Monitoring observations on Russian domestic station

Russia
6075, GTRK Kamchatka via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, 0710-0724 UTC, Feb 1. A different, shorter format now with their local/regional programming no longer being 50 minutes long. Starts with IDs for “Radio Rossii Kamchatka” and “this is Kamchatka.” This English ID was formerly always given at the bottom-of-the hour, quickly into monologue (not in Russian). (DXer) Mauno suggests perhaps in Koryak with many mentions of “Kamchatka.” Back to Russian at 0724 and regular Radio Rossii IDs. Very good reception.

http://www.mediafire.com/?pccw2neotmcr6o0 contains audio of IDs. Mauno Ritola (Finland) comments: “you are right, definitely not Russian. I suppose it must then be Koryak, relaying Palana.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koryak_language . What a pity, that Palana 4520 kHz was closed long ago.” Thanks to Mauno for his feedback. Now is the time to catch this local program while the audio is still fairly good (only slight hum), as recently the strong motorboating/hum was fixed.
(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Radio Rossii updates Russian frequency

Updated A-09 of Radio Rossii in Russian to Western Europe

All times UTC

0400-0800 on 12070 MSK 250 kW / 265 deg
0820-1300 on 13665 MSK 250 kW / 265 deg
1320-1700 on 9410 MSK 250 kW / 265 deg
1720-2100 NF 7220 MSK 250 kW / 265 deg, ex 9410/7420

Thank's for this new frequency Vasily Gulyaev, Astrahan, Russia
(Ivo Ivanov via Rachel Baughn, MT)

India and Russia decide to adopt DRM

The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium has learned that Russia’s General Radio Frequency Centre has decided to introduce DRM in Russia in the medium and shortwave bands. The Russian General Radio Frequency Centre, the organisation that coordinates national spectrum management issues, took the decision on 20 January 2009 following a series of tests on the future use of transmission networks with digital technology.
The Russian text of the decision is available on the website of the Ministry of Communications and Information of the Russian Federation.

After extensive trials in 2007, All India Radio (AIR) has also decided that DRM is the best technology for converting its vast public service broadcasting network to digital. After conducting trials over a one and a half year period, AIR has started regular DRM transmissions from a 250 kW shortwave transmitter installed near the capital city New Delhi in January this year.
AIR is also in the process of converting 4 shortwave transmitters (250 kW) to DRM mode by March 2009. There are plans to introduce DRM transmissions in 42 new mediumwave, 36 existing mediumwave and 5 new shortwave transmitters. However, the cost and availability of good receivers remains the main issue in their implementation strategy for the next five years.
(Source: DRM Consortium)
Andy Sennitt comments: These two countries, with a combined population of more than 1.5 billion people, must surely provide a sufficiently large market for manufacturers to finally commit to large-scale production of DRM receivers. If this doesn’t happen, then we must conclude that DRM will never take off as a mainstream technology. It seems to me that the clock is already ticking. RNW has, for the moment, abandoned DRM transmissions as from the start of the A09 schedule on 29 March. It’s interesting that the DRM Consortium website describes the news from Russia only as “encouraging” rather than “exciting” or “significant”.
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Encouraging News from Russia

The Consortium has received some very encouraging news from Russia that its General Radio Frequency Centre has decided to introduce 'Digital Radio Mondiale' (DRM) in Russia in the medium and shortwave bands. The Russian General Radio Frequency Centre, the organisation that coordinates national spectrum management issues, took the decision number N 09-01-05 on 20 January 2009 following a series of tests on the future use of transmission networks with digital technology.
The Radio Frequency Service carries out supervision over emissions of radio-electronic facilities and high-frequency devices, provides proper use of radio frequencies and radio frequency channels, radio-electronic facilities and high-frequency devices, assistance in international legal
protection of radio frequency assignments.
The Russian text of the decision is available on the website of the Ministry of Communications and Information of the Russian federation.

To read the Russian text, click here :
http://minkomsvjaz.ru/ministry/170/174/6780.shtml

http://www.drm.org/news/detail/news/drm-encouraging-news-from-russia/
(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)