Isle of Music now has two listening options

From the Isle of Music can now be heard Tuesdays from 1900-2000 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz, a station in Germany,  in addition to Tuesdays 0000 UTC (8-9pm EDT Mondays in the Americas) on WBCQ 7490, a station  in the US

We are now able to send e-Qsls for reception reports for both options, we can be sent to tilfordproductions@gmail.com.  Please be patient with us about  response time as our resources are very limited.  
Our April 4 (in the Americas) / April 5 (for the rest of the world) program will include Cuban Jazz trombonist Eduardo Sandoval, one of the most exciting trombonists in Cuba since Juan Pablo Torres. We will also begin a beautiful new concert music album, Danzas Para Piano de Ignacio Cervantes, and we'll have some Cuban rock from Tesis de Menta along with some of Pello el Afrokan's Mozambiques.
Two listening options on shortwave:
WBCQ, 7490 KHz, Tuesdays 0000 UTC (8pm EDT Mondays)
Channel 292, 6070 KHz, Tuesdays 1900 UTC (2100 CEST)

See our Facebook page for more information.

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

The KDKA Story - The Early Shortwave Era

According to historical information from mediumwave station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Frank Conrad made his earliest observations regarding the propagation of radio signals in the shortwave spectrum during the year 1920.  What he observed was that harmonics from longwave and mediumwave transmitters often propagated with a better signal and wider coverage on shortwave than was available from the fundamental longwave or mediumwave signal itself.  This phenomenon led him to begin a serious study of the possible advantages to be obtained with deliberate transmissions in what has since become the shortwave bands.

            A few months later in the early Spring of the following year 1921, Conrad began experimental transmissions from his own home grown amateur station 8XK on the second floor in the family garage at the corner of  Penn and Peebles streets in Wilkinsburg.  His experimental transmissions on 100 meters provided good reception at amateur stations of friends in Boston.  

            Then in 1922, Conrad directed the construction of a 1 kW shortwave transmitter at the Westinghouse factory complex in East Pittsburgh.  In August, this new transmitter was installed in the wooden shack on top of the eight storey Building K where it was taken into experimental service under the callsign 8XS. 

            Black and white photographs taken during this era show that this wooden shack was located on top at the western end of Building K, and building K itself was the southern most tall building in a small cluster of equal height high rise factory buildings in East Pittsburgh.  At the time, the mediumwave transmitter for KDKA was also still located inside this roof top shack, and the shortwave antenna for 8XS was affixed to the same flat roof top. 

            The shortwave antenna for the transmissions on 100 meters (3 MHz) was 40 ft long with a height of 35 feet above the roof top.  The flat top antenna consisted of apparently 5 parallel wires that were end fed at the western end from a two wire open feed line.  The program feed for experimental transmissions from 8XS were taken from the regular scheduling of KDKA on mediumwave.

            Beginning on March 4 of the next year (1923), station 8XS began a daily program feed on shortwave to a new mediumwave station, KDPM, located at another Westinghouse facility in Cleveland Ohio.  This program relay from KDKA was on the air for several hours every evening.

            Then, eight months later on November 22, the KDKA mediumwave programing was relayed on shortwave to another mediumwave station, this time KFKX at Hastings Nebraska, near the geographic center of the continental United States.  Station KFKX fed this program stream into two transmitters; mediumwave for local coverage and shortwave for pickup and local mediumwave coverage in California.

            The shortwave relays from 8XS in East Pittsburgh to the two distant mediumwave stations, KDPM Cleveland and KFKX Hastings. was discontinued soon afterwards due to the poor quality of the retransmitted programing.

            In July 1924, both the mediumwave and shortwave facilities of KDKA were transferred from the factory roof top in East Pittsburgh to another Westinghouse facility, this time on Greensburg Pike in Forest Hills.  At this new location, just one mile distant from the original East Pittsburgh location, a separate single story brick and concrete transmitter building was constructed. 

            Transmitters for both mediumwave and shortwave were installed, and a 50 feet long copper tube was attached to a wooden pole as the antenna for the shortwave transmissions.  At this new location, the shortwave callsign 8XS was relinquished, and the license for Conrad’s internationally known personal 8XK callsign was transferred to Westinghouse.

            In April 1928, one international radio columnist described the shortwave signal from KDKA-8XK on 26 meters as very sharp and difficult to tune, and on 62 meters as strong with garbled modulation.  During this same year, international radio regulations promulgated in the United States required the insertion of the letter W as the first letter in the callsign, and thus 8XK became W8XK.

            In an endeavor to improve mediumwave signal coverage into the main population areas of Pittsburgh, another move was staged in 1931.  A huge new station was constructed on a site in Saxonburg, after a total of 62 different sites in the greater Pittsburgh areas had been examined and tested.

            In honor of KDKA and as a welcome to their community, the local civic officials changed the name of the highway on which the station would be built to KDKA Boulevard.  Previously various stretches of this highway were gazetted under different names.  However, give a year or two later, and KDKA Boulevard was re-gazetted as Saxonburg Boulevard. 

            A new transmitter building was constructed at Saxonburg on a property of 130 acres and four new shortwave transmitters at a power level of 40 kW each were constructed on site.  The mediumwave KDKA transmitters were installed in the north end of the building, and the shortwave transmitters were installed in the south end.    

            It was stated at this stage, that the huge new 400 kW super power mediumwave transmitter was rated at the very strange reckoning of 500 horsepower; that the very first KDKA transmitter 11 years earlier weighed just 500 pounds; and also that the combined weight of all of the mediumwave and shortwave transmitters at the new Saxonburg site in 1931 weighed a staggering 164 tons. 

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 370) 

Focus on the South Pacific: Australian Shortwave Callsign VLH

SS Hauroto

The callsign VLH has been shared consecutively by transmitters at three different locations in the South Pacific; two ships and a land based facility.  The two ships were plying the Pacific under the maritime flag of New Zealand, and the land based transmitter was located within a now historic shortwave station in Australia.           

            The SS Hauroto was launched for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand at the William Denny shipyards at Dumbarton in Scotland in 1882.  This ship, the Hauroto, was named in the Maori language in honor of a small lake and river in the South Island of New Zealand. 

            This passenger/cargo ship sailed the waters of Australia and New Zealand, and also along coastal China.  It was later sold to a Hong Kong maritime company, and it sank during a typhoon off the coast of China in 1919.

            During its latter years, the Hauroto carried wireless equipment which was licensed by New Zealand under the callsign VLH.

            The SS Kaiapoi, a small cargo vessel, was launched at the Osbourne Graham shipyards in North Hylton Sunderland in England in 1906.  This ship was built under the planned name Holywood, but when it was taken over by the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, it was renamed Kaiapoi, another Maori name, in honor of a small town in the South Island.  The Kaiapoi was sold to Hong Kong in 1930; and in 1939 while carrying a load of coal, it ran aground and was wrecked at Wenchow Bay in China.

            In the era when wireless became radio, the callsign VLH was applied to this ship the Kaiapoi, during its earlier time of service under the maritime flag of New Zealand.     

            The third application of the callsign VLH refers to a 10 kW shortwave transmitter that was installed at the ABC-PMG wireless station near Lyndhurst in Victoria.

            In 1928, a small galvanized iron shack was constructed on the brow of a small hill near Lyndhurst, and a small 600 watt experimental shortwave transmitter was installed.  Over a period of many years, the power of this transmitter was increased incrementally to 10 kW; and the callsign applied to this unit was 3LR, and then VK3LR, and ultimately to VLR. 

            A second shortwave transmitter was installed in 1941, and this new unit was identified under the callsign VLG.  This unit served under both the ABC with programming for the outback and New Guinea, and also with the Overseas Service of Radio Australia.

            A third new transmitter at 10 kW was inaugurated at Lyndhurst on January 21, 1946 under the consecutive callsign VLH.  At this stage, the 1935 building was still standing, the second at that location.

            This new unit VLH carried the Inland Service from mediumwave 3LO and the intended coverage area was the Northern Territory and outback Queensland.  There were brief periods each day when all three of these shortwave transmitters, VLG VLH and VLR, carried the same programing.  These daily bulletins of Inland News were broadcast specifically over the shortwave transmitters only. 

            In the late 1950s, a new building was constructed over the old building at Lyndhurst, and the old was then removed.  In 1956, three new transmitters at 10 kW were installed.  These were American made RCA units, Model ET457X, that were originally designed for installation in battleships that were declared surplus.  Ten years later again, another eight new transmitters at 10 kW each, Australian made STC Model 4SU488, were installed.

            For a period of more than three months, the ABC-PMG transmitter VLH at Lyndhurst was also in use for the relay of programming from Radio Australia.  Beginning on January 2, 1951 and ending on April 10, VLH5 on 15230 kHz carried the Radio Australia French Service for Tahiti.

            Then three years later, from December 17 - 23, 1954, VLH9 carried Radio Australia in French to Tahiti on 9580 kHz, and VLH15 to French Indo-China.  This brief change in scheduling occurred during the broadcast of additional transmissions from Radio Australia for coverage of international tennis and cricket matches.

            Interestingly, during the early 1980s, there were two 10 kW transmitters at Lyndhurst carrying the same relay of ABC programming under the one callsign VLH.  From 0830 UTC till 0915 UTC daily, both VLH9 on 9680 kHz and VLH15 on 15230 kHz ran the same program service for a daily overlapping period of three quarters of an hour.

            The final broadcast from the ABC-Radio Australia-PMG shortwave station at Lyndhurst ended at 1502 UTC on Friday June 12, 1987.  This last transmission was from VLH9 on 9680 kHz; and then the station fell silent.  Three transmitters from Lyndhurst were re-installed at Brandon Queensland for the Radio Australia service to Papua New Guinea, and four were reinstalled at Llandilo for the VNG chronohertz time signal service.

            In 1961, Radio Australia dropped the announcement of callsigns on air, though the callsigns, or abbreviated callsigns, were still used to identify specific program lines to the various transmitter sites.  For example, in 1977, there were ten program lines running from the ABC and Radio Australia studios in Melbourne to the Lyndhurst shortwave station.  Radio Australia utilized at least two of these feed lines one of which was apparently identified with the callsign VLH or just H.

            The first QSL card for the ABC usage of the VLH transmitter was printed with red ink on a white card.  Subsequent QSL cards verifying the reception of the VLH program service were the regular ABC cards, postcard size and subsequently larger, always depicting a map of Australia with all station locations identified. 

            There are no known QSL cards verifying the Radio Australia usage of the VLH transmitter.  However, there must be at least a few out there, maybe somewhere in New Zealand or Australia, or perhaps even over in the United States.  Do you have one?  Then do let us know!

 (AWR Wavescan/NWS 369)

Turkey on Shortwave

The first radio broadcasting station installed in Turkey was a 7 kW longwave unit that was inaugurated on May 6, 1927 under the callsign TAC.  This new station was installed in Ankara, the capital city, which is located almost in the center of their country, and it operated on 166 kHz. 

            Their first mediumwave station hit the air nearly a quarter century later, in January 1950.  This new facility, under the callsign TAW, was a high powered station, with 150 kW on 704 kHz. 

            Even to this day, in an era when some countries have closed out all of their mediumwave stations, yet Turkey still maintains a network of six high powered mediumwave transmitters which can be heard nationwide, and beyond in neighboring countries.  In addition, there are some 2,000 FM stations on the air throughout both territories of their country, in Asia Minor and the eastern edge of Europe.

            In 1933, Turkey gave consideration to the installation of a shortwave facility, for internal and external coverage.  This new shortwave station was installed in Etimesgut, an outer suburban area west of the capital city Ankara.  Preliminary test broadcasts began in May 1938 on 10710 kHz under the callsign TAO, and these were reported by an international radio monitor living in Cuba.

            This new shortwave station contained two American made RCA transmitters each rated at 20 kW.  The first transmitter TAO was noted with additional test transmissions in July (1938); and preliminary test transmissions from the second unit under the callsign TAS were heard in the United States, also in the same month July.  This new shortwave station with its twin transmitters was hurried into regular operation on November 10, due to the sudden and unexpected death of their first national president, Kemal Ataturk.

            In the early days of wireless communication, Turkey was allocated the alphabetic sequence beginning with the two letters TA to identify stations throughout their country.  As in a lot of other countries back in the early days of radio broadcasting, the Turkish authorities issued a separate callsign for each transmitter, as well as for each different shortwave frequency in use. 

            Thus all 26 possibilities for three letter callsigns running from TAA to TAZ were already allocated for use in the Turkish radio scene in the era immediately prior to the beginning of World War 2.  However, the best known callsign in use by TRT, the Turkish Radio & Television Corporation, would have to be TAP, a major shortwave callsign.

            An additional 100 kW Marconi  transmitter was installed in this same transmitter base at Etimesgut in 1950, together with an additional 20 kW unit and a system of 6 directional antennas.  The two older and ailing 20 kW transmitters were still available, though they were not always in service.

            Twenty years later, the entire station at Etimesgut was ailing, and its usefulness was faltering.  A big new station was constructed at Cakirlar in an open area a little north of the airport at Ankara.  This station was taken into service in 1970, and ultimately it contained a total of five shortwave transmitters, three at 250 kW and two at 500 kW, all made by BBC Brown Baveri in Switzerland. 

            Then 20 years later again, another shortwave station was constructed, this time in a desert area near Emirler, a few miles south of Ankara.  With a total of 5 Swiss made transmitters at 500 kW, this station was taken into service in 1992.

            In summary:

            The first international shortwave station in Turkey, Etimesgut with its three transmitters at 20 kW and one at 100 kW was phased out and closed after more than 30 years of on air service when the second station was constructed.  The location for this first station was in what is now an industrial area. 

            The second international shortwave station in Turkey, Cakirlar with its five high powered transmitters was phased out and closed after a quarter century of on air service when the third station was constructed.   The location for this second station was in an open area near the main city airport.

            The third international shortwave station in Turkey, Emirler with its 5 transmitters at 500 kW is still on the air to this day.  The station is heard almost worldwide and it is on the air daily in 21 languages.  Three tall self standing towers, each with its own subsidiary buildings, can be seen on Google Earth at 39 30 07 05 N & 32 51 38 80 E.

            TRT Turkey has always been a reliable verifier of listener reception reports.  In earlier times, their QSL cards listed all of their radio broadcasting stations together with callsigns and power; in more recent times their QSL cards have been picturesque cards in full color in various different styles.

            More on the radio scene in Turkey next time.

      (AWR-Wavescan/NWS 369)

Sentech Summer Schedules

Sentech - Meyerton, South Africa, operator of the transmitter network in South Africa. Email reception reports for relayed programming to: hoosens@sentech.co.za 

Effective: 27 March - 29 October 2016

1 Monday
2 Tuesday
3 Wednesday
4 Thursday
5 Friday
6 Saturday
7 Sunday

All times UTC

17:00 17:30 9600  AWR     250 19 1234567 East Africa Swahili
17:30 18:00 9600  AWR     250 19 1234567 East Africa Masai
19:30 20:00 11790 AWR     250 315 1234567 West Africa Fulfulde

04:00 05:00 7360  BBC     100 20 1234567 East Africa English
05:00 06:00 11945 BBC     250 19 1234567 East Africa English
05:00 06:00 12095 BBC     250 5 6 East Africa Kirundi
05:00 06:00 15490 BBC     250 7 6 East Africa Kirundi
05:30 06:00 12095 BBC     250 5 7 East Africa Kirundi
05:30 06:00 15490 BBC     250 7 7 East Africa Kirundi
06:00 07:00 12095 BBC     100 335 1234567 West Africa English
07:00 07:30 17640 BBC     250 342 1234567 West Africa French
07:00 08:00 17830 BBC     250 328 1234567 West Africa English
13:00 14:00 15420 BBC     250 32 6 East Africa Somali
13:00 16:00 17745 BBC     250 32 6 East Africa Somali
14:00 14:30 17640 BBC     250 328 12345 West Africa Hausa
14:00 15:00 17745 BBC     250 32 123457 East Africa Somali
15:00 16:00 15420 BBC     100 20 1234567 East Africa English
16:00 17:00 12095 BBC     100 19 1234567 East Africa English
16:30 17:00 11660 BBC     250 5 12345 East Africa Kirundi
18:00 18:30 6095  BBC     250 76 1234567 Indian Oc.Isles French
18:00 18:30 7265  BBC     100 30 1234567 Somalia Somali
18:00 18:30 9720  BBC     250 32 1234567 East Africa Somali

05:00 06:00 3255  BBCW    100 Omni 1234567 Southern Afr English
05:00 06:00 6190  BBCW    100 15 1234567 Southern Afr English
06:00 08:00 6190  BBCW    100 Omni 1234567 Southern Afr English
06:00 08:00 9410  BBCW    100 15 1234567 Southern Afr English
16:00 20:00 3255  BBCW    100 Omni 1234567 Southern Afr English
16:00 20:00 6190  BBCW    100 15 1234567 Southern Afr English

03:00 05:00 3345  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr English
03:00 04:00 5980  Channel Africa      250 19 12345 East Africa English
05:00 07:00 7230  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr English
06:00 07:00 15255 Channel Africa      250 328 12345 West Afica English
07:00 12:00 9625  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr English
12:00 13:00 9625  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr Chinyanja
13:00 14:00 9625  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr Silozi
14:00 15:00 9625  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr Portuguese
15:00 16:00 9625  Channel Africa      100 5 12345 Southern Afr English
15:00 16:00 15660 Channel Africa      250 5 12345 East Africa Swahili
16:00 17:00 15235 Channel Africa      250 328 12345 West Afica French
17:00 18:00 15235 Channel Africa      250 328 12345 West Afica English

03:00 04:00 6045  Deutsche Welle      250 19 1234567 East Africa Swahili
04:00 05:00 9800  Deutsche Welle      250 19 1234567 East Africa English
10:00 11:00 17710 Deutsche Welle      250 19 1234567 East Africa Swahili

18:00 18:30 9755  Nippon Hoso Kyokai  250 5 1234567 West Africa English

03:00 04:00 5915  Radio Lead Africa   100 15 125 Uganda English
05:00 06:00 12060 Radio Lead Africa   100 15 34 Uganda English
05:00 07:00 12060 Radio Lead Africa   100 15 6 Uganda English
19:00 22:00 7425  Radio Lead Africa   100 20 67 Uganda English

00:00 05:00 3320  Radio Sonder Grense 100 275 1234567 N. Cape Afrikaans
05:00 07:00 7285  Radio Sonder Grense 100 275 1234567 N. Cape Afrikaans
07:00 17:00 9650  Radio Sonder Grense 100 275 1234567 N. Cape Afrikaans
17:00 24:00 3320  Radio Sonder Grense 100 275 1234567 N. Cape Afrikaans

08:00 09:00 7205  South African Radio League 100 Omni 7 Southern Afr English
08:00 09:00 17660 South African Radio League 250 19 7 East Africa English

16:30 17:30 3230  South African Radio League 100 Omni 1 Southern Afr English

16:00 16:30 11865 Voice of America    100 15 6 East Africa Kirundi
16:30 17:00 11985 Voice of America    100 360 12345 Central Africa English
16:30 17:30 11995 Voice of America    100 315 5 Angola Portuguese
17:00 17:30 6080  Voice of America    100 335 1234567 West Africa English
(Alokesh Gupta-30 March 2016)

Radio Tirana Summer Schedule

Albania
Radio Tirana

Effective: 27 March - 29 October 2016

All times UTC

via Shijak and Fllake relay sites.

Albanian- Daily
0700-0900  7390 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-10 antenna at 310 deg to EUR
0801-0900  1395 FLA 500 kW TX2 F-01 antenna at 033 deg to Ce-East-EUR
1400-1530  1458 FLA 500 kW TX2 F-05 antenna non-dir to EUR
2300-2400  9855 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-15 antenna at 310 deg to WeEUR, UK & NoAM

English - Mon-Sat
2000-2030  7465 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-10 antenna at 310 deg to WeEUR, UK & NoAM

English - Tue-Sun
0130-0200  9855 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-15 antenna at 310 deg to WeEUR, UK & NoAM

French - Mon-Sat
1730-1800  7465 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-10 antenna at 310 deg to WeEUR-France

German - Mon-Sat
1931-2000  7465 SHI 100 kW TX1 S-10 antenna at 310 deg to We-CeEUR-Germany

Greek - Mon-Sat
1545-1600  1458 FLA 500 kW TX2 F-05 antenna non-dir to Greece, Balkan.

Italian - Mon-Sat
1700-1730  7465 SHI 100 kW TX2 S-10 antenna at 310 deg to We-CeEUR-Italy

Serbian - Mon-Sat
2015-2030  1458 FLA 500 kW TX2 F-04 antenna at 004 deg to CeEUR-Serbia

Turkish - Mon-Sat
1830-1900  1458 FLA 500 kW TX2 F-05 ant non-dir to Turkey-Cyprus-Greece

Shijak, Albania SW location and former MW 1089 kHz site, Made in USSR G.C. 41 19 47.99 N  19 33 04.01 E
(Radio Tirana via Mrs. Drita Cico-ALB, March 23;
Radiostacionet Shijak & Fllake - Pergjegjes Inxh. Eng. Bledi Mema.
via wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews)
(BCDX-Top Nx 1246-30 March 2016 - Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

VOA Radiogram weekend schedule

Hello friends,

New this weekend is the elimination of the digital text modes from shortwave transmitters in Germany.
The German regulator Bundesnetzagentur has ruled that the digital modes are not allowed in the broadcast bands. Because of this, there will be no MFSK32 on The Mighty KBC this weekend, because it uses a transmitter in Nauen, Germany.  And, for the time being, there will be no DigiDX MFSK broadcasts on Channel 292, 6070 kHz, and Radio 700, 3985 kHz.

Listeners in Germany might want to note these arguments for the digital modes on the shortwave broadcast bands: 1) It is broadcasting, not point-to-point communication. 2) It can be received on any shortwave radio, even inexpensive portables with no SSB capability. (Software is required to decode the text and images, but this can be included in future shortwave radios.) 3) DRM is legal on the shortwave broadcast bands, and DRM can transmit text and images.  4) Text and images via analog radio requires less spectrum (bandwidth) than DRM. 5) Text and images via analog radio are a useful new application for underutilized shortwave transmitters and frequencies. 6) Text and images via analog radio extend the range of a shortwave transmitter, resulting in accurate content in conditions where voice transmissions may be unintelligible. 7) Digital modes via shortwave can be a useful alternative when the Internet is not available due to disasters or to net censorship by dictators.

VOA Radiogram, program 157, 2-3 April 2016 is all MFSK32 except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 under the closing music:

  1:35  Program preview
  2:48  Asia at risk for water shortages*
10:25  Seismic risk map now includes quakes caused by humans*
17:05  Latvia blocks Russia's Sputnik website*
22:20  View bald eagles in Washington via Nest Cam*
25:30  Closing announcements*
28:05  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

And visit voaradiogram.net.

Twitter: @VOARadiogram

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Digital modes on The Mighty KBC (via Germany) and DigiDX (via Channel 292, 6070 kHz, and Radio 700, 3985 kHz, both via Germany) will not be available this weekend for reasons stated above. DigiDX will be available via WRMI, Florida, Sunday at 2130-2200 UTC on 15770 kHz and 2330-2400 UTC on 11580 kHz.

Thank you for your reception reports to VOA Radiogram last weekend. I am now compiling the gallery for program 136 (November 2015) and hope to send it to listeners this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
www.voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram.net

Euro weekend relays

All times UTC / kHz

Saturday HLR:
06.00 to 12.00 on 6190
12.00 to 15.00  on 7265

Sunday HLR:
09.00 to 12.00 on 9485
E-mail: *redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de  redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de
HLR FM-DAB+ Program via the Internet :    www.hamburger-lokalradio.net  Daily/24 hours

There will be no transmissions from MV Baltic Radio in Göhren between April 8-17, 2016.

Radio Joystick:
10.00 to 11.00 on 7330 (100 KW)
Contact the Station: http://radiojoystick.de

Hobart Radio International
Radio 700 on 7310 - 15.00-15.30 Sunday's (Europe)
WRMI  - 9955 - 03.30 to 04.00 Sunday (North/South America & India)
WBCQ - 5130 - 03.30 to 04.00 Monday  (North  America)

Unique Radio - 3210 at 08.00-09.00. Friday, Saturday's (North Australia/Papua New Guinea, and Solomon
Islands.

FM in New Zealand*:*
World FM -  88.2 MHz - 03.30 to 04.00 - Thursday's (Tawa, New Zealand)

Soundwave FM - 107.7 & 87.8 MHz - 02.00 - Sunday's (Napier, New Zealand)

Please Email: hriradio@gmail.com
hank you!

For outside the listening area please try the Twente/Netherlands Web RX at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

You can also hear many European free and alternative stations via the Internet at: http://laut.fm/jukebox

 Radio Channel 292  Transmission schedules:  http://www.channel292.de/schedule-for-bookings/
Radio Mi Amigo Transmission schedules: www.radiomiamigo.es/shortwave

Good Listening!
73s,  Tom Taylor

WWCR summer schedule

All times UTC
English

WWCR A16 Summer Schedule

March 27, 2016 to May 31, 2016

Transmitter #1 - 100 KW - 46 Degrees

12:00 AM-04:00 AM 0500-0900 3.215 MHz
04:00 AM-07:00 AM 0900-1200 15.795 MHz
07:00 AM-05:00 PM 1200-2200 15.825 MHz
05:00 PM-08:00 PM 2200-0100 6.115 MHz
08:00 PM-12:00 AM 0100-0500 3.215 MHz


Transmitter #2 - 100 KW - 85 Degrees

12:00 AM-07:00 AM 0500-1200 5.935 MHz
07:00 AM-10:00 AM 1200-1500 7.490 MHz
10:00 AM-03:00 PM 1500-2000 12.160 MHz
03:00 PM-07:00 PM 2000-0000 9.350 MHz
07:00 PM-12:00 AM 0000-0500 5.935 MHz


Transmitter #3 - 100 KW - 40 Degrees

12:00 AM-07:00 AM 0500-1200 4.840 MHz
07:00 AM-07:00 PM 1200-0000 13.845 MHz
07:00 PM-12:00 AM 0000-0500 4.840 MHz


Transmitter #4 - 100 KW - 90 Degrees

12:00 AM-07:00 AM 0500-1200 5.890 MHz
07:00 AM-07:00 PM 1200-0000 9.980 MHz
07:00 PM-09:00 PM 0000-0200 7.520 MHz
09:00 PM-12:00 AM 0200-0500 5.890 MHz
(posted at WWCR http://www.wwcr.com/transmitter-sched.html 08 Mar 2016)

Radio Marconi weekend schedule

Greetings from Italy!

Here is the schedule for the next broadcasts of Marconi Radio International (MRI) which continues its tests on 7 and 9 MHz as well as 11 MHz.

Saturday, 2nd April, 2016
1230-1300 UTC 7690 USB
1400-1500 UTC 7790 USB
1700-1800 UTC 7690 USB
2100-2200 UTC 7690 USB

Sunday, 3rd April, 2016
0700-0800 UTC 7690 USB
0830-0930 UTC 7690 USB
1000-1100 UTC 11390 USB
1700-1800 UTC 7690 USB
1830-1900 UTC 9210 USB
2000-2100 UTC 7690 AM
2200-2300 UTC 7690 USB

Our test broadcasts will also include station identification announcements in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Catalan as well as DX and music shows in English and Italian. Power will be from 40 watts (AM) to 100 (USB).

MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Audio clips (mp3-file) of our broadcasts are welcome! We QSL 100%. Our electronic mail address is: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com - Please don’t forget to include your postal address as some lucky listeners will also receive a printed QSL card. Last week we received around 50 reports not only from many countries in Europe but also from Canada and USA

Last but not least, we need your help! If you use social networks, please post an announcement on Facebook or send out a tweet the day before the broadcast. You can also forward this message to a friend. This should help increase our potential audience.

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

Best 73's

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Mar 28 0122 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact: www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 21 - 27 March 2016

Solar activity was at predominately very low levels with an isolated C1 x-ray event observed on 23/0354 UTC from Region 2524 (N15, L=277,
class/area Eho/340 on 19 Mar). No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections were observed in coronagraph imagery. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 23 March, high levels on 22 March and moderate
levels on 21 and 24-27 March. 

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to unsettled levels with an isolated active interval observed early on 23 March. The
period began with quiet conditions, but increased to quiet to unsettled levels late on 21 March due to the onset of a weak,
positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Predominately quiet to unsettled conditions persisted through early
on 24 March under the influence of the positive poarity CH HSS. Wind speeds averaged about 425 km/s through midday on 23 March. A gradual
increase was then observed to a peak of near 565 km/s early on 25 March before decreasing to about 350 km/s late on 26 March. From
21-25 March, total field (Bt) ranged between 1-10 nT while the Bz component varied between +9 nT to -5 nT. 

Quiet conditions persisted from late on the 25th through 26 March. Predominately unsettled levels were observed on 27 March due to the
onset of a co-rotating interaction region in advance of another positive polarity CH HSS. On 27 March, wind speeds increased to near
440 km/s, Bt reached a maximum value of 12 nT while the Bz component rotated between +8 nT to -9 nT. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 28 March - 23 April 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for C-class flares through the outlook period. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate levels on 28 March and on 01-03, 07-11
and 17-23 April. High levels are expected on 29-31 March, 04-06 and 12-16 April. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be reach G1 (Minor) storm levels on 02-03 and 11-13 April with G2 (Moderate) storm levels
expected on 02 and 11 April due to the influence of recurrent, negative polarity CH HSSs. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected on
28-29 March, 04, 08, 14 and 23 April, with isolated active levels expected on 28 March and 23 April, all due to various CH HSSs.
Mostly quiet condtions are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Mar 28 0122 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contacts: www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2016-03-28
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Mar 28      85          12          4
2016 Mar 29      80           8          3
2016 Mar 30      80           5          2
2016 Mar 31      80           5          2
2016 Apr 01      80           5          2
2016 Apr 02      85          25          6
2016 Apr 03      85          20          5
2016 Apr 04      85           8          3
2016 Apr 05      85           5          2
2016 Apr 06      80           5          2
2016 Apr 07      80           5          2
2016 Apr 08      80          10          3
2016 Apr 09      80           5          2
2016 Apr 10      85          15          3
2016 Apr 11      85          24          6
2016 Apr 12      80          22          5
2016 Apr 13      80          20          5
2016 Apr 14      80           8          3
2016 Apr 15      80           8          3
2016 Apr 16      80           5          2
2016 Apr 17      80           5          2
2016 Apr 18      85           5          2
2016 Apr 19      85           5          2
2016 Apr 20      85           5          2
2016 Apr 21      85           5          2
2016 Apr 22      85           5          2
2016 Apr 23      85          12          4
(NOAA)

Revised Radio Australia Summer Schedule

Radio Australia

Effective: 03 April 2016 - 29 October 2016

All times UTC

Target Areas: pa - Pacific  va - Various (Asia & Pacific)

English
0000-0100 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0100-0200 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0200-0300 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0300-0400 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0400-0500 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0500-0600 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0600-0700 15240va 15415pa 17840va
0700-0730 17840va
0700-0800 15415pa
0730-0800  Sat/Sun  15240va  17840va
0800-0900 15240va 15415pa  17840va
0900-0905  Sat/Sun  9580va  12085va
0905-1000 9580va  12065pa 12085va
1000-1030  Sat/Sun  9580va  12065pa  12085va
1030-1100 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1100-1200 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1200-1300 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1300-1400 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1400-1500 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1500-1600 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1600-1700 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1700-1800 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1800-1900 9580va 12065pa   12085va
1900-2000 9580va 12065pa   12085va
2000-2100 9580va 12065pa   12085va
2100-2200 15240va 15415pa   17840va
2200-2300 15240va 15415pa  17840va
2300-0000 15240va 15415pa   17840va

French
0900-0905  mtwhf   9580va   12065pa   12085va

Tok Pisin
0730-0800  mtwhf   15240va   17840va
1000-1030  mtwhf   9580va  12065pa  12085va
(G Baxter/R Australia-30 March 2016)

Isle of Music program schedule for March 28

On Monday, March 28, we'll do an extended session (interview plus music) with Cuban Jazz saxophone phenomenon Carlos Miyares, who has his own project in addition to his work with Chucho Valdés. Also, the final part of the concert music album Piñera Concertante and some vintage 70s Cuban Rock from Mirta y Raúl.

*** Every Monday night from 8pm-9pm EDT in the Americas (Tuesday morning from 0000-0100 UTC in the rest of the world) on the short waves on WBCQ The Planet, 7.490 MHz: From the Isle of Music, a new radio program dedicated to the music of Cuba – Jazz, Fusion, Timba, Nueva Trova, Son, Classical, Folklorica, interviews with musicians, even a little history of the music now and then. Partly in English, en parte en español.
(Bill Tillford/Tillford Productions)

2016 Teak Air Show Guide Now Available

Every year, from March through November, millions of people hit the road to watch the excitement and thrills as military and civilian flight demonstration teams put their high performance aircraft through the paces to entertain the crowds and perform at air shows all over the world. Anyone who has attended one of these events will tell you it is thrilling to watch the close quarter flying of the Blue Angels delta formation or the hair-splitting maneuvers of the Thunderbird opposing solos.

While attending the show and enjoying the sights and sounds is an exciting experience that is only half the fun. You can add another whole dimension to that visual experience by monitoring the performing teams’ radio communications.

With a radio scanner in hand you will experience a whole new perspective of the show that few of the attendees will ever experience – pilot audio from the aircraft cockpit. While everyone else at the air show is just watching and listening to the public address system narrator, you’ll be able to hear what’s happening inside the cockpit, up in the tower and on the ground with the hundreds of players that keep these screaming, state of-the-art air machines thundering through the skies.

But you can’t tell the players without a program, and to indulge in the craft of monitoring the air show experience you need a current and well researched list of frequencies that the various performers may use during their performances.

In our new expanded 2016 Teak Air Show Guide e-Book, former Monitoring Times Editor and Milcom columnist Larry Van Horn - N5FPW, delivers the hundreds of frequencies you’ll need to monitor the action if you’re within receiving distance of any air show in 2016.

From the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, military parachute and search and rescue demonstration teams, to a wide variety of other military and civilian demonstration teams from the U.S. and abroad, Larry has updated the list of frequencies each unit has used. Now you can bring the excitement you see at the show to your ears. Listening to the nonstop action at the air show on dozens of radio frequencies is part of the real fun of being there.

But wait, there’s more! Larry also tells you which scanners work best at the air shows, what features you’ll need and which models can cover the military as well as civilian frequencies used at these events. There is also a chapter on tips for enjoying a great day at the air show.

You will also get frequency lists for other possible frequencies that may be used at the air show including GMRS, Family Radio Service (FRS), DoD Intra-Squad Radio frequencies, and even Civil Air Patrol VHF/UHF frequencies and updated call signs. We also include in this eBook an up-to-date air show Internet resource guide and new frequencies/ listings for overseas military and civilian aeronautical demonstrations teams.

Finally you will get the latest air show schedules for the Navy Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, and the Army Golden Knight Parachute Teams. We include with each show location, the Internet link for each show, and the latest aero frequencies for each facility hosting a show, when known. This schedule information only covers the United States and Canada.

This is the 17th edition of this popular frequency monitoring guide published by the author. The first fourteen editions appeared annually each March in the pages of the former Monitoring Times magazine and were one of the most popular features carried in the magazine. This edition of the Teak Air Show Guide is now weighs-in at 197 pages and it is the most comprehensive collection of air show information and frequencies ever published for the radio listening hobbyist.

The 2016 Teak Air Show Guide is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVLCGU4. The price for this third e-Book edition is still only US$3.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

When the T-Birds, Blue Angels, and all the other precision flight teams are in the air, Larry has all the frequencies you need to hear them on the air in this new e-Book from Teak Publishing!

Here are a couple of the 5-Star Amazon reviews on the 2015 Teak Air Show Guide.

Totally thrilled to prep with the latest edition By Edward Sikora

Whether you're new to this hobby (as I was 2 years ago) or experienced you need reliable resources of information and frequencies. When I started, I was sure I could find my answers on the internet. I didn't think a book would be very useful or up to date. Five air shows later, I'm totally sold on this book. I'm delighted and excited to have the latest copy to prep for upcoming shows. It's a highly detailed road map to where the good stuff is. I haven't found any other resource that even comes close. What a masterpiece of organization and reliable information. This book provides so many answers where the rest of the internet gives you too little, too late. This book is totally awesome! - KB2OB Ed NJ

Air Show scanner GO TO GUIDE By Kevin Burke

Larry has been THE go to guy when it comes to air show frequencies for years, but you need more than just a bunch of numbers to enter into a scanner. No problem if you have this book, Larry tells you what your scanner has to be capable of, in order to open your ears to all there is to hear at an air show

Frequency updates, correction and late additions between editions of this e-Book will be posted on his Milcom Monitoring Post blog at http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/.

For a complete list of all the authors books, go to his Amazon authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.

You do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – the Milcom Monitoring Post blog(http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), the Btown Monitor Post blog (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/), and the Shortwave Central blog (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

You can learn more about the author by going to his author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.

Phone company blocks access to Radio Tamazuj website

A telecommunications company in South Sudan has cut off access to the website of the news service Radio Tamazuj, according to Vivacell customers. The company is part-owned by South Sudan's ruling party SPLM.A user of Vivacell's data service in South Sudan today explained that his browser told him that the Radio Tamazuj website “might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.” The user had no problem accessing another news website commonly visited by South Sudanese readers.

Another reader of the Radio Tamazuj website said he noticed the problem last night while trying to use Vivacell data to connect to the site. His web browser told him that the “server can't be found,” while other websites loaded fine. The same user also said he had no problem accessing the website from the MTN network.Users of wifi networks in South Sudan, many of which are connected to the Internet by satellite connections known as 'VSAT', are still able to access the website.Radio Tamazuj's broadcasts on shortwave radio are unaffected and will continue uncensored. The radio station announced recently plans to expand its broadcast airtime.Facebook users reported they could still access Radio Tamazuj's news via the radio station's Facebook page. Fans expressed frustration with Vivacell. “I cannot access with Vivacell,” said Felix. “Vivacell is the most poor in connection and very very slow. Discouraging,” said Jahim.Customers also complained of recent rate hikes introduced by Vivacell after the devaluation of the South Sudanese pound.Customer Adraako Helen said, “Too slow and bundles has express speed of getting used without being used.” Dan Njuguna commented, “Do people still use vivacell data?? I quit that weeks ago when I realized it was the slowest and most expensive!”Ties to Lebanese company,

SPLMVivacell is majority owned by Lebanon's Fattouch Investment Group. A minority stake is held by the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), whose investment in the company predates the independence of South Sudan.News reports from 2009 revealed that SPLM owned up to 25% of Vivacell through Wawat Securities Limited. Additional information about the party's investment was disclosed in a leaked investigation report that President Salva Kiir had ordered the party undertake in 2013 against its former secretary-general Pagan Amum.

The investigation report described Wawat Securities as an “investment arm” of SPLM, explaining that Wawat took 25% of the shares in Vivacell and Fattouche Investments Group Holdings Ltd took 75%, according to a framework agreement between the two parties.However, the investigation report was unclear about the percentage of Vivacell shares currently owned by SPLM, referring to other evidence indicating the SPLM's holding in Vivacell may actually be significantly smaller than 25%. The report noted also that SPLM leased land to Vivacell at a “symbolic rate” close to 0 pounds per square meter.Phone company blocks access to Radio Tamazuj website | Radio Tamazuj
(HCDX)

Radio Tamazuj to increase broadcast time, news output
JUBA (18 Mar.)Shortwave broadcaster Radio Tamazuj, which produces news and programmes for South Sudan and border areas of Sudan such as the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile state, plans to double its airtime and increase news output starting 27 March.The station, which has historically dedicated about half of its daily airtime to news coverage, plans to introduce additional programming focusing on peace-building, reconciliation, justice, political topics and local governance as well as programming for women and children.In collaboration with other media houses, the station also aims to improve media access for war victims, widows, the war disabled and war wounded, orphans and others who have suffered through the ongoing civil war in South Sudan, according to a proposal shared by the station recently with the National Editors' Forum in South Sudan.

Radio Tamazuj markets itself as a radio for “all communities,” according to its on-air branding. The station broadcasts in Arabic, using mutually intelligible dialects spoken widely in Sudan and South Sudan.Starting from 27 March the station will air programmes from 6:30 to 7:30 on 11650 kHz on the 25 meter band and 9600 kHz on the 31 meter band, and 15150 kHz and 15550 kHz on the 19 meter band each evening from 17:30 to 18:30. This represents an increase from one hour daily airtime to two hours daily.

Radio Tamazuj is among the fastest growing radio stations in South Sudan, according to a survey carried out in five counties in 2015, which found that more than 20% of the station's listeners were new listeners, more than any other station.Another survey carried out the same year in the Malakal PoC found that about half of radio users listened to Radio Tamazuj, making it nearly as popular as the UN Radio Miraya, in spite of significantly shorter broadcast hours. Forcier Consulting, which carried out the survey, reported, “Those with access to a radio most commonly listen to Radio Miraya (74%) and Radio Tamazuj (49%).” This represented growth of more than 100% compared to a baseline survey done in August 2014, less than six months prior.Radio Miraya is the country's largest radio by listenership, owing to its wide network of FM repeaters, but shortwave radio is the only option for people in areas where FM coverage is limited or non-existent. In Raja County, for example, a survey carried out last year found that only 39% of people had even heard of Radio Miraya, compared to 59% for Radio Tamazuj.Similarly, Forcier's research in Leer County, where the popular Naath FM has been off-air for most of the last two years, showed that shortwave stations Radio Tamazuj and Voice of America were fall-back options for listeners in the conflict-stricken area. About one in five people were aware of Tamazuj, equivalent to about half of the Arabic-speaking population.

Radio Tamazuj's upcoming expansion aims to serve listeners in such unreached places as well as provide an alternative to FM coverage in areas without independent radio stations. In Warrap State, for example, where the state-run Kuacjok FM reaches only parts of the state and functions only three hours per day, Radio Tamazuj will offer state-wide broadcast coverage and access to uncensored information.Meanwhile, Forcier's research report, which was made public earlier this week, shows a declining role for the state-run Radio Juba, with weekly listenership in Juba at only 17% compared to 23% in 2013.By contrast, Eye Radio, which is based in Juba but also launched FM repeaters in several state capitals last year, showed strong growth in the FM market, with its weekly reach in Juba rising from 22% in 2013 to 48% in 2015.

The radio's parent organization Eye Media this week also launched a trial issue of a new newspaper, The Eye (pictured below), which was distributed free of charge.Other new newspapers to appear in Juba this past month include Daily Vision newspaper and Dawn Arabic newspaper, which is financially backed by South Sudan's National Security Service, according to a media source in Juba.  https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/radio-tamazuj-increase-broadcast-time-news-output
(HCDX)

North Korean regime intensifies signal jamming against foreign radio broadcasts

North Korea has been from the beginning of March continually signal jamming radio broadcasts on the shortwave frequency used by the South Korean non-profit broadcaster Unification Media Group (UMG). Given the present situation, in which North Korean residents might be influenced by outside information condemning the regime and explaining the purpose of the sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the regime has showed the will to block sources of outside information that might cause unrest. The shortwave frequency band in question, 7515Khz, has been actively jammed starting on March 1st making it extremely difficult for North Korean listeners to tune in.

On the 15, UMG organization began using three receivers to test out reception at that and adjacent frequencies on a daily basis and was able to confirm that the exact signal is being jammed. The blocking effort is being concentrated on the time period from 10pm- midnight. Specifically, from 10-11pm the jamming is very strong. The signal jamming is undetectable from midnight to 1am. The signal blocking became weaker at midnight on March 15, from which point onward the entire three hour broadcast was audible. Starting on the 17, UMG moved the frequency, but the jamming operators seemed not to notice because the interference continued on the old wavelength. Unification Media Group estimates that the North Korean authorities are the responsible party. From the very outset of the consortium's radio leg, which dates back to December 2005, the regime has frequently looked for ways to jam its frequencies.

While sporadic jamming has been common over the past decade, it has had limited impact on receivers. However, starting from March of this year, stronger jamming signals have been deployed. The result: fuzzy reception and sometimes even completely blocked signals. This is the first time that such a strong jamming effort has been continuously maintained. “This is the strongest signal jam in the last few years.  As the regime is pushed into further isolation by the strongest round of sanctions yet, they have become concerned that the residents will be awakened by exposure to outside information,” Unification Media Group (UMG) President Lee Gwang Baek said. “North Korean authorities can not signal jam at high strength across multiple channels, so right now, the most effective thing to do would be to expand our frequencies and signal strength. We need direct [South Korean] government assistance to do that.” If the government grants permission for civil society organizations broadcasting to North Korea to use the former's powerful and far-reaching medium wavelengths to transmit radio content to North Korea, the broadcasts would be able to reach far more people despite the jamming attempts.

About this, National Intelligence Service First Deputy Director Yeom Don Jae said, “The regime’s efforts to block radio signals from South Korean civic groups is actually confirmation of the potency of these broadcasts. This will cause considerable agitation for the listeners who have become accustomed to tuning in to foreign radio.” He added, “Therefore, we need to let the North Korean residents know about this situation and use the strength of the regime as a weapon against them. We need to use multi-dimensional methods to pump the North full of information.” UMG currently broadcasts from 10pm-1am nightly on shortwave frequencies via a transmission station in Dushanbe, Tajikstan.

This content is rebroadcast daily from 3-5:00am on AM and FM frequencies via towers in South Korea’s Gangwon Province; however, these channels are borrowed from other private broadcasters and therefore limited in range and potency relative to those allocated by the government.
(HCDX)

Avoiding Misinformation About Disinformation

Mar 24, 2016

by Kim Elliott

U.S. Senators Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, and Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, have introduced the "Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act” (S. 2692). It proposes a “whole-of-government strategy for countering foreign propaganda and disinformation.” According to Senator Portman, “the bill would establish the Center for Information Analysis and Response, led by the State Department, but with the active participation of the Department of Defense, USAID, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the Intelligence Community, and other relevant agencies. The Center will develop, integrate, and synchronize whole-of-government initiatives to expose and counter foreign disinformation operations and proactively advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests.”

To read more, and it's relations to international broadcasting, refer to: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/avoiding-misinformation-about-disinformation

VOA Radiogram weekend schedules

Hello friends,

Propagation last weekend was difficult on Saturday, especially within North America. Fortunately, it improved by Sunday.

If you are new to the program, note that Fldigi automatically saves decoded images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ probably within your C:\Users hierarchy. Operating systems other than Windows may have different folder names. When sending reception reports, please attach those png files.

VOA Radiogram this weekend  is all in MFSK32 except for the new VOA Radiogram transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000  under the closing music. The only frequency change is Saturday at 0930-1000 UTC: 26 March is the last day for 5865 kHz; effective 2 April, 5745 kHz will be used during that broadcast.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 156, 26-27 March 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:34  Program preview

  2:39  Efficient internal combustion engine*

 9:00  Crop wild relatives for food security*

15:05  Rare flower blooms at US Botanic Garden*

19:49  Urban birds are smarter*

24:10  Closing announcements*

Olivia 64-2000 transmission schedule under closing music.

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz (Changes to 5745 kHz effective 2 April.)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute Saturday at about 0220 UTC (lately it has been after 0225 UTC) (10:20 pm EDT or later) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . The KBC North America broadcast is Sunday 0000-0300 UTC (Saturday 8-11 pm EDT)

on 6040 kHz.

DigiDX this weekend is all in MFSK32, except for some MFSK128 in German.  Consult www.digidx.uk for any updates:

Date	Time	Frequency	Transmitter
Friday, 25 March	2000-2030 UTC	3985 kHz	Radio 700, Germany
Saturday, 26 March	2000-2030 UTC	6070 kHz	Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March	1100-1130 UTC	6070 kHz	Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March	2330-0000 UTC	11580 kHz	WRMI, Florida

Thanks for your reports.  I’m now compiling the gallery from program 153 and will try to begin sending them out this weekend.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (active especially before/during/after broadcasts)