Weekly PropagationForecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Nov 28 0341 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 21 - 27 November 2016

Solar activity was at very low levels. The largest flare of the period was at B6 at 22/0010 UTC from Region 2612 (N09, L=194, class/area Hax/230 on 25 November). No Earth-directed CMEs were
observed.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was moderate levels on 22-24 November while high levels were reached on
21 and 25-27 November. The largest flux of the period was 25,245 pfu at 27/1625 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions. Enhanced geomagnetic activity was due to recurrent, positive-polarity, coronal hole high speed streams (CH HSS). The period began with solar wind speeds near 330 km/s on 21 November with an increasing total field from approximately 1 nT early in the period to near 12 nT by 22 November and a fluctuating Bz component between +10 nT and -8 nT. Solar wind speed increased, thereafter, to near 510 km/s by 23 November while total field decreased to near 3 nT. Another enhancement in total field was observed late on 23 November to a maximum near 11 nT on 24 November before decreasing to 5 nT by 25 November. Stepped increases in solar wind speed occurred at 24/0514 UTC from 400 km/s to 500 km/s and at 25/0144 UTC from 500 km/s to near 700 km/s. The geomagnetic field responded with quiet to unsettled levels on 21 November, quiet to active levels on 22-23 November, unsettled to G1 (Minor) storm levels on 24 November, unsettled to G2 (Moderate) storm levels on 25 November and quiet to unsettled levels on 26-27 November.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 28 November - 24 December 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for C-class flares for the forecast period.  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 with high levels likely on 28 November-07 December, 10-18 December and again on 22-24 December due to recurrent CH HSS influence.  Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled
levels on 28-30 November as the geomagnetic field recovers from positive polarity CH HSS activity. Unsettled to active levels are expected from 07-11 December and 19-24 December with G1 (Minor)
geomagnetic storm levels likely on 10 and 21-22 December due to recurrent CH HSS effects.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Nov 28 0341 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 2016-11-28
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Nov 28      84           8          3
2016 Nov 29      83           8          3
2016 Nov 30      83           8          3
2016 Dec 01      80           5          2
2016 Dec 02      80           5          2
2016 Dec 03      80           5          2
2016 Dec 04      82           5          2
2016 Dec 05      82           5          2
2016 Dec 06      80           5          2
2016 Dec 07      80          15          4
2016 Dec 08      78          12          4
2016 Dec 09      78          18          4
2016 Dec 10      78          20          5
2016 Dec 11      78          10          3
2016 Dec 12      80           5          2
2016 Dec 13      80           5          2
2016 Dec 14      82           5          2
2016 Dec 15      82           5          2
2016 Dec 16      80           5          2
2016 Dec 17      80           5          2
2016 Dec 18      78           8          3
2016 Dec 19      78          12          4
2016 Dec 20      80          16          4
2016 Dec 21      80          22          5
2016 Dec 22      80          30          5
2016 Dec 23      82          12          4
2016 Dec 24      82          10          3
(NOAA)

BREAKING NEWS: Former Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Dies at Age 90

Fidel Castro/photo via Fox News)

Longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro, the bearded, cigar-smoking Communist revolutionary who infuriated the United States, inspired both loyalty and loathing from his countrymen and maintained an iron grip on Cuban politics for almost 50 years, died Friday at the age of 90.

Castro, who was the only leader most of his countrymen ever knew, outlasted 11 US presidents since he first took power in 1959.

Castro had been in declining health for years – he continued to spew his anti-American tirades almost until the end.
In October, 2014, Castro reprinted a New York Times editorial in state-run media that argued that the U.S. embargo on Cuba should end. The editorial ran almost verbatim, omitting one line about Cuba’s release of political prisoners.

Additional Story at:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/11/26/former-cuban-leader-fidel-castro-dies-at-age-90.html

Monitoring Radio Havana Cuba on shortwave

B16-Winter Schedule Effective to 26 March 2017

All times UTC

Arabic
1900-1930 15140na
2030-2100 15370eu

Creole
0100-0130 5040sa
1930-2000 15140na
2300-2330 17730na

English
0000-0100 5040va   6165na
0100-0200 6000na   6165na
0200-0300 6000na   6165na
0300-0400 6000na  6165na
0400-0500 6000na   6165na
0500-0600 6000na   6060na   6100na   6165na
0600-0700 5040va   6000na   6060na   6100na   6165na
2000-2100 15140na
2200-2300 11880af
2300-0000 11880af

Esperanto
0700-0730 6100na
1600-1630 11760va
2230-2300 17730sa

French
0130-0200 5040va
1930-2000 15370eu
2100-2130 11880af  15140na
2230-2300 17730sa

Portuguese
2000-2030 15370eu
2130-2200 11880af
2300-0000 15230sa
2330-0000 17730sa

Quechua
0000-0030 17730sa

Spanish
0000-0100 6000na  6060na 6075am 9535ca 11670sa 11760va  11840sa   11950na  13740sa   15230sa
0100-0200 6060na 6075am 9535ca 11670sa 11760va  11840sa   13740sa   15230sa
0200-0300 5040am  6060na 6075am 9535ca 11670sa 11760va  11840sa   13740sa   15230sa
0300-0400 5040am  6060na 6075am 9535ca 11670sa 11840sa  13740sa   15230sa
0400-0500 5040am  6060na 6075am 9535ca 11670sa 11840sa  13740sa 15230sa
0500-0600 5040am  6075am 9535ca  11840sa 15230sa
0600-0700 11840sa 15230sa
1200-1300 9640am 9710na 9820ca   9850na   11760va  11840na   17580sa   17730sa   17750sa
1300-1400 9640am 9710na 9820ca   9850na   11760va  11840na   17580sa   17730sa 17750sa
1400-1500 9550ca 9640am 9710na   9820ca   11760va   15370na  17580sa   17730sa   17750sa
1500-1600 9640am 11760va 15370na   17730sa
1600-1700 11760va
1700-1800 11760va
1800-1900 11760va
2200-2300 5040va  6075am 9535ca 11760va   11840sa  13740sa   15370eu
2300-0000 5040va  6000na  11670sa 11840sa   11950na  15230sa   13740sa  15370eu
(Arnie Coro B16)

Target areas:
af (Africa)

am (America's)

eu (Europe)

na (North America)

sa (South America)

va (various areas)

Radio Progreso from Cuba on shortwave in Spanish, 4765 kHz; 0030-0400. Medium wave in Spanish, 24 hours 660, 720, 730, 820, 880, and 940 kHz.


Radio Rebelde from Cuba on shortwave n Spanish, 5025, 24 hours; Medium wave in Spanish 24 hours; 610, 670, 820, 1180, 1210 and 1620 kHz.

Radio Reloj from Cuba, on medium wave in Spanish 24 hours on 570, 610, 790, 850, 860, 870, and 950 kHz.

(Gayle Van Horn W4GVH/International Shortwave Broadcast Guide-Winter 2016)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Nov 21 0507 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 - 20 November 2016
Solar activity was very low through the period with only a few low-level B-class flares observed from Regions 2610 (N16, L=018, class/area Dao/050 on 17 November), and 2611 (N03, L=291, class/area Cao/020 on 18 November). No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CME) were observed in available satellite imagery during the reporting period.  No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels throughout the period (14-20 November). The maximum flux of 19,442 pfu was observed at 15/1530 UTC.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels on 14-15 November in response to waning influence from a negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Solar wind speed steadily decreased from a peak of 681 km/s to period ending values below 400 km/s. Total field ranged between 1 and 7 nT while the Bz component reached a maximum southward deviation of -6 nT. Quiet conditions were observed on 16-20 November under an ambient solar wind environment.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 21 November - 17 December 2016
Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for C-class flares over the forecast period.  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 with high levels likely on 22 November - 07 December, and 10-17 December due to recurrent CH HSS influence.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 21-29 November and 07-11 December, with G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels likely on 22-24 November, due to recurrent CH HSS effects.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Nov 21 0507 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2016-11-21
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Nov 21      75           8          3
2016 Nov 22      78          20          5
2016 Nov 23      80          35          5
2016 Nov 24      80          30          5
2016 Nov 25      80          20          4
2016 Nov 26      82          12          4
2016 Nov 27      82          10          3
2016 Nov 28      82           8          3
2016 Nov 29      82           8          3
2016 Nov 30      82           5          2
2016 Dec 01      82           5          2
2016 Dec 02      84           5          2
2016 Dec 03      84           5          2
2016 Dec 04      84           5          2
2016 Dec 05      80           5          2
2016 Dec 06      80           5          2
2016 Dec 07      80          15          4
2016 Dec 08      78          12          4
2016 Dec 09      76          18          4
2016 Dec 10      76          20          4
2016 Dec 11      76          10          3
2016 Dec 12      76           5          2
2016 Dec 13      76           5          2
2016 Dec 14      76           5          2
2016 Dec 15      75           5          2
2016 Dec 16      75           5          2
2016 Dec 17      75           5          2
(NOAA)

European Music Radio Tonight via the Internet

EMR will repeat this months Transmission via two streams running at the following Times:16.00, 18.00, 20.00 UTC

http://nednl.net:8000/emr.m3u will be on 96 kbps /44 KHz stereo for normal listening

http://nednl.net:8000/emr24.m3u will be 24 kbps / 22 KHz mono will be especially for low bandwidth like mobile phones.


Good Listening!
73s
Tom

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

Shortwave Relay Schedules

Hamburger Lokal Radio via Shortwave Station Göhren, Germany with 1KW to Western Europe:
6190 KHz     Every Saturday      07.00 to 11.00 UTC
7265 KHz     Every Saturday      11.00 to 16.00 UTC    
9485 KHz     Every Sunday        10.00 to 13.00 UTC     
Contact email: redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de

European Music Radio via;
WBCQ to Central & North America on 7490 KHz on 19th November between 22.00 to 23.00 UTC
Contact email: emrshortwave@gmail.com
Internet Repeats on 20th November 2016:
EMR will repeat this months Transmissions via two streams running at the following Times:16.00, 18.00, 20.00 UTC
http://nednl.net:8000/emr.m3u will be on 96 kbps /44 KHz stereo for normal listening
http://nednl.net:8000/emr24.m3u will be 24 kbps / 22 KHz mono will be especially for low bandwidth like mobile phones.

Radio City via:
IRRS to Europe on 9510 KHz (every Saturday) between 09.00 to 10.00 UTC
IRRS to Europe on 7290 KHz (every 3rd Friday) between 19.00 to 20.00 UTC
Challenger Radio to Northern Italy on 1368 KHz every Saturdays from 20.00 UTC onwards
Radio Merkurs on 1485 KHz Every Saturday between 20.00 onwards
Contact email: citymorecars@yahoo.ca

KBC via:
Media Broadcast to America on 6145 KHz Every Sunday between 00.00 to 01.00
Contact email: themightykbc@gmail.com

Hobart Radio via:
Channel 292 to Western Europe on 6070 KHz Sundays between 21.00 to 21.30 UTC
WRMI to Americas, Asia/Pacific on 9955 KHz Sunday between 03.30 to 04.00 UTC
WRMI to Americas, Asia/Pacific on 9955 KHz Tuesday between 22.30 to 23.00 UTC
WBCQ to North America on 5130 KHz Mondays 03.30 to 04.00 UTC
Unique Radio to North Australia Fridays at 08.00 & 14.00 UTC
Unique Radio to North Australia Saturdays at 07.30 & 14.30 UTC
Contact email: hriradio@gmail.com
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 Channel 292  Transmission schedules on 6070 KHz (on the air every day):   http://www.channel292.de/schedule-for-bookings/ 
Radio Mi Amigo Transmission schedules:   www.radiomiamigo.es/shortwave
Good Listening!
73s
Tom Taylor

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

Sunday programming from VOA Radiogram

Hello friends,
I forgot to mention last week that for listeners in most of North America, VOA Radiogram is now on one hour earlier by local time, now that Daylight time has reverted to Standard time. The UTC times are the same.

 Last week’s broadcast Sunday at 1930-2000 UTC on 15670 kHz was again inaudible in Europe. But, again, it provided good text and images to the western USA.

Possible solutions to the poor 15670 kHz would be a change to a 13 or maybe 11 MHz frequency at the same 1930 UTC time.

Or a change of broadcast time to dawn in Europe, around 0500 or 0600 UTC, probably on a frequency near 6 MHz.

I am also considering a change the Sunday 0230-0300 UTC frequency to dusk in North Carolina, around 2300 UTC, for maximum night-time propagation to the east.

 Please let me know if you have any thoughts about changing VOA Radiogram times and frequencies.

This weekend, we will try an experiment suggested by Roger in Germany.

As you know, the transmitter hum, most pronounced at 360 Hz, has mixed with the RSID, resulting in the Fldigi RxID flipping the audio frequency to ~1140 Hz rather than the correct ~1500 Hz.

 Roger suggested transmitting “nonsense data” at 360 Hz, in addition to the primary data at 1500 Hz, to see if it prevents the intermodulation that causes the incorrect audio frequency. Or maybe it will make it worse. In any case, this should be fun.

Please follow this procedure for this weekend’s VOA Radiogram:

 1.     Configure > IDs > ID > RsID > select Searches passband

2.     At 1:45 into the show, observe if RxID changes center frequency to 1140 Hz rather than the correct 1500 Hz. Change it back to 1500 Hz if necessary

3.     At 2:30, during the program preview, BPSK63F (PSK63F) at 360 Hz, reduced by 15 dB, no RSID, with the VOA Radiogram transmission schedule, will begin.

4.     At 2:56, the mode changes to Olivia 64-2000, with RSID. Observe if the audio frequency stays at the correct 1500 Hz or changes to 1140 Hz.  Change the frequency back to 1500 Hz if necessary.

5.     At 10:03, the mode changes back to MFSK32, with RSID.  Observe if the audio frequency stays at the correct 1500 Hz or changes to 1140 Hz. Change the frequency back to 1500 Hz if necessary.

6.     At 13:02, the BPSK63F at 360 Hz will end.

 Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 190, 19-20 November 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:45  Program preview

 2:56  Olivia 64-2000: FUNcube enters amateur service

10:03  MFSK32: China increases Internet control*

17:29  Freedom House global Internet freedom report*

26:34  Closing announcements*

* With image


Please send reception reports to

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

 Radio Pushka (Радио Пушка) will broadcast via Channel 292, Germany, 6070 kHz, Sunday, 20 November, at 2000-2100 UTC. MFSK32 will start at 2052 UTC, followed by one experiment with Feld Hell, then SSTV Scottie 1 mode (2 pictures). See http://radiopushka.blogspot.ru/2016/11/the-hell-digi-schedule-20112016.html .

 The Mighty KBC will broadcast to North America Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit http://ibcradio.webs.com/

 Thank you for your reception reports (or reports of attempted reception) from last weekend. 

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

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @voaradiogram  (especially active before, during, and after broadcasts)

DXers Unlimited: Week of November 15

Radio Havana Cuba
Dxers Unlimited middle of the week edition for Tuesday 15 November 2016
By Arnie Coro
radio amateur CO2KK

Hola amigos radioaficionados all around the world now listening to the  middle of the week edition of Dxers Unlimited, our station's twice  weekly radio hobby program. I am your host Arnie Coro,radio amateur  CO2KK and here is now our number one topic for today... How you can make  yourself a small but efficient vertical antenna for your amateur radio station... It is just 12 foot tall... that is a little more than three  and half meters... My multiband small vertical does require the use of at least 4 ground radials... and if installed on top of a mast, if will benefit a lot from the use of elevated sloping radials.

It works nicely on the 15, 12 and 10 meters band without needing a loading coil or capacity hat. As a matter of fact on those three amateur bands the antenna is fed with 50 ohms coaxial cable that ends up into my classic PI network antenna tuner and standing wave ratio meter ... My demonstration to visitors of CO2KK and CL2ROX, our home amateur radio station is to set up Arnie Coro's KK5 portable vertical at our beautiful sun deck... This takes just a few minutes, and when fed into a multi
band HF transceiver... it is very easy to tune up on 15, 12 and 10 meters after laying the 4 radials on the ceramic tiles roofing ... Next step is to show how to use the antenna on the queen of Dxing band... 20 meters... and it only requires to disconnect the center conductor of the coaxial cable, and add a simple loading coil that has several taps... so the antenna can be tuned to the 20, 30 and 40 meters bands...

The aluminum tubing used for the antenna is split into three parts to make it really portable... but for a permanent installation I will suggest using just two sections... a larger diameter base section using
25 millimeters or 1 inch diameter tubing and the upper section using 19 millimeters of three quarters of an inch tubing... The antenna designed for a permanent installation is very rugged and proved to pass the 2005 Wilma hurricane test winds without any problems.

Building the portable version I found out that it was possible to use a car antenna stainless steel whip, that is attached to the main one and a half meter high base section using butterfly nuts, so it is very easy to assemble and take apart. The loading coil consists of a length of 2 inches or 50 millimeters diameter PVC water pipe that supports the winding of 20 turns of number 14 PVC  insulated wire to which taps every 5 turns are carefully made... I use a standard cable clamp to connect the antenna loading coil to the right place where resonance is achieved on the 20, 30 and 40 meter bands, easily found with the help of the friendly grid dip meter.. Good connections between the shield of the coaxial cable and the ground radials is a must !!!

The KK5 short vertical seems to put my QRP 5 WATTS station very well on the air on the 10,12,15 and 20 meter bands... and although it works on 30 and 40 meters testing against half wave dipoles for those two bands show that the KK5 is about minus 3 to minus 6 dB when compared with the above mentioned horizontal half wave dipoles...Total cost of the project will not break your bank account, and the antenna can be stored into a canvas back together with the RG58 coaxial cable, the set of radials and the loading coil... I took the prototype to the beach and results on the 20 meters band confirmed that although the antenna is shorter than a quarter wave vertical, it did brought in many contacts especially during the late afternoon and early evening when the best band openings were
happening...

More about low cost antennas for you ham radio station in future editions of Dxers Unlimited.... Now standby for a few seconds ... a station ID will follow. I am Arnie Coro, radio amateur CO2KK in sunny La Habana . Cuba

This is Radio Havana Cuba, the name of the show is Dxers Unlimited and  our e'mail address for signal reports, comments and radio hobby related  questions is inforhc at enet dot cu, again inforhc at enet.dot cu.. Now  here is item two of today's show...Northern hemisphere winter season  propagation is now in full swing... but something unusual is  happening... I am monitoring more frequent sporadic E layer events than what is considered to be normal during the first half of November...
Maybe we will see a more active sporadic E winter season starting in  around a month from now.... Sporadic E layer propagation is capable of generating band openings on the 12, 10 and 6 meter bands, plus very interesting short skip openings on 20 and 17 meters.. I will be monitoring the six meters band SSB voice calling frequencies of 50.110 and 50.125  using a short version of the TTFD antenna that works from 25 to 100 megaHertz... It can also be connected to a scanner that makes possible to explore the segment known as low band VHF, between 30 and 50 megaHertz...

Now item three:  ASK ARNIE, la numero uno, the most popular section of  Dxers Unlimited is now on the air ... answering a question sent by  listener Mark from Vancouver, Canada... Mark wants to know more about kits of parts that are presently available to assemble amateur radio single band transceivers. Well amigo Mark, I am happy to report that  there are several QRP rigs kits that are within the power range of 1 to 10 watts... The really wonderful thing about well designed kits is that
they come with all the parts, and with normally well written step by step instructions and also with fault finding information...You do need amigo Mark to be able to identify all electronic components, have a good eyesight , know how to properly solder parts and own a minimum set of measuring instruments, plus a high quality soldering iron... Attempting to assemble a ham band transceiver for the frequency range from 160 to 10 meters if attempted for the first time will require the help of a
more experienced radio amateur that has already succesfully assembled  the same kit you are trying to assemble... I do not recommend trying to  build your own single band HF transceiver from scratch, as you may end   up stuck into problems like not finding specific parts, and that is one every important fact about well done kits.... they do come will all parts  properly identified , show how to wind coils or toroids if required, will tell you how to check your progress and above all the really good kits will come with very well written in plain language step by step instructions, and also with vitally important debugging procedures...

Some suppliers of QRP transceiver kits will even provide for expert advice for troubleshooting your radio in case something goes wrong...

Now our next radio hobby related item... an item not frequently heard here in my show.. Si amigos, yes my friends I very rarely provide frequencies of stations and times to listen for one very solid
reason.... WHAT you are able to pick up at your location maybe quite different from what I can listen to here at my Havana, Cuba location...you can try to follow my advice about how to find out new and
possibly rare DX stations on the AM medium wave broadcast band by following this steps... number one keep a daily record of the geomagnetic planetary disturbance indicator ... be especially aware when the A index moves above 10 units... Also if you can find out a reliable source that will show the  D layer absorption index, this is an excellent indicator to follow , because lower values will really help to boost the AM medium wave band and the two lower Tropical Bands signals.
To explain it better lower ionospheric absorption from 500 kiloHertz to around three thousand three hundred kiloHertz will certainly increase your chances of picking up the weaker AM broadcast band and the 120 and 90 meters Tropical Band. The lower figure is also a good help to 160 meters band amateur signals !!!

Be aware that any geomagnetic disturbance in progress will require your immediate attention, especially starting just before sunset....

Now at the end of the show a short form propagation update ... solar activity continues to be at very low with the 10 dot seven centimeters wavelength solar flux hovering around 75 units ... See you all at weekend edition of Dxers Unlimited, next Sunday and Monday UTC days just after the top of the hour news here at Radio Havana Cuba
(Arnie Coro)

DXers Unlimited: November 13

Radio Havana Cuba
Dxers Unlimited weekend edition for Sunday 13 November 2016
By Arnie Coro
radio amateur CO2KK
Hola amigos radioaficionados all around the world and orbiting planet Earth... I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro radio amateur CO2KK, your host here at the weekend edition of Dxers Unlimited. Yes, this is your favorite radio hobby program and here is item one.... A snapshot of solar activity that shows very clearly how cycle 24 continues its track towards the upcoming solar minimum... So far this year 2016, we have experienced 23 days of zero sunspots ... and this data was taken on Thursday 10 November... when I started to write the script for this weekend show... Solar activity continues to be very low, so it may happen that when the this program goes ont  air we may have observed at least one more day of a blank Sun... Last year our nearest star was at a much more active state, so every single day of 2015 saw at least one sunspot group registered by solar optical astronomers....
Item two: I am very happy to see how much interest is generated among Dxers Unlimited's listeners every time a home building of radios topic is presented... Interaction with listeners that have built and tested some project published here has provided excellent feedback to improve some designs...

Aiming at making possible to build at home radio receivers and transmitters, I decided to lay out a set of rules... with the number one of them all stating that the circuits designs should only use electronic parts that are presently available in most countries around the world. That  limitation led to looking at recycling as the main source of parts, something that has proven to be quite effective... Just to give you an example... there is an ever increasing amount of what may be described as electronic junk that should be taken apart to enrich your parts bins... My most recent adquisitions were two computer UPS units that could not be repaired because of the fact that they used some rare integrated circuits that could not be found... Nevertheless the two units provided two excellent rugged well built power transformers, high current silicon rectifiers, several high power MOSFET devices and many other small parts, plus the line cords, fuse boxes and the metal cabinet.... One of the two units was easily converted into an excellent battery charger to keep a pair of high ampere hour rating lead acid batteries at maximum charge by means of a float charging circuit... The other UPS had its power transformer and all other parts inside removed and the well built metal cabinet will soon be hosting a nice 2 vacuum tubes linear power amplifier for an amateur radio station... Just take a look around and see if at home or at work you may find old electronic equipment that may be stripped of many parts before sending them to a recycler...

Now item three:  ASK ARNIE... la numero uno, the number one most popular section of this show is now on the air answering listener Mario from Mexico City who is very concerned about the extremely high background noise level at his apartment building... Mario says in his e'mail that it is next to impossible to tune in but the most powerful AM Mexico City stations... and reception from 2 megaHertz all the way to the top end of the amateur ten meters band is also blocked by very high noise levels when he uses his rooftop two sets of nests of dipoles antennas for the 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15 , 12 and 10 meters bands. Antenna one has the 80, 40 , 30 and 20 meters dipoles in parallel , fed by means of a one to one balun, while Antenna two has parallel dipoles for the 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters bands...also fed via a very well built one to one balun ferrite core transformer.   Mario adds that he is using on the higher frequency bands nest of dipoles a special double shield coaxial cable that when installed proved to be picking up less noise than the typical RG213 50 ohms coaxial cable previously used... He says that his low frequency bands nest of dipoles rooftop antenna is practically useless because it picks up a tremendous amount of noise... Mario ends his very well documented e'mail by asking me to recommend an antenna that could help him deal with the very high noise level present at his location...  In a few seconds I will be answering the question, jus after a short break for a station ID

This is Radio Havana Cuba, the name of the show is Dxers Unlimited, and here is the reply to listener Mario's question about what antenna types could help him deal with his very high noise level... Amigo Mario there are two antennas that have proven to be quite effective at locations that have very high radio frequency broadband noise levels... One , you have heard about it here at Dxers Unlimited countless number of times... I am talking about a well built Tilted Terminated Folded Dipole that for the frequency range from 6 to 30 megaHertz will need to be about 16 meters overall length... In order to be really effective the best way to install it is a sloping antenna, with a tilt angle of between 30 and 45 degrees... So the TTFD will need less space than its 16 meters overall length to work properly... All I can say is that although the TTFD does introduce a certain amount of power loss when transmitting, a side by side comparison with a half wave dipole cut for a specific operating frequency always shows that the TTFD is a much quieter antenna... Looking at the baseline of a spectrum analyzer and switching between the two antennas, one can actually measure the difference in noise level ...
The other antenna that will certainly help you deal with the high ambient radio frequency broadband noise level at your downtown Mexico City colonia or neighborhood is the time proven tuneable magnetic loop... that is much more challenging to use, because it requires constant retuning due to the very high Q factor or sharpness of resonance... And when located at the rooftop, it must be operated by means of a high precision remote control system. By the way professional magnetic loop antennas are very, yes, very expensive while well built home made ones can provide excellent performance at much lower cost...
Now our next radio hobby related topic... coming from the weekend edition of Dxers Unlimited information about the Brazilian Time Standard Station that operates on 10 megaHertz
The transmitter is running one kilowatt into a one half wave dipole antenna , and it has the callsign or call letter PPE. It uses standard A3H modulation
The transmission content consists of sending the Brazilian Legal Time that is UTC minus three, using a female voice that says Observatorio Nacional fallowed by the current time in hours minuts and seconds.. and sending a short beep tone of one thousand Herz every second and later on three two hundred milliseconds long beeps at the 58, 59 and 60 seconds of each minute making the station easy to distinguish from other time stations. My understanding is that the station does not claim to be a frequency standard transmission although it should be for all practical purposes close enough to ten megaHertz.  Now a short form solar activity report... The Sun continues in a very quiet state, with the sunspot number at 12 on Wedenesday November 9 and back toZERO sunspots on Thursday 10 November when I had to finish writing the script for an unusually early recording session that took place late Thursday UTC day .... Hope to
See you all at the middle of the week program , Tuesday and Wednesday UTC days....and do not forget to send me your radio hobby related questions because on many ocassions the answers have proven to be quite useful to many other listeners around the world... Send mail to inforhc at enet dot cu, again inforhc at enet dot cu , and of course that your signal reports and comments will also be most appreciated amigos.
(Arnie Coro)

Unprecedented international audience growth to 278 million

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Broadcasting Board of Governors today released its annual impact numbers which show the agency had its largest ever increase in its weekly worldwide audience to 278 million people, up from 226 million in 2015. These increases occurred across all platforms with digital platforms seeing the largest percentage growth, followed by radio and television.

"The unprecedented growth we've seen this year further illustrates the need for U.S. international media particularly in parts of the world where access to balanced, impartial news is severely limited or non-existent," said BBG CEO and Director John Lansing. "In media markets increasingly dominated by disinformation and propaganda, more and more people are turning to BBG networks for fair, accurate, fact-based reporting."

The increases include gains in highly competitive media markets that are of strategic importance to the United States. Digital audiences increased from 32 million to 45 million while those for radio rose by 27% to 130 million. Television audience also grew, increasing 23% to 174 million.

In addition to weekly audience size, the BBG measures its impact using quantitative, qualitative, digital and anecdotal data on a wide range of factors including program quality and credibility, engagement with the news process, and audience understanding of current events. Key accomplishments include:
MBN's Raise Your Voice-Iraq developed new television programs encouraging Iraqis to share their thoughts and opinions on extremism and the underlying causes of terrorism. This programming provides firsthand accounts of the realities of life under ISIL, including the pain and suffering of families and communities.

RFE/RL and VOA actively engaged online in providing alternatives to Russian disinformation. In FY 2016, RFE/RL's DIGIM, the social media arm of Current Time, received 120,000 average weekly engagement actions on Facebook and VOA Russian averaged 45,000 per week.

VOA and RFA increased their social media outreach in Southeast Asia with huge gains in video viewing and engagement on Facebook and YouTube. VOA Vietnamese averaged 2.7 million video views weekly on YouTube, and RFA averaged over 600,000.

OCB hosted a two-day conference on internet freedom in Cuba. The event convened a broad spectrum of digital innovators and independent journalists from Cuba and elsewhere to exchange ideas and provide important information about the state of the internet in Cuba.
(VOA/photo via VOA)

QSL of the Week: A small mediumwave QSL card

Back during the 1930s, many radio listeners in the United States would stay up at night to listen to special programs from distant mediumwave stations throughout the continent.  These dedicated listeners were dubbed Night Owls, and some stations broadcast special programs for these Night Owls and the radio stations had a specific card printed for use as an acknowledgment card for distant night time reception reports.  Though not specifically a QSL card, yet the Night Owl card was accepted as such.

            Back in March 1930, Hadley Wilcox, who lived in Los Angeles, heard a Night Owl program from station KGIR in Butte Montana, with 500 watts on 1360 kHz.  His Night Owl Acknowledgment Card is almost the smallest QSL card in the world, measuring just 3½ inches by 2¼ inches.

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 403/A Peterson)

New Zealand International closes its old analog shortwave transmitter

At the end of June, Radio New Zealand International closed its quarter century old analog transmitter located at Rangitaiki in the center of the North Island of New Zealand.  But first, we go back in time.
 It was time for change.  The shortwave transmitters in the radio broadcasting station at Titahi Bay, out from Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand, were vey old and quite low powered.  Over the years several different locations had been suggested as a possibility for erecting a new shortwave station that could speak to the Pacific Islands with a louder voice.
 In fact, one specific location that had been given serious consideration by the New Zealand cabinet was at Waiouru towards the center of the North Island.  The large transmitter complex at Waiouru was operated by the New Zealand navy and it was suggested that this would be a suitable location for an additional transmitter installation for the new shortwave voice for New Zealand.   The projected plan for this new location in 1981 called for four transmitters at 50 kW each.  
 However, nine more years went by before the new station became an electronic reality.  The location was changed from Waiouru to Rangitaiki, a change in distance of some 50 miles; and the transmitter complement was changed from four at 50 kW to just one at 100 kW.  A long range plan called for an additional 100 kW transmitter and a total of four curtain antennas.
 The dominion government approved the new shortwave station for Rangitaiki with two immediate purposes in mind: Growing political instability in some of the small Pacific Island nations, and the need for adequate media coverage during the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.  The new shortwave station was readied, and test transmissions went on the air at the end of the year 1989, and into January of the new year 1990. 
 According to the well known New Zealander, Arthur Cushen, the new 100 kW Thomson transmitter Model 2315 from France was officially taken over at Rangitaiki by the New Zealand authorities on December 6 (1989).  At that stage, there were just two antennas, both TCI high band curtains from California, and the original concept indicated that the transmitter output could be split and fed into both antennas simultaneously as needed, thus giving a wider area of coverage.
 The studios for Radio New Zealand International are located in Radio House in Wellington.  The unmanned distant transmitter at Rangitaiki is remotely operated from Wellington; and there is a digital program feed from studio to transmitter, a distance of nearly 200 miles.
 The brand new transmitter station was officially opened at 0400 UTC, Sunday afternoon locally, on January 24, 1990, at the commencement ceremony for the Commonwealth Games, by His Excellency Governor General Sir Paul Reeves.  The inaugural broadcast was beamed to the Pacific on 17680 kHz and it was reported widely.  RNZI printed a limited edition QSL card of just 100 copies for the occasion.  
 The Commonwealth Games are similar to the international Olympic Games, though participants are limited to only the countries that form the British Commonwealth of Nations, the former British Empire.  The 1980 games were staged in Auckland at the top of the North Island, the largest city in New Zealand with a current population of 1.3 million people.
 Programming for RNZI shortwave is taken from the regular Radio New Zealand mediumwave services in the YA and ZB networks, and regular daily programs also are produced by the shortwave staff, which numbers no more then half a dozen people.  In addition, regular daily news bulletins are broadcast in the local Polynesian languages of the South Pacific Islands.  
 Just nine months later, beginning on September 12 (1990), the new transmitter began a month long period of non-stop operation in an attempt to stabilize its operation.  During that time period, this new transmitter had malfunctioned a total of 89 times since it was taken into service.
 A couple of years later, two low band antenna systems were installed; seven years later again, the transmitter was stuck on 17675 kHz due to a switching malfunction.  There were times when the transmitter was run at 50 kW as an economy measure; and on several occasions the station has operated overnight as well during cyclone emergencies in the South Pacific.  One astute international radio monitor noted that RNZI ended its daily transmission on 9885 kHz at 1310 UTC, and then it switched to 6095 kHz for a brief transmission lasting no more than 5 minutes, as a preparation for the opening broadcast next day.
 On a couple of occasions in November 2001, RNZI conducted a brief series of test broadcasts during the day on frequencies in the  6 & 7 & 9 MHz bands, in order to ascertain whether nationwide coverage could be obtained from a single location in the event of a nationwide emergency.  The experimental frequencies were 6095 kHz & 7205 kHz & 9700 kHz. 
 A lightning strike on August 30, 2003 put the station off the air for three months, and during this time Radio New Zealand International was noted on relay via Radio Australia in Shepparton Victoria.
 A new second transmitter, a Thomson digital DRM ready unit Model TSW2100D, was installed in 2006, and this enabled RNZI to broadcast simultaneously via the two transmitters in both the analog and digital modes.  Several local FM stations located on South Pacific Islands were thus granted the opportunity to relay locally the programming in good quality from New Zealand.  
  This 10 year old analog-digital DRM transmitter is currently the only unit on air at Rangitaiki and it is switched from one mode to another, digital and analog, as is required out in the distant islands.  The original quarter century old analog transmitter was finally switched off for the last time, on June 30 earlier this year.
 However, this may not be the end of the story.  The WRTVHB for each year running from 2013 up to the present time states that a future plan for RNZI is the installation of a 300 kW analog-digital DRM capable shortwave transmitter.  Let the future tell its own story.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS403/A Peterson)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletin

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Nov 14 0648 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 07 - 13 November 2016

Solar activity was very low through the period with only a few low-level B-class flares observed from Regions 2605 (N07, L=191, class/area Cro/030 on 31 October), 2607 (S17, L=143, class/area
Dai/100 on 11 November), and 2610 (N15, L=022, class/area Cro/030 on 12 November). No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CME) were observed in available satellite imagery during the reporting period.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels on 09, and 11-12 November and high levels on 07-08, 10, and 13 November. The maximum flux of 10,253 pfu was observed at 13/1825 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to active levels with an isolated period of G1 (Minor) storming reported during the 1/0000-0300 UTC synoptic period in response to a negative polarity
coronal hole high speed stream. Solar wind speed increased steadily from background levels near 300 km/s to a peak of 767 km/s towards the end of the period. Total field ranged between 3 and 16 nT while the Bz component reached a maximum southward deviation of -11 nT. The geomagnetic field was at mostly quiet levels on 07-09 November, quiet to active levels on 10 and 12-13 November, and quiet to G1(Minor) levels on 11 November.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 November - 10 December 2016

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for C-class flares over the forecast period.

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 with high levels likely on 14-19, 22 November - 05 December, 07 and 10 December due to
recurrent CH HSS influence.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 14-15, 19-29 November, and 07-10 December with G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels likely on 21-23 and 25 November, G2 (Moderate) levels likely on 21-22 November, and G3 (Strong) levels likely on 21 November due to recurrent CH HSS effects.


Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Nov 14 0648 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 2016-11-14
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Nov 14      75          15          4
2016 Nov 15      75          10          3
2016 Nov 16      75           5          2
2016 Nov 17      75           5          2
2016 Nov 18      75           5          2
2016 Nov 19      75          10          3
2016 Nov 20      75          15          4
2016 Nov 21      75          55          7
2016 Nov 22      75          45          6
2016 Nov 23      75          25          5
2016 Nov 24      75          18          4
2016 Nov 25      78          25          5
2016 Nov 26      78          18          4
2016 Nov 27      80          12          4
2016 Nov 28      82          10          3
2016 Nov 29      82           8          3
2016 Nov 30      82           5          2
2016 Dec 01      82           5          2
2016 Dec 02      84           5          2
2016 Dec 03      82           5          2
2016 Dec 04      82           5          2
2016 Dec 05      82           5          2
2016 Dec 06      82           5          2
2016 Dec 07      82          15          4
2016 Dec 08      80          12          4
2016 Dec 09      80          18          4
2016 Dec 10      78          20          4
(NOAA)

From the Isle of Music slated for Monday evening broadcast

On November 15 (November 14 local date in the Americas), our special guest will be Cuban Jazz phenomenon Harold López-Nussa, who will share some of his wonderful new album El Viaje. We will also play some new Timba recordings and other excellent Cuban dance music.

Then, the next two weeks, by popular demand, we will rebroadcast our two recent episodes dedicated to JoJazz.

We will return with new episodes in December.

Two options for listening on shortwave:

WBCQ, 7490 KHz, Tuesdays 0100-0200 UTC (8pm-9pm EDT Mondays in the Americas)

Channel 292, 6070 KHz, Tuesdays 1900-2000 UTC (2000-2100 CET)

See  our Facebook page for instructions for listening online if you are out of range or don’t have a shortwave radio.
(Tilford Productions)

VOA Radiogram set for weekend broadcast

Hello friends,

The most interesting phenomenon during last weekend was the almost complete failure of the Sunday 1930 UTC broadcast on 15670 kHz to reach listeners in Europe. Propagation was worthless over the north Atlantic. At the same time, that broadcast was received well in western North America. Willy in Denmark was the only European listener to decode an image on 15670 (left). Compare it to the same image, same time, same frequency, decoded by Mike in Washington state …   

During some VOA Radiogram transmissions, the transmitter hum at 360 Hz mixes with the RSID, spoofing Fldigi to set the center audio frequency around 1140 Hz instead of the correct ~1500 Hz. One way to prevent that is: Configure > IDs > ID > RsID > unselect Searches passband.  With this unselected, Fldigi will adjust itself no more than 200 Hz than the audio frequency it is set to (1500 Hz in our case).

If we have bad conditions this weekend, one of the VOA New items will be in Olivia 64-2000.   

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 189, 12-13 November 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:31  Program preview

 2:44  Turning human waste into oil*

7:21  Color images from electron microscopes*

12:33  Olivia 64-2000: Worry about good health

20:07  MFSK32: 2011-15 hottest period on record

22:43  "Supermoons" in November and December*

27:18  Closing announcements

* 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.

 

Also, here is the latest information from Saverio at Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) about their digital mode transmissions …

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955* KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730* KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070* KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
As usual our email is ibc@europe.com and site www.ibcradio.webs.com
* via WRMI, Florida

The Mighty KBC will broadcast to North America Sunday, 13 November, 0000-0200 UTC (7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 (repeated from the previous weekend because of the poor propagation) will be at about 0130 UTC. Reception reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit MFSK32 and probably other modes :

Sunday 0630-0700, 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 Germany

Sunday 2130-2200 UTC, 15770 kHz, via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330-2400 UTC, 11580 kHz, via WRMI Florida

Schedule subject to changes: visit DigiDX at http://www.digidx.uk/  or https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

IBC (Italian Broadcasting Corporation) has a broadcast to Europe on 6070 kHz and new 3975 kHz, Wednesdays, at the new time of 1800-2100 UTC.  The MFSK32 and Olivia 16-500 are still at 2030-2100 UTC. IBC has also added a medium wave transmission Saturday 2100-2130 UTC from Radio Studio X, 1584 kHz, in Terni, Italy, with MFSK32 at 2125-2030. IBC also has MFSK32 transmissions via WRMI in Florida: Friday 0125-0200 UTC on 9955 kHz (Thursday 9:25 pm EDT), part of its 0100-0130 broadcast. And Saturday at 0055-0100 UTC (Friday evening 9:55 pm EDT), on 11580 kHz, part of its 0030-0100 broadcast.  See http://ibcradio.webs.com/ for the complete schedule and contact information.

Thanks for your reception reports from last weekend. I’m still compiling a gallery of the Alderney images and hope to send them out this three-day weekend.

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

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active during and after broadcasts)

Will All India Radio eventualy scrap shortwave ??

DNA
November 11, 2016
By Amrita Nayak Dutta

Laying out an action plan for AIR, an IIT-Bombay report says short wave and medium wave services have few takers and must be scrapped.



AIR should phase out short wave and medium wave services, accessed through the once ubiquitous transistors and radio sets, and focus on FM instead, recommends an IIT-Bombay report while giving a thumbs down to the digital DRM technology that the public broadcaster is pushing.

With most people accessing radio on their mobiles or car stereos, only a small fraction of listeners in urban areas use the difficult-to-buy transistors and radio sets, says the technical audit report on All India Radio's short wave and medium wave services. Barely 10 per cent of people, mostly the elderly, in urban localities listen to short wave or medium wave services, Girish Kumar, professor in IIT-B’s electrical engineering department who headed the team conducting the audit for AIR’s parent body Prasar Bharati, told DNA.

Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) receivers, pegged by AIR as a technology replacement for Soviet-era worn-out short and medium wave transmitters, are just too expensive, the report says. Though a DRM transmitter can give higher range than others, installing a larger number of FM transmitters can help cover the entire country.

However, AIR continues to replace short and medium wave transmitters in the country with DRM transmitters even though the technology has few takers in India, sources disclosed.
“During the audit, I visited prominent electronic stores of Mumbai to buy a transistor. However, no transistor, radio set or even a DRM receiver was available there. They are available only in some online sites. But some people in rural areas are still using decade-old radio sets or handheld transistors," Kumar said.

“That is why our report had strongly recommended shutting down short wave and medium wave services for AIR and augment the number of FM towers instead.” This would help in rural areas too where mobile phones with FM services are increasing.

DRM transmitters, Kumar explained, can offer good range but listeners have to buy a receiver that could be as expensive as Rs.15,000. “Why would people buy a DRM receiver to listen to radio when they can do the same on their mobile phones or their cars?” he asked. “Even for the newly installed DRM transmitter in Malad, there are barely any takers, both because of expensive receivers and lack of awareness about it,” he said.

In the 11th Plan, Rs.9.29 billion has been earmarked for AIR to go digital. The new channel, AIR Maitree, that broadcasts programmes to Bangladesh is transmitted through a digital transmitter even though most people in Bangladesh avail FM radio services on their phones and hardly use DRM receivers. There is no feedback gathering mechanism to check if AIR Maitree programmes are being heard in Bangladesh at all, sources admitted.

Audit details:
The audit included field measurements at more than 13,000 locations and above 9,000 people surveys. Most people do not have a good medium wave, short wave radio receivers and the quality of medium wave reception is not as good as FM radio. In fact, most people interviewed are unaware of AIR’s outdated short wave and medium wave services, the report states.

Barring hilly and border areas, medium wave services should be shut in metro and all major cities and the number of FM transmitters should be increased, it says and suggests important programmes on medium wave and short wave services be broadcast via FM radio.

At present, 145 medium wave and 48 short wave transmitters are located in 125 cities of India. Being from the Soviet era, most of the equipment is now worn out. Non-availability of spare parts has added to the problem. As a result, there is poor transmission of signals in most parts of the country.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-go-fm-way-digital-drm-too-expensive-air-told-2272264
(Mike Terry/BDXC)

Marconi Radio International to broadcast on Saturday November 12

Please be advised that tomorrow,  Saturday, 12 November 2016, Marconi Radio International will once again be on the air, as follows: 1500-1655 UTC on 15070 kHz USB mode with a test broadcast (Power 100 watts).

Reception reports with audio clips (mp3-file) are welcome and confirmed by QSL verification. E-mail: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com

Last but not least, we need your help! If you are  a DX blogger, or use social networks, please post an announcement on your own blog and/or Facebook or send out a tweet. 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)

Product Announcement-DXtreme Station Log 12

DXtreme Station Log 12

DXtreme Software™ has released a new version of its popular logging program for Amateur Radio operators: DXtreme Station Log 12™.

New Features in DXtreme Station Log 12

• Automatic LoTW Upload — Users can set Station Log 12 so it uploads each log entry to LoTW automatically when added, capturing and saving QSO Record Status from the LoTW server as part of the process. Modified log entries can be uploaded as well. If desired, users can disable automatic uploading and can upload log entries to LoTW semiautomatically and manually in batches whenever they want to.

• LoTW Reporting — Users can perform searches and run reports filtered by LoTW QSO Record Status, which indicates whether log entries are On, or Not On, the LoTW server following upload or QSL-updating. Users can also perform searches and run reports filtered by LoTW QSL Record Status, which indicates the date of each LoTW QSL record processed by DXtreme’s LoTW QSL Update Utility.

• JT65A and JT9 Contact Pre-fill — Right-clicking the New button presents a shortcut menu that lets users pre-fill the Station Log window with log information from a JT65A or JT9 contact completed on WSJT-X or JT65-HF-HB9HQX Edition.

•  Afreet Ham CAP Integration Expansion — Station Log 12 now integrates with optional Afreet Ham CAP throughout the program. Users activate Ham CAP by requesting short- or long-path propagation predictions on spotted and logged stations and entities.

•  Quick Find — A box on the Station Log toolbar lets users type a call sign and press Enter to search quickly for a station in their log. If the call is in the log, a list of QSOs with it appears on a popup window. If desired, the list of log entries can be loaded into the Station Log window for viewing or editing, one log entry at a time.

•  Improv Imaging™ — Lets users associate adhoc images with their log entries. This feature is like, but separate from, our popular QSL Imaging™ facility. Users can capture, scan, or paste any image and save it as a single-page .jpg, or single- or multi-page .tif. Improv images popular with users include signals on a spectrum analyzer or waterfall, QSOs conducted on Amateur Television and data applications, and rigs and antennas used during contacts.

•  Other Imaging Enhancements — The QSL image previewer on the Station Log window is larger, as is the QSL Image Explorer, which also lets users call-up, in the Station Log window, the log entry associated with each QSL image, making the Explorer act like a Search window. Improv Imaging has its own, dedicated previewer and explorer.

•  UX Improvements — Users can apply foreground and background colors and font attributes to grid headings and data rows throughout the program.

Standard Features in DXtreme Station Log 12

DXtreme Station Log 12 lets hams log their contacts and import ADIF files from other programs. It supports major call sign subscription services, and offers the following multimedia and advanced functions:

•  DX Spot Checker™ — Receives DX spots from Telnet-based servers, and determines whether QSOs are needed for new or verified DXCC® entities, band-entities, mode-entities, or VUCC grids.

•  DX Atlas Integration — Performs DX Atlas azimuth plots from the user’s location to that of a spotted or logged station. Also creates maps for a variety of reports.

•  Band Master Integration — Afreet Band Master can be invoked with needed band and IOTA lists based on the user’s Station Log 12 database.

•  Rig Control — Tunes/retrieves frequencies and modes from supported rigs through integration with Afreet Omni-Rig.

•  QSL Processing — Creates QSL and address labels for physical QSLs, and supports the ARRL’s LoTW facility, including capturing LoTW QSL records as digital images.

•  Audio Facility — Records and plays QSOs.

•  Reports — Provides a wide range of performance and station reports to let users see how well they’re doing. Reports can be filtered and sorted. Includes DXCC® and WAS Analytics™ tools for analyzing and enhancing DXCC and WAS standing.

Operating System and Requirements

DXtreme Station Log 12 runs in 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows® 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista®, and Windows XP.

Pricing and Support

DXtreme Station Log 12 retails for $89.95 USD worldwide for Internet distribution. Reduced pricing is available for upgrading users, and CD shipment is available at a nominal surcharge. All prices include product support by Internet e-mail.

About DXtreme Software

Based in Nashua, NH, DXtreme Software produces powerful and easy-to-use logging applications for all kinds of radio enthusiasts — from short-wave and medium-wave listeners and DXers to Amateur Radio operators. For more information about DXtreme Station Log 12, visit www.dxtreme.com or contact Bob Raymond, NE1I, at bobraymond@dxtreme.com.

DXCC® is a registered trademark of the American Radio Relay League, Inc. Microsoft®, Windows®, and Vista® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Band Master, DX Atlas, Ham CAP, and Omni-Rig are owned by Afreet Software, Inc. A purchased software license for Band Master and DX Atlas are required to use them. JT65-HF HB9HQX Edition is owned by Beat Oehrli, HB9HQX. WSJT-X is owned by Joe Taylor, K1JT.

(Bob Raymond/DXtreme)