Friday, March 29, 2019

Blog Logs

All times UTC // parallel frequency

SDR locations as indicated
Stations monitored 19 - 28 March 2019
Loggings and information are always welcome to: w4gvh@frontier.com


Clandestine
Signal from Radio Erena on 9720 kHz
Radio Erena, 9720 kHz, 1700. Announcer's text in listed Tigrinya. Station identification at 1717, continued text. Listed via Bulgaria relay. Musical ID 1722 and talk. Echo-effect station information and announcer's script. Website: http://erena.org/ plus FB page link. Headlines from 1730-1735, followed by Afro pop vocals. Was scheduled for 1730 sign-off. Lots of talk about Somalia, and Somaliland. SIO 443 (SDR-Qatar).

Denge Welat, 9525 kHz from 1745. Ex Denge Kurdistan, via Issoudun, France relay. Horn of Africa vocals at tune-in. Station targeted to the Middle East. Subsequent rechecks on following day from 1510 on 11530 kHz. (Qatar SDR).

Republic of Yemen Radio/Radio Sana'a, 11860 kHz from 1520 tune-in-1545. Announcer's Arabic conversation in progress, believe this was a discussion on the Qu'ran. Station assumed to broadcast via a transmitter in Saudi Arabia. (Qatar-SDR)

Ethiopia
Radio Fana, 6110 kHz. Horn-of-Africa music at 1535 tune-in. Additional tunes, announcer's talk and station ID. Station broadcast in Afar/Amharic/and ethnics. Similar format for Ethiopia's Voice of Tigray Revolution on 5950 kHz. (S Africa SDR) Audible on recheck from 1705, as announcer's trade news-script format in presumed Oromo or Somali. Fanfare tune intros for ID and additional features. Global Radio Guide schedule to 2100.

Iran
Pars Today/VOIRI. German service from 1800 on 6025 // 7425. program information to radio drama.  (SDR-NLD)

Arabic on 6060 kHz at 2045 tune-in. Arabic programming with intro information, followed by Qu'ran segment 2054-2059, Arabic vocal tunes. Station ID 2103 on 11870 into brief Arabic script. Active on this frequency to 0000. Fair signal quality SIO 323. Fair signal noted for Spanish service on 7360 kHz to Europe 2105-2110 (GRC SDR).

Kuwait
Radio Kuwait, 11630 kHz. Low audio level for Arabic script from 1420 tune-in. Frequency 9750 dominated by NHK Japan. Qur'an commenced 1434-1503. Brief station announcement as a new series of Qu'ran begins at 1503 as signal peaks at SIO 433-Qatar SDR)

Kyrgyzstan
KTRK Birinchi Radio-Prgm 1. Kyrgyz/Russian service on 4010 kHz. 1259 tune-in with announcers canned comment in Russian. Fanfare music at 1300, station ID into male/female news readers. Additional fanfares between news items. Segments of a speech into continued news items. Same style routine of station's Prgrm 2 on 4820 kHz in presumed Kyrgyz language. (Kazakhstan-SDR)



Luxembourg
RTL Radio Luxembourg on LW 234 kHz. Male/female announcer duo trade evening news stories at 2110 and local chat. Ads for software. Station operates 24 hour schedule. Killer signal as always via NLD SDR.

Madagascar
Radio Madagasikara, 6135 kHz. Tune-in 1420 to French announcer's chat to 1427 and mentions of station. Programming shifted to 5010 kHz, African music, French programming to 1900. (S Africa SDR)

Sultanate of Oman
Radio Sultanate of Oman, 15140 kHz. Arabic newscript from 1505 tune-in to 1510. Fanfare intros for additional briefs. Arabic musical vocals, chat into radio drama/soap opera format. Fair signal SIO 232. Global Radio Guide winter schedule listing to 1800 on this frequency. (Qatar SDR)

Saudi Arabia
SBC/Itha' Huna Al Azm, 11745 kHz. Monitoring from 1530 as male/female's conversation. Fair signal SIO 322.

Suriname
Radio Apintie, 4990 khz. Active on shortwave from 21 March, heard as; 0055-0059, 0139-0149, 0225-0245, 0600-0620 and 2325-2325. Using the Boa Vista, RR, Brazil Kiwi SDR unit at http://www.sdr.hu, is a good location to check for alternative monitoring.


Turkey
Voice of Turkey, 12035 kHz, 1334. English world news in progress at tune-in. Station promos, additional news and This day in History feature. Turkish pop music and travelogue program to pop music. englishdesk@trt.net.tr (NLD SDR)


Zambia
ZNBC Radio 1-Lusaka 5915 kHz. Tune-in from 1545 with music, news and extensive coverage on flooding in Mozanbique in Zambian ethnic language. Schedule as 0245-2205 UTC.
(GVH/Teak Publishing)

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules


From the Isle of Music, March 31-April 6, 2019 

In a very special treat for our Russian-speaking listeners, our special guest this week is Robert Kel Torres, who has worked in Russia and sings some of his songs in Russian. In the second half, we listen to music by Chuchito Valdés.

For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 kHz, fr om Sofia, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK) Station website: www.spaceline.bg

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). Station website: www.wbcq.com

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany. Station website: www.channel292.de

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, March 31 and April 2, 2019
That's Odd, Uncle Bill!
Episode 106 is dedicated to the music of the late, great Don Ellis, a pioneer in several aspects of modern Jazz including the use of advanced odd meters.

The transmissions take place:

Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 kHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.

Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2100-2200 UTC on WBCQ 7490 kHz.

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC
email: bill@tilfordproductions.com
www.tilfordproductions.com

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Radio Mi Amigo to air annual revival weekend


Radio Mi Amigo will broadcast their annual revival weekend on 30-31 March, 2019. Programming will include plenty of 70's music, original station jingles, commercials, tunes and recordings from the offshore station in the period 1974 - 1979. and online at: http://radiomiamigo.co.uk/ 

In May, the station will celebrate their 45th Anniversary, with four days of live broadcasts from a ship moored in the Belgian seaside resort of Blankenberge.

Dates of the broadcast will be 30 May-2nd June 2019, as part of the harbour festival "Havenfeesten") in the town. The ship is the MV Castor, an identical sister ship to the Bellatrix which used to tender the Ross Revenge.

Further details will be announced on website: https://miamigo40.be/nl/ on the Mi Amigo 40 Facebook page, or follow @MiAmigo40 on Twitter.
http://radiomiamigo.co.uk/
(BDXC-March 2019)

DOD Provisional Timeslot on WWV and WWVH.

WWV is going into the military broadcast business (sorta)? We found below this morning on the US Army MARS Facebook Page:

From April 20 to 3 May, WWV and WWVH will broadcast a DOD message at 10 minutes past the hour on WWV and at 50 minutes past the hour on WWVH. This April-May time period coincides with the Vital Connection interoperability exercise being held in Wisconsin. Future timeslots will coincide with the Vital Connection exercise Ohio in June; DOD COMEX 19-3 in Aug and the DOD COMEX 19-4 in Oct.

Following the proof of concept this year, we anticipate that the DOD broadcast time slot will become year-round full time. As mentioned above future broadcast may occur prior to selected DOD and Northcom exercises.

This broadcast timeslot will voice announce upcoming exercises and how the amateur radio community can become involved in various exercises. To begin, the broadcast messages will likely be static...future exercises we hope to be able to update the broadcast throughout the exercise as notional conditions change.

The broadcast message will ask listeners to provide reception reports and feedback to a specified URL.

Tune into WWV/H on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz and submit a reception report and requested feedback.

And in a related WWV event this report in a recent ARRL Newsletter:

WWV Centennial Special Event Will Use WW0WWV

With its funding secure for another year, WWV, the world's oldest continuously operating radio station, will have extra reason to celebrate its centennial this fall. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club (NCARC) have teamed up to organize 100th-anniversary events. A memorandum of understanding is pending. The WWV Committee has announced that the call sign WW0WWV was granted on February 23 to the WWV Amateur Radio Club for use during the Amateur Radio special event, planned to run September 28 - October 2, with operators on the air around the clock. NCARC predicts the effort will require "hundreds" of volunteer operators.

"The 100th anniversary is an occasion to celebrate radio and our understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, and an opportunity to help people everywhere appreciate what radio does in their everyday lives," said Dave Swartz, WODAS, who has been spearheading the on-the-air event.

The WWV Committee met on February 22, with representatives of NCARC and NIST on hand, to further firm up plans for the centennial celebratory events. Although the US government cannot fund any Amateur Radio special event expenses, club members will be allowed to use a 15-acre parcel on WWV property, Swartz has explained. The operating site lies outside the security fence.

For its part, NIST will focus on plans for an October 1 recognition ceremony and an open house at the radio station north of Fort Collins.

Monday, March 25, 2019

Special DRM transmissions, March 26-27



Media Broadcast will conduct special DRM transmissions on March 26-27, directed to the DRM General Assembly Meeting in Spain:

1000-1100 UTC on 13670*NAU 100 kW / 210 deg to CeEu English The Mighty KBC

From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, March 26-30, 2019


This week, our special guest is pianist/composer/bandleader Alejandro Falcón, who will share some of the recording Rompiendo la Rutina by Alejandro Falcón y Charanga Rubalcalba, a 2018 Cubadisco nominee. Part 2 of the program features some excellent music by Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas.

The broadcasts take place:

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US).

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany.


Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, March 26, 2019
Episode 105 takes us to Benin, which consistently produces some of the funkiest music in all of Africa.
The transmissions take place:

Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.

Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2100-2200 UTC on WBCQ 7490 kHz.

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

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins


Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Mar 25 0105 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 - 24 March 2019

Solar activity was low throughout the period. Region 2736 (N08, L=284, class/area-Eki/420 on 22 Mar) produced multiple C-class events including a C5 flare at 21/0312 UTC. Region 2735 (N03, L=259, class/area-Cro/20 on 19 Mar) provided multiple, low-level, B-class events early in the period before decaying to plage on 22 Mar. An asymmetrical, full-halo CME was observed in  SOHO LASCO oronagraph imagery starting at 20/1100 UTC and was determined to have an earth that is a directed component. No additional earth-directed CMEs were observed.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 19 and 24 Mar with moderate levels observed throughout the remainder of the reporting period.

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels on 19 Mar with quiet conditions observed throughout the remainder of the period, under a nominal solar wind environment. A sudden impulse of the summary was issued at 24/2151 UTC for what is believed to be the arrival of the 20 Mar CME mentioned above. A 17 nT deviation was recorded at the Boulder, Colorado magnetometer.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 25 March - 20 April 2019

Solar activity is expected to be very low between 25 Mar-07 Apr. Low levels are expected between 08-20 Apr due to the return of Region 2736.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 27 Mar-07 Apr with normal to moderate levels expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on 27-28 Mar and 12 Apr due to the influence from multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Mar 25 0105 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2019-03-25
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Mar 25      73          15          4
2019 Mar 26      71           8          3
2019 Mar 27      70          12          4
2019 Mar 28      70          12          4
2019 Mar 29      70           8          3
2019 Mar 30      70           8          3
2019 Mar 31      70           5          2
2019 Apr 01      70           5          2
2019 Apr 02      70           8          3
2019 Apr 03      70           8          3
2019 Apr 04      70           5          2
2019 Apr 05      70           5          2
2019 Apr 06      70           5          2
2019 Apr 07      71           5          2
2019 Apr 08      74           5          2
2019 Apr 09      75           5          2
2019 Apr 10      75           5          2
2019 Apr 11      75           5          2
2019 Apr 12      75          15          4
2019 Apr 13      75          10          3
2019 Apr 14      75           5          2
2019 Apr 15      75           5          2
2019 Apr 16      75           5          2
2019 Apr 17      75           5          2
2019 Apr 18      75           5          2
2019 Apr 19      74           5          2
2019 Apr 20      72           5          2
(NOAA)

Saturday, March 23, 2019

HAARP slated for research campaign





Our sixth research campaign is scheduled March 25-28, 2019.  Investigations range from practical to fundamental physical theory; updates will be posted on @uafhaarp a and @ctfallen

.  Learn more at (link: https://www.gi.alaska.edu/facilities/haarp) gi.alaska.edu/facilities/haa… #Alaska 

@uafairbanks

 @UAFGI

(Twitter/UAFHARRP)


To learn mre about HAARP go to: https://www.gi.alaska.edu/facilities/haarp 

From Twitter: Giles Letourneau

I will do a special live stream in Monday the 25th on my shortwave channel we will try to get as many people to chase the haarp signals (link: http://www.youtube.com/officialswlchannel/) youtube.com/officialswlcha…       it will start at 2100 UTC. https://www.youtube.com/officialswlchannel/

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Suriname being heard on shortwave again




Radio monitors began reporting on 21 March, active broadacsting from Suriname's Radio Apintie. Located in Paramaibo, the station has been reported as "irregular," for several years, and when active was broadcasting with 1 kW.

At this time, no set schedule has been determined, however loggings on 4990 kHz, have been reported at: (UTC) 0055-0059, 0139-0149, 0225-0245, 0600-0620 and 2325-2325. Using the Boa Vista, RR, Brazil Kiwi SDR unit at http://www.sdr.hu, is a good location to check for alternative monitoring. Any additional information is always welcome at w4gvh@frontier.com

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins



Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Mar 18 0333 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 - 17 March 2019

Solar activity was very low throughout the period. Region 2734 (N09,  L=60, class/area=Cro/60 on 06 Mar) briefly contained spots early this period, but was quiet. A slow-moving CME off the east limb observed early on 12 Mar was determined to have a possible earth-directed component with an early 17 Mar arrival, based on ENLIL model output.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 11-12 Mar.

Geomagnetic field activity reached G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels early on 17 Mar, likely due in part to the arrival of the 12 Mar CME. Quiet to active conditions were observed on 16 Mar and were quiet or quiet to unsettled conditions were observed throughout the remainder of the period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 March - 13 April 2019

Solar activity is expected to be very low throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach very high levels on 29-30 Mar with high levels expected on 27-28, 31 Mar and 01-07 Apr.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 27-28 Mar and active conditions are expected on 26, 29 Mar and 12 Apr, all due to the influence of multiple recurrent CH HSSs.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Mar 18 0333 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2019-03-18
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Mar 18      69           8          3
2019 Mar 19      69           5          2
2019 Mar 20      69          10          3
2019 Mar 21      69           5          2
2019 Mar 22      69           5          2
2019 Mar 23      69           5          2
2019 Mar 24      69           5          2
2019 Mar 25      69           5          2
2019 Mar 26      69          12          4
2019 Mar 27      69          30          5
2019 Mar 28      69          28          5
2019 Mar 29      70          15          4
2019 Mar 30      71           8          3
2019 Mar 31      71           5          2
2019 Apr 01      71           5          2
2019 Apr 02      71           8          3
2019 Apr 03      71           8          3
2019 Apr 04      71           5          2
2019 Apr 05      71           5          2
2019 Apr 06      71           5          2
2019 Apr 07      71           5          2
2019 Apr 08      71           5          2
2019 Apr 09      71           5          2
2019 Apr 10      70           5          2
2019 Apr 11      69           5          2
2019 Apr 12      69          15          4
2019 Apr 13      69           5          2
(NOAA)

Monday, March 18, 2019

DRM testing on March 20


Uzbekistan will do a @drmdigitalradio Wednesday March 20th from 1430-1500 UTC on 15640 kHz. Depending upon the result they may switch the frequency of the planned test on March 26th to a frequency in the 17 MHz range
(HJ/Twitter)

Railway Radio in Canada: The Phantom Radio Era

The Early Years of Canadian Pacific Railway (Wikipedia)
On a previous occasion here in Wavescan, we presented Part 1 in the story of Railway Radio in Canada.  Specifically, it was the story of the radio scene at CNR Canadian National Railway and its network of Phantom Radio Stations.  The well known CN Tower in Toronto was built on CNR railway land near the waterfront with Lake Ontario, and it was for many years the tallest freestanding tower in the world.

In our program today, we take a look at the radio scene at the other major railway system in Canada, Canadian Pacific Railway.  Let’s go back to the very beginning.

On July 1, 1867, several of the north American geographic entities above the United States were officially federated into the Dominion of Canada.  Four of the colonial territories known previously as Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were thus amalgamated into one large nation. 

Additional territories subsequently joined the Dominion of Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador which opted into the federation some 82 years later.  Thus the entire land mass from the Atlantic to the Pacific became one united country, the second largest in area in the world.

Around the time of federation, many different names were suggested for this new northern nation, and perhaps a dozen or more were given serious consideration.  Some of these names were for example: Albertsland, Albionora, Borealia, Cabotia, Colonia, Efisga, Hochelaga, Transatlantia, Tuponia, Victorialand. 

Finally the name Canada was presented, and accepted, a name that is derived from a local tribal name, Kanata, meaning land.  Originally the name Canada was applied to the early French colonies in what is now eastern Canada.

In 1871, just four years after federation, British Columbia opted to join the Dominion of Canada as a province, on the one stipulation, that a railway line be constructed across Canada, joining this new province into the other provinces of the nation.  In fulfillment of this promise, 10 years later (1881) the federal government in Ottawa granted a charter for the formation of Canadian Pacific Railway, CPR.  Four years later again, on November 7, 1885, the last ceremonial railway spike was driven in at Craigellachie in British Columbia, thus joining the west to the east.

In 1929, Canadian Pacific Railway CPR belatedly observed that the competitive railway system, Canadian National Railway CNR, was using their own newly developing radio network very effectively in promoting and advertising their widespread railway services.  Canadian Pacific therefore formed a radio department and announced that they also would establish a network of mediumwave radio broadcasting stations across Canada.  In addition, Canadian Pacific also began negotiations with the NBC and CBS radio networks in the United States for the relay of some of their American programming likewise across Canada. 

On January 17 of the following year (1930), Canadian Pacific applied for licenses to establish their radio network in 11 cities across Canada, coast to coast.  They planned on 7 mediumwave stations with a 50 kW transmitter at each of these locations: Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and then either Halifax or St. John (New Brunswick).  Additional 15 kW transmitters were planned at 4 locations: Fort William, now known as Thunder Bay in Ontario; Sudbury, also in Ontario; Quebec City, in Province Quebec; and Prince Albert in Saskatchewan.

Perhaps their list of 11 mediumwave radio broadcasting stations was a little grandiose, yet just three months later, on April 2 (1930), Canadian Pacific withdrew their list of applications for 8 of these stations, though they retained their applications for three of the 50 kW stations: Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg.  However at that same time, CPR was also granted a license for a phantom radio station CHRY that would broadcast its programming over two of Toronto’s top mediumwave stations, CFRB and CKGW. 

The callsign for the new Canadian Pacific phantom radio station CHRY, had a very obvious meaning: C stood for Canada, and HRY stood for Hotel Royal York, just opposite Union Station at 65 Front Street.  However shortly afterwards, the callsign CHRY was amended to CPRY, with the initial C standing for Canada, and the combined four letters standing for Canadian Pacific Royal York. 

You see In 1925, Canadian Pacific procured the prestigious Queen’s Hotel in Toronto.  They demolished the older smaller building and constructed a huge new hotel on the same site.  The huge new Hotel Royal York with its main entrance at 100 Front Street was officially opened on June 11, 1929, with an invited attendance of 2,300.   

The Hotel Royal York was a fabulous building, not only in its size, but also in its contents.  There were more than a thousand guest rooms on its 28 floors, the massive building stood 407 feet high, and at the time, it was not only the tallest building in Toronto and in Canada, but also in the British Empire.

The entire telephone switchboard was 66 feet long and it was operated by 35 telephone operators.  The building contained its own bank, a small hospital, a library with 12,000 books, the largest hotel kitchen in Canada that could bake 15,000 French Bread Rolls daily, and a glass enclosed Roof Garden.   

There were 6 beehives in the garden with a third of a million bees that produced a fifth of a ton of honey each year.  The largest pipe organ in Canada was installed, with 300 miles of copper wire, and the total weight of this famous musical instrument was 50 tons.

The studios for the phantom radio station CHRY-CPRY were installed in the Imperial Room, a large convention style hall on the lobby level that could cater for 500 people.  Landlines carried the radio programs from the Hotel Royal York to the studios of two of Toronto’s major mediumwave broadcasting stations, CFRB and CKGW. 

At the time, the studios for mediumwave station CKGW were located in another fabulous hotel, the King Edward Hotel, which occupied a full city block nearby to the Royal York.  Station CKGW was  also on the air on shortwave, with 200 watts on 6095 kHz.

At the height of its phantom radio broadcasting activity during the first half of the 1930s, the programming from station CPRY was heard nationwide over a network of 21 stations in Canada, though none of these stations were owned by Canadian Pacific.  There were occasions when this programming was also carried by mediumwave WJZ in New York and on its own network of stations in the eastern American states.

In 1935, Canadian National radio was taken over by the Canadian government and ultimately developed into CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  At that stage, Canadian Pacific radio was no longer needed, and so the entire CPRY phantom system was closed down.

Interestingly, many years later, a new radio station was installed in the Royal York Hotel.  On February 1, 1957 FM station CHFI was inaugurated with 282 watts on 98.1 MHz.  Good Music station CHFI was installed in the top floor of the Hotel Royal York.
(AWR-Wavescan 524)

What is the Future for VOA Saipan?

Radio Stations in Saipan (World Radio Maps)
      A Shortwave Station with three or four Consecutive Callsigns
Two weeks back here in Wavescan, we presented Part 1 in our mini-series regarding the story of one of the major shortwave stations that was installed on the island of Saipan in the Western Pacific.  The earliest beginnings for this shortwave station, KYOI on Saipan, can be traced back to mediumwave station KUAM on the island of Guam, and their intended plan in 1975 to install a 100 kW shortwave station for wide area coverage in the Pacific. 

The owner of mediumwave KUAM on Guam was Lawrence Berger, who also owned two other radio/TV station complexes in the Pacific; WVUV in Pago Pago American Samoa and KHVH in Honolulu Hawaii.  Five years later (1980), the unfulfilled plan for his shortwave station on Guam was transferred to a new location on Saipan.  Back at that time, shortwave radio was hugely popular among the younger generation in Japan, and the new KYOI hoped to appeal to a large audience who enjoyed modern American and Japanese music.

This new station was owned by Marcom, Mariana Communications Inc, a limited liability company with 50% shares held by Lawrence Berger, and the remaining shares held by Fred Zeder and Adrian Perry.  The chosen American callsign was KYOI, and YOI in the Japanese language suggests “good” and “joy”.

The Marcom radio company procured 8 acres of brush jungle at Agingan Point on the southwest coast of Saipan and they cleared it for their new shortwave station.  Work on the new Saipan shortwave station began in 1982, and a subsequent photograph as published in the British radio magazine Practical Wireless for March 1983 showed the new building for KYOI under construction. 

This solid concrete transmitter building, with an internal area of 2,000 square feet, was designed to withstand the winds of a typhoon up to 150 mph, and an earthquake up to level 3.  The transmitter building also contained a small co-ordinating studio and office.

Initially, Marcom announced that a 100 kW Harris shortwave transmitter would be installed, but instead they procured a 100 kW Continental from Dallas Texas, Model No 418D2.  An internal computer system was incorporated into the transmitter itself and this was programmed to automatically change the operating frequency four times a day.

The original high gain antenna system at 23 db was manufactured by TCI, Model 611, and it was suspended from two towers 170 ft high.  The antenna was beamed towards Tokyo at 340 degrees, though it also gave a good back beam radiation towards New Zealand.  A staff of six technical personnel maintained the station for its non-stop 24 hour a day operation.

In addition, the station was also provided with its own 450 kW diesel operated power generator, as well as a water catchment system with a capacity of 2500 gallons.  The first test signals from the new shortwave station KYOI were noted in Australia on December 17, 1982 when test tones were transmitted on 15190 kHz.

Programming for the new shortwave station was produced in two languages, Japanese and English, by the Drake Chenault Company in Los Angeles California, and the recorded tapes were air freighted to Saipan each week.  The programming was then transferred into the computer system at KYOI, up to one week in advance of the broadcast date. 

Regular programming consisted almost entirely of non stop modern style music with station announcements and advertisements in both Japanese and English.  The time call was given in Japanese Standard Time.

However, after just three years on the air, commercial shortwave station KYOI on Saipan was struggling financially.  Listeners were surprised in November 1985 to hear on air announcements  appealing for funding.  In August of the following year (1986), KYOI announced that a remarkable $20,000 had been received from listeners, but that was still insufficient to maintain all of the necessary activities of the station.  However at the same time, it was revealed that negotiations were underway for the purchase of the station by Christian Science in Boston Massachusetts.

The effective date for the acquisition of the station by Christian Science was December 31, 1986, though Marcom did not announce this information until March 15 of the following year (1987).  Thus Super Rock KYOI in Saipan was on the air under Marcom ownership as a commercial shortwave station for a period of just a few days more than four years.

During that four year period, station KYOI acknowledge listener reception reports with thousands of QSL cards, all posted from Saipan itself.  At least four different printings of their QSL card are known, though each featured their artistic representation of Big Bird.

Their first QSL card gave the Saipan postal address as Box 795, though this was changed soon afterwards to Box 1387.  These QSL cards were printed in Japanese and English, though the cards were printed separately in each language.

On the next occasion, when we continue the story of this important shortwave station on the island of Saipan, we will present the events that occurred under Christian Science leadership.
(AWR-Wavescan 523)

Sunday, March 17, 2019

The Radio Scene on Disputed Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia (US Navy)

We interrupt the regular flow of topics here in Wavescan, to bring to you a matter of important international information.  On Monday February 25, (2019) the World Court in the Hague, Holland, issued a judgment against Britain regarding the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

 According to this non-binding legal opinion, the top United Nations court stated that Britain had acted unlawfully in the decolonization process and should relinquish control over these islands.  Accordingly, Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf stated in his summary of the decision, that Britain was under obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Islands as rapidly as possible. 

In response, it is reported that the British Foreign Minister, Mr. Alan Duncan, has declared that the British Foreign Office will look at this United Nations opinion very carefully, though the matter is a dispute only between Britain and Mauritius.  Let’s go back and see what happened.

There is a long line of more than a thousand islands stretching more than a thousand miles from northern Lakshadweep to the Chagos Islands, which in reality is the top of an underwater mountain range in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.  The Chagos Archipelago at the southern end of this long geographic chain of islands is a cluster of 7 atolls containing a nest of 60 coral islands.

The total land area of the Chagos Islands is just 21.7 square miles, and the largest island is Diego Garcia with a total land area of 12.7 square miles.

In its earlier pre-history, the Chagos Islands were uninhabited, though they were known to the dwellers in the southern Maldive Islands.  There were occasions when Maldive fishermen were accidentally marooned in the Chagos, and sometimes rescued.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover the Chagos Islands in the 1500s; and the  French subsequently laid claim to them.  In 1814, the French ceded the islands to Britain by treaty, though they were then governed from Mauritius.  The first successful settlement, on the largest island called Diego Garcia, was established in 1793, and it was made up of Europeans, slaves from Africa, and other island peoples.

In November 1965, the United Kingdom bought the entire Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius for a total of £3 million.  Two years later, the British government paid an additional £2/3rds million for all of the properties on the Chagos Islands.  During the 1960s and 70s, the British resettled the three thousand Chagos inhabitants to the Seychelles and Mauritius, for which they paid Mauritius yet another£2/3rds million for resettlement.

A joint military base, British and American, was built on Diego Garcia, the largest overseas military base in the world.  If this large military base is no longer needed for international security in the region, Britain states that the islands will again revert to the sovereignty of Mauritius.

Back during the early part of the year 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden, under the command of Captain Karl Friedrich Max von Mueller, visited several islandic areas in the Pacific Ocean, particularly the German colonies, as they were at the time.  When World War 1 began in Europe on July 28, 1914, the Emden moved into the Indian Ocean, sinking or capturing more than two dozen ships on the way.

In early October (1914), the German Emden visited the British island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago for repairs and crew refreshment; and here it was that the British garrison on Diego Garcia gave the ship and its crew a right royal welcome.  The British garrison on Diego Garcia was unaware that war was already under way between England and Germany.

With no wireless station on Diego Garcia, war news had not yet reached that isolated island, more than two months later.   The SMS Emden went through its repairs and (some say) a complete repaint, and it was stocked up with local provisions for which payment was made in British Pounds that had been captured from British ships.  Then on October 10 (1914), the Emden successfully and safely departed from Diego Garcia without the demonstration of any hostility.

During the month of May 1940, some three quarters of a year after World War 2 began, the first radio station was installed in the Chagos Islands.  A resident on the island of Mauritius, Paul Caboche, received orders from the British government to travel to Diego Garcia and to set up his own amateur radio station there, as a Secret Wireless Radio Station.

On Diego Garcia, radio operator Caboche was expected to transmit to Mauritius information in Morse Code about local shipping movements, possible enemy activities and any suspicious events in the area.  His tactical callsign was simply the letter T in the English alphabet, and the station in Mauritius was identified with the letter W.

In addition Paul Caboche at station T was also to communicate regularly with another similar station on the nearby Saloman Atoll which was identified with the callsign 2Y.  If these two radio operators and their clandestine radio equipment had been established in the South Pacific instead of the Indian Ocean, they would have been described as Coast Watch Stations.

More on the radio scene on Diego Garcia next time.
(AWR-Wavescan 525)

Friday, March 15, 2019

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, March 17-19



From the Isle of Music, March 17-23, 2019: 
This week we listen to songs from several of the nominees (and the winner) of the Rock category of Cubadisco 2018. 
The broadcasts take place:

1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 kHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)

2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-010 0 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US).

3-4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, March 17 and 19, 2019: 
Episode 105 takes us to Steiermark (Austria), and the legendary Kern Buam will be featured. The transmissions take place: 
1.Sundays 2200-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 kHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

2. Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach Iceland AND Western Russia due to a long skip.

Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2100-2200 UTC on WBCQ 7490 kHz 

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC
5713 N. St. Louis Av
Chicago IL 60659-4405
email: bill@tilfordproductions.com
phone: 773.267.6548
website: www.tilfordproductions.com

Shortwave Radiogram weekend schedules

Hello friends,

Last weekend's moving forward of the clocks in most of North America brings about some changes in Shortwave Radiogram broadcast times effective today and tomorrow. The WINB DRM transmitter on 13755 stays with UTC, so the Friday 1500 UTC DRM broadcast is one hour later by local time in North America. On the other hand, the WINB analog transmitter on 9265 kHz stays with local time in Pennsylvania. So Shortwave Radiogram remains at 10:30 pm Friday Eastern time but changes to 0230 UTC (Saturday). The WRMI transmitters used by Shortwave Radiogram stay with UTC, so the show will be heard one hour later by local time in North America, starting today at 4:30 pm EDT (2030 UTC) on 7780 kHz. Space Line Bulgaria also stays with UTC. See the schedule below.

Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 90) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 2030 UTC) and Ralf in Germany (Saturday 1400 UTC). "COMMS Partisan" in Ohio produced this video showing how he uses an antenna tuner and analyzer to optimize his reception of 7780 khz, and this video of his actual reception (Sunday 2330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.

Shortwave Radiogram this weekend is in the usual MFSK32 and MFSK64, with ten images, most colorful, one with interesting black-and-white shapes.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 91, 15-17 March 2019, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:42  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:46  NASA will make lunar samples available for study*
 7:02  MFSK64: Swissinfo.ch is 20 years old*
12:58  This week's images*
28:05  MFSK32: Closing announcements

* with images(s)

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net
And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram (visit during the weekend to see listeners' results)
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day UTC Time Frequency Transmitter
Friday 1500-1530 UTC 13755 kHz DRM WINB Pennsylvania
Friday 2030-2100 UTC 7780 kHz WRMI Florida
Saturday 0230-0300 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Saturday 1400-1430 UTC 9400 kHz Space Line Bulgaria
Sunday
0800-0830 UTC 5850 kHz
7730 kHz WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC 7780 kHz WRMI Florida
 
Slow Scan Radio transmits SSTV images and text modes Saturdays at 1300-1330 UTC on 6070 kHz and 7440 kHz via Channel 292 in Germany -- according to the latest schedule information I have. The website is http://www.slowscanradio.com. Reception reports to x@xdv.me.

The Mighty KBC transmits to Europe Saturdays at 1300-1400 UTC on 11600 kHz from Bulgaria, with the minute of MFSK at about 1330 UTC (if you are outside of Europe, listen via websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ ). And to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 5960 kHz, via Germany. The minute of MFSK is at about 0130 UTC.  Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/.

“This is a Music Show” is the newest addition to digital modes via analog shortwave. Most of the show is a music show, but the host transmits some MFSK text and image near the end of the broadcast. It’s transmitted on WRMI, 5850 kHz, Thursday 0100-0200 UTC (Wednesday evening in the Americas). Also look for a waterfall ID at the beginning of the show.

New York and Pennsylvania NBEMS nets. Most weekends, as KD9XB, I check in to the New York NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software) net Saturday at 1200 UTC (8 am EDT) on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1200 UTC (8 am EDT, out-of-state check-ins starting at 7:30 am) on 3583 kHz USB. Check-ins are in Thor 22, and messages are in MFSK32. Messages usually use the Flmsg add-on to Fldigi. If you are a radio amateur in eastern North America, feel free to check in. Outside the region, use an SDR in the eastern USA to tune in and decode. You do not need Flmsg to check in, and most of the messages can be read without Flmsg. If you can decode the net, send me an email to radiogram@verizon.net , or tweet to @SWRadiogram , and I will let them know you are tuned in.

Thanks for your reception reports!
Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom

Monday, March 11, 2019

Monitoring Mali on shortwave

All times UTC

logs edited for clarity

Mali
China Radio International via Bamako, Mali relay facility, and the Radio Mali transmitters have been repaired. Both stations have been observed with good modulation.

Radio Mali, Bamako, 5995 kHz. Sign-on at 1801, open on frequency when closed on 9635 kHz, at 1801. Vernacular comments to African music. English news at 1850 and mentions of "Mali", "Bamako" and "West Africa." Additional English comments as, "here in Mali ...."Male/female announcers at 1903 with more English comments. SINPO 433323 (Méndez/HCDX)

Radio Mali schedule
0800-1800 on 9635
0555-0800/ 1800-2400
(WRTH 2019)

China Radio International via Bamako, Mali relay
Reception 08 March, 2019
1400-1557 on 13685 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf English, fair/good
1400-1557 on 17630 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf English, not on air
1600-1657 on 15125 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CEAf Arabic, not on air
1600-1657 on 17880 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Arabic, poor/weak
1700-1757 on 13645 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf Swahili, not on air
1700-1757 on 15125 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf Swahili, fair/good
1800-1827 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to WCAf Hausa, not on air
1800-1827 on 13645 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to WeAf Hausa, good signal
1830-1927 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf Arabic, not on air
1830-1927 on 13685 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Arabic, very good
1930-1957 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf Portuguese, not on air
1930-1957 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf Portuguese, very poor/JBA
2000-2127 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf English, not on air
2000-2127 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf English, very poor/JBA
2130-2227 on 11975 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to WeAf French, fair/good
2130-2227 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf French, not on air
2230-2357 on 11975 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Chinese, very weak
2230-2357 on 15505 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf Chinese, not on air

Reception 09 March, 2019
1300-1357 on 13685*BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to WeAf French, good signal
1300-1357 on 17880 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to WeAf French, fair signal
1400-1557 on 13685*BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf English, weak signal
1400-1557 on 17630 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf English, good signal
*1330-1425 13685.7 EMR 500 kW / 072 deg to CeAs Uyghur VOTurkey QRM!
(DXB)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins



Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Mar 11 0238 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 04 - 10 March 2019

Solar activity reached low levels. Region 2734 (N09, Lo=60,  class/area Cao/20 on 07 Mar) produced the strongest flare of the period, a C1 at 08/0319 UTC followed by a secondary X-ray enhancement to C1, which peaked shortly after. Two separate CME signatures, a western directed CME first seen in LASCO C2 at 08/0428 UTC and an eastern directed CME first seen in LASCO C2 at 08/0438 UTC, were associated with the C1 flare activity. No other Earth-directed CMEs were observed in  vailable coronagraph imagery. The region produced two other weaker B class flares during the period.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels throughout the highlight period due to influence from a negative polarity CH HSS prior to the period combined with influence from a second negative polarity CH HSS on 06 and 07 Mar.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to unsettled conditions. The intermittent condition increases to unsettled periods occurred on 04 Mar, and 06-08 Mar due to slight enhancements in the ar wind environment and CH HSS effects.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 March - 06 April 2019

Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to range from normal to very high levels. Very high levels are expected on 29/30 Mar; high levels are expected on 11 Mar, 14-19 Mar, 27-28 Mar, and 31 Mar - 06 Apr; moderate levels are expected on 12/13 Mar and 20-22 March; mostly normal levels are expected 23-25  Mar. All elevated levels of electron flux are anticipated due to influence from multiple, recurrent CH HSSs.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to range from quiet to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. G1 conditions are expected 11 Mar due to possible glancing blows from the 8 Mar CMEs. The active conditions are expected 12 Mar - 15 Mar due to waning CME activity followed by HSS effects from a negative polarity CH. Unsettled to quiet conditions are expected 16-17 Mar as CH effects wane.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Mar 11 0238 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2019-03-11
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Mar 11      71          30          5
2019 Mar 12      71          18          4
2019 Mar 13      70          18          4
2019 Mar 14      69          15          4
2019 Mar 15      69          12          4
2019 Mar 16      69           8          3
2019 Mar 17      69           5          2
2019 Mar 18      69           5          2
2019 Mar 19      69           5          2
2019 Mar 20      69          10          3
2019 Mar 21      69           5          2
2019 Mar 22      69           5          2
2019 Mar 23      69           5          2
2019 Mar 24      69           5          2
2019 Mar 25      69           5          2
2019 Mar 26      69          12          4
2019 Mar 27      69          30          5
2019 Mar 28      69          28          5
2019 Mar 29      70          14          4
2019 Mar 30      71           8          3
2019 Mar 31      71           5          2
2019 Apr 01      71           5          2
2019 Apr 02      71           8          3
2019 Apr 03      71           8          3
2019 Apr 04      71           5          2
2019 Apr 05      71           5          2
2019 Apr 06      71           5          2
(NOAA)

Friday, March 08, 2019

Global Radio Guide - still knocking it out of the park !!



A BIG thanks to David Harris for his super review in Radio User, for Global Radio Guide. Do you have your copy yet ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L3RYTPG

Wednesday, March 06, 2019

Radio Keeps Dying but Someone Forgot to Tell the Listeners!



A look back at 10 years of radio on the anniversary of Radiodays Europe 

Rosie Smith, 3 days ago
The author is communications manager and executive committee member, Radiodays Europe

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Over the past 10 years radio has been killed off so often that it’s starting to look like we work in an industry that is part of a modern day murder mystery or true crime drama. TV, social media, the internet, aging listeners and video etc., the list of suspects is long with more added year on year.

Additonal story at: https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/radio-keeps-dying-but-someone-forgot-to-tell-the-listeners

CRI relays via Bamako, Mali active again


China Radio International (CRI) via Bamako is on the air, but only via one transmitter, instead of two transmitters as follows:

All times UTC

via Bamako, Mali March 2-3
0800-0857 on  7295 BKO 100 kW / non-dir to WeAf Hausa, very weak/JBA
1400-1557 on 13685*BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf English, fair/good
1400-1557 on 17630 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf English, not on air
1600-1657 on 15125 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CEAf Arabic, very good
1600-1657 on 17880 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Arabic, not on air
1700-1757 on 13645 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf Swahili, fair/good
1700-1757 on 15125 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf Swahili, not on air
1800-1827 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to WCAf Hausa, good signal
1800-1827 on 13645 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to WeAf Hausa, not on air
1830-1927 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf Arabic, very good
1830-1927 on 13685 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Arabic, not on air
1930-1957 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf Portuguese, fair/good
1930-1957 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to SoAf Portuguese, not on air
2000-2127 on 11640 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf English, fair signal
2000-2127 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf English, not on air
2130-2227 on 11975 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to WeAf French, not on air
2130-2227 on 13630 BKO 100 kW / 111 deg to CEAf French, very poor/JBA
2230-2357 on 11975 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Chinese, not on air
2230-2357 on 15505 BKO 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAf Chinese, very poor/JBA
2300-2357 on  7295 BKO 100 kW / non-dir to WeAf Chinese, very weak
2300-2357 on 11975 BKO 100 kW / 020 deg to NEAf Chinese, not on air
(DXB 02-03 March/Top News)

CRI Bamako Mali Africa relay schedule request in A-19 Summer 2019
Time sorted
7295 0800 0900 46E      BKO 100 0   925 310319 271019 Hau  MLI CRI RTC
13685 1300 1400 53       BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Fra  MLI CRI RTC
17880 1300 1400 53       BKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Fra  MLI CRI RTC
13685 1400 1500 53       BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
17630 1400 1500 47E,48   BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
13685 1500 1600 53       BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
17630 1500 1600 47E,48   BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
15125 1600 1700 47E,48NW BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Ara  MLI CRI RTC
17880 1600 1700 37       BKO 100 20  216 310319 271019 Ara  MLI CRI RTC
13645 1700 1800 48SW,53NWBKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Swa  MLI CRI RTC
15125 1700 1800 48SW,53NWBKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Swa  MLI CRI RTC
11640 1800 1830 46E      BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Hau  MLI CRI RTC
13645 1800 1830 46E      BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Hau  MLI CRI RTC
11640 1830 1930 47E,48NW BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Ara  MLI CRI RTC
13685 1830 1930 37       BKO 100 20  216 310319 271019 Ara  MLI CRI RTC
11640 1930 2000 53NW     BKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Por  MLI CRI RTC
13630 1930 2000 53NW     BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Por  MLI CRI RTC
11640 2000 2100 53       BKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
13630 2000 2100 53       BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
11640 2100 2130 53       BKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
13630 2100 2130 53       BKO 100 111 206 310319 271019 Eng  MLI CRI RTC
11975 2130 2230 37       BKO 100 20  216 310319 271019 Fra  MLI CRI RTC
13630 2130 2230 53       BKO 100 111 216 310319 271019 Fra  MLI CRI RTC
11975 2230 2300 37       BKO 100 20  216 310319 271019 Chn  MLI CRI RTC
15505 2230 2300 47E,48   BKO 100 85  206 310319 271019 Chn  MLI CRI RTC
 7295 2300 2400 46       BKO 100 0   925 310319 271019 Chn  MLI CRI RTC
11975 2300 2400 37       BKO 100 20  216 310319 271019 Chn  MLI CRI RTC
(HFCC.org A-19 season)
(WWDC Top News 1375-06 Mar 2019)

South Korea trial testing from 7-9 March 2019

Dear listeners!
To determine the most optimal frequency for broadcasting our programs in the summer period, we will conduct test broadcasts, from March 7-9, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC on a frequency of 11810 kHz.

On the indicated days there will be no broadcast on the frequency 9645 kHz

On March 8-9, from 13:00 to 14:00 UT, our program, broadcast on 9645 kHz, will be broadcast with a modified antenna tilt angle to 319 degr.
{usual 304degr curtain dipols, slewed +15degr, wb.}

We urge you to monitor transmissions at the indicated frequencies and promptly inform us about the quality of the reception.

http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/program_notice_view.htm?lang=r&procode=one
&bbs=one_notice&no=29654
(via Anatoly Klepov-RUS, RUSdx #1018 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 3)

QSL Report

This edition of QSL Report, is gleamed from various radio news sources as indicated. Your contributions are always welcome to w4gvh@frontier.com 

Information has been edited for clarity by Teak Publishing

Australia
Reach Beyond Australia 15575 kHz. E-QSL received from Margaret Penford, Listener Correspondent, for program details of  English broadcast of Spotlight program. Program details to: b18@reachbeyond.org.au.(Dmitry Kutuzov-Russia “deneb-radio-dx” via RUSdx #1014 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 3/NASWA March 2019)

Brazil
Radio Aparecida 6135 kHz. Station QSL card from Cassiano Macedo in 2.5 months for Portuguese report. Program details to: contato@a12. (Ivan Zelenyi-Russia/DX Fanzine/NASWA March 2019)

Radio Clube do Para, 4885, Full data E-QSL. Received in 97 days. Program details to: danielnx18@gmail.com. (Alexander Golovikhin-Russia/DX Fanzine/NASWA March 2019)

China
Just sent out a QSL card of China Huayi Broadcast Station to a Japanese DXer, Ichiro Nonaka of Osaka. His reception report from 2018, was sent to an incorrect address, which is now out of date. I am the QSL Manager of China Huayi BS, Voice of Jin Ling, and and Fu Shing Broadcast station. The correct address for QSLs is: Jonathan Short, Ming Ri Feng Lin 3-1002, Li Zha Road, Changshu,JS 215500, P.R. China. Enclosing $2.00 U.S. currency for return postage would be appreciated but not necessary. Instead any radio station souvenirs such as QSLs, stickers, pennants, used radio schedules, radio books or magazines would be much more welcome. (73! J.Short-CHN, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 24)

Holy Tibet Radio, 4905 kHz. Full data Potala Palace in Lhasa. received in 104 days. Program details to: holytibetprogram@163.com. (Alexander Golovikhin-Russia/DX Fanzine/NASWA March-2019)

Beibu Bay Radio 5050 kHz. Full data QSL card. Received  in 26 days for e-report to: vinglian@cri.com.cn. (Jürgen Waga-Germany/DX Fanzine/NASWA March 2019)

Clandestine

Radio Tamazuj 11705 kHz, via Talata Volonondry,Madag for program details to: radiotamazuj@gmail.com. (Roberto Pavanello-Italy/DX Fanzine)

Radio Koode Radio International, 7265 kHz. Web site https://www.kooderadio.com. E-mails to: kri@kooderadio.com. According to the web site the daily shortwave broadcast began on 26 December, 2018 and are aimed at the 70 million Fulfulde speakers in West Africa. (British DX Club) Usman Shehu usman.shehu@gmx.net, CEO of Koode Radio International is verifying reports. (NASWA/March 2019)

Germany
Evangelische Missions-Gemeinden, 6055 kHz. QSL card for German service. Programming is via MBR Nauen Germany transmitting site. Program details to: info@missionsbote.de. (DK Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan-RUS "deneb-radio-dx" via RUSdx #1017 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 24)

HCJB Deutsche, 9500 kHz. QSL card Voice of the Andes.Programming is via MBR Nauen Germany transmitting site. You can view the card at; https://rusdx.blogspot.com/2019/02/blog-post_20.html. (Anatoly Klepov, Moscow-RUS, via RUSdx #1017 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 24)

Guatemala
I received an email response and verification from Radio Verdad. Received in one day from Station Manager, Dr. Edgar Amilcar Madrid. He advised me that they no longer have a postal address and will verify via email. I received a group picture of the station staff, their 2019 calendar and verification of reception. Station is currently running 800W on 4055. (Ed Cichorek-NJ/NASWA)



Malaysia
RTM Sarawak FM, 9835 kHz. E-QSL for via Kajang site. Card number 07-2019. program details to:  roziyati@rtm.gov.my. Confirmation received from Unit Pengukuran & Kualiti, Seksyen Teknikal Rangkaian Kajang from: unit_pnk_kajang@protonmail.com. Noted will send paper QSL. (Dmitry Kutuzov-Russia “deneb-radio-dx” via RUSdx #1014 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 3)

Philippines
Voice of America/IBB Transmitting Station 12120 kHz. E-QSL to confirm Chinese service, featuring photo of IBB antenna in Udorn Thani, Thailand. Program details sent to: manager_philippines@bbg.gov.Reply via Salvador Galang BGALANG@usagm.gov. (Dmitry Kutuzov-Russia “deneb-radio-dx” via RUSdx #1014 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 3/NASWA March 2019)

Vatican
Vatican Radio 6010/7435 kHz via Santa Maria di E-QSL received in 28 days for Italian program details to: qsl.request@spc.va. (Christian Ghibaudo-France/DX Fanzine/NASWA-March 2019)