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Friday, July 31, 2015

Atomic Radio



Over a lengthy period of time, the United States has conducted several hundred nuclear tests; high level and low level nuclear tests in the atmosphere and also at ground level, as well as underground and underwater tests.  It was back in the month of July 1946, 69 years ago, that the United States conducted a series of atomic tests over the islands of Bikini in the Marshall Islands, halfway between Hawaii and the Philippine Islands.  
            Bikini Atoll is made up of a score of small islets and this area was chosen due to its isolated location, as well as several other factors including very low human habitation.  The July 1946 tests were conducted under the code name Operation Crossroads which involved hundreds of ships and planes and thousands of personnel.  In fact, in preparation for the Bikini tests,  42,000 Americans swarmed around Bikini and nearby locations to make ready all of the circumstances associated with the experimental atomic explosions.
            In order to provide international news coverage for newspapers, TV and radio, a total of five American navy vessels were equipped with all sorts of electronic equipment that would enable live and recorded news to be forwarded across the Pacific to all parts of the world.
            The first of these five communication ships was the USS Appalachian which was launched at Kearny New Jersey on January 29, 1943.  This United States navy vessel saw service in the Pacific, and in 1946 it was appointed in charge of media coverage for the twin atomic explosions at Bikini Atoll.
            At the time of the Able Test, the first atomic detonation 520 feet above Bikini Atoll on July 1, the Appalachian was stationed in the open sea at a safe distance from the blast area.  At this stage, the Appalachian was using five different shortwave channels, though each was on the air with a quite low power output.  The callsign for this ship was NCLG.
            Because of the difficult shortwave coverage from NCLG at the time of the first test explosion, the Able Test on July 1, this ship was sent back to Honolulu where new higher powered transmitters were installed.  Thus, when the second detonation, Baker B Test, took place three weeks later on July 25, the USS Appalachian was now on the air with two transmitters at 600 watts and one at 350 watts, though this would still be considered to be inadequate for reliable relay coverage.  To compensate for this problem, the Spindle Eye NIGF was stationed at Honolulu on the day of the second detonation as a relay point between NCLG Appalachian at Bikini and the United States mainland.
            Just one year after these atomic tests, the Appalachian was decommissioned, and twelve years later again, it was sold for scrap.
            The second ship in todays program is the USS Mount McKinley, a navy vessel that was launched from Wilmington North Carolina on September 27, 1943.  Originally named the Cyclone, it was renamed Mount McKinley exactly three months later.
            This navy transport ship also saw service in the Pacific, and in 1946 she operated as a flagship in the Marshall Islands for Operation Crossroads.  A 350 watt transmitter with the callsign NICO was on the air with live voice broadcasts giving the progressive information about the atomic explosions at Bikini Atoll; in the air on July 1 and under water on July 25.  In addition, NICO was heard on another occasion with the broadcast of a live church service.
            At the end of an illustrious career spanning 34 years, during which she saw service in several different world areas, the Mount McKinley was sold for scrap in 1976.
            The third ship in our story today is the USS Panamint, which was also launched at Wilmington North Carolina on November 9, 1943, as the Northern Light.  Early in the New Year 1944, the Northern Light was acquired by the navy, it was converted at the Hoboken yards in New Jersey for use as a general communications vessel, and it was renamed the USS Panamint.  This ship also saw active service in the Pacific.
            In 1946, the Panamint was ordered to the Marshall Islands where she served as the floating headquarters for congressional, scientific and United Nations observers, several of whom made radio broadcasts from the ship as part of the media coverage for the atomic events.  This ship was on the air under the callsign NXHC.
            On the day of the second atomic test, the underwater Baker test on July 25, the details of the actual explosion were broadcast live by Clete Roberts over transmitter NXHC aboard the USS Panamint.   This live description was listed as part of the pool broadcast that was carried by all of the involved media, including the Voice of America.
            During the next year 1947, the Panamint was decommissioned from navy usage, and she was sold for scrap fourteen years later.
            The fourth radio ship that participated in the Crossroads atomic tests was the USS Blue Ridge which had been launched from the  shipyards at Kearny in New Jersey on March 7, 1943.  Later that same year, she left for a cruise in the South Pacific and she saw action during the American landings on the island of Leyte in the Philippines in October 1944. 
            The Blue Ridge, with the American navy callsign NTAE, also participated in radio communications at Bikini in July 1946.  Fourteen years later, she was struck from the naval records and sold for scrap.
            In our topic today, we now come to ship number 5, the USS Spindle Eye.  Plans for this new radio ship were developed during the year 1944, and it was originally intended for use during the projected invasion of Japan. 
            This new radio ship was laid down in the Kaiser shipyards at Richmond, near San Francisco in California, and it was launched with the unassuming name Spindle Eye on May 25, 1945.  The ship was nearly 340 feet long and 50 feet wide, with a total unladen weight of four thousand tons.
            Originally, the Spindle Eye was designed for use as an army cargo ship, but it was repurposed quite quickly and fitted out at the Todd shipyards in Seattle Washington with a bevy of electronic equipment.  Aboard this ship were two radio studios, six shortwave transmitters, eight antennas, and 112 typewriters.  Four of the shortwave transmitters were 3 kW units made by Wilcox, and the broadcast quality transmitter at 7½ kW was made by RCA at their Camden Factory in New Jersey. 
            The first series of test broadcasts from the Spindle Eye were made at the dockside shipyards in Seattle from the 7½ kW RCA transmitter during the first half of the month of September 1945.  Then, on September 19, after just 64 days of fitting out, the ship moved out across the Pacific, bound for Japan.
            The Spindle Eye arrived in Tokyo Harbor on October 15, and it took over the radio services previously carried by WVLC aboard the Apache which was still in the Philippines at the time.  The Spindle Eye was inspected by General Douglas MacArthur, after which it made a test tour in the waters of China and Korea.  It was reported that the electronics aboard the Spindle Eye were working well.
            On return to Japan just before Christmas, the Spindle Eye under the transferred callsign WVLC, began a series of broadcasts on behalf of the Voice of America and the American Armed Forces Radio Service.  In addition, news dispatches from the 1946 war crimes trials in Tokyo were relayed from the Spindle Eye to the United States for nationwide rebroadcast.
            Extensive plans were made for live radio coverage of the first detonation at Bikini which took place on July 1, 1946.  Ships, airplanes and land vehicles were staged at strategic locations on the Marshall Islands and in nearby waters.  A total of 150 radio transmitters and 300 receivers were in use for the co-ordination of the atomic detonation and for the broadcast of live news reports.  One of the major news reporters for the occasion was Oliver Read who was, at that time, editor of the American radio journal, Radio News, and he published three large articles in his magazine.
            The quite new Spindle Eye was given the task of co-ordinating all of the news transmissions from Operation Crossroads, including voice broadcasts, press dispatches and radio photos.  For this purpose, the Spindle Eye was located off the coast of Kwajalein Island and the callsign WVLC was replaced by the navy callsign NIGF.  The broadcasts from NIGF were beamed to RCA Bolinas in California and to Press Wireless Los Angeles, also in California, for onward relay.
            On Able-Day July 1, program broadcasts from NIGF Spindle Eye began at 3:30 am local time with live news reports to NBC and CBS in the United States.  At 9:00 am, the first atom bomb was dropped over Bikini Atoll from the air force B29 plane identified with the large tail marker B.  At this stage, two voice transmitters on the Spindle Eye were on the air in parallel with all of the live news reports, the 7½ kW RCA and a 2½ kW Wilcox.  Subsequently the Wilcox was diverted for the transmission of news photos which were received at the army station WTJ in Honolulu Hawaii and relayed onward to the army station in San Francisco WVY.
            However, in spite of the elaborate plans for extensive live news coverage from the atomic test areas, there were times when the voice relays were inferior and difficult to understand.  This was due to the fact that the shortwave transmitters aboard the several ships in the area were quite low in output power.
            Thus, when the underwater test, Baker, was conducted 3½ weeks later, the radio ship Spindle Eye was located at Honolulu, as a relay point between the atomic test sites in the Marshall Islands and the American mainland.   On July 25 for the underwater explosion, Spindle Eye NIGF received the shortwave reports from Bikini and relayed this programing on to RCA Bolinas and to Press Wireless Los Angeles for further distribution.
            After the twin atomic tests, the Spindle Eye returned to the Pacific coast of the United States and the usage of the transmitter as WVLC-NIGF came to an end at the end of the year 1946.  One year later, the Spindle Eye was renamed the Sgt Curtis F. Shoup" and it was in use in the Pacific and then later again in the Mediterranean.  The ship known as Spindle Eye and Sgt Curtis F. Shoup" was finally sold for scrap on May 9, 1973.
            During the two atomic test detonations at Bikini Atoll, July 1 and 25, 1946, many ships were involved in the broadcast arrangements for radio coverage and relay.  However, these five ships as noted in our program today were specifically designated as radio communication ships specifically for the events of Operation Crossroads :-
                        USS Spindle Eye                    NIGF               4 @ 3 kW & 1 @ 7½ kW
                        USS Appalachian                   NCLG              1 @ 350 watts & 2 @ 600 watts
                        USS Mount McKinley             NICO               1 @ 350 watts
                        USS Panamint                        NXHC             Low power
                        USS Blue Ridge                      NTAE              Low power
            It is known that a few QSL letters were issued for the WVLC-NIGF broadcasts, and the Voice of America also issued their regular QSLs confirming the relay of the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.  In addition, special QSL cards were printed to honor these atomic tests and these showed an artistic version of the sinking of a ship.
            A few listeners in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, received QSL letters in acknowledgement of their reception reports, though many listeners received the regular QSL card showing an artistic rendition of islands in the Pacific and a ship sinking nearby. 

 (AWR-Wavescan/335)

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Updates from Deutsche Welle



All times UTC

Test frequencies of Deutsche Welle from Aug.1 to Aug.3

0300-0330 on 15260 TRM 250 kW / 255 deg to EaAf Swahili
0400-0430 on 17800 TRM 250 kW / 255 deg to EaAf English
1000-1030 on 17740 TRM 250 kW / 255 deg to EaAf Swahili
1700-1730 on 17740 TRM 250 kW / 270 deg to NWAf French
1800-1300 on 17800 TRM 250 kW / 285 deg to WeAf Hausa

The following transmissions will be cancelled from Aug.1
0800-0830 on 15215 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs Pashto
0800-0830 on 17800 TRM 250 kW / 335 deg to WeAs Pashto
0830-0900 on 15215 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs Dari
0830-0900 on 17800 TRM 250 kW / 335 deg to WeAs Dari
(Ivanov SW Nx 29 Jul)

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Blog Logs

A sampling from hobbyist shortwave monitoring. Contributions are always welcome to the email address in the masthead. Share what your hearing with blog readers around the world.

All times UTC/ frequency in kHz (kilohertz) // parallel frequency
* Sign-on  / Sign-off *
English unless otherwise indicated

Logs edited for clarity

QSL (Gayle Van Horn Collection)
Angola
4949.9, Radio Nacional, Mulenvos, 2158-2205. Portuguese comments. Very weak, best on LSB, SINPO14321. (Manuel Méndez/DX Window 534) Station website: http://www.rna.ao/

Australia
2485, VL8K, Katherine, NT, 1156. Stevie Wonder song, 1158 promo for aboriginal radio and ID “ABC Local Radio”, SINPO 25342 // 2325 (poorer) 4835 (good). (Harold Sellers, BC Canada)

4835, VL8A, Alice Springs, NT // 9580 (RA) // 12065 (RA) // 12085 (RA), 0947 + 1113. "Grandstand" live coverage of the Crows vs Eagles. (Ron Howard). Also heard at 2120, ABC relay, SINPO 35333. (Giroletti) 4910, VL8T, Tenant Creek, NT, *2130-2137, English news, SINPO 24322 // 4835, 5025. (Méndez) 5025, VL8K, Katherine, NT, 2120-2136. English news, SINPO 24322 // 4835, 4910. (Giroletti and Méndez/DX Window 534)

Bolivia
3310.00, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 1045-1110. Quechua music program, at times the signal fades, ID not heard, at 1106 again audible, SINPO 33333. (Arrunátegui) Additional Bolivian's monitored as; 4699.9, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, 0002-0009. Spanish comments. Best on LSB, SINPO 14321. (Méndez)

5952.43, Radio Pio XII, Siglio XX, 2305-2340. Direct report from the visit of Pope Francisco in Bolivia, no ID heard, SINPO 44444. (Arrunátegui). Also heard at 0008-0020 with Spanish and Quechua comments. Best on LSB, SINPO 13321. (Méndez/DX Window 534)


VOA QSL (shortwavedx.blogspot)
Botswana
4930.00, 2040-2100* VOA  relay via Moepeng Hill.  English announcements with African dialect. Afro pops. VOA interval signal at 2100. SINPO 45333 // VOA, Pinheira 4940 (SINPO 45333) (Anker Peterson, Denmark/playdx)

Brazil
4865.00, R Verdes Florestas, Cruzeiro do Sul, AC, 1135-1205. Newscast and advertisements to ID as, “Radio Verdes Florestas." Additional ads and music. SINPO 44444 (Arrunátegui) 4885, Radio Clube do Para, Belém, PA, 0449-0512. Brazilian songs, Portuguesse comments, SINPO 24322. (Méndez). Also heard at 2150-2158. Portuguese talk by two men, SINPO 34433. (Denzel) 6120, Super Radio Deus é Amor, São Paulo, SP, 0459-0510. Portuguese religious comments, SINPO 14321 // 11765. (Méndez) 9664,60, Radio Voz Missionaria, Camboriú, SC, 2203-2212. Portuguese preaches with silent piano music, SINPO 34333. (Denzel) (DX Window 534) 4875.12, 0240-0250, Radio Difusora Roraima, Boa Vista in Portuguese. SINPO 25242 (Peterson/playdx)

 5964.98 Radio Transmundial 0815. Inspirational program with male host in Portuguese, ending with song at 0824. Heard 0829-0831 with many IDs and ID/promos, then back to music. Came back at 0857 and hrd ID/promo and long list of network stations. Rooster drowing at 0900 SFX and time check - // webstream which was :44 seconds behind. Improved slightly by 0835. About equal in strength to 6010.06 Inconfidencia. (Dave Valko, PA/Cumbre DX) Brazil's 6160.058 Radio Boa Vontade. Noticed a big het on 6160 at 0955, and was surprised to hear audio on 6160.058 when I tuned in and notched out CKZN. A block of canned anouncements definitely in Portuguese - some quite animated. At 0958 definite mention of “…Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil…” (a list of the network station locations QTHs??) followed by probably the full ID at 0959 but all I could copy was a mention of one of the freqs. Went into a long soft slow song at 1000 which sounded // the webstream. Had it IDed at around the 1003 peak, I could have copied it. The next song didn’t seem // to the webstream though. Unfortunately I didn’t find the right webstream until after 1000. Freq 11895.00 certainly sounded like Portuguese at around 1016. There was a signal on 9550.02 also, but couldn’t get any audio on it. Incidentally, the Boa Vontade website besides giving 9550 and 11895 for Porto Alegre gives the 49mb freq as 6610. (Valko/Cumbre DX)
(playdx)

Clandestine
11830, Dandal Kura Radio, 1755-1815. Ascension Islands relay by Babcock. Sign-on interval signal of bird sound effects. Announcer's Kanuri sign-on announcements.Programming of features and studio conversations, monitored to 1815. Additional clandestine stations noted as; Ictimai Radio 9677, 1807, unknown transmitter location. Announcer's Azeri text and Qur'an recitations to fanfare segment at 1817. Instrumental Middle Eastern music to additional program features. Radio Denge Kurdistan via Issoudun, France realy, 11600 at 1816-1835. Kurdish text to studio conversations and children's singing segment. Brief musical interlude


and mention of station at 1835 (Gayle Van Horn W4GVH/NC).

Clandestine
15315, VO Gospel/Sawtu Linjilia, 1840-1852. Issoudun, France relay. Fulfulge service with reading of text, fanfare music to announcer's trading program segments and program promo . Voice-overs. African highlife musical vocals and announcer's intro's for African tribal music. Script segments presumed for religious service. Programming abruptly off as two announcer's chat at 1852. Additional clandestine station, Voice of Wilderness via Uzbekistan relay noted on 7375, 1900-1925. Korean sign-on at 1900 with I.D. format and "hello", followed by station info and Korean musical vocals. Music and talk portions continued throughout monitoring to 1925 (Van Horn).

Ethiopia
5950, Voice of Tigray Revolution, Geja Jewe, 1654. Tigrigna. (Ivanov). Also heard at 1825-1845 with vernacular comments and East African songs, SINPO 14321. (Méndez) 6030, Radio Oromiya, Geja Jewe, 1656. Oromo. (Ivanov). Also heard at 1806-1835 with East African songs, SINPO 24322. (Méndez) 6090, Voice of Amhara State, Geja Jewe, 1658 in Amharic. (Ivanov). Also heard at 1827-1850 in vernacular comments, SINPO 24232. (Méndez) 6110, Radio Fana, Addis Ababa, 1700. Amharic. (Ivanov). Also heard at 1754-1808 featuring East African songs to vernacular comments. SINPO 24322. (Méndez/DX WIndow 534)

AIR QSL (Gayle Van Horn Collection)
India
9575 All India Radio, Bengaluru, 1213. Tone signal and beginning of station's interval signal. Sign-on 1215-station listed as Tibetan service. Poor signal noted (Sellers). AIR Chinese moved to 11845 kHz. AIR External Service in Chinese has changed to 11845 kHz from 11855 kHz at 1145-1315 UT. The China mainland Jammers have not yet noticed the new frequency. (Now they will!) (Jose Jacob/IND VU2JOS, DXindia/WWDXC Top Nx 1216)

11740, All India Radio, Dari service 1315-1400 with program features, ID and newscast. Indian music program from 1347-1403. Station information to 1408. Additional India music vocals to 1413. Sign-off ID and routine 1415 (Rod Pearson, St Augustine, FL)

5050 AIR Aizawl. Brief check at 1230 with poor reception; in English underneath Beibu Bay Radio (China). Signal seemed \\ AIR Shillong on 4970 kHz. Recently noted Aizawl  active again. Nice! (Ron Howard, CA via wwdxc BC-DX TopNx 1216)

Radio Educacion QSL (Gayle Van Horn Collection)
Mexico
6185, Radio Educación, Mexico D. F., 0107-0125. , Jul 08, IDs and several mentions of Mexico, discussion program in Spanish featuring various men from remote locations discussing topics of interest. Fair signal. (D’Angelo). Also heard at 0453-0612 with classical music, ID at 0600 - "Radio Educación 1060 AM, Radio Educación, la radio cultural de Mexico". Habitual sign off at 0500. Closed today more than one hour later. SINPO 24322. Also 0450-0522 * Classical music, anthem at 0500, ID at 0502 and "Noticias de Radio Francia Internacional, noticiero de RFI". Cut off abruptly at 0522, 24322.(Méndez/DX Window 534)

Morocco
9575, & 171 kHz Radio Medi 1, 0120. Musical pop dance program. SINPO 45444 - SINPO on 171 kHz SINPO 25222. (Daniel Wyllyans, Nova Xavantina MT Brazil/HCDX) No sign of Radio
Medi I on 9575 checks at 1300-1500 on 28 Jul (Van Horn).

Romania
11800, 0208 Radio Romania Int'l (Tiganesti). Spanish service with newscast and program "Cluc Cultura". Invitation to listeners for the RRI  Contest. SINPO 55444. Parallel log on 11945kHz Galbeni,SINPO 45433. (Jota Xavier/HCDX) Closing minutes of Chinese service 17860 kHz - 1320-1326 (Van Horn).

BSKSA QSL (Gayle Van Horn Collection)
Saudi Arabia
9714.920 BSKSA. Prayer program observed onnce more from BSKSA Riyadh, seemingly of Ramadan festivity program. At 0748 UT, S=5-6 poor signal of this non-directional
northeast Middle East target signal, well above threshold level heard here in southern Germany. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNx 1216)

Solomon Islands
5020, S.I.B.C. at 1137. Pop music, lady announcer's Tok Pisin announcements. At 1139 an English-language report from the Pacific Games in Port Moresby
about a gold medal in women’s 5000 meters race. SINPO 35333. Listened periodically after 1200; at 1205 open carrier, at 1218 Wantok FM with Bee Gees song. At 1231 observed open carrier, followed at 1241 islands music. Signal fair-good (Sellers, Canada)

9545.0, SIBC, Honiara, 0502-0620. Anomaly, instead of closing down at 0500, continued on with news in English, 0530, in Pijin. Pacific Island pop songs, 0600 into pop hit songs (Elton John "Crocodile Rock"). Started out at threshold level and after an hour almost fair. Heading for 24 hour broadcast? On Jul 18 not on the normal 5020.0 at 1157 for the usual "evening devotional," but instead on 9545; ID and national anthem till 1201, followed by open carrier. By 1236 able to confirm pop songs, so Wantok FM relay. Heavy adjacent interference - 5020.0 silent. (Howard). Also heard via remote receiver in Brisbane, Queensland, at 1820, Jul 18, light pop singer music, S=7-9 signal, slight QRM of adjacent 9540 RRI Bucharest from Tiganesti in German, S=7-8 signal level; nothing on empty silent 5020. (Bueschel/DX WIndow 534)

Somalia
13800, Weak signal of Puntland Radio One after 1500 UT time slot - GRW 20 kW non-dir to East Africa Somali CUSB. (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria/HCDX via wwdxc BC-DX TopNx 1216)

Tajikistan
4765.06, Tajik Radio 1, Yangiyul, 2335-2345. Announcer duo's chat in Tajik about Belarus with short musical interludes. SINPO 45333. (Petersen/DX WIndow 534)


VO Turkey QSL (Gayle VanHorn Collection)
Turkey
09465, Voice of Turkey 0219. Uyghur service. Announcr's talk and presumed newscast. SINPO 35432 (Xavier/HCDX) Instrumnetal Turkish music prior to Kazakh service sign-on at 1330 on 11880. Station announcements to newscast. Russian service noted on 11965 at 1335. Russian music introduced program feature. SIO 434. Turkish service noted on 9840 at 1335-1345 (Van Horn).



Voice of Nigeria, Radio Deutsche Welle Pledge Better Corporation


http://dailytimes.com.ng/voice-nigeria-radio-deutsche-welle-pledge-better-corporation/
 
Nigeria’s international radio broadcast organisation, the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and its German equivalent, Radio Deutsche Welle (DW), over the weekend agreed to strengthen their existing bilateral relationship with the objective of promoting socio- economic advancement of Nigeria and Germany.

This followed a high-level meeting between the two Corporations which took place over the weekend at the Broadcasting House, Ikoyi Lagos station VON.

In his remark, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Sam O. Worlu said the meeting became necessary in order to review existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two international radio networks which was signed sixteen years ago and reviewed last in 2006. Such a review, he said, would ensure that all elements of the MoU are made effective, so as to engender maximum benefits to the two organisations.

While praising Radio Deutsche Welle for its effective service delivery as well as rich news and programmes content, Worlu said VON is looking forward to acquiring technical assistance and training of its staff, to enhance its online service, among other needs. He announced that VON would soon re-start its German program which was closed down when Germany was divided into two different countries.

Responding, the Director General of Radio Deutsche Welle, Mr. Peter Limbourg applauded the improvement of VON service especially its recent compliance with the demands of the new media, saying that reaching young people in Germany is being made easier by the online services of VON.
According to Limbourg, Nigeria is a country with huge potentials and a destination for investment and tourism and therefore described the partnership with VON as being of immense benefit to his organisation, agreeing that there was the need to review the MoU in order to activate areas that are yet to be exploited for mutual benefits of the two organisations.

Among those in Limbourg’s delegation are Klaus Bergmann, Director International Relations, Claus Stäcker, Head of Africa Programs, Sevan Ibrahim-Sauer, Head of Distribution Africa and Thomas Mösch, Head of Hausa Service while Mr. Sam Worlu was joined by Yusuf A. Yusuf, Executive Director Programs, Suleiman Ahazia, Executive Director News and other top management officers of VON in receiving the German visitors.

Highlights of the meeting was the exchange of gifts by the two Directors General, with Worlu presenting Talking Drum to Limbourg, saying it was a historical but still relevant information and entertainment medium used in many Nigerian communities and across Africa.
(Jose Miguel Romero Romero/playdx)

Monday, July 27, 2015

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins



Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2015 Jul 27 0117 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 20 - 26 July 2015

Solar activity reached low levels this period. Region 2389 (S11, L=164, class/area=Dai/80 on 25 Jul) produced three low-level C-class flares throughout the period which were the largest observed events. Region 2389 produced a C1 flare at 24/0315 UTC, a C2/Sf flare at 24/1444 UTC, and a C1 flare at 26/1234 UTC but none of these events resulted in coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that were Earth-directed. Region 2390 (S15, L=198, class/area=Dac/130 on 26 Jul) underwent moderate penumbral development and increased in magnetic complexity late in the period, but remained largely unproductive. NNo Earth-directed CMEs were detected in SOHO/LASCO coronagraph imagery throughout the period. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 20, 26 Jul with moderate levels observed on 21-22, and 24-25 Jul. The electron flux decreased to normal levels on 23 Jul in response to enhanced geomagnetic field activity attributed to a combination of CME and coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influence. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached active to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 23 Jul due to a combination of the arrival of the 19 Jul CME (filament eruption) and the onset of a weak positive polarity CH HSS. Active conditions were observed at 23/0300-0600 UTC and 23/1800-2100 UTC and G1 storm conditions were observed at 23/0600-0900 UTC. The geomagnetic field was at quiet or quiet to unsettled levels for the remainder of the period under an ambient solar wind environment followed by weak CH HSS influence. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 27 July - 22 August 2015

Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels throughout the period with a slight chance of M-class (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) flare activity between 28 Jul-10 Aug due to the return of Region 2381 (N14, L=074) which produced two M-class flares last rotation. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels on 29 Jul, 01, 07, and 17 Aug with high levels expected throughout the remainder of the period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 07 Aug with active levels expected on 29 Jul, 02, 08-09, and 19 Aug, all in response to the influence of recurrent CH HSS. Quiet to unsettled geomagnetic field activity is expected throughout the remainder of the period under an ambient solar wind environment. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2015 Jul 25 2151 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2015-07-20
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2015 Jul 20     100          10          4
2015 Jul 21     100           5          2
2015 Jul 22     105           5          2
2015 Jul 23     110          15          4
2015 Jul 24     105          10          4
2015 Jul 25     110           5          2
2015 Jul 26     110           5          2
2015 Jul 27     105           5          2
2015 Jul 28     110           5          2
2015 Jul 29     110           5          2
2015 Jul 30     110           5          2
2015 Jul 31     110          18          5
2015 Aug 01     115          25          5
2015 Aug 02     115          12          4
2015 Aug 03     115           5          2
2015 Aug 04     115           5          2
2015 Aug 05     110           5          2
2015 Aug 06     105          20          5
2015 Aug 07     100          25          5
2015 Aug 08     100          15          4
2015 Aug 09     100          10          4
2015 Aug 10      95           8          3
2015 Aug 11      95           5          2
2015 Aug 12      95           5          2
2015 Aug 13      95           5          2
2015 Aug 14      90           5          2
2015 Aug 15      85           5          2
(NOAA)

Sunday, July 26, 2015

LRA-36 Radio Nacional Arhangel San Gabriel plans return

QSL copy via: shortwavedx.blogspot.com)



LRA-36 Radio Nacional Arhangel San Gabriel will be back on air

Argentina

Effective: 27 July

LRA-36 Radio Nacional Arhangel San Gabriel will be back on air:
Spanish
1800-1900  15476 SGB 010 kW / 180 deg to SoAm Mon-Fri 
1900-2000  15476 SGB 010 kW / 180 deg to SoAm Mon-Fri  
2000-2100  15476 SGB 010 kW / 180 deg to SoAm Mon-Fri 
2100-2130  15476 SGB 010 kW / 180 deg to SoAm Mon-Fri 
(Ivanov SW Nx 23 Jul)