest of the period with a minimum of 297 km/sec at 24/2309 UTC. Interplanetary magnetic field changes associated with the onset of the high-speed stream included
increased Bt (maximum 12 nT at 18/1040 UTC) and intermittent periods of southward Bz (minimum -10 nT at 18/1013 UTC).

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
27 August - 22 September 2008

Solar activity is expected to be very low.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 07 - 12 September and 15 - 22 September.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 27 August - 04 September. Activity is expected to increase to active levels on 05 September due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels during 06 - 07 September as the high-speed stream subsides. Quiet conditions are expected during 08 - 11 September. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 12 - 13 September.
Activity is expected to increase to active to minor storm levels on 14 September due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to unsettled levels during 15 - 16 September as the high-speed stream subsides. Quiet conditions are
expected during 17 - 22 September.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2008 Aug 26 2252 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2008 Aug 26
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2008 Aug 27 66 5 2
2008 Aug 28 66 5 2
2008 Aug 29 66 5 2
2008 Aug 30 66 5 2
2008 Aug 31 66 5 2
2008 Sep 01 66 5 2
2008 Sep 02 66 5 2
2008 Sep 03 66 5 2
2008 Sep 04 66 5 2
2008 Sep 05 66 18 4
2008 Sep 06 66 12 3
2008 Sep 07 66 8 3
2008 Sep 08 66 5 2
2008 Sep 09 66 5 2
2008 Sep 10 66 5 2
2008 Sep 11 66 5 2
2008 Sep 12 66 8 3
2008 Sep 13 66 8 3
2008 Sep 14 66 20 5
2008 Sep 15 66 10 3
2008 Sep 16 66 8 3
2008 Sep 17 66 5 2
2008 Sep 18 66 5 2
2008 Sep 19 66 5 2
2008 Sep 20 66 5 2
2008 Sep 21 66 5 2
2008 Sep 22 66 5 2
(NOAA)

DRM websites offers new options

The website of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) has added the facility to sort and/or filter the online DRM broadcast schedule to display just a subset of the complete schedule, or display it in a different order. This makes it easy to find all the DRM transmissions of a specific broadcaster, or from a specific site. The display can also be sorted by frequency or target area in addition to the standard time order.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Schedule information at www.drm.org/for-broadcasters/live-broadcast-schedule

Radio Mi Amigo 192 slated for live broadcast on August 31

Dutch Internet oldies station Radio Mi Amigo 192 will be broadcasting live from Scheveningen on 31 August at 1200-1800 (1000-1600 UTC). The DJ’s will be playing songs from the Top 192, comprising listeners’ favourites from the offshore radio era 1960-1989. There will also be live music from cover band ReaXtion.
From 1800-1900 there will be an hour of ‘typical offshore radio songs’ and from 1900-2000 public broadcaster Radio West will link up with Radio Mi Amigo for a programme commemorating the offshore stations.
31 August is the traditional offshore radio day in the Netherlands. On that date in 1974, Radio Veronica and Radio Noordzee had to stop their offshore broadcasts due to a new Dutch law making them illegal. One station - Radio Mi Amigo - continued from studios in Spain, but closed when the ship sank in 1980. There were several later attempts at Dutch offshore stations, such as Radio Monique in the mid-1980s, but nothing since.
Radio Mi Amigo 192 broadcasts 24 hours a day via http://www.radiomiamigo.eu/. Radio West broadcasts in The Hague and environs on 89.3 FM and via http://www.rtvwest.nl/.
(Source: Mi Amigo 192)Dutch Internet oldies station Radio Mi Amigo 192 will be broadcasting live from Scheveningen on 31 August at 1200-1800 (1000-1600 UTC). The DJ’s will be playing songs from the Top 192, comprising listeners’ favourites from the offshore radio era 1960-1989. There will also be live music from cover band ReaXtion.
From 1800-1900 there will be an hour of ‘typical offshore radio songs’ and from 1900-2000 public broadcaster Radio West will link up with Radio Mi Amigo for a programme commemorating the offshore stations.
31 August is the traditional offshore radio day in the Netherlands. On that date in 1974, Radio Veronica and Radio Noordzee had to stop their offshore broadcasts due to a new Dutch law making them illegal. One station - Radio Mi Amigo - continued from studios in Spain, but closed when the ship sank in 1980. There were several later attempts at Dutch offshore stations, such as Radio Monique in the mid-1980s, but nothing since.
Radio Mi Amigo 192 broadcasts 24 hours a day via http://www.radiomiamigo.eu/. Radio West broadcasts in The Hague and environs on 89.3 FM and via http://www.rtvwest.nl/.
(Source: Mi Amigo 192/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

WYFR/Family Radio Worldwide frequency update

All times UTC NF new frequency

USA
0300-0400 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Russian, ex 7780
0400-0500 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu English, ex 7780
0500-0600 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu German, ex 7780
0600-0700 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Romanian,ex 7780 RTI German
0700-0800 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Polish, ex 7780 RTI French
1100-1200 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg to SoAm English, ex 7780
1200-1400 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg to SoAm Spanish, ex 7780

USA(non)
Additional transmisisons of WYFR Family Radio
0900-1100 on 9545 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to EaAs Chinese
1000-1100 on 9455 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Vietnamese
1000-1200 on 6220 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Burmese
1300-1400 on 9895 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Vietnamese
2300-2400 on 9540 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to EaAs Chinese
1400-1600 on 11860 MSK 250 kW / 117 deg to SoAs English
1800-1900 on 11775 SKN 250 kW / 165 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English
1800-1900 on 13790 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English
1900-2000 on 9685 DHA 250 kW / 260 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English
1900-2000 on 11865 NAU 500 kW / 187 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English
1900-2000 on 3955 MEY 100 kW / 076 deg to SoAf Portuguese, ex English
1900-2000 on 6100 MEY 100 kW / 330 deg to SoAf Portuguese, ex English
(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

Radio Free Asia frequency update

All times UTC NF new frequency

USA (non)
Frequency changes of Radio Free Asia
1230-1330 NF 7390*IRA 250 kW / 057 deg, ex 9455 in Burmese
1330-1400 NF 7390*TIN 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 9475 in Burmese
1400-1430 NF 7390*TIN 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 11540 in Burmese
1400-1500 on 5855 Ulan Bator/Mongolia, cancelled in Vietnamese
* co-ch Radio Belarus Minsk in Belarussian
(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

Radio Free Asia Releases Anniversary QSL Card Series September 2008

Radio Free Asia (RFA) proudly announces its 12th Anniversary QSL card series which will begin use on September 1st; a total of 3-cards comprise this series. Each QSL card celebrates RFA’s 12 years of on-air broadcasting. The first RFA broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Each card will be used for one month before it is replaced by the next card in the series. Card 1 will be used for all valid reception reports dated Sep 1-30, 08; card 2 for all valid reception reports dated Oct 1-31, 08; and card 3 for all valid reception reports dated Nov 1-30, 08. The designs used are examples of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel earlier this year and were inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. These cards not only commemorate RFA’s 12th anniversary but also help capture the youthful spirit of the RFA’s family and friends around the world and encourage the spirit of democracy and freedom.

Card 2

Card 3













Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate, and timely news reports are unavailable. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a ‘surrogate’ broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at http://www.rfa.org/ .
RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.

RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at www.techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience. Reception reports are also accepted by emails to qsl@rfa.org, and for anyone without Internet access, reception reports can be mailed to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America
Upon request, RFA will also send a copy of the current broadcast schedule and a station sticker.
(Source: Al Janitschek/Radio Free Asia)

Frequency updates from DX Mix News

All times UTC NF - new frequency

China/Albania
Frequency change, China Radio International in French
1400-1557 NF 13760#CER 150 kW / 240 deg to West Africa, ex 13670
# co-ch Voice of Korea in French to West Europe



Germany (non)
Some changes, Deutsche Welle
0800-0955 NF 15650 TRM 250 kW / 120 deg to AUS in German, ex 15605
1700-1800 NF 9735 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg to Central Africa in French, additional freq.

Iran/Lithuania
Frequency changes, VOIROI/IRIB effective from August 4
0630-0727 NF 9770 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to West Europe, ex 11670 in Italian
0630-0727 NF 13750 KAM 500 kW / 304 deg to West Europe, ex 13710*in French
1200-1227 NF 15240 KAM 500 kW / 259 deg to Northeast/Middle East, ex 15260 in Hebrew
*to avoid CRI in English from 0700

Hungary
Frequency change of Magyar Radio in Hungarian to North America from Aug.1
0100-0200 NF 5940 JBR 250 kW / 306 deg, ex 5965 to avoid Radio Havana Cuba in Spanish

Madagascar (non)
Updated schedule for Voice of People in English to Zimbabwe
0400-0457 NF 9895 MDC 250 kW / 255 deg, ex 11610 MDC 250 kW / 265 deg
1100-1157 on 11695 MDC 250 kW / 265 deg, cancelled from Aug.2
1700-1757 on 7120 MDC 050 kW / 265 deg, strong co-ch Radio Rossii in Russian

Russia/Moldova
Additional transmission for Voice of Russia in Italian:
2130-2230 on 1548 GRI/Maiac. Very good reception here in Bulgaria

Turkey
Frequency change for Voice of Turkey in Turkish to West Europe
0700-1255 NF 13635*EMR 500 kW / 310 deg, ex 13675 to avoid Raido France Internationale, French 08-10
* co-ch CVC International in English from 1100
(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

Radio Liberty frequency update

All times UTC

USA (non)

Radio Liberty
Georgian - resumed on shortwave
0500-0600 on 9725 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg
11960 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg
17770 IRA 250 kW / 322 deg
1130-1145*on 12070 IRA 250 kW / 334 deg
15130 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg
15460 LAM 100 kW / 092 deg
1400-1500 on 13615 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg
15460 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg
1800-1900 on 7370 UDO 250 kW / 308 deg
9370 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg
2000-2045@on 7480 IRA 250 kW / 324 deg
9840 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg
* Mon-Fri
@ Sat/Sun til 2100

Kazakh
Additional transmissions from Sept. 1
0100-0200 on 7215 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg
9750 UNID transmitter
1300-1400 on 9465 UNID transmitter
12005 IRA 250 kW / 348 deg

Moldovan
Mon-Fri, ex Romanian
0400-0430 on 5955 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg
1600-1630 on 9850 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg
1800-1830 on 9840 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg

Russian
Additional transmissions from Aug.9 (ex VOA Russian & Special English)
1300-1400 on 11725 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg
15130 LAM 100 kW / 053 deg
15565 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg
1700-1800 on 5980 BIB 100 kW / 088 deg
5995 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg
9520 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg/LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
11805 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
1800-1900 on 9520 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg/LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
9820 BIB 100 kW / 063 deg
11755 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg
11805 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
1900-2000 on 9405 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg, additional freq.

Russian
Cancelled txions from Aug.9:
0700-0800 on 11700 PHL 250 kW / 021 deg
12005 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg
15535 BIB 100 kW / 065 deg
17730 UDO 250 kW / 030 deg
1000-1200 on 9585 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg
11700 PHL 250 kW / 021 deg
15130 BIB 100 kW / 065 deg
17730 LAM 100 kW / 077 deg
(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

Voice of America non-English frequency updates

All times UTC NF new frequency

USA (non)

Frequency changes for Voice of America
0700-1000 NF 17775 TIN 250 kW / 304 deg, ex 17780 in Mandarin 1600-1700 NF 7330 PHT 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 7405 in Tibetan

USA(non)

Extended schedule for Voice of America in Georgian
1530-1600 NF 15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg, ex 15475
11945 IRA 250 kW / 324 deg
12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg
1600-1630 on 12105 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg
15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg
1700-1800 on 7420 UNID transmitter
11955 UNID transmitter

USA(non)

New SW schedule for VOA Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa in Urdu from Sep.1:
0100-0200 on 7135 IRA 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 11755 IRA
11805 UDO 250 kW / 300 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 7135 IRA
1400-1500 on 9510 UDO 250 kW / 296 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 9340 KWT/UDO
11690 KWT 250 kW / 086 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 15790 IRA

(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

BBC frequency update

All times UTC NF new frequency

United Kingdom (non)
0030-0100 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari
0100-0130 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto
0130-0200 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari
0200-0230 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto
0200-0230 NF 5875 RMP 500 kW / 076 deg to EaEu, ex 9775 Russian
0230-0300 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari
0300-0330 NF 9895 RMP 250 kW / 076 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto
0700-0730 NF 15340 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg to WCAf, ex 15105 French
1100-1130 NF 7115 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to SEAs, ex 7330 Burmese Mon-Fri
1400-1500 NF 13735 CYP 300 kW / 077 deg to WeAs, ex 13610 Dari
1700-1900 NF 13675 RMP 500 kW / 062 deg to CeAs, ex 13865 English World Service
(Source: Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

QSL Report Central - Radio Zamaneh

This morning I'm reposting the QSL information of Radio Zamaneh, from yesterday's QSL Central - best from the vault blog post. Our regular west coast contributor Ron Howard, graciously has shared a scanned copy of his Radio Zamaneh QSL card - and that deserves a repost! Thanks Ron for your contribution and kind comments on the blog.

Gayle Van Horn

Clandestine
Radio Zamaneh, 6245 kHz. Beautifully designed, full data card, for an email report with real Audio clip. Card depicts a book with station logo on the right, listener's full data details on the left, and a small "QSL card depicting a microphone" clipped to the top of the left-hand page. I sent my report to both contact@radiozameneh.com and to the station director Mehdi Jami at mehdi.jami@gmail.com. Jami replied with an email of thanks, saying he would send a card. (he also translated my report into Farsi and posted it on their website at www.radiozamaneh.com/ . The card was accompanied by a separate white card from Jami, "Dear Radio-Lover." Received in six weeks from the Netherlands, return addresses on the envelope as; 35-F, 1093-EE Amsterdam, Postbox 92027, 1090-AA Amsterdam, Netherlands. very nice. (Jerry Berg, MA/ODXA) special thanks to Ed Kusalik for sharing this QSL contribution from his ODXA column. - GVH

Best of the Best - Radio DX shows on shortwave

Looking to add to your shortwave radio news ? There are plenty of radio DX shows on the air - but the following are rated by Shortwave Central and Milcom Monitoring blogs - as Best of the Best. Over the next three nights, tune-in to these radio shows for the latest in news, frequency changes, and station updates. Why not listen to the best ?
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC

Monday
0200 DXing with Cumbre WHRI 7385
0230 DXing with Cumbre WHRA 5850
0330 DXing with Cumbre WHRI 7315
0730 Mailbox, Radio New Zealand International 7145 (bi-weekly)
0830 Wavescan WRMI 9955
1130 Mailbox, Radio New Zealand International 9655 (bi weekly)
1500 DX Partyline WRMI 9955
1630 Mailbox, Radio New Zealand International 7145 (bi-weekly)

Tuesday

0030 Radio Waves, Radio Exterior de Espana 6055

0330 Mailbox, Radio New Zealand International 15720 (bi-weekly)

0530 Wavescan WRMI 9955

1130 Wavescan WRMI 9955

2055v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 9505, 11760

2335v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 9550

Wednesday

0135v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6180

0335v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6180

0530v DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba 6000, 6080, 6180, 9550, 11760

1530 DX Partyline WRMI 9955

(Source: Media Program/ODXA-Listening-In, August 2008)

,

QSL Report Central - the best from the vault

I've reopened the vault for another edition of QSL Report Central - the best of QSL Report and contributions cut for space constraints. Thanks as always to all the contributors and blog readers. Enjoy!
Gayle Van Horn

Armenia
Family Radio Worldwide/WYFR, 5880 kHz via Yerevan relay. Full data with transmitter site notation, plus package of religious brochures and station stickers. Received in 46 days for reception report to California address. (Tom Banks, TX)

China
Family Radio Worldwide,/WYFR Three Decades of Faithful Service QSL cards, with transmitter sites indicated on the following frequencies:
11550, Taiwan (Tanshui) Indonesian broadcast to Indonesia
11560, Huwei, English broadcast to Asia
7445, Paochung (also referred to as Bao-Zhong) Vietnamese to Vietnam
Cards received in 30 days for three separate reports to intl@familyradio.com
(Edward Kusalik, Canada)

Clandestine
Radio Zamaneh, 6245 kHz. Beautifully designed, full data card, for an email report with real Audio clip. Card depicts a book with station logo on the right, listener's full data details on the left, and a small "QSL card depicting a microphone" clipped to the top of the left-hand page. I sent my report to both contact@radiozameneh.com and to the station director Mehdi Jami at mehdi.jami@gmail.com. Jami replied with an email of thanks, saying he would send a card. (he also translated my report into Farsi and posted it on their website at www.radiozamaneh.com/ . The card was accompanied by a separate white card from Jami, "Dear Radio-Lover." Received in six weeks from the Netherlands, return addresses on the envelope as; 35-F, 1093-EE Amsterdam, Postbox 92027, 1090-AA Amsterdam, Netherlands. very nice. (Jerry Berg, MA/ODXA) special thanks to Ed Kusalik for sharing this QSL contribution from his ODXA column. - GVH

Voice of Democratic Eritrea, 13630 kHz via Media Broadcast. Full data verification letter received via email in three days from Walter Brodowsky. (Tom Banks, TX)

French Guiana
Radio France International relay, 5995/ 17630 kHz. Spanish broadcast via Telediffusion de France (TDF). Full data verification letter with confirmed frequencies. Received for a CD mp3 report sent to transmitter site at; Telediffusion de France Relay Station, Direction TDF Outre-Mer, B.P. 4074 97307 Cayenne, Cedex French Guiana. Reply received in 113 days (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Germany
Croatian Radio/HRT, 7285 kHz via Jülich. Full data card with illegible signature. Received in 32 days for an English report. (Frank Hillton, SC)

Radio Polonia via Wertachtal 6015 kHz. Studio building card, signed by Slawek Szefs-English Service, with transmitter site notation and accompying letter. Reply in eight months, one following an email followup report. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Guatemala
Radio Verdad 4052 kHz. Full data yellow card with illegible signature. received in six weeks for an English/Spanish report. Nice station pennant enclosed. (Duane Hadley, TN).

India
All India Radio via Ranchi. Full data card of Tomb of General Rein Hart Agra, signed by P. Singh-Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy). Received in response to previous followup report. Reply received in 20 months, 58 days after sending my postal follow-up for a 2005 logging. (Edward Kusalik, Canada)

Italy
Radio Canada International relay via Santa Maria di Galena. (freq ?) Full data Maple Leaf Mailbag card with transmitter site notation, signed by Bill Westhaver. Received reply in 2 and a half months, from a postal follow-up to RCI. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Latvia
Radio Marabu, 9290 kHz via Ulbroka relay. Full data Marabu Birds QSL card with illegible signature, plus sticker and info sheet on station. Received in nine days, after sending a second follow-up via email, for a total of nine months. (Edward Kusalik, Canada)

Madagascar
Family Radio Worldwide, 7395 kHz to Africa via Radio Netherlands. Full data 30th Anniversary card with site notation. Received in two months for reception report to California address. (Duane Hadley, TN).

Update on St Helena on shortwave

St. Helena
Finally after much research over past weeks I can reveal to our membership the TWO site coordinates of the special Radio Saint Helena shortwave transmissions.

The first site used in the 1990's was from the Cable & Wireless utility site located at:
15 57 33.4 S 05 43 08.8 W at a location called 'The Briars'. (antenna site)

The recent transmissions originated from the studios of Radio St. Helena which is located 4.5 km SSW of Jamestown at the following coordinates: 15 56 33.3 S 05 42 35.2 W

My thanks to John Ekwall & Robert Kipp for their valued assistance.
(Ian Baxter-AUS, SW TXsite Aug 8)

As reported yesterday, a bunch of Radio Saint Helena QSL cards arrived in Europe on Aug 19th and 20th. (A-DX Aug 20)

Radio St. Helena Shortwave Transmitting Sites
During the 1990's, the transmitter and the dipole antenna were both located at the Cable & Wireless facilities at The Briars southsoutheast of Jamestown, St. Helena. After Radio St. Helena Day 1999 ("The Final Transmission"), C&W sold the old Redifon G423B (1500 Watt) transmitter for scrap.

In November of 2006, the dipole antenna was still stretched between two tall masts next to and on the north side of the main C&W building. The dipole runs about east-west and radiated, therefore, essentially north and south. However, to the south of C&W, the valley comes to an end. This explains why Radio St. Helena , during the 1990's, was mainly only heard in Europe and eastern North America.

The RSD shortwave broadcasts were reintroduced in 2006 with the "Revival Transmission" and continued in 2007 with the "Double Anniversary" broadcasts: In 2007, Radio St. Helena celebrated 40 years of broadcasting on 1548 KHz mediumwave and that 2007 program was the 10th official transmission on shortwaves.

The shortwave transmitter and the 3-element monoband Yagi beam antenna(with full sized elements without traps) atop a 12-meter tall tower are now both located at the Radio St. Helena Broadcasting House in the Pouncey's area of the island. This location is fairly high above sea level and is relatively free of obstructions in all directions. This helps to explain why the RSD shortwave broadcasts can now be heard in many parts of the world that never heard the programs before. The new transmitter and power amplifier combination are usually operated by Radio St. Helena at an output of 1000 Watts. As in the 1990's, the programs are broadcast in
Upper Side Band and on the special frequency of 11092.5 kHz.

The 2007 QSL card lists Radio St. Helena at 15 57 South by 05 44 West.This is only approximate and actually appears to be on some quite greenisolated hill side, when using some map / satellite photo programs on the Internet.

Using a 1:25000 map of the island, the Broadcasting House would appear to be at about 15ø 57 18 South by 05 43 30 West. This is also only approximate, due to the difficulty of reading the geographical coordinates from the scales on the map edges Using some map / satellite photo programmes on the Internet
---
Using select "Yahoo!Maps" and set the cursor (centre of the screen) to Latitude 15 57 33.5 South by 05 43 08.8 West. This appears to be right on the Radio St. Helena Broadcasting House. The shortwave tower is just off the lower right edge of the building, and the two mediumwave towers can be found stretching northeast from the building, if one knows where to look. The Cable & Wireless complex at The Briars appears to be at 15 56 33.5 South by 05 42 31.5 West.

Using try the following.

Select "Satellite" pictures and do a "Maps Search" on "Jamestown St Helena".

The red flag is not where Jamestown really is located, but it is close.

Select a resolution of 500 Meters (lower left in picture). Move the red flag into the upper left corner of the picture. Just a bit below and to the right of the middle of the picture is The Briars area, and one sees a blue rectangular object. Keep the blue building in the middle of the picture and change the resolution to 200m, then 100m, and then to 50 Meters.

The Cable and Wireless complex is just to the right of the blue building(s).

Going back to a resolution of 500m or 200m, it would appear that the map area shown here does not reach far enough south to be able to find the RSH Broadcasting House.
(Robert Kipp-D, NZ DX Times Aug 2008)
(Source: WWDXC Top News/ BC DX # 874 via wb, Germany)

DXers Unlimited - weekend edition August 23-24

Dxers Unlimited
By Arnie Coro CO2KK

Hi amigos radioaficionados ! You are most welcome to the weekend edition of Dxers Unlimited, coming to you from Havana, via short wave and also via the world wide web audio feed from http://rhc.cu in English from 05 to 07 UTC.

This Saturday was ideal to go to the beach and also to generate a good tropo duct opening !!!

Now here is item one: One of the most popular ways of enjoying the radio hobby is, without any doubts,AM medium wave broadcast band Dxing, that according to the e-mail messages, postcards and letters received here, generates a lot of interest among listeners of Dxers Unlimited around the world.

Receivers and antennas especially designed for AM medium wave broadcast band Dxing will make a big difference on the results that you can achieve, while locations with very low noise levels and far away from high power stations are described by the avid AM Band Dxers as the ideal places where to go for a Dxexpedition.

With solar activity at an all time low for the past 11 years, we may be able to enjoy a very nice upcoming autumn equinox AM broadcast band DX season...

More about the extremely low solar activity that has prevailed since October of last year...

The month of October of 2007 registered an extremely low monthly sunspot average of 0,9, that was followed by a very slightly higher figure of 1.7 in November, then during December of last year activity increased to 10.1, only to take a dip to 3.8 during January, continue the downward turn in February to 2.1, and then March data shows a montly sunspot average of 9.3.

Some scientists thought that solar cycle 24 was starting , but they were wrong... April and May of 2008 average monthly sunspot count registered the same figure of 2.9, June was just slightly more active at 3.1 and then July brought the lowest monthly sunspot average of the whole cycle,just 0.5, that meaning that for practically 31 consecutive days solar optical observers saw a totally blank solar disc....

And to bring to an end this lenghty but very important statistical analysis, so far, during 22 days of the month of August, only a very small cycle 23 sunspot was seen . In total agreement with the zero sunspot count that has prevailed during August, the microwave solar flux at 10.7 centimeters way length has stayed at rock bottom levels , with an average very near the minimum ever registered of 64 units.

Now, after you have patiently heard those terribly low numbers, here is the analysis of what they may mean for the low frequencies DX enthusiasts, a crowd that includes operators of automatic low frequency beacons, listeners to the natural radio emissions of Planet Earth that include the often heard but not very well known whistlers, Long Wave AM broadcast band Dxers, the radio amateurs that are operating on the two thousand and two hundred meters band, non directional aviation beacon Dx
hunters , the new group of radio amateurs that are operating on a segment of the old Marine 500 kiloHertz band, and those that are not yet allowed to transmit on the 600 meters band, but that as I am doing are constantly monitoring that new ham band in order to learn more about its unique daytime propagation characteristics.

But if you add the people devoted to the above mentioned ways of enjoying the radio hobby, they are no match to the hundreds of thousands of persons around the world that in one way or the other have a good time trying to pick up DX stations on the AM medium wave broadcast band, where practically every nation in the world has at least one station operating.

If the present extended period of very low solar activity continues during the months of September and October then AM medium wave broadcast band Dxers will enjoy a super DX season, because of the very low ionospheric absorption that will prevail during the upcoming autumn equinoctial period, that should be starting in about two weeks and extend at least until mid October.

Si amigos, yes my friends, oui mes amis, AM broadcast band Dxing , according to my propagation forecast, is going to be really amazing, and the only thing that could spoil this autumn equinox DX season will be a sudden , abrupt and so far unexpected increase in solar activity.

Get ready for what is going to be possibly the best AM band and Long Wave broadcast bands DX season in years to come... and stay tuned to this program , because our technical topics section for today will provide you with several nice tips for low frequency Dxing, in the range from 10 kiloHertz all the way up to 2 megaHertz, because, yes... the 160 meters amateur band is also going to be excellent for Dxing during the upcoming autumn equinox...
..................

You are listening to Radio Havana Cuba, the name of the show Dxers Unlimited, and here is now our technical topics section, that is competing in popularity with our HF and low band VHF propagation updates and forecasts and even with ¨¨ La numero uno¨¨ the most requested and popular section of this program ¨¨ ASK ARNIE¨¨

So get ready to copy, here are several really practical and easy to follow tips for Dxing the low frequency spectrum from 10 kiloHertz all the way up to the end of the AM broadcast band, and even to the top of the amateur 160 meter band amigos !!!

Tip number one: Check your noise level, and try to find which are the radiofrequency noise generators that sorround your listening post. I remember many years ago when I first visited a point to point short wave communications system receiving station, that all the lamps they used were incandescent lamp bulbs... when I asked the Chief Engineer at the Prensa Latina news agency HF receiving station out in the ountryside near Cuatro Caminos a small village southeast of Havana , he told me that fluorescent lamps were prohibited at the receiving site, because they generate a lot of Radio Frequency wide band noise.

He also added that the power line that provided electricity for the receiving site came by means of an underground three phase high voltage cable that was more than two kilometers long, so that no overhead power lines were within the vecinity of the antennas.

Of course that I am aware that the average low frequency Dxer cannot enjoy the benefits of such a specially built site, but you can certainly check carefully and find out, for example, how each of your home´s electrical distribution systems contributes to your low frequency bands noise level. Just by going to the circuit breakers at the entrance and disconnecting them one at a time, you may be able to find, for example that the breaker providing power to the living room , when disconnected, makes low frequency reception much better.... Something that later was
traced to a fish water tank air pump... because the nice tropical fish aquarium was located right in the living room of the house. This was a real life experience for a Dxers Unlimited listener that sent a question to the ASK ARNIE section of the program asking how he could find out the source of a ticking sound that was making his reception on the low frequency bands very difficult , and even up to 10 megaHertz very annoying, because of a repetitive tick , that in this particular case
was caused by the fish tank air pump !!!

By switching the circuit breakers one at a time, you may also find out that the older computer in the kids room , the one still running with a big CRT picture tube monitor is a terrible noise generator... a problem that can be solved by changing to an LCD monitor, but be aware , that it MUST be an LCD monitor,because the PLASMA displays are even worse noise generators than the old picture tubes used by the early computer monitors.

Next tip: This will require a small AM broadcast band receiver and a pair of good quality headphones...The next step is to go all around your home with all the lights ON, and put the small portable radio near each lamp, while it is tuned to an empty frequency at the low end of the AM broadcast band. As many Dxers Unlimited listeners have learned in the past, because this is not the first time that I explain this procedure in the program, well, this easy technique will quickly point at the
noisy lamps...

With the compact fluorescent light bulbs now in use all around the world to save energy and reduce CO2 pollution , this is particularly important, and let me add amigos, that ¨¨ Not all compact fluorescent light bulbs are created equal¨¨ If you realize what I mean... The fact is that all radio hobby enthusiasts must learn which are the CFL´s compact fluorescent lamps that make less radio frequency noise, and to your advantage , there is the coincidence that the ones that generate less noise are usually the highest quality CFL´s , although I must add that they are also usually the most expensive too..

The next tip is also related to the way your home is illuminated, and it may be considered by some really dyed in the wool low frequency Dxers an essential step if you really want to reduce the local noise level... Try to start installing Light Emitting Diode Lamps... but be very careful, because some commercially built LED lamps are terrible noise generators too...

The reason that some of those super energy saver LED lamps generate noise, is that they used a switching mode power supply that sends down the drain any advantage that the low voltage light emitting diodes offer in contrast to the compact fluorescent lamps.

So, before buying LED light bulbs that can be plugged directly to replace the
incandescent or CFL bulbs, check that they are not using a switched mode power supply...

Some radio amateurs that have acquired all along their ham radio careers the ability to homebrew equipment, have built very nice arrays of white light emitting diodes that are powered from linear power supplies and so provide excellent illumination, no flicker , and no noise...

Just recently, a friend that visited here gave me several white light emitting diodes, and I decided to use them for making a lamp that is now located at my listening post and amateur radio station operating position, with excellent results... Although the Compact 15 watt fluorescent lamp that I used there was not very noisy, my sensitive broadcast band DX receiver could pick up the background noise that could only be suppressed by switching OFF the CFL lamp.

With the new white LED array of six diodes, the noise level is ZERO !!!

Well amigos, the topic of low frequency Dxing is so fascinating that it seems like it would require more time alloted to it during upcoming Dxers Unlimited programs.. You may want to provide me with feedback about today´s tips for reducing the RF noise level at your home , and also tell me if you have any question related to finding noise sources and trying to wipe them out !!!
...............

Si amigos, yes my friends, zero sunspots one day after the other, an amazingly low monthly sunspot count for July, and August is moving along the same line, but despite the minimum solar activity, radio amateurs continue to enjoy the hobby by traveling to remote DX cations and usually combining nice vacations with giving to fellow hams the opportunity to work new and usually rare prefixes...

Stay here until the end of the program because as ALWAYS when I am in Havana, at the end of the show, have your tape recorder ready for Arnie Coro's Dxers Unlimited's HF plus 6 meters propagation update and forecast , a practical guide for optimizing the enjoyment of your radio hobby , be it short wave listening or amateur radio, or any other of the more than 83 ways we can enjoy radio !!!

Here are is now one of the most recent Dx expeditions soon to be on the
air...

The Principality of Monaco, with the ITU Prefix 3A will be on the air thanks to Patrice, a french amateur that will operate his Dxpedition with the callsign 3A stroke F5RBB starting on the first of September and for 10 days. Patrice will be on the air on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters and his QSL information is via his home call via direct or trough the French QSL bureau.

He will provide a nice opportunity for newcomers to the hobby to work Monaco for the first time.

And now as always at the end of the program here is our HF and low band VHF propagation update and forecast. Solar activity expected to continue at baseline levels with solar flux not higher than 70, expect noise levels on the low frequencies up to 10 megaHertz to continue high during the late afternoon and early evening local time ,due to summer weekend edition thunderstorm activity.

Best time for long haul DX continues to be starting at around 2 hours before sunrise and just a brief period after sunrise. See you all at the mid week edition of the program amigos, and don´t forget to send your signal reports and comments to inforhc at enet dot cu or Via Air mail to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana . Cuba

Blog Logs

Today's shortwave BLOG LOGS, represent a portion of additional logs recently cut from my SWBC Logs column in Monitoring Times magazine, due to space constraints. Contributions are always welcome for the magazine or blog, and may be directed to my above email address. Thanks very much to all the contributors for your kind words and support.
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC, frequencies in kHz, English unless otherwise indicated // parallel frequencies.
* sign-on - sign-off *

Australia
CVC International (Darwin) 17830, 0430. Chinese religious text SIO 333. (S MacKenzie).17830, 0433-0436. Chinese for good signal SINPO 34333, one of only a few on the band at this hour. (J Evans).

Radio Australia (Brandon) 11660, 2052-2105. Pop music segment with Radio Australia announcements. Newscast at 2100. Good signal SINPO 44333. (J Evans).

Radio Australia (Darwin) 15180, 0411-0418. Bahasa service for announcer's slow text. Moderate signal with fading. SINPO 34222. Slightly stronger on 15415. (J Evans).

Radio Australia (Shepparton) 15515, 0428. Sporting event commentary, // 15240 (SIO 333) // 13690 (SIO 322) via Shepparton. (S MacKenzie).

Clandestine
Echo of Hope (for North Korea) 6003, 1108-1112. Korean news from announcer pair. SINPO 34433. Voice of People clandestine noted on 6600, 1102-1107 in Korean. SINPO 23432. (A Slaen).

Shiokaze/Sea Breeze (via Yamata, Japan) 6020, * 1400-1405. Rarely heard in Chinese (just as with their English programming, the announcers had strong accents) on with piano interval signal to "JSR" identification. Moderate jamming observed, along with light QRM from assumed Voice of Vietnam. (R Howard).



Colombia
La Voz del Guaviere (San Jose del Guaviere) 6035, 1020-1026. Spanish. Very nice local music to brief announcement to Catholic programming. SINPO 24222. (A Slaen).

Cuba
Radio Havana Cuba 1200, 2305. Spanish. Children's choir music to text on Venezuela, SIO 444. Spanish on 13760, 0315 // 9600. (S MacKenzie). China Radio International (via Cuba relay) 9790, 0452 in Chinese.(S MacKenzie).

Radio Nacional Venezuela via Cuban relay, 13680, 2327. Spanish text to music selections amid several mentions of "RNV" identification (S MacKenzie).

Djibouti
Radio Djibouti 4780, *0259-0325. Sign-on with Djibouti national anthem. Opening Arabic announcements at 0300. Koran recitations at 0302 to local music at 0325. Signal poor with CODAR interference. (B Alexander).

Egypt
Radio Wadi-el-Nil 9250, 2150-2201.* Local Middle eastern style music to Arabic talk. Koran recitations at 2154. Anthrm at 1100 and programming abruptly off at 2200 in mid-song. Signal fair. (B Alexander).

Guatemala
Radio Verdad (Chiquimula) 4052.5, 0527-0538. English service including very somber inspirational music that would have made a funeral look lively. Fair signal quality. (J Wood).
4052.5, 0416-0424. Spanish talk to mentions of Verdad and Guatemala. Chime music at 0417 to brief announcement. Upbeat religious vocals amid good signal quality. (J Evans).

Indonesia
Voice of Indonesia 9525.95, 1106-1111. Vernacular news bulletin to lady announcer's comments. SINPO 24322 (A Slaen). 9525.97, 1222. ( R. Howard)

RRI-Fak Fak 4790.03, 1243-1311. Bahasa Indonesian service for pop songs and station jingles at 1300. Song-of-the-Coconut-Island interval signal to station ID. Jakarta news relay amid fair signal quality, observing lite CODAR interferences. (R Howard).

Japan
Radio Nikkei (Tokyo) 6055, 1119-1125. Japanese conversations to pop music program. SINPO 23432 // 3925. (A Slaen). 6055, 1314-1330.* English lessons with some Japanese. Good signal quality // 3925 fair. ( R Howard)

Radio Japan/NHK 13650, 2338. Burmese service including program comments and music. SIO 433. (S MacKenzie)/

Malaysia
Asyik FM 6049.64, 1155. Via Kajang for vocal music to 1200, followed by news in Malaysian to anthem-style tune. Announcers chat to 1221, then pop music. Signal fair quality. (J Wilkins)

Klasik Nasional FM via RTM 5964.93, 1306-1349. Vernacular service to RTM Kuala Lumpur newscast (news only is // 7130 Sarawak FM via RTM). Easy-listening pop songs to ID for "Klasik Nasional" and "Klasik Nasional." Fair signal quality. (R Howard).

Netherlands Antilles
Radio Japan relay via Bonaire 11935, 0330. Japanese programming of talks and pop music. Observed on // 5960 (SIO 444) via Canada relay (S MacKenzie).

Nigeria
Radio Nigeria (Kaduna) 4770, 0516. Programming text about the Nigerian President. Poor signal quality. (J Wood).

Mali
RTVM 5995, *0555-0615. Guitar interval signal to national anthem by military band at 0558. Flute interval signal at 0559 and openign French identification announcements. Local tribal music at 0601. Signal weak and poor with co-channel splatter. (B Alexander).



Mexico
Candela FM 6104.88, 0353-0406. Very tentative log on this station. Spanish observed, including Latin American style music, best monitored in LSB. Signal poor to almost fair. ( R Howard)

Papua New Guinea
Radio Manus 3315, 1310-1317. Presumed this station for weak signal during pop music program. (R Howard).

Russia
Radio Rossii 7320, 0917-0933. Russian. Announcer segments to jazz style music at 0926. Commercials to station ID at 0930, back to music at 0933. Signal poor-fair // 7200 Yakutsk fading in by 0930. (S Barbour)

Voice of Russia (Petropavlovsk) 13635, 0440. Announcer's chat to program features. Noted on // 9860 (SIO 333) via Vatican relay. (S MacKenzie)

Singapore
Radio Japan/NHK 11740, 1254-1302. Listed as Vietnamese. Announcement segments between music to 1259. Time signal pips to interval signal, followed by Mandarin service. Sign-on routine to news amid poor-weak signal (S Barbour).

Slovakia
Miraya FM relay 15650, 1509-1512. Presumed station with English news about Sudan. Arabic service at 1511 amid poor and noisy conditions. (B Alexander).

NEXUS/IRRS relay 15725, 1417-1430.* Sunday broadcast with religious programming. Signal conditions poor. (B Alexander).

South Africa
BBC World Service relay 6005, 0329. BBC station ID to brief comments. Pop music program to update segment on Zimbabwe, // 6145 (SIO 332) via Ascension Island. (S Mackenzie).

Sri Lanka
Deutsche Welle relay via Trincomalee. 15595, 1404-1415. Pashto service. Announcer's text for poor signal quality, just above the noise level. SINPO 24222. (J Evans).

Sudan
Radio Omdurman 7200, 0326-0340. Arabic. Announcer duo between segments of recitations. Signal fair-poor, battling with co-channel Bulgaria which was dominate throughout. (S Barbour).

Thailand
BBC relay (Nakhon Sawan) 11750, 1346-1400.* Two male announcers conversing at noise level. Language was English, but could not understand much of the content. SINPO 24222 at best. (J Evans).

Radio Thailand (Udon Thani) 11625, 1357-1400.* Thai service of talk/announcements. Slow style music at 1359. Close of broadcast at 1400 during poor signal quality, SINPO 24222. (J Evans).

United Arab Emirates
radio Japan relay 13740, 1833-1853. Japanese service of musical variety program with comedy skits and music hall vocals. Signal good (S7). (J Wood).

United States
WHRI 11785, 2320. Contemporary Christian music to 2330. Station identification followed by addition tunes. SIO 444. 17800, 0410 with ID and sermon text on the Garden of Eden at 0415. (S MacKenzie).

AFN/AFRTS 5446 via Key West, FL, 0335-0343. Newscast to ESPN sports roundup. Poor signal with significant fading (SINPO 24222) // 7811 via Key West observed with less noise and a slightly stronger signal. (J Evans).

Uzbekistan
CVC 11790, 0220-0250. Presumed this station with English service. Christian inspirational music. Very weak-threshold signal. (B Alexander).

Venezuela
Radio Amazonas (Puerto Ayacucho) 4940v, 0115-0140. Signal still here with a strong, very distorted signal quality. Latin American music to Spanish announcements and promotionals. Station ID at 0126. (B Alexander).

Vietnam
Radio TV, Son La (presumed) 4739.59v, 1220-1241. Vietnamese service including indigenous music and singling/chanting. Announcer's talk at 1230 for fair signal quality. Noted station on 5975, 1305-1317. Vietnamese // 7210 // 9530. (R.Howard)

Contributors:
Brian Alexander, PA
Scott Barbour, NH
Jim Evans, TN
Ron Howard, CA
Stewart MacKenzie, CA
Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina
Joe Wood, TN
John Wilkins, CO

Lifelong radio buff Tom Kneitel dead at 75

It is my sad duty to announce that my old friend Tomcat has passed away down in Florida on Friday. Here is an obit courtesy of the Orlando newspaper, Jack NeSMith and family. Thanks Jack.

From the Orlando Sentinel newspaper:

Tom Kneitel, who loved radios from the time he was a kid, turned his hobby into a career, writing magazine articles and books for other radio buffs. Known by his CB handle "Tomcat," Kneitel was a storied figure in the world of CBs, shortwaves and scanners.

His 1992 book Tune in on Telephone Calls - which told readers how to use inexpensive equipment to join the "popular pastime" of listening in on other people's cell-phone calls - earned him interviews by The New York Times and The Boston Globe.

Kneitel, 75, died Friday. The DeLand man had been ill for more than a year, with a variety of health problems, said Judy Kneitel, his wife of 54 years.

He began writing about radios in the 1950s. "My goodness, I'm having fun and they're paying me," he told his wife.

His last job had been as editor of Popular Communications magazine, but he had also written for CB Horizons magazine, S9 magazine, Popular Electronics and TV Guide. He also wrote a number of other books.

Born in New York City, Kneitel spent part of his childhood in Florida. He was the grandson of Max Fleischer, the cartoonist who had a Miami animation studio that created Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons.

His family moved back to New York when he was a teenager, and Kneitel spent most of his life there. In 2004, the Kneitels retired to DeLand.

He was a funny man but also a workaholic who would "be at the typewriter 18 hours a day," Judy Kneitel said. "He never missed a deadline. He enjoyed writing."

Even as he was entering a hospice last year, "he turned out three more articles," she said.

Most of his columns contained humor, plays on words and strong opinions. A Pennsylvania newsletter for radio buffs last year reprinted this retort by Kneitel, who'd been taken to task for his criticism of an old organization: "I don't care when it was founded, I just want to know when it will be losted."

Kneitel got his first radio from relatives after he contracted polio when he was 14 - and was hooked.

Though he recovered from the disease, he always walked with a limp, his wife said, and about 15 years ago "post-polio syndrome" landed him in a wheelchair. He'd been suffering from heart disease and diabetes, among other problems, too.

In addition to his wife, Kneitel is survived by seven of his eight children and by 10 grandchildren. The family plans a private memorial service.

Eritrea/Ethiopian logs

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on sign-off*

Eritrea/ Ethiopia

Original moment at 1530 on Aug 19 on 7110 kHz: Heard Ethiopia ( \\ 9705) + Eritrea + Ethiopian jammer when they are jumping in range 7093-7117 kHz. The question is: What is the difference between the noise of DRM and Ethiopian jammer?
(Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 21)

7100 VOBME, Program 1, *0355-0405, Aug 15, Interval signal, Horn of Africa music at 0358. Talk at 0359. Covered by noise jammer at 0400. Noise jammer & VOBME gone at 0409 check. At 0410 noticed unidentified station on 8000.13 with talk and Horn of Africa music. VOBME? Good signal. Heard past 0425.

7165v VOBME, Program 2, *0355-0425, Aug 15, new frequency. ex-7175 (at least for today). IS. Horn of Africa music at 0400. Talk at 0401. Fair but several minutes of noise jammer at 0359. Frequency varing 7165.00-7165.13. (Brian Alexander-PA-USA, HCDX Aug 15)

7110 Radio Ethiopia, *0259-0325, Aug 15, short IS on electronic keyboard. Chimes at 0300 & Amharic talk. Short breaks of techno music. Some Horn of Africa music at 0303. Afro-pops. Fair. Very weak \\ 5990, 9704.18. (Brian Alexander-PA-USA, HCDX Aug 15)

7165 Radio Ethiopia, Geja Jawe, 0940-1000*, 14 Aug, Vernacular (Afar or Somali as listed), talks; SINPO 15341. (Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 19)

9559.80 Radio Ethiopia Aug 08 1357-1406 35433-33433 Afar and Arabic, Ethiopian pops, ID at 1358. Interval signal at 1359, 1400 three gongs to talk.

9559.90 Radio Ethiopia Jul 23 1402-1412. SINPO 34433 Arabic, News and Ethiopian pops, ID at 1410.

9559.90v Radio Ethiopia Jul 30 1457-1500* SINPO 34443-33443 Arabic, Ethiopian pops, ID at 1500.

9559.90v Voice of Democratic Alliance via Radio Ethiopia Jul 30 *1500-1510. SINPO 33443 Arabic. Interval signal to ID. Talk and Eritrian pops. (Kouji Hashimoto-JPN, PNpremium Aug 15)

5940 Radio Fana, Mek'ele, 1607-1635, 18 Aug, Tigriniya (pres), talks, local tunes. SINPO 25433; \\ to 5950.

5950 Radio Fana, Mek'ele, 1608-1625, 18 Aug, Tigriniya (p), cf. \\ 5940; 33442, adajacent QRM de RNW 5955,. Reception was easier on 5940. (Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 18)

(Source: BC-DX #874/Top News via wb, Germany)

Propagation Forecast Bulletin update

Propagation Forecast Bulletin 35 ARLP035
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA August 22, 2008

SB PROP ARL ARLP035
ARLP035 Propagation de K7RA

Another week of quiet sun, but on Wednesday and Thursday, August 20-21, a new spot seems to be emerging. There is no sign that it is anything other than an old cycle 23 spot. Spaceweather.com reported it with a sunspot number of 11 for August 21, but NOAA did not,
reporting zero instead for Thursday. A late Thursday image at http://tinyurl.com/5l8mcz suggests a spot in the northern hemisphere on the left side of the image.

About a year and a half ago in bulletin ARLP010 we speculated whether solar cycle minimum had been reached. The same issue mentioned a personal quest by JQ2UOZ to work DXCC at the solar cycle minimum running only one-half watt on 17 meters and higher using dipole antennas. In an email this week he said he has reached his goal. So far he has worked 138 countries, and you can see details on his web site at www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~jq2uoz/ .

Tony Dixon, G4CJC produces a weekly report on the ten meter band, including calls heard, at
www.southgatearc.org/bands/10metres/ . Even at the bottom of the cycle, there is still propagation on 10 meters, although it tends to be sporadic-E skip, rather than F layer propagation we see when there are more sunspots.

This week NASA released an article with details on upcoming solar research initiatives, ranging from soon to 2015. One that is expected to launch in 2015 will place four satellites around the sun and it will observe solar activity on the other side, facing away from Earth. See details at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/19aug_lws.htm .

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical Information Service at www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin, see www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html . An archive of
past propagation bulletins is at www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .

Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve overseas locations are at www.arrl.org/qst/propcharts /.

Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of this bulletin are at www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#email .

Sunspot numbers for August 14 through 20 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0 with a mean of 0. 10.7 cm flux was 65.9, 65.3, 66.2, 66.5, 66.2, 67.3, and 65.9 with a mean of 66.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 4, 5, 7, 23, 8 and 6 with a mean of 8.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 4, 3, 4, 5, 15, 7 and 5 with a mean of 6.1.

(Source: Dave Raycroft)

VOA Hindi radio service to be shut down

Voice of America's Hindi radio service is on the chopping block. As you will see below from the message that's been circulated by those who work there, radio service will cease on September 30, 2008 (it was first launched in July 1955). About six staffers will lose their jobs. The website and a once-a-week, seven-minute segment on Aaj Tak, a television channel in India, will continue. A senior VOA official (who wouldn't talk on the record to SAJA forum) told me that how the web and TV presence will evolve will be decided after the radio service stops running. I have a call into other officials, seeking on-the-record comments and will update this post as necessary. If you have thoughts, comments, etc, please post it in the comments section below. Tips, leads, welcome, too: saja@columbia.edu

In the message below, Ashok Sarin of VOA Hindi Service (Radio) - akumarsarin[at]yahoo.com - asks those interested to write to members of Congress who might be able to influence this decision. He concludes by writing: "Even writing a letter to Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post can serve a useful purpose."

You will be sorry to know that the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has announced to the employees of the Voice of America , Hindi Service (Radio) that their broadcasts will be abolished on September 30, 2008. This decision was presented as being the "will of the Congress". however, in December the FY 2008 funding bill for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which was PASSED by both houses and signed by the President, directed that this proposed cut be REVERSED.

On July 16, 2008, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs marked up the Broadcasting Board of Governors FY 2009 budget and again directed this proposed cut be REVERSED. Excerpts from their recommendation: Language Service Reductions - The Committee recommends sufficient funding in fiscal year 2009, including $8,000,000 provided in Public Law 110-252, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, to maintain broadcasting in languages which the BBG proposed to reduce or eliminate. The Committee supports an ongoing effort to improve audience reach by utilizing the most effective means of transmission; however, the Committee does not support going silent
in many critical regions.

It appears that the Broadcasting Board of Governors is ignoring the will of the Congress.

Hindi is the flagship and national language of India . There are severval million muslims in India (more than the population of Pakistan, who keenly listen and ask questions about US strategic partnership with India and its efforts in the Middle East . All Hindi VOA Radio Listeners depend on VOA Hindi Radio programming and news to keep themselves fully informed and this is one of main reasons that in a recent survey 73 per cent people gave U.S. the most favored nation status.

President George Bush has already launched an initiative to promote foreign languages in American schools including HINDI. U.S. is shifting more diplomats to India while reducing the numbers in Europe, boosting attention to the rising power and importance to India . The entire U.S. business is working on "India Strategy", but BBG is not thinking straight. Indo-US nuclear deal, India cooperation in the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan , joint military exercises and several other issues figure prominently in Indo-US relationship which is going to be extremely substantial in the years to come.

The Urdu Service of VOA for Pakistan, Dari and Pashto Services for Afghanistan, have been extended by several hours a day while the Hindi Radio roadcast to India is only an hour a day and that too is likely to be eliminated. Shutting the Hindi Radio will be an insult to the people of
India . Radio is the only medium to reach all the 750 million Hindi speaking people of India.

Given the strategic importance to India as the world's largest democracy, a de facto nuclear power, world's fifth largest economy and an important ally of the united States in the WAR AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM, shutting down the well established daily Hindi Radio programming since July 1955, should not be favored.

I will urge you to please take this matter up with the members of India Caucus and other members of the Appropriation Committees of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, plead with them that they advise BBG Chairman and other members of the Board NOT to close down VOA Hindi Radio Service. Some strong action is needed and I am hopeful that you will help us in our mission.
Regards,
Ashok Sarin, Voice of America, Hindi Service

Key appropriation committee members who can stop the Hindi Radio cuts:
1. Representative Chris Van Hollen, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives, 1707
Longworth House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215 Fax: 202-225-0375
2. Representative Donna Edwards, U.S. House of Representatives, 2470 Rayburn
House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215 Fax: 202-225-8714
3. Representative Steny Hoyer, U.S. House of Representatives, 1705 Longworth
House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-4300
4. Representative Roscoe Bartlett, U.S. House of Representatives, 2412
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-2193
5. Representative Frank R. Wolf, U.S. House of Representatives, 241 Cannon
House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-0437
6. Representatives Thomas M. Davis III, U.S. House of Representatives, 2348
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-3071
7. Representative Robert J. Wittman, U.S. House of Representatives, 1123
Longworth House, Washington D.C,. 20215. Fax: 202-225-4382
8. Representative James P. Moran, U.S. House of Representatives, 2239
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-0017
9. Hon. Howard Berman, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Fax
202-225-3196.
10. Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member, House Committee on Foreign
Affairs Fax: 202-225-5620
11. Hon. Nita Lowey, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Fax:
202-225-0437
12. Patrick Leahy (Appropriations Subcommittee - State, Foreign Relations
and related Programs. Fax: 202-224-3479
13. Senator Jim Webb (Appropriations Subcommittee) Fax: 202-224-4024

MEMBERS OF INDIA CAUCUS
1. Jim Mcdermott, 1035 Longworth HOB, Washington D.C. 20515. Phone:
202-225-2452 Fax: 202-225-2455
2, Joe Wilson, 212 Cannon House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515.
Phone: 202-225-2452 Fax: 202-225-2455
3. J. Crowley, Phone: 202-225-3965

Besides, India lovers like Palone and others can also provide help. It will be a good idea to send faxes to almost all the above personalities. Even writing a letter to Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post can serve a useful purpose.
We need help.
Your Friends at VOA, Hindi.
(Source: Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India; Rachel Baughn, MT; Bruce Barker, VOA)

Blog Logs

Dear friends,

Here are my latest loggings done on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres longwire in ovlunde:
4760 2358-0010 fade out INDIA 18/19.08 All India Radio-Port Blair (presumed). Vernacular announcement to Indian music. SINPO 25222 (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

4840 *2355-2400 INDIA 18.08 All India Radio-Mumbai AIR interval signal to Hindi announcement. National hymn to announcement and string music. SINPO 45444. (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

4845.00 2310-0030 MAURITANIA 18/19.08 Radio Mauritanie, Nouakchott Arabic/French Back on SW after being absent nearly a month. Interview in Arabic about Sharia Law in Iran and Iraq, two speeches in French both ending with "Vive la Démocratie en Mauritanie!" followed by an excited speaker in Arabic, 0000 long comment in Arabic. SINPO 55444. (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

4940 0010-0030 INDIA 19.08 All India Radio-Guwahati Assamese (presumed) Station announcement to Indian songs. SINPO 34343 CWQRM. (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

6035.00 0010-0030 BHUTAN 19.08 Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Sangaygang Dzongkha ann, drums and horn music, beautiful songs. SINPO 34343 QRM from 6030. (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

6135.0 2245-2255 BRAZIL 18.08 Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, SP. Portuguese news from São Paulo mentioning "propaganda nacional" ! SINPO 34343 weak heterodyne from Bolivia (Anker Petersen, Denmark)

(Source: Dario Monferini/Play DX)

RAC announces a newly revised HF Band Plan

I.C.P.O. (Islands, Castles & Portable Operations)
UPDATE

RAC announces a newly revised HF Band Plan.

The HF band plan presently in use in Canada has been adopted in 1996. Since, many changes have happened in the Amateur world and other band plans have been revised and modified. Let us only mention the changes announced by the FCC in 2007 affecting the US band plan and the revised one adopted by the IARU Region 2 countries at the Brasilia conference in September 2007.

Just under two years ago, Radio Amateurs of Canada had asked Bob Nash, VE3KZ, a former First Vice President of RAC, to re-activate the HFBPC (HF Band Planning Committee) with a goal to review and modernize the Canadian HF Band Plan. Bob's committee has since worked very hard in studying and consulting all across Canada to eventually come up with a band plan proposed to the Board of Directors of Radio Amateurs of Canada. The RAC Board has adopted this plan at its July 2008 meeting and the new band plan is now on the RAC Web page at:

http://www.rac.ca/service/bandplans/hfband_e.php

RAC wants to thank the HFBPC members for their hard work and wishes the Canadian Amateur community much pleasure in using the new band plans.

Please spread the news.
73,
Daniel A. Lamoureux, VE2KA
Vice President International Affairs,
Radio Amateurs of Canada.
ve2ka@rac.ca [RAC Bulletin]

73 and Good DX!
Dave Raycroft - VA3RJ
Home of ICPO: http://webhome.idirect.com/~va3rj/
Contest Calendar, DX Calendar, Lighthouse Activations

Australian DX Report No. 113 available for download

A new episode, No. 113, of the AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT audio shortwave news magazine is now available.

It includes monitoring surveys of the 11 MHz and 9 MHz bands, schedule changes, and propagation notes.It's 14 mins 49 secs, and is at

http://airm.edxp.org/

The "AUSTRALIAN DX REPORT", is a free service of the ELECTRONIC DX PRESS RADIO MONITORING ASSOCIATION and contains professionally compiled information about world shortwave broadcasting, with monitoring research.

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly (streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embedded mini-player. Podcasts, full RSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 113!
(Source: Bob Padula,Melbourne, Australia)

Weekend relays on shortwave

Thanks to Tom Taylor for the updates on tomorrows relays.
Gayle VH

Sunday August 24th

Latvia Today via Radio SWH 1500 - 1600 UTC 9290 kHz

Radio Gloria 1200-1300 UTC 6140 kHz. Transmissions will be via the transmitting station Wertachtal in Germany, at 100, 000 watts and using a non-directional antenna system (Quadrant antenna).

Radio Kiribati struggles to remain on the air

Text of report by Radio Australia text website on 21 August
Radio Kiribati is facing an acute shortage of daily earnings, and had to cut its staffing to remain on air. Pacific Magazine reports the national radio station’s acting manager, Tibwere Bobo, says the problem began two weeks ago, when Radio Kiribati’s AM transmission was off-air due to a break down in the transmitter.
“Our engineers after installing the spare parts would have to monitor it before they can declare that our problem had been solved,” he said. “This could take a few days.”
The station is maintaining its FM transmission which only covers South Tarawa and the remote Line and Phoenix Groups. But money generated from this service on a daily basis is minimal and not enough to cover the daily expense of Radio Kiribati transmissions.
The radio station is trying to cut costs, and has applied for an overdraft from the bank. Mr Bobo says more measures will have to be taken if the AM transmission is not restored soon.
(Source: Radio Australia text website, Melbourne, in English 21 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Uncovering truth about Georgia conflict

By Stephanie Holmes
BBC News

As accusations of indiscriminate violence, murder and genocide are hurled between Russia and Georgia over the South Ossetia conflict, human rights investigators are painstakingly trying to establish the facts on the ground.

Researchers suggest both sides may have violated the codes of war - using violence that was either disproportionate or indiscriminate, or both - claims that the International Criminal Court is currently investigating.
Continued story at BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572969.stm

CPJ reports Georgia blocking Russian broadcasters and websites

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged the Georgian government to stop blocking Russian broadcasts and websites. According to the Moscow-based radio Ekho Moskvy, Russian Television International (RTVi) was cut off after it aired Ekho Moskvy’s interview with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the conflict in South Ossetia and the future of the relationship between Russia and Georgia. In the interview, Lavrov supported the Russian incursion into Georgia, and called for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to step down.
RTVi is a New York-based independent Russian-language broadcaster that broadcasts via satellite; its programmes in Georgia are transmitted by local cable companies. The station was accessible in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, and in the cities of Poti, Batumi and Telavi.
RTVi News Service Director Georgy Tsikhiseli told CPJ that the Cable TV Union of Georgia informed an RTVi representative in London yesterday that Georgia will cease broadcasting its programmes from 1 September because of Russian aggression against the country. However, RTVi has actually been blocked in Georgia since Monday. Tsikhiseli said it was shocking news for the company because it believes it supported the Georgian authorities and condemned Russia’s decision to begin military actions in Georgia.
“They slapped us in the face, and we did not deserve it,” Tsikhiseli told CPJ. “We reported on the conflict and tried to be as objective as possible - when airing reports from Russia we did not comment on them, but rather referred to Russian actions as aggression. It is an act of censorship, nothing less than that.” Tsikhiseli said the company is calling on the Georgian authorities to intervene. CPJ tried to reach the Cable TV Union of Georgia for comment, but calls went unanswered
According to the Moscow Times, Georgian authorities have also been blocking Russian news channels Rossiya, Channel One, and NTV, as well as websites with .ru domains since 9 August. Zviad Pochkhua, editor-in-chief of the Tbilisi-based English-language newspaper The Financial, told CPJ that Russian news sites are accessible only via proxy servers, and that Russian news channels have been blocked since last week due to “biased reporting and propaganda.”
(Source: Committee to Protect Journalists/R Netherlands Media Network eblog)

Voice of Russia expands broadcasting to Transcaucasia

During the armed conflict in South Ossetia the Voice of Russia was the only broadcaster quickly delivering the latest news and the position of Russia to the people of Georgia. As of now the Voice of Russia will stipulate more airtime to broadcast to Transcaucasia.
On August 9th the Georgian authorities banned all Russian television andradio channels and blocked access to all ru-Websites. Voice of Russia FM-band broadcasts to Tbilisi discontinued as of the night of August 8th.But the Voice of Russia has retained its presence on the Georgian information space. Moscow is broadcasting to Georgia and the neighboring regions 14 hours a day. The Voice of Russia's Commonwealth Service, which broadcasts in Russian to post-Soviet republics and the Baltic countries, has launched an on-line service broadcast reports by Russian news agencies and commentaries by prominent Russian politicians and experts. Yekaterina
Yagunova is the head of the Voice of Russian press service.

The Voice of Russia increased the number of short-wave and medium-wave transmitters to broadcast to Georgia. Besides, programs of the Voice of Russia in Russia are retransmitted in Sukhumi in Abkhazia at the FM-frequency of 107.9 MHz. Airtime has now been increased from 6 to 10 hours per day. And August 8th saw the opening of the South Ossetia Website at www.ruvr.ru which is called "South Ossetia: events and opinion" and is available in Russian and 31 foreign languages. During the conflict the Voice of Russia Internet audience increased by more than two and a half times.

In addition, the Voice of Russia has started a text message service, which is available at +7 (917) 767 7845. Listeners can subscribe to a free news service which will be available in any corner of the globe and supply timely and unbiased information on the developments in South Ossetia regardless of access to the Internet.

During the conflict the Voice of Russia World Service broadcast to global audiences in 37 foreign languages. Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia triggered a wide-ranging reaction with people sending letters,making phone calls and texting to express concern and regret over the loss of life and to voice hope for a peaceful settlement. Many listeners express their gratitude to the Voice of Russia for providing an unbiased coverage of the latest developments in South Ossetia. For many the Voice of Russia was the only source of compete and comprehensive information on what was happening in the region. State Duma deputy Gennady Gudkov said as he spoke on the Voice of Russia that the broadcaster was doing the great service of filling foreign countries up on the viewpoints they rarely hear at home.
Lada Korotun ,Voice of Russia.
(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

China continues to jam international radio stations during Olympics

The Chinese authorities are continuing to jam the Chinese, Tibetan and Uyghur-language broadcast of several international radio stations although they promised to respect press freedom and the free flow of information during the Olympic Games, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
“An international media outcry forced the Chinese government to stop blocking access to websites, but there has been no similar gesture towards the international radio stations such as the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Voice of Tibet, which are being jammed within China,” says RSF.
RSF has confirmed from various sources in China that the jamming of Chinese-language broadcasts by the BBC, VOA, RFA and Sound of Hope (a station linked to the Falun Gong) and Tibetan and Uighur-language broadcasts by RFA and Voice of Tibet has not stopped before or during the Olympic Games. The jamming of Tibetan-language programmes has even been stepped up in recent months.
The staff of Voice of Tibet, a station based in Norway that broadcasts Tibetan and Chinese-language programmes to Tibet, report an increase in jamming of their three shortwave frequencies. The Chinese authorities use eight broadcasts from six different points within China (Beijing, Xian, Urumqi, Kashi, Hainan and Fuzhou) to make Voice of Tibet inaudible. Around 100 antennae have been installed in Tibet to jam international radio broadcasts.
“Our three frequencies are registered internationally for exclusive use for the broadcasting of our station’s programming,” Voice of Tibet director Oystein Alme said. “But no one is capable of defending us against the Chinese jamming and, what’s more, our website is still blocked.”
(Source: Reporters Without Borders/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Weekly Propagation Reports

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2008 Aug 19 2119 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
11 - 17 August 2008

Solar activity was very low. No flares were detected. The visible
disk was spotless.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during 11 - 13 August and 15 - 16 August.

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during the period. Brief periods of active levels were also observed at high latitudes on 11, 14, and 17 August. ACE solar wind observations indicated a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream was in progress at the start of the period. Velocities reached a maximum of 657 km/sec at 11/0500 UTC, then gradually decreased through 16 August with a minimum velocity of 310 km/sec observed at 16/1555 UTC. Minor variations were noted in the IMF as velocities decreased. A co-rotating interaction region (CIR) commenced late on 16 August associated with a minor increase in velocities (peak 402 km/sec at 17/2226 UTC), increased proton densities (peak 29 p/cc at 16/2211 UTC), intermittent periods of southward IMF Bz (minimum - 7 nT at 16/2122 UTC), and increased IMF Bt (peak 10 nT at 16/2059 UTC).

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
20 August - 15 September 2008

Solar activity is expected to be very low.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 20 - 23 August, 07 - 12 September, and 15 September.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels during 20 August due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 21 August - 03 September. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on 04 September. A further increase to active to minor storm levels is expected on 05 September due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to
unsettled levels during 06 - 07 September as the high-speed stream subsides. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 08 - 11 September. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 12 - 14 September due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to mostly quiet levels on 15 September as the high-speed stream subsides.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2008 Aug 19 2119 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#

# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2008 Aug 19
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2008 Aug 20 66 10 3
2008 Aug 21 66 5 2
2008 Aug 22 66 5 2
2008 Aug 23 66 5 2
2008 Aug 24 66 5 2
2008 Aug 25 66 5 2
2008 Aug 26 66 5 2
2008 Aug 27 66 5 2
2008 Aug 28 66 5 2
2008 Aug 29 66 5 2
2008 Aug 30 66 5 2
2008 Aug 31 66 5 2
2008 Sep 01 66 5 2
2008 Sep 02 66 5 2
2008 Sep 03 66 5 2
2008 Sep 04 66 8 3
2008 Sep 05 66 18 4
2008 Sep 06 66 12 3
2008 Sep 07 66 8 3
2008 Sep 08 66 5 2
2008 Sep 09 66 5 2
2008 Sep 10 66 5 2
2008 Sep 11 66 5 2
2008 Sep 12 66 8 3
2008 Sep 13 66 8 3
2008 Sep 14 66 20 5
2008 Sep 15 66 15 4
(NOAA)

Blog Logs - Australia

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on sign-off*

4835, VL8A, Alice Springs, NT, 0812-0830*, Aug 05 and 08, English talk with music as background, getting chopped up by CODAR unfortunately, // 4910, 15331. (Bolland and Gonçalves). Also heard at 2133-2155, Aug 16, English, ABC news, weather report at 2140, "Sunday Morning" program. SINPO 35332. (Gonçalves)

4910, VL8T, Tennant Creek, NT, 2135-2153, Aug 16, cf. // 4835 VL8A, 24321, adjacent QRM from 4915. (Gonçalves). Also heard 0810-0830*, Aug 05 and 08, English talks about the environment, music. SINPO 15331. (Bolland and Gonçalves)

5025, VL8K, Katherine, NT, 2136-2150, Aug 16, cf. // 4835 VL8A and 4910 VL8T. SINPO 23321. QRM Benin. (Gonçalves)

6020, Radio Australia (Shepparton, VIC) *0900-0956, Aug 07, Interval signal for Pidgin to PNG, but they kept on playing it and program was aired; ditto re. // 9710; SINPO 35432, QRM from RNW in Dutch at *0930. (Gonçalves)

9710, Radio Australia (Shepparton, VIC) 1002-1100*, Aug 06, talks, music, news, SINPO 15422. (Gonçalves)

11750, HCJB, Kununurra, 0857-0910, Aug 14, English religious programme, ID at 0900 "HCJB Global Voice Australia", SINPO 24432. (Baste)

11840, Radio Australia (Darwin, NT) 2222-2253, Aug 06, English to Asia, "AM" programme: Home news, SINPO 55444. (Gonçalves)

15230, CVC International (Darwin) 0900, Aug 12, English, ID, songs, SINPO 24423. (Baste)

15515, Radio Australia (Shepparton, VIC) 2139-2210, Aug 12, English to the Pacific, exchange rates and financial reports, music, Olympics report, 25433 but deteriorating; very good on parallel 11840. (Gonçalves)
(Source: DX Window # 357 via Anker Petersen, Denmark)

Additional Australian logs
7240 Radio Australia, 1414, 8/11/08. Fair with Olympics sports coverage. Some slop from adjacent ham radio activity (Strawman-IA/Cumbre DX).

9710 Radio Australia, 1620, 8/17/08. Poor to fair with typical news feature (Strawman-IA/Cumbre DX).

13650, Radio Australia (Shepparton VIC)13630 2235 English 433 August 5 Two announcers with comments on water savings. Announcers program interview at 2238. //12080 [333] Brandon, 13635 [444] (S MacKenzie, CA)

4835, ABC, Northren Territority, Alice Springs, 0814-0830 Noted a male in English language comments with music as background. Signal which is threshold, is getting chopped up by CODAR unfortunately. (Chuck Bolland, August 5, 2008).

4910, ABC, Northern Territority, Tennant Creek, 0822-0830, Noted a female in English language comments until 0824 when music briefly heard. This followed with more English
comments from a male. Signal was threshold. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

15515, Radio Australia (Shepparton VIC) 15515 2210 English 333 Aug 11 OM interviewing an OM on the 2008 Olympics. MacKenzie-CA)

Rwandan minister threatens to close BBC and VOA FM relays in Kigali

The Rwandan Minister of Information has accused the BBC and Voice of America of “destroying the unity of the Rwandans” through their programmes in the national languages that are available on FM in the capital Kigali. Louise Mushikiwabo made the accusation during a broadcast on Monday by government-owned Radio Rwanda.
The Minister said the cause of the problem lies with the Rwandan journalists working for the two stations, emphasizing that their programmes in other languages “do not cause any problem”.
“We’re looking for a solution to the problem”, she continued, adding that the relevant authorities in Rwanda had informed the persons in charge of the two broadcasters of their concerns. She said that senior members of the Rwandan government have suspended the granting of interviews to the two stations “while hoping that they will correct themselves”.
She warned that the Rwandan government has “the capacity and the right” to suspend the broadcasting of these transmissions on its territory if the position does not change. ”The Rwandan authorities don’t want a press that acclaims them, but we ask that the press reports the facts faithfully; what we don’t want is lies and exaggeration”, she said.
(Source: Le Monde/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

DXers Unlimited - weekend edition Aug 16-17

Radio Havana Cuba
Dxers Unlimited
Dxers Unlimited's weekend edition for 16-17 August 2008
By Arnie Coro CO2KK

Hi mis amigos radioaficionados around the world! This is the weekend edition of your favorite radio hobby program, the one and only that really attempts to cover every single aspect of this wonderful way to enjoy your spare time : RADIO... and when I say RADIO, I mean every single aspect of our hobby that involves in tne way or the other electromagnetic waves... from monitoring the mysterious sporadic E band openings that extend well up into the VHF region of the radio spectrum to the so called natural radio signals, the whistlers that are extra long wave Planet Earth´s own natural radio "noise". We can also detect planet Jupiter's powerful radio signals with a simple homebrew radiotelescope, and yes that´s something that can be done with a very easy to install and rather small antenna system and receiving equipment so simple in fact, that picking up Jupiter's radio emissions is surely my favorite radioastronomy demonstration when someone visits my shack at anytime time that Jupiter is above the horizon... The radio signals from Jupiter sound like waves reaching a sandy beach,and you can be sure that the signals are coming from Jupiter by correlating the astronomical data with your radio observations. When Jupiter is below the horizon the signals are not heard, and you start to pick them up when the big planet can be seen from your location

Si amigos, there are at least 84 different ways you can enjoy the radio hobby, and ham radio contests are certainly one of the most challenging of them all.. Now let's start with one of those very attractive ways of enjoying the hobby, that is turning yourself into an amateur solar observer: Following the solar cycle on a day to day or even hour by hour schedule is, and I warn you all, certainly addictive... and it is also a very rewarding experience, as you will learn a lot about the complex solar-terrestrial relationships that have such a great influence not only on short wave radio propagation, but also in many yet unknown aspects to mankind... Solar cycle gurus will tell you that watching the Sun's activity on a day by day basis is very interesting, and once you master the basics, then you can start making your own propagation analysis that will lead to a much more fruitful enjoyment of whatever time you devote to operate your amateur radio station or your radio listening post...

I have received many requests for HF propagation analysis and forecasts from contest operators in Canada, that were planning to activate the rarely on the air CQ Zone 2, also hams from Germany and the UK have requested a special Arnie Coro contest ropagation guide,that have also been used by several of the most active and rare DX expeditions like one the most succesful Clipperton Island events... The main reasons for such requests for a special contest propagation update are, first of all antenna related, and in second place they are looking for advice on the bands that are more likely to produce the best results during different times of the day...

By the way there are several Internet on line courses that will help you to learn a lot about the solar cycle, and once you master one of them, your capacity to produce accurate and effective HF propagation updates and forecasts will increase significantly...

Item two: Closely linked to item one: Solar activity is at very low levels at this moment, and the effective sunspot number Saturday at 12 UTC was just 2 units, while the mid latitude A index, the geomagnetic disturbance indicator for latitudes below 40 degrees North or so, was at 2 units, so you should expect rather nice propagation on the three tropical bands, 120, 90 and 60 meters plus the AM broadcast band...,but we may soon be under the effects of a high speed solar wind coming from a coronal hole, that will spoil HF propagation still more above 40 degrees North latitude. Due to the very high summer thunderstorms activity, your reception of frequencies from 100 kiloHertz to 6 megaHertz is going to be rather noisy to say the least, and it is expected that the recently formed tropical storm FAY, hovering between Haiti and Cuba at the time you are listening to this program will also act as a big static crashes noise generator because of the thunderstorms associated to the bad weather system.

Item three: ASK ARNIE, la numero uno, the number one most reported section of Dxers Unlimited will follow, after a short break for station ID...

Si amigos ! This is Dxers Unlimited's weekend edition and here is now, as announced, ASK ARNIE, la numero uno, your favorite section of the show, today's question came from several listeners in the USA... they all ask my opinion about power amplifiers for amateur radio stationsthat use MOSFET devices instead of vacuum tubes or bipolar transistors.

MOSFET , is the acronym for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor, a technology that has developed at a fast pace during the past five years. The power devices using MOSFET technology are now more rugged and reliable, and what is also important for amateur radio applications, they are becoming less expensive.

Vacuum tubes power amplifiers are still made, and the quality of high power triodes and tetrodes made using the metal to ceramic bonding technologies can best be described as impressive, with the number of service hours achieved going past the ten thousand mark, so, for all practical purposes, ham radio high power linear amplifiers operated under normal conditions will not require replacing the high power tubes for a long time.

But, the fact is that MOSFET amplifiers are gaining in popularity, among other things because they operate at much lower voltages, and the cost of the active devices is going down .

Homebrew amplifiers using MOSFET devices are more difficult to build for the average radio amateur than the equivalent power vacuum tube designs, and some of the parts required for the MOSFET amplifiers are not easy to find, but for the experimentally inclined radio amateur, homebrewing a medium or high power linear for the HF bands should prove to be a challenge that can be met with success.

Among the advantages of the MOSFET amplifiers in the power range from 10 to 100 Watts are that they can be operated with drain voltages not higher than 24 to 28 volts, that lend themselves to the use of modern up to date technology switched mode power supplies that are very efficient and lightweight too.

My answer to the listeners that requested information about the selection of factory built high power amplifiers or new transceivers using MOSFETs or bipolar transistors, is to go to the MOSFET based designs, because they are typically much more rugged than the bipolar transistors, as some of the most recent HF and low band VHF amateur transceivers have clearly demonstrated.

inforhc@enet.cu, si amigos, inforhc@enet.cu is my e-mail address where you can send your radio hobby related questions for the ASK ARNIE section of the program, your signal reports and QSL card requests, and also your ideas and suggestions for improving this program... VIA AIR MAIL, send your postcards to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba... now here is our next item of today's show...

There are now many more radio amateurs in Cuba than ten years ago, our hobby is growing here, and the new ham radio operators have quickly learned how to operate during emergencies. At the moment I am writing the script of this weekend edition of the program ,radio amateurs in the five easternmost provinces of Cuba are getting their stations ready as Tropical Storm FAY is approaching. According to Cuba´s top tropical cyclones expert , ProfessorJose Maria Rubiera, the people living in the eastern provinces should began preparations to deal with heavy rains and tropical storm force winds as the newly formed FAY either makes landfall or passes very near the southern coast of Cuba… Already tropical storm FAY has poured a lot of rain over the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and it is expected to gain more strength when it enters the very warm waters of the Caribbean sea south of Cuba.

As always amateur radio operators provide voluntary emergency communications alternatives , deploying portable stations at remote locations where normal cable and fiber optic phone services may be affected by the storm.
.....

Now, here is the technical topics section of Dxers Unlimited, now ranking as the number three most popular according to listener's correspondence, closely our HF and low band VHF propagation updates and forecasts offered at the end of the program... Today I will tell you about a very simple antenna system for the 2 meters band, that has proven to be very effective during tropical storms and hurricane , as well as other emergencies. It is made with a length of RG58U coaxial cable, but you can make a more rugged version using RG213, or RG8X cables.

This antenna uses a single coaxial connector that is used to connect it to the 2 meter band rig, be it a mobile , a base unit or a handie talkie. The antenna itself is made by removing the outer insulation from the coaxial cable for a certain length, then folding back the shield ofthe cable over itself for a length of 51 centimeters, and leaving the center conductor extending for a length of 49 centimeters. To complete the antenna , you make a coaxial cable choke of 8 turns, that starts its winding at the point where the folded back shield ends… If you have at hand a VHF standing wave ratio meter, then you can make the top end of the antenna a bit longer, and trim its length for minimum standing wave radio at the center of the band… This antenna can be hanged from any available support, and has shown a noticeable gain over a handie talkie´s small antenna, the ones known by hams as rubber duck, because they resemble the tail of a duck. This half wave coaxial dipole can be rolled up for easy transportation, and the fact that it has only one coaxial connector makes it much more reliable than other portable antennas that require insulators at the feed point. My own practical experience is that this antenna is more reliable than the classic J type end fed halfwave dipole made from 300 ohms or 450 ohms transmission line, that requires the coax to be soldered to the twin lead, something that can be the source of trouble , as it has often happened… So follow your amigo Arnie Coro´s advice and homebrew a 2 meters band coaxial cable dipole and keep it ready to provide emergency communications with your amateur radio station whenever needed… Remember that providing emergency communications under the most difficult and challenging circumstances is perhaps the main reason why valuable radio spectrum is allocated worldwide to the amateur radio service !!!

And now that we are talking about emergencies, do remember to include in your emergency communications kit , a line voltage spike protector for your AC power supply, because emergency generators tend to produce very damaging voltage spikes that can kill your equipment if it is not properly protected, nowadays lot of electronic equipment include spike suppresors at the power line input One of the most interesting features of these spike or transient suppressors is that they are designed to fail into a so called heroic failure mode, shorting out the input so that the protecting fuse will blow if the spike reaches the device's preset limit for a certain period of time.

QSL on the air… QSL on the air to amigo Hector in Puerto Rico who sent a very nice e-mail message requesting more information about HF propagation forecasting computer software. I must say that the in my opinion the W6EL HF propagation forecasting program, that is freeware , is certainly the most user friendly, easier to understand and to use of them all…with the added advantage that it will cost you nothing !!! It can be downloaded from several Internet sites and the learning curve is quite fast !!!

So amigo Hector, you can start by downloading and learning how to use the W6EL propagation program, and later on explore other more sophisticated options that are also available.

And now amigos, as always at the end of the show when I am here in Havana, here is our exclusive and not copyrighted, in the public domain, HF propagation update and forecast, together with low band VHF information too. We are still seeing sporadic E openings with some of them reaching the FM broadcast band. Solar flux and sunspot count at rock bottom levels, the flux at only 65 units and ZERO sunspots for many, many consecutive days.The effective sunspot number is an amazingly low TWO, and we are expecting an HF propagation disturbance to begin by Sunday, when a high speed flow of protons from a coronal hole will be reaching the Earth´s magnetosphere… See you all at the mid week edition of the program next Tuesday and Wednesday UTC days, and don´t forget to take a little time to tell me via e-mail what you liked most of this show and any radio hobby related question you may want to ASK ARNIE…
(Source: Arnie Coro/R Havana Cuba)

Dick & Dom to leave BBC Radio 1

Dick and Dom are to leave BBC Radio 1 after less than a year, as the station revamps its weekend schedule.

The duo, best known as children's TV presenters, will leave their Sunday morning show in September.

The slot will be covered by Edith Bowman and Chappers and Dave before Sara Cox returns from maternity leave to take over in the New Year.

Additional story from BBC News Dick and Dom are to leave BBC Radio 1 after less than a year, as the station revamps its weekend schedule.
Additional story from BBC News at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7572219.stm

BBG expands VOA's Georgian broadcast

The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has implemented ’surge broadcasting’ in Georgian in response to the continuing crisis in the breakaway province of South Ossetia. News and information from the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reaches audiences in Georgia via shortwave radio, in-country FM broadcasts, television, and the Internet.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) added an additional hour of radio programming in Georgian for a total of four hours each day beginning August 11, 2008. Programs are now broadcast both via local FM and shortwave. RFE/RL continues to provide first-hand accounts of events from journalists on the ground including continuous live blog updates from the city of Gori tracking Russia’s actions following its pledge to withdraw military forces. RFE/RL also provides a one-hour weekly television program via Georgian Public Broadcasting.
On 9 August, 2008, the Voice of America’s (VOA) Georgian broadcasts increased to one hour from a half-hour daily in the wake of fighting between Georgia and Russia. Broadcasts, including reports from inside the country, are carried on an FM network as well as on shortwave radio. As of yesterday, the programme are repeated on shortwave at 1700-1800 UTC [no frequencies listed on VOA website at time of this posting]. News in Georgian is also available on the Internet at www.VOANews.com/Georgian.
The Administration’s FY 2008 budget, as approved by Congress, provided that all BBG broadcasting to Georgia was to be done by RFE/RL after September 30, 2008. However, given the critical nature of events in Georgia, this week the BBG approved continuation of VOA Georgian surge broadcasts for the foreseeable future.
(Source: Broadcasting Board of Governors/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2008 Aug 12 2325 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
04 - 10 August 2008

Solar activity was very low. No flares were detected. The visible disk was spotless.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels through the period.

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels through 07 August. Activity increased to unsettled levels late on 08 August. A further increase to minor storm levels occurred on 09 August. Activity decreased to active levels on 10 August with minor storm levels observed at high latitudes. ACE solar wind data indicated the increased activity during 09 - 10 August was due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (HSS). A co-rotating interaction region (CIR) occurred on 09 August. Interplanetary magnetic field changes associated with the CIR included increased Bt (peak 20 nT at 09/0510 UTC) and intermittent periods of southward Bz (minimum -12 nT at 09/0411 UTC). The HSS began late on 09 August and continued through the rest of the period with a peak velocity of 688 km/sec observed at 09/2000 UTC.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
13 August - 08 September 2008

Solar activity is expected to be very low.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 13 - 23 August and 07 - 08 September.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 13 - 15 August. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 16 - 20 August due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 21 August - 03 September. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on 04 September. A further increase to active to minor storm levels is expected on 05 September due to a recurrent
coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels during 06 - 08 September as the high-speed stream subsides.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2008 Aug 12 2325 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact on the Web
# http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2008 Aug 12
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2008 Aug 13 66 5 2
2008 Aug 14 66 5 2
2008 Aug 15 66 5 2
2008 Aug 16 66 8 3
2008 Aug 17 66 10 3
2008 Aug 18 66 10 3
2008 Aug 19 66 15 4
2008 Aug 20 66 10 3
2008 Aug 21 66 5 2
2008 Aug 22 66 5 2
2008 Aug 23 66 5 2
2008 Aug 24 66 5 2
2008 Aug 25 66 5 2
2008 Aug 26 66 5 2
2008 Aug 27 66 5 2
2008 Aug 28 66 5 2
2008 Aug 29 66 5 2
2008 Aug 30 66 5 2
2008 Aug 31 66 5 2
2008 Sep 01 66 5 2
2008 Sep 02 66 5 2
2008 Sep 03 66 5 2
2008 Sep 04 66 8 3
2008 Sep 05 66 20 5
2008 Sep 06 66 10 3
2008 Sep 07 66 8 3
2008 Sep 08 66 5 2
(NOAA)

Pirate logs from Free Radio Weekly

Thanks to FRW crowd for the latest newsletter - here is a sampling of what the pirate chasers are hearing. Enjoy!

All times UTC *sign-on sign-off*

Ann Hoffer Radio
6925USB, 08/03/08 22:00-35 SIPNO 34333. Ann Hoffer live playing her guitar. Slight and fleeting UTE QRM. off with 73's from Ann (Ragnar-MI)

MAC Shortwave
6850AM 8/10 0108-0126 Good signal The show started with John Guitar Man playing music by the likes of Gensis/Phil Collins. The Ultraman show came on next. The audio was much lower for Ultraman. (Majewski CT)

Real Pirate Radio
6925USB 2334-0028* 8/9-10/08 SIO=242. Sttion sign-on with classical orchastra music, followed by a program of mainly rock music. The old Convoy CB novelty tune, Boston's More Than A Feeling and other rock music. ID's given twice by announcer. Phonetic #s station parody at 2337. Gave no address, but asked for reception reports on FRN. (Zeller-OH)

WBNY
6925 08/08/08 23:08 SINPO 35233 August show with drum cadence and random audio clips. Political speech from Cmdr. Bunny (Ragnar-MI)

Euro Pirates
Holland: Radio Delta, 6310, 0030-0105+. 10 August. Europops, dead air, then into Dutch polkas and USA C&W mx. Full ID by OM giving address as P.O. Box 65, 7260 AB, Ruurlo, Holland. SIO: 343. [Lobdell-MA]
(Source: FRW #653 via Bill Finn)

Additional pirate log
Sycko Radio
6925USB 0243-0250. 16 Aug 08. English. ID as "Sycko Radio 69-25," "Old McDonald had a Farm," and not much else readable. Poor. (Wood, TN/NASWA Flash Sheet # 342).

Voice of Russia expands broadcast to Georgia

Excerpt from report by Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS
Moscow, 15 August: The Voice of Russia radio station is stepping up its presence in Georgia’s information space. “That has become possible thanks to increasing the number of short- and medium-wave transmitters,” the company has told ITAR-TASS.
Transmission capacity of seven transmitters located in Moscow, St Petersburg, Krasnodar and Samara is now involved in the task. In addition, Voice of Russia programmes in Russian are being relayed in Abkhazia on the 107.9 MHz FM frequency; now their amount has been increased from six to 10 hours a day.
The agency’s source said that on 9 August the Georgian National Security Council passed a resolution and the Georgian president passed a decree banning the broadcasts of all Russian TV and radio channels and blocking access to all ru-domain websites. “Voice of Russia broadcasts in Tbilisi on the FM-frequency were stopped from late on 8 August,” the radio station said. Previously Voice of Russia programmes were on air in the Georgian capital for six hours a day.
“However Voice of Russia has retained its presence in Georgia’s information space. At the moment Moscow broadcasts its programmes to the Georgian territory and nearby areas for 14 hours a day,” the company said. [Passage omitted]
The source added that “throughout the military conflict in South Ossetia, Voice of Russia was the only Russian media outlet to inform Georgian citizens of Russia’s position on all the issues in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in a timely fashion”.
(Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0911 gmt 15 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Voice of Russia opens South Ossetia mobile SMS channel
The Voice of Russia website carries the following announcement: “The Voice of Russia has opened a South Ossetia mobile SMS channel. If you track down the events now underway in this Caucasian flarepoint or you witnessed something yourself, please send us an SMS to +7(917)7677845. Your information will be published on our website and broadcast by our radio station. Also, you can subscribe to our brief SMS news on the latest developments in South Ossetia. For details please visit our web site at www.ruvr.ru .”(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Russian state radio stations, newspaper become available in South Ossetia

Text of report by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti
Moscow, 13 August: From Wednesday [13 August] another Russian FM radio station and the [government-owned] Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper will become available in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia that has suffered from Georgia’s aggression.
“[State-owned] Vesti FM radio station began broadcasting on VHF and medium wave frequencies in Tskhinvali today [12 August]. Tomorrow we hope to open the [state-owned] Mayak radio station on 106.3 FM,” Russian Telecommunications and Mass Communications Minister Igor Shchegolev said. He was speaking in Moscow on 12 August at a telephone conference of the federal operational headquarters for eliminating the consequences of the armed conflict in South Ossetia.
He said that the first special issue of Rossiyskaya Gazeta would be published on Wednesday. “We intend to send the main print run to South Ossetia via the Defence Ministry, so that people there are not cut off from information,” he said.
Base stations are being restored in Tskhinvali, Shchegolev said. The ministry is sending two mobile stations and a satellite station for that purpose, he said.
“We are installing free telephones in refugee centres. Mobile telephones are being sent to hospitals, so that seriously wounded people can also communicate with their families,” Shchegolev said.
(Source: RIA Novosti news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0216 gmt 13 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Zimbabwe and China strengthen broadcasting cooperation

Zimbabwe and China have strengthened co-operation in areas of broadcasting following talks between the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH) Chief Executive Officer Henry Muradzikwa and his Chinese counterpart, the Vice-President of China Central Television Zhang Changming, in Beijing today.
Muradzikwa indicated to his host that Zimbabwe is in the process of reconstructing its economy as well as the broadcasting facilities, and said plans are at an advanced stage to open a new radio station that will tell the story of Zimbabwe to the world in a true manner. He also indicated that his country is keen to draw lessons from the Chinese experience on how to improve broadcasting in order to better serve the people.
Zhang Changming said China is willing to offer exchange programmes and to host broadcasting personnel from Zimbabwe in order to assist in the improvement of broadcasting standards for Zimbabwe. Later at a dinner hosted for the Zimbabwe delegation by CCTV, the president offered training facilities for ZBH staff in the technical, production and journalism areas.
(Source: New Ziana/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Russia Today correspondent quits over censorship

William Dunbar, a correspondent for the English-language international TV channel Russia Today, has left the station after his live reports from Georgia were dropped by the station after one in which he mentioned Russian bombing. He said: “I felt that I had no choice but to resign.” He said that he was reporting the facts, but that “the real facts of the matter didn’t conform to what they were trying to report, and therefore they wouldn’t let me report it.”
A Russia Today spokeswoman cited a Georgian media report that claimed Dunbar had protested at Russia’s “aggression” against Georgia. She said the channel assumed that was why he quit.
(Source: Media Guardian/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Voice of Nigeria plans three new language services

In an interview for The Channel, the magazine of the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB), the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria talks about the station’s expansion plans. Abubakar Jijiwa tells the AIB that “we are planning three new languages, Chinese and either Hindi or Urdu, and Portuguese as we want to reach out to Lusophone Africa. The Chinese are already doing very well in their Hausa service of China Radio International. Hausa probably has the capacity for 100m listeners, and that’s why others are targeting in the Hausa language. We are currently looking at the funding for Mandarin - our signal gets into China very well and we get a lot of letters from English listeners in China.”
(Source: The Channel/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Blog Logs

All times UTC // parallel freqs *sign-on sign-off*




Bolivia
4699.33, Radio San Miguel, 0910-0920, Initially noted music over extreme noise until 0914. At that time brief live Spanish comments from a male, then I believe canned promos from a female. Signal fades into the noise at 0917 and doesn't get any better thatthreshold after that. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 13, 2008)

Bhutan
6035, BBS, Bruce Churchill, in southern California., also heard the same English programming that I did today from 1401-1501*, Aug 10. His reception was slightly better, as he had more program details (or his knowledge of pop songs is better than mine). The only point of interest was the slight change in their scheduling: this past week always observed 15 minutes of news (two announcers), 5 minutes of announcements and at 1420 into whatever was scheduled for that day, but today only had 10 minutes of news with just one announcer, 5 minutes of announcements and at 1415 (5 minutes earlier than scheduled) they started their call in program. Also from 1244-1300 I was clearly hearing BBS with fair reception, in assume Dzongka, with on-air phone conversations (conforms to the schedule at their website) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1)

Bolivia
6080, Radio San Gabriel (pres), 0950-1000, There's two SAM stations on this freq, both with similar formats. There's HCJB, Ecuador in Quechua comments and music and San Gabriel with music and comments. Both stations are on the same frequency exactly. I can hear both equally but can't pull them apart enough for a good ID. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 10, 2008)

Brazil
4905.14, Radio Anhanguera, (pres), 0940-0950 Another weak station due to noise and fading. Noted a period of Bras music with occasional Portuguese language comments by a male. Also, heard canned promos intermittenly. Signal was poor to threshold.(Chuck Bolland, August 13, 2008)

6188.18, Radio Nacional, 1001-1010 At tune in, noted a female in Portuguese language religious comments. Every once in awhile the audience responds in unison "Amen's". Signal was at good level.Thanks to Ron Howard's earlier report of this. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 10, 2008)

China
7280, Voice of Strait, 0930-1007 Noted a steady program of Chinese language comments from male and female with easy-listening music in Chinese. This is parallel on 6115 kHz which was at a fair level earlier, but has degraded since. Currently on 7280, signal seems to be fading in to a fair level, but before was very poor. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 11, 2008)

Indonesia
4750, RRI Makassar, 1000-1010 At tune in, noted a female in Indo language comments - very brief. Then a religious program of possibly the Qu'ran recited by a male. Signal was poor but seemed to be fading in gradually. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 13, 2008)

Myanmar
5985.77 1300-1335 Aug 7. Presumed with instrumental music and occasional YL ancr; usual IS (I think) of regional mx, followed by chimes. Lady announcer with possible music at 1330. Signal was fair-poor and fading. Had been off since the June (May?) typhoon. (Wilkins-CO)

Peru
4747, Radio Huanta 2000, Huanta. August-11 Spanish/Quecha 2250-2302 eloquent announcers talk to local folk selections, Quecha talks by announcer duo. QRN SINPO 33232 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Brazil/Cumbre DX)

6019.42, Radio Victoria, 0845-0859, This freq is usually clear of any interference before 0900 so that Radio Victoria can be heard easily. Today was not exception. I tuned in at 0845 and heard a female in Spanish language comments until 0849 when a male joined her. Unfortunately, could not catch the topic being discussed due to fading and weak signal. During the period however, the signal did improve slightly to a fair level but immediately dropped back to poor. At the top of the hour, Australia came on the air blocking everything. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 13, 2008)

United States
5920, WBOH, 0900-1030+ Nil heard on this station for the third day on this frequency. They may have QSY'd somewhere else, but as of now they aren't heard here? Radio Rossii is using 5920 as usual with a good signal. Tried to go to WBOH's web page as listed in the WRTH www.fbnradio.com to see if they might have left a message, but the page will not come up. (Chuck Bolland, FL August 10, 2008)

Zimbabwe
4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Gweru. August-11 2304-2312. Two instrumental music tunes to presumed from same musician, a repetitive marimbas and tribal vocals music. Het but progressive signal enhancement, SINPO 32333. (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Brazil/Cumbre DX)

All India Radio special programming August 15

All India Radio will broadcast running commentary of Flag Hoisting Ceremony to be held at Red Fort, New Delhi between 0135-0240 UTC on 15th August 2008 as per the details given below:

0135-0240 UTC Hindi
6030 (Kingsway), 6155 (Khampur), 9595 (Khampur),
11620 (Aligarh), 15135 (Kingsway)

0135-0240 UTC English
4860 (Kingsway), 9950 (Aligarh), 11830 (Kingsway),
13620(B'lore), 15050(Khampur)

The regional shortwave transmitters will operate as per
following schedule :

BHOPAL
0025-0115 UTC 4810
0130-0448 UTC 7180

CHENNAI
0015-0115 UTC 4920
0130-0415 UTC 7160

HYDERABAD
0020-0115 UTC 4800
0130-0430 UTC 7140

IMPHAL
0030-0115 UTC 4775
0130-0400 UTC 7150

KOLKATA
0025-0115 UTC 4820
0130-0400 UTC 7210

PORT BLAIR
0000-0115 UTC 4760
0130-0400 UTC 7115

SHIMLA
0025-0400 UTC 6020

SRINAGAR
0025-0500 UTC 6110

THIRUVANTHAPURAM
0020-0115 UTC 5010
0130-0400 UTC 7290

Reception reports on the above broadcast should be sent to :
Spectrum Management & Synergy Division,
All India Radio,New Delhi by email at:
spectrum-manager@air.org.in
(Source: Alokesh Gupta, India)

RFE/RL extending broadcast to Georgia

Text of press release published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on 11 August
Tbilisi, Georgia: Until further notice, [US-backed] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Georgia Service will be adding a fourth hour of live, primetime news coverage to its listeners in Georgia and surrounding areas. Since the fighting broke out, RFE/RL’s Tbilisi bureau has deployed correspondents throughout the country, reporting from the front lines of the battle zones.
“With the Russian and Georgian media providing, at times, wildly different accounts of what is actually happening on the ground, our listeners are depending on us for accurate, objective information,” says David Kakabadzian, RFE/RL Georgia Service director. “Our journalists are sorting through the ethnic and nationalist passions stirred up by this conflict in order to let people on both sides of the conflict know what is really taking place in their cities.”
(Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty website, Washington, D.C., in English 11 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Radio Havana Cuba announces frequency changes

Radio Havana Cuba has changed the frequency of its broadcast in English to Central North America at 0100-0700 UTC from 6180 kHz to 6140 kHz. 6180 kHz will now be used in Spanish to Central America. Radio Havana’s morning Spanish language programmes [0000-0500 UTC] are now on two new frequencies to South America: 15120 kHz beamed 160 degrees from Havana, and 15360 beamed 130 degrees from Havana.
(Source: Dxers Unlimited midweek edition 12-13 August 2008/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

America's voice abroad silenced as Georgia conflict continues

Posted on August 11th, 2008 by ted in All News, Congressional News, Country News, Government News, Russia News, US Government News, US NewsRead 229 times.

As Russia continues its military action against Georgia, the U.S. broadcasting station responsible for communicating with foreign audiences in times of crisis, has been prevented by a group of bipartisan political appointees from reaching out to the Russian-speaking audiences in the war-torn area with on-air radio news from Washington. The same political board had tried earlier to eliminate the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Georgia and Uzbekistan but failed to carry out its plans due to opposition in U.S. Congress and protests from human rights and media freedom NGOs, including FreeMediaOnline.org.
Continued story at Blogger News Network http://www.bloggernews.net/117189

Voice of America makes changes for Urdu service

Due to the local time change in Pakistan the following changes are effective from 1st September for VOA URDU SERVICE :

MW 972 1539 kHz is available at 1400-0200 hrs instead of 1300-0100 hrs.
SW service 0100-0200 (ex 0000-0100) on 7135 11805 kHz.
SW service 1400-1500 (ex 1300-1400) on 9510 11690 kHz.
http://dxasia.info/news/
(Alok Dasgupta via dxasia.info)

Media Broadcast A08 update - Part 3 & 4

GERMANY Summer A-08 of Media Broadcast(ex DTK T-Systems). Part 3 of 4:

All times UTC

Voice of America (VOA):
0230-0330 9695 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Persian
1700-1800 9760 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Persian
1800-1900 7105 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Persian
1600-1930 6040 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Persian
1430-1500 15115 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Pashto(R.Ashna)
1500-1530 15115 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Dari(R.Ashna)
1530-1630 15115 WER 250 kW 105 deg Daily WeAs Pashto(R.Ashna)
1700-1800 9780 WER 250 kW 090 deg Daily SoAs Pashto(Deewa R.)
1730-1800 13870 WER 250 kW 150 deg Mon-Fri EaAf Afan Oromo
1800-1900 9875 WER 250 kW 150 deg Daily EaAf Amharic
1900-1930 9875 WER 250 kW 150 deg Mon-Fri EaAf Tigrigna

Adventist World Radio (AWR):
0300-0330 5915 WER 250 kW 135 deg Daily EaAf Tigrigna
0300-0330 9545 WER 250 kW 135 deg Daily EaAf Oromo
0330-0400 9815 WER 250 kW 135 deg Daily EaAf Amharic
0400-0430 9735 WER 250 kW 120 deg Daily ME Arabic
0500-0600 6185 WER 100 kW 120 deg Daily EaEu Bulgarian
0700-0800 11980 WER 100 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf Arabic
0800-0830 11980 WER 100 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf Kabyle
0800-0900 15260 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Daily NoAf French/Tachelhit
0900-1000 9790 NAU 100 kW 180 deg Sun SoEu Italian
1200-1300 15435 WER 250 kW 090 deg Daily SoAs English/Bangla
1300-1330 15320 NAU 250 kW 070 deg Mon-Fri EaAs Chinese
1300-1330 15320 NAU 250 kW 070 deg Sat/Sun EaAs Uighur
1330-1500 15320 NAU 250 kW 070 deg Daily EaAs Chinese
1500-1600 15160 WER 250 kW 090 deg Daily SoAs Nepali/Hindi
1500-1600 15225 WER 250 kW 075 deg Daily SoAs Punjabi/English
1630-1700 17575 ISS 250 kW 130 deg Daily EaAf Somali
1700-1730 11660 WER 250 kW 120 deg Daily ME Arabic
1730-1800 11780 WER 100 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf Kabyle
1730-1800 17575 ISS 250 kW 130 deg Daily EaAf Oromo
1900-1930 15205 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Daily CeAf Fulfulde
1930-2000 15205 WER 250 kW 165 deg Daily CeAf Ibo
1900-2000 11730 WER 100 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf Arabic/Tachelhit
2000-2030 11730 WER 100 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf French
1900-2000 15260 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Daily NoAf Arabic
2000-2100 11755 WER 100 kW 180 deg Daily WeAf French/Yoruba
2030-2100 9430 NAU 125 kW 210 deg Daily NoAf Chinese

Radio Netherlands
0500-0555 6015 NAU 500 kW 220 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0500-0555 9895 NAU 500 kW 140 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0500-0555 6120 NAU 500 kW 180 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0600-0755 5955 NAU 500 kW 220 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0600-0755 9895 NAU 500 kW 210 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0700-0755 6035 WER 100 kW 300 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0700-0755 11935 WER 500 kW 240 deg Daily Europe Dutch
0800-0955 6120 WER 250 kW 255 deg Mon-Fri Europe Dutch
0800-1055 9895 NAU 250 kW 210 deg Sat/Sun Europe Dutch
1000-1055 9895 NAU 250 kW 210 deg Mon-Fri Europe Dutch
1000-1055 13700 WER 250 kW 240 deg Daily Europe Dutch
1100-1655 5955 WER 500 kW 210 deg Daily Europe Dutch
1100-1555 9895 WER 250 kW 225 deg Daily Europe Dutch
1200-1555 9595 WER 100 kW 300 deg Daily Europe Dutch
1600-1655 9895 NAU 500 kW 210 deg Daily Europe Dutch
1700-1755 5955 WER 040 kW 210 deg Daily Europe English DRM
1800-1955 15535 WER 500 kW 150 deg Daily Africa English
1900-1955 15335 NAU 500 kW 183 deg Daily Africa English
2000-2155 6125 NAU 500 kW 210 deg Daily Europe Dutch
2100-2155 5930 WER 500 kW 210 deg Daily Europe Dutch

Hamburger Lokalradio
0900-1000 6045 WER 100 kW non-dir 1st Sun CeEu German

Trans World Radio (TWR):
0645-0820 6105 WER 100 kW 300 deg Sun NoEu English
0715-0750 6105 WER 100 kW 300 deg Sat NoEu English
0700-0750 6105 WER 100 kW 300 deg Mon-Fri NoEu English
1400-1430 7220 WER 100 kW 060 deg Mon EaEu Belarussian
1400-1430 7220 WER 100 kW 060 deg Tue-Sun EaEu Russian
1430-1500 7220 WER 100 kW 060 deg Daily EaEu Russian
1530-1600 7345 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sat EaEu Romanian
1530-1600 9440 WER 100 kW 090 deg Mon-Fri CeAs Armenian
1630-1700 9505 WER 100 kW 090 deg Daily CeAs Persian

Christian Science Sentinel:
0900-1000 6055 WER 100 kW 090 deg Sun CeEu German
1800-1900 9585 JUL 100 kW 070 deg Sat EaEu Russian

Evangelische Missions Gemeinde:
1030-1100 6055 WER 125 kW non-dir Sat/Sun CeEu German
1100-1130 13710 NAU 250 kW 020 deg Sat FE Russian
1500-1530 11955 WER 250 kW 060 deg Sat EaEu Russian

Missionswerke Arche Stimme des Trostes
1100-1115 5945 WER 250 kW non-dir Sun CeEu German

Mecklenburg Vorpommern Baltic Radio:
1200-1300 6140 WER 100 kW non-dir 1st Sun WeEu German

European Music Radio:
1200-1300 6140 WER 100 kW non-dir 3rd Sun CeEu Music

Radio Gloria International:
1200-1300 6140 WER 100 kW non-dir 4th Sun CeEu Music

Radio Traumland:
1300-1400 5945 JUL 100 kW non-dir Sun WeEu German

Radio Huriyo:
1630-1700 11640 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Tue/Fri EaAf Somali

Voice of Oromiya Independence:
1700-1715 15650 WER 125 kW 135 deg Sat EaAf Oromo
1715-1730 15650 WER 125 kW 135 deg Sat EaAf Amharic

Voice of Democratic Eritrea-Ethiopian Forum for Democracy
1700-1730 13820 WER 125 kW 135 deg Thu EaAf Tigrinya
1730-1800 13820 WER 125 kW 135 deg Thu EaAf Arabic

Voice of Ethiopian Unity-Ethiopian Liberation Forum:
1700-1800 13820 WER 250 135 deg Wed/Fri/Sun EaAf Amharic

Voice of Oromo Liberation (Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo):
1700-1800 13830 WER 500 kW 135 deg Su/Tu/We/Fr EaAf Oromo

Radio Reveil Paroles de Vie:
1830-1845 15675 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Tue/Thu SoAf French

Pan American Broadcasting (PAB):
2000-2030 9515 WER 250 kW 150 deg Fri NoAf English
1930-2030 9515 WER 250 kW 150 deg Sat NoAf English
1930-2015 9515 WER 250 kW 150 deg Sun NoAf English
0030-0045 9640 WER 100 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English
1400-1415 15205 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sat SoAs Persian
1400-1430 15205 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Wed/Sun SoAs English
1415-1430 15205 NAU 100 kW 090 deg Mon-Sat SoAs English
1430-1445 15205 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English
1400-1415 15205 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Tue/Thu CeAs Armenian
1600-1630 13830 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Thu ME Persian
1600-1630 13830 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sun ME English
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 10/DX Mix News 533 & 534 via wb, Germany)

Part 4 of 4

Germany - Summer A-08 of Media Broadcast(ex DTK T-Systems). Part 4 of 4:

Bible Voice Broadcasting Network (BVBN):
to West Europe
0745-0815 5945 WER 100 kW 300 deg Fri English/Urdu
0700-0815 5945 WER 100 kW 300 deg Sat English
0700-0900 5945 WER 100 kW 300 deg Sun English

to East Europe
1800-1830 6130 WER 125 kW 055 deg Tue/Fri Russian
1815-1830 6130 WER 125 kW 055 deg Mon/Wed Russian
1815-1845 6130 WER 125 kW 055 deg Thu Russian
1800-1845 6130 WER 125 kW 055 deg Sat English
1800-1930 6130 WER 125 kW 055 deg Sun English/Russian/English

to South Europe
1800-1830 9435 JUL 100 kW 220 deg Sun Spanish

to North Africa
2000-2030 9635 WER 250 kW 135 deg Thu Arabic
0900-1000 17535 WER 125 kW 135 deg Fri Arabic

to West Africa
1930-2000 11830 WER 125 kW 195 deg Sat French/Ajda

to Central Africa
1830-1845 11830 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Sun Swahili
1845-2000 11830 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Sun English

to South Africa
1900-1930 13710 WER 500 kW 165 deg Sun English

to East Africa
0430-0530 11635 WER 250 kW 120 deg Mon-Thu Arabic
0430-0545 11635 WER 250 kW 120 deg Fri Arabic
0430-0530 11635 WER 125 kW 135 deg Sat Amharic
0430-0500 11635 WER 125 kW 135 deg Sun Amharic
1630-1800 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Mon/Tue/Fri Amh./Tigrinya/Amh.
1600-1800 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Wed/Thu Amharic
1800-1900 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Fri Somali/Amharic
1600-1630 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Sat-Mon Oromo
1630-1800 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Sat Amharic
1800-1830 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Sat Somali
1630-1900 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Sun Amh/Somali/Amh
1430-1530 15470 JUL 100 kW 145 deg Daily Nuer/Dinka
1530-1545 15470 JUL 100 kW 145 deg Fri Fur
1530-1600 17650 WER 100 kW 135 deg Wed EaAf Tigrinya

to Middle East
1545-1700 9430 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Mon/Wed Arabic
1615-1700 9430 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Fri Arabic
1700-1800 9430 WER 100 kW 120 deg Sat/Sun English
1830-1900 9430 WER 250 kW 120 deg Fri English
1800-1830 9430 WER 250 kW 120 deg Sat English
1800-1900 9430 WER 250 kW 120 deg Sun English
1800-1830 11875 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Mon/Wed/Fri Persian
1800-1900 11875 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Tue/Thu/Sun Persian
1800-1815 11875 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Sat English
1530-1730 12140 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Daily Persian
1625-1715 13580 ISS 250 kW 115 deg Tue/Fri Arabic
1625-1730 13580 ISS 250 kW 115 deg Mon/Wed/Thu Arabic
1545-1600 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Mon/Wed English
1545-1700 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Tue English
1700-1800 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Tue Hebrew/English
1545-1645 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Thu English
1545-1615 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Fri English
1730-1800 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Fri English
1545-1730 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Sat English
1730-1800 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Sat Tagalog/Hebrew
1800-1830 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Sat English
1530-1815 13590 NAU 100 kW 125 deg Sun English

to Far East
2245-2330 7255 WER 250 kW 075deg Fri Vietnamese,cancelled from July 4
2300-2330 7255 WER 250 kW 075deg Sat Vietnamese,cancelled from July 5

to South Asia
0030-0100 9490 WER 250 kW 090 deg Mon-Thu Hindi
0030-0100 9490 WER 250 kW 090 deg Fri-Sun English
0030-0045 9815 WER 250 kW 075 deg Daily Bengali
1500-1600 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Mon Hindi
1530-1600 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Tue/Thu Hindi
1515-1600 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Wed Hindi
1500-1530 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Thu Tamil/Telugu
1500-1600 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Fri Bengali/Hindi
1500-1530 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Sat English
1500-1530 15390 NAU 250 kW 087 deg Sun Bengali
1400-1500 15680 ISS 250 kW 085 deg Sat/Sun English
1515-1600 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Tue/Wed Urdu
1515-1530 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Thu Urdu
1530-1600 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Thu English
1515-1530 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Fri Punjabi
1530-1600 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Fri/Sun Urdu
1530-1600 15680 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sat English
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 11/DX Mix News 533 & 534 via wb, Germany)

Radio Seagull begins 24 hour web broadcasting

Dutch station Radio Seagull, which broadcasts in English at 1700-0500 UTC on 1602 kHz, has begun round the clock broadcasting online. Radio Seagull’s new daytime output is available now in Windows Media format at 96 kbps, and can be accessed by clicking on the link at the top right of the Home Page on the station’s website.
During the day the station has put put together a nonstop Classic Rock format to complement the somewhat more contemporary music that it broadcasts overnight. The station has also added a news service, with a three minute bulletin from FSN every hour on the hour, Monday to Friday.
(Source: Radio Seagull/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Hawaiian AM station reactivates

The AM radio station on 620 kHz in Hilo, Hawaii, has returned to the air with the call letters KNHU, using the slogan “Honu 62.” The station is now owned by Mahalo Broadcasting LLC of Arizona, and is currently running a news-talk format with time-shifted shows from the mainland. But co-owner James Walker says the format is “not set in stone.”
The station closed last July when the previous owner, Skynet, lost the lease for its transmitter site. Mahalo said it has temporarily resolved the issue pending a permanent resolution.
(Source: Star Bulletin/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Hot Spot DXing: Georgia-Russia Conflict

New Russian Air Strikes, Raids in Georgian Towns GORI, Georgia — Russia sent hundreds of tanks and troops into the separatist province of South Ossetia and bombed Georgian towns Saturday in a major escalation of the conflict that has left scores of civilians dead and wounded.

Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, launched a major offensive Friday to retake control of breakaway South Ossetia. Russia, which has close ties to the province and posts peacekeepers there, responded by sending in armed convoys and military combat aircraft. Continued story at Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,400841,00.html

Russian jets attack Georgian town
Russian jets have carried out strikes on military targets in the central Georgian town of Gori,close to the breakaway region of South Ossetia.Georgian officials say 60 people were killed when bombs hit two blocks of flats in the town.The Georgian parliament has meanwhile approved a presidential decree declaring a state of war for 15 days.Earlier, Russia said it had "liberated" South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali, but Georgia said it remained in control. Additional story and video at BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7550804.stm

Russia vows to defend S Ossetia
Russia will intervene if conflict erupts in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia,a senior Russian diplomat has warned. Continued story and video at BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7543099.stm

No quick fix to S Ossetia conflict
The dog days of August are generally a quiet time in the world's foreign ministries and newsrooms - a time when second-string officials hold the fort while their senior colleagues sun themselves on vacation. Continued story and video at BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7550780.stm

Georgia calls for cease fire in S Ossetia
Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/

Russian troops raid Georgian town; scores dead
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080809/D92EPSC80.html

Georgian Public Broadcasting website in English available online
The Georgian view of the military conflict with Russia is reflected on the English-language website of Georgian Public Broadcasting. The site does take rather a long time to load (probably due to heavy traffic) so please be patient. For the Russian view of events, the website and broadcasts of Voice of Russia are available.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Russia, Voice of Russia - A08 English schedule
Effective: 30 March - 26 October 2008

All times UTC
Broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated

English
0300-0400 15735 15735 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 Asia DRM mode
0400-0500 15735 15735 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 Asia DRM mode
0700-0800 1251 1251 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia
0800-0900 1251 1251 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia
1400-1500 15660 15660 Moscow 250 Asia
1400-1500 11755 11755 Dushanbe-TJK 100 Asia
1400-1500 9745 9745 Chita 500 Asia
1400-1500 7330 7330 Ussurijsk 500 Asia
1400-1500 6045 6045 Vladivostok 250 Asia
1400-1500 1251 1251 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia
1500-1600 9625 9625 Novosibirsk 500 Asia
1500-1600 9660 9660 Xian-CHN 150 Asia
1500-1600 4965 4965 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia
1530-1600 972 972 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia
1600-1700 12055 12055 Samara 250 Asia
1600-1700 12120 12120 Dushanbe-TJK 100 Asia
1600-1700 9405 9405 Irkutsk 250 Asia
1600-1700 6070 6070 Novosibirsk 100 Asia
1600-1700 1251 1251 Dushanbe-TJK 600 Asia
1700-1800 9850 9850 Chita 500 Asia
1700-1800 9405 9405 Irkutsk 250 Asia
1700-1800 1269 1269 Yunnan?-CHN 600 Asia
1700-1800 1251 1251 Dushanbe-TJK 500 Asia

English
0500-0600 21790 21790 Irkutsk 250 AUS/NZL
0500-0600 17635 17635 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 AUS/NZL
0600-0700 21790 21790 Irkutsk 250 AUS/NZL
0600-0700 17635 17635 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 AUS/NZL
0700-0800 21790 21790 Irkutsk 250 AUS/NZL
0700-0800 17635 17635 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 AUS/NZL
0700-0800 17495 17495 Dushanbe-TJK 500 AUS/NZL
0800-0900 21790 21790 Irkutsk 250 AUS/NZL
0800-0900 17635 17635 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 AUS/NZL
0800-0900 17495 17495 Dushanbe-TJK 500 AUS/NZL

English
1600-1700 13855 13855 Moscow 250 Africa
1600-1700 11985 11985 Moscow 500 Africa
1700-1800 13855 13855 Moscow 250 Africa
1700-1800 11510 11510 Chita 500 Africa
1700-1800 9850 9850 Dushanbe-TJK 100 Africa
1800-1900 11510 11510 Yerevan-ARM 1000 Africa
1800-1900 9850 9850 Chita 500 Africa
1800-1900 9745 9745 Chita 500 Africa

English
0100-0200 15425 15425 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
0100-0200 13775 13775 Vladivostok 250 North America
0100-0200 9665 9665 Chisinau-MDA 500 North America
0100-0200 7250 7250 Yerevan-ARM 1000 North America
0200-0300 15425 15425 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
0200-0300 13775 13775 Vladivostok 250 North America
0200-0300 9860 9860 Vatican State 250 North America
0200-0300 9665 9665 Chisinau-MDA 500 North America
0200-0300 9480 9480 Wertachtal (Germ 250 North America
0300-0400 13635 13635 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
0300-0400 13775 13775 Vladivostok 250 North America
0300-0400 12065 12065 Komsomol'sk-na-A 250 North America
0300-0400 9860 9860 Vatican State 250 North America
0300-0400 9800 - Krasnodar 500 North America till 31.07.08
0300-0400 5900 5900 Krasnodar 500 North America from 01.08.08
0300-0400 9665 9665 Chisinau-MDA 500 North America
0300-0400 9480 9480 Wertachtal (Germ 250 North America
0300-0400 9435 9435 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
0400-0500 13635 13635 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
0400-0500 13775 13775 Vladivostok 250 North America
0400-0500 9860 9860 Vatican State 250 North America
0400-0500 9800 - Krasnodar 500 NoAM till 31.07.08
0400-0500 5900 5900 Krasnodar 500 NoAM from 01.08.08
0400-0500 9665 9665 Chisinau-MDA 500 North America
0400-0500 9435 9435 Petropavlovsk-Ka 250 North America
Last update: 15.04.2008
Vadim Alexeew,
VoR Russian world service
DX programme editor
(Apr 20, via Michael Bethge-D wwdxc BC-DX TopNews;
location updated and compressed by wb)
(Source: wb, Germany)

New summer A-08 schedule for Voice of Russia in Turkish:
1400-1500 on 7325 ARM 100 kW / 190 deg
11985 SRP 500 kW / 185 deg
13855 MSK 200 kW / 190 deg
1500-1600 on 7325 ARM 100 kW / 190 deg
11635 S.P 200 kW / 145 deg
13870 MSK 200 kW / 190 deg
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX Apr 22)

VOA Doubles Broadcasting into Republic of Georgia
Includes reports from inside the country
Washington, D.C., August 8, 2008 – The Voice of America (VOA) is doubling its Georgian language broadcasts in the wake of fighting between Georgia and Russia in the breakaway province of South Ossetia.
VOA's Geogian Service will produce a 60-minute program daily, up from 30 minutes, with news, information, interviews, analysis and reaction to the crisis in the former Soviet Republic. News is also available on the Internet at www.VOANews.com/georgian/ .
"We want to make sure Georgians are fully informed about what's happening in their country," said Steve Redisch, VOA's Executive Editor. The Georgian broadcasts are carried nationwide on a FM network as well as on shortwave frequencies 11945 and 15460 from 1530 to 1600 UTC, and on 11965 and 15460 from 1600 to 1630 UTC.
Reporters and stringers on the ground are providing VOA with reports from inside the country, which is slightly smaller than the state of South Carolina and has about 4.6 million people.
The crisis began when Georgian troops launched a military strike on the province of South Ossetia early Friday, seeking to end the region's bid for autonomy. In response, Russian troops entered the border province.
(Voice of America)

Additional information on Georgia military from Milcom Monitoring Post -Hot Spot DXing: Conflict in Georgia http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/

Taliban target NATO-backed radio transmitter

Text of report in English by Afghan independent Pajhwok news agency website
Faizabad, 9 August: A transmitter of the ISAF-run radio was attacked in the northeastern Badakhshan Province, wounding a guard and damaging a guard room. Sayed Abrar, a police official of the counter-terrorism department in the province, told Pajhwok Afghan News five rockets were fired at the Radio Saday-e Azadi [Radio Voice of Freedom] of NATO forces in outskirts of the provincial capital Faizabad last midnight.
Only one rocket hit the target, wounding a local guard of the transmitter and damaging the guardroom, said Abrar. Other rockets missed the target and did not cause any damages.
Abrar said the attack was the act of the Taliban who sporadically launch rocket attacks at night-time mostly targeting local military bases of foreign forces. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihollah Mojahid, said the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) radio based in Kabul with local offices in northern provinces was stopped after the rocket attack destroyed its transmitter in Badakhshan.
Radio Saday-e Azadi mainly airing music and news with publicity against militants has local transmissions in northern provinces in addition to its main transmissions in Kabul.
(Source: Pajhwok Afghan News website, Kabul, in English 1548 gmt 9 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Follow the Olympics via shortwave radio

One Day and Counting

Just in case you're counting - the summer Olympics begin in Beijing, tomorrow August 8 and extend to August 24th, 2008.

There are a plethora of sources to follow the games, and shortwave radio is no exception. For weeks, China Radio International has been covering the preparations with news and featured interviews with organizers, workers and athletes.

The official website of One World One Dream http://en.beijing2008.cn/ includes schedules, operations, photos, and links to Olympic Culture, Ceremonies, Olympic Education, Torch relay and much more.

NBC, America's offical Olympic network, covers news and video at www.nbcolympics.com/ The network has launched an online video hub for the 2008 Olympics, which features free
on-demand video for over 20 sports in HD.

ESPN is covering every venue in China. Key moments of the Summer games, athlete bios and stats - past and present at http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/index


If you're looking for the extra edge, via shortwave radio, why not go to the source? China Radio International broadcast 24 hous a day on shortwave and streaming audio at http://english.cri.cn/

English broadcast

30 March - 26 October 2008
All times UTC

Target Areas: af (Africa) as (Asia) eu (Europe) me (Middle East) na (North America) pa (Pacific)

0000-0057 6020na 6075as 6180as 7130eu 9570na
11885as 13750as 15125as

0030-0100 11730as
0100-0127 11730as

0100-0157 6020na 6175as 9470eu 9535as 9570na
9580na 9790na 11870as

0200-0257 11770as 13640as

0230-0257 15435me

0300-0357 9690na 9790na 15110as 11770as 13750as
15120as 15785as

0400-0457 6020na 6080na 13750as 15120as 15785as
17730as 17855as

0500-0557 6020na 6190na 11880as 15350as 15465as
17505me 17730as 17855as

0600-0657 11710af 11870me 11880as 13660as 15140me
15350as 15465as 17505af/me 17540as 17710as

0700-0757 11880as 13660as 13710eu 15350as 15465as
17490eu 17540as 17710as
0800-0857 11620as 11880as 13710eu 15350as 15465as
17490eu 17540as

0900-0957 11620as 15210pa 15270eu 15350as 17490eu
17570eu 17690pa 17750as

1000-1057 6040na 11610as 11635as 13590as 13620as
13720as 15190as 15210pa 15350as 15390as
17490eu 17690pa

1100-1157 5955as 6040na 11650as 11660as 11750na
11795as 13590as 13620as 13650eu 13720as
13645as 17490eu

1200-1257 5955as 9460as 9600as 9645as 9730as
9760pa 11650as 11660as 11690as 11760pa
11980as 13645as 13650eu 13790eu 17490eu

1300-1357 5955as 9570na 9650na 9730as 9760pa
9765as 9870as 11660as 11760pa 11980as
13610eu 13755as 13790eu 15260na 15440aca

1400-1457 5955as 9765as 9870as 11675as 11765as
13685af 13710eu 13740na 13790eu 17630af

1500-1557 5955as 6100af 7160as 7325as 9800as
9870as 11965eu 13640eu 13685af 13740na
17630af

1600-1657 6100af 6180me 9570af 9760me 11900af
11940eu 11965eu 13760eu

1700-1757 6100af 6145eu 7130as 7265me 7315me
7335eu 9570af 9595eu 11900af 11940eu
13760eu

1800-1857 7120eu 9600eu 13760eu

1900-1957 7295af/me 9435af/me

2000-2030 7160eu

2000-2057 5960eu 5985af 7190eu 7285eu 7295af/me
9440af/me 9600eu

2100-2127 11640af 13630af

2100-2157 5960eu 6135eu 7190eu 7285eu 7325af
9600eu

2200-2257 7175eu

2200-2300 9590as

2300-0000 5915as 5990am 6145na 7180as 910as
11690as 11970ca

2300-0000 DRM 9800ca 11640af 13630af

China Radio International is continuing their special Olympic QSL cards and postcards to mark the occasion. Reception reports may be sent to: English Service, P.O. Box 4216, CRI-2, Beijing 100040 China or via emal to crieng@cri.com.cn Streaming audio is available at http://english.cri.cn/ CRI website www.chinabroadcast.cn/

Bejing has declared to the world "we are ready" - during this special event why not add to your QSL collection from China Radio International.
(Source: Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager/Monitoring Times SW Guide)

Do's and Don'ts of China QSLing

by Gayle Van Horn
With today's focus on following the Olympics from China via shortwave radio, time for a few tips for successful QSLing stations from China.

There are several elements in preparing a quality reception report, which begins with the date of reception. Spell the month out to avoid confusion, followed by the time of reception in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The frequency on which you logged the station is vital, expressed in either megahertz (MHz) or kilohertz (kHz). Don't forget to include any notation of parallel frequencies program was observed on.

Twenty minutes of programming is usually adequate unless you are monitoring a weak signal over a period of several days. Details should be specific as much as possible including program and announcer names. Station identifications and musical format is important, but a word-for-word transcription is not only not necessary, but will potentially waste the time of station personnel in charge of QSLing.

Don't forget to include reception signal quality observed while monitoring. However, don't attempt to make the station staff feel good by an over zealous rating than the signal quality deserves. Stations know when and where their frequencies are targeted. Remember though, your observations play a vital role in the station's future frequency planning.

Whether your initial QSLing is via China Radio International or China National Radio, both stations present quality programming and verify most correct reception reports within an adequate time of one-two months.

Remember too, if a Chinese regional or provincial station does not respond to your report within four-six months, resend your reception report to China Radio International. CRI has in the past verified regional and provincial stations. This is also an alternative to Chinese reporting, as CRI accepts English details for Chinese programming.

Always ask for the transmitter site regardless of the station. Usually CRI will include a personal handwritten note and extra station souvenir. Mint return postage or currency is not required when writing CRI, but should be considered when writing to the regional, provincial or CNR.

Keeo your letter upbeat and friendly. Questions relating to programming, culture or the station's future plans is advisable, while the on-going disputes over China's human-rights issues should be avoided.

Verifying China during the Olympics and future monitoring is an excellent opportunity to beginnng the verification game. Good luck and let me know your results.
(GVH QSL Report/Monitoring Times)

Radio Prague collector Olympic QSL cards

Looking to add to your card collection during the Olympic games ? You still have time to collect the Radio Prague 2008 QSL card series. This year's eight card edition, titled Czech Sporstman includes legendary runners, gymnast, wrestlers, cyclists, footballers, hockey player Jaromir Jágr, plus tennis pro Martina Navrátilová and decathelete Roman Šebrle. The series is online at: www.radio.cz/en/html/qsl2008.html

The theme of One World...One Dream thrives as China and the world continue their countdown to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. The games will be held August 8-24, 2008 in Beijing. To mark this occasion, China Radio International is still offering their special QSL cards and postcards of ten Olympic sites. Send your reception reports to: 16A Shijingshan Street, Beijing 100040 People's Republic of China or via email crieng@cri.com.cn . To learn more about the games, visit The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at http://en.beijing2008.cn/
(Source: Gayle Van Horn/QSL Report, Monitoring Times

Radio Free Asia's Olympic QSL card

A reminder to our blog readers. ..

Radio Free Asia announces its 22nd QSL card that is scheduled for distribution for all confirmed reception reports dated July 1 to August 31, 2008. This QSL card celebrates the XXIX Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China which will be held August 8-24, 2008. The Games have always brought people from around the world together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The card shows the graphic of Radio Free Asia’s pin, as created by RFA’s Brian Powell, which will be used by our reporters at the Games.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate, and timely news reports are unavailable. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a ‘surrogate’ broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at http://www.rfa.org/ .

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.

RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at www.techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience. Reception reports are also accepted by emails to qsl@rfa.org, and for anyone without Internet access, reception reports can be mailed to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America
Upon request, RFA will also send a copy of the current broadcast schedule and a station sticker.
(A.J. Janitschek /Radio Free Asia)

Trends in Tropical Bands broadcasting 2008

Special thanks to Anker Petersen, editor of DSWC International newsletter DX Window, for sharing the following feature with the Shortwave Central blog readers.
Gayle VanHorn

Trends in Tropical Bands broadcasting 2008
by Anker Petersen
Since 1973 the Danish Shortwave Club International has published an annual publication which first covered the frequency range of 2.200 to 5.800 kHz and was called the "Tropical Bands Survey". But since 1999 I expanded it as editor to cover all Domestic broadcasting stations on shortwave from 2.200 kHz till 30 MHz. That is now called the Domestic Broadcasting Survey - the DBS- and it is popular worldwide among hard-core DX-ers. Our latest edition was published in April 2008.

The task for the editor of the DBS is, throughout the year until the next publication, to check the bands himself and follow the loggings from our members and other DX-ers around the world. For each station in the list, a note is taken of the months when it has been heard. If a station has not been heard by any DX-er during the past 12 months, it is deleted. By this measure, the DBS contains only the active domestic broadcasting stations.

With this systematic registration of broadcasting stations on the Tropical Bands each year, it is possible to make some statistics on how many frequencies were active in each region of the world and compare these numbers.

I have selected the Tropical Bands Surveys published with 12 years intervals in 1973, 1985 and 1997, and the Domestic Broadcasting Surveys from 2003 and 2008. For each of these five years I have then counted the number of active Domestic Broadcasting stations between 2.200 and 5.800 kHz. International broadcasters, Clandestine and Pirate stations are not included in these statistics.


Active domestic transmitters on 2200 – 5800 kHz

Region 1973 1985 1997 2003 2008

Central Africa 102 76 40 26 17
Southern Africa 57 39 33 9 8
Middle East 9 4 1 0 0

Indian Subcontinent 62 45 45 36 31
South East Asia 40 29 21 7 4
Indonesia 171 105 65 19 14

China, Taiwan, Mongolia 119 110 75 44 32
CIS (former USSR) 61 59 47 21 5
Far East 38 28 28 17 9

Papua New Guinea 17 20 20 20 16
Australia and other Pacific 10 4 13 7 12

Central America, Mexico 21 23 24 17 6
Caribbean 29 3 3 4 2
Northwestern South America 98 41 19 5 3

Ecuador 47 33 22 13 8
Peru 78 69 78 53 33
Bolivia 35 42 25 15 18

Brazil 107 87 67 50 40
Southern South America 5 2 1 0 0

Total 1106 819 627 363 258

We are approaching the end of the Era of Domestic broadcasting on the Tropical Bands for two main reasons: The technical standard of a large part of the transmitters in the tropical countries is poor and they cannot be repaired for economical reasons. In more developed countries the domestic shortwave transmitters are being replaced by FM- and Internet-networks. The trend above is clear: The falling trend continues and has become more steep during the past year.

The average number of closed domestic stations per year during 1997-2003 was 44 whereas it was only 14 during 2003-2007. But a total of 49 have left the bands during the past 12 months! If that pessimistic trend continues, the end of domestic broadcasting on the Tropical Bands may appear already in year 2014! A more realistic closure is around 2021.

Countries like Brazil, Peru, China, India, Bolivia and Papua New Guinea are still dominating the Tropical Bands.

Stations on the Tropical Bands which have closed down in 2006-2007, including International stations and Clandestines.

kHz kW Station Country Last log

2371 - Minsk utility station (USB) Belarus APR06
2390 0,5 R Huayacocotla, Veracruz Mexico JAN06
2460 1 Super R Alvorada, R. Branco, AC Brazil SEP07
2490 1,6 R 8 de Setembro,Descalvado, S. Paulo Brazil APR06
3215 10 RRI Manado, CN Indonesia FEB07
3220 - KCBS, Hamhung, Bangsong North Korea JAN07
3231,8 10 RRI Bukittinggi, SW Indonesia JAN06
3270 100 WWRB, Manchester, Tennessee USA APR06
3306 - ZBC, Guineafowl, Gweru Zimbabwe JUN06
3344,6 0,5 R Ayopaya, Independencia, Cochabm. Bolivia FEB06
3375 10 R Western Highlands, Mount Hagen Papua New Guinea JAN06
3385 1 R Guarujá Paulista, Guarujá, SP Brazil SEP07
3815 0,2 Kalaalit Nunaata R, via Tasiilaq(USB) Greenland MAR07
3930 - R Voice of Komala, via No. Iraq Clandestine APR06
3955 100 Voice of Russia, Vladivostok Russia JAN06
3960,1 10 RRI Palu, Tondo, CC Indonesia JAN06
3970 - Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, No. Iraq Clandestine FEB07
3980 100 R Liberty, via Biblis Germany MAR06
3985 250 VOIRI, Ahwaz Iran MAR06
4030 - Voice of the Struggle of Iranian Kurdistan Clandestine JAN07
4394,5 - Onda Cero R (USB), Madrid-Spurious Spain DEC07
4620,5 - R Espacial, Otuzco, La Libertad Peru JAN07
4728,2 - R Aripalca, Aripalca, Nor Chichas Bolivia FEB07
4760 100 R Liberty via Yangiyul Tajikistan FEB06
4761,7 - R Guanay, Guanay, La Paz Bolivia FEB06
4839,9 15 Heilongjiang PBS, Shangzhi, Heilongjiang China PPPPP
4855 - Minsk utility station (USB) Belarus JAN06
4874,6 10 RRI Sorong, PP Indonesia MAR07
4875 100 R Hara, via Dusheti Georgia FEB06
4890 250 R France International, Moyabi Gabon JAN06
4890 40 NBC, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea JUL07
4890,1 - R Macedonia, Arequipa Peru JAN06
4890,4 1 R Chota, Chota, Cajamarca Peru JAN07
4900 50 AIR Guwahati A, Assam India MAR07
4915 50 GBC, Accra Ghana NOV06
4925 0,5 R Difusora, Taubaté, SP Brazil JAN07
4960 50 AIR Ranchi, Jharkhand India MAR07
4995 100 R Liberty via Yangiyul Tajikistan FEB06
5010 1 HRMI, La Voz de Misiones Int. Honduras APR07
5015 1 R Pioneira, Teresina, PI Brazil FEB07
5026 10 R Uganda, Kampala Uganda MAR07
5035 100 R Centrafricaine, Bangui-Bimbo Central African Republic JAN06
5035 500 WEWN, Vandiver, Alabama USA MAY06
5040 - Hrvatski R, Deanovec, Spurious Croatia JUL07
5135 1 R Amazonas, Pt. Ayacucho, Orinoco Venezuela APR07
5323,7 - La Voz del Alta, Acobamba Peru FEB07
5420 50 Voice of Minorities, Beijing China FEB07
5500 - Voice of Peace & Democracy of Eritrea Clandestine JAN06
5500 10 Voice of the Tigray Revolution Ethiopia DEC06
5699,8 - R Triple SH, San Ignacio, Cajamarca Peru FEB06
5699,8 0,15 R Frecuencia, San Ignacio, Cajamarca Peru JAN07
(Anker Petersen, Denmark)

A closer look at South American DX

We may be in the midst of the dog days of summer - which means high static levels and less than perfect radio conditions, but hold on DXers!
South American DX is still rolling in - and there remains plenty to hear. Ice down your favorite beverage and do some shortwave band scanning!
The following loggings represent what hobbyist are hearing recently - so how is the DX from your listening post ?
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC

* sign-on sign-off* // parallel frequency

Bolivia
3310, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 2227-2239, Jul 07, Quechua talks to music. SINPO 23342. Noted adjacent utility QRM, but it is usually a clean channel at approximately this time. (Gonçalves). Also good signal in the morning. (Wilkner)

3390.29, Emisoras Camargo, Camargo, 2350-0012, Jul 08/09, Spanish program. (Wilkner)

4409.82, Radio Eco, Reyes (presumed), 0240-0250, Jul 07, Spanish announcement to huaynos music. SINPO 25232. (Petersen)

5952.47, Radio Pio XII, Siglo XX, 2200-0230*, Jul 02, 06, 10, 11, 12 and 21, Quechoa excited conversation between two men, Spanish time ann and ID: "Radio Pio XII", ID jingle: "Pio XII", Quechoa religious talk, Bolivian songs, closing announcement mentioning frequency, jingle repeated three times and off. SINPO 33333. (Bolland, Méndez and Petersen)

6055.06, R Juan XXIII, San Ignacio de Velazco, 2102-2115, Jul 08, Spanish news bulletin with local and national headlines, community news and messages: "Aviso de trabajo...necesitamos...para trabajos en merceria...presentarse en calle....muy cerca de la emisora...", ID: ".....para Radio Juan XXIII....", SINPO 22432 (best reception in LSB mode). (Slaen)

Brazil
3325, Radio Mundial, São Paulo, SP, 2239-2302, Jul 08, A Voz do Brasil. Middle of part 2, with Senate Report, House of Representatives news, then religious program at 2300, 25332. (Gonçalves)

4754.9, Radio Imaculada Conceiçao, Campo Grande, MS, 2231-2246 and 0512-0532, Jul 11 and 13, religious talks, songs, no Voz do Brasil at 2200, ID: "Radio Imaculada María, a nosa familia,somos unha familia", 25322. (Gonçalves and Méndez)

4805, Radio Difusora do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, 2206-2235, Jul 06 and 12, Portuguese football comments, QRM via China 4800, 23322. (Méndez). Also heard at 0930-1000, Jul 09 in Brazilian Portuguese, strong signal. (Wilkner)

4865.05, Radio Verdes Florestas, Cruzeiro do Sul, AC (presumed), 1005-1020, Jul 09, Portuguese news mentioning various place names such as "Brazil" and "São Paulo", could not pull out any ID's however. Signal was poor. (Bolland)

5869.98, R Voz Missionaria, Florianopolis, SC, 2045-2055 and 2145-2205, Jul 08, differentreligious programmes in Portuguese, many ann, ID: "..transmisao da Rádio Voz Missionaria da Florianopolis....", another ann: "....Voz Missionaria ....estamos todos os dias....", SINPO 34433.(Slaen). This new station was also heard in Denmark at 2330-2355, Jul 12, Portuguese religious talk, hymn, occasional CWQRM, SINPO 24332, but not heard on // 11750. (Petersen)

6039.71, Radio Clube Paranaense, Curitiba, PR, 0950-1005, Jul 09, Portuguese information. At 1000 China Radio Int. comes up blocking everything. Brazil was poor while audible. (Bolland)

6080, Radio Novas de Paz, Curitiba PR, 2102, Jul 09 Jul, programme "Musical Evangélico", 22441, BCQRM. (Gonçalves)

6135, Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, SP, 2216-2227, Jul 10 and 12, religiouse talk in Portuguese, A Voz do Brasil, part 1, 33432, adjacent QRM and heterodyne with Bolivia 6134.8. (Gonçalves and Méndez)

6160, Radio Rio Mar, Manaus, AM, 1001-1015, Jul 14, Portuguese morning "magazine" style format of announcement. Station time check and Public Service Announcements. Easy-listening Brazilian pops to announcer's music title format between tunes, SIO 434. (Van Horn)

9564.88, Radio Tupi, Curitiba, PR (pres.), 2212, Jun 23, preaching in Portuguese, mainly clear, not very strong. (Valko)

11780, Radio Nacional da Amazónia, Parque do Rodeador, near Brasília, DF, 1406-1435 and 2121-2137, Jul 07, 12 and 15, listeners' messages in Portuguese, extensive interview with the head of a regional agricultural agency about herd vaccination, then songs. SINPO 44444 adjacent QRM from Brazil 11784.5. (Gonçalves and Méndez)

11784.5, Radio Guaíba, Porto Alegre, RS, 1419 and 2119-2132, Jul 07 and 13, football reports to commercials and songs. SINPO 34433. (Gonçalves)

11804.6, Radio Globo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 1417, Jul 13, football news and referencies to the Santos vs. Botafogo match later in the day. SINPO 24442. (Gonçalves). Also noted at 2136-2154, Jul 12, Portuguese football report. SINPO 23222(Méndez)

11855, R Aparecida, Aparecia, SP, 1413 and 2051-2130, Jul 07, 12 and 13. Program announcement to commericals. "Pé na Estrada" with music and info. Commercials related to parts and oil, advices, hymns. Station ID as, "Radio Aparecida". SINPO 34433 QRM from WYFR in Spanish, // 5035, 6135, 9630. (Gonçalves and Méndez)

Colombia
5910, Marfil Estéreo, Lomalinda, 2214-0841, Jul 05, 09, 13 and 20, Latin vocals with Spanish announced ID as, "Vd. está escuchando Marfil Estereo", "Marfil Estereo, HKI 79 FM, para todo el departamento de Meta, Ondas de Paz", "esta sintonizando Marfil Estereo", religious programm. SINPO 34333. (D'Angelo, Gonçalves, Méndez, Otávio and Petersen)

6010, La Voz de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda (tentative), 0811-0840, Jul 15, Spanish religious talk with soft easy listening religious music, choir vocals, possible ID, poor. (D'Angelo). "Pray that we will be able to get our most important radio station (The Voice of Your Conscience on 6010 short wave) back on the air. After many years of faithful service all three of the expensive 5000 watt tubes in the transmitter came to the end of their service life and burned out. The bill to fix the transmitter will be ten thousand US." (Russell and Marina Stendal, "Colombia Para Cristo" Newsletter, via DXplorer)

6035, La Voz del Guaviare, San José del Guaviare, 2226-2259, Jul 11 and 12, Spanish ann, salsa music program. SINPO 35433. (Gonçalves and Méndez). Also heard at 1124-1130, Jul 07. Station ID and commericals to talk. SIgnal fair but on the decline. (Wilkins in DXplorer)

Ecuador
3279.6, La Voz del Napo, Tena, 0950, Jul 09, subdued conversational Spanish, good signal. (Wilkner)

4814.9, Radio El Buen Pastor, Loma de Carbocillo, 1000, a regular with strong signal. (Wilkner)

4909.32, Radio Chaskis, Otavalo, 0906-0922, Jul 17, Spanish ann, nice mix of Quichua ballads with ID ann between selections, all different, fair, clear signal- the best I have ever logged Chaskis with here. (Barbour in DXplorer)

Peru
3329.53, Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 2357-0010, Jul 08/09, talk over music. (Wilkner)

4746.84, Radio Huanta 2000, Huanta, Ayacucho, 1120 seems to sign on late. (Wilkner)

4774.98, Radio Tarma, Tarma, 0329-0342, Jul 11, short ann in Spanish alternating romantic Spanish selections, slogan "Radio Tarma, la primeirisima", ID, good SINPO 33433. (Otávio). Also heard at 1019-1030, Jul 14, Spanish talk, but very weak. (Bolland)

4790.08, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 0225-0620, Jul 03, 04, 13 and 19, Spanish preaching and shouting, hymn, "Escuchan el programa La Voz de la Salvación", "Bienvenidos a La Voz de la Salvación, Iglesia Pentecostal La Cosecha", CODAR QRM, SINPO 33333. (Méndez and Petersen)
4824.49, La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos signed on after 1100, Jul 09. (Wilkner). Also heard at 2231-2241, Jul 08, talks in Spanish presumably, SINPO 12341, QRM from Brazil 4825. (Gonçalves)

4826.51, Radio Sicuani, Sicuani, 2222-0212*, Jul 09, 10 and 14, Spanish talk, local and sports news programme "La Federacion Peruana...", huaynos, SINPO 23332 QRM from Zimbabwe and CODAR. (Otávio, Petersen and Wilkner).

4835.6, Radio Marañon, Jaén, 2246-0013, Jul 08, 09 and 10, return noted after several weeks off the air, Spanish talks alternating local pop music, 23322. (Gonçalves, Otávio and Wilkner). Strongest Peruvian at 1000-1130, Jul 09 and 14, Spanish energetic programming with shouted ann by man and woman, 1032 simply "Radio Marañon" ID shouted in midst of flute and drum solo. (Bolland and Wilkner). Cf. DX Window 354. (Ed)

4940, Radio San Antonio, Villa Atalaya, 2217-2228, 07 Jul, Spanish. Music of SINPO 5231. (Gonçalves). Be aware of Venezuela. (Ed)

4955, Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta, 2205-2310, Jul 06, 07, 12 and 18, Quechua and Spanish religious talks and about education, instrumental violin music, SINPO 35342. (Gonçalves, Méndez, Otávio and Petersen)

4974.8, Radio del Pacífico, Lima, 0548-0603, Jul 07. Hymns in Spanish to religious talk. SINPO 25322. (Méndez)

4991, Radio Manantial (t), Chilca, 2226-2235, Jul 07, Indian songs. SINPO 15241. (Gonçalves)

5014.37, Radio Altura, Cerro de Pasco, 2240-2254 and 0243-0458, Jun 27, Jul 10 and 11, Spanish advs, e.g. about medical clinic of acunpucture (La Milionaria, especialista en medicina biologica China), local pop selections alternating talks, 0458 "Happy Birthday", SINPO 35242. (Gonçalves, Otávio and Valko)

5025, Radio Quillabamba, Quillabamba, 2235-2248, Jul 14. Messages in Spanish and Quechua. Local events and necrologic announced program. Station ad about medical clinic center and shoes store " tudo a precio del fabrica...", 33433. (Otávio)

5039.21, R Libertad, Junin, 1102-1120, Jul 13, "..en action Radio Libertad ... nueva voz...". (Wilkner)

6019.42, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0542-0900, Jun 27, Jul 05, 15 and 21, religious programmes in Spanish: "Acuda a nuestra sede en Avenida Arica 248, Distrito de Breña, cierre de la campaña el poder del Espíritu Santo", "Siga escuchando La Voz de la Liberación de la Iglesia Pentecostal La Cosecha, una de la madrugada con 19 minutos", 34433. (Bolland, Méndez and Valko)

6047.22, Radio Santa Rosa, Lima (t), 2340-2350, Jul 12, Spanish talk, SINPO 13221. (Petersen)

9720, Radio Victoria, Lima, 2235-0034, Jul 14 and 17, Spanish religious program to canned ID,SINPO 25433 parallel to 6019.42. (D'Angelo and Gonçalves)

Venezuela
4939.70 - 4939.96v, Radio Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, 2215-0310, Jul 10, 11, 15 and 19Spanish announcement to romantic music and talk - very distorted signal, best to monitor in USB. No doubt it was Radio Amazonas. SINPO 25332. (Otávio, Petersen and Wilkner)
(Source: Source: DX Window # 355 via Ander Petersen/DSWC Intl)

Blogs Logs - Clandestine radio activity

All times UTC

*sign-on sign-off* //parallel frequency

3912, Voice of the People (tentative) Kyonggi-do, Korea South, 0959 carrier on, *1000-1028*, Jul 12 and 13, maybe a local pop selection (seems to be exactly the same selection played on both days), carrier off at 1030, no talks! SINPO 33433. (Otávio)

6015, Shiokaze - Sea Breeze, via Yamata, Japan, *1400, July 21, new frequency - temporary move from 6020?, Japanese. Is this their new anti-jamming alternative frequency (ex: 6005) or a new primary frequency (ex: 6020)? Am glad they did not return to 6005, due to the station interference caused there by Echo of Hope on 6003. Before 1400 heard weak Asian station (assume Xinjiang PBS), time pips and assume it was China's CNR-8 that was totally covered by Shiokaze signing on after the pips. (Howard)

6100, Radio República, via Sackville, canada 0245-0300, Jul 10, Spanish talk about Cuba. Station ID and jingles. SINPO 45344. (Petersen)

6300, National Radio of Sahara Arab Democratic Republic, Rabouni, Algeria 1815-2400*, Jul 11 and 21, Arabic talks, sports program to songs, 2300 Spanish program to ID and close down announcement. SINPO observed 45344 - 22432. (D'Angelo, Liangas, Otávio)

6348, Radio Echo of Hope, Goyang, South Korea, 1820-1826, Jul 21. Pop song then talks in Korean!! Song. (Liangas)

6600, Voice of the People, via Gimpo, South Korea, 1102-1106 and 1650-2007, Jul 07, 10, 20 and 21, Korean ann, operatic songs, 1700 news read by man and woman, 1720 more operatic songs, comment and operatic songs again! SINPO 33343 heavily QRMed from a digital stream on 6598 kHz. (Liangas, Petersen and Slaen)

7205, IBC-Tamil, via Wertachtal, 0007-0059*, Jul 11, long talks in Tamil, ID and apparent news at 0030. Musical program mixed with talks after the news. Music fanfare followed by ID and closing announcement at 0059, fair. (D'Angelo)

9515, Radio Republica, via Rampisham, 2216-2219, Jul 09, Spanish news program about Cuba and Latin Ameircan countries. Station ID with schedule, ID audible as, "Para saber o que se pasa en Cuba, sintonise Radio Republica. " SINPO 43433. (Otavio)

9590, Sudan Radio Service, via Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates (250 kW / 240 degrees) Has this detailed language schedule to East Africa: 1700-1730: Monday in Dinka, Tuesday in Zande, Wednesday in Moro, Thursday in Bari and French in Shiluk. 1730-1800 Monday-Friday in English. (Ivanov via BC-DX and Gupta). Heard Tuesday Jul 22, *1700-1710, in scheduled Zande. SINPO 33333, ex 9840. (Petersen)

11805, Sudan Radio Service, via Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates (250 kW / 240 degrees). On new frequency, 0300-0330 Monday-Fridya in English, 0330-0500 Mon-Friday in Arabic. Broker: V.T. Communications. (Ivanov via BC-DX and Gupta)

15325, Sudan Radio Service, via Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates (250 kW / 240 degrees) On new frequency, 0500-0530 Arabic, 0530-0600 English. Broker: V.T. Communications. (Ivanov via BC-DX and Gupta)

Voice of Biafra International via WHRI (specifically the WHR 1 transmitter in Cypress Creek, SC) verified on its former frequency 15665 with a full data Over 20 Years of Shortwave Ministry to the World, card in 151 days for a report send to South Bend, Indiana address. (D'Angelo)
(Source: DX Window # 355 via Ander Petersen/DSWC Intl)

Shortwave DX Tips

All times UTC

Anguilla
6090 No sign of Dr. Gene on 6090 kHz on 25 July at 0410 UTC. Only heard on WWCR 5935 kHz. On 26 July same time and frequency. Maybe people quit giving Rev. Melissa $$$.(Liz Cameron-USA, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 26)

Burkina Faso
5030 Radio Burkina, Ouagadougou. July 25 in French at 0710-0715 UT tribal music, YL and OM talks. Noisy SINPO 22322. (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-B, hcdx July 24)

Chad
Chad in very nice at 2139 UT on 4904.97 kHz with music program. Transmitter sounds like it has returned to the strength we heard before the unrest in February.(John Herkimer-USA, DXplorer July 26)

Greece/Macedonia
Many stations with ID "Macedonia": "Radio Statmos Makedonias" in Greek, three different prgrs at 1850 UT on 7450, 1044, 1179 kHz; pirate mx station in Greek called "Radio Makedonia" on 1384.5 kHz MW and of course "Makedonsko Radio Skopje" on MW 810 - all heard in June/July.(Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)

India
4800 All India Radio-Hyderabad, 0047-.19 Jul. English. Program about theater and a play. SINPO 55433.

4840 All India Radio-Mumbai, 0045-.19 Jul. Vernacular text with references to Mumbai.
SINPO 45433.

4910 All India Radio-Jaipur, 0043-.19 Jul, Vernacular talks to music. SINPO 35333; \\
to 5010.

5010 All India Radio Radio-Thiruvananthapuram, 0041-.19 Jul, Vernacular talks to song.
SINPO 35333 \\ to 4910.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 21)

Iran/Iraq
Voice of Kurdistan 6335 1600-1700 in English (in July). (Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)

Israel/Russia
Each 3rd Monday of the month a common "Radio Bridge" program will be aired on the waves of Voice of Russia in Ru (Radio Kanal Sadruzhestva prgr/Commonwealth) prepared by Kol Israel and VORussia. (Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)

Korea DPR/Portugal
15180 RDP Lisbon Portuguese 1000-1200 UTC broadcast suffers heavily heterodyne by VoKorea 1000-1200 and KCBS Korean til 1250 UTC on odd 15179.92 signal.(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 25)

Mali
9635 Radio Mali, Bamako. On July 18 Vernacular text at 0945-0956 UTC. Announcer's talks to
tribal music. Long segment for male's slow speech pattern. Het on signal. SINPO 32433.
(Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-Brazil, JPNpremium July 25)

Mauritania
4845 Radio Mauritanie, Nouakchott. July 20 Ar 2254- 2305 UTC. Male/female talk segments and short music. 2302 UTC outside male talks returning to studio. SINPO 34433.

7245 Radio Mauritanie, Nouakchott. July 21 Ar 0953-1002 UTC. Announcer's talks to instrumental music (maybe local). Signal level declined when this music was playing. SINPO 23322 to 1000. (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-Brazil, JPNpremium July 18)

Mongolia
Voice of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar. The program on English at 1030-1057 UT on 12085 kHz was repeated from 1530 UTC on 12085 kHz on July 18th. Same news and items.(Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)

Myanmar
9730.77 Myanma Radio. 1411-1428, July 23, in English and vernacular, English lesson with a series of questions and answers ("Question Number 10: Do the Japanese drink tea?"), 1424 into vernacular, weak. Clearly this is their Minorities and Educational Service (ex: 5040.6). Thanks to tip from Dan Sheedy. He heard what sounded like an English lesson here on July 12, at 1503 UTC.(Ron Howard-CA-USA, JPNpremium July 25)

New Zealand
RNZI "Mailbox" Interview with Jonathan Marks on http://www.rnzi.com/audio/mailbox.mp3

Nigeria
4770 Radio Nigeria, Kaduna Jarji. On July 24 in En, Hausa (schedule) 2220-2237 UTC.Slow English pop music selections, at 2233 UTC. Lady aanouncer's talk unreadable. From 2230 UTC some signal enhancement, SINPO 22432. (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-B, hcdx July 24)

Peru
4835.46 Re Radio Maranon Jaen. Zeljko noted strong local signal of R Maranon when toured to Quito late Feb 2008. He notes strong signals there, like a steep fountain umbrella signal to cover local area. (wb)

Saudi Arabia
Again middle sound buzz noted at 0300-0700 UTC on 9715 and 1000-1225 UT on 15250 kHz. In the schedule of Radio Taiwan Int is given 15245 kHz for using but they are on 15250 kHz plus Firedrake of Beijing. (July 20).

Before the beginning of the programs in French observed: 0750 English, 0800 French on
17785 and 1350 (Urdu?) \\ 13775, 1400 French on 17660 (but sometimes they are using 17760 kHz!) (Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)

Sri Lanka
On July 27th on 9770 kHz at 0330-0500 (and later also on \\ 15745 kHz) only Gospel progrs in En, no own prgrs of SLBC, but at 0400 UTC ID "This Is Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation", the next program is compiled and presented by .... Ministries".(Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 30)

Switzerland
531 The Swiss mediumwave transmitter at Beromuenster on 531 kHz is to close by the end of 2008, as it no longer complies with stringent regulations on electromagnetic radiation. The 600 kW transmitter has in recent years been operated at the reduced power of 180 kW. In 2003
the antenna feeder cable was damaged by lightning. It was planned to replace it, but the plans were cancelled because of protests from local residents.

Tanzania
11735 Radio Tanzania, Dole, Zanzibar, afternoon of 20 July, Swahili, selection of varied music, ranging from Arabic style to East African pop like, prayer; no recorded log, so no SINPO, but I'd rated it as fair-good in strength, no QRM. On one brief occasion, Radio Transmundial
in Brazil seemed to be "wanting" to be heard too... This was via a 41 m inverted V here at home, so no chance to select either Africa or South America. very low angle or higher angle.(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 21)

Thailand
BBC DRM test from Nakhon Sawan relay site at 0300-0600 UT on 17840 kHz, and 0600-0900 UT on 21640 kHz. Scheduled only Mons and Tues. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 24)Tentat. noted a tiny DRM noise around 0810 UT July 29th. (wb)

USA
15280 WHRI Voice of Biafra International. Cypress Greek. On July 25 English at 2002 UT OM VOBI aperture anmts, music wich seems to be a anthem, 2005 UTC. Announcer with "VOBI broadcast coming to you from Whashington D.C....", African choir music, 2007 UT OM talks "... Nigeria...human rights abuse ... everyone knows...blood...", "... but Nigeria, Yes arrogance!", 2019 UT. Talk maybe in local dialect. 2022 UTC African hi life music until 2025. Started with
SINPO 33433 but QRM underneath from 2008 UTC resulted SINPO 32433. (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec-BRA-hcdx July 26)
(Source: WWDXC Top News/BC DX # 871 via wb, Germany)

WRN launches NME Radio on Freesat

WRN has launched its client NME Radio onto the Freesat platform. Following a hugely successful launch on the nme.com website and Sky channel 0184 on 24th June, NME Radio is now available on Freesat channel 727.
NME Radio is a new station featuring the best Indie Alternatives and the latest in music related news. DX Media, the multimedia music company responsible for launching NME Radio, chose WRN to provide uplink, capacity and EPG services on Freesat.
(Source: WRN/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog )

Blog Logs

Today's shortwave BLOG LOGS, represent a portion of logs recently cut from my SWBC Logs column in Monitoring Times, due to space constraints. Contributions are always welcome for the magazine or blog, and may be directed to my above email address. Thanks very much to the contributors for your kind words and support. Have you sent your logs in yet?
Gayle VH

All times UTC, frequencies in kHz, English unless otherwise indicated // parallel frequencies.
* sign-on - sign-off *

Colombia
LV del Guaviare 6035, 0250-0300* Local Colombian music to Spanish announcements. Station sign-off with national anthem at 0258. Poor signal with several other stations on this frequency and adjacent channel splatter. (B Alexander, PA)

China
Hulun Buir PBS 3900, 1127-1205. Announcer duo's talk in Chinese to signal pips at 1200, then possible station ID and continued chat. Signal fair-poor at tune-in and deteriorating by 1200. (J Wilkins, CO).

Croatia
Voice of Croatia 9925, 2220. Program report on St. Mark's Fair. SIO 454. (B Fraser, ME)

Voice of Croatia 3984.84, 0200-0207. Newscast to station ID. Local folk music at 0207 during very weak signal. Audible on // 9925 via Germany - very weak, not on 7285. (B Alexander, PA)

Cuba
Radio Nacional de Venezuela relay 6060, 1100. Spanish station ID, welcome to listeners by announcer into national news reports covering scholarships and the new minimum wage laws, the first in Latin America. SIO 554. (B Fraser, ME)

Ethiopia
Voice of Tigrey Revolution 5980, *0355-0410. Sign-on with interval signal to Amharic talk at 0400 along with Horn of Africa style music. Poor signal quality and weak with adjacent channel splatter. Threshold copy on // 6170. (B Alexander, PA)

Radio Fana 7209.91, *0258-0340. Interval signal to opening ID announcement at 0301 and into regional style music and Amharic talk. Signal weak and covered by BBC on 7210 at *0300-0329.* Radio Fana audible after BBC sign-off at 0329. Better signal on // 6110. (B Alexander, PA).

Honduras
HRMI (tentative) 3340, 0320. Spanish musical ballads and announcers' chat. Didn't stick with the station through 0330 due to weak signal and band noise. (S Barbour, NH)

India
All India Radio-Chennai 7270, 1259. AIR interval signal to 1300, followed by time pip signal mixing with other pips. Signal poor quality. (J Wilkins, CO).

Israel
Galei Zahal 6973, 0053-0100. Israeli folk music to Hebrew announcement cut short with "GZ" identification, followed by newscast at 0100. SIO 353. (H Frodge MI)

Kuwait
Radio Kuwait 11990, 1800. Program series, Islam, Religion of Truth and Justice, followed by western rock music. SIO 554. (B Fraser, ME)

Madagascar
RTV Malagasy (tentative) 5010, 0234-0250. Vernacular service with chat to up-beat native music. Presentation of live speech at 0250 amid poor signal copy and choppy in USB. (S Barbour, NH).

Malaysia/Sarawak
Limbang FM via Kuching 7270, 1300-1320. Kuala Lumpar news relay to 1310, followed by Limbang FM relay. Music vocals and talk in vernacular language with mentions of Limbang. Fairly good signal this day. (J Wilkins, CO)

Mali
China Radio International relay 13630, 2043-2054.+ Announcer's with business news to program spot and station ID.at 2054. SIO 343. (H Frodge, MI).

New Zealand
Radio New Zealand International 11725, 2028-2035. New Zealand news features. SIO 243 on peak. (H Frodge, MI).

Nigeria
Voice of Nigeria 7255, 2139-2201. Announcer's heavy accented French with Afro pop tunes to 2156 announcement of broadcast in French. Fanfare tune, station ID and presumed Arabic service at 2159. SIO 443. (H Frodge, MI)

Romania
Radio Romania International 7185, 2201-2209.+ English news to station identification at 2208. Commentary on Romanian-Turkmenistan pact. SIO 433. (H Frodge, MI).

Rwanda
FEBA Radio relay via Kigali, Rwanda 9555, 1958-2012. Arabic service of music to 2000. Program announcer at 2003 with ID in passing, followed by music and announcers' text. (S Barbour, NH)

Ukraine
Radi Ukraine International 7440, 0042-0047. Announcer's text to program about Ukrainian literature and theater. S20 signal. (H Frodge, MI)

USA
WBCQ Monticello, Maine 5109.9, 0340, Religious text from Brother Stair. SIO 554. (H Frodge, MI)

WHRI 9495, 1937-1959. Tune-in to program DXing With Cumbre. Good signal on this new freq for Cumbre. (B Alexander, PA).

WWCR Nashville, Tennessee 7465, 2110-2138. DX program Frecuencia al Dia (mentioned several times). Feature on Radi Uno in Chile (not listed in WRTH 2007). Program feature on loop antennas and reception reports with ID tapes. No station ID noted at 2130 but did mention "Nashville." (H Frodge, MI)

Uzbekistan
CVC via Tashkent 13630, 1043-1059.* Listed as Hindi service. Announcers' with banter and up-beat music tunes and tentative station ID in passing at 1049. Presumed sign-off routine over jazz piano at 1057, followed by filler music. Fair signal quality. (S Barbour, NH)

Vatican State
Vatican Radio (tentative) 7335, 0406. Presumed this station in Latin for SIO 433, best to monitor in LSB due to CHU Qrm. (h Frodge, MI)

Zambia
CVC International 13590, 2054-2058. Religious pop music to station abruptly off the air without benefit of an identification. SIO 354. (H Frodge, MI)

CVC International 4965, 0324-0333. Last part of Insight for Living program. CVC identification into continued religious text at 0330. Fair signal copy but rough due to my local noise. (J Wilkins, CO)

Contributors:
Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania
Scott Barbour, New Hampshire
Bob Fraser, Maine
Harold Frodge, Michigan
John Wilkins, Colorado

Radio Romania SW transmitters on the air

The website of Radio Romania International carries the following announcement:
On August 4th, at midnight (Romania’s time) or August 3rd at 21 hours GMT, the new 300 kW, short wave transmitters located in the locality of Galbeni started operating. The transmitters are the property of the National Radio Communications Company, RADIOCOM. We are waiting for your written feedback related to the quality of reception.
The old transmitters in Tiganesti will be decommissioned, to be replaced, in about 2 months’ time, with new 300 kW transmitters. Therefore, in the coming months, RRI’s broadcasts can be received on the same frequencies on which you have listened to our programmes so far and which we announced in mid May 2008.
RADIOCOM has given a warning though, that, given the complexity of the radiant system and of the new automatic switch system, the functioning of the new short wave transmitters in Galbeni might be interrupted. We will notify you about these possible interruptions as soon as we get news of it from our colleagues at RADIOCOM.
(Source: R Romania Intl via R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

New radio station planned in Congo DR

Members of the Belgian armed forces in the Congolese province of West-Kasai are planning to set up a radio station to inform the local population about why they are there, and what they are doing. Technical and editorial staff will be recruited locally. This isn’t the first such radio station operated by the Belgian forces. Earlier there was a similar station, Radio Rafiki, in Eastern Congo.
There are about 30 Belgian troops in Kananga, the capital of West Kasai in the centre of DR Congo, where they are giving training to the Congolese army.
(Source: Belga via Radiovisie.eu/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

RFE/RL plans move to new headquarters

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s HQ will move to Hagibor in Prague 10 from Wenceslas Square at the end of the year. At present, concrete blocks are scattered around the gate to the Hagibor area. “Those are benches [sic]. They have to be massive so they wouldn’t fly in the air in case of an explosion,” says Stepán Jirout from Orco, the project’s developer. The new facility will become one of the most guarded places in Europe.
(Source: Prague Daily Monitor/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

QSO program set for Saturday evening broadcast

We invite you to listen on WBCQ 7415 kilohertz Saturday nights 11PM EDT, 10PM CDT, 9PM MDT, 8PM PDT, 0300 UTC.

If you are not near a radio you can listen on line live at

http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7

On QSO's this week on 7415

Andy Carstarphen of the Mesquite Amateur Association in Mesquite Texas.

They have a monthly Ham Radio in the park activity for the public.

Incredible radio club and really aggressive and on the ball.

Also Dennis Kidder W6DQ, Nate Brighton (age 90) and John Rodgers KF6TTR of the Associated Amateurs of Long Beach.

They have their club station W6RO aboard the Queen Mary.

This is sit on the edge of your chair listening!

Listen as John Rodgers KF6TTR talks about the ghosts that haunt the Queen Mary even in photographs.

They are also going to help us spread the word about the "Wish List" for Captain Hammer and our boys in Iraq.

Nate Brighman W6OLZ now age 90 pioneered the restoration of the radio room of the Queen Mary and the the club ham station coming on board.

Any licsened ham may come and operate this is the restored radio room the home of W6RO.

The Queen Mary is a museun open to the public.

Gordon West and Bob Heil aboard the Queen Mary

Joe Walsh and Bob Heil aboard the Queen Mary

W6RO with Heil Classics
73's
Ted Randall
QSO Radio Show
http://www.tedrandall.com/
WBCQ 7415 kilohertz
Monticello Maine

Saturday nights
11PM EDT, 10PM CDT, 9PM MDT, 8PM PDT, 0300 UTC.

615-469-0702

Past Chapter Chairman
Society Of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 103
Nashville, TN
615-517-2194
http://www.sbe.org/
(Source: Ted Randall via Bob Grove)

MV Baltic Radio slated for Sunday broadcast

On the 3rd of August 2008

MV Baltic Radio

At 1159 UTC

On 6140 KHz
MV Baltic Radio is on the air from the transmitting station in Wertachtal.

We will be using a non-directional antenna system (Quadrant antenna).
(Tom Taylor)

Hamas shuts down Gaza City radio station

The radical Islamic movement Hamas has ordered the closure of the al-Sha’b radio station operated in Gaza City by a faction of the rival PLO. Employees of the radio station denounced the closure as a violation of their freedom of expression and are demanding that the ban be lifted immediately. The closure is thought to be linked with an attack last weekend which killed five Hamas members and a six-year-old girl in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has blamed the attack on Fatah, which denies the allegation.
(Source: RNW News/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Behind the scenes at the Olympic Games

A new Internet project from OneWorld.nl, onzeWereld and Radio Netherlands Worldwide

OneWorld.nl, onzeWereld and Radio Netherlands Worldwide are launching an international Internet project which offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the Beijing Olympics. The website www.rnw.nl/intimatechina contains intimate little stories, photographs and clips of events taking place in the margins of the world’s greatest sporting event. The site is available in Dutch, English, Spanish and Indonesian.
The site brings together all the news, background information and clips from OneWorld.nl, onzeWereld and Radio Netherlands Worldwide on one website. From a story about the working conditions in sports clothing sweatshops to a story about Chinese parents who have named their children after the Olympic Games, visitors to the site will find all kinds of facts about China, its people and political and cultural climate.
Two Radio Netherlands reporters are covering the Olympic Games from inside China, reporting from the margins of international sport performances on events and news items which affect China and the Chinese themselves.
Photo series
A special series of photographs from onzeWereld enables visitors to look at the Asian superpower through the eyes of both the Chinese and foreigners who have lived there a long time. The series “Among the Chinese” shows work by students and former students of international photojournalism in Dalian (North-East China).
Collaboration
The Dutch media organisations onzeWereld, One World.nl and Radio Netherlands Worldwide share an interest in themes including globalisation and human rights, and are working closely together for the first time in this Internet project. Their aim as journalists is to focus attention on the personal and social circumstances of the Chinese.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Scandinavian Weekend Radio weekend broadcast

It's the first weekend of the month - and time for the monthly broadcast from Scandinavian Weekend Radio. SWR is Scandinavia's first private shortwave station. Studios and transmitters are located in Virrat, in western Finland. (N 62°23' E 23°37')

SWR is on the air at every months first Saturday 24 hours, starting 0:00 local time. (+2 UTC) SWR broadcasts on mediumwave 1602 kHz and on shortwaves 11720, 11690, 5980 and 6170 kHz.

Check our program, time and frequencytables from www.swradio.net/ . Lot of more information there as well.

+358 400 995559 call and send your SMS's
info@swradio.net send your e-mails here. Letters and reports for QSL's (add 2 Euros/2 IRC's) write to:

SWR reports
P.O.Box 99
FI-34801 Virrat
Finland

South Korean TV airs Olympics rehersals

Olympic organisers have slammed a South Korean TV station for an unauthorised broadcast of a dress rehearsal for the Games opening ceremony, but the network claims it shot the footage legitimately. The broadcast by the private SBS network has irked Chinese organisers who had, according to state media, made performers sign confidentiality agreements not to divulge details of next Friday’s ceremony.
“I find it very disappointing that any organisation would breach protocol on something as exciting as an opening ceremony where it’s supposed to be one of the big surprises of the Games outside of athletic performance,” IOC press chief Kevan Gosper told Reuters. “It’s also the spirit of it, they know very well it should be kept private.”
The network, one of three South Korean TV rights holders allowed to distribute Olympic footage, aired just over a minute of video of the closed-door rehearsal. We went, and nobody stopped us. So we just shot,” a staff reporter at SBS’s sports desk said in Seoul.
A spokesman for the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) said that reporters had been told not to take footage of the rehearsal, and that the matter was being investigated. “At the beginning of the rehearsal, they made a broadcast saying that nobody is supposed to take any pictures,” BOCOG spokesman Sun Weide told reporters. “Of course, I don’t think it’s authorised. We are still looking into the details of the situation,” Sun said.
The broadcast drew swift condemnation from Chinese Internet users, some of whom called for a boycott of Korean goods. “How could such a network be so unprofessional? They are no better than paparazzi!” fumed one comment posted on popular Chinese web portal Tianya. “Resolutely boycott Korean goods!” said another.
But other Internet users called for calm and said the TV station should not be blamed for a lapse in security that allowed them to film. “We should look for the reason within the measures and system to guarantee the opening ceremony’s secrecy. Blaming others doesn’t solve anything,” a commentary posted on web portal Sina.com said.
A video of the broadcast posted on SBS’s website had been removed by Thursday afternoon.
(Source: Reuters)

Nigeria's Borno State TV to broadcast on shortwave

Borno State Government in Nigeria has bought new equipment and facilities for its radio station, Borno Radio Television (BRTV). Also, the radio station has expressed its readiness to extend it coverage to most states in the Northeastern parts of the country and the neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
The General Manager of the station, Alhaji Babakura Abba Jato, said that the equipment, costing hundreds of millions of naira, was brought in from Italy and would be immediately installed in order to commence broadcasting on both AM and FM. Jato told journalists that the station was at 85 per cent completion stage.
Jato explained that after the installation the coverage area of the AM/FM stations of the organisation will be beyond the state boundaries. He said that the station is going to transmit on the shortwave band based on the new licence it has obtained from the NBC.
(Source: ThisDay online/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

DEM Radio launches for UK and European communities

A new internet and satellite based radio station was launched this week, catering for the Turkish speaking communities in the UK and Europe. DEM Radio, part of the DEM Media Group, is currently undergoing test transmissions via the Internet and the Turksat satellite, and hopes to begin broadcasting in earnest on 1 September.
The new station will provide a mix of music and chat shows and also community programmes, predominately in Turkish. By using the Internet and the Turksat satellite, DEM Radio can reach in excess of 100 million listeners across 33 countries. The 24 hour service aims to become the ‘new voice’ of British Turkish speakers.
DEM Radio’s MD Bulent Alver, who has worked previously for London Turkish Radio, said that DEM Radio has a lot to offer Turkish listeners. “We live in Europe and while we don’t want to forget our heritage. Our needs are different from those in Turkey and Cyprus. DEM Radio will tailor its programmes to cover the wide range of interests our listeners have, from the economy to social matters, and community programmes designed to help Turkish speakers integrate with their local society. All topped with an excellent range of music, from classical Turkish to pop and folk music.”
DEM Media Group already own and operate DEM TV and DEM Online. Listeners can tune into the Internet radio by logging onto http://www.demradyo.com/ or via the Turksat channel 11996 V 26000 which covers Turkey, Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.
(Source: Londra Gazete/R Netherlands media Network Weblog)

Shortwave station Africa No. 1 staff on strike

Text of report by Gabon-based pan-African radio broadcaster Africa No 1 on 1 August Following the strike by its staff, Africa No 1 is unable to broadcast its programmes.

Listeners to the African radio, accept our sincere apologies. The staff of Africa No 1 decided to go on strike on 31 July 2008 at 1200 [local time] to press for the payment of legal rights in line with the ongoing restructuring process. [Africa No 1 is a prominent broadcaster in Francophone Africa]

For that reason, the Gabonese state which pledged to pay the severance allowance, released the sum of 6bn CFA francs [about 15m dollars], a sum of money which is in agreement with the calculations made by the Africa No1 accounts department and sent to the privatization committee.

Despite the discussions that the representatives of the staff held with the privatization committee, the latter ignored the consensus and acted unilaterally. Thus a worker with 10 years’ service in the organization find himself getting 1.5m CFA francs [3,638 dollars] in all as the rights paid when he finds himself unemployed.

It is this injustice that we are denouncing. This disorderliness which lays bare corruption that we are finding within the privatization committee. The staff are also soliciting the intervention of the head of state, Omar Bongo Ondimba, to find an immediate and concrete solution and an end to be put to this trickery.
(Source: Africa No 1 Radio, Libreville, in French 1115 gmt 1 Aug 08 via BBC Monitoring)
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Sizzling August specials from DX Stamp Service

Dear DXers,

PLENTY! of specials continue through August. It's the dull and dead summer, so we're trying our best!

Back in Stock PNG and Italy, all back orders have been sent.

On Back Order: Ethiopia and Guyana

NEW!! Lebanon at $2.50 FINALLY found a source.

August specials appear below. To make them even more interesting, how about ECONOMIC STIMULUS AT PLUMDX EXTENDING INTO AUGUST ! Get more for your $. Open an account or add to an existing one via check only. Send $100 and we'll credit your account $110. Send $150, we'll credit $165. Send $200, we'll credit $230!! Then, it's EASY email ordering for you with extra spending POWER! EXCELLENT!!
I wish the bands were better too...

AUGUST 2008 DX STAMP SPECIALS

3 Canada $3.00 3 UK-$3.60 3 Japan-$3.60 LEBANON-$2.50

AUGUST 2008 SUPER SUMMER DX SUPPLY SPECIALS

200/200 European Air Mailers & Returns $35 and receive 50/50 of same FREE!

Combo special: 300/300 Stateside Mailers & Returns with

200/200 European Air mailers & Returns $55, save $3

2 Standard QSL Albums $40 and receive 100/100 Stateside Mailers & Returns FREE!

500/500 European Air Mailers & Returns $90 and receive 100/100 of same FREE!

Shipping charges extra on supply specials

PRIORITY MAIL Shipping Rates for Supplies

Orders under $16.00 add $6.50, Orders from $16.00 to $40.00 add $9.00, Orders from $41.00 to $100.00 add $13.00, Orders from $101.00 to $150.00 add $18.00, orders over $150.00 add 12%. When ordering supplies AND stamps, use supply total to figure shipping costs. Stamps “ride free” when you order supplies. Shipments to Canada ship at a greater cost. (04/2008)
73 and good DX is coming,
Bill

Mint postage stamps of foreign countries can be purchased from Bill Plum's Airmail Postage and DX Supplies, 12 Glenn Road, Flemington, NJ 08822 USA.

Include a self-addressed-envelope for his current price list or request a price list via email at plumdx@msn.com . The prices represent Airmail rate to North America. Prices are subject to change without notice. No mimimum order via check, money order or credit card, but credit card orders under $ 15.00 will incur a $ 2.00 extra charge. Visa, MC, AMEX are accepted. Please include billing and shipping address for AMEX.

Don't forget the DX supplies include European Airmail envelopes (European Air Return and European Air Mailer). These envelopes are perfectly acceptable for mailing to ALL parts of the world, not just to Europe. Their size insures you that a 4"x6" DX QLSs will not come back to you folded which could happen if you used small U.S. sized airmail envelopes. Bill's European Air Return fits into a European Air Mailer without folding. These two envelopes and up to 5 QSL cards weigh less than one ounce. The European Air Return and 2 QSLs weigh less than 10 grams. All envelopes are sealed in plastic for protection. Envelopes are packed 100 per size per package. The 5-/50 Combo comes in one package.

I have used Bill's service for years and find his prices affordable and dependable. All stamps are enclosed within a glassine envelope, so no worries of stamps sticking to the letter, and you can enclose the stamps as is in the letter to the station.

Now you're set for the upcoming DX season! Recheck this blog regularly for Bill's monthly specials!
Gayle Van Horn

August DX News

The following is a sampling of entrys from August DX News.

All times listed are UTC

Bulgaria
Radio Varna heard at 2033 June 29 on 6000, nothing heard following Sunday but heard again July 13 from 2030, programme of non stop local pop music and frequent identifications, at 2100
identification, anthem and news. (Edwin Southwell)

Burkina Faso

RTV Burkina is back on 5030, heard July 7 at 1700 with weak signal, much stronger at 1900 re-tune with French talk and Afropop. (Edwin Southwell)

Chad
Radiodiff. Nationale Tchadienne heard on 4905 from 2033 July 22, Afropop and French announcements, sign off 2055. On July 23 noted past 2100. (Edwin Southwell

China
China Radio International via Albania heard several days in June on 14310 1605-1747, strong signal. (Intruder Watch newsletter via Wolfgang Bueschel)

Congo Dem. Republic
While in Europe 20-29 June I was able to do some listening from the Netherlands and in Luxembourg. 6210, Radio Kahuzi (presumed), 1804 man in what sounded like French, then utility started. Music at 1807 when it ended. Alternating man and woman, instrumental, rock music bridge at 1808 June 20. (Dave Valko, Cumbre DX)

Czech Republic
Radio Prague shortwave transmissions went off the air June 25. This was due to violent storms in the area. Programs resumed June 27. (Edwin Southwell, Mike Barraclough)

Eritrea
Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea heard on 8000 June 24 in vernacular and jammed, close down observed at 0559 and 1659. (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel)

Ethiopia
Voice of Oromo Liberation via Wertachtal heard on 13830 1700 sign on July 6, weak signal at start, then a narrow band noise jammer, which tuned to the carrier of the victim signal, turned on the noise jamming, which ranges in effectiveness from 10% to 100% during the first 15 minutes of the transmission. I presume it is Ethiopia jamming the signal. There was 1 minute during which time the noise jammer went off the air and the signal remained weak but readable.Jammer did not seem to drift as much as other days. (Dan Henderson, Maryland, Dxplorer via DX Window)

Faroe Islands

The old 531 Faroe Islands Broadcasting Service transmitter stopped working at the beginning of May. They are now installing two new 50kw transmitters which can be coupled to 100kw. They expect to be back on the air around October 1. (Erik Koie, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window)

France
Littoral Média has finished its test broadcast in DRM mode on 1593. The test period ran from 21 February to 30 June and a test report is currently being finalised which will provide an in-depth examination of reception for the DRM mediumwave signal in urban, suburban and rural environments. (DRM website)

India
The Government of India is contemplating blocking signals of Pakistan-and-Muzaffarabad-based radio stations beaming into the Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Indian-held Kashmir. Authorities told reporters that the Indian Ministry of Defence has directed All India Radio to block Pakistani radio waves into the region, Kashmir Media Service reported. "A five member team of top AIR and intelligence officials landed in Poonch and Rajouri last week. They had arrived with the intention of locating nine points near the line of control where they could install towers disrupting the Pakistani radio signals." Rajouri District Development Commissioner Rafiq Sheikh confirmed that the team's visit for inspection. "The team had come to carry out an inspection to install AIR towers along the line of control" Khan said. Experts have said that if the Indian government installs the towers, it would disrupt the signals of BBC, Voice of America and Voice of Germany. (Daily Times via Zacharias Liangas)

Mexico
Radio Transcontinental de America XERTA heard on 4800 July 26 at 0601-0635, SINPO was 25432. (Manuel Mendez, Spain, Cumbre DX)

Romania
Radio Romania International heard on 14250 (2 x 7125) during June. (Intruder Watch via Wolfgang Bueschel)
(Source: Alan Roe/World DX Club-Aug 08)

Weekend relays on 9290 kHz

All times UTC

August 2nd
Latvia Today 08.00 -09.00

Radio Joystick 09.00 -10.00


August 3rd
Radio Victoria 11.00 - 12.00

Latvia Today 12.00 -13.00
(Tom Taylor)