From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot Schedules

From the Isle of Music, February 25-March 3, 2018

This week and next, our special guest is saxophonist/composer/bandleader Alexey León, 1st Place winner in the Interpretation category at JoJazz 2017. He already has a very impressive musical resume, and in one of our rare interviews in English, we’ll talk about his career to date and listen to some of his new album Cuban Connection, which also features other distinguished jazzistas such as Ivan Melon Lewis and Carlos Sarduy.


Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:


1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)


2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.


3, 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany 

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, February 25
Episode 51 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot sends us to the Balkans for some hot Roma brass from Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania along with our mystery song for the week. We will also do a “hang” at our Facebook page so that you can chat with us during the show if you like.
Sunday, February 25, 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe.
William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer/Tilford Productions, LLC

Radio France adjust frequencies

Frequencies effective from 25 February, 2018 via Issoudun, France transmitter

All times UTC

French
0600-0700 on  9790 ISS 500 kW / 204 deg to NWAf
1900-2000 on 15300 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to CeAf

Hausa
0600-0630 on 11995 ISS 500 kW / 170 deg to WCAf

Portuguese
1700-1730 on 17685 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAf

Swahili
0530-0600 on  9670 ISS 500 kW / 145 deg to EaAf
(Teak Publishing)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2018 Feb 26 0308 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 19 - 25 February 2018

Solar activity was very low throughout the summary period. No active regions were observed on the visible disk. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at osynchronous orbit reached high levels from 19-26 Feb. A peak flux of 13,500 pfu was observed on 19/2030 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to G1 (Minor) storm levels due to multiple negative coronal hole onsets. Quiet to G1 (Minor) storm levels on 19 Feb were associated with peak wind speeds of just about 550 km/s from a negative polarity CH HSS. The geomagnetic response declined along with solar wind speeds with quiet to unsettled conditions observed on 20 Feb and quiet levels on 21 Feb . A subsequent enhancement in solar wind speeds from another negative polarity CH HSS increased geomagnetic field activity to quiet to active levels on 22 Feb, and further to quiet to G1 (minor) storm levels on 23 Feb, which were also associated with peak wind speeds around 550 km/s. Activity dropped to quiet to unsettled on 24 Feb and completely quiet by 25 Feb as effects from the CH HSS waned.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 26 February - 24 March 2018
Solar activity is expected to be very low throughout 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 high levels on 26-28 Feb and 18-24 Mar due to elevated wind speeds from multiple coronal holes. Moderate levels
are anticipated on 15 Mar and the remainder of the forecast period is expected to be at normal levels.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 26 Feb and 18 Mar. Active levels are expected on 14 Mar, 16-17 Mar, 21 Mar and 22 Mar. Unsettled levels
are expected on 27 Feb, 15 Mar, and 23-24 Mar. Quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the forecast period. All elevations in geomagnetic activity are anticipated due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2018 Feb 26 0308 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 2018-02-26
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2018 Feb 26      68          24          5
2018 Feb 27      68          12          3
2018 Feb 28      70           5          2
2018 Mar 01      75           5          2
2018 Mar 02      78           5          2
2018 Mar 03      78           5          2
2018 Mar 04      78           5          2
2018 Mar 05      78           5          2
2018 Mar 06      78           5          2
2018 Mar 07      78           5          2
2018 Mar 08      78           5          2
2018 Mar 09      78           5          2
2018 Mar 10      78           5          2
2018 Mar 11      78           5          2
2018 Mar 12      78           5          2
2018 Mar 13      75           5          2
2018 Mar 14      72          10          4
2018 Mar 15      70           8          3
2018 Mar 16      68          12          4
2018 Mar 17      68          15          4
2018 Mar 18      68          18          5
2018 Mar 19      68           5          2
2018 Mar 20      68           5          2
2018 Mar 21      68          12          4
2018 Mar 22      68          15          4
2018 Mar 23      68          10          3
2018 Mar 24      68           8          3
(NOAA)

Weekend Shortwave Radiogram schedule

Response to last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram was somewhat light. I think this was partly due to poor propagation during the Sunday 2030 and 2330 UTC transmissions on 7780 kHz from WRMI in Florida. On the other hand, the Saturday 1600 UTC broadcast on 9400 kHz from Bulgaria was good to most of Europe, and even received in Ontario (see above). The Monday 0800 UTC broadcast was also received well in many parts of North America, although it's difficult to find North Americans awake at that hour. I will post some results at http://swradiogram.net, and you can see more at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom .

We will resume experiments with comparative modes soon, but this weekend will be all MFSK32. It includes details about plans for shortwave in the FY2019 budget of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (includes VOA, RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, Radio/TV Martí, Radio Sawa and Alhurra). Not all the news is bad!

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 36, 24-25 February 2018, all in MFSK32:

 1:38  Program preview
 2:40  How the US FY2019 budget affects shortwave broadcasting***
18:22  Telescopes, artists, and non-visible light*
25:44  Closing announcements

*** with three images
*  with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Program 36 (24-25 February  2018)
Saturday	1600-1630 UTC	9400 kHz	MFSK32	Space Line, Bulgaria
Sunday	2030-2100 UTC	7780 kHz		WRMI Florida
Sunday	2330-2400 UTC	7780 kHz		WRMI Florida
Monday	0800-0830 UTC	7730 kHz 5850 kHz		WRMI Florida

The Mighty KBC transmits to Europe Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC on 9400 kHz (via Bulgaria), with the minute of MFSK at about 1530 UTC (if you are outside of Europe, listen via websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ ).  And to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6150 kHz, via Germany. The minute of MFSK is at about 0130 UTC.  Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/. 

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  Five minutes of MFSK32 is at the end of the 30-minute English-language “Shortwave Panorama,” per the schedule below:

Wednesday	2025-2030 UTC	5845 kHz	Europe, Middle East, Asia
Tuesday	0125-0130 UTC	5950, 11580 kHz	Americas
Friday	0225-0230 UTC	9955 kHz	Americas
Friday	0255-0300 UTC	5985 kHz	Americas
Saturday	0155-0200 UTC	5850, 5950, 9395, 9455 kHz	Americas
Sunday	0055-0100 UTC	7730 kHz	Americas
Sunday	1155-1200 UTC	6070 kHz	Europe

 Thanks for your reception reports! 

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom

Monitoring out-of-band frequencies

Out-of-band is defined as stations broadcasting on frequencies that are outside a defined telecommunications frequency band. The following data represents recent international monitoring observations from January 1, - February 5, 2018.   

 ITU – Radio Communications Bureau

Freq/UTC time/station

5059.999                  1140-1800               China, PBS Xinjiang

5060.0                      0000-0300               China, PBS Xinjiang
5060.0                      2310-0000               China, PBS Xinjiang
5505.0                      0000-2300               Ireland, Shannon Volmet
14774.999               0719-0800               Clandestine, SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng
14996.0                    0733-1238               Russia, RWM Time/Freq Station
15040.001               1126-1315               China, China Nat’l Radio
15110 DRM             0945-1315               Kuwait, Radio Kuwait
15119.999               0900-1157               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15120.0                    1800-2000               Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria
15120.004               0500-0657               China, China Radio Int’l
15130.001               0930-1430               Iran, IRIB/VOIRI
15135.0                    0830-1127               China, China Radio Int’l
15135.004               0600-0800               China, China Radio Int’l
15140.034               1400-2200               Oman, Radio Sultanate of Oman
15149.996               0900-1200               Thailand, IBB/Voice of America relay
15150.0                    0900-1200               USA, IBB/Voice of America
15150.007               1500-1528               Sri Lanka, Adventist World Radio relay
15155.004               1730-1800               USA, Adventist World Radio
15155.008               1830-1858               Madagascar, Adventist World Radio relay
15155.014               1930-1958               Austria, Adventist World Radio relay
15160.0                    0855-1000               South Korea, KBS World Radio
15160.002               1400-1458               Kuwait, IBB/Voice of America relay
15160.006               0321-0656               China, China Radio Int’l
15160.006               1025-1129               China, China Radio Int’l
15160.007               0800-0830               Germany, Adventist World Radio relay
15170.062               0338-0600               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15174.961               151-1557                 India, Al India Radio
15180.0                    1630-1700               Vatican, IBB/Voice of America relay
15180.002               0630-0727               North Korea, KCBS
15180.003               0500-0727               North Korea, KCBS
15180.012               1220-1320               Iran, IRIB/VOIRI
15180.016               1030-1059               USA, Adventist World Radio
15185.006               0700-0957               China, China Radio Int’l
15185.009               0345-0630               India, All India Radio
15190.007               1000-1100               China, China Radio Int’l
15195.0                    1100-1156               Adventist World Radio
15204.997               1545-1757               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15205.102               1200-1357               China, China Radio Int’l
15210.019               0900-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15219.970               1000-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15219.999               0500-0527               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15220.052               0600-0757               China, China Radio Int’l
15225.004               1230-1257               Philippines, Radio Veritas Asia
15225.025               1450-1800               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15234.980               1330-1530               India, Athmik Yatra Radio
15244.989               0730-0927               North Korea, KCBS
15249.986               0900-1100               China, China Radio Int’l
15249.999               0900-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15250.003               1530-1600               Germany, Adventist World Radio relay
15255.001               1100-1157               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15255.003               1400-1430               USA, Adventist World Radio
15259.995               1628-1658               USA, IBB/Voice of America
15260.0                    0800-0830               UK, IBRA Media
15265.003               1400-1500               USA, IBB/Radio Free Europe
15270.0                    0900-1100               China, China Radio Int’l
15270.021               1228-1326               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15280.0                    0700-0858               Japan, NHK World/Radio Japan
15284.992               0600-0657               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15290.0                    0800-1000               Japan, NHK World/Radio Japan
15300.0                    0700-0900               France, Radio France Int’l
15300.0                    1700-1730               France, Radio France Int’l
15300.0                    1800-2000               France, Radio France Int’l
15310.0                    0600-0700               UK, BBC
15310.0                    0830-1130               UK, BBC
15314.982               0500-0600               UK, BBC
15315.0                    0700-0730               France, Radio France Int’l
15329.973               1120-1200               Philippines, FEBA Radio
15335.0                    0800-1000               China, China Radio Int’l
15340.001               0900-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15340.002               0400-0700               USA, IBB/Radio Free Asia
15350.0                    0300-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15350.003               0600-1057               China, China Radio Int’l
15350.011               1057-1400               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15350.045               1057-1400               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15359.945               0550-0650               Iran, IRIB/VOIRI
15359.964               1400-1415               Swaziland, Trans World Radio
15359.999               1700-1800               Clandestine, Voice of Amara Radio
15360.0                    0728-0757               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15360.007               1058-1126               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15370.001               1400-1600               Cuba, Radio Havana Cuba
15370.018               0600-1008               China, China Nat’l Radio
15374.969               1155-1400               Tajikistan, IBB/Radio Free Asia relay
15379.988               1200-1357               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA

15379.996               0900-1100               China, China Nat’l Radio

15380.223               0545-0856               Iran, IRIB/VOIRI
15390.001               1455-2210               Spain, Radio Exterior de Espana
15390.004               0000-1057               China, China Nat’l Radio/Lingshi
15390.025               1300-1358               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15400.0                    1700-2000               UK, BBC
15409.957               1120-1200               India, All India Radio
15410.003               0950-1100               India, All India Radio
15420.007               1200-1258               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15430.0                    1100-1157               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15430.002               0500-0700               China, China Radio Int’l
15434.986               1500-1620               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15440.0                    0900-1157               China, China Radio Int’l
15440.001               1400-1430               Austria. Adventist World Radio relay
15445.001               0400-0600               China, China Radio Int’l
15449.964               0900-1000               Philippines, FEBA Radio
15449.997               0630-0657               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15450.0                    0900-1000               Philippines, FEBA Radio
15450.001               1000-1100               USA, Adventist World Radio
15450.004               1330-1400               USA, Adventist World Radio
15460.001               1600-1900               USA, IBB/Voice of America
15460.025               1200-1327               Romania, Radio Romania Int’l
15464.991               0900-1058               Taiwan, Radio Taiwan Int’l
15485.001               0500-0656               China, China Radio Int’l
15480.003               1330-1500               Germany, Adventist World Radio relay
15480.004               0600-1000               China, China Nat’l Radio
15480.009               1300-1330               Germany, Adventist World Radio relay
15480.017               1000-1256               Turkey, Voice of Turkey
15490.006               1630-1800               Germany, Adventist World Radio relay
15490.007               1800-1830               UK, BBC
15490.026               0700-0729               UK, BBC
15490.006               0900-1157               Saudi Arabia, BSKSA
15499.948               0900-1000               China, China Nat’l Radio
15499.999               1900-2300               Spain, Radio Exterior de Espana
15550.0                    1100-1200               USA, Adventist World Radio
(Teak Publishing transcription 22 Feb 2018)

Radio Free Asia 2018 Winter Olympiad QSL

RFA’s QSL commemorating the 2018 Winter Olympics  

RFA QSL commemorates the 2018 Winter olympiad

January 2018

a reminder to our readers ...

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its 66^th QSL card. This latest design commemorates the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Republic of Kora scheduled for February 9-25, 2018. The Games always bring people together from around the world in peace and harmony to respect universal moral principles. This new design shows an adaptation of RFA’s first panda design originally used for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This updated version of the original design adds a winter cap stylized to match the Games. This QSL design is used to confirm all valid reception reports from January – April 2018.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin (including the Wu dialect), Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a ‘surrogate’ broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at www.rfa.org.

 RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience

 Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America. 
(A.J. Janitschek/RFA)

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules

From the Isle of Music, February 18-24, 2018
This week our special guest is Tony Avila, whose 2016 album Que se haga la luz is one of the most interesting Nueva Trova albums we have heard in many years. Also, some excellent Cuban Jazz.
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)

2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.

3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, Sunday, February 18
Episode 50 of Uncle Bill's Melting Pot sends us to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (known as Zaire for a time) and back to the US for some US versions of African and Latin Soul.
Sunday, February 18, 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) onWBCQ T he Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC

Monitoring Russia

All times UTC

Logs edited for clarity

Russia

7345 kHz, at 0009, on Feb 4. NVK Radio Sakha Iakutsk. Somewhat distorted signal at strong level. Wonder whether this is due to a cochannel, but all I can see on the Perseus waterfall is a smeared signal over almost 80 Hz (the carrier, that is). Not in Russian, but Yakutian language with a discussion. (Walt Salmaniw-BC-CAN, on Masset-BC-CAN mini exp. via DXplorer Feb 2-5)

5940 kHz, Radio Rossii Kamchatka. Aassume via the Yelizovo transmitter site on the Kamchatka peninsula; at 0240-0300 sign-off on Feb 14. Very poor reception, with interference from what sounded like IBRA Media, Radio Sadaye Zindagi, via Al Dhabayya, United Arab Emirates. Male/female announcers  chatting, possibly in Russian.

0259 with music. Positive "Radio Rossii" identification before and after 0300 time pips.Presume this was "Radio Rossii Kamchatka," as it fits their former schedule. The 0300 sign-off happened in mid-sentence. Have been monitoring this due to recent reports of Kamchatka testing here, made by Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) and Dave Valko (USA). Thanks also for the assistance of Mauno Ritola (Finland).

 Re: Russia - Radio Rossii Kamchatka on 5940 kHz. Thanks very much to Hiroyuki-san, et al., for this additional info, confirming it was Radio Rossii Kamchatka that I heard.

http://radio.chobi.net/DX/bbs/?res:2898#3057
Audio heard as; 
"Kamchatskaya radio prodolzhit' svoyu rabotu (maybe "time" announcement).  seychas slushayete Radio Rossii."  mean : "*Kamchatka radio* to continue its work at (maybe "time"). And now you are listening to Radio of Russia." Thanks to Japanese DXer: K.INOUE and KONSU !! I referred to their advice. (Ron Howard-CA-USA, DXplorer via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 14)

World Radio Network in Russian
Programs can be received, on air (24 hours)  Moscow, Moscow Region - 738 kHz
Satellite (24 hours)
Europe
Eutelsat Hotbird 6, 13  degr E WRN Russkij Channel
broadcast by WRN Broadcast - London, UK.
on the Internet (24 hours)
Windows Media, broadcast by WRN Broadcast - London, UK.
MP3 stream, broadcast by WRN Broadcast - London, UK.
Listen to the World Radio Network / WRN Russkij on your phone!
Download to Google play
Download in the App Store
(Anatoly Klepov-RUS, RUSdx #963 via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 11)
(Top News 1334/17 Feb)