Welcome to February 24th, where most places its just Tuesday - but in New Orleans it's Mardi Gras Day, also known as Fat Tuesday. No one does this crazy day of wildness quite like New Orleans. WWL AM 870 will keep you up to date at www.wwl.com/ Check out the craziness also at http://www.nola.com/ and http://www.mardigras.com/ with live Mardi Gras parades, updates and more.On this special day, here's the latest "bytes" from the world of shortwave radio! Laissez le bon temp rouler !!
Gayle Van Horn
All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on sign-off*
Adventist World Radio QSLs11780 Adventist World Radio via Wertachtal, Germany. Full data E-QSL received after several attempts. Reply in seven months total for an initial email report to: QSL-Shortwave@media-broadcast.com Veri signer Michael Puetz. (Edward Kusalik, Canada)
All India Radio launches first digital radio transmission
From Delhi in shortwave band using DRM Technology on Jan 16 for the following services:
9950 GOS-IV 1745-1945 UK and WEST EUROPE
9950 HINDI 1945-2045 UK and WEST EUROPE
9950 GOS-V 2045-2230 UK and WEST EUROPE
6100 VIVIDH BHARATI SERVICE 1430-1730 800 Km. radius (Approx.) (AIR Website via Gupta) (DX Window # 371)
Australian DX Report # 139 available for download
The latest episode, No. 139, of the Australian DX Report, a weekly audio news magazine with news and information about shortwave broadcasting, from an Australian perspective, is now available.
It's 14 mins 32 secs, and may be downloaded from
http://airm.edxp.org
The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly (streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embedded mini-player. Podcasts, iTunes capability, full RSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.
The ADXR is compiled from the resources of the Electronic DX Press Radio Monitoring Association.
Your comments and feedback are particularly important!
You can also hear the episodes on-air, via WWCR Nashville, every Sunday at 0300-0315 on 5070 and on Mondays 1245-1300 on 15825. The WWCR release is also available as streaming-audio, live, from http://wwcr.com
Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 139!
Bob Padula,
Melbourne
BBC's secret war with with offshore radio stations
They are now fondly remembered for helping kickstart the swinging Sixties and revolutionising the airwaves forever. But the fear that the arrival of offshore pirate radio stations drove into the broadcasting establishment has only now become clear. Previously unseen documents from the BBC archives disclose how the corporation was so alarmed at the rise of the stations that it launched a secret “dirty tricks” campaign to have them shut down.
Related story from Telegraph .co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/4741298/BBCs-secret-war-with-the-pirates.html
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Brazil on 9819.47
Radio Nove de Julho, Sao Paulo, 9819.47. Spanish at 1330-1335 on Feb 21, Portuguese, ID & announcement as; "A Radio Nove da Julho, emissora catolica...". Time check to program conducted by male/female duo. SINPO 34433. (Arnaldo Slaen-ARG, DXplorer Feb 21/BC-DX #900)
Canada's CHU QSLs in four hours7850 CHU E-QSL from reception report replied in four hours.
"Thank you for the reception report from Deutschland.
A QSL card will be sent to you soon."
Regards, Raymond Pelletier
(DX Window)
Canada's CHU contact address
Government of Canada, Frequency and Time Institute for National Measurement Standards National Research Council Canada M-36, Room 1026, 1200 Montreal Road Ottawa, Canada K1A 0R6 Tel: (613) 993-3430 Fax: (613) 952-1394 raymond.pelletier@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca (Friedrich-Walter Adam-D, A-DX Feb 19/BC-DX # 900)
China's CRI Newsradio now also on shortwave
My colleague Ehard Goddijn reports that China’s CRI Newsradio is now broadcasting on shortwave. Noted on 11790 and 9665 kHz at 1300 UTC with English ID and programming in Chinese in parallel with the Internet audio stream. These shortwave frequencies are not listed in ILG/HFCC B08. The station also broadcasts on satellite. Related story: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/china-radio-international-launches-new-domestic-fm-channel . (R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Clandestine to Ethiopia
9695 \\ 11760 Voice of the Oromo Liberation targeted to Ethiopia, via Wertachtal, Germany. Audible 1617-1659* Feb 1. Program of commentary and interview and talks about situation in Ethiopia, Horn of Africa musical breaks, off with Horn of Africa musical interlude at 1659 after closing notes by female speaker in Oromo language. Frequency 9695 kHz was stronger but prone to het whistle with 11760 kHz better audio.(Edward Kusalik, Canada/DXplorer Feb 15/BC-DX #900)
Clandestine - Open Radio for North Korea contact address
Station broadcast in Korean on 7390 kHz.
Open Radio for North Korea
P.O.Box 158
Mapo, Seoul, 121-600
Republic of Korea
Clandestine - Free Radio for North Korea feedback
7585, Free North Korea, via Uzbekistan. No data thank you letter with history of their station and the movement via email in 64 days for email report in English. Veri signer, Min Jae Oh, mjoh6701@naver.com . Text of letter is below:
"Dear Albert Muick,
Thank you so much for your kind and detailed reception report. Please have all our staffs thanks and appreciation!
Free North Korea Radio is a non-profit organization which is consisted of NK defectors and has been devoted for the dissemination of the idea of freedom and democracy to North Koreans who are deprived of basic human rights, and to raise awareness of the North Korean human rights situation in South Korea and the international community.
FNKR started its internet broadcasting toward North Koreans at December, 2003 and now expanded its activity to shortwave radio broadcasting for 5 hours per day. FNK Network is consisted of "Free NK Radio" which delivers democracy and latest news from the world, "NK Information Center" which provides NK related confidential information, "NK defectors Rescue Center" which is committed to rescue the NK defectors from repatriation to NK and "Voice of Freedom Radio" which delivers Gospel to NK people. FNKR will continue to encourage North Korean people to establish for themselves a democratic, sovereign and liberal government. And in order to achieve this historical goal, FNK Network will strive to broadcast more influential, relevant and practical programs and to provide NK's hidden truth as well. Many thanks again. With Best Regards, Min Jae Oh mjoh6701@naver.com ". (Muick, Feb 10/DX Window # 371)
Greenland in the clear3815, KNR, Tasiilaq, 2042-2047, Jan 27. Talk, very weak, 15321. (Mille). Also a seldom catch at 2125-2135, Feb 16, announcer in Greenlandic, songs, 2130 KNR news jingle and news. SINPO 24322. QRM female netcall from Russian airports *2127-2128*. (Petersen/DX Window 371)
Greenland logging using a Web receiver in the United Kingdom
Greenland 3815USB, Kalaalit Nunaata Radio 2115-2130. Non stop unrecognizable pop music to 2130. Announcer with five words with separation between each, quite probably a countdown. Musical fanfare signature, then male announcer with presumed news in Kalaallisut(?) or similar Inuit language. Sound very much like Quechua!! 2142 same fanfare as outro, then PSA by woman annnouncer then male announcers, 2143-2144 brief feature intro then male announcer in presumed Kalaallisut. What sounded like another feature from 2145-2154 presented by male announcer. Long pop song with vocals 2154-2159. Then the same canned public service announcement by woman announcer in presumed Kalaallisut. Announcer then heard in English as earlier at 2142 with the English portion sounding like "?? for fighting the ?? people.example.programs ?? open to you. You can enter your.". 2159 countdown by woman again ending with tone denoting top of the hour, then same fanfare and woman announcer with apparent news to at least 2205. Signal poor to fair but clear. Heard on a Bedfordshire, UK Web receiver. (21 Feb.) (Dave Valko, PA/Cumre DX)
Honduras' HRMI log
3339.98 HRMI-Radio Misiones Interrnacional, 0815-0835, Feb 20, Spanish ballads to Spanish ID announcement at 0830 as "Radio Misiones Internacionales." Very good signal. (Brian Alexander, PA)
Iran IRIB contacts
IRIB - Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting contact:
sw@irib.com Website: http://www.irib.com/
(BC-DX # 900)
Kuwait reactivates 11990
Radio Kuwait 11990 (reactivated). English service with Under the Umbrella of Islam program followed by pop music and rap music. Station ID at 1828 ID to frequencies announced as; " 963 kHz, 96.3 MHz and 11990 kHz for Europe and North America." Five plus one time pips at 1830 followed by ID and local time check as "7:30 PM Kuwait local time." Good signal, I checked for this during the week but unheard so not sure when it returned. Nice to have the English service back. (D'Angelo/DX Window # 371)
Myanmar on 5985.775985.77-.81v Myanma Radio. Randomly heard from 1318 to 1531, Feb 20. They have switched back to the transmitter I assume is located at Yagon, as opposed to the usual transmitter at this time from Nay Pyi Taw, which has a steady frequency of 5985.00 kHz. Yesterday after 1500, noted VOR (sounded to be in Turkish), with a much stronger signal than Myanmar, both on 5985.0 kHz. So do they hope for better reception being slightly off-frequency or are they just doing maintenance/repair work at Nay Pyi Taw? Noted a distinct drifting down in frequency. Was in vernacular till English at 1530. (Ron Howard, CA)
New broadcaster aims to awaken the Netherlands
The Telegraaf Media Groep (TMG), which publishes the populist newspaper De Telegraaf, is
planning to set up its own public broadcasting association. TMG hopes to go on air next
year under the name Wakker Nederland (Awake Netherlands). Andy Sennitt's feature article http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/media/090217-telegraaf-broadcasting
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Opposition radio, Voice of Asena also broadcast in Arabic
Radio Asena, known as Dimtsi Asena and Sewt Asena in Tigrigna and Arabic respectively, yesterday (Feb 20) aired successfully “the first ever Arabic broadcast to Eritrea by an independent opposition media” [According to Dave Kernick, that claim is not correct - see comments]. With that, Radio Asena has kept its promise and declared its objective of broadcasting to Eritrea in two languages, Mondays and Wednesdays in Tigrigna and Fridays in Arabic [1730-1800 UTC on 9610 kHz].
Related story at: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/eritrean-opposition-group-to-start-shortwave-broadcasts-on-16-february
Dave's comments:
Confirmed that this broadcast is brokered by TDP as it’s now appeared on TDP’s website schedule, so presumably it will be via the same 250 kW transmitter in Samara (Russia) as is used for other Eritrean and Ethiopian opposition broadcasts on that frequency.
(Source: Eritrea Daily/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Press freedom body to launch new radio station
Dave Kernick writes: Radio France International’s [RFI] “African Media” programme on 20 February featured a discussion about the new Eritrean opposition radio Voice of Asena. Concluding the programme, presenter Zeenat Hansrod asked Reporters Sans Frontieres [RSF] representative Leonard Vincent about his organization’s plan for a new radio station:
ZH: “Leonard Vincent, I understand that RSF will soon launch a radio station as well?”
LV: “Yes, we have a similar project. In fact, we’re going to try to be on Arabsat broadcasting satellite, radio made by journalists in exile.
ZH: “Then when will that project take place?”
LV: “Well, in the coming weeks, we intend to start broadcasting during, let’s say, in April”
TH: “Thank you Leonard Vincent from Reporters Without Borders in Paris”.
Reporters Sans Frontieres, known in English as Reporters Without Borders, is a Paris-based organization campaigning for press freedom.
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Voice of Asena QSLs
New opposition station via TDP - Voice of Asena from Feb. 16:
1730-1800 on 9610 SAM 250 kW 188 deg to EaAf Mon/Wed/Fri in Tigrinya
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 16)
I am happy to announce that I got a very nice, personal letter in English, confirming my reception of Voice of Asena on 9610 kHz on the 16th of February. The director and founder, Amanuel Eyasu, says that I was the first to send them feedback trough a detailed report. When you say "Asena" to a person it means "that you are happy about something", so I say
"Asena" to you all.
Website: http://www.assenna.com/
Email to the station: aseye.asena@googlemail.com
(Bjoern Fransson-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 17/BC-DX #900)
Polish Radio Warsaw - English schedule via Media BroadcastEffective to 29 March 2009
1300-1400 on 9450 WER 100 kW 300 deg to WeEu English
1800-1900 on 6015 WER 040 kW 300 deg to NoEu English DRM
1800-1900 on 7345 ISS 250 kW 025 deg to NoEu English
(BC-DX #900)
Radio Free Asia via Itanawila, Sri Lanka
9385 RFA/Iranawila. *1700-1730 Feb 15. Ststion identification as "This is Radio Free Asia..the following program is in Korean". Noted with interviews, English audio clips commentary and a report about Iranian and North Korean relations. (Edward Kusalik-Daysland-Alb-CAN, DXplorer Febr 16/BC-DX #900)
Russia's GTRK on 7320
GTRK Magadan; 0220-0300, 7320, Feb 03. Local to regional programming scheduled from 0210 to 0300, on weekdays only; in Russian. Observerd before 0230 phone numbers given and singing jingle. After 0230 many mentions of Magadan, sounded like an interview. Played Russian pop songs and ballads. Programa Radio Rossii at 300. Reception would have been fair except for a moderately strong heterodyne. Have not listened to Magadan in over a month, so assume this
heterodyne is a new development. I asked Mauno Ritola, if he could also hear this heterodyne
and asked for his opinion/ comments about it: "I can also hear the heterodyne, actually 600 Hz on both sides. It looks like it is separate from the Magadan transmitter, ..when I switch to another antenna, the strength of the side carriers change independently of Magadan audio and carrier. Hopefully it goes away." (Ron Howard, CA/DX Window # 371)
Solomon Islands on 9545.59541.5 Radio Happy Isles on Feb 22 with best signal heard yet, S 4 level. Signal good enough to detect a strong hum or other transmitter distortion on the frequency - couldn't tune it out by varying frequency. The signal was also good enough for me to record at 6 kHz bandwidth -
normally I don't exceed 5 kHz.
From 0849 UT tune, pop music to local commercials. Program announcements by woman in English, a couple of island music selections, more announcements by man/female. Drum interval signal at 0900, followed by English feature program. Drum interval signal again at 0916. After 0908 had some short periods of decreased power when a Chinese language station would dominate (Bruce Churchill, CA/Cumbre DX)
Uzbekistan frequency change
Suab Xaa Moo Zoo (Voice of Hope) in Hmong via VTC:
2330-0000 new frequency 5890 via tashkent 100 kW 131 degree to Southeast Asia (ex 7115)
(R Bulgaria DX Mix news, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX Top News Feb. 23/ DX Mix News # 561 wb, Germany)
WRTH free update on the internet
A reminder to our blog readers:
WRTH is pleased to announce an update file for the Winter (B08) International radio schedules is now available to download from: http://www.wrth.com/ . The file is a pdf file and will require the
free adobe acrobat reader, available from http://www.adobe.com/ . The file is 8 pages long and is approx 51kB in size.
Included in this file are updates for: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Benin, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Germany, Guam, India, Iran, Italy, Korea (Rep), Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and more. We hope you find this a useful accompaniment to the printed WRTH. (Gilbert, via DXplorer, Feb 03/DX Window # 371)
WYFR Family Radio Worldwide via Media Broadcast
English effective to 29 March 2009
1900-2200 on 9480 WER 500 kW 185 deg to WCAf English
2000-2100 on 9480 WER 500 kW 185 deg to WCAf English
2100-2200 on 9480 WER 500 kW 185 deg to WCAf English
(BC-DX #900)