Tune 7490 and 5130kHz at 8 pm Eastern Time. (0200 UTC) Discussing radio and other matters. Join in. It’s your free speech. wbcq@wbcq.com-our email. Call 207-286-5483. WBCQ is Freedom Radio.
It’s here and it's real !!
(WBCQ/X)
Friday, November 22, 2024
WBCQ Allan and Angels show tonight
Shortwave Radiogram Program 379
Hello friends,
I've had a few inquiries about where the Shortwave Radiogram X/Twitter account @SWRadiogram will move to Bluesky, as many other X users are now doing.
The @SWRadiogram X/Twitter is task oriented and generally non-political. Shortwave Radiogram listeners use it to report their decodes, and repost these to the over 4000 followers. The account has largely escaped many of the quirks and "features" of X under its present ownership. With such a great community of friends making good use of @SWRadiogram, I am not under much pressure to migrate.
Nevertheless, I have an swradiogram.bsky.social account, online but so far inactive, ready to deploy if necessary. Let me know your thoughts.
Also, kaedotcom.bsky.social, reporting on international broadcasting, eventually to replace @kaedotcom.
My mediafreedomusa.bsky.social is up and running, reporting on "attempts to restrict and to protect media freedom in the United States during the second Trump administration." At this point, it links to articles speculating what will happen after January 20. After Trump's inauguration, it will be more interesting, reporting on what the Trump Administration actually does, and what news outlets, journalists and press freedom advocates do to resist. It will be quite a scrum.
Three X or Bluesky accounts are the limit for my old brain.
A video of last week's Shortwave Radiogram (program 378) 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 379, 22-27 November 2024, in MFSK modes as noted:
1:45 MFSK32: Program preview
2:53 MFSK32: Social platform Bluesky welcomes X users
7:29 MFSK64: Germany assumes sabotage after data cable damaged*
10:44 MFSK64: This week's images*
27:33 MFSK32: Closing announcements
* with images
Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net
And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram
(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304
Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway
Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and Radio North Europe International (RNEI). Links to these fine broadcasts, with schedules, are posted here.
Thanks for your reception reports!
Kim
Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom
Propagation update from the U.K.
RSGB
GB2RS News Team
November 22, 2024
We’ve had yet another week of relatively calm geomagnetic conditions.
The solar flux index has been in the 160s and despite having 14 M-class
solar flares over seven days, we haven’t had any coronal mass ejections
to contend with.
As a result, the daytime maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a
3,000km path has been high, reaching more than 35MHz at times.
The MUF declines after sunset, as expected, settling at about 12-13MHz,
meaning the only HF band open to DX has been the 10MHz or 30 metre band.
DX this week has included 3D2Y in Rotuma. This Pacific DXpedition has
been spotted in Europe, on 20m, 15m and 17m CW, so plenty of choice as
to which band you try.
E51SGC in Rarotonga on the Cook Islands has also been spotted across
many of the HF bands, but they will be leaving on the 24 November. The
good news is that the team of Stan LZ1GC and Ted LZ5QZ are moving on to
Tonga as A35GC from the 25 November until the 7 December 2024.
Gerben (PG5M) is active on the Falkland Islands as VP8G and has been
spotted on 20m, 15m and 10m CW. He is there until the 25 November so get
in quickly!
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI may rise to the mid-250s again.
Geomagnetic conditions are largely predicted to be good, although do
keep an eye on solarham.com for updates.
And don’t forget the CQ Worldwide CW contest this weekend which should
bring a lot of DX to the HF bands.
VHF and up :
The weather is now in an unsettled phase with areas of low pressure
bringing alternating spells of mild wet and windy weather interspersed
with colder brighter and breezy showery weather.
This raises a couple of radio-related points; one is that we will see
some very strong and potentially damaging winds in some areas, so check
daily forecasts and make sure your mast guys are secure; and secondly an
absence of any marked high-pressure Tropo weather.
Rain and snow scatter may be worth checking on the GHz bands in such
unsettled weather. Meanwhile, meteor scatter is worthy of greater
attention as next week’s list of showers includes the small Alpha
Monocerotids shower and the tail end of the big Leonids shower.
This introduces another potential nugget of interest in that since it is
widely accepted that meteors form the source material for Sporadic-E.
Despite being out of season in the traditional sense, the prevalence of
stronger jet streams in unsettled weather makes the next week a possible
‘watch period’ for Es.
If you are curious about what these might look like, check out the
propquest.co.uk website and look for the near vertical incidence
skywave or NVIS tab for Wednesday 20 November 2024.
During the two events in the middle of the day and evening, the critical
frequency of the Es layer reached values of nearly 10MHz, which could
equate to four-metre propagation on a good day. You will see the Es blog
tab upper air charts also show a jet stream of greater than 100 knots.
For EME operators, the Moon has passed peak declination so Moon
availability and peak elevation will be falling. Path losses are high
and rising towards apogee on Tuesday 26 November. 144MHz sky noise is
low all week.
https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/propagation-news/2024/11/22/propagation-news-24-november-2024/
Programming from Radio Northern Europe International
Programming will run through mid-December. (01:00 UTC 5850 kHz Thursday, 13:00 UTC 15770 kHz Thursday and 01:00 UTC 5010 kHz Sunday).
We are also planning a Christmas special, like last year, for Europe! For now, the idea is to have 3 to 4 hours with programs from many other creators.
Lastly, there might be a test broadcast from Woofferton before the Christmas special.
I wish you all the best!
Roseanna
Radio Northern Europe International
Radio Slovakia International Listener Survey
Slovak Republic
Dear listeners, please help us improve the quality of our programs. We would like to know our listeners better so we can tailor our programming more for the taste and needs of you, our listeners. This survey will provide us with valuable feedback from you. It is anonymous and we will only use the data for improving our services. It takes only minutes to fill the survey out, but will help us a lot!
Thank you from the Radio Slovakia International Team
Click here to take part in the online survey (opens in new tab).
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOLj5qNNSOrDq2moIcdxnCaV_
JTABA2bikfo33mbaXx8MJOg/viewform
Have you any questions or problems?
Contact us at: <radioslovakiainternational -at- gmail.com>
(RSI Bratislava-SVK, Nov 14)
Personality of the Year 2024 on Radio Romania International
 |
| Radio Romania International QSL |
Personality of the Year 2024 on RRI Bucharest.
Dear friends,
Radio Romania International is again conducting its annual survey among listeners and users of Internet and social media, presenting you with a new challenge in 2024, a complicated and difficult year for all of us.
It was a difficult year due to the continuation of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, the conflicts in the Middle East, but also due to global warming, which made 2024 the hottest year in history.
It is against this backdrop that we're asking you who has had the most positive impact on the world this year? Based on your options, we will be designating the
"Personality of the Year 2024 on Radio Romania International". We kindly ask you to make your nomination, accompanied by a short justification.
Please send your contributions as soon as possible by e-mail to engl@rri.ro
Leave a comment on our Facebook or Instagram profiles or write to us on
WhatsApp, at 0040.744.312.650 (text or audio).
We will announce the "Personality of the Year 2024 on Radio Romania International" on-air as well as online, on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
We look forward to hearing from you! (via BRDXC-UK iogr Nov 17)
Antena 1 Acores repairs update
Azores
828 kHz Antena 1 Acores, Monte das Cruzes, Flores Island. The last observation I could find in my logs was back in February 2024, so I estimated the silence would be translated in another suppression of a [MF] site. The information I got yesterday contradicted my fears.
The monopole needed repair, and that job was done ... but after tests the transmitter developed a problem, meaning another team will have to fly with all the equipment needed to put the unit into shape, which is expected to happen sometime this month of November. This outlet covers not just the island of Flores but also the neighboring island of Corvo, and is said its signal reaches most of the archipelago. As to the other Antena 1 Acores MF outlets, the technician I spoke to confirmed there are no plans to use MF again, and ditto regarding Antena 1 Madeira.
(Carlos Goncalves-POR, DXplorer Nov 9)
(WWDXC Top Nx 1598/20 Nov 2024)
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) schedule update
For anyone who follows the broadcasts from Shiokaze, Hiroshi's blog at http://hiroshi.mediacat-blog.jp/ mentions a new schedule effective 19 November 2024:
1300-1400 on 7280 and 7335
kHz
1405-1435 on 5935 and 6070
kHz
1600-1700 on 5955 and 6095
kHz
1705-1805 on 6020 and 7340 kHz
Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) broadcasts to North Korea and is operated by the independent investigating organization "Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea", regarding persons believed to have been abducted by North Korea prior to 1983. All broadcasts are from Yamata in Japan (300 kW).
They usually have an English program at 1300-1400 and 1600-1700 on Wednesdays (otherwise they are in Korean and Japanese)
(BDXC)
Adventist Shortwave Broadcasting History, part 1
Thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing the latest Wavescan program for our followers
Jeff: Last week in the feature on Goa, we mentioned that the first syndicated
religious program to be aired on Emissora de Goa was the Voice of Prophecy, from
Adventist evangelist H.M.S. Richards Sr. We thought it might be interesting to look
back on Adventist broadcasting, so today we begin a three part feature on that
history, and in particular, that of Adventist World Radio, with a focus on shortwave.
However, today in part 1, Ray Robinson in Los Angeles looks back at the early
origins of Adventist broadcasting in North America, before the Second World War.
Ray: Thanks, Jeff. And yes, if you’ve got a good memory, we did cover some of this
material in October last year when we were marking the 52nd anniversary of AWR,
but more information has since come to light.
It was in March 1928 that John Fetzer, manager of AM Broadcast Band station
WEMC at the Adventist College in Berrien Springs, Michigan, made a visit to
Washington, DC. His purpose was to lodge an application with the newly created
Federal Radio Commission for a license to install a shortwave transmitter co-sited
with the medium wave one in Berrien Springs. If he had been successful, that might
have led to the first appearance of Adventist programming on shortwave, but his
application was denied. A year or two later, Fetzer bought the station he managed,
and then transferred it to Kalamazoo, Michigan as WKZO.
Then, there was Harold Marshall Sylvester Richards, better known simply as H.M.S.
Richards. He was born in Iowa in 1894, and at the young age of just 17 began his
ministry as a tent preacher. In the late 19-teens, his brother worked as a driver for
the then Senator from Ohio, Warren G. Harding, and Harding invited the brothers to
attend a demonstration of the new invention of radio. Richards came to view radio
as a way to bring the Gospel to the nations. He graduated from Washington
Missionary College (now Washington Adventist University) in 1919, and then
served as an evangelist in various places in the United States and Canada. It was
during this period in the 1920’s while he was serving in Ottawa, Ontario, that he
began experimenting with radio announcements in connection with his meetings.
During the Great Depression he made his way to California, and he gave his first 15
minute guest sermon on KNX (AM) in Los Angeles on October 19, 1929.
The following year, 1930, H.M.S. Richards began producing a weekly radio program
called the ‘Tabernacle of the Air’. He raised $200 to pay for 13 half-hour time slots
on station KGER in Long Beach, California, which at that time was on 920 kHz, and
the ministry grew from there. His headquarters, a renovated chicken coop in his
garage, reflected his humility, a trait he retained even as his broadcast’s fame grew.
In January 1937, his radio footprint expanded over several stations of a regional
network – the Don Lee Broadcasting System. At the same time, the name of the
program was changed to the ‘Voice of Prophecy’.
In 1941, The Adventist General Conference Radio Commission designated ‘Voice of
Prophecy’ as the Adventist Church’s national radio program, and on Sunday, January
4, 1942, just a few weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, it went coast-to-coast on
the Mutual Broadcasting System’s 89 stations. It was one of the first religious
programs to be broadcast on a nationwide network, and within 10 months it had
expanded even further onto 225 stations.
In those early days, there was no ability to pre-record on tape, so all the programs
were aired live from Mutual’s KHJ in Los Angeles. The team used to get to the KHJ
studio at about 5am each Sunday morning and do the program for the East Coast.
They’d break for something to eat, and then come back and do it all again for the
West Coast audience.
The next attempt on the part of the Adventist denomination to enter the
international scene of shortwave broadcasting was during the latter part of World
War II. During 1944, The Voice of Prophecy was carried worldwide on the
shortwave and medium wave networks of AFRS, the American Forces Radio Service,
for the benefit of American servicemen on duty overseas.
The shortwave stations in
use at the time were located on both the east and west coasts of the continental
United States. For the benefit of Australian servicemen in the Pacific, the program
was also carried as part of the Australia Calling broadcast from Shepparton, Victoria,
the predecessor to Radio Australia. From that time onwards, Adventist
programming has been heard in many parts of the world on shortwave, although
sadly as of last month, no longer in English.
In 1947, the program went truly international
as Richards first bought airtime on the high
power English language service of Radio
Luxembourg, which at that time was still on
longwave, and gave him broad coverage of
most of western Europe. He also bought
airtime on KZRH (now DZRH) in the
Philippines – a 50,000 watt station on 650 kHz
in metro Manila. And then as we commented
last week, in 1950 he added coverage into
India from Emissora de Goa’s MW and SW
transmitters.
In 1952, the program operation moved into new studios and offices that had been built
in Glendale, California, and great expansion continued throughout the 1950’s and 60’s.
At its peak, the program was heard on over 700 stations worldwide, including on
shortwave via ETLF in Ethiopia, CR8A in Goa, SLBC in Colombo, Ceylon, and several
other shortwave stations in Asia and Latin America.
But, as happens to all of us, H.M.S. Richards was aging. In 1969, when he was 75
years old, it was decided that his son, H.M.S. Richards Jr., would take over the
speaking responsibilities, which he ably undertook until his own retirement in 1992.
The founder had realized his vision from the 19-teens of using radio to bring the
Gospel to the nations. And indeed, the ministry he started, with its humble
beginnings in October 1929, just last month (in October 2024) celebrated its 95 th
birthday. H.M.S. Richards Sr. eventually died aged 90 on April 24, 1985.
< Audio Clip – Have Faith in God >
Back to you, Jeff.
Jeff: Thanks, Ray. In 1971, the denomination decided to expand Adventist radio
programming into many other languages and parts of the world, beginning with the
establishment of a new entity – Adventist World Radio. And that’s where Ray will
pick up the story in part 2, in a couple of weeks’ time. Next week, Ray has an
interesting feature from Canadian radio, part of a Vinyl Tap program with Randy
Bachman, about the development of music radio in North America.
Monday, November 18, 2024
A nostalgic look at Radio Peace & Progress
USSR: On November 15, 1964, western listeners can't believe their ears: here is the USSR.S.S. giving the voice to its public opinion! Radio Peace, a "free" radio broadcasting from Moscow. floods the airwaves with programs in several languages.It was a pale copy of Radio Europe Libre with Muscovite sauce!
An adventure that began in 1957: members of Radio Moscow had sent a letter to Nikita Khrouchchev asking to establish a Soviet international broadcaster on the model of RFE/RL.This letter, which acknowledged the effectiveness of the RFE, led the Kremlin to launch in 1964, such a station.
Officially it was a public non-governmental organization. It was registered as an original joint idea of Soviet public agencies. Its members: the Soviet Committee for Peace, the Soviet Committee for Solidarity with Asian and African Countries, the Committee and USSR Women's Youth Organizations, the Union of Friendly Societies with Foreign Countries, the Union of Journalists and the Novosti Agency. His task: "promote mutual understanding and trust among peoples of all countries."
n reality, this machine of propaganda of communist ideals was in the hands of the ideological department of the Central Committee and the KGB. The government had a propaganda radio that was not officially claiming its responsibility.
Radio Paix et Progrès used the technical facilities of Radio Moscow and performed 161 hours a week in 13 languages.The topics discussed followed the official line but were more inclined and direct than Radio Moscow, offering propaganda lines that the Soviet government could disown.
The programs of "Peace and Progress" were divided into half-hour programs. Each program included 10 pieces of information followed by commentary, speeches from representatives of the Soviet and foreign audiences, or answers to letters from the audience. All accompanied by short musical sequences.
The content of the Peace and Progress programs was more insidious than Radio Moscow and it was adapted according to the targeted audiences. As an example:
Off to China... radio shows Washington's hypocrisy in Taiwan and Tibet issues.
Off to Africa... she was the spokesperson against racism and apartheid.
Off to Latin America... she showed support for the Latinos who were defending themselves against North American imperialism.
On the way to Israel... the station was trying to demonstrate that the good people of Israel were the victim of the opportunist of the Zionist government.
Off to Arab countries... she talks about American hypocrisy towards Arabs.
A technique is still applicable even though the name Peace and Progress disappeared in 1991, Radio Spoutnik and RT have resumed.
(Radio Maggazine/FB)
Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins
:Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2024 Nov 18 0220 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 - 17 November 2024
.jpg)
Solar activity ranged from low to moderate levels this period. R1 (Minor) radio blackouts were observed on 11 Nov, 13 Nov and 15-16 Nov. Regions 3889 (S09, L=006, class/area Fki/540 on 15 Nov) and 3893 (S19, L=289, class/area Cso/050 on 15 Nov) produced a majority of the activity this period. The largest flare of the period was an M1.7 event observed on 13/1708 UTC from Region 3889. During the period, a total of 33 C-class and 7 M-class flares were observed. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels.
Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. Unsettled to active levels were observed on 11 Nov and 13-17 Nov, all associated with positive polarity coronal hole high speed streams (CH HSSs). During the period, solar wind parameters were at mostly nominal levels through early on 14 Nov. Early on 14 Nov, total field increased to 14 nT, while the Bz component dropped to -13 nT. Wind speeds increased from about 305 km/s to a peak of about 460 km/s by late on 15 Nov. Wind speeds ended the period near 310 km/s. The phi angle was in a predominately positive sector throughout the period.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 November - 14 December 2024
Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels (R1/R2 - Minor/Moderate), with a chance for high levels (R3 - Strong) from 18 Nov - 14 Dec. The disk is expected to feature numerous complex regions throughout the outlook period.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. However, there is a chance for proton activity following significant solar flare activity during the outlook period.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels.
Geomagnetic field activity is likely to be at unsettled to active periods on 18 Nov, 20 Nov, 25-27 Nov, 30 Nov-03 Dec, 06-08 Dec and 11-14 Dec, all due to the influence from recurrent CH HSS effects. Mostly quiet periods are likely on 19 Nov, 21-24 Nov, 28-29 Nov,
04-05 Dec and 09-10 Dec.
Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2024 Nov 18 0221 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2024-11-18
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2024 Nov 18 230 8 3
2024 Nov 19 235 5 2
2024 Nov 20 235 12 4
2024 Nov 21 240 5 2
2024 Nov 22 240 5 2
2024 Nov 23 240 5 2
2024 Nov 24 245 5 2
2024 Nov 25 245 10 3
2024 Nov 26 240 10 3
2024 Nov 27 245 8 3
2024 Nov 28 255 5 2
2024 Nov 29 250 5 2
2024 Nov 30 250 10 3
2024 Dec 01 240 12 4
2024 Dec 02 230 9 3
2024 Dec 03 220 8 3
2024 Dec 04 210 7 2
2024 Dec 05 205 5 2
2024 Dec 06 205 12 4
2024 Dec 07 200 12 4
2024 Dec 08 180 10 3
2024 Dec 09 170 5 2
2024 Dec 10 150 5 2
2024 Dec 11 145 10 3
2024 Dec 12 145 15 3
2024 Dec 13 140 10 3
2024 Dec 14 145 8 3
(NOA)
Friday, November 15, 2024
Propagation update from the U.K.
RSGB
GB2RS News Team
November 15, 2024
The solar flux index took a downturn this week, ending up at 150. The visible solar disk is looking rather bare compared with a couple of weeks ago.
This is the lowest SFI value since the 2 May 2024, but it is only a matter of time before we see another sunspot appear as we make our way through solar maximum.
The good news is that this means we have been pretty devoid of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, with only a few M-class flares occurring. Any CMEs were not Earth-directed and so the Kp index stayed low.
As a result, the bands are still playing ball. A quick look on 10 metres at 10.00UTC on Thursday 14 November showed the 4X6TU (Israel), OH2B
(Finland) and LU4AA (Argentina) International Beacon Project beacons were romping in on 28.200MHz.
Going down to 15 metres it was even better, with ZL6B (New Zealand), VK6RBP (Australia) and JA2IGY (Japan) all audible on 21.150MHz.
Also, the proton flux from the Sun remains low, which bodes well for polar paths.
Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the solar flux index will rise again, no doubt as new or returning sunspots appear, perhaps putting us into the low 200s.
From a geomagnetic perspective, unsettled conditions are forecast for Wednesday 20 November when the Kp index could rise to four.
Looking further ahead, fingers crossed for the 23 and 24 November weekend when the CQ Worldwide CW contest takes place!
VHF and up :
It was more of the same on 50MHz last week, with what may be a mix of Es and F2-layer propagation producing morning openings in the afternoon to the Gulf States, Southeast Asia, and the Americas.
On the higher bands, with the high pressure just hanging on in its colder guise, next week looks distinctly on the wintry side for some areas.
The high pressure has, along with its predecessor, given us at least two weeks of Tropo conditions on the VHF bands. The expected change-over to low pressure takes place on Sunday and drives a colder northerly weather pattern down across the UK, even to southern areas. This means that the majority of next week is a good time to look for rain scatter.
Regarding meteor scatter, the peak of the Leonids occurs today, 17 November, with rates of 15-20 per hour.
Also, occasional peaks of the Kp index above four should tempt us to beam north for chance aurora openings. As usual, check the VHF beacons and clusters for signs of activity during the afternoon and evenings when the auroral oval is displaced southwards nearer to our part of the world.
It’s a good week for EME operators, the Moon reaches peak declination on Monday morning, but path losses are rising as we passed perigee on Thursday the 14 November. 144MHz sky noise is moderate, reaching 500 Kelvin on Sunday night.
https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/propagation-news/2024/11/15/propagation-news-17-november-2024/
(BDXC)
Are Internet Radios Still a Thing?
Let’s check back in on a once-sexy form of radio listening
By James Careless
Published: November 7, 2024
At the turn of the millennium, the growing popularity of streaming media inspired the development of “internet radios.” These standalone appliances were styled to look and work like conventional AM/FM radio receivers while tuning into streaming audio feeds from the web.
This fusion of familiar functionality with web-based content seemed like a slam-dunk for the consumer electronics market, and many manufacturers started selling them to the general public.
“The market was very bullish, as there were not many connected products at that time,” said Greg Fadul, CEO of Grace Digital, which designed its first internet radio in 2008 and continues to make and sell them.
“They were very focused as a replacement for the standalone radio receivers we had in our homes at that point,” said radio futurologist James Cridland, who managed streaming content for Virgin Radio and the BBC, and worked for a time with internet receiver manufacturer Pure.
Additional story at:
Tiny URL: https://tinyurl.com/4n92pu5x
The Incredible Story Behind the First Transistor Radio
The Regency TR-1 helped Texas Instruments launch its semiconductor business
Imagine if your boss called a meeting in May to announce that he’s committing 10 percent of the company’s revenue to the development of a brand-new mass-market consumer product, made with a not-yet-ready-for-mass-production component. Oh, and he wants it on store shelves in less than six months, in time for the holiday shopping season. Ambitious, yes. Kind of nuts, also yes.
But that’s pretty much what Pat Haggerty, vice president of Texas Instruments, did in 1954. The result was the Regency TR-1, the world’s first commercial transistor radio, which debuted 70 years ago this month. The engineers delivered on Haggerty’s audacious goal, and I certainly hope they received a substantial year-end bonus.
Why did Texas Instruments make the Regency TR-1 transistor radio?
Additional story at: https://spectrum.ieee.org/transistor-radio-invented
(photo/Redditt)
Encore classical music from Radio Tumbril
Dear Listener,
Regular Broadcast times of Encore By WRMI and Channel 292 are:
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Friday 5850 kHz WRMI to US
20:00 - 21:00 UTC Friday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe
11:00 - 12:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada
18:00 - 19:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
03:00 - 04:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada
13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, the east coast of the US, and Iceland. (Sometimes RTTY on the lower sideband. Suggest notch out or use USB.)
Some Things to see on The Encore Website:
The Encore website is www.tumbril.co.uk where you will find:
Important information about funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.
Up-to-date transmission times and frequencies.
The playlists for the most recent programs.
An email link.
Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards are welcome.
ENCORE IS A ONE-MAN OPERATION - PLEASE MAKE A PAYPAL DONATION AND HELP KEEP ENCORE ON THE AIR - Go to - www.tumbril.co.uk
WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their air-time but Encore still costs around 100 Dollars/Euros a month to broadcast.
If you can - please send a small contribution to help Encore keep going.
THE DONATION BUTTON is on the homepage of the website - www.tumbril.co.uk - which folks can use if they would like to support Encore.
(Please don't be put off by the POWR security wall when using the PAYPAL button - it is a harmless requirement of WIX the website hosting service.)
THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAMME - First broadcast this FRIDAY 15th November by WRMI at 0200 UTC on 5850, and 2000 UTC on 15770 and then Channel 292 on SATURDAY 16th November at 11:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:
Starts with some incidental music from the 2024 film Leonardo da Vinci, part of a flute quartet and a cello sonata.
After that, more of the incidental music by Caroline Shaw, a Psalm of Thanksgiving by Frederic Hand, and - to finish - a setting of the poem A stolen Child by WB Yeats from Eric Whitacre.
Thank you for spreading the word about Encore - Classical Music on Shortwave on Radio Tumbril - and thank you for your support.
(This bulletin is sent by Bcc to the many hundreds of listeners who have been in contact with Encore over the last nearly five years of broadcasting Encore.)
Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk
GMØTLY
Shortwave Radiogram378
Now that the fall time change has taken hold, please note in the schedule below that most of our transmissions stay with their UTC times, but some have stayed with local time at the transmitter site, this changing the UTC time. And make the conversion from UTC to your local time is correct. (Saturday at 2300-2330 UTC, if you don't hear Shortwave Radiogram on 7780 kHz, try the former 7570 kHz frequency, which might be repaired by this weekend.)
A video of last week's Shortwave Radiogram (program 377) 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 378, 15-20 November 2024, in MFSK modes as noted:
1:37 MFSK32: Program preview
2:44 MFSK32: Antimatter can travel by truck
5:28 MFSK64: Why is the oboe used to tune an orchestra?*
11:51 MFSK64: This week's images*
28:02 MFSK32: Closing announcements
* with image(s)
Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net
And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram
(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304
Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway
Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio and Radio North Europe International (RNEI). Links to these fine broadcasts, with schedules, are posted here.
Thanks for your reception reports!
Kim
Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotc
Radio Caroline North upcoming broadcast
Our next Radio Caroline North broadcast is between November 16 and 17, 2024, live from our radio ship Ross Revenge.
You'll hear some great music from the 60s to early 90s – plus a chance to win some goodies from our Web Shop, courtesy of Addo Addison from Royston, Herts. Each winner will also receive a copy of a fiction novel written by last month's guest presenter and author, Mark Wesley (see panel below).
Listen on 648 AM across England, The Netherlands, Belgium and beyond, on 1368 AM in the North/North-West courtesy of our friends at Manx Radio, worldwide online here via our Caroline North Player, on smart speakers and the Radio Caroline app.
We'd love to hear from you during the broadcast via memories@... and remember, it's the only email address that gets you straight through to our 'North' broadcasters.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
China National Radio on DRM
China National Radio DRM test frequency (updated on November 8, 2024, default time is UTC+8)
Currently, six frequencies are used to test DRM signals, and the publicly available parameters are as follows:
Frequency
(kHz) Time
(UTC+8) Transmitter Power
(kW) Beam ID Notes
9655 0600-0900 URU 30 98 3FC
9655 1600-2000 URU 30 98 3FC
13825 0900-1700 BEI 30 175 0
15180 0900-1200 KUN 30 32 3EB
15180 1600-1900 KUN 30 32 3EB
17770 0900-1700 DOF 30 16 27FA
17800 1200-1600 KUN 30 32
17830 0900-1600 URU 30 98 3FC
There are no frequencies mentioned in the official frequency table, but they have been coordinated with HFCC and are not actually transmitted.
Frequency
(kHz) Time
(UTC+8) Transmitter Power
(kW) Beam Notes
6030 0425-0205 BEI 30 0 Tu.1400-1700 off
11695 0900-1700 DOF 30 41
11990 1200-1700 QI 30 225
13710 1700-2000 QI 30 203
13850 0800-1200 QI 30 225
The official frequency list no longer contains information on the DRM broadcast frequencies emitted by Qiqihar, and it seems that the transmitter has been turned to testing or interference purposes.
According to feedback, the 21530kHz dynamic test frequency is still being transmitted in the B24 season.
Frequency
(kHz) Time
(UTC+8) Transmitter Power
(kW) Beam ID Notes
6180 1800-0000 BEI 30 0 3EA
15760 0500-0100 QI 30 225 1
21530 0600-0100 DOF 30 341 3E8
Transmitting frequency of each transmitter:
BEI (Beijing)
0900-1700 13825kHz
DOF (Hainan Dongfang)
0900-1700 17770kHz
KUN (Kunming)
0900-1200 15180kHz
1200-1600 17800kHz
1600-1900 15180kHz
QIQ (Qiqihar)
None
URU (Urumqi)
0600-0900 9655kHz
0900-1600 17830kHz
1600-2000 9655kHz
Radio Republica schedule update
FRANCE/USA {Cuba target radio} The Cuban opposition program
'Radio Republica' could continue to be heard from October 27, 2024 at 0100-0200 UT on
9490 kHz (TDF Issoudun 150 kW, 285 deg). After Cuba's return to standard time on November 3, 2024, the program was observed one hour later at 0200-0300 UT in order to remain synchronized with Cuban local time.
(Alan Roe-UK wor; via Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Kurier Weltschau Nov 10)
{Cuba target radio} The HFCC.org lists the following B-24 broadcast schedule
from USAGM Greenville-NC-USA relay site for the US Cuba)
(WWDXC Top nx-BC-DX 1597/12 Nov 2024)
CGTN Radio, winter schedule
China
CGTN Radio https://radio.cgtn.com hat folgenden Sendeplan in
Englisch auf Kurzwelle:
he number of frequencies is impressive, but due to different transmission directions or even self-interference (7255 kHz is dominated by CGTN radio in English), only 6130 and 7385 kHz are suitable for reception attempts in Central Europe. In the depths of winter, the 4.9 MHz frequencies could also work better again.
(Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Kurier Weltschau / Bieners DX Digest Nov 10)
0000-0200 UT 6180 kHz 13800 Kashi 100 kW 173/174 deg
0000-0200 UT 7350 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
0000-0200 UT 15125 kHz Beijing 500 kW 215 deg
0000-0200 UT 17730 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
0000-0100 UT 7425 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0000-0100 UT 9560 13730 kHz Beijing 150 kW 95 deg
0000-0100 UT 11790 kHz Xian 500 kW 190 deg
0100-0200 UT 7370 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0100-0200 UT 9675 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
0200-0400 UT 11770 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0200-0300 UT 15350 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0300-0500 UT 13570 kHz Xian 500 kW 354 deg
0300-0500 UT 13590 kHz Beijing 150 kW 95 deg
0300-0500 UT 15120 kHz Beijing 500 kW 322 deg
0300-0400 UT 13800 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0400-0600 UT 17730 kHz Xian 500 kW 292 deg
0400-0600 UT 17855 kHz Beijing 500 kW 288 deg
0500-1100 UT 15350 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
0500-0900 UT 11895 15465 kHz Kashi 100 kW 209 deg
0500-0900 UT 17540 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173 deg
0500-0700 UT 17510 kHz Kashi 500 kW 269 deg
0600-0800 UT 17710 kHz Beijing 500 kW 193 deg
0600-0800 UT 17730 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
0600-0700 UT 11870 15145 kHz Kashi 100 kW 239 deg
0600-0700 UT 11925 kHz Nanning 100 kW 142 deg
0600-0700 UT 13645 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
0700-1300 UT 17490 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
0700-0900 UT 17670 kHz Kashi 500 kW 269 deg
0700-0800 UT 13660 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
0800-1000 UT 9415 kHz Xian 500 kW 73 deg
0900-1100 UT 15210 kHz Kunming 500 kW 135 deg
0900-1100 UT 17690 kHz Jinhua 500 kW 150 deg
0900-1100 UT 17750 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173 deg
0900-1000 UT 17570 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 308 deg
0900-1000 UT 17650 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
1000-1200 UT 13720 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
1000-1100 UT 5955 kHz Xian 500 kW 73 deg
1000-1100 UT 7215 kHz Xian 500 kW 354 deg
1000-1100 UT 11635 kHz Beijing 500 kW 318 deg
1000-1100 UT 13590 kHz Beijing 500 kW 193 deg
1100-1600 UT 5955 kHz Beijing 150 kW 95 deg
1100-1300 UT 7250 kHz Kashi 100 kW 209 deg
1100-1300 UT 11650 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 212 deg
1100-1300 UT 12015 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173 deg
1100-1200 UT 9730 kHz Beijing 500 kW 193 deg
1100-1200 UT 11795 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
1200-1400 UT 9730 kHz Kunming 100 kW 225 deg
1200-1400 UT 11760 kHz Kunming 500 kW 135 deg
1200-1400 UT 11980 kHz Kunming 150 kW 177 deg
1200-1300 UT 9460 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
1200-1300 UT 9600 kHz Kunming 150 kW 163 deg
1200-1300 UT 9645 kHz Beijing 500 kW 215 deg
1200-1300 UT 9760 kHz Kunming 500 kW 135 deg
1200-1300 UT 11690 kHz Xian 500 kW 292 deg
1200-1300 UT 13790 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 308 deg
1300-1500 UT 9765 kHz Baoji 150 kW 288 deg
1300-1400 UT 7300 kHz Kashi 100 kW 209 deg
1300-1400 UT 9655 kHz Kashi 100 kW 174 deg
1300-1400 UT 9870 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
1300-1400 UT 11640 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
1300-1400 UT 11900 kHz Kunming 500 kW 135 deg
1300-1400 UT 11910 kHz Beijing 500 kW 165 deg
1300-1400 UT 13790 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 308 deg
1400-1600 UT 6135 kHz Xian 500 kW 200 deg
1400-1500 UT 6100 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 270 deg
1400-1500 UT 9795 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 308 deg
1400-1500 UT 11880 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
1400-1500 UT 7300 9460 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 212 deg
1500-1800 UT 9880 kHz Nanning 100 kW 200 deg
1500-1700 UT 9675 kHz Kashi 500 kW 298 deg
1500-1600 UT 6095 kHz Kashi 500 kW 269 deg
1500-1600 UT 7325 kHz Beijing 500 kW 193 deg
1500-1600 UT 7410 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 212 deg
1500-1600 UT 9525 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
1500-1600 UT 9720 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 270 deg
1500-1600 UT 9785 kHz Jinhua 500 kW 280 deg
1600-1800 UT 6175 kHz Nanning 100 kW 200 deg
1600-1800 UT 7235 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173 deg
1600-1800 UT 7255 kHz Kashi 500 kW 294 deg
1600-1800 UT 7435 kHz Jinhua 500 kW 255 deg
1600-1800 UT 9570 kHz Beijing 500 kW 257 deg
1600-1700 UT 6060 kHz Kunming 150 kW 163 deg
1600-1700 UT 7420 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 270 deg
1600-1700 UT 9875 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
1700-1900 UT 6100 kHz Beijing 500 kW 318 deg
1700-1800 UT 6090 kHz Kunming 150 kW 163 deg
1700-1800 UT 6140 7410 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173/174 deg
1700-1800 UT 6165 kHz Beijing 500 kW 288 deg
1700-1800 UT 7420 kHz Kunming 150 kW 191 deg
1800-1900 UT 7210 kHz Beijing 500 kW 318 deg
1900-2100 UT 7295 kHz Urumqi 500 kW 270 deg
1900-2000 UT 9440 kHz Kunming 500 kW 283 deg
2000-2200 UT 7285 kHz Xian 500 kW 317 deg
2000-2200 UT 7415 9600 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
2000-2100 UT 5985 kHz Beijing 500 kW 257 deg
2000-2100 UT 9440 kHz Kunming 500 kW 300 deg
2100-2200 UT 7205 kHz Xian 500 kW 252 deg
2100-2200 UT 7325 kHz Beijing 500 kW 257 deg
2200-2300 UT 5915 kHz Beijing 150 kW 95 deg
2300-2400 UT 6145 kHz Beijing 150 kW 95 deg
2300-2400 UT 7350 kHz Kashi 500 kW 308 deg
2300-2400 UT 9535 kHz Kunming 100 kW 122 deg
2300-2400 UT 11790 kHz Xian 500 kW 190 deg
2300-2400 UT 7410 13800 kHz Kashi 100 kW 173/174 deg
(Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Kurier Weltschau / Bieners DX Digest Nov 10)
(WWDXC-Top nx 1597/12 Nov 2024)
Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, revised November programming
Uncle Bill's Melting Pot broadcast on the third Saturday of each month
Uncle Bill's
Melting Pot: the third Saturday of each month
Uncle
Bill's Melting Pot, November 16, 2024
This
month, we will feature music from São Tomé and Príncipe with a side helping of
something involving turkeys.
Times
& Frequencies are:
0400-0500
UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards eastern North America but usable in parts of
Europe and Eurasia
1700-1800
UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Europe and parts of
Eurasia
REVISED
11/5: 2200-2300 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
William
"Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford
Productions, LLC
Upcoming programming from Radio Sound of Africa
With its unique format of different styles of music from all over Africa, Radio Sound of Africa will be on the air 16 and 17 November weekend, from 1900-2000 UTC and 2000-200 UTC on 7395 kHz.
Reception reports are welcome at this e-mail address: radiosoundofafrica@gmail.com
Regards
Radio Sound of Africa (Hard Core DX)
Monday, November 11, 2024
Belgian broadcasting nostalgia
BELGIUM: October 24, 2009, Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (Radio Flanders internationaal) ended its short broadcasts.
The beginning of Belgian short-air programs date back to 1923: The "Bel Radio" station of the Régie des Telegraphhes et des Telephones in Ruysselede, broadcast news bulletins, in Morse and Phony, to the Belgian Congo. Broadcasting became regular in 1934: a news bulletin in French and one in Dutch was broadcast daily until the German invasion of 1940.
During the war, the Belgian government in exile wants to develop a broadcasting station in Leopoldville. The Americans offered 1 50 kW short wave transmitter. This is the beginning of the O.R.N.B.: the Belgian National Broadcasting Office, dependent on the Belgian government in exile in London.
After the war, two 50KW transmitters in Leopoldville were used by the INR's global service under the names "Belgium Calling The World" and "La Voix de la Concorde".
In 1952, "La vix de la Concorde" was repatriated to Brussels and broadcasts from the Wavre transmitter center. The new center has 2 100 kW Brown-Boveri transmitters and a 20 kW Telefunken transmitter. The network of antenna allows broadcasting to Congo, Southern Europe and Northern Europe, the Far East, North and South America. Broadcasting to South America and North America continues, however, to be broadcasted by the former 50 kW transmitters of Leopoldville.
In 1953, after being called "The Voice of Concorde" the global broadcasts would be named "The Voice of Friendship - De Vriendschapbode - The International Goodwill Station".
1960: INR/NIR gives way to RTB/BRT. The RTB/BRT is divided into 2 Institutes: one French-speaking, the other Dutch-speaking. Technical services and global broadcasting are connected and form a third institute: the Institute of Common Services.
In 1969: World emissions recovered, from RTT, an additional transmitter: a 50 kW Thomson-CSF at Vapotron and in 1972, two 250 kW transmitters were installed to replace the 20 and 50 kW ones.
1977, following the federalization of Belgium,
the cededed RTB is placed at the RTBF and the BRT at the VRT.
On the side of global broadcasting, "La Voix de l'Amitié" changes its name to "Radio 4 International" and "De Vriendschapbode" becomes "Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal".
1992: RTBF stops broadcasting and Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal uses the 4 Wavre transmitters (2 x 100 KW and 2 x 250 KW) and broadcasted in Dutch, French, Spanish, English and German.
In 2001 Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal stopped using Wavre's short-wave transmitters. It was more interesting to rent airtime in other transmitter centers: Among its subcontractors: Krasnodar 250 kW, Samara 200 kW and Petropavlovsk 250 kW in Russia - Rampisham 500 kW and Skelton 250 kW in Great Britain - Meyerton 250 kW in South Africa - Dhabayya 250 kW in UAE - Bonaire 250 kW in Netherlands Antilles - Tashkent 100 kW in Uzbekistan and
July 100 kW in Germany.
In 2009, the short-wave broadcasts are stopped and Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal also stops its medium-wave transmitter, which was broadcasting at 1512 kHz (600 kW) since Wolvertem. RVI programs are then broadcasted by the transmitter of Wavre on 927khz.
2011: Radio Flanders International with the key sous le paillasson. All service is canceled.
(Radio Magazine/24Oct 2024)
The Radio History of Goa, India
Special thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing the interesting story on broadcasting from Goa.
Jeff: When our Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Adrian Peterson, was based at AWR Asia in Pune, India, he became quite familiar with the former Portuguese enclave of Goa on the west coast of India, about 200 miles to the south. He says it’s a fascinating place to visit, with miles of wide ocean beaches, varied coastal and inland scenery, and tropical and sub-tropical fruits. To this day, Goa still exudes a subtle evidence of its earlier European culture, with Latin style church architecture, European style of dress, Portuguese Konkani music, and the occasional usage of the Portuguese language. Adrian visited Goa on many occasions and has jogged its entire 65 mile coastline. Here’s Ray Robinson in Los Angeles with the interesting story of how radio broadcasting developed in that unusual territory.
Ray: Thanks, Jeff. Goa is now the smallest Indian state, located about halfway down the west coast of the sub-continent. It has a total land area of just 1500 square miles – about one and half times the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Portugal first colonized the area in 1498, when Vasco da Gama reached nearby Calicut on the Malabar coast, and over the ensuing years, more than 20 small Portuguese colonies were established, of which Goa was the largest and most important.
During the 2 nd World War, Portugal remained neutral, and thus Goa also was a neutral territory, surrounded by British India. (What could possibly go wrong, right?) Well, during the war, three German trading vessels took shelter in the harbor at Mormugao. Then in 1943, one of them was sunk by British forces because it was determined that a radio transmitter on board the vessel was alerting German submarines lurking nearby to the movement of British shipping.
India gained independence from the United Kingdom after the war in 1947, and after the new constitution was adopted in January 1950 establishing the Republic of India, representations were made to the Portuguese government about releasing their colonies on the subcontinent also, in order for them to be incorporated into the Indian Union. Several requests were made throughout the 1950’s, but all were rebuffed by Lisbon.
It was during the post-war period that the first radio broadcasting stations were set up in Goa. Cable communication had been established between Goa and Portugal as early as 1938, via Cable & Wireless in Bombay. Eight years later in 1946, the resident engineer for the cable company in Goa, Victor Carvalho, gave technical assistance to a newly formed Radio Clube, and a new private radio broadcasting service was instituted with the use of a small amateur transmitter donated by Jose Ferreira. Across the water in Lourenço Marques in Portuguese Mozambique, another Radio Clube had been established in 1935 – Radio Clube de Mozambique, with the primary purpose of broadcasting in English to South Africa. But this Radio Clube, in Goa, mostly broadcast in Portuguese and the local
Konkani language.
The date of the first radio transmission from this new station was May 28, 1946, and the territorial Governor-General issued a postage stamp on the same day to commemorate the event. It’s said that the first improvised microphone was encased in a coconut shell. (I wonder if that improved the acoustics?) Two years later, in 1948, a more substantial radio broadcasting station was erected with the studios and transmitter co-sited on the rise of a hill at Altinho overlooking the capital city, which under the Portuguese administration was called Panjim. The name for this new service was Emissora de Goa. The transmitter was a 500 watt shortwave unit manufactured by the American Federal Telephone & Radio Corporation of Clifton, New Jersey in the United States, and it was fed into a locally-
made power amplifier which raised the output power to the aerial to 1 kW.
The original channel was 7230 kHz in the 41 meter band, though soon afterwards, the operating frequency was moved to the more familiar 9610 kHz in the 31 meter band. This station was widely reported in several countries of Europe, as well as in the United States and the South Pacific, and numerous QSL letters and cards were issued in confirmation of listener reception reports. In 1950, a medium wave transmitter was installed at the studio location and this operated with 2.5 kW on 557 kHz. At that stage also, regular callsigns were introduced and assigned to this radio broadcasting service by the authorities in Lisbon. The call for the medium wave outlet was listed as CR8AA, and the shortwave outlet was identified as CR8AB. You may recall that Radio Clube de Moçambique had previously been assigned CR7AA, so these new call signs were presumably the next in the series.
In 1952, four years after the station was launched at Altinho, a second transmitter site was constructed three miles south at a more rural location known as Bambolim. The first transmitter installed there was a shortwave unit rated at 7.5 kW. Seven years later, a 10 kW shortwave transmitter was also installed at this location, as well as two medium wave transmitters rated at 5 and 10 kW. While programming on Emissora de Goa was mainly in Portuguese, there was at least one English program, because the Seventh Day Adventist church began a regular series of broadcasts on this station – their first in Asia. The program was the "Voice of Prophecy", recorded by the illustrious Dr. H. M. S. Richards in California.
Programs were supplied on large 18 inch discs, and they were on the air each
Sunday for half an hour. "Voice of Prophecy" was the first syndicated Christian religious broadcast from Emissora de Goa, and it was carried by CR8AA with 2.5 kW on 557 kHz, and CR8AB with 1 kW on 9610 kHz. The first broadcast of this program took place on Sunday, April 30, 1950, and it was on the air for coverage into India on and off throughout the period from 1950-1954. After that, the broadcasts were switched to the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon in Colombo.
But, trouble was brewing for Portuguese Goa, and on Monday December 18, 1961, Emissora de Goa left the air abruptly at 8:00 am. Tired of being rebuffed by Portugal, the Indian government launched an air force bombing raid against Goa. The station at Bambolim was attacked, and an aerial photograph shows the whole facility burning furiously. Goa was taken over the next day, Tuesday December 19, 1961, and the process began to annex the territory and absorb it into the independent nation of India. At the time of the takeover, Emissora de Goa had been on the air with a total of six transmitters – 1 MW and 2 FM at the original Altinho site, and another MW plus 2 SW at Bambolim.
The small capital city of Panjim was then renamed Panaji in the local Konkani language. Work commenced immediately on the restoration of the radio broadcasting stations. No damage had been done to the studio facility at Altinho, though at least one of the transmitter buildings at Bambolim had suffered a massive fire.
Amazingly, just three weeks later, at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, January 10, 1962, Emissora de Goa was reactivated under All India Radio using a temporary low-power transmitter on 880 kHz. A speech was broadcast from the new military governor, Major General K. P. Candeth. Curiously, the station slogan, remained in use as the local identification announcement for more than another four years. Then, on October 12, 1966, the Portuguese "Emissora" identification was finally dropped, and the station announcement was changed to All India Radio, Panaji.
Eventually, the 50 kW shortwave transmitter at Bambolim was reactivated for the broadcast of the General Overseas Service of All India Radio in the Konkani language, beamed towards Africa. This service was on the air at 1815 UTC on 11780 kHz and the programming included news, folk dramas, request songs, and other feature programs. External Service programming in the Konkani language had been on the air previously from this transmitter under Emissora de Goa, and it would appear that the revived Konkani programming was indeed coming from Goa itself. On May 22, 1969, a new 10 kW medium wave transmitter tuned to 880 kHz was inaugurated at Bambolim; and since then, additional medium wave, FM and TV transmitters were installed in Goa, but not for any revived local shortwave service.
The studio building was renovated and enlarged, and then more recently, new studio buildings were erected. In 1992, All India Radio built a large high-powered shortwave station for General Overseas Service programming at Bambolim, adjacent to the old transmitter facilityof Emissora de Goa. Two 250 kW transmitters and a new antenna farm were installed, to facilitate broadcasts to foreign countries to the northwest, northeast and southeast.
The first test transmissions were heard in November 1994 on 4775 kHz, and by February 1995 the transmitters were on a regular schedule, which included the relay of programming from the local medium wave station in Panaji which by then was on 1287 kHz.
On Adrian Peterson’s last visit to Goa some years ago, he found that the studios and offices on the hill overlooking Panaji had been rebuilt twice and were in use by All India Radio, now Akashvani. The newer shortwave base at Bambolim with two 250 kW transmitters was at that time still being used for the AIR General Overseas Service. But all that was left of the old Emissora de Goa transmitter buildings was some wreckage, completely overgrown by grass and other vegetation.
The 2024 World Radio TV Handbook does still show two medium wave transmitters on the air in Goa, the Akashvani Vividh Bharati channel with 20 kW on 828 kHz, and Akashvani’s ‘Panaji A’ service with 100 kW on 1287 kHz, in both analog and DRM modes. The latter is also carried in parallel with 10 kW on 101.1 FM, along with a ‘Panaji B’ service with 6 kW on 105.4 FM. Private FM stations listed in Goa currently include:
Radio Indigo on 91.9, and
Big FM on 92.7.
There are no longer any shortwave transmitters in Goa, nor any External Service broadcasts in the Konkani language.
Back to you, Jeff.
(Wavescan 11/10/2024)
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