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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Shortwave Blog "Bytes"

All times UTC // parallel frequency

Armenia on 9890
Gavar Armenia, only 2200-0200, English news at 0000, May 15. Signal S=9+45dB powerhouse like 500 kW Wertachtal or Rampisham signal level.(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 15/BC-DX Top News 964)

Aussie DX Report 203 available for download
Episode No. 203 of the Australian DX Report audio news magazine about shortwave broadcasting includes field monitoring research in the 7 and 13 MHz bands.

There are also other features, news and information about shortwave broadcasting, propagation, a solar activity report, monitoring notes, and extracts from schedules of the new A10 season.

It's 15 mins duration, and may be accessed from the Australian Internet Radio Service website, at http://airm.edxp.org/ You may download/listen to/save the episodes as MP3 files on your laptop/desktop, set up a Podcast, or receive/save them 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. Links to the episodes are also available on my Facebook service within a few minutes of their release.

Episodes are also available on-air, over WWCR Nashville, 0200-0215 on Sundays, on 4840, and on Mondays 1145-1200 on 15825, and via WWCR's streaming audio (live) at http://wwcr.com/

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 202, and enjoy the musical interludes!(Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia)

Belarus observationsThe reactivated 7265 kHz noted signing on sometime between 1445 and 1455 UT on May 14. 6080 and 6115 kHz were also reactivated at about the same time as 7265 kHz, and sign on one or two minutes before 1500 UT, at this time (starting 1500 UT) with the Stalica programme in parallell with 7235 kHz. 6010/6070 and 6040/7280 kHz have regional programs at 1500 UT, at least on workdays. 7360/7390 kHz have a different program. (Olle Alm-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 15)

Re BLR: This morning I made a quick check at 0340 UT. Not even a carrier on 7265 kHz, but 6190 was discernible with no delay compared to 7235 kHz, so appears to be co-sited. (Olle Alm-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 16)

Many thanks Olle, re-7265 kHz:
BELARUS 2nd px outlet. When I woke up this night very early:

Noted this Belarus Radio 7265 kHz transmission with different program and excellent ID, surprisingly fine signal of S=7-8 strength at 0330-0400 UT this morning May 15th, when compared to different [1st?] progr relay on 6010, 6040, 6070(hit neighbour DWL 6075 strongly), 7235, 7280 - latter the most powerful signal in 0300-0400 UT slot.

Seemingly schedule in A-10 season at 0300-0900 UT and 1500-2100 UT.

7265 missed on May 16th again. In 0300-0800 UT slot noted 6010 6040 6070 7235, and best on 7280 kHz. 6040 and 7280 still on air at 0852 UT. Nothing on 6115 kHz anymore. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 15/16)

China monitoring
Voice of Shangri La on 6035 kHz. I've been monitoring this with fair to poor reception (via Global Tuners Hong Kong receiver) from as early as 0945 UT on May 15 and as late as 1305 UT on May 14, with programming in Mandarin and Vietnamese. Some TOH ID's are in Vietnamese and English rather than Mandarin and English.

According to Yunnan PBS website (ynradio.net)this is primarily an external service and broadcasts for five hours a day, three hours in Vietnamese and two in Mandarin, using 50 kW on this sole frequency (from my observations, transmission time seems to be 0900-1400 UT).

There's also an FM service of the same name, on 99.0 MHz in Kunming and other FM frequencies (listed on the site) elsewhere, it's one of the seven live audio streams available on their website. However, this appears to be an entirely separate operation presented solely in Mandarin, and it was not observed in \\ with the shortwave frequency.

There are audio clips of IDs for both these and seven other Yunnan PBS services available on the Interval Signals Online website - interval signals.net (Dave Kernick-UK, BrDXC-UK, May 15/BC DX Top News 964)

Cyprus CYP
CYP vv CYP at 0505 UT May 16. OH Radar system from Limassol on wideband 17638 to 17662kHz hit BBCWS 17640 kHz to EaAF via Zyyi this morning. Radar S=9 but annoying vibrate rattle pulse signal, BBCWS back lobe S=9+10dB here in southern Germany.(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 16/BC DX Top News 964)

Guinea
4900 Radio Familia, Conacry, NEW STATION, 2305-0005 UT on May 03 / 04, Fulah (?) talks, ID: "Familia" between local songs, weak to fair signal. Heard still at 0005 UT but found an empty channel when returned back at 0027 UT.

4899.96[.97] UNID station with African-like music, mostly nonstop, then female's talk 2326-cca 2340 UT, music, no change on top-of-the-hour, then at 0002 - something like a jingle with "... One ..." ?; no signal at 0027 at frequency check. (Karel Honzik-CZE, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews May 4)

One source in West Africa told me that Familia FM (105.3 MHz) in Guinea is broadcasting on shortwave 4900 kHz. Website information, as; "The technology is cutting edge and doesn't even have a patent yet because to do so would make it public and they don't want to do that yet but it's very cool. I don't know much about it but they've been able to cut the number of watts needed and still hit a radius of about 700 miles with their shortwave signal.

It means that all of Guinea is able to receive the moral and spiritual teachings broadcast everyday on Familia."

If Familia FM is indeed on 4900 kHz, I think it's unauthorized transmitter and no wonder if they keep low profile. Anyway, it's worth checking if there's Familia ID on 4900 kHz.

[later] Now on Familia FM website also appeared confirmation:
Nouvelle Station Bientot ecoutez la radio Familia en ondes courtes sur 4.900 MHz dans tous le pays ... i.e. New Station - you'll soon be able to listen to Familia Radio on shortwave 4.900 MHz throughout the country ... ((Jari Savolainen-FIN, May 14/BC-DX Top News 964)

Japan adjust frequency
After successful test, Radio Japan Bengali service will replace its existing frequency 6155 kHz to new 11965 kHz from Sunday, 23rd May 2010. Broadcasting time 1300-1345 UTC.(Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India/HCDX)

Malaysia monitoring
7295, RTM via FM, (presumed) 1030-1045. Male/female announcers with English program comments, followed by popular music. Information on musical artist being interspersed bettween tunes. Signal noted as fair. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

7270, RTM via FM, (presumed) 1039-1050. Poor signal observed with noise. Noted with music and program comments by a male announcer (Chuck Bolland, FL)