Late-Breaking News - Declaration closes VOA

 

White House issues USAGM closures

White House statement issued late Friday evening announced intention to close grantee media under USAGM. . .

AI definition: The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) oversees several non-statutory components, which are independent organizations funded through grants. These include:

* *Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL):* Provides news in 27 languages across 23 countries, focusing on regions with restricted press freedom.

* *Radio Free Asia (RFA):* Delivers uncensored news to countries with limited media freedom.

* *Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN):* Operates Alhurra Television, Radio Sawa, and digital platforms targeting audiences in the Middle East and North Africa.

* *Open Technology Fund (OTF):* Promotes internet freedom in repressive environments by supporting secure communication tools and technologies.\

USAGM non-statutory components are also called "grantees" essentially NGOs including:  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), Open Technology Fund (OTF).

Federalized parts of @USAGM are @VOANews and @martinews Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

 

Sharp reductions of grantee media ops under @USAGM have been expected for some time; EO from White House issued at 10:44 PM EDT was first formal move by administration to close them.

Duplication between VOA and grantee media has been focus of criticism for decades, including GAO and other reports, with language broadcasts/online ops continuing at VOA as well as grantee Radio Free Asia.

 

This separate story was published by Politico early Friday evening EDT:  https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/14/radio-free-asia-funding-freeze-layoffs-00231780

USAGM, Senior Advisor Kari Lake cancels obscenely expensive 15-year-lease that burdened the taxpayers and enforces Trump’s Executive Order to drastically downsize agency

Story available at: https://www.usagm.gov/2025/03/15/u-s-agency-for-global-media-complies-with-presidential-executive-order-to-reduce-the-federal-bureaucracy/

Bloody Saturday at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

'Bloody Saturday' at Voice of America and Radio Free Asia : NPR

Requiem for the voice that carried a nation’s conscience

VOA's signal for 83 years crossed borders and ideologies—now its silence will speak volumes.

Steve Herman comments: https://www.steveherman.press/p/requiem-for-the-voice-that-carried

Australian Relay Stations in Palestine

 Thank you Ray Robinson and Jeff White far sharing this very interesting story.

Jeff: Some years ago, research by our editor-in-chief, Dr. Adrian Peterson, in conjunction with "Pacific Radio Heritage" in New Zealand, revealed the fact that Radio Australia was relayed by transmitters in at least three different locations in Palestine during World War II.  From Los Angeles, Ray Robinson has the story, along with some more recently uncovered information including an Australian operation in the Gaza Strip.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  Yes, for this story, we have to go back to the earliest origins of radio broadcasting for the benefit of Australian servicemen on duty overseas.

In the latter part of 1938, the Post Master General’s (or, PMG) Department in Sydney began planning for the construction of a mobile radio studio which would be used in the production of outside broadcasts, to be relayed by the Australia Broadcasting Commission, or ABC, network of medium wave and shortwave radio stations throughout Australia.  Work on this project was completed early in 1939, and the new ABC Mobile Van was assigned to the New South Wales branch of the ABC.

Technician Noel Palmer at the controls of the ABE Mobile Van (still equipped with luggage racks)

Some sources indicate this ABC Mobile Van was actually constructed by New Zealand Railways and was in effect a shortened and modified railway carriage on the back of a truck.  However, in its modified form, it was a state-of-the-art radio studio of the era, complete with transcription turntables, microphones, control console, and associated equipment.  Also included was a shortwave transmitter and receiver for point-to-point transmission of recorded material.  The roof of the van was specially strengthened so that it could be used as an elevated platform for outside broadcasts.

Within weeks of the declaration of war on September 3rd, 1939, the Australian government received a request from the United Kingdom to help counter German radio propaganda.  Preparations began in the October to recruit troops for combat in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as in the Pacific.  And then on December 20th, 1939, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies directed the ABC to inaugurate a shortwave overseas service, originally named ‘Australia Calling’ and later ‘Radio Australia’. ‘The time has come for Australia to speak for herself,’ he said.

In 1940, three AIF (or, Australian Imperial Force) infantry divisions comprising about 20,000 men were dispatched to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, where they formed an integral part of the Commonwealth forces in the area.

It had also been decided early in 1940, to modify the ABC Mobile Van in Sydney in readiness for shipping it to the Middle East, along with the troops.  More equipment

was needed than was originally envisaged, so a trailer was added containing supplementary equipment such as a 32 volt generator and heavy duty batteries.  Additionally, an extra pair of high frequency transmitters and receivers was stowed on board for use in coordinating the production of remote broadcasts.

The modified ABC Mobile Van was scheduled to be shipped from Australia to the Middle East in early June 1940, though the departure date was delayed until the end of August due to wartime priorities.  It was shipped first to Cairo, and whilst on board the troop carrier, it produced an actuality radio series called ‘At Sea with the AIF’, although for security reasons the programs were not broadcast in Australia until after the contingents had safely reached their destination.  Upon arrival in Cairo, the van was driven on into the British Mandated territory of Palestine.  There it was set up in an Australian army base near Jerusalem.

Special Forces Programs from the new "Australia Calling" were received off air and recorded on large discs. These discs were then taken to the local medium wave station of the Palestine Broadcasting Service and rebroadcast for the benefit of Australian servicemen in the area.  This radio station was a 20 kW unit on 668 kHz, with the callsign ZJM.  It had been established by the British just three years earlier.

Unfortunately, this radio rebroadcast service in the Middle East didn’t come close to expectations.  The signals from the new, low-powered ABC shortwave stations in Australia were variable, there was a high degree of local static, and the programming content was considered inadequate.

An officer in the Australian army stationed in Jerusalem complained about these matters in a letter to his father in Adelaide, South Australia, and the information was passed on to army headquarters in Melbourne in February 1941.  As a result, responsibility for the operation of the overseas shortwave service from Australia was taken away from the ABC and placed under the direct control of the Department of Information.

Then, in early 1941, after only a few months of service in Palestine, the ABC Mobile Van was shipped back to Australia, although the radio personnel and several items of equipment were retained in the Middle East.  The van was then refurbished and, together with additional electronic equipment, prepared for service in the islands to the north of Australia.

But, back to the Middle East.  In November of the same year, 1941, PMG engineer Reg Boyle conducted a series of test broadcasts in Jerusalem for the live relay of ‘Australia Calling’ programming using a 500 watt shortwave transmitter.  As a result of these tests, he concluded that a more powerful 1 kW unit would be necessary in order to provide a satisfactory broadcast service in the area.

The Australian army in Jerusalem then lodged a request with army headquarters in Melbourne for approval to erect such a 1 kW shortwave station in Jerusalem for the local relay of radio programming from ‘Australia Calling’.  This station was projected to cost £5,000, and it would be under the control of the PMG engineer, Reg Boyle. The request was duly approved by army headquarters, but events move quickly in war zones, and the project was never actually implemented.

Instead, the Australian forces acquired a building in the Gaza Strip for the ABC Field Unit, which installed various receiving and transmitting antennas on the roof, one apparently for medium wave.  From this location, medium wave propagation along the North African coast would have been much better, as well as covering the Australian bases in Palestine.

Researcher David Ricquish (who sadly died at his home in Wellington, New Zealand in September 2024), discovered a 1941 photograph on an Australian government website clearly depicting this building, which was identified as “ABC, Gaza”.

This building in Gaza apparently contained both studios and transmitters, and staff there also provided printed news material for soldiers by monitoring and transcribing material from the shortwave broadcasts of ‘Australia Calling’.  It was actually located at the AIF’s Middle East Headquarters ‘Base Area Camp’ at Gaza Ridge, known as Kilo 89, and the station broadcast recitals, musical recordings and relays of BBC and ABC news.  Soldiers were also assigned to still broadcast through the Palestine Mandate station, ZJM, in Jerusalem.

                                                                        ABC, Gaza, 1941

And so the evidence suggests that Australia Calling / Radio Australia was relayed for Australian troops over three different stations in the Middle East during the period from 1940-1942:

(1) the 20 kW medium wave station ZJM in Jerusalem,

(2) a 500 watt shortwave transmitter, also in Jerusalem; and

(3) an Australian Forces medium wave station located at Kilo 89, Gaza Ridge, in the Gaza Strip.

Back to you, Jeff.

Jeff: Thanks, Ray.  Next week, Ray will be looking further into the early development of radio broadcasting in Palestine and subsequently in Israel – a part of the Middle East we’ve never covered before in Wavescan.

Early Radio Broadcasting in Palestine and Israel

 

The Levant Fair, Tel Aviv, 1932

Thank you to Jeff White and Ray Robinson for sharing the latest Wavescan script to our readers.

Jeff: On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was proclaimed.  This meant that after a 2,000-year interruption, there was once again a Jewish state.  The area where the State of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Autonomous Territory now lie had been a British mandate since the early 1920s.  The League of Nations - the forerunner of the United Nations - entrusted this area to Great Britain for temporary administration. Until World War I, under the Ottoman Empire, the territory had been a domain of the Sultan of Constantinople.  In the early 1930s, the first radios became available for sale in shops in the British Mandate in the Middle East.  During the day, the medium wave transmitter in Cairo or various short wave stations could be received.  In the evening, the whole of Europe could be heard on medium wave.  But what about broadcasting from within the territory itself?  Here’s Ray Robinson with the story.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  On April 7, 1932, during the Levant Fair in Tel Aviv, Mendel Abramovich put the first radio station in operation in the area of what would later become the State of Israel.  Abramovich had previously received the relevant authorization from the British Mandate administration.  The first broadcast of "Radio Tel Aviv" consisted of a speech by Mendel Abramovich and a speech by Me'ir Dizengoff, the mayor of Tel Aviv.  At that time in 1932, a total of 675 radio receivers were registered.  Radio Tel Aviv continued to broadcast for three years - until April 1935.

Then, in 1936, the British set up the first permanent radio station in the Middle East – the Palestine Broadcasting Service, or PBS.  It first went on the air on March 30, 1936.

The studio and transmitter were located in Ramallah, 15 miles north of Jerusalem.  The PBS transmitter operated with 20 kW on the medium wave frequency 668 kHz

Original PBS Transmitter Site Ramallah

However, no sooner had PBS moved into the building than it became the object of a terrorist bomb attack in early August 1939 during the broadcast of the Children’s Hour.  Two employees, a South African announcer and a Christian Arab engineer were badly injured, and both later died in hospital.  Often there were children in the studio as guests during the Children’s Hour, but fortunately none had been present on that occasion.

As a result of the bomb attack, the Jerusalem station was temporarily put out of action.  Determined to continue, the staff decided to revert to the Ramallah station for the evening broadcast, and because of the fear of being ambushed on the way, the announcers and artists taking part in the programs were taken to Ramallah in armored cars.

Broadcasting House Jerusalem, 1939

The station soon returned to Jerusalem, and it was from there on PBS on 668 kHz that the Australia Calling programs were rebroadcast in 1940/41, that we told you about last week.

At the end of the 1930’s/beginning of the 1940’s, various Jewish underground organizations also started operating their own unlicensed stations.  On May 13, 1940, Kol Israel, the radio station of the Haganah, went on the air.  “Haganáh” means “protection” or “defense” and it was the name of the Jewish underground army.  With the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, Haganah was absorbed into the Israeli army as “Tsva haganáh le Jisra'él” or, “Israeli Defense Forces”.  But in the early 40’s, Haganah was active with its Kol Israel on shortwave in the 42-meter band.  Many of the Kol Israel volunteers were also employees of PBS.

In 1942, the British Mandate Palestine Broadcasting Service received a second transmitter and was thus able to broadcast two programs:

PBS 1 moved from 668 to 677 kHz / 443 metres, with 20 kW, still using the callsign ZJM, and the new

PBS 2 opened on 574 kHz / 522 metres, also with 20 kW, using the callsign ZJM2

PBS 1 broadcast in English and Arabic; PBS2 broadcast in English and Hebrew.  The very first edition of the World Radio Handbook in 1947 tells us that in English, the station identified as “This is Jerusalem calling on 443 and 522 metres.”

In the following year, 1943, the British Army opened another station in Jerusalem for the Middle East Section of the British Forces Broadcasting Service.  It went on the air with the call sign "JCPA" on medium wave 950 kHz.  The studios were located on Mount Zion in East Jerusalem on the border of the Old City, in the building of St. Peter's Hospice.  The BFBS medium wave transmitter was located south of the Old City in Beit Jalah, and it later switched from 950 to 1391 kHz.  Also, a second station on 7220 kHz shortwave was added for British troops in India using the callsign JCKW with 7.5 kW.  With British Forces deployed throughout the Holy Land, by the mid-40’s, BFBS had also put other medium wave transmitters into operation in Haifa on the northern Mediterranean coast, in Ramleh just outside Tel Aviv, in Kastina east of Ashdod on the southern coast, and in Gaza in the far south.  Whether that one was co-sited with ABC Gaza is not known.

The British government also set up an Arabic-language station called Mahatát Sharq al Adna (which means Middle East Radio Station), broadcasting on shortwave.  The studios were in Jaffa, now a district in south Tel Aviv.  On May 14, 1948, when the British Mandate of Palestine expired, Sharq al Adna was moved to Limassol, Cyprus, where it continued to broadcast until the Suez Crisis in 1956.  Then the British authorities closed the station and the transmitters were transferred to the BBC's East Mediterranean Relay Station.  Not much is known about Sharq al Adna, though, as the British government has not released many documents or records.

As the British Mandate over Palestine was set to expire on May 14, 1948, the PBS staff began to prepare for the impending closure of the institution.

On November 30, 1947, a battle broke out between the Jewish and Arab inhabitants of Jerusalem for control of the Holy City.  It ended on June 11, 1948 with the division.  Jordan seized East Jerusalem, including the Old City with its religious sites (Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Wailing Wall), while West Jerusalem remained under Jewish control.  Until the Six-Day War of 1967, Jerusalem was a city torn apart by walls and barbed wire.  During the battle in 1947/48, the predominantly Jewish districts in West Jerusalem were surrounded by Arab troops, which led to a serious supply crisis.  Jordanian troops blew up the ancient Jewish quarter in the Old City.

During the ensuing siege of Jerusalem, a battle also took place on the airwaves.  The Jordanian “Radio Amman” gloated that the Jews in Jerusalem were eating leaves like ducks and geese, and the Jewish “Kol ha Magén” (Radio Shield), another station run by Haganah, gave its listeners tips on how to prepare mallow plants in a tasty way.  Meanwhile, the official “Kol Jeruschalájim” (Radio Jerusalem), the successor to the Hebrew program of the British PBS 2, continued broadcasting from a school building.

On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the new State of Israel at the Tel Aviv City Museum.  That date is also considered to have been the birth of Kol Israel, the official broadcasting organization of the new state.  Its first broadcast?  The transmission of David Ben-Gurion’s declaration of independence.  Kol Israel took over the studio facilities of the British PBS and the underground broadcasters of Haganah, but it didn’t have a transmitter!  All the medium wave transmitters in both Ramallah and East Jerusalem were in areas that had been seized by Jordan.

So, due to the lack of medium wave transmitters, from May 1948 until well into 1949, Kol Israel could only be heard on shortwave 6835 kHz, in Hebrew, Arabic and English.  The old Haganah transmitters were also networked on shortwave:

In Jerusalem on 8100 kHz,

in Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee (Radio Galilee) on 6990 kHz,

in Tel Aviv on 6950 kHz,

in Haifa (Radio North) on 6500 kHz, and

in the Negev desert (Radio South) on 3800 kHz.

The Jordanian government proceeded to dismantle and remove the second 20 kW medium wave transmitter in Ramallah, the one that had previously been used for the Hebrew broadcasts.  The original Arabic & English transmitter was used to relay Jordanian Radio from Amman on 677 kHz – right up until the Six-Day War in 1967.

But, after the War of Independence, the young state of Israel quickly consolidated itself.  In October 1949, Israeli radio began broadcasting on two VHF transmitters, making it one of the first countries in the world to do so.  Shortly before the Copenhagen Frequency Plan of 1948 came into force on March 15, 1950, Kol Israel began broadcasting on three low power medium wave transmitters:

on 575 and 804 kHz in Jerusalem, and on 652 kHz in Tel Aviv, as well as on two FM channels in each of those cities. Then, in the early 1950’s, a 50 kW medium wave transmitter was installed in Tel Aviv, along with a 50 kW shortwave transmitter that could cover the entire country, as well as be heard by Jews still living in Central Europe.

Interestingly, because the Israeli government agreed on a “status quo” rule, Kol Israel continued broadcasting on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.  This day of rest begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday at sunset.  On Shabbat, all work is forbidden and it is also forbidden to force others to work.  But, the “status quo” rule stipulates that violations of Jewish religious laws in secular matters are to be tolerated if they already existed during the British Mandate.  And because PBS broadcast on Shabbat in the 30’s and 40’s, Kol Israel still broadcasts on Shabbat to this day.  And surprisingly, this rule was further extended to television when that started in Israel too.

Back to you, Jeff.

India updates frequency

 

Via Jose Jacobs: Effective 12 March 2025  India's Akashvani External Services via  Bengaluru  250 KW has changed its frequency 9620 to 11710 for the following transmissions

1600-1730 Farsi; 1730-1930 Arabic; 1930-2030 French 

New SSB SWL radio contest announced

 

Shortwave listener and French radio operator Frank FØDUW located near Paris, has announced a new SSB SWL contest for hobbyists everywhere. The contest, which began March 1, 2025, extends to the close of October, so you have plenty of time to participate.

 The SSB SWL Contest is open to all shortwave listeners and amateur radio operators. For additional information on the contest, refer to https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/02/ssb-swl-contest-2025-rules.html

Merci, Frank, for keeping the Shortwave Central readers up to date !!

March programming from Uncle Bill's Melting Pot

 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, March 2025 

March's program will feature mainly music from Corsica and will air as follows: 

Friday, March 14: 

3955 kHz at 2200 UTC 

Saturday, March 15: 

3955 at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 using beam E-F (repeat of March 14 episode). 

  

**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified. 

(Tilford Productions)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2025 Mar 10 0111 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 03 - 09 March 2025

Solar activity was moderate on 05 and 07 March with two M1 flares,  neither had any significant radio or CMEs associated. The rest of the period was at low levels. No significant CMEs were observed. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 04 March. Low to moderate levels were observed for the rest of the period. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached moderate levels on 09 March due to negative polarity CH HSS influences. Solar wind speeds reached peaks of near 675 km/s. Minor storm levels were observed on 08 March in response to the same CH HSS effects. Active levels were observed late on 04 March into early on 05 March due to suspected weak CME influences. Quiet to unsettled conditions prevailed for the remainder of the period. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 10 March - 05 April 2025

Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels for the outlook period. No noteworthy regions are expected to return. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate to high levels on 29-31 March due to recurrent CH HSS influences. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the rest of the outlook period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at minor storm levels for 10-11 March, 18 March, 26-27 March, and 05 April, all due to recurrent CH HSS influences. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the period. (subject to change with any CME activity). 

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2025 Mar 10 0111 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 2025-03-10

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2025 Mar 10     155          25          5

2025 Mar 11     160          20          5

2025 Mar 12     165          12          4

2025 Mar 13     160          15          4

2025 Mar 14     160          15          4

2025 Mar 15     170           8          3

2025 Mar 16     175           8          3

2025 Mar 17     180          15          4

2025 Mar 18     180          20          5

2025 Mar 19     185           8          3

2025 Mar 20     190           5          2

2025 Mar 21     195           5          2

2025 Mar 22     190           5          2

2025 Mar 23     190           5          2

2025 Mar 24     180           5          2

2025 Mar 25     170          15          4

2025 Mar 26     170          25          5

2025 Mar 27     160          25          5

2025 Mar 28     155          15          4

2025 Mar 29     155           5          2

2025 Mar 30     160           5          2

2025 Mar 31     160           8          3

2025 Apr 01     155           5          2

2025 Apr 02     155           5          2

2025 Apr 03     150           8          3

2025 Apr 04     150          15          3

2025 Apr 05     155          25          5

(NOAA)

U.K. Propagation Info Update

 

RSGB

GB2RS News Team

March 7, 2025

We started last week with geomagnetic disturbances that saw the Kp index rise to a maximum of 5.67 on the 28 February and then hover around the 4.5 mark for the next couple of days.

As predicted, the rest of the week went quite well, with the Kp index in the range of one to four.

The solar flux index fell from a maximum of 210 on the 23 February to a low of 140 on the 2 March. It then climbed back to 160 on the 4 March. Over the past week we have had no X-class and only one M-class solar flare which was on the 5 March.

As we head into next week, it looks like all the sunspots in the Sun’s northern hemisphere have now departed. Nevertheless, the southern hemisphere is still supplying lots of spots so don’t panic just yet!

HF conditions have been quite good. VK6IF and VK6IA in Western Australia were booming in on 28MHz USB on the morning of Thursday the 6 March, as was VK9CU on the Cocos-Keeling Islands.

Nigel, VP8TXF and Ian, VP8CIW have been operating from the Falkland Islands ahead of this weekend’s Commonwealth Contest and have been worked from the UK on 20m-10m. They are there until the 10 March, so get in quick.

Other DX to be worked this week includes VU4AX Andaman Islands, 6Y7EI Jamaica, PJ7AA Sint Maarten Island, 4S7KKG Sri Lanka, TY5C Benin, 6W7/ON4AVT Warang Senegal, RI1ANE Antarctica and H44MS Solomon Islands.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start off around 150 and may then climb to 185 by the 16 March. A large coronal hole became Earth-facing on the 6 March, which may result in unsettled geomagnetic conditions this weekend, the 8 and 9 March.

It looks like we can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions around the 10 to the 16 March, with a maximum predicted Kp index of five.

 VHF and up :

The weather divides into two segments; the first, from the middle of last week through to the middle of next week, is rather changeable with low pressure nearby bringing rain or showers and potential for rain scatter on the GHz bands.

Eventually, the unsettled weather ends with a cold northerly on Tuesday 11 March and this leads to a new high building from Wednesday into the weekend of the 15 and 16 March.

This is good news for Tropo and could possibly be of benefit to those in the UK 70cm Activity Contest on Tuesday the 11 March in western UK, but more generally for the FT8 70cm Activity Contest on Wednesday and the 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday evening.

We are still between major meteor showers and therefore must rely upon random activity for now. The next shower of note is the Lyrids on the 21 and the 22 April, so we have a while to go yet.

The solar activity has continued to produce a regular supply of auroral alerts and fluttery signals on the LF bands, but with a lot of cloud in northwestern areas and southern parts just marginally out of reach for any naked-eye auroras. A few digital camera pictures did surface on the web.

Keep an eye open just in case though. Remember Kp equalling five or greater is where we need to be.

Lastly, the Sporadic-E prospects are still relatively low with only the odd minor blip up to around a Sporadic-E critical frequency of 5 to 7MHz, often around the middle of the day. This contrasts with the morning and evening windows in the main season. It is enough to promote interest in the 10 or 6m bands, but almost certainly a fleeting moment.

EME path losses rise all this coming week and moon declination falls with associated shortening Moon windows and reducing peak Moon elevation. The best results will therefore be early in the week. 144MHz sky noise is moderate this weekend, falling to low in the week commencing the 10 March.

https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/propagation-news/2025/03/07/propagation-news-9-march-2025/

(BDXC) 

Radio Marconi International set for Sunday broadcast

 

Just a short reminder of our regular monthly broadcasts on the second week-end of the month.  

This month Marconi Radio International will  be on air on 9th March 2024, from 13.00 to 16.30 UTC, on 7400 kHz.

 

MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Our electronic mail address is: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com 

Last but not least,  we need your help! Please, share this announcement on your walls and in your Facebook groups or on your email lists with those who might be interested. This should help increase our potential audience.

 

We hope to hear from a lot of shortwave listeners about our transmissions.

 

Best 73's

 

Marconi Radio International (MRI)

JEN'S WINTERTIME IS ENDING SPRINGTIME - SPECIAL - March 9

 

JEN'S WINTERTIME IS ENDING SPRINGTIME - SPECIAL 

Winter-ending Springtime -rebirth, musical special, all genres played.

Winter and spring times are the times of our lives.

Sunday March 9th, 1900-23plus UT

http://uk4-vn.mixstream.net:8104/index.html

JenUR@proton.me 

Until then stay Safe, Warm & Kool

Jen In The Rad.

Land based pirate, Radio Signals from the Edge Conference takes place

 

Lithuania transmitters/Wikipedia

In what seems to be an international first, the University of Bedfordshire, in Luton, hosted a one-day land-based pirate radio conference last Saturday, 1st March.

Nearly 70 people attended, some with involvement in radio broadcasting dating back to the 1960s and others travelling from as far away as California, Greece, and Switzerland.

More than just a “talking shop”, this event included a wide range of sessions covering everything from the archiving of “pirate” recordings at the British Library, to the impact of such broadcasters on the evolution of legal broadcast radio services.

Additional text at: 

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2025/03/land-based-pirate-radio-signals-from-the-edge-conference-takes-place/

Classical Encore from Radio Tumbril

 

Regular Broadcast times of Encore By WRMI and Channel 292 are:

02:00 - 03:00 UTC Friday 5850 kHz WRMI to US

20:00 - 21:00 UTC Friday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe

11:00 - 12:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada

18:00 - 19:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

03:00 - 04:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada

13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, east coast of US and Iceland. (Sometimes RTTY on the lower sideband. Suggest notch out or use USB.)

 

Some Things to see on The Encore Website:

The Encore website is www.tumbril.co.uk where you will find:

Important information about funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.

Up to date transmission times and frequencies.

The playlists for the most recent programmes.

An email link.

Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards are welcome.

 

ENCORE IS A ONE-MAN OPERATION -  PLEASE MAKE A PAYPAL DONATION AND HELP KEEP ENCORE ON THE AIR - Go to - www.tumbril.co.uk

 

WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their air-time but Encore still costs around 100 Dollars/Euros a month to broadcast.

If you can - please send a small contribution to help Encore keep going.

 

THE DONATION BUTTON is on the homepage of the website - www.tumbril.co.uk - which folks can use if they would like to support Encore.

 

(Please don't be put off by the POWR security wall when using the PAYPAL button - it is a harmless requirement of WIX the website hosting service.)

 

THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAMME - First broadcast this FRIDAY 7th March by WRMI at 0200 UTC on 5850, and 2000 UTC on 15770 and then Channel 292 on SATURDAY 8th March at 11:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:

Starts with a piece for piano and Cello by contemporary Rachel Portman, some late renaissance church music from Orlandud de Lassus, and a piece for four hands at the piano by Turkish composer Fazil Say.

After that - Caught in the Treetops by Charlotte Bray,Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 2, and Suite Symphonique by George Chadwick.

The Programme ends with The Vapours - an experimental art music piece by Anna Meredith.

 

Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk

GMØTLYE

Psychological Thriller About Radio Pirates Hits the Shelves

 

A new book titled “Dead Air: The Day the Music Died” has hit the shelves. Written by longtime broadcaster and FCC Consultant Kelly Orchard, the book is described a “psychological thriller exploring the ultimate radio takeover.”

Set in a single, tension-packed 24 hours, this novel chronicles the dramatic takeover of more than 100 radio stations across five major U.S. cities by a mysterious group of pirates who hijack transmitter sites.

Read more at: 

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/psychological-thriller-about-radio-pirates-hits-the-shelves?utm_term=A8208372-8B15-4B60-A12B-B5B02339D50A&lrh=5fe29bca13dc3e17fdcf1cf80df5f0574faf550d6593cce4d12e8d4836f3656a&utm_campaign=0028F35E-226C-4B60-AC88-AB2831C8A639&utm_medium=email&utm_content=731707F1-D12E-44AC-B882-04A26E7BDDD5&utm_source=SmartBrief

Tiny URL:

https://tinyurl.com/53ajr59u

March programming for From the Isle of Music

 

From the Isle of Music, March 2025 

March's program will be a Cuban dance party featuring some of our favorite charanga orchestras: 

Friday, March 7: 

3955 kHz at 2200 UTC 

Saturday, March 8: 

3955 kHz at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 kHz using beam E-F (repeat of March 7 episode). 

**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified. 

(Tilford Productions)  

QSL Report 2.0 - March 2025

 

                                    Bringing the latest in QSLing from across the globe

Welcome to the March issue of QSL Report 2.0. Thank you, four emails and contributions.

QSL Report 2.0 is a relaunch of my previous QSL Report column in Monitoring Times magazine. Within each issue, you will find news on QSLing trends, what worked (and didn’t), special event QSLs and stations verified from amateur radio, mediumwave, pirate, shortwave, and utility stations. If you QSL any of these stations – tell the world your results! 

Your contributions can be sent to w4gvhla@gmail.com. QSL Report 2.0 will always bring YOU the latest and keep you informed.

Euro Free Radio

6300, Taxus Radio. No-data e-QSL in four days for an email to taxus-radio@gmx.net (Roberto Pavanello, Italy/DX Fanzine).

6300, Radio Bothnian Bay. Full data e-QSL in seven days for e-report to radiobothnianbay@protonmail.com (Ed Kusalik, Ont, Canada/NASWA)

6925, Ion Radio. Full data e-QSL in one day for e-report to ionradioshortwave@gmail.com (Juan Carlos Pérez Montero, Spain/FB)

6950, Radio Voyager. Full data e-QSL in two days for e-report to radiovoyager@hotmail.com (Michele Gasparri, Italy/FB)

1539, Radio Kleine Cowboy. Full data e-QSL in four days for postal report to: Meulen, Rustenburgsweg 60, 8096 AC Oldebroek, Netherlands (Jouke van der Galien, NLD/BDXC).

1611, Radio Brugwachter (Netherlands). Full data e-QSL in 19 days for an e-report to radiobrugwachter@hotmail.com (Galien).

6040, Magic AM. Full data e-QSL within a few hours from Johan VdBergh, for e-report to magicAM5800@gmail.com (Eckhard Röscher, Dessau, Germany/DX Fanzine).

6206, Radio Sombrero. Full data e-QSL in 20 days for e-report to radio.sombrero@protonmail.me (Galien).

6935, Radio Argus. No data email response in 44 days from Bert Bridges, for e-report to planet266@outlook.com (JGalien).

Mediumwave

Bulgaria

576, BNR Horizonte. Full data e-QSL in five days for e-report to reception.report@bnr.bg (Paul Flannagan, OK/BDXC). Received full data e-QSL in one month from Desislava Semkovska (Gasparri)

.

Dominican Republic

1430, Radio Emanuel. No data email response from Juanaveras, Director de Programacion.  in five days for e-report to radioemanuel1430@gmail.com. (Guido Schotmans, Merksem, Belgium/DX Fanzine).

Lithuania

666, Radio Signal. Full data e-QSL in two days for e-report to pagalba@telecentras.it (Flannagan).

Moldova

999, Radio Rossi. Full data e-QSL in four days for e-report to prtc@idknet.com. (Flannagan).

1494, Radio Moldova. Partial data letter and post card from Andrei Luchianciuc, International Relations Department, Public National Company-Teleradio Moldova. Received in 20 days for e-report to andrei.luchianciuc@trm.md (Frencesco Cecconi, Italy/DX Fanzine).

Spain

1107, RNE Granada. Full data e-QSL in 13 days from Manuel Delgado Cañizares, Jefe Unidad Distribución Señales de Radio, for e-report to manuel.delgado@rtve.es (Napolitano) 

1017, Radio Nacional de España. Full data e-QSL, from manuel.delgado@rtve.es including transmitter site notation of Cullar Vega. Received in two hours after followup, total time 183 days for email to manuel.delgado@rtve.es (Napolitano).

Shortwave

Ascension Island

9655, KBS World Radio. Full data e-QSL in 30 days for e-report to french@kbs.co.kr (Christian Ghibaudo, France/BDXC)

Australia

11825, Reach Beyond Australia. Full data e-QSL in five days for email to radio@reachbeyond.org.au (Michele Gasparri, Italy/DX Fanzine).

Brazil

11780, Rádio Nacional da Amazonia. Full data e-QSL in ten days for e-report to ouvidoria@ebc.com.br (Rod Pearson, FL)

France

13600, NHK World Radio Japan relay. Full data QSL card received by postal mail in 45 days, for report posted at NHK website (J.L. Frazer, CT).

Germany

6070, Atlantic 2000 International relay. Full data e-QSL in four days for email to atlantic2000international@gmail.com (R Pearson, FL)

6160, Pop Shop Radio via Winsen. Full data e-qSL in 20 days for e-report to radiopopshop@gmail.com (Christian Ghibaudo, France/DX Fanzine).

17860. Radio Free Asia via Lampertheim. Full data Year of the Snake QSL received by postal mail in 20 days, for e-report to qsl@rfa.org (Pearson).

Guam

12060, KSDA Adventist World Radio. Full data e-QSL in five days for e-report to qsl@awr.org (Pearson).

13830, KTWR. Full data e-QSL in 53 days for e-report to asiafeedback@twr.org (Pearson).

Finland

6185, RealMix Radio. Raasepori. Full data e-QSL and station info in 40 days for e-report to realmix@gmail.com (Galien)

Germany

6070, Goldrausch via Channel 292, Rohrbach. Full data e-QSL in  16 days for report to goldrausch6070@yahoo.de (Galien)

9670, C.M. Obrecht SW Radio via Channel 292, Rohrbach. Full data e-QSL in three hours for e-report to c.obrecht@swissonline.ch (Dave Kenny, UK/BDXC)

9670, Radio Carpathia via Channel 293, Rohrbach. Full data e-QSL in 81 days for e-report to radiocarpathia@gmail.com (Ghibaudo)

9670, Texas Radio Shortwave via Channel 292, Rohrbach. Full data e-QSL in two days for e-report to texasradioshortwave@protonmail.com (Ghibaudo).

Guam

12080, AWR-KSDA. Full data e-QSL in two days for e-report to qsl@awr.org (Sam Wright, MS)

Japan

11625, NHK World Radio Japan. Full data e-QSL in 25 days for e-report posted at station website (Pearson).

Malaysia

11665, WAI FM-Malaysia. Full data e-QSL in four days from Mohd Fauzi Bin Ali Hassan, Chief Assistant Director). E-report to pnk_rtmkajang@rtm.gov.my (Wright).

Myanmar

5985, Myanma Radio. Full data e-QSL in three days for e-report to nptradio.eng@gmail.com (Pearson).

Mongolia

12015, Voice of Mongolia. Full data e-QSL in two days for e-report to mnb_vom@yahoo.com (Wright).

Netherlands

5940, FRS Holland via Radio Piepzender. Full data QSL received via postal mail to e-report to frs@holland.nl (Ghibaudo).

Norway

5895, LLE-3 The Ferry. Full data e-QSL in four days for e-report to 1000@northernstar.no (Ghibaudo).

Philippines

15190, Radyo Pilipinas. Full data e-QSL from Jay B. Arevalo, Broadcast Program Traffic Officer. E-report to dzrp.radyopilipinas@gmail.com (Michele Gasparri, Italy/DX Fanzine).

Taiwan

9715, Radio Taiwan International. Full data e-QSL in 25 days for e-report to paijennifer@rti.org.tw (Frank Hillton, SC) French service verified on 11995 with full data card verified in 68 days by postal mail to fren@rti.org.tw German service verified on 9545 by posta mail to deutsch@rti.org.tw  (Ghibaudo).

Thailand

7475, Radio Thailand. Full data e-QSL in 19 days for an email to rthworldservice@gmail.com (Juan Carlos Pérez Montero, Spain/FB)

United Arab Emirates

15215, Gaweylon Tibetan Radio via Dhabbaya. Full data e-QSL in three days for e-report gaweylon@gmail.com (Pearson)

United Kingdom

12050, Encompass-test transmission from Woofferton. Full data e-QSL in six days for e-report to transmissiontest@gmail.com (Ghibaudo).

Vanuatu

9960, Radio Vanuatu. Full data e-QSL in three minutes from Warren Robert. E-report to robertw@vbtc.vu and technical@vbtc.vu (José Maranhão, Brazil/DX Fanzine).

Vietnam

11885 kHz, Voice of Vietnam. Full data e-QSL in 15 days for e-report to vovhanoi.france@gmail.com. (Pearson).

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2025 Mar 03 0201 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 24 February - 02 March 2025

Solar activity was at minor storm levels with five M-class flares observed from three different regions. Region 3998 (S14, L=115, class/area Ekc/430 on 24 Feb) produced an M1.3 at 25/0247 UTC and an M3.6/1f at 25/1159 UTC. The M3.6 flare had associated Type II (est. 630 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps. Region 4000 (N17, L=107, class/area Dai/180 on 24 Feb) also contributed two M-flares: an M3.2 at 24/0702 UTC and an M1.5/1n at 24/2101 UTC. The M3 flare had an associated Type II radio sweep (est. 677 km/s). Finally, Region 4001 (N24, L=176, class/area Dai/050 on 23 Feb) added an M1.3 flare at 24/0146 UTC. On 28 Feb, a Type II radio sweep (est. 1151 km/s) was observed and was attributed to what was likely Region 4001 that had rotated beyond the west limb. On 01 Mar, a large filament channel erupted from the SE quadrant of the solar disk. At the end of the day, a then unnumbered region in the SE produced a C9.5 flare. The associated CMEs were modeled and are expected to arrive at Earth by midday on 04 Mar. 

The greater then 10 MeV proton flux levels exceeded the 10 pfu threshold (S1-minor) on 25 Feb at 0020 UTC and reached a peak of 37 pfu at 0240 UTC. Conditions were below the 10 pfu threshold on 24 Feb and 26 Feb-02 Mar. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels on 24 Feb - 01 Mar and high levels on 02 Mar, reaching 1,460 pfu at 1715 UTC. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached major storm levels (G2-moderate) on 27 Feb, with minor storm levels (G1-minor) observed on 28 Feb as positive polarity CH HSS influences dominated the solar wind environment. Unsettled to active conditions were observed on 26 Feb and 01 Mar as +CH HSS effects bookended the four day high speed wind event. Quiet conditions were prevelant on 02 Mar. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 03 March - 29 March 2025

Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels, with a chance for periodic high levels, throughout the period as returning magnetcially complex regions transit then depart the solar disk on 03 -29 Mar. 

There is a chance for isolated minor solar radiation storm levels throughout the period if any of the returning/developing magnetically complex regions are active and produce an event. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be normal to moderate levels on 06-09 and 19-28 Mar. High levels are anticipated on 03-05, 10-18, and 29 Mar in response to recurrent CH HSS influence. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels on 03-09, 19-24, and 29 Mar. Active levels are expected on 10-18 and 25-28 Mar with possible G1 conditions on 12-15 Mar, associated with recurrent negative polarity CH HSS influences, and

again on 26-27 Mar, associated with recurrent positive polarity CH HSS effects. 

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2025 Mar 03 0201 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 2025-03-03

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2025 Mar 03     140           8          3

2025 Mar 04     140          18          5

2025 Mar 05     140          25          5

2025 Mar 06     150          10          3

2025 Mar 07     150           5          2

2025 Mar 08     150           5          2

2025 Mar 09     150           8          3

2025 Mar 10     155          15          4

2025 Mar 11     160          15          4

2025 Mar 12     170          25          5

2025 Mar 13     180          30          5

2025 Mar 14     185          30          5

2025 Mar 15     185          20          5

2025 Mar 16     185          18          4

2025 Mar 17     180          15          4

2025 Mar 18     180          20          4

2025 Mar 19     185           8          3

2025 Mar 20     190           5          2

2025 Mar 21     195           5          2

2025 Mar 22     190           5          2

2025 Mar 23     190           5          2

2025 Mar 24     180           5          2

2025 Mar 25     170          15          4

2025 Mar 26     170          25          5

2025 Mar 27     160          25          5

2025 Mar 28     150          15          4

2025 Mar 29     150           5          2

(NOAA)

Blog Logs – March 2025

 

Welcome to the March issue of Blog Logs. Thank you for your emails and logs, and for following the Shortwave Central blog and X/Twitter at: Shortwave Central @QSLRptMT.

Have you subscribed to the Shortwave Central YouTube channel? You will find a vast selection of videos and audio airchecks. The Playlist is growing! Join your fellow radio enthusiasts at: https://www.youtube.com/c/ShortwaveCentral  

Shortwave Central brings you the latest from the ever-changing realm of radio. Additional radio information is covered in my Bits & Bytes monthly column in The Spectrum Monitor e-zine at: https://www.thespectrummonitor.com/

Languages as indicated

// denotes station heard on a parallel frequency

*Sign-on Sign-Off*/ frequencies in kHz

Monitoring February 1-27, 2025

All times UTC

Mediumwave

Argentina

840, Radio Nacional, Paso de los Libres 0319. Spanish text to Argentine style music. ID, “Radio Nacional,” SINPO 25442 (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, Brazil).

Brazil (Portuguese)

620, Rádio Jandaia do Sul, PR at 2350. Station ID, “a melhor música está aqui, na Jandaia…programa Painel de Secessos….” Station announcements, SINPO 35433 (Grimm, Brazil).

650, Rádio Difusora, Piracicaba SP at 2310. Discussion about sports, Palmeiras, Corinthians.’ SINPO 35543 (Grimm, Brazil).

Egypt

864, NMA Al-Quran al-Karim, Santah. Arabic at 0141. Quran text,SINPO 25432. Previously, this frequency was heard in São Bernardo as Egyptian Radio in 2001. In 2020, ERTU Al-Quran al-Karim, and now in 2025 as NMA Al-Quran al-Karim (Grimm, Brazil).

Spain

855, Radio Nacional de Espa?a. Spanish talk to interview with a station reporter speaking about Spain. SINPO 25422 (Grimm, Brazil).

Shortwave

Ascension Island

21630, BBC WS relay via Georgetown. Hausa service at 1418. A male announcer’s text to an African style-music. SINPO 35553 (Grimm, Brazil). 9410 at 0502 with English news for good signal (Harold Sellers, BC Canada).

Botswana

6080, Voice of America relay at 0333. English news, including plane crash coverage at Toronto’s airport. Fair signal // 4930 very poor, 9775 good (Sellers, Canada). 9775 VOA Botswana relay at 0405-0430. News magazine style program on Africa (Gayle Van Horn, LA Kiwi SDR)

Brazil (Portuguese)

6010, Rádio Inconfidencia, Belo Horizonte, 2114-2136. Brazilian vocals and comments to station identification. // 15189.8; Also 0604-0655. (Manuel Méndez, Spain/BDXC)

6150, Rádio Saturno, Belo Horizonte 2107-2118. Brazilian songs to ID and comments “Rádio Saturno a sua melhor companhia.” SINPO 15422 (Méndez).

6180, Rádio Nacional da Amazonia, Brasilia 2102-2118. Soccer commentary to station identification // 11780, SINPO 25422. Also heard 0831-0847 with Brazilian songs. SINPO 25422 (Méndez).

9818.6, Rádio 9 de Julho, São Paulo 2046-2108. Religious music and comments. SINPO 25422 (Méndez)

11750, Voz Missionaria, Camboriú 2002-2034. Religious music and comments. Also heard 0607-0655 with same format (Méndez).

11815, Rádio Brasil Central at 1630. Signal distorted with little to understand. Strong spurious signal at 11960 kHz (Grimm, Brazil).

15190 Rádio Inconfidencia, Belo Horizonte 1629-1708. Brazilian music and program “Brasileirissima.” SINPO 15422 (Méndez).

Canada

CFRX QSL

6070, CFRX Toronto 0817-0833. English comments to newscast. Strong interference from Germany’s Channel 292 on the same frequency (Méndez).

China

4800, China National Radio 1-Voice of China at 0037-0100. Chinese/Mandarin text and talking. Barely audible reception with poor signal at times. SINPO 25411-25422 . Additional monitoring: 15160, China Radio International 0136-0146. Chinese/Mandarin with lady talking over background music. Poor reception SINPO 25522 (Ronaldo Xavier, Cabedelo, PB, Brazil/HCDX).

Clandestine

6155, Furusato no Kaze at 1700. Japanese programming with typical sign-on. Text on the plight of Japanese held in North Korea. Upbeat song from male chorus. Good signal, but noisy (Tony Pavick, BC Canada/NASWA Flashsheet).

11650, Radio Tamazuj at 0345. Noted as Arabic (Juba) service with text and Arabic style instrumental (Frank Hillton, SC).

14980, Sound of Hope via Miaoli. Chinese service at 1250. Talk from male announcer to music. Strong interference from China’s CNR1. SINPO 12431 (Grimm, Brazil).

Cuba

5025, Radio Rebelde in Spanish at 0412. Male/female conversation with good signal quality (Sellers, Canada). 5025 Radio Rebelde at 1230. Fair signal in Spanish with weak signal music and text (Van Horn, LA Kiwi SDR)

Ecuador

HCJB QSL

6050, HCJB, Pinchincha, 0418-0427. Spanish religious format with music and text. SINPO 35433 (Hillton, SC). Additional logging: 6050, 0050-0110 with same format. Fair-poor signal quality. Additional monitoring 6050 in Quechua from 0200-0235*. Included vocals from singer Alex Rodriguez. Fair signal quality SINPO 34333.  (Van Horn, LA Kiwi SDR)

Guam

15400, KTWR, Merizo. English service at 1248. Christian broadcast and text. Interval signal at 1259. “KTWR” ID and contact address. Programming targets South Asia. Guam, 15530, AWR Agat, Guam  at 1302. Religious text and vocal. SINPO 25442 (Grimm, Brazil).

India

15260, Akashvani/All India Radio via Bengaluru in Indonesian. Indian music, station ID and additional music. Fair reception SINPO 35533 (Xavier, Brazil)

Japan

Nikkei QSL

6055, Radio Nikkei 1, Chiba. Japanese at 0837. English pop songs to announcer’s commentary. Instrumental music, programming targets Japan and Far East. 6115, Radio Nikkei 2 in Japanese. At 0902 (Grimm, Brazil). NHK Radio Japan on 17810 at 0443. Japanese service and announcer’s chats for good signal (Sellers, Canada).

17810, NHK Radio Japan at 0200. Japanese service with Japanese pop vocals and station ID (Sam Wright, MS)

Kuwait

11850, Voice of America relay at 0338. Kinyawanda service includes text and prerecorded events. Good signal (Sellers, Canada). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 12140 at 0419. Pashto service with lady’s text and intro to Dari service. Fair signal quality (Sellers, Canada).

Liberia

6050, ELWA Radio, Monrovia *0555-0628. Interval signal to English station ID. Religious comments and vocals.SINPO 25422. Also heard *0558-0645 with English comments and text (Méndez).

Madagascar

13760, African Pathways Radio at 0327. English programming with praise music into religious text. Fair signal but deteriorating as co-channel Voice of Korea’s Spanish service dominates (Sellers, Canada).

11735, Voice of America relay at 1735. Listed as Shona service with text and VOA identifications (Van Horn, LA Kiwi SDR)

Mali

5995, ORTM/Radio Mali, Bamako. 1800-1845. Station ID to French news format. African music as pop and local indigenous. Mali on 9635 1755-1800.* Africa music and IDs (Van Horn, LA Kiwi SDR)

North Korea

VOK QSL

15180, Voice of Korea in English at 0438. Orchestral music to the lady’s vocals. Poor signal // 11735 (Sellers, Canada). 12015 VO Korea at 1943-1955 in Spanish. Station IDs, choirs to orchestral music (Xavier, Brazil).

Oman

15295, BBC WS relay via Al-Seela in English at 1255. Political discussion from male/female announcers to music. SINPO 35443 to South Asia (Grimm, Brazil).

Peru

4809, Radio Logos, Chazuta at 0905. Monologue by male in presumed Quechua to flute interludes. Station’s local time check in Spanish, then back to rustic vocals. Canned ID at 0923, followed by vocals from Banda Apocalpsis and another “Radio Logos” identification. Excellent modulation and nice signal despite thunderstorm crashes (Brandon Jordan, TN/NASWA Flashsheet) 

Philippines

15120, USAGM/Radio Free Asia via Tinang. Burmese service at 1248. Male/female commentary, targeting Myanmar. SINPO 35543 (Grimm, Brazil). Philippines-Radyo Pilipinas via Tinang on 17820 at 0243-0255. Station IDs and talk about the Philippines. Fair reception SINPO 35533 (Xavier, Brazil).

Spain

9690, Radio Exterior Espana 0200-0215. Spniah program after time pips and ID. “La Cresta de la Onda” with variety news, sports updates for good reception. SINPO 45544 (Xavier, Brazil).

United Arab Emirates

11875, Voice of America relay at 0341. Somali service with talk about Somalia frequently. VOA singing promo // 9510 via Vatican relay very good; 9825 Germany relay was fair (Sellers, Canada).

United States

6075, KNLS New Life Station-Anchor Point, Alaska. 0855. Contemporary Christian music to the announcer’s talk. SINPO 25332, 0859*. (Grimm, Brazil).

WTWW QSL

9930, WTWW Lebanon at 2340. Christian broadcast to religious message. Frequent applause before the presumed live event. Interview and phone-in calls. SINPO 25442, programming targeted to North America (Grimm, Brazil).

Uzbekistan

15135, BBC WS relay via Tashkent. Korean program at 1255. Male/female commentary to 1259*. SINPO 25542 targeting North/South Korea (Grimm, Brazil)

7470, IBRA Media/Radio Ibrahim at 1500. Listed as Bengali service for talks and Asia music vocals for fair-poor signal quality (Hillton, SC)

Texas Radio Shortwave slated for test broadcast

 

TEXAS RADIO SHORTWAVE TEST BROADCASTS – MARCH 1-2 ON 6070 KHZ & 9670 KHZ

Listener Reports Needed!

In addition to our regular monthly programs, we’ll conduct test broadcasts to improve our reach. Listener reports are crucial in determining whether we should adjust our schedule for April and beyond.

Test Schedule:

6070 kHz – Europe

• Saturday, March 1, at 1600 UTC

• Sunday, March 2, at 1200 UTC

Purpose: We are considering replacing 3955 kHz due to severe audio interference from another transmitter at Channel 292. If 6070 kHz provides better reception, we’ll make the switch.

9670 kHz – North America

• Sunday, March 2, at 2300 UTC

Purpose: We are considering replacing our early-morning UTC transmissions with late-night ones if the latter provides better reception.

Listener Reports & Special QSL Cards

We’ll issue a unique verification for accurate reports on these test transmissions and our standard QSL for regular programming. We don’t know what the test QSL will look like, but we promise it will be a great addition to your collection!

To submit a report, listen for at least 20 minutes and email your reception details to texasradioshortwave@protonmail.com.

Your feedback is essential in shaping our future broadcasts. Thanks for tuning in and supporting Texas Radio Shortwave!

(Texas Radio Shortwave)