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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Shortwave Blog "Bytes"

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

All India Rado monitoring
India, 4920, All India Radio, (Chennai), 0111-0120, Initially noted a male in Hindi with news until 0013 when canned promos presented. At 0115 a female takes over the mic with more comments. Heard "India" mentioned during these. Signal was fair which is better than usual. (Chuck Bolland, FL)


4800, All India Radio, (Hyderabad), 0146-0200, Male in Hindi with comments to musical bridge. Male continues to talk however. Signal was poor. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

4850, AIR Kohima, 1326-1334, Jan 28. Usual segment of indigenous singing/chanting during this time period; assume in vernacular; tuned away at 1334 and found off the air at 1337 check.
Victor A. Goonetilleke (Sri Lanka) also heard them today about 1300. Surprised to still hear them here after their special Republic Day broadcast (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA/Cumbred DX)

Czech Republic's Mailbox program
Once again, thank you - all of you who have written in in the last few months - so much for expressing your support. As we announced several times, our shortwave broadcasts are to continue according to the current schedule until the end of January. Radio Prague's management is now working on a new schedule starting on February 1st but the great news is Radio Prague will keep its shortwave broadcasts. There will be a certain reduction but it will not be substantial and the majority of our listeners should not be affected by it. Radio Prague will need to find other ways to save and make ends meet with the slimmer budget for 2010. This is the result of intensive negotiations between Czech Radio and the Foreign Ministry and we hope this is good news for you just as it is for us here at Radio Prague. The future of shortwave, and more information about Radio Prague's decision to retain it, was discussed in a Talking Point program on January 19. This feature can be found in the Radio Topics section of this months magazine. (Jonathan Murphy, Edwin Southwell/worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

China claims over 2 million letters
The Director-General of China Radio International (CRI) mentions in his New Year Speech that CRI received a new record high of over 2.9 million letters from overseas listeners and online users in the past year. He also said that "in 2009, we have 59 language services, including six new languages, turning CRI into the media agency with the largest number of languages broadcasting to the world. We also built another 14 overseas 24-hour radio stations, and our production capabilities of localized programming has also been enhanced dramatically." The whole speech is at http://tinyurl.com/ycxgbcd (Media Network) Reading this incredibly self-congratulatory speech I have to conclude that his definition of the truth is somewhat different to mine. (Mike Barraclough, Media Network blog (worlddxclub/Contact-Feb DX News)

Colombian harmonic observed
2980.00, Radio Vida Nueva, Barranquilla, 0620-0655, Jan 30, 2nd harmonic. 2 x 1490. A mix of Spanish religious music, slow ballads, and more lively Spanish music. Several Spanish
announcements. Threshold signal but occasional peaks up to a very weak level. IDed by comparing it to their web broadcast which was running parallel at www.radiovidanueva.net/ . I first heard this harmonic back on April 9, 2009 and IDed with the help of Henrik Klemetz at that time. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Eritrea's Radio Bana on new freq
Heard on 5060.0 from former 5100. Observed in vernaculars with Horn of Africa music. Talk at 0430, possible news and music. SINPO 35333, but at times interference from a voice utility station. (Anker Petersen, Denmark/playdx)

Ethiopia's Radio Oromiya logs
Heard on 6030 0407-0504. News in presumed Oromo language. Instrumental music at 0414 with talking over the music ending the news. Identification followed by Horn of Africa vocals. Mix of talks and local music until identification at 0500 followed by more talk. Fair to good at tune in but beginning to fade around 0450. This is becoming a Monday morning UTC regular after the Cuban jammer leaves the airwaves. (Rich D'Angelo, PA/worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

6030, Radio Oromiya, 1522-1529, Jan 29. Probably I just missed their *1520. Amazed to hear their distinctive, repetitive xylophone like IS at this time period; 1531-1539 indigenous music and singing. Interference mostly from CNR-1, but also some from Calgary; reception much stronger than I have heard at their *0320v. Very pleased to have caught this sign on!
(Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA/Cumbre DX)

Polish Radio
Polish Radio has started to combine the Multimedia and In Touch programmes in an effort to save on costs. Slawek announced the idea on Friday January 15 and is looking for feedback. The January 22 show had the first half devoted to Polish media matters and reception reports, with the remainder left to answer listeners' questions. The programme is tentatively being called Multitouch. (Jonathan Murphy/worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

Propagation report
The NZ4O Daily LF/MF/HF/6M Frequency Radiowave Propagation Forecast #2010-05
has been published at 1400 UTC on Friday 01/29/2009, valid 0000 UTC Saturday
01/30/2010 through 2359 UTC Friday 02/05/2009 at http://www.solarcycle24.org
and http://www.wcflunatall.com/nz4o3.htm . (Thomas F. Giella, NZ4O/Lakeland, FL, nz4o@arrl.net )

Radio Slovakia International
Reported that representatives of the state-run Slovak Television and Slovak Radio signed framework agreements with the Culture Ministry on December 21. The deals are for a period of five years. Slovak Radio will receive 4 million Euros annually. Support for broadcasting in six foreign languages via Radio Slovakia International is also included in the subsidy. (Edwin Southwell/(worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

Russia - Voice of Orthodoxy
In Russian now using 7430, ex 7435, for its Tuesday and Friday broadcasts 1530-1600 via Almaty. (DX Mix News/Cumbre DX/worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

Saudi Arabia on 155435
Top record, BSKSA Riyadh on 15435 kHz heavy buzz signal super wide in 15108 to 15938 kHz range. Scheduled 15-18 UT. Nothing heard in Germany of WRN 6230 kHz Liverpool v Bolton English football live commentaries in Chinese via Tashkent Uzbekistan. Rather data signal of
G2D/G7D CODAR format interfers ?

ITU Monitoring List shows Quimper - Brest in France location, due of cross finding by monitorings in Klagenfurt Austria, El Casar in Spain, and Baldock in U.K.(wb, Germany/HCDX)

Sentec address update
South Africa verification letter shows new address of Sentech Ltd: PO Box 234. Meyerton 1960. Signer was Sikander Hoosen. (Ron Killick, New Zealand via Wolfgang Bueschel/(worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

Voice of Nigeria 's general service update
The new Abuja station is ready to go in general service. All technical gear is ready. All four frequencies tested a lot on air, 7255 9690 11770 and 15120. 17800 may also be used. Some delays have occurred in civil works. Regular start will be in March 2010 when I will start local engineer training. The 7275 site is in very bad shape, both 100kw transmitters need to be overhauled. It is hoped to be in regular service by mid-year. (Bodo Fritsche via Wolfgang Bueschel/worlddxclub/Contact-Deb DX News)

Shortwave Interval Signals
http://garlinger.com/QSL/montage.mp3
(wb, Germany)

Voice of Tartarstan audio clip
Voice of Tatarastan (Tatarstan Awazy) 11915 KHz 09.10

The audioclip is available here: http://blog.libero.it/radioascolto/8314461.html
(Francesco/playdx2003)

WWCR leaving 3240
Saw the below news item posted on WWCR's website:
Beginning 31 January, WWCR will cease to operate on 3.240 MHz. WWCR's Transmitter #1 will broadcast on 7.465 MHz from 2100-0200 UTC.
(J.D. Stephens, Hampton Cove, AL/Cumbre DX)