Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Shortwave Blog "Bytes"

All times UTC // parallel frequency

Australian DX Report 173
Episode # 173 of the Australian DX Report audio news magazine includes propagation research analysis of current spectrum occupancy in the 7 MHz band.

There are also other features, news and information about shortwave broadcasting, propagation, a solar activity report, monitoring notes, new schedules for the B09 season, extracts from schedules, and schedule updates.

It's 14 mins duration, and may be accessed from http://airm.edxp.org/

You may download/listen to/save the episodes as an MP3 file on your laptop/desktop, set up a Podcast, or receive/save it on your Mobile Phone or other portable internet-enabled digital device.

You may also subscribe via the site's RSS/Atom feed - full details are at the site. The shows are very popular - in the four weeks to October 11, 2009, there have been 672 downloads by subscribers, 1416 site visitors, and 1 episode hits. The episodes are also available on-air, over WWCR Nashville, 0200-0215 on Sundays, on 5070, and on Mondays 1145-1200 on 15825, and via WWCR's streaming audio (live) at http://www.wwcr.com/

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 173, and enjoy the music!
(Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia)

BBC cancels all Turksh programming
0400-0430 6145 CYP 9435 MOS Mon-Fri
0800-0900 7375 CYP 17870 RMP Sun
1500-1530 3990 CYP 11615 MOS 13580 SKN Sat/Sun
1500-1550 3990 CYP 11615 MOS 13580 SKN Mon-Fri
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1/DX Mix news 592)

China monitoring
5030, China National Radio, 1054-1105. Steady stream of Mandarin comments by male/female. Station ID at 1054, and mention of "FM." Signal was fair and noted parallel signal on 6175 kHz. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

6175, China National Radio, 1054-1105. Same programming noted, with a steady stream
of Mandarin comments from male/female. Occasionally canned promos or commercials heard. These breaks make the listening more interesting even though the language isn't understood. Time ticks at 1059, followed by canned ID and comments over chimes and music. Splatter interference begins from 6180 kHz, making for difficult listening at 1100. Orignally however, the signal was good. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

China Radio International adjust frequency
CRI via Albanian relay in French from Sept 3
1800-1957 (new freq) 9480 CER 150 kW 310 deg to WeEUR, x9455 to avoid Radio Free Asia FA+jammer (R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1/DX Mix News 592)

EMR announcement to listeners
EMR would like to apologise for the problems you may have experienced tuning in to our regular third Sunday of the month” transmissions on 6140 KHz at 0900 UTC on Sunday, October 18th 2009. Listeners who attempted to tune in to EMR via the internet at the same time would have also only heard our 24 hour automated service at the same time.

The lack of our regular 6140 kHz broadcast programs on the internet at 0900 was our mistake,and we would like to apologise to you if you tried to hear the broadcast shows between 0900 and 1000 that morning. This was a scheduling error on the internet broadcast computer system. The other scheduled repeats of the 6140 broadcast programme were available on the internet as scheduled.

The lack of programs from EMR between 0900 and 0915 was beyond our control, as was the abrupt start and end to our transmission. We are currently in discussions with our broadcast facility partner to understand what exactly went wrong and will make an announcement in our next scheduled broadcast on November 15th at 1000 UTC on 6140 kHz.
All the best Mike and Tom Taylor

Farewell to broadcasting site after nearly 60 years
www.hcjb.org.uk/global-news/farewell-to-broadcasting-site-after-nearly-60-years.html
(Alokesh Gupta, India)

Lithuania's Mighty KBC cancelled
All transmissions
2130-2228 6055 SIT 100 kW 259 deg to WeEu Daily, from Sept 30
0200-0258 6110 SIT 100 kW 310 deg to NoAm Sunday from Sept 27
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1/DX Mix News 592)

Radio broadcasters targeted by Honduran government
The interim leader in Honduras has threatened to put broadcasters off the air. New rules have been put in place to restrict broadcasters which, in the government’s eyes, might "attack national security." The restrictions follow the closure of two stations by self-proclaimed President Micheletti, who also confiscated equipment from the broadcasters. He has said they will remain shut down until their owners front the local courts. The two broadcasters targeted had backed the return of exiled president, Jose Zelaya.
Source: http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/id/552961/cs/1/
(Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India)

Radio Bulgaria launches new website
Radio Bulgaria has launched its new website. Unfortunately the URLs have changed, and there is no redirecting. The English website is now at http://bnr.bg/sites/en/Pages/default.aspx
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Radio Heritage Documentary
RNZI Airs New Radio Heritage Documentary
'Surviving Tsunamis'
Radio in the Pacific Ring of Fire

Join us from Monday October 19 2009 when we air our new radio heritage documentary about surviving tsunamis in the South Pacific on the next Radio New Zealand International [RNZI] Mailbox program.

You can listen directly via shortwave or audio on demand [for the following month] with full details of broadcast frequencies and times in your area and audio download at www.rnzi.com/ .

The recent tsunamis in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga brought forward brave dedication to duty from several radio stations, and the program includes an interview with the morning DJ at KKHJ-FM in Pago Pago who was trapped in the studios as the waves smashed into the
ground floor of her building.

However, as the program explains, it's by pure luck that the radio station studios in Pago Pago and Apia weren't swept out to sea, their buildings being totally exposed to the Pacific.

Across the Pacific, other radio station studios and facilities are at sea level and wouldn't stand a chance if the wrong tsunami hit in the wrong place.

Both Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands also had major earthquakes and tsunami warnings within hours. Radio everywhere is an extremely fragile lifeline.

The program also looks at the problem of most local Pacific radio stations broadcasting in local languages. Yet local economies increasingly depend on tourists. When emergency strikes, tourists are told to listen to the local radio for instructions.

In Samoa, the only two English speaking stations were no longer broadcasting live, and hundreds of tourists had no idea what was happening, as the only live broadcast they could hear was completely in Samoan.

Just how fragile the broadcasting infrastructure is and how vulnerable local residents and tourists alike can be in an earthquake, tsunami or cyclone in the Pacific Ring of Fire is
discussed.

Join David Ricquish of the Radio Heritage Foundation as we celebrate the bravery of Pacific broadcasters and warn of the dangers facing the islands in future natural disasters.

A full list of AM radio stations broadcasting in the Pacific is available free in the Pacific Asian Log AM Radio Guide at www.radioheritage.net/, where you'll also learn more about broadcasting in these beautiful but vulnerable islands in features from our Island Radio Pacific Style series.

RNZI's Mailbox program from Monday October 19 2009, via shortwave and audio on demand with full times and schedules online at www.rnzi.com/.
(HCDX)

Trans World Radio Africa launches new web site
TWR-Africa announces its newly revitalized Web site at www.twrafrica.org/ The first phase of the site officially went live this morning. Phase two should follow within the next ten days and will include: National partner pages, a link to TWR.org, a flash photo gallery and an archive of past articles.Visit www.twrafrica.org/ to find out how God is ministering through radio in
Africa. (Source: TWR/Alokesh Gupta, India)

Radio Oromia monitoring
Ethiopia, 6030, Radio Oromia, *0321. This definitely is their new schedule. Xylophone interval signal mixing with Calgary, Canada (CFVP). Clearly heard at 0329, talking for about four minutes, but then lost to Calgary for about five minutes. Picked up again with talking, 0344 seemed to be Horn of Africa music and then back to talking. Finally lost about 0350. Better reception today (oct 19) than two weeks ago on Monday, but still a challenge due to the constant C&W music from Calgary (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Radio Serbia's additional transmission
2130-2158 7230 BIJ 250 kW 100 deg to Australia. Good reception in Bulgaria
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1/DX Mix News 592)

TDP schedule changes
Russia:
Addis Dimts Radio in Amharic, new station
1200-1300 21525 SAM 250 kW 188 deg to EaAf Sun
Radio Bilal in Amharic
1730-1800 NF 17775 SAM 250 kW 188 deg to EaAf Sun, x1700-1800 15350
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 16/DX Mix News 592)

Voice of Turkey adjustments
Effective to 25 October 2009
Arabic
1500-1555 11660 CAK 500 kW 252 deg, additional freq \\ 9665 kHz.

Tatar
1100-1125 15360 EMR 500 kW 072 deg, x1100-1155 same freq

Uyghur
1500-1555 11620 EMR 500 kW 072 deg, x1400-1455 same freq

Uzbek
1130-1155 11865 EMR 500 kW 072 deg, x1100-1155 same freq
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 16)

Voice of Vietnam adds two new frequencies
VOV HS-1
2250-1200 NF 7435 HAN 050 kW non-dir in Vietnamese
2150-1500 NF 9635 HAN 050 kW non-dir in Vietnamese
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 1)