I am not sure if I saw any advantage in last weekend's Thor22 over our usual MFSK32, and not much over the much faster MFSK64. On my PC, the Thor22 performed poorly via WINB, but well via WRMI. There is something peculiar about WINB's audio. The RSID's don't work (for me, anyway) and now the Thor22 doesn't, either. But, via WINB, the MFSK modes are OK, and, for the most part, so are the images. It's fun to try to solve these mysteries.
Another anomaly last weekend was the absence of 5850 kHz during the Sunday 0800-0830 UTC broadcast (7780 kHz was on the air). During a storm, one of the poles (like telephone poles) at WRMI that hold the transmission lines between the transmitter and the antenna fell to the ground. The amazing crew at WRMI replaced that pole the next day.
Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 153) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC) and by 2010DFS in Japan (Sunday 0800 UTC on 7730 kHz, with more of this amazing reception and decode through co-channel interference). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.
This weekend, we will experiment with three speeds of Olivia, all 2000 Hz wide. These modes often work well when reception conditions are poor, so let's hope for bad reception this weekend. (And that pretty much guarantees good reception this weekend.) I don't know the official speeds of these Olivia modes, but I think they are about 24 wpm for Olivia 64-2000, 40 wpm for Olivia 32-2000 and 80 wpm for 16-2000. Slow. If reception is good, you can make it more challenging by using you old, cheap shortwave portable with the broken whip antenna.
After the Olivia, we'll have time for seven images in the MFSK64 mode.
Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 154, 28-31 May 2020, in modes as noted:
1:49 MFSK32: Program preview
3:16 Olivia 64-2000: Recyclable rubber polymer, part 1**
6:52 Olivia 32-2000: Part 2**
11:05 Olivia 16-2000: Part 3**
15:43 MFSK64: This week's images*
28:20 MFSK32: Closing announcements
* with images
** Turn off Fldigi squelch (SQL). Use bandwidth wide enough for
these 2000-Hz-wide modes, i.e. at least 2.5 kHz for SSB, 5 kHz
for AM.
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
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 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” Most of the show is a music show, but the host transmits some text and images in various modes 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!
Kim
Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom