USCG High Seas FAX Broadcast 1445 UTC 8503 kHz

Launched the new Airspy HF+Discovery using the W6VLP Portable Loop and the Multipsk software package to capture the latest High Seas broadcast from US Coast Giard Station NMG - New Orleans LA. Good signal here in Btown.

Shortwave Radiogram, 29 August-1 September

Hello friends,

Please note the new "winter" frequency, 5960 kHz, for The Mighty KBC. The schedule is below.

Hurricane Dorian may be an issue this weekend. It is expected to hit somewhere in Florida on Monday. However, on Sunday, winds in the outer bands of the storm may start to affect operations at WRMI in Okeechobee, Florida. Let's hope that WRMI does not suffer any lasting damage from Dorian.

Last week's hidden message was in QPSK63 at 65 Hz. Apparently, the QPSK63 worked better via WINB than via WRMI, because WINB has a lower audio cutoff. For this week hidden messages, we return to BPSK63F.  It will start 30 seconds after the closing MFSK32 ends. There will be four messages, centered on 95, 85, 75, and 65 Hz, with 20 seconds silence between the transmissions. For each, an RSID will be transmitted, but they may not work, so plan to change the audio frequency manually. The BPSK63F will be mostly audible, especially as the audio frequencies become lower.

Videos of last week's Shortwave Radiogram (program 114) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC) and by Ralf in Germany (Sunday 2330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. An analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.

This weekend's show is in the usual MFSK32 and MFSK64, with nine MFSK images, and hidden messages in BPSK63F.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 115, 29 August-1 September,  in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:39  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:46  The Mini car is 60 years old*
 6:54  MFSK64: Orbiting atomic clock activated*
11:07  This week's images*
25:01  MFSK32: Closing announcements
26:44  BPSK63F: Hidden messages at 95, 85, 75, 65 Hz
* with image(s)

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram (visit during the weekend to see listeners' results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304
Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day UTC Time Frequency Transmitter
Thursday 2330-2400 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Friday 1300-1330 UTC 15770 kHz WRMI Florida
Friday 1500-1530 UTC 15120 kHz DRM WINB Pennsylvania
Saturday 0230-0300 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Sunday 0800-0830 UTC 5850 kHz
7730 kHz WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC 7780 kHz WRMI Florida

The Mighty KBC transmits to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on new 5960 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK 64 is at about 0130 UTC.  Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/.

“This is a Music Show” is the newest addition to digital modes via analog shortwave. Most of the show is a music show, but the host transmits some MFSK text and image near the end of the broadcast. It’s transmitted on WRMI, Thursdays, 0100-0200 UTC on 5850 kHz and 0130-0230 UTC on 9395 kHz (Wednesday evening in the Americas). Also, look for a waterfall ID at the beginning of the show. thisisamusicshow@gmail.com . www.instagram.com/thisisamusicshow/ www.twitter.com/ThisIsAMusicSho/ or @ThisIsAMusicSho .

New York and Pennsylvania NBEMS nets. Most weekends, as KD9XB, I check in to the New York NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software) net Saturday at 1200 UTC on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1200 UTC on 3583 kHz USB (with out-of-state check-ins now starting at 1130 UTC). Check-ins are usually in Thor 22, and messages are in MFSK32 (PA NBEMS is experimenting with Thor 50x1 for messages). Messages generally use the Flmsg add-on to Fldigi. If you are a radio amateur in eastern North America, feel free to check-in. Outside the region, use an SDR in the eastern USA to tune in and decode. You do not need Flmsg to check-in, and most of the messages can be read without Flmsg. If you can decode the net, send me an email to radiogram@verizon.net , or tweet to @SWRadiogram , and I will let them know you are tuned in. USEast NBEMS Net: Please also note the USEast NBEMS Net, Wednesdays at 2300 UTC (7 pm EDT) on 3536 kHz USB. I will try to check in to this net more frequently.

Thanks for your reception reports!

Kim

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

On 25 August 2019, 2330-2400 UTC, 7780 kHz from WRMI Florida, three artistically fuzzy images received by Al also in Florida, in the skip zone ...

Radio France International frequency updates

Radio France International

Effective: 01 September, 2019
All times UTC / 500 kW  targeted to Africa
Transmitters via Issoudun, France

French
0400-0500 on  9620 (daily)
1200-1300 on 15300 (daily)
1200-1300 on 15390 (daily)
1700-1800 on 15300 (daily)

Hausa
1600-1700 on 15670 (daily)
(Teak Publishing/Global Radio Guide)

Reminder: World Wide Digi DX Contest Debuts on August 31

08/23/2019

The inaugural World Wide Digi DX Contest is set for August 31 – September 2, sponsored by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF), in collaboration with the Slovenia Contest Club (SCC). Sponsors hope the WW Digi will become an annual event. The new contest will embrace the use of both FT4 and FT8 protocols of the WSTJ-X version 2.1.0 software suite on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.

Participants earn points based on the distance between grid square centers of the two stations in a given contact. Each new two-character grid field contacted on each band will be a multiplier. The final score will the product of total contact points and grid field contacts. Single-operator and multioperator entries are welcome. Plaques will be awarded to top scorers. Additional resources: “Using DigiRite with WriteLog in the WW Digi Contest” and “Operating WW Digi with N1MM+.”
(ARRL)

TSM September 2019 is Now Available w/AirSpy Review

The latest edition of The Spectrum Monitor magazine (September 2019) is now available for just $3. It has my exclusive review of the new Airspy HF+Discovery SDR and my Milcom Phantoms in the Desert column. Get your copy at https://www.thespectrummonitor.com/.

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Aug 26 0541 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 19 - 25 August 2019

Solar activity was very low. The visible disk was spotless with no Earth-directed CMEs observed.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels throughout the forecast period. Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels under nominal solar wind conditions throughout the forecast period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 26 August - 21 September 2019

Solar activity is expected to remain very low throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 02-13 Sep due to recurrent CH HSS influence. Moderate levels are expected thought out the remainder of the period.

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm levels on 01 Sep, active levels on 26-27 Aug, 02 Sep, with unsettled levels on 28 Aug, 03, 06-07 Sept is due to recurrent CH HSS effects.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Aug 26 0541 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2019-08-26
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Aug 26      67          10          4
2019 Aug 27      67          16          4
2019 Aug 28      67           8          3
2019 Aug 29      67           5          2
2019 Aug 30      67           5          2
2019 Aug 31      67           5          2
2019 Sep 01      67          35          6
2019 Sep 02      67          15          4
2019 Sep 03      67           8          3
2019 Sep 04      67           5          2
2019 Sep 05      67           5          2
2019 Sep 06      67           8          3
2019 Sep 07      67           8          3
2019 Sep 08      67           5          2
2019 Sep 09      67           5          2
2019 Sep 10      67           5          2
2019 Sep 11      67           5          2
2019 Sep 12      68           5          2
2019 Sep 13      68           5          2
2019 Sep 14      68           5          2
2019 Sep 15      68           5          2
2019 Sep 16      67           5          2
2019 Sep 17      67           5          2
2019 Sep 18      67           5          2
2019 Sep 19      67           5          2
2019 Sep 20      67           5          2
2019 Sep 21      67           5          2
(NOAA)

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, August 25-September 1

From the Isle of Music, August 25-September 7

August 25-31, our special guest Ethiel Failde presents Siempre tu voz, his tribute to Benny More that won a Special Prize in Cubadisco 2019.

September 1-7, no guests, but an interesting potpourri of artists you probably have never heard if you live outside of Cuba.

The broadcasts take place:
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 Sofia, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=9400am 

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). If you don't have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490) http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7 

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany. If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=6070am 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, August 25 and 27; September 1 and 3

Episode 127, This Just Out, is a potpourri of new releases.
Episode 128, Back to Finland, presents some interesting Finnish music.

The transmissions take place:
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 kHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe. If you don't have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490)
http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7 

Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=6070am 

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC

Shortwave Radiogram, August 22-25, 2019

Hello friends,

Our "hidden message" last week in the PSK125R mode was not as successful as the BPSK63F two weeks previously. Because the PSK125R is a wider mode, I had to put it as low as possible to prevent it from being audible. This put the lower part of the PSK125R right up against the carrier, and too low for many receivers to process. This week our hidden message will be in QPSK63, a narrower mode, centered on 65 Hz.  It begins 21 seconds after the closing MFSK32 ends (29:06 into the half hour broadcast), mixed with the closing music. There is an RSID but, as usual, it probably won't work. To my ear, at least, the QPSK63 is inaudible.

Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 113) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC), Tengu in Japan (Sunday 0800 UTC, 5850 kHz, excerpt), and Ralf in Germany (Sunday 2330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany (with particular attention to the PSK125R).

This weekend's show is in the usual MFSK32 and MFSK64, with ten MFSK images, And the silent QPSK63 at the end.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 114, 22-25 August 2019, in modes as noted:

 1:37  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:40  Indian spacecraft enters lunar orbit*
 7:33  MFSK64: Data rate increase for the ISS
10:53  This week's images*
27:56  MFSK32: Closing announcements
29:06  QPSK63 "hidden message" at 65 Hz

* with image(s)

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net
And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram (visit during the weekend to see listeners' results)
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day UTC Time Frequency Transmitter
Thursday 2330-2400 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Friday 1300-1330 UTC 15770 kHz WRMI Florida
Friday 1500-1530 UTC 15120 kHz DRM WINB Pennsylvania
Saturday 0230-0300 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Sunday 0800-0830 UTC 5850 kHz
7730 kHz WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC 7780 kHz WRMI Florida

The Mighty KBC transmits to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. A 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/.

“This is a Music Show” is the newest addition to digital modes via analog shortwave. Most of the show is a music show, but the host transmits some MFSK text and image near the end of the broadcast. It’s transmitted on WRMI Florida, Thursday 0100-0200 UTC on 5850 kHz, and Thursday 0130-0200 UTC on 9395 kHz (these are Wednesday evening in the Americas). Also look for a waterfall ID at the beginning of the show. thisisamusicshow@gmail.com . www.instagram.com/thisisamusicshow/ www.twitter.com/ThisIsAMusicSho/ or @ThisIsAMusicSho

New York and Pennsylvania NBEMS nets. Most weekends, as KD9XB, I check in to the New York NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software) net Saturday at 1200 UTC on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1200 UTC on 3583 kHz USB (with out-of-state check-ins now starting at 1130 UTC). Check-ins are usually in Thor 22, and messages are in MFSK32 (PA NBEMS is experimenting with Thor 50x1 for messages). Messages generally use the Flmsg add-on to Fldigi. If you are a radio amateur in eastern North America, feel free to check in. Outside the region, use an SDR in the eastern USA to tune in and decode. You do not need Flmsg to check in, and most of the messages can be read without Flmsg. If you can decode the net, send me an email to radiogram@verizon.net , or tweet to @SWRadiogram , and I will let them know you are tuned in. USEast NBEMS Net: Please also note the USEast NBEMS Net, Wednesdays at 2300 UTC (7 pm EDT) on 3536 kHz USB. I will try to check in to this net more frequently.

Thanks for your reception reports!
Kim

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

WJHR frequency update

WJHR- You Tube image

Frequency update for  WJHR Milton, USB mode, August 20:

All times UTC
1400-2200 15550*JHR 050 kW / 005 deg to WNAm English, ex 15555 USB
*1529-1557 15550 SMG 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Arabic AM R.Dabanga!
No signal here 14-1530UT August 20, very weak signal via SDR Twente.
(DX Bulgaria)

Special DRM transmissions during HFCC Argentina Conference - update

Buenos Aires montage (wikipedia)

20 Aug Special DRM Transmissions During HFCC Meeting in Argentina – 26-29 August

Special DRM shortwave transmissions are being planned for the special meeting of HFCC to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 26-29 August. They will be broadcast by Encompass Digital Media Services

1600-1700 UTC on 21630 kHz from Ascension Island Bearing 245°. On each of the four days the content will be supplied by a different broadcaster:
• Monday – BBC World Service English
• Tuesday – KBS (Korean) in Spanish
• Wednesday – NHK (Japan) in Spanish
• Thursday – TWR (Trans World Radio) in Spanish (St. John DRM North America Group)
(NASWA)

Vatican
Special DRM shortwave transmissions of Vatican Radio for HFCC Argentina conference.
1830-1900 on 17535 250 kW / 230 deg to SoAm Spanish, August 26-29.
(DX Bulgaria)

WWV Centennial Committee Prepares for Trial Run of WW0WWV Special Event

08/19/2019
The WWV Centennial Committee reports that it will conduct a trial run of special event station WW0WWV over the August 24 – 25 weekend. Radios and antennas began arriving last week, and a tower and beam will be erected, along with several vertical antennas. WW0WWV will be set up adjacent to the WWV transmitter site in Fort Collins, Colorado. WWV turns 100 years old on October 1.

“We’ll be testing band and notch filtering, in an attempt to reign in the extreme RF environment created by WWV and WWVB,” said Dave Swartz, W0DAS, of the Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club (NCARC). The club will carry out the special event operation in conjunction with the WWV Amateur Radio Club and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which operates WWV/WWVH/WWVB. The special event site is within 1/3 of a mile of all six WWV transmitters and the 50 kW WWVB transmitter. “On-air tests will start Saturday afternoon, August 24, and run through Sunday, August 25,” Swartz said, adding that organizers will post specific times and frequencies on the WWV Centennial Committee website.

The WWV Centennial special event is set to run from September 28 through October 2, and round-the-clock operation will take place on CW, SSB, and digital modes. Operations will shift among HF bands following typical propagation and will include 160 meters as well as satellites (SO-50, AO-91, and AO-92) and 6-meter meteor scatter. Up to four stations will be on the air for routine operations. A fifth station will schedule contacts with schools, universities, and museums, as well as conducting unscheduled contacts. The additional station will periodically broadcast an AM carrier from a radio locked with WWV’s 10 MHz signal.

“At this point we have filled our operator’s slots and met equipment goals, but we need more financial resources to cover basic operating expenses, return shipping, and site logistics,” Swartz said. Members of the Amateur Radio industry have contributed equipment, including radios, amplifiers, and antennas.

NIST has announced that it will not be able to open the doors of WWV to the public for the event. “Due to a number of reasons, the scope of the formal celebration will be limited to only 100 invited participants,” the WWV Centennial Committee announced. “WW0WWV will be the main public event for the centennial celebration.”

Visit the WWV Centennial Committee website to see how you can contribute or get involved. 
(ARRL) 

Department of Defense Message Prompts Listeners to Take WWV/WWVH Survey

Department of Defense Message Prompts Listeners to Take WWV/WWVH Survey 08/19/2019

Through Saturday, August 24, WWV and WWVH will transmit a US Department of Defense (DOD) message in conjunction with the COMEX 19-3 interoperability exercise in Tennessee. The broadcast also urges listeners to complete a survey on WWV/WWVH listenership and listening habits. The messages are broadcast on WWV at 10 minutes past the hour and on WWVH at 50 minutes past the hour. WWV and WWVH transmit on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 MHz.

In addition to asking for the name, email address, and location of those completing the “WWV/WWVH Reception Report,” the survey seeks information on which station (i.e., WWV or WWVH) was heard, the frequency, the transmitted audio quality, whether the information was relevant or useful, how often the respondent monitors WWV/WWVH broadcasts, whether the respondent uses a clock or other device that synchronizes with the low-frequency (60 kHz) WWVB time transmissions, and any other information the respondent would consider useful to hear on WWV/WWVH broadcasts.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) — part of the US Department of Commerce — is using the information gathered to determine “how often their stations are monitored and how the various timing signals and messages are used by the listeners,” Chief of US Army MARS Paul English, WD8DBY, said on the US Army MARS Facebook page. “As the saying goes, ‘every vote counts,’ and your input to this survey is being used to help demonstrate the importance of these stations.” Listeners may file multiple reception reports, and anyone may complete the survey.

Earlier this year, the Defense Department began making use of the provisional time slots on WWV and WWVH to announce upcoming HF military communication exercises and to explain how the Amateur Radio community can become involved in them. Use of the time slots has corresponded with Department of Defense communication exercises (COMEX); COMEX 19-3 takes place this month. The announcements will resume during COMEX 19-4 in October.

Following a proof of concept this year, DOD anticipates making use of the WWV/WWVH broadcast time slot full time, all year.

Concern arose in 2018 after WWV and WWVH were included on a list of proposed cuts in the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for NIST.
(ARRL)

Letter: DRM Offers Advantages Over Hybrid Radio

A single-point system beats a system requiring multiple signal sources

ALAN HUGHES, AUG 9, 2019
The author is a broadcast technical author from Australia and has spent a lifetime in training technicians. 

Having read “Hybrid Radio Making Strides,” I have a response. This article says that the receiver will switch to the internet when the HD Radio digital signal is poor. This will happen often for a large proportion of the audience because of the extremely low power of the HD Radio’s digital signal.

If a DRM or DAB+ radio is used instead, the only power limitations are the distance to another broadcaster on the same channel only and the cost of the transmitter. High-power DRM/DAB+ digital transmission eliminates the need to constantly switch to mobile internet. In addition, DRM and DAB+ can instruct the receiver to switch to another transmitter radiating the same program, as well as their ability to have multiple transmitters for single broadcaster for dead spot within the license area. High-power broadcasting produces much more even coverage than the mobile internet which uses many cellphone towers to try and produce even coverage

Additional story rom Radio World at: https://tinyurl.com/y2pqnfyt

Monitoring Papua New Guinea

The following excerpt from the August edition of NASWA's Listening-In, includes some interesting observations on monitoring Papua New Guinea. Logs edited for clarity.

All times UTC

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 

3260, NBC Madang (Maus Blong Garamut), 1136-1204*, July 9. Signal stronger than 3325 (Bougainville); cutting through the heavy summertime QRN (static) fairly well/ Programming in Pidgin,  one comedy segment with background sounds of the audience. Pacific Islands music with singing. Station off the air during the news in English. (Ron Howard-CA)

3260, NBC Madang, Maus Blong Garamut. On July 10, heard a very unique broadcast, running much longer than normal 1227-1232 in English with Radio New Zealand program with Dominic Godfrey 1232-1237. Instrumental music 1237-1251* (sing-off) with relay of “90.7 FM” and several clear announcements for the Press Club’s guest speaker being at the Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby on July 12, to give updated information about the Bougainville referendum for independence, which will be broadcast live via NBC Radio. The Press Club’s event (was scheduled for July 12).

(Ron Howard-CA) 

3260, NBC Madang (Maus Blong Garamut - Voice of Indigenous Drums), 1212*, on July 26. (Ron Howard-CA)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA (BOUGAINVILLE) 

3325, NBC Bougainville (Maus Blong Sankamap - Voice of the Sunrise), 1055-1200*, July 26. Poor reception of pop music to 1102 with local news inmEnglish (not readable). program DJ format playing pop Pacific Islands songs to mention of “Friday

night.” NO Voice of Indonesia interference. (Ron Howard-CA)

World Harvest Radio International frequency updates

All times UTC

WHRI Angel 1/ Angel 2

All times UTC
USA
WHRI Angel 1
2100-2200 on 13700 HRI 250 kW / 047 deg to WeEu English*Sat till Aug.31
2100-2200 on 11750 HRI 250 kW / 047 deg to WeEu English*Sat from Sept.7
*Omegaman Radio, but is inactive at present, last heard on July 6, 2019

WHRI Angel 2
2000-2100 on 13700 HRI 250 kW / 047 deg to WeEu English Sun till Aug.31
2000-2100 on 11750 HRI 250 kW / 047 deg to WeEu English Sun from Sept.8
(DX Bulgaria)

Hörby Radioförening plans special broadcast

Google translation:
Hörby Radioförening will, in connection with VeteranLjuddagen, transmit on medium wave 1179 kHz. The transmitter will be up and running between 31 August - 13 Septmeber 2019.

The call signal will be: SBH Hörby Radioförening
This call signal is the same as previously used by the Hörby Broadcasting Station
(ITU-R RR APP 42)
http://veteranljuddagen.se/1179%20khz/index.html
(BDXC)

BBC World Service extends their output to Kashmir

DX Bulgaria is reporting from an unknown source, that BBC World Service has extended their output on shortwave to Kashmir in the Indian administered Kashmir, to provide reliable news and information, on the following schedules. 

All times UTC

BBC World Service added one hour morning, and one hour evening
0200-0300 on  9670 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg to SoAs English
0200-0300 on 11795 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs English
1600-1700 on  6040 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg to SoAs English
1600-1700 on  7345 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to SoAs English

BBC News Urdu added new 15-minute program "Neemroz":
0700-0715 on 13650 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg to SoAs Urdu
0700-0715 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 080 deg to SoAs Urdu
0715-0730 on 13650 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg repeated px!
0715-0730 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 080 deg repeated px!

BBC News Hindi extended evening broadcast to 1 hour:
1400-1500 on  9460 SLA 250 kW / 063 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1500 on  9510 SNG 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1500 on 11795 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1500 on 11995 SLA 250 kW / 075 deg to SoAs Hind

CESTRON announces acquisition of Ampegon and AM Broadcast

CESTRON announces acquisition of strategic assets from Ampegon and AM Broadcast

News Release
Berlin, 14 August 2019

The company CESTRON International GmbH announces takeover of strategic assets from the shareholders of the following companies:

Ampegon Antenna Systems based in Ludwigshafen (former Thomson Broadcast) and AM Broadcast GmbH (former Transradio and Telefunken SenderSysteme AG) based in Berlin.

The acquisition is an asset deal and allows CESTRON to strengthen its worldwide market leadership in broadcast transmission and antenna systems. In co-operation with its new founded partner company ELSYSCOM, CESTRON provides spare parts and services to support products, systems and installations of Ampegon Antenna Systems and AM Broadcast.

CESTRON is an independent and leading system integrator providing turnkey radio solutions and systems. Today CESTRON is one of a few companies worldwide that plans and builds turnkey transmission and antenna systems in the ranges of high frequency (HF), medium frequency (MF), low frequency (LF) and very low frequency (VLF).

ELSYSCOM manufactures, designs, installs and commissions modern AM, VHF/FM and DRM transmitter systems as well as customized solutions for radio and data broadcasting systems.

For further information, please contact:
At CESTRON International GmbH:           
Milan Popovic, Sales and Project Director 
E-mail: popovic@cestron.de               

At ELSYSCOM GmbH:

Michael Wittling, Technical Director

E-Mail: wittling@elsyscom.de

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Aug 19 0141 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 - 18 August 2019

Solar activity was very low. The visible disk was spotless with no Earth-directed CMEs observed.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 12-17 Aug with moderate levels on 18 Aug. A maximum flux of 5,340 pfu was observed at 13/1725 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity was at predominately quiet levels with isolated unsettled intervals observed midday on 16 Aug and early on 18 Aug. Solar wind parameters reflected a nominal environment throughout the period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 19 August - 14 September 2019

Solar activity is expected to continue at very low levels through the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be normal to moderate levels on 19 - 31 Aug. Flux readings are expected to increase to moderate to high levels on 01 -
14 Sep.due to recurrent CH HSS influence.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach unsettled levels on 20 - 22 Aug, 26 - 28 Aug and 06 - 07 Sep due to recurrent CH HSS activity. Active to G1 (minor) storm conditions are likely on 01 - 02 Sep due to recurrent CH HSS activity.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Aug 19 0141 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2019-08-19
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Aug 19      68           5          2
2019 Aug 20      68           7          3
2019 Aug 21      68           7          3
2019 Aug 22      68           6          3
2019 Aug 23      68           5          2
2019 Aug 24      68           5          2
2019 Aug 25      68           5          2
2019 Aug 26      67           8          3
2019 Aug 27      67           8          3
2019 Aug 28      67           8          3
2019 Aug 29      67           5          2
2019 Aug 30      67           5          2
2019 Aug 31      67           5          2
2019 Sep 01      67          38          5
2019 Sep 02      67          14          4
2019 Sep 03      67           5          2
2019 Sep 04      67           5          2
2019 Sep 05      67           5          2
2019 Sep 06      67           8          3
2019 Sep 07      67           8          3
2019 Sep 08      67           5          2
2019 Sep 09      67           5          2
2019 Sep 10      67           5          2
2019 Sep 11      67           5          2
2019 Sep 12      68           5          2
2019 Sep 13      68           5          2
2019 Sep 14      68           5          2
(NOAA)

Global Radio Guide - Summer 2019, available at Amazon

There's still plenty of time for quality DXing, before the next edition. Find some quality time for radio, and the summer edition of Global Radio Guide 2019. Thanks to all that have purchased this edition. Stay tuned...the winter edition will be top-notch!!!

Press Release:
Teak Publishing Company
P.O. Box 297
Brasstown NC 28902
For Immediate Release 1 May 2019
Global Radio Guide (Summer 2019) Now Available at Amazon

Older ham radio operators and radio listeners might remember a time when shortwave radio stations broadcast a nearly constant drumbeat of political propaganda during the Cold War years. Shortwave radio stations such as Radio Moscow, the Voice of America, and the BBC, to name a few, played an important ideological role during that confrontation between the East and West.

Once again, Global Radio broadcasters have moved to the front lines as the world’s major superpowers have entered a new Cold War. As tensions heat up in the world’s hotspots such as eastern Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia, you can follow international events on the radio, but you need an accurate and comprehensive radio guide to hear the action.

Teak Publishing is pleased to release that important radio guide – the Global Radio Guide (GRG), the 12th edition (Summer 2019) electronic book, by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn W4GVH. The book was formerly known as the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide.

This Amazon 'electronic' book is your ticket to travel the Global Radio bands. The heart of this publication is a 24-hour station/frequency guide with Summer 2019 schedules for selected medium wave and all known longwave/shortwave radio stations. This unique resource is the only radio publication that list by-hour schedules that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for over 500 stations. There are listings of DX radio programs and Internet websites addresses for many of the stations in the book. There are also entries for standard time and frequency stations, and even a few other intriguing shortwave radio stations.

New in this 12th edition of the GRG is a Summer 2019 Propagation Forecast, by international radio propagation expert, Tomas Hood NW7US. Tomas looks at summer radio conditions and the new solar cycle.

Gayle and Larry Van Horn have joined forces again penning a very timely article on monitoring the Venezuelan political crisis including broadcast and military frequencies.

Other authors in this edition include The Spectrum Monitor’s Fred Waterer, with a feature on summer radio programming and Richard Fisher with an easy homebrew antenna support construction article.
Spectrum Monitor e-zine columnist/feature writer Larry Van Horn has a special feature on Who’s Who in the Shortwave Radio Spectrum that will assist the reader in monitoring Global Radio activity outside the broadcast radio spectrum. This article also includes an updated Teak Publishing HF 1000+ non-broadcast frequency list.

The 12th edition of the Global Radio Guide e-Book (electronic book only, no print edition available) is available worldwide from Amazon and their various international websites at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R81NJHD/.

The price for this latest edition is US$8.49. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. Customers in all other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website to purchase this e-Book.
You can read any Kindle e-Book with Amazon’s ‘free’ reading apps on literally any electronic media platform. You do not have to own a Kindle reader from Amazon to read this e-book. There are Kindle apps available for iOS, Android, Mac and PC platforms. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

Additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books can be found on the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Shortwave Central (http://mtshortwave.blogspot.com/),
The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), and The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/). You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/GayleVan-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.

Global Radio listeners are routinely entertained with unique perspectives to events, music, culture, history, and news from other countries that you won’t see or hear on your local or national broadcast channels. Global Radio broadcasts are not restricted by country borders or oceans and can travel thousands of miles, reaching millions of listeners worldwide, now in over 300 different languages and dialects.

isteners can hear shortwave broadcast stations from China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Iran, Japan, New Zealand, North/South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, and many other counties. If you have a shortwave radio receiver or Internet connection, and this unique radio resource, you will know when and where to listen to your favorite radio broadcast station.

The Global Radio Guide will have wide appeal to amateur radio operators, shortwave radio hobbyists, news agencies, news buffs, educators, foreign language students, expatriates, or anyone else interested in listening to a global view of world news and major events as they happen.

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedule, August 18-24

From the Isle of Music, August 18-24:
This week features selections from several decades of beautiful Cuban vocal music.
The broadcasts take place:

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 Sofia, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=9400am

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US).
If you don't have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490)
http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=6070am

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, August 18 and 20:
Episode 126, From Mahavishnu to Hahavishnu, features two very different artists, John McLaughlin and The Hahavishnu Orchestra.
The transmissions take place:
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
If you don't have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490)
http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7

Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.
If you don't have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=6070am

 William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer 

Tilford Productions, LLC

SM Radio Dessau set for August 18 broadcast

Germany
SM Radio Dessau will commemorate 100 years of Bauhaus, and 90 years of the DB vehicle maintenance (FZI) plant Dessau/Raw Dessau.

The special broadcast will air on 18 August, 2019 via Channel 292 on the following schedule:

1000-1100 UTC on 6070 kHz (via Moosbrunn, Austria) 100 kW
1600-1700 UTC on 6070 kHz (via Rohrdorf, Germany) 10 kW

Send your program details to:
Max Berger
Naumburger Strasse 49
04229 Leipzig-Plagwitz
Germany

or email: maxberger@smradio-dessau.de

Additional information about SM Radio Dessau on shortwave at: http://www.smradio-dessau.de Scheduling changes will be posted at their website and at Channel 292 http://www.channel292.de

BBC World Service extends programming to Kashmir

BBC Media Centre

15 August 2019

The BBC World Service has extended output on shortwave radio in Indian-administered Kashmir to provide reliable news and information.

The Director of the BBC World Service, Jamie Angus, says: “The provision of independent and trusted news in places of conflict and tension is one of the core purposes of the World Service.

"Given the shutdown of digital services and phone lines in the region, it’s right for us to try and increase the provision of news on our short wave radio services. Audiences in both India and Pakistan trust the BBC to speak with an independent voice, and we know that our reporting through several moments of crisis this year has been popular and valued by audiences who turn to us when tensions are highest.”

BBC News Hindi radio output (9515 and 11995kHz) will be extended by 30 minutes from Friday 16 August. The full one-hour news programme will be on air from 7.30pm to 8.30pm local time.

On Monday 19 August, BBC News Urdu will launch a 15-minute daily programme, Neemroz. Broadcast at 12.30pm local time on 15310kHz and 13650kHz, the programme will focus on news coming from Kashmir and the developments around the issue, and include global news roundup tailored for audiences in Kashmir.

BBC World Service English broadcasts (11795kHz, 9670kHz, 9580kHz, 7345kHz, 6040kHz) will be expanded, with the morning programming extended by an hour, ending at 8.30am local time; and the afternoon and evening programming starting an hour earlier, at 4.30pm local time.

The shutdown has left people with very few options for accessing news at this time. However, news services from the BBC continue to be available in the region - through shortwave radio transmissions in English, Urdu, Hindi, Dari and Pashto. As well as providing an important source of news to the region, the South Asian language services have brought added depth to the BBC’s coverage of the Kashmir story.

The recent introduction of four new languages services for India - Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi and Telugu, following additional investment from the UK Government - has enabled the BBC to offer a wider portfolio of languages and distribution methods to a region that is geographically diverse as well as politically tense. This year’s Global Audience Measure for the BBC showed that India is now the World Service’s largest market, with a weekly audience of 50m.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/world-service-steps-up-broadcasts-in-kashmir

 (BDXC)

Blog Logs

All times UTC // parallel frequency
Stations monitored 13 August 2019
Logs and information welcome at: w4gvh@frontier.com

CRI QSL - Tai Ho Hall (Gayle Van Horn Collection)

China
China Radio International 7440. Chinese service 1335 tune-in for program segment on China (mentioning cities) interspersed with Chinese flute music. Barely audible on // 9540. SIO 222. English service from 1340 on 9730 (SIO 444). Program on Chairman Mao. Very poor quality on // 9870, 11660, 13670, 15590 kHz. Esperanto service 1345-1400 on 9440, and 11650 to Europe. Hindi service 1347-1400, 11675 to Asia. Mongolian service 7285, 1350-1357. (Nanning, China SDR)

Clandestine
Dengê Welat/Voice of the Homeland, 11530 via Moldova relay to the Middle East. Tune-in 1030 with Kurdish conversations to 1040. Fanfare intro to Turkish vocal folk music tunes to 1059. News script and reports 1100-1145 tune-out. Fanfare music to report items. Moldova relay schedule 0600-1500. Fair signal SIO 333. Website with two second, streaming audio delay http://www.denge-welat.org/ Issoudun, France relay schedule 1500-0600. (France SDR) Recheck 11530 kHz for via Issodun relay at 1755. Kurdish news format from 1800. Schedule to 2100. (NLD SDR). 

Echo of Hope/VOH, 9950, 1158 two male's Korean conversation to 1200. Fair signal in the clear with parallel 3985 (fair,under jammer) 4885 (good) 5995 (fair, under jammer) 6250 (jammed) 6350 (fair, under jammer). Lady announcer 1205 including clear mention of "VOH" and Asian instrumentals. WRTH notes station is operated by the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS)targeting North Korea.(NangJing, China SDR)

Dandal Kura Radio International 11830 (Issoudun, France relay). Kanuri news script in progress from 1802-1806. Horn of Africa music briefs to clear station ID at 1809 into vocal tunes. Programming is targeted to Nigeria to 1900. Website: http://www.dandalkura.com/

Radio Ergo, 17845. Very poor signal, monitored 1210-1235 via UAE relay in presumed Somali text. Signal's intermittent peaks assist monitoring. Programming targeted to Somalia. Website audio on-demand http://www.radioergo.org/ (Qatar SDR)

Radio Sana'a 11860, 1220-1240. Good signal for continuous Arabic vocal repititive recitations (not Qur'an). Programming presumed to be via Saudi Arabian transmitter, targeting Yemen. (SIO 443). (Qatar SDR)

Voice of the People 3480, 1245-1255. Two male's Korean text to Asian tune 1247,  // 3910, 3990 poor under jammer) // 4450, 6520, 6600 barely audible under jammers. Schedule 0500-2300, operated by South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS), targeting North Korea. (NangJing, China SDR).

Musicians at All India Radio

India
AIR New Delhi/Vividh Bharati 9380. Hindi service with vocals 1322-1324 followed by sitar music to 1428. Intros to Indian music and radio drama reading format at 1430. Fair signal 333 (Delhi India SDR).

AIR Thiruvanthapuram 5010 at 1433 male's acapella singing  (Carnatic vocals ?) to 1441. Hindi text resumed to 1455. Musical bridge to top-of-the-hour segments between Indian musical interludes. At 1459 in English, "good evening this is All India Radio at 9:00.". National news and sports headlines, followed by news items. ID break at 1536 "this is All India Radio with the news." News continues amid signal fading with news on Indian Foreign Ministers, correspondent reports, and water shortages at critical levels. Observed fading to 1544. English headlines repeated, into Hindi at 1545. (SDR).

AIR Gangtok (Sikkim) 4835 from 1512 with Hindi text and vocals. DRM interference is mixing on this frequency. Signal very weak as programming continues past, and battling with DRM interference. More Hindi items 1525.(New Delhi, India SDR) Rechecked 1546, sounds like // Hindi programming that was on AIR Thiruvanthapura on 5010. Schedule to 1700 UTC.(SDR)

RTM Sarawak-WAI FM (Kajang)

Malaysia
RTM Sarawak-WAI FM (Kajang) 11665, 1245 tune-in to male/female friendly banter in Malay. Listener phone-in segments from 1248. Info on "programming, Kajang studio and Kuala Lumpur" at 1259. Clear ID "WAI FM" at 1300, followed by fanfare music and "Nasional RTM" into newscript to 1306. Presumed world news from 1313 mentioning Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Philippines. Continued format to 1310 fanfare "RTM" 13:10, numerous mentions of "RTM, Kuala Lampur, WAI FM" and " WAI FM" jingle into Malay pop vocals. Repeat of "WAI FM" jingles, RTM website quote. Announcer's talk-segment into Malay pop vocals 1318-1322. Mentions of Kuala Lumpur, program announcements from "WAI FM" at 1323. Additional Malay pop vocal from 1324. Monitored station to 1325.Former 9835 kHz remain inactive. SIO 444 Streaming audio http://nasionalfm.rtm.gov.my/ (Philippines SDR)

Oman
Sultanate of Oman Radio 9620. Middle Eastern music vocals 1815-1820. Arabic text to 1831. Arabic schedule to 2200. Website: http://part.gov.om (NLD SDR)
(Gayle Van Horn W4GVH/Global Radio Guide)
(Teak Publishing)

India is celebrating its 73rd Independence Day on 15 Aug 2019.

Details of special programs by All India Radio for the occasion is as follows:

14th August 2019 (Wednesday) 1330 UTC onwards "Address to the Nation" on the eve of Independence Day in Hindi and English by Shri.Ram Nath Kovind, Honble President of India.

All stations of All India Radio will relay this on MW, SW & FM.

Look out on the following Home Service SW frequencies :

4760 Leh
4760 Port Blair
4800 Hyderabad
4810 Bhopal
4835 Gangtok
4910 Jaipur
4920 Chennai
4950 Srinagar
4970 Shillong (Off air)
5010 Thiruvananthapuram
5040 Jeypore
9380 Aligarh
9865 Bangalore

15 August 2018 (Thursday) 0135-0240 All India Radio will broadcast the running commentary in English and Hindi on the Flag Hoisting and Prime Minster's speech to be held at Red Fort,
New Delhi between 0135-0240 on 15th August, 2019 on the following SW frequencies.

English:
11740 Panaji 250 kW
15030 Bengaluru 500 kW

Hindi:
9380 Aligarh 250 kW
9950 New Delhi 250 kW
11620 Bengaluru 500 kW

(Note: External Services in Urdu on 6140 7340 are replaced by running commentary at this time)

The following External Services stands canceled for that day:
9950: Nepali 0130-0230, News Hindi / English 0230-0300
11560, 11740: Pushtu 0215-0300, Dari 0300-0345
13695, 15030: Kannada 0215-0300

The Regional SW Stations will start using their day time frequencies about 1 hour or more earlier than usual on 15th August as follows to relay the Commentary. This may provide enhanced reception of stations than on normal days.

The sign on schedule for that day is as follows with normal sign on timings in brackets.

1. Bhopal - 0130 (Ex 0225) 7430
2. Chennai - 0130 (Ex 0300) 7380
3. Hyderabad - 0130 (Ex 0225) 7420
4. Port Blair - 0130 (Ex 0315) 7390
5. Srinagar - 0130 (ex 0225) 6110
6. Thiruvanathapuram - 0130 (Ex 0230) 7290

Other frequencies operating as usual at that time but carrying the commentary is as follows:

4760 Leh
4835 Gangtok
4910 Jaipur
4970 Shillong (Off air)
5040 Jeypore
7270 Chennai

Check also 13695 via Bangalore. All stations of AIR will relay the running commentary.

LIVE STREAMING ON AIR: ;

Reception Reports to: spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

or

Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy)
All India Radio,
Room No. 204, Akashvani Bhawan,
Parliament Street
New Delhi 110001, India

Happy Independence Day to all DX_India members! (Alokesh Gupta-IND & Jose Jacob-IND, DXsasia / DXindia Aug 9/TopNews)
(NASWA)

Mexico AM Radio Update via IRCA

 

Courtesy of the IRCA (http://IRCAonline.org) DX Monitor V56-#35, DX Worldwide column by Bruce Portzer.

MEXICO: The following additional stations have told me that their AMs have been turned off: 550-XEQW-YUC, 580-XEHP-TAMA, 670-XELH-NAY, 680-XEFJPUEB, 710-XEBL-SIN, 780-XETS-CHIA, 840-XEFG-GJTO, 970-XEZAZ-ZAC, 1380-XEVD-COAH.

The following stations have told me that their AMs are still on the air: 580-XEFI-CHIH, 820-XEBM-SLP, 1380-XETP-VER. XETP-1380 was a surprise.

I've monitored their web stream and thankfully they play a different national anthem than the other surviving station on 1380 (XECO) so I will be trying for them at the Border Inn this year.

The Radio SLP Facebook page has confirmed that there are currently only 5 AMs remaining on the air in the state of San Luis Potosí: XEWA-540, XEANT-770, XEBM-820, XEIE-1030, and XEXQ-1190. The 2 new CPs, XEPBSD-620 and XESLEP-710 (replaces the old XESMR which has moved to FM) are not on the air yet. (Tim Hall)

BBC to pull all radio services from TuneIn UK platform

Radio Today

12 August 2019
BBC radio stations will no longer be available from TuneIn in the UK via services such as Amazon Echo, Google Home speakers and smartphone apps from the end of August.

The BBC and TuneIn have suddenly failed to reach a data-sharing agreement after 15 years of working together in the UK.

Listeners are now required to sign in to hear BBC Radio stations online, so the BBC is unhappy that TuneIn grants access without registration, and withholds data on who is listening.

Kieran Clifton, Director, BBC Distribution & Business Development explains more to RadioToday: “Our live radio streams are only coming off TuneIn on platforms where an alternative way of listening is easily available.

“We want our programs, products and services to be the best they can be. And a major way we ensure that is by using meaningful data. Data is more and more important – as it helps us to make more types of programs we know people like, and equally importantly, identify gaps in our commissioning to ensure we’re making something for all audiences.

“We also use the data collected about what you watch, listen to or read online to offer personalised programme recommendations – and make our services even more tailored to you.

“When we make our programs available via third parties, we ask that those platforms either allow you to sign into your BBC account – or provide us with meaningful data directly. Unfortunately, TuneIn doesn’t do either of these, so we couldn’t reach a data sharing agreement with them.”

BBC Radio services via TuneIn on some devices, where it’s neither technically or economically practicable to demand a sign-in window, will continue for now. These include TuneIn on SONOS speakers and some older connected radios.

Users in the UK listening to BBC Radio via smart devices are urged to download the specific BBC app for each device.

Podcasts will remain on TuneIn, as will all live radio services outside the UK.
https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/08/bbc-to-pull-all-radio-services-from-tunein-uk-platform/
(BDXC)

Andorra-Small Country, Two Large Radio Stations

site of Radio Andorra

Radio Andorra, shortwave and medium wave  
The European DX Council plans to hold their annual meeting for this year (2019) in the small country of Andorra from Friday September 6 - Sunday September 8.  All who are interested to do so, are most welcome to attend, and you can find the full details on several appropriate web sites. EDXC events & scheduling wwww.edxc.org, presented by Jeff White

In recognition of this coming EDXC event in Andorra, we present here in Wavescan today, the second episode in a four part mini-series on the radio scene in Andorra.
 
The small independent European country of Andorra, with its total area of less than 200 square miles, is the 6th smallest country in continental Europe.  This small largely independent mini-country, with its own independent language, has a total population of less than 80,000 people, though it welcomes more then ten million visiting tourists each year.

Geographically, Andorra is a small country of rugged mountains and narrow valleys in the high Pyrenees mountains and it is sandwiched in between France and Spain.  This country is just 15 miles wide and 15 miles long, and it experiences many very low level earthquakes, though it has never been struck by a massive disastrous earthquake.

The residents of Andorra pay no income tax; the  country’s main income is derived from tourism; they have no standing army and no navy; and they did not fight in World War 1 nor in World War II.  Most foodstuffs are imported, and their currency is the European Euro, even though Andorra is not a member of the European Union. Their national language is Catalan, though fluency also in French, Spanish or Portuguese is quite common.  English is understood, particularly in the main tourist areas.

The history of ancient Andorra can be traced way back to the earliest settlements in France and the Iberian Peninsula.  Due to its mountainous location, together with the French influence to the north and the Spanish influence to the south, Andorra has maintained some form of independence during the past two thousand years and more.  These days the leadership of Andorra is shared by the President of France, and the Catholic Bishop of Catalonia in Spain.

Andorra lies hidden, high up in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain; there have been two postal systems, French and Spanish; there are two school systems, French and Spanish; and for many years, there were two major radio stations, French and Spanish.

These days however, there are three dozen FM stations on the air in Andorra, thus providing complete radio coverage of their entire country, though there are now no medium wave nor shortwave stations.  However, back in their earlier years, there were two important radio stations on the air in Andorra, on both medium wave and shortwave.  These stations were best known under their titles, as Radio Andorra and Sud Radio.  Here now is the story of the first of these stations, Radio Andorra.

It was way back in the year 1935, that a small consortium of business interests obtained a concession from the ruling authorities to establish a powerful commercial radio station in Andorra.  This concession for thirty years was granted on August 19, 1935.  One of the businessmen in this new venture was Jacques Tremoulet, who afterwards was very influential in establishing several other large medium wave and shortwave stations, including Radio Africa in Tangier, Radio Antilles in Montserrat in the Caribbean, and Radio Trans Europe (Deutsche Welle) at Sines in Portugal.

Construction work for this new large and powerful radio station in Andorra began in mid 1937.  A strong four storey building made of granite was constructed in the main valley in Andorra, between Encamp and Las Elcaldes. This complete new building was constructed on the edge of Pena de les Anelletes overlooking the main highway running between France and Spain, and it contained the commercial offices, the on air and production studios for Radio Andorra, and some have suggested, the two original transmitters also. 

A lengthy Station Profile as published in the American radio journal Radio News in March 1949, states quite clearly that the two transmitters, medium wave and shortwave, were both installed on the first floor above ground level in this four storey studio building.  However, all of the available evidence suggests that the two original transmitters were installed actually in a separate building, the ornate castle like building, right from the beginning.  We would suggest then, that the original plans called for the two transmitters to be installed in the studio building, but when construction was underway, then the ornate castle like building was chosen.

Both transmitters, medium wave and shortwave, were constructed by the French-Swiss transmitter company SFR, which is better known these days by some of its subsequent names, including Thomcast.  The 60 kW medium wave transmitter was designed to radiate on two channels 425 metres 704 kHz (during the day) and 274 metres 1095 kHz (at night).  The 25 kW shortwave transmitter was designed for operation in any of the standard shortwave bands between 5 MHz and 15 MHz.  Two medium wave towers 400 feet tall were erected on the edge of the mountain top Lake Engolasters, high above Radio Andorra’s hillside building, and a feeder line more than half a mile long ran from the medium wave transmitter in the building up to the twin towers on the edge of the lake.

The entire project for Radio Andorra was completed in July 1939, and the first test broadcast went on the air on Sunday August 7.  At that stage, several different channels around 11.8 MHz were noted on the air in Europe and in the United States.  One unusual channel for a broadcast station was 8570 kHz, which was reported in England.

However, due to what was described as a “wartime accident”, the station was off the air for several weeks; and in the meantime, the horrors of World War II began in continental Europe over the first weekend in September.  The so called technical problem was corrected, and Radio Andorra returned to the air with test programming in Spanish and French in February of the following year 1940.  A regular program schedule was introduced a few weeks later on April 27.

However, as the events of World War II heated up, then the programming events at Radio Andorra began to make change. In June (1940), Radio Andorra dropped programming in the French language; shortly afterwards, the Germans attempted, unsuccessfully, to take over Radio Andorra; and the British made a subsequent and equally unsuccessful attempt to take the station over also.  During the subsequent events of the war, Radio Andorra was noted at times with programming beamed to soldiers on service in North Africa, mainly morale boosting music, with very little comment or information. 

In May 1945, Radio Andorra made what we would call a peace time move towards postwar programming, with some of its scheduling drawn from the revived Radio Luxembourg.  Then three years later, the French tried to jam the medium wave signal from Radio Andorra; some said the jamming transmitter was in Bordeaux France, and others said it was actually Radio Monte Carlo (perhaps with Bordeaux programming).

Somewhere around 1950, Radio Andorra first introduced the usage of its famous little 3½ kW shortwave transmitter which was noted over a period of time on several channels at the top end of the 49 metre band. Then in 1980, two used shortwave transmitters at 10 kW each were installed in the castle like transmitter building.   

However at that stage, the license for Radio Andorra was up for renewal, and amidst a lot of political wrangling, the station was closed down soon after 1900 UTC on Thursday April 2, 1981.  Give six more days, and Radio Andorra was back on the air again.  However on the next day, that is, on Thursday April 9, again at the same time 1900 UTC, the police arrived and ordered the station closed.  That was the end.

Six months later, the station engineer stated that he was still testing both transmitters, mediumwave and shortwave, twice each week; and that really was the end for Radio Andorra.
More about the radio scene in Andorra next time.
(Jeff White/AWR-Wavwscan/NWS 548)

Radio Andorra - 1961 (Spanish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDF53xmeQxE&t=7s

Radio Andorra Jingles (French)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAn0NNdQ8kE

Radio Andorra (Spanish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmtgJB9TPTY