Monday, October 14, 2024

BBC boss warns of Russian and Chinese propaganda

 

The UK is struggling to counter a rise in "pure propaganda" from countries like Russia and China because of cuts to the World Service, the BBC's director general has warned.

Tim Davie called for more funding for its global services, a decade after the government stopped paying for most of the World Service.

Last year, the BBC ended its Arabic, Persian and Hindi radio services, among others, as part of a plan to save £28.5m a year.

Mr Davie told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday that, in contrast, "malign powers, frankly - Russia, China, others - see the benefit of investing heavily in media, bordering into pure propaganda".

Additional story at: 

New Transmitters at Radio Exterior Espana

Spain

Radio New Zealand Pacific is not the only station refreshing its high-powered sender. On June 24, the Radiotelevisión Española board of directors approved the purchase and installation of the first of five new transmitters planned for the Noblejas site of Radio Exterior de España (REE). 

A June press release indicated that the current stock is subject to frequent breakdowns and has passed its useful lifespan. The press release did not indicate the output power or manufacturer of the new transmitters, although we would expect them to be DRM-capable. 
additional info at: https://medxr.blogspot.com/

A nostalgic look at Voice of Free China

 
Graphic via YouTube

TAIWAN: 

75 years ago, The Voice of Free China began broadcasting officially under that name. It was October 10, 1949, with its first 50 kW transmitter.

At the time of the Cold War, the station wasn’t just a propaganda tool, it was part of the country’s intelligence infrastructure. It aimed to discredit the People's Republic of China and to support nationalists' claims to be the only legitimate government in all of China.

Central Broadcasting System CBS was in charge of broadcasting to mainland China and La Voix de la Free China broadcasted its programs to the rest of the world. Aside from foreign listeners, the target audience of the Voice of Free China was mostly the 20 million overseas Chinese. 

The Voice of Free China broadcasted in 14 languages, including five Chinese dialects: Mandarin, Minnan, Cantonese, Hakka and Chaochow. The nine foreign languages used for the broadcast are English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and Vietnamese. The programs were broadcast in the direction of Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia (Korea and Japan), America, Australia, Europe and Africa on 81 frequencies, .

The number of letters from listeners is the best measure of the effectiveness of a program. In 1978, the Voice of Free China received 68,000 letters, while the Voice of America, which had an operating budget 22 times and carried 14 times as many employees, received only 2.5 times as many letters.
To provoke audience reaction The Voice of Free China sent many gifts to listeners who wrote to it: flags, books and program guides, not to forget QSL cards. Cards were renewed every quarter.

With the easing of inter-detroit relations and the liberalization of the Taiwan government, the Voice of Free China changed its name to Radio Taipei International in 1998. In 2003, it became Radio Taiwan International
(Radio Magazine 10/10/24)

Hungary's Radio Kossuth on mediumwave

 
HUNGARY   
The world record for medium-wave power at 2000 km {sic} is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The foundation stone for the Solt medium wave transmitter was laid on 5 Sept 1974, and it's going strong! While some countries prefer to ignore the protection of national minorities in one of their regions, Hungary ensures it even in neighboring countries where three million 
Magyar speakers live.

There used to be a national transmitter at Lakihegyi, but due to interference it no longer covered the desired area at night. In 1970, Hungary decided to install a new 2000 kW transmitter. The transmitter, consisting of two 1000 kW units, was of Russian manufacture.

A 120 kV high-voltage line fed the centre over the Danube. The antenna consisted of a lattice tower with a triangular cross-section, 303.6 m high, resting on two cylindrical ceramic insulators. Stability was ensured by three rows of steel cables separated by porcelain insulators. The whole structure weighed 184.5 tonnes.

But over 40 years of operation, the power and sound quality deteriorated and the transmitter was deemed to be too energy-consuming. The transmitters consumed more than 6,400 kW: 2,000 kW was sent to the antenna and the remaining 4,400kW was given off as heat. In 2017, Hungary did not hesitate to replace its 2000 kW medium-wave transmitter with a new one of the same power.

An ultra-modern solid-state transmitter supplied by the Canadian company NAUTEL. It consists of five transmitter blocks, each with a capacity of 400 kW. Coupled together, they produce a carrier of 2 MW. Efficiency has risen from 30% to over 90%, and improvements to the antenna circuit have increased the area covered.

In addition to the possibility of DRM, the new installation has 3 major advantages: energy consumption is considerably reduced; the installation is remotely controlled; and modules can be replaced during operation. Despite commissioning the new transmitter, the radio station wanted to keep its old transmitter in reserve. This turned out to be unnecessary, because even if it failed, the new transmitter could continue to broadcast at reduced power by isolating the faulty module. The emergency transmitter installed at Lakihegyi was also useless. Today, it is only used to transmit the long-wave radio signal.

By maintaining the world-record power of 2,000 kW, Radio Kossuth is able to broadcast better than ever throughout Hungary, Slovakia and substantial parts of Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Romania. At night, the station can be received in good conditions throughout Europe. To those who claim that medium wave is 'finished', Hungary is thumbing its nose at them, and it is not about to abandon this range of waves! It will be on the air for a long time to come.
(Michel Fremy-BEL; via Radio Magazine; Sept 30)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2024 Oct 14 0247 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 07 - 13 October 2024

Solar activity reached high levels on 07 and 09 Oct. An X2.1/2b flare was observed on 07/1902 UTC from Region 3842 (S15, L=180, class/area=Eki/730). On 08 Oct 2 X-class flares were observed. An X1.8 flare was observed at 09/0156 UTC from Region 3848 (N12, L=116, class/area=Dki/600). This event was accompanied by Type II (5176 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps as well as a 2700 sfu Tenflare and Castelli U signature. 

The associated Halo CME is Earth directed and early model runs suggest arrival mid to late day 10 Oct. An additional X1.4/1N flare was observed from Region 3842 at 09/1545 UTC. Numerous M-class flares were observed during the period with moderate levels being reached on 08, 10, and 11 Oct. Low levels were observed on 12-13 Oct. 

The 10 MeV proton flux reached S3 (Strong) radiation storm levels on 09-10 Oct. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux exceeded the 1000 pfu threshold reaching S3 (Strong) levels starting at 09/1240 UTC, with a peak of 1810 pfu at 10/1515 UTC. The greater than 100 MeV proton flux was also above the alert threshold of 1 pfu beginning at 09/0350 UTC, with a peak of 3 pfu at 09/0805 UTC. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at low to moderate levels for the summary period. 

Geomagnetic field activity was at G3 (Strong) levels on 08 Oct due to CME influences. Solar wind parameters have remained elevated since CME arrival 06 Oct. Total field has been been between 2 to 17 nT with the Bz component dropping as low as -16 nT. The Bz component has remained largely in the southward orientation since 07/1411 UTC. Solar wind speeds have remained around 450 km/s. 

The phi angle was predominantly negative (towards the Sun) but as of 07/1916 UTC has flipped to positive (away from the Sun).The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at low to moderate levels for the summary period. 

G4 (Severe) levels were observed on 10-11 Oct due to influences from a halo CME that left the Sun early on 09 Oct. Solar wind parameters, as measured by ACE, all showed abrupt jumps in value consistent with an interplanetary shock, which was interpreted as the arrival of the halo CME from 9 Oct associated with an X1.8 flare. Total magnetic field, Bt, had an average of 36 nT throughout, with a maximum of 46 nT reached at 10/2159 UTC. 

The north-south component of the magnetic field, Bz, varied between north (positive) and south (negative) values. It reached a maximum southward value of -46 nT at 10/2200 UTC, with several sustained periods of -20 nT. With the arrival of the CME, the wind speed increased from a background of 400 km/s to 815 km/s, and then sustained speeds around 750 km/s for the remainder of the period. Before the CME, the phi angle was predominantly positive (away from the Sun), and then varied after the arrival. 

The remainder of the period saw G2 (Moderate) levels on 07 Oct, and G1 (Minor) levels on 09 and 12 Oct. All due to lingering CME influences. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 October - 09 November 2024

Solar activity is expected to be at moderate levels, with isolated days of high levels throughout the period. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at nomal to high levels throughout the outlook period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at G1 (Minor) storm levels on 16 Oct with a glancing blow from a CME that left the Sun on 12 Oct. Active levels on 22 and 26 Oct due to CH HSS influences. Quiet to unsettled levels are likely on the remaining days in the
outlook period. 

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2024 Oct 14 0247 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and Web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2024-10-14
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2024 Oct 14     200          10          3
2024 Oct 15     200          12          3
2024 Oct 16     200          25          5
2024 Oct 17     205           8          3
2024 Oct 18     205           5          2
2024 Oct 19     210           5          2
2024 Oct 20     210           5          2
2024 Oct 21     210           5          2
2024 Oct 22     215          15          4
2024 Oct 23     215          10          3
2024 Oct 24     220           5          2
2024 Oct 25     220           5          2
2024 Oct 26     220          12          4
2024 Oct 27     225           8          3
2024 Oct 28     235           5          2
2024 Oct 29     245           5          2
2024 Oct 30     260           5          2
2024 Oct 31     245           5          2
2024 Nov 01     235           5          2
2024 Nov 02     230           5          2
2024 Nov 03     230           5          2
2024 Nov 04     225           5          2
2024 Nov 05     220           5          2
2024 Nov 06     215           5          2
2024 Nov 07     215           5          2
2024 Nov 08     215           5          2
2024 Nov 09     210          10          3
(NOAA)

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Additional update from WRMI

 



At around 0000 UTC Friday Oct. 11, our hard-working engineers got 9395, 7780 and 15770 kHz back on the air.  It is now well after dark here in Okeechobee, so we will try to get some additional frequencies back on the air tomorrow.
(WRMI/Jeff White)

Shortwave Radiogram, 374

 


Hello friends,

WRMI in Florida reports that its power has been restored after Hurricane Milton passed through. But there is some damage in its antenna field. We can expect that at least some of the Shortwave Radiogram transmissions via WRMI will not be on the air this week. I prepared a new program (374) for this week, but will probably repeat it next week because of the missed WRMI broadcasts.

If you were affected by storm Milton, and storm Helene before it, I hope things get back to normal as quickly as possible, Milton passed directly over my sister and nephew near Lakeland, Florida. I have not heard from them, but I assume they are without electricity, internet and cell for the time being.

A video of last week's Shortwave Radiogram (program 373) is provided by Scott in Ontario (Wednesday 1330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 374, 10-16 October 2024, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:48  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:53  MFSK32: Small turbines can capture wasted energy
 6:50  MFSK64: Desalination system runs with sun's rhythms
13:32  MFSK64: This week's images
27:31  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net


Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram 

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)


Atlantic 2000 International, Oct. 12 broadcast

 

Atlantic 2000 International will be on the air this Saturday, 12th of October from 0800 to 0900 UTC (1000 to 1100 CEST) on 6070 and 9670 kHz via Channel 292.
Streams will be available at the same time here: http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr


Before that, you can listen to our 24/7 web stream or our podcasts on our website.
Good listening! 

Visit our website and listen to Atlantic 2000, 24 hours a day: http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr   
 ( Ralf/BDXC)

Latest update from WRMI

 


Jeff White posted the following update this morning on the WRMI Facebook page:


Hurricane Milton Update, as of Thursday October 10:
Power has been returned at our transmitter site, but there is some damage in the antenna field. Our engineers will be doing a survey of the antenna fields this afternoon. We may be able to have some transmissions back on the air tonight - no promises yet.

Wednesday, October 09, 2024

WRMI releases Hurricane Milton update

 


Hurricane Milton Update as of 1825 UTC Wednesday October 9: There are tornado warnings in effect for the area of our transmitter site in Okeechobee, and at least one confirmed tornado sighting. And winds are getting quite high. So we are shutting down all transmitters now until further notice. Our Internet stream should remain on the air. So far we still have electrical power.

 

1835 UTC Wednesday Oct 9: Our frequency of 7730 kHz remains on air, as well as our www.wrmi.net stream. Power went out briefly, but has returned.

 

1838 UTC Wednesday: Power has gone out again at the transmitter site. Only our Internet stream remains.

 

(WRMI Radio Miami International Facebook page 9th October)

_._,_._,_

FTIOM and UBMP schedules for October

 

From the Isle of Music, October 12, 2024 
We will feature music from the Popular Concert Music categories of Cubadisco 2024.  This includes music that didn't quite fit into either the Academic or Jazz categories of the competition but will appeal to those who love either or both. 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, October 19, 2024 
This month we feature music about chickens from around the world. It may seem like a poultry offering, but you will be amazed by the variety of, er, fowl genres there are. 

Times and frequencies for both: 
NEW: 0400-0500 UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards the Americas but usable in Eastern Europe and parts of Eurasia 
1700-1800 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Eastern Europe and parts of Eurasia 
1900-2000 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond) 
All transmissions from Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany 
  (Tilford Productions)





Monday, October 07, 2024

Gabon ... what once was

GABON - AFRICA N°1: 50 years ago, in October 1974, the President of the Gabonese Republic, Omar Bongo decided to equip his country with a high-power international broadcasting center, via short airwaves. "The Voice of Renovation" will be heard worldwide.

An African initiative? Not quite, his advisor: Jacques Foccart, the "Mr. Africa" of the Presidents of Gaulle and Pompidou, presents the project to him as "Bango speaks to the World!" ». Foccart's argument seduces the megalo president.
This will be the most powerful transmitter center in Africa!
4 500kw short wave transmitters Thomson-C.S.F. powered by the Poubara power plant and an emergency power plant built in the center and consists of 2 main groups and even a reserve group capable of developing 4,000 Kw.
20 curtain antennas ensure azimut broadcast.

Cost of work 3 billion CFA francs, expected duration: 30 months. The site is located in Moyabi in the southeast of the country about 600 km from the Gabonese capital (1°40'34.4"S 13°17'58.0"E).
National Highway 5 is even diverted to serve and admire the transmitter center. This one is connected by the hertzien beam that takes Libreville back to Franceville. The programs must arrive from Libreville, and 2 studios must be installed in Libreville in the new regional center of the Gabonese Television Broadcasting.

A megalo project, that Gabon cannot afford. Would the President have been badly advised or did Foccart have another idea?

He is always the savior coming It didn't come down from the sky, but from Boujon Street in Paris... It's the SOFIRAD!



On February 1, 1981, Africa #1 takes control and the "Voice of Renovation" project is abandoned. It makes place in Africa n°1 the pan-African radio, a mixed economy company with a capital of 100 million CFA Francs in which SOFIRAD found.

A good deal for SOFIRAD because for the first ten years, it is President Bongo's money that sponges the losses.
In 1991 the financial balance was finally achieved, partly thanks to advertising, but above all thanks to renting the transmitters.

Main client was RFI renting 1 transmitter from Moyabi 22hrs/day. Other clients were SSR (Switzerland) and NHK (Japan). Over the years, all these stations have gradually stopped broadcasting on short air and none of these broadcasters are renting Africa's #1 broadcasters.
This disinterest of short air was due to the deployment of international FM broadcasters in major African cities.

Radio Africa #1 understood it too late and the lack of financial means has delayed the frequency modulation implants. Africa n°1 had only 20 FM frequencies in Africa while RFI had a hundred.
2002. It's the withdrawal of the SOFIRAD, the Parisian antenna is privatized. For the installations in Gabon, they had to be taken over by the R.F.I. In partnership with the Boloré group. Faced with the landings of the Gabonese party, RFI renounces in 2003 to resume 40% participation of Sofirad.
The Gabonese State must find a new partner, the Libyan Jamahirya Broadcasting is running in 2006 and has put $5 million on the table to take over SOFIRAD's shares. On the other hand, the state had to clear the liabilities of the company and pay the rights and compensation owed to 50% of the employees who were laid off.

L.J.B. takes the majority in 2007. The Gabonese state once majority in the capital no longer holds 35 percent of the shares and 13 percent is held by Gabonese private.

Nothing moves regarding the network: the redeployment promised by Libyans will never happen! Only one FM transmitter was added in 2010 in Tripoli, the new shareholder feief.

Often the station is forced into silence following strikes or non-payment of its suppliers;
In 2010, LJBC cededed its share to Libya Africa Media and Publishing Company Africa Portfolio: investment fund held by Chief Cabinet of Muammar al-Kaddafi.

The government also announces the launch of Africa’s No.1 TV and a €8.5 million investment aimed at strengthening workforce and rehabilitating the FM network and installing a 300kW transmitter to power Moyabi’s.

And then nothing. The planned investments do not take place. Moyabi transmitter center is abandoned. Hidden behind tall grasses, making the site almost unrecognizable. A sad fate for this radio station, which was for several years, the most famous on the continent.
(Radio Magazine/06 Oct 2024)

SSTV Experiment on October 8

 
From British DX Club .....

Hi all,
I'm not sure how many BDXC members may be interested, but for those who are, there is a scheduled SSTV event from the International Space Station this week.
(Simon Cope)






Early Wireless Stations in Japan - Part 2

 Special thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing Part and Part 2 from a recent broadcast feature from AWR Wavescan.

photo via Annitsu

Jeff: Continuing the topic we started last week on early broadcasting in Japan, here’s Ray Robinson with a look at the early shortwave stations in Japan, and also at the shortwave and medium wave stations set up by Japan in Manchuria and Korea during the period between the two World Wars.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  Over the last 20 years or so, half a dozen people associated with Pacific Radio Heritage in New Zealand have been conducting long term research into the fascinating story of radio broadcasting in the areas of the Pacific and Asia during the Pacific War.  This extensive research has uncovered a host of almost forgotten events regarding the radio scene in that region back in the middle of the last century.

We begin today by taking a look at the shortwave radio scene in Japan during the Pacific War.  As we mentioned last week, the first experimental radio broadcast in Japan went on the air from medium wave station JOAK in Tokyo on March 1, 1925, and a regular radio service commenced just two weeks later.  Five years later, in 1930, the first successful broadcast on shortwave went on the air from a 20 kW communication transmitter located at Nozaki, in west Tokyo.

This experimental broadcast was a relay from medium wave JOAK and it was beamed across the Pacific to Japanese communities in North America and Hawaii.  Reception of these somewhat irregular broadcasts in the early 30’s was confirmed with QSL-cards, printed either in Japanese or in English.

A regular shortwave service was inaugurated on June 1, 1935 using this same 20 kW transmitter at Nozaki, which used a number of call signs in a three letter sequence beginning with "JV."  Initially this was a one hour daily service in English and Japanese beamed to the same areas across the Pacific.

During the following year, 1936, an additional 50 kW transmitter was installed at Nozaki specifically for broadcast usage.  This unit was on the air under a similar series of three letter call signs, this time beginning with JZ.

As part of an expansion program, a new multi-storey building containing studios and offices was opened in Tokyo in May 1939, and two years later a new transmitter site was commissioned at Yamata, about 20 miles north of Nozaki.

As part of a fact-finding monitoring tour, NHK Radio Tokyo sent a senior engineer to Australia and Indonesia in September 1940.  During his visit to Sydney, Engineer Chuhei Anazawa contacted the radio magazine "Australasian Radio World" and gained a report of the reception conditions of Radio Tokyo as heard in Australia.  He was in Australia for just a couple of days, and on his return journey he made a similar visit to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies (or Jakarta, Indonesia as it became).

By the time the Pacific War flared up at the end of 1941, Japan was using five shortwave transmitters from both Nozaki and Yamata - two at 20 kW and three at 50 kW.

Program output at this time was also increased with the introduction of new services to various parts of Asia and the Pacific, and new languages were also introduced.  In November 1944, nine months before the end of hostilities, Radio Tokyo was monitored as being on the air with nearly 33 hours of programming daily in 24 languages. 

The best-known programs in English at this time were the "Zero Hour" and the broadcasts of Tokyo Rose, along with Prisoner of War information that was included in the broadcasts directed to Australia and New Zealand.  They also broadcast programs in Japanese for their own armed forces on duty in various areas of the Pacific and Asia.

During this period of three and a half years, the scheduling of shortwave programs from Radio Tokyo was published in Australian radio journals, along with many monitoring reports.  It was also reported that there were many technical interruptions to these transmissions due to the shortage of spare parts and skilled technicians.

Although all shortwave broadcasts from Japan ended in August 1945, they were resumed from 1948-1951 for the benefit of Japanese prisoners of war that were still being held in China.  These broadcasts were in two sessions daily, using two transmitters on each occasion, a 15 kW unit and a 5 kW one.

Japanese Stations in Manchuria and Korea
But, we shouldn’t forget Japanese shortwave broadcasting from Manchuria and Korea.  The Japanese Empire had invaded the whole of the Korean peninsula just to the north of Japan in 1910, along with parts of mainland China including Shanghai and Peking.  In 1931, they then expanded further to occupy Manchuria, the province of mainland China immediately north of the Korean peninsula.  The Japanese authorities renamed Manchuria as Manchukuo and Korea as Chosen.  Thus it was that radio broadcasting in both Manchuria and Korea was developed under the administration of the Japanese occupiers.  

The first radio station in Korea was JODK, a medium wave facility in Seoul which was inaugurated on February 16, 1927.  After the end of the Pacific War, this station was allocated a new callsign, with JODK becoming HLKA.  Even though radio came early to Korea, or Chosen as the Japanese called it, there was no international shortwave broadcasting station on the air in this country during the war years.

Manchuria, with nearly half a million square miles and nearly one hundred million people, is sandwiched between China and Russia.  There are three major cities, and the best known, Harbin, has a population of three million people with Manchu, Chinese and Russian origins. 

The first wireless station in Manchuria was a communication facility first heard in Australia in 1932 calling station J1AA in Japan on 39 meters.  This new station, with the callsign Z1LY, was located at Hoten.

Radio broadcasting in Manchuria began with station JQAK, a medium wave facility located at Dairen, the new Japanese name for what had been Port Arthur.  This 5 kW station on 390 meters, corresponding to 770 kHz, was launched in 1927.

Ten years later a shortwave transmitter was installed alongside the medium wave unit in the new studio building at Dairen, and this was heard widely throughout the Pacific with strong signals under the callsign JDY.  The Australian magazine Radio & Hobbies shows a photo of the multi-story building for JQAK (MW) and JDY (SW) around this era.

A QSL letter from station JDY on 9925 kHz states that this new shortwave service was launched on July 16, 1937 with a power of 10 kW.  This QSL letter, written in a propaganda style, was addressed to Arthur Hankins in the United States and is now lodged with Jerry Berg and the CPRV QSL collection.

A third station in Manchuria was MTCY, launched as a medium wave facility in early 1935.  A listing for that year shows that MTCY was on the air with a power of 100 kW, quite remarkable for that era. 

Test broadcasts from a new shortwave transmitter at MTCY began in June 1939, and a second shortwave transmitter was added two years later.  QSL cards in the CPRV collection show that the shortwave station MTCY, with a power of 20 kW, was owned by the Manchuria Telephone and Telegraph Company.

During the Pacific hostilities of World War II, station MTCY in Manchuria was noted in Australia and New Zealand with news and information of interest to the South Pacific.

Back to you, Jeff.
(Ray Robinson/AWR)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2024 Oct 07 0340 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 30 September - 06 October 2024


Solar activity reached high levels on all seven days (30 Sep - 06 Oct). There were a total of 30 R1 (Minor) flares, two R2 (Moderate) flares, and two R3 (Strong) flares. Region 3842 (S15, L=178, class/area Ekc/1150 on 04 Oct) produced the largest flare of the week, an X9.0 flare at 03/1218 UTC. 

This event had a Castelli-U signature, as well as Type II (est speed 582 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps. Region 3842 also produced an X7.1/2b flare at 01/2220 UTC that had a Castelli-U radio signature and a Type II radio sweep (est speed 1246 km/s) associated with it. Additionally, Region 3842 contributed an M7.7/2n event on 30 Sep that peaked at 2359 UTC.

Region 3843 (S09, L=211, class/area Eko/290 on 04 Oct) added the other R2 event, an M6.7/2b flare, at 03/2028 UTC. This event had a Type II (est speed 1241 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps associated with it. The X7.1, X9.0, and M6.7 flares all had associated  Earth-directed CMEs that were expected to impact Earth between 04-06 Oct. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels on all seven days (30 Sep - 06 Oct). 

Geomagnetic field activity reached active levels on 30 Sep as negative polarity CH HSS influence persisted. G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels were observed on 06 Oct following the likely arrival of one of several CMEs anticipated to impact earth. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 07 October - 02 November 2024

Solar activity is expected to range from low to moderate levels, with a slight chance for high levels. R1-R2 (Minor-Moderate) events are likely, with a slight chance for R3 or greater events, throughout the period. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit, barring significant flare activity. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 07-08 Oct following the anticipated CME passages. Normal to moderate levels are likely to return after 09 Oct. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at G2 (Moderate) storm levels on 07 Oct as CME influences persist. Unsettled to active levels are likely on 08, 22, 23 Oct due to anticipated positive polarity CH HSS influence and on 12, 26, and 27 Oct due to anticipated negative polarity CH HSS influence. Quiet to unsettled levels are otherwise expected, barring any additional CME activity. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2024 Oct 07 0341 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2024-10-07
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2024 Oct 07     265          28          5
2024 Oct 08     260          12          4
2024 Oct 09     255           5          2
2024 Oct 10     250           5          2
2024 Oct 11     240           5          2
2024 Oct 12     235           8          3
2024 Oct 13     230           5          2
2024 Oct 14     175           5          2
2024 Oct 15     175           5          2
2024 Oct 16     175           5          2
2024 Oct 17     170           5          2
2024 Oct 18     170           5          2
2024 Oct 19     170           5          2
2024 Oct 20     170           5          2
2024 Oct 21     170           5          2
2024 Oct 22     175          15          4
2024 Oct 23     180          10          3
2024 Oct 24     185           5          2
2024 Oct 25     190           5          2
2024 Oct 26     195          12          4
2024 Oct 27     215           8          3
2024 Oct 28     230           5          2
2024 Oct 29     240           5          2
2024 Oct 30     250           5          2
2024 Oct 31     225           5          2
2024 Nov 01     230           5          2
2024 Nov 02     215           5          2
(NOAA)

Sunday, October 06, 2024

Early Wireless Stations in Japan - Part 1

Part 1


Jeff:    The edition of Wavescan that airs on the first Sunday of each month usually includes a DX Report from the Japan Shortwave Club, presented by Yukiko Tsuji.  But it occurred to us that we haven’t visited the story of domestic broadcasting in Japan for quite some time, and have only occasionally covered Japanese shortwave broadcasting during the Second World War.  So, this week Ray Robinson tells the story of early wireless and medium wave stations in Japan.

 

Ray:   Thanks, Jeff.

 

Early Wireless Stations in Japan

 

It was in 1889, six years before Marconi, that the first wireless experiments took place in Japan.  The first public demonstration of wireless was given by Hantaro Nagaoka at the University of Tokyo.

 

Two experimental stations were subsequently established by the Japanese Navy, and these were listed in 1902 as being in Tokyo and Yokohama, just a few miles apart.  Subsequent listings show another experimental station in Nagasaki in 1906.  That station was apparently a forerunner to a larger and more permanent station at the same location.

 

By 1908, two stations were active with maritime communications, located at Nagasaki and Choshi.  The Choshi station used the callsign JCS.  Ambitiously, up to a dozen more wireless stations were in the planning stages, but it seems not all of those came to fruition.

 

By 1913, eight wireless stations were in use, all identified in Morse Code with "J" callsigns, such as JOS at Osezaki and JTS at Tsunoshima, as well as the previously mentioned JCS at Choshi.  Many of these operated on longwave.

 

During 1914, radio interests in the United States established two very large wireless stations for communication across the Pacific.  These twin stations were located near San Francisco, California and Kahuku, Hawaii.  It was the intent that they would subsequently be able to exchange messages with a large new station still under construction near Yokohama, Japan.

 

Just one year later, on July 27, 1915, the new high-powered wireless station, actually  located near Yokohama at Funabashi on Tokyo Bay, was officially opened with service to the United States via Kahuku, Hawaii.  Two months later again, the transmission of wireless messages from Japan was extended to many additional countries via communication links with wireless stations located in eastern Siberia.

 

Formal government use of the new wireless communication system linking the United States and Asia was recognized when official messages were exchanged between the Mikado in Japan and President Woodrow Wilson in the United States on November 5, 1916.

 

However, the new Trans-Pacific Wireless Service was then interrupted for a couple of years due to World War I, and it was re-opened again on December 19, 1918, with the Tokyo station adopting the callsign JSDA.

 

Now, you might ask, what form of code was used by the operators of the wireless stations in Japan?  By the time wireless stations were established, Morse Code was already three quarters of a century old.  The original telegraph code was developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail sometime before 1840, and when wireless stations were established, the spark transmitters talked to each other in Morse Code.  That is, if they were conversing in English.  As needs arose, various modifications were made to standard Morse Code to accommodate alphabetic variations, in for example, German, Spanish and Russian.

 

But because Japanese is written very differently as a pictographic language, it became necessary to develop a system of code that could be understood in that language.  And that indeed became very complicated.

 

But for international communication between Japan and other countries, Morse Code in English was generally used.  And for maritime communication with international shipping, much of the Morse Code communication was conducted using standard maritime codes.

 

However, by the early 1920’s, four major factors began to bring about significant changes in electronic communication in Japan.  These factors were:

1.     the manufacturing and availability of radio tubes/valves,

2.     the subsequent development of valve transmitters which permitted the transmission of speech,

3.     the introduction of radio program broadcasting in many countries, including Japan, and

4.     the use of high frequencies, or shortwave, for international communication.

 

Because of these factors, many of the longwave spark wireless stations in Japan were either converted to valve operation, or were eliminated as no longer necessary.

 

And thus ended the nearly twenty year period of wireless telegraphic communication in Japan, domestically using a very different form of Morse Code.

 

Early Medium Wave Stations in Japan

 It was in 1922 that experimental telephony in Japan began, with the availability of newly developed radio valves (or tubes).  Initially, these experiments were carried out on high frequencies, that is shortwave, though coverage was achieved only over short distances.

 Interestingly, the first Japanese radio broadcasting station was erected, not in Japan, but in China.  This station was constructed in Japan using Japanese-made equipment, and it was installed at Shuang Chaio, some eight miles from Peking, or Beijing, as it is known today.  This medium wave broadcasting station was inaugurated on June 29, 1924.

 The first transmission of radio broadcast programs in Japan itself began on March 1, 1925, with a test broadcast from a temporary station located on Atago Hill in Tokyo.  A photograph from that era shows that the Minister for Communications in the national government heard this broadcast.  This first temporary radio broadcasting station was officially inaugurated three weeks later on March 22 with a program that included classical European and Japanese music.

Four months later, on July 12, 1925, a permanent radio broadcasting station for Tokyo was inaugurated at Atagoyama.  The main 1 kW transmitter was made in the United States, though the reserve transmitter was locally assembled, by the staff at the radio station itself.  At the time, there were just three thousand five hundred radio receivers in operation in the Tokyo area.

 Similar stations were constructed in Osaka and Nagoya, and these were both officially opened during the same year 1925.

 The callsigns and details for these three radio stations were:

JOAK

Tokyo

1 kW

800 kHz

JOBK

Osaka

.5 kW

780 kHz

JOCK

Nagoya

1.5 kW

833 kHz

 The system of letters used for the callsigns in early radio stations in Japan is quite intriguing.  Taking the first station, JOAK, as an example, the letter J obviously stood for Japan.  The second letter, O, may have stood for Oceania, which was part of the callsign identification for radio stations in several countries in the Pacific in those days.  And the final letter K, probably stood for Kyokai, a Japanese word that was later incorporated into the official name for the Japanese radio broadcasting service, NHK, Nippon Hoso Kyokai.

 Interestingly, the third letter in the callsign system indicated the chronological order in which the station was established.  Thus JOAK was the first station, JOBK was the second, and JOCK was the third, etc., right on down through the English alphabet.

 By the mid-1930’s, they had used up the twenty six letters in the English alphabet and new callsigns were issued, this time ending in the letter G instead of K; and subsequently, many other letters also.

 In fact, by the mid-1930’s, more than thirty medium wave stations were on the air throughout Japan and these stations were regularly heard in the United States, New Zealand and Australia.  Several of the main stations in the large cities were by that time operating a second program channel under the same callsign with a number appended, for example:

Tokyo

JOAK1 on 870 kHz and JOAK2 on 590 kHz

Osaka

JOBK1 on 690 kHz and JOBK2 on 940 kHz

Nagoya

JOCK1 on 730 kHz and JOCK2 on 990 kHz

 In August 1936, many of the broadcasting stations in Japan relayed the Berlin Olympics live from Germany.

 Radio stations in Japan have always been prolific verifiers of reception reports from listeners.  Although there are several undated QSL cards from Japan in the Heritage QSL Collection now being scanned in Australia, it is probable that the earliest is dated on May 31, 1931 from the key station in the NHK network, JOAK in Tokyo.

 This QSL card shows that station JOAK was on the air by that time with a power of 10 kW.  It has a small black and white photo of their studio and transmitter building.  In red is a small ornamental picture, the size and shape of a postage stamp, and it is very reminiscent of the American EKKO QSL stamps from the same era.

 Many of the QSL cards from Japan also show an artistic picture, or an actual photo, of the famous Mt. Fuji.  Many cards also show photos of the radio broadcasting station, the building, the antenna towers, and the studio facilities.

 Interestingly, one of these early Japanese QSL cards shows a short text in the international Esperanto language.  This card was printed for use as a verification for station JOAK in Tokyo, but it was modified for use by a small relay station, JOJK in Kanazawa, with 3 kW on 423 metres, 710 kHz.  The text in Esperanto reads: Oni korespondas per Esperanto.  Translated into understandable English, it reads: We correspond in Esperanto.

 Back to you, Jeff. 



Saturday, October 05, 2024

Radio Weddings - Part 10

 

Special thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing this story from a recent edition of Wavescan

Jeff:  Over the past couple of years, we have presented a series of items under the title ‘Radio Weddings’.  The last, part 9, was in April 2023.  Today we present one more item in this series, perhaps the most famous radio wedding of them all – the one that took place on board the offshore station Radio Caroline North in September 1966, and was broadcast live on air to millions.  Here’s Ray Robinson with the story.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  Last week, we brought you the history of the offshore station Radio Caroline, from its earliest beginning in 1964, right up to its current legal operation in the UK with solar-powered medium wave, and two complementary channels that are heard on DAB and world-wide via webstreams.

Back in 1966, the station was operating from two radio ships – the MV Mi Amigo which was anchored off the southeast coast of England broadcasting Radio Caroline South, and the MV Caroline which was anchored in Ramsay Bay off the northeast coast of the Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish Sea, broadcasting Radio Caroline North.  It was on that second service, Radio Caroline North, that our story today took place.

One of the station’s DJ’s went by the name of Mick Luvzit.  He was born in 1942 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, about 30 miles west of Winnipeg, with a birth name of Arthur McGurk.  But he was later adopted, and at the age of 5, his name was changed to William James Brown.  He grew up to be a talented musician and singer, and worked for a number of Canadian stations before moving to the UK, including CKY, CHWO, CHIC, CHUM and CFGM.

In the spring of 1966 he made a record called ‘Long Time Between Lovers,’ which was released on the Decca label on June 10th.  That same month he joined Radio Caroline South, but after a few weeks transferred up to the north ship where more DJ’s were needed.  He was an immediate hit with the listeners, and received over 1,000 fan letters during his first week on air.  

While working on Caroline North, Mick met Janet Teret, sister of another DJ on the station, Ray Teret.  They began dating, and fell in love.  There was soon talk of a marriage; Mick formally proposed, and Janet accepted.  Late one night, senior DJ Tony Prince was talking to the captain, Maarten Gips, and learned that he had the authority to marry people on board the ship.  Tony rushed down to Mick’s cabin, and woke him up at 2am.  He suggested they should capitalize on the romantic idea of being married at sea by a ship’s captain, and tie the knot on board the MV Caroline.  And, of course, it would also be very good promotion for the station, Radio Caroline North.  Tony said Mick loved Jan beyond words, and they started planning for a September wedding on board the ship.

On the day of the wedding, just about 58 years ago on Tuesday 20th September 1966, there was heavy fog around the Isle of Man, and Janet and the wedding party were delayed getting out to the radio ship as the tender Essex Girl initially couldn’t leave port.  Visibility had to be reasonably clear after high tide, so the tender could get out and find the radio ship offshore.  They did eventually make it out in the late afternoon, however, and the ceremony went ahead, broadcast live on air with a commentary from the Caroline North news chief, Graham Webb.  It was conducted by the captain Maarten Gips, and because the ship was registered in Panama, legally the wedding was taking place in that country.

The ceremony began with the captain calling the marrying couple and witnesses together.  He then said that he had received a written and signed request from Mr. Brown (Mick’s real name) and Miss Teret stating that they wished to be married according to the laws of the Republic of Panama, and that he had accepted such request.

The Panamanian consulate in London had already provided the relevant section of the country’s civil code to be read out during the ceremony.

The best man was Jerry Leighton, another of Mick’s fellow DJ’s, and the bride was given away by her brother, Ray, as her parents had been delayed even getting to the Isle of Man by the fog-bound airport in Douglas.

So what did it all sound like.  Obviously we can’t play the whole thing, but here are a few clips to give you a taste, starting with senior DJ Tony Prince who was on air that afternoon.

For the next 10 months after the wedding, Mick continued to present his afternoon show ‘Mick’s 3-6’ on Radio Caroline North.  Then in the summer of 1967, Mick and Janet went on vacation back to Mick’s native Canada, and decided to settle there.  They had a daughter, Jelisse Caroline Brown, but, sadly, the marriage was not to last.  They were divorced during the seventies, although they did remain friends.

Mick was heard on several stations in the Vancouver area in the 80’s and 90’s including CKST and CKLG.  In 2000 he was living in Abbotsford, British Columbia, presenting the morning show on Praise 106.5, a Christian station located just across the US border in Washington State.  In 2007 he suffered a heart attack and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery.  Although he did recover from that, heart problems persisted.  In November 2010 he was known to have been busy writing a script for a documentary on addiction to alcohol and drugs, but sadly he died of heart failure in New Westminster, British Columbia on 8th December 2012, aged just 70.

In an online post, his ex-wife, Janet, said:  “Many thanks for the tribute to Mick who passed away suddenly on Saturday, December 8.  Jelisse and I will miss him terribly. He had many struggles with his heart condition but always kept a very positive outlook on life.  He wanted to live, but God had a plan for him.  Rest peacefully till we meet again.  Love, your family.”
Back to you, Jeff.
(Ray Robinson/AWR Wavescan)