New schedules via Hamburger Lokalradio

Effective from: 30 January 2016

0700-0730 on  6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat Switzerland In Sound
0800-1100 on  6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu German  Sat Hamburger Lokalradio
1100-1200 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu German  Sat Hamburger Lokalradio
1200-1300 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat New letters
1300-1400 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat Making Contact
1400-1500 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Spanish Sat Radio Tropicana
1500-1530 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sat Media Network plus
1000-1100 on  9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu German  Sun Hamburger Lokalradio
1100-1200 on  9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu English Sun Radio Goethe
1200-1300 on  9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Spanish Sun Radio Tropicana
All previous Hamburger Lokalradio broadcasts on 6190/7265/9485CUSB are cancelled
0700-0900 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Eng/Ger Wed/Sat various programs
0900-1200 on  6190 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Eng/Ger Wed/Sat various programs
1200-1600 on  7265 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Eng/Ger Wed/Sat various programs
1200-1600 on  9485 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu Ger/Eng/Spa Sun various programs
(DX Bulgaria)

WBCQ Schedule Update

USA   New updated schedule WBCQ The Planet Monticello
Effective: 02 Feb 2016
All times UTC

2000-2100 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Tue
2100-2200 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Mon-Fri
2200-2300 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sun
2300-2400 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Mon-Fri Brother Stair
2300-2400 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sat/Sun
0000-0100 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Daily
0000-0100 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sun/Mon
0100-0200 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Fri/Sun/Mon
0100-0200 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Mon Brother Stair
0100-0200 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm Eng/Spa Tue From the Isle of  Music
0100-0200 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Wed-Sun
0100-0200 on  9330vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Daily The Full Gospel Hour
0200-0300 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Wed Amateur Roundtable
0200-0300 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Thu Brother Stair
0200-0300 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Fri/Sun/Mon
0200-0300 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Daily Brother Stair
0200-0300 on  9330vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Daily Word of Deliverance
0300-0400 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Thu Brother Stair
0300-0400 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sun/Mon
0300-0400 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Daily Brother Stair
0400-0500 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sun
0430-0500 on  5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Mon Hobart Radio Intl
0400-0500 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Mon-Sat
0400-0500 on  7490vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English Sun Brother Stair
7490v=7489.9 AM mode
5110v=5109.7 in CUSB
9330v=9330.3 in CUSB
(DX Bulgaria 28 Jan)

QOTW75 QSL of the Week: AWR New Caledonia

Back some twenty years ago, a few very fortunate international radio monitors were able to log the Adventist radio broadcasts from the RFO shortwave station located on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.  These broadcasts were not under the jurisdiction of Adventist World Radio, though they were produced in a studio that was also producing programs for broadcast over the AWR shortwave network. 

            South American listener, Antonio Riberio do Motta of Sao Luiz do Paraitinga in Brazil, heard one of these broadcasts and he submitted his report to the AWR studio in Poona India, and he was issued a courtesy QSL card that was signed by the wife of the studio director, Violet Peterson.  The QSL card showed a green map of the world, and it verified the reception of the French language AWR studio programming via a 20 kW transmitter on 7170 kHz in Noumea New Caledonia on November 8, 1984.  A truly rare QSL card. 

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 360)

The Early Wireless Scene on the Pacific Island of Guam

International communication came to Guam when the undersea cable linking San Francisco in California with Manila in the Philippines was completed more than one hundred years ago.  The underwater section from San Francisco to Honolulu was completed during the year 1902; and in 1903, the three sections linking Honolulu to Manila via Wake Island and Guam were completed by two cable ships, the Anglia and the Colonia.  The final cable junction with Guam was connected on June 5, 1903. 

            Initially, a temporary wooden shack housed the equipment for the cable terminal just off the beach at Sumay near Agana on the western coast of the island of Guam.  On July 4, 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt officially opened this new TransPacific cable system, and then on April 2 of the following year, a new and permanent cable house was taken into service.

            Running concurrently with the installation of this massively long cable system stretching for more than 8,000 miles across the almost empty Pacific Ocean was the development of a United States naval wireless system on the island of Guam itself.  Construction work on this new navy wireless station, which was installed on Mt. Macajna some two miles south west of the island capital Agana, began during the year 1904.

            The two wireless masts were imported into Guam, as was all of the electrical equipment, including a 3 kW spark transmitter and an electricity generator powered by a kerosene engine.  This new wireless station, under the American navy callsign NPN, was taken into service on January 26, 1906 and it served as an intermediate communication link between Honolulu in Hawaii and Manilla in the Philippines.

            Subsequently, a 5 kW German Telefunken transmitter was installed at Mt. Macajna, though in 1914 this was swapped for a 2 kW unit from Cavite in the Philippines in an attempt to obtain direct transmission between the Philippines and the American mainland.  Usage of this transmitter location at Mt Macajna was phased out around the end of World War 1.

             In 1917, a new naval wireless station was constructed on Nimitz Hill, at Asan a little south of Agana.  In earlier times, Nimitz Hill was known as Fonte Plateau, and subsequently as ComMar Hill. 

            This large new station was planned to accommodate two spark transmitters at 100 kW each, though initially only one at 30 kW was installed.  Two towers standing at 600 feet were raised for the antenna system.  The control point for this station was also at Nimitz Hill, and the on air signal from this wireless station was described as wideband and scratchy.

            In 1929, another new naval radio station was constructed at Libugon, a couple of miles inland from Nimitz Hill.  Initially, this station held three spark transmitters, two at 100 kW and one at 30 kW, though soon afterwards, additional regular shortwave and mediumwave transmitters were installed.

            However three years later, all of the transmitters were removed from Libugon and re-installed in an annex building on Nimitz Hill.  At this stage, a Radio Intercept facility was transferred from an isolated inland location to Libugon, and the tall towers were replaced by sloping V antennas.  This Intercept Station, identified as Station Baker B, was in use for monitoring all forms of Japanese radio transmissions during the era that led up to the beginning of the Pacific War.

            During this pre-war era, the navy experimented with the installation of radio stations at several additional locations on the island of Guam.  For three years, a receiving station was in use at Yigo on the northern tip of the island (1921 - 1924); a direction finding Radio Compass Station was in use on Mt. Santa Rosa for three years (1922 - 1925); and an additional transmitting and receiving station was in use at Merizo at the southern tip of the island (1922 - 1925).  The transmitters from Merizo were then re-installed at Nimitz Hill, and the main building at Merizo is used these days as a youth recreation center. 

            Back in the early 1930s, Globe Wireless established their own communication station on Guam, and the shortwave transmitter and tower were located on Globe Wireless Hill, an abutment overlooking the beach and the ocean, between the two Devils Horns on the central western coast of the island.  In July 1930, several shortwave frequencies were approved for use by Globe Wireless on Guam, though no callsign is shown in the official government documents. 

            In fact, no primary callsign is shown in any of the known documents of that era, though two apparently subsidiary channel callsigns, KDC and KFQ, are shown in a shortwave callsign list in 1933.  It is possible that the primary callsign for Globe Wireless on Guam back then was KFH, a callsign that Globe Wireless did use on Guam a half a century later. 

            This Globe Wireless shortwave radio station served a two-fold purpose: As an intermediate relay station between the Philippines and the American mainland, and also for the transmission of commercial traffic and news reports from Guam back to the American mainland. 

            There were two shortwave stations located in the waterfront area of Sumay on the central west coast, not far from the original cable terminal of 1904.  A Marine station was installed in a solid structure building in the waterways at the end of a causeway, a wooden jetty, in 1921, though it was subsequently moved ashore.

            Then in 1935, PanAm established a shortwave radio station in Sumay for communication with its fleet of TransPacific Clipper flights.  PanAM took over and modernized the old seaplane facilities that had been used previously by the Marines, and the PanAM shortwave station was installed in conjunction with the new and superior PanAm Hotel.

            Two days after the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941, the Japanese invaded the island of Guam and they accepted its surrender, so what happened to all of these many radio stations?  The navy communication station NPN at Nimitz Hill was destroyed in Japanese air raids, as was the Marine Corp station at Sumay.  The Globe Wireless station had been abandoned some months before the war began, though the tall self standing tower was still standing. 

            The PanAm station KNBG was bombed but not destroyed in the initial air raids, and in the evening of the second day of aerial attacks, a final message was transmitted to the continental mainland, and then the operator deliberately destroyed the electronic equipment.  The Libugon station that had served as a naval transmitter station and then as a secret monitoring station was destroyed in aerial attacks, and the location is now an overgrown jungle area on a jungle hiking trail that is popular with visiting tourists as well as with local residents.

            More on Guam next time.                 

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 360) 

Sunday Euro relays

Sunday Atlantic 2000

Atlantic 2000 will be on the air this Sunday, 31st of January from 0900 to
1000 UTC on 6070 & 9485 kHz and at the same time on our web stream via http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr
Reports to : atlantic2000international@gmail.com
 

Hamburger Lokalradio

Sunday
10:00-13:00 broadcast 

11.00 CET 9485 kHz German
12.00 CET 9485 kHz English – Radio Goethe
13.00 CET 9485 kHz Spanish – Radio Tropical – Quadriga / Mundofonia

(Tom Taylor)

European Music Radio:
website: www.europeanmusicradio.com
email:    emrshortwave@gmail.com

Blog Logs-Brazil

All times UTC

Logs edited for clarity // heard on parallel frequency

3375.1, Radio Municipal, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, AM, 1027-1055. Signal fade out, Jan 12, Portuguese talk, 1035 vocals. (Wilkner)

4754.84, Radio Imaculada Conceição, Campo Grande, MS (presumed), 0954, Jan 16, Portuguese religious program and songs; CODAR interference. Not often I catch this one! (Howard)

4774.9, Rado Congonhas, Congonhas, MG, 2155-2212, Jan 13. Portuguese comments, SINPO 14321. (Méndez)

4785, Radio Caiari, Porto Velho, RO, 1010-1018, Jan 12. Weak signal with music, vocalist under CODAR of considerable strength. (Wilkner)

4805, Radio Difusora do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, 1000-1022, Jan 12, Portuguese long talk. (Wilkner). Also heard at 2135-2143, Jan 13, "A Voz do Brasil", SINPO 13321. (Méndez)

4875, Radio Difusora Roraima, Boa Vista, RR, 2150-2205, Jan 13. Portuguese comments, Brazilian songs, SINPO 14321. (Méndez)

4885, Radio Clube do Pará, Belém, PA, 0755-0825, Jan 09. Brazilian songs, Portuguese, comments, SINPO 34433. Also heard at 1017-1047, Jan 12, Portuguese programming vocalists, good signal. Not noted 2300-0030 recently. (Wilkner). Also heard at 2052-2140, Jan 13, Portuguese comments, ID: "Rádio Clube do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brasil", Brazilian songs, "8 horas 3 minutos en Belém", SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

4925.2, Radio Educação Rural, Tefé, AM, 1015-1044 fade out, Jan 12. Man/woman chat in Portuguese, 1040 “en no país…” (Wilkner)

5035.02, Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, SP (tent.), 0035-0045, Jan 17, Portuguese talk, SINPO 15221. (Petersen)

6040.45, Rádio RB2, Curitiba, PR, 0802-0835, Jan 09. Religious program "Com a Mae Aparecida", 24322 // 9630, 9725. (Méndez)
 

9514.9, Radio Marumby, Curitiba, PR, 2129-2136, Jan 13, "A Voz do Brasil", SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

9565, Super Radio Deus é Amor, Curitiba, PR, 0854-0914, Jan 14. Religious program in Portuguese, 24322 // 11765. (Méndez)

9725, Rádio RB2, Curitiba, PR, 0544-0612, Jan 03, religious comments and songs "Com a Mae Aparecida", 24322 // 9639, 119325. (Méndez)

9819.35, R 9 de Julho, São Paulo, SP, 0804-0840, Jan 10, religious comments and songs, ID: "Rádio 9 de Julho Católica, AM 1600, ondas curtas 9820 kHz, São Paulo, Brasil", "6 horas y 6 minutos", 34433. Also heard at 2018-2130, Jan 13, Portuguese religious comments, ID: "Rádio 9 de Julho, AM 1600". At 2100 "A Voz do Brasil", 34433. (Méndez)

10000, Time Signal Station Observatorio Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 0810-0820 and 2009-2015, Jan 02 and 10, time signals "Observatorio Nacional, 18 horas, 9 minutos, 40 segundos", SINPO 23322. (Méndez)

11735, Radio Transmudial, Santa María, RS, 0850-0920, Jan 03 and 14, Portuguese religious comments, ID: "Rádio Transmundial, ondas curtas..., transmundial.com.br ", SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

11815, Radio Brasil Central, Goiânia, GO, 1010-1023, Jan 03, Portuguese comments and songs, "8 horas, 13 minutos", SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

11855, Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, SP, 2000-2030, Jan 02, religious comments and songs, ID: "Radio Aparecida, rede católica de radio", SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

11895, Radio Boa Vontade, Porto Alegre, RS, 2022-2112, Jan 02 and 13, Portuguese religious comments, "A Voz do Brasil". SINPO 24322. (Méndez)

11935, Rádio RB2, Curitiba, PR, 0543-0620, Jan 03. Portuguese religious songs and comments, 24322 // 9725. (Méndez)

15190, Radio Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte, MG, 0932-0935, Jan 09, Portuguese talk, SINPO 25332. (Mille)

 (DSWCI/DX Window 547)

Brazilian DX News 
Brazil Central Radio of Goiânia (GO), returned to face problems in their broadcasts shortwave. Weeks ago, the station was down to 11815 kHz, however, strong spurious emitted from 11850 to
11875 kHz. The station resumed broadcasting in 11815 kHz, however, in last days, is off the air on that channel, but also on 4985 kHz.
There have been regular tune here in northeastern Brazil Radio Rural education, of Tefé (AM) in 4925 kHz, from 22:00 UTC.
The Rural Education Radio is affiliated to RCR, Catholic Radio Network, and partner Radio Bandeirantes of São Paulo (SP), which relays the "Journal in Three Times "at 18:00 UTC.
Lenildo da Silva / DX SOCIETY/ Daniel Wyllyans/HCDX
(translation via google 28 Jan)

Update on Voice of Nigeria

Voice of Nigeria QSL (Gayle Van Horn COllection)

NIGERIA Voice of Nigeria again on 15120 kHz in 1000-1500UT slot Jan.27

1000-1200 on 15120*IKO 250 kW / 007 deg to NoAf English Voice of Nigeria
i n s t e a d 9690 IKO 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf English in A14; B14; A15
* co-ch weak 15120 RIY 500 kW / 070 deg to SoAs Bengali Radio Saudi Int.
1200-1430 on 15120 IKO 250 kW / 007 deg to NoAf English Voice of Nigeria
i n s t e a d 9690 IKO 250 kW / 248 deg to WCAf English in A14; B14; A15
1430-1445 on 15120 IKO 250 kW / 007 deg to NoAf open carrier / dead air!
1445-1500 on 15120 IKO 250 kW / 007 deg to NoAf IS/French & off at 1500!
Good signal, fading and typical whining noise on the audio from Ikorodu.
Nothing about time & frequencies on new web site www.voiceofnigeria.org.ng

(DX Bulgaria/28 Jan)

IBC slated for Friday broadcast

After more than 30 years Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), the most famous free short wave radio from Italy, that was heard in most continents, has returned to airwaves at the beginning of 2016. 

Here is a message for the next broadcast;

"Dear listeners, we will broadcast again on Friday 29 January on the frequency of 6970 kHz from 12.00 UTC, and then probably on 3905 kHz. Please spread the news and report to ibc@europe.com .

Thank you from the Italian Broadcasting Corporation crew!

https://www.facebook.com/IBC-Italian-Broadcasting-Corporation-42794031466

(Antonello Napolitano/playdx)

Monitoring Peru

Peru's Machu Picchu (wikipedia)

All times UTC

Logs edited for clarity

4747.60 Radio Huanta 2000, Huari, Ayacucho, at 1105-1125, advs in Spanish and Quechua: Cooperativa de Ahorro Credito Nueva Generacion, ID with all frequencies, music, SINPO 44444.

4774.90 R Tarma, Tarma, at 0005-0025. Station ID "Radio Tarma del Peru, la primerisima", music by Pintura Roja, SINPO 44444.

4810 Radio Logos, Chazuta, Tarapoto, at 1100-1107, flauta andina, good signal under CODAR. (Wilkner)

4955.00 Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta, at 1115-1127, man and woman chat in Spanish, good signal. (Wilkner)

Also heard in Peru at 1128-1150, music in Quechua, ID: "en Que-chua Radio Amauta", advs in Quechua, SINPO 44444.

5980.00 Radio Chaski, Urubamba, Cusco, at 2350-0005. Radio Trans Mundial program, religious semantics music does not give Radio ID, but Red Tambien was also indicated at 1115-1210, SINPO  22222.

ID: "Triple K, su radio del folclor, marcado la diferencia". Note: My firstgrasp of the ID chain with Triple K radio and listen to more than once. SINPO 44444.

6174.04 Radio Tawuantinsuyo, Cusco, at 0050-0110  on new frequency 6174.038 (before 6173.85) kHz, there is not the previous buzz, very clean news in both Quechua and Spanish, ID: "A traves de Radio Tawuantinsuyo", program Noticiero RT, advs in Quechua, SINPO 44444.
(Pedro F. Arrunategui-Lima-Peru, via dswci DXW Jan 20)

(BCDX2/Top Nx 1237)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Jan 25 0701 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 18 - 24 January 2016

Solar activity was at very low to low levels during the period. Only weak C-class flares (<C3) were observed on 20-21 January and 24 January from Regions 2484 (N08, L=094, class/area Dro/030 on 20 January), 2487 (S13, L=336, class/area Dai/100 on 21 January), and 2488 (N04, L=319, class/area Dai/200 on 24 January). Region 2487 was in a growth phase since its emergence on 18 January, but 

entered into a decay phase after 22 January and was only responsible for three weak C-class flares. Region 2488 continued to exhibit growth since its emergence on the disk on 18 January and was responsible for two weak C-class flares. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed during the summary period. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 19-20 January, moderate levels on 21 January and high levels on 18 January and again on 22-24 January. The maximum flux of the period was 12,881 pfu observed at 24/1550 UTC. 

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to major storm (G2-Moderate) levels. The period began under quiet conditions for the majority of 18 January. At approximately 18/2056 UTC, a small
shock was observed in ACE data indicating the arrival of a CME from a filament eruption on 14 January. Total field (Bt) initially increased from 6 nT to 12 nT with solar wind speed increasing from
300 km/s to near 380 km/s while the Bz component fluctuated between +6 nT and -9 nT. By 19/0935 UTC, the Bz component deflected north and total field increased to 14 nT. A subsequent rotation of the Bz component occurred after 20/0325 UTC to a maximum of -13 nT followed by another increase in the total field to a maximum of 21 nT at 21/0545 UTC. By this time, the Bz component was fluctuating between +/-18 nT. By 21/1006 UTC, Bt decreased to around 8 nT, while the solar wind speed increased to around 530 km/s as the solar wind began to transition into a negative polarity coronal hole 

high speed stream (CH HSS). The geomagnetic field responded with an unsettled period late on 18

January, quiet to active levels on 19 January, quiet to minor storm levels (G1-Minor) on 20 January, 

and unsettled to major storm levels (G2-Moderate) on 21 January. Solar wind speeds continued around 500-550 km/s under CH HSS influence until late on 23 January. Solar wind speeds continued to be elevated in the 450-500 km/s range through the end of the period. As a result, the geomagnetic field 

was at quiet to active periods from 22-24 January. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 25 January - 20 February 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels with a slight chance for an M-class flare (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) from 25-31 January as Region 2488 continues to develop. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at mostly high levels due to recurrent CH HSS activity. A return to moderate levels is expected on 25-26 January, 07-08 February, and 14-18 February. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels from 25-30 January, 02-03 February, 07-10 February, and 17-20 February due to recurrent CH HSS activity. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Jan 25 0701 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 2016-01-25
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Jan 25     105          15          4
2016 Jan 26     108          12          4
2016 Jan 27     108          10          4
2016 Jan 28     108           8          3
2016 Jan 29     105          10          3
2016 Jan 30     108          15          4
2016 Jan 31     100           8          3
2016 Feb 01     100           5          2
2016 Feb 02     100          15          4
2016 Feb 03     100          12          4
2016 Feb 04     100           8          3
2016 Feb 05     100           5          2
2016 Feb 06     100           5          2
2016 Feb 07     105          12          4
2016 Feb 08     105          12          4
2016 Feb 09     105          10          3
2016 Feb 10     105           8          3
2016 Feb 11     105           5          2
2016 Feb 12     110           5          2
2016 Feb 13     110           5          2
2016 Feb 14     105           5          2
2016 Feb 15     105           5          2
2016 Feb 16     100           5          2
2016 Feb 17     100          10          3
2016 Feb 18     100          15          4
2016 Feb 19     100          10          3
2016 Feb 20     100          12          4
(NOAA)

Monitoring Wantok Radio Light

Logs edited for clarity

All times UTC

7324.96 Wantok Radio Light (presumed). Thanks very much to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for the alert that WRL has reactivated after being off the air for some time now; Jan 10 with several
openings with CRI off the air. 1257-1258 heard religious song; this opening is usually 1, 2 or 3 minutes long.

After 1357 (China  Radio Int'l sign off time) heard very weak signal clearly off frequency as usual; by 1413 UT had definite religious songs; 1418 tentative ID and back to religious music; 1424 UT CRI transmitter turned on covering WRL. Nice to have them back on the air again!

7324.94 Wantok Radio Light (presumed). Jan 11 was a repeat of yesterday's log; very poor/very weak, but able to make out the religious music; 1357-1402 UT announcers; 1402-1424 UT music. Thanks again to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for the alert, as he first heard them Jan 9
at 1411.

Mauno Ritola measured 7324.942 kHz, so slightly lower that when last on the air. This new slight change was also noted by Bryan Clark in New Zealand - "Heard fading in here around 0800 UT today [Jan 11] and quite readable by 0830. I'm thinking their frequency may be a little lower than when I last logged them?" and Mauno confirmed. (Ron Howard-CA-USA, DXplorer via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 10 / 11)
(BCDX2/Top nx 1237)

Marconi Radio International test broadcast

Here is the schedule for the next test broadcast of Marconi Radio International:

24th January 2016, from 0930 to 1300 UTC

Our frequency is 11390 kHz and power in the region of 30 watts. Test broadcasts consist of non stop music, station identification announcements in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Catalan as well as DX shows in English and Italian.

MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Audio clips (mp3-file) of our broadcasts are welcome! Until now reception reports, found to be  correct, have been received from 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy,
Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. The station has been logged in Portugal and Demark, too. We are anxious to receive feedbacks from more countries!

We QSL 100%. A special 30th anniversary QSL verification will be sent out to confirm reports about ALL transmissions aired in January 2016. So if you don’t want to miss the chance to receive such MRI special QSL, tune to 11390 kHz, write a report about one of our next Sunday morning
transmissions and send it to our electronic mail address: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com  Please don’t forget to include your postal address as some lucky listeners will also receive a printed QSL card.

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

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

Best 73's
Marconi Radio International (MRI)
Short wave test broadcasts from Italy on 11390 kHz

(Manuel Mendez/HCDX)

Radio Taiwan frequency updates

Upcoming frequency change of Radio Taiwan International 

All times UTC

Effective from: 01 February 2016 

1900-2000 on  6145 SCB 100 kW / 306 deg to WeEu French & probably will cancelled

1900-2000 on  9895 DHA 250 kW / 315 deg to WeEu French scheduled for B-15 period

Additional frequencies of Radio Taiwan International

0900-1100 on 11600 unknown tx in Taiwan to SEAs Indonesian
// frequency 11915 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 
1100-1200 on 11600 unknown tx in Taiwan to SEAs English parallel freq 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English
from 1200 on 11600 unknown tx in Taiwan to SEAs Chinese till ???? parallel freq 6180,7200,7385,7445,9660,9680,11640,11985
1500-1600 on 11685 unknown tx in Taiwan to SoAs English parallel freq 9465 TSH 300 kW / 205 deg to SoAs English

(DX Bulgaria)

Shiokaze Sea Breeze updates frequencies

Clandestine

Frequency changes of Shiokaze Sea Breeze 

All times UTC

Effective from: 19 January 2016

1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Chinese Mon
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Japanese Tue
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Wed
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 English Thu
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Fri
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Japanese Sat
1300-1330 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Sun
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Mon
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Japanese Tue
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Wed
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 English Thu
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Fri
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Korean Sat
1330-1400 NF  7400 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5910 Japanese Sun
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Chinese Mon
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Japanese Tue
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Wed
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 English Thu
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Fri
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Japanese Sat
1600-1630 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Sun
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Mon
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Japanese Tue
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Wed
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 English Thu
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Fri
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Korean Sat
1630-1700 NF  5990 YAM 300 kW / 280 deg to NEAs, ex 5955 Japanese Sun

(DX Bulgaria)

The World’s Oldest Mediumwave Station: The KDKA Story

The mediumwave radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is frequently honored for its long and illustrious history, beginning when radio was very young and extending continuously over a period of almost a whole century.  Its career began hesitantly towards the end of the year 1920, and it is still on the air to this day with its powerful 50 kW signal on 1020 kHz. 

            This historic American radio station is sometimes regaled as the world’s oldest radio broadcasting station, a claim that is often disputed.  However, this is not the claim that station KDKA makes for itself, and its own claim as “the world’s oldest commercially licensed radio broadcasting station” is completely accurate.  The original government license issued to K DKA confirms the accuracy of their statement.

            However, in spite of claims and counterclaims laid by several other stations, both within the United States and beyond, it is true without dispute that station KDKA laid a groundwork and forged ahead with their own development in such a way that the history of radio broadcasting can almost be described as pre-KDKA and post-KDKA.  The informal inauguration of 8ZZ- KDKA on November 2, 1920 is a pivotal event in the worldwide history of radio broadcasting as a widespread communication medium.

            In addition to the international impetus that KDKA gave to mediumwave broadcasting, their influence in the development of shortwave broadcasting is equally evident.  However, due to the status and involvement of KDKA as a combined radio broadcasting facility, in our program today, we examine the mediumwave development only of this fortuitous station, before we subsequently penetrate into their shortwave history.

            Radio station KDKA began its broadcast service in the evening of Tuesday November 2, 1920 under a phoned in authorization allowing the temporary usage of the callsign 8ZZ.  The entire facility was housed in a quickly assembled wooden hut erected on top of Building K at the Westinghouse factory in East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  The newly made 100 watt transmitter radiated on 545 kHz at the low end of what has since become the standard mediumwave broadcast band, and the antenna was a single wire attached to a nearby industrial chimney stack.

            The initial election-results broadcast from the new KDKA began at 6:00 pm and even though the results soon confirmed the successful bid for presidency by the Republican candidate, Warren G. Harding, the station remained on air all during that night of stormy weather until midday next day.                         From then onwards, KDKA maintained a regular broadcast schedule of music and information, usually during the evening hours.  Some ten years later, an article in a radio magazine declared triumphantly: Since its inauguration, station KDKA “has not missed a single day of broadcasting”.

            The first broadcast studio for KDKA was no more than a microphone with a cable plugged into the transmitter.  However, in May of the following year (1921), they experimented with live broadcasts of locally produced music in the factory auditorium in East Pittsburgh. 

            However, undamped reverberation was a major problem, so they erected a tent on the roof top of the eight storey Building K, next to the wooden transmitter shack.  This temporary location was in use until a stormy wind blew down the tent, which they then erected indoors in a room at the factory on October 3, 1921

            Give a year later, and KDKA opened studios in the downtown William Penn Hotel at 530 William Penn Place in Pittsburgh.  Twelve more years and a new suite of studios was commissioned in the giant skyscraper Grant Building, a 40 storey behemoth located at 310 Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh; this official transfer occurred on their fourteenth anniversary, November 2, 1934. 

            The KDKA studios remained here for nearly a score of years, and then they transferred to another location at 1 Gateway Center a complex of four skyscrapers constructed on the grounds of several previously demolished buildings.  Just  five years ago, KDKA moved again, this time to its now current location in Foster Plaza 5 at 651 Holiday Drive, on the western side of the three rivers that flow through Pittsburgh. 

            During the past almost one hundred years, the major on air studios for KDKA have been installed at five different locations within the Pittsburgh areas.  Likewise, the major transmitter facilities for mediumwave KDKA have also been installed at five different locations within the same environment.

            The original 100 watt transmitter was installed in the wooden shack on the top of the eight storey Building K in the Westinghouse factory complex at East Pittsburgh.  The original antenna, a single longwire affixed to a nearby chimney stack, was soon afterwards replaced by a four pole antenna system arranged in the shape of a perfect square.

            In July 1924, the KDKA transmitter was installed into a new building, designed in the form of a single storied house, on Greensburg Pike at nearby Forest Hills.  A license was granted for KDKA to utilize three different transmitters at that location, with a power rating from 500 watts up to 10 kW.  The regular broadcast channel at this stage was 920 kHz.

            Half a dozen years later, KDKA was ready to move again, this time to a much larger property at a better location, some 20 miles north of Pittsburgh.  A new building on the 120 acre site at Saxonburg contained several transmitters with a total power output of 300 kW; the mediumwave transmitters were installed in the north end of the building and the shortwave transmitters were installed in the south end of the same building.   

            Approval was granted for KDKA to make a gradual transfer of operations from the old transmitter site at Forest Hills to the new transmitter site at Saxonburg during the latter half of the month of September 1930.  It was also at that Saxonburg location that KDKA built their famous superpower transmitter W8XAR which was licensed at 400 kW with approval to transmit experimentally from 1:00 am to 6:00 am on 980 kHz.

            Just eight years later again, KDKA was ready for the next move, this time from Saxonburg to Allison Park, just 8½ miles from downtown Pittsburgh.  A new transmitter building, designed in the New England Colonial style, was ready for the transfer in early 1940, and the 1937 tower at Saxonburg, standing 718 ft tall, was dismantled and re-erected at Allison Park. 

            At this location, a new Westinghouse 50 kW model 50HG was installed; then some 30 years later two 50 kW transmitters made by Gates were installed, and in turn these were replaced more recently by two Harris transmitters at 50 kW each.  To this day, KDKA is still on the air at the Allison Park location, with 50 kW now on 1020 kHz, some ¾ century since this site was brought into service.

            We might also add, that half a century ago, KDKA maintained an auxiliary back-up transmitter facility at 4337 Fifth Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.  At the time, the signal from a 5 kW mediumwave transmitter was shunt fed into a tower that was subsequently taken over for use by a new TV station WQED.

            Mediumwave radio broadcasting station KDKA has always been a reliable verifier of listener reception reports, and over the years they have responded with a goodly variety of excellent QSL cards.

            Next time: We venture into the illustrious KDKA shortwave story.

(AWR/Wavescan-NWS 359)

Brazil's Radio Gaucha reactivates on shortwave

Blog Log
6020 kHz, 1052 UTC Radio Gaucha - Reactivated - Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil with male announcr's newscast and events of the day. Reference to the city of Porto in 1:43 video. Presumably they have problems in the transmitter, there is a noise, possibly the transmitter. SINPO 33222 (Jan 18, 2016) Daniel Wyllyans, Brazil/HCDX)

European Weekend Relays

R Gloria & HLR Relays

Saturday HLR:
07.00 to 09.00 UTC, on 7265 KHz
09.00 to 12.00 UTC, on 6190 KHz
12.00 to 16.00 UTC, on 7265 KHz

RGI on Sunday:

07.00 to 08.00 UTC, on 9485  

08.00 to 09.00 UTC, on 7265 

09.00 to 10.00 UTC, on 9485 

10.00 to 11.00 UTC, on 7310  via shortwaveservice.com

16.00 to 17.00 UTC, on 6005  via shortwaveservice.com

Internet repeats:

16.00 to 18.00 UTC via  Coloradio.org + laut.fm/jukebox

Good reception ! Reports welcome at:  radiogloria@aol.com

Radio Gloria International has a NEW Website: http://rgi.fmkompakt.de

Sunday HLR:

12.00 to 16.00 UTC on 9485 kHz

E-mail: redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de  Thank you!

HLR FM-DAB+ Program via the Internet :    www.hamburger-lokalradio.net  Daily 24 h

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

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

 

Radio Revival Sweden Transmission schedules:

http://radiorevivalsweden.blogspot.se/p/schedules.html

 

Radio Channel 292  Transmission schedules:

http://www.channel292.de/schedule-for-bookings/

Radio Mi Amigo Transmission schedules:

www.radiomiamigo.es/shortwave

European Music Radio:
website: www.europeanmusicradio.com  NEW Recordings!
email:    emrshortwave@gmail.com

Good Listening!

73s,  Tom

VOA Radiogram Weekend Schedule

Hello friends,

Last weekend's long transmission of Olivia 64-2000 was very interesting. It did result in some successful decodes under difficult conditions. You can see some examples here ...

http://voaradiogram.net/post/137804494562/olivia-64-2000-noise-prevails-over-local-noise

http://voaradiogram.net/post/137594112122/olivia-64-2000-from-north-carolina-decodes-in

One thing I discovered is that, when receiving and decoding Olivia 64-2000, it is important that the receiver bandwidth be wide enough to include all of the data, which extends to 2500 Hz above and below the carrier frequency. Otherwise, you cannot take advantage of all the redundancy built in to the Olivia 64-2000 mode.
Those of you who can record the audio using an SDR receiver can experiment with various bandwidths, shape factors, AM versus SSB, etc.

Anyway, last weekend's Olivia 64-2000 was so much fun that we'll include one news item in that mode this weekend, in addition to our usual MFSK32.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 147, 23-24 January 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:32  Program preview
 2:49  Evidence of "Planet Nine."*
 8:15  Plastic in oceans*
12:51  Olivia 64-2000: Papal Fiat to be auctioned
23:02  MFSK32: Image, closing announcements, and snow*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com .

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

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at 0220 UTC (Saturday 9:20 pm EST) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Please send reports for KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .
I will use this weekend of snow in Washington to catch up on your reception reports. I'm now alternating between the oldest and newest reports, gradually working my way to the middle. If you haven't seen the gallery of MFSK32 images I send in response to reports, a recent example is posted here ...

http://voaradiogram.net/post/137590152087/pictures-in-color-no-less-via-shortwave

If you have an Android device, try TIVAR to decode the modes on VOA Radiogram. For computers, Fldigi.

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
twitter.com/voaradiogram (see examples of decoded MFSK images here)

(Kim Elliott)

Hobart Radio International Weekend Schedule

If in Europe you've not been able to hear us this is your weekend! We're on multiple frequencies testing which one is the best. So we need you the listener to tell us!

We are on air this weekend 24-26/01/2016 (SW + FM):

Radio 700 7310 9h30UTC Sunday (Europe)
Radio 700 6005 11h30UTC Sunday (Europe)
Radio 700 3985 16h30 Sunday (Europe)
Radio 700 3985 21h00 Sunday (Europe)
WRMI 9955 4h30-5h00UTC Sundays (N.Am/S.Am/India)
WBCQ 5110 4h30-5h00UTC Mondays (N.Am) (In AM/CUSB)
World FM 88.2MHz 3h30UTC Thursdays (New Zealand)

Show No.2

In today’s musical journey we’re playing Techno, Gershwin, African traditional music and Spike Jones. Let’s begin our music journey and get in the zone. 

LISTEN (MP3): https://archive.org/download/InTheZone2/InTheZoneNo.2.mp3

More at our website: hriradio.org 

Join us on Facebook at: facebook.com/hobartradiointl Over 800 likes!

Join us on Twitter @hobartradiointl 

Subscribe to the RSS feed 

Also available on live feeds via WBCQ, WRMI and Radio 700.

Kind regards,

Rob Wise.

Hobart Radio International - The Voice of Tasmania

Lewisham, 7173 Tasmania, AUSTRALIA

Web: hriradio.org Twitter: @hobartradiointl Facebook: facebook.com/hobartradiointl

Hobart Radio International is a shortwave community service relayed across Europe, North America, South America and New Zealand and features the The Buzz and In The Zone shows! 

Like what we do? Donate so we can afford more airtime and cover more regions of the world.

(Hobart National R)

Blog Logs

All times UTC  // parallel frequency  * sign-on  - sign-off*

Albania

Radio Tirana 7465, 1835. Lady’s French news roundup into French rock/pop tunes. Text about Albania. French continues this frequency at 031-2100; English service 2100-2130 (Sunday-Friday). (Van Horn, NC/SDR-NL)

Clandestine

North Korea Reform Radio 7590, 1500-1530.* Announcer’s lengthy Korean text.  Station identification to address quote at 1528, followed by Asian musical bridge, lady’s station information to flute/piano music. Station sign-off at 1530 (Van Horn, NC)

Clandestine

Republic of Yemen Radio 11860, 1935-1942. Similar programming to earlier checks. Rapid conversational Arabic to responding lady. Signal fair as 322 SIO, targeted to Africa. (Van Horn, NC)

France

Radio Algerienne-Holy Quran 11985, 1850. Transmitter via Issoudun, France. Announcer’s Arabic text (SIO 232). Prayers into Arabic recitations to 1852. Additional Arabic text. Station is almost buried on three receivers, SDR check poor as well (Van Horn, NC)

Iran

VOIRI 11955, 1820-1904. French service sign-on identification. Newscast of national and international topics to 1842.  Text about Iraq to 1848. Intro to correspondent’s report, and questions.  Musical bridge 1853 to continued features. Hausa service audible from 1850 check on 12040 to Africa. Announcer’s text,  audio portions from a speech. ID routine 1902 into continued Hausa programming. Parallel frequency noted on SDR check NL-Twente. Scheduled for 1920 sign-off. (Van Horn)

Saudi Arabia

Radio Saudi-Holy Qur'an 11820, 1910+ (SIO 333) // 11915  (323) // 11930 (SIO 232). Announcer’s Arabic Qur’an at tune-in. Radio Saudi International’s Turkish service 9675, 1910 with news script. Programming targeted to the Middle East, 1900-2000 and 2000-2057 (Van Horn, NC)

Swaziland

Trans World Radio Africa 6130, 1818-1830. Station interval signal with English ID; “this is Trans World Radio Swaziland” (repeated three times between interval signals). Station sign-on identification at 1820 into  religious praise vocals. Announcement into religious sermon in presumed Chokwe service as indicated on current winter schedule. (Van Horn, NC/SDR-NL Twente)

Tanzania

Zanzibar BC 11735, 1905. Announcer’s Swahili news script at tune-in. Afro pop vocals from 1911, into station ID and African highlife vocals. DJ’s Swahili  chat and program items. Additional African hilife vocals. Local items to “let’s go!” (Van Horn, NC) Audible as early as 1645 on SDR on subsequent day. African French hip-hop, and pop vocals program. English news 1800-1810 on Thursday 1/21. Shifted back to Swahili at 1810 with news, ID’s and African highlife music program. ZBC broadcast ten minutes of English Sunday-Friday . Nice signal for 1920 recheck (Van Horn, NC)  

Tibet

PBS Xizang Lhasa Tibet 6130, 1507-1700. Monitoring via SDR-NL Tweente with Tibetan service. Station features, Chinese music selections and announcer friendly format. English service commencing at 1600 with “this is China – Holy Tibet Radio.” Station information including website http://www.betradio.com , postal address, and information about station. Programming of travelogue specials, cultural items on Tibet, news about Tibet and interviews. “Welcome to Tibet” at 1628 into program as “Eye on Tibet.” Parallel 7385 audible, despite heavy co-channel interference. Monitored the next day via SDR on 7255, 6130, and 7385. English service from 1600 with “this is Holy Tibet Radio” identification with same sign-on routine. Tibet features, National People’s Conference, music programs and much more (Van Horn, NC/SDR-NL)

United States

WINB/Overcomer Ministry 9265, 1930. Brother Stair’s sermon and book offer with address information. No sign of his programming on WHRI 17520 // 17610, targeted to Africa. Audible on 11825 to North America via WRMI, no sign of // 15770. Programming continued with his usual format (Van Horn, NC)  

WRMI/Tru News 9395, 1935. Two pastor’s discuss end times, current affairs in the U.S. and Europe, as related to Bible prophecy. Signal good, 443. (Van Horn, NC)

Zambia

Zambia NBC Radio One 5915, 1940- Two male’s exchange conversation in ethnic African language at tune-in. No discernible news format at 2000, as conversation continues. Did note a numbers quote and ID style mention at 2005. Signal decreased considerably (SIO 232) by 2035 recheck (Van Horn, NC/SDR NL-Twente)