Hello friends,
Last weekend's experiment with Olivia 16-1000 produced results that were definitely indefinitive. In the few cases where I could find a signal bad enough to give the mode a real test, the Olivia 16-1000 did not seem any better than the MFSK32, and not much better than the MFSK64. It reminds us why we like the MFSK modes on Shortwave Radiogram. However, there was one example of improbable reception in South Australia of the Sunday 2330-2400 UTC broadcast on 7780 kHz. Despite a nearly inaudible signal, the Olivia 16-1000 decoded well.
Shortwave Radiogram listeners have produced videos of last weekend's reception (program 145), which include examples of Olivia 16-1000 versus the MFSK modes: youngalientype in Ohio (I think) (Friday 1300 UTC Olivia 16-1000 excerpt, Ralf in Germany, Lolo sdr in Spain, and Scott in Ontario (all Saturday 1330 UTC), and, amazingly for this far into spring, reception in Europe, Sunday at 0800 UTC on 7730 kHz, captured by i0kte stafano in Italy (excerpt) and Lolo sdr in Spain. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.
With most of us required to stay at home, this weekend we will try more experiments with modes designed for especially bad reception. So let's hope for at least some bad reception. We will try two approaches: 1) Olivia 64-2000, which spreads the data 2000 Hz wide, using most of the bandwidth we have in a shortwave broadcast channel. 2) MFSK16, which concentrates all the data in a narrow column of data 316 Hz wide. This will be in addition to our usual MFSK32 and MFSK64, with six MFSK64 images this weekend.
Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 146, 2-5 April 2020, in modes as noted:
1:50 MFSK32: Program preview
3:07 Olivia 64-2000**: Seismic impact of stay-at-home
7:41 MFSK16: Seismic impact continued
10:24 MFSK64: Harvesting energy from Wi-Fi
16:14 This week's images*
27:48 MFSK32: Closing announcements
* with images
** Turn off Fldigi squelch (SQL) and choose receiver bandwidth
that will accept the data at 500 to 2500 Hz above and/or below
the carrier frequency (i.e. not too narrow)
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 Gateway Wiki https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway
Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day UTC Time Frequency Transmitter
Friday 1300-1330 UTC 15770 kHz WRMI Florida
Friday 1500-1530 UTC 13690 kHz DRM WINB Pennsylvania
Saturday 0230-0300 UTC 9265 kHz WINB Pennsylvania
Saturday 1330-1400 UTC 15770 kHz WRMI Florida
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 EDT) 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 0200-0300 UTC on 5850 kHz (Wednesday evening in the Americas) and a new time also on WRMI, Wednesdays at 2100-2200 UTC on 7780 kHz (aimed towards Europe) . Also look for a waterfall ID at the beginning of the show. thisisamusicshow@gmail.com . 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 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. 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 2300 UTC (7 pm EDT) on 3536 kHz USB.
Thanks for your reception reports and stay well!
Kim
Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom