Shortwave Radiogram schedule, December 1

Hello friends,

Last weekend's experiment with Persian text was interesting and mostly successful. You can see a near perfect decode via an SDR in Kuwait (close to Iran) during the Sunday 2330-2400 UTC broadcast, 7780 kHz from WRMI Florida (12000 km). You can see Fldigi prints out the Persian right-to-left text by decoding from the videos and audio listed in the next paragraph.

Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 127) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC) and  2010DFS in Japan (Sunday 0800 UTC on 7730 kHz). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 128,  1 December 2019, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:36  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:40  Converting brewery wast to charcoal*
 7:40  MFSK64: Most Americans now see signs of climate change
12:31  This week's images*
28:01  MFSK32: Closing announcements

* 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
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 7-9 pm EST) on 5960 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, Thursdays at 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/ @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 1300 UTC on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1300 UTC on 3583 kHz USB (with out-of-state check-ins now starting at 1230 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, Thursdays at 0000 UTC (Wednesdays 7 pm EST) on 3536 kHz USB.

Thanks for your reception reports!
Kim

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

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, December 1-7

From the Isle of Music, December 1-7: 
This week our special guest is Ricardo Oropesa, who will discuss the new album by Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, Para Siempre Embale with us. We will also enjoy some tasty charanga by Orquesta Original de Manzanillo.

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 0100-0200 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 Europe.
Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, December 1 and 3: 
Episode 141 features new releases of Latin music.

The transmissions take place:

Sundays 2300-2330 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 different web SDRs in Europe. Visit our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot

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

Nowegian LW station to close December 1

From Svenn Martinsen on WRTH Facebook group today:

"From a reliable source: 153 kHz Ingøy Broadcasting Station will close tomorrow Sunday December 1st at 23.59.59 CET after 19 years of operation.

 In this connection, NRK will issue a "Last Day transmission" QSL, such as when Fredrikstad Broadcasting was closed. I

 suppose one wants as many DXers, radio listeners and interested as possible to send in listeners report on this latest broadcast from NRK P1 over Ingøy. Reports may be sent to:

NRK Audience Service
Email: info@nrk.no
NRK Finnmark
Email: finnmark@nrk.no
(BDXC)

December DX Supplies List

Dear DX Customer,

CLOSE OUT on DX ENVELOPES!!! 

Sooooo...BUY  'EM  NOW!

DX Postage: SOLD OUT!!

QSL Albums: SOLD OUT!!

AIRMAIL Style Envelopes: SOLD OUT!!!

(FYI: US surface rates ended in 2008! Sooooo, ANY envelope leaving the

country can ONLY travel via AIR, no matter what envelope you use:

 blue & red, green, pink or plain white...) 

Stateside Envelopes: SOLD OUT!!

+!+NO LONGER taking Credit Cards+!+

ONLY Plain Euro Mailers

still available...

SEE Close Out Price Below!

!!!!!!!  Why I am NOT restocking:

Many have reached DXCC, othersare going the e-QSL route. 

I can't compete with that...

Sooo, it's Only Discount U.S.

POSTAGE, where I can compete....

plus Vintage PENS & PENCILS.

 Vintage writing instruments are available.

Step up to Quality & Step back in Time.

+++ Our vintage pens & pencils are

restored and in working condition. +++

Available as:

Parker Duofold from 1929

1880s rolled gold, ring slide mechanical pencils.

Left pencil is  4" closed and 5-1/4" open.  Price: $120

Right pencil is 3-1/4" closed and 4-1/8" open.  Price: $85

Leads provided with each.

 Upcoming Flea market event: I'll have a table

offering vintage fountain pens and Mech. pencils:

 On Dec. 7th

Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School,  Bridgewater, NJ   

  

!!!  Wanna Opt Out on Future Emails????

Let me know.

Future emails will contain U.S.

discount postage offers and

a highlighted pen or pencil.

Please Note!! 

DEALS on U.S. FOREVER STAMPS and All Discount

U.S. Postage Combos WILL CONTINUE!!!!

Stateside Letter rate for 2020 will hold

at the current 55c!!!

                                          U.S. DISCOUNT POSTAGE DEALS!!

Save Big on your domestic mailings when you plaster 

 your envelope with colorful vintage stamps!

HAPPY  MAILING!!

55c units	Forever	2 stamps	in  3 stamps	4 stamps	5 stamps
x 100	$51.00	xxx	$47.00	$46.00	$45.00
x 200	$97.00	xxx	$73.00	$72.00	$70.00
x 500	$236.00	xxx	$179.00	$179.00	$179.00

++For orders of 500 of 3-, 4-, and 5-stamp units, add $5.00 for shipping.++

-:-  FOREVER STAMPS  -:-

100-500 qty: booklets

1,000-5,000 qty: rolls or booklets, or a combo of each

+++ DECEMBER MEGA DEALS on FOREVER STAMPS!!! +++ 

1000 Forever Stamps for $462  +  $5.00 shipping

2000 Forever Stamps for $915.  +  $5.00 shipping

5,000 Forever Stamps (at 81% FV)  $2225 +  $10 shipping

Available in rolls of 100 or booklets of 10 

!!!! FINAL !!!!

DX ENVELOPES 

YOUR

LAST CHANCE

AT A GREAT PRICE! 

 ---:-:-:-:-:--- 

STILL PRICED LOW!!!

  

500 European PLAIN Mailers: $40.00 ppd!

1000 European PLAIN Mailers: $65.00 ppd!!

Fold one & insert it into the other...so old skool.

BUY NOW! before BYE-BYE  

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

73, bill

William Plum

12 Glenn Road

Flemington, NJ 08822

908 788 1020

Email: plumdx@msn.com

TOP 10 DX of the Year 2019 contest

COMING SOON!

The TOP DX Radioclub invites you to the annual

TOP 10 DX OF THE YEAR broadcast swl contest.

From 1 December 2019 at 00:00 UT to 31 December 2019 at 24:00 UT

The contest is open for all shortwave listeners and free of charge.

All the information is available on our website:

http://www.topdx-radioclub.com/top10dx.html

All the pages are bilingual: English on top, Hungarian on bottom.

In case of any questions just send us a line and we will be happy to respond. It is our pleasure to welcome you among the competitors so we are expecting you.

Best of luck and outstanding DXs to everyone!

We are on the Facebook:

https:\\www.facebook.com/groups/1130252393662891/

Very best wishes,

Istvan Biliczky

TOP DX RADIOCLUB

(HCDX 28 Nov 2019) 

Iran winter schedule changes

Iran
According to "the new broadcasting strategy of Pars Today, German program will be aired on shortwave to December 21 2019, until the end of the current Iranian month of Azar.

Until then, you can receive us on shortwave on the short term changed frequencies 6190 kHz and 7295 kHz:
1723-1820 on 6055 SIR 500 kW / 320 deg to WeEu German, WINTER B-19 HFCC
1723-1820 on 6190 #SIR 500 kW / 320 deg to WeEu German, BUT UNREGISTERED
# changed to 6090 SIR 500 kW / 320 deg to WeEu German, HFCC alternative
1723-1820 on 6115 SIR 500 kW / 313 deg to WeEu German, BUT AT SAME TIME the adjacent 6110 SIR 500 kW / 300 deg to SEEu Bosnian Sce of VIRI IRIB
1723-1820 on 7295 SIR 500 kW / 313 deg to WeEu German, HFCC alternative

NOTE: Probably new frequencies in German are 6090 (not 6190) and 7295 kHz It can also be expected that even other ParsToday language services will leave shortwave at the end of December, except Hebrew, Arabic & Kurdish!
(DX Mix-Bulgaria/NASWA 28 Nov)

DRM Conference Front and Center at Russia

Conference unveiled initial DRM in FM trial results and looked at various aspects of the digital radio standard

RW STAFF 27 Nov 2019

Russian broadcasters took a deep dive into the realm of digital radio with a conference, “Digital Broadcasting Standard DRM: Results of the Experimental Zone and Development Prospects in the Russian Federation,” held in St. Petersburg on Nov. 18.

The conference highlighted the initial results of the DRM for FM trial in St. Petersburg and featured a number of speakers who provided insights into where digital radio stands in Russia.

According to reports, trial results thus far show that for “stable reception of a digital signal, significantly lower field strengths and signal-to-noise ratios are required, which allows achieving parity of service areas with FM broadcasting, ceteris paribus, an order of magnitude lower transmitter power.”
Additional story at: https://tinyurl.com/w6mosnf

Last Chance Radio schedule update

WBCQ-6 World's Last Chance Radio from November 28:
2300-0057 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 175 deg to BRAS Portug.
0100-0257 on 9330 BCQ 250 kW / 245 deg to ENAm English
0300-0557 on 9330 BCQ 250 kW / 270 deg to CNAm English
0600-0857 on 9330 BCQ 250 kW / 280 deg to WNAm English
0900-0957 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 076 deg to PORT Portug.
1000-1057 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 076 deg to SPAI Spanish
1100-1257 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 180 deg to NSAm Spanish
1300-1357 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 220 deg to CeAm Spanish
1400-1557 on 9330 BCQ 250 kW / 300 deg to WCAN English
1600-1757 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 057 deg to U.K. English
1800-1857 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 054 deg to GERM German
1900-2157 on 9330 BCQ 500 kW / 070 deg to NWAf Arabic
2200-2257 on 9330 BCQ Super Power Station IS NOT ON AIR
(DX Mix-Bulgaria)

Congress Introduces AM-FM Act to Revise Copyright Law for Terrestrial Radio

Jem Aswad
Senator Marsha Blackburn and Rep. Jerrold Nadler today introduced the Ask Musicians for Music Act (AM-FM), which aims to revise existing copyright law for radio stations and musicians.

Under the current copyright system, radio stations can use sound recordings over their airwaves without paying royalties to creators who own a stake in the sound recordings. The AM-FM Act would require all radio services to pay fair-market value for the music they use.

Additional story at Variety: https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/congress-am-fm-act-copyright-law-terrestrial-radio-1203412412/

The Lasting Tale of Radio

Davide Moro
Slightly more than 100 years ago, on Feb. 17, 1919, station 9XM at the University of Wisconsin in Madison broadcast human speech to the public at large.


The cover page of the book “9XM Talking” by Randall Davidson.
9XM was first experimentally licensed in 1914, began regular Morse Code transmissions in 1916, and its first music broadcast in 1917. Regularly scheduled broadcasts of voice and music began in January 1921. That station is still on the air today as WHA.

Additional story at Radio World: https://tinyurl.com/vtqurmh

Hungary Studies DRM Shortwave

Hans Johnson
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Digital Radio Mondiale transmissions began from Budapest, Hungary, last June. Although two Hungarian broadcasters previously tested DRM on medium wave, the transmissions are the country’s first DRM trials on shortwave.


The antenna used in the trial is located at the Budapest University of Technology.
The Department of Broadcast Info-Communications and Electronic Theory at the Budapest University of Technology is conducting these latest trials. Csaba Szombathy, head of the broadcasting laboratory, is also head of the project, which will last for at least 12 months.

Additional story at Radio World: https://tinyurl.com/rye9v4x

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Nov 25 0142 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 18 - 24 November 2019

Solar activity was very low. No sunspots 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 geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels on 18-23 Nov. Moderate to high levels were observed on 24 Nov in response to the influence of a positive polarity CH HSS.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. Quiet to active levels were observed on 21-22 Nov and quiet to unsettled on 23-24 Nov due to influence from a positive polarity CH HSS. Solar wind speeds increased to above 600 km/s over 21 Nov and remained elevated but in slow decline through 24 Nov. The remainder of the reporting period was at quiet levels under nominal solar wind conditions.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 25 November - 21 December 2019

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels 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 be at normal to high levels. High levels are expected on 25-28 Nov and again on 20-21 Dec. Moderate levels are expected on 01-17 Dec. All enhancements to electron flux are anticipated in response to multiple CH HSSs.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to range from quiet unsettled. Unsettled conditions are expected on 25-28 Nov, 08 Dec, and 18-21 Dec in response to multiple CH HSSs. The remainder of the outlook period is expected be at quiet levels.

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Nov 25 0142 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 2019-11-25
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Nov 25      70           8          3
2019 Nov 26      69           8          3
2019 Nov 27      69           8          3
2019 Nov 28      69           8          3
2019 Nov 29      69           5          2
2019 Nov 30      69           5          2
2019 Dec 01      69           5          2
2019 Dec 02      69           5          2
2019 Dec 03      69           5          2
2019 Dec 04      69           5          2
2019 Dec 05      69           5          2
2019 Dec 06      69           5          2
2019 Dec 07      69           5          2
2019 Dec 08      69           8          3
2019 Dec 09      70           5          2
2019 Dec 10      70           5          2
2019 Dec 11      70           5          2
2019 Dec 12      70           5          2
2019 Dec 13      70           6          2
2019 Dec 14      70           5          2
2019 Dec 15      70           5          2
2019 Dec 16      70           5          2
2019 Dec 17      70           5          2
2019 Dec 18      70          12          3
2019 Dec 19      70          10          3
2019 Dec 20      70           8          3
2019 Dec 21      70           8          3
(NOAA)

New clandestine on the air

New clandestine Radio Nyawa Sarawak is on air, effective from 18 November, 2019. Broadcasting schedule as:
1000-1200 UTC on 11890 unknown kW / unknown location to SEAs in Iban/Bahasa Malay on Mon/Wed/Fri schedule
(DX Bulgaria 25 Nov 2019)

This is likely a reactivation of former Radio Free Sarawak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radionyawasarawak/

FCC Officially Proposes to Allow All-Digital on U.S. AM Band

Switchover would be optional by station; analog-only receivers would not hear those stations

PAUL MCLANE

The Federal Communications Commission likes the idea of giving U.S. stations on the AM band an option to turn off their analog transmissions and instead use only HD Radio. It recently said it would consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking recommending that change. Now the commission has officially done so.

The vote was unanimous, though at least one commissioner expressed concerns over the details of technical standards.

Additional story at: https://tinyurl.com/rowqx36

WWV 100th Anniversary: The Forgotten Callsigns

WWV Callsigns: KK2XEI South Boulder CO
The Central Radio Propagation Laboratory, as a division of NBS the National Bureau of Standards, was transferred from Washington DC into the new Radio Building on the newly acquired NBS campus in South Boulder Colorado in 1954.  The NBS property, made up of two tracts of land totaling 217 acres, is accessed by Rayleigh Road which runs off Highway 93.  A huge opening ceremony was staged at the new Radio Building on September 14, 1954 with 10,000 people present and President Dwight Eisenhower as the main speaker.

Two years after that grand opening on July 1, 1956, an experimental longwave chronohertz station on 60 kHz was inaugurated on the Boulder campus without ceremony under the experimental callsign KK2XEI.  This new KK2XEI was patterned after a similar longwave station MSF at Rugby in England which also utilized the same low frequency 60 kHz. 

The antenna system for KK2XEI was located a mile east of the Flatiron Mountain Ridge and it was supported by four wooden poles each 125 feet tall arranged in a square.  The feed line from the 2 kW transmitter ran up a similar wooden pole in the center of the square, with additional wires attached to the top of each corner pole.  This inefficient antenna system radiated just 2 watts, though even at this miniscule power level, the station was often heard at a considerable distance.

The radio frequency signal was unmodulated, except for an identification in International Morse Code every 20 minutes.  The station was on the air every working day from 1530 - 2000 UTC, running from mid morning to mid afternoon local time.

Four years later, the 60 kHz service was transferred from South Boulder and co-sited with another new NBS longwave station WWVL at Sunset Colorado, a small old mining town, half a dozen miles west of Boulder.  At the same time, the usage of the experimental callsign KK2XEI was dropped in favor of a new and regularized callsign, WWVB, with the B indicating Boulder.

WWV Callsigns: WWVL & WWVB Sunset, Fort Collins CO
Also in the late 1950s, NBS installed a mighty antenna across Four Mile Canyon for the experimental reception of longwave radio signals.  Four Mile Canyon is near the small old mining town known as Sunset, a dozen miles west of Boulder Colorado, and about four miles south east of Ward.

This massive antenna, which was anchored  to two mountain peaks on opposite sides of the canyon, stretched 3,400 ft (two thirds of a mile) across the wide valley.  The single wire antenna was a copper coated steel cable that weighed more than a ton and it was modified electrically for the transmission of experimental signals from two very low frequency transmitters, WWVB on 60 kHz and WWVL on 20 kHz.  The center fed upload cable was almost a thousand feet long, a little short of a quarter mile in height.

Station WWVL was inaugurated on April 5, 1960, with an 8 kW transmitter, though the radiated power was just 14 watts.  This station was initially on the air for six hours a day, though the duration of the broadcasts was subsequently extended to 24 hour continuous operation.  The last two letters of the callsign WWVL indicated very low frequency. 

This experimental station at Sunset Colorado was established to test the feasibility of worldwide longwave coverage from the one single location.  Reception of this WWVL was noted at times quite widely throughout the world, even as far as New Zealand.

During the early 1960s, a total of 30 sites were investigated in a search for a suitable location to re-establish the two longwave stations WWVL and WWVB, as well as all of the other WWV shortwave services from Greenbelt in Maryland.  The search was narrowed down to 7 possible sites in the Fort Collins area, and finally two parcels of land measuring a total of 380 acres were procured for this new station.

Work commenced on the new project near Fort Collins during July 1962, with the construction of a transmitter building and the installation of new electronic equipment.  The new WWVB service was inaugurated with 5 kW on 60 kHz on July 5, 1963, and the new WWVL service was inaugurated with 500 watts on 20 kHz one month later on August 6. 

Actually, the WWVB service at Sunset ended with a lightning strike on the antenna system shortly before the new station at Fort Collins was activated.  Some of the electronic equipment was destroyed in the resultant fire.

The original transmitters for WWVL and WWVB at Fort Collins were heavily modified ex military units, model number AN/FRT6, that were specifically re-engineered for low frequency time signal usage.  The two original antenna systems were best described as center-fed 8-wire flat-top diamonds, with an underground counterpoise.  The north antenna radiated the 20 kHz signal for WWVL, and the south tower radiated the 60 kHz signal for WWVB.

Originally, the WWVL signal was intended for worldwide reception, and for that intent to be realized, a much stronger signal would be required.  In fact, three years after WWVL was inaugurated at Fort Collins, the power level was increased to 2 kW.  However as time went by, NBS realized that they did not have the financial resources for the implementation of this 20 kHz project.

During the first six months in the year 1972, the signal from WWVL became frequently and deliberately intermittent until ultimately, at the end of the broadcast day on June 30 (1972), the WWVL transmitter was finally and permanently turned off.  WWVL was no more.

The 20 kHz WWVL antenna system, the north antenna, was then reworked for use on 60 kHz.  In this way, two WWVB transmitters were placed on the air simultaneously; both on the same channel 60 kHz.  Thus the two transmitters for station WWVB near Boulder now radiated from what had been its own antenna, the south antenna; and also from what had earlier been the WWVL antenna, the north antenna.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 558)

CBS on Shortwave in California: The Voice of America Delano

At the time when the United States entered the Pacific War on December 7, 1941, there was only one shortwave broadcasting station on the air on the continental west coast, and that was the well known two year old 50 kW General Electric station KGEI in San Francisco.  There was obviously a desperate need for the United States to establish additional shortwave broadcasting stations in California as quickly as possible.

The Office of War Information (OWI) was established by an Executive Order from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 13, 1942, and one of their top priorities was to establish two shortwave stations in California just as soon as possible.  These two shortwave stations were soon established at Delano (CBS South Station) and Dixon (NBC North Station).  In our program today, we look at the story of the Voice of America Relay Station that was built near Delano and operated by CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. In order to be effective, the newly appointed Chief of Communication Facilities Bureau at OWI, James Weldon, set up a list of preferred criteria which would include the following:
At least three miles from the coast
        No mountains more than 3 degrees above horizon
        Large property 1 mile E-W & ½ mile N-S
                Aviation approval for towers 150 ft tall
        Land not more than $400 per acre
Also electricity in quantity available (50 or 60 cycle)

At the time, Lester Bowman was the Western Engineer for CBS at their Columbia Square office in Hollywood and he was tasked with establishing the new South Station for the Voice of America.  Initially Bowman gave consideration to procuring additional land near the KNX mediumwave transmitter site in Torrance in the South Bay area of Los Angeles.  Upon this additional site, a transmitter building could be constructed, together with the installation of a few rhombic antennas pointed out across the Pacific. 

However, a Torrance location for this VOA South station proved to be inadequate, and consideration was given ultimately to some forty different sites in California, including Barstow on the edge of the Mojave Desert.  Finally, an 81 acre tract of almost desert land due west of Delano was chosen and OWI approval for this location was granted on February 15, 1943. Subsequently, additional adjacent land was acquired, making the CBS-VOA property near Delano a complete square mile.  The surrounding farm areas are now mainly almond and orange orchards, due to the availability of irrigation water. 

A Ground Breaking Ceremony was conducted on this property at 11015 Melcher Road a little over a year later, in May 1944.  The main transmitter building was then constructed and the first two transmitters were installed; two 50 kW RCA units Model No M17331-8. 
Due to wartime shortages, the two RCA 50 kW transmitters employed a common high-level modulator, though there were two separate radio frequency sections.  In this way, the same programming was carried in parallel on two separate shortwave channels under the dual callsigns KCBA and KCBF. 

The first broadcasts from this RCA double unit KCBA-KCBF became airborne in November 1944, and the first monitoring observations are shown in the Australian magazine Radio & Hobbies in February of the next year 1945.  The famous red, white and blue OWI QSL cards verifying the broadcasts from the Delano 50 kW double unit showed both callsigns, KCBA-KCBF linked together on the same card.

At the same time as the double 50 kW RCA transmitters were installed, a 200 kW Federal transmitter was also installed at Delano and this unit, together with a third 50 kW RCA transmitter as the driver, was activated on June 15, 1945 under another CBS callsign KCBR.  A separate red, white and blue QSL card was available for verification of this specific transmitter.

Now at the same time as the three transmitter units at Delano were under installation, expansion of the total facility was also underway.  Two new wings were added to the main transmitter building, North and South, and a 100 kW General Electric transmitter Model No. G100C was installed in each of those wings.  In addition, two 50 kW Continentals Model 617A were also installed. 

Back at that time, there were no harmonic filters attached to the output of these shortwave transmitters, and on Monday July 16, 1945, a harmonic signal from VOA KCBA Delano in California invaded the communication system at the Manhattan Project in the desert areas of New Mexico, one thousand miles away.  The countdown was underway for the test explosion of the world’s first atomic bomb, when suddenly the sign on with the military version of the Star Spangled Banner heralded the opening of the VOA daily programming to Latin America.  Although the countdown was interrupted with the unexpected and undesired incursion from the programming of the Voice of America, yet the atomic detonation was carried out successfully. 

During the half a dozen years from 1945 to 1951, there is no indication anywhere that the four additional transmitters that were installed at Delano in 1945 (2 @ 50 kW and 2 @ 100 kW) were accorded any additional callsigns.  Monitoring observations as listed in the Australian Radio & Hobbies magazine during this early postwar period would suggest that when these newly installed transmitters were on the air, they were listed generically under the callsign KCBA.
(AWR Wavescan/NWS 559)

Radio Free Asia QSL, to 31 December

New RFA 'Bamboo' QSL

                                        ®

 RADIO FREE ASIA ANNOUNCES 23^rd ANNIVERSARY QSL 

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its 23^rd anniversary QSL. Bringing free press to closed societies, RFA’s first broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. RFA is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate, and timely news reports are unavailable. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, North Korea, the People’s Republic of China, and Vietnam. In some Asian cultures, bamboo represents integrity, elegance, modesty and loyalty. This is RFA’s 71^st QSL and is used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from September – December 2019. The design was created by RFA’s Brian Powell.

RFA’s 23^rd Anniversary QSL  

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

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Nov 18 0115 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 11 - 17 November 2019

Solar activity was very low. Region 2752 (S23, L=286) was numbered on 13 Nov as a unipolar group, but quickly decayed to plage. The region remained an area of plage throughout the balance of the summary period. 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 at moderate levels on 11 and 13-17 Nov with normal levels observed on 12 Nov.

Geomagnetic field activity was predominately at quiet levels throughout the period under a mostly nominal wind regime. An isolated unsettled period was observed midday on 11 Nov and again
late on 17 Nov. The unsettled period late on 17 Nov was due to weak, negative polarity CH HSS influence.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 November - 14 December 2019

Solar activity is expected to be a very low levels 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 22 Nov through 03 Dec in response to CH HSS influence. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor) storm levels on 21-23 Nov, with active levels on 20 Nov, due to a recurrent, positive polarity CH HSS. Quiet to isolated unsettled
conditions are anticipated throughout the remainder of the outlook period.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Nov 18 0115 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 2019-11-18
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2019 Nov 18      70           5          2
2019 Nov 19      70           8          3
2019 Nov 20      70          15          4
2019 Nov 21      70          20          5
2019 Nov 22      70          18          5
2019 Nov 23      70          10          3
2019 Nov 24      70           8          3
2019 Nov 25      70           8          3
2019 Nov 26      69           8          3
2019 Nov 27      69           5          2
2019 Nov 28      69           5          2
2019 Nov 29      69           5          2
2019 Nov 30      69           5          2
2019 Dec 01      69           5          2
2019 Dec 02      69           5          2
2019 Dec 03      69           5          2
2019 Dec 04      69           5          2
2019 Dec 05      69           5          2
2019 Dec 06      69           5          2
2019 Dec 07      69           5          2
2019 Dec 08      69           5          2
2019 Dec 09      70           5          2
2019 Dec 10      70           5          2
2019 Dec 11      70           5          2
2019 Dec 12      70           5          2
2019 Dec 13      70           6          2
2019 Dec 14      70           5          2
(NOAA)

What Will Be the Future of Radio New Zealand ?

The fate of RNZ and TVNZ may soon be in the hands of Cabinet ministers, with a proposal to disestablish both broadcasters and create an entirely new public media entity.

Jane Patterson
The coalition government has been grappling with what to do with public broadcasting in New Zealand, and now there's a greater sense of urgency with the media industry under real financial threat.

Labour campaigned on RNZ+ with annual funding of $38 million in 2017, but that was canned after the resignation of Clare Curran as Broadcasting Minister.

The portfolio was handed to Kris Faafoi, who has signalled a different approach to public broadcasting.

An advisory group, with representatives from both media companies and a range of public service agencies, was set up to look at future funding options.
Additional story at: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/403232/govt-to-consider-replacing-rnz-tvnz-with-new-public-broadcaster

RTÉ to cut jobs, pay and some services to address financial crisis

By Sinéad Crowley
RTÉ has confirmed that it is seeking to reduce its workforce by 200 as one of a series of measures to tackle its financial crisis and reduce projected costs by €60m over the next three years.

Other notable measures include the closure of the existing studios in Limerick and the digital radio network, the sale of the RTÉ Guide and the closure of the Aertel service.

RTÉ News understands that although the production of Lyric FM in Limerick will cease, a new studio will open for news coverage. Lyric FM production will move to Cork and Dublin.
Additional story at: https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019/1106/1089209-rte-cuts/

Special broadcast from Welle 370

Armenia - Upcoming broadcast - Try both frequencies:
also channel 6080 kHz in DRM mode broadcast has been requested now at same time, same day, same program, via CJSC Yerevan Gavar bcast center.
(wb  df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 4)

'Welle 370 Special broadcast of 'Welle 370 - Sender Koenigs Wusterhausen' program via MBR Cologne FMO, via CJSC Yerevan Gavar bcast center.
1900-2200 6145 ERV 100 kW 305 deg to WeEUR German Saturday on Nov 16.

Registered 16.11.2019 1900-2200 UT on 6145 kHz from Yerevan with 100 kW for Europe. Broker ist Media Broadcast.
[Christian Milling-D Oct 28]
(via Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Oct 27)

Armenia/ Uzbekistan {Germany non}   Special transmission of Welle 370
on Novemver 16, updated:
1900-2200  6080 ERV 100 kW 305 deg to WeEUR German via CJSC Yerevan &
1900-2200  6145 TAC 100 kW 301 deg to WeEUR German via RRTM Tashkent.
(Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 6)
(WWDXC Top News 09 Nov 2019)

Station website: http://welle370.funkerberg.de/